{"id":110471,"date":"2022-02-22T18:00:33","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T23:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=110471"},"modified":"2022-02-22T17:00:31","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T22:00:31","slug":"ajpw-excite-series-2022-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2022\/02\/22\/ajpw-excite-series-2022-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Preview: All Japan Pro Wrestling \u2013  EXCITE SERIES 2022 (2\/23\/22)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>All Japan Pro Wrestling&#8217;s<\/strong> 2022 started off very awkwardly with no Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. This month, the company delivers its next notable show of 2022 yet with the <strong><em>AJPW EXCITE SERIES 2022<\/em><\/strong> event on February 23. While not the last event of this tour, it will be the most crucial, featuring four championship matches<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>AJPW EXCITE SERIES 2022 (2\/23\/22) &#8211; FULL CARD<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ryuki Honda vs. Ryo Inoue<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dan Tamura and Ryuji Hijikata vs. Takuho Kato and Kazumasa Yoshida<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shuji Ishikawa, Tako Omori and Black Menso-re vs.\u00a0 Yuma Aoyagi, Atsuki Aoyagi and Rising HAYATO<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yoshitatsu, Izanagi and Devil Murasaki vs. Takayuki Ueki, KAZMA SAKAMOTO and Seigo Tachibana<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GAORA TV Championship: Shigehiro Irie vs. Isami Kodaka<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">World Junior Heavyweight Championship: SUGI vs. Hikaru Sato\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">World Tag Team Championship: Shotaro Ashino and Suwama vs. Koji Doi and Kuma Arashi<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship: Kento Miyahara vs. Abdullah Kobayashi<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/i.imgur.com\/pJdwpxk.jpg\" alt=\"Shigehiro Irie Isami Kodaka AJPW EXCITE SERIES 2022\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>GAORA TV CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Shigehiro Irie<\/strong> has been the GAORA TV Champion since late October last year. He has had one championship defense and now battles an outsider of AJPW, <strong>Isami Kodaka<\/strong>. For fans that are unfamiliar with Kodaka, he is primarily recognized for his work in the deathmatch scene, notably in the promotions <strong>Big Japan Pro Wrestling<\/strong> and <strong>BASARA<\/strong>. He appeared for AJPW on occasion, even becoming a 2x All Asia Tag Team Champion. Irie and Kodaka confronted each other in <strong>DDT Pro-Wrestling<\/strong> in 2012, with Kodaka defeating Irie.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, Isami Kodoka revived his tag team with <strong>Takao Omori<\/strong>, the team holding a victory over Irie and <strong>Shuji Ishikawa<\/strong>. With this marking Irie&#8217;s second title defense, it doesn&#8217;t seem likely an outsider of their company could win this championship. This isn&#8217;t totally out of the question, though, heading into this <em>EXCITE SERIES 2022<\/em> event. Kodaka is a dedicated worker and makes everything count. This could also bring back the deathmatch focus that the championship had last year. Our prediction for this match is <\/span>Shigehiro Irie retaining.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i.imgur.com\/589vf9e.jpg\" alt=\"SUGI Hikaru Sato AJPW EXCITE SERIES 2022\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>WORLD JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>SUGI<\/strong> has been <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2022\/01\/04\/sugi-junior-heavyweight-championship\/\" target=\"_self\">the World Junior Heavyweight Champion<\/a> since early January, defeating\u00a0<strong>Super Crazy<\/strong> to capture the championship. Since gaining it, SUGI has had two title defenses. His upcoming match is against a notable opponent known as <strong>Hikaru Sato<\/strong>,\u00a0one of the veterans of All Japan Pro Wrestling. A ground-based wrestler, he was always a rival and teammate of the late <strong>Atsushi Aoki<\/strong>. Sato is also a former 2x World Junior Heavyweight Champion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the erratic nature of AJPW&#8217;s junior heavyweight division started, Sato has felt like an afterthought, being relatively absent in the scene. In fact, he&#8217;s been notably known for his work with <strong>Suwama<\/strong> in the <strong>Evolution<\/strong> faction. This match marks the 3rd title defense for SUGI, which could be considered major; last year, he lost the championship on his 3rd title defense against <strong>Izanagi<\/strong>. This should be an intensely interesting mesh of styles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SUGI is known for his high-flying offense. Meanwhile, Hikaru Sato boasts technical ability. Our prediction for this match is a new champion being crowned in Sato.\u00a0 He hasn&#8217;t captured the championship since 2017, so it would definitely be a surprise. This would also bring a potential 3 championships in Evolution\u00a0if the World Tag Team Champions retain as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" class=\"size-full wp-image-110395 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/02\/runaway-suplex-total-eclipse-ajpw.jpg\" alt=\"Runaway Suplex Total Eclipse AJPW\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/02\/runaway-suplex-total-eclipse-ajpw.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/02\/runaway-suplex-total-eclipse-ajpw-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the semi-main event, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2022\/02\/21\/runaway-suplex-total-eclipse-ajpw-excite-series\/\" target=\"_self\">the World Tag Team Championship match between <strong>Runaway Suplex<\/strong> and <strong>Total Eclipse<\/strong><\/a> will take place. Runaway Suplex captured the World Tag Team Championship late last year and has had two championship defenses. At this <em>EXCITE SERIES 2022<\/em> event, they face a team they faced in the past, most notably in the <strong><em>Real World Tag League<\/em><\/strong>: the team of <strong>Kuma Arashi<\/strong> and <strong>Koji Doi<\/strong>. These two teams faced off in the tag league&#8217;s semi-finals last year, with Arashi and Kuma defeating the champions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After Suwama and <strong>Shotaro Ashino<\/strong> defeated <strong>Kento Miyahara<\/strong> and <strong>Yuma Aoyagi<\/strong>, they were challenged by Arashi and Doi. Both teams have been fighting for a match that is a long time coming. Ashino has been incredibly unlucky in the advances of Total Eclipse;\u00a0the same could be believed for Suwama. Ashino still copes with the effect of these two being his brothers for many years as part of <strong>Enfants Terribles<\/strong>. This, however, brings more intrigue to the match. It could start a new slate for Evolution or continue the stranglehold that Total Eclipse has had on AJPW, particularly in the tag team and trios divisions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Total Eclipse has already held the AJPW TV Six-Man Tag Team Championship, with their current All Asia Tag Team Champions being part of the faction as well. This is, in a way, the most crucial match for the defending champions. Our prediction for this match is the crowning of new champions in Arashi and Doi. They seem like one of the more logical teams to defeat the champions. Simultaneously, it gives Shotaro Ashino and Suwama a potential focus going in the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship scene if <strong>Jake Lee<\/strong> isn&#8217;t the following challenger. This is, of course, provided Kento Miyahara retains in the main event.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" class=\"size-full wp-image-110402 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/02\/ajpw-excite-series-2022-matches.jpg\" alt=\"Kento Miyahara Abdullah Kobayashi\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/02\/ajpw-excite-series-2022-matches.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/02\/ajpw-excite-series-2022-matches-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>TRIPLE CROWN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the main event, we have <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2022\/02\/22\/kento-miyahara-abdullah-kobayashi\/\" target=\"_self\">the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship match between Kento Miyahara and <strong>Abdullah Kobayashi<\/strong><\/a>. Kento Miyahara and Abdullah Kobayashi have been feuding since late 2020. This feud sparked from a major upset when Miyahara was pinned by Kobayashi as part of the <em>Real World Tag League<\/em> in 2020. Back then, it was a catalyst into Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi&#8217;s first World Tag Team Championship defense. This year, on the other hand, is an unsettled title match.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Abdullah Kobayashi was the scheduled challenger of Jake Lee, the then-Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Due to injury, however, Lee would vacate his championship. The title was later won by Miyahara at the end of the <strong><em>New Year Wars<\/em><\/strong> tour. They have had one match to hype this <em>EXCITE SERIES 2022<\/em> encounter, with Kobayashi gaining a tag team victory. The chemistry of these two is unpredictable, mainly because Miyahara doesn&#8217;t have a victory over Kobayashi except in tag team form. The last singles match between these two ended in a no-contest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This match undoubtedly gives the storyline between AJPW and BJPW more intrigue as well. Kobayashi is a former 5-time BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Champion and Kento Miyahara is the ace of AJPW. When it comes to predicting this match, we see Kento Miyahara retaining the championship. The most burning question for this match is, who is the potential next challenger if Miyahara retains the championship?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Will Kento Miyahara retain his championship, or will Abdullah Kobayashi cause one of the biggest upsets in AJPW? Find out the answer to that question at <em>EXCITE SERIES<\/em> on February 23.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay tuned to the <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_self\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. Make sure to watch <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajpw.tv\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All Japan Pro Wrestling<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on AJPW.TV.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All Japan Pro Wrestling&#8217;s 2022 started off very awkwardly with no Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. This month, the company delivers its next notable show of 2022 yet with the AJPW EXCITE SERIES 2022 event on February 23. While not the last event of this tour, it will be the most crucial, featuring four championship matches [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3258,"featured_media":110484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23,6975,13,2192],"tags":[7515,7096,6281,2389,8220,6841,4282,6172,7891,2392],"class_list":["post-110471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ajpw","category-international-wrestling","category-international","category-wrestling","tag-abdullah-kobayashi","tag-hikaru-sato","tag-isami-kodaka","tag-kento-miyahara","tag-koji-doi","tag-kuma-arashi","tag-shigehiro-irie","tag-shotaro-ashino","tag-sugi","tag-suwama"],"modified_by":"Robbie Sutter","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3258"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110471"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110471\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}