Tag: best of the super juniors 2018

Saturday’s New Japan show in Gunma featured the penultimate night of B Block action. 

While the A Block standings are a mess heading into Sunday’s semifinal in Korakuen Hall, the B Block comes down to the Hiromu Takahashi vs. KUSHIDA matchup. If there’s a winner, that winner gets a spot in the tournament final. If there is a draw and Marty Scurll wins, then Scurll takes the block. 

If there is a draw and Scurll loses, well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I have a headache.

Here are the results and a recap of the BOSJ tournament matches from Saturday at the New Sunpia Takasaki. 

Prelim Results:

• Tomoyuki Oka, Tiger Mask & Shota Umino defeated ACH, Yuya Uemura & Yota Tsuji when Oka submitted Tsuji with a Boston Crab
• YOSHI-HASHI & YOH defeated Taiji Ishimori & Chase Owens when YOSHI-HASHI submitted Owens with a Butterfly Lock
• Flip Gordon & Toa Henare defeated Will Ospreay & Gedo when Gordon pinned Gedo after a Four Flippy Splash
• BUSHI, SANADA & EVIL defeated Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & TAKA Michinoku when BUSHI pinned TAKA after an MX

B Block Matches:

Chris Sabin defeated El Desperado

Desperado hid by the entrance and jumped Sabin as he stepped out ontoo the ramp. He sent him into the audience and hit him with chairs and pied chairs on top of him. Desperado beat him all over the building, and the referee started counting Sabin out for some reason, but he made it back inside. 

Desperado wedged a chair between the ropes and sent Sabin into it. The beatdown continued. Sabin got a small package for a nearfall, then began to mount a comeback. He hit a springboard DDT, and a plancha. He sent Desperado into the crowd, and hit a flip dive off the apron to a seated Desperado on the floor. 

Sabin hit a reverse Frankensteiner and a missile dropkick, picking up a nearfall. Desperado recovered, and hit a vicious spear, before using Guitarra de Angel for a nearfall. They traded reversals and counters, until Sabin ducked a chairshot, and kicked the chair back into Desperado’s face. 

The finish saw Sabin hit an enziguri, then a lariat for a nearfall, then hit Cradle Shock for the pin. 

I appreciated the layout here, I don’t recall seeing a ton of matches with this exact construction. The work itself was solid, but not spectacular. 

Marty Scurll defeated Ryusuke Taguchi

They started with a lot of comedy. Scurll would do a taunt, Taguchi would copy it. Scurll did his wing flapping taunt, and Taguchi did a penguin. Scurll would do a momve, and Taguchi would try to mirror it, but wouldn’t be able to, and sold. Scurll used some hip attacks, but Taguchi hit one, and his butt is more powerful. 

Scurll hit a superkick on the apron, before taunting the crowd. He used a back rake, and some short pucnhes, before throwing Taguchi back inside. Scurll stretched Taguchi and hit a backstabber, before Taguchi and his powerful ass made a comeback. He hit a bunch of hip attacks and a nice tope. 

Scurll went for a surfboard, but Taguchi reached the ropes. They went to the top and Scurll teased hitting an exploder, before settling for a superplex, and a nearfall. Taguchi rolled to the floor, and applied an ankle lock to Scurll on the apron. Scurll powered out, sent Taguchi into the post, then sent him ack inside, picking up a nearfall. 

Scurll teased the finger break, Taguchi reversed it, but Scurll finally got it. Taguchi hit an enziguri, then went into his Nakamura tribute act. He went for the Bomaye, but Scurll turned it into the chicken wing. Taguchi rolled through into a cradle, getting a nearfall. Scurll hit the Black Plague for a nearfall. 

Scurll grabbed his umbrella, but Taguchi cut him off. Taguchi pretended that he had taken a low blow, and in the ensuing confusion, Scurll pushed Red Shoes, who pushed him back, right into a Taguchi rollup, but Taguchi only got a two count. Taguchi hit a bridging suplex for another nearfall. 

Taguchi went for another, but Red Shoes took a bump. Taguchi put on the ankle lock, and Scurll tapped, but with no referee, it didn’t matter. 

They did the Angle/Guerrero finish from Wrestlemania 20. While Taguchi revived the referee, Scurll unlaced his boot. Taguchi put on an ankle lock, but Scurll slipped out of the boot, and small packaged Taguchi for the pin.  

I liked the comedy at the beginning, but this didn’t need to go almost twenty minutes. 

Hiromu Takahashi defeated SHO

They came out firing, immediately trading strikes and shoulder blocks. SHO got the best of the exchange, and hit a dropkick. He sent Hiromu to the apron, then hit him with a dropkick, sending him to the floor. He used an armbar, before Hiromu used a dropkick of his own to send SHO to the floor. 

Hiromu tokk control of the match, using a powerbomb from the apron to the floor. They teased a countout, as SHO sold his neck. Hiromu hit a shotgun dropkick for a nearfall, and the pace slowed, as he taunted SHO. Hiromu used a tarantula, and a low dropkick to send SHO outside, then hit a dropkick from the apron to the floor. 

SHO made a comeback with a powerslam, a lariat, and a series of kicks, before hitting a backstabber, and applying a cross armbreaker. Hiromu reached the ropes, then caught SHO coming off the ropes, and hit a powerbomb. They traded lariats and suplexes, and SHO went after Hiromu’s left arm. 

They crawled to the apron, and exchanged strikes. SHO hit a suplex on the apron, but Hiromu came back, and hit the Dynamite Plunger for a nearfall. SHO went for a charge into the corner, but Hiromu suplexed him into the pad. He went for another Dynamite Plunger, but SHO turned it into a cross armbreaker, which the crowd bought as a potential finish, but Hiromu reached the ropes. 

They traded kicks. Hiromu went for a reverse Frankensteiner, but SHO caught him, powerbombed him, and hit the powerbomb on the knees for a nearfall. Hiromu went for the Frankensteiner again, but this time he got it, and slapped on the triangle choke. SHO fought, but eventually tapped. Hiromu initally refused to release the hold, and it took several Young Lions to break it up. Great match. 

KUSHIDA defeated Dragon Lee

They started with hip tosses, armdrags, and reversals. KUSHIDA went for a rana, but Lee flipped out, and hit one of his own, sending KUSHIDA to the floor. He took his time getting back into the ring. He used an armbar in the ring, then a crucifix while Lee was caught in the ropes. Lee tried to roll to the floor, but KUSHIDA brought him back inside, and continued attacking his left arm. 

KUSHIDA got tossed to the floor, and Lee hit a great tope. Back inside, he attacked the head and neck of KUSHIDA with strikes, then hit a dropkick in the corner. Lee hit a backbreaker, then used an armbar. Lee tried to run the ropes, but KUSHIDA hit a back handspring elbow, sending him to the floor, before connecting with a crazy senton from the post to the floor. 

Back inside, KUSHIDA went for a moonsault, but Lee got his knees up, and slapped the mat, begging the crowd to get into it. Lee teased his dropkick from the ring to the floor, but KUSHIDA blocked it. They traded strikes, and both fell to the floor. 

Lee was first inside, allowing KUSHIDA to hit a springoard Frankensteiner. He resumed his attack on Lee’s left arm, using the Hoverboard Lock, but Lee reached the ropes. KUSHIDA became frustrated, as he was unable to put Lee away. He got careless, and left Lee an opening. Lee hit a pair of suplexes, then applied a sleeper with a body triangle. KUSHIDA reached the ropes, grabbing them with his teeth. 

They exchanged strikes, and both collapsed to the mat, as the crowd got behind them. This was one of the better crowds of the tour. Lee hit a shining wizard for a nearfall. They went to the top. KUSHIDA used a kimura, but Lee popped out and hit a footstomp for a nearfall. 

The finish saw Lee go for a powerbomb, but KUSHIDA turned it into a DDT. Lee cradled him for a nearfall, then hit a Frankensteiner. He went for a suplex, but KUSHIDA turned it into Back to the Future, and picked up the victory. A great main event. 

Standings heading into Sunday’s Semifinals:

A Block Standings:

Taiji Ishimori 4-2 (Holds tiebreaker over Ospreay, BUSHI, Tiger Mask)

Will Ospreay 4-2 (Holds tiebreaker over Tiger Mask, YOH)

Flip Gordon 3-3 (Holds tiebreaker over Ishimori, Tiger Mask)

BUSHI 3-3 (Holds tiebreaker over Ospreay, Gordon)

Tiger Mask 3-3 (Holds tiebreaker over YOH, BUSHI)

YOH 3-3 (Holds tiebreaker over Gordon, BUSHI)

ACH 2-4 (Eliminated)

Yoshinobu Kanemaru 2-4 (Eliminated)

B Block Standings:

Hiromu Takahashi 4-2 (Wins B Block with a win over KUSHIDA, holds tiebreaker over Scurll)

KUSHIDA 4-2 (Wins B Block with a win over Takahashi, holds tiebreaker over Scurll)

Marty Scurll 4-2 (Can only win B Block with a win over SHO and a KUSHIDA/Takahashi draw)

Dragon Lee 3-3 (Eliminated by virtue of loss to KUSHIDA)

Chris Sabin 3-3 (Eliminated by virtue of loss to Takahashi)

El Desperado 2-4 (Eliminated)

SHO 2-4 (Eliminated)

Ryusuke Taguchi 2-4 (Eliminated)

Night ten of the 25th Best of the Super Juniors featured an interesting match order, as the tournament’s B Block took center stage. 

KUSHIDA and El Desperado closed Wednesday’s show, held in Fukushima at the Big Palette Fukushima. 

Looking at the card beforehand, I would have put Marty Scurll and Dragon Lee on last. With the benefit of hindsight, I would have closed the show with Chris Sabin and Hiromu Takahashi, as they delivered the performance of the night. 

Here are the results from the show. 

Prelim Results:

• YOSHI-HASHI & Will Ospreay defeated Tiger Mask & Shota Umino when YOSHI-HASHI submitted Umino with a Butterfly Lock
• Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori defeated ACH & Tomoyuki Oka when Owens pinned Oka after a Package Piledriver
• Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Minoru Suzuki defeated YOH & Gedo when Kanemaru pinned Gedo after a Deep Impact
• Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI defeated Flip Gordon & Toa Henare when Naito pinned Henare after a Destino

B Block Matches:

Marty Scurll defeated Dragon Lee

They opened with some nice chain wrestling, with neither man gaining a clear advantage. Scurll bent the fingers back, then took control of the match, hitting a kick to the quadriceps, and a backbreaker. Scurll tied the top of Lee’s mask to the bottom rope and attacked, focusing on the left arm. 

Lee made a comeback, sending Scurll to the floor, before hitting a tope con hilo. Back in the ring, Lee connected with a dropkick in the corner, and got a nearfall. He hot a double underhook backbreaker and a running knee for another nearfall. 

Dragon went for another dive, but Scurll cut him off. He hit an enziguri on the apron, and a superkick, sending Lee to the floor. Marty got a nearfall off a knee strike, and connected with a throw from the top rope. 

Scurll missed a moonsault. He teased the finger break spot, but Lee hit a DDT gor a nearfall. A nice exchange of strikes and lariats led to a double down. Lee used a sleeper and a knee strike for a nearfall, but Scurll countered with the finger break spot. 

Lee was able to cradle Scurll for a nearfall. Scurll countered with a Code Red, but could not get a three count. Lee hit a double footstomp from the top, but Scurll countered with a DDT and a fisherman’s buster for a nearfall. Dragon hit a standing Spanish Fly, as the exchange of nearfalls continued. 

The finish saw Scurll connect with an inverted superplex, before locking on the chicken wing for the submission. 

They worked a different match than I expected, with Lee not doing nearly as much flying as usual. It was still quite good, but I am perplexed as to why working Dragon’s left arm never really led to anything. 

Ryusuke Taguchi defeated SHO

This is worth seeing if only for the spot where SHO was shooting invisible arrows at Taguchi, 

They started with the standard comedy built around Taguchi’s butt. SHO worked over the left arm, including applying a post-assisted armbar. He spent the next several minutes working a variety of holds, from abdominal stretches, to a triangle, to what I think was supposed to be a figure four. 

Taguchi made a comeback with hip attacks, and a pair of really nice dives to the floor. He went for Three Amigos, but SHO countered, hitting three rolling suplexes of his own. Taguchi hit a dropkick, but ate a lariat. He was able to rebound and apply the ankle lock, but SHO reached the ropes. 

Taguchi did his Nakamura impression, but when he went for the Bomaye, he ran into a suplex. SHO hit a lungblower for a nearfall, but Taguchi backdropped out of his finish and hit an exploder. He applied the ankle lock again, but SHO reached the ropes after rolling through several times. 

The finish saw Taguchi hit a nice bridging Korriyama, picking up the pinfall victory. 

This went too long for my liking, but some of the comedy at the outset worked, and the crowd was into seeing Taguchi win. 

Hiromu Takahashi defeated Chris Sabin

Hiromu went after Sabin at the bell, but Sabin responded, hitting a monkey flip, followed by a senton from the apron to the floor, and a high cross. Hiromu responded, and after initially countering a sunset bomb attempt, Sabin ended up taking a powerbomb on the apron. Hiromu took control. 

He used a tarantula in the ropes, before hitting a shotgun dropkick from the apron to the floor. He methodically worked on Sabin’s head and neck in the ring, using more brawling tactics than usual. Those tactics left an opening for Sabin, though, who responded by winning a striking battle, before planting Hiromu with a DDT. 

Sabin hit a missile dropkick, a Yakuza kick, a reverse Frankensteiner, and a tornado DDT, but Hiromu took all of it, and regained control with a powerbomb and a Dynamite Plunger. They traded superkicks and lariats, as the match reached the home stretch. 

The finishing sequence saw Sabin score a nearfall with a powerbomb into a jackknife cover, but he was unable to score a pinfall after an All Hail Sabin. He went for another, but Hiromu countered, and slapped on a triangle choke, forcing Sabin to tap. 

This was a good match, my favorite on the show to this point. Sabin has been impressive in this tournament. He can’t work at the pace of the best in the world, but he brings a lot of other things to the table. 

KUSHIDA defeated El Desperado

KUSHIDA warded off the trademark opening attack from Suzuki-gun’s Desperado, and connected with a cannonball to a seated Desperado on the floor. Desperado quickly gained the upper hand, as the action spilled into the audience. He used a handcart, and pushed KUSHIDA around the building, taking out row after row of chairs. 

They teased a countout, and KUSHIDA sold his left leg as a result of the assault. Desperado sent KUSHIDA into an exposed buckle, and continued working the leg, using a half crab. KUSHIDA made a comeback, hitting a tope con hilo to the floor, and a handspring into a back elbow in the ring. Desperado cut him off, and continued to attack the leg. 

Desperado pulled a Bill Watts and pulled up the padding at ringside, and teased a superplex to the floor. That seems like an exceedingly bad idea for a spot. Someone will try it soon, I’m sure. KUSHIDA was able to counter, and hit a flying cross armbreaker to the canvas. 

Desperado went for a rolling senton, but bumped Red Shoes in the process. KUSHIDA turned the senton into a Hoverboard Lock, and Desperado tapped, but with the referee out, no dice. He gave up the hold, allowing Desperado to hit a drop toe hold onto a chair, followed by a chair shot. He hit an Angle Slam as Red Shoes was revived, bit only got a two count. 

The finishing sequence saw Desperado go for a Guitarra de Angel, but KUSHIDA coutered, and sent him into the exposed buckle. KUSHIDA hit a scary looking springboard Frankensteiner, almost spiking himself right on his head, and rolled into a cradle for a nearfall. He immediately followed with Back to the Future, and got the pin. 

As a matter of personal preference, I would rather the Suzuki-gun chicanery to take place earlier in the card, rather than closing the show. This was fine, even good, but I’m still waiting for a trademark KUSHIDA performance in this tournament.

The ninth night of the 25th Best of the Super Juniors showcased the tournament’s A Block. 

Taiji Ishimori, Tiger Mask, Will Ospreay, and Flip Gordon sit atop the block following Tuesday’s show, held in Tochigi at the Tochigi City Athletic Park Gymnasium. 

Prelim Results:

• Chase Owens & Marty Scurll defeated Dragon Lee & Yota Tsuji when Owens pinned Tsuji after a Package Piledriver.
• YOSHI-HASHI & SHO defeated Ryusuke Taguchi & Tomoyuki Oka when Oka submitted to YOSHI-HASHI’s Butterfly Lock.
• Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado defeated KUSHIDA & Shota Umino when Suzuki pinned Umino after a Gotch Piledriver.
• Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Chris Sabin & Toa Henare when Naito pinned Henare after a Destino.

A Block Matches:

Taiji Ishimori defeated Tiger Mask

Taiji jumped Tiger as soon as he stepped through the ropes, and worked him over with chops and closed fists. Tiger made a brief comeback, and Taiji sold his kicks like crazy, but Taiji regained the upper hand and went for the mask. 
Taiji landed some forearm strikes, but Tiger was able to come back with his kicks and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Tiger hit a hip toss off the top rope, and picked up a nearfall. He went for a Tiger Suplex, but when Taiji looked to counter, he switched to the cross armbreaker. Taiji reached the ropes, breaking the hold. 

Taiji hit double knees in the corner, and followed with a runing knee strike, before slapping on a crossface. Tiger reached the ropes, and got a brief comeback, including hitting a Tiger Suplex for a nearfall. He hit a Tiger Suplex from the top for another nearfall, then applied an armbar, but Taiji reached the ropes. 

Tiger went for the Tiger Clutch, but Taiji hit him with a knee strike and a lungblower, then hit the Bloody Cross for the pin. 

Tiger is obviouslly more physically limited than anyone else in the tournament,  but it’s a lot of fun to see how his matches are put together with that in mind. This was good, and Taiji was a great opponent for him. 

BUSHI defeated ACH

ACH got a double-leg, then torw off BUSHI’s shirt and landed some chops. BUSHI responded, using the shirt to choke ACH, and began working over his heavily taped shoulder. BUSHI hit a Hangman’s DDT on the apron, and continued his assault on the floor. 

Back inside, BUSHI used an STF and an armbar, working the shoulder. He hit a guillotine legdrop, before ACH was able to mount a comeback. ACH landed a double footstomp to the back, a uranage, and a bridging suplex for a nearfall. He followed with a backbreaker, but BUSHI came back with a missile dropkick and a rana from the ring to the floor. 

Back in the ring, ACH hit a DVD for a nearfall, and BUSHI countered a deadlift suplex into a cradle for a nearfall. ACH hit a deadlift suplex, and a running knee in the corner. He went to the top, but missed a 450 attempt. ACH countered an MX attempt, but BUSHI hit a backstabber, leading to a double down. 

BUSHI was first up, and hit an MX, but only got a nearfall. He followed with an MX from the second rope, and got the pin. 

This felt more like a collection of moves than a match with any real flow to it. They worked hard, but it was neither man’s best outing.

YOH defeated Flip Gordon

Flip got the best of a hot opening exchange, hitting a dropkick and a standing shooting star. He hit a handspring back elbow, but missed another, allowing YOH to hit a slingshot footstomp, a neckbreaker, and a standing senton for a nearfall. 

YOH worked a chinlock and a headscissors, as the pace slowed. He followed with a back elbow and a snap suplex, scoring a nearfall. Flip hit an enziguri, and a springboard dropkick, sending YOH outside. He hit a crossbody from the top rope to the floor, and a springboard Sling Blade, back in the ring. 

YOH countered a cradle attempt with a guillotine, and landed some Misawa elbows. Flip came back with a superkick, a rolling senton, and another standing sooting star, but YOH landed a superkick, leading to a double down. 

They traded forearm strikes, with Flip getting the bes of the exchange. YOH went for the superplex into a Falcon Arrow, but Flip turned it into a Falcon Arrow of his own for a nearfall. Flip hit a top rope 450 for a nearfall, but ate a superkick, and YOH bridged into the Five Star Clutch, and got the three count. 

This was a good action bout, and a good showing for both guys. 

Will Ospreay defeated Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Kanemaru jumped Ospreay as he turned his back during ring introductions, but Ospreay was able to respond. He sent Kanemaru to the floor, and hit a plancha. They brawled into the first row, but as Ospreay went for a running attack, Kanemaru connected with a chair shot. He continued to attack Ospreay with a chair, driving it into Ospreay’s neck and shoulder. 

Back in the ring, Kanemaru used a headscissors, and a Bomaye. He pulled Ospreay back to the floor, and hit a DDT. Ospreay beat the count back inside, but Kanemaru tore off his shoulder tape, and applied a camel clutch. Ospreay hit a handspring enziguri and a 619, gaining momemtum for the first time. He followed with a springboard forearm for a nearfall. 

Kanemaru halted Ospreay’s momentum, hitting a DDT, and an inverted DDT, but Ospreay was able to counter with a standing shooting star, earning another nearfall. He went for a Storm Breaker, but Kanemaru countered, and Red Shoes took a bump. Ospreay went for the cover, but with the referee out, it was to no avail. 

Kanemaru hit a low blow. Ospreay stopped a chair shot, but Red Shoes woke up in time to stop Ospreay from using the chair himself. With Red Shoes distracted, Kanemaru went for the whiskey mist, but Ospreay kicked him in the gut, and Kanemaru spit the whiskey in the air. Ospreay hit a sitout inverted DDT for a nearfall. 

Ospreay connected with the Robinson Special. He went for an Oscutter, but Kanemaru countered with a dropkick. Kanemaru hit a brainbuster, but only got a two count. He hit Deep Impact, but Ospreay kicked out of that as well. 
Kanemaru came off the top, right into a roundhouse kick. Ospreay hit a superkick, a Burning Star Press, and a corkscrew splash off the top for a nearfall, then hit the Storm Breaker for the win. 

This was something of a styles clash, with Ospreay’s aerial tactics and Kanemaru’s brawling tendencies. The ref bump was to be expected given Kanemaru’s Suzuki-gun loyalties, but felt out of place in an Ospreay match. Still, this was good for what it was, and Ospreay never has bad matches. 

Here are the current tournament standings, and the results of Tuesday’s show.

A Block Standings:

Taiji Ishimori 3-2

Tiger Mask 3-2

Will Ospreay 3-2

Flip Gordon 3-2

BUSHI 2-3

ACH 2-3

YOH 2-3

Yoshinobu Kanemaru 2-3

B Block Standings:

Dragon Lee 3-1

Chris Sabin 2-2

Marty Scurll 2-2

El Desperado 2-2

KUSHIDA 2-2

SHO 2-2

Hiromu Takahashi 2-2

Ryusuke Taguchi 1-3

The 25th Best of the Super Juniors tournament continued Saturday with Night Seven’s A Block action, held at the Nagoya Congress Center Event Hall in Aichi. Here are the results.

Prelim Matches:

• Shota Umino & Chris Sabin defeated Yuya Uemura & Dragon Lee when Umino submitted Uemura with the Boston Crab.
• YOSHI-HASHI & SHO defeated Tomoyuki Oka & KUSHIDA when YOSHI-HASHI submitted Oka with the Butterfly Lock.
• Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado defeated Chase Owens & Marty Scurll when Suzuki pinned Owens after a Gotch Piledriver.
• Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Ryusuke Taguchi & Toa Henare when Naito pinned Henare after a Destino.

A Block Matches:

Flip Gordon defeated Tiger Mask

Tiger Mask scored the first meaningful offense of the match. After trading holds, he hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. He applied a headscissors and slammed Flip’s face into the mat, before transitioning to a camel clutch. 
Tiger gave up the hold for some reason, allowing Flip to land some strikes, and a standing shooting star. Flip hit a cool springboard Sling Blade, before Tiger was able to connect with the double underhook superplex for a two count. 

Tiger used an armbar, but Flip was able to escape, and hit a Falcon Arrow. He missed a corkscrew moonsault, but connected with a rolling senton and another standing shooting star, before Tiger caught him in a cross armbreaker. Tiger followed with a double underhook powerbomb, and a Tombstone, before heading to the top. 

Tiger missed a top rope splash, leading to the finishing sequence. Flip landed on his feet out of a suplex attempt, and connected with a superkick on the mat, and another to Tiger as he sat prone on the top rope. Flip hit the Four Flippy Splash, and got the pin. 

The first few minutes were nothing to write home about, and the rest of the match was average. 

ACH Defeated YOH

This was a good match, but not anything that you need to go out of your way to see. 

They started with their version of the Ospreay/Ricochet sequence. It was good, but these guys obviously aren’t at that level. ACH played bully for several minutes, working over YOH’s neck. He used strikes, holds, and a bridging suplex pinfall attempt, all targeting the head and neck. 

YOH was able to come back, landing a double footstomp, and a neckbreaker, which earned him a nearfall. They did a cool series of spots near the ropes, which ended with YOH hitting a crossbody off the top. ACH rolled through, and hit a DVD for a nearfall. 

ACH went for a deadlift suplex, but started selling his bad shoulder, and gave it up. YOH took notice, and started working over the shoulder. He went for a swanton bomb, but ACH got his knees up. The crowd really got behind ACH at this point. He tore the tape off his shoulder, which got a big reaction, but YOH took advantage, and hit the superplex into a Falcon Arrow spot for a nearfall. 

They traded strikes, and ACH got the best of the exchange, as YOH took a flip bump off a lariat. ACH followed with the Soul Buster (package DDT), and picked up the pinfall victory. 

Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Taiji Ishimori 

This was good, but if they had cut about three minutes of dead time out, it would have been great. They only went fifteen, but there were multiple countout teases, and some of the selling was too much. 

Ishimori jumped Kanemaru before the bell, landed some strikes, and a seated senton. He used a cravate, and landed blows to the back of the head, before the action spilled outside, and the match turned in Kanemaru’s favor. They brawled into the audience, and Kanemaru use a chair to choke Taiji. 

Back inside, it was Kanemaru’s turn to work the head and neck. He hit a draping DDT on Taiji, who bumped from the apron to the floor. They teased a countout, before Kanemaru continued his attack. Taiji missed a dropkick, but connected on a handspring into a kick. He followed with Ibushi’s Golden Triangle to the floor, and hit his sliding suplex. 

Kanemaru came back with a tornado DDT, leading to a double down. Taiji went for a superplex, but Kanemaru turned it into an implant DDT off the top. He followed with an inverted DDT, but Taiji was able to counter with the powerbomb lungblower, but could only get a two count from it. 

Taiji used a crossface, but Kanemaru was able to reach the ropes. Kanemaru grabbed Red Shoes, who took a bump to the floor. He spit the whiskey mist, and hit a brainbuster, but only got a two count, which came as a shock to the audience. 

Kanemaru came off the top into a Codebreaker, but as Taiji picked him up, Kanemaru small packaged him for the pin. I liked the zigs and zags at the end. 

BUSHI defeated Will Ospreay

This was not as good as most Ospreay matches, but only because they used this as part of telling a larger story. The idea is that Ospreay is exhausted, which I’m sure he is. As a result, he sold a lot here, and cut back on the spectacular offense a bit. It was still very good overall, and the crowd is into BUSHI as a part of the most over faction in the promotion. 

BUSHI hit a dropkick as Ospreay was being introduced, and he choked him with his ring gear. BUSHI wasted no time attacking Ospreay’s bad neck. Ospreay teased the Sasuke Special, but they both did their trademark poses. BUSHI continued his attack near the ropes, and they rolled to the floor, where BUSHI used a chair. 

Ospreay beat the count inside, and BUSHI used a headscissors. He followed with a dropkick to the back, and used an STF. Ospreay was able to hit a handspring knee strike, a 619, and a springboard clothesline, which earned a nearfall. 

BUSHI was back in control in short order, hitting a missile dropkick and double knees in the corner. Ospreay hit an enziguri, and a Sasuke Special. After a struggle on the floor, Ospreay hit a brainbuster, dropping BUSHI on the apron. Ospreay dignalled for the Storm Breaker, but BUSHI bumped Red Shoes, and sprayed Ospreay with the black mist. He used a backslide for a nearfall, but ate a kick on a follow up strike, allowing Ospreay ample time to wash the mist out of his eyes. 

Ospreay hit a superkick, and a lifting inverted DDT for a nearfall. The crowd began buzzing at this point.

Ospreay hit a Robinson Special, and went for the Oscutter, but BUSHI hit a backstabber, leading to a double down. BUSHI landed a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall, then went up top, landed the MX, and got the pin. 

The 25th Best of the Super Juniors tournament continued Friday with Night Six’s B Block action, held at the Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium in Osaka. Here are the results.

Prelim Matches:

• Shota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka & Tiger Mask defeated Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji & Flip Gordon when Umino tapped out Uemura with a Boston Crab
• YOSHI-HASHI & YOH defeated Toa Henare & ACH when YOSHI-HASHI tapped out Henare with the Butterfly Lock
• Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori when Suzuki pinned Owens after a Gotch Piledriver
• BUSHI & Tetsuya Naito defeated Gedo & Will Ospreay when BUSHI pinned Gedo after an MX

B Block Matches:

Marty Scurll defeated Chris Sabin

This was a good outing for both guys. Sabin looked better than in his earlier tournament bouts, and they did a lot of cool cross-up and counter spots. 

They started with some crazy good chain wrestling sequences, with Sabin using something that looked like a La Magistral hip toss. They did some comedy, which worked well. Sabin went for a springboard DDT, but Scurll countered, and went to work on Sabin’s left arm. 

Sabin hit a DDT and got a couple of nearfalls with cradles. Scurll hit  Sunset Flip, but Sabin rolled through and landed a kick, and a Fisherman’s Suplex, getting another nearfall. Scurll slapped on a Surfboard, then stomped on both of Sabin’s surgically repaired knees. He hit an inverted brainbuster for a nearfall. 

Sabin got the best of an exchange ini the corner, and tied Scurll to the Tree of Woe for a dropkick. They traded shots on the apron, and Sabin shoved Scurll into the post, before hitting a flip dive to the floor. Sabin got a nearfall, and avoided the finger break spot. 

They traded strikes and counters. Scurll teased the Chicken Wing, while Sabin teased hitting All Hail Sabin. A sequence of strikes ended with Scurll taking a flip bump off a lariat, only to pop back up and hit Black Plague for the win. 

Ryusuke Taguchi defeated KUSHIDA

The ring entrances were longer than the match. They teased locking up for a bit, then their opening volley ended in a stalemate. They hit each other with stereo hip attacks, then KUSHIDA caught taguchi in a flying armbar. Taguchi turned it into a cradle attempt for a nearfall, then caught KUSHIDA jumping in with a front facelock, and small packaged him for the upset. 

I like the idea of doing a finish like this once in a while to sell the idea that matches can end at any point, and a Taguchi match is as good a time as any.

SHO defeated El Desperado

Desperado jumped SHO at the bell, and beat him all around ringside, including using a chair. They teased a countout, but SHO made it back inside, and sold the left leg in a big way. Desperado spent five minutes working the leg, until SHO hit a sweet dropkick, and a series of lariats. 

Desperado flipped SHO off, so SHO grabbed his arm and slapped on a cross armbreaker. He hit a baseball slide, but Desperado nailed him with a series of low dropkicks to the bad leg, reclaiming control. 

Desperado hit an Angle Slam for a nearfall, but SHO was able to backdrop out of a follow-up double underhook bomb. SHO hit a suplex, and a powerbomb lungblower for a nearfall. He went for another, but Desperado turned it inito a pinning combination for a nearfall. 

The finish saw Desperado miss a low blow, and eat a lariat and a Shock Arrow for the pin. 

These guys are good, but this was missing something, and SHO’s intermittent selling of his leg distracted me. 

Dragon Lee defeated Hiromu Takahashi

These are two of the best performers in the world, and they showed why here. 

They came out of the gate going a thousand miles an hour, then threw a changeup and had a prolonged exchange of slaps to the chest in the center of the ring. They teased a hurracanrana from the apron to the floor, but Hiromu powerbombed Lee on the apron instead. 

They brawled into the crowd, and Hiromu used a chair. Back inside, Hiromu played bully, and went for Lee’s mask. Lee threw some chops, but they established that Hiromu was the more powerful striker of the two. Hiromu used a Tarantula on the ropes, and followed with a wheelbarrow facebuster to the floor. He came off the apron into a dropkick, and the tide turned in favor of Lee.

Lee hit a Tope con Hilo, and followed with an Angel’s Wings for a nearfall. Now it was Lee’s turn to play bully, as the crowd heated up. He hit the slinshot dropkick in the corner, and taunted Hiromu with the Tranquilo pose. 
They traded cradles, then a series of suplexes. Hiromu hit a lariat, and Lee took a flip bump, leading to a double down near the ten minute mark. Lee used an armbar, but Hiromu reached the ropes. They teased a double footstomp in the corner, but Hiromu turned it into a suplex, then went outside. 

Lee hit a running dropkick over the top rope to the floor. How he avoided blowing his knee out, I don’t know. They teased a double countout, but Hiromu hit a suplex on the floor, and made it back inside, before pie-facing Red Shoes, stopping the count. He then landed a senton from the post to the floor. They teased a countout again, but both men beat the count. 

They exchanged strikes, and Lee hit a Frankensteiner. Hiromu countered with a Canadian Destroyer. Hiromu hit a series of elbow strikes, but Lee countered with Desnucadora for a close nearfall, as Hiromu was just able to reach the ropes. 

Lee charged in for an attack, but Hiromu suplexed him into the corner, then hit the Dynamite Plunger for a nearfall. They went up top, and Lee hit a double footstomp to the back off the top rope for a nearfall. Lee hit a standing Spanish Fly, which is go-to the move of the tournament for a lot of guys, for a nearfall. 

With Hiromu spent, Lee hit the Dragon Driver, and scored the pinfall. Excellent stuff.