Summer
Action Series 2014
(2014/7/27)
1. SUSHI
vs. Menso~re Oyaji
Damn
fine 4 minute match, and I was expecting crap, tbf. Well, my bad, I should’ve
known better after witnessing Oyaji’s stellar performance against Kotaro
Suzuki. This match had a story that was an awesome and logical continuation for
Oyaji – he realized working as a masked goof won’t take him anywhere, so he
decided to put his shit together and removed the mask, to identify himself as
Yohei Nakajima and join Kotaro in Xceed. I’m excited.
***
2. Takao
Omori, Masanobu Fuchi, Ultimo Dragon vs. Dory Funk Jr., Osamu Nishimura, Yutaka
Yoshie
Top
contender for the most random 6-man tag ever? I think yes, mos def.
Unfortunately, I had to tune off five minutes into the match, because watching
the 70 year old Dory Jr. in the ring made for a highly uncomfortable feeling.
Sorry, All Japan, I love you ‘till death, but what you did here is wrong on so
many levels.
N/A
3. KENSO
& Kengo Mashimo vs. Zeus & Hideki Suzuki
Everyone
was good in this cool little sprint full of dynamic action. KENSO’s s hard
slaps never fail to amuse me, Zeus does his charming SCOTT STEINER routine, and
I dig it, and then there are Kengo and Hideki, whose potential 1-on-1 match
would be smashing as fuck, their chemistry seems to be mouthwatering.
***1/4
4. Kento
Miyahara & Kotaro Suzuki vs. Jun Akiyama & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Oh,
this gonna be good! *** 10 minutes later… *** Told ya! All Japan’s got
something special in Miyahara, they better not blow it. The finish of the match
fucking rocked my world.
***3/4
5. All Asia Tag Team Championship:
Mitsuya Nagai & Takeshi Minamino vs. Shigehiro Irie & Keisuke Ishii ©
The
Team Drift blokes from DDT are one grandiose addition to All Japan’s roster
this year. I would not say they are the saving grace, because they’re not since
there are many other guys killing it in the promotion, but still, they stood
out many times, all those tags and 6-man tags brought the goods in cartloads.
This one was no different as the odds were stacked against them big time, not
only they had to fight dirty brawling heels Nagai and “Elvis” Minamino, they
also had to survive Dark Kingdom’s many vultures from the ringside. Damn fine
match with awesome heat.
***3/4
6. AJPW World Jr. Heavyweight Championship:
Hikaru Sato vs. Atsushi Aoki ©
A
match entirely based of armwork, and it made for such an effective
storytelling, because that was the major tool of the build for the match. Tons
of strong and focused shooty armwork from both guys, which was sold good
enough, it required patience, but that’s why the payoff was absolutely
tremendous. Hikaru Sato is pure gold and he should be the next in the line for
this belt.
***3/4
7. AJPW Triple Crown Championship:
Joe Doering vs. Suwama ©
Tag
team partners collide for the legendary Triple Crown, cool power moves,
lariats, suplexes and stuff… but it wasn’t heated enough. While Suwama was one
bossy motherfucker once again, I got an impression that Doering didn’t quite
take his chance to elevate himself properly here, he still struggles to provide
emotions. Good match, but needed to be better. I’m not writing off Doering,
though, not yet, I know better than that. Hopefully he manages to pull through,
it’s now or never.
***
