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NJPW BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS NIGHT 4 REPORT
MAY 15, 2025
KORAKUEN HALL
TOKYO, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
Chris Charlton was alone on commentary tonight, a rarity for tournament shows, though usually they use someone from the undercard tag matches to call the singles matches (last night was an exception, as El Phantasmo wasn’t booked but made the trip for the sake of commentary; strange he’s not here tonight as they’re in the same venue).
(1) RYUSUKE TAGUCHI (2) vs. SHO (2) – B Block match
Taguchi is past the point in his career where he’ll be a threat to win the tournament, but he got a signature win by beating Taiji Ishimori on night one. This version of Sho is unlikely to win as well, though I grant that this year’s tournament feels wide open to a level it hasn’t in some time.
Before the bell, Taguchi chased a cowardly Sho to the back, where Yujiro Takahashi was waiting to attack. Taguchi backed up and walked up the stairs into the crowd. He walked through a door looking for Evil, but it was Sanada who showed up. Sanada and Yujiro attacked, but Taguchi got hold of Yujiro’s cane and he crotched both of them with it and yanked them up over and over, keeping this one in a goofy context. The two went inside and Taguchi rolled up Sho and won in the quickest tournament match in the history of the Best of the Super Juniors.
WINNER: Ryusuke Taguchi at 0:05. (no rating)
(Wells’s Analysis: If you’re going to do a five-second match on this night, this is the obvious choice to open the crowd and get them going)
(2) DRAGON DIA (2) vs. CLARK CONNORS (2) – A Block match
Connors draped his new shirt over the top rope as he went up in the corner to do his pre-match taunt.
Collar and elbow opened, and Connors took Dia to the ropes. He swung and missed. After some escapes, Dia hit an armdrag and a dropkick. Connors shrugged it off, absorbed a back kick, and blocked Dia, who went sailing out of the ring. Connors followed him out and tossed him into a corner post to boos. Korakuen appears to be playing along with heel-face dynamics tonight. Connors mounted Dia on the front row of folding chairs after the Young Lions cleared some people out, then threw some rights. Connors grabbed a tire from under the ring, missed Dia, then tried near a post. Dia ducked and Connors bumped the tire against the post, then his head to laughs. Dia showed off some power by lifting the workout tire, then put it back under the ring.
Back inside, Dia hit a twisting splash, then went up to the second buckle for a tornado DDT. Connors caught Dia, but Dia escaped. Connors caught a charging Dia again and hit a powerbomb. Both guys sold on the mat like they’ve been at it for 15 minutes. Connors got to his feet first, did the Bullet Club taunt, and missed a spear. Dia hit a tornado DDT and covered for two. Dia went to the apron for a springboard move, but Connors speared him out of the air to boos. He covered for a long two. Connors slapped down at Dia, lifted him up, and got hit by the Reptilian Rider (rana with a trap) and he got the three.
WINNER: Dragon Dia at 5:32. (*1/2)
(Wells’s Analysis: Good action for its short runtime, with a little bit of ha-ha with the tire. Dia now has two victories, and is ahead of last year’s total already. Connors figures to be in the mix at the end, I think, though again it feels so wide open that they could go any number of directions)
(3) YOH (0) vs. KEVIN KNIGHT (0) – B Block match
Yoh was my pick to win the tournament this year, and now he’s 0-2 facing an opponent in the same position who also figures to win at least four matches. Yoh was wearing a Ziploc jacket, with heavy branding, and it was as awesome as it sounds. He did a longer-than-usual pec dance up on the turnbuckle during his theme.
The two were slow to lock up as they acknowledged their casual friendship. Knight backed Yoh to a rope, and made a clean break with a blown kiss. Yoh blew one back and Knight pointed as his chin, asking for a real one. Yoh moved in and Knight snapped on a headlock, quickly broken. They both ran the ropes and Knight hit a Frankensteiner that put Yoh on the apron, then a dropkick that put him out. Knight wanted a tope suicida, but Yoh charged into the ring and hit a dropkick. Yoh worked the left leg with a kick and a chop-block. Yoh covered casually for some reason and got a one count.
Yoh worked a brief leg lock but Knight quickly got to a rope. Knight got to his feet and was really selling the leg. He threw a chop, but Yoh kicked the leg. Knight hit a backbreaker, on the right leg, but sold the left leg that was steadying him as agonizing. Rope run and Knight had to get clever to evade trouble while selling the leg, thinking quickly to evade moves in unconventional ways. Yoh slipped outside, and after a brief chase, Knight hit a plancha from over a corner.
Back inside, Knight tried a roll into a DDT and they went to a series of reversals until Yoh hit a dropkick, then worked a figure four as Knight yelped in pain. Knight again reached a rope to break. Yoh hit a slightly delayed Falcon Arrow for two. They again went to some reversals and Knight hit Sky High. Both guys sold on the mat. Knight went to a corner but Yoh rolled to the opposite corner and Knight had to give up that idea. Knight put up Yoh in a corner and hit a Frankensteiner from the top. Knight measured Yoh and hit a rolling spike DDT, but he sold the leg issue long enough that once he finally covered, Yoh kicked out at the last millisecond.
Knight went up again, but Yoh caught him with a superkick out of the air. Knight rolled up Yoh for two, and Yoh returned the favor. Knight missed a Superman punch from the top, and Yoh hit a Dragon suplex and bridged for the victory.
WINNER: Yoh at 8:23. (***1/2)
After the match, Yoh asked for a kiss on the cheek, then rolled away at the last moment as Knight chuckled and wagged a finger.
(Wells’s Analysis: Very enjoyable sub-ten-minute match here as Knight’s selling and creativity elevated it into something better than just two guys getting their stuff in. Then of course there was the kiss subplot, which is more amusing than it should be)
(4) KUSHIDA (0) vs. NINJA MACK (2) – A Block match
It’s hard to say whether Kushida’s slow start is a sign of a big underdog comeback or if he’s settling into the give-back portion of his career after one more good tournament last year.
Though Kushida was wary, they shook hands without incident before the match. They went to quick evasions and a reset. Ninja Mack flipped through a rana and landed on his feet. He did another flourish after an evasion, and Kushida sold it with mild annoyance. Mack went to his knees and asked Kushida to do the same and face him. Kushida did so, probably six feet away. Mack then asked referee Kenta Sato to do the same, and eventually, Sato did so. The two went to some mat wrestling and Sato maneuvered around them by “running” on his knees to the amusement of the crowd, and then they did a three-man chase on their knees briefly for another laugh.
They went to their feet again and settled into some mat wrestling, favoring Kushida, but Mack rolled near the ropes and put Kushida on the floor. Mack hit an Asai…850?…630?…and took out Kushida and some Young Lions. Mack looked into the camera and bizarrely asked “Pat McAfee, you like that?” Back inside, Mack trapped Kushida for two. Mack hammerlocked Kushida and hopped up for a body scissors also. Kushida reversed to his own Hoverboard Lock, escaped, and then they went to a series of rolling small packages. Mack ended up on top for two.
Mack dropkicked Kushida, then went up and missed the Ninja Bomb, but landed on his feet. He did a handstand and Kushida kicked his left arm. Kushida hit a big lariat for two. Kushida hit the Back to the Future fisherman’s suplex to finish.
WINNER: Kushida at 5:53. (**)
Calling back to early in the match, Kushida – and then Mack – walked all the way to the back on their knees.
(Wells’s Analysis: Fun silliness early, again giving the match more of an identity than a simple competent match would have. Everyone is on the board in the block now, and I can continue wondering if there’s more on the horizon for Kushida or if I should accept that he’s not the guy anymore)
(5) ROBBIE EAGLES (4) (w/Hartley Jackson) vs. NICK WAYNE (4) – B Block match
Wayne hit a plancha as Eagles was making his entrance, then rolled him inside and hit him from the top for a quick two count in the matchup of unbeatens. Eagles got back into it with a dropkick and got his “Robbie Robbie Robbie” taunt out of the way early. He laid in a kick to a grounded Wayne and covered for two. Eagles worekd the left leg with some kicks. The two went to some evasions before a couple of chops, and then a dropkick by Wayne.
After a quick reset, Wayne laid in a chop against the ropes. He snap mared Eagles and covered for two as Eagles continued to sell the pre-bell attack. Wayne worked a hammerlock and Eagles broke it by getting to the rope, and Wayne laid in a cheap kick rather than break clean, leaning more into his heel role than he has thus far in the tournament. Again they went to evasions, and Eagles hit a dropkick for some separation. Eagles threw some chest kicks down at Wayne, then motioned for the crowd to get into it. Eagles hit high double knees in the corner, then low double knees when Wayne dropped to his own knees. Eagles covered for two.
Eagles evaded a couple of shots, but Wayne hit a jawbreaker. Eagles hit a blockbuster and then worked Wayne’s leg until Wayne broke with a rope. Wayne hit an inside cradle for two, then missed a kick. Wayne turned a turbo backpack attempt into an exploder and he covered for two. Both guys sold again. Wayne tried Wayne’s World, but Eagles caught him up in the corner and yanked him to the mat. Wayne tried again and this time Eagles ducked, and Wayne jammed his knee. Both guys ducked moves until Eagles hit a poison rana. Eagles charged into a superkick, but hit a 619 to the knee right after, then a springboard splash. The two went to quick kicks and Wayne finally hit Wayne’s World to continue his surprising early roll. Wayne won’t advance, but he certainly is looking good before his likely de-emphasis later in the tournament.
WINNER: Nick Wayne at 8:12. (***1/4)
(Wells’s Analysis: Wayne’s selling and psychology are so strong for someone as young as he is, though as a third-generation wrestler, he’s certainly got people in his ear for that. I figure Eagles to be at or near the top by the end of the tournament, so this is a big win for Wayne to hang his hat on (though not as big as the win over Desperado).)
(6) ROBBIE X (2) vs. YOSHINOBU KANEMARU (2) – A Block match
Kanemaru attacked outside before the bell, as he does. Unconventionally, the bell sounded with the two brawling on the outside. Kenta Sato is making it up as he goes tonight. X staggered Uncle Nobu against the apron, then ran around the entire ring to hit a dropkick. Seems like a bit of wasted motion there. They finally got to the ring and Nobu worked Robbie’s left arm with some kicks and wrenches, as Robbie continues the dreaded “nagging injury” story of his tournament that ensures he’ll only win two or three matches at most. Nobu tossed X with a snap mare and the ref asked X if we wanted to continue. X tried his handspring against the ropes but he collapsed with the bad arm. He then succeeded with it, but found Sato in his path, so Kanemaru caught him with a DDT. Sato got bumped, and Kanemaru ripped off his loaded boot and put it into Robbie’s face. Kanemaru woke up Sato, hit a slam and covered for two. Nobu went up for Deep Impact, but Robbie got a boot up to the groin. Robbie hit his setup and finisher.
WINNER: Robbie X at 4:13. (*)
(Wells’s Analysis: We’re really rushing through the matches tonight. Robbie now has two wins, which is where I figured him to finish, but maybe it’ll be another “everyone gets four wins other than the top guys” kind of tournaments that they do too often. Harmless, I guess, but in a weird position on the card. I suppose it works as a breather between the strong Wayne-Eagles affair and the next match)
(7) TITAN (2) vs. MAO (4) – B Block match
Charlton mentioned that Mao said this was the toughest matchup for him, stylistically, in the tournament. The two started slowly as the night got into the meatier matches at last, and there were some strong chants for both guys. They went to some quick evasions early and a lot of flourishes by Titan. Titan ran himself into a casual block by Mao. Mao did some flexing as Titan moved to the floor. Mao, with a very small margin for error with the crowd so close, hopped up and hit a springboard moonsault onto Titan and a gaggle of Young Lions. One lucky fan got a pile of wrestlers in their lap for a moment. Back inside, Mao covered for two, then clapped the crowd into it.
Mao tied up Titan in an interesting leglock with Titan upside-down in his arms until Titan reached for a rope. Mao measured Titan, then ate a palm strike and did his goofy flex to some laughs. Mao threw a big palm strike that grounded Titan. Titan finally fired up and hit a charging Mao with a combination of kicks, then a high cross-body. Mao went out and Titan hit him with a tope suicida. Back inside, a springboard splash by Titan got two. Titan worked his figure four and Mao reached the rope as Charlton mentioned Titan was setting up for the Yahweh Inmortal. Titan hit a superkick and Mao feigned a mouth injury, then hit a cutter by jumping over referee Marty Asami and into Titan.
Mao lifted Titan, who rolled through and hit a tornado DDT and a facebuster followed by a back kick. Titan went high and hit double boots. He covered for two. Titan set something up but Mao hit an inside cradle for two. Mao hit a hard right and the crowd turned on Mao because of the closed fist. It can just be that simple sometimes. Titan hit some combo kicks and Mao hit his own flurry. Titan kipped up to cheers and they reset again.
The two exchanged rights in the cener of the ring as the crowd barked along. Mao ran the ropes and hit a palm strike. Rope run and another by Mao. Both guys Matrixed away from shots and finally Mao laid in a superkick. Mao went for a springboard kick but Titan snatched him out of the air with an absolutely bonkers transition into the Yahweh Inmortal submission, which was good for the win.
WINNER: Titan at 9:20. (***3/4)
(Wells’s Analysis: Predictably a lot of fun, and Titan’s final transition into his finisher was worth a half star on its own. Mao is proving to be something very different to look at throughout the tournament, as this year continues to work so well just because there are so many wildly different styles on display)
(8) MASTER WATO (2) vs. KOSEI FUJITA (4) – A Block match
It’s probably just because I love the guy, but I’ve got Fujita coming out of the stacked A Block on top. Wato won the tournament two years ago before missing last year’s with an injury. He’s given up on the Kool-Aid blue hair and is looking more like a man than his previous boy among men look.
They shoved their skulls together for an early intimidation attempt. When the bell sounded, they waited out some chants that sounded to be mostly pro-Wato. They threw rights early, eschewing mat stuff to open. Wato had some bruising on his arm and chest; someone’s always looking the worse for wear in these tournaments.
After Wato briefly took down Fujita, they got to their feet and Fujita colored up Wato’s pasty chest with a series of chops. Wato reversed and laid in some kicks to the chest as Fujita slowly staggered in the corner. Asami separated them, but Wato went in for some more kicks as Charlton told the story that these two just don’t like each other.
Wato worked a submission that he innovated that still doesn’t seem to have a name, and Fujita reversed into a brief camel clutch before half-surfboarding Wato into a submission before Wato rolled to a rope. They got to their feet and exchanged some chops and kicks. Fujita ducked a kick and hit a German suplex with a bridge for two. Wato hit Recientemente for two.
After some escapes, Wato tried to set up another but Fujita thwarted it. Big palm strike and a cutter by Fujita. Fujita set up and hit the Thrill Ride to stay unbeaten. I thought Wato would match Fujita here, but I’m not complaining.
WINNER: Kosei Fujita at 6:58. (**3/4)
(Wells’s Analysis: These guys got mean early, jamming a lot of impact into a small space. This is about as good as an early-tournament sub-seven minute job can be)
(9) EL DESPERADO (2) vs. TAIJI ISHIMORI (0) – B Block match
We haven’t eclipsed ten minutes after eight matches, but I’d be surprised if we don’t blow by it here. Ishimori has had a hard-luck start while the champ has already lost an unlikely one to Nick Wayne, so this one is real interesting given that both guys are always near the top of their blocks when it’s all said and done. This is also a rematch of last year’s final, won by Desperado, who himself had lost multiple finals. Ishimori might be the most decorated Junior who’s yet to win the tournament.
There were chants after the bell, and referee Red Shoes Unno did his usual hand motions to suggest it was close, but Charlton correctly pointed out that it was heavily in favor of Desperado as one would expect. Ishimori went out early and he hit a thrust kick on a charging Desperado. Ishimori charged Despe into a post and smiled at his handiwork. He tossed him into a second post, then motioned for some fans in the front few rows to move so he could charge them into the same chairs that were cleared for a spot earlier in the night. Ishimori went into the ring and removed a corner pad while Unno was checking on Desperado. For the first time all night, the ref started counting someone out. It was an unconventionally quick pace for the count, and Desperado entered at 14.
Ishimori grounded Despe and did his arm-stomp spot with Desperado tied in an awkward knot. Ishimori continued to slowly stalk Desperado, and he charged him into the exposed corner to boos. Desperado again went out to the floor. Desperado is working some minutes, as you’d expect from a champion, but they’re really slowing down the pace for his matches given some of the rougher matches he’s been working outside the tournament. After selling on the floor, Desperado reentered after no count by the ref. Ishimori leaned on Desperado against the bottom rope and Unno counted until Ishimori broke.
Ishimori landed a right, and Desperado blocked an Irish whip but sold the pain on the worked arm, which he’d used to put on the brakes. Ishimori rained down kicks on the bad arm, and Desperado hit a side suplex to finally get a breather. Desperado kicked Ishimori’s leg in the corner, then hit a dragon screw. Knee breaker followed by a stretch muffler by Despe, and Ishimori got himself to a rope. Desperado dropped a knee on the inside of Ishimori’s leg. Desperado continued battering the bad leg and Ishimori was selling as much as Desperado at this point. Ishimori caught a charging Desperado with a crucifix into the Bone Lock, and Desperado broke the plane of the ropes and Unno counted it down until Ishimori broke the hold.
Ishimori tried to set up Despe, but Despe charged Ishimori into the exposed buckle. Ishimori returned the favor, then did so a second time. Shoulder breaker by Ishimori, who sold his worked knee after the move also. Desperado fought off La Mistica, and the two reversed several times until Ishimori snapped on the Yes Lock. Desperado transitioned to the stretch muffler again, then rolled into the center of the ring with it. Ishimori broke free and snapped on his own trap pin to get the three.
WINNER: Taiji Ishimori at 11:52. (***)
(Wells’s Analysis: This is a weird chapter in the storied history of this feud, as both guys worked body parts and we ended up with a match with a very slow pace as a result, perhaps owing to Desperado’s body at the moment. It would seem odd on paper that a rematch of last year’s final wasn’t the main event, but if this was the match they were going to work, that makes perfect sense. No surprise that Ishimori finally picks up a win on Desperado, between his losing streak against the man and his early losing streak in the tournament himself)
(10) HIROMU TAKAHASHI (2) vs. FRANCESCO AKIRA (2) – A Block
The talk of Akira has certainly been there for a while, as a true contender to win this tournament, but they’re putting their money where their mouth is by putting this one in the main event slot on a night where at least four or five matches could’ve easily been given twenty minutes.
They went to a forearm exchange early. Akira got the better of it eventually and hit a corner lariat, but Hiromu hit one in the opposite corner. Headscissor takedown by Akira put Hiromu on the floor, and Akira hit him with a plancha. Akia worked a headscissor from a seated position on the apron, with Hiromu’s feet on the floor, and made a motion for people to take photos. Akira tossed Hiromu into some folding chairs after the Young Lions cleared out some fans. Red Shoes called for the match to go back into the ring, but Akira wasn’t having it. Akira fired up the crowd, then ran around the entire ring, only for Hiromu to snatch him with a belly to belly into the pile of chairs, eliciting a huge “Oh my God!” from Charlton and a “What the f*&k, man?” from either Jakob Austin Young or Callum Newman. Indeed, it looked brutal. Hiromu charged Akira into the pile one more time, and by this time almost every chair was upended in some form.
The match finally went back inside, where Hiromu threw a couple of chops. Hiromu took a little walk, then reentered and hit a basement dropkick for two. There was a “Hiromu” chant, really driving home how popular he is, because he’s working 90% heel here. Indeed, there was a nice “Akira” chant right afterward. Akira reached a rope to get a little separation from Hiromu’s rights. Akira hit his feet and threw some forearms that didn’t have as much on them as before, then laid in a chop. Hiromu dropkicked Akira, then tried to set up something bigger as Akira scampered to a rope.
Hiromu put Akira out on the apron, but as he charged, he was hit by a springboard DDT, and both guys sold on the mat. The two went to some reversals, and Akira hit a rana that sent Hiromu outside. Tope con giro by Akira connected, and he stood up on some folding chairs to fire up for the appreciative crowd. Akira rolled Hiromu inside and fired up the crowd, then hit a moonsault to Hiromu’s back, then covered for two. After some reversals, Hiromu hit a Falcon Arrow. They both sold on the mat again.
Akira went up in the corner, and Hiromu chopped him and met him there. Hiromu wanted a superplex but Akira thwarted it. Akira hopped from the apron, but Hiromu caught him and hit him with a top rope Time Bomb and covered for two. The ten minute call went out, which felt impossible given what both guys have gone through. The two met in the middle of the ring and exchanged some kicks. Hiromu laid in a big superkick and set up Time Bomb, but Akira fought it off and hit a poison rana. Hiromu fired up and hit a German suplex, but Akira hit a huge lariat and both guys were on the mat yet again.
Akira set up a butterfly and transitioned to a German suplex instead. Hiromu sold it like death and kept his eyes closed to sell the near-fall. Not enough guys do that. Akira hit Speed Fire and tried the Fireball, but Hiromu ducked. Akira hit Meteora twice and covered for a long near-fall. Hiromu ducked the Fireball again, and immediately hit it himself. Hiromu fought his way to his feet using the ropes and hit the Time Bomb 1.5 and got another long near-fall. Hiromu tried another Time Bomb but Akira rolled him up for two. Trap pin by Akira for two. Hiromu hit a wheelbarrow German suplex and double knees for just one as Akira got in his fighting spirit spot.
Hiromu picked up Akira and charged him into the corner with a Death Valley Driver. Akira kicked his way free of Time Bomb 2 but ran right into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Hiromu hit a huge lariat for another long two. Akira fought off Time Bomb 2 again and rolled into a wild tied-up submission that Charlton said he learned while training with Tajiri. After about five seconds, Hiromu tapped. Newman and Young immediately headed into the ring to congratulate Akira, dropping about a dozen f-bombs in the process.
WINNER: Francesco Akira at 18:18. (****1/4)
Akira, who’s fluent in Japanese, got on the mic and invited Hiromu – a man without a faction now – to the United Empire. Hiromu scoffed and headed out back. Akira said not to focus on “the one who left them” but the United Empire members who are still here. He ran through all of them. He called out the great Korakuen Hall crowd and told the crowd not to take their eyes off of him, because he’ll do all he can to make his Japanese dream come true. On his way out, he slapped hands with Great-O-Khan, who had been sitting in all night on Japanese commentary, and then he stood among the fans to soak it up one more time.
In his backstage mic time, Akira now spoke English, and said his finishing submission move is called “The Grand Tarantula” and he confirmed he learned it from Tajiri.
(Wells’s Analysis: Well, after that outing, there can be no doubt that they chose the right match to get all this time. On a night with a lot to like, it was the easy match of the night, and served to prove that there’s still nobody doing it quite like Hiromu Takahashi. This was a loud, mean, perfectly-paced joy throughout its runtime and suggested that both men are in the mix to potentially win this year’s tournament)
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was everything I want out of a ten-match tournament night, with some interesting quickies, some amusements in the early part of the night, and some genuine hard-hitting affairs near the end. While only one match rises to the level of something approaching greatness, I think this is the kind of night you show to a non-fan to test the waters and see if there’s something for them to like, because they threw all kinds of different things out there tonight. The varied field has this looking like one of my favorite BOSJ tournaments to date, so here’s hoping everyone stays healthy out there down the stretch. Chris Lansdell will be back after the tournament has a day off tomorrow before another ten-match card on the 17th.
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