Well now, if you’ve been paying attention the last few weeks, you know the Japanese tournaments have done a good job at encompassing a lot of my time. So there’s not a ton of TV beyond Impact, because I cover Impact. This week is similar, but I capped off last week with NXT TakeOver 31, so some names may look more familiar!

Since this week is just a Top 5, let’s see how last week’s vote shaped the September pool!

September MOTY Pool:

• NXT: Vacant NXT Championship: Finn Balor vs Adam Cole
• AEW All Out: AEW Tag Team Championship: Hangman Page & Kenny Omega (c) vs FTR
• AEW Dynamite: Parking Lot Fight: Santana & Ortiz vs Best Friends
• G1 Climax 30 Day 5: Kota Ibushi vs Tomohiro Ishii

As you can see, even though AEW and NXT have taken a small backseat to my priority list, they still are decently represented in the September Pool. Even though I like Ibushi vs Ishii better as a match, my vote will go to the Parking Lot Fight, because it was actually well orchestrated and capped off the story solidly.

Now on to this week!

Quick Top 5:

1. Victory Road: Impact World Championship: Eddie Edwards vs Eric Young (c)
   Rating: **** ½
2. TakeOver 31: NXT Championship: Kyle O’Reilly vs Finn Balor (c)
   Rating: **** ¼
3. N-1 Victory Day 6: A Block: Go Shiozaki vs Kaito Kiyomiya
   Rating: **** ¼
4. G1 Climax 30 Day 8: Tetsuya Naito vs SANADA
   Rating: **** ¼
5. G1 Climax 30 Day 6: Tetsuya Naito vs Hirooki Goto
   Rating: **** ¼

Honorable Mentions:

1. G1 Climax 30 Day 8: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs YOSHI-HASHI
   Rating: ****
2. G1 Climax 30 Day 7: Tomohiro Ishii vs Shingo Takagi
   Rating: ****
3. Victory Road: Four Way Tag Rules: Ace Austin w/Fulton vs Karl Anderson w/Gallows vs Alex Shelley w/Chris Sabin & Josh Alexander w/Ethan Page
   Rating: *** ¾
4. N-1 Victory Day 5: A Block: Masaaki Mochizuki vs Manabu Soya
   Rating: *** ¾
5. TakeOver 31: North American Championship: Johnny Gargano vs Damian Priest (c)
   Rating: *** ¾
6. G1 Climax 30 Day 6: Zack Sabre Jr vs KENTA
   Rating: *** ¾
7. N-1 Victory Day 6: B Block: Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Naomichi Marufuji
   Rating: *** ¾
8. G1 Climax 30 Day 7: Will Ospreay vs Jay White
   Rating: *** ¾
9. UWN Prime Time Live: NWA National Championship: Trevor Murdoch vs Aron Stevens(c)
   Rating: *** ½
10. TakeOver 31: NXT Women’s Championship: Io Shirai (c) vs Candice LeRae
    Rating: *** ½
11. G1 Climax 30 Day 6: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Juice Robinson
    Rating: *** ½
12. N-1 Victory Day 5: A Block: Go Shiozaki vs Masa Kitamiya
    Rating: *** ½
13. G1 Climax 30 Day 7: Taichi vs Kazuchika Okada
    Rating: *** ½
14. IMPACT!: The North vs Ace Austin & Madman Fulton
    Rating: *** ½
15. N-1 Victory Day 6: B Block: Kenoh vs Takashi Sugiura
    Rating: *** ½
16. Victory Road: Tenille Dashwood vs Jordynne Grace
    Rating: *** ½
17. TakeOver 31: Kushida vs Velveteen Dream
    Rating: *** ½
18. G1 Climax 30 Day 7: Jeff Cobb vs Kota Ibushi
    Rating: *** ¼
19. TakeOver 31: NXT Cruiserweight Championship: Santos Escobar (c) vs Isaiah Scott
    Rating: *** ¼
20. G1 Climax 30 Day 6: YOSHI-HASHI vs SANADA
    Rating: *** ¼
21. G1 Climax 30 Day 8: KENTA vs EVIL
    Rating: *** ¼
22. N-1 Victory Day 5: B Block: Naomichi Marufuji vs Shuhei Taniguchi
    Rating: *** ¼
23. NJPW Strong Ep. 9: LBC Semi-Final: Logan Riegel vs Clark Connors
    Rating: *** ¼
24. Victory Road: The Rascalz (Dez & Wentz) vs XXXL (Larry D & Acey Romero)
    Rating: *** ¼
25. NJPW Strong Ep. 9: Misterioso, Rocky Romero, Jeff Cobb & David Finlay vs KENTA, Jay White, Hikuleo & Chase Owens
    Rating: ***
26. N-1 Victory Day 6: A Block: Masa Kitamiya vs Masaaki Mochizuki
    Rating: ***
27. IMPACT!: The Rascalz (Dez & Wentz) vs The Good Brothers
    Rating: ***
28. NJPW Strong Ep. 9: LBC Semi-Final: Danny Limelight vs Blake Christian
    Rating: ***
29. G1 Climax 30 Day 8: Hirooki Goto vs Zack Sabre Jr
    Rating: ***
30. N-1 Victory Day 5: B Block: Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Yoshiki Inamura
    Rating: ***
31. Victory Road: Brian Myers vs Tommy Dreamer
    Rating: ***
32. UWN Prime Time Live Ep 3: United Tag Team Title: Real Money Brother$ vs SoCal Distancing(c)
    Rating: ***
33. Victory Road: Knockouts Championship: Susie w/Kylie Rae vs Deonna Purrazzo (c) w/ Kimber Lee
    Rating: ***

2t. G1 Climax 30 Day 6: Tetsuya Naito vs Hirooki Goto

From My Results:
Combinacion Cabron gets countered again, but Naito has a counter for the counter. An interesting swing and miss from Goto, leads to Naito wrenching the arm, bringing Goto down and applying Puma Blanca. Goto breaks the Puma Blanca, and then wrestle toward the corner and up to the top rope. What looked to be a chance for Naito to hit an Avalanche Frankensteiner, turned into Goto hitting a Superplex followed up by a Plancha to the outside (okay, Goto doesn’t fly much).

Goto rolls Naito back in, hits the Flying Elbow, but only a two count. GTW is attempted, Naito slides out, then there’s a little rope run dodging, Naito tries to grab and arm, but eats a Lariat for his trouble. When Goto tries to continue, Naito grabs a hold of the head for a quick Swing DDT. They both struggle to their feet and Naito batters Goto with three sets Back Elbows and tries to keep Goto down. Naito takes Goto to the top turnbuckle again, hits the Avalanche Frakensteiner and looks for the Running Destino.

Goto counters the Running Destino with a Reverse GTR, into a hanging Reverse GTR, but only a two. GTR attempted, fought out of, Goto then tries for GTW, but Naito counters with a Destino, and both men are down. Elbow exchange that Naito gets the best of, Goto counters with Ushigoroshi, Naito counters the next with a short Destino, and then Goto counters another Destino with GTW. Goto looks for the Round Kick, but Naito hits Valentia, then the Arm Wringer version of Destino, for the pinfall!

Winner: Naito via Destino

2t. G1 Climax 30 Day 8: Tetsuya Naito vs SANADA

From Mitchell’s Coverage:
Sanada squeezes tighter on Skull End, Naito scoots around but is fading! Red Shoes asks him but Naito refuses to quit. Naito gets his head free again, Sanada sits him up to get the dragon sleeper back! Sanada drags Naito from ropes to drop back down with the body scissors! Naito is caught but he still endures as fans still rally! Red Shoes asks, Naito is slow to respond, so Sanada drops him to go up top! MOONSAULT! But Naito moves and Sanada flops! Fans rally up as Naito gets to the corner. Naito sits up, watches Sanada stir and the fans rally harder. Sanada rises, Naito runs in, tilt-o-whirl but no Destino! SKULL END, but Naito slips out fast to try again, DESTINO HITS!! Cover, TWO!?!? Sanada survives and the fans are thunderous again!

Naito drags Sanada up, wrenches and tilt-o-whirls, but Sanada blocks Destino to flip Naito into the dragon sleeper! Naito slips through to suplex, Sanada kicks back, Valentia is just a normal brain buster now! But that still has Sanada in a daze and fans rally up again. Naito and Sanada head for each other, Naito gets a leg to then throw elbows and an enziguri! Naito drags Sanada back up, tries Valentia again, Sanada steals DESTINO!! Cover, TWO!! Naito survives but Sanada fires back up! Sanada goes up top, MOONSAULTS Naito on the back! Sanada goes again, MOONSAULT to Naito’s chest!! Cover, Sanada wins!!!!

Winner: SANADA via Moonsault

2t. N-1 Victory Day 6: A Block: Go Shiozaki vs Kaito Kiyomiya

From My Results:

The Sleeper Hold transitions into the Neck Crank that Kaito started employing, and it’s all smart offense. He wrenches on Shiozaki’s neck, which softens things for the Neck Crank or possibly the Tiger Suplex, all finishers that put pressure on the neck and shoulders. Shiozaki breaks the hold, looks worse for wear, but gets some space after a desperation lariat.

Kaito charges the corner, but Shiozaki gets a foot up. Then he grabs Kaito and powers him up to the middle rope for an Avalanche Brainbuster. Shortly after that, we see Shiozaki pull off the Go Flasher, but only for 2. Kaito fights back and we see Go grab him and pull of the Limit Breaker to slow the momentum. Kaito no sells a little, they face each other, charge and Shiozaki levels him with a Lariat. Shiozaki goes to the ropes for a Moonsault, but Kaito stops that and we see some positioning struggles.

A near Avalanche Brainbuster, turns into an Avalanche Reverse DDT from Kaito to Shiozaki, only a near fall though. Kaito then hits an Emerald Flowsion, again only for 2, but the damage seems to have been severe to Shiozaki’s neck. Tiger Suplex gets locked in, held on with a bridge and Kaito wins!

Winner: Kaito via Tiger Suplex Hold

2t. TakeOver 31: NXT Championship: Kyle O’Reilly vs Finn Balor (c)

From Mitchell’s Coverage:
Balor is stuck, Kyle has the legs for a DRAPING DRAGON SCREW! Balor tumbles down but Kyle drags him up again, for another DRAGON SCREW in the ropes! Kyle hurries to a corner as Balor is stuck again! FLYING KNEE DROP! Balor is down now but Kyle heads up top!? ANOTHER FLYING KNEE! And the KNEEBAR!! Balor endures as Kyle has the Achilles Lock!! Balor hurries to pry the hold apart but Kyle just shifts to another angle! Balor endures, kicks at Kyle, but that leg gets caught! DOUBLE HEEL HOOK!! Fans are electric as Balor punches Kyle! Kyle just wrenches both ankles again! Balor turns over, crawls and reaches, ROPEBREAK! Kyle has no choice but to let go! The crowd chants for “NXT! NXT!” for another incredible main event!

Kyle throws off the wrist tape in frustration as he grits his teeth. Kyle KICKS Balor in the leg and Balor falls over! Kyle hobbles and Balor flounders up, but Balor drops down to avoid another kick! Balor suckers Kyle into a trip up and DOUBLE STOMP! Kyle clutches his stomach, but he still runs in to KNEE Balor in the corner! GERMAN SUPLEX! But Balor’s right up to DOUBLE STOMP again!! Both men are down and the crowd is still fired up! Balor hobbles over to a corner and he drags himself up the ropes. Balor leaps, COUP DE GRACE!!! Cover, Balor wins!!

Winner: Balor via Coup de Grace

1. Victory Road: Impact World Championship: Eddie Edwards vs Eric Young (c)

From My Results:

The champion maintains control for a while as he finds different ways to torque on the injured ankle. Eddie flips through a Backdrop, but the ankle gives him trouble, so it’s a nice struggle of Eddie trying to block and fight back, while severely hampered. Eddie and EY start a chop exchange, which Eddie seems to get the best of, before EY hits a Forearm. Then when it looks like EY’s got him close, Blue Thunder…Face Buster, Inverted Blue Thunder Bomb…not sure, but it’s effective for Eddie.

Another Blue Thunder bomb gets Eddie a near fall, a TKO followed by the Edge of Sanity from EY gives him a near fall, and we see both men trying to just throw haymakers. Eddie manages to hit a Tiger Driver on like one and a half legs, then he goes for the Boston Knee Party, but EY gets his arms up to block. The fight up to the top turnbuckle, EY looks for an Avalanche DDT, but Eddie turns it into an Avalanche Blue Thunder Bomb. Eddie looks for another big move, perches EY, but EY counters by twisting Eddie’s legs and just throwing him knees first back on to the mat. Spinning Toe Hold from EY makes him look like an opportunistic genius, but Eddie’s shoe comes off, Boston Knee Party…but too close to the ropes and EY drapes the leg. EY kicks the leg, Piledriver, into Spinning Toe Hold and Eddie taps out!

Winner: EY via Spinning Toe Hold

Thoughts:

Now even if Steve Cook wasn’t a fan of the Balor vs O’Reilly match, I definitely appreciated the story that O’Reilly was supposed to be “a secret”, so you couldn’t have him come out immediately looking equal to a decorated champion. With that said though, Eric Young proved a lot to me in the Victory Road main event. Eddie Edwards has always been known as a good worker, just lacking on charisma; but this match checked a lot of boxes for me. It focused on Eddie’s heart and being able to fight through the pain, and EY’s delight in causing pain. So EY’s sadistic side is what kept Eddie in the match sometimes, and Eddie shined with the ring work he’s known for.

So if you couldn’t figure it out, Eric Young vs Eddie Edwards, gets my vote because that was a great story, great match and just really helped everything along for Bound for Glory.