Post by 円相! TV on Oct 22, 2024 1:59:45 GMT
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ENSOU! TV スポーツ LIGHTNING NEWS!!
The Sturgeon Park Civic Center was brimming with anticipation as over 4,000 wrestling fans packed the venue, buzzing with excitement for Day 1 of the ENSOU! TV SEKAI Trios Cup.
The opening ceremony kicked off with a spectacular display of pyrotechnics, lighting up the arena in a dazzling array of colors. As the tournament’s massive trophy gleamed in the spotlight, all participating trios lined up on stage—except for one glaring omission: ZENKI and his Demon Brigade team were conspicuously absent. This mysterious no-show sent a wave of murmurs through the crowd, speculating what strange strategy ZENKI had in mind as the event began.
Before the matches would begin, the All-Japan Sport and Wrestling Commission's (AJSWC) Public Affairs Officer Junichiro Matsuda took the stage to read a proclamation that formally issuing a sanction of approval for the two-day tournament festivities. Many fans were quick to recognize Matsuda from this cryptic announcement on behalf of the AJSWC's International Development Office. He told the fans to make sure that they showed up tomorrow but refused to say more...
Quarterfinals: David Troy, Ryan Samuels, and Orville Newton vs. AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and Devlin Masters
The first quarterfinal match saw a collision between the teams of AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and Devlin Masters taking on David Troy, Ryan Samuels, and Orville Newton. Knight and Yamazaki worked like a well-oiled machine, isolating Newton and keeping the more powerful Samuels and Troy on the apron. Yamazaki’s technical wrestling gave his team the upper hand early, grounding Newton and keeping him away from his partners. Every time Newton tried to escape, he was met with a perfectly timed takedown.
However, when Samuels entered the ring, the momentum shifted. Samuels powered through both Knight and Yamazaki, nearly taking the win with a crushing lariat on Knight. But in the chaos, Devlin Masters managed to blind tag in and catch Newton off-guard with a spectacular Tornado DDT, spiking him hard on the mat for the victory. The crowd erupted, and Knight’s team advanced to the winner’s bracket.
Quarterfinals: Alexander Irvine, Jimmy Winner, and Earth Warrior vs. Takeda Izumi, Akira Nakamura, and Shinzo Takamori
Next, the fan-favorite trio of Takeda Izumi, Akira Nakamura, and Shinzo Takamori from SHYc took on the power-packed team of Alexander Irvine, Jimmy Winner, and Earth Warrior. Nakamura and Irvine opened the match with a gripping technical display, but it was SHYc’s crafty teamwork that eventually tilted the balance. Every time Irvine’s team attempted to build momentum, Nakamura would tag in Izumi or Takamori to wear down the opposition.
The end came when Winner and Nakamura became the legal men. Winner, visibly fatigued after a tough opening contest, found himself locked in Nakamura’s signature Kappa Lock (seated arm triangle chokehold) after being distracted by Irvine’s clash with Earth Warrior outside the ring. With no escape in sight, Winner tapped out, sending SHYc through to the next round and cementing their status as top contenders.
Quarterfinals: ZENKI, Kenzo Hirata, and Shigeru Toyama vs. Roy Vezina, Harv Norris, and Rick Hull
The third quarterfinal match brought the drama as ZENKI, Kenzo Hirata, and Shigeru Toyama finally made their entrance and did so in grand fashion—ZENKI being carried to the ring in an elaborate Japanese ceremonial cart, his feet never touching the ground as he refused to step on "unholy Western soil." It was at this moment that the mystery of the airport was also resolved in another display of the Demon Lord's profound nationalism. This action of course earned tremendous boos from the fans.
The Demon Brigade team would face off against the Canadian heroes, the Punch Line—Roy Vezina, Harv Norris, and Rick Hull—who entered to thunderous applause, wrapped in Canadian flags and bolstered by their adoring home crowd.
The battle was intense, with Vezina going toe-to-toe with ZENKI in the early stages. The Punch Line team showed tremendous heart, even managing to double-team Toyama and Hirata at various points in the match. The fans were squarely behind them and they showed off their superior teamwork, hitting double-clothesline maneuvers and at one point Hull and Norris hitting a double dropkick to Hirata that sent him stumbling and tumbling to the outside.
However, ZENKI’s experience and Hirata’s raw power proved too much. After a hot tag, Toyama entered the ring and locked Vezina in the Starboy Special II (a La Magistral into a cross armbreaker), forcing a dramatic submission to secure the Demon Brigade’s victory. Despite the loss, the Punch Line left with the crowd’s respect for their valiant effort.
Quarterfinals: El Refresco IV, Il Ladro, and Dark Feather II vs. Tiger Mask Red, Nizbel, and Azalo
The final quarterfinal match of the evening saw the masked terror Tiger Mask Red and his monstrous teammates, Nizbel and Azalo, take on the dynamic lucha trio of El Refresco IV, Il Ladro, and Dark Feather II. Tiger Mask Red, known for his vicious offense, wasted no time dominating his opposition in one-on-one exchanges. Every time the masked legend was in the ring, the luchadores were on the defensive, with Red showcasing his striking prowess.
However, the luchadores adapted their strategy to perfection, isolating Tiger Mask’s partners whenever possible. With Nizbel and Azalo cut off from their leader, Il Ladro seized the moment, trapping Nizbel in a rear-naked choke. Nizbel had no choice but to tap, sending the lucha trio to the winner’s bracket in a shocking result.
WINNERS BRACKET MATCHES
(winner advances to semifinals; loser must compete in the Decider bracket)
Winner's Bracket #1: AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and Devlin Masters vs. Takeda Izumi, Akira Nakamura, and Shinzo Takamori
In the first winner’s bracket match, SHYc continued their dominant run, facing AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and Devlin Masters. Izumi and Nakamura took control early, working over Yamazaki’s ribs with sharp strikes and targeted submissions. Knight rallied his team with some high-impact offense, but the pace was too much. The match ended when Takamori countered Masters’ Tornado DDT attempt with a picture-perfect German suplex hold, securing the win and a spot in the next round.
Winner's Bracket #2: ZENKI, Kenzo Hirata, and Shigeru Toyama vs. El Refresco IV, Il Ladro, and Dark Feather II
The second winner’s bracket match featured ZENKI, Kenzo Hirata, and Shigeru Toyama against the relentless lucha trio of El Refresco IV, Il Ladro, and Dark Feather II. From the start, the luchadores focused on keeping ZENKI grounded, exploiting his teammates’ fatigue. ZENKI’s ceremonial cart reappeared as he was once again carried to the ring. But as the action unfolded, he found himself sent tumbling outside the ropes, where his feet accidentally touched the ground. ZENKI comically hopped in pain as if his feet had been set ablaze before quickly scrambling back into the ring.
Despite this mishap, Toyama couldn’t recover in time to avoid a brutal Caffeinator from El Refresco, which sealed the victory for the lucha trio. The Demon Brigade was left reeling as the luchadores marched to the finals of the winner’s bracket.
ELIMINATION BRACKET MATCHES
(winners advances to Decider; losers eliminated from tournament)
(winners advances to Decider; losers eliminated from tournament)
Elimination Match #1: David Troy, Ryan Samuels, and Orville Newton vs. Alexander Irvine, Jimmy Winner, and Earth Warrior
In the elimination bracket, David Troy, Ryan Samuels, and Orville Newton faced off against Alexander Irvine, Jimmy Winner, and Earth Warrior in a fierce contest. The pace was furious, with Troy and Samuels showing exceptional teamwork to keep Winner isolated. Irvine tried to rally his team, but Troy’s strategy prevailed. After a series of chaotic exchanges, Troy capitalized on a miscommunication between Irvine and Winner to hit the Rough Divide on Winner, securing the pinfall and advancing his team in the tournament.
Elimination Match #2: Roy Vezina, Harv Norris, and Rick Hull vs Tiger Mask Red, Nizbel, and Azalo
The Punch Line trio of Roy Vezina, Harv Norris, and Rick Hull returned to face Tiger Mask Red, Nizbel, and Azalo in the second elimination bracket match. The Canadians, still riding high off their earlier bout, worked together to withstand Tiger Mask’s vicious strikes. In the end, a quick inside cradle from Hull caught Azalo by surprise, earning the pin and eliminating Tiger Mask’s team from the tournament.
DECIDER MATCHES
(winners advance to semifinals; losers eliminated from tournament)
Decider Match #1: AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and Devlin Masters vs. David Troy, Ryan Samuels, and Orville Newton
The night’s Decider Bracket saw a rematch of the first bout of the evening with David Troy, Ryan Samuels, and Orville Newton taking on AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and Devlin Masters in a fiercely competitive rematch. The contest swung back and forth with both teams hitting their signature moves. Knight and Yamazaki showed off some tremendous teamwork with at one point Yamazaki dropping to all fours and Knight jumping off of his back to hit a shining wizard versus David Troy to the roar of the crowd.
Later in the match in a moment of chaos, David Troy and AJ Knight were battling it out on the apron when Troy caught AJ with a belly-to-belly suplex to the outside, a move that caused both men to suffer! This gave the Midwest Nightmare Ryan Samuels an opportunityto be the difference-maker. Alone in the ring with Masters, he hoisted the man up on his shoulder in an Argentine backbreaker, wrenching the poor fella until Masters signaled to the referee he couldn't take it anymore and gave up - and sending the team of Troy, Samuels, and Newton to the semifinals!
Decider Match #2: ZENKI, Kenzo Hirata, and Shigeru Toyama vs. Roy Vezina, Harv Norris, and Rick Hull
The final match of the night featured another rematch - this time between the Punch Line and the Demon Brigade.
The Canadians, fueled by the home crowd, threw everything they had at ZENKI and his teammates. ZENKI, desperate to keep his team alive, went to war with Vezina in the ring, but the Canadian hero wouldn’t back down. At one point, he clotheslined Zenki out of the ring and when ZENKI's feet hit the floor he leapt up as though the floor were on fire and he nearly leapt back into the ring! Fans noted it was the first time that ZENKI's feet had touched the grounds of Canada, something which prompted at this point a rather drunken crowd to begin an "Ooh ahh Canada!" chant to taunt the Japanese icon.
When Battleship Hirata got into the ring, the mammoth fighter showed off his superheavyweight prowess and at one point single-handedly took on Norris and Hull, extracting some revenge earlier by hitting both men with a simultaneous chokeslam! They would roll out of the ring, however, which tagged in Vezina by rule and it was Mr. Canada who leapt from the top rope and hit a double axe handle following by a running high knee that would sink the Battleship to the canvas! The move would be followed up by a pin that would just fall short and only get a two-count.
Eventually Hirata would escape long enough to tag in Toyama, who flew in with a spinning heel kick to put Vezina on his back! At this point the match would get a bit chaotic as Toyama provoked Hull and Norris on the apron with surprise elbow strikes, sending both men to the canvas. Toyama quickly turned his attention on Vezina, hoping to score another fall over Mr. Canada this evening.
Toyama would rush forward with a running palm strike - but Vezina would duck the hold, kick Toyama in the gut, and take him to the mat with a bulldog! Vezina would then transition this to trap Toyama in a brutal chickenwing over-the-shoulder crossface, ultimately forcing the submission and sending the Punch Line into the next round, much to the delight of the crowd and in spectacular comeback fashion! The Punch Line would end the show by waving the Canadian flag as they mounted the turnbuckles much to the delight of the crowd.
RESULTS
BOLD WARRIOR INVASION ~ SEKAI Trios Cup - Day 1
Date: 10/22/2024
Location: Sturgeon Park Civic Center, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Attendance: 4,000 fans
1. Quarterfinals: AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and Devlin Masters defeat David Troy, Ryan Samuels, and Orville Newton (12:09) via pinfall after Masters uses a Tornado DDT on Newton.
2. Quarterfinals:Takeda Izumi, Akira Nakamura, and Shinzo Takamori defeat Alexander Irvine, Jimmy Winner, and Earth Warrior (14:20) via submission when Nakamura uses the Kappa Lock on Winner.
3. Quarterfinals: ZENKI, Kenzo Hirata, and Shigeru Toyama defeat Roy Vezina, Harv Norris, and Rick Hull (18:59) via submission when Toyama uses the Starboy Special II on Vezina.
4. Quarterfinals: El Refresco IV, Il Ladro, and Dark Feather II defeat Tiger Mask Red, Nizbel, and Azalo (16:17) via submission when Il Ladro uses a rear naked chokehold on Nizbel.
5. Winner's Bracket: Takeda Izumi, Akira Nakamura, and Shinzo Takamori defeat AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and Devlin Masters (15:52) via pinfall when Takamori uses a German suplex hold on Masters.
6. Winner's Bracket: El Refresco IV, Il Ladro, and Dark Feather II defeat ZENKI, Kenzo Hirata, and Shigeru Toyama (20:12) via pinfall after El Refresco IV uses the Caffeinator on Toyama.
7. Elimination Bracket: David Troy, Ryan Samuels, and Orville Newton defeat Alexander Irvine, Jimmy Winner, and Earth Warrior (15:04) via pinfall after Troy uses the Rough Divide on Winner.
8. Elimination Bracket: Roy Vezina, Harv Norris, and Rick Hull defeat Tiger Mask Red, Nizbel, and Azalo (19:33) via pinfall when Hull uses an inside cradle on Azalo.
9. Decider Bracket: David Troy, Ryan Samuels, and Orville Newton defeat AJ Knight, Eiichiro Yamazaki, and Devlin Masters (17:45) via submission when Samuels uses an Argentine backbreaker on Masters.
10. Decider Bracket: Roy Vezina, Harv Norris, and Rick Hull defeat ZENKI, Kenzo Hirata, and Shigeru Toyama (26:29) via submission when Vezina uses a chickenwing over-the-shoulder crossface on Toyama.
PREVIEW
With Day 1 of the tournament in the books, we learned more about the card for Day 2 and it is certain not to disappoint!
- The card will begin with the two semifinal matches and will end with the grand final of the Trios Cup. Remember that the final match will be fought under elimination tag rules, meaning that every man on the team will have to get pinned so there will be no excuses!
- Several MAX-J ambassadors such as Thunder Mask, METAL HERO, and Rhythm Saitoh arrived in Canada today and will participate on the card. A match that has quite a bit of attention is the former World Jr. Tag champions in METAL HERO and Earth Warrior reuniting to take on the Demon Brigade in what should be an epic showdown.
- And speaking of epic showdowns, just before the main event we will see a "J1 REUNION" match where the four J1 SUMMIT 2024 semifinalists be placed into a tag team competition. ZENKI, the winner, will be forced to team with the man who finished in 4th place, Alexander Irvine, in what is sure to be a pairing that will result in tension. The runner-up, Tiger Mask Red, will pair with the 3rd place finisher in AJ Knight. Because both men lost to Demon Lord ZENKI in the tournament, we're sure that they'll be amped up for revenge. Of course, it was Alexander Irvine who lost to both Tiger Mask Red and AJ Knight, and if we know anything about the Unnatural, it's that vengeance might just be enough for him work things out with ZENKI for one night only...
Plus, don't forget that the AJSWC has promised a major announcement! You won't want to miss tomorrow night!
BOLD WARRIOR INVASION ~ SEKAI Trios Cup - Day 2
Date: 10/22/2024
Location: Sturgeon Park Civic Center, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Date: 10/22/2024
Location: Sturgeon Park Civic Center, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
1. Semifinals: Takeda Izumi, Akira Nakamura, and Shinzo Takamori vs. David Troy, Ryan Samuels, and Orville Newton&
2. Semifinals: El Refresco IV, Il Ladro, and Dark Feather II vs. Roy Vezina, Harv Norris, and Rick Hull
3. Thunder Mask and Jimmy Winner vs. Eiichiro Yamazaki and Rhythm Saitoh
4. SANGRE vs. Devlin Masters
5. METAL HERO and Earth Warrior vs. Kenzo Hirata and Shigeru Toyama
6. J1 REUNION TAG MATCH: Tiger Mask Red and AJ Knight vs. ZENKI and Alexander Irvine
7. Grand Final - Six-man Elimination Tag: Winner of Match #1 vs. Winner of Match #2