Shingo Takagi remains the NEVER Openweight Champion!
During the first-round of the New Japan Cup, SHO shocked many when he beat the Los Ingobernables de Japon member in order to advance into the second round of the competition. While SHO is currently the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, the NJPW talent is mainly known as a tag team competitior.
Coming in, the 30-year-old clearly had momentum on his side and actually got the best of Takagi in the early portion of the match-up. After knocking SHO outside of the ring, the NEVER Openweight Champ aggressive beat down the challenger by sending him into the barricade several times.
Takagi would continue wearing down SHO with various strikes on different parts of the body; however, the challenger made his comeback by countering Takagi’s finisher and hit a german suplex. Both men would then exchange strikes and maneuvers for a couple of minutes before SHO nailed a powerbomb, lariat, and a deadlift suplex that got him a strong nearfall.
In the end, Takagi was able to connect with Last of the Dragon for a three count. Following the match-up, El Desperado attacked Takagi, strongly indicating that he’s the next challenger for the NEVER Openweight Championship.
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