Post by UNION of SPORTS! on Sept 27, 2018 19:40:15 GMT -5
ATTACK OF THE CASTLE!
Day 4
9/27/2018
Shinjiro Nakama and Lynx vs. METAL HERO and Jack Tillman
We got things started off with the new #1 contender, Shinjiro Nakama, teaming up with the current MAX Jr. Heavyweight Champion Lynx. On the other side of the ring, METAL HERO, the former Jr. champ, and Jack Tillman, the #1 contender for the Jr. title set to take on Lynx on 10/2. METAL HERO and Tillman both wanted to show Lynx that they had his number, each man delivering ferocious onslaughts when they had the chance. But Lynx would use his acrobatic ways to escape, at one point going Matrix-style to dodge a yakuza kick from METAL HERO.
Nakama seemed to enjoy watching the three junior heavyweight fighters go at it, which eventually seemed to catch the ire of the cybernetic METAL HERO who jumped up on a turnbuckle and knocked Nakama on the apron with a diving koppu kick! With those two out of the action, it was Tillman and Lynx locked in a struggle. Tillman would go for a Ballroom Blitz ~ swing and a miss! Lynx would follow up with an enzuigiri and a Tornado DDT for a 1-2-2.9! count. He’d scoop up Tillman for the Emerald Flowsion but Tillman slipped out and took Lynx down with the Recluse! In the center of the ring, Lynx would have no other choice but to tapout to the crossface hold to the fan’s astonishment! Tillman jumped up and taunted Lynx, saying “That one was for Redd. The next one will be for the belt!”
After the match, reporters caught up with both men. The disappointed but enigmatic Lynx said he wouldn’t let it happen again. Tillman was in good spirits but assured the fans that he wasn’t overconfident going into the next show.
Masanori Kawada, David Troy, and Rafa Whatley vs. Daichi Kusumoto, David Gage, and Billy Danielson
Kawada and Kusumoto started off the match. It was a feeling out affair with Kusumoto keeping Kawada locked up in the clinch, using his trademark headbutts. But Kawada would land a judo-style hip throw to get out of it and bring in the King of Lions Champion, David Troy. Troy would point to the corner and tell Kusumoto to tag in Danielson as the attentive crowd held their breath. Kusumoto started over there – and then rebounded against the ropes and took down Troy with a running high knee!
Kusumoto would tag in Gage and the “Inevitable One” would use his patented right knee to lay shots into the ribs of a prone David Troy. But the King of Lions would fight back and get the powerful Rafa Whatley in the ring who would show off his football skills with a tackle against Gage into the corner. However, it would allow Danielson to slap Gage’s shoulder and finally get in the ring. The towering Danielson kept Whatley locked up with holds until he missed a superkick and then ate an axe bomber!
Whatley would crawl towards the ropes and tag in Kawada while Danielson would reach the hand of David Gage and the two men began exchanging elbows. But it was David Gage with a kitchen sink right knee into Kawada’s midsection that doubled him over and allowed him to apply an abdominal stretch for a tapout win!
After the match, David Troy called out Billy Danielson to step up to him, but the latter was halfway up the ramp. The frustrated Troy actually received some boos from the fans who have come to appreciate Billy Danielson’s workman-like style. For his part, Danielson said he didn’t understand why Troy wanted such a piece of him, as he has only tried to encourage him to do his best on the tour.
Frank Dylan James vs. Matt Pulver
Anyone who hadn’t seen FDJ before certainly could not have missed him as he strode down to the ring this evening. The wild West Virginia wrecking ball was rip-roaring ready to go as soon as the bell rung. He rushed the smaller Matt Pulver and within seconds threw him over the top-rope to the outside! FDJ reported laughed as he asked the referee, “Do I win a prize for that?”
The story of this match is one of FDJ beating down Pulver with his brawling skills only for the technical wrestler to try and get in one of his patented submission holds. For instance, an achilles tendon hold didn’t quite work, as the 6’8” mountaineer was long enough to grab the bottom rope. It didn’t take long before FDJ was back in control and hit a sloppy powerbomb for a two-count – but Pulver was in position and transitioned to a cross armbreaker while FDJ was still standing and forced the big man to give up!
After the match “Giant Killer” Pulver told reporters that he planned on absorbing the powerbomb if FDJ used it, having scouted him out and knowing he could latch on the armbar. A frustrated FDJ apparently left the arena, picked up a golf cart, and threw it into Hakata Bay! Numerous fans caught this act on film and it apparently made the evening news here in Fukuoka.
ZENKI and GRIM vs. Alexander Irvine and Jacob Hammerstein
The in-fighting between Irvine and Hammerstein began even before the match, as both men wanted a piece of MAX Heavyweight Champion ZENKI. In the end Hammer won out and he went to work with chops and headlocks that kept Zenki down in the early going. But the champ eventually broke free, hitting a shotei and then a springboard hurricanrana to put the American Monster down! After some interference by GRIM, Hammerstein tried to tag in Irvine, the latter jumped down from the apron and said, “You wanted him, you got him!”
Hammerstein was the legal man for the entirety of this match, folks. Completed abandoned by Irvine. ZENKI and GRIM went to work, hitting double suplexes and it seemed like every time that Hammerstein would nearly get free, either ZENKI or GRIM would come in with a shot and break it up. GRIM eventually set up a groggy Hammer for his running start into a rear naked choke, but as GRIM jumped Hammer turned around and caught him in a bearhug. GRIM had nowhere to go as Hammer squeezed the life out of him. When ZENKI tried to interfere, Irvine finally entered the match and hit the champ with a running forearm smash! Hammer collected a crumpled up GRIM for a pumphandle slam that would give the two men the victory!
MAX vs. LION’S ROAD:
Jun Vegas vs. Justin Seville
It was a bruising opener, one that saw Vegas hit spinebuster that caused Seville to remain on the mat for longer than one might expect. The Cottonmouth soldiered on, but he just couldn’t get anything going against Vegas, who eventually hit his modified Fire Thunder Driver, known as the Fold ‘Em, for the win.
After the match, Seville was checked for a concussion but apparently passed protocol. It was unclear if he’d be cleared for 10/2 but he promised he would at least be able to fight on 10/13.
MAX vs. LION’S ROAD ~ SUPER REVENGE I:
Tokyo Zombie vs. AJ Knight
Vegas’ win over Seville in the last match gave MAX a 4-1 series lead going into this one, meaning that if AJ lost this one then LION’S ROAD would basically be unable to win the series even if they won the remainder of matches. So, AJ got to work quickly with some patented technical wrestling. A drop toehold into a grounded headlock kept the action on the ground in the early going. Zombie would fight his way out of it with elbows to the back and then the two fighters would trade roundhouse kicks to the chest as they tested their toughness. Zombie won out and hit a spinning heel kick that put AJ on the mat.
Zombie followed up with a Saito suplex but only got a two-count on Knight. It was at about this time that ZENKI and GRIM made their way through the crowd much to the delight of the fans to take a seat in the all-black Demon Brigade zealot section. Zombie seized upon this moment to go for another Saito suplex, but AJ spun his way out and hit a released German suplex that folded up Zombie before having some words with Zombie’s compatriots.
It was at this moment that Alexander Irvine and Matt Pulver hit the aisle and the situation got even more intense. ZENKI and GRIM stood up and all of a sudden we had the four men on the outside all trying to keep the peace so the guys on the inside could duke it out. Knight would go for a superkick but Zombie would catch it and hit a captured suplex for 1-2-2.5 as AJ just got the shoulder up. Zombie then put AJ’s cranium on the squeeze when he locked on the Vise of Virtue, but AJ managed to get out of it quickly and then nail the superkick!
Just when it looked like AJ was setting up Zombie for the Knightfall DDT, Alexander Irvine entered the ring much to the dismay of the referee. He stared down AJ, whose “what the fuck are you doing?” needed no translation for the audience. As Zombie stirred to his feet, Irvine looked back at AJ, and then… he clocked Zombie with a running forearm smash! The referee called for the disqualification on AJ and the chaos began as all of the men needed to be separated. Pulver tried to push back AJ, but AJ grabbed him and elbowed him in the face and the punches were flying! Additional security poured in the ring as the Lion’s Road fighters did battle. Meanwhile, the Demon Brigade took shelter among the zealots and Alexander Irvine could be seen walking up the aisle wearing a smirk.
After the show…
GM Masaaki Sano was none too pleased about the outcome of the main event and the actions of not only Alexander Irvine, but also everyone’s role in the bedlam that ensued after the match. A point he noted was that this evening’s show had many tickets still available, only filling up to around 83% capacity. He blamed the Lion’s Road team for not setting aside their feuds from North America and thus undercutting the spectacle of the MAX vs. LION’S ROAD series. He demanded an end to the in-fighting and promised he would find a way to resolve this madness by the 10/13 GAIJIN NO SPECIAL.
With 10/2 on the horizon, we will have an excellent showcase of matches. Despite the MAX vs. LION’S ROAD series already won by the former, one can’t help but get excited for the rematch between Shinjiro Nakama vs. Matt Pulver, fought under the SUPER REVENGE rules to ensure a winner. The main event will see Lynx attempt his V1 defense of the MAX Jr. Heavyweight Championship against Jack Tillman, the man who tapped him out this evening. Does Tillman have another ace up his sleeve or will Lynx manage to take his revenge? Only one way to find out!
ATTACK OF THE CASTLE! Day 4
Date: 9/27/2018
Location: Keizai Recreational Park, Fukuoka, Japan
Attendance: 2,500 fans (83% capacity)
1. METAL HERO and Jack Tillman defeat Shinjiro Nakama and Lynx (13:19) via submission when Tillman uses the Recluse on Lynx.
2. Daichi Kusumoto, David Gage, and Billy Danielson defeat Masanori Kawada, David Troy, and Rafa Whatley (15:45) via submission when Gage uses an abdominal stretch on Kawada.
3. Matt Pulver defeats Frank Dylan James (9:10) via submission with a cross armbreaker.
4. Alexander Irvine and Jacob Hammerstein defeat ZENKI and GRIM (12:20) via pinfall after Hammerstein uses a pumphandle slam on GRIM.
5. MAX vs. LION’S ROAD: Jun Vegas defeats Justin Seville (8:56) via pinfall after the Fold ‘Em.
6. MAX vs. LION’S ROAD: Tokyo Zombie defeats AJ Knight (17:11) via disqualification.