00:30Blue ball in contact, he beat Tokyo, Paul Nadeau!
00:39He's really good, fighting at the blue corner,
00:45the THC Junior Heavyweight Champion,
00:52I'm Max!
01:00Grand Final Pro Wrestling Last Love Holdout
01:07We have today Keiji Muto retiring at the Tokyo Dome
01:12And this is Master Stage 2nd of 4 matches coming right up
01:18Amakusa making his way out to the ring
01:24The holder of the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship title
01:28Amakusa ladies and gentlemen witness to fitness
01:58And the Hector
02:02Oh, my God.
02:32And his opponent is fighting at the first quarter, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion,
02:52third kicking time for Hirao Paka Asi!
03:04All eyes on this man as he steps out to the ring to face Amakusa,
03:09the holder of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship title now in his fifth reign
03:16after winning a four-way with Taiji Ishimori, El Desperado and Master Watto at Tokyo Gold,
03:22here in this very venue on January the 4th of this year.
03:27He's the first man to win four best of the Super Junior Trophies, three of them consecutive.
03:36He almost had a very impressive win rate in 2022, 71% win rate in singles matches.
03:45A member of LIJ, once known as Kamatachi.
03:53He was sent to CMLL in 2014, part of the traditional overseas excursion for Young Lions.
04:00Went on to ROH in 2016, returned to New Japan in November of 2016.
04:06He's had two singles matches this year, and he stopped Hajime Ohara from Congo at NOAH,
04:16and he stopped Yoh from taking his belt.
04:20He's got a huge round of applause for Hiromu Takahashi.
04:32Huge round of applause for Hiromu Takahashi.
04:35Now, before the heavyweights collide in this match, after this one, NOAH and New Japan
04:49are also putting up their junior heavyweight champions in head-to-head.
04:53Amakusa holding the GHC gold while Hiromu Takahashi owns the IWGP gold.
05:04Takahashi, sorry, Mark.
05:05Sorry, Stu. Yeah, Takahashi, the longtime face of that junior heavyweight division,
05:10whereas Amakusa has made a recent splash in the last few months to get to this stage today, as you're about to say, Stu.
05:16Yeah, he won his belt from Dante Leon, December 23rd, stopped his first challenger, Junta Miyawaki,
05:23on New Year's Day at the Nippon-Dubokan.
05:26This is the first-ever GHC Junior Championship versus IWGP Junior Championship match in history.
05:35But that's not where the intrigue ends, Mark.
05:38The theme of this match, Tokyo Tornado, and the double meaning there.
05:41Yeah, they used to be a tag team, didn't they, over ten years ago in England.
05:46And then this very much sums up their styles as well.
05:49Very frenetic, fast-paced.
05:51That's what the junior heavyweight division is all about here in Japan.
05:55This could well be the career-making chance that Amakusa has been looking for.
06:00Recently captured that GHC junior heavyweight title.
06:02But he's undergone a bit of a transformation in recent years.
06:05He was formerly Kembe, as we alluded to.
06:08He was Howe.
06:09Now he's Amakusa.
06:10And now he's got his first gold in pro wrestling, Noah.
06:13Yeah, the request for this match came from Amaksa.
06:17And on hearing that, he'd almost said it brought back memories from about ten years ago, like you said, Mark,
06:23when they toured in the UK, places like Staffordshire, Oxfordshire, Kent Croydon,
06:28with a man who resembled Amakusa named Kembe.
06:32He later conceded that it was the same man.
06:34They lived together for three months, teamed together, even wrestled each other for the 4FW Junior Heavyweight Championship in England in October of 2013.
06:44Yeah.
06:45And Kembe won that match.
06:46Yeah.
06:47We now know as Amakusa.
06:48Yeah, he almost said he was defeated badly in that match.
06:51He couldn't do anything.
06:53Basically nothing.
06:54And he asked Kembe for a rematch in the future.
06:59There he goes.
07:00Already.
07:01Already.
07:02That's what I wanted to see.
07:03Air traffic control have been notified.
07:06This man could be one of the wrestlers that gains the most from today's show.
07:11In fact, this crowd of the 30,000 here, they could all become instant fans of this man as he takes to the skies at every opportunity.
07:20Springboard.
07:21Straight into the face off, you know.
07:24One, two, three.
07:26Body cover.
07:27Let some kick out.
07:29Only a minute or two between these mad bodies are flying already.
07:32Yep.
07:33And he stayed a hold of that wrist as well.
07:35Giving him no space at all.
07:37So the promise is fulfilled here today.
07:44Hiromu asking for a rematch at some point.
07:46He said, doesn't matter where, doesn't matter when, doesn't have to be a title on the line.
07:50It's happening here today.
07:52As a team, they've won three or four tag matches together.
07:55As opponents, Hiromu has yet to taste victory.
07:58Takahashi, undoubtedly, one of the best junior heavyweights in the world.
08:03And that's what Amakusa wants today.
08:05He wants to cement his place right there alongside him.
08:08One of the very best on the planet in this division.
08:11So we've got the Noah champion calling out the New Japan champion.
08:15Yeah.
08:16Big clash of styles.
08:17Amakusa the high flyer.
08:19Hiromu said he doesn't have those moves.
08:22Sure.
08:23But he likes that unknown.
08:24Yeah.
08:25And he likes the puzzle of trying to figure it out.
08:27So really for both of these men, it's not about Noah versus New Japan.
08:31It's a Tokyo tornado face off.
08:33Yeah.
08:34Really.
08:35Yeah.
08:36It's a great showcase of some of the best junior heavyweight pro wrestling that's happening right now.
08:40Oh, yeah.
08:41Yeah.
08:42When this was announced, I was super excited.
08:44I know both of these men have so much to show the fans.
08:50And together, we're seeing it play out real time.
08:54Stretching amongst his neck.
08:57Pulls away the legs.
08:59Slicing over the apron.
09:00Into the guard rail.
09:02High velocity.
09:03Yeah.
09:04The lower back taking the full force of that.
09:06I think I know what we're going to see right now.
09:08He's ready to launch, isn't he?
09:09The time bomb.
09:10Off the apron.
09:11Sends him into the guard rail again.
09:13Max almost took out that photographer.
09:15John Woo off the apron.
09:17Hard landing for Amaksa there.
09:23What's up with your champion now?
09:24Rolls him over the apron.
09:25Falls him in.
09:26I gotta say, this crowd is pretty loud for Hiromu.
09:27Yeah.
09:28That's to be expected, isn't it?
09:29He's a fixture here at the Tokyo Dome every year.
09:30Yeah.
09:31New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom event.
09:32Amaksa is a fantastic GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion, but he does have his work cut out for him here today.
09:39Those fans of Takahashi, though, could firmly become fans of Amakusa as well today.
09:43That's one of the aims of the GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion.
09:48He's transformed since he came back from Mexico last year.
09:53He was there for about six months.
09:55Instantly made an impression the division captured the GHC Junior Heavyweight title.
09:58He's never looked back.
10:00From the second role.
10:01Denhae.
10:02Denhae.
10:03Denhae.
10:04Now he's done with the confirms of the GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion.
10:06He's thrown with his hands and ran into members of the GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion.
10:09He's never looked back.
10:12He's been down here.
10:13He's been down here for six months.
10:18He's been down here for six months and instantly made an impression the division captured the GHC Junior Heavyweight title.
10:25He's never looked back.
10:26From the second rope.
10:28Denied.
10:30Denied is right.
10:35Oh, he wriggles out into the DDT.
10:37Yamakusa!
10:41A flash knockout there by the looks of it.
10:43Five minutes into this Tokyo Tornado master stage match here at Tokyo Dome.
10:48Grand Final Pro Wrestling Last Love.
10:51Keiji Muto's holdout.
10:54Arial Madness.
10:59Steps up from the top rope!
11:04He's feeling it.
11:09Oh, he's not done there!
11:11Max from the top turn, Bucco!
11:14Play about 450!
11:16Beautiful!
11:18He's had a heart attack right there.
11:20Didn't expect that.
11:24Amakusa's relentless.
11:26Yeah, he has to be, doesn't he?
11:28Against the time bomb.
11:29Yeah!
11:30Whoa!
11:31It'll get him in trouble too.
11:33Yeah.
11:34Overzealous.
11:35Went hard into the corner there, Amakusa.
11:39Following that fire burn splash, which was a thing of beauty.
11:42It's kind of pumped.
11:43Oh, yeah.
11:44It's great to feel this energy from them.
11:45Absolutely packed here on the arena floor and right up into the heavens in the stands as well.
11:58All three levels.
11:59It's fantastic.
12:00We are surrounded by a sea of pro-wrestling fans.
12:04The biggest stage and the biggest crowd of the year in this country we'd expect in pro-wrestling.
12:10Back on his feet, first drags Amakusa up.
12:15Smacks him in the face.
12:17Inviting him to hit him back.
12:20Amakusa not finding his footing.
12:27Stopped with every shot from Hiromu.
12:33He's just not finding his way in here now.
12:35He's not fighting back.
12:36He's not fighting back at all.
12:37He's chopping him down.
12:42Amakusa on the end of a terrible beat down here at the moment.
12:49Playing possum by the looks of it.
12:51Oh, first kick to the jaw.
13:00The reaction Samakusa's offering to getting louder and louder by the way from the crowd.
13:08Takes the back off Takahashi.
13:12Trying to stay close to him but Takahashi using his elbows to get out of that.
13:18Nice snap.
13:21Suplex there.
13:23He just popped straight back onto his feet Amakusa.
13:26There's an open palm strike.
13:28And a larian from Hiromu Takahashi.
13:30Use the area.
13:41Hiromu Takahashi mentioned in the interview pre-show that this was going to be basically a battle of wills.
13:51Yep.
13:52It was going to boil down to a battle of wills.
13:54Like, forget everything in the past.
13:57Forget Noah, New Japan.
13:59It will come down to who digs deeper.
14:02Yep.
14:03Oh, look.
14:04What's Takahashi clutching there?
14:06He's got the mask.
14:07Kenbai mask.
14:08He's got the old mask.
14:09Kenbai mask.
14:10Kenbai mask.
14:11Kenbai mask.
14:12Kenbai mask.
14:13Kenbai mask.
14:14Kenbai mask.
14:15Kenbai mask.
14:16Makes the kick on the way in.
14:18The mask goes flying.
14:19Kenbai mask.
14:20Kenbai mask.
14:21He was gifted that mask by Amakusa a decade ago in England.
14:25It's a pass that Amakusa seemingly wants to forget.
14:28He wouldn't be drawn on it at the press conference.
14:30Kenbai mask.
14:31Or will he?
14:32Mm-hmm.
14:35He's got to be thinking.
14:38What, what does this mean right now to me?
14:41And our pass together.
14:44Oh, wow.
14:45He's got the mask.
14:48Oh, he's still holding on to that mask.
14:52It's a trip down memory lane for him right now.
14:54He's thinking of that former glory.
14:55It was when he last wore that mask a decade ago
14:58that he defeated Takahashi in the UK.
15:02He's threw that mask away.
15:08Roll an elbow from Takahashi.
15:11Nizugeri.
15:12Bromamakusa.
15:18Denied.
15:21He's got him up.
15:26This is not looking good for Amakusa,
15:28but he's managed to counter it.
15:33Rolls him up.
15:36The shoulders are down.
15:38Two, three.
15:39Oh, oh, oh.
15:43Nizugeri holds on.
15:44Yeah, women of violence carry.
15:46Ten minutes into this, he deadlifts him back up.
15:48Time on.
15:49There it is, the time bomb from Hiromu Takahashi.
15:52Is he going to finish it here?
15:54Oh, no.
15:56Oh.
15:56What a kick out.
15:58Oh, wow.
15:59What a kick out.
16:00This place just got loud.
16:03Yep, the volume went up noticeably there, Justin.
16:06Badda!
16:12Amakusa!
16:13He's coming.
16:17Whoa.
16:18Goes him inside out with the Lariat.
16:20It's an ugly landing.
16:28Looking for it again.
16:30Down he goes.
16:32In with a cover.
16:33It's a great ground.
16:35In with Takahashi has done it.
16:38He's got revenge.
16:42What a match.
16:43Revenge exacted it on the man.
16:46Repeat him for a title in the UK years ago.
16:51Ten years ago.
16:54Ashi!
16:56Tokyo Tornado come full circle.
16:59The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion stops.
17:10The GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion here at the Tokyo Dome.
17:15The title's not on the line, but that's a massive statement.
17:20Made by Hiromu Takahashi.
17:22There were a couple moments there where I thought Amakusa was really going to pull it off.
17:26I was a fraction away, wasn't he?
17:27Several times.
17:28They're totally against the run of play.
17:30The time bomb came back and hit the move twice to put away Amakusa.
17:38Yeah, he came out.
17:40Like a bat out of hell, Amakusa.
17:43Looking for that fireball splash early on.
17:46Yep.
17:51And there seems to be a little bit of damage here.
17:56Battle damage.
17:58Let's hope Amakusa is okay following that crushing defeat at the hands of Hiromu Takahashi.
18:04Well, this is interesting because there's no bad blood here.
18:19But you have to think what comes next.
18:31Can they salvage a friendship?
18:34Can they salvage a friendship?
18:43Respect Sean.
18:44Between Hiromu Takahashi and Amakusa here.
18:50It looked like he just signaled to him one more time.
18:57I'd love to see that.
18:58Amakusa's a little bit...
18:59Yeah.
19:00He's gutted.
19:01For sure.
19:02That's what it is.
19:02For sure.
19:03He's running high.
19:04And you can't blame him.
19:05He's hugely disappointed.
19:08I mean, I've seen Amakusa before, but he was on 110 miles per hour today.
19:12Yeah, spectacular.
19:13He'll have won plenty of new admirers today.
19:17Hopefully, we'll see those fans at the ARC in the future.
19:20Two of the best junior heavyweights, junior heavyweight champions around.
19:27Just gave a fantastic performance here at the Tokyo Dome.
19:31The old Kenbai mask tossed into the middle of the pro wrestling noah ring.
19:39Beside himself following that loss.
19:42Amakusa.
19:44Hiromu Takahashi supremely confident in his skills leaves Tokyo Dome victorious.
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