NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 29 Results: El Desperado [8] Defeats Master Wato [2], YOH [6] Defeats Hiromu Takahashi [6] (05/25)

Master Wato finally claimed a win in this tournament, just in time for a hot streak to get him into the finals. However, first he needs to deal with El Desperado, a man who historically has had his number. They clashed earlier this year over the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, a match which Desperado won very decisively. Now, Wato has a chance to redeem this loss, and send a statement to all who doubt him.

Master Wato Shows His Improvements Against El Desperado

Wato would start this one off with some restraint, before taking a chop to the chest. Desperado would grab the headlock, and Wato would have a hard time trying to break free. Wato would finally hit a big spin kick, as Chris Charleton called him more of a cheap paper towel than a knowledge sponge like Wheeler Yuta.

Desperado would yank Wato off the apron, before a body slam on the floor. Back in the ring, Desperado would go after the leg of Wato, before looking for Guitarra de Angel. Wato slipped free but the leg was bothering him – before he’d send Desperado to the floor and hit a picture perfect dive. A second would follow, with Desperado & Wato both almost being sent into the crowd.

Back into the ring, Wato would hit a rough springboard elbow butt to the arm, with the original plan probably a springboard forearm. German Suplex would be attempted by Desperado, before instead hitting a backdrop suplex. The arm of Desperado was giving some issues, and he’d give a receipt to Wato with a slap to the ear.

Kneebreaker was attempted, but Wato would fight free with a knee to the face. High Angle German Suplex would land, but Wato was unable to bridge into the pinfall. Recientemente would land, and Wato quickly moved into Vendaval. Desperado just got his foot on the bottom rope, and Wato went up top to go for RPP.

He’d miss, but blocked Numero Dos into a near fall. Spinebuster & Guitarra de Angel landed, before Pinche Loco put Wato down for the finish. El Desperado moves to 8 points, while Wato is now at risk of being mathematically eliminated from the tournament.

YOH Targets The Leg Of Hiromu Takahashi

YOH has never been able to defeat Hiromu Takahashi in singles action. Not during their tournament match in 2021, the finals of the 2021 Best of the Super Juniors, or right before the 2022 tournament kicked off. However, after Hiromu was destroyed by Yoshinobu Kanemaru last night with a calculated attack to the knee, YOH has a target to focus on – and just needs to trust his killer instinct tonight to push past both Hiromu, and the mental block he represents.

YOH would go after the knee as soon as this match began with a dropkick. Hiromu tried to flee the ring, but YOH was right on him. Back in the ring, kneebar was applied, but Hiromu escaped and slipped free. On the floor, YOH would continue to attack the knee – and back in the ring would follow up.

Hiromu would fight back with some chops, before getting locked in the Figure Four. YOH knew this move beat Hiromu yesterday, and has the technical skills to apply the hold himself. Hiromu would get the bottom rope, before hitting a lariat in the corner but not being able to run into the dropkick – instead just throwing it.

Shotgun dropkick off the apron would follow, before beating the feeling back into the leg. Falcon Arrow would land in the ring, before looking for the Death Valley Driver. YOH slipped off the shoulders, before being kicked and almost jammed into the corner.

Finally Pushing Past The Mental Block

YOH would block a thrust kick, and dropkicked the base leg. Kneebar would be applied again, but Hiromu would fight free. German Suplexes would follow, two from YOH and one from Hiromu before the Hiromu Bomber landed. YOH would kick away at the knee of Hiromu, before taking the Complete Shot.

Dynamite Plunger would land, but YOH was able to kick out. Time Bomb was blocked, but so was the Five Star Clutch from YOH. What wasn’t blocked was an inverted Dragon Screw Leg Whip. YOH would set Hiromu up on the top rope, before a Superplex right into Falcon Arrow, into the the kneebar.

YOH had Hiromu dead to rights in the middle of the ring, but Hiromu would manage to push forward to the bottom rope. Hiromu would nail a headbutt, before managing a thrust kick. Lariat would land, but YOH kicked out at two. Victory Royale would land, with Time Bomb II set to follow. YOH blocked into Five Star Clutch, but Hiromu broke free.

Thrust kick from YOH landed, before the Drop The Needle. Direct Drive would be avoided, before an inside cradle got the near fall. YOH hit a backbreaker, before Direct Drive – giving him his first win over Hiromu, and two more points in this tournament.

Is YOH about to break loose in this tournament? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.

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