The 33rd AJPW Champion's Carnival ~WHO IS A KING?!~

[Ringo]

http://nl.simg.jp/img/201304/174162.747b3e.jpg

Over the last few years I've generally made an effort to watch the Carnival even when I wasn't all that into All Japan or puro in general. Like the G1, I love the format and even though things have been pretty dire for All Japan at times over the last few years, the prestige linked to such a long running tournament featuring so many amazing moments remains. This year though, things are a bit more interesting than usual.

We have new and possibly crazy owners, we have a new isolationist talent policy, Akiyama and Go joining the party as permanent roster members which certainly helps matters. Akiyama looks like the clear favourite for Block B but perhaps Funaki will give him something to worry about. In 2011 he competed as a freelancer and came second in his group allowing Sanada to unexpectedly advance to the final. I would have liked to see them go at it again this year as they had a hell of a match but it's not to be. Block A is a little more intriguing - but if Akiyama makes the final I assume it'll be Suwama. Maybe not though. Let's see!


Block A:
- Suwama
- Takao Omori
- Seiya Sanada
- Masayuki Kono
- Ryota Hama
- Go Shiozaki

Block B:
- Masakatsu Funaki
- Akebono
- KENSO
- KAI
- Joe Doering
- Jun Akiyama

Results from Day 1:


AJPW "CHAMPION CARNIVAL 2013", 18.04.2013 (GAORA TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,800 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Masayuki Kono besiegt Hiroshi Yamato (5:31) nach dem Giant Kneedrop.
2. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Kotaro Suzuki & Atsushi Aoki besiegen Minoru Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & SUSHI (11:02) nach dem Endless Waltz von Suzuki gegen Tanaka.
3. Joe Doering, Shuji Kondo & Kaz Hayashi besiegen Akebono, Ryota Hama & Yasufumi Nakanoue (7:23) mit der Revolution Bomb von Doering gegen Nakanoue.
4. Champion Carnival - Block B: Jun Akiyama [2] besiegt KENSO [0] (12:43) nach einem Wrist-Clutch Exploder.
5. Champion Carnival - Block A: Seiya Sanada [2] besiegt Takao Omori [0] (13:22) mit dem THIS IS IT Version II.
6. Champion Carnival - Block B: Masakatsu Funaki [2] besiegt KAI [0] (12:45) nach dem Hybrid Blaster.
7. Champion Carnival - Block A: Suwama [1] vs. Go Shiozaki [1] - Time Limit Draw (30:00).

Unsurprising that Suwama and Go went to a draw. Probably wise at this point. Funaki & Akiyama dispatch their opponents and Sanada gets off to a good start by defeating his former partner's current partner.

http://spnavi.c.yimg.jp/im_sigg_EeD0Z3s8teVq6M1t6dVgA---x600-y600/spnavi/photo/fight/130418_kak_aj_dai7_pict16.jpg


http://www.all-japan.co.jp/upload_img/tour/20130319_QhzB2QfN.jpg

[Defrost]

People who watched this live said that Kenso had the best match on the show

[Ringo]

:squint:

Yeah - perhaps the KENSO rumour was legit and he's actually fighting for his spot. Lots of empty seats in Korakuen apparently.

Was out today but will try and watch as many days as I can on that Gaora stream.

[Cewsh]

The trouble with the isolationist policy is that it makes the match ups for this sort of thing very tired, beyond a few notables. Bringing in new talent for these things always spices them up.

But yeah, I'm behind KENSO 100%. GO YOU WACKY BASTARD.

[Ringo]

Yeah, the 2011 Carnival was probably the best in many years because they had Akiyama and Nagata come in (along with Sanada who was actually young and exciting then). Bit different for New Japan I think because their roster is so stacked right now that there's still plenty of fresh looking match ups.

Go being in the mix here is good though.

[Defrost]

Speaking of the new owner he had a big fit after the Omori match screaming about how fake the match was and left the building in a huff

[Ringo]

And has made it his mission to stamp out "match fixing" in All Japan.

Which is the best pro wrestling gimmick I've ever heard.

[Defrost]

Not convinced it's a gimmick

[Cewsh]

I love how crazy this guy is.

[Ringo]

Oh I know but it should be! Someone should have done it before.

[Ringo]

Results for Day 2 & 3


AJPW "CHAMPION CARNIVAL 2013", 20.04.2013
Tatebayashi Citizen Gymnasium
350 Fans

1. Kaz Hayashi & Shuji Kondo besiegen Hiroshi Yamato & Yasufumi Nakanoue (10:57) nach dem Power Plant von Hayashi gegen Nakanoue.
2. Champion Carnival - Block A: Takao Omori [2] besiegt Ryota Hama [0] (10:31) mit einem Axe Bomber.
3. Champion Carnival - Block B: KAI [2] besiegt Akebono [0] (8:44) mit einem Horizontal Cradle.
4. All Asia Tag Team Title Skirmish - All Japan vs. Burning: Go Shiozaki, Kotaro Suzuki & Atsushi Aoki besiegen KENSO, Koji Kanemoto & Minoru Tanaka (17:32) nach dem Blue Destiny von Suzuki gegen Tanaka.
5. AJPW World Jr. Heavyweight Title Skirmish - All Japan vs. Burning: Jun Akiyama & Yoshinobu Kanemaru besiegen Seiya Sanada & SUSHI (13:00) nach einem Exploder von Akiyama gegen SUSHI.
6. Champion Carnival - Block B: Joe Doering [2] besiegt Masakatsu Funaki [2] (8:18) mit einer Revolution Bomb.
7. Champion Carnival - Block A: Masayuki Kono [2] besiegt Suwama [1] (19:03) mit einem Giant Kneedrop.


- Champion Carnival Standings:

Block A:
1. Seiya Sanada [2]
-. Takao Omori [2]
-. Masayuki Kono [2]
4. Suwama [1]
-. Go Shiozaki [1]
6. Ryota Hama [0]

Block B:
1. Masakatsu Funaki [2]
-. Jun Akiyama [2]
-. Joe Doering [2]
-. KAI [2]
5. Akebono [0]
-. KENSO [0]


1. Shuji Kondo besiegt Yasufumi Nakanoue (7:22) mit einem Boston Crab.
2. AJPW World Jr. Heavyweight Title & All Asia Tag Team Title Skirmish - All Japan vs. Burning: Minoru Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & SUSHI besiegen Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Kotaro Suzuki & Atsushi Aoki (11:26) nach dem Katsuo Fishing von SUSHI gegen Kanemaru.
3. Champion Carnival - Block A: Seiya Sanada [4] besiegt Ryota Hama [0] (9:40) via Pinfall.
4. Suwama, Joe Doering & Kaz Hayashi besiegen Takao Omori, KENSO & Hiroshi Yamato (13:44) mit der Revolution Bomb von Doering gegen Yamato.
5. Champion Carnival - Block A: Go Shiozaki [3] besiegt Masayuki Kono [2] (14:00) nach dem Go Flasher.
6. Champion Carnival - Block B: Akebono [2] besiegt Masakatsu Funaki [2] (6:20) mit einer Jumping Body Press.
7. Champion Carnival - Block B: Jun Akiyama [4] besiegt KAI [2] (16:54) nach einem Wrist-Clutch Exploder.


- Champion Carnival Standings:

Block A:
1. Seiya Sanada [4]
2. Go Shiozaki [3]
3. Takao Omori [2]
-. Masayuki Kono [2]
5. Suwama [1]
6. Ryota Hama [0]

Block B:
1. Jun Akiyama [4]
2. Akebono [2]
-. Masakatsu Funaki [2]
-. Joe Doering [2]
-. KAI [2]
6. KENSO [0]

I like the big wins for Doering and Kono over their respective top ranked partners on Day 2. Sanada starts well, Suwama not so much. Looks like KAI will have a good tournament. Will check out Akiyama/KAI for sure. And probably both Kono matches. Lots still to happen.

[Defrost]

AJPW "CHAMPION CARNIVAL 2013", 27.04.2013
Matsushita IMP Hall
900 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Kaz Hayashi, Shuji Kondo & Hiroshi Yamato besiegen HUB, SUSHI & Yasufumi Nakanoue (13:10) nach dem Power Plant von Hayashi gegen Nakanoue.
2. All Japan vs. Burning: Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Kotaro Suzuki & Atsushi Aoki besiegen Koji Kanemoto, Minoru Tanaka & Takaku Fuke (12:13) nach dem Endless Waltz von Suzuki gegen Tanaka.
3. Champion Carnival - Block B: KENSO [4] besiegt Akebono [4] (9:30) durch Countout.
4. Champion Carnival - Block A: Seiya Sanada [7] besiegt Masayuki Kono [4] (10:22) mit dem This Is It.
5. Champion Carnival - Block B: KAI [9] besiegt Joe Doering [4] (4:55) mit dem KAI Clutch.
6. Champion Carnival - Block A: Go Shiozaki [8] besiegt Ryota Hama [2] (10:58) mit einem Strong Arm Lariat.
7. Champion Carnival - Block A: Takao Omori [4] besiegt Suwama [5] (14:18) mit einem Axe Bomber.
8. Champion Carnival - Block B: Jun Akiyama [8] besiegt Masakatsu Funaki [4] (9:42) mit einem Wrist-Clutch Exploder.


- Champion Carnival Standings:

Block A:
1. Go Shiozaki [8]
2. Seiya Sanada [7]
3. Suwama [5]
4. Masayuki Kono [4]
5. Takao Omori [4]
6. Ryota Hama [2]

Block B:
1. Jun Akiyama [8]
2. KAI [6]
3. Masakatsu Funaki [4]
-. Joe Doering [4]
-. Akebono [4]
-. KENSO [4]


AJPW "CHAMPION CARNIVAL 2013", 29.04.2013 (GAORA TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Kaz Hayashi & Shuji Kondo vs. SUSHI & Yasufumi Nakanoue
2. Champion Carnival - Semi Final: Go Shiozaki vs. KAI
3. Champion Carnival - Semi Final: Jun Akiyama vs. Seiya Sanada
4. Akebono, Ryota Hama & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Takao Omori, KENSO & MAZADA
5. All Japan vs. Burning: Koji Kanemoto, Minoru Tanaka & Hiroshi Yamato vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Kotaro Suzuki & Atsushi Aoki
6. Suwama & Joe Doering vs. Masakatsu Funaki & Masayuki Kono
7. Champion Carnival - Final:

[Defrost]

Most fun I had watching a Shiozaki match in forever


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njHhOQt1E80

[Ringo]

I think the semis are actually pretty intriguing. I thought that one of KAI and Sanada would make the semis but not both. Having them face off against the Burning guys rather than Suwama or Funaki is neat. They won't do Go/Akiyama so I am guessing that Go beats KAI and faces Sanada in the final who avenges his 2011 loss against Akiyama (the only match he lost in his block). Then Go wins to cement his status as major player in All Japan. KAI is probably better than Sanada now but scenario probably does make the most sense given the history.

[Ringo]

Although wiki says Akiyama beat KAI in the final so I was completely wrong!

[Ringo]

Looking forward to watching the final show.

Look at KAI's fucking chest. Begun by Go, finished by Akiyama.

http://spnavi.c.yimg.jp/im_siggDnMfDme6Tk8WqNFVONq0zw---x600-y600/spnavi/photo/fight/130429_aj01_20.jpg

Brutal.

Also apparently Shiraishi has fired president Uchida and tried to fire Mutoh but Mutoh refused...