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OCT.23.2022

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TORTURE tops Taguchi in NEVER 6 man bout

Champions retain in first defence

Watch the Battle Autumn replay!

The main event of Battle Autumn in Aomori on October 23 saw the NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Championships at stake, HOUSE OF TORTURE’s EVIL, SHO and Yujiro Takahashi defending against Hikuleo, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Ryusuke Taguchi. 

Tagcuhi had taken posession of SHO’s ‘torture tool’ in the form of his wrench on live events through the week, and the champion side had no numbers advantage either; as Dick Togo joined his charges at ringside as ever, so too did Jado in the challenger teams corner. Taguchi had to deal with that numbers edge in the ring in the opening moments, as SHO and EVIL took to the Coach. With a little referee misdirection, Taguchi was able to give EVIL some of his low blowing medicine before a brace of hip attacks with his team, but Yujiro and SHO would hit the ring and take the bout to the floor.

Back inside, Taguchi was in the wrong corner and in rough shape. Worked over with powerful offence, and roughly half of it legal, the Coach struggled until a hip attack led to a much needed tag to Hikuleo. The giant tore into his foes, and though Yujiro bit his way out of a chokeslam attempt, a big elbow got him two. After a powerslam got another near fall, Tanahashi came in for more high energy offence, and though a Fisherman’s Buster allowed Yujiro to tag EVIL, the King of Darkness would eat a Dragon Screw and a Texas Cloverleaf as all of HOUSE OF TORTURE suffered submission agony.

EVIL would expertly misdirect the Ace, and connected with a clashing lariat out of the corner to get back into the match, Darkness Falls getting two for the champion side. Unable to gain too much of en edge without cheating though, it was a thumb to the eyes and then an exposed turnbuckle that followed, but the challengers still seemed to have the advantage, defusing a triple team and keeping Tanahashi ahead until a High Fly Flow attempt on SHO was stopped with the referee shoved into the ropes and the Ace getting crotched. 

As Hikuleo was taken down with Yujiro’s cane, EVIL and Togo landed Magic Killer on Tanahashi for two. The Ace bought much needed time with Twist and Shout, tagging in Taguchi for Bummer Ye; SHO was already damaged before screaming in pain from Oh My and Garankle, but a Dodon follow up would see SHO back the coach into the exposed champions’ corner. Catching a hip attack, SHO delivered a German suplex and then cross armed piledriver; Tanahashi made an expertly timed save, but was decked by EVIL. 

SHO’s attempt at Shock Arrow was stopped by Hikuleo, but as the big man primed for a chokeslam, a Yujiro low blow and Pimp Juice awaited. Still Taguchi was able to fire up, and delivered the Aomori German suplex for a near fall on SHO. Following up, the Dodon to the Throne scored, but SHO kicked out at a very near two. The Murder Machine would also kick out of a Taguchi teabagging, setting up for a chair shot from Togo; Shock Arrow followed and the three count rendered.

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