Best of the SUPERIOR Juniors

NJPW's Best of the Super Juniors 

Tournament concludes

Ryusuke Taguchi won the contest after defeating finalist Low Ki where both dominated the tournament.

This year’s theme was – “The door to the glory.” 


Finals took place on 10th June 2012.


The comeption emanated from Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, sold out to 2,050 fans in attendance.


The tournament is built on a points format, where a win receives two points, drawing gains one, and a loss equals nothing. Previous time limits were at twenty minutes, which has since increased to thirty. All participants are divided into two blocks, A and B, of equal numbers from the participants involved. The top two highest scorers proceed to the semifinals.


Ki defeated a former victor (from 2010), Prince Devitt in the semi-finals, while Taguchi, Devitt’s tag team partner also, downed PAC to advance.

Devitt, with 2010's gorgeous trophy

Taguchi went on to earn a title shot at the IWGP Junior heavyweight championship, one of Japan’s finest, and prestigious titles in existence.


Low Ki was the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight champion at time of entering and participating in the event.

Taguchi nabbed the pinfall to win the tourny after a seventeen minute and one second match up, after Ryusuke, for the last five years in a row, was the runner up every year.


Other combatants in the series were Taichi, Rocky Romero, Jushin Liger, PAC, Gedo, Angel de Oro, Jado, Hiromu Takahashi, Tiger Mask IV, Daisuke Sasaki, Taka Michinoku, Alex Koslov, Kushida, Bushi, Brian Kendrick and Prince Devitt.


Jushin Liger, Japan’s esteemed pinnacle of prestige made this his twenty-first entry to the tournament. Liger also shares the tournament victory with Koji Kanemoto, both at three successes of the contest while Tiger Mask IV is the only star to win twice back to back in consecutive years.






Last year’s reigning champion, Kota Ibushi was unable to defend his honour, due to injury last year.

Some expert matches took place including PAC and Prince Devitt, as well as the final, making the tournament an interesting insight to wrestling once again, with some tantalising images below. 


Enjoy!

Look Out! 

PAC drops onto Prince Devitt with high altitude

PAC, Koslov, Angel de Oro and BUSHI

© Max Waltham 27th June 2012

ROH crowns new champ, previous Injured!

Kevin Steen defeats Davey Richards becoming sixteenth ROH Heavyweight champion

 

So it’s all change at Ring of Honor this month. Many developments have occurred.

In early May, Davey Richards was ROH champion until suffering a car accident forced ROH to shift the title to its new and current bearer, Kevin Steen.

Kevin Steen has managed to become the sixteenth ROH heavyweight champion in its history. Steen successful won the title at the Border Wars iPPV on May 12^th in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

ROH did not change the status of the card previously advertising the match, where speculation from fans was rife. With Richards removed from the NJPW Junior divisions annual upcoming tournament, after awaiting full confirmation, leaving the name up on the tournament (and time to find a replacement should it be true), fans were unsure if this was a work and having heat on him.

Oh, what a beautiful picture... :)
Hold me instead!

Richards was planned to defend the Junior IWGP tag championships with partner, Rocky Romero, though forced to vacate those also.

Rocky Romero, 2012, as NJPW Jr Tag Champion

Richards has been replaced by Brian Kendrick for NJPW. Steen has removed the title from him too.

Richards has legitimately received injury and is recuperating. WW sends their well wishes to you.

Until then however, now as new champion, Steen, victorious on May 12^th, is set to collide in his first defence against Eddie Edwards on June 15^th in Charleston, West Virginia.

In further revelations, Steen has suffered a concussion after his title win over the past weekend from the 18^th – 20^th May. Should we have more details, we shall update, though it does not seem encouraging for Steen’s first defence and new exposure as champion. ROH are hoping this injury is minor.

© Max Waltham 27th May 2012