[2017-06-06-WRESTLE-1] Shotara Ashino vs Koji Doi

[soup23]

I am really becoming fond of Ashino. He has a classical look with black trunks with Metallica font and works his matches around a basic but believable way of suplexes and constantly going for his ankle lock finisher. He also works really well in a META sense of the current client of Wrestle-1 of old vs new as he is a man on an island feuding with both contingencies. This is probably my favorite match of his run yet slightly edging out the Soya May defense. It is worked as the neck of Ashino being worked over and him of course going after Doi's leg. Doi is someone that the promotion clearly has plans for with the NEWERA faction and he does a strong job working the neck here with a ton of variations on suplexes and neckbreakers and going back to a rings of Saturn with a cravate clutch. Doi is less successful getting over the excellent ankle and leg work Ashino is doing as his selling is fairly inconsistent. Eventually, Ashino is able to throw off a flurry of suplexes and lock in the ankle lock again to gain the submission victory. After the match, the entire roster seems to come out and claim a stake at wanting a piece of Ashino. He is probably having the most underrated title reign in wrestling currently and this was a great match barring the inconsistent selling of Doi. ***3/4