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UPDATED NJPW BEST OF SUPER JUNIORS BREAKDOWN & PREVIEW

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 on November 2 and confirmed the full schedule at Power Struggle on November 7.

This article will cover the history of the tournament, offer analysis of all the competitors announced and transcribe the full schedule 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.

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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, Taguchi 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 one of two debutants 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 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 to form The Empire, 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.

Takahashi’s 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. 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.

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

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

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

Ishimori is the only Bullet Club representative in this year’s tournament.

10. Yuya Uemura
Tournament debut

With Yoshinobu Kanemaru ruled out of the tournament on November 12 with a knee injury, Yuya Uemura was drafted as a late replacement.

Uemura is the second debutant in this year’s tournament. Due to his young lion status, he will likely finish with zero points.

Uemura teamed with Tiger Mask in last year’s Super Junior Tag League. The pair finished with no wins.

Full schedule

November 15 in Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Aichi
• Master Wato vs. Yuya Uemura
• DOUKI vs. Robbie Eagles
• BUSHI vs. SHO
• El Desperado vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
• Hiromu Takahashi vs. Taiji Ishimori

November 18 in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
• BUSHI vs. Yuya Uemura
• Master Wato vs. Robbie Eagles
• DOUKI vs. SHO
• Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Taiji Ishimori
• El Desperado vs. Hiromu Takahashi

November 20 in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
• El Desperado vs. Yuya Uemura
• DOUKI vs. Taiji Ishimori
• Master Wato vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
• Robbie Eagles vs. SHO
• BUSHI vs. Hiromu Takahashi

November 23 in G Messa Gunma, Gunma
• Taiji Ishimori vs. Yuya Uemura
• BUSHI vs. Robbie Eagles
• DOUKI vs. Hiromu Takahashi
• Ryusuke Taguchi vs. SHO
• El Desperado vs. Master Wato

November 25 in Toki Messe, Niigata
• Hiromu Takahashi vs. Yuya Uemura
• DOUKI vs. Master Wato
• BUSHI vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
• Robbie Eagles vs. Taiji Ishimori
• El Desperado vs. SHO

November 29 in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
• Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Yuya Uemura
• DOUKI vs. El Desperado
• Master Wato vs. SHO
• BUSHI vs. Taiji Ishimori
• Hiromu Takahashi vs. Robbie Eagles

December 2 in Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium, Osaka
• DOUKI vs. Yuya Uemura
• Robbie Eagles vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
• BUSHI vs. Master Wato
• El Desperado vs. Taiji Ishimori
• Hiromu Takahashi vs. SHO

December 5 in Sun Arena Sendai, Kagoshima
• SHO vs. Yuya Uemura
• BUSHI vs. DOUKI
• El Desperado vs. Robbie Eagles
• Master Wato vs. Taiji Ishimori
• Hiromu Takahashi vs. Ryusuke Taguchi

December 6 in Fukuoka Convention Center, Fukuoka
• DOUKI vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
• Hiromu Takahashi vs. Master Wato
• SHO vs. Taiji Ishimori
• Robbie Eagles vs. Yuya Uemura
• BUSHI vs. El Desperado

The December 6 card will be determined based on tournament standings.

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