ROYAL ROAD REVIVAL

The opening match saw the debut of the Maximum Dojo's newest students.  Head instructor Mike Musket was at ringside to watch and study the action first hand as Shinzo Takamori, a 28 year old standing 6'0" and weighing 215lbs battled Katsuhiko Himura, 21 years old - 5'10" and 189bs.  Himura showed off why many are saying he is destined for superstardom, while Takamori seemed to silence his doubters - those who said that he was too old to transition from professional hockey into pro-wrestling.  Takamori would struggle at times to keep Himura at bay, with the younger student using his flashy style to his advantage but when Takamori got his hands on him, Himura's flashiness disappeared as he would dash for the ropes.  The bell sounded as the ten minute time limit expired and both men were interviewed following the bout.

Musket raised both men's hands and they each bowed as the Tokyo crowd applauded their efforts.

A tag team match featuring Royal Road Champion Shinjiro Nakama and the recent graduate of the MAX Dojo, Naoki Ojima against Balloon Yamazaki and the 54 year old Buster Allen.  The Mountain Bros were out in full support of the Champion, sporting their muscle shirts and sunglasses as Arnold Cunningham stormed around ringside, trying to rile up anyone and everyone.  Balloon Yamazaki didn't give him the desired reaction - chuckling at his antics.  Nakama responded in kind by blistering the Happy Warrior with several knee strikes, before handing him over to Ojima.  The young tiger got some offense in before he tried a sunset flip and got flattened by Yamazaki! Cunningham chastized the youngster's choice of moves as Buster Allen came in, making his MJPW debut thirty two years after his first match in 1987.  With Ojima largely incapacitated by the hip drop, Allen didn't have to do much - he slammed Ojima with a spinning powerbomb but only got a two count off of it.  The crowd gasped and applauded Ojima's efforts to continue fighting, chanting "GO GO OJIMA!" but those chants were not enough to stave away defeat as Allen hit the Masterstroke - a vertical suplex into a powerbomb and Yamazaki guarded the fall from Nakama.  Afterwards, Allen motioned to Nakama that he wanted a title shot! Cunningham told him to earn it!

James Edwards solidified his spot atop the MAXIMUM junior heavyweight division, making a successful V2 defense of the MAX Jr. Heavyweight title against Falcon Hamada.  Fans voted this the match of the night in terms of technical display, but Edwards showed that despite how far Hamada has come - there's still a gap between champion and challenger.  Hamada tried to grapple Edwards, who nullified his attempts with strikes - keeping his distance with palms and kicks.  Hamada managed to turn the tide of the match for a bit, faking a leg injury to slow down Edwards' momentum.  But the Burning Heart countered Hamada's Reverse DDT with an upside down knee strike and scored the three! The fans were on their feet following the finish and Edwards took the microphone, saying Hamada provided a hard fight despite his trickery.  He was happy to win one over on the Demon Brigade and wants to become the strongest World's Jr. Heavyweight Champion and invited challengers to step up!

During intermission, it was announced that Hammerstein would also defend his newly won World's Heavyweight Championship from Lion's Road! This led to speculation amongst the fans that a merger had occurred, but no confirmation was given to that.

The Zealots would shriek with excitement as the graphics displayed GRIM and Hammerstein on screen.  The roster emptied out to ringside to serve as lumberjacks - the MAX Dojo students and all of the recently graduated students - Naoki Ojima, Shigeru Toyama, Umetaro Sakamoto, Balloon Yamazaki and Earth Warrior.  The Demon Brigade was represented also, despite the lack of ZENKI and Tokyo Zombie - SHAICHIMON and Falcon Hamada received shrieks of delight from the Zealots.  Shinjiro Nakama and James Edwards both came out, sans belts, as well as Buster Allen.  With eleven fighters at ringside to provide lumberjack duties, it was time to introduce the participants...

GRIM walked out in a spectacular new robe, holding a goblet - the lights went out and his goblet emitted the only light in the arena (besides the fans' cell phones).  The Zealots then put on ZENKI masks, which had red glowing eyes, making for an intense scene as GRIM stepped inside the ring.  Hammerstein stormed out of the back, Brian Shelzi behind him carrying both titles.  The lights went out halfway through his entrance, leaving him to fight his way to the ring.  The Demon Brigade jumped him at ringside and he tried to fight them off, gaining some unlikely assistance from James Edwards - who did enough to let Hammer get inside the ring.  GRIM put the boots to him immediately as the Brigade and Edwards were separated by the Dojo students. 

The match lasted nearly a half hour with both men nearly exhausting their repertoire of moves, with near falls occurring at a quickening pace toward the end.  The Tokyo crowd and the Zealots in particular were red hot each time a fighter was dumped outside the ring.  Hammerstein at one point used a fork to fend off the lumberjacks and get back inside, while GRIM used the poison mist at another point in the match to spray a few lumberjacks (Yamazaki, Allen and Edwards) and allow the Demon Brigade members, SHACHIMON and Hamada to work Hammer over some.  Around the twenty six minute mark, Hammerstein tried to do a slingshot body press in the corner but GRIM got his knees up, sending Hammer rolling away in agony.  Weakened, but not done - GRIM got back to a vertical base and tried to scoop the 2 Crown Champion up for a Tombstone piledriver... but Hammerstein countered it into one of his own! With GRIM flat on the mat, Hammerstein tried to climb the ropes... but was stalled by Hamada, but Hammer fought him off - knocking him back to ringside.  Presented with an ample opportunity to finish GRIM off, Hammerstein leapt off the top looking for his knee drop, but GRIM rolled out of the way and to his feet. 

SUPERKI-NO!

Hammerstein ducked it, stepped aside and clamped on the rear naked choke.  GRIM managed to break free and tried to go for the Grim Clutch, but Hammerstein held onto his waist and wheelbarrow'd him into the corner turnbuckles with a devastating German suplex!  GRIM lay on the mat and Hammerstein dropped his knee down across his head several times, mercilessly.  The referee backed Hammer up and began the count, but GRIM could not regain enough composure to stand up and was counted out just twenty second shy of the twenty nine minute mark. 

Hammerstein roared at the Tokyo crowd, holding up the two World titles as potential challengers taunted him from ringside.  Hamada and SHACHIMON tended to their fallen leader, helping him to the back when the lights went out.  As the commotion heightened, a red hue came over the building and the ring canvas ripped apart behind Hammerstein and out crawled Tiger Mask Undead, who wrapped his chain around Hammerstein's neck and began choking him until the Dojo students go in the ring to help.  Tiger Mask fought them off, but Hammerstein was yanked to safety by his manager, Brian Shelzi and former ally James Edwards, who held the champion between them as Undead glared at them from inside the ring.