All Japan Pro Wrestling 4/25/2023 Champion Carnival 2023 Day 7

All Japan Pro Wrestling 4/25/2023 Champion Carnival 2023 Day 7

Day 6 is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/all-japan-pro-wrestling-4232023.html

Champion Carnival - Shotaro Ashino vs Takao Omori

They shoulder battle and Omori knocks him over. Ashino rolls him into an anklelock, is kicked off and then they stand off. Omori goes outside to stall.

Omori gets hit as he comes back in and then facekicks and spinning heel kicks him. Omori hits a full nelson slam for 2. Ashino gets on the 2nd rope and basically puts himself in place for a samurai driver, which Omori hits. Ashino germans him and Omori rolls him up. Ashino then ankle locks him and wins it.

This was only a few minutes long. They still found ways to be sloppy and stall here somehow and it was a waste.

Champion Carnival - Cyrus vs Yoshitatsu

Cyrus misses a running splash and takes kicks from Yoshi. Yoshi hits an ugly botched tornado ddt then kicks him out. Yoshi then plancha's him. Yoshi is thrown into the rails. Cyrus runs at him on the rails but goes over them softly. Cyrus holds his shoulder and then takes a facewash when coming in. Yoshi hits kicks then takes a superkick. Cyrus powerslams him then wins it with a vader bomb.

It wasn't good as expected. Both guys were slow and had bad looking offense and even Cyrus' bumps weren't good.

Champion Carnival - Suwama vs Hokuto Omori

Omori dropkicks him in the knee early then running forearms him, knocking him over. Omori is thrown into the rails outside. Suwama throws the ref down and chairs him. Omori hits forearms then takes a double chop. Omori 2nd rope dropkicks him. Omori hits corner forearms, knee drops him and rolls him into an anaconda vice.

They trade forearms and Suwama hits a stiff lariat. Suwama release germans him on his head for 2. Suwama lariats him then hits a backdrop for the win.

Omori tried, but he's small and either he can't convey that his stuff hurts or peopl aren't selling at such. He's trying, but it's not working. The match was short here and Suwama won as expected in front of a crowd who wasn't that interested. 

Champion Carnival - Yuma Aoyagi vs Jun Saito

Yuma dropkicks him but it's no sold and he is shouldered over. Omori double axe handles him off the apron and they trade forearms outside. Yuma is sent into the post. Jun hits kicks to his back on the inside then slams him. Jun footchokes him then Yuma hits forearms. Jun hits a back body drop for 2 then crabs him.

Yuma hits dropkicks then 2nd rope dropkicks him. Yuma top rope crossbodies him then flying forearms him. Jun hits a low spear on him then running facekicks and lariats him. Jun suplexes him for 2. Jun tries for a chokeslam but Yuma germans him and hits a fisherman's buster for 2. Jun chokeslams him for 2.

Yuma rolls him up then takes a facekick. Jun goes for a chokeslam but Yuma catches him with a guillotine. Jun suplexes him from that position and lariats him. Jun then hits a big chokeslam and wins it.

That was kind of an upset. It wasn't a great match, but it was good to a degree an made sense with Jun working the monster heel and Yuma being the underdog face. 

Champion Carnival - Rei Saito vs Yuma Anzai

They lock up and then shoulder battle, which Rei wins. Yuma drops down and Rei splashes his back. They trade shots outside then Rei chokes him against the post. Rei throws him into the rails then Rei is thrown into the rails. Rei then shoulders him over.

Back in the ring and Rei hits a chop flurry. Yuma 2nd rope dropkicks him then tries for a running forearm but is spinebustered down. Yuma tries forearms, gets forearmed then hits a dropkick. Yuma slides under Rei's crossbody in a cool spot then Rei hits a stiff lariat for 2. Yuma back body drops Rei then jumping knees him twice. Yuma then hits a german and wins it.

Decent match with Yuma getting bullied around some then making his comeback and winning it. They are both young and I imagine they will have a better one in them down the line when they have more experience. 

Champion Carnival - T-Hawk vs Ryuki Honda

T ducks a lariat and chops him. They shoulder battle some and Honda is thrown over the top. They trade forearms outside. T is thrown into the rails. Back in and Honda spears him. T suplexes him then dropkicks him in the knee. Honda is popped up into a knee then lariats T in the back of the neck. Honda lariats him twice.

Honda runs into T's knee then takes a reverse sitout slam for 2. T knees him in the face and wins it.

It had the usual frantic T-Hawk pace to it. They kept it interesting but it did feel rushed.

Champion Carnival - Manabu Soya vs Shuji Ishikawa

They shoulder battle and Shuji wins that. Soya is thrown into the rails then Shuji is tripped into the rails. Soya lariats him over the rails and hits chops in the seats. They go back in and Soya hits more chops. Shuji shoulders Soya over the 2nd rope double stomps him for 2. Soya back body drops him then suplexes him.

They go up to the buckles and Shuji 2nd rope superplexes him. Soya no sells it and spears him. They trade forearms on their knees then trade forearms for chops. Soya headbutts him then takes a forearm and a headbutt then lariats Shuji. Soya death valley drivers him for 2. Shuji thesz presses him for 2 then running knees him a couple of times for 2. Shuji hits a fire thunder for 2 then an olympic slam like move and wins it.

I would have liked a little more energy in this but it was the hoss match you would expect with lariats and strikes. Not their best effort but it was fine.

Champion Carnival - Satoshi Kojima vs Kento Miyahara

They do some basic holds and stand off. Kento chops him off the break then Koji side headlocks him. Koji shoulders him over and hits machine gun chops in the corner. Koji wants to do his top rope elbow but Kento gets up and facekicks him. They trade forearms and outside where Kento is thrown into the rails. Koji then has his arm banged into the post and then is headbutted.

Kento wraps Koji's arm around the rail then kicks the rail. Kento headbutts him again then hits his dropkicks to the knee and the side of the head. Koji hit machine gun chops in the corner then hit his top rope elbow for 2. Koji then hits forearms and a ddt. Kento sits up top and is lariated down to the floor. They get up on the apron and fight then Kento piledrivers him on the apron. Kento gets legswept on the apron then Koji cutters him.

They fight up top and Kento drops down and running powerbombs him. Kento knees him on the ropes then hits a pumping knee for 2. Kento running lariats him then they lariat each other at the same time and Kento goes down. Koji brainbusters him for 2 then takes pumping knees. Koji lariats Kento for 2 then hits another for the win.

Not a classic, but a decent main event. The piledriver on the apron was a little much, but that's all I can really say that was bad about it. Mind you, I didn't think it was fantastic, but we didn't get a lot of the Kento no selling as Koji kept him in check.

Overall thoughts: A good but not a fantastic night at the CC. The main of Kojima/Kento was the best thing on the show and Soya/Shuji was decent too.