New Japan Pro Wrestling

Two HUGE upsets happened today in the semi finals. I did not see either of these results happening. They were both really good matches.

Master Wato defeated Speedball Mike Bailey
Fast opening sequence of counters sent Bailey to the floor with a dropkick as Wato followed with a slingshot dive. Wato briefly locked in Vendeval, but Bailey got the ropes. Bailey answered with the machine gun kicks and springboard moonsault outside, as he followed with a running start from the crowd for a jump kick to the arm. Back inside Bailey missed a running shooting star, as Wato hit sort of a Zig Zag and leaping leg lariat. A huge somersault dive outside by Wato, who quickly threw Bailey back inside, tried a springboard uppercut, but Bailey caught him with an arm bar. Bailey zoned in on the arm at the 10 minute mark, missed the shooting star double knees, as both men traded pin attempts until Wato sank in Vendeval after a crazy series of counters. Bailey rocked his way to the rope break, as both men rose to their feet and Bailey lit up Wato with kicks. Bailey went for his home run shot, but Wato countered into Recientemente for two. Both traded kicks on the apron until Bailey pulled the leg out from Wato and hit his moonsault double knees. Bailey followed with the Ultimate Weapon, but Wato kicked out and the crowd went wild. Bailey wanted the Flamingo Driver, but Wato countered into TTD, collapsing onto Bailey, who kicked out. Bailey threw another series of kicks, but Wato answered with a corkscrew kick and Tsutenkaku German suplex for the win! This was as close to a sprint you can have for a match that went a little over 15 minutes. These two crushed it and I was genuinely surprised by the result, good for Wato.

Titan defeated El Desperado
A feeling out process the opening five minutes until Titan did a rope walk hurricanrana, but tried one on the floor, as Despy avoided and targeted the left leg. Despy asked the crowd to clear as he whipped Titan into the fourth row. Back inside, Titan did a Matrix to thrust kick Despy and hit another hurricanrana, sprinting for a dive through the ropes. They spilled deep into the crowd where Titan hit a cross body off the balcony as his LIJ members cheered him on. In the ring, Titan hit a nasty dragon screw into a leg lock, as the story here will be whose legs will hold up more. Titan charged, but was cut in half by a Despy spear. Despy briefly got Numero Dos, as Titan got the ropes and both men are clutching their knees in pain. We get a strike exchange into a perfect Tornado DDT by Titan. Despy rolled to the floor and suckered Titan into a dive attempt, which he cut off, but the second attempt Titan connected with a somersault plancha. Titan cleared the path, went to the top, tried a double stomp to the floor and missed, as this could’ve been disastrous. Commentary even referenced Mercedes Mone breaking her ankle a few days prior as Despy brought Titan in the ring and hit Guitarra de Angel, but couldn’t hit Pinche Loco, as Despy was sent outside clutching his ankle. Despy battled back with a spinebuster into Numero Dos, but Titan powered out into a Destroyer. Despy was planted with another Tornado DDT at the 20 minute mark as Titan pulled himself to the top for a double stomp for two. Titan applied the Muta Lock after a fight and Despy tapped out! While the first semi final match came off as more of a sprint, this was a storytelling match with both men fighting from behind with bad legs. I’m very bummed Despy lost, as he continues to always be the bridesmaid. Even with Hiromu eliminated, it’s a different LIJ member who cost him the BOSJ title that’s eluded him for years.