Kaientai Dojo: 12th June 2008

More of the beloved K-Dojo. This show is all about the annual Strongest-K tournament. Overall, it's their best show of the year so far - a number of fresh match-ups, and a generally high standard throughout the two hours.

The opening match between Kashiwa vs. Takizawa was short and unremarkable - they are both guys that currently don't do anything to make me particularly interested. The second match between recently dethroned Kengo Mashimo and YOSHIYA was much better - it told a nice story of the company ace facing a tough challenge in a much larger opponent. I really liked Mashimo's focus here - he sticks with the arm work throughout, setting up the submission finish because the brainbuster wass likely out of the question. YOSHIYA's big boot looked devastating, and I thought led to a nice playing-dead spot before the finish. There was something about the way Mashimo seemed disproportionately lifeless that subtly indicated to the viewer he was luring his opponent in. Often, this spot just looks like lazy selling. I was really impressed with YOSHIYA, who seemed really motivated, particularly in his facial expressions both on attack (growly and aggressive) and defence (growly and hurting) . For a ten-minute match, I thought this delivered a coherent story and a lot of effort for a first round tournament match, and that's all I need.

Handsome JOE vs. MIYAWAKI was fine, building up the OMEGA vs. Team Handsome feud, with interference from KAZMA early on. JOE wins with his superplex, which I had to check was his finisher - I've been watching K-Dojo for a year's worth a shows, and that is possibly the first time I've seen him take a victory.

Then there was a intergender six person tag, with OMEGA members KAZMA, Ashai and Bambi against TAKA, Tonai and Apple Miyuki (good times). This was short and sprinty. The only particularly interesting part of this was Apple's interaction with the men.

The semi-final was between Boso Boy Raito and Oishi, for the former's UWA Middleweight title. Both guys are a little goofy, and wrestle a semi-serious style which mixes some fast action with some comedy, so you know straight away what your going to get. There's some nice wrestling in here also - the lucha-y start, Oishi's legwork and submissions, a couple of fast pinfall combinations. Raito works in all his computer game punch offense, including one on the apron at the end of a nice sequence of counters. I would say this was a high-end match within the genre they were going for, which is how it should be considered.

The main event was good - the Strongest-K Title match between new champion Yuji Hino and Mashimo's regular tag partner Madoka. What I didn't like about Hino's title win match is that it was hard to play his normal dickish heel against Mashimo, who is the dominant force in K-Dojo. Madoka is a much better opponent for him. It's obviously all about power vs speed. Madoka's offense looks credible - lots of kicks, some high flying, and a couple of crossface submission spots - but Hino inflicts greater cumulative damage of slams and suplexes, building to his powerbomb to finish it. I liked how Hino dragged out getting the final pinfall way past the point where Madoka was beat - its a good heelish move, and I find it annoying when the face then makes a comeback. Here, it just lead to a conclusive finish. I also like the little things that Hino does - at one point, he cockily let Madoka hit him in the face, shrugging it off initially, but then slowly indicating the blows hurt. He misses his first "FUCK YOU" senton after delaying it with a taunt, so rushes the second one to avoid the same outcome.

I believe this show is available on Torrents, and message boards. However, you can also buy the DVD from PUNQ. Support Norway at this tough economic times.