Best of the Super Jr. night 4 (May 16) Preview
Gunma sees B Block action
G Messe Gunma sees the fourth night of Best of the Super Jr. action on May 16. B Block will hit the ring for their third league matchups as the tournament reaches one third distance.
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Main event: Taiji Ishimori (2–0) vs Robbie Eagles (1–1)
Singles record: 2–1 Ishimori
Our main event pits two men with a lot of history opposite one another in singles action for the first time in over two years. When Robbie Eagles first came to NJPW, it was as Taiji Ishimori’s tag team partner in BULLET CLUB, way back in 2018, but much has changed in the intervening years. After Eagles left BULLET CLUB, he and Ishimori would meet in consecutive BOSJ tournaments in 2020 and 2021, on the losing end both times. Then in early 2022, Eagles scored his first singles victory over the Bone Soldier, bringing us to the present day.
While Eagles, usually a strong starter in tournaments, fell in his first to Ninja Mack, he bounced back with a hard fought and gratifying victory over Drilla Moloney in Korakuen Hall. Ishimori meanwhile has had a perfect start to his own tournament; can he keep that momentum going, or will the Sniper of the Skies pick him off?
7th Match: Hiromu Takahashi (0–2) vs Dragon Dia (0–2)
Tensions mount in two ways at this point in the tournament, as anticipation mounts for undefeated wrestlers to collide and be handed their first loss, while the winless fight to get on the board.
While Dragon Dia is new to the cerulean blue, and has worked against the acclimatization process in new environments, this is a spot that Hiromu Takahashi knows like the back of his hand. All the same, Takahashi is at zero points, after losses to both KUSHIDA and DOUKI, men who at one time he has a clear advantage over. As his slump continues, it’s put up or shut up for the Time Bomb; can he get on the board or will Dia skateboard in to a huge victory?
6th Match: Ninja Mack (2–0) vs SHO (1–1)
The spectacular Ninja Mack faces the sneaky SHO in Gunma. Mack got a quick start in his debut tournament, as he used wrestling skill to flash pin Robbie Eagles in his opener, and high flying technique to beat Francesco Akira with the Phoenix 630 Ninja Bomb in Korakuen. Now he’ll have to use every other trick in the book to try and get past SHO, who out cheated Drilla Moloney to get on the board in Chiba, but couldn’t do the same to KUSHIDA in Korakuen.
5th Match: DOUKI (1–1) vs Drilla Moloney (0–2)
A first time singles meeting pits the 1–1 DOUKI against the 0–2 Drilla Moloney. During Super Jr. Tag League last autumn, it was a tag win for the BULLET CLUB War Dogs over the Just Five Guys pairing of DOUKI and TAKA Michinoku. The chance for singles revenge, coupled with growing momentum in the wake of a Korakuen Hall main event win Monday night is a tempting one for DOUKI. Meanwhile, Drilla needs to get on the board at 0–2, and will be itching to land a Drilla Killa for his first points.
4th Match: KUSHIDA (2–0) vs Francesco Akira (1–1)
It’s a hot start to tournament action in Gunma as KUSHIDA and Francesco Akira collide. Though well familiar with one another through Catch 2/2 and Intergalactic Jet Setters’ tag meetings, this is a first time ever singles collision with interesting connections between the two men. Both share a mutual mentor through the early parts of their careers in the form of TAJIRI, and both pay homage to the legend in their own ways. It makes for an interesting stylistic twist to this cross generational matchup.
3rd Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (BUSHI, Titan & Tetsuya Naito) vs TJP, Callum Newman & Blake Christian
Six man action sees a double preview of Saturday in Hachioji, where Titan will be facing Blake Christian and TJP will take on BUSHI. Yet more interesting here is the very presence of Christian on the United Empire side. Certainly All Heat doesn’t see to be in line with UE’s group philosophy, and soon enough will be TJP’s opponent as well in A Block. Will this trio get along?
2nd Match: Tomoaki Honma & HAYATA vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Yujiro Takahashi)
With the third most combined days as GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion in his career, HAYATA is rising through the ranks of decorated junior heavyweights in Pro-Wrestling NOAH, as well as in the dirtbag rankings of fans. The top spot of both leagues though has to belong to Yoshinobu Kanemaru, who happily will exhibit what makes him such a standout both in their singles league match Saturday, and here in tag team action.
1st Match: El Desperado, Katsuya Murashima & Boltin Oleg vs Kevin Knight, Tiger Mask & Shoma Kato
As six man action kicks us off in Gunma, with El Desperado and Shoma Kato getting set for their Hachioji meeting on Saturday, it’s a big night of action to come!
