By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “Best of Super Juniors – Night 10”
May 25, 2025, in Aichi, Japan at Port Messe Nagoya Exhibition Hall 2
Streamed live on New Japan World
Like the show Saturday, this is a large room; it is massive but just one floor with no upper deck or tiered seating. The crowd could be 1,200 or more.
Walker Stewart provided solo commentary as the show began; hopefully, someone joins him as the show progresses.
* This year’s tournament features 20 wrestlers, divided into two Blocks. It is a round-robin tournament, so each competitor has nine matches. The last three years, the top two of each Block have reached four-man playoffs. However, this year, only the Block winners will meet in a finale. (So, someone will need to go 6-3 or possibly even 7-2 to win their Block.) A 5-4 record isn’t going to cut it!) Wins are worth 2 points; draws are 1 point each. Notably that we don’t have guardrails, which is the signature look of the BoSJ tournament shows, giving the high-flyers more room to move.
* We have 10 tournament matches tonight as both Blocks are in action. Master Wato is alone at the top of his Block at 5-2. We have nine other wrestlers at 4-3 and are still in the running for the two playoff spots. Meanwhile, we have nine wrestlers at 3-4, and Ninja Mack at 2-5, and those 10 are eliminated. (I will again reiterate that Walker Stewart is pretending someone who is 3-4 can still win this tournament. But there is no way we have a five-way 5-4 finish.)
1. Ryusuke Taguchi (6) vs. Robbie Eagles (6) in a B Block tournament match. Both men are eliminated at 3-4. Taguchi, coming off easily his best match of the tournament a day ago in a loss to Desperado, immediately tied him in an ankle lock. They fought to the floor. Eagles tied Taguchi’s leg around the ring post. Taguchi hit some buttbumps. Eagles hit his own buttbumps at 3:30. Taguchi went back to an ankle lock. They traded rollups, got up, and both collapsed for some comedy. Eagles caught him with a flying kick to the head for the pin. Solid opener; Taguchi’s humor was passable today.
Robbie Eagles (8) defeated Ryusuke Taguchi (6) at 6:00 even.
2. Kushida (6) vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru (6) in an A Block tournament match. Kanemaru came out first; he attacked Kushida as he entered the ring, and we’re underway. Kanemaru immediately tied him in a Figure Four. Kushida snapped him throat-first over the top rope at 2:30, and he went for a Hoverboard Lock. Kanemaru grabbed the ref and pushed him into Kushida to escape. Kushida hit a straight punch to the jaw, got a backslide, and scored the flash pin. It was too quick for any members of the House of Torture to show up and try to help!
Kushida (8) defeated Yoshinobu Kanemaru (6) at 4:28.
3. Yoh (8) vs. Titan (6) in a B Block tournament match. Titan reached the finals two years ago but is now out of the running. Yoh immediately tied him in a Paradise Lock, then he hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Titan hit a springboard huracanrana, then a flip dive to the floor at 1:30. In the ring, he hit a tornado DDT. Yoh hit a neckbreaker over his knee and they were both down. This one is off to a fast start. Titan hit another tornado DDT and a Buzzsaw Kick at 3:30, then a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall. Yoh hit a Dragon Suplex with a high bridge for a nearfall, then the Direct Drive (double-arm spike DDT) for the pin. It felt like they were going short, as that was just a non-stop sprint.
Yoh (10) defeated Titan (6) at 4:48.
4. Robbie X (6) vs. Dragon Dia (6) in an A Block tournament match. Robbie immediately hit a chop and some stomps. Dia nailed a flip dive to the floor at 1:00. Robbie picked him up and shoved him back-first into the ring post, and they fought at ringside. Robbie ran across the floor, launched off an open chair, and hit a flying somersault into Dia’s chest. They got back into the ring with Robbie in charge. They traded chops and Robbie shouted some profanities at him. Dia hit his slingshot corkscrew press at 5:00, then a 619 and a standing moonsault for a nearfall.
Robbie draped him over the top rope and hit a doublestomp onto Dia’s back for a nearfall. Dia hit his huracanrana off the top rope and a flying DDT for a nearfall at 6:30. Robbie nailed a sit-out powerbomb for a believable nearfall. he nailed a spin kick in the corner and a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 8:00. Dia got an awesome Crucifix Driver for a believable nearfall. Robbie hit a Pele Kick. Dia hit a huracanrana that spiked Robbie’s head onto the mat and scored the pin! I’ll call that an upset; Dia had just one win last year and is now up to four!
Dragon Dia (8) defeated Robbie X (6) at 8:35.
5. Nick Wayne (8) vs. Mao (8) in a B Block tournament match. This is our first elimination match of the night. Walker said these two have fought before in multi-man matches, but this is a first-ever singles match. Mao hit a dropkick. He hit a cannonball to Wayne’s back, and he tied him in a Crossface on the mat. Wayne hit a suplex and a mid-ring Sliced Bread for a nearfall at 3:00. Wayne hit a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall, and they traded rollups. Nick hit a superkick but couldn’t hit Wayne’s World.
Wayne hit a German Suplex and a Lethal Injection, but Mao hit a stunner and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes; this has easily been the best match so far (and it’s also the first one with a real consequence.) Mao leapt over the ref, but Wayne caught him and hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 6:30. Mao hit a running Canadian Destroyer. Wayne hit a second-rope Crucifix Driver, and this time he hit the Wayne’s World, but Mao hit his own fadeaway stunner. Mao tied Wayne in a Crossface on the mat, and Wayne tapped out! He is now eliminated after a fast start.
Mao (10) defeated Nick Wayne (8) at 7:42.
6. Ninja Mack (4) vs. Kosei Fujita (8) in an A Block tournament match. Standing reversals to open, and they switched to trading chops. Fujita hit a German Suplex at 2:00. He hit a springboard somersault dive to the floor on Mack. In the ring, Fujita remained in charge and kept Mack grounded. He tied him in a Figure Four, but Mack reached the ropes. Walker said these two have never touched before this match, in singles or multi-man action. Kosei applied a half-crab, but Mack reached the ropes at 4:00.
Mack hit a German Suplex, then a second one. He applied a cross-armbreaker, and now it was Fujita scrambling to the ropes at 6:00. Fujita hit a top-rope German Suplex, with Mack rotating and landing on his stomach, and Kosei got a nearfall. Kosei tied up Mack in the Jungle Boy Snare Trap submission hold, but Mack got a hand on the ropes at 8:30. Mack hit a double handspring-into-a-stunner for a believable nearfall. Mack hit his twisting kick, then his Ninja Bomb (top-rope corkscrew 630 senton) for the pin. A very good match, and it also means Fujita is eliminated.
Ninja Mack (6) defeated Kosei Fujita (8) at 9:57.
7. Taiji Ishimori (8) vs. Sho (6) in a B Block tournament match. Sho walked out first, but Ishimori ran up behind him and attacked him, and I started my stopwatch at first contact. Ishimori whipped him into the rows of chairs. They got in the ring, and we had a bell to officially begin at 1:18. They went to the floor. Yujiro Takahashi appeared and put his cane across Ishimori’s throat. They got into the ring with Sho in charge. Walker pointed out a turnbuckle pad had been removed; I’m sure that will factor in later. The action again went to the floor.
Yujiro distracted the ref while Sho jabbed Ishimori in the stomach with a chair. In the ring, Ishimori hit a handspring-back-spin kick at 6:30, and they were both down. Ishimori whipped Sho into the exposed turnbuckle. Sho hit a spear. He hit a series of kicks for a nearfall, and he set up for Shock Arrow, but Ishimori escaped and hit a jumping knee at 9:00. Ishimori applied the Bone Lock (Crossface) on the mat.
Ishimori shoved Sho into Yujiro. Sho shoved Ishimori into the ref and immediately hit a low blow. Yujiro hopped in the ring and stomped on Ishimori. Sho got his wrench, but Ishimori avoided being hit by it. Ishimori applied a Bone Lock. Sanada ran to the ring and hit Ishimori with the wrench, then he hit the Deadfall (Jay White’s Blade Runner). Sho then covered the prone Ishimori for the tainted pin. Ishimori is also out.
Sho (8) defeated Taiji Ishimori (8) at 11:01/official time of 9:43.
8) Clark Connors (8) vs. Francesco Akira (8) in an A Block tournament match. They fought on the entrance ramp and into the crowd, with Connors hitting a Pounce that sent Akira into the rows of chairs. They got in the ring and we had a bell at 1:42 to officially begin. Stewart said this is the first-ever singles match (they’ve fought often in tags). Connors hit a spear and set up for the No-Chaser, but Akira avoided it. Connors hit a spear on the ref! Connors hit a powerslam. Clark went under the ring and got a table, and set it up in the corner.
Connors hit a clothesline at 4:30. He got his car tire and slid it into the ring. He put it on Akira’s arm and stomped on it. Akira stood up, and he had a trickle of blood from his forehead. He felt it, got fired up, and unloaded a series of punches. (I think this is the first blood of the whole tournament? I don’t recall any.) Akira whipped Connors with a belt at 7:30. Akira shoved the ref, then he repeatedly hit Connors across the back with the chair, and the ref called for the bell! Akira was out of control! The loss eliminates Akira. Connors speared him against the table, but it didn’t break.
Clark Connors (10) defeated Francesco Akira (8) via DQ at 8:56/official time of 7:14.
9. Kevin Knight (6) vs. El Desperado (8) in a B Block tournament match. They tied up on the mat early. They went to the floor, where Despe applied a Stretch Muffler at 2:00. In the ring, Desperado hit a back suplex for a nearfall. Knight hit a clothesline. Knight hit a superkick on the ring apron at 5:00; he set up for a DDT but fell off to the floor. Despe again applied a Stretch Muffler on the floor. Knight rolled back into the ring at the 17-count, but Desperado immediately slammed him for a nearfall at 7:00, and he reapplied the Stretch Muffler. Knight applied an Octopus Stretch. Desperado kicked out the left knee. Knight hit a D’Lo-style Sky High powerbomb for a nearfall at 9:00.
Despe tossed Knight off the top rope to the mat, but Kevin hit his jump-up Frankensteiner, but he missed his frogsplash. Desperado immediately hit a spear for a nearfall. Knight got some rollups, and he hit his picture-perfect dropkick to the face at 11:00, then a spike DDT for a nearfall. They fought on the top rope, where Desperado hit a superplex, and he got a nearfall at 13:00. He nailed the Pinche Loco (Angel’s Wings) for a believable nearfall. Desperado dropped him, more of an X-Factor style faceplant. He then hit a second Pinche Loco for the pin! Best match of the day so far.
El Desperado (10) defeated Kevin Knight (6) at 14:26.
10. Master Wato (10) vs. Hiromu Takahashi (8) in an A Block tournament match. A feeling-out process early on. HIromu tied him in a Tarantula and hit a clothesline in the corner at 2:00, then a basement dropkick for a nearfall. They fought to the floor, where Hiromu hit some chops and a snap suplex onto the thin mat at ringside at 4:00. In the ring, Hiromu tied Wato in a Camel Clutch. They got up and traded chops. Wato hit a leg lariat at 6:00, then a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over his knee, sending Hiromu to the floor, so Wato hit a flip dive onto him. Wato hit a springboard flying back elbow into the ring for a nearfall.
Wato tied him in the Vendeval submission hold around the neck at 8:00. He mousetrapped the arms and hit a seatbelt cover for a believable nearfall at 10:00. Hiromu hit a clothesline, then a swinging sideslam for a nearfall. Wato hit a spin kick to the head, then a German Suplex for a believable nearfall at 12:00. Hiromu hit a Lungblower to the chest and a clothesline for a nearfall, then a Time Bomb (modified DVD) and a sideslam for the pin. A very good match.
Hiromu Takahashi (10) defeated Master Wato (10) at 13:33.
* Hiromu spoke on the mic in Japanese.
Final Thoughts: I’ll narrowly go with Knight-Desperado for best match ahead of Hiromu-Wato. A really good Mao-Nick Wayne match takes third. The A Block finishes its round-robin matches on Tuesday, while the B Block finishes up on Thursday, with the finals on Saturday. Hiromu faces Robbie X, while Wato faces Kanemaru.
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