By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GLEAT Wrestling “Ver Mega”
Replay available via YouTube.com
October 6, 2024 in Osaka, Japan at Edion Arena
The venue is a small arena or large gym. The lights were low but lighting over the ring was good. There was NO commentary; I expected Japanese. I don’t mind the silence because you can hear the wrestlers in the ring. But it means I won’t be able to tell you which wrestler is which…
* 17 wrestlers stood on the stage and were each introduced as they walked to the ring, which included two women. I know the Stronghearts trio of El Lindaman and T-Hawk and CIMA, but I admittedly have never heard of the other 14. One of the men spoke on the mic in Japanese. I thought maybe we were having a battle royal, but instead they all went to the back.
1. Junjie, JD Lee, Issei Onitsuka, and Jessy Queen vs. Kazma Sakamoto, Nico Inveradi, Mirko Mori, and Quiet Storm. Yes, I don’t know anyone here. Jessy Queen wore an owl costume and is flamboyant, dancing for the crowd. Jessy “accidentally” kissed a teammate. Several guys took turns hitting dives to the floor. In the ring, a guy hit a pop-up powerbomb and a Jay Driller to pin a smaller blond kid. Passable.
Kazma Sakamoto, Nico Inveradi, Mirko Mori, and Quiet Storm defeated Junjie, JD Lee, Issei Onitsuka, and Jessy Queen at 6:56.
2. “Black Generation International” Kotaro Suzuki and So Daimonji vs. Kawakami Fire Ryuichi and Brass Knuckles Jun. Kotaro has blond hair. Only one opponent came to the ring to face BGI; another guy with a spiked mohawk hopped in the ring and attacked, and all four fought on the floor. In the ring, the heels wrote with a marker on the foreheads of the BGI team, and they worked them over with a basic beat-down. So Daimonji picked up both heels and hit a Samoan Drop-and-fallaway slam combo for a nearfall at 5:30. Kotaro hit a Gory Bomb for a nearfall at 8:00 but the ref was pulled from the ring. One of the heels hit Kotaro in the back with a chair. The kid with the Mohawk then hit a clothesline for the tainted pin. The heels pulled out a phone and took a picture of the unconscious Kotaro.
Kawakami Fire Ryuichi and Brass Knuckles Jun defeated Kotaro Suzuki and So Daimonji at 8:54.
3. Takehiro Yamamura vs. T-Hawk. Yamamura wore white pants and long sleeves on his arms. T-Hawk (and his Stronghearts team) made some appearances in AEW pre-pandemic; he wore black pants. They immediately traded chops. They went to the floor at 1:30 and kept brawling. They got back in the ring and traded forearm strikes. Takehiro nailed a powerslam, but T-Hawk somehow rolled through, rolled up Yamamura, and scored the pin! Good while it lasted.
T-Hawk defeated Takehiro Yamamura at 7:02.
4. Lindaman, Faby Apache, and Octagon Jr. vs. Chris Ridgeway, Sam Adonis, and Michiko. Lindaman has competed in NJPW’s Best of Super Juniors and in the Super Jr. Tag League in the past. The women opened with basic reversals and armdrags. Lindaman and the heavily-tattooed Ridgeway tagged in and locked up at 1:30. I’ve seen Ridgeway just a few times on some prior Japan shows. The masked Octagon Jr. and Adonis then locked up at 3:30. Adonis (Corey Graves’ brother) is a legit 6’4″ and towers over his opponents. Adonis’ team began working over Lindaman in their corner.
Octagon Jr. hit a twisting senton to the floor at 9:00. In the ring, the women battled some more, with Faby tying up Michiko’s legs. Octagon hit a crossbody block on Adonis. Octagon went for a moonsault, but Adonis got his legs up to block it. Adonis hit a Canadian Destroyer, then a swinging sideslam for a nearfall at 12:00. The women traded Mafia Kicks. Adonis missed a Vader Bomb attempt on Octagon. Octagon hit a fallaway stunner on Adonis and scored the pin. Decent action.
Lindaman, Faby Apache, and Octagon Jr. vs. Chris Ridgeway, Sam Adonis, and Michiko at 12:52.
* Next up are three matches of MMA rules. The three GLEAT members came out together first.
5. Daisuke Nakamura vs. Masaki Takeura in an MMA rules match. They tied up each other’s legs on the mat. They never separated, never used the ropes, and stayed that way until the time limit expired. Personally, I found it dull to match, but I bet it was quite a physical workout.
Daisuke Nakamura vs. Masaki Takeura went to a time-limit draw at 5:00.
6. Hideki Sekine vs. Kanten Man in an MMA rules match. Kanten Man wears a mask and is much thinner. Sekine appears to be in his 50s, and he immediately tied up Kanten Man, who tapped out!
Hideki Sekine defeated Kanten Man at 00:28.
7. Yu IIzuka vs. Caol Uno in an MMA rules match. They tied up while standing. They stayed locked up as they fought on the mat. This match also ended in a time-limit draw, and I truly see no point in this three-match stretch.
Yu IIzuka vs. Caol Uno went to a time-limit draw at 5:00.
8. Ryo Aitaka, Kota Ibushi, Kikutaro, and and Yukimitsu Takahashi vs. Minoru Tanaka, Takanori Ito, Seichi Ikemoto, and Tsutenkakka. I definitely tuned in to see Kota Ibushi. I know Kikutaro (he wears a goofy oversized mask), but no one else here. Tsutenkakka wears a mask with long yellow tassels. All eight brawled at the bell and it spilled to the floor with four separate fights. The action got back into the ring (but I admittedly don’t know who is in the ring.) Tsutenkakka got in the ring at 4:00, so Kikutaro also got in and battled him, with Kikutaro hitting a brainbuster. Kota tagged in for the first time at 5:30 and he traded roundhouse kicks with his opponent. Kota’s team hit a powerbomb with Kota making the cover for a nearfall.
A heel hit a back suplex, dumping Kota high on his shoulders, at 7:30, and he playfully kicked Kota. Kota got up and dropped him with one hard blow. The heel hit a German Suplex with a high bridge on Kota for a believable nearfall. Kota hopped up and hit a decapitating clothesline, then the Kamigoye knee strike to the collarbone for the pin. Kota’s team hopped in the ring, helped Kota to his feet, and celebrated with him. Good to see him looking so good.
Ryo Aitaka, Kota Ibushi, Kikutaro, and Yukimitsu Takahashi defeated Minoru Tanaka, Takanori Ito, Seichi Ikemoto, and Tsutenkakka at 9:02.
9. Kaito Ishida and Tetsuya Izuchi vs. “The Rascalz” Trey Miguel and Zack Wentz for the G-Infinity Tag Team titles. The Rascalz came out first. Izuchi has dark hair with one side of his head shaved, while Kaito has blond (Okada-style) hair. Miguel and Izuchi opened. Wentz entered at 2:00 and battled Kaito. The Rascalz hit some quick team offense on Kaito. They hit stereo basement dropkicks for a nearfall at 4:30. Wentz hit a slingshot senton for a nearfall. Kaito hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip on Wentz. Kaito caught Wentz with a spin kick to the chest at 7:30.
Trey entered and hit a kip-up enzuigiri on Izuchi. Wentz hit a handspring-back-spin kick at 10:00 and suddenly everyone was down. The Rascalz hit their doublestomp-and-Burning Hammer combo for a nearfall. Trey and Izuchi traded rollups for nearfalls, and Izuchi hit a German Suplex for a nearfall. Wentz hit a Meteora on Izuchi and Miguel covered Izuchi for the pin! New champions! Good match.
Trey Miguel and Zack Wentz defeated Kaito Ishida and Tetsuya Izuchi to win the G-Infinity Tag Team Titles at 12:13.
10. CIMA and Ricochet vs. El Hijo Del Vikingo and Soma Watanabe. Again, CIMA was on a handful of early AEW events and I’m a fan. I don’t think I’ve seen Soma before; he’s clearly younger with short, curly hair. Vikingo wore his bull horn mask to the ring. CIMA and Soma started with some basic offense. Vikingo and Ricochet entered at 1:30 and had a cool exchange, doing flips and cartwheels, ending in a standoff. Ricochet hit a superkick. CIMA got back in and stomped on Vikingto. Vikingo hit a spin kick to the shoulder. Soma flipped CIMA in the air, and Vikingo caught CIMA with a dropkick at 4:00. Nice.
CIMA hit an enzuigiri on Soma. CIMA and Ricochet began working over Soma, with Ricochet hitting a stiff kick to the spine for a nearfall. Soma hit a shotgun dropkick on Ricochet, and he made the hot tag to Vikingo at 8:30. Vikingo hit one of his double jumps-into-an-armdrag on CIMA, then a huracanrana. Vikingo hit his springboard corkscrew press to the floor on Ricochet and CIMA. Vikingo then did his springboard corkscrew press from the outside of the ring and nailed CIMA on the mat. Ricochet hit a 619 and a flying clothesline on Vikingo, then a Lionsault for a nearfall at 10:30.
Ricochet missed a 450 Splash. Vikingo hit a huracanrana. Soma tagged in and hit a missile dropkick on Ricochet, and they traded forearm strikes. Soma nailed a Poison Rana, so Ricochet hit a Poison Rana. Soma hit a dropkick for a nearfall, then a top-rope 450 Splash for a nearfall at 12:30. CIMA hit a Lungblower on Vikingo’s back. CIMA hit an Iconoclasm on Soma, and Ricochet immediately hit a running Shooting Star Press on Soma for a believable nearfall. Ricochet nailed a spin kick to Soma’s head, then a Lethal Injection. Ricochet then hit a top-rope 630 Splash to pin Soma. That was every bit as good as I expected; if nothing else, tune in for this match.
Ricochet and CIMA defeated El Hijo Del Vikingo and Soma Watanabe at 14:17.
11. Hayato Tamura vs. Parker Boudreaux for the G-REX Title. Parker wore a blue singlet and a medal around his neck. He really is covered in tattoos. Hayato wore a wolf mask and a white furry jacket; he carried the title belt in his hand and he also has maybe six medals around his neck. They charged at each other at the bell, and Parker hit some blows that showed his size and strength advantage. Parker hit a shoulder tackle that sento Tamura to the floor at 1:00. In the ring, Tamura hit a DDT. Parker hit a Blue Thunder Bomb, and he tossed Tamura across the ring. He hit a suplex at 3:00 and was in complete control.
Tamura hit a suplex and a clothesline into the corner, then a second-rope flying shoulder tackle at 5:30. He applied a crossface on the mat and grounded Parker. They got up and traded forearm strikes, then they hit stereo clotheslines. Parker hit a bodyslam at 8:30. Tamura hit a second-rope superplex. They hit stereo clotheslines and were both down. Parker hit a swinging back suplex and got a nearfall at 10:30, then a chokeslam for a believable nearfall, and he sold being shocked he didn’t win there. Tamura hit a roaring forearm, then a clubbing clothesline and a back suplex for a nearfall. Tamura ran the ropes to pick up speed and hit one more hard clothesline for the pin. Good match and a really good showing from Parker.
Hayato Tamura defeated Parker Beaudreaux to retain the G-REX Title at 12:48.
12. Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Masakatsu Funaki for the LIDET UWF Title. Nakajima has short blond hair, and he got flames shooting up from the stage during his intro. Funaki is clearly much older; a quick Google search says he’s 55, compared to Nakajima, who is 36. The bell rang and in the corner are the numbers “55,” one is red and the other is blue. So, we have some type of scoring system? (Commentary really would be nice!) They traded standing strikes. Nakajima tied up Funaki’s legs on the mat. I think the numbers are rope breaks, as the red number dropped to 4.
Funaki hit a series of knee strikes in the corner at 7:30 and the ref checked on Nakajima to make sure he could continue. Nakajima hit a back suplex. He hit a hard open-hand slap that dropped Funaki at 9:30. Each side was down to “2” in their corner. Maybe the number is how many times you fall to the mat? It is still unclear. Nakajima applied a rear-naked choke out of nowhere to win the match. A mat-based match but I had no sense that Funaki was a real challenger for the belt. A bit lackluster way to close the show. Nakajima got on the mic and spoke afterwards, and he shook hands with Funaki.
Katsuhiko Nakajima defeated Masakatsu Funaki to retain the LIDET UWF Title at 10:24.
Final Thoughts: First and foremost, this was a free show, and if nothing else, check out the matches with the guys you know (The Rascalz, Ricochet). This event also marks the first Kota Ibushi and Vikingo matches I’ve seen in months, and the wrestling scene is better for having them back. I liked what I saw of Tamura and a few of the guys in Ibushi’s eight-man tag. Ricochet’s tag was easily match of the night, and I’ll go with The Rascalz match for second. Parker-Tamura was hard-hitting and good enough for third, ahead of Kota’s return match. Of the first seven matches, nothing is must-see but I liked Sam Adonis’ six-man tag the best of them. The three MMA matches did absolutely nothing for me.
I would have loved some English commentary and maybe they can re-release this with audio dubbed in. Both Kevin Kelly and Joe Dombrowski have excellent systems at home where they can do that remotely, and I’m sure there are many other options to do commentary. I will reiterate that lighting and overall production quality was good so this was easy to watch.
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