Post by MAX Office on May 9, 2019 1:07:00 GMT -5
The war rages on between the nationalistic Demon Brigade and the foreign army! Now led by GRIM, the Brigade has begun utilizing the services of the mysterious Tiger Mask Undead - who's attacked Hammerstein on two occasions. The World's Champion believes that the Undead masked man is Eli Buchanan, given their history and the fact that the mask and persona is entrenched in Eli's past but the newly appointed Head of Foreign Talent Relations says he's innocent! These are the types of mind games that GRIM loves to play, but let's not forget that Eli Buchanan is no saint himself and such a ruse would not be out of character for him.
World's Jr. Heavyweight Champion James Edwards emerged as an unlikely ally for Hammerstein during the brawl at the end of the 4/27 event in Tokyo, but the two have a history together even though they've been at odds in recent years. The two have very different styles inside the ring, but their fighting spirit is one in the same as both men love to fight. The Demon Brigade isn't just looking for a hearty battle though, they're out for blood - something that Hammerstein found out firsthand. Are the former Burning Hammers in over their head? Well, you might have answered yes before Sheik Spectre came to their aid on 5/8 in Tokyo. Brandishing a barbed wire bat that he then lit on fire, he chased the Demons away... for now. The man known as the Mad Arab admitted after the event that he doesn't really have a horse in the race, he just wants to make things a bit more interesting and dust off his deathmatch tactics. If that means helping the golden duo contend with a Brigade of Demons... then so be it.
Despite President Tatsuki Banno trying to keep the lines drawn between Heavyweight and Jr. Heavyweight, he's ordered an Openweight Challenge to help the Demon Brigade/Foreign Army feud along as 5/12 in Kyoto will see Hammerstein vs. Falcon Hamada and GRIM vs. James Edwards.
Do you remember the last time that Shinjiro Nakama lost a singles match? The Mountain Boys in their muscle t-shirts and sunglasses will be happy to tell you that no one has defeated Nakama since October 14th, 2018! That was the Mountain's failed bid for the World's title... and that loss has made him stronger than ever as he's racked up NINE singles win in a row since then, capturing the Royal Road Championship and making four defenses in that time. His next defense might be "easy" to some, considering he'll be facing the winner of the Tomorrow League - showcasing four of the best young fighters in MAX Japan, but it's that type of complacency that spells doom for a lot of top fighters. If Nakama can vanquish the League winner, you have to imagine that the World's Heavyweight Champion will be next in his sights.
The Sons of Gold, Hiro and Kono Masaki are aiming to reach the top of MAX Japan quickly! They made an immediate impact, helping Nakama defeat the trio of Sheik Spectre, Buster Allen and Balloon Yamazaki on 5/8. A solid tour may see them challenge for the World Tag Team titles sooner rather than later!
There's going to be a heartache tonight! Or... on 5/18! That's because Heartbreak Kanagawa makes his MAX Japan debut against Buster Allen! The 5'10" / 235lbs fighter from Saitama by way of Amarillo, Texas is a Texas fanatic through and through and is fixin' to bring the Lone Star state to the land of the rising sun!
One of Eli Buchanan's first foreign acquisitions is Chris Constantine, Jr! The second generation fighter is coming to Japan and when asked if he'd align himself with the other foreigners to help them against the Demon Brigade, he gave a hearty chuckle and walked off - thanking our reporter for the laugh!