2018 Sword of Lite Grand Prix - Day 4 ~ FINAL!

GM Masaaki Sano took to the centerstage and addressed the fans. He informed him that the rumors were true, that MAX-J had run completely out of cash, with only enough in the coffers to make it through 12/23, the final birthday celebration of Emperor Akihito who will leave the throne in April of next year. He stated that it was an honor to serve the fans and challenged the fighters on this show and the next to demonstrate why MAX-J brought the strongest of pro-wrestling to the fans.


We saw an exciting match, with much cruiserweight action between the current junior champ and the fighter he defeated back in August. It was a back-and-forth battle, with Lynx nearly ending it with a flash La magistral cradle and METAL HERO escaping and hitting a shining wizard for a 2.5 count! But it was later in the match when Lynx isolated Earth Warrior, hitting the Final Breath to put the upstart team away for the 1-2-3.

METAL HERO, knowing that it would be the last time he faced Lynx in the MAX ring, bowed to him and shook his hand, telling him he would watch his V4 defense of the junior title with much anticipation. Lynx was grateful and nodded, saying that he would bring his strongest defense yet.


It was the Demon Brigade against the gaijin duo in a match that saw a lot of sparring fests, so many that the fans wouldn’t be blamed for thinking it was being fought under shootfighting rules. Troy demonstrated his kickboxing prowess vs. Zombie’s puroresu karate, the latter eating numerous blows and eventually being forced to tag in ZENKI. The Demon Lord’s supreme IQ helped him take the fight to the ground, but Troy would escape a rear naked choke and crawl over to tag in Musket!

Musket dove in with a lariat that was a swing-and-a-miss, getting caught himself with a rear naked choke. But Musket would reverse it into a backdrop driver and try to lock on a Wolf Trap Sharpshooter for the win… but Zenki would make it to the ropes and both men would tag in their respective partners!

Zombie tried to go for his shining axe kick, but Troy had him scouted out. The two men would exchange elbows until Zombie hit a roaring elbow… and Troy responded with a roundhouse kick to the head! Troy would run against the ropes but Zombie would preempt him with an abdominal stretch ~ that he’d transition with a cobra twist for the 1-2-3!

After the match, Mike Musket took the microphone and told the Demon Brigade that he had enjoyed all their battles for over the last year and a half. He then focused on Zenki and asked him if he wanted to finish their time in MAX the way that they started, with the Heavyweight title on the line at 12/23! ZENKI and Mike Musket stared down one another and then both looked over at Tokyo Zombie, the winner of the most recent J1 SUMMIT. With the top three fighters in MAX history in the ring in a three-way showdown, the show went to commercial break with pure mystery hanging in the air!


The final of the decision tournament for the vacant World Tag Team titles saw fireworks from the opening. Gensai and Mushigahara tangled up. The Pale General used his technical skills to slow things down, hitting one-off low kicks to the thighs of the God-Beast. But eventually Mushigahara would get his paws on Gensai and managed to slam him to the ground and hit several standing splashes but only get a two-count.

Tagging in AJ Knight would see the energy level ramp up as AJ ran Gensai into the ropes and hit a Mountain Bomb. He would hook the leg but as the referee counted 1… 2… 3-Gensai reached up and locked on a cobra clutch from the ground! AJ was in dire straits for nearly a minute before getting a foot on the ropes. Gensai would recover enough, however, to tag in Frank. Dylan. James.

The mighty fan-favorite, FDJ began by military pressing AJ and letting him fall from a massive height. Successive elbow drops and then a running leg drop would earn FDJ a 1-2-2.5 count with AJ getting the shoulder up in the nick of time. FDJ would run AJ into the ropes and go for a big boot, but AJ would duck, kick FDJ in the back of the leg to get him down to a knee and hit an enzuigiri! Enzuigiri! Enzuigiri! Enzuigiri! Enzuigiri! Enzuigiri! And still FDJ was wobbling on a knee as AJ ran against the ropes and hit a shining wizzzzzaaaaaard! He’d cover for a 1-2-2.9!

The fans began to feel the murmur and the energy… let’s take you to the finish:

ALBERT MORDECAI:
This is a matchup of completely different styles Tim. Sen Oka I a classical fighter and Muerte is a well-trained Lucha Libre. There is no other arena that the Pro Wrestling Arena that you can see a matchup of such a wild pairing.

As the bell sounds Sen Oka begins his slow stalk, but MDM4 launches forward with a quickness that Oka was no prepared for. A cross body takes the fighter to the mat and MDM gets to his feet with the speed of lightning and bounces off the ropes as Oka gets to his feet and throws a fist forward, but MDM slides under his legs and continues running towards the ropes.

TIM FLOSS:
And pro wrestling begins to make it’s mark.

Coming back MDM is charged by Oka for a double leg, but MDM leap frogs over him and runs into the ropes again, on his way back he lands a big drop kick that takes Oka to the mat hard and the moves over quickly to apply a his knee into the back of Oka and grabs both wrists, pulling him back for a surfboard stretch.

TIM FLOSS:
Muerte is meaning business tonight Al. He is showing that Professional Wrestling is nothing for people to scoff at.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Oka certainly has not made any friends here speaking so poorly of the Professional Wrestling arena. But that doesn’t take anything away from the tremendous presence he has made here in Japans Grandest stage.

Oka struggles for a bit trying to power out of the hold, but Muerte knows that submission is not his greatest asset and release the hold. He leaps onto his feet and runs back into the ropes again and comes back landing a stiff baseball slide into the ribs of Oka. The MMA breed wrestler rolls with the momentum and exits the ring clutching his side. He walks along the outside catching his breath as he does.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
MDM is using his lucha speed to his advantage here Tim. He knows that Oka has the power to knock him out, and he knows that he was talent inside of the ring and is doing his best to try and mess with him with the randomness of the Lucha style.

As he walks along the outside he is oblivious to what is going on in the inside as MDM has began to pump up the crowd who is roaring in support for the masked wrestler. As Oka begins to stake his territory near the turnbuckle MDM runs towards him and leaps over the ropes, landing a devastating crossbody to Oka who slams the mat with a violence not seen since his days in the MMA arena.

TIM FLOSS:
Oka has been making his name known here tonight, but it seems like MDM has prepared a strong A game for this match tonight.

Both men lie ringside as both their bodies took quite a beating from such a maneuver. Surprisingly it is Oka who begins to make it to his feet first. As MDM has rolled towards the barricade Oka makes his way over and grabs the top of the fence for leverage and begins mud hole stomping MDM in to the mat, the fans nearby cheering him on. Eventuall he stops and grabs the lighter wrestler by his mask and pulls him to his feet, landing a violent knee to his midsection.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Oka’s got his hooks in now.

Oka lifts MDM back to his feet and throws him underneath the bottom rope and rolls back in kind. MDM has made his way to his feet as Oka does and runs forward for a clothesline but Oka slides underneath and gets MDM in his clutches and lands a vicious Russian Leg sweep that takes both men to the mat. Even with the beating the he has received. Oka makes his way to his feet first and walks over to MDM and lands a rolling knee to MDM.

TIM FLOSS:
Oka may have taken his time getting back into the groove of things but now that he has gotten into his groove, he is a hard man to take advantage of.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Oka is a dangerous man to be in the ring with, he might not have the experience of MDM in the Wrestling ring, but he has beaten men to death inside of the Mixed Martial Arts Arena.

As the two men lie on the mat the fans begin to rally behind both men. The fans scream out the names of their favorite fighter in alternating cadences. The MDM fans slapping their hand before stomping their feet, the Oka fans stomping their feet before belting out Fight! Fight! Kill! Kill! Both men beginning to stir on the mat.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Whoever gets up during this madness has all the momentum to get the win Tim.

MDM is the first to his feet, even though Oka has gotten to his all fours. MDM moves over quickly to drive a knee into the ribcage of Oka, dropping him to the mat. MDM slithers back to his feet and falls backwards into the turnbuckle as he tries to get his bearings back. Oka gets to his feet and slowly makes his way over to MDM, slowly gaining speed into a short sprint. But MDM had sized up this maneuver an as Oka comes forward he drops him into the second turnbuckle with a drop toehold.

TIM FLOSS:
MDM’s got him!

MDM springs back to his feet and makes his way halfway in the ring and then turns around to run forward and land a stiff drop kick into the spine of Oka who belts out in pain, but his unable to get out of his position on the second turnbuckle. MDM gets back to his feet however and stumbles towards the opposing turnbuckle, Oka himself has made his way to his feet. Clutching his back.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
This could be it FLOSSY BOY!

As Oka turns around he spots MDM and makes a dash for him, MDM does the same, Oka goes for a clothesline but MDM goes underneath. Both men run towards the ropes and come back at one another and Oka goes for a running scissors kick but MDM rolls out of the way. MDM runs back into the ropes and makes his way in a mad dash towards Oka who has remained stationary. MDM goes for a violent clothesline but Oka counters with a stiff chop block and a violent knee to the gut.

TIM FLOSS:
What in the name of God!

Oka is quick to place his arm across the throat of MDM and pull him to an upright postion and interlaces their legs together and drives MDM into the mat with a violent STO.

ALBERT MORDECAIi:
WHAT FLUiDITY!

The ref makes his way over to the men as Oka goes for the pin.

1…

2…

...

...

3!!!

TIM FLOSS:
OH MY GOD OKA HAS DONE IT! He's won the 2018 Sword of Lite Grand Prix!

Oka's hand is raised in victory as the ringside attendants haul in a rather immense trophy. GM Sano enters and presents Oka with the platinum-coated katana. Oka accepts it with a bow and unsheathes the sword form the sheath and holds it high in the air to the applause of the fans. The camera flashes glint and glitter off its reflective surface as the cameras fade to black in the midst of Oka's victory...


At the podium, GM Sano addressed the fans. He first stated that he was proud of tournament winner Sen Oka and wished him luck as he challenged Lynx for the MAX Junior Heavyweight Championship on 12/23.

But Sano then said that he had called in a favor and motioned off-stage. And the man who joined him at the podium was none other than…

Wesley.

J.

Chubbman.

The enigmatic, eccentric, and borderline insane business tycoon known for promoting the BLACK Lion’s Road BOM-BA-YE events each of the last two New Year’s Eves joined Sano. In a purple track suit with gold chains dangling from his neck, aviator sunglasses covering his no doubt bloodshot eyes. Chubbman said that he would promote the 12/31 show with fighters from MAX-J to allow them to close out the year.

And in return?

Tokyo Zombie will receive his opportunity to face the winner of ZENKI/Musket in what will be the final defense of the MAX Heavyweight Championship before it is indefinitely sealed. The fans in the back of the auditorium stood up and applauded the decision.

Reporters caught up with Zombie who stated that the true warrior does not let desire tempt him but will fight with world-class during MAX-J’s last event on 12/23 as well as on 12/31. He promised if he won the title he would seal it away in a shrine and would seal the title in the holiest of shrines recite the mantras which would provide protection for the belt.

Of course first it will be Zenki vs. Musket. The challenger Musket has been questing for the gold this entire year, attempting to get back to the top of the company. But Zenki, the champion for nearly six months now, reflected on how he still has vengeance to dispense against Musket, who not only defeated him in the J1 SUMMIT in 2017 but also defended the title against him as well.

On 12/23… will Zenki achieve the vengeance which has spent years in the making? Or will Musket reclaim his spot as the top fighter in MAX-J and become the first two-time Heavyweight Champion?

There’s only one way to find out!

2018 Sword of Lite of Grand Prix - Final
Date: 12/14/2018
Location: Electronic Moon Coliseum, Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: 6,800 fans (97% capacity)

1. Lynx and Genji Ikeda defeats METAL HERO and Earth Warrior (11:12) via pinfall after Lynx uses the Final Breath on Earth Warrior.
2. ZENKI and Tokyo Zombie defeat Mike Musket and David Troy (15:09) via pinfall after Zombie uses a cobra twist on Troy.
3. World Tag Team Championship Tournament - Final: Go Gensai and Frank Dylan James defeat Mushigahara and AJ Knight (18:44) via referee stoppage when Gensai uses a cross armbreaker on Mushigahara to become the 10th champions (tournament final).
4. Sword of Lite Grand Prix – Final: Sen Oka defeats Mascara de Muerte IV (18:58) via pinfall after an STO (tournament final).