Since its introduction in 2023, ‘Excalibur’ has been Osaka Pro’s biggest show of the year, with all four titles defended and space for a few special guests on the card. This year, the company is hoping to sell out the 2,580 configuration of Yamato Arena in their first visit to the venue. With those numbers, far exceeding their usual 300 strong audience in Azalea Taisho Hall, this show is perfect for beginners because you won’t be the only person new to Osaka Pro in the audience. It’s also littered with treats for those who are Osaka Pro enthusiasts, with the culmination of some big stories, legends of the company, and plenty of the Osaka Pro ‘variety show’ style.
If you’re new to Osaka Pro and want some basic introductions to the characters and company, here’s a guide I wrote for Five Star Network last year: https://five-star-network.com/a-beginners-guide-to-osaka-pro-wrestling/ and you can find guides to other shows and characters in the Osaka Pro tag. You can also read Zeus’ thoughts on the promotion as part of the 2025 Osaka Expo.
Where to watch:
As is often the case with Osaka Pro shows, we likely won’t get details about broadcasting until very close or even after the show takes place, as the company will be prioritising ticket sales. For the past two years, the show has been broadcast live on Zaiko, with Osaka Pro releasing details 1-2 days before, so keep an eye on their socials.
We can be certain of (at the very least) a rapidly distributed show digest on Osaka Pro’s YouTube channel. You can also watch digests, previous full shows and a preview of the whole show from President Zeus and Chairman and Ring Announcer, Shinjiro Miyao.
Things to know for this show:
- There are only two units – the main unit and the heel unit, Rogue Nation. Currently, Rogue Nation holds all the main championships.
- There are two big returns – the company President, returning from focusing on business, and the masked SUZAKU, returning from injury. Both could be challengers for championships, should the opportunity arise.
- If you watch Dragongate, All Japan, DDT, MeriPro, GLEAT, NOAH, Dotonbori, 2AW, SHI-EN, or Michinoku Pro, get ready to recognise some faces (or suspect some masked men).
The card:
1. TiiiDA (Rogue Nation) & Masamune vs Sho Mizuno & Tezuka Motonobu
Originally a singles clash between TiiiDA and Sho Mizuno, the addition of Mizuno’s formidable training partner Tezuka Motonobu and the equally formidable one-time Rogue Nation supporter, Masamune, makes this a very interesting match.
Both Mizuno and Tezuka have dual careers in MMA and pro wrestling. Tezuka made his pro wrestling debut at the age of 37 in June against trainer Tigers Mask. In a shock result, he won that match and follow-ups against fellow Tigers Mask trainee Takoyakida. He lost to TORU in the Tennozan tournament only due to TORU’s more creative wrestling tactics (okay, in some places it might be called cheating). In short, he’s no pushover. Somewhat in contrast, Sho Mizuno, although also active as an MMA fighter, is a lot more junior in both the MMA and wrestling fields. He is a relatively new addition to Osaka Pro shows, with just under 2 years of experience in pro wrestling. Although still the rookie to Osaka Pro, and not picking up victories just yet, he seems to be impressing, getting regular dates with the company.
Their opponents have a lot more wrestling experience, with TiiiDA having joined Rogue Nation in February with 12 years experience under his belt, and Masamune having had a long history with Osaka Pro. Masamune, despite a long and storied career in Osaka Pro, is not a regular feature in the company or, despite the purple and black colour scheme, an official member of Rogue Nation. He has wrestled alongside them once and lost, so we shall see whether he manages to cooperate well with TiiiDA. Masamune is an excellent technical wrestler and his speed and manoeverability do not offer any clue that this is a man over 50.
Despite their differences, this is still a match up of two veteran+junior teams, albeit with experience in different fields. It is likely to be a clash of styles with the kick-based MMA team facing the technical and aerial skills of the experienced wrestlers. TiiiDA is currently the only member of Rogue Nation without a title and Mizuno the only one in the match without a win. Both may be out to win some pride here.
If you want to see TiiiDA and Mizuno in action, check out Meriken Friday Fight from 21st February, just before TiiiDA joined Rogue Nation. You can also see Masamune face TiiiDA on the 16th May.
2. Saviour Ninja Ramaru, The Bodyguard, Kuishinbo Kamen & Joichiro Osaka vs Zeus, Jun Akiyama, Super Delfin & Yuta Samba
Osaka Pro’s President returns to wrestling duty after a three month absence in a match that sums up the company: deep ties, a respect for tradition, complex characters, and a few dick jokes. There are some who might choose to skip this due to the high likelihood of some very interesting comedy offerings and it’s fair to say that, although frequently charming, sometimes the comedy bits can get a little tired. But if that is you, don’t watch this for them, watch this for Zeus. His performances in Osaka Pro comedy matches like this, whether he is trying not to laugh or showing no mercy to his opponent, were a delight of this summer. There’s also more depth here for the President than you might imagine – on the opposite team is his long-time tag partner in The Bodyguard, and on his own team is Osaka Pro’s first President Super Delfin and one of Zeus’ biggest supporters, Jun Akiyama. When Osaka Pro closed in 2014, it was Akiyama that gave Zeus a place in AJPW and later, Akiyama offered Zeus valuable advice on his dreams to regenerate Osaka Pro. Akiyama is a big Zeus and Osaka Pro supporter and, after several months away, the President will be excited to be back and prove himself amongst such important company. It remains to be seen however whether Akiyama will be joining in with Osaka’s physical comedy classics, including the Kuishinbo Kamen ‘hop’ or Joichiro Osaka’s ‘ちんちんが！’. Zeus has indicated that he is particularly excited about the possibility of the second option.
3. SUZAKU, Kazuaki Mihara & HUB vs Kohei Kinoshita, Quiet Storm & Tsubasa
The return of SUZAKU! The masked Vermilion bird has been absent since June due to an unfortunate injury during his Light Heavyweight title match against Oosera. (Incidentally, the injury was almost exactly the same as that which Matsufusa suffered in his first Light Heavyweight title challenge, so if they weren’t rivals before, they are now tied by fate.) The ultra polite, if a little arrogant, SUZAKU is a technician and high flyer and, before his absence, looked a likely future leader of the Light Heavyweight division. He returns here alongside his tag partner and Osaka Pro legend, HUB, and Tennozan 2025 finalist, Kazuaki Mihara. They face a similar configuration of light heavyweight (Kohei), legend (Tsubasa) and powerhouse (Quiet Storm). Aside from SUZAKU’s return, there’s no particular story here. This is more a showcase of the great wrestlers and variety of styles in Osaka Pro today. Expect a mix of speed, heavy clashes and technical mastery from different generations of Osaka Pro wrestlers.
4. Sekaiichi Meibutsu Championship: Billy Ken Kid vs Takoyakida vs Ebbessan (c)
Originally, this was a match between champion Ebbessan (a god of fortune, particularly in business) and challenger Takoyakida (Prince of the takoyaki kingdom), which makes perfect sense for a comedy championship – both are beloved and longtime OPro comedy characters who are surprisingly good at wrestling. Takoyakida’s tag partner, Ultimate Spider Jr, is challenging for a belt and, as a former comedy championship holder, this challenge was a chance for Takoyakida to demonstrate his own worth.
Then, without warning, Billy Ken Kid appeared at the press conference demanding his shot. Billy, named for another Osaka deity of good fortune billiken, is certainly funny – being part of Osaka Pro almost guarantees that you have a few skills in making an audience laugh. It’s just that he’s also a very serious Osaka Pro legend, former champion, and all-round scary guy with some brutal offense. He’s never challenged for the comedy championship. Why would he need to?? In the same time frame as issuing his challenge for the Meibutsu Sekaiichi, he’s also challenged for Dragongate’s Brave Gate. But now, as Billy approaches retirement, it seems like he wants to give this comedy thing a go and prove that there is no part of Osaka Pro he can’t conquer. Honestly, I wouldn’t dare disagree.
Listen out for cries of ‘Ou-ji’ (prince) during this match, as it is Takoyakida’s nickname and he is especially popular with children who aren’t quiet about their enthusiasm.
5. Light Heavyweight Championship: Yasutaka Oosera (c) vs Ultimate Spider Jr
This is the third time this year that Ultimate Spider Jr has faced Oosera in a singles match. Once for the Light Heavyweight Championship, which he lost, once in Tennozan, which he won, and now a third and, according to Oosera, final time. It is also Spider’s third challenge for the Light Heavyweight Championship – a belt that is only 3 years old. Oosera, who has been champion since January, has been damning about the 41 year old Spa-san, framing him as a perpetual mid-carder who lacks any real achievements. There is a grain of truth in his statements, as Spider’s greatest achievements have been as a tag wrestler and he has been held back by injury at key points throughout his career. That hasn’t stopped him becoming a beloved character in Osaka Pro though and he’s maintained the skills and moveset of a far younger junior wrestler with some success. Unfortunately for him though, Oosera’s successes though have been louder and more apparent, holding four titles this year and frequently carrying three belts at once. He is a key part of Rogue Nation and leads his own faction, Demonios, in Michinoku Pro. He’s not impressed by Spider’s quiet but determined declarations of fighting spirit.
Their build-up matches have been mixed in outcomes but Oosera has been fairly consistent in showing his distaste by unleashing a barrage of fouls on Spider wherever the opportunity arises. Oosera is a Dick Togo trainee and you can see it as much in his well-timed low-blows as you can in his beautiful crossface. For his part, Spider appears to be getting more fired up and more practiced with every match. Despite Oosera’s damning assessment of Spider’s career and attitude, their matches have been competitive, so Oosera might want to be careful not to underestimate what Spider can do in the right circumstances.
6. Osaka Tag Championship: Goliath & Shu Asakawa (c) vs Tigers Mask & Sano Aran
Goliath and Asakawa are the third configuration of Rogue Nation to hold the Tag Championship, having both also held it with other members. The two make a particularly imposing team where power and the occasional use of weapons or features of the arena (you try telling Goliath what he can’t do) are the keys to victory. They face the babyface but also very imposing team of rising star Aran and his scarily violent teacher, Tigers Mask. This is the second time the master-student team have challenged for the title this year and Aran has had some serious development since then, with an impressive challenge for the OPW Championship in April and victory over Goliath in September.
Physically, and in terms of resourcefulness, Asakawa and Goliath have the advantage. Asakawa has his trusty kendo stick if things don’t look like going their way, and fortunately Goliath’s head is probably hard enough to handle Asakawa’s frequent misfires. TORU has said that Asakawa is at his best when able to fully unleash his more violent side and Goliath is the perfect enabler. However, the master-student team has a big advantage when it comes to communication, knowing each other’s strengths and moveset inside out. Asakawa and Goliath can’t match that, only wrestling together occasionally and Goliath not yet being fully up-to-speed with human communication – he has only recently mastered the handshake and it took a lot of coaching. This is also one match where they may struggle to make the most of Rogue Nation’s dirtier tactics, as they will be unable to rely on a large contingent of other members ringside. Three years into his career, winning a title would be a huge achievement for Aran. Even better would be doing it with his teacher who hasn’t held this title in over 15 years. Could this be the moment?
7. Osaka Pro Championship: TORU (c) vs Ryuya Matsufusa
Zeus had previously referred to this as one of the best matches that Osaka Pro can put on. TORU too has noted how much fans seem to enjoy this clash which, until now, has been relatively rare. In some ways, this represents what the new Osaka Pro has been building to, as two wrestlers who both began as students in the Old Osaka Pro’s wrestling classes stand opposed as hero and villain, each looking to secure the future of the company and their own legacy. On one side you have current champion TORU, leader of Rogue Nation who took the belt from Zeus at this event last year. Despite being a heel, TORU is dedicated to the new Osaka Pro and continues the Osaka Pro tradition of a strong and popular heel unit. On the other side, you have the popular young former Light Heavyweight Champion with a fiery disposition and a hero complex straight out of a tokustatsu series. Experienced and charming cynic meets brash and hopeful idealist. What more could you want?
Being in different generations and different weight classes, they are not rivals, or have not been, but Osaka Pro’s mixed tournament structure has brought them into contact several times with sparks flying. This year, Matsufusa beat TORU in the semi-final of the Tennozan tournament, eventually winning the whole thing to claim his first attempt at the Osaka Pro Championship. As Zeus has pointed out, it usually takes several attempts to win the title, but, however improbable, Matsufusa is only thinking of victory.
There are more layers in this contest than I could hope to unwrap in any preview – TORU’s shots at Matsufusa’s history of injury, his long-term dislike of the Championship that Matsufusa once held, the fact that both deeply loved Osaka Pro and its heel characters as children and trainees, or the fact that Matsufusa likely watched many of TORU’s matches, if not directly training alongside him at Osaka Pro or Tigre gym. Plus TORU’s astute observation that he, unlike Matsufusa, was not the sort of child to get wrapped up in tokusatsu heroes. The list is extensive. I expect TORU to make some amusing blog posts about it at some point. And I expect Matsufusa to get new Kamen Rider inspired gear with nerdy references TORU doesn’t get. Mostly though, I expect them to wrestle really well.
The level of investment that Osaka Pro has put into this match is considerable. In contrast to previous approaches, they are running multiple preview matches at public and private events and are posting the results so fans can keep up with the developing story. This match is the one they want to use to sell out the Yamato Arena and they have faith in TORU and Matsufusa to peform well not just once, but over and over again. TORU has said previously that he approaches each title match differently. He doesn’t just fight in a ‘heel style’ because he’s a heel – he likes to meet his opponents where they are. It will be interesting to see what kind of match he chooses to have with Matsufusa. Many of his fights have been entirely clean, though it’s worth noting that Matsufusa is not so clean a hero as to avoid retaliating illegal strikes, so perhaps both might choose a different fight in this case.
In the build up, TORU has direct wins over Matsufusa but Matsufusa is more frequently on the winning team. TORU has seemingly become increasingly frustrated, dropping his usual dramatic segments of spewing water in Matsufusa’s face in favour of more direct offence. Their time in the ring together is becoming more tense, TORU drawing on his older arsenal of moves and Matsufusa racking up combinations of knee and elbow strikes as he screams in frustration. It’s getting serious. Both wrestlers are adept at storytelling and crowd engagement, and they are an interesting combination in terms of skillset. I think this one will deliver.
If you want to know more about TORU and Ryuya Matsufusa, check out the articles on this site for more details and match recommendations.