Niigata sees league reach two thirds distance
The middle third of Road to Power Struggle comes to an end in Niigata on October 30. After tonight, only three matches will remain for our teams to fight for a spot in the top two November 4 in Osaka.
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Main event: El DespeWato (Master Wato & El Desperado) (4-1) vs Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA) (3-2)
El Desperado and Master Wato wrestle their fourth consecutive main event in Niigata. The spot has done well for the odd couple team, who picked up a pair of wins last week before their victory over IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Champions Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors seemed to finally cement them as a team, if not as friends. Intergalactic Jet Setters also know what it’s like to beat the champs, having done so last week in Korakuen Hall. Can they defeat the Desperado and Wato pairing as well?
7th Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Titan & BUSHI) (2-3) vs Catch 2/2 (Francesco Akira & TJP) (3-2)
Titan and BUSHI’s victorious start to the tournament saw them slip in short order with three consecutive losses consecutive losses. That came to an end Saturday as they beat the hot Intergalactic Jet Setters to get to four points. Now they seek to stay in the hunt against Catch 2/2. TJP’s hurting neck has been of concern to the former tag champions, but despite the injury still nagging him, TJP and Akira have connected to two straight wins and a 3-2 overall record. This bout could end up being a crucial one with a key tiebreaker in the week to come; who wins out?
6th Match: Musashi Komatsu (YOH & MUSASHI) (2-3) vs Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) (2-3)
Ichiban Sweet Boys have had a challenging debut in the Super Junior Tag League, but put the pieces together to stop HOUSE OF TORTURE’s win streak Saturday in Fukushima and advance to four points. Fellow debutants YOH and MUSASHI have had similar ups and downs, and were down at the weekend to share a four point status with the TMDK duo. YOH has more junior tag league trophies than anyone, and if he wants to keep adding to his collection, he and MUSASHI will be looking to get past Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita tonight.
5th Match: Just 5 Guys (TAKA Michinoku & DOUKI) (1-4) vs BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Drilla Moloney & Clark Connors) (3-2)
It’s been a hard journey for DOUKI and TAKA Michinoku in the Super Jr. Tag League, with the two only just finally getting their first win on Saturday, and the two definitely still on the bubble of mathematical elimination. Tonight they face the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag team Champions in another difficult match. Yet Connors and Moloney will do well not to look past their J5G opponents- last year DOUKI was in a similar position alongside Yoshinobu Kanemaru when the two faced then champs Catch 2/2 and walked away with the win. Could the same happen tonight?
4th Match: Funky Fire (The DKC & Ryusuke Taguchi) (2-3) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) (3-2)
Funky Fire dropped a decision to Catch 2/2 at the weekend, putting them on the back foot of four points with four matches left. For HOUSE OF TORTURE, a loss to the Ichiban Sweet Boys Saturday put an end to a three match winning streak, and one win off the top of the table pace. This meeting could well determine the fate of both teams going into next weekend; who gets the two points?
3rd Match: CHAOS (Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo)
The eternal battle of chaotic good and HOUSE OF TORTURE EVIL continues in Niigata. Will these two teams ever settle their differences?
2nd Match: Ren narita & Shota Umino vs United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Callum Newman)
As Great-O-Khan looks to use Jon Moxley as a stepping stone to MJF and the AEW World title, and Shota Umino seeks the IWGP US and UK titles from the waist of Will Ospreay, one of the final preview tags of the series sees the two face off in tag action.
1st Match: Tomoaki Honma, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Togi Makabe vs Oskar Leube, Yuto Nakashima & Boltin Oleg
Six man action sees the Young Lion group of Nakashima, Leube and Boltin face Tenzan, Makabe and Honma. Can the Dojo trio last against veteran opposition tonight?
