Hiromu to face familiar foe in a new dimension to rivalry January 4
The semi main event of Wrestle Kingdom 18 in the Tokyo Dome saw Hiromu Takahashi putting his IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on the line against a Taiji Ishimori looking to end a match interrupted due to neck injury back in May of this year.
At the sound of the bell both men charged, swift pins and big offence at incredible speed attempted in every corner of the ring, Ishimori ultimately gaining the first foothold with a single-arm DDT on the outside. Whilst Hiromu recovered, Ishimori exposed the steel corner post and hurled the champion shoulder first into the cold steel, continuing the assault with an arm-lock on the now-damaged arm and shoulder. A tijeras counter gave the champion the space he needed, quickly moving to land a basement dropkick before delivering a wicked shotgun dropkick off the apron.
Hiromu’s momentum would only be brief though, Ishimori delivering his signature sliding German suplex and then crushing Hiromu’s throat across the steel barrier, soaring in with a dropkick off the top rope as the champion stopped the referee’s twenty count. A shoulder breaker left Hiromu writhing in pain, the challenger seeking La Mistica only to be escaped thanks to the champion’s strength, culminating in a battle of debilitating suplexes and echoing lariats.
The field now levelled, Hiromu struck with a corner Death Valley Driver and Time Bomb 1.5 for a nearfall, Ishimori quickly responding with Cipher Utaki. A 450 Splash attempt from the Bone Soldier was narrowly avoided by Hiromu, but the Victory Royale follow-up was expertly countered into the Bone Lock. Ambitions of rolling through into Bloody Cross were spoiled though, Hiromu answering with Time Bomb; Ishimori though, able to get his shoulder up before the three count.
Pulling from the BULLET CLUB playbook, Ishimori ensured the referee was distracted before hitting a low blow and ensnaring Hiromu in a roll-up, but the champion broke free. Back on his feet, the champion exploded with the Hiromu-chan Bomber and Time Bomb II was on the cards next, but again Ishimori countered into the Bone Lock. With his shoulder sorely damaged the end seemed imminent for Hiromu; after what must have felt like an eternity the champion found the sanctuary of a rope break.
An exchange of knees and kicks had Hiromu craftily catching Ishimori in the unnamed Hiromu roll, a new variation with a bridge catching the challenger by surprise resulting in the champion earning the seventh defence of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Post-match, Hiromu Takahashi elected to name his next challenger for the title; El Desperado at Wrestle Kingdom. Desperado would readily respond, but stated that he needed surgery to correct his vision before then; healed up, there may not be many preview tags, but Desperado is sure to see his rival and the prize he holds clearly come January 4.
