wrestling / Video Reviews
Furious Flashbacks: All Japan Raising An Army Memorial Series Day 2
Loading...AJPW Raising An Army Memorial Series Day 2
29th October 2014 (Aired on Gaora TV on 8th November)
We’re in Yamagata, Japan. Although the title of the tour and the location of the show might seem somewhat underwhelming, this is a loaded All Japan show. It has Joe Doering defending his title against Go Shiozaki, Aoki defending his Junior title against Hikaru Sato and a healthy 1,500+ in attendance.
SUSHI vs. Naoya Nomura
SUSHI starts out testing rookie Nomura on the mat to see if he can grapple and easily outwrestles him. There’s a clear vibe that SUSHI is walking Nomura through the match, whispering spots into his ear. The match develops into a David vs. Goliath style battle with Nomura unable to hit the most basic spot, like a slam, because of his inexperience. It does make him look like a bit of a chump but he’s literally had 20 matches (if that) and it’s all about giving him ring time in front of an audience. SUSHI allows him time to build and when Nomura does manage a slam, after a counter in the corner, it shows his progress. He shows a lot of fire and escapes the Boston crab once but SUSHI slaps him back in for the win. Following the progress of young lions isn’t always much fun and I tend to prefer to jump on a career when it’s matured for a few years. Otherwise you’re just watching the same rookie match over and over. Nomura showed some promise here though.
Final Rating: *1/2
Xceed (Kotaro Suzuki & Yohei Nakajima) vs. Team Dream Futures (Keisuke Ishii & Soma Takao)
Kotaro Suzuki is an interesting guy for up and comers to work because he’s all about making other people look as good as him. This is especially evident in the opening sequences with Ishii where he deliberately sets everything out as 50-50. Guys like Team Dream Futures need to work with experienced, quality wrestlers to improve their own game. Kotaro isn’t perfect or anything (anyone who uses the 619 can’t be) but he’s an accomplished wrestler and can structure a decent match. Yohei Nakajima is a story in of himself. Since he’s unmasked AJPW have been trying to carve an ultimate underdog character out of his bland outer skin. The crowd are starting to bite on him, if this match is anything to go by, and his gutsy personality is coming across a bit more. I could have lived without his match following Nomura as they’re very similar gimmick-wise. Ishii and Nakajima have a nice finishing sequence where they duel on kicks before Ishii cleans Nakajima out with a spin kick for the win. This was passable wrestling with an air of pre-planning throughout. Suzuki marshalled the match but allowed everyone bar him to shine.
Final Rating: **1/4
Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Ultimo Dragon vs. Masanobu Fuchi & Osamu Nishimura
Any match where Kanemaru is a “young punk” (he’s 38) has some serious experience in it. Ultimo and Nishimura tag quite often so it’s interesting to see them on opposite sides of the ring. They do some tidy mat countering reflecting that familiarity. Unfortunately much of the contest’s psychology stems from old man Fuchi and his stalling slams. I was of the opinion that Fuchi should have retired after Misawa’s faction left AJPW to form NOAH. That was 15 fucking years ago and here’s Fuchi still stumbling through matches and having to sit down every now and again for a breather because he’s a relic. There are senior leagues out in Japan. There’s no need for him to be stinking up AJPW’s rings (other than his office job). I know he’s been on a much-reduced schedule this year but there’s a reason for that; he’s 60 years old! Flair wasn’t that old when Shawn Michaels ‘retired’ him in 2008. To be fair to Fuchi, for a 60 year old his conditioning is pretty good. He just shouldn’t be wrestling normal everyday wrestlers like Kanemaru. Speaking of Kanemaru he does his usual job of holding together shit that AJPW can’t get anything useful out of without him. Mainly Nishimura working his knee over for 15 minutes. Why is this match so goddamn long? Eventually Nishimura goes for the umpteenth spinning toehold and Kanemaru inside cradles him for the win. A typically weak ‘old man’ match from All Japan. At least they didn’t wheel someone ridiculous like Dory Funk out here but Fuchi is bad enough. I thought we saw the end of this style of match when NOAH stopped doing them but All Japan have started them up again, worryingly 3 matches into the card. They’re ok as a one-off but not every show.
Final Rating: *3/4
Kengo Mashimo & Tank Nagai vs. Big Guns (Zeus & The Bodyguard)
Big Guns are muscle monsters but both have developed a recent knack of taking great bumps and carrying matches. They’re so muscular they make Kengo and Tank look small. And when the guy called “Tank” looks small, you know you’re in the realm of muscle freaks. Big Guns work Tank over for ages and do a load of muscle poses. It’s not an ideal showcase of their talents. Maybe they had a clause in their contracts that stipulates a hundred muscle poses for every job. At least Kengo gets to duel it out with Bodyguard instead of taking a shoeing. He even busts out the DOUBLE ARMBAR! The referee is lucky he doesn’t get an armbar for pointing out that’s not a legal finish, for some reason. Tank fairs better during his second stint in the ring too and even busts out a Tabletop Suplex. You don’t see that move often. The pacing on this match is decidedly lacklustre and there’s no shaking the sensation that everyone is sleepwalking through it. Kengo plants Bodyguard with a brainbuster for the relatively uneventful win. Not sure why Big Guns bossed half the match only for it to break down and fall apart and the outcome being…whatever. Just a bunch of bits tagged together after some dull formula. Not a good match, at all.
Final Rating: *
AJPW Junior Heavyweight Championship:
Atsushi Aoki (c) vs. Hikaru Sato
These guys are partners in Evolution, the stable that includes Suwama and current Triple Crown champ Joe Doering. This is the ultimate in keeping the belt in the family; defending it against your stable-mate (this is Aoki’s 4th title defence and 2nd against Sato! That match clocked in at ****). Sato is a gutsy shoot-style wrestler, while Aoki is a polished junior who’s accomplished on the mat. This natural urge to mat wrestle drives the contest, which is a nice change of pace. Sato makes everything look legitimate and constantly seems to be going after a submission. That’s his shoot background showing through and it makes for a solid, logical mat-based wrasslin’ match. Not that the whole match takes place on the canvas and they insert spots like Aoki going for a dive and Sato cutting him down with a kick to the head. Aoki’s selling goes a bit wobbly after that with him frequently dropping to the mat, grabbing his head. Because he’s worried it might be a concussion Sato, Aoki’s tag partner and team mate, won’t follow up. It’s a pity in some ways, as that’s the main thread of Aoki’s storyline in this match but it reflects that some wrestlers put friendship ahead of titles. Usually ones with no titles. Aoki, the champ, has no such compunctions about kicking his buddy in the face to retain said title. Sato just wants to win it the old fashioned way, by outwrestling the champion and grappling the belt from his sweaty, winning hands. So beating on his clear head injury is out but breaking his ankle is fine. Aoki spends the match divided between some sensational ‘dizzy’ selling of the head injury and trying desperately to fend off Sato’s assaults on his limbs. It looks to all intents and purposes that the title is changing hands but Sato doesn’t seem focused enough to get the duke. He switches from arm to back to leg without really planning any strategy out. It’s only when he goes for a front chancery, 80s style, and Aoki’s arm almost drops three times that there’s tension. Unfortunately they botch Aoki powering out of it, Hulk Hogan wouldn’t be impressed, which rather taints the tension. The importance of the spot is that it leads into Aoki hitting a series of moves to win the match so the botch is even more noticeable as it wrecks the flow into the finish. A pity as they’d had a decent little contest but the lack of ambition combined with the lacklustre conclusion rather take the edge off it.
Final Rating: ***1/2
Jun Akiyama, Akebono & KENSO vs. Suwama, Takao Omori & Kento Miyahara
This feels a bit thrown together. Akiyama & Omori are a tag team on opposing sides (which AJPW did with Big Guns recently, to surprisingly good effect). Maybe these 6-man tags are Akiyama’s way of seeing who works well with each other and who doesn’t. Did I ever mention how much I love Suwama’s introduction? Everyone else has two names (Akebono aside) but Suwama is announced like he has two names. SUWAAAA……MAAAAAA. Other interesting early antics include Miyahara and Akiyama sharing the record for most reversals of an Irish whip on the floor without anyone actually getting run into the guard rail. The crux of All Japan’s booking at the moment seems to be crotchety old bastards vs. young punks. That’s personified by Akiyama vs. Miyahara. Like with a recent 6-man tag (about a month before this), they keep it fresh with frequent tags and don’t let the bad wrestlers overwhelm proceedings. The likes of Akebono work as hard as they can until they get blown up, then they tag out. It’s literally the best possible use of Akebono and reminds me of how AJPW used to book Giant Baba. Unfortunately Baba never had to tag with KENSO, who is the trickiest one tricky pony in existence. If he ever forgets to do that slap, where he comically hits his own chest in the process, he’ll be utterly useless. He drags everything down the second he walks into the ring. Sucking the fun out of the match and just ruining it. But then all is saved with Miyahara and Akiyama fighting over a suplex like taking it would result in Ultimate Shame for their family for 7 generations. If Miyahara doesn’t get over working with Akiyama while he’s in this mood, he’ll never get over. Omori is the real miracle worker though, he strives to drag something worthwhile out of KENSO and they have a passable little strike duel where KENSO is dragged kicking and screaming out of his comfort zone. It seems last month’s 6-man tag was no fluke because this one is genuinely fun too! Miyahara is the main beneficiary of this awesomeness as he gets to look equal to Akiyama and even gets Akebono in trouble with an armbar. Miyahara takes the fall but in doing so takes abuse from all three opponents before Akebono finishes him with the piledriver (“IMPACTOOOOOOO” yells the commentator). I hope these 6-man tags become a staple for Akiyama’s All Japan because they’re the most fun matches these guys are involved in.
Final Rating: ***1/4
Triple Crown Championship:
Joe Doering (c) vs. Go Shiozaki
Doering’s pre-match press conference reveals he thinks Shiozaki is the better wrestler but he feels he needs to dictate the pace and wrestle ‘his match’ instead. It’s certainly a candid opinion piece and reflects the feeling that Doering isn’t a wrestling champion, he’s a big ugly brawler who’s hit it lucky. Doering’s special skill as champion seems to be to kill expectation and excitement regarding big matches. His efforts to bludgeon this one to death involve a brawl-heavy deal where Shiozaki gets to look like a bitch after being laid out on the floor half a dozen times. Way to go, Joe. I just wish he channelled Stan Hansen more. Just strolling around confidently and having cowboy boots on isn’t going to cut the mustard. Shiozaki knows he needs to do something but he can’t get a strike duel going and Doering decides to start no selling DDT’s just to fuck with him. I honestly thought the Triple Crown would be the making of Joe Doering as a wrestler but instead he’s just another name to add to a list of mediocre wrestlers who won major titles. They finally get their shit together for the stretch with Shiozaki using a rana to escape the Spiralbomb but even then Doering decides to kick out of the resultant lariat at one. One! Shiozaki hits the Go Flasher for a strangely muted near fall. Doering is just so damn casual with everything, while Go is trying to pull out as much fatigue selling as he can. It’s weird. At least the crowd finally start to bite on the match, even if they’ve been cold to both guys throughout. This spurs them on to throw some serious lumber and they have the best strike duel of the entire match. Go ups the ante with a last gasp kick out from a massive LARIATOOOOOO. If only they’d been able to instil the rest of the match with the same energy. Just when I’m digging the competition Doering finishes with the Spiralbomb. This took a long time to get going but when it did, and they hit their stride, it came across supremely well. Just a pity this was a 20 minute match as they didn’t seem to have the vigour for it.
Final Rating: ***
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