All Japan Pro Wrestling 4/15/2023 Champion Carnival 2023 Day 3

All Japan Pro Wrestling 4/15/2023 Champion Carnival 2023 Day 3

Day 2 of the Champion Carnival is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/all-japan-pro-wrestling-4102022.html 

I'm just reviewing the CC matches here, plus the Onita match:

All Asia Tag Team Title Tornado Bunkhouse Megaton Current Blast Death Match - Atsushi Onita & Yoshitatsu (c) vs. Black Menso-re & Takao Omori

A "fan" gives Onita water. He dumps it on him and spits it at other fans. Omori knocks over the trash can and Onita's team is sent out. Menso does a weak plancha onto his opponents. then Yoshi and Omori fight outside. Menso fights off an Onita trash can shot with a chair then Onita is hit with the can.

The sirens start blaring. Yoshi threatens Omori with a bat then Omori gets it. Omori misses a bat shot and hits the buckle, causing a giant explosion of smoke from the electric barbed wire bat. Onita is put on a chair by Omori then hit with the exploding bat.

Menso takes a chair shot and a kendo stick shot. Menso and Yoshi duel with sticks and an electric barbed wire board is set up on chairs. The siren goes off again then Omori hits Onita with a bat. Omori hits Onita with a guitar then Onita is slammed on the barbed wire board, which explodes.

Omori lariats Yoshi then Onita mises Omori and cutters Menso. Menso dropkicks Onita then Onita mists Menso as he comes off the top. Menso has a trash can put on his head then Onita hits it with the exploding bat. Onita then gets the pin on Menso.

This was terrible. They had jokers like Menso in it. There wasn't much much build for it. They put it in the middle of the show and they didn't treat the match or the explosions seriously. I don't know how you do a comedic explosion match, but that's what this was. Totally embarrassing.

Onita does his speech after where he spits and throws water, though they had to mute the audio, so it didn't work as well.

Champion Carnival 2023 Block A Match - Cyrus vs. Yuma Aoyagi

They lock up and Yuma is pushed back. They then shoulder battle and Yuma loses that one quick. Yuma is picked up by his neck and knocked off the apron then Cyrus powerbombs him on the apron. Yuma escapes a powerbomb in the ring and hits forearms then dropkicks him in the knee and body. Yuma hits running forearms but can't hurt him much.

Yuma top rope dropkicks him then Cyrus flying kicks him. Yuma then hits a ddt at 5 minutes for 2. Yuma has his top rope crossbody caught then he takes a fallaway slam. Yuma hits a crucifix driver then is chokeslammed. Cyrus hits a stiff running lariat and picks him up by the neck and shorts. Cyrus vader bombs him and wins it.

Not the most exciting match ever but it made sense with Yuma being the underdog and Cyrus being the big monster heel. Yuma tried to make his comebacks but eventually was beaten. Cyrus also came out to the old NXT theme here.

Champion Carnival 2023 Block A Match - Kento Miyahara vs. Ryuki Honda

Honda looks like a guy you just want to punch with his smirk and goofy haircut. Honda forearms him then takes a facekick. Honda rolls him up for a close 2 and Kento goes out. Kento is thrown into the post but wraps around it. He facekicks him off the apron and poses. Kento hits headbutts outside and throws him into the rails. Kento then running facekicks him.

They brawl in the seats then Honda goes into the post. Kento takes a back body drop on the apron off a piledriver attempt. Kento is then thrown into the rails and goes over them. Kento is choked on the rails then the ref and Honda shove each other. Kento dropkicks him in the knee then the side of the head. Honda spears him then hits a stiff corner lariat. Kento no sells it and they trade forearms then Kento is pushed into the ref.

Kento pump kicks and brainbusters him but the ref is out and can't count. Kento drops him on his head with a german then pumpimg knees him. He goes to do again, but Honda puts the ref in his way. Honda low blows him for 2 and hits a stiff lariat for another close 2. Kento blocks a low blow and hits one of his own. Kento flying pumping knees him then hits a straightjacket german and wins it.

This was fun. They kept it moving and it was fun to see them try to outcheat the other. Honda also hit some nice stuff lariats here.

Champion Carnival 2023 Block A Match - Satoshi Kojima vs. T-Hawk

Koji shoulders him over to start and then they trade chops. Koji hits machine gun chops in the corner. Koji corner running forearms him and then is sent into the rails outside. T running chops him out there then Koji sweeps him while he's on the apron. Koji then cutters him on the apron.

T superplexes Koji for 2 then Koji ddt's him. T hits chops and a strike combo then Koji falls over after kicking him. Koji then hits a Koji cutter which T no sells. T then running knees him in the back of the head. T punches him then flips him down hard for a reverse sit out slam. Koji then lariats him but T reverses the pin and wins it.

I didn't like it. Too much no selling here for me and it had the usual odd pace that T-Hawk likes.

Champion Carnival 2023 Block B Match - Shotaro Ashino vs. Yuma Anzai

Yuma grabs his leg early then dropkicks him. Yuma hits a slam then takes a headbutt and a running euro. Ashino sits him up top then slaps him and he goes down to the floor. Yuma takes a karelin's lift when he's brought back in for 2.

Ashino puts him in a kimura then fujiwara armbars him. They trade forearms and Yuma misses a 2nd rope dropkick. Ashino stretch mufflers him then Yuma top rope dropkicks him. Yuma hits a belly to belly then double underhook suplexes him for 2.

Ashino ankle locks him and he hits the ropes. Ashino germans him then is hit with a german himself. Ashino armbars then ankle locks him then Yuma hits double flying knees for 2. Yuma hits another german and gets the surprise win.

It had some good and bad parts to it. I don't think the submissions really added much to this and Anzai getting the win was definitely a nice surprise.

Champion Carnival 2023 Block B Match - Suwama vs. Manabu Soya

Soya teases a clean break then knees him in the gut. They shoulder battle and Soya wins that one. Soya misses a flying forearm then is sent into the rails outside. They go into the stands and Suwama uses an umbrella on Soya. Soya is thrown back over the rails then into the post.

Suwama kicks him in the corner and then they trade shots. Suwama belly to bellies him for 2. Soya flying crossbodies him then bulldogs him for 2. Soya then suplexes him for 2. Suwama belly to belly suplexes him then Soya back body drops him. They trade chops and forearms then they german each other then Soya spears him.

They trade headbutts then Soya his a stiff backdrop for 2. Soya top rope lariats him for 2. Soya hits another lariat then Suwama hits a flurry of short lariats. Soya then catches him with a lariat off the ropes. Suwama saito suplexes him then hits a lariat for 2. Suwama hits another saito suplex and picks up the win.

This was pretty much what you'd want out of these two - strong style wrestling. Lots of strikes, lariats and suplexes. They got plenty of time here and it was a solid main event.

Overall thoughts: It was a decent night overall. The main was good, Honda/Kento was good and Yuma/Cyrus was fine. Onita's match was a total embarrassment though.