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8/17/21 Results for New Japan's Summer Struggle 2021; Super Jr. Tag League concludes in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo Japan:
The ring announcer explained that the card has changed as some wrestlers are unable to compete. He apologized to the fans.
Hiromu Takahashi is on Japanese Commentary.
1 - Tomoaki Honma vs. Great O-Khan. O-Khan pins Honma with an Eliminator. O-Khan was about to give his United Empire declaration to the crowd but he paused, then left the ring. The next few months shall be interesting with how New Japan will handle the United Empire. Earlier this year, O-Khan, Jeff Cobb, Aaron Henare and Will Ospreay were on a fast pace to become the top faction in New Japan. Then Ospreay got hurt against Shingo Takagi in May 2021. Now, with Ospreay returning from injury at Resurgence, stating he would not compete in the G1 Climax 31 and staking his claim in New Japan Strong, I am curious what will happen with his faction that he left behind. The decision to keep Ospreay in New Japan Strong tells me he may not be at a 100% yet. He can work in the States and the UK, get heat with his promos, and continue to stay in the minds of New Japan fans. Hopefully, Ospreay continues to get healthy, avoid COVID-19 and can return to New Japan in the future, perhaps for G1 Climax 32.
2 - Togi Makabe and Toru Yano vs. Chase Owens and Jado. Yano low blows Jado and pins him with a small package. Owens attacks Yano with a leather strap after the match. He whips him with the strap until Makabe makes the save.
3 - Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto vs. Minoru Suzuki, DOUKI, Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi. Suzuki-Gun were vicious in this match. Lots of fighting on the floor, chairs, choking, and every heel tactic you can think of. Suzuki fighting Kojima was fun to watch. ZSJ forces Tenzan to submit to an Octopus hold. Suzuki-Gun, as a team, looked like a well-oiled machine. When Goto and YOSHI-HASHI paired off against ZSJ and Taichi, it was awesome wrestling. Their 3-way match for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship at Wrestle Grand Slam should be fantastic.
4 - Super Jr. Tag League: Tiger Mask and Robbie Eagles vs. Master Wato and Ryusuke Taguchi. Taguchi pins Tiger Mask with a roll up and bridge. Taguchi and Wato earn two points which brings their total to 4 points. Eagles goes to the Japanese Announce table to confront Hiromu Takahashi. They will face each other for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Grand Slam.
5 - Super Jr. Tag League: Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado vs. El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori At the introductions, normally El Phantasmo does a flip from the top rope into the ring. This time it looks like he came down wrong on his ankle in the middle of the ring. He was selling the ankle as the ring announcer spoke. Suzuki-Gun sees this and attacks quickly. They worked over Ishimori until he made the hot tag to ELP. ELP hit a crazy middle of the top rope flipping senton on Kanemaru. Two count. Bullet Club attacked Kanemaru's lower back and kept him in their corner. Kanemaru dropkicked the leg of ELP who took a bump on his head. (Side note: El Phantasmo does this a lot. It looks like a wicked bump, but I think he needs to stop doing it. All I can think of is Hayabusa, when ELP does this bump.) Desperado gets the hot tag and cleans house. He hits ELP with a spear. Two count. Both men start trading chops and strikes. Desperado with a Spinbuster. Two count. Desperado goes for Pinche Loco but ELP blocks it and runs him into the Bullet Club corner. Ishimori tags in and hits a double knee to the face. Ishimori picks up Desperado and hits a hammerlock shoulder breaker. Ishimori spins Desperado into a Yes Lock. Ishimori tries to roll Desperado away from the ropes but Desperado reverses the roll into Numero Dos. Ishimori powers out and attempts a roll up pin. Two count because Ishimori's knee was weakened. Desperado drops Ishimori on his neck with a back suplex and tags Kanemaru. Kanemaru attacks the leg of Ishimori. Desperado takes out Ishimori's leg with a tackle then takes ELP out on the floor. Kanemaru applies a figure four leg lock. ELP fights off Desperado and comes off the top rope with Thunderkiss '86 on Kanemaru. ELP and Ishimori hit a knee strike spinning neck breaker on Kanemaru. Two count. Ishimori hits a CodeBreaker on Kanemaru and holds on. ELP comes off the ropes with a moonsault, but Kanemaru moves and ELP lands on Ishimori. Desperado plants ELP with a back suplex. Kanemaru with a roll up pin on Ishimori, who kicks out at two. Kanemaru hits a moonsault on Ishimori. ELP breaks the count. ELP hits Sudden Death into the gut of Kanemaru who drops to the mat in pain. ELP and Desperado have a great exchange.
Desperado goes for Pinche Loco. ELP blocks it and stomps on Desperado's foot. He sells it like a brick fell on his foot. ELP hits Sudden Death in the face of Desperado. Ishimori goes to cover Desperado, but Red Shoes the referee says Kanemaru was the legal man in the ring. ELP is arguing with Red Shoes. Kanemaru low blows Ishimori. He pushes Ishimori into ELP. Kanemaru rolls up Ishimori.
Kanemaru pins Ishimori.
Suzuki-Gun wins the match and earns two points. This puts both of these teams tied for the lead with 8 points each. However, since Suzuki-Gun defeated Bullet Club, the Super Jr. Tag League winners are El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
ELP and Ishimori continue to argue their case but referee was not listening. Kanemaru took the mic and demanded a title shot from Bullet Club.
Bullet Club was angry as they left ringside. ELP hit Sudden Death on a young lion.
In the interview area, ELP and Ishimori were upset that they did not go undefeated in the Super Jr. Tag League and would have to face Suzuki-Gun again, this time for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
FINAL Super Jr. Tag League Results:
El Desperado/Kanemaru - 8 points (Winners)
Tiger Mask/Eagles - 6 points
El Phantasmo/Ishimori - 8 points
Wato/Taguchi - 4 points
SHO/YOH - 0 points
Gedo/Togo - 0 points
There was no follow-up to the SHO/YOH storyline tonight, so it will be interesting to see how that plays out. There will be four more shows on New Japan World for the month of August. From these four shows, we will see where New Japan goes with their storylines and filling out the matches for Wrestle Grand Slam on Sept 4 and 5.
Thanks for reading.
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