IJPW Puroresu Power 2016 - NIGHT THREE

[The scene opens with an aerial shot of a studio set. There are two men sitting behind a desk. One is Yo Kurasawa - the legendary commentator, notorious pervert, and current Vice President of Talent Relations and Head Booker for Iron Japan. Next to him is Taka Shimura - another veteran voice in puroresu. A video screen is behind them.]

KURASAWA: Welcome to the English language highlight show for Iron Japan Pro Wrestling! No weight or gender classes! No rules! I'm Yo Kurasawa, and next to me is my longtime colleague and friend – Taka Shimura. This was the third and final night of Puroresu Power 2016 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Fans packed the venue for all three nights. It's a small venue – only holding 2,005 – but it's an intimate place that has seen a lot of special moments. Tonight was no exception.

SHIMURA: We could all feel it before the show even began. Suda Tsukasa was spotted in the first row. For those who are new to puroresu, Tsukasa is the King of Korakuen Hall. Nobody has a better win/loss record, and nobody has produced more memorable moments at Korakuen Hall.

KURASAWA: He's been more of a spectator these days as he decides whether to retire or not. But it was an honor to have The King in attendance tonight. We crowned the first ever IJPW World Tag Team Champions. Also, Konosuke Usami was the challenger to Nobuyoki Katsushika's IJPW World Wrestling Championship in the main event.

SHIMURA: We'll start with a dark match report. Nayoko Kon took on Haruhi Sarumara in a contest between the two women who are students at the IJPW Dojo. Mabuchi Hida was the referee. Kon did an exploder to the outside off the top rope in the third minute. It was even until about ten minutes when it looked like Kon was going to pull away, but Sarumara got the win at 12:53 with an original backdrop.

Singles Match

Satomi Asano vs. Nicki Scherer

KURASAWA: The main card opened with the IJPW debut of Satomi Asano – an emerging star on the joshi scene. She took on Nicki Scherer – who we have seen only in tag team matches until tonight.

SHIMURA: We got to see more of what made Scherer such a star in the American and British indies. She's very technically proficient.

KURASAWA: Kuni Ariwara was the official for this match.

Six Person Tag Team Match

The Alternative (Vera Yordanka and Christy Hayden) and Miyazaki Bokkai vs. Kuni Hishida and Trans-Pacific Poison (Ginger Mattingly and Nori Imoo)

KURASAWA: Everyone in this match could have had a better weekend before tonight. Nobody in this match won anything on nights one and two. All six of these competitors were looking to salvage something from this weekend.

SHIMURA: Well, The Alternative only competed on the first night prior to tonight, but they did lose in that Six Person Tag Team Match. It was their partner who lost it for them though. That said, I felt that them and Miyazaki – The Eternal Flame – all came into this match with more composure their their opponents. Hishida appears to be frustrated recently and Trans-Pacific Poison might not be over their Tag Team title tournament loss on night one.

KURASAWA: Jimmy Erickson was the official for this match.

Six Person Tag Team Match

AKIO, Astro Honami, and Jackie Walters vs. Jocelin Masterson, Nobuo Shimizu, and Sakura Shizuka

KURASAWA: It normally would be an honor for everyone in the ring, even the opposition, to have a match with someone as skilled and efficient as Nobuo Shimizu. He's one of the most respected men in Japan. The thing is that he's also one of the most feared, and while he's not particularly a nasty opponent, I don't think anyone has snapped more bones with submission holds than Shimizu.

SHIMURA: AKIO and Shizuka had an interesting thing going on there. Do you think AKIO is jealous of her and Katsushika overtaking Imperial as the number one couple in Japan?

KURASAWA: I don't know about that, but it was definitely competitive.

SHIMURA: Then we take a look at the others in this match... Honami hadn't found a win in anything. Masterson started her Puroresu Power weekend by submitting Sun Demon in a multi-person tag match, but Lainey Boyle knocked her out last night. Walters was on the winning side of the Six Person Tag Team Match that opened our first night of Puroresu Power.

KURASAWA: The referee for this match was Nene Hishikawa.

Singles Match

Fabulous Adrian Bagglio vs. KANNON

KURASAWA: The next match featured two very charismatic men. FAB won his IJPW debut match against Astro Honami last night. He took on The King of the Dark World, KANNON, who got a win against Miyazaki Bokkai last night. FAB is a newcomer to Japan while KANNON was a formidable gatekeeper in this contest. Nanako Fujioka was the referee.

POST-MATCH ANALYSIS

SHIMURA: KANNON is so dangerous. I don't know how he breathes that fire, but FAB got a trial by fire tonight. KANNON was more of a test tonight. FAB is a demented man himself, but now he knows how far he needs to go to make it in the brutal world of Iron Japan Pro Wrestling.

KURASAWA: FAB got caught in the face by a fireball and got second-degree burns, so it's safe to say that he's fully aware of what can happen in an IJPW ring.

Singles Match

Lainey Boyle vs. Muffin Vanderburg

KURASAWA: These women have had impressive weekends. Lainey scored a knockout victory over Jocelin Masterson last night, but Muffin Vanderburg has been one of the big talking points this weekend. She won a Six Person Tag match for her team on the first night, then challenged Ryuichi Hojo to a match. What Hojo did to Muffin at the IJPW Grand Opening last month has been very well-documented at this point. Muffin proved to the misogynistic Hojo that women do belong in the ring. While she never got a bow or handshake from Hojo, she did get a big opportunity to improve on her Puroresu Power experience.

SHIMURA: Muffin's smile was back, but Boyle was all business. “The Boston Bitch” is one of the most intimidating women out there.

KURASAWA: Toyoko Toshikura was the referee for this match.

POST-MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

[Boyle stands triumphant with her fists in the air. Muffin is on the ground still, holding her head. Lolly Lea and Lorie Koenig run out and join Boyle in a beat down on Muffin. The Deadly Three stand over her and lay the boots in. Nicki Scherer, the other half of Charm Explosion, runs out and slides into the ring. This buys time for Muffin to get to her feet, but it's still 3-on-2 and the numbers game gets to Charm Explosion. Lolly grabs Nicki by the throat, lifts her up, and slams her down with a chokeslam that folds her up! Lainey and Lorie stomp Muffin down in the corner, but Lorie steps back to allow the dogged Lainey to choke her. The dojo students finally get into the ring to break it up.]

Eight Person Tag Team Match

Ultraviolence Union (Riddick, Ricky Holt, and Teiji Shintaro) and Jun Hageshii vs. Black Thorns (Ashley Thorne and Trista Capra) and Rotten Saints (Big Ugly and Freddy Deeds)

KURASAWA: This match featured eight of the most violent people in professional wrestling. Some interesting facts too... There were three Michigan natives: Deeds and Big Ugly come from Detroit, while Riddick hails from Muskegon. This was also the first time we saw the hardcore legends – Riddick and Trista Capra – in the same ring. Trista was in Japan in the '90s, but she missed the Rising Sun Wrestling hardcore revolution that Riddick led in the noughties.

SHIMURA: Then add two other violent anti-social men like Hageshii and Holt, and Teiji Shintaro... Of course, Shingai Shintaro was caked in his own feces.

KURASAWA: Ashley Thorne is kind of lost in this crowd in terms of violent capabilities... But she's not lost with me. I'm kind of open to a big strong women like that. I wouldn't mind if she held me down and gra–

SHIMURA: Who was the referee?

KURASAWA: Oh, uh... Cassidy Reischer... Oh, there's a story in there. She officiated the co-main event at the Grand Opening, and this was the first time she was in the ring with Riddick since he attacked her with a barbwire bat. Cassidy was a wrestler before becoming a referee until a neck injury put an end to that, so she's no stranger to getting beat up, but she found out that Riddick's world is pure hell. Anyway, show the match...

POST-MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

[The bell has rung, but things have just heated up. Everyone is in the ring and a big brawl has broken out. Cassidy gets flashbacks of what happened at the Grand Opening and gets out of there. Riddick is choking Trista Capra. Big Ugly has Hageshii cornered and the two trade punches. Holt back body drops Deeds over the top rope. Teiji has Thorne against the ropes and is biting her face. She grabs him and the two tumble through the ropes and to the ringside floor. Holt is now helping Hageshii with Ugly, and the two stop him in the corner. Trista claws at Riddick's face and gets him to release the choke. Now she bounces his head off a turnbuckle. El Loco hits the ring and he goes right at Holt! The dojo students once again have to run in and struggle to break everything up.]

*** CO-MAIN EVENT ***

IJPW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Final

Dave Manton and Stan Ward vs. Doyle Brothers (Ricky Doyle and Ronnie Doyle)

KURASAWA: It was time to crown the first IJPW World Tag Team Champions! Both teams were impressive up to this point, and both beat some tough opposition. Who won this battle of the gaijins: Manton and Ward – the Canadian and Texan, or the fiery brothers from Belfast? Kanzaburo Outakara was the official for this match.

*** MAIN EVENT ***

IJPW World Wrestling Championship

Konosuke Usami vs. (c) Nobuyoki Katsushika

KURASAWA: Nobuyoki Katsushika was knocked out by Ronnie Doyle last night in a moment that shocked the wrestling world. We've seen the giant lose, and we've seen him picked up many times, but we never saw him look as vulnerable when he was laying on his back. He had to recover and defend his World Wrestling Championship in the same venue 24 hours later.

SHIMURA: His opponent, Konosuke Usami, has been a rising star. He impressed Katsushika after beating Riddick in a twenty-minute war at the Grand Opening. The gentle giant was so impressed that he challenged Usami to a title match to close out the third and final night of Puroresu Power.

KURASAWA: Which of these men will go to World Crown as the World Wrestling Champion? The referee for this match was Masanori Katayanagi.

POST-MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

[Katsushika, with the title belt over his shoulder, calls for a microphone from the ringside attendant. Usami is leaning in a corner, favoring his back after the big slam he took at the end. The crowd quiets down to hear what Katsushika has to say.]

KATSUSHIKA: [In Japanese. Exhausted.] It's been a tough 24 hours... My head still hurts after Ronnie Doyle knocked me out. I will get to him. First, I want to acknowledge Konosuke...

[The crowd applauds for Usami.]

He's a tough opponent. Don't let this loss get you down. I challenged you for a reason. You belong here. You belong in these big matches. Your day as champion will come. I am determined to be the first ace of Iron Japan Pro Wrestling... This is my time now, but you will have your day, Konosuke...

[The crowd applauds for Usami. Usami bows to Katsushika.]

Now Ronnie Doyle... You shocked the world when you knocked me out. I have never been hit like that before. Because of that, I think you deserve a shot at my title.. But the World Crown Tournament is next. 64 of the best wrestlers in this world will compete over ten nights... The final will be at the Tokyo Dome, and I am determined to take the World Crown... The winner of that tournament will get to face me at International Incident in the Tokyo Dome in June... But if I win, then I get to choose my opponent for the main event at International Incident... If I win, Ronnie Doyle, then I will pick you to face me for my World title.

[The crowd applauds.]

There's one more thing I want to do tonight... My good friend, Suda Tsukasa, is at ringside...

[The crowd gives the loudest applause so far for Tsukasa, who remains seated. He smiles and waves at Katsushika.]

The King of Korakuen Hall! My friend, come in here!

[Tsukasa gets up, goes around the barricade, and climbs into the ring.]

We were talking earlier... You wanted to address the fans?

[Suda takes a microphone from a ringside attendant.]

TSUKASA: I might as well cut to the chase, Nobu... You know how I am. Besides, I'm getting old. I don't have much time left.

KATSUSHIKA: You're not that old. You're still competing!

TSUKASA: I'm old! What does competing have to do with it? How many other dinosaurs do you see wrestle? But seriously, I'm getting old... and it's no secret that I can't figure out if I want to retire or not. But I keep hearing about World Crown... and the opportunity that comes with winning World Crown... I am not here to announce my retirement. I am here to announce that, at 58-years-old, I am entering into the World Crown Tournament! The first few rounds are here at Korakuen Hall! This is my building!

[The crowd applauds.]

This could be my last chance on a big stage. I want this tournament to be special. I know it will take every last bit of fighting spirit... Especially if I'm to win the tournament... To headline the Tokyo Dome in May would be special. Headlining it a month later in a World title match with my good friend over here would be even better. I know it's a long shot... But I'll regret it if I don't enter myself into this tournament and give it a shot.

[The crowd applauds.]

And Konosuke... What this man said is true... and I hope to draw you in World Crown.

WRAP-UP

KURASAWA: It's been quite the three days... But now we focus on World Crown. The 64 person tournament will span over ten nights. The first three rounds will be here at Korakuen Hall. The quarters and semis will be at the Budokan. The final will be at the Tokyo Dome. A draw will be held to determine the match-ups in each round. Every match will have a time limit of thirty minutes. Nobody will advance from that match if it reaches the time limit, meaning someone could get lucky in the draw and advance with a bye.

SHIMURA: And some of the names that are rumored to be involved... Wow... This is going to be a crazy ten nights. Do you think we can do it, Yo?

KURASAWA: Can you tolerate me for ten nights in a row?

SHIMURA: I've tolerated you for this long.

KURASAWA: World Crown starts on Saturday, May 21. It will go to Monday, May 30. The first round draw will be held this Wednesday at the IJPW Headquarters here in Tokyo. That does it for us tonight. For Taka Shimura, I'm Yo Kurasawa. See you for the draw on Wednesday!

[FADE TO BLACK.]