NJPW Power Struggle 2020 Results: Jay White shocks the world again
Power Struggle 2020 is the final major event from NJPW before the end of the year. This event usually marks significant changes on the road to Wrestle Kingdom 15. The headline encounters on this evening would settle what would be the main event in the Tokyo Dome on January 4th and 5th.
The main event of Power Struggle 2020 would be Tetsuya Naito facing EVIL for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships. This would be their fourth meeting of the year after trading the titles this past summer. The semi-main event would be Kota Ibushi defending the Right To Challenge for the IWGP Dual Gold briefcase that he earned winning the G1 Climax 30 against 'Switchblade' Jay White. There would also be another briefcase defended and two more titles defended.
With so much at stakes on our road to the Tokyo Dome, let's take a look at what went down at NJPW Power Struggle 2020. Be sure to leave your thoughts on this event in the comments section below.
NJPW Power Struggle 2020: Toru Yano vs. Zack Sabre Jr. in a No Corner Pads Match for the Provisional KOPW 2020 Trophy
Our opening contest is for the Provisional KOPW 2020 trophy in a No Corner Pads Match between Toru Yano and Zack Sabre Jr. These two last met in the G1 Climax 30 tournament where ZSJ got the victory to earn this opportunity.
Yano was the first to go into the exposed turnbuckle to start things off here at Power Struggle 2020. ZSJ threw Yano into the exposed turnbuckles a few more times. The steel hurt so bad that Yano went to the outside and looked to put the corner pads back on. Sabre Jr. stopped Yano from placing the pad back on and put his opponent in an abdominal stretch.
After a fight on the floor, Yano made it to the ring before the 20 count after blinding ZSJ with hand sanitizer. Yano put a corner pad back on and ran ZSJ into it which he no-sold before running Yano into one of the exposed turnbuckles. The two men then traded rollups for two counts.
Zack Sabre Jr. locked Yano in a heel hook, which the latter tried to put on one himself until he made it to the ropes. ZSJ followed Yano to the floor where he locked back on the heel hook in between the guardrail. However, Yano tied ZSJ's shoelaces together while in the hold. ZSJ released the hold and realized he was stuck, while Yano made it in the ring to win by countout to defend the KOPW 2020 Provisional Trophy here at Power Struggle.
Result: Toru Yano defeats Zack Sabre Jr. via count-out (12:10)
Star Rating: **1/2