NJPW Best of the Super Juniors night eight results: Ospreay vs. Bandido

Night eight of the Best of the Super Juniors delivered — and then some. 

Three matches on the show are contenders for the best match of the tournament. 

Dragon Lee and Shingo Takagi capped the night with a hard-hitting affair, Will Ospreay and Bandido did their best to steal the show in the semi-main event, and Marty Scurll and SHO tore the house down in their undercard battle. 

Here are the full results and recaps from today’s show in Korakuen Hall:

B BLOCK MATCH: EL PHANTASMO DEFEATED REN NARITA

They did some mat work at the outset, with neither man gaining a clear advantage. The Korakuen crowd was clearly behind Narita. Phantasmo used a series of kicks to take control. He tied Narita to the tree of woe, then stomped on his groin. 

Phantasmo did his rope walk around three quarters of the ring. He bounced off the ropes, right into a belly-to-belly from Narita. Narita followed with a second suplex for a near fall. Phantasmo hit a series of kicks and followed with an enzuigiri. 

Narita used an inside cradle and a backslide for two near falls, and then hit his awesome bridging belly-to-belly for another. Phantasmo hit a kick and went for CR2, but Narita slapped on a full crab. Phantasmo hit a thumb to the eye and used a cradle for a two count. 

Phantasmo hit an airplane spin, then a frog splash for the pin. 

After the bell, Phantasmo hit CR2. Good opener. 

A BLOCK MATCH: TITAN DEFEATED TAKA MICHINOKU

They exchanged arm drags. TAKA hit a PK, and Titan rolled to the floor. He teased a dive, but didn’t deliver. TAKA used an eye poke, then a bow and arrow. Titan rolled outside, and TAKA posted him. 

Back inside, TAKA used a Fujiwara armbar. He hit a step-up knee in the corner, but couldn’t follow up. Titan started to fly, hitting a headscissors and then a tope con hilo. Back inside, TAKA applied the Just Facelock, but Titan made the ropes. 

TAKA missed a moonsault, then used a magistral cradle to set up the Just Facelock again. Titan made the ropes. Titan attempted an O’Connor roll, but TAKA caught him in the Just Facelock a third time. Titan again reached the ropes. 

TAKA went for the Michinoku Driver, but Titan reversed it into a DVD. He covered and got the pin. The ref’s count was weird, as if he was expecting TAKA to kick out, but he didn’t. Strange finish to an okay match. 

B BLOCK MATCH: BUSHI DEFEATED ROBBIE EAGLES

BUSHI hit a missile dropkick before the bell, then landed a suicide dive. BUSHI took off his entrance attire, and used his belt to whip Eagles. Back inside, Eagles hit a chop block and an elbow to the back of the head. 

Eagles focused his attack on BUSHI’s left leg. He used a series of stomps and holds to work over the leg. BUSHI hit a DDT, then used his T-shirt to choke Eagles. BUSHI hit an enzuigiri, followed by another DDT. 

BUSHI teased a DDT on the apron, but Eagles took out his legs, then hit a crazy flip dive through the second rope to the floor. Back in the ring, Eagles continued to go after the left leg. He hit a Turbo Backpack for a near fall, then applied the Rod Miller Special. BUSHI forced a rope break. 

Eagles hit double knees in the corner, twice. He went for a 450, but BUSHI rolled out of the way. BUSHI hit a codebreaker over the middle rope, then hit a neckbreaker for a near fall. BUSHI hit the MX and got the pin. Solid match with a cool dive, but not spectacular. 

A BLOCK MATCH: JONATHAN GRESHAM DEFEATED TIGER MASK IV

They traded holds to a stalemate, then shook hands. Tiger landed some strikes, but Gresham fired back. Tiger hit a series of kicks to the stomach, then used a series of chinlocks. He transitioned to a headscissors, but Gresham rolled to the ropes for the break. 

Tiger landed some more kicks, and Gresham sold them in a big way. The pace had slowed, but they picked it back up with a mat exchange, ending with Gresham hitting a dropkick. Gresham used a cobra twist, but Tiger broke the hold with a kick. 

Tiger used a headscissors and an armbar, but Gresham reached the bottom rope. Tiger hit a double underhook knee strike, then another kick. Both men hit the ropes, and they both hit a crossbody, leading to a double down. 

Tiger was up first and hit a kick. They exchanged strikes. Gresham used a headscissors before trapping Tiger in a cradle for the pin. Good match with a nice finish. 

B BLOCK MATCH: YOH DEFEATED DOUKI

DOUKI hit a dropkick to the back as YOH was posing on the turnbuckle before the bell. He followed with a suicide dive, then took the fight into the crowd. He slammed YOH’s face into the famed East sign in Korakuen. The crowd chanted for DOUKI. 

DOUKI continued his attack in the ring. He hit a double stomp and picked up a near fall. YOH blocked a suplex. He missed a basement dropkick, but successfully hit a dragon screw. YOH hit a flying forearm. He connected with a back elbow and hit a neckbreaker for a near fall. 

YOH hit another dragon screw. YOH rolled into a Calf Crusher, but DOUKI reached the ropes. YOH hit a series of dropkicks to the right leg. DOUKI tried for a slingshot DDT, but YOH turned it into a falcon arrow for a two count. 

DOUKI used a roll-up for a two count, then used a modified triangle. YOH rolled to the ropes, forcing a break. DOUKI hit an ugly-looking slingshot DDT for a two count. YOH hit a bridging German for a near fall. 

YOH hit an enzuigiri, and DOUKI hit a big lariat for a two count. DOUKI went for the Suplex de la Luna, but YOH escaped. YOH hit a superkick, then hit a Dragon Suplex for the pin. 

YOH is awesome. This was very good, but I think it would have worked even better as a sprint, with three or four minutes cut off. 

A BLOCK MATCH: SHO DEFEATED MARTY SCURLL

Scurll came out limping. He had his head taped up, with Brody King holding an ice pack on his neck. SHO entered, and Scurll hit SHO with his umbrella, then ripped off the tape on his head. Scurll picked up a quick near fall. 

SHO fired right back with strikes and hit a suplex for his own near fall. Scurll went to the apron and hit a draping neckbreaker over the second rope. Back inside, Scurll hit another neckbreaker for a near fall. Scurll hit a series of chops, then a superkick to the back of the neck. 

Scurll used a headscissors, continuing to work the neck of SHO. Scurll also trapped the left arm, but SHO reached the ropes. Scurll used a slingshot to send SHO’s neck into the bottom rope. Scurll hit his superkick on the apron. SHO fired up, so Scurll hit a second. SHO asked for a third, and he caught the kick. 

They exchanged strikes on the apron. SHO jumped back inside, swept the legs, then sent Scurll to the floor with a dropkick. SHO hit a backstabber, then used a cross armbreaker. Scurll reached the bottom rope. 

SHO hit a kick, then hit two rolling Germans. He went for a third, but Scurll escaped. Scurll hit a half-and-half suplex, but SHO countered with a third German. They exchanged strikes. SHO hit a Lumbar Check for a near fall. 

SHO went for Shock Arrow, but Scurll blocked it and hit a DVD over his knee for a near fall. Scurll hit a tornado DDT. He rolled through into a chicken wing attempt, but SHO countered into Shock Arrow for a near fall. 

SHO went for a powerbomb, but Scurll ripped the tape off SHO’s ear, and slipped out. Scurll hit a pair of lariats for a near fall. Scurll did the finger break spot. SHO countered with a lariat. He hit another lariat, then hit a Last Ride on the knees for a near fall. 

SHO hit Shock Arrow for the pin. Awesome match. They tore the house down. Good luck to the guys who have to follow this. 

B BLOCK MATCH: RYUSUKE TAGUCHI DEFEATED ROCKY ROMERO 

Rocky came out with a basketball, while Taguchi came out with his rugby ball. They did some comedy with the basketball. Rocky threw the ball at Taguchi’s head, then hit a crossbody off the post to the floor. 

Taguchi sent Rocky to the floor with a hip attack, then hit a tope con hilo. Back inside, Rocky hit some chops. Taguchi came back with a series of hip attacks, and Rocky fired back with more chops. They traded forever clotheslines and hip attacks, then exchanged inverted atomic drops. 

Taguchi missed with a hip attack. Rocky missed a rewind kick, and Taguchi applied an ankle lock. Rocky escaped and hit a rana. He followed with a springboard DDT for a two count. Rocky applied an armbar. Taguchi tried to muscle out and reached the ropes. 

Rocky tried for Sliced Bread. Taguchi rolled through into a victory roll. They traded victory rolls, and Taguchi ended up getting the pin. 

A BLOCK MATCH: YOSHINOBU KANEMARU DEFEATED TAIJI ISHIMORI

Kanemaru attacked before the bell, and they fought into the crowd. They teased a countout, but Ishimori beat the count. Ishimori used the Yes Lock, but Kanemaru reached the ropes. Ishimori used a lung blower for a two count. 

Kanemaru blocked a Bloody Cross and sent Red Shoes into Ishimori. With the referee down, Kanemaru went for his whiskey. Ishimori got the whiskey bottle, but Red Shoes woke up, catching Ishimori with the bottle. Kanemaru spit whiskey in Ishimori’s eyes and rolled him up for the pin. 

B BLOCK MATCH: WILL OSPREAY DEFEATED BANDIDO

They started with a crazy sequence. Ospreay ended it with a monkey flip, a dropkick, then a plancha. Bandido hit a one-armed press slam, then a dropkick to the back of the head for a near fall. Bandido used a Romero Special, but Ospreay reached the ropes. 

They exchanged chops. Ospreay hit a handspring kick. He followed with a 619, then Pip Pip Cheerio for a near fall. Ospreay teased an inverted DDT, but Bandido slipped out and hit a dropkick. 

Bandido hit an inverted suplex and a flying knee strike. They exchanged strikes. Ospreay caught Bandido off a rana. He went for a powerbomb, but Bandido flipped it into a poison rana. Ospreay rolled outside, and Bandido hit a springboard Shooting Star Press to the floor. Insane. 

Back inside, Bandido hit a springboard DDT into a near fall. Ospreay hit a pop-up OsCutter into a double down. They exchanged strikes. Bandido hit a superkick. Ospreay hit a Canadian Destroyer for a near fall, then rolled into Cattle Mutilation. He followed with a powerbomb for a near fall. 

Ospreay teased an OsCutter, but Bandido hit a Spanish Fly for a two count. Bandido went for the 21 Plex, but Ospreay avoided it. Bandido went for it again, and Ospreay flipped out of it, landing on his feet. Ospreay hit a Spanish Fly for a near fall. 

Ospreay went to the top. Bandido cut him off and hit a fallaway slam off the top. He made a cover, but Ospreay grabbed the bottom rope, forcing a break. Bandido came off the second rope, but jumped right into a Storm Breaker for the pin. Fantastic match. 

A BLOCK MATCH: SHINGO TAKAGI DEFEATED DRAGON LEE

Dragon offered a handshake at the outset. Shingo accepted, but held the grip and they began their opening sequence. Shingo missed a senton. He hit a shoulder block, but Dragon popped right up. 

Dragon sent Shingo outside with a rana. He went for a dive. Shingo side-stepped. Dragon saved the dive with a handspring off the apron, but Shingo made him pay with strikes, then a DDT on the floor. Back in the ring, Shingo hit a series of strikes in the corner. He dropped Dragon with a double sledge to the chest, then hit a senton. 

Shingo hit a vertical suplex for a two count. Shingo went for a Pumping Bomber, but Dragon countered with an STO. Shingo stepped to the apron. Dragon hit an enzuigiri. He teased a rana off the apron, but Shingo blocked it.

They continued to battle on the apron. Shingo hit a DVD on the apron, and Dragon fell to the floor. Back inside, Shingo hit a sliding lariat for a near fall. Shingo hit a series of punches and chops in the corner. Dragon followed with a dropkick into the opposite corner, then another. 

They faced off in the center of the ring. They exchanged strikes. Dragon hit a jumping knee. Shingo hit a clothesline, but Dragon followed with his own, then hit a suicide dive into about the fifth row. 
Dragon hit a straightjacket German into a bridge for a near fall. Dragon hit a superkick, but Shingo countered with a jab and a lariat. Shingo hit a slam and called for a back elbow off the ropes, but Dragon cut him off and hit his double stomp in the corner. 

Dragon hit a PK for a near fall. He teased Desnucadora, but Shingo countered with a pop-up Samoan Drop. Shingo blocked a knee strike, then hit a Noshigami. He followed with a Pumping Bomber for a great near fall.

Shingo went for Last of the Dragon. Dragon blocked it. He went for a second Noshigami, but Dragon blocked it and hit a knee strike. Dragon hit a knee strike, a poison rana, and went right into another knee strike. He covered, but Shingo kicked out at one. He hit another knee strike for a two count. 

Dragon went for Desnucadora, but Shingo reversed it into Last of the Dragon for the pin. Another classic match. 

A BLOCK STANDINGS

  • Shingo Takagi: 10
  • Taiji Ishimori: 8
  • Dragon Lee: 6
  • Jonathan Gresham: 6
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru: 4
  • SHO: 4
  • Marty Scurll: 4
  • Tiger Mask: 4
  • Titan: 4
  • TAKA Michinoku: 0

B BLOCK STANDINGS 

  • El Phantasmo: 10
  • Will Ospreay: 8
  • Ryusuke Taguchi: 8
  • Robbie Eagles: 6
  • YOH: 6
  • Bandido: 4
  • BUSHI: 4
  • Rocky Romero: 2
  • DOUKI: 2
  • Ren Narita: 0