Tour heads back to Saitama
Night four in the Super Junior Tag League sees the tour return to its origin of Saitama prefecture, this time in the city of Kasukabe. With the league approaching its midway point, it’ll be vital for teams to be in winning form as stakes continue to rise.
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Main event: Master Wato & El Desperado (2-1) vs Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) (1-2)
The awkward combination of El Desperado and Master Wato might finally be turning a corner, with the main event in Korakuen Hall Wednesday seeing them connect well, if far from amicably, ending in a victory over Titan and BUSHI. Now they turn their attention to Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita, currently at 1-2 after a loss for Fujita to Ryusuke Taguchi. For young prospect Fujita, the significance of this main event spot is not to be overlooked- could this be a monumental victory for the TMDK side, or the start of a run for DespeWato?
7th Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (BUSHI & Titan) (1-2) vs BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney)(2-1)
Setting the tone on the first main event of the tour, Titan and BUSHI defeated SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru in a display of speed, spectacle and considerable team substance. From there, the masked men have stumbled somewhat with hardfought losses to Taguchi and DKC and then Desperado and Wato. Now they face the 2-1 tag champions Moloney and Connors. Rightfully the measuring stick of the division regardless of a contemptible attitude, the BULLET CLUB War Dogs are a hard test for any team. Will Titan and BUSHI pass muster, or will Connors and Moloney quickly pick up after their first loss in Korakuen Wednesday?
6th Match: Musashi Komatsu (MUSASHI & YOH) (2-1) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SHO) (2-1)
After scoring their second wins Wednesday night, MUSASHI and YOH take on SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru. In last year’s Super Junior Tag League, SHO and then partner Dick Togo got their first points of the tournament by using any and every means necessary to take down YOH and Lio Rush. Will history repeat this year, or will this be the match that sees the four point YOH and MUSASHI side truly come into its stride?
5th Match: Just Five Guys (TAKA Michinoku & DOUKI) (0-3) vs Catch 2/2 (Francesco Akira & TJP) (1-2)
DOUKI and TAKA Michinoku’s tag team has been perhaps the most fun to watch through the early stages of the Super Junior Tag League campaign, but strong performances, and TAKA’s technical slickness haven’t translated to successful results. At zero points, the bubble looms, but as DOUKI scored victory over Catch 2/2 in last year’s league, and TJP’s neck, hurt at the hands of Moloney and Connors and exploited by Musashi Komatsu, there’s a clear bullseye to gun for. DOUKI and TAKA could upset Akira and TJP once again, and force Catch 2/2 to the bubble.
4th Match: Intergalactic JetSetters (Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA) (2-1) vs The DKC & Ryusuke Taguchi (2-1)
With both the Intergalactic Jet Setters, and ‘Funky Fire’ at 2-1, a positive record brings them to this mid league match, but with Kevin Knight and KUSHIDA having just defeated the previously unbeaten Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors, confidence must be sky high. Now Ryusuke Taguchi will square off with KUSHIDA some five months after a fated Best of the Super Jr. meeting- there an accidental pantsing saw Taguchi to success after a dearth of results while trying to avoid ‘funny business’. DKC and Kevin Knight are also well familiar with one another having gone through the LA Dojo system at the same time. Now, will funny make money in Saitama, or will things get serious between these two teams?
3rd Match: CHAOS (Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI & Tomohiro Ishii) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo)
The tale as old as time between CHAOS and HOUSE OF TORTURE sees yet another chapter written in Saitama. As YOH together with MUSASHI faces SHO and Kanemaru later in the evening, could his CHAOS buddies help put paid to too much H.O.T interference later on?
2nd Match: Ren Narita & Shota Umino vs United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Callum Newman)
After shaking hands and putting their differences behind them at Destruction in Ryogoku, tonight sees Shota Umino and Ren Narita competing in a straight two on two tag for the first time since Royal Quest, and the first time in japan since March. As Umino prepares for Will Ospreay November 4, Newman will work to ensure this is more than just an easy tune up for the Roughneck and his Strong Style partner.
1st Match: Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Boltin Oleg, Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima
Kicking off the action, a team of Young Lions face a trio of veterans. Leube, Boltin and Nakashima have each found a new level of confidence in recent weeks, and will not hold back anything from their harsh masters tonight.
