Veteran outlasts young contender in Thai wrestling’s biggest match
Main event photos: Ae Warinthon
In many ways, Episode 14 was a graduation night for SETUP Thailand Pro Wrestling – if not for their flagship competitor Shivam, who gave his all in a classic main event but eventually succumbed to the guile and experience of his legendary Japanese opponent, Tajiri.
Attracting a bone fide legend of the sport to the Circus Studio in Bangkok was a striking achievement for the company, and secured its place among Asia’s finest wrestling promotions after a more-than 10-year journey. Shivam was glad to be a part of it, but he had his own individual goals too – and what better way to advance his career than by blunting the ‘Japanese Buzzsaw’?
But it was not to be, as the younger man’s ambitions were thwarted by a veteran who called on 29 years of experience to deliver a technical masterpiece that proved the antidote to Shivam’s speed and power.
Shivam’s extra strength was evident in the impactful slams and throws he administered, but more often than not wrestling is determined by who wins the battle of wits.
Throughout this close-run affair, it was notable Tajiri was unperturbed by the offence and picking his counters with a craftsman’s precision.
And so it was for the finish, when the former WWE, CZW and New Japan titleholder took advantage when the referee was momentarily incapacitated and sprayed Shivam with a second dose of Green Mist to set up a finishing Buzzsaw kick at the 17:08 mark.
Shivam had prepared intensely over two months for this opportunity and could scarcely have done more in the ring on this night. But if the final story was one of enduring quality from a bona fide world-class competitor, its subplot was very much how Shivam had risen to the occasion, and in doing so firmly put Thai wrestling on the international map.
Takanashi top of the triangle for SETUP title
Experience and ring smarts were similarly rewarded in the SETUP Openweight Championship match, as reigning titleholder Masa Takanashi saw off the dual challenges of Monomoth and Mikey Wild.
Takanashi had taken Thai wrestling’s top prize from Monomoth at Ep.12 and kept it in Japan ever since. Monomoth had meanwhile warred with Shivam for the right to fight Tajiri and, after coming off second-best there, changed his goal to a shot at wrestling in Japan itself. A victory over Takahashi – and reclaiming the gold in doing so – would have given him a massive push in that direction.
But even as a man widely recognised as the best of the next Thai generation, it was a big ask. Fighting Takanashi one on one is a big enough task, but throw in the swagger and strength of “The American Loudmouth” Wild, and the odds get longer still.
Wild, a US veteran who has graced the grand stage of AEW, performed as though his Asian rivals were beneath him. He did possess an obvious advantage in strength, but he found the combination of Takanashi’s intelligence and Monomoth’s speed and heart too much to overcome.
The finish came at 9:10 after Wild hit Monomoth with a driver but was caught unawares by a rollup from Takanashi, who bagged the three-count and held on to the belt.
Kappa World Order gathers pace with strength-in-numbers display
With the SETUP strap heading back to Japan, you might think Thai fans would be pleased that the One & Only championship is staying in local hands – if not for the fact the titleholder remains Kappa Rockstar.
The former Terry Diesel. who was “recruited” (read: kidnapped and brainwashed) by the Kappa World Order and re-released as their henchman Kappa Rockstar retained the title in a chaotic three-way with Kagura and Singapore’s Grapplemax champion, Big Dave.
Keeping the belt in the kWo house further’s the groups nefarious ambitions to seize control of the Southeast Asian wrestling scene, and if this match was any indication, they are prepared to go to any lengths to do so.
With the ring surrounded by various Kappa fiends, who would take advantage of the triple threat format’s no-DQ stipulation by interfering at every chance, this bout looked more like an extremely biased gauntlet match.
For his part, Big Dave entered the fray brimming with confidence, but perhaps he underestimated the insurmountable odds posed by the kWo’s strength in numbers, not to mention the terrifying power posssed by Kagura, who lit up what legal action there was by landing some breathtaking slams.
The two challengers might have been best advised to team up for at least some of the time, but the “every man for himself” nature of triple threat worked to Rockstar’s advantage, as he hit Kagura for a fight-winning pedigree in a counter to Kagura’s own offence on Big Dave.
Clearly, the only way SETUP and their allies will have a chance at putting down this increasingly notorious faction is with greater cooperation within their own ranks. But with the egos and individual ambitions that are inherent in wrestling, could that even be possible?.
Undercard: Paksa goes back to his roots; Matcha a champion once more
Paksa made in a run-in following the One & Only title fight as the UMA Corp attempted to sacrifice Kagura. He succeeded in saving the ‘Skull Monster’, but his own physical challenge was quickly repelled, with the assembled Kappas overwhelming him and then Rockstar hitting him with a savage pedigree.
Fans wondered if this might lead to a Paksa-Rockstar feud, and Paksa might represent one of SETUP’s best chances at a win over Rockstar in one-on-one competition, if the earlier events of this night were any idndication.
Paksa was in dominant form in his match with Malaysia’s Wonderboy, who in the run-up to Ep.14 had belittled Paksa’s renowned muay Thai background. In response, Paksa made a point of delivering a strikes-based attack that overwhelmed the younger fighter, and finished with a devastating knee.
Despite being one of the roster’s more senior competitors, Paksa looked as good as ever,
Also: Matcha regained the 24/7 Championship in a three-way intergender match with co-challenger Gunn and defending titleholder Jeney;The Good Deal (Anont Alonzo and his new partner) beat St John Innocent College (Akaradeth and PondHub) in tag team action, P’Suchart; Miles Karu retained his MyPW WrestleCon belt in a four-way with Bital Hasdin, Sunny Z and Rocky Hunh; and The Gatekeeper (formerly Hyde) ran over Warakorn in just 66 seconds.
* Finally, it was announced during the show that SETUP has teamed up with one of the world’s most prestigious promotions, IWA Japan, to resurrect the latter’s tag team lineage. A tournament will be staged at Ep.15 on September 23 to crown the IWA Japan-SETUP World Tag Team champions. The gorgeous new belt designs were unveiled to the delighted fans inside the sold-out Circus Studio.
LINKS
Tajiri v Shivam: The biggest match in Thai wrestling history (Ep.14 preview)
Ep.14 event page
SETUP Thailand Pro Wrestling company page
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