EVIL finally scores singles win over Ishii
The first of two singles main events at Summer Struggle in Nagoya on July 24 saw Tomohiro Ishii collide with EVIL, as the King of Darkness sought his first career singles win over the Stone Pitbull.
Ishii was not waiting around for any introductions, and instantly tore into his opponent, hurling EVIL into the ringside guardrails before throwing the referee aside to deliver a satisfying shot to Dick Togo. A powerbomb threatened to make the Spoiler a non factor in the match, but EVIL would make the save, only to be levelled with a clothesline for his troubles. Staying in firm control, Ishii hurled chairs and barricades against EVIL before looking for a brainbuster on the entranceway. Togo was there for the assist though, and EVIL followed through with a lariat to swing the match in his favour.
Now EVIL was dominating on the outside, and connected with a home run chair swing, Ishii breaking the referee’s 20 count, but then breaking the timekeeper’s position with EVIL’s unwanted assistance. With a target of Ishii’s back established, EVIL locked in a half crab and wrenched backward as Ishii tried to crawl toward the bottom rope.
EVIL threw threatening chops to Ishii, but the Stone Pitbull responded with a crushing blow to his opponent’s larynx, and powered through the pain of being shoved into the exposed steel turnbuckle to land a lariat at the five minute mark. EVIL was victim to a Genichiro Tenryu combination in the corner, and more vicious blows to the throat.
The desperate EVIL responded with a finger in the eyes of Ishii, gaining much needed respite in the process. EVIL threw Ishii out to the wolves in the form of Togo, but Ishii would not play victim long, forcing a reversal of fortune for his torture of Makoto Abe as he forced EVIL to take a seat and shoved Togo into his charge.
Ishii looked to maintain control in the ring with a German suplex, but would be backed into the exposed steel, and a Fisherman Buster followed. Ishii stayed in the hunt, but would be further tortured with a superplex, again only getting two; EVIL wanted to secure the Darkness Scorpion, but Ishii escaped, only to take a Magic Killer from EVIL and Togo as the referee was stunned by a misdirected Ishii boot.
Ishii dug deep to give EVIL a taste of his own medicine as the King of Darkness was sent chest first into the exposed steel before taking a thunderous backdrop suplex. Dealing a receipt for the prior EVIL superplex, Ishii got one of his own, EVIL bouncing off the mat as the match passed 20 minutes. A short range southpaw lariat later and Ishii forced EVIL into an intervening Togo before a German suplex and sliding lariat got two.
EVIL escaped a Vertical Drop Brainbuster and went for EVIL; as Ishii escaped he found himself on the apron, and then crocthed with a klick of the ropes between the legs. Darkness Falls followed for two and EVIL went for the finishing blow; Ishii avoided the EVIL but fell prey to a lariat for two. As Ishii was hoisted to his feet again, a headbutt rattled off the chest and jaw of EVIL, and the superhuman Ishii decked an invading Togo and landed an enzuigiri on his opponent. A crushing lariat, and Ishii got another nearfall, but still the match continued. EVIL shoved Ishii into the referee and the corner as Yujiro Takahashi ran in with Pimp Juice, this time EVIL scored and the three was counted.
