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NJPW: 5 highlights from the first half of Best of the Super Juniors

By Corey Collins

OSAKA, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 03: Shingo Takagi looks on in the 3 Way Super Jr.Tag League Final during the Power Struggle - Super Jr. Tag League 2018 at Edion Arena Osaka on November 03, 2018 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
OSAKA, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 03: Shingo Takagi looks on in the 3 Way Super Jr.Tag League Final during the Power Struggle - Super Jr. Tag League 2018 at Edion Arena Osaka on November 03, 2018 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images) /
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This year’s New Japan Cup was not only the largest in history, but it also featured the standout performance of Young Lion Shota Umino.

Despite losing to Hiroshi Tanahashi in the first round (and who could blame him?), Umino fought with passion and had the crowd buying into every near fall. Throughout the entire Road To Wrestling Dontaku tour, Umino continued to look strong, determined, and furious.

One of Umino’s most comparable contemporaries is Ren Narita who suddenly found himself in the Best of the Super Juniors just days before the tournament was set to begin. Substituting for Flip Gordon who ran into visa issues, Narita has gone winless thus far, but has absolutely made himself a star among the current crop of Young Lions.

On the second night of the tour, Robbie Eagles battled Narita in the rookie’s hometown. With the packed crowd fully behind him, Narita nearly put Eagles away to the shock and delight of everybody watching on.

Narita pulled out another all-start performance against Bandido on May 22 but, once again, came up short in his quest for points in the block. With a list of daunting challenges ahead of him, including Will Ospreay and YOH, Narita will be hard-pressed to gain any points in this year’s tournament – but that’s to be expected.

Nobody actually thought Shota Umino would defeat Tanahashi in the New Japan Cup until the bell rang and Umino unleashed on the ‘Ace of the Universe’. In the same fashion, Narita looks like an easy 2 points for all of his opponents on paper. When the bell rings though, all bets are off.

After nearly putting away both Eagles and Bandido in outstanding matches, Narita is going to be a force to be reckoned with in his remaining four matches. Unlike the New Japan Cup, the Best of the Super Juniors isn’t a one-and-done situation. Narita is in this tournament until the very end and still stands a chance to pick up at least one moral victory to crack the goose egg hanging over his head.

More than anything though, Narita is gaining valuable experience and whetting the appetite of the New Japan faithful as he continues on his journey to break the Young Lion shackles and become a tried and true member of the full roster.

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