Friday, March 15, 2013

[Results] "EMPEROR'S CUP Final Round," 2013.03.15 @ Korakuen Hall


* After weeks of hype and eager anticipation, over 2,000 fans once again packed the holy venue of pro-wrestling in Japan: Korakuen Hall! Tonight, a King would rise as four remain after a trying first and second round. With the grand, and titular Emperor's Cup standing next to the HEC Heavyweight Championship Belt on a pedastol in the center of the ring, the show opened with the familiar and dramatic voice of KJPW Ring Announcer Eizou Hayakawa -- who briefly welcomed fans to the FINAL ROUND of the Inaugural EMPEROR'S CUP! After which, he began to read the card lineup match-by-match. The fans responded with polite applause, and appropriate enthusiasm for the bigger names on the show; including Kazuma Fujita, Naoki Fukuda, TAKU, and oddly enough; even the name of feared foreign legend James Goodwin!

* The show quickly opened with the first taste of the burdgeoning relationship between KJPW and the up-and-coming promotion from San Diego, EXODUS Pro-Wrestling, as they dispatched the likes of Johnny Cannon, Kliff Ulysses, and Alex Brooks to face the rookie trio of Shinji Uchikawa, Tsutomu Nishioka, and Yutaka Awano. The three foreigners were accompanied by EXODUS CEO Rufus Frost, who shook hands with KJPW CEO and Acting President Shingesato Ishiyama as photographers snapped pictures. Ishiyama happily invited "Mr. Frost" to sit and watch the match next to him. Strangely, the EXODUS trio did not appear to be on the same page, as Ulysses was sure to keep his distance from his partners upon entering the ring. Finally however, he arrogantly brushed past both Cannon and Brooks towards the corner, where he pulled out a black flag. After proudly holding it up, the flag read "LEGION" in dark red letters. While the fans were somewhat confused, Rufus Frost was clearly upset by Kliff's grandstanding. Upset even were his teammates, as Johnny Cannon RIPPED the flag out of his hands, before tearing it in two! While not knowing the details, the intelligent Tokyo fans were wise to pick up on the subtext, and gave Cannon a big response for his action! 

Facing World-Class talent, not much was expected from the three rookies coming into the match. However, the trio were not merely content with the benefits of experience as they gave their all to win. Awano absorbed a volley of hard kicks from Brooks to start the match. He earned a big ovation from the fans by coming back with a HARD shoulder tackle to take Brooks off his feet! Typically fierce rivals, Nishioka and Uchikawa showed good teamwork as well by hitting Ulysses with a perfectly-timed double dropkick! The rookies momentum was short lived however, as the more experienced international team hijacked control. Brooks displayed wonderful high flying before the Korakuen fans, and nearly caught Awano for the three with a flying cross body! In the end, Cannon would face off with Rookie Class Ace Shinji Uchikawa, who did his best to weather the striker's devastating blows. After a brutal elbow, a thudding leg kick, and a POWERFUL jumping knee to the jaw, Uchikawa was left open for Cannon's KNOCKOUT ROUNDHOUSE KICK! Uchikawa tried to stay standing, before finally collapsing in a heap! Before Cannon could cover the rookie however, Kliff would suddenly TAG HIMSELF IN by slapping Cannon's back! Cannon naturally protested--ONLY TO GET KICKED IN THE GROIN, AND TOSSED OVER THE TOP ROPE! The villainous act earned the jeers of the Tokyo fans as Kliff arrogantly covered the unconscious Uchikawa to unceremoniously take the victory for himself; and apparently "LEGION" as he pulled a second flag out to drape over Shinji's fallen body!

After posing for several photos, Ulysses was ran off by an irate Johnny Cannon, who furiously hurled a chair at him!


*  It was a long road ahead still for our final four competitors, as they would have to win two matches in one night in order to seize the Cup, and the HEC Heavyweight Belt! In the first semi final bout, the "Hot-Tempered Samurai" Riki Ichiro would face the "Gladiator King" Kenji Tanamura in a unique first-time bout. Living up to his nickname, Ichiro attacked Tanamura during his ring entrance! Showing the lengths he will go to win, Ichiro had no regard for Tanamura, or the rules as he bashed his opponent in the back of the head with a steel chair! Amazingly however, Ichiro's rough tactics only seemed to motivated Tanamura, who took Ichiro down in the ring, and unloaded with FIERCE PALM STRIKES! Tanamura let out all of his rage as he threw one salvo after another! Within less than 10 slaps, Ichiro's face had begun BLEEDING from familiar injuries suffered in the first two stages of the tournament! Referee Hirata was finally able to separate the two. However, it was clear that Ichiro was at a critical point. He would fight back with wild punches and kicks, only to be cut down by the more technically-precise kicks of World-Class Kickboxer Kenji Tanamura. Ichiro would occasionally find a burst of strength to attempt a counter. However, Tanamura would somehow be one step ahead of the fiery "Samurai." In fact, just as it appeared Riki would finally explode on offense, he was caught with a BRUTAL axe kick from Tanamura! By this point in the match, Ichiro's entire face was caked in dark red. His toughness struck a chord with many fans, who passionately cheered him on with "RIKI!" calls. The encouragement helped him to catch the "Gladiator King" off guard with a POWERFUL lariat! As Kenji scrambled to his feet, Riki reached deep to execute a Backdrop, followed by two-count pin attempt. Still under the 10:00 mark. Ichiro looked to score big with a POWERBOMB. Despite struggling, Tanamura could do nothing to stop himself from getting hoisted... and SLAMMED into the mat! Ichiro kept his weight on top of Tanamura for the pin... In doing so however, he allowed Tanamura to sink in a TRIANGLE HOLD! Ichiro kept his cool early on, but very quickly found himself suffocating under the constricting submission! The match suddenly took a gruesome turn as blood began STREAMING from Ichiro's right eye brow due to the pressure of the hold! However, Ichiro refused to submit and continued to inch both he and Tanamura towards the ropes... After coming within mere inches of the ropes however, Ichiro's face caught the full view of KJPW's ringside doctor Chisato Komine, who peculiarly began examining Ichiro and his wound more and more closely... Looking very concerned, Ms. Chisato frantically called Referee Hirata over, and ordered him to STOP THE MATCH!!!

The fans, and even Kenji Tanamura was confused as the gong sounded to end the match... Ichiro was finally pried from Tanamura's Triangle hold, and became furious upon learning about the Medical Stoppage! However, it was apparent Ms. Chisato's stoppage was warranted, as Ichiro could barely hold himself up under his own power... Regardless, Tanamura was grateful for his victory, and made a simple "belt" motion around his waist to make his intentions clear. Tonight, he would become HEC Heavyweight Champion and win the very first EMPEROR'S CUP.



* We would next find out who would join Kenji Tanamura in the EMPEROR'S CUP -GRAND FINALE- as familiar faces squared off, with the "Invincible Mastodon" Naoki Fukuda battling the "Rampaging Choujin" TAKU. Coming off the heels of their recent singles match on KJPW's debut event, fans were not expecting to see another encounter between the former tag partners this soon. Both men were very eager to engage in a short-burst battle; knowing the longer this match goes, the damaged they will be going into the finals. Neither man held back as a fiery exchange of forearms led to both freight trains trading SAVAGE lariats! Naoki's shot appeared to be just a little more stronger, as it sent TAKU reeling to the outside. In position, the "Invincible Mastodon" showed off his amazing agility by flying through the middle ropes onto his opponent with an ELBOW SUICIDA! The move brought the Korakuen fans off their feet; almost literally for the front row! In the ring, Fukuda gained steam with a series of slams and pummeling blows before finally grounding him with a chin lock. With a ground swell of support from the fans, TAKU bravely fought to his feet, and tossed Fukuda over his shoulder with a throw! Not losing a step however, Naoki charged furiously at TAKU; who in turn side-stepped! As Naoki CRASHED chest first into the corner, TAKU gripped his waist before using his immense strength to HURL the 114kg Naoki Fukuda OVER HIS HEAD WITH A GERMAN SUPLEX THROW! The move staggered Naoki, who groggily stumbled to his feet--ONLY TO WALK INTO TAKU'S LARIAT! After a failed pin attempt, TAKU continued to wear Fukuda down with a Cobra Twist, before ultimately turning that into a swinging neckbreaker! TAKU antagonized his former partner with petty slaps and kicks to try and raise his ire... However, when Fukuda showed no signs of coming back, TAKU aimed to finish and sat Naoki up; the position for TAKU's match-ending Choujin Bomber! However, as TAKU came off the ropes, NAOKI JUMPED TO HIS FEET AND BLASTED TAKU IN THE FACE WITH HIS BOOT! The shot staggered TAKU enough to soften him up for Naoki's MASTODON SLAM! Naoki covered, ONLY FOR TAKU TO KICK OUT AT 2.5! With the Korakuen fans showing incredible enthusiasm and support for both men, Naoki ascended to the top to finish his friend in the same fashion he did on 1/23; the Mastodon Crash! TAKU however ROLLED AWAY TO SEND NAOKI CRASHING AND BURNING! Naoki appeared momentarily stunned enough for TAKU to aim for the Choujin Bomber one more... However, Naoki countered AGAIN; this time by ALMOST cradling TAKU with a Crucifix hold! After escaping however, TAKU managed to catch the Mastodon off guard by grabbing his arm, and hooking a LA MAGISTRAL! The fans were taken off guard as well, AS REFEREE KAJIWARA COUNTED NAOKI'S SHOULDERS TO THE MAT FOR THREE!

Fans were again slightly taken aback by the end, but were quickly supportive of TAKU upon Ring Announcer Eizou Hayakawa formally reading the result. Naoki himself briefly argued the count with the official, but quickly accepted it. Not wanting to take his friend's glory, he acknowledged TAKU with a nod before leaving the ring... TAKU briefly showed his poise with a confident and determined crowd appeal, before making his exit.


* "Double Goodwin" finally made their anticipated Japanese landing after many weeks of hype. The attention was even closer when their revered father, the legendary foreigner JAMES GOODWIN announced he would be accompanying his sons on their initial tour of the place he considered his second home for many years. While the monstrous 213cm James Goodwin was traditionally met with frightened cries and boos in the past, the nostalgic Tokyo fans greeted the legend with an ENORMOUS ovation that even seemed to take Goodwin him  by surprise. While Goodwin's appearance added importance, the focus of the match was purely on his two sons; James Goodwin Jr. and "BIG" Jon Goodwin. Adopted as Goodwin's first son, Junior posessed a strong body with incredible athleticism and power. His younger brother; the 100% blood descendent of James Goodwin made up in size in what he lacked in experience, as he came into the ring at an incredible 207 cm! The two were met head on by Mamoru Sekishima and Tetsuji Kawamura of MONSTER HEAD DUO, which led to an all-out brawl to start the match off! Neither games wanted to give way, making for a very back-and-forth slug fest during the early going. Naturally, the chaos spilled to the outside in front of the elder Goodwin, who shouted instructions to his sons. After the match was brought back to the ring, MHD managed to isolate the larger, but inexperienced "BIG" Jon. After beating him down with hard strikes, the two combined their strength to Vertically Suplex the 207cm, 134kg big man! They tried doing the same with the smaller James Goodwin Jr. However, being more crafty, he was able to momentarily escape MHD's clutches, and send Tetsuji colliding into his own partner! As Tetsuji turned around, he walked into a PERFECTLY THROWN DROPKICK FROM JUNIOR! Following a NASTY brainbuster, James hooked Seated Full Nelson, before turning it over into a Full Nelson CAMEL CLUTCH! The submission James Goodwin Jr. called the ZAOS Clutch nearly forced Tetsuji to quit, had it not been for Mamoru Sekishima's rescue! After finding himself thrown to the outside, Mamoru unwisely began exchanging words with Papa Goodwin, leading to the legend LARIATING HIM! With Sekishima momentarily taken out, buried Tetsuji into the mat with a brutal Choke slam! This merely softened Tetsuji up for James Jr., who proceeded to hoist him HIGH into the air before FOLDING HIM IN HALF WITH A SIT-OUT POWERBOMB! The sickening move known as the Power Collapse was more than enough to keep Tetsuji down for the three count!

Double Goodwin made a more-than-favorable impression on the Korakuen fans. Afterwards, Papa Goodwin took the microphone, and said he appreciated the cheers; as odd as they were. He said that tonight was not about him, but about his two sons! He declared that Double Goodwin would take Japanese Wrestling by storm to become the most dominant tag team on the planet! Calling out KJPW CEO and Acting President Shigesato Ishiyama, Goodwin said that KJPW needed its own tag belts for teams to fight over. He challenged Mr. Ishiyama to create such a Title, and promised that his boys would surely win them!



* Up next was a fairly straight-forward six-man tag bout pitting Chikao Kessin, Masafuji Yoshida and rookie Yukio Kisanuki of the KJPW Seikigun against Yuichi Miwa, Harumi Sakai, and Yusaku Kitajima of Hybrid Corps ARMADA. The former OFS Middleweight Champion Yuichi Miwa started the bout off against the "Nise (Fake) Sumo" Masafuji Yoshida. Miwa could do little to match Yoshida in the way of brute strength early on as demonstrated when Miwa tried -- and failed -- to take the larger Yoshida off his feet with a shoulder block. This however opened Yoshida up to arrogantly making a mistake, which allowed Miwa to take Yoshida down to the mat, and apply the cross knee hold! While at first being able to waiver the pain, Yoshida very quickly learned of Miwa's proficiency in submissions, as the "Berserker" began to live up to his name by VICIOUSLY PULLING YOSHIDA'S HEEL BACK; EXTENDING HIS LEG EVEN FURTHER! Yoshida was able to scuttle both he and Miwa to the ropes, where Referee Hideki Kajiwara forced the break. Both men soon tagged out, bringing in Chikao Kessin and Yusaku Kitajima respectively. The two began to engage in the similar "power vs. technique" skirmish we had just seen with Yoshida and Miwa. However, after Kessin easily defended a front face lock by powering both he and Kitajima into the ropes, Kitajima suddenly SLAPPED Kessin in the back of the head, before BOOTING HIM in the side of the head with a kick! While the shot was clearly held back, the kick BUSTED KESSIN OPEN OVER THE FOREHEAD! The bloodshed did little to hamper the mighty Ozeki however, as he ended up staggering Kitajima with a HARD back blow! After tagging in his fellow Sumo Brother, he and Yoshida performed a crowd pleasing Double Sumo Charge to knock Kitajima nearly out of his boots! The bout began to break down from here as a Yuichi Miwa came in and took Kessin out with the BERSERKER KNEE! The crowd erupted for the big move, which prompted Miwa to very briefly play to the fans. His celebration was indeed brief however, as Harumi Sakai -- fresh from being tagged in by Kitajima -- caught Yoshida in the back of the head with a SPRINGBOARD MISSILE KICK! Just as Sakai connected with his high flying attack, Chikao Kessin made the tag out to high-strung rookie Yukio Kisanuki. Showing a lot of physical charisma, Kisanuki faced Sakai head-on, and engaged in a fiery trade of kicks and slaps. Sakai lit the rookie up with a particularly flurry, and seemed to even have him out on his feet! However, just as Sakai wound up for the KO blow, KISANUKI CUT HIM OFF WITH A JARRING SLAP TO THE JAW! Now with SAKAI staggered, Kisanuki leapt onto Sakai; locking his legs in a body triangle in the process. After forcing Sakai into an MMA guard, Kisanuki applied his extensive submission training to use by applying a modified Chickenwing Armlock -- more commonly known today as the KIMURA LOCK! Sakai's face told the story -- he was in trouble, and ALMOST appeared to be contemplating submission! However, putting his own MMA and grappling training to use, Sakai transitioned to Kisanuki's half-guard. After getting his foot free of Kisanuki's legs, Sakai seamlessly transitioned both he and Kisanuki into a seated position, where he immediately trapped the poor rookie in a vicious CHICKENWING FACELOCK! With his shoulder being wishboned, and his neck cranked into inhumane directions, the young rookie was forced to surrender -- giving ARMADA the victory!

There was some tension between ARMADA and the Sumos afterwards; namely between Chikao Kessin and Kisanuki -- possibly over Kessin's bloody face. However, the situation was diffused with the Sumos leaving without incident. The victors were allowed a brief chance to speak after the match. Yuichi Miwa confidently stated that ARMADA would exemplify what it means to be a Professional Wrestler, and that they would strive for no less than perfection. Seemingly more care-free, Harumi Sakai politely introduced himself, and said that he takes his life one day at a time.  Kitajima introduced himself as well, and sarcastically apologized for "roughing up" his opponent. Jokingly, he said "I wasn't aware you're not supposed to hit your opponent in the wrestling ring..." Closing, Miwa said that they would continue to fight for KJPW's ideals, and that with Kenji Tanamura as its Ace, the future of the company will be very prosperous.



* Fans were treated to special eight-man tag bout as a prelude to the EMPEROR'S CUP Grand Finale, as "Mr. Iron Man" Kazuma Fujita led Go Taniguchi, Yujiro Higuchi, and Kazuki Sendo of the KJPW Seikigun against "Mr. Transcendence" Seiji Ebisawa's SPIRIT International comprised of himself, Katsumi Gakusha, Shino Hiriyama, and renown deathmatch fighter Sean King. Ebisawa in particularly seemed to relish being in the ring with a "LEGEND," as he called Fujita at the start of the bout. The two faced off for photographers and fans alike as the GONG sounded. Wishing to test the mettle of Fujita, Ebisawa opened by throwing HARD knife-edge chops across Fujita's tanned, leathery chest. Showing no effect, Fujita showed fire by SHOVING Ebisawa back in a clear declaration of "Is that all you got!?" Surely, it wasn't. The "FREE SPIRIT" Ebisawa fired away with MORE chops, connecting in numbers of three, four, and finally SIX. While Fujita did well to grin-and-bear the shots, his chest clearly showed their effects as purple HAND PRINTS began to form across Fujita's chest and neck! All 2,350 fans were rabid by this point, losing themselves to the drama of battle! With vociferous chants of "FU-JI-TA!", the legend fought back for the first time in the match; throwing chop after chop to send Ebisawa reeling! Not to be outdone however, Ebisawa pushed back with more chops to cause a brutal stalemate of chops! The two then began to test the other with HARD shoulder blocks! Within a couple of exchanges, fatigue had clearly set in -- forcing them to tag out to Kazuki Sendo and Shino Hiriyama respectively. The action continued to be fast-paced, as the Jr. Heavyweights lit up one another with fiery elbows back-and-forth! An exchange of HARD running kicks to the face followed. Sendo appeared to be getting the better of Shino after landing a flurry of three forearms. However, the crafty Hiriyama threw a timely thumb to the eye to pull all of Sendo's momentum out from under him! This allowed Shino to bring in the mammoth Sean King, who PUMMELED Sendo with blows to the back. King had fun hurling the smaller Sendo around the ring. However, Sendo's condition became critical after getting caught in the corner and BLASTED with a running boot scrape the monstrous Sean King calls the CLEAN SLATE! Feeling satisfied, King audibly shouted, "IT'S OVER!" before pulling the prone Sendo up. King tried to finish Sendo with the "Welcome to St. Louis" Fire Thunder Driver -- only for Sendo to slide down King's back, and tag out to the Go Taniguchi! While closer to King's size, Go still struggled against the reckless hardcore style of Sean King, and found himself receiving a couple hard chair shots to the back on the outside. With the help of the Korakuen fans, the immensely popular Go Taniguchi was able to find a second wind and fight King off with Northern chop after Northern chop! After grabbing hold of King's arm, Go tagged out to Yujiro Higuchi, who continued from there -- although with more intensity, as the simplistic, but hard-hitting Higuchi battered King with kicks, chops, and elbows before ultimately taking the big man down with a POWERFUL jumping boot to the face! With momentum on their side, Higuchi made the tag to Kazuma Fujita -- delighting the packed crowd! As King got to his feet, Fujita unloaded with more chops with the same intensity he showed ten years ago -- showing his Spirit is still Burning strong. However, just as he was giving his trademark lariat appeal, THE MEMBERS OF SPIRIT INTERNATIONAL CLIMB IN AND CUT FUJITA -- ALONG WITH HIS TEAMMATES OFF! After seeing his partners further laid out, Fujita found himself in a dire 4-on-1 situation. With Ebisawa tagged in as the legal man, the four slowly and dramatically cornered the revered legend. Amidst deafening chants of "FU-JI-TA!," "Mr. Iron Man" made his move; choosing to strike first! Attacking the four as if he was in a street fightl Fujita swung wildly to take out any and all comers! Sadly however, the numbers simply were not in his favor, as a POWERFUL body attack from King sent Fujita staggering... After pulling Fujita up, Katsumi Gakusha savored his opportunity, before BLASTING Fujita in the jaw with the Blessful Uppercut! Almost falling over; Fujita stumbled back into the awaiting Shino Hiriyama, who mustered all of his strength to FOLD FUJITA IN HALF WITH THE PICTURE-PERFECT GERMAN! Leaving no room for hesitation, the massive Sean King dragged Fujita's beaten body up before hoisting him over his shoulder. With a downright maniacal smile on his face, King took pleasure in delivering two Airplane spins before SPIKING Fujita with the Death Valley Bomb known as the SK DRIVER! Fans were incensed by this point, and showered the ring with boos. However, it wasn't enough for SPIRIT International -- and Seiji Ebisawa in particular, who proceeded to give the presumably concussed Fujita HIS OWN LARIAT! Ebisawa dropped to his knees before covering Fujita very nonchalantly... ONLY TO PULL FUJITA'S HEAD UP AT 2.5!? Ebisawa's disrespectful actions earned him even more heat with the Japanese fans -- who are typically known for their civility. After dragging Fujita's body up, Ebisawa put the exclamation point on the match by grabbing Fujita, hooking his arm, and DRIVING HIM HEAD FIRST WITH THE WRIST-CLUTCH EXPLODER! With a satisfied look on his face, Ebisawa pressed ONE FOOT atop Fujita's chest to pin him in the most humiliating fashion possible! As if it would be any different, Referee Hirata counted the three...

Fujita's teammates quickly came to his aid afterwards, with mild scuffles between both sides. Sendo and Hiriyama continued their hostilities as well before needing to be separated. After a heated stand-off between the two sides, SPIRIT International chose to leave the ring without incident... It took Fujita several minutes to recover from the final moments of the match, but he was able to leave the ring under his own power -- only before giving an apologetic nod to all four sides of the ring....


* It all began with sixteen. Over the last three events, the field has been narrowed down to simply two. Every participant each brought their own unique weapon to the table, and posed a threat to the Cup AND HEC Heavyweight Title. However in the end, it would be Kenji Tanamura and TAKU who would stand out as the strongest two. BOTH participants appeared fresh after entering wearing white ring outfits. Reading from a parchment before the match, KJPW CEO and Acting President Shigesato Ishiyama officially declared this match for the 2013 EMPEROR'S CUP... AND HEC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BELT! The pre-match ceremonies ended with the playing of the Japanese National Anthem. With the fans adequately prepared, the GONG sounded to begin this historic bout!

Feeling the effects of their first matches earlier in the night, both seemed to have a much deeper, methodical strategy as they circled one another slowly -- amidst dueling chants of "TA-NA-MU-RA!" and "TA-KU!" Finally however, the two combatants locked horns to try and exact their might. Being TAKU's domain, the "Muscle Beast" dominated the lighter Tanamura with a powerful SHOVE before flexing his biceps in a curl! While not visibly flustered, Tanamura waited for his revenge to come after the two engaged in an interchange of grapples. Tanamura finally got TAKU in a position for a quick snapmare. Here, Tanamura brought the quietly focused crowd out of their politeness with a HARD SOCCER KICK TO TAKU'S SPINE! While initially grimacing, TAKU ordered Tanamura to strike him AGAIN! And of course, Tanamura more than obliged -- and threw a third kick for good effect. After pounding the mat dramatically, TAKU jumped to his feet and SHOVED Tanamura once again before shouting, "ARE YOU EVEN A MAN!? QUIT ACTING LIKE A CHILD!" The pure sign of disrespect caused the fans to ERUPT in commotion, and prompted Tanamura himself to challenge TAKU to do better! TAKU was eager to oblige himself, and relished the open shot. Reaching deep to a simple move not seen since his Kinniku Kamen days, TAKU grabbed a handful of Tanamura's lush hair before winding his head (and leg) and SMASHING HIS HARD SKULL INTO TANAMURA'S FOREHEAD! The THUD sent shockwaves through out Korakuen, but did little to hurt the "Gladiator King," who defiantly stood and ordered TAKU to throw another! Not to disappoint, TAKU wound up before firing a SECOND HEADBUTT! This time, the magnitude appeared to finally rock Tanamura, whose legs suddenly became rubbery! After asking the crowd "Mou ikkai!? (One more time!?) TAKU set up for a third headbutt -- ONLY TO BE CUT OFF WITH A HARD PALM STRIKE! The blow stunned TAKU -- but only long enough to throw another combination of slaps! Coming back, TAKU threw a HARD combination of elbows. The exchange continued for almost a minute as each shot the other threw increased in force with every passing blow. TAKU appeared to be getting the better of the exchange, and began to send Tanamura reeling with crushing elbows. Just as it seemed Tanamura was going to be sent to the canvas however, he managed to telegraph TAKU's oncoming strike, catch the limb, AND TRAP TAKU IN A DANGEROUS CROSS ARMBREAKER!! While initially seeming harmless, a pivotal moment occured when Tanamura used his leverage to shift his hips to apply EXTROADINARY PRESSURE ON TAKU'S RIGHT ARM!! The submission was severe enough that even among the audible Korakuen fans, you could hear TAKU's CRIES OF AGONY as Tanamura hyper-extended the limb! Fans rallied behind TAKU, and even shouted their vehement protest as he even teased submitting! As he tried to inch towards the ropes however, Tanamura shifted tactics slightly by turning the cross armbreaker into a TRIANGLE HOLD! Seeing what the move did to Riki Ichiro earlier in the night, the Korakuen fans erupted in a mixture of cheers and concern. Slowly however, chants of "TA-KU!" emerged over the pro-Tanamura fans, and encouraged the "Rampaging Choujin" to live up to his nickname by by lifting ALL of Tanamura's weight HIGH into the air!  Tanamura wisely released the hold in mid-air, fearing a Powerbomb... However, TAKU seemed to anticipate this, as he BLASTED TANAMURA WITH A SHORT LARIAT -- before collapsing onto his injured arm! The fans wildly cheered on the efforts of both men thus far as they laid on the canvas momentarily... After recovering first, TAKU pulled Tanamura into the corner, where he unleashed a BRUTAL flurry of knife-edge chops! Kenji would occasionally find the opening to fight back -- only to receive a HARD corner lariat for his troubles. Subdued; he could do nothing to fight TAKU from lifting him onto the turnbuckle. However, he began struggling as TAKU hooked him for a Superplex attempt. Giving into frustration, TAKU momentarily relented before giving Tanamura ANOTHER concussing headbutt to the skull! TAKU once again hooked Tanamura and lifted him half-way up for a Superplex in an AMAZING display of power! TAKU quickly outdid himself however, by slowly-and-carefully lifting Tanamura over his head in a delayed position -- FROM THE MIDDLE ROPE. The Korakuen fans were nearly speechless as TAKU held Tanamura vertically for as long as he possibly could. Finally, TAKU fell back, driving both he and Tanamura's blood-rushed head into the mat with the SUPERPLEX! TAKU made the first cover of the match -- only for Tanamura to kick out after two! It was TAKU this time who would apply his own submission skills by grounding Tanamura with a seated Double Chickenwing.It was an easy escape for Tanamura however, who quickly grasped the bottom rope with his foot. This brought the match back to a neutral playing field, with both men quick to assert their control once more. TAKU made headway after BLASTING Tanamura with an Enzuigiri! Tanamura however countered the waist lock attempt with a go-behind, followed by grabbing hold of TAKU's right arm and DRIVING IT DOWN ACROSS HIS SHOULDER! The crowd seemed divided in how to react to Tanamura's stoic gameplan. TAKU however reacted promptly -- by clutching his arm in severe pain! Tanamura continued the assault with SHARP kicks to the body and arm to further break down the resistance of the "Muscle Beast!" While refusing to go down, TAKU could seemingly do nothing to defend the shots. This prompted Tanamura to try his hand at rope work by racing off the ropes... He'd however PAY for his mistake as TAKU would come alive with a POWERFUL LARIAT -- SENDING  ALL OF HIS BODY WEIGHT CRASHING INTO TANAMURA! While initially hesitating to make the cover, TAKU dragged the staggered Tanamura up, BEFORE LOCKING IN THE OCTOPUS HOLD! Ignoring the pain shooting through his arm, TAKU CRANKED back on Tanamura's arms to apply immense pressure to his neck, torso, and lower back! The hold looked so painful, that the fans believed it could have potentially been the end! Ever resilient however, the Gladiator King managed to ESCAPE the hold, and counter with yet another go-behind! This time however, Tanamura grabbed hold of TAKU and SUPLEXED HIM IN HALF WITH A SICKENING BACKDROP! With TAKU's body folded in two, Tanamura held the bridge for the pin -- ONLY FOR TAKU TO KICK OUT AT 2.5! Wasting no time, Tanamura transitioned across TAKU's body, WHERE HE SUNK IN THE CHICKENWING ARMLOCK! To make matters worse for TAKU, Ringside Doctor Chisato Komine began to take special notice of his arm, much to the distress of the fans... With his eyes nearly bulging out of his head however, TAKU could audibly be heard screaming, "DON'T STOP IT! I'LL NEVER, EVER SURRENDER!!!" to directly quote the famous catch phrase of Kazuma Fujita! Amazingly, TAKU began to knee Tanamura wildly to dislodge his grip! After getting to a knee, TAKU had the leverage to break free, and LIFT Tanamura onto the second turnbuckle! After giving Tanamura a HARD upward lariat, TAKU ducked Tanamura's head and grabbed both of his legs... Korakuen once again came unglued as TAKU SPIKED TANAMURA WITH THE KINNIKU BUSTER!! TAKU covered as the excited fans counted along -- WITH TANAMURA KICKING OUT AT 2.5!! Feeling the Cup and Belt within his grasp, TAKU pumped his injured Choujin Bomber arm high into the air -- to the absolute delight of the crowd! As Tanamura slowly sat up, TAKU made his move into the ropes... However, he ran the opposite way he normally does, leading to him BASHING THE BACK OF TANAMURA'S HEAD WITH AN ENZUI CHOUJIN BOMBER!! Kenji's head and body violently SNAPPED forward as TAKU followed through into the opposite end of the ropes, where he connected with his normal CHOUJIN BOMBER Sliding Lariat! TAKU eagerly covered Tanamura; pinning both legs behind his shoulders for the pin -- ONLY FOR TANAMURA TO KICK OUT AT 2.9!!!  Fans could not seem to decide who to support in the closing moments, as chants of "TA-NA-MU-RA!" and "TA-KU!" roared louder than ever before. TAKU himself seemed momentarily frustrated... However, he finally looked to the top rope, before climbing! The fans came to a quiet hush as they anticipated TAKU's move. Still out of it, Tanamura slowly began to sit up once more... Adequately sized up, TAKU lifted his arms above his head before LEAPING at an amazing height for his size; with his legs, and right arm extended... With the tremoring force of a car wreck, TAKU cut the "Gladiator King" down with the CHOUJIN LANCE -- SMASHING THE BACK OF TANAMURA'S SKULL INTO THE CANVAS!!! TAKU firmly pressed both hands down across Tanamura's fallen body -- AS REFEREE HIRATA RENDERED THE THREE COUNT!!

From being an opening card comedy Junior Heavyweight in BSPW to one of Pro-Wrestling's elite singles stars. Tonight, TAKU's reached the potential many saw in him when he joined the Kazuma Fujita over a decade ago. After years of promises and false stars, TAKU ascended to the Emperor's Throne to claim its first Crown! In winning the Cup, TAKU becomes the first HONORED EMPEROR'S CROWN Heavyweight Champion! And perhaps most importantly, TAKU becomes the ACE OF KINGDOM of JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING!

Tanamura needed to be helped to the back by his ARMADA Wards. However, he refused to leave until shaking hands with the winner himself. Showing a lot of emotion, TAKU hugged his opponent in a sign of mutual respect. Tanamura could be heard faintly saying, "TAKU... Do your best..."

After being awarded the physical Emperor's Cup, he was then handed the HEC Heavyweight Championship Belt to the adoration and  cheers of fans through out Korakuen Hall. TAKU  showed great respect and appreciation in receiving his trophies. The fans came unglued once more as Ring Announcer Eizou Hayakawa officially declared, "THE WINNER OF THE INAUGURAL EMPEROR'S CUP, AND THE FIRST HEC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION... TAAAAAAAAAKUUUUUU!!!" TAKU himself could no longer hold back his tears of joy, and collapsed onto his knees clutching the belt he striven so hard for...



The time came for the "Champion's Interview," where the Ace would address the KJPW fans for the first time... He was asked for his general feelings at the moment. After a careful thought, TAKU said that this felt like a dream -- "The greatest dream..." he added. He was asked about Tanamura, and said he was stronger than he anticipated. He admits to believing power can overcome anything, and thus underestimated the World-Class technique and idealogy Kenji Tanamura possesses. However, TAKU proudly declared, "NOTHING IS STRONGER THAN A CHOUJIN (SUPERMAN)!!!" On the rest of the tournament, TAKU noted the difficulties involved, but said he overcame numerous obstacles to win tonight, including defeating the man who eclipsed him several years ago -- his former tag team partner Naoki Fukuda. He admitted to feeling jealous towards his friend's success, and even said it led to him making poor decisions upon KJPW's formation... However, he said it wasn't until he let go of his envy that he was able to reach his zenith. TAKU said his goal was to be an even stronger champion than Naoki was, and hoped to prove it at some point by granting his friend an HEC Heavyweight Title Match!

Just as the subject of TAKU's first potential title defense was broached, this brought out all four members of SPIRIT International led by Seiji Ebisawa! Ebisawa's unannounced arrival brought nothing but jeers from the Korakuen fans who were enjoying TAKU's well-earned celebration... After initially being denied a microphone, the animated Shino Hiriyama forcibly pulled an extra microphone from the broadcast position -- before annoyingly banging it on the steel guard rail to make sure if it worked. With something of an arrogant tone, Hiriyama indeed asked TAKU who he deemed worthy to challenge for the "illustrious" HEC Belt. Without giving TAKU time to answer, Hiriyama continued, "For how much you people talk about the GREAT and LEGENDARY Kazuma Fujita, you might think PINNING HIM would qualify you for that right... But of course, that is saying Kazuma Fujita MEANS ANYTHING in this day and age -- WHICH HE DOESN'T!!" The disrespectful Hiriyama knew just the right buttons on the new HEC Champion, who FLEW into a rage; DEMANDING ALL FOUR OF THEM COME INTO THE RING! Among the concerned cries of the fans, Sean King, Katsumi Gakusha, and Hiriyama began to circle the ring... Before they could make their attack however, the gravely voice of Seiji Ebisawa was heard shouting, "...WAIT!" After calling off SPIRIT International, Ebisawa told TAKU not to misunderstand Hiriyama, and stated his respect for Kazuma Fujita. In fact, Ebisawa revealed that Fujita was the sole target of SPIRIT International tonight! Fujita was isolated and decimated for one purpose: TO DRAW OUT THE HEC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!" Hearing the premeditation come straight from Ebisawa's mouth sent TAKU into an even further rage; forcing him to be held back by rookies Uchikawa, Nishioka, Awano, and Kisanuki! As if it was needed, Ebisawa drove his plan home, "Now, Champion! Is your beloved teacher's sufferage all for nothing? Or will you grant me my match?" Even before Ebisawa could lower the microphone, an irate TAKU screamed out, "EBISAWA!!! IF YOU WANT MY BELT, COME AND KILL ME FOR IT!!!" Satisfied with the answer, Ebisawa and the rest of SPIRIT International took their leave...

Calming down, TAKU vowed to avenge Kazuma Fujita, and make SPIRIT International pay for their intent. Looking at his new prize, TAKU acknowledged that he was now the "Most Wanted" man in Professional Wrestling, and that "Pretenders" would constantly make themselves known to challenge him. He declared that being HEC Heavyweight Champion means you are the "Strongest Pro-Wrestler in the World." He sent a direct call to every organization in Japan, including those who challenge KJPW as the #1 company in Japan by saying, "I am TAKU! The HEC Heavyweight Champion! I am the standard that all Pro-Wrestlers will now be measured on! Kingdom of Japan Pro-Wrestling is the BEST PRO-WRESTLING ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD! If I'm wrong, COME HERE AND PROVE IT!!" TAKU's passionate words resonated in the Korakuen fans, who began shouting chants of "OU-KO-NI! (A short-hand of "Oukoku Nihon - Kingdom of Japan)" TAKU closed the show by thanking the fans for their support, and vowed to be triumphant in his first Title Defense!

Kingdom of Japan Pro-Wrestling,
"1st Annual EMPEROR'S CUP ~GAME OF KINGS~ FINAL ROUND"
March 15, 2013
Tokyo - Korakuen  Hall
2,350 Fans (Super No Vacancy Full House)
1. Opening Match ~ KJPW vs. EXODUS: Johnny Cannon [EXODUS], Kliff Ulysses [EXODUS] & Alex Brooks [EXODUS] beat Shinji Uchikawa, Tsutomu Nishioka & Yutaka Awano (9:09) when Ulysses pinned Uchikawa after the Roundhouse Kick from Cannon.
2. Emperor's Cup - Semi Final: Kenji Tanamura beat Riki Ichiro (9:22) by Doctor Stoppage.
3. Emperor's Cup - Semi Final: TAKU beat Naoki Fukuda (14:26) with a La Magistral.
4. Double Goodwin Japanese Landing ~ Reign of Terror: James Goodwin Jr. & "BIG" Jon Goodwin beat Mamoru Sekishima & Tetsuji Kawamura (12:11) when James used the Power Collapse on Kawamura.
5. KJPW vs. ARMADA: Yuichi Miwa, Harumi Sakai & Yusaku Kitajima beat Chikao Kessin, Masafuji Yoshida & Yukio Kisanuki (10:19) when Sakai used a Chickenwing Facelock on Kisanuki.
6. KJPW vs. Spirit Intl' Special Eight Man Tag Match: Seiji Ebisawa [SI], Katsumi Gakusha [SI], Shino Hiriyama [SI] & Sean King [SI] beat Kazuma Fujita, Go Taniguchi, Yujiro Higuchi & Kazuki Sendo (16:29) when Ebisawa used the Wrist-Clutch Exploder on Fujita.
7. Emperor's Cup - Final: TAKU beat Kenji Tanamura (20:32) with the Choujin Lance to become the 1st HEC Heavyweight Champion.

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