New Japan Pro Wrestling continued their Best Of Super Juniors tournament on Saturday. Since the show began at 5:30am EDT, here’s a spoiler-free match listing for the non-nite-owl NJPW fans. Each match is given a Need To Watch Rating of 0.0-10.0. The show is available on NJPWWorld.com
FIRST MATCH: Shota Umino vs. Yota Tsuji
A fun opening contest. Nothing essential, but this crop of Young Lions remains unparalleled.
Need To Watch Rating: (2.7)
SECOND MATCH: ACH, Tiger Mask & Tomoyuki Oka vs. CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI, Yoh & Will Ospreay)
ACH steps up to the plate as Will Ospreay’s flippiest rival, also Yoh continues to prove that he is a standout wrestler of his generation. Oka and YOSHI-HASHI are also in this match.
Need To Watch Rating: (6.0)
THIRD MATCH: Flip Gordon & Toa Henare vs. Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
Flip and Henare are a surprisingly effective duo. Add a healthy dose of Suzuki-gun shenanigans and this match is far more fun than it reads on paper.
Need To Watch Rating: (6.8)
FOURTH MATCH: Los Ingobernables de Japon (SANADA & BUSHI) vs. Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori & Chase Owens)
Ishimori and BUSHI are set to have a barnburner based on this match.
Need To Watch Rating: (6.8)
FIFTH MATCH: Dragon Lee vs. Sho (B Block)
A star making turn for Sho, and a certified classic for Dragon Lee. This might simply be one of the best matches of the year, let alone the tournament. Seek. Out. This. Match.
Need To Watch Rating: (10.0)
SIXTH MATCH: Ryusuke Taguchi vs. El Desperado (B Block)
A far better match than this had any right to be. Taguchi continues to prove that there’s no one quite like the Genius Pervert.
Need To Watch Rating: (9.1)
SEVENTH MATCH: KUSHIDA vs. Chris Sabin (B Block)
Something doesn’t quiet click in this match. It is a good outing from both competitors, but it never entered a second gear. Especially with the wealth of great matches in this young tournament, this match isn’t quite at the level of the others. The closing stretch is pretty exciting however, and it is still a great contest.
Need To Watch Rating: (7.5)
MAIN EVENT: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Marty Scurll (B Block)
A stellar main event that earned it’s headlining status by the closing bell. Scurll and Takahashi are a rivalry that I didn’t even know I wanted. Seek. Out. This. Match.
Need To Watch Rating: (10.0)
