Date:  January 4th, 2015
Location:  Shin-Kiba 1st RING in Tokyo, Japan
Announced Attendance:  325

The first BJW event of the year!  Well that I could find at the moment, there was an event prior that I am sure I will review at some point.  This event has a variety of plunder matches, including ladders, barbed wire boards, iron cages, and of course lighttubes.  Here is the full card:

- Isamu Oshita and Kota Sekifuda vs. Shinobu and Toshiyuki Sakuta
- Brahman Kei, Brahman Shu, and Atsushi vs. Senga, MEN's Teioh, and Oosugi
- Daisuke Sekimoto and Kamitani vs. Ryuichi Kawakami and Atsushi Maruyama
- Kazuki Hashimoto vs. Yuji Okabayashi
- Barbed Wire Board Death Match:  Abdullah Kobayashi, Takahashi, and SAGAT vs. Jaki Numazawa, Masashi Takeda, and Takumi Tsukamoto
- Ladder and Iron Cage Death Match: Kodaka and Miyamoto vs. Hoshino and Masato Inaba
- Fluorescent Lighttubes Death Match: Ryuji Ito vs. Takayuki Ueki

A new year, a new beginning.  Let’s get started.

Isamu Oshita and Kota Sekifuda vs. Shinobu and Toshiyuki Sakuta
Oshita and Shinobu start things off.  They trade submissions to start things off but end up back on their feet.  Oshita wrenches down on Shinobu and tags in Sekifuda, but Shinobu trips Sekifuda and tags in Sakuta.  Sakuta and Sekifuda roll around a bit until Sakuta gives Sekifuda a hard elbow.  Sakuta does a fancy armdrag out of the corner and tags in Shinobu.  Shinobu stomps down Sekifuda and gives him a standing dropkick.  Sakuta comes back in and wins a strike battle with Sekifuda, slapping on a camel clutch.  Slam by Sakuta and he gets a two count cover on Sekifuda.  Sakuta tags Shinobu back in and he puts Sekifuda in a crab, Shinobu charges Sekifuda but Sekifuda kicks him back.  Dropkick by Sekifuda and he tags in Oshita.  Jumping elbow by Oshita and he covers Shinobu for two.  Shinobu gets away and tags in Sakuta and he hits a pair of shoulder tackles.  Belly to belly suplex and it gets two.  Sakuta dropkicks Oshita and hits a standing moonsault for two.  Strike exchange by Sakuta and Oshita, dropkick by Oshita and he tags in Sekifuda while Sakuta tags in Shinobu.  Bridging suplex by Sekifuda but it gets two.  Missile dropkick by Sekifuda and a cover, but Sakuta breaks it up.  Lariat by Shinobu, he goes up to the top turnbuckle and he hits a missile dropkick for the three count pinfall.  Standard intro match, nothing bad but nothing really interesting either.  Score:  4.0

Brahman Kei, Brahman Shu, and Atsushi vs. Hercules Senga, MEN's Teioh, and Oosugi
I am one of four Americans that knows the difference between Kei and Shu.  I’m special.  Senga and Atsushi are the first two in the ring, and Atsushi has a brush he uses to beat Senga with before dropkicking him.  30 seconds in and I already don’t  understand what is going on.  They all go outside of the ring to brawl but Shu and Oosugi get back in the ring.  Shu gets a bottle and sprays it into Oosugi’s eyes.  Shu throws a jacket at Oosugi but Oosugi blocks the water spit twice.  He blocks it a third time but Shu whacks him with the battle.  Kei comes in too and they both attack Oosugi in the corner, including the bowling ball spot.  Atsushi is tagged in and he chops Oosugi into the corner, Irish whip, but Oosugi moves and hits an enzigieri.  Oosugi tags in both Miyamoto and Senga, and they clear the ring before double teaming the Brahmans.  They then toy with Atsushi for a bit until he gets a weapon and gets the upper hand.  Atsushi grabs Teioh but Teioh ducks when Shu and Kei go for the mustard and ketchup attack.  Teioh hits a chokeslam on Atsushi and gets the three count.  Your winners are Hercules Senga, MEN's Teioh, and Oosugi. This match really slowed down significantly at the end with all the shenanigans, and this isn’t my style of match in the first place.  Even on the “Brahmans Scale” this wasn’t a good one.  Score:  2.5

Kazuki Hashimoto vs. Yuji Okabayashi
They nicely shake hands to start the match, then they trade wristlocks and hammerlocks amongst other things.  They then trade strikes for a few minutes, with Hashimoto finally kicking Okabayashi down in the corner.  Jumping kick by Hashimoto in the corner and he hits a pair of running boots to the face.  PK by Hashimoto but it gets a two count.  Hashimoto foolishly goes for a fisherman buster but Okabayashi blocks it and hits a powerslam.  Vertical suplex by Okabayashi and he applies a crab hold, but Hashimoto gets to the ropes.   Lariat by Okabayashi in the corner and he hits a scoop slam, Okabayashi goes up to the top turnbuckle but Hashimoto is up and kicks him.  Hashimoto joins Okabayashi up top, they accidentally struggle until Hashimoto manages to hit a superplex.  Back up they trade strikes again until Okabayashi levels Hashimoto with a lariat for a two count.  Another lariat by Okabayashi and he nails the powerbomb for the three count.  Your winner is Yuji Okabayashi.  This match started really slow as the first half of the match was just trading submissions or strikes.  Once they got cooking it was good, the match just wasn’t long enough for them to really get into a groove.  Score:  6.0

Daisuke Sekimoto and Kamitani vs. Ryuichi Kawakami and Atsushi Maruyama
Kamitani and Maruyama start things off.  They trade submission holds and Maruyama tags in Kawakami.  They trade wristlocks and Kamitani tags in Sekimoto.  They trade holds too until Kawakami hits a shoulderblock, which makes Sekimoto mad. Sekimoto returns the favor before he tags Kamitani back in.  Kawakami gets Kamitani in the corner and tags in Maruyama.  Maruyama and Kamitani trade chops, Kamitani gets the better of it and tags in Sekimoto.  Sekimoto puts Maruyama in a choke but Kawakami breaks it up.  Sekimoto tags in Kamitani, Kamitani punches Maruyama in the corner but Maruyama kicks Kamitani in the head.  Maruyama tags in Kawakami and he trades elbows with Kamitani.  Kawakami elbows Kamitani down in the corner and stomps on him.  Kamitani fights back and hits a shoulderblock before tagging in Sekimoto.  Kawakami charges Sekimoto but Sekimoto catches him and hits a side slam.  Scorpion Deathlock by Sekimoto but Maruyama quickly breaks it up.  Sekimoto and Kawakami trade elbows, Kawakami gets the better of it and tags in Maruyama.  Jumping kick by Maruyama in the corner and he hits a thrust kick followed by a missile dropkick.  Dropkick by Maruyama but Sekimoto puts him in the Argentine Backbreaker.  Kawakami comes in to help but Kamitani does as well.  Sekimoto and Kamitani hit a vertical suplex on Maruyama.  Maruyama gets the advantage back and puts Sekimoto in a cross armbreaker but Sekimoto powerbombs out of it.  Lariat by Sekimoto and a cover, but it gets two.  German suplex hold by Sekimoto and he gets the three, making Daisuke Sekimoto and Kamitani the winners. A solid midcard tag match, Kawakami and Sekimoto looked really good and the other two didn’t bring the match down.  Score:  6.0

Abdullah Kobayashi, Takahashi, and SAGAT vs. Jaki Numazawa, Takeda, and Tsukamoto
This is a Barbed Wire Board Death Match.   So there are barbed wire boards in two corners and they have barbed wire bats and chairs with them also.  Amongst other things.  Takahashi starts off with the bat while Takeda has a crown of barbed wire.  Takeda throws the crown at Takahashi, shoulderblock by Takahashi and he clears the ring as everyone brawls outside.  Numazawa and Takeda get back in the ring and throw SAGAT into the barbed wire board, breaking it in half.  Takeda abuses SAGAT with a piece of barbed wire, he throws a chair at SAGAT while he is under the board before tagging in Tsukamoto.  SAGAT seems stuck so Tsukamoto helps by stapling his head.  Tsukamoto tags in Numazawa and he abuses SAGAT as well, hitting him with the barbed wire crown before tagging Takeda back in.  Takeda gets the barbed wire bat and hits SAGAT with it, he then painfully rakes it over SAGAT’s back.  Takeda and Tsukamoto get in the ring too and Numazawa they take turns throwing each other onto SAGAT.  Numazawa puts the board on top of SAGAT and slams Takeda onto him.  Tsukamoto props the other barbed wire board in the corner but SAGAT finally fights back and tosses Tsukamoto into the barbed wire board.  SAGAT tags in Takahashi and he beats up everyone.  Takahashi puts the barbed wire chair onto Tsukamoto and hits a senton off the second turnbuckle for a two count.  Tsukamoto slaps and kicks Takahashi, he then gets a ball of barbed wire but Takahashi takes it and runs it across Tsukamoto’s back.  Side Russian leg sweep by Tsukamoto and he tags in Takeda. 

Takeda knees Takahashi in the corner, he gets a piece of barbed wire board and puts it onto Takahashi before hitting another running knee.  Cover, but it gets a two.  Takahashi and Takeda trade elbows by Takeda hits a spear (although he landed in the barbed wire, not Takahashi), Takahashi judo throws Takeda into the board and tags in Kobayashi.  Kobayashi comes in with a barbed wire crown but Takeda kicks him, lariat by Kobayashi and he hits an elbow drop for a two count.  Kobayashi hits a Shining Wizard and gets a piece of barbed wire board, but Takeda dropkicks it into him and tags in Numazawa.  SAGAT is also tagged in, and he trades strikes with Numazawa.  Numazawa and Tsukamoto come in to help Numazawa and they triple team poor SAGAT.  Kobayashi is totally coasting in this match, he looks fatter than I remember, I guess he is in the twilight of his career.  Numazawa goes up top with SAGAT but Takahashi comes up from behind and powerbombs Numazawa.  Kobayashi comes in to help as SAGAT hits a double spear on Takahashi and Tsukamoto.  SAGAT gets a piece of board and puts it onto Numazawa, he then hits a jumping senton.  Cover, but it gets two.  Death valley bomb by SAGAT but the pin is broken up.  Numazawa regains the advantage and hits the over the shoulder piledriver but it is broken up.  Takeda takes care of Takahashi, then everyone kicks SAGAT before Numazawa hits a swinging neckbreaker.  Numazawa sets up a board and hits his Zettai Zetsumei DDT for the three count.  Numazawa and company are the winners.  I liked the ‘different’ stipulation, not that barbed wire boards are new but they are more fun to watch then just lighttubes.  Felt bad for SAGAT, he definitely got the worst of everything.  But they got time, made the spots as unique as they could, and it was a pretty entertaining match.  Score:  6.5

Isami Kodaka and Yuko Miyamoto vs. Kankuro Hoshino and Masato Inaba
This is a Ladder and Iron Cage Death Match. The match starts with two people locked in the little cage together, which is completely ridiculous as there is barely room for them both to stand so they just do short range punches or nothing at all.  Kodaka and Inaba start in the cage together while Miyamoto battles Hoshino outside of it.  They both do… minor submission trading, although at times Kodaka and Inaba just watch.  Hoshino dumps Miyamoto out of the ring and battles with him on the floor.  They return after a bit and Miyamoto throws Hoshino into the ladder.  He then rams Hoshino into the side of the cage and drops the ladder onto Hoshino’s hand.  Yes Kodaka and Inaba are still watching from the cage, which I still find extremely silly.  Hoshino slams Miyamoto onto the ladder, small package by Miyamoto but it gets two.  Miyamoto tries to pin Hoshino a few more times with no luck.  Miyamoto hits a belly to belly suplex, and the referee unlocks the cage as Kodaka rides Inaba out of it.  Miyamoto and Kodaka double team Inaba in the corner but Hoshino comes back in the ring to battle Miyamoto.  Stretch hold by Miyamoto as Kodaka returns and they kick Hoshino.  Hoshino fights them off and hits a double spear. He sets up the ladder, and hits Miyamoto and Kodaka with it.  Hoshino and Inaba ram Kodaka and Miyamoto into the cage, and then Miyamoto is locked into the cage.  Kodaka is double teamed but he reverses a double chokeslam and kicks them both to the mat.  He gets the key from Inaba and lets Miyamoto out, Miyamoto lariats Hoshino, Kodaka gets the ladder and runs at Hoshino but Hoshino ducks.  Miyamoto walks up and kicks Hoshino into the cage, locking him in it.  Scoop slam by Miyamoto to Inaba and he hits a senton off the top turnbuckle.  Kodaka goes to the top of the cage and hits a diving double knee  drop, and Kodaka picks up the three count.  Isami Kodaka and Yuko Miyamoto are your winners.  I found the gimmick really silly and it took me out of the match a bit, the cage should be a weapon, not have wrestlers randomly locked in it.  Just a short nothing match with one good spot at the end, Kodaka will have no knees pretty soon.  Score:  3.5

Ryuji Ito vs. Takayuki Ueki
This match is a Fluorescent Lighttubes Death Match.  My favorite!  Sarcasm!  They try to shove each other into tubes but have no success.   Ito puts a few tubes in the ring and takes Ueki down on them.  Ito then throws Ueki into all the ropes, breaking more tubes.  Ito throws Ueki out of the ring and beats him around ringside.  They get back in and Ito hits Ueki with a chair.  Scoop slam onto the chair but Ueki blocks a shot and headbutts the chair into Ito.  Chair shot by Ueki but Ito whips Ueki into the lighttubes.   More lighttube violence by Ito as Ueki is bleeding everywhere and they trade elbows.  Hard elbow by Ito and he hits a scoop slam.  Ito goes up top and hits a moonsault, cover, but Ueki doesn’t really kick out.  Ito elbows Ueki to the mat again, Ueki gets up, Ito tells the referee to check him and she stops the match.  Your winner is Ryuji Ito.   I just find these matches really repetitive as there isn’t much different you can do.  A few minutes of trying to throw your opponent into tubes, someone succeeds, they beat each other with them, then use one to finish their opponent somehow.  Only difference here is I think Ueki got legit knocked loopy, leading to an early stoppage.  It is just limiting since they have to use the tubes since they are everywhere.  I guess good for this style but having the lighttubes around is more of a handicap then a match elevator.  Score:  4.5

Final Thoughts:

Not a good way to start my Big Japan viewing for 2015.  I liked that the match stipulations were different, not just all lighttubes, but the only match that really amused me was the barbed wire board match.  The finale ended before they planned I think which hurt it, and the cage match was just too stupid, it would work better in DDT.  Recommended to stay away from this event and wait for Big Japan to put together something better.

Grade: D-

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review completed on 1/13/15