NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING

NEWS

JUN.15.2021

#INFO

Young Lions face Dangerous Testers as Gauntlets Continue

Uemura and Tsuji tangle with IWGP Tag Team Champions in singles contests

June 15 saw night two of Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura’s five match singles gauntlets, as the Noge Young Lions took on Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr. respectively. 

Starting the night were Uemura and Sabre in what was set to be a test of Uemura’s technical abilities. Somewhat chastened after a convincing victory from Minoru Suzuki one night before, Uemura tried to take ZSJ down early, but was unable to get the advantage, Sabre coming up with the left ankle, before pulling guard and transitioning into a body scissors after an Uemura takedown. 

Sabre continued to dominate his young opponent with an arm takedown, but a persistent Uemura finally came up with a hammerlock on the Briton and then scored a takedown that had Zack rolling to the floor frustrated. The Young Lion used his opponent’s frustration to his advantage, and rattled off a tackle and heavy European uppercuts as the match reached five minutes, but received a harsh reciept, Sabre stomping across Uemura’s left arm. 

Without the use of his upper body, Uemura relied on his legs, and sprung to an impressive dropkick before using impressive core strength to hoist his opponent for a Northern Lights Suplex. Wanting a submission on the submission master, a short arm scissors continued Uemura’s quest to wear his opponent down, but after ZSJ found his feet and stunned the young man with an overhead kick, Uemura was too eager as he charged with a flying forearm, paying the price with a punishing hold that drove him to the sanctuary of the ropes. 

Uemura nonetheless persisted, instead trying to pin the tag champion with a pair of Japanese Leg Roll Clutches, and though Sabre caught his second attempt with a rear naked choke, Uemura was quick to the bottom strand. A deep arm drag would follow for Uemura, who looked for the Deadbolt suplex, but was caught into a Butterfly variant that had every limb tied up and gave nothing for the Young Lion to do other than quit. 

Yota Tsuji, fresh off a strong performance against Hiroshi Tanahashi, retained his composure as Taichi made his entrance for the second match of the evening, waiting out the Holy Emperor’s song for the bell to sound. In response, Taichi would make Tsuji wait longer before first contact, two strong lock ups and clean breaks from Tsuji in the ropes before somewhat derisory applause from Taichi. 

The tag champion would invite Tsuji down to a sumo contest center ring, but Tsuji was in no mood for games, a body slam and tackle firing up the crowd, before the Young Lion showed confidence that bordered on arrogance as he kicked Taichi’s head and sent him out to the floor. That proved to be a significant error as Taichi hurled the Young Lion into the ringside steel and followed with stiff chair shots as the Holy Emperor made use of the entire 20 count to punish his foe. 

With liberal use of the ‘throat hold’ and biting kicks to the head, Taichi retained the advantage, daring Tsuji to respond before scoring heavier kicks to drive his opponent down and following with a deep half crab. Taichi tried to go for the kill to early however, a Last Ride attempt countered with a back body drop and then a body slam to give Tsuji some breathing room. 

The Young Lion followed up with an incredible tijeras, and went to the floor again, this time taking control with shots into the guardrail, and showing the audience he could repay chair shots with chair shots but was above the use of weapons. Taking Taichi back inside, the powerslam and flying body sausage was followed with a spear, and Tsuji stopped a Buzzsaw kick with a Boston Crab. 

A second spear got two for Tsuji, who looked to follow with the same top rope splash that missed against Tanahashi. This time Tsuji took flight, but caught the knees of Taichi, who followed up with an Ax Bomber. A Buzzsaw to the back of the head followed, and Taichi wanted the Dangerous Backdrop; Tsuji escaped the move and looked to charge at his foe, but was caught on the second attempt. Damage notwithstanding, Tsuji kicked out at 2.9 from the suplex, but not from the superkick that came afterward. 

Tsuji and Uemura’s gauntlets continue on June 16 against Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi. 

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