All Japan Pro Wrestling: 12th King’s Road Tournament 09.03 and 09.06

Hey we’re back for more stuff as I hope to be more regular but I know that’s a dirty lie and we’re in Tokyo’s Shinkiba 1stRing which is a venue I love but it’s also tiny, tiny, with a hair over 300 here.

Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Ryo Inoue

Background: I guess this is Ryo’s gimmick as guy who is beat up by bigger and more important dude. Sekimoto is progressing in the tournament and is a guy as wide as he is tall and a very respected vet. Ryo is a scrappy rookie who is trying to figure it out and is actually quite solid, but uh, we know where this is going.

The Match: They lockup and jostle for position before Daisuke grabs a cravate, snapmare, and a neck crank before a headlock is reversed and Ryo actually gets a headscissors for a while. Back to a Sekimoto headlock but we get an international and Inoue wins the exchange with a dropkick. Daisuke comes back with a straight shoulder to the gut (not a spear, not a shoulderblock) and then just stomps on the rookie. Big slam and Daisuke is keeping it simple as he gets a ribbreakker and then cranks on a crab. Inoue makes the ropes and starts a comeback with a running jump kick and unloads on the man from Big Japan in the corner. Basement dropkick gets 2 and the rookie goes up for another dropkick and we settle into a slugfest that Ryo wins with a kick flurry, DDT! Buzzsaw kick! Cut-throat suplex attempt is foiled by Daisuke who gets his own jump kick and then a running lariat gets 2.9! Sekimoto is in disbelief! But he gets a monster atomic drop and then a torture rack and Inoue submits.

**½

I like Ryo, I love Daisuke, they booked it smart and gave the kid a few hope spots but the bigger star won in dominant fashion. Good stuff!

Hokuto-gun (Hokuto Omori & Kuma Arashi) vs. HAVOC (Oddyssey & Shotaro Ashino)

Background: A thing we’ve been teasing for a while as the two midcard monster gaijin stables are now clashing. Omori and Kuma are both out of the tournament but Havoc’s Oddyssey is in (Shotaro ain’t). But it’s monster vs. monster as the two groups are beginning to clash. Also Oddyssey is just SO much bigger than the other guys.

The Match: Omori and Oddyssey start with Hokuto looking scared before getting demolished in a lockup. SO Omori blouses a kiss and Oddyssey is like “oh no, he used homoeroticism!” and he falls back before they do a standing switch and the Odd one gyrates. A pose off next and Omori is in his credit at least selling all of this. Greco-Roman knucklelock time and Oddyssey takes him down and just leans on him for a nearfall. Kuma runs in to break it up and HAVOC crush some heads and clear the ring. HAVOC do more damage outside and then its back in for Oddyssey to roll over Hokuto a few times. More abuse and Omori has not gotten a single move in but they tag in Shotaro. And Omori gets a forearm out of a rope run exchange and in comes Kuma with a big slam and some sentons. Shotaro fights back, but eats a Kuma crossbody, Shotaro with a German and now the clash of colossuses is at hand! Oddyssey with a massive scoop slam and goes for a running splash but Arashi dodges and teases going for a rack but Oddyssey is JUST TOO BIG! The big American misses a blind charge and Hokuto-Gun double him with running strikes in the corner while both howl like Kuma. They set up a double-suplex that Oddyssey reverses, running splash on the both of them, Shotaro chucks Kuma from the ring and Oddyssey with a Bossman Slam for 3.

**¼

Just basically an extended squash on Omori but with some decent comedy bits. Oddyssey looks good so far.

Seigo Tachibana vs. Jun Saito

Background: Seigo is a goofy Yakuza themed midcard junior. Jun is the Triple Crown champ who just lost in the first round of the Royal Road and is twice Seigo’s size.

The Match: Seigo banters before the match and offers a handshake, Jun accepts and Seigo pokes the eyes and goes for a rollup for 2.8. Seigo whines to the ref and then tries a backslide, then calls for a shoulderblock war, stomps Jun’s feet, but the champ runs the smaller man over and they go outside for the Saito Special and Tachibana begs off before getting choked anyway. We go back in and Seigo goes back to the eye so Jun gets the slam, elbow drop, and UNLEASHES THE HAIR! Jun steps on Seigo and uses the ropes while Tachibana sells and sells and sells. A straight chinlock almost makes Tachibana tap but he fights out, dodges a corner charge, and starts his comeback with a hard forearm and a STO. More heavy forearms from Seigo get a 2.5 count on Jun who checks his jaw. Seigo attempts a brainbuster, it gets foiled but he low-bridges Saito outside and then gets his flip dive and then a diving crossbody and a spear (!?) for 2. Slugfest that Jun wins with a boot but Seigo gets a few more flash rollups for nearfalls. Seigo tries for a crossface but Jun just stands up and chokeslams him. A delayed Jackhammer gets 3.

*½

Look, I enjoy serious brawler Seigo, I enjoy comedy Seigo (okay I sometimes enjoy him) I don’t think both work in the same match. Like a goofy quick squash where Seigo gets a few comedy cheapshots? Fine, an extended fight where Jun overlooks the smaller Seigo who fights back with his brawling? Fine. Both in the same match? Eh.

Kento Miyahara, MUSASHI & Seiki Yoshioka vs. Atsuki Aoyagi, Rising HAYATO & Yuma Aoyagi

Background: So Kento has teamed with both of his juniors here, and MUSASHI and Seiki are doing a sort of reluctant tag-team of guys who have held the secondary titles together but also the junior titles and while it seemed that Yoshioka was bitter about teaming with MUSASHI again his opponents are such jerks it’s been fine. Meanwhile we have what was formerly called Zennichi Shin Jidai as group but now no longer, with jerky goof heavyweight Yuma (who has teamed with and feuded with Kento forever) with his younger jerk brother Atsuki (a flippy junior) and Atsuki’s frenemy Rising HAYATO who has teamed with Kento on a number of occasions. So we have a messy polycule of enemies and teams but mostly it’s the Aoyagi Brothers being jerks to MUSASHI and Seiki (who are jerks to each other) and also Yuma and Kento who are friends, tag-partners, rivals, enemies, and eternally opposing forces.

The Match: Hot start as they all brawl outside the ring for a while while the ref is just sorta like “hey, stop it.” We eventually settle on MUSASHI beating up Atsuki before Aoyagi does some flashy flips and MUSASHI does some veteran junior stuff and is just ground and pounding his younger opponent. And then Kento comes in to stomp on Aoyagi, back to MUSASHI and Atsuki finally reverses his fortunes when Yuma sweeps him on the outside and now it’s time for MUSASHI to eat a beating. They post him and the crowd is sorta laughing at the testicular torment. HAYATO gets a charge and a bulldog and then loads up the band (?!) but MUSASHI gets a drop toehold into the buckle and an exploder to set up a tag and Kento and HAYATO just trade shots before Kento sets up his dropkick combo, a charging forearm and a northern lights suplex, he can’t get the Shutdown German and that lets HAYATO slip free for a leg lariat and in comes Yuma…who wipes out Seiki on the apron before going at Kento…and then he goes BACK to Seiki on the apron. Hey they’re building this tag match. Finally we get some Yuma and Kento with the long-term rivals doing some stuff, Yuma teases a piledriver, is countered, Aoyagi charges and now it’s MUSASHI who trips him up and in comes Seiki and the crowd is ecstatic at the karmic reversal of fortunes. Yoshioka boats a bit and then does his “go super fast” routine to land a jump kick and he’s just pleased as pie. Seiki gets a flurry of kicks Yuma is almost in tears until he stuffs the smaller man on a kick and the slug it out, and Aoyagi goes to the eyes and yells at the ref. What a jerk! Yuma even rips out pieces of Seiki’s goatee! Yuma lands a dropkick next and then sets up the Crash Driver but Seiki can counter his own move and gets his big scissor kick but then Yuma gets a dropkick and it’s double-tam to MUSASHI and Atsuki to trade strikes. Atsuki with the handspring kick, MUSASHI catches for a German that Aoyagi flips out of and lands his 540 roundhouse before it all breaks down as the Aoyagi squad all triple team MUSASHI. The brothers call for the end as they set up MUSASHI for destruction but the vet stifles the double-team and goes for the exploder before Atsuki counters so Seiki comes in with a kick, Yuma goes for the Crash Driver again and Yoshioka gets LA MISTICA LA MISTICA LA MISTICA! Fisherman’s buster on Atsuki, MUASHI with a frog splash and picks him up at 2 and he loads up the corner emerald flowsion and that’s 3.

***¼

Okay that little bit of comeuppance at the end was worth a quarter star. Really fun trios match to set up the tag-title match later on and also just be a fun little throwback of all the various beef these guys have had in their careers.

Post-match Yuma runs in and just demolishes MUSASHI but they brawl and Seiki actually takes out Yuma and now the refs all break it up but MUSASHI gets a superkick at Yuma anyway. And then Seiki talks junk afterwards on the mic and we got a title match. And then Kento waits for everybody to clear the ring (while he was just watching I guess) and now he comes out for a promo. Well then.

Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Ryuki Honda – Royal Road Tournament 2nd Round

Background: Not guys with a ton of history other than tag stuff. But DBSJ is a big, strong, versatile guy who is maybe portrayed as lacking some heart/fighting spirit, while Ryuki is a chunky brawler who has a goofy side but also has one hell of a motor and always takes a piece of anybody that takes him down.

The Match: Handshake of respect and then the big lockup that Davey wins and gives a clean break on. Second lockup that Davey wins but Ryuki reverses in the ropes and gives a break but taunts Smith. Shoulderblock battle and posing follow. Davey wins, Ryuki powders but Davey follows to bring him back in…and Honda powders again. Davey invites Honda back in but the local man refuses, Davey takes the bait and Honda beats up the Canadian until he misses a lariat into the ring apron. So DBSJ takes over and bludgeons Honda. Back in with a Davey neckbreaker and a chinlock to take advantage of when Ryuki lariated the ringpost. Honda FINALLY gets a backdrop suplex to break free and he gets some stomps before going for a single-leg crab. Davey breaks, Ryuki gets his rope choke but going after the leg sets up Davey’s enzuigiri for 2. Smith throws a few hands before a powerslam gets 2 and he kinda looks at the ref before stomping out Honda. Delayed brainbuster follows for 2 and then Davey attempts a surfboard before they realize that isn’t gonna happen, or maybe it is as Davey gets a catapult into the ropes and then he get a Mexican surfboard?!?!? Okay props for that spot I guess. Davey goes for a powerbomb but can’t get it so they brawl a bit. Ryuki gets a spear, a spinebuster, and then calls to the crowd and then smashes Davey in the corner repeatedly before Smith gets a Jumbo knee. A second attempt into the corner is whiffed, but Ryuki can’t get the Final Vent, so DBSJ gets a kick wham powerbomb for 2.9. Okay, good nearfall there. A second attempt has Ryuki backdropping Davey and then a lariat gets 2.8. Corner charge sets up Honda going for an avalanche Final Vent, Davey turns that into a superplex but Honda just rolls over and cradles him for 3.

*¼

Oof. Davey just isn’t a guy for me, and when Ryuki isn’t with a good guy to motivate him. Oof. We had a few flashes with the Ryuki comebacks but it was a boring heat segment by a boring wrestler and a lazy and flawed guy couldn’t really fix it. It wasn’t incompetent as much as very, very boring. I guess once again Davey is ‘out-hearted’ by a tougher but less skilled dude.

XYON vs. Ren Ayabe – Royal Road Tournament 2nd Round

Background: Two bigger but not “big” guys, Ren is very tall but sorta reedy and XYON is jacked up but more of a run and gun brawler. XYON hasn’t had a ton of singles success but he’s a presence and Ren is in the constant ‘bubbling under’ stage where he’s on the verge of a win. Ayabe also won last year’s Royal Road tournament.

The Match: Big staredown from both guys (and I realize both have a red on black pattern for their gear). XYON offers a hand, Ren agrees and neither cheats out of that (?!?). Big lockup, XYON wins and clean break. Second lockup, Ren reverses and tries to muss the hair but XYON shrugs him off. Test of strength from the big man and XYON is like “hey drop the hand” and we get the big dramatic clash until Ren breaks with a knee and we get a shoulderblock war into a double-down. Ayabe heats it up with some elbow before XYON gets the cross-arm block and then goes for a fireman’s slam and Ren wriggles out only to end up outside. The HAVOC man beats up Ren and gets a slam on the mats (and those mats do not look particularly thick!) before headbutting Ayabe. The Aussie with a fireman’s carry but Ren slips out and shoves XYON into a post to get control. Ren with some elbows and then XYON gets whipped around and bounces off the posts and Ren just chills in the ring while they tease a count out and XYON barely slides back in but he still can’t get to his feet and Ren is just smirking at him and then chokes him in the corner with his boot. Ren with a big slam for 2 and then a crab on the Aussie. XYON makes the ropes but now we have an honest to goodness full nelson from Ren and we have an arm-shaking revival deal with XYON, tremendous. XYON feels the power of the islands and hulks up! Strike combo! Corner charge! His weird twisting whip deal (like he whips his opponent and then he spins in the air to sell the intensity of the force) but Ren catches himself, turns and smirks as he wags his finger. Okay, mega-jerk Ren is far more fun. Now Ren gets a whip but XYON does an up and over so Ayabe smashes into it and then gets his ribs smashed by a shoulder thrust but XYON can’t get the fireman’s carry so it’s back to a slug fest but XYON speeds it up and gets a flying forearm for 2. Powerbomb by XYON is backdropped and now it’s Ren with his hooking clothesline and a Yakuza kick. Death Roulette attempt but the HAVOC member evades and we get some jostling and reversals and both of them trade kicks until XYON reverses a brainbuster for a double-down. This segment is sorta aimless. Slugfest goes Ren’s way and XYON takes a pretty funny bump into the ropes, but he recovers with a strike combo and a twisting Samoan drop for 2 and then XYON makes a slow climb to the top rope. But Ren crotches him, boots him to the floor, gets another slam on the mats and goes back in for a full nelson slam. Death Roulette attempt again but XYON reverses it into a brainbuster, kip-up! Spear! But it only gets 2.8. XYON goes up and poses and then does a diving headbutt…into Ren’s right hand. Death Roulette lands and that gets 3.

**½

Okay, so I’m mixed on this, I think that if you take like 10 minutes out it’s a really good match, jerk heel Ren was really working for me and XYON’s face comebacks were too, but they would just go back to slow slugfests and it’d kill their momentum. Still, good showing for both of them even if maybe it shouldn’t be this long.

That’s all for this one, so now to cover the show on the 6th in Utsunomiya at a venue called Light Cube Utsunomiya (it looks similar to all the other venues) and we’ve got a hair under 600 here.

Hideki Suzuki, MUSASHI & Shota Kofuji vs. Atsuki Aoyagi, Rising HAYATO & Yuma Aoyagi

Background: So we have the quasi-heelish group of the Aoyagi Brothers and HAYATO who have been feuding with MUSASHI (and his partner Seiki) over the All Asia tag belts and also kind of the juniors belt. Hideki is half of the world tag champions and Shota Kofuji is a young rookie guy from Osaka Style Wrestling but maybe he’s the new All Japan rookie since uh, their last one tragically died. He’s a small guy in good shape with orange hair.

The Match: MUSASHI and Atsuki start with some junior stuff and they stalemate into a staredown and we get a tag to Shota and HAYATO. International with the rookie getting a hiptoss and then a dropkick before Yuma trips him up and HAYATO takes advantage with Atsuki throwing in some boots too. Yuma tags in to push around the smaller rookie but Kofuji is spunky for a while before the former Triple Crown champ just overwhelms him with size, spamming body slams on the kid. Crab and Yuma keeps it on through most of the five count after Shota makes the ropes. HAYATO back in deliver his traditional heavy chops but the kid gets his boots up in the corner, dropkick, and in comes Hideki with a backbreaker as he manhandles the smaller man. But now HAYATO does his underdog routine and ducks a charge and gets a dropkick that lets Atsuki tag in and a missile dropkick makes Suzuki tag-out and now we have MUSASHI vs. Aoyagi again. The vet takes advantage of Atsuki but Yuma tries to involve himself and gets wiped out by his own brothers dropkick. MUSASHI can’t capitalize so they just trade forearms though. MUSASHI gets his dropkick stomp deal but runs into Atsuki’s handspring kick. MUSASHI manages to tag in Shota though and he gets a single dropkick before the Aoyagi squad just runs in to beat him up. Kofuji thwarts the triple team with dropkicks and a reversal of Yuma’s brainbuster and in comes the squad to brutalize Atsuki. Shota even gets a crab but it’s immediately broken up. Rising/Atsuki get their double-team sequence with Atsuki’s wheelbarrow facebuster being matched with a HAYATO diving codebreaker and then a back suplex/neckbreaker and this sets up Atsuki cranking in a crab for the tap-out.

**

This was as basic and whatever as this match can be. It is funny Hideki only did like 2 things, but Yuma didn’t really show a lot either and it was just Atsuki and HAYATO beating up Shota. Kofuji seems fine for what he is but it’s just a plain jane rookie guy.

Post-match Yuma stomps on Shota for MASSIVE heat at least.

Hikaru Sato & Kengo Mashimo vs. Dan Tamura & Ryo Inoue

Background: So Sato and Kengo are kinda aligned in the Baka no Jidai stable of kinda goofy shooter dudes. Tamura has also hung around them as well with Sato and Ryo has been their punching bag. Kengo is the other half of the tag-champs, Sato is a reliable vet (but mostly a job guy) and Tamura and Ryo are a hair above rookie jobbers at this point.

The Match: Tamura and Sato start and it’s all very wrestler vs. striker with Dan going for a single-leg but Tamura stuffs it and we get some mat grappling. SHOOTERS! REAL GRAPS! Anyway they play grab buttocks for a while before they get into the ropes and Sato gets a dirty break and in comes Kengo. And Kengo isn’t a big guy but he’s bigger than these guys and it’s weird. The Assassin gets a few kicks and a chinlock. Tamura realizes that he’s a nasty brawler and just clubs away at Kengo though, Ryo comes in to continue the beating with some kicks. Ryo goes to the mat though and Kengo easily turns that into an armbar. Inoue makes the ropes but Kengo brings in Sato anyway and they trade kicks and Tamura comes in. Hikaru is wobble-legged as Dan just bludgeons him with forearms but Sato goes for an ammbar that gets turned into a Samoan drop…but he keeps on the arm and then goes to the ankle. A gamengiri next lets Kengo come back in and he just demolishes Tamura with kicks and a DDT, but Tamura is built Toyota tough and he catches the champ for a slam and back in with Ryo who keeps things fast and fluid with kicks and running and then a suplex followed by Tamura running in for a suplex lets them keep the speed up. I like that the rookies are like “okay we ALMOST got this guy” and are just despearte on him, but Kengo blocks another suplex, and then catches a buzzsaw kick into an anklelock and he gets his scissored armbar and Ryo instantly taps.

**¼

Mostly just Kengo selling for some youngsters but it had some energy and drive to it.

Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Ren Ayabe vs. Hokuto Omori & Ryuki Honda

Background: Yeah these guys have very little background. Davey is a goober sincere face. Ren is a sorta tweener jock. Omori is a goofy heel. Ryuki is a silly tweener brawler, though he was old buddies with Honda.

The Match: We start with the former ELPIDA members with a lockup and Ren wins and musses Honda’s hair. Second attempt goes the same but Honda reverses into the ropes and then does his count deal before clobbering Ren. Shoulderblock war that Ren wins and is smug about. But Hokuto interferes and Honda gets the choke on the ropes and Hokuto and Ryuki do a synchronised pose and I crack up a bit. Ren just boots Honda down though and in comes Davey Boy to do some clotheslines and then an inside cradle (?!) for 2. Scoop powerslam next for 2 and I don’t ever quite get what Davey’s offense is. Honda gets a spear though and in comes Omori with some forearms and a dropkick as he’s working sneaky little guy against Davey. However he goes for a brainbuster which obviously doesn’t work but a spinning elbow does…and he goes back to the brainbuster and this time it does work! Hey! Davey gets a back suplex anyway and in comes Ren. Ayabe with a delayed slam and in comes Davey with a double-boot, Ryuki runs and Honda and Ren trade rapid shots but Ayabe gets his full nelson slam and a boot but Omori gets the cutter and we load up Ren on the top-rope to do the assisted superplex routine…and it ends with Honda giving Omori the Final Vent, Davey tossing Ryuki, Davey powerbombing Omori and then Ren’s Death Roulette seals the deal.

**

So yeah, I guess just turning into a silly comedy deal where everybody hits Omori with stuff makes sense.

Post-match Ryuki and Ren bump into each other and I guess THIS AIN’T OVA!

Saito Brothers (Jun Saito & Naruki “Mister Saito” Doi) vs. HAVOC (Shotaro Ashino & XYON)

Background: So this is the secondary Saito Brothers as Rei is still out and Doi is working as Mister Saito, HAVOC are kind of the new big scary team so I think we know where this goes. Jun is still the champion at least.

The Match: Shotaro and Doi start. Doi is upset the crowd is so hot for Ashino. Shotaro takes Doi down easily and does some amateur styling on him and Doi kinda shows him up too by walking over his back to irritate Ashino. A second takedown goes similarly and now Doi is playing to the crowd. And we get a double-tag to XYON and Jun. Big clash of titans lockup and then we speed it up with Jun outsmarting him by stopping short and landing a boot. Pose off as they trade their taunts and now XYON gets to get tricky with a stopped charge and a boot and then mocks Jun’s hair taunt. They call for a shoulderblock war and the champ wins and it’s back to Doi and the double-team immediately fails and XYON just whallops the junior. Ashino in with a chinlock and then a gutwrench suplex. Doi gets a floatover and a somersault senton though and Jun is like “okay I guess I’ll tag in.” Yakuza kick on Ashino and a delayed brainbuster and now we get Saito unfurling the hair, Jun tries a chokeslam but Shotaro gets a German and now it’s XYON’s time with some rapid strikes and his spinning whip for 2. Jun brawls back and we get a big dramatic slugfest until XYON gets a headbutt…but eats a spear from Jun. Double-down but Doi comes in to beat on XYON and we get some double-teams that actually work?!? Wow. Anyway Doi gets whalloped afterwards by Shotaro’s run in and now HAVOC jump Jun with a pretty creative spot as XYON lawndarts Shotaro at Jun. Doi tries a crossbody but it gets caught and slammed and XYON gets the diving headbutt for 3.

**¼

Not really much of anything but Doi was funny and they did what they needed to do. Predictable isn’t bad!

Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Oddyssey – Royal Road Tournament 2nd Round

Background: Two body guys, but Oddyssey is a LOT bigger, but Daisuke is a lot more experienced. Can veteran know-how makeup for 120 pounds difference in size?

The Match: We start with them posing at each other for a while before Big O tosses Ashino in the corner. A second lockup goes a bit better for Sekimoto and now we call for the test of strength and it stalls before Oddyssey just blasts the man from Big Japan. The Odd-one goes to work in the corner and plays to the crowd and does a few rolling sentons. Oddyssey keeps bragging though and that lets Sekimoto block a corner body press with a low dropkick and the vet goes to work on Big O’s arm and lands a few forearms. We get a sleeper spot next with Sekimoto trying to take down the big man, and Daisuke even pulls off a backdrop suplex to a massive pop. Elbow drop gets 2.8 afterwards but Daisuke is like “oh that was three!” Big O comes back with a big crossbody though and we have a double-down. Daisuke with more forearms but the Odd-one just gets a massive slam and a splash for 2.7. Oddyssey goes up for a DIVING splash but it whiffs and Sekimoto goes for an honest to goodness brainbuster that doesn’t go anywhere, small package for 1 though…and then Oddyssey gets a lariat and is just sucking wind here. Bossman Slam is dodged and Sekimoto sends Oddyssey into the corner and gets a schoolboy (with Oddyssey’s leg being basically the size of Daisuke’s torso) for 3.

***

I mean, a normally big guy has to dig deep and do other stuff cause his opponent is that much bigger. Oddyssey was definitely gassing out at the end but he did his part right.

Post-match Oddyssey is VERY mad and menaces Sekimoto before offering a hand.

Kento Miyahara vs. Naoya Nomura – Royal Road Tournament 2nd Round

Background: Tons of history here, but obviously Naoya has been out a long time with a variety of injuries. That said, Nomura is a no-nonsense boots to buttocks guy that just punishes you with hard strikes and throws and doesn’t really pose or taunt. Kento of course is a guy who gets his butt whooped all the match and has a deep gas tank and tons of comeback potential and is all about posing and taunting.

The Match: Big monster lockup to start with Kento winning and giving the reluctant break. Super serious test of strength deal and they’re going through some standing grappling stuff and it’s all very clean and very intentional. Naoya gets control with a wristlock but Miyahara reverses but gets put into the ropes for a break and Nomura slaps him. They speed up and Naoya sends the Best of the Best outside but Kento rope-a-dopes back in for a pose. Back outside and Naoya drives Kento into a few posts and hits a diving forearm from the apron. I will say the company has missed a guy like Naoya who just feels like he wants to hurt guys? We get some stomping and more of Kento being sent into things. Miyahara FINALLY drops Naoya on the barricade and then gets some headbutts. Finally back inside and Kento boots Naoya down and steps on his neck a bit before cranking in a chinlock. Naoya makes the ropes but Kento boots him down and he tries his double dropkick combo…but it’s Nomura show comes back as he snatches a leg and cranks in a STF! Ropebreak and Kento tries a comeback but Naoya just shoulders him down and goes to the apron to load something up but Kento reverses into a piledriver and gets that and we have a double-down and a count-out tease, hey! Naoya crawls back in but Kento sets up a superplex but Naoya does the dramatic no-sell and gets a spear to load up another double-down. Corner charge by Nomura and he just unleashes forearms on Kento in the buckle. Miyahara fires back but Naoya eats him up until Miyahara gets a lariat, but Naoya fires back with a spear into a jackknife for 2.6. A spear to the back (?!) gets another 2 count and Nomura goes up. Diving splash eats knees. Kento is up and gets a Blackout Knee. Shutdown German attempt is blocked, Blackout is blocked and Naoya just unloads forearms on Miyahara. He goes up again and this time the dive lands…and he goes up to the opposite turnbuckle to land a second…for 2.9. Maximum attempt but Kento slips out and also stuffs the spear and then gets another Blackout before Naoya clobbers him with an elbow…that Kento shrugs off and gets a boot and then a second Shutdown attempt lands for 3.

***¾

Hrm, I think that this match had a bit too much Naoya taking the heat and he’s not quite as good as selling as he is as whooping butt. Still, when they got to the finishing sequence it was dynamite and I think Naoya throws the absolute nastiest forearms in wrestling, he’s killing people and it’s instantly credible for him to start counters by just elbowing dudes in the jaw. Fun stuff and Kento is Kento, he’s great.

That was a lot of nothing midcard matches and fun main-events! That’s okay!

We’re in the home stretch here and I hope to get this taken care of VERY quickly. Thanks for reading.