NJPW Best of the Super Juniors – Update

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May 23, 2016 by Everett Barilla

Following Block B’s first day of matches, some very interesting results have transpired. The following are the results form Block B:

• Beretta def. Volador Jr.
• Chase Owens def. Will Ospreay
• Jushin Thunder Liger def. Bobby Fish
• Ricochet def. Tiger Mask IV

From the results it looks like 2 of the 3 people widely viewed to be coming out of Block B have opening match losses, most notably ROH TV Champion Bobby Fish dropping his first mach of the tournament to Jushin Thunder Liger. Do not get me wrong Liger is a legend but the man who just knocked off Ishii a couple weeks ago should not have lost to aged legend, who sadly seems way past his prime from what I’ve seen live. Will Ospreay and Chase Owens are not well known to me but many see Ospreay coming out of this block, so him dropping all be it one match, is not the best way to start a tough tournament like this one.

Standings following both Block A and Block B first matches:

Block A:

• Rocky Romero -2
• Gedo -2
• Ryusuke Taguchi -2
• Kyle O’Reilly -2
• Kushida -0
• Matt Sydal -0
• Bushi -0
• David Finaly -0

Block B:

• Beretta – 2
• Chase Owens – 2
• Jushin Thunder Liger – 2
• Ricochet – 2
• Tiger Mask IV – 0
• Bobby Fish – 0
• Will Ospreay – 0
• Volador Jr. – 0

The following matches will be the next set:

Block A: May 23rd

• Matt Sydal (0) vs Bushi (0)
• Kyle O’Reilly (2) vs Gedo (2)
• Rysuke Taguchi (2) vs David Finaly (0)
• Kushida (0) vs Rocky Romero (2)

Block B: May 24th

• Tiger Mask IV (0) vs Valador Jr. (0)
• Jushin Thunder Liger (2) vs Chase Owens (2)
• Bobby Fish (0) vs Ricochet (2)
• Beretta (2) vs Will Ospreay (0)

*  Number in brackets is the number of points that wrestler has in the standings

This set of matches will propel either O’Reilly or Gedo to the top of the block with Taguchi and Romero a chance to join the victor. Rocky Romero will have the tougher of those match ups as he is going up against the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in Kushida who is no easy task, I have seen him fight live twice once in a win over O’Reilly and Chris Sabin in a triple threat match and the other I will not say the result as it will be on TV in the coming weeks in an amazing match vs O’Reilly. The Sydal vs Bushi match up will ensure one stays at the bottom of the block while one early in the competition will rise into the mix and an 0 and 2 start is not the way to come of a strong block like this.

With Block B’s second set of matches Liger will have his hands full as the legend goes up against Chase Owens with a chance for one of them to sit a top Block B, while Tiger Mask IV and Valador Jr. are fighting each other to get out of the basement and move up into the middle of the pack. Bobby Fish the ROH TV Champion will have his hands full with Ricochet who is seen as one of the best in the world especially in his own weight class, this is a match not to be missed if you are able to watch. Ospreay fights in an easier battle than Fish to gain his first two points of the tournament as he takes on Beretta. These next two days will be something not to miss.

Updates to come soon