First night of lucha festival in Kagawa
After three full years off the calendar, the celebration of lucha libre that is Fantasticamania is back on the schedule this year. The six night tour gets underway on February 22, with spectacular action and unique partnerships formed.
Watch Fantasticamania live on NJPW World!
Main event: Relevos Increibles- Mistico & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Atlantis Jr. & Ultimo Guerrero
Relevos Increibles matches see non traditional pairings of wrestlers from different outfits, or different sides of the rudo/ tecnico divide. World Historic Middleweight Champion Mistico’s team with Hiroshi Tanahashi is a pure fan favourite duo however, against a combo of the young super estrella Atlantis Jr. and veteran ‘big boss’ Ultimo Guerrero. Atalantis Jr.’s teaming with Guerrero is evocative of a successful pairing for his father, though the younger Atlantis was less than willing last year to get his hands dirty than his prospective mentor. Still, professional commitments see the famous son team with the sinful senior member of the CMLL roster tonight opposite icons of both CMLL and NJPW.
5th Match: Rey Cometa, El Desperado & Volador Jr. vs SHO, Templario & Hechicero
From an NJPW perspective alone, this match should make fascinating viewing. After dalliances in Pro-Wrestling NOAH, it’s El Desperado’s first NJPW match since capturing the NEVER Openweight 6 man Tag Team Championships and officially forming his Strong Style trio with Ren Narita and Minoru Suzuki. Opposite is SHO, one third of the now former champs, and a member, via HOUSE OF TORTURE of a BULLET CLUB whose leader sits in exile.
SHO’s partners tonight are Templario and Hechicero. Hechicero takes a break from teaming with his Los Infernales stablemates to partner with the unaffiliated rudo Templario, who reunites with recent rival Voladpr Jr. on the other end of the ledger. With Volador, Desperado and the charismatic Rey Cometa, an eclectic fan favourite trio will face three of CMLL and NJPW’s most despicable elements.
4th Match: Kosei Fujita, Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato & Soberano Jr. vs Los Ingobernables De Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito & Titan
24 hours removed from a champion versus champion match and Keiji Muto’s final battle respectively in the Tokyo Dome, Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi join BUSHI and Titan for eight man action. With Soberano Jr. getting set to face Titan over the World Welterweight Championship on February 27 in Korakuen, what comes of this preview?
3rd Match: YOH, Tiger Mask & Dulce Gardenia vs Hijo Del Villano III, OKUMURA & Barbaro Cavernario
Hijo Del Villano III makes his Fantasticamania debut alongside the ever despicable OKUMURA and the ever beloved caveman Barbaro Cavernario. Opposite them is a similarly eclectic bunch, With YOH and Tiger Mask joined by the unique charisma of Dulce Gardenia.
2nd Match: Ryohei Oiwa & Magia Blanca vs Just Two Guys (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI)
Yoshinobu Kanemaru and DOUKI team up in direct tag action for the first time since their thrilling, if failed, challenge to IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Catch 2/2 in Sapporo earlier this month. Opposite will be the debuting Magia Blanca and Young Lion Ryohei Oiwa, both fighting with much to prove against ‘just a couple of guys’.
1st Match: Yuto Nakashima & Captain Suicida vs BULLET CLUB (Gedo & Taiji Ishimori)
Another Fantasticamania debutant in Capitain Suicida will kick off the tour with Yuto Nakashima. Suicida’s spectacular high flying style will see Gedo and Taiji Ishimori look to ground the bright young star. Ishimori’s win over Master Wato in Osaka on February 11 was the bright spot of BULLET CLUB’s darkest night in recent memory; what next for the Bone Soldier, and especially for the Switchblade-less Gedo?
Originally posted at Read More