The wrestlers of Michinoku Pro will be in action on August 14 at Takizawa City Workers’ Physical Education Center in Iwate (1:00 PM start time), as a part of Summer Vacation Series 2022. Existing since 1993, Michinoku Pro was created with Iwate in mind, so many events in Iwate feature matches that are not seen anywhere else in the country.
Match 1: Taro Nohashi vs. Ringo Yamatani
Continuing to face top competition in the earliest stages of his career, Ringo Yamatani will step into the ring with former Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Champion Taro Nohashi.
Match 2: Manjimaru vs. Rasse
A big factor in this match is that Manjimaru has defeated Rasse in every singles match they have had against each other thus far. However, Rasse, who has been mainly focused on tag team wrestling throughout his career, has been putting more focus on his singles career as of late. It will be interesting to see what effect that has on this match.
Match 3: Yapperman No. 1 vs. Ayumu Gunji
Both more accustomed to tag-team wrestling, the two former Tohoku Tag Team Champions and former UWA World Tag Team Champions will see singles action in this current generation (Yapperman No. 1) vs. New Generation (Ayumu Gunji) matchup.
Match 4: The Great Sasuke vs. OSO11
Perhaps coincidentally, all of OSO11 previous and upcoming opponents in singles and tag matches are masked wrestlers: Yapperman No. 1 and Yapperman No. 2 when OSO11 his debut at the July 16 Michinoku Pro event as Ayumu Gunji’s mystery partner and the newest member of the New Generation faction, Ringo Yamatani when OSO11 was Yamatani’s mystery opponent at the July 17 Michinoku Pro event, and Rasse at the August 10 Michinoku Pro event. Well, this time, OSO11 will be facing the most accomplished masked wrestler on the Michinoku Pro wrestler: The Great Sasuke, a legend in the industry, a 3-time former Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Champion, a 4-time Tohoku Tag Team Champion, the original holder of the J-Crown (a unification of eight different titles from eight different companies worldwide), the longest-reigning NWA World Middleweight Champion in the championship’s history, and a former UWA World Tag Team Champion. This will be OSO11’s biggest test since his debut.
Match 5: Ken45 vs. Yapperman No. 2
Just like the Yapperman No. 1-Ayumu Gunji match, this contest will feature two competitors who are more accustomed to tag-team wrestling. While Yapperman No. 2 is a former co-holder of the Tohoku Tag Team Championship and UWA World Tag Team Championship with Yapperman No. 1, Ken45 has held both championships as well.
Match 6: MUSASHI vs. Brahman Kei (w/ Brahman Shu)
When it comes to tag team wrestling, Brahman Kei is at the top of his game, his and Brahman Shu’s unorthodox style leading them to more reigns as Tohoku Tag Team Champions than any other team during their 20-year careers. But how will Kei fare in singles action against 2-time former Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Champion and New Generation member MUSASHI?
Match 7: Rui Hyugaji vs. Koji Kawamura
You can see a preview of this match by watching Michinoku Pro Wrestling Live #21, which features a Rui Hyugaji-Koji Kawamura match from March. This match is a perfect example of what the current generation-New Generation war is all about, as the young and hungry Koji Kawamura attempts to advance his career by defeating the well-established Rui Hyugaji.
TICKETS
For those of you who will be in Japan on August 13, tickets are currently on sale for this event.