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review by Kevin Wilson
Date: June 8th, 2014
Location: Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan
Announced Attendance: 1,368
Michinoku Pro it seems didn't tape anything for the first five months of the year, but fret not Michinoku Pro fans, finally an event of the promotion has been released! This is a pretty big show for them, as their main two titles are both on the line. We have all the major players of Michinoku Pro on the card, including the legends Jinsei Shinzaki and The Great Sasuke. Here is the full card:
- Ayumu Gunji vs. Daichi Sasaki
- Eagles Mask, Macho Pump, and Vancouver Cat vs. Yapper Man 1, Yapper Man 2, and Yapper Man 3
- Kinya Oyanagi and Rui Hiugaji vs. Manuel Majoli and Ultimo Dragon
- Ken45, Manjimaru, and Takeshi Minamino vs. Kenbai, Rasse, and Taro Nohashi
- Michinoku Pro Tohoku Tag Team Championship: Jinsei Shinzaki and Kesen Numajiro vs. Brahman Kei and The Great Sasuke
- Michinoku Pro Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship: Brahman Shu vs. Fujita "Jr" Hayato
Looks like some of the undercard is clipped but the main matches are shown in full.
Ayumu Gunji vs. Daichi Sasaki
Joined in progress with an Irish whip by Gunji, and Gunji hits a back elbow. Cover, but it gets a two count. Gunji picks up Sasaki but Sasaki hits him off, knees by Gunji, snapmare, and he applies a reverse chinlock. Sasaki gets into the ropes to force a break, Gunji picks up Sasaki and goes for a vertical suplex but Sasaki blocks it. Punches by Gunji but Sasaki lands on his feet when he goes for a suplex and then hits Gunji in the chest. Sasaki throws Gunji into the corner but Gunji kicks Sasaki when he charges in. Gunji goes off the ropes but Sasaki gets him onto his shoulders and hits a Samoan drop. Cover, but it gets a two count. Northern Lights Suplex by Sasaki, but that gets a two count as well. Sasaki applies a camel clutch but Gunji gets into the ropes to force a break. Sasaki picks up Gunji and applies a waistlock, Gunji elbows him off and hits a bulldog. Gunji goes off the ropes but Sasaki rolls him up, Sasaki goes for a kick but Gunji swats him away and dropkicks Sasaki out of the ring. Gunji then goes to the ropes and sails out onto Sasaki with a pescado. Gunji rolls Sasaki back into the ring, he goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick. Cover, but it gets a two count. Gunji picks up Sasaki but Sasaki slaps him and they trade slaps. Gunji goes off the ropes but Sasaki hits a superkick, cover, but Gunji kicks out. Sasaki picks up Gunji and hits the German suplex hold, and he picks up the three count. Your winner: Daichi Sasaki
Match Thoughts: A pretty basic opener and a bit clipped up so we missed the exciting beginning of the match. At least they did some moves beyond just strikes and crab holds, which I appreciate, and it was a pretty fluid and crisp match. Not a bad way to open the show but nothing exciting. Score: 4.0
Yapper Man #1, Yapper Man #2 and Yapper Man #3 vs. Macho Pump, Eagles Mask and Vancouver Cat
Yapper Man #1 and Vancouver Cat start things off. They circle each other to start before locking knuckles, but Yapper Man #1 breaks the hold. Tie-up, armdrag by Vancouver Cat and she hits a second one, but Yapper Man #1 rolls her up for a two count. Waistlock by Yapper Man #1, reversed by Vancouver Cat, and Vancouver Cat applies a leglock. Yapper Man #1 rolls out of it, he goes off the ropes but Vancouver Cat hits an armdrag. Yapper Man #1 rolls out of the ring and Vancouver Cat does as well. Macho Pump and Yapper Man #3 get into the ring (Yapper Man #3 is actually a woman, which does come into play in this match), Yapper Man #3 clubs Macho Pump in the chest and goes off the ropes, but Macho Pump pokes her in the eyes. Macho Pump goes for a scoop slam but he puts Yapper Man #3 back down. Now Yapper Man #3 goes for a scoop slam but Macho Pump traps her arm between his legs. Kick by Yapper Man #3 and she kicks Macho Pump in the head before flinging him to the mat. She throws Macho Pump down again, Macho Pump rolls out of the ring as Yapper Man #3 goes up to the top turnbuckle, but Macho Pump walks away before she can dive out. Macho Pump tags in Vancouver Cat while Yapper Man #3 tags in Yapper Man #2. Yapper Man #2 punches Vancouver Cat in the head, Irish whip to the corner, reversed, and Vancouver Cat hits a cartwheel elbow strike. Vancouver Cat goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits an armdrag. Jumping knee in the corner by Vancouver Cat and she hits a drop toehold. Back scratch by Vancouver Cat and she dumps Yapper Man #2 out of the ring. Yapper Man #1 comes in and kicks Vancouver Cat from behind, Yapper Man #3 comes in as well and they all pose on Vancouver Cat. Eagles Mask comes in the ring but Yapper Man #1 throws him in the corner, Yapper Man #1 and Yapper Man #2 try to throw Vancouver Cat and Eagles Mask into each other, but they reverse it. Eagles Mask and Vancouver Cat apply leg locks to Yapper Man #2 and Yapper Man #1, Macho Pump walks in the middle of the ring and he poses. Yapper Man #3 comes in the ring to break it up, and then the Yapper Man team dives out onto their opponents. Eagles Mask chops Yapper Man #1 in the corner back in the ring and he hits a dropkick. Eagles Mask picks up Yapper Man #1 but Yapper Man #1 moves when he charges in and hits an elbow drop. Eagles Mask is thrown out of the ring, Macho Pump comes in the ring and he hits a double lariat onto Yapper Man #1 and Yapper Man #2. Macho Pump is along in the ring with Yapper Man #3 and he chases her around, and Macho Pump kisses Yapper Man #3. Macho Pump sets up Yapper Man #3 in the ropes and grabs her chest, but Vancouver Cat comes in the ring and slaps him. Vancouver Cat kicks Macho Pump, enzigieri by Yapper Man #1 to Macho Pump and Yapper Man #2 hits a super kick. Seated senton by Yapper Man #3 to Macho Pump but he holds her there as the referee counts to three. Your winners: Yapper Man #1, Yapper Man #2 and Yapper Man #3
Match Thoughts: Apparently Macho Pump is a creeper, only in Japan would this type of wrestler interaction be acceptable. That was the main theme of the match, up to that point it was a very basic tag team match with not a lot going on. Even though it was a bit perverted it was fun to see Macho Pump’s own teammate turn on him for his behavior. This might make some people cringe but I’ve watched enough DDT so I’ve seen worse. Score: 5.5
Rui Hiugaji and Kinya Oyanagi vs. Ultimo Dragon and Manuel Majoli
Hiugaji and Majoli start things off. Waistlock by Majoli, reversed by Hiugaji but Majoli reverses it back. Side headlock takedown by Majoli, but Hiugaji reverses it with a headscissors. Majoli gets out of it and applies the side headlock, but Hiugaji gets on the headscissors again. Majoli gets the side headlock back on and gets Hiugaji to his feet, Hiugaji applies his own side headlock but Majoli applies a wristlock. Hammerlock by Majoli and he hits a scoop slam. Majoli picks up Hiugaji and he hits a second scoop slam. Standing shooting star press by Majoli, cover, but it gets a two count. Majoli applies a leg submission hold, he picks up Hiugaji, Irish whip, chops by Hiugaji, Irish whip by Hiugaji and he hits a back elbow. Cover, but it gets a two count. Hiugaji picks up Majoli and throws Majoli into the corner, tagging in Oyanagi. Oyanagi uppercuts Majoli, snapmare by Oyanagi and he applies a surfboard. Majoli quickly gets out of it, and Oyanagi tags Hiugaji back in. Chops by Hiugaji and he hits a scoop slam. Hiugaji hits another scoop slam, he picks up Majoli and he hits a second one. A third scoop slam by Hiugaji, cover, but it gets a two count. Hiugaji goes off the ropes but Majoli ducks the lariat, and Majoli hits a double underhook suplex. Cover by Majoli but it gets a two count. Chops by Majoli and he tags in Ultimo Dragon. Kicks to the leg by Ultimo Dragon, Irish whip, and Ultimo Dragon delivers a dropkick. Waistlock by Oyanagi but Ultimo Dragon gets away and dropkicks both Oyanagi and Hiugaji
Ultimo Dragon tags in Majoli, and Majoli chops Hiugaji against the ropes. Irish whip by Majoli and he hits a lariat. German suplex hold by Majoli, but it gets a two count. Majoli applies a submission hold to Hiugaji, he picks up Hiugaji but Hiugaji hits a backdrop suplex. Hiugaji tags in Oyanagi while Ultimo Dragon is also tagged in, Irish whip by Oyanagi but Ultimo Dragon lands on his feet when he goes for a back bodydrop and hits a back kick. Cover, but it gets a two count. Back kick by Ultimo Dragon but Oyanagi sneaks in a backslide for a two count. Dragon screw leg whip by Ultimo Dragon and he applies an ankle hold. Ultimo Dragon kicks Oyanagi and goes for an Asai DDT, but Oyanagi gets out of it and hits an enzigieri. Ultimo Dragon applies the cobra twist, and Hiugaji comes in and applies a rocking horse to Majoli. Ultimo Dragon finally gets out of his hold and then kicks Hiugaji Irish whip by Ultimo Dragon, reversed, kick by Ultimo Dragon to Hiugaji and he tosses Oyanagi out of the ring. Ultimo Dragon then goes out to the apron but Oyanagi pulls him down to the floor. Back in the ring, Majoli throws Hiugaji into the corner, reversed, and Hiugaji hits a battering ram. Vertical suplex by Hiugaji, he waits for Majoli to get up and hits a spear. Cover, but it gets a two count. Hiugaji picks up Majoli and hits an Alabama Slam, Hiugaji puts Majoli in the crab hold and Majoli submits. Your winners: Ultimo Dragon and Manuel Majoli
Match Thoughts: Besides the random standing shooting star press, this was a pretty simple match. Dragon was mostly coasting here, he wouldn’t even give the crowd the Asai Moonsault which I’ve noticed he teases a whole lot more than he actually does these days. The other wrestlers all seem perfectly competent but none had much of a ‘wow’ factor even if they were fundamentally sound. So not a bad match but nothing memorable. Score: 5.0
Takeshi Minamino, Manjimaru, and Ken45° vs. Taro Nohashi, Rasse, and Kenbai
Nohashi and Manjimaru start things off and they trade elbows, Manjimaru goes off the ropes but Nohashi hits a headscissors. Nohashi tags in Kenbai, Kenbai goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a diving elbow onto Manjimaru. Minamino comes in the ring, Kenbai avoids his charge and hits a top turnbuckle hurricanrana. Ken45 comes in the ring and knocks Kenbai out of it, but Rasse comes in and dropkicks Ken45 out of the ring. Kenbai, Rasse, and Nohashi go off the ropes and all three dive out of the ring onto their opponents. Rasse slides Ken45 back in the ring and hits a missile dropkick. Cover, but it gets a two count. Rasse kicks Ken45 and hits an enzigieri, he goes for a Fisherman suplex but Ken45 blocks it. Boot by Ken45 and he hits a powerbomb for a two count. Ken45 goes off the ropes but Rasse drop toeholds Ken45 into the second rope and Kenbai hits a Tiger Feint Kick. Kenbai goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a diving double stomp, then Nohashi goes up top and delivers a diving headbutt. Cover, but the pin attempt is broken up. Nohashi picks up Ken45, he goes off the ropes but he is cut off. Minamino comes in the ring and punches Kenbai, he goes off the ropes but is tossed to the mat by Rasse. Ken45 hits a lariat onto Rasse, Manjimaru is back, double Irish whip to Rasse, and he gets his with a jawbreaker/kick combination. Cover, but it gets a two count. Rasse is picked up and thrown into the corner, and all three hit a running strike in the corner. Cover by Ken45 but Nohashi breaks it up. Minamino picks up Rasse, he puts Rasse on his shoulders but Rasse gets away. Inside cradle by Rasse, but it gets a two count. Rasse charges Minamino, but he catches him and hits a death valley bomb. Cover, but it gets a two. Minamino puts Rasse in the Shikahama Dynamite, and Rasse has to submit. Your winners: Takeshi Minamino, Manjimaru, and Ken45°
Match Thoughts: This was too clipped to really give an honest assessment but what we saw was perfectly fine. Kenbai is a Yoshitsune clone, including doing a lot of the same moves. The action was very fast paced, as you would imagine, and there was literally no down time in the match. Entertaining but not enough was really shown. Score: 5.5
(c) Jinsei Shinzaki and Kesen Numajiro vs. Great Sasuke and Brahman Kei
This match is for the Tohoku Tag Team Championship. Kei and Numajiro start things off. Kei asks for a handshake but Numajiro doesn’t bite. He tries again and this time Numajiro shakes his hand. Tie-up, Kei gets Numajiro into the ropes and he gives a clean break. Tie-up, Kei pushes Numajiro in the ropes, Numajiro switches positions with him and Numajiro also gives a clean break. Kick by Kei and he applies a side headlock, takedown by Kei but Numajiro reverses it into a headscissors. Kei gets out of it and goes back to the side headlock, Numajiro struggles to his feet and he applies a hammerlock. Elbows by Kei to get out of it and he reverses the hold. Kei drives Numajiro into the corner and Kei tags in Great Sasuke. Great Sasuke crawls around and does a headstand in the corner, but Numajiro pulls him back down. Great Sasuke sits down in the middle of the ring, and Numajiro stomps him. Another stomp by Numajiro and he tags in Shinzaki. Great Sasuke does… something for a bit while Shinzaki watches him, and Kei spits water on Shinzaki from the apron. Kei throws Shinzaki out of the ring while Great Sasuke takes Numajiro outside the ring as well. Great Sasuke and Kei brawl with their opponents at ringside, with Great Sasuke and Numajiro going up in the crowd. Kei slides Numajiro back into the ring, Kei picks up Numajiro and he chokes Numajiro as he takes him to the mat. Kei puts some luggage in the ring, he sets it between Numajiro’s legs in the corner and he gets the bowling ball. Kei rolls the ball into Numajiro, sending the luggage into his midsection. Snapmare by Kei, cover, and it gets a two count.
Kei punches Numajiro into the corner, Irish whip, reversed, Numajiro avoids Kei’s charge and he kicks Kei to the mat. Numajiro tags in Shinzaki, and Shinzaki hits a swandive chop to the head. Shinzaki goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a diving shoulderblock to Kei. Cover, but it gets a two count. Shinzaki picks up Kei and throws him into the corner, Numajiro puts the luggage between Kei’s legs as Shinzaki gets the bowling ball and rolls it into Kei. Numajiro picks up Kei, Irish whip, and Numajiro hits a hip attack. Numajiro puts Kei up on the top turnbuckle and goes for a muscle buster, but Kei gets out of it. Numajiro tackles Kei, he goes up to the second turnbuckle and hits a diving leg drop. Cover, but it gets a two count. Kei grabs Numajiro in the groin and kicks him in the chest, but Numajiro catches one and hits a dragon screw leg whip followed by the Shining Wizard. Numajiro puts Kei on the top turnbuckle and hits the muscle buster, cover, but Great Sasuke breaks it up. Shinzaki comes in and kicks Great Sasuke, he goes off the ropes but Great Sasuke punches Shinzaki. Snapmare by Great Sasuke, he goes up to the top turnbuckle but Shinzaki rolls out of the way of the diving body press. Shinzaki applies the Gokuraku-Gatame but a mini wrestler emerges from a white box in the ring and stares at Shinzaki. Shinzaki gets up, the mini charges Shinzaki but Shinzaki grabs him by the head, Irish whip, and the mini wrestler hits a spinning headscissors. Shinzaki calls out of the ring and the mini hits a diving crossbody from the apron. Great Sasuke then gets up on the top turnbuckle and hits a senton atomico down onto the crowd. In the ring, scoop slam by Numajiro to Kei and he goes for an avalanche leg drop, but Kei rolls out of the way. A big hooded wrestler gets in the ring and hits a lariat onto Numajiro. Great Sasuke is back in the ring, as Kei kicks Numajiro in the chest. Kei and the hooded wrestler pick up Shinzaki and they hit the Messiah Advent. Great Sasuke remains seated on Numajiro, and he picks up the three count. Your winners and new champions: Great Sasuke and Brahman Kei
Match Thoughts: I wish I knew someone that watches Michinoku Pro so I knew what was going on here. Clearly I understand Sasuke is the head in a heel stable, who are crazy people, but that’s as far as I got as Sasuke was acting incredibly strange during this match. It was also odd that Kei started out acting normal while Sasuke was the one acting wonky. This was more of a theater match than a real wrestling match as it was constantly interrupted by the heel team’s antics. When it was straight wrestling it was a good match, Shinzaki and Great Sasuke still move around fine, it was just an odd match that was more about Muno Taiyo doing their thing than about the titles. Score: 6.0
(c) Brahman Shu vs. Fujita "Jr." Hayato
This match is for the Tohoku Jr. Heavyweight Championship. Shu and Hayato circle each other to start, Hayato gets Shu into the ropes and he gives a clean break. Tie-up, headlock by Shu and he goes for Hayato’s arm before re-applying the headlock. Hammerlock by Hayato but Shu hits a drop toehold. Ankle hold by Shu, Hayato applies a side headlock, Shu takes him down and both wrestlers return to their feet. Kick to the arm by Hayato and they traded elbows. Boot by Hayato but Shu returns the favor and they trade shots. Shu goes off the ropes but Hayato kicks him in the chest. Shu rolls out of the ring but Hayato goes out after him, Shu gains the advantage outside of the ring and slams him into a row of chairs. Shu gets a bucket of water but Hayato blocks him from dumping it. They battle up into the crowd, Shu attacks Hayato with a bag but Hayato regains the advantage and kicks Shu in the back. Shu takes Hayato back towards ringside and twists his arm around the ring post. Shu kicks Hayato in the ribs and he hits Hayato in the arm with a chair. Shu picks up Hayato and rolls him back into the ring. Shu takes off the turnbuckle pad and he kicks Hayato in the arm. Shu hits Hayato with the turnbuckle pad and then twists his arm around the exposed corner. Shu snaps Hayato’s arm over the top rope, he picks up Hayato and he applies a hammerlock. Shu pushes Hayato down in the corner while Kei gets the luggage box for Shu. The box is placed against Hayato’s head and then Shu uses the bowling bowl to send the luggage into Hayato. Hayato falls out of the ring but is thrown back in, Shu puts on a mask and goes off the ropes but Hayato boots him in the face. They trade kicks, Irish whip by Shu but Hayato dropkicks him in the knee and then in the head. Hayato kicks Kei and Shu from the apron before sliding Shu back into the ring.
Hayato gets back in but Shu kicks him in the stomach, he gets a bucket of water but Hayato takes it from him and splashes both Kei and Shu with the water. Hayato puts Shu in the Tree of Woe, he puts the luggage against Hayato’s head and rolls a bowling ball into it. Hayato kicks Shu in the chest, he goes off the ropes and hits a jumping knee. Enzigieri by Hayato, he goes off the ropes and hits the PK. Cover, but Shu gets a shoulder up. Hayato picks up Shu but Shu throws Hayato shoulder-first into the exposed corner. Shu yanks on Hayato’s arm, big boot by Hayato but Shu moves when Hayato charges him in the corner. Armbreaker by Shu, he goes off the ropes and hits La Mistica. Shu keeps the armbar applied but Hayato gets a hand on the ropes. Shu gets his black liquid and drinks some, but Hayato kicks Shu. Hayato gets the black liquid and drinks some, but both block the other from spitting it. Kei grabs Hayato from the apron but he ducks when Shu goes to spit the liquid, and he hits Kei by accident. Hayato spits his own black liquid at Shu and Hayato kicks Shu in the side of the head. Cover, but it gets a two count. Hayato picks up Shu and boots him, cover, but again Shu kicks out at two. Hayato picks up Shu and applies the KID, but Shu gets to the ropes to force a break. Hayato picks up Shu and hits a release German suplex. Shu lands in the corner and Hayato hits a pair of running knees. He goes for a third but Kei spits black mist on him from the apron. Shu picks up Hayato and hits the Zombie King. Cover, but it gets a two count. Shu applies an arm submission but Hayato gets out of it, kicks by Hayato and a cover, but it only gets two. Hayato hits the Helm, cover, but Shu gets a shoulder up. Hayato picks up Shu but Kei comes in the ring and hits Hayato in the arm with a kendo stick. High kick by Hayato and he goes for the Kid, but Shu gets out of it and applies the Caterpillar for the three count. Your winner and still champion: Brahman Shu
Match Thoughts: This match wasn’t bad, even though I have trouble seeing Shu as a champion caliber wrestler. Apparently DQ is officially off the table in Michinoku Pro, as Shu would not have won if Kei wasn’t constantly getting involved in the end of the match. I always felt a promotion’s biggest title shouldn’t be brought down by constant interference and things like that, although MPro is clearly all-in with the Sasuke stable. Hayato looked fine here, it was just a disjointed match and some of the transitions were non-existent. After all the arm work on Hayato, it was a bit disappointing that it didn’t really come into play at the end, a backslide isn’t the most exciting ending for the main event title match. Some good and some bad here, the action itself was perfectly acceptable, it just didn’t come across as an important title match like it should have. Score: 5.5
Final Thoughts:
Best Match: Jinsei Shinzaki and Kesen Numajiro vs. Great Sasuke and Brahman Kei. There were not any great matches on this event, but this was the best one of the bunch. It had its goofy parts for sure, but Shinzaki and Sasuke can still bring it and the heel team's methods kept the match interesting. Nothing too memorable but an entertaining match.
MVP: Fujita "Jr." Hayato. Even though he lost, he pulled an above average match out of Brahman Shu. He also played along with Shu's ridiculousness which is admirable as well. Really no one came out of this event elevated to me but Hayato looked good here.
Overall: This event was just extremely average. I don't know if I've ever reviewed an event where almost every match hovered right at that '5 out of 10' line but this event pulled it off. It was just 'there', the matches weren't bad but nothing on this card would I recommend in particular as needing to be watched. If you enjoy the Brahmans than this match is probably a must, otherwise you can safely skip it and be confident that you aren't missing anything.
Grade: D
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review completed on 9/24/14
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