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Destruction was an professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) annually since 2007. In 2018, NJPW produced three events under the Destruction name; Destruction in Hiroshima on September 15, Destruction in Beppu on September 17, and Destruction in Kobe on September 23. These were eighteen to twentieth events under the Destruction name.

Production[]

Background[]

The 2018 shows were the third consecutive year in which NJPW holds three events under the Destruction name. From 2007 to 2013, NJPW held one Destruction event per year, expanding to two shows in 2014 and 2015 and to three shows in 2016. On August 29, it was announced that Destruction in Hiroshima tickets had sold out.

Storylines[]

The Destruction shows featured professional wrestling matches, each of which involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.

TomohiroIshii

Tomohiro Ishii, who challenged for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Destruction In Hiroshima

Destruction in Hiroshima was headlined by Kenny Omega making his second defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Tomohiro Ishii in a rematch from 2018 G1 Climax. From July 14 and August 11, both Omega and Ishii entered NJPW's annual premier tournament, the G1 Climax, where they wrestled on block B. Omega started the tournament with a record of six wins streak, but Ishii handed him his first loss in the tournament. Despite defeating Omega, Ishii was already eliminated from the tournament. Omega entered his final round-robin match with a chance to advance to the finals of the tournament, but was eliminated after losing to his tag team partner Kota Ibushi. On August 12, the final day of the tournament, Omega and Ishii faced off in a six-man tag team match, where Omega teamed with his Bullet Club Elite stablemates Chase Owens and Yujiro Takahashi and Ishii with his CHAOS stablemates Jay White and Toru Yano. Ishii won the match for his team by scoring a pinfall over Owens and afterwards Ishii grabbed Omega's IWGP Heavyweight Championship belt and challenged him to a title match. On August 20, NJPW announced a rematch between Omega and Ishii for the event. Were he to win the title, Ishii, standing at 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in), would become the shortest man to win the IWGP Heavyweight Champion in history.

The show featured Taguchi Japan's Juice Robinson, David Finlay and Ryusuke Taguchi challenging Bullet Club OGs Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa and Taiji Ishimori for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.

MinoruSuzuki

Minoru Suzuki, who faced Tetsuya Naito in a rematch in the main event of Destruction In Beppu

Destruction in Beppu was headlined by Minoru Suzuki taking on Tetsuya Naito in a rematch from Wrestling Hinokuni. In April 2018, Los Ingobernables de Japón (L.I.J.) entered a rivalry with Suzuki-gun stable, in which Suzuki feuded with Tetsuya Naito over the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. After, Naito and Suzuki's matches Naito would purposely provoke Suzuki, which would lead to Suzuki and Naito fighting in the backstage area or sometimes Suzuki trying to attack Naito, but was separated by the Young Lions, which he proceeded to attack them afterwards. Naito even stated that title was "a bigger deal when he used to throw it around". On April 29 at Wrestling Hinokuni, Suzuki lost the IWGP Intercontinental Championship to Naito. Shortly after, Naito lost the IWGP Intercontinental Championship to the returning Chris Jericho on June 9 at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall. Following Dominion 6.9, both Suzuki and Naito entered NJPW's annual premier tournament, the 2018 G1 Climax, where they wrestled in separate blocks. Both failed to advance to the finals of the tournament, after losing to Kazuchika Okada and Zack Sabre Jr., respectively. On August 12, the final day of the tournament, Suzuki teamed with his Suzuki-gun stablemates Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado and Zack Sabre Jr. and Naito with his L.I.J. stablemates SANADA, EVIL and BUSHI. During the match, Suzuki went after Naito and constantly attacked him. Naito wanted a rematch with Sabre due to previously losing to him on two occasions, claiming to be disinterested in Suzuki for already having defeated him. On August 20, NJPW announced a rematch between Suzuki and Naito for the event.

Taichi

Taichi, who challenged for the NEVER Openweight Championship on Destruction In Beppu

The show also featured Hirooki Goto making his second defense of the NEVER Openweight Championship against Taichi. On April 27, Hirooki Goto made his third title defense of the NEVER Openweight Championship against Juice Robinson. Following the match, Goto was challenged by Taichi and Michael Elgin. On May 4, at Wrestling Dontaku, Taichi attacked Goto into the backstage area, following a match, with Taichi targeting Goto's, only to Elgin make the save. On June 9 at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall, Goto lost the NEVER Openweight Championship to Michael Elgin, after Elgin scored a pinfall on Taichi to win the match. Shortly after, Goto regained the title from Elgin on June 17 at Kizuna Road. On August 12, the final day of the 2018 G1 Climax, Taichi teamed with his Suzuki-gun stablemate Takashi Iizuka and Goto with his CHAOS stablemate Yoshi-Hashi. Taichi won the match for his team by scoring a pinfall over Yoshi-Hashi and afterwards attacked Goto. On August 20, NJPW announced a title rematch between Goto and Taichi for the event.

HiroshiTanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi, who faced Kazuchika Okada in a rematch in the main event of Destruction in Kobe

Destruction in Kobe was headlined by Hiroshi Tanahashi taking on Kazuchika Okada. On April 1, at Sakura Genesis, after Kazuchika Okada made his eleventh successful of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Zack Sabre Jr., Okada was challenged by his longtime rival Hiroshi Tanahashi, after Okada's manager Gedo asked anyone to challenge Okada to a title match. During the event, Okada tied Tanahashi's record for most successful defenses as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, with eleven. Tanahashi vowed to stop Okada from breaking his record of most successful title defenses of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. On May 4 at Wrestling Dontaku, Tanahashi received his shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated by Okada, in the process breaking Tanahashi's record of most successful title defenses as IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Shortly after, Okada lost the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Kenny Omega on June 9 at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall. Following Dominion 6.9, both Okada and Tanahashi entered NJPW's annual premier tournament, the 2018 G1 Climax, where they wrestled in block A. In the finals of block A, Okada faced Tanahashi in a time-limit draw, which led to Tanahashi advancing to the finals of the tournament. On August 12, Tanahashi defeated Kota Ibushi in the finals to win his third G1 Climax. After winning the tournament, Tanahashi stated that before being in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13 in Tokyo Dome, he wanted to defeat Okada since their previous matches Okada won and the second ended in a time-limit draw, leading Tanahashi nominating Okada as the first challenger for his G1 Climax winning prize; a contract for an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match on January 4, 2019, at Wrestle Kingdom 13 in Tokyo Dome.

In the semi-main event, KUSHIDA taked on BUSHI. On August 20, BUSHI's Los Ingobernables de Japón stablemate Hiromu Takahashi was forced to vacate the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship due to a neck injury. NJPW Chairman Naoki Sugabayashi announced a four-man single elimination tournament to crown a new champion which BUSHI and KUSHIDA were announced as two of the participants.

Results[]

Destruction in Hiroshima[]

# Matches Stipulations Times
1 Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask and KUSHIDA defeated Roppongi 3K (Rocky Romero, Sho and Yoh) Six-man tag team match 7:14
2 Bad Luck Fale defeated Toa Henare Singles match 2:46
3 Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer) defeated Michael Elgin and Ayato Yoshida Tag team match 8:53
4 CHAOS (Will Ospreay, Chuckie T. and Beretta) defeated Bullet Club Elite (Chase Owens, Kota Ibushi and Yujiro Takahashi) Six-man tag team match 9:50
5 Bullet Club OG (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa and Taiji Ishimori) (c) defeated Taguchi Japan (David Finlay, Juice Robinson and Ryusuke Taguchi) Six-man tag team match for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship 11:27
6 CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano and Gedo) defeated Suzuki-gun (Taichi, Takashi Iizuka and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) by disqualification Six-man tag team match 10:42
7 Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA and BUSHI defeated Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Taka Michinoku and El Desperado Eight-man tag team match 12:12
8 Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma defeated CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Yoshi-Hashi and Jay White) Six-man tag team match 12:14
9 Kenny Omega (c) (with Kota Ibushi) defeated Tomohiro Ishii Singles match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship 30:55
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
  • Videoicon – refers to the video of that match

Destruction in Beppu[]

# Matches Stipulations Times
1 Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi and Yuya Uemura defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima and Yota Tsuji Six-man tag team match 9:08
2 David Finlay and Ren Narita defeated Toa Henare and Shota Umino Tag team match 6:38
3 Ayato Yoshida defeated Takashi Iizuka by disqualification Singles match 4:30
4 Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, KUSHIDA and Ryusuke Taguchi defeated CHAOS (Will Ospreay, Rocky Romero, Sho and Yoh) Eight-man tag team match 10:00
5 Suzuki-gun (Zack Sabre Jr., Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado (with Taka Michinoku) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, EVIL and SANADA) Six-man tag team match 8:31
6 Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma and Juice Robinson defeated CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, Yoshi-Hashi and Jay White) Eight-man tag team match 13:01
7 Taichi (with Miho Abe, Takashi Iizuka and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) defeated Hirooki Goto (c) Singles match for the NEVER Openweight Championship 20:54
8 Tetsuya Naito defeated Minoru Suzuki Singles match 32:08
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
  • Videoicon – refers to the video of that match

Destruction in Kobe[]

# Matches Stipulations Times
1 Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura ended in a time limit draw Singles match 10:00
2 Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) (with Rocky Romero) defeated Shota Umino and Ren Narita Tag team match 08:46
3 Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask defeated Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) Tag team match 06:50
4 Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi defeated Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma, Ryusuke Taguchi and Ayato Yoshida Eight-man tag team match 09:56
5 Best Friends (Beretta and Chuckie T.) defeated Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer) Tag team match 12:41
6 Juice Robinson, David Finlay and Toa Henare defeated CHAOS (Jay White, Yoshi-Hashi and Will Ospreay) Six-man tag team match 09:05
7 Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL, SANADA and Tetsuya Naito) defeated Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr. and Taka Michinoku) Six-man tag team match 11:20
8 KUSHIDA defeated BUSHI Singles match at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Tournament semifinal match 16:41
9 Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada Singles match for the Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate 35:43
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
  • Videoicon – refers to the video of that match

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