Top 40 Matches of 2019

As I stated at the start of my Year End Awards, which can be found here, 2019 has been a year of discovery for me. It has reaffirmed my opinion that if you’re unhappy or frustrated with the current promotion you’re watching. Then explore the plethora of fantastic promotions that are easily accessible all over the world. While it can feel like a daunting task, there is community out there who want to share their love for a promotion and encourage others to share in that experience.

The only downside is it makes creating a “Top Matches” list incredibly difficult. Over the course of the year, this list has gone from a Top 20 to a Top 30 and now a Top 40. Even with this extended list, narrowing the field down to 40 has resulted in some excellent matches not making the cut.

Therefore, let’s kick this off with the honourable mentions.

Honourable Mentions

• IWGP Jr Heavyweight Title Match: Dragon Lee vs Will Ospreay – NJPW Dominion
• IWGP Jr Heavyweight Tag Title Match: LIJ vs Suzuki-Gun – New Beginning in Sapporo (Night 2)
• IWGP Intercontinental Title Match: Tetsuya Naito vs Kota Ibushi – G1 Supercard
• NXT UK Tag Team Title Match: Moustache Mountain vs Grizzled Young Veterans – NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool
• IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Kazuchika Okada vs Jay White – G1 Supercard
• WWE Title Match: Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston – WrestleMania 35
• Tomohiro Ishii vs Yoshi-Hashi – New Japan Cup (Night 9)
• GHC Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Daisuke Harada vs Minoru Tanaka – Great Voyage in Yokohama
• NXT Tag Team Title Match: Undisputed Era vs War Raiders – NXT Takeover: Phoenix
• Kazuchika Okada vs Michael Elgin – New Japan Cup (Night 2)
• Tetsuya Naito vs Kota Ibushi – New Japan Cup (Night 3)         
• Tomohiro Ishii vs Jon Moxley – G1 Climax 29 (Night 6)
• World of Stardom Title Match: Kagetsu vs Bea Priestley – Golden Week Stars
• Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shota Umino – New Japan Cup (Night 3)
• IWGP Jr Heavyweight Title Match: Dragon Lee vs Taiji Ishimori – Wrestling Dontaku (Night 1)
• Kagetsu vs Konami – Konami’s Homecoming
• Open the Dream Gate Title Match: PAC vs Ben-K – Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival
• Kagetsu vs Tam Nakano – Cinderella Tournament
• Jay White vs Tetsuya Naito – G1 Climax 29 (Night 18)
• Goddesses of Stardom Title Match: Queen’s Quest (Watanabe/Hayashishita) vs Tokyo Cyber Squad (Kyona/Konami) – Big Summer in Nagoya
• World of Stardom Title Match: Bea Priestley vs Mayu Iwatani – Best of Goddess
• GHC Heavyweight Title Match: Kaito Kiyomiya vs Naomichi Marufuji – Great Great Voyage in Yokohama
• Jay White vs Will Ospreay – NJPW 47^th Anniversary Show

On to the main event, so to speak. From 40 to 21, this will simply be a list of the matches otherwise it could become a very long read. As we enter the Top 20, I’ll provide a brief overview of the match and why it’s positioned where it is.

The Top 40

40. Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi – G1 Climax 29 (Night 1)

39. Yuji Okabayashi vs Zeus – Champion Carnival (Night 13)

38. IWGP Jr Heavyweight Tag Title Match: LIJ vs Roppongi 3K – Road to Wrestling Dontaku (Night 9)

37. Suwama vs Naoya Nomura – Champion Carnival (Night 17)

36. Kazuchika Okada vs Will Ospreay – G1 Climax 29 (Night 7)

35. IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Kenny Omega vs Hiroshi Tanahashi – Wrestle Kingdom 13

34. Cody vs Dustin Rhodes – Double or Nothing

33. Go Shiozaki vs Naomichi Marufuji – N-1 Victory (Night 4)

32. Yuji Okabayashi vs Dylan James – Champion Carnival (Night 12)

31. Shingo Takagi vs SHO – BOSJ 26 (Night 1)

30. Wonder of Stardom Title Match: Momo Watanabe vs Tam Nakano – Stardom 8^th Anniversary Show

29. Jay White vs Kota Ibushi – G1 Climax 29 Final

28. IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Kazuchika Okada vs SANADA – King of Pro Wrestling

27. Wrestle-1 Championship Match: T-Hawk vs Jiro Ikemen – Wrestle Wars

26. DDT Extreme Title IPPON Fluorescent Lighttube Death Match: Akito vs ASUKA – Peter Pan

25. Minoru Suzuki vs Josh Barnett – Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport

24. AJPW World Tag Team Title Match: Violent Giants vs Strong BJ – Dream Power Series (Night 6)

23. Tomohiro Ishii vs Shingo Takagi – G1 Climax 29 (Night 16)

22.GHC Heavyweight Title Match: Kaito Kiyomiya vs Kenoh – NOAH The BestMichael

21. Elgin vs Daisuke Sekimoto – BJW (24/08/19)

20. Wonder of Stardom Title Match: Arisa Hoshiki vs Jungle Kyona – Stardom X Stardom

Two of Stardom’s best fighting over the workhorse title was bound to produce a memorable encounter. This is the story of a striker in Hoshiki against the power of Kyona. Early on, Kyona attempts to nullify Hoshiki’s strikes by targeting her legs before transitioning into her power game. Arisa is at her best when using her babyface fire to overcome the odds and fight from behind, with this match being a prime example of that. It creates a closing stretch full of drama, emotion and excellent wrestling.

19. GHC Tag Team Title Match: AXIZ vs The Tough – NOAH The Best

While I named the Violent Giants as my tag team of the year, AXIZ are without a doubt my favourite active team. The chemistry and shared charisma comes from their combined experience to create a magic that only the best teams share. On the other end of the spectrum you have a young and hungry team in The Tough. One that is desperate to prove themselves in the new generation NOAH is building. The more experienced veterans isolate and pick apart the young and inexperienced Inamura. In a star making performance, Inamura shows tremendous heart to withstand this attack and make the tag. Kitamiya comes flying in with an infectious energy that has you rooting for them to pull off the improbable. A perfect example of how to make a new star even in a loosing effort executed to a high standard.

18. AAA World Tag Team Title Match: The Young Bucks vs The Lucha Bros – Double or Nothing

An unrelenting thrill ride of a match from two teams known for their break neck offence. The energy in this match is off the charts and manages to build as the action unfolds. I’ve seen some claim this is just a spot fest. But there are times where I enjoy sitting back and strapping myself in for the pure adrenaline rush these types of matches provide. They grip you in such a way that you can’t take your eyes off the action for a split second. Everything is very crisp and smooth as you would expect from two teams that are at the top of their game right now. Throw in some nice innovative spots and it’s a match that provides a thrill every time you watch it.

17. GHC Heavyweight Title Match: Kaito Kiyomiya vs Kenoh – Navigation For The Future (Night 1)

Kaito vs Kenoh has the potential to be a rivalry that is spoken about for generations to come. On the surface, it’s the story of the older brother (Kenoh) being jealous of his younger brother’s success (Kaito) and the attention it has brought him. So, when Kaito won the GHC Heavyweight title in December of 2018, the first challenger had to be Kenoh. Kenoh has the ability to bring out a fire in Kaito that was very rare to see at the time. This match is no exception as the more experienced Kenoh is able to take the advantage early. Each attempt Kaito makes at a comeback is countered by Kenoh who clearly knows his opponent well. It’s this one idea that is gradually built upon as each of Kaito’s attacks start to become more successful. The Korakuen crowd comes along with him as the young underdog champion starts to assert himself. When the dust settles, Kaito has grown from the experience.

16. NXT UK Title Match: Pete Dunne vs WALTER – NXT Takeover: New York

I adore the pacing this match brought to the table. In a world where we can become consumed by the break neck pace of modern wrestling. Dunne and WALTER slowed it down to beautifully blend strong style with a classic British World of Sports edge. WALTER was built as a monster coming in against a champion who genuinely felt unbeatable. It’s that sense of unbeatability which keeps Dunne in the match, fighting to save his championship reign. This match would be ranked higher if not for the odd moments where it felt as though they tried too hard to make the match feel “epic”. Which caused some disconnect for me in what was otherwise an excellent match.

15. NXT North American Title Match: Ricochet vs Johnny Gargano – NXT Takeover: Phoenix 

A match that has seemingly become lost in the shuffle during a year jam packed with top tier matches. As with The Young Bucks vs The Lucha Bros, we’re treated to an action-packed thrill ride from two of the best on the planet. It has the feel of an “indie” match but without loosing the storytelling element that NXT does well. The story itself is a simple one, anything you can do I can do better. It’s the fact that an already established star in Gargano feels the need to prove himself which adds a nice layer. As you’d expect from these two, the action is crisp and smooth with neither missing a beat. Gargano adding a sprinkle of heelish tactics helps to keep the match fresh as well. Honestly, go back and rewatch this one as it will be better than you remember.

14. AJPW Triple Crown Title Match: Kento Miyahara vs Jake Lee – Raising An Army Memorial Series (Night 6)  

Kento Miyahara vs Jake Lee was one of my favourite feuds of 2019. These two have a long and storied history dating back to their days as partners in NEXTREAM. Jake can often, and rightly, be criticised for showing little to no emotion during matches. The one exception to this is when he’s standing across the ring from Kento. Both men had traded victories in big match situations with Kento taking the first in the Champion Carnival Final and Jake returning the favour in the final of the Odo Tournament. That victory gave him the right to face Kento as a legitimate threat to his historic reign. You can feel the animosity both have for the other as the match quickly descends into a gritty brawl. When the action finally returns to the ring the match starts to settle down. It’s this fact which knocks this match down a few places for me. The second half is far from bad especially when the closing stretch is so strong and has you believing Jake can do the impossible. But the shift in tone creates a level of disconnect that can be hard to shake. Still a wonderful effort however, not quite on the level needed to make it higher up the list.

13. NXT UK Title Match: Tyler Bate vs WALTER – NXT UK Takeover: Cardiff

Another match on this list that had a distinct style and feel to it than what has become the norm for NXT. It’s David vs Goliath with elements the Kings Road and British strong styles mixed in there as well. WALTER’s dominating presence is a near perfect counterpart for Bate’s great underdog fire to create arguably NXT’s finest match. So why is it placed lower than I’m sure some would expect? Well there are two issues that set it back for me. First, it felt as though it went long just for the sake of bragging rights and forcing the issue to make it feel “epic”. Second, at a certain point there is only so much a wrestler can come back from before it loses its effectiveness. It was overused to the point of nausea which took me completely out of the match at times. 

12. Go Shiozaki vs Katsuhiko Nakajima – Staring Over (Night 7)

The AXIZ team mates both celebrated their 15^th year in wrestling in 2019 with this match marking the special occasion. Before the opening bell sounds, the tone of this match is set. Both men exchange strikes before shaking hands and heading back to their respective corner. This is a match built on mutual respect and the thrill of competition. Yes, these men are friends but neither holds anything back out of respect for the others abilities. You get an insight as to why they are so successful as team as it’s this competitiveness that lifts them above their opponents. The opening is a masterclass is pure striking before gradually transitioning into both men unloading huge shots in an attempt to finish the other. It honestly pains me to leave this out of the top 10.   

11. World of Stardom Title Match: Mayu Iwatani vs Kagetsu – Year End Climax

Mayu and Kagetsu have engaged in many wars during their time in Stardom. These two heated rivals are the definition of icons. Once again, they delivered a compelling match that encapsulated their feud perfectly. From the onset it’s clear just how well these two know each other and the underlying respect they have. A slow start quickly heats up with Kagetsu gaining the upper hand by stopping an incoming dive from Mayu. This leads to a brawl on the outside where Kagetsu asserts her dominance culminating in Kagetsu diving off the wall with a double foot stomp to Mayu. From here, the match settles down as Kagetsu starts to brutalise Mayu by targeting her injured ribs with strikes and submissions. Each comeback attempt by Mayu is met with a counter which sends her back down to the mat.

Eventually, Mayu is able to dig deep enough to sustain some offense as we enter the closing stretch of the match. Here the pace quickens again with each sequence building on the last bringing the Korakuen crowd with them. It’s an example of what makes Stardom so special and why they’re able to produce the finest women’s wrestling in the world.   

10. KO-D Openweight Title Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs Tetsuya Endo – Peter Pan

My introduction to both men and what an introduction it was. If your preconception of DDT is that of a promotion based around whacky comedy matches. Then this is the match to not only challenge but change this view. DDT has a tremendous pool of highly talented wrestlers with Takeshita and Endo being the companies best. It’s an interesting tale of a babyface both dominating a heel while going to such extremes to target his opponent’s weakness, that you can’t help but feel for the heel. Takeshita attacks Endo’s back with such reckless disregard that you can’t help but start to cheer for Endo. The pacing is excellent with each innovative spot building the tension and drama which then feeds into the story being told. Simply a fantastic match that is a must see.

9. AJPW Triple Crown Title Match: Kento Miyahara vs Naoya Nomura – Dream Power Series (Night 6)

This was unquestionably a star making breakout performance from Nomura that All Japan desperately needed from him. AJPW is still a company rebuilding its image after a long history of talent walkouts and front office disputes. They have the biggest piece of the puzzle in place with their Ace in Kento Miyahara. However, there has been a distinct lack of young competitors close to Kento’s level. That was until Nomura broke away from NEXTREAM and finally challenged Kento (I wrote an in-depth piece on the importance of this match here). Nomura plays the role of hungry young kid wanting to prove himself to perfection. The pure underdog babyface fire he displays has you rooting for him to do the impossible. Kento goes from being slightly cocky and dismissive of Nomura’s challenge to realising he’s going to have to bring his best if he wants to retain the Triple Crown. It’s a prime example of how to create a new star even in defeat. Nomura was no longer the young boy with great potential living in Kento’s shadow. But a legitimate threat to one of the best wrestlers on the planet.

8. NEXTREAM (Kento Miyahara/Yuma Aoyagi) vs Jake Lee/Naoya Nomura – Real World Tag League (Night 19)

The multitude of stories being told in this match serves as the perfect foundation to build a match upon. Both Jake and Naoya have a score to settle with Kento after their failed challenges for the Triple Crown earlier in the year. Jake especially has a grunge against Kento with the tension between the two being palpable. Then there is the animosity between Naoya and Yuma. The two were former tag team partners and were the All Asia Tag Team Champions when Naoya left NEXTREAM. Which resulted in the titles being vacated through no fault of Yuma’s. Then there is Yuma himself and his dynamic with Kento. Throughout the course of the tournament, Kento had been the overly protective big brother to Yuma. Despite the fact Yuma had numerous impressive performances. This adds to an additional layer with Yuma still trying to prove himself to big brother.

The action starts at a slower pace with Kento and Jake laying into one another. Naoya and Yuma are soon tagged in and the action starts to pick up. Most noticeably when Yuma attacks Jake on the ring apron followed by mocking his signature bow. This lights a fire within Jake and from that point the action comes at you at a breakneck pace. All four men raise their game to produce one of the finest tag matches of 2019. The end comes with a finish that feeds into the Kento/Jake rivalry along with teasing future storylines.

7. Wonder of Stardom Title Match: Arisa Hoshiki vs Tam Nakano – Shining Destiny

Arisa’s return to Stardom and inclusion into STARS was well received by her fellow stable mates. With one exception: Tam Nakano. Tam’s weariness towards Arisa gradually turned to animosity as Arisa skyrocketed to success, gaining praise and attention in the process. Both women are similar in many ways which led to Tam worrying about her place within STARS. It’s a story that was beautifully told in the background but noticeable enough to make you stop and think. Tam’s cold nature led to Arisa asking to defender her Wonder of Stardom championship against Tam. In the hope of understanding more about her.

The match itself plays beautifully into this story while also building upon it to set up one of my favourite relationships of 2019. It starts with a slow pace as both are feeling the other out while not wanting to make the first mistake. Tam attempts to take away Arisa’s best weapon by grounding her with a series of leg-based submissions. Again, Arisa is at her best when having to fight from under neither. This match is no exception as shows tremendous heart to fight back. Both women are great strikes which leads to hard hitting end to one of my all-time favourite Stardom matches.

6. Open the Twin Gate Title Match: Tribe Vanguard vs R.E.D vs Ishida/Doi – Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival  

Quite possibly one of the best examples of what makes Dragon Gate so great. Close to 28 minutes of balls to the wall action filled with innovate spots, memorable moments and great stories. Three-way tag matches can be so difficult to pull off successfully. They can have a tendency to become too cluttered or feature long periods of inactivity from a certain team. This is far from the case here as the pacing is spot on. Yes, the action comes at you non-stop but you’re never overwhelmed by it. Each moment is given enough time to breathe before the action builds to another breath-taking moment.

I could write more but, in all honesty, this is one of those matches that you have to watch with your own eyes to fully appreciate.

5. BJW World Strong Heavyweight Title Match: Yuji Okabayashi vs Takuya Nomura – Osaka Surprise 42

The one match I’ve rewatched the most over the course of last year. Okabayashi grabbed my attention with his incredible run in the Champion Carnival. So, when I heard the buzz surrounding this match, I had to check it out. It’s the story of the young lion in Nomura challenging the old guard in Okabayashi. What ensues is the closets I’ve personally come to witnessing that classic King’s Road style in a modern day promotion. Stiff strikes, big power moves, strong grappling and buckets of heart are on display throughout. Nomura shows no fear in attacking his elder with stiff strikes and grappling. In fact, there are times where Nomura not only welcomes the receipt from Okabayashi but thrives from it. It’s this fighting spirit in face of an unrelenting attack that has you rooting for the young Nomura to dethrone his senior. Okabayashi plays his role perfectly as the varied attack of Nomura give him more than he bargained for. There is moment where you can tell it dawns on Okabayashi that he’ll need to bring his absolute best to defeat Nomura.  

As with the aforementioned Miyahara/Nomura match, this is a coming of age moment for Takuya. It proved that he was ready to take that next step and became a legitimate threat in the process. The post-match show of respect from Okabayashi speaks volumes. BJW have a young potential Ace on their hands with Takuya and I just hope they capitalise on this fact.   

4. GHC Heavyweight Title Match: Kaito Kiyomiya vs Takashi Sugiura – Global Jr Tag League (Night 7)

A match that built off their encounter in December of 2018 and really showed just how much Kaito had grown since then. In that December meeting, Sugiura dominated his very young challenger who many viewed as not having any chance of winning. Kaito shocked many that night to claim his first GHC Heavyweight Championship. Skip forward to of 2019 and this was no longer the scared boy who was overwhelmed by the moment. Kaito had grown my confident in his own abilities and as the face of NOAH’s new generation. This is reflected in the story of the match as the opening ten minutes are very even. Both men trade the momentum with neither truly able to gain the upper hand for long. It takes Sugiura flipping the switch to really start asserting his dominance. Which he does by viciously spearing Kaito offer the ring apron and into the guard rail. From that point the attack on Kaito’s back is unrelenting and sold to the point that you start to question if Kaito should carry on. This is backed by a brutal attack from Sugiura who reigns down stiff blows to the young champion.

Once again, we see the heart and passion of Kaito shine through here. Digging deep, he almost seems angry at the attack he’s endured. Returning the favour with one of the nastiest missile dropkicks I’ve ever seen. With the match now back to being even, both men start to unload huge bombs on the other. It’s these types of moments that really make NOAH special for me. When the dust settles the young champion has retained and learned another valuable lesson.

3. Tetsuya Naito vs Shingo Takagi – G1 Climax 29 (Night 14)   

Two long time friends, who went their separate ways, finally squaring off on one of the biggest stages in wrestling. The hype surrounding this match was very high and Shingo and Naito blew away all expectations. It has all the hallmarks of a classic G1 encounter. Intense action, a compelling story, memorable moments, a red hot crowd and a star making performance. For me, this way Shingo’s New Japan coming out party. It showed to those who hadn’t seen him in Dragon Gate why he received so much hype coming in. The pacing is excellent here as the momentum swings back and forth. Neither is able to get a firm advantage as they know each other so well. Naito sells his ass off to make every move from Shingo look that much more dangerous. Shingo never backed down bringing his best to push one of New Japan’s biggest stars to his absolute limit.

Realistically, the outcome was probably never really in doubt here. However, both men had you believing that either could win at any moment. Which was highlighted by Naito’s growing desperation to put Shingo away. The win really did mean that much to both men. A nearly flawless match that will undoubtedly go down as one of the best in G1 history.    

2. AJPW Triple Crown Title Match: Kento Miyahara vs Naoya Nomura – Summer Explosion Series (Night 13)

After his Triple Crown challenge in March, Nomura walked into the Champion Carnival with a lot of momentum. Determined to gain another shot at Kento, he put on an impressive performance throughout the tournament. He would barely fall short of making the Finals after falling to Jake Lee in a decision match that came ten minutes after a war with Suwama. While unsuccessful in the Champion Carnival, it gave Nomura a newfound confidence that he could beat the best All Japan has to offer. His confidence only grew after pinning Kento in tag team action to secure this Triple Crown challenge. All of which is reflected in the match that follows. Gone is the young boy trying to find himself and prove he belongs. In his place is a man who knows he can beat the Ace.

Kento plays the perfect foil with a cocky and at times arrogant response to Nomura’s confidence. Afterall, he had recently won his first Champion Carnival and surpassed Suwama for second most combined days as Triple Crown Champion. It’s the combination of Kento’s ego and Nomura’s self confidence that adds a different dynamic to their earlier encounter. Kento’s cockiness lights a fire within Nomura that has him close to beating Kento on numerous occasions. It takes an otherworldly effort from Kento to retain his championship.    

1 . Kento Miyahara vs Jake Lee – Champion Carnival Final

Since forming Sweeper in 2018, Jake Lee had been lost in his quest to prove he was Kento’s equal. The 2019 Champion Carnival changed that perception dramatically as he vanquished past demons to face his once close friend in the Final. Jake is desperate to prove himself while Kento is looking to add to his ever growing legacy. You can feel the animosity radiating off both men during their respective introductions. It’s that intensity which makes this match an absolute classic and my Match of the Year. Both men feed off of it while laying into one another without a care for the other’s wellbeing. Jake can often come off as to reserved in matches but here he has a fire that unleashes a side we rarely see. Each physical exchange feeds into the next as both Kento and Jake up the intensity.

The drama continues to build and build and build to a point where the next big move could easily end the fight. The energy this creates is palpable as both men push themselves past their limits with neither seemingly having the answer. It’s a spectacle that has the Korakuen crowd in a frenzy as every passing moment has you on the edge of your seat. Please take the time to hunt down this match and view it for yourselves. I promise that you won’t be disappointed.  

Year End Awards

2019 has been an incredible year of discovery for me as a wrestling fan. For the first time since my late teens, I’ve exploded a plethora of wrestling promotions. It has reaffirmed my love for this crazy sport, led to the discovery of incredible talent and promotions.

So why am I mentioning this at the start of an awards article? Simply put, I feel this is the first year I can adequately compile a comprehensive awards list. Yes, there are still promotions that I don’t watch or closely follow. So, there will still be some snubs due to the fact I simply haven’t watched said promotion/wrestler. However, this is no longer a list based purely on NJPW and NXT. It also encompasses AJPW, Pro-Wrestling NOAH, DDT, Stardom, BJW, Wrestle-1, AEW and BARASA.

With that out of the way, lets dive into 2019 Year End Awards.

Breakout Performer

Honourable mentions: Naoya Nomura, Kaito Kiyomiya, Arisa Hoshiki, Takuya Nomura, Mia Yim

Winner: Rhea Ripley

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To me, a breakout performer is someone who’s taken the leap from potential star to a household name that’s generated huge buzz within the wrestling community. No one has exemplified this characteristic more than Rhea Ripley has this year. Coming into 2019 as the NXT UK Women’s Champion, Rhea has already started to show breakout potential during a solid reign with the championship. This would only serve as an appetiser for what was to come. From participating in the first NXT UK Takeover to an entrant in the Royal Rumble to captaining the first women’s War Games match to the captain of Team NXT at Survivors Series, Rhea continued to out do herself while proving she belonged with the upper echelon in NXT. All of this culminated with one of the biggest title changes we saw all year when she dethroned Baszler to become NXT Women’s Champion. A huge vote of confidence from WWE which was earned through hard work. 2020 is going to be a special year for Rhea Ripley.

Tournament of the Year

Honourable mentions: G1 Climax – NJPW, 5 Star Grand Prix – Stardom, Real World Tag League – AJPW, Best of the Super Juniors – NJPW

Winner: Champion Carnival – AJPW

There are a number of key factors that go into making a great wrestling tournament. Firstly, you need strong matches throughout to maintain the excitement and retain people’s interest. Secondly, there has to be a multitude of deep and compelling stories permeating over the course of the tournament. Thirdly, cultivate new stars and build future stories/title challenges. Finally, have a sense of drama right down to the final day. The 2019 Champion Carnival delivered on all these points to create a tournament full of drama, star making performances and a handful of legitimate MOTY contenders. All of this came after a rather lukewarm reaction when the names of the participants were announced. Some fans felt there was a real lack of star power in this year’s tournament. While an argument could be made for that to be the case, it pushed the roster to step up and prove the doubters wrong. From an incredible MVP run from Okabayashi, Joel Redman getting over, Dylan James’ breakout performance against Okabayashi, Nomura’s desire to prove himself, the drama on the final night of block action, Jake Lee proving his doubters wrong and Kento’s first Champion Carnival win. We were treated to a month of wonderful wrestling that few companies where able to compete with.  

Show of the Year

Honourable mentions: Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival – Dragon Gate, NOAH the Best – Pro-Wrestling NOAH, Double or Nothing – AEW, Dream Power Series (Night 6) – AJPW, Big Summer in Tokyo – Stardom, King of Pro-Wrestling – NJPW, Ultimate Party – DDT, Wrestle Kingdom 13 – NJPW, All Out – AEW, Year End Climax – Stardom

Winner: Peter Pan – DDT

Peter Pan was my first real introduction to DDT and is a show I would highly recommend to anyone looking to dive into DDT for the first time. If your perception of DDT is that of a company based purely upon whacky comedy matches, then this show will help to disprove this misconception. Peter Pan showcases both the variety and depth that DDT has to offer. The card features Joshi, intergender, comedy, tag team and modern puro which provides excellent pacing. Six hours absolutely flies by with gems littered throughout the entire event. Big shows can have a tendency to be top heavy or feature filler that has no real build behind it. This is not the case with Peter Pan as every match serves a purpose and tells a compelling story which keeps you engaged in such a long show. Simply put, Peter Pan is one of the finest shows I’ve seen this decade let alone this year.

Promotion of the Year

Honourable mentions: AJPW, NJPW, NXT, DDT

Winner: Stardom

No other promotion has consistently produced high quality and entertaining shows like Stardom has in 2019. When Kairi and Io left, there were some who voiced concern for how Stardom would respond. Their answer was to push new faces to the forefront with captivating stories. Momo Watanabe, Utami Hayashishita, Hana Kamura and Konami were all established as major players in Stardom’s future. Add in established “veterans” (I put veterans in quotations as the oldest of the following names is 31) such as Mayu Iwatani, Jungle Kyona and Tam Nakano, big name acquisitions in Riho and Giulia, a deep pool of young talent/trainees and Stardom is set for the future. It also provides a deep roster full of entertaining characters who showcase a variety of styles. It’s this fact that helps Stardom to put out a product that is so entertaining to watch. The big title matches always deliver however, the undercard is just as enjoyable. Whether it’s faction warfare or young wrestlers trying to prove themselves, you’ll always find something that draw you into the show.

All of the above has been reflected in continued growth for Stardom. Audience attendance steadily trended upwards throughout the course of the year. Internationally, their presence was boosted by both the American Dream In The Big Apple and Mayu’s reign with the Women of Honour Championship. The major news this year was Bushiroad purchasing Stardom in October. The entertainment company helped New Japan raise to the height of success that we see today, with a similar aim for Stardom. Their Year End Climax show on Christmas Eve drew 1,334 fans to Korakuen Hall, one of the largest the promotion has seen. Certainly, one show is never an indicator of prolonged success. But it’s a very positive end to a highly successful year for Stardom.   

Tag Team of the Year

Honourable mentions: AXIZ, Lucha Bros, Roppongi 3K, LAX, Grizzled Young Vets, reDRagon, DREAM SHiNE

Winner: Violent Giants

2019 had plethora of fantastic tag team matches from a wide variety of promotions. This fact made my decision the toughest to decide on. Ultimately, the overall consistency the Violent Giants showed this year was too hard to ignore. They started off the year on a strong note with an intense rivalry with BJW’s Strong BJ. This produced two of the finest tag matches of the year with both teams trading the AJPW World Tag Team titles back and forth. Ultimately, the Violent Giants would prevail to kickstart a 168 day reign with the belts. This featured excellent title defences against The Bomber, The End and Lee/Nomura before loosing the titles to Zeus and Sai in another fantastic encounter. While their reign may have ended in September, it wouldn’t be the end of the accolades for Violent Giants. They would go on to win the Real World Tag League along with being name the Best Tag Team by Tokyo Sports.  

Female Wrestler of the Year

Honourable mentions: Momo Watanabe, Rhea Ripley, Io Shirai, Maya Yukihi, Tessa Blanchard, Kagetsu, Bea Priestley, Tam Nakano, Maki Itoh

Winner: Arisa Hoshiki   

Since making her return to Stardom in December 2018, Arisa has made an indelible impact on a very deep roster of established stars. In May, she dethroned Momo Watanabe for the Wonder of Stardom championship bringing an end to Momo’s 358 day reign as champion. To say Arisa had big shoes to fill after such a reign would be an understatement. Her first defence would come against Tam Nakano in a match that is a legitimate MOTY contender. This would set the tone for the rest of her run with the white belt. Defences against Jungle Kyona, Hazuki, Kagetsu and Konami would all produce high quality matches that are amongst the best Stardom has provided this year. Her character and personality would shine with the formation of DREAM SHiNE with Tam Nakano. This love/hate relationship would provide countless memorable moments as Arisa tried to win Tam’s approval. Despite this rocky relationship, the team would prove to be very successful with DREAM SHiNE winning the Goddesses of Stardom tournament. Not only would this provide another accolade for Arisa but also show how well rounded a performer she is. 

Male Wrestler of the Year

Honourable mentions: Yuji Okabayashi, Shingo Takagi, Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, Johnny Gargano, Kaito Kiyomiya, Go Shiozaki, Adam Cole

Winner: Kento Miyahara

AJPW’s Ace has solidified his place in the upper echelon of active wrestlers and made a compelling case for the best wrestler on the planet. Unquestionably the best big match wrestler today, he is able to produce magic with anyone he shares the ring with. There is no better example than Kento’s Triple Crown title defences. Each challenger has represented a different challenge each of which Kento has risen to the challenge. This excellence isn’t limited to singles competition as his run in the Real World Tag League with Yuma Aoyagi produced some of the best matches of the tournament. Such in ring success has been reflected in Kento’s personal accomplishments. These include winning his first Champion Carnival, passing Suwama for second most combined days as champion (behind only Mitsuharu Misawa), winning the Tokyo Sports Most Outstanding Performer award and being a finalist in the MVP voting. As we enter 2020, Kento also has the opportunity to break Toshiaki Kawada’s Triple Crown defence record which currently stands at 10. 2019 has been an extraordinary year for Kento and one that should be talked about for years to come.    

Only one question now remains, what is my match of the year? Well keep your eyes pealed as my Top 40 Matches of the Year will uploaded in the coming days.

All Japan’s Restructure

The biggest news coming out of All Japan’s Fan Appreciation show was the announcement that, as of October 10^th, Jun Akiyama would be stepping down as President of the company. Such news sent shockwaves through the fan base as All Japan has been plagued by boardroom instability since the Misawa exodus. This volatile environment has destroyed many of All Japan’s rebuilds. On the surface, Wednesday’s news felt like the continuation of this cycle.

Thankfully, this was not the case as the announcement signals a change within All Japan’s management structure. Akiyama will still be with the company in the form of the newly created GM position (a first for AJPW) with the Presidency being moved over to businessman Takeshi Fukuda. But what does this actually mean for All Japan moving forward? Well let’s take a look from both a wrestling and business stand point.

From a wrestling perspective, not a whole lot will change in terms of what you see in the ring. Since taking over as President in 2014, Akiyama has done a tremendous job in rebuilding a decimated roster. The newly created GM role will keep Akiyama close to the in ring product and the wrestlers involved. Booking, talent scouting and running of the dojo will remain under Akiyama’s control and ensures his vision for All Japan remains intact. With the untimely passing of Atsushi Aoki last month, Akiyama lost not only a personal friend but his right hand man. Aoki assisted with talent relations, running the wrestling side of the business and was the head trainer at the dojo. His passing placed more responsibility on Akiyama from a wrestling stand point, so now feels like the perfect time to alleviate the pressure of running the company on a daily basis.

But what does the transition to Fukuda mean from a business perceptive? This is a little harder to answer and we may not know the full extent of the change until October 10^th. With that said, Fukuda isn’t an outsider coming in to the promotion. Fukuda had been backing All Japan as an owner so he is familiar with the current product. This also means that he has an established working relationship with Akiyama. From the comments made during the press conference, Fukuda is happy with the direction and growth of All Japan. As a whole, All Japan’s houses are up with the addition of AJPW TV (All Japan’s streaming service) providing a steady revenue stream.

Therefore, Fukuda’s focus is to continue to help expand on the foundation that Akiyama has laid down. He states that there will be a heavy focus on retaining the current crop of talent. This suggests there’ll be no change to the current contract structure. A move that lead to further talent exits when Akiyama took over in 2014. If this holds true, then it will continue to add stability to All Japan and hopefully lead to more wrestlers signing permanent contracts. With New Japan’s continued raise, retaining talent is vital to the survival of All Japan and smaller promotions across Japan.

Personally, I’m cautiously optimistic with this announcement. I’m keen to learn more about business side of this restructure and how Fukuda plans to continue the finical growth. However, allowing Akiyama to focus purely on the wrestling side of the business can only be a positive. In the five years since taking control of All Japan, he’s taken them from being a laughing stock to forming a solid foundation. His vision has led to establishing Kento Miyahara as the Ace, developing young talent in Naoya Nomura and Yuma Aoyagi, investing in pre-existing talent such as Jake Lee, Zeus and Dylan James and bringing in talent such as Koji Iwamoto. Giving him the freedom to solely focus on this vision is an exciting prospect. Yes, the history of previous boardroom fights still hangs heavy over this announcement. However, this time we have a figure stepping forward into the spot light than a complete change in philosophy. This fact gives me hope that All Japan can break away from its previous cycle.      

Carny Life: 2019 Champion Carnival Preview

April marks the start of the most prestigious event in All Japan’s calendar, the Champion Carnival. Since 1973, this round robin tournament has served as a foundation for the year ahead. Not only does the winner earn a Triple Crown title match but it builds feuds, serves as a proving ground for young talent, tests faction loyalties, opens the door for “outsiders” to challenge for the Triple Crown and gives as an indication of the direction the company is heading in. The list of winners features some of the greatest names to ever step inside the squared circle. Giant Baba, Abdullah the Butcher, Jumbo Tsuruta, Stan Hansen, Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi, Vader, Keiji Mutoh, Minoru Suzuki, Yuji Nagata and Naomichi Marufuji (last year’s winner) have all had their hands raised in victory at the end of this gruelling tournament.

So how exactly does the Champion Carnival work? If you’re familiar with either New Japan’s G1 Climax or Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Global League, you’ll already know how such tournaments function. 18 of All Japan’s best heavyweights, and in recent year’s heavyweights from outside promotions, are split into two blocks (A and B). Each wrestler faces all of the wrestlers in their respective Block once. Two points are awarded for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a loss. Once all wrestlers have faced each other, the two wrestlers with the highest point total in their Block face each other in the Finals to determine the winner.

While this year’s tournament might be lacking some of the bigger names we saw last year (such as Naomichi Marufuji, Shingo Takagi, Yuji Hino, KAI and Jun Akiyama). The dynamic between the two blocks has created great intrigue with no clear cut winner in either. Let’s dive into each of the blocks and breakdown the participants.

A Block

A Block is absolutely stacked with talent and big names this year, especially when compared to B Block. On the surface, this looks to be the stronger block of the two with several credible tournament winners in there.

Kento Miyahara

The reigning Triple Crown Champion and undeniable Ace of All Japan is a heavy favourite to at least make the Finals. Coming off a Finals appearance last year and a successful third title defence against Naoya Nomura, a match I’d highly recommend, Miyahara is carrying a lot of momentum into this tournament. However, the road to the Finals will not be an easy one for the Ace. A Block features a combination of former Triple Crown champions, Aces of their respective companies and opponents who have beaten Miyahara for the Triple Crown. But it goes deeper than just the wrestlers Miyahara will face. Over the past couple of months, the Ace has been growing increasingly cocky. Having beaten the best All Japan has to offer, it’s easy to see why he’s grown complacent and arrogant in his abilities. But in this tournament environment such characteristics could be his undoing and lead to an upset win for one of the other participants.

Shuji Ishikawa

Ishikawa is a legend within the Japanese deathmatch scene. A former BJW World Strong Heavyweight and Deathmatch Heavyweight Champion, he defeated Joe Doering in the 2017 Champion Carnival Final. Ishikawa would use this momentum to dethrone Miyahara and capture his first Triple Crown championship on the 21^st of May. As with Miyahara, Ishikawa is carrying a lot of momentum into this tournament following a big win. On the same night that Miyahara defended his title against Nomura, Ishikawa and his tag team partner Suwama (known collective as Violent Giants) recaptured the World Tag Team Titles from Strong BJ. This win brought the titles back to All Japan after the invading Strong BJ (a BJW many stay) had wrestled them away from the company. For me, this makes Ishikawa a strong favourite to win A Block.

Zeus

A finalist in the 2016 tournament, last year was arguably Zeus’ best in All Japan as he shockingly defeated Miyahara for his first Triple Crown championship. He also finished last year’s Champion Carnival with eight points which was only two behind eventual tournament winner Naomichi Marufuji. While he might not be a favourite to win the block, having both he and Miyahara together provides a fascinating match up. Could Zeus do the unthinkable again and pin Miyahara to earn a future title shot? It’s certainly not outside the realm of possibility which makes their match a must see.

Kengo Mashimo

The Ace of the Kaientai Dojo is making his second Champion Carnival appearance. His first was in 2017, where he finished with a very strong eight points that was only one shy of the B Block and tournament winner Shuji Ishikawa. Mashimo is well travelled veteran who has spent time in AJPW, NJPW, BJW, DDT, Pro Wrestling Zero1 and brings a wealth of big match experience with him. Couple this experience with his hard hitting, submission based offence and you have the wild card of the tournament. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mashimo make a strong push for the Finals and could even see him winning the whole tournament. It would certainly provide a fresh and fascinating new challenger for Miyahara.

Yuji Okabayashi

Okabayashi is making his second Champion Carnival appearance but his first since 2012. The BJW main stay is known as a tag team specialist, along with Daisuke Sekimoto, as part of Strong BJ. As part of Strong BJ he is a former three time AJPW World Tag Team Champion, two time AJPW All Asia Tag Team Champion, three time BJW Tag Team Champion, KO-D Tag Team Champion in DDT and two time winner of the Tag Team of the Year Award from Tokyo Sports. While the majority of his success has come in the tag team ranks, Okabayashi is no stranger to singles success and brings a wealth of tag team tournament experience with him. I personally don’t see him as a major contender to take A Block but he won’t be an easy out either. A mid table finish feels about right for him with his match against Ishikawa being one to keep an eye on. As mentioned in Ishikawa’s breakdown, Violent Giants and Strong BJ have traded the World Tag Team Titles over the past few months. Which will make this a heated, hard hitting war that could be a sleeper for match of the tournament.

Dylan James

The 27 year old New Zealand native has been making great strides within All Japan. He made his Champion Carnival debut last year and finished with a very respectable six points (first timers don’t usually fare well in their maiden voyage). James has the look and ability to be the next top gaijin that All Japan loves to have in their main event picture. The fact he’s teaming with Joe Doering and learning from him speaks to All Japan’s future plans for him. If he was placed in B Block then he would be my sleeper pick to win the tournament. But given how stacked A Block is, I just don’t see him finishing above mid-table. The flip side to this the amount of invaluable experience James will gain from working with such incredible talent.

Yuma Aoyagi

The 23 year old Aoyagi is making his Champion Carnival debut in what will be his biggest test to date. As a member of the Nextream stable he’s found success amongst the tag team ranks, having won the All Asia Tag Team Titles twice with Naoya Nomura (before Nomura left to join Sweeper). The Champion Carnival has not been kind to those taking their first steps in the tournament. And with how stacked A Block is, it’s hard to imagine Aoyagi making a big impact in the standings. But as with James, this will serve as an invaluable learning experience as All Japan continue to push towards developing their own young talent.

Ryoji Sai

Making his fourth consecutive Champion Carnival appearance, Sai is an interesting choice for A Block. Known mainly for his work in Pro Wrestling Zero1, Sai’s best finish was in 2016 where he ended the tournament on eight points. Again, with how stacked A Block is it would make more sense for him to be in B Block to help even the sides out a little. As it stands though, it’s hard to see him passing the six point mark he’s held for the past two years.

Gianni Valletta

There’s no nice way of saying this so I’ll just come out and say it. Valletta is just here to eat pins against the bigger names in A Block. He debuted for All Japan in July of last year and has so far been used almost exclusively in under card multi-man tag matches. So while I don’t see him winning a match he will be gaining experience working with some incredible talent.

B Block

This year’s B Block can be viewed as the “Young Lions” block with a number of debuting wrestlers and young guys looking to make a name for themselves. While it might lack some of the big names we see in A Block, this creates a lot of uncertainty. On paper, guys like Suwama and Joe Doering might be the favourites to win the block but I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of these young guys pulling the upset.

Suwama

The former Ace of All Japan is a living legend who will go down as one of the best wrestlers in the history of Japanese wrestling. With a record breaking six reigns with the Triple Crown Championship, a four time (and current) World Tag Team Champion, a three time winner of World’s Strongest Tag Determination League (known in the West as Real World Tag League) and winner of the 2008 Champion Carnival (defeating none other than Hiroshi Tanahashi in the Finals) Suwama is a favourite to win B Block. Making his 14^th appearance in the Champion Carnival gives him the experience edge to say the least. Despite this wealth of experience Suwama isn’t my favourite to win B Block. In his 14 appearances, he has only won the tournament once. Then there’s the fact that he recently failed at challenging Miyahara on the 24^th of February in Yokohama. I doubt All Japan would go back to this match so soon after a loss. That said, I still expect a strong showing and solid placement at the end of the tournament.

Joe Doering

Doering is the longest tenured gaijin of the modern All Japan era. A two time Triple Crown Champion, four time World Tag Team Champion and a three time winner of the Real World Tag League, Doering is entering his ninth Champion Carnival. His best finish came in 2017 where he advanced to the Final before falling to Ishikawa. Given his experience and the field he’s facing, Doering is my pick to win the B Block. His last Triple Crown title reign came at the hands of Miyahara of the 25^th of March 2018. Since then he has been kept out of the Triple Crown title picture so this would provide a fresh match up for Miyahara (especially when compared to Suwama). There is also unfinished business between the two men which would make for a nice build towards the title match.

Jake Lee

I’m going to have to put a little bit of a disclaimer here as Jake is the guy I’m routing for to win this year’s Champion Carnival. This will probably come as a shock to some because in his previous two tournaments he’s failed to get above two points. So why do I feel the time is now to boost Jake into the spotlight? Because All Japan have been slowly building towards this match for the majority of the year. Originally, Nomura wasn’t alone in his challenge to Miyahara and the Triple Crown. Jake was also looking to stake his claim as the next challenger for Miyahara’s Triple Crown championship. However when the Violent Giants lost the World Tag Team titles to Strong BJ, Jake rescinded his challenge and elected to go after the World Tag Team titles in an attempt to bring them back to All Japan. But the story between Jake and Kento runs deeper than a rescinded challenge. Jake and Kento used to be stable mates in Nextream before Jake left to form Sweeper. He was recently able to tempt Nomura away from Nextream to further try and weaken Miyahara’s claim as the Ace. Miyahara himself referenced Jake and the Champion Carnival in his post-match after defeating Nomura at Korakuen Hall. Add in the fact that Jake is riding momentum into this tournament after winning the vacant All Asia Tag title and we could be headed for new face to emerge.

Naoya Nomura

Last year was Nomura’s first Champion Carnival appearance. While he ended the tournament on only four points he was one of the most consistent performers in throughout the tournament. Before his Triple Crown challenge on the 19^th of March most people would probably have placed him with a similar finish. However, his performance that night against Miyahara made him a star. He showed a fire and passion that we hadn’t seen before while taking the Ace to his absolute limit. This wasn’t the young emotionless kid trying to find his place. But a man giving it his all to prove himself and the show heart that had been missing from his earlier performances. With that one performance Nomura established himself as a force within the Triple Crown title picture. He might still be a bit of an underdog to win the tournament. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make the Finals.

Takashi Yoshida

Yoshida (also known as Cyber Kong) is making his first appearance in the Champion Carnival as Dragon Gate’s representative. While some might be disappointed with this choice, people wanted PAC, Yoshida still brings a lot of experience to the tournament. For me he is the most difficult entrant to predict which is why this breakdown is a little on the short side. As a veteran in a young field he could surprise a few people and be in the hunt until the end. Ultimately, I feel he finishes in the six point range.

Yoshi Tatsu

Another of the more experienced wrestlers in B Block, Yoshi Tatsu could use this to his advantage and ride it to a B Block win. Since joining All Japan in 2017 as a freelancer, Tatsu has flirted with the Triple Crown title scene. Having unsuccessfully challenged for the Triple Crown twice, a strong tournament performance could be just what he needs to regain some momentum. With such a young and inexperienced field in front of him, Tatsu is definitely someone to keep an eye on as the tournament progresses.

Daichi Hashimoto

The son of legendary wrestler Shinya Hashimoto, Daichi has been working hard to forge his own legacy. Even at the age of 26, he is a former BJW World Strong Heavyweight Champion and is making his second appearance in the Champion Carnival. His first appearance came in 2017 where he finished with four points. With a younger field around him and the growth he’s shown since 2017, I expect at least a six point finish from him. This could serve as a real breakout performance for Daichi and continue to help him grow.

Joel Redman

Redman is probably best known to most fans for his time in NXT from 2012 to 2014. During this time he would become one half of the inaugural NXT Tag Team Champions along with Neville. However, he would not find the same success as Neville and has mainly been working on the UK independent circuit since his release. This is not only Redman’s Champion Carnival debut but also his All Japan debut. At 32 years old he’s still young enough to have a decent run with the company. He has the size that All Japan usually aim for so a strong showing could open the door for him to become a regular. I doubt he’ll pick up many wins, if any, but solid efforts in defeat would go a long way to him securing a reoccurring role with All Japan.

Sam Adonis

As with Redman, Adonis is making both his Champion Carnival and All Japan debut. The brother of Corey Graves had brief stints in both FCW and TNA but is mainly known for his work on both the UK circuit and CMLL. At 6ft 4 and 250lbs he has the build that All Japan goes for in their heavyweight division. He is another guy that could open some eyes with a strong showing and create an opportunity for a return to All Japan. Again, I’m not sure if he will find great success in the standings. But a series of solid matches would serve as a solid foundation for him to build on.

So there we have it, the entire 18 man field that compiles the 2019 Champion Carnival. I find this year’s field to be fascinating. While there are favourites in both blocks, I feel there isn’t a clear cut winner this year. Kento Miyahara will be a favourite to win the A Block but there is so much talent and experience I could see him not making the Final. The same can be said for Doering in B Block. He might be the odds on favourite but he’s competing with very young and hungry talent who are out to prove themselves. If I was pushed to predict the Finals, it would have to be Kento Miyahara vs Joe Doering. But I would love to see Jake Lee vs Shuji Ishikawa with Jake winning it all. Not only would it continue All Japan’s push towards promoting younger talent but it would give Jake a big time win to establish him as a legitimate contender.

The 2019 Champion Carnival runs from the 4^th of April until the 29^th. To stay up to date with all of the action from the Champion Carnival, subscribe to www.ajpw.tv for 900 Yen a month. As with all Japanese streaming services, they charge at the start of the month and not the date you signed up. So wait until the 1^st of April to sign up so you’re not double charged

Kento Miyahara vs Naoya Nomura: A Catalyst for Change

Over the past 20 years, All Japan Pro Wrestling has been a company in turmoil. On the 31^st of January 1999, company founder and legendary wrestler/promoter Giant Baba passed away. Presidency of the company would fall to the Ace of All Japan, Mitsuharu Misawa and ownership to Baba’s wife Motoko Baba. This relationship would quickly turn sour leading to Misawa being ousted as the President and removed from the board of directors. The result of this would be Misawa leaving All Japan, along with the majority of All Japan’s talent, and forming his own promotion in Pro Wrestling NOAH. Unsurprisingly, this mass exodus crippled All Japan and set the tone for what was to come. Constant in fighting between board members, ownership changes, further talent exoduses, a failing dojo and overreliance on aging wrestlers would stifle any growth making the once great company a shell of its former self.

In the summer of 2014, a new hope would emerge for All Japan when Jun Akiyama, a main stay during the height of All Japan’s success in the 90’s, would be named as the new President. Akiyama would focus on building new talent with the focal point of this vision being Kento Miyahara. Through 2014 and 2015, Miyahara would slowly work his way up the ladder winning the All Asia Tag Team Titles, World Tag Team Titles, World’s Strongest Tag Determination League and forming his own stable (Nextream) in the process. Miyahara’s rise to the top of All Japan would be solidified on the 12^th of February when he would defeat Zeus for the vacant Triple Crown Championship, becoming the youngest to win the title in the process. This would serve as another pivotal moment in rebuilding All Japan back to relevancy as Miyahara would become the Ace they desperately needed.

Kento Miyahara wearing the original belts that made up the Triple Crown Championship

Despite finding their Ace and riding his momentum to running venues, they hadn’t step foot in for years. There was still something amiss with the product All Japan was presenting to audiences. Most notably, a lack of young and talented wrestlers to compete with Miyahara. While a younger core was present, they were far removed from being ready to legitimately challenge Miyahara. This dynamic shifted on the 24^th of February in Yokohama when Naoya Nomura confronted Miyahara and made his first challenge for the Triple Crown Championship. In a move that sent shock waves through All Japan, Nomura tried to drop Miyahara with the Maximum during the handshake. To fully explain why this moment caused such a shift, we must dive into Nomura’s past.

Nomura started his wrestling training towards the end of 2013 and was one of the few wrestlers to stay loyal to All Japan during the exodus which followed Keiji Mutoh’s exit from the company. In early 2014 he made his official debut but this first year would not be a smooth one as Nomura suffered an injury that required five months of recuperation. Undeterred by this set back, Nomura would return in October of 2014 and pick up his first win at New Year Wars 2015. This would come against his eventual tag partner, and fellow young boy, Yuma Aoyagi. By the end of the year Nomura would be offered, and accept, a place in the Evolution stable (after Miyahara had turned down the offer earlier in the night to form his own stable). Nomura’s time in Evolution would be short lived as he announced his exit in the summer of 2016 to forge his own path. Teaming with Aoyagi for the majority of this time the pair were offered a place in Miyahara’s Nextream stable, which they both accepted. As part of Nextream, Nomura enjoyed arguably his best success in his time with All Japan. Multiple reigns with the All Asia Tag Titles and a Champion Carnival win over former Triple Crown Champion Takao Omori would be topped by a strong performance in the 2018 Champion Carnival. Such success started to create friction between Miyahara and Nomura as the cracks started to show within the group. During this year’s New Year Wars tour both Nomura and former Nextream stablemate Jake Lee looked to challenge Miyahara for the Triple Crown. However, Lee’s attention would shift towards the World Tag Titles leaving the door open for Nomura’s challenge. In doing so Nomura not only vacated the All Asia Tag Tiles with Aoyagi but left Nextream to join Jake Lee’s side in Sweeper.

Nomura challenging Miyahara in Yokohama

And so this long and winding road brings us to the 19^th of March and the Dream Power Series in Korakuen Hall. Miyahara vs Nomura isn’t just a battle between mentor and student but one that could shape the future of All Japan. If it’s a success then it reaffirms Akiyama’s decision to patiently grow new talent and shift the focus on to them. It gives Miyahara a much needed fresh young face to feud with for years to come. It opens the door for more of this young core to take the next step and lead All Japan to greater heights. Miyahara and Lee are both 30, Nomura is 25, Aoyagi is 23 and the Ace of the Junior Division, Koji Iwamoto, is 28. Yes it is a small core but it is one that has incredible potential and is loyal to All Japan. It’s a foundation that you can build on as you continue to invest in developing more young talent. Ultimately, it can serve as a catalyst for sustained change within All Japan.

The road ahead will not be easy as the situation is far from perfect. There is still a reliance on aging talent, freelancers, a dojo system that still has major questions surrounding it and an increasingly competitive scene in Japan. Then you have potentially the most challenging battle, winning over the public. Many are sceptical after so many years of a promotion struggling to find itself. However, an exciting young core that constantly delivers and strives to get better will start to win people over and will ignite interest in the product.

For me, this is what Miyahara vs Nomura represents. It creates excitement and hope for what the future could bring. Both of which have been in short supply in recent years when it comes to All Japan.

To follow all of the exciting action that lies ahead, subscribe to All Japan’s streaming service AJPW TV using the link below:
https://www.ajpw.tv