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8/1/21 Results from New Japan’s Summer Struggle 2021 from Korakuen Hall, Tokyo Japan:
1 - Send Off Match: Yuya Uemura vs. Kazuchika Okada
Uemura was fired up and ready to wrestle. Lots of mat wrestling in the early moments. Okada controlled Uemura with a strong headlock. Uemura reversed out and hit a dropkick. He hit Okada with a series of elbows. Uemura’s adrenaline was flowing. Uemura with a body slam and jumping elbow smash. Only a one count. Uemura hammered the back of Okada. Uemura hit a dropkick in the corner then hit a back suplex. Uemura went for the pin. Okada kicked out at two. Uemura applied a Boston Crab, but Okada dragged himself to the ropes.
Uemura stomped on Okada out of frustration. Okada collected himself and absorbed a bunch of Uemura”s elbows. Okada hit two big boots to the face which stopped the momentum of Uemura. Okada hit an elbow to the chest of Uemura who dropped to the mat. It seems as if Uemura burned all his energy and Okada had not used any of his and was now in control. Okada with a big body slam. Uemura looked spent. Okada allowed him to get to his feet. Okada took another series of elbows to his face. He yelled at Uemura to hit him harder. Uemura hit another elbow and Okada countered with an uppercut.
Uemura surprised Okada with a dropkick to the face and hit his double underhook suplex. Two count. Uemura hulked up and tried for another double underhook suplex. Okada blocked it. Okada hit two lariats and trapped Uemura in the Money Clip. Uemura tried for the ropes but Okada pulled him back to the center of the ring.
Uemura tapped out.
I thought they told a good story in the ring, which may be the point for a young lion. Tell a good story in the ring to get the crowd to react to you.
Uemura was exhausted. Okada encouraged the audience to clap for him. Okada told him to get up and acknowledge the crowd who are applauding for him.
Okada whipped him to the ropes and hit Uemura with a dropkick. Okada then left the ring. That was probably a receipt for Uemura hitting multiple dropkicks in the match. Also, it could have been a message to Jeff Cobb who may have gotten into the mind of Okada by calling him a “young boy” for the past month.
2 - Send Off Match: Yota Tsuji vs. Tetsuya Naito
At the bell, Tsuji charged and hit Naito with a big shoulder block. They both bounced off the ropes and Tsuji took Naito to the floor with a hurricanrana. Tsuji followed and hammered Naito on floor. Back in the ring, they hit each other with chops and elbows. Naito hit a reverse atomic drop and a neck breaker. Tsuji rolled to the floor. Naito threw him into the guardrails and slammed him on the floor. Tsuji was screaming and holding his back. Tsuji rolled back in the ring to beat the count. Naito applied a chin lock and put pressure on Tsuji’s back. Tsuji gets the rope break. Naito continues his attack on the lower back. Tsuji counters with a dropkick. Tsuji hit a flipping senton and big splash. Two count.
Both men start slapping each other. Naito with a dropkick to the back of the head. Tsuji counters with a spear. Naito applies a Boston Crab. Rope break. Pace picks up. Almost a Lucha Libre style of match now.
Naito applies a Liontamer. Tsuji taps out.
Naito stands over Tsuji and tells him to stand up. Naito tells Tsuji “Adios”. Naito leaves the ring. Tsuji bows to the crowd and also leaves the ring.
Another solid match. Yota Tsuji has said he wants to travel and wrestle in Mexico. He has shown some Lucha skills so can only get better on his excursion.
3 - YOH, SHO and Toru Yano vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo and Chase Owens
Owens pins YOH after a Package Piledriver.
This match was more of a preview of the Super Jr. Tag League.
After the match, Owens again baited Yano into the ring with the KOPW Trophy. Owens hit a low blow and applied an STF. They again told Yano to say “I Quit”.
4 - BUSHI, SANADA and Shingo Takagi vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo and EVIL
Takagi comes to the ring with the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Belt. He shows the camera where belt was damaged. ( I guess the belt repair shop was closed for the weekend.) EVIL was laughing in the ring. Takagi attacked EVIL before the bell. Action was everywhere.
Takagi pinned Togo after a Pumping Bomber.
Bullet Club retreated after the match. Takagi is still angry about his damaged belt.
5 - NEVER Openweight 6-man Tag Team Championship: Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto vs. Minoru Suzuki., Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi
After the ring introductions, Suzuki screamed at Goto and YOSHI-HASHI to get out of the ring. Ishii and Suzuki looked like they were going to kill each other. They thew many elbows in each other’s faces. Suzuki got the better of Ishii and he tagged Taichi. Ishii was able to escape Taichi’s grasp and tagged YOSHI-HASHI. CHAOS kept Taichi in their corner and beat him down.
At one point, Suzuki and ZSJ attacked CHAOS and the match went to the floors. Bodies were getting beaten down. Too much to recap here.
Taichi trapped YOSHI-HASHI in a stretch plum. YOSHI-HASHI made it to the ropes. Taichi hits a Choke Slam. Two count. Taichi was about to hit a Superkick, but YOSHI-HASHI hit one of his own. All men came into the ring to hit their finishers. Everyone laid each other out.
Goto and YOSHI-HASHI double team Suzuki and hit him with a GYW.
Goto pins Suzuki.
Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto retain the NEVER Openweight 6-man Tag Team Championship.
Awesome match. Please go watch this match on New Japan World. Goto gets the pin on Suzuki, but not on Taichi or ZSJ. They will facing each other at Wrestle Grand Slam so Suzuki getting pinned still builds heat for that match.
Minoru Suzuki is a beast. He fought the match from beginning to end and did not seem to get winded. His strikes looked and sounded sick.
After the match, Goto paid respect to Suzuki-Gun and thanked the audience. BUSHI, SANADA and Tetsuya Naito came to ringside and said they wanted to be the next challengers. CHAOS accepted.
The next event on New Japan World is August 7, when the Super Jr. Tag League begins.
Thanks for reading.
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