Black Canvas Grappling: Invasion of the TITANS

DarK_RaideR · January 31, 2022

BCG Test of Champions 2021 Press Conference Highlights

~ Every title will be on the line for BCG's Test of Champions and the Press Conference began with Nigel Svensson, holder of all three Medallions, talking about his upcoming clash with Atto Savage. Svensson assured the press that his skill and experience are enough without him needing to join any faction. Asked about Billy Robinson, he wished his Hurt teammate a speedy recovery and pointed out that this is his chance to showcase what he can do as a singles competitor. Savage had little to say, in part due to his wildman gimmick, but it was effective in getting across the point that he's planning to bulldoze through his challenger.

~ Black Iron Corps and Dallas Demolition Crew almost came to blows due to Harker's inflammatory comments provoking the champions. His more cool headed partner in Texas Hangman was able to contain him though and it seems we're in for a hard brawl when the two teams meet with the BCG World Tag Team titles on the line.

~ "Machine Gun" Bunrakuken Torii has stepped up to challenge for the BCG National title, earning himself some mocking comments from champion Tanyu Toshusai who dismissed him as a credible threat and reminded those present of his loss at the final night of the Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix. Torii retorted by mentioning that unlike his opponent, he has held the BCG World title in the past and promised to prove his mettle between the ropes.

~ After a hard fought and emotional win, 2021 Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix winner had more heartfelt words to share about his struggle towards winning the BCG World title. This only contrasted the brutishly confident Findlay who said he will squash the leader of Okamoto-gun in the main event and prove himself the undisputed champion.

</div>

Fri. W3 May 2021

Kobe Football Stadium @ Kansai, Japan

Event Card

BCG World title match

11th Champion Big Bruiser Findlay vs 2021 Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix winner Razan Okamoto

Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita & Zeshin Makioka) vs Dawnguard (Yoshinaka Taku & Kyuichi Matsumoto)

BCG National title match

2nd Champion Tanyu Toshusai vs Challenger Bunrakuken Torii

Pillars of Puroresu (SUKI & Danjuro Kikuchi) vs Gidayu Katou & Isoruko Araraki

BCG World Tag Team titles match

16th Champions Black Iron Corps vs Challengers Dallas Demolition Crew

Dread Army (The Horror & Raganrok) vs Seven Samurai (Funakoshi, Blast Ikoma & Motoyuki Miyake)

Challengers Series title match

20th Champion Atto Savage vs Challenger Nigel Svensson</div>

Historian · January 31, 2022

BCG World title match

11th Champion Big Bruiser Findlay vs 2021 Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix winner Razan Okamoto

I hate picking against Findlay, but Okamoto is ready to be the Ace.

Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita & Zeshin Makioka) vs Dawnguard (Yoshinaka Taku & Kyuichi Matsumoto)

Makioka!!

BCG National title match

2nd Champion Tanyu Toshusai vs Challenger Bunrakuken Torii

He can't lose already

Pillars of Puroresu (SUKI & Danjuro Kikuchi) vs Gidayu Katou & Isoruko Araraki

BCG World Tag Team titles match

16th Champions Black Iron Corps vs Challengers Dallas Demolition Crew

Dread Army (The Horror & Raganrok) vs Seven Samurai (Funakoshi, Blast Ikoma & Motoyuki Miyake)

Challengers Series title match

20th Champion Atto Savage vs Challenger Nigel Svensson

DarK_RaideR · February 3, 2022

Sat. W3 May 2021

Kobe Football Stadium, Kansai Region, Japan

Attendance: 26.058, Rating: 71, Views: 116.725 (0.15 on Shogun TV)

Challengers Series title match

20th Champion Atto Savage vs Challenger Nigel Svensson

The show where all the titles are on the line kicked off with a title match as Atto Savage defended his newly won Challengers Series title against Nigel Svensson. What should be a great clash of styles match on paper turned out to be underwhelming since the two men seem to have absolutely no chemistry with each other. Svensson proved he can hold his own as a singles competitor but had some trouble twisting Savage into his submission holds and it looked a bit sloppy, further detracting from the match before the champion ended it with a Savage Claw to retain.

In a bout that had decent wrestling but didn't have much heat, Atto Savage defeated Nigel Svensson in 12:49 by submission with a Savage Claw. Atto Savage makes defence number one of the BCG Challengers Series. [59]

Dread Army (The Horror & Raganrok) vs Seven Samurai (Funakoshi, Blast Ikoma & Motoyuki Miyake)

Things cooled off somewhat in the next multi man match, even if it featured some major names and hard hitting action. This was very much a test for the younger members of each team and while they both proved they can hang, Ragnarok still struggles to connect with the Japanese audience despite his undeniable charisma and star quality. Hard fought victory for Seven Samurai, who had to persevere against their opponent's power and teamwork, with Funakoshi scoring the pin to regain some momentum after his big loss in the Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix finals.

In a bout that had good wrestling and a decent reaction from the crowd, Seven Samurai (Funakoshi, Blast Ikoma and Motoyuki Miyake) defeated Dread Army (The Horror and Ragnarok) in 18:27 when Funakoshi pinned Ragnarok with a Butterfly Backbreaker. [63]

BCG World Tag Team titles match

16th Champions Black Iron Corps vs Challengers Dallas Demolition Crew

To say this match was hard hitting would be an understatement. Black Iron Corps brought their stiffest strikes against the crazy brawling of their opponents, so the story of the match was about which side would be able to impose the style that fit them best and, to a lesser extent, whether the match would be fought with strikes inside the ring or like a bar brawl outside of it. Harker's crazy antics and Hangman's sheer size worked in their favour and they relentlessly attacked Kita's leg and knee, trying to take away his wide arsenal of kicks. As the match went on, it was up to Narahashi to do the heavy lifting and fueled by Kita's passion to keep fighting past the pain, Narahashi was able to seal the deal with a Black Iron Lariat and keep the belts with their team.

In a bout that had decent wrestling but didn't have much heat, Black Iron Corps defeated Dallas Demolition Crew in 18:01 when Fujio Narahashi pinned Animal Harker with a Black Iron Lariat. Black Iron Corps make defence number one of the BCG World Tag Team titles. [64]

Pillars of Puroresu (SUKI & Danjuro Kikuchi) vs Gidayu Katou & Isoruko Araraki

Kikuchi returned at the Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix but this match was less about him and more about showcasing his opponents, SAISHO's own Katou and Araraki. As the veteran, SUKI had to call the match but whether because that distracted him or because they just don't click, he and Kikuchi's timing was all over the place. Araraki worked his big man role to a tee and Katou hit his dreaded Lariat for the pin, a sign that perhaps the two men have reached a point where they should be featured more regularly on BCG shows.

In a bout that had decent wrestling but didn't have much heat, Gidayu Katou and Isoruko Arakaki defeated SUKI and Danjuro Kikuchi in 17:35 when Gidayu Katou pinned Danjuro Kikuchi with a Lariat. [61]

BCG National title match

2nd Champion Tanyu Toshusai vs Challenger Bunrakuken Torii

Toshusai mentioned during the press conference that Torii hadn't done anything recently to deserve a shot at his title and while it may be true, this apparently only drove the Machine Gun further to prove a point. As far as Toshusai is concerned, it certainly proved that he does need a good opponent who will push him, because Torii drew a hellacious fight out of the champion as he battered him with chops, forearms and elbows. Cornered early, Toshusai tried to interrupt the pace of the match and take breaks on the outside, but Torii was relentless in his chase and kept the pace of the match fast, forcing Toshusai to get his hands dirty, quite literally too as at one point he landed a slicing elbow that cut his opponent's forehead. Blood gushing down his face, Torii fought on as if he was possessed, but with every drop on his head, his very mind and body seemed to fail him until Toshusai hit him with the Dangerous Brainbuster for a dramatic three count. Best match of the night, by a very long shot.

In a bout that had superb wrestling and good heat, Tanyu Toshusai defeated Bunrakuken Torii in 39:24 by pinfall with a Dangerous Brainbuster. Tanyu Toshusai makes defence number two of the BCG National title. [88]

Destiny Bond (Rokuemon Matsushita & Zeshin Makioka) vs Dawnguard (Yoshinaka Taku & Kyuichi Matsumoto)

This match only got the semi main event spot to provide a breather between two big title matches it seemed and the fans certainly needed it after the intensity of Toshusai vs Torii. Everyone worked slow enough for viewers to catch their breath, Matsushita being a sluggish big man, Makioka focusing on straight methodical wrestling instead of his crazy antics and the Dawnguard team taking some time with their approach as they frequently tagged each other to test the opposition's defences and come up with a fitting battle plan. It was intentional, it was needed but it was still somewhat deflating with all the stalling, the match only picking up in the last five or so minutes to set up the big finish of Makioka getting Murderbomb'd on the turnbuckles for the pin.

In a decent match, Yoshinaka Taku and Kyuichi Matsumoto defeated Rokuemon Matsushita and Zeshin Makioka in 18:21 when Kyuichi Matsumoto pinned Zeshin Makioka with a Matsumoto Murder Bomb. [67]

BCG World title match

11th Champion Big Bruiser Findlay vs 2021 Yoshifusa Maeda Grand Prix winner Razan Okamoto

It's no secret Findlay and Okamoto don't mesh well inside the ring, despite theoretically being a perfect "Japanese David vs Gaijin Goliath" setup. It was obvious when they clashed on January of 2020, which was also the last time they went one on one over a year ago, but Okamoto won the Grand Prix and Findlay was the champion so it happened again on this night. What also went down during their Heritage 2020 match was Findlay injuring Okamoto's back and sidelining him for several months, so there was an aspect of revenge and redemption at play here for Okamoto. Findlay, on the other hand, jumped on the existing story between the two and attacked his challenger's back, both to soften it up for his Atomic Spinebuster but also hinting that he was out to once again injure it.

It was obvious from early on in the match that it would be a slow burner and even after it got rolling, Findlay seemed very methodical in breaking down his opponent, as opposed to his usual reckless battering of whoever's in front of him. Okamoto played defence and sold everything the champion threw at him, riling up fans behind him and getting the occasional hope spot before Findlay shut him down again. Even when he got his best chances, Okamoto always ran into a wall when he needed to lift the massive Findlay up for his Brainbuster Suplex finisher. As the damage piled up but Okamoto kept fighting and kicking out of pins well past the half hour mark, his warrior spirit became more and more of a factor in the match, frustrating Findlay who just couldn't squash this annoying mosquito and put him away. The turning point however came when Findlay tried to go big and lifted his opponent up on the corner for an elevated version of his Atomic Spinebuster; Okamoto slid out of a precarious position and used the elevation to launch Findlay head first on the mat with a Brainbuster Suplex. From there, Okamoto began his comeback and Findlay struggled but never really got back in full control of the match, before a sloppy attempt at another Brainbuster Suplex was improvised into a DDT and Okamoto crawled over for the cover.

In a good match, Razan Okamoto defeated Big Bruiser Findlay in 45:25 by pinfall with a Brainbuster Suplex. Razan Okamoto wins the BCG World title. [66]

Inejiro Yoshizawa, Noritoshi Miura and Yoshisada Matsuzawa rushed to the ring once the match was over to celebrate their faction's leader becoming the BCG World champion. Okamoto got to cut the go home promo to send the fans home happy and the show ended with his allies lifting him up on their shoulders as he held his new championship up high.</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: "It's been a long, hard road but I never gave up. This title makes it all worth it, the blood, the sweat, the tears, the pain. I've earned championship gold and I'll keep working just as hard to prove myself a worthy champion."

Toshusai: "Did we just blow the roof off or what?! Doesn't matter if I don't main event or hold the World title, Tanyu Toshusai always steals the show!"

Narahashi: "It was a rough and dirty fight, but we prevailed. Kita-san, get your leg checked out and we're out for drinks to celebrate."

Savage: "I've been wrestling for Medallions. Then I won one, then I won them all to get a title shot, now I'm the Challengers Series champion and I'm not going anywhere. Belt stays with me 'till I get my World title shot."</div>

DarK_RaideR · February 5, 2022

<img alt="PQQ9EF2.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/PQQ9EF2.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

Black Canvas Grappling shocked the puroresu world when they announced a whopping 64 man single elimination tournament for the month of June. The tournament will take place throughout the company's Sole Survivor tour and the final four competitors will be headlining the last show of the tour, competing for the prize of Sole Survivor and the right to face Razan Okamoto at The Lion's Roar for the BCG World title. The full brackets have been released and while they're too much to publish here, we do have a list of the opening round matches. It seems the tournament will involve the entirety of BCG and SAISHO's roster as well as some outsiders to round it up, making it a showcase of the promotion's talent from young lions to established veterans and very much a chance to reset and re-determine where everyone stands on the totem pole.

First Round Matchups

Akira Arato vs Bunrakuken Torii

Animal Harker vs Nobuyuki Kubo

Atto Savage vs Maelstrom

Azumamaro Kita vs "Prime Time" Jack Pryde

Big Boss Emperor vs SUKI

Big Bruiser Findlay vs MUSCLE Serizawa

Black Samurai vs Kiyotaka

Blast Ikoma vs Ragnarok

Danjuro Kikuchi vs Tetsuya Oshiro

Desperado Dave Barker vs Gidayu Katou

FEAR vs Nakayama

Fujio Narahashi vs Ritsu Ibata

Funakoshi vs Texas Hangman

Giant Brody vs Ikki Hosaka

Ginji Kisaka vs Zeshin Makioka

Goro Hatamoto vs Naozane Goto

Heihachiro Koyanagi vs Ryobe Uno

Iron Hyodo vs Nobuharu Yokokawa

Isoruko Araraki vs James Diaz

Kadonomaro Kamisaka vs Takanibu Nakajima

Koan Chikanatsu vs Morimasa Kato

Kyuichi Matsumoto vs Norishige Motoyoshi

Monzaemon Shigi vs Shimpei Hirose

Motoyuki Miyake vs Taiji Chajima

Nigel Svensson vs Noritoshi Hira

Noritaka Imakura vs Sojuro Sen

Roku Sotomura vs Thorsten Sigurdsson

Rokuemon Matsushita vs Suguru Emoto

Shuzo Utagawa vs Yunosuke Fujisaki

Tanyu Toshusai vs Yutaka Ogata

Teriuihi Anzai vs Yoshisada Matsuzawa

Yoshinaka Taku vs Wes Stryker</div></div>

DarK_RaideR · February 5, 2022

<img alt="Mn4LzCY.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Mn4LzCY.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="text-align:center;"></div>

Sole Survivor Tour Night 1 in Doshisha Athletic Center, Kansai Region

Mon. W1 June 2021

1.000 Fans (Super No Vacancy)

<div style="text-align:left;">1. Kadonomaro Kamisaka defeated Takanibu Nakajima in 10:16 by pinfall with a Stump Piledriver. [37]

An easy win for Kamisaka over his young lion opponent, Nakajima still fought on longer than he should have and pushed the match to the ten minute mark. For all his fighting spirit, the young man is clearly lacking in both stamina and ability, evident in his moveset kept as simple as possible and his lungs fighting for air near the end of the bout.

2. Animal Harker defeated Nobuyuki Kubo in 14:04 by pinfall with a Stump Piledriver. [53]

Kubo put on a much better performance in defeat and was aided by the great chemistry he seems to have with Harker, but the hard hitting Texas brawler got away with the win in the end. Fans still seemed to be wildly enthusiastic about Kubo and given what he showed here, it clearly won't be long before he's called up to the main Black Canvas roster.

3. Bunrakuken Torii defeated Akira Arato in 15:47 by pinfall with a Spinning Forearm Smash. [50]

Real bad night for Akira Arato, not only did he lose to Torii, he also struggled through the match due to their apparent communication issues and ended up with a leg contusion. The Machine Gun had it tough as he wasn't facing a young lion in the first round, but still managed to advanced to the next phase, where he'll face the winner of Utagawa vs Fujisaki.

4. Tanyu Toshusai defeated Yutaka Ogata in 16:12 by pinfall with a Dangerous Brainbuster. [59]

A protege of Mabuchi Furusawa, Ogata represented Pillars of Puroresu here but no one really expected him to beat the BCG National champion. Still, it was a decent showing from Ogata before the eventual fall and a nice chance for Toshusai to be smug, drawing heat for his antics in underestimating his opponent.

5. Funakoshi defeated Texas Hangman in 16:14 by pinfall with a Butterfly Powerbomb Pin. [64]

Much like Torii before him, Funakoshi had his work cut out for him right out the gates in facing a man who could take his strikes with a smile and respond in kind, on top of being very hard to put in the Butterfly Lock position to set up a finisher. Hangman did well here, perhaps well enough to prove he might have a singles future besides Dallas Demolition Crew, though by the end it was Funakoshi who hit the big move and got the pin.

6. Blast Ikoma defeated Ragnarok in 15:40 by submission. [62]

It was a similar story in the main event for Funakoshi's Seven Samurai stablemate as Ikoma went to war with Ragnarok. For all the big man's skill and charisma, fans didn't seem as into his stuff, his only saving grace being his size as it gave Ikoma trouble trying to suplex him. In a display of experience and ring generalship, Ikoma continued the attack on Ragnarok's arm and shoulder, but instead of going for the Northern Lights or any other suplex, resorted in a simple armbar that capitalized on the accrued damage to get the tap out of the Icelander.</div></div></div>

DarK_RaideR · February 7, 2022

Sole Survivor Tour Night 2 in Sapporo, Hokkaido Region

Thu. W1 June 2021

158 Fans

1. Ryobe Uno defeated Heihachiro Koyanagi in 14:24 by submission with a Scorpion Deathlock. [20]

Fans didn't really care for the opening contest and Uno took his time in beating the rookie Koyanagi which probably made things worse for their case. Unfortunately, it was painfully obvious how not ready the young lion is, his sloppiness causing Uno to leave the match with obvious pain in his back.

2. Yoshisada Matsuzawa defeated Teriuihi Anzai in 14:11 by pinfall with a Double Arm DDT. [40]

Matsuzawa's cheeky charisma got the fans going at long last, even if youngster Anzai didn't make things easy for him. Another decent bout and another win of the veteran over the young lion, as it should be.

3. Roku Sotomura defeated Thorsten Sigurdsson in 14:36 by submission with a Twisted Bow And Arrow. [41]

Sigurdsson's ferocity really pushed Sotomura here, giving him no time to slap on a chinlock and pause for breath. A great showcase of the young Norwegian's potential and growth, with the wily veteran outsmarting him in the end to get the submission.

4. Gidayu Katou defeated Desperado Dave Barker in 16:08 by pinfall with a Lariat. [38]

First really competitive match of the night, Katou and Barker went at it guns blazing and although fans initially didn't seem to care, the sheer tenacity in their stiff strikes and resilience slowly drew them in. For all his undeniable talent, Barker still seems to be struggling in adapting his brawling to a style more suited for Japan and Katou managed to hit his decapitating Lariat for the pin.

5. Giant Brody defeated Ikki Hosaka in 14:53 by pinfall with a Single Handed Choke Slam. [48]

Hosaka's speed and elusiveness gave the big man plenty of trouble in this bout, even if his selling wasn't exactly stellar in those cases where Brody got a bit of offence in. Very much a "back to basics" kind of match, flashy offence was left aside in favor of gritty grappling which proved to be a refreshing change of pace before Brody chokeslammed the much smaller Hosaka for the three count.

6. Big Bruiser Findlay defeated MUSCLE Serizawa in 15:23 by pinfall with an Atomic Spinebuster. [58]

Soon as the bell rang, Serizawa kicked his opponent's mid section to fold him over, grabbed his head for what seemed like a DDT attempt but instead suplexed him up and over, an early statement of intent that shocked viewers and forced Findlay to take this seriously. Serizawa was all business and Findlay responded in kind with some of his hardest hits, working hard to finally build up some momentum to the Atomic Spinebuster and the victory.

</div>

DarK_RaideR · February 8, 2022

Sole Survivor Tour Night 3 in Sendai, Tohoku Region

Sat. W1 June 2021

172 Fans

1. Kyuichi Matsumoto defeated Norishige Motoyoshi in 9:50 by pinfall with a Matsumoto Murder Bomb. [34]

Hard hitting opener with young lion Motoyoshi pushing Matsumoto to work for his win. Fans weren't really invested in seeing two relative nobodies go at it one on one, but both Matsumoto and Motoyoshi had the skills and charisma to draw them in regardless and openg the show with a solid contest.

2. Motoyuki Miyake defeated Taiji Chajima in 11:34 by pinfall with a Knock Out Kick. [37]

One of the many young lions to appear -and get eliminated from- this opening tournament round, Chajima did what every rookie in his place is expected to do, which is run to the ring, showcase a good grasp of the fundamentals, sell, fight hard against the odds and ultimately lose.

3. Azumamaro Kita defeated Prime Time Jack Pryde in 13:31 by pinfall with a Penalty Kick. [56]

Pryde has been lauded by underground fanzines and online forums as "the next big gaijin thing" and "BCG's best kept secret" so him debuting here was a chance for a wider audience to see him in action. Still struggling to adapt his sports entertainment style to a more physical Japanese style, Pryde still performed admirably before Kita nearly kicked his head to the back seats.

4. Isoruko Arakaki defeated James Diaz in 10:15 by pinfall with a Lariat. [39]

Arakaki has the size and power to convincingly beat Diaz, even as the young second generation wrestler is shedding more and more of his young lion skin with each match. It clearly wont be long before Diaz receives a proper push, but for now he did the job to put his opponent over.

5. Fujio Narahashi defeated Ritsu Ibata in 16:03 by pinfall with a Lariat Clothesline. [60]

Both members of Black Iron Corps were in action on this night, Narahashi facing one of Furusawa's proteges in Ritsu Ibata. The youngster had the fire to prove a point and honour his stable, but there was just no surviving Narahashi's offence, topped with a killer Lariat.

6. Zeshin Makioka defeated Ginji Kisaka in 15:37 by pinfall with a Z-Bomb. [65]

Ginji Kisaka headlined the show, proving he's way past his days as a young lion with his performance here. Makioka struggled against the sheer determination of the youngster and failed several times in completing the sequence for his Z-Bomb finisher, but with a bit of creative thinking, the veteran outsmarted Kisaka and hit the move to win the match.

</div>

Historian · February 8, 2022

A 64 man tournament is so massive, but if there was someone who was up to the challenge it is the Desperado.

DarK_RaideR · February 11, 2022

Sole Survivor Tour Night 4 in Tokyo, Kanto Region

Tue. W2 June 2021

224 Fans

1. Shimpei Hirose defeated Monzaemon Shigi in 11:45 by submission with a Mountain Sleeper. [38]

Former WEXXV and EXODUS2010 star Shimpei Hirose was one of the big outsider names announced for the tournament and this was his BCG debut. Hirose put on a solid pure wrestling contest against young lion Monzaemon Shigi and advanced to the next round, so fans are bound to see him again on the black canvas.

2. FEAR defeated Nakayama in 11:35 by pinfall with a Fear Drive. [55]

The face painted brawler Nakayama is widely regarded to be one of SAISHO's wonderkids and he showed this here, wrestling a surprisingly good match for a man still in his rookie year as a professional. FEAR had a fight in his hands and managed to come out on top, but Nakayama was probably the one who left the match way better than he entered it, gaining himself a bunch of new fans and sending viewers to look up more information about him.

3. Nobuharu Yokokawa defeated Iron Hyodo in 11:55 by submission with a Stump Puller. [44]

Iron Hyodo spends most of his time as a tag team competitor alongside Goro Hatamoto, but he wrestled a decent match here against veteran Yokokawa. To no one's surprise, the battle hardened warrior won to advance, while Hyodo will continue to hone his craft in SAISHO.

4. Atto Savage defeated Maelstrom in 12:09 by submission with a Savage Claw. [38]

Big man clash here between Dread Army and Bruiser Brigade representatives. Hard hitting contest and an earned victory for Savage over the Australian powerhouse.

5. Morimasa Kato defeated Koan Chikanatsu in 12:27 by submission with a Choke Sleeper. [55]

Kato was the second big name announced alongside Hirose and he proved his acumen here against another wonderkid in young lion Koan Chikantatsu. Victory for the veteran, but a great showing from the rookie as well.

6. SUKI defeated Big Boss Emperor in 15:48 by submission with a SUKI Special III. [60]

On the cusp of shedding his young lion mantle, the massive Big Boss Emperor headlined the show against SUKI. Of course, no one expected him to win but even without Emperor being regarded as a prodigy, SUKI carried him to an exceptional match before tapping him out with the SUKI Special III.

</div>

DarK_RaideR · February 11, 2022

A 64 man tournament is so massive, but if there was someone who was up to the challenge it is the Desperado.

The Desperado is a full-blown wrestler and gave me a 38 match against Katou. Nakayama is in his first year as a pro, Koan Chikanatsu in his second and they both worked 55 matches. I'm just saying

DarK_RaideR · February 11, 2022

Sole Survivor Tour Night 5 in Shizuoka Sports Hall, Chubu Region

Fri. W2 June 2021

300 Fans (Super No Vacancy)

1. Danjuro Kikuchi defeated Tetsuya Oshiro in 12:05 by submission with a Step Over Leg Bar. [36]

Slightly underwhelming match, with Kikuchi having to carry his young lion opponent. Although he has the wrestling chops, Kikuchi lacks the charisma to draw fans in and his win wasn't as celebrated as the in-ring action deserved.

2. Kiyotaka defeated Black Samurai in 11:37 by submission with a Kimura. [43]

An oddity in Black Canvas Grappling, the masked rookie Black Samurai debuted here and put on a decent showing before losing to Kiyotaka. There has been talk that the character is meant to be some sort of company hero, but this remains to be seen down the road.

3. Nigel Svensson defeated Noritoshi Hira in 11:50 by submission with a Hyper Extension Arm Lock. [49]

Svensson was extra vicious in this match, tormenting young lion Noritoshi Hira and tying him up in knots before he tapped him out with the Hyper Extension Arm Lock. Surprisingly watchable match and an advance to the stage of 32 for Svensson.

4. Shuzo Utagawa defeated Yunosuke Fujisaki in 11:53 by submission with a Sleeper Hold. [34]

Much like the opening match, Utagawa had the skill but not the charisma to carry his rookie opponent to a great showing. A down and dirty, gritty wrestling contest that was decent, but nothing to write home about.

5. Sojuro Sen defeated Noritaka Imakura in 11:44 by submission with an Over-The-Shoulder Backbreaker. [42]

Imakura showed the fire between the ropes, but he was no match for the hard hitting veteran in Sen. A classic strong style match with both competitors looking great from bell to bell.

6. Naozane Goto defeated Goro Hatamoto in 12:02 by pinfall with a Goto Slam. [37]

Goto dominated this match, using his size and power to bully Hatamoto around. After he had enough of toying with his victim, he hit the Goto Slam to end the bout, making a statement in what was essentially a glorified squash.

7. Yoshinaka Taku defeated Wes Stryker in 12:10 by pinfall with a Full Nelson Bomb. [59]

Dutch grappler Wes Stryker showed surprising competence here against Taku, essentially stealing the show by working the best match of the night before he got pinned. With ELPF recently signing him to their roster, Stryker is expected to develop fast and perhaps even debut soon on the main BCG roster.

8. Rokuemon Matsushita defeated Suguru Emoto in 11:59 by pinfall with an One-Handed Choke Slam. [53]

Matsushita had his hands full in the main event, with Emoto bringing the hard strikes to push him. Fans got their money's worth and a good match, Matsushita coming out on top by the end.

</div>

DarK_RaideR · February 11, 2022

DeepImpact · February 11, 2022

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="DarK_RaideR" data-cite="DarK_RaideR" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="53419" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>The Desperado is a full-blown wrestler and gave me a 38 match against Katou. Nakayama is in his first year as a pro, Koan Chikanatsu in his second and they both worked 55 matches. I'm just saying <img alt=":p" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/tongue.png.ceb643b2956793497cef30b0e944be28.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div></blockquote> Is the Desperado an existing character that you renamed? Unless I'm losing my mind, I can't seem to find him in my database!

Sco xY2Jx · February 11, 2022

I'll take Nigel Svensson to win it all.

DarK_RaideR · February 11, 2022

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="DeepImpact" data-cite="DeepImpact" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="53419" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Is the Desperado an existing character that you renamed? Unless I'm losing my mind, I can't seem to find him in my database!</div></blockquote> It's MAW's The Historian under a different name. Which is why Historian the forum user is so high on him <img alt=":D" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/biggrin.png.929299b4c121f473b0026f3d6e74d189.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Sco xY2Jx" data-cite="Sco xY2Jx" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="53419" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I'll take Nigel Svensson to win it all.</div></blockquote> That'd be a real Dante Martin situation, a primarily tag guy getting over as singles due to his partner's injury. The tournament is meant to end at the semi finals, with the final 4 clashing in the 4 way elimination match that'll headline the final show.

DeepImpact · February 11, 2022

It's MAW's The Historian under a different name. Which is why Historian the forum user is so high on him <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/biggrin.png.929299b4c121f473b0026f3d6e74d189.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

LOL that's awesome.

Sco xY2Jx · February 11, 2022

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="DarK_RaideR" data-cite="DarK_RaideR" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="53419" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>That'd be a real Dante Martin situation, a primarily tag guy getting over as singles due to his partner's injury. The tournament is meant to end at the semi finals, with the final 4 clashing in the 4 way elimination match that'll headline the final show.</div></blockquote> <div style="width:480px"><iframe allow="fullscreen" frameBorder="0" h<iframe src="<a href="https://giphy.com/embed/8vDbvPMP3tGF2" rel="external nofollow">https://giphy.com/embed/8vDbvPMP3tGF2"</a> width="480" height="192" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><a href="<a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/8vDbvPMP3tGF2" rel="external nofollow">https://giphy.com/gifs/8vDbvPMP3tGF2"></a></a>

DarK_RaideR · February 11, 2022

Don't wanna spoil anything, but you did guess Funakoshi's big win a while back and Okamoto winning the YMGP and title, so stay tuned...

DarK_RaideR · February 13, 2022

Sole Survivor Tour Night 6 in Shimonoseki Hall, Chugoku Region

Mon. W3 June 2021

297 Fans

1. Motoyuki Miyake defeated Animal Harker in 9:47 by pinfall with a Knock Out Kick. [52]

The night and the second stage of the tournament kicked of with a bang as Miyake nearly kicked Harker's head off his shoulders after ten minutes of impactful action. The youngster thus scored a big win over the BCG regular and seems to be turning into one of the dark horses in this race.

2. Gidayu Katou defeated Nobuharu Yokokawa in 12:13 by pinfall with a Lariat. [56]

Katou also managed to score a win over the veteran Yokokawa, withstanding the elder's offence and showing enough fire to push on until the final pin. The victory sparked further speculation over Katou's future, as the unaligned blue chipper is said to be wanted by more than one faction as a potential recruit.

3. Zeshin Makioka defeated Ryobe Uno in 11:18 by pinfall with a Z-Bomb. [58]

Turned out that Uno had indeed suffered a back injury in his first round match and although he pushed through the pain to valiantly fight on, he would ultimately fall to Makioka who viciously targeted his damaged back.

4. FEAR defeated Kyuichi Matsumoto in 10:16 by pinfall with a Fear Drive. [66]

"Murderous" Kyuichi Matsumoto displayed an intensity that really meshed with FEAR's character and style, elevating this match to show stealer status. Fans enjoyed seeing them brutalize each other and despite the loss, Matsumoto walked away from this match with his status undeniably elevated.

5. Bunrakuken Torii defeated Shuzo Utagawa in 11:15 by pinfall with a Spinning Forearm Smash. [56]

And from good chemistry to bad, with Torii's strikes not quite meshing with Utagawa's mat grappling. The predictability of this matchup didn't help it either, a real downer after the stellar contest that preceded it.

6. Fujio Narahashi defeated Azumamaro Kita in 14:21 by pinfall with a Lariat Clothesline. [64]

Seeing the BCG World Tag Team champions clash was interesting, but the handshake and sportsmanship on display meant that BCG isn't looking to split them up anytime soon. Some great counters back and forth, it was Narahashi who got a lucky opening to hit the lariat and win, with both men shaking hands again after the end of the match.

7. Tanyu Toshusai defeated Yoshisada Matsuzawa in 14:16 by pinfall with a Suplex Powerslam. [62]

Matsuzawa's fun loving attitude was a stark contrast to the smug (over)confidence of Toshusai, making for an entertaining semi main event. The BCG National champion made short work of his opponent and advanced to the next stage, with many penciling him in as one of the final four already.

8. Big Bruiser Findlay defeated Kadonomaro Kamisaka in 13:41 by pinfall with an Atomic Spinebuster. [61]

"Serene K" had his work cut out for him trying to suplex or grapple the big bruiser, who threw him around like a rag doll. Kamisaka looked punch drunk by the end and Findlay sealed the deal with a huge Atomic Spinebuster.

</div>

DarK_RaideR · February 16, 2022

Sole Survivor Tour Night 7 in Matsuyama, Shikoku Region

Wed. W3 June 2021

167 Fans

1. Funakoshi defeated Danjuro Kikuchi in 10:09 by pinfall with a Butterfly Backbreaker. [61]

A slow start to the show with a technical contest, before Funakoshi realized he was playing to Kikuchi's strengths. Once he switched to strikes, the leader of Seven Samurai was able to wrap this up with a win by the ten minute mark.

2. Shimpei Hirose defeated Isoruko Arakaki in 9:52 by submission with a Mountain Sleeper. [34]

Hirose continues blazing his path in the tournament, his latest victim here being Arakaki. The big hard hitter fell victim to his own inexperience and Hirose managed to lock in the Mountain Sleeper for the tap.

3. Atto Savage defeated Roku Sotomura in 9:58 by submission with a Savage Claw. [52]

Sotomura tried to keep things slow, matching his declining physical state, but Savage was just too strong and fired up to be held down to the mat.

4. Giant Brody defeated Naozane Goto in 10:28 by pinfall with a Single Handed Choke Slam. [58]

Big man clash in this match, with Goto trying to turn it into a shoving contest. Using a good mix of his experience and agility, Brody was able to come out on top.

5. Yoshinaka Taku defeated Sojuro Sen in 12:41 by pinfall with a Full Nelson Bomb. [63]

A hard earned victory for Taku, after withstanding the onslaught of Sen. The veteran absorbed as much punishment as he dished out, but Taku's warrior spirit shone through to propel him towards victory.

6. Blast Ikoma defeated Kiyotaka in 14:01 by pinfall with a Northern Lights Bomb. [58]

Sparks always fly when Kiyotaka is in the ring with one of his former Seven Samurai allies, this match being no exception. Ikoma delivered tons of punishment while withstanding Kiyotaka's shoot submissions before he demolished him with the Northern Lights Bomb.

7. Rokuemon Matsushita defeated Nigel Svensson in 13:45 by pinfall with an One-Handed Choke Slam. [61]

Svensson was faced with a riddle in how to bring down Matsushita. His approach was to try and take his base away, but Rokuemon had the reach to retaliate and the resilience to fight through the pain.

8. SUKI defeated Morimasa Kato in 15:20 by submission with a SUKI Special III. [66]

Kato's run ended here, even if it was in a main event spot. SUKI was relentless and worked his way to victory, with matches getting harder and harder as the tournament progresses.

</div>

DarK_RaideR · February 17, 2022

Sole Survivor Tour Night 8 in Fukuoka Hall, Kyushu Region

Sat. W3 June 2021

300 Fans (Super No Vacancy)

1. Big Bruiser Findlay defeated Shimpei Hirose in 12:10 by pinfall with a Powerbomb. [59]

The next stage of the tournament is scheduled to be split between two nights and it started with a bang as Shimpei Hirose's run ended at the hands of Big Bruiser Findlay. A short but exciting bout that saw Hirose kick out of an Atomic Spinebuster, which in turn forced Findlay to top it up with a Powerbomb to get the pin.

2. Bunrakuken Torii defeated Gidayu Katou in 11:47 by pinfall with a Spinning Forearm Smash. [64]

Much like Hirose before him, Gidayu Katou had a great run which ended here at the hands of a former world champion and current faction leader. No shame in Katou's defeat, a fact evidenced by Torii giving him a slight nod of respect after the match before leaving the ring.

3. Blast Ikoma defeated Atto Savage in 18:19 by submission. [60]

Ikoma is often overlooked and beating the Challengers Series champion here was a stark reminder of him being a dangerous man between the ropes. Savage put on a fight but Ikoma outsmarted him by working the arm to weaken the threat of the Savage Claw, eventually using all that to get a tap via armbar.

4. Zeshin Makioka defeated Fujio Narahashi in 18:14 by pinfall with a Z-Bomb. [70]

A true wrecking ball throughout the tournament, Makioka bulldozed his way in the main event to push through to the next round. Another great singles performance by Narahashi, who ends his run one step ahead of his teammate.

</div>

DarK_RaideR · February 17, 2022

Sole Survivor Tour Night 9 in Doshisha Athletic Hall, Kansai Region

Mon. W4 June 2021

1.000 Fans (Super No Vacancy)

1. Rokuemon Matsushita defeated Giant Brody in 15:08 by pinfall with an One-Handed Choke Slam. [68]

A hard hitting clash between two of the biggest men on the BCG roster, this one got fans hyped as soon as the show began. Brody and Matsushita got through the pushing and shoving real quick at the start, skipping the usual shoulder blocks and tests of strength in favor of a proper wrestling match. Matsushita ended up winning, which sends him to the final round of Night 10 to face Blast Ikoma.

2. SUKI defeated Motoyuki Miyake in 12:28 by submission with a SUKI Special III. [69]

Not many perhaps expected Miyake to make it this far and it's a testament to his success that he outlasted names like Morimasa Kato and Azumamaro Kita. As good as his run was, he just couldn't get past a fired up SUKI, though he did have the fighting spirit to make this a great match as he bravely fought on against his ultimate demise.

3. Funakoshi defeated FEAR in 17:47 by pinfall with a Butterfly Backbreaker. [72]

Arguably the Lionheart's toughest test so far in the tournament, facing FEAR took a great toll out of the leader of Seven Samurai. Combining wits with physical dominance, FEAR almost had the match won on more than one occasion, but Funakoshi's heroic effort saw him push on till the end and he is now looking to face Big Bruiser Findlay for a spot in the Sole Survivor match.

4. Yoshinaka Taku defeated Tanyu Toshusai in 27:55 by pinfall with a Full Nelson Bomb. [72]

Yoshi Taku had the deck stacked against him in the main event. He needed a miracle and that's exactly what he got against the BCG National champion. This victory not only sends Taku to the finals to face off against SUKI, it also gives him the right to challenge the leader of Destiny Bond for his title in the near future.

</div>

DarK_RaideR · February 18, 2022

Sole Survivor Tour Night 10 in Doshisha Athletic Hall, Kansai Region

Wed. W4 June 2021

1.000 Fans (Super No Vacancy)

This was the final night before the main show, sold out well in advance. Four matches would be on the card, with the winner of each securing a spot in the Sole Survivor four corners elimination match that will headline the big show, with the winner earning a chance to face the BCG World champion in the main event of the year's grandest show, The Lion's Roar.

1. Rokuemon Matsushita defeated Blast Ikoma in 22:30 by pinfall with an One-Handed Choke Slam. [69]

Given the importance of the card's matches, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the opener went on for well over twenty minutes. Matsushita's stamina was tested along with his resilience, while Ikoma tried to withstand the blows and keep pushing. It was a hellacious battle, but on this night Matsushita was an unstoppable force of nature and he got the win, deservingly earning his spot in the Final Four.

2. Bunrakuken Torii defeated Zeshin Makioka in 18:04 by pinfall with a Spinning Forearm Smash. [78]

Makioka has had surprising success and longevity in BCG and this tournament was no exception. Torii met him head on and sparks flew as the Machine Gun sought to redeem himself after failing to beat Toshusai for the National title the month prior. The onslaught paid off, with Makioka's chest slowly turning red, then blue before he collapsed after a Spinning Forearm Smash, losing the match to the leader of Dawnguard.

3. SUKI defeated Yoshinaka Taku in 17:44 by submission with a SUKI Special III. [75]

Taku entered this match with a handicap, the exhaustion and damage from his battle against Toshusai in the previous round evident. SUKI's killer instinct not only saw this early, he zoned in on the damaged areas to press his advantage, until he tapped out his opponent with the SUKI Special III.

4. Funakoshi defeated Big Bruiser Findlay in 30:28 by pinfall with a Butterfly Backbreaker. [67]

It's always a barn-burner when Funakoshi and Findlay meet one on one and the main event was no exception. Two hard hitting, tough guys who both deserved to be in the Sole Survivor match but only one would be making it there. Given their finishers of choice, it was no surprise both men tried to soften up each other's backs, although Funakoshi was more technical about it utilizing submissions and focused strikes, whereas Findlay used backbreakers and plain old slams to do the damage. As the match escalated and the competitors began to drop bombs on each other, fans were into each spot, counted every near fall and when Funakoshi finally held Findlay down for the three count, they exploded in cheers to end the night on a high note.

</div>

DarK_RaideR · February 18, 2022

BCG Sole Survivor 2021 Press Conference Highlights

~ Scott "Animal" Harker was given some time at the start of the press conference to announce his departure from BCG. Harker thanked the fans and assured journalists there is no bad blood between him and the company, but the decision was his alone as he wants to work a lighter schedule and spend more time with his family.

~ The mere scope of the Sole Survivor 64 man tournament left no room for BCG to run the usual gauntlet of Challengers Medallions matches, however it was decided that since Blast Ikoma was able to knock the champion Atto Savage out of the race but not make it to the final four, he would be getting a shot at gold instead. Savage said this is going to be a completely different situation than the tournament, whereas Ikoma reaffirmed his belief that he can repeat his feat and pin or submit the champion yet again.

~ It was a similar case with Yoshinaka Taku, who beat the BCG National champion Tanyu Toshusai but was eliminated in the final stage by SUKI. Toshusai appeared shaken by the mere reminder of him losing that match, before the shock turned into rage and he promised to teach Taku a lesson when he makes him regret what he did.

~ The four to headline the show will be Bunrakuken Torii, Funakoshi, Rokuemon Matsushita and SUKI. Representing four different factions, the four men will face off in the final test of skill and endurance after a gruelling tournament. The winner gets to face Razan Okamoto for the BCG World title, in a match that will headline the grandest show of the year, The Lion's Roar.

</div>

Fri. W4 June 2021

Kobe Football Stadium @ Kansai, Japan

Event Card

Sole Survivor match

Bunrakuken Torii vs Funakoshi vs Rokuemon Matsushita vs SUKI

BCG National title match

2nd Champion Tanyu Toshusai vs Challenger Yoshinaka Taku

Challengers Series title match

20th Champion Atto Savage vs Challenger Blast Ikoma

Special Six Man Tag match

Bruiser Brigade (Big Bruiser Findlay, Giant Brody, Texas Hangman) vs Okamoto-gun (Razan Okamoto, Inejiro Yoshizawa, Noritoshi Miura)

Non title exhibition match

Black Iron Corps vs Morimasa Kato & Shimpei Hirose

Special Eight Man Tag match

Dawnguard (Naozane Goto, Suguru Emoto, Ichiro Mitsukuri, Koyo Kinoshita) vs Dread Army (FEAR, The Horror, Ragnarok)

Opening Six Man Tag match

Pillars of Puroresu (Danjuro Kikuchi, Yutaka Ogata, Ritsu Ibata) vs Seven Samurai (Sojuro Sen, Kadonomaro Kamisaka, Motoyuki Miyake)</div>

joshbrady91 · February 23, 2022

Great stuff, I love coming back from some time off and reading this diary!

Sign In

Black Canvas Grappling: Invasion of the TITANS

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Join the conversation