All-Japan kicks off the 2022 Flag Raising Series today, the start of their October tour continuing their 50th Anniversary celebration with a borderline major event featuring 3 title matches. However, in recognition of his contributions to Japanese pro wrestling even though he never competed for them, the event will open with a memorial tribute to Hall of Fame wrestler Antonio Inoki, the founder of rival promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling, who died today at 79.
Today’s event will be held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched LIVE on AJPW.TV FOR FREE! There is a catch-you do have to create a provisional AJPW.TV account with a valid email address. A paid subscription is not required to watch this event, should you choose to go that route it’s currently about $6.25 US per month. You also can watch the first 3 matches FOR FREE on YouTube. There likely will be Japanese commentary. If you watch the full event, I anticipate the total running time being around 2 1/2 hours.
Today’s lineup:
Takao Omori, Hokuto Omori, Shuji Ishikawa & Izanagi vs. TAJIRI, Yoshitatsu, Jun & Rei Saito
GAORA TV Champion Toshizo vs. Dan Tamura for the title
Hokkaido Tourism Ambassador Showdown: Black Menso-re vs. Toru Yano (New Japan Pro Wrestling)
Suwama & KONO vs. Jake Lee & Yuma Aoyagi
All-Japan 50th Anniversary Special Match: Kento Miyahara, Takuya Nomura, Ryo Inoue & Yuma Anzai vs. Yuji Nagata, Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita & Yuto Nakashhima (New Japan Pro Wrestling)
All-Japan World Tag Team Champions Shotaro Ashino & Ryuki Honda vs. Koji Doi & Kuma Arashi for the titles
All-Japan World Jr. Heavyweight Champion Atsuki Aoyagi vs. Rising Hayato for the title
Refresh this page occasionally for the latest results.
Updates below will begin at 10:30 PM ET/7:30 PM PT.
10:30 PM ET UPDATE: Live results will begin momentarily below.
We are LIVE from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. as usual the audio is muted at the beginning and will come on in a few seconds.
The paid attendance will be announced after the event, the crowd is still filing in (based on what I saw the first couple matches I’m estimating around 600). Your host is joined by All-Japan senior referee Kyohei Wada.
New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Yuji Nagata leads the wrestlers’ procession and around the ring for a memorial for New Japan founder and Hall of Fame Wrestler Antonio Inoki, who died yesterday at 79. The audio comes on during this. After a tribute from the ring announcer, the crowd rises silently for a 10 Bell Salute, followed by the customary final introduction and a playing of Inoki’s customary “3, 2, 1, DAAA!!!” shout and his theme music. Interestingly, a variation of it is the current entrance theme music of Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Kazuyuki Fujita.
Match 1: Takao & Hokuto Omori, Shuji Ishikawa & Izanagi vs. TAJIRI, Yoshitatsu, Jun & Rei Saito. 20 minute time limit
Result: TAJIRI, Yoshitatsu, Jun & Rei Saito beat Takao & Hokuto Omori, Shuji Ishikawa & Izanagi. Rei Saito pinned Izanagi after a piledriver.
Match 2: GAORA TV Champion Toshizo vs. Dan Tamura for the title. 1 Hour time limit
Result: GAORA TV Champion Toshizo beat Dan Tamura to retain the title. V2 for Toshizo.
TAJIRI joins commentary for the next match.
Match 3: Hokkaido Tourism Ambassador Showdown: Black Menso-re vs. Toru Yano (New Japan Pro Wrestling). 30 minute time limit. Audio muted for Yano’s entrance. Former New Japan and All-Japan ring announcer Makoto Abe, who left New Japan earlier this year, was the guest ring announcer/timekeeper.
Result: Toru Yano beat Black Menso-re by countout. Comedy match.
Shuji Ishikawa joins commentary for the next match, replacing TAJIRI.
Match 4: Suwama & KONO vs. Jake Lee & Yuma Aoyagi. 30 minute time limit
Result: Jake Lee & Yuma Aoyagi beat Suwama & KONO by DQ. Suwama DQ’d. Saito Bros interference. Afterwards, the Saito Bros joined Voodoo Murders.
Black Menso-re joins commentary for the next match. Makoto Abe is again ring announcer. Before the match, there were several announcements about upcoming events and also the All-Japan annual Tag League coming up in November and December, an 8-team tournament.
Match 5: All-Japan 50th Anniversary Special Match: Kento Miyahara, Takuya Nomura, Ryo Inoue & Yuma Anzai vs. Yuji Nagata, Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita & Yuto Nakashima (New Japan Pro Wrestling). 30 minute time limit
Result: Yuji Nagata, Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita & Yuto Nakashima beat Kento Miyahara, Takuya Nomura, Ryo Inoue & Yuma Anzai. Fujita beat Inoue with a Boston Crab. After the bell the Young Lions kept going at it.
Match 6: All-Japan World Tag Team Champions Shotaro Ashino & Ryuki Honda vs. Koji Doi & Kuma Arashi for the titles. 1 Hour time limit
Result: All-Japan World Tag Team Champions Shotaro Ashino & Ryuki Honda beat Koji Doi & Kuma Arashi to retain the titles. Honda pinned Arashi after Final Vent. V4 for the champs. Next up: Possibly Suwama & KONO-challenge issued. (I missed parts of the late portion of the match due to internet issues on my laptop. Switching to tablet for the final match)
Main Event: All-Japan World Jr. Heavyweight Champion Atsuki Aoyagi vs. Rising Hayato for the title. 1 Hour time limit
Result: All-Japan World Jr. Heavyweight Champion Atsuki Aoyagi beat Rising Hayato to retain the title. V1 for Aoyagi.
The next event is 10/22 at Sanjo Welfare Center in Niigata. The main event will be a Takao Omori 30th Anniversary match featuring Omori vs. Kento Miyahara for the Triple Crown. Live streaming on AJPW.TV will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET.
UPDATE: The announced paid attendance was 821.
