Best of the Super Jr. 31 A Block update: May 30

El Desperado, TJP advance

El Desperado and TJP have advanced out of A Block in first and second positions in Best of the Super Jr. 31 after an intense night of action in Korakuen Hall.

Watch the replay now!

Desperado defeated HAYATA in the main event of the night to book his place in the final four. After tense grappling exchanges to start the bout, HAYATA went to get quick against Desperado, but was picked off on the apron as the masked man stretched his foe with Numero Dos on the outside. In response, HAYATA rammed Desperado’s shoulder into the ring post on the outside, starting a battle of knee versus shoulder.

The NOAH representative controlled his foe for a stretch, and though Despe caught a big suplex on HAYATA, a shotgun dropkick and second rope moonsault was there in response. HAYATA tweaked the knee on impact though, and Guitarra Del Angel was there for two. As the GHC National Champion remained in the hunt, he countered a Numero Dos attempt into a punishing hammerlock, and Desperado gutted through immense pain to make the ropes, but the intensity only picked up from here.

Desperado was able to land Pinche Loco, but HAYATA kicked out to the astonishment of both men. Recovering, HAYATA landed his short DDT and the 403 Impact, Desperado saved with a foot on the bottom rope. HAYATA landed a superkick, but Despe landed a huge spinebuster before a head drop Pinche Loco and a second regular version for the three.

TJP got past Titan to advance, but under the guidance (or control) of the Aswang as an ethereal form took to the ring. As the Aswang, TJP seemed to have extra impact to his regular offence of facewashes and half hatch suplexes, but also greater recoverability as Titan fired back i. Equal measure. A tope suicida and quebrada scored big, but it was a sickening double stomp to TJP’s chest on the apron that would have finished most normal wrestlers.

The Aswang survived, and landed a tornado DDT in response to Titan’s own version. TJP couldn’t get the win from the Pinoy Stretch, but didn’t get trapped in Llave Inmortal. Instead, a corner lariat to the back of the head scored for Titan, who went up for a double stomp, and springboarded for a second; TJP incredibly kicked out though to the amazement of Korakuen, stunning the referee in the process.Titan went up for a third time but Aswang spat mist in midair. Titan gutted out a Mamba Splash with a massive kick out, but not from the Duende Flying Knee for three.

Blake Christian was netted the night in control of his own destiny, but was eliminated with a loss to Kosei Fujita. Christian was massively impressive, high flying with perfect precision to the hurt arm and shoulder of his young foe. Fujita responded with tough kicks and a deadlift German for two; Christian responded with a sensational reverse Spanish Fly and the Rings of Saturn, but Fujita found the ropes. In a split second move, Fujita evaded contact on the springboard 450 and then got the Abandon Hope for an upset win.

Kevin Knight needed a big win to advance against BUSHI, and went big by trying for a balcony dive in the crowd. BUSHI got the dive instead and was in control as both made it to the ring, but Knight recovered with a high springboard and the G5. Knight sized up for a Spike DDT but BUSHI elevated his foe over the top rope so both knees jammed in the floor. The Fable followed soon after for the submission loss and Knight’s elimination.

Clark Connors had his own strategy in mind when he took Yoshinobu Kanemaru into the crowd. Scoring a snap suplex among the people, Connors was antes the countout win with an assist from Young Lion Katsuya Murashima, but Kanemaru reversed a shove of the Young Lion in his path to instead cause Connors to stumble, miss the 20 count and get eliminated, spearing the referee in frustration right afterward.