Taiji Ishimori is in desperate need of a win.
The former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion has typically done well in the Best of the Super Juniors in the past, even though he’s never actually won the tournament. Ishimori is quickly falling behind and his latest match-up would’ve sunk him in the rankings even further if he didn’t win.
Ishimori fought current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado in a rematch from the finals of last year’s tournament. Both men started out fast, but Ishimori’s kick to the head put El Desperado out of commission for a good minute. Taiji took advantage by targeting the left arm, but Desperado hit a Dragonscrew leg whip that changed the tide of the match-up.
Desperado immediately went for the Stretch Muffler, but Ishimori was able to get out of it with a Crucifix driver. Then he turned it into a Bone Lock (crossface). Desperado was able to reach the ropes. The last few minutes became a battle of the submission finishers as each man attempted to apply their trademark moves on one another. But that cost Desperado as Ishimori countered into a pinning combination and got the three count.
In the main event, Franceso Akira stepped out of the tag team division and is doing pretty well going solo. But Akira fought Hiromu Takahashi, and it wasn’t an easy battle. Akira started off with strikes and dives, but Takahashi’s experience overwhelmed the New Japan star quickly. The former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion took his time picking Akira apart before applying a camel clutch.
Akira got out of it, only to be cut down and put into a figure four. Akira got to the ropes and made a fiery comeback with a stunner, hurracarrana, and flip dive. He got a nearfall after connecting with a second rope moonsault. It didn’t take long for Hiromu to come back and got a nearfall himself thanks to a second rope Time bomb.
Hiromu had control again, but a german suplex had Akira back in the match and he hit a Fireball double knees that secured him a strong two count. Hirmu came back with his own fireball and hit another Time bomb!
The finish came after Akira locked Hiromu in a submission called the ground tarantula. Hiromu quickly tapped.
Check out the full results of Night Four:
- B Block: Ryusuke Taguchi (2-1) 4 points def. SHO (1-2) 2 points
- A Block: Dragon Dia (2-1) 4 points def. Clark Connors (1-2) 2 points
- B Block: YOH (1-2) 2 points def. Kevin Knight (0-3) 0 points
- A Block: KUSHIDA (1-2) 2 points def. Ninja Mack (1-2) 2 points
- B Block: Nick Wayne (3-0) 6 points def. Robbie Eagles (2-1) 4 points
- A Block: Robbie X (2-1) 4 points def. Yoshinobu Kanemaru (1-2) 2 points
- B Block: Titan (2-1) 4 points def. MAO (2-1) 4 points
- A Block: Kosei Fujita (3-0) 6 points def. Master Wato (1-2) 2 points
- B Block: Taiji Ishimori (1-2) 2 points def. El Desperado (1-2) 2 points
- A Block: Francesco Akira (2-1) 4 points def. Hiromu Takahashi (1-2) 2 points