PRO WRESTLING FREEDOMS
YOKOHAMA RUSH 2023
AUGUST 11, 2023
YOKOHAMA BUDOKAN
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN
Watch: NJPW WORLD
FREEDOMS’ largest present of the 12 months was broadcasted dwell on NJPW World as a pay-per-view and boy, the present had superb video high quality. I’m tremendous glad for the corporate that they acquired so many eyeballs on the product attributable to being on New Japan’s streaming service, let’s see what they introduced to the world.
GENTARO, MAMMOTH SASAKI & REKKA DEF. E.R.E (KYU MOGAMI, TOSHIYUKI SAKUDA & VIOLENTO JACK)
I like this E.R.E trio, man. You’ve acquired Jack as a steamroller, Sakuda for humorous small man/large man moments, and Mogami along with his “I don’t give a f–” angle along with his fingers in his pants. They created a few humorous moments on this match reminiscent of once they tried to assault Mammoth, when he sat on the turnbuckle, with a trios assault. When Sakuda attacked Mammoth with a chair behind the again of the ref, the latter turned the momentum round and hit Sakuda with a chair and pinned him after a giant lariat and the 29-Years-Previous. Enjoyable little opener. ***
YUYA SUSUMU DEF. DOBUNEZUMI FUKKI
This was some form of a bizarre matchup when two heels squared off. Fukki got here out with a Hanshin Tigers-related masks and jersey, however this was the one actual spotlight of him. Susumu, who returned in February after a brief span with NOAH, attacked Fukki with some younger boys exterior. Again inside it turned a bit of hardcore-ish match when Fukki’s purchasing enterprise, some beer cans, a PlayStation 1, and a doll got here into play. When Fukki needed to hit a keyboard on Susumu, the ref intervened and Susumu used this opening to kick Fukki within the nuts to pin him after a DDT. **3/4
BAREFOOT TOY BLOCK DEATHMATCH
TAKAYUKI UEKI DEF. MINORU FUJITA
The 2 maniacs had some mat wrestling on the toy blocks and cry out in ache with each step they took. Absolute two professionals who teased each bump on the blocks as they acquired killed. Typical for them that they had additionally humorous moments like when Ueki got here to a gunfight with a knife, or ought to I say with a small “Lego” shovel whereas Fujita took out a Singapore Cane. Ueki received this “brutal” battle after he put down with a Taiho Jutsu Maintain for 3. ***1/4
KOHEI KEIKO SHIPPUDOTO DEATHMATCH
DAIJU WAKAMATSU, KAZUMI KIKUTA & YUKI ISHIKAWA DEF. DAISUKE MASAOKA, TAKASHI SASAKI & YUSAKU ITO
This has been BJW’s New Technology versus FREEDOMS written throughout it, though Wakamatsu on the Huge Japan and Ito on the FREEDOMS aspect aren’t full-time wrestlers for the respective promotion. And I’ve to say I liked the power between all six of them, although! When Wakamatsu ate these unprotected chairshots by Masaoka I shrugged on my chair, jesus this was insane stuff. In each nook of the ring one thing occurred which was very cool. Staff Huge Japan was on the sting to finish the match fairly quick, however FREEDOMS got here again with a stressed Takashi Sasaki, who was tremendous motivated. Yusaku Ito and BJW Deathmatch Champ Yuki Ishikawa fought within the ending sequence the place Ito kicked out at one simply to be crushed by Ishikawa seconds later. ***3/4
HIROMU TAKAHASHI & TATSUHITO TAKAIWA DEF. DRAGON LIBRE & TAKAHIRO KATORI
It was time for New Japan’s large junior star Hiromu Takashi to step within the ring alongside former NJPW junior Tatsuhito Takaiwa. Libre and Hiromu began the match with some strikes and a chop battle, Katori tried to intervene twice, however Takahashi fought him off and focussed once more on Libre. This was enjoyable to look at, Hiromu as the large exterior star with extra energy, with extra… every thing whereas Libre acquired the help from the group and even Takashi Sasaki got here to the ring to push Dragon Libre much more. Libre was almost down, his chop acquired weaker however Takahashi needed much more. Hiromu needed to tag in Takaiwa and it occurred with an applause of the group, this was cool. Hiromu was so desperated to point out that Shin-Nihon and himself are so superior than FREEDMONS and Libre. And, after all, the conclusion of the match wanted to be between Libre and Hiromu with an Katori involvement, Takaiwa fought each opponents off with a demise valley driver whereas Hiromu lastly pinned Dragon Libre. ***3/4
KING OF FREEDOM WORLD JR. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
JUN MASAOKA (c) DEF. KENGO (16:50)
The story of the match is one thing quite common in pro-wrestling: The “former” champion (though it was the previous Jr. Title) acquired injured, needed to vacate the title and the brand new champ is a younger punk who doesn’t give a rattling about anybody. I hate to say it, however this was …. a match. This was strong work of two junior heavyweights, however nothing actually stood out, and it was given a time of sixteen minutes, so that they had a while to point out one thing extra fascinating. ***
THUMBTACK BOARD & RAZER CROSS BOARD ALPHA DEATHMATCH
EL DESPERADO & JUN KASAI DEF. MASASHI TAKEDA & RINA YAMASHITA
The dream workforce of El Desperado and Jun Kasai teamed collectively once more after their battle with Moxley and Murder, this time they took on Takeda and GCW Ultraviolent Champ Rina Yamashita. The gang went nuts for almost every thing these 4 did and it’s insane how good Despy and Kasai are as a workforce. Despy was the primary one to get thrown into one thing, right here it have been thumbtacks, and the over 1,000 folks on the Yokohama Budokan celebrated each deathmatch-ish stuff occurring.
There have been Takeda’s typical scissors, they have been thumbtacks, skewers and plenty of extra. The power between all combatants have been crisp and made the match insanely good and enjoyable to look at. It was a backwards and forwards battle, the interactions Desperado had with Masashi Takeda have been so intensive that somebody who solely knew Despy from New Japan may very well be shocked as hell about his efficiency. The ending sequence have been breathtaking when Rina and Takeda nearly pinned Kasai after a jumb from the buckle with a barbed wire chair, simply seconds later Takeda kicked Kasai to the chest whereas a board with opened cans stand subsequent to him. Kasai got here again with a Pearl Harbor Splash on Takeda, however Yamashita rescued her associate. Takeda kicked out of a Tiger Destroyer at one and two and eventually acquired pinned after the Cross-Arm Stimulation on an empty can board. ****1/4
KING OF FREEDOM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
TORU SUGIURA DEF. TOMOYA HIRATA (c)
Oh man, this match was the proper story of the 2 former tag champs, breaking apart and the youthful and least skilled man received the title. So what may probably go mistaken? It had all of the instruments of the robust model pageant nevertheless it resulted in a catastrophe for Tomoya Hirata. The champ was exterior of the ring, Sugiura jumped from the turnbuckle to the skin and Hirata felt and you might solely see him holding his ankle. It appeared like he broke his ankle, what a disgrace, what a disgrace ending to this present.
Sugiura was handed the title, he turned champion once more and the worst factor was that you might Hirata scream in ache within the background. Sugiura spoke to the group that he not rightfully received the title however he’ll defend and hold it till Hirata is coming again. NR
FINAL THOUGHTS
That is such a disgrace. The present was fairly good, what a enjoyable present with good matches and then you definately had an ending like this. It may have been top-of-the-line reveals within the historical past of the promotion, with an even bigger crowd than final 12 months’s Yokohama Budokan present as effectively. I hope Hirata will come again and that his damage will heal as quickly as potential.
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