Nagoya sees third night of competition
With the intense pace and two blocks competing every night, we’re already at one third distance at the end of the opening weekend for BOSJ. It’s critical to be in strng shape heading into the tense middle third, and competition will be heated as ever tonight in Nagoya.
Watch all of Best of the Super Jr. 30 LIVE in English on NJPW World!
Main event: A Block- Lio Rush (2-0) vs Hiromu Takahashi (1-1)
Singles record: 1-0 Takahashi
Hiromu Takahashi’s second main event in three nights pits him against a recent foe in Lio Rush. Back at the New Japan Cup finals on March 21, Rush pushed Hiromu very hard indeed over the IGWP Junior Heavyweight Championship. After falling just barely short, tonight he wants not only a potential future shot by beating the champion, but at four points to Hiromu’s just two, to set himself more directly for contention by making a massive stride forward in the BOSJ standings. Can Takahashi defeat the Bad Child a second time, or is his time up?
9th Match: B Block- El Desperado (1-1) vs Master Wato (1-1)
Singles record: 3-1 Desperado
El Desperado and Master Wato have not exactly seen eye to eye ever since Wato made his way to Hontai post excursion. Desperado has been Wato’s most vehement critic over the last few years, and at best will state that he ‘hates everything about’ the young prodigy. Whether this is simple vitriol or a brand of tough love motivation is perhaps up to the beholder, but it is unlikely that Desperado will bend his mindset simply by dint of being on the same Hontai side. At the same time, Wato’s improvements make him worthy of at least begrudging respect from his masked foe- will it be worthy of two more points?
8th Match: A Block: TJP (1-1) vs Mike Bailey (2-0)
Singles record: 1-0 TJP
Though both have travelled similar roads around the world over the years, this is on ly the second ever singles meeting for TJP and Mike Bailey, and their first since back in 2015 for EVOLVE. Two international wrestlers with a glittering track record colliding is the very essence of what Best of the Super Jr. is about, and Nagoya should see a display truly fit for the 30th anniversary running of the tournament. After Mike Bailey pulled off the win over SHO in Nagano, he stayed undefeated in this tournament, but not without damage. His kicking feet worked over by SHO and a wrench yesterday will mean he has a big target for TJP to go for. With TJP 1-1 at two points, who emerges with two more tonight?
7th Match: B Block- YOH (1-1) vs Dan Moloney (1-1)
YOH and Dan Moloney meet for the first time in Nagoya. YOH has plenty of previous with the other junior heavyweights in the United Empire, but power junior Moloney presents a very different obstacle for the CHAOS member. Will he be able to reach his second win to get to four, or can the Drilla get there first?
6th Match: KUSHIDA (0-2) vs Titan (1-1)
Singles record: 1-0 KUSHIDA
KUSHIDA and Titan are reunited in singles action for the first time since a 2017 ROH TV Championship match, as A Block action continues. After KUSHIDA went to two flash pin losses in a row, the two time former tournament winner has to be feeling as frustrating pinch. Titan couldn’t avoid defeat in Nagano against Taiji Ishimori, but will he level up the ledger with the the Time Splitter tonight?
5th Match: B Block- Robbie Eagles (2-0) vs Francsco Akira (1-1)
First time singles action will see Robbie Eagles tackle Francesco Akira, as they seek to reach six and four points respectively. Akira’s partner TJP offered Eagles a United Empire armband after the two locked horns in Australia back in February, but weeks later it would be TMDK that was the Sniper’s new landing point. Akira will be looking to make Eagles regret his decision to pass up on an offer he shouldn’t refuse as the two battle over two more points.
4th Match: A Block- DOUKI (1-1) vs Taiji Ishimori (2-0)
singles record: 2-0 Ishimori
DOUKI’s promise to change the junior heavyweight landscape in his first BOSJ as part of Just 5 Guys has gotten off to a mixed start, with Japones Del Mal sitting at two points after a win against KUSHIDA and a dropped result with Hiromu Takahashi. Meanwhile, at four, Taiji Ishimori is sittign pretty. Will DOUKI be able to overturn a 0-2 deficit against the BULLET CLUB member to stop him going 3-0?
3rd Match: B Block- BUSHI (0-2) vs Clark Connors (1-1)
Clark Connors has headed into this year’s BOSJ looking to prove a violent point, and while he was able to do just that and get two points over the relatively inexperienced Kevin Knight, the veteran Robbie Eagles was able to withstand enough damage to bait Clark into a mistake and bring him down to 1-1. BUSHI has been around the block more than a few times himself, and has survived and beaten monsters himself. Will Connors have enough wherewithal to not just deal a lot of damage but get two more points in the process?
2nd Match A Block- Ryusuke Taguchi (0-2) vs SHO (0-2)
Singles record: 3-1 SHO
Ryusuke Taguchi and SHO went into the tournament this year both with big promises made. For Taguchi it was no funny stuff and all serious big match Taguchi. For SHO, it was fighting fair and square at every turn. Taguchi has kept his promise so far while SHO had no intention of ever doing so, but the result has been the same to all intents and purposes. Both at zero points, which approach to honesty will pay off?
1st Match: B Block- Kevin Knight (0-2) vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru (2-0)
At 2-0, Yoshinobu Kanemaru is one win away from beating his 2021 opening run for his career best start to a BOSJ campaign. The statistics work to his favour against Kevin Knight as well, with the Jet having been worked over by Clark Connors and then beaten by Francesco Akira to sit at 0-2. Kanemaru has said the wins and losses don’t mean all that much to him in this tournament, as he relishes in the chaos he can cause in each fight. Yet points mean a lot to Kevin Knight in his first tournament, and he wants to break his duck and Kanemaru7s win streak tonight.
