SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NJPW BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS NIGHT 3 REPORT
MAY 18, 2025
ESFORTA ARENA HACHIOJI
TOKYO, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
Walker Stewart was back on commentary with Chris Charlton for this show.
(1) RYUSUKE TAGUCHI (6) vs. NICK WAYNE (6) – B Block match
Not many people would have expected a match between these two at this stage to be a match between two 3-1 competitors, but sometimes Gedo likes to subvert expectations.
Nick Wayne took control early with a flying European uppercut and taunted Taguchi with a hip swivel before covering for a two-count. Wayne took Taguchi over with a snap mare and dropped a quick leg for another two-count. Taguchi surprised Wayne with a butt-butt then hit a running hip attack to knock Wayne off the apron to the floor. Taguchi hit a plancha from the second rope to the outside, much to the delight of the crowd, then rolled Wayne back inside. Taguchi went for a butt-butt again, Wayne sidestepped it, sending Taguchi to the floor, then connected with a tope con giro to the outside and landed on his feet in the process. Wayne followed up with a missile dropkick in the ring for a two-count.
Wayne looked for a dragon suplex, Taguchi escaped with a hip thrust but Wayne countered the butt-butt with an atomic drop. Wayne attempted a back handspring cutter but he too was caught with an atomic drop. Taguchi hit the butt-butt and followed up with a Bummer Ye for a near fall. Off the kickout Taguchi applied the ankle lock. At the five-minute mark Wayne escaped the hold with a headscissors, hit a superkick, and went for Wayne’s World…countered into the ankle lock! Wayne tried to roll out of it but Taguchi maintained the hold. Wayne got to the ropes but Taguchi was slow to break. He pulled Wayne in by the ankle, allowing Wayne to use the momentum to hit an Asai DDT for a two-count.
Taguchi ducked a head kick and hit a step-up enzuigiri. Wayne countered the Dodan into a sunset flip for a near fall, then connected with a superkick and Wayne’s World for the win.
WINNER: Nick Wayne (8 points) via pinfall in 7:00. (**3/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Pretty straightforward fare. They had some nice counter spots but nothing breathtaking, which is not a slight at all. Just a good opening match that didn’t overstay its welcome and gave Wayne an important win. At 4-1 he will finish the night tied for the lead in the group at worst.)
(2) NINJA MACK (2) vs. YOSHINOBU KANEMARU (4) – A Block match
Kanemaru having more than one win is a surprise at this stage, but I would also consider Mack being on two points to be a disappointment.
Kanemaru dropkicked Mack off the apron before the Ninja could get in the ring. He dragged Mack into the crowd, then back to ringside where he threw him into the ring post twice. Back in the ring, Kanemaru tried to remove Mack’s mask. He remonstrated with the ref and then went back to standing on Mack’s head. He stomped on Mack some more, but ran into a double hand thrust that sent Kanemaru to the apron. Mack hit the ropes and started his sequence of back handsprings. Kanemaru pulled the ref into Mack’s path, knocking him away. Kanemaru grabbed a mouthful of whisky and started removing Mack’s mask, only to reveal a second mask in. They traded rollups, Kanemaru poked Mack in the eyes and went for a sunset flip, but Mack sat down and got the pin!
WINNER: Ninja Mack (4 points) via pinfall in 2:00. (*)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Not a lot to say here. It was a two-minute comedy match between two guys who nobody expected to have much success. Ninja Mack went viral for his night one backflip shenanigans, but since then has tried to go back to that well every time.)
(3) KEVIN KNIGHT (2) vs. TITAN (6) – B Block match
They started off apace with a quick succession of athletic dodges. Knight hit a dropkick that sent Titan to the floor. He ran the ropes for a dive but changed plans when he saw Titan had moved, instead sliding to the outside. Knight slid back in and went for a plancha, again Titan moved out of the way and Knight landed on his feet. He staggered long enough for Titan to connect with a tope, almost landing on his own head in the process. Titan rolled Knight back into the ring and hit a slingshot splash for a two-count. Off the kickout, Titan went for a figure four but Knight immediately grabbed the ropes.
Titan hit a spinning kick to the gut, Knight leapfrogged an attempted tackle and went for a big lariat, Titan leaned backwards to avoid it and hit a leaping back kick, Knight bounced up and connected with a lariat, then Titan hit a Pele kick to leave both men down. Knight ran into Titan’s feet in the corner, and went to the top rope. Knight jumped up to meet him, looking for a superplex, but Titan pushed him down. Knight came back with a huracanrana off the top, then went for a rolling splash that only hit knees. Titan slammed Knight and went up top…double stomp connected! 1…2…no! Titan went for a powerbomb, Knight blocked it, Titan tried a tornado DDT instead, Knight blocked that, Titan went for a superkick, and Knight could only block with his face. Titan charged for a corner lariat, Knight caught him and hit a Sky High for a near fall. Knight backed off and hit the spike DDT for a near fall, then a beautiful high dropkick. Knight went to the top rope and hit the UFO Splash for the somewhat surprising win!
WINNER: Kevin Knight (4 points) via pinfall in 5:00. (***)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Knight is on the comeback trail, but more to the point this seems to be a year where everyone is within touching distance as there is a real logjam on 4 and 6 points in both blocks. Knight is far less likely as a winner than Titan, but keeping everyone mathematically alive as long as possible will help drive interest in the later rounds. These two went fast and hard, making the five minutes we got quite entertaining.)
(4) KOSEI FUJITA (6) vs. ROBBIE X (4) – A Block match
Fujita lost his first match last night in a bizarre but somewhat entertaining match with Kushida that was essentially a grappling exhibition with one pin attempt. So far I have to say I have been disappointed with Robbie X, who has been mostly flash and no substance. I fully recognise that others won’t mind that at all, though.
Robbie laid in a stiff chop in the early exchanges, which led to a trade of strikes. They ran the ropes, Robbie went for a leapfrog but Fujita countered with a dropkick that caught Robbie in midair. Fujita charged at Robbie in a corner, Robbie lifted him up and over the ropes onto the apron, and then knocked him off with a cannonball kick. Robbie went to the floor and instructed a section of fans to move, then launched Fujita into the vacated seating. Back at ringside, Robbie ran Fujita face-first into the ring post. Robbie took a long run up and hit a drive-by kick. He sent Fujita back into the ring and covered for a two-count. He tore the kinesio tape off Fujita’s shoulder and stomped on his arm. Fujita tried to come back with a chop, but Robbie caught his hand, bit the fingers, and stomped on the hand. Robbie ran the ropes but got taken down with a leg lariat.
Fujita avoided a wild right hand from Robbie, dropped him with a stiff shot of his own, and hit a springboard missile dropkick for a two-count. A running PK got another two-count at the five-minute mark. Fujita tried for Abandon Hope, Robbie countered with a knee. Robbie kicked out Fujita’s knee, hit a whirlwind kick, and went for a running shooting star press that Fujita blocked with his knees. Fujita hit a brainbuster, kept his grip, and went for Abandon Hope. Robbie fought it off, Fujita tried for his submission hold but got caught in a small package for a count of two. Robbie hit a superkick, but Fujita sidestepped a Pele kick follow-up and hit a bridging German suplex for a near fall. Robbie escaped the Thrill Ride, Robbie backflipped out of a German suplex and hit the X-ecution cutter. From the top rope, Robbie hit the X Express twisting senton for the win!
WINNER: Robbie X (6 points) via pinfall in 8:00. (***1/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Robbie shows a little more every time out, but he still feels like a one-trick pony to me. However the booking of these matches continues to be wildly unpredictable. I expected Robbie X to get maybe one win period, and Fujita to almost run the gauntlet, and now they are tied on points. What I assumed would be an audition for Fujita as the face of the division is taking a different turn. I’m both glad and disappointed that I cannot seem to predict where this is all leading! The match itself was decent, certainly nothing to gripe about but nothing to rave about either.)
(5) YOH (2) vs. MAO (4) – B Block match
Mao has been impressive, doing spectacular things with seemingly minimal effort. Yoh on the other hand has had a weird tournament, between the Ziploc outfit and the antics.
Mao started the match Orange Cassidy style, putting his hands in his pockets and hitting an armdrag and a headscissors. He connected with a dropkick and kipped up with his hands still in his pockets, so more than a small tribute. He clamped on a front facelock, positioning Yoh on the ropes as if for a draping DDT, but just dropped him instead as the referee counted. Yoh fired in some forearms to mount a comeback. Mao responded to each one with his barrel-chested pose, which for some reason startled Yoh. Mao set Yoh to the ropes and he came off with a flying back elbow to take control.
Yoh slammed Mao, put his hands in his pockets, and just stood by Mao. Mao then put his hands in his pockets while still laying on the mat. Yoh dropped an elbow, then a knee, then hit a splash each for a two-count. Mao dropped to one knee to block a suplex, and caught Yoh in a small package for a two-count. Mao pointed to the ceiling, Yoh foolishly looked and ate a right hand. Another point led to a palm strike, and a point to the mat made Yoh bend over into a DDT. Yoh slid out of a scoop slam attempt and tried a German suplex. Mao blocked, they each reversed the attempt, then Mao turned around and ended up face to face with Yoh. They shared a meaningful glance, Mao grasped Yoh’s face, Yoh closed his eyes, and romance was in the air…until Mao slid between Yoh’s legs and hit a German suplex. Those weird paragraphs just keep on coming.
Mao measured Yoh for a palm strike uppercut, but got caught with a DDT. Mao slid out of the cover and hit a double palm chop, only for Yoh to slide out from under the cover at the five-minute mark. Yoh ended the exchange with a tornado DDT. He went for a superkick, Mao Matrix-dodged, and they worked a series of reversals and leapfrogs around and over the referee that ended with Mao’s leapfrog cutter. Mao measured Yoh for what seemed like an eternity, only to miss the superkick. Yoh’s kick connected, as did a falcon arrow for a near fall. Yoh charged into a slingblade by Mao! From the top rope Mao hit the High Fly Flow for a near fall. He copied Tanahashi’s hand gesture, then ran into a dropkick and a poison rana . Yoh hit a running meteora for a two-count, then folded Mao with a high-angle dragon suplex bridge for the win.
WINNER: Yoh (4 points) via pinfall in 8:00. (**3/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: The actual match was not bad, but it wasn’t for me. Mao is an impressive athlete but he’s doing the same things every time and it’s grown a little boring. I do enjoy Yoh’s eccentric gimmick but apparently I only like it when it’s in a match with more serious people. Still, I didn’t dislike the match or anything, the action was good and the win was never obvious. Yoh was starting to look like a joke wrestler so this was likely the right call.)
(6) KUSHIDA (4) vs. DRAGON DIA (6) – A Block match
Dragon Dia went from one win last year to leading his block coming into tonight, while Kushida was coming off the back of a victory over Fujita last night.
Dia started out on fire, sending Kushida to the outside early with a dropkick. Kushida uncharacteristically used a Young Lion to prevent a dive from Dia, who went to the outside to chase Kushida. Kushida rolled back into the ring first and tried to kick out Dia’s arm as he came back in, but Dia avoided it and tripped Kushida. He hit a slingshot splash to get back in the ring, but made the mistake of trying to kick Kushida who caught his foot and went for an ankle lock. Dia got to the ropes, allowing Kushida to dropkick his shoulder. On the outside, Kushida applied a figure four as the referee counted. He broke the hold at 17, Dia was able to roll back in to beat the count. Kushida threw him back to the outside where he hit a kneebreaker before wrapping Dia’s arm around the post. Again the referee counted Dia on the outside, and again Dia got back in the ring at 19.
Kushida hit a basement dropkick to the shoulder and covered for a two-count. He locked in a rear naked choke and dragged Dia to the mat in the hold. Dia turned into the hold to make it a headlock, so Kushida just planted a kick to his shoulder. Dia avoided a flying knee and took Kushida down with a headscissors. A standing moonsault got a two-count for Dia. He sent Kushida to the outside and hit a tope con giro. Back in the ring Kushida leveled Dia with a huge palm strike uppercut. Dia blocked the Hoverboard lock attempt, and avoided a leg sweep by jumping over it and landing on Kushida’s chest. A kick to the head only got a count of two. Dia went for the Reptilian Rana, but Kushida countered into a fireman’s carry and deposited Dia on the apron. Dia kicked his way free of Kushida’s grip and went to the top rope, but Kushida had a handspring kick to daze him. Dia slipped out of a kimmura on the top turnbuckle, then hit a flying headscissors off the top rope at the ten-minute mark.
Dia connected with a crucifix bomb for a near fall, then went back to the middle rope for the DD-DDT. Kushida caught him and hit a roaring elbow, Dia fired back with a kick. Kushida ducked an enzuigiri and kicked out Dia’s elbow, then went through a La Mistica into the Hoverboard lock for the tapout win.
WINNER: Kushida (6 points) via submission in 11:00. (***1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: There has not been much to separate most of the matches tonight, but this one stood slightly above the others because of the story they told around Kushida trying to get Dia’s arm in a vulnerable spot. Once he managed that, it was very quickly over. The logjam continues to grow…)
(7) ROBBIE EAGLES (4) vs. TAIJI ISHIMORI (2) – B Block match
These two have faced off four times, three times in BOSJ. The record is 3-1 in Ishimori’s favour, but all three Ishimori wins have been in the tournament.
The match went to the mat right away, with Ishimori grabbing a leg lock and Eagles countering with an armbar. Eagles tried to transition to an ankle lock but Ishimori went right to the ropes. They locked up again, and Eagles once more went for the leg and sent Ishimori scrambling to the ropes. Eagles hit a lucha arm drag and a headscissors, then a spinning back kick that sent Ishimori to the floor. Eagles went for a dive but thought better of it as Ishimori moved. Instead he went for a plancha, Ishimori sidestepped, and rammed Eagles shoulder-first into the ring post. Ishimori got back into the ring and removed a corner pad as the referee checked on Eagles.
Back inside, Ishimori ran Eagles into the exposed corner shoulder-first. He took Eagles over with an armdrag and worked on the damaged shoulder with an armlock. Eagles managed to get to the ropes at the five-minute mark. Ishimori scooped up Eagles for a powerslam, but instead tried to lawn-dart him into the exposed corner. Eagles escaped out the back, ducked a clothesline, and dropped Ishimori with a trip and a clothesline to the back of the head. Eagles planted a trio of kicks to Ishimori’s chest. Ishimori tried to counter a whip with a handspring elbow but Eagles saw it coming and dropkicked him. Eagles hit a running double knee in the corner, swept out his legs, then connected with another running double knee strike for a two-count. Eagles attacked Ishimori’s leg, then went up top for a 450 splash to the legs. Ishimori moved, Eagles rolled through it and hit a couple of round kicks followed by a springboard low dropkick to the knees. Eagles went for the Ron Miller special, Ishimori countered into a schoolboy for two. He tried to lock in the Bone Lock, but Eagles rolled out into a cover for two.
Eagles hit a flurry of kicks and went for an Asai reverse DDT, but Ishimori pushed him away and hit a jumping knee to leave both men down. Both men got to their knees and exchanged elbow strikes. They got to their feet, and Eagles kicked at Ishimori’s legs. Eagles tried a rebound kick but got absolutely flattened by a lariat for a two-count. Ishimori again rammed Eagles’ shoulder into the corner, then hit a shoulderbreaker. He went for La Mistica into a Bone Lock, but Eagles countered with a rollup for a two-count. Off the kickout Eagles applied the Bone Lock! Ishimori tried to get to the ropes, so Eagles transitioned to the Ron Miller Special! He released the hold, dragged Ishmori to the middle of the ring, kicked Ishimori in the thigh a few times, then tried to reapply the Ron Miller Special. Ishimori countered with a rollup, and they ran through a sequence of rollups for two-counts. Eagles went for the Turbo Backpack but Ishimori reversed it into the Bone Lock! Eagles crawled to the ropes but Ishimori pulled him back and hit the Bloody Cross! 1…2…3!
WINNER: Taiji Ishimori (4 points) via pinfall in 12:00. (***1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: You would expect these two to put on a quality match, and they did. They know each other well and are very experienced to boot, which was evident in the pacing. Ishimori’s win keeps everyone close in the group, with Ishimori needing to beat Nick Wayne in his next match to avoid mathematical elimination. Eagles is not likely to stay in contention for long…though given how bad my predictions have been so far, he might just win the whole thing.)
(8) MASTER WATO (4) vs. FRANCESCO AKIRA (4) – A Block Match
This was only the second time these two had competed one-on-one. The last time was in the BOSJ that Wato won.
Wato took Akira down with a pair of shoulder tackles, but ran into a boot when he tried a third. He ducked a second kick and hit that third shoulder tackle, then tried to lock in Vendoval. Akira turned the attempt into a quick rollup for a one-count. Wato chopped Akira hard in the corner, and after a series of counters Akira hit a gorgeous leg lariat to send Wato to the outside. Akira followed him with a plancha, posed for photos on the apron with Wato in a headscissor lock, then rolled him back inside and clamped on a chinlock. Akira bent Wato’s arms backwards in a modified Rings of Saturn, but Wato made it to the ropes.
At the five-minute mark, Wato tried to chop his way back into the match. He avoided a Stinger splash and hit a leg lariat to leave both men down. Wato hit a headscissors that sent Akira to the outside, and connected with a tope con giro to meet him there. Back inside, a springboard European uppercut got a two-count. They traded strikes, though it was hardly a fair trade as Wato was hitting round kicks to the chest in reply to Akira’s elbows. He staggered Akira with an elbow of his own then dropped him with a back suplex for another two-count. Akira rolled through a German suplex attempt and hit a double stomp and a standing moonsault for his own two-count. He went for Speed Fire, Wato escaped and went for Recientemente, only for Akira to escape and plant a pair of superkicks. Wato countered an Irish whip into…that was meant to be Recientemente but he couldn’t rotate Akira over fast enough. It just looked sloppy, not dangerous.
Wato tried his delayed-blast German suplex as we hit the ten-minute mark. Akira escaped with back elbows and dropped Wato with a poison rana! Wato popped up but went right back down courtesy of a lariat from Akira. Akira struggled for a tiger suplex but changed his mind and hit Speed Fire. He set up for the Fireball, Wato ducked under it and went for the German suplex again. Akira tried a sunset flip but Wato slipped and they just sort of fell on each other. Wato popped Akira up but didn’t seem to have anything to do after that, so Akira kicked him in the head. Fireball knees…Wato ducked and rolled through…Recientemente! 1…2…3!
WINNER: Master Wato (6 points) via pinfall in 12:00. (**1/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: I am not one of those people who picks on every misstep in the ring, but there were several of them in this match and it was enough to damage the quality of the match in my mind. I could have seen either of these men being in contention, and with everyone being so tightly packed they still are. If you ignore the missed moves, Wato actually looked really good here and showed some interest in doing so. Akira is great and continues to show it.)
(9) EL DESPERADO (2) vs. SHO (2) – B Block Match
Desperado came out second, and he did so with Yujiro Takahashi in tow. Desperado had a chair around Yujiro’s head and Yujiro’s pimp cane across his throat. Sho went out of the ring to save his stablemate, and got a cane to the midsection for good measure. They finally got in the ring, where Desperado stomped Sho down. He went for a back suplex but Sho raked his eyes. Desperado hit the ropes and was tripped by Yujiro while Sho distracted the referee. Yujiro hit a chairshot on the outside, then rolled Desperado back inside. Somehow Sho managed to remove a corner pad while distracting the referee, and he whipped Desperado into the exposed corner. Sho went for the cover but the referee was busy trying to carefully place the removed corner pad out of harm’s way and refused to count.
Sho distracted the referee again, allowing Yujito to jam his cane into Desperado’s gut. Sho tried to run Desperado head-first into the exposed turnbuckle. Desperado reversed it and folded Sho in half with a spear. He catapulted Sho’s neck into the underside of the bottom rope, sending Sho to the outside. Desperado came flying between the ropes to hit a tope onto Sho and Yujiro, then rolled Sho back into the ring at the five-minute mark. He dropped Sho with a back suplex, went to the top rope, and hit a frog splash for a two-count. Sho blocked an attempted Guitarra del Angel and raked the eyes, then hit a spear of his own to leave both men down. Sho connected with a lariat for a two-count, and a very crisp power breaker for another two-count.
Sho stomped on Desperado before going for Shock Arrow. Desperado fought free at the ten-minute mark and tried a Pinche Loco, but Sho was able to block and shove Desperado into the referee in the corner. Naturally this led to Yujiro sliding into the ring and beating Desperado down. Sho tried to revive the referee. Desperado took off his own mask, and tossed it to Sho just in time for the referee to see it. Sho tried to explain away the mask and avoid a DQ, which allowed Desperado to recover and starch Sho with a straight right hand. The Pinche Loco was elementary as Sho looked to be out cold anyway.
WINNER: El Desperado (6 points) via pinfall in 12:00. (**3/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: I am torn on this match, because the parts that did not involve ridiculous referee “distractions’ were solid and enjoyable. I have never questioned Sho’s abilities in the ring, and we got flashes of it in this match between the nonsense. Desperado was a good foil for it, but ultimately the HoT Shenanigans (TM) damaged things a great deal for me. At least with the win, we should be spared a Sho finals run.)
(10) HIROMU TAKAHASHI (2) vs. CLARK CONNORS (4) – A Block Match
Hachioji is Hiromu’s hometown, and he had a very long ring introduction that included the preschool he graduated from and the fact that his mother lived eight minutes away from the arena. Connors was at least nice enough to wait for the introduction to finish before blindsiding him. Connors taunted the fans, allowing Hiromu to reverse a whip to the corner and hit a corner clothesline and a basement dropkick. Connors came back with a Jeep Flip that sent Hiromu to the outside. Connors joined him and sent Hiromu crashing through several rows of chairs. Not content with one section of displaced patrons, Connors sent Hiromu into another set of seats. He tried a third time but Hiromu reversed the whip and sent Connors careening into the chairs. Connors grabbed one of the chairs and threw it at Hiromu, then jabbed a second one into his midsection. Connors found a replica of Hiromu’s stuffed toy friend Nauru in a fan’s bag, stole it, and took it to ringside where he slammed the toy down and threatened to crush it with a car wheel. No, that is not a joke. Hiromu tried to intervene but got a wheel to the chest and jaw as a thank you. Connors again threatened the toy with a wheel shot, and again Hiromu interrupted. Connors fought him off again and finally succeeded in crushing the toy with the wheel.
The crowd jeered Connors as he posed over the falling stuffed animal. Connors went into the crowd with his wheel, ran down an aisle, and rolled the wheel into Hiromu’s groin. He sent Hiromu back into the ring and covered him, but the referee refused to count. Connors hit a back elbow and this time the referee did count, but only a two-count. Connors tied up Hiromu with a body scissors and chinlock combo. Hiromu brok the hold but was yanked back down to the canvas by his hair. Connors went back to the chinlock, and eventually Hiromu was able to get free and hit a headscissors. A shotgun dropkick sent Connors to the outside at the ten minute mark. Hiromu ran along the apron and hit another dropkick, this time to the floor. Connors found the energy to snap Hiromu’s neck over the top rope, then rolled his wheel into the ring. The referee put his foot on the wheel to prevent Connors from using it. Connors pushed the foot off, so the ref just sat on the wheel instead. Hiromu used the distraction to schoolboy Connors for a two-count.
Connors tried to suplex Hiromu on the wheel, but Hiromu turned it around and dropped Connors so that his side connected with a glancing blow on the tire. Hiromu propped Connors on the top rope but Connors dropped down and hit a powerbomb. Both men were down, with Connors recovering first. He went to the top rope, looking a little uncomfortable, but dropped a smooth elbow for a near fall. Connors went for the spear but Hiromu caught him and hit the buckle Death Valley driver. He went right into Time Bomb, but Connors spun out of it and hit a snap powerslam. Connors set up the spear…countered into a triangle choke! Connors powered up and hit a buckle bomb and a spear for another near fall at the 15-minute mark. Connors tried to lift Hiromu but his back would not allow it, so he just nailed a spear instead. Again Connors went for a spear but ran into a superkick. Hiromu hit a second superkick but ran into a spear! 1…2…no!
Both men were slow to get up. Connors did so first, but could not lift Hiromu for No Chaser. They went through a series of reversals that ended with a pair of lariats from Hiromu. He hit Time Bomb but Connors rolled to the apron to avoid the cover. Hiromu tried to superkick Connors off the apron, but Connors held on. Hiromu hit the ropes and went for a sunset flip bomb onto the tire on the outside…and connected! Bet that hurt. Inside the ring Hiromu hi Time Bomb, then Time Bomb 2, and covered for the win.
WINNER: Hiromu Takahashi (4 points) via pinfall in 20:00. (***1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: It had some slow moments, but I enjoyed most of this match. Hiromu is almost always entertaining, and Connors was able to match him here throughout. We now have A Block split with five people on 6 points and 5 on 4 points, which will make things interesting for the next couple of nights. I could have done without the stuffed toy part of the match, but overall this worked well.)
Final thoughts: This year’s tournament has been very strange. Block A has Fujita, Dia, Kushida, Robbie X, and Wato at six points. Connors, Akira, Kanemaru, Mack, and Hiromu are on four points. Most of the names on four points would have been expected to be nearer to the top right now. Meanwhile Block B has Nick Wayne alone at eight points. Titan, Taguchi, and Desperado are next at six, and Eagles, Sho, Mao, Ishimori, Yoh, and Knight are on four. Tonight’s matches were not outstanding, but I still enjoyed this show. Part of that is because I am always surprised when the booking manages to surprise me.
We’ll be back throughout the tournament to keep you up-to-date on the results and standings. As always, thanks for joining us!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.