Michinoku Pro made its return to the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo for the first time this year on July 1 for pro-wrestling action, highlighted by a Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship match of historic proportions between MUSASHI and Fujita Jr. Hayato. The attendance for this event was 1,052.
In the first match, Rasse went against Ringo Yamatani. This was Yamatani’s Korakuen Hall debut, with his career beginning this past May. Yamatani has already been in singles matches with top competitors, and this match was no different, as Rasse is a former Tohoku Tag Team Champion.
Rasse, the stronger and much more experienced of the two, dominated the match with power moves and submissions. He encouraged Ringo Yamatani to keep fighting, and he did show a fighting spirit, not submitting to many holds and constantly getting back up. In the end, however, Yamatani ultimately submitted to a Boston crab from Rasse.
Next, it was time for the wrestlers of Gatoh Move to show what they could do, as Chie Koishikawa & Mei Suruga went against Sayaka & Yuna Mizumori. Gatoh Move is owned by legend and AEW star Emi Sakura.
Gatoh Move talent always wrestles on Michinoku Pro events that take place at Korakuen Hall. In their matches, they show all of the fans in attendance the fast action, comedy, surprises, and high-flying maneuvers that are trademarks of Gatoh Move matches.
In the end, Mei Suruga won the match for her team, pinning Sayaka.
In the next match, Jinsei Shinzaki & Manjimaru faced GAINA & Taro Nohashi. There were not any titles on the line, but GAINA & Taro Nohashi had a lot of championships with them: They are co-holders of the Tohoku Tag Team Championship and Kyushu Pro Tag Team Championship, and GAINA also holds the Niigata Openweight Championship and co-holds the OPW (Osaka Pro Wrestling) Tag Team Championship
Jinsei Shinzaki & Manjimaru had their hands full in this match, as GAINA & Taro Nohashi is a team that combines power (GAINA) and speed (Nohashi). However, Shinzaki & Manjimaru’s tag team experience (they are both former Tohoku Tag Team Champions and Shinzaki is a former UWA World Tag Team Champion) led to them coming up with an effective strategy, as they began using power moves and submissions on Nohashi and using speed and agility against GAINA.
Manjimaru forced Taro Nohashi to submit to an STF. Perhaps Jinsei Shinzaki & Manjimaru will be receiving a tag team title shot in the future?
Next, The Great Sasuke, Ultraman Robin, and Pretty Ota went against Brahman Shu, Brahman Kei, and Dump Matsumoto (w/ ZAP).
Brahman Shu & Kei love to use weapons during their matches, such as a suitcase, a bowling ball, and a traffic sign. Meanwhile, Dump Matsumoto loves to use a kendo stick. Together, the three of them battered their opponents relentlessly in this match.
In the end, Dump Matsumoto picked up the win over The Great Sasuke.
The war between New Generation and the current generation of Michinoku Pro continued in the next match, as New Generation’s Ayumu Gunji, Koji Kawamura, Yasutaka Oosera, and Kazuki Hashimoto went against Rui Hyugaji, Ken45, Yappeman No. 1, and Yappeman No. 2.
This match was a victory for the current generation, with Ken45 pinning Yasutaka Oosera after delivering his, “BARONESS” finisher.
In the main event, Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Champion MUSASHI put his championship on the line against 2-time former champion Fujita Jr. Hayato.
This was a match filled with stiff chops, kicks, headbutts, forearm strikes, near-falls, and more.
After 30 minutes of action, Fujita Jr. Hayato became the new Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Champion. Throughout the match, the fans were solidly behind him, to the point that there were fans in the crowd praying that Hayato would be victorious. After his win, some fans were shedding tears of joy. Jinsei Shinzaki, who presented Hayato with the championship in his role as Commissioner of Michinoku Pro Wrestling, was emotional as well.
More photos from this great event can be seen here!