A Block Action returns for it’s third night of action. But first, B Block matches get their usual previews via tag matches in the first half.
Taichi & DOUKI b. Bandido & Yota Tsuji when Taichi submitted Tsuji with a Stretch Plumb – Tsuji took it to the heels early on, but got cut off. Bandido got the tag and made a comeback. The two even worked well as a team. Bandido hit a dive onto Douki on the outside, leaving Tsuji and Taichi inside. Taichi used the Stretch Plumbto submit Tsuji.
After the match the heels took Bandido’s mask.
El Phantasmo & Gedo of Bullet Club b. Robbie Eagles & Jado , also of Bullet Club when Phantasmo pinned Jado with a roll-up – Not only was this a battle between Bullet Club members, it’s a battle between mentors with Gedo and Jado on opposing teams. This was a lot more comedy and storytelling than usual, with neither fighting fair nor expecting the other side to. Gedo grabbed Jado’s shinai before Jado could use it. This distracted Jado, and enabled Phantasmo to roll him up from behind.
IWGP US Champion Juice Robinson, Will Ospreay, & Ren Narita b. Rocky Romero, Yoh, & Shota Umino when Robinson submitted Umino with an Elevated Crab – The usual cryptic video aired during Juice’s entrance. The teams went back and forth, with Yoh and Ospreay battling to a double down. Umino got the tag, while Juice blind tagged himself in. While Ospreay looked a little upset at the blind tag. Still, Juice managed to make Umino submit to an Elevated Crab.
After the match, Rocky offered Narita a handshake. Narita looked distrusting, and made an offensive gesture to blow him off.
Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI of Los Igobernables De Japon b. Ryusuke Taguchi & Toa Henare when Naito pinned Henare with Destino – Taguchi ran wild with hip attacks, and hit the Three Amigos. Henare tagged in and speared Naito for a two count. Taguchi went after Bushi, leaving Naito free to hit Destino on Henare to get the pin
Now onto the A Block Tournament matches!
SHO (0-2, 0) p. Taka Michinoku (0-2, 0) with a Shock Arrow – Taka kept grounding Sho and used submissions to combat Sho’s speed and agility. Eventually, Sho managed to counter and make his comeback. Shortly afterward, Sho hit the Shock Arrow to land his first win of the tournament.
Marty Scurll (1-1, 2) (w/Brody King) p. Tiger Mask IV (2-0) with Black Plague – Amazingly, Tiger offered a handshake, and Scurll accepted with no cheap shot. Tiger got the upper hand in the opening minutes, until Scurll used the fingerbreaker. Scurll took the match the floor, and did a nasty spot where he tortured Tiger’s fingers by tightening the turnbuckle pad on them. It looked sickeningly painful. Tiger made his comeback and got a near fall with a Tiger Driver. Scurll kicked out of a top rope double-arm suplex, but Tiger immediately transitioned into a hammerlock. Tiger went for the kill with a Tiger Suplex, only for Scurll to reverse into a Chickenwing. When Tiger escaped, Scurll managed to finish him off with Black Plague.
Taiji Ishimori (2-0, 4) p. Titan (1-1, 2) with a Bloody Cross – The match was fast paced at the beginning. Ishimori managed to ground Titan with takedowns, and repeatedly tried to unmask him. Titan made his comeback, flying all over the place and hitting several near falls. Ishimori blocked a moonsault and went back on the offensive. The match went back and forth with each man hitting big moves for near falls. Ishimori escaped Titanics and hit the Bloody Cross fro the pinfall and another 2 points.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Dragon Lee (1-1, 2) p. Jonathan Gresham (1-1, 2) with Desnucadora – Gresham was in control for the majority of the match, using holds and takedowns. Lee made some brief comebacks, bu wasn’t able to keep any real control. In the end, Lee was able to hit Desnucadora for the win in a competitive match.
Shingo (2-0, 4) p. Takagi Yoshinobu Kanemaru (0-2, 0) with Last of The Dragon – The main event was a battle of heels. They began by charging into each other with shoulderblocks. When the match went to the outside, Kanemaru smashed Takagi’s knee through a table. He then spent the next several minutes working over Takagi’s knee. He even put Talagi in a figure four on the floor, and dashed to the ring in an attempt to win via countout. Takagi made his comeback, and hit a Death Valley Driver. Kanemaru again took Takagi down and used a figure four. Referee Red Shoes got knocked down, which prompted Taichi to slide Kanemaru a chair. He held Takagi so Kanemaru to hit him. Fortunately, Red Shoes intervened in time and got rid of the chair. Takagi then used Kanemaru’s own whisky bottle and spat it in Kanemaru’s face. Takagi followed up with a Pumping Bomber. Taichi again tried to interfere, but the young lions at ringside prevented him from entering the ring. Takagi finished off Kanemaru with Last Of The Dragon.
That makes Takagi and Ishimori the only undefeated men in A Block.
After the match, Takagi celebrated with a swig of the whisky, and cut a promo.
A BLOCK STANDINGS
6 Taiji Ishimori
6 Shingo Takagi
4 Tiger Mask IV
4 Dragon Lee
4 Marty Scurll
2 Titan
2 Jonathan Gresham
2 SHO
0 Taka Michinoku
0 Yoshinobu Kanemar
