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00:00.
00:17It's been a while, Capes, since we've seen you in New Japan Circles.
00:20During that time, a couple of guys have managed to make
00:25their first challenges to AWGP Junior Heavyweight gold.
00:29They have.
00:30And we're going to see them face up against each other here tonight.
00:34Francesco Acura.
00:35Two young prospects that I have a lot of history with, Francesco Acura and Kosei Fujita.
00:42Rightfully so.
00:43They challenged for that belt because you know they, what they in their young, early 20s.
00:47They look good.
00:48They play good.
00:49So they're trying to get paid good.
00:50So they got to challenge that guy destined for that belt.
00:53So I only respect that.
00:54I just want to get my shot.
00:55That's all.
00:56I just want to get my shot.
00:57Francesco Acura.
01:02Keep your eyes on the official New Japan English YouTube page.
01:07It's going to have a special documentary dropping Monday with Francesco Acura.
01:14How we've prepared for this year's best of the Super Genius.
01:17Special insights from none other than Tajiri.
01:19It was great to see Tajiri the other day.
01:21The OG.
01:22You know how many times I've seen Smith in my brother's face?
01:25Yeah, what's up, Akira?
01:26What do you say?
01:27Hey, what do you say?
01:28Hey, both.
01:31Come join us.
01:32Come join us.
01:33Come join us.
01:34I think Ajiri is a little bit jealous because I'm going to pay from both sides of the land.
01:39So they might be a little, a little envious.
01:42I think Akira might have politiced his way into a guest commentary spot later on in the tour.
01:49But in the meantime, well it's not just Nick Wayne looking to become the youngest of the Super Juniors.
01:57Kosei boots up at 22 years of age.
02:01Should he win, will also beat the record that Will Ospreay set in 2016 and the youngest ever winner of this tournament.
02:13And you know what?
02:14He has the feel.
02:15He has the history.
02:16He's already the youngest IWGT junior heavyweight tag champion.
02:19So I think he can do a great job if he gets that shot of doing the best Super Juniors.
02:25If he sees me in the final, if he sees the Jett in the final, it's Curtis.
02:30Translation in the show.
02:39A bitch that might be young.
02:42But just like with Nick Wayne earlier, that doesn't mean he doesn't know hardship, doesn't know struggle.
02:49Not at all.
02:50He's been fighting since he was a young child and fighting for Best's Super Junior glory here tonight.
03:00Jacob Austin Young there in the corner of Francesco Akira.
03:03Jacob Austin Young picked on some good size recently.
03:06He's been doing the stay out there in the dojo.
03:08Eating a good chonko, doing the squats, doing the line push-ups.
03:12I respect him.
03:13And here we go.
03:15And we've seen it in our first couple of matches.
03:18They're getting right to it.
03:19I like this, Chris.
03:20I like this.
03:21Kosei Fujita was a national amateur wrestler in high school.
03:26Back here, trying to stay right with him.
03:28Okay.
03:29We've seen a couple of matches already.
03:33Nick Wayne having his arm worked over and Dragon Dio with the leg.
03:38Always.
03:39Kosei Fujita really for over a year now has been dealing with shoulder issues.
03:48But sometimes dealing with issues makes you a better wrestler, makes you a little bit smarter,
03:52makes you work a little bit more efficiently to really make your moves mean something.
03:59Work around it.
04:00So I respect Fujita for always pushing through.
04:02You know he got a win over us at Wrestle Kingdom.
04:06We didn't get our rematch.
04:08But that's okay.
04:09I'm not salty.
04:10We gonna get that back soon.
04:11Okay.
04:12Okay, Fujita.
04:13Okay.
04:14Okay.
04:15Okay.
04:16Okay.
04:17You want more?
04:18Okay.
04:19Okay.
04:22Okay.
04:23Okay.
04:24Okay.
04:25Okay.
04:26Okay.
04:27Okay.
04:28Okay.
04:29Okay.
04:30Okay.
04:31And Akira is in his bag.
04:35High tight leg Larry caught him right in the moose.
04:38Oh, and here comes the attitude and that passion.
04:43Akira.
04:44Ooh.
04:45No, no, no.
04:46Akira, come here, please.
04:47Come here.
04:48Come here.
04:49Come here.
04:50I thought we was gonna have to move a little bit of furniture over here, Chris.
04:53It's getting a little hot.
04:54Akira!
04:55This is why I keep all my notes analog style.
04:57I'm not like you youngins taking notes on laptops.
05:00I'm gonna get that stuff smash.
05:02I like that.
05:03Oh, man.
05:04Translator.
05:05Translator.
05:06Translator.
05:07Yeah.
05:08Time to take a picture for all the fans in the front row.
05:10And this is...
05:11Okay.
05:12Something...
05:13You know, I think this is what TJP instilled in Francesco Akira, but he's taken it onto a
05:17whole different level.
05:18It's just that the attitude that Akira has Kevin is...
05:19You know, TJP isn't on his tour, so Akira's allowed to let loose a little bit.
05:21He's allowed to really let that Italian fire really be out there.
05:23Dude!
05:24Man!
05:25Talk smack and whacked, and Akira driven, lower back first.
05:30This is some great action right here, Chris.
05:31I love it.
05:32No, no, no, no!
05:33No, no, no, no!
05:34It's just that the attitude that Akira has Kevin is...
05:36You know, TJP is alone on his tour, so Akira's allowed to let loose a little bit.
05:38He's allowed to really let that Italian fire really be out there.
05:40Dude!
05:41Man!
05:42Talk smack and whacked, and Akira driven, lower back first.
05:45Oh, no, no!
05:46Oh, no!
05:47Oh, no!
05:48Oh, no!
05:49This is some great action right here, Chris.
05:50I love it!
05:51No, no, no!
05:52No, no, no!
05:53No, no, no!
05:54No, no, no!
05:55No, no, no!
05:56No, no!
05:57No, no, no!
05:58No, no, no!
05:59No, no, no!
06:00No, no, no!
06:01No, no, no!
06:02No, no!
06:03Oh!
06:04Okay, come on!
06:05You see, Fuchta with his chest lit up red.
06:08Yeah!
06:09Oh!
06:10Oh!
06:11Oh!
06:12Fuchta wasn't necessarily...
06:13Oh, man!
06:14Uh-oh!
06:16Oh!
06:17Oh!
06:18Smart.
06:19Smart.
06:20See, Akira's a student of the game.
06:21He's trilingual.
06:22He knows Italian, English, Japanese, so...
06:26Oh, I thought he almost had one.
06:29That translates in the ring where he really knows how to pick his spots.
06:33Akira was maybe 23, 24 at the max.
06:36He's been doing this a long time as well, so he knows what he's doing.
06:39And when you have the inference of someone like Tajiri on your in-work,
06:43you know all of those ins and outs.
06:46And Fuchta had been stuffing knocked out of him.
06:54Akira into the cover, gets two.
06:58And pulling right up.
06:59No, hold on.
07:01When did Akira learn that?
07:02See, I'm glad I'm out here watching this because I haven't been in New Japan in a couple of months,
07:08so people have been getting out new moves, new energy, you know, new gear, new music.
07:14So I'm glad to see the landscape, glad to see my competition.
07:17Because when I see these dudes in the finals, I know exactly what to prepare for.
07:23Interesting, Kev, to see Akira apply something like a bear hug effectively on Francesco Akira here,
07:30which is for a smaller guy to do that, not something we usually see.
07:33Don't sweep on Akira.
07:34Don't sweep on Akira.
07:35He like that Italian fire, so he's been in the waiting room.
07:37You know, he's sneaky strong.
07:44Going to take the wind out of Jose Fuchta here.
07:49And it was Fuchta challenged Desperado and Corica in Hall,
07:53and it was Akira that came out and challenged Desperado immediately afterwards.
07:58And, man, if a young punk like you could call his own shot and just jump the line,
08:04then why have an eye all this time?
08:05You know, I think the ship on the shoulder of Akira.
08:09I think they're hanging there.
08:12A couple of days in the dojo, get you some squats, some line pushups, some chanko.
08:16Six weeks, I got you.
08:18Yeah!
08:19Okay!
08:20Fuchta has not been the same ever since that spill over that top rope cab,
08:33and really having trouble sucking air into his youngs.
08:37Yeees!
08:38Gotta watch out for that.
08:46And, whoa!
08:48That boy is good.
08:49Blistering.
08:50Blistering.
08:51Blistering right foot.
08:54With Kose Fuchta.
09:02This is one of those matches, Kevra, I think.
09:04If they weren't in the same block, you could easily say a Fuchta Akira final.
09:11Whoa!
09:12That all depends if one of them was not in the block of the Jets.
09:15So, yes, I agree with you halfway.
09:16Whoa, a hair faster.
09:23Come on, Akira!
09:24Slap the taste out of Akira, springboard up high, my goodness.
09:30A lot of impact.
09:33Cover gets two, and Assange says not.
09:37A lot of quick moves, quick covers.
09:47Smile for Fuchta, but at the same time, probably an indication that he might be hurting a little bit.
09:52Just slightly, you see the take, you see the face.
09:56The fool's just trying to make it through.
09:59Trying to summon up that core strength on Akira.
10:01Akira gets low, avoids the German suplex.
10:06Smart.
10:07Oh, so is this a submission.
10:12Hold him here.
10:13Is that Neyoshi's special?
10:15What you going for here?
10:16What you going for here, Chris?
10:17Neyoshi's special, this is him doing this move on the ladder, was what led him and Robbie Eagles to the Junior Tag Championships.
10:28See, I didn't even see that because I was outside.
10:31I took a long spill, so it's been a while.
10:33It was a blur.
10:46That makes that abandoned hope from that position.
10:49Akira says no.
10:50Hang on.
10:51Uh-oh, uh-oh.
10:52I got to move some furniture.
10:53Hold on, Chris.
10:54Hold on.
10:55God's trying to catch us here.
10:56Ooh.
11:03Here, Italia.
11:05Inbound!
11:08Segoini.
11:22Hey, you gotta pay for that, that breaks Akira.
11:24Like, yeah.
11:25Or at least get us a new one.
11:27Six.
11:28Ten.
11:29Eight.
11:34All right, Akira.
11:35Feeling it, feeling the energy of these fans in Chiba.
11:38Fitch tearing a whole world of trouble.
11:41Oh!
11:42She took a little bit too much time.
11:43Strangle Cavana misses inside!
11:45No!
11:46See if he would have stayed focused, he might have landed that.
11:50He might have landed that one.
11:51Well, Fujita still has to work from underneath here.
11:54Come on, Akira!
11:55Come on!
11:56This time, oh, there's so much strength in that frame of Kose Fujita.
12:02Pulls him in.
12:06Oh!
12:10Oh!
12:11Oh!
12:12Oh!
12:13Again, that chop.
12:15Woo!
12:16These boys going at it, Chris.
12:21Going at it, Chris.
12:24Now, Finkster trying to summon up something.
12:31There might be abandoned hope.
12:35Denied.
12:38Fireplex, there's that strength you mentioned.
12:41Oh, and look at that.
12:42And now it's close.
12:44The bridge there was insane.
12:46Right up on his forehead was accurate.
12:472.999.
12:49Man, Mizzou, how do you say that in Japanese?
12:532.99.
12:55Okay, okay, I'm about to write that down.
13:07Kosei Fujita wasn't necessarily brought up on the wrong side of the track
13:11so much as there was never a right side of the tracks.
13:14He's going to summon up, try to.
13:16Boy, everything he learned on the streets,
13:19but not after speed fire from Acura.
13:25And the fireball to the back of the head is going to do it.
13:30There he is, he's loading him up.
13:32Chris, he's loading him up.
13:34Oh.
13:35Good reaction.
13:36Yes!
13:36Sense stick coming.
13:37Oh, that chump again.
13:40Ooh.
13:40Go, go, go.
13:42A heavyweight Lariato.
13:44Heavy, the Lariato.
13:46The investors take the genius.
13:48Go, go, go.
13:49Go, go.
13:50Go, go, go.
13:51Go, go, go.
13:52Go, go, go.
13:53Go, go, go.
13:54Go, go, go.
13:55Go, go, go.
13:56Go, go, go.
13:57Go, go, go.
13:58Go, go, go.
13:59Oh, wait, wait, wait.
14:03Great try for an O'Connor roll tonight inside.
14:06Cradle hooked him up tight, nearly.
14:09Oh, close.
14:10Oh, and this could go either way here.
14:14Oh, got it.
14:16Jeez, what a German.
14:18And Acura, some way, finds his feet.
14:22Oh.
14:24He's one of the stronger.
14:32There it is.
14:34Oh, high and tight.
14:36No.
14:37Come on, Marty-san.
14:38Marty Asami slowed down on that one.
14:42He's still got the Hulk and he's still got that boots and
14:45grip around the waist.
14:46And Francesco Acura.
14:47Transition sets him up, here we go, no.
14:57And again, back to that weakened gut, but oh my goodness.
15:11Fujita.
15:12Whoa.
15:13Whoa.
15:15Goal dropped.
15:16That might be it.
15:17Francesco Acura, that's gonna be it.
15:19The cover, the two, and yes.
15:21What a fight.
15:26Whoa.
15:27That right there, ladies and gentlemen,
15:34is Sidney Hall Pro-Rest.
15:36Everything we love to see.
15:44Out of the best of the Super-Judias.
15:47A high-friant power, strikes, and most importantly,
15:52guts.
15:53And it was the guts of Josef Wunster, which sold through over
15:58Acura.
15:59And a little dash of something new there on the finish has put
16:03in the lead with two points.
16:05Francesco Acura will have to turn around to Corcoran Hall, May 14th and face a guy who beat him.
16:10last year out in Ninja Mac.
16:17That's some good work right there.
16:18That's some good work.
16:19That's some good work right there.
16:20That's some good work.
16:21If it's not Kushida, I would love to face this man in the finals.
16:28If it's not Kushida, I would love to face this man in the finals.
16:43If it's not Kushida, I would love to face this man in the finals.
16:46If it's not Kushida, I would love to face this man in the finals.
16:52If it's not Kushida saying whatever it takes, I'm going to win this one.
16:57On to a hell of a start.
17:07And oh, it'll be the main event Wednesday night.
17:11Hiromu Takahashi and Kosei Fushida, the Japanese young punk,
17:16looking to take down perhaps the biggest of the big three in junior heavyweight wrestling.
17:21Horomu Takahashi is the measuring stick.
17:26A multi-time winner of this tournament.
17:28A multi-time IWGE heavyweight champion.
17:31Just a legend in this company total.