Another day of Best of the Super Junior Block A matches was on the card for NJPW this morning.
TJP defeated Kosei Fujita, Clark Connors beat BUSHI, and HAYATA scored the victory over Blake Christian. The main event saw El Desperado defeat Yoshinobu Kanemaru to move into a tie for first place.
Those were all great matchups, but the match that drew my attention was the battle of high-flyers. Titan and Kevin Knight, tied at 6 points heading into today, would face off.
The match was off to a fast start with both men flying across the ring with reversals. Titan caught Knight with a flipping kick to send him off the apron and then bounced off the ropes, but he ran into a springboard clothesline from Knight. Now Titan rolled to the outside and Knight flew to the outside onto Titan with a plancha. The action was back in the ring and Knight dropped a standing frog splash.
Knight then locked in an abdominal stretch, but Titan broke the hold to a superkick and a sidekick. It seemed like he was regaining momentum, however, Knight caught him with a dropkick that sent him to the floor. He then looked for another plancha, but Titan moved out of the way and dove through the ropes hitting Knight with the Titan Suicida. Titan looked to continue with his aerial offence and dove from the top rope, however, Knight moved out of the way before driving Titan into the mat with a spine buster.
A spinning kick from Titan. Credit: NJPW
Both men were exchanging chops in the middle of the ring until Titan hit Knight with a spinning kick. He then attempted the springboard tornado DDT twice and both times it was reversed. Knight capitalized on the reversals by dropping Titan with a Death Valley Driver. He then went for his signature spike DDT, but Titan flipped him over and delivered a flurry of kicks. Titan now took a run at Knight, but Knight hit him with a Pelé kick and followed that with an avalanche hurricanrana.
Knight went for another Death Valley Driver, but this time Titan blocked and spiked Knight into the mat with the springboard tornado DDT. Titan kept Knight in his grasp to then hit a facebuster and a devastating super kick. He now went to the top rope and dove off dropping the double stomp on Knight’s chest. Titan then locked Knight into the Llave Inmortal and he had no choice but to submit.
Titan gets the win to move to 8 points, A Block has four men sitting at that. Blake Christian, El Desperado, Clark Connors and Titan all are tied at the top of the block.
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Standings
A Block Standings
Best of the Super Juniors A Block
B Block Standings
Best of the Super Juniors Block B
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Night 7 Results
Los Ingoberables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Yota Tsuji) vs. Katsuya Murashima & Shoma Kato
Tsuji curb-stomped Kato into the match for the win.
Winners: Los Ingoberables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Yota Tsuji)
House of Torture (SHO & Yujiro Takahashi) vs. Just 5 Guys (DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku)
Takahashi hit Michinoku with a low blow and a Pimp Drop to steal a victory.
Winners: House of Torture (SHO & Yujiro Takahashi)
Dragon Dia, KUSHIDA & Ninja Mack vs. Bullet Club (Drilla Moloney, Gedo & Taiji Ishimori)
Dia planted Gedo into the mat with the DDDT to score the win.
Winners: Dragon Dia, KUSHIDA & Ninja Mack
Best of the Super Juniors A Block Match: TJP vs. Kosei Fujita
TJP gets his second victory. Credit: NJPW
TJP reversed a roll-up attempt from Fujita and locked him into a modified STF to get his second consecutive win.
Winner: TJP
Best of the Super Juniors A Block Match: Clark Connors vs. BUSHI
Connors is on a roll. Credit: NJPW
Connors drove into BUSHI with a headbutt and followed that with the No Chaser for the victory.
Winner: Clark Connors
Best of the Super Juniors A Block Match: HAYATA vs. Blake Christian
HAYATA scores the upset victory. Credit: NJPW
HAYATA battled to get Christian into a roll-up and after two kickouts, he was finally able to hold in a crucifix pin to get the three count.
Winner: HAYATA
Best of the Super Juniors A Block Match: Titán vs. Kevin Knight
Winner: Titán
Best of the Super Juniors A Block Match: El Desperado vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Desperado makes the whiskey fly. Credit: NJPW
Desperado caught Kanemaru with a spine buster and instantly followed that with Pinche Loco to get another two points.
