LIJ is on a gold rush. Not only do Los Ingobernables de Japon have the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in their stable now they have the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship too. Sanada and Tetsuya Naito defeated Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi) during night two of the Summer Struggle tour.
Taichi was playing mind games as soon as the bell rang. He demanded that Naito tag in Sanada instead. When Naito did, Taichi tagged Zack Sabre Jr. in.
Sanada and Sabre Jr. are cautious trading reversal after reversal. Naito is tagged in and the same thing, lots of holds and reversals.
Taichi comes in picking up the pace kicking Naito in the face and knocking Sanada off the apron. Taichi brings the fight to the floor bouncing Naito off the ringside barricades. In the ring, Taichi distracts Red Shoes as Zack wrenches Naito’s arm around the ropes as the champs really focus their energy on damaging that arm as much as possible.
Naito sends Taichi crashing off the top rope. In a big brawl in the middle of the ring everyone goes down. Miho Abe pounds the mat in an effort to snap Taichi out of it. Taichi shrugs off a Tornado DDT from Taichi and gives Naito a German Suplex but cannot follow up. Abe pounds the canvass again.
In the final minutes of the match, Sanada dives in to save Naito from being pinned by Zack. Taichi chokeslams Sanada to the mat and clotheslines Naito down. Taichi and Zack look to finish Naito off. Natio worms his way out of Zack Mephisto. Zack corrals him though and Taichi powerbombs. A penalty kick from Zack scores a two count.
Taichi lines up Naito for a super kick. Out of nowhere, Sanada puts him in Skull End and Naito almost pins Zack. Sanada lands a moonsault from the top rope on Zack then puts Taichi back in Skull End. Naito pins Zack with Destino to win the championship at 36 minutes plus.
Kota Ibushi was absent again from tonight’s card. He is still dealing with a fever from his COVID-19 vaccination.
NJPW Summer Struggle Night Two 2021
Suzuki-gun (Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado) versus Yuya Uemura and SHO
Kanemaru pins Uemura with Deep Impact.
Winners: Suzuki-gun (Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado)
Bullet Club (El Phantasmo, Taiji Ishimori and EVIL) versus Rocky Romero, Ryusuke Taguchi and Tomohiro Ishii
Rocky Romero lays down a challenge to Bullet Club. Courtesy: NJPW.
Rocky Romeo brilliantly escapes Phantasmo’s CR2 to pin him with a clever roll-up. Phantasmo and Ishimori argue with the official but the decision stands.
“I just beat you one, two three! The Mega Coaches are your next challengers!” shouts Romero at the champions asking for a title match.
“No! F–k you!” replies Phantasmo.
Winners: Rocky Romero, Ryusuke Taguchi and Tomohiro Ishii
Bullet Club (KENTA and Yujiro Takahashi) versus Hiroshi Tanahashi and Yota Tsuji
As Kenta and The Ace fight on the floor, Yujiro pins Tsuji with the Pimp Juice (DDT). Kenta and Tanahashi have a terse verbal back and forth.
Winners: Bullet Club (KENTA and Yujiro Takahashi)
Chaos (YOH and Kazuchika Okada) versus The United Empire (Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan)
The United Empire stands tall. Courtesy: NJPW.
Cobb catches Okada in mid-air as he attempts a drop kick and gives him a Tour of the Islands. Cobb then puts Yoh away with the same move. It seems they are building up Cobb for a title match against Shingo.
Winners: The United Empire (Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan)
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi versus Master Wato – Non-Title Match
Even though Wato is at a distinct weight disadvantage he puts up a really good fight. Still, Takagi pins him with Last of the Dragon.
Winner: Shingo Takagi
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito and SANADA) (Challengers) versus Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi) (Champions) – IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Match
Winners: …and new IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito and SANADA).
