Takao Omori & Hiroshi Yamato vs. Yoshitatsu & TAJIRI
We are (not) live from a venue that looks a whole lot like Shin Kiba 1st RING, but do NOT be fooled. This is Shin-Yurigaoka Twenty One Hall and you must never forget it. I’m always happy to see Hiroshi Yamato drop by in AJPW or DDT. This man possesses one of the wildest skill sets in all of wrestling. A handsome, world-renowned vocalist with an obsession for X-based offense. It doesn’t get any better than this. **
Shuji Ishikawa & Ryo Inoue vs. Shotaro Ashino & Ryuki Honda
Big Shuj is the master of the young boy-assisted prelude tag. The lead-in for the Towers/DoiKuma tag title defense rocked and so did this match. Despite Ashino’s refusal of the sunglasses (it’s only a matter of time), him and Honda are already functioning as a cohesive unit. Beefy WRESTLE-1 boyz doing beefy WRESTLE-1 things. Inoue was totally game to get his ass kicked and provide dropkicks. Pure undercard delight. ***
Hokuto Omori vs. Rising HAYATO
Well-structured back and forth between two young midcard warriors who’ve improved massively in the last year. The heel/face dichotomy was on point – Hokuto supplying the heelish chinlock-based domination, HAYATO selling and picking his comebacks like a pro.
Throughout all the All-Asia build-up, these guys have been hitting a new level of ending stretch excellence and this was no exception. High-end counters, callbacks and main event intensity. We’re a long way from Young Boy Hokuto struggling through the basics with Dan Tamura in the 2020 Asunaro Cup finals. ***1/4
Shigehiro Irie © vs. Izanagi vs. Black Menso-re – 3-Way Match – GAORA TV Title
Uuuuuh shockingly cool match? I was expecting the usual light-hearted shenaniganz, but these fellas went at it like they were working the Murphy Rec Center in 2002. Big time stiffness and even bigger motivation from all three. Not sure what got into Menso-re, but he was laying his shit in like Irie stepped on a snake before the match. We also got a wacky dive sequence and a bunch of elaborate 3-man car crash spots. Hell of a good time. ***1/4
Suwama & Minoru vs. Hikaru Sato & Dan Tamura
This succeeded on two fronts. Further establishing Heel Suwama as a complete menace and tantalizing YOU, the gentle reader, with the prospect of a Hikaru/Minoru title match.
If you’ve missed out on all the recent AJPW drama and are trying to gauge Voodoo Murders Wama’s potential for destruction, look no further than the post match scene between him and Minoru. The mere sight of a handshake offer from his own partner sent the Wamster into an immediate WAARGHHFUCRGHF fit of rage.
This man is repulsed by the god damn Code of Honor. Fuck off Gabe Sapolsky. Lost child Daniel Tamura got absolutely wrecked by his former dad – the crowd gasping in horror when Wama bashed him with a wooden pushup board. All of this while Sato and Tanaka had a bunch of cutting-edge neo BattlARTS grapplefuckery!? I love this promotion so much. ***1/2
Kento Miyahara & Atsuki Aoyagi vs. Jake Lee & Yuma Aoyagi
All Japan are now operating at a level where they can’t run a show without a status quo-shattering angle or workrate-heavy spreadsheet match. This ticked both boxes.
The Real Blood invasion deservedly received plenty of attention on social media, but the wrasslin’ match that followed was also bonkers. Originally meant to be a Kento/Jake prelude and the debut of the freshly-minted Yuma/Jake alliance, this thing quickly turned into something else. The Atsuki Freakin’ Aoyagi Show.
Getting to work an extended main event ending stretch with Big Bro Yuma was one of Atsuki’s biggest showcases yet and he killed it. Major league execution and Cirque du Soleil-level flippery from this kid who looked right at home mixing it up with the promotion’s top 3.
The false finishes were off the charts and Yuma clearly went out of his way to put over his brother, not only cementing him as a future Junior Ace figure but as a guy who you can simply put in any main event.
Kento/Jake mostly left the Aoyagi Bros take center stage, doing just enough to remind you that they have some of the best chemistry in this company and that their upcoming Triple Crown war should be one for the ages. It’s time to get on the Zen Nihon bandwagon. ****
