El Desperado moves to V2 in Sapporo

El Desperado came out victorious from a thrilling main event on night one of Summer Struggle, defeating Taiji Ishimori to make his second title defence.

A battle of two expert technical wrestlers, and expert rule breakers to boot, Sapporo got an early taste of what to expect. A high speed early exchange saw referee Red Shoes Unno pulled into the path of Ishimori, who thought on his feet well enough to evade a follow up dropkick and look for the Yes Lock before the champ rolled out of bounds.

When Desperado got back in though, the slick Ishimori got the upper hand with an expert takedown on the left arm, creating an opening he exploited through the match. Out on the floor, the shoulder would be rammed into steel guardrails and the ring post, before Ishimori lured away the referee with one chair and striking with a backup.

Ishimori was intent on dealing as much damage to the shoulder as he could, including exposing the turnbuckle to further weaken his masked foe. A shoulder breaker and Ishimori continued to dictate the pace, but when Desperado had the space to run, he was able to misdirect the champion. A backdrop Suplex was blocked, but a knee breaker did the damage Despe needed to get back in the match.

Now it was Ishimori’s leg being rung off the ring post, and receiving a stiff chair shot as the champ made use of Unno’s long leash. Desperado wrenched at his challenger in an Indian Deathlock, but Ishimori stayed in the hunt, a flash rollup surprising the champion, who went down to a handspring overhead kick.

Ishimori followed with a sliding German, and then out on the floor used the environment as a weapon, a modified Bloody Cross ringing Desperado’s throat across the guardrail and putting him in countout danger. Pushing the advantage, Ishimori wanted the Yes Lock and tore at the champion, who just barely made the ropes, and was unable to follow up on a desperation suplex. Yet when Ishimori wanted to send his opponent into the turnbuckle again, the referee was sandwiched and downed, and the flow of the match changed again.

Champion and challenger exchanged low blows before trading heavy forearm shots. A spinebuster followed for Desperado, who transitioned into a Numero Dos attempt; Ishimori got free, but his Mistica counter instead met Guitarra Del Angel for two.

The exposed steel buckle would again be Ishimori’s hidden partner however, and La Mistica was this time converted, but the Yes Lock was countered to Numero Dos. With both hands trapped, Ishimori was close to a verbal submission when an intervening El Phantasmo made the save, quickly disposed off by Desperado’s partner Yoshinobu Kanemaru.

Yet another Mistica from Ishimori was this time countered with a huge suplex, but Ishimori countered Pinche Loco into Cipher Utaki for a near fall. Desperado got his own near fall with El Es Clero from a Bloody Cross attempt, and went for Pinche Loco again, but was countered in midair with an incredible transition into the Bone Lock.

Desperado valiantly escaped, and, getting back to his feet, reversed a Bloody Cross once more. This time it was finally Ishimori eating the exposed steel he’d used so often during the match, the Loco Mono right hand and Pinche Loco following to give Desperado the win.

Before the champion was able to drink in his victory, Robbie Eagles appeared on the video screen. Stating that he had bided his time long enough, Eagles called his shot to challenge the champion. Backstage Desperado would say it was the right move to make at the right time, and requested that the match be made for July 25 at the Tokyo Dome. Has Wrestle Grand Slam gained another title match?