Hiroshi Tanahashi victorious in Summer Struggle main event- declares he’s ready to fight in the Dome if needed
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The main event of Summer Struggle in Nagoya on July 24 saw KENTA face Hiroshi Tanahashi, in the fourth singles match between the two.
KENTA wanted to dictate the pace at the start of the match, bailing outside and avoiding contact before exchanging glances with Katsuyori Shibata announcing ringside. When they did tie up, Tanahashi had the upper hand, with reverse cross body taking KENTA down, but ‘Lil’K’ stopped Tanahashi from skinning the cat and took him outside for a double stomp and shot to the guardrails.
With a taunt daring Shibata to get in the ring to boot, KENTA took firm control of the task at hand with boots and a measured offence against the Ace. A bulldog choke and boot wore Tanahashi down, but a kick to the spine would wake the Ace up, and right forearm shots would turn the match in Tanahashi’s direction.
Tanahashi caught KENTA in the corner at the ten minute mark and landed a trio of Dragon Screws before the Texas Cloverleaf that had tapped KENTA out during the G1 was applied, driving the BULLET CLUB member to the ropes. The Slingblade proved to early for Tanahashi however, and though the Ace blocked a KENTA DDT attempt, he fell victim to a hard powerslam.
A diving lariat followed for two, but Tanahashi would not go for a Green Killer attempt, instead forcing KENTA to the apron. A gunstun was there for KENTA though, and the Green Killer did connect on the floor rather than in the ring. Tanahashi pulled himself inside to break the ensuing 20 count, but ate a running boot and corner dropkick, before a KENTA double stomp got a nearfall.
KENTA looked for Go 2 Sleep but instead found a Tanahashi Dragon Screw as the Ace rallied the fans to his side. Both combatants found their feet and traded sharp elbows, Tanahashi breaking from his usual gameplan to strike KENTA down; KENTA would go to his usual gameplan by looking to shove the Ace into the referee to get a break, but his attempts were foiled.
Tanahashi landed repeated elbows in the corner and looked for a Shibata-cum-KENTAist stalling dropkick in the corner, but this time ‘Lil’K’s attempt to draw the referee paid off, giving him the time to land a low blow and find his old destroyed IWGP US briefcase. The case rattled off the skull of Tanahashi, but this drew Shibata into the ring; a boot to KENTA and advice to Tanahashi firing the Ace up to land Twist and Shout and Slingblade, but KENTA responded with a Busaiku Knee.
A second fired off Tanahashi’s head, and KENTA called to Shibata to watch the ensuing Go2Sleep, but would be caught by a release Dragon Suplex. The Shibata-ist corner dropkick followed, and then a High Fly Flow for the win.
Tanahashi had fresh energy as he took to the mic, with the statement that ‘though I’m sweaty, I’m not tired, and this tireless body will carry NJPW into the future’. Indeed, Tanahashi had one more comment as he left the ring. ‘The main event at the Tokyo Dome is still uncertain,’ he said, ‘can I make an appeal?’ Calling his shot for Wrestle Grand Slam, Tanahashi left the fans with the declaration ‘if I’m needed, I am ready,’ before his usual declaration of love.
As of publication, Kota Ibushi is still scheduled to face Shingo Takagi in the main event of Wrestle Grand Slam for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. An update about Ibushi and the main event will be made soon.
