J1 SUMMIIT - DAY 4

Oslund promised to the break Kanagawa's heart himself if he came unprepared and if the heart wasn't broken, his spirit might've been.  The Norwegian White Wolf showed tremendous power, despite being forty years old.  He turned HBK inside out with a lariat and scooped him up, powerbombing him once.  He held on, then tried to do it again... it took a little longer, but he did it.  Referee Ando made a count, but after a one, Oslund brought him up in the air for a third powerbomb - completing the Catastrophic Resonance and ending this match after four minutes, six seconds. 

Ravenna, the reigning World's Jr. Champion earned his way here through three straight wins in the B Block while A Block winner Naoki Ojima won his by tiebreaker, earning the fastest win between he, GRIM and Billy Danielson.  Ojima also recently won the Tomorrow League, so tournament luck could be on his side. 

We join in progress as Ojima hits Ravenna with a high kick, then power slams him.  A moonsault follows but only earns the youngster a two count.  Ojima decides the best course of action is to go one step higher and delivers a moonsault from the top rope, but again it's two - although Ravenna gets his foot on the rope, he doesn't kick out.  Ojima tries for his double wrist clutch knee, but Ravenna cradles backwards, driving Ojima into the top turnbuckle.  Ravenna recovers, striking with a leaping neckbreaker that puts the young tiger down on the mat.  He tries to follow up with a Nullifying Mauser shot kick, but Ojima falls back to avoid it - leaps to his feet and scores with a spinning back kick.  Ravenna doubles over and turns away, Ojima grabs both arms in a double chickenwing and tries to Tiger suplex him... AND DOES! He tries to transition into a bridging double chickenwing, but the World's Jr. Champion manages to escape it unharmed.  Ojima's youthfulness shows itself as frustration comes out, stomping Ravenna.  Red Tiger Kid tells him to be calm, Ojima throws his hands up in response and Ravenna strikes with an uppercut that sends him stumbling away.  Ravenna dashes in... MAUSER SHOT KICK!

He calls for the Ravenna Driver, pulling Ojima in between his legs and cradling him... but Ojima backdrops him! The youngster draws energy from the Osaka crowd and throws all of himself into a crossbody splash against the Filipino fighter in the corner.  Ojima leaps onto the second rope as Ravenna slowly falls to a knee and crawls into the centre of the ring.  Ojima sizes him up, beckoning him to come closer... he leaps off!

TORNA-NO!

The DDT is thwarted! Ravenna shoves him off, then tries for a superkick.  Ojima catches him and spins him around...

WAIST HOLD!

GERMAN SUP-NO!

Ravenna lands on his feet!

MAUSER SHO-NO! Ojima ducks...

PELE KICK!

The Osaka crowd is loving it! Ojima leaps over the top rope to the apron, then leaps back up onto it - springing off with a missile dropkick that finds its mark! Ojima falls to the mat as Ravenna is flung into the corner by the momentum.  The Emerald Tiger jumps onto the second rope, then wraps his legs around Ravenna's head...

FRANKENS-

NO!

INVERTED TOMBSTONE BY RAVENNA!

He rolls Ojima over!

1...

...

2...

...

3!

After the bell, Red Tiger Kid came in to check on his beaten partner.  Chris Ravenna was tended to by Shigeru Toyama, who helped him to his feet and backed him up to the ropes so he could stand on his own.  Ravenna was greeted by President Banno, who shook his hand.  Stage hands lifted the trophy up into the ring and then brought it the large novelty cheque, sitting it in front of the trophy as Ravenna dropped to his knee and invited Toyama to pose in the picture with him.  Ravenna stopped the photographer as Kid helped Ojima across the ring behind him, saying he can't have that in the photo and told them to get the garbage out of the ring! RTK put Ojima up against the ropes and got in Ravenna's face, but the stage hands all got in between the two before things could come to blows. 

This is Jacob Hammerstein's second title defense since winning the strap on 4/13, then procuring the Lion's Road title on 4/18.  Shinjiro Nakama comes into the match a heavy favourite, as he's on an incredible twelve match singles win streak.  This is Nakama's second shot at the Heavyweight title, the first also happens to be the last time he lost in singles action - October 14th, 2018 vs. ZENKI. 

Nakama charges at the sound of the opening bell, booting Hammer in the face.  Caught off guard, Hammer rolls out to the floor for safety and referee Shigeki Oba tries to step in Nakama's way but the Mountain casts him aside and joins the champion on the floor.  Hammer charges his challenger and wobbles him with an elbow strike, but the Mountain returns fire in kind.  Hammer realizes he can't get caught trading with the 6'4" / 280lbs Nakama and kicks him in the stomach.  Nakama grunts as he tries to absorb the impact, but Hammer pummels him down to his knees and then grabs the guardrail with his hands and knees Nakama's head into it as he pulls the rails toward them.  Nakama collapses to the ground, but gets back up and blocks an attempt to repeat the move.  He forearms Hammer in the face, sending the champion backwards.  He comes back, same thing - a second forearm turns him around and against the apron.  Nakama grabs the champ's waist and tries to German suplex him on the floor, but Hammer clutches onto the middle rope for dear life.  Nakama releases the waist hold, Hammer elbows him a couple of times and jumps onto the apron...

He leaps off! Falling back press!

Nakama moves and Hammer crashes into the guardrail! Only two weeks removed from the Gaijin GOATS double suplexing him onto it, Hammer's not feeling the best after that.  Nakama grabs the guardrail and knees the helpless champion in the chest and head.  Oba comes out and tells Nakama to get back inside, then checks Hammer... who insists he's OK.  Oba tells him he'll need to get in the ring by twenty or he's losing his title! Arnold Cunningham is yelling, telling Oba that he should call the match right now because Hammer is done! Hammer tries to get up, but falls back down.  Oba gets inside and starts counting as Cunningham taunts the ringside fans.  Nakama stands stoic... watching Hammer try and separate himself from the heap he's in. 

After fifteen, Hammer hauls himself despite a hell of a lot of agonizing noises and throws himself inside.  Nakama wastes no time, stomping on Hammer as soon he's under the bottom rope.  The Mountain pulls Hammer to his feet and is headbutted! The Mountain staggers as the champ throws himself into a second one.  Nakama staggers back, Hammer runs...

BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX!

The champion lands hard, Nakama rolls over for a cover but only earns a two.

Later in the match, Nakama drags Hammer up off his knees and into the corner.  He delivers a series of knees, connecting with the lower body and chest area.  Hammer tries to defend, but Nakama is picking him apart.  Hammer finally falls to the mat and using whatever willpower that's remaining, he rolls out to the floor.  He grabs the guardrail from earlier and yanks on it, while on his hands and knees.  Nakama angrily comes out after him, thrashes the rail into Hammer's skull - finally unhooking it from the other sets.  Nakama lifts it and chucks it, Cunningham nearly falls victim to the rail bouncing off the ring ropes and post and back down.  Thinking on his feet, Nakama turns and props the rail up from across the ring apron to the standing guard rail.  He grabs Hammer in a waist hold and tries for the German suplex, but Hammer low blows him! Cunningham is yelling at Oba, Hammer turns around...

BACK BODY DROP!

Nakama's desperation move pays off as Hammer bounces off the rail to Cunningham's feet, who laughs maniacally at him.  Nakama can't follow up, suffering the effects of the low blow but after a minute or so of downtime, the big man rolls in the ring.  With the count at thirteen, he rolls back out... with his eyes glazed, but a determined face - determined to break Hammer no doubt.  He grabs the champion and throws him back inside.  Hammer stumbles to his feet, sprinting to the ropes... Nakama is caught off guard as Hammer launches his whole body at him as he's trying to climb onto the apron.  Nakama falls back down to the ground, Hammer lands on top of him! The Osaka crowd is eating this up! Hammer takes a bit to recover, but he grabs Nakama by the hair and slaps him a few times as he gets to his feet.  With the big man on hands and knees, Hammer grabs around his waist and lifts him up...

POWERBOMB ON THE GUARDRAIL!

Finally, the rail gives way and crashes to the ground - not unlike Nakama.  Hammer crawls over his body, grabs the ring skirt and climbs inside.  Oba finishes checking over Nakama and runs back inside, beginning the count.  Cunningham is frantic, trying to wake the Mountain up.  At sixteen, Nakama's hand reaches up and grabs the bottom rope.  A distraught Hammerstein looks on in horror as the challenger pulls himself up and in.  The champion grabs him immediately, yanking him up to his feet and with what could be his last bit of energy... he brings him up...

AND THEY CRASH DOWN!

The Hammersteiner doesn't quite work out, but the impromptu brainbuster does.  Hammer doesn't so much make a cover as he lands on him, but that's enough for Oba to count a three and Hammerstein retains... SURVIVES his second defense, handing Nakama his first pinfall loss in eight months.  As Nakama is tended to by medics and staff, Chris Ravenna and Shigeru Toyama strut down to the ring and an exhausted Hammerstein braces himself in the corner.  Ravenna sneers as he grabs Hammer's belt off the mat, looks longingly at it and chucks it to Hammer's beaten and bloody carcass, telling him to keep it warm!