Suzuki-Gun side wins their first tag league trophies

August 17 saw the final two matches in the Super Junior Tag League, as Flying Tiger, Suzuki-Gun and BULLET CLUB remained in the hunt, and Far East Connection and Roppongi 3K was ruled a double forfeit. 

First in ring was a collision between the Flying Tiger side of Robbie Eqagles and Tiger mask and Six or Nine of Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato; Taguchi and Wato already out of the running, but Eagles and Tiger needing a win and some help to stay in the hunt. 

Eagles would have a high speed exchange with Wato in the early going, and when both were at a stalemate, Tiger Mask gained an advantage with some stiff kicks to the behind. Flying Tiger would continue to seek a back door to victory as Taguchi was left behind in the wrong corner, before the Coach engaged top gear from the rear with a suplex that created a tag to Wato. 

Wato and Eagles engaged more high impact strikes before a leg lariat from the would be master brought Taguchi in for Three Amigos and some double team offense on the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.  With momentum building, Taguchi landed a barrage of B-Triggers to both his opponents, but Tiger Mask would find a crucifix for two and nearly made his opponent tap with a punishing chicken wing. 

Tiger sought to finish Taguchi with a double underhook suplex off the top rope, and connected with Eagles taking flight to Wato with a lope con giro. As Taguchi was downed, Tiger soared with a splash, but Taguchi barely rolled out the way as the masked man ate the canvas; Bummer Ye followed for two. Taguchi had the match in his pocket as he connected with Dodon, but Eagles made the save; as the match broke down Tiger Mask scored with a Tiger Driver, but Taguchi kept his team in the match. The Coach caught Tiger Mask with a double leg nelson and a bridge to send Flying Tiger out of the league. 

This meant that the winner of the main event between Suzuki-Gun and BULLET CLUB’s respective representative teams would win the Super Jr. tag League trophies. Few would expect the bout to be a cleanly fought affair, and indeed Suzuki-Gun jumped the gun in going after Ishimori and Phantasmo, and gained the advantage, with Ishimori dumped on the floor and rolling back inside only to be suplexed by Desperado. 

Finally making the space to tag, Ishimori showed phenomenal athletic ability in flying in on both opponents. With Kanemaru grounded, ELP went to more humiliating tactics. The always expected but ever embarrassing and painful back rakes did their damage, and although Kanemaru was able to defuse one double team from the IWGP Junior champs, he could not prevent a double groin stand. 

Yet Kanemaru was able to finally create space with a dropkick to the knee of ELP and tag in a fired up El Desperado. Despe tore into Phantasmo with a spear. With a rare show of fighting spirit from the usually bragadocious ELP, the tag champion ordered his foe into an exchange of chops and forearms, but if this was a bid to bait the masked man into Sudden Death, it was avoided and countered with a spinebuster. 

ELP was able to muscle Despe into the corner though, and Ishimori would pick up the offense with trademark precision, targeting the shoulder and landing La Mistica into the Yes Lock at the 15 minute mark. Desperado countered into Numero Dos, and then stood into a side suplex though, and Kanemaru was waiting for the tag. 

Kanemaru followed up on Desperado’s Numero Dos, securing a Figure Four on Ishimori, but ELP broke the hold up with Thunder Kiss ’86. An elevated Codebreaker followed for the tag champions, but Phantasmo’s follow up moonsault only caught his partner, and Suzuki-Gun took advantage, Kanemaru landing an intentional moonsault to the chest of Ishimori. 

The match breaking down, the non-legal Phantasmo landed a rolling solebutt with the allegedly loaded boot to Kanemaru. As the match passed 20 minutes, Desperado went for Pinche Loco only to be planted with Sudden Death, but rolling Ishimori on top of the masked man did not draw a count. It was Kanemaru, not Desperado legal and the Heel Master reacted quickly in the chaos to score a roll-up victory.  Having won the Super Jr. tag League for the first time, kanemaru and Desperado called on the champions to grant them the chance to become IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions for the fourth time. Where will that challenge take place?