On Sept 26th, 2015, All Japan Pro Wrestling had their 9th & Final Night of the 2015 Royal Road Tournament as AJPW Royal Road 2015 Night 9 took place. We had the Semi-Finals & Finals on this show & so much more.
AJPW Royal Road 2015 Night 9
Tag Team Match
Masanobu Fuchi & Yohei Nakajima vs. Naoya Nomura & Yuma Aoyagi
Yohei Nakajima & Yuma Aoyagi kick things off and trade wristlocks, Aoyagi clubs Nakajima in the chest but Nakajima strikes him back. Shoulder block by Nakajima but Aoyagi replies with a hip toss as neither can get a clear advantage.
Nakajima tags in Fuchi, Irish whip by Aoyagi and he dropkicks Masanobu Fuchi a couple times. Aoyagi tags in Nomura, and they take turns drop-kicking Fuchi until he falls out of the ring.
Nakajima comes in but he eats a double dropkick, as the young wrestlers are left alone in the ring. Fuchi returns but Nomura dropkicks him, Nakajima comes in and he trades elbows with Nomura. Jumping elbow by Nomura but Nakajima blocks the suplex and hits a back kick. northern lights suplex by Nomura, but it gets two. Nomura goes off the ropes but Nakajima levels him with an enzuigiri. Aoyagi is tagged in, corner backflip by Aoyagi and hits a dropkick for a two count.
Aoyagi goes for a fisherman suplex but Nakajima blocks it and hits a vertical suplex. Sliding Kick by Nakajima and he makes the tag to Fuchi. Fuchi hits a delayed bodyslam on Aoyagi but Aoyagi dropkicks him back. Aoyagi goes up top and he hits a missile dropkick, but Fuchi still doesn’t go down.
Either because he is a veteran or it hurts him to bump. Nakajima runs in but so does Nomura, Nakajima tries to fight them both off, but Fuchi walks over and hits a backdrop suplex on Aoyagi. Release German by Nakajima to Aoyagi, Fuchi covers Aoyagi but Nomura breaks it up. Another German by Nakajima, inside cradle by Fuchi to Aoyagi for the win.
Winners: Masanobu Fuchi & Yohei Nakajima (7:05)
AJPW Royal Road 2015 Night 9
Semi-Final Match Of The 2015 Royal Road Tournament
Akebono vs. Shuji Ishikawa
Shuji Ishikawa starts the match thinking it would be a fun idea to try to knock over Akebono. Body avalanche by Akebono but Ishikawa hits a lariat. Akebono knocks Ishikawa to the mat and hits an elbow drop, leading to Ishikawa rolling out of the ring to re group.
Akebono goes out after him and punches Ishikawa but Ishikawa throws Akebono into the railing. Ishikawa returns to the ring with Akebono very slowly following, lariat by Ishikawa in the corner and he hits a backdrop suplex. Running knee by Ishikawa but Akebono kicks out of the cover. Ishikawa goes off the ropes but Akebono hits a swinging side slam, Ishikawa is up first and he elbows Akebono in the side of the head.
Ishikawa goes for a piledriver but just kind of drops Akebono, and he covers him anyway for two. Elbows by Ishikawa but Akebono slaps him and hits a weak lariat. Elbow dropped by Akebono but it gets a two count. Akebono barely hits a piledriver, he covers Ishikawa but it gets two. Back up they trade strikes, Akebono wins the exchange followed by the Yokozuna Final Impact to score the victory.
Winner: Akebono (6:42)
AJPW Royal Road 2015 Night 9
Semi-Final Match Of The 2015 Royal Road Tournament
Jun Akiyama vs. Yuji Hino
The match starts off with Jun Akiyama & Yuji Hino pushing each other and trading chops until Akiyama gets tired of the game and lariats Hino to the mat. Akiyama throws Hino out of the ring but Hino throws Akiyama into the railing before hitting a running chop.
They trade blows out on the floor with Hino getting the better of it, they return to the ring and Hino applies a reverse chinlock. Hino clubs Akiyama in the chest and hits the SOS for a two count.
Irish whip by Hino and he hits a chop followed by a big senton for another two. Hino dares Akiyama to hit him so Akiyama hits a few elbows, but Hino chops him back. Akiyama boots Hino back and hits a jumping knee off the 2nd turnbuckle, jumping knee in the corner by Akiyama and he hits the running knee then goes for a cover but it gets a two count.
Grounded neck lock by Akiyama but Hino gets a foot on the ropes to force a break. Akiyama hits a lariat but Hino doesn’t go down and hits a lariat of his own with more success. Hino goes for an exploder but Akiyama blocks it, Hino & Akiyama trade strikes, Akiyama goes off the ropes but Hino catches him with a belly 2 belly suplex. Hino goes for a powerbomb but Akiyama back body drops out of it, Hino goes off the ropes but Akiyama catches him with an exploder.
Back up Hino hits a lariat before he covers Akiyama for two. Hino goes up top and he delivers the diving body press but Akiyama barely gets a shoulder up. Hino picks up Akiyama but Akiyama slides out of the powerbomb attempt and hits a jumping knee. Akiyama knees Hino in the back of the head and hits a release German, running knee by Akiyama but Hino kicks out.
Akiyama hits an exploder but Hino gets back to his feet and hits his own exploder, leaving both wrestlers down on the mat. They both return to their feet at the same time and trade elbows, Hino goes off the ropes but Akiyama hits a jumping knee. Another knee by Akiyama but Hino just won’t stay down and in fact dares Akiyama to do it again.
So he does but Hino gets back to his knees for another one, knees by Akiyama and he covers Hino, but Hino gets a shoulder up. Akiyama picks up Hino and drops him with a wrist-clutch exploder to get the job done.
Winner: Jun Akiyama (12:42) (He will face Akebono in the Finals)
AJPW Royal Road 2015 Night 9
8 Man Tag Team Match
Big Gunns & Voodoo Murders vs. Xceed, Takao Omori & Yutaka Yoshie
Takao Omori & Zeus are the first two legal men and Omori shoulder blocks Zeus to the mat. Go Shiozaki & Suwama are tagged in and they trade strikes until a wild brawl breaks out between all the wrestlers. Kenso hits a pescado before action slows back down with Zeus & Go Shiozaki end up in the ring as the legal men.
Zeus chops Shiozaki in the corner but Shiozaki fires back, Irish whip by Zeus and he hits a jumping shoulderblock. Lariat by Zeus in the corner, he gets on the top turnbuckle but Shiozaki dropkicks him as he jumps off. Shiozaki tags in Omori, Omori boots Zeus and follows that with a heel kick. Zeus elbows Omori into the corner but Omori avoids his charge and hits a backdrop suplex. Omori goes off the ropes but Zeus catches him with a spinebuster.
Zeus tags in Suwama not by choice, and Suwama lariats Omori in the corner. Belly 2 belly suplex by Suwama and he gets a two count. Omori & Suwama trade blows, lariat by Omori but Suwama fires back with a discus lariat. Suwama goes for a powerbomb but Omori reverses it into an Axe Guillotine Driver. Omori tags in Kento Miyahara while The Bodyguard is also tagged in, and Bodyguard trades elbows with Miyahara. Dropkick to the knee by Miyahara and he hits another dropkick, jumping elbow by Miyahara and he hits a northern lights suplex for two.
Bodyguard with a Shoulder Block and he lariats Miyahara in the corner before hitting a flapjack for a two count. Elbow drop by Bodyguard but that gets a two count as well, they return to their feet but Miyahara manages to tag in Yoshie. Yoshie & Bodyguard trade lariats, running butt smash by Yoshie and he hits a rolling senton. Bodyguard & Yoshie trade chops back up until Bodyguard hits a powerslam, giving him time to tag in Kenso.
Kenso slaps Yoshie in the corner; big boot by Kenso but Yoshie hits a shoulder block. Yoshie tags in Go Shiozaki & he chops Kenso in the corner and he hits a vertical suplex for a two-count. Shiozaki & Kenso trade chops, but after a miscommunication, Kenso throws Bodyguard out of the ring and then slaps Suwama.
Kenso chokes Shiozaki with his boa belt but Shiozaki fires back with a lariat, then everyone takes turns attacking Kenso. Another lariat by Shiozaki but Kenso barely gets a shoulder up on the cover before Shiozaki connects with Go Flash to get the win for his team.
Winners: Xceed, Takao Omori & Yutaka Yoshie (15:16)
AJPW Royal Road 2015 Night 9
6 Man Tag Team Match
Evolution & Takeshi Minamino vs. Kotaro Suzuki, Ultimo Dragon & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
The match starts off with a brawl with Atsushi Aoki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru staying in the ring as legal, and they trade holds then elbows. Back elbow by Aoki but Kanemaru tags in Ultimo Dragon, Aoki pushes Dragon into the corner and tags in Hikaru Sato. Dragon flips around Sato and hits an armdrag but Sato applies a leg hold. Takeshi Minamino & Kotaro Suzuki are tagged in next, Minamino levels Suzuki and chokes him with his wrist tape.
Minamino tags in Aoki as they work over Suzuki, but Suzuki gets the better of Sato and tags in Kanemaru. Kanemaru kicks Sato and then clears the apron, going after Aoki on the floor and hitting a DDT. He gets back in and elbows Sato but Sato kicks him back. Sato is attacked in the corner, Dragon comes in and he takes Sato to the mat. Kanemaru is tagged in next as the Suzuki team takes turns on Sato, but Sato suplexes Dragon and he tags in Aoki.
Aoki throws Dragon in the corner and he hits an elbow smash, Kanemaru & Aoki end up on the floor again and this time Aoki suplexes Kanemaru. Aoki returns to Dragon, he slams Dragon to the mat and covers him for two. Dragon fights back and dropkicks Aoki, Irish whip by Dragon and he hits a back body drop. Aoki clubs Dragon back but Dragon hits a spinning headscissors and tags in Kanemaru.
Kanemaru lariats Aoki in the corner and dropkicks him in the knee, Kanemaru goes up top and he hits a diving body press for two. Flapjack by Kanemaru but Aoki gets away from the brainbuster and hits a dropkick. Aoki tags in Sato, Sato kicks Kanemaru into the corner and slams Kanemaru to the mat for a two count. Kanemaru & Sato trade elbows, Kanemaru gets on the second turnbuckle and delivers the Deep Impact for two.
Sato gets away from Kanemaru and applies a cross arm breaker, but Kanemaru gets into the ropes. Sato goes off the ropes but Kanemaru boots him and hits a lariat. Sato tags in Minamino & Minamino throws Sato into the referee so Suzuki can be double-teamed. Double handspring elbow by Suzuki, and he hits a jumping elbow on Minamino in the corner followed by a jumping knee smash for a two count.
Rebound elbow by Suzuki, and Minamino is hit with a double tiger feint kick. Headscissors by Dragon, cover by Suzuki but Aoki breaks it up. Suzuki picks up Minamino, Minamino wiggles away and Aoki hits Suzuki with a missile dropkick.
Dragon comes in and hits an enzuigiri on Sato, jumping knee by Minamino to Suzuki and he gets a two. Suzuki snaps of off a quick victory roll and a crucifix pin, but both get two. Suzuki keeps trying and he eventually gets the Endless Waltz applied to get the victory.
Winners: Kotaro Suzuki, Ultimo Dragon & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (14:03)
AJPW Royal Road 2015 Night 9
Finals Of The 2015 Royal Road Tournament
Akebono vs. Jun Akiyama
The match begins with Jun Akiyama trying to knock over Akebono, but it doesn’t work and Akebono shoulder blocks him to the mat. Akebono stands on Akiyama’s chest and gets him in the corner, Akebono charges Akiyama but Akiyama kicks him back. Akiyama sits on the top turnbuckle, but Akebono pushes him off the top down to the floor.
Akebono goes out after him and he throws Akiyama into the railing before hitting a modified chokeslam. Back in the ring, body avalanche by Akebono in the corner and he hits an elbow drop for two count. Akebono goes for a piledriver but Akiyama blocks it and they trade slaps to the chest.
Akiyama applies a front neck lock as we see that Akebono is bleeding from the side of the head running knee by Akiyama and he gets a two-count cover. Akiyama goes for an exploder but Akebono blocks it and lands on top of him. Body press by Akebono, but Akiyama kicks out at two.
Akebono picks up Akiyama and hits his version of a chokeslam; an elbow drop by Akebono but again Akiyama gets a shoulder up. Akebono goes for a piledriver, but Akiyama’s back body drops out of it and hits a series of knees.
Exploder by Akiyama, and he hits a running knee to Akebono’s shoulder. Another running knee by Akiyama, he hits a series of short-range knees, and he hits one final running knee putting Akebono down.
Winner Of The 2015 Royal Road Tournament: Jun Akiyama (8:46)
******
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