IWGP Tag Team Championships at the top of night two card in Sapporo
More championship action for Sapporo on July 11, with the IWGP Tag Team Championships headlining, and no shortage of top names looking to set themselves up for a big summer.
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Main event: IWGP Tag Team Championships- Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi) vs Los Ingobernables De Japon (Tetsuya Naito & SANADA)
On July 11, it will be the IWGP Tag team Championships at stake in the main event as Dangerous Tekkers defend against Tetsuya Naito and SANADA. When Naito first floated the idea of he and SANADA challenging for the tag team titles, an incredulous Taichi suggested the ‘makeshift’ team didn’t have the requisite respect for the titles nor their champions.
A pinfall win for SANADA over Zack Sabre Jr. at Dominion helped, but didn’t cement the challengers’ case, Naito instead deciding to take alternate means. Procuring an event program, he and SANADA persuaded first Taichi and then Zack to sign their autographs on the cover, only to reveal a hastily scrawled ‘championship match contract’ written on the back.
Respect turning into skullduggery, the document in the hands of Naito and SANADA was far from legally binding, but it was enough to make the champions and the IWGP committee sit up and take notice. The Kizuna Road tour went on with Dangerous Tekkers focused as Naito and SANADA still had fun, demanding birthday gifts for Naito in an act the champions greeted with derision, even suggesting Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura might be better suited for the opportunity.
Then, July 2 in Korakuen Hall, the LIJ side showed just how much they wanted the titles, with a convincing six man victory ending with both champions laid out, and clearly rattled as they made their way to the back. Even in Taichi’s home town of Sapporo, he and ZSJ could be in significant danger if the challengers have the same focus tonight.
5th Match: Master Wato & Kota Ibushi vs Los Ingobernables De Japon (Shingo Takagi & BUSHI)
In the semi main event, Kota Ibushi and Shingo Takagi lock horns a mere 14 nights away from their clash over the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in the main event at Wrestle Grand Slam in the Tokyo Dome. A clear mutual respect exists between champion and challenger, each having demanded that the other bring it full force to every single one of their pre Tokyo Dome meetings. Respect goes out of the window when the bell rings however. Meanwhile, a year after his NJPW debut, Master Wato wants to establish himself in the top flight of junior heavyweight competition, a spot BUSHI will gladly deny the young master.
4th Match: CHAOS (YOH & Kazuchika Okada) vs United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb)
After night one in Sapporo sees Okada team with SHO against the United Empire, tonight sees him partnered with YOH. With four prominent names each looking to set themselves up for the summer, and Wrestle Grand Slam in the Tokyo Dome in particular, this will be a hard fought tag bout in the middle of the night two card.
3rd Match: Yota Tsuji & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs BULLET CLUB (Yujiro Takahashi & KENTA)
Eyes will have to be on KENTA tonight in Sapporo, as he makes his return to action for BULLET CLUB alongside Yujiro Takahashi. His opposition is just as worthy of attention however. Hiroshi Tanahashi has been looking for a new narrative for his summer ever since losing the NEVER Openweight Championship to Switchblade Jay White at the start of May, and might find his answers in BULLET CLUB opposition tonight. Then there’s Yota Tsuji, fresh off demanding singles gauntlets during Kizuna Road. After receiving the highest possible plaudits from Kota Ibushi last week, Tsuji might still be wearing the black tights, but has to be considered as good as graduated from Young Lion status and ready to set his own course through uncharted waters.
2nd Match: Rocky Romero, Ryusuke Taguchi & Tomohiro Ishii vs BULLET CLUB (El Phantasmo, Taiji Ishimori & EVIL)
Tomohiro Ishii and EVIL will continue their intense and deeply personal issues on night two in Sapporo tonight as six man action comes on the second match of the afternoon. Meanwhile the Mega Coaches of Rocky Romero and Ryusuke Taguchi reform, and with IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship opposition in the corner across from them. Two of the wiliest veterans in the game, Romero and Taguchi are sure to be very well aware of the opportunities that lay before them.
1st Match: SHO & Yuya Uemura vs Suzuki-Gun (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado)
Yuya Uemura starts the night with a significant opportunity, teaming with SHO against Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado. With former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions all around him, and potentially the singles IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in Desperado across from him, Uemura will want to make a significant mark in junior heavyweight competition tonight as he seeks to make the next step in his career.
