All Japan Pro Wrestling: Hokkaido Dynamite Series 2025 – 11.03.25

Welcome back! We’re about finishing up the regular run before the World’s Strongest Tag Determination League pops off and we’ve got 700+ in APA Hotel & Resort Sapporo in frosty Hokkaido (speaking of Sapporo and APA, are we getting a surprise JBL appearance?) which is actually not bad!

Dan Tamura, Yuma Anzai & Yuma Aoyagi vs. Jun Saito, Ryo Inoue & Ryuki Honda

Background: So, Dan and Ryo are the relative rookies of the group, but both are developing into something somewhat more credible, Tamura is a heavy brawler, Inoue is a slick kicker. Double Yuma are of course both former TC champions and tag champions and a bunch of stuff and will be a group in the World’s Strongest Tag Determination League, while Jun was the champ before Kento and a big-time tag guy with his (currently hurt) brother. Ryuki is kind of the man in the middle, he doesn’t have much success but he’s beaten some big names and isn’t a rookie so to speak (though he’s only 25 so younger than Tamura) so he could easily break out.

The Match: Before the match both teams warm up a bit with Honda and Aoyagi going increasingly excessive with the rolls to troll each other. Jun and Anzai start with the big lockup and Jun just demolishes Yuma and he RELEASES THE HAIR so Anzai gets a knee, Jun gets a shoulder, and Yuma gets a dropkick as they’re definitely keeping it simple with the crowd-pleasing stuff. Honda and Tamura come in and they just go at each other with shrieks and charging that Dan wins with a jumping shoulder and in comes Aoyagi for a double-team and then Yuma steals Ryuki’s rope choke a few times before posing to the crowd like the trolling jerk he is. Ryo is in, and he’s guy who has stepped up to heavyweights like Yuma before and he won’t back down as he kicks the former 2x champ and shrugs off forearms. Ryo drops Aoyagi and brings in Ryuki to turn the tables with his OWN rope choke back. Both trade forearms but Aoyagi gets a dropkick…and runs into a spear, and Honda tries to capitalize…only for Yuma to get a brainbuster and brings in the other Yuma as Saito gets a tag and both men just clobber each other before Saito eats a dropkick and a corner forearm to get a belly-to-belly for 2. Anzai tries a double-arm but Jun is JUST TOO BIG and backdrops out, gets a Yakuza kick, shouldercheck, and then a running elbow drop for 2. THey strike it out with Jun getting the advantage with a big boot and brings in Ryo for a breather. Inoue peppers Anzai with kicks but gets suplexed down and Yuma’s team run-in (with Aoyagi mocking their opponents in the process). Inoue fights back 3v1 and Tamura accidentally lariats Aoyagi and Inoue kicking down the others. Now it’s Anzai’s turn to get clobbered en masse before Ryo picks up the pieces with a 2 count off of a buzzsaw kick. Inoue can’t let his lifting reverse STO though and Double Yuma with a Double Dropkick sets up Tamura’s running lariat and the junior eats a Jumbo Knee from Anzai for 2 and a Gimlet is academic.

***¼

Wow that was TREMENDOUS fun. Everybody was busting their buns and putting over the WSTDL stuff, nobody was lazy and we got a ton of teases, callbacks, and future setups between both squads. Of course Ryo ate the pin but that’s sorta his character as he got some real shine here. A real breakneck pace for AJPW too (and you could tell some guys were gassing out as well).

Hikaru Sato, Noriyuki Yoshida & Tomoya vs. Kuma Arashi, Kuroshio TOKYO Japan & Seigo Tachibana

Background: Okay this is gonna be silly. Kuma Arashi is of course a bear enthusiast who howls, KTJ is a goof in a jacket, and Seigo is Kuroshio’s wannabe mobster buddy. Their opponents are shoot-fighting pervert Hikaru Sato, and two local guys that probably helped promote this show in Yoshida, who is tall and has green hair and green and white pants, and Tomoya, who is old, tan, and bald with a decent barrel-chested build. This is gonna be goofy.

The Match: We have a “hot start” with everybody just sorta brawling as the bell rings while Tomoya cuts a promo while ducking strikes from Kuroshio and Seigo before they finally get him but Tomoya ducks the superkick and it nails Tachibana and then reverses a brainbuster on KTJ. Noriyuki is now against Seigo and we get some actual wrestling with the local cat chopping away at Seigo. Sato in to do his martial arts business at Seigo and everybody chokes Tachibana in the corner before Tomoya comes in for some chops and a slam before cranking on a sleeper that Seigo fights out of and then gets a reverse atomic drop and gets a tag. KJT comes in to take over with taunts and kicks that gets the crowd going before Kuroshio gets a slingshot moonsault and just jabbers before Tomoya gets a delayed brainbuster and brings in Sato for the Hikaru stuff, just kicks and strikes before KTJ gets a sunset flip and a jacket punch and brings in Kuma to clobber Kuma with the regular before Sato slips a rack and gets a jump kick and brings in Noriyuki…and the double falls apart and now it’s time for the local guys to get flummoxed but the Tokyo Yankees squabble over it and then all sorta taunt together before Kuma tosses them both and teases a dive and…yeah this is full silliness as now Arashi is getting isolated. Kuroshio comes in to get jump kicks on everybody but Tomoya fights it off and then takes out Seigo as well. Back to Kuma who wipes out Noriyuki with a crossbody and a senton and then a diving senton gets 3.

*¾

Look, this…why? Like…I’m okay with dumb six-man comedy, but this wasn’t funny. I guess you’re doing something for the locals, but just a boring, lazy un-funny match.

Atsuki Aoyagi & Rising HAYATO vs. Ren Ayabe & Talos

Background: Two teams in the WSTDL meeting up here. Atsuki and HAYATO are two scrappy juniors, while Ren and Talos are the tallest men in the tournament. So juniors (with a ton of history and chemistry) versus giants with nothing but a shared devotion to domination (oh that was wordy). Also once upon a time HAYATO and Ren were buds.

The Match: Talos is immediately making fun of the smaller team by ducking down to get his face near them and otherwise mocking their inferior size. Atsuki starts and puts in his head into Talos’ chest and the gaijin drops a ‘chotto mate?!’ as he’s just amusingly entertained by the whole thing, we switch to English as we get “is this a joke?” and Atsuki sulks to the corner with his hands over his eyes, in tears. HAYATO now comes in, Aoyagi kneels down and Rising steps on his back to be taller than Talos…so Talos brings in Ren to stand on HIS back. So Atsuki escalates and gets HAYATO in for an electric chair…and then Talos puts Ren on his shoulders to again tower over the other team. I don’t know if these guys are taking the match as seriously as I expected them to. The juniors volton into a different position and at this point the tall guys have had enough and just shoulderblock them down. Talos and Ren sneer and charge before eating stereo low-bridges, followed by stereo planchas…and they both get caught, Ren slams HAYATO and Talos presses Atsuki back into the ring. Talos asks if Atsuki is okay in a mocking fashion before the big guys get a double foot choke in the corner. Ren is in now and the ref checks if Aoyagi is alright before the underdog fires off some forearms before Ayabe responds with one to knock Atsuki down and then a delayed (and delayed) brainbuster gets an arrogant cover before HAYATO breaks at 2.9. Both big guys just slaughter the smaller dudes before they begin to use speed to knock them around. Ren collides with Talos who gets tossed outside using the ropes and HAYATO and Atsuki isolate Ren…and can’t land a whip so settle for dropkicks and then do the same to Talos to send them both outside. They catch Atsuki on a dive, but a springboard plancha by HAYATO knocks the big guys down. Both juniors get Ayabe back in and go for a stereo missile dropkick and HAYATO gets 2.7 off of that and both guys sells the desperation of even one cover. HAYATO keeps it up with his patented overhead chop but Ren gets a massive back body drop on HAYATO…and an interfering Atsuki eats the same fate. Talos gets a DOUBLE CHOKESLAM OF DOOM and then Ren and Talos gets a massive delayed lifting release chokeslam of total obliteration on HAYATO (and it knocks his chain off it’s so hard) and an arrogant cover gets 3.

***

This was fantastically fun. The goofy comedy stuff at the start lasted as long as it should have, then we get the monster heels just obliterating these two dudes who FINALLY get enough airspace to almost get something going before they’re snatched and dominated. Good showcase for Ren and Talos…who has a LOT more personality than I thought and it isn’t just “white guy swears a lot in Japan.”

HAVOC (Go Shiozaki & Shotaro Ashino) vs. HAVOC (Oddyssey & XYON)

Background: So I guess HAVOC are doing an intramural skirmish. Shotaro and Go are far more established in Japan but Oddyssey and XYON are the tag champs right now.

The Match: So it’s all love before the match as all four guys dap each other up and hug each other, and then the ref does a check on the guys…and pulls a HAVOC headband from XYON’s vest and all four guys pressure the ref into wearing HAVOC merch and doing their taunt before the ref tosses it off. Very, very silly. Shotaro and XYON start with a lockup into some standing grappling and then some mat work and it’s all very clean and technical and exhibition-y but Ashino almost gets an ankle lock and XYON slips out and they both give the respect stare and do the HAVOC taunt and now it’s Go and Oddyssey for the big lockup and the big gaijin sends Go into the ropes and gives a clean break. Shiozaki then asks for a moment so he can do some pushups before a second lockup is a standstill…so Go just boots the big man and tries a shoulderblock…it doesn’t work. Go psyches himself up for more shoulders that go nowhere so Go breaks out a chop (with a pretty funny sell from Oddyssey) and now the big man knocks down Go and gyrates a bit. Go brings in Shotaro who tries for a single-leg and gets shrugged off. Ashino’s attempt at a German doesn’t go anywhere either so Shotaro pokes the eyes…and then pokes them a few other times and brings in Go to double-team Oddyssey who just reverses the whip into a double clothesline and the Japanese team powders only to get destroyed on the outside and tossed around some more. Back inside and Oddyssey doing his rolling sentons on Ashino while playing to the crowd. Go breaks up the pin and gets shoved back and in comes XYON with a nervehold of all things. Then a double-arm stretch but Shotaro reverses and we get some brawling with Ashino hitting the regular stuff and then in comes Go with chops and the leaping shoulder on XYON. Funny spot as Go prays for a second before destroying XYON in the corner with chops Go attempts a fisherman’s buster, gets foiled and then lands it for 2.5. XYON gets up and lands a strike exchange and then speeds it up with a floatover in the corner into a charge and his twisting whip that Go sells like nuts. Shotaro comes in for a double shoulderblock on XYON but then Oddyssey comes in to wipe out both the vets and lands a double sidewalk slam. XYON sets Go on the top rope but Shiozaki reverses into his twisting superplex and brings in Shotaro. Ashino tries a German but settles for some uppercuts instead and that lets him get a German. Oddyssey runs in and Shotaro’s German is foiled and the big man just splashes both Go and Shiozaki in the corner before Go breaks out the lariats and a double-team lariat/German takes Oddyssey down. XYON fights free from an exploder suplex and gets a strike combo but Ashino takes him down and gets the ankle lock and gets the full grapevine but Oddyseey runs in to splash him, XYON gets a twisting Samoan drop and then whips Ashino into Oddyssey’s black hole slam and then a diving headbutt is enough for 3.

**½

15 minutes is too long but I suppose this was a fine exhibition, I liked them starting out friendly and getting more aggressive as it went on, but I think you could have easily shaved 5 minutes. They certainly are putting over Oddyssey as being basically invincible at least.

Post-match they all hug and do the HAVOC taunt.

MUSASHI & Seiki Yoshioka (c) vs. Hideki Suzuki & Shota Kofuji – All Asia Tag Team Championships

Background: MUSASHI and Seiki are our scrappy journeyman vet juniors here, Seiki is fast, MUSASHI has guile, their opponents are crusty shooter Hideki who is much bigger than the champs, and his opponent, Shota Kofuji is the young guy in AJPW, a handsome young lad with platinum blonde hair. He doesn’t win a lot.

The Match: Hot start with Shota jumping the champs at the bell and isolating on MUSASHI before a high elbow and a brainbuster put the vet in control. HIdeki runs in but the champs get a kick combo to send Suzuki packing and Seiki gets a pescado while MUSASHI chops at the kid, props him in the corner, and dropkicks him for 2. Yoshioka in with a knee, Kofuji tries slugging but a snapmare and kick keeps up the pressure and it’s back to MUSASHI who is begging the rookie to fire up. A chop stings the vet so he fires his own back for 2 and stomps away. Quick tags as the champs just choke Shota in the corner and do pretty basic stuff. Seiki with a camel clutch but Shota makes the ropes. Seiki baits Hideki in and MUSASHI takes the big man out so they can isolate Kofuji more and now Seiki puts his foot on the accelerator but Shota finally reverses a brainbuster and Hideki tags in and gets some strikes and an exploder on Yoshioka for 2 before going to the sleeper that MUSASHI immediately breaks but Hideki gets a backbreaker and tries a double-arm suplex on Seiki but he settles for a Pedigree (?!) Shota back in with a rolling dropkick and a fisherman’s buster for 2.5. Kofuji with a manji-gatame, and then MUSASHI’s run-in is blocked with an abdominal stretch from Suzuki. Seiki forces his way to the ropes though and Shota tries to capitalise but Seiki gets a series of kicks and brings in MUSASHI to do some run and gun with a low dropkick, a stomp to the back, and another dropkick. Shota reverses a charge and gets a missile dropkick and tags in Hideki who gets his bodyshots in the corner but Seiki breaks that up before falling victim to the same. MUSASHI gets an enzuigiri and the champs get stereo superkicks though and Suzuki has to bring in Kofuji who gets a series of dropkicks and then another fisherman’s buster for 2.8. It’s back to the rookie and MUSASHI and Kofuji slips up on a spot but they just keep going and MUSASHI gets a drop toehold into the ropes and the champs get simultaneous kicks to Shota’s head (Seiki sliding on the apron to get the face, MUSASHI to the back ot the skull) and MUSASHI’s falcon arrow gets 2.9. Frog splash follows but Hideki breaks up what very much looked like a 3, and when MUSASHI goes up again HIdeki breaks it up and then gets a sleeper on Yoshioka…and Seiki kicks back knocking himself into a RNC position and asks MUSASHI to land the splash. Okay, that was clever. Hideki rolls outside, MUSASHI gets a pescado and then runs back in go at an isolated Kofui, Shota reverses a falcon arrow into a small package, gets ANOTHER dropkick, and then lands a T-Bone suplex for 2.7. He goes back to the well and MUSASHI reverses into a German and then gets a low thrust kick for 2.9 then MUSASHI drops Shota in the corner and gets another frog splash for 3 as Hideki is centimeters away from breaking but Seiki is holding onto his leg. Nice!

***¼

Well I liked this a LOT more than I was expecting to with the strategy of “both Seiki and MUSASHI can beat up Shota, but they can’t beat Hideki 1v1, but can slow him down 2v1.” So them deciding to isolate the younger wrestler was good, especially since Hideki doesn’t have the cardio to work a full tag-match so he needs Shota to take the bulk of the beating so he can restore his stamina. Seiki and MUSASHI remain a good team as well.

Kento Miyahara (c) vs. Hokuto Omori – Triple Crown Championship

Background: Kento is the man, the ace, the stud, the best of the best who finally got his belt back after a few years apart from it and looking to be his regular dominant self. Hokuto is a young upstart who spent the last couple years after ‘graduating’ from rookie-dom trying a number of gimmicks, he was a MMA style KO artist, then a trollish clown, before settling on a goofy generalissimo dressed guy in charge of Hokuto-Gun that was basically purely comedy and goofiness and him eating a lot of pins. He’s gotten more serious recently and has returned to his KO master stuff (though he still has the military parade outfits) and is looking to establish himself against the top guy in the company. Hokuto is also the local guy as his North Wolf nickname plays to his Hokkaido origins.

The Match: Big lockup to start and Kento wins and gives a very reluctant clean break, or nah as he slaps Hokuto across the face. They go for some standing grappling next as they hustle for armbars and Kento ends up in the ropes this time and Omori gives the clean break, instead choosing to blow a kiss. Miyahara responds with a boot but Hokuto gets a big elbow and Kento powders, Omori gives chase and Kento just rolls back inside to pose. Ha! But this is an All Japan match so Miyahara is dragged back outside and they brawl ringside (no barrier for this show so they’re just walking among the people here). Kento sets up Hokuto against one of the posts though and misses a shot. Omori has his opening as he savages Kento’s arm (right arm which is unusual for wrestling!) and slams it off a variety of things and then tries a brainbuster on the floor before Kento reverses to a DDT and heads back in. They tease a countout but Kento decides he wants to punish this jerk some more so he rolls back out and does the repeated headbutts. Back inside and Kento gets a brutal boot and tells the referee to ask Hokuto if he gives up. Omori tries to get up and eats another boot and then Kento just sorta standing on his head. I guess Miyahara is chasing a KO victory himself here. Kento tries his comeback sequence with the rolling evasion into a dropkick but Hokuto snatches him after the first and gets a German. A running forearm in the corner and a brainbuster get 2 for Omori, Kento gets up and tries a whip sequence but Omori blocks a strike with a flying armbar but Kento avoids full extension until he gets a foot on the ropes, Miyahara rolls outside and they fight on the apron and Hokuto teases his Muso Issen (Fisherman’s Driver) but Kento slips free and grabs a…sleeper? That’s new for him. The ref breaks as they’re in the ropes and Miyahara goes for his patented apron piledriver and nails it. Omori is basically dead on the outside and Kento does the “it’s over” gesture. Hokuto crawls back, falls out, and then FINALLY makes it back in at 9. Kento nails the challenger in the head with another boot and then just sorta steps on his head while taunting the crowd. Hokuto fires himself up and nails the champ with a hard elbow, a second elbow is met with a boot and now both guys slug it out. Miyahara actually goes wild on Omori in the corner and breaks up an Omori flurry with a headbutt before Hokuto changes levels and goes back to the flying armbar and gets the full extension. Kento rolls to his belly to relieve the pressure but Hokuto gets him back over but that brings MIyahara close to the ropes. Hokuto now goes up and gets a frog splash…right into Kento’s knees. Miyahara then starts laughing like a total lunatic and nails a kneeling Hokuto with the Blackout. Kento goes for a second, but Hokuto blocks before Miyahara nails him with a headbutt, but Omori fires up with a blistering elbow to the jaw and Miyahara goes wobble-legged. A superman elbow gets 2.7 and Hokuto goes up AGAIN and now lands the Frog Splash for 2.8. Hokuto goes for a Dragon Suplex and Kento counters with a victory roll and then another Blackout to a charging Omori. Kento waits for Hokuto to make it to his feet before going for a Shutdown German and Omori slips out, Kento goes for the Blackout and Omori now blocks with a rolling elbow then another attempt at the Dragon Suplex but Kento breaks…so Omori gets the Shutdown. Ha! Miyahara ain’t losing to his own stuff though but Hokuto lands the Dragon Suplex now for 2.8. Now Omori calls for the kill and it’s Muso Issen attempt #2 and this one lands…for 2.9. Omori follows with ANOTHER Frog Splash and this time there’s no water in the pool as Kento slips away and lands an absolutely spicy Blackout for 1 as Hokuto does the BIG DRAMATIC KICKOUT! Kento immediately goes for the Shutdown, Omori breaks and gets an elbow and then tries to roll for another and Kento ducks and it’s Shutdown attempt #3 and this one lands for the academic 3.

***½

I never really QUITE bought Hokuto’s chances, but he did well and was definitely more serious than this last couple years of goofery. Kento is always Kento and he heeled it up enough for Omori to get some pops, but Hokuto’s whole demeanor is still so heelish. Like he needs to get some taunts and stuff that work for him in this role. I’m not disappointed at all, but this was a quite good match with a great wrestler and a dude still finding his legs. Also I did like the idea that Hokuto kinda ran out of stuff to do, him going for the Frog Splash one last time ultimately led to his loss, good note for a guy who really doesn’t have experience in these sort of matches.

Overall a fun show, and next up it’s onto the World’s Strongest Tag Determination League!