Tour heads to Akita
Night four of Best of the Super Jr. sees the tour head to Akita. As we enter the middle phase of the tournament, both blocks continue to jockey for position to be a part of the final four.
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Main event: A Block- Lio Rush (3-0) vs Taiji Ishimori (3-0)
Singles record: 1-0 Rush
Our Akita main event is one that has been a long time in the making as far as Taiji Ishimori is concerned. Way back when NJPW STRONG’s Autumn Attack came to Dallas in 2021, Lio Rush was victorious over Ishimori in singles action, a loss that Ishimori didn’t take well. The Bone Soldier continued to speak of revenge against Rush with a title on the line any chance he had for the next year and a half; while there are no belts at stake tonight, a crucial two points heading into the midway point of the tournament are. After both men got out the blocks strong, someone’s ‘oh’ has to go, and one will taste their first defeat tonight while the other will ride high at a minimum two way tie; who will be in the best possible position after Tuesday night?
9th Match: B Block- Master Wato (1-2) vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru (2-1)
Singles record: 1-1
The night’s headlining B Block match sees Master Wato take on Yoshinobu Kanemaru. When Wato first came into NJPW from excursion, he planned to target the members of Suzuki-Gun one by one, but came up against a hard obstacle in Kanemaru near the off, losing to the Heel Master in Jingu Stadium. After that, Wato worked for a long time to regain lost momentum, eventually claiming a win back in the 2021 BOSJ. Having gotten his fourth run in the tournament off to a good start against Francesco Akira, Wato has fallen two two straight losses. Can he show Kanemaru, himself just tasting his first defeat at the hands of Kevin Knight, just how far he’s matured tonight?
8th Match- A Block: Hiromu Takahashi (1-2) vs SHO (1-2)
Singles record: 3-3
SHO pledged to play things fair and square before Best of the SUper Jr. 30, a promise that lasted all of thirty seconds if that. Despite the aid of EVIL and heavy wrench use however, SHO is 1-2 to currently sit at two points. For Hiromu though, the murder Machine has oft been a trap game, including a violent and painful loss and damaged legs at the hands of SHO last year. Attacked by SO backstage in Nagoya, Hiromu is hobbled tonight and at 1-2 just like SHO, can ill afford another loss; can he survive tonight?
7th Match: B Block- El Desperado (2-1) vs Kevin Knight (1-2)
In his pre B Block press conference, El Desperado was rather less than charitable about his competition in the league, but singled out Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Francesco Akira and Kevin Knight for praise. The first of his anticipated trio with Kanemaru ended in defeat; will Kevin Knight double up on the efforts of the Heel Master to reach four points?
6th Match: A Block- KUSHIDA (0-3) vs Mike Bailey (3-0)
Singles record: 1-0 KUSHIDA
With KUSHIDA having spent some time in IMPACT over the past year, he and Mike Bailey have had the chance to mix things up in tag action a few times, but haven’t met one on one since summer of 2017. There, in the same UK series that saw bailey wrestle Hiromu Takahashi, KUSHIDA picked up the win. The Speedball started his BOSJ campaign by getting avenging his loss to Hiromu in Korakuen, and staying perfect against SHO and TJP. A strong start for Bailey was no shock, but the surprise has been how KUSHIDA has struggled out the gates. Can he finally get on the board here?
5th Match: B Block- Francesco Akira (2-1) vs Dan Moloney (2-1)
Singles record: 1-0 Moloney
A United Empire derby, Francesco Akira takes on Dan Moloney in Akita. It was this exact matchup in RevPro earlier this spring that saw Moloney welcomed into the United Empire; a scheduled match for the Drilla against Will Ospreay in RevPro fell through when Ospreay injured his shoulder, and Akira took Ospreay’s place. Moloney won the ensuing match and impressed Ospreay enough to get his invitation into the group. Now he faces AKira as an ally rather than a foe, but Akira is not likely to hold back, wanting revenge for his loss, and to get a crucial two extra points on the board.
4th Match: A Block- DOUKI (1-2) vs TJP (1-2)
Singles record: 1-0 TJP
DOUKi’s steady improvement in win rates over his prior Super Jr entries, from one win in 2019 to two in 2020 and three in 2021 was put to a halt by TJP last year. His fourth win was denied by the Public Enemy, who put paid to a two match hot streak, and Japones Del mal never recovered. Now this match between two technically gifted experts comes with DOUKI and TJP both sitting at two points. Can DOUKI avenge last year’s loss, or will DOUKI’s obsession with some visually spectacular offence be met with TJP’s practical punishment?
3rd Match: B Block- BUSHI (0-3) vs Robbie Eagles (2-1)
Singles record: 3-1 BUSHI
BUSHI has long been a thorn in the side of Robbie Eagles. After losses to BUSHI in his first two BOSJ entries, it was finally third time lucky for Eagles in 2021, but when it seemed he finally had the BUSHI shaped monkey off his back, BUSHI got yet another win back last year. Now at four and zero points respectively, will Eagles pull the Trigger on BUSHI and get another win back, or will BUSHI finally get on the board?
2nd Match: A Block- Ryusuke Taguichi (0-3) vs Titan (2-1)
Despite Ryusuke Taguchi’s extensive experience in BOSJ and in Fantasticamania, he has never drawn Titan in singles competition until tonight. Taguchi’s no nonsense plan for his BOSJ campaign has gotten him no points to date, and must have the Coach asking himself some tough questions. What tactics does he have in mind against the four pointer El Inmortal?
1st Match: B Block- YOH (1-2) vs Clark Connors (2-1)
Singles record: 1-0 YOH
Clark Connors reinvented himself for this year’s tournament, his first in BULLET CLUB. His vicious performances in ring have been followed by brutal attacks post match, and while the attitude is contemptible, the results have been there. At 2-1 and four points, he has thew chance to right a perceived wrong against YOH last year and move to an impressive six as we hit half distance, but YOH has designs on getting some momentum going of his own.
This dude about to start CHEATING
