Minoru Suzuki learned why you don’t underestimate Hiromu Takahashi, and was removed from the New Japan Cup. Now, he’s got a chance to vent some frustrations as he teams with El Desperado & TAKA Michinoku to take out Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & Tomoaki Honma.
Suzuki-Gun Gets Shut Down In Opening Match – SHO Lays Out El Desperado Once Again
As is tradition, Suzuki-Gun struck before the bell. Suzuki would take Honma to the outside, while Desperado made creative use of the bell hammer as he worked over the ass of Taguchi. Michinoku would keep control of Honma in the ring, before Suzuki nailed a forearm smash and applied the heel hook.
Honma slipped free only to end up in the rear naked choke, but was able to block the Gotch Style Piledriver. Tiger Mask would get a near fall off the Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker, nearly pinning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in the process. Desperado would look for Guitarra de Angel, but had to settle for a gut punch.
Taguchi & Michinoku would take the ring, and Taguchi would survive a thrust kick and the JUST Facelock, before applying the Ankle Lock for the submission victory! After the bell, SHO once again attacked Desperado – making his intentions crystal clear. He wants singles gold, and will do anything to get it.
Jado, Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa Continue Their Misfortunes
Last night, we got some sweeping changes in BULLET CLUB. Jay White has already cast Tama Tonga out, but Jado & Tanga Loa would join him in exile- with the rest of BULLET CLUB beating them down last night. Now, they will start this new chapter of their career taking on old allies in Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo, and Bad Luck Fale.
Getting revenge from last night, Tama, Tanga & Jado hit the ring. This one was never going to be a match of headlocks, but rather just payback time. Jado would lay in chops to the chest of Fale, before foolishly looking for a body slam.
BULLET CLUB would corner Jado for some back rakes – before he’d fight free with a lariat to ELP. Loa would rush the ring, and was able to send Fale to the floor. Jado would nail Green Killer, before calling for Sudden Death on ELP. Gedo ran a distraction on his longtime partner, and ELP nailed the superkick for the win.
L.I.J Know Too Much About EVIL To Fall For His Tricks
Hiromu Takahashi is in rough shape after this 15 minute chop battle with Minoru Suzuki, but there is no rest for the wicked in the New Japan Cup. Taking on EVIL in the next round, Takahashi will bring SANADA & Shingo Takagi to the ring as they take the fight to House of Torture.
EVIL would kick things off with Hiromu, and was driven down with the shotgun dropkick. Shingo would come off the top rope with an axe handle to the arm of EVIl, and SANADA & Hiromu would quickly follow. Dick Togo would expose the steel of the corner, before working over the arm of Hiromu.
Chase Owens would apply a camel clutch, before nailing the crossface blow to shut Hiromu down. EVIL would be tossed into the steel – before Shingo was able to hit the ring. Chase Owens will meet Shingo in his next New Japan Cup match, and got to feel what the vertical suplex feels like here. C-Trigger was dodged, and Shingo tagged in SANADA.
Owens would avoid the Paradise Lock, before tagging in Dick Togo. EVIL would assist with the Fisherman Buster – but only got a two count. Togo would almost steal the win off a jackknife, before being rolled up tight in the O’Conner Roll for the win.
Will EVIL be able to crush Hiromu Takahashi and move further into the New Japan Cup? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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