Tier-1 Wrestling League

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< Tier-1 Wrestling League Size: Regional Product:

Key Features: Realism, Pure Low: Hyper Realism

Titles

Tier-1 Wrestle Spirit (Main Event) Tier-1 Young Lion (Midcard - Youngsters) Tier-1 Junior Crown (Midcard) Tier-1 Duos Crown (Midcard - Tag Team)

Tournaments

Tier-1 Grand Prix - Openweight tournament held in May as the finale of the annual Shogun Tour Tier-1 Climax - Openweight tournament held in November as the finale of the annual Dragon Tour

Overall Synopsis: Tier-1 Wrestling League utlizes a point system, tracking wins and losses of the wrestlers and ranking them accordingly. The totals track for the whole year, with the new year resetting the totals. The year starts with the Shogun Tour, which runs from February to May and finishes with the Grand Prix. The second half of the year is the Dragon Tour, which runs from August to November and finishes with the Climax. At the end of the Shogun Tour, the standings are listed to show the points that have accrued to that point. At the end of the Dragon Tour, an awards show is put on. The awards presented are:

Showcase - The wrestler with the most points at the end of the year. Included in part of the Triple Crown when applicable. MVP (Foreign) - The foreign touring wrestler who has put on the best performance of his peers. Comes with an offer to join the main roster if the wrestler chooses. MVP (Domestic) - The Japanese touring wrestler who has put on the best performance of his peers. Comes with an offer to join the main roster if the wrestler chooses.

Dynasty Info This dynasty will mostly be written in press-release format, with certain cards and news posted. As this is a sports-oriented promotion, there will be very little story posted. Most of the story, as it is, will be focused around the Young Lions of the promotion. The primaries of this being: KENTA Kanemoto (User Character) SUKI Bulldozer Brandon Smith Cameron Vessey These are young workers with loyalty to the company, and therefore I have the best chance of keeping them around, as I won't be using the editor in this game. This is my first attempt at this, so be kind.

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Shogun Tour Week 1 Report Weds., Week 1 Feb. 2007 The first ever Tier-1 Shogun Tour is underway, with the first show taking place at the Iwata Hall in Tohoku. With 904 people in attendance, Tier-1 put on an incredible debut show, with all but the inaugural Duos Crown champions being decided. The card went as such: Champagne Lover pinned KENTA Kanemoto with the Champagne Cutter (5:53) SUKI submitted Hitomaro Suzuki to win the Young Lion Title (11:22) Washichi Inao pinned Spyder Yakuta (15:38) Hidekazu submitted Roku Sotomura to win the Wrestle Spirit Title (22:58) The point totals for the night are as follows: Champagne Lover - 1 point SUKI - 2 points Washichi Inao - 1 point Hidekazu - 2 points

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Shogun Tour Week 2 Report Another fantastic night of action on the Tier-1 Shogun Tour. This week's show was held at the Ibaraki Community Hall in Kanto in front of 952 people. The card held was: Cameron Vessey pinned Merle O'Curle (9:19) Masked Cougar pinned Fox Mask with the High Rise Cougar Pounce to win the Junior Crown (11:42) Kimitada Yanagita and Harumi Okazawaya defeated Mamoru Nagahama and Masutaro Kataoka to win the Duos Crown (13:21) William Hayes pinned Strong Style Yoemon with the Slick Trick (17:53) The point totals for the night were: Cameron Vessey - 1 point Masked Cougar - 2 points Kimitada Yanagita - 2 points Harumi Okazawaya - 2 points William Hayes - 1 point

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Shogun Week 3 Results Weds., Week 3, Feb. 2007 In perhaps the best show of the Shogun Tour so far, Tier-1 put on a classic show at the Toyama Hall in Chubu in front of 744 people. The card was: SUKI pinned Cameron Vessey to defend the Young Lion Title Roku Sotomura pinned KENTA Kanemoto Nagaha & Kata pinned Frankie Perez and Merle O'Curle Hidekazu submitted Spyder Yakuta to retain the Wrestle Spirit Title The point totals accrued for the night were: SUKI - 1 point Roku Sotomura - 1 point Mamoru Nagaha - 1 point Masutaro Kata - 1 point Hidekazu - 1 point

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Shogun Tour Week 4 Weds., Week 4, Feb. 2007 The Tier-1 Shogun Tour continues on with some great action in its fourth week. From the Hofu Arena in Chugoku, 518 people got to see this card: Snap Dragon pinned Kiemon Yoshimatsu Wael Hossum submitted Hitomaro Suzuki Washichi Inao pinned El Diamante Azul Stuart Ferdinand pinned William Hayes The points gained on the night were as follows: Snap Dragon - 1 point Wael Hossum - 1 point Washichi Inao - 1 point Stuart Ferdinand - 1 point

[gbasalmon]

I like what you've done so far, but your matches need some more detail to hold people's attention, IMHO.

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Shogun Tour Week 5 Weds., Week 1, March 2007 The undercard held standout action this week as the Shogun Tour continued in Tohoku. People packed in for Tier-1's return to the Iwata Hall, with a new Tier-1 attendance record of 908 people. In a strong main event matchup, Tier-1 Wrestle Spirit Champion Hidekazu and Strong Style Yoemon defeated Roku Sotomura and Spyder Yakuta at a hair over the 22 minute mark, with Sotomura picking up the pinfall victory over Yakuta. Masked Cougar retained his Junior Crown against rising star Snap Dragon via pinfall after an I Am Cougar, Hear Me Roar. Snap Dragon made a valiant attempt at the title, and although he came up short, the buzz in the arena was that Snap Dragon looked especially good in the matchup. Look for a rematch sometime before the tour is out. The opening match was a great showcase of two of our best Young Lions, as champion SUKI put his Young Lion Title on the line again INSPIRE's own Tsurayuki Kamachi. It was a hard fought contest with a lot of back-and-forth action, but after a litte over the 9 minute mark, SUKI finally pinned Kamachi, retaining his title. The match of the night, and arguably of the tour so far, belonged to Champagne Lover and Hitomaro Suzuki. In a match that saw only about 7 minutes of in-ring action, the two combatants managed to nearly blow the roof off the Iwata Hall. The action swung back and forth, with both men giving it there all. Champagne Lover ended up victorious, with a pinfall victory following the Champagne Stunner. The point totals for the night are as follows: SUKI - 1 point Champagne Lover - 1 point Masked Cougar - 1 point Strong Style Yoemon - 1 point Hidekazu - 1 point Following the show, we recieved word that Champagne Lover actually injured himself during his stellar match with Suzuki, suffering a reverberating bicep. While not a catastrophic injury, doctors have stated that Champagne Lover will not be able to return to in-ring action until the April leg of the Shogun Tour.

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Shogun Tour Week 6 Weds., Week 2, March 2007 In the first real hiccup of the Shogun Tour, Tier-1 put on a less-than-stellar show at Asahikawa Community Hall in Hokkaido, in front of 731 people. While a subpar card, the Tier-1 Young Lions managed to put on a good performance. The opening match featured members of the Tier-1 Junior division, as El Diamante Azul took on Fox Mask. The 10 minute bout featured offense by both competitors, with Fox Mask taking the victory following a pinfall. The next match was a great Duos match featuring the Tier-1 Young Lions, as Americans Cameron Vessey and Bulldozer Brandon Smith took on KENTA Kanemoto and Frankie Perez. With great back and forth action from both sides, Vessey took the win with a pinfall over Perez, which upset some of those in attendence, who felt Vessey should have more wins under his belt. Next up was a match that saw Toshinobu Taku taking on INSPIRE star Wael Hossum, in a good mix of styles. Taku took the win after catching the MMA star by surprise in a cross-arm lock, getting the submission victory. The main event saw Washichi Inao taking on Duo Crown holder Harumi Okazawaya in a 20 minute not-so classic. Those in attendence questioned Okazawaya's conditioning, as he looked exhausted by the end of the match, when he was finally pinned by Inao. The point totals for the night: Fox Mask - 1 point Cameron Vessey - 1 point Bulldozer Brandon Smith - 1 point Toshinobu Taku - 1 point Washichi Inao - 1 point

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Shogun Tour Week 7 Weds., Week 3, March 2007 Following a disappointing show last week, Tier-1 bounced right back with a great show at the Doshisha Athletic Center in Kinki. 750 fans piled in to watch the action unfold. The opening match saw young Kiemon Yoshimatsu taking on Snap Dragon. In a strong preliminary bout, both men showcased their exciting aerial talents, with Snap Dragon taking the victory at the 7 minute mark following the Dragon's Breath. The next bout was PGHW mainstay William Hayes taking on Bulldozer Brandon Smith. The match was fantastic, with a lot of great Puroresu action on display. Hayes has put on great matches with everyone he has faced thus far, and is a strong candidate for the Foreign MVP Award, especially with Champagne Lover sidelined. Hayes picked up the pinfall victory over Smith with the Slick Trick. The Duos Crown was defended in a rematch of the first Duo Crown fight, as Harumi Okazawaya and Kamitada Yana put the belts on the line against Mamoru Nagaha and Masutaro Kata. Despite losing in their first challenge for the titles, Nagaha and Kata have worked deligently as a team, and have really started to show a lot of chemistry together. Still, it came as something of a shock when they were victorious, winning the Duos Crown by submission at just over 15 minutes. The Tier-1 Wrestle Spirit Title was also on the line, as champion Hidekazu put the belt on the line against Toshinobu Taku in the main event. With a strong undercard and a title change already taking place, the crowd was already hot going into the contest. Both men are strong techinicians, and really showcased their talents here. Hidekazu won the bout by submission after a strong 22 minute contest. The point totals for the night: Snap Dragon - 1 point William Hayes - 1 point Mamoru Nagaha - 2 points Masutaro Kata - 2 points Hidekazu - 1 point

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Shogun Tour Week 8 Weds., Week 4, March 2007 The 8th week of the Shogun Tour was came from the Toyama Hall in Chubu with a great night of in-ring action. The good pre-show match between El Diamante Azul and Kiemon Yoshimatsu and Duos match later on gave the show almost a feel of being a showcase for the Tier-1 Junior Division, but the Young Lions as always made their presence known. Both of these efforts, however, where clearly overshadowed by the night's main event, a technical battle between GCG's Stuart Ferdinand and Tier-1's own Toshinobu Taku. The official opening match saw INSPIRE's Hitomaro Suzuki taking on Tier-1 Young Lion Cameron Vessey in a great bout. Both sides traded blows back and forth in a short, spirited contest, with Suzuki taking the win following a pinfall just shy of 8 minutes. The next bout was another Young Lion match, this one with the Young Lion Title on the line as champion SUKI defended against Bulldozer Brandon Smith. The strong Smith put on a clinic of great Puroresu wrestling reminescant of Amercian greats such as Dread, but in the end was no match for the technical prowess of SUKI, falling prey to a Mountain SUKI and a pinfall. Not to be forgotten, the Junior Division put up a great effort in a Duos match that saw Fox Mask and Snap Dragon taking on Tier-1 Junior Crown holder Masked Cougar and Washichi Inao. The professional rivalry between Snap Dragon and Masked Cougar continued on, and fans are itching for a rematch. In the end, Washichi Inao pulled out the pinfall victory over Fox Mask, ending a great match. However, the main event stole the show. Stuart Ferdinand, who hasn't seen much action in Tier-1 as of late, made up for lost time with a great 20 minute technical epic with Toshinobu Taku that saw counter and submission wrestling at it finest. Ferdinand picked up the win with an elevated Boston crab, submitting Taku at the 20 minute mark. The points for the night were awarded as follows: Hitomaro Suzuki - 1 point SUKI - 1 point Masked Cougar - 1 point Washichi Inao - 1 point Stuart Ferdinand - 1 point

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Shogun Tour Week 9 Weds., Week 1, April 2007 The Shogun Tour marches on with Tier-1 putting on a great night of wrestling at the Ibaraki Community Hall in Kanto. In front of 743 people, Tier-1 put on matches that showed mixes of styles, as well as putting the two top contenders thus far for the Foreign MVP Award in direct competition. The opening match was a great Gaijin showcase, as two of the company's more dependable forgein combantants squared off. Merle O'Curle, a youngster from the UK, took on American Frankie Perez in a hot bout that saw a lot of action from both sides. Perez came away with the pinfall victory following the Perfect Parity at just about 8 minutes. A technical showcase was up next, as Tier-1 Young Lion KENTA Kanemoto took on INSPIRE's Wael Hossum. A standout bout for both fighters, the match saw KENTA gaining some praise for the way he handled himself with the more experienced Hossum. In the end, it was too much though, and Hossum secured the victory with a rear naked choke. In a contest that has direct implications on the standings for the Foreign MVP Award, William Hayes took on the returning Champagne Lover in his first night back following a bicep injury suffered a little over a month ago in a match with Hitomaro Suzuki. The time off seemed to knock Champagne Lover off his game a bit, but he more than held his own against Hayes. After a hard fought contest, though, Hayes came out victorious, scoring a pinfall victory over Champagne Lover, and pulling out a small point lead over his opponent in the Award standings. The final match of the night was between Strong Style Yoemon and Spyder Yakuta. While easily the smaller of the two, Yakuta did a strong job of keeping up with the larger Yoemon. Their styles seemed to blend perfectly, with neither one really being able to keep ahead of the other for too long. In the end, Yoemon's size may have proved too much for Yakuta, and he fell to a pinfall at just under 20 minutes. With his strong performances on the tour so far, many are clamoring for Yoemon to get a shot at Hidekazu and the Wrestle Spirit Title sometime soon. The point totals for the night, as always: Frankie Perez - 1 point Wael Hossum - 1 point William Hayes - 1 point Strong Style Yoemon - 1 point

[That Crazy Guy]

Fantastic job so far, you took the advice well and you're developing your diary into one that I'll be sure to read if you continue it. It's a great idea and I hope you take it through a couple of seasons. I'll be reading. :)

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Shogun Tour Week 10 Weds., Week 2, April 2007 Tier-1 set out on the final legs of the Shogun Tour in Tohuku, with a return to the Iawata Hall, a Tier-1 favorite. As always the crowd was a hot one, with 878 people packing in to see the show. The opening match saw British star Merle O' Curle taking on Bulldozer Brandon Smith. With a strong technician like O'Curle taking on a Puroresu machine like Smith, it seemed like a clash of style, but the match showed anything but. A heated contest, both men looked to be on the verge of winning at various points in the contest, with a lot of near falls and submission attempts. In the end, it was Smith who came away with the victory following a vicious backdrop driver. Up next was another Young Lion, as KENTA Kanemoto took on INSPIRE wrestler Tsurayuki Kamachi. Kanemoto looked particularly strong, and picked up the pinfall victory following a Kanemoto Driver to give him his first win of the tour. The Duos Crown was on the line in a cross-promotional challenge of sorts, as champions Nagaha and Kato took on INSPIRE stars Wael Hossum and Hitomaro Suzuki. It was a fierce battle, with Hossum and Suzuki utilizing their MMA styles with stiff strikes, and Nagaha and Kato trying to keep them grounded with tight submissions and joint attacks. Nagaha and Kato finally took the win to retain their titles at just about 13 minutes into the contest. The main event of the evening was Tier-1 favorite Strong Style Yoemon taking on Toshinobu Taku in what many percieve as a further bid for Yoemon to work his way towards the Wrestle Spirit championship and a shot at Hidekazu. Indeed, Yoemon looked very good, but not to be overshadowed was Taku. His technical expertise had Yoemon on the defensive for quite a bit of the match, until the final moments when Yoemon had a spirited comeback, and won the match following three successive lariats. The point totals for the night: Bulldozer Brandon Smith - 1 point KENTA Kanemoto - 1 point Mamoru Nagaha - 1 point Masutaro Kato - 1 point Strong Style Yoemon - 1 point

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Shogun Tour Week 11 Weds., Week 3, April 2007 It was all action from the Doshisha Athletic Center in Kinki as 667 people piled in to see the Shogun Tour in action. It was a night that held a huge hand in the ongoing contest between Champagne Lover and William Hayes for the Foreign MVP Award. The night had an even bigger prize for Hayes, as not only would a win against Hidekazu give him a strong lead in the point totals, but also the Wrestle Spirit Championship as well. The night started off strong with a bout between Tier-1 newcomer Tempest Appleby and strong Junior Crown contender Snap Dragon. It was an all out ariel assault, and Snap Dragon put on a showcase as he rolled to victory with a Dragon's Breath at 7 and a half minutes into the contest. Next up was Tier-1 Young Lion Cameron Vessey taking on Champagne Lover. While chemistry seemed to be lacking, action wasn't, and Champagne Lover was all business, as he trailed William Hayes by a point going into the match. That was soon remedied, as he picked up with win a Champagne Stunner to tie Hayes in the rankings. The Juniors displayed their talents as Washichi Inao took on young Kiemon Yoshimatsu. As expected, the young Junior was no match for the seasoned veteran and Inao picked up an easy victory via pinfall at just over 10 minutes. The final match of the night saw Foreign MVP contender William Hayes try to take the Wrestle Spirit Title from champion Hidekazu. With Champagne Lover winning earlier in the night to tie Hayes, Hayes was totally focused on victory. Hidekazu was not to be taken lightly, of course, and answered Hayes attacks with a dazzling array of suplexes as both men struggled to gain an advantage during the 23 minute battle. Hidekazu pulled one out, as he submitted Hayes with a Fujiwara armbar, putting an end to the contest and leaving Hayes tied with Champagne Lover in the standings. The point totals for the night were: Snap Dragon - 1 point Champagne Lover - 1 point Washichi Inao - 1 point Hidekazu - 1 point

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Shogun Tour Week 12 Weds., Week 4, April 2007 The final April show on the Shogun Tour hailed from the Toyama Hall in Chubu in front of a crowd of 601 Tier-1 fans. A hot night of wrestling was lined up to close out the month, and the fans eagerly awaited a Young Lion Title defense by SUKI, who has taken Tier-1 by storm since his first match. The opener was a Junior Crown defense by champion Masked Cougar against touring worker Frankie Perez. The match was a great one, with Cougar taking to the air numerous times during the contest. Perez showcased his superb all-around game, even showing some of his unheralded puroresu skills, dumping Cougar on his head with suplexes. The title did not change hands this night, however, as Cougar won the bout with his I Am Cougar, Hear Me Roar. More than a few fans in attendence could be heard calling out the name of Snap Dragon after the match, and we'll have to see when the Dragon gets his shot at the Crown. The next bout saw KENTA Kanemoto, fresh off his first victory on the Shogun Tour two weeks ago, taking on Spyder Yakuta. While the smaller of the two physically, Yakuta's experience game him a decided advantage in this contest. Still, Kanemoto held his own, and despite losing the match, many remarked how impressive the Young Lion's performance was. Speaking of Young Lions, SUKI, the Young Lion Champion, defended his title against INSPIRE's Tsurayuki Kamachi. While Kamachi has a solid all-around game and brings a very physical approach, he was caught up in the rising force that is SUKI. The young champion looked spectacular as he rolled onto another win to defend his title, pinning Kamachi after a Mountain SUKI to bring him closer to current point leader Hidekazu in the standings. The main event saw GCG's Stuart Ferdinand taking on Kimitada Yanagita. Clearly the superior wrestler of the two, Ferdinand simply picked apart Yanagita, stringing together suplexes and submissions that had Yanagita stunned. A rather short match for a Tier-1 main event, Ferdinand picked up the submission victory with an elevated Boston crab at just over 13 minutes. The point totals for the night were awarded thusly: Masked Cougar - 1 point Spyder Yakuta - 1 point SUKI - 1 point Stuart Ferdinand - 1 point

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Shogun Tour Week 13 Weds., Week 1, May 2007 The Shogun Tour enters its final month at the Ibaraki Community Hall in Kanto. The return to the Hall saw another jam-packed crowd, this time with 919 fans in attendence, almost tying the Tier-1 record. Duos was the theme of the night, with two tag matches on the card. The opener saw some Junior action as Tempest Appleby took on Fox Mask. While not experiencing the same crowd reactions as Snap Dragon, Fox Mask set out to make sure his name will not be forgotten when thinking of Junior Crown contenders. He beat Appleby rather handily at the 7 1/2 minute mark with Fox Drop DDT. Next up was another gaijin, Frankie Perez, taking on Hitomaro Suzuki. It was a fierce battle of puroresu action, with both men trading vicious blows. During the all-out brawl, both men looked great, with Suzuki ultimately gaining the pinfall victory with an STO. The Duos Crown was on the line as champions Nagaha and Kata defended against Young Lions Cameron Vessey and Bulldozer Brandon Smith. The young Americans put on a strong showing against their more experienced opponents, as they have begun to gain a reputation among the fans for their tenacity in the ring. Still, experience proved the victor in this one, as Nagaha and Kata successfully retained their titles with a submission by Nagaha. The main event also saw Duos action, albeit this time without the titles on the line. Wael Hossum and Washichi Inao took on Stuart Ferdinand and Spyder Yakuta in a wild contest that saw quite a mix of styles and backgrounds all together in one ring. The action went back and forth during the 22 minute contest, with Ferdinand picking up a pinfall at the height of the action over Hossum. The point totals were awarded as such: Fox Mask - 1 point Hitomaro Suzuki - 1 point Mamoru Nagaha - 1 point Masutaro Kata - 1 point Stuart Ferdinand - 1 point Spyder Yakuta - 1 point

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Shogun Tour Week 14 Weds., Week 2, May 2007 The Shogun Tour found its way into Chubu at the Toyama Hall this week. In front of 701 fans, Tier-1 put on a great night of action, including the first of two upcoming title matches before the Tier-1 Grand Prix. The opening match saw young Juniors going at it, as El Diamante Azul took on Kiemon Yoshimatsu. While not a breaktaking match by any means, it was still a strong outing by these very young workers. The match came to a close via a beautiful moonsault by Yoshimatsu to give him the pinfall victory. Next up was an announcement that set the crowd going, as it was stated that next week would see Masked Cougar finally putting the Tier-1 Junior Crown on the line against Snap Dragon. This is a big moment for the Junior Division and Snap Dragon in particular. The Young Lion Title was on the line next as Tsurayuki Kamachi took on champion SUKI. A great match came out of these two highly talented workers, with SUKI in particular looking to be in excellent form. SUKI retained his title yet again with a Mountain SUKI, making 5 straight defenses since winning the title earlier on the Tour. Nearing the end of the card, Strong Style Yoemon took on former Duos Crown holder Kimitada Yanagita. The two workers put on a good contest, with Yoemon continuing his case of being the potential number one contender for Hidekazu's Wrestle Spirit Title. Yoemon picked up the pinfall victory following a lariat at the 13 minute mark. Speaking of momentum, the main event saw Wael Hossum taking on William Hayes, who has been entangled in a bitter rivalry with Champagne Lover over early contendership of the Foreign MVP Award. Both men were tied in points heading into the contest, but with Champagne Lover not fighting on the card, a win would give Hayes a slight lead. Both men fought viciously, with Hossum focusing most of his attacks on the arm of Hayes. Still, Hayes pulled out the win with a Slick Trick, earning him another valuable point on the Tour. The point totals for the night were: Kiemon Yoshimatsu - 1 point SUKI - 1 point Strong Style Yoemon -1 point William Hayes - 1 point

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Shogun Tour Week 15 Weds., Week 3, May 2007 We are a little over a week away from the Tier-1 Grand Prix and the end of the Shogun Tour, and the anticipation is starting to rise as Tier-1 returned to the Iwata Hall in Tohuku in front of a sold-out 1000 people, breaking the attendence record that has been standing since their first visit to the venue in February. A lot of people turned out to see the Junior Crown defense by Masked Cougar against rising threat Snap Dragon. The opener was a match-up between Young Lion KENTA Kanemoto and former Duos Crown holder Harumi Okazawaya. This was a fantastic bout, with a sort of classic versus new feel to it. Both men let it all hang out here, a put on a great performance. In the end, the experience of Okazawaya proved to be the downfall of Kanemoto, who fell to a pinfall at 9 1/2 minutes. In a pleasant surprise, the next matchup was quite possibly the best of the Shogun Tour, as Young Lion Bulldozer Brandon Smith took on foreign star Champagne Lover. This was a puroresu classic, with lots of high impact moves that really showed the skills of both competitors. Smith looked to have the match in hand following a vicious backdrop driver, but shockingly Champagne Lover kicked out after a VERY close near fall. Champagne Lover fired back, and won following a Champagne Stunner at a little over 14 minutes, tying William Hayes in the standings. Next up was the moment that everyone had been talking about for months, as Snap Dragon took on Masked Cougar for the Junior Crown. The match didn't disappoint in the slightest. The high flying action was incredible, with both men showing their skills in the world of Junior wrestling. Snap Dragon really showed that he deserved to challenge for the belt, and his performance in particular was fantastic. The match built up to a great climax, and saw Snap Dragon pull out the Dragon's Breath to pick up the victory, bringing his hunt for the Junior Crown to a close. Riding the wave of momentum following the great undercard, it was announced to the capacity crowd that next week, on the final card leading up to the Grand Prix, Wrestle Spirit Champion Hidekazu would be putting his title on the line against challenger Strong Style Yoemon. This match has been building for months, and the excitement over this coming announcement has been growing every week. The main event saw Duos Crown holder Mamoru Nagahama in singles action against Spyder Yakuta. Despite the difference in size, the two men came together beautifully to put on a fantastic contest. With a heavy amount of technical wrestling, both men showed their prowess with great counter wrestling and submission attempts. The end came when Yakuta drilled Nagaha with a flying knee to the side of the head, knocking the larger man out for an easy pinfall victory. The points for the night were: Harumi Okazawaya - 1 point Champagne Lover - 1 point Snap Dragon - 2 points Spyder Yakuta - 1 point

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Shogun Tour Week 16 Weds., Week 4, May 2007 The final regular show of the Shogun Tour before the Grand Prix hailed from the Asahikawa Community Hall in Hokkaido, in front of the second consecutive sold out crowd, with 1000 people crowding the venue to see the Wrestle Spirit Title defended, as Hidekazu put the title on the line against challenger Strong Style Yoemon. Opening the night was Young Lion Cameron Vessey taking on British worker Merle O'Curle. A hot opener, both men put it all on the line and had a really good match. Vessey took the win following a pinfall at 10 1/2 minutes in to the contest. Next up was a contest between two contenders for Snap Dragon's newly won Junior Crown, as Fox Mask took on Frankie Perez. The match was incredible, and the Junior Division is starting to really come into its own as of late. Action was traded back and forth, with Perez using some of his puroresu knowledge to try and tame the more high-flying Fox Mask. It ended up being to no avail, as Fox Mask won the match following a Fox Flip Off DDT. Straight off the heels of that great contest, another spectacular matchup took place, as INSPIRE star Hitomaro Suzuki took on Duos Crown holder Masutaro Kata in a brilliant matchup. Both men used their technical abilities to their utmost, mixed in with some great puroresu action. After being hit with three successive roaring elbows, Kata looked out, but countered Suzuki's lariat attempt into a crossface, gaining the surprise submission victory. Finally, the main event saw challenger Stong Style Yoemon taking on Wrestler Spirit Champion Hidekazu. This match was a classic, hands down. Both men laid it all on the line, with neither man holding the advantage for too long. Hidekazu nearly won at just over 11 minutes in with a KazuLock, but Yoemon managed to get to the ropes. This started a huge upswing for Yoemon, who began to fire back after a barrage of chops to the chest by Hidekazu that seemed to have no effect. Yoemon answered back with a series of forearm blows, followed up by a devastating lariat. Yoemon seemed to be going for the finish, but Hidekazu blocked a flying knee attack, and after a breif stuggle managed to drill Yoemon with an Emerald Fusion that left both men down. After a series of blows exchanged back and forth, Hidekazu managed to get Yoemon in the KazuCrossface, but unfortunately the time limit expired before Yoemon could be submitted. The match recieved a standing ovation, even with the draw, and hopes for a rematch are high. The points for the night were: Cameron Vessey - 1 point Fox Mask - 1 point Masutaro Kata - 1 point No points were awarded for the main event, as it ended in a draw.

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The Tier-1 Grand Prix Sat., Week 4, May 2007 The Tier-1 Grand Prix is finally here, with challengers from every weight class showcasing their talents in an eight-man tournament that brings the Shogun Tour to a close. The inaugural event was held at the Miyagi Athletic Field in Tohuko in front of 1600 people, and many more on Tier-1' first foray into the PPV market. The entrants (in order) were as follows. Hidekazu vs. Wael Hossum Stuart Ferdinand vs. Spyder Yakuta Hitomaro Suzuki vs. Strong Style Yoemon William Hayes vs. Masutaro Kata The first match of the tournament saw Wrestle Spirit Champion Hidekazu taking on INSPIRE's Wael Hossum in a great technical matchup. Counter wrestling at it's finest, with Hidekazu picking up the win with a KazuLock. Winner: Hidekazu The next match on the card Stuart Ferdinand taking on Spyder Yakuta in another technical matchup. This one saw Ferdinand take the win with an elevated crab. Winner: Stuart Ferdinand Next up was a great preliminary match between INSPIRE's Hitomaro Suzuki taking on Strong Style Yoemon. Great puroresu action, with Yoemon taking the win following a lariat. Winner: Strong Style Yoemon The final match of the first round saw a great matchup between William Hayes and Duo Crown holder Masutaro Kata. The ending saw Hayes picking up a pinfall via the Slick Trick. Winner: William Hayes The second round of the tournament saw Hidekazu taking on Stuart Ferdinand. Ferdinand was visibly tired heading into this contest, and fell easy prey to a KazuLock at just under 10 minutes. Winner: Hidekazu The final semi-final match up was Strong Style Yoemon taking on William Hayes. Another brilliant match from the other side of the bracket, these two really put on a showcase, with Yoemon taking the victory following a Burning Hammer. Winner: Strong Style Yoemon That left the finals of the tournament as a rematch from nights earlier, as Wrestle Spirit Champion Hidekazu would be taking on Strong Style Yoemon. The crowd was buzzing with anticipation as highlights of the night so far were shown before the match started. The match didn't disappoint. With both men a little more worse for wear than their previous meeting, they still managed to put forth a great effort. They threw everything at each other, with Hidekazu working over the shoulder of Yoemon in particular throughout the match. The height of the action came at 18 minutes into the contest, when Hidekazu locked Yoemon in the KazuCrossface, the same hold he had applied in their last meeting when the time expired. Yoemon managed to reach the ropes, though, and broke the hold, continuing the contest. Both men really poured it on, and approaching the 24 minute mark, it looked like it could go either way. Yoemon hit Hidekazu with a devastating lariat, but the champion rose to his feet. Yoemon hit an even harder lariat, and once again got back up. The crowd, remembering Hidekazu's reversal of a lariat into the KazuCrossface in the previous clash between these two, waited in anticipation as Yoemon reared back, and put all his strength into a third lariat. There was no reversal of the move this time, as the blow almost looked to take Hidekazu's head off. Similarly, there was no sign of the champion rising to his feet again, and at 25 1/2 minutes in, Strong Style Yoemon gained the pinfall victory. Yoemon was awarded the trophy in the center of the ring, amidst streamers and a standing ovation from the crowd. Yoemon is the first official winner of the Tier-1 Grand Prix. The points for the night: Hidekazu - 2 points William Hayes - 1 point Stuart Ferdinand - 1 point Strong Style Yoemon - 8 points

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Shogun Tour - Final Reports With the conclusion of the Shogun Tour, many developments have been set in motion. Tier-1 could not have been happier with the way the tour ran, and were very pleased with the effort that everyone on the roster put forth to make the tour a success. The point totals have been tallied up from the end of the tour, and the rankings fairly close, showing that strong performances on the Dragon Tour in a few months is critical for many of the wrestlers on the roster. Showcase Award Point Totals 1. Strong Style Yoemon - 12 points 2. Hidekazu - 8 points 3. SUKI - 7 points 4. Marutaru Kata - 6 points 5. Mamoru Nagaha - 5 points 6. Washichi Inao - 5 points 7. Spyder Yakuta - 3 points 8. Harumi Okazawaya - 3 points 9. Kimitada Yanagita - 2 points 10. Toshinobu Taka - 1 point 11. KENTA Kanemoto - 1 point 12. Roku Sotomura - 1 point (Left the company) 13. Kiemon Yoshimatsu - 1 point Strong Style Yoemon has taken a commanding lead so far in the standings with his winning of the Grand Prix Openweight Tournament. Hidekazu still has a strong shot at taking the top spot, but Young Lion Champion SUKI is right behind him, and shows no signs of slowing down at all in his meteoric rise. The Duos Crown Champions Nagaha and Kata are also right there as well, so anything can happen on the Dragon Tour. Foreign MVP Award Point Totals 1. William Hayes - 6 points 2. Champagne Lover - 5 points 3. Masked Cougar - 5 points 4. Snap Dragon - 5 points 5. Stuart Ferdinand - 5 points 6. Fox Mask - 3 points 7. Cameron Vessey - 3 points 8. Wael Hossum - 2 points 9. Bulldozer Brandon Smith - 2 points 10. Frankie Perez - 1 point As has been covered extensively during the entirety of the Shogun Tour, the main race thus far has been between William Hayes and Champagne Lover, with Hayes taking the late lead with a victory in th first round of the Grand Prix, which Champagne Lover was not a participant in. However, in a shocking turn of events, it was announced following the show that Hayes had signed an exclusive contract with Pride Glory Honor Wrestling, and that the tournament actually marked his final appearance with the Tier-1. By default, this gives Champagne Lover the lead in the point totals, but with a four-way tie for the top spot, Champagne Lover's advantage rests solely on the strength of his matches at this point. The Foreign MVP Award race will be a close one, with nobody standing out as a lock at this point. We look forward to seeing you all back for the Dragon Tour, perhaps this time with some new faces.