We take a look at the semi-main event from this past weekend’s Royal Quest 3…
Much like last year, we’re skipping the full Royal Quest coverage… but unlike last year, I was there live, so let’s see if this held up on tape. Commentary from London’s Copper Box Arena comes from Chris Charlton and Gideon Grey…
Shingo Takagi vs. Tomohiro Ishii
This was the first time these two had locked horns in a singles match outside of Japan… with Shingo having largely dominated this pairing, having won five of six times. Ishii’s sole win? 2020’s G1.
Chris Charlton called this a “defacto number one contender’s match” for the NEVER title as we started with Ishii taking Shingo to the ropes for a chop. Shingo didn’t take that standing, as we’re quickly in with a retort that included a whole lotta shoulder tackles and a whack-tonne of elbows that ended with… a knackered Ishii charging down Shingo. Shingo hit back instantly with a suplex, before the back elbow, jab and clothesline combo kept Ishii on the deck. Hammer elbows and a chinlock keep Ishii down, while a back senton and some body scissors kept Ishii grounded ahead of a rope break. Ishii made a way back in with a scoop slam off the ropes, while chops targeted Shingo’s chest and throat as things headed into the corner.
Ishii adds another shoulder tackle coming out of the corner, before a suplex drew a two-count as Ishii was starting to settle into a groove… only to be taken off his game quickly via a Shingo DDT as the Copper Box crowd slowly seemed to turn on Shingo here. Kicks woke up Ishii, who arose from his not-quite-slumber, staring a hole through Shingo as Shingo’s forearms had no effect. A single forearm sent the former world champion flying into the corner, before the tables turned with Shingo walking through Ishii’s forearm… as a singular shot ended up flooring Ishii. Shingo’s snap back suplex and a sliding lariat keeps him ahead, while a superplex kept Ishii in deep waters as we crossed the ten-minute marker.
Shingo teed up for a Made in Japan, but Ishii fought free… before he stopped more cracks at the Shingo combination by countering with a backdrop suplex of his own. We go back and forth with suplexes as both men crash to the mat… as Ishii proved to have fared better, getting up first as he got his own back from earlier with a superplex of his own. A wicked lariat from Ishii keeps him in control as he added a folding powerbomb to the mix for a near-fall. Shingo tries for the Made in Japan again, but instead he took Ishii into the ropes for a hanging GTR… following up with a Pumping Bomber and a Made in Japan as Shingo inched closer to a victory.
Ishii kicks out at two as he then had to fight out of a Last of the Dragon attempt… clotheslines keep Ishii on the back foot as Shingo was determined to not let this slip, only to get caught with an enziguiri out of nowhere. Another clothesline from Ishii just earns him a one-count… so he adds a second, this time for a two-count, before another battle ended with a clonking headbutt from Shingo. The idea sees Ishii and Shingo trade headbutts before a pop-up death valley driver attempt from Shingo landed on the second attempt… preceding a THUNDEROUS Pumping Bomber, with the crowd still in awe of the gunshot effect as Ishii kicked out at two. More back-and-forth led to Shingo hitting a vertical drop brainbuster, but Ishii refused to stay down for his own move and kicked out at one.
We’re at the 20-minute mark as Shingo gets up to throw another lariat… but Ishii charges right back at him with another headbutt to snuff all that out. A sliding lariat’s next for a near-fall for Ishii, before a sheer-drop brainbuster was escaped… Shingo finds a way back in with a lariat, before he picked up Ishii for the Last of the Dragon to seal the emphatic win.
Result: Shingo Takagi pinned Tomohiro Ishii in 21:26 (****½)
A joy to watch live – and while I’m not about to rank their singles matches anytime yet, it did feel that this being thrown out there hindered things, given every other match they had before had stakes, be it for a title or part of a tournament. Sure, it ended up being for a shot at the NEVER title – thanks to Tama Tonga coming out afterwards and issuing the challenge – but that’s what happens when you’re looking for nits to pick.