ALL JAPAN PRO WRESTLING
EXCITE SERIES 2022
FEBRUARY 23, 2022
KORAKUEN HALL
TOKYO, JAPAN

Watch: AJPW.TV

Keeping with tradition, we will probably get the entrants to the Champion Carnival announced on this show.

RYUKI HONDA VS. RYO INOUE

There was a last minute change to the card, as Hokuto Omori and Yusuke Kodama were pulled from the show as a precaution because they had been in contact with someone who had COVID-19. Hopefully they are okay. This being one of the replacement matches is a nice treat. Honda and Inoue had a very good match on the last show with Inoue showing a lot. It’s hard to explain but Inoue moves around the ring like someone with a lot more experience. When I first saw him introduced he looked like a nondescript skinny guy but he has really impressed in the ring so far, he has already shown more than the last crop of rookies did a few matches into their career. Honda will win here but this should be a fun opener. Honda is the clear winner here. Prediction: Ryuki Honda

RYUJI HIJIKATA & DAN TAMURA VS. TAKUHO KATO & KAZUMASA YOSHIDA

Kato and Yoshida of Big Japan were last-minute additions because of the COVID-19 protocols. It’s a good choice as Kato has developed into a good young powerhouse, and Yoshida, who debuted last April has shown potential. This could be the sleeper match of the show if they can get 10 minutes. Given Yoshida is less than a year into his career, he is probably taking the fall here. Also, it’s always great to see Hijikata in action. Prediction: Ryuji Hijikata & Dan Tamura

NEXTREAM (YUMA AOYAGI, ATSUKI AOYAGI & RISING HAYATO) VS. SHUJI ISHIKAWA, TAKAO OMORI & BLACK MENSO~RE

No real point to this match, other than to fill up the undercard. It will probably be decent. I think Atsuki Aoyagi pins Menso~re here because I think he’s next in line for a PWF Jr. title shot. Prediction: Yuma Aoyagi, Atsuki Aoyagi & Rising Hayato

KAZMA SAKAMOTO, SEIGO TACHIBANA & TAKAYUKI UEKI VS. YOSHITATSU, IZANAGI & DEVIL MURASAKI

The Yoshitatsu Kingdom falling apart storyline continues to crickets. It’s something that no one cares about, beyond SAKAMOTO appearing in the company. Hopefully this is just a transitional feud for him and we will see him in the Champion Carnival and getting a Triple Crown shot against Kento Miyahara. I would assume SAKAMOTO’s team gets the win here, but with Murasaki in this, I don’t think it will be very good. At least it probably won’t go very long. Prediction: KAZMA SAKAMOTO, Seigo Tachibana & Takayuki Ueki

GAORA TV CHAMPIONSHIP
SHIGEHIRO IRIE © VS. ISAMI KODAKA

This has a chance to be a banger. Hopefully, it gets at least 12 minutes, though GAORA TV title matches often don’t get a lot of time. Kodaka got a pin over Irie in a tag match the show before this one, which sort of gives away the result. Another giveaway is the fact that Irie is also the 2AW champion, and he’s not dropping the GAORA TV title before he drops that one. Prediction: Shigehiro Irie

PWF WORLD JR. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
SUGI © VS. HIKARU SATO

On paper, this looks like a clash of styles, but these two can make that work I think, and if they do, this will be great. They both have direct victories over each other in tag matches on earlier shows on the tour, though SUGI has the more recent one, which I thought was rather interesting given booking patterns. Do I think SUGI wins here? Probably, though Sato has a small chance I think. Prediction: SUGI

WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
RUNAWAY SUPLEX (SUWAMA & SHOTARO ASHINO) © VS. TOTAL ECLIPSE (KOJI DOI & KUMA ARASHI)

Total Eclipse got a countout victory over Runaway SUPLEX in the Real World Tag League semi-finals. Doi has a singles win over Ashino on this tour, and Arashi has one over Suwama (though there was cheating to make that surprising result happen), so that is a big indication that Runaway SUPLEX will finally get their revenge here. If they keep this to about 20 minutes with lots of big moves, it has the potential to be the match of the night. Prediction: Suwama & Shotaro Ashino

TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP
KENTO MIYAHARA © VS. ABDULLAH KOBAYASHI

So the reason that Kobayashi is getting the title shot here is because he pinned then champion Jake Lee in a hardcore tag match on the last night of the Real World Tag League. I have several thoughts about this match. First, this match will be better than a Lee vs. Kobayashi match would have been. Second, I have low expectations for this match so it is possible that this will surprise me. Third, this ending up being a ***½ match would be a great success by my low standards. Fourth, if you’ve seen pictures of Kobayashi on social media, it looks like he’s lost a few pounds in order to get in shape for this which is an encouraging sign. Fifth, I have to admit that Kobayashi mocking Miyahara on social media has been pretty funny.

Kobayashi has zero chance to win here. I know many are down on All Japan right now but they are NOT that stupid. What happens post match will be interesting. It’s not impossible that Jake Lee has healed up from his injury suffered in late December. All Japan has a show at Ota Ward Gym on March 21 so one would think they would set up Miyahara’s opponent for that show on this one. There’s not a lot of big matches for Miyahara they could do right now other than another match against Lee. I doubt they have some surprise outsider that will appear. One option is to be daring and run Miyahara vs. KAZMA SAKAMOTO on that show which would have the advantage of being a completely fresh matchup and would probably be an excellent match. Prediction: Kento Miyahara

Powered by RedCircle