New beginnings can be scary, but for Ganbare Pro Wrestling it’s another challenge for them to overcome together. On April 28, 2024 GanPro hosts their first show after leaving CyberFight. Big names are returning, the first Katsumura vs Ishii match in over four and a half years is on the horizon, and endless excitement for the future fills the air.
Takuya Wada vs Shinichiro Tominaga
Takuya Wada is coming off a failed attempt at the SOG World Openweight Championship, but he was able to recover in time to retain the SOG World Tag Team Championships.
Meanwhile, Shinichiro Tominaga, despite being a GanPro regular for years, just recently officially joined the regular roster.
This is a big singles match for both men, as Wada is going to try and work his way back to the singles belt. Tominaga has the chance to add a singles victory against Wada to his track record, or could earn himself a potential tag title match by defeating one of the champions.
Don’t sleep on this one, it could sneakily be the match of the night.
Mizuki Watase and Munetatsu Nakamura vs Tyson Maeguchi and Tsuyoshi Okada
A hard hitting tag match featuring Mizuki Watase and Munetatsu Nakamura taking on Tyson Maeguchi and Tsuyoshi Okada.
It’s always a blast when we get a glimmer of Watase and Maeguchi trying to beat each other senseless.
Tsuyoshi Okada’s return is also a welcome sight and hopefully a sign of more bookings to come now that GanPro is independent.
Mune is the one to watch out for here, he is ready to go on a tear. He got a direct pin-fall over Shota in his last match under the GanPro banner. Expect him to find his way to his first SOG World Openweight Championship challenge sooner rather than later.
Ken Ohka and Fuminori Abe vs Yumehito Imanari and Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Will history repeat itself?
The last time we had a Ishii vs Katsumura singles title main event, Abe made his presence known afterwards, challenging the winner to a title match. But whether or not he is planning on a repeat performance, Abe has got a rough night ahead of him.
Tatsuhito Takaiwa is back and ready to get back into the mix. Last time we saw him, he and Imanari lost in the inaugural SOG World Tag Team Championship match. Now they’re back together, looking to work their way back to those belts with Ohka and Abe as their first stepping stone.
REKKA, Yuna Manase, and YuuRI vs Unagi Sayaka, Minoru Fujita, and HARUKAZE
This match will be a chance at revenge for Yuna Manase, whose in-ring return was spoiled by Minoru Fujita and Unagi Sayaka.
This time she will have YuuRI and REKKA by her side, while HARUKAZE joins the other team.
It is difficult to know what to expect here.
The result could very well determine if we see more or less of the three freelancers involved. While there is pressure from the GanPro members to deliver results not matter who’s involved.
Spirit of Ganbare World Openweight Championship: Shuichiro Katsumura(c) vs Keisuke Ishii
The main event of the show meant to kickstart GanPro’s new era will be a singles match between two men with a lot of history together.
This will be the first singles match between Keisuke Ishii and Shuichiro Katsumura since September 28, 2019, when they had their last Independent World Junior Championship match against each other and Ishii took the Independent World Junior Championship from Katsumura. With that, Ishii pulled ahead of Katsumura, who still only has one singles victory over him. However, a lot has changed since that meeting.
While Ishii has yet to hold either of the SOG belts, Katsumura has been the GanPro MVP for the last year, currently holding both the SOG World Openweight and World Tag Team Championships. He has become a lot stronger and Ishii knows this, having failed to take the tag belts from GROUND ABSOLUTE last year.
During this title run, Katsumura has been able to control the pace and explore the weaknesses of his opponents. All he needs is one small opening to snatch the victory. Still, Ishii does not intend to let him win so easily.
This match between these two GanPro mainstays is for more than just the World Openweight Championship. It will determine who gets to steer the ship to start this new voyage for the company.
WHERE TO WATCH: Wrestle Universe
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