VANGUARD ~ Real Wrestling is Back

[knkmaster69]

Shibata is literally my favorite pro wrestler of all time, and this diary makes me so happy cause it's just such a unique spin on it and a new puro company i love it!

[BigJ]

14 hours ago, knkmaster69 said:

Shibata is literally my favorite pro wrestler of all time, and this diary makes me so happy cause it's just such a unique spin on it and a new puro company i love it!

Thank you! Hope i'm doing justice to your favourite wrestler, it's quite a different spin on him and i'm taking liberties with his character
Glad to have you on board

[BigJ]

VANGUARD #3
Live from Korakuen Hall
May 19th 2024

All matches are contested under Vanguard Rules. Matches can only be won by knockout, ubmission or referee stoppage.
A 30-minutes time limit in enforced on all matches. If the time limit is reached, the referee has discretionnary power to award the winning decision or declare a draw.

MAIN EVENT
FOR THE REAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

"The Realest Wrestler" Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. "Dynamite Punch" Tyson Maeguchi

GRUDGE TAG TEAM MATCH
PANCRASE VS. BATI-BATI

PANCRASE DEATH SQUAD (Minoru Suzuki & Masakutsu Funaki) vs. BattlArtists (Takuya Nomura & Yuki Ishikawa

HALEO DREAM TEAM VS. BJPW'S FINEST

Josh Barnett & Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Daichi Hashimoto & Masashi Takeda

JUNIOR WRESTLING SUMMIT

"Orange Prince" Minoru Tanaka vs. "Akuma Kamen" Kendo Kashin

MMA'S FINEST!

Daijiro Matsui vs. "The Genius of the Armbar" Daisuke Nakamura

WHO CAN STOP THE GIANT?

"Realest Giant" Babatunde vs. Keisuke Okada

 

Edited April 5 by BigJ

[StanMiguel]

Katsuyori Shibata
PANCRASE DEATH SQUAD (Minoru Suzuki & Masakutsu Funaki)
Josh Barnett & Kazushi Sakuraba
"Orange Prince" Minoru Tanaka
"The Genius of the Armbar" Daisuke Nakamura
Keisuke Okada

[Vandal]

Katsuyori Shibata

Pancrase Death Squad

Barnett & Sakuraba

Minoru Tanaka

Daisuke Nakamura

Babatunde

[SonOfSharknado]

Katsuyori Shibata 

Pancrase Death Squad 

Hashimoto and Takeda 

Minoru Tanaka 

Daisuke Nakamura 

Babatunde 

[BigJ]

Thanks to all of you for your predictions! Next show shouldn't be up before next week so still plenty of time to throw your hats in

[BigJ]

VANGUARD #3
Live from Korakuen Hall | 641 in attendance
Streamed on niconico
June 2nd 2024

⚔ "Realest Giant" Babatunde vs. Keisuke Okuda ⚔

"Who can stop the Giant?" was the tagline of this match. Apparently, it's not Keisuke Okuda. The 5 matches MMA fighters and former Dragon Gate Open the Brave Gate champion gets mauled in about three minutes. He attempts a few kicks that Babatunde totally no sells, then gets thrown around with some judo throws then gets mauled by a flurry of punches and kicks and finally a violent rolling elbow that knocks him out.

WINNER: BABATUNDE (KO)
GRADE: 39

⚔ Daijiro Matsui vs.  Daisuke Nakamura ⚔

The 54 fights MMA veteran Daijiro Matsui, trained by Nobuhiko Takada, faces the "Genius of the Armbar", who competed in 60 MMA fights. Two men who lost their respective single matches on the last show. It's a pure grappling exhibition where both men seems to gel well. Nakamura has a few attempts at his patented armbar, but Matsui gets to the rope everytime, escaping by the skin of his teeth. Visibily inferior to his opponent on the mat, he goes for the stand up game with some kickboxing that rocks Nakamura and gives Matsui the leg up. It goes back and forth and Nakamura fights back, being as strong as his opponent on the striking aspect of the match. Matsui gets overwhelmed, fighting while being careful not being taken down. Nakamura doesn't need to take him down though, as a superb flying armbar catches Matsui and gives him no escape.

WINNER: DAISUKE NAKAMURA (SUBMISSION)
GRADE: 65

• Daijiro Matsui bows to his opponent after his loss and take the microphone. He thanks the fans for the support in all this years of fighting. He turns to commentator Nobuhiko Takada, the man who trained him, and thanks him. He wanted to be as "real" as him, as strong as him all of his career and hopes he made him proud. He says this was his last fight in any sport and he will be retiring. He tahnks Katsuyori Shibata for offering a platform to grapple his last bouts. He will always love the fighting business and wishes VANGUARD all the best.

 

⚔ Kendo Kashin vs. Minoru Tanaka ⚔

On the first VANGUARD show, Minoru Tanaka teamed with Kendo Kashin and Tiger Mask in a loss against battle tested MMA fighters. After dispatching of the latter at the second card, he goes after Kendo Kashin tonight. The two men know each other very well, having fought on opposite sides for decaded, their first singles match dating back to 1999. The match starts with a lot of dodging, with kicks being avoided and holds being evaded. They engage in a very wrestling-like chain wrestling sequence on their feets, that ends up with Kendo Kashin running to the ropes, dodging under a Tanaka kick and coming back with a jumping knee that rocks Minoru Tanaka and draws blood from his nose! The "Orange Prince", former 4 time IWGP Jr. champion and former Fujiwara Gumi star then goes mental. He -literally- sees red and goes berserk with a flurry of stiff kicks that turns Kashin's tighs into all shades of purple and red. Kashin comes back with a few wrestling moves, notably with a armdrag that he follows into a half-locked armbar that calms Minoru Tanaka down. Kashin, himself a former IWGP Jr. champion, but also a 5-fights former PRIDE FC fighter, won't go down that easily! He goes full-on wrestling move and opposes Tanaka's stiff striking with textbook wrestling, even hitting a shining wizard that forces the referee to check on Minoru Tanaka. But the Orange Prince stays strong and gets back up, hitting takedowns and throws and sickening knees. He targets Kashin's kidney with palm strikes and elbows and kicks, and eventually Kendo Kashin is unable to continue. His head is clear, but is body is just shutting down from all these shots to the kidney.

WINNER: MINORU TANAKA (TKO)
GRADE: 47

⚔ Josh Barnett & Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Daichi Hashimoto & Masashi Takeda ⚔

Last show, Daichi Hashimoto and Masashi Takeda went for an all out brutal war that ended in a time limit draw. Tonight, they face close friends and training partners Josh Barnett & Kazushi Sakuraba. Despite ending last Vanguard show on good terms, it seems a little tense between the two young men, as they bicker to know who will start the match. It ends on Takeda taking the initiative, facing Josh Barnett who overweights him by a large margin. The former UFC Heavyweight champion uses his weight to control Takeda and forces him to the ground where he pummels him with knees and elbows. Takeda is already gasping and resorts to biting Barnett's shoulder to escape! The ref breaks the hold ans reprimands Takeda. His own partner yells at him and they argue before Hashimoto being tagged in. The son of former IWGP Musketeer puts up a great fight with Barnett, hitting him with violents strikes and negating every take down attempts. He even pulls out a Hashimoto DDT that puts Barnett on the ground and has the referee count up to 8. Barnett gets back up and tags in Sakuraba.

It's a whole different game. Kazushi Sakuraba might be on the Mount Rushmore of submission wrestling and MMA in itself. He outgrapples Hashimoto and locks him in a heel hook that the heir of the Hashimoto name escapes only by tagging out while being trapped in the lock. Takeda runs at Sakuraba like a mad man and stomps him into the ground before locking in a cross armbreaker. But Sakuraba is still too close from the ropes and escapes. What follows is a match between the crazed Takeda and the calm Sakuraba who tries to hinder him and contain his chaotic offense with his grappling.

He then tosses it to Barnett who has a much more easier time containing Takeda thanks to his superior frame. This trends continues through the whole match: Barnett dominates Takeda with his size, Hashimoto gets the better of Barnett with his strikes, Sakuraba out wrestles Hashimoto, and Takeda's unique brand of offense is a bit much for the Gracie Hunter. It gives a really back and forth match that almost ends when Hashimoto hits Barnett with a monumental lariat. He gets screamed at by Takeda who wants to tag in and gets distracted, arguing with his one time tag team partner. Barnett seizes the opportunity to hit a running forearm from behind and then a brutal deadlift german suplex! He drags Hashimoto to the center of the ring and tags in Sakuraba who puts Hashimoto out with a rear naked choke.
WINNERS: JOSH BARNETT & KAZUSHI SAKURABA (SUBMISSION)
GRADE: 65

• Gone is last show's sportsmanship and eagerness to fight fair again. Takada gets mad at Hashimoto, who's mad at Takada. They argue in front of Sakuraba and Barnett's smiles. The argument gets so intense they get into a big of a scuffle and are separated by officials.

⚔ PANCRASE DEATH SQUAD vs. BattlArtists ⚔

In 1993, Minoru Suzuki and Masakutsu Funaki founded PANCRASE, a MMA organization that still runs show to this day. A founding father of MMA as we know it, an inspiration to the UFC. This promotion came as the two men were in disagreement with the direction of Pro Wrestling Fujiwara-Gumi, where they fought. They disagreed over fighting style and management. Flashforward to 1996, where Yuki Ishikawa - a trainee of Fujiwara and Karl Gotch, like Suzuki and Funaki - led an all out exodus of Fujiwara Gumi to found BattlArts. While PANCRASE was essentially a fighting pit for martial artists all over the world, BattlArts offered a more varied view of fighting, and aimed at proving that professional wrestling is the strongest form of fighting style. It created its own style, the Bati-Bati style. Flashforward again to nowadays, where Takuya Nomura and Fuminori Abe, two spiritual successors of the now defunct BattlArts. Two men who have their own view of fighting and want to promote their brand of professional wrestling as the strongest form of fighting.

Tonight, Takuya Nomura teams with his idol and favourite wrestler for the first time ever. He fights side by side with the man that inspired him to be a professional wrestler. But he's not here to enjoy the moment, he's here for revenge after PANCRASE Death Squad injured his best friend and tag team partner Fuminori Abe last show, using dirty tactics and resulting in him forfeiting the match to stop the abuse on Abe.

Last show, Suzuki tricked Nomura into attacking early with a slap and trapping him, taking a big advantage. No slap is needed this time, as Nomura RUNS at him as soon as the bell rings. He floors Suzuki with a combination of three forearms, then flies straight at Funaki on the apron and kicks him to the jaw, throwing him down the ring. As Nomura turns back to Suzuki and goes for another assault, the Most Evil Wrestler on Earth feint a right hook and hits Nomura in the knee with his heel. Suzuki then runs to the rope and hits a lariat. He then turns to Ishikawa and spits in his face! He truly is the most evil man ever.

The match is a replica of last show PANCRASE vs. Astronauts match. The difference is that Nomura's fire burns even brighter, he's even more angry, and that Ishikawa's experience allows him to not get overwhelmed by Funaki & Suzuki cheating tactics. It's a pure masterpiece of grappling, and Nomura and his spiritual mentor mashes really well - a mix of old man cunning and young man fire. They come close to winning it when Nomura catches Funaki with a Stretch Plum, but he gets furious about Suzuki taunting him from his corner and let the hold go to confront Suzuki who steps down the apron immediately.

You mostly expect heroes to win the fight, but Nomura's gets his hope crushed when PANCRASE Death Squad isolate Ishikawa for long, excruciating minutes where they tear him limb by limb. They barely want to make him tap, but rather make his spirit crumble. They stop his fingers, they snap his ankles, they crush his knees, even using the ropes for a few seconds before the referee makes them stop. They are dirty and they use every trick in the book to end this. Suzuki even mocks Nomura by targetting Ishikawa's eye, the same way he injured Fuminori Abe last show. Nomura screams and shouts, but it has been seven minutes, seven gruelling, abominating, suffocating minutes where the 57 years old Ishikawa is being torn apart by two men, barely fighting back.

Seeing his idol in such pain, Nomura grabs a white towel and throw it in, forfeiting a second match in a row against PANCRASE Death Squad, but saving his hero from further damage and eventual injury.

WINNERS: PANCRASE DEATH SQUAD
GRADE: 67

• Nomura is a man possessed. He runs at Suzuki and Funaki and fights them like a mad man. Eventually thought, his fire burns less and less bright, overwhelmed by two men. Suzuki puts him down with a takedown and Funaki fights back officials that try to end this. Suzuki locks Nomura in an armbar and as Funaki keeps the officials at bay, he tries to break Nomura's arm! That's when comes rushing from the back...

Wearing an eyepatch to cover the detached retina Suzuki made him suffer, out comes Fuminoru Abe! Nomura's best frien runs in and fights off Funaki and Suzuki. The numbers game is over, and PANCRASE Death Squad are quick to retreat. Astronauts stand tall and Fuminori Abe asks for a microphone.

"SUZUKI MINORU!

You injured me. You tried to take wrestling away from my life. The one thing that I love the most.

Tonight, you beat down our hero and you tried to break the arm of my best friend.

I don't care if I'm cleared to compete or not. They won't be a next VANGUARD show if I don't face you.

I WILL BEAT YOU UP OLD MAN!"

• Things take a few minutes to come back to normal, and before the Main Event can take place, we introduce a special guest that will take a seat on the commentators' table to watch this match. After all, tonight's challenger is his close friend and protege...

KOTA IBUSHI!

MAIN EVENT
FOR THE REAL PRO WRESTLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

⚔ Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Tyson Maeguchi ⚔

Five minutes can go by in a glimpse. You watch a TV show, you read a book, and play video games, and laugh with friends, and when you look at the clock and hour went by in what feels like a few minutes. Five minutes can also be long, they can go by in an agonizing slowness that drains your soul. On the last match, Ishikawa got isolated for seven minutes, and that might have felt like an hour for him.

Five minutes.

After the belt has been presented. After the referee has checked that they don't hide any weapons of some sorts. After the ring bells, this match only lasts five minutes.

Shibata and Maeguchi size up, nods... And go all out in the most crazy, uncontrolable wild brawl you've ever seen. They just stand there and throw everything they've got. Slaps, elbows, punches. They strike like mad men, not even attempting to protect their heads or to dodge a strike. They go all out in the purest, most brutal sense. They unleashed everything they've got in a moment that seems to last a second and an eternity at the same time. It's the most crazy thing you've seen in a while, that only ends when Maeguchi slows down and gets hit two times in the face by a quick combination of slaps. Shibata sees the quick opening and runs to the rope, yakuza kick!

Maeguchi struggles to stay up. He won't go down in front of the fans and his mentor. He won't go down when the stakes are this high. He collects himself and sees Katsuyori Shibata, the (self proclaimed) REAL Pro-Wrestling World Champion running at him. Maeguchi catches him with a kick to the gut, stopping him in his tracks. He takes two steps back and goes for a superman punch! He hits it! Shibata stumbles but stays up, and this time it's Maeguchi who runs to the ropes. He comes at Shibata like a cannon ball, but Shibata is quicker to draw with a jumping knee. He catches Maeguchi straight in the chin. Maeguchi goes down on his ass and is perfectly set up for the move that made VANGUARD famous on the firt show, concussing AJPW Triple Crown Champion Katsuhiko Nakajima and awarding Shibata the win... PENALTY KICK! Shibata strikes right in the face and Maeguchi is, like Shibata promised, out cold.
WINNER: KATSUYORI SHIBATA (KNOCK OUT)
GRADE: 67

• Shibata takes the microphone after having his hand raised by the official and received his championship belt. He points at Kota Ibushi and asks him to come to the ring. He says he has a great lot of respect for Ibushi because, like him, he won't stay in the box people put him in. Like him, he thinks different. He wants him to join VANGUARD and be at the helm of this revolution in fighting sports. Ibushi smiles and bows to Shibata. He answers that he'll be glad to be a part of VANGUARD... And he challenges Shibata for the championship!! Ibushi says he needs some tune up matches after the injury he suffered, so he offers Shibata a deal: next show, Ibushi & Maeguchi against Shibata and a partner of his choise. Shibata grins and accepts before bowing to Ibushi.

As the Golden Star leaves with his still dazed pupil, Shibata is left with his now usual final adress.

"Thank you Korakuen!
We are VANGUARD.
We are pro wrestling.
We will lead the way."
 

 

POST-MATCH COMMENTS

- Babatunde told the reporters that he wants more challenge. He's having offers from sponsors all over the world and says he's just getting started making money and crushing hopes ;
- Daisuke Nakamura was humble about being Daijiro Matsui's last opponent. He mentioned his 1-1 record in singles fight in VANGUARD and says that despite his age he won't be satisfied with being middle of the pack. Matsui's retirement made him think, and he wants to retire at the top, with a championship around his waist ;
- Minoru Tanaka was happy about beating Kendo Kashin tonight. He said that after tonight, he almost avenged his first loss on the first show: he has beaten his two "worthless" partners of that night and is now 2-0 in singles competition. In that aforementioned first show fight that the three men lost, Daisuke Nakamura was on the opposing side. Tanaka challenges him to a fight to further avenge his first loss and prove that he is the best ;
- Daichi Hashimoto has no time to adress the press, as Masashi Takeda stormed the interview area and the two men resumed their scuffle in front of the press. They got restrained by security but Takeda grabbed a chair and threw it at Hashimoto! He threw two more chairs, eventually being pulled back ;
- Kazushi Sakuraba  and Josh Barnett know they are past their prime, but they still rocks! They mention wanting to pass the torch to the next generation, but is the next generation ready?
- Minoru Suzuki and Masakutsu Funaki laughed, not unlike last show. They criticized Nomura's feelings and laughed at him for throwing the towel because his "granpa substitute" was getting injured. Suzuki adressed Nomura: "i told you last week, you've got to be ruthless! There is no friendship in wrestling! There is no admiration, no compassion! This is life and death, this is glory or obscurity. You've got to be ready to leave it all on that mat! Grow up, kid!" ; Funaki, laughing in the background, said he was right: "I told it and we did it: we humiliated the stupid, stupid, STUPID Bati-Bati style. PANCRASE always prevail!" Suzuki ended the interview by accepting Fuminori Abe's challenge: "i will end his career before it starts!"
- Takuya Nomura refused to adress the press, as he accompanied Yuki Ishikawa to the hospital. Fuminori Abe promised he will get his hands on Minoru Suzuki and get a measure of revenge. He got announced that he will fight Minoru Suzuki next show, in an unsanctionned fight ;
- Kota Ibushi (with Tyson Maeguchi) said he's looking forward fighting in VANGUARD. He complimented Maeguchi's guts and fight tonight, and said he will come back stronger. "Pro wrestling is art. I can't wait to show you my art." ;
- Katsuyori Shibata thanked the media and the fans. He was questioned on who is tag team partner will be to face Maeguchi & Ibushi, and mentioned that he has a few friends left, in Japan and elsewhere.

[BigJ]

PREDICTIONS

StanMiguel : 5/6 (stunned by Bob Sap... i mean Babatunde!)
Vandal : 6/6 (congrats!)
SonOfSharknado : 5/6 ("can they coexist?!" apprently they couldn't)
 

[BigJ]

VANGUARD #4
Live from Korakuen Hall
June 7th 2024

All matches are contested under Vanguard Rules. Matches can only be won by knockout, ubmission or referee stoppage.
A 30-minutes time limit in enforced on all matches. If the time limit is reached, the referee has discretionnary power to award the winning decision or declare a draw.

Due to his violent attack and use of chairs against Daichi Hashimoto in the media scrum last show, Masashi Takeda was suspended from this card.

MAIN EVENT
UNSANCTIONNED FIGHT TO THE DEATH

"The Most Evil Fighter on Earth" Minoru Suzuki vs. "Fighting (One-Eyed) Monk" Fuminori Abe

KOTA IBUSHI'S RETURN
MYSTERY PARTNER TAG MATCH

REAL Pro Wrestling World Champion Katsuyori Shibata & ? vs. "Dynamite Punch" Tyson Maeguchi & "Golden Star" Kota Ibushi

A GRUDGE TO SETTLE!
BATI-BATI VS. PANCRASE, ROUND 3!

"King of Pancrase" Masakutsu Funaki vs. "Future of Shoot Style" Takuya Nomura

A QUEST FOR REDEMPTION!
FIGHTING SPIRIT SHOWCASE!

"Gracie Hunter" Kazushi Sakuraba vs. "The Heir of the Never Dying Fighting Spirit" Daichi Hashimoto

KICK VS. ARMBAR
TWO GENIUSES COLLIDE!

"Orange Prince" Minoru Tanaka vs. "The Genius of the Armbar" Daisuke Nakamura
 

WAR BEAST VS. WAR MASTER!

"Realest Giant" Babatunde vs. "War Master" Josh Barnett

BONUS: Who is Shibata's mystery partner?

 

[CGN91]

Missed the last prediction but this time I'm in. 

Ibushi is a big sign for VANGUARD. I don't know how good he'll perform for you here but in my custom Indy Puro fed (with Shuji Ishikawa as the owner) he was absolutely miserable and he even faced Takuya Nomura on both occasions. Babatunde as Bob Sapp is a cool thing to be honest. Since Barnetto was the first one to beat Sapp in IGF, I'll bet on him here too.

Barnett
Nakamura
Sakuraba
Nomura
Shibata & ?? - I'm super bad at predicting unknown people but I'll just say it'll be Nagai and Harimao'z will be back here.
Suzuki

[Vandal]

Babatunde (I feel like there's more of an upside here)

Nakamura

Sakuraba

Nomura

Shibata & ??

Suzuki

Who is Shibata's mystery partner? KENTA

[BigJ]

Thanks for your comment @CGN91!
I had some bad experiences in other modern day saves with Ibushi, that's why I introduced him in a tag match and not directly in the main event, fearing he would get injured and/or thank my main event rating (after already taking a risk on Shibata/Maeguchi).
Babatunde will be even BIGGER than Bob Sapp, mark my word!!

Thank you for your predictions @Vandal! Appreciate it

Edited April 6 by BigJ

[StanMiguel]

VANGUARD #4

"The Most Evil Fighter on Earth" Minoru Suzuki

"Dynamite Punch" Tyson Maeguchi & "Golden Star" Kota Ibushi
 

"King of Pancrase" Masakutsu Funaki

"Gracie Hunter" Kazushi Sakuraba

"Orange Prince" Minoru Tanaka

"War Master" Josh Barnett

BONUS: Who is Shibata's mystery partner? Shibatas tag partner will be Clark Connors

[SonOfSharknado]

MAIN EVENT
UNSANCTIONNED FIGHT TO THE DEATH

"The Most Evil Fighter on Earth" Minoru Suzuki vs. "Fighting (One-Eyed) Monk" Fuminori Abe

I'm gonna say Fuminori Abe. 

KOTA IBUSHI'S RETURN
MYSTERY PARTNER TAG MATCH

REAL Pro Wrestling World Champion Katsuyori Shibata & ? vs. "Dynamite Punch" Tyson Maeguchi & "Golden Star" Kota Ibushi

Kota Ibushi is gonna win by beating Shibata's mystery partner Tom Lawlor. 

A GRUDGE TO SETTLE!
BATI-BATI VS. PANCRASE, ROUND 3!

"King of Pancrase" Masakutsu Funaki vs. "Future of Shoot Style" Takuya Nomura

I'll say Funaki and we'll do Funaki vs Abe. 

A QUEST FOR REDEMPTION!
FIGHTING SPIRIT SHOWCASE!

"Gracie Hunter" Kazushi Sakuraba vs. "The Heir of the Never Dying Fighting Spirit" Daichi Hashimoto

I'm gonna vote for my boy Daichi Hashimoto again. 

KICK VS. ARMBAR
TWO GENIUSES COLLIDE!

"Orange Prince" Minoru Tanaka vs. "The Genius of the Armbar" Daisuke Nakamura

I'll put my money on Minoru Tanaka, 'cause I feel like that's who's getting built up for a title shot. 

WAR BEAST VS. WAR MASTER!

"Realest Giant" Babatunde vs. "War Master" Josh Barnett

Babatunde once again.