Desperado secures second IWGP Junior Heavyweight title victory
El Desperado challenged Robbie Eagles for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Power Struggle, as he attempted to win back the title he lost from the man he lost it from back in July in Robbie Eagles.
Having won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag team Championships to boot in Korakuen Hall two weeks prior, Eagles was confident as the bell rang and he locked up before copming up with the wrist and then a headlock. Desperado would score the first takedown and armdrag to Eagles, but the champion would respond with a higher flying armdrag and dropkicked his challenger from the ring.
Eagles wanted to gain an advantage on the floor, but it was an advantage that instead went to the challenger. Desperado yanked Eagles into the apron and then landed a tope con giro to take solid control of the match. A headscissors from Eagles would gain some space for the champion though, and Eagles would follow with a series of kicks before a his own version of the tope con giro to strike his challenger.
Setting up for his signature closing stretch, Eagles connected with a springboard dropkick to the knee and locked in the Ron Miller Special, but Desperado was able to barely inch to the ropes. Eagles kept piling on the pressure and set for an Asai DDT, but it was instead Desperado striking with a spinebuster at the ten minute mark, and with the leg hooked, Desperado transitioned from a cover into a punishing stretch muffler.
This time it was Eagles inching to the ropes, as both men were left with injured legs. Desperado muscles Eagles into Guitarra Del Angel, getting two from the referee, but couldn’t get Pinche Loco, instead receiving an Asai DDT as the champion went upstairs. Eagles went for a 450 across the leg, but Desperado raised his hurt leg to leave the champion and challenger howling in pain.
Both men reset and threw forearm shivers before Desperado went back to the knee. Eagles did the same, and delivered kivcks to his hobbled foe before a Poison Rana and running mid got a very near two. The desperate challenger escaped a Turbo Backpack, and the match continued into a series of nearfalls and reversals, but Desperado would land the Mono Loco and then the rarely seen Guitarra Del Muerte for two.
The match in hand, Desperado set for Pinche Loco, only for a hurricanrana and then a crunching knee drop to the back of the challenger’s injured leg. On instinct though, a roll-up brought Desperado into Numero Dos; rolling Eagles back to the center, the champion had no choice but to quit as Desperado secured his second IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
