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Hidaka in Real Japan! Sayama AWA Rep 2/18!
February 9th, 2007

Yesterday Satoru Sayama's Real Japan Pro wrestling promotion held a press conference to discuss their March 7th Korakuen Hall show. This show will mark the debut of Sayama's newest protege - Super Tiger!

And who will be Super Tiger's debut opponent? None other than current AWA World Jr. Champion and ZERO1-MAX wrestler, Ikuto Hidaka. Tiger Mask I was on hand and stated that "In our mind Hidaka is the most suitable first opponent" for Super Tiger. Sayama also had many other kind words to say about Hidaka and his wrestling skill, adding, "Hidaka is a splendid wrestler who embodies the ideals of pro wrestling."

Hidaka was present for the press conference and said that there's always some anticipation when facing an opponent who you have no knowledge of. He also said that since it's Real Japan he would like to fight "real strong style" for the match.

The identity of Super Tiger is a complete mystery, with nobody having any knowledge of who he is or where he comes from.

There will also be a ZERO1-MAX offer match on the Real Japan card, with Osamu Namiguchi facing Shota Takanishi in a singles match. The main event will be Tiger Mask I and an opponent to be named later versus Minoru Suzuki and an an opponent to be named later.

Additionally, AWA President Dale Gagne announced that he is sanctioning Satoru Sayama to be the AWA official representative at the 2/18 "Make the Emotion ~Strong Ism~" show AWA World Jr/GHC Jr. Heavyweight double titles match between Hidaka and current GHC Jr Heavyweight champion Tatsuhito Takaiwa. Gagne said that Tiger Mask I is a "Worldwide Legend" and that by all means they'd like him to be their official rep at this historic match.

After Gagne approved it, Hidaka asked Tiger Mask at the press conference and he accepted!

Visit Real Japan's website here.

Mammoth Batting Practice!
February 6th, 2007

Apache Pro Wrestling's Mammoth Sasaki invited the media today to local Tokyo batting cages. There he displayed his new training technique leading into his 2/18 UN Heavyweight title match with current champion Ryouji Sai.

This technique was using folding chairs rather than a bat to hit the baseballs! To add some emphasis to his intent, Mammoth had taped photocopies of Ryouji's face to the seat of the metal pipe chairs! When the media arrived Mammoth told them he'd been at if for hours, hitting upward of 300 baseballs in 3 hours.

Mammoth told those on hand that he feels invigorated to face Ryouji, as his loss to Kojima on the 2/2 Apache Pro show still stings. He added his intent is to break one of the Korakuen Hall chairs over Ryouji's head. Mammoth then left the batting cages, leaving behind him the broken chairs.

Hidaka & Fujita in Apache Pro!
February 2nd, 2007

ZERO1-MAX fighters and experienced tag team of Ikuto Hidaka and Minoru Fujita took part in today's Apache Pro Wrestling show in Tokyo's Korakuen Hall. In front of a hot crowd of 1,100 fans for the "Not For Sell" show, Hidaka and Fujita faced off against GENTARO and Hi69 in the third match of the show.

The 2005 tag team MVPs used thier perfected unified skill to out maneuver their opponents, who were not as familiar with each other. They focused thier efforts on Hi69, who put up a valiant resistance, and after 19½ minutes they were able to secure their victory when Fujita pinned Hi69 with the Sasuke Segway.

Apache Pro Wrestling "Not For Sell" Tokyo, Japan - February 2nd, 2007 Korakuen Hall 1,100 fans
FIGHT CARD
Match #3 - Tag Match
Ikuto Hidaka o Minoru Fujita	vs.	GENTARO Hi69 x
(19:38 → Sasuke Segway)

Also of note from the show, Mammoth Sasaki faced and lost to former Triple Crown/IWGP Heavyweight champion Satoshi Kojima in a singles match for the semi-main event of the show. Mammoth will be facing Ryouji Sai for the ZERO1-MAX United National Heavyweight title on 2/18 at the "Make The Emotion ~ Strong Ism ~" show in Korakuen Hall.

"Hell-1 MAX" Tag Match on 2/18!
January 29th, 2007

ZERO1-MAX announced a new match for the February 18th "Make The Emotion ~ Strong Ism ~". Back on the 1/25 press conference Kazunari Murakami talked about facing Hirotaka Yokoi in a singles match. In the main event of the previous Korakuen Hall "Over The Max 2007" show the two MMA fighters met with a flurry of punches.

Now Hirotaka Yokoi has announced another shoot fighter as his tag partner for the show - former ZERO-ONE Jr. Heavyweight champion, Tenka-Ichi Champion and Intercontinental Tag team champion Wataru Sakata.

Kazunari Murakami has yet to announce his partner for the tag match, a bout now titled "Go To Hell."

Press Conference! News & Notes!
January 25th, 2007

Several members of the ZERO1-MAX roster came to the First On Stage offices in Tokyo to speak about the 2/18 Korakuen Hall show, "Make The Emotion ~ Strong Ism ~" and voice their individual thoughts on the matches.

The Main event of that show is Shinjiro Otani and Takao Omori versus Yoshihiro Takayama and Kohei Sato in a "Head-On Collision" tag match. Otani continued talking about how he is still angered that Takayama had the temerity to invade a ZERO1-MAX ring. On 1/27 Otani and Omori will team together with Kamikaze at the Fukaya Citizen Gym against Takayama, Sato and Yokoi. The two had photos of Takayama's face and both tore them up and trampled them. Video of the press conference can be seen Here.

The big cross promotion match of the "Make The Emotion ~ Strong Ism ~" show will be the AWA World Jr. Heavyweight and GHC Jr. Heavyweight double titles match between Tatsuhito Takaiwa and Ikuto Hidaka. Both fighters are very excited for the bout, as they see it as another conformation that ZERO1-MAX juniors are some of the best in the world.

No matter who wins, a ZERO1-MAX junior will shoulder both titles in victory. While there is no animosity between the top ranked juniors, both fighters are very proud of their skill and their company and will fight hard. Video of the press conference can be seen Here.

Alongside Otani and Omori, Kazunari Murakami was his usually surly self. He sat quietly for the most part as Omori and Otani, dressed in a sharp suit and shade holding a sharp knife. Murakami called out Hirotaka Yokoi for a singles match, calling him a "blue ass youngster."

During the main event of the 1/19 "Fate" match the two MMA fighters shared the ring in a flurry of punches and strikes. Murakami will be facing Yokoi's fellow Young MAX wrestler Yoshihito Sasaki on the 27th.

Ryouji Sai was also on hand with his UN Heavyweight title to talk about his upcoming match against the Apache Army's Mammoth Sasaki. Ryouji was dropped by Mammoth on the 1/19 Korkauen Hall show in a tag match by Mammoth's "29-year-old" multiple brainbusters. This win gave Mammoth a shot at the UN Heavyweight title, since Ryouji had declared all-comers as a challenge this pinfall victory instantly made Mammoth the #1 contender for the title.

Speaking to the media during the press conference, Ryouji said he wants to put on the match that's the "most fun" at the 2/18 show. Korakuen Hall will be fired up, as any member of the Apache Army always is well received in that particular venue.

Finally, Ring Announcer Oki Okidata mentioned joshi wrestler Ayumi Kurihara on the official blog. It's clear the fans want to see more Ayumi, who has appeared on a few past ZERO1-MAX shows.

First she appeared on a well received April 2006 mix tag alongside fellow Tokyo native Kohei Sato versus Steve Corino and Amazing Kong. Ayumi then faced her teacher, Michiko Ohmukai, in a singles match on 9/16/06 in Gifu, Japan. Knowing she's a popular freelancer now that M's Style is closed, Oki said ZERO1-MAX will "include Ayumi whenever they can."

"NO FEAR" Crashes! Hidaka Regains Jr. Title!
January 19th, 2007

ZERO1-MAX held their first Korakuen Hall show of 2007 with "OVER THE MAX 2007" and a wildly excited 1500 people in attendance. The main event saw the first clash between former tag team partners, Takao Omori and Yoshihiro Takayama, in four years and seven months. As the successful tag team "NO FEAR," the two held the GHC, All-Asia and All Japan tag team titles during their time. This time they would be on opposing teams...

At the final show of 2006, "Celebration Return in Zeros," Takayama invaded the ring when Omori was wrestling and attacked his former friend. During the melee, in which Omori was bloodied and Shinjiro Otani was also attacked, ZERO1-MAX wrestler Hirotaka Yokoi took sides with Takayama. Soon after that, Yokoi's partner in the tag team ROWDY, Kohei Sato, contacted the ZERO1-MAX offices and said he'd like to make his return-from-injury match alongside Yokoi and the NOAH invader Takayama.

And so the main event for today pitted the team of Yoshihiro Takayama, Hirotaka Yokoi and Kohei Sato versus Takao Omori, Shinjiro Otani and Kazunari Murakami in a 6-man tag. Omori and Takayama wasted no time taking it to each other with hard elbow strikes and closed fists. The match was extremely hard-hitting throughout, including when Murakami met face-to-face with Yokoi, and the two exchanged shots with their MMA glove covered fists.

The match came to an end after some wild brawling in front of the hot crowd with Otani and Takayama in the ring. Otani hit the large fighter with a missile dropkick in the back and delivered a face wash in the corner. On a final attempt, Takayama intercepted Omori with a hard knee strike and pinned him with his large "Mt. Everest" German Suplex hold.

The semi-main event of the show was the AWA World Jr. confrontation between tag team partners Minoru Fujita and Ikuto Hidaka. The "Hidaka" and "Fujita" calls rose from the crowd before the bell even rang. Once the match started the two began slowly, each trying to gain a better position on the mat. Eventually the action picked up, and when Hidaka hit a running soccer kick to Fujita's face he opened a nasty gash above his left eye that bled profusely for the remainder of the match. The blood turned Fujita's face into a crimson mask, but the defending champion continued his fight. He managed to score a top-rope frankensteiner, a tope, several hard elbow shots and even a top-rope tombstone piledriver but was unable to put Hidaka away.

Hidaka attempted to make it easier for his Shawn Capture finisher by locking in an ankle hold, and using a springboard low dropkick directly on Fujita's leg. Unable to submit his longtime partner, Hidaka went to the high kicks. The first though connecting strongly only got a count of two. The following kick was more devastating and Fujita was unable to kick out. After just under 18½ minutes Ikuto Hidaka won the bout and the AWA World Jr. title.

The fighters lay on the mat several minutes after the final bell, with only Dr. Hayashi jumping in the ring to attend to Fujita's painful cut. Finally the two rose to their feet and Fujita handed the belt over to Hidaka himself. Hidaka got on the microphone and thanked his partner, reminding him that tomorrow (1/20) they have to once more team together against two heavyweights!

Hidaka then said that yes, he has just captured the AWA jr title but there is one person in the ZERO1-MAX junior ranks he has not defeated. He then called out current GHC Jr. Heavyweight champion Tatsuhito Takaiwa and challenged him to an AWA Jr title at next month's Korakuen Hall show on 2/18. Takaiwa, entering the ring with his title belt told Hidaka he accepts. He then added that he will appeal to the GHC title board members to see if they can make the bout a double titles match! The two junior fighters than shook hands on the deal.

The 4th match was a tag team match once more pitting the current Big Japan Pro Wrestling tag team champions against each other as Yoshihito Sasaki teamed with current ZERO1-MAX UN Heavyweight champion Ryouji Sai against tag partner Daisuke Sekimoto and Apache Army's Mammoth Sasaki. As would be expected from the deathmatch fighters, the match quickly turned into a brawl involving fighting outside the ring, chairs and tables. Mammoth even choke-slammed Yoshihito off the apron onto a table on the floor below! Yoshihito and Sekimoto faced each other several times one-on-one during this match, and hit each other very hard with chops and elbows, all the while Mammoth began to focus on Ryouji.

With a running knee, inzuguri, chair shot, powerbomb and then vicious double driving "29-year-old" brainbusters and Mammoth took the 3 count over the current UN Heavyweight champion. Over a week ago Ryouji offered an open challenge for the UN title, it appears he has found a worthy challenger!

The 3rd match saw Chris "Bambikiller" Raaber and the "Trouble King" Steve Corino against GHC Jr. Heavyweight champion Tatsuhito Takaiwa and Kamikaze in a tag match. Takaiwa has said in 2007 he would like to begin to test the Heavyweight ranks a little more. Corino instead of his familiar wrestling trunks, wore tights reminiscent of old ZERO-ONE boss and pro wrestling legend Shinya Hashimoto. That match went about 11 minutes before the AWA World Heavyweight champion after dodging a Kamikaze moonsault attempt rolled him up with the KIDO clutch for the victory.

Also on the show, Gha-Cha-Ping continued his ZERO1-MAX winning streak by defeating Rikiya Fudo in just under 6 minutes with the Gha-Cha bomb. And in a surprising event, though not too surprising considering Namiguchi's current performances, Shota Takanishi defeated the former WWA World Welterweight champion with a crab hold. This is the second time young Takanishi has defeated the senior Junior!