Coverage
Mitchell’s NJPW WTL x BOSJ Results & Report! (11/25/20)
BOSJ, Round 5!
Best of the Super Juniors hits the halfway point!
World Tag League hit halftime, now so does Best of the Super Juniors! Will we see another shocker? Or will Hiromu and Ishimori stay on pace?
NOTE: NJPW no longer wants to feed AXS TV now that it is with Anthem and Impact Wrestling. But never fear, I will cover NJPW in the spirit of AXS in providing the most important matches of the show.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Best of the Super Juniors 27: Yuya Uemura VS Hiromu Takahashi; Hiromu wins.
- Best of the Super Juniors 27: Master Wato VS DOUKI; Wato wins.
- Best of the Super Juniors 27: Ryusuke Taguchi VS BUSHI; Bushi wins.
- Best of the Super Juniors 27: Robbie Eagles VS Taiji Ishimori; Ishimori wins.
- Best of the Super Juniors 27: SHO VS El Desperado; Desperado wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
Here are the current Best of the Super Juniors 27 standings!
Hiromu Takahashi: 3-1
Taiji Ishimori: 3-1
Master Wato: 3-1
SHO: 3-1
Ryusuke Taguchi: 2-2
El Desperado: 2-2
BUSHI: 2-2
Robbie Eagles: 2-2
DOUKI: 0-4
Yuya Uemura: 0-4
Yuya Uemura VS Hiromu Takahashi!
This Young Lion gave the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion quite the fight but still fell short. Will the Ticking Timebomb do even better than that to keep from having another loss?
The bell rings and fans cheer as Uemura is fired up. Hiromu takes it easy as he circles with Uemura. They tie up, Hiromu headlocks but Uemura powers out. They collide shoulders and Hiromu eggs the Young Lion on. They collide again, Uemura runs but Hiromu elbows him at the ropes. Hiromu runs and the two collide again! Neither falls and fans cheer! Uemura roars, runs but Hiromu follows, only for Uemura to run him over! Hiromu bails out, Uemura pursues, dodges, and scoops to SLAM him! Fans cheer Uemura as he goes to the apron. Uemura leaps to crossbody! Direct hit and Uemura fires up more! Uemura drags Hiromu up and puts him in the ring. Cover, TWO!
Uemura keeps his focus as he stomps Hiromu and goes after the legs. Hiromu scrambles around and gets the ropebreak. Uemura lets off to stomp away on Hiromu’s back, then brings him up for forearms and an uppercut. Uemura runs, Hiromu trips him and drags him out, to ram into railing! And more railing! Hiromu clutches his back before he shotgun dropkicks Uemura back into the railing! The ref checks but Uemura is okay to continue. Hiromu drags Uemura up, fans cheer as he puts Uemura back in. Hiromu has a cocky cover, ONE!
Hiromu grins as he grabs Uemura’s legs and ties them up, Cloverleaf BACKBREAKER! A unique combination and Hiromu brings Uemura back up for a scoop slam! Cover, TWO! Uemura clutches his back but fans cheer. Hiromu stomps Uemura, gets the legs again and has another Cloverleaf! For another backbreaker! Uemura writhes but Hiromu grins as he grabs the legs again. Fans rally but Hiromu gets Uemura for a Half Crab! Hiromu sits deep but Uemura crawls. Fans rally as Uemura endures, and Uemura gets the ropebreak! Hiromu lets off and talks some trash. Uemura gets up to throw a forearm but Hiromu eggs him on.
Uemura throws more forearms, but Hiromu avoids the dropkick! Uemura flounders because of his back but Hiromu gives him toying kicks. Fans rally up as Hiromu runs, and fakes out another dropkick! Uemura is down but fans rally up. Hiromu brings Uemura up, and CHOPS him to a corner! And whips him corner to corner, to run in, only for Uemura to boot! Uemura runs, but into an elbow! Hiromu runs, into the dropkick! Fans fire up as Uemura gets himself to a corner. Hiromu is in the opposite corner, Uemura fires up and runs corner to corner, back elbow! Uemura fires off furious forearms over and over and fans rally up!
Uemura whips corner to corner, runs in again, big dropkick! Cover, TWO! Uemura keeps on a leg but Hiromu kicks, into the FULL BOSTON CRAB! Uemura sits deep on Hiromu as fans rally again! Hiromu endures, powers up and reaches, but Uemura drags him from the ropes! Hiromu tries again, and gets the ropebreak! Uemura lets go and grits his teeth. Hiromu sits up but Uemura waistlocks! Hiromu elbows free, but swings into the waistlock! Hiromu holds off the lift, throws more elbows but Uemura lets him spin through, to a BIG back suplex! Cover, TWO, to an ARMBAR! Hiromu clasps hands, Uemura keeps pulling, and gets the hands apart!
Hiromu gets the ropebreak, Uemura holds until the count of 4! Uemura drags Hiromu up, traps the arms, but Hiromu drops to block. Uemura powers up to still lift him, but Hiromu slips out! Hiromu suplexes but Uemura fights that off, to suplex! Hiromu slips out again, waistlocks, but avoids a back elbow, only for Uemura to ROCK him with a right! Uemura fires up as fans rally, and he runs, into a SUPERKICK! Both men are down but fans rally again. Hiromu checks his jaw while stalking up behind Uemura. Hiromu drags Uemura around but Uemura crosses legs for a victory roll, TWO!! Hiromu mule kicks, but he runs into the TRAPPED ARM SUPLEX!
Uemura is fired up and the fans are thunderous! Uemura drags Hiromu up, wrenches and clamps on, but Hiromu ROCKS him! Uemura ROCKS Hiromu, roars and runs again, but into a LARIAT! Fans fire up again as Hiromu glares at Uemura. Hiromu drags Uemura up, FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO!! Uemura survives and Hiromu is surprised! Hiromu drags Uemura around to use the BOSTON CRAB on him! Hiromu sits deep, Uemura TAPS, Hiromu wins!
Winner: Hiromu Takahashi, by submission; now 4-1, Uemura is now 0-5
A rare way for the Timebomb to win, but he perhaps did it to teach Uemura a lesson. Will the Young Lion learn much from this fifth loss? As for Hiromu, he’s leading the way into the second half, will he lead all the way until the end?
Master Wato w/ Hiroyoshi Tenzan VS DOUKI!
The Way of the Grandmaster shocked El Desperado last round, and vows to be THE Best of the Super Juniors! But he now faces the other Suzuki-Gun member in this tournament! Will Wato sweep the most sadistic faction in NJPW on his way to the mountaintop?
As part of his entrance, Wato goes to the corner, but Douki attacks with his pipe! The ref reprimands, Douki tosses the pop and the bell rings. Douki clubs Wato, drags him up and CHOPS him! Douki whips, Wato reverses and drops but Douki brings him up to whip again. Douki hurdles, Wato leaps over the monkey flip, then comes back. Wato huricanranas and fans fire up! Wato dropkicks Douki out of the ring! Fans rally up as Wato builds speed, but Douki ducks. So Wato slingshots, but Douki feeds a Young Lion to the PLANCHA! Douki whips Wato into railing! Douki fetches his pipe, but the ref reprimands and stops him. Douki pushes the ref away but Tenzan steps in, so he gets jammed with the pipe! Douki then jams Wato anyway!
And uses the pipe to choke Wato! Douki stops before the ref returns, and he puts the pipe aside. Douki goes to the ring, Wato slowly gets up and the ring count starts. Tenzan coaches Wato up and Wato gets in. Douki drags Wato up to club him down, but fans rally. Douki clubs Wato again, but Wato hits back with body shots and forearms! Douki kicks low to DDT! Cover, TWO! Douki keeps his cool while he drags Wato back up. Douki scoops and slams Wato, to then run and double stomp! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up for Wato but Douki drags him up first. Douki CHOPS Wato down, then drags him back up. Douki bumps Wato off buckles but Wato hits back. Douki fires off forearms and digs his boot into Wato’s face.
The ref counts, Douki lets off at 4, then he brings Wato up to whip corner to corner. Douki runs in but Wato dodges and then ROUNDHOUSES Douki down! Fans cheer and Tenzan coaches Wato up. Wato drags Douki up but Douki rakes eyes! Douki suplexes but Wato slips out to waistlock. Douki elbows out then runs, but Wato hurdles, back elbows, back hands and sobats! Douki bails out and fans fire up as Wato aims. Wato slingshots but Douki moves, and Wato lands on the apron, to then FLYING RANA! Fans fire up with Wato and he gets back in the ring. Douki staggers up and around, Wato TORNILLOS! Fans fire up more as Wato drags Douki back up.
Wato clubs Douki then puts him in the ring at 9 of 20. Fans rally as Wato aims and springboards, for the flying uppercut! Cover, TWO! Wato drags Douki around, wrenches and reels him in, but Douki fights off the Mouse Trap. Wato KICKS Douki, then runs, but Douki uses the ref as as shield! Douki grabs Wato for the ITALIAN STRETCH #32! Wato endures and fans rally up, but Douki drags Wato down more! Wato scrambles and gets the ropebreak! Douki lets go at 3, and slashes his throat because he wants to end this. Douki goes to the apron, aims at Wato, and slingshots, DAY- NO! Wato blocks to scoop, but Douki slips out! Wato elbows the waistlock away but Douki kicks low.
Douki whips but Wato avoids the kick in the corner. Wato fires off forerams and elbows but Douki forearms back! They throw forearms back and forth, Douki enziguris! Knuckle lock cover, TWO! ITALIAN STRETCH! Fans rally as Wato struggles and moves around, to get another ropebreak! The ref counts, Douki lets go at 4, and he goes back to the apron. Douki aims, slingshots, DAYBREAK! Cover, TWO!! Wato survives but Douki keeps his focus. Douki brings Wato into the wheelbarrow, but Wato slips out to go for a suplex. Douki knees low then runs, but into a waistlock! Douki resists the lift, elbows then rakes eyes! The ref reprimands, Douki goes to a corner to run out and kick Wato down.
Douki brings Wato up, runs but Wato gets around to hook him up! Douki arm-drags free of the Mouse Trap but runs into a boot. Wato runs, crucifix takedown, to the MOUSE TRAP DRIVER! Cover, TWO!! Douki survives but fans rally up. Wato drags Douki up and scoops him, but Douki slips out to shove Wato at the ref! And then dropkicks him into the ref! The ref is down, and Douki gets his pipe! Douki aims and swings, but Wato sobats first! Wato runs, but into the PIPE! And then Douki PIPE SHOTS Wato down! Douki gets the ref, covers, TWO!! Wato survives and Douki is furious! Douki drags Wato around, into the wheelbarrow, but Wato victory rolls! TWO!
Wato and Douki flounder up, Douki uppercuts! Douki runs, into a ROUNDHOUSE! Douki fires up again, but he runs into TENZAN TOMBSTONE DRIVER! But the TTD isn’t enough for Wato, he goes up top! R P P!! Cover, Wato wins!
Winner: Master Wato, by pinfall; now 4-1, Douki is now 0-5
The Grandmaster wins and stays strong in the round robin! Will he become the Best of the Super Juniors after all?
Ryusuke Taguchi VS BUSHI!
The Funky Weapon was on the receiving end of a shocking defeat when Sho literally kicked his ass then shot him down with the Shock Arrow. Will Taguchi rise again, stronger than ever?
The bell rings and Taguchi seems to be playing the copycat game with Bushi. From being on the corner to stretching his arms the same way as they cricle, Taguchi does what Bushi does. Fans rally up and now Taguchi does his dance. Taguchi and Bushi approach and Taguchi tests the waters with spinning hip attacks. Bushi kicks and clubs Taguchi down, then stomps him! Bushi brings Taguchi up, whips but Taguchi reverses. Things speed up and Taguchi keeps side stepping and passing Bushi by. Bushi basement dropkicks but Taguchi avoids it! Fans cheer and Taguchi smirks as he wags his finger at Bushi. Taguchi sits Bushi up for a point blank hip attack. And then another!
Bushi goes to a corner, Taguchi whips him corner to corner, then runs in. Bushi dodges the corner attack to hit a back elbow. Bushi drags Taguchi to the corner and pulls him against the post! The ref reprimands but the damage has been done to the Funky Weapon! Bushi drags Taguchi out and whips him into railing! Taguchi writhes and the ref reprimands, but Bushi fetches Taguchi to put him in the ring. Fans cheer while Taguchi slow rolls. Bushi stomps Taguchi on the way out but follows him. Bushi stomps Taguchi at the railing, then drags Taguchi up to put him in. Taguchi slow rolls again, Bushi kicks him the rest of the way out. The ring count begins while Taguchi clutches a leg.
The count is 8 of 20 before Taguchi sits up, and then Taguchi slowly stands. The count is 13, then 14, but Taguchi takes his time until 19.5! Bushi stomps Taguchi down, digs his boot in, but the ref counts. Bushi lets off and Taguchi claims his leg hurts. Bushi drags Taguchi up and hits a neckbreaker! Cover, TWO! Fans rally but then Bushi grinds his boot into Taguchi’s guchi! The ref counts, Bushi stops at 3, and the ref checks on Taguchi. Bushi turns Taguchi over for an STF! Taguchi endures, moves around, and fans rally up as he reaches for ropes. Taguchi crawls and gets the ropebreak! Bushi claws Taguchi’s face but stops at 4.
Bushi stomps Taguchi, drags him up, but Taguchi hits back with body shots! Bushi kicks low, clubs Taguchi on the back, then whips him to ropes. Taguchi reverses but Bushi sunset flips. Taguchi stays up and pants himself! Bushi avoids the booty drop! Bushi stomps Taguchi then runs, but into the BARE ASS ATTACK! Bushi bails out, Taguchi runs and BARE ASS ATTACKS Bushi off the apron! Taguchi fires up and TRIANGLE PLANCHAS! A ring count starts, Taguchi walks off the landing but goes back to Bushi at 8 of 20. Taguchi puts Bushi back in and still keeps some of his butt bare, as he SPRINGBOARD HIP ATTACKS! Cover, TWO!
Fans rally up as Taguchi drags Bushi up. Taguchi suplexes but Bushi slips out to waistlock. Taguchi switches, dragon sleepers for reverse DDT! Cover, TWO! OH MY ANKLE LOCK! Bushi scrambles to get the ropebreak! Taguchi holds on until the ref counts, and then he rubs his butt in Bushi’s face! Is he twerking? The ref counts and Taguchi lets off to run and hip attack! And then again, only for Bushi to dump him out! Taguchi takes a tumble and Bushi builds speed, but Taguchi dropkicks the legs out! LA MAGISTROL! TWO! Fans rally up and Taguchi drags Bushi back up. Taguchi whips Bushi corner to corner, runs in but Bushi slips out to swing kick!
Bushi climbs up and leaps to missile dropkick! And Bushirooni! Taguchi ends up in the other corner but he dodges Bushi. Bushi puts Taguchi on the top rope! The Funky Weapon suffers major damage! The ref counts and Bushi lets off, but kicks the rope! Taguchi falls and Bushi goes out to the apron. Bushi drags Taguchi through ropes, DRAPING DDT to the arpon! Taguchi is hanging out of the ropes like his butt is out of his tights! Bushi drags Taguchi in, fireman’s carries, but Taguchi slips off. Bushi kicks low but runs into a sobat. Taguchi runs but into an enzugiri! Bushi runs but the Code Breaker is countered to OH MY ANKLE LOCK!
Taguchi cranks on the ankle, drags Bushi away but Bushi rolls! Taguchi holds on! Fans rally as Bushi endures more! Bushi crawls but Taguchi reels him into chicken wings! DODON- Victory roll! TWO and Taguchi sits on the cover, TWO! OH MY ANKLE LOCK! Taguchi cranks on the foot but Bushi still endures. Bushi stands up to enziguri, Taguchi ducks but Bushi mule kicks! Taguchi enziguris back! DODON- NO! Bushi hits the FISHERMAN SCREW! Cover, TWO!! Taguchi survives, gets to a corner, but Bushi brings him up to put him in the ropes. DRAPING BACKSTABBER! Bushi gets up again as fans rally.
Bushi aims at Taguchi from a corner, runs in, CODE BREAKER! Cover, TWO!! Taguchi survives but Bushi goes to the corner! Bushi fires up and climbs, then aims at Taguchi, for M X!! Cover, Bushi wins!!
Winner: Bushi, by pinfall; now 3-2, Taguchi is now 2-3
The Death Mask was the death of Taguchi’s hot streak! But is there still time for the Funky Weapon to reload? Or is Bushi going to beat him to the top of the BOSJ?
Robbie Eagles VS Taiji Ishimori!
Last round, the Sniper of the Sky was shot down while the Bone Soldier stood tall. Will Eagles be able to reload and hit a new target? Or will the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion make sure he still only owes one person a title match from this tournament?
The bell rings and Ishimori wants Eagles to Low Sweet him? But Eagles isn’t Bullet Club. Eagles kicks the Low Sweet away and the bell rings. Eagles dropkicks Ishimori down, then dropkicks him down again! Eagles knuckle locks Ishimori, cranks on the fingers, then CHOPS! Eagles goes up and around to arm-drag then dodges and ducks to huricanrana! Ishimori gets up but Eagles windmill kicks him down! Ishimori bails out, dodges the baseball slide and gets back in the ring. Eagles follows but Ishimori stomps him down. Ishimori throws hands, whips Eagles and goes to hip toss but Eagles rolls him to basement dropkick him! Fans cheer while Ishimori writhes.
Eagles KICKS Ishimori, and KICKS him again. Ishimori blocks th ekick to elbow th eleg then club Eagles’ back. Ishimori bumps Eagles off buckles, throws more haymakers, then brings him up to whip corner to conrre. Egales reverses, Ishimori slips out, around, and shoulders in. Springboard seated senton! Fans fire up and Ishimori drags Eagles up for a cravat. Eagles endures, even as Ishimori rams his shoulder in again and again. Ishimori snapmares and neck TWISTS! Eagles clutches his neck but Ishimori covers, ONE! Ishimori drags Eagles up to a chinlock, digs his knee in, and pulls Eagles back. Eagles endures and reaches but Ishimori puts him in a headscissor squeeze.
Fans rally as Eagles endures and moves around. Eagles turns and rolls and gets the ropebreak! Red Shoes counts, Ishimori gives one last jam as he lets go at 4. Ishimori brings Eagles up for a neckbreaker! Cover, TWO! Ishimori wraps Eagles up in a chinlock but fans rally as Eagles endures the grind. Ishimori shifts to a cover, ONE! He tries again, TWO! And again, TWO! And again, TWO! Eagles shakes his head as he gets out again. Ishimori brings Eagles up but Eagles throws body shots. Eagles CHOPS but Ishimori knees low! Ishimori CHOPS Eagles off his feet! Eagles gets to a corner but Ishimori CHOPS him again!
Ishimori wrenches and whips Eagles corner to corner, then runs in, but Eagles goes to boot. Ishimori blocks, turns Eagles sideways and kicks, before he runs side to side, for the SLIDING GERMAN! Cover, TWO! Fans rally while Eagles stirs. Ishimori takes his time to check his knee pads as Eagles gets to a corner. Ishimori runs in but Eagles elbows him away. Ishimori returns, Eagles drops down and slides to a sunset, but ishimori slips out. Ishimori swings into the roll up with bridge! TWO and Ishimori kicks low. Ishimori runs, Eagles gets around to rolling chop block! And blinside lariat! Both men are down and fans fire up!
Fans rally as the two stir, and Eagles sits up first. Eagles KICKS Ishimori, and KICKS, and KICKS! Eagles runs to SLIDING LEG LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Eagles keeps his cool and drags Ishimori up to CHOP! Eagles throws forearms, whips IShimori but Ishimori reverses. Ishimori runs into the corner but is put on the apron. Eagles enziguris Ishimori down then builds speed, to SOMERSAULT TOPE! Fans fire up with Eagles and he goes back to Ishimori. Eagles puts Ishimori in, covers, TWO! Ishimori goes to a corner but Eagles runs in to DOUBLE KNEES! Eagles rolls back and returns, into a BOOT! But Eagles Sweep-1-9’s, to METEORA! Cover, TWO!
Eagles keeps his focus as he goes out to the apron. Fans rally up, Eagles aims and springboards, to missile dropkick the legs out! Eagles grabs the legs, steps through but Ishimori cradle counters, TWO! Eagles kicks and whips Ishimori but Ishimori handsprings to NEURALIZER KICK! Both men are down but fans rally up again. Ishimori gets his bad leg moving and he kicks at Eagles. Ishimori rakes eyes, goes to a corner and runs back out, to shotgun dropkick Eagles to the other corner! Ishimori runs corner to corner, Eagles tries to dodge, the METEORA still gets his arm! Eagles clutches his elbow, Ishimori runs and tilt-o-whirls to the takedown! YES LOCK!
Eagles endures, crawls, but Ishimori pulls him away! Eagles still endures, Ishimori cranks on the crossface harder, but Eagles keeps moving around! Eagles is so close, and he gets the ropebreak with a foot! Ishimori lets go reluctantly but he slowly gets up. Ishimori says BANG and drags Eagles back up. But Eagles fights off Bloody Cross, bobs ‘n’ weaves to then block the clothesline with knees! ROUNDHOUSE, HEEL KICK, PELE! Eagles drags Ishimori back up, cravats, but no Sliced Bread! CIPHER- NO! Eagles counters to the RON MILLER SPECIAL!! Ishimori flails, reaches, crawls for ropes but Eagles cranks harder! Fans rally, Ishimori keeps crawling, but Eagles brings him away!
Eagles kicks away on Ishimori’s back, but Ishimori refuses to give in! Ishimori drags himself and Eagles over to the ROPEBREAK! Eagles lets go right away, but he’s frustrated. Eagles goes after Ishimori at the ropes for a SLICED BREAD! Cover, TWO! SUPERKICK! Eagles goes up fast, WARP 4.5, ONTO KNEES! Fans rally as Eagles staggers up. Ishimori gut wrenches him, for a SHOULDER BUSTER! Ishimori goes to the corner and gets his leg moving. Fans rally as Ishimori climbs. Ishimori 450’s onto Eagles’ knees!! Fans fire up as Eagles evens things with Ishimori! Fans rally up now and both men stir.
Eagles sits up first but Ishimori follows. Eagles throws a forearm from the mat, Ishimori forearms back. They go back and forth, fight their way up and throw more forearms! Fans rally up as they pick up speed! Eagles CHOPS and forearms, then kicks, kicks and sobats! Front kick, dropkick takes the legs out! Eagles runs, dodges but Ishimori JUMPING KNEES! Ishimori hops up, but Eagles throws him off! Ishimori elbows but his boot is blocked to a kick, body shot and grab, TURBO BACKPACK! Cover, TWO!! Both men are down but fans are fired up!
Eagles rises first and he drags Ishimori up. Eagles turns Ishimori and runs the corner, but no reverse sliced bread! Ishimori slams Eagles down and puts on the BONE LOCK!! Eagles reaches for ropes, Ishimori rolls him away, BLOODY CROSS!! Cover, Ishimori wins!!
Winner: Taiji Ishimori, by pinfall; now 4-1, Eagles is now 2-3
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion dodges a bullet to shoot Eagles down! But will he be able to keep this up in the BOSJ’s second half? As for Eagles, is he all but done in the round robin?
SHO VS El Desperado!
When he beat Taguchi, High Voltage beat the man who beat the man who beat the man who beat the champion! That is to say, Taguchi has also beaten Desperado in BOSJ 27, and Sho beat Taguchi. Will Sho double down and beat both the man who beat the man who beat the man who beat the champion and the man who beat the man who beat the champion?
The bell rings and fans cheer as the two circle. Sho and Desperado approach, feel out the grapple, but Desperado backs up to a corner. Sho backs off and the two go again. They knuckle lock but then Desperado pokes Sho’s eyes! Desperado clubs Sho on the back while laughs at him for being an idiot. Desperado turns around into Sho’s tackle! Sho ground ‘n’ pounds to then get the arm! Desperado clasps hands and moves around, Sho rolls to get a leg but Desperado resists. Sho pushes through to facelock then back mount then roll for the arm! Desperado holds the armbar off, rolls and gets Sho’s legs. Desperado goes after a leg but Sho trips him up again!
Sho has the heel hook but Desperado gets the ropes! The fans cheer as Sho lets off and resets. Desperado and Sho circle, Desperado shoots in for a foot but Sho holds off the takedown. Sho slips around to waistlock, half nelson, chinlock, then roll Desperado for the arm! Desperado gets the ropes just as Sho gets the armbar! Sho lets go and fans cheer as he stomps Desperado. Desperado gets to a corner, Sho knuckle locks then wrenches. Sho wrenches both arms for the pretzel keylock. Desperado talks trash but Sho sweeps the legs! Fans cheer as Sho stands tall over Desperado. Sho stomps Desperado more, KICKS him in the chest, then digs his boots in at the ropes.
Red Shoes reprimands, Sho lets off at 3, then taunts Desperado now as he throws forearms! Desperado ends up in a corner, Sho whips him corner to corner, but Desperado reverses. Desperado runs in but is put on the apron! Sho sweeps legs, runs but Desperado ducks the baseball slide! Desperado RAMS Sho into railing, then whips him into more railing! Sho flops down while fans cheer the aggression. Desperado drags Sho up as fans rally, then puts him in the corner to pull him against the post! Desperado SLAMS a leg against the steel! Sho flops out of the ring, Desperado SMASHES the knee on the floor!
Red Shoes checks on Sho while Desperado sneaks the ring bell hammer! Desperado also fetches himself a chair from under the ring. The chair hides the hammer but Red Shoes reprimands. Desperado gives Red Shoes the chair, to HAMMER Sho! And then HAMMER Sho’s leg! Desperado threatens Young Lions with the hammer before throwing it away. Desperado puts Sho in the ring, stalks him, then stomps him. Fans rally up for Sho but Desperado brings him up. Sho throws forearms but Desperado kicks the leg out! Desperado puts the leg on the ropes to springboard straddle attack it! Sho scrambles away and Desperado mockingly asks how he’s doing.
Desperado stands on the bad leg while fans rally, and Desperado keeps asking what’s wrong. Sho throws a forearm! Desperado eggs him on so Sho throws another forearm! Desperado rakes Sho’s eyes! Red Shoes reprimands, Desperado throws Sho down then knee breakers the leg! Then he drops down on it! Desperado has the butterfly deathlock on! Fans rally and Sho endures but Desperado bridges back to add pressure. Sho has Desperado sit up and CHOPS him! But that only causes Desperado to fall back! Sho sits Desperado up again and CHOPS, but again Desperado just falls back! Sho falls back but sits up to keep his shoulders off.
Desperado adds pressure to the legs, Sho endures and fights towards ropes. Fans rally up, Sho reaches but Desperado adds pressure. Sho reaches and gets the ropebreak! Desperado says he needs help undoing the hold and Red Shoes works to untie it. Desperado drops a knee on Sho’s knee, and “apologizes” about that. Desperado taunts Sho and then brings him back up. Desperado suplexes but Sho resists! Sho suplexes but the bad leg limits him! Desperado kicks the bad leg then drags Sho back up. Desperado brings Sho up but Sho suplexes him up and over after all! Fans rally up for Sho and Sho gets his bad leg moving.
Sho aims from a corner, runs corner to corner and clotheslines! Sho whips, wrenches but Desperado breaks free! Sho blocks the kick to give some kicks! And more kicks! Desperado covers up but Sho kicks him from behind! Sho kicks Desperado down then covers, TWO! Fans rally and Sho dead lifts Desperado in the waistlock but Desperado kicks and flails! Desperado elbows free, Sho forearms back. Sho runs, Desperado goes the other way but the spear is blocked! Sho knees then runs, but Desperado dropkicks the legs out! Desperado grabs the bad leg for a GROUND DRAGON SCREW! And then he splashes on the leg! And puts on STRETCH MUFFLER!
Sho endures and fans rally up, but Desperado drags Sho from the ropes! Desperado cranks on the leg, gets the arm, NUMERO DOS! Sho still crawls with his one arm, but Desperado tries to grab it! Sho gets the ropes first! Red Shoes counts and Desperado lets go reluctantly. Fans rally up and Desperado stands up. Desperado drags Sho up, reels him in, but Sho slips out of Guitarra to waistlock! Desperado kicks the bad leg then talks more trash. Desperado throws a forearm then another. Sho gets mad and eggs Desperado on. Fans rally as the forearms fly! Sho dares Desperado to bring it on and they start going back and forth! They go faster and faster, harder and harder!
Sho ROCKS Desperado then fires forearms from all sides! Now Sho mockingly asks what’s wrong, but Desperado kicks the bad leg! Desperado taunts Sho back and drags him up. Sho swings but into a spin and GUITARRA DE ANGEL! Cover, TWO!! Sho survives and fans fire up! Desperado grits his teeth and fires himself up as he drags Sho around. Desperado underhooks but Sho blocks the lift! Sho powers out to back drop Desperado away! Fans fire up again as Sho gets up. Desperado kicks the bad leg then whips Sho. Sho reverses and kitchen sink knees! But that was the bad leg!
Both men flounder about and Sho gets to a corner. Sho aims at Desperado, for a PENALTY KICK to the arm! And then a rolling takedown to the double wristlock! Desperado holds on but Sho gets the KIMURA! Sho taunts Desperado with “How do you like that?!” Desperado kicks and flails and gets the ropebreak! Sho lets off just long enough, and he drags Desperado up. Sho wrenches to an ELBOW BREAKER! And another! And another! Sho runs, but Desperado SPINEBUSTERS! STRETCH MUFFLER, but Sho turns over to get an inverted ARMBAR! A Disarmer even! Desperado endures, rolls, and covers, TWO! ARMBAR!
Desperado flails and gets another ropebreak! Sho holds until 4, and fans rally up. Sho taunts Desperado and kicks at him. Desperado stays on ropes so Sho just scrapes his boot off his head. Sho drags Desperado up but Desperado kicks the bad leg! Sho kicks the bad arm! BACKSTABBER! Sho pushes Desperado up to then run corner to corner for a BIG corner clothesline! Sho keeps moving, LARIAT! Fans fire up with Sho as he drags Desperado back up! Sho lifts for the POWER BREAKER! Cover, TWO!! Desperado survives but fans fire up for Sho!
Sho flounders over, aims his bow and brings Desperado back up. Desperado gets around, he and Sho dosido and Desperado grabs at Red Shoes! Sho dodges the low blow to KNEE! Sho reels Desperado in, double pump handles but Desperado lands out of Shock Arrow! Sho HEADBUTTS! Sho drags Desperado around but Desperado spins to victory roll! TWO!! Sho scrambles up, Desperado shoves him at Red Shoes, then turns him around for the RIGHT HAND! Desperado drags Sho in, PINCHE LOCO!! Cover, Desperado wins!!
Winner: El Desperado, by pinfall; now 3-2, Sho is now 3-2
Sho may have beaten Taguchi, who beat Desperado, but now Desperado has beaten Sho! Will this be the loss that short circuits Sho’s chances? As for Desperado, he gets the mic to speak. “Oi, oi, hold on. The champion, albeit the tag champion, is going to give you some praise here. Why leave so quickly? Don’t be an idiot.” Desperado says Sho isn’t weak, not at all. Sho stayed on the attack until the very end.
But y’know what? It’s not about strength, it’s about who wins! That’s why Desperado is a champion now! “You don’t get to talk about strength, because you didn’t have enough in the end.” Desperado will be winning the BOSJ, and Sho, with his bad leg, will lose the rest of his matches. “Too bad.” Desperado leaves with both his and Yoshinobu Kanemaru’s tag titles, but will he be adding the BOSJ trophy to the collection?
Here are the NEW Best of the Super Juniors 27 standings!
Hiromu Takahashi: 4-1
Taiji Ishimori: 4-1
Master Wato: 4-1
El Desperado: 3-2
BUSHI: 3-2
SHO: 3-2
Ryusuke Taguchi: 2-3
Robbie Eagles: 2-3
DOUKI: 0-5
Yuya Uemura: 0-5
My Thoughts:
A really good fifth round, but not much more than what we got last round. Uemura looked good again but Hiromu of course wins. I was surprised Hiromu debuted a new move like the Cloverleaf backbreaker here but it’s still a very clever combination. Wato as top three is a surprise in itself, and I feel like with Douki, he would’ve completed a sweep of Suzuki-Gun had Kanemaru not gotten injured. Ishimori of course stays up near the top, the champion can’t have more than two title matches owed with only WrestleKingdom left. Taguchi again weaponizes his bare ass but it backfires this time and Bushi stays in the middle of the block.
Sho VS Desperado was a great match, and it works out that Desperado wins here. Desperado stays just outside the top, but I bet this also sets up a Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship story, maybe Yoh and Kanemaru will both be back in time for WK15 to give us RPG3K VS Suzuki-Gun. That would be a great moment, especially for Sho & Yoh, and especially if they won the titles back. RPG3K’s reign got cut short, so starting the next one off with a WK15 victory to start 2021 would be perfect.
My Score: 8.9/10
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Will The Man be the Last Woman Standing?
Becky Lynch and Nia Jax want to finally put this to an end, so tonight on Raw, it will be a Big Time Last Woman Standing match! Will the Irresistible Force force the WrestleMania 40 match to change?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: #DIY VS The Creed Brothers; DIY wins and advances to WrestleMania.
- Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS Kayden Carter & Katana Chance; Candice & Indi win.
- Dominik Mysterio w/ JD McDonagh VS Ricochet; Ricochet wins.
- Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The Awesome Truth VS Indus Sher; win(s) and advance to WrestleMania.
- Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The New Day VS The Alpha Academy; wins and advance to WrestleMania.
- Last Woman Standing: Becky Lynch VS Nia Jax; wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
Jey Uso is here!
North Carolina State University fires up and bounces along with Main Event Jey, and Pat McAfee plays a dangerous game standing on the armchairs! From Bret VS Owen to Matt VS Jeff, we’re about to get Jey VS Jimmy in the third-ever Brother VS Brother WrestleMania grudge match! Jey gets the mic as fans chant “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Jey welcomes us to Monday Night Raw, and wants us to check this out. He knows his brothers are somewhere in the building. He knows The Bloodline’s in the building. He knows how the Bloodline rolls! SO Big Brother Jimmy, where you at?! Where you at, Uce!?
Jey waits for someone to show up somewhere, and the crowd spots them first! Fans boo as Jimmy & Solo make their way from the back of the stands. Jimmy gets a mic and goes to the apron while Solo paces around the outside. Fans chant “YEET! YEET! YEET!” again as Jey puts the sunglasses aside. The Usos stare each other down, the fans now chant “UCE! OH! UCE! OH!” Jey wants to say something, hesitates, but then says these two would always get to it but they always knew how to shake right back to this. But now it’s different. Regardless of what happened, the bad blood between them, Jey misses his brother. He does.
Jey knows Jimmy will say what he wants, but Jey doesn’t talk to him no more, doesn’t ride with him no more, doesn’t even see him no more! Jimmy can just come back. Jimmy says he never left! He protected Jey! Jey’s so dumb, he can’t see it! Jimmy is protecting Jey! It was Jey’s idea to leave The Bloodline, but Jimmy helped because he is Jey’s brother. So yeah, Jey leaves, and what happens? Lil’ Bro becomes the BIGGEST star on the Raw roster! Lil’ Bro becomes the top merch seller! Lil’ Bro goes off to become a tag team champion without Jimmy, but with CODY RHODES!? Who left who, Uce?
Jey forgot Jimmy! Everything Jey did that was big was cuz of Big Bro Jimmy! Everything! So listen loud and clear. The biggest moment in Jey’s career, the BIGGEST moment, is because of Jimmy! Jimmy stares Jey down, but Jey says no. Jey’s biggest moment in his career is going to be his dream match at WrestleMania 40: Jey VS Jimmy, and Jey knocks the yeet out Jimmy’s ass! Jey DECKS Jimmy, DECKS Solo off the apron, but then Jimmy SUPERKICKS Jey down! The fans boo but now Solo storms in and looms over Jey. Solo drags Jey up so Jimmy can look him in the face and tell him that Jey needs to get it right! JIMMY made Jey!
But here comes Cody Rhodes! The fans fire up as Cody DECKS Jimmy, then gets in to springboard and CODY CUTTER Solo!! The American Nightmare said he was gonna be a Bloodline Hunter, and he made sure they didn’t take out Jey! Cody tells The Bloodline it is only a matter of time before they lose it all at WrestleMania! Will Jey prove that younger or older doesn’t matter when he is the BETTER brother?
Adam Pearce is on the phone.
He’s telling Nick Aldis to stop being a hypocrite, telling Pearce to keep his roster in check when this is happening. But then Paul Heyman walks over and Pearce says he’ll call Aldis back. Pearce then asks Heyman what was all that, and Heyman says he owes Pearce an apology. He is sorry. That was not authorized by The Final Boss nor The Tribal Chief, and certainly not by Heyman. Jimmy & Solo went into business for themselves so Heyman apologizes. But listen, Pearce knows that there have been flight delays all day. Even private jets like theirs. Heyman is barely even dressed for TV, let alone has his make-up!
Pearce says those two were ready. Yeah, well, they got in on a different flight. But Roman Reigns is a chief of his word. Those two are already gone, out of the arena, and Pearce has Roman’s word. Call his bluff, put out a search party. Pearce knows Heyman is here on official business, which Heyman will handle, and then be gone. That is it. But when Heyman does his official business… everyone will be caught off guard. “And Mr. Pearce, sir, that’s not a prediction. That’s a spoiler.” The Wise Man heads out and calls Roman, but just what is Heyman teasing?
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: #DIY VS The Creed Brothers!
Unlike SmackDown’s mini-tournament, Raw and Adam Pearce say it’s win and you’re in! Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano want one more shot at Judgment Day, but so do Julius & Brutus! Will the Sicilian Psycho & Johnny Wrestling prove that when it comes to Mania Moments, you gotta do it yourself? Or will the Creeds be bringing golden tickets to the Diamond Mine?
Raw returns as The Creeds make their entrance. The teams fist bump to show respect, then the teams sort out. Julius starts against Ciampa, they circle and tie up. They’re in a deadlock, Ciampa goes for a waistlock but Julius facelocks. Julius wrangles Ciampa to the mat, flips him over, ONE, and Ciampa keeps moving. They trade facelocks, gator roll, and Julius gets another lateral press. ONE, but Julius gator rolls Ciampa around. Ciampa fights up, puts Julius on ropes, and the ref counts. Ciampa lets off, then CHOPS! Julius shoots in for the takedown! Julius has a leg, Ciampa fights but Julius turns him for the ANKLE LOCK!
Ciampa scrambles to the ROPEBREAK, and Julius lets off cleanly. Ciampa bails out, shakes it off, and he gets back in. They go again, Julius hits a fireman’s carry takeover! Tag to Brutus, and Julius feeds Ciampa to another fireman’s carry takeover! Brutus cording holds but Ciampa endures. Ciampa fights up, but Brutus facelocks. The fans rally as Brutus switches and rolls Ciampa. Ciampa fights up, headlocks, then ROCKS Brutus! Brutus DECKS Ciampa, then whips him to ropes. Ciampa ducks ‘n’ dodges, tag to Gargano! Ciampa slides, CHOPS, Gargano LARIATS and Ciampa JAWBREAKERS! Wrench and LARIAT!
Julius runs in, Gargano kicks and Ciampa gives him the boost for SLICED BREAD! The Creeds bail out, but DIY DOUBLE PLANCHA! Down go the Creeds, and DIY applaud and pat themselves on the back. The fans fire up and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Ciampa has Julius in a chinlock. The fans rally, Julius fights up to throw body shots, but Ciampa hits a back suplex! Julius lands out of it, but Ciampa elbows him away. Ciampa drop toeholds Julius, gets legs, but Julius BOOTS Ciampa away! Hot tags to Gargano and Brutus! Brutus rallies on DIY, TOSSES Gargano, then blocks Ciampa’s kick to get under and POWERBOMB him! Brutus sees DIY regroup, then he runs in to SPLASH them both! O’Conner on Ciampa, but Gargano runs up! NORTHERN LIGHTS! Brutus has a DOUBLE BRIDGE, TWO!! Tag to Julius and he gut wrench SLAMS Brutus on Ciampa!
Brutus helps Julius flip up and over to SPLASH onto Ciampa! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up as Julius drags Ciampa up. Ciampa throat chops! A bit dirty but Ciampa wants that win! Ciampa storms up on Julius, but Julius basement stalling suplexes!! The fans are thunderous, Gargano runs in, but Brutus intercepts! Brutus suplexes Gargano now, stalls, and then the Creeds SLAM and kip up! Then they both STANDING MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Ciampa stays in this for DIY but the Creeds keep cool. Julius stomps Ciampa, tags Brutus, and they KNEE Ciampa around! Then they DOUBLE GUTBUSTER! Ciampa sputters but Brutus tags Julius in.
Julius drags Ciampa up, tags Brutus back in, and Brutus climbs. Julius Electric Chair Lifts, but Gargano makes the save! Gargano ROCKS Julius, Brutus ROCKS Gargano! Ciampa BOOTS Brutus, Gargano swings on Julius but is sent into Ciampa! Ciampa pushes Gargano back so he can ELBOW Julius! DIY set up again but Brutus stops the Sliced Bread! Julius DECKS Ciampa, KNEE into the WIDOWMAKER! Julius scrapes Gargano out, Brutus POUNCES Ciampa over the desk! Pat fires up with Brutus and so do the fans! The Creeds say they run this now, and then Brutus drags Ciampa up while Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Julius has Ciampa in a chinlock. Ciampa fights up, and he JAWBREAKERS free! Ciampa ELBOWS Brutus down, BOOTS Julius, then runs up, only for Julius to catch him and toss him back! But then Ciampa catches Julius for a REVERSE DDT! The fans fire up while both men are down and crawling! Hot tag to Gargano! Gargano slingshots to KICK Julius, then he CLOBBERS Brutus! ENZIGIRI for Julius, then he runs to DOUBLE KNEE Brutus! BULLDOG LARIAT COMBO! The fans fire up with Gargano while Julius ends up in another corner. Gargano runs in but is put on the apron!
Gargano GAMANGIRIS Julius, SUPERKICKS Brutus, then SLINGSHOT SPEARS Julius! Cover, TWO! Julius survives but Gargano puts him in a corner. Gargano CHOPS, then hoists Julius up top. Tag to Ciampa, Ciampa CHOPS Julius while Gargano DIVES onto Brutus! Ciampa CHOPS Julius again, goes up top, and fireman’s carries! Ciampa then tucks Julius in for the SUPER AIR RAID CRASH! Cover, TWO!! Julius survives again and shocks Ciampa! The fans are just as stunned, but Ciampa and Julius sit up. Ciampa stands, and he CHOPS! And CHOPS! Julius sits back up as Ciampa puts some stank on the CHOP!
Julius brings the straps down! Julius fires a forearm, Ciampa hits back, and the fans fire up as the shots keep going! They go faster and faster, harder and harder, meaner and meaner! The fans fire up as this just turns into a brawl of haymakers and SLAPS! Ciampa then gets around, ripcord and HAYMAKER! ROLLING- TACKLE from Julius! And then the ANKLE LOCK!! Ciampa reaches out, moves around, but Gargano runs up! Julius kicks him, then gets him up with one arm to POWERBOMB! Then it’s back to the ANKLE LOCK on Ciampa! Brutus gets in to get Gargano for an ANKLE LOCK of his own!
The fans are thunderous as DIY endures! Ciampa and Gargano fight, turn things over, SICILIAN CROSSFACE and GargaNO Escape!! The fans are thunderous as The Creeds power up and lift both DIY! They fireman’s carry, then TOSS DIY into each other!! The fans are thunderous as Julius goes up to MOONSAULT onto Ciampa! Brutus MOONSAULTS, too! Cover, TWO?!?! Ciampa survives and the fans are loving this! Julius tags back in, Brutus climbs up! “This is Awesome!” as Julius Electric Chair Lifts Ciampa! But Ciampa VICTORY ROLLS to get under the Brutus Ball!! Cover, Brutus tips it! Gargano TOSSES Brutus then SUPERKICKS Julius!! Ciampa has the cover, DIY WINS!!
Winners: DIY, by pinfall (advance to WrestleMania)
Julius can’t believe it! He kicked out at 3.1, but a loss is a loss! And for the first time ever, DIY is going to Mania! Will Philadelphia soon be historic for a DIY championship victory?
Judgment Day meets backstage.
Rhea Ripley is with Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor & JD McDonagh, but also Andrade. Dom says he’s always liked Andrade’s style, but things have changed since the last time he was in the WWE. The Judgment Day runs Raw now. Rhea says yeah, and they don’t extend invitations to just anyone. Judgment Day is very exclusive. JD says very exclusive. But if Andrade continues to impress them, they’ll see about making things happen. And Finn says he just heard that Andrade has a match next week, so the Judgment Day will be watching him. Sounds good. See you next week. But then in steps Damian Priest.
The Punisher says hello to El Idolo, and El Idolo says hello to Senor Dinero. Andrade heads out, will he quite literally win his way into the club? But as for Priest, Finn asks him what he was up to. Priest was getting a closer look at that DIY VS Creeds match. DIY won, but whatever, they can handle those guys. But JD, they thought he could handle Ricochet last week, and run the gauntlet, and then go to WrestleMania to bring even more gold back to Judgment Day. JD says he did he belonged in there. But also, he battered Ricochet, who got lucky at the end there. Right, Finn? Finn hesitates, and Rhea says Priest is right on this one.
Ricochet made a fool out of JD! A fool? Yes. A fool? Yes. That’s why tonight, Dom will make it right. Right, Dom? Yeah, Mami. Let’s go talk to Pearce to make it official. Dom & JD head out, and the others are confident Dom’s got this. But does he, though? Or will the One and Only have two wins over Judgment Day in as many weeks?
Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS Kayden Carter & Katana Chance!
The Poison Pixie certainly lived up to that name last week when she bullied Maxxine Dupri as part of beating her and Ivy Nile last week. Will Candice’s toxic tongue strike again? Or will the party not be stopped by her harsh vibes?
The teams sort out and Candice starts against Kayden. Candice rushes up, Kayden gets around and O’Conner Rolls, TWO! Kayden springboards to basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Kayden stalks Candice, Candice ELBOWS her away then tags Indi. Kayden dodges Candice to SUPERKICK, but Indi BOOTS Kayden! Cover, TWO! Indi drags Kayden up, tags Candice back in, and they mug Kayden. Candice CLUBS away on Kayden, fires off furious fists, then covers. TWO, and Candice grows frustrated already. The fans rally, Candice steps up but Kayden avoids the senton! Tags to Katana and Indi! Katana blasts past Indi, comes back and BULLDOGS!
Katana keeps moving, ducks ‘n’ dodges, then SHOTGUNS Indi to a corner! The fans fire up as Katana stomps away on Indi! Indi shoves Katana, Katana runs corner to corner to A-LIST LARIAT! Katana shoves Indi down, runs up, but into a back suplex! Katana lands out, but her leg jams! The ref and Kayden check, then the ref keeps Indi back. Indi says okay, and she stays by Candice. But Candice tags in to WRECK Kayden! And she SLAMS Katana’s leg into the post!! HALF CRAB and DEEP! Katana taps, Candice & Indi win!
Winners: Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell, by submission
Candice smiles and celebrates with Indi, but Indi doesn’t want to. Candice says a win is a win, but just what is going on in her toxic mind?
Cody Rhodes makes his way to the ring.
NC State fires up again as The American Nightmare walks down the ramp, and this time the fans can sing along with the song, “WHOA~ OH~!” Cody gets his pyro then gets the mic. “In less than three weeks time, I will stand opposed for the second year in a row, in the main event, with the lights on brightest, I will challenge for the WWE Undisputed Championship, against the greatest champion in all of sports, The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. And this Friday on SmackDown, Roman and I are going to have a little conversation, if you will. But there are… complications. Factors, elements, combustible elements, namely… The Rock.”
Fans boo but Cody says The Rock took to Instagram on Friday, and followed it up with “extremely entertaining” concert. Too bad The Rock didn’t wanna be here tonight. Something Cody took from the Instagram post: The Rock referred to himself as “Our Favorite Heel.” A bit of an inside term, but we’re not dumb, we know that means he’s the “bad guy.” Cody has known Heels. Bobby Heenan, Arn Anderson, Michael Hayes, “Superstar” Billy Graham, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair! Fans “WOO~” and Cody says he doesn’t think The Rock is a Heel. He’s just an assh*le. The fans go nuts hearing that!
Cody doesn’t want Rock getting upset, he doesn’t want the “seven bucks team” to get upset, he doesn’t want anyone getting emotional. Cody knows how Rock feels about emotions, he poked fun at Cody tearing up at discussing “finishing the story” with good friend, Michael Cole. There’s no crying in pro-wrestling, Jimmy Dugan, we get it. But hasn’t The Rock been crying behind the scenes this whole time? Once that hashtag came out, once fans chanted something else, The Rock cried to his buddies on the TKO board and said “Hey, this is gonna be some good PR for The Rock! I need to save WWE!” God knows, look at this house. They sure needed “saving,” huh?
The fans cheer but Cody says Rock wanted great PR. Until it wasn’t. TKO said OMG yes, put on the Gucci shirt, get those muscles looking big. It’s because they are Yes People, they are enablers, they won’t dare tell The Rock like it is, so Cody’s going to. Cody tells The Rock, “You’re a lot of things. You’re a lot of wonderful things. You are the Braham Bull, you are The Great One.” Cody still has shoes with The Rock’s logo on it! The Rock is the only guy Cody honestly feels is a Mount Rushmore wrestler. But he is also a terrible salesman, a carny succubus, and for those who don’t get what that means, The Rock is “a whiny b*tch!”
Fans lose their minds again but Cody says The Rock has been convinced otherwise. But don’t think that for two seconds this locker room needs The Rock more than The Rock needs it! That’s a rule of wrestling, nobody is bigger than the business! And sure, Cody brought up his mom, so it is fair game for The Rock to use that. But Cody knows The Rock’s mom. Here’s what Cody will tell us about The Rock’s mom. She is a wonderful lady, salt of the earth, she helped Cody chop Kevin in a dark match. Cody has nothing but respect for The Rock’s mom, something The Rock should’ve echoed back towards Cody’s mom.
But see, The Rock was talking about whipping Cody, handing a bloody weight belt to Cody’s mom, and normally someone as powerful as The Rock, Mama Rhodes would tremble. But The Rock doesn’t know Cody’s mom. Cody was more scared than she was, because she ain’t scared of nothing. This is the same woman who once jumped out of her chair at a Willie Nelson concert and beat up an undercover cop! She ain’t afraid of The Rock! Cody has been asked, April 6th, biggest tag match of all time, Rock & Roman VS Cody & Seth. Seth Rollins, the World Heavyweight Champion, a man The Rock should respect because that man has carried The Rock’s company!
How will Cody get past that match? How will April 7th look? Will it be a fair fight? Cody can tell us honestly… He doesn’t know. Cody does not know if it will be Bloodline Rules or not. Hell, he might not #FinishTheStory. “But Dwayne… What do you know? How can you be so sure of your own self, right?” The Rock hasn’t been in the ring in real action in years! April 6th, the bell is gonna ring, and what happens then? Is The Rock gonna bring The Great One, the hero we all had growing up? Is he bringing that #BigDwayneEnergy? Or is it gonna be LDS, Little D*ck Syndrome?! The fans chant “L D S! L D S!”
Cody says The Rock has referred to himself as The Final Boss. Kudos for that nickname, maybe he really is that. Maybe Cody is too naive to see it. But at WrestleMania, Cody doesn’t think The Rock will be The Final Boss. At WrestleMania, he’s just Roman’s side chick. But then ladies and gentlemen, his name is Paul Heyman, and he serves as The Wise Man to Your Tribal Chief, the reigning! Defending! Undisputed! WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion, Roman… Reigns! And as Special Counsel to the Bloodline, Heyman is here to say to Cody that the ideals that Cody and Heyman share are far greater than the interests on which they conflict.
By example, don’t you hate it when someone comes out to demand an apology? Not that Cody’s done that, but Heyman is still going to do that. Heyman came out here with some “friends” of his, and he apologized. For a Wise Man, that was pretty freakin’ stupid. One: because it didn’t work. Two: because it was just dumb. And for that, Cody, to you and the fans, Heyman humbly apologizes. Cody says whoa, whoa, whoa. He didn’t ask for an apology, and he certainly knows Heyman wants permission to be in the ring. Heyman is a Hall of Famer starting this year, if he wants into the ring, be Cody’s guest.
Heyman thanks Cody for that but he’s fine on the apron. He carries with him a message from The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. Talk about Heels… You may think of Heyman anything negative you want, and that might be understanding the obvious. Heyman is not trustworthy, but Roman is a chief of his word. Heyman assures that this Friday on SmackDown, Roman will be face to face with Cody. American Nightmare, Tribal Chief, challenger and champion. And when they are face to face, there will not be a single other member of The Bloodline in sight. Except for Heyman, but he is no physical threat.
Heyman holds the title belt, the beads, whispers things in Roman’s ear, such as his love and respect. But Cody has Roman’s word that if he shows up on SmackDown, Roman will show up alone. Cody says Roman shows up alone, no Bloodline outside of Heyman, it’s a deal. They good? Heyman has some jet lag, he forgot one little point. And don’t boo him, he’s talking to Cody! Cody says yes they’re booing, and he’s about to go full Homelander and rip Heyman’s throat out if he doesn’t get to the point. Fans like the reference. Heyman composes himself and says if Roman Reigns shows up alone this Friday on SmackDown, then Cody must show up to SmackDown alone, too.
Cody steps closer to Heyman and Heyman is a bit nervous. Cody tells Heyman, “Deal!” They shake hands, and Heyman smiles. The Wise Man negotiated a purely one-on-one meeting between his Tribal Chief and American Nightmare, but can we trust Heyman was telling the truth about Roman telling the truth?
Nia Jax speaks.
“You know what I’ve realized? Becky Lynch has never beaten me. And after tonight, she never will. Because after I break her face again, I will be taking her spot at WrestleMania. I will finish business with Rhea Ripley, and not only will I walk out the Last Woman Standing, but I will become Women’s World Champion.” The Irresistible Force is ready for the Big Time, but will she A-Nia-late her?
Cody Rhodes returns backstage.
And Jey says there he go! But real quick, Cody can’t be going to SmackDown alone. Cody says he gave them his word. But The Bloodline isn’t gonna play fair! They’re all gonna be there! If Cody needs Jey, Jeys’ got him. Cody hears that, but he knows what he’s dealing with. They shake hands and Jey heads out. Will Cody be able to have that fair, one-on-one meeting? Or does Jey have a point about The Bloodline?
Dominik Mysterio w/ JD McDonagh VS Ricochet!
It seems Pearce agreed to the idea that Dirty Dom should try and clean up The Irish Ace’s mess. Will Dom be able to get revenge on Ricochet? Or will Ricochet be the One and Only person holding their head high tonight?
Raw returns and Dom has made his entrance. The bell rings, Dom and Ricochet circle, and they tie up. Ricochet waistlocks, Dom fights the lift and grabs ropes. The ref counts, Ricochet lets off, but Dom ELBOWS him away! Dom fires hands, soaks up the heat, then storms up, but into haymakers! Ricochet CHOPS, kicks then flexes on Dom. Ricochet whips, Dom reverses, but Ricochet goes up and over. Ricochet ducks ‘n’ dodges to then handspring back elbow! The fans fire up while Dom bails out! JD is there to coach Dom up, but Ricochet runs in! JD gets Dom to safety, but Ricochet handsprings to hero land!
The fans fire up, Ricochet then goes to ropes to TORNILLO PLANCHA! Direct hit on Dom and Ricochet tells JD to back off. Ricochet puts Dom in, Dom distracts the ref, but JD grabs Ricochet’s leg! Ricochet kicks JD away, but then Dom WRECKS Ricochet with a dropkick! Dom soaks up the heat and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Dom has Ricochet up top. Dom climbs but Ricochet throws body shots! The fans rally behind Ricochet as he sends Dom staggering. Ricochet hops down as Dom comes running back, and Ricochet GAMANGIRIS him away! Ricochet then springboards, but Dom trips him up! Ricochet flops to the mat, then Dom kicks and FACEBUSTERS! Cover, TWO! Ricochet is still in this and JD argues the count. Dom looms over Ricochet, scuffs him around, then mockingly cheers him on. Fans boo but Dom brings Ricochet up. Dom gives some Latino Heat, then suplexes! Uno Amigo, but fans boo.
Dom gets Ricochet up but Ricochet suplexes Dom instead! And then fireman’s carry, DYNAMITE KICK! Cover, TWO! Dom is still in this and JD coaches him but the fans rally for Ricochet. Ricochet stands, storms up on Dom, but Dom shoots around to roll him up! With tights! TWO, Ricochet blocks a kick and KICKS Dom down! Ricochet hurries up top, the fans fire up, but Ricochet has to bail out of the 450 as Dom moves! Dom runs in again, but into a SUPERKICK! JD gets on the apron, so Ricochet triangle jump DROPKICKS! But then Dom DROPKICKS Ricochet onto ropes! Dom dials it up but Ricochet ducks!
Dom spins around, into the RECOIL!! Cover, Ricochet wins!
Winner: Ricochet, by pinfall
But then JD runs in! Ricochet dodges, goes up and around, BOOTS JD away, then BOOTS him again! Ricochet even flips up and out of the ring at the same time! Ricochet gets the better of Judgment Day again, just how disappointed is Mami going to be in her Latino Heat this time?
Sami Zayn is backstage.
He finds Chad Gable and wants to talk with him. Last week’s match, that was an honor. Sami hasn’t been pushed like that in a long time, it could’ve gone either way. Gable says yeah, it was great. Thanks. Is Gable alright? Yeah, he’s fine. Kinda feels like not… Gable says he’s fine, so leave it at that. C’mon, man, how many years have they known each other? Sami knows when something’s bothering Gable, so he should just say it. Gable says look, last week, the WrestleMania opportunity, the whole thing, it just meant more to him. Sami says he’s been hearing Gable say that for weeks, and it is really unfair.
Does Gable really think he’s the only one this title opportunity matters to? Sami has a family, too! Sami’s kid cries when Papa loses a match, too. Sami has people he’s let down and is trying to make proud. After all the years put into this, Gable can’t tell Sami what matters more because he doesn’t know Sami like that. Gable has Sami calm down, and says he knows all that. But it isn’t all about that. Then what is all this? Gable says Sami can’t beat Gunther. Gable then leaves, and Sami is at a loss for words. Is this bitter side of Gable only going to get worse as we go down this Road to WrestleMania?
Adam Pearce is in the ring.
Raw returns with the GM by a table, and he welcomes us to a contract signing to make official the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship for WrestleMania! The fans cheer, and Pearce introduces first, the challenger, Sami Zayn! The Great Liberator makes his entrance and the fans sing along with his song. Sami still looks troubled by what Gable said just moments ago, but he still high-fives fans and gets in the ring. Then Pearce introduces the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time, Der Ring General, GUNTHER! The fans boo as Gunther walks in, having reached Day 647!
Gunther smiles as Sami watches him make his way down the ramp and into the ring. Pearce says we know how this works, but Gunther says before we proceed, let us call this what it is: the most important contract signing for the most important match in the history of this championship. And why, why, why is the challenger dressed no better than any of the bums in the audience? Fans boo but Sami just shrugs that off. Sami gets a mic to say that Gunther keeps sitting there all smug, and it’s really starting to piss Sami off. Gunther thinks this is just another day at the office, that he’ll steamroll through Sami like any other contender.
But with all respect to Gunther, he really has. He has beaten everyone that has come his way, and has done it on his own. Gunther doesn’t believe Sami can do it. A lot of people didn’t believe Sami at many points in his career. They didn’t believe he’d even make it to WWE, let alone win championships and main event a WrestleMania. And if you ask The Usos, they didn’t believe Sami would be one of the guys to end the longest tag title reign in WWE history, but he did! And one year later, he will make history again by ending the longest Intercontinental title reign in WWE history! Sami signs his part and pushes the contract over to Gunther.
The fans cheer Sami on but Gunther waits it out. Gunther tells Sami, what Sami should do is listen to his new friend, Gable. Gable doesn’t believe Sami can win. The people here cheer Sami, they probably even love Sami. But even they don’t believe Sami can win. And y’know, when Gunther looks Sami in the eyes, and if Sami was honest with himself, even Sami doesn’t believe he can win. So what Sami is doing right now is standing on Gunther’s doorstep and begging him to get the beating of a lifetime on the Grandest Stage of Them All! So whatever Sami has to do, from training to believing, just keep doing that. Because at WrestleMania, Sami’s dreams will meet reality.
Gunther grins and signs his part, and it is now official! Gunther then stands, title on his shoulder, and takes his leave. The fans boo, but then Sami tells Gunther to wait. Gunther steps back inside to hear Sami as Sami turns around. Gunther looks in Sami’s eyes and believes Sami doesn’t believe? Sami stands to get in Gunther’s face and dares him to look again. Get a good long look, because these are the eyes of the man who will take you down at Mania! The fans fire up, and now Sami leaves first. Gunther still just grins, but will Sami use a Helluva Kick to wipe that smile off his face?
We follow Sami as he storms backstage, right past DIY and The Awesome Truth. Truth asks what’s up with Sami, but The Miz says that is the mindset of WrestleMania right there. That’s what they need. DIY wishes Awesome Truth luck. Awesome Truth knows DIY is into the ladder match, and they are gonna have their own qualifier. Miz & Truth just need to beat… Indus Sher. Jinder Mahal tells Veer & Sanga to warm up for the match. They head out, and Truth says he feels sorry for whoever has to face those guys. Miz stares at Truth, and he has DIY hold off. Miz will explain. The Awesome Truth heads to gorilla, their match is next!
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The Awesome Truth VS Indus Sher!
Miz wants a remix of the theme song but Truth says to just follow his lead. NC State knows what’s up, but will the Awesome Truth finally reach the top of the tag division 13 years after they first teamed? We’ll see, after the break!
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We’re just one step away from the Cup!
Cold Skull faces The Fierce Warrior, and Gene Blast faces The King of Darkness, and when the smoke clears, we will have our New Japan Cup finalists!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Boltin Oleg & Shoma Kato VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Mikey Nicholls; ZSJ & Mikey win.
- Six Man Tag: El Desperado, Tomohiro Ishii & Togi Makabe VS Just5Guys; Just5Guys win.
- Tanga Loa & Ryusuke Taguchi VS Great-O-Khan & Callum Newman; Loa & Taguchi win.
- Six Man Tag: YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano & Hiroyoshi Tenzan VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
- 8 Man Tag: Shota Umino, El Phantasmo, Hikuleo & YOH VS The House of Torture; Shota, ELP, Leo & Yoh win.
- Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire; LIJ wins.
- 2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: Yota Tsuji VS EVIL; Tsuji wins and advances to the finals.
- 2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: SANADA VS Hirooki Goto; Goto wins and advances to the finals.
PLAY BY PLAY
2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: Yota Tsuji VS EVIL w/ Dick Togo!
The Gene Blast overcame the tricks Ren Narita tried, but that’s because the House of Torture was saving all the good stuff so they could slay the Rampaging Dragon. Will the deck be even more stacked to make sure Everything is Evil’s? Or will Yota be one step away from LIJ VS LIJ at Sakura Genesis?
Well, Dick is making his way out here, but where is Evil? Oh, there he is. No tricks just yet it seems. But then Yota DIVES onto Evil! The fans fire up but Dick attacks Yota! Dick whips, Yota stops himself, and then scoops Dick for a BACKBREAKER! The fans fire up and Yota wants the bell. The ref says yes, ring the bell, and this is on the record! Yota stomps and CLUBS Evil, then whips, but Evil reverses! Yota hits railing, and then Evil whips him into more railing! Evil CHOKES Yota against the railing, Yota fights back, but the ref gets knocked aside! Evil puts Yota in so he and Dick can stomp away!
The fans boo but here comes the rest of the House already! Narita, Yujiro, Kanemaru and Jack all stomp away on Yota, but here come Bushi & Hiromu! It’s a replay of yesterday as LIJ fights off the House, but the numbers are still against them! The ref rushes in to tell everyone to stop! Evil shoves the ref out of the ring, Yota fires off on him, but Evil CLAWS Yota’s eyes! The House CHOKES LIJ, but the ref says stop! The bell rings, but what is the decision!? NO CONTEST!?
No Contest
What does this mean!? Someone has to advance, right? The finals aren’t until the 20th, how can there be a no contest? The House started this, where’re the consequences?! Yota gets up but Evil TOSSES him back out! LIJ regroups and Yota asks for a mic. Yota tells Evil that he’s sick and tired of this! They ARE gonna finish this match! The fans like the sound of that! All the refs come out, including Red Shoes, to discuss how this will be handled. For starters, they tell all the extras to get outta here! LIJ is cool with that, and Hiromu tells the House to come along. Evil says fine, and Jack, Kanemaru, Narita, Yujiro and even Dick reluctantly exit.
The announcement is officially made, and the bell rings! Yota and Evil rush in, Evil kicks low but Yota CLUBS away on Evil! Evil CLAWS the eyes! Evil kicks, runs, RAMS, but Yota rebounds to run Evil over! Then run and SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Yota fires up and the fans are with him! Evil bails out but the fans rally for Yota. Evil wants Yota to stay back, then he slides in, only to slide right out! Yota runs out after Evil, but Evil kicks him! Evil RAMS Yota into the timekeeper! Abe-san and his table go flying! Evil gets the mic to tell Yota that this is what he gets! The fans boo but Evil tells them off, too! Evil stomps Yota then soaks up the heat.
Evil unties the blue buckle pad himself, then waits in the ring. The ref checks Yota and the fans rally up again. The Young Lions help Abe-san while Yota drags himself up. Yota slides in, the fans cheer, but Evil pulls on Yota’s hair! Evil wrenches the hair, then wrenches it again! And again! Evil CLUBS the hair! The ref reprimands but Evil just dusts off his hands. Evil covers, but the ref refuses to count! Evil is furious but he’s the one up to no good! The ref still says no, so Evil stands on Yota’s head. The fans rally up, Yota rises, and he grins as he winds up to ROCK Evil with a forearm! And ROCK him with another!
Yota ROCKS Evil again, but Evil whips him into the bare buckles! Yota falls and the ref reprimands about the missing buckle pad. Evil stomps Yota, covers, TWO! The fans cheer but Evil is annoyed. Evil scuffs Yota, taunts him, and drags him up. Evil CHOPS, Yota drops to his knees, but Evil stands him back up. Evil CHOPS again and Yota grits his teeth as he drops to his knees! Evil stands Yota up again, to fake the chop to CLAW the eyes! The ref reprimands, Evil lets off, and then Evil stands on Yota in a corner. The ref counts, Evil lets go of the ropes but that’s not the problem! Evil steps away, drags Yota up but claims he’s dead weight.
The ref checks, Evil stands Yota up and wrenches an arm. Evil whips Yota into a corner, runs in, but into a BOOT! Evil runs in again, blocks the boot, but Yota brings Evil in for the STOMP! The fans fire up while Yota rests on the mat. The fans rally up and Yota rises again. Evil’s in the corner, runs out, but into the BACKBREAKER! COMPLETE SHOT! STOMP! The fans fire up again as Yota stands back up. Yota runs, to CURB STOMP!! Yota roars and the fans fire up again! Evil flounders while Yota aims. Yota runs in, but the ref is used as a shield! Evil kicks Yota low, then uses the ref in MAGIC KILLER!
All three men are down while the fans rally up again. Evil stands, he brings Yota up, and the ref also rises. Evil whips Yota into the bare buckles, then clotheslines him in! Then FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cover, but Evil lets off?! Evil wants to torture Yota but it’s hard to say if Yota is still even in this. Yota opens his eyes, rises up, but Evil fireman’s carries! DARKNESS FALLS! Cover, TWO!! Yota survives, the fans fire up, but Evil is furious! Evil slashes his throat and vows to end this now! Evil drags Yota up, spins him around, but Yota fights the STO with elbows! Evil kicks low, whips again, but Yota stops from hitting buckles!
Evil runs in, Yota dodges and Evil hits the buckles! SUPERKICK!! Both men are down again and the fans fire back up! We’re only ten minutes into this new match but this is on top of the madness from earlier. Evil drags Yota up, but Yota ROCKS Evil! Evil fights Yota’s fireman’s carry and CLUBS him, but both men wobble. Evil LARIATS, but Yota stays up! The fans fire up but Evil swings to LARIAT again! Yota drops to a knee, but he grins through the pain! Evil says alright, and he throws off his elbow pad. Evil runs to LARIAT! Yota grits his teeth to stay up! V-TRIGGER! Yota brings Evil in, suplexes, ORANGE CRUSH! Cover, TWO!!
Evil is still in this but the fans rally behind Yota again. Yota rises, drags Evil up, and then goes to the corner. Yota goes up and up and Evil moves the ref into the way! The ref takes the FLYING CURB STOMP!!! And now the House returns! The fans boo as Kanemaru, Dick, Yujiro, Narita & Jack all stomp away on Yota again! The fans tell them to go home, again, but these guys don’t care! They just put one out on Yota. They whip Yota to a corner, then DIck runs in to ELBOW! Kanemaru ELBOWS! Yujiro BOOTS! Jack SPLASHES! Narita ELBOWS! Then they snapmare and set Yota up! Dick climbs for the DICK CHOP!!
The fans boo but the House applauds their own dirtiness. But here come Bushi & Hiromu again! But they just get mugged again! They set Hiromu up for the DICK CHOP, while Bushi gets a JACK CHOP! The House then slithers away before a replacement ref rushes out here. Evil drags Yota up, winds up and runs, to LARIAT!! Cover, TWO!!! Yota survives and the fans are thunderous! Evil is at a loss for words, but he slashes his throat! He vows to end it for real, and he reels Yota in. EVERYTHING IS- Yota flips through!? And HEADBUTTS!! The fans fire up as Yota reels Evil in for a fireman’s carry! 70 CROSS!! Cover, TWO!!
Evil survives the swinging spinebuster and the House cheers! Yota drags himself to a corner, drags himself up with the ropes, and roars as he takes aim! Evil rises, but Yujiro distracts! Dick runs in, but gets a V-TRIGGER! The ref sees Dick, but misses the LOW BLOW! Then Evil RAMS Yota into the ref! That’s the second ref this match! Narita gets his push-up bar! The others set Yota up, but here comes SHINGO TAKAGI! The Rampaging Dragon has seen enough, and he’s still pissed from yesterday as it is! He dodges Narita to PUMPING BOMBER! Kanemaru & Yujiro kick Takagi, double whip, but he DOUBLE PUMPING BOMBERS!!
Jack gets in, but he gets ELBOW, JAB and YUKON LARIAT! Evil runs up but Takagi SWATS Evil’s lariat to JAB! Then feed to Hiromu’s SUPERKICK! Hiromu & Takagi set Evil up for Bushi’s BLACK MIST!! Evil can’t see, the PUMPING BOMBER turns him inside-out!! The fans are thunderous as LIJ helps Yota up! Red Shoes hurries out here, and Yota aims at Evil! GENE BLASTER!!! Cover, Yota wins!!!
Winner: Yota Tsuji, by pinfall (advances to the finals)
The House of Torture ran out of tricks, and now there is light at the end of the tournament! Will Yota do LIJ proud and bring home the Cup?
2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: SANADA VS Hirooki Goto!
One down, one to go. Yota Tsuji has made it through, now we see who joins him in the finals! Will the Cold Skull or Fierce Warrior be the one that steps closer to former glory?
The bell rings and the fans duel between “GO-TO-O!” and “SA-NA-DA!” Red Shoes measures the levels, and it seems to slightly favor Goto. Goto and Sanada circle, tie up, and are in a deadlock. Goto gets some leverage to put Sanada against ropes, but he lets off slowly. Goto pats Sanada on the shoulders and the fans cheer. The two reset, circle again, and tie up again. It’s another deadlock, but again Goto finds a way to put Sanada on ropes. Sanada turns things around, lets off slowly, and also pats Goto on the shoulders. The fans applaud and the two reset again. They feel things out, knuckle lock, then move to a clinch.
They fight for control, Sanada starts pushing Goto towards a corner but Goto slips away. They feel things out, knuckle lock again, then break. They tie up collar ‘n’ elbow, Goto waistlocks, but Sanada wrenches to wristlock. Goto rolls, wrenches, wristlocks, but Sanada spins, wrenches, only for Goto to roll! Goto gets a leg to trip Sanada up, and he has a toehold. Sanada fights back with a chinlock but Goto pulls on the leg. Sanada uses his free leg to hook Goto into an ARMBAR, but Goto clasps hands! Goto moves around, pops free, then headlocks. Sanada fights up, Goto grinds the headlock, but Sanada throws body shots.
Sanada powers up and out, but Goto runs him over! The fans rally as things speed up, and Goto counters hip toss with hip toss! Goto runs and he clotheslines Sanada up and out! The fans fire up and Goto slides out after Sanada. Goto stomps Sanada, drags him up, then CLUBS him on the neck! Sanada staggers, Goto CHOPS him, then kicks him, then CLUBS him! Goto whips but Sanada stops himself from hitting railing! Goto runs in but Sanada drop toeholds him into the railing! Goto goes down in a heap, but Sanada opens the gate. Sanada brings Goto through, then to the crowd! PILEDRIVER to the bare floor!
The fans are stunned but Red Shoes reprimands. Sanada leaves Goto behind and slides into the ring. The fans rally for Goto as the ring count begins. Goto crawls at 5 of 20, finds his way to ringside at 10, but still hobbles and crawls. He stands at 17 to slide in! The fans cheer, but Sanada stomps Goto. Sanada drags Goto up, CLUBS him on the neck, then brings him back up to CLUB him again. Goto CHOPS! And CHOPS! Sanada eggs Goto on so Goto CHOPS again! Goto whips, Sanada reverses to RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! Cover, TWO! Sanada keeps cool and sits Goto up into a chinlock. Goto endures and the fans rally again.
Goto kicks forward, reaches out, but Sanada cranks on the hold! Goto keeps fighting, and has the ROPEBREAK! Sanada lets go cleanly, but then he stomps Goto while he’s down. Sanada then stands Goto up to CLUB him on the neck. Goto CHOPS in return! And CHOPS, and CHOPS, and has Sanada in a corner! Goto CHOPS again, then whips corner to corner. Goto runs in, but Sanada BOOTS first! Sanada runs, Goto follows, and Goto LARIATS Sanada down! The fans fire up and Goto rises, clutching his neck. Goto stands Sanada up to fire off forearms, then he whips corner to corner. Goto runs in, MURAMASA!
Sanada wobbles, into the SAIDO! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up while Goto grits his teeth. Goto drags Sanada up, fireman’s carries, but Sanada fights free! Sanada waistlocks, Goto throws elbows, then runs. Sanada hurdles, hurdles, and DROPKICKS! Goto tumbles out of the ring, Sanada PLANCHAS him down! The fans fire up and Sanada encourages them to get louder. The fans get louder and Sanada appreciates it. Sanada then goes back for Goto, brings him up and puts him in the ring. Sanada fireman’s carries but Goto throws elbows! Sanada turns around into Goto’s fireman’s carry, but then slips out into the dragon sleeper!
But Goto arm-drags free! Sanada kicks low, runs, but Goto follows! Sanada dodges this time, runs again, but Goto still follows! Sanada sidesteps this time, but Goto holds ropes to avoid the hurdle! Goto runs in, but Sanada fireman’s carries! T K O! Cover, TWO! Goto is still in this and the fans rally up! Sanada goes up the corner, ROUNDING BODY- NO, Sanada has to land out as Goto moves! Sanada runs in, but into the fireman’s carry! USHIGOROSHI! Both men are down and the fans fire up again! They cheer on “GO-TO-O!” but the “SA-NA-DA!” chants are still there. Red Shoes checks them both, and both men slowly rise.
The two crawl towards each other, and Goto fires a forearm! Sanada shakes his head, eggs Goto on, so Goto throws another! Goto eggs Sanada on, so Sanada fires a forearm! Goto fires a forearm back, and the two stand. Sanada UPPERCUTS! Goto comes back to forearm! Sanada UPPERCUTS again, and Goto drops back to a knee! The fans rally, Goto stands again, and he forearms! UPPERCUT, forearm, repeat! Goto growls, fires a flurry of forearms, and he ROCKS Sanada! Sanada drops to his hand and knees but Goto powers up! Goto KICKS but Sanada blocks! Goto fires more forearms, then waistlocks, but Sandaa fights free!
Sanada runs, but Goto fireman’s carries! And he throws Sanada into the dragon sleeper! But Sanada turns around and suplexes, for MAGIC SCREW! Both men are down again and the fans fire back up! Sanada roars as he rises up, and he aims from a corner. Sanada wants Goto to get up, and Goto sits up, into the SHINING WIZARD! Sanada then dragon sleepers, for the SKULL END!! Goto endures, flails, reaches out, but he’s caught in the body scissors! Goto fights around but he’s fading! The fans rally, Goto’s hand drops! Sanada lets him go to then climb! ROUNDING BODY PRESS! Cover, TWO!!
The fans fire up as Goto survives but Sanada storms around. Sanada drags Goto up, reels him in and clinches, but Goto slips free to shove Sanada away! Sanada forearms, ROLLING- HEADBUTT from Goto! The fans fire up and duel, and Goto drags Sanada up. But Sanada breaks free! Goto HEADBUTTS again! Sanada falls back down and Goto steadies himself. Goto roars, the fans are with him, and Goto sits Sanada up. Goto runs to PENALTY KICK! Shoutout to Shibata and the fans fire up more! Sanada grits his teeth as he sits back up but Goto takes aim! BUZZSAW! And then he hauls Sanada up to dragon sleeper! G T- BACKSLIDE COUNTER! TWO!!!
Sanada and Goto hurry up, Sanada dodges to O’Conner BRIDGE!! TWO?!!? Goto escapes and shocks everyone! Sanada resets, runs in, SHINING WIZARD!! The fans are thunderous as Sanada roars and drags Goto back up! Clinch and DEAD- NO, Goto slips around to ripcord and fireman’s carry! G T W!! Cover, TWO?!?!? Sanada survives but Goto is all fired up! The fans are thunderous as Goto dragon sleepers for G T R!!! Cover, GOTO WINS!!!
Winner: Hirooki Goto, by pinfall (advances to the finals)
Don’t call it a comeback, Goto’s been here for years! Sanada’s hopes of being IWGP World Heavyweight Champion again have been delayed, how long must he wait for another chance?
As for Goto, he’s going back to the New Japan Cup Finals for the first time since 2016, and his seventh overall! But before he can get the mic to speak, Yota makes his way back out here. Yota steps into the ring and he gets the mic first. Yota tells Goto, “In order to open the door to a new era, we must do this.” The fans applaud that, and Yota continues by asking Goto, “Are you ready?!” Yota drops the mic at Goto’s feet, and Goto stands up to speak. “I also have something I want to show you. As a three-time New Japan Cup Champion, I will show you my strength.” The fans like the sound of that!
The Fierce Warrior stares down with Gene Blast, a true generational showdown on the horizon! Will Goto return not juts to former glory, but finally ascend to top of NJPW? Or will Yota make it LIJ VS LIJ for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship?
My Thoughts:
A great semifinal round for this tournament, with quite a surprising main event. Sanada VS Goto was great stuff, and while I felt Sanada wasn’t winning the Cup, I didn’t think he’d be out this round. Yota VS Evil was rather creatively put together, too. I did not think the House would get so involved that at first it was a No Contest but then they restart under a ringside ban. Takagi making sure Yota won was good stuff, too, maybe we can get Takagi VS Evil for the NEVER Openweight Championship if they’re not gonna circle back to more Shota Umino VS House of Torture stuff.
Goto VS Yota is going to be great stuff, and Goto is clearly a top utility guy. He’s had so many New Japan Cup finals appearances, certainly among the most ever, but I don’t think he gets a fourth Cup win against Yota, one of the “new era Musketeers” that NJPW clearly loves. Yota VS Naito is definitely the title match for Sakura Genesis.
My Score: 8.9/10
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