Last night of regular league action in Ehime
After incredible matches stunned red hot crowds across Japan over the last three weeks, the Super Junior Tag League is nearly at its conclusion. December 10 will see the final league matches in Ehime, with the top two point scoring teams eligible to advance top our grand final on December 14 in Sendai Sun Plaza Hall.
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Main event: Catch 2/2 (TJP & Francesco Akira) (6-2) vs BULLET CLUB (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) (6-2)
Catch 2/2 advance with a win
BULLET CLUB must win and have SAUCEHEARTS or CHAOS lose
A collision between IMPACT’s emergent BULLET CLUB side of Ace Austin and Chris Bey and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag team Champions was always going to be main event worthy. Both team’s favorite status and positioning on the final night of the schedule had many fans wondering how the league would play out, and as it happens, both teams sit at 12 points, with this match sure to determine the final for at least one of our teams.
Ace Austin and Chris Bey’s loss to Lio Rush and YOH was the only blot on their record until Wednesday night in Nagasaki, where Austin’s rival Alex Zayne and his partner El Lindaman scored a sensational feel good victory. That puts the side at a disadvantage with two potential tiebreak losses, but all they will be focused on in the main event will be to do what they can- win at all costs.
7th Match: CHAOS (Lio Rush & Chris Bey) (6-2) vs Los Ingobernables De Japon (Titan & BUSHI) (6-2)
CHAOS advance with a win
LIJ must win and have either BULLET CLUB or SAUCEHEARTS lose
YOH and Lio Rush face BUSHI and Titan in the semi main spot, but with very similar stakes to the main event. CHAOS’ victories over both BULLET CLUB and SAUCEHEARTS put them in the beneficial position of just having to win to be in, while LIJ will need some help, with arguably the longest odds; should SAUCEHEARTS defeat Suzuki-Gun and Catch 2/2 defeat BULLET CLUB, then we will see a three way final on December 14.
6th Match: SAUCEHEARTS (Alex Zayne & El Lindaman) (6-2) vs Suzuki-Gun (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI) (3-5)
Kanemaru and DOUKI are mathematically eliminated
SAUCEHEARTS must win and have CHAOS lose
Alex Zayne and El Lindaman kept their league hopes alive Wednesday night with an emotionally resounding victory over Ace Austin and Chris Bey. The du0 now have a theoretically winnable match to wrap up their campaigns, but DOUKI and Yoshinobu Kanemaru on December 10 is a much different prospect to DOUKI and Kanemaru on December 1.
After struggling severely to a series of five losses and fast elimination, Japones Del Mal and the Heel Master have finally put the pieces together, putting together a three match hot streak that includes defeating the tag champions in Catch 2/2. Meanwhile, despite a 1-1 singles record against El Lindaman, DOUKI and Kanemaru hold two tag team victories over the G-REX Champion with different partners over in GLEAT, a matter that might weight heavy on Lindaman’s mind heading into Ehime.
5th Match: Wild Hips (Clark Connors & Ryusuke Taguchi) (3-5) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (SHO & Dick Togo) (1-7)
Both teams are mathematically eliminated
Wild Hips will take on Dick Togo and Ehime’s least favourite son SHO in both team’s final bouts. While Clark Connors and Ryusuke Taguchi have been met with mixed results through the league, eliminated at six points, their bonds have been strengthened through a mutual love of alcohol and… butt stuff. Shenanigans of a different kind have been met almost exclusively with disaster by HOUSE OF TORTURE this series however, and with SHO a glittering prospect for junior heavyweight and openweight competition not two years ago now down very badly indeed in H.O.T, one has to wonder whether his more lucid moments have him questioning his allegiances.
4th Match: Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA (1-7) vs Flying Tiger (Tiger Mask & Robbie Eagles) (2-6)
Both teams are mathematically eliminated
As Kevin Knight’s game continues to elevate under KUSHIDA’s coaching and teamwork, the duo will want to end their campaign tonight with one more win opposite Flying Tiger. Tiger Mask and Robbie Eagles have to view their 2-6 record as a disappointment, but will look to turn things around by getting to six points here in Kochi.
3rd Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito) vs BULLET CLUB (Bad Luck Fale, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo)
Six man action sees BULLET CLUB and LIJ meet, as one of the final preview tags before Wrestle Kingdom has Hiromu Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori throwing down, and Shingo Takagi delivering a message to Taichi before the two meet over the KOPW 2022 trophy on December 19.
2nd Match: YOSHI-HASHI, Master Wato & Tomoaki Honma vs Suzuki-Gun (El Desperado, Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer)
Suzuki-Gun will do six man battle with Master Wato, Tomoaki Honma and YOSHI-HASHI. Only a small handful of preview matches remain for the junior heavyweights before Wrestle Kingdom 17’s IWGP Junior Heavyweight four way, and Wato and Desperado will be fighting to seize an advantage tonight, while Suzuki and Archer will be looking to take out their recent Bishamon loss on YOSHI-HASHI.
1st Match: Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima vs Ryohei Oiwa & Kosei Fujita
With time running out on the tour, time is also running short on 2022 for our crop of Young Lions. We’re down to five events left in Japan in 2022- who will end the year standing out the most?
