All Japan Pro Wrestling: Giant Dream 2025 September 23rd

So we’re in with the conclusion of the Royal Road tournament and all the business that’s happened there, we’ve got a number of title matches and we’re here in Tokyo in Arena Tachikawa Tachihi with 1750 fans in attendance in a pretty decently sized building.

Davey Boy Smith Jr., Fuminori Abe, Seiki Yoshioka & Shotaro Ashino vs. Ren Ayabe, Rising HAYATO, Ryo Inoue & Shota Kofuji

Background: Okay I am unsure of why this match is happening or the alignments are taking place as is. We have a pretty crazy mix of talent here but sometimes it just is like this. Feels like a “get everybody on the card” deal. DBSJ is a former Triple Crown champ and a credible upper midcard babyface, Abe is a Big Japan junior who is credible as a heavy striker with some title success in AJPW, Seiki is a credible midcard junior and secondary champ, Ashino is a guy who has big accolades but never wins against the big threats in important situations. Ren is a rising tweener guy, HAYATO is a credible midcard junior babyface who teams with bigger stars, Ryo is a scrappy rookie who looks like he’ll eventually make the leap but hasn’t yet and Shota is the bottom of the totem pole as a sacrificial lamb rookie babyface.

The Match: Shotaro and Ren start with a lockup that goes Ayabe’s way and he musses Ashino’s hair in the ropes, SHotaro comes back with some amateur stuff and then an elbow that Ren no sells, but a brainbuster is reversed and Ashino goes for an ankle lock that Ayabe kicks free from and we double-tag to HAYATO and Abe. Junior sequence with some wristlocks and HAYATO takes over with chops but he misses a corner charge and Abe gets the spin kick, HAYATO gets his rope-run high elbow but that sets up Fuminori’s inside-out rolling forearm…but HAYATO continues the “we do our signature stuff” routine by sending Abe outside with a headscissors and then faking a dive into a backflip and a pose…and Seiki joins him and then Shotaro walks in to gutwrench a confused Rising and he is our pretty boy in peril. Abe sends the goth into Davey’s boot and now the Canadian tags in to continue the abuse. Big slam, pose, and then Ryo runs in to get slammed onto HAYATO, same for Shota and then it’s back to HAYATO who floats over evades a Smith charge and now it’s Ren to get over Smith with a hooking clothesline…but his boot is blocked and they slug it out into a double-boot and now it’s Seiki and Inoue in and they go REALLY fast. Both kick each other in the face and then chest as we do a mirror match deal. Ryo evades the scissor kick and gets a buzzsaw and brings in Shota to work over Yoshioka and all the team quadruple-team him in the corner with charges and then a Kofuji missile dropkick. Davey gets taken out next and is sent outside for a springboard plancha from HAYAO and Shota gets a bridging suplex on Seiki inside the ring. But the vet gets an enzuigiri before he almost gets caught with a victory roll from the rookie, Yoshioka with a scissor kick and a buzzsaw and that’s 3.

**½

I’d call this a “character match” just sort of “get guys on the show, they do a few things to remind people of their deal” and then a guy getting a bit of a push beats the obvious jobber (sorry Shota). Everybody did what they did well and it was a bit more creative than normal with the spots and it didn’t overstay it’s welcome. Decent work from everybody but clearly nobody was going past 2nd gear.

Takashi (c) vs. Senor Saito vs. Kikutaro vs. Naruki Doi vs. Aizawa NO. 1 vs. Kuroshio TOKYO Japan vs. Kuma Arashi vs. Seigo Tachibana vs. Hokuto Omori – GAORA TV Battle Royal

Background: This is going to be ABSOLUTE lunacy. Takashi is the champ of the most worthless title in AJPW and this is gonna be all the comedy goofs doing comedy stuff. Takashi is just a dude who hits people in the testicles or throat (it’s fun) and in Hokuto-Gun with Aizawa NO. 1, Kuma Arashi, and Hokuto (of course). Seigo and Kuroshio are Tokyo Yankees and have an odd couple punch and judy routine. Senor Saito and Naruki Doi are Saito Brothers guys and Kikutaro is a Japanese indie comedy legend so to speak.

The Match: Takashi kinda poses and stares down the rest of the field and he dramatically takes his jacket off to wave around, the bell rings and everybody sorta dances around while various wrestlers do combat rolls without actually doing anything. We get everybody Greco-Roman knucklelocking each other with Hokuto-Gun ‘winning’ the exchange before they break and try to take out Kuroshio…who skins the cat into a headscissors on Omori to take him outside but he isn’t eliminated, and Omori goes at Takashi who was pushing him out…and everybody targets the champ with corner charges. But then Takashi throat thrusts everybody before getting surrounded and…well he continues to spam throat thrusts. This might actually be the most I’ve ever seen Takashi work. Everybody FINALLY boots him down and this is just a Three Stooges routine. They finally send Takashi outside (not over the rope though) and now it’s Senor Saito and Naruki taking out Seigo with doubles before Aizawa and Kuro team for a second to clear the area…and KTJ hammers Aizawa with a Jacket Punch. Kuma runs in, gets headscissored by Kuroshio and it’s back to him and Aizawa teaming…and now Aizawa punches KTJ…well…deserved. Aizawa runs wild for a bit with superkicks and then extends a hand to Kikutaro before kicking him in the hog (see he has a pig mask so uh) but then Kikutaro kicks Aizawa low. We uh, could use eliminations now. Kikutaro gets a dragonscrew and a figure four on Aizawa and the rest of the crew just land on them and I forget pins are le gal in AJPW rumbles so both are out. Senor Saito now offers a handshake to Takashi…and it’s sincere as both guys embrace…only for Kuma to kick Takashi in the takoyakis. Senor Saito gets caught with a Kuma crossbody and covered by everybody for 3. Kuma keeps hammering away at Takashi and hops up to the top rope for a senton…and everybody just runs the ropes until Kuma is thrown off his balance and he tumbles to the floor. Okay, that was neat. They all high five (well not Takashi, who is dead on the mat) but Kuroshio tries to poke Hokuto in the eyes, but Omori catches it and goes for a brainbuster, only for Seigo to catch his partner and bring him down. The Tokyo Yankees get a double superkick on Hokuto, and try for Naruki who catches and rakes both their eyes. But Seigo gets a Manhattan drop and a running boot and both guys celebrate before Kuro takes down his own partner with a RNC, Hokuto and Doi get juji-gatames, and Takashi gets a prison lock on poor Tachibana and he submits. Takashi won’t give up though as he continues to flex the lock but the ref pulls him off. Final four of Hokuto, Takashi, Kuroshio, and Naruki, and now Kuroshio rips off Takashi’s handshake gimmick by asking Doi for one, Naruki refusing, so Kuroshio shakes everybody elses hand and Doi is forced to accept or be shamed. Doi finally accepts, Kuroshio tries to wrap him up in a sleeper to continue the strategy on Seigo, but Mr. Saito gets an atomic drop and tries to toss KTJ but he keeps a hand on the ropes, Hokuto ends upon the apron too and we get more narrow escapes before Doi is backdropped onto the apron and it’s only Takashi inside, and he sees his chance, goes NUTS psyching himself up, and finally throat thrusts Doi for an elimination. Omori and KTJ sLug it out on the apron before Kuroshio kisses Omori to almost eliminate him, but he’s busy retching afterwards until he climbs up to the top and a Takashi throat thrust stuns him. Hokuto then stuns Kuroshio with a kiss and loads up a superplex and of course Takashi tries a powerbomb to help his boss…and this time Omori gets a huracanrana instead of getting accidentally powerbombed. Okay, all these stupid callbacks are amusing me. He almost gets the pin on Takashi and is shocked at this happenstance and apologizes…pretty insincerely. Meanwhile Kuroshio tries for a missile dropkick and whiffs, so Hokuto grabs in in a full-nelso and Takashi loads up the throat thrust. It obviously misses and both Hokuto-Gun members start trading strikes while KTJ just watches. Omori gets tossed to the apron and Takashi loads up the double-thrust…and Kuroshio pushes Takashi into it and Omori is gone. Takashi and Kuroshio stare each other down and we get throat thrusts versus jacket punches before Takashi gets a jump kick to drop KTJ. We get another three stooges bit where Takashi keeps missing the throat thrust by just running into the turnbuckle and Kuroshio just tosses him outside for the win.

***

I do rate battle royales. This was fun, the winner directly beat the champ, and it had a ton of amusing callbacks to the various goofy 6-man matches all these guys had together and Kuroshio is gonna be a more dynamic champion than Takashi (who I like but is one-note). Silly fun and the perfect environment for living cartoon Kuroshio TOKYO Japan.

Post-match Hokuto challenges Kuroshio while Takashi does all sorts of histrionics after his loss. This is apparently quite humorous as we cut to shots of the crowd laughing. Though they do all hug it out afterwards.

Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Dan Tamura

Background: Daisuke is a human cube of a man, the top guy in Big Japan and just this short, stubby, muscular butt-whooper, Dan is a rookie junior (though a big junior) who is trying to prove he can be a stubby, meaty, butt-whooper. I don’t know any particular circumstance for this, but Sekimoto was in the Royal Road tournament and Tamura is a guy who is trying to break out past rookie pin-eater status. This is gonna be small meaty men slapping meat.

The Match: Both guys charge and immediately start trading shots. Daisuke finally gets a headlock and they crank that in while Tamura throws shots to the rib and then some stomps to the feet in an effort to break it, Sekimoto comes back with a shoulder to knock Dan down and they do a bit more shoulder blocking with Tamura finally knocking down the vet. Tamura with a snapmare and then a chinlock as he tries to wear down his opponent. Dan works this for a while before Sekimoto makes the ropes, and we get a brainbuster attempt by Tamura that get reversed to Sekimoto getting a brainbuster to the knee as I guess both guys are trying to target the neck of their opponent. Stomps from the Big Japan man follow and then an elbow drop to the back and the gut in succession. Daisuke cranks in a crab and Dan finally crawls to the ropes and Sekimoto hammers away in the corner before Dan fires back before the vet puts him back in the corner with vicious forearms. Tamura finally gets space with a spear and we get a double-down and Dan gets a Karelin lift to continue the abuse. Fireman’s carry is stuffed by Daisuke and he gets his own gutwrench but Tamura kinda slips out and gets a death valley driver for 2. Dan with a powerbomb attempt that doesn’t go anywhere so he throws forearms until Daisuke just elbows Dan and it’s a slug fest again but Tamura keeps lariating Sekimoto until the Big Japan ace falls into the corner and it’s powerbomb attempt number 2…and Daisuke reverses that into a Kryptonite Krunch onto the knee (Okada style) and a German suplex. Dan fires up with a lariat for 2.8, but the third powerbomb attempt is backdropped out of, Tamura fires up again with another strike flurry but Daisuke gets a short-range lariat, whips Tamura off the ropes into another lariat and that’d 3.

***¾

Yeah that ruled. If you like just slow-paced heavyweight slugfests, this is gonna work. I’ll say I never truly thought Tamura had a chance and this was basically an exhibition match of sorts but the youngster looked good and hey, Daisuke never kicked out of the powerbomb, so there is a hanging thread there. Still, just two talented guys (and a legit GOAT candidate in Sekimoto) just beating the heck out of each other is swell.

Post-match Sekimoto gives respect and Dan finally accepts and embraces the vet while Daisuke puts the kid over and seems elated. God bless pro rasslin.

Naoya Nomura & Yuma Aoyagi vs. New Period (Ryuki Honda & Yuma Anzai)

Background: So actually a lot to unpack here. Naoya and Yuma were a “rising young hungry stud” tag-team that actually held top gold and were looking to break out, Naoya got hurt bad and missed a LOT of time and obviously Aoyagi now is a former two-time triple crown champ with a ton of other gold. Ryuki and Yuma are one generation newer with Yuma being the youngest ever Triple Crown champ and Honda being a sorta perpetual upper midcard challenger guy. So Naoya it trying to make up for lost time, Aoyagi is trying to prove he’s way above these guys, Anzai missed some time but seems committed to AJPW as the ace of the future and Honda is like “hey, I’m in this conversation too.” Naoya is a straightforward intense guy who will just knock you on your butt, Aoyagi is a versatile guy who is kind of an aloof jerk who gets a bit too obsessed with humiliating guys than just winning, Ryuki is a goofy screaming brawler, and Anzai is an athletic amateur wrestler standout who does a lot of Jumbo Tsuruta stuff.

The Match: Ryuki and Naoya start with a big lockup and Honda wins and teases a clean break before giving a strike and Nomura starts with a shoulderblock battle into a slugfest and they do an international with a Nomura dropkick (of limited verticality) and they stare each other down before a tag into double Yuma to irritate my review. They both give a very reluctant handshake and trade some standing grappling before they stalemate. Aoyagi offers a second handshake and goes dirty with it but Anzai gets a shoulderblock and we bring in Ryuki to beat down the two-time champ and get his rope-choke spot and we get a deal where he cries to the ref…and then wipes Naoya off the ropes and continues to bludgeon Aoyagi before tagging in Anzai to deliver a few stomps, New Period are pretty cheaty here with Honda choking on the ropes and Anzai delivering straight rights to Aoyagi. The Fool finally gets a reverse crossbody and a dropkick to wipe out Anzai before taking out Honda on the apron and tagging in Nomura to do some fancy double-teams before Naoya and Anzai do the hockey fight deal. Nomrua wins, get a corner charge, slam, and an elbow drop before cranking in a sasori-gatame. Anzai makes the ropes but Nomura tags in Aoyagi who gets the Honda rope choke cause he’s a jerk who can’t help himself mocking his foes. Aoyagi then directly mocks Honda and ends up in a slugfest with Anzai who then gets a dropkick out of the corner to get a break and in comes Honda to do his fast-paced offense, deliver one of the worst spinebusters on planet earth, and then get a camel clutch before Aoyagi gets the ropes. Ryuki calls for the lariat but runs into a Rock Bottom and in comes Nomura with a corner elbow and a shoulderblock before a Northern Lights suplex gets 2. A second attempt stalls and both guys trade shots before Nomura counters a spear with a DDT, Honda pops up to deliver a spear, and Nomura responds with his own and we have a double-tag as both Yuma’s just do the Takayama/Frye deal. Anzai wins, dropkick, corner forearm, belly-to-belly for two and Romance Dawn goes for the big German before Aoyagi elbows out, dropkicks Anzai and calls in Nomura for a double that Anzai foils by leading Aoyagi into a spear and Honda tosses Naoya. New Period now double Aoyagi and get a 2 count with a Yuma double-arm suplex and the younger man goes for a Gimlet that Aoyagi slips out of, jumping knee follows but Aoyagi turns that into a German and in comes Nomura. The vets double-team Anzai in the corner and Naoya gets a splash before Aoyagi gets a diving elbow but Honda breaks the cover by suplexing Aoyagi, and stuffs a Nomura spear but gets brainbustered…and then gets his own. New Period isolate Aoyagi with a lariat/knee combo for 2 but Anzai calls for the end, Aoyagi gets a victory roll for 2 and then a reverse rolling cradle for 2 before spamming forearms…and Anzai gets a knee and then a German for 2.999 as Nomura breaks it up. Anzai slugs it out but the vets set up a lariat into an Aoyagi brainbuster for 2, and then a Rockstar Buster for 2.6, and then The Fool gets 3 as the battle of the Yuma’s goes to Aoyagi.

****

Maybe too high but my lord did this turn into an incredible showcase for four studs. I want to see the inevitable Champion Carnival between all of these guys. I immediately regret this rating as a future statement but my goodness. Just a pure killer trailer for these guys.

Post-match Aoyagi calls out…Anzai and seems to want to partner with him, and he agree as they leave together. Sorry Ryuki.

Atsuki Aoyagi (c) vs. MUSASHI – AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championsip

Background: These two have been feuding for a bit, Atsuki beat MUSASHI’s buddy (Seiki) for the junior title but Atsuki and big bro Yuma were being heelish jerks to MUSASHI and Seiki (who they just lost the All Asia tag belts to. So you have the journeyman vet MUSASHI trying to regain his belt and also continue to avenge the disrespect he got, while young, flippy Atsuki wants to make sure he doesn’t lose more gold to this guy.

The Match: Big lockup goes towards Aoyagi but MUSASHI reverses and breaks clean. They do a junior sequence into an international that Atsuki wins with a dropkick and then he teases a dive before handspringing back (something Aoyagi’s old partner HAYATO would do). MUSASHI powders, Atsuki tries a moonsault off the post but the challenger goes back in and tosses the champ off the top and works him over with chops in the corner, then some stomps and a dropkick to the rope-hung Atsuki. MUSASHI cranks in a standing arm-trap crossface (?!) and a DDT for 2 before MUSASHI goes back to the arm with a half-nelson (with his leg) arm stretch, unique submission there. Aoyagi makes the ropes and we get MUSASHI stomping on him some more before the champ fires some weak forearms off as MUSASHI dares him for more. Atsuki finally speeds it up and gets a pop-up dropkick for a double-down. Atsuki is up and gets a corner elbow, a back handspring, springboard armdrag, and a missile dropkick. The two struggle over a brainbuster and MUSASHI settles for an exploder and when Atsuki powders, follows with a flip dive and tosses Atsuki back in. MUSASHI gets his dropkick into a stomp but misses a second…but Astuki misses a standing moonsault and they both counter stuff until MUSASHi’s victory roll sets up an arm-trap single leg crab before Atsuki finally makes the ropes. So far the vet has been totally out-thinking the champ. We get MUSASHI doing the jerky facewashes before Atsuki makes his feet and they slug it out before Aoyagi speeds it up again but MUSASHi counters the handspring into a German…that Aoyagi flips out of. More run and gun as this is still just…second gear. MUSASHI gets his dropkick/stomp/dropkick combo but NOW Atsuki lands the handspring kick and we have another double-down. Atsuki charges into a hotshot into the turnbuckle, MUSASHI gets a jump kick and then lands a German before a low thrust kick gets 2.7. The challenger goes up for a frog splash but Atsuki evades and MUSASHI has to roll through. Atsuki with a pair of thrust kicks and a 540 roundhouse for 2.6. TWo rolling fisherman’s busters by Aoyagi before MUSASHI reverses a third into a falcon arrow. MUSASHI goes up but Atsuki cuts him off…but MUSASHI slips through and almost gets his cradle Emerald Flowsion before Atsuki slips out and then trade fancy rollups for nearfalls. MUSASHI gets some kicks but misses a low thrust and gets poison rana’d for his troubles. Aoyagi with a fisherman’s suplex into a spinebuster for 2.8 and the champ goes up for a 450…into MUSASHI’s knees. Now MUSASHI gets the low thrust kick and a half-nelson facebuster into a bridging German for 2.9. MUSASHI’s frog splash connects for 2.8 and MUSASHI immediately goes for his cradle Emerald Flowsion but Atsuki slips out, puts the challenger on the top rope and gets a Spanish Fly for 2.9. Atsuki gets a moonsault, no cover, second moonsault for 2.8, and goes up again and now the 450 lands for 3.

**½

Look they tried, the psychology was even okay (MUSASHI had everything scouted but he’s not athletic enough to compete with a younger and springier opponent) but both of these guys are not that interesting as singles. MUSASHI in particular is supposed to be the vet but the heat was weird, he was both a jerk bully and then the scrappy gunslinger in the same match, and if you aren’t Kento charismatic, that won’t work. It was fine, perfectly fine, but just sorta bland and it never really escaped that second gear.

Post-match Atsuki celebrates with sponsors and Seiki comes out to console his buddy and I think that Aoyagi challenges him and Seiki accepts…but stops mid-rant to ask MUSASHI if he’s okay with it (I think) but since HAYATO comes out and shakes Atsuki’s hand this might be a tag-challenge. And then Ryo Inoue comes out and that’s the singles challenge (I think).

Baka No Jidai (Hideki Suzuki & Kengo Mashimo) (c) vs. HAVOC (Oddyssey & XYON) – AJPW World Tag Team Championship

Background: So Baka no Jidai are a tweener-y (though this group is definitely more heelish) snarky shooter group, and HAVOC are two big gaijin dudes who have kinda gotten over for being big and loud. Hideki is a crusty shooter with decent size, and Kengo “The Assassin” is a smaller junior type with some Tajiri influence. Oddyssey and XYON are former NXT guys that are now in AJPW, Oddyssey is a big, big dude in a singlet, while XYON is a smaller but still big dude that’s super shredded in pants and a vest, he looks like Roman Reign’s stunt-double, while the Odd-one looks like he could be Mark Henrey’s kid.

The Match: XYON wins rock-paper-scissors so he starts against the aloof Hideki. Suzuki outwrestles XYON to start as the Aussie looks pretty baffled. HIdeki goes for a Greco-Roman knucklelock and XYON accepts and they work that for a bit before Suzuki totally befuddled XYON with holds and actually is pretty light on his feet running through amateur stuff before XYON gets a corkscrew elbow to knock down Hideki. Double-tag and Oddyssey plays to the crowd before totally stifling Kengo’s holds as we establish that Baka No Jidai are better technicians, but XYON has too much explosiveness and Oddyssey has too much bulk to be dealt with. Kengo begs for more and Oddyssey is incredulous before it’s revealed Mashimo is going for a drop toehold…which well, it obviously falters and the Odd-one gets a slam…but whiffs a splash and Kengo unleashes a flurry of kicks and brings in Hideki to unleash body strikes…before Oddyssey just goozles the vet and hammers away in the corner and XYON comes in with his twisting whip for 2 and then some strikes before Oddyssey returns with a headbutt and taunting before he starts clubbing in the corner, gyrating, and clubbing in the corner. Hideki goes for a sleeper and actually brings the big man down and goes for a cover that XYON breaks up…and a second cover gets broken up as XYON tosses both Baka no Jidai guys and brawls 1v2 outside, Baka finally takes him down but Oddyssey revives to make the save as he just hammers away at the champs and they brawl through the crowd before Oddyssey slams Hideki on the ropes and goes wild with the clubbing and XYON is like “yo, calm down, gotta get back in the ring to win” and I’m digging that dynamic. Oddyssey misses a charge in the ring and that lets Hideki tag in Kengo who spams kicks to little effect before Oddyssey catches and tosses him. Kengo manipulates Oddyssey to the apron and snaps an arm on the ropes before XYON once again runs interference for his buddy…but his whip gets reversed and Kengo sends XYON into Oddyssey to clear him off and DDTs the Aussie…Mashimo’s corner attack on the big-man is caught into a bearhug before Kengo breaks with a bite (?!?) and then an armbar…but he can’t quite lock it in and Oddyssey breaks and gets a crossbody as a breather and he limps over to tag in XYON who gets some headbutt drops and a stomp. Rope run sequence goes towards Kengo with a jump kick and we get Hideki in to wrap up the Samoan with an abdominal stretch before XYON breaks and gets a spinning Samoan drop (that also wipes out Kengo’s interference). Oddyssey gets a backdrop suplex into a XYON running neckbreaker for 2.8 and then both HAVOC men go at Hideki with strikes before Suzuki knocks Oddyssey into XYON, Baka no Jidai get a double jumping kick and go at XYON with doubles, Hideki with a superplex for 2 as Oddyssey breaks and then gets a double lariat on the champs, the Odd-one revives XYON before returning to the corner and we get a kneeling slugfest between XYON and Hideki (who I know remember had a match that was just the two of them punching each other that Hideki won) and XYON fires up as HIdeki strikes him and the former rugby star just unleashes strikes and then launches Hideki into an Oddyssey spinning slam and then unleashes a diving headbutt for 3.

***¼

So, other than Kengo I wouldn’t call any of these guys great workers, but my goodness was this match laid out well. Oddyssey was unstoppable but chaotic and undisciplined (which IRL…welp), XYON was sort of the match leader for his squad but more vulnerable to the veteran skill of Hideki and Kengo. And the finish with XYON finally winning a strike exchange with Hideki to set up the pin (though needing the power of Oddyssey to do it) was kinda brilliant? Very solid psychology even if all the players weren’t perfect.

Post-match HAVOC celebrate big and the crowd is hot for them…and then Double Yuma (Anzai and Aoyagi) come out to stare them down and that’s our next challenger.

Jun Saito (c) vs. Kento Miyahara – Triple Crown Championship

Background: Okay. So Jun is in his first reign with a really healthy run beating basically everybody as a hard-edged power brawler with a super deep arsenal, decent speed, great resilience, and upper-tier size and strength. Unfortunately his record against Kento is 1-3, fortunately that 1 was a title match earlier this year in March. However in Champion Carnival competition, Kento always beats Jun. Miyahara, the most decorated, most successful champion in AJPW history who has broken basically every record worth breaking, he’s super resilient, a great defensive fighter who always finds a way to comeback and has a small but super successful arsenal of offense. We got Tyson vs. Ali here.

The Match: Great sizzle reel of Jun talking about how great he is and then Kento talking about how great he is. Crowd starts MEGA hot for Kento as they do the big main-event staredown. Lockup goes Jun’s way and we get a clean break with a Saito taunt. We trade some wristlocks and headlocks into an international that Kento wins with a boot and Jun gets a headscissors out of a pin. First gear but the feeling is pretty big-league right now. A second lockup and Jun wins but Kento reverses in the ropes and finally gets a chop out of it which infuriates Saito who charges at Kento who gets a drop toehold, a kick on the apron, and then takes the champ outside for some brawling, Miyahara firing off his trademark headbutts. Jun gets a shoulderblock and then starts whipping Kento around. Back inside and Saito gets a big slam and an elbow drop before UNLEASHING THE HAIR! Kento gets sent into the turnbuckle and the ref checks on him while Saito poses and then just snatches Kento for a delayed brainbuster for 2. Kento finally comes back with his rolling evasion into a double dropkick setup and then a corner forearm before struggling for a brainbuster that Jun blocks and reverses with Kento landing on the apron, they battle it out there with Saito teasing a chokeslam on the HARDEST PART OF THE RING but Miyahara blocks and goes for a piledriver which sends Saito out of the ring and Kento collapses too as we tease a double countout before Miyahara rests inside and Jun stumbles back in before the count to eat a Kento big boot…but that just makes the champ made who drops Miyahara with a massive forearm and then a big boot before Kento fires back and they duke it out with Kento losing pretty badly before Miyahara escalates with a German out of a whiffed lariat. Kento follows with a Blackout Knee but Saito just shrugs it off and gets a chokeslam for 2. Jun puts Kento on the ropes and goes for an avalanche chokeslam but Breakheart busts it up and reverses to a superplex, but Jun breaks out of that and he lands the super chokeslam for 2.8. Jun with a suplex lift that Kento turns into an inside cradle for 2 and then another Blackout. Miyahara goes for the Shutdown German Jun breaks, blocks a Blackout, and spears Kento down before landing a Jackhammer for 2.9. Saito goes for the Psycho Break, Kento slips out and goes for a lariat but Jun breaks with a boot and the crowd is electric as Jun lands a discus lariat and then a Bomaye knee for 1 as Kento does the big dramatic early kickout. Psycho Break lands for 2.9 and Jun loads up Days Gone but Kento slips out and gets a Blackout…only for Jun to respond with a spear. Jun sets up his jumping thrust kick but runs into a Blackout and now Kento goes for the Shutdown again, locks the arms, and Jun kicks out?!?!? Wow. The Shutdown German is insanely protected. Jun is basically dead and Miyahara is baffled at the kickout but he gets to his feet and loads up a second Shutdown German but Kento collapses and Jun lands his flying thrust kick and then sets up Days Gone before Kento slips free, Psycho Break attempt but a standing switch has Kento setup for ANOTHER Shutdown German but Jun breaks free and unleashes a strike combo and his own headbutt but Jun’s short-range lariat is ducked and we get one more Shutdown German for 3.

****½

Okay that finishing sequence was pure filth. Absolute madness even if it fit within the Kento formula, sometimes kicking out of a move really does escalate stuff if everything is protected and carefully done. I also love their chemistry together, Saito isn’t a rat bastard heel but he’s a big mean bully and it lets Kento go straight babyface and just shine as the ultimate underdog (just ignore how established and successful he is). I knew the finish coming in and I was still biting on some of Jun’s nearfalls at the end. Props to Saito for his evolution as a worker and talent as well, guy is made and I can’t wait for what’s next from him.

Well this show ruled? Other than the junior match this all worked for me and might be my show of the year.