AJPW Battle Banquet

All Japan Pro Wrestling's "Summer Showdown" Delivers Thrills and Spills

Tokyo, Japan - In front of a packed crowd of 11,500 at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, All Japan Pro Wrestling brought the heat with their latest pay-per-view event, "Summer Showdown". The stacked card featured a mix of established stars and up-and-coming talent, resulting in a night that will be remembered for months to come.

The evening kicked off with a pair of singles matches that showcased the skills of two up-and-comers. Ryuji Hijikata bested Taichi Ishikari in a quick and dirty 8-minute affair, while Shiro Koshinaka outlasted Nobukazu Hirai in a more competitive 9-minute bout.

The action picked up significantly with the first tag team match of the night, as RO&D (Buchanan, Jamal, and TAKA Michinoku) took on Animal Warrior, Gran Hamada, and Robert Gibson. The six men put on a show, trading moves and near-falls in a thrilling 11-minute encounter that left the crowd energized.

The mid-card portion of the card saw Taiyo Kea emerge victorious over Tomoaki Honma in a hard-hitting 12-minute match, while Genichiro Tenryu and Masanobu Fuchi teamed up to take down Arashi and Nobutaka Araya in a methodical 7-minute tag team encounter.

The main event portion of the card kicked off with Kaz Hayashi defending his AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Title against Katsushi Takemura. The two competitors engaged in an intense, technical bout that saw Hayashi retain his title in a thrilling 15-minute contest.

Next up was Keiji Muto, who took on Osamu Nishimura in a grueling singles match. Muto's power and experience ultimately proved too much for Nishimura, as he secured the win in an 18-minute battle.

In what was arguably the most anticipated match of the evening, Mitsuharu Misawa faced off against Satoshi Kojima in a hard-hitting singles encounter. The two competitors engaged in a war, trading moves and near-falls throughout their 26-minute contest. In the end, it was Misawa who emerged victorious, securing a well-deserved win.

Finally, Toshiaki Kawada put his Triple Crown Title on the line against Takao Omori in a highly-anticipated match. The two competitors engaged in a back-and-forth battle that saw Kawada ultimately retain his title in an exciting 23-minute encounter.

Overall, "Summer Showdown" was a must-see event that showcased the best of All Japan Pro Wrestling. With its mix of established stars and up-and-coming talent, this show had something for everyone. If you missed it, make sure to catch the replay - it's well worth your time.

Grade: A-

Match of the Night: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Satoshi Kojima

Surprise of the Night: Taiyo Kea's upset victory over Tomoaki Honma

What's Next?: With this event in the books, All Japan Pro Wrestling looks to continue building momentum as the year wears on. Keep an eye out for future updates and analysis from zohash.com!

Card Details

Date: 18 Jul 2004
Promotion: All Japan Pro Wrestling
Arena: Ryogoku Kokugikan
Attendance: 11500
Type: Pay Per View
Broadcast Type: Taped

Matches

Ryuji Hijikata defeat Taichi Ishikari in a Singles Match
Match Time: 08:00
Shiro Koshinaka defeat Nobukazu Hirai in a Singles Match
Match Time: 09:18
RO&D (Buchanan, Jamal and TAKA Michinoku) defeat Animal Warrior, Gran Hamada and Robert Gibson in a Six Man Tag Team Match
Match Time: 11:15
Taiyo Kea defeat Tomoaki Honma in a Singles Match
Match Time: 12:30
Genichiro Tenryu and Masanobu Fuchi defeat Arashi and Nobutaka Araya in a Tag Team Match
Match Time: 07:10
Kaz Hayashi(C) defeat Katsushi Takemura in a AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Title Match
Match Time: 14:54
Keiji Muto defeat Osamu Nishimura in a Singles Match
Match Time: 18:02
Mitsuharu Misawa defeat Satoshi Kojima in a Singles Match
Match Time: 26:34
Toshiaki Kawada(C) defeat Takao Omori in a Triple Crown Title Match
Match Time: 22:36