Post by 円相! TV on Jul 28, 2024 15:28:10 GMT
If you missed Day 1 of CRUISERWORLD II - click here.
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ENSOU! TV スポーツ LIGHTNING NEWS!!
ENSOU! TV スポーツ LIGHTNING NEWS!!
CRUISERWORLD II continued with Day 2 beginning shortly before at Shirahama Beach, Tokyo, with an even larger crowd than the day before, accommodated by theatrical screens on the beach so that all could enjoy the day's action. The atmosphere was electric, and anticipation was palpable as fans packed both the Pacific Pearl and the shoreside to experience the culmination of this spectacular event.
GM Masaaki "Genki" Sano took the mic to once again thank the fans for their spirit and told them to enjoy the show and also keep a close eye on MAX-J in the coming days, as MAX-J "never sleeps, never stops" and due to the fact that so many GLOBAL HEROES are currently in the country at the moment, he's looking for additional opportunities to showcase their talents in accordance with MAX-J's mission to spread its pro-wrestling influence both in Japan and around the globe.
In the second semi-final, SANGRE faced off against Dark Feather II. The enigmatic Dark Feather II used his reach advantage to keep SANGRE at bay, but the latter’s speed and agility proved too much for the towering luchador. In a match filled with high-flying maneuvers and rapid reversals, SANGRE managed to catch Dark Feather II off guard with a la Magistral cradle, securing the pinfall at 14:20 and moving on to the final.
The tag team match between El Refresco IV and Shinzo Takamori and Shigeru Toyama and Future Mummy saw an exciting blend of lucha libre and hard-hitting action. El Refresco IV’s athleticism and Takamori’s power complemented each other perfectly. The match concluded dramatically when El Refresco IV delivered a powerful knee strike to Toyama while locked in a clinch, catching Starboy square on his jaw and dropping him to the mat unconscious, resulting in a technical knockout at 13:17.
Jimmy Winner and Takashi Yamashita teamed up to face Il Ladro and Earth Warrior in a thrilling tag team contest. The match was a back-and-forth affair, with each team displaying impressive teamwork and individual skills. Jimmy Winner's Judo expertise shone through, culminating in a vicious snap uranage that put Il Ladro on the back of his neck, earning the pinfall victory at 15:59.
The highly anticipated match between AJ Knight and Thunder Mask would hit something of a snag that some found amusing and others not so much.
The CRUISERWORLD brand, as you might guess by the namesake, is only open to sub-heavyweight fighters, i.e, < 220lb. All wrestlers are required the day before the match to weigh in. Failure to make weight would be tested later and fighters could be weighed in just prior to the start of the match. Apparently, the day before AJ had weighted in several pounds above the limit. This had prompted an entire day of AJ attempting to get under weight and as Thunder Mask stood in the ring with his hands on his hips, a rather dehydrated and hungry AJ would clock in at 220.9lb, prompting officials to declare him ineligible.
There was a confused murmur as top brass and ringside officials would huddle on the deck at the announcer's table when suddenly "VAJURA ON!" hit the speakers and none other than Demon Lord ZENKI stepped out to claim the spot of the "fat American pig" who "belonged in the sea with the blubbery whales". In fact, Zenki tore off portions of the upper part of his costume to reveal a strong and athletic physique as he stepped on the scale and weighed in under 220lb. The Demon Brigade zealots bowed down to Zenki, but we can say that all the fans were ecstatic at the idea of an impromptu match between two of the top junior heavyweight in the last two decades of Japanese pro-wrestling and the match was deemed a-go!
The Demon Lord's unrelenting style and Thunder Mask's experience made for a captivating bout. ZENKI's brutal offense wore down Thunder Mask, hitting his signature diving shoulder strike - the ZANBATO! - several times and tossing the smaller fighter around with powerslams and brutal suplexes. However, he could not quite put his opponent away and Thunder Mask would battle like crazy, getting a second wind and showing off his veteran experience and dusting off his judo playbook to take the fight to the ground and prevent ZENKI from throwing his weight around the ring and showcasing his unparalleled strength.
Thunder Mask's strategy worked like a charm until ZENKI managed to squirm out of a triangle hold and hit a shotei that downed Thunder Mask in the center of the ring. At this point Zenki locked in a Texas Cloverleaf that also utilized a heel hook on Thunder Mask's captured ankle underneath Zenki's armpit - a move which we learned from some Demon Brigade zealots that Zenki refers to as the Netherlock because claims to have learned it while training with demons in the nether realm. Regardless of its origins, this excruciating hold and ZENKI's ability to maintain a crouch for an extended period of time proved extremely punishing. While he was unable to overcome Zenki's incredible strength, Thunder Mask could not bring himself to tap out and he passed out during the excruciating Netherlock submission hold. The referee stopped the match at 18:05, declaring ZENKI the winner.
The sport form rules match between Katsuhiko Himura and Akira Nakamura revisited their NOVA Cup Finals clash back in 2017. Both competitors demonstrated their grappling mastery and determination. It was Himura's strategy versus Nakamura's athleticism and it was clear that neither fighter had lost a step and, in fact, they had even grown in ability by leaps and bounds. Himura several times nearly won the fight with a cross armbreaker and then a kimura, while Nakamura missed several kigh kicks by mere centimeters.
The match went the full distance, with neither fighter able to bring home a victory within the confines of the round. As a result, the fight went to the judges, with the judges awarding a unanimous decision to Katsuhiko Himura! Although Nakamura was clearly frustrated with his inability to break Himura's defense, it is worth noting that when they met in the NOVA Cup Himura was able to tap out Nakamura. The fact that Himura was not able to impose his will on Nakamura in a definitive way means that we surely have not seen the last of these two rivals.
As the match progressed, Troy's striking power came to the forefront. He landed several stiff kicks and forearm smashes, pushing SANGRE back on his heels. However, SANGRE's agility and technical prowess allowed him to counter effectively, using his speed to dodge Troy's heavier blows and strike back with precision. At one point, SANGRE executed a flawless dropkick that sent Troy staggering into the ropes, followed by a swift series of arm drags that showcased his lucha libre background. The crowd roared with approval as SANGRE took control, but Troy's resilience and ring awareness kept him in the fight.
Midway through the match, the momentum shifted back to Troy as he capitalized on a missed high-risk maneuver by SANGRE. With SANGRE momentarily grounded, Troy unleashed a barrage of powerful suplexes, including a high-arcing Fisherman's Suplex, that nearly ended the match. SANGRE, showing incredible tenacity, kicked out just before the referee's hand hit the mat for the third time. Undeterred, Troy continued his assault, attempting to wear down SANGRE with submission holds and targeted strikes to the midsection, hoping to set up for his devastating Rough Divide finisher.
The climax of the match came in the final minutes as both competitors, exhausted but determined, traded near-falls and counter-moves in a thrilling display of athleticism and heart. SANGRE, digging deep into his arsenal, managed to reverse a suplex attempt into a la Magistral cradle, but Troy kicked out at the last moment. Seizing the opportunity, SANGRE quickly transitioned into a backslide pin, catching Troy off guard... Troy, also in position for the backslide and rather an adept user of the move, also used his leverage and the two were locked in something of a stalemate as they were back-to-back.
Unable to deal with Troy's upper body strength, SANGRE stomped on Troy's heel and then went aerial to hit an enzugiri that caused Troy to stumble! He then hit another enzuigir! And then another! Troy was stumbling about and then he grabbed him once more and then successfully slid him to the mat with a backslide pin to hold Troy's shoulders down for the three-count! The crowd erupted in applause as SANGRE was declared the winner, earning the ENSOU! TV ~ Sports Lightning Cup after an intense and grueling match that highlighted the best of MAX-J's talent.
After the match, SANGRE took the mic to say that this victory proved that he was a true competitor and did not need POLLO ROAD in order to succeed. Sangre, of course, had been suspended two years for personal misconduct and he put his grudge against POLLO ROAD on display by wearing a shirt that read, "SANGRE DE CARNE" (SANGRE of Beef) seemingly declaring an open rebellion against the North American company.
The main event saw the World Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Falcon Hamada and Jin Hirai defend their titles against Jeremy Squire and Crazy Boy. Compared to other matches on the show, this was one that had quite a bit of comedic value with a lot of jawing back and forth between Hirai and his two former teammates in Squire and Crazy Boys. There were a number of comedic spots, including one where Crazy Boy and Squire attempted a double jumping booty strike against Hria, but the Jamaican-Japanese fighter ducked out of the way and the two challengers collided buttocks in painful fashion!
Regardless, the challengers did put up a valiant fight, but the champions' chemistry and tactical acumen prevailed. Hamada sealed the victory for his team with a Stealth Katana DDT on Crazy Boy at, marking their first successful title defense. Demon Lord ZENKI would join his fellow Demon Brigade stablemates in the ring to declare that on this night their successes restored order from one year ago when METAL HERO and Earth Warrior won in the main event and how this was only the first step of cleansing as MAX-J would show that the spirit of Japan could not be bested by the "childish hooligans" of POLLO ROAD.
As the sun set over Shirahama Beach, the crowd erupted in applause, celebrating the incredible performances and thrilling matches of CRUISERWORLD II Day 2. Many fans continued to stay on the beach and the Demon Brigade zealots held a bonfire where the Demon Lord ZENKI himself appeared, gracing the fans with his presence and eventually leading them to pray in a nearby Shinto temple. While Shirahama Beach municipal officials were worried about the crowd and their rowdiness, surprisingly there was no incident - perhaps because the Demon Brigade had been so successful this evening. Additionally, the zealots reportedly stayed to clean up the beach afterward.
Ultimately, CRUISERWORLD II - like its predecessor - has been full of surprises and incredible performances. With unforgettable moments and impressive victories, this event solidified MAX-J’s reputation as a premier pro-wrestling brand.
While the J1 SUMMIT is the next major MAX-J hosted event on the docket starting in mid-August, if GM Sano is believed then we have a lot of surprises to look forward to before we get there. We have confirmed at a minimum that MAX-J sponsored fighters will appear at Ōkinasaru Championship Wrestling's WAKE UP! show on 8/10 and GM Sano's announcement at the start of the day made it seem like we could see more appearances in the future. It's an exciting time in Japan
CRUISERWORLD II - Day 2
Date: 7/28/2024
Location: Shirahama Beach, Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: 5,000 fans (combined onboard and ashore)
1. ENSOU! TV ~ Sports Lightning Cup - Semi-Final: David Troy defeats LYNX (10:49) via pinfall after using the Rough Divide.
2. ENSOU! TV ~ Sports Lightning Cup - Semi-Final: SANGRE defeats Dark Feather II (14:20) via pinfall with a la Magistral cradle.
3. Rhythm Saitoh defeats Hajime Nishimoto (8:31) via pinfall with a Dragon suplex hold.
4. El Refresco IV and Shinzo Takamori defeat Shigeru Toyama and Future Mummy (13:17) via technical knockout after El Refresco uses a knee strike on Toyama.
5. Jimmy Winner and Takashi Yamashita defeat Il Ladro and Earth Warrior (15:59) via pinfall after Jimmy uses a uranage on Il Ladro.
6. ZENKI defeats Thunder Mask (18:05) via referee stoppage when Thunder Mask passes out during the Netherlock.
7. NOVA Cup Finals Rematch (Sport Form Rules): Katsuhiko Himura defeats Akira Nakamura (R3 5:00) via judges' decision (unanimous).
8. ENSOU! TV ~ Sports Lightning Cup - Final: SANGRE defeats David Troy via pinfall (27:38) with a backslide pin (tournament final).
9. World Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Falcon Hamada and Jin Hirai (c) defeat Jeremy Squire and Crazy Boy (19:12) via pinfall when Hamada uses the Stealth Katana DDT on Crazy Boy (1st defense).