Best of the Super Jr. B Block update: May 31

DOUKI, Ishimori advance

DOUKI and Taiji Ishimori have advanced to the final four of Best of the Super Jr 31 after league competition culminated in Korakuen Hall on May 31. Watch the replay!

Ishimori booked his place with a main event victory against old rival Hiromu Takahashi. After a tense start, Takahashi got quick and attempted a sunset bomb to the floor but Ishimori escaped and the two fought into the stands before barely beating the referee’s 20 count. That done, they quickly went back out, and Ishimori found the first sustained advantage of the bout with a knee crusher into a chair.

Ishimori began picking apart the hurt Hiromu, who got an opening with a rope hung choke but had it shut in his face with an exposed turnbuckle meeting his shoulder. Yet moments later, Ishimori was racked with the same buckle and a DVD that escaped the clutches of Ishimori’s Bone Lock; Hiromu followed up with the Time Bomb 1.5 and the Hiromu Chan Bomber, but neither ended the bout.

Wanting Time Bomb 2, Hiromu found himself on the top rope as his foe escaped, and then ate a brutal gut buster on the top corner. After a rarely seen 450 from Ishimori got 2, the Bone Soldier set for La Mistica into the Bone Lock, but instead was hit with D and then a stolen Bloody Cross from Hiromu, getting two as Ishimori made the ropes. In response, Ishimori would roll Hiromu from the Bone Lock into his own Time Bomb 2, and after a sensational kick out, the Bloody Cross for three.

DOUKI’s place in the semifinals came after a hard fought first ever singles win over Robbie Eagles. Eagles was very aggressive in targeting DOUKI’s knee, and Japones Del Mail continued to struggle as time and again the knee slowed his forward momentum.

Yet DDTs were the key to DOUKI. After Dotson no Jutsu caught a break, Eagles rolled to the floor where a sensational rope suicida from DOUKI turned into a tornado DDT in midair. Daybreak followed for two but he could not land Suplex De La Luna. Instead, Eagles was back on offence and went for a 450 to the knee, but was caught in the Italian Stretch and almost faded; the TMDK member escaped and into a nail biting back and forth, but one that ended when a Ron Miller Special attempt saw a trip and the Supkex De La Luna.

This results mean that Taiji Ishimori, block winner will face A Block runner up TJP June 3, while DOUKI meets El Desperado in the other semifinal.

Elsewhere on the card, Dragon Dia got his first and only win of the tournament as he upset KUSHIDA. The Timesplitter, angered by an impudent fast start on the part of Dia was harsh in his approach but Dia summoned the spirit of Ryusuke Taguchi, who was on commentary at ringside having announced his return. A hip attack, and then the 6(1)9 were followed by the DDDDT and the victory.

Ninja Mack didn’t end his sojourn to NJPW in as positive a fashion when he faced Drilla Moloney. In a sour mood after mathematical elimination, Moloney was in no mood to wrestle; in fact he offered Mack a count out win on a silver platter. When Mack insisted the two do battle for the sake of pride and the people, the results turned deadly. Mounting offense, Mack went for the Ninja Special on the floor but was caught in midair and spiked with the Drilla Killa on the outside. Moloney picked up the win by countout, and medical staff flocked to Mack’s aid as he was carried out of the building.