All Japan Pro Wrestling: Champion Carnival April 19th 2025

We got almost 700 in Sanjo in the Niigata prefecture in the Sanjo City Welfare Hall and it looks…okay Japan kinda built 80% of their buildings in the same decade so it all KINDA looks the same but this one has a giant red curtain on the back at least.

Hideki Suzuki & Taishin Nagao vs. Hiroyuki Suzuki & Hokuto Omori

Background: So Hideki and Hokuto are both in the tournament thought not in the same block and Hideki’s Baka no Jidai stable of shooter-types who do some comedy stuff have faced Hokuto’s…Hokuto-Gun stable of big giant freak monsters. Their seconds are Taishin who is AJPW’s only true rookie at the moment, a short but spirited youngster in green trunks, and Hiroyuki, who is a local Niigata guy as AJPW always uses local dudes on their spot shows (I assume the locals provide ticket selling and training chances) and they then get a spot on the card in front of a larger crowd and some reps against bigger stars. Wrestling feudalism! Hideki is in purple here without kneepads in a look I just never love. Hokuto has the military dictator outfit and Hiroyuki has an undercut, a sorta cape deal, red, black, and yellow shorts, and a BIG OLE BELT so he must be the local champion. Interesting to showcase that but AJPW kinda exists between promotions.

The Match: Taishin and Hokuto start with some technical stuff to a standstill and then a lockup…that Nagao reverses in the ropes and gets a dirty break before Omori goes to the eyes and we get an international won by Nagao with a dropkick. The rookie actually kinda beats down Omori in the corner before a slam gets reversed and it’s Omori in control and then Hiroyuki tags in. Suzuki keeps it simple with some slugging and then a spinning slam before Omori is back in. Another eye gouge and a hip-toss gets 2 and then they work a crab a while before a break and Hiroyuki back in with a slam and a trio of elbow drops and that gets Hideki to come in to break up the pin. Taishin then turns a corner whip into a middle-rope dropkick and we get ‘hot’ (?) tag by Hideki who gets the body shots in the corner but then Hiroyuki turns a whip into a spear and that lets Omori come in. Strike flurry by Hokuto and then a low dropkick. Hokuto goes for a brainbuster but Hideki blocks and gets a Finlay Roll…and Taishin is BEGGING for the tag and Hideki relents. Nagao with a trio of dropkicks…and then Omori goes back to the eyes but Nagao lands the fourth dropkick anyway! Omori stumbles back into the corner off of Taishin’s forearms and the kid does an inside, outside thing where he vaults over the top-rope, goes for a springboard and kinda slips off for the dropkic…and just falls next to Hokuto who takes a bump anyway…ooof. It did kinda vaguely look like a springboard axehandle but maaaan. Poor Taishin. Luckily Hideki immediately slides in to set up a double-team, hey Suzuki is…trying and covering up for somebody else here! Anyway they get a double-dropkick and Nagao gets a Northern Light’s suplex but Hiroyuki breaks it up and we have a Pier 6 Brawl…okay maybe Pier 2.5 but Hiroyuki gets a high kick on Hideki and then a lariat on Taishin to set up a backdrop driver by Omori for 2.6 and then a crab again. Hiroyuki blocks Hideki and Omori cranks it in and Taishin taps.

**¼

Okay mostly just a regular opening match deal but with a bit more energy and I’ll throw props to Hideki helping cover for that Taishin botch. Hiroyuki seems like just a dude.

Kengo Mashimo [2] vs. Kuma Arashi [0] – A Block Match

Background: Kengo is a vicious, armbreaking outsider from the former Kaientai Dojo and now Active Advance Pro Wrestling (2AW) and he’s just this stubby ponytailed jerk. Kuma is a bear enthusiast who likes howling and is the friendliest member of Hokuto-Gun. A burly, big-bellied faux-hawked guy who, I need to repeat here, loves to howl.

The Match: Kuma starts with a howl and Kengo totally no-sells it before locking up. The Bear Enthusiast wins and gives a clean break and howls before Kengo rushes him to cut that off. A babyface pop in this household. International won by Kuma and we get another howl that Kengo cuts off. For the good of us all Kengo, the good of us all. They slug it out a bit and definitely aren’t being super stiff here but Kengo goes wobble-legged but when Kuma goes for a slam off of it it was a ruse and Kengo gets an armbar! That sneaky devil! Kengo works the arm for a while until Kuma makes the ropes, and then Mashimo does an almost William Regal bit where he hammerlocks Arashi’s arm with his legs while standing and acting dumbfounded the ref wants him to break, and when the ref tells him to knock it off Kengo falls back and wrenches the arm. Cute spot. Back to the arm with some strikes and then more strikes, and Kuma fires back with forearms that are politely described as gentle. Wristlock by Kengo is worked for a while before Kuma turns it into a short-arm lariat and then goes for the senton, but Kengo rolls to evade it and fires back with a penalty kick for 2 and then a Kimura after the kickout. Kuma gets the one-armed slam to counter that, follows with the senton that actually lands, and most importantly completes the howl while shaking out his arm. Corner clothesline, scoop slam, and Kuma goes for a middle-rope senton for 2. Kuma follows up with a torture rack and even does a full squat with it…but Kengo reverses into a Kimura and then a seated armbar before transitioning into a scissored armbar which I guess Mashimo calls the Mudo, even mixing in some hammer and anvil elbows when Kuma looks like he’s about to break free. Crowd actually claps for Kuma to breakout and the bear enthusiast finally makes the ropes to break it but Kengo keeps raining kicks down. Kuma is bear-ing down though and he stands up through the pain and shrugs off strikes as both guys exchange forearms. Kengo loses soe he goes back to the arm, wrenching it into a scissor kick (in the soccer sense) before trading more strikes but running into Kuma’s running crossbody. Arashi gets a gutwrench into a Dominator for 2.6 and I guess the arm is just fine now. A vault over the ring sets up a top-rope senton to the middle of the ring for 3.

**½

If Kuma hadn’t just totally shrugged off all the arm stuff for the finish I’d have gone higher, but it was still a perfectly fine match. Heel got heat, babyface came back and beat him. Just wish he hadn’t…totally ignored all the stuff the heel did at the end. Some decent comedy as well.

Post-match Kuma howls and Kengo points at him in a very Saturday morning cartoon villain way, just needed an “I’ll get you next time!” to complete the bit.

Aigle Blanc [0] vs. Ren Ayabe [0] – B Block Match

Background: Aigle Blanc is a up and coming French highflyer, he’s masked, he’s in good shape, he’s VERY skinny, he’s got long blonde hair beneath the mask and he’s wearing a pretty awesome fur coat for his entrance. Ren is very tall but lean and kinda smug despite being part of the top babyface stable. Aigle has the gold and white (obviously) while Ren is in the purple and red.

The Match: Circle, lockup…and Ren immediately throws Blanc down. Second lockup goes the same way and Ren flexes. THe third lockup Ren immediately backs Blanc into the ropes, pats his head as he gives the break and Blanc gets feisty and goes chest to chest before Ren cocks back a right hand and Blanc flinches…so Ren pats his head again. The Parisian demands revanche though and uncorks a slap…so Ayabe drops him with one right hand. Blanc is busting his butt bumping. Ayabe’s big boot is countered with a low-bridge and he tumbles outside, letting Aigle hit a tope and then a flipping plancha. The European follows with chops and strikes. Blanc rolls Ren back in, but he misses a springboard, eats a shoulderblock, a corner charge, and then Ayabe just steps on him before tossing the Frenchman outside. Ayabe drives Blanc into the barricade a few times, Blanc fires back a bit while Ren just sorta poses and shrugs if of, then drops Blanc with another single shot and whips him back at the barricade. Blanc vaults over and springboards back at Ayabe, only to be snatched out of the air and slammed on the mats while Ayabe rolls back into the ring and just sorta chills on the bottom rope with his feet up. Aigle finally makes it back and Ren has a great “seriously, I gotta keep whooping him?” face before he goes back to whooping him with a body slam and then a crab. Blanc gets to the ropes but Ren basically twists the Frenchman into a Liontamer for a while before finally breaking fully. Ren remains arrogant and he casually whips Aigle against the ropes letting the masked man get a reverse springboard crossbody, then ducks Ren’s strikes and counter with an enzuigiri…but he gets greedy with a brainbuster attempt and his back gives out but some of the Frenchman’s strikes land and he lands the springboard knee this time for 2. Blanc tries for a wrist-clutch something (almost looks like a Lightning Spiral) but his back is bad and a rebound off the ropes hurts him as well, letting Ren get another bodyslam and then when Aigle gets to the corner, a Yakuza kick for 2. Blanc floats over on a brainbuster attempt and goes for a sleeper…but Ren backs that into the corner. This doesn’t stop the fighting Frank though who goes for an octopus and then when Ren breaks a flying headscissors Rings of Saturn almost. Ren makes the ropes to break by basically falling into the. Blanc sees his chance and goes up, but Ayabe presses him off the top instead. Another slugfest and Blanc gets abused in it pretty badly but Aigle is French-ing up! Big boot! Second big boot! Ren goes for a Dragon Suplex but Blanc flips out and gets his own…but Ren pops up and gets a full-nelson slam for 2.6. Death Roulette attempt by Ren is turned into an inside cradle for 2 by Blanc, and then Aigle FINALLY gets his suplex lift into a spinning necbreaker (like Goldust’s Final Cut almost?) Aigle goes up again and Ren rolls to the side to rest in the corner…so Blanc gets a coast-to-coast dropkick instead. Hey a natural setup for that spot! But Blanc remains his back is toast and sells BIG after that bump. I like it! Aigle goes up again but the bad back costs him time and Ayabe rolls away from the 450 and lands a shotgun dropkick of his own cause Ayabe is ALSO athletic. Another Death Roulette is attempted by Ayabe, but Aigle still slips out of it and gets a gamengiri to dazzle Ren. And then a high kick to cutoff Ren’s lariat, and NOW the 450 lands…for 2.9. But Blanc, undaunted, gets the wrist-clutch and lands…it’s like the Made In Japan but but also it has a fireman’s carry component, but the final position is the Fear Factor between the legs pin. I’ll call it Made in Paris until I find the real name, it gets 3.

**¾

So I actually saw a LOT more out of both guys than I normally do. Blanc sold well (mostly) and played the outmatched by fiery babyface that wasn’t JUST a highflyer (though that was part of it) and Ren who still has clunky moments is filling out the in-between moments by embracing the fact that he’s 6’8” model looking guy with abs. I will say that I think that Ayabe is miscast in ELPIDA as a babyface and probably needs to turn heel against an increasingly babyface roster for the AJPW main-event guys. He almost reminds me of Jake Lee where he’s athletic but also very slow in his matches and focuses more on the character moments of dismissive arrogance. Match itself had a good story of size vs speed and also guts vs. arrogance as Ren took his foot off the gas and Aigle capitalized. I will say that I don’t like after a match of Blanc’s back going out, a guy kicks out of his main finish and then he goes to a power one to win. Good work by both though.

Davey Boy Smith Jr. [4] vs. XYON [2] – A Block Match

Background: Two foreigners from commonwealth countries (Davey Canadian, XYON Australian) they’re both former WWE guys of around a pretty similar size and weight, but of course DBSJ is much more credible as a second-generation guy with tons of tours in tons of countries and is a former Triple Crown champ in All Japan. XYON is on his first tour here and in his last match he almost paralyzed Kuma with a horrible powerbomb so hopefully this will go better. XYON has the Samoan tattoos and white pants and slicked back hair while Davey has his absolutely terrible white tights under red trunks and bleached blonde hair that’s just trying its best to survive. It’ll be interesting as I don’t think either have crossed paths before so who has the power advantage and all that will be interesting to see.

The Match: We get the pre-match handshake of good sportsdudeship and a big lockup as we’re wasting no time in figuring out who is stronger…and Davey wins! Okay. Clean break and XYON, to his credit, looks baffled by this…and just throws a right hand and gets a headlock before we trade shoulders and then strikes where XYON drops Davey with a spinning forearm. Smith powders and XYON collows with more rights on the outside before the Canadian counters a whip and it’s XYON’s turn to get pounded as he’s driven into the barricade and stomped out. Davey tosses XYON inside and climbs to the top to follow with…something but gets cut off and taken into a spinning Samoan drop out of an electric chair lift, this gets 2 and XYON follows with some kicky-punchy stuff. XYON chokes Davey on the ropes, then gets some knees and goes outside to get a 12-6 elbow on a sprawled over the apron Davey. More stomping on the outside before XYON sends Davey back in for 2. A nervehold of all things follows as this match feels like it’s out of 1991. Double-arm stretch and the fans clap a bit before Davey fires up and almost breaks before XYON gets some sneaky shots, a “hair” toss to the mat and then a falling headbutt before XYON busts out an honest-to-goodness cobra clutch, I’m in awe. Davey breaks free and gets some shots before the superior brawling of XYON gets the advantage, but the veteran cunning of Davey lets him stop his momentum after a corner whip and get a high back elbow to get a double-down. Funnily enough you still hear some high-pitched shouts of “XYON” from the fans even though he’s been working heel the whole match. Davey gets a series of forearms and then a terrible Jumbo knee for 2. Davey gets some stomps, a horrible scoop powerslam and then a leg drop for 2.8. German attempt by Davey is blocked and XYON attempts one but Davey turns that into a DDT for 2. Smith puts the Aussie on the top rope th set up a superplex but is headbutted down by XYON…but Smith guts it out and gets a running powerslam for 2.9 after a delayed count. Davey follows with a powerbomb attempt but XYON turns that into a fireman’s carry…before Davey slips out for a backdrop driver for 2. Dear lord, end this match. Davey is selling his leg a bit and XYON chopblocks him to set up a strike flurry and then goes up for a diving headbutt for 2. XYON is still getting the bulk of the cheers as he sets up a spear…that Davey dodges and XYON goes into the corner, backdrop driver number attempted by Davey is countered into a crossbody by XYON but Davey rolls through for 3.

*

Oooof. This was legitimately worse than the match that XYON almost paralyzed Kuma in, just…slow, plodding, boring, heatless (other than XYON’s fans screaming for him but he was the heel). I guess the story was Davey was stronger and more experienced and technical, but the wild brawling (AKA the tamest, lamest stuff you’ve ever seen) of XYON was supposed to carry him through. I suppose this is what you got on a WWF houseshow in Maine back in 1992 or something on the c-level tour but this was brutal. It at least had the semblance of a story but man this was really bad.

Handshake post-match and Davey continues to sell his leg and is helped to the back by some ring attendants.

Saito Brothers (Jun Saito & Rei Saito), Dan Tamura & MUSASHI vs. ELPIDA (Rising HAYATO & Yuma Anzai), Atsuki Aoyagi & Ryo Inoue

Background: The get all the other guys on the show match, this includes some real feuds as Carnival participants and rivals for the Triple Crown Jun and Rei Saito match up with ELPIDA members HAYATO and Yuma (okay HAYATO isn’t in the carnival). But we also have junior title happenings as current champion MUSASHI teams with fellow junior Tamura against HAYATO, Aoyagi, and Ryo. As far as titles are concerned, Jun is Triple Crown champ, MUSASHI is juniors champ, and HAYATO and Anzai are All Asia tag champs (secondary tag titles) so if some pinfalls happen here that can set up matches down the line.

The Match: Atsuki and Dan start and the lockup by Dan is immediately twisted into an Aoyagi headlock that they squirm around in and trade holds before resetting and we get a double tag into MUSASHI and HAYATO. Junior sequence with cheese as they do the business with armdrags and headscissors and HAYATO gets his fakeout dive taunt. MUSASHI bails then rolls back in for a low dropkick to set up an offensive flurry and his own dive…and he fakes it out and taunts before HAYATO’s team runs in to stomp him out. HAYATO tags in Anzai and MUSASHI runs wild on their attempted double-teams to set up Rei coming in to do the Rei Saito business on Yuma who sells it wonderfully. Chops, shoulderblocks, screeching, all the regular business you expect. Rei goes for the standing powerbomb but Anzai fights out and gets a pair of dropkicks to tag in Ryo who unleashes a flurry of kicks at a cornered Rei…who then runs over the rooke en route to tagging in Jun. Jun gets a whip but stops to pose and eats an enzuigiri before going for a chokeslam Ryo floats over to get another jump kick and Jun is now in staggered position so Atsuki gets a missile dropkick and that squad all teams on the champ. Anzai gets a corner elbow to set up HAYATO’s poetry in motion, Yuma with a belly-to-belly out of the corner and then Aoyagi’s standing moonsault. Ryo’s shoot kick gets a 2 count and the rookie keeps clubbering but when Jun boots down Inoue Yuma flies in again with a knee and it’s breaking down in Niigata when everyone runs in and we end with Atsuki getting a moonsault off the ringpost to a crowd of people before it’s back to Ryo peppering Jun with kicks and getting a short DDT for 2. Rei slides in to help his brother and the Saitos land a double chokeslam with a fantastic “OH NO!” sell from Ryo. Everybody brawls on the outside and Jun gets a delayed lift for like 30 seconds including him walking around before he lands the Jackhammer for 3.

**/14

Look it’s just…the match. And they did the match fine, but it’s just the match. The champion finally isolating on the most pinnable chump on the other side and rearranging his spinal chord on the finish was a nice touch at least.

Kento Miyahara [2] vs. Shotaro Ashino [0] – A Block Match

Background: Despite both being former Carnival winners, Kento and Shotaro are a combined 1-3 in the tournament so far. So this really is a battle to see if either of these erstwhile top dudes have much going on. The counterpoint being that Kento isn’t really erstwhile at all and is just a total stud with a ton of success while Shotaro has been a sort of fringe dude overall with one tournament win that he couldn’t even reap the benefits of as he broke his hand in the process of victory. Regardless it’s a suplex battle with loud, boisterous Kento verus cocky, stylish Shotaro…and okay the characters are totally different despite being sort of tweener guys that are faces but can easily work heel if the match demands it.

The Match: We start with grappling and a lot of stand stills as they bust our their technical acumen. Shotaro gets a headlock and cranks that for a while. International sets up Shotaro teasing the ankle lock and he gets some dirty strikes in the ropes but Kento rolls out gets apron offense which lets both go outside for a brawl. Both guys are kinda working heel here. Kento’s headbutts win the exchange and we go back in for a pose. Kento poses more on the outside and when he finally heads in to y’know, wrestle he gets caught with more dirty strikes by Shotaro and Ashino works Kento’s knees in the ropes. Shotaro continues the abuse on the outside by slamming a barricade door on Miyahara’s leg and flexing himself and we get some stomping on the leg and it’s back in for more basic leg heeling. Kento is screaming like a madman while Shotaro does the legwork. After 3 minutes Kento finally gets the double-dropkick comeback and we have a double-down so the Best of the Best can pose. Kento gets a few moves but Shotaro kicks the leg out of his leg and we get back to Ashino. Gutwrench by Shotaro but Kento no-sells and fires up and we have a big brawl. Shotaro wins but Kento fires up and lands a brainbuster for a double down. Kento recovers first and gets a Blackout Knee in the ropes but Shotaro follows with an ankle-lock and then a suplex…and then another submission. Kento slips free from the anklelock and gets a rollup and another Blackout for a double down. Kento is up first and he flexes before running into a Shotaro lariat and a backdrop driver for 2.8. Now Ashino taunts and sets up an exploder…that Kento elbows out of before Shotaro turns that into an anklelock. Miyahara tries a few reversals but Ashino stays on him. Kento eventually makes the ropes and gets a Blackout to set up him selling while Shotaro does some cartoon wobbling. Another Blackout gets 2.9 and we finally get the Shutdown German for 3.

**½

Just weird chemistry. I get the idea of the match but it felt like two dudes that wanted to call their match and it never quite clicked. I’ll admit I don’t QUITE get Shotaro and never have, but Kento doing his “argh my leg is ruined and I can’t move’ and gut through it stuff doesn’t quite work with Shotaro’s more back and forth pace and abuse thing. So we ended up with a weird hybrid that was…it was fine, but felt a bit disappointing given what I think on paper could be the results between both.

Yuma Aoyagi [2] vs. Ryuki Honda [2] – B Block Match

Background: Weirdly opposed despite not having a ton of interactions. Yuma is the suave, highly skilled, versatile laidback prankster, while Ryuki is the younger, clunkier, chunkier, brawler of the duo. Aoyagi is relaxed and sarcastic and maybe doesn’t take things seriously, while Honda is a sort of loud and boisterous goof that was not the first pick of the draft but still can clobber your socks off. Ryuki is in red and silver with the skull mask while Yuma is in his traditional blue gear.

The Match: Big lockup to start with Honda winning and giving a clean break. Aoyagi hugs the ropes a bit to stall before they lockup again and do some standing grappling with Ryuki dominating a wristlock and screaming before they do a headlock takeover sequence. Ryuki controls with more physicality, even shrugging off Yuma’s dropkick to drop him with a shoulder. We get the counting choke on the ropes and then outside Honda slams Aoyagi’s head on the apron and whips him into the barricade. Honda rolls Yuma back in…and Yuma keeps rolling to go outside again, so Honda pops out, rolls Yuma in again…who keeps rolling and drops outside while Ryuki gets increasingly mad. And when Honda stomps over to get him back in again…Yuma takes the legs out, whips Honda into the barricade a few times, and then rests inside to milk the count…and get a bulldog from the apron to send Ryuki into the barricade. Yuma stares some fans down and jaws with them a bit before going back in to milk the count. Honda back in and now Yuma steals his counting choke on the ropes while the ref looks thoroughly unimpressed. A piledriver follows for 2 and Yuma jaws with the ref and is definitely playing the heel here. Brainbuster attempt but Ryuki reverses and we get a double-down. Corner charge by Ryuki, spinebuster for 2, camel clutch! Yuma makes the ropes after an extensive test by the ref. Now Honda tries a brainbuster, Yuma floats over to the apron and Ryujki lariats him down and Aoyagi rests outside. Yuma back in and they trade corner charges and then we get a hockey fight…but Ryuki gets a spear and then Yuma gets a brainbuster. Double down again and now we get a slower-paced slugfest that goes on for a while before Yuma pulls out the Rock Bottom and goes up for a flying elbow for 2.6. Yuma goes up again and Ryuki cuts him off and they fight on the top-rope until Honda nails the superplex and then a lariat for 2.8. Final Vent is attempted by Honda but Yuma slips out and gets an O’Connor Roll for 2.9 and then Yuma gets his own lariat and then a brainbuster for 2.8. Honda brawls back but Yuma blocks a lariat and gets his spinkick for 2 before his Rockstar Buster gets 2.8. THe Fool is slipped out of and Honda ducks a second spinkick and lands a German and a close-range lariat gets 1, a running lariat gets 2 and then Ryuki gets his Final Vent for 3.

***

It had its sludgy moments but the brawler vs. technician thing was well-done. Honda just being this unstoppable wellspring of energy that is going to shrug off and overwhelm all of Yuma’s trickiness and offense bag is interesting and I would very much like to see this feud develop and progress. Also I think I need to see full-on heel Yuma. Good stuff if a bit bloated in the middle.

Afterwards I think Ryuki wins some green tea from some local sponsors and poses with them and makes silly faces.

Anyway hopefully I’ll be pumping these out more frequently, but Mania weekend is what it is.