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00:00We are broadcasting live and direct on Wrestle Universe from the Yokohama Budokan in Kanagawa,
00:17Japan.
00:18Kicking off the N1 Victory 2024 running all of August until the two finalists are decided
00:26on August the 25th in Nagoya.
00:29Those two men will face off in the final in Osaka on September the 1st for N1 Victory
00:352024.
00:36Glory and a shot at the GHC Heavyweight Champion Kaito Kiyomiya.
00:42You listen to Stu Fulden and Mark Pickering, you gotta love it every year, every summer
00:47it just gets hotter and hotter Mark.
00:50Absolutely still my favorite time of the year aboard the arc.
00:52We're going to see all 16 competitors in the N1 in action today.
00:57That's right Mark, 16 men today, four matches in both A and B blocks.
01:04Eight men are entering the N1 victory for the first time, two WWE NXT superstars and
01:12a Dragon Gate stud.
01:13Yeah absolutely, loaded line of representing four countries and what a way to kick off
01:17here.
01:18This is going to open the card but very well it could main event any card in the country.
01:22For sure already in the ring is one half of Los Gopiadores Alpha Wolf, former GHC Junior
01:30Heavyweight Tag Team Champion with his brother Dragon Bane and they also currently hold the
01:37Chaos Tag Team Championship titles.
01:47This is the first time for these two luchadores to face mano a mano.
01:53It's a Mexican showdown today to kick off the N1 proceedings off the back of both men
01:59tag teaming with their sibling counterparts on the July 13th show at Nippon Budokan.
02:06Yeah absolutely spectacular, Lucha Libre special match that was and I think these two are going
02:11to pick up today where they left off from the Nippon Budokan.
02:14Can you believe this is an opening match, this could headline pretty much any show on
02:18the damn planet.
02:19Yep it's incredible isn't it, this is going to be such a high octane special.
02:27Former GHC Heavyweight Champion.
02:31This man also held the GHC National Championship and a two-time GHC Tag Team Championship.
02:37Third generation luchador, he is wrestling royalty Mark.
02:43Absolutely coming from a fantastic family with such great lineage and the other side
02:47we've got Alpha Wolf similar in stature and a second generation wrestler himself.
02:55This is a big test for Alpha Wolf going up against the former GHC Heavyweight Champion
03:00Wagner with possibly greater implications than just the N1 itself if he takes the scalp
03:05today.
03:06Absolutely Alpha Wolf and Dragon Bane they requested several weeks ago to be part of
03:10this tournament, they've got their wish and now they've got to deliver on the big stage
03:13today.
03:14Already the Lucha Libre chants ringing out throughout the Yokohama Budokan here in Kanagawa.
03:24This is Alpha Wolf's first N1 victory entry whereas Wagner himself three years running
03:32this is his fourth time joining the N1 and last year N1 2023 he took wins over Shirozaki
03:40and Inaba.
03:41Such a successful stint in pro-wrestling always and he's since joined in the arc in 2019.
03:50Arm drag there from Alpha Wolf, the legs away, back and forward here kicking things off we
03:57knew it was going to be fast but it is even faster than that and it's a bit of a stalemate
04:02both men realizing the other's not going to go down that easily.
04:08Fierce action to kick us off, Wagner's had 69 singles matches in his career, Alpha Wolf
04:13at 54, Wolf of course much more known as a tag team wrestler with his brother, seven
04:20years younger Wolf is than Wagner.
04:27There we go a shake of the hands and straight into the kick, every man for themselves in
04:30this tournament still.
04:31Yes leap frog from Wagner, legs, oh right over the top rope there, heavy fall from the
04:43junior heavyweight, heavyweight, already out on the apron El Hijo del Doctor Wagner Jr.
04:50Taking a run, setting up his stall early is Wagner, Mexico is here.
05:08After losing the GHC heavyweight title at Ryogoku on May the 4th, Wagner went on a tour
05:13in May and June and wrestling with his brother in Mexico where they picked up the crash tag
05:18team titles from Los Corpiadores, so there's a little bit extra going on here between these
05:23two men not just the N1.
05:24Yeah definitely and Wagner doesn't want Alpha Wolf to make a name for himself here at the
05:28expense of the former GHC heavyweight champion.
05:31And when he won that heavyweight title up there in Sendai what a shocker that was, we
05:36just looked at each other at the commentary desk like what the hell just happened, beat
05:40Keno.
05:41Yeah absolutely upstaged Keno didn't he, incredible first Mexican to win the GHC heavyweight championship
05:46and only the second foreign to capture that crown.
05:51It's not hard to see why if you just watch this guy wrestle once.
05:54It's going to be so inspiring for Alpha Wolf to see the success of his compatriot here
05:59in the art winning tag team titles, winning the GHC national, then the GHC heavyweight,
06:05there's no reason why Wolf can't do the same himself.
06:08Usually Wolf had a crack at the GHC hardcore openweight title in April, Ninja Mac was holding
06:12it at the time and he and his brother just fell short in the three-way eliminator in
06:18a bid to recapture the GHC junior heavyweight tag titles from Yohei and Tadasuke at the
06:25time.
06:26I believe that was May, not three-way eliminator.
06:30A lot of tape on the shoulders of both men, could be a factor that the longer this goes
06:37on and the deeper we get into the tournament as well.
06:41Backbreaker there from the Wolf.
06:44We've talked about this before, Mark, the Mexicans, all the guys out here, but the Mexicans
06:49especially, they tend to really push themselves even further every single outing.
06:55It's not surprising there's a bit of taping here and there.
06:57I'm surprised it's just taping to be honest.
07:03Forearm smash from Doom there, follows up, oh my God, he went down hard on the outside
07:10there, Mark.
07:10That was a heavy landing for Alpha Wolf.
07:12Look at the awareness of Wagner there.
07:16Wagner follows up, but gets caught, can't pull him off.
07:22He's always got an answer this man, but I tell you what, Alpha Wolf will be posing all
07:28of the questions.
07:29Just trying to create some distance now as Alpha Wolf wants to get away from the clutches
07:33of Wagner.
07:35He seems to have hurt his back as well.
07:47Some crowd support kicking up here at the Yokohama Budokan.
07:58Wagner first, back to his feet, Mark.
08:00Wolf is still down, still holding his back, and the count is going here.
08:06He does not want to start his tournament by forfeiting with a disqualification counted
08:10out on the outside.
08:13Two points it is for the winner here, who's going to be first up and running in this tournament.
08:23Mark, could you just run us through the rules quickly there?
08:25Yes, sure.
08:27Two points for each individual contest.
08:29It's one point if we reach a draw.
08:31We've got a 30-minute title event in end-matches.
08:34And of course, zero points for a loss.
08:37And if two competitors are tied at the end of their respective blocks, then there will
08:41be a sudden death match as we saw last year between Manabu Sawyer and Goshi Ozaki.
08:45Yes, that was edge of the sea material.
08:50Very dramatic indeed.
08:52Of course, no Goshi Ozaki this year, so we're guaranteed to see a new winner of the end
08:56one victory.
08:59I'm sure everybody was as gutted as I was when it was announced that he wasn't going
09:03to take part.
09:04Another tilt-a-whirl backbreaker there, but look at this.
09:06He's just coming in for more.
09:08He's going to go for the hat-trick.
09:13Target in the back now.
09:14Yes, but Alpha Wolf struggling, Mark.
09:16Like you said, that tumble he took on the outside seems to be taking its toll.
09:23Yeah, they've both gone big early on of night.
09:28Incoming.
09:29Oh, Kane gets thrown to the outside.
09:31Alpha Wolf through the second row.
09:34Dear Lord.
09:36He nearly wiped out Muhammad Yoni there.
09:39And the first row seats.
09:43Now, just for a bit of scale here, because it's difficult to tell with the camera shot,
09:47from the ring to the first row seats there, you see that blue fencing.
09:52We're talking four meters.
09:54Oh, easily, yeah.
10:00When a luchador sets off like that, they don't see what a normal human being sees, do they?
10:04No, no, no.
10:06Alpha Wolf is called the machine for reasons.
10:10I would just see imminent danger.
10:15You know, I used to call Keno and Kazuhiko Nakajima the danger mongers.
10:19Yes, you did.
10:20But that title has firmly, firmly been changed hands.
10:26I think the junior heavyweight heavyweight is going to stick as well.
10:28That needs to be on some merchandise.
10:32He's back on his feet and a round of applause for Alpha Wolf.
10:35But Wagner's still down, Mark.
10:39He's not moving nearly at all, Wagner.
10:44You know, it's one thing when a guy, you know, 60, 70 kilos throws himself around,
10:49you're talking like 100 kilos plus here with these men.
10:51Yeah, a good hulking 100 kilos.
10:53I think you see the speed of the dive as well.
10:56Frightening.
10:58Snapmare takeover.
10:59Alpha Wolf out to the apron.
11:02Off the top rope into the moonsault.
11:05Incredible hang time.
11:08Just so fluid, makes you look effortless.
11:13Slicker than KY jelly on glass, Mark.
11:15We're going to scroll through now.
11:20Attacking the legs here, Alpha Wolf.
11:24Wagner in some trouble.
11:29Can you imagine if Wolf could make Wagner tap out here?
11:32That would be some statement in our opening contest, the N1 Red Greek 2024.
11:36Well, here's the thing, though, Mark, because of this tournament format,
11:39a lot of the guys, they're going out for quick wins.
11:43They know the longer they're in there, the more likely they are to pick up an injury.
11:47So they're going out to finish off their opponents as soon as they can.
11:53That's what these two are all about.
11:55The Lucha Libre tag team match here at Bombudak went 13 minutes,
11:59and it was absolutely wild spectacle for all 13 minutes, as you can imagine.
12:06Box office.
12:10Alpha Wolf looking to get under.
12:13The former GHC heavyweight champion here in our opening match in the B block.
12:22Looking for that Wolf driver, but denied, Mark.
12:24Great counter from Wagner.
12:27Ring IQ, isn't he? Born into this sport, third generation wrestler.
12:33Beautiful suplex there from Wagner.
12:35Drops Alpha Wolf hard.
12:37Come on, ref.
12:40Make him.
12:41Not quite three on that.
12:43This has been very well matched so far. No surprise there.
12:47The single leg is coming down.
12:51And he tells the crowd, the Michinoku, they know the Michinoku driver very, very well.
12:58We know it as the Wagner driver.
13:02Ten minutes in.
13:04Up on the shoulder. Alpha Wolf gets out the back door.
13:07Runs Wagner into the corner. Wagner shucks him off.
13:10Foot comes up.
13:12Wagner, from the second rope, bounces up to the top rope.
13:15There's the arm drag.
13:17Alpha Wolf ends up tied up here.
13:20Rolling through. Shoulders are down.
13:24One, two.
13:26Wolf is out.
13:28One, two.
13:30Not quite.
13:34Oh, headbutt to the back there in the middle of the spine.
13:38Wagner never saw it coming.
13:40Oh, and he takes one to the chin as well.
13:43Wolf off the rope. Super kick.
13:46Even bigger. Took a run at that one.
13:49Such intensity and viciousness.
13:52Well, how about that for neck muscles?
13:57Alpha Wolf on a bit of a feeding front.
14:00Alpha Wolf on a bit of a feeding frenzy here.
14:05Both men launch the head at the same time.
14:09Super kick from Wolf.
14:12Me and the lariat.
14:14This could end in a stoppage, the way these two are going.
14:19Up and over.
14:22Really drained himself there with that one, Mark.
14:24He absolutely took so much out of him to get Wagner up and over.
14:28You might hear a little bit more kids in the audience shouting their support.
14:37This month is free for all elementary school kids to come and watch Noah the N1 online shows.
14:45They have to come on the day. They can't pre-purchase, but free.
14:49That is an excellent gesture.
14:51Absolutely. It's a great initiative.
14:52We'll see some more young fans in the audience next couple of weeks.
14:56Already saw quite a few out and about taking pictures here and there at the venue.
15:04Wolf driver is the call.
15:10Shoulders are down. Wagner looking for that three. Still just two.
15:19Gets the boot up.
15:22But you know what that means.
15:23That's not going to stop.
15:25Magic mask.
15:27Even bigger.
15:33Mythical powers of the Wagner mask.
15:37Jammer suplex. Hold. Two.
15:41Kicks out on three. Just before the three.
15:46Wolf is slowly but surely building some momentum now.
15:53Come on, Wagner!
15:56Mark, I feel both of these men are treating this like a title match.
15:59Yes, it does have that feeling, doesn't it?
16:03On the line here. Mexico v. Mexico.
16:07Lucha Libre family versus Lucha Libre family. First contest N1 victory 2024.
16:13Oh, playing possum there.
16:15And it is the Wagner driver!
16:18Hooks up the leg. Looking for that.
16:21Not quite getting the three. Current pinfall. We are still on here in this first match.
16:26All credit to AlphaWolf for kicking out of the Wagner driver. You rarely see that.
16:37Knee supporters down.
16:40AlphaWolf scouted him, ran him with the headbutt, put the brakes on it.
16:46Looking for the cover. AlphaWolf, two.
16:51Kicks out.
17:02There's the ki-ai.
17:04The warrior cry from AlphaWolf.
17:07Looking to sink his teeth in.
17:09It's up!
17:11Wagner got absolutely spiked.
17:13Could be out yesterday. One, two, and it's a three. Current pinfall for one half.
17:18AlphaWolf picks up the first two points.
17:22Extraordinary. AlphaWolf's biggest win of his career at the expense of the former GHE Heavyweight Champion.
17:29Wow!
17:33Blistering action from the bell to the three count pinfall.