The wizard of id reviews: Japanese Hardcore Wrestling 9 PPV
Once again wkmedia delivers an awesome line-up of matches, pulled from various Japanese promotions and highlighting different styles available to Japanese indy fans. Of course, it showcases the hardcore style of Big Japan, the undisputed World leader of insane blood spilling carnage, but it also delivers some SWEET technical grappling and women‘s action you just can‘t find anywhere else. At $10 US ($14 Cdn) it’s probably the best value-for-dollars deals available to North American fans of Japanese Wrestling. If you’ve never seen a wkmedia PPV, do yourself a favor and check them out.
Hosted by English commentators Buck Woodward and Eric Gargiulo, the production values are top-notch and the action non-stop!
Match 1: (BJW) Barbedwire Board & Razor Cross-Board Deathmatch
Jun Kasai vs. Jaki Numasawa
North American fans might remember Kasai from his run with CZW a few years back. (Who can forget him shaving half his elbow off sliding across a board of light tubes in what was arguably one of CZW’s sickest matches?) He’s still the “Crazy Monkey” but he’s lost the silly tail and appears much heavier than when he was in the States. He is, quite likely, the most scarred man in wrestling.
His opponent Numasawa, (the Black Angel,) has been making a name for himself in Big Japan and regular viewers of wkmedia’s PPV’s are familiar with his work. (He looks like an Asian version of a bald Kevin Sullivan.)
In-ring weaponry is a barbed-wire board set up in one corner and a board cross covered in RAZOR BLADES in another. With Kasai and razor blades in the same ring, you just know this is going to be a bloodbath of epic proportions!
The match opens with a disgusting move: The combatants embrace and kiss! They start to trade kicks and punches with the occasional wrestling move thrown in as the first few minutes are spent avoiding the wire and razors. Numasawa is the first to taste the wire and Kasai takes control. He hauls Numasawa outside the ring and in time honored Japanese Hardcore fashion, drags him through the floor seats, scattering the crowd.
Kasai smacks Numasawa in the head with a table (smaller, but sturdier than American tables) then drives his head into the post. This gives him time to rummage for chairs to throw into the ring while Numasawa does one of his patented blatant blade jobs. After receiving a DDT on the floor Numasawa is laid out on the table and Kasai connects with a Pearl Harbor Splash from the corner turnbuckle.
Back in the ring Kasai continues to dominate as Numasawa clutches his ribs, leaving his head open to chair shots, which Kasai delivers. Numasawa kicks out of a pin attempt and Kasai decides it’s time to get crazy! He sets up the razor blade covered cross on two chairs and puts Numasawa up on the corner, going for what looks like a Hurracanrana but it’s blocked and Kasai finds himself Power Bombed onto the razor blades!
He comes up bleeding like a fountain, his back slashed to ribbons. Numasawa grabs a bucket from under the ring and pours tons of thumbtacks all over the mat. He stuffs a handful of tacks into Kasai’s mouth and punches him, sending a spray of blood-soaked tacks into the crowd. Big pop for this move so he does it again on the opposite side of the ring. (Some lucky kid is going home with a souvenir!)
Numasawa hits a Northern Lights Suplex and a Senton but can’t put Kasai away. Kasai fights back with a Drop Toe Hold, Snap Suplex, Top Rope Headbutt and a WICKED German Suplex but fails to get the 3 count. Kasai attempts a Goggle Splash from the top rope but Numasawa blocks with his knees and hit’s a top rope Hurracanrana and then a Samoan Drop. All these high impact moves are onto the tacks and both men are pin cushions at this point.
Kasai hits a Tombstone Piledriver and after a brief mutual rest they trade brutal forearms, an exchange Numasawa ends with a kick to the nuts before placing the tack bucket on the Crazy Monkey’s head and kicking it off. (The bucket, not Kasai’s head.) Numasawa sets the razor board up on chairs again but Kasai surprises him and plants him with a modified Gourdbuster onto the razors! He sets the razor board on top of a prone Numasawa and lands the Goggle Splash for the 3 count.
Winner of the match: Jun Kasai by pinfall
An AWESOME hardcore match. Deathmatch fans, you don’t want to miss this one!
Match 2: (BJW & DDT) Interpromotional Tag Team Match
Daisuke Sekimoto & Katsumasa Inoue (BJW) vs. Hero & Kudo (DDT)
Big Japan’s Sekimoto & Inoue enter this match with a big size advantage over the DDT Tag Team Champions, Hero & Kudo. Sekimoto and Kudo start things off with quick exchanges and a test of strength. Kudo rolls through to gain the advantage over the bigger man (Are this guys shoulders even attached? How the hell did he do that?) Another exchange and a face off which is the universal clue for fans to applaud the technical skill of the wrestlers, and the ever-polite Japanese fans oblige.
Both men tag out and their partners engage in an exchange of forearm blows as well, with Inoue gaining the advantage over the smaller masked man. Hero avoids a corner spear and Inoue hits the post. Hero soars over the ropes onto Sekimoto. Hero and Kudo take the advantage with a double team attack on Inoue landing a dropkick to his face while he struggles in a Camel Clutch.
It’s a brief flurry though as Sekimoto and Inoue regain momentum and begin to dominate their smaller opponents. Sekimoto no-sells Kudo’s kicks to his chest and the Big Japan crew begin working over Kudo’s legs. Inoue’s running Headbutts to both Kudo and Hero have them reeling but they continue to fight back with high flying tactics and double team maneuvers. For some reason, announcer Eric Gargiulo has a serious hate on for Hero and shoots him down throughout the contest. (Maybe it’s Hero’s lame Power Ranger costume…)
It’s a fast paced match with the advantage switching back and forth. Hero And Kudo rock the bigger men with Missile Kicks and Enzaguris (How DO you spell that?) and Sekimoto and Inoue hit some awesome Suplex variations. Inoue’s Top Rope Missile Dropkick on Hero is devastating!
Sekimoto and Inoue seem to lose focus during the high-paced action and miss a couple of moves allowing Team DDT to gain control. Sekimoto levels his own partner with a Lariat. Kudo lands a Double Knee Drop from the top onto Inoue followed by a Broken Arrow from Hero. Hero ends the match with a pinfall on Inoue after a 450 Splash. (It looked like Hero’s face connected with Inoue’s knee. Ouch!)
Winners of the match: Hero & Kudo by pinfall.
Nothing REALLY spectacular here but a solid big-team/little-team tag match nonetheless. Even though Hero and Kudo are the DDT Tag Team Champs, this has to be considered somewhat of an upset.
Match 3: (BJW) Hardcore Street Fight Tag Team Match
Mr Pogo & Shadow WX vs. Kanemura & Necro Butcher
53 year old Japanese legend Mr Pogo teams with his student Shadow WX to take on perennial punching bag, Kintaro Kanemura and America’s reigning Hardcore Icon, Necro Butcher. The action spills out of the ring immediately with Pogo and Kanemura battling into the crowd while Necro Butcher and Shadow WX square off at the ring side area. Not a lot of wrestling moves here as you might expect, mostly punches and running blows into immovable objects, although WX does hit a nice Vertical Suplex on Necro into the ringside chairs.
Pogo and Kanemura brawl their way right out of the building (to have a smoke maybe) before working back through the crowd to ringside. The Japanese fans love this kind of action because when the Big Japan workers are in the house EVERY seat is a front row seat! You’d NEVER get away with this kind of shit in the US or Canada. At least, not without a lot of lawsuits.
All four men get back into the ring and Mr Pogo digs into his infamous bag of tricks. Necro Butcher is about to get a painful introduction to Japanese Hardcore…Pogo style! Out comes the dreaded sickle and Pogo goes to work carving a road map of Tokyo on Necro’s head. While the Butcher hangs bleeding in the ropes, Pogo fetches his power drill and Necro needed THAT like a hole in the head! (Which he now has!)
Meanwhile, Kanemura suffers his usual abuse and punishment from Shadow WX. Basically, Shadow’s job in this match seems to be keeping Kanemura out of the way and occupied while Pogo demonstrates his sadism on Necro Butcher.
Kanemura kicks out of a pin attempt while Pogo works Necro over with a machete. Butcher’s a bloody mess (so what else is new?) but manages a brief offensive comeback landing a Necro Crusher (Stunner) on Shadow while Kanemura feebly attempts offense against Mr Pogo. Butcher hits a Neckbreaker onto chairs and applies the Asiatic Spike to Shadow WX. Pogo shrugs off Kanemura to make the save.
Kanemura finally gets his contractually obligated 30 seconds of offense on Pogo before Shadow plants him with a Suplex. Necro breaks up the pin attempt but is quickly overwhelmed by a still fresh Pogo. Shadow locks Kanemura in a Rear Naked Choke while Pogo wraps a chain around Necro Butcher’s neck, hanging him from the top rope. Bloodied, beaten and hanging by his neck, Butcher has no where to go but the morgue so he’s forced to tap out!
Winners of the match: Mr Pogo & Shadow WX by submission.
A classic Mr Pogo demonstration of weaponry welcomes Necro Butcher to his Japanese Hardcore PPV debut. No doubt The Butcher was honored to take the beat down from a legend like Pogo but having Kanemura’s dead ass as his partner pretty much guaranteed the outcome. Short match but lots of fun stuff. (I wonder if the inventor of the cordless power drill ever dreamed it would be used in a wrestling match!)
Match 4: (DDT) KO-D Open Weight Championship Match
Mikami (Champion) vs. Dick Togo
Reigning Champion ‘Suicide Boy’ Mikami comes into this match sporting injured ribs. He and the 14 year veteran Dick Togo start off with some lightning quick exchanges of holds and counters with Togo gaining the advantage with a head scissors. Long delayed head stand pop up by Mikami to free himself brings the pause/applause. The opening minutes see a classic display of power versus speed with the stronger man Togo locking on various holds and Mikami’s speed and great counter moves keeping him from serious harm.
Togo, upset perhaps at Mikami’s speedy chain-wrestling skills, bails out of the ring to slow things down. He stands up a ladder outside the ring and invites Mikami out to play. Often referred to as Makami’s tag team partner because of his renowned skill at utilizing ladders in his offense, the ladder would play a crucial role throughout the match.
Mikami mounts the corner ropes but Togo throws a chair into his face to gain the matches first decisive advantage. He rams Mikami back first into the ringpost then stretches him around it, obviously targeting Mikami’s injured ribs.
Throwing the ladder into the ring Togo continues his assault on Makami’s back with a Hilo, followed by multiple knees, stomps, finger rakes and ladder shots. Togo locks on a modified Gory Special but Mikami somehow uses an Armdrag to break free. Togo maintains advantage, continuing to work the Champion’s injured back with a slow methodical pace.
Togo hangs Mikami in the Tree Of Woe but misses a sliding dropkick, posting himself in the process. Mikami rallies with a double stomp on the apron then the two exchange right hands. Togo charges his opponent on the apron but Mikami monkey flips him up into the ring post, busting Togo open. Mikami hits a 619 variation from the outside as Togo is tangled, bleeding, in the ropes.
The action moves back inside and Mikami works on Togo’s cut, punching him in the corner and whipping him into the ladder. Togo hits a Tilt-a-Whirl on Mikami but the Champ answers with a Figure-4. They reverse this hold back and forth before ending up in the ropes for the break.
Makami’s up first and goes for a Springboard off the top rope but Togo surprises him with a jumping Dropkick followed by a wicked Lariat! Togo seizes control, nailing Mikami with a 2nd rope Pedigree but can’t get the 3 count. Togo sets up the ladder and tries to set Mikami up for another Pedigree but Mikami counters with a backdrop off the ladder. Togo hits a Crucifix and clamps on a Crossface which the Champ rolls into a pin attempt forcing Togo to release the hold. (Why doesn’t someone try that with Benoit?)
Mikami executes a Hurracanrana and locks Togo into an Oriental Scorpion. Togo manages to make the ropes. They make their way back up the ladder and exchange slaps with Togo taking the fall. Mikami nails a Senton from the top of the ladder. Togo kicks out. Mikami to the top rope, gets caught and planted with a Power Bomb by the larger Togo. Mikami kicks out but he’s slowing down from the punishment Togo’s inflicted on his injured back.
Togo hits 3 consecutive Lariats then nails Mikami with a Pedigree. Togo off the top rope with a punishing Senton and scores the 3 count to claim the Championship!
Winner: Dick Togo by pinfall.
Awesome match! Best effort I’ve ever seen from Togo and Mikami absolutely shone even though he lost the match and his title. Just a great match!
Match 5: (A to Z) A to Z World Championship Tournament Final
Momoe Nakanishi vs. Mariko Yoshida
The first 20 seconds of this match, the women seem tentative and hesitant to lock up…then all hell breaks loose! Nakanishi lays in some double chops as they hit the mat but Yoshida slaps on a Triangle Choke. Nakanishi escapes and does a running thing across Yoshida’s back. They’re up, they’re down and trading Leglocks. (Yoshida has a SpiderWoman gimmick… NICE tights!)
Yoshida Irish Whips Momoe into the corner and delivers a stiff running Yakuza Kick to her face. She ties up Nakanishi in a Guillotine Choke, Hammerlock, Leglock combination and follows with a half Boston Crab. Yoshida absolutely dominates on the mat and Nakanishi gives up trying to counter and concentrates on making the ropes to escape the various holds and submission attempts.
Nakanishi lands a Spinning Body Press but rolls through, clutching her knee. Yoshida’s right back to the Leglock. She pulls Momoe up long enough to deliver a stinging DDT before clamping on a reverse Figure-4 type hold and stomping on Nakanishi’s back.
Momoe rallies briefly with double chops and a Dropkick but misses a Missile Dropkick from the ropes. Yoshida capitalizes with a Double Underhook Pickup into a Face First Slam, followed by another DDT and a mat tie up. Nakanishi again needs the ropes to escape. She tries for a top rope Moonsault but misses and Yoshida clamps on a Rear Naked Choke.
The match spills outside the ring when Yoshida misses a running Yakuza kick and tumbles through the ropes. Nakanishi is quick to follow, throwing the ‘SpiderWoman’ into the seats. Momoe fires a volley of chairs at a sprawled Yoshida and drags her all the way back to the production stage. She delivers a German Suplex to Yoshida onto a pile of chairs then drags her back to ringside before launching her into the sixth row on the other side of the ring. Screaming in some kind of primal fury, Nakanishi is in total control of the brawling outside the ring. She enters the ring and takes a running leap to the top rope and SAILS onto Yoshida with the prettiest Flying Body Press this side of Mil Mascaras! (HUGE props to the camera crew for capturing that move from the perfect angle. It was an amazing shot! A thing of freaking BEAUTY!)
Back in the ring Momoe drops Yoshida with a DDT but Yoshida manages to get her feet up to counter Nakanishi’s Top Rope Splash attempt. Mariko lands another brutal Yakuza kick to Momoe’s head but fails to hit her Aryan Crush finisher. The fight goes to the top rope where Nakanishi ends the stalemate with a Headbutt that puts Yoshida back to the mat. She nails a German Suplex but misses her Momorachi (Spinning Hurracanrana) attempt and almost gets pinned.
Yoshida turns up the heat, landing her Aryan Crush but Momoe kicks out of the pin. She hits a Screwdriver and Momoe kicks out again. Yoshida opts for a submission attempt and locks on her SpiderWeb. (A double arm hook-up, triangle choke type hold. Looks painful, whatever you call it.) Nakanishi’s will and desire are evident as she makes repeated attempts to reach the ropes and break the hold. Finally, she makes it and they’re back to their feet.
Yoshida tries for another Aryan Crush but Nakanishi counters with a Crucifix. Yoshida hits another Yakuza kick for a near fall but Momoe delivers two grazing Spin Kicks and successfully executes her Momorachi for the 3 count.
Winner of the Match and NEW A to Z Champion: Momoe Nakanishi
An absolutely amazing match. The only bad spot was Nakanishi’s ‘running on her opponents back’ thingy in the opening minute. After that, it was a dream match! Nothing, and I mean NOTHING done by women wrestlers in North America this year even comes close to the excitement, drama and action these two skilled athletes provided. If this was the only match on the PPV, it would be worth the price ten times over.
Match 6: (BJW) 300 Florescent Light Tube Death Match Championship
Ryuji Ito (Champion) vs. Takashi Sasaki
The ring is set up with tubes tied to all the ropes and tube bundles stashed in the corners. The entire surface of the mat is covered in loose light tubes. They start breaking as soon as the two combatants start walking around. They lock up and break and Sasaki launches a quick Dropkick. Ito comes back with a Bodyslam and they trade tube shots. Ito catches Sasaki in a Tarantula then hit’s a Springboard Dropkick from the apron. (All this onto light tubes!) The announce team plays up the angle that Sasaki hasn’t earned the right to a title shot.
Sasaki goes outside and Ito stumbles coming off the top rope, falling heavily to the floor. The two brawl at ringside, each throwing chops, elbows and kicks. Ito gains the advantage and blasts Sasaki with more tubes and throws him into the post. Both men are already bleeding heavily from…well, everywhere.
Ito tries for a top rope splash but Sasaki doesn’t wait for him on the table, he meets him up top. They struggle on the turnbuckle until Sasaki nails Ito with a tube. Now it’s Ito on the table and Sasaki breaks him through it with a Sit-Down Splash (Complete with light tubes between his legs.) He follows up with more outside the ring tube breakage then goes to work carving up Ito’s head with a piece of tube.
Back inside the ring they exchange punishing kick variations, breaking more tubes on each other’s back and chest. By now a “poisonous gas” haze has enveloped the ring and both guys are sparkling like bloody Christmas trees as the glass shards in their bodies reflect the ring lights. The Champ gains momentum, Bodyslamming and Dropkicking Sasaki. Still can’t get the pin though, so it’s more kicks and then multiple tube shots to Sasaki’s head. The Challenger no-sells the tube shots, screaming for more and the announce team starts to rally behind him. Ito misses with a light tube bundle and Sasaki kicks it into the side of his head! He follows up with a Tornado DDT and a running kick but Ito escapes the pin attempt. Sasaki ties Ito in the Tree Of Woe and hits a Baseball Slide Dropkick to a light tube bundle leaning against Ito’s chest.
Ito comes back with a Northern Lights Suplex and places a tube bundle on Sasaki’s chest. He mounts the turnbuckle for the Dragon Splash but Sasaki leaps up and surprises him with a Superplex onto the bundle of tubes. Sasaki kicks Ito from the ring and drags him through the crowd to the stage. Ito fights back but falls victim to a Power Bomb through a table. Sasaki’s in control at this point, even using a Fireman’s Carry to haul Ito back to the ring.
Sasaki unloads with a Suplex but only gets a two count. Ito rallies with a Spin Kick and a Sunset Flip then rolls Sasaki around the ring. (Which, at this point, is just covered in broken glass.) Ito misses a Top Rope Moonsault and the announce team starts trumpeting a title change. One of them (I don’t know which) even has a Gorilla Monsoon moment when he says about the damage inflicted on Ito: “You can almost SEE ligaments hanging out of his body!” Anyway…
Sasaki with a Power Bomb but Ito kicks out. Ito nails a Release German Suplex but Sasaki comes right back with a Jumping Kick to the head. Ito hits a Side Driver and when Sasaki kicks out at two he breaks more tubes over his body. Ito tries the Dragon Splash again and nails it, crushing a bundle of tubes between himself and Sasaki on impact! Sasaki kicks out!
They trade blows then Sasaki explodes with a Dragon Suplex followed by a Shining Wizard for a 2 count. Sasaki tries tube shots - Ito kicks out. A HUGE Lariat - Ito kicks out. A Side Driver onto a giant bundle of tubes - Ito kicks out! Sasaki lifts Ito up onto the turnbuckle and they struggle. Ito with a Hurracanrana into the glass-strewn ring for another near fall. The crowd is right into the match, the announcers - insane.
Ito tries for another Dragon Splash but first has to block Sasaki’s Superplex attempt. A solid knee to the head sends Sasaki crashing onto the tubes and Ito lands another Dragon Splash! And AGAIN Sasaki kicks out!
Ito retrieves a giant bundle of tubes, wrapped in barbed wire from outside the ring, Sasaki greets him with a DDT. Ito answers with a Dragon Suplex, followed by a Michinoku Driver. Sasaki is down and Ito puts the barbed wire bundle on top of him. Ito to the top for another Dragon Splash and this one does the trick! Sasaki falls to the one-two-three.
Winner of the Match and STILL Big Japan Heavyweight DeathMatch Champion: Ryuji Ito.
Un-fucking-believable! This was SO much more than a couple of guys just smashing tubes and shit on themselves. This was a great wrestling match that just happened to be contested on broken glass! There’s a few guys in the States who could learn a thing or two from Ito and Sasaki. Incredible damage suffered by both men, but Ito looked the worst. He had so much glass stuck in him he looked like a mosaic statute or scaly lizard! Best Light Tube Match I’ve ever seen. Period.
Another Great show from wkmedia. Definitely worth the $10 US ($14 Cdn) It’s replaying throughout the month. Check out wkmedia.net for show times and PPV providers in your area. You won’t be disappointed.
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