Tiger Mask and Robbie Eagles log successful first defence

Wrestle Kingdom 16 day two kicked off with a three way match for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, a match that saw the champions Flying Tiger survive as Sudden Death was exposed.

With the Mega Coaches side of Ryusuke Taguchi and Rocky Romero as well as BULLET CLUB’s Cutest team of El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori both in the mix as challengers, the champions were at a numbers disadvantage, and Phantasmo pressed the issue with the loaded boot taking out Tiger Mask from jump.

Phantasmo and Ishimori would take control of the match, forcing desperation from Romero in a springboard to keep the Coaches in the hunt, until repeated stomps with the boot to Taguchi’s hand threatened to break more than one bone.

Rallying though, the Mega Coaches and Robbie Eagles dove to the floor, and Tiger Mask delivered a Tiger Driver to Phantasmo for two before a series of backbreakers. The champions’ momentum was slowed when Eagles fell prey to Black Hole Vacation from the Coaches, broken up by ELP and Ishimori; Phantasmo landed a stunning Super Kiss ‘86 for a near fall, but then came undone.

As Phantasmo loaded his boot, Eagles made the save, and Romero and Taguchi rejoined the ring. Now Ohabtasmo was hooked, and with Ishimori on the floor, the men finally removed ELP’s suspect boot. Inside; a heavy lump of metal, shown to the referee that was enough to disqualify BULLET CLUB’s Cutest, and leave the match a two on two affair.

Now fighting fair, neither team held back and pace accelerated, but with Tiger diving to Taguchi on the floor, Eagles resisted a series of flash pins from Romero to land the Turbo Backpack. Retaining a hook of the heel as Rocky kicked out, Eagles transitioned smoothly into the Ron Miller Special, and a significant defence.