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EVERYTHING YOU WANT AND NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEW JAPAN'S BEST OF SUPER JUNIORS 2020

New Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual Best of the Super Juniors tournament will begin on November 15 in Aichi.

The tournament was scheduled to take place in May and June earlier this year, but was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic. New Japan announced the full field for this year’s tournament at its Road to Power Struggle show in Korakuen Hall today.

Here's some history of the tournament, analysis of all the competitors announced and full schedule details for this year’s tournament.

Tournament history

Best of the Super Juniors was founded in 1988 and began running annually in 1991. It was originally called the Top of the Super Juniors until it rebranded to its current name in 1994.

Tiger Mask is the only competitor to win consecutive tournaments, doing so in 2004 and 2005. Jushin Thunder Liger holds the record for most appearances with 26.

Traditionally, the winner of the tournament challenges for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Dominion. This year, it seems likely the tournament winner will challenge for the title at Wrestle Kingdom.

Competitors announced

1. Ryusuke Taguchi
17th total appearance
15th consecutive appearance

Ryusuke Taguchi is one of two tournament winners in this year’s field.

Having won 2012’s tournament, he also leads this year’s field in total appearances and consecutive appearances.

Taguchi has held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship twice throughout his career. Most recently, he unsuccessfully challenged Taiji Ishimori at New Beginning in Osaka in 2019.

2. Master Wato
Tournament debut

Master Wato is the only debutant in this year’s tournament.

He returned from excursion in CMLL during the New Japan Cup and has feuded with Suzuki-gun since his return.

While he is yet to challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, he did win the CMLL World Lightweight Championship while in Mexico.

3. SHO
3rd total appearance
3rd consecutive appearance

Currently without his regular tag team partner YOH, SHO enters this year’s tournament in somewhat of a lull.

YOH tore his ACL during the New Japan Cup, leaving SHO unable to defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships. SHO was also left out of the tournament to crown new champions.

He has never challenged for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship before, although he unsuccessfully challenged El Phantasmo for the RevPro Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship last November.

4. Robbie Eagles
2nd total appearance
2nd consecutive appearance

Robbie Eagles will return to Japan for the first time since February to compete in the Best of the Super Juniors.

With Will Ospreay’s graduation to the heavyweight division and later departure from CHAOS, fans could expect to see Eagles positioned as CHAOS’ top junior heavyweight wrestler.

Eagles unsuccessfully challenged Ospreay for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Southern Showdown In Melbourne last June.

5. Hiromu Takahashi
5th total appearance
1st consecutive appearance

Hiromu Takahashi will enter this year’s tournament as a heavy favourite to win.

He is the second tournament winner in this year’s field, having won 2018’s tournament.

His three reigns with the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is also the highest amongst this year’s field.

6. BUSHI
8th total appearance
5th consecutive appearance

BUSHI has the second highest total appearances and consecutive appearances in this year’s field.

BUSHI defeated KUSHIDA to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in 2016, but lost it back to KUSHIDA on his first defense.

Other than his lone reign, he has a 0-3 record when challenging for the championship.

7. El Desperado
4th total appearance
1st consecutive appearance

El Desperado returns to the Best of the Super Juniors for the first time since 2018 after missing last year’s tournament with a broken jaw.

The masked guitarist has never enjoyed a huge amount of success in the tournament, finishing with six points in all prior appearances.

He has forayed into the heavyweight division this year, entering the New Japan Cup, challenging Shingo Takagi for the NEVER Openweight Championship and competing to become the inaugural KOPW holder.

8. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
4th total appearance
4th consecutive appearance

Yoshinobu Kanemaru has held the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship in Pro Wrestling NOAH and the World Junior Heavyweight Championship in All Japan Pro Wrestling, but never the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.

Kanemaru has somewhat of a reputation as a spoiler in the Best of the Super Juniors, so it is worth keeping an eye on the wryly veteran throughout the tournament.

He is the oldest competitor in this year’s field at 44 years old.

9. DOUKI
2nd total appearance
2nd consecutive appearance

DOUKI will be seeking revenge after his dismal two-point performance in last year’s tournament.

His only victory came against young lion Ren Narita, who was a last minute replacement for Flip Gordon.

DOUKI is probably the lowest ranked wrestler in this year’s field. His victory against Narita remains his only singles victory in New Japan.

10. Taiji Ishimori
4th total appearance
3rd consecutive appearance

Taiji Ishimori currently holds the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and would be allow to select his next challenger if he won the tournament.

Ishimori return to New Japan as a member of Bullet Club ahead of 2018’s tournament and advanced to the final, although he came up short.

It is worth noting Kanemaru has defeated Ishimori in the last two tournaments.

Full schedule

• November 15 in Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Aichi
• November 18 in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
• November 20 in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
• November 23 in G Messa Gunma, Gunma
• November 25 in Toki Messe, Niigata
• November 29 in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
• December 2 in Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium, Osaka
• December 5 in Sun Arena Sendai, Kagoshima

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