New Japan Pro Wrestling
Road to Power Struggle 2018 – Super Junior Tag League
October 16, 2018
Korakeun Hall
Tokyo, Japan
Watch: NJPW World / Read: Super Junior Tag League Preview
Ren Narita, Shota Umino & Toa Henare def. Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji & Ayato Yoshida
A fun Young Lions (plus Henare) opener. Narita and especially Umino are ready for their excursions and Uemura, Tsuji and I guess Yoshida are fitting in nicely. **3/4
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma def. Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi & Kota Ibushi
Chase Owens is such a goofball but he’s so entertaining and is always involved in a great closing stretch. Again, another good, solid professional wrestling match. One thing of note though was Tanahashi gesturing towards Kota Ibushi asking him to return to the back with his unit, not the BULLET CLUB. ***
Jay White, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Bad Luck Fale def. Chuckie T, Beretta, Toru Yano & Kazuchika Okada
Three for three so far as this was another a breeze to watch. Gedo and Jado were out at ringside for the OGs and predictably played a part in the match/finish. White is hitting on all cylinders, Okada still rocks, Best Friends are entertaining, G.O.D seem motivated and Fale and Yano were, well, Fale and Yano. ***
Super Junior Tag League 2018 Tournament Match
Robbie Eagles & Taiji Ishimori (2 points) def. Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask (0 points)
I was especially excited for this match, as my fellow Australian, Robbie Eagles was debuting in New Japan. While he didn’t show his full bag of tricks, I think his smoothness and talent came across. Tiger and Liger have been in some pretty fun matches this last month or so and this match was no different. I really liked the 450 to Liger’s knee from Eagles; emphasizing his “sniper of the skies” moniker and I hope he does to different body parts all tour. ***1/4
Super Junior Tag League 2018 Tournament Match
Volador Jr. & Soberano Jr. (2 points) def. ACH & Ryuske Taguchi (0 points)
Soberano nearly fell off the top rope during his entrance; luckily this was not an omen. Pretty good match, however, a little heavy on the comedy, but the work was too good to really dock it points for that. ACH is starting to get very over in Japan, which is a good sign as an ACH fan. The CMLL pair worked well and my god does Volador look different without hair. ***1/2
Super Junior Tag League 2018 Tournament Match
El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (2 points) def. Chris Sabin & KUSHIDA (0 points)
As the Motor City Machine Guns were one of my favorite acts when I first got into TNA and the Time Splitters were one of my favorite acts when I first got into New Japan, I had a big smile on my face for KUSHIDA and Sabins’ entrance. There were a few miscues which I’m sure will be sorted out. The Suzuki-gun pairing is such a great villainous champion team. This was a really good match. ***1/2
Super Junior Tag League 2018 Tournament Match
Shingo Takagi & BUSHI (2 points) def. SHO & YOH (0 points)
Firstly, this was a breezy show to watch, that did not feel like 2.5 hours and the crowd certainly helps that, but holy cow were they hot for this.
Shingo got a star reaction, BUSHI is more over then his push and Roppongi 3K are super popular which just made for a superheated match. The action was great, fast-paced crisp and clean — everything you want and expect from a New Japan Jr. tournament main event. There were a few near falls at the end that really had me going. I’ll play Mr. Obvious here and say this will be a super fun tour and maybe one of the best “Road To” tours. Post-match Shingo raised his fist to fist bump BUSHI which BUSHI didn’t comply instead of pointing to the entrance and the uninjured LIJ members came out in suits and did the five-man fist bump. ****1/4
