[2022-07-07-DDT-FREE] Kazusada Higuchi & Naomi Yoshimura vs Toi Kojima & Yuki Ueno

[corwo]

This was Kojima's first match with a cheering crowd, having debuted post-COVID-19. All four competitors play with that dynamic, playing to the crowd. Higuchi and Yoshimura are a force to be reckoned with, steamrolling Kojima and cutting off the ring early on. Kojima tries to topple Higuchi, but he's no match for the former sumo and repeatedly gets shoulder-tackled into the ropes. Kojima gives as good as he gets, thrashing Yoshimura with chops and making good use of his limited offensive repertoire.

Ueno gets the hot tag and briefly faces off with his former Nautilus partner, Yoshimura. Their sequences are compact and hard-hitting, continuing from where they left off in King of DDT. The counters are also logical, seeing as they have history together and have each other scouted. Yoshimura and Ueno even got the crowd to pop for a body slam!

Once they get going, The 37KAMIINA's gameplan is as clear as day: isolate and double-team Higuchi. Higuchi continuously knocks Kojima off the top rope, but Kojima is unrelenting in his desire to make a statement. Ueno attempts a springboard hurricanrana while Higuchi's seated on the top rope, but he nearly counters it with a Brain Claw. Luckily, Kojima makes the save just in time with an Enziguri, and The 37KAMIINA follows up with a superplex.

Kojima threw everything he had at Higuchi, including his rarely-seen submission. He scratched and clawed, fighting his way out of Higuchi's chops, but Kojima would eventually succumb to the Brain Claw Slam. Post-match, HARASHIMA and Yukio Sakaguchi gave Yoshimura and Higuchi blessings to leave their units and form a tag team. Thus, Harimao was born. In terms of elevating Kojima in defeat the match was a rousing success. Huge thumbs up for this one.

***3/4