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AUG.5.2021

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Summer Struggle night 14 (August 7) Full card, preview

Super Junior Tag League to kick off in Korakuen Hall

 

 

Saturday August 7 will see the Summer Struggle tour continue in Korakuen Hall, with the beginning of Super Jr. Tag League. This ten night league will see six of the best junior heavyweight tag teams do battle, and it’s a safe bet that the winners would have either a championship claim, or the right to name their own challengers. Who comes out on top? 

Watch Summer Struggle night 14, LIVE, or in English on demand FOR FREE!

Main event: Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH) vs BULLET CLUB (El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori)

Overall tag record: 2-2

The main event tonight sees a rematch from Kizuna Road, where Roppongi 3K lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships to El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori. 

The loss, and quick ending to Roppongi 3K’s fifth tag title reign has sparked a slump for SHO and arguably YOH in particular. The last two nights on the Summer Struggle tour have seen YOH taking losses and being verbally dressed down by opposition afterward, as first El Desperado and then El Phantasmo have questioned SHO as to why he still stays loyal to his partner. 

It’s been a rough time at the office for RPG 3K, but the fact remains that the team still has a vise like grip on the junior tag league tournaments. Between 2017 and 2019, SHO and YOH took the trophies three years in a row while other teams haven’t gotten a look in. This is certainly an apt place for a resurgence, but a loss against stiff competition (and an even stiffer right boot on ELP) will raise serious questions about their future in this league and as a team. 

4th Match: Team One or Eight (Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi) vs Suzuki-Gun (El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

Direct tag record: 1-1

YOH isn’t the only man who has dealt with criticism from El Desperado. Suzuki-Gun’s masked man has had a ton of vitriol for Master Wato over the last year plus, including on the run up to Wrestle Kingdom 15. There Team One or Eight attempted to capitalise on a victory the prior autumn by challenging for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag team Championship, and were beaten in convincing form by the Suzuki-Gun duo. 

The fact remains though that Wato and Taguchi have beaten Desperado and Kanemaru in the past, and that Wato and Taguchi hold Best of the Super Jr. victories over Desperado specifically. While the experience as tag team specialists will come down firmly on the side of Suzuki-Gun, Wato and Taguchi certainly have the ability to pull out a win, and could well do share the top spot in the league after Friday. 

Tiger Mask & Robbie Eagles vs Far East Connection (Dick Togo & Gedo)

A blend of experienced veterans and a current star riding high will be in the first of the Super Jr. Tag league matches. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Robbie Eagles will team with Tiger Mask to take on the experienced and expert rule breakers in Dick Togo and Gedo. Certainly Eagles and Tiger can’t hope to compete in terms of the strength of their bonds; the Far East Connection between Togo, Gedo and Jado was established well over 30 years ago, and the two will be a well oiled machine when it comes to teamwork. 

A good deal of that teamwork will be focused on distracting referees and bending the rules of course; can Tiger Mask and Eagles take the moral high road to victory, or will BULLET CLUB score an early victory?

2nd Match: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Tomoaki Honma vs Los Ingobernables De Japon (Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, BUSHI & Shingo Takagi)

Before the Super Jr. Tag League kicks off, a preview of Tuesday night, and Yokohama’s NEVER 6-Man main event. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and BUSHI were shut down by the dominating CHAOS side during Kizuna Road, but have requested one more shot, and will get it on August 10. With the IWGP World heavyweight Champion in their corner, can they build momentum toward six man gold tonight? 

1st Match: Toru Yano, Togi Makabe & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs BULLET CLUB (Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi & Jado)

Action starts on August 7 with KOPW 2021 trophy holder Chase Owens leading a BULLET CLUB trio against Toru Yano, Togi Makabe and Hiroyoshi Tenzan. After Owens tried to force Yano to scream ‘I quit’ on the microphone at the last few Korakuen Hall events, Yano has proposed an ‘I quit’ match at Wrestle grand Slam in the MetLife Dome on September 4. Promising that he will bring a much more serious Yano to the ring against Owens, how will the normally fun loving Yano approach this opening six man match Saturday?

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