Day two of three at Korakuen Hall sees two Dragons lock horns in the main event – it’s Shingo vs. Dragon Lee – and another stormer of a show!
Kevin Kelly, Chris Charlton and Juice Robinson are back on commentary, waiting to be interrupted by the new knife pervert, no doubt.
Best of the Super Junior 26, Block B: El Phantasmo vs. Ren Narita
From winning in the main event on Wednesday, to curtain jerking on Thursday. Oh, the luck of the draw!
No, I don’t know what PRW is either.
Phantasmo cheapshots Yuya Uemura as his gear was being handed away, furthering the scummy character he’s been playing up in Japan. That’s done some more when he toyed with Narita, playing to the crowd all the while, as he perhaps looked to be underestimating the Young Lion early on. ELP stomps Narita into the corner, before lifting him to the top rope and into a Tree of Woe, following up with a chop and some rope walking before he played around too much with the multi-jump ‘rana as Narita pulled him down into an overhead belly-to-belly for a near-fall.
Phantasmo elbows away a waistlock before some more boots and an enziguiri had Narita down for a near-fall, but Ren shocks Phantasmo with inside cradles and backslides… even throwing in a beautifully-bridged German suplex a Korakuen were wondering if they’d get the shock of shocks… but instead, Narita runs into a superkick and is instantly on the defensive. A Boston crab follows as Narita tried to fight back, but a rake to the eye and a whirlibird neckbreaker has Phantasmo comfortably in control, before he lands a huge splash across the ring for the win. Narita’s fight surprised Phantasmo, who’s showing signs of arrogance that could derail his tournament later down the line. He’ll end the day alone at the top of block B. ***
Post-match, Phantasmo teabags Narita with an ice pack and hits him with a CR2.
Best of the Super Junior 26, Block A: TAKA Michinoku vs. Titan
TAKA bemoaned that he hated lucha libre on his way to the ring.
He starts by grounding Titan with a wristlock, but the luchador kips up and counters with an armdrag before he got drilled with a knee. That sends him outside as TAKA trolls us with a dive attempt, giving Titan time to return as he chopped through TAKA… and ended up getting poked in the eye. A surfboard stretch comes next as TAKA pulls Titan into a pendulum swing, then into a modified deathlock that he rolled into a pinning attempt. There’s some nice stuff from TAKA, who’s finally found out that he can’t spam that Just Facelock.
Titan’s outside again, where he’s thrown into the ring post, before he ground his fist into Titan’s head. Back inside, a trapped arm armbar has Titan scrambling for the ropes, as does some boot choking… and that’s the cue for Titan to turn up the temp with a headscissors and a huge tope con giro as TAKA was caught unawares. Rolling TAKA back in, Titan gets a near-fall, before another headscissor is blocked by TAKA and turned into a Just Facelock. It’s right by the ropes though, as Titan gets slammed ahead of TAKA going back to the Just Facelock… which he starts to spam, including as a counter to an O’Connor roll, but again, we get a rope break to save Titan.
A Matrix helps Titan avoid a clothesline, but he ends up eating an enziguiri before he countered a Michinoku driver into a sit-out death valley driver, trapping the legs on landing for what Titan assumed to be a near-fall… but TAKA didn’t kick out, and the ref counted the three despite Titan letting go. Ah well. A weird finish, as TAKA was proven why he hates lucha libre… because it’s eliminated him from the tournament. **¾
Best of the Super Junior 26, Block B: Robbie Eagles vs. BUSHI
BUSHI starts out hot again, sending Eagles outside with a missile dropkick ahead of a tope. Just like last night!
BUSHI disrobes as he put a beating to Eagles, using a belt to whip him with, before a kick to the leg back inside sees Eagles finally get in some offence. A chop battle breaks out, but Eagles goes back to the leg, using a shin breaker before grapevining the leg as he softened up BUSHI. A DDT from BUSHI gets him an opening as he tried to choke Eagles with his shirt, following up with an enziguiri and a low dropkick ahead of a short DDT for a near-fall. Taking Eagles to the apron, BUSHI looked for a DDT, but a low 619 targets the leg of BUSHI before he’s taken outside for a nice tope con giro!
Returning to the ring, a springboard low dropkick finds its mark as Eagles resumed on BUSHI’s knee, following up with a Turbo Backpack for a near-fall. A Trailer Hitch is next as BUSHI has to scramble to the ropes for a break, but a pair of running knees trap BUSHI in the corner, leaving him laying… only to avoid a 450 to the leg! A lungblower through the ropes and a swinging neckbreaker has BUSHI back on offence for a near-fall, before he heads up for the MX… and that is all! A decent match, but one that lacked much spark. So much for Robbie Eagles getting back on track, but similarly the knee injury to BUSHI could well put the brakes on any resurgence for him. ***
Best of the Super Junior 26, Block A: Jonathan Gresham vs. Tiger Mask
Having had a stuttering start to his tournament, a win for Gresham here will do his confidence the world of good – and with Tiger Mask’s hot start cooling off lately, that could well be on the cards.
We’re back to questioning Tiger Mask’s knee here as commentary noted he was moving less than freely, but the match starts with the pair trading holds and takedowns for fun. Tiger Mask tries to take Gresham into the corner, before they block each others hiptosses. They criss-cross as Gresham avoids Tiger Mask only to get caught in the gut with a knee, as they head back to the mat with some headscissors having Tiger Mask try for a submission.
More kicks from Tiger Mask leave Gresham in a heap, as does a rear spin kick, before Gresham tries to fight back with forearms. I buffer, and come back to Gresham stretching Tiger Mask in an abdominal stretch, but Tiger gets free and knees Gresham again, before an armbar forces Gresham into the ropes once more.
“Salty” Tiger Mak comes back with kicks, dropping Gresham to the point where he could barely get a shoulder up, before the pair went for crossbody blocks at the same time… and yes, they crash into each other. Ouch. Even more kicks rock Gresham, whose durability was being tested… and out of nowhere he grabbed Tiger Mask in amid a series of headlock takedowns, grabbing a small package for the win! A hell of a win for Gresham, who looked to go after the referee with a “celebratory” Octopus stretch afterwards, and that’s going to do the Octopus the world of good. ***½
Best of the Super Junior 26, Block B: DOUKI vs. YOH
Despite improved performances, DOUKI’s starting to struggle for points, having only beaten Ren Narita on his opening night…
DOUKI jumps YOH at the bell, sending him outside for a tope as he put the boots to YOH before he could even get his jacket off. They head into the crowd by the English commentary desk, then into the stands as this time it was the East sign that got used. No, I wasn’t expecting a Sha Samuels reference here… Back in the ring, DOUKI continues to boot away on YOH before he raked the eyes, following up with a running stomp as YOH was left writhing in agony. YOH makes a comeback, trapping DOUKI with a Dragon screw, following up with a flying forearm and a neckbreaker for a near-fall.
YOH keeps up with a backbreaker and a Dragon screw combo, before a calf crusher attempt got shoved away. DOUKI took YOH into the corner, picking him up in a Gory stretch, but it’s for nought as YOH rolls out, then applies the calf crusher before an eventual rope break was called. DOUKI tries to fight back with a springboard DDT, but he loses it as YOH countered with a Falcon arrow for a near-fall. A wheelbarrow roll-up gets DOUKI back in it after an eggy spell, following in with a neck tie submission, rolling YOH into the middle of the ring as Chris Charlton does some clickbaiting commentary… only for YOH to get to the ropes.
DOUKI again whiffs on the springboard DDT, getting a near-fall as I can sense the skeptics sharpening their knives… before YOH rolled out of a Suplex de la Luna for a near-fall. From there, YOH prepares for a Dragon suplex, then switches into a German for a two-count, before some more back and forth led to YOH getting obliterated with a clothesline. That gets DOUKI a two-count, before he pulls YOH into a Suplex de la Luna… but it’s headbutted out of!
A forearm sends YOH outside, but he skins the cat back in with a superkick, before a Dragon suplex gets YOH the win! This was a little rough with DOUKI slipping a little, and I was a touch surprised with YOH winning – perhaps expecting DOUKI and Kanemaru to go for the junior titles while Desperado recovers from his broken jaw. **¾
Interrupting Knife Pervert Video Time!
Best of the Super Junior 26, Block A: Marty Scurll vs. SHO
Marty came out taped up, comically selling the beating from Shingo last night…
Of course it’s a ruse, as Scurll attacks SHO with his umbrella before the bell, then went for a powerbomb for a two-count. SHO fight back with a knee to the midsection for a two-count, before a cross armbreaker forces Scurll to roll free.
Lifting Scurll onto the apron, SHO looks for a head kick but ends up getting caught through the ropes with a neckbreaker for a near-fall. Marty keeps up the aggression by choking SHO in the ropes, then with headscissors on the mat as he tried to squeeze out a submission. When that didn’t work, Scurll slingshots SHO into the bottom rope for a two-count, before a chop and a cravat continued the focus on SHO’s head and neck.
SHO gets thrown outside for an apron superkick, then another as SHO asked for more… which led to him catching a third superkick before he joined Marty on the apron for some forearms. That gets SHO ahead as he sweeps the leg and took Scurll outside for a PK of his own, before he went for a cross armbreaker back inside. More buffering takes us to the pair trying for waistlocks, but it’s Scurll who lands a blow with a Dragon suplex… only to get thrown with a German suplex, completing an apparent hattrick. Another strike effort led to Scurll trying for a Black Plague, only to get caught with a back suplex/lumbar check for a near-fall. SHO looks for Shock Arrow, but gets dropped over Scurll’s knee before Marty went for a chicken wing…
…but SHO fights it off, breaking the hold and swinging into a Shock Arrow, but Marty kicks out at two!
After raking the ear, Scurll cradles SHO for a near-fall, before a rebound lariat dropped the junior tag champ… following up with a running clothesline for another two-count. YOH’s Last Ride/Lumbar Check drops Scurll for a near-fall as the pair began to swing for the fences, leading to a short Shock Arrow… and that’s enough to put Marty away. A hell of a match, and we’re seeing the injuries take their toll on both men. ***¾
Best of the Super Junior 26, Block B: Rocky Romero vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
We’ve a battle of the “coaches” – it’s basketball vs. rugby!
We’ve got some sportsball before the bell, with Taguchi becoming a human basketball hoop… except Rocky knocks him in the head with the ball and sent Taguchi flying. There’s a more intended basketball shot off the apron as the match started in a most unusual way. Rocky hooks himself in the ropes, but gets sent flying with a hip attack as Taguchi followed up with a nice tope con giro. Back inside, chops ring around Korakuen as Taguchi’s trapped in the corner, but some hip attacks turn it around as Romero’s head and neck were targeted. That just earns him more chops before Rocky tuned up some Forever lariats… only to get cut-off with more hip attacks.
Rocky tries to clothesline away arse attacks, but a chop works before the pair trade atomic drops as the pair collapse in unison. Taguchi gets up, but whiffs on a hip attack, before he caught Rocky in Oh My Garankle. An attempt to pull up into a Dodon saw Taguchi have to fight out of a Shiranui before landing some headscissors to keep Romero on the mat. A snap tornado DDT spikes Taguchi for a near-fall, before Rocky headed up top and drove a knee into the arm. More headscissors roll Rocky through into a cross armbreaker, but Taguchi rolls through into a pinning attempt… and we have more buffering as a Dodon leads to some back and forth roll-throughs with Taguchi snatching a three-count in the end. This started daft, but got real good towards the end, as Rocky’s tournament is all but over as he needs to beat El Phantasmo to stay alive. ***¼
After the match, Taguchi and Rocky seemingly agree to join forces…
Best of the Super Junior 26, Block A: Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Taiji Ishimori
After sneaking his way into a win against SHO last night, Kanemaru may have to change tack here against a Taiji Ishimori who’s looking to stay top of the block.
Kanemaru jumps Ishimori at the bell, taking the Bone Soldier outside and into the crowd, eventually heading into the crowd as the East sign comes back into play. We have a tease of a replay from last night, but Ishimori leaps over a chair that Kanemaru tried to throw at him, as both men end up beating the count. Ah well! Ishimori fights back with some running double knees after he trapped Kanemaru, following up with a tombstone gutbuster that propelled Kanemaru into the sky a la Scott Hall taking a stunner. Kanemaru looks for a new shortcut, throwing Red Shoes Unno into Ishimori before landing an enziguiri… and it’s whiskey time again.
Ishimori punches Kanemaru in the gut as he commandeered the booze, but the referee stops him, then misses a whiskey mist as Kanemaru steals the win with a roll-up! Short, but again Kanemaru’s resourcefulness is keeping us all on his toes as he veers closer to being the junior Yano…and hey, he’s still undefeated in singles matches against Ishimori, going 11-0-1 with that win. **¾
Best of the Super Junior 26, Block B: Bandido vs. Will Ospreay
A rematch from this year’s WrestleCon Supershow, these two will be looking to fire on all cylinders once again, especially since a loss for either man will severely damage their hopes of winning the block.
We start with a tie-up that has Ospreay take Bandido into the ropes, before a side headlock’s shoved off as Ospreay propelled Bandido with a monkey flip ahead of a faked-out dive. Ospreay’s wise to Bandido rushing in, taking him back out for a plancha, before he took down the luchador with a single chop. In response, a Gorilla Press Falcon arrow and a low dropkick smashes Ospreay for a near-fall. A hands-free Romero special impresses, but it allows Ospreay to lean back into the ropes for a break before he went back to the chops, lighting up Bandido. Every. Single. Time.
A handspring enziguiri takes Bandido down, as does a springboard forearm before a Cattle Mutilation chinlock forced Bandido to slide towards the ropes. Ospreay tries for a reverse DDT, but instead gets cracked in the ropes with a dropkick before he went for the reverse DDT again… which gets countered with an inverted suplex and a Shining Wizard for a near-fall from Bandido.
A weak-looking forearm from Ospreay looked to highlight his neck issues, especially since Bandido responds with more forearms before running into an enziguiri. Ospreay catches a running ‘rana, but Bandido just counters a counter into a reverse ‘rana, following up with a springboard shooting star press that almost went horribly wrong.
Springboard Shooting Star Press to the outside!!!!!! @bandidowrestler #njbosj #NJPW https://t.co/d63mH2znnl pic.twitter.com/YVFLYScNRR
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) May 23, 2019
Both men get back into the ring, with Bandido’s Dragonrana almost taking the win, before a stundog millionaire stopped Bandido in his tracks. We’re back to forearms, with Ospreay having a bit more mustard behind his shots, only for Bandido to crack him with a superkick. Another pop-up ‘rana’s rolled through as Ospreay gets a near-fall, then goes back to the Cattle Mutilation-like stretch, before he rolled through into a Liger bomb as the head drops continued.
Bandido comes back with standing moonsault slam, before a 21 Plex was blocked by Ospreay, who instead ends up in the Atlantida and a GTS. Ospreay backflips out of a 21 Plex as Korakuen came unglued, following up with a Spanish Fly for a two-count, but Bandido catches Will on the top rope, landing a gamengiri before landing the moonsault slam off the top! Ospreay barely saves himself when he grabbed the bottom rope to break the count.
There’s another flurry from Ospreay as he caught a moonsault from Bandido, flipping it into a Storm Breaker… and that was it! Well, I’m giving up being shocked at how good a match Ospreay can draw out of people, and even though my heart was in my mouth at times, this was an absolute stormer. Carve time out to watch this! ****¾
Best of the Super Junior 26, Block A: Shingo Takagi vs. Dragon Lee
Good luck topping that!
A win for Dragon Lee will create a three-way tie at the top of the block, but would end Shingo’s monstrous run in New Japan. We have a pacey start, with Shingo taking down the champion, only to get taken down with headscissors as Dragon Lee flew out afterwards… only to get caught and dropped on the apron ahead of a DDT on the floor.
Takagi keeps the upper hand, charging into Dragon Lee with shoulders in the corner, before a double handed chop and a back senton crushed Dragon Lee. A simple suplex follows for a near-fall before I buffer… and recover with Shingo on the apron, where he blocks Dragon Lee’s flying ‘rana and teases a powerbomb. Thankfully, Dragon Lee escaped as he looked for an apron piledriver, only for Shingo to dump him with a death valley driver.
Back in the ring, a clothesline from Shingo traps Dragon Lee in the corner, as do some repeated chops, but Dragon Lee comes back with a Shibata-ish dropkick. That fires up Shingo, who sparks a forearm exchange, only for Dragon Lee’s knee and a clothesline to finally take Shingo down! Takagi rolls outside, but it’s into the path of a tope suicida that almost went the way of Bandido. Good GOD they’re leaving nothing on the table here.
AAAAAAHHH! TOPE SUICIDA!!! @dragonlee95 #njbosj #NJPW https://t.co/d63mH2znnl pic.twitter.com/QqRqxAHgqE
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) May 23, 2019
Back inside, Shingo’s crotched as he headed up top, which led to the Del Rio double stomp, despite Shingo’s best efforts, before a running PK flattened Takagi for a near-fall. A pop-up Samoan drop gets Shingo back in it, before a missed bicycle knee from Dragon Lee led to a Noshigami! Rather than going for a cover, Shingo sized up for a Pumping Bomber, folding the champion in half, but Dragon Lee somehow kicks out! Another Noshigami attempt’s countered into a Code Red for a near-fall as Dragon Lee rushes back in with a knee strike… but he couldn’t go for a cover. Instead, another knee is attempted, but Shingo blocks and headbutts Dragon Lee, before he’s caught with a rebound German suplex, a knee, a reverse ‘rana and another knee… FOR A ONE COUNT. CHRIST.
Another knee’s good for a two-count as the crowd remained split, before an attempt at Desnucadora’s caught and countered into Last of the Dragon… and that’s the win for Shingo. Both men left it all out there, but at the end of the day, only Shingo left with the unbeaten run in the tournament. Holy mother of God, they almost topped it! ****¾
Block A Standings:
Shingo Takagi (5-0; 10pts)
Taiji Ishimori (4-1; 8pts)
Jonathan Gresham, Dragon Lee (3-2; 6pts)
Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Marty Scurll, SHO, Tiger Mask, Titan (2-3; 4pts)
TAKA Michinoku (0-5; 0pts)
Eliminated: TAKA Michinoku
Block B Standings:
El Phantasmo (5-0; 10pts)
Will Ospreay, Ryusuke Taguchi (4-1; 8pts)
Robbie Eagles, YOH (3-2; 6pts)
Bandido, BUSHI (2-3; 4pts)
DOUKI, Rocky Romero (1-4; 2pts)
Ren Narita (0-5; 0pts)
Eliminated: DOUKI, Ren Narita
Just like last night, this was an easy watch, with the highs here eclipsing Wednesday’s offerings. I’ll say it – this was New Japan’s show of the year so far.
This stretch of the Best of the Super Junior is well and truly delivering – and as we get into the business end of things, it’ll likely improve… and I cannot wait! The run at Korakuen ends tomorrow with Rocky Romero main eventing against El Phantasmo – in a rematch from Rev Pro’s Global Wars show last year, in a bout that Rocky needs to win to stay alive.