NJPW Best of the Super Juniors continued today with a full card of tournament matches.
The show began with Hiromu Takahashi addressing the crowd, he was supposed to face Francesco Akira today, but the match was cancelled due to Akira being injured by Drilla Moloney. Takahashi was awarded 2 points due to Akira’s injury and everyone else that Akira was supposed to face got 2 points added.
Moloney managed to remove Akira from the rest of the tournament and we shall see if that can get him started on a hot streak. He faced KUSHIDA this morning, who was two points ahead of him in the standings ahead of today.
Moloney got this match going before the bell, but KUSHIDA was ready for the action and hit Moloney with a crossbody. They quickly brawled outside the ring and Moloney spiked KUSHIDA into the floor with a draping DDT off the apron. Moloney now focused on the head and neck of KUSHIDA with a neckbreaker and driving his foot into the neck. He followed that by choking KUSHIDA over the top rope and then locked in a submission focused on the neck.
KUSHIDA battled out of the hold but then ran into a back elbow from Moloney. They took the match outside the ring again and Moloney drove KUSHIDA into the ring apron. He also hit many uppercuts and chops before getting back in the ring to throw more forearms. Moloney then hit KUSHIDA with an enzigiri, but KUSHIDA was unphased and drilled Moloney in the jaw with a jab. KUSHIDA now stomped on Moloney’s hands and dove from the top rope with a standing moonsault that he followed with another moonsault from the top rope on the down Moloney.
He now kicked at Moloney’s legs before attempting an avalanche hurricanrana, but Moloney slipped out and chopped KUSHIDA’s legs. Moloney lifted KUSHIDA off the ropes in position for the Drilla Killa, however, KUSHIDA flipped out of it and went after Moloney’s arm. Moloney did not let KUSHIDA do much damage before dropping him with a spinebuster and dropping a double stomp on his chest. KUSHIDA rolled out of the ring to take a breather and Moloney made the error of following him.
An effective arm bar. Credit: NJPW
Moloney walked into KUSHIDA slamming his injured arm into the ring post and then locking in an arm bar over the steel part of the turnbuckle. The left arm of Moloney was now practically useless and KUSHIDA drilled a kick into that arm before doing the hip toss-dropkick combination. KUSHIDA now locked Moloney into the Hover Board Lock, but Moloney battled out of the hold.
KUSHIDA tried to stay in control after losing the submission and went for a handspring back elbow. However, Moloney caught him in mid-air and quickly spiked him into the mat with the Drilla Killa to get the victory. Moloney now moves into a tie with KUSHIDA with 8 points apiece.
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Standings
Best of the Super Juniors A Block
Best of the Super Juniors Block B
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Night 8 Standings
Best of the Super Juniors A Block Match: Titan vs. Kosei Fujita
Llave Inmortal. Credit: NJPW
Fujita had control of the match with two German suplexes, but Titan then reversed a roll-up into the Llave Inmortal to get the win.
Winner: Titan
Best of the Super Juniors B Block Match: Robbie Eagles vs. Dragon Dia
Eagles makes his way to first place. Credit: NJPW
Eagles locked Dia into the Ron Miller special and Dia was forced to tap.
Winner: Robbie Eagles
Best of the Super Juniors A Block Match: BUSHI vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
MX. Credit: NJPW
BUSHI used Kanemaru’s tricks to defeat him, he sprayed whiskey into his eyes and then hit MX for the win.
Winner: BUSHI
Best of the Super Juniors B Block Match: Drilla Moloney vs. KUSHIDA
Winner: Drilla Moloney
Best of the Super Juniors A Block Match: HAYATA vs. Kevin Knight
HAYATA blocked a spike DDT from Knight and then hit a lifting DDT of his own for the win.
Winner: HAYATA
Best of the Super Juniors B Block Match: Taiji Ishimori vs. Ninja Mack
Ishimori had Mack locked in the Bone Lock but released that hold to hit the Bloody Cross to earn the victory.
Winner: Taiji Ishimori
Best of the Super Juniors A Block Match: El Desperado vs. Clark Connors
This match was chaos from the opening bell, it was simply just a brawl and the rules were bent several times. In the end, Desperado was defenceless and Connors drilled him with punches before hitting the No Chaser. It seemed to be over, but Desperado managed to get his hand on the ropes and then lifted his middle finger towards Connors. That made Connors livid and he began to lay into Desperado’s skull with punches. Desperado could not defend himself and Connors kept pushing the referee away, so the referee had no choice but to disqualify Connors giving Desperado the win.
Connors shows what a War Dog he is. Credit: NJPW
Connors retaliated by spearing the referee, beating down all the Young Lions and then ripping Desperado’s mask off. With Desperado trying to hide his face Connors took a piece of a broken table and smashed the wood over Desperado’s skull.
Winner: El Desperado via DQ
Best of the Super Juniors A Block Match: TJP vs. Blake Christian
TJP and Christian have swapped fates. Credit: NJPW
Christian had such a hot start to the tournament, but he has now been handed three straight losses. TJP caught him in mid-air from the springboard 450 with a cutter and followed that with the Mamba Splash to get the win.
Winner: TJP
Best of the Super Juniors B Block Match: SHO vs. DOUKI
SHO cheats his way to victory. Credit: NJPW
After plenty of cheating from SHO, he drilled DOUKI with a kick to the ribs and after the match, it was revealed SHO had his boot loaded with steel. Following the kick, SHO delivered a Uwajima Pimps to DOUKI for the victory.