All Japan Pro Wrestling 4/9/2022 Champion Carnival 2022 Day 1

All Japan Pro Wrestling 4/9/2022 Champion Carnival 2022 Day 1

I'm a little late on this one. I wasn't in the mood to watch much wrestling in April. I also just could not keep up with the CC and figured I'd wait until later on.

I am just covering the CC matches here.

Champion Carnival 2022 Block B - Takuya Nomura vs Yoshitatsu

Yoshi headlock takedowns him then Nomura leglocks him. They each leglock each other and slap each other. They trade some kicks and Yoshi kicks Nomura as he is down. They then trade chest chops and forearms. Yoshi then hits a stiff knee to the gut.

They trade body kicks and Nomura tries to slap him but takes a big slap flurry and a kick. Yoshi facewashes him in the corner then kicks him as he single leg crabs him. Yoshi forearms him then takes a dropkick. Nomura hits a nice forearm flurry in the corner then suplexes him for 2.

Nomura takes a dragon screw then they slap each other. Yoshi hits a knee to the body and brainbusters him. Nomura goes for an abdominal stretch then rolls him up to get the win.

The finish was a little random but this was a good one. Nomura was his usual good self and Yoshi was up for actually doing something. This was a heated and fun match that made Nomura look good.

They slap each other after and shake hands.

Champion Carnival 2022 Block A - T-Hawk vs Ryuki Honda

Honda gets dropkicked during his entrance then T takes him outside. T hits some chops then Honda throws him into the rails. Honda pulls on his neck around the rails. Back in and Honda keeps control. T hits some chops then suplexes him. Honda tries to grab the ref to low blow T but can't then spears him instead. They trade shops with Hawk hitting a right punch then taking a bolo punch. T then knees him in the face and reverse sitout slams him.

Honda comes back with a lariat and a running one armed powerbomb. He is then rolled up out of nowhere and pinned. Honda throws the ref down after.

This wasn't too good. Neither guy really tried and there was little action until the finish.

Champion Carnival 2022 Block A - Shuji Ishikawa vs Shigehiro Irie

Irie rushes at him to start and runs into him. He hits forearms  then Shuji shoulders him over. Irie gets Shuji over the top  then hits a stiff forearm. Irie then gets sent into the rails but comes back with a hard forearm. Irie gets back body dropped onto the floor then Shuji pushes his head against the rails with his foot. Shuji hits some kicks to his back.

They trade some nasty forearms then Shuji double stomps his back from the 2nd rope. Shuji then abdominal stretches him. Irie gets out with a back body drop then he hits a running forearm. Shuji then backdrops him and they lariat battle. Irie backdrops him then cannonballs him in the corner.

Irie goes for a flying headbutt but Shuji just sticks out his arm and lariats him. Shuji running knees him then Irie flying headbutts him. Irie hits another flying headbutt then Shuji drivers him for 2. Shuji then running knees him for 2. They trade forearms and Irie climbs on his back for a choke. Shuji backdrops him out of it then Irie running forearms him in the back of the head. Irie hits a flurry of elbows and wins via ref stoppage.

It was decent. I thought Shuji could have sold more and made Irie look like more of a threat as the size difference was pretty significant. They hit each other hard here with one real stiff section that I gif'd above.

Champion Carnival 2022 Block B - Shotaro Ashino vs Jake Lee

Ashino does a nice takedown into a back elbow. He is seated on the top rope then Lee facekicks him to the outside. Lee then throws him into the rails and backdrops him inside. Jake then grounded sleepers him but Ashino hits the ropes. Jake hits a running facekick then some knees to the body.

They trade forearms for euro uppercuts then Lee hits a stiff running knee to the back of the body for 2. Ashino then hits a nice german out of a suplex escape. Ashino ankle locks him then Lee high kicks and backdrops him for 2. Lee goes for a suplex but Ashino rolls it into an ankle lock. Ashino then surprisingly taps him out and wins it.

I'm not really a fan of Lee's new character. It's something different but he's a face for a lot of the crowd and I don't think it is a hit. It was cool to see Ashino win here but the match was rushed and they didn't have to do anything great.

Champion Carnival 2022 Block B - Kuma Arashi vs Kento Miyahara

 

Kento hits a face kick early then gets shouldered over. Kuma gets tripped into the 2nd rope and is dropkicked. Kento tries to headbutt him outside but hurts his own head. He stiulls keeps trying though and does make some headway with it. Kento jumps on him off the apron but is caught with a bearhug. Kuma then stands on him out there. They trade forearms outside.

Kuma slams him on the inside then sentons him. Kuma then stands on him again. Kento rolls out of a lariat and hits dropkicks to the knee and head. Kento gets put on the top rope and Kuma hits a nice splash on him there. They go outside again and Kuma sentons him from the apron to the floor. Kuma then walks on him in the inside and hits a 2nd rope senton for 2.

Kento superplexes him and hits a nice german then a pumping knee. Kuma hits a nice standing dropkick then does a sit-out dominator. Kuma misses a top rope senton. Kento then hits some pumping knees and takes a stiff crossbody. Kuma then hits a nice lariat then hits his top rope senton for the win.

I thought this was a good one. It could have been done a little better but Kuma had his working shoes on and put out a lot of effort, likely because he was winning. They made Kuma look good here as he got a bunch of offense in and got the upset win to really go over. Kuma had lots of stiff moves here and Kento was basically along for the ride.

Champion Carnival 2022 Block B - Yuma Aoyagi vs Suwama

Suwama shoulders him over then gets dropkicked. Yuma holds him against the rail outside then throws him into it. Yuma then dropkicks Suwama off the apron. Suwama grabs the ring bell but thinks better of it. They get back in the ring and Suwama lariats him against the ropes.

They trade chops and Suwama suplexes him. Suwama then crabs him and Yuma rope breaks. Suwama backdrops him then hits a nice belly to belly suplex. Yuma then dropkicks him then hits some forearms. Yuma then top rope crossbodies him but Suwama ropebreaks on his guillotine clutch. Suwama comesback with a flying forearm and hits a nice release belly to belly.

Suwama gets caught in another guillotine and Yuma gives it up for a 2-count pin attempt. Yuma goes for a german and Suwama holds onto the ref to block it. Suwama then hits a stiff short arm clothesline and a corner lariat then a german. Suwama hits a spinning clothesline for 2. Suwama then delay germans him for 2 and back drops him on his head for 2. Yuma hits a pair of spin kicks to the face then fisherman suplexes him for 2. Yuma then fisherman's busters him for the win.

It was a fun little match. I thought Yuma was treated too much of a young boy here when it should have been even, but at least he went over. It wasn't a classic, but like a lot of Suwama matches, the finishing stretch was good.

Overall thoughts: A good night at the Champion Carnival. I liked 4 of the 6 matches I saw and the main and semi-main delivered.