April 19, 2011 – New York, NY
Akira Tozawa vs. Chuck Taylor
They lock up to start and Tozawa takes Taylor to the mat. Taylor holds his own and pins Tozawa for 1. Tozawa hits a shoulder tackle. He hits a senton. Jimmy Jacobs is on commentary and the way he’s talking about Taylor sounds a lot like the way CM Punk talked about him on ROH and IWA-Mid South commentary six years ago. Tozawa hits another senton for 2. Taylor puts up a boot to block a charge. He hits an armdrag into a pin for 2. He hits a dropkick.. He puts on the Mark Nulty Special. Tozawa gets to the ropes. Taylor misses a moonsault press but hits a powerslam for 2. He avoids the bicycle kick. Tozawa dropkicks the leg and boots the face. He hits a suicide dive. Taylor hits a plancha. Tozawa hits a second suicide dive. He hits a back suplex for 2. He misses the Apron Kara Tozawa. Taylor hits a slam and a chest kick for 2. He hits the Sole Food. Tozawa hits a hurricanrana and a running knee. They trade elbows, Tozawa’s much stiffer than Taylor’s. They trade big boots. Taylor hits a Yakuza kick. Tozawa hits the bicycle kick and the German suplex for 2. He hits a bicycle kick to the back and another German suplex. Taylor hits a superkick. He hits the Awful Waffle for the win at 10:50. I really disliked that finish because Taylor didn’t sell Tozawa’s sick flurry down the stretch at all and just popped up to hit a pair of moves to win. That aside the match was a lot of fun and got the small New York crowd crazy fired up. Tozawa barely has to do anything to get indy crowds to love him at this point and Taylor is more than competent in the ring.
Rating: ***
