Takahashi last remaining member for LIJ
The main event of Road to Dontaku on April 30 in the sold out Grand Messe Kumamoto saw an elimination preview of Wrestling Dontaku, the Los Ingobernables De Japon side of BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi and Tetsuya Naito facing Just Five Guys’ Taichi, DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA.
A jump start for LIJ saw Hiromu instantly gun for SANADA, trying to throw the world champion over the top rope to no avail. It would be Kanemaru from the floor that stopped Hiromu’s forward momentum, and J5G would take control on the outside before Takahashi was brought into the red corner. Hiromu was punished for the bulk of the early portion of the match, but a Dragon Screw would see him eventually tag in Shingo, who had receipts to dole out after the prior night’s punishing KOPW 2023 battle. Takagi and Taichi tore into one another until both went over the top rope to the apron; after a moment’s thought, Takagi eliminated himself to eliminate his foe with a DDT on the apron.
The match now at three a side, DOUKI hit the ring and called out Naito. El Ingobernable would make DOUKI wait, eventually getting in but meeting a flying cross headbutt, and following with double back elbows to Naito and Hiromu. Naito would bide his time however, and his corner combination would bring in BUSHI, who landed a tijeras and then a basement dropkick to the incoming SANADA. After a rewind kick, BUSHI thought of a Codebreaker but got dumped to the apron by DOUKI; a single leg dropkick and the masked man was out.
J5G’s one man advantage didn’t last long, as Naito prevented Daybreak and dropkicked Naito to the floor. Now it was two on two, but when Naito was low bridged to the apron, DOUKI grabbed his heels; after a basement dropkick from Kanemaru, Naito hung on by his toes, but an impetuous Hiromu would be misdirected into his own teammate, eliminating Naito and putting Hiromu at a handicap against both Kanemaru and SANADA.
Takahashi and Kanemaru battled to the apron, where a thrust kick put the Heel Master out. Now down to one on one, Hiromu was in danger on the apron as SANADA pursued victory, eventually able to slide into the safety of the ring as the Kumamoto crowd came alive in deafening support of the Fukuoka challenger. That safety was only relative; SANADA would hurl bitter chops at his May 3 opponent, and after a pair of leapfrogs hurled Takahashi to the apron; though the Time Bomb skinned the cat back inside, he would be dropped with a TKO for two.
The match passing 20 minutes, SANADA tried for Skull End, eventually swinging Hiromu round by the neck before dropping him to the mat. Just as the champion went up for a Moonsault though, Hiromu would have a surge of adrenaline, and shoved SANADA all the way to the floor, picking up a sudden adn stunning victory 72 hours before his title bout.
Originally posted at Read More