Marigold 12/31/2024 Winter Wonderful Fight Day 10

Marigold 12/31/2024 Winter Wonderful Fight Day 10

Day 9 is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/12/marigold-12262024-winter-wonderful.html

They gave out some awards before the show:

Saree won the MVP Award. Best Match of the Year went to Saree vs Nanae Takahashi from 12/13/24. Mirai and Mai Sakurai won Best Tag Team.  The Outstanding Acheivement Award went to Utami Hayashishita. Miku Aono won the Best Technical Skill Award. Bozilla won the Fighting Spirit Award. Kouki Amarei won the Shine Award.

The girls talked about the awards after and posed with them.

They drew numbers to determine who fights who in the Rookie of the Year 2024 Tournament. And no, I have no answers for why Naho was in but Hummingbird, Victoria Yuzuki and Rea weren't.

Rookie Of The Year 2024 Tournament First Round Match - Minami Yuuki vs. Nagisa Tachibana

NT = Nagisa Tachibana

NT running dropkicks her multiple times to start. NT goes for an armbar and Yuuki ropebreaks. NT hits chest forearms and Yuuki chest forearms her over. Yuuki dropkicks her then slams her. Yuuki arm throws her over her shoulder several times for 2.

NT crossbodies Yuuki for 2. NT hits chest forearms and bangs Yuuki's head off the buckles. NT corner dropkicks Yuuki then rolls her up for 2. NT hits chest forearms. Yuuki does her hammerlock guillotine and ddt's her while doing it. 

NT ropebreaks. NT cradles her for 2. NT backslides her then la magistrals her for 2. Yuuki russian legsweeps her for 2. Yuuki does another hammerlock guillotine and taps out NT.

Thoughts: It was short and simple. Nobody botched anything or had any sloppy moments. It was about as basic as it gets but it went fine. This could have been a disaster but it wasn't.

Rookie Of The Year 2024 Tournament First Round Match - Naho Yamada vs. Ryoko Sakimura

RS = Ryoko Sakimura

The girls were at ringside already so they didn't get a special entrance. Naho wristlocks her. RS cartwheels out and reverses it. Naho wristlocks her again. Naho side headlocks her and side headlock takeovers her. RS headscissors her.

RS hits chest forearms. Naho running dropkicks her then headhunters her for 2. Naho hair throws her and takes kicks to the chest. Naho catches a kick, trips her and figure fours her. Naho bridges as RS ropebreaks. 

RS hits knees to the chest then step up knees her in the corner. RS dropkicks her for 2. RS slams Naho multiple times for 2. They trade chest forearms. Naho hits a couple in a row then RS rolls her up for 2. RS cradles her then Naho tries a pin. Naho backrolls and rolls up RS for 2. Naho bodyscissors rolls RS around the ring for 2.

Naho flying forearms RS off the buckles. RS rolls her up for 2. RS does a koji clutch and Naho ropebreaks. Naho dropkicks her. Naho pedigrees her and gets the pin.

Thoughts: RS looked better than Naho did here and I don't think anyone would disagree. It was a rookies match and pretty average for the most part. RS needs to put more into her kicks but I had no issues with her otherwise.

Rookie Of The Year 2024 Tournament Final Match - Naho Yamada vs. Minami Yuuki

Yuuki running boots her before the bell. She throws her over by the arms for 2. Naho cutters her then headhunters her. Naho slams her for 2. Naho dropkicks her in the knee and sunset flips her for 2. Naho bodyscissors rolls Yuuki around the ring for 2.

Yuuki hammerlock guillotines her and Naho ropebreaks. Naho chest forearms her. They botch a pin attempt and Yuuki rolls her up for 2. The camera falls over during the match and we get video of the ceiling for about 30 seconds. The camera man then tries to hold the camera and film it and does a poor job of it.

Yuuki russian legsweeps Naho for 2. Yuuki spinebusters her for 2. Yuuki backdrops her for the win.

Thoughts: It wasn't any good. The camera falling over was really funny and really fit the theme of this one. Naho had some loose offense here and the match was pretty generic.  

The girls are given medals after for the tournament. Yuuki talks on the mic.

Marigold Rumble Match - Nanae Takahashi vs. Nagisa Nozaki vs. Sareee vs. Miku Aono vs. Utami Hayashishita vs. Misa Matsui vs. MIRAI vs. Mai Sakurai vs. Nao Ishikawa vs. CHIAKI vs. Kouki Amarei vs. Chika Goto vs. Hummingbird vs. Rea Seto vs. Bozilla vs. Victoria Yuzuki

Yuz = Victoria Yuzuki, Nat = Natsumi Showzuki, Sare = Sareee

Yuz and Nat are the first two in. Nat side headlocks her and hammerlocks her. They trade forearms as Utami enters. Utami shoulders both over. Utami rams Yuz into Nat. Utami hits a double dropkick. Sare is next in. Utami boots her. Yuz and Nat roll out of the ring.

Utami shoulders over Sare. Sare hits chest forearms on her. They trade chest forearms. Misa is next in. Misa is caught on a double crossbody then Yuz and Nat dropkick the three over. Utami armdrags Misa then is double rolled into a double basement dropkick. The girls try pin attempts. Nao is next in.

Nao gets triple teamed and then she misses a double crossbody attempt. Nao hits chest forearms on 3 girls. Nao takes corner attacks from the other girls. CHIAKI is next in. Chi hits rolling spears then hits a double rolling spear. Chi hits a double dropkick throug hthe ropes on her opponents.

Nagisa Nozaki is next in. Nozaki facekicks Utami then pendulum kicks her on the ropes. Nozaki double chops multiple girls in the corner, including her partner Chi. MIRAI is next in. Chiputs Mirai in the apron. Mirai rolls back in with a flatliner on her. Nanae Takahashi is next in and gets a big "Passion" chant.

Nanae poses on the 2nd rope and girls try to push her out. Nanae then lariats most of the other girls. Nanae lariat battles Utami. Chika Goto is next in. Nao gets a 2 count on Nanae. Chika giant swings Misa. Grils surround Misa and try to jump over her as she swings. Kouki comes in next. Kouki facekicks Chika while holding her title. Nao and Nanae double team Sare. Nane lariats Nao then Sare top rope dropkicks Nanae. Nao tries to la magistral Sare but Sare blocks it and pins her.

Sare rolls Utami into a double stomp then dropkicks her on the bottom rope. Misa crossbodies Utami on the bottom rope. Mai Sakurai hits a double dropkick off the top. Utami germans Misa and pins her.

Mai throws money at 2 girls and hits a double dropkick. Sare then dropkicks Mai. Miku Aono is next in. The girls are trying like a 7 person suplex and Mai ends up laying on them as they try to do it. Miku head kicks Mai down. 

We get a 9 girl suplex. Miku double underhook suplexes Mai then trades forearms with her. Rea Seto is next in. Rea dropkicks Miku then she hits a double flying neckbreaker. Rea rolls up Miku and Mai for 2. Yuz dropkicks Rea then dropkicks her against the bottom rope. Nat meteora's Rea against the bottom rope. Hummingbird is next in.

Nat throws Yuz off the top onto Rea. Nat and Yuz fight on the apron and both fall down. Both get eliminated. Bozilla is next in. Boz shoulders Miku over. Utami is pulled onto the apron then Utami pulls Sare on there with her. They fight on the apron. Utami air raid crashes Sare on the apron. Both fall down to the floor and are eliminated. 

Boz is tripped into a cartwheel double knee from Chi. Boz back body drops Chika and Kouki over the top. Kouki definitely gets eliminated but they ignore it. Kouki and Chika trade on the apron. Kouki and Chika facekick each other off the apron and both get eliminated.

Nozaki and Chi take stereo backdrops. Mirai takes a double boot. Miku goes onto the apron then Mai does as well. They fight then Chi and Nozaki join them. Chi chairs Nozaki and eliminates her. Mai hits a hard facekick on Chi and eliminates her. Miku styles clashes Mai on the apron and both get eliminated off of it.

Rea stomps on Nanae. Nanae figure fours her. We get a multi-person submission spot that Boz breaks up. Boz takes chops from Nanae and Mirai. Boz hits a double lariat then Hum and Rea get a 2 count on her. Nanae running elbows Boz over. 

Boz takes corner attacks. Mirai and Nanae fight on the apron. Rea and Hum run at Boz on the ropes but Boz just walks to the side. Boz is supposed to go over the top but has trouble getting over. Mirai and Nanae get eliminated together. Boz double lariats. Boz powerbombs Hum then hits Rea with a nasty powerbomb. Boz vader bombs both and pins both to win the battle royale.

Thoughts: I didn't like this at all. It was long. Most of the girls weren't even in the ring during this as they waited outside. The eliminations didn't look good and it wasn't super serious.

The girls go to the back and come out after. Rossy talks on the mic and the girls drink champagne in the ring. The girls all talk on the mic and pose together to close the show.

Overall thoughts: I really hope tickets for this were discounted as it was a weak line-up on paper and in reality. I'm not really sure what the draw of this was for regular fans as there were only 4 matches and none of them were going to be great. I have no idea why they didn't do more matches here and this was not good at all. I'd give this one a 3 out of 10 and would not recommend it.

All Japan Pro Wrestling 12/31/2024 New Year's Eve 2024

All Japan Pro Wrestling 12/31/2024 New Year's Eve 2024

The ActWresGirl'Z match didn't even make the live stream of this one.

MUSASHI, Seiki Yoshioka & Taishin Nagao vs. Fuminori Abe, Seigo Tachibana & Yuko Miyamoto

Mu = Musashi, SY = Seiki Yoshioka

Yuko and Nagao go at it. Yuko wristlocks him then Nagao reverses it. Yuko trips him and Nagao armbars him. Yuko side headlocks him. Seigo and SY go at it. SY side headlocks him then facekicks him. Seigo shoulders him over after a side headlock. SY then does Seigo's pose.

They trade armdrags and Seigo back elbows him. Seigo takes kicks from Mu and Sy and a double basement dropkick. Seigo blocks Nagao's slam then he slams him. Abe gets in. Abe hiptosses Nagao for 2 and tries pins. 

Yuko foot chokes Nagao in the corner. Nagao 2nd rope dropkicks him. Mu gets in. He slingshot stomps Yuko. Mu makes Abe nail Seigo when he moves. Mu then exploders Yuko for 2. Yuko flips out of a german. Yuko lariats Mu then standing moonsault dobule knees him. Seigo facekicks Mu over. Seigo STO's him for 2. SY axe kicks Seigo.

Seigo takes a double superkick for 2. Nagao top rope dropkicks Seigo. Abe forearms Nagao then Nagao dropkicks him. Nagao slams Abe then crabs him and Nagao takes boots until he breaks it. Yuko handspring double back elbows Mu and SY. Seigo tope con hilos Mu and SY together. Nagao ducks an Abe PK and cradles him for 2.

Nagao his chest clubs on Abe. Abe baseball punches him then PK's him for 2. Abe does an octopus on Nagao then submits him.

Thoughts: It got more time than it needed. They had a lot of people involved so it was hard to really establish anything but it was an acceptable opener. Nagao got some shine as he got some offense in and got to kick out of stuff most rookies wouldn't get to kick out of.

Battle Royal - Ultimo Dragon vs. Minoru Suzuki vs. Suwama vs. Kumagoro Hokkai vs. Hartley Jackson vs. Aizawa NO. 1 vs. Hikaru Sato vs. Hideki Suzuki vs. Kuroshio TOKYO Japan vs. Shotaro Ashino vs. Kuma Arashi

Kuma = Kuma Arashi, Minoru = Minoru Suzuki, Hart = Hartley Jackson, Jiro = Kuroshio Tokyo Japan

Hideki and Suwama start us off and fight before the bell even rings. Hideki takes him down they get back up. Hideki full nelsons him. Sato gets in. He whips Suwama with his gi belt. Suwama then is tied up with it. Ashino is next in. Suwama whips Sato with the belt.

Ashino grabs Suwama by the waist and then then Kuma comes in. Suwama and Hideki grab each other and Aizawa comes in. He pops champagne on his way to the ring. Kuma gets a double foot choke. Hart comes out next and runs through the crowd on his way to the ring. Hart hits shots on Ashino and foot chokes him.

Hokkai comes in with his stuffed dolphin. He hugs Hideki and Aizawa charges at him. Suwama chokes Hokkai. Jiro is next in. Jiro climbs the stands and poses on the railings. Jiro teases coming in but goes to fool around in the crowd more. 

Minoru comes out next. Aizawa gets his arm bitten and Minor eye rakes Kuma. Ultimo comes out last. People try to push Aizawa and Kuma over the top. Ultimo hits kicks on Minoru. Everyone gangs up on Minoru to throw him over. Minoru and Ultimo trade.

Minoru rips on Ultimo's mask in the corner. Hokkai takes a double back elbow. Hookai bodyblocks Aizawa then Ultimo la magistrals Aizawa to pin him. Ultimo then gets group pinned.
Hart shoulders over a bunch of people then a group of people eliminate him. Hokkari swings his stuffed toy around at everyone then falls over. Hokkai then is group pinned. Ashino and Kuma trade shots. Ashino hits a hard forearm and Kuma lariats him over. Ashino germans Kuma. Ashino ankle locks Kuma and is group pinned during it. Kuma then gets group pinned.

Jiro gets surrounded and hits jacket punches on everyone. Everyone like bumps their chest into Jiro and Jiro submits. Suwama, Sato, Hideki and Minoru are the final four. Sato and Minoru trade chops. Sato hits kicks on Minoru. Suwama and Hideki are on the apron watching in separate corners. Sato water wheel drops Minoru and they trade armbars. Suzuki submits him via armbar.

Hideki neckbreakers Suwama then knee drops him. Hideki does an octopus on him. Suwama corner lariats Hideki then belly to belly suplexes him. Suwama hits double chops on Hideki and gets dropkicked. Suwama hits chops on both opponents then takes shots form both.  Minoru gotch style piledrivers Hideki and pins him.

Suwama and Minoru trade shots. Minoru sleepers him. Minoru is hanging over the top and tries to do submissions on him but fails. Suwama then boots him out for the elimination and win.

Thoughts: It wasn't good. They were doing a bad job of pretending to fight while waiting for everyone to get in. It was a slow and long match and no one really treated it seriously. Nobody came off this looking good.

Minoru hits Nagao with a railing after.

Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Dan Tamura

They lock up and Sek clean breaks him. Dan side headlocks him. They trade forearms. Sek misses a dropkick and takes a flying shoulder. Dan hits forearms and Sek pounces him. Sek twists Dan's neck with his feet and elbow drops him. Sek chops him in the back of the neck. Dan hits chest forearms and Sek chops him over.

Sek twists Dan's neck with his feet then neckbreakers him. Sek then sits on Dan's back and chinlocks him. Sek machine gun chops Dan. Dan chest forearm flurries Sek then Sek machine gun chops him.

Dan flying shoulders Sek. Dan suplexes him then does karelin's lift for 2. Sek puts Dan on his shoulders and rams him into the buckles. Sek corner spears Dan. Sek sentons and falling splashes Dan for 2. Sek chops Dan and they trade chest chops. Sek headbutts him and then suplexes him. Dan no sells it and hits a big lariat. Dan goes up top and they fight up there. Dan then stands on the mat and powerbombs Sek.

Dan hits lariats on Sek. Sek fires up and hits his own lariats. Sek enzugiri's him then germans him. Sek low crossbodies him for 2. Sek hits him with a big lariat as he comes off the ropes and pins him.

Thoughts: They did what they were supposed to but the crowd wasn't that into it. It was all chops and lariats. I thought Dan needed a big spot or two that he really didn't get in this one. It wasn't really designed to be a classic though so it would have only gotten them so far. It was okay but just not the great match it should have been.

Hokuto Omori, Cyrus and Jack Kennedy vs Rei Saito, Naruki Doi and Senor Saito

They all go outside to fight to start. Doi and Cy fight in the seats. Rei headbutts Omori on the floor. Cy chases Doi into the stands. Omori is thrown into the rails. Cy grabs a railing then Jack chops Senor. Senor eye pokes him and Jack shoulders him over. Jack slams him then elbow drops him for 2.

Rei eye pokes Omori and shoulders him over. Doi gets in and poses. Cy then shows up behind him and Doi wants out. Doi eye rakes Cy then Cy slams him. Cy then steps and stands on him.

Cy picks up Doi and throws him down. Jack clubs on Doi then fallaway slams him. Doi dropkicks Cy in the knee. Cy and Rei shoulder battle. Rei corner lariats him then Rei double chops Cy. They forearm each other at the same time. Omori top rope dropkicks Rei then Rei shoulders him over.

Senor and Rei corner splash Omori. Rei splashes Omori, Senor splashes Omori and Cy slams Doi onto all of them. Senor takes a double chokeslam. Omori takes a double powerbomb. Jack dropkicks Rei over. Cy takes a double team from Doi and Senor then double lariats them over. Cy slams Doi then vader bombs him and Senor. Omori top rope frogsplashes Senor to win.

Thoughts: It was average and nothing too special. They only had 11 minutes and they didn't exactly have the workrate all-stars in on this one. It was mostly just filler.

Both teams do backstage promos after. Kuma, Hart and Aizawa come in when Omori's team talks. 

Atsuki Aoyagi & Yuma Aoyagi vs. ELPIDA (Ren Ayabe & Ryuki Honda)

AA = Atsuki Aoyagi

This is Atsuki's first match in 10 months after getting injured.

AA and Honda wristlock each other. Honda side headlocks him then shoulders him over. AA dropkicks Honda out. AA then mocks Honda's dance. AA headlock takeovers him and they stand off. Ren and Yuma come in, do headflips and they lock up. Ren shakes Yuma's head around then Yuma dropkicks him. Ren shoulders him over. Ren slams Yuma.

Ren takes a double dropkick then is dropkicked off the apron. AA then 2nd rope moonsaults onto both opponents outside. Yuma and AA are whipped into each other outside. Yuma and AA then get thrown into the rails. 

Honda chokes AA on the ropes then does it to Yuma as well. Honda counts along with the ref on the break. Honda back elbows AA for 2. AA hits chest forearms on Ren. Ren forearms him over. Ren back body drops AA. Ren hits a high back body drop on Yuma.

AA and Honda trade forearms. Honda corner lariats AA then suplexes him. AA handspring enzugiri's Honda. Yuma comes in and dropkicks Honda. Honda flying forearms him. Yuma flying forearms Honda in the corner. Yuma top rope crossbodies Yuma for 2. Honda spinebusters Yuma. 

Ren flying neckbreakers Yuma then corner facekicks him for 2. Ren and Yuma trade forearms. Yuma dropkicks Ren. Yuma flying forearms Ren in the corner then takes a corner facekick. Yuma goes a guillotine to Ren. Ren suplexes Yuma. Yuma rock bottom's Ren. AA and Honda come in and trade forearms. AA leapfrogs him then 2nd rope diving armdrags him. AA dropkicks him. AA fisherman suplexes Ren three times for 2.

AA misses a top rope moonsault on Honda. Ren pops up AA and takes a dropkick. AA superkicks Honda then Yuma backdrops Honda. AA standing moonsaults Honda for 2. AA top rope moonsaults Honda for 2.

Ren throws AA off the top. Ren and Yuma trade shots and Ren dropkicks Yuma. AA takes corner takes and a sitout full-nelson bomb. Honda spears AA for 2. AA ddt's Honda for 2. AA step up enzugiri's Honda and Honda lariats him. Honda running lariats AA for 2. Honda running one-arm powerbombs AA and pins him.

Thoughts: I don't like AA losing on his return. That's just stupid and a great way to kill his run from the start. It was okay but not as great as it should have been. I just don't think they had the right crowd for it and they didn't do any real big spots, double teams or really anything that might have taken this to the next level.

Honda dances after. 

All Asia Tag Team Title Match - ELPIDA (Rising HAYATO & Yuma Anzai) (c) vs. Kento Miyahara & Ryo Inoue

Ryo and Yuma lock up. Ryo hits forearms on the ropes and they trade forearms. Yuma misses a dropkick and Ryo PK's him. Ken and Rising go at it. Rising wristlocks him. Ken reverses it then they trade hammerlocks. Ken wristlocks him. Rising headflips out and chops him. Rising flying headscissors him out then teases a dive. Rising poses and Ryo kicks him as he poses. Rising dropkicks Ken off the apron and poses with Yuma in the ring.

Ryo hits forearms on Ken then PK's Yuma from the apron. Ken headbutts Yuma outside and pulls his leg around the rail. Ken then kicks the leg. Yuma's leg is banged off the post and Ryo dropkicks the leg. Ken bangs Yuma's leg off the apron. Ryo stands on Yuma's leg in the ring. Ken facekicks Yuma and then Rising on the apron. Yuma hits forearms on Ken and is kicked in the back. Ken takes a belly to belly from Yuma.

Rising jumps off Ken's back to dropkick Ryo. Rising asai moonsaults Ken for 2. Rising corner dropkicks Ken then bulldogs him for 2. Ken dropkicks Rising in the knee and the side of the head. Rising and Ken trade shots. Ken pump kicks him. Ryo gets in and hits chest kicks on Rising. Rising codebreakers him. Yuma gets in and belly to belly suplexes Ryo for 2.  Ryo hits forearms on Yuma then Yuma dropkicks him. They trade forearms. Ryo hits a chest kick flurry then corner dropkicks him. Yuma hits a double dropkick on his opponents. Rising jumps off Yuma's back and dropkicks Ryo. Yuma takes a double bulldog for 2.

Ryo hits chest kicks on Yuma and Yuma dropkicks him. Yuma boots and knees Ryo around. Ryo forearms him down. Ryo gets stuck up top and takes shots. Yuma double underhook suplexes him down. Ryo no sells it then enzugiri's Yuma. All four men get a shot in and Yuma is the last one standing. Yuma flying knees Ryo then Ryo does sugar lock variation on him. Yuma ropebreaks.

Rising package tombstones Ryo then dropkicks Ken. Ken flying pumping knees Rising. Rising falcon arrows Ken. Yuma flying knees Rising in the back of the head for 2.  Ken lying pmping knees Yuma. Ryo hits headkicks on Yuma. Ryo hits a big punch and hits another headkick for 2. Ryo wristclutch backdrops Yuma for 2.

Rising springboard dropkicks Ryo into a Yuma german for 2. Yuma flying knees Ryo for 1. Ryo slaps Yuma around and punches him. Yuma flying knees Ryo. Yuma hits a gimlet on Ryo and pins him.

Thoughts: It was a good but not great match. It got a lot of time. Ryo was put over just by being in this and by getting treated as an equal. No one did any real special or dangerous offense in this one and it was mostly a normal match with more time added. I liked it but thought it could have been better with more effort put in. 

Triple Crown Title Match - Davey Boy Smith Jr. (c) vs. Jun Saito

They lock up and Davey clean breaks him on the ropes. Davey side headlocks him. Davey takes him over and Jun headscissors him. Davey bows at him and Jun side headlocks him. They shoulder battle. Jun slams him and is put in a hammerlock. Jun ropebreaks.

They fight outside. Davey kicks Jun's arm into the rail then sends him into the rail. Jun facekicks Davey over. Davey is sent into the rail and falls over right in front of Rei Saito at commentary. Davey is sent into the rails again. Jun goes up top and is thrown down. Davey headbutts Jun in the gut. 

Davey stomps on Jun then armlocks him. Davey bangs Jun's arm off his shoulder then kimura takedowns him. Davey pulls Jun's arms back. Davey flying lariats him for 2 then armlocks him. Davey hits euros. Davey boots him then takes a facekick. Jun running facekicks Davey, shoulders him over and elbow drops him. Davey powerslams Jun for 2.

They trade forearms. Jun hits a big chop and Davey hits headbutts. Davey blocks a spear. Davey germans Jun. Jun no sells it and running knees him in the back of the head. Davey reverse ddt's Jun for 2. Davey stomps on Jun. They fight on the buckles and Davey running powerslams Jun for 2.

Jun hits forearms and headbutts on Davey. Jun jackhammers Davey for 2. Davey hits some forearms and backdrops Jun for 2. Jun back body drops Davey. Jun spinning lariats him. Davey flying knees him then Jun running knees him.

Jun hooks onto Davey and throws him down for 2. Jun and Davey lariat battle. Davey lariats him for 2. Davey sitout powerbombs Jun for 2. Jun facekicks Davey then hits a spear for 2. Jun chokeslams Davey for the win.

Thoughts: This wasn't good. It was a very average and generic match with no major highlights and nothing super exciting going on in it. The finish came out of nowhere and no one was really ready for it. The match was slower paced and Jun did not impress in his big win. Neither of these two are great workers and there was nothing to suggest this was going to be a classic. I gotta give them credit for disappointing me even when I had low expectations for this.

Jun talks on the mic after. Davey comes in. He says it didn't go how he imagined it. He says sometimes you can't and won't win. He says it was an honor to share the ring with Jun. They shake hands. Davey says he was the better man and hopes Jun will give him a rematch somewhere down the road. Jun says arigato and thank you. Jun says he loves Zen Nippon Doom (?) and Davey says he loves Zen Nippon. They then say it together and streamers are shot out.

Overall thoughts: It wasn't one of AJPW's better efforts. The main looked disappointing and average at best on paper and it wasn't even that. The 3rd match from the top was okay but Atsuki losing on his return was stupid. The semi-main was good and probably the best match on here. Sekimoto/Dan was okay but didn't get enough time and they didn't really go all out for it. Everyone really did kind of take it easy for this show and no one really tried their best for this one. The matches all also got a lot of time that they didn't always need. I'll give this one a 4 out of 10 and would not recommend it. This was a disappointing show.

AEW Dynamite 1/1/2025

AEW Dynamite 1/1/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/12/aew-dynamite-12252024.html

Next week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/01/aew-dynamite-182025.html 

This is first AEW broadcast that is simulcasted on HBO MAX.

The intro for this show had "I'm So Excited" as the song.

We see Jon Moxley talk with The Death Riders after World's End. He says everyone talks but when things get real, they are different than what they say. He says Shafir took a bullet from Jay White. He said he grabbed the company by the strap and took bullets for the company. He says they aren't rebels because no one has authority over them. Mox says he is king and says Adam Copeland was just the loudest guy in the room.

Adam Copeland and FTR talk. Dax says they will give The Death Riders a fight. Adam says The Riders tried to take out his friends. He says let's get going and said he saw fear in Mox's eyes at world's End. He says he's sicker than Mox and it'll be fun tonight.

"Hangman" Adam Page vs Orange Cassidy

OS misses an orange punch and then avoids a buckshot lariat. OC rolls him up for 2. OC forearms him and gets slapped. Page chops him in the corner. Page hits a belly to belly for 2. Page springboard lariats him off the apron.

Page sends OC into the rails. Page takes a back body drop on the floor. OC stands on a chair and hits punches on Page. OC boots him out of the corner. Page catches OC's 2nd rope crossbody and fallaway slams him into the buckles. OC backrolls him for 2 and PK's him.

OC hits a stunner. Page catches OC's tope outside. Page fallway slams him on the floor. We go to PiP break and return. Page spinning forearms him. Page goes for a buckshot lariat and OC rolls out. Page throws him in then OC topes him outside. OC is then sent into the rails. Page chokes OC and OC puts his hands in his pockets. OC dropkicks him with his hands in his pockets.

Page's head is banged off the buckles. OC jumps off the top onto him but is caught. OC spinning ddt's him. OC hits another ddt for 2. OC superkicks him and takes a lariat. Page goes for a buckshot lariat and takes a beachbreak from OC.

OC sunset flips him and hits an orange punch. OC hits more orange punches. Page buckshot lariats OC for the win.

Thoughts: The ending seemed a little sudden. It was an average match. I didn't like OC sticking his hands in his pockets and I thought Page should have just beaten the crap out of him.

Page beats him up after and hits deadeye. Page holds on for another. Refs and Christopher Daniels try to stop it. Page punches out Daniels. 

Page tells Daniels to stay out of his business.

Jay White says 2025 didn't start as he planned. He said he planned to be AEW champ then Wheeler Yuta cost him the pin. He says he will show Yuta how he feels and says he still has a path to Mox at Maximum Carnage. He says he will win the casino gauntlet next week. He says he will be Swerve and Strong tonight in the 3-way to get in. 

The Acclaimed do an inset promo. Max goes to rap and Bowens says enough of it. Bowens asks if Max hit him on purpose in the match against Jericho. Max says it was an accident and tells him to get his head in the game. Max says no scissoring tonight and says he won't even rap. He says they will just do what they do best tonight.

The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin) vs The Acclaimed

Bobby rushes both opponents and pounds on Max. Bobby foot chokes Max then belly to belly suplexes him. Bobby neckbreakers him. MVP joins the commentary desk and says Bobby and SB didn't want Ricochet. Bobby corner spears Max. Bobby lariats Max over the top.

Max is sent into the rails by SB. Max flips out of an SB backdrop. Bowens lariats SB and SB doesn't move. SB takes punches from Bowens. Bowens kicks SB in the leg then chops him. Max tags himself in. SB release germans Max three times. Bowens watches from ringside as Max takes another. SB step up knees Max in the corner.

Bobby rolling spears Max then chokeslams him. Bobby puts Max in a full neslon and submits him.

Thoughts: It was a quick one used to push the issues between The Acclaimed. The Hurt Syndicate had no issues here. This was basically a squash.

Bowens walks out on Max after and leaves him laying.

Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana are interviewed. Swerve says he's been distracted the last few weeks but gets back to doing what he does best. He says he will prove why 2024 belonged to him. He says he's never been in a casino gauntlet because he's been world champ. Nana then says, "Happy New Year, everybody". 

Jamie Hayter vs Julia Hart

This one is a lose-lose as neither needs to lose this one. Hart ducks a lock-up then pushes Jamie off of one. Hart pulls her down by the hair then Jamie does it to her. Hart takes forearms and hiptosses Hart.

Jamie hits corner lariats. Hart back elbows her and lariats her from behind. Hart is caught off the apron. She pushes Jamie into the steps. Jamie back elbows her. Hart pulls Jamie down backwards by the head on the steps. We go to PiP break and return.

Jamie step up enzugiri's her and facekicks her. Hart misses a top rope moonsault. Hart STO's her for 2. Hart puts her in hartless. Jamie stands up out of it then AA's her on the knee. Jamie sliding lariats her for 2. Jamie lays her on the top rope and clubs on her. Jamie is swept off the 2nd rope and hits her head on the landing.

Hart grabs an arrow, the ref grabs it and Hart mists Jamie. Hart then picks up the pin.

Thoughts: The match wasn't that good. Hart is still limited and didn't get much better during her time away. Hart misting Jamie gives her an out for losing and likely will lead to a rematch.  

Kazuchika Okada does a promo. He says he won the Continental classic and proved he's the best tournament wrestler alive. He calls Will Ospreay little brother and says nice try. Okada asks how many times he has to beat Kenny Omega and tells him to stay out of his business.

Mercedes Mone comes out. She wishes herself a happy new year and shows a video package on the tron. We see clips of her 2024. She says if you thought 2024 was good, wait and see what she does this year. she says Wrestle Dynasty is the first step on the money train. She says she will defend against Mina Shirakawa. She says Mina has gold she wants and says money changes everything.

They showed some first responders in the crowd but forgot to put the lights on them so we couldn't really see them.

Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong are interviewed. Cole says The Undisputed Kingdom is complete and this is their year. Kyle says they got all the bases covered. Strong says he guarantees himself a spot in the casino gauntlet next week and says it's every man for himself.

Thoughts: Well, they are now a group. Taven and Bennett weren't with them and I wonder why.

Casino Gauntlet Qualifying Match - Roderick Strong vs Swerve Strickland vs Jay White

Swerve hits shots on both opponents. Swerve gets double teamed. Swerve lariats Jay over the top then hiptosses Strong. Swerve suplexes him then fosbury flops Jay outside. Jay ddt's both opponents at the same time.

Jay chops and hits corner attacks on both. Jay exploders Strong over the top. Jay suplexes Swerve on the apron then drops Strong gut first onto it. Strong half-nelson backbreakers Jay and dumps him onto Swerve outside. We go to break and return.

We get a 3 person russian legsweep off the buckles that no one seemed to really benefit from. Swerve knocks Strong down a few times and backbreakers him. Swerve  powerbombs Strong into Jay in the corner. Swerve powerslams Jay for 2. Swerve rolls into a codebreaker from Strong. Strong olympic slams Jay then tiger drivers him for 2. Swerve does an M. Bison stomp on Strong.

Jay is pushed into Strong. Swerve rolls into a flatliner on Jay. Swerve walks the rail outside and boots Jay in the face. Ricochet then hits Swerve with a pair of golden scissors from the first row. Jay bladerunners Strong in the ring and wins.

Thoughts: It wasn't much and the finish wasn't done that well. Ricochet furthered his feud with Swerve. It had the usual issues 3 ways had and they did what they could with it, but it was nothing too special.

Swerve is bleeding and is crawling away from Ricochet. Nana goes up to Ric and Ric threatens him. Ric stabs Swerve with the scissors then hits punches. Ric then hits headbutts and Tony Schiavone calls it gross.

Nana and Ric fight over a chair and Nana is pushed into the steps. Ric chairs Nana. Ric headbutts Swerve in the ring and seats him in a chair. Ric then hits a spirit gun on him. The Undisputed Kingdom then come out to save Swerve, minus Taven and Bennett.

Thoughts: No toilet paper here. Ric looked cool with the blood all over him. I'm not sure where this Ric was the last weeks when he was getting punked out and TP'd. Is he going to go after Hurt Syndicate now?

Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh are interviewed. Jay said they hadn't heard from Jarrett. Jarrett then walks in. Dutt asks if Jarrett is sure. Jay says they will support Jarrett 100% and want to make sure that he's sure. Karen Jarrett, who Jeff was looking for, comes in. Karen says she knows the business is in Jeff's blood but what he wants, she wants. Karen says they are unbreakable.

Mariah May does a promo. She says the women's division is great. She said she had more matches last year than any other women. She said she did her job better than any other woman alive. She says she's the woman from hell and says you can't touch her.

Jeff Jarrett comes out and says "slappy new year", referencing his old slapnuts phrase. Jeff says he has a lot to be thankful for in his career. He says he thought about how it began for his family. He said his grandma took a 2nd job selling wrestling tickets and it changed his family's life. He said she became the CEO of the Tennessee territory and took high risks for high rewards He said his dad promoted shows in high school, wrestled and bought the promotion in a high risk and high reward situation. He said he got into wrestling in 1986 and went against his family's wishes. He said he dropped out of school and started his wrestling career.

He said he bet on himself in 2002 and launched his own promotion. He said that promotion produced some of the best wrestlers of all time. He has his wrestling boots in his hand. He said he has to ask himself if he should just ride off into the sunset and says, "hell no". He says when he takes the biggest risk, he gets the biggest reward. He said he signed his last talent contract and has re-signed with AEW. He says he wants AEW gold and says he wants to take the biggest risk of his career. He says he wants in the gauntlet next week and says his new years resolution is to become AEW champ.

Thoughts: This was a great promo. Jarrett is probably the best promo in the company and really laid out his reasons for wanting the title well. I hope they roll with this storyline because it will work. I don't get why Jarrett can declare himself for the casino gauntlet but others need to win to get in it.

Nick Wayne does a promo. He said he hopes Christian isn't looking forward to his new year. He says his job isn't finished and says to ask Nick what it's like to be in the redrum. He says he will choke him out. Hook fights Christian in 2 weeks.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs Jon Cruz and Rob Killjoy

Hobbs shoulders Cruz over. Rob tries a chop and Hobbs doesn't move. Hobbs hits a short arm lariat then corner lariats both opponents. Hobbs powerslams Cruz then spinebusters Rob. Hobbs spinebusters Cruz onto Rob and pins both.

Thoughts: It was a quick squash here with Hobbs winning as expected. The jobbers got nothing in.

Big Bill and Bryan Keith are interviewed. Jericho isn't with them. Bill says this place is great. Keith says, "it's aight". Bill says Jericho isn't coming here. They then see FTR and Copeland. Bill says he doesn't know who should be more ashamed - the people of Asheville or them for being proud of Asheville. Bill says home is where you find yourself and says the hometown heroes need to be taken down a notch or two. Keith calls Adam a "Rated R Dumb@ss".

Adam says Keith isn't a bad apple, he's a tumbleweed. He says Bill's face is stupid. Adam challenges them to a trios match on Collision and says, "bye guys".

We get a graphic for Sweet Daddy Siki who died today.

We see an MJF promo from after World's End. He says Adam Cole lost and it took his entire army to beat him up. MJF says finally his saga with Cole has come to a close. He says now it's time for retribution. He says something was taken from him - his title. He says his title is now being paraded around in a briefcase by a man claiming to be king of these lands. MJF says what's a king to a god? He says nobody is on the level of the devil. He says he doesn't have a problem with Mox, he just wants his title. He says he's getting it back come hell or high water. He says the devil gets his due part 2 in 2025.

Rated FTR (Adam Copeland, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) vs The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Claudico Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta

Adam's graphic said "Rated R Superstar Cope". Dax and Yuta lock up. Yuta slaps him in the corner. Yuta armdrags him and slaps him. Dax hits chops then back body drops Yuta. Adam and CC go at it. Adam side headlocks him. CC boots and euros him. Adam hiptosses him over the top and dropkicks him through the ropes. CC's head is banged off the apron. Shafir pushes Adam into the post.

We go to PiP break and return. Mox hits forearms on Adam in the corner and foot chokes him. CC chinlocks Adam. Adam back body drops Yuta. Cash comes in with a diving double clothesline. Cash backdrops Yuta. Cash powerslams Yuta off a leapfrog attempt. Dax suplexes CC for 2.

Dax 2nd rope twisting crossbodies Yuta. Yuta does a drop on him. Dax top rope backdrops Yuta. CC jackhammers Dax then Yuta top rope splashes Dax for 2. We go to another PiP break and return. 

Dax backdrops Yuta. CC falls into Dax and bangs the back of his head off of him. Mox and Adam trade forearms. Adam hits an impaler ddt. Mox avoids a spear. Mox and Adam go into the seats to fight. Adam throws Mox back into ringside. Back in the ring, Adam sit out powerbombs Yuta for 2.

Adam goes for a spear but is pulled into the post crotch first. Cash goes for a tope and takes a hard euro from CC. CC lariats Dax on the floor. Jay White comes into the ring when the ref isn't looking and blade runners Yuta. Adam back body drops Mox on the commentary table. Adam then jumps off the table onto Mox, sending him through a rail. Yuta takes a shatter machine and a spear. Yuta gets pinned.

Thoughts: This really got cut up by 2 breaks. What we got was a good main but not great. CC really nailed Cash hard with a euro on the tope attempt. They tied in Yuta and Jay's issues here which was good.

Overall thoughts: It was a longer show with a lot of wrestling on it. But the show was decent overall. Jeff Jarrett's promo was the best thing on here and the main was the best match, but it wasn't great. There were a lot of people missing from this show. I'd give the show a 5 out of 10 overall but I wouldn't recommend it.

Pro Wrestling NOAH 1/1/2025 The New Year 2025

Pro Wrestling NOAH 1/1/2025 The New Year 2025

GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match - RATEL'S (HAYATA & YO-HEY) (c) vs. AMAKUSA & Junta Miyawaki vs. All Rebellion (Alejandro & Kai Fujimura)

Kai, Yo and junta go at it to start. We get an early stand off, a double headlock spot then Yo takes a double dropkick. Jun armdrags Kai then Yo flying headscissors an opponent. Haya shoulders ama over and double stomps his back. Ale bounces off the ropes and does an armdrag then he spinning bodyscissors Haya. Ale and Kai hit stereo dropkicks then do stereo tope con hilos.

Yo takes corner attacks and a double superkick to the head for 2. Aam slips on the ropes and does a headscissors + armdrag takeover. Jun does a double corner dropkick on Haya and Yo.

Jun and Kai trade. Kai tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him. Ale slingshot pslashes Kai then ddt's Yo. Ama springboard headscissors Haya. Kai flying forearms Ama. Jun hits a top rope double dropkick. Kia jumps up on the 2nd rope and dives out. Ama does his tornillo tope outside. Ama hits a 450 on Yo. Kai does a spinning sitout shoulder throw on Yo for 2. 

Ale rolls into a code red on Jun for 2. Kai hits a springboard lariat. Kai springboard double stomps Haya's back and Ale hits a hard ddt on Haya. Ale top rope frogsplashes Haya for 2. Ama takes a double superkick. Ale misses a spiral tap off the top. Kai springboards and takes a Yo dropkick.

Ale is held in the air for a cutter for 2. Haya hits a high elevated ddt on Ale to win.

Thoughts: I liked it. They didn't overdo it and they did a bunch of flying at a fast pace. WE had a decent amount of people slipping on the ropes though.

Atsushi Kotoge, Go Shiozaki, Hajime Ohara & Mohammed Yone vs. Black Menso-re, Kazuyuki Fujita, Shuji Ishikawa & Tetsuya Endo
 
KF and Go go at it. They lock up. Go side headlocks him. They shoulder battle. KF shoulders him over and misses a kick. Endo and Kotoge go at it. Kotoge wristlocks him. Endo rolls through and wristlocks him. Kotoge hits headbutts on him. Ohra wristlocks Endo. Endo powerbomb backbreakers Ohara. Ohara hits a double basement dropkick then a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Endo. Menso comes in and gets one as well.

Yone corner lariats Endo. Endo facekicks him and handspring corkscrew kicks him. Shuji corner lariats Yone then 2nd rope double footstomps him. Yone armbars Shuji. Endo is sent into the rails. Yone conrer lariats Shuji. They trade forearms and lariat battle. Both go down.

Yone shoulders Menso over. Go chops up Menso. Go lariats him for 2. Endo does a corkscrew flying space tiger drop outside. Menso eye pokes Go, walks the top rope and hits him. Menso backslides him. Go hits a big lariat on Menso for 2. Go then pins him with another lariat.

Thoughts: It was alright here with us getting to see a little of everyone and not a lot of anyone. Shuji and Go's section was fun.

1-minute time limit - Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Daiki Odashima

Dai hits forearms on KF. KF shoves him then takes him down. KF misses a kick to the head then Dai hits a hard running soccer kick to the head. KF hits a hard lariat then hits a dangerous looking powerbomb. The time limit expires and it goes to a draw.

Thoughts: We only got  minute of this. Despite that, they both took some pretty hard shots here. I was surprised Dai was allowed to survive one minute.

El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Galeno Del Mal

Mal had a cool samurai entrance jacket on. Mal and Hijo look identical but Mal has blue on and Hijo has green on. They lock up. Hijo wristlocks him and side headlocks him. Mal is flipped over on the wristlock. Mal shoulders him over. Hijo chops him Mal top rope diving armdrags Hijo. Mal flying headscissors Hijo out.

Mal tope con hilos Hijo outside. Hijo guillotines Mal. Mal boots him out of the corner and Hijo boots him back. Hijo springboard armdrags him and then bodyscissors him over the top. Hijo top rope moonsaults Mal outside.

Hijo eye pokes him and is caught on a crossbody. Hijo pumping knees him then hits soul foot. Hijo walks up the buckles and diving codebreakers him. Hijo michinoku drivers him for 2. Hijo step up knees Mal in the corner and does another michinoku driver.

Hijo triple jump moonsaults Mal for 2. Hijo urakens him and takes a headbutt. Mal back body drops him and hits slaps. Hijo slaps back and takes a facekick. Hijo rebound lariats him then takes a spinning lariat. 

Mal 2nd rope moonsaults Hijo for 2. Mal double underhook twisting ddt's him for the win.

Thoughts: It wasn't as a bad as I expected but the selling was non-existent here. They just did the moves they wanted to do then moved onto the next thing they wanted to do. I liked it at first but liked it less as it kept going on.

KENTA vs. Kenoh

I didn't like the build to this one. It's a bigger match than the spot it will get on this show. I feel like it would have been better saved for another show. Ken has black hair here instead of his usual blonde hair.

Kenoh slaps him on the break. Kenta slaps him back and then Kenoh drops him with a slap. Kenta is thrown into the rails and is kicked outside. Kenoh misses a 2nd rope double stomp on the floor. Kenta powerslams Kenoh on the floor.

Kenta hits chest kicks and back elbows him. Kenta headscissors him and Kenoh ropebreaks. Kenta hits knees to the face. Kenta ddt's him then knee drops him. Kenta hits kicks to Kenoh's chest and head while he's down. Kenta hits chest kicks and Kenoh chest kicks him back.

Kenoh legsweeps him into a double stomp on the back. Kenoh flying knees him in the back of the head. Ken ankle locks him. They trade forearms and chest kicks. Kenta running facekicks him. Kenoh pele kicks him and they facekick each other down at the same time. Kenta ddt's him then corner facekicks him. Kenta hits a corner dropkick.

Kenta hits a top rope double stomp for 2. Kenoh ankle locks him then PK's him. Kenoh misses a top rope double stomp. Kenta facekicks him. Kenta crossfaces Kenoh and Kenoh ropebreaks.

Kenta leg lariats Kenoh on the ropes. Kenoh high kicks him then dragon suplexes him for 2. Kenoh hits two PK's for 2. They hit each other at the same time. They slap each other at the same time. Kenta hits a couple of hard slaps in a row then does a busaiku knee for 2. Kenta facekicks Kenoh for 2. Kenta hits a go to sleep and pins him.

Thoughts: Noah booked themselves into a corner with this one. NJPW probably wasn't going to let Kenta lose and Kenoh didn't really need to lose this one but he did. Kenoh losing was clearly the worst of the two outcomes especially since Kenta is a lowcarder in NJPW but that's what we got. Noah is horrible at protecting their stars against other companies stars and this was a great example of it. The match gave you some of the things you would want with the kicks and slaps but it wasn't as good as it could have been 10 years ago or so. Kenta's not injured or that old, but he just doesn't try and doesn't care enough to go try to put a classic on.

Kenoh begs for a handshake after and Kenta walks away, further burying Kenoh.

GHC Junior Heavyweight Title Best Two Out Of Three Falls Match - Daga (c) vs. Eita

1st fall - Daga shotgun dropkicks Eita in the corner then hits boots and punches. Daga flips over his back and takes a headscissors out. Eita goes to dive and gets stopped with a kick. Daga tornado ddt's him on the floor using the rail. Daga topes Eita into the rail. Daga top rope double stomps Eita then does a double underhook codebreaker. Daga wins the fall.

2nd fall - Daga baseball slides him out. Daga bites Eita on the rails. Daga gorilla press throws Eita onto the apron. Daga hits Eita with a table. Daga gotch style piledrivers Eita through a table. Eita jack knife pins Daga in the ring and pins him.

3rd fall - Daga hits a basement dropkick and chokes him in the corner. Eita step up enzugiri's him in the corner. Daga gets a 2 count on him. Eita hits 3 dropkicks, sending Daga out. Eita tope con hilos Daga through the ropes. Eita is caught coming off the top. Daga superkicks him then germans him for 2. Daga spinning lariats him then Eita superkicks him.

They trade chest chops. They trade shots and Daga powerslams him. Eita gets a 2 count on him. Daga does like a final cut for 2. Eita superkicks him. He then does like a Z360 out of the abdominal stretch for 2. They fight on the buckles. Eita bodyscissors rolls him down and wins.

Thoughts: I didn't like it. Daga did a piledriver through a table that not only meant nothing but lead to him getting pinned soon after in the 2nd fall. There was no way I was putting this over after that. I don't really understand the point of them doing 2/3 falls here when the first two falls were short and basically a waste.

GHC National Title Match - Manabu Soya (c) vs. Masa Kitamiya

They charge at each other then trade forearms. Masa gets knocked into the ropes with one then forearms him down. They trade more forearms. Masa side headlocks him. Soya shoulders him over then knee drops him for 2.

Soya suplexes Masa for 2. Soya hits punches and chops. Masa shoulders him over. Masa corner lariats him, samoan drops him and sentons him. Soya flying lariats him then corner lariats him. Soya 2nd rope powerslams him for 2.

Masa clips Soya then facebusters him. Soya's knee is banged off the mat. Soya hits chops while put in the prison lock. Masa suplexes Soya. Masa spears him, Soya no sells it and Soya spears him. Masa no sells it and they lariat each other down at the same time. They hit lariats and Masa lariats him over.

Soya hits double chops then Masa ddt's him. Soya does a high backdrop for 2. Masa clips him thne Soya hit a big lariat for 2. Masa drops Soya on his knees and piledrivers him. Masa prison locks him and Soya ropebreaks. 

Soya guillotines him then does a short ddt for 2. Soya hits headbutts on Masa then jumping ddt's him for 2. Soya then gets the win.

Thoughts: The jumping ddt finish was a bit weak for these guys when they are no-selling germans. We've seen this match before and it was what you would expect with lots of fire and hoss style wrestling. I liked it but it went a little longer than it needed to and I thought they could have done a little better. I would have liked to have seen a big high spot or two and a bit more drama.

GHC Tag Team Title Match - Naomichi Marufuji & Takashi Sugiura (c) vs. Team 2000X (Jack Morris & Omos)

Omos stares down some sumo wrestler in the front row. I don't know who that rikishi is but I'd like to see that one.

Omos and Sugi stare down. Sugi offers a test of stregnth but he can't come close to reaching Omos. Sugi bends down and Omos boots him. Sugi hits headbutts to the chest and forearms. Omos corner splashes him. Jack clubs on Sugi and Sugi suplexes Jack.

Maru chops and back elbows Jack. He runs into Omos then Jack hits Maru from behind. Maru tries to stare down Omos and just goes to his chest. Maru chops Omos and Omos laughs at him. Maru double boots him out of the corner and is facekicked off the buckles to the floor.

Omos throws Maru in from the apron. Jack clubs on Maru. Maru hits a kick combo on Jack and drops him. Sugi corner facekicks Jack then running knees him in the corner. Sugi hits a shot on Omos on the apron and Omos wants in.

Sugi 2nd rope suplexes Jack for 2. Jack flyng knees him for 2. Sugi gordbusters Jack and running knees him in the gut. Jack takes a double back elbow. Maru flying back elbows Jack then Jack spinebusters him for 2. 

Jack gets on Omos' shoulders and splashes Maru for 2. Omos chokeslams Sugi on the apron. Maru pumping knees Jack and Jack flying knees him. Omos hits a high back body drop on Maru then does a double arm chokeslam for the win.

Thoughts: It wasn't great, but I liked it. They really put Omos over here and made him look like a total force. Omos did his part too. If you were looking for a wrestling classic, this wasn't it, but they did a goob job with this.

Jack poses on Omos' shoulders after with the titles.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ulka Sasaki

Ulka has dyed red hair. SN got traditional japanese drums and horns for his entrance. SN also came out with a samurai helmet and mask with a cool remix of his theme. This is not for the WWE US Title, which SN currently holds. 

SN goes for kicks and hits some to the leg and body. SN blocks a takedown and waistlocks Ulka. Ulka goes for a guillotine. SN takes him down. Ulka goes for a leglock and SN goes out. SN facekicks Ulka off the apron. Ulka is sent into the rails. Ulka hangs over the apron and SN running knees him. SN hits knees ot the body and spinning heel kicks him. Ulka is laid on the top buckle and SN running knees him. Ulka hangs over the top and gets kicked.

Ulka hits chest kicks. SN knee drops Ulka for 2. SN arm and chinlocks Ulka. Ulka flying kicks him. Ulka strike combos him then SN knees him in the gut. Ulka hits a cutter. They trade forearms. Ulka slaps and germans him for 2.

SN comes off the buckles and gets hit with a flying kick from Ulka. Ulka flying triangles him. SN hits a knee to the chest. SN reverse slams/release backdrops him. Ulka gets on his back with a sleeper.

Ulka catches him with another triangle. The ref gets hit. SN black mists him and hits a styles clash type of move. SN hits a kinshasa and gets the win.

Thoughts: I didn't like it much. As I said earlier, Noah is bad at protecting talent. SN treated Ulka like a jobber rookie here early on and had his way with him. Ulka got some comebacks in and we had a dirty finish with a weak ref bump and SN using the mist to win. It didn't make Ulka look like a star and it wasn't the spirited match you would hope for. Now Ulka has to wrestle again regularly in Tokyo from now on and SN will go back to the US where Noah can't capitalize on the win.

GHC Heavyweight Title Match - Kaito Kiyomiya (c) vs. Taishi Ozawa

Tai stalls outside to start, rolls out of a lock-up and does taunts. Tai backs off on a lock up and KK grabs him by the hair. Tai stalls outside more. KK chases him around the ring. Tai side headlocks him in the ring and is forearmed over. Tai hits armdrags and headscissors KK.

Tai breakdances in the ring while waiting for KK to get back in. Tai backflips, picks his nose and puts it in KK's mouth. Tai backrolls KK then PK's him. Tai standing moonsaults him and rests on him to try and pin him.

KK dragon screws him then flying knees him. KK boots Tai out. Yoshitatus hits KK with his stick outside and KK's buddy stop Yoshi. Tai hits KK with a crutch and Kenoh stops him. Tai hits Ken with the crutch. Tai shoves the crutch into KK's face. 

KK is sent into the rails. Tai is sent into the rails. KK charges at him but goes into them. Tai cravates him in the ring. KK hits a flying shot. KK  slips on a springboard and elbows Yoshi off the apron. KK flying shotgun dropkicks Tai out. KK tope con hilos him.

Tai tries to hit KK with a weapon and gets dropkicked. KK hits corner punches. KK germans him for 2. Tai blocks a shining wizard. Tai rolls through a sunset flip and hits a basement dropkick.  Tai corner dropkicks him. Tai top rope dropkicks him for 2. Tai corkscrew kicks him for 2. Tai hits forearms and KK fires back.  Tai facekicks him and takes a spinning forearm. Tai spinning heel kicks him and takes a shining wizard. KK tiger suplexes him for 2. KK double underhook hims and tiger suplexes him to the side. Tai does a pop-up flatliner.

Tai finlay rolls him, misses a top rope moonsault and does a running ssp. Tai powerbombs him for 2. KK crotches Tai up top and gets booed for it. Tai 2nd rope liger bombs him for 2. Tai misses a top rope phoenix splash.

KK dropkicks him. KK hits flying shining wizards for 2. KK steps up the buckles and hits a shining wizard for 2.  KK goes for a shining wizard and Tai pushes the ref in his way. KK blocks Tai's low blow. KK then low blows Tai. KK hits a shining wizard but the ref is out.

Omos then comes out to big pops. Tai kicks KK in the nuts. Tai shining wizards KK for 2. Tai dropkicks him then does a sitout bomb for 2. Tai hits a phoenix splash and pins KK to win.

Thoughts: This was a big upset and shocker. This stuff doesn't happen in Noah usually. The first half was all stalling and shenanigans from Tai. Then in the 2nd half they had more of a normal match with finishing trading and big moves. The crowd was really into Tai and even booed Kaito over him so they did something right here. It don't think it was a great match but was something really different from the usual Noah fare and kept my attention.

Tai grabs the mic after. He poses on Kaito, says he's the real rebel and stomps on him. Tai calls out Kenoh after for a match. Why Ken gets a title match after losing today, I don't know.

Overall thoughts: It was a long one that went over 3.5 hours. The first two undercard matches were okay. Wagner/Mal wasn't good. I didn't care for Kenta/Kenoh and Ulka/Nakamura. In both cases, the regular Noah wrestler got beaten by the outsider, which doesn't help anyone. The Jr title match wasn't that good. Soya/Masa was fine. Omos' tag did what it was supposed to but wasn't great. The main was a different match from usual and Noah took a big risk in letting Ozawa win. The crowd liked it though so maybe it worked. I was surprised the women didn't make the show, especially Kouki who is the Women's GHC champ. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 mostly because it was a big show and they tried but the booking here really left a lot to be desired. Whatever you were looking for on this show, you probably got some of it. You probably should see the main in this one.

NWA Powerrr 12/31/2024

NWA Powerrr 12/31/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/12/nwa-powerrr-12242024.html

Next week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/01/nwa-powerrr-172025.html 

We get a tribute video to Jack Dane, who passed away recently. He had been an active wrestler on the roster and was on in the last few weeks.

We get a package on Thom Latimer vs EC3 for the NWA Title.

Joe Galli and Danny Dealz are on commentary. We still have the Christmas + Halloween theme going on.

NWA Tag Titles - Eric Smalls is in a shark cage - Blunt Force Trauma (c) vs Knox and Murdoch

I'm pretty sure the cage Eric is in is a bird cage. Damage has the tattoos and Carnage doesn't.

Murd and Damage go at it. Dam wristlocks him and Murd pulls on the mask. They trade wristlocks. Murd shoulders him over and headlock takeovers him. Dam hits shots to the gut. Murd hiptosses Carn then Knox pounds on Carn. Knox corner splashes Carn. Carn is tripped into an elbow drop for 2.

Murd neckbreakers Carn. Carn hits corner spears on Knox's gut when Knox gets in. Knox fights off both opponents out of the corner then Carn powerslams him.  Dam foot chokes Knox. Aron Stevens taunts Smalls in the cage.

We go to break and return. Dam hits shots on Knox's gut. Carn suplexes Knox. Knox takes a corner splash and a big boot. Carn does a traphezus hold on Knox. Knox jawbreakers Carn and crossbodies him for 2. Knox is tagged in and hits shots on BFT. Knox corner lariats Carn then Carn hits a big spear. Murd sky highs Carn then takes a spinebuster from Dam. Murd top rope diving bulldogs Carn and Aron Stevens hits Murd with a loaded glove.

Rolando Freeman comes out and wants the the cage key. Slade bangs the ref's head off the cage and unlocks the cage Smalls is in. Freeman gets in the cage iwth Smalls and Slade closes the door on them so they can fight. Sam Stackhouse then comes out and nails Slade. He grabs Freeman. Smalls does an AA to Freeman then 2nd rope moonsaults him. Sam then 2nd rpe moonsaults Freeman. Knox gorilla presses Freeman out onto his buddies who don't catch him.

Carnage takes a high/low and is pinned.

Thoughts: Well this had more shenanigans than I expected. The match was average for the most part and got cut off by all the shenanigans at the end. Sam Stackhouse coming out would have worked better if he was ever actually introduced on the show instead of just brought out randomly. But this is the norm for the NWA.

The faces grab Aron Stevens after and Knox punches out Aron. Aron is then put in the cage and locked up in it. Murdoch then pours beer on Aron and Knox pulls water on Aron.

May Valentine interviews EC3. EC says Thom proved himself at NWA 76. EC says Thom would not be who he is supposed to be without him. He says he needed to beat down and make Thom suffer so he could overcome it. EC says Thom is the champ but not the leader. 

NWA World Title - Thom Latimer (c) vs EC3

EC spears Thom before the match starts. EC germans Thom and does a side headlock driver for 2. EC does a thesz press then TKO's him for 2. Thom back elbows him and ddt's him. Thom bangs EC's head off the buckles then hits mounted punches.

Thim hits corner punches then lariats him. Thom is back body dropped over the top. We go to break and return. EC hits chops on Thom and bangs his head off the apron. Thom is pulled throat first into the ropes. EC then lariats him.

EC chinlocks him. Thom pop-up atomic drops EC then lariats him. Thom back elbows him and splashes him in the corner. Thom spinning backdrops him.

EC jawbreakers him then Thom flapjacks him. Thom spinning heel kicks him. EC corner splashes Thom's back. Thom misses a top rope moonsault then EC flipping neckbreakers him for 2. EC bangs Thom's head off the mat. Thom hits a big spear. They trade punches. EC hooks his head like a ddt but throws him down backwards. Thom pop-up powerbombs him. Thom powerbombs EC on the camera platform. Thom goes for a move and a masked man runs in and beats up Thom. A whole bunch of masked people appear and beat up the ref. They say these are masked people from EC3's Exodus Pro promotion. The masked guys group stomp Thom.

Thoughts: The match wasn't bad. EC looked better than usual and they were working pretty well together. Their last match together was boring and this was definitely an improvement. But we didn't actually get a real finish to this one here, so that hurt it. I don't really understand the logic of this though. EC's not the champ, so the interference just cost him the match. Had the masked guys attacked EC instead, he would have won via DQ and been able to ask for another rematch.

Overall thoughts: It's NWA Powerrr. You just never know what you are going to get, but you can usually bet on it not being good. They only showed 2 matches here. Both had interference in them though at least we actually got a finish in the first match. The main ended due to a run-in which didn't make much sense since EC3's associates interfered and got him DQ'd. You'd think they would want to attack EC so then he could claim he got cheated out of the match and then would need to have another match. I can't really give this one a good rating and it's a shame because if they just let the matches go on, they would have been fine. I'd give it a 4 out of 10 due to all the outside interference on this show.

WWE NXT 12/31/2024

WWE NXT 12/31/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/12/wwe-nxt-12242024.html

This show aired on New Year's Eve 2024.

Kelani Jordan vs Lola Vice

Lola backs her up on the ropes. KJ shoves her. Lola spin kicks her. KJ 2nd rope twisitng crossbodies her then dropkick her. KJ low crossbodies her for 2. Lola blocks a tiger feint armdrag. KJ wristlocks her. Lola takes her down by the arm.

Lola arm and chinlocks her. KJ headflips then Lola fireman's carry takedowns her. Lola misses a corner attack and KJ high kicks her from the apron. KJ misses a top rope crossbody. Lola hits spin kicks and push kicks her into the corner.

Lola corner hip attacks KJ. KJ goes out. We go to break and return. Lola suplexes her. KJ leg slices her for 2. Lola knees her in the gut. KJ jumping side kicks her. KJ flying forearms her. KJ cartwheels and is caught with a choke. 

KJ drops her backwards out of the sleeper. Cora Jade comes out and distracts KJ. KJ pushes Lola into Cora then pins her.

Thoughts: I didn't like the finish that much as it was going okay and deserved a better ending. Lola losing to KJ is kind of a surprise. What we got of this was fine.

Cora then hits KJ and Lola with a stick after. Stephanie Vaquer comes out. Cora ducks out of a shot from Lola and Lola nails Steph.

They give Oba Femi vs Josh Briggs vs Dijak the Match of the Year award. Josh says its special and thanks everyone who voted. He says the award means a lot to all 3 of them. Josh says they were told to make it the match of the weekend and they tried. Josh says 2024 was good but him and Inamura have something special for the tag division in 2025. He says there better be a cool trophy.

Thoughts: It was weird to give this one to that match since of the people in it is not in the company anymore.

Gulia does a translated promo. She says Perez is one of the greatest NXT champs but her time at top is coming to an end. She says it's her time to take over. She says she will live up to the hype she has for herself. She says she wants to be in the conversation with other hall of famers. She says joshi is about trying to prove yourself and she had matches people will never forget there. She says the warrior spirit tells her not to lose. She says there's nothing Perez can throw at her that she can't overcome. She says we start the new year with a new NXT women's champ.

Joe Hendry coming to NXT wins the Moment of the Year award. He says it was a magical moment to come here because of the reception the fans gave him. He says, "say his name and he appears means anywhere, anytime, any show". 

Thoughts: Everyone thinks Joe will appear at The Rumble so maybe that's what he meant.

Credric Alexander is interviewed. He says he's never seen anything like how Evans' jaw got shattered. He says his jaw is wired shut in the hospital and he can only talk through text. He says he's worried about his quality of life. He says Page took that from him. Ethan Page then walks in. He says he hopes one of those tests said, "stay away from Ethan Page". He says he will put him next to Evans. Ced then beats him up and sends him into a door. He bangs his head off a table and they head to another room. We cut away and they are in the entrance area. We are told this match will happen now. We then go to break in a weird moment.

Ethan Page vs Cedric Alexander

This started during the break. Ced hits punches on Page and stomps on him. Page forearms him. Ced hits chops and dropkicks him in the knee. Ced enzugiri's him then basement dropkicks him in the back of the neck. Page goes out and Ced topes him.

Ced gets back in and takes a codebreaker. Page hits a nice dropkick for 2. Page chinlocks him. Ced knocks him over twice then hits a high michinoku driver for 2. Page hits a big facekick, knocking out Ced's mouthguard. Page then cutters him to win.

Thoughts: It wasn't too great but I liked it. Page looked a little more lethal than usual and I felt he worked like his character should have here. Ced was fine fodder for him.

Page throws Ced out after and sends him into the steps. Page slams a toolbox lid onto Ced's hand. Trainers then check on Ced.

Hank and Tank argue with Igwe and Dupont in the back. Dupont says they are all cool. Shawn Spears comes in. He says he sees people who need guidance and direction. Wes Lee comes in and says they have a voice and don't need direction from someone like Spears. Tank asks if Dupont and Igwe will listen to Wes and they yes. Tank is told they need to find someone and Tank is worried if they can find someone. 

Shotzi and Gigi Dolin vs Katana Chance and Kayden Carter vs Metafour (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson)

Carter takes down Gigi then mule kicks her. Lash slams Carter then splashes her for 2. Lash lifts Carter by the arm and Carter dropkicks her. Lash is tripped into a basement dropkick and slingshot sent on the back. Shotz codebreakers Lash.

Jakara hits gut punches on Shotzi and double underhook suplexes her. Shotzi hits jawbreakers on Jakara. Gigi armdrags Jakara into the ropes. Jakara takes a senton and basement dropkik on the ropes. Shotzi does a texas cloverleaf on Jakar and is booted away. Carter facekicks Shotzi on the ropes. Chance hits a double crossbody off the steps onto opponents outside. Carter and Chance do stereo dives outside. 

We go to break and return. Gigi brazilian kicks Lash on the back. Lash forearms her. Carter rolls up Lash into a mule kick. Chance does a kegstand off of Carter onto Lash for 2. Jakara hits a missile dropkick on Chance. Carter flips Chance onto Jakara but Jakara gets her knees up. Jakara dropkicks Carter. Gigi step up enzugiri's Jakara then Jakara takes a backdrop = neckbreaker combo.

Shotz tries a tope outside but gets caught in the ropes and goes down hard. Jakara slingblades Gigi. Jakara gets on Lash's shoulders and dives to the outside onto opponents. Gigi crucifix bombs Lash for 2.

Fatal Influence come out. Gigi is pushed off the top and Lash pump kicks Gigi. Gigi takes a drop + cutter combo and is pinned.

Thoughts: It doesn't look good for Chance and Carter to lose a match like this on NXT. Shotzi messed up a tope and dove onto the floor. It was a bit hard to keep track of things with so many people involved. Jakara was in this for a while.

Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn are on the tron. They say they are looking for a tag title shot like Lash and Jakara. They say they have no problem running through them again to get another shot at the titles.

Stephanie Vaquer and Lola Vice argue in the back. Lola says she didn't mean to hit her. Kelani Jordan comes in and says it's funny how the tables turned.  KJ says they deserved this. All 3 start pushing each other and refs break it up.

Cora Jade watches and Ava comes up to her. She says she needs a woman to challenge Fallon Henley in 2025. She says Cora will get a chance next week but it's against Steph, Lola and Kelani in a #1 contender's match. 

Ava talks to Regal, Charlie Dempsey and Lexis King in the back. King says he won the title with integrity last week. Ava says he won by DQ. Ava said she researched the rules and said it's a gray area on whether the cup can change hands on a DQ. Ava said King and Dempsey will have a one fall sudden death match at New Year's Evil. Regal says he won't have anything to do with it. Ava gives the Heritage Cup back to Dempsey and King says he did everything else.

Nathan Frazer and Axiom are awarded the 2024 Tag Team of the Year award. NF says they joined forces earlier and couldn't have imagined this is what it would turn into. Ax says they won and lost the titles. NF says it's one thing to say you are the best but another for others to say you are.

OTM come in. They say to hold onto the titles while they can as they are coming for everything they earned in 2025.

Zaria and Sol Ruca talk. They aren't happy about losing and Sol says it can only go up from here.

We see some WWE ID signings in the crowd.

Izzi Dame vs Sol Ruca

They lock up. Sol gets on the bottom rope and drags her down. Sol trips her into a side headlock. Sol side headlock takeovers her. Sol shoulders Izzi, kips down and kips up. Sol hits a flying shoulder. Izzi spears the post hwen Sol moves. Sol stands on Izzi's back on the 2nd rope and surfs. Sol springboards and is chopped down.

Izzi hits mounted forearms. Izzi back elbows Sol for 2. Izzi chokes Sol on the ropes. Sol backrolls her. Sol is tripped on the 2nd rope. Shawn Spears is on the riser. Izzi release backdrops Sol for 2. Zaria comes down to ringside.

Sol springboard shoulderblocks Izzi then crossbodies her. Sol high kicks her from the apron. Sol springboard splashes Izzi but Izzi gets her knees up. Sol facebusters Izzi off the pop-up. Sol tries to top rope moonsault Izzi outside but ends up getting Zaria. Izzi boots sol over. Izzi hits a sky high on Sol for the win.

Thoughts: It was just an average match here. Izzi didn't look bad and Sol did a lot of springboards here. This continued the storyline with Spears trying to recruit Izzi and continues the problems with Sol and Zaria. 

Hank and Tank try to recruit Andre Chase to be their partner tonight. Chase looks at them and we go to break.

Roxanne Perez is the Female Superstar of the Year award winner. She said it all began when she realized no one here is on her level. She said her favorite moment was dropping a pipe bomb on CM Punk. She said he attracted talent from around the globe and made NXT hers in 2024. She says Giulia won't beat her. She says she's the one and the only one.

Hank Walker, Tank Ledger and Andre Chase vs Tyriek Igwe, Tyson Dupont and Wes Lee

Chase and Tank get superkicked before it starts. Dupont splashes Tank then Igwe lariats Tank. Tank lariats Igwe then Igwe takes a double sledgehammer shot from Hank. Tank corner splashes Igwe for 2. Igwe corner splashes Tank.

Tank spinebusters Wes. Igwe and Dupont have their heads banged together and are thrown out. Wes takes a sandwich body block and Chase swantons off the top to the outside.

We go to break and return. Igwe dropkicks Hank. Dupont does a nice pop-up slam on Hank. Hank and Wes trade shots. Hank blocks Wes' ddt and northern lights suplexes him high. Wes is double yanked into a double stomp on Hank. Hank suplexes Wes. Tank gets the hot tag in. He hits lariats on Igwe and does a nice fallaway slam. Tank hiptosses Dupont in and slingshot pslashes him. Tank cartwheels then lariats Igwe.

Wes superkicks Tank outside and dropkicks him into the rails. Chase hits punches on Igwe then russian legsweeps him. Chase then walks out on Hank and Tank after thinking about doing the C-H-A-S-E-U stomps.

Hank misses a top rope diving lariat. Hank rolls up Igwe for 2. Igwe lifts Hank like a slam and stunners him for the win.

Thoughts: There was nothing wrong with it. The teams matched up well here. It's a shame Chase left as we didn't get a proper finish because of it, but atleast there's a storyline reason. Tank had a good showing here and it's nice to see Dupont and Igwe get to be on the main NXT show.

Ashante Adonis is trying to call Karmen Petrovic and she won't answer. He says she's the one and he wants to spend New Year's Eve with hr. Nikkita Lyons comes in. She say she's going to a New Years Eve party and asks if he wants to go. He says if he can't spend it with Karmen, he spends it alone.

Shawn Spears goes up to Izzu. Izzi tells her to leave her alone. Tony D'Angelo and his family back her up and say to leave her alone. She says it's nice to have a man who listens. Shawn says he listened to the beatdown on Tony last week. Tony tells Rizzo to take care of him.  

Andre Chase is in the back. Kale Dixon goes up to him and asks when the next semester starts. Chase says Chase U is dead. Kale tells him to wait.

Thoughts: Kale has been a heel on Level Up so this is new.

They go to announce the 2024 Male Superstar of the Year. Oba Femi interrupts. Oba backs down the ring announcer in the corner and takes the award. He says it doesn't matter who wins the award, it's a prop for a popularity contest. He says the fans don't get to control anything, only he does. He says he's the ruler and says, "I'm the captain now". He says you can see him on New Year's Evil become NXT champ.

Trick Williams comes out. He says he doesn't see a problem with getting love from the fans. He says the fans show him love and he appreciates it. He says he knows what they got next week. He says he has to dig deep to win the match next week. He talks about Oba's nicknames and calls him "Ol Beatable Oba'. He says if Oba wasn't beatable, we wouldn't have a triple threat, we'd have a title vs title match. He asks Oba where he is title is. He says Oba is chasing him to be the top guy in NXT. Trick says Oba was gone for a few weeks when he lost his title and asks how long he will be gone when Trick beats him.

Eddy Thorpe then beats up both and hits Oba with the award. Eddy then holds the title up.

Thoughts: Trick was good here. It's a shame it didn't get more time to develop.

Overall thoughts: Next week is the big show so we weren't going to get anything too spectacular or memorable here. None of the matches were must see on this one and we had some dirty finishes here. It wasn't bad but it could have been a little better. I'd give this one a 5 out of 10 as it was an average show overall.

Stardom 12/29/2024 Stardom Dream Queendom 2024

Stardom 12/29/2024 Stardom Dream Queendom 2024

Goddesses Of Stardom Title Match - HATE (Momo Watanabe & Thekla) (c) vs. STARS (Hanan & Saya Iida)

Han and Saya attack at the bell. They try to send their opponents into the seats but end up getting sent into them. Han and Saya are sent into the post. Thek suplexes Han inside for 2 then slaps and chokes her.  Han misses a 2nd rope twisting crossbody. Thek stomps and boots her. Han hits a hip throw and Momo stops her from making the tag. Han takes a 2v1 and Thek superkicks her in the side of the head.

Momo hits chest kicks on Han while she's down. Han tries to fight back with chest forearms. Momo chest kicks her down. Han 2nd rope twisting crossbodies her. Saya tags in. Saya running shoulders and back elbows Momo. Saya elbow drops her for 2. Momo and Saya trade chops.

Momo takes a running double team shot for 2. Saya gets stuck up top. Thek spider superplexes her then double stomps her back off the buckles. Momo meteora's Saya then chickenwings her. Momo suplexes Saya then Saya suplexes her back. Thek and Han go at it. Thek leg lariats her on the fopes and hits a forearm flurry.

Thek forearms Han over then facekicks her on the ropes. Thek koji clutches her and is forced to break. Saya comes in and lariats the heels. Han top rope planchas onto everyone outside.

Thek is held in the air and is knocked down then Han does a cuty special with a bridge. Han takes corner attacks then is chest kicked down by Momo. Thek buzzsaw kicks Han for 2. Han forearm flurries Thek. Thek spits on her then Han hits a big forearm.

Han dropkicks the ref when Thek moves. Momo hits Thek with her bat on accident. Han la magistrals Thek but the ref is down. Saya top rope diving shoulders Momo. Han tries another pin on Thek but the ref is still out. Saya moves Han and takes a big spear for her. Han backdrops Thek.

Thek backrolls Han into a bridge for 2. Han takes a double high kick to the head for 2. Han backdrops Momo and Saya hits her muscle buster into a slam on Thek. Han backdrops Thek and pins her.

Thoughts: I liked the match more than I thought I would. It was a little much for an opener but I thought it was a good match. The heels were heels, the faces were faces and they put out a good effort. Of course Hanan had to get the pin here as her super push must continue, but at least she had a better performance than usual.

Saya and Hanan talk on the mic after 

God's Eye (Hina, Lady C, Saki Kashima & Tomoka Inaba) vs. Empress Nexus Venus (HANAKO, Mina Shirakawa, Rian & Waka Tsukiyama) vs. HATE (Azusa Inaba, Fukigen Death, Rina & Ruaka)

Mina pinned Death with a reverse lifting sitout ddt. It was a fast paced match here with lots of people coming in and out. Outside of some team spots, it was mostly just 2 people going at it at once.  It was fine for being midcard fodder but nothing you would remember.

STARS (Hazuki, Koguma, Mayu Iwatani & Momo Kohgo) vs. Neo Genesis (AZM, Mei Seira, Miyu Amasaki & Suzu Suzuki)

AZM trips Mayu and Mayu backrolls her. Mayu side headlock takeovers her. AZM headsicsosrs her and they both get up. Kog and Miyu go at it. Kog wants to do her kuma taunt and Miyu goes along with it. They high five each other, bow and then Miyu hits her on the handshake. Miyu is rolled into double stomps and splashes from her opponents.

Mayu backrolls Miyu into a basement dropkick. Haz comes in and hair throws Mayu. Haz's team does a 4 person facewash kick spot. Haz slams Mayu three times for 2. Haz camel clutches Miyu. Miyu hits a double ddt. Suzu and Mei hit tereo superkicks then do stereo springboard dropkicks.

AZM takes a corner splash > 2nd rope dropkick > 2nd rope crossbody. Momo top rope dropkicks AZM and misses a 619. AZM is on the the 2nd rope and is hit in the legs with a 619. Mayu superkicks AZM then Momo 2nd rope twisting crossbodies AZM.

AZM suplexes Momo. Momo takes corner attacks then takes a 4 person basement dropkick. AZM top rope double stomps Momo for 2. AZM canadian destroyers Mayu. She headkicks Momo then la magistrals her. AZM then pins Momo.

Thoughts: It was a fast paced match with lots of people coming in out and as they pleased. There wasn't anything great about it but I guess it was okay enough. We didn't get to see a ton of anyone here due to so many people being involved.

AZM and Mayu grab each other by the hair after. Mayu holds her belt up at AZM.

Mika Iwata vs. Saori Anou

They stare down. Anou grabs her by the hair and slaps her. They trade leg kicks for slaps. Mika superkicks her down. Mika chinlocks Anou. Anou enzugiri's her then takes a running kick for 2. Mika kicks Anou around then superkicks her. Anou germans Mika. Anou northern lights suplexes her then does a heavenly lock.

Anou basement dropkicks her in the back then germans her. Anou fisherman suplexes Mika on the floor. Inside the irng, Anou top rope dropkicks her. Anou germans her for 2. Anou hits forearms and takes 2 high kicks.

They trade forearms on their knees. Anou hits a headbutt flurry and Mika headbutt flurries her back. Mika running knees Anou. Anou hits 2 fisherman suplexes on Mika. Mika spinning high kicks her. Anou then hits a double wristlock suplex. Anou does a headhunter variation on her for 2. Anou then stomp flurries her.

Mika hits a straight punch. Mika hits kicks to the head for 2. Mika hits a buzzsaw kick then 2nd rope triangle enzugiri's her for 2. Mika landslides Anou. Anou backslides her with a bridge for 2. Mika knees her then Anou rolls over her back, backslides her and pins her.

Thoughts: I would have liked a better finish. The two had issues with each other and were being aggressive and the backslide bridge finish didn't really further that logic. It was a good match though with the two roughing each other up and showing some hate. It could have really been great if they expanded on it, got some blood and maybe did more brawling.

Syuri vs. Konami

Syu pumping knees her then hits high kicks. Syu drops her with a buzzsaw kick. Kon does not look well and is about to be counted out. HATE then run in and start a fight with Syu's group. Syuri wins via DQ.

Momo hits Syu with a bat outside. Maya Fukuda has words for Syuri then Syuri talks on the mic after and asks to join God's Eye.

Thoughts: This was only 30 seconds and had a screwy finish. Konami got legit injured here.

No Disqualification Match - Natsuko Tora vs. Maika

Maika has a board with beer cans cut in half on it. Tora and Maika trade forearms. Tora hits her with a chain then rams the beer can board into Maika. Tora sticks a barbed wire bat in Maika's head. Tora throws Maika into the seats then pushes her face into the seats. Maika gets all bloodied.

Tora stabs Mika with a fork then samoan drops her for 2. Maika hits Tora in the head with maybe a giant Japanese fan. Maika then throws Tora off the top onto a pile of chairs. Maika chairs Tora several times with the chairs hanging off Tora's neck. Maika then hits her with the giant fan.

They go outside. Tora stabs her with a fork then Maika stabs her with it. Maika stabs her more with it inside. Maika hits lariats on Tora for 2. Maika hits an enka otoshi onto Tora. The beer can board is bridged onto chairs. Maika superplees Tora onto it.

Maika sitout slams Tora for 2. Tora spits mist at Maika and lariats her for 2. Tora top rope splashes Maika through a table. Tora death valley drivers her for 2. Maika hits a big forearm on Tora then michinoku drivers her. Tora and Maika get on a ladder (with people helping keep it up). Momo hands Tora trash can. She hits Maika with it then powerbombs Maika onto the beer can board with a chair there. Tora death valley drivers Maika for 2. Tora wraps herself in barbed wire and top rope swantons Maika for the win.

Thoughts: It was a good match. It was a hardcore battle with both girls getting bloodied and coming up with different ways to hurt each other. It could have been a little more compact and shorter but they had the idea down. We had clear heels and faces and they wrestled like two people who hate each other would wrestle. The beer can board and the barbed wire were weapons we don't see that often here so when they were used, it felt more special. I wouldn't say it was great though.

Wonder Of Stardom Title Match - Natsupoi (c) vs. Starlight Kid

Kid and Poi are both wearing white for this one. Kid backs up Poi on the break and side headlocks her. Poi side headlocks her. They miss shots. Kid 2nd rope twisting crossbodies her then basement dropkicks her. Kid asai moonsaults Poi outside. Kid dragon screws Poi's leg on the ropes then she standing moonsaults it. Poi rolls into an armbar on her. Kid reverses it with a stretch muffler. Poi dropkicks Kid through the ropes.

Poi 2nd rope crossbodies kid then armbars her. Kid ropebreaks. Poi kicks Kid's arm on the ropes and armbreakers it. Poi spin kicks her and hits a running headhunter. Kid does a cross-legged fisherman's suplex.

Kid dropkicks Poi in the back of the leg then dragon screws her while she sits on top. Kid then goes back to the stretch muffler. Kid hits a top rope 180 splash on Poi for 2. Kid gets stuck on the buckles. Poi 2nd rope germans her. 

Poi top rope plancha's Kid outside. Poi twisting fisherman's neckbreakers her for 2. Kid gets her knees up on Poi's top rope cartwheel splash. Poi superkicks her and takes a double knee to the back of the head.

Kid tombstones Poi then top rope moonsaults her for 2. Kid hits a stiff tiger driver for 2. Kid then turns it into a stretch muffler. Kid stands while putting it on and swings Poi around with it. Poi uses the ropes to escape and tries to roll up Kid, but Kid reverses it on her. Poi release germans Kid. Poi superkicks Kid then headscissor drops her. Poi then goes for another armbar. Poi armbars Kid. Kid ropebreaks. Poi cartwheel splashes Kid off the top for 2. 

Poi misses a top rope corkscrew splash. They trade forearms on their knees. Kid hits chest forearms. Poi hits her own back and spin kicks her in the head. Kid rolls her into a tiger suplex for 2. Poi la magistral's Kid for 2. Poi does a ranhei variaton for 2. Poi straightjacket germans Kid for 2. Poi is up top, Kid walks up the buckles and hits a spanish fly for 1. Kid tombstones her. Kid tiger suplexes Poi and gets the upset win.

Thoughts: It was really good at times but didn't reach its full potential. I didn't like the 2nd rope german and the spanish fly being ultimately meaningless here. I also didn't like that the arm and leg work they did ultimately ended up forgotten in the end. It had some positives to it and truly could have been great, but they ended up blowing it. Had everything from the spanish fly spot and on not happened, this review would have been totally different.

They talk to each ther on the mic after and then Kid talks to the crowd alone.

World Of Stardom Title Match - Tam Nakano (c) vs. Saya Kamitani

Saya takes her down and Tam hammerlocks her. Saya eye rakes Tam. Tam misses a corner charge and both stand off while on separate ropes. Tam backdrops Saya then top rope plancha's her outside. Saya waits for Tam and sits on a chair inside. Saya trips her into the chair then basement dropkicks her in the back of the head.

Saya knee chokes Tam on the ropes. Saya snapmares her and chinlocks her. Saya axe kicks Tam over the 2nd rope and poses on her. Tam hits chest forearms. Saya forearms her then Tam hits a backdrop. Tam rolls Saya into kicks then hits an axe kick on the back.

They attack each other on the ropes. Tam spinning high kicks her then pumping knees her on the ropes. Tam hanging dragon sleepers Saya on the buckles. Tam slides under Saya and gets double stomped on the apron.

They go into the seating area and Tam hits a knee. Tam runs at her and gets choked with a chain. Saya walks up the seating structure and her and HATE hang Tam with the chain. Tam is completely in the air hanging. Tam's buddies break it up. Saya dives off the seating structure onto Tam and others.

Saya drags Tam with the chain. Tam germans Saya off the apron to the floor. They grab each other's hands and trade forearms. Saya forearm flurries her then spinning heel kicks her. Tam spinning high kicks her and tiger suplexes her. Saya does a poisonrana for 1.

Tam hits a stiff falcon arrow on Saya for 2. Tam does a hard soccer kick to Saya's head. Saya flips out of a double underhook and pump kicks her. Saya spinning high kicks her and corkscrew kicks her in the back. Saya ki krushers her for 2.

Tam blocks a ki krusher and take a knee to the face. Tam 2nd rope tiger suplexes her. Saya is down and the ref talks to tam like he might stop it. Saya wakes up and throws the ref out of the way. Saya hurricanrana's Tam for 2. Saya backdrops her then falcon arrows her. Saya ki krushers her and wins.

Thoughts: I didn't think it was that great. The selling wasn't that good. I didn't really buy into the match being stopped because Saya was supposedly out of it. There wasn't a great story or anything in this one and I just didn't see anything particularly special here aside from Saya winning. I can't even say I thought it was good.

Saya talks on the mic after. Tam grabs the belt and Saya makes it put on her. Saya then hits Tam and talks on the mic.

Overall thoughts: I didn't care for the main. Kid vs Poi looked like it had potential to be a classic but they really blew it in the last few minutes by going off track and no selling. I liked Tora and Maika. Syuri vs Konami was short and ended on a DQ. I liked Mika vs Aonou. The opener and the Mayu match were also okay. It was a big show and they put more effort into it than usual but it wasn't great. I'd give this a 6 out of 10 overall but wouldn't recommend it.