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Best of the Super Jr. night 11 (May 27) Preview
A Block returns to Shizuoka one last time before the finals
As the field tightens, May 27 at Kiramesse Numazu in Shizuoka marks the final opportunity for A Block competitors to secure crucial points. The stage is set to determine who advances to the finals in Ota City on Sunday.
Watch live in English on NJPW World!
Main event: Hiromu Takahashi (5-3) vs Robbie X (3-5)
Hiromu advances with a win
X is mathematically eliminated
Hiromu Takahashi had a difficult start to his tournament after an opening night win. Losing to Kosei Fujita, Francesco Akira and Dragobn Dia in succession made his Tokyo run a diaster, but after a main event victory in his home of Hachioji, he hasn't lost since, reminding fans why he’s one of the most decorated BOSJ participants in history. Tonight, he controls his destiny and 'only' needs a win in the main event to advance to the finals, but 'only' is certainly a misnomer.
His opponent is the explosive last-minute entrant Robbie X, whose unorthodox offense and hunger has seen him to an impressive run through his debut effort that belies his 3-5 six point record. With no previous singles meetings between them, this clash promises unpredictability and high stakes in this late phase of A Block.
8th Match: Kosei Fujita (4-4) vs Clark Connors (5-3)
Singles record: 1-0 Kosei Fujita
Connors advances with a win and a Hiromu loss
Fujita advances with a win and losses for Hiromu and Wato
Kosei Fujita has used this year’s BOSJ to show just how much he’s grown, taking on every opponent in their own style—from a technical battle with KUSHIDA to wild brawls. Now he faces a different kind of challenge in the hard-hitting DEFY Champion and War Dog, Clark Connors. Connors can thank the hot temper of Francesco Akira and his subsequent disqualification after a wild brawl in Nagoya, for his strong position tonight, but he cannot advance on his own power; rather it will be a War Dogs team effort tonight as Connors wants to beat Fujita to snuff out the young man's slim hopes, and then hope for teammate Robbie X to defeat Hiromu in the main event.
Fujita defeated Connors last year, but recent struggles against rule-breakers like Robbie X and Kanemaru suggest this will be no easy feat. Can the Japanese Young Punk summon up the power to defeat perhaps the toughest of power juniors?
Master Wato (5-3) vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru (3-5)
Singles record: 2-2
Wato advances with a win and a Connors and Hiromu loss
Kanemaru is mathematically eliminated
Master Wato has been a standout in A Block, consistently near the top of the standings, but the factor that's hurt the Hontai represntative isn't how many people defeated him but rather who. Hiromu Takahashi, Clark Connors and Kosei Fujita all scored victories over Wato and all are competing in the top flight mix tonight, meaning that even as Wato leads the table at ten points, his path to the final is a difficult one.
Speaking of difficulty, across the ring stands the always-dangerous Yoshinobu Kanemaru. The veteran spoiler is one not to be underestimated, even, or perhaps especially now he's been forced out of the equation mathematically. They’ve split their four previous singles matches, with Wato on his way to become a true master winning the last two, and this rubber match could determine much more than mere bragging rights.
KUSHIDA (4-4) vs Francesco Akira (4-4)
Singles record: 1-0 KUSHIDA
One of the most painful memories from last year's Best of the Super Jr. for Francesco Akira was a tough loss against KUSHIDA. With the Timesplitter a one time student of TAJIRI, and Akira having also benefitted from the legend's mentorship, the Italian had been looking forward to a hard fought matchup with his senior, but found himself outclassed by an angered senior. This year, Akira finds himself on the outside looking in to the final situation, after Clark Connors baited him into a wild fight in Nagoya, and lost cool on the part of the Italian brought a DQ loss. Though he and KUSHIDA could in theory tie at the top of the table points wise, they won't have the requisite tiebreak wins to advance, leaving this a fight for pride. Akira lost significant pride in his last singles battle with KUSHIDA, and seeks to regain some tonight.
5th Match: Ninja Mack (3-5) vs Dragon Dia (4-4)
Singles record: 1-0 Ninja Mack
It's a battle for pride and the last headlines of the BOSJ in the first tournament match of the night. Both competitors have had an eventful tournament, and both have certainly scored headlines. Ninja Mack's gravity-defying offense has gone viral, though his BOSJ results have been mixed, seeing him on six points. Dragon Dia, meanwhile, rebounded from last year's struggles to temporarily top the A Block standings, and is only one win off the pace, but without strong tiebreaks needed to advance him. One last taste of glory awaits both men, but who will claim it?
4th Match: Tiger Mask & YOH vs War Dogs (Gedo & Taiji Ishimori)
Top of our preview matches on the night pits YOH and Taiji Ishimori opposite one another ahead of their meeting Thursday. With YOH in control of his own destiny in B Block, and Ishimori still with a chance of breaking through into his second consecutive final, it'll be a heated main event in Joetsu, and a heated tag here in Numazu.
3rd Match: Toru Yano & El Desperado vs TMDK (Robbie Eagles & Hartley Jackson)
Before El Desperado takes on Robbie Eagles in Joetsu Thursday, tag team preview action puts Despe with Toru Yano as an interesting duo against TMDK's Eagles and Hartley Jackson. With Eagles effectively without a path to the final, he'll be looking to spoil Desperado's chances, and perhaps join three other wrestlers this tournament who have strengthened their claims to Despe's gold with a win Thursday, starting with a win tonight.
2nd Match: Shoma Kato & MAO vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (SHO & Yujiro Takahashi)
The prospect of SHO being in the Best of the Super Jr. final is a bleak but very real one, as HOUSE OF TORTURE interference has marred more than its fair share of matchups in this tournament. Hopes in Joetsu will be pinned on MAO to write off any eventuality where that can come to fruition, and hopefully this tag preview will allow some valuable research.
1st Match: Yota Tsuji & Titan vs Daiki Nagai & Nick Wayne
We get started with a look ahead to Nick Wayne and Titan Thursday in Joetsu. While this may be a battle for pride, it could become one of the most spectacular matches of the whole tournament when all is said and done, and with the IWGP Global heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji adding more star power, this is a hot start to the action tonight.
As the field tightens, May 27 at Kiramesse Numazu in Shizuoka marks the final opportunity for A Block competitors to secure crucial points. The stage is set to determine who advances to the finals in Ota City on Sunday.
Watch live in English on NJPW World!
Main event: Hiromu Takahashi (5-3) vs Robbie X (3-5)
Hiromu advances with a win
X is mathematically eliminated
Hiromu Takahashi had a difficult start to his tournament after an opening night win. Losing to Kosei Fujita, Francesco Akira and Dragobn Dia in succession made his Tokyo run a diaster, but after a main event victory in his home of Hachioji, he hasn't lost since, reminding fans why he’s one of the most decorated BOSJ participants in history. Tonight, he controls his destiny and 'only' needs a win in the main event to advance to the finals, but 'only' is certainly a misnomer.
His opponent is the explosive last-minute entrant Robbie X, whose unorthodox offense and hunger has seen him to an impressive run through his debut effort that belies his 3-5 six point record. With no previous singles meetings between them, this clash promises unpredictability and high stakes in this late phase of A Block.
8th Match: Kosei Fujita (4-4) vs Clark Connors (5-3)
Singles record: 1-0 Kosei Fujita
Connors advances with a win and a Hiromu loss
Fujita advances with a win and losses for Hiromu and Wato
Kosei Fujita has used this year’s BOSJ to show just how much he’s grown, taking on every opponent in their own style—from a technical battle with KUSHIDA to wild brawls. Now he faces a different kind of challenge in the hard-hitting DEFY Champion and War Dog, Clark Connors. Connors can thank the hot temper of Francesco Akira and his subsequent disqualification after a wild brawl in Nagoya, for his strong position tonight, but he cannot advance on his own power; rather it will be a War Dogs team effort tonight as Connors wants to beat Fujita to snuff out the young man's slim hopes, and then hope for teammate Robbie X to defeat Hiromu in the main event.
Fujita defeated Connors last year, but recent struggles against rule-breakers like Robbie X and Kanemaru suggest this will be no easy feat. Can the Japanese Young Punk summon up the power to defeat perhaps the toughest of power juniors?
Master Wato (5-3) vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru (3-5)
Singles record: 2-2
Wato advances with a win and a Connors and Hiromu loss
Kanemaru is mathematically eliminated
Master Wato has been a standout in A Block, consistently near the top of the standings, but the factor that's hurt the Hontai represntative isn't how many people defeated him but rather who. Hiromu Takahashi, Clark Connors and Kosei Fujita all scored victories over Wato and all are competing in the top flight mix tonight, meaning that even as Wato leads the table at ten points, his path to the final is a difficult one.
Speaking of difficulty, across the ring stands the always-dangerous Yoshinobu Kanemaru. The veteran spoiler is one not to be underestimated, even, or perhaps especially now he's been forced out of the equation mathematically. They’ve split their four previous singles matches, with Wato on his way to become a true master winning the last two, and this rubber match could determine much more than mere bragging rights.
KUSHIDA (4-4) vs Francesco Akira (4-4)
Singles record: 1-0 KUSHIDA
One of the most painful memories from last year's Best of the Super Jr. for Francesco Akira was a tough loss against KUSHIDA. With the Timesplitter a one time student of TAJIRI, and Akira having also benefitted from the legend's mentorship, the Italian had been looking forward to a hard fought matchup with his senior, but found himself outclassed by an angered senior. This year, Akira finds himself on the outside looking in to the final situation, after Clark Connors baited him into a wild fight in Nagoya, and lost cool on the part of the Italian brought a DQ loss. Though he and KUSHIDA could in theory tie at the top of the table points wise, they won't have the requisite tiebreak wins to advance, leaving this a fight for pride. Akira lost significant pride in his last singles battle with KUSHIDA, and seeks to regain some tonight.
5th Match: Ninja Mack (3-5) vs Dragon Dia (4-4)
Singles record: 1-0 Ninja Mack
It's a battle for pride and the last headlines of the BOSJ in the first tournament match of the night. Both competitors have had an eventful tournament, and both have certainly scored headlines. Ninja Mack's gravity-defying offense has gone viral, though his BOSJ results have been mixed, seeing him on six points. Dragon Dia, meanwhile, rebounded from last year's struggles to temporarily top the A Block standings, and is only one win off the pace, but without strong tiebreaks needed to advance him. One last taste of glory awaits both men, but who will claim it?
4th Match: Tiger Mask & YOH vs War Dogs (Gedo & Taiji Ishimori)
Top of our preview matches on the night pits YOH and Taiji Ishimori opposite one another ahead of their meeting Thursday. With YOH in control of his own destiny in B Block, and Ishimori still with a chance of breaking through into his second consecutive final, it'll be a heated main event in Joetsu, and a heated tag here in Numazu.
3rd Match: Toru Yano & El Desperado vs TMDK (Robbie Eagles & Hartley Jackson)
Before El Desperado takes on Robbie Eagles in Joetsu Thursday, tag team preview action puts Despe with Toru Yano as an interesting duo against TMDK's Eagles and Hartley Jackson. With Eagles effectively without a path to the final, he'll be looking to spoil Desperado's chances, and perhaps join three other wrestlers this tournament who have strengthened their claims to Despe's gold with a win Thursday, starting with a win tonight.
2nd Match: Shoma Kato & MAO vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (SHO & Yujiro Takahashi)
The prospect of SHO being in the Best of the Super Jr. final is a bleak but very real one, as HOUSE OF TORTURE interference has marred more than its fair share of matchups in this tournament. Hopes in Joetsu will be pinned on MAO to write off any eventuality where that can come to fruition, and hopefully this tag preview will allow some valuable research.
1st Match: Yota Tsuji & Titan vs Daiki Nagai & Nick Wayne
We get started with a look ahead to Nick Wayne and Titan Thursday in Joetsu. While this may be a battle for pride, it could become one of the most spectacular matches of the whole tournament when all is said and done, and with the IWGP Global heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji adding more star power, this is a hot start to the action tonight.
