J1 SUMMIT - DAY ONE

The happy go lucky Naoki Ojima was looking to bounce back from a disappointing first round exit in the recent TOUKON TAG TOURNAMENT alongside Red Tiger Kid, the Maximum Effort duo had been pegged as favourites... but they lost to the eventual winners, Billy Danielson and AJ Knight.  Ojima will have an opportunity to avenge that loss on 6/7 when he goes toe to toe with Danielson, but first he has to contend with newcomer Romeo Jackson.  Jackson holds a three inch height advantage and six pounds of weight.  However, Ojima - as inexperienced as he is - edges Jackson in that department. 

Jackson started off braggadocios, showing off after a simple waist lock takedown.  He slapped Ojima in the face and leapt onto the second rope, springing off with a crossbody attempt.  Ojima dropped down to avoid it, so Jackson hit nothing but mat.  The crowd got behind Ojima as he began kicking Jackson's chest, forcing the Florida born fighter to his feet and back into the corner. Ojima went to do the Pele kick, but Jackson darted forward and caught him on his shoulder... then charged forward.  Ojima slipped out and shoved him forward, Jackson grabbed the top rope to stop himself and Ojima dashed... Jackson dodged and followed up with an eye poke.  He then sprung off the ropes and impressed the Osaka crowd with a vertical leap, crushing Ojima between himself and the turnbuckles - an excellent corner crossbody splash!

Later in the match, Jackson pulled Ojima over to the corner and climbed up to the second rope... then tried to get up top, but Ojima's Pele kick finally found it's mark! Jackson fell to a seated position on the top rope, Ojima bounced from the second rope to the top, then wrapped his legs around Jackson's head and neck and delivered an avalanche-style frankensteiner! Ojima scrambled for the lateral press and scored the three to earn his first two points!

Both men came into this match looking to get back on the right track.  Kono Masaki was growing tired of being in his older brother's shadow, while AJ Knight just hadn't felt the same since losing the World's Heavyweight title in August 2018.  Knight at least got off on the right foot - winning the TOUKON TAG TOURNAMENT in his first night back in Japan, even if it was Billy Danielson throwing Shigeru Toyama's head into AJ Knight's that won them the match... "Sweet Sacrifice" as Danielson called it.  Masaki though had the misfortune of losing in the first round, but had a solid showing on the final stop of the BRAVE NEW WORLD tour.

Despite the language barrier, Knight and Masaki got into a verbal face off then escalated into a shoving match.  The finally locked-up and AJ got behind him and went for the Holy Ouch immediately, but Kono put a stop to it with a stiff elbow to the face.  AJ went down to his knees holding his face as Kono mocked him, then slapped him repeatedly - which angered AJ back to his feet.  The Pennsylvania born fighter lashed back at Kono with elbows off his own, but was cut off by a knee to the gut.  He slapped on a side headlock, but was quickly shoved off into the ropes.  On the return, AJ tried to back body drop him... but he held onto AJ's torso.  Instead, AJ carried him over to the ropes and put him in a seated position, then tried to push him off the top rope to the outside with a plain ol' school yard shove! Kono held on for the most part, landing on the apron instead.  AJ turned back around, seeing this and tried to correct things... but a shoulder to the midsection put a stop to it.  Kono soared over the top rope with a sunset flip, but only earned a two. 

In the closing moments of the match, Kono tried for his ripcord lariat but AJ grabbed the arm and wrestled him down to the mat, clamping on the Templar Stretch crossface.  Kono tried to fight, but ended up tapping out when the pain was too much!

Seconded by Shigeru Toyama, the World's Jr. Heavyweight Champion had laser focus coming into this one.  Determined to win the J1 Summit as Jr. Champion, Ravenna first had to dispatch a fellow Jr. Heavyweight in Hiro Masaki.  Masaki of course was looking to bounce back from a disappointing first round exit at the hands of TIRADORES.  

However, Ravenna would be the victor in this one as he needed only eight minutes to put Hiro Masaki away.  That's not to count Masaki out completely, he did a fine job of returning fire with Ravenna's strikes.  The Jr. Champion tried for his Artikulo Uno, but Masaki avoided it and hit him with a kick to the midsection and delivered a spike piledriver! Masaki tried to follow up with a 450 splash, but while he was climbing - Ravenna rolled out to the floor and staggered back to his feet.  Masaki tried to plancha onto him, but Toyama shoved Ravenna out of the way and took the move himself.  The World's Jr. Champion grabbed Masaki, chucked him inside and nailed the Ravenna Driver to put him away.

Our main event was a preview of things to come as Billy Danielson & AJ Knight will be challenging GRIM & Falcon Hamada for their World Tag Team titles at a later date.  GRIM comes in off a singles victory over James Edwards, then the holder of the World's Jr. Heavyweight title.  Danielson of course comes in off three straight tag team victories in one night to earn him and AJ the aforementioned title shot. 

Referee Shigeki Oka was wary of the seconds at ringside, AJ Knight for Billy and Falcon Hamada for GRIM.  He offered them each a warning, which more than likely fell on deaf ears.  The two men tangled up, but Billy Danielson took the early advantage - proving his muscles weren't just all show, no go as he overpowered GRIM and sent him rolling backwards.  This angered the King of the Dead, who returned to his feet and slapped the smirking Danielson.  The smirk disappeared, but fire flared up in the Chicago native's eyes and the two took turns slapping each other across the face as he crowd ate it up.  Danielson began wearing down and GRIM tumbled him with a dropkick to the knee! He went to work, targeting the knee.  GRIM went onto the second rope to increase the range of damage he could do to the knee, but AJ Knight bought his partner some time by grabbing his leg.  Danielson popped up, leapt onto the second rope and delivered a spinebuster back down to the mat! He rolled around in pain, holding his knee... but made a cover!

Only two!

Oka kicked both Knight and Hamada out after the nearfall. 

Late in the match, Danielson scored with the Chicago Blackout but the weak knee did not allow it to be used to its full potential.  He decided to try a second one, scoring with it too.  He then tried to gutwrench GRIM up into a Black Tiger Bomb, but collapsed! GRIM leapt onto his back, securing a rear naked choke in the dead centre of the ring! The crowd gasped as Danielson fought it, frantically trying to pry GRIM's arms free... but the King of the Dead rolled his eyes back in his head and Danielson was out! GRIM let go after a few seconds, then spit on his opponent as the young boys attended to him.  After the match, GRIM told backstage reporters that the J1 Summit will stay in the hands of the Demon Brigade!