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00:00This is the first match for the special single match.
00:07Let's do it!
00:30you can call the two men set to face off in singles action here tonight
00:57wrestler of the year 1a and wrestler of the year 1b in many conversations but what you can
01:06undisputedly refer to them as the two best tournament wrestlers in the world of professional
01:12wrestling david finley new japan cup 2025 in the back pocket and a sakura genesis main event
01:19that ended in loss and a loss that has weighed heavily on the shoulder of david finley
01:24tonight faces off against the man he met in the semi-final of that very tournament
01:29g1 climax 34 winner zach saber jr and it says tonight in chicago illinois
01:35finley
01:38one
01:40he's the one who knocked zach saber jr out of the tournament this year
01:48a tournament win that would have allowed zach saber to immediately get back in the world
01:53title contention zach hasn't forgotten that i'm sure
01:57but at the same time like you said david finley he's looking to get back
02:03in the world
02:19the
02:49Let's go.
03:19A lot has come away and gone awry for Zack Sabre Jr. Ever since the last time he stepped foot on American soil. Yes, the Tokyo Dome main event, two nights in a row, back-to-back victories, defenses of the IWGP World Heavyweight title. For the last time we joined you on United States American soil, Zack Sabre Jr. was IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, and as we can see tonight, man of Scott, no longer World Heavyweight Champion is the front man.
03:47Oh, he's.
03:49Oh, he's.
03:51Zack Sabre Jr.
03:53Oh, he's the time, he's the crispest his face.
03:55And we're already getting into it here tonight.
03:57And the bell sounds, and we are officially underway.
04:25This will be the third time these two men have ever faced off in one-on-one competition.
04:29This will be the third time these two men have ever faced off in one-on-one competition.
04:54First time takes you back to Battle Autumn 2022, the World TV Title Tournament that saw Zack Sabre Jr. defeat David Finley and win the whole damn thing to become the first and some might say the greatest world television champion in title short lineage.
05:07But to go from the first and the greatest world TV title holder to what David Finley refers to the greatest ever New Japan Cup winner, that being himself. And it was this year when David Finley set that in stone.
05:20It was this year and it was the most recent match between these two during the New Japan Cup that David Finley was able to get the win.
05:29And so that is going to bring our numbers up to one and one, a record that will be broken in a rubber match tonight.
05:36And while not officially dubbed so, Veda, we don't want to put words in the mouth of the IWGP board, but it almost feels as this could be considered a number one contendership match to the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
05:49We know Jeff Cobb has already shot his shot, following Ryokoku's small haul.
05:54But we are talking about two of the top names outside of Jeff Cobb that need to be considered for a World Heavyweight title, no matter who's up in Shota Umino and Hiroki Goto.
06:06And they have tumbled to the outside. Sabre has a submission hold and that's weakened Finley.
06:19You could get the idea, you could get the content that Zack Sabre Jr. has slowed down the movement of the black and orange all across Japan.
06:33But that has not slowed down anywhere, the movement that is TMDK has not slowed down across the rest of the world.
06:40Two, three.
06:44Finley has rolled back inside. Sabre immediately takes back control.
06:51And that is fidget manipulation for Zack Sabre Jr., something that David Finley felt back in the New Japan Cup.
07:06Was not shied away from back at Battle Autumn 2022 neither.
07:11And very, very quickly.
07:15I mean, this is the way, Veda.
07:17Zack Sabre Jr. is going to need to ground a larger, some might say stronger athlete to David Finley.
07:23Looking to completely neutralize the left arm.
07:28You know, Veda talked to me a little bit here.
07:32There has to be a difficult pressure to live up to.
07:36You're a fighting Finley and that of David.
07:39Fourth generation athlete.
07:41New Japan Cup winner, but you just could not get the job done at Sakura Genesis with the world title on the line.
07:47That's a position Zack Sabre Jr. has been in so many times in his career based on that exact tournament and result.
07:53It seemed like David Finley might be the one to take Gozo down.
08:02And you have to think that while Zack Sabre Jr. was watching that match,
08:06even knowing of the animosity between these two, he had to be rooting for Finley.
08:11This could have been a world title match itself.
08:14And instead, like you said, they seem to be fighting to get back into contendership.
08:18Here's a cover.
08:19And it is only a one, says referee Jared Fritz.
08:24When you talk about the pressures that David Finley has been under,
08:28I mean, people have questioned his leadership of the War Dogs.
08:32People have questioned him for a long time.
08:34And it seemed like he really just took that personally and just switched gears.
08:38He's been more dangerous than ever.
08:40No, he wasn't able to become champion, but he won New Japan Cup and he took Gozo to the limit.
08:44Well, you know, the recent contention to the leadership of Bullet Club covered here for David Finley only comes to one.
08:51It comes from a lot of people that are unqualified, unqualified to be professional wrestlers, that is.
08:57That's House of Torture.
08:58And Evil has been making this claim that he should be the real leader of Bullet Club.
09:02It's led to this incredulous challenge David Finley's thrown out of a dog pound cage match.
09:08I mean, you remember how violent the first one was, Beta.
09:11Yeah, we know where that is going to lead.
09:13And you have to imagine that that's in the back of Finley's mind as he gets rocked by Zack Sabre Jr.
09:21To have your interests divided, it's tough because you cannot take focus away from someone the caliber of Zack Sabre Jr.
09:40And David Finley.
09:42Ah, the Northern Irish curse.
09:44Finley tradition.
09:45And the cover is going to come in here.
09:47Whoa, just a two.
09:48Only two.
09:49Only two.
09:54You know, Zack Sabre Jr. is one who can, has, and will admit his faults.
09:59Admitted his faults against the World Heavyweight Championship.
10:04David Finley on the opposite end will not admit his faults, will not even declare that he has lost certain matches.
10:13I mean, we're not going to be able to pick the brain of David Finley apart as to why it wasn't enough at Ryogoku to put down Goto.
10:20All that matters for Finley is not excuses.
10:23It's climbing back to the top.
10:25And it goes for Zack Sabre Jr.
10:27Oh!
10:32Charged right into the boot did Finley.
10:35That's great ring awareness, but you've got to be aware of what's coming to you now.
10:39David Finley whipped on the other side, and it's a suplex down right through the corner.
10:49Oh, my God.
10:50Zack Sabre Jr. and David Finley have been incredibly busy.
10:53Whether it's been Zack Sabre Jr.'s independent run across the country of Chile and South America.
10:59David Finley winning New Japan Cup.
11:01Main eventing Ryogoku Sumo Hall.
11:04But the end of a series means the beginning of another,
11:07and we are right on the road to Dantaku in just a matter of a week.
11:11And these men got to prove something to find themselves on a card.
11:14Oh, well.
11:16Zack Sabre.
11:19Coming in due time.
11:22Right to the side of the head.
11:26You know, Veda, it's very evident nobody wants to be a one-hit wonder in the world of professional wrestling.
11:38David Finley has never won that World Heavyweight title, but, well, it can't feel good for Zack Sabre Jr. to know,
11:45or to think that it's only possible for him to win it once.
11:49Oh, shoulders down!
11:50Cover again, and it's two.
12:00Finley's holding on to the back of his neck.
12:01That's not a good sign.
12:03Oh!
12:15Driving, expelling all the air out of David Finley,
12:18and Finley calling for more here, Veda.
12:20Yeah, credit to Finley.
12:22He is defiant.
12:25but now he just was sent crumbling back down to the canvas
12:30turned inside out
12:36and now Sabre Jr. out of the corner and Finley in his spine over the knee
12:42and it is Finley closer to the plus position than not
12:48caught Sabre on the run and used his momentum
12:52against him now it's a matter of recovery as Finley gets back to his feet
13:01David Finley now this is the power game that Finley used to run through Zack
13:06Sabre Jr. to win the New Japan Cup in 2025 and tested the moxie of Hiroki Goto
13:13with as Finley full press on the cover and that elbow across the jaw of Zack
13:21Sabre Jr. a little extra oomph
13:24Sabre trying to use the ropes to pull himself up and Finley's right there oh in
13:28the ribs
13:30and referee Jared Fritz is gonna have to do everything in his power to try and keep
13:35control wherever he may find it in this one
13:41but there is a difference to the lack of control whenever it is David Finley at
13:46the helm of the war dogs and when it is evil at the helm of house of torture and
13:50where David Finley's focus lies right now
13:53oh that's to be questioned
13:55well pulling Sabre back up
14:00over the shoulder
14:02one of the dominator and instead Sabre Jr. grounded ground and British roll cover here
14:06not enough Finley one more back and forth and it's two
14:10Finley back on it Sabre Jr. down
14:13oh so close
14:14and Finley by Histra on the cover again
14:17not enough
14:18Zack look at this
14:21Lex Nelson
14:22oh so close
14:2410 minutes
14:2810 minutes in and it was almost over
14:31oh wait we saw this before
14:36and it is into oblivion for David Finley
14:41oh no
14:42oh
14:43oh
14:44oh
14:45oh
14:46oh
14:47oh
14:49oh
14:50oh
14:51oh
14:52oh
14:53oh
14:54oh
14:55oh
14:56oh
14:57oh
14:58oh
14:59oh
15:00oh
15:01oh
15:02oh
15:03oh
15:04oh
15:05oh
15:06oh
15:07oh
15:08oh
15:09oh
15:10oh
15:11oh
15:12oh
15:13oh
15:14oh
15:15oh
15:16oh
15:17oh
15:18oh
15:19oh
15:20oh
15:21oh
15:22oh
15:23oh
15:24oh
15:25oh
15:26oh
15:27oh
15:28oh
15:29oh
15:30oh
15:31oh
15:32and it must bring him either gold or bodies that's the request for the leader of the bullet club
15:38dominate no power no saber rolls through oh finley behind the cover and it is not enough
15:45here sabre jr beautiful beautiful bridge picture perfect but finley just quicker
15:56now no finley find the cover trying to steal it away and now locked in here
16:01is saber jr on finley oh finley's trying to shift his hips could have gone anywhere from there and he
16:10finds this finley back to the vertical look at the power power bob oh oh but finley's not done yet
16:20and one more time from the canvas and into the corner
16:27and one more
16:31and the cover for finley no no no no sabre jr
16:35sabre jr's got the limb look at the arm of david finley and sabre has the other arm as well
16:46both arms caught here there's no name for this one you're just gonna have to soak it in and like it
16:52david finley has to stretch those legs to the bottom rope and he does
16:57finally able to free himself oh but that was rough for finley
17:10oh
17:29with kick after kick but look at finley
17:33Tit for tat, strike for strike
17:38Neither Finley nor Zack Sabre Jr.'s mental can handle another loss
17:47At a certain point, Veda, one of these men have to break
17:55Finley got rocked, but he is right back in it
17:58Break physically, break mentally
18:03Now Sabre Jr., that's smart offense right there
18:15Back to the arm
18:16Wants to break that left arm, Zack Driver
18:19And he got it
18:21Zack Driver, the cover
18:23And it's two, it's two
18:27Oh, oh
18:28You might have heard three pounds on a mat
18:35And Zack Sabre Jr. definitely did
18:37But the referee's call is the referee's call here
18:41He was there, he saw Finley's shoulder come up before the three
18:46There is no challenge in this call here tonight
18:56Oh, wait a minute, Finley, Finley cut the knee
19:04Whoa
19:09Oh, Zack is rocked, he went down hard
19:13No harder elbow than a Finley elbow
19:16Whether it's fit, Dave Sr. or David Jr.
19:21Here we are
19:22Wow
19:22Sabre Jr. flattens out now
19:24And a PK right through Finley
19:27Finley turned inside out
19:29Turn it up
19:30Turn it up and around
19:31What is it?
19:31Oh, David
19:33Over, no, no, no, Sabre Jr.
19:39Zack Driver looking for it again
19:41One more time
19:43He's got it
19:44Well, in the end, Zack Sabre Jr. has gotten there eventually
20:09It took two sack drivers to put down David Finley
20:15And by God, does David Finley look put down
20:19This is Sabre Jr. making a mockery of the leader of the bullet
20:23What here tonight
20:24It's a big win for Zack Sabre Jr. as he looks to get back in
20:31To world title contention
20:33We know already that Jeff Cobb has thrown his own name into the hat
20:42When it comes to the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
20:46Meanwhile, Zack Sabre Jr. and David Finley
20:49Both of these men definitely wanting their own shot
20:52At either man that becomes champion by the end of the night
20:55Beta Scott, we are nearing closer and closer to the time
20:58And it's going to be our first of a double main event here
21:02Hiroki Goto defending Shota Umino
21:05One on one
21:07I know you have some opinions on this one
21:09Hiroki Goto
21:11This is going to be his fourth defense in just two months
21:15That's an incredible championship schedule
21:17And it is one that Goto has brought upon himself
21:21It's one that he has welcomed
21:23And he is the one who actually challenged Shota to challenge him
21:29He called him out
21:30That is indeed what went down back in the rear
21:34Goku's to the hall
21:35We were live on NJPW World then
21:37Just as we are live here tonight
21:39Top two matches of the evening
21:42Hiroki Goto, Shota Umino
21:44Coming up next
21:45The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship is on the line
21:49Again, take a look at three
21:50That is not what went down there
21:51оздbrastez
21:52We just victory
21:53I won't reach the front
21:54I will not until met
21:54When I was ready on to
21:56ериal
21:57Loves when I had autar
21:58Loves to the man
21:59Martin
21:59Who always did
22:01What went down there
22:02Did youai
22:03Not going on
22:04It was amä
22:04ależy
22:05Not going on
22:06From
22:06When I was ready
22:07I was ready
22:09WHO
22:09First
22:11Come
22:13When I was posed
22:13I was
22:14I was first
22:15I wasn't
22:16I was