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Date: May 11th, 2014
Location: Shinjuku FACE in Tokyo, Japan
Announced Attendance: 304
Back to Oz! This is a pretty normal show with no title matches or major freelancers (except maybe Kuragaki, if you count her as major) but it does have the end of a tournament to find the next challenger for the OZ Academy Openweight Championship. I see a few of the girls I like on here so there should be some goodness. Here is the full card:
– Dynamite Kansai and Kaori Yoneyama vs. Manami Toyota and Carlos Amano
– Kyusei Sakura Hirota vs. Mayumi Ozaki
– Sonoko Kato and Kagetsu vs. Yumi Ohka and Mio Shirai
– Aja Kong and Hikaru Shida vs. AKINO and Hiroyo Matsumoto
– OZ Academy Openweight Title Contendership: Tomoka Nakagawa vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki
OZ has been a bit disappointing to me so far in 2014, so let’s see if this event is better.
Dynamite Kansai and Kaori Yoneyama vs. Manami Toyota and Carlos Amano
Amano and Yoneyama start things off. Toyota attacks Yoneyama from behind, double Irish whip to Yoneyama and they both kick her before hitting a double dropkick. Toyota and Amano sit down on Yoneyama but Kansai comes in and breaks it up. Toyota and Amano are thrown into each other but they swing around and elbow their opponents. Kansai throws Toyota to the mat and throws Amano into the corner, Toyota is then thrown into the same corner as Yoneyama jumps on Kansai’s back, but Toyota and Amano avoids their charge. Amano picks up Yoneyama and throws her to the mat by her hair before charging her in the corner. Amano and Toyota both put their boot on Yoneyama in the corner, Toyota goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits an armdrag onto Yoneyama. Toyota picks up Yoneyama and pulls back on her hair while putting her in a chinlock. Amano comes in to stick her foot into Yoneyama’s face, then Toyota switches to a crab hold on Yoneyama. Kansai comes in the ring and breaks it up, Yoneyama chops Toyota and tags in Kansai. Kansai and Toyota lock knuckles, wristlock by Kansai and she kicks Toyota in the chest. Elbow drop by Kansai and she applies a Scorpion Deathlock, she picks up Toyota, Irish whip, but Toyota hits a crossbody and tags in Amano. Amano picks up Kansai and throws her into the corner. Irish whip by Amano, reversed, and Kansai hits a lariat in the corner. Kansai throws Amano into the corner and Yoneyama runs in with a dropkick. Kicks to the chest by Kansai, Irish whip, but Amano dropkicks Kansai in the knee and applies the cross armbreaker. Kansai quickly gets a foot on the ropes, Amano picks up Kansai and she hits a series of armbreakers. Kansai comes back with a sleeper but Toyota quickly breaks it up. Irish whip by Kansai but Amano headbutts her in the arm and applies the cross armbreaker. Armbar by Amano but Yoneyama breaks it up.
Amano tags in Toyota, who comes in the ring with a missile dropkick. Toyota goes up to the top turnbuckle but Kansai rolls out of the way of the moonsault. Yoneyama runs in with a suplex to Toyota and Kansai follows with a lariat, cover, but it gets a two count. Kansai picks up Toyota but Toyota ducks the kick attempt, Amano comes in but Kansai applies the claw to both of them. Kansai pushes them into the ropes, double Irish whip and Kansai hits a lariat onto both of them. Cover, but it gets a two count. Kansai tags in Yoneyama and Yoneyama knees Toyota in the back of the head. Yoneyama goes for a German suplex but Toyota rams Yoneyama back into the corner. Yoneyama avoids Toyota’s charge, she goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick. Toyota shakes off Yoneyama and she hits the Oklahoma Roll for a two count. Toyota puts Yoneyama up on her shoulders, Amano goes to the top turnbuckle but can’t reach Toyota to tag in, Yoneyama gets off Toyota’s shoulders as Kansai comes in as well and Yoneyama hits a superplex onto Amano. Yoneyama and Kansai both kick Amano, cover, but it gets a two count. Headbutt by Amano to Yoneyama, cover, but Kansai breaks it up. Toyota pulls Kansai into the corner, Amano goes off the ropes but Yoneyama catches her with an inside cradle for a two count. Toyota and Amano both headbutt their opponents, but Yoneyama ducks another attempt and Toyota/Amano accidentally headbutt each other. German suplex by Yoneyama to Amano, but it gets a two count. Yoneyama goes up to the top turnbuckle, Kansai picks up Amano and hits the Splash Mountain. Yoneyama then jumps off with a senton, cover, and she picks up the three count. Your winners: Dynamite Kansai and Kaori Yoneyama
Match Thoughts: Part of me is sad to see legends like Kansai and Toyota spending their twilight years wrestling matches like this, but I guess as long as they are having fun. This wasn’t a bad match for an opener as it was kept pretty simple. These are older wrestlers so they weren’t flying around or anything, but the action stayed moving. The time felt about right and there was nothing really wrong with it other than that it lacked any memorable moments at all and felt basic. Score: 5.0
Kyusei Sakura Hirota vs. Mayumi Ozaki (with Yumi Ohka)
I don’t want to review this. Hirota is trying to fold up her shirt but Ohka and Ozaki take it from her and they play keep away with their other friends. They finally get started, and Ohka as well as the manager run over and stomp down Hirota. Ozaki picks up Hirota and puts her in the ropes, while Ohka gets the whip and teases Hirota with it. Ozaki goes off the ropes and knees Hirota in the back. She goes off the ropes again but stops and kicks Hirota. Hirota gets back up and talks on the mic, she rolls up Ozaki but it gets a two count. Stomp by Hirota and she hits a falling headbutt. Hirota goes off the ropes and slides into Ozaki, hitting a headbutt. Hirota hits a doublestomp, she picks up Ozaki and runs to the corner with her, but Ozaki shrugs Hirota off. Ozaki gives Hirota her hand so she can try again, but quickly shakes her off again. They do it again, Hirota runs up in the corner and walks the ropes, but Ozaki pulls her off. Ohka comes in the ring, Ozaki picks up Hirota and hits her in the corner with a chain while Ohka holds the referee back. Irish whip by Ozaki and she hits Hirota with the chain again. Irish whip by Ozaki, reversed, and Hirota hits a face crusher. Hirota goes off the ropes but is tripped by Ozaki’s manager. Ozaki goes off the ropes but Ohka gets excited and trips her as well. They do this a few more times, the manager gets on apron and trades punches with Hirota. Hirota knocks him off the apron, and Hirota gives Ozaki the oil check. Hirota puts Ozaki in a cradle submission, the manager comes in the ring which Hirota offers him money. Ohka then comes in the ring and they all kick at Ozaki.
They help Hirota put Ozaki in the Mexican Surfboard, which she keeps on for several moments before she releases the hold. Hirota starts running in slow motion, the manager and Ohka come in as well and they run around the ring in slow motion. Ozaki is not having any of it, and she slaps Hirota to the mat. They run in slow motion again while Ozaki watches, she finally joins in, Hirota rolls up Ozaki, the referee does a fast count but it only gets two. Hirota gets up on the top turnbuckle and does a handstand, but she falls off. Ozaki grabs Hirota and hits a sitdown powerbomb, cover, but it gets a two count. Ozaki picks up Hirota, Hirota gets Ozaki’s back but Ozaki reverses it. Ohka and the manager come in the ring but the manager lariats Ozaki by accident. Hirota then drop toeholds Ohka into the manager’s groin, then Ozaki punches Hirota so she falls on his groin area as well. Ozaki picks up Hirota and applies a waistlock, but Hirota turns around and gets out of the hold. Hirota goes off the ropes, inside cradle by Hirota but it gets a two count. They trade back slap attempts with no luck, and eventually they get dizzy and fall to the ground. Hirota picks up Ozaki, the manager runs in again but Hirota kisses him. Ozaki gets a chain again as Ohka comes in the ring, but Hirota kisses her as well. Hirota spits red mist into Ozaki’s face, inside cradle, but it gets a two count. Ozaki goes off the ropes but Hirota sprays mist in her face again, cover, and she gets the three count. Your winner: Kyusei Sakura Hirota
Match Thoughts: Why wasn’t this match clipped? I don’t really like matches like these, and I really don’t like matches like these that go on for 15 minutes. I don’t find this type of comedy match very funny, Ozaki not always cooperating was kinda cute but once you get past that it just wasn’t very fun. It’s not the worst match I have ever seen but it is certainly the worst match I have seen anytime recently. I wish I could skip Hirota matches. Score: 2.5
Sonoko Kato and Kagetsu vs. Yumi Ohka and Mio Shirai
Shirai attacks Kagetsu before the match starts, and they brawl outside of the ring. Ohka and Shirai get the upper hand outside the ring and throw chairs at their opponents. Shirai and Kagetsu get back in the ring and Shirai kicks Kagetsu in the back. Shirai puts Kagetsu in the ropes and Ohka chokes Kagetsu with her boot. Shirai hits a big boot onto Kagetsu from behind, cover, but it gets a two count. Shirai picks up Kagetsu and tags in Ohka. Ohka picks up Kagetsu, double Irish whip with Shirai and they hit a double big boot. Shirai and Ohka take turns kicking Kagetsu and Ohka hits a big boot. Cover, but it gets a two count. Ohka applies a chinlock to Kagetsu and rams her head into the mat. Ohka picks up Kagetsu and she rakes her in the eyes. Irish whip by Ohka to the corner, Shirai comes in and she hits a jumping knee onto Kagetsu. Big boot by Ohka and she shoves her boot into Kagetsu’s face. Ohka picks up Kagetsu, she goes off the ropes and hits another big boot. Cover, but Kato breaks it up. Shirai kicks Kagetsu in the head, Shirai goes off the ropes but Kagetsu delivers a dropkick. Ohka runs in and knocks Kato off the apron, double Irish whip to Kagetsu and Kagetsu hits a double dropkick before tagging in Kato. Kato hits a double face crusher and kicks Shirai in the chest and back. Kato picks up Shirai, Irish whip, and Kagetsu hits a shoulderblock. Kato picks up Shirai, Irish whip to the corner, reversed, kick by Kato but Shirai slaps her. Shirai and Kato trade elbows, Kato goes off the ropes but Shirai hits a big boot. Release German suplex by Kato and she hits a cannonball in the corner. Kato tags in Kagetsu, she picks up Shirai but Shirai slides away. Kagetsu drives Shirai into the corner and hits a jumping knee, Kagetsu goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick. Cover, but it gets a two count. Kagetsu applies a submission but Shirai gets out of it, Shirai jumps on Kagetsu’s back and applies a stretch hold before rolling it into a two count. High kick by Shirai and she tags in Ohka. Ohka goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a diving crossbody for a two count. Ohka boots Kagetsu in the head a few times, elbows by Kagetsu but Ohka hits a cross armed Backstabber. Big boot by Ohka, she picks up Kagetsu and goes for a backdrop suplex but Kagetsu elbows out of it. Roll-up by Kagetsu into an arm submission hold, but it is broken up. Armbreaker by Kagetsu to Ohka and she kicks Ohka in the arm.
Ohka dumps Kagetsu out to the apron but Ohka applies a cross-armed submission over the top rope. Ohka slams Kagetsu to the mat and kicks her in the ribs. Heel drop by Ohka, cover, but it gets a two count. Ohka goes off the ropes but Kagetsu gets Ohka on her shoulders and hits a Samoan Drop. Kagetsu picks up Ohka, Kagetsu goes for a cross armbreaker but Ohka rolls out of it. Brainbuster by Kagetsu and she makes the tag to Kato. Kato kick Ohka repeatedly in the chest, knees by Kato but Ohka knees her back. Kato goes off the ropes but Shirai hits her from the apron. Backdrop suplex by Ohka, cover, but it gets a two count. Ohka picks up Kato but Ohka gets away and boots Kato. Kato kicks her back and they trade kicks, and Kato gives Ohka a rolling kick. Cover, but it gets a two count. Kato picks up Ohka and applies a full nelson, Ohka gets out of it and Shirai hits Kato from the apron with the kendo stick. Big boot by Ohka, cover, but Kato kicks out. Ohka picks up Kato and hits a brainbuster, cover, but it gets another two. Ohka tags in Shirai, and Shirai kicks Kato. Kick to the side of the head by Shirai, cover, but it gets a two count. Swinging kick by Shirai, cover, but Kagetsu breaks it up. Shirai picks up Kato and hits the underhook face crusher, cover, but Kagetsu again breaks it up. Ohka boots Kagetsu out of the ring, and Shirai hits Kato with the stick. Kato hits a dragon screw leg whip on Ohka, she goes off the ropes but is tripped from the apron. Shirai hits a vertical suplex onto Kato and applies a headscissors, but Kagetsu breaks it up with a doublestomp. Ohka throws Kagetsu out of the ring, Kato goes off the ropes and kicks Shirai in the head. Cover, but it gets a two count. Kato pulls Shirai in the middle of the ring, she goes up to the top turnbuckle but is grabbed from the apron. Kato gets away and hits the diving guillotine leg drop, cover, but it gets a two count. Kato picks up Shirai and she goes for the Crown’s Gate, but Shirai gets out of it and Ohka hits a chokebomb. Shirai rolls up Kato but it gets a two count. Double Irish whip to Kagetsu but she hits a spear on both her opponents, Shirai goes for a hurricanrana on Kato but Kato catches her and hits the Crown’s Gate. Cover, and she gets a three count. Your winners: Sonoko Kato and Kagetsu
Match Thoughts: This was solid but far from perfect. Ohka just does way too many big boots, always has, and I find that it is just really repetitive and unimaginative. So anytime she was in the ring it was a bit of a drag. When she wasn’t there the action was better and I liked that it was pretty non-stop from bell to bell and had a definite ending. So not bad, Ohka just dragged it down with her utter lack of variety. Score: 6.0
Aja Kong and Hikaru Shida vs. AKINO and Hiroyo Matsumoto
Shida and Matsumoto start things off. Tie-up, side headlock by Matsumoto, Shida Irish whips out of it but Matsumoto hits a lariat. Shida misses a dropkick but then hits an armdrag, she goes for another one but Matsumoto blocks it and hits a side headlock takedown but Shida quickly gets out of it. Matsumoto kicks Shida and they trade elbows, Shida goes off the ropes but AKINO trips her from the floor. Knee drop by Matsumoto and she hits a second one followed by a third. Cover, but it gets a two count. Matsumoto tags in AKINO, snapmare by AKINO and she kicks Shida in the back. Kick to the chest by AKINO and they trade elbows, AKINO grabs Shida, Irish whip, and AKINO delivers a dropkick. AKINO kicks Shida into the corner and she hits a series of bootscrapes. Matsumoto comes in the ring, double Irish whip to Shida, Kong comes in the ring and Shida springboards off Kong with a double crossbody. Shida picks up AKINO and throws her to Kong, Kong picks up AKINO and chops her in the corner. Kong picks up AKINO and chops her again, Irish whip by Kong but AKINO kicks Kong in the chest and then in the back of the head. Irish whip by AKINO but Kong punches her in the face, she goes for a backdrop suplex but AKINO lands on her feet. Irish whip by Kong to the corner and AKINO kicks Kong back. Matsumoto comes in the ring but so does Shida, Matsumoto throws Shida into the same corner as AKINO and Kong and Matsumoto charges in, but both her opponents move and she hits a body avalanche on AKINO. Kong hits a lariat onto them and then hits an elbow drop onto AKINO, cover, but it gets a two count. Kong tags in Shida, Shida picks up AKINO but AKINO hits a jawbreaker. AKINO picks up Shida but Shida hits a step-up enzigieri. AKINO goes for an armbar but Shida gets out of it and hits an Argentine Backbreaker into a regular backbreaker. Shida applies a single leg crab hold to AKINO but AKINO makes it to the ropes. Shida hits a knee lift onto AKINO, she goes up to the top turnbuckle but AKINO recovers and hits a superplex on her. Shida hits a running knee to AKINO’s back and she applies the stretch muffler, but AKINO gets out of it and applies a double armlock. Matsumoto comes in to play interference, but Shida makes it to the ropes. Kicks to the legs and to the head by AKINO, cover, but it gets a two count.
AKINO tags in Matsumoto, Matsumoto hits a body avalanche and kicks her into the corner. Matsumoto goes for the reverse splash but Shida gets her knees up. Shida picks up Matsumoto but Matsumoto hits a headbutt. Shida headbutts her back, Shida goes off the ropes but Matsumoto hits a shoulderblock. Vertical suplex by Shida and she goes for a suplex but Shida lands on her feet and delivers a running knee to the face. Cover, but it gets a two count. Shida goes off the ropes but AKINO kicks her from the apron. Matsumoto goes off the ropes but she is kicked from the apron as well. Knee by Matsumoto, Irish whip to the corner but Shida rebounds out of the corner with a dropkick. Matsumoto gets Shida up on her shoulders and hits a gutbuster, cover, but it gets a two count. Matsumoto tries to tag out but Shida grabs her and hits a heel kick. Falcon Arrow by Shida, cover, but it gets a two count. Shida tags in Kong, and Kong kicks AKINO off the apron. Backdrop suplex by Kong to Matsumoto, cover, but Matsumoto gets a foot on the ropes. Kong picks up Matsumoto and drops her with a piledriver. Cover, but it gets another two. AKINO picks up Matsumoto and hits a scoop slam, she goes up to the second turnbuckle but AKINO runs in and throws her to the mat. Matsumoto picks up Kong and goes for a powerbomb but Kong blocks it and hits a back bodydrop. AKINO dropkicks Kong and Matsumoto rolls up Kong for a two count. Matsumoto goes off the ropes but Kong hits a lariat. Kong goes for a brainbuster but Matsumoto blocks it, Shida goes for a kendo shot to Matsumoto but Matsumoto moves and Kong is hit by accident. AKINO kicks Shida into the corner but Kong lariats AKINO, roaring elbow by Matsumoto to Kong and she drops her with a backdrop suplex. Cover, but it gets two when Shida breaks it up. Matsumoto picks up Kong and goes for a piledriver but Kong gets out of it. High kick by AKINO to Kong and Matsumoto hits AKINO with an elbow. Cover, but it gets a two count. Matsumoto picks up Kong, Matsumoto and AKINO put Kong up on the second turnbuckle but Shida runs in and hits AKINO and Matsumoto with a kendo stick. Matsumoto and Shida fight over the kendo stick but Kong hits Matsumoto with a metal box. Brainbuster by Kong to Matsumoto, cover, but AKINO breaks it up. Shida hits a running knee to Matsumoto and Kong nails her with the Uraken. Cover by Kong and she picks up the three count. Your winners: Aja Kong and Hikaru Shida
Match Thoughts: I’ve really been enjoying Aja Kong as I watch OZ, she has generally been one of the highlights of the show. She just seems to really understand her role, she comes in and hits the big moves but takes offense as well so she doesn’t come across as an older legend that doesn’t give back anything. I love Shida which is probably documented somewhere, and their opponents were good as well. Lots of big moves and chaos, and overall just a fun match to watch. Score: 7.5
Tomoka Nakagawa vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki
They charge each other to start the match, waistlock by Nakagawa but Kuragaki elbows her off. Nakagawa re-applies the waistlock but Kuragaki throws Nakagawa over her head. Kuragaki goes off the ropes but Nakagawa hits a jumping kick. Kuragaki throws Nakagawa into the corner but Nakagawa moves and hits a dropkick. Nakagawa goes for an inside cradle but Kuragaki blocks it and hits a vertical suplex. Kuragaki kicks Nakagawa into the corner and she hits a lariat. Another lariat by Nakagawa and she hits a vertical suplex. Cover, but it gets a two count. Nakagawa picks up Kuragaki and applies a backbreaker before spinning Nakagawa to the mat. Kuragaki applies a stretch hold before releasing it after a moment and applies a leg submission hold, but Nakagawa gets to the ropes. Kuragaki picks up Nakagawa and goes for a suplex but Nakagawa lands on top of her and hits a spinning headscissors. Nakagawa charges Kuragaki, Kuragaki drops Nakagawa onto the apron but Kuragaki can’t suplex her back into the ring. Nakagawa dropkicks Kuragaki from the floor, she then goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a diving crossbody. Nakagawa picks up Kuragaki and goes for a Fisherman Suplex but Kuragaki blocks it and hits a military press slam. Kuragaki picks up Nakagawa and goes for a second one but Nakagawa reverses it into a DDT. Running kick by Nakagawa, cover, but it gets a two count. Nakagawa waits for Kuragaki to get up but Kuragaki catches her with a backdrop suplex. Kuragaki goes up to the second turnbuckle but Nakagawa has recovered. Kuragaki kicks Nakagawa back but Nakagawa charges again, Nakagawa gets on the second turnbuckle but Kuragaki picks her up and drops her to the mat. Missile dropkick by Kuragaki, she picks up Nakagawa and puts her on her shoulders with an Argentine Backbreaker. Samoan Drop by Kuragaki, she goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits the moonsault. Cover, but Nakagawa gets a shoulder up. Kuragaki knees Nakagawa, Nakagawa goes for a backslide but Kuragaki blocks it. Kuragaki goes off the ropes but Nakagawa ducks the lariat. Enzigieri by Nakagawa but Kuragaki kicks her in the stomach. Lariat by Nakagawa, cover, but it gets a two count. Back kick by Kuragaki, Nakagawa kicks her back but Kuragaki rolls her up for a two count. Nakagawa rolls up Kuragaki, but she also gets a two count. Nakagawa goes off the ropes but Kuragaki catches her with a lariat. Cover, but it gets a two count. Kuragaki picks up Nakagawa and hits a modified suplex, cover, but Nakagawa reverses the cover for a two count. Kuragaki goes up to the top turnbuckle but Nakagawa rolls out of the way of the moonsault. Kuragaki charges Nakagawa but Nakagawa sneaks in the 120% Schoolboy and she picks up the three count. Your winner: Tomoka Nakagawa
Match Thoughts: This was an odd way to end the event. It was the shortest match, which is unusual, and it really didn’t have any big moments. Nakagawa spent the bulk of the match trying for roll-ups and quick pins, which apparently was the only way she could beat Kuragaki. Kuragaki did have some solid power moves and dominated the match at times, but Nakagawa never had a real issue of coming back even if the transition wasn’t great. In a vacuum it wasn’t a bad match, but as the main event and a #1 Contender match it did fall a bit flat. Score: 5.5
Final Thoughts:
Best Match: Aja Kong and Hikaru Shida vs. AKINO and Hiroyo Matsumoto. I really enjoyed just about every aspect of this match. Both teams worked well together and all the wrestlers helped make the match what it was. Kong did a good job as the power wrestler, Shida is adorable, and Matsumoto was non-stop as she always is. This was the only memorable match on the card but it was definitely a good one.
MVP: Aja Kong. Kong is old and slow, but she still has that aura to her and still hits hard which on this event was all that was needed. Besides kicking ass she took a lot of offense as well so she didn’t come across as selfish or just trying to get herself over. She isn’t great on every show but this is about as good as she gets.
Overall: With five match events, every match has to deliver to some degree and this one definitely did not. Only one match was really good, with the rest ranging from bad to just solid. I wouldn’t ever recommend someone watch an event just for an entertaining mid-card tag match, there just wasn’t enough here. OZ continues to disappoint with their short events and lackluster matches, even though they have some great wrestlers.
