NJPW Summer Struggle 2021

[Necro]

Championship Matches Official for Summer Struggle in Sapporo July 10 & 11

IWGP Tag Team, Junior Heavyweight Championship matches to headline two nights in Sapporo


Summer Struggle hits Sapporo’s Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena on July 10 and 11, and major championship matches have been signed for both nights!
Watch Summer Struggle in Sapporo LIVE in English on NJPW World!

July 10: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

On night one in Sapporo, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship will take center stage as El Desperado will attempt to make his second defence against Taiji Ishimori. After Desperado took the vacant crown in a three way battle in Osaka Jo Hall back in February, Ishimori was quick to assert himself as a potential challenger. Desperado responded in the affirmative, but in the meantime, a singles defence with YOH took priority.

After Desperado defeated YOH at Dominion on June 7, Ishimori was not going to let anybody jump the line. After making his challenge, Ishimori vowed to be a double champion by taking the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships on June 23 from Roppongi 3K, and then defeat the singles champion.

This should be a classic battle of speed, technique and ruthless stylings as Numero Dos is pitted against the Yes Lock, and Bloody Cross against Pinche Loco. Who comes out with the gold?

July 11: IWGP Tag Team Championships!

On July 11, it will be the IWGP Tag team Championships at stake in the main event as Dangerous Tekkers defend against Tetsuya Naito and SANADA. When Naito first floated the idea of he and SANADA challenging for the tag team titles, an incredulous Taichi suggested the ‘makeshift’ team didn’t have the requisite respect for the titles nor their champions.

A pinfall win for SANADA over Zack Sabre Jr. at Dominion helped, but didn’t cement the challengers’ case, Naito instead deciding to take alternate means. Procuring an event program, he and SANADA persuaded first Taichi and then Zack to sign their autographs on the cover, only to reveal a hastily scrawled ‘championship match contract’ written on the back.

Respect turning into skullduggery, the document in the hands of Naito and SANADA is far from legally binding, but it has been enough to make the champions and the IWGP committee sit up and take notice. The tag team division is garnering a lot of eyes of late; who represents the division on the highest level after Sapporo?

 

[Chris]

No reason for them to win but Naito/Sanada vs Tekkers on this tour has been fun af so far. Naito is killing me with his interactions especially lol should be a great match

 

[Chris]

NJPW Summer Struggle in Sapporo night one, Saturday, July 10, 5 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World --

• IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. Taiji Ishimori
• Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
• Kazuchika Okada & SHO vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
• Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Rocky Romero vs. KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi & El Phantasmo
• Tomohiro Ishii & YOH vs. EVIL & Dick Togo
• Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura

NJPW Summer Struggle in Sapporo night two, Sunday, July 11, 1 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World --

• IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito & SANADA
• Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
• Kazuchika Okada & YOH vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
• Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yota Tsuji vs. KENTA & Yujiro Takahashi
• Tomohiro Ishii, Ryusuke Taguchi & Rocky Romero vs. EVIL, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo
• SHO & Yuya Uemura vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Here's the full cards for both nights. KENTA back

 

[Chris]

Night 1 was fun, the ended up dropping Tsuji from the card entirely with Ibushi out and just did Wato vs Uemura, solid enough opener at that too.

Undercard was average, loved the last two matches though. Hype for the tag titles tomorrow for sure too

 

[Apoho Creed]

Night 1 was fun, the ended up dropping Tsuji from the card entirely with Ibushi out and just did Wato vs Uemura, solid enough opener at that too.

Undercard was average, loved the last two matches though. Hype for the tag titles tomorrow for sure too

Yeah I'm watching Night 1 right now nothing is sticking with me even the T-Shirt War we had in one Match. The Eight Man Tag with Los and Suzuki Gun soon to be Taichi Gun will pick things up for sure.

 

[Chris]

Kota out for the second show as well. Supposedly he just has a fever and if it wasn't corona times they'd probably let him go so it's not like major vaccine side effects or anything

Master Wato vs Shingo is replacing the scheduled tag match

 

[Apoho Creed]

Kota out for the second show as well. Supposedly he just has a fever and if it wasn't corona times they'd probably let him go so it's not like major vaccine side effects or anything

Master Wato vs Shingo is replacing the scheduled tag match

Yeah my Mom with her Fever for days after getting her second Covid 19 shot with a Fever and Flu like symptoms. I on the other hand was lucky and didn't have any symptoms outside the sore Arm with my second shot. It sucks to hear this but he'll be okay and be ready for the big Match with Shingo on the 25th I imagine.

 

[Chris]

Damn, I didn't expect Naito/Sanada to actually win Match was great too. Wato also had a great showing against Shingo with Ibushi out, probably his best since returning.

 

[Apoho Creed]

Damn, I didn't expect Naito/Sanada to actually win Match was great too. Wato also had a great showing against Shingo with Ibushi out, probably his best since returning.

Just saw Wato vs Shingo and I loved it for sure. I wasn't on the Boat with Wato when it came to his abilities in the Ring or his Character. New Japan was promoting him like the next big star and it hasn't gone that way for him so far. The Match he had with Shingo raised his stock for sure for me and within the Company. Shingo is pound for pound one of the best I've ever seen and if you can hang with him expect bigger things to come for you. Oh no Taichi...

MIHO ABE CRYING TO TAICHI'S VOICE

Main Event time!

 

[Chris]

Here's the full lineups for the rest of the Summer Struggle tour

NJPW Summer Struggle at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Saturday, July 17, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World --

• Rocky Romero vs. El Phantasmo
• Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Taiji Ishimori
• Robbie Eagles, SHO & YOH vs. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
• Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki
• Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura vs. KENTA, EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo

NJPW Summer Struggle in Osaka night one, Thursday, July 22, 4 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World --

• Tetsuya Naito vs. Taichi
• SANADA vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
• Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
• Kazuchika Okada & Hirooki Goto vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
• Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. KENTA, EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi
• Robbie Eagles, SHO & YOH vs. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI

NJPW Summer Struggle in Osaka night two, Friday, July 23, 1 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World --

• Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
• SANADA vs. Taichi
• Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
• Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
• Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano vs. KENTA, EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi
• Hirooki Goto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Rocky Romero vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado

NJPW Summer Struggle in Nagoya, Saturday, July 24, 4 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World --

• Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. KENTA
• Tomohiro Ishii vs. EVIL
• Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
• Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
• Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Ryusuke Taguchi & Rocky Romero vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado
• Robbie Eagles, SHO & YOH vs. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI

 

[Necro]

Summer Struggle night 5 Preview

Junior heavyweight singles action to headline in Korakuen Hall


The Summer Struggle series continues on July 17 in Korakuen Hall, and with just one week separating competitors from Wrestle Grand Slam right next door at the Tokyo Dome, big matches are on the table for the weekend.
Watch Summer Struggle LIVE or in English on demand on NJPW World!
Main event: Rocky Romero vs El Phantasmo
Singles record: 2-1 Phantasmo

Headlining in Korakuen Hall, Rocky Romero will take on El Phantasmo one on one. One of the highlights of the Summer Struggle in Sapporo was Romero’s return to Japanese action, and the reformation of the Mega Coaches. Wasting little time, Rocky and Taguchi seized an opportunity to go after tag gold on night two July 11.

Romero gutted through a punishing kick to the bread basket from Phanatsmo’s allegedly loaded boot, before countering a CRII attempt with a Hurricanrana to secure a pinfall win in six man action. Romero immediately took to the mic to demand that the Mega Coaches challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, and the match is now made for the Tokyo Dome on the 25th.

Before Romero can go for his ninth tag title however, he must face ELP one on one tonight. ELP has a 2-1 edge one on one with Mr. Azucar, having first taken Rocky on in RevPro in 2018; before he came into NJPW and BULLET CLUB. As Phantasmo made a disgusting display of disrespect to opposition and fans through the following year’s Best of the Super Jr., Rocky put a stop to ELP’s winning streak in an all time classic Korakuen Hall performance.

Although Romero would lose a subsequent rematch to Phantasmo in Melbourne that summer, all who watch it still fondly remember the incredible Korakuen performance. Will Romero put out another one on the 17th and send an emphatic pre-title match message in the bargain? Or will he be shutdown by the Headbanger?

4th Match: Ryusuke Taguchi vs Taiji Ishimori

Singles record: 3-0 Ishimori

The semi main event will see the other half of the Tokyo Dome’s IWGP Junior Heavyweight title match hit the ring as Ryusuke Taguchi looks to take on Taiji Ishimori. The singles record between the two is one handed in the favour of the Bone Soldier, with Ishimori defeating Taguchi once in the 2010 Best of the Super Jr. tournament, before two more victories since plying hsi trade full time in BULLET CLUB. Yet the scoreline belies the fact that few bring out the best of ‘big match Taguch’ than Ishimori.

When the two met over the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in February of 2019, Taguchi played to his fun side, and the two’s common upbringing in Miyagi prefecture, mocking Ishimori’s time in Toryumon unit ‘Sendai Sailor Boys’. Yet when the bell rang, it was all business for Taguchi, who pulled out all the stops, and almost pulled out a victory. Tonight, with momentum for the Tokyo Dome at stake, and trying to recover from his own hard fought IWGP Junior Heavyweight challenge loss to El Desperado in Sapporo, Ishimori will be in no mood for fun and games. Who picks up the W?

3rd Match: CHAOS (SHO, YOH & Robbie Eagles) vs Suzuki-Gun (DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado)

CHAOS and Suzuki-Gun’s juniors collide in the third match of the evening, on a junior heavyweight themed night. In another of Wrestle Grand Slam’s championship clashes, Robbie Eagles will challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title held by El Desperado. Now back in NJPW action for the first time since December’s Best of the Super Jr., what will the Sniper of the Skies do tonight to make an impact? Meanwhile, Roppongi 3K will be taking on the team in Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado that they seized junior tag gold from back in the spring. With the ever unpredictable DOUKI in the mix as well, it’ll be a wild affair.

2nd Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI) vs Suzuki-Gun (Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & Minoru Suzuki)

LIJ and Suzuki-Gun collide in the second bout of the evening. Naito and SANADA have been paired opposite Dangerous Tekkers several times over the last few weeks, but not as IWGP Tag Team Champions. With singles bouts in Osaka, and an IWGP Tag Team Championship rematch in the Tokyo Dome to come, how will the teams interact tonight?

1st Match: Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji, Tomohiro Ishii & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs BULLET CLUB (EVIL, KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo)

 

[Apoho Creed]

I think Chris is going to enjoy that Six Man Tag with Los and Suzuki Gun with all their antics during the Match. I mean Sabre JR and Naito are having a conversation after the Match with Naito trying to sell he's hurt on the floor and forgetting all about it.

 

[Chris]

I think Chris is going to enjoy that Six Man Tag with Los and Suzuki Gun with all their antics during the Match. I mean Sabre JR and Naito are having a conversation after the Match with Naito trying to sell he's hurt on the floor and forgetting all about it.

I've fucking loved the Sanada/Natio vs Sabre/Taichi interactions lmao

 

[Apoho Creed]

Yo Taguchi vs Ishimori was a pretty solid Match during the Show today poor Ishimori having to feel the wrath of Taguchi's ass though. After the beatdown they went straight into Rocky Romero vs Phantasmo Daddy like!

 

[Necro]

7/17 NJPW SUMMER STRUGGLE REPORT

Spoiler

By James Kurokawa on 2021-07-17 21:43:00
NJPW Summer Struggle results - 7/17 at Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan:

1 - Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi, EVIL and KENTA vs. Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji, Tomohiro Ishii and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Ishii came to the ring first for his team and Bullet Club attacked. Battles are everywhere around ringside. Uemura and Tsuji had a good offense in this match. Takahashi pins Tsuji with Pimp Juice. Solid match. Togo and EVIL beat down Ishii with a chair after the match.

2 - Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr and Taichi vs. BUSHI, SANADA and Tetsuya Naito. Another wild match between LIJ and Suzuki-Gun. Dangerous Tekkers hit Zack Mephisto on BUSHI to get the pin. Tekkers and LIJ have words after the match. This should be a great rematch at the Tokyo Dome on July 25.

3 - SHO, YOH and Robbie Eagles vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, DOUKI and El Desperado. Eagles starts the match against Desperado but it quickly goes to the ringside area. YOH hurts his back when he gets thrown into a guardrail. Suzuki-Gun goes to work on his lower back with strikes and submissions. Eagles and Desperado tag back in. Eagles looks really good against Desperado. DOUKI tags in and hits a Daybreaker on Eagles. Two count. Eagles fights back and traps DOUKI in the Ron Miller Special. DOUKI taps out. El Desperado does his usual trash talk to his opponent after the match. Eagles looked fresh and sharp tonight and should have a great match against Desperado.

4 - Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Taiji Ishimori. Taguchi outwrestled Ishimori and mocked him for it. Ishimori countered with a low blow, threw him into the guardrails and gained control of the match. Taguchi was able to stun Ishimori with hip attacks. But Ishimori caught him with the Yes Lock. Taguchi gets to the ropes and tries for an ankle lock submission. Ishimori reverses into a Yes Lock. Taguchi reverses back into an ankle lock. Ishimori gets a break in the ropes. Taguchi stomps on the ankle and dropkicks his leg. He grabs another ankle lock. Ishimori reverses out and attempts a Bloody Cross. Taguchi powers out and rolls up Ishimori with a roll up pin. Ishimori reverses the roll up and tries to pull down Taguchi’s tights for leverage. Taguchi reverses the roll up again, this time with his exposed butt in the face of Ishimori. Taguchi pins Ishimori. Ishimori is pissed and wiping his face. Taguchi sits on Ishimori’s face again like Rikishi would do. El Phantasmo runs to the ring and attacks Taguchi. The Jr. Tag Champions beat down Taguchi. Rocky Romero comes to save his partner. The referee rings the bell to start the last match. Taguchi drags Ishimori back to the locker room.

Rocky Romero vs. El Phantasmo. Rocky has the early advantage and beats ELP down with strikes and chops. ELP hit Rocky with a back breaker on the top rope. He went after the midsection of Rocky with kicks and punches. Rocky tossed ELP out of the ring for a breather. Rocky hit a running knee from the ring apron. He picked up ELP and ran him shoulder first onto the ring post. Rocky worked over the left shoulder with kicks. Rocky hurt his lower back when ELP pushed him into the ring apron and then into the ring post. Rocky was almost counted out. Both men traded elbows and strikes. Rocky hit a DDT and hit a bunch of lariats. ELP attempted an ankle hood but Rocky hit a Rewind Kick. Two count. Rocky hits a top rope hurricanrana. Two count. ELP misses a Thunder Kiss 86. Rocky hits a modified piledriver for a two count. They trade lariats. Both men look exhausted. ELP misses Sudden Death. Rocky hits Sliced Bread #2. Two count. ELP connects with Sudden Death to Rocky’s stomach. ELP hits a CR II. Rocky kicks out! ELP was about hit another Sudden Death to the face. Taguchi runs to the throw in the towel to protect Rocky. Rocky gets up and falls on his back. ELP stomps on his head and goes for the pin. But the timekeeper rings the bell. It is a draw. This final sequence was awkward but it was a good match.

The Mega Coaches have momentum leading into their IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match at the Tokyo Dome.

Here are the results