All Japan Pro Wrestling 9/14/2023 Giant Series 2023 Day 4

All Japan Pro Wrestling 9/14/2023 Giant Series 2023 Day 4

Kouki Iwasaki & Yoshitatsu vs. Ren Ayabe & Shuji Ishikawa

Yoshi and Shuji shoulder battle and Shuji wins. Yoshi dropkicks him then crucifixes him over. Ren shoulders Kouki over then takes a facekick. Ren facekicks him then Kuki hits leg kicks and a chest kick. Ren runs through a double clothesline then takes a double kick and a double ddt.

Yoshi tornado ddt's Ren and Ren blocks his codebreaker. Ren full-nelson bombs him. Kouki and Shuji go at it and then trade forearms. Kouki backdrops him then Shuji backdrops him. Ren running facekicks Kouki then Shuji running knees Kouki for 2. Kouki and Shuji trade forearms the Kouki hits chest kicks.

Shuji lariats Kouki then hits a running knee for 2. Shuji fire thunders him and wins it.

It was short. Kouki had a good showing and did the best he could with this and Shuji was somewhat inspired. We barely saw Yoshi. 

Black Menso-re & Koji Iwamoto vs. Hokuto Omori & Naruki Doi vs. Black Generation International (Keiichi Sato & Kotaro Suzuki)

Kotaro, Koji and Doi all try to lock up at the same time. Doi is double teamed then tripped onto Koji, who was just slammed. Kotaro tries to pin both then Doi and Koji try roll-ups before all 3 men stand off. Omori takes a pop-up euro then is thrown out by Sato. Menso double chops Sato and tries to pose but Doi kicks him.

Menso is stomped by Doi and Omori. Omori is sent into the post then Menso takes a step up knee and superkick. Koji shoulder throws Kotaro then suplexes Sato. Doi and Koji trade forearms then Koji pop-up knees him. Doi hits doi fives on him then takes a lariat. Omori forearms Koji then takes a knee to the gut. Omori cutters Koji.

Menso eye pokes Omori then takes a spinning forearm. Omori forearms Sato and Menso in the corner then Omori hits a fisherman buster variation on Menso to win it.

It was short and a waste of everyone involved.

SAKI vs SUNNY

Saki suplexes her off the suplex and Sunny hits forearms. A fan tries to chant "Sunny" but it comes out like, "Sun-ee-ee". They trade wristlocks. Sunny misses a dropkick and takes an elbow drop. Saki giant swings her by her arm and leg then hair throws her.

Sunny has her ddt blocked then finally gets the tornado ddt on the 2nd try. Sunny basement dropkicks her then rolling sentons her. Saki hits a big slam then boston crabs her. Saki switches to a single leg crab and Sunny ropebreaks. Saki hits facewash kicks. Sunny does either a dropkick or a flying forearm but doesn't hit it then Sunny hits more running dropkicks.

Sunny hits forearms and Saki no sells them. Saki running facekicks her then Sunny does a bad step up enzugiri's. Sunny tries ot again and Saki tells her to do it again. Sunny fisherman suplexes her for 2. Sunny top rope crossbodies her.

Sunny hits more forearms then Saki does a rocking chair. Saki loses one of her legs and then hit what looked like a shoot curb stomp on her. The ref checks on Sunny after then Sunny rolsl her up off a suplex attempt. Saki trips her and does a weak kick to the head. Saki running suplexes her and wins it.

This was horrible and painful to watch. Sunny botched most of the things she did or they looked awful. Saki had enough of it by the end and seemingly did a shoot curb stomp on her. I couldn't wait for this to end. Legitimately, this is one of the worst matches of 2023.

Voodoo Murders (Jun Saito & Rei Saito) vs. Zennichi Shin Jidai (Atsuki Aoyagi & Rising HAYATO)

The Saito's attack before the bell and throw their opponents out. Atsuki dropkicks Jun off the apron. Rei takes a double dropkick to the knee then a sandwich basement dropkick. Rei machine gun chops Atsuki then does it to Rising also. Jun foot chokes Atsuki.

Jun elbow drops Atsuki then swinging cobra clutches him. Rei sideslams Atsuki for 2. Atsuki 2nd rope dropkicks Rei. Rising jumps off Rei's back to dropkick Jun. Rei is pulled over the top rope and Atsuki springboard dropkicks Jun. Rising and Atsuki do stereo plancha's outside.

Rei takes corner back elbows then kicks. Rising asai moonsaults Rei then Rei double clotheslines both opponents. Rising takes corner moves and a double gorilla press. Atsuki takes a double chokeslam. Rising rolls up Jun then then Jun cobra clutch slams Rising to win it.

They didn't go all out here and they only had limited time so they couldn't if they wanted to. I thought it could have been better than what it was and I would have liked to have seen a better hot tag section.

Andy Wu & Hikaru Sato vs. El Lindaman & Junjie

Junjie and Wu both do weapons demonstrations. Junjie offers a handshake and they avoid each others shots. Junjie leg kicks him and backsfists him. They then evade more shots and stand off. Sato and Linda get in. Sato leg kicks him then Linda side throws him. Sato slams him down.

Linda guillotines Sato on the mat then leglocks him. Wu dropkicks Linda in the knee then Linda dropkicks him in the back. Linda sits up top and Wu handstand hurricanrana's him. Sato and Linda trade forearms. Linda stomps Sato's foot then stomps his other foot.

Linda then neckbreakers him as he sits on the 2nd rope. Linda backdrops Sato. Junjie does nice charging attacks on his opponents and running euros Sato. Linda top rope dropkicks Sato then tope con hilos Wu. Junjie forearms Sato then blue thunder drivers him for 2. Sato enzugiri's him then Junjie hits a nice lariat for 2. Sato death valley drivers him then fujiwara ambars Junjie to win it.

They took it easy here and the finish was very weak. Junjie tried of course, but I wouldn't even say the other three gave it half their efforts.

Astronauts (Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura) & Hideki Suzuki vs. Evolution (Dan Tamura & Suwama) & Ryo Inoue

Suzuki and Suwama stare down but don't fight. Dan and Abe get in and Dan takes him down. Nomura and Ryo get in. Nomura shoulders him over then Ryo dropkicks him. Nomura and Abe run the ropes to kick Ryo in the back. Suzuki does the Garvin stomp to Ryo and twists his neck.

Ryo hits kicks on Abe then Abe grounded ankle locks him. Abe spinning gut kicks Ryo and kicks him in the back. Ryo kicks him in the back and they trade forearms. Ryo enzugiri's him then Abe dropkicks him. Nomura dropkicks Dan and they trade forearms. Dan chest clubs him then Nomura hits kicks and a slap. Nomura PK's him for 1.

Dan hits a stiff lariat on Nomura then is german suplexed on his head. Dan double clotheslines Abe and Nomura then Suzuki and Suwama get in. Suzuki says something to him and Suwama backs off. They do some very boring grappling.

Ryo dropkicks Suzuki in the back then hits kicks in the corner. Dan PK's Suzuki for 2 then tries for an armbar. Everyone gets in and Suwama is held in the corner. Ryo takes a backbreaker from Suzuki then Suzuki hits a high double underhook suplex to win it.

Things were going okay then Suwama and Suzuki got in. They slowed this to a halt and did absolutely nothing. The finish was terrible as Abe and Nomura just held Suwama in the corner while Suzuki beat Ryo with a simple suplex. And worse is that it was supposed to hype a Suwama/Suzuki match, so that means we have to see Suzuki again.

Ryuki Honda & Yuma Anzai vs. Zennichi Shin Jidai (Kento Miyahara & Yuma Aoyagi)

 

Honda and Aoyagi trade wristlocks then both tag out. Anzai hammerlocks Kento. Kento back elbows him then Anzai dropkicks him. Honda comes in and shoulders over Aoyagi. Aoyagi trips Anzai from the outside then Kento headbutts Anzai. All 4 men fight outside and Anzai takes more headbutts around the ring. Anzai is sent into the post then he sends Kento into it.

Aoyagi and Honda fight on the stage and Honda crossfaces him there. They get back in and Honda throws Kento out. Aoyagi takes a double shoulder and Honda counts along with the ref as he chokes Aoyagi on the ropes. Kento comes in to help out then is choked on the ropes too.

We hit 10 minutes and Aoyagi and Anzai trade forearms. Aoyagi backdrops him and facekicks Honda off the apron. Kento ddt's anzai on the ramp and Aoyagi bangs Honda's head off a table outside. Anzai is double shouldered and Honda is shouldered off the apron. Kento and Honda fight outside while Aoyagi chinlocks Anzai.

Anzai is choked by Kento from the apron. Aoyagi chokes both opponents over the 2nd rope then does Honda's spot where he counts with the ref at 15 minutes. Aoyagi chokes Anzai more then Kento forearms Anzai. Aoyagi hits euros on Anzai then piledrivers him. Anzai is slapped by Kento then 2nd rope dropkicks him after double boots to the face.

Honda is tagged in. He running lariats Kento and suplexes Aoyagi. Honda suplexes Kento then chinlocks him while sitting on his back. Kento ropebreaks then hits a facekick. Aoyagi gets in and top rope crossbodies Honda for 2. Aoyagi grounded guillotines him and Honda ropebreaks. They trade forearms and Honda spinebusters him.

Anzai gets in and belly to belly suplexes Aoyagi at 20 minutes. Aoyagi backdrops him then Anzai butterfly suplexes him for 2. Aoyagi flying forearms him then Kento gets in and facekicks him. Kento dropkicks him in the knee and the side of the head then poses. Anzai belly to belly suplexes him then Kento dropkicks him over the middle rope. The ref very lightly is pushed into Honda and goes down.

Anzai and Kento fight outside with Anzai jumping off something and hitting a forearm. Kento step up knees Anzai in the corner then takes forearms. Anzai dragon suplexes him then Kento lariats him at 25 minutes. Honda and Aoyagi trade forearms and Honda hits a large flurry. Honda lariats him in the corner then Aoyagi dropkicks him.

Kento step up knees Honda then Yuma top rope elbow drops Honda. Yuma 2nd rope superplexes Honda then Honda lariats him. Anzai forearms Kento then Anzai dropkicks Aoyagi. Honda spears Aoyagi for 2 then Aoyagi does a guillotine + armlock on Honda. Anzai deadlift germans Aoyagi then Anzai and Kento knee each other at the same time. Anzai high knees Aoyagi in the back and Aoyagi germans Honda. Aoyagi uranage's Honda for 2. Honda lariats Aoyagi twice then running one arm powerbombs him as the time limit expires.

They basically wasted the first 10 minutes and did nothing. The last few minutes were the best part of this as they finally started going for finishers and were trying to win it. The match really didn't need to go 30 minutes and they just did not make the most of their time at all. It was a very average and basic 30 minute match with few big moves or bumps.

Overall thoughts: This was a dud. Everyone took the night off here. Sunny had one of the worst matches of the year with SAKI and Suzuki/Suwama did a reverse-build during their match, making me really not want to see the eventual singles match. The main was acceptable, but it didn't need to go 30 minutes and they did not make the msot of their time.