[5.0] "Primarily a long press conference with a couple of matches between the dads and some young lions. A fine show but deeply skippable"

[3.0] "They really book the least interesting matches they possibly can for those pre-Dome shows. On a positive the matches were better than last years, much due to the rookies giving it some spirit compared to those that have wrestled each other every week for the past 25 years. Tiger Mask & Ren Narita -vs- Jushin Thunder Liger & Tetsuhiro Yagi [* 1/2] Narita and Yagi are the least accomplished New Japan? s 6 rookies. They tried here, but have a lot of developement before one can truly get behind them. Thankfully both Liger and Tiger are seasoned enough to cover any weak spots without stealing too much attention from the new guys. I did see a glimpse of something in Narita? s personality, which suggests he can become a decent heel one of these days. Satoshi Kojima & Katsuya Kitamura -vs- Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Tomoyuki Oka [* 3/4] Young Lion? s Cup winner Kitamura starts 2018 by being the most motivated guy on New Japan? s first show(ish) of the year. Kojima and Tenzan tried to bring some their old self, but one can? t call their act fresh in 2018. At least they kept the pace up and let the heavyweight rookies try to create something between themselves. Of course a simple lariat would end it. Yuji Nagata & Hirai Kawato -vs- Manabu Nakanishi & Shota Umino [* 1/2] Forget old Nagata & Nakanishi, this was Kawato and Umino? s match! Basic, of course. More importantly, motivated within their limitations. Kawato, who is ready to take the next step up in ? 18, won with his special enzuigiri kick."