NJPW is back at it, with more shows on their on-going Summer Struggle tour. We’re closing in on the Wrestle Grand Slam show in MetLife Dome on September 5th & 6th, but tonight’s show was an interesting one. This is because Hiromu Takahashi is finally back! Following a shoulder injury earlier this year, which forced him to vacate the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, he’s back just in time for Wrestle Grand Slam, but had a challenge tonight in the increasingly impressive DOUKI.
New Young Lions Show Insane Promise, Robbie Eagles Keeps Master Wato Away From Title Shot
With Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura finally out on excursion, it’s time for the next generation of Young Lions to step into the spotlight. Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa are the newest members of the roster, and on this show they’d go to a dramatic and intense ten minute time limit draw. There was some downright excellent mat wrestling in this match, instantly having fans curious about just how much potential they have as their training continues.
The second match on the card ended in a flash, as a six man tag team match saw Suzuki-Gun tear down the team of Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Ryusuke Taguchi in just three minutes. The United Empire was able to drop Kazuchika Okada & Togi Makabe, continuing the issues between Cobb & Okada.
Finally on the undercard, we saw a non-title match between Robbie Eagles & Master Wato, with Eagles redeeming a fall during the Super Junior Tag League. A loss here might have given Wato a title shot, but Eagles was able to slap on the Ron Miller Special to ensure he doesn’t have another challenger lined up after Hiromu Takahashi.
Hiromu Takahashi Returns, Goes Right To War With DOUKI
In typical Hiromu Takahashi form, he made a big deal of his return. There was banners and everything, and a seemingly easy target in DOUKI. However, DOUKI wasn’t going to give him an easy night. Following a dominant Suzuki-Gun victory earlier in the night, and a Super Junior Tag League win for them, it was time for DOUKI to step up, and step up he did.
Clocking in at 29 minutes and 43 seconds and maintaining a breakneck pace, this might have been his greatest match to date. He was truly able to hang with the returning Takahashi, and proved that this year he will be one to watch with Best Of The Super Juniors. However, Takahashi wouldn’t stay down or be denied his return win, and put down DOUKI in the end. This is absolutely one to seek out, and alongside the Young Lion opener, the best match on the show.
Will Hiromu Takahashi win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship back at Wrestle Grand Slam? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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