Rising Sun Soliloquy Newsletter #21
April 22, 2009
By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
The Togi Makabe-Shinsuke Nakamura/Toru Yano feud has taken the basic direction that GBH is breaking up altogether. In the past, the faction has expelled its leaders (Tenzan is case in point) in favor of new ones. However this time, the tremors are being felt through the entirety of the group. Right now, there appears to be two factions, one headed up by Toru Yano and Shinsuke Nakamura, the other by Makabe. Tomohiro Ishii has sided with the Yano/Makabe side while Tomoaki Honma has sided with Makabe.
The angle played out in Osaka last night. Ishii defeated Honma in a single’s match on the card. Toru Yano came out join in on the fun before Makabe came running through to a huge, huge pop, and ran both off. He brought some rather surprising backup with him, as Wataru Inoue came bounding down to the squared circle to help his newly found friend and fight off the man (Ishii) whom he has been feuding with for quite some time.
Despite the hiccup at the Sumo Hall, the ?Wild Child? team of Manabu Nakanishi & Takao Omori got revenge for their Sumo Hall loss to the Gaijin team of Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson, with Omori stealing his pin back from Anderson with an Axe bomb. Anderson & Bernard are still expected to move on to face Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima in a #1 contenders match for Team 3D’s IWGP Tag Team Championships in Fukuoka.
NJPW, 4/21/09 (SXW)
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium #2
1,400 Fans
1. Koji Kanemoto beat Kazuchika Okada?(8:33)?with an ankle hold.
2. Super Strong Machine, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA beat Prince Devitt, Mitsuhide Hirasawa & Nobuo Yoshihashi?(9:07)?when AKIRA used a Musasabi press on Yoshihashi.
3. Black Tiger & Jado beat Tiger Mask & Taichi?(12:50)?when Jado used the Crossface of JADO on Taichi.
4. Tomohiro Ishii beat Tomoaki Honma?(10:29)?with a brainbuster.
5. Manabu Nakanishi & Takao Omori beat Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson?(13:05)?when Omori used an Axe Bomber on Anderson.
6. Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka beat Riki Choshu, Yuji Nagata & Wataru Inoue(11:05)?when Nakamura used the Landslide on Inoue.
7. Hirooki Goto & Milano Collection AT beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Ryusuke Taguchi?(17:35)?when Goto used the Shouten on Taguchi.
NJPW, 4/22/09 (SXW)
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium #2
1,777 Fans?- Super No Vacancy Full House
1. Jushin Thunder Liger, Milano Collection AT, Taichi & Kazuchika Okada beat Koji Kanemoto, Ryusuke Taguchi, Prince Devitt & Nobuo Yoshihashi?(10:15)?when Taichi used the Black Mephisto on Yoshihashi.
2. Tomohiro Ishii & Jado beat Wataru Inoue & AKIRA?(15:31)?when Ishii used a brainbuster on AKIRA.
3. Takashi Iizuka, Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson beat Riki Choshu, Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa(10:56)?when Anderson used the Gun Stun on Hirasawa.
4. Tiger Mask beat Black Tiger?(8:04)?by DQ.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura & Toru Yano beat Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma?(9:58)?when Nakamura used the Landslide on Honma.
6. Hirooki Goto beat Manabu Nakanishi?(14:38)?with a modified armlock.
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Takao Omori?(16:27)?with the High Fly Flow.
Tenzan, Kojima, Liger & Kanemoto to Invade NOAH
Hiroyoshi Tenzan and partner Satoshi Kojima are ready to board the proverbial arc in the coming month, as they have been scheduled for the company’s Nippon Budokan show on May 6th. They will be facing NOAH ace Kenta Kobashi and his partner, Atsushi Ito. Additionally, ?The Unbeatables? team of Jushin Thunder Liger & Koji Kanemoto will also be taking part in the action, as they re-unite to take on the team of Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Genba Hirayanagi. This show will be the second of the big NOAH double header at the Budokan. The preceding night will feature Hirooki Gotoh teaming with Kazuchika Okada to take on Takashi Sugiura & Atsushi Aoki.
NOAH ?GLOBAL TAG LEAGUE ?09″, 5/6/09
Tokyo Nippon Budokan
Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Genba Hirayanagi vs. Jushin Thunder Liger??& Koji Kanemoto?
Kenta Kobashi & Atsushi Ito vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan??& Kazuchika Okada?
IWGP Tag Belts Successfully Defended in TNA
Both sets of IWGP tag team gold were successfully defended on TNA’s ?Lockdown? pay per view last Sunday in Philadelphia, PA. Team 3D put their New Japan belts on the line against Beer Money’s TNA tag team titles and came away the winners, becoming double champions. NO LIMIT again failed to regain the IWGP Jr. Tag Team titles in a three way match, falling to the Motor City Machine Guns. Both matches were officially sanctioned defenses unlike others that have been held on the continent in the past.
TNA ?LOCKDOWN?, 4/19/09 (PPV)
Philadelphia Liacouras Center
-?3WAY Tornado Six Sides of Steel Cage Match – IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley (c) beat Homicide & Shawn Hernandez and Yujiro??& Tetsuya Naito??(11:53)when Sabin pinned Naito after the Made in Detroit (3rd defense).
-?Philadelphia Street Fight – IWGP Tag Team Title & TNA World Tag Team Title: ?Team 3D? Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) beat James Storm & Robert Roode (c)?(13:57)?when Ray pinned Roode after a 3D through a table (2nd defense) to become the 11th TNA World Tag Team Champions.
Fukuoka Show, Dontaku Tour, Takes Shape
Yuji Nagata and Takashi Iizuka has been added to the card at the Fukuoka International Center in a rematch of their recent Chain Death Match, with Nagata out for revenge after being choked out and humiliated by Iizuka at Sumo Hall.
NJPW ?WRESTLING DONTAKU 2009″, 5/3/09 (WPW/PPV)
Fukuoka International Center
1.?Wrestling Dontaku 2009 Special Tag Match: Tiger Mask & Koji Kanemoto vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & CIMA?
2.?TenKoji Return – IWGP Tag Team Title #1 Contender Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima?vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
3.?Justice Revenge in FUKUOKA – Chain Death Match: Yuji Nagata vs. Takashi Iizuka
4.?IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
Takashi Sugiura of Pro Wrestling NOAH, has decided to make good on his promise to invade New Japan and is planning on doing so at the May Korakuen double header, teaming with Atsushi Aoki to take on Hirooki Goto and Kazuchika Okada.
NJPW, 4/18/09
Kuwana City Gymnasium
1,400 Fans?- No Vacancy
1. AKIRA beat Mitsuhide Hirasawa?(9:02)?with a Musasabi press.
2. Jushin Thunder Liger, Milano Collection AT & Taichi beat Koji Kanemoto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt?(11:45)?when Milano used a jackknife hold on Taguchi.
3. Toru Yano beat Tomoaki Honma?(9:51)?with the Oni Koroshi.
4. Yuji Nagata, Wataru Inoue & Tiger Mask beat Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Black Tiger?(13:23)when Iizuka was DQ?d.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura, Giant Bernard, Karl Anderson & Jado beat Riki Choshu, Manabu Nakanishi, Takao Omori & Super Strong Machine?(12:05)?when Nakamura used a flying cross armbreaker on Machine.
6. Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Nobuo Yoshihashi?(15:26)?when Goto used the Shouten on Yoshihashi.
NJPW, 4/19/09
Iwade Municipal Townsman Gymnasium
1,000 Fans
1. Tiger Mask & Koji Kanemoto beat Black Tiger & Jado?(11:05)?when Kanemoto used an ankle hold on Jado.
2. Super Strong Machine, Milano Collection AT & Taichi beat Riki Choshu, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi?(9:59)?when Taichi used the Black Mephisto on Yoshihashi.
3. Giant Bernard beat Tomoaki Honma?(4:22)?with the Bernard Driver.
4. Manabu Nakanishi, Takao Omori & Wataru Inoue vs. Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson went to a draw?(13:17)?when Inoue & Ishii were counted out.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura & Takashi Iizuka beat Yuji Nagata & Mitsuhide Hirasawa?(13:38)?when Nakamura used a flying cross armbreaker on Hirasawa.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Hirooki Goto, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA(16:49)?when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on AKIRA.
Junior Tag Tournament Kicks Off
The All Japan Junior Tag League kicked off last Friday in Ishinomaki City Gymnasium in front of 1900 Fans. The main event featured Mazada & Nosawa defeating the newly formed Kaz Hayashi & Shuji Kondo in 12 minutes, when Mazada whipped out a Canadian Destroyer. Speaking of video-gamey finishers beginning in ?Canadian? and ending in ?Destroyer?, Petey Williams was also on the card, making his All Japan debut against Minoru & Toshizo. Williams and partner Phil Atlas fell in 14 minutes, when Minoru hit the fireball splash on Atlas.
The second show on Saturday played off that tension a bit, as Yamato & Kai managed to stunt some of the momentum gained by Minoru & Toshizo by defeating them in the first tournament match of the night. The second match had some surly back and forth between Mazada and Williams, who looked none too happy at Mazada for stealing his finisher earlier in the night. Williams taught him how a real man does patently absurd, over the top finishers, and pinned Mazada with the real Canadian destroyer after about 14 minutes of action.
Junior Tag League Standings
1. Masanobu Fuchi & El Samurai 1-1-1, 3 Points
2. Minoru & Toshizo 1-1-0, 2 Points
– NOSAWA Rongai & MAZADA 1-1-0, 2 Points
3. KAI & Hiroshi Yamato 1-0-0, 2 Points
– Petey Williams & Phil Atlas 1-2-0, 2 Points
4. Kaz Hayashi & Shuji Kondo 0-1-1, 1 Points
AJPW, 4/22/09
Shima City Ago Arena
800 Fans
1. KAI beat Brad Martin?(7:10)?with the Splash plancha.
2.?Junior Tag League: Masanobu Fuchi & El Samurai [3] beat Petey Williams & Phil Atlas [2]?(9:25)when Samurai used the Samurai clutch on Atlas.
3. Ryota Hama beat Nobutaka Araya?(8:22)?with elbow drop.
4. Osamu Nishimura & Shuji Kondo beat TARU & Toshizo?(7:53)?by disqualification when TARU assaulted the referee.
5. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroshi Yamato beat Minoru & Hate?(11:20)?when Kojima used lariat on Hate.
6. Minoru Suzuki & MAZADA beat Suwama & Manabu Soya?(12:13)?when Suzuki used a Gotch-style piledriver on Soya.
7. Keiji Muto, Kaz Hayashi & Seiya Sanada beat Taiyo Kea, Yoshihiro Takayama & NOSAWA Rongai(14:07)?when Muto used the Shining Wizard on Rongai.
AJPW, 4/17/09
Ishinomaki City Gymnasium
1,900 Fans
1. El Samurai beat Brad Martin?(5:28)?with a jumping cross armbreaker.
2. Masanobu Fuchi & Osamu Nishimura beat TARU & Hate?(11:23)?when Hate was disuqalified for referee assault.
3.?Junior Tag League: Minoru & Toshizo [2] beat Petey Williams & Phil Atlas [0]?(14:18)?when Minoru used the Fireball Splash on Atlas.
4.?Junior Tag League: NOSAWA Rongai & MAZADA [2] beat Kaz Hayashi & Shuji Kondo?(12:01)?when MAZADA used the Shoda drop on Hayashi.
5. Yoshihiro Takayama beat Ryota Hama?(8:37)?with a running knee lift.
6. Taiyo Kea & Minoru Suzuki beat Suwama & Nobutaka Araya?(15:35)?when Kea used the TKO34th on Araya.
7. Satoshi Kojima, KAI & Hiroshi Yamato beat Keiji Muto, Seiya Sanada & Manabu Soya?(17:33)?when Kojima used the Western lariat on Sanada.
AJPW, 4/18/09
Kitakami Waga Multipurpose Exhibition Hall
900 Fans
1. Petey Williams & Phil Atlas beat Hiroshi Yamato & Brad Martin?(11:56)?when Williams used the Canadian Destroyer on Martin.
2. Minoru beat Nobutaka Araya?(8:31)?with an avalanche-style horizontal cradle.
3. Ryota Hama beat TARU?(3:34)?by disqualification due to Hate’s intrusion.
4. Satoshi Kojima & KAI beat Hate & Toshizo?(12:35)?when Kojima used a lariat on Hate.
5.?Junior Tag League: Kaz Hayashi & Shuji Kondo [1] vs. Masanobu Fuchi & El Samurai [1]?(30:00)ended in a time limit draw.
6. Yoshihiro Takayama & NOSAWA Rongai beat Suwama & Manabu Soya?(15:54)?when Takayama used a running knee lift on Soya.
7. Taiyo Kea, Minoru Suzuki & MAZADA beat Keiji Muto, Osamu Nishimura & Seiya Sanada?(18:13)when Suzuki used the Gotch-style piledriver on Suzuki.
AJPW, 4/19/09
Fujioka Citizen’s Hall
1,200 Fans?- Super No Vacancy
1. Kaz Hayashi beat Brad Martin (8:48) with the Final Cut.
2.?Junior Tag League: Petey Williams & Phil Atlas [2] beat NOSAWA Rongai & MAZADA [2]?(13:38)when Williams used the Canadian Destroyer on MAZADA.
3.?Junior Tag League: KAI & Hiroshi Yamato [2] beat Minoru & Toshizo [2]?(20:00)?when Yamato used an avalanche-style German Suplex hold on Toshizo.
4. Masanobu Fuchi & Ryota Hama beat TARU & Hate?(12:13)?by disqualification when Hate used a fire extinguisher attack on Hama.
5. Minoru Suzuki beat Seiya Sanada?(16:06)?with a heel hold.
6. Taiyo Kea & Yoshihiro Takayama beat Satoshi Kojima & Nobutaka Araya?(15:39)?when Takayama used a knee lift on Araya.
7. Keiji Muto, Osamu Nishimura & El Samurai beat Suwama, Shuji Kondo & Manabu Soya?(17:01)?when Muto used the Shining Wizard on Soya.
Akiyama Defeats Shiozaki, Retains Title
The show this past Sunday night was supposed to be a big one for NOAH for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, this would be their biggest show since losing national television, thus giving them at least an early indicator of how much that would hurt them. The second of course, was Jun Akiyama’s first title defense against Go Shiozaki, a young up and comer whom they’ve pushed very aggressively in the past few months, getting his first title shot.
Also slated for this card, were some Global Tag League matches, thus keeping expectations for the show fairly high.
Unfortuantely the show didn’t come close to meeting them. They drew a paltry 2,450 in an arena that holds up to 5,000. While Sapporo has never been a super strong market for NOAH, its never been a bad one, either, so the attendance to say the least, was seen as a disappointment.
The show itself was described by some fans live in attendance as ‘pretty good’. Akiyama took care of Go Shiozaki to retain his title in shockingly dominant fashion, which in and of itself isn’t a bad thing. Akiyama has booked himself as a champion who was always vulnerable and its yet to really click. Seeing him perform so strongly as the dominant champion seemed to strike a chord with many people that this might finally be the run they had been hoping for for years.
The show also featured a strong match from KENTA, who finally put his war with Hirayanagi to rest. KENTA won their no dq match, adding insult to injury by defeating Hirayanagi with the ‘young boy killer move’, a half crab hold that Hirayanagi has been using for the last couple of weeks to defeat his opponents. It seems that Kotaro Suzuki is preparing to challenge KENTA once again for the GHC Jr. Heavyweight Championship, as he defeated Ricky Marvin in what was said to be an incredible match. Suzuki attacked the knee of Marvin throughout the match, and a figure four leg lock ended up ending things. Also, the Global Tag League continued on, with the GHC Tag Team Champions Akitoshi Saito & Bison Smith dropping yet another decision, falling to the team of Kensuke Sasaki & Takeshi Morishima.
NOAH 19/04/09
Tsukisamu Alpha Court Dome
2450 fans
1. Kishin Kawabata?d. Masashi Aoyagi (7:04)?with a Diving Senton.?
2. Taiji Ishimori & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi?d. Katsuhiko Nakashima & Takashi Okita (9:05) when Kikuchi used a Running Elbow Smash on Okita.
3. Masao Inoue & Atsushi Aoki?d. Takuma Sano & Ippei Ota (11:09) when Aoki used the Assault Point on Ota.
4. D-Lo Brown, Buchanan & Keith Walker?d. Takeshi Rikio, Mohammed Yone & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (15:41) when Brown used the Lo Down on Kanemaru
5.?No DQ Match:?KENTA?d. Genba Hirayanagi (17:14)?with a Half Crab Hold.?
6. Kenta Kobashi, Akira Taue & Shuhei Taniguchi?d. Mitsuharu Misawa, Takashi Sugiura & Akihiko Ito (19:42) when Taniguchi used a Modified Backdrop on Ito.
7. Kotaro Suzuki?d. Ricky Marvin (17:48)?with a Figure Four Leglock.?
8.?Global Tag League:?Kensuke Sasaki & Takeshi Morishima [4]?d.?Bison Smith & Akitoshi Saito?[0] (21:47)?when Morishima pinned Saito following a Double Impact.?
9.?GHC Heavyweight Title:?Jun Akiyama?d. Go Shiozaki (27:21) with the Sternness Dust Alpha.
* V1 Defence
NOAH?16/04/09
Tottori Dome
1800 fans (No-Vacancy)?
1. Mitsuo Momota & Atsushi Aoki?d. Ricky Marvin & Ippei Ota (10:58)?when Aoki used a Jujigatame on Ota.?
2. Takeshi Morishima?d. Akihiko Ito (7:02)?with a Backdrop.?
3. KENTA & Taiji Ishimori?d. Kotaro Suzuki & Genba Hirayanagi (13:15)?when Hirayanagi was DQ?ed.?
4. Kenta Kobashi, Takashi Sugiura & Takuma Sano?d. Bison Smith, Akitoshi Saito?& Keith Walker (17:21) when Sano used a Northern Lights Bomb on Walker.
5. Takeshi Rikio, Mohammed Yone & Yoshinobu Kanemaru?d. Kensuke Sasaki, Katsuhiko Nakajima & Takashi Okita (12:40) when Yone used a High Kick on Okita.
6.?Global Tag League:?Jun Akiyama & Shuhei Taniguchi [2]?d. Akira Taue & Masao Inoue [0] (19:34) when Taniguchi used a German Suplex Hold on Inoue.
7.?Global Tag League:?Mitsuharu Misawa & Go Shiozaki [4]?d. D-Lo Brown & Buchanan [2] (22:02) when Shiozaki used a Moonsault Press on Buchanan.
Sapolsky Excited for New Dragon Gate Position
Dragon Gate USA VP Gabe Sapolsky recently broke his silence regarding his taking the new position and what fans can look forward to heading forward to.
?One of my favorite things about the first year of ROH is that we weren’t tied down to a contract laden talent roster. You never knew when someone like Spanky on the 2nd show or Paul London in the ladder match would make themselves into a star. DGUSA will have the chance to book whoever has the desire and the ability to make their reputation in one night. All killer, no filler. ? Says Sapolsky. ?There’s no reason to hold anything back, stretch out an angle or burn through rematches. It just comes down to the basic business principle of supply and demand. DGUSA will be a rare treat.?
Sapolsky specifically talked about how rejuvenated he felt regarding his new position with a ‘cutting-edge’ company.
?I am refreshed, rejuvenated and alive again. The dawn of a new era is here. It is very exciting and all of you are feeding my adrenaline by expressing your enthusiasm to me. This is OUR wrestling haven. It is a very special time because now you can be a part of it as we evolve and progress. You will see our appreciation with first class treatment. Dragon Gate USA is here and we invite you to join us from the start of our journey. ?
4/18/2009 Kyoto, KBS Hall
1. YAMATO, Cyber Kong{W} (9:56 Fire Thunder) Dragon Kid, K-ness{L}
2. Open the Twin Gate #1 Contender Tournament A Block: Masaaki Mochizuki, Super Shenlong{W} (11:05 Ryu★Sei II) KAGETORA, RYOMA{L}
3. Open the Twin Gate #1 Contender Tournament A Block: Ryo Saito, Genki Horiguchi{W} (0:36 Backslide) Yasushi Kanda, Kenichiro Arai{L}
4. Open the Twin Gate #1 Contender Tournament B block: Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson {W} (10:56 MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK) Anthony W. Mori, Kenshin Chikano{L}
5. Open the Twin Gate #1 Contender Tournament B Block: BxB Hulk{W}, Masato Yoshino (16:24 FTX) Akira Tozawa, Shingo Takagi
6. CIMA, Susumu Yokosuka{W}, Gamma (19:49 Mugen) Naruki Doi, Naoki Tanisaki, m.c.KZ{L}
4/19/2009 Kyoto, KBS Hall
1. Open the Twin Gate #1 Contender Tournament Semifinal B: BxB Hulk, Masato Yoshino{W} (9:34 Lightning Spiral) Nick Jackson{L}, Matt Jackson
2. Open the Twin Gate #1 Contender Tournament Semifinal A: Ryo Saito, Genki Horiguchi{W} (5:24 Mask Rip->Small Package) Masaaki Mochizuki, Super Shenlong{L}
3. Jackson Florida (6:54 Backslide with Cane) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
4. CIMA{W}, Susumu Yokosuka, Gamma (16:23 Schwein) Naruki Doi, Naoki Tanisaki, Shinobu{L}
5. YAMATO, Cyber Kong{W}, Yasushi Kanda (19:08 Cyber Combination) Shingo Takagi, Dragon Kid, Akira Tozawa{L}
6. Open the Twin Gate #1 Contender Tournament Finals: Ryo Saito{W}, Genki Horiguchi (16:41 Double Cross) Masato Yoshino, BxB Hulk{L}
BattlARTS Champions to Show up in Zero1
In sort of a rare occurrence, BattlARTS wrestlers are going to not only be showing up in Zero1, but they’ll also be bringing their shooty-goodness along with them. Ikuto Kidaka & Munenori Sawa will be defending their NWA International Lightweight Tag Titles against Minoru & Katsumi Usuda. Oddly enough, it was Minoru who did much of the back stage jockeying to try and pull this together. He’s very much in favor of bringing that style to the junior ranks and feels it could be interesting seeing how much talent is in the shoot-ranks and that it hasn’t really been seen for the better part of 10 years.
Also, Yuki Ishikawa & Keira Yano will be entertaining the fray, to take on Mionru Fujita & Yusaku Obata in a tag team match on the same card!
Zero-One 29/04/09
Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
-. Minoru Fujita & Yusaku Obata vs Yuki Ishikawa & Keita Yano
-.?NWA International Lightweight Tag Titles:?Ikuto Hidaka & Munenori Sawa (c) vs Minoru & Katsumi Usuda