New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Best of the Super Juniors continues to rumble on, with upsets-a-plenty and a whole heap of intrigue as we reach the end of the group stages.
Night 10 took place recently and was headlined by IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi taking on ‘The Villain’ Marty Scurll, with Marty needing a win to stay alive in the competition, along with more multi-man action between Los Ingobernables de Japon and Taguchi Japan. Here are the full results,
#1 Volador Jr., Tomoyuki Oka and Shota Umino vs. ACH, Katsuya Kitamura and Tetsuhiro Yagi
Your usual opening match fare here, with the young lions impressing and the established stars working towards their upcoming B-Block match. Tomoyuki Oka picked up the win for his team, forcing Tetsuhiro Yagi to tap out to the Boston Crab.
Result: Volador Jr., Tomoyuki Oka and Shota Umino def. ACH, Katsuya Kitamura and Tetsuhiro Yagi
#2 El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Tiger Mask & Hirai Kawato
Hirai Kawato continues to be immensely impressive when taking a beating, and more of the same was on show here. Kawato predictably picked up the loss, falling to El Desperado after being hit with Pinche Loco.
Result: El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru def. Tiger Mask & Hirai Kawato
#3 A Block: Ricochet vs. TAKA Michinoku
Ricochet really is one of the smoothest professional wrestlers on the planet.
The 2014 winner was ready for TAKA’s antics and was able to eventually pick up the win with the Benadryller. TAKA has had an impressive tournament by Suzuki-gun standards, but he has been unable to build on his opening night win over Jushin Thunder Liger. Ricochet is still in contention going into the final round of matches.
Result: Ricochet def. TAKA Michinoku
#4 A Block: Dragon Lee vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
Those hoping for a final tournament fairytale for Jushin Thunder Liger have been disappointed, but the great man has shown night in and night out that he is still capable of putting on incredible junior sprints. Liger lost again, however, falling to Dragon Lee after a diving double foot stomp.
Result: Dragon Lee def. Jushin Thunder Liger
#5 War Machine and David Finlay vs. Guerrillas of Destiny and Yujiro Takahashi
War Machine and G.O.D gave us a little taste of their upcoming tag team championship match, and it was the IWGP Tag Team Champions who were able to come out on top here. War Machine and Japan are a perfect mix, and here’s hoping Rowe & Hanson stick in the east for a long time yet. Rowe pinned Tanga Roa to pick up the win for his team.
Result: War Machine and David Finlay def. Guerrillas of Destiny and Yujiro Takahashi
#6 A Block: Taichi vs. Will Ospreay
How in the name of all that is holy has Taichi managed to pick up four wins in this competition?
The Suzuki-gun member continues to be far and away the worst wrestler on show, yet somehow he is still in contention to win the block going into the last round. This match was your usual Taichi nonsense, punctuated by Ospreay’s athletic offence and plenty of Suzuki-gun interference. Taichi picked up the win after hitting the Last Ride.
Result: Taichi def. Will Ospreay
#7 A Block: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Marty Scurll
Both men needed to win this match, and as such, they worked with an intensity and urgency that really picked everything up after the Taichi debacle. Takahashi and Scurll may well be the two most charismatic men in the entire tournament, and that predictably pushed the bout up a notch.
It was the current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion who pulled out the win after hitting the Time Bomb, eliminating Scurll from the competition in the process.
Result: Hiromu Takahashi def. Marty Scurll
#8 Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA and BUSHI vs. Satoshi Kojima, Juice Robinson, KUSHIDA and Ryusuke Taguchi
Los Ingobernables and Taguchi Japan headlined night 10, putting on yet another fun little eight-man match between the two factions. Surprisingly it was EVIL who picked up the win for LIJ, pinning Juice Robinson after hitting the former CJ Parker with EVIL.
Taguchi and KUSHIDA face off in the main event of night 11’s tournament action, with KUSHIDA needing a win to stay in contention in the tournament. BUSHI takes on Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and also needs a win to survive.
Going into the final night of action in A Block there is a five-way tie for top spot. This means that any one of Hiromu Takahashi, Ricochet, Will Ospreay, Dragon Lee and Taichi can make it to the final, with all sorts of permutations in play. Gedo continues to display the booking acumen of a mathematical genius.
Result: Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA and BUSHI def. Satoshi Kojima, Juice Robinson, KUSHIDA and Ryusuke Taguchi
Send us news tips at [email protected]
