Clash of the Titans

**Clash of the Titans** is one of VIRTUE's four "pillar" shows. It was first held in 2013. The 2014 edition featured additional participation from other PGS companies, as will the 2015 event, set to be held May 23 in Sapporo.

The events traditionally feature all VIRTUE championships being defended, with the main event pitting the IFA Openweight Champion against the winner of the Cup of Nine Virtues tournament, contested in April.

## Clash of the Titans

The biggest feuds heading into the first Clash of the Titans revolved around the VIRTUE championships.

In the junior heavyweight ranks, IFA Junior Heavyweight Champion Low Ki had been feuding with the American Wolves (Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards), after Edwards was named VIRTUE's Junior Heavyweight of the Year. Both Richards and Edwards unsuccessfully challenged Ki for the title, and in return, Ki teamed with Diamond Ring stablemate Kento Miyahara to go after the Wolves' IFA Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.

In the heavyweight tag ranks, this marked another meeting in the epic feud between Hirooki Goto and Silas Young. Started the previous year when Goto criticaled Silas in a trios match, it centered around Goto's belief that Silas wasn't worthy to be competing in the PGS. Silas proved Goto wrong by beating Goto in a crucial match in the 2012 Greatest Fighter league, preventing Goto from advancing to the semifinals. When Silas and his mentor, Jun Akiyama, won the IFA Tag Team Championship at Forever 2012, Goto made it his mission to take those belts away, and teamed with Hiroyoshi Tenzan under the name "ASSAULT" to achieve that goal.

The IFA Openweight Championship feud is the stuff of legend in VIRTUE. On the company's very first show, Kensuke Sasaki was attacked by his protege, Katsuhiko Nakajima, a man he considered to be like his son. Nakajima joined with Nigel McGuinness to form a group called Monarchy. Sasaki gathered new allies in Diamond Ring. Their wars lasted for much of VIRTUE's first year, with Nigel beating Sasaki in singles matches on two occasions--first at Battle Born 2012 and later, becoming the 2nd IFA Openweight Champion by beating Sasaki at Forever 2012.

### Venue

**Yokohama Stadium** is a stadium in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan. It opened in 1978 and holds 30,000 people.

It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

### Results

070: CLASH OF THE TITANS-5/26/13

Yokohama Stadium

28,132 Fans-Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Matt Sydal, Billy Ken Kid, & UltraMantis Black b. Sami Callihan,
 Richie Steamboat, & Adam Cole when BKK used a rolling pin on Cole at 14:22.

 2. JX STYLE SCRAMBLE MATCH: Kotaro Suzuki b. Ricky Marvin, Tigers Mask, and Minoru Tanaka when Suzuki used the Tiger Driver on Marvin at 8:44.

 3. Dragon Kid & AR Fox b. Seiya Sanada & Hiroshi Yamato when Kid used the Cyclone Rana on Sanada at 11:38.

 4. ELIMINATION MATCH: Hell Guns b. Team Bullet
 -Ikuto Hidaka eliminated by Karl Anderson with a brainbuster at 9:20.
 -Taishi Takizawa eliminated by Kenny King with the Fisherman's DDT at 12:35.
 -Kenny King eliminated by Abyss with the Chokeslam at 13:06.
 -Masato Tanaka eliminated by Karl Anderson with the Gun Stun at 20:45.

 5. THE DRAGON'S QUEST: SHINGO b. BJ Whitmer with the Made in Japan at 12:37.

 6. IFA LORDS OF TRIOS: Takeshi Morishima, Paul London, & Uhaa Nation b. Daisuke Sekimoto, Yoshihito Sasaki, & Brandon Gatson when Nation used the Jumping Tombstone on Gatson at 15:02 to become the 5th championsN

 7. IFA JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM: American Wolves (c) b. Low-Ki & Kento Miyahara by submission when Edwards used the Dragon Sleeper on Miyahara at 20:52. (5th defense)

 8. SPECIAL CHALLENGE: Katsuhiko Nakajima b. Randy Orton with the Northern Lights Bomb at 15:39.

 9. IFA TAG TEAM: Jun Akiyama & Silas Young (c) b. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Hirooki Goto by ref stoppage at 20:57. (3rd defense)

 10. IFA OPENWEIGHT: Nigel McGuinness (c) b. Kensuke Sasaki with the Jawbreaker Lariat at 30:35. (4th defense)

## Clash of the Titans II

The second Clash of the Titans event was held on May 24th, 2014, at New York's Arthur Ashe Stadium. This edition began full PGS participation in the event, though VIRTUE still held the majority of the matches.

The headlining feud was between Hirooki Goto and IFA Openweight Champion Masato Tanaka. Goto had become a major force in VIRTUE after forming the New World Order the previous year, and was at the height of his power by winning the 2014 Cup of Nine Virtues tournament.

UWFi's main event was a rematch of its top match at Forever 2013. Kota Ibushi lost the UWFi Quadruple Crown to Nick Gerts at Forever 2013, ending Ibushi's momentum as leader of the Tate no Kai stable. Ibushi earned his shot at a rematch by winning the Gauntlet for the Gold, though he did so under questionable circumstances. He used the Golden Star Press on Naomichi Marufuji, and the ref counted the pin despite Marufuji's feet being under the ropes.

### Venue

Arthur Ashe Stadium is a tennis stadium located in the New York City borough of Queens. Part of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center located within Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, it is the largest tennis-specific stadium in the world by capacity, with a capacity of 22,547 and is the main stadium of the US Open. The stadium is named after the famous tennis player, Arthur Ashe, who won the inaugural US Open in which professionals could compete in 1968.

### Results

CLASH OF THE TITANS II-5/24/14

Arthur Ashe Stadium

22,547 Fans-Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Brandon Gatson (VIRTUE) def. Seth Rollins (UWFi) after Rollins was disqualified after using the steel steps on Gatson at 19:24.

2. Future Shock (VIRTUE) def. American Wolves after Adam Cole hit a half-nelson suplex on Eddie Edwards at 17:04. Future Shock win the IFA Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles.

3. Shinsuke Nakamura (UWFi) def. Hiroshi Tanahashi (Zero-1) after Nakamura makes Tanahashi tap to the hele hook at 14:09. 57 PERCENT

4. Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson (NOAH) def. Nigel McGuinness and Nakajima (VIRTUE) after Bernard hits a CRITICAL inverted facebuster on Nakajima at 14:53. 67 PERCENT

5. Corey Graves and Tobias Fenrir (NOAH) def. Steve Corino and Dean Ambrose (NOAH) after Fenrir hits a super powerslam on Corino at 16:48.

6. SHINGO, Dragon Kid and Tozawa (VIRTUE) def. Roman Reigns, Sanada and Miyaharu (VIRTUE) after SHINGO makes Miyaharu tap to the anaconda vice at 21:18.

7. Kiyoshi Tamura and Takeshi Rikio (VIRTUE) def. Drake Younger and KUDO (VIRTUE) after Tamura makes Younger tap to repeated body punches at 11:04.

8. John Cena, Minoru Tanaka and Hiroshi Yamato (VIRTUE) def. Akiyama, Silas Young and Kotaro Suzuki (VIRTUE) after Cena makes Akiyama tap to the STFU at 19:39. Cena, Tanaka and Yamato win the IFA Lord of Trios titles.

9. The Dudleyz (NOAH) def. Spike Dudley and Hugh Jass (NOAH) after Bubba hits the Dudley Death Drop on Jass at 10:10.

10. Wade Barrett (NOAH) def. Rhino (NOAH) with the bull hammer elbow at 8:56.

11. Go Shiozaki and William Regal (UWFi) def. Kobashi and Takayama (UWFi) after Shiozaki hits a powerbomb to pin Kobashi at 40:35. Shiozaki and Regal retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles. 90 PERCENT

12. DJ Hyde (VIRTUE) def. Low Ki (VIRTUE/ZERO-1) after repeated punches resulting in a CRITICAL at 19:27. 84 PERCENT

13. Mike Quackenbush (VIRTUE) def. Paul London (VIRTUE) with repeated palm strikes at 22:42. Quackenbush wins the IFA Junior Heavyweight Title. 79 PERCENT

14. Rey Misterio (UWFi) def. AJ Styles (UWFi) with a moonsalt pin at 20:36. 80 PERCENT

15. KENTA (ZERO-1) def. Keiji Mutoh (ZERO-1) with a top-rope body splash at 17:19. KENTA retains the Zero-1 Heavyweight Championship. 80 PERCENT

16. Nick Gerts (UWFi) def. Kota Ibushi with an exploder for the pin at 22:26. Gerts retains the UWFi Quadruple Crown Championship. 78 PERCENT

17. IFA OPENWIGHT: Masato Tanaka (VIRTUE) def. Hiroki Goto (VIRTUE) with the Complete Dust at 34:43. 87 PERCENT (3rd defense)