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NJPW Power Struggle 2020: Minoru Suzuki vs. Shingo Takagi for the NEVER Openweight Championship
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Our next match at Power Struggle 2020 was Minoru Suzuki against Shingo Takagi for the NEVER Openweight Championship. These two men have met twice at Summer Struggle in Jingu and in the G1 Climax 30 with them splitting those meetings.
Takagi had his back taped, following continued Boston Crab submissions from Suzuki on the Road To shows. Suzuki and Takagi charged each other and exchange forearms to start this contest at Power Struggle. Shingo Takagi blocked the armbar, but Suzuki locked it in from the opposite way before giving Takagi a big boot sending him to the floor.
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Suzuki worked over the back by running Takagi into the guardrail. Suzuki grabbed a steel chair and nailed Shingo in the back. He once again locked on a single leg crab to work over Takagi's back. Back in the ring, Suzuki battered his back before Shingo caught a penalty kick and hit a Saito Suplex. Takagi then hit a back first dragon elbow drop from the top for a two count.
Shingo Takagi taunted Minoru Suzuki with kicks to the head, which made Suzuki smile. The two men traded stiff strikes again in this Power Struggle battle. Takagi reversed the Gotch Piledriver into a Death Valley Driver, which Suzuki no sold.
Suzuki responded with a penalty kick that Takagi no sold and hit a lariat. Both men were down, which gets a response from the Osaka crowd at Power Struggle. Minoru Suzuki hit forearms to the back, but Shingo Takagi responded with a DDT and sliding lariat. Takagi's back gave out on a Made In Japan attempt. Suzuki looked for the Boston Crab, but Takagi made it to the ropes.
Suzuki locked on the Boston Crab focusing on the back, but Takagi made it to the ropes again. Suzuki locked on the sleeper hold and transitioned into the Gotch Style Piledriver, but Shingo Takagi fought out. The two men traded headbutts until Takagi met a running Suzuki with a stiff forearm. Shingo Takagi nailed Minoru Suzuki with a series of lariats but Suzuki didn't fall down, asking him for more instead.
Shingo Takagi finally got Minoru Suzuki off his feet with a Pumping Bomber. Takagi followed with the Last of the Dragon to end this encounter and win the NEVER Openweight Championship at Power Struggle.
That was an absolute banger. It featured stiff strikes and the type of hard-hitting showcase you expect from the NEVER Openweight Championship. These two men have produced a bruising trilogy of encounters with the final being here at Power Struggle.
Result: Shingo Takagi defeats Minoru Suzuki via pinfall (18:56)
Star Rating: ****1/2
