In the wake of this morning’s news about NJPW’s sale, this suddenly seems a lot less important. However, the show must go on, so welcome to the way-too-bright corner of a convention center in Shizuoka and this (mostly) B Block show.

B Block: Daisuke Sasaki (6 points) vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru [House of Torture] (4 points)

Sasaki is accompanied to the ring by his DDT faction-mate, Ilusion, which instantly makes him smarter than most of the babyfaces in NJPW. Sasaki jumps Kanemaru before the bell, but Kanemaru hits a dropkick to the knee and tries to go to work on it. Sasaki, however, rakes Kanemaru’s eyes, sends him into the ropes and takes the ref so that Ilusion can pull Kanemaru outside the ring and beat him up. Sasaki follows him out and requisitions Haruo Murata’s chair, but Kanemaru knocks the chair out of Sasaki’s hands and tries to apply a figure-four, but Sasaki reverses it (very slowly) into the crossface; Sasaki holds him until the 15 count from ref Kenta Sato, but Kanemaru makes it back at 19 anyway. Sasaki immediately re-applies the crossface, but after a long struggle, Kanemaru makes it to the ropes. Sasaki misses an elbow from the top rope, then the two take turns shoving Sato into each other until they shove him down and Kanemaru hits a step-up enzuigiri. Kanemaru hits the Suntory Surprise while Sato is down, but it only serves to reinvigorate Sasaki, who hits a spear and then takes a big swig of Kanemaru’s whiskey for good measure. Sasaki gets two with the Pedigree, then applies the crossface, despite Kanemaru’s attempt to take out Sato mid-move. Sasaki tries to reposition him in the center of the ring, but Kanemaru cradles him for two and then knocks down Sato on the kickout. Sasaki tries for the Suntory Surprise, but hits Ilusion instead, and Kanemaru hits several attacks to the knee and applies the figure-four for the submission.

What’s next? Kanemaru (6 points) wrestles Hyo on Friday on the A Block show in Niigata, which was rescheduled from Night 2, when Hyo was working a Dragongate show; meanwhile, Sasaki (6 points) takes on Robbie Eagles on Saturday in Toyama.

B Block: Hyo (4 points) vs. SHO [House of Torture] (6 points)

SHO has kidnapped Hyo’s leopard. Very troubling. Hyo comes out with different, minor-key music and black gear, presumably reflecting his state of mind. Hyo attacks before the bell with a dropkick, then hits a dropkick to the knee that sends SHO to the outside. Hyo hits a tope con hilo, then slams SHO’s head into the announcer’s table. Hyo hits SHO with a cat o’ nine tails, then tries to get his leopard out of the dog crate SHO has it in, but SHO traps Hyo’s hand in the crate and then slams it against the ringpost. SHO returns the favor with the cat o’ nine tails, then kicks the crate a few times. After a near-countout, SHO goes to work on the arm. After a long heat section, Hyo dodges a charge and gets SHO in the Tarantula. Hyo gets two with a sunset flip, then bites SHO’s ear while SHO is in an armbar. SHO hits a high knee and sets up for the Shock Arrow, but Hyo flips out and continues to sell the arm. However, Hyo runs around on all fours for a bit and then hits a DDT and goes for Hunting, but SHO shoves Sato into him and hits a spear. SHO gets two wrenches; Sato takes one, but then SHO tries to hit Hyo with the other one. Hyo dodges, then… uh, claps at him, which causes SHO to drop the wrench. Sato sees it and tries to discourage Hyo from using it, but Hyo claps at him as well, then picks up the wrench. However, SHO dodges the attack and hits Hyo low, then shoves him into Sato. SHO applies the cross-armbreaker and hits the arm with the wrench, then tosses the wrench, gets the submission and escapes with the leopard. This was very silly, and not in an entirely good way.

What’s next? Hyo wrestles Kanemaru on Friday in Niigata, while SHO takes on Taiji Ishimori on Saturday in Toyama.

B Block: El Desperado (6 points) vs. Jakob Austin Young [United Empire] (4 points)

Young kicks Desperado to the floor while he’s doing his splits entrance, then tosses Desperado into a ringside seating section. Young and Zane Jay toss chairs at Desperado until ref Marty Asami breaks it up. Young rolls Desperado into the ring and asks for the bell, but Asami checks on Desperado and gives him a minute because of the cheating. Asami calls for the bell and Young covers Desperado, but only gets two. Young tries a Shining Wizard, but again, only gets two. Young gets two with a back elbow and stays on top with strikes and an eye rake. Desperado fights back with a chop and avoids Jay when he goes to hit the ropes, but Young hits him from behind to knock him out of the ring. Young once again throws Desperado into a seating section, then gets in the ring and takes the ref while Jay attacks Desperado. After a near-countout, Young hits Brain Rot for two, then takes the ref while Jay chokes Desperado with a tag rope. Young goes for Jakob’s Ladder, but Desperado tosses him off and hits a spear. Desperado hits a backdrop and a brainbuster for two. Desperado goes for a suplex, but Young slips out and hits a neckbreaker, then applies a kimura, hits a Russian legsweep and applies a neck submission, but Desperado reaches the ropes. Young hits an enzuigiri and goes for the hammerlock DDT, but Desperado hits a reverse Tiger Driver. Desperado tries for Pinche Loco, but Young reverses with a body press, which Desperado bridges out of into Pinche Loco for the pinfall. Desperado spent a lot of time selling for Young in this match, but the crowd just isn’t into him.

What’s next? Desperado (8 points) wrestles KUSHIDA on Saturday, while Young (4 points) takes on Hyo on the same show.

B Block: KUSHIDA (2 points) vs. YOH (6 points)

If KUSHIDA loses this match, he is eliminated from contention. KUSHIDA is once again wrestling barefoot; YOH does not follow suit. The match opens with an extended mat wrestling sequence, and KUSHIDA largely maintains the upper hand. KUSHIDA gets two with his cartwheel dropkick spot, then applies a triangle armlock and a twisting hammerlock. KUSHIDA continues working on YOH’s arm and shoulder, tying him in knots and forcing him to roll to the ropes. KUSHIDA hits a stomp on the elbow, which causes YOH to bail and take a seat in the front row. Back in the ring, KUSHIDA kicks YOH’s arm, but YOH catches another kick attempt and hits a dragon screw to regain the advantage. YOH gets two with a Falcon Arrow, then goes to the corner to get one of KUSHIDA’s socks, which he puts on his hand. KUSHIDA takes the opportunity to recover and once again kicks YOH’s arm, then tries for the Hoverboard Lock but can’t quite get it. YOH applies a head-and-arm choke, then takes KUSHIDA down and applies the Anaconda Vice, which he augments with a mandible claw with the sock. KUSHIDA rips the sock off and fights out into a cradle for two, then hits Divorce Court but runs into a superkick. YOH goes for Direct Drive, but KUSHIDA battles out and hits a Flatliner followed by a Shoto and Back to the Future for three. After the match, KUSHIDA tries to give his sock to a kid in the audience, but the kid is dubious, to say the least. This felt like the beginning and end of a very good match without the middle segment.

What’s next? KUSHIDA (4 points) wrestles Desperado on Saturday, while YOH takes on Kanemaru on the same show.

B Block: Taiji Ishimori [Unbound Co.] (6 points) vs. Robbie Eagles [TMDK] (4 points)

They feel each other out with some mat wrestling, but Ishimori takes the advantage with a tijeras and a dropkick. Eagles dodges a plancha and hits a tiger feint kick and a flipping tope suicida to Ishimori on the outside. Back in the ring, Eagles hits a northern lariat for two, then goes to work on Ishimori’s leg. Eagles gets two with the double knees in the corner, but then misses the 450. Ishimori hits a handspring kick, then gets two with the fireman’s carry driver/thrust kick combination. Ishimori hits his convoluted shoulderbreaker, then tries for La Mistica, but Eagles stuffs it and applies the Ron Miller Special; Ishimori reaches the ropes, but Eagles gives him a parting shot to the knee after Red Shoes breaks it up. They trade strikes, then Eagles tries for the Turbo Backpack, but Ishimori reverses into a Cipher UTAKI attempt, which Eagles reverses before Ishimori gets two with a roll-up. Eagles goes for the Asai DDT, but Ishimori avoids it and hits a high knee. Ishimori hits Cipher UTAKI for two, then tries for Bloody Cross, but Eagles stuffs it. Eagles hits a missile dropkick to the knee and goes for Hyperion, but Ishimori hits La Mistica and applies the Bone Lock. Eagles gets out of the hold, but Ishimori retains control and goes for Bloody Cross; Eagles shifts his weight and falls on Ishimori’s leg, then attacks the leg and hits the 450 to the knee before applying the Ron Miller Special for the submission. This was really good, as you’d probably expect.

What’s next? Eagles (6 points) wrestles Sasaki on Saturday, while Ishimori (6 points) takes on SHO on the same show.

A Block: Jun Kasai (8 points) vs. Francesco Akira [United Empire] (6 points)

This match is taking place here because Kasai is booked on a FREEDOMS show on Friday. Akira comes out with a fork in his mouth, which Walker Stewart says is the same fork that Drilla Moloney hit Akira with in the famous War Dogs/United Empire Dog Pound match. Regardless, I think this young man might be barking up the wrong tree. Akira attacks with the fork straight away, but Kasai blocks it and tosses him outside. Kasai runs Akira into the ring post and then tosses him into two seating sections. Kasai tries for a piledriver on the outside, but Akira counters with a back body drop. Akira hits Kasai with a chair, sets him a chair, runs three quarters of the way around the ring and slaps him in the face. Of course, Kasai responds by throwing the chair at him. Back in the ring, the bell finally rings, and Kasai immediately pulls out a fork of his own. Red Shoes takes the fork, and then Kasai falls victim to a step-up enzuigiri from Akira. Akira takes the ref and Zane Jay beats up Kasai on the outside. Akira runs Kasai into the ringpost, which opens Kasai up. Akira rolls Kasai in and goes for a pin, but Red Shoes won’t count it. Akira gets two with a slam and then another two with a standing moonsault. Akira gets Kasai in a camel clutch, but Kasai breaks the hold by biting his hand. They trade punches; Akira gets the best of it, then drives Kasai’s head into the mat three times; however, Kasai blocks a corner charge and hits a second-rope dropkick. Kasai hits a lariat and a brainbuster for two, then tosses Akira outside. Kasai rams Akira’s head into the timekeeper’s table, then grabs a fork; after he gets back in the ring, Red Shoes tries to grab it from him again but gets trucked in the corner by Akira, and this seems like bad news for Akira. Kasai hits Akira with the fork and then goes to work on him, and now Akira is opened up, as well. Kasai tries for the Tiger Driver, but Akira fights out, hits Kasai low and hits the Fireball for two. Akira steals Kasai’s goggles and stands on the top rope, but Kasai knocks him off the top and then hits a superplex. Kasai reclaims the goggles and hits Pearl Harbor for two. Kasai goes for his head-of-steam lariat, but Akira shoves Red Shoes into his path, knocking him out. Jay gives Akira his fork, but Kasai pulls out the skewers, and they both go for weapons shots at the same time; Kasai gets the better of it and stabs Akira in the head with the skewers, then hits the lariat. Jay tries to interfere, but Kasai cuts him off and gets some skewers and a reverse Tiger Driver for his trouble. Kasai gives Akira the kiss of death, but Akira stabs him in the head with a fork, then hits him with a chair and hits the Fireball. Marty Asami runs in for the two count, and then Akira hits a buzzsaw kick and the Crownfall for the pin. This was fine.

What’s next? Akira (8 points) wrestles Ryusuke Taguchi next Tuesday at Korakuen Hall, while Kasai (8 points) takes on Master Wato on the same show.