All Japan Pro Wrestling: Champion Carnival May 2nd, 2026

Welcome back to the Champion Carnival as we’re in Koriyama’s South Tohoku General Wholesale Center with a crowd of almost 500, and I must add that this show is sponsored by none other than Steak House Juraku! Steak for Giants! This building has a low ceiling, a blue curtained stage across from the hard camera, and lighting that is best described as…what if an intimate restaurant was also a rave? But the music is blaring and we know what that means!

Ryuki Honda vs. Shota Kofuji

Background: Ryuki is our resident burly lighthearted brawler, he’s whacky, he’s high-energy, he’ll choke you out on the ropes and laugh while doing it. Shota is our handsome young, athletic punching bag, not experienced enough to have real gear or a real haircut, he’s there to do dropkicks and lose.

The Match: Standard wristlock/headlock/headscissors grappling to a stalemate before we get a lockup to the ropes where Shota gets a dirty shot but gets runover with a Ryuki shoulderblock. Shota with a flurry of rollups for increasing counts to a 2.9 kickout and he keeps at Honda with aggression but can’t land a slam and gets taken off the ropes with a high elbow and then Honda gets a corner charge and his rope choke. Another shoulderblock sends Shota down for 2 and Ryuki cranks in a chinlock before shifting to a camel clutch and Kofuji crawls to the ropes but is selling his back. Both up and we have a slugfest that goes Ryuki’s wan and he tries Final Vent before Shota slips out and gets a pair of dropkicks (while still selling the back!). Kofuji uses some athleticism and lands a springboard forearm and then a fisherman’s buster for 2.6. Another suplex is blocked but Shota sticks and moves with forearms before Ryuki cuts him off with a lariat but the running lariat is dodged so Honda settles for a spear and now the Final Vent is academic.

**½

Hey Shota got to look a lot more competitive here as a more athletic and faster guy who eventually got caught by the more powerful Ryuki. Fine little story and Shota looks pretty impressive and even sold the back. Honda was fine as just the mean vet but it was about Kofuji and they delivered.

Havoc (Go Shiozaki, Oddyssey, Shotaro Ashino & XYON) vs. Atsuki Aoyagi, Nobuhiko Kimura, Ryo Inoue & Seiki Yoshioka

Background: Well it’s the heavyweight outsider unified stable of Havoc vs. the assorted midcard cruisers of…these guys along with a dude who has no cagematch profile in Nobuhiko, but he does have some cool yellow trunks and red low-top sneakers and no kneepads at all…argh.

The Match: Nobuhiko and Shotaro start with some grappling and Ashino overwhelms the smaller man before Kimura uses some strikes. Some speed vs. size stuff works and Kimura gets a flying headscissors and a kip-up and in comes Atsuki and Oddyssey. Aoyagi is physically overmatched but keeps trying shoulders while the Odd-one laughs him off. Aoyagi asks for a shoulder from Oddyssey and gets a dropdown into a dropkick…but the big American runs him over anyway and tries a slam that Atsuki converts to a choke. More power from Oddyssey who runs over all of Atsuki’s allies but XYON comes in and gets a back suplex cutter to break the choke. Havoc taunt and then all quadruple-team Aoyagi with corner strikes and Oddyssey gets a big jumping splash for 2 that’s broken up. Shotaro tags in but his whip is turned into a handspring kick by Atsuki who brings in Inoue for more kicks to the Master of Suplex. Shotaro tries a reversal but is dropped by a jump kick…but Inoue can’t clear the apron and XYON and Oddyssey come in to menace him but some fancy footwork from the cruisers gets the big guys outside…who catch pescados from Kimura and Aoyagi but an Asai moonsault from Seiki drops everybody. Ryo rolls Shotaro back in and it’s time for more kicks but a step-up tornado gets turned into a German and Ashino brings in Go who gets immediately dropped with a flying knee and then Nobuhiko adds a missile dropkick and tries to clear the ring before his brainbuster on Go is foiled and he’s chopped down. The cruisers all attack Shiozaki in the corner (who, god bless, sells it) and Nobuhiko’s brainbuster finally lands but Havoc break it up and it’s 1v4 before Kimura is battered by everybody and Go’s running chops gets 2 as it’s broken up. Both teams brawl and Shiozaki shrugs off more of Nobuhiko’s stuff and a short lariat gets 2.5 and then a running one gets 3.

**

Yeah that’s about as one-sided and lazy as these things can go. None of the heavyweights really tried, and while that’s the story, them yawning through a heat segment doesn’t help anybody.

Kengo Mashimo [6] vs. Kuma Arashi [2] – A Block

Background: Two tag-first ‘secondary’ stars who are backup to bigger deals, Kengo is a sadistic technician and Kuma is a boisterous hoss.

The Match: They lockup and it goes Kuma’s way who gives a clean break with a howl. Second lockup has Kengo use some technique to wrap up Arashi with an armhold until Kuma headlocks out. More standing grappling reversals until Kengo works a headlock for a while, keeping on it while Kuma tries to overpower him. Arashi finally breaks free, gets a shoulderblock and a senton to put Mashimo down and breathes heavy. Kengo tries a sneaky DDT near the ropes but Kuma blocks and launches him outside but Mashimo uses the ropes to break his fall and gets a sleeper from the apron before coming in with some kicks and then a camel clutch before transitioning to a rear naked choke but can’t full lock it in and Kuma rolls to the ropes. Kuma tries some strikes and then a slam but Kengo floats over and gets another sleeper attempt before Arashi quickly breaks by running into the corner and then turning a Kengo kick into a Samoan drop and another senton. Corner clothesline, slam, and a second-rope senton get 2.5. A torture rack by Kuma but Kengo blocks with the sleeper before Kuma elbows out and we have both guys slugging it out to Kuma’s edge but a jump kick by Kengo drops the bear enthusiast. Kuma tries a buzzsaw kick but Kuma dicks and lands a shotgun dropkick and runs the ropes…only for Kengo to get a thrust kick into a STO and an arm triangle before shifting back to the sleeper. Kuma gets to his feet and does a backsplash…but Kengo holds on and keeps the choke going but Kuma gets to his feet again, climbs the ropes and falls from the second-rope and this sets up a top-rope senton for 3.

***

If nothing else, every Kengo match has a strategy. So even a guy who lacks that real fiery charisma in Kuma can still come across as interesting and capable as he outsmarts “The Assassin” when Kengo gets too single-minded and Kuma’s great skill, falling backwards with velocity, turns into a final strike. Yet again, I wish Arashi had more fire when selling, but his comebacks are at least good and Kengo remains a great technician/psychologist.

Daisuke Sekimoto [8] vs. Ren Ayabe [4] – B Block

Background: A battle between two sides of what cartoon tough guys would look like. Daisuke is a square block of beef, veteran muscle and a face like the side of a mountain, while Ren is young, lean, very tall, and has a smug, arrogant and handsome demeanor. Sekimoto is far more accomplished as an indie stalwart ace for Big Japan, while Ren is a rising star, not many years in the business but rising due to his looks, size, and athleticism. Can old grit beat young cool?

The Match: Hard lockup and both guys struggle around the ring with it until Ren finally corners Sekimoto and gives a clean if disrespectful break. Ayabe does some too short stuff before they finally settle on a test of strength that goes Ren’s way, Sekimoto finally muscles and starts clubbing away before Ren recovers with a shoulderblock to knock Daisuke down and Ren slowly pounds away and stomps on the vet. A hard whip sets up a charge and but Daisuke gets his feet up and then rolls into a single-leg crab but Ayabe uses his superior length to force a break. Sekimoto stomps away for a little bit before Ren gets back to his feet and hammers away before Sekimoto tries a brainbuster but Ren foils it, gets a kitchen sink knee, and then a slam before regaining his breath and getting a yakuza kick for 2. Sekimoto fires up and they slug it out before Daisuke drops Ayabe with a spear and then a senton and a splash get 2.5. Sekimoto goes up but Ren cuts him off and goes for a superplex but Sekimoto fires up dramatically only to run into another Ayabe knee, but Daisuke reverses into a brainbuster before Ren gets a shotgun dropkick and both are down. Daisuke is up and throwing running strikes at Ren who weathers the storm as Sekimoto keeps throwing lariats and Ren responds with a forearm, but he whiffs a boot as Daisuke ducks and lands another lariat that finally drops the big man for 2.7. Sekimoto attempts the Big Bang Catastrophe but can’t land it, so he settles for an enzuigiri and then a torture rack but Ren punches free and then gets his hooking clothesline to drop Daisuke. Full nelson slam gets 2.8 for Ren and the Death Roulette finishes.

***¼

Sekimoto busted his buns to put Ren over as a total unstoppable monster, and while I don’t know if Ayabe can really keep it up longterm against less talented opponents, he sure did look like a monster here. Man Daisuke is great, and Ayabe legitimately used his size and presence well, good showcase for the kid.

Aizawa NO. 1, Dan Tamura & Hokuto Omori vs. Hideki Suzuki, MUSASHI & Seigo Tachibana

Background: What a weird match this is. So Aizawa is one of Omori’s goons in Hokuto-Gun and they’re teaming with Tamura, a brawny brawler (and Hideki’s apprentice) who is chasing Seigo’s Junior title. MUSASHI is also a former junior champion and of course Suzuki is the only one IN that Carnival.

The Match: Tamura and Seigo start with the regular, headlock and shoulderblocks by the bigger Tamura, Seigo uses speed to land a dropkick but Dan runs him over anyway and Seigo tags out to MUSASHI while Aizawa tags in. NO. 1 offers a hand and MUSASHI slaps it away and they keep doing the bit until MUSASHI eats a dropkick and then Aizawa brings in Hokuto for a double-team, Hideki breaks that up and accepts the handshake but falls victim to Hokuto-Gun trickery and eats a double elbow drop. MUSASHI foils their plot though and pulls Hokuto into a missile dropkick and then a enzuigiri to Aizawa sends him outside…but Hokuto gets an eye rake and a DDT for 2 but whiffs an elbow and MUSASHI gets his dropkick, stomp, dropkick combo in and in comes Dan and Seigo again. Hockey fight to start but both trade moves before Tachibana gets a pair of boots to drop Tamura. Dan misses a charge, eats a forearm and a brainbuster but Hokuto breaks it up and sets up for a double-team with Aizawa who tries to spit sake at Seigo but misses and hits Hokuto, and after some clowning with MUSASHI he gets hit by Hideki and Omori gets sprayed again. Suzuki tosses people and MUSASHI hits a flip dive and then Seigo follows…but runs into a Tamura lariat and a DVD but MUSASHI breaks. Another lariat sends MUSASHI inside-out and Dan goes back at Tachibana with a lariat that Seigo turns into a backslide for 2.8, a few more elbows from Seigo but Tamura hits another lariat and goes for a powerbomb…and Seigo rolls through for a sunset flip for 3.

**

Look, it’s a goofy comedy six-man with Tamura and Tachibana just workshopping their title match. I guess at this point Hideki refusing to do more than the bare minimum is funny.

Talos [4] vs. Yuma Anzai [3] – A Block

Background: Talos is the biggest guy in the tournament, a massive seven foot biker guy who is half of the tag champions but has cardio problems and a temper. Yuma is the ace of the future and is very athletic and clever but has run into a bit of a skid as he’s faced savvy vets that have outlasted him or taken him to the limit, this is a test of skill vs. power.

The Match: Lockup sends Yuma to the corner and a second attempt is ducked by Anzai who tries to go for the leg but Talos sends him outside where Yuma waits and Talos fumes and talks trash. Yuma back in and Talos does the “too tall” test of strength tease so Anzai kicks at the American’s leg and then tries a shoulder which makes the big guy mad. Another shoulder sets up a dropkick and then a slam attempt, but Talos is JUST TOO BIG and Anzai gets tossed down. More trash talk and Talos puts Yuma in the ropes for a standing camel clutch and then some…aggressive humping (that was a weird spot!). Yuma with a few forearms but Talos whacks him and then military presses him over the ropes to the floor. Good lord Yuma! Talos follows to continue the abuse and the ref begs him to take the match back in. Talos instead drags Yuma in the crowd for more abuse and chokes him with a towel. Hard whip towards the ring against Anzai but the young ace turns it into a slide to avoid the contact. Talos gets nailed off the apron trying to come back in and on a second attempt Yuma picks his spot and beats the American down in the corner and tries for a belly-to-belly but Talos slugs out and gets an overhead chop but runs into some boots and a second-rope dropkick for 2. Yuma tries the facelock but Talos gets to his feet with Yuma on his back and then drops him into the corner then a hard whip and Anzai is notably limping and Talos drops him with a sidewalk slam for 2.5. Talos drags Anzai to his feet but a standing switch has Yuma go for a German before Talos breaks with another chop and Anzai collapses into the ropes but gets a flying knee before Talos comes back with a boot to drop him for 2. More brawling and a chop from Talos sets up a backdrop suplex for 2.6. Talos pulls the straps down and goes for another boot but Anzai gets an almost zero elevation knee and then another knee to a kneeling Talos before cranking in the facelock before Talos turns that into snake eyes and a big boot for 2.9. The Talostaker, huh? And to keep it going Talos goes for the chokeslam, Yuma turns that into a schoolboy and it’s a Somato for 3.

**½

Okay, so I think this is the match Anzai hurt his knee as he’s almost completely immobile the second-half of it and is getting nowhere near as much elevation, and yes the knee was taped up but Talos basically didn’t work it so he must have tweaked it doing something. A hobbled Yuma leads to Talos doing more which…well they tried but it was just sorta robotic and lacked flow but Anzai sold well and the idea of Talos being a hothead is at least a nice running character touch through the tournament.

Yuma Aoyagi [5] vs. Madoka Kikuta [5] – B Block

Background: Yuma is a smart and manipulative wrestler, while Madoka is pure striking force and explosive power, lariats, hip-checks, just nasty physical offense that Yuma will have to work around. Kikuta is coming in as an outsider top champion heel from DragonGate while Yuma is on his redemption tour after embarrassing the company with a traffic scandal. Madoka is an outsider who has been terrorizing senior (seriously, he started in the 70s) referee Kyohei Wada who is VERY selective with the rules now.

The Match: Yuma carefully picks up Madoka’s Open the Dream Gate Championship and gently folds it while handing it to a ringside attendee which sets up Madoka to hammer him from behind and beat him down in the corner like the jerk he is before Wada pulls him off. Madoka gets his heavy chops on Yuma but Aoyagi uses some speed to get a dropdown into a dropkick and gets some stomps and his own rope-assisted boot presses that Kyohei is VERY gentle with the count on, and when Yuma pulls Kikuta back into the ring Wada breaks his grip on the ropes. Ha! Aoyagi with en elbow drop and a REALLY fast count and they do a few fast-count spots and the crowd is cracking up. Madoka powders and gets another fast count and Kikuta returns for more beatings and Yuma tries a brainbuster but Madoka is too…robust and can’t get it before falling victim to a drop toehold into the corner and a Madoka Hip Bomb (hip check and a signature move for him, as a babyface he was the Hip Bomb Kid) into the buckle has Yuma reeling and selling the neck. Aoyagi powders and Madoka asks for a count and Kyohei goes to the apron to check on him. Madoka beats on Yuma outside and gets a DDT on the outside (probably the view was obstructed) and keeps the beating going. Aoyagi gets put on the apron for a running knee and we get more jabber with Kikuta and Wada as Madoka continues to bludgeon The Fool. Yuma tries to rally but is chopped down and finally we get back in the ring. Madoka picks up Aoyagi by the hair and keeps the beating going by dragging him to the corner and elbowing his neck and then getting a RNC which has more ref shenanigans when Yuma rolls back for a cover which Wada does a quick count on and then a standing count has Wada work the count some more. Okay this bit is getting old. Madoka with a few disrespect slaps and then more stalling and the crowd finally gets kind of into Yuma’s comeback but Kikuta no-sells and chops him down again and then rakes the eyes. Yuma tries another rally but comes up short on the dropkick and Madoka continues the dope slaps and then Aoyagi FINALLY gets a dropkick for a double-down and we have a comeback with a corner forearm, a reverse crossbody and then a flying crossbody for 2.6 before Yuma tries for the End Game (guillotine hammerlock) but Madoka gets his foot on the ropes. Yuma tries a German but Madoka overpowers him so Aoyagi gets some strikes but is booted out of the ring and then a Hip Bomb from the apron wipes him out and we get another countout tease with Wada cheering Yuma back. Uh, we get it. Aoyagi crawls back inside and gets immediately hammered in the neck again by Madoka and we milk another count before Madoka gets a swinging front facelock as Yuma is D-E-D. Kikuta goes up and Yuma flies up to cut him off and we get a superplex tease but the DragonGate champ headbutts him down but whiffs a hip bomb off the top and Yuma gets a dropkick and a German, but Madoka no-sells for a Hip Bomb…and then they trade brainbusters and then fight from their knees in a slugfest. Aoyagi turns a charge into a rolling reverse cradle for 2, Madoka rakes the eyes and then Aoyagi gets a tornado DDT for 2.9 before setting up Kikuta for a superplex but they’re up at the same time and Kikuta gets a crescent kick and a pair of HIp Bombs for 2.9 and then tries a discus lariat before Yuma turns that into a backslide…but another Hip Bomb sets up another discus lariat and Aoyagi ducks that one for his own lariat and a German gets 2.8 and then a Rockstar Buster gets 2.9. Aoyagi gets The Fool (spinning underhook Fisherman’s Buster) for 3.

**½

A credit to these two they got ANYTHING out of this, but what a messy, messy match. Way too much comedy to start (a recurring theme for Yuma’s career recently) with Wada as the most dynamic performer. I do think that Aoyagi’s…look his selling isn’t bad, but it isn’t gripping, it isn’t dramatic, and the neck work didn’t lead anywhere. So you had a sort of whatever, low-acceleration goof comedy thing and then they started trading big moves and expected it to matter. Madoka tried his best to cheat and be the big bully, but it just felt forced. These are guys with real talent, so it wasn’t bad, but it was disappointing.

Kento Miyahara vs. Rei Saito – A Block

Background: A rematch of last years finals. Kento is pure heart, swagger and resilience while Rei is a big, burly high-presence brawler. Win or go home for both of them.

The Match: Both guys milk the cheers for a while before we get a lockup that Rei wins and Kento reverses and very reluctantly gives a clean break on. Second lockup has Kento backed into the ropes and Rei tries a chop that Miyahara ducks. We get some shoulderblocks and Kento asks for more who tries a dropdown but ends up run over and powders. Rei follows and we get some ringside brawling with the big guy beating the champ down but Saito misses a charge and hits the ringpost and Kento takes over with headbutts. Rei reverses with chops and lands a running clothesline into the ringpost before Saito takes a cheer towel from a fan, chokes Kento with it, and then respectfully hands it back before sending MIyahara back inside for some rope-assisted stomping. More chops from Rei and Kento tries a schoolboy before Saito counters with a butt drop for 2. Rei with a whip that Kento turns into his double dropkick combo as Miyahara rallies and plays to the crowd and tries a slam but Rei is JUST TOO FAT and squashes Kento. Saito with some short-arm chops and then a discus double-chop but Kento is firing up and the crowd is willing him back into it and we have a slugfest that Rei wins but we have them fighting over a brainbuster and Kento reverses to a big reaction and a double-down but Rei’s shoulderblock staggers Kento and the big-man goes for…a sleeper?! Huh. Kento is almost down but he manages to make the ropes and Rei calls for the finish and sets up the BBQ Bomb but Kento punches out and lands a Blackout Knee to drop Rei and then tries to lock in the Shutdown German but Rei breaks it. Saito with a goozle slap and a running crossbody before a chokeslam gets 2.9 and a second BBQ Bomb attempt is turned into a sunset flip and another Blackout but Kento runs into another goozle slap and Saito sets up the Eisbein (running palm thrust) but Kento blocks that with a third Blackout and a 4th gets 2.8. Shutdown German attempt number 2 and Rei tries to block with his teeth on the ropes but Kento pulls him back, lands the suplex and the three is academic.

***¾

Look, is it the same Kento vs. big guy match we’ve seen before? Is it the same Rei match we’ve seen before? But just because it isn’t new doesn’t mean it’s bad, and the Saitos formula works in a reduced, sub-20 minute run time more than 25+. Kento was pulling out all the tricks of his Hogan and Shawn fandom with the big dramatic selling and Rei is great as a snarling monster who uses bulk and power to brutalize people. It’s old hat but I’ll never get tired of it.

Brutal writers block for this one, but the home stretch is there and I’ll probably just do a “catch up on the big matches” super review as I don’t really have much to say about the series of six-man matches that fill most AJPW cards.

As always thanks for reading.