NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 29 - May 15 - June 2, 2022

[Chris]

Best of the Super Jr. 29 night 6 (May 22) Preview​

Last single night block in Akita

Watch ALL of Best of the Super Jr. live in English on NJPW World!
Sunday in Akita, Best of the Super Jr. sees its last single block night before an intense triple header in Korakuen Hall starts a run of double block, ten match cards.

Main event: El Desperado (2-0) vs Wheeler Yuta (1-1)

El Desperado’s third of four straight main events sees him at points as he goes head to head with Wheeler Yuta. After his highly technical battle with TJP in Aomori Thursday, Desperado will be well prepared for Yuta’s similarly hard edged grappling style. Yet after picking up his first two points in the tournament by pinning DOUKI with the Seatbelt Clutch, Yuta will be determined to make the most of his own first main event in an NJPW ring. Having a height and reach advantage over his Suzuki-Gun opposition, will the Pure Champion get an all important two points over a distinctly impure opponent?

7th Match: Titan (0-2) vs El Phantasmo (2-0)

In combining incredible athletic flash with punishing in ring offence, Titan and El Phantasmo could certainly be seen as flip sides of the same coin stylistically. In the autumn of 2019, that coin fell on the side of ELP, their sole meeting in ring seeing Phanatsmo and Taiji Ishimori gain victory over Titan and Volador Jr. In a singles environment, and with three years of considerable growth for both men, what awaits fans in Akita? Will Titan, after taking his second straight loss to El Lindaman, break his ‘El wrestler’ curse to get to two points, or will it be ELP going 3-0 to potentially sit alone atop the block?

6th Match: Master Wato (0-2) vs BUSHI (1-1)
Singles record: 2-1 BUSHI

After a loss to El Phantasmo and hard fought victory over Robbie Eagles respectively, Master Wato and BUSHI seek to get to their first and second wins tonight. With two singles wins over Wato, BUSHI had arguably earned a sense of confidence against the blue haired prodigy, and some harsh comments in the process. Yet the last singles meeting between these two men saw Wato break his duck against BUSHI, third time proving the charm in Best of the Super Jr. 28. Will the momentum between the two men continue to swing in Wato’s favour tonight?

5th Match: El Lindaman (1-1) vs TJP (1-1)

Now at two points, El Lindaman carried a lot of confidence into his first two bouts with Titan and DOUKI, but got a nasty surprise with an opening match loss to DOUKI, before bouncing back. A title retention over Shigehiro Irie in Korakuen Hall for GLEAT would give the G-REX Champion added focus, and a win over Titan in Aomori; just as he had predicted before the kick off.
Lindaman was a good bit more wary about TJP, stating in his pre-tournament interview that this match may be where ‘green lights turn red’. Could TJP, so close against El Desperado before finally being struck by Pinche Loco Thursday, turn the usually present grin on Lindaman’s visage upside down heading into the critical middle third in Korakuen Hall?

4th Match: Robbie Eagles (1-1) vs DOUKI (1-1)
Singles record: 3-0 Eagles

Sometimes attitudes don’t gel, sometimes fighting words turn personal, or sometimes the roots of dislike are more direct. Such is the case with Robbie Eagles and DOUKI, the two barely moments into their first meeting in 2019 when a blow with a chair split Eagles’ forehead wide open. Eagles went on to win their bout though, as he did in 2020 and 2021 meetings, more than paying back the chair shot, and making DOUKI all the hungrier to put the Sniper away. After both men started their campaigns with wins over champions in the form of Wheeler Yuta and El Lindaman respectively, DOUKI stumbled against Wheeler Yuta, while Eagles dictated the pace against BUSHI before being struck with the MX; will Eagles maintain his superiority, or can DOUKI shoot down the sniper?

3rd Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi) vs Suzuki-Gun (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & TAKA Michinoku)

After Shingo Takagi and Hiromu Takahashi picked up a win together in Aomori Thursday, the LIJ duo reforms to face Yoshinobu Kanemaru and TAKA Michinoku. With cards consisting of ten singles matches from Tuesday in Korakuen onward, this will be the last tag team preview of the tour. Will Hiromu or Kanemaru use information gained here in the Hall 48 hours later?

2nd match: BULLET CLUB (Gedo & Taiji Ishimori) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (SHO & Dick Togo)

With a BULLET CLUB derby next on the agenda for Taiji Ishimori and SHO, teammates turn opponents tonight in this tag team preview. Will team orders prevail, or might one of these four break rank in a bid to gain an advantage before Korakuen?

1st match: Jado, Hiroyoshi Tenzan YOH & Ryusuke Taguchi vs Clark Connors, Alex Zayne, Ace Austin & Tiger Mask

An all star collection of tag team previews kicks off the evening. Akita will be fired up for a high energy start when these eight get going Sunday!​

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Kevin Kelly ever since he found out Douki knows English he's been putting him over like crazy fearing he might be stabbed by him in his sleep

 

[Alexa]

You think when Tiger Mask was told he was going to be in a six man tag with Zayne he was like "I am getting too old for this shit?, lol

 

[Chris]

Kevin Kelly ever since he found out Douki knows English he's been putting him over like crazy fearing he might be stabbed by him in his sleep

The side stories on commentary are the one thing i miss since I haven't watched every single tour show this year lol

 

[Kairi HoHo]

The last two Matches from today's Show really delivered and even though I didn't like the result from either Match they were highly entertaining. I do wonder who is gonna win this because I'm crossing it's not someone on the New Japan roster. I wanna see one of the new Competitors like Ace or Zayne to win it give us that flesh Matchup for the Junior Title.

 

[Chris]

Watching Desperado/Yuta in a basketball gym is awesome lol

 

[Chris]

Cattle Mutilation from Yuta

 

[Chris]

Updated standings after today:

A Block --

• Hiromu Takahashi -- 6 points (3-0)
• Taiji Ishimori -- 6 points (3-0)
• Alex Zayne -- 4 points (2-1)
• Ace Austin -- 4 points (2-1)
• YOH -- 4 points (2-1)
• Ryusuke Taguchi -- 2 points (1-2)
• Francesco Akira -- 2 points (1-2)
• SHO -- 2 points (1-2)
• Yoshinobu Kanemaru -- 0 points (0-3)
• Clark Connors -- 0 points (0-3)

B Block --

• El Desperado -- 6 points (3-0)
• El Phantasmo -- 6 points (3-0)
• BUSHI -- 4 points (2-1)
• Robbie Eagles -- 4 points (2-1)
• El Lindaman -- 4 points (2-1)
• TJP -- 2 points (1-2)
• DOUKI -- 2 points (1-2)
• Wheeler Yuta -- 2 points (1-2)
• Master Wato -- 0 points (0-3)
• Titan -- 0 points (0-3)

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Finally getting in today's Show and please tell me why Taguchi needs to drop down his Pants to do Chops

 

[Kairi HoHo]

It pleases me to see Bullet Club and House of Torture beating each other to death. It sets up perfectly for Ishimori to kick SHO's ass next Week but knowing New Japan SHO uses all the bs tricks to get an upset over him.

 

[Alexa]

Finally getting in today's Show and please tell me why Taguchi needs to drop down his Pants to do Chops

Hear me out...it is Taguchi that is why

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Hear me out...it is Taguchi that is why

True Mr.Butt stuff.

Poor Douki dude has really improved the last few Years and he's still taking Ls to Eagles come on now.

Lindaman damn good win over TJP. Wato has been stuck as a talent which you would think as a Tag Champion he would start to create some kind of personality for himself but he's the same talent I saw when he came back to New Japan. ELP vs Titan time!

 

[Chris]

Best of the Super Jr. night 7 (May 24) Preview​

Ten singles matches on loaded Korakuen card

Watch ALL of Best of the Super Jr. 29 LIVE in English on NJPW World!

After the first third of the Best of the Super Jr. tournament saw individual blocks get the spotlight, May 24 starts a grueling and thrilling run of six nights with ten singles matches on each massive card. A packed Korakuen Hall crowd will see both blocks take to the ring tonight, fighting to make a lasting impression and to get two points.

Main Event- B Block: El Lindaman (2-1) vs El Desperado (3-0)

Ever since El Desperado first dropped El Lindaman’s name for the first time back in January, anticipation for the two to collide in ring has been at a fever pitch. The G-REX Champion of GLEAT and Suzuki-Gun’s masked maestro finally do battle tonight in Korakuen Hall for what has to be one of, if not the most anticipated matchups of the entire league phase.

Desperado’s first mention of Lindaman was an expression of his desire to broaden the landscape of junior heavyweight wrestling not just in NJPW but nation and world wide. While IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, he carried the responsibility attached to the belt with all seriousness, and had a desire to show why the letters ‘IWGP’ represent the best in all of professional wrestling. Yet Lindaman has assumed a different responsibility; that of showing the world that NJPW isn’t the be all end all of wrestling in Japan. Lindaman’s underdog story has seen him rise from having an application to the Noge Dojo denied as a teen to representing his stable and promotion as champion in this most elite of junior heavyweight tournaments; can he go one further and pull off the win in our main event?

9th Match- A Block: Taiji Ishimori (3-0)vs SHO (1-2)
Singles record: 3-1 Ishmori

The sole BULLET CLUB derby of BOSJ 29 sees Taiji Ishimori go head to head with SHO. While choices between the side of Switchblade Jay White and the Guerrillas of Destiny cast a fog of doubt over intrafactional matches in the New Japan Cup, Ishimori and SHO head into this match more resolutely on the same side. Yet with every man for himself in this environment, it’s hard to think that team orders or hierarchy would hold much sway, even as Ishimori sits at six points to SHO’s two. Last year’s tournament saw Ishimori beat SHO in his own home town of Ehime, part of the Murder Machine’s late phase collapse in the tournament. Can SHO get revenge over the IWGP champion tonight?

8th Match- A Block: Hiromu Takahashi (3-0) vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru (0-3)
Singles record: 2-0 Takahashi

‘Everyone loves ‘Uncle Nobu’: so reads Hiromu Takahashi’s sentence on his opponent tonight in his ‘BOSJ strategy guide’. Indeed, Hiromu has enjoyed beating Kanemaru in their last two singles meetings, but the admiration for the Heel Master comes with the acknowledgement that the Suzuki-Gun member presents a difficult trap game for the very best of competition. Furious at a third straight loss in Aomori to YOH, Kanemaru, especially in familiar climes of Korakuen Hall, could present Hiromu with more than a little difficulty tonight; can he stop him from getting to eight points?

7th Match- B Block: Master Wato (0-3) vs Robbie Eagles (2-1)
Singles record: 2-1 Eagles

After losses to TJP and El Phantasmo, Master Wato continued his rough form in Akita this weekend as he fell to BUSHI. Having no points to his name, Wato now has to take on a man he knows he can beat, but hasn’t done so since late 2020. After a strong start against Wheeler Yuta, Eagles suffered a hard fought loss against BUSHI, before bouncing back over DOUKI in Akita. Can the Sniper of the Skies start the middle third of his campaign with another win over a champion in the form of Wato?

6th Match- B Block: DOUKI (1-2) vs El Phantasmo (3-0)
Singles record: 2-0 Phantasmo

Both DOUKI and El Phantasmo have gotten off to a strong start to their Best of the Super Jr. 29 campaigns. While Japones Del Mal cannot claim the perfect record that Phantasmo possesses, his opening night victory against G-REX Champion El Lindaman was followed by a bout with Wheeler Yuta that went right down to the wire, and by coming closer than ever to defeating Robbie Egales. As mentioned though, Phantasmo is perfect, and is perfect in one on one matches with his opponent tonight. If DOUKI wants to get to four points, he has to break both of those perfect records tonight.

5th Match A Block: YOH (2-1) vs Ace Austin (2-1)

After Saturday’s semi main battle with Hiromu Takahashi ended with a Time Bomb II, Ace Austin sits at 2-1 and four points. Despite a defeat, it’s no shame to be losing to Hiromu, and it’s hard to see his confidence being dampened any heading into his Korakuen meeting with YOH. Conversely, confidence is an area the CHAOS member has struggled with. Yet after finally breaking a rut against Clark Connors early last week, YOH seemed to turn a corner against Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Turning the Heel Master’s own tactics against him, YOH would spray whiskey into the face of Kanemaru to get to the same 2-1 level as his opponent tonight. Embarking on a difficult three match stretch with Autsin, Hiromu Takahashi and Francesco Akira, YOH needs to bring his A game; and he could well be getting there.

4th Match- B Block: BUSHI (-) vs Wheeler Yuta (-)

In the ever complex game of ‘who did he ever beat?’, Robbie Eagles defeated Wheeler Yuta on night one of B Block, but was himself beaten by BUSHI in the second matches for the group. That should make Yuta sit up and take notice; while BUSHI is considered a perennial mid-table runner in the tournament, he’s a trap game for any wrestler, and a dangerous figure for the ROH Pure Champion. Off the back of a narrow defeat to El Desperado in his first NJPW career main event in Akita Sunday, can AEW’s Yuta bounce back, or will BUSHI rack up his third consecutive win?

3rd Match- A Block: Ryusuke Taguchi (1-2) vs Clark Connors (0-3)

A slow start to BOSJ for Taguchi and Connors plagued both men headed into this past weekend. While Taguchi was able to break his duck with a spirited win over Francesco Akira though, the run of bad luck continued for Clark Connors, who arguably lost due to a poor call against SHO, where a bowled over referee and low blow should have led to a DQ. Whether his position is justly earned or not, Connors has a very difficult road to the final that will be all but impossible should he lose tonight against Taguchi. With Taguchi tapping into big match form to defeat Francesco Akira in Aomori, could the Wild Rhino see his tournament chances extinct by the end of the night?

2nd Match- B Block: Titan (-) vs TJP (1-2)

Every competitor in B Block had TJP’s name circled pre-tournament as one to give them trouble through the league, and the Public Enemey has done just that. Though defeat to El Desperado and El Lindaman has ensured his record is in the red, TJP has rigorously and skillfully dictated the pace through each of his encounters thus far, and there is nobody in the lineup that seem to present difficulties for him stylistically.

That includes Titan; TJP has been very active in CMLL in recent months, and indeed shared a ring with Titan last autumn. Titan was victorious that night in tag action, but won’t be taking victory for granted, especially off the back of hard losses in all three of his matches thus far, leaving him currently on nil points.

1st Match- A Block: Francesco Akira (2-1) vs Alex Zayne (1-2)

After main eventing the last two A block nights, Alex Zayne and Francesco Akira will face one another in the opener tonight in Korakuen Hall. Akira’s first main event ended in narrow defeat to Hiromu Takahashi in Sendai, while a bloodied Alex Zayne was a Taco Driver away from picking up the biggest win of his career, just falling short to Taiji Ishimori. Who picks up the first win tonight as both make their NJPW Korakuen debuts?​

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Banger with ELP and Titan like I thought it would be and ELP should of been Dqed. They need to run it back again in Mexico I know for sure those two could have a 6 Star Match together. Despy vs Yuta was a freaking great Main Event. It took two Pince Locos to send him home but Yuta is raising his stock no doubt when you're going against a former Junior Champion.

 

[Chris]

Damn woke up a little later this morning and only caught the last 25 seconds of the main event this time lmao but fuck yeah Sho lost