Good morning, and we are back!
It’s October 26th, and it’s time for Road To Power Struggle–Korakuen Hall. This tour the Super Jr Tag Team tournament is taking place, and tonight, in the main event, Ryusuke Taguchi and ACH will take on Roppongi 3K! But it will be interesting to see the new status quo, after all the changes at King of Pro Wrestling! Let’s get it on!
Toa Henare, Shota Umino & Yota Tsuji vs Ayato Yoshida, Yuya Uemura & Ren Narita
Shota Umino makes Uemura tap out to a Boston Crab. Normally, I love Young Lions matches, but here there are two guys joining them, who have lost way too often, AND there are 6 guys wearing the same kind of tights, with barely familiar Japanese names. By the time you realize who is fighting who and who is winning, the situation has changed.
Umino and Yoshida start arguing afterwards, which tells you where, unfortunately, the latter ranks in New Japan hierarchy.
2. Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano vs Minoru Suzuki & TAKA Michinoku
Unusual for Suzuki to be out in the second match, but with the Juniors maining and co-maining, everybody else gets moved further down. Toru Yano pins Michinoku after TAKA runs into an exposed turnbuckle.
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs Kota Ibushi, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens
There was some arguing between Ibushi and the other two BCers about using illegal tactics. Him and Chase almost came to blows at one point–more tension in BC to come? Tanahashi pinned Owens with High Fly Flow. First good match of the night, but, considering that Bullet Club’s team was weaker and that the strongest member of the first team pinned the weakest BC’er somewhat obvious setup-wise.
4. Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Best Friends & Rocky Romero vs Jay White, Bad Luck Fale, Guerillas of Destiny & Gedo
Finally, the match I wanted to see, CHAOS battling Bullet Club OG after the events of King of Pro-Wrestling. Fans want Jay White to start against Okada, he declines and gets to the outside. Goto and Tama Tonga start the match instead.
Guerillas of Destiny are in the ring for the early portion, first against Goto, then against BFs. When Romero tries to help out, Best Friends stop him and after some anger, there is a mass group hug.
Jado canes Barretta in the back, after which BC take over and Jay White puts Okada into ringside chairs. After much double-teaming of Barretta, he almost makes the tag to Okada, but Gedo pulls him back. Barretta enzuiguris Gedo and then delivers a monster swinging neckbreaker. The tag is finally made, and Okada pummels Gedo. GoD get in and stop Okada, but as they whip him towards the ropes, he stops, realizing Jado with cane is right there. Tama Tonga charges Okada, and gets back body dropped to the outside onto Jado. Okada DDT’s Tonga Loa. Fale runs in after Okada, but he ducks, Fale hits turnbuckle and in an amazing feat gets bodyslammed.
Gedo is left. After a big boot by Okada, Jay White pulls him down and back suplexes Rainmaker. The two leaders are now going head to head. Okada with an uppercut, but a Rainmaker is blocked with an elbow. Okada looks at White and says “uh-uh, bring something stronger”. Corkscrew brainbuster stops Okada.
Lots of reversals until, finally, Okada hits a flapjack. Hey, where has all of CHAOS disappeared to. Okada tags in the worst person possible, Romero. Romero takes down White and G.o.D. A series of moves, where everybody comes in and takes the previous person out.
Okada is back in shortly. He stops a couple of White’s moves and nails his dropkick. Romero comes back, blocks Switchblade and nails a couple of moves on White, but is ultimately Switchbladed and pinned.
5. Jushin “Thunder” Liger & Tiger Mask vs Chris Sabin & Kushida
Sabin hits a swinging neckbreaker on Tiger Mask and Kushida moonsaults on top of him for a 3.
6. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado vs El Volador Jr & El Soberano Jr
Desperado pins Soberano after Kanemaru spits the yellow liquid in his face.
7. Bushi & Shingo Takagi vs Taiji Ishimori & Robbie Eagleton
Takagi picks up Eagleton in a reverse bearhug and Bushi hits the MX for a count of 3.
8. Ryusuke Taguchi & ACH vs Roppongi 3K
Both Taguchi & ACH do some usual Taguchi stupid stuff, rugby-themed, in the beginning. I don’t understand Taguchi’s appeal, I will be honest. Yano does similar stuff, but he is actually funny.
There was a great series of spots at the end, where YOH was almost pinned, but SHO would make the save, or YOH would find a way to kick out. Eventually Taguchi pinned YOH with a Korakuen Hold Suplex (kinda like a cobra clutch suplex, but with the other arm more pinned).
