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Date: February 27th, 2014
Location: Shinjuku FACE in Tokyo, Japan
Announced Attendance: 420
Finding new promotions to review is exhausting, I wonder how many different wrestlers I have seen from this year. As of the time I am reviewing this event, WNC has shut down and no longer exists as it merged in with WRESTLE-1. But they had a couple events before that happened so naturally I am going to still review them. Here is the full card:
– AKIRA, Yusuke Kodama, and Horizon vs. Masaya Takahashi, Jiro Kuroshio, and Fujiwara Lion
– WEW Hardcore Tag Team Championship: Makoto and Bambi vs. Takuya Kito and Koharu Hinata
– Haruka Yoshimura Debut and Retirement Match: Haruka Yoshimura vs. Lin Bairon
– Ikuto Hidaka vs. Koji Doi
– Kyoko Kimura and Tomoka Nakagawa vs. Shuri and Kaho Kobayashi
– WNC Championship: TAJIRI vs. Starbuck
Such a weird line-up. Well let’s get started.
AKIRA, Yusuke Kodama, and Horizon vs. Masaya Takahashi, Jiro Kuroshio, and Fujiwara Lion
Kodaka and Kuroshio start things off. Tie-up, Kodaka pushes Kuroshio into the ropes and slaps him before backing off. Tie-up again, side headlock by Kodaka and he hits a takedown before applying a leg submission hold. Kodaka picks up Kuroshio and elbows him in the back of the head, side headlock by Kodaka, Kuroshio Irish whips out of it but Kodaka hits a shoulderblock. Armdrag by Kuroshio and he hits a back elbow strike. Kuroshio tags in Lion while Kodaka tags in Horizon. Lion and Horizon trade elbows and kicks, elbows by Horizon but Lion gets his arm and applies the Fujiwara Armbar. Horizon slowly inches to the ropes so Lion releases the hold, he picks up Horizon and hits an armbreaker. Lion tags in Takahashi, and Takahashi kicks Horizon in the corner. Hammerlock by Takahashi on the mat and he knees Horizon in the arm. AKIRA runs in and elbows Horizon but Horizon punches him against the ropes and Kuroshio comes in to help throw AKIRA out of the ring. Horizon gets up and elbows Takahashi but Takahashi elbows him back and they trade strikes. Kick by Takahashi and he tags in Kuroshio. Kuroshio stomps Horizon in the corner and twists his arm around the top rope. Snapmare by Kuroshio and he delivers a dropkick. Cover, but Horizon kicks out. Kuroshio picks up Horizon and punches him in the corner before tagging in Lion. Big boot by Lion in the corner and he applies a kimura, but Kodaka and AKIRA quickly break it up. Cover by Lion, but it gets a two count. Lion picks up Horizon and kicks him repeatedly in the chest, but Horizon catches one and elbows Lion in the leg. Elbow by Horizon and he makes the tag to AKIRA. Kodaka comes in as well, they pick up Lion, double Irish whip and Kodaka hits a superkick. Enzigieri by AKIRA and another superkick by Kodaka, Kodaka picks up Lion, Irish whip from the corner and Kodaka hits a jumping elbow.
Kodaka goes for a tornado DDT but Lion pushes him off and knees Kodaka in the face. Lion tags in Takahashi while Kodaka tags in AKIRA, and AKIRA dropkicks Takahashi. Takahashi and AKIRA trade elbows, Takahashi goes off the ropes but AKIRA dropkicks him in the knee. Step-up kick by AKIRA, cover, but it gets a two count. AKIRA applies a stretch hold to Horizon but Lion quickly breaks it up. Backdrop suplex by Takahashi to AKIRA and he tags in Kuroshio, Kuroshio goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick to AKIRA. Quebrada by Kuroshio, cover, but the pin is broken up. Kuroshio picks up AKIRA but AKIRA elbows him off and hits a DDT. AKIRA tags in Horizon, elbows by Horizon to Kuroshio and he goes off the ropes, but Kuroshio kicks him in the stomach and hits an enzigieri. Irish whip by Kuroshio but Horizon hits an elbow strike. Cover, but Takahashi breaks it up. AKIRA and Kodaka run to clear the ring, Horizon goes up to the top turnbuckle but Kuroshio recovers and joins Horizon up top. Frankensteiner by Kuroshio and he covers him, but Kodaka superkicks Kuroshio in the face to break up the pin attempt. AKIRA comes in the ring too and all three hit running strikes on Kuroshio in the corner. Backstabber by Kodaka and AKIRA hits the Musasabi Press. Horizon picks up Kuroshio and hits a German suplex hold, but Kuroshio barely gets a shoulder up. Horizon picks up Kuroshio but Lion runs in and kicks Horizon in the head. Spear by Takahashi to Horizon, Kuroshio picks up Horizon and hits a brainbuster. Cover, but it gets a two count. Scoop slam by Kuroshio, he goes up to the top turnbuckle and delivers the moonsault. Cover, and he picks up the three count. Your winners: Masaya Takahashi, Jiro Kuroshio, and Fujiwara Lion
Match Thoughts: A pretty basic opener but nothing wrong with it. Six wrestlers weren’t really needed but since some are still young it probably didn’t hurt to get them some experience. Takahashi I don’t think I have seen before but he is a beast, or at least he was portrayed as one in this match, and he left the strongest impression of the six wrestlers. Nothing overly exciting but a fine way to start off the event. Score: 5.5
(c) Makoto and Bambi vs. Takuya Kito and Koharu Hinata
This match is for the WEW Hardcore Tag Team Championship. Hinata and Kito charge their opponents to start the match and they take it outside of the ring. Kito gets a chair and hits Makoto in the back with it, he picks her up and brings her back towards the ring before sliding her in. Kito gets a garbage bin and a kendo stick, Kito picks up the kendo stick and tries to hit Makoto with it but Makoto ducks and gets one as well. Makoto hits Kito in the stomach with a kendo stick and Bambi applies a chinlock to Kito while Makoto gets a pop-out gun and shoots Kito in the face with it. Hinata comes in the ring but Bambi kicks Hinata in the leg. Bambi kicks Hinata in the leg but Hinata gets a crutch. Her leg is too hurt to use it, Bambi gets a whip but Hinata ducks the whip shot and rolls up Hinata for a two count. Bambi kicks Hinata in the stomach but Kito comes in and hits Bambi from behind, Hinata gets the crutch but Bambi kicks her back and hits a Stunner on Kito. Bambi hits Kito with the crutch, Makoto comes in the ring with some ketchup but Hinata knocks her back and tags in Kito. Kito stomps on Makoto and he gets the ketchup, snapmare by Kito and he dumps the ketchup on her face. Kick to the back by Kito, Hinata comes in and applies a chinlock to Makoto with a body scissors. Bambi breaks it up, Kito kicks on Makoto and he hits a snap suplex. Cover, but it gets a two count.
Kito throws Makoto into the corner, Irish whip by Kito and he hits a back elbow. Hinata gets a jump rope and jumps around while Kito elbows Makoto in the head. Kito gets a telephone out of the trash bin and hits Makoto in the back with it. Kito picks up Makoto and he hits a scoop slam. Kito picks up Makoto, Irish whip, but Makoto ducks the lariat attempt and hits a DDT. Makoto tags in Bambi, and Bambi hits Kito repeatedly with a whip. Irish whop by Bambi and she whips Kito again, cover, but it gets a two count. Bambi applies an STF to Kito but it was broken up. Bambi hits a crossbody on Kito, but it gets a two count. Step-up kick by Bambi, cover, but Hinata breaks it up. Bambi tags in Makoto, and Makoto kicks Kito in the head. Double stomp by Makoto and she hits a cartwheel double kneedrop. Makoto goes up to the top turnbuckle but Kito recovers, he joins her up top and he hits a superplex. Cover, but it gets a two count. Kito goes off the ropes and he hits a lariat, cover, but it gets a two count. Hinata comes in the ring, she picks up Makoto and she rolls up Makoto for a two count. Hinata goes off the ropes and she hits a crossbody on Makoto, but it gets another two. Hinata goes for a crucifix, it is blocked, but Hinata still rolls her up for two. Kito comes in the ring but he is hit from the apron with a fan. Bambi pours milk I am guessing on Kito, while Makoto goes off the ropes and hits a spear onto Hinata. Cover by Makoto and she gets a three count. Your winners: Makoto and Bambi
Match Thoughts: I am not sure why items such as ketchup and milk are considered hardcore, but Japanese indies can be a strange place. Even with the oddness it wasn’t much of a match, and really none of them impressed me as particularly good wrestlers. Maybe it was just the situation, I don’t know, but just based on this one match they all seemed pretty lackluster and the props were needed just to string the match along. A poor match with sub-par wrestlers using silly gimmicks to try to mask their lack of ability. Score: 2.5
Lin Bairon vs. Haruka Yoshimura
This is Haruka Yoshimura Debut and Retirement Match. Yoshimura goes for a double leg to start the match but Bairon blocks it, they jockey for position on the mat, side headlock takedown by Bairon but Yoshimura gets out of it and both women return to their feet. They circle each other, tie-up, Bairon pushes Yoshimura into the ropes and she gives a clean break, elbows by Yoshimura, snapmare, but Bairon applies a hammerlock. Yoshimura struggles back up and applies a wristlock, Bairon rolls out of it though and applies a leglock. Yoshimura reverses it into a cross armbreaker but Bairon quickly gets out of it and applies a side headlock. Yoshimura Irish whips out of the hold but Bairon hits a shoulderblock. Bairon goes off the ropes but Yoshimura hits an armdrag and keeps the arm lock applied. Bairon hits an armdrag to get out of it and applies an armbar of her own, seated armbar by Bairon but Yoshimura gets a foot on the ropes. Stomp to the arm by Bairon and she chokes Yoshimura with her knee near the ropes. Bairon picks up Yoshimura but Yoshimura elbows her back, knee to the stomach by Bairon and she chops Yoshimura to the mat. Cover, but it gets a two count. Bairon picks up Yoshimura, snapmare, and she applies a sleeper. Yoshimura manages to roll to the ropes to force another break, Bairon picks up Yoshimura and applies a guillotine but Yoshimura picks up Bairon and hits a suplex. Elbows by Yoshimura, she charges Bairon and hits a dropkick. Cover, but it gets a two count. Yoshimura picks up Bairon and hits a scoop slam, cover, but again she gets a two. Back up again, but Bairon sneaks in an inside cradle for a two count. Thrust to the throat by Bairon, she applies a waistlock but Bairon hits an armdrag. Yoshimura applies a modified crossface but Bairon gets a foot on the ropes. Stomps by Yoshimura, she goes off the ropes but Bairon sidesteps the dropkick attempt. High kick by Bairon, cover, but Yoshimura barely gets a shoulder up. Bairon picks up Yoshimura and hits a vertical suplex, cover, but again it gets a two. Bairon slams Yoshimura in front of the corner, she goes up to the top turnbuckle and nails the moonsault. Cover, and she picks up the three count. Your winner: Lin Bairon
Match Thoughts: Yoshimura is going to be one hell of a trivia question one day, who can say their official debut and retirement match were the same match? Aside from that oddity it was a pretty basic trainee/trainer match. Yoshimura looked fine on the mat and you could tell she had some training, but her dropkicks lacked elevation (a Joshi staple) and at times the match slowed down a bit to I assume let the rookie catch back up. Bairon winning was naturally no surprise at all so it was a bit anti-climatic. It wasn’t a bad match, just obviously a pretty by the numbers one as most debut matches are. Score: 5.0
Ikuto Hidaka vs. Koji Doi
They circle each other to start, Doi goes for a single leg but Hidaka blocks it, waistlock by Hidaka but Doi reverses it. Wristlock by Hidaka but Doi reverses that as well and applies a hammerlock. Takedown by Doi and he goes for the cross armbreaker but Hidaka blocks it and both men return to their feet. Tie-up, side headlock by Doi, Hidaka Irish whips out of it but Doi shoulderblocks him down. Elbow drop by Doi and he hits a shoulderblock. Doi picks up Hidaka and he hits a scoop slam. Cover, but it gets a two count. Elbow drops by Doi, cover, but it gets a two. Doi goes for Hidaka’s leg but Hidaka quickly gets into the ropes. Doi picks up Hidaka, elbows by Doi, Irish whip but Hidaka bails out of the ring. He gets on the apron and grabs Doi’s leg, hitting a dragon screw into the ropes. Knee drop to the leg by Hidaka and he dropkicks Doi in the leg. Hidaka kicks Doi in the stomach and delivers a dropkick. Hidaka applies a leg submission hold and kicks Doi in the leg. They return to their feet but Hidaka kicks Doi in the leg until he falls back to the mat. Hidaka stomps Doi in the back but Doi gets back up and they trade elbows, kick combination by Hidaka and he goes off the ropes, but Doi elbows him in the head. Backdrop suplex by Doi and he hits an armdrag. Spinebuster by Doi, cover, but it gets a two count. Irish whip by Doi to the corner and he hits a lariat. Doi goes up to the second turnbuckle and hits a leg drop. Cover, but it gets a two count. Doi goes off the ropes but Hidaka applies an ankle hold. Doi struggles and finally makes it to the ropes. Hidaka goes up to the top turnbuckle and he hits a missile dropkick to Doi’s knee. Hidaka goes off the ropes but Doi catches him with a release German suplex. Doi picks up Hidaka but Hidaka hits a tornado DDT. Lariat by Doi, cover, but it gets a two count. Doi picks up Hidaka and hits a slam, he goes up to the top turnbuckle but Hidaka rolls out of the way of the diving leg drop. Sleeper by Hidaka and he hits a reverse DDT. Hidaka picks up Doi and hits a back kick, he goes for a high kick but Doi blocks it. Doi goes off the ropes but Hidaka delivers a high kick. Norainu High Kick by Hidaka and he picks up the three count. Your winner: Ikuto Hidaka
Match Thoughts: I enjoyed this match in general. Doi wrestles as a brute, which works I guess on the indy scene (he isn’t that big, but big enough) and Hidaka gave him a lot of offense here. The leg work was good even if Doi didn’t really sell it much later on, and even though there were a few moments that weren’t very fluid in general they worked well together. Wish Doi could have gotten the win since Hidaka’s role in life is pretty set in stone, but overall an enjoyable way to spend 13 minutes even if it did lack a ‘wow’ factor. Score: 6.5
Kyoko Kimura and Tomoka Nakagawa vs. Shuri and Kaho Kobayashi
Kimura and Shuri start things off. Shuri goes for a kick but Kimura catches it and takes Shuri to the mat. Kimura applies a cross armbreaker but Shuri quickly gets out of it and they return to their feet. Kimura knocks Kobayashi off the apron as Nakagawa comes in the ring, and they hit a double team combination onto Shuri. Kimura picks up Shuri and with Nakagawa they twist her in the ropes.. Kobayashi runs in and saves Shuri, Kimura and Shuri grab each other and end up in the corner. Shuri tags in Kobayashi, Kobayashi elbows Kimura but Kimura elbows Kobayashi to the mat.. Kimura tags in Nakagawa, snapmare by Nakagawa and she dropkicks Kobayashi in the face. Cover, but it gets a two count. Nakagawa puts Kimura into the ropes and tags in Kimura, stomps by Kimura in the corner but Shuri runs in and breaks things up. Kimura throws Shuri out of the ring and scoop slams Kobayashi. Another scoop slam by Kimura and she applies a crab hold. Nakagawa runs in and knocks Shuri off the apron while Kimura keeps the hold applied, but Kobayashi gets to the ropes. Kimura stands on Kobayashi’s back and tags in Nakagawa, Nakagawa picks up Kobayashi and throws her into the corner. Back elbow by Nakagawa but Kobayashi hits an inside cradle for a two count. Nakagawa grabs Kobayashi and hits a DDT followed by a dropkick. Nakagawa picks up Kobayashi and goes for a Fisherman Suplex but Kobayashi blocks it, Nakagawa goes off the ropes but Kobayashi catches her with a dropkick and tags in Shuri. Kick to the chest by Shuri and she elbows Kimura on the apron. They trade elbows until Nakagawa attacks Shuri from behind, double Irish whip to Shuri but she kicks both of them. Shuri goes off the ropes but Kimura hits a big boot. Jumping knee by Shuri to Kimura and Kimura rolls out of the ring. Shuri knees Nakagawa and hits a capture suplex before kicking Nakagawa in the back. Cover, but it gets a two count. Shuri goes off the ropes but Nakagawa kicks Shuri in the face. Fisherman suplex hold by Nakagawa, but it gets a two count.
Nakagawa applies the Muta Lock to Shuri but it is broken up. Nakagawa tags in Kimura, and Kimura throws Shuri to the mat. Slaps by Kimura but Shuri comes back with a kick combination but Kimura returns with more slaps. Kimura picks up Shuri and goes for a suplex but Shuri blocks it and applies a grounded facelock. Kimura muscles out of it and hits a vertical suplex. Back up Kimura headbutts Shuri, but Kobayashi tags in. Kobayashi goes off the ropes and tries to knock down Kimura unsuccessfully, she goes off the ropes again but Kimura hits a shoulderblock. Kimura picks up Kobayashi and goes for a vertical suplex but Kobayashi lands on her feet. Kimura knocks Kobayashi to the ground, Nakagawa holds Kobayashi from the apron but Kobayashi moves and Kimura hits Nakagawa by accident. Shuri runs in and hits a German suplex onto Kimura, then Kobayashi goes up to the top turnbuckle, hitting a missile dropkick. Cover, but Kimura kicks out. Kobayashi goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a seated senton, cover, but Nakagawa breaks it up. Nakagawa runs in and hits an enzigieri to Shuri, Nakagawa picks up Kobayashi and throws Kobayashi into the corner, Nakagawa hits a jumping elbow as does Kimura, then Nakagawa hits a Fisherman Suplex. Kimura throws Nakagawa onto Kobayashi, cover, but Shuri breaks it up. Nakagawa throws Shuri out of the ring, Kimura picks up Kobayashi and applies a sleeper. Kobayashi gets into the ropes to force a break, Kimura grabs Kobayashi and keeps the hold applied but Shuri runs in and breaks it up with kicks to the back. Shuri elbows Kimura and they trade elbows, Shuri goes off the ropes but Nakagawa grabs Shuri from the floor. Kimura picks up Kobayashi and hits a running boot to the head, cover, but it gets a two count. Kimura waits for Kobayashi to get up, she goes off the ropes but Kobayashi ducks the boot and hits a roll-up for a two count. Kobayashi goes off the ropes but Kimura this time nails the big boot, cover, but Kobayashi gets a shoulder up. Kimura picks up Kobayashi and hits a headbutt, cover, and she picks up the three count. Your winners: Kyoko Kimura and Tomoka Nakagawa
Match Thoughts: This was really fun, all of these girls are great at what they do so I knew when I saw the card this match would deliver. Kobayashi is a little thing and she plays the part well. Shuri is fantastic and Kimura played her role very well also. I really liked the Kobayashi and Shuri team, Kobayashi was rather defenseless but Shuri is an ass kicker that kept trying to help her little partner out, while Kimura was vicious towards the little one the entire match. No real down time or wasted effort, they went straight to the point and kept at it during the entire match. Very entertaining from start to finish. Score: 8.0
(c) TAJIRI vs. Starbuck
This match is for the WNC Championship. Tie-up to start, Starbuck pushes TAJIRI in the ropes, TAJIRI switches positions with him but he gives a clean break. Waistlock by Starbuck on the mat and he applies a front facelock, TAJIRI gets back to his feet and gets Starbuck in the corner. TAJIRI gives a clean break, Starbuck goes for a drop toehold but TAJIRI blocks it. TAJIRI applies a crossface on the mat but Starbuck gets out of it. Tie-up, armbar by TAJIRI, Starbuck gets back to his feet, Irish whip by Starbuck, reversed, and Starbuck slams TAJIRI’s head into his knee before hitting a heel kick. Cover, but it gets a two count. Starbuck applies a reverse chinlock and he elbows TAJIRI in the head. Starbuck applies a headscissors, TAJIRI gets out of it and Starbuck bails out of the ring to re-group. Starbuck gets back on the apron and returns to the ring, TAJIRI kicks Starbuck into the corner and stomps him down to the mat. Elbow to the arm by TAJIRI, Irish whip to the corner but Starbuck kicks TAJIRI back. Starbuck jumps off the top turnbuckle but TAJIRI kicks Starbuck in the chest. TAJIRI knocks Starbuck out of the ring and he throws Starbuck into a row of chairs. TAJIRI returns to the ring and Starbuck slowly follows, and TAJIRI drives his knee into Starbuck’s arm. Starbuck kicks TAJIRI in the back and eventually makes it to the ropes, and TAJIRI applies an armbar. Starbuck gets to the ropes again, and TAJIRI kicks Starbuck out of the ring. TAJIRI wraps Starbuck’s arm around the ring post and then slams his arm into a table. TAJIRI returns to the ring and Starbuck slowly gets on the apron, but TAJIRI kicks Starbuck in the arm.
TAJIRI pulls Starbuck back into the ring and applies a kimura. Starbuck eventually gets to the ropes for a break, kick to the arm by TAJIRI and he throws Starbuck into the corner. High kicks by TAJIRI and he goes for Starbuck’s arm in the corner, TAJIRI picks up Starbuck and chops him in the chest. Irish whip by TAJIRI to the corner but Starbuck elbows TAJIRI when he charges in. Superkick by Starbuck, punches by Starbuck, Irish whip, and Starbuck punches TAJIRI in the stomach before hitting a leg sweep. Cover, but it gets a two count. Starbuck elbows TAJIRI in the corner and he hits a bulldog. Cover, but again it gets two. Starbuck picks up TAJIRI and elbows him in the back of the head, and he hits a backbreaker. Starbuck goes up to the second turnbuckle and hits a forearm drop. Cover, but TAJIRI kicks out. Starbuck picks up TAJIRI, Irish whip, but TAJIRI hits a handstand elbow strike. TAJIRI goes for the Buzzsaw Kick but Starbuck ducks it and hits an atomic drop. Starbuck goes for the piledriver but TAJIRI gets out of it and applies an arm submission hold. Kicks to the arm by TAJIRI, he goes off the ropes and delivers a back kick. TAJIRI goes for the Buzzsaw Kick but Starbuck blocks it, TAJIRI charges Starbuck but Starbuck hit a stun gun. Starbuck picks up TAJIRI and drops him with a piledriver, cover, and he picks up the three count. Your winner and new champion: Starbuck
Match Thoughts: There was nothing wrong with this match but it was a flat main event. Both of these guys are over 40 years old, and TAJIRI in particular has a lot of hard years on him (WWE touring, ECW/BJW, etc.), so this isn’t the same match these two probably could have had 15 years ago. TAJIRI did really solid work on Starbuck’s arm, my only issue with it is that the arm work didn’t set up TAJIRI’s finisher at all which then led to him losing when he couldn’t connect with the Buzzsaw Kick. I also thought for a main event and championship match that TAJIRI went down too easily. The piledriver has gotten more protected over the years but it still isn’t normally viewed as a finisher… and if it was the finish I’d preferred that TAJIRI had been weakened up a bit first. A little slow and the ending was disappointing, but the match in general was perfectly acceptable. Score: 5.5
Final Thoughts:
Best Match: Kyoko Kimura and Tomoka Nakagawa vs. Shuri and Kaho Kobayashi. This match was great and played to everyone’s strengths perfectly. Shuri is a badass but Kimura was equally so in this match, and Kobayashi played the role of ‘face in peril’ very well. Nakagawa was fine too but she was out-shined by everyone else in the match. After watching this match it made me really want to see Kimura vs. Shuri, as even though Shuri tried to save her partner she just wasn’t able to overcome Kimura and Nakagawa often enough to keep making the save. Overall just a really entertaining match.
MVP: Kaho Kobayashi. I know she lost the match for her team, but Kobayashi really stood out in the match as the one that held it together. Kimura and Shuri were great, but it was Kobayashi’s selling that really made Kimura look evil and Shuri look heroic for trying again and again to save her smaller and weaker teammate. Her ‘hope’ spots were really received by the crowd because of this, and overall I thought she just did a fantastic job in the match.
Overall: If the main event had delivered, this would have been a really solid indy event. As it is, it is still good but it was saved by the women. The Joshi tag match was fantastic and the Hidaka/Doi match was good as well. It had some of the typical indy sleaze stuff you see with the weird hardcore title match, but beyond that nothing was really offensive. The main event wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t inspiring in any way. There are worse indy events out there and since this is one of the last WNC events to ever make tape, if you enjoy their brand of events you probably should pick this one up.
