Isn't BJW Simply the Best?!

2014/6/15


4. Ikkitousen 2014 ~ Strong Climb ~ Block A: Atsushi Maruyama vs. Shinya Ishikawa

Honestly, you could put this match under the BattlARTS banner, and almost no one would notice any difference. Had no idea who Maruyama was until his current Big Japan run, this is his first big singles match, and fuck, it rocks on so many levels. He totally outclassed and outsmarted the Strong Champion on the mat, bringing out the nastiest out of him. Great, great organic match-up, contains the nastiest dropkick to the face I’ve seen in a long time.

****1/4


5. Ikkitousen 2014 ~ Strong Climb ~ Block B: Manabu Soya vs. Daisuke Sekimoto

Two short, stacked tanks going HAM at each other, first there was a totally swell test of strength, so typical for modern puro, but they put a lot of heart and emotion into it, and the rest was just an awesome, gritty warzone with many, many heavy smacks that made my juices flow.

***3/4


7. BJW Tag Team Championship: Kazuki Hashimoto & Daichi Hashimoto vs. Twin Towers (Kohei Sato & Shuji Ishikawa) ©

Uh, oh, sheeeeeeit… The rematch! And it delivers again! The Wrestler of the Year with dat head-slicing headbutt on Kohei, DAAAYUM! Hard-hitting, smashmouth affair with a plethora of violence. Can the enthusiastic Hash duo finally overcome the behemoths? Have they learned anything?

****


8. LIGHTTUBE, BLOCK, SPIKEBOARD DEATHMATCH for BJW Deathmatch Championship: Yuko Miyamoto vs. Ryuji Ito ©

Good, but not very good or great. Didn’t feel too organic. I don’t expect too much from Ito at this stage of his career, but I do expect much more from Miyamoto. But still, I won’t complain too much, it was good enough, bonus points for the finish. Thank fuck Takeda is back.

***1/4