NJPW SUPER JUNIOR TAG LEAGUE NIGHTS 5-8 RECAP: Lansdell’s results and recap for the rest of the round robin!

NJPW SUPER JUNIOR TAG LEAGUE RECAP
NIGHTS 5 TO 8
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD

The business end of the tournament is when the match quality tends to really pick up. Both blocks are still quite open, B Block more so than A Block.

NIGHT 5 RESULTS
OCTOBER 30, 2024
TSUBAME-SHI PHYSICAL EDUCATION CENTER
NIIGATA, JAPAN

Just the A Block matches tonight, with Rocky Romero joining Walker Stewart on commentary.

TMDK (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) (4) vs. CAPITAN SUICIDA & TIGER MASK (0)

Nothing in a New Japan tournament is ever a sure thing, but this was pretty close to one. TMDK were likely to be in the running on the final night, while Suicida and Tiger Mask were winless. Suicida continued to show flashes of what he can do, which was basically his role all tournament, but ultimately Tiger Mask tapped out to the Ron Miller Special.

WINNERS: TMDK (6) via submission in 11:00. (**3/4)

HOUSE OF TORTURE (Sho & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) (4) vs. LOS INGOBERNABLES DE JAPON (Bushi & Hiromu Takahashi) (2)

This was hard to watch. Bushi spent much of the match handcuffed to a railing on the balcony. Naito, who was at ringside with his stablemates, was handcuffed to a post. For the first time all tournament, there was House of Torture interference from Yujiro Takahashi in addition to the foreign objects and whiskey spraying. All that to end in a Dominator from Sho to eliminate LIJ. The descent of Los Ingobernables continued.

WINNERS: House of Torture (6) via pinfall in 13:00. (*3/4)

SKATEBOARD BROS (Dragon Dia & Ryusuke Taguchi) (2) vs. BULLET CLUB WAR DOGS (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney) (6)

They had a really good idea for this match, but the execution was just not there. Key moments, including the finishing victory roll, felt clunky and off. Connors and Moloney controlled huge chunks of the match but could not put their opponents away. Dia in particular kept kicking out, which should have been dramatic but just didn’t feel credible. Still, it was necessary to make sure that the final night of block action was not meaningless. Not a bad match at all, just too awkward in places that really mattered.

WINNERS: Skateboard Bros (4) via pinfall in 20:00. (***1/4)

NIGHT 6 RESULTS
OCTOBER 31, 2024
TOYAMA TECHNO HALL
TOYAMA, JAPAN

The penultimate night of B Block action saw Robbie Eagles join Walker Stewart on commentary.

CHAOS (Rocky Romero & Yoh) (4) vs. THE DKC & NINJA MACK (2)

This match flew by, usually a good sign. A fun and high-energy (if longer that expected) match that saw the expected miscommunication between Yoh and Rocky, leading to the minor upset win for DKC and Mack. Given the unimpressive start to the A Block matches from the previous night, this was a nice change. As an aside, the DK Fire is a stupid move and I want it to go away. The very impressive Ninja Bomb picked up the win.

WINNERS: Ninja Mack & The DKC (4) via pinfall in 15:00. (***1/2)

INTERNATIONAL JET SETTERS (Kevin Knight & Kushida) (4) vs. THE VELOCITIES (Paris De Silva & Jude London) (2)

As the teams made their entrances, I could not help but wonder if they would give The Velocities the win here to put four teams on four points,with the main event featuring one team on four and one on two. Every team on the same total going to the last night would make things very interesting. The two teams matched up very well, and this was probably the best showing for The Velocities so far. That’s as much due to a growing comfort level as it is their opponents. The finish was a complete surprise, with London reversing the Jet Setters’ tandem finish into a victory roll with a bridge. And with that, Night Eight became incredibly interesting.

WINNERS: The Velocities (4) via pinfall in 11:00. (***1/4)

CATCH 2/2 (TJP & Francisco Akira) (2) vs. BULLET CLUB (Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X) (4)

For the main event it was quite short, but it was very good. Three of the four men are experienced campaigners, and Robbie X continues to fit in like a glove. I was hoping for an epic and did not get it so I am trying to view the match objectively. The tandem knee strike secured the win for Catch 2/2, meaning that EVERY TEAM in B Block has four points going to the final night. There’s not really much to say here that has not been said before – everyone in this match is very good, Robbie X is a golden find who I hope sticks around, and Catch 2/2 are just a great pairing. Watch this match.

WINNERS: Catch 2/2 (4) via pinfall in 16:00. (***¾)

NIGHT 7 RESULTS
NOVEMBER 1, 2024
YOSHITSUNE ARENA
ISHIKAWA, JAPAN

A Block concluded with only three realistic winners: House of Torture, TMDK and Bullet Club War Dogs. War Dogs needed a win to guarantee a spot, but the other two teams needed to win AND hope that Bushi and Hiromu Takahashi could beat War Dogs in order to advance.

TJP was with Walker Stewart on commentary.

SKATEBOARD BROS (Dragon Dia & Ryusuke Taguchi) (4) vs CAPITAN SUICIDA & TIGER MASK (0)

I was under the impression that Dia and Taguchi could qualify if results went their way, but the commentators disagreed. Then I realised I had not counted up points correctly. So smart. Not that it mattered, as Suicida and Tiger Mask picked up the submission win. It was a fine match but absolutely nothing special.

WINNERS: Capitán Suicida and Tiger Mask (2) via submission in 10:00 (**½)

TMDK (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) (6) vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (Sho & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) (6)

The must-win match, though with War Dogs having the tiebreaker over both of these teams they would also need some help from Chaos. HoT spent the early part of the match attacking Fujita’s arm, including a chair shot against the post. And then the ref bump and interference, just to “stack the deck” against TMDK more. Of course because we are wrestling fans, we know that often means they will come back to win…and after an assisted leaping stunner, they did. I wanted to like the match, but the House of Torture stuff just drags everything down because it is so OLD now. They always get their comeuppance but it still makes watching their matches a slog.

Still, I am glad Fujita and Eagles at least finished at the top, because they have been consistently very good all tournament. Now, to find out if this meant anything.

WINNERS: TMDK (8) via pinfall in 17:00. (***1/4)

BULLET CLUB WAR DOGS (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney) (6) vs. LOS INGOBERNABLES DE JAPON (Bushi & Hiromu Takahashi) (2)

TMDK stayed at ringside to watch the conclusion of the block. The match started very slowly, leading me to believe they would tease a draw. They did not, in fact, tease a draw. They also did not tease a particularly good match. Most of the first five minutes were spent on the outside, and there was very little of the action that has made these two teams stand out all tournament. Not only did the ending come sooner that most would have expected, it kind of felt flat. The Hiromu Roll that won the match was not smooth, and it didn’t seem to fit any of the narrative of either team’s matches up to that point. A very weird climax to the block, honestly. Not bad, but weird.

WINNERS: Chaos (4) vis pinfall in 16:00. (***)

TMDK advanced to the finals as a result. Who will they face? Let’s find out.

NIGHT 8 RESULTS
NOVEMBER 2, 2024
NAGOYA CONGRESS CENTER EVENT HALL
AICHI, JAPAN

B Block came to a close with every team on four points coming in. There were far too many permutations coming into tonight’s action for me to explain here. Essentially every team had to win to have a shot.

Drilla Moloney was on commentary with Walker Stewart, which should be interesting.

BULLET CLUB (Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X) (4) vs. THE VELOCITIES (Paris De Silva & Jude London) (4)

I had high hopes for this match because of the similarity in styles with Robbie X and The Velocities, but it was too short to really live up to that expectation. They did a lot in a short period, but again there was too much time spent with three people in the ring for my liking. Bullet Club did pull off the win with an X Express – 450 splash combo, meaning that Bullet Club will now be cheering for Ninja Mack and DKC, and Chaos.

WINNERS: Bullet Club (6) in 9:00. (**¼)

THE DKC & NINJA MACK (4) vs. CATCH 2/2 (TJP & Francisco Akira) (4)

Bullet Club’s win meant that Ninja Mack and DKC could not qualify, but ironically if they were to win this match it would benefit Bullet Club. On the other hand, a win by Catch 2/2 here and then by Chaos in the main event would mean a three-way tie. We got probably the best match for DKC and Mack all tournament, albeit in a losing effort. There was a bit of a chaotic air about the last half of the match, but I think ultimately it held together well. The tandem knee strike secured the win for Catch 2/2, eliminating the Jet Setters and keeping alive the chances of a three-way tie if Chaos won the main event.

WINNERS: Catch 2/2 (6) via pinfall in 15:00. (***1/4)

INTERNATIONAL JET SETTERS (Kevin Knight & Kushida) (4) vs. CHAOS (Rocky Romero & Yoh) (4)

I admit, I was rooting hard for a Chaos win and the resulting three-way tie. They told a story (which have been rare in the tournament) of Knight battling through a hurt knee, and Yoh in particular trying to exploit it. Once again, we had a mix-up between Rocky and Yoh, with Rocky eating yet another Yoh superkick. Knight was able to come off the top for their tandem neckbreaker-splash finish despite spending a good 30 seconds in a figure four, giving them the win. Not the dramatic epic I had hoped for, but a decent match.

WINNERS: Knight & Kushida (6) via pinfall in 10:00. (***1/2)

So through the magic of tiebreakers, Catch 2/2 qualified for the finals at Power Struggle.

Final Analysis

There were some excellent matches in this tournament, but somewhat bizarrely placed in the middle. It’ll be an exciting final, with the winner going on to face the Jet Setters at Tokyo Dome. With the way that show is lining up, a young upstart in position to win each title, I expect TMDK to win the final.

I’m a little confused that none of the teased splits actually led to anything. Yoh and Rocky in particular really seemed to be going somewhere, but they just walked off together like nothing had happened. Overall, despite the good matches here and there, the tournament felt a little flat. Where there should have been big, long matches there were shorter ones, and the quality on the whole was just above average. With any luck, the final will make up for that.

Robbie X and Fujita were the standouts for me, with Robbie immediately showing he belongs in that ring. The Velocities grew into things as they went on, and even the older guys showed up and showed out. Sadly, there just wasn’t enough of the high quality.

We’ll be back with a report on Power Struggle, which will include the final, on November 4. As always, thanks for stopping by. You can contact me at lansdellicious@gmail.com or on Twitter @lansdellicious.