DDT - BLACK OUT presents KING OF DDT 2017 FINAL ROUND (6/25/2017)

2. KING OF DDT 2017 - Semi-Final: HARASHIMA vs. Shigehiro Irie

If only I had caught this live! It was worked in such a way that the match ending in just 2 minutes would have been totally unexpected. Irie immediately storms to the back, really selling the defeat. 

***3/4

3. KING OF DDT 2017 - Semi-Final: Akito vs. Tetsuya Endo

Akito picks apart the leg like only he can, with clever offense and counterwork. I don't recall Endo doing much of anything.

***

4. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship: vs. NωA (Makoto Oishi, Shunma Katsumata & MAO) (c) vs. Shuten-doji (KUDO, Yukio Sakaguchi & Masahiro Takanashi) 

Very fun trios spotfest. Makoto takes this crazy spot where he gets diving double knees from KUDO into a powerbomb from Masahiro.

***

6. DAMNATION (Daisuke Sasaki & Mad Paulie) vs. Kaz Hayashi & Keisuke Ishii

***

7. ALL OUT (Konosuke Takeshita & Diego) vs. Mike Bailey & Kazusada Higuchi

Bailey was a massive dickhead here. He KOs Diego at the start and taunts Takeshita with his partner's limp body. This was heated and did its job in getting me excited for the upcoming Takeshita/Bailey match.

****

8. KING OF DDT 2017 - Final: HARASHIMA vs. Tetsuya Endo

HARASHIMA gives Endo an aggressive workover, targeting the taped legs with kicks and flashing his sinister smile when he gets the upperhand. Endo has been working underneath the entire tournament, and he's selling good and makes a hard-fought and intense comeback. The Spanish Fly that won Endo his previous matches gets kicked out of in a nice bit of continuity. Simple, but great match.

****

Hikaru Shida vs. Rina Yamashita (WAVE, 5/3/2016)

WAVE - Catch THE WAVE 2016 ~ Scramble (5/3/2016)

Catch THE WAVE African Violet Block: Hikaru Shida vs. Rina Yamashita

Shida was feuding with DAIJO around this time, and this match plays into that with her heeling it up, shoving Sawako Shimono at ringside. Yamashita's back is wrecked with backbreakers, and a stretch muffler that is applied in a way that adds pressure on the worked over abdomen. Genius stuff. Yamashita's Rainmaker comeback sequence was topnotch.

***3/4

Ikuto Hidaka & Minoru Fujita vs. Yapper Man #3 & Yapper Man #4 (Ryota Hama) (Michinoku Pro, 6/18/2017)

Michinoku Pro - Tokyo Conference 2017 Vol. 3 Muno Taiyo Festival 3 ~ Itan Jasetsu ~ (6/18/2017)

MPW Tohoku Tag Team Championship / UWA World Tag Team Championship: Ikuto Hidaka & Minoru Fujita (c) vs. Yapper Man #3 & Yapper Man #4 (Ryota Hama) 

Yapper Man #3 is what drew me to checking out this match.. I couldn't resist her yaeba, they remind me of someone I hold dear. Hama is revealed as the secret Yapper Man #4 and his strength is exaggerated since he's a super heavyweight wrestling for a junior title. Hidaka & Fujita choose to take out their frustrations with this unfair booking on #3, heeling it up like pricks. Fun match.

***

Aoi Kizuki vs. Ryo Mizunami (WAVE, 4/10/2016)

WAVE - P-Tech Presents "CATCH THE WAVE 2016 ~ Opening Battle ~" (4/10/2016)

Catch THE WAVE Chrome Yellow Block: Aoi Kizuki vs. Ryo Mizunami

This was a fun sprint that went just under 3 minutes. Mizunami unleashes her crazy lariats, but Kizuki has a couple of tricks up her sleeve.

***1/2

Kaori Yoneyama vs. Rina Yamashita (WAVE, 4/10/2016)

WAVE - P-Tech Presents "CATCH THE WAVE 2016 ~ Opening Battle ~" (4/10/2016)

Catch THE WAVE African Violet Block: Kaori Yoneyama vs. Rina Yamashita

Yoneyama is at her best when she's working fast pace, IMO. I liked the strike exchanges she has here, and how she finds any opportunity to hit her  little running knee strike. The ending felt abrupt, but I guess the idea is that Yamashita overexerted herself with the headbutt, allowing Yoneyama to take advantage with the Yone-Zou. Good match.

***1/4

DDT - KING OF DDT 2017 2nd ROUND (6/4/2017)

4. KING OF DDT 2017 2nd ROUND: Akito vs. Masahiro Takanashi

Masahiro ambushes Akito dressed up as a fan, and a bunch of fun ensues, with meticulous counterwork and move applications. Akito using a shoe to anchor himself as Masahiro's tried to hit his finisher was neat.

**3/4

5. KING OF DDT 2017 2nd ROUND: KUDO vs. Tetsuya Endo

These guys were beating the shit out of each other; KUDO has bruises and Endo has a bloodied lip that suited his gimmick well. Endo wins with another Spanish Fly so that'll be the move to look out for in the final portion of the tournament.

***1/4

6. KING OF DDT 2017 2nd ROUND: HARASHIMA vs. Yukio Sakaguchi

Sakaguchi has that rugged bumping style that MMA guys have and it made HARASHIMA's moves look killer, and HARASHIMA winning with a sleeper hold is interesting. Great hard-hitting match.

***1/4

7. KING OF DDT 2017 2nd ROUND: Keisuke Ishii vs. Shigehiro Irie

Two former stablemates going all out with fast pacing and high-impact offense. The raw emotion in the finish was moving stuff.

***3/4

Aoi Kizuki vs. Meiko Tanaka (WAVE, 5/17/2016)

WAVE - Young Oh! Oh! 29 (5/17/2016)

Catch THE WAVE Chrome Yellow Block: Aoi Kizuki vs. Meiko Tanaka

Aoi Kizuki's work on top included biting and bashing Tanaka's face into turnbuckles from top to bottom, and a nice backwork session. She is also having to frequently pull out wedgies which made this 15-minute draw all the more engaging. Tanaka reminds me of a younger Ryo Mizunami. I miss her.

***1/4

Hiroe Nagahama vs. Sareee (WAVE, 5/17/2016)

WAVE - Young OH! OH! Vol. 29 (5/17/2016)

Catch THE WAVE Italian Red Block: Hiroe Nagahama vs. Sareee

This was an explosive battle between joshi youth; lots of raw emotion, hard elbow strikes and dropkicks. Nagahama applies that single leg boston crab that almost beat Ozaki, and the similar struggle here is a nice bit of continuity.

***3/4

Stardom - Galaxy Stars 2017 (6/21/2017)

1. Starlight Kid vs Hetzza

Hilarious match.

2. Queen's Quest (HZK & AZM) vs. Shanna & Gabby Slays

DUD

3. Yoko Bito, Hiromi Mimura & Konami vs. Team Jungle (Kaori Yoneyama & Tora Natsuko) & Rebel 

A fun trios match for Bito's return; dig the new attire. The Bito-Tora finishing sequence was great, they train closely together so they have a good chemistry.

**1/2

4. Goddesses of Stardom Championship: Team Jungle (Hiroyo Matsumoto & Jungle Kyona) (c) vs. Oedo Tai (Kagetsu & Hana Kimura)

This match felt chaotic, and not in a good way. There wasn't a real sense of flow and there was awkwardness at times. I love the decision to put the belts on Kagetsu & Hana-chan, though.

**1/4

5. World of Stardom Championship: Io Shirai (c) vs. Mayu Iwatani

This was a great match, but never reached that next level due to Io's selective selling of the neck. There are moments where she collapses due to her bad neck, followed by moments where she's jumping around, throwing German suplexes without so much as wincing. I thought it made the match less compelling, and Mayu's big moment didn't feel as grand because of it. But, there is a lot to be enjoyed here, like Mayu's tombstone! I hope she adopts it in tribute to Io.

***1/2