Eighth defence for Goto, Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI
The main event of Summer Struggle on August 1 saw the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championships on the line in CHAOS’ eighth defence, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI facing Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. and Minoru Suzuki of Suzuki-Gun.
After their preview match on Saturday saw Suzuki eliminate himself just to beat up Ishii on the floor until the referee’s count of 20, Suzuki ordered Goto and YOSHI-HASHI leave so that he would have the Stone Pitbull one on one. As the bell rang, Ishii and Suzuki tore into one another with forearm shots, a long strike exchange leaving both men weak legged.
Suzuki pulled Ishii into the corner to tag in Taichi, but Ishii drove the Holy Emperor into the CHAOS corner where he was dropped by Goto and YOSHI-HASHI. The trios champions would show their power to both Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr. with drumming forearm blows, and retained control of Taichi until ZSJ and Suzuki intervened, instantly turning the match to their favour before the referee could apply a count.
The challengers set to work on the champions outside the ring, with Goto beaten from pillar to post and only barely breaking the referee’s 20 count to save the titles. Yet he re-entered to more punishment, Sabre and Suzuki taking turns to wrench Goto’s arm before Taichi was tagged in. A Gamengiri, and Suzuki entered to apply a Fujiwara armbar, all while barking at Ishii, the Stone Pitbull entering the ring only to be booted out.
Goto finally created movement with ZSJ, muscling out of a cravate to hit a lariat and bring Ishii in. The Stone Pitbull accelerated the pace before putting Sabre to the canvas, and with Taichi quickly thrown out, the Briton was left to take Ishii’s tree trunk like chops in the corner. A Cobra Twist attempt was quickly countered by Ishii, but a lightning fast arm breaker had Ishii screaming in pain, and created a significant crack in the Pitbull’s armour. Ishii gutted through the pain of the blows and tried to suplex Sabre, but was forced to power through an arm breaker and cobra twist before he finally landed a German suplex to bring YOSHI-HASHI inside.
YOSHI-HASHI brought the pace with a Headhunter to Taichi before a charging chop and neckbreaker. An overhead kick to the back from Taichi would slow the champion however, and a jumping high sent him crashing hard to the canvas. Still YOSHI-HASHI fought hard to land a headscissors out of a powerbomb attempt, and then a back cracker would lead to the Butterfly Lock, but Taichi responded with Seitei Jujiro, soon all CHAOS members being caught in Suzuki-Gun submissions.
YOSHI-HASHI would find a way out of the hold, but not the Nodo-Otoshi from Taichi, who removed the pantaloons and looked for a finishing thrust kick. He would be met by one from the champion however as both went down. When they found their feet, tghey would be met by one another’s partners, and the match passed the 25 minute mark with a series of double teams. The attempt at a GYR on Taichi would miss however, and Ishii and Suzuki hit the ring for more high speed collisions until all six participants were down.
YOSHI-HASHI and Taichi tested jaws and wills with an electric lariat exchange, Taichi going down for a nearfall before YOSHI-HASHI landed Kumagoroshi. Taichi kicked out for a very near two, and countered Karma, eventually landing a Dangerous Backdrop for yet another nearfall.
Suzuki was awaiting Taichi’s tag, and the fresh King seemed too much for even YOSHI-HASHI’s heart to overcome until a wild right hand knocked the challenger to the mat. Goto got a tag, but only a one count off a side suplex at the 30 minute mark; Suzuki misdirected Goto into a rear naked choke, but YOSHI-HASHI broke up the Gotch Style Pilderiver follow-up.
As Taichi took out the Headhunter, Goto and Suzuki renewed a long held grudge center ring, daring one another to give their best shots. Suzuki wanted a right fist, and when Goto’s head proved harder than knuckles, Suzuki responded with a dropkick before looking for the kill. As YOSHI-HASHI was held back, the sleeper hold did its work but Goto willed himself out of the Gotch Style to hit a reverse GTR.
Sabre and Ishii hit the ring, ZSJ choking Ishii, only to see a Zack Driver countered with a suplex. As Goto was again alone with Suzuki, challenger once again wanted the GSPD, but Goto scored with Ushigoroshi; Suzuki willed himself to his feet but was met with an Ishii lariat. As YOSHI-HASHI came in for support, the GYW scored and Goto got the three count.
BUSHI, Tetsuya Naito and SANADA were quick to step up to challenge, BUSHi requesting a rematch from Kizuna Road. That bout was the match that ignited Naito’s interest in tag team competition, seeing he and SANADA to a brief reign as IWGP Tag Team Champions, and beginnign a quest for a second reign at the MetLife Dome on September 5. Can the LIJ trio be successful on a second try?
