By James Kurokawa on 2021-07-31 21:14:00
7/31/21 Results from New Japan’s Summer Struggle 2021 From Korakuen Hall, Tokyo Japan:
1 - Yota Tsuji and Yuji Nagata vs. Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma. Makabe forces Tsuji to submit to a Boston Crab.
2 - Toru Yano, Yuya Uemura and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Chase Owens, Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo. Owens pins Uemura after a Package Piledriver. Both Uemura and Tsuji got a lot of ring time with the veterans in the New Japan locker room before their final matches next week.
After the match, Owens was about to stomp on the KOPW Trophy and Yano ran into the ring to stop him. Owens attacked Yano and applied an STF on him. El Phantasmo got the mic and told Yano to say “I Quit”. Tanahashi ran in to save Yano. Bullet Club runs off. Owens tells the camera “In the Switchblade Era, we rule the world”, referencing Jay White’s actions in the United States.
It looks like Yano and Owens are setting up to have an I Quit Match at Wrestle Grand Slam on Sept. 5.
3 - Tiger Mask, Robbie Eagles and Kazuchika Okada vs. Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi and Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Eagles hit a Turbo Backpack on Wato and trapped him in a Ron Miller Special. Wato taps out. Wato and Taguchi looked really good as a team. Eagles and Tiger Mask still have kinks to work out. Wato had words with Eagles after the match. He was eyeing up the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship.
4 - BUSHI, SANADA, Tetsuya Naito and Shingo Takagi vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Gedo, Dick Togo and EVIL A boy dressed in BUSHI gear stood near the entrance as Los Ingobernales de Japon entered the ring. Naito was the only one who saw him and acknowledged his support. Very cool. Bullet Club attacked at the bell. Match was out of hand quickly. BUSHI pins Gedo after hitting an MX.
After the match, EVIL blasted Shingo Takagi in the head with IWGP World Heavyweight Title belt. Shingo went down and grabbed his forehead. LIJ members came to the rescue. Bullet Club retreated. The camera focused on a piece of the belt that had broken off. The Japanese announcers seemed to sell it as if EVIL disrespected and desecrated the belt. Takagi sold the attack on his way back to the locker room.
5 - Elimination Match: SHO, YOH, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado, Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi. Suzuki-Gun attack before the introductions ended. Just a chaotic scene. Bodies everywhere. At one point, YOH was the victim of three submission holds by Taichi, ZSJ and Suzuki. They kept YOH in their corner and tortured him. Suzuki-Gun can be relentless. Goto was able to tag in and even the odds. Taichi eliminates Goto over the top. YOSHI-HASHI eliminates Taichi over the top. Zack Sabre Jr. eliminates YOSHI-HASHI over the top. Tomohiro Ishii and SHO eliminate ZSJ over the top.
Suzuki and Ishii face off. Brutal fight. The sound of multiple punches and elbows is sick. No knee slaps here. Ishii hit Suzuki with a powerful elbow which rung The King’s bell and made him slump to a knee. Wow! Suzuki got his senses back while Ishii was slapping him around. Suzuki hit three hard elbows to Ishii’s jaw. Brutal. Suzuki dragged Ishii between the ropes and threw him into the guardrails. Ishii was laid out on the concrete floor. Suzuki hammered Ishii with multiple elbows to the face. Suzuki got a chair from under the ring and destroyed Ishii with the chair. Suzuki and Ishii are eliminated by double count out.
The young lions and ring officials rush to get Suzuki off of Ishii. El Desperado had to help get Suzuki off of Ishii, and Suzuki almost killed him with the broken chair. The young lions dragged Suzuki to the locker room while he was screaming Ishii’s name.
Desperado and Kanemaru double teamed SHO in the ring. Kanemaru eliminates SHO over the top rope. Ishii is finally walking and he grabs a chair to attack Suzuki backstage.
Desperado traps YOH in Numero Dos. SHO is eliminated and cannot help. YOH tries for the ropes but Kanemaru stomps on his arms. Desperado locks in Numero Dos tighter. YOH has to give up.
Suzuki-Gun wins the match.
Desperado takes the mic and rips into Roppongi 3K. He cannot believe they won the Super Jr. Tag League 3 times. He said that they do not deserve to be in the tournament this year.
In the interview area, YOH apologized to SHO and the reporters for his poor performance.
Tomorrow night, Summer Struggle 2021 continues at Korakuen Hall. Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji will have their farewell matches. They both will leave on excursions to other wrestling promotions to gain more experience.
Yuya Uemura will face Kazuchika Okada.
Yota Tsuji will face Tetsuya Naito.
Also, the NEVER Openweight 6-man Tag Team Championship will be defended with Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto facing Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi.
My prediction: This CHAOS trio are the longest reigning 6-man Champions in history. Dangerous Tekkers already have the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. They don’t need to hold both belts. Minoru Suzuki does not need a belt. His performance as a psychopath tonight shows that he is fine where he is. Ishii will get revenge for the beatdown he received and CHAOS will retain the titles.
Hope at least one of those guys comes to America bc I like them both and I selfishly want to watch them more and know I won't be watching European or many Mexican shows anytime soon lol