Dave Finlay
After Tajiri agreed to let an FCF representative participate in the tournament to determine the first ever Smash Champion, StarBuck won an eight-man tournament in FCF in July to the second round of the Smash Championship tournament. StarBuck would win the tournament defeating Tajiri in the final to become the first ever Smash Champion. After the match, both competitors were attacked by the returning Michael Kovac, who had previously in the event revealed former WWE wrestler Dave Finlay as his new associate and now revealed that he was coming to Smash for the Smash Championship, before he was chased out of the ring by Hajime Ohara and Akira. On November 23, StarBuck represented Smash in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), when he teamed with Tajiri and Akira to defeat BUSHI, Keiji Mutoh and Shuji Kondo in a six-man tag team match, pinning BUSHI for the win. The following day at "Smash.23", StarBuck lost the Smash Championship to Finlay in his third defense (the first two having taken place in Finland and Norway). On March 14 at "Smash.Final", StarBuck competed in Smash's final match, before the promotion closed its doors, where he and Ohara were defeated by Akira and Tajiri.