All Japan Catch Up
 

Well seen as we have a NOAH and a NJPW catch up I felt All Japan shouldn't be left out either...

So as All Japan started a new tour today, the Summer Impact Series 2004, I felt it would be a good time to start...

The day one results are...

AJPW, 8/22/04
Ome City Nishi Tokyo Horizontal Open Space
1,800 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Gran Hamada beat Daisaku Shimoda (7:31) with the Hama-Chan Cutter.
2. Tomoaki Honma beat Taichi Ishikari (11:17) with the Shalimarti.
3. D-Lo Brown beat Nobukazu Hirai (10:54) with the Lo Down.
4. Kaz Hayashi & Rocky Romero beat Katsushi Takemura & MAZADA (14:22) when Takemura was DQ'd.
5. Takao Omori & Koichiro Kimura beat Satoshi Kojima & Ryuji Hijikata (12:20) when Omori used an Axe Bomber on Hijikata.
6. Keiji Muto, Osamu Nishimura & Arashi beat Toshiaki Kawada, Masanobu Fuchi & Nobutaka Araya (21:58) when Muto used the Shining Wizard on Araya.

As you can see D'Lo Brown is still doing the All Japan rounds as part of Taiyo Kea's and Taka Michinoku RO&D group which is planning a tie up with the Junior Unit of CTU in NJPW and Dick Togo, the legendary junior rudo...

Could we see a dream team of Liger, Togo and Taka? Against Tiger Mask, Koji and Heat? Good god that would be sweet!

As well as that NJPW's Nishimura is getting a shot on the tour end show against Kawada for the Triple Crown and is particpating all tour long... Takemura is also going to do a few shows against foe Hayashi with partners MAZADA and NOZAWA and Sasaki will also particpate in a few shows as well....

AJPW ran a big show match wise today with future ace (something he's been called for 3 years!) Kojima taking on the current ace Kawada in non title action... Kawada took the duke with a face kick, a move much like Shibata's P.K. and F.K's... But he payed a price, he hurt his left shoulder supposedly and that leaves him open to Nishimura's Cobra Twist... Speaking of Nishimura he took a win over Fuchi, the tricky and nasty veteran with his Backslide....

AJPW, 8/23/04
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,100 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Taichi Ishikari vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima went to a draw (15:00) when the time limit expired.
2. Gran Hamada & Ryuji Hijikata beat Katsushi Takemura & MAZADA (5:42) when MAZADA was DQ'd.
3. TAKA Michinoku & BLUE-K beat Kaz Hayashi & Rocky Romero (11:45) when TAKA used a horizontal cradle on Hayashi.
4. Jamal & Buchanan beat Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai (4:37) when Jamal used a flying sausage on Hirai.
5. Genichiro Tenryu & Kensuke Sasaki beat Taiyo Kea & D-Lo Brown (9:24) when Sasaki used a Northern Light bomb on Brown.
6. Takao Omori, Shiro Koshinaka & Koichiro Kimura beat Keiji Muto, Arashi & Tomoaki Honma (12:11) when Omori used an Axe Bomber on Arashi.
7. Osamu Nishimura beat Masanobu Fuchi (23:29) with a backslide.
8. Toshiaki Kawada beat Satoshi Kojima (24:12) with a running face kick

The tour show just passed was based more on the RO&D outsider group taking on the regular army and their allies... NJPW's Takemura and MAZADA where DQ'd for rulebreaking as usual, D'Lo Brown and Buchanan took out Hijikata and Hirai with Brown dropping the Lo Down for the win and in the main event the Jr Champ Hayashi took out TAKA, the Jr legend, with a top rope splash.... Kawada faced a setback as well today as Kojima avenged his defeat by using his lariat to take out Araya and pick up a win for him and Honma in tag action...

AJPW, 8/25/04
Sakata City Gymnasium
1,800 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Taichi Ishikari vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima went to a draw (15:00) when the time limit expired.
2. Masanobu Fuchi beat Shiori Asahi (9:46) with a crab hold.
3. Gran Hamada & Ebessan beat Katsushi Takemura & MAZADA (10:58) when Takemura was DQ'd.
4. Buchanan & D-Lo Brown beat Nobukazu Hirai & Ryuji Hijikata (11:51) when Brown used the Lo Down on Hijikata.
5. Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma beat Toshiaki Kawada & Nobutaka Araya (13:38) when Kojima used a lariat on Araya.
6. Keiji Muto, Arashi & Kaz Hayashi beat TAKA Michinoku , Taiyo Kea & Jamal (12:06) when Hayashi used a diving body press on TAKA

All right... as I have been bumming around this weekend getting some RnR the Summer Impact series has rolled on so I thought I'd better update you on its progress...

AJPW, 8/29/04
Kitami Municipal Sports Center
1,200 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Gran Hamada beat Akira Raijin (4:38) with a cross armbreaker.
2. Masanobu Fuchi beat Shiori Asahi (12:54) with a facelock hold.
3. Tomoaki Honma & Katsuhiko Nakajima beat Katsushi Takemura & MAZADA (13:23) when Takemura was DQ'd.
4. Taiyo Kea & Jamal beat Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai (8:55) when Jamal used the Samoan Smasher on Araya.
5. Satoshi Kojima & Kaz Hayashi beat Toshiaki Kawada & Ryuji Hijikata (15:06) when Hayashi used a moonsault press on Hijikata.
6. Keiji Muto, Osamu Nishimura & Arashi beat TAKA Michinoku , Buchanan & D-Lo Brown (19:40) when Nishimura used a ground Cobra Twist on TAKA.

AJPW, 8/28/04
Sapporo Teisen Hall
2,150 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Ryuji Hijikata beat Akira Raijin (4:57) with a single-leg crab hold.
2. Gran Hamada beat Shiori Asahi (8:44) with the Hama-Chan Cutter.
3. Kaz Hayashi & Taichi Ishikari beat Katsushi Takemura & MAZADA (10:24) when Takemura was DQ'd.
4. Tomoaki Honma beat Nobukazu Hirai (14:57) with a Turmeric clutch.
5. Satoshi Kojima & Arashi beat Jamal & Buchanan (16:06) when Kojima used a lariat on Buchanan.
6. TAKA Michinoku , Taiyo Kea & D-Lo Brown beat Kensuke Sasaki, Koichiro Kimura & Katsuhiko Nakajima (17:12) when TAKA used a Michinoku Driver II on Nakajima.
7. Keiji Muto & Osamu Nishimura beat Toshiaki Kawada & Nobutaka Araya (18:21) when Muto used the Shining Wizard on Araya.

AJPW, 8/27/04
Asahikawa Citizen Center Gymnasium
1,200 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Masanobu Fuchi beat Shiori Asahi (11:57) with a single-leg crab hold.
2. Gran Hamada beat Katsuhiko Nakajima (8:44) with a cross armbreaker.
3. Kaz Hayashi & Ebessan beat Katsushi Takemura & MAZADA (12:43) when Takemura was DQ'd.
4. TAKA Michinoku & Buchanan beat Nobutaka Araya & Taichi Ishikari (12:40) when TAKA used a Japanese leg roll clutch hold on Ishikari.
5. Toshiaki Kawada & Ryuji Hijikata beat Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma (15:07) when Kawada used a running face kick on Honma.
6. Keiji Muto, Arashi & Nobukazu Hirai beat Taiyo Kea, Jamal & D-Lo Brown (20:03) when Muto used the Shining Wizard on Brown.

As you can see, much like with Low Ki in NOAH, the invading challenger is being kept strong as Nishimura has helped overcome a team that included the Champion and has also picked up a few deciding falls to with his Muga or tradional style....

Well the penultimate show has just taken place with the final action before the tour closer on the 3rd.... Heres the results...

AJPW, 8/30/04
Tottori Dome
2,600 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Taichi Ishikari beat Akira Raijin (9:21) with a German suplex hold.
2. Gran Hamada beat Shiori Asahi (8:10) with the Hama-Chan Cutter.
3. Katsushi Takemura & MAZADA beat Kaz Hayashi & Katsuhiko Nakajima (11:48) when MAZADA used a weapon attack on Hayashi.
4. Buchanan & D-Lo Brown beat Arashi & Nobukazu Hirai (16:29) when Buchanan used a scissors kick on Hijikata.
5. TAKA Michinoku , Taiyo Kea & Jamal beat Toshiaki Kawada, Nobutaka Araya & Ryuji Hijikata (15:01) when Kea used a TKO on Hijikata.
6. Great Muta & Osamu Nishimura beat Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma (19:46) when Nishimura used a ground Cobra Twist on Honma.

MAZADA got the pin after a weapon attack on Hayashi to possibly set up a match with the AJPW Jr champ... The Great Muta appeared again in AJPW as Keiji Muto geared up with his big singles match against Kojima and Nishimura used his Muga style to get another win before he and Kawada collide!

Will the Triple Crown come to a NJPW again? Or will Kawada continue his fifth run at Mr Muga's expense?

Alright Puro fans! The last show of the Summer Impact series took place on Friday with the Triple Crown at stake in the Interpromotional match between Nishimura and Kawada... Kawada and Nishimura battled for nearly an hour before Kawada struck one of his deadly face kicks, those similar to Shibata's P.K's and took out Mr Muga for a sixth successful defense of his Crown. Post match however Kea of the R&OD stole the belts and took them hostage! He says unless he recieves a shot at the Crown then they will stay in Hawaii with him. The match is expected to be booked for the Halloween show at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo...

Also on the show Muto took on Kojima in a match billed as 'Student v Teacher'... Kojima bladed very deep apperently and took not one, not two but 5(in a row!) Shining Wizards to keep down....

AJPW, 9/3/04
Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium
4,500 Fans

1. Yuki Ishikawa beat Ryuji Hijikata (7:16) by referee stop.
2. Katsushi Takemura & MAZADA beat Taichi Ishikari & Akira Raijin (10:39) when Takemura used a punch on Raijin.
3. Kaz Hayashi & Katsuhiko Nakajima beat TAKA Michinoku & BLUE-K (11:30) when Hayashi used the Final Cut on BLUE-K.
4. Buchanan & D-Lo Brown beat Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai (12:45) when Buchanan used a scissors kick on Hirai.
5. Genichiro Tenryu & Masanobu Fuchi beat Arashi & Gran Hamada (6:31) when Tenryu used a lariat on Arashi.
6. Shiro Koshinaka beat Tomoaki Honma (9:56) with the Samurai Driver '84.
7. Taiyo Kea & Jamal beat Kensuke Sasaki & Koichiro Kimura (13:17) when Jamal used a diving body press on Kimura.
8. Keiji Muto beat Satoshi Kojima (19:17) with the Shining Wizard.
9. Triple Crown: Toshiaki Kawada (c) beat Osamu Nishimura (27:12) with a running face kick (7th defense).

AJPW started a the September Dream series on the 17th of this month and it runs through to the 25th....

Here are the results so far....

AJPW, 9/21/04
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium #2
1,200 Fans

1. Ryuji Hijikata beat Akira Raijin (10:37) with a shoot kick.
2. Funkster & Ebessan Hansen beat Jeremy Lopez & Kuishinbo Kamen (13:21) when Ebessan used an Ebessan lariat on Kamen.
3. NOSAWA & MAZADA beat Kaz Hayashi & Gran Hamada (13:23) when NOSAWA pinned Hamada.
4. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai (11:33) when Super used a glove punch on Araya.
5. Keiji Muto, Osamu Nishimura & Tomoaki Honma beat TAKA Michinoku , Taiyo Kea & Jamal (18:03) when Muto used the Shining Wizard on TAKA.
6. Satoshi Kojima beat AKIRA (13:30) with the CCD.
7. Genichiro Tenryu, Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima beat Toshiaki Kawada, Masanobu Fuchi & Taichi Ishikari (17:43) when Nakajima used a German suplex hold on Ishikari.

AJPW, 9/20/04
Gifu Industrial Hall
1,800 Fans

1. Funkster & Jeremy Lopez beat Gran Hamada & Akira Raijin (13:43) when Funkster used an Axe Bomber on Raijin.
2. NOSAWA & MAZADA beat AKIRA & Taichi Ishikari (17:22) when NOSAWA used the Blue Light Yokohama on Ishikari.
3. Satoshi Kojima beat Ryuji Hijikata (16:37) with the CCD.
4. Takao Omori & Shiro Koshinaka beat Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai (15:41) when Omori used an Axe Bomber on Hirai.
5. TAKA Michinoku & Taiyo Kea beat Keiji Muto & Kaz Hayashi (14:04) when Kea used a TKO on Hayashi.
6. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat Toshiaki Kawada & Masanobu Fuchi (15:01) when Arashi used a running body press on Kawada.

AJPW, 9/18/04
Koshigaya Katsura Studio
1,000 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Masanobu Fuchi beat Akira Raijin (15:57) with a keylock.
2. NOSAWA & MAZADA beat Nobukazu Hirai & Taichi Ishikari (10:34) when MAZADA used the Tokyo Lullaby on Ishikari.
3. Kaz Hayashi & AKIRA beat Gran Hamada & Funkster (12:57) when AKIRA used a diving body press on Hamada.
4. Satoshi Kojima beat Nobutaka Araya (18:38) with the CCD.
5. Toshiaki Kawada & Ryuji Hijikata beat Taiyo Kea & Jeremy Lopez (14:20) when Hijikata used a Fisherman buster on Lopez.
6. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat Keiji Muto & Tomoaki Honma (14:37) when Arashi used a Devil Windmill supex hold on Honma.

AJPW, 9/17/04
Honkawagoe Pepe Hall Atlas
750 Fans - No Vacancy

1. Funkster & Jeremy Lopez beat Nobukazu Hirai & Akira Raijin (11:32) when Funkster used an Axe Bomber on Raijin.
2. NOSAWA & MAZADA beat Gran Hamada & Taichi Ishikari (6:02) when MAZADA used a Shoda otoshi on Ishikari.
3. Masanobu Fuchi beat Shiori Asahi (9:03) with a facelock hold.
4. Satoshi Kojima beat Tomoaki Honma (10:03) with the CCD.
5. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat TAKA Michinoku & Taiyo Kea (6:35) when Arashi used a Devil Windmill suplex hold on TAKA.
6. Toshiaki Kawada, Nobutaka Araya & Ryuji Hijikata beat Keiji Muto, Kaz Hayashi & AKIRA (20:35) when Araya used a powerbomb on Hayashi.

It seems that they are keeping the fans guessing on who will get the match with Kawada as Sasaki's team took out Kawada's in the six man tag. Sasaki faces Kea in a number 1 contenders match later on this tour and Kea is as far as I know still has the three belts that make up the Crown...

Funkster may well be Alan Funk back from the horror injuries he recieved at the end of a Sonny Siaki botched moonsault a while back, I'll check...

Tanahashi appeared after Nishimura pleded to be on Muto's team at the Sumo Hall after which they where attacked by RO&D... Tanahashi cleared house in the ring and stared down Muto. Maybe he will get to face him after all...

Super Love Machine is the Super Strong Machine or Junji Hirata of NJPW fame... He and Arashi have been teaming up and picking up alot of good wins with Arashi even pinning Kawada to continue Kawada's rather indifferent form as of late. His team also went down at the Hustle 5 show too....

And just a note on the move that Kojima is using to finishing matches apart from his lariat and that is the CCD. A little helpful source told it is very much like Misawa's Emerald Fusion finisher which is for those that don't know a off the shoulder piledriver to the the side instead of between the legs.

The September Dream Series rolls on and today saw the first rounds of the Autumn tag tournement with Kawada, Muto, Kea and others all taking part...

The only noticable exemption from the tourney is Kojima and many are wondering why Taka didn't tag with Jamal or Kea instead of the Funkster and Lopez...

Anyway heres the results...

AJPW, 9/22/04
Kumamoto Hungnam Hall
1,200 Fans

1. TAKA Michinoku & MAZADA beat Nobukazu Hirai & Akira Raijin (12:58) when TAKA used a just facelock on Raijin.
2. Satoshi Kojima beat NOSAWA (11:52) with the CCD.
3. Autumn Festival Tag Tournament - Round 1: Taiyo Kea & Jeremy Lopez beat Kaz Hayashi & Tomoaki Honma (15:39) when Kea used the Hawaiian Smasher on Honma.
4. Autumn Festival Tag Tournament - Round 1: Jamal & Funkster beat Arashi & Ryuji Hijikata (12:55) when Jamal used a powerbomb on Hijikata.
5. Autumn Festival Tag Tournament - Round 1: Toshiaki Kawada & Taichi Ishikari beat Masanobu Fuchi & Nobutaka Araya (18:06) when Kawada used a running face kick on Araya.
6. Autumn Festival Tag Tournament - Round 1: Super Love Machine & Gran Hamada beat Great Muta & AKIRA (16:11) when Machine used a glove punch on AKIRA.

So Junji Hirata's run in AJPW continues with he and Gran Hamada beating Muta and AKIRA in a match that involved 3 former New Japan wrestlers. Kojima yet again used the CCD to good effect as today he put away NOSAWA with it...

Plus it is intresting to note that there is two RO&D teams in the semi's, one AJPW and one freelance... should be intresting if RO&D continue to be dominant over the AJPW troops although to be fair apart from Fuchi and Kawada there is no true borns left.

The Autumn Festival Tag tournement came to a close yesterday with the Triple Crown holder Kawada coming through some mixed form as of late to triumph alongside Ishikari over two successive RO&D teams.

Here is the full results...

AJPW, 9/23/04
Kumamoto Hungnam Hall
1,400 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Nobukazu Hirai beat Akira Raijin (9:03) with a WAR Special.
2. Autumn Festival Tag Tournament - Semi Final: Toshiaki Kawada & Taichi Ishikari beat Taiyo Kea & Jeremy Lopez (7:18) when Ishikari used a German suplex hold on Lopez.
3. Autumn Festival Tag Tournament - Semi Final: Jamal & Funkster beat Super Love Machine & Gran Hamada (8:30) when Jamal used a high-angle powerbomb on Hamada.
4. NOSAWA & MAZADA beat Kaz Hayashi & Tomoaki Honma (15:20) when MAZADA used the Blue Chateau on Hayashi.
5. Keiji Muto & AKIRA beat Nobutaka Araya & Ryuji Hijikata (16:07) when AKIRA used a Musasabi body press on Hijikata.
6. Satoshi Kojima beat Arashi (13:19) with the CCD.
7. Autumn Festival Tag Tournament - Final: Toshiaki Kawada & Taichi Ishikari beat Jamal & Funkster (11:51) when Ishikari used the Black Mephisto on Funkster.

Also of note it seems that Kojima and his new finisher are rolling over everyone at the moment and that as soon as the little Kea angle has taken its corse then Kojima may well carry on his chase of Kawada's crown... Or Kea's or Sasaki's as tomorrow Kea and Sasaki face off in the number one contenders match.

On that card Kojima faces Jamal and the successful team of Kawada and Ishikari face Tenryu and Nakajima as well.

That is is tomorrow and it will also be the tour closer.

All Japan closed out its September Dream tour today, here are the results...

AJPW, 9/25/04
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,100 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Masanobu Fuchi, Nobukazu Hirai & Akira Raijin beat Gran Hamada, Funkster & Jeremy Lopez (11:04) when Hirai used a Rock Bottom on Lopez.
2. Shiro Koshinaka beat Nobutaka Araya (9:42) with a running hip attack.
3. TAKA Michinoku , Katsushi Takemura & NOSAWA beat AKIRA, Tomoaki Honma & Ryuji Hijikata (11:38) when TAKA pinned Hijikata after a triple thrust kick.
4. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat Keiji Muto & Osamu Nishimura (16:04) when Arashi used a Devil Windmill suplex hold on Muto.
5. Taiyo Kea beat Kensuke Sasaki (15:37) with a horizontal cradle.
6. Toshiaki Kawada & Taichi Ishikari beat Genichiro Tenryu & Katsuhiko Nakajima (19:41) when Ishikari used the Black Mephisto on Nakajima.
7. AJPW World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Kaz Hayashi (c) beat MAZADA (14:58) with an avalanche-style WA4.
8. Satoshi Kojima beat Jamal (18:14) with a lariat.

Kojima has gone undefeated all tour long and is looking to get back in the hunt for a shot at the Triple Crown... Speaking of which todays show featured Kensuke Sasaki against Taiyo Kea for the number one contendership... Kea came out on top using a horizontal cradle or Schoolboy for the win...

Also Arashi and The Love Machine took out Muto and Nishimura in a tag today with Arashi scoring a win over former tag partner Muto using the Devil Windwill Suplex, a move made known by Machine/Hirata... It's his second direct pin victory over a triple crown holder and main eventer in a month after he took Kawada a short while ago...

But the biggest match on the card was the AJPW Jr Heavyweight Title match with MAZADA taking on former Jung Dragon Kaz Hayashi... It went on for nearly 15 minutes before Hayashi used his WA4 off the top rope (Air Raid Crash or Kryptonite Krunch) to down the rudo and member of RO&D....

Thats all for now, anymore news and I'll keep you posted...

AJPW have announced a few matches and outside grapplers that will appear on its upcoming October tour. Hirata under his Super Love Machine gimmick will be there and Ruckus as well as Jinsei Shinzaki and Abdullah The Butcher. Sasaki and Nakajima of the Kensuke office will also be doing their freelancing duties their and Mr Puro Tenryu will also be back. He and Fuchi will defend their All Asia Tag Titles on the 11th at the Tokyo Korakuen Hall against the rudo duo of NOSAWA and MAZADA.

Also NJPW's Mr Muga Nishimura will work these dates...

10/11 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall) Keiji Muto, Osamu Nishimura & X vs. Satoshi Kojima, Kaz Hayashi & Tomoaki Honma
(10/17 @ Act City Hamamatsu) Keiji Muto & Osamu Nishimura vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Satoshi Kojima
(10/31 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Osamu Nishimura & Jinsei Shinzaki vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Ruckus

Also some news on the 31/10 Sumo Hall show...

The line up at the moment will see Muto and Misawa team up against Hase and Sasaki in a special tag match that will we see Muto and Misawa's first ever union in any ring!
As a result of his win over Sasaki, Kea is now the number one contender and will get only his second ever shot at the Crown in his ten year stint in AJPW. He faces Kawada. As mentioned above Nishimura and Shinzaki will take on the Butcher and Ruckus and Kojima will face a yet unconfirmed opponent. Finally Kaz Hayashi will face former IWGP Jr Champ AKIRA for his AJPW Jr title and a possible 5th defense....

The tour is entitled the Love and Bump tour and its main aim? To celebrate the 20th year of Muto being in the business...

The new All Japan tour kicked off today and its card had a distinctly NJPW flavour about it....

AJPW, 10/11/04
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,000 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Ryuji Hijikata beat Yuki Ishikawa (8:05) with a Fisherman buster.
2. AKIRA & Hi69 beat Nobukazu Hirai & Akira Raijin (15:21) when AKIRA used a Musasabi press on Raijin.
3. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat Nobutaka Araya & Gran Hamada (10:54) when Arashi used a powerbomb on Hamada.
4. Hiroshi Hase beat Kohei Suwama (debut) (11:02) with a crab hold.
5. All Asia Tag Team Title: Genichiro Tenryu & Masanobu Fuchi (c) beat NOSAWA & MAZADA (19:38) when Fuchi used a backdrop hold on NOSAWA (3rd defense).
6. Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima beat Toshiaki Kawada & Taichi Ishikari (18:17) when Sasaki used a lariat on Ishikari.
7. Keiji Muto, Osamu Nishimura & Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Satoshi Kojima, Kaz Hayashi & Tomoaki Honma (15:23) when Tanahashi used a Dragon suplex hold on Honma.

As you can see it showed old rivials Kawada and Sasaki lead teams into battle against each other. Kawada is at the moment the proud holder of the Triple Crown and Sasaki the new IWGP champion due to his controvestal win over Fujita not too long ago.

Tanahashi who was a foe of Muto not so long ago joined with him and fellow Fujinami disiple Nishimura in the main event against a team led by another NJPW trueborn, Kojima. In the end the three Fujinami followers got the duke with Homna taking a Tanahashi Dragon suplex to lose the fall.

Elsewhere Super Love Machine (another NJPW employee) was on the show as was former IWGP champion Tenryu who now freelances between the two companies and AKIRA, the former IWGP Jr Heavyweight champion.

After a break the AJPW Love and Bump tour continued on with cards yesterday and today. Here are the results.....

AJPW, 10/17/04
Act City Hamamatsu
1,950 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. NOSAWA & MAZADA beat Akira Raijin & Ruckus (13:21) when MAZADA used a Shoda otoshi on Raijin.
2. Kaz Hayashi & Kohei Suwama beat AKIRA & Tomoaki Honma (16:16) when Suwama used a German suplex hold on Honma.
3. Abdullah The Butcher & Gran Hamada beat Masanobu Fuchi & Nobukazu Hirai (12:18) when Abdullah used an elbow drop on Hirai.
4. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat Buchanan & D-Lo Brown (18:08) when Love Machine used a senton bomb on Buchanan.
5. TAKA Michinoku , Taiyo Kea & Jamal beat Toshiaki Kawada, Nobutaka Araya & Taichi Ishikari (17:13) when TAKA used a just facelock on Ishikari.
6. Genichiro Tenryu & Satoshi Kojima beat Keiji Muto & Osamu Nishimura (19:48) when Kojima used a lariat on Nishimura.

AJPW, 10/16/04
Iida Sports Center
1,350 Fans

1. Masanobu Fuchi beat Akira Raijin (15:37) with a backdrop suplex.
2. AKIRA beat Ruckus (8:26) with a Musasabi press.
3. Abdullah The Butcher & Gran Hamada beat Nobukazu Hirai & Taichi Ishikari (11:59) when Abdullah used an elbow drop on Ishikari.
4. Arashi beat Kohei Suwama (5:48) with a sleeper hold.
5. Kaz Hayashi & Tomoaki Honma beat NOSAWA & MAZADA (17:31) when Honma used a diving body press on MAZADA.
6. Taiyo Kea, Jamal, Buchanan & D-Lo Brown beat Keiji Muto, Toshiaki Kawada, Satoshi Kojima & Nobutaka Araya (18:06) when Jamal used a flying sausage on Araya.

It was a bug main event today with Muto and Nishimura teaming up again but falling to Kojima and Tenryu with Kojima smashing Nishimura with his trusty Lariat for the three count.

Also big prospect Suwama the supposed second version of Jumbo Tsruta got his first win. He used one of Jumbo's trademark moves, the German Suplex to pin Honma as he and Hayashi took out AKIRA and Honma in their junior style tag match.

AJPW carried on into Fukui on the next leg of the Love and Bump tour, here are the results...

AJPW, 10/18/04
Fukui City Gymnasium
2,000 Fans

1. Nobukazu Hirai beat Akira Raijin (11:00) with a Rock Bottom.
2. NOSAWA & MAZADA beat Kaz Hayashi & Ruckus (12:19) when MAZADA used a Shoda otoshi on Ruckus.
3. Abdullah The Butcher & Ebessan beat Gran Hamada & Taichi Ishikari (11:04) when Abdullah used an elbow drop on Ishikari.
4. Taiyo Kea, Jamal & Buchanan beat Nobutaka Araya, AKIRA & Kohei Suwama (18:31) when Jamal used the S50 on Suwama.
5. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat TAKA Michinoku & D-Lo Brown (14:21) when Arashi used a Devil Windmill suplex hold on Brown.
6. Genichiro Tenryu, Toshiaki Kawada & Masanobu Fuchi beat Keiji Muto, Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma (22:00) when Tenryu used the 53-years-old on Honma.

Well Arashi and Super Love Machine continue to beat everyone put in front of them, this time Arashi got the fall with Love Machine's famous move, the Devil Windmill Ssuplex on D'Lo Brown.

The AJPW Love and Bump tour rolled in Iwaki today as the celebration of Muto's 20th year continues. They also ran a show in Yamagata on the 20th, here are the full results...

AJPW, 10/21/04
Iwaki City Gymnasium
1,650 Fans - No Vacancy

1. Taichi Ishikari & Kohei Suwama beat Nobukazu Hirai & Akira Raijin (16:47) when Suwama used the Kitchen Disposer on Raijin.
2. Kaz Hayashi beat Ruckus (9:43) with the Final Cut.
3. Abdullah The Butcher & Ebedullah The Butcher beat NOSAWA & MAZADA (13:54) when Abdullah used an elbow drop on NOSAWA.
4. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat Tomoaki Honma & Gran Hamada (13:30) when Arashi used a powerbomb on Hamada.
5. Buchanan & D-Lo Brown beat Toshiaki Kawada & Nobutaka Araya (17:02) when Brown used the Lo Down on Araya.
6. Keiji Muto, Satoshi Kojima & AKIRA beat TAKA Michinoku , Taiyo Kea & Jamal (10:54) when Muto used the Shining Wizard on TAKA.

AJPW, 10/20/04
Yamagata Sports Center
1,800 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. NOSAWA beat Akira Raijin (11:34) with a single-leg crab hold.
2. MAZADA beat Ruckus (11:20) with a Firebird splash.
3. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat Gran Hamada & Taichi Ishikari (12:13) when Love Machine used a lariat on Ishikari.
4. Jamal, Buchanan & D-Lo Brown beat Nobutaka Araya, AKIRA & Nobukazu Hirai (20:28) when Jamal used a scissors kick on Hirai.
5. Toshiaki Kawada & Kohei Suwama beat TAKA Michinoku & Taiyo Kea (16:28) when Suwama used a German suplex hold on TAKA.
6. Keiji Muto, Abdullah The Butcher & Tomoaki Honma beat Satoshi Kojima, Kaz Hayashi & Ebessan (23:09) when Honma used the Shalimarti on Ebessan.

The Love Machines are still going strong! Two victories are added to their already bulging pile as they took out Hamada and Honma and Hamada and Ishikari as well. The second generation of Tsurta, (as AJPW are naming him) Suwama, has picked up two more wins. First he took junior legend TAKA Michinoku out with a German Suplex hold and then used a Kitchen Disposer(???) against Akira Raijin to win his and Ishikari's match today....

An answer to the New Three Muskateers of NJPW? Who knows?

The Love and Bump tour rages on leading up to the Sumo Hall on the 31st. Here are the full results from the 22nd's card in Miyagi....

AJPW, 10/22/04
Miyagi Sports Center
1,950 Fans

1. Masanobu Fuchi beat Akira Raijin (12:54) with a facelock hold.
2. Abdullah The Butcher & Ebedullah The Butcher beat Nobukazu Hirai & Gran Hamada (9:22) when Abdullah used an elbow drop on Hirai.
3. Tomoaki Honma beat Kohei Suwama (13:01) with a Turmeric clutch.
4. TAKA Michinoku , NOSAWA & MAZADA beat AKIRA, Ruckus & Taichi Ishikari (13:38) when TAKA used a just facelock on Ruckus.
5. Jamal & D-Lo Brown beat Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi (11:43) when Arashi was DQ'd.
6. Taiyo Kea & Buchanan beat Toshiaki Kawada & Nobutaka Araya (12:37) when Kea used a kneel kick on Araya.
7. Keiji Muto, Satoshi Kojima & Kaz Hayashi beat Genichiro Tenryu, Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima (21:47) when Hayashi used the Final Cut on Nakajima.

Suwama came down to earth as senior Homna cut short his great run of debut form by cradling him with the Tumeric Clutch for the three count.

Kea took another fall of a Kawada lead team as he and RO&D ally Buchanan took Kawada and Araya with Kea getting the three after landing a Kneel kick (Spinning Heel Kick to the face in Japan) on Araya. Kawada and Kea meet on the 31st for the Triple Crown after Kea had beaten Sasaki earlier in the tour to become number one contender.

Heres the card for the 31st so far....

AJPW "KEIJI MUTO 20TH ANNIVERSARY ~ LOVE AND BUMP", 10/31/04
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. AJPW World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Kaz Hayashi (c) vs. AKIRA
2. Satoshi Kojima vs. X
3. Osamu Nishimura & Jinsei Shinzaki vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Ruckus
4. Keiji Muto 20th Anniversary Special Match: Keiji Muto & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Hiroshi Hase & Kensuke Sasaki
5. Triple Crown: Toshiaki Kawada (c) vs. Taiyo Kea

AJPW carried on with its tour celebrating 20 years of Keiji Muto yesterday with a little help from some NJPW friends. Super Love Machine and Nishimura crossed over again and competed in two tag matches, here are the results...

AJPW, 10/26/04
Chiba Bridge Arena
2,300 Fans

1. Kaz Hayashi & Ruckus beat AKIRA & Taichi Ishikari (14:07) when Hayashi used the Final Cut on Ishikari.
2. Shiro Koshinaka & Koichiro Kimura beat Nobukazu Hirai & Akira Raijin (9:38) when Koshinaka used a hip attack on Raijin.
3. Abdullah The Butcher & Yasu Urano beat NOSAWA & MAZADA (9:40) when Abdullah used an elbow drop on MAZADA.
4. Super Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi beat Tomoaki Honma & Gran Hamada (12:24) when Arashi used a powerbomb on Honma.
5. TAKA Michinoku & Taiyo Kea beat Satoshi Kojima & Kohei Suwama (15:16) when Kea used a TKO on Suwama.
6. Keiji Muto, Osamu Nishimura & Jinsei Shinzaki beat Toshiaki Kawada, Masanobu Fuchi & Nobutaka Araya (22:00) when Nishimura used a ground Cobra Twist on Araya.

ok thought I posted a reply here but it's gone. Weird.

Anyways, is that Ruckus the Ruckus that was in CZW?

Good job on doing these, I know I don't always post in them but I do always read them and they usually remind me of my interest in Japanese wrestling

It is indeed Jayden, the slightly large Cruiser who plys his trade usually in CZW is now a AJPW touring gajian.

cool, how's he doing out there? I never liked CZW but thought he was ok for a guy his size. He's not huge or anything but obviously he's bigger than the Cruiser's.

Well he's mostly been jobbing to be honest. I don't rate him at all and think he's two spotty but then again the AJPW cruiser scene has never really had any highflyers or names of note in it so he may get over due to his high risk moves.

The only match he's been involved in that was a win was when he teamed with Kaz Hayashi against AKIRA and Ishikari and Kaz got the fall with his trademark move on the junior member of the oppostion. This was mainly to build up toward the Jr Title match between AKIRA (former IWGP Jr Champ before they cut costs and ditched him *** he's a part timer due to acting commitments) and Hayashi.

cool, I'm not a fan or anything but I thought it was interesting to see him working out there. There's very little that comes out of CZW that is any good, and it's almost all "too spotty".

AJPW got the Real World Tag League underway today with some NJPW participation...
GREAT MUTA is the Inoki dojo version that fought alongside Joanie Laurner and the Makai's in NJPW a while back before he blew his knee out. Nishimura is Muto's partner and Nagai by winning the All Asian Tag Titles with Naruse won the right to be Kawada's partner as well.

AJPW, 11/21/04
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,100 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Nobukazu Hirai beat Mini Love Machine (5:28) via DQ.
2. TAKA Michinoku, NOSAWA Rongai & MAZADA beat Quiet Storm, Taichi Ishikari & Kaz Hayashi (12:18) when NOSAWA used the Final Cut on Storm.
3. Buchanan & D-Lo Brown beat Masanobu Fuchi & Nobutaka Araya (10:10) when Buchanan pinned Araya.
4. Tomoaki Honma & Kohei Suwama beat Satoshi Kojima & Akira Raijin (23:42) when Kohei used a Half Nelson -> German Suplex hold on Raijin.
5. Real World Tag League - Block A: GREAT MUTA & Love Machine Steel [2] beat Keiji Muto & Osamu Nishimura [0] (10:49) when MUTA used the Shining Wizard on Muto.
6. Real World Tag League - Block B: Love Machine Arashi & Super Love Machine [2] beat Toshiaki Kawada & Mitsuya Nagai (13:29) when Super Love Machine used a Devil Windmill Suplex hold on Nagai.
7. Real World Tag League - Block B: Taiyo Kea & Jamal [2] beat Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima [0] (18:15) when Jamal used a flying sausage on Nakajima.

Some upsets as the Love Machines beat Kawada and Nagai and Muto and Nishimura fell to MUTA and LMS as MUTA hit his very own Shining Wizard on Muto for the 3! Plus Suwama continues his progress (he fights Vader in a start to a seven match trail series soon) as he dropped Rajian with a Half Nelson German style Suplex pin... Think Kobashi's but with a bridge and no release....

Just to confirm that the GREAT MUTA that preformed yesterday in the RWTL is in fact not the Inoki Dojo version but is in fact none other then Johnny Stamboli of former WWE fame.

The Real World Tag League continues... sorry bout the delay in results, for some reason they where bloody hard to find...

23/11/04
Takamatsu City Gym drawing 1,800 fans
1. NOSAWA beat Taichi Ishikari in 9:07 with the Final Cut.
2. Taiyo Kea defeated Akira Raijin in 6:35 with the TKO.
3. Jamal & TAKA Michinoku beat Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai in 8:27 when Jamal used the Samoan Smasher on Hirai.
4. Real World Tag League – Block A: GREAT MUTA (Johnny Stamboli) & Love Machine Steele [4] beat Tomoaki Honma & Kohei Suwama [0] in 14:41 when Steele used the Turbo Drop II on Honma.
5. Masa Fuchi/Toshiaki Kawada/Keiji Muto defeated Love Machine Arashi/Mini Love Machine/Super Love Machine in 18:29 when Kawada used a powerbomb on Mini.
6. Real World Tag League – Block A: Kaz Hayashi & Satoshi Kojima [2] beat D-Lo Brown & Bull Buchanan [0] in 20:40 when Kojima used a lariat on D-Lo.

24/11/04
Biki Messe Shimane drawing 1,300 fans
1. NOSAWA beat Taichi Ishikari in 10:10 by pinfall.
2. Love Machine Arashi/Love Machine Steele/Mini Love Machine defeated D-Lo Brown/Bull Buchanan/TAKA Michinoku in 13:22 when Steele used the Turbo Drop II on TAKA.
3. Real World Tag League – Block B: Jamal & Taiyo Kea [4] beat Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai [0] in 14:12 when Kea used the Hawaiian Smasher on Araya.
4. Real World Tag League – Block A: Kaz Hayashi & Satoshi Kojima defeated Tomoaki Honma & Kohei Suwama [0] in 18:12 when Kojima used the Koji Crash Dynamite on Suwama.
5. GREAT MUTA (Johnny Stamboli) & Super Love Machine beat Keiji Muto & Akira Raijin in 11:51 when MUTA used a lifting avalanche hold on Raijin. MUTA sprayed Muto with green mist after the match and ran him over with a car outside, which is a common practice by Muto when he plays MUTA. Muto had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Muto said at the hospital that he may send his altar ego Kokushi out to get revenge.
6. Real World Tag League – Block B: Toshiaki Kawada & Mitsuya Nagai [2] defeated Katsuhiko Nakajima & Kensuke Sasaki [0] in 17:53 when Kawada used a running face kick on Nakajima.

Love Machine Steel is former AJPW/NJPW gaijian Jim Steele who has been let go by NJPW after a long, long period of inactivity along with partner Mike Barton.

After MUTA's attack on Muto, Muto hinted at the return of old alter ego Kokushi (who fought Hakushi in NJPW) who will come and beat MUTA... God knows what a lifting avalanche hold is by the way, I'll try and find out...

The tour rolls on in AJPW as they seek to crown the best tag team in the company....

Okayama Budokan Hall drawing 1,300 fans
1. Mini Love Machine beat Taichi Ishikari in 9:24 with a backdrop suplex hold.
2. Real World Tag League – Block A: D-Lo Brown & Bull Buchanan [2] defeated GREAT MUTA (Johnny Stamboli) & Love Machine Steele [4] in 13:39 when D-Lo used the Sky High on Steele.
3. Jamal/Taiyo Kea/NOSAWA/TAKA Michinoku beat Masa Fuchi/Kaz Hayashi/Satoshi Kojima/Akira Raijin in 27:03 when TAKA used the Just Facelock on Raijin.
4. Real World Tag League – Block B: Katsuhiko Nakajima & Kensuke Sasaki [2] defeated Love Machine Arashi & Super Love Machine [2] in 15:00 when Sasaki used the Northern Lights Bomb on Arashi. The Love Machines put Nakajima in their restructuring box during the match leaving Sasaki to fight for himself, which he did well. Sasaki promised revenge on the Love Machines for putting his protégé in the box.
5. Real World Tag League – Block B: Toshiaki Kawada & Mitsuya Nagai [4] beat Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai [0] in 10:35 when Kawada used a powerbomb on Hirai.
6. Real World Tag League – Block A: Keiji Muto & Osamu Nishimura [2] defeated Tomoaki Honma & Kohei Suwama [0] in 25:02 when Nishimura used an inside cradle on Suwama. Muto was very impressed with Suwama after the match and said that watching him in the ring was like watching a newer version of Jumbo Tsuruta.

Thanks to http://worldwidewrestling.puroresufan.com/

Also visit http://noah.puroresufan.com/ for NOAH coverage, http://ajpw.puroresufan.com/ for AJPW and www.puroresufan.com for NJPW and some OSAKA Pro and Zero One (while it lasts) news.

The Real World Tag League continues apace over in AJPW as they rolled into Tsuyama earlier today...

11/27 Tsuyama City Hall - 1,300 Fans

1. Kohei Suwama d. Akira Raijin (8:49) with a half-nelson suplex.
2. Tomoaki Honma beat Taichi Ishikari (8:31) with the Shalimarti.
3. Super Love Machine, Love Machine Arashi, Love Machine Steele & Mini Love Machine beat TAKA Michinoku, Buchanan, D-Lo & NOSAWA (12:30) when Steele used the Turbo Drop II on NOSAWA.
4. RWTL Block B: Kensuke & Nakajima d. Araya & Hirai (12:12) when Kensuke used a Northern Loghts Bomb on Araya.
5. RWTL Block B: Kawada & Nagai vs. Kea & Jamal went to a time limit draw (30:00).
6. RWTL Block A: Muto & Nishimura d. Kojima & Hayashi (27:31) when Muto used the Shining Wizard on Hayashi.

Todays results from the Real World Tag League are in! Here you go...

All Japan ran their November 28th rally at Yamaguchi's Refresh Park, claiming 1,250 paid. Results:

1. 3-way match: NOSAWA defeated Kaz Hayashi & Akira Raijin in 10 minutes, 34 seconds when NOSAWA used a Final Cut on Hayashi for the win.
2. TAKA Michinoku defeated Taichi Ishikari in 10 minutes, 42 seconds with the Just Facelock hold.
3. Love Machine Steel & Mini Love Machine defeated Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma in 12 minutes, 44 seconds when Steel used a Turbo Drop II on Honma for the win.
4. RWTL B Block: Super Love Machine & Love Machine Storm (Arashi) defeated Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai in 10 minutes, 8 seconds when Storm used a Powerbomb on Hirai for the win.
5. Taiyo Kea & Jamal defeated Toshiaki Kawada & Kohei Suwama in 14 minutes, 59 seconds when Jamal used a Flying Sausage on Suwama for the win.
6. RWTL A Block: Keiji Muto & Osamu Nishimura went to a 30-minute draw with Bull Buchanan & D-Lo Brown.

So there you go... Here are the standings as well

A BLOCK
Muto & Nishimura - 5 pts
Kojima & Hayashi - 4 pts
MUTA & Steel - 4 pts
D-Lo & Buchanan - 3 pts
Suwama & Honma - 0 pts

B BLOCK
Kawada & Nagai - 5 pts
Taiyo Kea & Jamal - 5 pts
Super Love Machine & Arashi - 4 pts
Sasaki & Nakajima - 4 pts
Araya & Hirai - 0 pts

AJPW ran the final day of the group stage for its Real World Tag League today in Osaka, here are the results...

1. 3-way match: Kuishinbo Kamen defeated Ebessan & Mini Love Machine in 6 minutes, 17 seconds when Kamen used his KamenTornado finisher on Ebessan for the win.

2. Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai defeated TAKA Michinoku & NOSAWA in 11 minutes, 20 seconds when Araya used a moonsault press on TAKA for the win.

3. Toshiaki Kawada & Taichi Ishikari defeated Keiji Mutoh & Akira Raijin in 17 minutes, 12 seconds when Ishikari used his Black Mephisto finisher on Raijin for the win.

4. RWTL A Block: Bull Buchanan & D-Lo Brown defeated Tomoaki Honma & Kohei Suwama in 17 minutes, 6 seconds when Brown used his Lo-Down on Honma for the win.

5. RWTL B Block: Super Love Machine & Love Machine Storm went to a double-disqualification with Taiyo Kea & Jamal in 12 minutes, 9 seconds.

6. RWTL A Block: Satoshi Kojima & Kaz Hayashi defeated GREAT MUTA & Love Machine Steel in 18 minutes, 7 seconds when Kojima used his CCD finisher on Steel for the win.

BLOCK A FINAL STANDINGS
Kojima & Hayashi - 6 pts
Mutoh & Nishimura - 5 pts
D-Lo & Buchanan - 5 pts
GREAT MUTA & Steel - 4 pts
Honma & Suwama - 0 pts

BLOCK B FINAL STANDINGS
Toshiaki Kawada & Mitsuya Nagai - 5 pts
Taiyo Kea & Jamal - 5 pts (tied)
Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima - 4 pts
Love Machines - 4 pts
Araya & Hirai - 0 pts

So I'm guessing where going to see a desicions match between Kawada/Nagai and Kea/Jamal to decide the final 4...

The results are in, the AJPW Real World Tag Leauge is over! And we have new champions!

First off heres the results...

AJPW, 12/01/04 (TV Tokyo/GAORA TV)
Hachinohe City Gymnasium
2,700 Fans

1. Triple Threat: Taichi Ishikari beat Akira Raijin & NOSAWA Rongai (7:10) when Ishikari pinned Raijin.
2. Real World Tag League - Block B Playoff: Taiyo Kea & Jamal [7] beat Toshiaki Kawada & Mitsuya Nagai [5] (17:07) when Kea used the Hawaiian Smasher on Nagai.
3. Love Machine Steele & Mini-Love Machine beat Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai (12:17) when Steele used the Turbo Drop 2 on Hirai.
4. TAKA Michinoku , Buchanan & D-Lo Brown beat Kensuke Sasaki, Tomoaki Honma & Katsuhiko Nakajima (16:10) when TAKA used the Just Facelock on Nakajima.
5. GREAT MUTA, Love Machine Arashi & Super Love Machine beat Keiji Muto, Osamu Nishimura & Kohei Suwama (18:44) when Arashi used a powerbomb on Suwama.
6. Real World Tag League - Final: Taiyo Kea & Jamal beat Satoshi Kojima & Kaz Hayashi (24:36) when Jamal used the Samoan drop on Hayashi.

So the RO&D take the League with Jamal and Kea defeating KOJIKAZ in the final after coming through a hard match against Kawada and Nagai in the playoff... Don't know how this stands them in regrads to the AJPW tag titles as they are still in name held by KaShin (whose fired) and Nagata (whose NJPW).

Even though the actual league is over the your continues as the company continues to build towards the Sumo Hall show on Sunday...

Heres the results from Thursday the second...

AJPW, 12/02/04
Fukushima National Athletic Meet Commemoration Gymnasium
1,800 fans

1. Triple Threat: NOSAWA beat Ebessan & Kuishinbo Kamen (7:12) when NOSAWA used the Rongai Driver on Kamen.
2. TAKA Michinoku beat Akira Raijin (11:02) with the Just Facelock.
3. D-Lo Brown & Bull Buchanan beat Kaz Hayashi & Nobukazu Hirai (15:01) when Brown used the Lo-Down on Hirai.
4. Jamal & Taiyo Kea beat Toshiaki Kawada & Kohei Suwama (13:32) when Jamal used the S50 on Suwama.
5. Nobutaka Araya, Tomoaki Honma & Keiji Muto beat GREAT MUTA, Love Machine Arashi & Love Machine Steele (20:07) when Honma pinned Arashi after Great Muta used the Darkness Elbow.
6. Mini Love Machine & Super Love Machine beat Taichi Ishikari & Satoshi Kojima (14:09) when Mini used the AIN Cutter on Ishikari.

So Muto brought back his own Great Muta persona... but he brought back DARK MUTA! Could this be the person to destroy the Love Machines imposter?

Then there are the results from yesterday... Friday the 3rd...

AJPW, 12/03/04
Gosen City Hall
1,800 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Triple Threat: Ebessan beat NOSAWA Rongai & Kuishinobu Kamen (9:13) when Ebessan used the Shining Wizard on Kamen.
2. Love Machine Steele beat Akira Raijin (8:35) with the Turbo Drop 2.
3. TAKA Michinoku , Taiyo Kea & D-Lo Brown beat Nobutaka Araya, Nobukazu Hirai & Taichi Ishikari (10:41) when TAKA used the Just Facelock on Ishikari.
4. Jamal & Buchanan beat Tomoaki Honma & Kohei Suwama (14:12) when Jamal used the S-50 on Suwama.
5. 2 out of 3 Falls: GREAT MUTA, Super Love Machine , Mini Love Machine & Love Machine Arashi [2] beat Keiji Muto, Toshiaki Kawada, Kaz Hayashi & Satoshi Kojima [1].
1st Fall: Kaz Hayashi beat Mini Love Machine (9:52) with the Final Cut.
2nd Fall: Mini Love Machine beat Kaz Hayashi (0:44) with the AIN Cutter.
3rd Fall: Super Love Machine beat Satoshi Kojima (8:38) with the Devil Windmill Suplex.

In the final match it was a mistake by Muto which cost Kojima the match... He aimed a Shining Wizard at MUTA but MUTA bailed and Kojima was clocked... This allowed SLM to gain a pin over him before the big singles match on the 5/12 Sumo Hall Show as he levelled the dazed Kojima with a Devil Windwill Suplex...

Gringo, how well is the Muta, Mutoh angle being received? Is Stamboli carrying himself ok over there?

Split on the smark/net vote at the moment... Some love the way that Muto has had to dig deep into the past to bring back a character that is essistanially a bigger and younger and more powerful version of his alter ego...

Its like Manga!

On the other hand some see the WWE stylings of Stamboli's look and moveset and are anoyed that he will have such a prominent postion on the Sumo Hall card tomorrow...

Most casual AJPW from the old days moved to NOAH, the ones there who aren't smarks now love this US inspired stuff as its what Muto's always booked and its what he based Wrestle-1 on.

to be honest while I've not seen any of it yet, I have to say I like it. Personally I like Stamboli's style anyway, and I love all the intricate deep thought that you can put into mulling that angle over. As you said..... it is indeed like Manga and I love the idea of it.

I can totally see the point people are making about him getting thrust straight into a prominent position on the card like that but it's not different to things we've seen in the past in the US, Kane, the Giant etc.

And Darkness Muta (the heel version that wore the black paint and sometimes red, face version wore white) hasn't been seen since I think 2000 or so, maybe longer and certainly not since he's gone bald. The Muta you see now is a masked version as in a proper mask...

This is Darkness Muta from back in the day... http://www.geocities.com/jpuro3/greatmuta3.jpg

This is vintage normal Muta http://www.geocities.com/jpuro3/greatmuta4.jpg

This is the Muta that came back and held the Triple Crown in 2003 http://www.puroresufan.com/images/muta.jpg

And this is the fake MUTA http://www.nikkansports.com/ns/battle/bt-041122-1.jpg

All Japan ran its last big show of 2004 and the final part of the Sumo Hall trilogy as Unchained World saw Kawada try and break Misawa's defense record with a match against 2 time IWGP and G-1 champ Tenzan. It also featured Kaz Hayashi v NOSAWA Rongai in his 6th defense of the AJPW Jr title, the Muta v MUTA grudge match and the Kensuke Office facing RO&D...

AJPW "THE UNCHAINED WORLD", 12/5/04
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
8,800 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Tomoaki Honma & Taichi Ishikari beat AKIRA & Akira Raijin (13:14) when Honma used a single-leg crab hold on Raijin.
2. Love Machine Storm, Love Machine Steele & Mini Love Machine beat Masanobu Fuchi, Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai (8:39) when Steele used the Turbo Drop II on Araya.
3. AJPW World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Kaz Hayashi (c) beat NOSAWA Rongai (14:47) with the Final Cut (6th defense).
4. Kohei Suwama Trial Series 1st: Vader beat Kohei Suwama (6:28) with a lariat.
5. Satoshi Kojima beat Super Love Machine (16:52) with a lariat.
6. Great Muta beat GREAT MUTA (11:00) with the Shining Wizard.
7. Kensuke Family vs. RO&D Conclusion - Elimination Match: Kensuke Sasaki, Genichiro Tenryu, Katsuhiko Nakajima, KENSHIN & Akira Hokuto beat TAKA Michinoku , Taiyo Kea, Jamal, Buchanan & D-Lo Brown (25:54). Buchanan used an iron claw slam on KENSHIN (6:04). Tenryu threw Buchanan over the top rope (10:44). Jamal threw Tenryu over the top rope (15:24). Nakajima & Brown went over the top rope (17:50). Hokuto & Jamal went over the top rope (20:47). Sasaki used a lariat on TAKA (22:18). Sasaki used a Northern Light bomb on Kea (27:54).
8. Triple Crown: Toshiaki Kawada (c) beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (32:21) with a face kick (9th defense).

Toshiaki Kawada - 5th Reign as Triple Crown Champion, 9 defences...

1. (10/26/03 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Toshiaki Kawada beat Don Frye (17:05) by referee stop (1st defense).
2. (1/18/04 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Toshiaki Kawada beat Genichiro Tenryu (17:59) with a brainbuster (2nd defense).
3. (2/22/04 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Toshiaki Kawada beat Shinya Hashimoto (19:57) by TKO (3rd defense).
4. (5/8/04 @ Yokohama Arena) Toshiaki Kawada beat Mick Foley (12:56) with a face kick (4th defense).
5. (6/12/04 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) Toshiaki Kawada beat Jamal (18:01) by referee stop (5th defense).
6. (7/18/04 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Toshiaki Kawada beat Takao Omori (22:36) with a face kick (6th defense).
7. (9/3/04 @ Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium) Toshiaki Kawada beat Osamu Nishimura (27:12) with a running face kick (7th defense).
8. (10/31/04 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Toshiaki Kawada beat Taiyo Kea (26:44) with a powerbomb (8th defense).
9. (12/5/04 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Toshaki Kawada beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (32:21) with a Running Face Kick (9th defence and new defence record)

Kaz Hayashi - 1st reign as AJPW Jr Heavyweight champion, 5 defences...

1. (4/2/04 @ Yoyogi National Stadium Gymnasium #2) Kaz Hayashi beat Tsubasa (13:42) with the Final Cut (1st defense).
2. (7/18/04 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Kaz Hayashi beat Katsushi Takemura (14:54) with an avalanche-style WA4 (2nd defense).
3. (9/11/04 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall) Kaz Hayashi beat Hi69 (19:16) with the WA4 (3rd defense).
4. (9/25/04 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall) Kaz Hayashi beat MAZADA (14:58) with an avalanche-style WA4.
5. (10/31/04 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Kaz Hayashi beat AKIRA (17:35) with the Final Cut (5th defense).
6. (12/5/04 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Kaz Hayashi beat NOSAWA Rongai (14:47) with the Final Cut (6th defence)

A small recap of the Tenzan v Kawada Triple Crown match taken from Oudou Love, which can be found at www.ajpw.puroresufan.com

Kawada's done it! Kawada succeeded of defending the Triple Crown 9 times! The possibilities of the bout were great, with Tenzan possibily being able to secure a 4 Crown (TC/IWGP), but he had to get pass Kawada first. The match was supposed to take place originally on 11/13 at the Osaka Dome in New Japan, but Antonio Inoki put an end to that by totally revamping the show and putting the two in a tag match. Tenzan came to the ring in his long silver robe as Kawada came down to a thunderous applause wearing his yellow and black robe and of course, the Triple Crown, and also a firm expression on his face. Sasaki who had just finished wrestling didn't leave ringside and watched the bout. The match was filled with lots of patriotism, because the fans booed Tenzan right from the start. The match started with a battle of the elbows, then they traded chops and slaps, Kawada then tried to kick Tenzan but Tenzan rushed to the outside of the ring. Back in the ring, the two men tangled up and Tenzan put Kawada in a Cobra Twist, and continuously headbutted Kawada. Tenzan then fazed Kawada with the mongolian chop. Outside again where Kawada starts sending blows to Tenzan's body and nailed a Axe kick to him. Kawada then powerbombed Tenzan on the floor! Back in the ring, Kawada went for a kick at Tenzan, but got TTD'd instead! Tenzan then walked around the ring galantly, as "Kawada" calls started everywhere. Tenzan only got a two count, and frustratingly started nailing Kawada with elbow drops and headbutts, but gets another two. As Tenzan had Kawada in a sleeper right after the 15 minute mark, he looked to put an end to the match, by using a backdrop on Kawada, but only got another 2 count! Around the 20 minute mark, Kawada got another boost and went to work on Tenzan with kicks and elbows knocking him down and applying the Stretch Plum! Tenzan breaks free however, ducked a high kick by Kawada, and went to the top nailing a moonsault press. 25 minutes now being called in the match, and Tenzan goes right to Kawada and puts him in the Anaconda Vice! Tenzan then pinned Kawada, but only got a 2 count! Both men are up, and a lariat battle ensues, which no one wins, but Tenzan puts Kawada down by headbutting Kawada, then giving him another lariat. Kawada weathers all of the onslaught by Tenzan, and comes back with a ganmengiri then nailed Tenzan with the DANGEROUS BACKDROP! Once Tenzan sat up, Kawada charged at him with his Soccer Kick, pinned him, and successfully defended the Triple Crown as tons of yellow streamers crowded the ring!

Sounds great don't it? A ganmengiri is the japanese name for Kawada's junpking high kick to the face... which can be seen in the Ouch My Head thread..

A backdrop driver looks like this... http://www.geocities.com/jpuroresu/p...kikawada10.jpg

And this the new look Darkness Muta.... Scares the holy crap outta me!
http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/...kak_ajpw_6.jpg

flippin eck, if I had kids I know exactly which Japanese promotion they wouldn't be getting to watch at the moment.

At first glance I just thought he looked like a Gremlin, but when you actually stop and focus on it and study the detail it looks evil as hell

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True but at least the Main event would have calmed him down Dragon, was a great match, shame Inoki didn't have the brains to keep the bookong of it on the 13/11/04 Osaka Dome show...

Instead he gave us Hustle Ogawa and K v Tanahashi and Tenzan which would have caused Baba, if booked on a AJPW show, to rise up and kill everyone...

Muta isn't that bad, at least its a decent story and the fans dug it and paid to see it. Its good that AJPW keeps in business, as they can't fully promote the old style and keep ahead of NOAH. If this brings in the yen then so be it.

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