* Over 2,100 fans packed virtually every seat in the historic Korakuen Hall in Tokyo to witness the first Title Defense of the HEC Heavyweight Championship as TAKU was set to defend his Title against SPIRIT International's Seiji Ebisawa. First up however, the series ender kicked off with a short, but spirited 3WAY match involving Kazuki Sendo and rookies Shinji Uchikawa and Tsutomu Nishioka. Being their senpai, Sendo defered to the two for the early going -- and forced Uchikawa and Nishioka to engage one another. Comedy ensued however as both rookies tried to cradle the other, forcing Sendo to make diving; if not exaggerated saves. The bout quickly picked up from there, with all three taking the match seriously. Uchikawa looked to be leveling up with every match -- this one included as he folded Nishioka in half with an impressive German Suplex hold! Tsutomu would have his moment to shine too however, as he blasted his generation rival in the jaw with a pinpoint Dropkick! In the end however, Sendo's experience and timing would spell the difference, as he struck Nishioka with his "Nice Hit!" running knee at the precise moment to give him the three count fall!
* Korakuen Hall came unglued for the appearance of the aging Kazuma Fujita, who teamed with Yujiro Higuchi and rookie Yutaka Awano to face Kenji Tanamura and Yuichi Miwa or ARMADA, along with Awano's rookie contemporary Yukio Kisanuki. Tanamura earned a large reaction at the sound of the gong by directly calling out his mentor, Kazuma Fujita to start the match off! Not wanting to disappoint, Fujita acquiesced and met his former student head on. Tanamura got the better of Fujita in grappling -- only to suffer through a crushing array of knife-edge chops from Fujita. The two spirited wrestlers stalemated before long however, forcing them to tag out to Yukio Kisanuki and Yutaka Awano respectively. The two rookies kept the high pace set by their seniors, with Kisanuki in particular shining with some slick grappling transitions. Awano however came back using his added size after a hefty bodyslam, followed by a screaming Senton off the ropes for a two-count! Awano then tagged out to the "Nagoya Tower" Yujiro Higuchi, who further punished the rookie with vicious elbows. Using his speed and agility, to escape Higuchi's grasps, Kisanuki was able to tag out to ARMADA's "Berserker," Yuichi Miwa, who unleashed a furious onslaught of rapid fire kicks to Higuchi's large chest. Higuchi fired back however, matching Miwa blow-for-blow. Miwa however cut Higuchi off with a fast savate kick before more momentum could be gained. After grounding the Nagoya Tower for a moment, Miwa used his ring positioning to tag out to ARMADA's leader -- as Tanamura took over where Miwa left off in keeping Higuchi on the mat with an arm lock. As Higuchi fought back to his feet, Tanamura threw kicks of his own. Though for every two kicks Tanamura threw, Higuchi would fire back with a HARD palm to the chest. The crowd particularly got into this exchange, with fans wildly cheering on both Tanamura and Higuchi! Just as Tanamura looked to have the edge, Higuchi blasted the Gladiator King with a ferocious running boot to the face! This paved the way for Higuchi to tag back out to "Mr. 300%" Kazuma Fujita! With Tanamura reeling, Fujita enveloped Korakuen in a sense of nostalgia as he unloaded machinegun-like chops to Tanamura's tanned chest! One another another, Tanamura absorbed chop after chop! Fujita found his following Irish Whip attempt countered -- only in turn to catch Tanamura following in with a HARD boot to the face! As Tanamura staggered out, Fujita brought him to the mat with the Running Neckbreaker Drop! After a failed pin attempt, Fujita tagged out to the rookie Awano, who pounded down on Tanamura's back with a double sledgehammer! Awano's momentum was short lived however, as one mistake allowed Tanamura to take back control with an Abisegiri -- nearly KO'ing the rookie! Tanamura was able to tag out to Yuichi Miwa, who made short work of the rookie. After nearly submitting him with a rookie-killing Crab hold, Miwa transitioned to a modified knee lock -- forcing Awano to submit!
Fujita gave a microphone appeal after the match, praising all of the wrestlers in the ring for their efforts. He particularly praised Kisanuki and Awano for their spirit, and told them to continue developing. Just as he was about to leave however, Kenji Tanamura had an appeal of his own. While hinting at a larger plan, he challenged his mentor Kazuma Fujita to face him once again; this time in a tag team match. The Tokyo fans were naturally receptive to the idea, but who would be their partners? Tanamura selected Yuichi Miwa, calling him the strongest of his wards. Fujita naturally accepted the challenge, and selected the "Nagoya Tower" Yujiro Higuchi as his partner! Higuchi agreed, and the match was confirmed for sometime in the near future.
* KJPW's lovable gatekeeper Go Taniguchi faced SPIRIT International's Katsumi Gakusha in a special singles match. Typically getting the better of Go in their previous exchanges, Gakusha clearly didn't take the match seriously early on. Pushed to his limits however, Go Taniguchi forced "Mr. DYNAMIC" to take him seriously with a series of kicks and Northern chops! From here, the two had a rather high-spurt match, with Gakusha upping his game -- and intensity level to try and finish Go as soon as possible. Every time Gakusha would try to set up a match-ending move, Go would fought back momentarily before losing control. However, Go dealt severe damage after catching Gakusha coming off the ropes with an awkward; but powerful Dropkick! However, as he tried to finish Gakusha with the Tama Tama Drop, "Mr. DYNAMIC" countered at the most opportune moment -- landing his Blessful Crusher to ground the "KING OF COMEDY" for good!
* Mamoru Sekishima and Tetsuji Kawamura -- MONSTER HEAD DUO -- met Harumi Sakai and Yusaku Kitajima of ARMADA next in a spirited tag match. Sekishima and Kawamura were able to run wild early on demonstrate some of their double team skills to show just how much the two are gelling as a team. Sakai and Kitajima would not allow themselves to be so easily beaten however, and led a full assault on the two MONSTERS. ARMADA managed to isolate Kawamura during the middle portion -- only for Kawamura to completely disregard a Backdrop suplex from Kitajima; leading to a Jumping Hip Attack from Kawamura! Sekishima nearly scored the win a few minutes later after hitting Sakai with a POWERFUL knee kick -- only to comeback with a missile kick! After a series of blows, Sakai pulled off an amazing TIGER SUPLEX HOLD on the Greco Superman to get a 2.5 count! In the end however, it would be Tetsuji Kawamura who would sink Kitajima with his Tetsuotoshi swinging uranage, followed by the Diving Headbutt from the top rope to secure the MHD win!
* The first round of the HEC Tag Team Title Tournament continued next as arguably the strongest combination in the tournament; the "Invincible Mastodon" Naoki Fukuda and the "Hot-Tempered Samurai" Riki Ichiro faced SPIRIT International's "B-Type" combination, Shino Hiriyama and Sean King. The SPIRIT International team proved to be more than a challenge for the stoic heroes. King in particular ran wild on Ichiro during the early going; engaging in -- and getting the better of -- a brawl on the outside. As usual, King pushed the very limits of the referee's discretion by breaking several chairs across Ichiro's back. Ichiro was able to fight back and match King blow-for-blow. He eventually found his opening and made the tag out to Naoki, who knocked King to the canvas after throwing a ferocious salvo of elbows. With the Korakuen fans feeding Naoki with their support, the Invincible Mastodon used his mammoth-like strength to lift King up, and drop him to the mat with the Mastodon Slam! After a failed pin attempt however, Naoki pushed his luck by going for a second Mastodon Slam. This time, all 159kg of King came crashing down; driving Naoki face first into the mat! The action in itself seemed to nearly KO Naoki as King went for the cover; getting a 2.5! Hiriyama was soon tagged in, who relished the opportunity to belt on a wrestler with Naoki's credibility. However, the antagonistic Hiriyama seemed to get more than he bargained for after slapping Naoki a few times. Before long, Hiriyama was locked in an exchange of blows -- and naturally fell to Naoki's short-burst strength! After finally knocking Hiriyama off his feet with a running elbow smash, Naoki made the tag to an extra-motivated Riki Ichiro. Sean King illegally came in to cut Ichiro off -- only in turn to find himself cut off by Ichiro's RIKI LARIAT! This in turn allowed Hiriyama to get the jump on Ichiro with a LOW BLOW! While grabbing him from behind for his Picture Perfect German Suplex however, Shino suddenly found himself face-to-bicep as Riki ducked -- allowing Naoki to BLAST HIM WITH A WICKED LARIAT! Seeing Naoki's cue, Riki followed quite and delivered an even MORE devastating RIKI LARIAT to keep Hiriyama down for good, and guarantee their slot in the semi finals!
* In the night's semi final, we came to the final first round match of the HEC Tag Team Title Tournament, as "Sumo Brothers Returns," Chikao Kessin and Masafuji Yoshida faced "Double Goodwin," James Goodwin Jr. and "BIG" Jon Goodwin. After all of the trash talk, both teams held nothing back against the other, and exchanged in heavy blows from the opening gong. Kessin in particular was fired up, and had some brutal exchanges with "BIG" Jon. Kessin and Yoshida looked liked the first formidable team to face Double Goodwin, as they isolated Junior early on. Through timing and determination however, James was able to catch Yoshida with a powerful dropkick! This allowed Double Goodwin to run wild on offense. Nearly finished Yoshida after a hard lariat, followed by reverse splash in the corner. After getting the crowd behind himself, Yoshida eventually fired back with a fiery volley of kesagiri chops, which led to him mustering all of his strength to throw the 134kg Goodwin over with a belly-to-belly! This brought Kessin back into the ring, leading to more double team work from the Sumos. Kessin soon tried to finish the lesser-experienced Goodwin after blasting him with the Back Blow! After going for the Sekai Ichi no Backdrop (World's #1 Backdrop), Jon was saved by his older brother, who provided the distraction to allow Jon to turn the tables! With Yoshida tagging himself in, the Nise Ozeki tried to stay on top of the powerful Jon Goodwin -- ONLY TO SUFFER A BRUTAL LARIAT! With Yoshida staggered, Jon lifted his body over his shoulders, before DRIVING HIM TO THE MAT WITH THE FIRE DROP; the very move made famous by their father! As James Jr. held Kessin off, "BIG" Jon scored the three count over Yoshida, ensuring Double Goodwin's advancement to the semi finals!
Fans were rather surprised by the abrupt ending to the match, as most would agree that the pace was just picking up... Double Goodwin only briefly celebrated their victory before leaving the ring... While momentarily out of it, Yoshida admitted defeat to the stronger Goodwins, going as far as admitting so over the microphone. He praised "Chi-tan" (Yoshida's pet name for Kessin...), and said that while it was unfortunate to be knocked out of the tournament, the Sumo Brothers would live forever, and naturally find better luck in their next campaign. However, as he went to meet Kessin with an affirmative gesture -- KESSIN SMASHED THE BACK OF HIS FIST INTO THE SIDE OF YOSHIDA'S FACE! The swift blow completely shocked the Korakuen audience. However, they came unglued as Kessin gripped Yoshida's waist before DUMPING HIM ON HIS HEAD WITH THE SEKAI ICHI NO BACKDROP! Fans unequivocally booed Kessin as he continued to stomp at Yoshida's body; prompting the intervention of KJPW's rookies -- only for them to receive beatings as well. Kessin finally relented and took his leave from not just ringside -- but Korakuen Hall entirely -- as he reportedly left the building without further explanation...
* With all of the talking and preliminary skirmishes behind us, we finally came to the historic first defense of the HEC Heavyweight Title, as the man who won the EMPEROR'S CUP tournament to be named the inaugural champion TAKU defended his crown against the #1 contender, SPIRIT International's esteemed leader Seiji Ebisawa. The two had been tied to one another since the very first KJPW event on 01/24/2013, where TAKU appeared to have aligned himself with Ebisawa and SPIRIT International following his main event loss to Naoki Fukuda. However, the facts were that TAKU's alliance with Ebisawa's troupe was short-lived at best, as TAKU joined his rightful place as a member of KJPW's Seikigun; before assuming the helm as Ace when he won the EMPEROR'S CUP. After being knocked out of the tournament himself in the second round by Naoki Fukuda, Seiji Ebisawa carried out a cunning plan to draw out the tournament winner by having SPIRIT International systematically destroy Kazuma Fujita.The highly emotional TAKU took the bait perfectly, and nominated Ebisawa as his first challenger upon his grand reveal.
The Korakuen fans booed the challenger vociferously upon his entrance, which was the perfect contrast to the joyous arrival of the HEC Heavyweight Champion! Living up to his word, Ebisawa left his SPIRIT International contemporaries backstage for this important match. CEO and Acting President Shigesato Ishiyama presided over the Title Ceremony, and gave his official sanctioning for the match.
The early going saw a long, drawn out battle by both champion and challenger. After pacing and circling for almost a full minute, the two finally engaged in a traditional collar-and-elbow lock up, with the "Muscle Beast" TAKU powering Ebisawa towards the ropes... However, the resilient veteran managed to show his own strength by standing his ground, and forcing TAKU back to a neutral location to force a stalemate! The two further slowed the face after another lock up, this time with Ebisawa forcing the Champion the corner. This prompted Referee Hideki Kajiwara to call for the break. Despite teasing the tempting opportunity, Ebisawa made a clean break; garnering a polite round of applause from the fans. For a third time, the two locked horns. On this occasion, the mighty Champion would muscle Ebisawa into the corner. Unlike the Challenger, TAKU had no reservations about throwing a hard chop to Ebisawa's chest as Referee Kajiwara called for the break! Pushing the official's leniency, TAKU fired another chop to fire himself up -- followed by an ECHOING SLAP across the face! Ebisawa seemed momentarily out on his feet, prompting a HUGE reaction from the fans -- and soon a unanimous "TA-KU!" chant for the HEC Champion... As Ebisawa shook the blow off, TAKU charged in for a follow-up attack. The wily Challenger was waiting however, as he pulled TAKU into the corner and returned the favor with a JARRING SLAP ACROSS THE FACE! Feeling that wasn't enough, Ebisawa measured TAKU before throwing a SECOND SLAP -- hard enough to make TAKU drop to his knees! With the Champion stunned, Ebisawa attempted to wrestle him to the mat. While met with some resistance, Ebisawa stayed one step ahead of TAKU, who at best fought his way back to a standing position; with Ebisawa maintaining the waistlock. Showing some uncharacteristic technical skills, the Champion brilliantly escaped with a leg sweep followed by a side headlock! Naturally, Ebisawa struggled to get to a standing base. After shoving TAKU off into the ropes however, Ebisawa met the full-force of the HEC Champion head on by absorbing a hard shoulder tackle! This led to Ebisawa again slowing down the pace to regroup. But again, TAKU would assert his dominance by throwing hard shots! Frustration clearly began to set in for the challenger, who BLASTED TAKU with a stiff jab to the jaw! With the Champion stunned, Ebisawa threw an equally hard knife-edge chop -- BEFORE ANOTHER JAB! This time, the shot knocked the Champion down, before forcing him to retreat to the outside! The fans in Korakuen were taken back by the Challenger's explosive aggression, with a few "EBISAWA!" calls popping up. TAKU however was livid -- and ended up kicking open the steel security railing out of frustration before returning to the ring. After trash talking, the two engaged in a heated striking battle; with the HEC Champion seemingly getting the better of the exchange! With shot after shot, TAKU continued to try and break the Challenger down. But for every two shots TAKU would throw, Ebisawa would throw one shot equal to the last two. For several minutes though, neither man could gain a sizable advantage over the other. One thing was for certain however; as the match progressed, the Challenger's aggression increased with even more jabs and chops. After appearing to stagger the Champion, Ebisawa tried to land a severe blow by throwing a lariat -- ONLY FOR TAKU TO DUCK AND COUNTER WITH A BACKDROP! The Korakuen fans burst into cheers as TAKU dumped Ebisawa at a dangerous angle; prompting the cover! However, Mr. Transcendence would kick out after two; before retreating to the outside for a breather. After returning, he found himself overwhelmed by TAKU's stomps and kicks; prompting him to throw a jab -- TO THE GROIN! The fans ERUPTED in boos as the HEC Champion doubled over. Showing no remorse for his desperation tactic, Ebisawa blasted TAKU with a short-ranged lariat to knock him completely to the mat! Amidst further boos from the fans, Ebisawa threw annoying clap kicks -- Pulled enough to do not severe damage, but hard enough to earn a stern warning from Referee Kajiwara. As TAKU got to his feet, the resilient Champion fought back with everything he could. This only incited Ebisawa however, and provoked a furious onslaught of chops and jabs! To the awe and cheers of the crowd, TAKU shoved Ebisawa back defiantly! This naturally prompted another lariat from the surly Ebisawa, which forced TAKU to the outside... There, the 40+ year old Ebisawa surprised everyone in Korakuen by SAILING OVER THE ROPES WITH A PLANCHA! An outsider or not, the Tokyo fans erupted in appreciation for Ebisawa's efforts -- prompting a loud "E-BI-SA-WA!" Giving way to egotism however, Ebisawa sat on the ring apron and played it up to the crowd -- for too long, as TAKU managed to reach deep and recover fast enough to charge at Ebisawa seated on the apron and blast him with an apron-level lariat to the back of Ebisawa's brain!! With Ebisawa staggered, TAKU jumped onto the apron, and followed through with an APRON CHOUJIN BOMBER!! While the devastating move did a number on the Challenger, the Champion endured much damage in pulling off the reckless maneuver... Trying to ignore the pain however, TAKU quickly jumped onto the apron -- and then the top rope! With all 2,100+ fans waiting with bated breath, the HEC Champion waited for Ebisawa to climb to his feet... As he turned around, TAKU jumped -- performing a GILO (Somersault Senton) FROM THE POST -- ONTO THE CHALLENGER! TAKU was clearly feeding off the momentum, along with the lively atmosphere. After getting Ebisawa to the ring and covering for two, TAKU further poured it on by nearly tearing Ebisawa in two with a violent Spear! As TAKU tried to follow up with the Jackhammer however, Ebisawa struggled -- before eventually countering with a Brainbuster (Vertical Suplex) of his own! As both men strangled, Ebisawa came out on top of the exchange after landing a nasty Enzuigiri, and following it with the EXPLODER! Fatigue seemed to be setting in for the Champion, as Ebisawa could barely drag him to his feet. After throwing more jabs, Ebisawa tried to end the match by hooking TAKU's hands in place for the Wrist-Clutch Exploder -- However, TAKU struggled at the last moment; leading to a rapid series of back elbows. In the Brainbuster position, both Champion and Challenger battled over who would suplex who... In the end, the Rampaging Choujin would live up to his Superman name by powering Ebisawa into the air -- and DRIVING HIM INTO THE MAT WITH THE JACKHAMMER! The fans seemed to sincerely believe that was the end based upon their reaction to Ebisawa's 2.5 kick out! As the Challenger sat up, TAKU was well in position to deliver a decisive Choujin Bomber to try and sink Ebisawa. It had appeared that his over-zealousness got the better of him as Ebisawa COUNTERED WITH A CRUCIFIX -- GETTING A 2.5 COUNT! As the fans let out a noticeable "OHHH!," Ebisawa gave TAKU an advantageous position by being on all fours -- allowing TAKU to hook Ebisawa's arm and cradle him with the La Magistral -- GIVING HIM THE THREE COUNT!!!
While initially caught off guard, the fans erupted in cheers for the Champion's first successful Title Defense! The result was immediately disputed by Ebisawa, who grabbed Referee Kajiwara by the collar of his shirt. The rest of SPIRIT International were at ring side within moments, and further intimidated Kajiwara -- who ducked under them to intentionally raise TAKU's hand in victory!! While the other members of SPIRIT International seemed keen to attack the victorious Champion, Ebisawa surprisingly called his troops off before walking towards the back -- only to stop half-way through to begin watching the ceremony to commemorate TAKU's successful V1 defense.
As usual, TAKU received several awards, including a historical record of the match in writing, along with a trophy and the physical HEC Championship Belt itself. During the customary Champion Interview, TAKU was asked to evaluate Ebisawa's strength. With a slight hesitation, TAKU admitted the skills of his Challenger, and said that he took him lightly -- even going as far as to reveal his shock at winning the match with the La Magistral. He noted that he defeated Naoki Fukuda in the EMPEROR'S CUP with the same move. Both teams, TAKU said he used the technique simply out of desperation -- with both times earning him vital wins. TAKU vowed to make the move one of his big weapons, saying that "the old ways are sometimes the best..."
Then came the issue of TAKU's next challenger. When asked, TAKU said he would gladly defend the HEC Heavyweight Title against any former Champion, saying he wants to continue to raise the image of the HEC by defending it against the World's Elite; even if it means defending against former Champion's of other companies. THIS appeared to be the cue the manipulative Ebisawa was waiting for, as he suddenly interrupted TAKU. "Now, Champion... Is that really true? Would you face ANYONE?" Ebisawa further antagonized the hot-headed TAKU, asking him if he was content with facing a handpicked gimme by KJPW's management to protect their precious Ace. Seeing through Ebisawa's game, the Champion called Ebisawa out, saying if he had somebody in mind, name them. He vowed to crush any member of SPIRIT International, whether its Sean King, Katsumi Gakusha, or Shino Hiriyama. While Ebisawa said he had no intention of losing tonight, he had brought a special guest with him, and was going to reveal him as part of his Championship Celebration... However, Ebisawa said he would be content with the guest himself dethroning TAKU, calling it Poetic Justice.
Beckoning to the back, a mysterious masked figure emerged. Walking somewhat aloof; with his head tilted, the man stood next to Ebisawa, who immediately began patting him on the back. The fans were immediately intrigued. TAKU however cut to the chase by refusing to defend the title against a "mysterious masked man." However, he offered the figure a shot at what he called the "Apex of Pro-Wrestling." As the man climbed into the ring, it became more and more obvious just who the man was. However, everyone's suspicions were confirmed as the pulled off his mask, revealing the exiled NORIHIRO AKASHI!
"YO! Long time, no see!" Akashi eccentrically shouted into the microphone. Body type aside, the man formally known as Norihiro Akashi had a completely new look since he last appeared in Japan. His jet black hair was longer than before; yet styled and combed to one side, along with a trimmed beard. Korakuen Hall couldn't believe their eyes; just like TAKU, who seemed to be filled with several conflicting emotions. Finally however, TAKU addressed him by his former name. "You are Norihiro Akashi..." Without even giving TAKU a moment of silence before speaking, the man spoke, "I am not Norihiro Akashi.... I am... THE DREAM CATCHER!" before letting out a maniacal laugh... After collecting himself, he stared a hole straight through TAKU's head before adding, "...And TAKU... I am here to CATCH your DREAM!" while clearly pointing at the HEC Championship Belt. Overcome with many emotions, TAKU finally resigned himself before confidently raising the Title Belt over Akashi's head! The Champion finally choke, saying "Norihiro Akashi was a former Champion.... I don't know what a DREAM CATCHER is... BUT THIS BELT IS ABOVE YOU!" The fans responded strongly, but came unglued upon hearing, "...HOWEVER, if you feel you're strong enough to take my DREAM from me... YOU ARE WELCOME TO TRY!" TAKU's emphatic words confirmed the showdown between TAKU and the formally exiled Norihiro Akashi, with all but management needing to sign off on the bout.. Getting what he wanted, The Dream Catcher withdrew from ring side, saying that he would be traveling to EXODUS Pro-Wrestling in America to help his good friends. Akashi smiled, before reaching into his pocket and tossing the Champion an unassuming black cloth before making his exit. Unfolding the flag slowly revealed the red, cryptic letters "LEGION." TAKU naturally tore the emblem in two, and said promised to send the Dog Catcher back into exile!
* The first round of the HEC Tag Team Title Tournament continued next as arguably the strongest combination in the tournament; the "Invincible Mastodon" Naoki Fukuda and the "Hot-Tempered Samurai" Riki Ichiro faced SPIRIT International's "B-Type" combination, Shino Hiriyama and Sean King. The SPIRIT International team proved to be more than a challenge for the stoic heroes. King in particular ran wild on Ichiro during the early going; engaging in -- and getting the better of -- a brawl on the outside. As usual, King pushed the very limits of the referee's discretion by breaking several chairs across Ichiro's back. Ichiro was able to fight back and match King blow-for-blow. He eventually found his opening and made the tag out to Naoki, who knocked King to the canvas after throwing a ferocious salvo of elbows. With the Korakuen fans feeding Naoki with their support, the Invincible Mastodon used his mammoth-like strength to lift King up, and drop him to the mat with the Mastodon Slam! After a failed pin attempt however, Naoki pushed his luck by going for a second Mastodon Slam. This time, all 159kg of King came crashing down; driving Naoki face first into the mat! The action in itself seemed to nearly KO Naoki as King went for the cover; getting a 2.5! Hiriyama was soon tagged in, who relished the opportunity to belt on a wrestler with Naoki's credibility. However, the antagonistic Hiriyama seemed to get more than he bargained for after slapping Naoki a few times. Before long, Hiriyama was locked in an exchange of blows -- and naturally fell to Naoki's short-burst strength! After finally knocking Hiriyama off his feet with a running elbow smash, Naoki made the tag to an extra-motivated Riki Ichiro. Sean King illegally came in to cut Ichiro off -- only in turn to find himself cut off by Ichiro's RIKI LARIAT! This in turn allowed Hiriyama to get the jump on Ichiro with a LOW BLOW! While grabbing him from behind for his Picture Perfect German Suplex however, Shino suddenly found himself face-to-bicep as Riki ducked -- allowing Naoki to BLAST HIM WITH A WICKED LARIAT! Seeing Naoki's cue, Riki followed quite and delivered an even MORE devastating RIKI LARIAT to keep Hiriyama down for good, and guarantee their slot in the semi finals!
* In the night's semi final, we came to the final first round match of the HEC Tag Team Title Tournament, as "Sumo Brothers Returns," Chikao Kessin and Masafuji Yoshida faced "Double Goodwin," James Goodwin Jr. and "BIG" Jon Goodwin. After all of the trash talk, both teams held nothing back against the other, and exchanged in heavy blows from the opening gong. Kessin in particular was fired up, and had some brutal exchanges with "BIG" Jon. Kessin and Yoshida looked liked the first formidable team to face Double Goodwin, as they isolated Junior early on. Through timing and determination however, James was able to catch Yoshida with a powerful dropkick! This allowed Double Goodwin to run wild on offense. Nearly finished Yoshida after a hard lariat, followed by reverse splash in the corner. After getting the crowd behind himself, Yoshida eventually fired back with a fiery volley of kesagiri chops, which led to him mustering all of his strength to throw the 134kg Goodwin over with a belly-to-belly! This brought Kessin back into the ring, leading to more double team work from the Sumos. Kessin soon tried to finish the lesser-experienced Goodwin after blasting him with the Back Blow! After going for the Sekai Ichi no Backdrop (World's #1 Backdrop), Jon was saved by his older brother, who provided the distraction to allow Jon to turn the tables! With Yoshida tagging himself in, the Nise Ozeki tried to stay on top of the powerful Jon Goodwin -- ONLY TO SUFFER A BRUTAL LARIAT! With Yoshida staggered, Jon lifted his body over his shoulders, before DRIVING HIM TO THE MAT WITH THE FIRE DROP; the very move made famous by their father! As James Jr. held Kessin off, "BIG" Jon scored the three count over Yoshida, ensuring Double Goodwin's advancement to the semi finals!
Fans were rather surprised by the abrupt ending to the match, as most would agree that the pace was just picking up... Double Goodwin only briefly celebrated their victory before leaving the ring... While momentarily out of it, Yoshida admitted defeat to the stronger Goodwins, going as far as admitting so over the microphone. He praised "Chi-tan" (Yoshida's pet name for Kessin...), and said that while it was unfortunate to be knocked out of the tournament, the Sumo Brothers would live forever, and naturally find better luck in their next campaign. However, as he went to meet Kessin with an affirmative gesture -- KESSIN SMASHED THE BACK OF HIS FIST INTO THE SIDE OF YOSHIDA'S FACE! The swift blow completely shocked the Korakuen audience. However, they came unglued as Kessin gripped Yoshida's waist before DUMPING HIM ON HIS HEAD WITH THE SEKAI ICHI NO BACKDROP! Fans unequivocally booed Kessin as he continued to stomp at Yoshida's body; prompting the intervention of KJPW's rookies -- only for them to receive beatings as well. Kessin finally relented and took his leave from not just ringside -- but Korakuen Hall entirely -- as he reportedly left the building without further explanation...
* With all of the talking and preliminary skirmishes behind us, we finally came to the historic first defense of the HEC Heavyweight Title, as the man who won the EMPEROR'S CUP tournament to be named the inaugural champion TAKU defended his crown against the #1 contender, SPIRIT International's esteemed leader Seiji Ebisawa. The two had been tied to one another since the very first KJPW event on 01/24/2013, where TAKU appeared to have aligned himself with Ebisawa and SPIRIT International following his main event loss to Naoki Fukuda. However, the facts were that TAKU's alliance with Ebisawa's troupe was short-lived at best, as TAKU joined his rightful place as a member of KJPW's Seikigun; before assuming the helm as Ace when he won the EMPEROR'S CUP. After being knocked out of the tournament himself in the second round by Naoki Fukuda, Seiji Ebisawa carried out a cunning plan to draw out the tournament winner by having SPIRIT International systematically destroy Kazuma Fujita.The highly emotional TAKU took the bait perfectly, and nominated Ebisawa as his first challenger upon his grand reveal.
The Korakuen fans booed the challenger vociferously upon his entrance, which was the perfect contrast to the joyous arrival of the HEC Heavyweight Champion! Living up to his word, Ebisawa left his SPIRIT International contemporaries backstage for this important match. CEO and Acting President Shigesato Ishiyama presided over the Title Ceremony, and gave his official sanctioning for the match.
The early going saw a long, drawn out battle by both champion and challenger. After pacing and circling for almost a full minute, the two finally engaged in a traditional collar-and-elbow lock up, with the "Muscle Beast" TAKU powering Ebisawa towards the ropes... However, the resilient veteran managed to show his own strength by standing his ground, and forcing TAKU back to a neutral location to force a stalemate! The two further slowed the face after another lock up, this time with Ebisawa forcing the Champion the corner. This prompted Referee Hideki Kajiwara to call for the break. Despite teasing the tempting opportunity, Ebisawa made a clean break; garnering a polite round of applause from the fans. For a third time, the two locked horns. On this occasion, the mighty Champion would muscle Ebisawa into the corner. Unlike the Challenger, TAKU had no reservations about throwing a hard chop to Ebisawa's chest as Referee Kajiwara called for the break! Pushing the official's leniency, TAKU fired another chop to fire himself up -- followed by an ECHOING SLAP across the face! Ebisawa seemed momentarily out on his feet, prompting a HUGE reaction from the fans -- and soon a unanimous "TA-KU!" chant for the HEC Champion... As Ebisawa shook the blow off, TAKU charged in for a follow-up attack. The wily Challenger was waiting however, as he pulled TAKU into the corner and returned the favor with a JARRING SLAP ACROSS THE FACE! Feeling that wasn't enough, Ebisawa measured TAKU before throwing a SECOND SLAP -- hard enough to make TAKU drop to his knees! With the Champion stunned, Ebisawa attempted to wrestle him to the mat. While met with some resistance, Ebisawa stayed one step ahead of TAKU, who at best fought his way back to a standing position; with Ebisawa maintaining the waistlock. Showing some uncharacteristic technical skills, the Champion brilliantly escaped with a leg sweep followed by a side headlock! Naturally, Ebisawa struggled to get to a standing base. After shoving TAKU off into the ropes however, Ebisawa met the full-force of the HEC Champion head on by absorbing a hard shoulder tackle! This led to Ebisawa again slowing down the pace to regroup. But again, TAKU would assert his dominance by throwing hard shots! Frustration clearly began to set in for the challenger, who BLASTED TAKU with a stiff jab to the jaw! With the Champion stunned, Ebisawa threw an equally hard knife-edge chop -- BEFORE ANOTHER JAB! This time, the shot knocked the Champion down, before forcing him to retreat to the outside! The fans in Korakuen were taken back by the Challenger's explosive aggression, with a few "EBISAWA!" calls popping up. TAKU however was livid -- and ended up kicking open the steel security railing out of frustration before returning to the ring. After trash talking, the two engaged in a heated striking battle; with the HEC Champion seemingly getting the better of the exchange! With shot after shot, TAKU continued to try and break the Challenger down. But for every two shots TAKU would throw, Ebisawa would throw one shot equal to the last two. For several minutes though, neither man could gain a sizable advantage over the other. One thing was for certain however; as the match progressed, the Challenger's aggression increased with even more jabs and chops. After appearing to stagger the Champion, Ebisawa tried to land a severe blow by throwing a lariat -- ONLY FOR TAKU TO DUCK AND COUNTER WITH A BACKDROP! The Korakuen fans burst into cheers as TAKU dumped Ebisawa at a dangerous angle; prompting the cover! However, Mr. Transcendence would kick out after two; before retreating to the outside for a breather. After returning, he found himself overwhelmed by TAKU's stomps and kicks; prompting him to throw a jab -- TO THE GROIN! The fans ERUPTED in boos as the HEC Champion doubled over. Showing no remorse for his desperation tactic, Ebisawa blasted TAKU with a short-ranged lariat to knock him completely to the mat! Amidst further boos from the fans, Ebisawa threw annoying clap kicks -- Pulled enough to do not severe damage, but hard enough to earn a stern warning from Referee Kajiwara. As TAKU got to his feet, the resilient Champion fought back with everything he could. This only incited Ebisawa however, and provoked a furious onslaught of chops and jabs! To the awe and cheers of the crowd, TAKU shoved Ebisawa back defiantly! This naturally prompted another lariat from the surly Ebisawa, which forced TAKU to the outside... There, the 40+ year old Ebisawa surprised everyone in Korakuen by SAILING OVER THE ROPES WITH A PLANCHA! An outsider or not, the Tokyo fans erupted in appreciation for Ebisawa's efforts -- prompting a loud "E-BI-SA-WA!" Giving way to egotism however, Ebisawa sat on the ring apron and played it up to the crowd -- for too long, as TAKU managed to reach deep and recover fast enough to charge at Ebisawa seated on the apron and blast him with an apron-level lariat to the back of Ebisawa's brain!! With Ebisawa staggered, TAKU jumped onto the apron, and followed through with an APRON CHOUJIN BOMBER!! While the devastating move did a number on the Challenger, the Champion endured much damage in pulling off the reckless maneuver... Trying to ignore the pain however, TAKU quickly jumped onto the apron -- and then the top rope! With all 2,100+ fans waiting with bated breath, the HEC Champion waited for Ebisawa to climb to his feet... As he turned around, TAKU jumped -- performing a GILO (Somersault Senton) FROM THE POST -- ONTO THE CHALLENGER! TAKU was clearly feeding off the momentum, along with the lively atmosphere. After getting Ebisawa to the ring and covering for two, TAKU further poured it on by nearly tearing Ebisawa in two with a violent Spear! As TAKU tried to follow up with the Jackhammer however, Ebisawa struggled -- before eventually countering with a Brainbuster (Vertical Suplex) of his own! As both men strangled, Ebisawa came out on top of the exchange after landing a nasty Enzuigiri, and following it with the EXPLODER! Fatigue seemed to be setting in for the Champion, as Ebisawa could barely drag him to his feet. After throwing more jabs, Ebisawa tried to end the match by hooking TAKU's hands in place for the Wrist-Clutch Exploder -- However, TAKU struggled at the last moment; leading to a rapid series of back elbows. In the Brainbuster position, both Champion and Challenger battled over who would suplex who... In the end, the Rampaging Choujin would live up to his Superman name by powering Ebisawa into the air -- and DRIVING HIM INTO THE MAT WITH THE JACKHAMMER! The fans seemed to sincerely believe that was the end based upon their reaction to Ebisawa's 2.5 kick out! As the Challenger sat up, TAKU was well in position to deliver a decisive Choujin Bomber to try and sink Ebisawa. It had appeared that his over-zealousness got the better of him as Ebisawa COUNTERED WITH A CRUCIFIX -- GETTING A 2.5 COUNT! As the fans let out a noticeable "OHHH!," Ebisawa gave TAKU an advantageous position by being on all fours -- allowing TAKU to hook Ebisawa's arm and cradle him with the La Magistral -- GIVING HIM THE THREE COUNT!!!
While initially caught off guard, the fans erupted in cheers for the Champion's first successful Title Defense! The result was immediately disputed by Ebisawa, who grabbed Referee Kajiwara by the collar of his shirt. The rest of SPIRIT International were at ring side within moments, and further intimidated Kajiwara -- who ducked under them to intentionally raise TAKU's hand in victory!! While the other members of SPIRIT International seemed keen to attack the victorious Champion, Ebisawa surprisingly called his troops off before walking towards the back -- only to stop half-way through to begin watching the ceremony to commemorate TAKU's successful V1 defense.
As usual, TAKU received several awards, including a historical record of the match in writing, along with a trophy and the physical HEC Championship Belt itself. During the customary Champion Interview, TAKU was asked to evaluate Ebisawa's strength. With a slight hesitation, TAKU admitted the skills of his Challenger, and said that he took him lightly -- even going as far as to reveal his shock at winning the match with the La Magistral. He noted that he defeated Naoki Fukuda in the EMPEROR'S CUP with the same move. Both teams, TAKU said he used the technique simply out of desperation -- with both times earning him vital wins. TAKU vowed to make the move one of his big weapons, saying that "the old ways are sometimes the best..."
Then came the issue of TAKU's next challenger. When asked, TAKU said he would gladly defend the HEC Heavyweight Title against any former Champion, saying he wants to continue to raise the image of the HEC by defending it against the World's Elite; even if it means defending against former Champion's of other companies. THIS appeared to be the cue the manipulative Ebisawa was waiting for, as he suddenly interrupted TAKU. "Now, Champion... Is that really true? Would you face ANYONE?" Ebisawa further antagonized the hot-headed TAKU, asking him if he was content with facing a handpicked gimme by KJPW's management to protect their precious Ace. Seeing through Ebisawa's game, the Champion called Ebisawa out, saying if he had somebody in mind, name them. He vowed to crush any member of SPIRIT International, whether its Sean King, Katsumi Gakusha, or Shino Hiriyama. While Ebisawa said he had no intention of losing tonight, he had brought a special guest with him, and was going to reveal him as part of his Championship Celebration... However, Ebisawa said he would be content with the guest himself dethroning TAKU, calling it Poetic Justice.
Beckoning to the back, a mysterious masked figure emerged. Walking somewhat aloof; with his head tilted, the man stood next to Ebisawa, who immediately began patting him on the back. The fans were immediately intrigued. TAKU however cut to the chase by refusing to defend the title against a "mysterious masked man." However, he offered the figure a shot at what he called the "Apex of Pro-Wrestling." As the man climbed into the ring, it became more and more obvious just who the man was. However, everyone's suspicions were confirmed as the pulled off his mask, revealing the exiled NORIHIRO AKASHI!
"YO! Long time, no see!" Akashi eccentrically shouted into the microphone. Body type aside, the man formally known as Norihiro Akashi had a completely new look since he last appeared in Japan. His jet black hair was longer than before; yet styled and combed to one side, along with a trimmed beard. Korakuen Hall couldn't believe their eyes; just like TAKU, who seemed to be filled with several conflicting emotions. Finally however, TAKU addressed him by his former name. "You are Norihiro Akashi..." Without even giving TAKU a moment of silence before speaking, the man spoke, "I am not Norihiro Akashi.... I am... THE DREAM CATCHER!" before letting out a maniacal laugh... After collecting himself, he stared a hole straight through TAKU's head before adding, "...And TAKU... I am here to CATCH your DREAM!" while clearly pointing at the HEC Championship Belt. Overcome with many emotions, TAKU finally resigned himself before confidently raising the Title Belt over Akashi's head! The Champion finally choke, saying "Norihiro Akashi was a former Champion.... I don't know what a DREAM CATCHER is... BUT THIS BELT IS ABOVE YOU!" The fans responded strongly, but came unglued upon hearing, "...HOWEVER, if you feel you're strong enough to take my DREAM from me... YOU ARE WELCOME TO TRY!" TAKU's emphatic words confirmed the showdown between TAKU and the formally exiled Norihiro Akashi, with all but management needing to sign off on the bout.. Getting what he wanted, The Dream Catcher withdrew from ring side, saying that he would be traveling to EXODUS Pro-Wrestling in America to help his good friends. Akashi smiled, before reaching into his pocket and tossing the Champion an unassuming black cloth before making his exit. Unfolding the flag slowly revealed the red, cryptic letters "LEGION." TAKU naturally tore the emblem in two, and said promised to send the Dog Catcher back into exile!
April 06, 2013
Tokyo - Korakuen Hall
2,133 Fans (Super No Vacancy Full House)
1. 3WAY Match: Kazuki Sendo beat Tsutomu Nishioka & Shinji Uchikawa (7:41) when he used the 'Nice Hit!' on Nishioka.
2. KJPW vs. ARMADA: Kenji Tanamura, Yuichi Miwa & Yukio Kisanuki beat Kazuma Fujita, Yujiro Higuchi & Yutaka Awano (10:40) when Miwa used a modified knee lock on Awano.
3. Special Singles Match ~ KJPW vs. SPIRIT Inter: Katsumi Gakusha [SI] beat Go Taniguchi (7:55) with the Blessful Crusher.
4. MHD vs. ARMADA: Mamoru Sekishima & Tetsuji Kawamura beat Harumi Sakai & Yusaku Kitajima (10:19) when Kawamura used a diving headbutt on Kitajima.
5. HEC Tag Team Title Tournament - Round 1: Naoki Fukuda & Riki Ichiro beat Shino Hiriyama [SI] & Sean King [SI] (11:49) when Ichiro used the Riki Lariat on Hiriyama.
6. HEC Tag Team Title Tournament - Round 1: James Goodwin Jr. & "BIG" Jon Goodwin beat Chikao Kessin & Masafuji Yoshida (9:06) when Jon used the Fire Drop on Yoshida.
7. HEC Heavyweight Title: TAKU (c) beat Seiji Ebisawa [SI] (24:31) with the La Magistral in his V1 defense.
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