RESULTS: Pro-Wrestling STORM + Jr. Tag Title Defense!!

The beauty of autumn enveloped Sapporo as leaves painted the landscape with vibrant oranges and reds. Despite the crisp air, the AKOS Athletic Complex buzzed with warmth and excitement. Fans lined up at booths outside the arena, bundling up in newly purchased fleece jackets and scarves in preparation for the impending winter. Inside, the fan area was filled with laughter and learning as children eagerly wrestled on mats under the watchful eyes of BLIZZARD Pro stars, who offered tips and encouragement. The atmosphere was joyous, the perfect backdrop for what was about to be an unforgettable night of action.

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AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and NEXUS vs. METAL HERO, Earth Warrior, and Jimmy Winner

The opening bout was a thrilling clash between some of the top stars in the junior heavyweight division. For the first time since his injury forced him out of the J1 SUMMIT, METAL HERO returned to action, showing no visible signs of the knee injury that sidelined him. From the outset, he looked sharp, exchanging heated strikes with AJ Knight, who was coming off a strong showing in the J1. The fans roared in approval as both men traded blows, each showcasing their unique styles—Knight’s precision and technical mastery against METAL HERO’s machine-like offense.

Earth Warrior and Eiichiro Yamazaki kept the pace high with a series of rapid-fire takedowns and counters, drawing the crowd into the action. Yamazaki's strength allowed him to hold his ground, but Warrior's speed and agility saw him escape several near-falls. Meanwhile, NEXUS and Jimmy Winner were determined to prove themselves, with NEXUS methodically targeting Winner’s limbs in hopes of neutralizing his grappling prowess. However, as the match reached its climax, Winner reversed a standing arm-trap hold into a flawless German suplex hold on NEXUS, earning his team the victory.

The match ended with an exchange of respect between Knight and METAL HERO, both of whom gave the fans a match to remember. There was some conversation between them that ended with HERO giving AJ a smack of approval on the shoulder prior to the two towering figures in their respective companies parting company.

The trio of Takeda Izumi, Akira Nakamura, and Shinzo Takamori had the crowd on their side from the start, with chants of “SHYc! SHYc!” echoing throughout the AKOS Complex as the hometown heroes energetically made their way down the aisle - the entire trio clad in sunglasses. On the other side of the ring, the Demon Brigade, led by the formidable ZENKI, entered with an air of dominance. There was definitely a contingent of Demon Brigade fans in the audience, and as the Demon Brigade trio walked down the aisle to the ring, the zealots in the audience dropped to their knees in prepare.

The match itself was fast-paced and competitive, with Kenzo Hirata using his massive strength to bulldoze through Izumi - who is more of an MMA star and rather green in pro-wrestling - early on, while Nakamura’s grappling kept Shigeru Toyama grounded. ZENKI, the 2024 J1 winner, his usual dominant self - clearing the entire ring at one point with running shoteis on all three members of SHYc that would cause them to flee the ring and re-group on the outside.

Battleship Hirata at one point would nearly score a fall on Takamori with a snap powerbomb, but it would be "Snap Shot" Takamori the former ice hockey standout who would roll out of the ring and allow Izumi to take his place - and score some needed revenge with a flying knee to the massive Hirata! This would prompt Toyama to reenter the action and we would see some great chain wrestling in the middle portion of the match much to the fans' delight.

But the true drama unfolded in the final minutes, when ZENKI hit a ZANBATOOOOOH on Nakamura that would send him rolling to the outside and put Takamori in to take his place. Takamori would take significant punishment - much like his hockey days - but as a proper defenseman didn't have much offense and when ZENKI dropped him on his head with a brainbuster, certainly all seemed lost. ZENKI, in a winning position, stood above a downed Takamori seemingly ready to seal the victory for the Brigade. As ZENKI bounced off the ropes for a finishing blow, Takeda Izumi—ever the opportunist—landed a vicious roundhouse kick to the back of ZENKI’s head from the apron. Dazed a bit but not terribly fazed, ZENKI spun around to shout at Izumi, cursing and pointing at him ~~ leaving himself wide open for Takamori to roll him up in a surprise backslide pin for the 1-2-3!

The crowd erupted in disbelief—ZENKI, the once-unbeatable Demon Lord who had scarcely been pinned since MAX-J’s rebirth in July 2023, was humbled by Shinzo Takamori, a man who had only won one match in the last year. SHYc celebrated in a frenzy, with the fans in Sapporo embracing their victory like a championship win. After the show, SHYc would cut a promo from the yacht that the three men are roommates on that they would bring that same energy and momentum as they set sail for Canada for the BOLD WARRIOR INVASION of the tour and pledged to win the ENSOU! TV SEKAI Trios Cup.

World Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Hayato Hamada and Jin Hirai (c) vs. Thunder Mask and SANGRE

With the stakes higher than ever, the final match of the night put the Demon Brigade’s champions, Hayato Hamada and Jin Hirai, against the imposing challengers, Thunder Mask and SANGRE. Tension ran high, especially after ZENKI’s earlier loss, leading many to wonder if the Brigade’s night would end in disaster. With their titles on the line, the champions couldn’t afford a slip-up. Moreover, Hamada standing in the ring even with the title belt around his waist, looked at it as he handed to the referee as though it might be the last time he would hold it - obviously still psychologically shaken from his disastrous winless performance in the J1 SUMMIT last August.

From the outset, Thunder Mask and SANGRE brought their best, with Thunder Mask’s technical prowess forcing Hirai into a defensive position early on. SANGRE’s aerial assaults kept the crowd on their feet, as he continuously pressed the champions with high-flying moves. Yet, Hamada remained steady, absorbing the challengers’ offense with calm. A series of stiff kicks from Hamada left SANGRE reeling, but Thunder Mask saved his partner from a near fall with a perfectly timed springboard dropkick - using the only team's only saved.

The momentum shifted multiple times throughout the match, with Hirai almost falling victim to a Tiger suplex  from Thunder Mask’, only to be saved by Hamada breaking up the pinfall. As a result, there were no longer any saves remaining in a match that at this point had eclipsed the twenty-minute mark.

However, as the match entered its final phase, Hamada showcased why he’s one of the most feared strikers in MAX-J. After escaping a near-fall, he countered a Thunder Mask enzuigiri by getting a forearm up for a block and as Thunder Mask got to his feet kicked him in the gut with a spinning back kick and putting him down for a snap DDT.  Hamada would sit up Thunder Mask with a sleeper hold for a few moments before letting it go, running against the ropes, and landing a devastating penalty kick on the sitting Thunder Mask that echoed through the arena. Thunder Mask collapsed to the mat and remained motionless, prompting the referee to come over, check him out, and call the match via TKO!

The win would give the champions their second successful title defense. However, and perhaps more importantly, Hamada, visibly relieved, dropped to his knees and kissed the title belt as he held it in his hands. As Jin Hirai celebrated with some capoeira moves, Hamada took a microphone in his hand as he held up his share of the World Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. As the Demon Brigade contingent cheered, Hamada vowed that no matter the setbacks, the Shin DemonBrigade would always rise stronger and protect the honor of Japan.

Date: 10/16/2024

Location: AKOS Athletic Complex, Sapporo, Japan

Attendance: 2,700 fans (90% capacity)

1. METAL HERO, Earth Warrior, and Jimmy Winner defeat AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and NEXUS (13:52) via pinfall when Winner uses a German suplex hold on NEXUS.

2. SHYc vs. Demon Brigade: Takeda Izumi, Akira Nakamura, and Shinzo Takamori defeat ZENKI, Kenzo Hirata, and Shigeru Toyama (19:15) via pinfall when Takamori uses a backslide pin on ZENKI.

3. World Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Hayato Hamda and Jin Hirai (c) defeat Thunder Mask and SANGRE (24:28) via TKO after Hamada uses a penalty kick on Thunder Mask (2nd defense).