Editing Wrestling Hinokuni 2016

{{Infobox puroresu event
|name=Wrestling Hinokuni 2016
|image=show_match_icon.jpg
|caption=Promotional poster for the event, featuring various NJPW wrestlers
|promotion=[[New Japan Pro Wrestling]]
|date={{dts|2016|04|29}}
|venue=Grand Messe Kumamoto
|city=Mashiki, Kumamoto
|attendance=
|liveevent=y
|lastevent=[[Invasion Attack 2016]]
|nextevent=[[Wrestling Dontaku 2016]]
|event=[[Wrestling Hinokuni]]
|lastevent2=[[Wrestling Hinokuni 2015]]
|nextevent2=[[Wrestling Toyonokuni]]
}}'''Wrestling Hinokuni 2016''' is a canceled professional wrestling event scheduled to take place on April 29, 2016, at the Grand Messe Kumamoto in Mashiki, Kumamoto.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=16300 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6grApzOmx | script-title=ja:【WD16】4月29日（金）グランメッセ熊本大会、開催中止のお知らせ | archivedate=April 18, 2016 | date=April 18, 2016 | accessdate=April 18, 2016 | work=[[New Japan Pro Wrestling]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> The event was set to feature nine matches, three of which were to be contested for championships.<ref name="WrestlingHinokuni2016FullCard">{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=16255 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6gjqNwXL0 | script-title=ja:【WD16】4月29日（金・祝）「レスリング火の国」全カード決定！メインはケニーvsエルガン！セミは棚橋vsファレ！柴田vs永田のNEVER戦！Jr.タッグ王座戦！ | archivedate=April 13, 2016 | date=April 13, 2016 | accessdate=April 13, 2016 | work=[[New Japan Pro Wrestling]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> The event was to be headlined by [[Kenny Omega]] making his first defense of the [[IWGP Intercontinental Championship]] against [[Michael Elgin]].<ref name="WrestlingHinokuni2016FullCard" />

==Production==
===Background===
The event was established in 2015 and took place in late April between the larger [[Invasion Attack]] and [[Wrestling Dontaku]] events. The event would be held in Mashiki, Kumamoto and its name refers to the nickname of Kumamoto Prefecture, {{nihongo|"Land of Fire"|火の国|Hinokuni}}.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/info/s_detail.asp?LC=e&PageID=3&l_id=3 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6gkE2pvnD | title = Overview of Kumamoto City | archivedate=April 13, 2016 | accessdate=April 13, 2016 | work=Kumamoto International Foundation}}</ref>

On April 14, 2016, Kumamoto was hit with an earthquake, which led to NJPW announcing that they were trying to determine whether they could continue going forward with the show.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=16288 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6gmFzBnKz | script-title=ja:【お知らせ】4月29日（金）グランメッセ熊本大会に関しまして | archivedate=April 15, 2016 | date=April 15, 2016 | accessdate=April 15, 2016 | work=[[New Japan Pro Wrestling]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> After another earthquake two days later, NJPW officially canceled the show on April 18.<ref name="2016CanceledWON">{{cite web | url = http://www.f4wonline.com/japan/njpw-cancels-ppv-due-kumamoto-earthquakes-211231 | title = NJPW cancels PPV due to Kumamoto earthquakes | last=Meltzer | first=Dave | authorlink=Dave Meltzer | date=April 18, 2016 | accessdate=April 18, 2016 | work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://pwinsider.com/article/101387/new-japan-ppv-canceled-.html?p=1 | title = New Japan PPV canceled | last=Crockett | first=Paul | date=April 18, 2016 | accessdate=April 18, 2016 | work=Pro Wrestling Insider}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/531972/ | script-title=ja:新日　４・２９熊本大会の中止を発表 | date=April 18, 2016 | accessdate=April 18, 2016 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> Top matches from the event were later moved to the April 27 Road to Wrestling Dontaku 2016 and May 3 Wrestling Dontaku 2016 events.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://pwinsider.com/article/101418/new-japan-updates-new-lineup-for-wrestling-dontaku-more.html?p=1 | title = New Japan updates, new lineup for Wrestling Dontaku & more | last=Macklin | first=Matthew | date=April 19, 2016 | accessdate=April 19, 2016 | work=Pro Wrestling Insider}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2016/04/19/new-japan-announces-next-big-title-matches-post-invasion-attack-including-naitos-first-title-defenses-omega-vs-elgin/ | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6guS5mxul | title = New Japan re-arranges next two big shows following earthquake, stacks “Wrestling Dontaku” card | last=Caldwell | first=James | archivedate=April 20, 2016 | date=April 19, 2016 | accessdate=April 20, 2016 | work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/532534/ | script-title=ja:ＮＥＶＥＲ王座争う柴田と永田 それぞれの被災地への思い | date=April 20, 2016 | accessdate=April 20, 2016 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref>

===Storylines===
Wrestling Hinokuni 2016 was supposed to feature professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

In the main event, [[Kenny Omega]] was supposed to make his first defense of the [[IWGP Intercontinental Championship]] against [[Michael Elgin]]. This was set up earlier in the month at [[Invasion Attack 2016]], where the two had a heated confrontation after Elgin, [[Hiroshi Tanahashi]] and [[Yoshitatsu]] had defeated Omega and [[The Young Bucks]] (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) to win the [[NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship]].<ref name="InvasionAttack2016WON">{{cite web | url = http://www.f4wonline.com/japan/njpw-invasion-attack-live-results-kazuchika-okada-vs-tetsuya-naito-iwgp-championship-210736 | title = NJPW Invasion Attack live results: Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Championship | last=Meltzer | first=Dave | authorlink=Dave Meltzer | date=April 9, 2016 | accessdate=April 13, 2016 | work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref>

Another title match was set to continue a storyline, where [[Katsuyori Shibata]] defended the [[NEVER Openweight Championship]] against NJPW veterans, known as the "third generation".<ref name="WrestlingHinokuni2016FullCard" /> Having already defended the title against [[Satoshi Kojima]], at Invasion Attack 2016, Shibata successfully defended the title against [[Hiroyoshi Tenzan]] and afterwards kicked Yuji Nagata to set him up as his next challenger.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/528957/ | script-title=ja:【新日・両国】柴田がＮＥＶＥＲ王座Ｖ３！天山をＰＫ葬 | date=April 11, 2016 | accessdate=April 13, 2016 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> The two had previously faced off in August 2014 during the [[G1 Climax#2014|2014 G1 Climax]] tournament, where Nagata defeated Shibata.<ref name="WrestlingHinokuni2016FullCard" />

The event was also scheduled to feature a rematch from Invasion Attack 2016, where the new[[IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship| IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions]], [[Roppongi Vice]] ([[Beretta]] and [[Rocky Romero]]), would defend the title against previous champions, [[Matt Sydal]] and [[Ricochet]].<ref name="WrestlingHinokuni2016FullCard" /> One of the big non-title matches at Wrestling Hinokuni was set to continue the rivalry between the [[CHAOS|Chaos]] and ''[[Los Ingobernables de Japón]]'' stables as the former's [[Hirooki Goto]], [[Kazuchika Okada]], [[Tomohiro Ishii]] and [[Will Ospreay]] were set to take on the latter's [[BUSHI]], [[EVIL]], [[SANADA]] and [[Tetsuya Naito]].<ref name="WrestlingHinokuni2016FullCard" /> This match would also build up three matches taking place at [[Wrestling Dontaku 2016]], where Goto was set to take on Evil, Okada take on Sanada and Ishii challenge Naito for the [[IWGP Heavyweight Championship]].<ref name="WrestlingHinokuni2016FirstCardWON">{{cite web | url = http://www.f4wonline.com/japan/new-japan-announces-line-ups-next-two-big-shows-210791 | title = New Japan announces line-ups for next two big shows　| last=Meltzer | first=Dave | authorlink=Dave Meltzer | date=April 10, 2016 | accessdate=April 13, 2016 | work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref><ref name="WrestlingHinokuni2016FirstCardPWT">{{cite web | url = http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2016/04/11/new-japan-announces-next-big-title-matches-post-invasion-attack-including-naitos-first-title-defenses-omega-vs-elgin/ | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6ggl7VcPS | title = New Japan announces next big title matches post-Invasion Attack, including Naito’s first title defenses, Omega vs. Elgin, more　| last=Caldwell | first=James | archivedate=April 11, 2016 | date=April 11, 2016 | accessdate=April 13, 2016 | work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref>

==Results==
{{Pro Wrestling results table
|results=<ref name=WrestlingHinokuni2016FullCard/><ref name=2016CanceledWON/>
|times=
|future=yes
|match1=[[David Finlay]] vs. [[Jay White]]
|stip1=Singles match
|time1=
|match2=[[Juice Robinson]] and [[Manabu Nakanishi]] vs. [[CHAOS]] ([[Kazushi Sakuraba]] and [[Yoshi-Hashi]])
|stip2=Tag team match
|time2=
|match3=[[Jushin Thunder Liger]] and [[Tiger Mask IV|Tiger Mask]] vs. [[Kushida]] and [[Ryusuke Taguchi]]
|stip3=Tag team match
|time3=
|match4=[[Bullet Club]] ([[Tama Tonga]], [[Tanga Roa]] and [[Yujiro Takahashi]]) vs. [[Togi Makabe]], [[Tomoaki Honma]] and [[Yoshitatsu]]
|stip4=Six-man tag team match
|time4=
|match5=[[Roppongi Vice]] ([[Beretta]] and [[Rocky Romero]]) (c) vs. [[Matt Sydal]] and [[Ricochet]]
|stip5=Tag team match for the [[IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship]]
|time5=
|match6=CHAOS ([[Hirooki Goto]], [[Kazuchika Okada]], [[Tomohiro Ishii]] and [[Will Ospreay]]) vs. ''[[Los Ingobernables de Japón]]'' ([[BUSHI]], [[EVIL]], [[SANADA]] and [[Tetsuya Naito]])
|stip6=Eight-man tag team match
|time6=
|match7=[[Katsuyori Shibata]] (c) vs. [[Yuji Nagata]]
|stip7=Singles match for the [[NEVER Openweight Championship]]
|time7=
|match8=[[Bad Luck Fale]] vs. [[Hiroshi Tanahashi]]
|stip8=Singles match
|time8=
|match9=[[Kenny Omega]] (c) vs. [[Michael Elgin]]
|stip9=Singles match for the [[IWGP Intercontinental Championship]]
|time9=
}}

==External links==
*[http://www.njpw.co.jp/ The official New Japan Pro Wrestling website]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
[[Category:NJPW Events]]
[[Category:Events]]
[[Category:Wrestling Hinokuni]]