RESULTS: J1 SUMMIT 2024- Day 2 (8/19/2024)

---

---

---

The Mirai Dome was alive with energy as Day 2 of the J1 SUMMIT kicked off with all matches under MAX-J’s sport form rule set. Fans were treated to a unique spectacle, with the dome’s cutting-edge holographic displays projecting live stats and action replays, adding a futuristic touch to the proceedings. 

Among the sea of supporters, the Demon Brigade zealots made their presence known with fervent chants for ZENKI and Hayato Hamada. They were characteristically rowdy, singing anthems that celebrated the glory and history of Japan. Some of the other audience members were amused, but many others found the Demon Brigade zealots to be more annoying than anything else, seeing their unabashed nationalism as outdated for a more contemporary era based on cosmopolitan respect regardless of national boundaries.

But the J1 SUMMIT is not a lecture in international politics - it's a test of strength pitting the world's strongest and most capable of wrestlers against one another in a contest designed to bring the fighters to their limits. Who would claim victory? Well, the lights would dim, the pyrotechnics would spark and explode, and the bell would ding to get the night started...

El Refresco IV wasted no time against Takashi Yamashita in the night’s opening contest. Utilizing his lucha libre speed and aggression, Refresco overwhelmed Yamashita with a barrage of strikes early on. The turning point came quickly as Refresco transitioned from an arm-drag takedown into a mount, where he rained down relentless palm strikes. Yamashita had no escape, and the referee stepped in to call the match at 2:19 of Round 1, giving Refresco the victory via technical knockout.

The first J1 SUMMIT match of the night saw David Troy take on Alexander Irvine. Both fighters entered with a reputation for their striking ability, but Troy was able to dictate the pace with his precise kicks. After a back-and-forth exchange of strikes and counters, Troy took advantage of an over-extended attack from Irvine, catching him in a heel hook. With no escape in sight, Irvine was forced to tap out at 4:23 of Round 1, giving Troy a quick victory and continuing his strong start in the tournament.

J1 SUMMIT - BLOCK B (Sport Form Rules): AJ Knight vs. Rhythm Saitoh

AJ Knight faced a tough challenge against the unpredictable Rhythm Saitoh. The chessboxer nearly had Knight on the ropes several times throughout the match, coming close to securing multiple submission holds. Saitoh’s transitions were fluid, and his grappling skill kept the crowd on edge. However, Knight’s cunning and experience allowed him to escape just when it seemed Saitoh had him beat. In Round 2, Knight reversed a guillotine choke attempt into an armbar, forcing Saitoh to submit at 3:50, earning two more points in the tournament.

One of the night’s most surprising moments came when METAL HERO defeated Tiger Mask Red using an unorthodox strategy. Still nursing an injured knee though wearing a lighter knee brace than the previous day, METAL HERO adopted a defensive approach, reminiscent of Antonio Inoki’s famous bout against Muhammad Ali in 1976. He remained on the mat for much of the fight, using kicks to Tiger Mask’s legs to neutralize his striking power. As the match wore on, the strategy paid off as Tiger Mask Red began to visibly slow down. Eventually, METAL HERO seized an opportunity to grapple on the ground, trapping Tiger Mask in a kimura lock. With no way out, Tiger Mask was forced to submit at 3:48 of Round 3. The upset victory not only earned METAL HERO two points but also showcased his ability to adapt and overcome his physical limitations with genius strategy.

The night continued with Earth Warrior pulling off a stunning upset against the heavily favored Hayato Hamada. Despite Hamada’s extensive MMA background, Earth Warrior showed incredible resilience and determination. After weathering an early storm of strikes and takedown attempts from Hamada, Earth Warrior found an opening in Round 2, countering a failed takedown with a lightning-fast kneebar. Hamada struggled to escape but ultimately tapped out at 2:54, awarding Earth Warrior two points and shaking up Block D. Earth Warrior rushed to the top turnbuckle after his win to hold up a banner with a sea turtle that read, "A SHELL DOES NOT PROTECT AGAINST OIL POLLUTION!" as he used the opportunity to bring some attention to his environmental activism. 

NEXUS put on a clinical display of efficiency against Akira Nakamura in their Block A match. The cybernetic fighter stayed cool and composed, countering Nakamura’s judo attempts with methodical precision. Nakamura tried to close the distance and force a grappling exchange, but NEXUS was always one step ahead. In Round 2, NEXUS locked Nakamura in a neck crank after a failed throw attempt, squeezing tight until Nakamura had no choice but to submit at 1:56. With the victory, NEXUS moved forward in the tournament with two points.

The student-teacher dynamic was in full display when Katsuhiko Himura squared off against his mentor, Thunder Mask. Despite their shared history, Himura showed no hesitation as he took the fight to Thunder Mask. Thunder Mask initially controlled the fight with his judo expertise, but Himura was ready for his mentor’s tricks. In Round 1, Himura countered a takedown attempt into a swift armbar, forcing Thunder Mask to submit at 3:02. The victory was a personal milestone for Himura, earning him two points while paying tribute to his years of training under Thunder Mask.

Jimmy Winner ended Ryan Samuels’ hot streak with a gritty victory in their Block C match. Samuels tried to impose his size and brawling tactics, but Winner’s judo background allowed him to counter effectively, keeping the larger fighter off balance. After a series of grappling exchanges, Samuels’ corner threw in the towel at 3:17 of Round 2, unable to find a way past Winner’s defensive prowess. With the victory, Winner earned two points and positioned himself as a dark horse in the tournament.

The main event saw ZENKI take on Eiichiro Yamazaki in a match fueled by history. ZENKI, seeking revenge for his 2019 loss of the MAX-J Heavyweight Championship to Yamazaki, approached the fight with a more calculated game plan. Staying low to the ground and using his speed, ZENKI avoided Yamazaki’s powerful sumo-style throws and strikes, frustrating the larger man. Throughout the fight, ZENKI capitalized on every opportunity, scoring takedowns that caused the crowd to "oooooh" and "aaaaaah" in surprise while the Demon Brigade fans roared with glee. ZENKI would try to control Yamazaki with the ground game but found it difficult to actually sink his hooks in for a submission due to Yamazaki's superior size and strength.

This match was a cat-and-mouse game that would last all three rounds and eventually go the distance where the decision would rest with the judges. As the two men stood in the ring standing next to the referee, ZENKI’s strategy and the number of takedowns earned would causes the judges to announce a unanimous decision in favor of ZENKI after three rounds to which the Demon Brigade fans in the crowd jumped for joy as ZENKI raised a fist in the air having finally attained revenge for his title defeat years ago. The announcer's table was quick to remind those in attendance that, due to the unanimous decision, ZENKI would only earn one point for his victory in the tournament. Still, this was not enough to temper the enthusiasm of the Demon Brigade faithful as ZENKI joined them in the crowd after having atoned for his defeat so many years ago.

Hayato Hamada was in good spirits after his loss to Earth Warrior, saying that Warrior's athleticism surprised him and that the sport form rules were "night and day" different compared to traditional MMA due to significant limitations that disallow strikes like closed fist punches, elbows, and knees and render all allowable kicks less effective due to the mandatory kickpads.

While we are still early in the tournament, pundits are noting that David Troy "looks the part" thus far in the tournament. In a more shoot-oriented setting, he was an underdog versus Alexander Irvine, so the betting odds at the moment are tending to point in his direction.

Additionally, AJ Knight is also a figure that is generating some buzz. Some were wondering if, after the CRUISERWORLD II weigh-in scandal that caused him not to be able to fight on that show due to a faulty scale that may have been intentionally planted, whether his head would be in the game. Thus far, he's shown no signs of being affected by the past.

While METAL HERO managed to elude the press, some are regarding his match versus Tiger Mask Red as an instant classic, pulling out a strategy from nearly a half-century ago. Despite this, what the strategy did reveal is that his injured knee must still be bothering him - which has analysts questioning whether or not he's found a method to advance through the tournament or merely a stopgap measure that has allowed him to win a single match.

The major hype of the day, of course, surrounded Demon Lord ZENKI's unanimous decision victory of Eiichiro "Mushigahara" Yamazaki. There were two narratives floating around. One, promulgated by the Demon Brigade, emphasized the "restoration of honor" due to ZENKI's victory. Others, however, pointed out the fact that ZENKI was not able to earn a victory "between the rounds", leading some to argue that we really cannot say whether ZENKI's revenge is complete until the two men compete under pro-wrestling rules on 8/25 in Day 6 of the tournament.

Date: 8/19/2024

Location: Mirai Dome, Tokyo, Japan

Attendance: 20,000 fans

1. Sport Form Rules: El Refresco IV defeats Takashi Yamashita (R1 2:19) via technical knockout (mounted palm strikes).

2. J1 SUMMIT - BLOCK D (Sport Form Rules): David Troy [4] defeats Alexander Irvine [2] (R1 4:23) via submission (heel hook).

3. J1 SUMMIT - BLOCK B (Sport Form Rules): AJ Knight [4] defeats Rhythm Saitoh [0] (R2 3:50) via submission (armbar).

4. J1 SUMMIT - BLOCK C (Sport Form Rules): METAL HERO [2] defeats Tiger Mask Red [2] (R3 3:48) via submission (kimura).

5. J1 SUMMIT - BLOCK D (Sport Form Rules): Earth Warrior [2] defats Hayato Hamada [0] (R2 2:54) via submission (kneebar).

6. J1 SUMMIT - BLOCK A (Sport Form Rules): NEXUS [2] defeats Akira Nakamura [0] (R2 1:56) via submission (neck crank).

7. J1 SUMMIT - BLOCK B (Sport Form Rules): Katsuhiko Himura [2] defeats Thunder Mask [2] (R1 3:02) via submission (armbar)

8. J1 SUMMIT - BLOCK C (Sport Form Rules): Jimmy Winner [2] defeats Ryan Samuels [2] (R2 3:17) via corner stoppage.

9. J1 SUMMIT - BLOCK A (Sport Form Rules): ZENKI [3] defeats Eiichiro Yamazaki [2] (R3 5:00) via judges' decision (unanimous).

Block A stands out like a sore thumb due to ZENKI only picking up one point in the decision victory over Yamazaki. This means that he runs a significant risk in that Yamazaki and NEXUS only need one victory to overtake him in the standings and avoiding the tie-breaker rule that favors pro-wrestling victories over sport form victories. As a result, ZENKI's work is nowhere close to being done.

In Block B we currently see AJ Knight in the lead, but the Kaminari Dojo duo of Himura and Thunder Mask both have two points, so we still have a lot to look forward there.

Block C is completely bottled up with each fighter at two points. It is worth noting that the Block C favorite, Tiger Mask Red, taking a loss today could be a setback that may haunt him in the future.

And in Block D, perhaps the biggest surprise is that Falcon Hamada - one-half of the World Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions and a favorite to win the entire tournament - is still at zero points.

ZENKI [3]

Eiichiro Yamazaki [2]

NEXUS [2]

Akira Nakamura [0]

AJ Knight [4]

Katsuhiko Himura [2]

Thunder Mask [2]

Rhythm Saitoh [0]

Jimmy Winner [2]

Ryan Samuels [2]

METAL HERO [2]

Tiger Mask Red [2]

David Troy [4]

Alexander Irvine [2]

Earth Warrior [2]

Hayato Hamada [0]

Day 3 will revert back to pro-wrestling rules and perhaps the biggest storyline is the main event where we will finally see the match that did not get to happen at the CRUISERWORLD II show where AJ Knight will square off against Thunder Mask in a highly anticipated showdown. Furthermore, given that after Day 3 we will be at the halfway point, by the time we get to the end of tomorrow evening we will be on the lookout for who is getting desperate and who is starting to separate themselves from the pack. You won't wanna miss it!

Date: 8/20/2024

Attendance: Mirai Dome, Tokyo, Japan

1. Future Mummy vs. Il Ladro

2. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Block A: Akira Nakamura vs. Eiichiro Yamazaki
3. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Block B: Katsuhiko Himura vs. Rhythm Saitoh
4. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Block C: Jimmy Winner vs. Metal Hero
5. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Block D: David Troy vs. Earth Warrior
6. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Block A: Zenki vs. Nexus
7. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Block D: Hayato Hamada vs. Alexander Irvine
8. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Block C: Tiger Mask Red vs. Ryan Samuels
9. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Block B: AJ Knight vs. Thunder Mask