NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING
BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS 30 NIGHT 1
MAY 12, 2023
KORAKUEN HALL
TOKYO, JAPAN
Watch: NJPW World
Twenty of the best junior heavyweights in wrestling collide in a jam-packed Korakuen Hall to kick off the 30th annual Best of the Super Juniors tournament! The main event of this show will see Speedball Mike Bailey make his New Japan debut against the 4-time and defending Super Jr. Champion, Hiromu Takahashi!
This year’s Super Juniors tournament sees a slight format change, as the two block winners will face the runners-up of the opposing block in the semi-finals on May 26th in Yoyogi. The winners of the semi-finals will then go up against each other on May 28th in the finals in Ota City.
B BLOCK
CLARK CONNORS (W/ GEDO) (1-0, 2 POINTS) DEF. KEVIN KNIGHT (0-1, 0 POINTS)
The newest member of the revamped Bullet Club, “100 Proof” Clark Connors got a jump start on his tournament yesterday, jumping Kevin Knight at the end of the pre-tournament press conference. Knight gave him a receipt with a jump start here, but Connors took back control quickly after sending Knight into the corner posts multiple times. Connors’ work here was fine, but I expect him to find himself more as a heel with more work.
After a slight distraction from Gedo, Knight got caught with a spear from Connors. Connors then hit a new move, a cross-armed brainbuster called “No Chaser,” to score the first win of the tour. After the match, Gedo slid a chair into the ring which Connors used to beat the hell out of Knight. Not only could that be used as a setup for a Jr. Tag Title match down the road, but it could also be reasoning why a current champion in Knight does poorly in this tightly scheduled tournament.
Tomorrow, Connors takes on Robbie Eagles, while Knight moves on to Francesco Akira. ***1/4
A BLOCK
TAIJI ISHIMORI (1-0, 2 POINTS) DEF. RYUSUKE TAGUCHI (0-1, 0 POINTS)
Taguchi promised at the press conference to play this tournament straight, with no ass-based shenanigans. I didn’t buy it, but Taguchi played this one legit. He went right after Ishimori with dropkicks and quickly locked him in the Ankle Lock. Taguchi tried to pull Ishimori up into the Dodon, but Ishimori countered it into the Bone Lock to score the quick submission win. I can’t expect every Taguchi match to be 4 minutes of jam-packed, non-comedic action, but I sure can hope for it.
Taguchi looks to bounce back against Lio Rush tomorrow, while Ishimori takes on Titan. ***
B BLOCK
DAN MOLONEY (1-0, 2 POINTS) DEF. BUSHI (0-1, 0 POINTS)
It isn’t often you see a heavyweight lean down to junior heavyweight size, but that’s what Dan Moloney has done as the newest member of the United Empire. As someone who hasn’t kept the closest eye on RevPro, I was surprised to see Moloney’s name rumored for this spot in the tournament. But he has indeed slimmed down, with Moloney stating that he’s 250 pounds of power in a 190-pound frame.
Moloney looked fine here, although BUSHI got a good bit of offense in. Moloney shut him down, turning a BUSHI lungblower into a fisherman’s buster. He then hit the Gore – with the announcers noting that Rhyno himself passed it down to him – before scoring the win with the Drilla Killa.
Moloney will face Yoshinobu Kanemaru tomorrow. BUSHI takes on El Desperado. **1/2
A BLOCK
DOUKI (1-0, 2 POINTS) DEF. KUSHIDA (0-1, 0 POINTS)
This was the first match where the energy in the building made it feel like Best of the Super Juniors. KUSHIDA brought the aggression here, ripping at DOUKI’s arm to the point where the crowd started booing him. These two went after each other with holds, trying to win with their technical prowess. KUSHIDA controlled DOUKI for the most part, but DOUKI pulled off the upset special with a Skayde Special flash pin. I loved this match, as the crowd getting behind DOUKI really made this match.
Tomorrow, DOUKI faces Hiromu Takahashi, while KUSHIDA goes up against TJP in one of my most anticipated matches of the tournament. ***3/4
B BLOCK
MASTER WATO (1-0, 2 POINTS) DEF. FRANCESCO AKIRA (0-1, 0 POINTS)
Akira had control of the majority of this match. He had counters for Wato’s big offense and really held Wato in check. Wato went for the big German suplex, but Akira rolled through it and hit a double stomp. Akira went for Speedfire, but Wato turned it around and hit Recietemente to score the win. This was a match that I had trouble remembering as soon as the final bell rang.
Akira takes on Kevin Knight tomorrow, while Wato goes up against YOH. ***
A BLOCK
LIO RUSH (1-0, 2 POINTS) DEF. SHO (W/ EVIL) (0-1, 0 POINTS)
Much like Ryusuke Taguchi, SHO made a promise that he would work this tournament free of shenanigans. That promise was broken before the bell rang, as EVIL jumped Rush during his entrance. Rush survived an early run of offense to fight off both EVIL and SHO. The wrench got involved, but Rush dropped both EVIL and SHO with it before winning with the Final Hour. The House of Torture stuff works in short, midcard spots like this one. A solid piece of business.
Rush goes up against Taguchi tomorrow. SHO goes up against Mike Bailey. ***1/4
B BLOCK
ROBBIE EAGLES (1-0, 2 POINTS) DEF. YOH (0-1, 0 POINTS)
Eagles said that the B in B Block stood for Bob, and he proved it here with a solid win over YOH. YOH has been showing much more charisma lately, acting a bit smarmier than before. It’s a bit of life coming out of the usually bland guy that he had been, and it’s a welcome change. YOH had a bit of fire here going Eagles after he defected from CHAOS to join TMDK. But Eagles’ work on the knee would pay off, cutting off a YOH superkick with a low kick to the leg. He followed it up with a springboard dropkick to the knee before a flashing knee strike scored the win.
Eagles moves on to Clark Connors tomorrow, while YOH goes up against Master Wato. ***1/4
A BLOCK
TITÁN (1-0, 2 POINTS) DEF. TJP (0-1, 0 POINTS)
This is the third time Titán has beaten TJP in singles matches in the past year, with wins in last year’s Super Juniors and in a match leading up to a Jr. Tag Title match later in 2021. This was a smooth, technical affair. That describes TJP to a tee, a smooth technician that just works so well. TJP did well in avoiding Titán’s tornado DDT, hitting a pair of face washes and a springboard DDT of his own. But Titán would score with the tornado DDT before winning with his version of the Muta Lock.
TJP will face KUSHIDA tomorrow, while Titan goes up against Taiji Ishimori. ***1/2
B BLOCK
YOSHINOBU KANEMARU (1-0, 2 POINTS) DEF. EL DESPERADO (0-1, 0 POINTS)
This battle of former tag team champions looked to start off with class, as Kanemaru welcomed Desperado into the ring. But that was quickly revealed as a ruse, as Kanemaru got a jump start on the match by jumping Despy from behind. Kanemaru began the assault on the leg of Desperado, first with a Figure Four, then by dropping Despy on his knee on the floor. Desperado came back with leg work of his own, catching Kanemaru in a grounded Stretch Muffler before transitioning into Numero Dos.
Kanemaru would get another Figure Four in, sending Desperado to the floor where Kanemaru sent him into the post. After a countout tease, both men would stuff submission attempts, turning them into flash pin attempts. Despy scored with Guitarra De Angel for a nearfall, but Kanemaru caught him in a third Figure Four attempt. This one would get the job done, as Desperado tapped out, and Kanemaru scored his first two points of the tournament. The first 4-star match of the tournament, as these two know each other and worked together exceptionally well.
Kanemaru will take on Dan Moloney. Desperado goes up against BUSHI. ****
A BLOCK
SPEEDBALL MIKE BAILEY (1-0, 2 POINTS) DEF. HIROMU TAKAHASHI (0-1, 0 POINTS)
These two blitzed each other from the word go. Bailey drilled Takahashi with his patented kicks to start. When Hiromu got his feet under him, he brought Bailey into the crowd, suplexing him in the stands before hitting a shotgun dropkick down the walkway. Back in the ring, Bailey pulverized Hiromu with his strikes, landing the Knee-Sault for a nearfall. Hiromu came back with bombs of his own, but Bailey would always go back to the kicks before hitting a triangle moonsault to Hiromu on the floor.
Bailey met Hiromu on the apron and went for the Knee-Sault again, but Hiromu dodged it before scoring with the Sunset Flip Powerbomb off the apron – one of the first times he’s hit that move since returning from his broken neck. Back in the ring, Hiromu landed the Dynamite Plunger for a nearfall. But Bailey came back, reversing the Time Bomb into a rollup before hitting a Spanish Fly for a nearfall. Bailey swept Hiromu’s leg away on a superkick and sent him into the corner before landing a tornado kick. Bailey followed it up with the Ultima Weapon for the win and the main event upset special. The first capital-G Great match in this tournament, as these two went balls to the wall and beat the hell out of each other in this Korakuen Hall main event. These two have been two of 2023’s best wrestlers so far, and they came together to have a stellar bout here.
Mike Bailey continues his tournament against SHO. Hiromu looks to bounce back against Douki. ****1/4
That does it for today’s Super Juniors opener. I will be back next Friday for a Super Junior Roundup, where I will give updates on the standings and stories of the tournament, as well as match recommendations.
Standings
A Block
Speedball Mike Bailey – 2 points
Taiji Ishimori – 2 points
Lio Rush – 2 points
DOUKI – 2 points
Titán – 2 points
Hiromu Takahashi – 0 points
Ryusuke Taguchi – 0 points
SHO – 0 points
KUSHIDA – 0 points
TJP – 0 points
B Block
Robbie Eagles – 2 points
Yoshinobu Kanemaru – 2 points
Clark Connors – 2 points
Master Wato – 2 points
Dan Moloney – 2 points
El Desperado – 0 points
YOH – 0 points
BUSHI – 0 points
Kevin Knight – 0 points
Francesco Akira – 0 points
