00:00La main event du match de la main event de la main event,
00:03le match de la main event de la main event de Best of the Super Junior A Block
00:06de la main event 30 minutes.
00:09Oh oui, maintenant la main event.
00:11Aujourd'hui on a vu des matchs qui ont passé 25 ans.
00:15Il y a une histoire entre Tiger Mask et Takamichi Noku
00:21qui ont passé le siècle à l'époque, mais nous n'avons pas de plus tard
00:25pour l'année dernière entre ces deux.
00:27Et c'est à matter-of-fact, 8 days ago, 9 days ago.
00:30Right.
00:31Last Friday.
00:33In the main event of Wrestling Dontaku,
00:37le Junior Heavyweight Championship,
00:39defended in the main event for the first time in almost 3 full years.
00:44Taiji Ishimori looking to win back that title.
00:49Looking to win back that title that he lost
00:52without being pinned or submitted a G1 Supercard.
00:54It was a stellar affair.
00:57Every bit worthy of its main event placement.
01:00But the result, Ishimori is still looking up,
01:03but Dragon Lee is the champion.
01:05His route now begins.
01:07He has a long journey.
01:09He has to get through 10 total matches to get back
01:14and be the next man to challenge Dragon Lee.
01:22And be the next man to challenge Dragon Lee.
01:23We'll see what happens in our main event.
01:28The champion of the Ballet Club,
01:33Ishimori Taiji.
01:40He made it to the finals last year in his second best of Super Junior appearance.
01:49And he started that campaign with a win last year over Will Ospreay,
01:53who was the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion at the time.
01:56History repeating past.
01:57Absolutely.
02:07For Dragon Lee, if he is successful and wins the best of Super Junior tournament,
02:15he would pick his opponent to defend that title at Dominion on June the 9th.
02:23And Dragon Lee, very interestingly, threw out a name after his match last week.
02:31Dragon Lee wants a taste about Desperado,
02:34because Desperado beat him in best of the Super Juniors last year.
02:38And that, of course, will now be shelved for some time after Desperado suffering the broken jaw.
02:45Exactly.
02:46However, the winner of this tournament gets a shot at this title if it's not Dragon Lee, correct?
02:51Oh, yes.
02:52Yeah.
02:53That's the prize.
02:55IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.
02:58Bravo!
03:00Lee!
03:01So for Dragon Lee, he can control his own destiny,
03:04but he does know that at Dominion on June the 9th, he will defend that title.
03:11And will it be Taiji Ishimori who gets revenge for not only the result in Madison Square Garden,
03:18but also for the one-on-one match at Wrestling Dontaku on May the 4th?
03:25You know, if Dragon Lee did win best of the Super Juniors and was able to name his opponent,
03:31I know that he's got an opponent constantly on his mind.
03:34Well, the focus on Hiromu Takahashi was a criticism by Ishimori on Dragon Lee.
03:41He said, you're not focused on me.
03:43You're more worried about Hiromu.
03:47So the bell sounds in our main event.
03:51And can these two match the level that we saw from our previous match
03:57or for their personal encounter back on May the 4th in Fukuoka?
04:03Either way, we're in for a treat.
04:05Yeah.
04:06And Ishimori consistently only his third best of the Super Juniors.
04:10And even then, 2010, his first entry in 2018, a big sort of eight-year gap apart.
04:15But both times, five and two.
04:17Yeah.
04:18Ten points in both.
04:19Back when he competed the first time, they broke down the blocks into a final four.
04:24And Ishimori came up short in the then-semi-finals to eventual tournament winner.
04:31And both men daring the other to smash away to do your best, to do your worst.
04:43Tell you what, they hit that chin the right way.
04:45It's going to be lights out before this match even gets started.
04:48Ishimori biting down hard on the mouth guard.
04:50Yeah.
04:54Dragon Lee gritting his teeth as well.
04:57And you'll grind your teeth that way.
05:13God.
05:18I'm giving an inch here.
05:19Yeah.
05:20Both men.
05:21The cumulative effects of the multiple forearm strikes.
05:26I think much like with Shou and Shingo, I think the key for Ishimori will be to hopefully try and
05:32out-wrestle Dragon Lee.
05:34You saw, I mean, during that match at Dontaku, how much damage the Yes Lock put on Dragon Lee came
05:41within a hair of winning that match.
05:42Tell you what, you don't know how much of advantage Ibushi has just for that mouthpiece in his mouth.
05:48Ishimori.
05:49Ishimori has so many skills.
05:52Out of the world.
05:56No a Charles.
05:56So I'm taking my back.
05:59But in and out of the world, but Gertrude has a great rest of the world.
05:59And the Roku is a great champion for that.
06:01Not that top-kick from any time.
06:03And he can take him for being a young champion.
06:03He can take him for his head.
06:09He can take him for the years.
06:09And take him for the years.
06:13He can take him for the years.
06:13No, you're not just kidding.
06:21You're not the only one man.
06:27Et pour Dragon Lee, nous connaissons, bien sûr, les générations roots de son famille.
06:33L'année après l'année, ses familles ont été au top de CMLL.
06:38Dragon Lee est en train de prendre, et il s'est en train d'être à la top.
06:43Oui, je travaille avec ses frères, Roosh, en Ring of Honor.
06:47C'est un...
06:47Oh, jeez.
06:48Fransin scaring that, Taiji's worried a little bit.
06:52A little fake-out.
06:53Yeah.
06:54A little something for the front-row patrons to think about as Dragon Lee kicks out at one.
07:00That's right.
07:01When you come here, you buy front-row seats.
07:02Be part of the action.
07:04Dragon Lee is the...
07:07He was a rookie of the year.
07:09He's been on the front page.
07:11He's been on the headlines.
07:12Those are the things that Ishimori has always wanted, Chris, but it has been somewhat elusive for him.
07:18Yeah, I mean, he's taken the long route, but Ishimori is also...
07:22He plays the patient game, and he does everything that he does for fame, not for loyalty.
07:28You know, he's very open about the fact that he joined Bullet Club because he felt that's where the money
07:33was, you know,
07:34because of all the fans of Bullet Club's shirts.
07:36You know, that's what made him make the move.
07:37And he's never been loyal to a particular promotion.
07:40You know, he's moved from Dragon Gate to Nowa and now to New Japan.
07:44He goes where the money is.
07:45Do you think that could be a bad move in some cases?
07:51Not to stay in one place and hone your craft?
07:55He's picked up bits and pieces from every part of his journey, and you see that in his style.
08:02But are the bits and pieces of the same puzzle?
08:04Well, he makes them all fit.
08:06He makes them all work.
08:07There's no doubt.
08:07Absolutely.
08:09He answered all the questions for me back at Wrestle Kingdom 13.
08:12He was completely dominant over Kushida when he captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
08:17If there was anybody who was a doubter, a naysayer on Taiji Ishimori,
08:21were those questions not answered last year in the Best of Super Junior Final against Soromu?
08:26There you go.
08:27And now trying to dirty up Dragon Lee here by going after the mask.
08:31Not to unmask, but to give him something to think about.
08:34Absolutely.
08:36A baited distraction.
08:38And now tying him in the tree wall.
08:41Dragon Lee trying to sit up the escape, but he can't.
08:44Yeah, he loosened it, and then with that dropkick, just knocked it sideways to make Dragon Lee make it harder
08:50for him to see.
08:51Five minutes past.
08:54Once again, the time call in three languages.
09:01Flushed in the jaw that gives Ishimori time to readjust himself.
09:07I think Taiji Ishimori, we've seen a new aspect of him in 2019 since he had, even though that was
09:15a briefer run with the Junior Heavyweight title than he would have liked,
09:19but you saw a different side of Ishimori through Toguchi, through the match he had with Jushin Liger as well.
09:25I think we have a more thinker that plans before he moves.
09:35There you go.
09:36Staps him over.
09:40And the front face lock, or rather the rear chin lock, excuse me, and sliding that boot on the bottom
09:48rope, as we see, and the referee will call for a break.
09:52Yeah, I think you saw Ishimori going to take Dragon Lee's back.
09:56I think he was trying to get the legs, perhaps.
09:57Capri's trying to get him away, and that might be the difference, that Dragon Lee has that height advantage,
10:02was able to make the ropes where Ishimori a little bit more diminutive.
10:06That's a challenge for him in this tournament.
10:07There you go.
10:09And he steps from underneath and uncorks that chop.
10:12But he's sticking to his game plan, and I think that's what shows from experience.
10:16The younger guys would be rambunctious and kind of go to the wall with it, but he's able to slow
10:22it down.
10:22He's dictating the pace.
10:23He's thinking about his moves, and he's not overstepping himself.
10:29Now Ishimori gets reversed.
10:32I think he's baiting Dragon Lee in here.
10:34Yes, indeed.
10:36So elusive.
10:37Yeah, when he does shift gears, there's nobody smoother.
10:40That's Nukadorah.
10:42Bombs away.
10:44That's Nukadorah.
10:46Oh.
10:49Caprice, I've seen that move a time or two.
10:54His own version of the bless T.O.
10:56Yeah.
10:56Puts, at least for the moment, slows down some of the momentum.
11:01But he does it different enough to make it his own move.
11:03There you go.
11:03Yeah.
11:06Puts Ishimori down, and will give Dragon Lee time to make sure all the parts are still connected.
11:15Yeah.
11:16Kevin, you don't know how true that statement was.
11:18He's just made.
11:20You can just see him like, I'm going to check this.
11:22I'm going to check this.
11:23But as an athlete, that's exactly what you're doing.
11:25But you notice the crowd, too.
11:27A lot of the energy was put forth from them in there in the semifinal.
11:31And now, Dragon Lee quickening the pace.
11:34He will electrify these people and get them back to the edges of their scene and beyond.
11:39Oh, my God.
11:40Oh, my God.
11:44The velocity and speed that he went outside the ring.
11:49Yeah.
11:50Yeah.
11:51Yeah.
11:54Both of these guys could be hurt from that.
12:00Dragon Lee diving through a two-foot space, full speed, risking everything to connect into the chest of his opponent.
12:12And he probably flew seven feet before he even touched him.
12:15It is.
12:16That suicide dive is so risky.
12:19It is one of, for me, as an announcer, I've seen so many wrestlers over the years just miss by
12:26half an inch.
12:26What's it called again?
12:27Yeah.
12:28Suicide dive.
12:28Oh, okay.
12:29Yeah.
12:31And Dragon Lee made it work.
12:35And now we're paying attention to 16 and 17.
12:39Oh, Dragon Lee.
12:39Oh!
12:41That's very interesting.
12:43Dragon Lee typically won't go for the count out.
12:46Yeah, uncharacteristic.
12:50But you know what?
12:51If he would have pulled that off, he would be the only one tonight going in fresher.
12:55I have a feeling the crowd would jeer.
12:57They would have been disappointed with Dragon Lee winning in that regard.
13:01But a win is a win is a win.
13:03And I'm sure we will say that more than once in this tournament.
13:05Now starting to rain down.
13:07And the Shibata influence on Dragon Lee front and center.
13:11Now when his brother hits that move, it's over.
13:18These guys have so much strength in their legs.
13:21The impact when you trap them is impossible.
13:27That's going to be a key even though Dragon Lee is a very, very young man.
13:31He's been able to learn so much of different styles, bending Japanese and Mexican styles.
13:41And I think that came as a result of Dragon Lee's respect for Japanese wrestling culture.
13:42You can look at the thickness of Dragon Lee's thighs and see the impact he's able to deliver.
13:47And Chris, to your point, the influence that the fans have had on Dragon Lee,
13:53they don't see him as an outsider anymore.
13:55They don't see him as a CMLL guy.
13:57Right.
13:57Oh, but how good is Ishimori?
14:00And I think that came as a result of Dragon Lee's respect for Japanese wrestling culture.
14:07His respect for Katsuyori Shibata.
14:09Yeah.
14:09His respect for Hiromi Takashi.
14:13Now, in a Shibata-like stance, daring Ishimori, trying to break his will by taking Ishimori's best shot.
14:21Anytime you sit like that in the ring, you're exposing yourself.
14:24And he did it willingly.
14:26Mystica, Mystica, Mystica.
14:28We saw this last Friday.
14:34Another family member's move, and Dragon Lee is not shy about tempting fate
14:39as he's moving to the ropes and risking being called for a tap-out.
14:44Yep.
14:45That could have been a bad move, him sitting in the center of the ring like that.
14:48Can you see what position he's in now?
14:50Red Shoes having refereed the championship.
14:53Is he tapping?
14:53No, he's not.
14:55He's trying to claw.
14:56He is trying to claw his way, and Red Shoes had a definite look on his face last Friday
15:01when Dragon Lee did the exact same thing.
15:04He nearly called for the bell.
15:06This is the best referee tonight.
15:08It's, again, he was reticent to make that call last Friday.
15:13It was the correct call, and now here tonight, nine days later, he's aware of it,
15:20and it's Dragon Lee's style.
15:21A less experienced referee might have called for an early stoppage.
15:25And, you know, there's so much respect.
15:26We don't give enough respect for the referees in this sport,
15:29but stuff like that is what makes you respect them when you have a referee like that
15:32that's able to – because any other referee, that would have been the end of the match.
15:35All right, so now with Dragon Lee on the outside, we saw Dragon Lee go for broke,
15:41and it looks like Ishimori will not sit quietly and wait for the junior heavyweight champion
15:46to get back into the ring.
15:47In fact, it's an aggressive stance taken by Ishimori, who will charge and spring.
15:52No, he gets caught.
15:57This could be ugly.
15:59Oh, my – oh.
16:02Come on.
16:03That's a soaring dropkick.
16:05That was actually a thing of beauty.
16:07That wasn't ugly.
16:08Dragon Lee is needing the help of the fans here in Sendai to help push him across the finish line.
16:14And tell Ishimori how beautiful you thought that was.
16:18When you have Taiji Ishimori down, you better make it count because the resilience from Ishimori.
16:26Oh, and Dragon Lee.
16:32Now will take – oh.
16:35Ishimori's got a hold of that top rope, but now trying to grapevine it with his leg.
16:43Dangerous territory.
16:44They're back the same stance they had at the beginning of this match,
16:48but this time it's out on the edge of the ring, a tightrope walk on the outside.
17:01Each strike firmer than the last.
17:04Smaller call, boys.
17:05Yes.
17:05Let's bring it back to the middle.
17:07If Ishimori made that call, good call.
17:16And the crowd responded to it.
17:19They want to go – they want these guys to fight it out nice to nice.
17:31The added momentum of bouncing off the rope still doesn't put Ishimori down.
17:35But the same with Dragon Lee, who's still on his feet.
17:41A virtual stalemate in the stand-up game.
17:45These guys bring the best out of each other.
17:57Now Ishimori in control.
18:03Oh, he landed on his feet.
18:06Gets caught.
18:07Pump kick there.
18:10Second time does admit – oh, Dragon Lee rolls through.
18:14Destroya.
18:22Trying to power his way into prosperity, but instead the DDT counter from Ishimori.
18:30We saw Taiji Ishimori earlier on take a longer game, but then we saw just now how fast he is
18:37thinking moment to moment there.
18:39He was within an inch of being caught with Destroya, but was able to shift his weight.
18:44Absolutely.
18:45I agree with you, Chris.
18:46Is that the 15-minute call I think we just heard?
18:49I think it was.
18:5015, so we're halfway for a 30-minute time limit.
18:57It's one thing to be a quick-witted thinker, but to be able to move that fast is a whole
19:01other level.
19:03Now Ishimori.
19:05The end could be near for Dragon Lee.
19:09Bloody cross.
19:10No, up on the shoulders and right into –
19:14Full view of Ishimori getting jammed into the corner pad.
19:20And Lee's again, his thoughts went to Hiromu right there.
19:26DVD into the corner.
19:28DVD into the corner.
19:43So now can Dragon Lee capitalize on this opportunity?
19:50He will look to double-stomp his way through the heart of Israel.
19:58And Ishimori drills him.
20:03That blue corner to –
20:06So close to the ropes, Dragon Lee had to work extra hard to prevent a rope break.
20:11A lot of his cover was trying to bring him inside of the ring.
20:29Now could it be?
20:30Third time of asking.
20:33No!
20:36Khrushmix bomb, two, and it's Dragon Lee close to the ropes.
20:40Ishimori had to work and pull hard to prevent Dragon Lee.
20:45These guys know each other so well.
20:48E, the man is a student of the game.
20:55They haven't wrestled each other that often.
20:58But Dragon Lee saying wrestling is a science.
21:00It's like maths.
21:02It's an applied science.
21:03Yeah.
21:04As the match has drifted from ring center where it was a stalemate on the ropes,
21:10that's where the athletes have gotten their advantage.
21:13And we're back in the center of the ring.
21:15But now it's advantage.
21:17Ishimori poisoned Rana.
21:19Dragon Lee on his feet.
21:22He hits one of his own.
21:24Are you kidding me?
21:24The both up.
21:29Double knees.
21:31Double knees into the chest.
21:34To –
21:36Almost overpulled on the legs of Dragon Lee.
21:42That's one of the rare times when you see the cover to your advantage.
21:45When you overpull it, you pull it too high,
21:47and you actually help your opponent kick out.
21:51Yeah, if Red Shoes was to one side or the other,
21:54he might have seen that shoulder of Dragon Lee up before the count of two ended.
21:59So a bloody cross would lead Ishimori to a victory.
22:05And we'll see if he can hit it.
22:07Bloody cross.
22:08He's got it.
22:09Bloody cross.
22:10One, set.
22:11Two, three.
22:1618.32秒, Tata Emi Gara, is the winner of Ishimori Taiji.
22:23So the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion goes down to defeat
22:27in the opener of the best of the Super Junior Tournament.
22:30And last year's finalist,
22:34who has won his block both times,
22:37he's competed in this tournament once again proves that he will be a force in this tournament.
22:47With that win, he's proved so much.
22:51He proved he could beat the champion.
22:53He proved he could win this tournament.
22:55He proved he could do it again.
22:56And for all of us who have said,
22:58oh, it's Shingo Takagi's tournament,
23:01and everybody else is the runner-up,
23:03I got a feeling Bone Soldier Reborn is going to have something to say about that.
23:09And don't forget,
23:11with Shingo and Ishimori in the same block,
23:15those two are on a collision course.
23:20And this is just block A.
23:23Oh, yeah.
23:25On night one.
23:26Night one.
23:27Tomorrow night, we'll see Ryusuke Taguchi,
23:30Will Ospreay, Rocky Romero,
23:32Yo, Bandido,
23:33El Fantasmo,
23:34Robbie Eagles,
23:35Bushi,
23:36and Ren Narita
23:36all start their journey.
23:42Ishimori with the last word here tonight.
23:56Unfortunately, we're not going to hear from Dragon Lee at the end here.
24:06This is his time.
24:13This is his spot to show what he's got on the stick.
24:22Okay, we're also in Ishimori's home prefecture.
24:30Last match.
24:33The giant Ishimori,
24:35that big Lug
24:37won his match.
24:39But
24:42at the last night
24:44in Ehime,
24:46he's going to be
24:47taking out
24:49that big cartoon Lug,
24:51Shingo Tagagi,
24:52like Giant from Doraemon.
24:56Nobita's going to get the win.
24:57So in the end,
24:59just one thing he has to say.
25:05I'm from Tagagi.
25:07So
25:09I'm from Tagagi.
25:09I'm from Tendai.
25:10I'm from Tendai.
25:11And there you go.
25:11I'm from Tendai.
25:12I'm from Tendai.
25:13I'm from Tendai.
25:13Try saying that the fans aren't happy
25:15by reminding him
25:17this is his own town.
25:29and he's going to make the best
25:32ACP Genius Reborn.
25:35We will see as the journey
25:37has begun.
25:40The largest field
25:41in BOSJ history.
25:4520 men in total.
25:46We saw 10
25:47in competition
25:48tonight.
25:49And 24 hours from now,
25:52the journey begins
25:54for the other half
25:55of the field.
25:56A block,
25:57B block.
25:57Who will win?
25:59Have your pickups changed
26:00after the action
26:01we saw in night one?
26:03If you had Ishimori
26:05as a finalist,
26:07it might be
26:07a safer bet
26:08having already bested
26:10the IWGP Junior
26:12Heavyweight Champion
26:13Dragon League.
26:15But there are many
26:16potholes
26:17and pitfalls
26:18along the way
26:18for all of the competitors.
26:20And we will have
26:21the entire journey
26:22for you
26:23right here
26:24climbing this commentary
26:25each and every night
26:27of competition.
26:29NJPWworld.com
26:30from Chris Charles.
26:32and Caprice Coleman.
26:34I'm Kevin Kelly.
26:35Thanks for joining us.
26:36And we'll see you
26:37tomorrow night.
26:38Same start time.
26:406.30
26:40JST
26:41right here
26:42in JPWworld.com
26:53and as Kevin takes
26:54his leave here
26:56I will await
26:58Taiji Ishimori
26:59arriving backstage
27:00for his backstage comments.
27:02And here we go.
27:04Not long to wait.
27:13but he got a good result.
27:17So now he's just going to
27:19have to go through the next guy.
27:20and he's just going to have to go through the next guy.
27:24But now he's just going to have to go through the next guy.
27:27So now finally he hopes he can shut up Dragon League
27:31and stop him talking about Hiromu all the time.
27:43and he's just going to have to go through the next guy.
27:54So now he's going to have to go through the next guy.
28:00He's excited.
28:02I have to go through the next guy.
28:04He's excited about what's going to happen.
28:07But
28:10Taiji Ishimori is definitely going to show you something new.
28:13A new landscape.
28:14A new best of the Super Junior.
28:16It's reborn
28:17says Taiji Ishimori.
28:18So that's it
28:18from us at Sendai.
28:21We saw here tonight
28:21Tiger Mask
28:23go up to two points
28:24over Dakinvin Chinoku.
28:25Titan
28:26up 1-0
28:27over Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
28:29Mighty Skull goes 1-0
28:30against Jonathan Gresham.
28:32Shingo Takagi
28:33at two points
28:34beating Sho
28:35and Taiji Ishimori
28:371-0
28:38against Dragon League.
28:39We'll be back with you tomorrow.
28:40Until then, go kigenyo.
28:42Good night.
29:06we'll be back in park to join SMG.
29:39C'est parti !
30:00C'est parti !
30:35C'est parti !
31:04C'est parti !
31:39C'est parti !
