Death Vegas Invitational
Date: April 16, 2026
Location: Horseshoe Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Veda Scott, Jordan Castle

This is from New Japan, though I’m not entirely clear just how much impact they’re going to have on the show. The good thing is that the promotion is getting some attention during the biggest wrestling week of the year, though hopefully the DEATH name is more just some odd name rather than a certain type of wrestling. Let’s get to it.

The opening video…yep it’s death match stuff, as presented by El Desperado. Thanks for that.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Fuminori Abe

The graphic says that Sabre is the World’s Best Technical Wrestler while Abe (who is listed as X) is a third rate wrestler. I sense shenanigans. Anyway they go to the mat to start with Sabre’s cranking on the leg not getting him very far. Abe cranks on a hammerlock but Sabre slips out and stomps Abe’s arm for a change.

Back up and Sabre takes him to the rope for a slap to the face, which doesn’t sit well with Abe. Sabre misses a charge and crashes to the floor, with Abe sending him into some chairs. Abe chops and kicks him in the back but takes too long, allowing Sabre to get in a neck twist. Back in and Sabre ties up various limbs, followed by another neck twist to keep him down.

Sabre’s kick to the ribs is cut off though and Abe twists the knee around. A spinning kick to the ribs drops Sabre and Abe grabs a failed cross armbreaker attempt. Sabre wins another grapple off and gets his own cross armbreaker, followed by a double arm crank. Abe gets over to the rope and they both need a breather.

They trade some big shots to the face and both go down again. It takes a bit longer to get up as we hit the fifteen minute call. Abe wins a slugout and grabs an octopus, which is reversed into the ankle lock. That’s broken up as well but Sabre snaps on the Zack Driver for the pin at 16:52.

Rating: B+. This was a technical showcase and that’s a great thing to see. They were trading one hold after another and trying to wear the other down until someone got the big shot at the end. That’s exactly how it should have gone and it was quite the opener, with Sabre knowing how to do this match in his sleep.

Post match, respect is shown.

Effy vs. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Ishin

This is billed as Cute Sexy Hardcore and I think that is the right order for these three. It’s a dance/gyrate off to start, with Lloyd knocking them both down. Effy sits in a chair and wants a lap dance before watching the other two thrust their pelvises. Ishin runs Effy over but gets knocked down by Lloyd’s chair shot.

The chairs are brought in but Ishin suplexes Lloyd onto the side of an overturned chair (OUCH). Ishin knocks Effy down and pokes him in the back of the trunks while Lloyd pushes his thumbs into Effy’s mouth. Castle: “Double penetration here.” Effy fights up and kicks Ishin in the face and gives him a leg bulldog out of the corner.

It’s time for the first door, which he rams into Lloyd in the corner. Effy’s double Rough Ryder gets two but Lloyd is back up with a powerbomb through the door. Ishin makes the save and puts some chairs on Lloyd, only for Effy to cut him off on top. Ishin kisses Effy on top and superplexes him onto the chairs onto Lloyd. A frog splash onto the chairs onto Lloyd gives Ishin the pin at 8:24.

Rating: C+. Weird spot in the middle aside (uh, yeah), this was a somewhat fun match, mainly because they didn’t go with the crazy hardcore. Chairs and a door are fine and the match didn’t go too long. Effy continues to be a talented star who can have some good matches and he fit in well here. Ishin has been around a lot this week and it’s nice to see him get a win for a change.

MxM Collection vs. Kushida/Yamato vs. Bustah And The Brain

This is billed as “Runaway Rush And Crash: A Drop Dead Gorgeous” match, which makes perfect sense. Thankfully Price is walking and he jumps over the steps (after getting hurt on them yesterday). Price, Yamato and Mansoor start things off with a three way test of strength. Yamato gets the better of things but the other two knock him down. Price isn’t about to touch tips with Mansoor so Yamato is back up with a running shoulder to Mansoor.

Madden comes in but gets sent to the apron by Kushida as everything breaks down. Bustah And The Brain take over but Mansoor breaks up a double suplex. Madden’s running hip attack connects, only for Kushida to pull Mansoor out of the air for the Figure Four. Price add and Oliver add neck cranks but Madden turns it over for a four person Boston crab.

With that broken up, Kushida and Yamato hit stereo dropkicks on Oliver and Price…and we lose signal from the venue. The signal stays gone for a few minutes and we come back with Kushida and Yamato winning at we’ll say around ten minutes. I won’t rate it due to missing that much of the match but what we got to start was working well, which shouldn’t be a surprise.

El Phantasmo/??? vs. Dragon Kid/Starlight Kid

Phantasmo’s partner is…Maika, who is replacing Maki Itoh, who has visa issues, for the “High-Stakes Heartbreak Jackpot” tag match. Funny way to say “mixed tag”. Phantasmo gives Maika the light up glasses before starting with Dragon. A running shoulder puts Dragon down and Phantasmo sticks the landing off Dragon’s headscissors.

Starlight comes in for a headscissors to Maika, followed by a standing moonsault (Scott calls it “adorable”) before everything breaks down. Phantasmo declares them the second cutest tag team in the world and Maika kicks Starlight out to the floor. Back in and Phantasmo ties Starlight in the Tree Of Woe and stands on her, along with Maika.

Starlight comes back with some nipple twisting and avoids Maika’s falling headbutt. Maika misses it again and tries a third time, which hits Phantasmo by mistake. It’s back to Dragon for a tornado DDT and a 619 to Maika’s back. Everything breaks down again and Phantasmo and Maika collide again, meaning it’s time to argue.

We get some mixed submission holds until Phantasmo and Maika make the ropes. Phantasmo is sic of this and suplexes Starlight before kneeing her in the head on top. Dragon is back up with a super poisonrana, allowing Starlight to hit a big splash for two. Phantasmo kicks Dragon and gives him a spinning torture rack neckbreaker. Maika breaks up Dragon’s sunset flip and Phantasmo gets the pin at 12:23.

Rating: B. This was little more than an athletic comedy match and that was a nice change of pace after everything else that has gone on with this show. They didn’t try to do anything too crazy here and the women were just as good as the men. Phantasmo and Maika’s arguing was funny and this wound up being the most entertaining thing on the show thus far.

Gringo Loco/Joey Janela vs. Daisuke Sasaki/Gedo

House Rules Hardcore match which can’t go well. Gedo is sent outside to start fast and a double elbow drops Sasaki. Loco’s split legged moonsault gets two on Sasaki and it’s time for some chairs. Janela gets knocked down though and it’s time for Gedo’s fork. Gedo stabs Janela in the mouth and then in the stomach, allowing Sasaki to wrap a chair around Janela’s neck.

A Twist Of Fate (with chair) drops Janela again and let’s stab him in the tongue. Since that’s just stabbing and a possible neck injury, Janela is right back to kick a chair into Sasaki to send him outside. Loco (busted open) hits a big flip dive and then plants Sasaki for two back inside. Sasaki DDTs his way out of a powerbomb attempt, leaving Janela to load up a door in the corner.

Gedo Downward Spirals him through said door though and there’s a fork shot What’s Up (thankfully minus the jumping). Loco is back with a fork to stab Gedo in the head a few times (just go with it) and Sasaki gets the same. A door bridge is set up but Sasaki goes up, where Loco gives him a super Spanish Fly through the door for a crazy crash. Sasaki pops up for a La Mistica crossface but Janela and Gedo are back in as the hold is broken.

Gedo is laid on some open chairs so Janela goes up, only to get superplexed down through the chairs instead. It’s Gedo with a fork and everyone else with a chair, with Gedo being knocked down. Loco’s corkscrew moonsault onto the chair misses so Janela snapdragons Sasaki. An AA sends Gedo through some open chairs for two, followed by a top rope double stomp through a piece of the door to pin Gedo at 18:45.

Rating: C. This could have been a lot worse, though it could have been a lot better too. The fork stuff was stupid, if nothing else because they kept doing the same stuff over and over again. Other than that it was a pretty standard hardcore tag match, even if Janela’s tendency to go long was on full display. Not my thing, but it could have gotten a lot worse than they wound up going.

We get a bunch of tarps and light tubes brought out because…oh let’s get this over with already. Oh and panes of glass and barbed wire because they’re going full boar here.

Matt Tremont/Nick Gage vs. El Desperado/Jun Kasai vs. Masashi Takeda/Rina Yamashita

Love & Pieces because each match has a name of some sort. Gage comes in through the crowd for the MDK chants and after the Big Match Intros, we’re ready to go. They go right for the light tubes to start, with Gage having them broken over his back. A double suplex sends Gage through the pane of glass and it’s Yamashita vs. Desperado. Tremont breaks that up and gets stabbed with a fork (it gets stuck in his head), allowing Takeda to carve him up with scissors.

Desperado’s mask is cut but Tremont runs Yamashita and Takeda over. Gage is back up with a light tube to Yamashita and stabs her with a broken piece. Yamashita pops up to try a super hurricanrana to Tremont but gets superbombed through some glass instead. Gage and Tremont get stabbed with skewers but Gage is back up with the pizza cutter. Kasai and Desperado go up and splash Yamashita and Takeda (glass tubes includes) for two.

Gage is back up with the pizza cutter and some running knees connect as well. Gage’s Vader Bomb crushes the tubes on Yamashita, who pops back up because hardcore or something. Desperado picks up some tubes, which are dropkicked into him for a big explosion. Desperado kicks Gage low and suplexes him onto more tubes. Gage blocks a powerbomb through the glass so Tremont chokeslams Desperado through the glass instead. Gage’s chokebreaker and two piledrivers into a powerbomb finish Desperado at 14:26.

Rating: D+. Yeah I’m not going to try to validate any thoughts on this. I’ve ranted about how I don’t want to see this stuff and how it isn’t good, mainly just because of how repetitive it gets. They do the same stuff over and over and then just do a bunch of it for the ending. Nothing to see here, as usual.

Post match Gage calls out Kasai for a singles match and swears a lot. The catchphrase wraps us up.

Overall Rating: B. The last two matches bring this down a lot (though the Janela match wasn’t THAT bad), with the main event definitely being the biggest problem. The good thing is that a lot of this show wasn’t hardcore or deathmatch stuff, with the triple threat being a pretty standard weapons match. This could have been a lot worse and if you cut out the main event, it’s a very good show. I know the deathmatch stuff has an audience, but it’s just not me and never will be.

Results
Zack Sabre Jr. b. Fuminori Abe – Zack Driver
Ishin b. Jimmy Lloyd and Effy – Frog splash onto chairs onto Lloyd
Kushida/Yamato b. Bustah And The Brain and MxM Collection
El Phantasmo/Maika b. Dragon Kid/Starlight Kid – Rollup to Dragon
Gringo Loco/Joey Janela b. Gedo/Daisuke Sasaki – Top rope double stomp through door to Gedo
Matt Tremont/Nick Gage b. El Desperado/Jun Kasai and Masashi Takeda/Rina Yamashita – Powerbomb to Desperado

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring Of Honor
Date: April 17, 2026
Location: WJCT Studios, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re on a Friday this time as Collision was in the usual Ring Of Honor spot. In this case that probably doesn’t mean much, though Supercard Of Honor is in about a month and it’s time to start getting some matches together. That would be nice to see, though this place hardly works on a traditional schedule. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The opening video looks at the Women’s Survival Of The Fittest at Supercard Of Honor, with qualifying matches tonight. Well at least that’s something.

Opening sequence.

Survival Of The Fittest Qualifying Match: Lacey Lane vs. Billie Starkz

Athena is here with Starkz. An early armdrag sends Starkz outside, with Lane superkicking her from the apron and hitting a crossbody. On the way back in, Starkz plants her on the apron though and they head back inside with Starkz looking cocky. Some hair mares have Lane down but it’s way too early for the Swanton.

Lane rolls away and hits a basement superkick for two but Starkz has a knee injury. A fake injury that is but an injury nonetheless. Starkz slams her into a Swanton for two, with Lane reversing into a rollup for two of her own. A suplex gives Lane two and a neckbreaker connects for the same. Another exchange of rollups gets some near falls until Starks knees her in the chest and grabs a pancake for the pin at 7:27.

Rating: C+. I still don’t get the appeal behind Starkz but it makes sense to have her in the match. At the same time, it’s rather annoying because Lane was looking rather awesome in this one. She has a certain confidence to her style and it works well when she’s in the ring. It would be nice if they could both go, or if Starkz could be a bit more interesting.

Survival Of The Fittest Qualifying Match: Yuka Sakazaki vs. Viva Van

Van grabs a headlock to start and easily wins a battle of the shoulders. Sakazaki avoids a charge to send her outside though and hits the dive to take over. Back in and Van gets painful with a dragon screw legwhip before working on the knee. One heck of a Boston crab sends Sakazaki over to the ropes but she’s able to kick Van down. A basement clothesline drops Van again but she’s right back with a spinning kick. Van’s flipping kick to the head gets two so Sakazaki nails her with a discus forearm. The spinning slam and Magical Girl Splash finish Van at 7:10.

Rating: C. Well at least her knee healed up so fast. This was one of those matches with zero drama about who was going to win so Van working on the knee was a nice enough story. At the same time, it really doesn’t matter if Sakazaki shrugs it off and does her big moves to win in the end anyway.

We look back at Ace Austin pinning Carly Bravo last week in an eight man tag. Naturally, this leads to the following.

Pure Rules Title: Marshall Von Erich vs. Lee Moriarty

Von Erich is challenging in his first singles match in ROH and commentary makes it clear that the eight man tag set this up. I’m sure there’s a logic in there somewhere but please don’t explain it to me as I don’t want my mind working that way. Moriarty grabs a hammerlock to start and Von Erich uses his first rope break less than fifty seconds in. Back up and Von Erich hits a dropkick to try the Claw, causing Moriarty to use his first break

Moriarty works on the arm and even bends the fingers to try and take the Claw away. Von Erich burns another rope break and hits a running corner clothesline to take over for a change. There’s a cannonball for two but Moriarty Saito suplexes him for the same. The Border City Stretch goes on and there’s Von Erich’s last rope break. The Claw goes on but Moriarty pulls him into the ropes and grabs a triangle choke to retain at 6:51.

Rating: C+. Well that was quite the side trip. Von Erich, who isn’t a singles wrestler and is barely a tag wrestler, lost his title shot which was set up when his partner pinned someone other than the champion. This is an example of something that was thrown out there in an attempt to give the match a story and it didn’t work because it made no sense. This stuff really shouldn’t be that hard and yet…well you make sense of it.

Josh Woods is bored with the lack of competition so it’s an open challenge for a Pure Rules match as he tries to get to the Pure Rules Title. So, to recap, Woods wins a streak of Pure Rules matches but can’t get another title shot while Von Erich….you know what, never mind. It’s so dumb at this point I’m not even going to waste my time.

Survival Of The Fittest Qualifying Match: Hyan vs. Trish Adora

Christian XO is here with Adora. They fight over a lockup to start with Adora backing her into the corner. Hyan gets in a dropkick so Adora rolls outside, where Hyan scores with a dive. Back in and Hyan goes up top, only to get knocked down. XO gets in a cheap shot and Adora cranks on the arms (while sitting between them) back inside.

The weird kneeling stretch has Hyan in more trouble and her chops are cut off with a crank of the arm. Hyan gets up for a pump kick and a belly to back suplex for two. A spear drops Adora for two more but an Unprettier is blocked. Adora’s bridging German suplex (with that weird knee bend) sets up the Lariat Tubman to finish Hyan at 7:28.

Rating: C+. It was nice to have a match which could have gone either way, as Adora is someone who could knock anyone out but Hyan has been near the title for a little while now. I could go for some more of Hyan getting a chance, while Adora making the match is fine enough. Another perfectly fine match, though at least it had some drama about the result.

Survival Of The Fittest Qualifying Match: Isla Dawn vs. Persephone

Persephone’s CMLL Women’s Title isn’t on the line. They fight over a lockup to start with neither getting very far so they break it off. Persephone snaps off a running headscissors but Dawn is back with a running shoulder for a knockdown. Dawn hits a Backstabber and starts in on the leg in the corner, followed by a Saito suplex.

The chinlock goes on but Persephone fights up, only to get blasted with a clothesline. Persephone fights out of a cobra clutch, followed by a fall away slam to put Dawn down for a change. A middle rope moonsault misses though and Dawn gets something close to a dragon sleeper. Persephone manages to spin around and get on top for the pin at 8:16.

Rating: B-. This was a better match with Dawn mostly escaping with the win, which made for a good result. Persephone is on fire at the moment and it wouldn’t shock me to see her win the title at Supercard Of Honor. As a result, she wasn’t about to lose here but at least she had to work hard to get there.

Nick Wayne, Mother Wayne and Kip Sabian (who still has a job) sat down with Caprice Coleman to talk about Nick going to compete in the Best Of The Super Juniors. He was gone for eight months, came back for like six weeks, and is leaving for a Japanese tournament??? Good grief. Well, granted it’s not like the title is going to be missed anyway.

TV Title: Evil Uno vs. Nick Wayne

Uno is getting this title shot due to his success in Mystery Wrestling, Maple Leaf Wrestling and Ring Of Honor. Dang it. Hang on. Uno’s record in:

Mystery Wrestling – 2-6 (with his one singles win coming in 2019)
Maple Leaf Pro – 3-1 (his one singles win was in October)
Ring Of Honor (this year) – 0-5 (all in tag matches, with his last singles win coming in 2014)

Three promotions, one with a winning record and most of that was in tag matches. But sure, let’s do this. Uno backs him into the corner to start and Wayne hides in the ropes for a bit. Wayne grabs a headlock and snapmares him down but Uno sends him outside for a hug from Mother. Uno runs him over and they go back inside for some corner clotheslines. Wayne goes back to the arm and hits it with a top rope double stomp.

Some less than respectful slaps to the head wake Uno up a bit but Wayne is right back on the arm. A jumping neckbreaker gets Uno out of trouble and he DDTs Wayne for two. The piledriver gets two but Wayne is right back with a standing Sliced Bread for the same. Wayne’s Kimura sends Uno over to the rope and it’s a Last Shot to rock Wayne for a change. Back up and Wayne kicks him in the head for the pin to retain at 10:13.

Rating: B-. They had a better match than I was expecting as Wayne is starting to look more polished in the ring. That’s a good sign for his future, as he could be a bigger deal in the future. At the same time, I have completely given up trying to figure out how title matches work around here and apparently the promotion has too. Apparently I now need to follow two other promotions (minimum) to get why matches are taking place here, though it doesn’t seem like ROH has any idea how math works anyway.

Post match Wayne says it’s his world and you’re just living in it. AR Fox comes out and has a staredown with Wayne. Now that at least makes a bit of sense.

AR Fox vs. Daisuke Sasaki

Sasaki shoulders him down to start and tries an early crossface, with Fox slipping out. Fox kicks him to the apron for the running flipping stomp but Sasaki twists the leg around in the corner. More leg cranking sets up a kneebar and Fox makes it over to the rope. Back up and Fox rolls over for a suplex and they’re both down for a bit. Fox elbows and kicks away, setting up the basement cutter.

A rolling cutter gives Fox two but a 450 misses. Sasaki is back on the leg and DDT has Fox in more trouble. The crossface almost makes Fox tap, with his foot having to reach the rope. Sasaki goes for the arm again but gets pulled into a cutter to send him outside. Fox hits a big dive and hangs him in the corner for a slingshot Canadian Destroyer and the pin at 9:37.

Rating: B. The more I see from Fox, the more I appreciate how unique he really is. He’s able to make things look different than anyone else and while he is a good example of a moves guy, he’s able to do it so smoothly that it’s fun to watch. Let him into the TV Title picture or just have him beat Wayne for the title already.

Nigel McGuinness will face Josh Woods at Supercard Of Honor. Is it just me or are the same three or four people fighting for the title for years?

Supercard Of Honor rundown, with Bandido vs. Blake Christian for the World Title FINALLY being set.

Christian says it should have always been his title shot. Well yeah.

Aaron Solo/QT Marshall/Nick Comoroto vs. Lethal Twist

The Twist jumps them to start fast with Lethal being left alone against Comoroto. That earns Lethal a quick gorilla press as Lethal is in early trouble. Solo comes in to chop away at Lethal but gets knocked into the corner for some stomping. It’s off to Johnson to kick at Solo before Lethal is back in to work on the leg.

Johnson’s stalling suplex gets two but Solo manages to crotch Lethal and Johnson on the top rope. Christian can’t cut off the tag and it’s Marshall coming in to fight back. Everything breaks down and Solo gets dropkicked in the Tree Of Woe. Comoroto gets struck down and it’s the double stomp/Death Valley Driver combination to finish him off at 8:52.

Rating: C+. Maybe it’s the old school fan in me but maybe the it would make more sense to have the #1 contender for the World Title in a singles match rather than yet another six man tag against low level competition. I don’t know, like, building him up for the title match? Maybe? Just a thought of course.

We look at Maya World almost beating Athena for the Women’s Title three weeks ago.

Survival Of The Fittest Qualifying Match: Maya World vs. Robyn Renegade

World works on a headlock to start and they trade wristlocks for an early standoff. Renegade knocks her down but misses a pump kick in the corner, allowing World to snap off an anklescissors. A snap suplex gives World two but Renegade superkicks her off the ropes and out to the floor.

Back in and a dropkick gives Renegade two but World blocks a kick and gives her a German suplex. World’s dropkick gets two, only for Renegade to stomp her onto the apron. The twisting suplex gives Renegade two and she goes up, where a slip causes her to miss a moonsault. World’s Shining Wizard is enough for the pin at 8:54.

Rating: B-. There wasn’t exactly much drama to this one as World has been around the title picture for awhile now and Renegade…well she hasn’t. That being said, it felt like Renegade was giving it all she had here and they wound up having a nice back and forth match. World is getting better every week, though it isn’t going to matter if she doesn’t win something eventually.

Zayda Steel vs. Athena

Non-title Proving Ground match. Steel’s headlock takeover is countered into a headscissors so Athena grabs a headlock of her own. That actually sends Steel over to the rope, followed by a running headscissors. A fireman’s carry doesn’t work for Athena as Steel armdrags her down but gets sent outside. Athena nails a dive and it’s time to start slowing things down a bit. A dropkick cuts Steel off again and Athena drives some knees into the back.

The standing crossface has Steel in more trouble but she elbows her way out of the corner. There’s a neckbreaker to drop Athena and Steel rolls a kick into the head for two more. Athena pops back up with a superkick into a tiger suplex but the O Face is broken up. A tornado DDT gives Steel two but another attempt is countered into a kind of Boss Man Slam. The reverse Koji Clutch makes Steel tap at 9:34.

Rating: B-. Well thank goodness they tacked this on because Steel hadn’t lost a match in long enough. She’s the latest in the “well yeah she’s losing a lot but she’s losing to big names so it’s ok”, which has worked….maybe a few times? Anyway, this was another hard fought match with Athena getting close to being in trouble but Steel doesn’t win big matches so it wasn’t going to happen.

Overall Rating: C+. While I liked that this show had a theme with the qualifying matches, it’s a glaring example of how little sense this whole place makes. Continuing with the theme of earning title shots, you had people either trying to get title shots or earning title shots on this show. This week saw:

• Marshall Von Erich gets a shot because his partner pinned someone who wasn’t the champion
• Evil Uno gets a shot because of his success in other promotions
• Five women get a shot because they won qualifying matches
• Josh Woods trying to get a title shot because the matches he’s won don’t count
• Blake Christian gets a shot because he should have had a one on one title shot even though he hasn’t won a singles match since December

This is what I’m talking about when I say it’s like they make things up as they go around here. The rules change depending on whomever is going after a title because it’s like no one remembers anything that happened more than five minutes ago. I get that Ring Of Honor isn’t a promotion or anything close to one, but I should be able to figure out what is going on and how it makes sense in the span of a two hour (because THIS SHOW needs to be that long) broadcast.

Results
Billie Starkz b. Lacey Lance – Pancake
Yuka Sakazaki b. Viva Van – Magical Girl Splash
Lee Moriarty b. Marshall Von Erich – Triangle choke
Trish Adora b. Hyan – Lariat Tubman
Persephone b. Isla Dawn – Rollup
Nick Wayne b. Evil Uno – Kick to the head
AR Fox b. Daisuke Sasaki – Slingshot Canadian Destroyer
Lethal Twist b. QT Marshall/Aaron Solo/Nick Comoroto – Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination to Comoroto
Maya World b. Robyn Renegade – Shining Wizard
Athena b. Zayda Steel – Reverse Koji Clutch

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Ring Of Honor
Date: April 10, 2026
Location: WJCT Studios, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s an AEW PPV week so that means we get a bonus Ring Of Honor. I’m guessing the theory is to get the wrestling happy people on the Ring Of Honor bandwagon but the show was barely mentioned on this week’s Ring Of Honor show, with no mention on AEW TV. In other words, expect the equivalent of the deleted scenes from a TV taping. Let’s get to it.

Here are this week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

MxM Collection vs. Top Flight

Mansoor and Darius start things off with Mansoor stopping to pose but Darius bends the finger back. Dante comes in with a top rope ax handle to the arm so Mansoor bails into the ropes. That lets Madden come in from behind with a leg lariat and a side slam/legdrop combination gets two on Dante.

Madden crushes Mansoor in the corner though and it’s off to Dante to start the comeback. Everything breaks down and Darius gets caught in a sitout powerbomb/leg lariat combination for a rather near fall. Mansoor gets crotched on top though and it’s a hurricanrana into a sitout powerbomb to give Darius two. Darius suicide dives onto Madden and Mansoor is slingshotted into a cutter for the pin at 6:01.

Rating: C+. While it might not have been the exact same match, this feels like the kind of match that we have seen several times now. They’re both entertaining teams, but neither of them are going anywhere. The Tag Team Titles aren’t defended very often and it’s not like the champions even appear very often. In other words, nice match, not going to mean anything.

Rush vs. Dante Leon

Rush knocks him to the floor and then takes him back inside for the forearms in the corner. The Bull’s Horns finishes Leon at 1:12.

The IInspiration are ready to face anyone around here.

Hyan/Maya World vs. IInspiration

World has to duck out of a right hand out of the corner to start but Lee drives her right back into another corner. Hyan comes in for a hurricanrana out of the corner and a bridging suplex puts Lee down for two. Lee makes a blind tag though and hits a knee to the face to put Hyan in trouble for a change.

The IInspiration gets in some posing before talking some trash, followed by an armbar to keep Hyan down. The chinlock doesn’t last long and Hyan comes out of the corner with a running clothesline. World splashes both of them in the corner and a moonsault gets two on McKay. A posting puts McKay down on the floor and a double chickenwing faceplant/Downward Spiral combination finishes Lee at 6:55.

Rating: C. Well, they were undefeated for about a day. I’m not sure what the point was in having the team win a match on one episode of Ring Of Honor and then lose the next night. It isn’t like there are many teams who matter much in Ring Of Honor and the IInspiration lose that soon? Hyan and World are established enough and don’t gain much here so…why?

Gates Of Agony vs. Daisuke Sasaki/Paul Virk

Sasaki is a big deal in DDT. Kaun leapfrogs Sasaki to start and chops him into the corner before handing it off to Liona. Sasaki gets pulled out of the air and driven into the corner, only to get over for the tag to (the rather tall) Virk. That means a mini hoss fight with Liona, who eventually drops Virk with a spinebuster. Open The Gates finishes Virk at 3:10.

Rating: C. Sasaki might not be the biggest star in the world but he felt way out of place as a jobber in a tag match. Other than that, this was a reminder that the big power team are till a big power team. That’s pretty much what you’ve seen from the Gates for years now and that doesn’t seem likely to change.

Sisters Of Sin vs. Nixi XS/Aminah Belmont

XS and Hart knock the other two off the apron to start and it’s off to those other two rather quickly. XS is knocked off the apron this time and Belmont gets caught in the Tarantula, allowing Blue to hit a running dropkick. A snapmare into a PK gets two on Belmont but she fights out of the corner. There’s no XS to tag though and a Black Widow makes Belmont tap at 3:42.

Rating: C. The string of fairly run of the mill tag matches continues, albeit with a team who aren’t regulars around here. The Sisters are fine enough in their role, but there isn’t exactly anything for them to do around here. The match was little more than a squash, though at least Belmont got in a bit of offense to keep it from getting dull.

Dalton Castle/Outrunners vs. Deonn Rusman/Devo Knight/Alex Findley

Castle is rather excited for the new ROH figures and wants them in your guest bathroom. Magnum headlocks Knight to start and it’s off to Floyd to work on the arm. A spinning belly to back suplex drops Knight and his partners both get chopped. Castle comes in for the suplexes and the Mega Powers Elbow finish Findley at 3:42.

Rating: C. Cool, now give them a title shot. I’m not sure what else is next for the Outrunners/Castle, but the only logical step is a title shot. They’ve won all kinds of regular matches in a row, they’re popular and they’re…not likely to face the champions, because the titles have been defended once since December so we just get to keep waiting, as always.

Dralistico vs. Komander

Dralistico is wrestling in a shirt, which is apparently rather disrespectful in lucha libre. They trade some early rollups for two each but Dralistico tells him to stop running. Komander does for some reason, allowing Dralistico to remove his shirt. Dralistico takes him down and hits a running knee to the face, followed by a running shot in the corner. Komander fights up and chops away, followed by a DDT for two.

Dralistico avoids a 450 but gets rolled up for two more instead. A gutbuster hits Dralistico but he pops back up to kick Komander down. That doesn’t last long as Komander knocks him off the top and hits a super crucifix bomb for two. A poisonrana into Cielito Lindo finishes Dralistico at 9:29.

Rating: B-. This was the kind of match you would have expected from the two of them and, while it doesn’t have the best competition, it did feel like the biggest match of the show. They had their high flying stuff and it worked pretty well, which shouldn’t be a surprise. Granted it’s the second Komander vs. a high flier match I’ve seen in two days but at least it was good.

Overall Rating: C. Yep this was exactly what I was expecting the second I saw this show being announced. Ring Of Honor turns these shows into big ads for the weekly show and that’s exactly what what it felt like: a bunch of mostly mediocre matches which don’t feel like they have any impact on the ongoing stories. If you like Ring Of Honor, you’ll like this, but after three plus hours of the same style in two days, I could go for a break from this stuff.

Results
Top Flight b. MxM Collection – Slingshot cutter to Mansoor
Rush b. Dante Leon – Bull’s Horns
Hyan/Maya World b. IInspiration – Double chickenwing faceplant/Downward Spiral combination to Lee
Gates Of Agony b. Daisuke Sasaki/Paul Virk – Open The Gates to Virk
Sisters Of Sin b. Nixi XS/Aminah Belmont – Black Widow to Belmont
Dalton Castle/Outrunners b. Deonn Rusman/Devo Knight/Alex Findley – Mega Powers Elbow to Findley
Komander b. Dralistico – Cielito Lindo

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Uprising
Date: March 28, 2026
Location: St. Clair College SportsPlex, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Don Callis, Ian Riccaboni

It’s the second night of the Ring Of Honor/Maple Leaf Pro shows and this one has quite a great show to follow from last night. Odds are this on will deal with some fallout from last night, including another Deonna Purrazzo vs. Gisele Shaw title match and a four way for the Interim Canadian Title. Let’s get to it.

The opening video more or less says this is the sequel to Global Wars.

Michael Allen Richard Clark (MLP)/Jake Crist (Wrestling Revolver) vs. Mascara Dorada (CMLL)/Bhupinder Gujjar (MLP)

Clark and Gujjar start things off with Gujjar picking up the pace into a dropkick. Dorada comes in and sticks the landing on Crist’s headscissors. Some dropkicks put Crist and Clark on the floor, setting up stereo dives. Back in and Clark knocks Gujjar to the floor for a dive of his own and Crist gives him a Russian legsweep back inside.

Clark comes in for the pushups (they’re his thing) on Gujjar’s back, which has Gujjar up for the high crossbody. The tag brings in Dorada to clean house and a spinning slam gets two on Crist. Gujjar’s TKO drops Crist for two, only for Clark to come back in with a powerslam/sliding neckbreaker combination for two on Gujjar. Everything breaks down and Dorada dives onto Crist, leaving Gujjar to spear Clark for the pin at 11:04.

Rating: B-. Pretty standard fast paced tag match here and that’s a good way to open the show. Clark is nice in the overly cocky heel style and Gujjar is fine as a middle of the road hero. As usual Dorada was the big star here and easily the flashiest thing in the match, though he didn’t get a ton of focus. Either way, perfectly fine way to get things going.

Sheldon Jean, Bryce Hansen and Brent Banks are ready to take the Tag Team Titles, though Hansen is told to get a haircut. Hansen is annoyed and yells at some people so Daisuke Sasaki throws a chair at him.

Taylor Rising/Chris Chambers (MLP) vs. Evil Uno (ROH)/Alice Crowley (JCW)

The women trade legsweeps and covers for two each before it’s off to Uno vs. Chambers. Uno can’t get very far working on the arm so Chambers is up with a dropkick. It’s back to Crowley to kick away at Rising, with a Saito suplex for two. Chambers pulls Crowley down from the apron though and Rising gets two off a victory roll.

It’s back to Chambers to work on Crowley and Uno has to come in for a quick save. That just lets Rising choke on the rope but Crowley backdrops her way out. That’s enough for the tag off to Uno for the house cleaning. Uno is sent into Rising, allowing Chambers to grab a rollup for two. Crowley is back in with a suplex though, allowing Uno to piledrive Chambers for the pin at 8:50.

Rating: C. And we continue yesterday’s issue of MLP not doing so well over this weekend. The best thing is that Alice continues to showcase herself well. She got my attention yesterday and kept it going today. There is something to her that makes her stand out, with Rising not being far behind. Not a thrilling match, but it was nice to see another Canadian get a pin, even if Uno doesn’t work here.

The Swirl (ROH) vs. El Reverso/Mo Jabari (MLP)

Jimmy Jacobs is on commentary. Jabari and Johnson run the ropes to start, with Parker taking him down and then dropping Reverso on top. Reverso hammers away in the corner but gets taken into the wrong corner. That doesn’t last long as Reverso escapes and brings Parker back in for the comeback. This time it’s Parker being taken into the wrong corner, with Johnson stomping away and Christian adding a suplex. A double clothesline leaves both of them down though and it’s back to Reverso as the pace picks way back up

Reverso’s Canadian Destroyer gets two but Johnson powerbombs him into Christian’s knees in the corner. Chasing The Dragon gets two on Reverso as Parker makes the save, leaving all four down. That’s enough for Jacobs to get up and hand Parker a chair. Parker drops it but gets speared on the apron by Christian. Reverso gets kneed in the head, setting up a top rope double stomp/Death Valley Driver combination to give Johnson the pin at 11:35.

Rating: B-. The Swirl continues to be one of the better things about Ring Of Honor so it was nice to see them getting to do something on this show. You just want to see them get what’s coming to them and that’s a good feeling to have for some villains. Reverso and Parker were fine, but there was nothing to them that especially stood out.

We recap Bishop Dyer vs. Kaito Kiyamiya. They were partners last night but had issues and lost the match. After it was over, Dyer turned on him.

Dyer is asked why he turned on Kiyamiya. Dyer: “Because I’m an a******.”

Bishop Dyer (MLP) vs. Kaito Kiyamiya (Pro Wrestling Noah)

Dyer shoves him down to start so Kiyamiya jumps on him to slug away. Some more right hands in the corner have Dyer in trouble but he shoves Kiyamiya down again. They go outside with Dyer chopping away against the barricade but hits the post by mistake. Back in and Dyer kicks the rope for a low blow, followed by the Deep Six for two. A hard whip sends Kiyamiya crashing over the corner to the floor and Dyer rams him hard into the apron.

Back in again and Dyer misses a charge in the corner, allowing Kiyamiya to hit a running clothesline. A nice dropkick puts Dyer down but the shining Wizard is countered into an AA. Dyer’s brainbuster gets two and a chokebreaker has Kiyamiya in even more trouble. Another chokebreaker is countered with a kick to the head and Dyer’s powerbomb is countered with a sunset flip to give Kiyamiya the pin at 13:01.

Rating: B-. It’s fascinating to see someone like Dyer be a bit less than successful as a main event heel but absolutely thrive as a midcard star. This is the role he was perfect for and it worked great here. Dyer knows how to wrestle like a monster bully and ultimately he got caught as he tried to do too much. Fun match here, though say it with me: MLP loses AGAIN.

Post match Dyer knocks Kiyamiya cold and hammers on him, followed by the End Of Days.

We get the announcement that MLP is coming to TSN this July.

Rohan Raja, with Aurora Teves, wants the Canadian Title because he’s already had the Champion’s Grail for over 500 days. He’ll win the title tonight anyway.

Daisuke Sasaki (DDT) vs. Bryce Hansen (MLP)

No DQ. Sasaki’s chair shots misses and Hansen kicks him outside. Back in and Sasaki gets in the chair shot before wrapping said chair around Hansen’s neck for a ram into the post. A running boot to Hansen, whose head is still in the chair, gets two and it’s already time for a table. As usual that takes too long though and Hansen fights back, only to set up his own table on the floor.

Even Callis thinks this is taking too long and Sasaki proves him right by choking him down onto the table. Hansen is able to fight up and grab a gutwrench powerbomb from the apron through the table. That’s only good for two back inside so Hansen grabs a kendo stick. Said stick hits the top rope though and bounces back onto Hansen’s own head. The spear through the table sets up a top rope chair shot as Hansen has a seat right over there to give Sasaki the pin at 8:12.

Rating: C. This was pretty much exactly what it should have been, as Sasaki took Hansen apart and basically dismantled him in a few minutes. Hansen got in some offense, but this was about Sasaki destroying him without much trouble. It’s a good example of “don’t overthink this” and it wound up going perfectly well.

Stu Grayson is feeling the pressure going into the main event but Evil Uno comes in to fire him up.

MLP Tag Team Titles: Good Brothers (MLP) vs. Sheldon Jean/Brent Banks (MLP)

The Brothers are defending after becoming the inaugural champions last night. Anderson chops the heck out of Banks to start and then takes him into the corner to do it again. Gallows comes in for his weird uppercuts and a fall away slam as the fans are ALL behind the Good Brothers here.

A big legdrop gives Gallows two but Banks gets in a shot of his own and ax handles away. It’s off to Jean so Gallows clotheslines them both down and brings Anderson back in to keep up the pace. A backsplash gets two on Jean but a trip brings Anderson down. Jean hits a clothesline and the challengers take over for a change, with Banks getting some quick near falls.

Anderson is right back up to send Jean outside, followed by a neckbreaker to Banks. It’s back to Gallows to clean house and the belly to back neckbreaker gets two on Banks. Jean breaks up the Magic Killer so Anderson grabs the spinebuster for another near fall. The Gun Stun is broken up though and Banks gets in a belt shot for the pin and the titles at 11:02.

Rating: C+. Hey MLP finally won something! I mean of course they lost at the same time but call it a step in the right direction. The Good Brothers being the inaugural champions give the belts a bit of prestige before another team won them, which is a tale as old as time in wrestling. The pesky heels get one over on the popular veterans and we move on to see who’s next. Nothing wrong with that.

Gisele Shaw says Deonna Purrazzo beat her in Pure Rules, which isn’t the same as pro wrestling. Purrazzo won on a technicality but tonight, everything will be different.

MLP Women’s Title: Gisele Shaw (MLP) vs. Deonna Purrazzo (ROH)

Shaw is defending. They fight over a lockup to start and then trade headlocks to no avail. Purrazzo shoulders Shaw in the arm that was banged up last night, with the Fujiwara armbar sending Shaw straight to the ropes. The fight heads outside with Purrazzo sending her face first into the apron, only for Shaw to come back with a posting.

Back in and Shaw grabs an armbar with some elbows to the head as a bonus. Purrazzo fights up and wins a test of strength, followed by a running knee. The Fujiwara is broken up though and Shaw grabs an anarchist suplex for two. A spear gives Shaw two more but Purrazzo fights right back to put her down again. The Fujiwara goes on again, with Shaw making the rope to save herself.

Back up and Shock And Awe gives Shaw two so they get up and slap it out. That turns into a slugout until they trade kicks to the face, with Shaw pulling the referee into the way of Purrazzo’s boot. Shaw sends the bad arm into the post and then crushes it with the steps to make it worse. Purrazzo is back with a Fujiwara and Shaw taps but there’s no referee. Since that isn’t enough cheating, Shaw finds some brass knuckles to knock Purrazzo silly and retain at 17:25.

Rating: B. This got going with the submission attempts, though I did like Shaw just going full on villain. There’s a good way to set up a rubber match down the line in there and that could make for a nice Multiverse match. Shaw has impressed me most of the time I’ve seen her and she hung in there with an established name, albeit by cheating in almost every possible way.

Interim Canadian Title: Elimination Challenge

It’s a six man gauntlet match for the vacant title. Jay Lethal (ROH) is in at #1 and Michael Oku (RevPro) is in at #2. They trade some rather fast rollups to start and it’s off to the exchange of forearms. Oku manages a dropkick to the floor and adds the running flip dive for the knockdown. Back in and Lethal gets in a knockdown of his own, with Oku’s leg getting tied up in the ropes.

Oku has to beat the count back in so Lethal hammers away and goes after the leg some more. The chinlock goes on for a bit but the Figure Four is blocked. A DDT gives Oku two but he can’t get the half crab. Instead it’s a Lethal Combination for two, setting up Lethal’s Figure Four. That’s reversed into another failed half crab attempt so Lethal goes up for Hail To the King…which is reversed into a rollup to give Oku the pin at 12:05.

Rohan Raja (MLP) is in at #3 and sneaks in to jump Oku, with a jumping Downward Spiral finishing for Raja at 13:04. Rich Swann (MLP) is in at #4 but Raja’s manager Aurora Teves grabs his leg, meaning it’s a jumping Downward Spiral for a near fall. A choke with a knee in Swann’s back is broken up but Swann knocks him down for two. Raja heads outside and gets taken down with a running flip dive.

Swann actually puts him in a chair and gets a running start for some running boots to the face. He tries it once too often though and Raja is back up with a boot of his own. Back in and Swann superkicks him out of the air and they’re both down. A frog splash gives Swann two more, followed by the middle rope 450 for the same. Teves offers a distraction though and another 450 misses. Raja’s Backstabber into a jumping Downward Spiral finishes Swann at 20:23.

Stu Grayson is in at #5 and the cut open Raja bails out to the floor. Grayson goes outside to get him and nails a quick Pele. Teves breaks up a torture rack and is finally ejected, leaving Raja angry on the ramp. He slides back in and gets kneed in the face, setting up Knightfall (torture rack dropped down into a backbreaker) to give Grayson the pin at 24:41. Jonathan Gresham (apparently freelance) is in at #6 to complete the field but hold on though as Raja chairs Grayson down before leaving.

Gresham glares at Raja before getting in and lets Grayson get a breather before going after him. They grapple around to start and neither gets anywhere so let’s shake hands. Grayson takes him down for an armbar and Gresham gets over to the ropes in a hurry. Grayson’s hurricanrana and dropkick have Gresham on the apron and the dive connects. Back in and a battle of the chops goes to Grayson, as Gresham wants a timeout. A sneaky low blow cuts Grayson down and they go to the mat, where Gresham can’t force the arm down.

With that not working, it’s a crucifix for two on Grayson before Gresham ties up the arms. Gresham pulls on one of the legs for some painful stretching before going back to the arm. They fight over a suplex until they both crash out over the top for a nasty double crash. Back in and Gresham goes after the arm again but Grayson sends him flying with some overhead belly to bellys.

A spinning Downward Spiral into a Lionsault gives Grayson two but Knightfall is blocked. Grayson settles for a springboard tornado DDT for two but Gresham is right back to the arm in a smart move. Gresham’s crossface is broken up with a grab of the rope so it’s off to an Octopus. With that broken up, Gresham goes up and gets superplexed back down, setting up a running knee. Knightfall gives Grayson the pin and the title at 42:27.

Rating: B-. This was a match where it felt like they were going for something epic and it really just felt long more than anything else. Grayson winning was pretty obvious once they got down to the final two as there was almost no way an American was winning the title in the end. It’s a good enough main event, though anything involving an interim title feels kind of weak by definition. Still though, at least Grayson looked like a star in the end, as he did last night.

Grayson celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This show’s problem is it came after Global Wars, which was great, while this one was just pretty good. It’s certainly not a bad show and there are far worse options, but nothing on here felt must see. At the same time. MLP still feels like a higher end independent effort and I’ll absolutely take that every time. Good enough show here, though dang can the home promotion have a better success rate?

Results
Mascara Dorada/Bhupinder Gujjar b. Jake Crist/Michael Allen Richard Clark – Spear to Clark
Evil Uno/Alice Crowley b. Taylor Rising/Chris Chambers – Piledriver to Chambers
The Swirl b. Mo Jabari/El Reverso – Top rope double stomp/Death Valley Driver combination to Reverso
Kaito Kiyamiya b. Bishop Dyer – Sunset flip
Daisuke Sasaki b. Bryce Hansen – Top rope chair shot
Sheldon Jean/Brent Banks b. Good Brothers – Belt shot to Anderson
Gisele Shaw b. Deonna Purrazzo – Brass knuckles punch
Stu Grayson won an Elimination Challenge last eliminating Jonathan Gresham

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring Of Honor x Maple Leaf Pro Global Wars Canada
Date: March 27, 2026
Location: St. Clair College SportsPlex, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Don Callis, Ian Riccaboni, Mauro Ranallo

This is a co-promoted show between the two promotions and that means it is time for some brand vs. brand matches. That can make for some interesting matches, hopefully with something to help make the Ring Of Honor booking a bit better than usual. There are some titles on the line as well so let’s get to it.

Note that I do not follow MLP so I apologize in advance for any plot or character details I get wrong.

Adam Priest/Tommy Billington (ROH) vs. Eddie Kingston/Ortiz (ROH)

Kingston and Priest start things off with Priest grabbing a headlock takeover. That doesn’t last long so Kingston takes him into the corner for a back rake from Ortiz. A double suplex drops Priest, who brings Ortiz over to the corner a double suplex with Billington. Ortiz is back with a flapjack for the break and it’s back to Kingston, who is knocked into the wrong corner as well.

Kingston chops his way out of the corner but gets taken down, only for Ortiz to come in for the save. Everything breaks down and it’s a Crossface and half crab to have Kingston and Ortiz in trouble. Those are broken up and it’s a Doomsday bulldog to bring Priest down. Billington is legal though and snaps off some snap suplexes…but Kingston grabs an Oklahoma roll to pin Billington at 9:01.

Rating: C+. Perfectly nice opener here and the fans are going to be into pretty much anything Kingston does. At the same time, I really don’t see the appeal of the team with Ortiz. Maybe they’re hoping he breaks out like Mike Santana did in TNA, but putting a guy who was in a great tag team into a weaker tag team doesn’t seem productive.

Josh Alexander was supposed to be in the ring at this show but he’s hurt his knee and has to undergo knee surgery. The future of his Canadian Title isn’t clear.

Ring Of Honor Women’s TV Title: Alice Crowley (JCW) vs. Red Velvet (ROH

Velvet is defending and Crowley is from Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Crowley kicks the offer of a handshake away and gets rolled up for some early near falls. Crowley shoves her into the ropes, where Velvet hits a pair of kicks to the back of the head. They head outside with Crowley getting in a knockdown, followed by a snap suplex for two back inside.

Velvet is back up to strike away in the corner, only to miss a charge into the corner. A sitout bulldog drops Crowley and Velvet hits the running crotch attack in the ropes. Crowley kicks her in the face though and a Saito suplex gets two. An Iconoclasm pulls Crowley off the top for two but she comes back with an Air Raid Crash for two more. Velvet is done with this though and hits a quick Chef’s Kiss to retain at 8:24.

Rating: B-. This was a more physical match than the opener and they were starting to trade some good stuff in the end. Velvet’s rise up has been rather impressive as she’s a completely different kind of star than she was just a year or so ago. I could go for more of Crowley too as she showed some potential.

Deonna Purrazzo is glad to face Gisele Shaw tonight but Purrazzo has the edge because it’s Pure Rules.

Lethal Twist (ROH) vs. Evil Uno/Bhupinder Gujjar/Psycho Mike (MLP)

Lethal struts away from Mike to start so the larger Mike shoulders him down. The threat of Mike’s signature slam sends Lethal outside so Mike runs over the Swirl on the floor. Back in and the Swirl break up another slam attempt as Callis talks about Kyle Fletcher. Gujjar comes in for a running headscissors to Johnson, followed by a dropkick for two.

Back up and Gujjar gets knocked out of the corner as everything breaks down, with the villains clearing the ring. We settle down to Lethal giving Gujjar a DDT, setting up a double superkick from the Swirl. Gujjar fights out of the corner though and it’s a high crossbody to Lethal. Uno gets the tag and cleans house but runs out of wind trying to hit some running corner clotheslines.

A brainbuster onto the knee gets two on Johnson and Uno neckbreakers Lethal as well. Mike comes back in and fires off the string of slams, including tossing Christian over the top onto the other two. The big dive follows but Gujjar’s high crossbody hits Mike by mistake. A Lethal Injection drops Gujjar but he isn’t legal. Instead Lethal has to escape Mike’s slam and the Swirl is back in to strike away. Hail To The King finishes for Lethal at 12:34.

Rating: B-. Another pretty good match here with a lot of action, even though it’s not the best night for the Canadians thus far. Lethal Twist has been a solid grouping in Ring Of Honor and it makes sense to put them on the show. If nothing else, this continues their momentum for what I’m sure will be the eventual showdown with Bandido over the World Title. As for the other team, while I can’t imagine him becoming the top star, Mike has quite the charisma and the fans liked him a lot. Good for him for getting this popular.

Gisele Shaw knows what she’s doing against Deonna Purrazzo and she’s going to do it her way.

Ring Of Honor Women’s Pure Rules Title: Deonna Purrazzo (ROH) vs. Gisele Shaw (MLP)

Purrazzo is defending under Pure Rules (far more technical style, only three rope breaks as the main rule). Shaw takes her to the mat to start and works on the leg, followed by a quick curtsy. Purrazzo escapes just as fast and armdrags Shaw into an armbar. The Fujiwara armbar sends Shaw into the ropes for the break. The breather lets Shaw take her outside for a kick to the head from the apron.

Back in and Shaw hammers away but charges into a boot in the corner. They knock each other down and it’s a double breather. Purrazzo goes after the arm again but Shaw goes for something like a Disarm-Her. That’s blocked by Purrazzo so Shaw hits a hanging swinging neckbreaker, followed by another Disarm-Her. Purrazzo has to use her first rope break so Shaw grabs Shock And Awe (backbreaker into a Downward Spiral) for two.

A quick Venus de Milo sends Shaw to the ropes for the second time, followed by a piledriver to make Shaw use the third and final rope break. Shaw is back up with a Samoan driver into the Disarm-Her, with Purrazzo using the second break. Purrazzo counters something out of a full nelson and pulls Shaw into the Fujiwara. Shaw’s rope grab means nothing but it lets Purrazzo pull her into the Venus de Milo to retain at 14:11.

Rating: B. Match of the night thus far as they were getting into a good rhythm with Purrazzo having enough of an edge with the technical prowess. She’s good at this style, though I still don’t quite know why she needed a championship to go with it. Shaw is someone who has done well every time I’ve seen her and it would be nice to see her getting a shot on a bigger stage in the future.

We look at Rohan Raja becoming the inaugural holder of the Champions Grail. Stu Grayson is coming for the title.

PWA Champions Grail: Stu Grayson (MLP) vs. Rohan Raja (MLP)

Raja is defending and this is a title recognized by three promotions at once. Grayson runs him over at the bell for an early two and sends Raja outside for the suicide dive. Back in and Grayson snaps off a standing hurricanrana, followed by a legsweep to send Rana outside. There’s a big dive to drop Raja again and Grayson hits a suplex back inside. Grayson goes up but gets dropkicked out to the floor for a big crash.

Back in and Raja knocks him into the corner, setting up a hard whip to send Grayson falling out to the floor. Grayson is fine enough to hit a running clothesline but Raja shoves the referee at the ropes, allowing him to pull Grayson down. A nice kick drops Raja again and Grayson is back up to strike away. Grayson wins the battle of the clotheslines and snaps off a string of belly to belly suplexes.

A tornado DDT sets up a swinging Downward Spiral to drop Raja again and a Lionsault gets two. Raja slips out of a torture rack though and grabs a swinging Boss Man Slam into a quickly broken Rings Of Saturn. The pop up powerbomb drops Raja for two and a top rope superplex does it again. A running knee is loaded up but Raja reverses into a quick small package for the fast pin at 13:11.

Rating: B+. Grayson is someone who wrestles a certain style and that’s not a bad thing at all. He is out there flying around with everything he has and doing everything at top speed, which makes for a fun match. He does a lot better on his own than he does as part of a team and this worked well. Raja didn’t get to do much here, though his limited offense did work well. Very entertaining match here, mainly due to the energy from Grayson.

Ricochet is ready to beat Rich Swann. Yes they started off as a group of wrestlers who helped define high flying wrestling, but the difference is Ricochet has leveled up and is the better man.

Michael Allen Richard Clark (MLP) vs. Jake Crist (Wrestle Revolver) vs. Daisuke Sasaki (DDT) vs. Brent Banks (MLP) vs. Ace Austin (ROH) vs. Michael Oku (RevPro)

One fall to a finish. Before the match, Clark talks about being tired of being treated with disrespect when he is in the Canadian Pushup Hall Of Fame (please let that be a thing). The ring is mostly cleared to start so it’s Oku dropkicking Banks to start until Sasaki makes the save. Crist is back in to kick Sasaki in the face with Clark coming in to break it up. The parade of knockdowns continues with Austin getting his chance, followed by a superkick to Banks.

Clark is back with a dive to the floor to take Austin out so Sasaki hits his own dive. Crist hits a dive onto the pile before Oku can do his own so they fight onto the apron. Banks knocks both of them to the floor so Austin fireman’s carries Sasaki and Banks at the same time. The squats let Austin show off a bit and it’s time to keep knocking each other down. Sasaki Pedigrees Clark and Oku has to break up a double submission.

Everyone but Oku is down but Austin blocks a half crab attempt. Banks’ top rope twisting crossbody hits Austin and a Michinoku Driver gets two. Oku is back up with a dive onto the floor but Crist cuts him off with a Death Valley Driver. Crist’s Ki Crusher gets two so Banks is back in with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Crist cutters Banks but gets caught by Oku’s Six Star Frog Splash for the pin at 10:27.

Rating: B. I’m not huge on these matches but this was pretty much exactly what it should have been. The match was all action with Oku getting to showcase himself well. I’m not sure how much a win really matters here as Oku seems to have just been the one who got a fall first rather than being some dominant star. Either way, at least another ROH star didn’t win, even if an MLP star didn’t win.

Video on Athena, the crazy long running ROH Women’s Champion, defending against Taylor Rising, who is ready to rise.

Ring Of Honor Women’s Title: Taylor Rising (MLP) vs. Athena (ROH)

Athena is defending. They circle each other a bit to start and Athena backs her into the corner. A knockdown lets Athena smile and pose a bit but Rising is back with a headscissors. Rising’s running dropkick sends Athena to the floor but Athena pulls a dive out of the air. Athena sends her hard into the barricade and then into the steps before they head back inside. Some forearms to the back have Rising in trouble and we hit the face pull.

Athena fires off some knees to the chest but Rising is back with a quick victory roll for two. The Codebreaker sets up a 619 and Rising faceplants her for two more. What looks like a Pedigree is blocked though and Athena knees her in the head. A Tombstone gives Athena two and she stops to yell at the referee. Athena teases the O Face but gets back down and beats on Rising a bit more.

Another O Face is broken up and Rising grabs a DDT for two more. Rising’s sunset bomb gets two but Athena Saito suplexes her back down. Athena tunes up the band, only for her superkick to be blocked. Rising tries to pick her up but gets pulled into the Koji Clutch to retain the title at 12:31.

Rating: B. They were in a tough spot here as there was no reason to believe that Athena was going to lose the title on a show like this. That being said, Rising did everything she could to make it work and she had a heck of a performance. This was another good match, with Rising getting in some nice hope spots before falling short. It’s hard to make it work in this kind of a situation but they pulled it off.

MLP President Scott D’Amore announces…well actually introduces a video that announces a new weekly series, Mayhem, which will debut in July on TSN. Points for a huge announcement.

Rich Swann (MLP) vs. Ricochet (AEW)

Apparently they’ve had 75 singles matches over the years. Ricochet stalls to start before getting back inside, with Swann backing him into the corner. Swann spins out of a wristlock and we get another staredown. Ricochet pulls him down into a crossarm choke to slow the pace a bit. Swann quickly reverses into one of his own and they trade stereo dropkicks for another standoff. Swann snaps off a dropkick to the floor and adds a running flip dive off the apron.

Back in and Swann hammers away in the corner so Ricochet goes to the eyes…which just earns him a beating. Another poke to the eye cuts Swann off though and Ricochet gets in some stomping. They go outside, where Ricochet slams him face first onto the floor and heads back inside. Swann beats the count so Ricochet hits a running clothesline to the back in the corner. A running uppercut drops Swann in the corner but he’s back with a rolling clothesline for a needed breather.

Back up and some dancing punches set up a neckbreaker to give Swann two. They head to the apron where Ricochet takes over again, setting up a Lionsault for two back inside. The kickout leaves Ricochet rather frustrated so Swann kicks him in the head on top. A super hurricanrana…doesn’t work as Ricochet sticks the landing, only to get kicked in the head for two. Swann kicks away at the chest and they strike it out. The referee cuts Swann off though, allowing Ricochet to roll some suplexes (different types that is) for two. A Death Valley Driver gives Ricochet two and the Spirit Gun gives him three at 19:15.

Rating: B. This was a hard hitting match and it was entertaining, though my goodness would it kill them to have an ROH/AEW star actually take a fall here? It’s becoming a running joke here and that’s not a great thing to see. What was pretty great was these two, who obviously know each other so well, getting a chance to do it again now that Ricochet is doing something different. Rather fun match here, though it never quite hit that next level.

Multiverse is taking place over Wrestlemania Weekend!

Supercard Of Honor is on May 15!

We run down the Uprising (Saturday night) card. Of note, Steve Maclin is announced for a match though that might not be happening after he was injured at TNA Sacrifice.

MLP Tag Team Titles: Bishop Dyer/Kaito Kiyomiya (MLP) vs. Bryce Hansen/Sheldon Jean (MLP) vs. Good Brothers (MLP) vs. Gates Of Agony (AEW)

For the inaugural titles and one fall to a finish. You might know Dyer better as Baron Corbin. The Gates jump the other teams to start and the brawl goes to the outside rather quickly. Jean and Kiyomiya hit some dives before Kiyomiya and Anderson get inside to slug it out. It’s off to Gallows to strike away at Kaun in the corner and Anderson comes in to strike away.

Anderson drops Jean but it’s off to Liona to clean house. Liona chokes Anderson on the ropes and we hit the nerve hold. Hansen comes in for a forearm to take Anderson down again and Jean gets to stomp away. It’s back to Hansen for a chinlock before Anderson avoids a Liona charge. A cutter takes Kaun down and it’s off to Gallows to clean house. Gallows Jackhammers Jean for two but Kiyomiya comes back in to strike away, including a running knee for two on Kaun.

Everything breaks down and we hit a parade of knockdowns with Anderson hitting a spinebuster and Gallows adding a chokebomb. Kiyomiya makes a save with a knee to Gallows and everyone is down again. Liona throws Kiyomiya and Gallows at the same time (geez) but gets sent into the post. Dyer is sent into Kiyomiya (makes sense as it’s their first match together) and a Magic Killer drops him to give Anderson the pin and the titles at 12:35.

Rating: B. Another fast paced match that wound up being rather entertaining, though it was similar to the scramble earlier in the night. The good thing is that an MLP team FINALLY won a match (and yes they have worked here a few times before). While that team might be the Good Brothers, I’ll take it after watching Ring Of Honor and AEW lay waste to MLP all night.

Post match everyone else leaves and Dyer lays Kiyomiya out to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. This was actually a heck of a show as the last stretch of matches is one good one after another. While I could have gone for MLP winning more often, the whole show was quite impressive with nothing close to bad and a bunch of quality stuff. MLP has been one of the better independent promotions I’ve seen in a good while, as they might not do anything revolutionary but they do things well. I’ll take that over some ridiculous idea and it was a blast watching this one.

Results
Eddie Kingston/Ortiz b. Tommy Billington/Adam Priest – Oklahoma roll to Billington
Red Velvet b. Alice Crowley – Chef’s Kiss
Lethal Twist b. Evil Uno/Bhupinder Gujjar/Psycho Mike – Hail To The King to Mike
Deonna Purrazzo b. Gisele Shaw – Venus de Milo
Rohan Raja b. Stu Grayson – Small package
Michael Oku b. Ace Austin, Jake Crist, Daisuke Sasaki, Michael Allen Richard Clark and Brent Banks – Six Star Frog Splash to Banks
Athena b. Taylor Rising – Koji Clutch
Good Brothers b. Bryce Hansen/Sheldon Jean, Gates Of Agony and Bishop Dyer/Kaito Kiyamiya – Magic Killer to Dyer

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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DDT Goes Las Vegas
Date: April 18, 2025
Location: Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Dave Prazak, Nick Knowledge, Jordan Castle

This is from DDT Pro Wrestling out of Japan and that could go in a few directions. The problem here comes down to how over the top and insane things will get. There has been some great wrestling on these shows but there have also been some things that make me want to move on to anything else. That could make things interesting so let’s get to it.

Starboy Charlie vs. Yuni

These two would go on to team together the next day at TJPW vs. DDT vs. GCW. They take their time to start until Yuni flips out of an early headlock. Charlie flips away too and throws in some air guitar for visual accompaniment. That takes us to another standoff, with Yuni flipping away again. A headscissors sends Charlie outside, naturally with a moonsault taking him out. Back in and Yuni misses a moonsault, allowing Charlie to come back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

The surfboard goes on for a bit until Charlie gets two, only to get caught with a nice dropkick. A reverse dropkick in the corner sets up a running hurricanrana into a kind of jumping leg attack (a kick would be a stretch) for two. Charlie is back up with a Gory Bomb for two but Yuni grabs a tornado DDT. That just earns him a release Rock Bottom into a corkscrew moonsault for…well the bell rings but it was only two. Charlie goes up and gets caught with a dropkick. Yuni gets caught with a super atomic drop though and a shooting star press finishes for Charlie at 8:39.

Rating: C+. Good, fun opener here and that’s a smart idea. Charlie is a bit of an odd guy but he can do the flips and dives, which is what you want in a spot like this. They did well enough here without going too long, making it a good choice for the opener without going too hard to take away from later in the card.

Dan The Dad/Kody Lane vs. Daisuke Sasaki/Ilusion vs. Mizuki Watase/Shota

Dan The Dad is a great dad, complete with shorts and a coffee mug. He and Lane also come out to Born To Run so they have something going for them. Ilusion and Shota start things off with Ilusion’s wristlock not getting her very far. A jumping back elbow drops Ilusion and it’s off to Watase for a slingshot hilo. Dan comes in (with coffee) and gets wristlocked by Sasaki but manages to grab a springboard armdrag (while taking a sip and not spilling a drop).

Sasaki grabs a beer and they have a toast, with Sasaki spitting beer into Dan’s face. Then Dan loses his glasses and gets more spit in the eyes. Ilusion comes in with a missile dropkick and stomps away, with Dan having to drop his mug. Those monsters. Something like a What’s Up has Dan down again and it’s Ilusion coming in with a slingshot hilo of his own. Dan fights his way out of the corner though and grabs the mug, which is enough to give him a recharge.

A rolling tag brings in Lane to clean house, including a springboard moonsault to take out Sasaki and Ilusion. Shota gets caught in an Alley Oop (and a good one at that) but Saskai drops Lane. Watase slaps Sasaki in the face but it’s too early for Shota’s frog splash. Dan orders Shota off the top rope (safety first), earning some arguing and a tornado DDT. Lane makes the save and pulls Watase outside, only to get dropped by Shota’s dive.

Ilusion dives off the top onto the pile and Dan goes up, with Lane having to save him from Sasaki’s superplex. Instead Dan takes off his glasses and hits a running Doomsday Device to the floor. A Backpack Stunner plants Shota for two with Watase having to make the save. Dan and Watase slug it out and Lane comes in with a one footed Lionsault. Ilusion Swantons Dan though and La Mistica into a crossface makes Dan tap at 13:07.

Rating: B-. I had fun with it as you had Dan doing his goofy stuff and the others being there for the serious side. That’s what you need every so often as Dan and Lane were enough of a wacky team to make this work. Sasaki and Ilusion are good villains and the action was fast paced enough with just a right amount of comedy. Fun match.

Santana Jackson vs. Antonio Honda

Jackson is a Michael Jackson impersonator and Honda is a bald guy who doesn’t have the best coordination. Prazak: “Annie if you are ok, use the hashtag DDTVegas and let us know.” They lock up to start and Jackson dances away, including a crotch grab. The test of strength is teased and Jackson keeps switching hands, sending Honda into a fit. Jackson’s dancing makes Honda dance and he wants a timeout.

It’s actually a ruse though, with Honda hitting him in the throat to take over. Honda stomps him in the ribs for two and gets annoyed that it wasn’t enough. Back up and Honda hammers away and tries a Flip Flop and Fly, only for Jackson to dance his way out and whip out a glittery white glove for the big right hand. The Moonwalk DDT (What else?) is broken up though as Honda sends him to the floor, only to fall down on the dive attempt.

Honda grabs the mic and talks about how his knees are crying…just like George Harrison’s guitar. He wants to tell us an important story though (this is a thing with him) and holds up a Too Sweet sign, saying it was a fox. Since he came to Las Vegas, he wanted to go to Caesar’s Palace but went to the wrong place, which was apparently Caesar’s penis. Then he hits Jackson in the face to take over.

Jackson makes him twist his own nipples but Honda gets in a knockdown of his own. The middle rope fist drop sends Jackson outside, where he rolls underneath the ring. Then he comes out in a red jacket and wearing a werewolf mask, because it’s close to midnight. A spear sets up a Thriller Elbow into the Moonwalk DDT for the pin at 9:15.

Rating: C+. This is going to be a case where your entire enjoyment of the match is going to depend on what you think of the gimmick. It’s a one note gag, but Jackson was really good at what he was doing. I’m not sure what the deal is with Honda, but he certainly has something to him. It might not be a good something, though it’s definitely there. Total comedy match and I was amused enough.

WXW World Title: 1 Called Manders vs. Yukio Naya

Naya, a rather muscular guy, is defending. The running shoulders don’t go anywhere at first but Naya manages to knock him down and take over. They seem to enjoy the exchange of chops until some big kicks drop Manders again. This gives commentary the chance to talk about the sumo background of Naya’s family, which seems to be quite the lineage. A hard kick to the back gives Naya one and a middle rope elbow is twice as successful.

Manders tries to come back with chops but they just seem to annoy Naya even more. A running dropkick works a bit better and he fires off a running clothesline in the corner. The powerslam out of the corner gets two but the lariat is cut off. Manders strikes away until the lariat is countered into a left handed chokeslam for two. Back up and they trade clotheslines until Manders hits his lariat to retain at 9:31.

Rating: B-. This show has been covering a lot of different kinds of matches and this was the hoss fight. They beat each other up for a good while with Manders being overpowered but staying in there long enough until he could get the big shot. There’s something to be said about having two big power guys beat each other up until one of them falls and that’s what we got here.

Tyler Bateman/Marcus Mathers/Gringo Loco vs. Shunma Katsumata/Nick Wayne/Kazuma Sumi

Mathers and Katsumata start things off and we get a pose off. Mathers’ headlock doesn’t get him very far so they try some grappling and flip up to their feet. Loco and Sumi come in with a running shoulder making Sumi nip up. Sumi hits a dropkick and swivels his hips, followed by a rather spinny headscissors to the floor. Wayne tags himself in to cut off a dive though and gets to face Bateman.

Wayne gets beaten down and it’s back to Sumi, with Loco gorilla pressing him. More hip swiveling ensues and it’s back to Mathers for a rather delayed belly to back suplex. Mathers drops Sumi again and hands it off to Loco for a (hip swivel) split legged moonsault and a near fall. Sumi manages a pop up hurricanrana and Katsumata comes in for a double dropkick to Bateman. Wayne’s dragon suplex gets two on Mathers but Mathers is back up with a superkick.

Sumi comes back in and gets caught with a middle rope Stunner with Katsumata having to make the save. Everything breaks down and all six brawl until Mathers and company are superkicked to the floor. Triple dives to the floor take them out again, with Katsumata going back in for an even bigger dive onto everyone else.

Back in and Katsumata misses a top rope splash and Mathers hits a nice Swanton. Loco’s delayed super Falcon Arrow gets two on Sumi with Wayne making his own save. Wayne’s World misses and Bateman plants Wayne with a brainbuster. Mathers hits a jumping cutter on Katsumata but gets taken out by Wayne. Now Wayne’s World can take Bateman out for the pin at 13:36.

Rating: B-. Another fun match here with everyone getting to showcase themselves fairly well. Mathers has been one of the stars of the weekend and Loco is good for his high spots in a match like this. These guys worked well together and this was a nice addition after a couple of singles matches.

Shinya Aoki vs. Timothy Thatcher

Thatcher is in Terry Funk tribute gear and they go straight to the mat for the grappling. That goes nowhere so they get back up and try the grappling again, this time with Thatcher managing to take him down for two. A European clutch gives Aoki two and he pulls Thatcher into something close to a surfboard. That’s broken up and Thatcher grabs a half crab. A bow and arrow has Aoki in trouble until he grabs the nose and goes for the arm.

Thatcher takes him down again and starts in on the arm to no avail. Aoki gets him down but can’t break Thatcher’s bridge, instead getting pulled into a failed cross armbreaker attempt. Something like an Octopus on the mat but Thatcher slips out and bails to the floor for the first time. Thatcher staggers around until Aoki takes him down with a suicide dive. Back in and Thatcher hits a quick piledriver for two but Aoki pops up. A full nelson goes on and Aoki takes him down for the pin at 9:20.

Rating: C+. It’s a different kind of match as they both have grappling backgrounds, but it wasn’t the most exciting match. I do appreciate trying to do something different and it wasn’t like anything else on the show thus far, but it didn’t exactly feel like a pro wrestling match. Not bad and very different, but not my favorite.

DDT Universal Title: Yoshihiko vs. Minoru Suzuki

Suzuki is defending and goes to slap Yoshihiko, who remember is a doll. Stomping ensues and the fans are not pleased with Suzuki’s violence. A big kick sends Yoshihiko into the corner but Yoshihiko gets two off a small package. Suzuki isn’t pleased and hammers away in the corner but Yoshihiko reverses into a guillotine choke. A DDT sends Suzuki outside and it’s a big dive, which goes over Suzuki and lands in the crowd.

Yoshihiko is whipped into a wall and then over some chairs as the violence intensifies. Some slams into various hard objects ensue, followed by some fairly gentle rams into the post. And yes, Yoshihiko is busted open and yes the referee has gloves on. Back in and a leglock has Yoshihiko in more trouble, with the leg being tied around the rope. Suzuki’s running boot in the corner is cut off though and now it’s Yoshihiko with a kneebar. That’s broken up as well so Yoshihiko grabs a Fujiwara armbar, with Suzuki making it over to the ropes.

Back up and Suzuki grabs a choke, with the rope being just too far away. Two arm drops ensue but Suzuki tries the Gotch Style Piledriver instead. That’s countered into a spinning hurricanrana and the cross armbreaker has Suzuki in trouble. Suzuki makes the rope so Yoshihiko goes up, only to have the super hurricanrana countered into a Gotch Style Piledriver to retain at 15:03.

Rating: B-. I won’t say I forgot what I was watching, but it does get kind of entertaining to see Suzuki out there wrestling himself. It’s total insanity but there are some people who can make this kind of thing work. Suzuki did it for fifteen minutes here and honestly, it was fun. I absolutely do not want to see it full time, but for a one off like this, it was good enough. In a weird way that is.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mao

They circle each other a bit as commentary explains their history as former stablemates. Mao’s headlock is blocked and Takeshita works on the arm before dropping him with a running shoulder. Mao is back with a dropkick and a kick between the shoulders gets two. That’s fine with Takeshita, who tells him to kick again, only to bring Takeshita up to his feet. A powerbomb out of the corner plants Mao and a second one drops him again, but he backdrops out of the third.

Back up and Takeshita pulls the referee into the way so he can forearm Mao out of the air for two. We hit the chinlock for a bit before Mao is up with a good dropkick to send Takeshita outside. The dive connects and then another one does the same, followed by a reverse cannonball to Takeshita’s back back inside. Back in and Takeshita’s Blue Thunder Bomb is countered with a headlock takeover.

That’s fine with Takeshita, who forearms him in the face and now the Blue Thunder Bomb can connect for two. Back up and they strike it out until Takeshita grabs a brainbuster for another double down. The running knee is cut off and Mao comes back with a Stunner. A spinning kick to the head gets two but Takeshita plants him with a kneeling tombstone on the apron.

Back in and a super brainbuster is countered with a hurricanrana to bring Takeshita down. Takeshita’s big clothesline doesn’t get one but Mao’s running palm strike gets two. Map goes up and tries a flipping dive but Takeshita…well he was supposed to forearm him out of the air but missed. Instead Mao just crashes and Takeshita forearms him down, setting up the running knee. Raging Fire finishes Mao at 17:10.

Rating: B+. I’ve seen Mao a few times and this was by far his best match. Granted it was against Takeshita who could have a good match with a raccoon but dang it was a strong way to close the show. There is apparently a big history here and this felt like a major showdown, which I’m assuming lived up to the hype.

Respect is shown to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I kept harping on this but I liked the mixture of styles here. Instead of just doing the same matches over and over, we got a bunch of different stuff. Some of it was better than others but they didn’t have anything terrible and the main event was very good. It’s a pretty awesome show and one of the better offerings of the weekend so far.

Results
Starboy Charlie b. Yuni – Shooting star press
Daisuke Sasaki/Ilusion b. Mizuki Watase/Shota and Dan The Dad/Kody Lane – Crossface to Dan
Santana Jackson b. Antonio Honda – Moonwalk DDT
1 Called Manders b. Yukio Naya – Lariat
Shunma Katsumata/Nick Wayne/Kazuma Sumi b. Marcus Mathers/Tyler Bateman/Gringo Loco – Wayne’s World to Bateman
Shinya Aoki b. Timothy Thatcher – Full nelson pin
Minoru Suzuki b. Yoshihiko – Gotch Style Piledriver
Konosuke Takeshita b. Mao – Raging Fire

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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TJPW vs. DDT vs. GCW
Date: April 19, 2025
Location: Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Dave Prazak, Veda Scott

So I think the title of this one kind of speaks for itself, as we’ll be seeing three different promotions come together for something of a three way dance. That offers a variety of different options, with some of the names being a bit less than familiar. These shows have done well before, even if they’re as standalone as you can get. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Hyper Misao/Jada Stone/Mizuki/Raku/Yuki Aino (TJPW) vs. Arisu Endo/Miu Watanabe/Shino Suzuki/Suzume/Yuki Arai (TJPW)

So this isn’t so much three promotions against each other as all ten of these women are from TJPW. Before the match, Misao (the resident superhero) says they are all friends and requests a clean fight. That earns her a kick in the ribs and we’re ready to start fast. Suzume dropkicks Stone down for two and then rolls her up for the same. A springboard armdrag takes Suzume down but she sends Stone into the corner.

It’s off to Endo, who is dropped with a sitout gordbuster but we pause for Raku to put Endo on her pillow for a nap. Then Raku and company run over her in some improper napping etiquette. A five woman cover gets two with all of Endo’s partners making the save. Arai comes in to kick Raku in the face a few times, followed by a running clothesline for two. It’s off to Misao for a heroic running crotch attack against the ropes but Arai gets in a big boot. Misao’s high crossbody gets two and it’s off to Aino for something like a spinning Vader Bomb.

Arai dropkicks her way out of trouble and it’s off to Watanabe, who catches Aino in a giant swing. An over the shoulder backbreaker is escaped and they trade shoulders until Aino grabs a suplex. A Polish hammer drops Aino and it’s off to Suzuki vs. Mizuki to pick up the pace. Mizuki wastes no time in sending her against the ropes for a running dropkick, followed by a high crossbody for two.

Arai comes in with a full nelson slam and everything breaks down, with Suzume grabbing a sleeper on Mizuki. That’s broken up and they trade rollups for two each. A double reverse DDT puts Arai down and a pair of top rope bulldogs connect. Stone hits a Lethal Injection on Suzume but Watanabe slams Stone and Misao at the same time. Yeah she’s time but she thinks she’s a monster so she’s strong. Or something. Mizuki is back up for her tabletop suplex (the Cutie Special, because of course) to pin Suzuki at 10:14.

Rating: B-. They did a nice job of getting this many people into the match when they had so much going on. It’s always hard to get ten people active in a match and they only had so much time to start. It was a nice way to get all of these people onto the card and as usual, Misao is just so likable. Good opener here, with quite a bit of fun to be had.

Kidd Bandit/Shota (GCW/DDT) vs. Antonio Honda/Rika Tatsumi (TJPW/DDT)

Bandit and Tatsumi start things off with Tatsumi snapping off an armdrag and then avoiding some spinning kicks. Honda comes in and gets his leg caught in the ropes on the way in, which seems to be par for the course for him. Shota comes in and drops down, with Honda almost falling over him. Some bad looking Steve Austin tributes (Honda is bald so….he’s a klutzy Austin?) have Shota down but Honda gets sent to the floor.

Shota rakes Honda’s back, causing Honda to steal a woman’s hat (making him about the fourth person to do so this week, with commentary mentioning the hat’s history). Back in and Bandit kicks Honda down for two as commentary says the plan is to keep beating Honda up and the team will win.

A rake to the back of the head puts Honda down again but he gets a boot up in the corner. Naturally Honda takes too long going up top and gets punched out of the air but he does manage to bring Tatsumi back in. A flying hip attack drops Shota and a running elbow gets two. Shota’s neckbreaker gets him out of trouble and it’s back to Bandit for an airplane spin. A hard knee gives Bandit two but Tatsumi fires off a jumping hip attack.

Honda comes in, trips again, and then trips over Bandit as well…so he needs the mic? Honda says his retirement is near and he can’t do this anymore, but first he wants to tell us a fairy tale. He holds up a Too Sweet sign and says he wants to meet a famous TikTok influencer. Apparently he called said influencer but found out that it was d*** talk and then pokes Tatsumi in the eye (I’m going to assume I missed something in that joke). Everything breaks down and Honda goes up, only to dive into some raised feet. Bandit rolls Honda up for the pin at 10:02.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure what to make of this but I hadn’t seen Honda before and he amused me enough. I’m really not sure what the point of that story/joke thing was and I think that might be the best for me. Another goofy comedy match and that’s perfectly fine on a show like this one.

Bandit and Shota dance in celebration.

Starboy Charlie/Yuni (GCW/DDT) vs. Los Desperados (GCW)

Los Desperados are Arez/Gringo Loco, likely in search of 1 Called Manders. Loco and Charlie start things off with the fans rather behind the former. They go to a test of strength with the bigger Loco getting the better of things and they take turns diving over each other. Charlie backflips over him and hits a spinwheel kick, setting up some hip swiveling. Yuni and Arez come in to trade wrist control until they switch to the flips.

Arez gets taken down with a headscissors and then a spinning armdrag, with commentary thinking Arez underestimated him. Loco comes in with a gorilla press into a sitout powerslam (that looked good) for two and we settle down so Arez can hit a loud chop. The Falcon Arrow sets up a flipping Fameasser (cool) so Charlie comes in for the save. That’s fine with Arez, who dives onto Loco and they roll over until Arez can hit a tornado DDT on Charlie.

A nice Swanton crushes Yuni for two but it’s time to open his shirt so the chops are even worse. Arez loads up another chop but flips the fans off for daring to ask for ONE MORE TIME. Nice guy. Charlie gets chopped as well but manages to get some feet up in the corner. A top rope headscissors takes Loco down and stereo moonsaults to the floor drop Arez and Loco.

Back in and a double bulldog gets two on Arez, followed by Charlie’s double Pele. A poisonrana plants Loco and Yuni’s hurricanrana gets two. Charlie’s shooting star hits raised knees though and a pair of powerbombs (including a top rope helicopter bomb to Yuni) gives Los Desperadoes the double pin at 11:22.

Rating: B-. This was a much more story based match and I got into it well enough. Charlie and Yuni were outmatched but fought from underneath like a pair of underdogs are supposed to do. It worked well and was a more serious match than most of what we’ve seen on the show so far.

We look at Atticus Cougar beating Fuego del Sol yesterday at Joey Janela’s Spring Break to take Fuego’s mask and seemingly end his career.

Wanaka Uehara/Yuki Kamifuku (TJPW) vs. Brooke Havok/Sandra Moone (GCW)

Yuki has some rather long legs. Uehara and Havok start things off with a battle over arm control. Havok knocks her back and hits a middle rope dropkick for two, only to get dropkicked into the corner. Yuki is in for a Helluva Kick for two but Havok grabs a facebuster into a neckbreaker.

That’s enough for Moone to come in and kick away, only for Yuki to grab something like an Octopus. That’s broken up and everything breaks down, with Moone hitting a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Yuki is back up with an STO into a leg lariat. The middle rope Fameasser finishes Moone at 7:02 (appropriately enough, the area code for Las Vegas).

Rating: C+. Pretty simple and to the point tag match here and that’s a fine way to go. Sometimes you can just slow things down a bit and let them do their thing, which is what they did here. I don’t believe I’ve seen much of Havok and Moore before but they did a nice job here, even against what seemed to be a more experienced team.

Marcus Mathers/Shoko Nakajima/Super Crazy (TJPW/GCW) vs. Daisuke Sasaki/Ilusion/Dark Sheik (DDT/GCW)

It’s a brawl to start with Mathers leapfrogging Ilusion before he can even take his ring jacket off. A spinning high crossbody gives Mathers two and he slams Sheik down for a bonus. Mathers goes up top but dives into a low blow to cut him off in a hurry. Ilusion missile dropkicks Mathers down and it’s off to Sheik to hammer away. Sasaki drops a leg between the legs but Mathers would rather slug it out than tag.

That earns him another knockdown due to general stubbonrness but he gets over to Nakajima for the tag anyway. Nakajima comes in with a running boot in the corner and a springboard kick to the Sasaki’s head. That just earns her an escaped crossface so it’s off to Sheik for a suplex. A way too long guillotine legdrop misses and it’s off to Crazy vs. Ilusion. Crazy gets to clean house, including a sitout powerbomb for two. Something like a lifting abdominal stretch matches Ilusion tap out at 8:50.

Rating: B-. Mathers is starting to show me something on these shows and that’s a good sign for his ID future. He’s a talented guy who can do some impressive stuff in the ring. At the same time you have Nakajima being fine enough and Crazy somehow still being good enough to overcome his gain in size.

1 Called Manders/Maki Itoh (GCW/TJPW) vs. Microman/Yukio Naya (GCW/DDT)

Itoh has a cowboy hat on and does part of Manders’ Dead Or Alive entrance. Microman and Itoh start things off and the fans are very impressed. They trade the cute poses and Itoh isn’t sure what to make of this…so she kicks him down. The ten right hands in the corner don’t work because Itoh can’t reach his head (that’s funny).

Microman hits a right hand of his own into a dropkick for two, earning himself a facewash in the corner. It’s off to Manders to knock Naya off the apron and Microman gets stomped down. Manders and Itoh take turns biting his fingers but Manders misses a basement lariat. A rake to the eyes lets Microman hit a 619 and a legsweep suplex puts Manders down. Naya comes in for a running splash in the corner and loads up a chokeslam but Manders….points finger guns into his chest.

That makes Naya drop to his knees so Manders can drop him, allowing Itoh to come in with a high crossbody. Naya scares Itoh, who tells her to bring it on and yells her back into the corner. That makes Itoh break down in tears…and Microman is crying too. Even Manders cries and we get a group hug, with Naya having to cry too.

They all hug (the fans approve), and then the fighting is on again. Itoh puts her hat back on for a double cover on Naya but Manders accidentally lariats her down. Naya plants Manders and Microman adds a bottom rope splash. An assisted splash from Microman pins Itoh (who was begging him not to do it rather than rolling away) at 11:29.

Rating: B-. This was the kind of goofy fun and that’s all it needed to be. They clearly weren’t trying to do anything serious with this match and it still went fine enough. The crying spot was funny and it’s not like most of these people are supposed to be taken seriously in the first place. Goofy comedy can be fun and that’s what they had here.

We look at part of Sabu vs. Joey Janela at Spring Break. There was A LOT of barbed wire.

John Wayne Murdoch/Matt Tremont (GCW) vs. Mance Warner/Shunma Katsumata (GCW/DDT)

Hardcore and the weapons are in the ring before they get going. Murdoch and Katsumata slug it out to start and it’s already time for the skewer sticks…which they use to stab themselves in the head. Tremont and Warner come in and it’s time for a door, which is slingshotted to Tremont’s head to bust him open. The fight heads outside (commentary is shocked) and Warner gets crotched on the post. Katsumata hits a crossbody onto Murdoch and Tremont and they actually go back inside.

Murdoch chairs Katsumata down and then throws him head first into a chair in the corner for two. Some rams into the steps give Tremont two but Katsumata dropkicks a chair into Murdoch’s face. Warner gets the tag (because a match with this many weapons need tags) and sets up four chairs so they can sit down and hit each other in the face. Warner and Katsumata are sent through doors and a Death Valley Driver finishes Katsumata at 9:36.

Rating: C-. Yeah I’m never sure what to make of a match like this, as you had people spiking themselves to start the show. That doesn’t exactly make for my kind of match and I’m not wild on what I had to see. Trying to have actual tagging was a bit of a relief but that’s about all there was here. Just not my thing at all.

Konosuke Takeshita/Masha Slamovich (DDT/GCW) vs. Miyu Yamashita/Shinya Aoki (GCW/TJPW)

Slamovich and Aoki get things going with Aoki getting two off an early rollup. That’s not going to work for Slamovich, who gets to kick Yamashita down without much trouble. It’s off to Takeshita and Aoki for some grappling on the mat with Aoki getting two off a cradle. The fans are behind Aoki as they trade rollups for two each. Aoki’s Figure Four is turned over and they’re quickly back up again.

They trade European clutches for two each and then take turns escaping chokes. Yamashita comes in to forearm away at Takeshita to no avail. Everything breaks down and Slamovich and Takeshita slam their way out of chokes. Takeshita forearms Yamashita out of the air but can’t hit Raging Fire.

Yamashita manages a skull kick and they’re both down. Slamovich comes back in for an exchange of kicks and everything breaks down again. Aoki’s dive onto the floor is pulled out of the air for a brainbuster, leaving Yamashita to hit an AA for no cover. Slamovich is back up to kick her down, setting up the White Knight Driver for the pin at 11:10.

Rating: B. Pretty easily the best match of the night and that’s not surprising seeing who was in there. I’m not overly familiar with Aoki but he held his own in there with someone as good as Takeshita. It was an entertaining match and well done without much in the way of screwiness so we’ll call this a win.

We look at the GCW Tag Team Title match from Spring Break with Alec Price and Jordan Oliver winning the titles.

BZW Tag Team Titles: Mao/Yoshihiko vs. Alec Price/Jimmy Lloyd vs. Jack Cartwheel/Kazuma Sumi

Mao/Yoshihiko (the latter of whom is a doll and sporting a taped up head after getting busted open at a recent show) are defending (from BodyZoi Wrestling, a Belgian promotion). We start with a three way test of strength between Yoshihiko, Lloyd and Cartwheel and I don’t like where this is going. Naturally Yoshihiko takes over and grabs a hurricanrana but they all throw dropkicks for a standoff.

A triple tag brings in Price, Sumi and Mao, with Sumi getting chopped down over and over. Sumi grabs a pop up hurricanrana on Price but Mao grabs Yoshihiko to trip Cartwheel down. A double hurricanrana drops Cartwheel again and it’s time to hammer away in the corner. Mao and Yoshihiko hit some double Cannonballs in the corner but Price is back up with a kick to the head, forcing Yoshihiko to poisonrana Mao.

Yoshihiko gets launched into the crowd for the big crash and Lloyd Lionsaults Cartwheel and Sumi. Mao is back up with a double northern lights suplex to Price and Lloyd but gets caught with a double moonsault. Yoshihiko makes the save and everything breaks down, with Mao bringing Yoshihiko in off the tag. Yoshihiko is spun around into a hurricanrana and everyone is down. A string of DDTs leave Yoshihiko to suplex Cartwheel and Sumi at the same time.

Price takes Yoshihiko up and naturally we get a Tower Of Doom. Mao’s top rope splash gets two on Price and everyone is down again. The big brawl is on and it’s Yoshihiko getting to fire off some superkicks and most of the people wind up on the floor, meaning it’s time for some dives. This includes a multi flip dive from Yoshihiko who mostly overshoots the pile. Back in and Mao gives Sumi a reverse superplex faceplant (that’s cool) to retain at 13:48. Commentary complains about Yoshihiko not having a Cagematch profile because wrestling is weird.

Rating: C+. I never know what to make of the Yoshihiko stuff but it certainly has an audience. The biggest thing here though is that the match went fairly long and the joke started to get old. You can only do so much when you have to wrestle yourselves and that can make for a tricky situation. The rest of the match was fine enough, but this was just wasn’t my thing (again).

And we’re off the air really fast.

Overall Rating: B-. This was the kind of show that can be a lot of fun as it wasn’t meant to be anything more than a bunch of people getting together and having matches. That’s all it needed to be and it worked well enough. The good thing is they had a big mixture of styles instead of doing the same stuff over and over. I had fun with it and that’s the idea of a show like this one.

Results
Hyper Misao/Jada Stone/Mizuki/Raku/Yuki Aino b. Arisu Endo/Miu Watanabe/Shino Suzuki/Suzume/Yuki Arai – Cutie Special to Suzuki
Kidd Bandit/Shota b. Antonio Honda/Rika Tatsumi – Rollup to Honda
Los Desperadoes b. Starboy Charlie/Yuni – Double pin
Wanaka Uehara/Yuki Famifuki b. Brooke Havok/Sandra Moone – Middle rope Fameasser to Moone
Marcus Mathers/Shoka Nakajima/Super Crazy b. Daisuke Sasaki/Ilusion/Dark Sheik – Lifting abdominal stretch to Ilusion
Microman/Yukio Naya b. 1 Called Manders/Maki Itoh – Splash to Itoh
John Wayne Murdoch/Matt Tremont b. Mance Warner/Shunma Katsumata – Death Valley Driver to Katsumata
Mao/Yoshihiko b. Alec Price/Jimmy Lloyd and Jack Cartwheel/Kazuma Sumi – Reverse superplex faceplant to Sumi

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GCW vs. DDT
Date: March 31, 2023
Location: Ukranian Cultural Center, Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Dave Prazak, Veda Scott

I think the title for this one says it all and that could go in a few different directions. I wasn’t thrilled with the DDT show from earlier in the week and GCW is hit or miss a lot of the time. Shows pitting two promotions against each other can be quite a mess but that’s part of the fun of seeing what they have. Let’s get to it.

Jack Cartwheel/Wasted Youth/Gringo Loco (GCW) vs. Daisuke Sasaki/Kanon/Sanshiro Takagi/Takeshi Masada (DDT)

Wasted Youth is Marcus Mathers/Dyln McKay and this is one fall to a finish. Takagi and Cartwheel start things off and Scott volunteers to be the official cartwheel counter. Cartwheel does a cartwheel and Takagi manages one of his own as I don’t think this is going to be overly serious. It’s already off to Sasaki vs. Mathers with Mathers sending him into the corner and snapmaring him back out.

With that going nowhere, McKay comes in to headlock Masada, who is right back out with a dropkick. McKay is fine enough to come back with a spinning brainbuster for two and everything breaks down. We settle back to Kanon fist dropping onto McKay and it’s back to Takagi to stay on McKay. Some rapid fire chops are enough to get over to Loco for the tag and everything breaks down fast.

Cartwheel hits a big flipping elbow over the top, setting up a big dive to the floor (with a Loco assist). Back in and Kanon chops away at Loco before Sasaki faceplants him down. Takagi is back in for a bunch of Stunners but McKay is there with an enziguri to Masada. Loco adds a moonsault, McKay hits a shooting star press, Mathers puts in a 450 and Cartwheel finishes with a Red Arrow for the pin at 10:39.

Rating: C+ This was a good way to start as you got a nice mixture of the two sides, with GCW getting to showcase themselves a bit. DDT didn’t stand out quite as much, but there is only so much you can do when most of you are in black and getting beaten up in the end. Fun match and they’re on the right path so far.

GCW – 1
DDT – 0

Saki Akai (DDT) vs. Dark Sheik (GCW)

Feeling out process to start as they circle each other until Sheik drops her with a shoulder. Back up and Akai hits a big boot but Sheik kicks her down even harder. A slingshot legdrop into a slingshot hilo keeps Akai down, followed by a splits splash for two. Akai manages to come back with a kick of her own and a high crossbody for two.

Sheik gets her leg swept out so a running knee can give Akai two. They slug it out, including boots to the head, with Akai getting the better of it and knocking her down. Akai grabs the abdominal stretch but Sheik reverses into a small package for the surprise pin to extend the lead at 7:19.

Rating: C. Nice match here as they felt even enough (maybe a slight advantage to Akai) as the good start to the show continues. I’ve seen Akai twice so far and she has done well in both matches, as there is a little something about her that makes you want to keep watching. On the other hand you have Sheik, who seems like she has something going for her and I could go for a few more matches.

GCW – 2
DDT – 0

East West Express (GCW) vs. Moonlight Express (DDT)

That would be Nick Wayne/Jordan Oliver vs. Mao/Mike Bailey. Wayne and Bailey start things off with a standoff so it’s off to Mao to shoulder Oliver (I had been waiting to see him this weekend). A dropkick puts Oliver down so Wayne comes in to help Oliver clear the ring. Naturally that means stereo dives but they try again and get punched out of the air by Bailey and Mao. Back in and Mao hits a springboard knee to keep Oliver in trouble, meaning it’s time to start in on the arm.

Mao rolls him into an abdominal stretch so Wayne makes the save, only to be knocked outside. Bailey moonsaults onto Wayne and Mao moonsaults onto Oliver for two, only to have Oliver blasts Bailey with a clothesline for two. The hot tag brings in Wayne to clean house until Mao drops him hard. Mao literally wiggles his way out of a waistlock but Wayne is back with a handspring Stunner.

It’s back to Oliver to take over on Bailey, including a running boot in the corner and sitout powerbomb for two. Wayne comes back in and gets caught with Bailey’s bouncing kicks. Oliver and Wayne are sent outside and stereo moonsaults from Mao and Bailey (from the same corner, with their arms around each other) drop them again. Wayne is busted open (it’s a bad one too) and it’s a double clothesline into a double hiptoss for two on Bailey.

Mao and Bailey are back with stereo backflip slams (Cameron Grimes does it in NXT) for two each. The Ultimate Weapon hits Oliver but Mao’s 450 hits knees. A tiger suplex gets two with Bailey shoving Wayne into the cover for the save. Wayne is kicked to the floor and the Tornado Driver (something like Aussie Open’s Coriolis) gets a rather close two. Oliver and Bailey trade rollups until a double team middle rope cutter plants Bailey for the pin at 16:20.

Rating: B+. This took its time to get going but I was way into it by the end and they had it rocking. I hadn’t seen these teams together before but you can tell they have the experience and skill to work well together. Heck of a match here and one of the better things I’ve seen so far this weekend.

GCW – 3
DDT – 0

Veda Scott swaps out with someone named Nick Knowledge.

Starboy Charlie (GCW) vs. Kazusada Higuchi (DDT)

The much bigger Higuchi takes him into the corner and gives Charlie a rub of the head before letting him go. Charlie tries to pick up the pace and goes for the leg, setting up a basement dropkick. Higuchi’s chop takes Charlie down and a running splash gets two. The neck crank goes on but doesn’t keep Charlie down long, leaving Higuchi to knock him down again.

A middle rope elbow hits Charlie for two, so he begs Higuchi not to chop him. That makes Higuchi chop him hard enough to put Charlie down but he’s back up with a Thesz press of all things. Charlie gets sat on top, where he manages to slip through Higuchi’s legs and hit a heck of a powerbomb. For some reason Charlie tries to chop it out, even nipping up when Higuchi knocks him down.

Charlie’s chest is blood red and Higuchi blasts him with a clothesline for two. A missed charge sends Higuchi into the post and out to the floor, allowing Charlie to get in a dropkick through the ropes. Back in and a middle rope corkscrew moonsault gets two, allowing Charlie to pull his straps up….and then right back down.

Higuchi has had it with this and grabs a doctor bomb for two, with the kickout just getting on Higuchi’s nerves. The claw slam is countered into a crossface and Charlie even rolls back into the middle. With the rope not working, Higuchi muscles him up for an Oklahoma Stampede. For some reason Charlie flips him off and gets flattened with a running shoulder. Now the claw slam can finish Charlie at 11:40.

Rating: B-. This wasn’t exactly a great match but it told a story and that made it work. You could see Higuchi go from toying with Charlie to having to put in the work to beat him, making this get more interesting as it went on. Charlie didn’t get in a ton of offense but what he did looked effective, which isn’t easy given the size difference. They pulled me in with this one and that isn’t easy to do so nice job.

GCW – 3
DDT – 1

Veda Scott comes back.

Joey Janela (GCW) vs. Yuki Ueno (DDT)

Ueno shoulders away to start but gets taken into the corner. Janela stomps on the fingers and starts in on the arm, including a hammerlock. Ueno fights out and sends him into the corner before tying him in the ropes. A running faceplant on the apron rock Janela, who is fine enough to come back with a Death Valley Driver for two. Janela sends him outside for the suicide dive, followed by the Fujiwara armbar on the bad arm back inside.

That’s broken up as well but Ueno misses a knee. A superkick just makes Ueno snap off a dropkick for two, only to have Janela hit the brainbuster. Janela goes up top but gets caught with a super hurricanrana. That and a flipping Fameasser (as in a Fameasser with the arm trapped and they flip forward until Janela lands on his face) for the pin at 10:24.

Rating: C. Janela still isn’t the best in the ring but there is a weird charisma to him that makes him watchable. At the same time Ueno is someone who feels like he could be a star with some more experience and seasoning. It didn’t make for the best match, but Ueno’s offense was enough to keep it interesting.

GCW – 3
DDT – 2

Tony Deppen/Homicide (GCW) vs. Tetsuya Endo/Jun Akiyama (DDT)

Akiyama and Homicide look at each other a lot to start before it’s time to exchange wristlocks. It’s too early for Akiyama’s exploder so it’s off to Deppen vs. Endo. Deppen gets caught in a headlock and then gets shouldered to the mat. Deppen is back up for a nice looking dropkick and it’s back to Homicide for a running clothesline. Akiyama comes in and goes to the floor with Homicide instead.

The other two go to the floor as well and we have to go split screen for the double brawls. Homicide bends Akiyama’s fingers before heading back inside where Deppen can wrap the arm around the rope. Biting in the corner has Akiyama in more trouble but he comes back with a jumping knee. Endo comes back in to pick up the pace, including a springboard double clothesline.

Homicide manages a shot to take Endo down though and Deppen comes in off the top with a double stomp for two. Endo Boston crabs Deppen with Homicide grabbing a cutter for the save. That leaves Akiyama to come back in for the throws. With Deppen down, Endo adds the Burning (shooting) Star press for the pin at 12:20.

Rating: C+. Nice enough stuff here as you had a unique styles match here. Homicide can wrestle with just about anyone and Deppen has such a punchable face that it is easy to want to see him get beaten up. Akiyama and Endo both did well too, which shouldn’t be a surprise. I’m not with on a lot of Homicide’s stuff but it meshed well here.

GCW – 3
DDT – 3

Second Gear Crew (GCW) vs. Chris Brookes/Shunma Katsumata/Mizuki Watase (DDT)

The Crew is 1 Called Manders/Matthew Justice/Mance Warner and they get jumped from behind during their entrances. The fight starts on the floor and I’m not sure how much tagging you should expect here. Warner chairs Brookes but Brookes throws it at Warner’s already bleeding head. Back in and Manders takes off his boots to hammer away at some heads, only to run into some Legos (while wearing only socks).

Brookes breaks some kind of bin over Justice’s head and it’s Warner coming back in for a bunch of jabs to Brookes’ face. Warner grabs a ladder and does the helicopter spin until a low blow cuts him off. Katsumata puts the ladder around his own neck but gets picked up and speared down in a big crash. The DDT guys get back up and stack the bins together, setting up a top rope backsplash to drive Justice through the bins (they broke well) and into the Legos for two.

Everyone is back up for the strike offs with DDT taking over. Brookes grabs the staple gun and staples the Crew’s heads, only to have them all fight back. Katsumata gets stapled in a variety of places and now it’s time for the door. The PowerPlex through the door gets two so Manders manages to pick up both of his partners at once (geez). The charge misses though and Manders drives both of them through another door in the corner.

DDT all goes up for a triple Van Terminator and a triple near fall. The doors are set up again on the floor and Katsumata dives off a ladder to drive Justice through them. Back in and the Crew starts swinging doors to take over, followed by a chair to Watase’s head. Watase just screams a lot and sends Warner outside. Manders lariats Katsumata and Warner adds a DDT for the pin at 15:19.

Rating: C. This is the kind of hardcore match that you kind of expect from GCW but they didn’t get into the stupid/over the top stuff that gives the place its reputation. The Crew is a team that feels like they could be a constant in GCW as they work well together and have a good look. The DDT guys were fine, but I absolutely didn’t need to see one of them get chaired in the head like that. Cut that stuff out.

GCW – 4
DDT – 3

We run down some upcoming shows while the ring is cleaned up.

Pheromones (DDT) vs. Bussy (DDT)

That would be Danshoku Dino/Yuhi Ino vs. Effy/Allie Katch and I still have nightmares about that one Pheromones match. After a somewhat personal weapons check, we’re ready to go. Allie and Ino start things off but hang on as Ino needs to pose on the middle rope (Effy seems VERY interested). Allie finally kicks Ino in the gut after nearly two minutes of posing but he takes her down and exposes his nipples.

Effy comes in to face Dino and they lock it up, with Allie having to prevent a kiss. With that not working, Effy goes for a waistlock and Dino bends over. Everything breaks down and Effy is rather pleased with the idea of Ino unzipping his singlet. Dino slaps at Effy’s trunks, with Effy sitting on the buckle for easier access. That finally breaks up and a double atomic drop gets two on Ino.

Effy and Ino have a gyrate off until Ino starts to strip. That means only the jockstrap is left and Effy needs a minute. Dino takes his trunks off too and Effy is officially on their team. The Pheromones do their Merry Go Round deal (it involves rubbing various parts of their bodies over someone’s face) to Allie but Effy throws her aside to take her place. Then Effy takes his own trunks down and makes it a three person Merry Go Round.

Effy breaks up the cover so Allie gets caught in a Boston crab/headscissors, meaning her face goes between Ino’s legs. Effy finally throws some forearms and Allie kicks Ino low as this just keeps going. Allie takes down her own trunks and hits some cannonballs in the corner. A Stunner and Pedigree get stereo near falls because THIS JUST KEEPS GOING. Effy takes Ino into the corner for some hip thrusts to the face before putting him in another corner. A Human Centipede ensues, including various referees, which is finally a no contest at 13:38.

Rating: F. Nope.

GCW – 4
DDT – 3

A triple kiss ensues post match.

Ironman Heavymetalweight Title: Yoshihiko (DDT) vs. Cole Radrick (GCW)

Yoshihiko (still a blow up sex doll) is defending. Radrick shakes her hand to start and gets taken down with a headlock takeover. Another headlock takeover cuts Radrick down and an armdrag sends him to the floor. A big flip dive over the top is pulled out of the air though and Yoshihiko is launched into the wall. They go back to ringside where Yoshihiko hits a tornado DDT on the floor and gets two back inside.

Radrick’s powerbomb attempt is countered into a very spinning headscissors for two. A splash in the corner is broken up and Yoshihiko grabs a super hurricanrana to send Radrick outside. The big flip dive drops Radrick again but he’s fine enough to hit an Air Raid Crash into the corner. It’s time for a door because of course it is, plus a bunch of chairs (some of which land on Yoshihiko).

The door is sat on some tables but Radrick takes too much time to go up, allowing Yoshihiko to sit up. There’s the superplex through the table for two but Radrick is back with a running Death Valley Driver through a door in the corner. Yoshihiko’s piledriver gets two and she throws some chairs at his head. Back up and Radrick Death Valley Drivers her onto a chair for the pin at 14:36.

Rating: C. As was the case in the previous Yoshihiko match, this is a different kind of entertainment and the wrestling really isn’t there. This is all about the fans having a good time and I can give the human points for some creativity with some of this stuff. At the very least, it is something different that the fans like. I won’t argue with anyone who thinks it’s idiotic or a waste of time, but given the other stuff on this show, it was brilliant.

GCW – 5
DDT – 4

Post match they shake hands and Yoshihiko kicks him low. A small package gives her the title back.

Overall Rating: C. This is a tricky one because there is some good stuff on here, but the bad is just so awful that it’s hard to get my head around it. There is a special skill needed to do something that awful and stupid and they managed to pull both of them off here. Other than that and the main event (the ultimate your mileage may vary deal), the rest of the show was up and down, with the tag match being very good but some of the other stuff just being kind of there. I probably won’t be back to DDT anytime soon, but the GCW talent has some potential. Not a great show, but that’s mainly due to a few things rather than the whole.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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DDT Goes Hollywood
Date: March 30, 2023
Location: Ukranian Cultural Center, Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Dave Prazak, Veda Scott

This is DDT Pro, a rather interesting Japanese promotion that produced Konosuke Takeshita. The company has quite a bit of good, pure wrestling but also has a tendency to lean into the insane, including a female blow up doll being incredibly popular. I’ve looked at one of their shows before and remember having some fun so hopefully it continues here. Let’s get to it.

Note that I’m coming into this mostly blind. Please forgive me for any mistakes involving history, continuity, characters etc.

37Kamina vs. Chris Brookes/Yoshihiko

37 is Mao (“A f***** up wrestler for a f***** up world!”) and Shunma Katsuma. Yoshihiko is the Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion (parody of the WWF Hardcore Title on a heavy amount of steroids, to the point of well over 1,000 reigns in the title’s history) and….yeah she’s a female sex doll. To be fair, she comes out to the Undertaker’s Corporate Ministry theme (just go with it) so it’s a bit better. Brookes and Katsuma (a foot or so shorter) start things off, with the latter offering to play this entirely straight for one night only.

That results in a handshake being offered and pulled away before Katsuma grabs a wristlock. The rope walk with a bunch of springboards just annoys Brookes, who slaps the leg out to crotch Katsuma down. Brookes gets knocked into the corner though and it’s off to Mao….and Yoshihiko. Mao gets caught in a hard lockup and goes to the ropes for the early break.

We actually get a test of strength with Mao taking her down for some near falls but Yoshihiko bridges up. Yoshihiko grabs a headlock but a pull of the hair (of which there is none) gets Mao out of trouble. Mao sends her outside and rams her into the apron over and over, followed by a HARD powerbomb from the apron to the floor. A brainbuster gets two and it’s back to Katsuma to rake the eyes across the top.

Stomping to the head has Yoshihiko in more trouble but she manages to counter a double suplex into one of her own. That’s enough for the tag off to Brookes for the house cleaning. Brookes grabs a double Octopus hold (ok then) but everything breaks down and Yoshihiko comes back in.

Yoshihiko’s hurricanrana sends Katsuma into a cutter from Brookes but Katsuma fires off kicks to the head. Mao comes back in and gets O’Connor rolled for two (by Yoshihiko) and 37 gets double suplexed. Brookes comes back in to knock 37 to the floor and launches Yoshihiko onto them, setting up the dive. Back in and a double top rope backsplash gets two on Mao, with the kickout sending Yoshihiko to the floor.

Yoshihiko comes back in to slug it out with Mao before a very spinning headscissors into a standing hurricanrana gives Yoshihiko two (the bell rang but the referee had to wave it off). Mao hurricanranas both of them and hits a springboard 450 in the vicinity of Yoshihiko for….one.

A poisonrana into a bridging German suplex plants Mao but Katsuma frog splashes in for the save. Brookes breaks that up until Mao hits a spinning kick to Brookes’ head. Back in and Mao knees Yoshihiko in the face for two as this needs to wrap up. A Blockbuster gives Mao the pin on Yoshihiko (making Mao the Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion) at 18:23.

Rating: C+. This is going to be one of those matches where you either get the joke or hate it and I can easily see both ways. Yes, it’s a total joke and they were doing moves to themselves, but that’s what these fans came to see. It’s a funny joke and some of the athleticism to make it work (as much as it can) is impressive, but it went on a good bit too long here. If this isn’t your thing, I certainly won’t argue as it really isn’t mine either, though it was amusing at times.

Post match Katsuma rolls Mao up for two but Brooks grabs a Jay Driller to pin Mao and win the title for himself. Then Yoshihiko hits three straight Canadian Destroyers to get the title back.

Takagi Army vs. Pheromones

That would be Sanshiro Takagi/Michael Nakazawa vs. Danshoko Dino/Yuki Ino. Takagi has needed help against the Pheromones and wanted help from AEW, who sent Nakazawa (they have a history) over. The Pheromones come out to rather bouncy music and come to the ring in bathrobes to reveal….a lot of pink. Takagi and Ino start things off, with Ino posing on the ropes and exposing some nipple.

Ino takes him down and exposes the other nipple, setting up the tag off to Dino. Nakazawa (in polo shirt, khakis and headset) comes in as well and gets wristlocked over to the ropes. Dino takes Nakazawa down and removes his trunks to reveal a thong. That is sat down onto Nakazawa before Ino comes back in. A slam lets Ino sit down crotch first onto Nakazawa’s face….and then he unzips his gear to reveal a jockstrap (and nothing else) so he can drop down again.

Nakazawa is so serious that he pops up and takes off his own shirt but Ino just strips off the singlet. A spear cuts off Ino’s comeback and it’s back to Takagi, who dropkicks him down. Dino comes back in to help knock Takagi down, allowing the Pheromones to go back to back and rub their….oh I think you get the idea, over Nakazawa’s face. Fans: “WE WANT A*******!”

Ino goes to the top and Takagi sticks his fingers inside of him before putting said fingers in Dino’s face. Nakazawa hits a top rope shoulder for two but misses a charge to go straight into Ino, who is still on top. Takagi gets the same treatment and hold on, as the Pheromones have an offer for Nakazawa. He seems interested, even if he doesn’t understand.

With Ino laid on the mat, Dino pulls out a robe and offers something we can’t hear. Apparently it’s going to be magic, and yes the audience wants to see it. Then Dino kicks him low and sends him face first between Ino’s legs, with the jock strap being the thing that disappears. The jockstrap goes over the referee’s face and the robe is pulled away. The referee calls for the bell at 11:04 for….does it matter?

Rating: F. I’m not going to explain about the lack of humor here (I’m sure some found it funny) but this was in the gross out style of comedy and I’ve never found it funny. It was a bunch of body stuff and nothing more, with Nakazawa somehow being one of the more serious things here. I don’t care for it and that isn’t going to change so we’ll move on.

Post match Dino kisses the referee and a towel appears to cover Ino as he leaves. It’s officially a no contest.

Takeshi Masada/Kazusada Higuchi vs. Andrew Everett/Nick Wayne

Wayne and Masada (the rookie prodigies) start things off with Wayne snapping off a hurricanrana. A double tag brings in Higuchi and Everett (who is dressed like Andre The Giant/The Giant) despite being pretty average size (if not smaller). Everett stands there so Higuchi can chop him, only to have Higuchi block a chokeslam attempt.

Taguchi chops him in the corner and it’s back to Wayne vs. Masada. Wayne takes him down by the arm and cranks away before Everett comes back in. Higuchi is back in as well and runs Everett over before knocking Wayne off the apron. A running powerslam gets two but Everett hits a springboard moonsault to drop Higuchi.

It’s back to Wayne for a breather until Higuchi grabs a brainbuster. Masada comes in and has to avoid Wayne’s cutter before knocking Wayne back down. Everett and Higuchi get to chop it out with Everett grabbing him by the throat. They go up top with Higuchi having to fight off a chokeslam attempt. Instead Everett hits a superkick but Higuchi blocks another chokeslam. The claw slam gives Higuchi the pin at 11:04.

Rating: C+. Maybe it was getting away from….whatever it was earlier but this was a fine change of pace. Wayne certainly has some skill for a seventeen year old but he absolutely needs seasoning. Everett’s chokeslam stuff got annoying fast as it wasn’t exactly a funny gag in the first place. Not a great match, but at least it was wrestling instead of that other stuff.

Respect is shown post match.

Vert Vixen vs. Saki Akai

They look at each other a bit before going into the forearm exchange. Akai hits a running knee to drop Vixen, who is right back with a running Downward Spiral for two. They fight over a suplex with Akai getting the better of it to send her outside. Akai dives onto Vixen before bringing her back inside, where Vixen hits a quick Stunner. The Blue Thunder Bomb gives Vixen two so Akai grabs a choke. Vixen is right in the ropes, allowing Akai to knock her down for two. An abdominal stretch flipped over into a slam finishes Vixen at 6:10.

Rating: C-. This was just kind of there and it didn’t have time to work. Maybe they were cut short on time or something but Akai beat her up, took a few moves and then won without much trouble. It felt like something that would be put on a TV show to get Akai over rather than something on a featured show like this. Not bad or close to it, but I’m not sure why they did it this way.

Respect is shown post match.

Joey Janela vs. Tetsuya Endo

Endo’s Universal Title isn’t on the line and Janela is in a Bam Bam Bigelow shirt. They take turns flipping out of wristlocks (Janela isn’t so graceful) before Janela hits a hard chop. A chop off goes to Endo and he dropkicks Janela to the floor. Janela cuts off a suicide dive and neckbreakers him over the middle rope to take over. A brainbuster on the floor knocks Endo silly and it’s a neck crank into a neckbreaker back inside.

Endo manages a forearm in the corner and knocks Janela outside, setting up the Sasuke Special (that’s harder to block). Janela blocks a torture rack bomb back inside and hits a package piledriver for….nothing as Endo is next to the rope. Endo catches him going up and it’s a super C4 for two (Janela kicked out faster than usual there).

This time it’s Endo getting caught up top with Janela hitting a super brainbuster for two of his own. They’re both staggered so they slug it out, with Janela running into a raised boot. They trade German suplexes until Endo grabs a poisonrana. Janela hits a lariat though and they’re both down for a needed breather.

Endo follows him to the apron where he has to escape a Death Valley Driver. Instead it’s a Canadian Destroyer to plant Janela on the apron, followed by a spinning torture rack bomb for two back inside. The Burning (shooting) Star press is finally enough to finish Janela off at 15:30.

Rating: C+. Good fight here but it went longer than it needed to and started to drag by the end. Janela is someone who is much more about presentation and charisma than what he can do in the ring, though Endo helped bring him up here. You knew Janela would get in a big spot here and it could have been far worse.

Respect is shown post match (again).

Eddie Kingston/Jun Akiyama vs. Daisuke Sasaki/Kanon

Kingston and Kanon start things off and they go to the mat with neither having an advantage. With that broken up, Kingston slaps on a headlock which goes nowhere. Instead it’s off to Akiyama, who gets taken to the floor for a DDT from Kanon. With Sasaki distraction the referee, Kanon pulls out a wrench to choke away and it’s Sasaki coming in to kick away.

Akiyama tries to fight back but gets knocked down, only to avoid Sasaki’s top rope elbow. Kingston comes in for the rapid fire chops and the Stretch Plum goes on. That has to be let go as Kanon comes in, only to get kicked in the head. Kanon spins Kingston into the a choke but that’s broken up rather quickly.

A chop knocks Kanon out of the air and Akiyama hits a crossbody for two. Everything breaks down and Sasaki and Kingston head outside, leaving Kanon to hanging DDT Akiyama for two. Back in and Kingston exploder suplexes Sasaki as Akiyama does the same to Kanon. Akiyama’s running knee gets two, followed by another exploder for the pin at 10:44.

Rating: C+. Another hard hitting match here and you can see the good Kingston shining through. Granted it helps when he is teaming with one of his idols (again) but it’s nice to see the version with all that talent out there. Sasaki and Kanon seem to be more of a regular team and likely a big deal, but a legend like Akiyama and a higher profile star like Kingston aren’t likely to lose here.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Yuki Ueno

Like anyone else could main event. These two are friends and run the ropes to start until both try dropkicks, leaving them down. Back up and Takeshita hits a heck of a chop but Ueno forearms his way out of trouble. The chinlock goes on for a bit but Takeshita fights out rather quickly. The Blue Thunder Bomb is countered into a headlock takeover, with Takeshita grabbing a headscissors.

Ueno headstands his way out, only to get pulled into a short piledriver for a cool counter. Takeshita neckbreakers him down but tries another, only to get hit in the face. With Takeshita on the floor, Ueno hits a big slingshot corkscrew dive to take him down in a crash. Back up and Ueno flips out of a German suplex (the angle made it look like he got dropped on his head at first) before grabbing his own bridging German suplex for two.

Takeshita misses the running knee and gets Canadian Destroyed, only to come back with the Blue Thunder Bomb for a close two. Ueno gets knocked outside for a breather before they go up top, with Ueno snapping off a super hurricanrana. Back up and they slug it out until one heck of a discus lariat gives Takeshita…one. The running knee is blocked again and Ueno’s flipping DDT gets two. Ueno hits a running knee to the back of the head and a dropkick drops Takeshita again. Takeshita is right back with a kneeling piledriver into a wheelbarrow suplex into the running knee to finish Ueno at 14:56.

Rating: B. For a match where there was almost no reason to believe that Takeshita was going to lose, they managed to turn it into a competitive back and forth match. Takeshita is one of the better things about AEW today and it was great to get to see him as the biggest star in DDT. Solid main event here, with Takeshita being the main event distraction.

Post match Takeshita addresses the crowd and puts over Ueno, even giving him the ring to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This one didn’t quite click as well as some others, as while there was some good action, it wasn’t exactly great stuff. It doesn’t help that the first two matches feel like they are out of a completely different promotion (or universe in one case). It’s not a bad show by any means, but there are better wrestling shows you can pick, especially this weekend. In the case of that second match, there must be some kind of documentary on the mating habits of fruit flies somewhere to check out instead. Anyway, a disaster, but a pretty mediocre show overall.

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IMG Credit: DDT Pro

DDT Is Coming To America
Date: April 4, 2020
Location: La Boom, New York City, New York
Attendance: 650
Commentator: Trevin Adams, Pat Hill

This is from DDT (Dramatic Dream Team) Pro, a Japanese promotion which has some comedy elements. It’s part of last year’s Wrestlemania weekend series of shows and the only bits I’ve seen from this promotion are other shows from the same weekend. If nothing else, this show has the Ironman Heavymetalweight Title, which is one of the funniest long running jokes in modern wrestling. Let’s get to it.

I know very little about this promotion or anyone involved so please bare with me if I don’t know a storyline or character point.

Mr. Haku, the English commentator, is in the ring to welcome us to the show, mainly because he is the only English speaker in the promotion. He reads some announcement, mainly about the company’s streaming service and Right To Challenge Anytime Gauntlet, their version of the Money in the Bank briefcase, though there are multiple ones at the same time. However, the briefcase is defended at any given time so it might change hands before the night is over.

There is one more concept to cover though, and that is the Ironman Heavymetalweight Title. This is the ultimate comedy title, with over 1300 reigns and title changes coming in the forms of Rock, Paper Scissors games, dream sequences, in exchange for autographs and more. DDT wrestlers, wrestling legends, schoolchildren, a baseball bat, an invisible man and a ladder among MANY other things have held the title over the years.

Therefore, here is the 1350^th champion, Saki Akai, a popular woman, comes out as Haku explains the Delayed Entry Battle Royal for the title, which is coming later on. Also later tonight, there will be a Weapon Rumble in the USA match (not for the title) involving wrestlers supplying weapons, which will be added to the match at timed intervals. We’re ready to start the show….but Makoto Oishi comes in, spits in Akai’s face, and small packages her for the title.

Company owner/founder/president Sanshiro Takagi comes out to do the traditional opening speech: LET’S PARTY!

Opening video, including a card rundown ala New Japan.

Damnation vs. Shuten-doji

That would be Soma Takao/Tetsuya Endo (the latter of whom holds one of the Right To Challenge Gauntlets) vs. Masahiro Takanashi/Yukio Sakaguchi. The former seem to be the heels, or at least the far more serious team. Endo and Sakaguchi start things off with Sakaguchi sitting down on the mat as Endo circles him. They both wind up on the mat for some grappling with neither being able to get anywhere. They get up and it’s a double tag to bring in Takao and Takanashi, the latter of whom gets quite the reception.

Takao grabs him by the hair so Takanashi does the same, even tossing Takao down by said hair. Endo pulls Takanashi down from the floor so Takao can hit a basement dropkick. More hair pulling lets Endo come in for a backbreaker for two. A reverse Rings of Saturn has Takanashi in trouble so Sakaguchi makes a quick save. Takanashi gets stomped down in the corner and Takao dropkicks him down, only to nip up before covering. That’s not the brightest move in the world and Takanashi uses the break to block a slam attempt.

A suplex is enough to make the hot tag to Sakaguchi as everything breaks down. Takao hits a quick top rope double stomp to the back but Sakaguchi pops back up for the slugout. Takao kicks him in the face and it’s back to Endo for a springboard forearm. Takanashi comes back in and strikes it out with Endo, including a grab of the nose to set up a kick to the face.

Endo is right back with a running shooting star for two and Sakaguchi’s running knee his turnbuckle. Another attempt at the running knee takes Endo down to give Takanashi two. Endo rolls him into the reverse Rings of Saturn and adds a guillotine to make Takanashi tap at 9:27.

Rating: C+. You can see some star power in some of these people, with Endo shining as brightly as anyone involved here. Endo and Takao looked like the more serious and dominant team here and it made sense for the two of them to win. Good opener here and you could tell the fans cared about the four people involved.

Ironman Heavymetalweight Title: Delayed Entry Battle Royal

This is an eight person Royal Rumble style match with one minute intervals, pin/submission/over the top eliminations and Makoto Oishi defending. Also note that anyone who eliminates the champion wins the title but the match continues until only one person is left. Kazuki Hirata is in at #1 (he dances a lot) and Saki Akai (who lost the title earlier tonight) is in at #2 as I’m expecting the comedy to be high here.

Hirata offers a handshake and then kicks her in the ribs, giving us a “WHO ME?” look. Akai kicks him in the chest and gets two off a high crossbody as Kikutaro is in at #3….or at least he would be if the ringside doctor didn’t say that he needed his blood pressure checked. Apparently Kikutaro’s blood pressure is too high and he can’t compete. That seems legit as there is no reason to do this otherwise.

Kikutaro is eliminated as Akai kicks Hirata in the back for two and Colt Cabana is in at #4 (you had to know he was coming in something like this). Cabana and Akai stare each other down with Cabana making some rather suggestive gyrations. An offer of a kiss earns him a slap to the face as Mizuki Watase, a guy in a suit, is in at #5. Cabana hits the Flying Apple to crush Hirata and Akai in the corner but Watase takes him down in the same corner for Coast to Coast. Hirata gets up and gives Cabana a….flick to the chest (Maybe?) for the elimination as champion Oishi is in at #6.

Oishi gets in and rolls outside, meaning Hirata and Akai follow him for the chase. That earns Hirata a belt shot to the head as Yuu, a popular woman, is in at #7. Some headlock takeovers work for a bit but she can’t take Watase over. Instead she picks him up and throws him over for the elimination. Oishi spits in Akai’s face again and small packages her for the second pin of the night.

And then it’s Yoshihiko, a sex doll who comes out to the Corporate Ministry theme carried by Kikutaro and a holder of the Right To Challenge Gauntlets, plus an eleven time champion (That old story again?) in at #8, giving us a final field of Yoshihiko, Hirata, Oishi and Yuu. It’s a chokeslam from Yuu to Yoshihiko and a dropkick sends Hirata into the corner. Yoshihiko…..headscissors Yuu and Oishi gets the elimination.

A super powerslam gives Oishi two on Yoshihiko as I try to figure out what I’m watching. It’s a reverse DDT into a Sharpshooter on Yoshihiko….who reverses into a half crab to make Oishi tap and win the title. Hirata pops back up and hammers on Yoshihiko, only to get choked and almost very tilt-a-whirl headscissored. Instead Hirata reverses into a chokeslam but it’s another tilt-a-whirl headscissors into a Code Red (just go with it) for two (again, just go with it). Hirata finally reverses into a sunset flip for the pin, the title and the Right To Challenge Gauntlet at 11:35.

Rating: D+. I have no idea what I just watched and I kind of want to see it again. This was the kind of wackiness that I wanted to see from the title and while it is going to get the usual criticisms for being ridiculous (and yes I’ve done it before), it was a fun spectacle. If nothing else, managing to make the doll look almost lifelike more than once, is impressive enough. Complete insanity at times of course, but that’s what you’re going for.

Post match, Hirata chokeslams Yoshihiko to the floor….and gets kicked in the face by Akai. A crucifix bomb makes her champion again, but it does not count for the Gauntlet because it wasn’t a sanctioned match. I think?

Akito/Ethan Page vs. Harashima/Kazusada Higuchi vs. Renegades

The Renegades are Jason Kincaid/Shigehiro Irie (who was a nice hidden gem over the weekend) and they have Watase is in their corner. Page and Akito do angels in the ring before the other teams come out. Page, Higuchi and Irie start things off with the three way test of strength to start until a double shoulder puts Higuchi down. Irie runs Page over but gets run over by Higuchi to give us a three way tag.

Kincaid yells a lot and it’s a circle of forearms. Then they change directions to really mix things up a bit. Akito and Harashima double team Kincaid to send him outside so it’s Page coming in to double team Harashima. He’s right back with a double stomp in the corner (ala Sasha Banks’ knees) but the Renegades break it up. Kincaid goes Coast to Coast on Harashima and Irie adds a slingshot splash.

Harashima is on the apron so Kincaid gets a running start and spins over the ropes for a rather unique double stomp. Page is back up and powerbombs Kincaid onto Harashima, followed by an Iconoclasm to send Kincaid into Irie. A middle rope elbow gets two on Irie and it’s Higuchi throwing Akito around with ease. Harashima adds a slingshot splash for two but Akito is right back with a Figure Four. The Renegades break that up and get two each with Higuchi making a save of his own.

Back up and Higuchi tries a sunset flip on Irie but can’t get him over. At the same time, Irie grabs a piledriver on Harashima and Kincaid spikes him down onto Higuchi in a pretty unique move. That’s broken up as well and it’s Akito slugging it out with Irie. Harashima gets Pounced hard by Irie and Kincaid adds the top rope X Factor on Page. A reverse hurricanrana plants Akito and it’s a Buzzsaw kick into double running knees to give Harashima the pin at 8:45.

Rating: C+. Fast paced and entertaining match here with the fans behind everyone involved. Page is an underrated talent and someone who is worth seeing almost anywhere he goes. I’ve seen Kincaid before and he has one of the most unique offenses I can remember in a long time. Higuchi is a pretty awesome big guy and Harashima was definitely over with the crowd. You can tell the fans like these guys and that’s a nice thing to have for a show like this.

Sanshiro Takagi vs. Mao

This is the Weapons Rumble In The USA match, meaning they have chosen three weapons each. One new weapon will be introduced every minute and either of them can use it. I think this might have been used on an episode of the Wrestlers (check that series out). Takagi (President of the company) is a Steve Austin inspired wrestler, meaning his music starts with the glass shattering and he does the double arm pose in each corner).

Mao on the other hand has a plastic sword and garbage can lid shield, plus two computer keyboards hanging from his back. They both miss some shots to start and it’s Mao scoring first with a dropkick. It’s time for the first weapon, which is….a wrestler dressed as Hulk Hogan (apparently named Antonio Honda).

This is booed out of the building as the shirt is ripped off. Takagi chops away but Honda Hulks Up and the fans are a little more into him. Honda’s big boot and legdrop give Mao two and it’s time for the second weapon: a bunch of plastic storage bins? Takagi slams Mao through a container for two and it’s time for the third weapon (the clock is all over the place here): garbage cans.

Mao puts it on Takagi’s head and botches a 619 attempt. He hits the second one (mostly) and it’s time for the fourth weapon: a bicycle (complete with Dusty Rhodes impression from commentary). They take turns riding on the bicycle with Takagi throwing it at Mao’s knee. The fifth weapon is a bunch of Legos, because that’s the big new thing in these matches. Starship Pain onto Takagi onto the Legos gets no cover and it’s already time for the sixth weapon: a toilet. Fans: “HOLY S***!”

Takagi DDTs Mao into it and then breaks off the lid, which is kicked into his face. Mao sends him face first into the toilet and the referee takes it away. Mao goes up and is superplexed right back through the containers as we hit the seventh weapon (though I thought there were only six): Chunsuke Nakamura, complete with fake US Title.

Nakamura shakes Takagi’s hand and then hits him low, setting up COME ON. A Michinoku Driver through a container gives Mao two so he puts another container full of Legos on Takagi’s ribs. The 450 only hits container though and Nakamura hits a running knee to the chest. An AA through the trashcan gives Takagi two and a spinning sitout powerbomb through a container finishes Mao at 12:24.

Rating: C+. You know, I actually liked this. They didn’t hide what they were going for and it was the wacky comedy that you kind of expect out of a match like this. I can go for comedy more when they go full steam ahead and that is what they did here. Fun match, and the kind of insanity I wanted to see from a DDT show.

Tokyo Princess of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita vs. Maki Itoh

Itoh is challenging and grabs a headlock to start. A back elbow takes Miyu down and she gets sent into the buckle over and over. Miyu avoids a falling headbutt though and kicks the heck out of Itoh for two. A snapmare gets the same and we hit the reverse chinlock. That actually needs a rope break for the escape and Itoh hits her own falling headbutt for two.

The chinlock, with a middle finger, goes on but Miyu fights up for a hard clothesline. Itoh Hulks Up out of the corner and they slug it out with the champ getting the better of things. Itoh is back with a Boston crab, sending Miyu to the ropes this time. A quick DDT plants Miyu but she avoids a splash. Miyu kicks her in the head and hits a Shining Wizard to retain at 7:01.

Rating: C+. This was fun enough despite the lack of time. They got in and did their thing with some good action and intensity, though it was a lot of “I do a move and then you do a move.”. Still though, it was a nice joshi match and it makes sense to put it on here to add some flavor.

Post match, Itoh flips her off again just because.

Joey Ryan/Royce Isaacs vs. Antonio Honda/Danshoku Dino

Yeah it’s Joey Ryan, but I’ll give them points for having him come out to the Pina Colada song because it really couldn’t be a better fit. During the entrances, Dino (who apparently came up with Ryan’s special suplex and has a magic….well the opposite side of Ryan’s) goes around kissing random fans. Hold on though as Ryan has to do his lollipop distribution and the baby oil deal.

Joey and Dino start things off with Joey offering to have him touch it. They slug it out instead with Dino giving it a quick touch, setting up a standoff. Honda and Isaacs come in and Honda hurts his knee almost immediately. It’s so bad that he decides to retire….but first he wants to tell a fairy tale? He wants to make the world happy so he tells a story about a fox, which he makes with his hand. The fox went to the Empire State Building but then realized it was the Empire State Big D*** and pokes Isaacs in the eye.

Dino comes back in for some pelvic thrusting and grabs a claw inside Isaacs’ trunks. Mounted thrusting ensues and the fans declare this wrestling. As I think Jim Cornette would disagree, commentary says “Don’t tell Jim Cornette that.” Honda comes in for some near falls and it’s back to Dino, who lowers the trunks to reveal….well very little clothing actually. He does some squats over Isaacs’ face but Ryan comes in to knock him down onto Isaac.

That earns him a belly to belly suplex and it’s back to Ryan. Dino injures his knee on an atomic drop attempt and is then forced to touch it. Honda makes the save and is forced to touch it as well, with Dino making the save. Dino drops his trunks again and uses it to flip Joey for a change (just go with it). With Dino on top, Honda pulls down Dino’s remaining gear (Fans: “WE WANT A**!”) to reveal even less and Joey goes face first.

Isaacs comes back in for a Jackhammer but Dino gives him some rapid fire low blows. Honda pokes Isaacs in the eyes to send him into Dino’s….yeah you get the idea here. With Dino sitting on top, Honda makes the foxes with his hands and sticks them into Dino to charge them up, only to have Joey make him poke himself in the eye. Joey makes Honda touch it so Dino tries to flip Joey again, only to have Joey flip him from behind. The lollipop goes inside Dino and then into Honda’s mouth. Sweet Tooth Music is good for the pin at 13:22.

Rating: UN. For um, no. This is the kind of thing that you hear about from wacky wrestling and while I won’t say it’s absurd or stupid or not wrestling or whatever, it’s absolutely not for me and nothing I ever need to see again. You know what you’re getting when you get into this show but egads this was a rough one. Just not my thing and it never will be.

KOD Openweight Title: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Daisuke Sasaki

Sasaki is part of Damnation (at ringside with him), Takeshita is defending and this is the company’s top title. Sasaki takes him into the ropes and slaps him a few times for some mind games. They go to the mat with Sasaki grabbing a headlock and then leg lariats him down. A time out request earns Sasaki a right hand but his friends offer a distraction so Sasaki can get in a shot to the knee on the floor.

Back in and the knee is in trouble, with some stomps and an Indian Deathlock making it worse. A rope is grabbed and it’s an overhead belly to belly to send Sasaki flying. The knee won’t let Takeshita follow up so it’s a delayed DDT to plant Sasaki again. One heck of a Blue Thunder Bomb gives the champ two but Takeshita misses a running boot in the corner. Sasaki drapes him over the top for a running dropkick to put Takeshita in trouble again. Takeshita catches him with a big boot on top but can’t hit a German suplex to the floor.

They head outside with Sasaki sending him into the crowd and hitting a Russian legsweep into the chairs. A heck of a flying elbow onto the chairs crushes Takeshita again and it’s a crossface to make it worse back inside. That’s broken up as well and they forearm it out until Takeshita stomps on the fingers. Takeshita accidentally boots the referee in the corner so Sasaki gets in a low blow.

That’s good for a pretty quick two as that’s a resilient referee. Takeshita rolls outside, where he manages to catch a suicide dive and suplex Sasaki onto the apron. Now the running boot connects with Sasaki in the corner but he’s right back with a Pedigree to cut the champ off again. A scary release German suplex sends Sasaki flying (and nearly landing on his head), followed by a lariat to give Takeshita two.

They botch a Code Red attempt (making it look more like a reverse hurricanrana) to give Sasaki two and the crossface goes on again. That’s broken up as well and a kneeling tombstone gives Takeshita two more. The fans are split as Takeshita knees him hard and hits a springboard Swanton to a sitting Sasaki. Takeshita loads up a German suplex but Sasaki grabs the referee to hit a pair of low blows. A running hurricanrana gives Sasaki the pin and the title at 19:02.

Rating: B. Now this was more like it with a very good back and forth match. They were going back and forth here for a long time with Sasaki cheating over and over until Takeshita just couldn’t overcome the odds any longer. This was easily the best thing on the show so far and shows the athleticism and skill that the company can offer after some of the insanity earlier in the night.

The fans chant PLEASE COME BACK but Sasaki has something to say. He says this is his championship but here’s Tetsuya Endo with his Gauntlet….and it’s on.

KOD Openweight Title: Tetsuya Endo vs. Daisuke Sasaki

Sasaki is defending and is chopped down while the introductions are being made. Endo suplexes him into the corner and hits a Spanish Fly for two. The champ rolls to the floor and teases a countout but Endo isn’t having any of that. Back in and Endo misses a springboard 450, allowing Sasaki to grab a rollup for two. They slug it out on the apron with Endo trying a torture rack but getting reversed into a quickly broken crossface. Back in and Endo hits a spinning torture rack slam for two more. Endo’s shooting star is good for the pin and the title at 4:03.

Rating: C. There’s only so much you can get out of this but they did their thing well enough while it lasted. Endo stealing the title was a cool moment to end the show but it’s weird seeing what seems to be a heel (albeit a popular heel) cash in on another heel. Both guys looked good here though and you believed Sasaki could pull it off.

Post match the announcers sign off but Endo grabs the mic to apologize to Sasaki. Endo addresses the crowd but says he can only speak Japanese. I don’t understand what he says, but he seems to put over DDT and New York. Endo praises Sasaki and the rest of his teammates before saying remember us.

That’s…not the end of the show as here are Saki Akai and Makoto Oishi with the latter spitting in her face and grabbing a rollup to win the Heavymetalweight Title (third time tonight). Kazuki Hirata comes in for a low blow to become champion. Now it’s Maki Itoh coming in for a small package for the title. Danshoku Dino comes in to kiss the men and headbutt Itoh, setting up a piledriver (with Itoh’s head down his trunks) for the pin and title. Dino puts over the company and kisses fans in the crowd to finally end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This show is not going to be for everyone (and a lot of it wasn’t for me) but it was never boring and was rather energized throughout. What mattered here was how different things felt, which is the point of Wrestlemania weekend. It offered a bunch of different styles of wrestling that you don’t often see and that’s what you got here. It’s not something I’m going to want to watch again, but if you’re into something a little less serious with some good action in there, give this one a shot.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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