NJPW Summer Struggle in Sapporo 2021 Night 1 Results – July 10, 2021 – Taiji Ishimori vs. El Desperado

Jul 10, 2021

July 10, 2021
Hokkaido, Japan – Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena
English Commentary – Kevin Kelly & Chris Charlton
Results via Ethan Renner of F4WOnline.com

Quick Match Results

Master Wato defeated Yuya Uemura via RPP (pinfall 9:09)
Dick Togo & EVIL defeated YOH & Tomohiro Ishii via Scorpion Deathlock (submission 11:37)
Rocky Romero, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated El Phantasmo, Yujiro Takahashi, & KENTA via High Fly Flow (pinfall 15:16)
United Empire defeated SHO & Kazuchika Okada via Tour of the Islands (pinfall 11:41)
BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito defeated DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Zack Sabre Jr., & Taichi via Pumping Bomber (pinfall 13:40)
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship – El Desperado (c) defeated Taiji Ishimori via Pinche Loco (pinfall 28:54)

Prior to the start of the show, NJPW announced that the previously scheduled match of Master Wato & Kota Ibushi vs. Yuya Uemura & Yota Tsuji was pulled from the card of the tonight’s event.

The official reason given was due to Kota Ibushi is currently dealing with some side effects from a recent COVID-19 vaccine shot and is unable to compete at the show. NJPW also announced that Ibushi’s health condition will continue to be monitored and decisions will be made regarding the status of his upcoming scheduled matches.

Master Wato vs. Yuya Uemura

A solid opener that told a simple story. Uemura had the technical edge, but Wato displayed superior striking.

They opened with some tentative kicks. Uemura got the best of a mat wrestling sequence. Frustrated, Wato took to striking and established the advantage. He threw in a kimura on the mat, but Uemura forced a rope break.

Uemura came back with a flying forearm for a near fall. Uemura used a half crab. Wato blocked a double overhook suplex, but Uemura hit a deep arm drag. Uemura hit a beautiful bridging German for a two count.

Wato again blocked the overhook suplex. He hit recientemente, then used the RPP for the pin.

Winner: Master Wato via Pinfall.

YOH & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Dick Togo & EVIL

This was a formulaic Bullet Club brawl and not a particularly inspired one.

Ishii attacked EVIL before the opening bell and they brawled around ringside. Togo and YOH began as the legal men. EVIL exposed a buckle, then Togo whipped YOH into the buckle for the heat.

EVIL and Togo traded tags in working YOH over. They again sent him into the exposed buckle. YOH found an opening against Togo and tagged Ishii. EVIL tagged in and sent Ishii into the exposed buckle. Ishii hit a backdrop suplex into a double down.

Ishii tagged YOH. YOH ran wild and hit a nice half hatch suplex for a two count. Togo tried to choke YOH with a ligature, but Ishii saved. YOH hit a falcon arrow on EVIL for a near fall.

YOH tried for Direct Drive, but EVIL blocked and hit a lariat for a two count. While Togo held Ishii at bay with a crossface, EVIL used a scorpion deathlock to submit YOH.

Winner: Dick Togo & EVIL via Submission.

Togo and EVIL stomped Ishii down after the match as they continue to tease an EVIL vs. Ishii singles match.

Rocky Romero, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. El Phantasmo, Yujiro Takahashi, & KENTA

There was some good comedy here in the first few minutes, then some good wrestling once Tanahashi got in for the closing stretch.

Tana wanted to start with KENTA. KENTA teased starting off, but immediately tagged out to ELP. Tana tagged out to Taguchi.

Taguchi and ELP did some comedy with their t-shirts. ELP choked out Taguchi with a shirt. Taguchi was cut off and worked over in comedic fashion for quite a while.

Romero got a hot tag and had a nice sequence with ELP. KENTA and Tana tagged in. Tana hit a dragon screw. They had a lengthy striking sequence. KENTA blocked a slingblade attempt with a kitchen sink and tagged out to Yujiro.

Yujiro and ELP doubled up on Tana. Yujiro hit a fisherman buster. Taguchi saved for Tana. Yujiro hit a lariat and an Angle slam for another near fall.

Tana blocked Pimp Juice, blocked a thrust kick, then blocked Miami Shine. Tana hit a twist and shout and a slingblade. Romero and Taguchi hit stereo planchas to KENTA and ELP.

Tana then used High Fly Flow to pin Yujiro.

Winner: Rocky Romero, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Hiroshi Tanahashi via Pinfall.

KENTA ran back in after the match and attacked Tanahashi as he posed for the fans, so expect KENTA vs. Tana to be a singles match soon.

SHO & Kazuchika Okada vs. Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb

This was fun. There were lots of cool spots with SHO and Cobb trying to hit their trademark power moves on one another.

O-Khan and SHO began. They teased a striking battle, but neither threw anything of significance. SHO tried to take O-Khan’s arm after locking up, but O-Khan blocked. O-Khan gouged SHO’s face and ears. SHO made a brief comeback off a misdirection spot. Okada hopped in for a double team spot on Cobb.

O-Khan cut SHO off with a series of throws. Cobb was in briefly, but O-Khan did the bulk of the heavy lifting in working SHO over. SHO came back with a spear and tagged Okada.

Okada hit a series of signature spots on O-Khan. He hit a back elbow and a DDT. O-Khan blocked an air raid crash neckbreaker and hit a judo throw. Cobb tagged in for a series of uppercuts. He then hit Okada with a spin cycle for a near fall.

Okada slapped on a Money Clip, but Cobb broke the hold. Okada answered with an air raid crash neckbreaker to Cobb. Okada tagged out to SHO.

SHO hit a series of kicks to Cobb and got a near fall. He went for a suplex, but Cobb blocked. Cobb hit a back suplex, then O-Khan jumped in for a double team. Okada saved for SHO. O-Khan and Okada brawled to the floor.

SHO reversed a Tour of the Islands into a cradle for a near fall. Okada hopped back in and hit Cobb with a dropkick. SHO tried a deadlift German but Cobb blocked.

SHO hit the ropes, but ran right into a Tour of the Islands for the pin.

Winner: Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb via Pinfall.

Cobb and Okada stared each other down after the match, so I expect Okada vs. Cobb to be announced any day now.

BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito vs. DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Zack Sabre Jr., & Taichi

This was very good. All action. I fully expect Naito, SANADA, Taichi and Sabre to have a great match in the main event tomorrow. They have excellent chemistry.

LIJ attacked before the opening bell and cut Taichi off. SANADA and Naito doubled up on Taichi. SANADA and Taichi ended up the legal men. SANADA went for the paradise lock, but Sabre saved and turned the tide in Suzuki-gun’s favor.

Suzuki-gun went to work on SANADA’s left arm. Kanemaru hit a slam. DOUKI used a snapmare and a cradle. Sabre continued to work on the arm. SANADA came back with a dropkick to Kanemaru and a rana on DOUKI.

Naito tagged in and hit a neckbreaker to Taichi. Kanemaru was still legal. Naito tagged BUSHI and they hit tandem offense to Kanemaru. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick to Kanemaru. Kanemaru hit his own dropkick and tagged out.

DOUKI hit a double stomp to BUSHI for a near fall. Suzuki-gun cleared the LIJ apron and went 3-on-1 against BUSHI. DOUKI hit a patriot missile, then used a triangle. BUSHI forced a rope break. BUSHI blocked Suplex de la Luna and hit a dropkick for a double down.

Shingo tagged in for his first action of the match. DOUKI hit an enzuigiri. Shingo answered with a pop-up DVD. Taichi jumped in and hit a lariat to Shingo. SANADA took out Taichi. Sabre used a head scissors on SANADA. Naito tried to save, but Sabre caught him in a submission while maintaining the hold on SANADA. Shingo slammed Kanemaru onto Sabre to break both holds.

DOUKI cradled Shingo for a near fall. Shingo then hit the Pumping Bomber and pinned DOUKI.

Winner: BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito via Pinfall.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Taiji Ishimori vs. El Desperado (c)

This was a great main event. Really good psychology. Both picked a body part and worked it over and worked it over for the entire length of the match.

Desperado broke cleanly after locking up. A chain wrestling sequence ended with Desperado escaping a Yes Lock before Ishimori could apply it. Ishimori then went after Desperado’s left arm, looking to soften him up for the Yes Lock.

Ishimori worked Desperado’s arm over the barricade. Ishimor posted the left arm and hit it with a chair. Ishimori exposed a buckle as Desperado sold his arm on the floor. Back in, Ishimori used a neck crank for a near fall.

Ishimori sent Desperado’s arm and shoulder into the exposed buckle. Ishimori posted the left shoulder, then hit a shoulder breaker. Desperado reversed a whip, then blocked a handspring kick. Desperado hit a knee breaker and a dragon screw to Ishimori’s left leg.

Desperado sent Ishimori into the barricade, then posted Ishimori’s left leg. Red Shoes tried to intercept a chair from Desperado. Desperado threw the referee down on the floor, then used the chair on Ishimori’s left leg. Back in, Desperado continued to hammer away at Ishimori’s left leg.

Ishimori caught Desperado in a cradle for a near fall, then used a sliding German. On the outside, Ishimori hit a Bloody Cross over the barricade. Back in, Ishimori hit a springboard 450. Desperado fought off a Bone Lock and made the ropes.

Ishimori went back after the left arm. Desperado ducked a lariat and hit an Angle slam. Ishimori blocked Guitarra de Angel and sent the referee into the exposed buckle for a ref bump.

With the referee down, both hit low blows at the 20 minute call. They traded strikes as Red Shoes was revived. Desperado hit a spinebuster for a near fall, then used the pinning position to set up Numero Dos. Ishimori reversed into a cradle for a near fall.

Ishimori tried La Mistica, but Desperado reversed into Guitarra de Angel for a near fall. Ishimori blocked Pinche Loco and sent Desperado into the exposed buckle. Ishimori used La Mistica to set up the Yes Lock. Desperado reversed into Numero Dos. ELP ran in and pulled the ref out of the ring for another ref bump.

ELP hit Sudden Death to Desperado. Kanemaru ran in and hit a dropkick to ELP, then dragged him to the back. Desperado hit a back suplex. Ishimori reversed Pinche Loco into a hurricanrana for a near fall. Ishimori hit Cipher Utaki for a two count.

Desperado reversed a loody Cross attempt into El Es Culero for a near fall. Ishimori reversed Pinche Loco into the Bone Lock. Ishimori rolled through into a Bloody Cross attempt, but Desperado blocked. Ishimori hit a series of strikes.

Desperado reversed a whip into the exposed buckle. Desperado hit a right hand and two Pinche Locos for the pin.

Winner: El Desperado via Pinfall to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.

Before Desperado coould cut his post-match promo, a Robbie Eagles promo played on the video wall. Eagles said that the junior heavyweight division has become more like a committee of vultures than anything else. Eagles said he needs to push past the vultures and make a declaration. Eagles said he was declaring himself the next challenger for Desperado.

Desperado cut a short promo after the match. He pointed out Hiromu Takahashi on commentary and told him to get back soon.

Desperado said he won the match, but can only talk like he lost. He said he might have dislocated his shoulder, but he just beat Ishimori.