by Bryan Rose, WrestlingObserver.com

Day 7 of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament takes place live this morning at Korakuen Hall. Updated rankings will be available after the show.

Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu vs. Tomoaki Honma and David Finlay

Honma and Finlay played the heels here, working over Tanaka and Komatsu whenever possible. A lot of mat wrestling early. Komatsu made a hot comeback and hit a senton on a standing Finlay for a nearfall. He tried for the half crab but Finlay escaped. Honma makes a comeback but misses the kokeshi headbutt. Tanaka makes a comeback and goes for the half crab but Tanaka won’t give up as both of the young lions apply half crabs, but they’re both broken up. Tanaka hits a great deadlift German suplex for a nearfall. Tanaka hits the ropes but walks into a torpedo kokeshi, then Honma hits the top rope kokeshi for the pinfall. A fantastic opener and easily the best match of the tour thus far.

Tiger Mask IV and Jay White vs. Barbaro Cavernario and Chase Owens

There was comedy early as White complained that Cavernario smelled after locking up. Cavernario then proceeded to do gross out humor such as grabbing his armpit then wanting to tag in Owens. Tiger Mask made the hot tag for his team and took out Cavernario with the tiger driver. Owens made the comeback for his team as Cavernario hit a huge dive and Owens hit the package piledriver on White for the pinfall. These guys worked together better than you’d think and this ended up being a good match.

Kazuchika Okada and Roppongi Vice vs. Cody Hall, Yujiro Takahashi and Nick Jackson

After the usual feeling out process, the babyfaces made fun of Nick after Okada did the “suck it” sign and injured his foot kicking the announce table. Yujiro made the comeback for his team and worked on Romero. He tags in Okada, but he gets cut off after Cody Hall is tagged in. Soon breaks out into a melee after Okada hits a back body drop on Hall, with bodies flying everywhere. When the dust settles, it’s Hall and Okada, and the latter soon takes out Hall, does the rainmaker pose, then hits the rainmaker on Hall for the win. Good match. 

Shinsuke Nakamura, Kazushi Sakuraba, Yoshi Hashi, Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Togi Makabe, Captain New Japan and Katsuyori Shibata

This started off like every ten man tag NJPW does- everyone paired off based on who they were feuding with. Ishii and Makabe went at it and Makabe was alid out. He was worked on until he finally was tag to tag in Goto, who ran wild. Sakuraba and Shibata go at it for a while, with Sakuraba throwing in some stiff offense. Tanahashi is tagged in, and eventually gets his hands on Yano. He makes a tag to Captain New Japan who, despite doing a fine comeback, falls to a low blow by Yano after Yano pulls his costume over his head. Your usual New Japan ten man tag, but it was good.

Shibata and Sakuraba, as well as Ishii and Makabe, went at it after the match before they were eventually seperated. 

Gedo vs. Jushin Thunder Liger

These two worked a slower match than usual. Gedo took control of the match early and after some work on the outside, took Liger back in and worked on a leglock for a good while. Liger eventually reverses. Good back and forth action from here. Liger does the Thesz press and the palm strike for near falls, then hooks Gedo’s legs with his own and pins him. Different than the usual matches we’ve seen thus far, but I liked this.

Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Kyle O’Reilly

This turned out to be pretty good. O’Reilly dominated the first half, but eventually it became a back and forth match. Taguchi made a comeback with the hip attacks and landed the three amigo suplexes. O’Rilley made a comeback including hitting a cool back bridge suplex for a nerfall. Tauchi catches him in an ankle lock but O’Rilley reverses into a sharpshooter. Taguchi hits the dodon for a nearfall then comes back to the ankle lock, which gets him the win. Really good back and forth match.

Bobby Fish vs. Kushida

Fish worked on Kushida’s leg early on in the bout and that became part of the match. Great back and forth match. Fish hit a giant Michinoku driver off the top rope for a great nearfall that people popped huge for when Kushida kicked out. Kushida went for a sliced bread #2 to honor Shelley but Fish tried to counter, only for him to get locked into the hoverboard lock. Fish tries desperately to escape, but eventually has to tap.

Kushida cut a promo after the match, thanking the fans.

Overall a really great show. the opener and the main event delivered, plus everything else was pretty good.

Current Standings:

Block A:

Kyle O’Reilly (6)

Ryusuke Taguchi (6)

Babaro Cavernario (4)

Gedo (4)

Beretta (4)

Chase Owens (4)

Jushin Thunder Liger (4)

Yohei Komatsu (0)

Block B:

Kushida (8)

Mascara Dorada (6)

Tiger Mask IV (6)

Nick Jackson (6)

Rocky Romero (6)

Bobby Fish (4)

Alex Shelley (2) (Out of tournament due to injury)

David Finlay (0)
 

And here are recaps of the previous shows for quick reference:

Day 1: Gedo vs. Ryusuke Taguchi

Day 2: Kushida vs. Nick Jackson

Day 3: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Kyle O’Reilly

Day 4: Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Beretta

Day 5: Chase Owens vs. Jushin Thunder Liger

Day 6: Rocky Romero vs. Tiger Mask IV