Willsky

FCW Puerto Rican Title Handsome Stranger(c) vs ??? I can't see a surprise entrant getting the win over HS, and I think this'll be another sneaky/smart win by the champ. FCW Tag Team Titles Gang Warfare Relentless(c) and ??? vs The Latino Kings The return of Jesus Chavez should help the LKs, but I think the surprise addition (Juggs? Xavi? A new HH member) will be the deciding factor. FCW People's Championship Island Boy Apollo(c) vs Tex Tegan The easiest to predict. There's no way Tex is winning this. Kanishoki vs Bull Wrecker Kanishoki = terrible. Joffy Laine vs Davis Wayne Newton Neither guy has been massively featured so far, and I'm going to go with Laine as a random guess. Marco Gonzales vs ??? (A former Puerto Rican Champion) I'm torn on this one. Either Marco continues to look strong and Carlos holds him back, or he loses here and has a longer build to his title match. Whoever it is, I think they get the win. Loving everything so far. Keep it up!

Predictions DinoKea: 4/4 Cardiff Trophy Predictions DinoKea: 14/16 The Blonde Bomber: 10/12 Next Time Angus McCloud vs. Kenny Maynard Leo King vs. Sasha Pavlovic Backbreaker Simpson vs. Mike O'Reilly Mikel de Sota vs. William Riley

FCW Puerto Rican Title Handsome Stranger(c) vs Mutant Stranger goes over again to keep House Handsome on top. For now. FCW Tag Team Titles Relentless(c) vs Young & Wasted I doubt Young & Wasted are winning the tag belts at this early stage seeing as they're two of the least known guys and still young. Still, a good showing for them. FCW People's Championship Island Boy Apollo(c) vs King Kong Kennedy Another retention and this is the most clear cut one. Apollo gets a win over a big, but ultimately untalented opponent and looks great in the process. Marco Gonzalez vs Kanishoki Same as IBA vs. Kennedy. Gonzalez gets some momentum with a win over Kanishoki (who sucks) Cobra vs Tex Tegan Not sure about this. I'm gonna go Cobra because he's one of my favourites, but I can see Tex coming out on top too. Ox Mastadon vs Giant Brody I'm torn on this one. I can see Kip Keenan costing Brody because of the shenanigans last time, but I think Brody's new girlfriend makes the difference again.

Great first show! I somehow missed predictions, but I think I would have done pretty badly anyway! Looking forward to the next one.

Predictions DinoKea: 4/4 The Blonde Bomber: 4/4 Cardiff Trophy Predictions DinoKea: 10/12 The Blonde Bomber: 10/12 Next Time Sasha Pavlovic vs. William Riley Mike O'Reilly vs. Mikel de Sota Angus McCloud vs. Backbreaker Simpson Kenny Maynard vs. Leo King

Looking forward to this!

Predictions DinoKea: 3/4 The Blonde Bomber: 3/4 Cardiff Trophy Predictions DinoKea: 6/8 The Blonde Bomber: 6/8 Next Time Angus McCloud vs. Leo King Kenny Maynard vs. William Riley Backbreaker Simpson vs. Mikel de Sota Mike O'Reilly vs. Sasha Pavlovic

Predictions DinoKea: 3/4 The Blonde Bomber: 3/4 Cardiff Trophy Predictions DinoKea: 3/4 The Blonde Bomber: 3/4 Next Time Backbreaker Simpson vs. Leo King Angus McCloud vs. Sasha Pavlovic Kenny Maynard vs. Mikel de Sota Mike O'Reilly vs. William Riley

BATTLEGROUND JAPAN 2021 Match Card Akira Arato vs. Gidayu Katou © vs. KAZ vs. Shiba Mizoguchi for the Ride the Tiger championship Bunrakuken Torii vs. Torajiro Sekozawa Jimmy Stratosphere, Kinji Akamatsu & Torch Nakazawa vs. Billy Robinson, Motty Kuroda & Nigel Svensson A massive signing to SAISHO is announced. Motoyuki Miyake vs. Tobei Sugimura Azumamaro Kita vs. Fujio Narahashi Isoruki Arakaki & MUSCLE Serizawa © vs. The Night Terrors (Babau & Moroi) for the Destiny Tag championships Lion Genji vs. Zeshin Makioka © for the Destiny championship MATCH 1: Akira Arato vs. Gidayu Katou © vs. KAZ vs. Shiba Mizoguchi for the Ride the Tiger championship A rare four-way match kicked off the Battleground Japan main show, with Gidayu Katou defending his Ride the Tiger title against the man he defeated for it two months ago, KAZ, and two members of Lion Genji's new Pride faction, Arato and Mizoguchi. At first, KAZ and Katou found themselves forced to co-operate as Arato and Mizoguchi clearly were doing the same. It was a frantic affair, but Katou and KAZ managed to hold off the Pride members and create some space for themselves to do battle. KAZ didn't hold back, despite their earlier alliance. He showed he was willing to fight tooth-and-nail, busting out his wide variety of moves picked up from around the world to get his hands back on the title. But Katou matched him. Although he hadn't travelled like Mr. SAISHO, he boasted an incredible arsenal of impressive moves, including a moonsault and pumphandle suplex. When Arato and Mizoguchi recovered and battled back into the match, they disrupted the flow. KAZ and Katou once again took them out, but Katou showed brilliant instincts to hit a backdrop suplex on Arato and get the pin while KAZ was busy dumping Mizoguchi on the outside. Katou retained. KAZ wore a wry smile, hiding his frustration, but couldn't deny the younger man his victory with such a smart veteran-like move. MATCH 2: Bunrakuken Torii vs. Torajiro Sekozawa Another member of Pride was in action next: the oldest man on the roster, Torajiro Sekozawa. He faced Bunrakuken Torii who, since arriving in July, had put together quite a streak, defeating Ogai Miki, Jinzaburo Kakinomoto, Naruhiko Koizumi, Shuzo Utagawa and even Jayson Van Pelt. Sekozawa was his toughest challenge yet, and fresh off a failed Destiny title attempt, the veteran was out to put the newcomer in his place. Torii destroyed him. If the fans hadn't been paying attention to the former BCG man yet, they were now. The way he tossed Sekozawa around like a rag doll brought back memories of Mito Miwa in his prime. A keen sense of excitement rippled around the arena after the match. MATCH 3: Jimmy Stratosphere, Kinji Akamatsu & Torch Nakazawa vs. Billy Robinson, Motty Kuroda & Nigel Svensson This was a rematch from Formation Battle in November, as that first encounter saw Azumamaro Kita tripping Jimmy Stratosphere and changing the course of the match. Before the match, it was announced that both Kita and Fujio Narahashi would be banned from ringside. With the numbers even, the story of the match revolved around Stratosphere and Kuroda. Throughout, Stratosphere pleaded with his former tag partner and offered him a route back to friendship. Kuroda refused. Instead he mocked Stratosphere, with the cackling hyenas Robinson and Svensson egging him on. As far as in-ring action went, The Hurt (Robinson and Svensson) controlled the match by slowing the pace down and applying their painful holds. Akamatsu and Nakazawa rallied at times, increasing the energy and getting the crowd on their feet. The end came when Akamatsu tagged in Stratosphere. With the other combatants on the outside, Stratosphere climbed to the top turnbuckle and hit a ludicrous crossbody dive onto everyone and they all crashed into the guard rail. In the fray, Kuroda looked stunned, his head colliding with a loose limb or the guard rail itself. Stratosphere took quick advantage, rolled Kuroda into the ring and pinned him for the victory. A massive signing to SAISHO is announced. SAISHO announced its biggest signing ever. The buzz around the arena was electric when Takayuki 2000 of GCG and BHOTWG fame made his entrance, a huge name and a huge talent looking to enjoy one last run at the top of a rapidly rising company. MATCH 4: Motoyuki Miyake vs. Tobei Sugimura Sugimura started the match looking pissed off. He watched the response Miyake got from the fans during his entrance and, despite repeatedly shushing them all, they only cheered louder for their favourite. Unfortunately for Miyake, this only added fuel to Sugimura's fire, and the former Ride the Tiger champion assaulted Miyake with incredible ferocity. Miyake fought from underneath, once again the crowd willing him onwards. After nearly twenty minutes of action, the pair stood, exhausted across from each other. Sugimura started a tirade, motioning at the fans, clearly angry at something. Miyake turned to the fans and asked them to hush. A few seconds later and silence hung over the arena in Sendai. Sugimura smiled for the first time in months, finally getting his way. He rushed at Miyake who sidestepped, grabbed his arm and neatly transitioned into an armbar. The crowd remained completely quiet as Sugimura groaned in pain. They all heard him curse and shout, and then they all heard his hand hit the mat repeatedly and him say the words "I submit, I submit!" Utterly humiliated, Sugimura loped to the back clutching his arm. Miyake celebrated with the crowd who were now cheering his name. MATCH 5: Azumamaro Kita vs. Fujio Narahashi Two of SAISHO's top stars, Kita and Narahashi had also been a successful tag team together. But Kita's recent attitude of bending the rules had pushed them apart, and at Golden Warfare, Narahashi evened the odds in the war between Stratosphere and Kuroda and their respective allies. The match started with a handshake. Kita immediately used this apparent show of respect to pull Narahashi into a cheap clothesline and took control of the early goings. Narahashi fought back, as expected. His fighting spirit was second to none in SAISHO, and despite Kita's constant shortcuts and cheap shots, he battled back into contention. The decisive moment of the match came when the pair was trading heavy slaps and forearm shots. Bone thudded against bone, flesh smacking on flesh. Classic puroresu. But then Motty Kuroda arrived. Kuroda drew the attention of the referee, and Kita kicked Narahashi right in the balls. Moments later, the referee counted to three, and Kita had won. The fans were incensed. They had grown accustomed to Kita's biting, eye-gouging and all-round sneakiness, but a low blow took things even further. Kita tried to suppress a smirk before heading to the back with Kuroda. MATCH 6: Isoruki Arakaki & MUSCLE Serizawa © vs. The Night Terrors (Babau & Moroi) for the Destiny Tag championships Arakaki and Serizawa's Destiny Tag title reign had so far been predicated not so much on their outstanding physical attributes, but more on their ability to use their brains before and during matches. However, The Night Terrors weren't the kind of team you could plan for. Babau and Moroi had mostly gone under the radar during 2020, with a disappointing display at the A-1 Tag Grand Prix, and a recent split from Jayson Van Pelt who they intermittently teamed with. Their unorthodox, unpredictable style got them this title match, and it set the tone for the first minutes of the bout. Arakaki and Serizawa took things slowly, trying to figure out the Night Terrors, but either Babau or Moroi always surprised them, hitting a big power move when the champs were expecting something fast and aerial, and locking in a hold when they were expecting a strike. In fact, the only time the tag champions really looked strong was when Isoruko Arakaki picked up both Babau and Moroi and chokeslammed them in the centred of the ring. In the end, it turned out Arakaki and Serizawa couldn’t figure out the puzzle, and the Night Terrors manage to defeat them, pinning Serizawa with a Sleep Paralysis. The Night Terrors became new Destiny Tag champions! MATCH 7: Lion Genji vs. Zeshin Makioka © for the Destiny championship Having watched all three members of his new faction, the Pride, losing earlier in the show, Lion Genji entered the match with plenty at stake. Not just the title, but… well, his pride. Zeshin Makioka had already surpassed the record for longest Destiny title reign, having won the title from Genji himself back in September 2019. He also defeated Genji in April 2020 at Giant Slam, meaning the score was 2-0 in his favour. Genji was his usual aggressive, arrogant self during the match. He used his size and intensity to get the upper hand in several situations, but Makioka was more than able to respond with his own spirit and skill. The match was incredibly even. For twenty-five minutes, fans in the arena couldn't tell who would win. When Makioka hit his Leaping Brainbuster, it looked all over for Genji, but the leader of the Pride kicked out. And when the Genji Bomb seemed certain to see a title change, Makioka got his shoulder up at the very last moment. Fans would always remember the final moments. Lion Genji had Makioka up for an avalanche Genji Bomb, lifting the champion high onto the turnbuckles. But Makioka managed to wriggle free and grip the ropes himself. They exchanged violent strikes back and forth. Genji got the upper hand. He manoeuvred himself to a better position, but his foot slipped… he fell. He fell into the ring, landing hard on the mat. Makioka wasted little time in hitting a knee drop, then the Leaping Brainbuster which put Genji down for the three count. Makioka retained the Destiny title! Post-match press conference Jimmy Stratosphere: I tried to help Motty. But he's gone now. A memory better left untouched. And I ain't changing. I'll always take risks, because when you're like me, your whole life has been about taking risks and not settling for the middle ground. I showed that tonight, leaping onto those guys. It coulda backfired, but it paid off and we got the win. Motoyuki Miyake: So Sugimura's not going to be part of the press conference? Aw man. I kinda feel bad for the guy. Sure, he had it coming after all the crap he said, but not only did I beat him, but he looked like a right fool in front of anyone. So, yeah, sorry Tobei. Azumamaro Kita: I can hear them already. The naysayers. The ones who have doubted me for nearly a year now. But I sit with Motty Kuroda, a man who understands me. Someone who knows the sacrifices success requires, hell, he had to break off a friendship going back decades. But it was the right thing to do. Because sooner or later, success is inevitable. Gold will hang around our waists and over our shoulders, then, and this is a guarantee, you people will start to realise the magnitude of what I've done. You'll start appreciating me. And you know what? I won't even pay you the slightest bit of attention. Zeshin Makioka: A wise man once told Lion Genji that "pride comes before a fall". If only he'd listened. And so, when he could have maybe stopped my title run, he fell, and now I've beaten him three times. I think it's about time we stopped doing the same thing over and over again. Genji, you don't get any more shots at the title while I'm champion. I want someone new. Someone I haven't faced before. An outsider, maybe. A young gun, or a legend from elsewhere. Because I know I can beat the current top guys. The rest of you, step up and see if you've got what it takes to put an end to the longest reign ever.

BATTLEGROUND JAPAN 2021 Match Card Akira Arato vs. Gidayu Katou © vs. KAZ vs. Shiba Mizoguchi for the Ride the Tiger championship Bunrakuken Torii vs. Torajiro Sekozawa Jimmy Stratosphere, Kinji Akamatsu & Torch Nakazawa vs. Billy Robinson, Motty Kuroda & Nigel Svensson A massive signing to SAISHO is announced. Motoyuki Miyake vs. Tobei Sugimura Azumamaro Kita vs. Fujio Narahashi Isoruki Arakaki & MUSCLE Serizawa © vs. The Night Terrors (Babau & Moroi) for the Destiny Tag championships Lion Genji vs. Zeshin Makioka © for the Destiny championship Show will be posted in early January.

Fall Comes Before a Pride Introduction Lion Genji never forgot how Zeshin Makioka took his Destiny title away from him in September 2019. His A-1 Grand Prix victory didn't translate into championship victory either. With a 0-2 record against the reigning champion, Genji's pride was hurt. Meanwhile, Zeshin Makioka was on the run of his life. Nine months after winning the belt, he had beaten Genji and Kita in excellent fashion, bringing prestige to his title run and cementing him as the figurehead of the company. One man running high, the other licking his wounds. August 2020: Warriors Zeshin Makioka faced Motoyuki Miyake with the Destiny title on the line. It was Miyake's first shot at the belt, earned by beating Gidayu Katou in their "Elevation" match at Destiny Awaits. Miyake showed why he was a future top star, but Makioka reminded him why he wasn't at that point yet. A respectful match ended with a Makioka victory. Elsewhere on the show, Lion Genji teamed with veteran Torajiro Sekozawa and Shiba Mizoguchi to dismantle the trio of Shuzo Utagawa, Jinzaburo Kakinomoto and Naruhiko Koizumi. Genji ran wild in the match, clearly venting his frustration at his recent big-match slip ups. He combined well with Sekozawa and Mizoguchi who had also struggled in 2020 so far. The three were violent and dominant. Genji hit the Genji Bomb to win. September 2020: Dream Clash Lion Genji put in another impressive performance. He teamed with Torajiro Sekozawa and youngster Akira Arato this time in a decisive victory over Ogai Miki, Shuzo Utagawa and Naruhiko Koizumi. Akira Arato impressed Genji in the match, and in a rare display of maturity, Genji offered Arato the opportunity to team with him in the upcoming A-1 Tag Grand Prix. Arato jumped at the chance. Regardless of the outcome of his title match against Fujio Narahashi, Zeshin Makioka would reach a whole year holding the Destiny belt. Nobody questioned Narahashi's right to a title match, as his big win over Lion Genji at Destiny Awaits elevated him to number one contender status. In a battle of spirits, Makioka narrowly came out on top. The bout was acclaimed as the best in SAISHO this year. Narahashi was upset to lose, but maintained his composure and congratulated the retaining champion. With no Destiny title match scheduled for the next show (A-1 Tag Grand Prix), Makioka would equal Hirokazu Yamanoue's record title reign of 1 year and 2 months. October 2020: A-1 Tag Grand Prix Tag team fever hit SAISHO, with a number of established duos competing with some recently put-together teams to decide the winner of the prestigious A-1 Grand Prix. Lion Genji's partnership with Akira Arato started well. They got out of their block finishing in second place, with Genji carrying them to some strong wins over the likes of The Night Terrors and even the reigning Destiny Tag champions, Isoruko Arakaki and MUSCLE Serizawa. At the A-1 Tag Grand Prix Finale show, Genji and Arato faced Gidayu Katou and Motoyuki Miyake in the semi-final. Katou and Miyake's mutual respect wasn't enough to stop the roaring momentum Lion Genji was building, and he won the match with the Genji Bomb. Later on in the finale show, Zeshin Makioka teamed with Fujio Narahashi, Isoruko Arakaki and MUSCLE Serizawa to defeat The Night Terrors (Babau & Moroi) as well as Torajiro Sekozawa and Shiba Mizoguchi. The final of the A-1 Tag Grand Prix had Genji and Arato take on Kinji Akamatsu and Torch Nakazawa, the team which had held the Destiny Tag title for much of the year up until Destiny Awaits. The former champs wanted to prove they were ready to win their belts back. Lion Genji had other ideas. Despite a few mistakes by Arato, Genji managed to keep his side on top and won with another Genji Bomb. Akira Arato was delighted. It was his first taste of gold in the company. Lion Genji was bullish. He had now won both A-1 Grand Prix in the year of 2020, and a shot at the tag team titles against a team they had beaten in the group seemed likely to make him a champion across all divisions. But he wasn't finished. He invited Torajiro Sekozawa and Shiba Mizoguchi to join he and Arato in the ring and addressed the audience. Genji: Men who claim they are wise always say pride comes before a fall. They're wrong. I've had my fall, losing the Destiny title and getting defeated by that hyena Fujio Narahashi. But that's over. Because the wise men have it backwards. The truth is, a fall comes before a pride. My fall is done. It's time for the Pride. Torajiro Sekozawa. The most underrated veteran in the whole of Japanese wrestling. He's been here for over 15 years yet you fools still don't appreciate him. He is my general, the truly wise man by my side. Shiba Mizoguchi. Technically brilliant but for so long lacking that killer instinct to raise himself to the next level. But I know what he can do. He can turn limbs into jelly and defeat any enemy. He is my soldier, my assassin. And Akira Arato. As bold as he is young, a future star with the heart of a true lion. He is my partner in victory tonight, my protégé and the man who will one day rule when my legs grow weak and my mane turns grey. Together we are honourable, we are glorious, but most of all… we are the Pride. November 2020: Formation Battle In the opening match of Formation Battle, an eight-man tag bout yielded a surprising result. Members of the nascent Pride faction, Torajiro Sekozawa and Shiba Mizoguchi teamed with The Night Terrors (Babau & Moroi) to score a stunning win over the team of Destiny champion Zeshin Makioka, Fujio Narahashi, Ogai Miki and Jayson Van Pelt. It was Torajiro Sekozawa who got the winning pin, stealing in to cover Ogai Miki. After the match, Makioka extended his congratulations to the veteran Sekozawa and offered him a shot at the Destiny title at the next show, Golden Warfare. Sekozawa accepted. Later, Lion Genji and Akira Arato got their Destiny Tag title shot at champions Isoruko Arakaki and MUSCLE Serizawa. Akira Arato wasn't on his game. With his partner faltering, Lion Genji failed to deal with the might of Arakaki and the intensity of Serizawa. In the end, Arakaki pinned Arato and the tag champions retained. Genji was furious. He chastised Arato all the way up the entrance ramp, the youngster cowering under his wrath, but promising to improve, to do better next time. December 2020: Golden Warfare Zeshin Makioka defended his Destiny title against Torajiro Sekozawa. The 45-year-old challenger was a former two-time champion himself, and dreamed of a third run, buoyant from his victory at the last show and high position in Lion Genji's Pride. But Makioka knew that with a victory here, he would pass Yamanoue's record for the longest Destiny title reign, and further cement his legacy as a great champion. With that motivation, he battled hard against Sekozawa's hardened craft and retained. Lion Genji confronted him after the match. Still hurting from the tag title failure at Formation Battle and the defeat of a Pride member here, his hackles were up. He demanded a Destiny title shot. Makioka nodded his head, and the match was set for Battleground Japan in January. After the show, the title rivals made these comments: Makioka: I've beaten Genji twice now. Once to take the title off him and the second time at Giant Slam earlier this year. Yes, he pinned me in the A-1 Grand Prix, but the record is still in my favour. So I'm confident of beating him again. Just because I've passed the record for longest reign with this belt doesn't mean I'll get complacent. If I have to beat the same guys again and again to keep hold of it, I'll do so. Saying that, I think Genji needs to know when to temper his pride and let others have a go. Moments later, Genji: Temper my pride? What does that mean? A lion is not for tempering, nor is it for lying down and taking your condescending crap. You've had my title for far too long and I want it back. I've had my Fall, now it's time for my Pride to rule again!!

The Harsh Truth Introduction Few could forget how Motty Kuroda turned on his long time friend and tag partner, Jimmy Stratosphere, at Destiny Awaits. That night, Kuroda refused to explain himself and Stratosphere was left forlorn and beaten. Where there is talent, you can be sure others will flock around to use it to their benefit. Much rarer are those who help someone in their time of need. Those who do the right thing. But does being a good person lead to success? Or is it the harsh truth that nice guys finish last? August 2020: Warriors The Hurt (Billy Robinson & Nigel Svensson) defeated Kinji Akamatsu and Torch Nakazawa. The latter pair had just lost the Destiny Tag titles, so The Hurt put themselves in strong title contention with this victory. Indeed, after the match, they called out new tag champions Arakaki and Serizawa, who later accepted their challenge of a match at Dream Clash. But perhaps more notable during this match was the presence of Motty Kuroda at ringside. He seemed to be supporting The Hurt, the team he and his former partner Stratosphere had battled with over the previous six months. And when they won, he joined them in celebration. This prompted a showing from Jimmy Stratosphere who, looking emotionally battered, demanded an explanation for why Kuroda turned on him. Kuroda had these words for him: Kuroda: You never learn. You never change. Look at us, a decade and a half together and we've barely made an impact. You still do your jumps and flips, taking crazy risks with little reward while I watched on, wondering when we'd actually move forward. See, mate, the Hurt are right. You're too risky. You make poor decisions and while the fans love it, we lose matches. How many times did we miss out on opportunities because you'd gone head first into the guard rail? That's over now. I've got rid of you, the dead weight holding me back. And with these guys, I'm heading to the top. You may be the one called Stratosphere, but I'm the one rising to the greatest heights. And if you're a true friend, you'll stay outta my way. Despite the warning, Stratosphere refused to be trodden on. He demanded a match at Dream Clash and Kuroda accepted, understanding that he could get rid of Stratosphere with a strong victory. September 2020: Dream Clash In the opening match of Dream Clash, Motty Kuroda faced his former tag partner Jimmy Stratosphere. Kuroda had The Hurt in his corner, while Stratosphere was alone. The presence of the tag team at ringside was a constant distraction for Stratosphere who couldn't deal with the sight of his long-time friend on the other side, with other team mates. In one particularly tragic moment, he reached for a tag to Kuroda out of instinct, before realising the situation. Kuroda laughed. The end came when Kuroda hit a spinning DDT and pinned Stratosphere. After the match, Kuroda was keen to put Stratosphere behind him. Robinson and Svensson rushed the ring and laid a beatdown on Stratosphere. But it wouldn't last long because Kinji Akamatsu and Torch Nakazawa came racing down to see them off and help the beaten, tortured Stratosphere to the back. Later in the show, The Hurt failed to win the tag titles from Arakaki and Serizawa. October 2020: A-1 Tag Grand Prix Kinji Akamatsu and Torch Nakazawa made it to the semi-final stage where they faced The Hurt. The Hurt had the psychological advantage in the match, due to their victory at Warriors, but it was Akamatsu and Nakazawa who came out on top. They fought hard to avenge their loss and make it to the final. Unfortunately, they fell short against Lion Genji and Akira Arato who defeated them to become A-1 Tag Grand Prix winners. Elsewhere in the show, Motty Kuroda teamed with Azumamaro Kita to defeat Shuzo Utagawa and Ogai Miki. The match was fairly one-sided and nothing out of the ordinary, but the interactions between Kita and Kuroda had fans talking. They seemed to get on well as a team in the ring, and on the way up the ramp afterwards. November 2020: Formation Battle At Formation Battle, Stratosphere, Akamatsu and Nakazawa hoped to exact some retribution on Kuroda, Robinson and Svensson as they faced off in trios action. The match was closely fought, with Stratosphere particularly showing his resilience in taking a long beating, but surviving to tag in his partners. Everything started to look up for Stratosphere and co. until Azumamaro Kita showed up. When Stratosphere was running the ropes, setting up a trademark flying crossbody, Kita grabbed his ankles without the referee noticing. The trip made the difference. Kuroda took full advantage of it to hit a spinning DDT and get the pinfall victory. In the post-show press conference, Kita explained himself. Kita: Wrestling is all about winning. Motty Kuroda has shown he has his priorities straight by ditching that deadweight Stratosphere. I get Kuroda. I spent years and years trying to be the noble guy, the good friend. But it's a fool's errand. The harsh truth is this: good guys don't make it. Nice guys finish last. To become the destiny you deserve, you need to be ruthless. I wasn't ruthless enough at Destiny Awaits, and I paid the price. That won't happen again. I'm surrounding myself with winners. And you can bet that with winning on our mind and gold in our sights, we'll make it to the top regardless of what anyone else thinks of us. December 2020: Golden Warfare Off the back of Kita costing him at Formation Battle, Stratosphere wanted a match. Kita agreed. They opened the Golden Warfare show with a fast-paced match. But Kita once again showed he was willing to cut corners and thumbed Stratosphere in the eye when the ref was unsighted. This got him the win to a chorus of boos. With The Hurt, Motty Kuroda, Kinji Akamatsu and Torch Nakazawa all at ringside for the match, there was no surprise things got wild after the bell. The numbers advantage proved important. Kuroda, Kita and The Hurt laid a tough beatdown on their three rivals. What was a surprise, though, was the arrival of Fujio Narahashi. He strode down to the ring with everybody watching him. He walked right up to Azumamaro Kita and smacked him square in the jaw. The Hurt and Kuroda immediately swarmed them, but he fought them off long enough for Stratosphere, Akamatsu and Nakazawa to recover and even the odds. The warring sides stared each other down, with tension brewing. After the show, Fujio Narahashi spoke in the press conference. Narahashi: I'm sick of Kita going about like he's a top guy because he cheats now. Hell, I used to love the guy, we tagged together for a long time. But he's changed. He's lost what made him special and found something that makes him just like all the other talentless hacks in this industry. It won't work. You don't get success by cutting corners. He says the harsh truth is that good guys don't make it, but look at our champion. Makioka is one of the best characters and he's on a record-breaking title reign. Oh, and he beat you twice already, Kita. Look at me against Genji. I beat that bully and showed him he can't walk over everyone. No, the harsh truth is this: Kita can't handle his own failure. If he was a true fighter and a true winner, he'd train harder and battle with more spirit than ever. I know this because I've done it. And I'll show him exactly how at Battleground Japan. That's right, Kita, I'm calling you out. I'm gonna prove you wrong.

Next Big Thing Introduction At Destiny Awaits, Motoyuki Miyake cemented his position as the top rising star of SAISHO by defeating Gidayu Katou in a so-called "elevation" match. This put him in title contention and drew a lot of attention to his future. But not all attention is positive. Tobei Sugimura, for instance, didn't take kindly to the plaudits and hype around Miyake and, after losing his Ride the Tiger title to KAZ at Destiny Awaits, found himself in a sour mood. August 2020: Warriors Tobei Sugimura teamed with Fujio Narahashi and Gidayu Katou to defeat Jayson Van Pelt and The Night Terrors. The match served as a bounceback win for Sugimura after his title defeat. But nobody was talking about Sugimura at the end of the show. Instead, Motoyuki Miyake's impressive performance in defeat, as he took on Zeshin Makioka for the Destiny title in the main event, was the highlight, and few could deny that Miyake held his own in the match and at times looked like he might even win it. September 2020: Dream Clash In an almost mirror image of the Warriors match, Motoyuki Miyake joined Azumamaro Kita and Gidayu Katou in victory against Jayson Van Pelt and The Night Terrors. Miyake impressed, and fans pointed him out as one of the top stars on the show. After the match, Katou and Miyake shook hands. In a spur of the moment decision, they decided to put aside their previous animosity and joined forces to enter the A-1 Tag Grand Prix together. The decision got a huge response from the fans, as many thought the pair could win the tournament. Tobei Sugimura wasn't pleased, though. He stormed out with a microphone and berated Miyake for his arrogance, saying the following: Sugimura: You're not special. So far in SAISHO, you've done nothing. You've won no titles and you've beaten nobody of any importance, yet you still get a shot at the Destiny title? The whole world is talking about you. Why? I don't get it. Nobody was talking about me during my brilliant Ride the Tiger title run. Nobody was talking about me last week when I beat the same team you just defeated, but for whatever reason, they're all cheering your name. I got nothing. People are calling you the Next Big Thing. Well, I think you're just Another Mediocre Bozo. October 2020: A-1 Tag Grand Prix Katou and Miyake qualified out of their block in the Grand Prix. They were arguably the most popular act in the tournament during its early stages, and the pair worked quite well together. At the finale show, Katou and Miyake faced Lion Genji and Akira Arato in the semi-finals. Genji's recently formed Pride faction was a serious threat, with Genji looking almost unstoppable. Genji and Arato won the match and went on to victory in the final. For Katou and Miyake, it was a disappointment. But they weren't too upset, being a new team, and instead soaked up the admiration of the fans. Sugimura had seen enough. He stormed out to a growing chorus of disapproval, and challenged Miyake to a singles match at Formation Battle. Miyake didn't hesitate to accept. November 2020: Formation Battle Motoyuki Miyake faced Tobei Sugimura in front of a crowd who couldn't have been more behind one man. Miyake needed the support, because Sugimura was savage. The former Ride the Tiger champion had Miyake on the ropes and nearly out of the match on several occasions. But Miyake showed why the fans had grown to adore him so much. He fought through the adversity and emerged victorious, applying his armbar submission. Sugimura tapped out. Sugimura's face after the match was a picture of fury. Miyake celebrated while his opponent seethed. December 2020: Golden Warfare At Golden Warfare, Sugimura and Miyake found themselves across the ring from each other again. This time it was an 8-man tag, with Sugimura, Shuzo Utagawa and The Night Terrors on one side, and Miyake, Ogai Miki and the tag champions Isoruko Arakaki and MUSCLE Serizawa on the other. Throughout the match, Sugimura targeted Miyake. In fact, it was this rivalry, coupled with the Night Terrors' unorthodox strategy, that proved decisive. Sugimura drew Miyake out of the ring where they brawled, but Sugimura had the awareness to realise Miki was isolated in the ring after taking a big shot from Utagawa. He darted into the ring, wiped out Miki with flying knee and won the match for his team. In the post-show press conference, Sugimura challenged Miyake again: Sugimura: Last month, you had an unfair advantage. You manipulated the crowd and get them on your side, giving you more resources than me. I call that cowardly. And it's the same tactic you use to get undeserving Destiny title shots. So listen to this. Face me again at Battleground Japan, and this time, the crowd must stay silent. Only that way can you prove you're better than me. And when I beat you, I think that means I'm number one contender for the Destiny title! Miyake replied: Miyake: I'll fight you again, Sugimura. And I'll beat you again. That we can all agree on. But I don't think you can tell the fans to be silent. That won't work. And if you say it's cowardly to be popular, then you're deluded and jealous. Just because you're about as charming as a toenail, doesn't mean we all have to work at your level. So, yeah, bring it on. Just know that all the talk of me being the Next Big Thing isn't just hype. It's real. And you're just another step on my way to the top.

Predictions DinoKea: 3/3 The Blonde Bomber: 3/3 MisterRomanini: 2/3 Caledonian Cup Predictions DinoKea: 12/15 MisterRomanini: 11/15 The Blonde Bomber: 11/15 Next Time Backbreaker Simpson vs. Kenny Maynard Mikel de Sota vs. Sasha Pavlovic Leo King vs. Mike O'Reilly Angus McCloud vs. William Riley NOTICE: I'm not going to be able to post during the festive season, so the Cardiff Trophy tournament won't appear until January.

Brains Over Brawn, but Bizarre Over Brains Introduction MUSCLE Serizawa and Isoruko Arakaki surprised the SAISHO world when they learnt their lessons from KAZ and used his techniques to regain the Destiny Tag titles from Kinji Akamatsu and Torch Nakazawa at Destiny Awaits. But with their new focus on preparing for their opponents and working out a gameplan, what would happen when they faced the forces of unpredictability? August 2020: Warriors Isoruko Arakaki and MUSCLE Serizawa didn't compete at Warriors in August. But they did appear on the show, answering their first title rivals since winning the belts at Destiny Awaits. The Hurt defeated Akamatsu and Torch Nakazawa and positioned themselves as number one contenders. Arakaki and Serizawa accepted. September 2020: Dream Clash Arakaki and Serizawa defended their titles against The Hurt (Billy Robinson & Nigel Svensson). It was a closely-fought match, but the champions had done their homework, and with some clever communication, managed to avoid the damage of The Hurt's submission holds by always being close to the ropes. Serizawa got the win when he reversed an armbar from Svensson into a pinning predicament. October 2020: A-1 Tag Grand Prix A disappointing performance from Arakaki and Serizawa in the blocks of the A-1 Tag Grand Prix saw them eliminated before the semi-final, having suffered a defeat to Lion Genji and Akira Arato. But the tag champs enjoyed victory at the finale show, teaming with Makioka and Narahashi to defeat Torajiro Sekozawa, Shiba Mizoguchi and the Night Terrors. During the match, though, the Night Terrors, Babau and Moroi, taunted Arakaki and Serizawa, who had to take a step back and try to figure out their bizarre opponents. With Makioka and Narahashi's help, though, their team achieved victory. November 2020: Formation Battle By now, the previously reviled tag champions had won over the fans. Their problem-solving approach led to some memorable moments and sound appreciation from those who enjoyed smart wrestling. This was highlighted when Arakaki and Serizawa defended the tag titles against A-1 Tag Grand Prix winners Lion Genji and Akira Arato. Their gameplan was brilliant. Arato was the clear weak link, so they isolated him, avoiding contact with Genji at all costs. Arato played into this with mistakes befitting his young age, and a desire to keep battling when he should have tagged in his powerful, experienced partner. Arakaki got the pin on Arato to retain the belts. December 2020: Golden Warfare The Destiny Tag champions competed in another 8-man tag. This time their partners were Ogai Miki and Motoyuki Miyake. They came up against Shuzo Utagawa, The Night Terrors and the man they had allied themselves with earlier in the year, Tobei Sugimura. Sugimura tried to get them to turn on Motoyuki Miyake, who he was feuding with. But Arakaki and Serizawa refused. They instead focused on Utagawa as the weak link. But once again they found themselves baffled by the unorthodox style and tactics of the Night Terrors. The masked men seemingly tagged in at random, attacked from all directions and proved an impossible puzzle to solve. This was enough confusion to cost them the match. The Night Terrors kept them busy while Sugimura isolated Ogai Miki and got the pin on him. After the match, the Night Terrors made it clear they wanted a shot at the tag titles. Arakaki and Serizawa were more than happy to agree and said this in the post-show press conference. Arakaki: They didn't need to challenge us. We were going to offer them a shot anyway because we're the kind of champions who face challenges head on. We learned a lot from KAZ. Not that we like him or anything, but we're smarter than we look and he taught us some important lessons. The main one being is you should always have a plan, and you should always be able to improvise. Serizawa: The Night Terrors only improvise. That's what makes them so hard to deal with. We can't prepare for them because they don't know what they're going to do next. But we'll figure it out. We've got a month to scout them out, see the patterns in their matches, discover the underlying methods to what they do. And come Battleground Japan, we'll take them apart.

Predictions MisterRomanini: 3/4 DinoKea: 2/4 The Blonde Bomber: 2/4 Caledonian Cup Predictions DinoKea: 9/12 MisterRomanini: 9/12 The Blonde Bomber: 8/12 Next Time Gabriel Peterson vs. Kenny Maynard Mikel de Sota & White Manta vs. Sasha Pavlovic & Willliam Riley Angus McCloud vs. Gabriel Peterson / Kenny Maynard (Grand Finale)

Rise of the Tiger Introduction An ever-present at the top of SAISHO, for the first time KAZ had won the Ride the Tiger title at Destiny Awaits. He stated after winning the belt that he wanted to make it special. He wanted all the young talent in the company to improve their strategies, physical condition and wrestling spirit in order to dethrone him. With a wealth of emerging talent in the company, who would be the one to step and defeat Mr. SAISHO himself? August 2020: Warriors KAZ's first title defence came against the youngster Akira Arato. Arato was in the same age bracket as Motoyuki Miyake and Gidayu Katou, but was not so far along in his development and hadn't earned much acclaim yet. It was no surprise to see him fail to dethrone KAZ. However, he showed glimpses of a bright future, and after the match KAZ advised him to work hard on his game and consider getting an experienced mentor. September 2020: Dream Clash At Dream Clash, KAZ faced Shiba Mizoguchi. Mizoguchi boasted excellent technical skill but was yet to find a decisive edge to his wrestling, instead being quite ponderous. KAZ punished his flaws, acting faster and smarter. Mizoguchi's submission holds couldn't keep Mr. SAISHO down for long, and the match was over when KAZ hit the Super Rana. Again, KAZ had advice for his defeated opponent, suggesting Mizoguchi focus on gaining a winner's mentality, even if it meant sacrificing a little technical prowess. October 2020: A-1 Tag Grand Prix The Tag Grand Prix finale featured Jayson Van Pelt taking on KAZ. JVP was by no means a young member of the roster, but he was someone who was still stuck in the midcard and hoping to break free. JVP and KAZ put on a great match, with both men able to draw from a variety of different styles thanks to their extensive travels around the world. But KAZ was on a roll and picked up another victory. KAZ told JVP to be patient. He had all the tools, and the right moment would come for him eventually. November 2020: Formation Battle KAZ kept up his promise of elevating the Ride the Tiger title, defending it on a fourth consecutive show, this time against Gidayu Katou. It was no secret that Katou was a star in the making, but the young man's rapid ascent had taken a bit of a hit when he lost to Motoyuki Miyake at Destiny Awaits. As if in response to that failure, Katou was determined to show he still had the potential so many had seen in him. And he proved them right. When he hit the backdrop suplex and got the three count, everyone in the arena was stunned. None more so than KAZ. Perhaps hurting at the fact his intended glorious reign had been cut short, KAZ struggled to keep his composure after the bell. But in the end he did the right thing and congratulated the victor. In the press conference after the show he had some words. KAZ: That was… I dunno, I didn't expect that. I knew Katou was a great talent, but he's really stepped up recently. Credit to him. Made me look a bit of a fool. But I can take that. And I still got some advice for ya, Katou. This is where the real work begins. You ain't made it just 'cos you got the Ride the Tiger belt. Loads of guys have won the title. But can you hold on to it? Can you defend it with the honour of a true star and the ferocity of a tiger? December 2020: Golden Warfare Gidayu Katou made his first defence of the Ride the Tiger title against Shiba Mizoguchi. Mizoguchi had recently joined Lion Genji's pride and was looking more focused than ever. Fellow Pride member, Akira Arato, was in his corner for the match. The match was closely fought, with Mizoguchi showing clear signs of improvement since his previous title match against KAZ. But Katou wasn't going to let his first defence end in defeat, and the backdrop suplex got the job done. After the match, Arato and Mizoguchi grabbed hold of Katou in the ring. Their new aggression since joining the Pride looked to manifest itself in a beatdown on the champion. But before they could get their shots in, KAZ rushed to the ring and squared off against the pair of them. Despite KAZ coming to his aid, Katou looked annoyed at the former champion. He grabbed a microphone. Katou: I see where this is going. All of you want a piece of this belt, and no matter how you try to take it, you'll fail. So why don't we get it all over with in one fell swoop. All of you, face me at Battleground Japan in January, a four-way match with the Ride the Tiger title on the line. I'll show you all I'm better than you all! In the post-show press conference, KAZ had a broad grin on his face. KAZ: Katou's got guts, I'll give him that. Brains? Perhaps not so much. A four-way ain't a common thing in SAISHO, but it means opportunity. Either for me to get that belt back and restart the run I was on, for Arato or Mizoguchi to show they're not just Genji's lapdogs, or for Katou to really become the star he's destined to be. To really become the tiger!

Predictions DinoKea: 3/4 MisterRomanini: 3/4 The Blonde Bomber: 2/4 Caledonian Cup Predictions DinoKea: 7/8 MisterRomanini: 6/8 The Blonde Bomber: 6/8 Next Time Leo King vs. White Manta Kenny Maynard vs. William Riley Leo King / Kenny Maynard vs. White Manta / William Riley Angus McCloud vs. Gabriel Peterson

DESTINY AWAITS 2020 Match Card KAZ vs. Tobei Sugimura © for the Ride the Tiger championship Jayson Van Pelt & The Night Terrors vs. Torajiro Sekozawa, Ogai Miki & Shiba Mizoguchi Gidayu Katou vs. Motoyuki Miyake The Diamond Dogs vs. The Hurt Fujio Narahashi vs. Lion Genji Isoruko Arakaki & MUSCLE Serizawa vs. Kinji Akamatsu & Torch Nakazawa © for the Destiny Tag Team championships Azumamaro Kita vs. Zeshin Makioka © for the Destiny championship MATCH 1: KAZ vs. Tobei Sugimura © for the Ride the Tiger championship An electric start to the show saw KAZ exhibit his varied talents. Sugimura fought hard, with incredible intensity, but KAZ countered him time after time with lucha libre transitions, European strikes and good-old-fashioned brawling. Sugimura couldn't handle the veteran's creativity and ring-awareness. KAZ got the win after twenty minutes with a Super Rana. KAZ became the new Ride the Tiger champion! MATCH 2: Jayson Van Pelt & The Night Terrors vs. Torajiro Sekozawa, Ogai Mikie & Shiba Mizoguchi This match found its way onto the card more as something for the wrestlers to do rather than for any particular rivalry or title bout. Van Pelt and the Night Terrors had teamed a few times in the last year or so, and developed some chemistry. That took them to a good victory here. MATCH 3: Gidayu Katou vs. Motoyuki Miyake In a match coined by Katou as an "elevation" match, everyone was desperate to find out who would get the all-important victory and establish themselves as the hottest rising star, not only in SAISHO, but in all of Japan. Both men were desperate for the victory. They went back and forth, neither able to get a strong grip on the match. Katou's impactful moves had Miyake breathing hard, but Miyake's smooth technique got him out of trouble and turned the tables on Katou several times. When Katou hit the Backdrop Suplex, it was all over for Miyake. Until it wasn't. He somehow managed to absorb the impact and reverse it into his deadly armbar. After a long struggle in the middle of the ring, Gidayu Katou couldn't hold on any longer and tapped out. After the match, Miyake showed his respect for Katou by shaking his hand and bringing him in for a hug. Katou looked angry at his loss, but returned the show of respect. MATCH 4: The Diamond Dogs vs. The Hurt It was shooters vs. flyers as Robinson and Svensson took on Stratosphere and Kuroda. The teams spent plenty of time before and during the match jaw-jacking back and forth, both confident their style would win. The Hurt weren't going to repeat the mistakes of Battleground Japan when they lost to The Diamond Dogs. They played a cautious, reactive game. Every time Kuroda or Stratosphere attacked, they had a smart counter, a move to ground them and assert control. This led Jimmy Stratosphere to take even more risks. He ran across the top rope to hit a kick on Svensson, backflipped onto Robinson on the guardrail, and went for a suicide dive onto both men. This last move proved his downfall. The suicide dive missed, and clattered shoulder-first into the guardrail. The Hurt took advantage, rolling him into the ring and working over the shoulder. Kuroda tried to assist, but the damage was done. Svensson finished Stratosphere with a Hyper Extension Arm Lock. The Hurt stood victorious. Kuroda helped Stratosphere to his feet, and the pair embraced. Stratosphere turned his back to leave the ring… Kuroda slammed a forearm into the back of his neck. The crowd gasped. Robinson and Svensson smiled as Kuroda kicked his best friend's injured shoulder, then locked in a kimura. Stratosphere screamed in pain. Finally Kuroda released the hold, dumped his friend on the mat and turned to Robinson and Svensson. He simply nodded at them, then left. MATCH 5: Fujio Narahashi vs. Lion Genji The brawl around the arena at Marvel Strike picked up where it left off, before the Destiny Awaits match had even started. During Narahashi's entrance, Genji attacked him from behind. Narahashi fought back, though, and the pair battled at ringside for a good few minutes before they both decided to get the match going properly. Lion Genji was savage. Every strike and every slam connected with an excess of viciousness reserved especially for this opponent. In return, Narahashi's passion was evident in the way he absorbed the punishment and dished out plenty of his own. The crowd got fully behind Narahashi. It was the loudest they had been all night, and even in moments when Genji looked in complete command, they chanted for Narahashi and clapped his recovery. Lion Genji looked unstoppable, though. He hit a Genji Bomb on Narahashi in the middle of the ring, but Narahashi kicked out. Instead of strutting and playing to the crowd, as he had done in his title defeat to Makioka at Giant Slam, he immediately got Narahashi up on the ropes and hit a huge avalanche Genji Bomb, a repeat of the move that defeated Narahashi in the A-1 Grand Prix final. But Narahashi kicked out. Genji couldn't believe his eyes, and neither could the crowd. They roared their support of Narahashi who surged back into the match and hit a Lariat, then another, and a third, before collapsing on top of Genji. The referee counted to three, and it was all over. Several minutes passed before either man could get to their feet. Narahashi stood tall and soaked in the love from the fans, while Genji slunk away, a snarl etched on his face. MATCH 6: Isoruko Arakaki & MUSCLE Serizawa vs. Kinji Akamatsu & Torch Nakazawa © for the Destiny Tag Team championships The tag title championship match started as a battle of wits. Akamatsu and Nakazawa showed why they had reigned as champions since January, and why they defeated Arakaki and Serizawa to win the belts in the first place. Their chemistry and decision making made up for their lack of physical prowess compared to the challengers. But Arakaki and Serizawa showed they had learned from the experiences over the last few months. Their defeats to KAZ had bred a focused anger in their muscled chests, a determination to do better. When Akamatsu & Nakazawa hit the Magma Driver, MUSCLE Serizawa managed to reach his foot out to touch the bottom rope, breaking what would have certainly been a decisive pinfall. And as Akamatsu set himself up for a bridging suplex on Arakaki, the latter swiftly reversed it into a roll-up pin, which got the three count! Arakaki and Serizawa regained the Destiny Tag Team titles by using two smart strategies KAZ had employed in singles action against the pair. A New Arrival During the weeks leading up to Destiny Awaits, rumours had been swirling around the identity of a new member joining the SAISHO roster. Speculation indicated a well-known face, but nobody could quite put their finger on it. When BCG's Bunrakuken Torii stepped out, a keen sense of intrigue rippled around the arena. Torii was a big name in other parts of Japan, particularly the Kansai region where he was adored for the work he put on in BCG. He announced he was no longer part of BCG and wanted to put the past behind him. He was looking forward to a new chapter in his journey to greatness, a chapter which would begin in SAISHO. MATCH 7: Azumamaro Kita vs. Zeshin Makioka © for the Destiny title Not only was the Destiny title on the line in this huge main event match, but so, according to many, was the future direction of the company. Would Makioka retain the belt and march forward with tradition and honor? Or would Azamamaro Kita bring a new dawn of ambition and success? The fans clearly backed Makioka. While some may have agreed with Kita's desire to grow the company, they couldn't get behind his sneaky tactics which often amounted to cheating. But Kita didn't care about pleasing the fans, he wanted to win. So he set about making Makioka's life as difficult as possible. He used the 20-count on the outside to its fullest, slowing Makioka's momentum at crucial moments, he hit cheap shots when the referee broke them apart on the ropes, and whenever the official's view was blocked, he raked Makioka's eyes, pulled his hair and bit his fingers. Despite all this, Makioka fought back. He never once complained, or demanded more from the referee. He took the abuse and responded with clean offence of his own. For nearly twenty-five minutes the pair traded blows, back and forth, with Kita spending long stretches on top after an underhanded attack, punctuated by spells of fury and passion from Makioka. The climax of the match came when Kita "bumped" into the referee. Everybody knew he had done it on purpose, but it didn't matter. He took the moment of distraction to kick Makioka square in the balls. The crowd screamed. Such a move was unheard of in SAISHO, and the fury in the air was palpable. Makioka went down, clutching his nether regions. Kita grinned. But as he went to the referee to get him to make the count for a pinfall, Makioka wriggled his way to the bottom corner, gasping in agony but still keeping hold of his senses. Kita couldn't pin him while he was under the ropes. Kita became furious and lashed out at Makioka, but the strike awakened Makioka. The champion sprang to his feet, roared in Kita's face and unleashed a barrage of attacks with shocking intensity. Kita struggled to defend himself, and when Makioka hit the Leaping Brainbuster, it was all over. Makioka got the three count and retained his title. Post-show press conference Fujio Narahashi: I've sorted out the Genji problem. Hopefully, he realises he can't walk over people in SAISHO, and if he tries it again, I'm more than happy to put him back in his place. But for me, now, I'm looking up. Makioka was great tonight. A fighting champion. And a fighting champion needs challengers, so let me put my name in the hat. KAZ: My first time with the Ride the Tiger title. It's strange holding it, to be honest. But I wanna make this belt something special. I want all the young guys in SAISHO to challenge me and in doing so do what MUSCLE Serizawa and Isoruki Arakaki did. Learn. They showed they're not just meatheads. They have a brain. Others can learn from me, too. Now who will learn the most and take this belt from me? Torii: I know I can't just walk into this company and expect to be at the top. That's where I'll get to… it's inevitable. But I'll earn my way there, going through every single member of the roster if I have to. I'm not here to mess around. Makioka: The feeling I have right now is relief. Sure, I'm happy to still be champion, but tonight was about defending SAISHO and what it stands for. As long as I hold this belt, the Destiny of SAISHO is in my hands. Kita tried to change fate. He failed. Perhaps he needs to spend some time thinking about his actions and come back when he's ready to wrestler a proper match. As for the future of this title, well, Fujio Narahashi and Motoyuki Miyake both got big wins tonight, and I reckon they both have a shout. I'm happy to face either. They've earned it.

Predictions DinoKea: 4/4 The Blonde Bomber: 4/4 MisterRomanini: 3/4 Caledonian Cup Predictions DinoKea: 4/4 The Blonde Bomber: 4/4 MisterRomanini: 3/4 Next Time Leo King vs. Sasha Pavlovic Angus McCloud vs. White Manta Kenny Maynard vs. Mikel de Sota Gabriel Peterson vs. William Riley

In the case of a draw, the champion would retain.

DESTINY AWAITS 2020 Match Card KAZ vs. Tobei Sugimura © for the Ride the Tiger championship Jayson Van Pelt & The Night Terrors vs. Torajiro Sekozawa, Ogai Miki & Shiba Mizoguchi Gidayu Katou vs. Motoyuki Miyake The Diamond Dogs vs. The Hurt Fujio Narahashi vs. Lion Genji Isoruko Arakaki & MUSCLE Serizawa vs. Kinji Akamatsu & Torch Nakazawa © for the Destiny Tag Team championships An exciting new wrestler has joined SAISHO. His identity will be revealed! Azumamaro Kita vs. Zeshin Makioka © for the Destiny championship This show will look a little more like a standard diary (although still no graphics) as it'll be posted as one unit, compiling the climaxes of all 5 of the storylines posted so far. Feel free to get your predictions in!

The Genji Problem Introduction Everything you need to know about Lion Genji is in his name. He calls himself a lion, king of the jungle, mightiest of the beasts. And Genji, after Hikaru Genji, the fantastically handsome and intelligent protagonist of The Tale of Genji written a thousand years ago. He has a very high opinion of himself. And who can blame him? A bronzed muscular figure, an immense talent in the ring and a former SAISHO Destiny champion, while still only 30 years old. The problem with the previous sentence is the word "former". Yes, Lion Genji lost the title to Zeshin Makioka at Dream Clash, 2019, after reigning supreme for 9 months. A character such as Lion Genji doesn't take defeat well. January 2020: Battleground Japan Nobody in Sendai was surprised that Lion Genji comfortably defeated Ogai Miki at Battleground Japan. Miki was shorter, lighter, slower and considered less capable in the ring. It was a mismatch. Lion Genji knew he would win, and win he did. But after the bell rang and his hand was raised, Genji wasn't done. He manhandled Miki into a Genji Bomb and smashed him hard into the mat. Once. Twice. Three times. Referees and doctors threw themselves upon him to stop him breaking poor Miki in half. Genji only smiled and walked away. February 2020: Guard of Honor Lion Genji took on the technician, Shiba Mizoguchi. Mizoguchi had a few surprises in store for Genji, trapping him in some innovative submissions, but Genji would not be defeated. A Genji Bomb got him the three count. Then came the unnecessary extras. Mizoguchi's spine smacked on the mat twice more. But before Genji could hit a third one, Fujio Narahashi charged to the ring ready to throw hands. Narahashi didn't have a match that night and clearly wanted to see some action. But Genji was having none of it. He smiled at Narahashi, turned his back and walked away. Narahashi wasn't the kind of man to attack someone from behind, so he stayed his burning fists and fumed as Genji arrogantly strode away. March 2020: A-1 Grand Prix Fujio Narahashi won the first ever A-1 Grand Prix, in 2015. Since then, he hadn't managed to capture the big prize again, so for him this year's edition was a chance to get right back into the title picture. Lion Genji expected to win the tournament. He expected to power through everyone and continue on his path of greatness. This is exactly what happened. Genji steamrollered his way through Block A, finishing top and making sure his opponents felt his presence after the bell. He no longer needed to hurt them, simply standing over them letting them know he could destroy their careers, but choosing not to. Magnanimous. He advanced to a semi-final match against the second place competitor from Block B, Destiny champion Zeshin Makioka. It was a rematch of the Dream Clash match that saw Genji lose the title to Makioka. The lion was out for revenge. Makioka wouldn't roll over easily, though, and the pair battled for 20 hard minutes until Genji hit a pair of Genji bombs to pin the champion and advance to the final. After the match, Genji stood tall over Makioka and held up the Destiny belt. A clear message. Meanwhile, Fujio Narahashi topped Block B, although not quite as emphatically. He would face Azumamaro Kita in the second semi-final. Narahashi and Kita had always been close. They shared A-1 Tag Grand Prix success in 2016 and tagged on and off since. But friendship was put aside to see who would emerge victorious. The answer was Fujio Narahashi, defeating Kita with a powerful Lariat. The final was set. Lion Genji vs. Fujio Narahashi. The tension was palpable as they squared off, the confrontation at Guard of Honor the previous month still fresh in their minds, and the huge prize of the A-1 Grand Prix at stake. For over 27 minutes, the pair went back and forth. Genji was at times imperious and commanding, at others desperate and ferocious. Narahashi never backed down, never gave in, and fought with his heart, as he always did. But on this night, Lion Genji reigned as king of the jungle. A huge Genji Bomb from the top rope put Narahashi down for the three-count, and the A-1 Grand Prix winner was crowned. Such was the intensity of the match, Genji didn't have the energy to punish Narahashi after the bell, not even to stand and gloat. Only in the post-match press conference did he say what he felt. Genji: I am the greatest. The A-1 Grand Prix is mine, as I knew it would be. Bodies fall in my path. I am undefeated this year so far, undefeated in the most gruelling competition this company has. And I will stay undefeated, because at Giant Slam, I'm going to beat Zeshin Makioka and take back the Destiny title which is rightfully mine. Narahashi: Part of me respects Lion Genji. What he can do from bell to bell is amazing But what he does during the rest of his life is… well, he's an asshole. He beat me tonight, fair and square. But there'll come another day when his pride leads to a fall, and I'll be there to push him to the ground. April 2020: Giant Slam VII Fujio Narahashi had a good night at Giant Slam, teaming with The Diamond Dogs (Jimmy Stratosphere & Motty Kuroda) to defeat Jayson Van Pelt and The Night Terrors (Babau & Moroi). In the main event, Lion Genji got his title shot against Zeshin Makioka, a shot well earned after having won the A-1 Grand Prix and defeating the champion in the semi-final. Lion Genji truly believed it was his time at the top. Makioka had other ideas. He had learned from that semi-final defeat, and vowed to come back stronger, harder and with more fighting spirit. And in the title match, he defeated Lion Genji. Genji's defeat, it could be argued, was his own doing. He had Makioka downed on the mat after a Genji Bomb. Instead of following up, he stood over Makioka's prone body and gloated. The delay was long enough for Makioka to reverse the next attempted Genji Bomb into a Tombstone Piledriver that won the match. Lion Genji was not pleased. May 2020: Mega Explosion At May's Mega Explosion, Lion Genji took on the youngster Shuzo Utagawa. It was a mostly one-sided affair, with a Genji Bomb getting the job done in under seven minutes. But the post-match beat down was even more vicious and cruel than ever. Genji stomped on Utagawa's head multiple times and hit a Genji Bomb through a table on the outside. Fujio Narahashi came storming out to stop him, in a mirror image of Guard of Honor in February. However, this time, instead of calmly walking away, Lion Genji snarled and butted heads with Narahashi. Officials separated the pair. Narahashi got a microphone and had some choice words for Genji. Narahashi: You're nothing but a flat-track bully, Genji. You could have had the title at Giant Slam, but you wanted to stand and gloat. That's your own fault. But you take out your anger on others, those weaker than you, those who can't defend themselves. So how about you fight someone who can. You know, because I took you to the limit at the A-1 final. Fight me again, asshole. Genji waited until the post-match press conference to reply. Genji: Why should I wrestle Narahashi? I beat him already. He can call me all the names he likes, but there's no denying I'm better than him. I don't need to face him again to prove that. Give me someone else to fight. Few were convinced by his seemingly cool superiority. June 2020: Marvel Strike Akira Arato, another young prospect, was the next man to face Lion Genji. Unsurprisingly, Genji picked up a dominant victory, and it seemed like the post-match attack was inevitable. But before he could lay his hands on Arato after the bell, Narahashi jumped out from the crowd. He attacked Genji head on, driving him into the corner of the ring and laying in some wild punches. The crowd, who were sick of Genji's bullying, loved Narahashi's fire. Genji fought back. The pair brawled in the ring, tumbling to the outside, fists flying, knees connecting, bodies slamming into each other. Genji gnashed and raged, his lion's wrath unleashed. Narahashi's battling nature coursed through his blood, taking over his senses. Finally, officials got the situation under control and separated the pair, who were both banned from the press conference and asked to leave the arena. Despite the chaos, the match was made for Destiny Awaits. Fujio Narahashi vs. Lion Genji.

Predictions The Blonde Bomber: 4/4 DinoKea: 3/4 Season 3 Predictions DinoKea: 24/32 The Blonde Bomber: 18/24 Just here to look: 3/8 Next Time Kenny Maynard vs. White Manta Sasha Pavlovic vs. William Riley Gabriel Peterson vs. Leo King Angus McCloud vs. Mikel de Sota

A Clash of Styles Introduction SAISHO is proud of its gaijin wrestlers. In 2020, the tag division, especially was replete with wrestlers from other countries, but that's not to say all the foreigners always got on well. The Diamond Dogs and The Hurt were two such gaijin teams. The Diamond Dogs was the name of two friends who went way back to their time entering the business in Australia. Jimmy Stratosphere and Motty Kuroda had known each other and tagged together for so long, they didn't know anything else. The had two Destiny Tag Team reigns to their name and were always looking to get more gold, or at least have a lot of fun flying around the ring. Nigel Svensson and Billy Robinson of The Hurt didn't share such a close history. In fact, they only started teaming in SAISHO when they both joined five years prior. But since then, the two shooters had considerable success in SAISHO, including a Destiny Tag Team title run. They bonded over their love for British shoot-style. Different backgrounds, different relationships and different styles. Hardly the recipe for two teams getting along well. January 2020: Battleground Japan The first show of the year saw The Diamond Dogs (Stratosphere & Kuroda) take on The Hurt (Robinson & Svensson). The two tag teams had been aiming for a tag title shot in the not too distant future, and a victory for either team here would put them closer to contention. The match showed their clear contrast in style. Stratosphere lived up to his name by reaching incredible heights from the top rope and executing some exhilarating offence. Kuroda was a little more grounded, but still worked at lighting speed. The Hurt preferred to keep things on the mat. Whenever they could, they cut the legs out of their opponents and applied a stretch or submission hold. Joint manipulation and slow, painful wrenching were the name of the game. But they couldn't keep The Diamond Dogs grounded. Instead, the high-flyers hit a frogsplash senton bomb combo, then the Sweep DDT to win. While it wasn't a huge shock, The Hurt reacted like it was an upset victory, and shook their heads at the result. February 2020: Guard of Honor In February's Guard of Honor show, The Hurt comfortably defeated the young lion team of Jinzaburo Kakinomoto and Naruhiko Koizumi. Their brutal, efficient ground-game was clear to see, and Robinson won the match with a Capital City Crucifix. After the win, they called out The Diamond Dogs. Apparently their loss at Battleground Japan was still fresh in their minds, and they criticised Stratosphere and Kuroda's style, calling it "fake" wrestling and "glorified gymnastics". The Diamond Dogs showed up and retorted that their "fake glorified gymnastics" had beaten The Hurt, and that maybe if Svensson and Robinson weren't so afraid of heights, they might have had a chance. March 2020: A-1 Grand Prix At the A-1 Grand Prix finale, The Diamond Dogs teamed with Destiny tag champions Kinji Akamatsu & Torch Nakazawa in an eight-man match against The Hurt and The Night Terrors (Babau & Moroi). The match was chaotic. Stratosphere and Kuroda flew around the ring, combining well with the energy that Akamatsu and Nakazawa brought. But The Hurt and The Night Terrors used their cunning and technique to ground the high-flyers. It was Nigel Svensson who struck the decisive blow with a Running Knee Drive on Torch Nakazawa. After the match, Svensson and Robinson made it clear they should be next to get a tag title shot as they'd just pinned the champions. The Diamond Dogs weren't best pleased as they had beaten The Hurt at Battleground Japan and not yet got their chance at the title. The champions decided The Hurt would get their shot at the next show, Giant Slam, and The Diamond Dogs would face whoever was champion after that at Mega Explosion. April 2020: Giant Slam VII Early on in the Giant Slam show, The Diamond Dogs teamed with Fujio Narahashi to defeat Jayson Van Pelt and the Night Terrors (Babau & Moroi). They looked good in victory, with Stratosphere getting the pin after combining with Kuroda for a Sweep DDT. Later, The Hurt took on Kinji Akamatsu and Torch Nakazawa with the Destiny Tag Team titles on the line. Svensson and Robinson successfully grounded the energetic champions for much of the match, stretching and wrenching and bending joints. But their submission game couldn't get the job done. The champions showed real resilience to resist the urge to tap in time for their partner to break up the hold. They rallied to defeat The Hurt with a Magma Driver. After the match, Kuroda and Stratosphere showed their faces, commenting on the failure of The Hurt's style to get a big victory, and claiming their risk-taking would pay off at Mega Explosion. May 2020: Mega Explosion As if in response to Kuroda and Stratosphere's criticism, The Hurt bounced back with a big win at Mega Explosion. They teamed with Torajiro Sekozawa in a dominant display against Shiba Mizoguchi, Jinzaburo Kakinomoto and Naruhiko Koizumi. Svensson got the victory with a Hyper Extension Arm Lock. All eyes turned to The Diamond Dogs as they challenged for the Destiny Tag Team titles against Kinji Akamatsu and Torch Nakazawa. The match started at full throttle and continued that way throughout. There were plenty of dives, flips and nasty looking bumps. The decisive moment came when Jimmy Stratosphere headed to the top rope to perform a twisting splash on Nakazawa, but Nakazawa moved out of the way. The high-risk move cost The Diamond Dogs as Stratosphere was open to a Magma Driver that kept the belts on the champions. Despite their loss, Stratosphere and Kuroda embraced after the bell and reaffirmed that their style, while not effective on this occasion, was much more exciting than the kind of snooze-fest you can expect from The Hurt. June 2020: Marvel Strike The opening match of Marvel Strike saw The Diamond Dogs team up with Jayson Van Pelt to take on Torajiro Sekozawa and The Hurt. Tensions were running high, but The Hurt slowed the action down. They wisely trapped Stratosphere, then Kuroda, then JVP in the corner and delivered a methodical, violent beat down. Their stretches and Sekozawa's brutal strikes were deadly. The Diamond Dogs and JVP rallied. They showcased their exciting moves, but in the end it wasn't enough. Stratosphere's springboard moonsault got countered into a Capital City Crucifix from Billy Robinson followed up by a Dragon Suplex from Sekozawa which won the match. After the show, the press conference featured words from both teams. Robinson: They want it. We want it. Let's get this match booked for Destiny Awaits. Ever since those trapeze clowns fluked a win over us, we've been itching to get our own back. Tonight we showed wrestling is about, well, wrestling. Not jumping about like a salmon and flipping like a burger patty. And we'll prove that again at Destiny Awaits. Stratosphere: I know we beat them before, but it'll feel even better to shut them up for good, mate. Me and Motty are gonna put on a show for the fans at Destiny Awaits. But we're not just about the spectacle. This style of ours is based on years of practice, development and training to make us winners. We've been mates for years and years, we've done it all together. We've won it all together. And that's what we'll do at the big show. Me and my best friend Motty. We're gonna win.