Date:  March 1st, 2015
Location:  Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan
Announced Attendance:  1,657 (Super No Vacancy Full House)

I am trying to stay somewhat up to date with the tournaments that I have the contests for, so we will skip ahead to this Big Japan event. Not only do we get two matches as part of the Death Match Survivor Tournament, but we also get a Big Japan Death Match Heavyweight Championship defense as well. Here is the full card:

- Brahman Shu, Brahman Kei, and Takayuki Ueki vs. Tsutomu Oosugi, Hercules Senga, and Shinobu
- Abdullah Kobayashi, Saburo Inematsu, and Takumi Tsukamoto vs. Masato Inaba, Masaya Takahashi, and Heddi French
- Ikkitousen ~ Death Match Survivor - Block A, G Shock Death Match: Kankuro Hoshino vs. Masashi Takeda
- Ikkitousen ~ Death Match Survivor - Block A, Fluorescent Lighttubes Death Match: Ryuichi Sekine vs. Ryuji Ito
- Daisuke Sekimoto, Yuji Okabayashi, and Hideyoshi Kamitani vs. Kohei Sato, Ryuichi Kawakami, and Kazuki Hashimoto
- BJW Death Match Heavyweight Championship - Needle Hell Death Match: Yuko Miyamoto vs. "Black Angel" Jaki Numazawa

Some of these will be a bit clipped, but let's get to it.

Brahman Shu, Brahman Kei, and Takayuki Ueki vs. Tsutomu Oosugi, Hercules Senga, and Shinobu
Joined in progress with Senga getting triple teamed in the ring with various weapons. Shu covers Senga but it gets two, Shu goes off the ropes but Senga kicks him and tags in Shinobu. Shinobu dropkicks everyone, he sets up the Brahmans in the corner and dropkicks one into the other. Shu and Kei kick Shinobu and they tag in Ueki. Senga and Oosugi also come in the ring, Shinobu isolates Ueki but Ueki gets a gun and points it at everyone, including his own team. Ueki dives off the top but he misses everyone. Shu hits Shinobu with a yield sign, but Senga and Oosugi knock down Shinobu. They try to drag Shinobu to the corner so he can tag out, but Ueki gets his gun again and he points it up Shinobu's ass, but Shinobu squeezes his butt cheeks to trap the gun (yes, its stupid). Lariat by Shinobu but it gets two. Scoop slam by Shinobu to Ueki, he goes up top and nails the S.E.X. for the three count. While I appreciate that the match was cut in half, it still wasn't anything resembling good. Just not my sense of humor, the Brahmans don't do much for me. The only good part is that Shinobu has a beautiful Shooting Star Press, so there is that anyway. Score: 2.5

Abdullah Kobayashi, Inematsu, and Tsukamoto vs. Masato Inaba, Takahashi, and Heddi French
A brawl starts the match, but it soon ends up with Kobayashi and French in the ring together.  Kobayashi armdrags French but French avoids the dropkick.  Armdrag by French and he kicks Kobayashi out of the ring.  French exits the ring and rakes Kobayashi in the eyes while we see that the other wrestlers are brawling at ringside as well.  Inematsu and Inaba get in the ring and Inematsu tags in Kobayashi.  Kobayashi and Inematsu headbutt Inaba and Kobayashi puts a stack of chairs onto Inaba before hitting a reverse splash.  Kobayashi tags in Inematsu but Inaba avoids them both and he hits a lariat.  Inaba hits a belly to belly suplex on Inematsu and he tags in French.  French hits an exploder on Inematsu and then a dragon screw on Tsukamoto.  French twists up Inematsu in a submission hold and he tags in Takahashi.  Inematsu clubs Takahashi and he tags in Tsukamoto.  Tsukamoto superkicks Takahashi and Kobayashi hits a lariat followed by a Shining Wizard.  Fisherman Buster by Tsukamoto, cover, but French breaks it up.  Tsukamoto picks up Takahashi but Takahashi hits a hip toss.  French elbows Tsukamoto then Inaba hits a lariat.  Takahashi drops Tsukamoto, cover, but Inematsu breaks it up.  Takahashi gets a stack of chair and puts them down in the ring while Inaba goes up top and hits a moonsault out of the ring.  In the ring Takahashi picks up Tsukamoto and hits a Jackhammer onto the stack of chairs, getting the three count.  Not much to it but not offensive, the match seemed to end really suddenly and felt too short.  For a six man “hardcore” match, eight minutes just didn’t feel right.  The action was ok, it was just lacking substance and importance.  Score:  4.0

Kankuro Hoshino vs. Masashi Takeda
This match is part of the Death Match Survivor and is a G Shock Death Match.  I have no idea what that means but there are mini-ladders in the ring and concrete blocks.  They try to knock each other over to start the match, which Hoshino gets the better of.  Hoshino gets Takeda onto the apron and the pair trade elbows.  Kick to the head by Takeda and he hits a vertical suplex down to the floor.  Well they aren’t wasting any time with the big spots.  Why is Takeda bleeding already?  Anyway Takeda gets a chair and he hits Hoshino with it before hitting him in the back with a concrete block.  Takeda hits him in the back again with a block and scoop slams him onto some of the shards for a two count.  Takeda gets a ladder and he throws it at Hoshino.  They trade elbows and Takeda scoop slams Hoshino onto a ladder.  Takeda slams him onto the ladder again and applies a bearhug, but Hoshino kicks him and scoop slams Takeda onto the ladder.  Lariat by Hoshino puts a ladder on the mat, he picks up Takeda and he hits a STO onto the ladder for a two count cover.  Hoshino gets the mini ladder and puts it onto Takeda before hitting a senton.  Takeda swings Hoshino’s legs over the ropes and he hits a leg drop onto a ladder, knee by Takeda in the corner and he then hits a running knee as Hoshino.  Side slam by Takeda onto the ladder, he gets a chair and hits Hoshino in the head with it.  Takeda puts the mini ladder on the mat and goes for an exploder, but Hoshino blocks it.  Hoshino goes for a chokeslam but Takeda gets out of it and hits the exploder onto the ladder for a two count.  Lariat by Hoshino and he hits a vertical suplex onto the ladder for another two.  Hoshino picks up Takeda and puts him on a ladder, he then puts another ladder on top of Takeda but Takeda moves when Hoshino dives off.  Takeda hits a release German suplex onto the ladder and he knees Hoshino in the chest for a two count.  Takeda sets up some concrete blocks on the mat but Hoshino chops him and chokeslams Takeda onto the blocks.  Gokudo Clutch by Hoshino and he gets the three count!  This match had some sick spots, so it appears these guys take this tournament very seriously.  I enjoyed it, I like watching wrestlers kill each other for my amusement and it didn’t have lighttubes which I appreciate.  As far as a regular tournament match goes, not much more you could ask for.  Score:  7.5

Ryuichi Sekine vs. Ryuji Ito
This match is part of the Death Match Survivor and is a Fluorescent Lighttubes Death Match.  Dammit.  Sekine tries to push Ito into the tubes but he blocks it and they trade holds on the mat.  Ito throws Sekine into the lighttubes  and he breaks one over his head.  Ito gets a bunch of lighttubes, he puts them on the ground and scoop slams Sekine onto them.  Ito gets some tubes and kicks them into Sekine’s back for a two count cover.  Ito hits Sekine in the head repeatedly with tubes and covers him for another two.  They trade kicks and Ito kicks Sekine in the back.  Ito gets a chair and hits Sekine in the back with it a few times.  Basically a squash match so far, as Ito scoop slams Sekine onto the chair.  Ito gets a bigger lighttube but Sekine kicks it into his chest.  Sekine gets a chair and he hits Ito with it, back kick by Sekine in the corner and he knees the chair into Ito’s chest.  Sekine sets up the chair but Ito scoop slams him onto the chair.  Ito picks up Sekine and slams him onto the chair again.  Ito hits Sekine in the head with the chair, he goes up to the top turnbuckle and he hits the moonsault.  Cover, but Sekine gets a shoulder up.  Sekine kicks and knees Ito, he grabs him and he Sekine hits a backdrop suplex.  Sekine gets a bundle of lighttubes and puts it on the mat, Sekine gets Ito on his shoulders and hits a rolling fireman’s carry slam onto the tubes.  Sekine goes for a kick but Ito catches his leg and hits a release German suplex.  Lariat by Ito in the corner, he puts Sekine on the top turnbuckle and sets up a few chairs in the ring.  While Sekine patiently waits.  Ito is finally done, he joins Sekine up top and superplexes Sekine onto the chairs.  Cover, but it gets a two.  Ito throws a chair at Sekine and hits a Shining Wizard for another two count.  Ito leaves the ring to get a really big bundle of tubes, he puts them on Sekine’s chest and goes up top, but Sekine gets his knees up.  I have no idea how that helped.  Kick to the head by Sekine and a second one, and he picked up the three count.  I liked the ‘upset’ vibe, it was sold well by both wrestlers, but this had a lot of stuff about BJW I don’t like.  Besides the tubes, which I am over, we also had the ’30 seconds to set up some chairs while the opponent patiently waits’ spot, and the big tube spot where it would have hurt Sekine just as much but he no sold it since in the story it only hurt Ito.  I liked the end result, didn’t like the build-up to get there.  Score:  4.0

Daisuke Sekimoto, Yuji Okabayashi, and Kamitani vs. Kohei Sato, Ryuichi Kawakami, and Hashimoto
Sekimoto and Sato start off and they trade chops to the chest.  Sato gets the better of it and he stomps Sekimoto.  Sato tags in Kawakami and Kawakami puts on a chinlock.  Sekimoto gets out of it and he tags in Kamitani.  Kamitani works on Kawakami’s arm but Kawakami reverses it and tags in Hashimoto.  Hashimoto applies a chinlock to Kamitani but Kamitani gets into the ropes.  Kamitani and Hashimoto trade elbows, and Kamitani knocks Hashimoto to the mat.  Kamitani tags in Okabayashi and Okabayashi trades strikes with Hashimoto.  Hashimoto kicks Okabayashi to the mat, and he tags in Sato.  Okabayashi chops Sato but Sato kicks him in the back along with Hashimoto.  Sato kicks Okabayashi in the chest but Okabayashi catches one and chops Sato into the corner.  Irish whip by Okabayashi to the corner and he hits a lariat.  Vertical suplex by Okabayashi and he covers Sato for two.  Okabayashi goes off the ropes but Sato knees him in the stomach and tags in Kawakami.  Kawakami chops Okabayashi in the corner and he hits an exploder.  Powerslam by Okabayashi and he tags in Kamitani.  Kamitani lariats Kawakami in the corner and he hits a scoop slam.  Kamitani goes up top and he hits a diving elbow drop for a two count.  Kamitani jumps at Kawakami but Kawakami elbows him in the head and tags in Hashimoto. 

Hashimoto kicks Kamitani in the corner and then hits a facewash followed by a dropkick.  Kawakami lariats Kamitani in the corner and Sato hits a falcon arrow.  PK by Hashimoto to Kamitani but the cover is broken up.  Hashimoto picks up Kamitani and he hits a Fisherman Buster.  Kamitani shoulderblocks Hashimoto and he tags in Sekimoto.  Okabayashi comes in too and they both lariat Hashimoto before hitting a double backdrop suplex.  Sekimoto lariats Hashimoto and he gets a two count.  Scorpion Deathlock by Sekimoto but Sato breaks it up.  Okabayashi comes back in and everyone attacks Hashimoto in the corner.  Okabayashi slams Hashimoto and Sekimoto hits a diving body press.  Sekimoto picks up Hashimoto and applies an Argentine Backbreaker, Sato comes in but Okabayashi cuts him off and puts him in one as well.  Kawakami comes in and breaks it up and Okabayashi throws him out of the ring.  Hashimoto kicks Sekimoto and they trade elbows.  Kick to the chest by Hashimoto and he covers Sekimoto for two.  Sekimoto chops at Hashimoto and he hits an enzigieri.  Big lariat by Sekimoto and he nails the German suplex hold on Hashimoto for the three count.  This was fun but it didn’t really heat up until the end.  I enjoyed the last three or four minutes but the trip to get there was flat at times.  Overall solid but not enough to be memorable.  Score:  6.0

(c) Yuko Miyamoto vs. "Black Angel" Jaki Numazawa
This match is for the BJW Death Match Heavyweight Championship and is a Needle Hell Death Match.  There are various buckets around the ring and a wooden platform full of thumbtacks.  They start off of course with arm work, maybe they won’t use the weapons after all.  Numazawa headbutts Miyamoto but Miyamoto drop toeholds Numazawa head-first into the tacks.  Now Numazawa has tacks in his head and Miyamoto pushes in a few more.  Miyamoto pushes Numazawa’s head into the bucket of kenzans and he covers him for two.  Numazawa blocks Miyamoto’s body slam attempt and he slams Miyamoto back-first into the thumbtacks.  Numazawa stands on Miyamoto to drive the tacks in deeper and he pushes some into Miyamoto’s head.  Numazawa sticks Miyamoto’s head into the kenzan bucket and monkey flips him into the tacks for a two count.  Numazawa puts Miyamoto’s tacks onto Miyamoto and he hits a senton.  Back up they trade elbows but Miyamoto dropkicks Numazawa out of the ring.  Miyamoto hits a tope con hilo out onto Numazawa.  Back in the ring Miyamoto hits a diving chop to the head and dumps out a bunch of tawashis.  Miyamoto picks up Numazawa and slams him back-first into them, cover, but it gets two.  Double knee by Miyamoto in the corner and he hits a dropkick.  Lariat by Miyamoto but Numazawa hits a back bodydrop onto the tawashis.  Lariat by Numazawa and he hits a face crusher onto the tawashis.  Dropkick by Numazawa, he puts Miyamoto on the top turnbuckle and he throws thumbtacks at him (and probably at the crowd also).  Numazawa joins Miyamoto up top and he hits a senton while Miyamoto is still up top. 

Cross-legged slam by Numazawa and he dumps out the bucket of kenzans.  Numazawa goes for a powerbomb but Miyamoto reverses it into a hurricanrana into the kenzans.  Belly to belly suplex by Miyamoto into the various things on the mat, he goes outside the ring and he dumps some sea urchins in the ring.  German suplex hold by Miyamoto but it gets a two.  Miyamoto slams Numazawa, he goes up top but Numazawa gets his knees up for the moonsault attempt.  Miyamoto goes for a handspring but Numazawa catches him with a small package for two.  Cross-armed piledriver by Numazawa and he dumps the thumbtacks onto the mat. Numazawa grabs Miyamoto but Miyamoto hits a Fire Thunder Driver into the tacks for a two count.  Miyamoto and Numazawa trade elbows but Miyamoto hits another Fire Thunder Driver.  Miyamoto slams Numazawa into the thumbtacks, he goes up top and he hits a corkscrew senton.  Moonsault by Miyamoto, and he picks up the three count.  I am going to make some BJW fan mad, but this wasn’t a good wrestling match.  They had… four props to get through so they would bring out one, scoop slam into it, bring out the next, scoop slam into it, rinse and repeat.  They were just running through spots with little wrestling between it.  And not to sound callous but they weren’t vicious looking spots, the tacks aren’t a big deal at this point and while kenzans are vicious they didn’t really do anything gruesome with them (yes I know that sounds awful but it’s a title match, make me squirm a bit).  So it wasn’t bad, it was just kinda there, it didn’t really ever excite me or feel special.  Score:  5.5

Final Thoughts:

I came in with high hopes… start of the tournament, some Big Japan Strong Style, and then a Death Match Championship defense.   And the first tournament match was really fun, but it went downhill after that.  The lighttube match was what it was, and the main event was a decent match but a below average title match.  I have to file this one under ‘safe to skip’ unless you are a hardcore Big Japan fan that doesn’t want to miss the start of the tournament.

Grade: D+

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event reviewed on 3/17/15