Post by UNION of SPORTS! on Mar 15, 2019 0:09:27 GMT -5
TOUKON ROAD: EUROPA RUSH!
Day 3
3/15/2019
Athens, Greece
Alexander Irvine and KOSUKE
vs.
ZENKI and Falcon Hamada
A lot of chain wrestling interplay between Irvine and ZENKI warmed the fans up early, with at one point the recently on-point ZENKI hitting a top-rope hurricanrana that nearly put things away. But ultimately, Irvine’s MMA skills worked in his favor when he caught “Falcon” Hamada with a guillotine choke to seal the deal.
Go Gensai and Shigeru Toyama
vs.
Sam Bass and Earth Warrior
The Pale General, fresh off of losing the World Tag Team Championship, wasted no time in this one. He stalked Bass relentlessly, turning this match almost into singles competition, dumping him with his Gensai-style piledriver and then applying a heel hook to tapout the big man.
Mushigahara and David Troy
vs.
Frank Dylan James and Umetaro Sakamoto
We finally saw the big behemoths rumble in this one. It seemed as though Athens stood before the gods as these two slugged it out with thick chops to the chest that resounded across Kopis Park. Mushigahara would powerslam FDJ for a two-count but not put him away as the match would continue on.
Sakamoto would put in his work against David Troy, however, stretching him out with numerous abdominal stretches and then a stretch plum. It wasn’t before long that FDJ would enter the ring and Troy was no match for the West Virginia Whackjob, who ascended to the top rope and hit a devasting knee drop and hooked the leg for the 1-2-3.
Troy, once again, needed to be helped backstage. We got a rumor from a medical trainer that it’s possible that he may be fighting injured, but there’s no way of verification. If the doctors keep clearing him to fight, he’ll be out there so it seems.
Shinjiro Nakama and Toru Ishii
vs.
Tokyo Zombie and Hiro Minamoto
We saw excellent action between Nakama and Zombie, so much so that I think it has fans thinking ahead of Nakama’s impending V2 defense of the Royal Road title against AJ Knight on 3/20. Zombie’s puroresu karate showcased a blistering array of kicks and he even stifled the big man to a knee with his patented Vise of Virtue head claw.
But Nakama is not one to be held back for long and his fighting spirit allowed him to push back Zombie and eventually hit a beautiful running knee strike that achieved a 1-2-2.9999 count, the fans applauding the kickout as Zombie rolled to the outside to cover.
In the end it was Toru Ishii, the wily veteran, who caught dojo standout Hiro Minamoto with a cross armbreaker to end the match and pick up a win for Team Nakama.
MAX Junior Heavyweight Championship
Chris Ravenna (c)
vs.
James Edwards
The steely determination on James Edwards’ face when he emerged from the back amidst the pyrotechnics was matched if not surpassed by Chris Ravenna’s stern visage, the junior heavyweight championship clasped firmly around his waist. These two wasted no time getting into it, both trying to put the other away early with attempted head kicks but both men too savvy and too alert to indulge the other.
When the fight made it to the ground, Edward caught an advantage and tried to transition a grounded headlock into an Anaconda Vise but Ravenna would latch a foot on the bottom rope. Both men on their feet would attempt a spinning backfist and would catch each other in the forearm as the fans applauded the even-handed effort!
Eventually, Ravenna would get the upper-hand after hitting a double-underhook belly-to-belly suplex and then smacking Edwards upside the head with a buzzsaw kick and covering for a 2.5 count. Ravenna would keep up the offense with a cradle piledriver ~ the Ravenna Driver ~ but once again only get a 2.5 count. At this point he’d set up Edwards for the Artikulo Uno, but Edwards would roar back to life with a Northern Lights Bomb!
Both men would lie on the canvas for a bit as Edwards got up first and measured Ravenna for the Violent Gospel, he’d rush forward and ~ swing and a miss! But on the rebound he’d speed up and before Ravenna could get entirely to his feet he’d catch him with a Kawada-style “Dangerous” face kick to put him back down! Ravenna appeared groggy as he sat up and then ate a fresh Violent Gospel as Edwards pinned for the…
1…
2…
3!!!!!!!
The bell sounds!
James Edwards pumped a fist with vigorous enthusiasm as he received the Junior Heavyweight Championship and wrapped the belt around his waist. For his part, a conscious Chris Ravenna shook his hand and by the wrist held up his arm in victory as the crowd stood to applause. The Tirador pointed with two fingers to his own eyes and then to the title and told the Burning Heart “Again” to which Edwards responded “Anytime”.
All-Mediterranean Tag Team Championship
GRIM and SHACHIMON (c)
vs.
Jacob Hammerstein and AGAMEMNON
The fans were very much in the corner of Hammerstein and local favorite AGAMEMNON, with massive cheers every time the latter entered the ring. Unfortunately, GRIM would see to it that AGAMEMNON be tortured as he targeted the leg viciously. After a heel hook where the Athens crowd claimed to “hear a pop” as GRIM contorted the extremity, it appeared the Greek legend would perhaps be unable to finish the match, tagging in Hammerstein and telling him “I’m sorry” as he stood on one leg on the apron.
For the third time on the tour, it seemed that Hammerstein faced down all the odds with his teammates being flummoxed with injury. For his part, he handled SHACHIMON rather easily, getting a warning for a few close-fisted punches before hittinh im with a sitout full nelson powerbomb and rolling him over to GRIM!
The fans were electric, as Hammer had recently called out GRIM over twitter, hoping for a one-one-one matchup between the two. The fan sections dueled with thousands of Demon Brigade zealots chanting “GRIM! GRIM! GRIM! GRIM!” and much of the rest of the crowd with an elongated “HAAAAAAMER. HAAAAAAMER.” as the battled raged on.
The two fighters exchanged lots of chops and elbows, but it was GRIM who caught a low kick from Hammer with a dragon screw leg whip and applied the GRIM Clutch! Hammer fought for the ropes and reached out to the injured AGAMEMNON, who held out his hand but in pain couldn’t quite reach. And in the end…
…
…
Hammer somehow found the bottom rope!
GRIM would have to release the hold, but he continued his assault now that Hammer was limping around. GRIM launched a head kick at the American Monster who would duck and hit a step-up enzuigiri and then pick up GRIM and dump him on his head for a TTD! At this point all hell began to break loose with SHACHIMON running into the match, sensing danger, and AGAMEMNON not far behind.
SHACHIMON would deliver a few stomps to Hammer before AGAMEMNON hit him with a Perseus throat strike that sent him spilling out of the ring! GRIM would rush forward with a Kinshasa, but AGAMEMNON would side-step him and use all his remaining strength to lift him up with a Figure 4 Brainbuster ~ the Lo and Behold! ~ before rolling out the ring. Hammer would drape an arm over GRIM’s chest…
1…
2…
3!!!!!!!
The bell sounds!
The fans were ecstatic at Hammerstein and AGAMEMNON’s victory over the Demon Brigade, and when the two wrestlers received the glittering gold of the All-Mediterranean Tag Team Championship, the photographs flashed like mad as the two posed on the middle rope as the show came to a close.
- RECAP -
TOUKON ROAD: EUROPA RUSH! – Day 3
Date: 3/15/2019
Location: Kopis Park, Athens, Greece
Attendance: 6,000 fans (89% capacity)
1. Alexander Irvine and KOSUKE defeat ZENKI and Falcon Hamada (10:10) via submission when Irvine uses a guillotine choke on Hamada.
2. Go Gensai and Shigeru Toyama defeat Sam Bass and Earth Warrior (9:12) via submission when Gensai uses a heel hook on Bass.
3. Frank Dylan James and Umetaro Sakamoto defeat Mushigahara and David Troy (11:08) via pinfall after FDJ uses the MTKD! on Troy.
4. Shinjiro Nakama and Toru Ishii defeat Tokyo Zombie and Hiro Minamoto (12:52) via submission when Ishii uses a cross armbreaker on Minamoto.
5. MAX Junior Heavyweight Championship: James Edwards defeats Chris Ravenna (c) (18:31) via pinfall after the Violent Gospel to become the 5th champion.
6. All-Mediterranean Tag Team Championship: Jacob Hammerstein and AGAMEMNON defeat GRIM and SHACHIMON (c) (23:19) via pinfall when Hammerstein pins SHACHIMON after AGAMEMNON uses the Lo & Behold to become the new champions.