New Japan "Best of the Super Jr. XXII" Finale
A Review by Kevin Wilson

Dates: June 7th, 2015
Locations: Yoyogi National Stadium Gymnasium #2 
Announced Attendances: 3,250 (Super No Vacancy)

After two weeks of hard fought action, we have finally reached the finals of the Best of the Super Jr. Tournament! Up to this point I have reviewed all 50 of the BOSJ matches so I am ready for the conclusion, as KUSHIDA takes on Kyle O'Reilly. We also get a bunch of cross-block singles matches with the wrestlers that did not make the finals, as well as a couple heavyweight multi-man tag matches that I don't want to watch. Here is the full card:

- Jushin Thunder Liger and Sho Tanaka vs. Ryusuke Taguchi and Yohei Komatsu
- Best of the Super Junior Special Match: Chase Owens vs. Tiger Mask
- Best of the Super Junior Special Match: El Barbaro Cavernario vs. Mascara Dorada
- Best of the Super Junior Special Match: Barreta vs. Bobby Fish
- Best of the Super Junior Special Match: Nick Jackson vs. Rocky Romero
- Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, and Tomoaki Honma vs. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi, and David Finlay
- Kazuchika Okada and Gedo vs. Yujiro Takahashi and Cody Hall
- Hirooki Goto, Makabe, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shibata, and Captain New Japan vs. Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Sakuraba, and YOSHI-HASHI
- Best of the Super Jr. Final: KUSHIDA vs. Kyle O'Reilly

Let's get to it!

Jushin Thunder Liger and Sho Tanaka vs. Ryusuke Taguchi and Yohei Komatsu
Tanaka and Komatsu start the match, they trade holds but neither gets a clear advantage.  Komatsu goes for Tanaka’s arm and pushes him to the mat, but Tanaka gets back up and chops him as they start exchanging blows.  Tanaka tags in Liger but Taguchi runs in and hits a hip attack on Liger.  Komatsu elbows Liger, but Liger hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.  Liger puts Komatsu in the Romero Special, he releases the hold as Tanaka comes in the ring but Komatsu dropkicks Tanaka.  He dropkicks Liger as well and he makes the hot tag to Taguchi.  Taguchi hip attacks everyone, then he hits a hip attack off the apron to Liger.  Back in the ring, Taguchi hip attacks Liger in the head and hits a few running ones while Liger is against the ropes.  Liger tags in Tanaka, elbows by Tanaka and he hits a gutwrench suplex on Taguchi for a two count.  Tanaka puts Taguchi in a crab hold but he quickly reaches the ropes, Tanaka goes for a German suplex but Taguchi gets out of it.  Taguchi attempts a hip attack but Tanaka catches him and hits a German suplex hold for a two count.  Komatsu hits a hurricanrana on Tanaka, he throws Tanaka into the corner and Taguchi hits a hip attack.  Taguchi goes up top and hits a diving hip attack on Tanaka, cover, but Liger breaks it up.  Taguchi goes for the Dodon but Tanaka blocks it, Tanaka goes off the ropes but Taguchi delivers a jumping kick.  Dodon by Taguchi, and he picks up the three count.  This was a good opener, I love watching Komatsu and Tanaka and since it wasn’t a long match they didn’t waste a lot of time.  Taguchi is a bit excessive but Liger being in there helped balance it.  Solid way to start off.

Chase Owens vs. Tiger Mask
Owens attacks Tiger Mask before the match starts, dropkicking him out of the ring.  Owens attacks Tiger Mask out on the floor before rolling him back in, and he messes with Tiger Mask’s mask a bit.  Owens applies a stretch hold and he elbows Tiger Mask in the back of the head.  Owens slams Tiger Mask into the corner and punches him in the ribs, but Tiger Mask finally starts fighting back.  Eye rake by Owens, snapmare by Owens and he goes for Tiger Mask’s mask again.  Owens punches Tiger Mask into the corner, Irish whip, but Tiger Mask avoids his charge and hits a back kick.  Owens falls out of the ring but he quickly slides back in and hits a backbreaker.  Owens goes for a quebrada but Tiger Mask moves, kicks by Tiger Mask but Owens ducks one and hits a slingshot backbreaker.  Cover, but it gets two.  Half nelson by Owens but Tiger Mask gets out of it, eye rake by Owens but Tiger Mask quickly applies a cross kneelock.  Owens gets to the ropes to break it up, Tiger Mask charges Owens but Owens elbows him.  Owens goes off the ropes but Tiger Mask applies a crucifix hold for a two count.  Eye rake by Owens and he rolls up Tiger Mask, but the referee is slow to make the count since Owens had kicked him earlier.  Owens gets mad at the referee, high kick by Tiger Mask and he goes for a tiger suplex, but Owens pushes him back into the corner.  Owens goes for the Package Piledriver but Tiger Mask blocks it and sneaks in an inside cradle for two.  Another eye rake by Owens and he hits a hard elbow.  Owens goes off the ropes, back kick by Tiger Mask and he hits the Tiger Driver for two.  Cross armbreaker by Tiger Mask, Owens tries to roll out of it but Tiger Mask applies the Reverse Double Armbar, and Owens has no choice but to submit!  This was an oddly structured match, Owens really needs to go beyond the eye rake as it’s a somewhat lazy transition and he did it half a dozen times in this match it seemed.  There were also a few miscommunications, probably just because they aren’t as familiar with each other.  Some good bits here and there but overall not a the best showing from either.

El Barbaro Cavernario vs. Mascara Dorada
Cavernario pushes Dorada into the ropes to start but he gives a clean break.  Dorada goes off the ropes but Cavernario armdrags Dorada out of the ring.  Dorada jumps back onto the apron and hits a swandive hurricanrana, sending Cavernario out of the ring this time.  Dorada gets on the apron but Cavernario pulls Dorada down to the floor.  Scoop slam by Cavernario on the floor, he goes up to the top turnbuckle and he hits a diving body press down to the floor.  Cavernario returns to the ring with Dorada slowly following, face crusher by Cavernario and he covers Dorada for two.  Leg drop by Cavernario, cover, but it gets another two.  Cavernario does the worm and he hits a reverse splash off the ropes.  Stomps by Cavernario and he chops Dorada into the corner, Irish whip by Cavernario and he hits a superkick.  Lariat by Dorada and he hits a hurricanrana, sending Cavernario to the floor.  Cavernario gets on the apron and Dorada dives over the top rope and hits a hurricanrana to the floor.  Fun spotfest so far, as Dorada gets in the ring and hits a step-up tope con hilo out onto Cavernario.  Dorada rolls Cavernario back in the ring and he hits a swandive body press for a two count.  Dorada picks up Cavernario, Cavernario elbows away and he clubs Dorada in the head.  Irish whip by Cavernario, reversed, and Cavernario hits a missile dropkick out of the corner.  Cavernario suplexes Dorada to the mat, he covers him but it only gets a two.  Cavernario goes for a reverse splash but Dorada gets his feet up,  chops by Dorada but Barreta chops him back and they trade blows.  Dorada goes off the ropes but Cavernario catches him.  Dorada gets out of it with a tilt-a-whirl roll-up but Cavernario comes back with a backbreaker.  Dorada drives Cavernario into the corner, Dorada flips out to the apron and goes for a swandive move but Cavernario catches him with a powerbomb.  Cavernario charges Dorada, Dorada puts him out on the apron, Dorada goes for a swandive hurricanrana but he slips.  Dorada pulls Cavernario back into the ring and he hits the Dorada Screwdriver for the three count!  Botched ending aside (which is never a good thing of course) this was a fun Lucha spotfest.  Don’t go in thinking you’re getting anything else, they were just running through their big moves for our amusement.  Fun to watch but lacking in substance.  Mildly Recommended

Barreta vs. Bobby Fish
Fish hits the first move of note when he elbows Barreta in the corner before kicking him backwards, Fish goes off the ropes but Barreta hits an elbow followed by a standing moonsault for two.  Jumping knee by Barreta, he goes up to the second turnbuckle but Fish pulls him off, making Barreta’s head hit the turnbuckle.  Fish punches Barreta in the ribs, knees by Fish and he hits the senton atomico.  Fish picks up Barreta and he hits a snap vertical suplex for two.  They both go for vertical suplexes, and Barreta suplexes Fish over the rope down to the floor.  With Barreta’s head hitting the apron in the process.  Fish rolls in as does Barreta, elbows and chops by Barreta and he hits an enziguri.  Jumping elbow by Barreta and he hits a tornado DDT.  Barreta goes up top and he hits a footstomp to Fish’s back for a two count.  Barreta puts Fish on the top turnbuckle and joins him, but Fish elbows him off.  Barreta jumps back up however Fish slides away and kicks Barreta in the leg.  Barreta is stuck in the tree of woe and Fish kicks him a few times before Barreta can get free.  Body avalanche by Fish and he hits a few more knees before hitting an exploder into the turnbuckles.  Cover, but it gets two.  Fish picks up Barreta and hits a Samoan Drop, but Barreta avoids the moonsault and connects with a running knee for two.  Barreta goes for the Dudebuster but Fish reverses it into a cross kneelock.  Barreta gets to the ropes, Fish picks up Barreta and they trade strikes.  Dragon screw by Fish, he charges Barreta but Barreta hits a footstomp to the chest. Barreta goes up top but Fish kicks his leg.  Fish joins Barreta and he nails the Avalanche Falcon Arrow.  Cross kneelock by Fish but Barreta bridges out of it to cover Fish for two.  Fish gets the cross kneelock re-applied, and this time Barreta taps out!  I really enjoyed this match, really well done.  It had just about everything and was perfectly smooth, if anything I just wish that it was a little longer.  The big spots were hit well and the leg work was solid, both of these guys really hooked me in during this tournament. Definitely a match that needs to be seen.  Recommended

Nick Jackson vs. Rocky Romero
Romero applies a hammerlock to begin things but Jackson pushes Romero back into the corner.  Kick by Romero but Jackson Irish whips him, Romero avoids the first dropkick but Jackson becomes my hero when he superkicks Romero when he does that stupid pose in the ropes thing.  It is like they made me put up with it the entire tournament just for that spot.   +1 point.  Jackson gets back in the ring but Romero slowly follows, crab hold attempt by Jackson but Romero kicks him off.  Jackson goes out to the apron and he hits a slingshot face crusher for a two count.  Jackson grabs a mask from ring side and puts it on, and he hits the cartwheel backflip back scratch.  Jackson picks up Romero and hits a double underhook into a backbreaker for a two count.  Jackson clubs on Romero and he applies an abdominal stretch, he goes for a backdrop suplex but Romero lands on his feet.  Diving knee by Romero from the corner, punches by Romero and he hits a hurricanrana.  Romero charges Jackson but Jackson kicks him back, Jackson goes up top but Romero punches him before he can jump off.  Romero joins Jackson up top and he hits the avalanche cross armbreaker, but Jackson gets a foot on the ropes.  Kick to the head by Romero, he puts Jackson onto the top rope but Jackson avoids the swandive dropkick.  Jackson avoiding Romero’s silly contrived signature spots is amusing me to no end.  Romero blocks Jackson’s swandive move but Jackson rolls him up for two.  Romero kicks back Jackson, Romero charges him but Jackson pulls down the ropes and Romero falls out of the ring.  Jackson goes out to the apron and he kicks Romero, he slides him back into the ring before going up top and hitting a swanton bomb for a two count cover. Jackson and Romero trade elbows, and Romero hits a jumping heel kick.  Romero charges Jackson but Jackson drops him onto the apron and dropkicks him to the floor.  Jackson pulls Romero up to the apron and he elbows Romero back off, he goes for a moonsault but Romero avoids it and hits a Shiranui off the ring post.  Romero slides Jackson back in and he hits two lariats in the corner, but Jackson ducks the third. Superkick by Jackson but Romero lariats him again, he goes for another Shiranui but Jackson catches him with a tombstone piledriver for two.  Leg kick by Jackson, but that gets a two count as well.  Jumping knee by Jackson in the corner but Romero avoids the next kick, he rolls up Jackson in a schoolboy and he gets the three count!  The best thing about this match is simply that Jackson reversed all of Romero’s contrived spots like I have wanted wrestlers to do this entire tournament.  Beyond that though it was a fun match, no wasted time and it made sense that Romero had to use a roll-up to win since clearly Jackson had him well scouted. Solid match. Mildly Recommended

Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, and Honma vs. Yuji Nagata, Nakanishi, and David Finlay
Honma and Nakanishi start off the match, Honma tries to knock over Nakanishi but he doesn’t have any luck.  Elbows by Honma and he scoop slams Nakanishi, but Nakanishi avoids the Kokeshi. Nakanishi tags in Finlay, Finlay clubs on Honma but Honma grabs his arm and tags in Tenzan.  Tenzan headbutts Finlay and throws him into the corner, more headbutts by Tenzan but Finlay avoids him in the corner and hits a dropkick.  Kojima comes in and they take turns attacking Finlay, scoop slam by Kojima and Tenzan hits a headbutt while Kojima hits a slingshot elbow.  Tenzan stomps on Finlay and he hits a vertical suplex for a two count.  Tenzan goes off the ropes but Finlay dropkicks him and tags in Nakanishi.  Nakanishi kicks on Tenzan’s leg and they trade chops, and Nakanishi tags in Nagata.  Nagata twists on Tenzan’s leg but Tenzan elbows him and they trade shots.  Kicks to the chest by Nagata and he hits a big boot in the corner.  Nagata goes for an exploder but Tenzan elbows him off, Irish whip by Tenzan and he hits the Mountain Bomb.  Tenzan tags in Kojima, Kojima chops Nagata in the corner, Irish whip by Kojima and he hits a jumping elbow, Kojima goes up top and he hits a diving elbow drop to Nagata for a two count.  Kojima picks up Nagata and they trade elbows, knee by Nagata, Irish whip, slap by Nagata but Kojima hits a DDT.  Exploder by Nagata and he applies the seated armbar to Kojima, but Honma breaks it up.  Nagata tags in Finlay, Finlay elbows Kojima and he hits a jumping elbow smash.  Finlay picks up Kojima but Kojima gets away and hits the Koji Cutter.  Kojima tags in Honma, Honma chops Finlay in the chest and he hits a jumping elbow in the corner followed by a face crusher.  Finlay avoids the Kokeshi, Nagata and Nakanishi come in and everyone attacks Honma in the corner.  Uppercut by Finlay, cover, but it gets two.  Finlay picks up Honma but Honma gets away, Nagata comes in but Tenzan and Kojima hit him with a 3D.  Nakanishi spears both of them, Finlay picks up Honma and he hits an uppercut.  Irish whip by Finlay but Honma hits a jumping Kokeshi.  Honma goes up top and he nails the diving Kokeshi, picking up the three count!  This one ended rather suddenly, not that I am complaining.  Not a huge fan of short six man tags but for a midcard match there was nothing really wrong with it.  It was just ‘there.’ It was exactly what you’d expect, for better or worse.

Kazuchika Okada and Gedo vs. Yujiro Takahashi and Cody Hall
Okada and Yujiro are the first two legal men, Okada gets the better of Yujiro and he tags in Gedo.  Gedo taunts Hall, as Hall gets in the ring Gedo kicks the top rope up into his groin.  Gedo punches Yujiro to the mat but Hall comes in to help and Gedo is double teamed.  Yujiro holds Gedo over the top rope so that Hall can hit him from the floor, cover by Yujiro but it gets two. Yujiro tags in Hall, Hall picks up Gedo and he applies an armbar.  Hall picks up Gedo in a military press, he then lets Gedo down and Hall punches Gedo in the face. Hall tags in Yujiro and Yujiro knocks Okada off the apron.  Yujiro kicks Gedo in the midsection, he picks up Gedo and throws him into the corner.  Chops by Yujiro in the corner, but Gedo hits an atomic drop.  Gedo tags in Okada, Okada strikes Yujiro, Irish whip, and Okada hits a flapjack.  Hall runs in but Okada gives him a DDT.  Okada throws Yujiro into the corner but Yujiro avoids his charge.  Okada grabs Yujiro and he hits the reverse neckbreaker, he goes up to the top turnbuckle but Yujiro is up.  Okada jumps off the top and lands on his feet, but Yujiro drops him throat-first on the top rope.  Fisherman buster by Yujiro to Okada and he tags in Hall.  Hall picks up Okada and he drops Okada onto his knee.  Jumping boot by Hall, cover, but it gets two.  Yujiro comes in and Okada is double teamed in the corner, discus lariat by Hall but the cover is broken up.  Hall picks up Okada but Okada gets out of the Outsider’s Edge with a back bodydrop.  Yujiro comes in but Okada dropkicks him, Hall knees Okada but Okada dropkicks him as well.  Diving elbow drop by Okada, he picks up Hall and he hits the Rainmaker for the three count!  Probably a step down from the last match, a really predictable tag match.  Gedo get beat down, Okada gets the hot tag, Okada disposes of both Yujiro and Hall to pick up the win. Not offensive but nothing that needs to be watched.

Hirooki Goto, Togi Makabe, Tanahashi, Shibata, and Captain New Japan vs. Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Sakuraba, and YOSHI-HASHI
You can imagine how excited I am to do this play by play so I am not going to bother because it is the same match we have seen a dozen times this year already.  But I will watch it and type something while I do so.  The first rival pairing is Makabe and Ishii, and they trade strikes as you’d expect.  Shibata and Sakuraba are next, they grapple around but neither gets a clear advantage.  YOSHI-HASHI and Tanahashi are the next pairing and Tanahashi takes care of him pretty easily, until Yano helps.  Well his help fails and Tanahashi hits a jumping elbow on YOSHI-HASHI.  A brawl starts and spills out to the floor, but YOSHI-HASHI and Tanahashi eventually return to the ring with YOSHI-HASHI dropkicking Tanahashi for a two count.  He tags in Yano and Yano throws Tanahashi into an exposed corner.  Yano tags in Nakamura and Tanahashi is choked by everyone in the corner.  Tanahashi eventually gets away and makes the hot tag to Goto, and Goto clears the ring.  Goto kicks Nakamura and they trade elbows, slam by Goto but it gets a two count.  Nakamura regains the advantage and he hits a heel kick and both Shibata and Sakuraba are tagged in.  Shibata hits a single arm suplex, cover, but Sakuraba kicks out.  Sakuraba goes for an armbreaker but Shibata blocks it and gets into the ropes.  Sleeper by Sakuraba but Captain New Japan makes an appearance and breaks it up. 

Sakuraba kicks him out of the ring but Shibata picks up Sakuraba and hits a Samoan Drop.  Sakuraba tags in Ishii but Shibata catches him with a knee to the midsection and he tags in Makabe.  Makabe shoulderblocks everyone and he lariats Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI in the corners.  Mounted punches by Makabe on Ishii and he hits a Northern Lights Suplex Hold for two.  Makabe picks up Ishii and they trade headbutts until Ishii hits a powerslam.  Vertical suplex by Ishii and a cover, but it gets two.  They get into a lariat battle, which Makabe wins, and Makabe tags in Captain New Japan.  Ishii is thrown in the corner and is attacked by his opposing team, cover by Captain New Japan but Ishii kicks out.  Nakamura runs in and boots Captain New Japan, which leads to both teams taking turns hitting moves on each other. Ishii and Captain New Japan stay in alone, elbows by Ishii but Captain New Japan punches him.  Lariat by Ishii, cover, but Makabe breaks it up.  Makabe lariats both YOSHI-HASHI and Yano but Ishii lariats Makabe.  Captain New Japan rolls up Ishii but it only gets a two.  Nakamura runs in and hits a Boma Ye on Captain New Japan, Ishii picks up Captain New Japan and he nails a brainbuster for the three count cover! This is exactly what you imagined it would be and the same match I've seen way too many times from New Japan the last few years. I guess they do this so all the 'big stars' are on the card but there must be a better way. Nothing bad but certainly nothing special.

 KUSHIDA vs. Kyle O'Reilly
This match is the Best of the Super Jr. Finals. They jockey for position to start as O'Reilly gets KUSHIDA into the ropes, O'Reilly grabs KUSHIDA's leg and takes him down, but KUSHIDA eventually gets out of it and they return to their feet. O'Reilly quickly gets KUSHIDA back to the mat but KUSHIDA switches positions with him and applies a front necklock. O'Reilly gets out of that as they spin back their feet, side headlock by O'Reilly, KUSHIDA Irish whips out of it but O'Reilly hits a shoulderblock. O'Reilly trips KUSHIDA and runs over his back, backslide by O'Reilly but it gets two. Elbows by KUSHIDA and he hits an atomic drop followed by two dropkicks. KUSHIDA goes for O'Reilly's arm but O'Reilly gets into the ropes. KUSHIDA chops O'Reilly in the corner, Irish whip but O'Reilly knees KUSHIDA and hits a leg sweep. O'Reilly picks up KUSHIDA and he hits a backbreaker, they trade elbows back up but O'Reilly applies a hammerlock and slams KUSHIDA's arm into the mat. O'Reilly knees KUSHIDA in the arm and rakes on his face before twisting his other arm. O'Reilly traps the arm and applies a stretch hold but KUSHIDA gets a foot on the ropes. KUSHIDA gets up and chops O'Reilly but O'Reilly kicks him back and hits rolling double arm suplexes. Cover, but it gets two. O'Reilly goes for a suplex but KUSHIDA knees out of it, KUSHIDA kick flips himself out to the apron and snaps O'Reilly's arm over the rope. Swandive chop by KUSHIDA and he hits the handspring elbow strike for a two count. KUSHIDA goes for the cross armbreaker but O'Reilly quickly reverses it. KUSHIDA gets out of it, knee by O'Reilly and he applies a guillotine choke. KUSHIDA gets out of it by twisting on O'Reilly's arm and he gets the Hoverboard Lock applied, but O'Reilly is too close to the ropes. O'Reilly goes up to the second turnbuckle but KUSHIDA kicks him before he can do anything and joins him. O'Reilly gets KUSHIDA's arm and hits a jumping armbreaker before applying a seated armbar. KUSHIDA gets out of it and hits a release German suplex, he ducks the Pendulum Lariat and delivers a dragon suplex hold for a two count. Armbreaker by KUSHIDA but O'Reilly blocks the next attempted one and applies a sleeper. KUSHIDA gets out of it, he goes off the ropes but O'Reilly catches him with a knee. O'Reilly goes off the ropes but KUSHIDA hits a handstand kick, sending O'Reilly crashing out of the ring. KUSHIDA goes up top and he dives out onto O'Reilly with a tope con hilo. KUSHIDA gets back in the ring with O'Reilly slowly following, but KUSHIDA dropkicks him as he enters the ring.

KUSHIDA goes up top but O'Reilly catches him with a triangle choke when he goes for the moonsault. KUSHIDA is too close to the ropes so he is able to force a break, O'Reilly picks up KUSHIDA and he puts him on the top turnbuckle. O'Reilly joins him but KUSHIDA elbows free and hits an armbreaker, which sends O'Reilly back to the mat. KUSHIDA gets ready to do a move but O'Reilly re-joins him and he hits an avalanche backdrop suplex. Cover by O'Reilly, but KUSHIDA gets a shoulder up. Kicks to the chest by O'Reilly but KUSHIDA catches one and hits a punch and kick combination. O'Reilly catches a kick however, he hits a leg clutch backdrop suplex hold but it gets a two count. Scissors kick by O'Reilly but KUSHIDA comes back with a hard punch to the face. KUSHIDA picks up O'Reilly but O'Reilly hits an armbreaker, Pele Kick by KUSHIDA but O'Reilly hits a Pendulum Lariat. Another lariat by O'Reilly, cover, but it only gets two. O'Reilly picks up KUSHIDA and nails the brainbuster, cover, but KUSHIDA barely kicks out. O'Reilly applies the cross armbreaker but KUSHIDA locks his hands, O'Reilly applies a seated armbar but KUSHIDA makes it to the ropes. KUSHIDA rolls onto the apron but O'Reilly follows him out and he kicks KUSHIDA in the chest. O'Reilly goes for an armbreaker but KUSHIDA pushes him off. Guillotine choke by O'Reilly still on the apron but KUSHIDA gets out of it and hits a vertical suplex on the apron, sending both crashing to the floor. They both barely make the 20 count back into the ring, and they trade elbows as they slowly get up. A roaring elbow by O'Reilly sends KUSHIDA off his feet, O'Reilly charges KUSHIDA but KUSHIDA hits a reverse STO into the turnbuckles. Running kick by KUSHIDA, he grabs O'Reilly and he hits the Sliced Bread #2. Cover, but it gets a two count. KUSHIDA goes up top and he hits the Midnight Express, cover, but O'Reilly gets a shoulder up. Kick by KUSHIDA, he goes off the ropes and he hits the tilt-a-whirl into the Hoverboard Lock. O'Reilly gets close to the ropes but KUSHIDA rolls him back into the middle of the ring and O'Reilly taps out! What a match. It almost goes without saying that it was a great match but I guess since this is a review I should list the ways. The arm work by both men was constant and through all 30 minutes neither forgot about it. While it was a mostly grounded match they still had a few high spots to get the crowd into it, including some hellacious bumps by both of them. It really did feel epic, between Fish yelling at ringside to the crowd reactions to both busting out all the moves they had to win. Simply fantastic and a must-watch match, likely a Top 5 candidate for all of 2015 when all is said and done. Highly Recommended

Final Thoughts:

Even though this event was really all about the Finals of the tournament, the supporting cast wasn't bad. The heavyweight tags were just filler and weren't necessary, but some of the other singles matches were memorable, particularly Barreta vs. Fish. On an event like this the main event has to deliver since it was being built up to for weeks, and luckily it delivered beyond my already high expectations. So as a full event I can easily recommend it since most of it was at least watchable and a good bit of it was was really solid, but the main event is a match all fans of puroresu should watch, just an incredible effort by both men.

Grade: B+

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event reviewed on 6/11/15