The goal is within reach!

Neither El Desperado, Douki, TJP nor Taiji Ishimori have won a Best of the Super Juniors tournament, so who will survive to keep that dream alive?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Six Man Tag: Shoma Kato, Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA VS Blake Christian, Ninja Mack & HAYATA; Blake, Mack & Hayata win.
• Six Man Tag: TMDK VS Bullet Club War Dogs; TMDK wins.
• Yuya Uemura & Taka Michinoku VS Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb; Khan & Cobb win.
• 8 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Dragon Dia, Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi; LIJ wins.
• Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito VS HENARE & Callum Newman; Shingo & Naito win.
• 10 Man Tag: The House of Torture VS Shota Umino & ???; Shota Umino, Yuji Nagata, Tiger Mask, Togi Makabe & Hiroyoshi Tenzan win.
• Best of the Super Juniors 31 Semifinal: TJP VS Taiji Ishimori; Taiji wins and advances to the finals.
• Best of the Super Juniors 31 Semifinal: El Desperado VS DOUKI; Desperado wins and advances to the finals.

PLAY BY PLAY

10 Man Tag: The House of Torture VS Shota Umino & ???

The King of Darkness has declared his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match at Dominion will be a Lumberjack match, but also believes it will be a “Handicap” Lumberjack match, as Jon Moxley has no friends willing to support him. But surely, the Roughneck has friends who will. Who joins #SHOOTER in tearing down The House?

Evil gets the mic to point out all the “X” on the card for the mystery partners. He is convinced Shota has no one! The fans boo but Evil tells Shota that Osaka-Jo Hall will be even easier. But wait, the lights go down and we get a message from Jon Moxley on the tron! “June the 9th in Osaka-Jo Hall, Evil wants a Lumberjack match. He wants all his cronies in House of Torture out there to surround the ring. How is that different than any other night with you guys? But this is gonna be very different. Very different indeed. See, I’ve worked very, very hard, I have nearly killed myself, I have worked myself to the bone.

“I have given every inch of all my effort, and all my sweat and blood, and every ounce of my soul to earn the respect of the wrestlers in NJPW, the fans of NJPW, to everybody who came before me who made this belt what it is today, who build NJPW into the place it is today. And I have worked too hard to earn that respect to share that respect, to see a guy like you just piss all over it! Take a little spray paint can, do a little number on this belt right here, put a little scar on the IWGP Championship belt. You did that. You disrespected everybody that came before you. And I will do something about it.

“You’re gonna have House of Torture? Well I’m gonna have my own set of enforcers to keep law and order. And there will be a need for law and order, because this won’t be just any Lumberjack match. This is gonna be a Jon Moxley Lumberjack match, where there are no limits! Anything can happen! There are no limits to how out of control it can get! I look to the Third Generation of NJPW to lay down the law, to beat some respect into The House of Torture. At the end of the night on June 9th in Osaka-Jo Hall, respect or not, I will still be the King of NJPW, and I will still be IWGP World Champion.”

The message ends there, the lights come back up, and walking in from the crowd with Shota is… BLUE JUSTICE, YUJI NAGATA! And he’s brought Tiger Mask, Togi Makabe & Hiroyoshi Tenzan! The fans are all fired up to see these living legends make their way down with the Reiwa Musketeer, will they finally put The House in their place?

Wait a minute, now Evil isn’t even gonna be in this match? He’s making Dick Togo be the fifth man for his team? Well, the card does say “House of Torture,” so that still counts. The two sides are staring down as the tension rises, and then the brawl is on! The fans fire up as Narita is of course after Shota and throws him out. The bell rings as some of the legends are cleared out, but Narita keeps after Shota on the outside. Nagata helps out but Narita knocks him down. Tenzan is stuck in the ring, getting mugged by Sho, Dick and Kanemaru. But he fights back with headbutts and Mongolian Chops!

Tenzan kicks and chops Dick but Kanemaru kicks low. Kanemaru runs but into a slap! Then a kick and Mongolian Chops! The fans fire up and Tenzan runs, but Kanemaru avoids the falling headbutt! Dick storms back in to DROPKICK Togi off the apron! The chaos on the outside continues, even spills into the crowd a bit! Kanemaru POSTS Tenzan, and the ref tries to sort this out. Kanemaru puts Tenzan back in, drags him up, and Dick helps him mug Tenzan. Then they double suplex! Kanemaru covers, TWO! The fans fire up but Kanemaru tags Sho. They split the wishbone! Sho then sneaks a CHOKE on Tenzan!

The fans boo and the ref notices, so he counts. Sho lets off to tag in Yujiro. The fans rally for Tenzan but Tokyo Pimp drags him up. Yujiro knees low, and steals the Mongolian Chops! The fans boo as Yujiro keeps doing that. Dick & Sho keep Tenzan trapped so Yujiro can mug Tenzan in the corner. Then Yujiro hits a FALLING HEADBUTT! Cover, TWO! Tenzan is still in this and the fans fire up. Dick tags in and he stands on Tenzan’s hand! The fans boo, but Tenzan throws body shots. Dick CLUBS Tenzan down, snapmares, and then runs up to FIST DROP! Cover, TWO! Dick stomps Tenzan, tags Narita, and Narita brings Tenzan up.

Narita grinds Tenzan’s face off the ropes! The ref reprimands, Narita runs and he BOOTS Tenzan down! Cover, TWO! Narita BOOTS Shota just because! Tenzan throws body shots and haymakers! Narita CLAWS Tenzan’s eyes! The ref reprimands, Narita runs, but into a MOUNTAIN BOMB BACK DROP! The fans fire up as Tenzan crawls, hot tag to Nagata! Blue Justice BOOTS Narita, theN BOOTS Dick! Yujiro kicks and whips but Nagata reverses to kitchen sink knee! The fans fire up with Nagata and he aims at Narita! KICK! KICK! KICK! Nagata whips corner to corner, runs in and BOOTS! Then the EXPLODER!

The fans fire up, Nagata covers, TWO! But into the DISARMER!! Narita flails but the House saves him! The fans boo but Tiger Mask KICKS Kanemaru then fires off shots on Sho! But Kanemaru grabs the mask! Sho ROCKS Tiger Mask! But Tiger Mask BOOTS Sho and DROPKICKS Kanemaru! Tilt-o-whirl BACKBREAKER for Sho! Hot tag to Shota! Shota fires off on Narita, then runs corner to corner, only for Narita to dodge! Narita gets around to a SLEEPER! And he pulls hair to keep Shota from ropes. Narita shoves, distracts the ref, and Evil trips Shota! Now the King gets involved! The House then BLASTS the legends off the apron!

Dick & Kanemaru double whip Shota to a corner, then Dick elbows! Yujiro BOOTS! Sho forearms! Kanemaru UPPERCUTS! Snapmare and they set Shota up! The ref is distracted by Yujiro while Dick goes up, to DICK CHOP! Cover, TWO!! Shota survives and the fans fire up! But Narita slips Dick the choker! Kanemaru distracts the ref and the SPOILER CHJOKER is used on Dick! Togi gets in to CLUB Dick! But Kanemaru & Sho go after Togi! They double whip but the Rapmagping Gorilla blasts through their line to DOUBLE LARIAT! Togi BLASTS the rest of the house, too! Nagata & Shota whip Dick to a corner!

Nagata runs in to BOOT! Togi runs in to clothesline! Feed to Tiger’s SOBAT, then Tenzan’s Mongolian Chop! Shota hits the EXPLODER! Cover, Yujiro makes the save! Tiger fires off on Yujiro and whips but Yujiro reverses. Yujiro runs up, Tiger dumps him out! Tiger Mask DIVES and down goes Yujiro! Shota gets Dick up and hooks him, but Narita uses the PUSHUP BAR to choke Shota! Shota flings Narita away, kicks low, DEATH RIDER!! The fans are thunderous but Dick ROCKS Shota! Shota roars! Kick and DEATH RIDER!! Cover, Team Roughneck wins!

Winners: Shota Umino, Yuji Nagata, Tiger Mask, Togi Makabe & Hiroyoshi Tenzan, by pinfall

Evil is furious that his team lost, but he insists this changes nothing! But Shota gets the mic now to respond. Right here are the heart and soul of NJPW, his senpais. And even through the toughest times in NJPW history, they all loved this company and battled for THE IWGP Championship. And there is NO way any of them can forgive what The House of Torture has done. They all stand by this lion symbol, so Shota asks them to lend him and Moxley their strength. He asks with the respect of a kouhai (underclassman) who respects his senpai and everything they’ve done, they are the kind of men he wants to fight alongside.

Shota shakes hands with each of the legends, and they are all ready to stand against Evil. Will they help Moxley serve true justice at Dominion? Or will Darkness Fall on Osaka-Jo Hall?

Best of the Super Juniors 31 Semifinal: TJP VS Taiji Ishimori!

The Public Enemy made it through by bringing out The Aswang, while The Bone Soldier believes it was God’s grace that helped him overcome Hiromu. Will Taiji prove beyond a doubt #ItsReborn? Or will TJP continue to conquer this tournament for the United Empire?

The bell rings and the fans rally up for “T J P! T J P!” as he stares down with Taiji. TJP and Taiji circle, feel things out, and Taiji shoots to a waistlock. TJP switches, Taiji switches, but TJP headlocks then facelocks. Taiji wrenches out to wristlock, but TJP rolls, spins, and wrangles Taiji to have the leg. TJP then floats to an arm for the top wristlock. Taiji rolls to stand but TJP shifts to a hammerlock, then headlock, and hits a takeover. Taiji rolls to a cover, ONE! TJP holds on, shrugs off the headscissors, then handsprings over to get the chinlock. Taiji endures, fights up, and they end up on ropes.

The ref calls the break, TJP lets go and Taiji pats him on the shoulders. The fans applaud as the two reset and circle. They tie up with knuckle locks, go shoulder to shoulder for a Test of Strength, and Taiji bridges TJP back. TJP fights up, breaks a lock to cartwheel and trip Taiji. TJP has the top wristlock, but Taiji moves around. Taiji headlocks, then shifts to wrench an arm to a hammerlock. TJP slips around the back, spins Taiji to waistlock, full nelson, spin and trip! TJP has the toehold but Taiji turns and reels TJP into a headlock. The fans cheer this technical exchange, and TJP endures the grind. TJP then pops out the back to IRON OCTOPUS!

The fans cheer while Taiji endures and marches forward to the ROPEBREAK! TJP lets off, then pats Taiji on the shoulders. The fans cheer and the two reset. They tie up, Taiji wrenches to a hammerlock then a wristlock. TJP rolls, spins, cartwheels, drops down, TWISTING SCISSORS! TJP has Taiji down, but then Taiji headscissors TJP! TJP moves around, headstands, but Taiji SPIKES him for it! The fans applaud and Taiji keeps on the squeeze. TJP headstands again, but Taiji SPIKES him again! Taiji keeps hold but TJP hops and turns Taiji over! TJP pops free to have the legs, BOW ‘N’ ARROW! Taiji pops free to a cover, TWO!

Taiji wants the arm, TJP fights up. Taiji grinds the shoulder but TJP slips out and goes around, into the stepover! Taiji scrambles to the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer, TJP lets go, and Taiji bails out. The fans rally while Taiji dares TJP to come after him. TJP slides out but Taiji slides in. TJP slides in but Taiji catches him for the NECK TWIST! The fans applaud while TJP writhes and slumps out. Taiji goes out to POST TJP! Taiji then unties the blue buckle pad while the ref checks TJP. The Bullet Club Special is in play while TJP gets back up and in. The fans rally, but Taiji storms up to grab an arm and twist the wrist.

TJP tries to get up but Taiji wrangles him down. Taiji digs a knee into TJP’s head while pulling on the arm. Then Taiji cravats and drags TJP up for the neck wrench. Taiji rams his shoulder in again and again, then snapmares for the NECK TWIST! The fans rally while Taiji paces. Taiji drags TJP up, snapmares again, and clamps on a chinlock. TJP endures, the fans rally again, and TJP rises up. TJP fires body shots, gets free and runs, but Taiji catches him to the headlock! Taiji grinds TJP down but TJP grabs the ROPEBREAK! The fans applaud while Taiji lets go. The fans rally for TJP more but Taiji CLUBS him.

Taiji whips, TJP goes Spider-Man! Taiji HANDSPRING KICKS TJP down! Taiji grins, grabs TJP’s arm and brings him back up, but TJP steps over! DARK SACRIFICE on the apron! The fans fire up while Taiji flounders. TJP goes to the far corner, comes back, and triangle jump DROPKICKS Taiji from the apron! The fans fire up and TJP hurries to bring Taiji back into the ring. TJP climbs, Taiji rises, FLYING FOREARM! The fans fire up as Taiji goes to a corner. TJP runs up to ELBOW Taiji down, and then the scrubbing begins! The fans cheer, TJP runs side to side, BOOT WASH! The fans fire up as they want it again!

TJP obliges and scrubs Taiji some more. TJP runs side to side again, for a BOOT WASH DROPKICK! The fans fire up as TJP goes the extra mile! TJP then storms in to drag Taiji up and reel him in, “ICHI!” HALF HATCH! Then “NI!” HALF HATCH! And then “SAN!” HALF HATCH! The fans fire up and TJP climbs. MAMBA- NO, TJP has to land out as Taiji moves! Taiji waistlocks, TJP switches but Taiji fights free. Taiji runs, but TJP goes to a corner! TJP goes up and out and springboards in, FLYING DDT!! Cover, TWO!! The fans are thunderous and TJP pounds the mat. The fans clap along, “T! J P! T! J P!”

TJP goes to a corner, Taiji sit sup, ONE BY- NO, Taiji ducks the knee! Taiji wrenches and hammerlocks TJP, to then POST him! The ref reprimands but then Taiji hammerlocks and half nelsons, for the scoop and SHOULDER BUSTER! Both men are down and the fans fire back up! TJP and Taiji slowly rise, and Taiji aims from a corner. Taiji runs up, into a SUPERKICK! TJP goes to a corner, Taiji runs in, and TJP goes up and- NO, Taiji keeps him from going over! Taiji has TJP in the gut wrench, for CIPHER UTAKI! Taiji crawls to the cover, TWO! TJP is still in this and the fans fire back up!

Taiji is a bit frustrated but he focuses and goes to a corner. Taiji climbs a corner, but TJP ROCKS him first! TJP shakes out the bad arm, positions Taiji and throws hands. TJP climbs, but Taiji throws body shots! Taiji reels TJP in, but TJP fights the lift! The fans freak out a bit but TJP fights free with body shots. TJP sits on the top rope and CHOSP! But Taiji CHOPS back! TJP CHOPS, but then Taiji CHOPS TJP off the rope! TJP takes a tumble to the apron and then the floor! TJP slowly drags himself back up to the apron, but then Taiji grabs at his hair. TJP shrugs free, and SPRINGBOARD SUPER STEINERS!!

The fans are thunderous while Taiji takes a rough tumble! NOVA FIREBALL!! Cover, TWO!! The fans are thunderous as Taiji survives the shoutout to Akira! But TJP reloads, runs in, but into a JUMP KNEE from Taiji! Taiji aims now, runs up, LA MYSTICA!! BONE LOCK!!! TJP flails, reaches out, but Taiji rolls him from ropes! But TJP pops out the back! Stepover and- NO, Taiji drags TJP into a cradle! TWO!!! TJP escapes, Taiji BOOTS him! Taiji runs, ducks ‘n’ dodges, sunset BOMB! But TJP’s up to LARIAT!! Both men are down and the fans are electric! TJP stirs, he finds Taiji, and he grabs a wrist,

Taiji grabs the wrist back, so TJP throws forearms! Taiji won’t let go so TJP fires forearm after forearm! Taiji finally does let go, swings, but into the dragon sleeper! Taiji drops down but TJP drops on that to cover! TWO! ROLLING SOBAT! Taiji KNEES TJP, runs, but TJP hits a THESZ PRESS! And makes it a prawn hold! TWO!! Taiji escapes and the fans are electric again! TJP goes to a corner, Taiji runs in, but TJP goes up and over! TORNADO DDT! TJP sets Taiji in the drop zone and hurries up top! MAMBA SPLASH!! Cover, TWO?!?! But into the stepover! PINOY STRETCH!!! Taiji endures, reaches out, crawls forward, but TJP shifts sides, to steal BONE LOCK!!!

Taiji endures his own hold, but TJP rolls him from ropes! Taiji slips free to get the BONE LOCK!!! TJP endures now as the fans go nuts! TJP pries at the grip, crawls his way around, but Taiji roll shim! But TJP fights up, only to end up in BLOODY SUNDAY!! Cover, TWO?!?!? TJP survives and the fans are volcanic! Taiji gets TJP up, BLOODY CROSS!!! Cover, TAIJI WINS!!

Winner: Taiji Ishimori, by pinfall (advances to the finals)

The Public Enemy tried, and got so close, but it is The Bone Soldier who hits the target! Will God’s grace continue to see Taiji through until he’s holding the trophy?

Best of the Super Juniors 31 Semifinal: El Desperado VS DOUKI!

It is time to complete the Dominion main event! The Rogue Luchador and Japones Del Mal are no strangers to each other, so it comes down to who knows the other better than they know themselves! Who wins out to move on to Osaka-Jo Hall?

The bell rings and the fans are split rather even between the former Suzuki-Gun members. The “DOUKI! DOUKI!” starts to stand out, and he circles with Despe. They stare down a moment then feel things out. They knuckle lock, go around, and Douki waistlocks. Despe pries the hold and spins around to a facelock. Douki wrenches free to wristlock, but Despe traps both Douki’s arms. Despe headlocks, wrenches, wristlocks, but Douki rolls, wrenches and hammerlocks. Despe flips over to wrench and wristlock, hammerlock, snapmare and chinlock. Douki slips out the back to hammerlock and the fans cheer the exchange.

Despe moves around, Douki brings him up to also have the cording hold. Now Despe’s arms are trapped, and Douki pushes him down. Douki shifts his grip to have an upside-down motorcycle, and it’s a cover! TWO as Despe turns back over, but Douki keeps a wristlock. Douki wrenches then CLUBS that arm. Douki wrenches again, but Despe powers him down to the mat. They knuckle lock, Despe shifts to hook a leg and keep a top mount. The fans duel as Douki now scissors Despe’s leg. Despe uses that to get a deathlock, and he stands with it! Douki bridges to relieve pressure, but Despe pushes him back down to a lateral press, ONE!

Despe keep Douki down with a headlock but Douki headscissors. Despe bridges, rolls back, but Douki puts on a squeeze. Despe headstands to then pop and roll to a headlock! Douki headscissors back, and Despe gets the ROPEBREAK! The fans applaud, Red Shoes counts, and Douki lets off. Despe bails out and Douki waits on him. Despe steps back in, they reset and tie up. Despe waistlocks, Douki wrenches it open to hammerlock, but Despe steps through the ropes! Despe steps back in to wrap Douki’s arm around ropes! Red Shoes reprimands, so Despe KICKS the rope as he lets off! Despe runs up but Douki does the splits!

The fans fire up as Despe tumbles out, and Douki builds speed! Despe ducks so Douki stops short. Douki then resets to PLANCHA, but has to land on the apron as Despe moves. Despe SWEEPS the legs, but Douki handsprings through! Douki then FLYING RANAS! The fans fire up with Douki while Despe tumbles! Douki goes back for Despe, and he puts Despe in the ring. The fans rally up and Douki stomps Despe. Douki whips Despe, ELBOWS him down, then covers, TWO! Douki hurries to get Despe’s legs tied up, turn him over, and have the SEATED SURFBOARD! The fans fire up as Douki pulls Despe again and again, and then stands!

Douki walks with Despe in the pendulum, then drops him to focus on the arms! Douki steps over for more leverage, but Despe still endures. Douki sits to then roll Despe into the REVERSE ITALIAN STRETCH! Despe endures this modified leg nelson, fights around, and has the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer and Red Shoes counts, Douki lets go at 4. Douki stomps Despe around, but Despe fires body shots and forearms! Douki kicks low, runs, but Despe ELBOWS him! Despe runs, but Douki JUMPING HEADBUTTS! Cover, TWO! Despe is still in this and the fans rally up. Despe goes to a corner, Douki storms up, and Douki wrenches an arm.

Douki whips corner to corner, runs up and elbows Despe, to then turn him. But Despe fights the neckbreaker! Despe grabs a leg, Douki fights the shin breaker! Douki runs, Despe gets around and ties up the legs, KNEE CRUSHER! Douki writhes while clutching both legs! The fans rally up but Despe grabs a leg to YANK it! And SPLASH on it! Douki writhes and the fans rally as he crawls to a corner. Despe waits on Douki to stand, then he runs up, but blocks a boot! Despe dropkicks the bad leg! Then he gets that leg for a DRAGON SCREW! Douki flounders around but Despe grabs the bad leg again.

Despe digs his knee into the knee, then pulls on the toehold. Douki kicks with the free leg but Despe sits down for more leverage. Despe ties Douki’s legs up in the INDIAN DEATHLOCK! Despe sits up to egg Douki on, and Douki CHOPS again and again! Despe “falls” over to put on more pressure! The fans rally, Douki endures, and he crawls around. Douki reaches out to the ROPEBREAKS, and Despe says he needs help undoing the hold. Red Shoes pries the legs apart, Despe kneels on the bad leg! Red Shoes reprimands, but then “Oops!” Despe falls on the knee! Despe drags Douki up and around to CHOP him to a corner.

Despe eggs Douki on, CHOPS him again, but Douki shoves back. Douki fires a forearm, and another, and another! Then he CHOPS! Despe just eggs Douki on more so Douki CHOPS again! Despe kicks low and whips Douki to a corner, only for Douki to fall two-thirds of the way there. Despe stands on the bad leg, taunts Douki, then drags him back up. Despe waistlocks but Douki fights the lift. Douki goes to run, Despe reels him in but Douki kicks. Despe blocks and FLIPS Douki, but Douki lands on his feet! But that just jams up the bad leg! Despe grins, kicks the leg, then runs, but Douki handsprings and BACK ELBOWS!

The fans fire up as both men are down again! Despe goes to ropes while Douki shakes out the bad leg. Douki runs up in the corner to clothesline, then he whips corner to corner. Despe comes back but Douki arm-drags him! Douki then spins around Despe to arm-drag again! Douki rams Despe then runs to springboard and BACK ELBOW! Cover, TWO! The fans rally for Douki as he drags Despe up, swings him, but Despe slips out to waistlock. Douki switches, spins and drops, ITALIAN STRETCH 32! But Despe powers out! The fans fire up, Douki kicks low! Douki suplexes but Despe fights that, spins it around, RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP!

Despe then gets a leg, for a LEG DDT! Then STRETCH MUFFLER! Douki flails, reaches out, and has the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer while Despe lets go in frustration. Douki and Despe each shake out bad arms and legs before they sit up. Despe runs up on Douki, but Douki BOOTS and goes to the apron! But the leg jams! Despe KICKS the leg, builds speed, and DIVES into a GAMANGIRI! And then ROPE ITALIAN STRETCH!! Red Shoes reprimands and counts, Douki lets go at 4, and the fans rally again. Douki aims as Despe rises, into DAY- NO! Despe stops Daybreak to suplex, but Douki slips free!

Douki goes up to MYSTERIO RANA! Despe tumbles out, Douki builds speed and DIVES to TORNADO DDT to the floor!! The fans are thunderous while Despe writhes. Douki sits up, gets his bad leg working and roars as he stands. The fans cheer, the ring count climbs, but Douki gets Despe up at 8 of 20. They go in at 10 and the fans cheer. Douki aims from the apron again, and Despe rises into DAYBREAK! Cover, TWO, but into ITALIAN STRETCH #32!! Despe endures as Douki has him! Despe kicks and flails around, reaches out, but he falls over! Douki pulls on the hold as hard as he can! Red Shoes checks as Despe fades!

The fans are thunderous as Despe gets a second wind! Despe rises but falls to the other side! Douki pulls but Despe finds the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer as Douki lets go. Both men catch their breath while the fans continue to rally. Douki slaps his bad leg to get it going again, and Despe goes to a corner. Douki runs in to clothesline! Douki roars, runs, and DOUKI-SAN BOMBERS! Both men are down but Douki rises again! The fans fire up with Douki as he goes to the legs. Douki wheelbarrows, but Despe somersaults! Despe waistlocks to GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! Douki escapes and the fans fire up again!

Despe grits his teeth and clutches his neck, and the fans rally up again. Both Despe and Douki sit up, and Douki grabs Despe’s hair. Douki ELBOWS Despe on the neck! Despe growls and fires off CHOP after CHOP! Douki ROCKS Despe back! Both rise, Despe fires forearms, but Douki ROCKS him with just one! The fans fire up with Despe and he stands back up. Despe fires a forearm, Douki fires back, repeat! They go back and forth, and Douki looks to be in better shape. Despe fires a flurry of forearms! Douki ROCKS Despe, Despe KICKS the leg, Douki ENZIGIRIS! Both men are down again and the fans fire back up!

Douki rises and roars and he goes back for legs. Douki drags Despe to center, wheelbarrows, and full nelsons! SUPLEX- NO, Despe breaks free, and DECKS Douki! The fans fire up, Despe roars and drags Douki up! Underhooks and PINCHE- NO, Douki sunset flips over, TWO!! Despe wants after Douki but ends up in ITALIAN STRETCH 32!! Douki pulls on the arms and Despe is already fading! Despe sputters, reaches out, kicks around, but Douki pulls! Despe is fading, Red Shoes is checking! Despe fights back to life! Despe drags Douki back with him, but Douki rolls Despe away! ITALIAN- JACKKNIFE BRIDGE! TWO!!!

Douki lets go in time, ELBOWS and ROLLING ELBOWS! But Despe wings up! Douki ROCKS him first!! Douki roars, runs, but Despe wrenches! Backslide, roll through, JAY DRILLER!! The fans are thunderous as Despe rolls Douki back to his feet, for PINCHE LOCO!!! Cover, DESPE WINS!!

Winner: El Desperado, by pinfall (advances to the finals)

An incredible battle between friends, but perhaps it was just too soon for Douki to reach that next level. How much harder will he have to fight to one day be The Best of the Super Juniors?

As for Desperado, he stands, raises a fist in victory and the fans cheer. But before Despe can get the mic to speak, Taiji Ishimori returns to the ring! The BOSJ 31 finalists stare down in the ring and this year’s Dominion theme music plays. Taiji and Despe each tell each other to be ready, and then Despe offers a handshake. Taiji doesn’t take it, and takes his leave instead. The fans cheer, and now Despe gets the mic. Despe says he doesn’t really need to say anything more. He’s going to win this!! And with that, The Rogue Luchador drops the mic and heads out. One way or another, someone will hold their first BOSJ trophy! Who makes NJPW their Dominion?

My Thoughts:

A great final bit for the BOSJ series before Dominion, including all the go-home matches. TMDK getting the win over the War Dogs here makes me think Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita fall short of taking the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships from Clark Connors & “Drilla” Moloney, as great as that would be to go along with Shane Haste & Mikey Nichols being NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions. Similarly, Khan & Cobb win to have momentum going into their respective title matches. But where I feel Khan fails to take back the KOPW Championship from Yuya Uemura, Cobb finds a way to retain the NJPW World Television Championship against Tomohiro Ishii. No offense to Ishii, but I don’t see him as a “15 minutes or less” match kind of guy.

LIJ takes the night in their tag matches, and I’m thinking we see Hiromu, Tsuji & Bushi take on Tanahashi, Yano & Boltin for the NEVER Openweight Six Man titles. They probably won’t win those titles, but it’d be a great match. Likewise, Takagi & Naito stood tall here, but there’s a good chance Henare finds a way to win that NEVER Openweight Championship from Takagi at Dominion. Really good promo from Moxley that then revealed the old school NJPW guys joining his side in this. Very good 8 Man Tag, and while The Faces won here, that should not affect the math. I can’t see Evil being the one dethroning Moxley, even with Lumberjacks and cheating. Mostly because, who challenges and dethrones Evil? Not sure anyone’s really been built to be that next Face champ.

Awesome BOSJ Semifinal matches, with TJP VS Taiji perhaps being the more exciting match overall. It certainly had a bit more unpredictability in who would win, but Taiji winning out does make sense. TJP’s story has been his crisis of confidence, how he needed The Aswang to win his spot here only to lose when he went back to his normal self. Desperado VS Douki was still a lot of fun given these two have known each other a long time. Desperado winning works for his story, because he’s been saying again and again that he needs to finally win this trophy. Taiji VS Desperado is going to be awesome stuff for the Dominion main event, and really anyone’s game.

My Score: 8.9/10