All Japan Pro Wrestling 11/21/2023 Real World Tag League 2023 Day 4
Junior Battle Of Glory 2023 Match - Naruki Doi vs. Ryo Inoue
Doi puts him in a boston crab then Ryo knees him in the gut. Ryo hits a chest kick flurry then running PK's him for 2. Doi facekicks him and Ryo fires up. Doi hits chest chops then is kicked in the chest. Ryo underhook suplexes him for 2 then armbars him. Doi ddt's and brainbusters him for 2. Doi hits a nice top rope elbow for 2.
Ryo blocks his doi fives attempt and hits a bad buzzsaw kick. Doi hits doi fives then Ryo enzugiri's him. Ryo triangle enzugiri's him for 2 then Doi cradles him but the time limit expires.
It wasn't amazing but it was a decent opener. They had room for improvement here with some sloppy moments but the crowd liked it, they put some effort into it and they kept it moving. They made you want to see more of this at the end.
Junior Battle Of Glory 2023 Match - Koji Iwamoto vs. Fuminori Abe
Koji shoulders over Abe then Koji kneedrops him. They trade forearms and Koji drops Abe with one. Koji STF's him then avoids a dropkick to the knee. Abe enzugiri's him then spin kicks him in the gut.
Koji blocks his PK then is dropped with a slap. Koji hits a stiff bridging twisting neckbreker for 2. Koji throws him backwards and Abe armbars him out of it. They grab each other by the hand and trade shots. Abe dropkicks him then takes a running knee. Koji hits an ipponzei on him, sending him into the buckles then Abe rolls him up on his second attempt of it.
Abe backrolls him, is pushed out of the ring but hangs on, and rolls back onto him in a pin attempt. Koji does a hip throw and Abe rolls through it for a pin attempt, then is brainbustered for 2. Abe rolls him up again for 2 then Koji tries a pin attempt before the time limit expires.
This is our second time limit draw in a row. It was a fun match with Abe doing some clever reversals of Koji's throws and the two keeping up a fast pace.
Junior Battle Of Glory 2023 Match - Hikaru Sato vs. Dan Tamura
Dan leglocks him early and Sato ropebreaks. They grapple and trade forearms, then Sato is dropped by one. Dan forearm flurries him then takes a slap flurry. Dan crumbles down after then does a side choke. Dan grounded guillotines him and is leglocked on the mat.
Dan hits a mounted slap flurry then does a mounted forearm flurry. Sato hits leg kicks then leg locks him. Sato ankle locks him and Dan ropebreaks. They get into a slap fight and the time limit expires.
It was our third consecutive time limit draw. I don't know if that's ever been done before in wrestling. I always want to like Sato, but I never end up liking him. They basically did nothing here until the last few minutes.
Junior Battle Of Glory 2023 Match - Rising HAYATO vs. Atsuki Aoyagi
AA = Atsuki Aoyagi
Rising armdrags him out of the cazadora position to start and they try to dropkick each other at the same time. They then do a stand off. Rising headflips out of a wristlock then takes dropkicks. AA teases a dive but handsprings and does Rising's pose. AA takes a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker then Rising does his own pose.
Rising hits a loud chop, takes a forearm, then hits another. Rising blocks his handspring and backdrops him. Rising then headscissors him. AA is popped up and dropkicks him. AA cartwheels and backflips out of an irish whip then armdrags him off the buckles. AA then dropkicks him out. AA 2nd rope connector moonsaults him outside.
AA handspring back enzugiri's him then connects three fisherman suplexes together. AA misses a top rope moonsault and they trade forearms. AA enzugiri's him then takes a leg lariat. AA corkscrew kicks him then takes a slingshot ddt on the apron. AA springboard hurricanrana's him and Rising reverses the pin attempt and wins it.
It was a little rushed towards the end and the 10 minutes or so they had wasn't enough time for these guys. They did keep it moving though and still snuck in a lot of their spots.
Real World Tag League 2023 Match - Cyrus & Ryan Davidson vs. Hokuto Omori & Katsuhiko Nakajima
KN = Katsuhiko Nakajima
Omori's team gets jumped before the bell. Cyrus footchokes Omori as Ryan and KN fight outside. Cyrus headbutts Omori in the chest. Omori running forearms him then hits a spinning forearm. Cyrus blocks a sunset flip and lifts him up by his neck then sitout double arm chokeslams him. Cyrus beats up on Omori some then Ryan works Omori's arm.
Ryan short arm clotheslines Omori for 2. Ryan slams him then does a nice running fist drop for 2. Omori hits forearms on Ryan and Ryan powerslams him. KN breaks it up and is powerslammed as well. Ryan stands on Omori's back then Cyrus suplexes Omori into the buckles. Omori blocks a vader bomb from Cyrus then enzugiri's him.
KN gets in and hits kicks on Cyrus. KN dropkicks him in the knee and step-up enzugiri's him. KN running facekicks Cyrus then double foot chokes him in the corner. KN hits kicks on Cyrus then Cyrus lifts him up and powerbombs him. KN pushes Ryan into Cyrus then chest kicks both. They 2v1 him then hit a hart attack.
Omori takes running corner moves. The Japanese make their comeback. KN facekicks Cyrus then Omori top rope dropkicks Cyrus. Omori knocks Cyrus off the apron and plancha's him. KN kicks Ryan while he's seated then running PK's him for 2. KN superkicks Ryan then takes a lariat. KN slaps the mouth guard out of Ryan's mouth and drops him. KN then northern lights bombs him to win it.
It was a decent match. Cyrus has been looking much better this tournament than in prior tours and Ryan's a decent talent. They stuck KN with what he was good at here - beating up on other people and not having him do a lot of selling.
Cyrus and KN taunt each other after.
Real World Tag League 2023 Match - Kento Miyahara & Yuma Aoyagi vs. Ren Ayabe & Shuji Ishikawa
Yuma kicks Shuji in the gut and tries to shoulder battle with him. Shuji shoulders him over and Yuma 2nd rope dropkicks him. Kento facekicks Shuji then pump kicks him in the side of the head. Kento facekicks Ren off the apron then Shuji running lariats Kento and Yuma. Ren hits forearms on Yuma then does a high back body drop on him.
Ren drops Kento with a stiff forearm then Shuji puts Yuma in an abdominal stretch. Shuji knees Yuma in the gut then running corner lariats him. Shuji then 2nd rope double stomps him for 2. They trade forearms then Yuma running forearms him. Shuji shoulders him over then Yuma suplexes him.
Kento and Ren trade forearms and Ren hits some real haymakers. Kento falls over due to them then Ren flying neckbreakers him. Kento grabs the ref to shield himself then Ren running facekicks him in the corner for 2. Kento pump kicks Ren then Yuma top rope dropkicks Ren.
Kento forearms, slaps and face kicks Ren in the corner. then Kento pumping knees Ren. Yuma tries to get Ren on his back but can't and gets thrown down off the attempt. Ren running facekicks Yuma, Shuji running knees Yuma then Ren leg drops Yuma for 2. Kento fights off his opponents 1v2 then Ren dropkicks him.
Ren gets on Shuji's shoulders and suplexes Yuma, and somehow busts his nose open during it. Yuma rolls up Ren and wins it.
It was a fun match. Ren looked the best I have seen him look with some hard forearms. Kento really sold big here and showed a ton of personality in this one.
Real World Tag League 2023 Match - Hideki Okatani & Yukio Sakaguchi vs. Voodoo Murders (Jun Saito & Rei Saito)
Yukio hits leg kicks on Rei then hits a jumping knee and chest kick on him. Rei takes a forearm and chest kick combo in the corner then is thrown out. Rei headbutts Okatani outside and sends him flying, then headbutts Yukio too. Rei slams Okatani as does Jun. Jun elbow drops him for 2. Rei stands on Okatani's gut.
Rei corner splashes him and side slams him for 2. Rei misses a splash. Yukio knees him in the gut then chest kicks him. They trade chops for chest kicks and Rei machine gun chops him. Yukio flying kicks him then PK's him for 2. Rei deadlift powerbombs him.
Jun gets in and running facekicks Yukio then lariats him. Jun delay suplexes him. Yukio jumping knees him and high kicks him. Okatani forearms Jun and flying kicks him. He then hits a sliding lariat on June for 2. Jun facekicks and shoulders him. Rei corner lariats Okatani then Okatani takes a double hiptoss for 2.
Okatani lariats Jun off a chokeslam attempt then hits a flying clothesline for 2. Rei pounces Yukio when he tries to break up a hold then Jun lariats Okatani for 2. Jun chokeslams Okatani and wins it.
It was an okay tag with the DDT guys trying to go toe to toe with the bigger guys and doing some underdog face stuff.
Real World Tag League 2023 Match - Hideki Suzuki & Suwama vs. BULK Orchestra (Galeno Del Mal & Hayato Tamura)
Tamura and Suwama lock up and test strength. They wrestle around on the ropes. Suzuki and Galeno get in. Galeno shoulders him over and poses then Suzuki armdrags him. Galeno comes off the top and armdrags him. Galeno then flying hurricanrana's him. Suzuki takes lariats on the ropes then splashes from both.
Galeno and Tamura stand on Suzuki's gut. Tamura hits forearms on Suwama then is chopped down hard. Suwama single leg crabs him then eye rakes him. Suzuki does the Garvin stomp to Tamura then twists his neck with his feet. Suwama and Suzuki then cobra twist their opponents at the same time. Tamura spits at him then takes some kicks for it. Tamura running shoulders Suzuki.
Galeno gets in and lariats Suzuki for 2. They trade forearms and Suzuki neckbreakers him. Suzuki knee drops him. Galeno hits a standing Ultimo Guerrero special on Suzuki then Suzuki enzugiri's him. Galeno pump kicks him and they trade shots. Galeno flying clotheslines Suzuki and they try to dropkick each other at the same time and miss.
Tamura and Suwama get in and trade forearms. Tamura punch and forearm combos him in the corner then Suwama hits a big double chop. Suwama corner lariats and belly to belly suplexes him for 2. Tamura ddt's Suwama then top rope shoulder blocks him. Suwama takes corner clotheslines then a sandwich lariat. Suwama double chops and lariats both then Suzuki backbreakers Tamura. Suwama spinning lariats Tamura for 2. Tamura criss cross lariats Suwama then Galeno corner cannonballs Suwama.
Tamura lariats Suwama and they lariat battle. Tamura spinning lariats him for 2 then running lariats him for the win.
It was a good heavyweight match. Lots of lariats here. Galeno didn't do some of his bigger spots here unfortunately. It wasn't a classic, but it was what you would want out of this.
Real World Tag League 2023 Match - Kuroshio TOKYO Japan & Seigo Tachibana vs. Ryuki Honda & Yuma Anzai
There is no greater crime than a Jiro entrance with no music. Jiro takes down Yuma. Yuma headlocks him and Jiro kips up. Jiro wristlocks him with his jacket then hits a jacket punch. Seigo spinning slams Yuma then Seigo and Jiro dosey-do. Jiro and Seigo take stereo hiptosses. Jiro and Seigo trade forearms with their opponents from the apron then are knocked off of it.
Seigo takes a double suplex then is dropkicked by Yuma. Honda knee chokes Seigo on the middle rope and counts with the ref. Honda back elbows Seigo then chinlocks him. Jiro breaks it up and then pushes on Seigo's chest to wake him up. Yuma belly to belly suplexes Seigo then Seigo sto's Yuma.
Jiro jacket punches Yuma. Jiro is whipped into the ropes but rolls over it onto the ramp and poses. Jiro then springboard dropkicks him and kips up. Jiro pulls down the top rope on Honda, sending him flying outside. Seigo and Jiro argue and get in each others way and Jiro makes him dance. Seigo tope con hilos both opponents.
Jiro jacket punches Yuma then takes two flying knees. Jiro superkicks Yuma then Yuma germans him. Jiro flips out of a german from Honda and tries to launch Seigo onto him, but Seigo just splats on the mat. Honda spinebusters Seigo for 2. Seigo hits forearms on him then Honda crossfaces him. Jiro breaks it up then Seigo takes corner forearms.
Seigo takes a sandwich lariat + jumping knee then Honda lariats Seigo. Honda lariats him again then Seigo rolls him up for 2. Jiro hooks Honda's leg on the ropes then Seigo b-drivers Honda for 2. Seigo forearms Honda and they trade forearms. Seigo goes down then crucifix bombs Honda for 2. Seigo b-drivers Honda for 2. Seigo olympic slams Honda for 2 then Honda lariats Seigo. Seigo headbutts him and forearm combos him. Seigo does a running elbow to the back of the head and wins in an upset.
This was great. The early match had some comedy and goofing around. It wasn't bad or business exposing, but just not great. The second half though was fantastic. Seigo was treated a joke for most of the match then made his big babyface underdog comeback. He brought it to Honda and scored the upset win over him. Seigo never wins big matches so it was great to see him get the big win for a change. Honda was fantastic here as usual. All Japan really got this one right when it didn't look like much on paper.
Overall thoughts: This was a good show. I liked everything but one match. The main and semi main really delivered here and while they didn't go all out, they did not take a night off despite this being a smaller show. The crowd was fantastic all throughout this one, popping big for everything.
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