All Japan Pro Wrestling: Champion Carnival May 10th 2025

We’re in Sapporo in the APA Hotel & Resort and we got 500+ people in what appears to be a beige conference room that has zero acoustic controls as this room is echoing as all getup. There is a very cool chandelier made of extended square prisms. Oh, and no ring barricade.

Hideki Suzuki, MUSASHI & Tomoya vs. Atsuki Aoyagi, Rising HAYATO & Taishin Nagao

Background: So Hideki won the A-Block, MUSASHI is junior champ, and Tomoya is uh…some old local guy, bald and in good shape. Atsuki and HAYATO are both juniors and former partners, though now they’re kind of part of opposite crews, Taishin is the AJPW young boy, very small but has something going with his fiery comebacks.

The Match: Taishin and Hideki start and my goodness Suzuki is taller. Standing grappling and Nagao actually does okay until Hideki offers a handshake, Nagao slaps it away, but Hideki keeps offering and Taishin takes it and yeah we get the cheapshot. MUSASHI is in and he stomps on the kid in the corner and then distracts the ref so Hideki and Tomoya can do the work from outside. Taishin tags out to HAYATO though and Rising has his sequence with MUSASHI that I might have seen a million times. HAYATO gets the flying headscissors, MUSASHI powders, HAYATO teases the dive and taunts instead. I guess this time is different cause after that HAYATO gets the big overhand chop and now it’s back to Taishin who can’t land the suplex and gets reversed into a slam and MUSASHI brings in Tomoya. Who just slugs away. He’s bald and beefy and has lavender trunks and no sells a chop with a titty jiggle before getting his own chops and then a delayed brainbuster. Okay he’s 52 but I’m digging this. Hideki in with some chops and then it’s MUSASHI and Taishin is selling his tail off. MUSASHI gets a strike flurry but Taishin gets The Dropkick and in comes Atsuki to be athletic and do the flips and that clears out the champ. Tons of reversals has a superkick by Atsuki but MUSASHI runs wild with a series of stuff and in comes Tomoya with some chops and then a catapult of all things (that Atsuki eats like a lunatic, just FLIES into the turnbuckle). Tomoya with more monster chops and a corner elbow and then he amps up the crowd with a low superkick that gets blocked and Atsuki fires back and finishes with a handspring kick. Taishin is in with the dropkicks but that lets Hideki tag-in and the vet gets a backslide before Nagao continues his dropkick flurry and it’s all breaking down in Sapporo and we all get our stuff in. Reset to Hideki and Taishin and the vet’s brainbuster is reversed into a Nagao Northern Lights and then a big right hand is stopped with a belly-to-backbreaker for 2.9. Hideki gets the double-arm suplex to follow.

**½

Look this is what it is but it was what it was. Solid match.

Hokuto Omori [4] vs. Rei Saito [6] – B Block Match

Background: Weird chemistry here as both guys are willing to cheat but Hokuto is more of a sneaky dick-kick guy and Rei is more blatant chokes and using the ropes. Both are strikers but while Hokuto has MMA elbows and KO forearms Rei is more chops and slaps which makes sense given his sumo background. Also Rei is like twice Hokuto’s size. Oh, Omori has no chance but Rei can win out and get the shot and Omori can play spoiler. Oh and I just remembered that Hokuto is a hometown boy being born in the Sapporo suburbs.

The Match: Lockup, Omori gets destroyed but he reverses, blows a kiss and Rei responds by just shoving him and they do some shoulderblock stuff (to good heat) and Omori gets demolished and then powders. And Rei actually doesn’t go outside and Omori rope-a-dopes back in with a low dropkick before Omori goes for the slam and Rei reverses to a crossbody YA DUMMY! Rei with the continued dominance and we get some stomps and chops and more chops. Rei gets the fakeout chop (in the middle and not the corner) and gets 2 off of that. Hokuto is just getting worn out. And Rei just steps on Omori with the ropes, the ref calls him off and then Saito tells the Ref to check out fans so he can do it again. I laughed. Rei gets the standing butt drop for 2.6 and goes for the powerbomb afterwards so Omori sunset flips and we get another butt drop attempt but obviously Omori rolls away and he’s firing back, gamengiri! KO forearm! Low dropkick! Brainbuster attempt is stuffed but a rolling elbow sets up brainbuster number 2 that also fails and Rei gets the corner spam chop and a shoulder for 2. Chokeslam attempt but Hokuto uses speed and then blocks the big bear paws from Rei with boxing and lands a series of forearms and NOW lands the brainbuster. Rule of 3 every time! Hokuto gets a frog splash for 2.6 and then goes up again and for his hubris Rei slams him off the top…but Omori uses his tricks to get a RKO for 2 but now Omori gets over-confident and runs into a Rei crossbody and a goozle slap for 2.8, and now the standing powerbomb and an one-handed cover get the 3.

**¾

It started to come together through the match that Hokuto was working all babyface cause well…he’s the local guy, and when I stopped being a big ole dummy I thought they did an excellent job at it. It’s just sort of a match but decent heat, they kept it in the ring, and Omori managed to play his character differently. Well done lads. On another note, I do wonder what Hokuto lacks to really crack into being a good and not just fine worker.

Aigle Blanc [4] vs. Ryuki Honda [8] – B Block Match

Background: Honda has clear tiebreakers and if he wins out he’s winning the block. Blanc is toast but can be spoiler. Ryuki is an energetic brawling guy with some meat on his bones, Blanc has all bones and very little meat and is a high-flying masked Frenchman. Definite contrast here.

The Match: Slugfest to start until we get an international that Aigle wins with a standing somersault. Ryuki gives him props and they do the junior sequences and now it’s Ryuki who gets a roll (though not landing on his feet). Ha. And now Ryuki just throws a shoulder to knock Blanc down and yeah, does the choke on the ropes a few times. Some more strikes have Ryuki in control and Aigle tries to slug it out but runs into a spinebuster…that Blanc slips out of and gets some fancy kicks that knock Honda outside and the Frenchman follows with a moonsault to the outside and some posing. Back in and Aigle tries his flying headscissors drop and Honda doesn’t bump for it right and it looks AWFUL. Aigle gets a facelock of all things while they desperately talk out their chemistry and then Blanc gets a chop that Honda sells huge and they go back to struggling for suplexes. This match is falling apart but they reset with Aigle missing a reverse crossbody and Honda getting a shoulderblock and then a corner charge sets up a brainbuster. Chinlock next and they’re back to talking out something cause their jaws are moving. Blanc breaks on the ropes. Final Vent attempt by Ryuki but Aigle gets a crossbody instead and then a spinning neckbraker into the springboard knee for 2. 450 attempt follows but Ryuki dodges and we get the slugfest again. Blanc with a Dragon suplex but Ryuki no-sells and gets a German. Knee by Blanc, lariat by Ryuki…lariat by Aigle (?!) and a double down. Both guys go up and Blanc tries a super Dragon suplex but that gets blocked so he gets Honda in a tree of woe and they do an upside-down chop-fest spot before Blanc remembers he should do moves he’s good at and we get a coast to coast dropkick. Springboard follows by Blanc but that gets turned into a spinebuster in a legitimately nice spot and then a spear by Honda sets up his lariat but Aigle gets a backslide…and Honda finally lands the lariat for 2. Final Vent attempt number 2 is turned into a DDT and then Blanc gets the 450 for 2.8…Made in Paris follows for 3.

*

Utter disaster of a match. Boring, nonsensical, and botchy are a bad way to go through life and this had it all in spades. Aigle Blanc is a bad brawler who was unbelievable matching up with the bigger Honda. Ryuki is not athletic enough to take the bumps required for Blanc’s high-flying offense. So you either had sloppy high-flying or bad brawling, and to make it work Honda started bumping big for this twig half his size who had not dominated matches with brawling before. A few decent sequences and a good finish (plus not overstaying its welcome) keep this in the bad not terrible camp.

Davey Boy Smith Jr., Mike D Vecchio & XYON vs. Jun Saito, Kento Miyahara & Shotaro Ashino

Background: Mostly A-Block guys in a tag between gaijin and native types. Though Jun, Kento, and Shotaro probably have more heat against each other than their opponents.

The Match: Davey and Kento start, lockup, Davey wins, gives the clean break, and we get a handshake. Headlock and some shoulders that Davey dominates and we get the technical reversal stalemate with Davey kipping up and mocking Kento’s taunts so Miyahara powders and sulks. We get a double-tag and in comes XYON and Shotaro. They do some standing grappling and Ashino quickly ges the better with an anklelock but XYON breaks and shows off his power with a gutwrench. But the native guys all run-in to big-boot XYON before Kento ‘accidentally’ boots Shotaro and we get the gaijin running in and it’s back to the Aussie and Shotaro. Mike tags in to get a delayed standing brainbuster on Ashino for 2. The gaijin all triple team Shotaro for a while with quick tags until a spinning uppercut takes out Davey and it’s in with Jun for the hot-tag. Yakuza kick, shoulderblock, and running elbow drop on Davey and Saito UNLEASHES THE HAIR. Chokeslam attempt is turning into an overhand chop instead, but Davey comes back with a scoop powerslam. XYON with his strike flurry and a pump kick to set up his spinning Samoan drop for 2. Kento just being super jazzed for his teammates ringside is hilarious. XYON goes up but his diving something is turned into Jun’s chokeslam and a 2 count and Kento tags in and it’s very dramatic as he plays to the crowd and gets a bit boot and his double-dropkick combo and of course…the flexing and taunting and SHOWBOATIN’ AND HOTDOGGIN’! And Kento poses for so long XYON recovers and he’s loading up behind Kento, waiting for Miyahara to turn around…and after Kento gasses himself out playing to the crowd he turns around and gets dropped. Total Three Stooges routine as now XYON plays to the crowd with Kento’s taunt so Shotaro takes him out, Davey takes him out, Jun takes him out, and then Mike wipes out Jun and does a somersault plancha onto the whole group. Mike tosses XYON and Kento back in for another twisting Samoan drop for 2 and XYON loads up the high-spear, Miyahara dodges, XYON slams into the corner, Jun runs in for a Yakuza kick and Kento gets the Shutdown German and Shotaro looks to load up a combo deal…and XYON dodges and Ashino clocks Kento with the uppercut as payback. FINALLY back to Kento and XYON and we get a Blackout knee and a Shutdown German for 3.

**½

Okay maybe too high, but this almost felt like both a parody of this sorta 6-heavyweight match and a total goof on Kento’s routine. But I love that sorta thing and it was very entertaining. Kento gassing himself out posing for too long is just an excellent bit and everybody had fun.

Madoka Kikuta [8] vs. Ren Ayabe [6] – B Block Match

Background: No real heat as Madoka is a Dragon Gate guest and Ren was in JTO but is now signed to AJPW. Madoka is explosive and physical and likes his hip-checks, while Ren is sorta aloof and works a much slower-paced, more dominating style with big throws. Both are technically still in it I believe.

The Match: The much taller Ren smirks at Madoka as they face off and then they shove a bit before we get a lockup that Madoka wins with an eyepoke and then unleashes a chop in the ropes. Ren goozles him back into the ropes but just rubs his hair instead, Madoka SPITS IN REN’S FACE! And Ren boots him down. Ren sends his opponent outside bludgeons him with strikes at a pace I will call methodical. Madoka fires back with chops and then goes to the eyes again and works over Ren in the crowd. Ren slugs back but Madoka gets his lethal chops and Ren and we’re back inside now with Kikuta heeling it up by stepping on Ren as he enters the ring. Madoka gets lost yapping at the crowd so Ayabe comes back with strikes before another lethal Madoka chop, but Ayabe seems game for a fight and comes back with some hard-edged forearms. Ren actually gets the advantage in standup and lands a massive slam before Ren heels it up and just sits on him for a bit. We get some facewashes from Ren and Madoka asks for more before catching a foot and landing a monster chop, but Ayabe just drops him anyway, Yakuza kick is missed and Madoka explodes with chops and then a kick to drop Ayabe. Kikuta tries for a brainbuster but Ren is too big so y’know…chops. Ren with a whip and then a kitchen sink knee and a boot puts him bck up and now we get the Yakuza kick. Ren’s Iron Maiden submission is attempted and almost locked in before Madoka makes the ropes. Back to the slugfest with Ren actually weathering the storm of Madoka’s chops and keeping the outsider down with forearms, and when Ayabe taunts, Madoka spits back and we got a macho standoff with Ren winning with forearms again. Or maybe Madoka was playing possum as when Ren lifts him up for the killing blow Madoka explodes off the ropes for a shoulder, and though Ren attempts a comeback with a front dropkick we get a pair of hip-bombs for 2.8 on Ren. Madoka tries a lariat and it lands but Ren howls, shrugs it off, gets a forearm and attempts the Death Roulette, but that gets reversed into a Kikuta brainbuster. Madoka with a discus lariat but Ren ducks and we get a release dragon suplex and a full-nelson slam for 2.7. Death Roulette gets 3.

***

While Ren is probably the slowest-paced guy in All Japan, sometimes, like here, it works. Guy is a good athlete, aloof, and much, much bigger than his opponents, he can explode, but he mostly tries to use his size to wear people down. I like that while Madoka has had success in the tournament with his chops (and they are sizzling) if a guy is bigger, be it Rei’s breadth or Ren’s height, they can win those physical exchanges. It’s telling that Kikuta’s best nearfall was a tempo-change and the two hip-bombs back to back, something he hadn’t overly used or teased in the match. I think the heel/face stuff was a mess, but overall it was just two cocky guys going at it. Ren is arrogant but ‘classy’ in a way, while Madoka is the underdog but a brash punk.

Yuma Aoyagi [6] vs. Yuma Anzai [8] – B Block Match

Background: A decently significant rematch here as in their last singles match together Anzai lost a title to Aoyagi (who then lost to Davey who lost to Jun). So in the Battle of the Yuma’s, we have a lot of comparisons, both guys aren’t that far apart in age but Aoyagi has way more experience and a wrestling family of sorts while Anzai is a recent shift to professional wrestling after a storied amateur career and a legacy from the collegiate stars of All Japan history. Athletically you have to give it to Anzai, who has the edge in grappling as well (obviously) but Aoyagi is FAR more versatile and is the better high-flyer as well.

The Match: Lockup and some standing grappling is overall dominated by Anzai but they stalemate. The younger man gets a headlock and a shoulderblock but Aoyagi fires back with a dropkick and some stomps, Anzai starts fires back but Aoyagi just gets a brutally blatant eye gouge, distracts the ref, and goes back to the eye. Aoyagi gets a chinlock with an eyerake and then breaks that for a legdrop for a 2 count before getting uppercuts. Aoyagi has a deep bag and can keep mixing it up on Anzai. But Anzai is our hero and he manages to reverse a boot-up in the corner by knocking Aoyagi outside and following with a knee. They brawl ringside and Anzai works over the vet. Back in…but Aoyagi powders again and Anzai declines to follow and works the count. Aoyagi back in and now it’s Anzai with the chinlock. Aoyagi makes the ropes eventually and both of them slug it out. Aoyagi tries to speed it up with some whips but Anzai gets the boots in the corner and then gets a diving knee drop to Aoyagi’s chest (almost like a bulldog), well that’s a new spot! Anyway it gets 2. Anzai is now at the kick punch thing and we get another whip spot, and Aoyagi goes up for a dropkick and Anzai grabs the ropes, but the kid goes for the whip by himself this time and now Aoyagi finally lands the dropkick. Now Aoyagi gets the corner charge and ducks a few things and gets a flying forearm and then a diving crossbody for 2. Aoyagi’s brainbuster is stuffed though, and after some traded strikes, Anzai goes back to his amateur roots with a belly-to-belly, then a corner forearm and a twisting belly-to-belly. Aoyagi tries to get something going but Anzai explodes with a dropkick and then goes for his standing, arm-trap camel clutch and calls a ton of spots. Aoyagi at the ropes and Anzai paces with impatience. Anzai loads up a superplex but Aoyagi headbutts out and follows with a missile dropkick. Slugfest but an international sets up another Aoyagi dropkick but Anzai gets a German in response. Aoyagi gets up for a brainbuster and it’s double-down time and they tease a double count-out. Slug fest next. Aoyagi starts to get more heated but Anzai fires back and so the vet hits the Rock Bottom and diving elbow get 2.8 and then Aoyagi shoots for his End Game submission and gets close to the victory before a desperate Anzai taps. Aoyagi goes up again, Anzai tries his best to stop that and we tease some stuff, but he gets shoved down…before Anzai clears to the top and gets a knee and NOW we get the superplex. Whew. Jumbo Knee to Aoyagi’s back, Jumbo Knee to his front and that gets 2.8. Gimlet attempt is slipped out of and Aoyagi gets a lariat and a spinning brainbuster for 2.8. Rockstar Buster gets 2.9. And Aoyagi of course goes for The Fool next but Anzai slips out, Aoyagi with the Staff Roll kick that Anzai ducks and we get another Gimlet attempt…and Aoyagi turns that into a crucifix bomb for 2.6, Jumbo Knee is ducked and Aoyagi gets a bridging O’Connor Roll for 2.99. Wow, my goodness. Anzai with the Jumbo Knee and a German suplex and that almost gets Aoyagi. Gimlet attempt the third but Aoyagi lands on his feet and gets a jackknife for 3!

***¾

Probably a bit more kept in the tank for this match (definitely telling neither of their big finishes WON) but they do have pretty great chemistry. Aoyagi slowly realizing he can’t really trade bombs with Anzai but he does have a LOT more tricks up his sleeves is a fun dynamic to all of his matches, but just this Anzai kid continuing to survive. We are going to get a LOT of these matches in the next 15 years I imagine and they seem to be VERY fun. I’d also be fine with Anzai continuing to lose to Aoyagi in singles for a spell.

Post-match Aoyagi yaps, and now is he the True Yuma? Anyway he thanks the fans and talks up his chances to win the tournament I guess.

Been fun folks, these spot shows don’t get quite as much effort as normal but the two main-matches disputed that.