Top 3 IMPACT Matches from BOSJ Block A
Marie Shadows reviews BOSJ Block A 5.21.22
SHO vs Clark Connors
Hiromu vs Ace Austin
Alex Zayne vs Taiji Ishimori
Clark Connors, Ace Austin, and Alex Zayne are standouts in this year’s Best of the Super Jrs 29! They are the highlights of Block A aside from the regulars of the NJPW roster.
✨SHO vs Clark Connors✨
Ok…I know. I hear you. I’m supposed to either eye roll when SHO comes out and boo him and dislike him because he cheats and he’s part of House of Torture that doesn’t bring anything new to Bullet Club and NJPW itself. But guess what!
I enjoy heel SHO. He’s adorable when he cheats and clever. SHO brings a breath of fresh air to House of Torture. But I predict that House of Torture will be kicked out of Bullet Club and will lose their NEVER 6-man Openweight Championships.
🔔Before the official bell ringing🔔
SHO decided to quickly run around a whole section of fans to try and ambush Clark Connors during his entrance. But Connors strikes back against SHO, knocking him down and throwing his vest at him. SHO manages to blind Connors with a poke to his eyes and slams his head on the ring apron. SHO gets a chair and uses on Connors once. SHO gets ready to swing the chair but Connors ducks and SHO feels the tingles in his fingers as the steel chair meets the ring post. Connors tries to defend himself by using the chair, but the referee grabbed the chair from Connors. Connors then speared SHO. Now both men are in the ring.
The bell officially rings.
Flurry of angry chops and forearms by Connors to SHO who’s in the corner. Connors happens to get a cut above his eye. SHO is back on the offense and using a chair on Connor’s left arm and then added more damage with a punt kick. Connors is left in the large aisle while SHO and the referee are back in the ring and the referee starts the count. Connors barely gets back into the ring.
Later we get a deadlift German Suplex by Connors to SHO. SHO kicks out. SHO snakes his way to get his wrench that’s hidden under the shirt. SHO used his wrench as the distraction for the referee to go retrieve it and while the referee’s back is turned, SHO low blow Connors and got him in a deep roll up to get the win.
Clark Connors has yet to win some points in this tournament and it’s stressing me out.
SHO = 2 points | Clark Connors = 0 points
✨Akira Francesco vs Taguchi✨
Akira Francesco is super talented. He’s impressive. However, with this match nothing grand stood out. Like his first match with SHO. I said that he’s going to be the wild card in this tournament. Maybe it’s still too early to stick with that. He’s good. He’s a little too much babyface for this match. The wrestling that Akira presented with Taguchi didn’t feel special. Taguchi is a veteran that I think would be able to hold his own with Akira. But Akira’s wrestling arsenal for this match felt like the same moves used during a tour he’s been featured on many times. This is obviously his first tour, but I mean as if he already did multiple and didn’t want to exhaust himself. I might be a little harsh on his performance, but I need something more. Another thing is that Akira Francesco doesn’t feel like he’s a United Empire member. He feels like a regular Junior that’s just affiliate with United Empire. Like how many wrestlers are affiliated with Chaos and Main Unit.
Here are some quick highlights:
Akira does a drop kick to Taguchi’s back. Taguchi hits his head against the turnbuckle from the attack.
Hurricanrana from Akira to Taguchi from the top rope.
Speed Fire from Akira. Taguchi kicks out.
Taguchi working Akira’s ankle.
Akira does a super kick to Taguchi, however Taguchi recovered to the point where the two are counting each other until Taguchi catches Akira with a roll up to win the match.
After the match, Akira is super-heated. Where was that during this whole match?
Taguchi = 2 points | Akira Francesco = 0 points
✨Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs YOH✨
Yoshinobu and YOH are no strangers to one another. They fought many times. However, there was something different in this match. Skipping to the end, Yoshinobu was about to use his whiskey bottle against YOH as the referee was distracted. YOH got the whiskey bottle from Yoshinobu’s hand, took a swig, and spit it out like The Mist into Yoshinobu’s face. This allowed YOH to then do Direct Drive which allowed him to pick up the victory.
During this whole match, Yoshinobu worked on YOH’s knee. YOH had a knee injury…so why not target it and play it up?
YOH = 2 points | Yoshinobu = 0 points
✨Ace Austin vs Hiromu✨
I am convinced that if and when Hiromu retires with his flowers in pro wrestling, Ace Austin can certainly carry the Juniors if NJPW allows him too. This match was amazing to the point of Hiromu asking for a shot at the IMPACT Wrestling X-Division Championship that Ace Austin proudly displays. I would love to see Hiromu in a X-Division match.
This match was super clever. Ace Austin does a drop toe hold and a short kick to Hiromu’s back. The drop toe hold is your best friend in wrestling.
Hiromu tried to use Ace Austin’s card slice against him, but the referee caught him. The referee took the card away and Ace reversed Hiromu to bring him to the canvas and isolate his arm. Ace Austin has another card up his sleeve — all puns intended — and uses it to slice Hiromu’s finger webbing.
Hiromu squirms away and yells in pain and then complains to the referee.
Ace Austin does a gut-wrench suplex to Hiromu followed by a knee to Hiromu’s back and transition to a chin lock. Hiromu gets to the rope for a rope break. Ace Austin is quick on his next attack. He does a vertical suplex to Hiromu, cover, but Hiromu kicks out.
Hiromu then gets in some offense against Ace Austin. Despite Ace Austin controlling the match, Hiromu catches Ace Austin in a pop-up powerbomb. Ace Austin kicks out. Hiromu then does the Death Valley Driver into the turnbuckle followed by a vertical face buster, and then hit Ace Austin with Timebomb 2. Hiromu covers Ace Austin for the victory.
Hiromu = 2 points | Ace Austin = 0 points
✨Alex Zayne vs Taiji Ishimori✨
This match was wild and fun and fiery. Taiji is a great wrestler. Alex Zayne is winning me over little by little with his matches and social media post about Japanese food. In the beginning of this match, Taiji tries to take advantage of Alex’s taped up left arm. Alex doesn’t allow Taiji to fully do so by going full speed to give Taiji a knee to his back, followed by Sky Twister Senton, and then a Slingshot Senton that catches Taiji on the ring apron.
After some recovery, Taiji grabs the ring bell hammer and sneakily hands it to Alex and the referee sees that Alex has the object. Of course, it was Taiji’s doing. Taiji then gets a chair. Alex stops Taiji, have him sit down, and runs a lap around the ring. Taiji does a drop toe hold and Alex hits his face on the chair.
This gives Taiji enough time to remove the corner pad and then he decides to throw Alex into the exposed turnbuckle. I believe this is when Alex cuts his chin.
Taiji is still working Alex’s arm. Taiji removes the tape and continues to do vicious damage.
Cinnamon Twist is countered and Taiji catches Alex in mid-air to lock in the Bone Lock submission. Alex manages to get to the ropes for a rope break. Taiji does La Mystica and transitions into the Bone Lock. Alex tries again to get to the ropes, but Taiji repositions his hold on Bone Lock by getting back to the center of the ring. Alex has no choice and taps out, giving the victory to Taiji.
✨Standings as of 5.21.22✨
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