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Michael Elgin vs. Naomichi Marufuji
The graphic read "Marufugi." UGH.
They had a test of strength early. Elgin missed a charge in the corner. Marufuji nailed several chops and stomped on him. Marufuji, who had his shoulder taped up, was sent to the outside, where Elgin nailed a tope. Elgin sent him back into the ring and nailed a dropkick off then ropes for a two count. Elgin worked him over. Marufuji fired away with chops but Elgin absorbed them.
Elgin sent him into the ropes but Marufuji nailed a dropkick. This sent Elgin to the floor, where Marufuji nailed a flip dive to the floor. The crowd chanted his name. They returned to the ring, where Elgin was measured and drilled with chops. Elgin was hit hard with a big enziguri for a two count.
Elgin grabbed a full nelson and tried to set up for a Dragon suplex but Marufuji nailed a forward roll for a two count. They battled back and forth. Elgin ate a superkick. Marufuji took a back suplex. Elgin powered him up into a backbreaker across the knee. Elgin nailed a Falcon’s Arrow for a two count.
They battled to the apron. They chopped each other. Elgin muscled him up but Marufuji saved himself and tried to nail a sunset flip powerbomb to the floor. Elgin held on and tried to drop down on him, but the Japanese star evaded him and Elgin landed hard on the apron.
Marufuji came off the top and stomped him hard for a two count. Elgin held on and couldn’t be lifted for a Tiger Driver. Marufuji drilled him with a kick to the head but was caught and hit with a Dragon suplex. The crowd rallied both men as Elgin called for a lariat. Elgin’s attempts were blocked so Elgin nailed a big rolling elbow. They battled back and forth until Elgin smashed him.
Elgin called for the lariat again and nailed it. Elgin nailed Splash Mountain but Marufuji kicked up at the last second. Elgin was shocked. The crowd chanted, “Fight Forever.” Marufuji came back with several big kicks and knees to the face. Elgin went down and was covered for a close two count, but got his shoulder up.
Marufuji again attempted the Tiger Driver but Elgin fought out and they beat the living hell out of each other with chops. You could see the scars and welts on each of them. Marufuji hit several stiff kicks including one to the side of the head before Elgin snatched and powerbombed him. The crowd gave them a huge reaction.
Elgin pulled up Marufuji and scored a lariat but again, Marufuji kicked out. Elgin sent him into the corner and nailed another powerbomb but again, Marufuji got his shoulder up at the last second. Elgin’s facials here were great as he got more and more angered.
Elgin placed him on the top and maneuvered him into a Torture Rack position before hitting a Burning Hammer and scoring the pin.
Your winner, Michael Elgin!
An excellent, brutal match that would existed perfectly in the best All Japan Pro Wrestling era. They brutalized the hell out of each other. This was the best Elgin match of his Impact run to date.
They showed Ken Shamrock warming up for his match later on with Moose.
X-Division Champion Jake Crist vs. Tessa Blanchard vs. Daga vs. Acey Romero vs. Ace Austin in a Ladder Match.
Tessa was the crowd favorite early. Everyone battled. Tessa hit a dive to the outside on Crist. Daga peppered Austin with a series of kicks. Austin came back with a space flying tiger drop to the outside on Blanchard and Crist.
In the ring, Romero and Daga battled. Austin returned to the fray and Daga used his back as a springboard to take out Crist on the floor. Daga searched around the ringside area and pulled a ladder out from under the ring. He and Tessa battled over the ladder. Romero charged for a dive at them so they hit him with the ladder in mid-air. The crowd live loved that spot.
Everyone else battled in the ring. Austin was trapped behind a ladder in the corner. Daga and Blanchard faced off but Romero returned and charged. Daga ducked and Blanchard was knocked down. Daga charged but was hit by Romero with a big shoulderblock that sent him flying. Romero to the floor and brought another, bigger ladder, into the ring.
Romero set it up in the ring but Crist returned to the ring and nailed him with a chair. Romero went after him but was drilled. Crist tried to ascend the ladder but Ace Austin caught him with a back suplex off the ladder down to the ring. Austin attempted to scale the ladder but Daga brought him back and nailed several kicks.
Daga went for a powerbomb but Austin nailed a rana that sent Daga to the floor. Blanchard went for the ladder but Austin grabbed her. He went to the ropes but had his legs kicked out from under him and hit a springboard dropkick off the turnbuckles, sending Austin crashing to the floor.
Blanchard began climbing but Romero snatched her into a Samoan Drop. Ouch! Romero used a ladder to smash it into Austin on the floor but Daga came off the ropes with a legdrop, snapping the ladder up into Romero’s face. A ladder was bridged from the barrier to the ring apron.
Daga brought a table out from under the ring and set it up. Crist nailed a sliding dropkick to Daga, then placed him on the table outside. Blanchard, Austin and Crist battled in the corner, standing on a ladder that was placed over the middle rope. Daga and Romero got involved, building to a huge Tower of Doom spot out of the coner. Austin grabbed the ropes to save himself from the onslaught.
Ace Austin tried to go for a rana, leaping off the ropes but was caught by Romero and powerbombed into the ladder. Romero placed two ladders in the center of the ring and began climbing them both at the same time, with the idea that the 500-pounder needed both to make it to the belt. Crist caught him with an Ace Crusher off the ladders.
Blanchard and Daga climbed the opposite sides of the ladder, trying to make it to the top. They battled but Austin shoved their ladder over, sending them flying. Austin set up a ladder in the corner but Daga nailed him with a DVDR in the ring. Daga charged at Crist and nailed a Canadian Destroyer off the apron through the bridged ladder. The crowd popped huge for that.
Ace Austin hit a big dive to the floor on Daga. Romero recovered and set up a ladder in the center of the ring. He made it to the top but Tessa fought to shove it over and Romero took a bump off the ladder through the table set up at ringside on the floor. That was insane.
Tessa, all alone, set up the ladder. She saw Dave Crist coming and wiped him out with a dive. She began climbing the ladder but out came Madman Sawyer Fulton. He trashed her and pulled out a table from underneath. He set it up in the ring. Tessa came off the top and hit a rana, sending him facefirst into the ladder.
Blanchard went to top of the ladder but was met by Jake Crist. She nailed him and Crist crashed down through a table. It appeared Tessa was going to win but Ace Austin made it to the top and smashed her in the face with what was said to have been a baton. She crashed to the mat. Ace grabbed the belt and wins.
Your winner and new X-Division Champion, Ace Austin!
A damn entertaining ladder match.
Coverage continues on Page 3!
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