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Taiji Ishimori vs Hiromu Takahashi for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2)
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Our semi main event for Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2 was Taiji Ishimori defending the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Hiromu Takahashi. Ishimori defeated Hiromu to win the title back at Summer Struggle in Jingu. Takahashi then won the Best of Super Juniors 27 and beat El Phantasmo yesterday to gain this opportunity.
Things started fast in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2 semi main event. A series of reversals brought the action to the apron. Hiromu went for the sunset flip powerbomb, but Ishimori flipped out and ran into a pop up powerbomb from Takahashi into the apron. Hiromu slammed Taiji on the ramp and went up the aisle. He went for a running dropkick, but Ishimori caught him and hit a side suplex.
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Ishimori then hit a moonsault from the second rope to the outside. Taiji removed the corner mat and ran Hiromu shoulder first into the steel, then back in the ring. The champion then attacked the hand and shoulder to weaken the challenger in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2 title match. Hiromu moved out of the way of the sliding German and hit a hurricarana.
Action in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 battle went to the floor where Takahashi hit the shotgun dropkick off the apron to the floor. Back in the ring, he followed with the falcon arrow for two. Ishimori countered a corner attack with an enziguri and followed with the sliding German. He then hit a springboard 450 onto the injured shoulder. Ishimori then locked in the Yes Lock, but Hiromu made the ropes.
Ishimori reversed a pop up powerbomb into a hurricanrana, but Hiromu reversed a corner attack into a belly to belly suplex into the corner. Takahashi hit a wheelbarrow into a complete shot and followed with the DVD into the corner. He then hit a DVD in the center of the ring.
The two men traded kicks. Hiromu countered a handspring kick into a German suplex, but Ishimori came back with a Canadian destroyer. They traded strikes center-ring with Ishimori getting control with repeated stiff forearms. Ishimori then applied the Yes Lock with Takahashi bleeding from the nose in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 encounter. Hiromu made it to the ropes to break the submission.
Hiromu reversed the tilt twirl into the Victory Royal for two. Takahashi followed with a lariat and then a DVD into the exposed turnbuckle. He hit the Time Bomb on Ishimori for a near fall. After a series of counters, Ishimori reversed Victory Royal into the Yes Lock. He then looked for Bloody Cross, but Hiromu reversed into a corkscrew Victory Royal. He then followed with Time Bomb 2 for the win and new champion in over 25 minutes at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2.
This was a sensational IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match. It had insane pacing, awe inspiring sequences and a hard hitting undertone. This was a great performance by both men at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2.
Results: Hiromu Takahashi defeats Taiji Ishimori via pinfall (new champion)
Star Rating: ****1/4
