Live on NJPW World on April 23, the field for the 26th Best of the Super Junior tournament was unveiled. Every year, the Best of the Super Juniors brings the world’s best competitors in their division to the fore, with the goal of determining who is truly the best junior heavyweight wrestler on the planet. This year a field of 20 wrestlers, the biggest of all time, sees five first time participants and four continents represented; all will fight their way to the final on June 5 in Ryogoku Sumo Hall! (Tickets to the final for international fans available here!)
These 20 men will be split into two blocks of ten, with those block lineups and match cards to be announced at a later date. They’ll do battle over 15 events starting on May 13, and the best news? All the action will be available to watch live and in English on NJPW World!
Let’s break down this year’s Best of the Super Juniors field.
Jonathan Gresham (USA, BoSJ debut)
Jonathan Gresham is a young veteran of the American independent circuit. An amateur wrestler as a teenager, Gresham had a strong mat-based foundation that he was able to merge with a love of the greatest high fliers; his Shooting Star Press is a tribute to Jyushin Thunder Liger. Gresham made his New Japan debut during New Beginning USA, a string of top flight performances followed by participation in the Honor Rising tour. Korakuen fans instantly understood why he was known as the Octopus, as he tied opponents up in knots; his submission mastery will be tough to deal with during BoSJ.
Bandido (Mexico, BoSJ debut)
After making his debut as a teen in his native Mexico, 24 year old Bandido has exploded onto the international wrestling scene of late. This included signing with Ring of Honor in 2018, where he has frequently teamed with Juice Robinson as part of the Lifeblood group. On April 6 2019, Bandido represented ROH in an interpromotional three way match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at G1 Supercard in Madison Square Garden. Although Bandido lost the match, his athleticism wowed the 16,000 plus in attendance, and made sure all eyes will be on him for his BoSJ debut.
Shingo Takagi (Japan, BoSJ debut)
In the modern Best of the Super Juniors tournament, only Will Ospreay, Ricochet and Milano Collection AT have ever won the tournament on their first attempt. Shingo Takagi is many people’s pick to be the fourth. Since debuting as part of Los Ingobernables at King of Pro Wrestling last October, Takagi still hasn’t been pinned or submitted. Although primarily focusing on his tag team with BUSHI as of late, Takagi has nonetheless demonstrated he’s not just *a*, but *the* force to be reckoned with in the junior division.
X (BoSJ debut)
Who is ‘X’? A video has been playing in arenas all over Japan since the New Japan Cup, and it seems this individual will be making themselves known to the public when he teams with Taiji Ishimori on May 4 at Dontaku. The video that’s aired of late contains a fair few clues, but we can’t know for sure. Nonetheless, Bullet Club isn’t a group to miss the mark when it comes to recruiting junior heavyweights, as Taiji Ishimori and Robbie Eagles’ resumes attest.
Titan (Mexico, 2nd entry, first in six years)
Titan has only been in BoSJ once, and that entry was way back in 2013. He recorded a 3-4 campaign back then, and ever since has been a part of the annual Fantasticamania tours. His high-flying offence has always impressed fans, and Titan has put together a strong 2019 thus far in his native Mexico; Titan is undefeated in singles matches in CMLL this year.
Marty Scurll (UK, 3rd entry, 3rd consecutive)
Marty Scurll is one of several competitors in this years BoSJ field with a larger body size and a versatile style that could easily see him compete with heavyweights as well as junior heavyweights. In arguably the most diverse BoSJ to date, versatility could well lead to victory. While less of a high flier than many entrants, Scurll knows every trick in the book to exploit potential mistakes and dangers that the style presents, and has already climbed to the top of the mountain as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion once before.
Dragon Lee (Mexico, 3rd entrance, 3rd consecutive. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion)
The CMLL sensation has been wowing NJPW fans ever since his 2016 Japanese debut. It was his rivalry with Hiromu Takahashi that embedded him in the consciousness of the New Japan faithful, though his preternatural athletic ability made sure he was respected on his own merits soon enough. Lee used his impressive Desnucadora maneuver to pin Bandido and clinch the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at G1 Supercard in Madison Square Garden on April 6; a title he seeks to retain against Taiji Ishimori at Wrestling Dontaku May 3. A proud individual, Lee takes his responsibility as champion very seriously; he not only seeks to represent his entire division in the tournament, but his nation of Mexico- and with the expectations of his greatest rival Takahashi on his shoulders.
Robbie Eagles (Australia, BOSJ debut)
The ‘Sniper of the Skies’ made his New Japan debut as Taiji Ishimori’s partner during the Super Junior Tag League last year, and instantly impressed when he submitted Jyushin Thunder Liger in Korakuen Hall. Eagles’ mastery of various submission holds, including the inverted figure four he utilizes as a tribute to Australian legend Ron Miller, combined with his high-flying ability have put the NJPW junior heavyweight roster on notice. In his first long tour as a singles wrestler in New Japan, Eagles could well end up going all the way.
TAKA Michinoku (Japan, 7th entry, first in four years)
Many fans may be more familiar with TAKA for his skills as manager and hype man for Zack Sabre Junior, but the man who gifted ZSJ the Zack Driver is a veteran of the junior heavyweight landscape who has competed at the top flight for over 25 years. Michinoku might be using brains rather than brawn or high flying bravado to get the job done, but that experience and expertise is a very threatening combination that nobody in the field should overlook.
Yoshinobu Kanemaru (Japan, 3rd entry, 3rd consecutive)
Kanemaru is only making his third Best of the Super Juniors entry, but with one of the longest tenures in the profession of anyone in the field, Kanemaru is no stranger to tournaments at large. In fact, his breadth of experience, from All Japan to NOAH and New Japan may be the key to victory for Kanemaru. While recent fans and younger opponents may be on guard for jump starts and spat whiskey, the ‘Deep Impact’ of Kanemaru’s offence is undeniable and can come from anywhere.
BUSHI (Japan, 7th entry, 4th consecutive)
BUSHI has been extremely consistent through all his BoSJ appearances, either managing a 3-4 or 4-3 record. He is normally in the conversation when it comes to the final day of block action but hasn’t quite managed to break through to the final day yet. His ability to be competitive in every year’s field though is testament to his versatility, able to fly, strike, and use both impactful finishers (the MX) and flash pins (the Bushi Roll). When those don’t work, a T-shirt assisted choke or mist to the face is never far away…
Flip Gordon (USA, 2nd entry, 2nd consecutive)
The high-flying Flip made his Japanese debut during Honor Rising 2018, and followed that appearance with a 3-4 campaign in his first Best of the Super Juniors entry that year. While questions were raised as to Gordon’s condition after a knee injury early in 2019, his appearance at G1 Supercard in Madison Square Garden seemed to allay those fears. Managing to hit his signature Four Flippy Splash before the sell out crowd was a huge boost to Gordon’s confidence, and he’ll be riding high going into BoSJ 26.
YOH (Japan, 3rd entry, 2nd consecutive)
In the opposite block to team-mate SHO during last year’s Best of the Super Juniors, YOH was able to construct an impressive campaign of his own, and at the same time demonstrate just why RPG3K is such an effective team. While SHO showed his raw strength in B Block, YOH was able to use speed and cunning in A Block. His Five Star Clutch can catch anybody in a flash pinning situation out of nowhere and will be a trap every opponent will seek to avoid springing.
Will Ospreay (UK, 4th entry, 4th consecutive. 2016 winner, 2017 finalist)
The first ever British Best of the Super Juniors, Ospreay may have been battling top heavyweights in the New Japan Cup of late, but he is not about to make his ‘Brexit’ from top flight junior competition. Combining his phenomenal high-flying ability with more powerful strikes and a larger frame in 2019, Ospreay could prove to be the ultimate all rounder in this year’s tournament. It’s hard to think of anybody that could have an answer to the Aerial Assassin.
Taiji Ishimori (Japan, 3rd entry, 2nd consecutive. 2018 finalist)
Taiji Ishimori’s resume when it comes to Best of the Super Juniors is short, but impressive. In 2010, while representing Pro Wrestling NOAH, he finished top of the B block, but under the tournament structure at the time, had to wrestle in a semi final matchup, which he lost to Prince Devitt. In 2018, he would become a full-time member of the NJPW and Bullet Club roster, immediately making an impact by defeating Will Ospreay on night one of the tournament. Ishimori would repeat his 2010 record of 5-2 in group matches and this time reached the finals, defeated by tournament winner Hiromu Takahashi. Ishimori wants to avenge that loss to Takahashi on the Time Bomb’s return; and wants to do so as a BoSJ winner.
El Desperado (Japan, 4th entry, 3rd consecutive)
El Desperado was a sensation in 2018’s Best of the Super Juniors. While his devious tactics with team mate Yoshinobu Kanemaru were one thing, but, Desperado’s position in the singles tournament lit a different fire in the rudo that saw him take previously unforeseen chances. The normally collected ‘Despe’ flung himself with wild abandon at the rest of the field and took risks that paid off in the form of huge wins over Dragon Lee and Hiromu Takahashi. In a strong field, there’s every chance of El Desperado proving to be strongest of all.
Ryusuke Taguchi (Japan, 11th entry, 9th consecutive. 2012 winner, 2011, 2016 finalist)
Never count out the Taguchi Japan coach. That’s a lesson opponents have learned the hard way, and one Taguchi is not finished teaching yet. Taguchi has had a strong 2019 thus far, having taken then IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori to the very brink of defeat at New Beginning, and then finding his way to the New Japan Cup, where he managed to reach the second round. The two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion has a strong BoSJ record, having reached the finals three times, and converted his presence to victory once. The man with the iron buns certainly has the requisite mettle to get the job done.
Tiger Mask (Japan, 18th entry, 18th consecutive. 2004, 2005 winner. 2006 finalist)
The veteran Tiger Mask is the most experienced wrestler in this year’s BoSJ field. That’s experience not only as a participant, but as a winner; he’s the only two-time winner in this year’s field, and the only man to ever win the tournament in back to back years. Tiger Mask has not been at the forefront of the junior heavyweight division in recent years but has more than enough salt in his blows and submissions to make anybody else in the running sweat. As the original Tiger Mask anime marks its 50th anniversary in 2019, a Tiger Mask BoSJ victory seems only fitting.
Rocky Romero (Cuba, 7th entry, first in three years)
‘The King of Sneaky Style’ has done more than just sneak his way into the BoSJ lineup. Romero has worked to reach peak physical shape in the hopes of entering this year’s field. While Romero is proud of his accomplishments producing Roppongi 3K to tag team success, and of his licks behind the announce table, he is keen to show that he is a wrestler first. What makes Romero’s entry most intriguing is that we are now guaranteed at least one all-Roppongi 3K battle. How will that play out?
SHO (Japan, 2nd entry, 2nd consecutive)
SHO made his Best of the Super Juniors debut last year among a lot of uncertainty. He had already proven himself a very capable tag team wrestler with Roppongi 3K partner YOH, but how would he fare on his own?
SHO more than acquitted himself with some fantastic performances that highlighted his strength and power. His Shock Arrow variant of the package piledriver, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training was extremely evident throughout his campaign. This year, he seeks to better his 2018 3-4 record, and perhaps establish himself as the division’s alpha male, especially if he can outdo rival Shingo Takagi.
