By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “Best of Super Juniors, Night 5”
May 22, 2026, in Osaka, Japan, at Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium Sub-Arena
Streamed live on New Japan World
Walker Stewart provided English commentary. This appears to be a gym, but the lights are low, and I really can’t see the crowd. The ring was well-lit, though. In the first match, Walker said it’s his first time in this venue.
* This year’s field has 20 competitors, divided into TWO blocks. Thus, each wrestler has nine tournament matches in a round-robin format. Wins are worth two points, and a (rare) tie is one point for each wrestler. The top TWO point-scorers in each Block will advance to a four-man playoff. For the first time, we have just the A Block in tournament action.
* As is tradition, there are no guardrails for the BoSJ.
1. “The Unbound Co.” Gedo and Taiji Ishimori vs. Tatsuya Matsumoto and Taisei Nakahara. I think I’ve seen Nakahara, the latest Young Lion, just once so far. He opened against Gedo, and he’s taller than the ring vet. Ishimori beat up Taisei on the floor and threw him back in, so Gedo could continue to stomp on him. They traded forearm strikes until they collapsed. Matsumoto got a hot tag at 3:30 and brawled with Gedo, and he applied a half-crab, but Ishimori made the save. Ishimori applied the Bone Lock (crossface), and Nakahara tapped out. Decent.
“The Unbound Co.” Gedo and Taiji Ishimori vs. Tatsuya Matsumoto and Taisei Nakahara at 5:57.
2. Daisuke Sasaki and Masatora Yasuda vs. “United Empire” Zane Jay and Jakob Austin Young. Yasuda and Young opened, but Zane jumped in and attacked Yasuda from behind. They backed the Young Lion into their corner and worked him over. Zane hit a Thesz Press and some punches at 2:30. Daisuke tagged in and hit some punches on Young. He nailed a spear on Jakob. Yasuda tagged back in at 5:00 and unloaded forearm strikes and punches on Young. However, Young hit the “Jakob’s Ladder” (Sliced Bread out of the corner) on Yasuda for the pin. Basic but fine.
Zane Jay and Jakob Austin Young defeated Daisuke Sasaki and Masatora Yasuda at 6:31.
3. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Robbie Eagles, Hartley Jackson, and Ryohei Oiwa vs. Yoh, Toru Yano, and Tiger Mask. Eagles and Yoh opened and traded standing switches. Yano and Hartley tagged in. Yano playfully tapped him on top of the head, so Hartley knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. TMDK worked over Yano in their corner. Hartley missed a senton, and they were both down. Yoh tagged back in at 5:00 and traded quicker reversals with Eagles. Yoh hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall. Oiwa entered and tied up Yoh. Yoh hit a senton. Tiger Mask tagged in and set up for the Tiger Driver, but Oiwa escaped. Hartley hit a splash in the corner on Yano. Oiwa applied a modified half-crab on Tiger Mask and got a submission.
“The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Robbie Eagles, Hartley Jackson, and Ryohei Oiwa defeated Yoh, Toru Yano, and Tiger Mask at 7:38.
4. Hyo, Kushida, and El Desperado vs. “House of Torture” Sho, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Dick Togo. Sho spoke on the mic, and all six immediately brawled. The action went to the floor, with Sho trying to choke Despe. Those two got back into the ring and traded punches. The HoT worked over Despe and kept him grounded. Desperado and former teammate Kanemaru traded punches. Hyo entered at 4:00 and hit a huracanrana on Togo. He hit a slingshot stunner for a nearfall. Kushida hit a top-rope knife-edge chop on Kanemaru at 6:00. Togo hit a knife-edge chop to Hyo’s groin. Kushida hit a handspring-back-double elbow. Hyo hit a flip dive to the floor on the heels at 8:00. Kushida hit a straight punch to Togo’s jaw, got an inside cradle, and scored the pin. HOWEVER, Hyo was angry at Kushida because of his stupid stuffed cat, and I can’t pretend to care about it. Better-than-expected action, though.
Hyo, Kushida, and El Desperado defeated “House of Torture” Sho, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Dick Togo at 8:32.
5. Nick Wayne (4) vs. Daiki Nagai (0) in an A Block tournament match. Daiki came out first, and he dove onto Wayne as Nick approached the ring. In the ring, Wayne hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 1:30. He hit a second-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall. Nagai hit a dropkick and was fired up. Nick hit a German Suplex, then a Dragon Suplex for a nearfall. Nagai avoided a Wayne’s World (corner fadeaway stunner), and he got a rollup for a nearfall, then a Spinebuster for a nearfall at 4:30. Daiki applied a Boston Crab, but Nick eventually reached the ropes. Nagai went for a flying headbutt, but Wayne caught Daiki’s head for a stunner. Nick immediately hit Wayne’s World for the pin. For the first time this year, Nick has a winning record!
Nick Wayne (6) defeated Daiki Nagai at 5:46.
6. Titan (8) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi (6) in an A Block tournament match. Titan is the last undefeated competitor. They shook hands before the bell. They immediately went to the mat and tied up. Titan dove through the ropes onto Taguchi. Back in the ring, Taguchi applied an ankle lock, but Titan quickly got to the ropes at 2:30. Taguchi hit an enzuigiri that dropped Titan. Titan hit a dropkick. Taguchi again applied an ankle lock and hit a running buttbump for a nearfall at 6:00, and went back to the ankle lock. Titan hit a superkick and a running clothesline in the corner, then his top-rope double stomp to the chest for a believable nearfall. Titan applied a Muta Lock, and Taguchi tapped out. At 5-0, Titan has almost sewn up a playoff spot. None of the juvenile comedy from Taguchi tonight.
Titan (10) defeated Ryusuke Taguchi (6) at 7:33.
7. Francesco Akira (2) vs. Valiente Jr. (2) in an A Block tournament match. Walker said this match is essentially “do or die” for both men. (A reminder that Valiente is 1-2 because he has a match to make up from the first weekend when he was absent. They shook hands and traded basic reversals. Akira hit a huracanrana and celebrated. He hit a snap suplex on the thin mat at ringside. He grabbed the Mexico flag and choked Valiente with it! In the ring, Akira hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 3:00. He tugged on Valiente’s mask and was booed! On the floor, Valiente Jr. hit a superkick, then a huracanrana. In the ring, Valiente Jr. was in charge.
Akira kicked at Valiente’s damaged knee (which caused him to lose a match via ref stoppage just a minute in.) Francesco hit a Lionsault for a nearfall at 8:00. Valiente rolled out of a swinging neckbreaker, and he got a backslide for a nearfall. Valiente hit a pop-up knee strike to the jaw! Akira twisted the mask and hit a spin kick to the side of the head, then a pumphandle flipping sidewalk slam for the pin! A much-needed victory for Akira to stay alive.
Francesco Akira (4) defeated Valiente Jr. (2) at 9:50.
8. Jun Kasai (4) vs Robbie X (4) in an A Block tournament match. Jun got in the ring and immediately kicked Robbie in the gut, and we’re underway. They rolled to the floor, and Jun threw him into the rows of chairs, then Jun choked Robbie with his shirt. Robbie hit a running cannonball onto Jun, who was seated on a chair. In the ring, Jun bit Robbie’s forehead in the corner at 3:30. He hit a bodyslam and a flipping senton for a nearfall. He hit a basement dropkick to the back of the head for a nearfall. Robbie hit a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall.
Jun called for a timeout, and the crowd laughed. Robbie hit some forearm strikes. Jun hit a running clothesline, then a brainbuster suplex for a nearfall at 6:30. The ref got bumped! Jun charged at Robbie with a fork, and he jabbed Robbie in the head with it, then hit an Angel’s Wings for a visual pin, but we had no ref! Jun put a ladder in the ring. Robbie hit a forward Finlay Roll at 9:00. Robbie climbed to the top of the ladder, but he missed an X Press off the third-to-top rung. Jun immediately hit a clothesline.
Kasai put on his goggles and climbed to the top of the ladder, but Robbie climbed it, and they brawled on top of the ladder. Jun pushed Robbie to the mat. He dove off the very top of the ladder and hit a frog splash! The ref started to count, but stopped because the ladder was in the ring! (So what?) They traded kicks. Jun ran the ropes to build up speed, and he hit a clothesline for a nearfall. He hit the Jay Driller for the pin. That was a blast. Even with the fork, the match really didn’t get violent (Robbie was not bleeding from the forehead).
Jun Kasai (6) defeated Robbie X (4) at 12:06.
9. Master Wato (4) vs. Kosei Fujita (4) in an A Block tournament match. Wato attacked before the bell, and they brawled while still wearing their long robes. They removed those and brawled to the floor, where Wato whipped Fujita into the rows of chairs at 1:00. Kosei hit a bodyslam onto the thin mat at ringside. Fujita hit a flying dropkick that sent Wato flying into the rows of chairs. They got back into the ring at 4:00, and Fujita made a cover for a one-count. Kosei applied a half crab, but Wato grabbed the ropes at 5:30. Wato hit a leg lariat to the jaw, and they were both down. Wato hit a series of Yes Kicks to the chest and back and got a nearfall.
Wato applied the Vendeval submission hold around the neck and shoulders. They got up and traded forearm strikes. They traded spin kicks, and both collapsed at 10:00. Kosei hit a German Suplex, and he switched to a Fujiwara Armbar, but Wato got a foot on the ropes at 12:00. Kosei hit a German Suplex with a high bridge for a believable nearfall. Wato hit a modified Snow Plow Driver for a nearfall. Kosei mousetrapped Wato’s arms and got a Yuta Wheeler-style seatbelt cover (Wato’s move!) for a nearfall. Wato hit a decapitating clothesline at 14:00. Wato hit his seatbelt cover for a nearfall, then a German Suplex with a high bridge for the pin! The defending BoSJ now has a losing record!
Master Wato (6) defeated Kosei Fujita (4) at 14:35.
Final Thoughts: Two really strong matches to close out the show. Jun’s matches have been fun as he has skirted the rules and pushed the boundaries of what he can get away with. His matches notably feel different than the other bouts on the show. I’ll narrowly go with that over a strong main event. I’ve never been a big fan of Wato — even when he won BoSJ in 2023. I didn’t think his matches were all that good, except for the winning night when he put away Titan to win the tournament. This was certainly one of his best five singles matches.
The tournament resumes on Saturday with the B Block (plus a bonus Jun Kasai vs. Valiente Jr. A Block match!) in round-robin action. Saturday’s show will be headlined with Yoh vs. Robbie Eagles and El Desperado vs. Sho.
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