*
With tonight's Korakuen Hall event no completed, the card for the company's
next big event is beginning to finally take shape. 5/31 is a date known for
some of the biggest matches in the history of Japanese Pro-Wrestling, and this
year's offering will be no different. Shortly following the conclusion of
tonight's event, President Shigesato Ishiyama hosted a lively press conference
comprised of an almost overwhelming amount of media to confirm the main matches
for the 5/31 spectacular.
The
event, once again using the "KANSAI PRO-WRESTLING FESTIVAL" name will
feature the subtitle of "yume to mugen," or "Dream and
Infinity." The subtext is another throwback to 5/31's illustrious past, as
Pro-Wrestling FURY inherited the 5/31 tradition from Burning Spirit
Pro-Wrestling with their "DREAM + INFINITY" brand of events held
almost yearly from 2003 to 2012. The event will air live on Satellite
Pay-Per-View across Japan, in addition to streaming WORLD-WIDE on Japan's
popular Niconico platform. No announcement regarding television distribution
was made coming off of KJPW's recent collaboration with Fuji TV for 4/17's KING
x KING event.
Pulling
out all of the stops, KJPW will deliver not one, but THREE main events this year -- with all three capable of headlining
a big event such as this on their own.
First
up... Since 4/17, many hints have been dropped regarding the future of the
Honored Emperor's Crown -- especially given the revival of the Unified Double
Titles. While some might assume the newer championships were being phased out
in favor of older, arguably more credible
championships... However, that is NOT the case! Citing the intense rivalry
between Naoki Fukuda and Mamoru Sekishima for the company's top spot, President
Ishiyama announced that both men would "unquestionably" battle for
the right to become the 6th HEC Heavyweight Champion. In its short and turbulent
existence, the HEC Heavyweight Title has been contested in amazingly fierce
battles. In the words of President Ishiyama himself, there are no two better
men deserving of the opportunity. As a former two-time holder of the
championship, Naoki Fukuda has quickly become the name associated with the
championship. And as President Ishiyama stated, he is still the HEC Heavyweight
Champion spiritually -- and even said that the company stripping him of the
title was of their own fault, and not Fukuda's. While still finding himself as
a main event player, Mamoru Sekishima has demonstrated incredible growth in
just two year's time. Ishiyama himself said he was taken aback by Sekishima's
performance on 4/17, and even tonight. While he still has doubts about whether
or not Sekishima can perform under the pressure of a main event title match,
President Ishiyama said he would watch anxiously at ringside to see the answer.
"TRIPLE
MAIN EVENT II" should come as no surprise, as it was essentially confirmed
earlier tonight by the principal participants. Indeed, the "Gladiator
King" Kenji Tanamura will face off against the head trainer of the Steel
Wind Dojo, and leader of Japanese Wrestling's most feared invading force, the
"Shoot Terrorist" Ryo Inoue of Total
Attack Pro-Wrestling. When Tanamura debuted as a pro-wrestler in late 2003
coming off his retirement from MMA, many compared him to Ryo Inoue, and
theorized who would win if the two ever were matched up. Finally, one of
pro-wrestling's forbidden Dream Matches will be realized! In many
ways, the two are indeed splitting images of each other. In the end, what
separates both men are their ideologies and philosophies on martial arts. Inoue
is a man who favors strength, and abhors the weak. Tanamura embodies a "Never
Surrender" spirit inherited by Kazuma Fujita, and an iron-like focus on
achieving his dreams, and sharing it with those around him. Going deeper, the
match will be the ultimate showdown between KT-Club and Steel Wind Dojo, the
two dojos both men proudly represent. For years, both dojos have silently
fought for the rank of Japan's #1 school. Whose style is better? Whose school
of thought is superior? Come 5/31, we may find out!
The
third and final "MAIN EVENT" announced comes as something of a
surprise -- though maybe not given tonight's proceedings. Coming off their
historic 4/17 clash for the Unified Double Titles, Kazuma Fujita and Genji
Yamato will JOIN FORCES to face the progenies
of Kazuma Fujita's greatest advisory, James
Goodwin Jr. and "BIG" Jon Goodwin -- DOUBLE GOODWIN. As was seen earlier tonight, Double Goodwin rudely
intruded on a special Talk Show segment between Fujita and Yamato, who together
declared a joint struggle for Japanese Pro-Wrestling's glorious rival.
Unquestionably, the match will be the biggest challenge to date for the former
HEC Tag Team Champions. However, the two have been seemingly invincible since
coming back as part of Tsutomu Nishioka's "muscle" (no pun
intended...) Now they will match their strength against their father's fiercest
rival, and Genji Yamato!
Another
match confirmed for 5/31 will see Riki Ichiro defend the championship he's laid
claim to for almost two years -- the WWA National Heavyweight Title -- against
the man who pinned him in the center of the ring tonight, the "Nightmare
Child" Norihiro Akashi! The championship has been something strongly
identified with Ichiro since initially capturing the belt in Pro-Wrestling
DYNAMITE in 2010. Akashi aims to become the new face synonymous with the WWA
National Heavyweight Crown however, and made a bold statement in directly
beating Ichiro tonight.
Two
other championship bouts have been confirmed after conferring with the
appropriate parties, with both matches centering on the war brewing between
KJPW's Jr. seikigun and the villainous KyouHonGan. After speaking to
representatives from the AALL organization in Mexico, President Ishiyama
confirmed that HOT LIMIT will defend the AALL Tag Team Titles they won in
Mexico against Jet Jaguar and GALLEON --
DREAM HEROES! In addition, "The Outlaw" Kyoto Okazaki will defend
his AALL Intercontinental Welterweight Championship against Hayato Saigo!
With
six matches announced so far, more bouts are expected to be announced in the
weeks leading up to the sacred Puroresu
no Hi (Eng: Day of Pro-Wrestling) in Japan!
"KANSAI PRO-WRESTLING FESTIVAL 2015 ~ yume to mugen ~"
May 31, 2015 (PPV/iPPV)
Hyogo - Kobe World Memorial Hall
(10,000)
1. AALL Intercontinental Welterweight Title
Match: Kyoto Okazaki (c) vs. Hayato Saigo
2. AALL Tag Team Title Match: Wataru
Yamada & Keisuke Rongai (c) vs. Jet Jaguar & GALLEON
3. WWA National Heavyweight Title Match: Riki
Ichiro (c) vs. Norihiro Akashi
4. TRIPLE MAIN EVENT I ~ Special Tag Match:
Kazuma Fujita & Genji Yamato vs. James Goodwin Jr. & "BIG"
Jon Goodwin
5. TRIPLE MAIN EVENT II ~ Special Single Match:
Kenji Tanamura vs. Ryo Inoue [T.A.P.]
6. TRIPLE MAIN EVENT III ~ 6th HEC Heavyweight
Title Decision Match: Naoki Fukuda vs. Mamoru Sekishima
No comments:
Post a Comment