Francesco Akira has been the biggest surprise of the tournament so far.
The multi-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion has mainly been in the tag team scene, but the best of the Super Juniors tournament is his coming out party. Just when it seemed like he was out Akira, the New Japan star managed to stay alive. His match was against Dragon Dia and Akira started the bout off fast and reckless. His flurry out offense got the better of Dia in the early goings and Akira managed to control the match for a good portion of it. But Dia started his comeback with a slingshot press and then hit a springboard moonsault.
Dia kept it coming with the offense, rearranging Akira’s head with an enzuigiri and clothesline. That resulted in a nearfall. They traded rollups next, and Akira caught Dia with a superkick. Both men were weak and tired at this point. Dia came back with a crucifix driver that got another nearfall. Dia went to finish the match for good until Akira caught him in a ground tarantula. Dia tapped out.
The main event saw another duo who was leading the board - Robbie X and Master Wato. This match determined the leader of Block A. The match started off slow, with it being a feeling out process for both men. Wato tried to apply his submission finisher quickly, but Robbie X reversed the maneuver and him around the arena for a couple of minutes.
Robbie X took his time dissecting Wato, with the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion even biting Wato’s fingers! That only fired Wato up and he came back with a leg lariat, followed by a flip dive and springboard back elbow. He went for the cover and got a good nearfall. Wato finally got his submission finisher, Vendeval, on Robbie X, but the New Japan star managed to crawl to the ropes for a break at the ten minute mark.
Robbie had a brief comeback until Wato trapped both of his arms and used a unique pinning combination that almost got him the three count. Wato got out of the ring, and tried to pull Robbie out, but he push him back and then hit a corkscrew press. Robbie X went back into the ring and the match almost ended via countout. However, Wato jumped back into the ring at the 19 count. Robbie wasted no time attacking, and hit a sit out powerbomb for a great nearfall.
Robbie then fails to hit his finisher, X Express and both men exchange strikes, namely kicks. Wato got the better of that exchange and hit a german suplex, but it was another two count. The ending saw Wato get a three count thanks to the same mousetrap pin that he used earlier in the match.
Check out the full results below for Night Seven of Best of the Super Juniors Tournament:
- Nick Wayne & Daiki Nagai def. War Dogs (Taiji Ishimori & Gedo)
- YOH, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask & Katsuya Murashima def. El Desperado, MAO, Shoma Kato & Masatora Yasuda
- Yota Tsuji & Titan def. TMDK (Hartley Jackson & Robbie Eagles)
- HOUSE OF TORTURE (SHO, SANADA & Yujiro Takahashi) def. Kevin Knight, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toru Yano
- NJPW BOSJ A Block: Hiromu Takahashi (3-3) 6 points def. Ninja Mack (2-4) 4 points
- NJPW BOSJ A Block: Yoshinobu Kanemaru (3-3) 6 points def. Kosei Fujita (3-3) 6 points
- NJPW BOSJ A Block: Clark Connors (3-3) 6 points def. KUSHIDA (3-3) 6 points
- NJPW BOSJ A Block: Francesco Akira (3-3) 6 points def. Dragon Dia (3-3) 6 points
- NJPW BOSJ A Block: Master Wato (4-2) 8 points def. Robbie X (3-3) 6 points