Welcome back to another day of All Japan’s Champion Carnival. We are currently past the halfway point now with four people tied for first place. Since we’re at the halfway point, we’ll see who has a better chance and who will be eliminated from here on out. Who will be able to stay in the game and who will be gone?

Let’s find out as we…dive right in.

Star Rating System:

• 0 Stars: Dave Meltzer
• 1 Star: Vince Russo
• 2 Stars: Tony Schiavone
• 3 Stars: Eric Bischoff
• 4 Stars: Bruce Prichard
• 5 Stars: Jim Cornette
  
  

Quick Results:

• Koji Doi vs Shinjiro Otani: Double Countout – ** 1/2 
• Shuji Ishikawa vs Shotaro Ashino: Ashino wins via Grapevine Ankle Lock – *** 1/2
• Kohei Sato vs Kento Miyahara: Kento wins via Shutdown Suplex Hold – *** 3/4 
• Suwama vs Yuma Aoyagi: Suwama wins via Backdrop Hold – ****

Champion Carnival 2021 Match
Koji Doi vs. Shinjiro Otani

Review: We have our opening match for the Carnival as Koji Doi will be facing Shinjiro Otani. Koji must get a win here if he wants to stay alive or else he’ll be the first one eliminated. Otani is not in the best spot but a win here will also keep him a little longer or he’ll be in a critical state. Is this it for Doi?

Match started with Otani kicking Doi in the face but doesn’t budge as the two would exchange blows, nobody giving in until Doi hits him with a Lariat to go down and win that little exchange. Koji gets the early control until he started chopping Otani, making Otani tackle into it to soften the blow. This lead to Koji mocking him and doing the same thing but Otani came out the winner that time around. Koji attempted the Murder Lariat but Otani swept his feet to make him fall before hitting the Dragon Suplex but Koji got up to hit a Dropkick. The two would get outside of the ring as they started brawling against each other but they ignored the referee as he called for the double countout, making it a draw. Despite the bell ringing, the two kept on fighting back and forth with forearms until the ring crew eventually broke them up. Because of this little fiasco, nobody gets any points and Koji Doi is officially eliminated.

Rating: Tony Schiavone and a half

Champion Carnival 2021 Match
Shuji Ishikawa vs. Shotaro Ashino

Review: Time for our next match as GAORA TV Champion will take on Shotaro Ashino. Shotaro is also someone who needs a win here or he’ll be the second one eliminated next to Koji Doi. Ishikawa is in a good position and a win here would have him tied with the top spot along with the other four. Will Ashino be eliminated or does his comeback story start now?

Ashino wasted no time here as he immediately went after Shuji’s legs but Shuji stood his ground and beats him down. Shuji went for the Tsunami but Shotaro tripped him to apply the Ankle Lock and he had it locked in until Shuji rolled him over to make him let go, hitting him with a shoulder tackle in a nice opening sequence. I liked the desperation from Shotaro and how he wants to go for that killer instinct to try and end the match early since he knows he has to win here or he’s gone too. You forget how much taller Shuji is compared to Shotaro until we see them exchanging blows here and Shuji won that exchange too, leading to a Double Stomp off the middle rope.

It looked like Shuji was going for the Fire Thunder but Stoharo rolled under him to grab his ankle for the Ankle Lock again! He has it locked in but Shuji grabbed the rope to break the hold. Shotaro hits a German Suplex and quickly transitions it to the Ankle Lock again! Shotaro isn’t letting go as he twists the ankle around, incredible selling from Shuji during this match but would eventually push him off, causing Shotaro to flip over the ropes and land outside the ring. Shotaro gets back in the ring as Shuji hits a Dragon Suplex, topping it off with the Tsunami but Shotaro kicked out at two. Shuji hits the Fire Thunder but Shotaro kicked out again. Shuji had Shotaro up over his shoulders but Shotaro rolled under him to grab his ankle once more for the Ankle Lock! Shuji is screaming in pain as Shotaro had his leg wrapped around him, Kurt Angle style as Shuji had no choice but to tap out!

Rating: Eric Bischoff and a half

Champion Carnival 2021 Match
Kento Miyahara vs. Kohei Sato

Review: Our next match is underway as Kento Miyahara takes on Kohei Sato. Kento has a chance to be tied with the others if he can score a win here to give Kohei his second loss of the tournament. If Kohei can get a win here, however, he’ll be in first place in the standings. Can Kento make it to the top with the others or will Kohei be in the lead?

The two locked up with Kento getting Kohei by the ropes until he had to break it up with the five count. Sato would do the same thing but he wouldn’t be as kind with the break-up as he delivers a stiff forearm to knock Kento down on the mat, damn his forearms are brutal. The two are outside the ring as Sato manhandles him until he missed a kick onto Kento, hitting the turnbuckle post and hurt his leg. Kento was able to show he can be just as ruthless as Sato can with the strikes and not letting their opponent up when they’re in pain as the two were able to gel well with that ordeal in this match. This was the first time these two fought in singles competition and it went a lot better than anticipated to go since Kento is still fantastic in the ring and Sato has been doing well in the whole tournament so far with not a single bad performance thus far.

Sato was going for the German Suplex Hold but Kento was holding his ground, holding onto the ropes and when Sato saw it wasn’t going anywhere, he just shoved him into the turnbuckle. Sato charged at Kento but missed, leading Kento to hit the first Blackout of the match as they both go down. Kento would hit another Blackout on the back of his head before hitting another one soon as Sato got up but would kick out at two. Sato hits a knee to the gut to stop Kento’s momentum and would pick him up to hit a beautiful Falcon Arrow but Kento kicked out at two. Sato was getting ready for the German Suplex Hold again but Kento immediately turned behind him to hit a German Suplex and a Blackout. Kento went for the Shutdown German Suplex Hold but Kohei kicked his leg out to make him let go and hits a stiff forearm. Kento counteracted with another Blackout, leading to hit another one, and finally hits the Shutdown German Suplex Hold to grab the victory!

Rating: Eric Bischoff and three quarters

Champion Carnival 2021 Match:
Suwama vs. Yuma Aoyagi

Review: We now go to our main event as the Triple Crown Champion, Suwama takes on Yuma Aoyagi. This will be Yuma’s third consecutive main event during the tournament and has won both of his previous matches against Zeus and Jake Lee. The two are no strangers to each other as they fought for the title back in January where Suwama retained. Can Yuma get revenge and be on top or does Suwama win to tie with the other five?

Yuma has the early advantage when he would deliver a Dropkick to Suwama after having him go over the ropes, making the champ fall outside of the ring. Yuma seemed to be in control for a moment until Suwama fought back, tossing him back into the ring and this is where he will just school him like a rookie, not giving him an edge when he works on his back. We got two types of underdogs in this tournament, Shotaro Ashino, and Yuma Aoyagi. Shotaro with odds stacked against him while with Yuma, just gets destroyed by his opponents while getting sympathy from the crowd to try and rally behind him, which does work whenever he gets a slight bit of comeback in his matches. After being tossed around like a young lion, Yuma would finally hit a Dropkick at first to get the champ down and tops it off with a flying forearm. After a Crossbody though, Yuma tossed Suwama into the ropes but Suwama hits a Lariat to derail Yuma. Yuma was able to hit a German Suplex as Suwama gets up quickly to hit a Lariat with both of them going down!

The two would slowly get up as Yuma delivered a couple of European Uppercuts to get Suwama down on the mat before climbing to the top rope. As Yuma was on top, Suwama quickly got up to fight Yuma to get him out a bit before hitting a Superplex to make them both go down again. Suwama hits a Discus Lariat as Yuma barely kicked out and Suwama would get him up for the Backdrop as Yuma fights it off to make him let go, hitting a spin kick to have the champ go down. Yuma picked him up for the Rockstar Buster as Suwama kicked out and Yuma quickly turns it into the End Game! Yuma tries to grab the champ’s arm to lock it in full but Suwama would have his foot on the rope to break the hold and save himself. Yuma delivered a couple of forearms to get the champ down and ran the ropes but Suwama catches him with another Lariat before collapsing. Suwama went for the Backdrop but Yuma shifted his body around to pin him as Suwama kicked out at two but Yuma wasn’t done as he tried to roll him up with the European Clutch as Suwama kicked out again! Yuma had the champ in a headlock but Suwama grabbed onto him to hit the Backdrop! Suwama slowly got up to hit another Backdrop and it looks like this could be over as Yuma barely kicked out! Suwama turns Yuma inside out with a Lariat but Yuma kicked out again! Suwama, however, didn’t waste any more time as he hits the Backdrop Hold, getting the victory over Yuma! Great match!

Rating: Bruce Prichard

Overall: Aside from the first match, this was a nicely done show with the last three matches moving up in terms of in-ring quality. We have one elimination so far and are currently in a six-way tie for the top spot. The next day would give us a clear idea of who moves up and who goes next.

Favorite Match: Suwama vs. Yuma Aoyagi

Least Favorite Match: Koji Doi vs. Shinjiro Otani

Score: 7.5/10

Champion Carnival Standings:

1. Suwama: (3-2) (6 Points)
2. Kento Miyahara: (3-2) (6 Points)
3. Kohei Sato: (3-2) (6 Points)
4. Zeus: (3-2) (6 Points)
5. Jake Lee: (3-2) (6 Points)
6. Yuma Aoyagi: (3-3) (6 Points)
7. Shuji Ishikawa: (2-3) (4 Points)
8. Shotaro Ashino: (2-3) (4 Points)
9. Shinjiro Otani: (2-2-1) (4 Points)
10. Koji Doi: (1-4-1) (2 Points) (Eliminated)