Black Canvas Grappling: Invasion of the TITANS

[DarK_RaideR]

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Lionheart Tour Night 6 in Kyoto, Kansai Region

Tue. W2 March 2021

1.039 Fans

 

1. Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) defeated Dread Army (FEAR, The Horror and Atto Savage) in 16:08 when Giant Brody pinned Atto Savage with a Single Handed Choke Slam. [64]

Black Canvas Grappling returned to their home stomping grounds of Kansai for the final night of the tour and the show began with Bruiser Brigade and Dread Army clashing in a multi man match that got fans excited.

 

2. Ragnarok defeated Ryobe Uno in 15:35 by pinfall with a Death of the Gods. Ragnarok makes defence number one of the Medallion #3. [34]

Unfortunately for the match that followed, even the most hardcore BCG fans don't seem to think much of Ragnarok and Uno's time away in SAISHO has damaged his perception. As a result, the audience was disinterested and mentally checked out of this match, despite a Challengers Series Medallion being on the line.

 

3. Black Iron Corps defeated Miura & Yoshizawa and The American Cobras in 19:06. [63]

Things were better down the road, even with the -by now- somewhat repetitive recipe of throwing champions, challengers and another tag team in a three way match. All three teams involved were able to put together a great match and Black Iron Corps ended the tour with a win, giving them some much needed momentum in light of their upcoming title match.

 

4. Destiny Bond (Tanyu Toshusai, Zeshin Makioka and Rokuemon Matsushita) defeated Seven Samurai (Funakoshi, Blast Ikoma and Motoyuki Miyake) in 17:39 when Rokuemon Matsushita pinned Motoyuki Miyake with an One-Handed Choke Slam. [69]

Again, Destiny Bond got the win over Seven Samurai, even if it was Ikoma and Miyake on Funakoshi's side this time. Matsushita's power was in full display and the rookie Miyake took a severe beating, never backing down thanks to his fighting spirit but eventually taking too much to kick out of a pin.

 

5. Bunrakuken Torii and Yoshinaka Taku defeated Mabuchi Furusawa and SUKI in 27:47 when Bunrakuken Torii pinned SUKI with a Spinning Forearm Smash. [77]

The night ended on a high note as Dawnguard and Pillars of Puroresu brought their top two men for a tag contest that did not disappoint, following the usual slow fuse recipe that BCG employs for big matches.

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[DarK_RaideR]

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BCG Lionheart 2021 Press Conference Highlights

 

~ Lionheart is an event built around BCG cornerstone Funakoshi so of course it will be him in the main event, defending his National title against the leader of Destiny Bond, Tanyu Toshusai. The champion was asked repeatedly about his continued losses to the challenger's team throughout the tour and he responded by saying it's a completely different story when it comes down to one on one confrontations in the big events. Toshusai took the time to elevate his newly founded stable, saying it was the right choice for him and it's already paying off before promising to unseat Funakoshi and become the new BCG National champion.

 

~ The final night's other title match will see champions Yoshizawa & Miura defend the BCG World Tag Team belts against TagMania 8 winners Black Iron Corps. The champions said it was a bummer to be eliminated from the tournament and they have a lot of respect for Kita and Narahashi for winning it, but this only drives them further to retain the titles. When it came to Black Iron Corps, the two men returned the praise to Toshusai, wishing him good luck and saying they're looking for a night where Destiny Bond will come off with all titles on the line.

 

~ On a slightly different note, BCG also revealed the signing of Takeshi Umehara, who will be helping backstage as well as taking a seat on the announce desk for colour commentary. Umehara himself said he already had a chance to help behind the scenes during the tour and liked what he saw, which in turn now has him excited for his first major BCG event.

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Fri. W2 March 2021

Nara Baseball Stadium @ Kansai, Japan

Event Card

 

BCG National title match

1st Champion Funakoshi vs Challenger Tanyu Toshusai

 

Bunrakuken Torii vs Razan Okamoto

 

Mabuchi Furusawa vs Yoshinaka Taku

 

BCG World Tag Team titles match

15th Champions Miura & Yoshizawa vs TagMania 8 Winners Black Iron Corps

 

Blast Ikoma vs Zeshin Makioka

 

Challengers Series title match

19th Champion Rokuemon Matsushita vs Challenger Kamisaka/Goto/Ragnarok

 

Challengers Series Medallions match

Kadonomaro Kamisaka vs Naozane Goto vs Ragnarok

 

Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) vs Dread Army (FEAR, The Horror and Atto Savage)</div>

Took a page out of falling_star's UPJ diary, putting the Press Conference right before the big show instead of the tour's beginning. Let me know what you think and which version you prefer.

[Historian]

BCG National title match

1st Champion Funakoshi vs Challenger Tanyu Toshusai

 

Bunrakuken Torii vs Razan Okamoto

 

Mabuchi Furusawa vs Yoshinaka Taku

 

BCG World Tag Team titles match

15th Champions Miura & Yoshizawa vs TagMania 8 Winners Black Iron Corps

 

Blast Ikoma vs Zeshin Makioka

 

Challengers Series title match

19th Champion Rokuemon Matsushita vs Goto

 

Challengers Series Medallions match

Kadonomaro Kamisaka vs Naozane Goto vs Ragnarok

 

Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) vs Dread Army (FEAR, The Horror and Atto Savage)

[Scottie]

BCG National title match

1st Champion Funakoshi vs Challenger Tanyu Toshusai

 

Bunrakuken Torii vs Razan Okamoto

 

Mabuchi Furusawa vs Yoshinaka Taku

 

BCG World Tag Team titles match

15th Champions Miura & Yoshizawa vs TagMania 8 Winners Black Iron Corps

 

Blast Ikoma vs Zeshin Makioka

 

Challengers Series title match

19th Champion Rokuemon Matsushita vs Challenger Kamisaka/Goto/Ragnarok

 

Challengers Series Medallions match

Kadonomaro Kamisaka vs Naozane Goto vs Ragnarok

 

Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) vs Dread Army (FEAR, The Horror and Atto Savage)

 

* * *

 

I don't have a strong view on when the press conference should go, but having it immediately before the show is a nice way of summing up what happened during the tour (for people who don't have the chance to read every tour show!).

[Sco xY2Jx]

BCG National title match

1st Champion Funakoshi vs Challenger Tanyu Toshusai

 

Bunrakuken Torii vs Razan Okamoto

 

Mabuchi Furusawa vs Yoshinaka Taku

 

BCG World Tag Team titles match

15th Champions Miura & Yoshizawa vs TagMania 8 Winners Black Iron Corps

Blast Ikoma vs Zeshin Makioka

 

Challengers Series title match

19th Champion Rokuemon Matsushita vs Goto

 

Challengers Series Medallions match

Kadonomaro Kamisaka vs Naozane Goto vs Ragnarok

 

Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) vs Dread Army (FEAR, The Horror and Atto Savage)

[DarK_RaideR]

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Fri. W2 March 2021

Nara Baseball Stadium, Kansai Region, Japan

Attendance: 15.000 (Super No Vacancy), Rating: 80, Views: 103.212 (0.13 on Shogun TV)

 

Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) vs Dread Army (FEAR, The Horror and Atto Savage)

The opening multi man tag was a classic case of big men brawling but having the BCG World champion in it really made a difference when it came to firing up the fans for a strong start to the show. The champion had some interesting exchanges with the leader of Dread Army, perhaps testing the waters for a potential feud in the future, while Dallas Demolition Crew and Hangman especially got the rub from working against a team like The Horror. In the end, Findlay hit Savage with a big powerbomb and made the cover to pick up the win for his group.

 

In a decent match, Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody, Animal Harker and Texas Hangman) defeated Dread Army (FEAR, Abomination, Monstrosity and Atto Savage) in 16:29 when Big Bruiser Findlay pinned Atto Savage with a Powerbomb. [59]

 

Three Way Challengers Series Medallions match

Kadonomaro Kamisaka vs Naozane Goto vs Ragnarok

"Serene K" may have been the smallest man in this match but he had the experience edge and made the best of it by letting his two opponents slug it out so he could pick his spots to jump in and work them over with submissions. Goto picked up on this though and was able to outsmart Kamisaka by setting up a trap when he sent Ragnarok over the top rope with a lariat and caught the incoming Kamisaka for a Goto Slam and the pin to send himself to the next match.

 

In a bout that had decent wrestling but didn't have much heat, Naozane Goto defeated Kadonomaro Kamisaka and Ragnarok in 15:38 when Naozane Goto pinned Kadonomaro Kamisaka with a Goto Slam. Naozane Goto wins the Medallion #2. Naozane Goto makes defence number two of the Medallion #1. Naozane Goto wins the Medallion #3. [57]

 

BCG Challengers Series title match

19th Champion Rokuemon Matsushita vs Challenger Naozane Goto

As always, the challenger was spent from coming in right after a match, but that's part of the challenge in winning the Challengers Series title and Goto used this to showcase his fighting spirit. Matsushita had a slight edge while the two men were trading strikes, but the match eventually boiled down to who would be able to lift the other in order to execute their finishing move and it really felt like a standoff. Exhaustion was what finally did the challenger in and the champion hit him with a chokeslam for the pin, marking his third consecutive successful title defence, a feat no one has been able to accomplish for over a year. This now earns him a shot at the BCG World title at the next major show, meaning it'll be him against Findlay in the semi main event of the Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix for the top prize in the company.

 

In a decent match, Rokuemon Matsushita defeated Naozane Goto in 14:52 by pinfall with a One-Handed Choke Slam. Rokuemon Matsushita makes defence number three of the BCG Challengers Series. [60]

 

Blast Ikoma vs Zeshin Makioka

The rise of Destiny Bond has shaken the factions of BCG, mainly Pillars of Puroresu from which its founder defected but Ikoma here was also looking to make a point at the expense of Makioka, the two groups' lieutenants clashing in a good match that served as a palette cleanser after so many hoss fights. The two competitors used their speed, intensity, explosiveness and technical prowess to kick the show into the next gear through a match that had something for everyone, except maybe those looking for flashy aerial maneuvers. Makioka, alongside Toshusai, have been thorns on the Samurai's side throughout the tour but Ikoma was able to redeem his group here when he hit the Northern Lights Suplex for the pin to defeat his opponent.

 

In a bout that had good wrestling and a decent reaction from the crowd, Blast Ikoma defeated Zeshin Makioka in 15:35 by pinfall with a Northern Lights Suplex. [66]

 

BCG World Tag Team titles match

15th Champions Miura & Yoshizawa vs TagMania 8 Winners Black Iron Corps

Momentum on their side after joining Destiny Bond and winning TagMania, Black Iron Corps looked confident here against their opponents. Miura & Yoshizawa have always been unspectacular but solid wrestlers with teamwork and experience being their calling cards, strengths they tried to play to in this match. As the fight progressed however, it slowly became apparent that their challengers were equally great working with each other, Kita and Narahashi having an answer for everything Miura and Yoshizawa threw at them. Seeing this match unfold really gave the impression of the tide turning, a feeling that owes much to both teams' storytelling ability, with Narahashi finally landing a Black Iron Lariat to secure the pin and claim the BCG World Tag Team titles for himself and Kita.

 

In a bout that had good wrestling and a decent reaction from the crowd, Black Iron Corps defeated Miura & Yoshizawa in 17:39 when Fujio Narahashi pinned Inejiro Yoshizawa with a Lariat Clothesline. Black Iron Corps win the BCG World Tag Team titles. [79]

 

Mabuchi Furusawa vs Yoshinaka Taku

Furusawa's first match in a major show since losing the BCG World title at Heritage, his shaken self confidence allowed Taku to push him much harder than one might have expected. The youngster hit him again and again with battering salvos of strikes and Furusawa played defence in the early part of the match as he tried to slow things down for some mat based submissions. Through a combination of technique, power and ring awareness, Taku wouldn't stay down for long however, but neither was he able to finish the job and hold his opponent down for a three count. Even a Full Nelson Bomb couldn't do it as it got him the closest of near falls, frustrating Taku who wondered what else he had to do to win this. A folding powerbomb later, Furusawa kicked out again and while attempting another Full Nelson Bomb, Furusawa was able to reverse and unleash a string of offence that finally created an opening for him to slap on his dreaded armbar and get the tap after more than twenty five minutes of struggle.

 

In a bout that had superb wrestling and a decent reaction from the crowd, Mabuchi Furusawa defeated Yoshinaka Taku in 26:11 by submission with a Furusawa Armbar. [83]

 

Bunrakuken Torii vs Razan Okamoto

Both these men were in multi man matches at the start of the Heritage show and neither one played a huge part at TagMania, so seeing them here felt refreshing and fans certainly seemed to agree based on their reaction. Torii was the aggressor for most of the match, with Okamoto playing defence in his familiar underdog role and while it did help garner fan support, still half the audience was rooting for Torii so it wasn't a clear case of face-heel dynamics. Fortunately the workers picked up on that and Okamoto turned his offence up a notch to make for a more competitive fight, which the fans enthusiastically responded to. In a way, the entire match was a big long comeback, with Okamoto fighting from behind until he was finally able to surpass Torii after almost thirty minutes of wrestling to flatten him with a Brainbuster Suplex and get the pin.

 

In a bout that had great wrestling and good heat, Razan Okamoto defeated Bunrakuken Torii in 28:15 by pinfall with a Brainbuster Suplex. [79]

 

BCG National title match

1st Champion Funakoshi vs Challenger Tanyu Toshusai

Challenging a title-holding Funakoshi at a show built around him takes some nerve and Toshusai did everything he could to drum up the fans' hatred of him, from his smug attitude to his disrespectful wrestling here. The leader of Destiny Bond sure has the skills to back that up and he played the role of the overconfident heel to a tee as Funakoshi patiently circled him and tested his defences during the classic feel-out process that signals a slow fuse match. Every chop the champion landed was met with a resounding cheer, only for the challenger to respond with an insulting slap that brought down a storm of boos. After working the crowd for a bit, the competitors transitioned to a technical segment, with holds and counterholds laced together through slick chain wrestling. Again, Toshusai was being all smug and slapped on all sorts of nasty holds, complete with verbal insults or the occasional use of a rope for extra leverage. Frustrated, Funakoshi resorted to strikes once again but failed to lock in a Butterfly hold for one of his finishing moves, a clear sign that Toshusai had gotten to his head. Now completely in control, the challenger felt that boost of confidence and got back into the match with a surge of offence, leading up to his Dangerous Brainbuster and a shocking pinfall.

 

In a bout that had superb wrestling and good heat, Tanyu Toshusai defeated Funakoshi in 30:55 by pinfall with a Dangerous Brainbuster. Tanyu Toshusai wins the BCG National title. [84]

 

The boos were thunderous as Toshusai was handed the BCG National title belt and grabbed the mic for the customary end-show speech, but he relished them and fired up the audience further by bragging about his accomplishment and how he made Funakoshi look like a fool in the main event of his very own annual event.</div>

 

<div style="padding: 15px; border: 3px solid #000000; margin:10px;background: #2C2A2A; max-width:60%;box-shadow: 0 6px 12px ";">Post show interviews and comments

 

Toshusai: "If Funakoshi is the ace of BCG and I beat him for his title in his very own show, what does that make me?"

 

Funakoshi: "I am extremely disappointed tonight. I let my opponent get under my skin, I lost my cool, my title and I disappointed my fans. I have a lot to think about."

 

Narahashi: "We won the tag belts, Tanyu won the National title, soon all the gold will be in the hands of Destiny Bond!"

 

Matsushita: "I did exactly what I had promised. I did what no one else has done for over fifteen months. And now I will make the best of this accomplishment when I meet Findlay for the World title."</div>

[DarK_RaideR]

 

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[DarK_RaideR]

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Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Tour Night 1 in Sendai, Tohoku Region

Sat. W3 March 2021

123 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita, Azumamaro Kita and Fujio Narahashi) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody and James Diaz) in 16:12 when Rokuemon Matsushita pinned James Diaz with an One-Handed Choke Slam. [63]

The tour kicked off with a multi man match between Destiny Bond and Bruiser Brigade, featuring the ever-improving James Diaz in the latter team. Despite not fully having shedded his young lion status, Diaz continues to impress with great performances, even if he ended up being the one who took the fall.

 

2. Kyuichi Matsumoto defeated Kadonomaro Kamisaka in 17:42 by pinfall with a Matsumoto Murder Bomb. Kyuichi Matsumoto wins the Medallion #1. [49]

Kamisaka is participating in this year's Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix but before he had his first tournament match, he tried to pick up the first of three Challengers Series Medallions here against Dawnguard's Kyuichi Matsumoto. This would have set him up for an interesting run throughout the tour, as anyone scoring a pinfall or submussion over him would essentially get the right to challenge him for it, but Matsumoto thought otherwise and got the win, giving him something to do while Kamisaka focuses on the Grand Prix.

 

3. Tanyu Toshusai defeated FEAR in 19:27 by submission. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [68]

In the first of the night's Grand Prix matches, FEAR squared off against the newly crowned BCG National champion and Toshusai continued his hot streak with a victory over the leader of Dread Army. The leader of Destiny Bond was able to withstand the big man's offence and smartly take him to the mat to eliminate his size disadvantage, eventually forcing FEAR to tap out.

 

4. Mabuchi Furusawa defeated Blast Ikoma in 19:04 by submission with a Furusawa Armbar. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [69]

Ikoma and Furusawa came into this match hot off their respective victories at Lionheart to deliver a show-stealing performance in a hard fought battle. Much like the match before it, this almost ended as a time limit draw but Furusawa barely managed to get Ikoma in an armbar for the submission before the twenty minute limit expired.

 

5. Razan Okamoto defeated Yoshinaka Taku in 18:53 by pinfall with a Brainbuster Suplex. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [62]

Yoshi Taku continues to struggle following his Lionheart loss and he took another one here against the clearly superior Razan Okamoto. The winner of last year's A Block started off the right foot and will be looking to repeat that feat, with hopes to this time going all the way and winning the grand prize.

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Block A Standings

2 - Tanyu Toshusai

2- Mabuchi Furusawa

2 - Razan Okamoto

0 - Blast Ikoma

0 - Yoshinaka Taku

0 - FEAR

[DarK_RaideR]

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Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Tour Night 2 in Kawasaki, Kanto Region

Tue. W4 March 2021

156 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita, Azumamaro Kita and Fujio Narahashi) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Texas Hangman and James Diaz) in 16:02 when Fujio Narahashi pinned James Diaz with a Lariat Clothesline. [52]

Revisiting the Night 1 opener, Bruiser Brigade recruited Texas Hangman for this one as Giant Brody would be off competing in the Block B singles matches. Matsushita and Findlay had some intense back and forth sequences here to build up their upcoming BCG World title match but the outcome was more of the same, with Diaz getting pinned as he continues to pay the last of his dues.

 

2. Motoyuki Miyake defeated Ragnarok in 18:27 by pinfall with a Knock Out Kick. Motoyuki Miyake wins the Medallion #2. [39]

Seven Samurai claimed Medallion #2 here as Miyake's kicks managed to fell the big Icelander and limit his mobility along with most of his arsenal. Despite some good action on display, fans weren't really invested in the match and it took away some of the excitement, but it still was a big win for the upcoming Miyake who may just be getting an opportunity to take his career to the next level after winning the Medallion.

 

3. Kadonomaro Kamisaka defeated Giant Brody in 14:57 by submission with a Triangle Choke. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [42]

Brody and Kamisaka both came into this match still recovering from their Night 1 bouts but tried to overcome their issues in different ways. Brody pushed through the pain and was in control at the early part of the match thanks to his power, but smart tactics and reserving stamina paid off for "Serene K" who took the beating and stayed in the fight to ultimately submit his much larger opponent with a Triangle Choke.

 

4. SUKI defeated Zeshin Makioka in 18:49 by pinfall with a Mountain SUKI. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [75]

Fatigue and lingering damage also played a big part in this spectacualr match, with SUKI coming in well rested since he didn't have a match at Lionheart. Makioka put up a valiant effort but it was an uphill climb, a brave effort doomed to fail when SUKI put him in the SUKI Special III and instead of holding on for the submission, transitioned into a Mountain SUKI and the cover instead.

 

5. Bunrakuken Torii drew with Funakoshi in 20:00 when the time limit expired. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [67]

Torii and Funakoshi should have blown the roof off the venue, but having to follow up after SUKI and Makioka did them no favors and the audience was clearly burned out by the time the main event rolled around. Another classic slow burn of a match, this approach came back to haunt the two stars as they ended up racing to make up for lost ground near the end and ultimately were unable to beat the timer, giving us the first time limit draw of this year's Grand Prix.

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Block B Standings

2 - SUKI

2 - Kadonomaro Kamisaka

1 - Bunrakuken Torii

1 - Funakoshi

0 - Zeshin Makioka

0 - Giant Brody

[Sco xY2Jx]

Damn that B Block is stacked! But I want an Okamoto Vs Funakoshi final.

 

Book it you coward!

[DarK_RaideR]

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Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Tour Night 3 in Nagoya City, Chubu Region

Fri. W4 March 2021

229 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay and Dallas Demolition Crew) in 15:50 when Azumamaro Kita pinned Texas Hangman with a Penalty Kick. [54]

Matsushita and Findlay's big title match continues to be built up throughout the tour and they each teamed up with their respective factions' regular tag teams for the opening six man tag. This allowed Black Iron Corps and Dallas Demolition Crew to also work a good portion of the match against each other, perhaps testing the waters for a future match between them without burning up spots between Findlay and Matsushita, before Hangman fell to a nasty PK from Kita.

 

2. Atto Savage defeated Naozane Goto in 14:37 by submission with a Savage Claw. Atto Savage wins the Medallion #3. [45]

The final Challengers Series Medallion is in the hands of Dread Army after Ragnarok's failure to capture one the night prior. Atto Savage was able to match Goto's power and smartly wear him down to set up his dreaded Savage Claw for the submission and the prize.

 

3. FEAR defeated Blast Ikoma in 18:23 by pinfall with a Fear Drive. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [60]

FEAR was relentless in this one, his opening night loss apparently lighting a fire underneath him. Ikoma fought valiantly and even hit some impressive looking suplexes on his larger opponent, but ultimately lost and still remains without any points in the tournament while FEAR picked up his first couple.

 

4. Razan Okamoto drew with Tanyu Toshusai in 20:00 when the time limit expired. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [63]

Toshusai played it safe here, staying on defence and stalling as he smugly treated his opponent as inferior, believing he had an easy win in the pocket and looking to avoid wear and tear in light of his remaining matches. This swung fans in support of Okamoto and allowed him to be more aggressive than he usually is, but all the chasing and time wasting led to the two men splitting the points as their match ended in a draw after the twenty minute time limit expired.

 

5. Mabuchi Furusawa defeated Yoshinaka Taku in 18:46 by submission with a Furusawa Armbar. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [72]

The main event was all about who would force the other man wrestle the style that suited them best, with Furusawa trying to keep things grounded and technical while Taku invested in stiff strikes. It all made for a dramatic, exciting match and only the finish did reveal that Furusawa had been goading his hot headed opponent into making a mistake, which he did, allowing the former BCG World champion to lock in the armbar and squeeze out a tap.

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Block A Standings

4 - Mabuchi Furusawa

3 - Tanyu Toshusai

3 - Razan Okamoto

2 - FEAR

0 - Blast Ikoma

0 - Yoshinaka Taku

[DarK_RaideR]

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Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Tour Night 4 in Okayama, Chugoku Region

Mon. W1 April 2021

230 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Texas Hangman and Desperado Dave Barker) in 15:46 when Azumamaro Kita pinned Desperado Dave Barker with a Penalty Kick. [52]

By now, it's painfully obvious BCG are basically rehashing the same six man tag every night with a slight change in the composition of Findlay's team. This time it was Desperado Dave Barker thrown into the mix and taking the fall. Not the most exciting booking, but it shows less when done throughout a tour and shows in different regions, while allowing Bruiser Brigade's several rookie recruits to get the rub by working with established talent.

 

2. Kyuichi Matsumoto defeated Billy Robinson in 15:06 by pinfall with a Matsumoto Murder Bomb. Kyuichi Matsumoto makes defence number one of the Medallion #1. [51]

Robinson stepped up to challenge Matsumoto for his Medallion, an interesting change from him tagging with Svensson. A veteran grappler, Robinson put on a solid performance and almost had the match won, but all it took was a Matsumoto Murder Bomb to destroy him and keep the gold with the Dawnguard representative.

 

3. Kadonomaro Kamisaka drew with Zeshin Makioka in 20:00 when the time limit expired. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [62]

Most people probably expected Makioka to get an easy win here, but Kamisaka managed to give him a tough time on the mat and although he didn't win, he split the points with his opponent by the end.

 

4. Funakoshi defeated Giant Brody in 14:54 by pinfall with a Butterfly Backbreaker. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [63]

A classic case of the Japanese ace taking on the big gaijin bruiser, Funakoshi is no stranger to such setups and played the story out, complete with him struggling on several occasions to put Brody in the Butterfly. Fans ate it up and rooted for their national hero, until he finally pulled off the Backbreaker to score the pin.

 

5. SUKI defeated Bunrakuken Torii in 19:15 by submission with a SUKI Special III. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [72]

A much anticipated match between two hard strikers, this was every bit the strong style contest one would expect from them. For nearly twenty minutes, Torii and SUKI battered each other as if they tried to cave each other's chest in and with the warrior flame burning strong in both of them, neither gave any ground, to the point where it felt like a time limit draw would be the end of it. However, SUKI switched things up when he went for his submission finisher and a surprised Torii found himself caught in it dead center of the ring, a situation that forced him to verbally submit.

</div>

Block B Standings

4 - SUKI

3 - Funakoshi

3 - Kadonomaro Kamisaka

1 - Bunrakuken Torii

1 - Zeshin Makioka

0 - Giant Brody

[DarK_RaideR]

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Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Tour Night 5 in Matsuyama, Shikoku Region

Thu. W1 April 2021

144 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Texas Hangman and Original Sinner) in 15:55 when Rokuemon Matsushita pinned Original Sinner with an One-Handed Choke Slam. [51]

Original Sinner joined Finlay and Hangman this time, showing the improvement he's made working for SAISHO before predictably enough taking the fall for the team.

 

2. Motoyuki Miyake defeated Animal Harker in 15:08 by pinfall with a Knock Out Kick. Motoyuki Miyake makes defence number one of the Medallion #2. [42]

Harker missed the opening match due to him wrestling singles for the Challengers Series Medallion but Miyake was able to withstand the Texan brawler's offence and respond in kind with his stiff strikes, defending his prize in hopes of going all the way to claim the now vacant tite.

 

3. FEAR drew with Yoshinaka Taku in 20:00 when the time limit expired. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [63]

With 2 losses in 2 matches and no points on the board yet, Yoshi Taku seemed determined to break his streak in this match. This drive kept him going against his towering opponent and he showed plenty of fighting spirit as he kept kicking out of pinning predicaments. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't able to get the win but he did survive long enough to reach the time limit and get his first point of the tournament while depriving FEAR of the full two.

 

4. Razan Okamoto defeated Blast Ikoma in 18:37 by pinfall with a Brainbuster Suplex. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [61]

This Grand Prix apparently is the one where Okamoto shows he can wrestle in more ways than simply being the loveable underdog babyface. He did so on Night 2 against Toshusai and he did it again here, using his speed and athleticism as emphasized in a flashy spot where he spun around mid-air during an Ikoma release suplex to land on his feet.

 

5. Tanyu Toshusai defeated Mabuchi Furusawa in 18:42 by pinfall with a Dangerous Brainbuster. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [77]

A deeply personal match given the two men's past, this time Toshusai walked into it not just as the man who's been beating Furusawa or the defector but also as the BCG National champion while Furusawa no longer carries the BCG World title. The next chapter in their ongoing rivalry was as intense and dramatic as one would expect, but given the 20 minute time limit they weren't given enough time to put together a dramatic spectacle so this bout wasn't as great as it could have been. Regardless, Toshusai once again beat Furusawa and their saga seems set to continue.

</div>

Block A Standings

5 - Tanyu Toshusai

5 - Razan Okamoto

4 - Mabuchi Furusawa

3 - FEAR

1 - Yoshinaka Taku

0 - Blast Ikoma

[DarK_RaideR]

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Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Tour Night 6 in Fukuoka, Kyushu Region

Sat. W1 April 2021

243 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Texas Hangman and Maelstrom) in 16:25 when Azumamaro Kita pinned YL Maelstrom with a Penalty Kick. [51]

By this point, Destiny Bond are simply blazing through the Bruiser Brigade's young lion recruits, with Maelstrom filling in this night. Findlay's group is losing these battles but seems to have a bright future given the quality and numbers of their upcoming members.

 

2. Atto Savage defeated Billy Robinson in 15:04 by submission with a Savage Claw. Atto Savage makes defence number one of the Medallion #3. [47]

Robinson not only lost, but paid dearly for his struggles when he took a nasty landing on the apron. Apparently a freak accident and unrelated to Savage's actions, Robinson has been diagnosed with a ruptured liver and is expected to take at least six months off to heal.

 

3. Giant Brody defeated Zeshin Makioka in 15:24 by pinfall with a Single Handed Choke Slam. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [65]

As the two men at the bottom of the scorecard, Brody and Makioka kicked off the night's Grand Prix matches. Oddly enough, this wasn't about a big gaijin against a wild (former) hardcore brawler as one might have expected; instead, Makioka kept things quick trying to exhaust his opponent and Brody relied on his athleticism, resulting in a spectacular, fast paced match that was better than it had any right to be and ending with Brody earning his first victory in this year's tournament.

 

4. Bunrakuken Torii defeated Kadonomaro Kamisaka in 18:32 by pinfall with a Spinning Forearm Smash. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [65]

A match built around Kamisaka working Torii's arm and shoulder to take away his offence and set up his own Triangle Choke finisher, this was a classic case of fiery fan favourite against a methodical, patient technical wrestler. Torii sustained a lot of damage to his right arm and was forced to get creative as he won the match with a variation of his Spinning Forearm Smash, turning the other way around to flatten Kamisaka with his left arm.

 

5. Funakoshi drew with SUKI in 20:00 when the time limit expired. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [72]

Providing a good mix of stiff strikes, big slams and technical wrestling, SUKI and Funakoshi kept fans entertained in the main event but weren't able to finish the match in decisive fashion. The split points mean that SUKI not only played spoiler for Funakoshi but now stands alone at the top of the scoreboard with a good chance to go all the way and win the entire block.

</div>

Block B Standings

5 - SUKI

4 - Funakoshi

3 - Kadonomaro Kamisaka

3 - Bunrakuken Torii

1 - Zeshin Makioka

2 - Giant Brody

[DarK_RaideR]

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Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Tour Night 7 in Ashikawa, Hokkaido Region

Mon. W2 April 2021

144 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, James Diaz and Thorsten Sigurdsson) in 15:34 when Rokuemon Matsushita pinned Thorsten Sigurdsson with an One-Handed Choke Slam. [58]

Findlay was joined by two young lions of his faction here, although given Diaz's performance he's barely still perceived as a young lion. Sigurdsson was the one to take the fall here and once again, had a chance to show how much he's improved working for SAISHO.

 

2. Miura & Yoshizawa defeated Dallas Demolition Crew in 15:32 when Noritoshi Miura pinned Animal Harker with The End Of The World. [53]

More or less a filler match to round out the card, this one still felt a bit refreshing as tag matches are a rarity during the singles-heavy GP tour. Harker and Hangman have been wrestling throughout the tour while Miura & Yoshizawa walked into this match fresh, so the piled up damage proved to be the deciding factor in the end.

 

3. Kyuichi Matsumoto defeated Naozane Goto in 14:33 by pinfall with a Matsumoto Murder Bomb. Kyuichi Matsumoto makes defence number two of the Medallion #1. [46]

Goto had to do the unthinkable here and attempt a top rope move, so that Matsumoto could rush in, throw him off balance and execute a sloppy version of his turnbuckle bomb finisher. It wasn't pretty, but it did the job of having him retain the Challengers Series Medallion.

 

4. Razan Okamoto defeated FEAR in 18:19 by pinfall with a Brainbuster Suplex. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [60]

Okamoto's new well-rounded style paid dividends here, as he used his athleticism to stay on the move and attacked his opponent with a mix of techniques instead of just playing defence against the big guy. Not that he completely avoided it while FEAR was in control, but it was kept just short enough to have him gain fan support for the comeback.

 

5. Blast Ikoma defeated Tanyu Toshusai in 19:02 by pinfall with a Northern Lights Bomb. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [67]

This match was all about the fallout of Toshusai's Night 3 main event against Furusawa. The BCG National champion won that one but apparently it came at a great price, because he wasn't his 100% self here, allowing Ikoma to get the two points along with the right to challenge him for the title. To make matters worse, this outcome knocked Toshusai from the top of the scorecard, leaving Okamoto alone on top with 7 points after his latest victory.

</div>

Block A Standings

7 - Razan Okamoto

5 - Tanyu Toshusai

4 - Mabuchi Furusawa

3 - FEAR

2 - Blast Ikoma

1 - Yoshinaka Taku

[DarK_RaideR]

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Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Tour Night 8 in Takamatsu, Shikoku Region

Thu. W2 April 2021

147 Fans

 

1. Razan Okamoto defeated Mabuchi Furusawa in 19:05 by pinfall with a Brainbuster Suplex. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [64]

Scheduling issues meant that some of the A Block participants were a match behind so those matches were held on this night to ensure that everyone would have their final bout on the last two days of the tour, thus escalating the drama. Okamoto and Furusawa opened the match in what may have well been a pairing to headline major shows and their bout almost came down to a time limit draw, before Okamoto did the impossible and pulled out a last minute win over the former BCG World champion.

 

2. Tanyu Toshusai defeated Yoshinaka Taku in 19:21 by pinfall with a Dangerous Brainbuster. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [58]

The other A Block match of the night saw Taku and Toshusai clash in a rather competitive bout. Between his lingering damage and his drive to bounce back from his big loss the night prior, Toshusai put on a gripping performance against his younger opponent and was barely able to defeat him before the ring of the timekeeper's bell.

 

3. Bunrakuken Torii defeated Giant Brody in 15:03 by pinfall with a Flying Forearm Off Top. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [60]

There's been many matches throughout the tour that tried to shake things up and put a fresh spin on a classic that was expected, but this wasn't one of them. Torii was every bit the underdog babyface who fought defiantly and furiously against his much larger gaijin opponent, his ferocity paying off as he slowly chopped the big man down to finally put him out with a Flying Forearm off the top rope.

 

4. Kadonomaro Kamisaka defeated SUKI in 19:30 by pinfall with a Stump Piledriver. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [60]

SUKI was the clear favourite here and he knew it just as much as fans did, apparently not taking Kamisaka too seriously and trying to save himself for the final night of the block. His overconfidence almost took the bout to the time limit but it turned out even worse when Kamisaka hit him with the Stump Piledriver to get the pin and two points, joining him and Torii with 5 points on top of the card, making the Block anyone's game.

 

5. Zeshin Makioka defeated Funakoshi in 19:25 by pinfall with a Z-Bomb. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [63]

Kamisaka's victory wasn't the only shock of the night since Makioka played spoiler for Funakoshi in the main event as well. Sitting at 3 points, Makioka is effectively out of contention but by keeping Funakoshi at 4, he kept him from topping the block and it all comes down to the final night of the B Block, with 4 out of 6 competitors in contention to win it.

</div>

Block B Standings

5 - SUKI

5 - Kadonomaro Kamisaka

5 - Bunrakuken Torii

4 - Funakoshi

3 - Zeshin Makioka

2 - Giant Brody

 

Block A Standings

9 - Razan Okamoto

7 - Tanyu Toshusai

4 - Mabuchi Furusawa

3 - FEAR

2 - Blast Ikoma

1 - Yoshinaka Taku

[Historian]

Zeshin Beat Funakoshi!!?!?! Zeshin!

[DarK_RaideR]

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Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Tour Night 9 in Sendai, Tohoku Region

Sun. W2 April 2021

143 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Texas Hangman and James Diaz) in 16:30 when Fujio Narahashi pinned James Diaz with a Lariat Clothesline. [61]

James Diaz continues to pay his final dues, losing in this match but putting up a performance that practically outshined his more experienced teammate in Texas Hangman.

 

2. The Horror defeated Naozane Goto and Suguru Emoto in 18:24 when Abomination pinned Suguru Emoto with an Apocalypse Blast. [56]

Goto and Emoto have a documented chemistry as a team but with them jumping back and forth between BCG and SAISHO, they haven't had a chance to consolidate their natural teamwork with experience. For all of Goto's power and Emoto's fighting spirit, the two men could not take down the well oiled machine that was The Horror on this night.

 

3. Motoyuki Miyake defeated Animal Harker in 14:46 by pinfall with a Knock Out Kick. Motoyuki Miyake makes defence number two of the Medallion #2. [50]

A hard hitting affair for the Challengers Series Medallion, with Miyake's strong style wrestling up against the wild brawling of Animal Harker. The contest spilled out of the ring at one point and things got crazy but a stiff Knock Out Kick sealed the deal for the Seven Samurai representative who retained.

 

4. Mabuchi Furusawa defeated FEAR in 18:28 by pinfall with a Spinning Arm Breaker. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [69]

There's no two ways about it, Furusawa made FEAR look like a billion yen in this match, bumping hard for his offence and selling the damage it brought. This made for an unexpected David vs Goliath tale between the ropes and Furusawa pushed through to mount a counteroffensive and get the Spinning Arm Breaker in for the tap.

 

5. Blast Ikoma defeated Yoshinaka Taku in 18:49 by pinfall with a Northern Lights Bomb. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament. [56]

With Okamoto and Toshusai out for the night as they'd finished their GP matches, the main event felt a little deflated as it didn't have any real importance in regards to the standings, but Ikoma and Taku gave it their everything, trying to finish strong and avoid the bottom of the table. The match escalated into an exchange of suplexes and bombs that fired up the audience, with Ikoma getting the best of the exchange to set up his Northern Lights Bomb for the pin.

</div>

Block A Standings

9 - Razan Okamoto

7 - Tanyu Toshusai

6 - Mabuchi Furusawa

3 - FEAR

2 - Blast Ikoma

1 - Yoshinaka Taku

 

The '2021 YMGP Block A' tournament has now finished with Razan Okamoto as the winner.

[DarK_RaideR]

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Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Tour Night 10 in Doshisha Athletic Center, Kansai Region

Wed. W3 April 2021

1.000 Fans (Super No Vacancy)

 

1. Destiny Bond (Tanyu Toshusai, Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Dallas Demolition Crew and James Diaz) in 16:08 when Tanyu Toshusai pinned James Diaz with a Dangerous Brainbuster. [57]

On the final night of the tour and after essentially having ran through all of Bruiser Brigade's young talent in six man matches, Destiny Bond met them in a 4 vs 4 setup that included Toshusai, since he's no longer competing in the GP. Having the BCG National champion made little difference in regards to the outcome, but he was given the shine of being the one to score the pin over Diaz.

 

2. Atto Savage defeated Naozane Goto in 14:36 by submission with a Savage Claw. Atto Savage makes defence number two of the Medallion #3. [56]

Big man battle for the final Challengers Series Medallion, with Savage and Goto clashing in an interesting contest. Goto tried to turn this into a shoving contest but Savage quickly saw through it and realized this benefitted the former sumo competitor, so he smartly switched things up to go technical and ultimately control his opponent to slap on the Savage Claw for the submission.

 

3. Giant Brody defeated SUKI in 14:35 by pinfall with a Single Handed Choke Slam. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [64]

Block B has been the more unpredictable one in this year's Grand Prix, with 4 out of 6 competitors still having a chance to win it on this final night. Things only got more complicated when SUKI lost the first of the night's tournament matches to the man in the bottom of the scorecard, ending his race this year at 5 points. Brody remains last but played spoiler for SUKI and despite his final standing, managed to have a strong finish with this final result.

 

4. Funakoshi defeated Kadonomaro Kamisaka in 17:56 by pinfall with a Butterfly Powerbomb Pin. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [72]

Funakoshi faced stablemate Kamisaka on the final night and despite the initial handshake and show of respect at the start of the bout, neither man went easy on the other from bell to bell. "Serene K" put on a surprisingly solid performance that mixed his technical skill with some hard hitting slams and suplexes, taking the fight to the leader of Seven Samurai and forcing him to work hard for the win.

 

5. Zeshin Makioka defeated Bunrakuken Torii in 18:41 by pinfall with a Z-Bomb. This match was part of the '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament. [72]

Funakoshi's win temporarily brought him to the top of the rankings with 6 points, but Torii started the night at 5, meaning this main event was make or break for him. On the other hand, Makioka walked into it coming off a huge win over Funakoshi, looking confident and dangerous enough to mess with his opponent's plans. The match was dramatic and it only escalated as time went on, with Torii realizing he was nearing the time limit and getting desperate to finish things. His desperation however made him careless and Makioka exploited it, reversing the offence to make his own comeback and hit a Z-Bomb that won him the match and kept Funakoshi on top of the B Block.

</div>

Block B Standings

6 - Funakoshi

5 - SUKI

5 - Kadonomaro Kamisaka

5 - Bunrakuken Torii

5 - Zeshin Makioka

4 - Giant Brody

 

The '2021 YMGP Block B' tournament has now finished with Funakoshi as the winner.

[DarK_RaideR]

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BCG Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix 2021 Press Conference Highlights

 

~ The interview order pretty much followed that of the matches announced on the card, so the first highlight of the night was Tanyu Toshusai and Blast Ikoma who are scheduled to face off for the BCG National title. Toshusai played his part as the overconfident heel champion, emphasizing how much better he's fared in the Grand Prix to the point where he almost won the block while Ikoma ended up near the bottom of the standings. Ikoma retorted by pointing out the fact that he did however beat the champion when they met one on one to earn this opportunity and reminded him that this is not an ongoing tournament and all he needs is three seconds to take the belt from him.

 

~ Rokuemon Matsushita got a shot at the BCG World title after defending his Challengers Series title against three opponents in a row, a feat no one has managed to pull off for more than an entire year and he wasn't shy about pointing that out during the interview. This has also led to him vacating the title and apparently all three holders of the Medallions will face each other in a triple threat match for the belt, an interesting change from the usual setup which has the winner then immediately face the champion at a disadvantage. Findlay on the other hand was asked about the only time he's gone one on one against Matsushita, on the first night of last year's Grand Prix in a match that ended as a time limit draw. Findlay responded that this outcome doesn't favor either of the two and promised to get the job done this time by finishing off his challenger.

 

~ Razan Okamoto was all smiles after winning the A Block and all the questions revolved around him being in the same spot a year before, a match he ultimately lost to Mabuchi Furusawa. Okamoto admitted that Furusawa was the better man on that night, as evidenced by the fact that he then went on to beat Funakoshi for the BCG World title, but said that this year he's all the more motivated and experienced, promising to not make the same mistakes and win the trophy. Funakoshi picked up from there and told a similar story of loss and how that's fuelled him to bounce back. The leader of Seven Samurai pointed out how after losing the BCG World title, he went on to become the first ever BCG National champion and said that losing that one to Toshusai has only driven him to get back on track, something that started with him winning the B Block and will continue with victories in the Grand Prix finals and the BCG World title match that trophy grants to the winner at the upcoming show, Test of Champions.

</div>

 

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Fri. W3 April 2021

Kyoto @ Kansai, Japan

Event Card

 

Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Finals

A Block winner Razan Okamoto vs B Block winner Funakoshi

 

BCG World title match

11th Champion Big Bruiser Findlay vs 2021 Sole Survivor Rokuemon Matsushita

 

Dawnguard (Bunrakuken Torii, Yoshinaka Taku and Naozane Goto) vs Pillars of Puroresu (Mabuchi Furusawa, SUKI and Danjuro Kikuchi)

 

BCG National title match

2nd Champion Tanyu Toshusai vs Challenger Blast Ikoma

 

The American Cobras vs Miura & Yoshizawa

 

Challengers Series title triple threat match

Atto Savage vs Kyuichi Matsumoto vs Motoyuki Miyake

 

Bruiser Brigade (Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) vs Destiny Bond (Zeshin Makioka and Black Iron Corps)

 

Dawnguard (Suguru Emoto and Mitsukuri & Kinoshita) vs Dread Army (FEAR and The Horror)</div>

[Sco xY2Jx]

Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Finals

A Block winner Razan Okamoto vs B Block winner Funakoshi

 

BCG World title match

11th Champion Big Bruiser Findlay vs 2021 Sole Survivor Rokuemon Matsushita

 

Dawnguard (Bunrakuken Torii, Yoshinaka Taku and Naozane Goto) vs Pillars of Puroresu (Mabuchi Furusawa, SUKI and Danjuro Kikuchi)

 

BCG National title match

2nd Champion Tanyu Toshusai vs Challenger Blast Ikoma

 

The American Cobras vs Miura & Yoshizawa

 

Challengers Series title triple threat match

Atto Savage vs Kyuichi Matsumoto vs Motoyuki Miyake

 

Bruiser Brigade (Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) vs Destiny Bond (Zeshin Makioka and Black Iron Corps)

 

Dawnguard (Suguru Emoto and Mitsukuri & Kinoshita) vs Dread Army (FEAR and The Horror)

 

If Funakoshi loses we riot!

[DarK_RaideR]

If Funakoshi loses we riot!

I will neither confirm or deny anything, but I will in retrospect give you kudos for predicting an Okamoto-Funakoshi final when the blocks were initially announced

[DarK_RaideR]

Winners of the November/December 2021 DOTM

Match

Mabuchi Furusawa vs Big Bruiser Findlay @ BCG Heritage 2021 in Black Canvas Grappling: Invasion of the Titans by DarK_RaideR

 

Event

BCG Heritage 2021 in Black Canvas Grappling: Invasion of the Titans by DarK_RaideR

A huge thank you to everyone for this.

[DarK_RaideR]

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Fri. W3 April 2021

Kyoto, Kansai Region, Japan

Attendance: 24.558, Rating: 81, Views: 108.438 (0.14 on Shogun TV)

 

Dawnguard (Suguru Emoto and Mitsukuri & Kinoshita) vs Dread Army (FEAR and The Horror)

The opening six man match may have felt like a predictable squash a year ago, but this time it was all about showcasing the development of the Dawnguard trio. Emoto, Mitsukuri and Kinoshita may be too small to take on any member of Dread Army one on one, but through quick tags and sheer determination they presented a solid obstacle for their slightly more experienced opponents. Mitsukuri and Kinoshita also utilized teamwork to push the fight and on more than one occasion found themselves facing The Horror, a sign that perhaps BCG are testing the waters for a potential feud between the two tag teams. On this night though, the Dawnguard team put up a valiant but ultimately doomed effort that ended with FEAR pinning Mitsukuri.

 

In a decent match, Dread Army (FEAR and The Horror) defeated Dawnguard (Suguru Emoto, Ichiro Mitsukuri and Koyo Kinoshita) in 14:13 when FEAR pinned Ichiro Mitsukuri with a Fear Drive. [77]

 

Bruiser Brigade (Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) vs Destiny Bond (Zeshin Makioka and Black Iron Corps)

Destiny Bond ran through various combinations of Big Bruiser Findlay and his stable’s youngsters throughout the tour, but on this night they were in the ring with three of Bruiser Brigade’s finest, excluding Findlay himself of course. Brody’s size meant he was able to bully smaller opponents around and control the early part of the match; only a combined effort from Kita and Narahashi chopped him down a bit, just enough for him to try and regroup outside the ring where Makioka initiated a brawl. Harker and Hangman had to carry their team for the rest of the match, something they were all too comfortable doing since the match had broken down into a fistfight, with Hangman shocking the fans when he chokeslammed Narahashi in the middle of the ring and held onto his throat for the cover. Bruiser Brigade won the match and by pinning one half of the BCG World Tag Team champions, Hangman earned himself and Harker the right to challenge for the titles.

 

In a bout that had decent wrestling but didn't have much heat, Bruiser Brigade (Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) defeated Destiny Bond (Zeshin Makioka and Black Iron Corps) in 16:09 when Texas Hangman pinned Fujio Narahashi with a Choke Slam. [59]

 

Challengers Series title triple threat match

Atto Savage vs Kyuichi Matsumoto vs Motoyuki Miyake

With the BCG Challengers Series title vacated after Matsushita’s third successful defence, the three holders of the Medallions came together in this match with a rare advantage, since the winner would outright claim the title instead of having to do a follow-up match against the defending champion. Matsumoto and Miyake showed no love for each other and never once did they work together to take down Savage, instead everyone hit everyone else with all they had in a classic strong style contest. Solid performances from all three participants in a match that really could have swung either way, but ended shortly before the twenty minute mark with Miyake tapping out to Savage.

 

In a bout that had decent wrestling but didn't have much heat, Atto Savage defeated Kyuichi Matsumoto and Motoyuki Miyake in 18:23 when Atto Savage submitted Motoyuki Miyake with a Savage Claw. Atto Savage wins the BCG Challengers Series. [50]

 

The American Cobras vs Miura & Yoshizawa

Two teams who have faced off several times in the past, this match still felt refreshing since Miura & Yoshizawa are not currently involved with the tag team titles while the Cobras haven’t made an appearance for quite some time. Solid wrestling bell to bell, as one might expect from these four and a win for the former BCG World Tag Team champions that should get them back on track for title contention.

 

In a bout that had good wrestling and a decent reaction from the crowd, Miura & Yoshizawa defeated The American Cobras in 18:41 when Noritoshi Miura pinned Marvel Malloy with The End Of The World. [73]

 

BCG National title match

2nd Champion Tanyu Toshusai vs Challenger Blast Ikoma

Blast Ikoma was the only man to pin Toshusai during the Grand Prix, which led to him being in this match. For Toshusai however, this was more about defending his title; this was personal and it showed in the sheer viciousness he displayed in his strikes as soon as the match was underway. The BCG National champion wasn’t here to play or show sportsmanship, he was here to win and make up for the blemish on his track record. Ikoma was all too happy to play the hard hitting game and as a former world champion, was definitely no slouch in the ring, slamming Toshusai repeatedly to the mat with suplexes. Tanyu’s stellar selling made it difficult to tell if he was struggling with a legitimate injury after a while and Ikoma doubled down on the intensity, even if at times it meant this backfired for him. As is often the case with big BCG shows, there’s one match halfway down the card that ends up being an early candidate for show stealer of the night and this was it, amplified by the loud responses of the fans who were drawn into it. Toshusai got even more heat near the end when he attempted to hit Ikoma with his own Northern Lights Bomb finisher and although he was unsuccessful, Ikoma’s final comeback attempt that followed just wasn’t enough, allowing the champion to build up to his own Dangerous Brainbuster and retain.

 

In a bout that had great wrestling and good heat, Tanyu Toshusai defeated Blast Ikoma in 25:38 by pinfall with a Dangerous Brainbuster. Tanyu Toshusai makes defence number one of the BCG National title. [75]

 

Dawnguard (Bunrakuken Torii, Yoshinaka Taku and Naozane Goto) vs Pillars of Puroresu (Mabuchi Furusawa, SUKI and Danjuro Kikuchi)

Somewhat of a breather between all the big title matches as the show reached its climax, this six man tag was built around the return of Danjuro Kikuchi from injury. After six months out with a back and neck injury, Kikuchi had his first match and although he may lack the charisma to make a big deal out of it, his in-ring performance was as crisp as ever, on par with that of his top tier teammates. Yet again, it was a bad night for Dawnguard who had to suffer another defeat as Goto got chopped down and eventually submitted to Kikuchi’s Step Over Leg Bar.

 

In a bout that had great wrestling and a decent reaction from the crowd, Pillars of Puroresu (Mabuchi Furusawa, SUKI and Danjuro Kikuchi) defeated Dawnguard (Bunrakuken Torii, Yoshinaka Taku and Naozane Goto) in 18:08 when Danjuro Kikuchi submitted Naozane Goto with a Step Over Leg Bar. [69]

 

BCG World title match

11th Champion Big Bruiser Findlay vs 2021 Sole Survivor Rokuemon Matsushita

Bending the norm of a World title match headlining a show, this one still delivered the goods and the apparent in-ring chemistry between the two massive competitors elevated it to a whole new level. Findlay and Matsushita had a great match, showing how hoss fights can be so much more than just two big men hitting and shoving each other. Every strike connected with legit impact and was sold with a great mix of pain and fighting spirit, every slam turned into a big deal given the size of the competitors involved, everything felt larger than life as champion and challenger clashed. There was no wasted movement, whether that had to do with offence or working the crowd. Barely Findlay’s first title defence and he had to work extra hard for it, fighting off Matsushita for almost half an hour before he was able to deliver the third Atomic Spinebuster of the night and finally hold down the challenger for three.

 

In a bout that had good wrestling and a decent reaction from the crowd, Big Bruiser Findlay defeated Rokuemon Matsushita in 26:18 by pinfall with an Atomic Spinebuster. Big Bruiser Findlay makes defence number one of the BCG World title. [79]

 

Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix Finals

A Block winner Razan Okamoto vs B Block winner Funakoshi

When this year’s Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix participants were announced, there was much fanfare online about fans hoping for this pairing in the finals so the execution felt like a dream come true. Okamoto and Funakoshi spent several minutes sizing each other up at the start, letting fans really take in what was going down and pacing themselves for a classic slow fuse climactic masterpiece. After the usual lockups and slingshot shoulder tackles leading to a stalemate, Funakoshi invited the hits and started a contest of trading blows, while the announce team added to the drama by reminding the importance of this match for both men, Funakoshi trying to bounce back up after losing the BCG National title and Okamoto trying to redeem himself after making it to the finals last year but losing to Furusawa. As the match proceeded from strikes into chain wrestling and some vicious submissions, Okamoto found himself on the receiving end due to his smaller size but eventually utilized his pure wrestling skill to eliminate his opponent’s advantage. Funakoshi switched back to his striking game and the match went into the next gear, with strikes quickly evolving into big moves, slams and suplexes as both competitors dropped the bombs on each other. Okamoto’s elusive escape out of a Butterfly hold further showcased his growth in technical skill and how he’s able to use it to eliminate his size and power disadvantage against most opponents, saving him from getting hit with one of Funakoshi’s dreaded finishers and allowing him to mount his own counteroffensive, placing the cherry on top with a huge Avalanche Brainbuster Superplex that finally laid out Funakoshi for the pin.

 

In a bout that had superb wrestling and good heat, Razan Okamoto defeated Funakoshi in 28:05 by pinfall with a Brainbuster Suplex. Razan Okamoto wins the BCG Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix. [87]

 

Streamers shot and confetti flew to celebrate Okamoto’s big win as Yoshifusa Maeda came down to award him the trophy. Okamoto thanked BCG’s founder with a handshake and delivered an emotional speech about his long road to this moment and where it’s taking him next, a notion that brought out Findlay into the ring for a staredown before the BCG World champion accepted the challenge, saying he’ll see Okamoto at Test of Champions.</div>

 

<div style="padding: 15px; border: 3px solid #000000; margin:10px;background: #2C2A2A; max-width:60%;box-shadow: 0 6px 12px ";">Post show interviews and comments

 

Okamoto: "I'm extremely emotional tonight, this is redemption for me after last year and everything I've been through since. My path doesn't end here though and facing Findlay for the BCG World title will be an even greater challenge I must rise up to."

 

Findlay: "This has to be some sort of joke, right? I just beat one of the biggest, baddest men in BCG and you're telling me little Razan's gonna take my title? Just not happening!"

 

Toshusai: "I proved Ikoma simply got lucky during the Grand Prix and I punished him for costing me the spot on top of the Block. All hail your national hero!"

 

Harker: "Texas tough baby, we're comin' for dem tag straps!"</div>

[DarK_RaideR]

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Champions Tour - Night 1 in Sendai, Tohoku Region

Tue. W1 May 2021

160 Fans

 

1. Dread Army (FEAR, The Horror and Ragnarok) defeated Seven Samurai (Funakoshi, Blast Ikoma, Kadonomaro Kamisaka and Motoyuki Miyake) in 15:51 when Ragnarok pinned Kadonomaro Kamisaka with a Death of the Gods. [60]

 

2. Gidayu Katou defeated Danjuro Kikuchi in 14:37 by pinfall with a Lariat. Gidayu Katou wins the Medallion #1. [49]

 

3. Destiny Bond (Black Iron Corps and Rokuemon Matsushita) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Dallas Demolition Crew and James Diaz) in 16:02 when Rokuemon Matsushita pinned James Diaz with an One-Handed Choke Slam. [61]

 

4. Big Bruiser Findlay and Giant Brody defeated Razan Okamoto and Isoruko Arakaki in 15:36 when Giant Brody pinned Isoruko Arakaki with a Single Handed Choke Slam. [62]

 

5. Tanyu Toshusai and Zeshin Makioka defeated Bunrakuken Torii and Kyuichi Matsumoto in 17:39 when Zeshin Makioka pinned Kyuichi Matsumoto with a Z-Bomb. [67]

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Champions Tour - Night 2 in Saitama, Kanto Region

Fri. W1 May 2021

213 Fans

 

1. Okamoto-gun (Razan Okamoto, Inejiro Yoshizawa and Noritoshi Miura) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, James Diaz and Original Sinner) in 16:30 when Inejiro Yoshizawa pinned Original Sinner with a Yoshizawa Bomb. [58]

 

2. Bruiser Brigade (Dallas Demolition Crew and Giant Brody) defeated Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) in 15:57 when Giant Brody pinned Rokuemon Matsushita with a Single Handed Choke Slam. [53]

 

3. FEAR defeated Kyuichi Matsumoto in 14:46 by pinfall with a Fear Drive. FEAR wins the Medallion #2. [61]

 

4. Tanyu Toshusai and Zeshin Makioka defeated Bunrakuken Torii and Suguru Emoto in 15:33 when Zeshin Makioka pinned Suguru Emoto with a Z-Bomb. [59]

 

5. The Horror defeated Funakoshi and Motoyuki Miyake in 16:23 when Monstrosity pinned Motoyuki Miyake with an Apocalypse Blast. [58]

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Champions Tour - Night 3 in Shizuoka Sports Hall, Chubu Region

Mon. W2 May 2021

298 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Original Sinner and Dallas Demolition Crew) in 15:40 when Azumamaro Kita pinned Original Sinner with a Penalty Kick. [56]

 

2. Okamoto-gun (Razan Okamoto, Inejiro Yoshizawa and Noritoshi Miura) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody and James Diaz) in 17:39 when Razan Okamoto pinned James Diaz with a surprise cradle. [57]

 

3. Nigel Svensson defeated Isoruko Arakaki in 15:27 by submission with a Hyper Extension Arm Lock. Nigel Svensson wins the Medallion #3. [57]

 

4. Seven Samurai (Funakoshi, Blast Ikoma and Motoyuki Miyake) defeated Dread Army (FEAR and The Horror) in 15:39 when Motoyuki Miyake pinned FEAR with a Knock Out Kick. [63]

 

5. Bunrakuken Torii and Yoshinaka Taku defeated Tanyu Toshusai and Zeshin Makioka in 28:27 when Bunrakuken Torii pinned Zeshin Makioka with a Flying Forearm Off Top. [67]

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Champions Tour - Night 4 in Hiroshima, Chugoku Region

Wed. W2 May 2021

267 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Maelstrom and Dallas Demolition Crew) in 15:44 when Rokuemon Matsushita pinned Maelstrom with an One-Handed Choke Slam. [58]

 

2. Dread Army (FEAR, The Horror and Atto Savage) defeated Seven Samurai (Funakoshi, Blast Ikoma, Kadonomaro Kamisaka and Motoyuki Miyake) in 17:47 when Atto Savage submitted Kadonomaro Kamisaka with a Savage Claw. [64]

 

3. Gidayu Katou defeated Naozane Goto in 15:22 by pinfall with a Lariat. Gidayu Katou makes defence number one of the Medallion #1. [51]

 

4. Tanyu Toshusai and Zeshin Makioka defeated Bunrakuken Torii and Kiyotaka in 17:35 when Zeshin Makioka pinned Kiyotaka with a Z-Bomb. [67]

 

5. Big Bruiser Findlay and Giant Brody defeated Razan Okamoto and Yoshisada Matsuzawa in 18:14 when Giant Brody pinned Yoshisada Matsuzawa with a Single Handed Choke Slam. [62]

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Champions Tour - Night 5 in Matsuyama, Shikoku Region

Sat. W2 May 2021

168 Fans

 

1. Okamoto-gun (Razan Okamoto, Inejiro Yoshizawa and Noritoshi Miura) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody and Thorsten Sigurdsson) in 15:45 when Noritoshi Miura pinned Thorsten Sigurdsson with a Storm Rider. [56]

 

2. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Desperado Dave Barker and Dallas Demolition Crew) in 16:29 when Azumamaro Kita pinned Desperado Dave Barker with a Penalty Kick. [57]

 

3. FEAR defeated Motoyuki Miyake in 15:13 by pinfall with a Fear Drive. FEAR makes defence number one of the Medallion #2. [54]

 

4. Tanyu Toshusai and Zeshin Makioka defeated Bunrakuken Torii and Naozane Goto in 17:31 when Tanyu Toshusai submitted Naozane Goto. [61]

 

4. Dread Army (The Horror and Ragnarok) defeated Seven Samurai (Funakoshi, Blast Ikoma and Sojuro Sen) in 19:10 when Ragnarok pinned Sojuro Sen with a Death of the Gods. [67]

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Champions Tour - Night 6 in Kitakyushu, Kyushu Region

Mon. W3 May 2021

291 Fans

 

1. Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita and Black Iron Corps) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Dallas Demolition Crew and Maelstrom) in 15:43 when Fujio Narahashi pinned Maelstrom with a Lariat Clothesline. [56]

 

2. Okamoto-gun (Razan Okamoto, Inejiro Yoshizawa and Noritoshi Miura) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody and Desperado Dave Barker) in 15:31 when Noritoshi Miura pinned Desperado Dave Barker with a Storm Rider. [59]

 

3. Nigel Svensson defeated Kadonomaro Kamisaka in 15:59 by submission with a Hyper Extension Arm Lock. Nigel Svensson makes defence number one of the Medallion #3. [56]

 

4. Dread Army (FEAR, The Horror, Atto Savage and Ragnarok) defeated Seven Samurai (Funakoshi, Blast Ikoma, Motoyuki Miyake, Sojuro Sen and Roku Sotomura) in 17:50 when Atto Savage submitted Roku Sotomura with a Cannibal Claw. [61]

 

5. Dawnguard (Bunrakuken Torii, Yoshinaka Taku and Kyuichi Matsumoto) defeated Tanyu Toshusai, Zeshin Makioka and Gidayu Katou in 15:33 when Kyuichi Matsumoto pinned Gidayu Katou with a Matsumoto Murder Bomb. [71]

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Champions Tour - Night 7 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido Region

Thu. W3 May 2021

164 Fans

 

1. Okamoto-gun (Razan Okamoto, Inejiro Yoshizawa and Noritoshi Miura) defeated Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, James Diaz and Maelstrom) in 15:49 when Inejiro Yoshizawa pinned Maelstrom with a Yoshizawa Bomb. [56]

 

2. Dawnguard (Bunrakuken Torii, Yoshinaka Taku and Kyuichi Matsumoto) defeated Tanyu Toshusai, Rokuemon Matsushita and Isoruko Arakaki in 15:38 when Kyuichi Matsumoto pinned Isoruko Arakaki with a roll up. [58]

 

3. Bruiser Brigade (Giant Brody and Dallas Demolition Crew) defeated Destiny Bond (Zeshin Makioka and Black Iron Corps) in 18:07 when Giant Brody pinned Zeshin Makioka with a Single Handed Choke Slam. [58]

 

4. Atto Savage and Ragnarok defeated Funakoshi and Motoyuki Miyake in 18:13 when Atto Savage submitted Motoyuki Miyake with a Savage Claw. [54]

 

5. Nigel Svensson defeated Gidayu Katou and FEAR in 20:30 when Nigel Svensson submitted Gidayu Katou with a Hyper Extension Arm Lock. Nigel Svensson wins the Medallion #2. Nigel Svensson makes defence number two of the Medallion #3. Nigel Svensson wins the Medallion #1. [58]

FEAR injured his hamstring in this match and is expected to be out for 2 months

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