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00:00This is a production of the U.S. Department of State.
00:30Well, wrestling fans, it's a part of our initiative to showcase the king of sports
00:58all across the entire viewing world of professional wrestling.
01:03We thank you so much for joining us here tonight with the NJPW World Television title on the line.
01:07My name is Walker Stewart alongside Chris Charlton, and we are set for championship action.
01:13And the newest member of the Don Callis family, flanking behind Kudalske Takeshita,
01:18the rat that is Rocky Romero's in the building, Chris.
01:21One of the king of stooge style, Rocky Romero.
01:24In the corner, the number of Opel 8 champion and potentially soon to be the world TV champion.
01:34I don't like the company to get still runs with, but I have to acknowledge that the Alpha
01:40is one of the best, if not the best, professional wrestlers in the world today.
01:54Rocky, the rat.
01:59Came for your job, I heard.
02:00Not for any.
02:07I mean, Rocky, I mean, you don't know Don Callis like I've had the mispleasure of knowing Don Callis.
02:14Well, luckily so.
02:15I mean, if it comes down to, on the face of it, the group of Don Callis family, the group
02:23of talent that that man has, unprecedented, unparalleled.
02:28I mean, he just, I mean, Rocky Romero, he's an executive for crying out loud.
02:33Oh, don't give me this, Chris.
02:35He's the vice president of NJLA, of New Japan of America.
02:38Right.
02:38You know, so if this means that we get more Sequestra in New Japan, I'm all over it.
02:44Josh Alexander in New Japan, hey, come on.
02:47You know, Carl Fletcher, I've always thought he was great.
02:50But you don't think, I heard a rumor, Rocky Romero was coming out the Los Ingo Belistar
02:56Bond locker room earlier on today.
02:58I heard a rumor that he was in the ear of Hiromu Hoshingo of Yodosuji.
03:04Oh, give me a break.
03:04You have to get every single locker room in NJLA, in NJPW, I can get you a deal with
03:10Don Callis.
03:10Oh.
03:19You don't think that's where Tetsuya Naido's going?
03:22Oh, don't say that, Chris.
03:23It could happen.
03:26Yeah, I mean, how can you not think it's a conflict of interest?
03:31King is stooge style.
03:32Well, the influence of Don Callis is stretched far and wide across the professional wrestling world.
03:46And here tonight to Rocky Romero.
03:48I mean, you think of all the things, Don Callis, he was the invisible hand behind Impact Wrestling
03:53and TNA, right?
03:54And the power that Rocky Romero has in every wrestling organization in the world, it seems
04:00like.
04:00I mean, that is a fearsome...
04:02Oh, that was fearsome.
04:05Forget about the business talk.
04:06That's what I like to see.
04:09And I have to admit it.
04:11Whoa.
04:12Wait a minute.
04:12It's a catch to...
04:14Oh!
04:14Oh, ready!
04:15All right, how about it?
04:20Let's get the bell ringing, and let's get this match underway.
04:33What?
04:34I mean, he's not wrong.
04:38Well, I'm not going to be the man to argue with him.
04:40As referee Kenta Sato is going to call it here, it's a catch to El Phantasmo.
04:47We are quickly underway.
04:48One fall, 15-minute time limit.
04:50As for the rules of the TV title.
04:51And it was El Phantasmo.
04:55Walked into this series without any championship gold.
04:58Walked out.
05:00NJPW TV title holder following a victory over Great Okan.
05:03That was back at Wrestling Izen no Kuni.
05:06And immediately issued the challenge to Konosuke Takeshiya, saying,
05:10I'm coming for the never-open-weight gold.
05:12How about you come for mine?
05:13Yeah, and, you know, because he wanted, he didn't want to wait for Ontario.
05:17He wanted to avenge a loss that was suffered in Japan with a win in Japan.
05:23That G1 Climax, that emotional battle they had in Corcoran Hall.
05:27But, you know what I mean, there's a 15-minute time limit on this one.
05:30Yep.
05:31And that is going to be the difference maker.
05:3315 minutes tonight, 60 minutes in Ontario, California.
05:37As Phantasmo up and over with the moonsault on the never-champion.
05:42The cover again.
05:43And will only find two.
05:45His second reign as World TV Champion.
05:49That match you're talking about, Chris.
05:51August 7th of last year, G1 34.
05:54We were in close to the closing stages of G1 Climax that year.
05:58Takeshi to eight points over Phantasmo with the fourth.
06:02It was a very, very difficult time.
06:05Trying time for El Phantasmo mentally.
06:08And then, of course, had even more trials at the end of the year with his cancer diagnosis.
06:14But came out the other end stronger than ever.
06:18And now really coming out swinging.
06:20I mean, the mental is all together for El Phantasmo.
06:23And that might mean that he can get the win over Konosuke's guess.
06:27And not just once, but twice.
06:28Here we go.
06:30Well, wait a second.
06:31Wait a second.
06:31Hey.
06:32Oh, well, that rap bastard that is Rocky Romero getting quickly into the mix.
06:37And, oh, watch out behind you.
06:39No, no, no.
06:39He's going to beat.
06:40Takeshi to.
06:42I mean, Takeshi to.
06:43He doesn't need that.
06:45Right.
06:45Well, I mean, like, I'm sure he'll appreciate it, but he doesn't need a bit of it.
06:51Like Rocky said, Takeshi is one of.
06:53I would say he's top three, top two, top one of the professional wrestlers on the planet right now.
06:59He doesn't need someone to run interference from.
07:02Yeah.
07:02And we talked about the difference between this match tonight and any match these two have or will had against one another.
07:11And that is that 15-minute time limit.
07:12The last time these two met 17 minutes, 22 seconds it took to Kachita to put LP down.
07:18Very, very difficult to get the job done inside of 15 minutes.
07:24And that high angle Senton, Senton and Tomic go out and in.
07:31And the way you wrestle a 15-minute match is so different to the way you wrestle a 30-minute or a 60-minute match.
07:37To the extent that if you beat someone in 10 minutes out of a 60-minute time limit, that feels very different to 10 minutes out of a 15.
07:46You're pacing yourself differently.
07:48You're hitting harder.
07:49You're working faster.
07:50You're more out of breath.
07:51It takes a hell of a lot outing.
07:54We're going to stay listening for those time calls, but Konosuke Takeshita, no stranger to wrestling in short bursts of offense.
08:06I had to say that characterizes part of the never-open-weight championship reign that we've seen for Takeshita.
08:11I think you're right.
08:12And I think that comes from, you know, choosing to take his own path within professional wrestling.
08:18Starting up in the DDT ranks and then going to America where they typically do wrestle.
08:24A faster style, shorter matches, you know, learning, improving that aspect of his game.
08:28Had a never-defense down in Mexico against downhill del Oro, trying to perfect that aspect of his game.
08:34He's not just a master of the game.
08:36He's a student of it as well.
08:38That's why Takeshita is so dangerous.
08:40And cover only to two.
08:41He's going to have a feel for the time.
08:54It's a strategy that we saw employed by great Okan over the course of Okan's two matches with LP.
09:01Worked out the first time in favor of Okan.
09:03Just hang him up!
09:04He's going to have a feel for the time.
09:07I'm sure Takeshita is wearing down LP.
09:11Once Fantasmo gets going, he's so dangerous at striking in combination that you've got to try and take away his win wherever you can.
09:19Three successful, rather four successful defenses for LP as World TV Champion overall.
09:33His first of this reign coming tonight against Takeshita.
09:36And that is if the word successful is in there.
09:41Again though, Takeshita has to beat Fantasmo Walker.
09:46But Fantasmo doesn't have to beat Takeshita.
09:50But the thing is, I don't think Fantasmo is thinking about playing for time.
09:55At this point, and he's getting worked over and worked over badly.
10:00I think it would behoove Fantasmo to try and work for the draw.
10:06Try and outlast Knollskate Takeshita.
10:09Find a first defense via the time limit.
10:11And oh, a heavy landing to the outside for Knollskate Takeshita.
10:19And it's hard to stop him once you start him.
10:21El Fantasmo driving Takeshita over that barricade.
10:27Oh, and look at this.
10:28Now Rocky Romero trying to come to the assist here.
10:30We know for a fact Takeshita doesn't need any assistance from anyone.
10:34Don Callis or otherwise.
10:35Trying to protect his investment.
10:37You know, I thought when Rocky attacked Fantasmo backstage in Chicago,
10:43I thought that was just out of frustration.
10:46Having lost that tag team match.
10:51Little did we know.
10:52Oh, wait a second.
10:54Walker.
10:55Oh, wait a minute.
10:56What's he thinking?
10:57Fantasmo with something in mind here.
11:01Taking it for the ride.
11:02And crashing into the first row.
11:08Oh, for the world TV title.
11:11Take a look at it one more time on the replay.
11:14That was a devastating blow to Romero and Takeshita alike.
11:22Landon had to take something out of Fantasmo as well.
11:26But the adrenaline is firing.
11:28You know, Chris, if there's any two championships in New Japan Pro Wrestling
11:36that are adrenaline-based, it's the two that these men hold.
11:39The TV title, 15-minute time limit.
11:42The never-open weight, the BMF championship.
11:45Wait a second.
11:46You didn't bring him into the ring,
11:47walking onto the apron.
11:51Oh, what?
11:52Well, we can see it here on the apron,
11:53or we can see it in the ring to put it away.
11:56CR2.
11:56This is the most dangerous part of our environment.
12:12Oh, wait a minute.
12:13What?
12:14Wait a minute.
12:14It's a catch time.
12:15Oh!
12:17Come on!
12:19He's trying for a blue thunder off the apron there.
12:22Thank God Fantasmo back in.
12:24Safest place Fantasmo could be,
12:26and something tells me we're not staying long.
12:33Oh, no, no, no.
12:34Wait a minute.
12:34Wait a minute.
12:35Oh!
12:36Takeshda has Fantasmo on the apron.
12:42Oh, and that's great separation for LP tonight.
12:44Yeah, mate, literally separated that shoulder.
12:46And now he won't be able to grip onto the ropes walker.
12:50It's got him hooked.
12:51Oh, oh, oh, oh, pile driver!
12:58Fantasmo to the catch on the outside.
13:02A massive drive.
13:04That dive out to the floor and the pile driver on the apron.
13:08If Fantasma can roll back inside, he might retain on Countout.
13:15It won't be the first time that Countout factored into a situation with a TV title here, Chris.
13:21Here is how LP lost the title to great Okan before he won it back in Saga.
13:29One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.
13:45On the count of nine, we are halfway through. Takeshita still on the outside here.
13:50Cervical damage possible off that pile driver for Takeshita.
13:54And Fantasma more than willing to take the Countout victory here at Survival tonight, Chris.
13:5917, 18, 19.
14:04Count of 19.
14:05And nearly saw the end of the TV title match.
14:22Let's go, baby, let's go.
14:24Come on.
14:26Come on.
14:27Come on.
14:28Come on.
14:29Come on.
14:30Come on.
14:31Come on.
14:32Come on.
14:33Come on.
14:34Come on.
14:35Come on.
14:36Come on.
14:37Come on.
14:38Come on.
14:39Come on.
14:40Come on.
14:41Come on.
14:42Come on.
14:43Come on.
14:44Come on.
14:45Come on.
14:46Come on.
14:47Come on.
14:48Come on.
14:49Come on.
14:50Come on.
14:51Come on.
14:52Oh, stop the train rolling, Kanolskai Takeshda, but not for long here, Takeshda, oh, mid-air collision
15:09and El Phantasmo off the middle, knockout shot, oh here we go, no, the cover, no,
15:22sudden death, sudden death from El Phantasmo, sudden has been the word, what a series of
15:34exchanges, but, LP wants to strike last, Phantasmo, oh, Takeshda, well Takeshda might be fading out
15:49here, and we're gonna change the game, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute, oh, my God, no,
16:01the last time it was through a table in Corican Hall, and tonight in Fuqua, it still wasn't
16:08enough to put Phantasmo down for three.
16:20It was all Phantasmo could do to kick out of that Hitodenanashi driver.
16:33three minutes left.
16:45We're over 12 minutes into this match, and it could go any which way even still.
16:51Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute, Phantasmo, Phantasmo wants to play to Takeshda, he's got him,
17:04set off Powerbomb, cover, no, no, but this time.
17:11Not done yet, back on the attack, CR2.
17:16Here we go.
17:18The cover.
17:20No.
17:21Nearly got him.
17:22My God.
17:24Phantasmo has never pinned Takeshda in the center of the ring before, one-on-one.
17:30It's a shortlist walker of anyone that's been able to pin Takeshda of late one-on-one.
17:45Will Ospre last to do it on TV?
17:49Oh, that stumble, that stumble from Phantasmo creating the goal for Takeshda here.
17:55Middle robe, caught, caught.
17:58And the blooms under out of nowhere.
18:01A cover.
18:02Nearly it.
18:03There's 60 minutes left.
18:08We've got about 90 seconds to get it done for Takeshda.
18:23Poison right up.
18:25Phantasmo, you don't have to.
18:27You've got to capitalize now.
18:28Poison right up.
18:29Tent for Tat.
18:30To Catchhda.
18:31Oh.
18:32The time is counting down, and neither man's going to stand for it.
18:34Phantasmo just needs to survive, but he wants to beat the Alpha.
18:40Phantasmo, for the Alpha.
18:41Oh.
18:42Oh.
18:43Oh.
18:44Oh.
18:45Oh.
18:46Oh.
18:47Oh.
18:48Oh.
18:49Oh.
18:50Oh.
18:51Oh.
18:52Oh.
18:53Oh.
18:54And Tasmo captured, captured, the cover, no, Takeshita, not enough.
19:15No, look out, look out.
19:22Takeshita, new champ, no.
19:24The cover, the cover, 20 seconds left, less than that now.
19:32We got about 10, this is gonna be it, one way or the other.
19:36That's really it, that Tasmo scramble, and it's only one.
19:43That's it.
19:45No, no, no, no, no, no.
19:47And the confirmation.
19:57And as a result of a time limit draw, El Fantasmo retains the World Television Championship.
20:07I think in the mind of the TV champion, a draw as good as a loss.
20:17And as a result of a time limit draw, El Fantasmo retains the World Television Championship.
20:25I think in the mind of the TV champion, a draw as good as a loss.
20:32Do what he set out to achieve tonight.
20:34He did not beat the Alpha.
20:36Can he do it with the Never Gold on the line Friday night?
20:40All we've seen tonight truly, Chris Charlton, is a preview of what we are set to see coming
20:44up Friday, May 9th at Resurgence.
20:47It's the Never Openweight Championship on the line when El Fantasmo challenges Konosuke Takeshita.
20:54Who can beat the World Beater in Ontario?
21:01And you see Fantasmo calling for it there.
21:03Five more minutes, I mean, it wouldn't be the first time we've wanted to see something
21:08like that in a World TV title matchup, but rules are rules for a reason, Chris.
21:17Well, and Rocky being the voice of reason on the part of Takeshita saying no, don't take
21:26the five.
21:27You're going to get 45 more coming up in Ontario.
21:31Man, if you're in the Ontario, California area and you haven't yet, you've got to get
21:38over to Ticketmaster and get those tickets for Resurgence Walker, my goodness.
21:42Never Openweight Championship, ELP versus the Outlaw, and we'll see who walks out.
21:54If you're in the Ontario area, the Los Angeles area, hell, all the way over in Orange County
22:00or in Nevada, anywhere in the United States, you are going to want to make the trip for
22:03Ontario, California, Resurgence 2025, the Never Openweight title will be up for grabs.
22:10Six years, Chris.
22:22Six years to this day.
22:26I did it.
22:28That's right.
22:40Six year anniversary.
22:44What a ride.
22:45And it keeps on going for the TV title.
22:48Five more minutes.
22:49Yeah.
22:50I would have had five more minutes.
22:51Five more minutes.
22:55The world has chased the world beater.
22:57We're going to see what El Phantasmo can accomplish with 45 more minutes on the clock.
23:02Coming up, a 60-minute time limit when the Never Openweight Championship is on the line.
23:07But we talk about Resurgence all throughout this event, Chris.
23:10The last time we were in Ontario, California was the last time we saw this next singles match.
23:16Hiroshi Tanahashi takes on Zack Sabre Jr. Chapter 14 here at Wrestling Dantaku.
23:23Now, hey.