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NJPW Power Struggle 2020: Tetsuya Naito vs. EVIL for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships
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Our main event for Power Struggle was Tetsuya Naito defending the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships against his arch-rival of the year EVIL. These two men were former stablemates in Los Ingobernables de Japon until EVIL turned on Naito after winning the New Japan Cup 2020 to join The Bullet Club. They have met three times in 2020 with EVIL holding a 2-1 record. He defeated Naito in the G1 Climax 30 to earn this opportunity.
Naito got control using his speed and technical expertise on EVIL to begin this Power Struggle main event. EVIL took advantage on the floor by smashing Naito into the guardrail hard twice knocking down the timekeeper's table. With the referee distracted with the timekeeper, Dick Togo came in and nailed Naito with a steel chair to the back.
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Naito regained control in this Power Struggle battle reversing a lariat into a swinging neckbreaker. EVIL used a Dick Togo distraction to send Naito to the floor and grab a steel chair. EVIL used two chairs to hit his homerun with the ref distracted in this Power Struggle closer.
Back in the ring, EVIL hit a fisherman buster for a two. However, Naito reversed a lariat and hit the swing DDT. EVIL then threw him into an exposed turnbuckle twice. EVIL hit a superplex and followed with the Dark Scorpion Death Lock. Naito made it to the ropes though. EVIL set up for Everything Is EVIL to end this Power Struggle main event. However, Naito elbowed out and hit a German Suplex.
Naito gained control and hit an avalanche frankensteiner and hit Gloria for a near fall. EVIL reversed Destino into a German Suplex. Naito came back and hit a flying forearm. He knocked Togo off the apron and hit a running Destino. Naito followed with Destino, but Togo pulled the referee out of the ring before the three.
Dick Togo came in with the choker to Naito, which led to Yujiro Takahashi coming in to strike Naito with his cain and hit Pimp Juice. This led to SANADA coming down and taking out Yujiro Takahashi and Dick Togo. The Osaka crowd made noise here to rally behind Naito in this Power Struggle main event. Naito and EVIL traded strikes from their knees to their feet.
EVIL nailed Naito with a low blow with the referee down, but Naito reversed a lariat into a pop up low blow. 'Switchblade' Jay White then came down to the ring. Switchblade hit a sleeper suplex on Naito after teasing an attack on EVIL and looked to follow with Blade Runner, but Ibushi came down to make the save. EVIL tried attacking Kota Ibushi, but Ibushi landed a high kick. It was now back to EVIL and Naito in this Power Struggle encounter.
Naito landed elbows, but EVIL ran him into the exposed turnbuckle. Naito no sold and ran EVIL into the steel. He laid in more elbows, but EVIL reversed Valentia and ran Naito into the ref before hitting a low blow. EVIL followed with a lariat for a near fall. Naito reversed Everything Is EVIL into a huge slap and Valentia. He then followed with Destino for the win to successfully defend the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships at Power Struggle 2020.
That was a chaotic, interference filled main event. It was exciting until the end here with Naito pulling out the victory to end Power Struggle. This was arguably Naito and EVIL's best match yet. We now have Naito vs. Switchblade at WrestleKingdom 15. Post-match, Jay White said that he is taking the night off on January 4th and getting his shot at the IWGP Dual Gold on January 5th at Wrestle Kingdom 15.
Result: Tetsuya Naito defeats EVIL via pinfall (33:10)
Star Rating: ***1/2
