The coverage is a little late since this was a long show to tackle. We get four companies under the CyberFight banner squaring off. Ganbare Pro, NOAH, DDT and Tokyo Joshi Pro.

We saw the 3 co-main events in the Top 5 article, but there were still 12 other matches on the card. DDT versus NOAH happened quite a few times, not sure if it’s for supremacy or respect, but since NOAH is closing out the festival; we know which company is higher on the totem pole.

Let’s see how the rest of the matches shook out!

Ratings:

• Mirai Maiumi, Suzume, Arisu Endo, Haruna Neko & Moka Miyamoto vs Kaya Toribama, Mahiro Kiryu, Nao Kakuta, Raku & Pom Harajuku: Mirai wins via Lariat @12:29 – **
• Delayed Entrance Battle Royal: Mohammed Yone vs Masao Inoue vs Yoshiaki Yatsu vs Akitoshi Saito vs Shuhei Taniguchi vs Makoto Oishi vs Yuji Hino vs Antonio Honda vs Toru Owashi vs Kazuki Hirata vs Yuna Manase vs Yusuke Okada vs Shu Sakurai vs Yuya Koroku: Antonio Honda wins @22:31 – **
• Keisuke Ishii, Ken Ohka & Shota vs. Kouki Iwasaki, Shuichiro Katsumura & Yumehito Imanari: Kouki wins via Inverted Brainbuster @8:43 – ***
• Junta Miyawaki & Kinya Okada vs. Toi Kojima & Yuki Ino: Miyawaki wins via Cross Armbreaker @7:39 – ** ¼
• Hyper Misao & Shoko Nakajima vs. BAKURETSU Sisters (Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino) vs. Hakuchumu (Miu Watanabe & Rika Tatsumi): Shoko wins via Diving Senton @8:04 – **
• Danshoku Deino & Super Sasadango Machine vs. Sugiura-gun (Kazushi Sakuraba & Takashi Sugiura): Sugiura wins via Olympic Slam @9:25 – *
• Masa Kitamiya vs. Hideki Okatani: Kitamiya wins via Prison Lock @2:25 – *
• Maki Ito, Marika Kobashi & Yuki Kamifuku vs. Hikari Noa, Mizuki & Yuki Arai: Maki wins via Liontamer @13:02 – ***
• Momo No Seishun Tag (Atsushi Kotoge & Daisuke Harada) & Hajime Ohara vs. Stinger (HAYATA, Seiki Yoshioka & Yoshinari Ogawa): Harada wins via Katayama German Suplex @13:33 – *** ¾
• DAMNATION (Daisuke Sasaki, Soma Takao & Tetsuya Endo) (w/Mad Paulie) vs. The 37KAMIINA (MAO & Shunma Katsumata) & Chris Brookes: Sasaki wins via Grounded Octopus Hold @14:36 – ** ½
• Kongo (Hao, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenou, Manabu Soya, Nio & Tadasuke) vs. Eruption (Kazusada Higuchi & Yukio Sakaguchi), Akito, Naomi Yoshimura, Sanshiro Takagi & Yukio Naya: Takagi wins via Electric Chair Power Bomb @19:59 – ****
• Kaito Kiyomiya & Yoshiki Inamura vs. The 37KAMIINA (Konosuke Takeshita & Yuki Ueno): Ueno wins via Best Moonsault Ever @17:51 – *** ½
• Princess of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) vs Yuka Sakazaki: Yamashita retains via Knee Strike @16:31 – **** ½
• KO-D Openweight Championship: Jun Akiyama (c) vs HARASHIMA: Akiyama retains via King Crab Lock @18:53 – ****
• GHC Heavyweight Championship: Keiji Mutoh (c) vs Naomichi Marufuji: Marufuji wins via KO-Zero @23:30 – ****

Results:

Mirai Maiumi, Suzume, Arisu Endo, Haruna Neko & Moka Miyamoto vs Kaya Toribama, Mahiro Kiryu, Nao Kakuta, Raku & Pom Harajuku

This was the usual Japanese set up of a multiman match. You have a few newer wrestlers, some comedy and veterans to tie things up and actually provide real wrestling. Raku and Neko provide some comedy, Raku has a move she calls the Goodnight Express where it’s a bit of rope running and she just sits on the downed opponent to take a nap. Neko, is well…a cat, Neko means cat in Japanese; so she wrestles like a cat. Pom also adds levels of amusement and silliness but at least tries to apply normalish moves while looking silly.

Suzume got to shine a little since she’s a little spark plug, but the real stars were Mirai, Nao and Kiryu. Nao and Mirai got to set a serious tone, so when Nao tags out to Kiryu, Mirai is very much on the back foot. After the teammates come in to clear the opponents, and Kiryu gets spun around by Suzume’s speed, Mirai wipes them out, hits another big Lariat and wins the match!

As opening bell entertainment, this serves well for Japanese fans and fans of these girls. It may not be the Western cup of tea, but comedy or young lion matches usually open shows.

Delayed Entrance Battle Royal: Mohammed Yone vs Masao Inoue vs Yoshiaki Yatsu vs Akitoshi Saito vs Shuhei Taniguchi vs Makoto Oishi vs Yuji Hino vs Antonio Honda vs Toru Owashi vs Kazuki Hirata vs Yuna Manase vs Yusuke Okada vs Shu Sakurai vs Yuya Koroku

It’s hard to really quantify this since they allowed so many personalities in this match. Numerous comedy wrestlers, dancing gimmicks, even people from Ganbare Pro and Yoshiaki Yatsu out of retirement.

Taniguchi and Hino had some nice staredowns and power duels, so we could see something being set for later. Saki lasted a while and looked to be a possible favorite to win since she was just picking her spots very well. Most of the Funky Express stuck around, but also ended up eliminating each other. Yone knocked out Taniguchi while tied up with Hino. Inoue eliminated Saito when they tried to double team Saki. Inoue also helped roll up Yone which allowed him to be in the final two with Honda.

Awkward comedy, Honda calls for a microphone to basically give a concession speech without actually saying he quits, motions to masturbation, and then the two have dueling Nipple Pinch attacks. They turn the nipple pinches onto the referee, then Honda hits Inoue in the yam bag, roll up, and Honda is god.

Keisuke Ishii, Ken Ohka & Shota vs. Kouki Iwasaki, Shuichiro Katsumura & Yumehito Imanari

So all of these guys are apparently from Ganbare Pro Wrestling, and they come off like a more hectic version of Dragon Gate. The action is fast, crazy and entertaining. Multiple quick tandem moves, interesting move variations like a Double Hammerlock Michinoku Driver.

This was a lot of fun, and entertaining even if I wasn’t familiar with the people.

Junta Miyawaki & Kinya Okada vs. Toi Kojima & Yuki Ino

DDT and NOAH throw their younger wrestlers at each other, and this was interesting. Ino is a powerhouse and beat the ever living hell out of everyone, so it wasn’t until Miyawaki and Okada got time with Kojima, that NOAH really started having some comeback potential.

Junta and Kojima ended up in the ring together with some solid simple wrestling, but Junta slaps on a Flying Cross Armbreaker and wins the match for NOAH!

Hyper Misao & Shoko Nakajima vs. BAKURETSU Sisters (Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino) vs. Hakuchumu (Miu Watanabe & Rika Tatsumi)

I feel like this needed some context from TJP. Hyper Misao dressing like a Super Hero of Love and Compassion or whatever, but using cold spray to tag in her partner seems like it doesn’t fit. The other had their moments with Miu showing off more power than expected and the Bakuretsu Sisters executing a Steinerizer fairly well.

Since Shoko is the most decorated of all the girls, it made sense for her to finish the match and grab the win, but this was an odd match. Not offensive, just different.

Danshoku Deino & Super Sasadango Machine vs. Sugiura-gun (Kazushi Sakuraba & Takashi Sugiura)

Clash of styles in an understatement. Between Baseball Bat Spins, Playboys, Deino putting on a mask of a woman and trying to seduce and kiss Sakuraba…this was most of the reason why people think DDT is awful.

Sugi and Saku actually brought a level of real wrestling, but this was generally stupid. Even Sugiura apologized for the match afterward. I hated everything about the DDT inclusion in this match.

Masa Kitamiya vs. Hideki Okatani

Okatani is only 20 and tried to cut his teeth against the new look Masa Kitamiya. Betraying Katsuhiko Nakajima and Kongoh a few days earlier, he’s looking to carve his own path. Okatani tries to get in some offense, but Kitamiya is too big and experienced. Saito Suplex into Prison Lock and Okatani submits in mostly a squash match.

Maki Ito, Marika Kobashi & Yuki Kamifuku vs. Hikari Noa, Mizuki & Yuki Arai

Yuki Arai is from idol group SK 48, so it seems like Maki is taking offense to someone else taking her path into wrestling. Marika, Maki and Kamiyu take turns stretching the young idol wrestler which is to make a point. This gets over Yuki’s resilience, the other two tag partners almost help her pull it off but the Ito Respect Army is too strong.

Kobashi’s chops, Kamiyu’s boot strikes and Ito’s headbutts help to keep these girls in the driver’s seat. Maki hits the Flying Big Head and then applies the Liontamer to make the young idol wrestler tap out.

Momo No Seishun Tag (Atsushi Kotoge & Daisuke Harada) & Hajime Ohara vs. Stinger (HAYATA, Seiki Yoshioka & Yoshinari Ogawa)

This was break neck speed and pretty amazing. Everyone got a chance to shine, Yoshioka showed his amazing speed and precision, Kotoge used his size to a degree and managed to fight out of getting teamed up on, Ohara pulled off a few Backbreaker variations and we just saw everyone get their stuff in at great speed.

It’s hard to really work out the move by move since it was just a marvel to watch. The fact that multiple tandem moves and assists just ended up with Harada getting the best of Yoshioka and landing the Katayama German Suplex Hold. This was impressive.

DAMNATION (Daisuke Sasaki, Soma Takao & Tetsuya Endo) (w/Mad Paulie) vs. The 37KAMIINA (MAO & Shunma Katsumata) & Chris Brookes

This was chaotic, and I suppose was supposed to be DDT’s answer after the NOAH 6 man. But where the NOAH Juniors put on a great fast paced showing of skill, this was more in that DDT stereotype that people like or detest. Confetti Poppers, Faction Signs and Plastic Crates were used during the match, in tandem with a lot of Damnation cheating.

Brookes and MAO tried to fight things off for the most part, but the numbers game became too much since Damnation had Mad Paulie on the outside interfering whenever he could. A few sloppy and missed spots didn’t really help this match meet the high bar the NOAH Juniors just set, so this felt like a mess that just lasted too damn long.

Perhaps it was seen more favorably from DDT fans, but for my money, this could’ve been skipped and I wouldn’t have cared.

Kongo (Hao, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenou, Manabu Soya, Nio & Tadasuke) vs. Eruption (Kazusada Higuchi & Yukio Sakaguchi), Akito, Naomi Yoshimura, Sanshiro Takagi & Yukio Naya

Kongo embodied the serious evolved King’s Road style of wrestling that NOAH is famous for as Takagi’s team is the essence of DDT. Foam Fists, Hammers, Wings, a bear trap, a bicycle, DDT pulled out many gimmicks, including Yoshihiko the blow up doll! Kenoh hated every second of this usually disposing of the toy after the DDT members failed with it. But he plays along once to ram the bicycle into Takagi before Kongo tries to break the bike.

Hao is in at the end against Takagi. Kenoh makes a save for the smallest member of Kongo, but Sakaguchi grabs Yoshihiko and they restrain Kenoh in a Sleeper Hold. So Kenoh is fingertips away from breaking the pinfall, but Takagi hits the Electric Chair Power Bomb on Hao and DDT wins!

Princess of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) vs Yuka Sakazaki

Tokyo Joshi Pro’s main event, and this was impressive. Many know Yuka from her brief stint in AEW, and the bubbly Magical Girl is accurate. But whatever the lead in for this was, Yuka does NOT like Miyu. Miyu on the other hand is TJP’s Ace and a damn impressive wrestler in her own right.

While I almost expected some fun from Yuka, there was none to be had. They struck, and kicked and Yuka was looking for blood. The usually smiling Magical Girl didn’t even so much as smirk once. There were apron drop spots, heavy collisions, hell Yuka went for her springboard Stuka Splash, and she crashed into Miyu as soon as Miyu entered the ring, but Yuka wasn’t happy with it, so she gets up, shakes her head and holds up one finger, just to hit a cleaner one.

This was violent, vindictive, and vengeful…I may need to go back and read what the build was. Because Yuka was already good, but angry Yuka may be my new favorite incarnation. Yuka may have lost since Miyu’s strikes just hit home one too many times, but this felt more like a SEAdLINNNG match. I think this is my top rated women’s match of the year so far. Just gorgeous.

KO-D Openweight Championship: Jun Akiyama (c) vs HARASHIMA

DDT’s main event has a beloved protégé of the Pillars as the defending champion and someone who has been on the rise for years. HARASHIMA has been on of DDT’s brighter lights after Tetsuya Endo for good wrestling.

HARASHIMA took a lot of aggression to Akiyama early. Strikes and speed were on the younger man’s side, but Akiyama always managed to find an Exploder to slow the match down and slowly fight he way back into the match. After a great back and forth, Akiyama locks in the King Crab Lock, wrestles HARASHIMA down and the referee has to call for the bell.

GHC Heavyweight Championship: Keiji Mutoh (c) vs Naomichi Marufuji

This was easily Mutoh’s best match as GHC champion and it played on a lot. We saw quickness and familiarity since they’re friends, both seemed to really enjoy just trading shots. Mutoh definitely tried to work the submissions early, even locking in a Scorpion Deathlock (Riki Choshu special) and then he drops the feet to fake the Muta Lock, but he just leans back into more of an awkward Indian Deathlock.

Both men blocked signatures and finishers left and right, then Muta played around in the sequence that beat Shiozaki, just in a different order. Three Shining Wizards, a double clutch Emerald Flowsion, but Marufuji kicked out. Mutoh hits the backbreaker and climbs the ropes. The move he couldn’t pull off at Budokan, HE HITS THE MOONSAULT! I’m nearly positive that’s his first one since the knee surgery.

But Marufuji writhes and Mutoh can’t make the cover as he hurt himself, favoring his surgically repaired knees. Marufuji takes advantage and the kicks fly. Five Hole, Hook Kick, Round Kick, Hook Kick, True Tiger King, but Mutoh kicks out. KO-OH, but Mutoh refuses to go down. So Marufuji pulls out the KO-Zero, and we have a new champion!

The Genius of NOAH is back on top!

Overall Score: 9/10

Even though we got a squash match, that makes sense to help show Kitamiya’s growth since his title challenge against Mutoh and his breaking away from Kongo. Plus some of the DDT antics killed the matches for me, but the fact this was a super show where fans off all the companies could enjoy what they came to love from them all, it did well. Just because something isn’t for me, doesn’t mean it’s not working for the target audience.

Aside from a few complaints, TJP also came out looking really good. Their main event was awesome, the match with Ito-Gun put over all the girls they want to get across and even the opener was good for the lower card girls. DDT still shows a lot of their comedic dufus tendencies, but also proved their upper card can hang with the NOAH upper card. NOAH is still the serious big brother and exuded that aura very prominently. Hell, even Ganbare got a little time to shine, which I thought was great since I forgot they were even under the CyberFight umbrella.

This was a great super show, with pivotal matches, important moments and a historic title change. So, it’s really hard to complain. Plus we got Mutoh’s first Moonsault in 3 years.