Post by 円相! TV on Aug 28, 2024 0:27:22 GMT
ENSOU! TV スポーツ
LIGHTNING NEWS!!
METAL HERO RULED OUT!!
TOKYO – In a shocking turn of events leading into Day 7 of the J1 SUMMIT, METAL HERO has officially been ruled out of the single-elimination bracket due to the severe damage he sustained during his grueling match against Tiger Mask Red. This unexpected development has sent shockwaves through the tournament, with fans and competitors alike scrambling to digest the news.
METAL HERO, who fought valiantly throughout the group stage and accumulated 8 points, fought valiantly through injury during the tournament and managed to overcome his physical limitations with strategy, following a playbook in the sport form set reminiscent of Antonio Inoki's 1976 proto-MMA match versus Muhammad Ali, essentially turtling on the canvas and throwing kicks with his good leg to attack his opponent's lower body. The fact that the sport form matches were timed allowed him to fight aggressively, accumulating points with the judges, forcing his opponents to take risk to gain damage. METAL HERO would go 3-0 in the sport form, as a result, with none of the opponents truly managing to solve this strategy.
However, the untimed nature of the pro-wrestling matches cut against this style. Ryan Samuels defeated him on Day 1 and his brutal encounter with Tiger Mask Red on Day 6 ultimately left him unable to continue in the tournament. After being incapacitated by a vicious sliding Boma Ye knee strike, METAL HERO was stretchered out of the Mirai Dome, and despite his relentless spirit, medical evaluations have determined that he will be unable to compete in the quarter-finals and the rest of the tournament.
SANO QUICKLY NAMES A REPLACEMENT!
MAX-J General Manager Masaaki “Genki” Sano moved quickly to address the situation. In a press conference held earlier today, Sano expressed his disappointment at METAL HERO’s withdrawal, acknowledging the masked warrior’s tremendous effort throughout the tournament. However, Sano also emphasized the need to move forward and maintain the integrity of the J1 SUMMIT.
With that in mind, Sano announced that Ryan Samuels would take METAL HERO’s place in the quarter-finals and will face Alexander Irvine on Day 7. According to Sano, this decision was reached after an emergency committee meeting with MAX-J officials, who unanimously agreed that Samuels was the rightful replacement.
Sano explained that the committee relied on the tournament’s structure, which prioritizes performance in the pro-wrestling matches as a tiebreaker in cases like this. “Ryan Samuels defeated METAL HERO in their pro-wrestling match on Day 1 of the tournament,” Sano said. “He is the only competitor among the four with a direct win over METAL HERO, and because of that, this was an easy decision for the committee to make.”
Samuels, who finished with 4 points in the group stage, earned his spot by displaying resilience and power throughout the tournament, highlighted by his decisive victory over METAL HERO on Day 1. His sudden advancement to the quarter-finals now puts him in a high-stakes clash against the undefeated Alexander Irvine.
Sano annnounced that OCW's Kenzo "Battleship" Hirata had recently been signed by MAX-J as a sponsor and would take Samuels' place in the Fighting Spirit Invitational. Hirata is well-known to fans of Shining Road Pro-Wrestling and was upset by Samuels at OCW's WAKE UP! event on 8/10. Given that all of the participants in the Fighting Spirit Invitational have failures to avenge, Hirata seemed like a sensible choice.
As a result of all this news, MAX-J has updated tomorrow's card to reflect the changes:
J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Day 7
Date: 8/28/2024
Location: Mirai Dome, Tokyo, Japan
1. Fighting Spirit Invitational - Quarter-finals: NEXUS vs. Akira Nakamura
2. Fighting Spirit Invitational - Quarter-finals: Katsuhiko Himura vs. Rhythm Saitoh
3. Fighting Spirit Invitational - Quarter-finals: Kenzo Hirata vs. Jimmy Winner
4. Fighting Spirit Invitational - Quarter-finals: Earth Warrior vs. Hayato Hamada
5. El Refresco IV vs. Dark Feather II
6. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Quarter-finals: ZENKI vs. Thunder Mask
7. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Quarter-finals: AJ Knight vs. Eiichiro Yamazaki
8. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Quarter-finals: Tiger Mask Red vs. David Troy
9. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Quarter-finals: Alexander Irvine vs. Ryan Samuels
7. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Quarter-finals: AJ Knight vs. Eiichiro Yamazaki
8. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Quarter-finals: Tiger Mask Red vs. David Troy
9. J1 SUMMIT 2024 - Quarter-finals: Alexander Irvine vs. Ryan Samuels
Mirai Dome Expands Capacity
In a related announcement, GM Sano also revealed that the Mirai Dome will be adding an additional 250 seats for the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final of the J1 SUMMIT. This will bring the total to an ultra-high maximum capacity of 20,500 fans expected to attend all three days. The tickets for these new seats have already sold out, further proving the incredible demand and excitement surrounding the tournament.
With the unexpected developments leading into the quarter-finals, the intensity surrounding the J1 SUMMIT has only increased. As the tournament continues, all eyes will be on Ryan Samuels as he steps up to face the formidable Alexander Irvine in a battle that will now carry even higher stakes.