AJPW Champion Carnival Finals

Toshiaki Kawada is the 2005 Champion Carnival winner! Kawada went through a grueling battle against Satoshi Kojima in the semi-finals before taking it all in short order against Keiji Mutoh in the finals! In the first semi-final, Satoshi Kojima put on an incredible performance as he battled Kawada head on. Kawada rocked Kojima early on with a series of stiff kicks and an early brainbuster DDT for a near fall. Kojima survived a series of dangerous backdrops and a gamengiri and retaliated with several lariats and a brainbuster of his own. Kojima locked on the Koji-Max Hold, but Kawada managed to reach the ropes. Kojima would then hit big lariat for a near fall, and try for a backdrop, but Kawada would counter the backdrop with a jumping kick. Kawada locked on the stretch plum, but Kojima would fight his way to the ropes to break the hold. Kawada finished off Kojima with another brainbuster DDT followed by a dangerous backdrop for the hard fought win. The second semi-final saw Taiyo Kea put on a strong showing and almost beating his former mentor, Keiji Mutoh. Kea started off strong with kicks and brawling tactics, taking the fight out to the floor. Mutoh fought back and hit a quick Shining Wizard for a near fall. Mutoh when then go to work on Kea's legs, attacking with low-dropkicks and locking on a figure-four leglock. Kea managed to fight back and lock on a figure-four of his own before hitting the Hawaiian Smasher for a near fall. Kea then hit a big running knee lift for another near fall. Mutoh rallied back attacking Kea's legs again and hit the moonsault press, but to the shock of everyone, Kea kicked out at 2.9! Mutoh would finished off his ex-protege with a Shining Wizard, but Mutoh was clearly exhausted after the match. Both Kawada & Mutoh were tired going into their finals match, but Kawada exploded on Mutoh from the opening bell and blasted away with kicks followed by a dangerous backdrop for a quick near fall! Kawada would lay in some more kicks followed by a brainbuster DDT and get another near fall! Mutoh escaped another attempt at a dangerous backdrop and attacked Kawada's legs with a low dropkick, followed by a Shining Wizard, but Kawada blocked the Wizard and took down Mutoh with a big gamengiri! Kawada quickly seized the moment and picked up Mutoh and slammed him down hard with a powerbomb for the win! AJPW Champion Carnival - 4/22/05 Yoyogi National Stadium Gymnasium #2 Arashi & Toshizo beat Masanobu Fuchi & Kohei Suwama in 19:37 when Toshizo used a cross-armbreaker on Fuchi. 95% Kaz Hayashi & Taichi Ishikari VS Shuji Kondo & “brother” YASSHI went to a 20:00 Draw. 78% AJPW Jr. Title: Katsuhiko Nakajima beat TAKA Michinoku in 16:50 with a jumping spin kick. 92% Champion Carnival '05 - Semi Final: Toshiaki Kawada beat Satoshi Kojima in 20:20 with a Dangerous Backdrop. 83% Champion Carnival '05 - Semi Final: Keiji Mutoh beat Taiyo Kea in 17:13 with the Shining Wizard. 87% Giant Bernard & TARU beat Jamal & Buchanan in 13:04 when Bernard pinned Buchanan with a big splash. 51% All Asia Tag Titles: Nobutaka Araya & Shigeo Okamura beat Hideki Hosaka & Tomoaki Honma in 28:01 when Araya pinned Hosaka with a brainbuster DDT. 100%!!! Champion Carnival '05 - Final: Toshiaki Kawada beat Keiji Mutoh in 6:34 with a high-angle powerbomb-pin. 70%