All Japan Pro Wrestling 4/16/2023 Champion Carnival 2023 Day 4

All Japan Pro Wrestling 4/16/2023 Champion Carnival 2023 Day 4

Day 3 is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/all-japan-pro-wrestling-4152023.html

I'm only doing the Champion Carnival matches here:

Champion Carnival Block B - Takao Omori vs Yuma Anzai

Yuma grabs a side headlock and they shoulder battle, which Yuma wins. Omori then piledrives him. They trade chest slaps for forearms and Omori sleepers him. Omori chinlocks him then hits punches. Yuma backdrops him then hits a nice belly to belly. Yuma suplexes him for 2 then hits a double underhook suplex for another 2.

Omori running facekicks him then spinning heel kicks him. Omori then hits a half nelson bomb for 2. Yuma flying knees him then hits a german to win it.

This was a short and basic match with Yuma getting beaten up before making his comeback like usual. Decent stuff and there was nothing wrong with this one.

Champion Carnival Block B - Shotaro Ashino vs Hokuto Omori

Omori legit may be bigger than Ashino, which is interesting since he was a junior for so long while Ashino wasn't. Ashino clean breaks early and Omori doesn't, then Ashino throws him and back elbows him. Omori suplexes him then trades forearms for euros and forearms with Ashino. Ashino overhead belly to belly suplexes him then running euros him.

Ashino ankle locks him then Omori cutters him. Ashino slaps on another ankle lock then Omori puts him in the anaconda vice. They trade forearms then Omori takes a spinning lariat. Ashino saito suplexes him for 2. Ashino then hits his exploder into a slam and wins it.

It was a short and fiery match with lots of strikes. Good stuff.

Champion Carnival Block A - Jun Saito vs T-Hawk

T dropkicks him in the knee then puts locks his knee in a hold. T basement dropkicks him then they fight outside but we can't see it. T works the leg more then Jun big boots him. Jun boots him in the face again but T no sells it then Jun spears him. T suplexes him then Jun hits a uranage for 2. T rolls him up on the pin attempt and wins it.

This was a short one yet it still wasn't really that compact or exciting. The leg work was stupid and didn't build to anything. 

Champion Carnival Block B- Rei Saito vs Manabu Soya

Rei side headlocks him then shoulders him over. Rei runs at him and goes over the top. They fight on the floor and Soya goes into the post. Rei misses a splash on the post and goes into it. Soya elbow drops him inside and they trade chops. Soya headscissors him then Rei hits a nice slam. Rei splashes him in the corner then Soya bulldogs him.

Soya has his spear blocked then is chokeslammed him for 2. Rei back body dropped then Soya lariats him. Rei crossbodies him then piledrives him for the win.

I liked this one. It wasn't too long so it was compact. They did some nice heavyweight wrestling here and the two matched up well as expected.

Champion Carnival Block A - Ryuki Honda vs Cyrus

The stream cuts out and we jump into this with them on the floor. Honda is picked up and thrown back first into the post. Cyrus goes into the post. Honda tries to kick him form the apron but is legswept. The video cuts out and somehow Honda has won the match. According to the results, he won with a lariat and it was only 4:43 long, so we didn't miss out on that much, but it is a shame.

Champion Carnival Block A - Satoshi Kojima vs Yoshitatsu

Yoshi takes him down out of the headlock and they stand off. Yoshi ties his legs up and Koji hits the ropes. Koji shoulders him then Yoshi dropkicks him out. Yoshi sends him into the post then kicks him. Yoshi facewashes him in the corner then Koji machine gun chops him in the corner.

Koji elbow drops him off the top for 2 then Yoshi tornado ddt's him. They trade forearms then Koji hits a cutter. Yoshi flatliners him into a koji clutch. Yoshi ducks a lariat then is lariated for the Koji win.

This was short and wasn't too much. They just didn't make the most of thier time and I don't think we saw the best match that we could have out of them. It wasn't that bad or anything, but not something that interesting either.

Champion Carnival Block B - Shuji Ishikawa vs Suwama

They shoulder battle to start and Suwama knocks him over. They go outside and Suwama gets a chair. The ref tries to stop him and can't then Suwama hits him with it. Suwama whips him with a rope then chokes him with it.

Shuji is sent into the seats while tied up. Suwama then hangs him over the ropes. Suwama running facekicks him then poses on him with his foot choking him. Suwama ddt's him for 2 then hits a belly to belly suplex. Suwama lariats him in the corner then Shuji shoulders him over.

Shuji corner lariats him then 2nd rope double stomps him for 2. Shuji takes a back body drop and they trade forearms. Suwama germans him then Shuji hits a dragon suplex and a running knee. Shuji corner lariats him then Suwama 2nd rope superplexes him. Suwama hits a corner lariat and Shuji comes back with forearms. Suwama then hits a stiff lariat for 2. Suwama backdrops him then does a bulldog choke, but Shuji hits the ropes.

Shuji backdrops him then they lariat each other at the same time. Suwama hits double chops and they possibly botch a fire thunder. Shuji knees him then does a running knee for 2. Shuji does a wrist clutch, high angle olympic slam and wins it.

The match wasn't bad, but it was a very slow paced match and did drag some. It had some strong style hoss wrestling as you would want and expect, but the fire and aggression was kind of missing here which brought it down.

Overall thoughts: They had too many CC matches and not enough time, plus after a couple days of action, they weren't that interested in going all out for this one. It was kind of a slower night without a real loud crowd and that hurt the matches. The show wasn't bad, but it was far from anyone's best effort.