On December 2nd, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) presented Best of the Super Juniors 27 (BOSJ 27) from the Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan in front of 1,220 fans. COVID-19 (Coronavirus, 2019) safety restrictions were responsible for the reduced crowd size, yet the crowd was present during key parts of the night.
The second series match of the event saw former two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and Best of the Super Juniors 19 (2012) winner “Funky Weapon” Ryusuke Taguchi take on CHAOS member “Sniper of the Skies” Robbie Eagles in a swing match for both competitors. Eagles needed a victory to keep any hopes of a BOSJ 27 Finals appearance alive.
Taguchi came into the match after scoring the fall over NJPW Noge Dojo Young Lion Yuya Uemura on November 29th, while Eagles dropped the fall to former three-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, BOSJ 25 (2018) winner, and Los Ingobernables de Japon (LIJ) member “Time Bomb” Hiromu Takahashi on the same night.
The match was competitive throughout with both wrestlers displaying good form as they attempted to stay relevant within the BOSJ 27 table. However, despite his best efforts to put away Eagles, it just wasn’t Taguchi’s night to gain a victory.
Eagles would gain the submission fall at the 13 minutes and 3 seconds mark with the Ron Miller Special Reverse Figure 4 technique. The victory moved Eagles to (3-4) [6 points] while Taguchi dropped to (3-4) [6 points].
Eagles would go on to face Suzuki-Gun member El Desperado on December 5th, while Taguchi would face Hiromu on the same night. Eagles may have been hurt by his lack of ring time coming into BOSJ 27, but his form is that of one who could definitely become a multi-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Taguchi continues to be a tough competitor, but he’s lacked the ending flurry that he’s used to put opponents away in the past.
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