RESULTS: Irvine returns + Demon Brigade back in action!

The beautiful, state-of-the-art Orange Dome played host to POSEIDON-1’s “WE RULE THE SEAS!” event in Matsuyama, Japan. The arena’s gleaming structure and modern amenities provided a fitting backdrop for the evening's action, as polite and respectful fans packed the house. Despite the generally calm crowd, a small but rowdy contingent of Demon Brigade supporters made their presence felt, chanting wildly in support of "Battleship" Kenzo Hirata and causing a few outbursts during the show.

In the six-man tag team match that featured MAX-J ambassadors, Alexander Irvine, Earth Warrior, and Rhythm Saitoh were pitted against the Demon Brigade team of Kenzo Hirata, Jin Hirai, and Shigeru Toyama. Irvine, looking fully recovered from the grueling J1 SUMMIT despite wearing a sleeve on his arm that was targeted by AJ Knight, wasted no time leading his team with sharp technical wrestling and his trademark hard strikes. His experience and precision allowed him to take control of the match at several key moments, impressing the crowd with a series of well-timed suplexes -in particular a trio of rolling German suplexes against Hirata - and submission holds that kept his team on the front foot.

But the standout moment of the match belonged to Rhythm Saitoh. In a particularly thrilling sequence, Saitoh hoisted Hirai up for a powerbomb, seemingly setting him up for a high-impact maneuver. However, in an extraordinary show of agility and ring awareness, instead of slamming Hirai on his back, Saitoh transitioned into his signature Edo Fermata (a variation of the Diamond Cutter), sending Hirai crashing face first into the canvas! The crowd, usually reserved, erupted in applause at the stylish variation of the move, visibly impressed by Saitoh's creativity. In the end, Saitoh's Edo Fermata sealed the victory for the team, as he pinned Hirai for the 1-2-3 at the 15:16 mark. 

After the match, Irvine, standing tall in the ring, took a moment to thank the fans for their support. "I didn’t win the J1 SUMMIT, but anyone who survived that gauntlet has a lot to be thankful for," he said, promising big things for the future. His words resonated with the crowd, and many showed their respect for the veteran competitor with applause.

The excitement didn’t stop with the bell, though. After the show, Saitoh - who is signed to the Japan Chessboxing League - was spotted engaging with fans in a series of chess matches—blindfolded, no less! - in a park just outside of the Orange Dome. Incredibly, he won each match, cementing his reputation not only as an improvisational wrestler but as a powerful force in the game of strategy. Fans left the Orange Dome buzzing with admiration for both the athletic and cerebral displays from the MAX-J ambassadors.

The Demon Brigade's loss was seen as something of a setback, as not only was Hirata unable to lead the team to victory but Hirai - one-half of the World Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions - was pinned again by Rhythm Saitoh, a man whom he lost to in singles competition on the last show of the J1 SUMMIT tour. While Hirata is a well-known commodity in the superheavyweight scene and his signing as a MAX-J sponsor was met with much fanfare, he has struggled a bit so far to adapt to the pace of the MAX-J ring, not only losing to Ryan Samuels at an OCW event a couple months ago but notably losing to Earth Warrior during the "J9" Fighting Spirit Invitational semifinals. Additionally, to make matters worse, Hirai's co-tag champion Falcon Hamada has been nowhere to be found at the moment after going winless over the last tour.

All of the above has led some analysts to suggest that ZENKI's Shin Demon Brigade is weaker than it seems. While ZENKI's own ability is not in dispute after an all-world level performance in winning the 2024 J1 SUMMIT, many wonder if he has surrounded himself with "yes men" who are willing to go along with his nationalist agenda but may be past their prime - in the case of veterans such as Hamada and Toyama - or competitors who still have not figured out what it takes to succeed against the MAX-J fighters. The All-Japan Sports and Wrestling Commission (AJSWC), who reviews all sponsored signees, has prioritized true athletes that can utilize the combat arts to the fullest effect. Jin Hirai has looked a bit outmatched thus far when not teaming with Hamada and Hirata is years removed from his participation in the AJSWC-managed SHINING ROAD Pro-Wrestling. Is the Shin Demon Brigade as powerful of a force as it seems and will a new faction emerge to displace them from the top echelon of MAX-J?

Regardless, the World Jr. Tag Team Champions Hayato Hamada and Jin Hirai will have a tough test in their V2 defense against Thunder Mask and SANGRE, and we have reports that SANGRE is flying back and forth to Japan in order to train with Thunder Mask in training matches versus the team of Katsuhiko Himura and Jimmy Winner. Thunder Mask has said that while SANGRE and he have different personalities, SANGRE - who at CRUISERWORLD II won the ENSOU! TV Sports Lightning Cup and recently at a POLLO ROAD show in the U.S. was victorious in a grueling cibernetico on 9/2 - is a competitor through and through, and Thunder Mask has enjoyed working with him. We'll be excited to learn more in the next week when hopefully MAX-J will release information on their upcoming schedule!