NJPW Best of Super Juniors 31 - May 11th - June 9th, 2024

[Chris]

Best of the Super Jr night 9 (May 26) Preview​

Nine matches in critical dual block night

On May 26, Yoyogi sees night nine in Best of the Super Jr. 31. The league standings are getting tense as A Block see their penultimate, and B the pre-penultimate night of league action, as scenarios for the final block nights May 30 and 31 will be the talk of the evening.

Watch live in English on NJPW World!
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Main event: A Block- El Desperado (5–2) vs TJP (3–4)​

Singles record: 1–0 Desperado

TJP must win to remain in contention

The main event sees TJP continue his fight for survival in the block against El Desperado. Desperado could potentially control his own destiny come the A Block finals May 30, while TJP must win out and get a lot of help. For TJ though, help may have come from an unlikely source in Clark Connors. Connors’ unsettling, violent attack on Desperado has left a formidable force and block favourite physically damaged and mentally incensed and potentially unfocused. Can TJP capitalize as he continues to hang in the running by the skin of his teeth?
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8th Match: B Block- Hiromu Takahashi (4–2) vs Robbie Eagles (5–2)​

Singles record: 3–1 Hiromu

Francesco Akira’s forced absence from the remainder of this tour granted Robbie Eagles two extra points via forfeiture, and his victory over Dragon Dia in Osaka put him at the top of the block; add in the relative freshness derived from not having a singles match to worry about in Shizuoka and Eagles has to be feeling his best against tough opposition tonight.

For Hiromu, one win off the pace and wuith a match in hand over Eagles, an 0–2 start has seen him bounce back with wins in his last four, putting him in position to lead from behind. Will Eagles be able to put paid to Takahashi’s burn from the stern?
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7th Match: A Block- Kevin Knight (3–4) vs Clark Connors (4–3)​

Singles record: 2–1 Connors

Knight must win to remain in contention

When the league phase of BOSJ31 is done and dusted, most will point to the May 22 bout between Clark Connors and El Desperado in Osaka as the match that gave A Block its critical turning point. Its effects on El Desperado have already been covered, but one also has to consider what the DQ loss might have done for Connors. With an incredibly impressive record in his third BOSJ campaign, Connors holds a key potential tie breaker over Titan. If he had not overstepped the line and instead beaten Desperado in Osaka, he would have been at the top of the heap with a tie breaker over Despe as well.

As is, Connors hopes of the final four are far from over, but he may not entirely be in control of his own destiny. Still, that’s more than can be said of Kevin Knight, whose odds are long, and who needs to win out and get a lot of help. If Clark makes it out of A Block, he will be able to loudly say his actions in Osaka were more than justified. If he gets spoiled by the Jet tonight? Time will tell.
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6th Match: A Block- Titan (5–2) vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru (2–5)​

Singles record: 1–0 Titan

Kanemaru is mathematically eliminated

With ten points on the board and two matches to go, Titan is in fine shape to be in control of his own destinyinto the final week of the league. His opposition tonight has other plans however. Yoshinobu Kanemaru is always a trap game, especially this late in proceedings; as Titan battles on the Yoyogi stage that put him into the final in 2023, might Kanemaru throw a wrench in El Inmortal’s plans in 2024?
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5th Match: B Block- Taiji Ishimori (4–2) vs Drilla Moloney (4–2)​

It’s a BULLET CLUB derby for Taiji Ishimori and Drilla Moloney in our fifth match of the evening, and with both men at eight points, there will be no thoughts of playing nicely. Moloney’s Drilla Killa saw him to another victory over KUSHIDA in Osaka, but with further damage done to his left arm, where his biceps was torn earlier in the year. With Ishimori also a specialist at breaking apart arms and shoulders, both metaphorically and literally, this is a dangerous spot for the Drilla.
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4th Match: A Block- BUSHI (3–4) vs Blake Christian (4–3)​

BUSHI must win to remain in contention

As some shift into top gear from the rear with several comeback stories at play at this phase of the league, so early fast starts are at danger of faltering. In A Block, that’s the case for Blake Christian, who was on fire at 4–0, and has lost his last three bouts. With frustration building with each night, he now takes on BUSHI, who’s fighting to stay in. Can the canny BUSHI lure Blake into an unforced error that will put the masked man more firmly in contention?
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3rd Match: B Block- Dragon Dia (0–6) vs SHO (4–3)​

Dia is mathematically eliminated

The numbers tell the story for Dragon Dia. As capable, dynamic, excuting and positive as he is, he has struggled through his debut Best of the Super Jr, with only one tag victory to his name in the cerulean blue. With each passing night, the calls and the will of the people for Dia to finally get a singles win on the board have grown louder, and though he has two matches left of his campaign, those calls will be at their loudest tonight.

SHO’s atrocious displays, particularly in the mockery of his main event spots against Hiromu Takahashi and DOUKI have frustrated and angered NJPW fans, and his success to get to eight points have further exasperated. With the danger of HOUSE OF TORTURE taking over the main event of Dominion very real, could it be the outsider from DRAGONGATE that becomes an unlikely savior of the day?
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2nd Match: A Block- Kosei Fujita (2–5) vs HAYATA (4–3)​

Fujita is mathematically eliminated

Having been handed his fifth loss, and unable to fina a positive win:loss record this year, Kosei Fujita is now out of the hunt when it comes to Best of the Super Jr. 31. Now fighting for pride, Fujita takes on HAYATA. Going back to his time as a Young Lion, Fujita has always fought for NJPW with considerable pride, including against NOAH competition. Will his pride win out over the GHC National Champion?
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1st Match: B Block- KUSHIDA (4–2) vs Ninja Mack (2–4)​

Mack must win to remain in contention

Kicking off the night, KUSHIDA is fighting to secure the top spot in B Block, while Ninja Mack is trying to keep his slim chances alive. Who will set the pace on an intense and dramatic night?​

 

[Chris]

A Block:

• El Desperado (5-3): 10 points
• Titan (5-3): 10 points
• Blake Christian (5-3): 10 points
• HAYATA (5-3): 10 points
• Kevin Knight (4-4): 8 points
• Clark Connors (4-4): 8 points
• TJP (4-4): 8 points
• BUSHI (3-5): 6 points
• Yoshinobu Kanemaru (3-5): 6 points
• Kosei Fujita (2-6): 4 points

B Block:

• Taiji Ishimori (5-2): 10 points
• Hiromu Takahashi (5-2): 10 points
• KUSHIDA (4-3): 8 points
• Robbie Eagles (4-2): 8 points
• Drilla Moloney (4-2): 8 points
• DOUKI (4-3): 8 points
• SHO (4-3): 8 points
• Ninja Mack (3-4): 6 points
• Francesco Akira (2-3): 4 points (Will miss the remainder of the tournament due to injury)
• Dragon Dia (0-7): 0 points

 

[Chris]

Another day, another terrible Sho match

 

[Chris]

Ishimori/Maloney was very good

 

[Chris]

Lmao after all that Titan loses

 

[Chris]

Good shit from Knight and Connors

 

[Chris]

Hiromu and Robbie probably just had match of the tournament

 

[Chris]

Great main event with TJP and Despy too

 

[Chris]

Best of the Super Jr. night 10 (May 28) Preview​

Penultimate B Block night

It’s the penultimate night of B Block competition on Tuesday May 28, as Shizuoka will see the last night before the block finales and semifinals in Korakuen Hall.

Watch live in English on NJPW World!
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Main event: Hiromu Takahashi (5–2) vs Drilla Moloney (4–3)​

Drilla Moloney needs a win or draw to remain in contention

At this stage in the grueling Best of the Super Jr. competition, nobody is at 100%, but our critical main event sees two who are perhaps more banged up than anyone still in the running.

Just barely winning out in the face of Robbie Eagles after Eagles wrestled a perfect game in Yoyogi but fgor the final three seconds, Hiromu must be coming in tonight on one bad wheel and a lot of pain. For Moloney, who must beat Hiromu to remain in contention, a bad wing in the form of a left arm injured back in February and never fully healed may put paid to the Drilla Killa that will be as lethal as ever should it connect.
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8th Match: Taiji Ishimori (5–2) vs SHO (5–3)​

Singles record: 4–2 Ishimori

One of either Taiji Ishimori or SHO will be in top shape heading into the final night of the league, as two of the three men at ten points meet in the semi main event tonight. Going into the last night at 12 could be key, though the pressure will feel greater for SHO; with the injured Francesco Akira last on his schedule, SHO will not wrestle Friday in Korakuen, and lall he can do is put points on the board and hope for the best.

SHO has dealt with that pressure in despicable ways all the way through the tournament, and hardly in a fashion deserving of the main event in Osaka Jo Hall June 9. With loaded kick pads, interference and everything in between, SHO has gotten to ten, but can he get to 12 and narrow a 4–2 career gap to the Bone Soldier?
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7th Match: KUSHIDA (4–3) vs DOUKI (4–3)​

Singles record: 1–0 DOUKI

For KUSHIDA and DOUKI, control of their own destiny may have slipped away already. Should Taiji Ishimori and SHO go to anything other than a no contest, and should Hiromu Takahashi defeat Drilla Moloney in the main event, a floor of 11 points will eliminate the loser of this contest.

It puts all the more pressure on both combatants to walk away with the win tonight. DOUKI was able to put away KUSHIDA in last year’s tournament, while both have made massive strides from last year to this. Who will make a bigger step toward the final four?
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6th Match: Dragon Dia (0–7) vs Ninja Mack (3–4)​

Dragon Dia is mathematically eliminated
Ninja Mack must win to remain in contention

With a win over KUSHIDA in Yoyogi this past weekend, Ninja Mack’s hopes of BOSJ victory in his debut tournament are still alive, if extremely slim. While results later on in the evening could eliminate the Mack tonight, what he can control is his performance against Dragon Dia.

Poor Dia suffered under the bullying influence of HOUSE OF TORTURE in Yoyogi to eat his seventh straight loss. Just one win in this tournament could help bring some light to what has been a very difficult three week stretch; could it happen in Numazu?
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5th Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI) vs Kevin Knight & Tomoaki Honma​

Ahead of BUSHI and Kevin Knight’s league closer in Korakuen Hall Friday, a tag encounter sees Tetsuya Naito return to torment a familiar old target in Tomoaki Honma. Naito is gearing up for his own singles showdown with Jake Lee in Sapporo June 15 and will surely use his outings this week to deliver a powerful message.
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4th Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Yota Tsuji & Titan) United Empire (TJP & Callum Newman)​

Titan and TJP will be a critical league bout Friday in Korakuen as TJP tries to bring an incredible comeback story all the way to the final four. A preview tonight also sees the explosivity of Yota Tsuji and Callum Newman meeting full force in what should be a thrilling encounter.
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3rd Match: El Desperado & Tiger Mask vs HAYATA & Blake Christian​

Ahead of El Desperado and HAYATA’s final league match, a tag team preview. Blake Christian can blame El Desperado for handing him his first loss in NJPW in Japan, and starting a collapse after an incredible starting record. Chrstian will take great delight in helping HAYATA to victory tonight as a result.
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2nd Match: BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Clark Connors & Gedo) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Yujiro Takahashi)​

War Dogs faced HOUSE OF TORTURE on the first night of the league when Yujiro Takahashi was a key figure in SHO getting past Drilla Moloney; Friday War Dogs vs H.O.T will be on the last night of the league with Clark Connors meeting Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Connors will have no intention of being tricked the same way Moloney was against SHO, and a valuable preview will help he and Gedo put together countermeasures.
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1st Match: Shoma Kato & Katsuya Murashima vs TMDK (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita)​

With Robbie Eagles’ planned league match with Francesco Akira cancelled, it’s Kato and murashima that start us off tonight against TMDK in tag action instead. How will the young team fare against a side many, themselves included, believe are next in line for junior tag gold?​

 

[Chris]

Standings after today:

A Block:

• El Desperado (5-3): 10 points
• Titan (5-3): 10 points
• Blake Christian (5-3): 10 points
• HAYATA (5-3): 10 points
• Kevin Knight (4-4): 8 points
• Clark Connors (4-4): 8 points
• TJP (4-4): 8 points
• BUSHI (3-5): 6 points
• Yoshinobu Kanemaru (3-5): 6 points
• Kosei Fujita (2-6): 4 points

B Block:

• Taiji Ishimori (6-2): 12 points
• Hiromu Takahashi (6-2): 12 points
• Robbie Eagles (5-3): 10 points
• DOUKI (5-3): 10 points
• SHO (5-4): 10 points **
• Drilla Moloney (4-4): 8 points
• KUSHIDA (4-4): 8 points
• Ninja Mack (4-4): 8 points
• Francesco Akira (2-3): 4 points (Will miss the remainder of the tournament due to injury)
• Dragon Dia (0-8): 0 points

** Was scheduled to wrestle Francesco Akira in his final round-robin match.

 

[Chris]

Damn I thought for sure Dragon Dia was gonna beat Ninja Mack today lol

 

[Chris]

Douki beat Kushida

 

[Chris]

Sho lost fuck yeah

 

[Chris]

Best of the Super Jr. 31 night 11 (May 30) Preview​

Final night for A Block

With B Block finals on May 31 leading to the top two point scorers in each league facing off in semi finals June 3, it’s the final league night for A Bloick May 30. Who will advance to the final four Monday?

Watch live in English on NJPW World!
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Main event: El Desperado (5–3) vs HAYATA (5–3)​

Winner advances

While Titan and Blake Christian’s positions at ten points could make for a three way tie at the top of the table come the end of the night, leaving some uncertainty coming out of Korakuen Hall, what is certain is that the winner of this main event contest will be at 12 points and in final four contention. HAYATA has quietly built ahugely impressive debut BOSJ campaign, getting to ten points with a key win over Blake Christian. One more key win over El Desperado and the GHC National Champion could be representing Pro-Wrestling NOAH in the semifinals.

For Desperado, a rocky path to tonight full of ups and downs saw him to emphatic main event wins over the likes of Blake Christian and BUSHI, but physically and emotionally draining defeats against Titan and TJP, as well as his hardcore war with Clark Connors and two points via disqualification. If Desperado can bounce back from Yoyogi defeat, he will be a step closer to finally securing his first BOSJ crown.
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8th Match: Kosei Fujita (2–6) vs Blake Christian (5–3)​

Kosei Fujita is mathematically eliminated
Blake Christian advances with a win

After a hot start to 4–0, doubts circled over Blake Christian when a slump of three matches in a row turned certain advancement to being barely in control of his own destiny. In control of his destiny though Blake is, and a win over Kosei Fujita would put him at worst in a three way tie for the top, and with an undisputed spot in the final four within reach.

For Fujita, strong performances have shown to the world that the Youngest Punk deserves to be in the global top flight, but inconsistency has taught the Ehime native that being a front runner isn’t in reach just yet. A win over the now former GCW World Champion though, in a business where recency bias is everything gives Fujita the best ending to his debut BOSJ chapter and an excellent opening to what comes next.
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7th Match: Titan (5–3) vs TJP (4–4)​

Singles record: 3–0 Titan

Titan advances with a win
TJP must win to remain in contention

With a main event victory over El Desperado in Yoyogi, TJP remained just barely in contention when it comes to the final four. The Public Enemy is far from in control of his destiny to the same extent that Titan is, needing to win, and for all the other stars tonight to align. While he can’t control the other results though, he can control his chances against Titan; these odds too are long however.

In Super Jr. Tag Leagues, Best of the Super Jrs and special singles meetings, one on one or in tags, TJP hasn’t been able to best Titan. With the mental and physical toll evident on TJP, a fifth win pulled from the brink of defeat may just be one step too far for him to overcome.
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6th Match: Kevin Knight (4–4) vs BUSHI (3–5)​

Kevin Knight must win to remain in contention
BUSHI is mathematically eliminated

A win over Clark Connors in Yoyogi Sunday kept Kevin Knight’s hopes of the final four just barely alive. Like TJP, Knight will need a win and some help against BUSHI. The Jet Black Deathmask’s fifth loss Sunday put BUSHI out of the hunt, but he wants to end on a high by grounding the Jet.
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5th Match: Clark Connors (4–4) vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru (3–5)​

Clark Connors must win to remain in contention
Yoshinobu Kanemaru is mathematically eliminated

A BULLET CLUB derby of sorts will see War Dogs versus HOUSE OF TORTURE in the first of our five tournament matchups. All of the block matches have stakes tonight, and Connors is still in the huntshould he get past the ultimate trap game in the Heel Master Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
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4th Match: HENARE’s comeback- United Empire (HENARE & Callum Newman) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (SHO & Yujiro Takahashi)​

With SHO’s last league match against Francesco Akira Friday taken off the books, he heads into Korakuen Hall having posted a score and set for a night of nervous waiting. Not that he has much time to think about the rest of the league, or entertaining any notions of interference in those results as tonight he has a returning HENARE to contend with. After missing three months of action after a ruptured artery in his head during Osaka’s infamous Dogpound Cage match, the Face of Fury is back and looking to become NEVER Champion June 9 in Osaka. He’ll have no time for HOUSE OF TORTURE’s typical shenanigans, and every intention of making a return as impactful as his exit.
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3rd Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito) vs BULLET CLUB (Taiji Ishimori, Drilla Moloney & Gedo)​

Six man action provides a preview of Friday’s critical B Block decider between Hiromu Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori, as well as a continuation of LIJ’s issues with BULLET CLUB and the War Dogs. With War Dogs and NOAH’s Good Looking Guys set to join forces at All Together on June 15, what will come out of this six man tag?
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2nd Match: Just Five Guys (DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku) vs TMDK (Robbie Eagles & Zack Sabre Jr.)​

DOUKI and Robbie Eagles’ B Block campaigns will all come down to their meeting Friday in Korakuen. Tonight’s tag team preview sees Zack Sabre Jr. back in tag action, and the Frontman facing off with his one time hype man in TAKA Michinoku. Is it Zack Sabre Time, or DOUKI’s hour in the spotlight?
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1st Match: KUSHIDA & SHoma Kato vs Dragon Dia & Ninja Mack​

With a tag preview of Friday’s last league enocunter between Dragon Dia and KUSHIDA, we’re in for an exciting start to a critical night!​

 

[Apoho Creed]

After being pooped out from Double or Nothing and NXT last night I had to hold off getting back to these Shows. Happy to see we are going right into the BOSJ Action with Mack and Kushida!