J1 SUMMIT 2018: Day 6

Fans were excited to see the first unveiling of the MAXIMUM Dojo at the star of the night. Shigeru “Starboy” Toyama was easily a fan favorite as he had been followed by many fans due to his crazier matches littering the YouTube, but the fans easily got behind Genji “Neo-Shogun” Ikeda due to his excellent use of Shotokan Karate kicks that started to slow down Starboy’s fast paced Lucha Libre skills.

Even more impressive to the fans was both men’s brilliant performance in takedowns and submissions as Judo fought against Jiu-Jitsu as the men. In the end however it would be a Samurai Driver by Starboy that would result in a 3-count win for the veteran of the squared circle. Both men however would embrace with a firm handshake resulting in Starboy lifting Ikeda’s arm in the air to the roar of the crowd.

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The Royal Road Academy had yet another brilliant performance later in the evening as Hiro Minamoto teamed with new comer Jack Tillman and Jr. Heavyweight Champion METAL HERO as they battled against Jr. Heavyweight Challenger James Edwards, Lynx and fan favorite KOSUKE!

The match began with Jack Tillman and Lynx in a MMA vs. Aerial exchange. Lynx would stay on the assault with dropkicks and body splashes with brilliant aerial counters to most of Tillman’s grapple holds, but he would slowly began to lose momentum as Tillman managed to get Lynx on the ground and start an onslaught that reminded many fans of former MAX Heavyweight Champion Ben Crenshaw. Tillman’s use of submissions managed to slow down Lynx enough that he began to use his Strong Stlye striking ability to send Lynx backpedaling into his own corner to make the tag to KOSKUE as Tillman tagged in METAL HERO.

The two natives showed and impressive back and forth, trading kicks that could be heard all the way in the American MMA gyms, until METAL HERO began to lose his momentum after the bigger man’s strikes just seemed to slowly overwhelm him. Not to be outdone METAL HERO managed to summon just enough energy run into the ropes to tag in Hiro Minamoto then making a lighting fast dash across the ring to slam KOSUKE into the mat with a thunderous STO!

Minamoto made a slow entrance into the ring as the fans began to cheer KOSUKE to his side, and an eventually kneeling position. Like the heavenly neighbor Minamoto is he helped his fellow MAX dojo wrestler to his feet, only to begin wailing on him with stiff chops across the chest, each one knocking him back down to a knee. As KOSUKE’s chest began to redden like the burning ambers of a raging fire, James Edwards was bouncing his right foot up and down on the apron as he reached in for the tag, which Minamoto was glad to let KOSUKE make.

Edwards came in with his own violent assault of strikes, eventually trading in a back and forth punchfest with his larger competitor. Eventually Minamoto began to hit Edward’s with the same chops that brought KOSUKE to his knees, one hit sending Edwards rolling backwards across the mat only to come back with a clothesline, which Minamoto narrowly countered with a violent Half-Nelson Suplex that sent Edward’s towards the turnbuckle, smashing his bad knee into the bottom rung. As he clutched his knee in agony Minamoto dragged him from the ropes pinning him for the 3 count.

After the match Edwards partners and competitors would stand around him as the ref evaluated his knee. Eventually Edwards would make his way to his feet, stumbling in obvious pain from the turnbuckle, only to be assisted to the back by KOSUKE and Minamoto.

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Jun Vegas and Mike Musket started our second tag match of the evening and proved that this match was to be different from the former as both men went at one another with a smash mouth powerhouse battle. The two men battled like they were in a barn house brawl with Vegas eventually manhandling the senior wrestler into the corner where he began mud hole stomping Mike into the turnbuckle, eventually tagging in The Dark Wizard himself, GRIM.

Mike was slow back to his feet but was met with a quick snapmare that brought GRIM’s technical skills out to play. But in typical Mike fashion, the man with more hooks that a pirate’s underwear drawer showed just why he was the Catch Wrestling all-star that he was, eventually taking control of GRIM from his back, transitioning to a side control where he used GRIM’s body to lift himself back to his feet stumbling back to his corner to make the tag to Kusumoto as Grim slithered his way to his own corner to tag in Kawada.

These two men had no wish to be outdone by the partners, began a brilliant display of power as they exchanged elbows, short lariats, and suplexes that caused the men in the corner to bounce in the air. Kawada made the decision to lock holds with the Stone Golem, eventually up rooting the Boulder of a man from his footing and violently shoved him into his own corner, where and over eager Shimada would make the tag my slapping the larger man on the chest.

Shimada wasted no time getting into the ring, so fast even that he was able to position himself behind Kawada and began landing violent elbows to the back of his head. Kawada eventually managed to turn himself around and grab Shimada in a bearhug and the toss him over his head with a belly to belly suplex. Followed by a German Suplex. Followed by a half nelson hold as he jerked the smaller man around like a rag doll eventually launching him overhead with a half-nelson suplex for the 3 count win.

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ZENKI versus Hammerstein would square off just after the break. After the earlier theatrics of their meeting in the block stage, the tension was at a fever pitch. Hammer’s aggression in the early going of the match would see Zenki land a drop toe hold that would begin a serious of holds on the mat that he would use to try and keep him down, particularly with a rear naked chokehold that forced Hammer to the ropes.

The bigger Hammerstein would eventually pin Zenki into a corner and rain down on him with punches to the body, forcing the MAX Heavyweight Champ to cover up and then topple out onto the apron. Hammerstein would follow him to the apron as the attentive crowd soon began worried. The two men would trade shots until Zenki’s shotei knocked Hammer off and he Demon Lord hit an Asai Moonsault to the fans’ approval.

Once the action got back in the ring, Zenki’s offense would see him hit a European uppercut and then a Fisherman Buster! But only a two count would he find. Zenki would plant a couple knee drops into Hammer’s face and then lock on a Dragon sleeper! Let’s catch up with the match while Hammerstein’s struggling for dear life!

In the middle of the ring, we seat Hammerstein in his wrestling attire in the seated position with his neck craned back while the red-and-white costumed Zenki holds him in a Dragon Sleeper. The referee circles the two men again and again.

ALBERT MORDECAI:

Hammer’s arms wave around as he struggles…

Zenki tightens the hold…

Hammer groans and struggle. His arm start to slow down…

The arms nearly become motionless… they fall…

Suddenly Hammer bridges up to his feet in a burst of strength! The crowd lets out an impressed ‘ooooooh’. But Zenki still has the Dragon Sleeper locked on despite Hammer on his feet. Zenki groans as he strains to keep the hold on – but Hammerstein twists and finds himself in a front face lock but throws Zenki over his head with a Northern Lights suplex! He’s got a pin!

2…

3-NO! Zenki kicks out.

TIM FLOSS:

ALBERT MORDECAI:

Hammerstein is up on his feet and mobile and he snatches Zenki by his mane. He throws him into the corner – Zenki goes chest first with the Irish Whip and remains on the turnbuckle – Hammer dives on him with a Stinger Splash! Zenki stumbles out… Hammerstein runs against the ropes and… he flies forward and catches Zenki with a Diamond Cutter!!! The masked man goes down as Hammerstein ascends to the top rope. A murmur goes up through the crowd…

He leaps with a frog splash…

It connects! The ring trembles as Hammerstein’s mass crushes Zenki and he has the pin!

2…

3-NOO!!! The Demon Lord gets a shoulder up at the last second. 

Hammerstein is on the attack. He sits up Zenki and then puts him back down with a triangle hold, muscular legs draining the life out of the Demon Lord almost immediately – but Zenki slips out of it and finds himself on his feet but in a full guard from Hammerstein – who is able to apply the triangle hold once again! 

Zenki struggles…

He struggles… but he won’t give…

He struggles… and begins to lift with his legs! Hammer has the hold on as Zenki lifts him up – takes a running start – and RUNNING ZENKI BOMB FROM THE TRIANGLE HOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zenki crawls over and hooks the leg!

2…

3!!!!!!!!

WAIT!!! Hammer’s got the shoulder up!

ALBERT MORDECAI:

A seated Zenki clearly suffers from some exasperation, but a brief glance at the referee doesn’t get him very far. He gets up and then takes a crouch as he waits for Hammerstein to get up to his feet. When he does, Zenki runs in – ZANBATOOOOOOOH!!!! The diving shoulder into Hammerstein sends him flying into the ropes where he rebounds and POUUUUUUUUNCE!!!! He nails Zenki also goes flying into the ropes and – ZANBATOOOOOOH ~ WAIT! Hammerstein evades and sends a kitchen sink knee into Zenki’s midsection, locks on the front chancery, lifts him up and – drops him on his head with the HAMMERSTEINER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hammerstein crawls atop for the pin!

1…

2…

3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WAIT!!!!! Zenki has a foot on the ropes! The ref calls off the pin!

TIM FLOSS:

ALBERT MORDECAI:

Zenki nails a palm strike! Hammerstein wavers and then hits an elbow smash! Zenki reels from it and hits another palm strike! Hammerstein drops to a knee – Zenki runs in with a Shining Wiz – Hammerstein catches him in midair, with Zenki sitting on his shoulders and nails a snap powerbomb! Zenki is on the mat and Hammerstein looks toward the turnbuckle.

Hammerstein begins climbing up the turnbuckle with his back to Zenki. The attentive crowd has their hands covering their mouths and the noise is picking up through the arena…

Hammerstein stands up, taking one glance over his shoulder at the prone Zenki, just before he leaps, arching his back as he dives through the air with A MOONSAULT PRESS…

IT CONNECTS!!!!!! Hammer lays on top of Zenki for the pin as the ring is still trembling from the impact!

2…

3!!!!!!!!!!

The BELL sounds!!

TIM FLOSS:

My gawd! My gawd! My gawd! Jacob Hammerstein has done it! He’s defeated the champ and is moving to the finals!

ALBERT MORDECAI:

He took the risks and it paid off! No one expected an airshow here tonight from Hammerstein but when he lands… MAN, does he stick it!!

Zenki is still on the mat clutching his ribs after suffering the second of another high-impact maneuver as the scene closes out with Hammerstein perched upon the second rope with his fists raised high in the air.

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Our main event of the evening found both men entering with the cheers of fans echoing around the arena as drunken MOUNTAIN BRO’s shook the guard rails and Demon Brigade Zealots cheered in military style cadence. As both men stood in the center of the ring as the referee went over the rules of the bout, Zombie stood with eyes transfixed on Shinjiro’s chest as the larger man looked down at his smaller foe in disgust, or his normal face, it has become increasingly hard to tell.

As the bell sounded both men would walk to the center of the ring and begin exchanging blows. For every single strike of Shinjiro’s, Zombie would return in kind with two of his own, showing that his speed was far greater than what Shinjiro could summon. I violent knee to the stomach of Zombie would be followed with a sloppy double leg takedown that found Shinjiro muscling through a technique that served him well.

Shinjiro’s size seemed to take a lot out of his competitor as Zombie laid out on the mat with his stomach moving rapidly as he fought to catch his breath. So much so that Shinjiro would find himself on his feet first and while grabbing the top rope began to stomp into Zombie’s chest with a lead foot.

But Shinjiro was looking to put Zombie away with a Bridging German Suplex…only to find the Immortal Buddhist to kick out.

Shinjiro gets to his feet and lands a sickening rolling knee drop into the face of Zombie.

Again with the knee drop.

The Kick.

The Knee

The Kick.

Running Leg drop with the pin!

Shinjiro lifts Zombie up off of the ground and lifts him up onto his shoulders into a military press, dropping Zombie across his knee.

Shinjiro follows with a elbow drop.

ALBERT MORDECAI:

Shinjiro thrashes about on the mat as Zombie manages to slowly sink the hold in deeper, straightening the bigger man’s arm out as the ref hovers in between. The fans are praying to all kinds of deities in favor of their favorite man. Zealots begin to kneel before higher powers only to be stirred into a mad frenzy as red solo cups full of cheap beer coming flying from the MOUNTAIN BRO section. Security guards move in between both groups, threatening to kick them out should they need to. MOUNTAIN BRO’s quickly shut up as they hear the ref call for the rope break.!

Shinjiro as well rolls to a knee as he clutches his arm, trying to reconnect the feeling that was once there. Both men find themselves on their feet and Zombie moves forward for a swinging right hook only to be blocked by Shinjiro who returns with one of his own.

Zombie dodges underneath the strike and moves behind Shinjiro and grabs the larger man by his waist and attempts to lift him up, but Shinjiro spreads his feet to get better grounding, backpedaling and driving all his weight into Zombie he crumbles into the corner.

Shinjiro wastes no time in turning around and starts driving slow, but heavy knees into his opponents midsection.

Shinjiro brings another knee in for the finish but Zombie drives two palms downward to check the attack and lifts himself up onto the bottom rope to look Shinjiro eye to eye as he lifts bots his arms up and over Shinjiro’s, trapping them in place.

But Zombie moves his head out of the way and lands a headbutt with the side of his head into Shinjiro’s temple that causes him to see starts for a moment. Zombie releases his over arm hold on the big man but follows him as he stumbles out.

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Attendance: 9,550 fans (96% capacity)

1. Shigeru Toyama defeats Genji Ikeda (6:29) via pinfall after Toyama lands Samurai Driver.

2. METAL Hero, Jack Tillman, and Hiro Minamoto defeat James Edwards, Lynx, and KOSUKE (14:12) via pinfall after Minamoto pins James Edwards after Half Nelson Suplex.

3. GRIM, Jun Vegas, and Masanori Kawada defeat Mike Musket, Daichi Kusumoto, and Mitsuo Shimada (10:15) via pinfall after Kawada Half- Nelson Suplexes Shimada.

4. J1 SUMMIT Semifinals - Block A: Jacob Hammerstein defeats ZENKI (15:50) via pinfall after Hammerstein lands Moonsault.

5. J1 SUMMIT Semifinals - Block B: Tokyo Zombie defeats Shinjiro Nakama (14:47) via pinfall after Front Russian Leg Sweep.