In a backstage segment, Ariya Daivari is yelling at some guy because he didn’t shine his Persian boots good enough. He turned around and bumped into Akira Tozawa, then yelled at him for getting all his grease and sweat on his $1500 silk shirt. Tozawa just glared at him and did his “HA!” thing until Daivari walked away.
BRIAN KENDRICK vs. AKIRA TOZAWA
Tozawa started off with some hard strikes, then hit a springboard kick to the chest and a senton splash for two. Kendrick begged off to the floor, then dodged a big dive, but got thrown hard into the barricade for his trouble. Tozawa kept the pressure on until Kendrick caught him taunting, and threw him hard into the announce table to create some space. In a great spot, he hit Sliced Bread #2 off the ring steps into the floor, and Akira barely managed to roll back into the ring by the count of ten. Kendrick kept the pressure on, slowing things down with big suplexes and rest holds, ripping away at his ears and fingers to inflict more punishment. After several minutes Tozawa fired back with a flurry of kicks and stiff elbows. He ran right into a standing dropkick and Kendrick crushed him with a Dragon Suplex, rolling through into the Captain’s Hook. Tozawa struggled free, countered another Sliced Bread attempt, but got caught with the Captain’s Hook a second time. Again he fought out of the hold, reversing a third Sliced Bread attempt into a roll-up for a surprise win. Winner: Akira Tozawa
Kendrick attacked the winner immediately after the match, throwing him to the floor and slamming him into the ring steps over and over again. Kendrick sandwiched him (probably with some of that Sliced Bread he’s always making) between the ring steps and stood on top of him, stomping away until Tozawa was lifeless. It’s time for another life lesson: “nobody messes with The Brian Kendrick”. He shoves the microphone in his mouth and leaves Akira Tozawa laying as the show goes off the air.
