Wrestle Grand Slam kicked off with a New Japan Ranbo with Handcuffs, as Toru Yano put his KOPW trophy at greater risk than ever before. That risk didn’t pay off for wrestling’s master polymath however, as Chase Owens would emerge with the trophy held high.

 

In a repeat from January 4’s Ranbo, Owens headed out the gates first for this year’s version, followed by a Great-O-Khan angered at his count out loss one night before in Nagoya. Both men would go the 22 entrant distance, but the United Empire member would be quickly eliminated by final participant Toru Yano, who handcuffed O-Khan to the guardrail.

 

When Yano got in the ring, YOSHI-HASHI put KENTA out of contention with another set of cuffs, leaving the final four Yujiro Takahashi, YOSHI-HASHI, Owens and Yano. Yujiro and Owens teamed up to handcuff the Headhunter, but Yano would low bridge the Tokyo Pimp, bringing it down to the KOPW holder against the Texas champion.

 

With KENTA and YOSHI-HASHI handcuffed in the ring, they were going to be obstacles to the remaining competitors. YOSHI-HASHI did his best to intervene, but KENTA was able to provide Owens with powder for the eyes of Yano. The trophy holder kicked out of the ensuing Jewel Heist, but not the Package Piledriver that followed.

 

Owens is now the first holder of a KOPW trophy not named Toru Yano, but who will step up to challenge?