All Japan Pro Wrestling: Excite Series – 02.26.26

After a pretty slogging series of shows in the post-holiday doldrums, we’re back with another kind of big show as we’re in Tokyo’s Ota City General Gymnasium for a crowd of 2200 and a few title matches (along with the All Japan junior tag festival!).

Ryuki Honda vs. Hokuto Omori

Background: Battle of the somewhat shorter, slightly hefty, charismatic brawlers that are always on the cusp of maybe breaking out but seem undercut by their comedic instincts. Ryuki is a high-energy lariat throwing loudmouth, always a bit overmatched physically he has a permanent reckless underdog vibe and a “won’t back down from anyone” demeanor when he’s at his most serious (and in my opinion, effective) but all-too often relies on his comedy cheating spots and can oftentimes phone it in with low energy/total goofball output. Perhaps the least consistent All Japan semi-regular, I’ve seen him have classics and totally poop the bed in the same tournament. Hokuto Omori is a Saturday morning cartoon villain with his ridiculous costume and a cavalcade of comedy heel bumps/spots (regularly being powerbombed by his own partner in tag matches) but when focused and serious he dials up his MMA background and is portrayed as a nefarious KO artist and conniving counter wrestler, and then sometimes he does cheap gay-panic spots and loses like a total goof. I’ll be honest, no idea what to expect from this match!

The Match: We start with a lockup that goes Ryuki’s way and we get a clean break. Hokuto reverses a second lockup and blows a kiss as a break…so Honda goes kick wham headlock into a shoulderblock as they seem to be going less goofy. Hokuto responds with a forearm that has Honda powder and we brawl outside for a spell with Ryuki whipping Omori barricade to barricade before getting his 1-2-3-4 choke on the outside. The ref glares at Honda to get this back inside and Ryuki obliges, following with a back elbow and then a chinlock to remain in control. Omori elbows out before Honda tries for a brainbuster but Omori slips out the back, Hokuto then blocks a big boot from Ryuki and adds a DDT to gain control. A corner charge, a few elbow strikes and a cutter get 2 for Omori but Honda fights off another whip and when Omori finally pulls it off Ryuki turns it into a spinebuster for a double down. Honda is up first and gets a corner clothesline and poses while Omori sucks wind on the mat, Honda finally picks him up and throws shots and Omori fires back with his own elbows, but he whiffs a corner charge and eats a Ryuki German. DRAMATIC NO-SELL and Hokuto pops up for his own German, but Honda responds with the DRAMATIC NO-SELL of his own and we a get cross counter with simultaneous elbows to the jaw. Honda gets a lariat and Omori falls back and rebounds with a discus forearm and we have another double-down. Slugfest follows and Hokuto wins with another discus forearm and then a sliding forearm for 2 before getting a Dragon Suplex for 2.9. Hokuto goes up for a frog splash but there’s no water in the pool and Honda gets a spear for 2.8. Ryuki calls for the lariat and then lands it for 2.9, but keeps on the heat with a Final Vent (single-arm chokebomb) out of the corner for 3.

**¾

The junior version of an All Japan heavyweight epic, all the long delayed reversal sequences, feeling out process, and even selling moments truncated and edited down, still, despite it not having the same pizzazz, these two did put a brisk pace in, plenty of effort, and even in the YouTube shorts version, it’s a formula that works for me. I also appreciate both of them really dialing down the comedy (not like I hate comedy) but I do think in terms of “two young bulls jostling for position” being more serious and focused sells the significance of a mostly…okay, completely pointless undercard singles match.

Atsuki Aoyagi, Rising HAYATO & Yuma Anzai vs. Baka No Jidai (Fuminori Abe & Kengo Mashimo) & Ryo Inoue

Background: The pretty boy trio of Aoyagi, HAYATO, and Anzai have history together as teammates in various situations (though I don’t believe all three have teamed that many times). Aoyagi is a three-time Junior Heavyweight champion and has teamed many times with HAYATO. HAYATO has held the Junior Heavyweight title himself and tag gold with Anzai, and Anzai is of course the youngest Triple Crown champion in history. Baka No Jidai are a group of stiff, somewhat goofy types. Abe is mostly a Big Japan guy, and has the scars of his deathmatch roots on his body, but is a high-tempo striker, Kengo is an armbreaking Assassin who is the most heelish, and serious of the group, and along with them is young Ryo, whose work has a lot of KENTA and Kawada in him, an undersized kick devil unafraid of main-event heavyweights (though it usually doesn’t go his way).

The Match: Kengo and Yuma start with some standing grappling before a Yuma dropkick, but Kengo responds with an eyerake before Anzai gets a pop-up knee and then another dropkick to send Mashimo into the corner and we get a tag to Ryo and HAYATO. Both trade wristlocks before HAYATO uses his agility to land an overhand chop but Inoue cuts off some rope-running with a thrust kick and then a big boot. HAYATO backdrops Ryo to the floor and does his fakeout dive into a pose and he’s joined by his partners who mocks the opposing team, who fume and tantrum outside…before Inoue runs around and attacks them from the back and gets a snapmare into a kick for 2 on HAYATO. Ryo tags out and HAYATO eats a double before Kengo covers for 2. HAYATO is our blonde in peril as he’s stomped and choked in the corner Ryo is in and HAYATO finally breaks free by speeding up and taking out the rookie with a high elbow and in comes Atsuki who handsprings and gets a springboard armdrag and a dropkick, but Kengo and Abe run-in to attack, but Aoyagi foils the double-team and hits a handspring kick to clear the ring and calls in HAYATO for some signature stuff, corner dropkick, corner elbow, and a diving codebreaker/facebuster into a back suplex/neckbreaker on Ryo. Inoue comes back with a double springboard stunner (?!) and then a flurry of kicks against Atsuki before a hesitation dropkick into the corner gets 2. Ryo tries his lifting Flatliner but Aoyagi escapes, Inoue with a German but Atsuki flips out and gets a 540 kick but Ryo does the delayed sell and drops Aoyagi with a buzzsaw and we have a double-down. Simultaneous tags to Anzai and Abe, and Yuma ducks a baseball punch and lands a dropkick, but Anzai whiffs his own charge and Abe gets the spin kick into the corner and a kick to the back, but the PK is blocked and both guys trade shots. HAYATO runs in to hit Fuminori, letting Yuma land a double-arm suplex for a cover but it’s breaking loose and the match has everybody running in and tossing folks outside before HAYATO and Aoyagi hit stereo planchas to Kengo and Ryo. Back to Abe and Anzai and Yuma immediately goes for the Gimlet but Abe slips out for a schoolboy for 2. Fuminori does his rope-a-dope routine and lands the baseball punch but Yuma fires off two of his jumping knees for 2.5 and a Gimlet gets 3.

**½

Well the only surprise there was that Ryo didn’t take the fall. Pretty bog-standard six-man with nobody really going above and beyond, but nobody tanking it either. Just a perfectly fine six-man I’ve seen a ton of times before.

Daisuke Sekimoto (c) vs. Kuma Arashi – GAORA TV Championship

Background: Two humans that are about as wide as they are tall, these balls of beef are feuding over what is assuredly the least valuable title in All Japan, as it is not defended via TV title rules or has any special stipulation to it, but it does have a big ugly red strap. No real history or particular grudge between these two other than a similar profile.

The Match: Kuma starts with a howl and we get the monster lockup. Sekimoto turns it into a headlock and cranks that in while Kuma tries to break out and eventually we get a shoulderblock sequence that Daisuke wins. Kuma calls for a test of strength next and Sekimoto obliges. Daisuke wins at first but Arashi fights out and reverses before Daisuke does the same and it’s Kuma who breaks with a kick and a saito suplex. Kuma tries a whip but Daisuke pulls up short, low-bridges a charging Kuma, and follows with a tope lariat (?!?). They brawl ringside as Daisuke sends Kuma into the post and chops away before sending the Bear-man back inside for more chops and then a scoop backbreaker before cranking in a crab. Kuma finally reaches the ropes and Daisuke tries for a German but he can’t get the big man up and settles for a brainbuster attempt but Kuma reverses into his own and gets a senton for 2. Kuma follows with a whip, a corner charge and a diving senton for 2.7. Kuma with a torture rack but Sekimoto breaks with a sleeper and then gets his own torture rack…but Kuma breaks with a clawhold and then reverses to his own rack and then a slam for a double-down. Both up and it’s a hockey fight before Sekimoto gets a running lariat to knock Kuma down and now he gets a sheer-drop brainbuster for 2.8. Daisuke lariat for 2.9 and then a Daisuke gamengiri sets up a delayed German suplex for 2.9. Seikimoto loads up Big Bang Catastrophe but Kuma slips out and gets a gutwrench suplex. Both guys roar and charge with Daisuke getting a lariat but Kuma getting a running crossbody and a Karelin lift into a Dominator for 2.9. Kuma hops up and a top-rope senton gets 3 and NEWWWWWWW!

***¾

Well that was really fun. Just two beefy dudes knocking the sense out of each other, Daisuke just excels at this style and this was one of the better Kuma singles matches I’ve seen. Clocking in at under 15 minutes was a good choice as well.

Makoto Oishi & Saito Brothers (Naruki Doi, Rei Saito & Senor Saito) vs. HAVOC (Go Shiozaki, Oddyssey, Shotaro Ashino & XYON)

Background: So after 6 months away from the ring with a shoulder injury, Rei Saito is making his return to the ring with Naruki “Mr. Saito” Doi, masked jobber Senor Saito, and old junior Makoto Oishi. HAVOC remain the other loud, boisterous stable of black and red clad big brawler guys, though they have a stronger gaijin-influence with super heavyweight Oddyssey and Roman Reigns-cosplayer XYON. Rei’s last match in August was ALSO against HAVOC, so a comeback deal for him.

The Match: It’s a battle of the big men to start as Oddyssey and Rei start off. Lockup is a standstill and both pose before they go for the Greco-Roman knucklelock and that’s a standstill. Doi tags in, as does XYON. And Makoto and Senor Saito immediately ambush XYON and spam corner clotheslines before the Australian wipes all three juniors out and gets Doi with a spinning Samoan drop. We get a brawl ringside between everybody and it’s mostly the Saitos getting bludgeoned before Rei defends his guys and we go back to Doi and XYON who gets his high-intensity whip into the corner and then Oddyssey comes in to continue beating on the former DragonGate standout. The Odd-one stops to gyrate though and whiffs a running splash, so the Saito juniors run in and whale on Oddyssey for a while. The big American just no-sells them and whips them all into the corner before hitting a big corner splash…but he whiffs that too but manages to tag in Go to cut off the Doi tag. Now Shotaro comes in who gets immediately back suplexed by Naruki and it’s a tag to Rei who chops Ashino down and gets a butt drop for 2 as Go breaks it up and both guys trade chops and Rei sends him packing. Chokeslam attempt on Ashino but he slips out and gets a dropkick to the knee and in comes Oddyssey to trade shoulderblocks and the Odd-one finally drops Rei with a lariat. In comes XYON with a running stomp but the junior squad cuts him off…and the Samoan gets a double clothesline before Doi gets an eye-rake and a back suplex cutter. HAVOC with a back suplex/neckbreaker combo on Rei but Makoto breaks it up. XYON snatches him for a full-nelson and Oddyssey tries a punch…and tags his partner in the face when Makoto slips away. The juniors swarm Oddyssey who sends them flying and a running crossbody crushes Rei. HAVOC surround the returning Saito Brother and deliver a series of strikes before whipping him towards Oddyssey for HAVOC’s Black Hole Slam into a diving XYON headbutt finish…but Rei shoulderblocks Oddyssey into XYON, double-shoulders to Shotaro and Go. Rei sends Oddyssey outside with a shoulderblock and then gets the BBQ Bomb on XYON and then the Eisbein (running palm strike) gets 3.

**

Well that was only gonna end one way. This match was to reintroduce Rei back after 6 months away and it did that, he barely sold, had his goon squad of geeks get slaughtered, and he came back to pin the least important HAVOC guy.

Kota Sekifuda & Toshiyuki Sakuda vs. Dan Tamura & Hikaru Sato – Junior Tag Festival 1st Round

Background: So, despite not having dedicated junior tag titles, All Japan is apparently running a junior tag tournament! Kota and Toshiyuki are both from Big Japan and Sakuda is a deathmatch specialist and absolutely tiny with a shock of green hair, Sekifuda is in orange with a matching…patch of bangs (dyed orange to match) over his left brow with the rest of his head buzzed, he also has a giant plushie snake he came to the ring with that he wrapped around himself while Toshiyuki brought plywood with barbed wire on it. Dan and Hikaru are an established team in All Japan, Sato is a MMA guy and a vet of many, many years, throws strikes, chokes people, while Dan is a bruising junior with a nasty lariat.

The Match: Sakuda and Sato start and dance around each other before they go to the mat and trade holds with Toshiyuki getting an armbar to make Sato scramble. Sakuda offers a handshake but Hikaru refuses and Toshiyuki shrugs and goes for his board of barbed wire before the ref cuts that off. Tag and we have Kota and Tamura and I notice that Kota has “WRESTLER” on the back of his gear, in case we forget. We get a big lockup that goes Tamura’s way but Sekifuda reverses in the ropes and gets a dirty break. Tamura with his own strike and they slug it out a bit with the bigger Dan getting the upper hand but Kota gets a dropdown/leapfrog into a dropkick that sends Dan outside and the Big Japan junior follows with a pescado and it’s back inside and Tam recovers enough to get a shoulder and in comes Sato for some stomps on Kota. Both of the All Japan guys tee off on the Big Japan junior until Tamura gets a 2 count and then he facewashes the smaller wrestler a bit and just sorta pushes him around. Sekifuda fires back but Tamura tanks the shots and gets a corner charge and a brainbuster. Dan goes for a fireman’s carry but Kota slips out and gets a reverse crossbody and Sakuda gets the tag, the death match guy runs wild with back elbows and a back handspring into an uppercut. Middle rope lionsault for 2 but Tamura recovers and goes for a German suplex until Sakuda distracts the ref and gets a mule kick to the block and tackle and goes for an O’Connor roll but Tamura hangs on and delivers a flying shoulder to pulverize Toshiyuki and in comes Sato to kick away, and my goodness Sakuda is SHORT. Both guys slug it out and Toshiyuki gets the better of the exchange before a Sato jump kick drops Sakuda and Sato powders…to bring in the barbed wire board? Kota stops him long enough for the ref to block it and this lets Toshiyuki bring in a chair to block a Hikaru kick (right in full view of Sato) and then blast Tamura, but follows that up by flinging the chair…and it hits the ref square in the back to take him out. Sakuda brings in the barbed wire board and loads up Sato for a superplex into it by tossing a chair at him but Tamura cuts the death match wrestler off and teases a powerbomb but Kota breaks THAT up and both guys double team Dan with an attempted double brainbuster but Tamura fights it off and tries his own but that is foiled and Dan goes into the wire. Sakuda tries the same on Sato but Hikaru takes him down with an armbar, but Kota breaks that up and gets a back suplex backbreaker and Toshiyuki gets a double-jump somersault bomb…for no cover as the ref is still out of it. Sakuda goes up with a chair for something else, but Tamura tosses him off the top, gets a gutwrench powerbomb on Kota, and hits a Death Valley Driver on Sakuda. Tamura then wraps some loose barbwire around his arm and hits a lariat on Toshiyuki, Sato with a backdrop driver, and then they revive the ref for 2.8…and then Sato gets a juji-gatame for the tap.

*

Sigh. Okay I get the story of this match, with the overmatched outsiders trying to bring in their element with the hardcore stuff and it blowing up in their face, but man the hardcore stuff just ground everything to a halt and lasted way too long. Sakuda in particular has zero physical credibility being at best 5’2” and looking bad, Kota seems like a real junior at least but man, solid idea, awful execution.

MUSASHI & Shota Kofuji vs. Seiki Yoshioka & Yuya Susumu – Junior Tag Festival 1st Round

Background: MUSASHI and Seiki were tag partners for a while that both chased singles gold (and held it!) with Seiki winning the junior title off of him, and they held the All-Asia tag championships together, well that relationship fell apart, MUSASHI beat Seiki in a match, and they now have new, well new and old partners. Shota is the dedicated rookie of All Japan, coming up the ranks, black trunks, black hair, lots of dropkicks, lots of losing, Yuya on the other hand, is an old ally of Seiki from his STINGER days, and has held the GHC junior heavyweight tag team championships and DragonGate trios gold with him, and just like with STINGER Seiki is back wearing all black with a smirk on his face.

The Match: Seiki and MUSASHI start with the former partners circling each other. Lockup goes Seiki’s way but MUSASHI reverses in the ropes and gets a kick but Yoshioka speeds it up…before MUSASHI dodges, we trade counters and we get the “we know each other well” spot and it’s a double-tag. Yuya gets a headlock and then a shoulder before sniffing out the dropdown and cranking in another headlock, but Kofuji uses his superior athleticism to get a flying headscissors and a dropkick and MUSASHI comes in for a double-team elbow drop into simultaneous dropkicks. Shota gets some stomps but Susumu outstrikes the rookie and brings in Seiki to deliver a double-hiptoss into a double dropkick. Seiki taunts Shota a bit and the rookie obliges with chops before Yoshioka drops him with a kick and then brings in Yuya who hits a sidewalk slam for multiple covers, back to Seiki to get kicks in the corner and then some chokes before throwing a few knees as he’s playing with the rookie. Seiki tries a corner whip but follows into Kofuji’s boot and then a rolling dropkick brings in MUSASHI who goes after his former partner with some elbows, and atomic drop, and his own dropkick before going for his over the shoulder Emerald Flowsion but Seiki slips out and gets a kick combo and in comes Yuya with a knee and a DDT. FIreman’s carry gutbuster gets 2 but Seiki makes space with some elbows and then some evasions sets up a German suplex and a tag to Shota who gets a flying forearm and then blocks Seiki’s interference. MUSASHI comes in and both guys take out Susumu with some basic stuff until Kofuji gets two from a neckbreaker into a missile dropkick. Shota tries to lock in the manji-gatame afterwards but the vet is too wily and turns an armdrag into a crucifix pin and then a crossface as Yoshioka blocks MUSASHI from breaking it before MUSASHI finally manages to drive him and Seiki into the hold. Yuya tries a fireman’s carry but settles for a big boot, but his follow up brainbuster is reversed and we have a double-down. Simultaneous tag and Seiki and MUSASHI dodge each others kick combos to applause, Seiki stops to acknowledge the respect…but that was a ruse and he kicks MUSASHI in the gut but he fires back with his low dropkick into a stomp to the back combo regardless. MUSASHI with an exploder as he’s had Seiki’s number, but Yoshioka slips out of a brainbuster and both guys trade running elbows until Seiki’s scissor kick lands and he calls in Susumu for a double enuzigiri and then a blue thunder bomb sets up a Seiki PK for 2.7. Shota tries to run-in and he splits the double and sends Yuya outside and gets a springboard forearm on Yoshioka. This lets MUSASHI gets a low thrust kick to the back of Seiki’s head and a Falcon Arrow is broken up by Yuya…and now we get Kofuji’s manji-gatame to block Susumu as MUSASHI goes up and lands a frog splash for 2.9. MUSASHI keeps on Seiki and he goes for his over-the-shoulder Emerald Flowsion, but now Yuya breaks free to interrupt that and Seiki takes the opportunity to drop MUSASHI with a kick flurry. Surfboard stomp gets 2.6 and Seiki follows with a low thrust kick, but when he hits the ropes MUSASHI pops up for his own thrust kick before Yuya gets MUSASHI with a fireman’s carry gutbuster but Kofuji lands a missile dropkick Seiki tries his spin kick into a scissor kick combo on Shota, but MUSASHI breaks it up with a superkick letting Shota get a fisherman’s buster. MUSASHI follows with a frog splash to the back, but skips a cover and goes up again for another and Seiki kicks out at 2.9. MUSASHI goes for his Emerald Flowsion again but Seiki slips out, lands La Mistica…but can’t get the La Majistral, and instead settles for pushing MUSASHI into a Yuya elbow, before Seiki gets a superkick. Susumu picks MUSASHI up in a butterfly powerbomb position, buzzsaw kick from Seiki, and Susumu hits the Front Crash (lifting double-arm facebuster into a double-knee gutbuster) and then locks the crossface in on a struggling Shota, not satisfied, Seiki loads up MUSASHI’s own over-the-shoulder Flowsion and hits it for 3.

***

Okay that finishing sequence was worth a quarter star for me. Good heeling from the established team that knows each others jerk instincts well, good fire from the game but inexperienced Shota who was routinely outmaneuvered, and MUSASHI did well as a guy who seems to have Seiki’s number…if Yoshioka was going to fight fair, which he won’t. Very solid stuff and I’m excited to see more of their interactions in the future, good to see some more actually heated heel vs. face rivalries in All Japan which all too often has guys sorta settle in a position of “cheer for whomever you like.”

Titans Of Calamity (Ren Ayabe & Talos) (c) vs. Evolution (Hideki Suzuki & Suwama) – AJPW World Tag Team Championships

Background: The Titans are two, very tall, very powerful big monsters that chokeslam everybody into oblivion and just won the World’s Strongest Determination League. Suwama and Hideki are a long-term frenemy combo of grumpy old guys that are sometimes whacky goofs, they’re both sorta trainer types and Suwama in particular is a MASSIVELY credible singles guy as the former ace of All Japan before Kento, though he’s portrayed as past his prime and in the twilight years.

The Match: Ren and Hideki start with a lockup that goes Ayabe’s way and he gets a hair mush to irritate Suzuki. Ren goes for a test of strength next but Hideki tries to turn that into a wristlock and then some grappling but Ayabe overpowers him and snatches him on the mat. Suzuki gets a desperate headlock before Ren rolls him over for a pin and Suzuki breaks. Back to their feet and Hideki throws a slap, but Ayabe returns, drops him, and then does some ground and pound before Suzuki gets a kneebar and now Ayabe breaks and we get a double-tag. Talos and Suwama, Talos does the “too tall” taunt before settling in for a test of strength that drives Suwama to his knees, but the cagey vet climbs the ropes to kick Talos in the chest to break and then throws some shoulders that Talos shrugs off and one in responds knocks Suwama down…but Talos whiffs a corner charge and Suwama gets a chopblock and goes to work on the knee before bringing in Hideki to work the leg of the big American over. Talos responds with kneestrikes and then gets a camel clutch in the ropes and then tags in Ren to do more foot chokes on Suzuki until Ren gets caught and Hideki hits a fireman’s carry roll and then backs Ayabe into the corner and gets some body shots before tagging in Suwama to slug away at the taller wrestler before Ren fires back and they trade shots but it goes Suwama’s way and he follows with a belly-to-belly suplex but Ren gets his hooking clothesline and brings in Talos. Corner splashes from the big American set up a running boot as Suwama can’t make his feet and it gets 2.5. Talos pulls the straps down and goes for a chokeslam but Suwama picks the leg and gets an anklelock and that forces Talos to go for a tag and Suwama does the same. Ren gets the advantage with a Yakuza kick for 2 and tries for his full nelson slam but Hideki gets a victory roll and then a series of dropkicks to stagger Ayabe and then Suzuki gets a hanging headscissors in the rope and brings in Suwama to hit a discus lariat and then a two-person butterfly suplex. Hideki with more body shots but Ren gets some knees to the gut and drops Suzuki and brings in Talos for a body avalanche and Ayabe follows with the full nelson slam for 2. The Titans try their Goozle Hart Attack but Suwama gets Talos with a sleeper as he hits the ropes and Hideki wraps in a guillotine. The Titans are too big and break free but Talos is rope-a-doped and Evolution hit a double dropkick to send him outside…but Ayabe foils the double-team with double-clothesline and Talos is back in for the Goozle Hart Attack which gets 2.8 on Suzuki…but Suwama slides in and hits Ren with a backdrop driver. Talos gets low-bridged out of the ring and Hideki pounds away on Ren, who just sorta shrugs it off and fires back and gets a John Woo dropkick and hits Death Roulette for 3.

**

That was anticlimactic. The Titans of Calamity being big, unstoppable monsters is fine, I get it, I wish they had more personality or flair in being big, unstoppable monsters, and them just sorta breaking holds and winning strike exchanges by being sorta “ah I’m out of this now” is just sorta…boring. Suwama, the smart wrestler that he is, was definitely trying his best to add an element of “old veteran know-how versus overwhelming brute force” but the Titans weren’t really game for it. It wasn’t terrible, but it was sorta mediocre.

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

Background: So a weird match to run back as Kento won the title from Jun, but I strongly believe that this was probably meant to be a match for Yuma Aoyagi but due to him living his “The Fool” reputation up he is suspended. So, they’ve faced each other before, it’s power versus resilience and a hungry Jun who has been on the outside looking in on title gold with his brother out of commission for so long.

The Match: We get the staredown, the lockup, and Jun wins before Kento reverses in the ropes. Dirty break by Kento but after some struggling Jun gets a wristlock and then Kento goes into the ropes and Jun gives the clean break. Miyahara goes for a headlock, Jun with a shoulder, headlock takeover, headscissors…the works into a standstill. Both guys are definitely taking it conservatively here. Another lockup and it goes Jun’s way with a headlock. Kento finally breaks free before Saito runs him over with a shoulderblock. Kento powders and Jun chases him outside to bludgeon the champ ringside and toss him into various pieces of furniture before obliging a fan by wiping himself with a Saito Brothers cheer towel and returning it. So gracious! Jun rolls back in and we milk the count a bit before rolling outside again, but Kento gets a fireman’s carry and drops Jun throat-first on the apron and delivers some headbutts before choking Jun with the cheer towel and then stomping on it to massive boos. Kento drags Jun over the apron and headbutts him there and then poses…and now the fans cheer him. FICKLE! Kento stomps on Jun and talks trash while the ref checks on the challenger. Saito slugs back and speeds it up with a whip, but Kento turns that into his double-dropkick comeback and drops Jun again. MIyahara stops to pose though and misses a follow-up charge and Jun fires back with his own charge, a Yakuza kick, and a brainbuster for a quick cover and Jun UNLEASHES THE HAIR! Elbow drop for 2 and Saito steps on Kento’s head using the ropes for leverage. They make it out to the apron and Jun goes for the Psycho Break but Kento holds onto the ropes, slips free, gets a boot and then teases a piledriver, and after a, lets be honest and say extended time Kento lands the apron piledriver and they do an extended countout tease. Kento boots Jun down once he’s back inside but Saito fires back with a big chop but on a charge runs into another boot and then Miyahara tries for a superplex but Jun fights it off and gets a second-rope chokeslam for 2.6. Saito misses the Rider Kick and Kento gets a Blackout, but Saito shrugs it off and gets a chokeslam for 2. Jackhammer attempt by Jun is reversed into a small package for 2, and Kento gets a Blackout knee to keep the offense rolling, Kento whips Jun off the ropes for a lariat attempt but Saito ducks and spears the champ for a double-down. Both guys struggle to their feet and break the 9 standing count, though Kento is still leaning on the ropes and Jun unloads heavy strikes with a wobble-legged Kento attempting to fire back. Jun blocks a lariat with a kick and then gets the Bomaye for 2.6 and a Jackhammer follows for 2.8. Psycho Break attempt follows but Kento armdrags out and gets a desperation Blackout knee, Miyahara steals Jun’s execution taunt and then lands his own Rider Kick and then goes for the Shutdown German. Saito breaks and lands a strike combo into a spinning lariat and now Jun gets the Rider Kick, Psycho Break attempted again but Kento floats over and goes for the Shutdown German again but Kento’s back gives out and Jun fires off a lariat and his own headbutt. Jun goes for the Shouten Kai and Kento slips out, ducks Jun’s followup lariat, hits the Blackout…but Saito slaps the taste out of the champ’s mouth and his spear is cut off with a Blackout, a second Blackout and a third attempt at the Shutdown German and this finally lands for 3.

***¼

Sorta the greatest hits version of their match, part of it was walking in without a real clear idea of why Jun was getting the shot or even really the idea that they were going to put the belt back on him, but it was basically their same match that Kento won the title in, except with less effort, a less hot crowd, and less doubt over the winner! I will say I did appreciate how both of them managed to go about 20 minutes before they actually started taking bumps, and the amount of…stuff these guys can get without doing much is both a credit and maybe a detriment to the All Japan style. Not bad by any means, but nothing you haven’t seen before either.

Well, perhaps a bit underwhelming of a show given the venue, and nothing really go out of your way to see. I will say I’m about ready for the Titans of Calamity experiment to end.

Next time we’re going to get the return of Yuma Aoyagi as he faces Hideki Suzuki in a “Hideki Suzuki beats the tar out of Yuma Aoyagi for embarrassing the company in public” match, and later on we’re going to be getting Kento defending the belt against…Kuma Arashi? Yes, you heard it herer first folks (because I assume nobody else carries All Japan news), thanks for reading, and keep on being your beautiful selves!