RESULTS: J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Day 3 (8/20/24)

As the Mirai Dome filled with 20,000 eager fans for Day 3 of the J1 SUMMIT 2024, an early incident near ringside set the tone for a tense evening. A scuffle broke out between a fan of the Demon Brigade, decked out in ZENKI gear, and another patron proudly sporting a Pollo Road baseball jersey. As the altercation grew heated, Hikaru Yamada – the former MAX-J Dojo student who had recently been brought on by Mike Musket after his infiltration of the J1 training camp – jumped into action. Yamada swiftly took down the aggressive Demon Brigade fan and separated the two combatants. Musket, who was in attendance, was seen nodding approvingly, seemingly pleased with Yamada's willingness to defend the ringside area.

Also in the audience was a rather large section roped off for fans of the Japan Chessboxing League. There were many signs indicating support for "Checkmate" David Troy, an extremely popular foreign fighter who is not technically a member of the league but whose performances in chessboxing have endured him to fans, as well as Rhythm Saitoh, who in fact is a member of the league. Fans would wear Saitoh's trademark 80s vibe sunglasses and one member of the audience even had a speaker to play some City Pop tunes from the 1980s.

With music in the air and fists flying even before the match in the ring started, all had the sense that tonight would certainly be a night to remember!

The first match of the evening featured Il Ladro squaring off against Future Mummy in a fast-paced battle. The Italian luchador wasted no time, using his agility to keep Future Mummy on the defensive. Despite a few high-flying moments from Future Mummy, Il Ladro’s precision strikes and ground game proved too much for the masked high-flyer. After dodging a suicide dive attempt from Future Mummy, Il Ladro capitalized by locking on a cross armbreaker in the center of the ring. Future Mummy struggled, but with no escape in sight, he had no choice but to submit at 9:46.

In the first J1 SUMMIT match of the night, Eiichiro Yamazaki clashed with Akira Nakamura in Block A action. Nakamura tried to use his quickness to stay away from Yamazaki's devastating throws, but the larger fighter’s sumo-influenced style allowed him to close the distance effectively. Nakamura landed a few sharp kicks to the midsection, but Yamazaki shrugged them off and caught his opponent with a huge belly-to-belly suplex. The former sumo followed up with a release Tiger suplex, dropping Nakamura hard on the back of his head for the pinfall victory at 11:15, securing his second win in the tournament and - for the moment - holding an advatange of ZENKI for the top spot in Block A.

Next up, Katsuhiko Himura faced Rhythm Saitoh in Block B action. The student of Thunder Mask showcased his teacher’s influence, relying heavily on technical grappling and submission maneuvers to keep Saitoh grounded. Saitoh displayed impressive improvisational wrestling, nearly catching Himura off-guard with a flash pin attempt. However, Himura stayed composed, countering a flying armbar attempt into a rear naked chokehold. Saitoh struggled valiantly, but eventually, Himura’s grip tightened, forcing Saitoh to tap out at 12:48. With this win, Himura earned four points, keeping his tournament hopes alive.

Block C action saw METAL HERO facing off against Jimmy Winner in a contest of grappling mastery. Jimmy, fresh off a victory against Ryan Samuels, brought the fight to the masked wrestler early, landing a series of judo throws to the crowd’s delight. However, METAL HERO’s experience shone through as he took a patient approach and selectively launched kicks into Winner's legs, which over time managed to slow down Jimmy Winner to a speed that the injured HERO could match. This would allow the Atomic Assassin to eventually take the fight to the ground and he transitioned into a devastating heel hook that left Winner with no option but to submit at 14:06. The victory brought METAL HERO to four points in the tournament.

J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Block D: David Troy vs. Earth Warrior

David Troy continued his strong showing in the J1 SUMMIT, facing Earth Warrior in Block D action. The fan-favorite Earth Warrior put up a spirited fight, using his agility to frustrate the experienced Troy. The two exchanged a series of holds and counters, with Earth Warrior getting the crowd behind him after a near-fall off a springboard elbow strike. However, Troy’s veteran instincts took over as he dodged a follow-up moonsault attempt, catching Earth Warrior off-guard with a vicious Rough Divide, his step-up axe kick. The strike dropped Earth Warrior hard to the mat, allowing Troy to secure the pinfall victory at 12:18 and continue his unbeaten streak.

ZENKI faced NEXUS in the next match, and the atmosphere in the Mirai Dome became electric as Demon Brigade chants filled the air. ZENKI, still harboring animosity toward his opponent for the attack by the AI-driven fighter in their previous encounters, unleashed a calculated and methodical assault. NEXUS attempted to counter with his technical prowess and unpredictable style, but ZENKI's relentless aggression and cunning ring awareness proved too much for the cyborg. After a grueling back-and-forth contest, ZENKI locked in his infamous Netherlock, a devastating modified Texas Cloverleaf, forcing NEXUS to tap out at 13:23.

J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Block D: Hayato Hamada vs. Alexander Irvine

Alexander Irvine faced off against Hayato Hamada in a highly anticipated Block D matchup. The two hard-hitting fighters traded brutal strikes and suplexes, with neither man willing to give an inch. Hamada’s MMA background allowed him to go toe-to-toe with Irvine, but the former Marine Corps fighter’s resilience and versatility shone through. As the match wore on, Irvine began targeting Hamada’s arms, softening them up with submission attempts and stiff strikes. In the final moments, Irvine managed to trap Hamada in a cross armbreaker, cranking the hold until Hamada had no choice but to submit at 16:29.

The penultimate match of the night saw Tiger Mask Red taking on Ryan Samuels in a Block C encounter. The towering Samuels used his size advantage to overpower Tiger Mask early on, landing heavy strikes and power moves that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. For much of the match, Tiger Mask Red seemed hobbled - likely due to the previous day's match versus METAL HERO that went three rounds and significantly beat up on his legs. However, Tiger Mask Red’s experience and adaptability came into play as he weathered the storm and began targeting Samuels’ legs own legs with precision kicks. After wearing down Samuels to the point he dropped to a knee, Tiger Mask Red rushed forward and delivered a thunderous running knee strike that connected flush with Samuels’ jaw, dropping him to the mat for the pinfall victory at 18:45.

In the main event, Thunder Mask and AJ Knight finally faced off after being unable to compete at CRUISERWORLD II due to the controversial weigh-in incident. Both men were eager to prove themselves, and the match did not disappoint. The two competitors exchanged holds and counters in a technical clinic, with Thunder Mask relying on his judo background to keep AJ grounded, while Knight used his ring IQ to frustrate the veteran luchador.

Knight nearly secured a victory early on, trapping Thunder Mask in a crossface submission hold, but the luchador managed to escape by rolling through and catching Knight off-guard with a high-angle dropkick. The match escalated into a battle of attrition, with Knight landing stiff forearm strikes, and Thunder Mask responding with powerful throws. The crowd was fully invested as the two warriors pushed each other to their limits, with neither willing to back down.

The match reached its climax when Knight attempted his patented Knightfall DDT, but Thunder Mask countered with a backdrop suplex. With the momentum shifting in his favor, Thunder Mask hoisted Knight onto his shoulders and delivered a devastating vertical-drop brainbuster. The impact echoed through the arena, and Thunder Mask quickly covered his opponent, scoring the hard-fought pinfall victory at 22:17. As the crowd erupted in applause, both men shared a brief nod of respect, acknowledging the grueling battle they had just endured.

Date: 8/20/2024

Location: Mirai Dome, Tokyo, Japan

Attendance: 20,000 fans