The action continues into another round!

NJPW’s Best of the Super Juniors 29 continues as A Block enters round two! Will Hiromu Takahashi stay on track for his historic threepeat?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Tiger Mask & Yuto Nakashima VS Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa; Tiger Mask & Nakashima win.
• Six Man Tag: Master Wato, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Jado VS Bullet Club; Wato, Tenzan & Jado win.
• Six Man Tag: Robbie Eagles, Titan & Wheeler Yuta VS Suzuki-Gun; Eagles, Titan & Yuta win.
• Best of the Super Juniors 29 A Block: YOH VS Clark Connors; Yoh wins.
• Best of the Super Juniors 29 A Block: Ace Austin VS Yoshinobu Kanemaru; Austin wins.
• Best of the Super Juniors 29 A Block: Alex Zayne VS SHO; Zayne wins.
• Best of the Super Juniors 29 A Block: Ryusuke Taguchi VS Taiji Ishimori; Ishimori wins.
• Best of the Super Juniors 29 A Block: Hiromu Takahashi VS Francesco Akira; Hiromu wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Here are the current standings in A Block!

Taiji Ishimori: 1-0, 2 points
Hiromu Takahashi: 1-0, 2 points
Ace Austin: 1-0, 2 points
Alex Zayne: 1-0, 2 points
Francesco Akira: 1-0, 2 points
YOH: 0-1, 0 points
Ryusuke Taguchi: 0-1, 0 points
SHO: 0-1, 0 points
Yoshinobu Kanemaru: 0-1, 0 points
Clark Connors: 0-1, 0 points

Best of the Super Juniors 29 A Block: YOH VS Clark Connors!

Mr. Direct Drive lost to the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion but the LADOJO’s Wild Rhino was trumped by Ace Austin. Who comes away with this with the first two points of their run? And who is left behind in the dust?

The bell rings and fans rally up as the two stare down. Yoh and Connors circle, feel out the grapple, and tie up in a clinch. Connors wrenches, waistlocks, but Yoh wrenches out to a wristlock. Connors pushes through to waistlock and he drags Yoh down. Connors then flips Yoh over but Yoh fights off the press. Yoh wants the facelock but Connors slips away, and fans cheer the opening exchange. Connors and Yoh reset and circle. They feel out the grapple, Yoh shoots in for a leg but Connors blocks with a facelock. Connors floats to a waistlock, Yoh slips out to facelock back, but Connors slips out to hammerlock.

Yoh sits, Connors cranks the hold then shifts to a headlock. Yoh endures the grind, fights up to his feet and throws body shots. Yoh powers out, but Connors runs him over! Fans rally up, Connors runs but Yoh dodges and drop toeholds to basement dropkick! Fans cheer while Connors shakes out his head. Yoh stomps Connors, brings him up for forearms, but Connors shakes his head. Connors CHOPS Yoh and Yoh goes to the ropes. Yoh throws a forearm and CHOP in return, but Connors just frowns. Connors CHOPS back, runs, then redirects himself before he runs Yoh over! Fans fire up with Connors and he brings Yoh up.

Connors snap suplexes Yoh, covers, TWO! Connors drags Yoh up, EuroUppers and has Yoh in a corner. Connors climbs up, fires up and the fans rally as he rains down fists on Yoh from all sides! Connors goes to 10, then leaps to AX HANDLE Yoh down! Cover, TWO! Connors gets Yoh’s arm for a top wristlock and fans rally. Yoh endures, Connors gets the other arm but Yoh fights off the half nelson. Yoh gets up but Connors CLUBS him. Connors waistlocks, Yoh fights the suplex with elbows. Yoh standing switches, they go to ropes, O’Conner Roll, JAPANESE BRIDGE turns into a FULL NELSON!

Connors has Yoh in the full nelson and Yoh flails! Fans rally, Yoh endures, but Connors pushes on the hold! Yoh fights up to his feet, but Connors spins him around for a suplex! Connors aims from a corner as Yoh stirs. Fans rally and the Wild Rhino aims his horn! Yoh gets up. Connors runs in, but into a DROPKICK! Yoh and Connors flounder, Connors crawls his way over to Yoh, and fans rally up. Yoh gets up, fires up, and he throws big forearms on Connors! Connors fires up but Yoh kicks low. Yoh whips, Connors reverses but Yoh ducks and dodges to CLOBBER Connors with flying forearms!

Fans fire up with Yoh as he aims at Connors. Yoh runs corner to corner to back elbow! Yoh reels Connors in, NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Yoh climbs up, leaps but Connors gets under. Things speed up, and Connors POUNCES Yoh! Fans fire up and Connors watches Yoh get up slowly. Connors runs in to back body block! Connors whips corner to corner, runs in and RAMS into Yoh! Connors RAMS his shoulder in again and again, then back drops Yoh! ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Fans fire up and Connors goes up the corner! Yoh KICKS a leg out first! Yoh then gets Connors for a SUPER DRAPING DRAGON SCREW!

Yoh drags Connors out of the corner, runs in and dropkicks the leg out! Then he gets Connors up to suplex. Connors slips off, shoves, and SPEARS! Both men are down and fans fire up! Connors gets up, brings Yoh up and reels him in. Yoh fights the back suplex and rolls to get the leg! KNEEBAR!! Connors endures, Yoh twists the foot, and drags Connors from ropes! Fans rally as Connors grits his teeth and reaches out! Connors claws his way forward, but Yoh reels him in for a GERMAN SUPLEX! Yoh holds on, brings Connors up, GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, ONE! But Yoh still holds on, so he goes for the full nelson!

Connors breaks the hold, and REVERSE HEADBUTTS! Fans rally while both men flounder back up. Yoh gets Connors’ leg but Connors ROCKS Yoh! Connors whips, and POWERSLAMS! Cover, TWO!! Yoh survives and fans fire up again. Connors pounds the mat, fans rally up, and Connors roars! Connors drags Yoh up, reels him in, but Yoh again fights the suplex! But Connors powers through, only for Yoh to throw more elbows! Connors runs in but is sent into the corner! Yoh gets Connors up, GHOSTBUSTER! Yoh fires up and fans are with him! Yoh brings Connors in, underhooks, but Connors fights the lift!

Connors wrenches free to ROCK Yoh with a forearm! Yoh SUPERKICKS! And SUPERKICKS again! Yoh gets the underhooks, for DIRECT DRIVE!! Cover, Yoh wins!

Winner: Yoh, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Connors earns 0)

And Yoh is on the board! Is he going to get it in gear and head for the top? The Wild Rhino is at the back of the pack, can he get going in the third round?

Best of the Super Juniors 29 A Block: Ace Austin VS Yoshinobu Kanemaru!

Speaking of Ace Austin, it was inevitable that he’d win in the BOSJ, while the Heel Master couldn’t handle the heat of The Sauce. Will Austin keep things going in the second round? Or will Kanemaru drag him down while building himself up?

Kanemaru rushes Austin during his entrance, but Austin blocks the kick! Austin trips Kanemaru, stomps him down, then throws off his jacket. The bell rings and Austin storms up to stomp Kanemaru back down. Austin facelocks, stands Kanemaru up to throw forearms, then whips. Kanemaru reverses, BOOTS and ENZIGURIS! Austin flops out of the ring and fans rally up. Kanemaru goes out to bump Austin off the apron, then stomp him down. Kanemaru bumps Austin off the apron again, then whips him at the post! Austin uses the post to swing around into the ring! Kanemaru gets on the apron but Austin dropkicks him back down!

Fans rally up and Austin builds speed, but Kanemaru moves. Austin stops himself, jumps over the leg sweep, but Kanemaru blocks the kick to trip Austin up! Austin hits apron and fans rally up. Kanemaru brings Austin back up, puts him on the apron and CLUBS him on the neck. Kanemaru then runs to dropkick Austin into the ring! Kanemaru gets in to cover, ONE! Fans rally and Kanemaru brings Austin up in a headlock. Austin endures the grind, Kanemaru his the headlock takeover, and fans rally again. Austin moves around, gets up and powers out, but Kanemaru runs him over. Kanemaru runs but fakes Austin out to drop down on the headlock!

Austin endures, fans rally again and Austin gets the ROPEBREAK! Kanemaru lets off, but he stomps Austin down. Kanemaru drags Austin back up, snapmares and JAMS an elbow into Austin’s head! Kanemaru clamps on a chinlock and he grinds Austin down. Fans rally again as Austin endures. Austin fights up, throws body shots, then throws forearms! Austin runs, but Kanemaru catches him to a SLEEPER! Austin slips through to back suplex but Kanemaru lands on his feet! Kanemaru gets Austin for a headlock takeover! Fans cheer the exchange and rally up again. Austin fights up, Kanemaru throws a headlock punch!

Kanemaru drags Austin back up, snapmares him and reels him in for a headscissor squeeze! Austin endures, even as Kanemaru thrashes around. Fans rally, Austin fights to roll and reach out. Kanemaru RAMS Austin into the mat again and again! Kanemaru then pushes Austin to a cover, TWO! Fans cheer while Kanemaru argues the count. Kanemaru scuffs Austin, fans rally up, but Kanemaru stomps Austin to ropes. Kanemaru digs his boots in to choke Austin! The ref counts, Kanemaru lets off, and fans rally up. Kanemaru CLUBS Austin, Austin staggers around, but Kanemaru brings him up to whip.

Austin blocks by holding ropes! Kanemaru rakes Austin’s eye! Kanemaru whips, but Austin somersaults to drop toehold and ENZIGURI! Austin goes to the corner and runs in to basement dropkick! Fans fire up as Austin kips up! Kanemaru goes to the corner, Austin runs in, but Kanemaru BOOTS him! Only for Austin to arm-drag! DISARMER! Austin draws his card, to PAPER CUT Kanemaru’s finger! Kanemaru protests but Austin stomps and throws forearms. Austin dodges the boot to KICK and DROPKICK! Kanemaru gets out of the ring, Austin slides out after him, and ROCKS Kanemaru with a forearm.

Austin brings Kanemaru around but Kanemaru whips Austin into the ring. Austin skins the cat to exit the ring and BOOT Kanemaru! Austin kips up on the apron, handsprings to avoid the sweep, and PENALTY KICKS Kanemaru! Then Austin slingshots in, runs and FLIES! Direct hit with the Fosbury Flop! Fans fire up with Austin and he drags Kanemaru up. Austin puts Kanemaru in, waits on Kanemaru to stand, then steps in to springboard. Kanemaru avoids the roundhouse, and gets a headlock! Austin powers out and reels Kanemaru in for a headlock, but Kanemaru hits a BIG back suplex! Fans rally while both men are down!

Kanemaru crawls to a corner and he waits on Austin. Austin stands, Kanemaru runs in, tilt-o-whirl DDT! Cover, TWO! Kanemaru drags Austin up to scoop and SLAM him into a drop zone! Kanemaru goes up, MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Austin survives but Kanemaru drags him back up. Fans rally, Kanemaru suplexes, but Austin blocks! Kanemaru powers through, Austin knees free, and Austin wrenches to facelock with a wristlock. RIPCORD SLAM, and then HOUSE OF CARDS! High stack, TWO! Fans rally up while Austin gets up. Kanemaru catches him in a victory roll, TWO! Austin blocks a shot to knee, KICK and HEEL KICK!

Fans fire up and Austin aims from a corner. Austin tunes up the band and fans rally with him. THE FOLD!! Cover, Austin wins!

Winner: Ace Austin, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Kanemaru earns 0)

Ace is on top again and is leading the block! Will the Impact X-Division Champion trump the entire NJPW Junior Heavyweight Division and be the Best of the Super Juniors? As for Kanemaru, can he drink his sorrows away and be ready for round three?

Best of the Super Juniors 29 A Block: Alex Zayne VS SHO!

The Sauce was too hot for the Heel Master, and the Murder Machine already dealt with heat from Francesco Akira. Will Zayne keep Sho’s meltdown going? Or will he not be the one so far away when the Snake Bite enter his veins?

Sho taunts Zayne during his entrance, so Zayne throws off his jacket and rushes into the ring! Sho rushes out, Zayne waits for him to make a lap around, and then surprises Sho! Zayne kicks Sho low, brings him around, and wrenches to APRON BACK SUPLEX! Fans cheer and the bell rings to get this on record. Zayne kicks Sho along, brings him up to CLUB him, then stalks him around the way. Zayne brings Sho up to wrench and whip, but Sho reverses. Zayne rebounds off ropes to RANA Sho to the floor! Fans fire up and Zayne puts Sho in the ring. Zayne slingshot sentons, then RUNNING MARIPOSA! Cover, TWO!

Fans fire up but Sho bails out. Fans rally and Zayne is annoyed but he stays back. Sho wants Zayne to stay back but Zayne storms up to the ropes. Sho runs away, and he attacks a Young Lion!? Sho brings them over by bending their fingers! Zayne rushes out to make the save, and he bumps Sho off the apron. Zayne and the ref check on the Young Lion, but they miss Sho bring out a chair from under the ring! Zayne storms over to Sho but Sho JAMS him with the chair! Sho SMACKS Zayne, the ref sees this and stops Sho. The ref tells Sho to put the chair down and he does, because Sho trades it for a crossbar cover.

The ref puts the chair away while Sho chokes Zayne with the cover! The ref sees that now, and Sho stops. Fans rally for Zayne but Sho bends his fingers! Sho brings Zayne to a corner, wraps the arm around the post and then the crossbar! The ref counts, Sho lets off at 4, and Sho gets in the ring. Zayne shakes out the bad arm and gets in, but Sho stands on the bad arm! Sho digs his heel into the elbow, and holds ropes, but the ref counts. Sho lets off at 4 with a stomp! Zayne shakes out the bad arm while Sho mocks his pain. Sho stomps Zayne and kicks him to the apron. The ref reprimands, but Sho brings Zayne up the ropes to wrench and HOTSHOT the arm!

The ref reprimands more as Zayne slumps to the floor. Fans rally up for Zayne as the ring count starts. The count reaches 7 of 20, Zayne gets in at 9. Sho gets Zayne’s bad arm to CLUB it! Sho pushes Zayne to a cover, TWO! Fans rally but Sho brings Zayne up. Sho whips and CLOBBERS Zayne, then covers, TWO! Sho clamps onto a DOUBLE WRISTLOCK! Zayne endures and fans rally, and Zayne reaches out, but Sho pushes him to a cover, TWO! Sho scuffs Zayne, toying with him. Zayne scowls and fans rally up, Zayne SLAPS Sho! Zayne eggs Sho on, then counter punches him! And again! And then a spin, but Sho blocks the lariat!

Sho runs, but Zayne spins him to short arm LARIAT! Fans fire up and Zayne shakes out the bad arm. Sho goes to a corner, Zayne runs in but Sho slips out. Zayne tumbles up and out and to the corner to QUEBRADA! It wasn’t the cleanest but Zayne takes Sho down! Fans fire up while Zayne stirs and Sho is stuck folded up! The ring count starts, Zayne gets up at 7 of 20 and he drags Sho up. Zayne puts Sho in at 13, then gets in at 14. Zayne brings Sho up, ROCKS him with boxing elbows, then the back elbow! Leg sweep and SOMERSAULT AX KICK! High stack, TWO! Zayne’s bad arm might’ve held him back, but fans rally up!

Zayne grits his teeth while Sho crawls to a corner. Zayne runs in to back elbow! Then he puts Sho up top, runs around the world, but Sho jumps away! Sho uses the ref as a shield, then SPEARS Zayne down! Fans rally again while Sho and Zayne are down! Sho gets up and he stands on Zayne’s bad arm. Sho then drags Zayne up with a knuckle lock, wrenches and ELBOW BREAKERS! And then another wrench and ELBOW BREAKER! Sho wants another but Zayne blocks to scoop, BAJA BLAST! Zayne kips up and fans fire up as he goes to the corner! Zayne climbs, CINNAMON TWIST onto knees!

Wait, here comes DICK TOGO! The House of Torture sends out the Spoiler to distract the ref so Sho can get his wrench! Sho aims, but Zayne dodges the shot to shove Sho into Dick! Fans fire up, Zayne pops Sho up for a KNEE! Fans fire up more but Sho gets around to POP-UP ARMBAR! Zayne clasps hands and fans rally, Zayne stacks Sho, TWO!! Sho has the ARMBAR!! Zayne endures, Sho thrashes and pulls, fans rally as hard as ever, and Zayne fights to get around! ROPEBREAK!! Sho lets go in frustration, and fans rally up again. Sho drags Zayne up, reels him in and tucks the arms, but Zayne slips free!

Zayne ducks the roundhouse, gets the pump handle and cobra clutch, TACO DRIVER!! Cover, Zayne wins!!

Winner: Alex Zayne, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Sho earns 0)

The Sauce is boss with another win in the BOSJ! Can he keep it going and make A Block real spicy? As for Sho, can he redeem himself in the third round?

Best of the Super Juniors 29 A Block: Ryusuke Taguchi VS Taiji Ishimori!

The Funky Weapon lost to the Ticking Timebomb again in the BOSJ, and now he’s against THE IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. Can one half of Six or Nine shoot down the Bone Soldier? Or is this tournament still reborn?

The bell rings and fans rally as the two circle. Taguchi shoots in but Taiji blocks and waistlocks. Taguchi switches, wrenches, hammerlocks, but Taiji switches the hammerlock onto Taguchi. Taguchi counters with a drop toehold and floats to the headlock but Taiji rolls Taguchi to a cover, ONE! Taguchi keeps the headlock but Taiji fights up. Taguchi hits a takeover, Taiji headscissors but Taguchi kips free. Fans cheer as the two stand off. Taguchi and Taiji reset as fans rally up. Taiji tells Taguchi to be serious. None of this goofy stuff. Taguchi asks why. Then they have a dance contest! Fans applaud the sweet moves, and Taiji realizes what he was doing!

Taguchi has the fans applaud for Taiji while Taiji tries to come to terms with what just happened. Taguchi offers a handshake, fans applaud, and Taiji takes it. Then he kicks Taguchi low and rakes the eyes! Taguchi flops down and Taiji says he’s not playing into this. Taiji brings Taguchi up to whip but Taguchi reverses. Taguchi sidesteps to keep Taiji going, but Taiji counters hip attack into atomic drop! Taguchi flops out of the ring and Taiji goes out after him. Taiji stomps Taguchi, but Taguchi seems in a daze. The ref checks on him and Taguchi is okay to continue. Taiji grabs the bell hammer! Taiji hammers Taguchi!

The ref wants Taiji to hand over the hammer, but Taiji tosses it into the ring. The ref goes to get the hammer but Taiji brings Taguchi up to POST the Funky Weapon! Taguchi slumps down the post and ends up folded up. Taiji gets in the ring and fans rally as the ring count starts. Taguchi flops over at 4 of 20, slowly gets up, but Taiji undoes the blue buckle pad. Taguchi gets in at 9 of 20, but Taiji is right on him. Taiji drags Taguchi up and CLUBS him down. Taiji stomps Taguchi, then whips him to the corner to POST him! Fans rally up while Taguchi his stuck in the ropes. Taguchi gets himself out and flops back, but Taiji brings him back up.

Taiji cravats to wrench Taguchi’s neck, and he throws shoulders in. Taiji snapmares Taguchi, and has a seated cobra clutch! Taguchi endures, reaches out, and fans rally as he fights his way up. Taguchi throws body shots, but Taiji ripcords to RAM the shoulder and WRING the arm! Taiji paces around as Taguchi writhes. Taiji drags Taguchi up, throws haymakers, then whips corner to corner. Taiji runs in, blocks boots and ENZIGURIS, to then run side to side for the SLIDE- NO! Taguchi avoids the German! TRIANGLE JUMP PLANCHA! Direct hit and both men are down! Fans fire up while the ref starts the ring count.

Fans rally, Taguchi gets up at 6 of 20. Taguchi puts Taiji in at 11 of 20, springboards, MISSILE HIP! Taguchi brings Taiji up, snap suplex! Uno Amigo! Dos Amigos! And then THREE- NO! Taiji fights it, but Taguchi gets THREE AMIGOS on the second try! Taguchi kips up and fans fire up as he calls upon the powers of Strong Style! “ORYA!” BUM-A-YE!! Cover, TWO, to OH MY GARFUNKLE! Taiji scrambles and gets the ROPEBREAK! Taguchi lets off quick, drags Taiji up and brings him around to chicken wing the arms. Taiji fights the lift, throws elbows and gets free. Taiji whips but Taguchi reverses, only for Taiji to handspring and NEURALIZER!

Both men are down again and fans rally back up. Taiji and Taguchi go to opposite corners, drag themselves up the ropes, and Taiji runs corner to corner to DOUBLE KNEE! Snapmare and NECK TWIST! Then a roll into omoplata and YES LOCK! But Taguchi gets the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Taiji lets off at 4. Taguchi clutches his arm but Taiji brings him up and gut wrenches. Taguchi slips off, rolls Taiji, TWO! OH MY GARFUNKLE!! Taiji scrambles, rolls, victory roll even, TWO!! Taguchi dodges the lariat to ENZIGURI! Taguchi gets Taiji up as fans rally, the double chicken wings, DODON- NO! Taiji blocks to gut wrench and CIPHER-

NO! OH MY GARFUNKLE!! Taiji endures, turns over and drags Taguchi down to get the BONE LOCK!! Taguchi endures, fans rally hard as ever, and Taguchi reaches out. Taiji rolls Taguchi away but Taguchi uses that to get OH MY GARFUNKLE!! Taguchi drops an elbow on the leg, then CRANKS the hold! Taiji endures, reaches, fans fire up and Taguchi reels Taiji in! DODON- NO! Taiji slips out and Half Hatches, but Taguchi fights out of the Bloody Cross! Taiji JUMP KNEES! Both men are down but Taiji roars as he gets back up! Taiji says BANG with the finger gun, then gets Taguchi up! BLOODY- CRALDE! TWO!!

Taguchi dropkicks the leg! La Magistrol, but Taiji rocks it back! TWO!! Taiji rushes in, Taguchi dodges, but Taiji sunset flips! Taguchi stays up, and the tights come down! And so do the red briefs!! But Taiji powers through to sunset flip, then PRAWN HOLD! Taiji wins!!

Winner: Taiji Ishimori, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Taguchi earns 0)

Taguchi loses by the seat of his pants! The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion gets a win over the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion! Will Taiji be back for that tag title after winning the BOSJ trophy? Will Taguchi clean up his ass- er, act and get a win in the next round?

Best of the Super Juniors 29 A Block: Hiromu Takahashi VS Francesco Akira w/ TJP!

The Timebomb and the Nova Fireball are both undefeated but that will change right here and now! Will Hiromu blow Akira out of the water? Or will Akira stay hot and cause Hiromu to self-destruct?

The bell rings and the two rush each other! They ram shoulders, then start throwing forearms! Fans rally as the shots go back and forth, faster and faster! Hiromu eggs Akira on and the shots keep flying! Hiromu gets the edge but Akira shoves Hiromu, only for Hiromu to run him over. Hiromu runs but he jumps over Akira’s drop down to whip him. Akira comes back with a merry-go-round headscissors! Fans fire up as Akira dropkicks Hiromu out. Akira builds speed but Hiromu avoids the baseball slide. Hiromu builds speed to SUNSET FLIP- RANA from Akira! Akira gets back in to PLANCHA! Direct hit but Akira puts Hiromu in fast!

Akira goes up top, leaps, CROSSBODY! Cover, TWO! Fans fire up and Akira talks a little trash while Hiromu goes to the apron. Akira goes out, brings Hiromu around and CHOPS him. Hiromu CHOPS back! Akira kicks low, POSTS Hiromu, then drags him up and puts him in. Cover, TWO! Fans rally and Akira circles around Hiromu. Akira brings Hiromu up but Hiromu throws forearms! Hiromu backs Akira down but Akira gets around to JUMPING NECKBREAKER! Then Akira tucks Hiromu into the corner and he runs corner to corner, BLINDSIDE DROPKICK! Cover, TWO! Hiromu writhes while fans rally up.

Akira drags Hiromu into a headscissor squeeze! Hiromu endures, kicks around, but Akira also pulls on the fingers. Hiromu kicks his way to the ROPEBREAK! Red Shoes counts, Akira lets off at 3. Hiromu gets to a corner, Akira stomps him, and then Akira digs his knee in! Red Shoes counts, Akira lets off at 4, and Akira drags Hiromu up. Hiromu CHOPS! Akira eggs Hiromu on so Hiromu CHOPS again! And CHOPS! Akira gets in Hiromu’s face, Hiromu CHOPS, so Akira CHOPS back! Fans rally up and clap, “A-KI-RA!” “HI-RO-MU!” Akira reels Hiromu in, but Hiromu slips out of the Speedfire to run and RANA!

Fans fire up while both men are down, and Hiromu drags himself to ropes. Akira gets to the ropes on the other side, runs in, but Hiromu BOOTS him, then gets a HANGING HEADSCISSOR! Red Shoes counts, Hiromu lets off and gets back in to put Akira in a corner. Hiromu corner clotheslines, snapmares and basement dropkicks! Akira bails out and Hiromu goes to the apron, FLYING JOHN WOO! Akira tumbles and Hiromu fires up! Fans rally and Hiromu catches his breath. Hiromu fetches Akira up and into the ring, then hurries to suplex. FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO! Fans rally and Hiromu keeps cool as he gets back up.

Hiromu brings Akira up, fireman’s carries, but Akira blocks! Akira throws elbows to break free, then he knees low. Akira whips, follows, but Hiromu POP-UP POWERBOMBS! High stack, TWO! Fans rally more and Hiromu brings Akira up. Hiromu fireman’s carries again, but Akira slips off and shoves Hiromu to a corner. Akira runs in, Hiromu BOOTS Akira, runs, but Akira ducks to kick and whip. Hiromu reverses to send Akira to a corner, and then Hiromu runs in, but Akira puts him up top! Akira tucks Hiromu in, CHEEKY NANDOS! Hiromu flops off the corner and fans rally as Akira steadies himself.

Akira brings Hiromu up, waistlocks, chicken wings, but Hiromu resists! Akira still gets the arms, pops Hiromu up, but Hiromu fights free. Hiromu switches, shoves, but Akira wheelbarrows, only for Hiromu to make it a GERMAN SUPLEX! Fans fire up, but so does Akira! Akira runs to wheelbarrow again, VICTORY ROLL FACEBUSTER! Both men are down and fans rally back up! Both men slowly stir and Akira rises first. Akira brings Hiromu up but Hiromu CHOPS him! Akira storms up on Hiromu but Hiromu ROCKS him with a forearm! Fans rally, Akira tries again, but Hiromu CHOPS again!

Akira CHOPS Hiromu, but Hiromu CHOPS back! Akira throws a forearm, Hiromu throws it back! Fans rally as Hiromu eggs Akira on, and Akira throws another forearm. Hiromu throws a forearm, Akira throws another, repeat! Fans rally as the forearms keep going back and forth, and then Hiromu gets the edge. Akira staggers but he comes back to ROCK Hiromu! Akira waistlocks, but Hiromu elbows free. Hiromu runs, but Akira SHOTGUNs him first! Akira runs corner to corner, into Hiromu’s SHOTGUN! Hiromu gets Akira up, fireman’s carry, CORNER DEATH VALLEY! Fans fire up and Hiromu roars!

Hiromu brings Akira up, fireman’s carries, but Akira slips out to sunset flip! TWO! Hiromu catches Akira, spins him and jumps up, but Akira turns D into a jackknife! TWO, and Hiromu mule kicks, front kicks and SUP- NO, Akira ducks then ROUNDHOUSES! Hiromu wobbles, Akira hops on, POISON-RANA!! Hiromu flounders up and Akira roars! Fans fire up as Akira reels Hiromu in, SPEEDFIRE! Cover, TWO!! Hiromu survives and no one can believe it! Fans rally harder, “A-KI-RA!” “HI-RO-MU!” Akira grits his teeth and gets Hiromu back up. Akira Alabama Lifts, spins Hiromu around, BANGARANG!

Fans rally as Akira drags Hiromu back up. Akira tells Hiromu this is done! Akira runs to the corner and back, but Hiromu ducks the double knees! Fireman’s carry, DYNAMITE PLUNGER! Cover, TWO! Akira survives and fans are thunderous! Hiromu gets up, drags Akira into the suplex, but Akira knees free! Hiromu SUPERKICKS, but Akira SUPERKICKS back! Akira winds up and BUZZSAWS! Then Akira sits Hiromu up to run, but Hiromu LARIATS! Both men are down again and fans fire back up! Hiromu roars as he fires himself up, Akira flounders into the suplex! But Akira fights free, so Hiromu HEADBUTTS and SUPERKICKS!

Hiromu roars, runs, and HIROMU-CHAN BOMBER!! Cover, TWO!! Akira survives and Hiromu is shocked! Hiromu pounds the mat and fans are thunderous again! Hiromu drags Akira up, suplex for VICTORY ROYALE! And then dragon sleeper, inverted suplex, TIMEBOMB II!! Cover, Hiromu wins!!

Winner: Hiromu Takahashi, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Akira earns 0)

The Timebomb puts out the Nova Fireball and sends Akira down the block! Will Akira be able to reignite in round three? As for Hiromu, he gets the mic to tell Akira, “Grazie! Arrivederci!” Hiromu adds that Akira shouldn’t feel bad for losing, because he lost to “the guy who’s going to win BOSJ three in a row, fourth overall, Hiromu Takahashi.” Fans applaud that, and Hiromu says they’re lucky. Why is that? He heard them get fired up for the semi-main. Hiromu was backstage, but he imagines they applauded because they saw butts. Fans applaud and laugh a little. Hiromu says that match won’t make TV so the fans here are lucky.

“But don’t worry about that! This Super Junior is proving to be amazing! The energy, stamina, everything the 20 of us have to expend in this, what if we don’t make it? But we have to keep trying! We have to give you something hot! The battles will only get more fierce from here on out. Keeping that in mind will help you enjoy it even more.” Fans like the sound of that. Hiromu says that the fans may have their faces behind masks, but they aren’t completely obscured. He can tell they’re smiling! He knows they’re hyped up and that’s firing the wrestlers up! Of course, he’ll do the unprecedented! He’ll make it to his fourth straight BOSJ finals, and win three in a row!

Until that day, let’s have more, more, more, more, more, MORE, MORE, MORE, MORE, MORE- No, get louder! MORE! MORE! MORE! MORE! Fun together~! The Timebomb is fired up, but will he be able to pull off such a historic feat?

Here are the new standings in A Block!

Taiji Ishimori: 2-0, 4 points
Hiromu Takahashi: 2-0, 4 points
Ace Austin: 2-0, 4 points
Alex Zayne: 2-0, 4 points
Francesco Akira: 1-1, 2 points
YOH: 1-1, 2 points
Ryusuke Taguchi: 0-2, 0 points
SHO: 0-2, 0 points
Yoshinobu Kanemaru: 0-2, 0 points
Clark Connors: 0-2, 0 points

My Thoughts:

Another great event for NJPW and another great round for A Block. Great match from Yoh VS Connors, and I had a feeling Yoh would win to get on the board. Austin VS Kanemaru was really good stuff, Austin hitting all his stuff from last match. Austin is getting a strong showing, he might build a lot of momentum so that his first loss puts over someone about to win the A Block. Zayne VS Sho was really good, and it was great for Zayne to win with a finisher. Zayne might have a similar role in the block to Austin, his momentum meant to send someone towards the top of the block. Zayne VS Austin should be an awesome match, too.

Taguchi VS Ishimori was very good, especially with the history of gags between these two. And it was very clever that one of Taguchi’s gags of the no-pants cover backfires. And Hiromu VS Akira in the main event was great stuff, and apparently Hiromu was calling Akira “Ospreay Jr.” and well, Akira does use Cheeky Nandos so hard to argue against that. Hiromu wins again because again, his threepeat is on the line. Hiromu or Taiji are already the A Block contenders just two rounds in, whoever loses first might be the one out of the running, but who knows. We do have to see them facing off, too, so maybe Hiromu gets that golden shortcut and doesn’t need the BOSJ 29 trophy.

My Score: 8.8/10