Night 10 of Best of the Super Juniors comes after a much needed one day rest, but still presents a demanding ten match card from Chiba’s Makuhari Messe. This night will see the competitors in each block wrestle their seventh matches, with only two more to go. Chiba then, should see the top contenders really distinguish themselves, and either present a clear idea of who will be making it through to the June 5 finals, or give us some convoluted mathematics and scenarios to figure out. No need to fear however, as our at a glance guides will keep you abreast of all the eventualities! Here’s what to look for tonight.
SHO (3-3) vs Taiji Ishimori (5-1)
ROUTES TO WIN
SHO: SHO is mathematically eliminated.
ISHIMORI: Ishimori can win if he keeps up with Shingo Takagi and defeats him on the final group night.
With Shingo Takagi dominating the competition in B Block, SHO is already mathematically out of the running, even on six points, thanks to his defeat at the Dragon’s hands on night one. Ishimori has hope since he’s wrestling Shingo last, but with Takagi seemingly unstoppable, he must keep winning where he can. That’s easier said than done against the SHO stealer, and epect to see Ishimori attack the multiple injuries that SHO has amassed so far. This is a first time singles matchup, but SHO will be encouraged by Roppongi 3K’s win over Ishimori and Robbie Eagles last October during the Junior Tag League.
Robbie Eagles (4-2) vs Will Ospreay (5-1)
ROUTES TO WIN
EAGLES: Eagles must win this match. He will still need Phantasmo to lose at least three times by the end of the blocks.
OSPREAY: An Ospreay win means he still needs ELP to lose twice by tournament end. An Eagles win means he needs to win his last two and have Eagles and ELP go 6-3 or worse.
The Australian fans already know: this will be a banger. Eagles and Ospreay’s two singles matches in Sydney over the last couple of years put the Australian wrestling scene on the map and made the world start to sit up and take notice of Robbie Eagles. Now there’s the opportunity for Eagles to become a global superstar, but more importantly, scoop two points that will still give a glimmer of hope to make it to Ryogoku and the BOSJ trophy. An Eagles win makes this tournament very difficult for Ospreay; an Ospreay win makes it impossible for Eagles.
Dragon Lee (4-2) vs TAKA Michinoku (0-6)
*******Match cancelled due to injury to TAKA Michinoku. Dragon Lee wins by forfeit and moves to 5-2*******
ROUTES TO WIN
LEE: Dragon Lee must win his remaining matches and have Takagi and Ishimori both lose three times.
MICHINOKU: Michinoku is mathematically eliminated.
It’s incredible to say it, but at just two thirds of the way through the tournament, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion is all but eliminated from proceedings. He could, in fact, be already out by the time this match takes place, should Takagi pick up a win earlier in the evening against Tiger Mask.
YOH (2-4) vs El Phantasmo (5-1)
ROUTES TO WIN
YOH: YOH must win out. Phantasmo and Ospreay must lose out, Eagles must lose twice more to lead to a multi way tie.
PHANTASMO: Phantasmo tops the block.
Rocky Romero proved last night that ELP is beatable and that miracles can happen. YOH could well continue changing the tide of the block by beating Phantasmo, but ELP will be going into this match with a ton of rage, and will be difficult indeed to beat.
Tiger Mask (2-4) vs Shingo Takagi (6-0)
ROUTES TO WIN
TIGER: Tiger Mask is mathematically eliminated.
TAKAGI: Takagi tops the block.
Takagi could easily look past this match given the list of names he has already defeated and his commanding position atop A Block. To do so would be extremely dangerous as he tempts fate with a wounded Tiger who wants to show just how fierce he still is. a Takagi loss would blow A Block back open, so Shingo will want to keep his match mistake free.
Bandido (3-3) vs BUSHI (3-3)
ROUTES TO WIN
BANDIDO & BUSHI: Both need to win every match, including this one, have Phantasmo and Ospreay lose every match and have Eagles lose his last two.
Both Bandido and BUSHI walk into their match as distinct underdogs with the barest hint of a chance at winning their block. That doesn’t mean they won’t fight for every chance to stay alive, though and in a must win situation, will hold nothing back.
Titan (2-4) vs Marty Scurll (3-3)
ROUTES TO WIN
TITAN & SCURLL are both mathematically eliminated.
Even a convoluted multi man tie in the last night will see Scurll likely eliminated; losses to both Takagi and Ishimori in the tournament already will likely see him out. So what’s a villain to do? Cause some trouble in his remaining matches. Titan though, already with hurt pride after his loss to countryman Dragon Lee Friday, will be looking to finish his tournament on a high by turning his negative win loss ratio around.
Rocky Romero (2-4) vs DOUKI (1-5)
ROTES TO WIN
ROMERO and DOUKI are both mathematically eliminated.
When it comes to playing for pride, nobody has more than Romero, especially after his fairy tale victory Friday night against El Phantasmo. That’s pride DOUKI will look to shatter. The enigmatic masked antagonist has simply not produced either in terms of results or the damage he’s incurred on his opponents, but Romero nonetheless represents the machine he’s raging against, and DOUKI will be motivated to go on the attack against Rocky tonight.
Jonathan Gresham (3-3) vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru (2-4)
ROUTES TO WIN
KANEMARU: Kanemaru is mathematically eliminated
GRESHAM: Gresham must win all of his matches and have Takagi lose all of his.
As good as Gresham is, his fate in the tournament is now out of his direct hands. Miracles must occur that include the Octopus defeating the as of yet undefeated Shingo Takagi, and Shingo losing against his other two remaining opponents as well. Kanemaru, though, will take great pleasure in making sure any last bit of hope is stripped from Gresham before any wonders may be worked.
Ryusuke Taguchi (4-2) vs Ren Narita (0-6)
ROUTES TO WIN
NARITA: Ren Narita is mathematically eliminated.
TAGUCHI: Taguchi will need to beat at least one of Ospreay and Phantasmo as well as win this match.
Taguchi got off to a hot start in the tournament but since then, has been patchy, alternating wins and losses. He has a winnable match here, but will end his campaign with two of the hardest bouts of the block against Ospreay and Phantasmo. It’s put up or shut up time for the coach.
