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Date: April 17th, 2014
Location: Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Announced Attendance: 1,080
Back to WRESTLE-1 again. I want to review the Great Muta match on their May event but I prefer to review events in order, so to get to that one, I have to review this one. Makes sense, right? This event sees a TNA X-Division Championship Match, everything else is just your normal W-1 fare. Here is the full card:
– Andy Wu vs. MAZADA
– Hiroshi Yamato vs. Kazushi Miyamoto
– Ryota Hama and Owashi vs. Takayama and NOSAWA Rongai
– AKIRA and Jiro Kuroshio vs. Masakatsu Funaki and Daiki Inaba
– Manabu Soya vs. Yoshikazu Yokoyama
– HUB and Tigers Mask vs. Koji Kanemoto and Minoru Tanaka
– Yasufumi Nakanoue and Seiki Yoshioka vs. Yuji Hino and HIROKI
– KAI, Kaz Hayashi, and Kondo vs. Kono, Ryouji Sai, and SAKAMOTO
– TNA X-Division Championship: Seiya Sanada vs. Christopher Daniels
Andy Wu vs. MAZADA
They circle each other, Wu pushes MAZADA into the ropes but he gives a clean break. Headscissors by Wu, he trips MAZADA but MAZADA trips him back and both wrestlers return to their feet. Wu trips MAZADA and goes off the ropes, hitting an armdrag, he goes off the ropes again and hits a second armdrag. Wu hits an armdrag out of the corner and kicks MAZADA in the face. Wu picks up MAZADA, Irish whip, drop toehold by Wu and he applies a modified Twister. MAZADA eye-rakes his way out of it, stomp by Wu and he clubs MAZADA in the back. Irish whip by Wu to the corner, reversed, Wu drops MAZADA onto the apron but Wu kicks MAZADA from the apron to the floor. Wu then gets a running start in the ring but MAZADA hits him from the floor before he can complete his dive. MAZADA slides back into the ring, snapmare, and MAZADA applies a reverse chinlock. Wu gets a foot on the ropes to break up the hold, MAZADA picks up Wu and he hits a backbreaker. Leg drop by MAZADA, cover, but it gets a two count. MAZADA kicks at Wu, MAZADA picks up Wu and he goes for a suplex, but Wu blocks it. MAZADA goes off the ropes but Wu hits a bodyscissors into a bulldog. Wu dropkicks MAZADA into the corner and he hits a back elbow. Irish whip by Wu, reversed, Wu kicks back MAZADA from the corner and Wu hits a tornado DDT. Wu goes up to the top turnbuckle and he hits a diving crossbody. Cover, but it gets a two count. Wu goes for a kick but MAZADA ducks it, and MAZADA hits an armbreaker. Lariat by MAZADA, he picks up Wu but Wu hits a vertical suplex. Wu grabs MAZADA and he puts him onto the top turnbuckle. Elbow by Wu but MAZADA elbows him back. Wu joins MAZADA on the top turnbuckle and he hits the Spanish Fly. Cover, but MAZADA gets a shoulder up. Wu picks up MAZADA and he applies the Panda Choke, and MAZADA quickly taps out. Your winner: Andy Wu
Match Thoughts: Wu is fun to watch but this match didn’t do much for me. If it is going to be a short match, fine, but it should just be a sprint at that point. They wasted quite a bit of time at the beginning and in the middle with rest holds that just aren’t really needed in a five minute match. I like the Spanish Fly, it’s a fun move that the crowd enjoys, but the overall match structure was just lacking. Score: 4.0
Hiroshi Yamato vs. Kazushi Miyamoto
This is a Flag Match, I think it is whoever has the flag after seven minutes, nothing else really makes sense. The Flag is just a little white flag that says “Chance” on it. Yamato starts with the flag, wristlock by Miyamoto and he chops Yamato in the hand to get the flag. Yamato kicks Miyamoto in the stomach, Irish whip by Miyamoto but Yamato ducks the lariat attempt and hits a jumping kick. Yamato tries to take the flag but can’t, Yamato goes off the ropes but Miyamoto boots Yamato in the face. Miyamoto charges Yamato but Yamato holds down the rope and Miyamoto falls out of the ring. Yamato gets a running start in the ring and he hits a tope suicida onto Miyamoto. The flag ends up in the crowd but a fan tosses it to Yamato. Yamato returns to the ring with the flag, Miyamoto rolls into the ring and chops Yamato in the chest. Miyamoto throws Yamato out of the ring and takes him up into the crowd. They trade chops in the stands while Yamato keeps the flag, Yamato gets a running start but Miyamoto catches him and hits an atomic drop. Miyamoto grabs the flag and takes it back to ringside before returning to the ring. Yamato runs into the ring, armbreakers by Yamato but Miyamoto applies a sleeper hold. Yamato elbows out of it and he applies a cross armbreaker, but Miyamoto powerbombs his way out of it. Miyamoto grabs the flag off the mat and kicks Yamato when Yamato charges in. Miyamoto gets up on the turnbuckle but Yamato joins him, Yamato grabs Miyamoto and hits a spider belly to belly suplex. Yamato gets up on the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick. Yamato picks up the flag and hits an overhead suplex. Yamato gets up on the top turnbuckle and goes for a senton, but Miyamoto gets his knees up. Crab hold by Miyamoto, and Yamato grabs the referee, tucking the flag into the back of the referee’s pants. Miyamoto gives Yamato the Giant Swing, Yamato grabs the referee to try to get the flag back, but Miyamoto grabs Yamato just as he gets the flag and hits a German suplex. Lucky for Yamato the bell rings while he is still holding the flag and he is declared the winner. Your winner: Hiroshi Yamato
Match Thoughts: Well this match was ridiculous. I think these two could have an entertaining normal match, but this was just too silly for my taste. The wrestlers are literally carrying around this little white flag and try to get it from each other, even though if they knocked their opponent out they could get it a lot easier. Just silliness with little positive to be found. Score: 3.0
Ryota Hama and Owashi vs. Takayama and NOSAWA Rongai
Owashi and Takayama start things off. Tie-up, Takayama pushes Owashi into the ropes and he gives a clean break. They lock knuckles, Owashi applies a side headlock but Takayama gets out of it and applies a hammerlock. Owashi trips up Takayama and both men return to their feet. Waistlock by Takayama and he throws Owashi to the mat before tagging in NOSAWA. NOSAWA tags Takayama back in, Owashi and Takayama get down into a sumo position and lock on, and Takayama throws Owashi to the mat. Owashi tags in Hama, Hama and Takayama get into a sumo position and lock up, and Hama immediately throws Takayama to the mat. NOSAWA comes in the ring but Hama drives him back into the corner. Takayama kicks Hama while Hama smashes NOSAWA in the corner with his ass. Hama clubs Takayama from behind, Irish whip by Hama but Takayama hits a crossbody for a two count. Owashi clubs Takayama, double Irish whip to Takayama and he is hit with a double shoulderblock. Body press by Hama to Takayama, cover, but he gets a two count. Hama and Owashi sumo slap NOSAWA and squish him, Irish whip by Owashi to NOSAWA to the corner and he hits an elbow. Hama then charges Takayama but Takayama catches him with a knee, Takayama goes off the ropes and hits a second jumping knee. Takayama hits two more running knees, cover, but it gets a two count. Takayama waits for Hama to get up and hits a running knee, cover, and he picks up the three count. Your winners: Yoshihiro Takayama and NOSAWA Rongai
Match Thoughts: The W-1 undercard is just brutal sometimes. Again it was a short match which isn’t always a bad thing but it is when 80% of the match is just wasting time. Hama went down pretty easy, I wouldn’t have minded if they did a bit more offense to get the pin since Hama has been oddly protected in W-1. Just a short and rather pointless match, none of these wrestlers are very good on their own at this point and the structure didn’t do them any favors. Score: 3.5
AKIRA and Jiro Kuroshio vs. Funaki and Daiki Inaba
Kuroshio and Inaba start things off. Tie-up, Inaba pushes Kuroshio into the ropes but he gives a clean break. Kick by Kuroshio and he applies a side headlock, Inaba Irish whips out of it but Kuroshio shoulderblocks him down. Kuroshio goes off the ropes but Inaba hits a hiptoss. Scoop slam by Inaba, he goes off the ropes and he hits a leg drop. Cover, but it gets a two count. Inaba clubs Kuroshio in the back, Irish whip, Kuroshio jumps out to the ramp and hits a shoulderblock followed by a swandive hurricanrana. Kuroshio throws Inaba into the corner and tags in AKIRA. Scoop slam by AKIRA, he puts Inaba’s foot on the second rope and jumps down on his leg. AKIRA yanks down on Inaba’s leg, Inaba gets back to his feet but AKIRA trips him and applies a leg submission hold. Inaba reverses positions with him and both men return to their feet. Inaba tags in Funaki, Funaki and AKIRA circle each other, kicks to the leg by Funaki but AKIRA catches one and gets Funaki to the mat. Leg lock by AKIRA but Funaki reverses it into an attempted cross armbreaker. Funaki gets in the mount but AKIRA reverses positions with him. Funaki reverses it back as they struggle to their feet, and AKIRA tags in Kuroshio. Kuroshio flips himself into the ring, Funaki slaps Kuroshio to the mat and knees him in the chest. Snapmare by Funaki and he tags in Inaba. Inaba picks up Kuroshio, snapmare, and Inaba hits an elbow drop. Inaba applies a camel clutch and stomps Kuroshio in the back, and Inaba tags in Funaki. Funaki kicks Kuroshio in the chest in the corner, snapmare by Funaki and he kicks Kuroshio in the chest again. Cover by Funaki but it gets a two count. Funaki tags in Inaba, scoop slam by Inaba and he applies a crab hold. Kuroshio gets to the ropes and he dropkicks Inaba before tagging in AKIRA. AKIRA dropkicks Inaba, Irish whip, reversed, and AKIRA hits a jumping lariat.
AKIRA picks up Inaba and he gets Inaba’s back, applying a stretch hold. Inaba gets to the ropes, AKIRA goes off the ropes but Inaba catches him with a vertical suplex. Inaba tags in Funaki, Funaki kicks AKIRA in the chest, Irish whip, and Funaki kicks AKIRA in the chest again. Backdrop suplex by Funaki, cover, but it gets a two count. Funaki picks up AKIRA and goes for the Hybrid Blaster but AKIRA slides down his back and hits an enzigieri. AKIRA tags in Kuroshio, and Kuroshio hits a missile dropkick onto Funaki. Cover, but it gets a two count. Quebrada by Kuroshio, cover, but it also gets a two. Kuroshio pick up Funaki but Funaki kicks him in the chest and tags in Inaba. Inaba hits a backdrop suplex and then a second turnbuckle diving headbutt. Cover, but it gets a two count. Funaki picks up Kuroshio and hits a Fisherman Buster, cover, but again it gets two. Inaba grabs Kuroshio and goes for a suplex but Kuroshio hits an inside cradle for a two count. Jumping kick by Kuroshio, cover, but it only gets two. AKIRA comes in the ring and elbows Inaba in the corner, then Kuroshio slaps Inaba in the chest. Scoop slam by AKIRA, Kuroshio goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a moonsault. Cover, but Inaba kicks out at two. AKIRA picks up Inaba and hits an enzigieri, then Kuroshio hits a superkick. Shining Wizard by AKIRA, cover, but Funaki breaks it up. Funaki and Kuroshio trade chops, and Funaki drops Kuroshio with the Hybrid Blaster. Inaba elbows AKIRA but AKIRA ducks one and hits a backdrop suplex. German suplex by AKIRA but Inaba gets away, Inaba goes off the ropes but AKIRA catches him with another German suplex. AKIRA goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits the Musasabi Press, cover, and he picks up the three count. Your winners: AKIRA and Jiro Kuroshio
Match Thoughts: Better than the last few matches as at least this match had a point. Funaki was using this as a test for Inaba, as he could have saved him at the end but opted not to. He obviously helped during the match but was more interested in keeping the match a fair fight. I am not familiar with Kuroshio but he looked fine here, and AKIRA is always fun to watch. It meandered at times and wasn’t particularly exciting, but it was a solid match. Score: 6.0
Manabu Soya vs. Yoshikazu Yokoyama
Soya dropkicks Yokoyama before the match starts and they end up in the ropes with the referee separating them. Clubs to the back by Soya, Yokoyama gets Soya into the corner and hits a series of chops. Soya chops him back and hits a knee to the midsection. The referee separates them again but they go back to trading chops, Soya throws Yokoyama out of the ring and then goes out after him. Soya clubs Yokoyama and throws him into the ring post before tossing him into a few rows of chairs. Yokoyama hits Soya with a chair but Soya grabs Yokoyama and returns the favor. Soya picks up Yokoyama and brings him up into the stands, throwing him into a wall. Soya rams Yokoyama into the wall again but Yokoyama blocks the next attempt and throws Soya into the wall instead. Yokoyama picks up Soya and brings him back to ringside, but Soya headbutts him before they can get there. Soya goes for a scoop slam but Yokoyama blocks it and hits his own scoop slam. Yokoyama gets a bottle of water and dumps it onto Soya’s head before stomping on him. Yokoyama picks up Soya and slides him into the ring, chops by Yokoyama but Soya absorbs the blows and chops him back. Headbutts by Soya into the corner and he hits a lariat. Soya goes off the ropes but Yokoyama pushes him back, Yokoyama goes off the ropes but Soya catches him with an elbow. Lariat by Yokoyama, he waits for Soya to get up and hits a lariat but Soya doesn’t go down. They hit dueling lariats, but Soya finally knocks down Yokoyama with a lariat. Short-Range Wild Bomber by Soya, cover, and he picks up the three count. Your winner: Manabu Soya
Match Thoughts: Even though this match was short as well, at least it was a constant battle from start to finish. I think that going outside the ring and fighting in the crowd has been over-done in 2014 as it doesn’t really accomplish anything, but at least they stayed at each other the entire time. Soya looked good in victory, even if some of the dueling bits were a little over-done. Overall not a bad match but still just a short mid-card match with little long-term meaning. Score: 5.5
HUB and Tigers Mask vs. Koji Kanemoto and Minoru Tanaka
HUB and Tanaka start things off. Tie-up, waistlock by Tanaka, HUB trips him and applies a side headlock, waistlock by Tanaka, it is reversed but Tanaka kicks him off. Waistlock by Tanaka, HUB reverses it into a wristlock but Tanaka reverses it back. HUB gets away and both wrestlers tag out. Kanemoto and Tigers Mask circle each other, waistlock by Tigers Mask but Kanemoto reverses it with a hammerlock. Armbar by Tigers Mask into a wristlock, he pushes Kanemoto back into the corner and he hits an elbow. Irish whip by Tigers Mask, reversed, Kanemoto avoids Tigers Mask when he charges in and Tigers Mask connects with a high kick. Tigers Mask goes off the ropes, back kick by Tigers Mask but Kanemoto applies an ankle hold. HUB runs in the ring but Tigers Mask applies a kneelock on him but both HUB and Tigers Mask make it to the ropes. Kanemoto knees Tigers Mask and Tanaka hits a snap suplex. Knee drop by Tanaka to Tigers Mask, Kanemoto covers him but it gets a two count. Kanemoto waits for Tigers Mask to get up and elbows him, but Tigers Mask elbows him back and they trade blows. They then trade slaps until Kanemoto kicks Tigers Mask down to the mat. Kanemoto picks up Tigers Mask and he goes for a vertical suplex, but Tigers Mask blocks it and hits a vertical suplex of his own. Tigers Mask tags in HUB, and HUB hits the Black Magic onto Kanemoto. HUB picks up Kanemoto and goes for a suplex but Kanemoto blocks it and hits a kick combination. Kanemoto knocks HUB back into the corner and hits the face wash. Kanemoto tags in Tanaka, Tanaka picks up HUB, Irish whip, reversed, Tanaka avoids HUB when he charges in and hits an armdrag followed by a dropkick.
Tigers Mask runs in the ring but Tanaka drops him with a dropkick as well. Tanaka picks up HUB and hits a Fisherman Buster, cover, but it gets a two count. Tanaka picks up HUB and throws him into the corner, Irish whip by Tanaka, reversed, and HUB delivers a jumping kick in the corner. HUB goes up to the top turnbuckle while Tigers Mask puts Kanemoto on top of Tanaka, and HUB dives off the top turnbuckle with a diving senton. HUB covers Tanaka but it gets a two count. HUB sits up Tanaka and goes off the ropes, but Tanaka avoids his attack and hits an enzigieri. Kanemoto comes in the ring, HUB fights them off and goes off the ropes but Kanemoto and Tanaka hit a kick combination ending with a Tanaka dropkick. Tanaka picks up HUB and puts him on the top turnbuckle, and he hits an avalanche Fisherman Buster. Cover, but it gets a two count. Tanaka picks up HUB, kick combination by Tanaka and he goes off the ropes, but Tigers Mask runs in the ring and hits him with a Tiger Feint Kick. Knee to the back of the head by HUB and Tigers Mask kicks Tanaka in the head. Lariat by HUB, cover, but it gets a two count. Tigers Mask goes off the ropes and dives out of the ring onto Kanemoto, while HUB waits for Tanaka to get up and charges him. Tanaka kicks HUB back and goes off the ropes, but HUB hits him with his mask tail and drops him with a modified Jackhammer. Cover, but Tanaka gets a shoulder up. HUB picks up Tanaka and hits the Viper Strike, cover, and he picks up the three count. Your winners: HUB and Tigers Mask
Match Thoughts: What set this match apart from the other matches on this card so far is that these teams actually are tag teams and acted as if they were. Both teams worked really well together in both offense and defense, particularly the masked team. Tag matches are infinitely more entertaining when the teams actually interact with each other. Beyond that the match was perfectly fine, nothing super special but entertaining from start to finish. Score: 6.5
Yasufumi Nakanoue and Seiki Yoshioka vs. Yuji Hino and HIROKI
Nakanoue and Yoshioka attack their opponents as the match starts, and Nakanoue chops Hino in the corner. Hino chops Nakanoue back, Hino charges Nakanoue in the corner but Nakanoue kicks him back. Nakanoue picks up Hino, and Nakanoue chops Hino in the chest. Nakanoue charges Hino but Hino kicks him in the stomach. HIROKI is tagged in, HIROKI throws Nakanoue out of the ring and then knocks Yoshioka off the apron as well. Hino and Nakanoue trade shots on one side of the ring while HIROKI and Yoshioka are on the other side. Hino throws Nakanoue back into the ring but Nakanoue attacks him while Hino is still on the apron, giving HIROKI a chance to attack Nakanoue from behind. HIROKI tags in Hino, and Hino applies a reverse chinlock to Nakanoue. Hino throws Nakanoue into the corner and tags in HIROKI. HIROKI punches Nakanoue down in the corner and chokes him with his knee. HIROKI rakes Nakanoue’s face against the top rope and HIROKI hits a few headbutts to Nakanoue’s stomach. HIROKI tags in Hino, Hino picks up Nakanoue and throws Nakanoue over his back. Cover by Hino but it gets a two count. Hino tags in HIROKI, HIROKI punches Nakanoue in the ribs, and HIROKI hits a few Mongolian Chops. HIROKI goes off the ropes but Nakanoue elbows him in the chest and hits a jumping lariat. Nakanoue tags in Yoshioka, Irish whip by Yoshioka to HIROKI, reversed, but Yoshioka delivers a jumping kick. He then kicks Hino off the apron before hitting an enzigieri on HIROKI. Hino hits Yoshioka from the apron when he goes off the ropes, and HIROKI tags in Hino.
Hino chokes Yoshioka against the second rope, cover by Hino but it gets a two count. Hino chokes Yoshioka and then tosses him to the mat. Hino tags in HIROKI, HIROKI and Yoshioka trade elbows and slaps, but HIROKI kicks Yoshioka low. HIROKI tags in Hino, Irish whip and they double team Yoshioka. Senton by Hino, cover, but it gets a two count. Hino picks up Yoshioka, elbows by Yoshioka but Hino chops him back. Irish whip by Hino but Yoshioka hits the La Mistica. Yoshioka tags in Nakanoue, elbows by Nakanoue to Hino, Irish whip, reversed, and Hino chops Nakanoue in the chest. Elbow by Nakanoue, he picks up Hino and applies a double underhook but Hino gets out of it. Elbows by Nakanoue and he applies the underhook again, but Hino back bodydrops out of it. Elbows by Nakanoue, Irish whip, but HIROKI runs in the ring and superkicks Nakanoue. Yoshioka comes in the ring and kicks both Hino and HIROKI, double Irish whip to HIROKI but he kicks Nakanoue and Yoshioka. Hino hits a lariat to Nakanoue, HIROKI and Hino both go up to different top turnbuckles and hit body presses onto their opponents. Cover, but both wrestlers kick out. HIROKI and Hino throw Nakanoue the corner and Hino hits a lariat. HIROKI waits for Nakanoue to get up and hits a kick to the chest, cover, but it gets a two count. Another kick by HIROKI, but again he gets a two count. HIROKI goes off the ropes but Nakanoue ducks the kick and hits a horizontal cradle for the three count. Your winners: Yasufumi Nakanoue and Seiki Yoshioka
Match Thoughts: Not a bad match but a lot of it just felt disjointed. There was no rhyme or reason to it, no real structure. The teams worked well together though, which is a plus, and Hino is a quality wrestler but they just didn’t gel. Just an average tag team match that didn’t do much to progress any of the wrestlers. Score: 5.0
KAI, Hayashi, and Kondo vs. Kono, Sai, and KAZMA SAKAMOTO
They brawl to start the match as it spills outside of the ring, with Kono singling out KAI. Hayashi and SAKAMOTO stay in the ring, drop toehold by Hayashi and he applies a reverse chinlock to SAKAMOTO. Hayashi elbows SAKAMOTO in the back and Hayashi tags in Kondo. Kondo clubs SAKAMOTO in the back and SAKAMOTO is punched into the corner. SAKAMOTO fights back and punches Kondo to the mat before tagging in Kono. Kono stomps Kondo and Kono elbows Kondo in the back of the head. Kono applies a reverse chinlock to Kondo. Kono runs over and knocks KAI off the apron before tagging in Sai, but KAI comes in after Kono and they trade blows. Sai stomps Kondo before throwing KAI out of the ring. Sai picks up Kondo and Sai hits a scoop slam. Cover, but it gets a two count. Sai applies a crab hold to Kondo but KAI breaks it up. Sai tags in SAKAMOTO, Irish whip by SAKAMOTO, reversed, but Kondo kicks SAKAMOTO and tags in Hayashi. Hayashi charges SAKAMOTO in the corner and hits a jumping heel kick. Punches by Hayashi, Irish whip, and Hayashi hits a spinebuster. Quebrada by Hayashi, cover, but SAKAMOTO kicks out. Hayashi grabs SAKAMOTO but SAKAMOTO kicks him in the head before dumping him out of the ring. SAKAMOTO goes outside the ring and attacks Hayashi, as everyone else goes outside the ring as well to brawl around. Hayashi is rolled back into the ring, SAKAMOTO covers him but it gets a two count. SAKAMOTO picks up Hayashi but Hayashi punches him in the stomach and chest. SAKAMOTO catches Hayashi’s kick and knees Hayashi in the head. SAKAMOTO tags in Sai, Sai picks up Hayashi and Sai hits a military press slam. Sai picks up Hayashi and hits a vertical suplex. Cover, but it gets a two count. Sai tags in SAKAMOTO, SAKAMOTO goes for a slam but Hayashi slides off his back. Hayashi goes off the back but SAKAMOTO catches him with a dropkick before tagging in Kono. Kono picks up Hayashi, Irish whip, and he knees Hayashi twice before hitting a backdrop suplex. Cover, but it gets a two count.
Kono picks up Hayashi but Hayashi gets away and delivers a DDT. Hayashi tags in KAI, and KAI hits Kono with a running boot in the corner. He then hits a second one, then a vertical suplex. Cover by KAI but Sai breaks it up. Sai throws KAI in the corner but KAI kicks him as he charges in. KAI hits SAKAMOTO with an enzigieri, he then goes up to the apron and hits a swandive missile dropkick onto Kono. Cover but it gets a two count. KAI picks up Kono and goes for the LAT but Kono blocks it. Big boot by Kono, he goes off the ropes but KAI catches him with a superkick. KAI tags in Kondo, Kondo grabs Kono from behind and with Hayashi they hit a Samoan drop/cutter combination. Kondo grabs Kono and hits a DDT, cover, but Sai breaks it up. Sai throws Kondo into the corner but Kondo moves when he charges in. Sai gets Kondo on his shoulders and hits a gutbuster, Hayashi comes in , he fights off SAKAMOTO but Sai kicks him out of the ring. KAI runs in and clears the ring, but Sai pulls the ropes down and KAI tumbles down to the floor. Kono drops Kondo with a jumping knee followed by a chokeslam, cover, but Kondo gets a shoulder up. Kono throws Kondo into the corner and hits a jumping knee, then Sai and SAKAMOTO hit strikes in the corner as well. Sit-down powerbomb by Kono to Kondo, cover, but the pin is broken up. Kono puts Kondo in front of the corner, he goes up to the top turnbuckle but Kondo rolls out of the way of the diving knee. Kondo lariats Kono in the corner and then hits a side slam. Cover, but Kono kicks out at two. Kondo goes off the ropes, Kono knocks him back but Hayashi runs in the ring and hits the handspring kick off the ropes. KAI then hits a springboard kick, Kondo waits for Kono to get up but Sai gets a chair and gets on the apron. While the referee is dealing with that, Kondo goes off the ropes but SAKAMOTO hits him from the floor with a chair. Kono waits for Kondo to get up but Kondo avoids the knee attempt. Kondo goes off the ropes but Kono knees him, KAI comes in the ring to attack Kono but Kono moves and KAI hits Kondo by accident. Sai knocks KAI out of the ring, Kono waits for Kondo to get to one knee and he hits a Running Knee. Cover, and he picks up the three count. Your winners: Masayuki Kono, Ryouji Sai, and KAZMA SAKAMOTO
Match Thoughts: Nothing really wrong with this match, the teams worked well together and they kept up a fast pace throughout. KAI has been messing up a lot for his team and they finally had enough of it after this match, as KAI had matches against his teammates in this match for the rest of the tour. It was a little chaotic at times but that was by design, and it was different than the other matches on the card in terms of just general insanity. Pretty solid match. Score: 6.5
(c) Seiya Sanada vs. Christopher Daniels
This match is for the TNA X-Division Championship. They tie-up to start, Sanada pushes Daniels into the corner and he gives a clean break. Kick to the stomach by Daniels and he applies a wristlock, Sanada flips out of it to reverse the hold and applies a headscissors. Daniels gets out of the hold and applies a side headlock, Sanada pushes Daniels into the corner but Daniels kicks Sanada back. Irish whip by Daniels, Sanada kicks Daniels when he goes for a back bodydrop, but Daniels throws Sanada out of the ring. Sanada slides back into the ring as Daniels goes to do a dive out of it, Daniels gets back in and hits a pair of armdrags on Sanada. Daniels goes off the ropes but Sanada gets up and hits a dropkick. Daniels falls out of the ring, Sanada goes off the ropes and flips himself off to the apron before hitting a cannonball down to the floor. Sanada slides Daniels back into the ring, snapmare by Sanada and he applies a reverse chinlock. Sanada puts Daniels in the corner and hits a series of mounted punches. Cover by Sanada, but it gets a one count. Back up, punches by Daniels and he elbows Sanada in the back. Shoulderblock by Daniels, he picks up Sanada and hits an elbow. Sanada elbows him back, Daniels goes off the ropes but Sanada catches him with a roaring elbow. Sanada goes for a moonsault, Daniels moves but Sanada dropkicks him in the back. Sanada picks up Daniels after he falls on the apron, Sanada tries to suplex Daniels back in the ring but Daniels blocks it. Shoulderblock through the ropes by Daniels and he sunset flips back in the ring before hitting an enzigieri followed by a lariat to the back of the head of Sanada. Cover, but it gets a two count. Daniels picks up Sanada and throws him into the corner, chops by Daniels and he chokes Sanada in the ropes. Daniels grabs Sanada and hits a lariat, he picks up Sanada and hits a second short-range lariat. A third lariat by Daniels, cover, but it gets a two count. Elbow drop by Daniels, he picks up Sanada and hits a neckbreaker. Cover, but it gets two. Daniels applies a neck crank, Irish whip by Sanada to the corner, Daniels drops him out on the apron but Sanada elbows him back. Sanada goes for a swandive move but Daniels pushes him down to the floor and hits a split legged moonsault off the ropes down onto Sanada.
Daniels gets back in the ring with Sanada slowly following, and Daniels hits a reverse STO. Koji Clutch by Daniels but Sanada gets out of it, Irish whip by Sanada, reversed, and Daniels hits an armdrag and re-applies the Koji Clutch. Sanada gets a foot on the bottom ropes to break the hold, Daniels picks up Sanada and he hits a backdrop suplex. Daniels picks up Sanada but Sanada hits a back bodydrop when Daniels goes for the Angel’s Wings. Back up they trade elbows, and Sanada hits an enzigieri. Hurricanrana by Sanada, Irish whip from the corner, reversed, Sanada lands on the apron and he hits a swandive missile dropkick. Cutter by Sanada, cover, but it gets a two count. Sanada picks up Daniels and he hits rolling German suplex. Arm drag by Daniels and he hits a STO. Daniels picks up Sanada, he puts Sanada up on the top turnbuckle and he goes for the Fall from Grace but Sanada elbows out of it. Sanada goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a diving crossbody. Sanada applies the dragon sleeper but Daniels knees out of it and reverses the hold. Last Rites by Daniels, cover, but it gets a two count. Daniels picks up Sanada but Sanada elbows him back, but Daniels pushes him off when Sanada goes for a cutter. Quebrada attempt by Daniels but Sanada gets his knees up and hits a tiger suplex hold for a two count. Sanada picks up Daniels, Irish whip to the corner but Daniels moves when Sanada charges in. Daniels goes up to the top turnbuckle but Sanada hits the ropes to knock Daniels down to a seated position. Sanada joins Daniels on the top turnbuckle but Daniels elbows him and goes for the Angel’s Wings. Sanada blocks it and drops Daniels to the mat, he goes for a moonsault which Daniels avoids, but Sanada lands on his feet. Punch by Daniels and he hits the Angel’s Wings. Cover, but Sanada gets a shoulder up. Daniels picks up Sanada and he hits a side slam. Daniels goes up to the top turnbuckle but Sanada gets his foot up when he goes for a moonsault. Sanada picks up Daniels and hits a fireman’s carry into a cutter, he then goes up to the top turnbuckle and nails the moonsault. Cover, and Sanada picks up the three count. Your winner and still champion: Seiya Sanada
Match Thoughts: This was entertaining but not spectacular. Daniels has been around long enough that he is very crisp but some of his moves do lack ‘impact’ (especially some of the lariats). Still he is very technically sound and him busting off the split legged moonsault to the floor helped put over the importance of the match. Sanada was solid as he usually is but still seems to be missing something that I can’t put my finger on. But the match flowed well, it never really slowed down nor did they waste any time, even if they really didn’t bother with a structure (body part focus, strike exchanges, etc.). I enjoyed it for what it was, the action was definitely solid from start to finish, it was just lacking some emotion to really put it over the top. Score: 7.0
Final Thoughts:
Best Match: Seiya Sanada vs. Christopher Daniels. Sanada seems to have the best matches on these W1 cards, I don’t know if that says more about him or the promotion. But this was a more than acceptable main event, it was missing some emotion but the action was really crisp from start to finish and it never slowed during any part of the match. Daniels obviously is a veteran and can have a good match with his eyes closed, and Sanada is technically sound as well so I assumed they would be able to put together something entertaining. This match won’t blow you away but it was very solid match.
Overall: This show started really rough and stayed that way for the majority of the show. There were a few glimmers of entertaining moments (the masked wrestlers tag match and the Kono Army brawl) but the bulk of it was just dreck. The main event was certainly a good match but hardly enough to save the event as a whole. At least there were a few good matches so the event wasn’t completely unwatchable, but still a very missable show.
Grade: D+
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