MATCHES FROM THE VAULT 28: THE SLEX EXPRESS

It’s currently lunch time in Australia and more Australians have visited my blog then ever before all because I said I didn’t know who Slex was. Doubtful that any of these guys and girls throwing shade on me in my DM’s would know I wrestled In Australia and still have friends who work the Australian scene but because I don’t know who ‘SLEX’ is I have been getting pizziled all morning…

Fair play to them, I did let it get to me for a minute because I don’t go well in situations like that but I overcame it and realised we could make this a bit of fun. I have nothing against Slex, just because I haven’t heard of him doesn’t mean I have hatred in my heart towards this fellow. He is an Australian and I like Australians so he has that going for him and he has also done tours to Japan before and that’s what we are going to cover today! SLEX IN JAPAN! For all you riders of the Slex-Express that have came at me all morning, this is for you!

KYLE SEBASTIAN & SLEX VS YOSHINARI OGAWA & ZACK SABRE JR. – NOAH 6/30/2013

Slex’s first match in NOAH and he’s taking on a former GHC Worlds Heavyweight Champion! Don’t know who Kyle Sebastian is but that is a very Australian name so I’m going to say we’ve got another Aussie on our hands. It would be very cool to be flown into Japan and the first place you wrestle in is Korakuen Hall, would be a special feeling for those who have watched countless matches from the venue.

Zack and Slex have really good chemistry, lots of slick reversals and such. Slex finally took Sabre down following an Ezugiri followed by a suplex. Like I said I’ve never seen Slex wrestle so after watching him for five minutes I can tell you he is a very well-versed performer. Like his timing and foot placement is perfect so I have nothing bad to say about his technique at all because he looked like he belonged with Ogawa and Zack. Kyle Sebastian pinned Ogawa? That’s crazy, Ogawa really must have been pushed down the card around this time period. Ten years later and he is still presented quite strongly in the NOAH ring.

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RODERICK STRONG & SLEX VS KAJI TOMATO & PESADILLA – NOAH 7/28/2013

What on earth is this match haha wow one of Slex’s first match from Japan I’m watching and he is taking on the great Tomato man himself Kaji Tomato! Who interestingly enough was one of the first Japanese indie guys I fell in love with back in 2015. The quality of the video is subpar to say the least but the crowd is quite vocal so that makes up for it. Tomato and Roddy trade dropkicks before Slex tags in to hit a back suplex for a two count. Roddy yelled out to Slex “hey man it’s a tag team match” and then he tagged out to Roddy. The Aus/USA team haven’t allowed Tomato to tag out yet, he is too busy being dominated by the Slex Express who executes a nice stalling suplex. Slex yells out BRAAAAINBUSTAAAAAAH and successfully hits a brainbuster.

Pesadilla and Roddy tag in and Pesadilla was fairly impressive for the time he had to showcase his stuff but not long after Slex cleans preverbal house with a tope suicida. Sick kick by Roddy and the Strong-Hold and things are all over with Pesadilla tapping out. This was a seven minute opener but It was technically sound enough, I don’t think Slex took any offence at all.

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ATSUSHI KOTOGE, ZACK SABRE JR. & KAISER VS DAISUKE HARADA, PESADILLA & SLEX – NOAH 7/7/2013

Looks like all of today’s matches will be from his month long tour in NOAH, I can’t find footage of his two matches in ZERO1 from a couple years earlier so all NOAH junior undercard stuff it is. I thought he was a heavyweight and I think he is now because muscle but yeah he was in a Junior tag tournament during this tour. Kaiser is a little impressive five foot dude from Peru so that’s cool.

Slex and Zack tag in and proceed to share a jaw dropping sequence so props to them for that, Zack was doing all his flashy world of sport stuff and I was very impressed. CAMMOOONNN BAY BAY Slex scream as he nails a nice running dropkick, the crowd applaud. Holy shit the little dude from Peru killed it! Very unlikely athleticism. Harada and Kotoge were going at it all match so they would have been in one of their feuds around this time period. SLEX AND KAISER ARE GOING TOE TO TOE! Kaiser hits an impressive standing moonsault whilst Slex fires back with an enzugiri. There’s not too much I can say about Slex’s performance in a match like this, it’s a six man tag where he has to pick and choose his spots so obviously this isn’t the best match to gauge Slex’s wrestling capabilities but I prefer to watch stuff from Japan so we’ll soldier on.

Atsushi Kotoge cleaned house all by himself and the crowd finally started to become vocal, even more so after his flip dive over the top rope. This match is better than it had any right to be, lot’s of good teamwork by both sides. Pesadilla with a moonsault press to the outside! Slex with a springboard Enzi? Very cool move. Zack not long after makes Pesadilla tap-out, very very good opening style match that engaged the audience. Good from Slex and good from everyone else involved.

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