OZ Academy Next Challenger League begins

OZ Academy began their Next Challenger League on the Sept. 10 Shinjuku FACE show. This is one of those long drawn out tournaments with a points system that will ultimately lead to a title shot against OZ Academy Champion Carlos Amano. The matches have some very silly rules that clearly work to the advantage of the Ozaki Army. The show began with an Ozaki Army talk show that I understand was added at the last minute by Ozaki. In the ring is Mayumi Ozaki, KAORU, Takako Inoue, Hiren & Mika Nishio. KAORU & Ozaki joke about Dynamite Kansai's "retirement". Ozaki said it went off exactly as planned. Kansai leaving is a satisfactory result. Again, Nishio threatens to return to wrestling. She's been doing that for months to draw heat. I don't think she can return and Ozaki won't allow it anyway. They all joke about having to face Ozaki as part of this league. Finally we get to the real reason for this talk show. Ozaki puts up what amounts to a two million yen bounty on Carlos Amano. Each finalist get half a million. The winner gets a million and if she wins the title from Amano, she gets another million. The formula changes if Ozaki herself wins but it's a good kayfabe carrot.

The opener in this league has Mayumi Ozaki vs Hiroyo Matsumoto. All matches have a ten minute time limit. Outside interference and weapons are allowed but going over the top rope isn't. Matsumoto tries to launch a surprise attack but Ozaki is ready for it and tosses her to the floor where Mika Nishio & Police attack her with a chain and Police drags her around the arena by her throat. Ozaki just stands in the ring. Police returns Matsumoto to the ring and Ozaki nails her with a steel chair followed by a chain attack. Matsumoto gets loose and gets Ozaki in the Argentinian backbreaker but Police & Nishio grab her from the outside while AKINO & Ran YuYu try to stop them. Matsumoto hits two back elbows for two followed by a backdrop for two. Matsumoto hits a missile dropkick but is distracted by Police and that gives Ozaki time to wrap the chain around Matsumoto's neck. AKINO grabs the chain and wraps it around Ozaki's neck while Ran holds Nishio & Police at bay. Ozaki excapes but Matsumoto gets her in the Argentinian backbreaker. Police breaks it up but Matsumoto drops Ozaki and kicks him in the balls. Matsumoto hits a missile dropkick and a backdrop for two. Ozaki counters with a backfist for two. Ozaki hits two Ozakicks but AKINO breaks it up and the bell rings just as Ozaki hits another backfist. The match is a draw but Ozaki perceives it as a loss.

Next is Aja Kong vs Tomoka Nakagawa. Nakagawa attacks Aja but of course she no sells. A couple of running dropkicks are successful but Aja traps her in the corner with elbows. Aja soccer ball kicks her in the back, stands on her stomach and applies a camel clutch. Aja applies an arm wringer and then tramples her on the bottom rope. Nakagawa hits a dropkick to Aja's knee to knock her down. She then attempts to lift her in a brainbuster. It ain't happening. Aja hits a brainbuster for two. Nakagawa evades the backfist and hits a dropkick to Aja's face for two. Aja hits the backfist for two. Aja goes to the top rope for the diving elbow but Nakagawa tries to knock her to the floor for the win. Aja hits a diving elbow for two. Nakagawa hits a running knee attack for two then tries another pin for two. Aja hits a lariat and then finishes Nakagawa with a vertical fall brainbuster at 6:26.

Next is AKINO vs Takako Inoue. AKINO tells the ref that the stun gun is dangerous. The ref tells Takako not to pass an electric current through the stun gun. Takako says "This is a lethal weapon OK." The ref says yes it's a lethal weapon but the electric current isn't good. So the stun gun is legal as long as it's turned off. Uh huh. So Takako tries to attack AKINO with the stun gun. But AKINO kicks it out of her hand and the ref is warning her anyway and she drops it. AKINO hits a heel drop but Takako hits a kick and AKINO responds with an elbow. Takako traps AKINO in the corner and Nishio helps and then they trap her in the ropes and pose. Takako applies an STF. AKINO tries to grab Takako's arm but Takako turns this into a double toe hold. She throws AKINO out of the ring, hits her with a chair, throws her into a steel post and smashes her into a table. Back in the ring, Takako hits the Big Boots. But Takako misses a kick to the corner and AKINO counters with a kick followed by a face wash. Takako hits a backdrop but AKINO evades the Destiny's Hammer and hits a backdrop suplex for two. AKINO hits an elbow and a high kick. But Akako responds with a high kick to the side of the head. Takako hits the Destiny's Hammer for two but AKINO counters with a Majistral Cradle for two. They go back and forth with kicks and elbows. Takako grabs the stun gun and shocks AKINO in the belly. Takako splashes her in the corner. AKINO comes back with a dropkick to the face for two. They exchange kicks and the time runs out and the match is a draw. They stare at each other afterwards.

Next is Carlos Amano & Sonoko Kato vs Devil Masami & Hiren. The notable thing is that for the first time, Hiren is wearing a black costume instead of her usual Sendai Girls red outfit. Kato & Hiren lock up. Kato pushes her into the ropes, low kicks her and follows with a soccer ball kick to the back after a flying mare. Kato applies a front facelock and tags Amano. Amano hits a dropkick. Amano applies a camel clutch and Kato kicks Hiren in the chest. Hiren gets to the ropes and tags Devil. Devil applies a fingerlock and then turns Amano around to a surfboard. Amano is trapped in the ropes and they pose and Ozaki hits her several times with a bottle. Devil chokes her and takes her down with a headlock. Amano excapes and applies an Achilles hold but Devil turns it into a pin. She tramples Amano and applies a hanging choke. She throws her down and tags Hiren. Hiren stomps Amano and applies a front facelock and grabs Amano's hair on the ref's blind side. Amano hits a flying lariat and tags Kato. Kato kicks Hiren but Hiren no sells and applies a half crab. This is followed by a dragon sleeper. Kato goes to the floor. Hiren & Devil attack her while Nishio occupies Amano.

Back in the ring, Hiren is choking Amano while Devil nails Kato with a hip drop. Devil hits a vertical fall brainbuster for two. Amano tags in and hits the Carlos Ghosn but Hiren breaks up the pin. Amano tries for a brainbuster but Devil blocks it and hits a brainbuster for two. Devil hits a power bomb and then Amano goes for a jumping armbar. Hiren tags in and stomps Amano. Amano counters with an armbar followed by a sleeper. Hiren reaches the ropes. They exchange blows and Hiren applies the ankle lock. Amano counters with her own ankle lock. Hiren reaches the ropes and counters with a neckbreaker drop followed by a dropkick and a missile dropkick. Devil tags in. Amano misses a flying lariat and Devil covers her for two. Amano hits a lariat and tags Kato. Kato hits a tope but can't lift Devil. Devil grabs her leg and Kato spins a kick to her head. They struggle but then Devil hits a lariat. Kato counters with a reverse suplex followed by several soccer ball kicks. Kato signals the Dragon suplex and then hits a flying guillotine legdrop. Devil counters with a lariat and a Dragon suplex for two. Hiren tags in and kicks Kato and goes for the ankle lock. Kato kicks out and hits a high kick. Hiren goes for a jumping ankle lock but Kato reaches the ropes and then backdrops Hiren. Kato goes to the top but Devil cuts her off and Hiren again goes for the ankle lock. Amano tries to break it up but Hiren holds on. Kato gets to the ropes but Hiren goes for the pin and gets two. Amano tags in and hits a neckbreaker drop. Amano takes her to the top but Devil breaks it up. Hiren kicks Amano but Amano hits a lariat followed by a German suplex for two. She lifts Hiren up on her shoulders and Kato hits a diving lariat. Amano goes for the pin and Hiren gets a small package for two. She tries for a schoolboy but Amano stomps her and wins with a tiger suplex at 25:48.

The league continues with KAORU vs Ran YuYu. The match outside the ring as Jungle Jack 21 attacks KAORU. Mika Nishio hits AKINO with a chair. KAORU evens things up with the desk board. She hits all of them and back in the ring zonks Ran over the head followed by an Excalibur and a moonsault press for two. Ran reverses a whip into the ropes and hits a shoulder block for two. Ran hits a kneelift for two and follows with a kneedrop. KAORU gets hold of the desk board and after hitting Ran, gives her a brainbuster on the desk board. KAORU goes up to the top rope but Ran catches her in diving neck drop followed by a diving kneedrop for two. They exchange blows and KAORU hits a brainbuster for two. Ran avoids the Big Boots and hits a backdrop. They exchange kicks and KAORU hits an Excalibur. AKINO breaks it up. KAORU hits another Excalibur. Nishio holds Aja & Matsumoto back but AKINO breaks it up again. KAORU misses a Valkyrie Splash and Ran hits a Big Boots and a brainbuster. Then both of them go over the top rope to the apron. KAORU kicks Ran and wins when Ran falls to the floor. KAORU wins at 8:19. Ran is outraged but KAORU & Nishio get out of there ASAP. Good way to get heel heat.

The final match is Evil Manami Toyota vs Chikayo Nagashima. Now, in her over twenty years in joshi puroresu, Toyota has never worn anything other than a standard bathing suit...until now. Toyota is wearing a jean jacket and pants and I guess that's appropriate for D-Fix. The match begins with the entire Ozaki Army ganging up on Nagashima. They take her to the floor for a beating. Kato & Amano help Nagashima even things up. Nagashima hits a diving foot stamp to a table on the floor. She eventually returns to the ring and hits a diving foot stamp on Toyota for two. She kicks Toyota but then Toyota intercepts her with a kick and Nagashima falls to the outside. Police & Ozaki trap Nagashima and hit her once but Ozaki mistakenly hits Police. It turns into a big schmozzle. Takako nails Nagashima with a high kick and then places her on a chair and Toyota hits a missile dropkick. Toyota hits a Japanese Ocean cyclone suplex for two and a fisherman buster for two. Nagashima comes back with a head scissors drop followed by a dropkick. Ozaki intrudes and Nagashima hits a German suplex and another on Toyota for two. Kato gives Nagashima a chair and she places it in the corner and hits a dropkick followed by a Frankensteiner on the chair. Police breaks it up and Nagashima hits a Fisherman buster for two. Nagashima gets distracted by Ozaki and Toyota hits a hurricanrana. She get Nagashima up for the Japanese Ocean cyclone suplex. Nagashima wriggles out of it and rolls up Toyota for the win at 9:13. The Ozaki Army not only attack Nagashima but attack the ref. Things do calm down. How's that for an upset?