Tour hits Osaka for final league matches
The Super Junior Tag League hits Osaka on November 2. Two days before Power Struggle sees the culmination of the tour, and tournament winners crowned, tonight sees some last statements ahead of November 4 and much more besides.
Main event El DespeWato (El Desperado & Master Wato) (6-2) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) (5-3)
El DespeWato advance with a win, but can potentially advance after a loss.
HOUSE OF TORTURE must win
After Master Wato and El Desperado scored a victory over TAKA Michinoku and DOUKI last night, and SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru fell to Catch 2/2, the two teams are at 12 and 10 points heading into our main event. For El Desperado, having learned so much from Yoshinobu Kanemaru in their Suzuki-Gun days, and for Master Wato, who took a long time to accept SHO’s defection from CHAOS into HOUSE OF TORTURE, emotions will likely be running high while the desire for results is at its peak. Who will advance to Saturday’s final?
Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA) (5-3) vs United Empire (Francesco Akira & TJP) (5-3)
Tag record: 1-1
Both teams must win
With ten points apiece, Catch 2/2 and Intergalactic Jet Setters will be fighting for their spot in the final Saturday. In April, Kevin Knight and KUSHIDA shocked the world in Hiroshima when they upset Catch 2/2 to win the IWGP Junior Tag Team Championships. Later in June, Akira and TJP won the titles right back, to even the ledger at one win apiece. This high stakes rubber match has all to play for in Osaka.
Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) (3-5) vs BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Drilla Moloney & Clark Connors) (5-3)
War Dogs must win
At six points, despite valiant efforts, Kosei Fujita and Robbie Eagles are out of contention for the finals Saturday. But the TNDK side could ask for no better end to their campaign than to spoil the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. Will that happen, or will Moloney and Connors take what they feel is their rightful space Saturday in Osaka?
Musashi Komatsu (MUSASHI & YOH) (3-5) vs Los Ingobernables De Japon (Titan & BUSHI) (5-3)
BUSHI and Titan must win
While Musashi Komatsu are out of the running, BUSHI and Titan are still in the hunt. They’ll need to win and get some help, but they’ll be looking to deal with the circumstances under their control, and to pick up the W tonight.
4th Matc: Funky Fire (DKC & Ryusuke Taguchi) (2-6) vs Just Five Guys (DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku) (1-7)
Both teams are mathematically eliminated
After early mathematical elimination from the league, nothing is on the line but pride for this pair of teams. TAKA Michinoku and DOUKI in particular have been a highly motivated side with their results belying impressive performances on this tour. Can they end two weeks of effort with two more points?
3rd Match: Shota Umino, Ren Narita, Boltin Oleg & Oskar Leube vs United Empire (Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan & Callum Newman)
Eight man action sees the in ring returns of Jeff Cobb and Will ospreay on the tour. Just two days separates Ospreay and Umino and their clash in the main event of Power Struggle for the IWGP US and UK Championship belts. After Umino has scored repeated wins with a Blaze Blade finish with distinct similarities to the Hidden Blade, what response does Ospreay have in mind?
2nd Match: Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL, Dick Togo & Yujiro Takahashi)
When it comes to six man action, it has not been a good tour for the heavyweight members of HOUSE OF TORTURE. Tonight a chance for them to turn that around in a non-title match against the NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champions. These are titles that have been cast into the H.O.T darkness before- will they stop at nothing to try and gain more gold?
1st match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Yota Tsuji) vs BULLET CLUB (Taiji Ishimori & Gedo)
Action gets underway with one last preview for Hiromu Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori before they face off for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Saturday at Power Struggle. Will it be champion or challenger gettng the last laugh before the title is on the line?
