Background: The international dream match was finally coming true as Kevin Steen had a chance to battle Akira Tozawa long before they reached the bright lights of WWE.
Cyanide: A Loving Tribute to Poison
Reseda, CA
December 11, 2010
Kevin Steen vs. Akira Tozawa
Tozawa was not waiting, diving through the ropes to take down Steen in the entrance aisle. Dey was a clubberin’ in Reseda, Tony! They ended up fighting in front of a Christmas tree set up near the commentators’ table where presents were present and ready to bash people on the head; specifically Tozawa who got his cranium cracked with packaged glass. Tozawa decided to side headlock Steen when the action finally entered the ring. Why? To show off his lungs and scream directly in Steen’s ear. Some Violence Party action from Akira only angered “Mr. Wrestling”. Using his weight advantage, Steen blocked a body slam by simply leveraging himself in midair to fall atop his opponent prior to performing one push-up. Letting Tozawa get up cost him until Steen caught Akira flying by power bombing him across the ring’s edge! As if that wasn’t nasty enough, Steen bit his opponent before commenting, “I hate Japanese food!”
Slapping Tozawa, Steen found himself facing a very angry man. But one forearm and a somersault leg drop put Tozawa on the mat and gave Steen the chance to attack a fan wearing an El Generico mask. Knocking Tozawa onto the apron, Steen spiked him with the DDT in the ring thanks to some assistance from the ropes. The devastating maneuver was topped by Steen’s cannonball in the corner, but it didn’t end in victory. The antics of “Mr. Wrestling” cost him as he ran into a Lex Luger-like slam to a big ovation. Helluva kick connected for Akira, but didn’t end this one, as did the shining wizard. But the kicking cost Tozawa as he spun himself into the pumphandle neck breaker. Steen had the cannonball in mind, landing it again. But this time Steen got kicked in his mouth two times before being kicked to the apron. Steen tried to fight, but couldn’t stop a German suplex across the ring’s edge … that gave Akira a near fall!
Kicks to the back and head ended with Tozawa almost knocking Steen out. Hoisting “Mr. Wrestling” onto the top rope didn’t end well for Akira as Steen started biting and head-butting him in position for a Swanton bomb. Instead, Steen met a pair of knees and a German suplex. Tozawa came off the ropes, only to run into a lariat. Quickly grabbing his opponent, Steen unleashed the Package Piledriver … to gain a near fall!
The fans were cheering for Tozawa as he got up shouting expletives. Tozawa was going back elbow crazy to stop the waist lock, but got dropped on his head with the sleeper suplex. Kicking out, Tozawa infuriated Steen enough to grab him and execute not one, but two Package Piledrivers to finally put Akira’s lights out.
Winner: Kevin Steen (19:20)
Is It A Classic: That was so much fun. Steen’s antics were only matched by his terrorizing a man who displayed so much heart and, dare I state, fighting spirit. One of the forgotten gems in PWG’s history.
