12/3/66 Tokyo Nippon Budokan NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Fritz Von Erich
3/2/67 Osaka Furitsu Gym NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Bruno Sammartino
3/7/67 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan: Kintaro Oki & Michiaki Yoshimura vs. Buddy Austin & Hans Schmidt
3/7/67 Tokyo NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Bruno Sammartino
12/6/67 Tokyo Gym NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Crusher Lisowski
1/3/68 Kuramae Kuramae Kokugikan NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Crusher Lisowski
2/28/68 Tokyo Gym NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Dick The Bruiser
6/26/68 Kuramae Kokugikan NWA International Heavyweight Title: Bobo Brazil vs. Giant Baba
3/5/69 Tokyo Gym NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. The Destroyer
4/5/69 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan: Giant Baba vs. Gorilla Monsoon
5/16/69 Tokyo Gym: Giant Baba vs. Bobo Brazil
12/19/69 Los Angeles NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Fritz Von Erich
3/3/70 Aichi-ken Gym NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Fritz Von Erich
12/3/70 Osaka Furitsu Gym NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Gene Kiniski
12/18/70 Los Angeles NWA International Title: Gene Kiniski vs. Giant Baba
12/3/66 International Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Fritz Von Erich
1/5/79: Fritz Von Erich vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
6/10/81: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. David Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich
4/7/83 Missouri Heavyweight Title Match: Kerry Von Erich vs. Genichiro Tenryu
5/22/84 NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Kerry Von Erich vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
6/8/90 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
Abdullah The Butcher vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
Stan Hansen vs. Toshiaki Kawada
6/1/90 Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Bam Bam Bigelow & Davey Boy Smith vs. Terry Gordy & Steve Williams
6/5/90 Chiba Koen Taiikukan
Steve Williams vs. Stan Hansen
9/20/72 Honolulu International Center Arena
Giant Baba vs. The Sheik. Black & white footage
12/11/72 Niigata Shi Taiikukan
2/3 Falls World Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. The Destroyer
4/28/73: Hiro Matsuda & Thunder Sugiyama vs. King Curtis Iaukea & Tony Parisi
7/25/75: Destroyer vs. Mil Mascaras
Vol 1 3:05
10/7/73 International Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Dory Funk Jr.. & Terry Funk
11/24/73: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mickey Doyle
1/30/74 NWA Heavyweight: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jack Brisco
6/13/74: Jumbo Tsuruta & Destroyer vs. Kevin Sullivan & Johnny Rodz
7/25/74: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Bob Backlund & Bob Roop
8/29/74: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dory Funk Jr.
12/2/74: Jumbo Tsuruta & Akihisa Takachiho vs. Ken Mantell & Pat O'Conner
Vol 2 3:15
12/5/74 NWA Jr: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ken Mantell
2/5/75 International Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
3/13/75 International Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
3/28/75: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rusher Kimura
4/10/75: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bob Orton Jr.
7/19/75: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Fritz Von Erick
7/25/75: Jumbo Tsuruta & Anton Geesink vs. Bobby Duncum & Bob Remus (Sgt. Slaughter)
10/10/75: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher the Butcher
Vol 3 2:30
12/9/75: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Horst Hoffman
12/13/75: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rusher Kimura
12/15/75: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Giant Baba
12/17/75: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher
12/18/75: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dory Funk Jr.
3/28/76: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rusher Kimura
5/1/76: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Giant Baba
5/13/76: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Kintaro Oki & Kang Sung Yung
Vol 4 1:20
6/11/76 NWA Heavyweight: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Terry Funk
10/3/76: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Verne Gagne
Vol 5 3:25
3/23/77 UN Heavyweight: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Billy Robinson
6/11/77 NWA Heavyweight: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race
8/25/77 UN Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mil Mascaras
12/2/77: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik
12/14/77: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
12/15/77: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Kintaro Oki & Kim Duk
2/5/78 UN Heavyweight: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Anton Geesink
Vol 6 2:05
2/18/78: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rusher Kimura
3/4/78: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Don Leo Jonathon
3/11/78: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kintaro Oki
3/14/78: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ted DiBiase
1978/03/25 Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kim Duk
3/28/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Abdullah the Butcher & Frank Morrill
4/1/78: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher
Vol 7 2:35
4/7/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Destroyer vs. Kintaro Oki & Kim Duk
4/21/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Ric Flair & Kim Duk
4/27/78 UN Heavyweight: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ric Flair
7/15/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Rocky Hata vs. Dick Slater & Kim Duk
8/18/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Moose Morowski & Kim Duk
8/24/78 International Tag: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras
8/29/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Rocky Hata vs. Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras
Vol 8 3:00
8/31/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Destroyer vs. Moose Morowski & Randy Tyler
9/8/78: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mil Mascaras
9/13/78: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kim Duk
10/9/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Tito Santana & Big Red
10/25/78 International Tag: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Abdullah the Butcher & Bobo Brazil
10/30/78 International Tag: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Kintaro Oki & Kim Duk
11/3/78: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher
11/7/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Destroyer vs. Tito Santana & Tor Kamata
11/25/78: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mighty Inoue
Vol 9 2:40
11/28/78 Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Toru Tanaka
12/1/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Billy Robinson & Wild Angus
12/9/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Nick Bockwinkle & Blackjack Lanza
12/13/78: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkle
12/15/78: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
1/3/79 International Tag: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. King Curtis & Baron Von Raschke
1/5/79: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Fritz Von Erich
Vol 10 2:20
1/10/79: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Baron Von Raschke
1/20/79: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody
1/26/79: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Baron Von Raschke & King Curtis
11/29/79 UN Heavyweight: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kim Duk
2/10/79: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Mad Man Mitchell & Roger Kirby
4/6/79: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher
4/26/79: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher
Vol 11 2:20
8/26/79: Jumbo Tsuruta & Mil Mascaras & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Akihisa Takachiho & Masa Saito & Kim Duk
9/6/79: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba & Mil Mascaras vs. Abdullah the Butcher & Bobo Brazil & Carlos Colon
10/26/79 NWA Heavyweight: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race
11/30/79: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
12/3/79: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Abdullah the Butcher & The Sheik
12/13/79 Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras
10/9/73 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, 2/3 Falls International Tag Title Match: Dory & Terry Funk vs. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta NWA International Tag Team Titles; 10 & 9 & 73:
2/5/75 San Antonio Municipal Auditorium, 2/3 Falls International Tag Title Match: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dory & Terry Funk
12/9/76, 2/3 Falls International Tag Title Match: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kintaro Oki & Kim Duk
11/24/73 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mickey Doyle
1/29/74 Osaka, NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jack Brisco vs. Dory Funk Jr.
1/30/74 Tokyo, NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jack Brisco vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
11/24/73 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mickey Doyle
4/27/74 US Heavyweight Title Decision: Destroyer vs. Abdullah the Butcher
8/29/74 2/3 Falls: Dory Funk Jr. vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
7/25/75 2/3 Falls: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bob Backlund & Bob Roop
1/30/74 NWA World Heavyweight Title: Jack Brisco vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
6/13/74
Judo Jacket Match: Gorilla Monsoon vs. Anton Geesink
2/3 Falls: Jumbo Tsuruta & The Destroyer vs. Kevin Sullivan & Johnny Rodz
Giant Baba vs. Pedro Morales
12/2/74 Kagoshima 2/3 Falls NWA Title: Jack Brisco vs. Giant Baba
12/5/74 Tokyo 2/3 Falls NWA & PWF Title: Giant Baba vs. Jack Brisco
10/31/79 Nagoya NWA Title: Harley Race vs. Giant Baba
9/4/80 Saga NWA Title: Harley Race vs. Giant Baba
12/2/74 Kagoshima 2/3 Falls NWA Title: Jack Brisco vs. Giant Baba
7/25/75 Tokyo NWA World Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Texas Death Match: Giant Baba vs. Fritz Von Erich
12/5/74 Tokyo
2/3 Falls NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ken Mantell
2/3 Falls NWA World & PWF Heavyweight Title: Shohei Baba vs Jack Brisco
12/19/69 Los Angeles 2/3 Falls NWA International Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Fritz Von Erich
7/19/75 Chubu 2/3 Falls Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Fritz Von Erich
7/25/75 Tokyo NWA World Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Texas Death Match: Giant Baba vs. Fritz Von Erich
6/17/83 Dallas Texas Heavyweight Title: David Von Erich vs. Jimmy Garvin
6/17/83 Dallas NWA World Heavyweight Title: Harley Race vs. Kevin Von Erich
7/19/75 Chubu
Chavo Guerrero vs. Anton Geesink
2/3 Falls: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Fritz Von Erich
11/24/73 2/3 Falls: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruno Sammartino & Calypso Hurricane
7/19/75 Chubu: The Spirit vs. Samson Kutsuwada
2/5/75 San Antonio 2/3 Falls International Tag Title: Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta
3/13/75 2/3 Falls International Tag Title: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr.
4/10/75 2/3 Falls PWF Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Dick the Bruiser
4/10/75
Killer Kowalski & Mr. Wrestling vs. The Destroyer & Samson Kutsuwada
3rd Champion Carnival 1R: Jumbo Tsuruta vs Bob Orton Jr.
8/29/74 2/3 Falls: Giant Baba & The Destroyer vs Dick Slater & Killer Karl Kox
10/30/75 Kuramae: Kintaro Oki vs Giant Baba
12/11/75 Budokan: Kintaro Oki vs Abdullah The Butcher
5/8/76 Sapporo Nakajima, Champion Carnival: Kintaro Oki vs Jumbo Tsuruta
10/28/76 Kuramae, International Tag Title Match: Kintaro Oki & Kim Duk vs Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta
12/10/76 International Tag Title Match: Kintaro Oki & Kim Duk vs Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta
12/10/77 Osaka Furitsu World Open Tag Title League Match: Kintaro Oki & Kim Duk vs Rusher Kimura & Great Kusatsu
12/15/75 Miyagi Open Title League: Giant Baba vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
11/4/85 Osaka: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Riki Choshu
4/20/89 Osaka Triple Crown Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu
4/18/91 Tokyo Triple Crown Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa
10/24/91 Yokohama Triple Crown Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Toshiaki Kawada
10/30/75 Tokyo: Giant Baba vs. Kintaro Oki
7/24/76 Tokyo 2/3 Falls PWF Title: Giant Baba vs. Billy Robinson
2/10/79 Chicago, IL 2/3 Falls PWF Title: Abdullah The Butcher vs. Giant Baba
2/4/82 Tokyo PWF Title:Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen
3/3/83 Tokyo: Giant Baba vs. Umanosuke Ueda
7/31/84 Tokyo PWF Title: Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba
Note: all matches Open Title League Matches
12/6/75 Tokyo Ota-ku Taiikukan
Dusty Rhodes vs. Harley Race
Dory Funk Jr. vs. Abdullah The Butcher
Giant Baba vs. Baron Von Raschke
12/13/75 Fukui-shi Taiikukan
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rusher Kimura
Giant Baba vs. Abdullah The Butcher
12/15/75 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center
Dory Funk Jr. vs. Horst Hoffman
Don Leo Jonathan vs. Abdullah The Butcher
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Giant Baba
Note: all matches Open Title League Matches
12/6/75 Tokyo Ota-ku Taiikukan
Dusty Rhodes vs. Harley Race
Mr. Wrestling vs. Mighty Inoue
Giant Baba vs. Baron Von Raschke
Dory Funk Jr. vs. Abdullah the Butcher
Don Leo Jonathan vs. Anton Geesink
12/9/75 Fukuoka
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Horst Hoffman
Dusty Rhodes vs. Hiro Matsuda
Dick Murdoch vs. Anton Geesink
The Destroyer vs. Great Kusatsu
Note: all matches Open Title League Matches
12/9/75 Fukuoka
Don Leo Jonathan vs. Mr. Wrestling
Harley Race vs. Giant Baba
Dory Funk Jr. vs. Baron Von Raschke
12/11/75: Abdullah the Butcher vs. Kintaro Oki
12/13/75
The Destroyer vs. Don Leo Jonathan
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rusher Kimura
Pat O'Connor vs. Mighty Inoue
Note: all matches Open Title League Matches
12/13/75 Giant Baba vs. Abdullah the Butcher
12/15/75 Fukui-shi Taiikukan
Abdullah the Butcher vs. Don Leo Jonathan
Giant Baba vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
Pat O' Connor vs. Dick Murdoch
Dory Funk Jr. vs. Horst Hoffman
Ken Mantell vs. Great Kusatsu
12/17/75 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center: Dory Funk Jr. vs. Don Leo Jonathan
Note: all matches Open Title League Matches
12/17/75 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center
Hiro Matsuda vs. Mighty Inoue
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher
Giant Baba vs. Rusher Kimura
Horst Hoffman vs. The Destroyer
12/18/75
Dory Funk Jr. vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
Giant Baba vs. Horst Hoffman
Disk 1
10/9/73 Kuramae Kokugikan 2/3 Falls International Tag Title Match: The Funks vs. Giant Baba & Tomomi Tsuruta 61:00 [6:08 of 23:57, 1:39 of 17:24, 5:53 of 19:39]
5/1/76 Nippon University Public Hall, 4th Champion Carnival: Giant Baba vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 26:15
8/28/76 Nippon University Hall, 2/3 Falls UN Heavyweight Title Decision Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jack Brisco 23:02
Disk 2
8/25/77 Denen Coliseum 2/3 Falls UN Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mil Mascaras 33:54
8/31/83 Kuramae Kokugikan, International Heavyweight Title Match: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 21:33
2/23/84 Kuramae Kokugikan, International Heavyweight & AWA World Heavyweight Double Title Match: Nick Bockwinkle (AWA Champion) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (International Champion) 32:00
Disk 3
3/28/76 Kuramae Kokugikan, 2/3 Falls NWA United National Title Decision Match, Jumbo Tsuruta 10 Match Trial Series #2: Rusher Kimura vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 24:54
6/11/76 Kuramae Kokugikan, 2/3 Falls NWA World Heavyweight Title Match, Jumbo Tsuruta 10 Match Trial Series #3: Terry Funk vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 27:07 (15:45 of 15:50, 6:01 of 6:05, 5:06 of 5:12). A great example of a fundamental technical wrestling match that works despite a relative lack of successful high spots because they are able to fend them off in a compelling manner. Within the pacing of the era, they are able to keep this teacher vs. student match entertaining by knowing when to counter or transition, and often when to simply stifle the opponent's movement by pulling them back into the original hold. A serious version of Terry Funk actually shows up for this 1st fall that's a simple, extended struggle of arm locks. Incredibly basic stuff, but done with admirable focus and conviction. After Jumbo takes a largely stalemated first fall where the prodigy's advantages in strength and agility led to his victory via sunset flip, the escalation occurs, as veteran Funk shifts to neck work for a more lively second fall that requires Tsuruta to answer more quickly on the fly. It culminates in one of the few successfully utilized rolling cradles, coming off Funk outmanuevering Jumbo in a cobra twist battle. Jumbo gives a more spirited performance in the third, disgusted with himself for letting his lead slip away. He fearlessly returns to the cobra twist to start the fall, and is able to take a lot out of Funk even though Funk ultimately hip tosses him to the floor, setting up a decider where the fan favorite underdog is on the ascendancy throughout. Funk's hokey overselling only shows up hurting his back landing from a leapfrog, but the great thing is it's actually a ploy, and while the leapfrog was his undoing in the 1st, now Funk is able to bait his overconfident student into taking a risk to go for the kill, and Funk wins by countering the Thesz press into the hotshot to retain. Funk is the mastermind here, and this is clearly one of his very best performances. ****
Disk 4
7/17/76 Kitakyushu Mihagino Gymnasium 2/3 Falls Jumbo Tsuruta 10 Match Trial Series #4: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bill Robinson 70:00 [1:00 of 29:05, 8:13 of 21:52, 13:41 of 19:03]
6/11/77 Setagaya Ward Gymnasium, 2/3 Falls NWA World Heavyweight Title Match, Jumbo Tsuruta 10 Match Trial Series #8: Harley Race vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 21:58
1/5/79 Kawasaki City Gymnasium, Jumbo Tsuruta 10 Match Trial Series #10: Fritz von Erich vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 10:21
Disk 5
11/4/85 Osaka Jo Hall: Riki Choshu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 60:00
Disk 6
6/10/88 Nippon Budokan International, PWF World Tag Double Title Match:
The Road Warriors (International Champs) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu (PWF Champs) 13:48
4/18/89 Ota-ku Gymnasium, International, UN, PWF Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship Unification Match: Jumbo Tsuruta (Inter champion) vs. Stan Hansen (UN, PWF champion) 17:53
4/20/89 Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Triple Crown Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu 16:03
Disk 7
4/19/90 Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, Triple Crown Heavyweight Title Match:
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu 12:32
9/1/90 Nippon Budokan, Triple Crown Heavyweight Next Challenger Decision Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa 24:50
Disk 8
1/19/91 Matsumoto City Gymnasium, Triple Crown Heavyweight Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 15:49
4/6/91 Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, '91 Champion Carnival B Block: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Toshiaki Kawada 17:13
4/16/91 Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, '91 Champion Carnival Final: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen 12:53
Disk 9
4/18/91 Nippon Budokan, Triple Crown Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa 23:17
10/24/91 Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, Triple Crown Heavyweight Title Match:
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Toshiaki Kawada 19:05
Disk 10
2/27/92 Matsumoto City Gymnasium, 3 Army Special Rematch: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kenta Kobashi 21:39
3/4/92 Nippon Budokan, World Tag Title Match: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue 31:18
3/6/99 retirement ceremony
5/1/76 Tokyo Champion Carnival: Giant Baba vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
2/18/78 Tokyo: Giant Baba vs. Rusher Kimura
6/12/86 Tokyo: Giant Baba vs. Rusher Kimura
8/29/88 Tokyo: Giant Baba vs. Rusher Kimura
11/29/89 Sapporo World's Strongest Tag League: Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen
6/1/93 Tokyo: Giant Baba & Mighty Inoue & Rusher Kimura vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Haruka Eigen & Masanobu Fuchi. Digest
7/24/76 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan 2/3 Falls PWF Title: Baba vs. Billy Robinson
2/15/75 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center: Baba vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
5/13/76 Kawasaki-shi Taiikukan: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kintaro Oki & Nan Kaizan
8/28/75 Tokyo, US Heavyweight Decision Match: The Destroyer vs. Super Destroyer
10/28/76 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, US Heavyweight Title Decision Match: The Destroyer vs. Abdullah The Butcher
12/9/76 Tokyo:
Dick Murdoch vs. Killer Karl Cox
Bill Robinson vs. Abdullah The Butcher
3/28/76 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, 2/3 Falls UN Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rusher Kimura
3/23/77 Miami Beach Convention Hall 2/3 Falls UN Heavyweight Title Decision Match: Billy Robinson vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 31:00 [10:55 (9:41 shown), 13:00 (9:48 shown), 7:05 (5:05 shown). Well built, back & forth, action oriented match. Each fall told it's own story, which then continued into the next fall. The first fall, ironically, was probably the best all around fall of the three, as it had a really great mix of technical counter wrestling escalating to emotional striking to composed frustration. The best of the challenging sequences saw Robinson escape a hammerlock by using his leg for an outside trip then try to work the leg he tripped, but Jumbo shot him into the ropes with his other leg & tried to monkey flip him on the way back, except Robinson held onto a leg in midair & got right up to hit a leg breaker. However, they focused more on getting each other riled up to generate heat early, with the story of the 1st fall being Robinson's frustration over Jumbo getting the better of him, which caused Billy to go big early. Jumbo's strikes (chops, elbows, but mainly his slaps) got under Robinson's skin, leading to Robinson slapping instead of breaking clean, which Jumbo soon avenged. Robinson just couldn't sustain an advantage, so he unleashed a series of neckbreakers, each with that put him in his place kind of attitude, but still Jumbo just had the better positioning & timing & perhaps even luck as Robinson's one big counter pin attempt wound up in the ropes. Ultimately, Jumbo countered an atomic drop & busted out his big backdrop to take the 1st. The 2nd fall was a slower, more technical fall with Jumbo maintaining his lead with the headlock. Robinson would eventually find a counter, for instance a headstand twist out, but Jumbo would just counter back into the headlock. Robinson eventually used his backbreakers to take over then won with a Boston crab, which put him in maintain the advantage mode to start the 3rd, continuing to work the injured back. Jumbo finally gets going with a manjigatame, and after Robinson hip tossed his way out, trapped Robinson in a Boston crab of his own. Thusfar, everything was well worked up to, and although it was early (weird having a 3rd fall that's half the length of the other two when it's not because time expired) I'd be fine with this being the finish, as it would be a move over wrestler type of story where each guy trapped the opponent, so what if it's the same move, and that's why the Boston crab is good. Instead, because it's America, and Robinson had a fued with Abdullah, he shows up out of nowhere for a preposterous run in, breaking the crab up with a chop (I'm unclear why he's essentially saving Robinson even if to attack him himself) & tossing Jumbo out of the ring. Robinson gets the 1st blow in on Butcher & has a good run before taking a fork to the throat, at which point Jumbo reappears & pins him with a dropkick. This was well on it's way to being another great match between these two, but this had nothing to do with anything that came before it in this particular match, a match where virtually everything had something to do with what came before it. I loved that they just wrestled this "as though they didn't know it was going to end in a run in" & had an actual legit finish in mind, but in a sense that makes it more tragic. Yes, run-ins suck, but this literally was Butchery! ****
Jumbo Tsuruta #4
11/4/85 Osaka Jo Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Riki Choshu 60:00
5/1/76 Champion Carnival League Match: Giant Baba vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
7/24/76 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, 2/3 Falls PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Billy Robinson
8/28/76 2/3 Falls UN Heavyweight Title Decision Match: Jack Brisco vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
10/28/76 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, 2/3 Falls International Tag Title Match: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kintaro Oki & Kim Duk (Tiger Chung Lee)
3/20/77 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. The Mafia
3/23/77 Tampa, FL Tampa Sportatorium: Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Angelo Poffo & Pat MacGinness
6/22/80 Minneapolis Auditorium
Akihisa Takachiho (The Great Kabuki) & Kazuo Sakurada (Kendo Nagasaki) vs. Ben DeLeon & Herman Schaefer
PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Super Destroyer Mark II (Scott Irwin)
AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Nick Bockwinkle vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
Maple Leaf Gardens, International Tag Title Match: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody & Scott Irwin
8/25/77 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, 2/3 Falls NWA United National Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mil Mascaras
12/3/93 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, World's Strongest Tag League, World Tag Title Decision: Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada
#005
8/25/77: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mil Mascaras
2/23/84 AWA & NWA International Double Title: Nick Bockwinkel vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
#006
3/13/86: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Animal Hamiguchi
4/20/89: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu
9/1/90: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa
Discs 1 & 2
Intro from Genichiro Tenryu
10/15/76: Press conference with Genichiro Tenryu and Giant Baba
12/9/76: Knot cutting ceremony
3/20/77: Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. The Mafia. 4:11 shown
6/11/77: Genichiro Tenryu & Giant Baba vs. Mario Milano & Mexico Grande 12:04
12/2/77: Genichiro Tenryu & Rocky Hata vs. Dory Funk & Terry Funk 4:59 shown
7/30/81: Genichiro Tenryu & Billy Robinson vs. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta 7:43 shown
10/6/81: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ric Flair 2:40 1st fall, 1:32 2nd fall, 2:00 3rd fall
2/4/82: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Mil Mascaras 3:00 shown
4/16/82: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 5:53 shown
3/1/83: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Umanosuke Ueda 5:01 shown
2/23/84: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ricky Steamboat 5:12 shown
2/5/85: Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Riki Choshu & Masa Saito 5:13 shown
3/9/85: Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Road Warriors 11:29 shown
6/21/85: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu 19:01 shown
4/26/86: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ted DiBiase 15:21 shown
6/12/86: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Super Strong Machine 4:10
9/3/86: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu 19:59 shown
Discs 3 & 4
2/5/87: Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yoshiaki Yatsu 17:02 shown
6/8/87: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa 12:16 shown
6/11/87: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask 7:02 shown
8/21/87: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & The Great Kabuki 7:40 shown
4/15/88: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Bruiser Brody 30:00 shown
6/4/88: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu 5:47 shown
7/27/88: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Stan Hansen 14:34 shown
6/5/89: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 24:04 shown
7/11/89: Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu 21:28 shown
8/19/89: Genichiro Tenryu & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Kenta Kobashi 3:36 shown
Disc 5 & 6
11/29/89: Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura 20:22 shown
12/6/89: Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu 28:56
1/26/90: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Isao Takagi 5:40 shown
4/19/90: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 12:34
1/28/01: Genichiro Tenryu & Hiroshi Hase vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Toshiaki Kawada 23:48
1/8/05: Genichiro Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Takeshi Rikio 6:24 shown
4/24/05: Genichiro Tenryu & Jun Akiyama vs. Kenta Kobashi & Go Shiozaki 5:30 shown
7/18/05: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Yoshinari Ogawa 10:24 shown
10/8/05: Genichiro Tenryu vs. KENTA 11:37 shown
11/5/05: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Mitsuharu Misawa 14:25 shown
Discs 7 & 8
2/10/90: Genichiro Tenryu & Tiger Mask vs. Riki Choshu & George Takano 19:00 shown
10/23/92: Genichiro Tenryu & Koki Kitahara vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura 8:51 shown
11/23/92: Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa & Koki Kitahara vs. Shiro Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura & Aoyagi 4:46 shown
12/14/94: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Shiro Koshinaka 20:43 shown
1/4/93: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu 18:15 shown
2/5/93: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Shinya Hashimoto & Keiji Muto & Akira Nogami 6:56 shown
3/23/93: Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu 4:26
4/6/93: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu 14:51 shown
5/3/93: Genichiro Tenryu & Riki Choshu vs. Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami 19:23 shown
7/14/93: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Masa Chono 10:44 shown
8/3/93: Genichiro Tenryu & Koki Kitahara vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & Tatsumi Fujinami 5:37 shown
Discs 9 & 10
8/8/93: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Shinya Hashimoto 21:25 shown
9/23/93: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Hiroshi Hase 8:54
12/10/93: Genichiro Tenryu & Super Strong Machine vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Tatsutoshi Goto 5:27 shown
1/4/94: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Antonio Inoki 13:56
4/29/96: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Tatsumi Fujinami 9:16 shown
7/15/98: Genichiro Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka vs. Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan 15:01 shown
8/1/98: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Shinya Hashimoto 13:12 shown
5/3/99: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Keiji Muto 25:36 shown
6/8/99: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Shinya Hashimoto 14:10 shown
10/11/99: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Kensuke Sasaki 13:36 shown
11/1/99: Genichiro Tenryu & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Kazuhiko Fujita 9:08 shown
Discs 11 & 12
12/5/99: Genichiro Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Takashi Iizuka 7:15 shown
12/10/99: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Keiji Muto 26:31
1/4/04: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Manabu Nakanishi 7:14 shown
2/15/04, IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament 1st Round: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Masahiro Chono 6:25
2/15/04, IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament Semifinal: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi 10:32
2/15/04, IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament Final: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan 13:01
3/21/04: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Tadao Yasuda 6:56 shown
3/28/04: Genichiro Tenryu & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Minoru Suzuki & Yoshihiro Takayama 6:43 shown
5/3/04: Genichiro Tenryu & Meng vs. Dolgorsuren Sumiyabazar & Dolgorsuren Serjbudee (Blue Wolf) 4:14 shown
6/5/04: Genichiro Tenryu & Tadao Yasuda vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Osamu Nishimura 10:26 shown
8/8/04: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Yuji Nagata 11:28 shown
8/15/04: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Kensuke Sasaki 8:10 shown
8/15/04: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi 6:34 shown
10/9/04: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Katsuyori Shibata 4:45 shown
11/13/04: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Katsuyori Shibata 9:09 shown
Note: all matches World Open Tag Title League Matches
12/2/77 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
World Open Tag Title League Match: The Funks (Dory Funk, Jr. & Terry Funk) vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Rocky Hata
Abdullah the Butcher & The Sheik vs. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta
12/6/77 Fukuoka: The Funks (Dory Funk, Jr. & Terry Funk) vs. Billy Robinson & Horst Hoffmann
12/10/77 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rusher Kimura & The Great Kusatsu
Abdullah the Butcher & The Sheik vs. Kintaro Oki & Kim Duk
World Open Tag Title League 12/2/77 Korakuen
Billy Robinson & Horst Hoffman vs. Mighty Inoue & Akihisa Takachiho 17:28
Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik [2] vs. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta [0] 11:36
12/6/77 Kyushu Electric Power Company Memorial Gym, Bill Robinson & Horst Hoffman [3] vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk [7] 45:00
12/10/77 Miyagi-ken Sports Center: Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik [8] defeat Kim Duk & Kintaro Oki [6] 6:38
12/14/77 Osaka Prefectural Gym
Kim Duk & Kintaro Oki [8] vs. Great Kusatsu & Rusher Kimura [8] 10:20
Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik [12] vs. Bill Robinson & Horst Hoffman [7] 11:02
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta [11] vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk [12] 45:00
12/15/77 Kuramae Kokugikan
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta [13] vs. Kim Duk & Kintaro Oki [8] 13:39
Terry & Dory Funk Jr. [14] vs. Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik [12] 14:40
DVD #1 1977/1978
Finishes of 1977 league matches: Billy Robinson & Horst Hoffman vs. Mighty Inoue & Akihisa Takachiho, Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Rocky Hata, Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba, Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Billy Robinson & Horst Hoffman, Rusher Kimura & Great Kusatsu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba, Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik vs. Billy Robinson & Horst Hoffman, Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba, Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Kintaro Oki & Kim Duk
12/15/77 World Open Tag Title League Match: Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik finals 14:40
Finishes of 1978 league matches: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Billy Robinson & Wild Angus, Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Nick Bockwinkle & Blackjack Lanza, Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Nick Bockwinkle & Blackjack Lanza, Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik
12/15/78 '78 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Terry & Dory Funk Jr. 45:00
DVD #2 1979/1980
Finishes of 1979 league matches: Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik vs. Wahoo McDaniel & Frank Hill, Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik, Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras vs. Terry & Dory Funk Jr., Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras vs. Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik, Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba,
12/13/79 '79 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik vs. Terry & Dory Funk Jr. 17:15. Corny bloodbath that's more like a Z grade horror movie with almost no actual wrestling, but the fans are going nuts the whole time. Terry just hams it up with all his spastic overselling then Dory finally tags in & manages to suplex Abby, which is about where the holds begin & end. Abdullah has to find a way to carry his team since Sheik is 53, so he does what he always does, bleeds from the 1st or 2nd punch to the head, and from here it's just carnage with Terry focusing on enlarging Abby's cut while Sheik busts Dory open. Everyone eventually bleeds because what else are they capable of doing together, but none of this leads to anything that resembles a wrestling move or match, with the ref constantly managing to not see the foreign objects that are responsible for all the offense. I don't know that this is any worse than any other Abby & Sheik match, but I'd literally rather watch any match in the history of FMW or IWA Japan than this DUD.
Finishes of 1980 league matches: Ricky Steamboat & Dick Slater vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tor Kamata, Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. The Sheik & Great Mephisto, Billy Robinson & Les Thornton vs. Nick Bockwinkle & Jim Brunzell, Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Nick Bockwinkle & Jim Brunzell, Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tor Kamata, Abdullah The Butcher & Tor Kamata vs. The Sheik & Great Mephisto
12/11/80 '80 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba 43:50. These teams had 45:00 draws in the previous 3 tag leagues, but with Baba & Jumbo coming in a point behind the Funks, that really put the pressure on the natives to finally break through & even things at 2 tag leagues a piece rather than finish tie for 2nd with Abdullah & Kamata & allow the Texans to capture their third league. Only Baba seemed to feel that urgency early on & was interested in taking things to the next level when he came in. However, while Baba tried to pick things up with his signature highspots, the others still more or less stuck to their body work, delivering an unspectacular technical match where the Funks worked on Jumbo's knee & Baba's team worked on Terry's back. The quality was good from the outset, and it was a consistent but never particularly dynamic until they shifted to the stretch run about 27 minutes in when Jumbo came in & stomped Terry's head to break up the rolling cradle, then just kept putting the boots to him until Dory came in swinging. Jumbo was quite good during this final portion, but overall, the disappointment of the match is his greatness wasn't on display before that. He didn't or couldn't prod the Funks into doing anything that would instill any urgency or changes of pace into the match before the action finally got hot. Part of the problem may just have been that, even though Jumbo was well established by this point as the #2 star in the company, the style was basically Baba's when he was in & Dory's when Baba wasn't, so Jumbo never seemed to make even portions of the match his own despite logging the most ring time. Baba finally hit his big boot on Dory & told Jumbo to ascend to the top for his flying knee drop, which he gladly still delivered despite Terry diving on top of his brother before Jumbo lept. Terry taking the brunt of the impact apparently allowed Dory to come right back with his backdrop, but he lost the advantage going to the floor to check of Terry's health. The stretch run was shaping up to contain all the intensity & action you wanted to occur 20 minutes earlier when Baba managed to win without even knowing he won despite booking this nonsense. I'm not honestly sure why Jumbo wasn't counted out as he hit the floor first with Terry knocking him through the ropes with his headbutt then following him out. Both made it back to the apron, with Baba shoulderblocking Terry off then going back to fighting Dory, but Jumbo then fell off the apron without actually reentering. However, Joe Higuchi just completely ignored Jumbo & finished the count on Terry. To make things more muddled, you can't really tell he counted Terry out as Joe goes back in the ring & deals with Dory & Baba then eventually raises the hand of Jumbo, who finally reentered, and Baba just has this great befuddled look as he looks around trying to figure out what the hell happened. Needless to say this finish was super anticlimactic, and actually way worse than just another draw because at least you know what a draw is without having to rewind to figure out what happened. I want to say this match would have benefitted from being 2/3 falls, but the whole gimmick was neither team could even win one. The finishing sequence is what would essentially have been the 3rd fall, give or take, but what I mean though is they just needed something to prod them into some tempo changes earlier on. As it was, it was fine except for the finish, but as the final match of the tournament & the "payoff" to a rivalry that had been so equal, it just seemed like a nice match that managed to inconclusively keep everyone & everything exactly as before. ***1/4
DVD #3 1981/1982/1983
Finishes of 1981 league matches: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara, Harley Race & Larry Hennig vs. The Sheik & Mark Lewin, Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosuke Ueda
12/13/81 '81 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Terry & Dory Funk Jr. 21:41
Finishes of 1982 league matches: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Umanosuke Ueda & Super Destroyer, Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood, Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood, Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Harley Race & Dick Slater, Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Harley Race & Dick Slater, Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba, Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Harley Race & Dick Slater,
12/13/82 '82 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Terry & Dory Funk Jr. 12:30
Finishes of 1983 league matches: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Ron Fuller & Barry Windham, Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosuke Ueda vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu, Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Goro Tsurumi & The Mongolian, Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr., Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras, Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ron Fuller & Barry Windham, Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr., Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosuke Ueda
12/12/83 '83 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsruta & Genichiro Tenryu 17:54
DVD #4 1984/1985
Finishes of 1984 league matches: Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu, Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu
12/8/84 '84 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen 18:42
Finishes of 1985 league matches: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Rusher Kimura & Ashura Hara, Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith, Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Nick Bockwinkle & Curt Hennig, Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Harley Race & Jesse Barr, Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Harley Race & Jesse Barr, Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr., Harley Race & Jesse Barr vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Nick Bockwinkle & Curt Hennig, Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith, Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith vs. Harley Race & Jesse Barr, Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu
12/12/85 '85 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu 30:00
DVD #5 1986/1987
Finishes of 1986 league matches: Rick Martel & Tom Zenk vs. Terry & Dory Funk Jr., Giant Baba & Tiger Mask II vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu, Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Terry & Dory Funk Jr., Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu, Terry & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu,
12/12/86 '82 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Final: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Jumbo Tsruta & Genichiro Tenryu 8:13
Finishes of 1987 league matches: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Mark Youngblood & Chris Youngblood, Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. TNT (Savio Vega) & Abdullah The Butcher, Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Tom Zenk & The Terminator, Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy, Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara, Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima, Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. TNT & Abdullah The Butcher, Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima, Great Kabuki & John Tenta vs. Tom Zenk & The Terminator, TNT & Abdullah The Butcher vs. Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima, Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara,
12/11/87 '87 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka 8:46 of 16:51. No finish
DVD #6 1988/1989
Finishes of 1988 league matches: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Shunji Takano & John Tenta, Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh, Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada, Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Jerry Blackwell & Phil Hickerson, Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh
12/16/88 '88 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada 21:02
Finishes of 1989 league matches: Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki, Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Stan Hansen & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith, Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Stan Hansen & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Terry Gordy & Bill Irwin, Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Stan Hansen & Genichiro Tenryu, Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith, Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs. Stan Hansen & Genichiro Tenryu, Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Terry Gordy & Bill Irwin, Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki, Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith vs. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas
12/6/89 '89 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Stan Hansen & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu 28:57
DVD #7 1990/1991
Finishes of 1990 league matches: Giant Baba & Andre the Giant vs. Dick Slater & Joel Deaton, Stan Hansen & Dan Spivey vs. Terry & Dory Funk Jr., Abdullah The Butcher & Giant Kamala vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue, Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi & Johnny Ace, Stan Hansen & Dan Spivey vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue, Giant Baba & Andre the Giant vs. Terry Gordy & Steve Williams, Giant Baba & Andre the Giant vs. Skywalker Nitron & Butch Masters, Stan Hansen & Dan Spivey vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada, Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue, Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue vs. Kenta Kobashi & Johnny Ace, Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada, Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada
12/7/90 '90 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Steve Williams & Terry Gordy vs. Stan Hansen & Dan Spivey 29:59
Finishes of 1991 league matches: Steve Williams & Terry Gordy vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Al Perez, Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue vs. Dynamite Kid & Johnny Smith, Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Stan Hansen & Dan Spivey, Giant Baba & Andre the Giant vs. Rusher Kimura & Mighty Inoue, Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue, Giant Baba & Andre the Giant vs. Stan Hansen & Dan Spivey, Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue, Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Stan Hansen & Dan Spivey, Dynamite Kid & Johnny Smith vs. Johnny Ace & Sonny Beach, Abdullah The Butcher & Giant Kamala vs. Giant Baba & Andre the Giant, Stan Hansen & Dan Spivey vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue
12/6/91 '91 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Steve Williams & Terry Gordy vs. Mitsuhara Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada 25:24
DVD #8 1992/1993
Finishes of 1992 league matches: Giant Baba & Kenta Kobashi vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Giant Kamala, Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Dan Spivey & Kendall Windham, Akira Taue & Jun Akiyama vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Joel Deaton & Billy Black, Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas, Giant Baba & Kenta Kobashi vs. Stan Hansen & Johnny Ace, Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Akira Taue & Jun Akiyama, Giant Baba & Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada, Giant Baba & Kenta Kobashi vs. Akira Taue & Jun Akiyama, Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Terry Gordy & Steve Williams, Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Th The Patriot & The Eagle, Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Stan Hansen & Johnny Ace, Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. The Patriot & The Eagle, Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Stan Hansen & Johnny Ace
12/4/92 '92 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Mitsuhara Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Akira Taue & Jun Akiyama 23:52
Finishes of 1993 league matches: Steve Williams & Big Bubba vs. The Patriot & The Eagle, Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Dan Spivey & Johnny Ace, Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas, Giant Baba & Stan Hansen vs. The Patriot & The Eagle, Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Steve Williams & Big Bubba, Giant Baba & Stan Hansen vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue, Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Giant Baba & Stan Hansen, Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. The Patriot & The Eagle, Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Steve Williams & Big Bubba, Giant Baba & Stan Hansen vs. Steve Williams & Big Bubba
12/3/93 '93 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Mitsuhara Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue 23:34
DVD #9 1994/1995
Finishes of 1994 league matches: Giant Baba & Stan Hansen vs. The Eagle & The Falcon, Mitsuhara Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas, Dan Spivey & Jim Steele vs. Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori, Giant Baba & Stan Hansen vs. Mitsuhara Misawa & Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuhara Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Steve Williams & Johnny Ace
12/10/94 '94 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Giant Baba & Stan Hansen vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue 26:30
Finishes of 1995 league matches: Stan Hansen/Gary Albright vs. Dan Kroffat/Doug Furnas, Misawa/Kobashi vs. Rob Van Dam/Johnny Smith, Kawada/Taue vs. Johnny Ace/Patriot
12/9/95 '95 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Final: Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue 24:04
DVD #10 1996/1997
Finishes of 1996 league matches: Kobashi/Patriot vs. Hansen/Omori, Kawada/Taue vs. Kamala/Izumida, Misawa/Akiyama vs. Steve Williams/Johnny Ace, Hansen/Omori vs. Sabu/Albright, Kawada/Taue vs. Williams/Ace, Misawa/Akiyama vs. Kobashi/Patriot, Hansen/Omori vs. Kamala/Izumida, Albright/Sabu vs. Kobashi/Patriot, Kawada/Taue vs. Akiyama/Misawa, Hansen/Omori vs. Sabu/Albright, Kawada/Taue vs. Izumida/Kamala, Misawa/Akiyama vs. Williams/Ace,
12/6/96 '96 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Final: Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama 31:37
Finishes of 1997 league matches: Izumida/Kamala vs. Hayabusa/Jinsei Shinzaki, Williams/Albright vs. Omori/Honda, Kobashi/Ace vs. Windham/Bradshaw, Misawa/Akiyama vs. Wolf Hawkfield/Johnny Smith, Kawada/Taue vs. Hansen/Duncum Jr., Omori/Honda vs. Hayabusa/Shinzaki, Hansen/Duncum vs. Windham/Bradshaw, Williams/Albright vs. Hawkfield/Smith, Misawa/Akiyama vs. Kamala/Izumida, Williams/Albright vs. Windham/Bradshaw, Kawada/Taue vs. Hayabusa/Shinzaki, Misawa/Akiyama vs. Ace/Kobashi, Kawada/Taue vs. Ace/Kobashi, Misawa/Akiyama vs. Hayabusa/Shinzaki
12/5/97 '97 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Final: Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama 30:52
DVD #11 1998/1999
Finishes of 1998 league matches: Kawada/Taue vs. Headhunters, Misawa/Ogawa vs. Vader/Hansen, Johnny Ace/Bart Gunn vs. Takayama/Omori, Kobashi/Akiyama vs. Headhunters, Misawa/Ogawa vs. Ace/Gunn, Akiyama/Kobashi vs. Vader/Hansen, Takayama/Omori vs. Kamala/Albright, Kawada/Taue vs. Ace/Gunn, Kobashi/Akiyama vs. Misawa/Ogawa, Vader/Hansen vs. Ace/Gunn, Misawa/Ogawa vs. Headhunters, Kawada/Taue vs. Kobashi/Akiyama, Misawa/Ogawa vs. Omori/Takayama, Hansen/Vader vs. Headhunters, Ace/Gunn vs. Kobashi/Akiyama
12/5/98 '98 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Final: Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama vs. Vader & Stan Hansen 19:03
Finishes of 1999 league matches: Kobashi/Akiyama vs. Honda/Masao Inoue, Taue/Hansen vs. Albright/Hawkfield, Misawa/Ogawa vs. Smith/Vader, Misawa/Ogawa vs. Kobashi/Akiyama, Misawa/Ogawa vs. Honda/Inoue, Hansen/Taue vs. Omori/Takayama, Misawa/Ogawa vs. Omori/Takayama, Kobashi/Akiyama vs. Taue/Hansen, Albright/Hawkfield vs. Kobashi/Akiyama, Taue/Hansen vs. Vader/Smith
12/3/99 '99 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Final: Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama vs. Stan Hansen & Akira Taue 20:15
12/1/78 Korakuen Hall, '78 World's Strongest Tag Decision League: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bill Robinson & Wild Angus 13:01
12/5/78 Osaka Prefectural Gym: Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Blackjack Lanza & Nick Bockwinkel 28:08
12/9/78 Kuramae Kokugikan
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Blackjack Lanza & Nick Bockwinkel 14:35
Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk 12:29
12/13/78 Akita Prefectural Gym: Abdullah The Butcher & Killer Tor Kamata vs. Bill Robinson & Wild Angus 19:22
12/15/78 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center
Abdullah The Butcher & Killer Tor Kamata vs. Blackjack Lanza & Nick Bockwinkel 11:25
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk 45:00
6/1/78 PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Tor Kamata
6/12/78 PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Tor Kamata vs. Billy Robinson
10/18/78 PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Billy Robinson vs. Abdullah The Butcher
2/10/79 PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Abdullah The Butcher vs. Giant Baba
2/14/79: Giant Baba vs. Karl Von Steiger
6/1/78 PWF Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Killer Tor Kamata
6/12/78 PWF Heavyweight Title: Killer Tor Kamata vs. Billy Robinson
8/24/78 Den'en Coliseum
Kim Duk & Randy Tyler vs. Great Kojika & Motoshi Okuma
2/3 Falls International Tag Title: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras
8/24/78: The Destroyer vs. Don Kernoodle
12/13/78: Dory Funk Jr. vs. Blackjack Lanza
10/18/78 2/3 Falls PWF Heavyweight Title: Billy Robinson vs. Abdullah the Butcher
12/1/78 Korakuen Hall
Terry Funk vs. Abdullah the Butcher
Dory Funk Jr. vs. The The Sheik
World's Strongest Tag League: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Billy Robinson & Black Angus
12/13/78 World's Strongest Tag League: Billy Robinson & Black Angus vs. Abdullah the Butcher & Killer Tor Kamata
2/14/79 Honolulu AWA World Heavyweight Title: Nick Bockwinkle vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
10/31/79 Aichi-ken Gym NWA World Heavyweight Title: Harley Race vs. Giant Baba
11/7/79 Amagasaki City Gym: Giant Baba vs. Harley Race
5/19/71 Osaka 13th World League Final: Giant Baba vs. Abdullah The Butcher
10/12/75 Osaka PWF US Title: The Destroyer vs. Abdullah The Butcher
12/15/77 Tokyo World Open Tag Title League: Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik
10/18/78 Tochigi 2/3 Falls PWF Heavyweight Title: Billy Robinson vs. Abdullah The Butcher
4/6/79 Akita 7th Champion Carnival Final: Abdullah The Butcher vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
11/8/79 Tokyo NWA World Heavyweight Title: Harley Race vs. Abdullah The Butcher
JWA Highlights of Antonio Inoki & Giant Baba teaming 8/13/69 vs. Crusher Lisowski & Dick The Bruiser, 8/4/70 vs. Funks, 12/1/70 vs. Kiniski & Valentine. 3/2/71 vs. Mascaras & Arion
Antonio Inoki & Giant Baba vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh 13:03
Jumbo Tsuruta & Mil Mascaras & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Akihisa Takachiho & Masa Saito & Tiger Toguchi. Digest
12/9/80 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan, World's Strongest Tag League Match: Shoehi Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tor Kamata
12/4/87 Fukuoka Kokusai Center, World's Strongest Tag League Match: Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu
2/14/79 Hawaii Neal Blaisdell Center, 2/3 Falls AWA World Heayvweight Title Match: Nick Bockwinkle vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
3/20/77 North Carolina Greensboro Coliseum, 2/3 Falls PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Baron Von Raschke
2/10/79 Ilinois Chicago International Amphitheater
Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Roger Carvey & Guy Mitchell
AWA Heavyweight Title Match: Nick Bockwinkel vs. Verne Gagne
2/14/79 Hawaii Neal Blaisdell Center Hall: Giant Baba vs. Karl Von Steiger
9/6/79: Mil Mascaras & Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Abdullah the Butcher & Bobo Brazil & Carlos Colon
11/8/79 Tokyo Korakuen Hall NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Harley Race vs. Abdullah the Butcher
4/30/81 Matsudo International Heavyweight Title: Dory Funk Jr vs Terry Funk
6/11/76 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, 2/3 Falls NWA Heavyweight Title Match: Terry Funk vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
7/18/79 Kanezawa: Terry Funk vs. Abdullah The Butcher
12/9/80 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan, '80 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Dory Funk, Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Nick Bockwinkel & Jim Brunzell
9/11/82 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Terry Funk vs. Stan Hansen
8/31/83 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, Terry Funk Intai Jiai: Dory Funk, Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
8/25/77 Tokyo Daen Coliseum, 2/3 Falls UN Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mil Mascaras
8/24/78 Tokyo Daen Coliseum, International Tag Title: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras
8/22/79 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Mil Mascaras vs. Abdullah The Butcher
12/3/79 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center, '79 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras vs. Wahoo McDaniel & Frank Hill
1/28/86 Tokyo Taiikukan, IWA World Heavyweight Title: Mil Mascaras vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi
12/3/79 Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Terry Funk vs. Killer Tor Kamata
12/13/79 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan '79 World's Strongest Tag Team League: Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Abdullah The Butcher & The Sheik
3/3/83: Great Kabuki vs. Mike Davis
12/9/82 Tag League: Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Harley Race & Dick Slater 45:00
2/11/83: Great Kabuki vs. J.J. Dillon
2/25/83: Great Kabuki vs. Tiger Jeet Tiger Jeet Singh
12/9/82 Tag League: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta
12/13/82 Tag League: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race & Dick Slater
9/3/83: Great Kabuki vs. Cyclon Negro
2/11/83 St. Louis NWA Missouri Title: Kerry von Erich vs. Greg Valentine
12/13/82 Tag League: Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen
1/7/83: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Hercules Hernandez
2/1/83 Checker Dome, Missouri State Title Match: Kerry Von Erich vs. Greg Valentine
2/1/83 Checker Dome, PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Harley Race vs. Giant Baba
2/1/83 Checker Dome, 2/3 Falls NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ric Flair vs. Bruiser Brody
1/16/83 Aichi: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rocky Jones
2/11/83 Korakuen: Great Kabuki vs. J. J. Dillon
2/17/83: Great Kabuki vs. Goro Tsurumi
2/25/83 Aichi-ken Gym, NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title: Atsushi Onita vs. Dos Caras
2/25/83: Great Kabulki vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
2/25/83: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tommy Rich
3/1/83 Akita: Great Kabuki & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Goro Tsurumi
3/1/83 Lumberjack Death Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Umanoseke Ueda
3/2/83 Yamagata: Great Kabuki vs. Tommy Rich
2/11/83 St. Louis, MS 2/3 Falls NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ric Flair vs. Bruiser Brody
1/7/83 Takamatsu Shimin Bunka Center: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Hercules Hernandez
6/17/83 Texas Heavyweight Title Match: Jimmy Garvin vs. David Von Erich
2/25/83 UN Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tommy Rich
3/2/83: The Great Kabuki vs. Tommy Rich
5/26/83 NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title Decision Match: Chavo Guerrero vs. Ultra Seven
2/11/83 PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Harley Race vs. Giant Baba
3/3/83: Giant Baba vs. Umanoseke Ueda
6/17/83: Chris Adams & Chavo Guerrero & Jose Lathario vs. Fishman & Bill Irwin & Mongol
12/8/83: Mil Mascaras vs. Mighty Inoue
3/3/83: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
4/20/83 PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Harley Race
3/3/83 Korakuen: Giant Baba vs. Umanseke Ueda
3/3/83: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
4/7/83 Miyagi-ken Sports Center, Missouri Heavyweight Title: Kerry Von Erich vs. Genichiro Tenryu
4/7/83 International Tag Title: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ted DiBiase & Terry Funk
4/14/83 Osaka Furitsu: Stan Hansen vs. Terry Funk
3/3/83 Korakuen: Great Kabuki vs. Mike Davis
4/20/83 Tokyo Taiikukan: NWA International Jr. Title Match: Atsushi Onita vs. Hector Guerrero
4/20/83: PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Harley Race
4/20/83: Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr vs. Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody
4/22/83 Sapporo Nakajima: Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen
4/28/83: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody
11/28/83: Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras vs. Masa Fuchi & Akio Sato
4/20/83 World Tag Team League: Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen
4/22/83 World Tag Team League: Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen
Disk One AJPW:
4/22/83: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Shiro Koshinaka
8/26/84 Tiger Mask II (debut): Tiger Mask vs. La Fiera
6/21/85: Tiger Mask vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi
11/27/85: Tiger Mask vs. Dynamite Kid
3/13/86: Tiger Mask vs. Riki Choshu
6/1/86: Tiger Mask vs. Genichiro Tenryu
3/9/88: Tiger Mask vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
5/14/90: Tiger Mask II & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Yoshikai Yatsu & Samson Fuyuki. Tiger unmasks
6/8/90: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
Disc Two:
7/24/91: Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Terry Gordy & Steve Williams
9/4/91: Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue
8/22/92: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Stan Hansen
10/21/92: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada
3/5/94: Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Giant Baba & Stan Hansen
Disc Three:
6/3/94: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada
7/28/94: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Steve Williams
4/15/95: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue
12/9/95: Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue
10/21/97: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi
Disc Four:
1/26/98: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama
5/1/98: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada
10/31/98: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi
5/2/99: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Vader
8/25/99: Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Takao Omori & Yoshihiro Takayama
Disc Five NOAH:
8/5/00: Mitsuharu Misawa & Akira Taue vs. Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama
12/23/00: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Vader
1/13/01: Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Shinya Hashimoto & Alexander Otsuka
4/15/01: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshihiro Takayama
4/7/02: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kodo Fuyuki
1/10/03: Mitsuharu Misawa & Masahiro Chono vs. Kenta Kobashi & Akira Taue
1/10/04: Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Yuji Nagata & Hiroshi Tanahashi
Disc Six:
7/10/04: Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Keiji Mutoh & Taiyo Kea
1/8/05: Mitsuharu Misawa & Takeshi Rikio vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka
7/18/05: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada
12/10/06: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Naomichi Marufuji
11/3/07: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. KENTA
5/6/09: Mitsuharu Misawa & Go Shiosaki vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Takeshi Morishima
6/4/09: Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa & Masao Inoue vs. Bison Smith & Akitoshi Saito & Bobby Fish
6/8/83 International Junior Heavyweight Title: Chavo Guerrero vs. Mighty Inoue
4/28/83 World Tag Team League: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta
6/8/83 PWF Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Bruiser Brody
5/26/83 International Heavyweight Title Match: Bruiser Brody vs Jumbo Tsuruta
6/8/83 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs Bruiser Brody
6/8/83 NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ric Flair vs Jumbo Tsuruta
6/12/83 Savannah, GA Savannah Civic Center
Terry Funk vs. Brett Hart (Barry Horowitz)
Jack Brisco & Jerry Brisco vs. Bob Orton & Jimmy Valient
US Heavyweight Title: Greg Valentine vs. Ric Flair
6/17/83 Dallas, TX Reunion Arena
Chris Adams & Jose Lothario & Chavo Guerrero vs. Bill Irwin & Fishman & The Mongol
Texas Heavyweight Title Decision Match: Jimmy Garvin vs. David Von Erich
PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. King Kong Bundy
NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Harley Race vs. Kevin Von Erich
American Tag Title Match: Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy vs. Bruiser Brody & Kerry Von Erich Title Match: Ric Flair vs Jumbo Tsuruta
6/12/83 Savannah: Terry Funk vs. Barry Hart (Barry Horowitz)
5/26/83 International Heavyweight Title: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
6/12/83 Savannah International Heavyweight Title: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
5/26/83, NWA Jr. Title Match: Chavo Guerrero vs. Ultra Seven
6/8/83 Kuramae Kokugikan, NWA Jr. Title Match: Chavo Guerrero vs. Mighty Inoue
6/12/83 Savannah, GA: Goldenboy Grey & Jake Roberts vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Giant Baba
6/12/83 NWA International Jr. Heavyweight Title Match: Chavo Guerrero vs. Masanobu Fuchi
6/12/83 NWA International Heavyweight Title Match: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
6/17/83 Dallas, TX: Johnny Mantel vs. Genichiro Tenryu
6/17/83 UN Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ted DiBiase
#89
6/12/83 Savannah, GA NWA International Jr. Heavyweight Title Match: Chavo Guerrero vs. Masanobu Fuchi
6/17/83 Dallas, TX
American Tag Titles: Terry Gordy & Michael Hayes vs. Bruiser Brody & Kerry Von Erich
UN Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ted DiBiase
PWF Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. King Kong Bundy
#90
6/12/83: Jack Brisco & Jerry Brisco vs. Bob Orton, Jr. & Jimmy Valiant
8/30/83 Niigata City Gym: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Brad Rheingans
6/17/83: Harley Race vs. Kevin Von Erich
7/13/83 AWA World Heavyweight Title: Nick Bockwinkel vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
8/30/83: Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk & Giant Baba vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
6/12/83 Savannah, US Heavyweight Title Match: Greg Valentine vs. Ric Flair
8/30/83 Hakodate: Dory Funk, Jr vs. Stan Hansen
7/26/83 Fukuoka Sports Center, International Tag Title Match: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosuke Ueda
7/16/83 AWA Heavyweight Title Match: Nick Bockwinkle vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
7/30/83 Fukuoka Sports Center International Tag Title Match: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanoseke Ueda
8/30/83: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Brad Rheingans
8/31/83 Kuramae Kokugikan, International Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody
10/4/83 Fukushima: Giant Baba & Kabuki vs. Bruiser Brody & Killer Tim Brooks
8/30/83 Niigata-shi Gym: Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr & Terry Funk vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
8/31/83 Kuramae Kokugikan
NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Chavo Guerrero vs. Masa Fuchi
Terry Funk Retirement Match: Dory Funk Jr & Terry Funk vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
12/8/83 Miyagi Sports Center: Stan Hansen vs. The Mongolian 3:33
8/31/83 Kuramae Kokugikan International Heavyweight Title: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
8/31/83: Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
8/31/83 NWA International Jr. Heavyweight Title: Chavo Guerrero vs. Masa Fuchi
9/8/83 PWF Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen
10/14/83 International Heavyweight Title: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
11/24/73 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Irish Mickey Doyle
8/31/83 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, NWA International Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody
10/24/91 Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan, Triple Crown Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Toshiaki Kawada 19:05
2/26/84 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan, AWA World Heayvweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkle
2/27/92 Matsumoto-shi Sogo Taiikukan: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kenta Kobashi
9/8/83 Chiba, PWF Heavyweight Title: Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba
10/14/83 Nagaoka, NWA International Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody
10/23/83 Korakuen, UN Heavyweight Title: Ted DiBiase vs. Genichiro Tenryu
10/26/83 Iwate, NWA World Heavyweigh Title: Harley Race vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
12/8/83 Miyagi: The Mongolian vs. Stan Hansen
12/12/83: Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras vs. Barry Windham & Ron Fuller
10/26/83 NWA World Heavyweight Title: Harle Race vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
11/25/83 Tag League: Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody vs. Barry Windham & Ron Fuller
11/25/83 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan, '83 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Ron Fuller & Barry Windham vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen
11/25/83 '83 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Umanoseke Ueda & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta
11/28/83 Hokkaido '83 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Akio Sato & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Dos Caras & Mil Mascaras
11/29/83 Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center '83 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Goro Tsurumi & The Mongol vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen
11/29/83 '83 World's Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dory Funk Jr & Giant Baba
12/8/83: Dos Caras vs. Masa Fuchi
11/25/83: Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Goro Tsurumi & The Mongol
12/5/83: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Umanosuke Ueda
11/29/83 '83 World's Strongest Tag Decision League: Goro Tsurumi & The Mongolian vs. Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody
12/5/83 '83 World's Strongest Tag Decision League: Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody vs. Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras
12/5/83 Fukuoka Kokusai Center, World's Strongest Tag League: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras
12/8/83 Miyagi-ken Sports Center, World's Strongest Tag League: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Barry Windham & Ron Fuller
12/10/83 Aichi-ken Gym
Barry Windham vs. Great Kabuki
World's Strongest Tag League: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr
12/12/83 Kuramae Kokugikan
World's Strongest Tag League: Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosuke Ueda
World's Strongest Tag League: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta
12/5/83 Fukuoka Kokusai Center
Genichiro Tenryu vs. Barry Windham
Dory Funk Jr vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
12/8/83 Miyagi-ken Sports Center: Dos Caras vs. Masanobu Fuchi
12/10/83 Aichi-ken Gym Ric Flair vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
12/12/83 Kuramae Kokugikan NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair vs. Great Kabuki
12/5/83: Dory Funk Jr. vs. Tiger Jeet Tiger Jeet Singh
12/12/83 NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair vs. Great Kabuki
12/10/83 '83 World's Strongest Tag Decision League: Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody
2/26/84 NWA International Jr. Heavyweight Title: Chavo Guerrero vs. Mighty Inoue
3/15/84 Salt Lake City: Nick Bockwinkel & Bobby Heenan vs. The Blackjacks
12/12/83 '83 World's Strongest Tag Decision League: Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Tiger Jeet Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosauke Ueda
1/20/84 Korakuen Hall: Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy vs. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta
1/22/84 Tokyo: Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy vs. Great Kabuki & Jumbo Tsuruta
2/23/84 Kuramae Kokugikan
UN Heavyweight Title: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ricky Steamboat
AWA World Heavyweight & International Double Title: Nick Bockwinkle vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
1/20/84: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy
2/26/84 AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkel
2/26/84 Osaka Furitsu Gym
NWA International Jr Title: Chavo Guerrero vs. Mighty Inoue
AWA World Heavyweight & International Double Title: Nick Bockwinkle vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
3/4/84 Chicago Rosemont Horizon
Nick Bockwinkel & Stan Hansen vs. Dick The Bruiser & The Crusher
AWA Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Blackjack Lanza
3/11/84 Green Bay Brown County Arena, AWA Tag Title: Jerry Blackwell & Ken Patera vs. Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell
3/3/84 taped 2/26/84 Osaka Prefectural Gym
NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title: Mighty Inoue vs. Chavo Guerrero
AWA World Heavyweight & International Double Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkel
3/17/84 taped 3/11/84 Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena
Nick Bockwinkel & Harley Race vs. Blackjack Mulligan & Blackjack Lanza
Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Roger Kirby & Steve Regal
AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Billy Robinson 19:47
3/4/84 Chicago Rosemont Horizon
Billy Robinson & Brad Rheingans vs. Steve Regal & Kevin Kelly
AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Blackjack Lanza
3/11/84 Green Bay AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Billy Robinson
3/11/84 Green Bay Brown County Arena
Harley Race & Nick Bockwinkle vs. Blackjack Lanza & Blackjack Mulligan
Roger Kirby & Steve Regal vs. Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu
AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bill Robinson
3/15/84 Salt Lake City Salt Palace: AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jim Brunzell
3/24/84 Kuramae Kokugikan: AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkle
3/11/84 Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena
Nick Bockwinkel & Harley Race vs. Blackjack Mulligan & Blackjack Lanza
Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Roger Kirby & Steve Regal
AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Billy Robinson 19:47
3/24/84 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan: AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkel 22:50
3/15/84 Salt Palace AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jim Brunzell 15:49
3/24/84 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan United National Title Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ted DiBiase 17:07
3/31/84 taped 3/24/84 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan
NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title: Mighty Inoue vs. Magic Dragon
PWF Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen
3/30/84 Furukawa City Gym
PWF Heavyweight Title: Stan Hansen vs. Bugsy McGraw
Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bob Brown & Ted DiBiase
3/11/84 AWA World Tag Title: Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell vs. Jerry Blackwell & Ken Patera
3/11/84 Green Bay AWA Tag Titles: Jerry Blackwell & Ken Patera vs. Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell
3/15/84 Salt Lake City
AWA Tag Team Titles: Jerry Blackwell & Ken Patera vs. Greg Gagner & The Crusher
AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jim Brunzell
3/4/84 Rosemont Horizon: Nick Bockwinkel & Stan Hansen vs. The Bruiser & The Crusher
3/11/84 Green Bay: Nick Bockwinkel & Harley Race vs. The Blackjacks
3/24/84 AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkel
3/15/84 Salt Lake City Salt Palace: Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts
3/24/84 Kuramae Kokugikan
UN Heavyweight Title Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ted DiBiase
PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba
4/19/84, AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Greg Gagne
4/25/84 Yokohama Bunka Gym
PWF Tag Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell
Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody vs. Dory Funk Jr & Giant Baba
4/26/84 Omiya Skate Center, AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jim Brunzell
5/13/84 St. Paul Civic Center, AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rick Martel
5/22/84 Tokyo Den'en Coliseum
Ric Flair vs. Harley Race
NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Kerry Von Erich vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
6/9/84 taped 6/5/84 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center
Prince Tonga (Haku) vs. Goro Tsurumi
Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Bill Robinson & Bobby Heenan
The Great Kabuki vs. Umanosuke Ueda
Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
6/16/84 taped 6/8/84 Kawasaki City Gym
Prince Tonga & The Great Kabuki vs. Bill Robinson & Bobby Heenan
6/23/84 taped 6/13/84 Osaka Prefectural Gym
Ashura Hara & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Buzz Tyler & Goro Tsurumi
Giant Baba & The Great Kabuki vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosuke Ueda
International Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bill Robinson 15:29
6/30/84 taped 6/1/84 Obihiro City Gym
6/3/84 Bihoro Town Sports Center: Prince Tonga vs. Gypsy Joe
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Billy Robinson & The Destroyer
United National Title: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Umanosuke Ueda
7/7/84 taped 7/6/84 Toda Sports Center
Mighty Inoue vs. Karl von Steiger
Ashura Hara vs. Hugo Savinovich
Giant Baba & The Great Kabuki vs. Alexis Smirnoff & Roger Kirby
Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Johnny Mantell & Stan Hansen
9/12/84: Bruiser Brody & Moondog Moretti vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Takashi Ishikawa
4/26/84 AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jim Brunzell
4/25/84 PWF Tag Titles: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr.
5/24/84 NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Kerry Von Erich vs. Ric Flair
7/31/84 Kuramae Kokugikan
Introduction of Tiger Mask II Mitsuharu Misawa
AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Rick Martel vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba
8/26/84 Tokyo Den'en Coliseum, PWF Tag Title Match: Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody vs. Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr.
8/26/84 Tokyo Den'en Coliseum
Tiger Mask Misawa Debut: Tiger Mask vs. La Fiera
NWA International Junior Title Match: Atsutshi Onita vs. Mighty Inoue
9/12/84 Miyagi
World's Strongest Junior Tag League Final: Chavo Guerrero & Hector Guerrero vs. Mighty Inoue & Gran Hamada
NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ric Flair vs. Genichiro Tenryu
10/29/84 Tokyo Ota-ku Gym, International Heavyweight Title: Terry Gordy vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
Tarzan Goto vs. Toshiaki Kawada 12:20
Great Kojika vs. Yoshihiro Momota 7:28
Atsushi Onita vs. Pirata Morgan 7:50
Davey Boy Smith & Dynamite Kid vs. Magic Dragon & Masanobu Fuchi &11:59
Mike Shaw & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Mighty Inoue & Takashi Ishikawa 8:10
Tiger Mask vs. El Egipcio 6:01
Harley Race & Nick Bockwinkel vs. Goro Tsurumi & One Man Gang 10:24
World's Strongest Tag League 1984: Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta [2] vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk [7] 30:00
12/8/84: Harley Race & Nick Bockwinkel vs. Takashi Ishikawa & Mighty Inoue
9/12/84 Worlds Strongest Junior Tag League Final: Gran Hamada & Mighty Inoue vs. Chavo Guerrero & Hector Guerrero
4/19/84: AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Greg Gagne
12/8/84 Aichi-ken Taiikukan
'84 Worlds Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Rusher Kimura & Giant Baba
'84 Worlds Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen
Riki Choshu Debuts in All Japan
2/5/85 Tokyo Taiikukan
British Bulldogs vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi & Animal Hamaguchi
Riki Choshu & Masa Saito vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta
PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
AJ Selection 12/5/98
12/8/84 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan: Harley Race & Nick Bockwinkel vs. Takashi Ishikawa & Mighty Inoue
World's Strongest Junior Tag Final: Gran Hamada & Mighty Inoue vs. Chavo Guerrero & Hector Guerrero (9/12/84)
AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Greg Gagne (4/19/84)
AJ Selection 12/12/98
Bruiser Brody & Moondog Ed Moretti vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Takashi Ishikawa (9/12/84)
AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jim Brunzell (4/26/84)
PWF World Tag Championship Decision League 2nd Round Match: Giant Baba & Dory Funk, Jr. vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen (4/25/84)
AJ Selection 12/19/98
4/26/84 Omiya Skate Center: Dory Funk, Jr. vs. Stan Hansen
AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rick Martel (5/13/84)
PWF World Heavyweight Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba (7/31/84)
AJ Selection 12/26/98
Harley Race vs. Ric Flair (5/22/84)
2/3 Falls NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Kerry Von Erich vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (5/22/84)
12/8/84 Aichi-ken Taiikukan
Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Great Kojika
Harley Race & Nick Bockwinkle vs. Takashi Ishikawa & Mighty Inoue
Tiger Mask II vs. Pirata Morgan
2/5/85 Tokyo Taiikukan: Jerry Lawler & Jimmy Valient vs. Great Kabuki & Takashi Ishikawa
3/9/85 Ryogoku Kokugikan
Harley Race & Klaus Wallas vs. Killer Khan & Masanobu Kurisu
Tiger Mask II vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi
Giant Baba & Mighty Inoue & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Rusher Kimura & Goro Tsurumi & Ryuma Go
Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Bruiser Brody & Killer Tim Brooks
International Tag Title: Road Warriors Animal & Hawk vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta
3/14/85 Aichi-ken Gym, AWA Tag Title: Road Warriors vs. Riki Choshu & Killer Khan
4/23/85 NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair vs. Riki Choshu
4/24/85 Yokohama Bunka Gym, NWA World Heavyweight Title Ric Flair vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
5/31/85 Chiba Matsudo-shi: Road Warriors vs. Takashi Ishikawa & Tarzan Goto
6/2/85 Korakuen Hall
Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith vs. Tiger Mask II & Magic Dragon
Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu & Animal Hamaguchi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu & Motoshi Okuma
5/31/85 Chiba Matsudo-shi: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu & Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Terry Gordy & Mario Milano
6/2/85 Korakuen Hall: Road Warriors vs. Killer Khan & Masanobu Kurisu
6/4/85 Osaka Jo Hall
Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi & Shinichi Nakano
Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa
Road Warriors vs. Killer Khan & Yoshiaki Yatsu
PWF International Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Terry Gordy
6/5/85 Aichi-ken Gym
Road Warriors vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu
Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Riki Choshu
6/2/85 Korakuen Hall: Giant Baba & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Mario Milano
8/2/85 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center: Motoshi Okuma vs. Giant Kamara
6/21/85 Nippon Budokan
Haru Sonoda vs. Ashura Hara
NWA International Jr Heavyweight Title Match: Kuniaki Kobayashi vs. Tiger Mask II
Jumbo Tsuruta & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Animal Hamaguchi
UN Heavyweight Title Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu
PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Rusher Kimura
10/21/85: Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk & Tiger Mask vs. Billy Robinson & Terry Gordy & Chavo Guerrero
6/21/85: Jumbo Tsuruta & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Animal Hamaguchi
6/5/85: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Road Warriors
6/21/85 PWF Title: Giant Baba vs. Rusher Kimura
7/30/85 Fukuoka Kokusai Center
Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa
PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen
8/2/85 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center: Riki Choshu & Killer Khan vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu
8/23/85 Korakuen Hall: Terry Funk vs. Stan Hansen
8/29/85: Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase
9/14/85 Matsumoto-shi Sogo Gym, NWA International Tag Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Killer Khan & Yoshiaki Yatsu
AJ Selection 2/20/99
4/5/69 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan: Kintaro Oki vs. Tom Andrews
Ricky Steamboat vs. The Sheik
12/3/70, 2/3 Falls International Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Gene Kiniski
AJ Selection 2/27/99
12/4/85 Fukuoka Kokusai Center: Yoshiaki Yatsu & Norio Honaga vs. Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith
Giant Baba & Mokoshi Okuma vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Mario Milano
Dory Funk, Jr. vs. Stan Hansen
Dory Funk, Jr. & Terry Funk vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase
AJ Selection 3/6/99
10/21/85 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan: Giant Baba & Takashi Ishikawa & Mighty Inoue vs. Rusher Kimura & Goro Tsurumi & Ashura Hara
The Great Kabuki vs. Killer Khan
Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts
International Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race
AJ Selection 3/13/99
7/30/85 Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Makoshi Okuma vs. Giant Kimala
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Curt Hennig
NWA, AWA World Heavyweight Double Title Match: Ric Flair vs. Rick Martel
11/24/89 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura. Well thought out match that told a good story. If Baba & Rusher weren't so disgraceful on offense it might have been a great match, but man their offense is just terrible! As Baba was about to enter the ring Tenryu caught him with a tope, causing the match to begin without ring announcements. Tenryu & Hansen were nasty, and the match was quality as long as they stayed on offense. They beat Rusher up for 8 minutes while Baba was selling on the floor, causing him to juice a gusher. Baba eventually came in and cleaned house, but he has about 2 minutes worth of stamina and Rusher was still on the floor recovering. Soon the tide turned when Hansen chaired Baba in the stomach. ***
12/9/95 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, '95 Sekai Saikyo Tag Kettei League Yushoketteisen: Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue 27:00. Overshadowed because they had so many great matches in such a short period of time. This may have been the worst, and a half dozen in one year is too much, but these are the two greatest teams ever and 1995 was a peak year for all. Everything that made the other matches great except for crowd heat was present here, the big difference to me is the best stuff came early. Kawada stalled the start to incite Kobashi then when Kobashi finally got him in a headlock Kawada exploded with a backdrop driver, high kick to Misawa, and jumping high kick. Taue worked on Misawa while Kawada and Kobashi were legal, with Kawada assisting every time Kobashi was down. This led to the dynamic duo taking Misawa out with an elevated nodowa otoshi on the floor at 5:00. Kobashi's left arm was injured when Taue pulled him off the apron into the security rail, and they worked it over for several minutes while Misawa was out of it on the floor. When Misawa would make it back to the apron they would knock him off, which elicited some boos. Eventually Misawa got back in the match when Kobashi blocked Kawada's udehishigigyakujujigatame so Taue came in and broke his clasp, turning it into a double. Misawa did enough damage that Kobashi was able to make the hot tag at 13. The first half was tremendous, but they either used up their story points too early or didn't capitalize on them quite enough during the second half. The final half contained most of their top moves, but the fans didn't react as they should. For instance, at one point Kawada turns Kobashi's lariat into an udehishigigyakujujigatame and even though they'd worked over Kobashi's arm for all that time, the fans didn't buy it. It would have helped if Kobashi didn't rope escape so quickly, but Kawada didn't even get too negative a reaction for refusing to release. The tide turned when Misawa blocked Kawada's powerbomb on the floor and took him out with a Tigerdriver. Taue was getting the better of Kobashi in the ring, but finally Misawa's team was able to do some double teaming. *spoilers* Given they were beaten on almost the entire match, it was not very credible that they were able to put Taue away within two minutes. ****1/2
12/5/98 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, '98 Sekai Saikyo Tag Kettei League Yushoketteisen: Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama vs. Vader & Stan Hansen 18:58. They delivered all you could ask for. Vader gives an excellent performance carrying his team and Hansen doesn't screw it up. Obviously the problem with the match, with any match involving a monster team, is it's completely one-sided. Vader & Hansen really don't take any legitimate bumps, but you knew that coming in. The crowd was going nuts anytime Kobashi & Akiyama did anything, which granted wasn't too often but shows the monster gimmick worked. In particular, they were exploding when Vader's knee was injured. The '95 final was way better in every other regard, but this at least felt like a tag final due to the fans. Kobashi & Akiyama gave regular performances, both very good but I would not say either were that impressive. The gaijins stepped it up a lot more than the natives, though obviously they were still the weak link, Vader is the only one that really impressed me in all he did to carry his team. One wicked spot where Akiyama tries to use his northern lights suplex on Vader, but Vader uses his weight to drive Akiyama straight down into the canvas nose first with Vader coming down on top. Finish was improbably but basically all they could do given the result and the limitations of those involved. ***1/2
AJ Selection #7 taped 2/23/84 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan
UN Heavyweight Title Decision Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ricky Steamboat 21:23
AWA World, NWA International Double Heavyweight Title Match: Nick Bockwinkel (AWA champ) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (International champ).
AJ Selection #8
Thunder Sugiyama vs. George Steele (7/25/74)
2/3 Falls, US Heavyweight Title Match: The Destroyer vs. Mil Mascaras (10/9/73)
PWF World Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. The Sheik (4/28/73)
AJ Selection #9
2/3 Falls: Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bob Roop & Bob Backlund (7/25/74)
2/3 Falls NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jack Brisco vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (1/30/74)
AJ Selection #10
4/28/73 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan, 2/3 Falls: Thunder Sugiyama & Hiro Matsuda vs. King (Curtis) Iaukea & Antonio Parisi
2/3 Falls US Heavyweight Title Match: The Destroyer vs. Mil Mascaras (7/25/74)
AJ Selection #13
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mickey Doyle (11/24/73)
US Heavyweight Title Decision Match: Abdullah the Butcher vs. The Destroyer (4/27/74)
2/3 Falls: Dory Funk, Jr. vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
AJ Selection #14
Judo Jacket Match 5 Min 3 Rd: Anton Geesink vs. Gorilla Monson (6/13/74)
2/3 Falls: Jumbo Tsuruta & The Destroyer vs. Kevin Sullivan & Johnny Rodz (6/13/74)
2/3 Falls: PWF Heavyewight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Pedro Morales (6/13/74)
5/22/84 Tokyo Den'en Coliseum, 2/3 Falls NWA World Heavyweight Title: Kerry Von Erich vs. Jumbo Tsuruta. This is probably the best match I've seen from Kerry. The fans were really into it, and although the focus could have been better, after the first fall they did a good job of making one thing lead to another. Jumbo came out really aggresive in the second fall like he wanted the title badly, attacking Kerry's nose with punches to bloody it. Kerry eventually pinned Jumbo in the claw to even it up, but wouldn't release it when Jumbo submitted, throwing him down angrily about a minute later. Kerry went right for the claw in the third fall, but Jumbo was able to fight it off to save himself. Jumbo attacked the claw hand when he took the offensive. Kerry still tried to use the claw hand when he came back, so Jumbo went after that whole arm. ****
2/23/84 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan AWA World, NWA International Double Heavyweight Title Match: Nick Bockwinkel (AWA champ) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (International champ). Slow-paced match. They struggled for their holds, but it wasn't all that exciting, especially with Bockwinkle doing a bunch of traditional arm bars and the like. Bockwinkle's focus was extremely good though, and that allowed Jumbo to provide the high spots in between Bockwinkle's lengthy arm attacks. Terry Funk was the guest ref, but he just detracted from the match by putting so much focus on himself even though this was a technical match where they weren't breaking too many rules. Jumbo became the first Japanese wrestler to win the AWA title. ***1/2
3/1/83, Lumberjack Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Umanosuke Ueda
2/23/84 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, UN Heavyweight Title Decision Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ricky Steamboat 21:23
6/8/87 Fukuoka Kokusai Center: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa
7/30/87 Tokyo: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Giant Baba & Tiger Mask
6/5/89 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, Sankan Heavykyu Senshuken: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu
5/1/76 Tokyo Nichidai Kodo, Champion Carnival: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Giant Baba. I was really surprised by this match, which showed Baba to be a much more capable singles wrestler in his heyday than I would have guessed. Baba had some athleticism in these days, and was actually making moves look good rather than, at best, weird. Jumbo was also far more athletic here, getting Baba in the side of the face with a dropkick and the chin with his jumping knee. Slow match where they worked the holds, but they did an excellent job of working in a high spot or near fall to keep you on your toes. The match didn't feel long because of how well they spaced the action out, not putting you to sleep and then finally starting to work like Leizi Muto. They picked it up so much around 12 I thought it was going to be over by 14, but they were able to take it back to the mat and calm things down, perhaps making the crowd wait to explode again but certainly not losing them by "going in reverse". They made me consider whether the lost art of knowing how to take it down isn't more important than knowing how to take it up. They made the audience believe in moves that would never beat Giant or Jumbo because they made the when and how much more important than the what. 24:56 of 26:15. ****
8/28/76 Tokyo Nichidai Kodo, 2/3 Falls UN Heavyweight Title Decision Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jack Brisco. The first time I've seen the legendary Brisco in Japan, and he was quite a disappointment. I can see what people say about his technical ability, but his selling was so irritating. Every time he got hit in the back he would jerk his stomach out and his head back, like some kind of bobble head and waist doll, making the overselling of Terry Funk look like nothing. The first fall was pretty well ruined by this because Jumbo was on offense the whole time, and really it's hard for anything with Jumbo on offense to not be good. The second and third falls redeemed the match, as Brisco injured Jumbo's knee. Brisco won the second fall with the figure 4, refusing to release which kept the attack going strong into the third fall because it started before Jumbo had come close to recovering. Jumbo finally made a little comeback, but his jumping knee hurt him as much as Brisco. Jumbo was in top form and carried the match, with Brisco showing good focus. 11:09, 6:19, 5:34. ***1/2
2/23/84 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, International Heavyweight & AWA World Heavyweight Double Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkel. Bockwinkle worked Jumbo's arm for the first 15 minutes. Bockwinkle was never a big offensive guy, but by attacking the arm most of the match he provided the framework and let Jumbo add in the good moves. Terry Funk was the guest referee, which like every other example of an active wrestler being a ref, just detracted from the match. The bulk of the match was technical, so Funk should have had nothing to do, though he kept calling attention to himself by making rulings on the legality. To give Funk something to do, they worked in a few potential double KO's and count outs. Bockwinkle "didn't like" Funk being an active ref, and eventually shoved Jumbo from behind, knocking him into Funk and both to the floor. Joe Higuchi was a second official on the outside, and he nearly counted Jumbo out then took over in the ring because for some reason it took Funk much longer to recover than Jumbo. Funk recovered just in time to count the winning fall. Jumbo unified the titles. 32:00. ***1/2
4/16/91 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan, '91 Champion Carnvival Yushoketteisen: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen. Exciting, stiff well wrestled match with great heat. Looked like it was going to be one of their best, but was surprisingly short. Jumbo started with an inspired arm attack, but this wasn't developed nearly as well as it normally would have been because they didn't have the time. They did a great job of making their blows look vicious, throwing them in a more abrupt and jerky manner and opening their hand just before impact so it would make a louder sound. Hansen hit the western lariat before 12, but Jumbo got his foot on the ropes. He tried it again almost immediately, but Jumbo ducked into a schoolboy. I was intrigued by these two spots early, wondering where they'd go from there. Unfortunately, I was then disappointed because they went home on the next spot. It seems odd to pick this match to be short considering they were bringing the Carnival back after an 8 year absense, but maybe it would make sense to me if I was watching in context. 12:53. ***1/2
Nick Bockwinkel & Harley Race vs. Blackjack Mulligan & Blackjack Lanza
Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Roger Kirby & Steve Regal
AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Billy Robinson 19:47
3/4/84 Rosemont Horizon AWA World Tag Title (VG VQ): Jerry Blackwell & Ken Patera vs. Blackjack Mulligan & Jerry Lawler
3/15/84 Salt Lake City AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jim Brunzell
3/24/84 Kuramae Kokugikan
UN Heavyweight Title Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ted DiBiase
AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkle
PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Giant Baba
3/30/84 Furukawa City Gym PWF Heavyweight Title: Stan Hansen vs. Bugsy McGraw 10:44
3/30/84 Furukawa City Gym: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Bob Brown & Ted Dibiase
4/14/84 taped 4/13/84 Kyoto
Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Ashura Hara & Takashi Ishikawa
PWF World Tag League Match: Dory Funk Jr & Giant Baba vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu
4/21/84 Grand Champion Carnival I taped 4/19/84 Koriyama
AWA Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Greg Gagne
PWF World Tag League Match: Dory Funk Jr. & Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody
4/25/84 Yokohama Bunka Gym: Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody vs. Dory Funk Jr & Giant Baba
4/22/83 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center, Lou Thesz Cup Final: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Shiro Koshinaka. Misawa's TV debut. Digest.
8/26/84: Tiger Mask vs. La Fiera. Misawa's debut as Tiger Mask. Digest
6/21/85: Tiger Mask vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi
8/31/85: Tiger Mask vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi
3/9/88: Tiger Mask vs. Jumbo Tsuruta. Digest
5/15/90: Tiger Mask & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Samson Fuyuki & Yoshiaki Yatsu. Tiger unmasks. Digest
5/26/90: Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi & Akira Taue vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Great Kabuki & Masa Fuchi. Digest
Misawa, Kobashi, Kawada, & Taue training
6/8/90: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
7/24/91, World Tag Title Match: Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Steve Williams & Terry Gordy
8/22/92, Triple Crown Heavyweight Title Match: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Stan Hansen
Discs # 1 & 2
8/26/84: Debut Match: Tiger Mask (Mitsuharu Misawa) vs. La Fiera
12/8/84: Tiger Mask vs. Pirata Morgan
3/9/85: Tiger Mask vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi
6/2/85: Tiger Mask & Magic Dragon vs. Dynamite Kid & Daveyboy Smith
6/21/85, NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Kuniaki Kobayashi vs. Tiger Mask
8/31/85, NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Kuniaki Kobayashi vs. Tiger Mask
10/21/85: Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk & Tiger Mask vs. Terry Gordy & Bill Robinson & Chavo Guerrero
11/27/85: Tiger Mask vs. Dynamite Kid
Discs # 3 & 4
1/1/86: Tiger Mask & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi & Shinichi Nakano
1/2/86: Tiger Mask vs. Mil Mascaras
1/28/86: Tiger Mask vs. The Great Kabuki
3/13/86: Tiger Mask vs. Riki Choshu
4/6/86: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu & Tiger Mask vs. Super Strong Machine & Hiro Saito & Shunji Takano
5/10/86: Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Ashura Hara & Goro Tsurumi
5/17/86: Tiger Mask & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Kuniako Kobayashi & Masanobu Kurisu
6/5/86: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu & Tiger Mask vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu & Kuniaki Kobayashi
Discs # 5 & 6
7/5/86: Tiger Mask & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Isamu Teranishi
7/26/86: Tiger Mask & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Pete Roberts & Ted DiBiase
7.31.86: Tiger Mask vs. The Great Kabuki
9/3/86: Tiger Mask & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Super Strong Machine & Shunji Takano
9/6/86: Tiger Mask & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Killer Khan & Super Strong Machine
10/20/86: Tiger Mask vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu
11/1/86: Tiger Mask vs. Norio Honaga
11/28/86: Tiger Mask & Giant Baba vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu
12/6/86: Tiger Mask & Samson Fuyuki vs. Rick Martel & Tom Zenk
Discs # 7 & 8
3/9/87: Tiger Mask vs. Ric Flair
4/28/87: Tiger Mask & The Great Kabuki vs. Ted DiBiase & Pete Roberts
6/1/87: Tiger Mask vs. Genichiro Tenryu
6/11/87: Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara
7/3/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, PWF World Tag Title Match: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask
7/11/87: Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase
7/19/87: Tiger Mask vs. Ted DiBiase
7/30/87: Giant Baba & Tiger Mask vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara
Disks #9 & 10
1/2/88: Tiger Mask vs. Curt Hennig
3/9/88: Tiger Mask vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
5/14/88: Tiger Mask & Shinichi Nakano vs. Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton
6/10/88: Tiger Mask & Takashi Ishikawa & Shinichi Nakano vs. Ashura Hara & Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada
8/29/88: Tiger Mask & Shunji Tanako vs. Jimmy Snuka & Johnny Ace
9/15/88: Tiger Mask & Jimmy Snuka vs. The Great Kabuki & Akio Sato
3/8/89 NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ricky Steamboat vs. Tiger Mask
1/2/90: Tiger Mask & Shinichi Nakano vs. British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith)
1/14/90: Tiger Mask & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Samson Fuyuki. Digest
5/14/90: Tiger Mask & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Samson Fuyuki. Tiger unmasks
8/26/84: Tiger Mask (Misawa) vs. La Fiera. Misawa's first match as Tiger Mask. Very good match with nice spots and good flow.
11/27/85 Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Good match, but disappointing especially considering the classics Dynamite had with the original Tiger Mask.
3/9/88 Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan NWA International Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Mask. Excellent match with perfect execution. Great build and psychology. Tiger knew he was overmatched, so his strategy was to keep Jumbo in check, predominantly by controlling him with a headlock. Jumbo kept trying to backdrop out and eventually he did, which lead to really hot action including some incredible flying by Tiger. Tiger looked really impressive, and the fans really got behind him due to the way the match was laid out. ****1/2
12/8/84 Aichi-ken Taiikukan
'84 Worlds Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Rusher Kimura & Giant Baba
'84 Worlds Strongest Tag Decision League Match: Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen
Riki Choshu Debuts in All Japan
2/5/85 Tokyo Taiikukan
British Bulldogs vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi & Animal Hamaguchi
Riki Choshu & Masa Saito vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta
PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
AJPW TV ’85 Gekito! All Star Wars taped Toyohashi Shi Taiikukan
Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith vs. Masanobu Fuchi & Akio Sato
Tiger Mask & Magic Dragon vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi & Fumihiro Niikura
Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Riki Choshu & Masa Saito & Killer Khan
AJPW TV ’85 Gekito! All Star Wars taped Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Tiger Mask vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi
Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu
1/14/86 Kagoshima: Jumbo Tsuruta & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Riki Choshu & Isamu Teranishi
1/14/86 Kagoshima: Jumbo Tsuruta & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Isamu Teranishi
1/25/86 Takasaki: Riki Choshu & Animal Hamiguchi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Riki Choshu
1/28/86 Tokyo: The Great Kabuki vs. Tiger Mask
1/28/86 Tokyo: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu
2/5/86 Sapporo NWA International Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu
disc 2
1/2/87 Kobe: Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Sheik Jerry Stubbs
1/24/87 Yokohama: Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
1/24/87 Yokohama: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu
1/31/87 Aomori: Tiger Jeet Singh & Ashura Hara vs. Hiroshi Wajima & Great Kabuki
12/3/87 Hokkaido: Genichiro Tenryu & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Sheik Jerry Stubbs
12/5/87 Sapporo: Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
6/12/86 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
UN Heavyweight Title Match: Genichiro Tenyru vs. Super Strong Machine
Giant Baba vs. Rusher Kimura
International Tag Title Match: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. The Road Warriors
7/21/86 Fukushima Sports Center, International Tag Title Match: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Killer Kahn & Super Strong Machine
7/26/86 Ishikawa-ken Sangyo Tenjikan, AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Genichiro Tenyru
7/26/86: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Killer Khan & Super Strong Machine
7/31/86 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan
World Junior Heavyweight Title Decision Match: Hiro Saito vs. Brad Armstrong
Tiger Mask vs. The Great Kabuki
UN Heavyweight Title Match: Genichiro Tenyru vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu
Riki Choshu vs. Killer Khan
AWA World & International Double Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
11/1/86: Animal Warrior vs. Animal Hamaguchi & Shinichi Nakano
7/31/86 World Junior Title Decision: Hiro Saito vs. Brad Armstrong
10/10/86: Road Warriors vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
7/31/86 AWA & International Heavyweight Double Title: Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
2/5/85 Tokyo Taiikukan: Riki Choshu & Masa Saito vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu 16:35. Good solid match. Never outstanding, but they kept the effort and intensity up resulting in strong heat. Everyone was about equal, though Tenryu seemed particularly at home in this style, which was more or less Choshu's simple but effective because they hate each other. ***1/4
1/28/86 Tokyo Taiikukan, International Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu 22:21. One of the greatest matches of the decade. Nothing spectacular wrestling wise, but the perfect rivalry match. What these guys, mainly Jumbo & Choshu, were able to do is make it look meaningful. It was always about Jumbo vs. Choshu rather than the match, which perhaps isn't coming out right, but the point is they were able to make their rivalry transcend this particular match. They made you believe they wanted to kill each other, and the fans ate it up. The wrestlers who weren't legal would wind up going at it in or out of the ring as well, they weren't going to let the rules get in the way of their bloodlust. And Jumbo did bleed. Early on Choshu's team kept Tenryu in their corner and big double team moves. Jumbo tried to help Tenryu, but the ref would force him out. When they finally gained control Jumbo's team worked over Choshu's bad ribs. Strong performances from everyone, but the match was so excellently developed with tremendous heat and intensity. ****3/4
4/5/86 Kanagawa Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan, AWA & PWF Heavyweight Double Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Riki Choshu 18:27. Slow dull match. Had it's moments, but lacked the intensity of Choshu vs. natives. Fans weren't that into it, at least considering how over Choshu was at the time and the fact it was a big double title match against the top gaijin. Hansen carried the match and utilized a few big moments to build the match around as usual, notably reversing a whip into the post and trying his lariat which Choshu ducked causing Hansen to injure his arm on the post, but something seemed missing and the lack of a finish didn't help. **1/2
7/31/86 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan, Death Match Rules: Riki Choshu vs. Killer Khan 16:56. Shockingly good extremely dramatic match where they got a great deal out of a little talent. In these days a death match was about beating the crap out of your opponent rather than utilizing plunder, and matches like this show that interest comes from intensity rather than gimmick. Choshu had the best disdainful look in wrestling, and it was fully utilized in this tough brawl. The wrestling was basic and fairly well executed. What made the match stand out is the super job they did of passing off the illusion, of elevating ordinary moves to the extraordinary, of making it seem like a chop or a knee drop did a ton of damage. Khan bled heavily, which obviously is not uncommon in a death match, but what is uncommon is that it was made meaningful. He bled early and always seemed to be on his last leg. Khan had a great run late in the match after stopping the Riki lariat with a big boot and kneeing Choshu in the groin where he kept Choshu from making it to his feet for four minutes. ****
9/3/86 Osaka Jo Hall: Riki Choshu vs. Genichiro Tenryu 20:01. Good match, but I expected more. I was hoping for something memorable, but it was not to be found. Choshu is better in tag since he's so limited moves. You have to believe everything is intended to injure or something has to be done to make the moves meaningful, otherwise he's completely pedestrian. Tenryu worked his ribs, which seem to have heeled some considering they weren't taped. Tenryu bled. Finish made no sense to me. ***
11/8/86 North Carolina Charlotte Coliseum
Ragin' Bull Manny Fernandez vs. Wahoo McDaniel. *3/4
Rock & Roll Express & Brad Armstrong vs. Midnight Express & Big Bubba (Bossman). ****
9/3/86 Osaka Jo Hall International Heavykyu Senshuken: Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta. ***3/4
Chicago
Art Thomas vs. Ray Zills
Kurt von Stroheim vs. Paul Christy
Red Kelly vs. Larry Chene
Moose Cholak vs. Karl Engstrom
Skull Murphy & Brute Bernard vs. Rudi Jacobs & Harry Wenzel. No finish
AJ Chogei Selection #137 7/17/99
9/3/86 Osaka Jo Hall: Tiger Mask & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Super Strong Machine & Shunji Takano. Takano seemed like a giant in Michinoku, and in fact was called Giant Zebra, though actually he's not much taller than Misawa. They wrestled more toward junior style except when Ishikawa was in, as he can't do the quicker more athletic stuff. Ishikawa was very workmanlike and didn't hurt the match even though his presence Tiger was very smooth and his offense was quite impressive, especially for the time and compared to his opponents. Well worked match, but too short and marred by the typical terrible cop out finish. 12:38. ***
10/20/86 Okazaki Shi Min Taiikukan: Tiger Mask vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu. They worked well together and did a smart match. Where they were at this point in their career was the basis for this match. Yatsu the veteran in his prime with a regular position at or near the top of the card vs. Misawa the up and comer searching for a big win to get him closer to what Yatsu had. Tiger dropkicked Yatsu before the bell, creating an advantage for himself to help even the odds. Tiger attacked Yatsu's arm, mainly working variations of the basic arm bar and just refusing to let go as his strategy was simply to maintain control. Overall, they still wound up being on offense about the same amount of time, with Yatsu of course doing more damage. Finally, Tiger decided this wasn't working and went for broke with his flying moves. This worked for a while, but Yatsu eventually avoided and took him out. 14:03. ***1/2
9/9/86 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan: International Heavykyu Senshuken: Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta. Intense brawl totally dominated by Stan. Hansen attacked the shoulder early, but the big spot was when he knocked Jumbo off the apron with his western lariat. Jumbo bled from "crashing" into the guard rail, which looked really bad because Jumbo isn't good at taking athletic bumps. Jumbo kept coming at Hansen, but Hansen wouldn't give him a chance to come back. Finally, Jumbo posted Hansen on a counter, giving him a cut of his own. Jumbo lost control and became more concerned with pounding Hansen than winning the title. Jumbo was hobbled after crashing the post when Hansen avoided his jumping knee. He also avoided a diving knee drop and elbow dropped the knee. By this point, Jumbo had a handful of weak spots and was also in danger from bloodloss. Jumbo was able to avoid enough of Hansen's moves thout that he eventually countered into a winning move and took the title. Hansen attacked the knee some more after the match though. 14:33. ****
#139 taped 11/8/86 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Coliseum
Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Art Pritz & Grim Reaper. It's amazing how quickly wrestling "evolved" from guys like Pritz that look like they could be your neighbor to guys that look like they settled on wrestling after they failed as bodybuilders and Chippendale's. Real basic match with a lot of generic striking. No one did any moves until the very end when Tenryu pulled out his enzuigiri and diving elbow drop for the win. Surprisingly, the fans liked Jumbo & Tenryu even though they didn't show their stuff. They even popped when Jumbo chopped Reaper after the match for no reason. 10:53. *
Dusty Rhodes & Nikita Koloff vs. Ric Flair & Tully Blanchard. The crowd was quite loud, but unfortunately the wrestlers decided to waste the first 9 minutes playing to them. That might have been understandable if this was one of those 60 minute Flair matches, but instead it left them just 5 minutes to wrestle. Dusty had an injured hand, which Dillon further injured hitting with an object setting up Flair and Tully's hand attack. Tully even used what I guess you'd call a spinning finger hold. The DQ finish was really lame. When the ref was breaking up Nikita's choke of JJ, Flair tried put an end to Dusty's figure 4 on Tully with a diving knee drop, but the ref caught him. The last 4 minutes were good and the match seemed like it was just taking off when they suddenly threw it out. 13:59. **
9/3/86 Osaka Jo Hall: Yoshiaki Yatsu & Animal Hamaguchi vs. Killer Khan & Terry Gordy. Rough match. All 4 were very willing to break the rules, but what was good is they did so in the context of a wrestling match, not as the usual excuse not to have one. Yatsu was at his nastiest here, with Khan taking the brunt of the cheap shots. Nice finish where Animal stopped Gordy's piledriver by grapping the ropes only to have Gordy pull him off into the powerbomb. Short, but good while it lasted. 9:47. **1/2
11/8/86 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Coliseum: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Gary Royal & American Eagle. Baba was still able to have a legit match at this point. His team totally dominated to the point it was just a long squash, with Baba just grinning when Royal elbowed him in the corner. Wajima looked surprisingly decent here, but this wouldn't carry over when he returned to Japan. 8:42. *
Hiroshi Wajima feature. American tour, training Pat O'Connor, etc.
NWA 8/7/86 Kansas City, MO: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Earthquake Ferris & J.R. Hawk
AWA 8/30/86 Las Vegas, NV: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Ken Glover & Paul Gardner
9/3/86 Osaka Jo Hall
Tiger Mask & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Super Strong Machine & Shunji Takano
Terry Gordy & Killer Kahn vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Animal Hamaguchi
Genichiro Tenyru vs. Riki Choshu
International Heavyweight Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
9/9/86 Nagoya Aichi-ken Gym, NWA International Heavyweight Title: Stan Hansen vs. Riki Choshu
9/11/86 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Stan Hansen vs. Terry Gordy
9/20/86 Kanagawa: Riki Choshu vs. Super Strong Machine
9/20/86 Mayaguez, PR: Hiroshi Wajima vs. Huracan Castillo Jr
10/4/86 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Krusher Kruschev & Nikita Koloff vs. Animal Hamiguchi & Riki Choshu
10/20/86 Aichi
Tiger Mask vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu
Dory Funk Jr & Terry Funk vs. Road Warriors Animal & Hawk
12/29/86: Road Warriors vs. Dennis Condrey & Bobby Eaton
10/08/86: Nikita Koloff & Krusher Krushev vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Samson Fuyuki
10/21/86: Road Warriors vs. Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu
9/11/86: Stan Hansen vs. Terry Gordy
11/1/86: Tiger Jeet Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Hiroshi Wajima
11/22/86 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, '86 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Terry Funk & Dory Funk, Jr. vs. Rick Martel & Tom Zenk. Fast match when Can-Am had their way. Dory looked good when he was in with very quick and precise counters. Terry seemed to get in a mood and ruin the match though. Martel was very fiery. He was too anxious for Terry, so after being atomic dropped he made Martel chase him in and out of the ring since Martel refused to give him a time out. Got off to a good start, but by the time Martel ended Terry's stalling it was over. 13:24. **1/4
12/2/86 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Rick Martel & Tom Zenk Baba hardly wrestled. He took one bump on Can-Am's double dropkick, but that was it for him. Wajima did a decent job carrying his team. That didn't help the match quality though because Can-Am were just jobbers that had to put over Wajima's unimpressive offense. 9:59. *1/4
11/28/86 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center '86 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Giant Baba & Tiger Mask. Well worked and laid out match with everyone putting forth their best effort. The focus was on Baba and his segments were meaningful. Tiger did a strong job of carrying the bulk of the match, but in a weird way Baba made the match with his interplay and one-upsmanship with Jumbo & Tenryu, and more importantly his willingness to take a beating for them and really put it over. Jumbo & Tenryu wanted Baba, so in between beating on Tiger they would go over and chop him until he tagged in. They wouldn't let Baba regroup after they knocked him down. This should happen in every match because it takes like 30 seconds for Baba to get back to his feet, but usually the opponent doesn't attack him out of respect. Baba took 6 months worth of punishment in this one match. He gets such reaction that he can be tollerable in situations like this where he wants to be, his segments are thought out, and they are brief. Though Baba was the focus because he's the big star and this was one of a handful of matches per year he was trying to make memorable, Tiger slowly showed he belonged in the match, and wound up being very impressive. Classic finish with Baba holding Jumbo for Tiger then trapping Tenryu in the corner so Tiger could pin Jumbo in his diving boy attack, except since his back was turned he didn't see Jumbo roll through and pin Misawa. 18:46. ****
12/6/86 Takamatsu Shimin Bunka Center '86 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Terry Funk & Dory Funk, Jr. vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase. It's weird seeing The Million $ Man in a Hansen cowboy outfit. Dory had to fight 2-1 because Terry was injured by a chair shot at the outset. When Terry recovered, Hansen tried to post him, but Terry countered and the Funks got to double team DiBiase. Once Hansen recovered, the match ended abruptly with the crummy ring out. A real disappointment because it seemed like they had some interesting story going on. A lot of Hansen's 1987 matches that had length could have benefited from some story like this, assuming they were willing to play it out this time. 3:46
AJ Selection #142
12/29/86 L.A. Forum: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Mod Squad. Baba was in most of the match, and got no reaction aside from two Asian fans who made a little sign with the kanji of his last name. I suppose no reaction is a good thing, as I would have been groaning at this. MOD were just overexaggerating jobbers who jumped down for every Baba chop. They were given no offense whatsoever. 9:57. 1/4*
1/17/87: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Ashura Hara & Goro Tsurumi. Deliberate slow motion match. Again, it was a squash with Baba not taking anything at all and Wajima barely taking anything. Tsurumi was the main recipient, and he doesn't take well. Singh blindsided Wajima when Wajima's hand was raised in victory, but of course Wajima quickly ran him off. 7:27. 1/2*
1/24/87 Kanagawa Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan: Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh. Amazingly, Wajima likes selling even less than Singh. Wajima pulled rank on Singh, so Singh actually had to sell a little. Singh did a pretty good job of putting over Wajima's leg attack, which made it that much more frustrating that he usually just refuses to try. Not surprisingly, this was short so no one had to sell too much. Singh got his foot on the rope after taking a terrible bump on Wajima's golden arm bomber finisher, but A Sheik (Nelson Royal) jumped in anyway. They double teamed Wajima momentarily, but Singh was held back by the seconds from reentering with the others, so Wajima immediately came back on Sheik. Singh did get the better of Wajima on the outside this time, I suppose. 7:42. 1/2*
2/3/87 Yubarishi Sogo Taiikukan: Genichiro Tenryu & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & A Sheik. Though Tenryu & Sheik were the two best in the match, their addition was little help. Still no talent was displayed, with the main offense being lousy punches and kicks, rest holds, and unskilled heel tactics like the choke. Wajima & Singh fought on the outside at the end and after the match, with Wajima trotting after Singh so he could get one last chop in. 8:42. *
2/5/87 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh. Singh got the ref to keep Wajima out of his corner while he was disrobing, only to come up from behind with the sword handle when they had their back turned. Of course, Wajima had to come right back, ducking the sword so A Sheik got hit then using it on Singh before the match officially started. A Sheik started to come in after the golden arm bomber, but this time Wajima was looking for it and went after him. After Wajima tossed Sheik, Singh tossed powder in Wajima's eyes, but the ref saw it and DQ'd him. The lack of length ensured neither had to do any real selling, though Singh delivered a laughable bit by starting to sell Wajima's chops before they arrived. 3:23. DUD
Disc 1 New Japan Pro Wrestling
8/8/74 Ryogoku Nippon Auditorium Mitsuo Yoshida debut match: Mitsuo Yoshida vs. El Greco
3/4/77 Takasaki City Gym: World League Match: Mitsuo Yoshida vs. Robert Soto. Finish only
3/18/77 Niigata City Gym: World League Match: Mitsuo Yoshida vs. Bella Rodriguez
6/29/77 Osaka Prefectural Gym: Antonio Inoki & Riki Choshu vs. The Asian Tellows No. 1 & No. 2
6/15/79 Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium NWA North American Tag Title Match: Hiro Matsuda & Masa Saito vs. Seiji Sakaguchi & Riki Choshu. Uncut
8/2/81 Korakuen Hall: Riki Choshu vs. Roland Bock. Uncut
10/8/81 Kuramae Kokugikan: Dino Bravo & Riki Choshu vs. Stan Hansen & Hulk Hogan. Uncut
1/1/82 Korakuen Hall: Riki Choshu vs. Animal Hamaguchi. Uncut
10/8/82 Korakuen Hall: Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Bad News Allen & S.D.Jones
10/22/82 Hiroshima Prefectural Gym: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu
11/4/82 Kuramae Kokugikan WWF International Heavyweight Title: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
2/3/83 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center: Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Masa Saito & Riki Choshu
Disc 2
4/3/83 Kuramae Kokugikan WWF International Heavyweight Title: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
4/21/83 Ryogoku Kokugikan WWF International Heavyweight Title: Riki Choshu vs. Tatsumi Fujinami
7/7/83 Osaka Prefectural Gym: WWF International Heavyweight Title: Riki Choshu vs. Tatsumi Fujinami. Uncut
8/4/83 Kuramae Kokugikan WWF International Heavyweight Title: Match: Riki Choshu vs. Tatsumi Fujinami. Uncut
Disc 3
8/28/83 Denen Coliseum: Tatsumi Fujinami & Akira Maeda vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi
9/2/83 Fukuoka Sports Center WWF International Heavyweight Title: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu
9/21/83 Osaka Prefectural Gym: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
10/14/83 Osaka Prefectural Seaside Sports Center: Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi & Yoshiaki Yatsu
11/3/83 Kuramae Kokugikan Sekigun vs. Ishingun 4 vs. 4:
Riki Choshu vs. Akira Maeda. Uncut
12/2/83 Kagoshima Prefectural Gym MSG Tag League: Tatsumi Fujinami & Akira Maeda vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi
1/1/84 Korakuen Hall: Tatsumi Fujinami & Akira Maeda vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu
2/3/84 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center WWF International Heavyweight Title: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
2/9/84 Osaka Prefectural Gym: Antonio Inoki & Akira Maeda & Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi & Yoshiaki Yatsu. Uncut
Disc 4
3/16/84 Kagoshima Prefectural Gym: Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi. Uncut
3/22/84 Amagasaki City Gym: Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami & Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi & Yoshiaki Yatsu
Seiji Sakaguchi & Tatsumi Fujinami & Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi & Yatsu Yoshiaki
4/18/84 Ogaki City Sports Center: Kengo Kimura & Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi. Uncut
4/19/84 Kuramae Kokugikan Sekigun vs. Ishingun 5 vs. 5: Antonio Inoki vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
6/1/84 Takamatsu Civic Cultural Center IWGP official league Match: Riki Choshu vs. Andre the Giant. Uncut
6/11/84 Aichi Gym: Masa Saito & Riki Choshu vs. Hulk Hogan & Masked Superstar. Uncut
6/14/84 Kuramae Kokugikan: Masa Saito & Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Dick Murdoch & Adrian Adonis & Ken Patera
Disc 5 All Japan Pro Wrestling
1/3/85 Korakuen Hall: Genichiro Tenryu & Motoshi Okuma vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi
2/5/85 Tokyo Gym: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Masa Saito
3/9/85 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Bruiser Brody & Killer Brooks. Uncut
3/14/85 Aichi Gym AWA World Tag Title: The Road Warriors vs. Riki Choshu & Killer Khan. Uncut
4/23/85 Sagamihara City Gym, NWA World Heavyweight Title: Rick Flair vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
6/2/85 Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu & Motoshi Okuma vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu & Animal Hamaguchi. Uncut
6/4/85 Osaka Castle Hall: Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi. Uncut
Disc 6
6/5/85 Aichi Prefectural Gym: Riki Choshu vs. Tiger Jeet Singh. Uncut
6/21/85 Nippon Budokan UN Heavyweight Title: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu
8/2/85 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center: Riki Choshu & Killer Khan vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu. Uncut
10/19/85 Korakuen Hall: Riki Choshu vs. Rick Martell. Uncut
10/21/85 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Mil Mascaras & Art Cruise. Uncut
Disc 7
11/4/85 Osaka Castle Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
11/23/85 Korakuen Hall World's Strongest Tag League:
Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Rusher Kimura & Ashura Hara. Uncut
11/27/85 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center: Riki Choshu vs. Ted DiBiase. Uncut
11/30/85 Yokohama Cultural Gym, World Strongest Tag
Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu
Disc 8
12/4/85 Fukuoka International Center: Riki Choshu vs. Nick Bockwinkle
12/7/85 Yamagata Prefectural Gym, World Strongest Tag League: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Harley Race & Jesse Barr
12/12/85 Nippon Budokan World's Strongest Tag League: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase
1/1/86 Korakuen Hall, Martial Arts Match: Riki Choshu vs. Tom Magee. Uncut
1/28/86 Tokyo Gym, International Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genryu Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu Class. Uncut
Disc 9
2/5/86 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center International Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu. Uncut
3/13/1986 Nippon Budokan All Japan vs. Japan Pro 6 vs. 6: Tiger Mask vs. Riki Choshu
4/5/86 Yokohama Cultural Gym, AWA & PWF Double Title: Stan Hansen vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
4/12/86 Kumamoto Gym: PWF World Tag Title: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu. Uncut
4/26/86 Nippon-Omiya Skate Center AWA & PWF Double Title: Stan Hansen (AWA) vs. Riki Choshu (PWF). Uncut
Disc 10
5/17/86 Yokosuka City Gym, PWF Heavyweight Title: Riki Choshu vs. Terry Gordy. Uncut
6/12/86 Nippon Budokan International Tag Title: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. The Road Warriors. Uncut
7/21/86 Fukuoka Sports Center International Tag Title: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Killer Khan & Super Strong Machine. Uncut
Disc 11
9/3/86 Osaka Castle Hall: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
9/9/86 Aichi Prefectural Gym, PWF & International Double Title: Riki Choshu (PWF) vs. Stan Hansen (International). Uncut
9/20/86 Sagamihara City Gym: Riki Choshu vs. Super Strong Machine. Uncut
10/21/86 Ryogoku Kokugikan PWF Heavyweight Title: Riki Choshu vs. Terry Funk. Uncut
10/27/86 Niigata City Gym: International Tag Title: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu. Uncut
Disc 12
12/6/86 Takamatsu Civic Cultural Center World's Strongest Tag: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Chosho Yatsu. Uncut
12/12/86 Nippon Budokan World's Strongest Tag: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. The Funks. Uncut
1/24/87 Yokohama Cultural Gym: International Tag Title: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu. Uncut
2/5/87 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center International Tag Title: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genryu Tenryu
Disc 13 New Japan Pro Wrestling
6/12/87 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Osamu Kido & Nobuhiko Takada vs. Riki Choshu & Super Strong Machine & Kuniaki Kobayashi. Uncut
8/19/87 Ryogoku Kokugikan Now Leader vs. New Leader 5 vs. 5 elimination match: Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi & Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Kantaro Hoshino & Keiji Muto vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu & Akira Maeda & Kengo Kimura & Super Strong Machine. Uncut
8/20/87 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Antonio Inoki & Keiji Muto vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu
10/5/87 Korakuen Hall: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu
10/19/87 Fuji City Yoshihara Gym: Antonio Inoki & Keiichi Yamada vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu. Uncut
10/19/87 Fuji City Yoshiwara Gym: Antonio Inoki vs. Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami. Uncut
10/25/87 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu
11/19/87 Korakuen Hall: Riki Choshu & Masa Saito & Hiro Saito vs. Akira Maeda & Osamu Kido & Nobuhiko Takada. Uncut
Disc 14
12/27/87 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura vs. Masa Saito & Riki Choshu
12/27/87 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Antonio Inoki vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
7/22/88 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center, IWGP Heavyweight Title League Match: Antonio Inoki vs. Riki Choshu
2/22/89 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Antonio Inoki vs. Riki Choshu
12/6/89 Osaka Prefectural Gym, World Cup Conflict League Tournament Semifinal: Riki Choshu vs. Masahiro Chono. Uncut
12/7/89 Ryogoku Kokugikan World Cup Conflict League Final: Riki Choshu vs. Shinya Hashimoto. Uncut
5/24/90 Tokyo Bay NK Hall Choshu vs. 3 Musketeers Single Match Series: Riki Choshu vs. Keiji Muto
8/19/90 Ryogoku Kokugikan, IWGP Heavyweight Title: Big Van Vader vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
1/4/92 Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight & Greatest 18 Club Title: Tatsuji Fujinami (IWGP) vs. Riki Choshu (Greatest 18)
Disc 15
1/4/93 Tokyo Dome: Riki Choshu vs. Genichiro Tenryu. Uncut
4/6/93 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Riki Choshu vs. Genichiro Tenryu. Uncut
1/4/94 Tokyo Dome: Riki Choshu vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara. Uncut
5/1/94 Fukuoka Dome: Riki Choshu vs. Hiroshi Hase
7/18/95 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center: Shiro Koshinaka vs. Riki Choshu
9/23/95 Yokohama Arena: Riki Choshu & Yuji Nagata & Yoji Anjo & Tatsuo Nakano. Uncut
10/9/95 Tokyo Dome: Riki Choshu vs. Yoji Anjo
Disc 16
8/6/96 Ryogoku Kokugikan G1 Climax: Riki Choshu vs. Masahiro Chono. Uncut
1/4/97 Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Title: Shinya Hashimoto vs. Riki Choshu. Uncut
1/4/98 Tokyo Dome Riki Choshu Retirement Match: Uncut
Riki Choshu vs. Kazuyuki Fujita
Riki Choshu vs. Yutaka Yoshie
Riki Choshu vs. Takaiwa Tatsuhito
Riki Choshu vs. Takashi Iizuka
Riki Choshu vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
7/30/00 Yokohama Arena No Rope Barbed Wire Current Bomb Death Match: Riki Choshu vs. Atsushi Onita. Uncut
2/24/87: Hiroshi Wajima vs. Art Crews
1/2/87: Takashi Ishikawa & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & A. Sheik
12/29/86: Bunkhouse Battle Royal
12/12/86 World's Strongest Tag League Final: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase
3/7/87 Akita Kenritsu Gym
Giant Baba & Great Wajima vs. Road Warriors
NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu
3/10/87 Koriyama-shi Sogo Taiikukan, NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
3/12/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
Yoshiaki Yatsu & Animal Hamaguchi vs. Terry Gordy & Art Crews
NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair vs. Hiroshi Wajima
International Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Road Warriors
1/31/87: The Great Kabuki & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Ashura Hara. Started off out of control with an attack before the bell, and stayed that way most of the match. It was under control only so they could do their few moves. Soon though there was a crummy DQ where the ref was tossed around for trying to gain control. Terrible, but it did have some heat. 7:14. DUD
2/20/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Art Cruise & El Olimpico. Cruise was one of the most beyond ridiculous overactors and overexaggerators I've ever seen. Olimpico might not have been bad, but he was small and the natives gave him no respect. Very basic match that only aspired to showing how outclassed the foreigners were. Jumbo & Wajima were alright, but didn't overly exert themselves. 5:22. 3/4*
5/9/87 Nagano Shimin Taiikukan: John Tenta vs. Masanobu Kurisu. Tenta was much skinnier here than as Earthquake. Kurisu tried to attack the arm to combat Tenta's size, and of course to turn it into a brawl, but nothing he tried had much effect. Tenta wasn't no selling Kurisu, but one of Tenta's blows equalled the damage of 2-3 of Kurisu's. Not good, but by no means the disaster or embarassment I anticipated. 6:31. *
3/7/87: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. The Road Warriors. Compared to current WWE, The Roid Warriors look like Low Dosage. This was mainly about everyone showing how "tough" they are. Slow motion match with tons of no selling since Baba & Wajima joined the "fun" rather than be the ones that looking like mere mortals. The one "good" spot was when Wajima celebrated after lariating Hawk, so Hawk popped up and backdropped him. One hilarious spot saw Baba get behind Hawk by winning a lock up then fall backward onto the back of Hawk's knee to take him down. 6:43. DUD
3/7/87, NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ric Flair vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu. Yatsu was more over than usual because the title was meaningful and the fans wanted their guy to capture it. He got off to a good start to increase his support, often working Flair's arm. Overall, the heat was very underwhelming though. There was a big Yatsu chant at the outset, but the match itself never gained any momentum. Flair doing some things that wouldn't work in Japan at the time because they are so fake, like goofy overselling of an enzuigiri then his corny flip over the corner bump, didn't help. The main problem though was the underdevelopment of the match. The main tease was a screw job, which the fans might have expected anyway, but even when going in you figure it's coming you will probably still get into a good match if they don't keep reminding you it's coming. I thought it was going along good, but I figured a mid 80's Flair title match would last a lot longer than 17 minutes. I didn't mind Flair coming back and beginning his leg attack at the time, but in retrospect Yatsu only being allowed to control Flair, never putting him in danger or getting a legitimate near finish, not only hurt Yatsu but the dramatic involvement in a match where virtually everyone was rooting for him. Yatsu performed very well, bringing most of the good moves and more than holding his own overall. 17:08. ***
AJ Selection #144 9/4/99
3/12/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Yoshiaki Yatsu & Animal Hamaguchi vs. Terry Gordy & Art Cruise. Gordy & Hamaguchi were good, particularly Gordy who made his simple moves look more impressive than normal. Yatsu didn't make his presence felt her. Cruise was just awful. He doesn't have a clue, with regular indecision and mistakes. His funniest blunder was when Hamaguchi tried to small package him, but Cruise fell backwards! 8:48. **
1/10/87 Osaka Jo Hall: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & A Sheik. Singh attacked Wajima with the sword handle when Wajima was being introduced. Ref Joe Higuchi was pulling Wajima's robe off in between Singh's stomps, but of course Wajima came back as soon as he got to his feet. Baba gave a good effort here, and even he was more of an asset and less selfish than Wajima. Baba worked quite a while then Wajima beat Sheik almost as soon as he tagged back in. Singh & Sheik "ran" to the back to escape Wajima, but then Singh returned tossing a chair into the ring so the fans wouldn't be denied their brawl to the back. 7:48. *
3/28/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Pete Roberts. Good solid match. Roberts brought some European style with a touch of Hansen. Everything they did looked good, but what took it down is Yatsu didn't have to work very hard to get this win. 9:17. **3/4
3/10/87 Koriyama Shi Sogo Taiikukan NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ric Flair vs. Jumbo Tsuruta. I suppose it would be hard for this match to meet expectations, but at least they could have tried. Everything was well done, but they didn't tell any story or build the match. It's like since there was to be no finish (Jumbo I guess you could say found a way to get DQ'd) they decided not to have any direction. There were some good bits and some surprising bits, but everything was just kind of isolated. It seemed like they tried to be unpredictable more than they tried to do a whole. I always rag on Flair for being totally predictable, but at least predictable Flair is smart. This wasn't stupid or intelligent, it was just kind of there. Maybe the problem was they respected each other too much. Neither wrestler took control of the match, they pretty much went back and forth without anyone's style or will being exerted. In this case, and the vast majority of others, somebody's match is better than nobody's match. 17:26. ***1/4
4/23/87 Niigata-shi Gym: Great Kabuki & Tiger Mask vs. Ted Dibiase & Pete Robberts
5/1/87 Korakuen: Giant Baba & John Tenta vs. Rusher Kimura & Goro Tsurumi
5/9/87 Nagano Shimin Gym, United National Title: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu
5/30/87 Takamatsu Shimin Bunka Center: Genichiro Tenryu & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Texas Red
6/1/87 Ishikawa: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Tiger Mask
6/8/87 Fukuoka Kokusai Center
Hiroshi Wajima & Ishikawa vs. Ashura Hara & Genichiro Tenryu
Jumbo Tsuruta & John Tenta vs. Road Warriors
AJ Chogei (recorded earlier) Selection #145
6/9/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: The Great Kabuki & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Jason The Terrible. Ishikawa was a pleasure to watch here. He brought fire and intensity, and with these guys he even seemed explosive. Unfortunately, he was trapped these turds. Terrible was just that, even no selling a table shot. It was real exciting seeing him display such amazing skill by headbutting his opponents with the hockey mask. Most of the time it was out of control, which helped masked the badness to an extent. Ishikawa managed to get Singh to take a few moves in between the chaos, so again Singh managed to not be the biggest piece of crap in his match. 6:51 of ?. *
3/28/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Tommy Rich & Jerry Oates. Again the gaijins were no match. This was unfortunate because the wrestling was good, albeit one-sided with an exhibition feel. Rich got a little respect, but Oates was a complete jobber that Jumbo just toyed with. Oates had some value for being able to take Tiger's stuff, but it would have been nice if he was "good enough" to make the opposition work up a sweat. 13:14. ***
4/2/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa. Match should have been much better because 3 of the 4 are very capable, but it was the real simplistic Hansen stuff where there are no sequences, nothing of any difficulty, no good moves, etc. It's fine when Hansen brings the psychology to make that style work, but that was not the case here. Ishikawa, Hansen, & DiBiase did do enough to make it decent, but man is Wajima a lazy slug. 25 seconds after Ishikawa made the hot tag Wajima tagged him back in. It picked up a lot during this portion, but since Ishikawa never had time to recover he was taken out a minute later. Wajima didn't even get to the middle of the ring by 3 to make the save even though DiBiase wasn't obstructing him in any way. Wajima hit Hansen when he did finally arrive, but Hansen wound up posting him. 12:13. **
3/12/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan International Tag Senshukenjiai: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. The Road Warriors. Warriors looked good the first time they showed up in '87 when they had the right opposition, working fast paced matches with big moves throughout. This was by far their best because of Jumbo & Tenryu, who were both in top form and understood how to get the most out of the Roadies. What made this match work is both teams did some selling and fought with urgency and desperation, which made them even that much more heated. Warriors matches were always kept short, but you didn't mind in a case like this when both teams put everything into it. Warriors showed good teamwork and surprisingly both were able to hold there own when they wanted, unlike later in the year when Hawk had to work 2/3 of the match. 11:17. ****
AJ Chogei Selection #146 9/18/99
4/23/87 Niigata Shi Taiikukan: The Great Kabuki & Tiger Mask vs. Ted DiBiase & Pete Roberts. Tiger vs. DiBiase was good stuff with Tiger showcasing his flying and DiBiase countering him now and then. Unfortunately, there was a lot of Kabuki, who added nothing. 10:57. ***
3/28/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Genichiro Tenryu & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase. DiBiase is better than Hansen in lesser matches. He's much more active and interested in chaining things together and countering. Hansen needs the right opponent, but DiBiase can go with anyone. Basically he can get more out of a guy physically, while Hansen can get more out of a guy mentally, so in lesser matches when there is little story he gets the edge. DiBiase vs. Tenryu was the best combination. Tenryu is frustrating because he's almost always good when he's in, but he leaves so much of the match to his partner. When the partner is Hara that can be a good thing, but when it's a stiff like Wajima it's an irritating waste. I can't blame this all on Wajima, it had it's moments but never got going. 12:36. **
4/2/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan NWA International Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tommy Rich. Solid match that was by no means dull, but surprisingly flat. The crowd wasn't into it, which was surprising for a Jumbo title match. It wasn't just that Rich wasn't over; he wasn't really that competitive. His wrestling was okay, but the match was awfully short and you never felt like he had a chance to beat Jumbo. 9:55. **3/4
4/5/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Dory Funk, Jr. & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase. Dory vs. DiBiase was the best combination. Too bad they didn't get to have a singles match, that would have been some kind of technical display. The last few minutes were quite good with Wajima looking to have DiBiase beat a few times and Dory pulling Wajima out of Hansen's western lariat. Outside of the final portion, it was pretty even with the 3/28 match with Tenryu instead of Dory. 11:24. **1/2
6/9/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
The Great Kabuki & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Jason The Terrible
Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano
Giant Baba vs. Raja Lion
International Tag Title Match: The Road Warriors vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima
6/11/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan
Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara
Animal Warrior (Road Warrior Animal) vs. Hiroshi Wajima
NJ Tadakai no Wonderland Encore #141
6/24/83 taped 6/12 Mexico El Torneo De Cuatro Caminos
UWA Nintei Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. El Canek
7/8/83 taped 7/7 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan
Dick Murdock vs. Abdullah The Butcher
NWA Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshuken: Tiger Mask vs. Osamu Teranishi
AJ Chogei (recorded earlier) Selection #145
6/9/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: The Great Kabuki & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Jason The Terrible. Ishikawa was a pleasure to watch here. He brought fire and intensity, and with these guys he even seemed explosive. Unfortunately, he was trapped these turds. Terrible was just that, even no selling a table shot. It was real exciting seeing him display such amazing skill by headbutting his opponents with the hockey mask. Most of the time it was out of control, which helped masked the badness to an extent. Ishikawa managed to get Singh to take a few moves in between the chaos, so again Singh managed to not be the biggest piece of crap in his match. 6:51 of ?. *
3/28/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Tommy Rich & Jerry Oates. Again the gaijins were no match. This was unfortunate because the wrestling was good, albeit one-sided with an exhibition feel. Rich got a little respect, but Oates was a complete jobber that Jumbo just toyed with. Oates had some value for being able to take Tiger's stuff, but it would have been nice if he was "good enough" to make the opposition work up a sweat. 13:14. ***
4/2/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa. Match should have been much better because 3 of the 4 are very capable, but it was the real simplistic Hansen stuff where there are no sequences, nothing of any difficulty, no good moves, etc. It's fine when Hansen brings the psychology to make that style work, but that was not the case here. Ishikawa, Hansen, & DiBiase did do enough to make it decent, but man is Wajima a lazy slug. 25 seconds after Ishikawa made the hot tag Wajima tagged him back in. It picked up a lot during this portion, but since Ishikawa never had time to recover he was taken out a minute later. Wajima didn't even get to the middle of the ring by 3 to make the save even though DiBiase wasn't obstructing him in any way. Wajima hit Hansen when he did finally arrive, but Hansen wound up posting him. 12:13. **
3/12/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan International Tag Senshukenjiai: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. The Road Warriors. Warriors looked good the first time they showed up in '87 when they had the right opposition, working fast paced matches with big moves throughout. This was by far their best because of Jumbo & Tenryu, who were both in top form and understood how to get the most out of the Roadies. What made this match work is both teams did some selling and fought with urgency and desperation, which made them even that much more heated. Warriors matches were always kept short, but you didn't mind in a case like this when both teams put everything into it. Warriors showed good teamwork and surprisingly both were able to hold there own when they wanted, unlike later in the year when Hawk had to work 2/3 of the match. Read Review 11:17. ***3/4
NJ Tadakai no Wonderland Encore #146
9/23/83 taped 9/21 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan
Riki Choshu vs. Tatsumi Fujinami
10/14/83 taped 10/14 Osaka-fu Rinkai Sports Center
Big John Studd vs. Killer Kahn
Akira Maeda vs. Paul Orndorff
AJ Chogei Selection #147 9/25/99
4/5/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall NWA Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Masa Fuchi vs. Pete Roberts
3/12/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan NWA Sekai Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Ric Flair vs. Hiroshi Wajima
4/23/87 Niigata Shi Taiikukan PWF Heavykyu Oiza Ketteisen: Stan Hansen vs. Hiroshi Wajima
4/5/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall NWA Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Masa Fuchi vs. Pete Roberts. European style technical match that was very mat oriented. They worked well together, crafting very fluid sequences. The holds were nothing special, but they were always changing or adjusting them based on how their opponent moved. Even though none of the spots was that difficult in and of itself, their stuff was more difficult than a lot of spot oriented matches because of the timing and interplay it took to put the sequences together. 12:33. ***1/2
3/12/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ric Flair vs. Hiroshi Wajima. Even Flair never seemed to make any progress against Wajima. Wajima did the same old nonsense, coming back as soon as things started going his opponent's way. Basic can be great when it comes to Flair, but this was more remedial boredom. Wajima attacked Flair's knee after Flair's figure 4 failed, but soon Flair small packaged him for the win so Wajima could lose without exactly getting beaten. I've never seen a Flair title match in the 80's that was in the league with this for lousiness. His formula always worked in those days, but the opponent has to be willing to go along with it and do some things, which Wajima wasn't. 18:25. 1/2*
4/23/87 Niigata Shi Taiikukan PWF Heavykyu Oza Ketteisen: Stan Hansen vs. Hiroshi Wajima. Even more boring than Wajima's debacle against Flair. I give it a better rating because in absence of any quality, at least the focus of this slow unathletic plodding match was good. The bump where Hansen tried to backdrop Wajima to the floor, but Wajima kicked off the apron and they went over the guard rail was so laughable. Wajima might be better than Baba night in and night out because he's more of a normal athlete, but Baba at least tries to wrestle and incorporates a story into his big matches with capable. There's no high end with Wajima, and the more that should be asked of him the less he winds up delivering. 12:25. 3/4*
AJ Chogei Selection #149 10/9/99
4/23/87 Niigata Shi Taiikukan: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano. Even though their roles didn't make it the most dramatic match, these guys really wrestled well and put forth a lot of effort to make it a notable match. Nakano is the young fiery guy that dosn't belong. After some shoulderblocks in the corner he tried to beel Jumbo out, but Jumbo just shoved him down fiercely. Yatsu fought long stretches to keep his team in the match. Jumbo vs. Yatsu was the heart of the match, with Yatsu kicking Jumbo's knee out after. Tenryu looked good in spurts and Nakano made up for skill with effort. 17:25. ***1/2
6/9/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano. Amazingly, this match was notably better than the previous in spite of Jumbo being replaced with Hara and severly reduced duration. Nakano was like a far less talented early 90's Kikuchi in these matches. He tried to hang, and they just had a ton of fun putting him in his place. I was used to the older WAR version of Hara, so his work in 1987 was quite a pleasant surprise. His stuff is very simple, but he's one nasty stiff bastard. He gave Nakano some wicked lariats. Nakano was trapped in the ring for long periods just getting wrecked. Finally Yatsu had play big brother, breaking Tenryu's Boston crab with a lariat, but Tenryu tagged before Nakano made even a bit of progress. After Yatsu finally made the tag, he got pissed because Tenryu saved Hara after this bulldog headlock, leading to a pull apart. Meanwhile, Hara recovered, lariated Yatsu, and made the tag, which set up Nakano to soon have to bail Yatsu out. Nakano was finally getting over on Tenryu, but Hara came in and double teamed him leading to Tenryu putting him away. Read Review 12:10. ****
International Tag Senshuken: The Road Warriors vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima. Match was damn good when Jumbo was in, but Wajima was killing it. Jumbo comes off tougher than the Warriors because he has the facials and movements so down pat, but they are all extremely over for their toughness. Wajima dominated Hawk even though Hawk didn't sell much for anyone, including no selling an Achilles' tendon hold. Hawk was good given what he is though, and Jumbo was excellent every time he faced the Warriors. This easily could have been a very good match if Jumbo had a semi competent partner that could have jobbed instead of a selfish star that meant it had to be another crummy count out. 9:49. **1/4
6/11/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan: Hiroshi Wajima vs. Animal Warrior. The great thing about this match is they did the annoying count out just 3 minutes into the match, so we didn't have to endure a full match between these clowns. It sucked badly, but it wasn't the unbearable match it could have been. 3:05
#149 10/9/99
4/23/87 Niigata Shi Taiikukan: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano
6/9/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano
International Tag Senshuken: The Road Warriors vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima
6/11/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan: Hiroshi Wajima vs. Animal Warrior
AJ Chogei Selection #150 10/16/99
5/1/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Giant Baba & John Tenta vs. Rusher Kimura & Goro Tsurumi
6/8/87 Fukuoka Kokusai Center: Jumbo Tsuruta & John Tenta vs. The Road Warriors
6/11/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan
Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara. Read Review
6/9/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
The Great Kabuki & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Jason The Terrible
Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano
Giant Baba vs. Raja Lion
International Tag Title Match: The Road Warriors vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima
6/11/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan
Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara
Animal Warrior (Road Warrior Animal) vs. Hiroshi Wajima
AJ Chogei Selection #150 10/16/99
5/1/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Giant Baba & John Tenta vs. Rusher Kimura & Goro Tsurumi. Serious match with comedy level work. Tsurumi's back supposedly went out trying to slam Tenta, with Goro totally overselling then being fine a few seconds later. Tenta was actually the best of the 4 by a wide margin, as he was at least competent. 10:27. -*
6/8/87 Fukuoka Kokusai Center: Jumbo Tsuruta & John Tenta vs. The Road Warriors. Tenta was the main guy in this match, and his stuff was even good. He traded dropkicks with Hawk, with got a big pop. For the most part he used his girth to handle the Warriors. Suddenly Animal caught him in a powerslam and they pinned him after the rocket launcher. 4:57
6/11/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan
Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh. Baba dominated in what could be called a technical match by Singh's standards except he doesn't have any. Anyway, Baba didn't want to brawl with Singh. Singh kept bouncing his head back when Baba chopped him and had to cheat to do anything. Rusher Kimura held Baba so Singh could hit him with a piece of wood then held Bba's legs so Singh could stab him with an object for the DQ. Baba got the object and fought both after the match. They didn't screw up, but they can't do anything well and don't do anything worth watching. 9:29. 1/4*
Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara. Someone lit a fire under Tenryu, who along with Hara was kicking serious ass. When Tenryu was motivated this was a heck of a team, especially when they had an opponent that was into their simple hard hitting style. Jumbo got stiffer to combat Hara, and Tenryu wound up being at his 1987 stiffest. The match kept moving and they kept pounding with basic nasty stuff. They were pretty much looking for a chance to come in and hit someone because they were worked up. At one point, Tenryu slingshot suplexed Tiger, and Jumbo came in and just stomped a mudhole in his head. Tiger fights a much different style, but he was able to combine his aerial skills with stiffness at times, for instance his sliding kicks. He added a lot of diversity. Read Review 18:28. ****1/4
AJ Chogei Selection #151 10/23/99
6/1/87 Ishikawa-ken Sangyo Tenjikan: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Tiger Mask. This was Tiger's big native singles match of the year, moving up from Yatsu (he also lost to Choshu before he jumped) and working toward Jumbo. Yatsu, as always, worked a lot harder than Tenryu did, and that effort translated into a better match. This one was too short, and Tenryu was up to his old antics of taking some opportunities to take it easy. All that being said, this was still quite a good match that was excellent in points. There were a couple interesting body attack spots. Tiger knocked Tenryu over the guard rail onto a table with his plancha. Later, Tenryu saw the high cross body coming, so he dropped to his back and put his knees up for Tiger to land on. Tiger gained more from the Yatsu and Jumbo matches, but there was one point where he thought he had Tenryu pinned in the German suplex hold, however Tenryu had his foot on the ropes. 11:32. ***1/4
6/8/87 Fukuoka Kokusai Center: Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara. One of the only interesting Wajima matches of the year. There was good heat on him vs. Tenryu, in part because Tenryu ran over and chopped him when Ishikawa was legal then tagged right out when Ishikawa tagged. It was a frantic scramble when Tenryu & Wajima finally worked a segment together. They had to be separated, and this time it was Wajima that tagged out. Wajima wasn't awful today, with the story and intensity going some ways to make up for him. Ishikawa wasn't much for most of the match, but came on at the end. Hara is kind of a stiffer but much less intense version of Choshu. 12:16. **1/4
7/19/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Tiger Mask vs. Ted DiBiase. Good technical match, mainly in DiBiase's style. DiBiase developed the match against Tiger a lot more than Tenryu, using the mat for counters rather than rest. The quality was certainly better, but it was just too short. Finish was one we'd seen from Tiger Sayama before, but in this case it was a surprise upset win. 9:18. ***1/4
7/30/87: Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase. Hansen injured Tsuruta's left shoulder, so they spent most of their time on offense working it over. They'd take Wajima out so they could continue to work Jumbo over, and Wajima, who can't even do a credible job of running into a boot, wouldn't have to take much. The general absense of Wajima allowed the work to be fine, but there should have been more of a payoff instead of the illogical finish they delivered. 12:29. **1/2
Disc #1 & 2
6/5/86: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu & Tiger Mask vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu & Kuniaki Kobayashi
7/31/86: Tiger Mask vs. Great Kabuki
7/3/87: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask 13:11
7/19/87: Tiger Mask vs. Ted DiBiase 4:50
1/2/88: Tiger Mask vs. Curt Hennig 11:20
3/8/89: Tiger Mask vs. Ricky Steamboat 13:47
5/17/90: Mitsuharu Misawa/Kenta Kobashi vs. Davey Boy Smith & Johnny Smith
7/27/90: Stan Hansen vs. Mitsuharu Misawa 16:16
1/26/91: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue 7:24
Disc #3 & 4
2/26/91: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada 21:17
4/18/91: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa 23:17
4/20/91: Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada & Kenta Kobashi 48:30
6/1/91: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Terry Gordy 13:08
4/2/92: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
Disc #5 & 6
6/5/92: Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi 27:12
4/21/93: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Stan Hansen 26:11
7/29/93: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada 25:53
10/22/94: Mitsuharu Misawa & Stan Hansen vs. Akira Taue & Kenta Kobashi
7/24/95: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada 24:16
Disc #7 & 8
10/25/95: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi 35:51
5/23/96: Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue 27:26
6/6/97: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada 31:22
11/27/97: Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs. Hayabusa & Jinsei Shinzaki 21:34
4/18/98: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama 22:05
3/28/99: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Vader 10:52
Disc #9 & 10
6/11/99: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi 43:40
7/23/99: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada 21:58
9/4/99: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshihiro Takayama 18:11
9/4/99: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Vader 7:21
1/9/00: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Hiroshi Hase 24:42
4/15/00: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshinari Ogawa 13:21
AJ Chogei Selection #153 11/6/99
7/30/87 Higashimurayama Shin Min Center Asia Tag Senshuken: Takashi Ishikawa & Mighty Inoue vs. Isamu Teranishi & Masanobu Kurisu
7/11/87 Yonaga Sangyo Taiikukan PWF Sekai Tag Senshuken: Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase
7/17/87 Sagamihara Shi Sogo Taiikukan PWF Sekai Tag Senshuken: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano. Read Review
AJ Chogei Selection #152 10/30/99
7/31/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall PWF World Tag Title Match: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask. Jumbo & Hansen weren't big factors here. This was a showcase for Tiger, who was once again being promoted at DiBiase's expense. They worked well together though, and DiBiase was very unselfish. Tiger was wrestling stiffer at this point and technically it was good, but it was somewhat lacking in energy. Gave me the idea ti would be a long match that would get really good, but ended apruptly with a cheap title switch. 13:14. **3/4
7/19/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu. Hansen worked Yatsu's arm, including wrapping it around the security rail and hitting it with a chair. Hansen tried a jumping knee with Yatsu against the rail, but Yatsu avoided then took the chair and started driving it into Hansen's knee. Though the finish was a double count out, at least it made sense based on the key action taking place on the outside and was well done. Hansen hit the western lariat, but collapsed and Yatsu, who couldn't get up, held onto his legs so Hansen couldn't reenter either. 15:21. ***
7/22/87 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center NWA International Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen. Mainly a brawl, but unfortunately all of the elementary roughousing variety. Jumbo's left side was injured, so Stan kept hitting this taped up area and Jumbo was doing a great job of putting it over. Though this was good, in general they didn't do anything to make the audience care about the match. It was more like you sat there waiting for it to get really good, to at least approach the level they are capable of delivering, but that never happened. It was an acceptable match, except for the finish which was totally bogus and lessened the value of the belt. Hansen choked Jumbo with his bull rope and Joe Higuchi gave Hansen every opportunity to leg go, but Hansen refused forcing the DQ. 19:19. **3/4
AJ Chogei Selection #153 11/6/99
7/30/87 Higashimurayama Shin Min Center Asia Tag Senshukenjiai: Takashi Ishikawa & Mighty Inoue vs. Isamu Teranishi & Masanobu Kurisu. Long slow technical match. Teranishi & Kurisu aren't much for this style, but it was passable because Ishikawa & Inoue, who were very good in totally carrying the match, kept it simple enough for them. The wrestling was not bad at all, but there was no energy so it just seemed uninspired and the crowd didn't react. Inoue vs. Teranishi actually got good though with Teranishi landing on his feet for a back body drop and Inoue doing some nice headscissors. Kurisu was by far the stiff of the match. Overall it was solid but not exciting. 16:57 of ? **1/2
7/11/87 Yonaga Sangyo Taiikukan PWF Sekai Tag Senshukenjiai: Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase. Jumbo had a lot of these short action packed tag matches. There wasn't much too them, but they kept moving and were pretty hard hitting. Tiger & DiBiase were the stars, especially Tiger since he was getting pinned. This would have been quite a good small show match, but it was disappointing because the titles didn't elevate it to something that looked or felt like a big match. 11:51. ***
7/17/87 Sagamihara Shi Sogo Taiikukan PWF Sekai Tag Senshukenjiai: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano. I was very sorry to see Yatsu join Olympic because his team with Nakano, which was one of the great effort teams ever, was quite a good one to watch and both were better suited for their role here than the one they went on to. This was the best match of Yatsu & Nakano, and the best AJ match up to this point in '87. Yatsu's team was very much the underdog because of Nakano, but they did a match that made you believe they not only had a chance, but actually would win. DiBiase injured his knee early when Nakano avoided his diving knee drop. They kept DiBiase in the ring for several minutes taking the knee apart including looking move by Nakano where he put DiBiase in figure 4 position, but he used his legs to push on the bent leg and his arms to pull out the straight leg (the one with the bad knee). Hansen stayed involved, but his efforts weren't enough for DiBiase to make it to the corner before the opposition recovered. There was a great spot where DiBiase held Yatsu against the post so Hansen could take him out, but Nakano jumped off the apron in front of Hansen and pulled Yatsu away before Hansen's knee arrived. Hansen's knee was now shot as well, and Yatsu quickly made it worse by taking the chair to it. Nakano continued by kicking the knee, but Hansen reversed his whip into the corner and western lariated him on the way out. Hansen was truly a master at finding ways to pull a win out of nowhere. Read Review 14:41. ****1/2
AJ Selection #154
10/31/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Yoshiaki Yatsu & Haru Sonada vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara. Stiff match with some good fast sequences. Tenryu began fighting stiffer when he started teaming with Hara, and today he beat on Sonada like he was in a bad mood. Yatsu would work brief segments to soften the opposition up then Sonada would try to take over, but usually he'd be getting pummelled again before long. Yatsu's team wasn't overly competitive, but they gave a good effort as always. 12:57. ***1/2
7/23/87 PWF World Tag Title Match: Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara. Tenryu & Hara just beat people up. Hansen wanted to rough them up on the floor with a chair, but wound up getting bloodied by a spike piledriver. This was the beating of the year for Hansen. DiBiase was at his stiffest here, but that's still not up to the level of the others. He wound up down and out on the floor, so Hansen was regularly double teamed. This all led to one of the few great screw jobs. With DiBiase still out of it, Hara held Hansen on the floor so Tenryu could axe bomber him, but it backfired on Hara then Hansen western lariated Tenryu and fell on him. All four were still down when the ref reached the 20 count. Hansen went on a rampage after the match to replentish his heat, as he often did after doing a match that transfered some of it to the opposition. 14:26. ****
7/30/87 Higashimurayama Shin Min Center: Giant Baba & Tiger Mask vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara. Tiger & Hara carried their teams. They had some good exchanges of stiff blows together. Tiger's work was real good, but he didn't get a lot of heat. He has the most diverse offense in the league, but his flying isn't that developed because with none of the other heavyweights doing Lucha style, all his aerial moves wind up being moves anyone could take where he simply jumps at them. Tenryu & Hara teamed on Baba every chance they got, with Baba getting beat on most of the time he was in. Unfortunately, there was yet another screw job with Tenryu & Hara refusing to release their double scorpion on Baba after Tenryu suplexed Tiger on a table. Jumbo & Wajima ran in and saved Baba, and Yatsu got into it as well fighting both teams. 15:21. ***1/4
AJ Chogei Selection #155 11/20/99
9/15/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Masa Fuchi vs. Toshiaki Kawada. Kawada shows up and has nothing short of the best singles match thusfar in '87 Selection. Oddly, this was probably the best offensive match of the year. Tiger has better moves than either, but none of his matches were developed like this one with the counters and overall technical difficultly. Good power moves as well, though you sometimes get that from Tiger's heavyweight opponent. Fuchi carried this with Kawada supplying the junior offense. I don't know what was weirder, seeing Kawada in tights that Peg Bundy might wear or seeing him do moves like the handspring elbow, Oklahoma stampede, guerrila press, German suplex on the floor, and pescado. The first 12 minutes were good then they started wrestling with desperation. The final four minutes were a nice mix of big moves and basic moves that they made into potential finishers by using them as surprises and/or counters. It looked like Fuchi had a count out win when he enzuigiri'd Kawada after Kawada missed the pescado, but Fuyuki came out and got Kawada DQ'd beating on Fuchi. Read Review 15:46. ****
10/31/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Masa Fuchi vs. Shinichi Nakano. Fuchi was the singles wrestler that impressed me the most. Granted they only showed his title matches, but he consistently crafted good solid matches. The early portion was slow with Nakano working on Fuchi's left arm, but it built into quite a good match. Not as spectacular as the Kawada match, but had similar premises with the counters at the end making the near falls credible. Read Review 18:31. ***3/4
8/21/87 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center: Jumbo Tsuruta & The Great Kabuki & Samson Fuyuki vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara & Toshiaki Kawada. Originally slated as a tag match, Kawada jumped in to help his senpai after Kabuki spewed Tenryu before the bell. Fuyuki then asked onto Jumbo's team. Short match with a lot of running around. On one hand it was a heated fast-paced match. On the other hand, it seemed more like they were rushing things than anything else, especially Fuyuki who was a hyper wild man. Jumbo's team wasn't that great. 7:40. **1/2
8/22/87 Summer Action Series II taped 8/21/87 Miyagi Prefectural Sports Center
Nick Bockwinkle vs. Isamu Teranishi 4:25
Hiroshi Wajima vs. Gene Ligon 7:16
Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano vs. Dick Slater & Stan Hansen 8:33
Jumbo Tsuruta & Great Kabuki & Samson Fuyuki vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara Hara & Toshiaki Kawada
8/29/87 Summer Action Series II 1987 Kanagawa
Nick Bockwinkle vs. Mighty Inoue 9:18
Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano vs. Dick Slater & Joel Deaton 8:44
Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Stan Hansen & Austin Idol 5:40
Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask 6:04
9/5/87 Summer Action Series II taped 8/31/87 Nippon Budokan
Toshiaki Kawada & Ashura Hara vs. Kabuki & Haru Sonada 5:21
Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Giant Baba & Tiger Mask 15:38
PWF Heavyweight: Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Stan Hansen 9:16
9/12/87 Summer Action Series II
9/5/87 Tokyo: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 21:30 complete
9/12/87 Okayama: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Stan Hansen & Joel Deaton 10:22
9/12/87 Okayama
International Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkle
PWF World Tag Title: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Stan Hansen & Joel Deaton
9/15/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, PWF Heavyweight Title: Stan Hansen vs. Hiroshi Wajima
10/16/87 Osaka Furitsu Gym, PWF World Tag Title: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima
10/30/87 Chiba Koen Taiikukan, International Tag Title: Road Warriors vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu
10/31/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Road Warriors
9/13/87 Summer Action Series II taped 9/12/87 Okayama
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Shinichi Nakano 5:10 of 7:52
Haru Sonada & Goro Tsurumi vs. Great Kabuki & Rusher Kimura 7:15 complete
Hiroshi Wajima & Tiger Mask vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Isamu Teranishi 10:19 complete
NWA International: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkle 9:46 complete
9/20/87 Summer Action Series II taped 9/11/87 Hiroshima Prefectural Gym
Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask vs. Joel Deaton & Nick Bockwinkle 12:50 complete
PWF Heavyweight & NWA United National: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen 23:30 complete
9/27/87 Summer Action Series II taped 9/15/87 Korakuen Hall
World Junior: Toshiaki Kawada vs. Masa Fuchi 8:18 of 15:51
Jumbo Tsuruta & Great Kabuki vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara 15:30 of 18:10
PWF: Hiroshi Wajima vs. Stan Hansen 10:24 complete
10/4/87 Giant Series taped 10/2/87 Tokyo Ota Ward Gym
Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & George Weingeroff 7:31 complete
Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Shinichi Nakano & Isamu Teranishi 8:35 complete
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ashura Hara 17:20 complete
10/24/87 Giant Series 10/21/87 Kumamoto
Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & George Weingeroff 12:38 complete
Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Tiger Mask & Shinichi Nakano 18:56 complete
Road Warriors vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & John Tenta 5:38 complete
10/31/87 Giant Series
10/3/87 Nagano: Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask & Giant Baba vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara & Toshiaki Kawada 6:25
10/16/87 Osaka PWF Tag: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima 27:19 complete
9/15/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, World Jr. Title: Masa Fuchi vs. Toshiaki Kawada
10/31/87 Korakuen Hall, World Jr. Title: Masa Fuchi vs. Shinichi Nakano
11/21/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
'87 World's Strongest Tag League: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Mark & Chris Youngblood
'87 World's Strongest Tag League: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Tom Zek & The Terminator
'87 World's Strongest Tag League: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT
11/22/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, '87 World's Strongest Tag League: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka
AJ Chogei Selection #158 12/11/99
11/21/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT
11/22/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
12/2/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT
12/10/87 '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Giant Baba & Motoshi Okuma vs. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka
#027
12/9/95 Tokyo Tag League Final: Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada
12/6/96 Tokyo Tag League Final: Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jun AKiyama & Mitsuharu Misawa
#028
12/7/79 Osaka Tag League: Dory Funk Jr & Terry Funk vs. Dos Caras & Mil Mascaras
12/11/80 Tokyo Tag League: Abdullah the Butcher & Tor Kamata vs. Great Mephisto & The Sheik
11/22/87 Tokyo Tag League: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka
9/15/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Stan Hansen vs. Hiroshi Wajima. Slow, boring, and basic. You know you are in trouble when Hansen is forced to be the active wrestler. He had to wait around for Wajima to do his move. Wajima spent a lot of time attacking the arm, which mainly consisted of holding onto it. 10:25. 1/2*
10/30/87 Chiba Koen Taiikukan, NWA International Tag Title Match: The Road Warriors vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu. Warriors were lousy on this tour. Even Jumbo, who seemed to have the formula of how to work with them, and Yatsu, who always works his butt off, were barely able to get a good match out of them. Too much of a gimmick, too little of a match. Warriors were just promoting themselves. They used to respect AJ's top guys, but here they weren't really selling even when they were receiving. In spite of everything, Yatsu provided a spark and was good. 12:13. **1/2
10/31/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima vs. The Road Warriors. Wajima actually had to sell because Animal wouldn't put over his crap. I can't say I blame him, but he was the first to get away with this. Warriors were putting the boots to Wajima, so Jumbo got a chair and hit them in the back. They quickly got it away from Jumbo then Hawk used the bell on Wajima for the ring out. Yatsu came out and was ready to continue the match as Jumbo's partner since Wajima was out, but Warriors left. Jumbo vs. Hawk was pretty good, but the rest was crap. 6:48. *1/2
12/4/87 Fukuoka: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT. Wajima seems to only work when Baba is his partner. He was selling again, even a little for TNT. TNT put Baba over to the point of cornyness with a bump over the top to the floor from a chop. Abdullah didn't wait for all of Baba's chops, sometimes he'd get his own there first. Baba got revenge by getting Abdullah's fork away from him and using it on him, which allowed Butcher to do his requisite bleeding. Lots of Butcher, which is a nightmare, but TNT has yet to show anything so it's a no win situation. 10:41. 1/4*
AJ Chogei Selection #158 12/11/99
11/21/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT. Olympic was showing better teamwork and individually they are the best of the duos in the tag league, but they still need something to work with. TNT would get beat up then Abby would waddle in and help him, but TNT still couldn't gain an advantage. 7:57. *1/4
11/22/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy. Fans just went nuts for Brody. Snuka was going to start, but the fans were so loud chanting "Brody" that he tagged in before the first lock up. I'm not sure if the fans or Brody were the problem, but he was more a side show than a wrestler on this tour. The fans were more into him than the match. The matches themselves weren't much, but one wonders if they would have been better if the guys had to actually work to get reaction. Gordy vs. Snuka was the best thing here, even though there wasn't much interest in it. Otherwise there was too much punching and kicking. This was one of those matches that wanted to be out of control, but other than stall they didn't really do much in any regard. 17:12. **
12/2/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan, '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT. As basic as it gets, but at least it was stiff. That's about all you can ask from an Abdullah match. Lots of chops with Abdullah bleeding as usual. Tenryu & Abby had a staredown after the match then Abby attacked him. 7:51. *1/2
12/10/87, '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka.Baba & Wajima were so awkward it was hard not to laugh, especially when you throw in the expressions Baba makes when he chops. And Baba did nothing but chop. Wajima carried his team, at times it even looked like he was making an attempt to convince people he could wrestle. Even Snuka was completely boring though, doing no good moves, actually no bad ones either. 9:25. *
9/12/87, PWF World Tag Title Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Stan Hansen & Joel Deaton. Good brawl. Hara was easily the best, bringing energy & stiffness. He put a big beating on Deaton. Deaton didn't look that good. In fact, his selling was too exaggerated and he made things look worse than they should, which hurt the match a lot since he took most of the moves. Beyond that, the match was too short and there wasn't enough of Hansen to keep things competitive. Hansen & Deaton did perhaps the worst rocket launcher ever with Hansen only being able to reach Deaton with 1 hand, and Deaton only jumping about 1/4 of the way across the ring. 10:22. **1/2
11/26/87 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center, '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy. Match was at its best when Gory was in. He wrestled a more exciting style with a faster pace, better moves, and bigger bumps. Unfortunately, Gordy was the only one that worked up to his potential. Yatsu was barely in, which is really the problem of the Olympic team, both guys are most effective when they work the majority of the match. Yatsu finally made the hot tag at 14:45, and the match was really good from there. Hansen injured his knee when Yatsu avoided his corner charge. Yatsu kept trying to apply the figure 4, but Gordy would break it up. Finally Jumbo kept Gordy at bay and Hansen was trapped forever before finally making the ropes. The ref had to pull Yatsu off, so Yatsu charged Hansen when the ref released him only to run into the western lariat. 19:07. ***1/2
12/2/87 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan, '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy. Nothing happened, but the match dragged on for what seemed like forever. Gaijins had to make fools of themselves because it took the natives so long to deliver their offense. Gordy still managed to look good at times though. 16:56. *
AJ Selection #160 12/25/99
11/26/87 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center, '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka. Snuka & Hara worked the bulk of the match. This was a more interesting Snuka that did moves like the swandive rather than just brawling. Tenryu loved to tag in and do the enzuigiri, as they'd set it up so his opponent would just be getting up when he got over to them. Brody was a side show, too into himself and his husking. Brody had to do things like bounce off the ropes on both sides before saving his partner from the pin attempt. There was enough to like about this match, which got good after 10:00, but it was awfully drawn out. I thought they were going to do a draw, but they wound up having everyone get counted out 12 minutes sooner. 18:00. **1/2
12/9/87 Fukuoka Kokusai Center, '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu. Seemed to be the match where they started to heat up Jumbo vs. Tenryu. They did a great job of building to their first confrontation, which really elevated the early portion. Jumbo was beating up Hara, and especially Tenryu was destroying Yatsu. These guys were particularly nasty, with Jumbo planting Hara's shoulder into the mat at a nasty angle when taking him down into a wakigatame. Jumbo ran off the ropes near Tenryu a few times, almost testing the waters, but Tenryu did nothing. A little later Tenryu opened the ropes though, causing Jumbo to go crashing to the floor. Jumbo called Tenryu out after this, and when Tenryu obliged Jumbo planned on going wild on him, but Tenryu knocked him to the floor with an enzuigiri. Tenryu kept getting the better of Jumbo, and when you thought Jumbo was about to get going Tenryu would stop him cold. Finally, Jumbo caught Tenryu with his jumping knee in the corner and on the floor to bloody him. Tenryu acted like he was ready to collapse, minimalizing the fact that he wasn't bleeding much. Tenryu was down and out, but still managed to survive and finally tag Hara after 6 minutes of beating. Tenryu recovered on the floor and made a brief good showing in the final minutes, but Hara really bailed him out and carried the team once Tenryu was injured. The match was always good, but it was somewhat lacking in energy and intensity because of the long length and it could have had a bit more story. Tenryu chopped Jumbo before leaving then Jumbo provoked him some more, so Tenryu returned for a brief flurry before Yatsu restrained Jumbo. Read Review 30:00. ****1/2
1/3/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & The Great Kabuki vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT. Jumbo did a great job of making this passable, sometimes even enjoyable. He was more active,so Abdullah didn't have to be. They fought in the crowd with Jumbo bringing back a stool to bloody Abby with. TNT was typically as worthless as the old WWF show that bared the same name. Long post match brawl around the arena. 8:13. *3/4
1/2/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Curt Hennig vs Tiger Mask. The potential was there, but they held a lot back leaving us with a huge disappointment that felt so incomplete. Technically good, but Hennig wasn't looking to showcase Tiger's flying like the natives did, which left Tiger kinda naked. Tiger did get a few aerial moves going at 10:00 after countering with a dropkick, but instead of taking off they quickly pulled the screw job. 11:17. **1/4
1/2/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara. Better than their tag league match. It was faster with better moves and Yatsu's best performance so far with Olympic. Tenryu & Hara were getting near fall after near fall on Jumbo until he pulled a slingshot counter on Hara. Jumbo didn't tag though, so Tenryu came in and stopped his backdrop with a shoulderblock and jumping kneed him off the apron. If they had to do a screw job, this was the perfect opportunity for Tenryu to get on up on Jumbo. Yatsu was fighting Hara and then Tenryu, which somehow resulted in Jumbo getting back in but Hara not being able to. To me, having Jumbo hog the match should have got his team pinned if not counted out, and with that you'd get your program going. The wrestling was good enough to be a great match, but it had little story and what was there confounded me. Hara not getting back because of Yatsu would have made more sense if Tenryu was busy with Jumbo, but instead Tenryu came over to help him and simply couldn't get the job done. 21:51. ****
AJ Chogei Selection #162 1/8/00 taped 12/11/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
'87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: The Great Kabuki & John Tenta vs. The Terminator & Tom Zenk. For some reason Terminator & Zenk thought they were going to bowl over Tenta. Tenta wrestled the bulk of the match; he didn't need much help dispensing of such brainy opposition. Tenta looked pretty good, getting a big pop for his dropkick, but no one else did anything. 9:03. *
'87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT. No skill slow motion chopfest that was as fake and contrived as could be. The "excitement" I suppose was trying to determine the least bad of the bunch, though no one showed enough to earn that reward. TNT was bleeding, so when Bram Stoker's Butcher tagged in he whiped some blood from his head and licked his hand. 9:30. DUD
'87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy. Tenryu is more a guy that comes in, does some good moves, and tags out. That was extremely apparent in this disappointing match, as for whatever reason Tenryu was asked to work almost all of this near draw and he came up considerably short. After some meandering Hansen piledrove Tenryu on the floor. Tenryu bled and they worked over the cut including Hansen putting Tenryu on a table stomach first and repeatedly ramming his head. Hara finally made the hot tag at 18, but Tenryu was still involved both double teaming and fighting Hansen on the outside, and Tenryu tagged back in by 20. Gordy was the best, but way underutilized. Hansen was also exposed here because there wasn't much psychology or story to distract from his weaknesses. What little story there was seemed to involve the cobra twist. Gordy distracted the ref so Hansen could escape by hitting Tenryu with his cow bell. Later Tenryu had Gordy in it on the floor and Hansen tried to break it up with the western lariat, but Hara intercepted with a shoulderblock off the apron. Hansen got up and called for the lariat, but Tenryu released the twist and gave him an enzuigiri. Back in the ring, Tenryu reapplied the cobra twist on Gordy, but Hansen snuck up from behind with the western lariat, knocking Tenryu & Gordy to the floor for the double count out. To me you either go for the length (draw) or the energy (15-20 minute double count out). 28:35. ***
1/2/88 Tokyo
AWA World Title: Curt Hennig vs. Tiger Mask
Hiroshi Wajima vs. Abdullah The Butcher
Tokyo Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ashura Hara
Super Heavyweight Battle Royal
1/3/88 Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & Great Kabuki vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT
1/9/88 Ehime PWF World Tag Title: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT
1/2/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Abdullah The Butcher vs. Hiroshi Wajima. Abby totally carried this with Wajima just standing or lying and getting hit. Wajima's claim to fame was using leverage to throw Abby down from the clinch a few times. Abby would hit him one or two times until he knocked Wajima down or out of range then just wait for Wajima to recover/get up. Wajima got his leg on the ropes after the elbow drop, and this time Butcher followed through rather than waiting. He did it again even though Wajima's leg was still on the rope, and again even though Wajima wasn't moving. He tried for a fourth, but the ref stood in his path, so he bowled him over and delivered the elbow drop for the DQ. Considering who was involved, this was almost good. 6:33. *
1/9/88 Ehime-ken Gym, PWF World Tag Title Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT. Disappointingly by the numbers match. Just the requisite stuff like Butcher bleeding and TNT getting destroyed. Tenryu was the only one who did anything, so I guess he was the best by default. Butcher's team was on offense way too much, though TNT did finally show a few kicks. 17:38. *1/2
1/13/88 Kagoshima Kenritsu Taiikukan, NWA International Heavyweight Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah The Butcher. Totally Butcher style double juice brawl. It wasn't embarrassing, but it's sad to see Jumbo involved in something that was nothing more than blood letting. Jumbo did manage to do a few moves rarely done to Butcher such as the monkey flip and back drop, but this is basically as bad as a Jumbo title match can be. 13:30. *1/4
AJ Chogei Selection #164 1/22/00
1/28/88: Jumbo Tsuruta & John Tenta vs. Abdullah The Butcher & TNT. The crowd was really into the match despite the low quality. TNT was, as always, the whipping boy. Picked up pretty well, and the last minute was even decent. 10:28. *1/4
3/5/88: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy. Rougher and faster moving than their last meeting. Gordy and Hara were more involved here, with Hara making a better showing after a handful of down matches. Hara took a big beating, making some brief comebacks but never being able to tag. Hansen did something of a tope and the match got out of control on the floor with Stan tossing chairs around and everyone fighting in the crowd. 14:53. ***
3/9/88 Kanagawa Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Mask. Tiger was around a long time before he came to prominence. They didn't shove him down your throat like so many promotions do today with guys that don't even have 1/10th of his ability. Instead, they picked their spots to feature him, putting him in a position to impress when he had a big match and protecting him much of the rest of the time. These big matches were well laid out with the veteran knowing the real purpose was for Tiger to come out looking good, which was agreeable since they were beating him and he was not taking their spot any year soon. This match with Jumbo is the best of the one's to promote Tiger, and the one everyone remembers. However, it should also be noted that the high quality didn't make them scrap their plans and suddenly rush things with Tiger, as his next big match at Budokan wasn't until almost a year later, when he lost to NWA Champ Ricky Steamboat in the semifinal. As far as the match with Jumbo goes, it was similar to the match Tiger had with Yatsu the year before, but better Jumbo has the timing and ability to make people believe in his opponent. Stylistically, it was classic Jumbo vs. up and comer formula (we'd later see similar matches against Kawada and Kobashi), with Tiger playing ball control. The match might sound boring, but part of the brilliance of Jumbo is how he can make you remember when he levels Tiger with the backdrop rather than all the time Tiger held a headlock that led up to it. Tiger did his best flying here with a plancha and a new (?) swandive tope con giro. For me it was a big success because going in everyone knew Jumbo would win for absolute certain, but you were able to get lost in the moment. The fans ultimately believed, or at least were allowed to delude themselves into hoping, Tiger could win this match, and started a big "Tiger" chant when he kicked out of Jumbo's backdrop right at 2. Reality soon kicked in, but sometimes good wrestling is all about those moments where suspension of disbelief is possible, where you can listen to your heart despite all the empirical evidence pointing in the opposite direction. 14:42. ****1/2
1/16/88 New Year's Giant Series taped 1/13/88 Kagoshima Prefectural Gym
Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Abdullah the Butcher & TNT last 2:10 of 17:39
Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa 17:23 of 24:41
NWA International Heavyweight: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher 13:25 complete
1/23/88 New Year's Giant Series taped 1/23/88 Matsumoto City General Gym
John Tenta vs. Paul Harris
TNT & Pete Roberts vs. The Great Kabuki & Akira Taue 9:32 complete
Geichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Tiger Mask 15:32 complete
Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Abdullah the Butcher & Buddy Landell 8:11 of 8:20
Tom Magee vs. Isao Takagi 5:51
Great Kabuki & Tiger Mask vs. Austin Idol & Tommy Rich 11:03
Big Bubba vs. Shunji Takano 4:25
Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Goro Tsurumi & Rusher Kimura 13:24
Tokyo Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. John Tenta & Yoshiaki Yatsu 9:46
PWF & NWA UN Double Title: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen 15:32
NWA Internatioanl Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Brusier Brody 17:07
3/27/88 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Isao Takagi vs. Tom Mcgee. McGee was one of those gassed up juniors that looked to have gotten into the business because they weren't casting any cheesy doomed Tarzan series that year. He didn't sell much and had robotic transitions. He did maintain a surprising amount of athleticism, but didn't utilize it too much, fighting more dated and basic junior style than the Japanese. McGee's lip was busted up hard way. Adequate short match. 5:43
3/27/88: Tiger Mask & The Great Kabuki vs. Tommy Rich & Austin Idol. Tiger was treated more like a star, but was hardly in. Rich did nothing either. That left Kabuki vs. Idol, which was dreadfully boring. Basically a waste of a match. 10:36. *
3/26/88 Koga City Gym: Jumbo Tsuruta & John Tenta vs. Bruiser Brody & Big Bubba. Focus was on Tenta, who was surprisingly dominant. Jumbo wasn't in too much, but what surprised me is Brody, who had a big title match with Jumbo the next day, was getting tossed around by Tenta including a slam and belly to belly suplex. Some enjoyable action, but so incomplete with no conclusion even being approached. 10:13. **
3/9/88 Kanagawa Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan, PWF NWA UN International Heavyweight Double Title Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen. Very fast start with two enzuigiri from Tenryu for a near fall then Hansen bowling Tenryu to the floor and getting the brawl going with stiff chair shots. Aside from the initial near fall, Tenryu had almost no offense in the first 7 min, but after that point it was an even match that was up for grabs. Excellent selling from both to the point that by 10:00 you felt like they were so hurt they could go at any time. This wasn't just a tool to set up a bunch of near falls either, they kept building the match up slowly and making you think a move or counter might be real important only to prove you wrong. There were very few near falls here, as they didn't want to waste the opportunity to do damage. This was shown by a section where Hansen really believed he could get the pin, but Tenryu kept kicking out so Hansen shifted his focus back to attacking. Tenryu caught Hansen in a small package for the surprise win. After the match, Hansen wrapped the bull rope around his arm and lariated Tenryu. He was going to hit Tenryu with the cow bell, but Hara jumped on top of Tenryu to protect him. Hansen seemed prepared to spare Hara, but eventually decided to hit him with the bell. 14:38. ***1/2
AJ Chogei Selection #166 2/5/00 taped 3/27/88 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Rusher Kimura & Goro Tsurumi. Stalling and chopping. The big pop was when Baba blocked Rusher's chop. Tsurumi seemed the only one that could put 2 moves together, but preferred to do no skill brawling. Way too long. 12:13. DUD
PWF NWA UN International Heavyweight Double Title Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen. They wanted each other in the worst way, and couldn't even wait for the bell. Intense, heated, well focused match. Tenryu had been cut recently around the eye, so Hansen gave him repeated stiff shots to the area, quickly reopening the scab. Tenryu worked over Hansen's ribs. There was a goofy spot where Tenryu was so worried about getting a big running start to punt them that, with a little help from Hansen, he couldn't stop and wound up going over the top to the floor. Otherwise it was a smart match that was only kept down by yet another screw job. 15:32. ***1/2
NWA International Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody. Didn't aspire to be anything, which luckily is not the kind of comment you'd usually make about an AJ Budokan main. Brody hadn't impressed me in a while. He was more sane and less selfish here, but his wrestling still wasn't what it used to be. Everything was well executed, but his stamina was down and the match just kind of meandered. They'd do one good move, but some meaningless momentum killer to keep it slow. There was a lot of down time until the final 5 minutes, which were good because they finally put some moves together in succession. I would have preferred they use less damaging moves, but more moves in succession rather than basically biding time and then doing a run of finishing type moves. 17:07. **1/2
1/5/79 Kanagawa Kawasaki Shi Taiikukan: Bruiser Brody & King Iaukea vs. Giant Baba & The Destroyer. Very dull match. Brody's team dominated with even Baba selling a lot. Baba & Destroyer don't take very well, but Brody & Iaukea basically do moves anyone could take. Destroyer was the only one that did anything skilled, but he was only on offense for 30 seconds. I guess this was significant because Brody pinned Baba. 9:50. *
4/27/81 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan, International Oza Sodatsu Tournament Ketteisen: Bruiser Brody vs. Giant Baba. Brody controlled most of the match with his brawling, including choking Baba with a chain. Brody bled from being rammed into the table and post. Bad match, but so short it wasn't painful. 5:59
12/13/81 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan '81 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Dory Funk, Jr. & Terry Funk. Dory was typically excellent here, and brought the best out of Snuka. Their stuff was quite good, with Snuka utilizing his athleticism including a swandive body press and Dory making him really work to keep his headlock. Brody was on offense most of the time he was in, though he found a way to bleed. Terry was alright, but really pales compared to Dory. He did a plancha, but he did one of his completely ridiculous oversells, a 360 degree spin after Brody kicked him. Funks worked the knee setting up the key spot where they had spinning toe holds, but Brody shot Terry to the floor and whipped him at Hansen, who took him out with the western lariat. Dory continued on his own, persistent on the knee, but Snuka was able to tag while in a subsequent spinning toe hold. Dory attacked after the bell, but Hansen beat him up then Baba & Jumbo jumped in and fought Hansen, who juiced. 21:41 ****
10/20/82 Aomori Kenritsu Taiikukan, International Heavyweight Title Match: Bruiser Brody vs. Genichiro Tenryu. Tenryu was still developing and Brody was carrying the match, two things that didn't make me expect much. Brody got off to a quick start and was dominating until Tenryu came back around 5:00 with a couple suplexes. They mixed in some submission and weardown, which is far from Brody's strength, but since it was mostly good moves (his strength for his size) that weaknesses was less apparent. They did enough to keep it interesting and not expose themselves. 12:14. ***
11/22/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy. Fans just went nuts for Brody. Snuka was going to start, but the fans were so loud chanting "Brody" that he tagged in before the first lock up. I'm not sure if the fans or Brody were the problem, but he was more a side show than a wrestler on this tour. The fans were more into him than the match. The matches themselves weren't much, but one wonders if they would have been better if the guys had to actually work to get reaction. Gordy vs. Snuka was the best thing here, even though there wasn't much interest in it. Otherwise there was too much punching and kicking. This was one of those matches that wanted to be out of control, but other than stall they didn't really do much in any regard. 17:12. **
3/27/88 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, NWA International Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody. Didn't aspire to be anything, which luckily is not the kind of comment you'd usually make about an AJ Budokan main. Brody hadn't impressed me in a while. He was more sane and less selfish here, but his wrestling still wasn't what it used to be. Everything was well executed, but his stamina was down and the match just kind of meandered. They'd do one good move, but some meaningless momentum killer to keep it slow. I guess the idea was that Jumbo was trying to ground Brody, but Brody was also grabbing the front facelock. There was just too much down time until the final 5 minutes, which were quite good because they finally put some moves together in succession. I would have preferred they use less damaging moves, but more moves in succession rather than basically biding time and then doing a run of finishing type moves. 17:07. **1/2
4/4/88 Aichi International Heavyweight Title: Bruiser Brody vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu
4/15/88 Osaka PWF, UN International Heavyweight Triple Title: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Bruiser Brody
4/19/88 Miyagi International Heavyweight Title: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
4/21/88 Tokyo Asia Tag Title: Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Ishikawa Keishi & Mighty Inoue
4/21/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, Asia Tag Senshukenjiai: Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Takashi Ishikawa & Mighty Inoue. Very efficient match. The veterans fought smarter (in the story) and worked better as a unit doing impressive double teams, but more importantly in the way they used position to their advantage. They worked on Kawada's knee, but he quickly found a way to tag. However, Fuyuki sometimes suffers from delusions of grandeur, and after a quick start allowed them to cut the ring off and keep him in for about 11 minutes. Ishikawa & Inoue deserve credit for wrestling tag the way it should be done, but the other half of it is Fuyuki makes going on offense his first priority, so instead of rushing to tag he winds up getting countered right back. Ishikawa's team really stepped up, being both intelligent and fun to watch. The match has some of the best offense so far in my Selection watching, but their knee attack is regular and they are able to work all their best moves in without seeming to depart from it. Kawada looks great early on, actually doing a moonsault attack, but for the bulk of the match is relegated to saving Fuyuki and giving him potential openings to tag. I really liked the spot where Kawada stops Inoue's series of somersault sentons by leveling him with a lariat, but this knocks Inoue on top of Fuyuki, nearly resulting in a fluke victory. This does lead to Kawada finally being able to make the hot tag though, however it's at the same time Ishikawa does. Kawada is nearly pinned twice in the first minute, and even though they are flash pin attempts, it seems Kawada's instinct is exactly the opposite of Fuyuki's, tag when you are in trouble. This however is ill advised because Fuyuki hasn't had any time to recover. Kawada benefitted from the ref being out of position when he used a chair to break up Ishikawa's scorpion, but then Ishikawa pulled the ref into the path of Kawada's corner lariat. Ishikawa stopped the second and Inoue hit a dropkick then pinned Kawada in the flying crucifix because the ref was too groggy to realize Inoue isn't the legal man. However, another ref surprisingly runs out and waves it off. 19:16. ****1/2
3/27/88 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Yoshiaki Yatsu & John Tenta vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh. Much better than expected. It wasn't quite terrible because they fought with more intensity and at a fast pace for the heels (then again, turtles look quick compared to typical Singh). The heel offense was still trecherous and Singh's selling made his offense look good, though as usual he finds a way to comeback after 1-2 moves. Tenta & Yatsu were fine, though they hardly got any offense in, and Abdullah worked pretty hard. 9:44. *1/2
4/4/88 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan, NWA International Heavyweight Title Match: Bruiser Brody vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu. Brody hurt Yatsu's knee with chair shots on the floor. I don't think I've ever seen someone show such constant body part selling as Yatsu did here. Most wrestlers forget it after their second or third move on offense, but Yatsu sold it between every offensive move. This helped justify Brody's comebacks because it meant there was time between Yatsu's attacks. The match was effective, but still disappointing. Brody was still stalling regularly, the action never picked up, and it had a finish that had nothing to do with anything. 15:01. **1/2
AJ Chogei Selection #168 2/19/00
6/10/88 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: The Great Kabuki vs. Rip Rogers. This was totally WWF. Rogers was doing an "adorable" gimmick with an all pink outfit. He spend the entire match goofing around and playing to the crowd. People were supposed to care that he could yell "Oh yeah" once a minute. It seemed like Rogers was on something, and in any case he nearly killed Kabuki losing grip of his neck in the midst of a superplex. Kabuki sold the entire match then won with a few moves. -**
5/24/88: Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki vs. Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton. Very underwhelming match. R & R kept the match from picking up, grabbing a body part after 1 or 2 spots. They didn't seem to want to work, and basically fought like they were in the US and Kawada & Fuyuki were a couple of jobbers. 9:20. **
4/15/88 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan, PWF NWA UN International Heavyweight Double Title Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Bruiser Brody. Both men took this seriously. They didn't do much early, but they made their inability to do so part of the story. Tenryu relied on spots more than Jumbo & Yatsu had against Brody, but in this case that made for a better match because it got Brody going fairly early. Yatsu's match was the smartest of the three, but he never got Brody going at all. Tenryu wasn't really better than Jumbo, but he had a far more motivated Brody and a lot more time. Though the match felt elongated and Brody's offense was in a way the match, the amount of time they were out there forced them to develop some things. Tenryu sold a lot here, with a knee attack at 15:00 being his first extended offense. Later Brody had Tenryu down and walked over to attack, but Tenryu did a series of chops to the knee from the mat. Tenryu used the timekeepers bell on the knee, then began kicking it out. One thing even big stars Tenryu and Jumbo would do with Brody is, because of his size, they'd make Brody's offense seem to be worth more. Even when they were going good, one shot from Brody could lay them out or blow them back and turn the tide. Though Tenryu got several good near falls, the most credible was from Brody's King Kong knee. Brody tried a diving kneedrop, but that hurt his own weakened knee and he had to escape to the floor, where Tenryu gave him a sloppy powerbomb for the screw job. 29:54. ***
4/22/88 Kawasaki PWF World Tag Title: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Bruiser Brody & Tommy Rich
6/4/88 Sapporo PWF World Tag Title: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu
6/4/88 Sapporo: Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
6/10/88 Tokyo PWF & International Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Road Warriors
6/10/88 Tokyo United National Title: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Dan Spivey
5/14/88: Tiger Mask & Shinichi Nakano vs. Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton. Much faster and less abruptly paced than R & R's match with Footloose, but they once again dominated. The protection for Misawa here was simply keeping him on the apron. He made a few counters, but pretty much didn't get to do any moves the little that he was in. There was no excuse for this match not being very good, except that Nakano was pretty much the only one trying and all he was allowed to do was sell. 10:38. **
6/10/88 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Giant Baba & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh & Jimmy Jack Funk. Wajima worked most of the match as he always did when he teamed with Baba, but he didn't even bother to try and fool Baba into thinking he tries this time. Wajima & Singh seemed to be trying to figure out how long they could get away with not doing anything. Funk looked like he'd spent the last few months at the XX Grill, and wasn't even an improvement over A Sheik, any sheik. Baba was the only one that put forth any effort, but a lot of talent is required of the opposition to make that translate into something that works. 14:27. DUD
4/19/88 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center, NWA International Heavyweight Title Match: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta. Jumbo employed something like the ball control strategy the younger wrestlers would use on him, just trying to keep Brody locked up. Considering Jumbo's stature and offense, this didn't make the most sense but Jumbo didn't want to make the same mistakes that cost him the title on 3/27 and maybe also was trying to separate this match from what you knew about him to make his win come off as something amazing. Brody would do one of hs signature moves now and then to keep it interesting, but for the most part Jumbo kept him bottled up until they opened up at 11:30. The second half of the match was damn good simply because they were both working at a very high level. Brody's singles matches had been disappointing given the opposition, but they were growing closer and closer to the expected level. I can't fault him here, he gave all he had with no shenanigans. Brody supplied the offense, which is what you are going to get from him, it was Jumbo that didn't handle the rest as well as he could have. The main thing Jumbo did was make himself the underdog. He was more or less dominated then beat Brody with 2 moves, which was a rather unconvincing finish, but got a huge pop because Brody actually putting someone over clean in any fashion required the planets to be in alignment. A bunch of seconds lifted Jumbo in the air, and he did the raise arm in the air bit. He was also raising his arm with the championship trophy and belt. I'm not sure if the arm raising originated here, but he hadn't been doing it and there was no yell that went along with it. 20:32. ***1/2
AJ Selection #170
7/19/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall Asia Tag Senshuken: Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki vs. Shinichi Nakano & Shunji Takano. Exciting fast-paced match with great efforts. More spot oriented than one would associate with Kawada, but at least they got some drama out of the situations the moves created. Nakano was real good carrying his team. Takano was surprisingly effective as a native Brody, although he didn't seem to understand the pacing of the match. Fuyuki was extremely energetic. Of course, the best stuff was when Kawada was in. Today he was developing the counters. The highlight wasn't from him though, as Fuyuki tried a reverse diving body attack but got a stomach full of Nakano's knee. Strong heat, with particularly great reactions toward the end. 15:44. ****
6/4/88 Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Hiroshi Wajima. Their matches were a terror last year, but this nightmare made those look impressive. It looked like two dinosaurs pretending to go at it. The "impact" could only be described as laughable, and they moved at snail pace. Highlights included Wajima getting Singh in the corner and touching his foot to him a few times and Wajima holding Singh's leg in what was supposed to be some kind of attack. 10:50. -**
7/15/88 Takamatsu Shi Bunka Center Sekai Tag Senshuken: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy. Quite a disappointing match. It was sluggish and they had nothing going on. Nothing of interested happened in the first 12 minutes. They finally picked up the pace and did some moves, but they'd lost me by that point. Hansen dominated the match, but oddly the match was just about moves so he was out of his element. To add insult to injury, Gordy up and got his team DQ'd when Jumbo had Hansen in a deadly cobra twist. 18:46. **
6/4/88
John Tenta & The Great Kabuki vs. Danny Spivey & Jimmy Jack Funk 8:29
Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Shinichi Nakano & Tiger Mask 30:00
Hiroshi Wajima vs. Tiger Jeet Singh 10:51
8/30/88
Mitsuo Momota vs. Tatsumi Kitahara 7:17
Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi 7:07
Masanobu Fuchi & Mighty Inoue vs. Haruka Eigen & Motoshi Okuma 10:52
10/20/89
Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh 7:56
Asia Tag Title: Danny Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada 16:38
6/4/88
Masanobu Fuchi vs. Rip Rogers 9:53
Isao Takagi & Shunji Takano vs. Grizzly Boone & Havana The Terror 9:20
Giant Baba & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Goro Tsurumi & Rusher Kimura 13:46
John Tenta & The Great Kabuki vs. Danny Spivey & Jimmy Jack Funk 8:29
7/16/88 Takamatsu World Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
7/19/88 Tokyo Asia Tag Title: Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Shunji Takano & Shinichi Nakano
7/27/88 Nagano PWF & UN Title: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen
7/29/88 Takasaki World Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
8/20/88 Tokyo Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Jimmy Snuka
8/30/88 Osaka, World Tag Title: Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu
9/9/88 Chiba, International Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah The Butcher
9/15/88 Tokyo, Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara
9/15/88 Tokyo, Asia Tag Title: Shinichi Nakano & Shunji Takano vs. Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada
9/15/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Tiger Mask & Jimmy Snuka vs. The Great Kabuki & Akio Sato. Tiger was the only guy that was doing anything. Match was good when he was on offense, but otherwise it wasn't much. Snuka was the next best effort wise, but he wasn't as sharp as usual execution wise. Kabuki was a slug, and even had a hard time taking the ultra difficult monkey flip. 11:13. **1/4
7/29/88 Takazaki Shi Cho Taiikukan, Sekai Tag Senshukenjiai: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy. They completely redeemed themselves from the 7/15 disappointment. Hansen was selling most of the way this time, which made some difference. His since his selling was excellent, and this was the smart Hansen I expect. He had bad ribs, perhaps from that deadly cobra twist, and the opposition went to work on them right away, really taking it to him. They refused to let him tag, so Hansen got pummelled until they made a mistake. The match went downhill at this point because the story was on the apron, and nothing in the ring was replacing it. When Hansen came back in he put over that he was hurting when he used moves where he lifted the opposition, causing Gordy to come right back in. There was a big turn of events when Hansen western lariated Yatsu off the apron, putting Jumbo in a 2-1 situation. 16:53. ***3/4
9/9/88 Chiba Koen Taiikukan, NWA International Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah The Butcher. As bad as a Jumbo match can get. Probably figuring it was hopeless, he just went along with The Match Butcher. It contained no wrestling, I mean there might not have been one legitimate hold in the match. Even Jumbo just gored. Butcher got to use all his tricks since it was a big match, making Jumbo bleed early and having Jumbo bust open his scar tissue later. Eventually he used a chain, hitting the ref with it for the DQ. The post match was worth something, at least. Abdullah kept choking Jumbo with the chain, so Tiger tried to save only to get jabbed several times with an object. Snuka tried to act as intermediary since he's associated with both, but Abdullah hit him as well. This gave Tiger an opening, and he used his jumping headbutt on Butcher then did a double version with Snuka to knock Butcher down. Jumbo attacked Butcher on the floor and they brawled through the crowd, allowing Tiger to gain something from Butcher without Jumbo or Butcher being taken down a notch. 14:41. *
AJ Chogei Selection #172 3/18/00
10/26/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Stan Hansen & Danny Kroffat vs. Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton. R & R had their working boots on this time, particularly Morton who was at his best here. Intense and action packed match from the get go. Kroffat wasn't as smooth as he would quickly become, but was already putting on a show regardless of whether he was giving or taking. He had a way of making you notice everything he did, which in his case was good because he did things better than most others. Kroffat did all the selling and Hansen wreaked havoc. Unfortunately, Hansen treated R & R like juniors to the point they had to double team him. I felt this could have been an excellent match if Hansen sold because of what that would have done for the competitive dynamic, and if nothing else would have added more time to a match that was all too brief. It's hard to fault Hansen here though as he was very motivated and added a lot to the match, including delivering another of his clever finishes. 11:14. ***1/2
8/20/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Jimmy Snuka. Abdullah got plenty of help from Wajima in his match Butchering. Jumbo & Snuka could have at least done some good things on their own, but they knew the match as a whole was hopeless and did little to try to save it. In fact, this was as close as I've seen Jumbo come to a no show. Wajima did wrestle when Snuka was in, Snuka not getting any offense of his own in of course. Still, Wajima's wrestling against a guy with some ability is better than his brawling, so the match was less awful by default. Abdullah didn't bleed during the mach, so he had Snuka bust him open after. 11:37. *
10/17/88 Hiroshima Kenritsu Taiikukan, Sankan Heavykyu Senshuken: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen. I think this match was to unify the titles, but because it was a tie that didn't actually happen until 4/18/89. I still can't understand why these two don't click in singles. On paper their matches sound like they'd be classics, but once they step in the ring it's like they are both afraid to do anything. Neither guy takes control of the match, so they wind up stalling for a while and never developing anything. Once again, this match just kind of went along. Eventually they got to the high spots, but they had no particular meaning. Hansen knocked Jumbo off the apron with his western lariat, but in a silly spot he went over the top as well for the double count out. The first 10 minutes were totally wasted, with the next five being mainly good. 15:02. **
Bruiser Brody Tribute
Hiroshi Wajima & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tom Zenk & Jerry Oates 15:36
Jimmy Snuka & Johnny Ace vs. Shunji Takano & Tiger Mask 10:10
Giant Baba vs. Rusher Kimura 11:20
Abdullah The Butcher vs. Stan Hansen 10:39
World Tag Title: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Ashura Hara & Genichiro Tenryu 29:51
9/15/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Shunji Takano vs. Shinichi Nakano. Battle of tag partners. Tempers eventually flared, but it remained a technical matched. They put effort into putting every move over. They could have done more though. It was mainly putting Takano over, but Takano not surprisingly wasn't that impressive beyond what Nakano was able to accomplish to make him look good. 14:50. **3/4
9/15/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, Asia Tag Senshukenjiai: Shunji Takano & Shinichi Nakano vs. Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada. Another strong match from two of the teams that made the Asia tag division one to watch. Energy was slightly lacking, probably because Nakano & Takano fought earlier. That was a bad thing because these were action matches, so witht he action down the whole match was down. Very stiff and well worked though, with the psychology really kicking in during the later stages after being absent early on. They worked on Fuyuki's left knee for quite a while, with Funaki getting a big of hope though never even approaching his corner. Kawada kept trying to save, setting up the big spot where Takano went for his diving knee with Nakano holding Fuyuki's leg, but Kawada Nakano in the back into the kneedrop. 19:10. ***3/4
10/28/88 Kanagawa Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan: Stan Hansen vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu. The kind of performance I've been waiting for from Hansen. He was in top form and did an excellent job of carrying the match to the level one might expect. From the outself Hansen was vicious, jumping Yatsu then keeping the pressure on him. Yatsu came back getting his knees up for an elbow drop then roughed Hansen up, including hitting the lariat arm with a row of chairs. Lack of length wasn't a big negative because everything had a purpose. 10:20. ***1/2
AJ Chogei Selection #174 4/1/00
1/20/89 Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshuken Jiai: Masa Fuchi vs. Joe Malenko 15:22. I badly wanted to enjoy this one, but they didn't give me much to cling to. They pushed, pulled, and stretched each other from very close quarters. 70's style technical matches are fine with me, but there was no transition to the finish. For 13 minutes they did very slow mat wrestling then, as if on cue, they did 2 1/2 frantic (and occassionally sloppy) minutes of pinning predicaments. 15:20. **1/2
3/8/89 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Giant Kimala. Abysmal inaction featuring not a single wrestling hold and a screw job finish. If you like slow motion headbutts and chops this is the match for you. The big deal was Baba knocking Kimala off his feat with a series of chops. 10:26. -**
9/15/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. The Great Kabuki & Kenta Kobashi 18:25. Super fun match with Jumbo once again doing an exceptional job of helping usher in a new star. It's one of the first matches to showcase fiery young Kobashi, and one hell of a coming out party. Kobashi is already an amazingly good worker, with a super work ethic and more spots than the others (though the jumping spin kick is pretty lame), and the veterans are able to utilize him without exposing his mental weaknesses. Kobashi is a ball of fire, making up for his own deficiencies through effort and the fact he's willing to run all over the place and take anything they can throw at him. Jumbo, as always, had a ball beating the crap out of the young punk. Kobashi certainly asks for it, disrespecting Yatsu early and generally having the gall to believe he belongs in the ring with the Olympic combo. After abusing Kobashi, even slapping him to add insult to injury, they began taking his knee apart. The crowd was pumped, responding to more and more to Kobashi's attempts to hang with the tougher, rougher, surlier veteran opposition. Kabuki is Kabuki, all the theater in the world can't make him act like a good wrestler. However, he isn't in the match much, and actually gives a relatively effective performance, understanding his role of coming in for brief segments where he softens the vets up for Kobashi. Kobashi's main offense here is countering with an athletic move. He's the second heavyweight high flier in the league, though oddly no one ever replaced Misawa in the junior division. Kobashi gains with each kickout, and the fans start "Kobashi" chants. Kabuki really goes out of his way to help Kobashi in the later stages, but by then Kobashi has earned it. ****
10/17/88 Hiroshima Triple Crown International PWF UN Heavyweight Unification Match: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen
10/26/88 Tokyo: Dan Kroffat & Stan Hansen vs. Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson
10/28/88 Yokohama Bunka Gym
Stan Hansen vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu
Ashura Hara vs. Akira Taue 6:38
Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs. Takashi Ishikawa & The Great Kabuki 7:44
Asia Tag Title: Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson 8:37
Tiger Mask vs. Doug Furnas 6:07
Stan Hansen vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu 10:20
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu 34:45
11/19/88 Tochigi World's Strongest Tag League: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. John Tenta & Shuji Takano
11/21/88 Nagoya World's Strongest Tag League: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
11/28/88 Osaka World's Strongest Tag League: Abdullah the Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
12/14/88 Kanagawa World's Strongest Tag League: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Jerry Blackwell & Phil Hickerson
12/16/88 Tokyo World's Strongest Tag League: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Abdullah the Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh
12/16/88 Tokyo World Tag Title: World's Strongest Tag League: Final: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada
Note: before the main match there's highlights of league matches from the television tapings
12/12/86 Tokyo Nippon Budokan '86 Sekai Saikyo Tag Kettei League Koshikisen: Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen & Ted DiBiase. This was an exciting match with Tsuruta & Tenryu looking excellent and Hansen doing what it took. The highlight was Hansen tackling DiBiase to save him from Tsuruta's Jumbo lariat. The problem with this match was that it was way too short. The promotion cheated the fans by doing ring out finishes in all three tag league matches on the final night. ***
12/11/87 Tokyo Nippon Budokan '87 Sekai Saikyo Tag Kettei League Koshikisen: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka. This was really weird. They showed the first 9 minutes of the match, but then cut to a still with the result and a picture of the victors, Jumbo & Yatsu, from the commendation ceremony.
12/16/88 Tokyo Nippon Budokan '88 Sekai Saikyo Tag Kettei League Koshikisen: Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy. These guys had a classic match because they only did what they do well and were consistent in telling a story that made sense based on the setting and the roles the characters were playing at that time. The first half was even, but then Hansen saved Gordy by Kawada's weakened knee out. Hansen or Gordy took out the knee of the overmatched youngster Kawada everytime he tried to get up, so Tenryu was forced to go alone for the second half. Although the comebacks were somewhat unrealistic because of all the damage Tenryu & Kawada (not that he came back, but he didn't stay down either) had sustained, they were hardly Rockish and they were what made the match because they made the faces seem like heroes with a ton of heart and were what made the second half of the match being really dramatic instead of really one-sided. This match was glamorous, but it was stiff, instense, and heated, For story, psychology, playing roles, this match is hard to beat. 21:02. *****
10/30/75 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan: Stan Hansen vs. The Destroyer. Hansen looked hilarious with his bleached mop. Pretty well wrestled. The early portion was on the mat with some good quick moves into long locks. Around 10:00 they began doing some basic suplexes. Both used the football stance shoulderblock. Destroyer tried to help Hansen up after the match, but Hansen punched him in the stomach. 12:40. **1/2
11/15/82 Chiba Kisaradzu Kuragata Sports Center: Stan Hansen vs. Ashura Hara. Hara looked something like Hase would a decade later with the long hair, mustache, and tights with yellow in the front. Hara did a few good chops after Hansen controlled him with a chinlock. This just pissed Hansen off though, and he quickly took him out with the western lariat. 2:25
9/8/83 Chiba Koen Taiikukan, PWF Heavyweight Title Match: Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen. They understood Baba's limitations, and tried to work around them. The early portion was weak, but the last few minutes were good for what they were. It was obviously awkward, but a good effort and with Baba that goes a long way. Baba actually hit a double axehandle off the top. Hansen hit the western lariat a little before 8:00, but Baba kicked out at 2 then rolled to the floor. Hansen followed trying to post Baba, but Baba pushed him off so Hansen's lariat arm crashed the post. 9:02. **1/2
12/12/83 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan, '83 Sekai Saikyo Tag Kettei Leagusen: Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu. Exciting well executed match with everyone performing to their ability. Jumbo is generally considered to have had a slight down period while adjusting to the faster paced matches of Riki Choshu, but here he was the guy that was pushing the pace and along with Tenryu he really excelled in the style. Jumbo was much more agile here than 3-4 years later, but it probably didn't make much difference since only a few of his moves like the jumping knee, Thesz press, and enzuigiri employed this ability. The jumping knee was the only one of these moves he stuck with, but that was probably more a stylistic change than anything else. Brody really executed his offense well. In essence, his move set was pretty basic and nothing special, but it didn't come off that way because he made the moves look so much more impressive than normal, mainly through his exceptional athleticism for his size. Jumbo has the best looking stomp for a different reason, the impact isn't necessarily more but his body language is so nasty and malevolent. 17:43. ****
12/6/88 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, '88 Sekai Saikyo Tag Kettei Leagusen: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada. Great heat because it was a big match, but more importantly because they told a great story that was designed to get the fans behind faces Tenryu & Kawada. Kawada was the youngster that didn't belong, and Hansen & Gordy were out to put him in his place. Kawada was very fiery, trying to take it to the opposition with kicks and even a pescado but his attacks were very short lived. Tenryu tried to play big brother, actually making a hot tag at 2:00, but Hansen pulled Gordy to safety on the floor. The key to the match was Hansen injuring Kawada's knee, kicking it out when Kawada had Gordy in a German suplex hold. After kicking the knee repeatedly, Hansen pushed Kawada in the back as he was going to tag Tenryu, sending Kawada through the ropes to the floor instead with Hansen following through by lariating Tenryu off the apron. Hansen proceeded to destroy Kawada on the floor while Gordy took care of Tenryu in the ring. Kawada kept coming back for more, until Hansen rendered his knee useless. Kawada was down on the floor for several minutes, meaning Tenryu had to fight most of the match 2-1, which resulted in him also getting destroyed and even busted open from Hansen's knee drops. This set Kawada up to finally save his senpai, after Gordy's powerbomb, but Hansen made him pay for it. 21:02. *****
4/17/92 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan, '92 Champion Carnival Yushoketteisen: Stan Hansen vs. Mitsuharu Misawa. Very simple all arm match, but that was its strength because everything was built around the arm with no waste and just a bunch of simple but effective stuff. Misawa even used his elbows to Hansen's lariat elbow. Sure it wasn't the most exciting or diverse match, even diverse attack, but Misawa showed tremendous focus in attacking Hansen's lariat arm for the 1st 15 minutes. They really didn't even "do less" because of the arm attack, they just saved the high spots for the final 5 minutes, which I should add had major heat. Hansen did an impressive job of acting like his arm was in great pain, especially during the offense oriented portion where he was walking around like his arm was in an invisible sling. Hansen had to strike with his right arm, and even had to resort to trying his western lariat with his right arm. It was slow and awkward because he'd never done it before. The first time Misawa was able to get his foot on the ropes. The second time he blocked it, but Hansen immediately unleashed the usual lethal left arm western lariat to a prone Misawa. This was literall the only time Hansen used the left arm in the match, but that's Hansen at his best, finding a way to pull out the one move win. He seemingly had his weapon taken away, but sucked it up and withstood the pain to himself once to get the victory. Just a great finish. 20:06 ****
Jimmy Snuka & Tiger Mask vs. John Tenta & Shunji Takano 10:39
World's Strongest Tag League 1988: Danny Spivey & Johnny Ace [10] vs. Dick Slater & Tommy Rich [0] 17:33
World's Strongest Tag League 1988: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu [16] vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh [14] 9:30
AJPW World Tag Title World's Strongest Tag League 1988 Final: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy [17] vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada [14] 21:02
Tatsumi Fujinami chat
1/25/89 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan, Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Joe Malenko vs. Mighty Inoue 14:58
Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki vs. Johnny Ace & The Terminator
Sekai Tag Senshukenjiai: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu
AJ Chogei Selection #176 4/15/00
2/23/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Mighty Inoue vs. Shinichi Nakano
Hiroshi Wajima & Isao Takagi vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh
Super Heavyweight Battle Royal
Sekai Tag Senshukenjiai: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy
1/25/89 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Danny Spivey
3/8/89 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ricky Steamboat vs. Tiger Mask 13:49. Steamboat was very unselfish here, doing a nice job of making it seem as though Tiger had a chance. They did some nice running exchanges early, but as Tiger was the underdog he was content to simply maintain control, so he'd gladly just hold a headlock. Although it was mostly entertaining otherwise, it was still a disappointing match because they weren't exactly challenging themselves. The match lacked intensity and urgency, but finally picked up after 10 with a ring out tease where Tiger piledrove Steamboat on the floor then they exchanged chops. Tiger soon began getting near falls, and the fans were really into this. The finish was kind of lame, but I guess they didn't want Steamboat to sell and sell and then just bury Tiger with two moves. ***
1/28/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith vs. Joe Malenko & Dean Malenko. Malenkos are excited to have a team they can do their technical style with. They set the tone, using their quickness and flexibility to leverage the opposition, and Bulldogs go with them, with beautiful counters back and forth. Dynamite still has it here, working great fast paced counter laden sequences. Davey already seems on the decline, he was rather deliberate with his muscles eating into his flexibility and stamina, so the Malenkos did most of their matwork when he was in, allowing him to get away with countering in a slower, more predictable manner. I was really impressed with Dean. I'm not used to him being this quick and athletic. Both Malenkos showed some really nice suplexes, and generally found every opportunity to show their picture perfect bridges. Dynamite was busted open. The finish was a bit cheesy, but kinda worked in that it was a match where leverage tended to be valued above all else. ****
AJ Chogei Selection #178 4/29/00
3/27/88 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Shunji Takano vs. Big Bubba
3/29/89 Korakuen Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Masa Fuchi vs. Mitsuo Momota
6/5/89 Budokan: Sting vs. Danny Spivey
4/16/89 Korakuen Sankan Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen
AJ Selection #179 5/6/00
8/30/88 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan: Stan Hansen & Tom Zenk vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Jimmy Snuka
4/18/89 Tokyo Ota-ku Taiikukan
Asia Tag Title Match: Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki vs. Tom Zenk & Danny Kroffat 12:36. I like Zenk, but the Footloose vs. Can-Am match isn't anywhere near the same with him. The timing and chemistry just weren't there, as he couldn't seem to get past the American junior style of jumping at the opponent and get into the Japanese junior style of crafting sequences and counters. In Zenk's defense, the match wasn't that awesome when Kroffat was in with Footloose either. There was some good stuff between Kawada and Kroffat, obviously, but overall this was disappointingly short and undeveloped. **3/4
International, UN, & PWF Nintei Sankan Heavykyu Oza Decision Match: Jumbo Tsuruta (International champ) vs. Stan Hansen (UN & PWF champ)
AJ Selection #180 5/13/00
7/1/89 Omiya Shimin Taiikukan Asunaro Cup Sodatsu Leaguesen: Samson Fuyuki vs. Shunji Takano
4/16/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshuken: Masa Fuchi vs. Shinichi Nakano
5/13/89 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan Sekai Tag Senshuken: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Danny Spivey & Dick Slater
Pancrase 6/13/95
Takafumi Ito vs. Osami Shibuya
Manabu Yamada (#4) vs. Vernon "Tiger" White. Lots of near submissions here, particularly trading leg locks.
Katsuomi Inagaki vs. Toon Stelling. Stelling gets a yellow card for not breaking a submission quick enough then as soon as the ref turns his back to tell the judges to make the deduction, Stelling decides to start fighting again.
Masakatsu Funaki (#2) vs. Gregory Smit. Smit's nose bleeds like crazy.
Bas Rutten (#1) vs. Jason Delucia
Rankingsen: Yusuke Fuke (#5) vs. Frank Shamrock
Minoru Suzuki vs. Larry Papadopoulos
AJ Jumbo Memorial
4/18/89 Tokyo Ota-ku Taiikukan International, UN, & PWF Nintei Sankan Heavykyu Oza Decision Match: Jumbo Tsuruta (International champ) vs. Stan Hansen (UN & PWF champ). Maybe it's me, but I was expecting a whole lot more from this match. It was stiff, but didn't have much else going for it. Slow paced and boring. Jumbo bladed from Stan using a chair on him. Stan basically demolished Jumbo for the whole match, but he telegraphed his lariat so Jumbo ducked it. Stan's momentum caused him to clothesline himself on te top rope and then Jumbo pinned him to become the first triple crown champion. Stan attacked Jumbo after the bell to keep heat on himself and build to a rematch. *1/2
4/19/88 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center International Heavykyu Senshuken: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta. Stiff, solid, well executed match. Big time heat. Psychology and finish were not as good as I expected though. Even in his late 30's, Brody was a really impressive athlete for a wrestler of his size. ***1/2
7/11/89 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center, Asanaro Cup Sodatasu League Match: Toshiaki Kawada vs. Shunji Takano
6/5/89 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, Asia Tag Title Match: Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki vs. Doug Furnas & Danny Kroffat 19:35. The Footloose vs. Can-Am series is the Liger vs. Sano of junior tag wrestling, a combination of mindblowing action that's light years ahead of it's time and an insane rivalry that ads layers to the match because you believe they want to kill each other. It seems as though they shot these four out of a cannon, right on a collision course for each other. Kawada is at his most furious, literally a wildman who loses his temper so badly within the first 30 seconds wrestling Kroffat they have to be restrained by the ref and their teammates, and both wind up tagging. The intensity is off the charts right from the opening bell, and the crowd can't help but be on the edge of their seats throughout this awesome grudge match that alternates jaw dropping super fast athletic sequences with striking with an intent to injure. The whole thing is worked like a finishing sequence and about the worst thing you can say about it is there's a spot or two where they can't keep up with their own ridiculous quadruple pace. Kroffat is so beautiful to watch, just amazing agility and so ridiculously graceful. It's awesome seeing two of the best wrestlers in the world in Kawada & Kroffat go at it, but Furnas & Fuyuki wrestle way over their head as well, and the teams just have this awesome chemistry that elevates their match well above what you'd expect from even the two best teams in the world. Everyone is at their most creative, and in total blow away mode, unloading everything and anything they can think of for 20 minutes that have more action packed into them than most wrestlers deliver in an entire year. An ageless marvel. *****
6/5/89 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith 14:36
AJ Chogei Selection #182 5/27/00
7/3/89 Takazaki Shi Cho Taiikukan, Asanaro Hai Sodatasu Leagusen: Akira Taue vs. Shunji Takano
Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Shinichi Nakano vs. Mitsuo Momota
5/12/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith vs. Danny Kroffat & Doug Furnas 17:50. One has to wonder if the Bulldogs were thinking they are wrestling a younger, quicker, more flexible version of themselves? In any case, everyone was showing off in the best possible way to try to stand out. Dynamite did his best to answer the call, and get one more top flight match out of his failing body. He wasn't staying in too long, and injured himself doing his avalance style brainbuster, but he delivered some great fast paced action with Kroffat, particularly in the early stages before he was hurting. Davey Boy wasn't really up to working the bulk of the match, and was killing time when he could get away with it. He kept wanting to challenge Furnas' power early, which provided the sort of unskilled dullardly that filled the screen during his forthless feud with Warlord. The match built well though, and Kroffat soon had Davey on the move, trading gymnastic counters. It seemed well on its way to being an excellent match, but Dynamite understandably couldn't maintain his early standard after the injury, and they wound up doing an incredibly contrived and force finished where he slowly countered Kroffat and pinned him out of nowhere in a backdrop hold. ***1/2
7/11/89 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rodgers vs. Jim Brunzell & Tom Zenk
Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Mitsuo Momota vs. Isamu Teranishi
Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura & John Tenta vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & The Great Kabuki & Masa Fuchi
AJ Chogei Selection #186 6/24/00
7/15/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, Asanaro Hai Sodatsu Leaguesen: Toshiaki Kawada vs. Samson Fuyuki
7/1/89 Saitama Omiya City Gym, World Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Mitsuo Momota vs. Joe Malenko 14:10
Giant Baba Debut 30th Anniversary Memorial: Giant Baba vs. Abdullah The Butcher
9/15/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, Sekai Junior Senshuken: Masa Fuchi vs. Toshiaki Kawada
9/15/88 Tokyo Korakuen Hall, Sekai Tag Senshuken: Shinichi Nakano & George Takano vs. Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada 19:11
7/1/89 Omiya Shimin Taiikukan, Asunaru Hai Sodatsu Leaguesen: Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi
4/16/94 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, '94 Champion Carnival Final: Toshiaki Kawada vs. Steve Williams
3/1/98 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, Sekai Tag Senshuken: Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Gary Albright & Yoshihiro Takayama
AJ Selection #187
7/22/89 Ishikawa-ken Sangyo Tenjikan Asunaro Hai Sodatsu Leaguesen: Kenta Kobashi vs. Shunji Takano
7/11/89 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center, World Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Joe Malenko vs. Dean Malenko 15:34. Some fantastic technical wrestling from the brothers, putting their great familiarity and chemistry to good use. I was really impressed by the balance that went into their holds and counter holds. The only downside was older brother Joe was the dominant figure, which meant it was even that much more steeped in mat wrestling. The last minute and a half had their bridging suplexes and pinning predicaments, but that was about as much concession to flash as they were willing to make. ***1/2
9/2/89 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu 16:24. Yatsu has retained his work ethic, but is a few long years past his prime, and has become somewhat awkward and graceless. Jumbo knows his partners recent liabilities as well as anyone, and manages to get around them as well as anyone has in recent times. It's by no means an awesome match, but Yatsu wasn't exactly a great singles wrestler even in the days when he was one of the best in the tag division. It is, however, one of the best examples of Jumbo's ability to carry an opponent, proof of what he can do with someone who quite frankly is merely game. They start with solid matwork, but it's not friendly for long, quickly turning into Jumbo's brand of stiff, fiery action. The psychology is good with some of the key spots built around the charging moves (knee, lariat, etc.) It doesn't all come off, but it's a fun match and a nice change of pace. ***1/4
AJ Selection #188
7/28/89 Gunma Kiryu, World Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Joe Malenko vs. Masa Fuchi 17:22
Yoshiaki Yatsu & Akira Taue vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh
9/2/89 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, Asia Tag Title Match: Danny Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki 19:56. Excellent rivalry match with the teams looking for every reason to hate each other. Kroffat incites Kawada before the match, but then slugs Fuyuki as he's exiting to allow Kawada to start with Kroffat. Early on, Furnas blows his top because Fuyuki simply makes a save. Unfortunately, the match is much slower paced than 6/5/89 with Can-am dominating by using their teamwork and picking on Kawada's ribs, which they injured in the non-title match on 8/19/89. Can-Am shows a lot of great offense, but Kawada mainly sells after the early portion, and Fuyuki's wrestling isn't memorable here. What's funny is, although these matches seem set up to babyface the natives, the fans don't care for Fuyuki, and even him making the noblest efforts to save his partner, including diving on top of Kawada to shield him from Kroffat's diving body press, doesn't get him any love. ****
9/30/89 Okinawa Shimin Kaikan: Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shunji Takano. Seemed dated, but it was a good solid match. Everything was well executed. Too many submissions that added nothing to the match. ***
9/2/89 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Kenta Kobashi vs. Johnny Ace. Match really improved as time went on. The fans got into it, and there were some believable near falls. Ace was nothing special, but Kobashi still got a very good match out of him. ***1/2
9/30/89: Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Great Kabuki. Kabuki was crap. The others were fine, but it was kind of slow and deliberate. The blows were believable, but it wasn't particularly interesting or exciting.
AJ Chogei Selection #190 7/22/00
9/30/89 Okinawa Shimin Kaikan: Joe Malenko & Shinichi Nakano & Kenta Kobashi vs. Danny Kroffat & Doug Furnas & Ken Shamrock
Yoshiaki Yatsu & Akira Taue vs. Stan Hansen & Samson Fuyuki
Jumbo Tsuruta & Shinichi Nakano vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada
Selection #191 taped 10/11/89 Kanagawa Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan
Asia Tag Title Match: Doug Furnas & Danny Kroffat vs. Joe Malenko & Kenta Kobashi 23:20. Kobashi is thrilled at the opportunity to prove he can wrestle Can-Am the way Footloose can, following Can-Am in their fast paced athletic match that's riveting from start to finish, and certainly one of the standout junior style tags of the era. They waste no time here, with Furnas being in total spot merchant mode, trying to show he can be just as good a junior as his partner. Kobashi is in most of the time, generally getting his ass kicked because he's the guy who "doesn't belong", but unlike Footloose, the crowd is ridiculously into him, roaring every time he kicks out and starting regular "KO-BA-SHI" chants. Malenko did some nice athletic counters with Kroffat, but didn't really stand out as a whole because no one else was that interested in slowing the pace for his mat wrestling. That said, Malenko wrestles a smart match, knowing when to help his partner and when to let him work his way out. For instance, Kroffat tries to bait Kobashi early by spitting at him, but Malenko quickly attacks Kroffat to allow Kobashi to cool off a minute before tagging him in, keeping his partner focused and from getting too emotional. Can-Am showed an awesome arsenal of moves, and just seemed to want to be so spectacular they started making new variations up as they went along, so occasionally the choreography wasn't perfect. I was pleased by the finish where Kobashi, despite getting battered throughout, manages to survive the whipping, as it's his veteran partner who falls. ****1/2
Triple Crown Heavyweight Title Match: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
Selection #192
10/22/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Giant Baba & Kenta Kobashi vs. Rusher Kimura & Goro Tsurumi
10/1/89: Joe Malenko & Kenta Kobashi vs. Danny Kroffat & Ken Shamrock
10/14/89: Jumbo Tsuruta & Great Kabuki & Kenta Kobashi vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki 20:11. A great example of a small show match that's top notch because they simply put the effort into making it be so. Jumbo & Tenryu set the tone with a fast, intense opening, and the match never flags or wavers. The veterans deliver stiff, aggressive action throughout, with the younger wrestlers mixing in some more athletic spots. It's not so much who is in or what they do, but that they are doing it as fast as they can without losing anything on the execution end. It does help that Tenryu steps up and plays a bigger role in this match than usual. He seems to get his kicks out of giving Kobashi his initiation into the program, really picking on the poor kid with brutal chops. It also helps quite a bit that Kobashi is in the match instead of Yatsu, as he's so much quicker, more graceful and diverse. He's the star of his team from the wrestling perspective, taking some of the pressure of Jumbo. Of course, Kobashi is a total whipping boy, but certainly has his moments, and the veterans hot tags are all set up through the abuse he's willing to take. Kabuki even gives a surprisingly effective performance, his thrusts really hitting their mark today. Of course, Footloose is the best native tag team, and deliver the goods once again. Just a great effort, all around. ****1/4
Selection #193
10/20/89 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan, Sekai Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Joe Malenko vs. Masa Fuchi
10/14 Tsu Shi Taiikukan: Stan Hansen vs. Shunji Takano
10/20/89 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan, Asia Tag Title Match: Danny Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki 16:37. Kawada is healthy here, and gets to be the enforcer and star. Can-Am, particularly Furnas, really hate Fuyuki and keep losing their temper with him and flurrying on him as if they are trying to kill him. Fuyuki gets mauled for stretches then an energetic Kawada makes the hot tag and either unloads with his kicks or flies around. Overall, it's a slower paced match than some of their others, but they do a nice job of mixing the spots in with the rough housing and changing the tempos to fit the story they are telling. The match is pretty comparable to their 9/2/89 match, but I prefer this one because Kawada's offense is a lot better than Fuyuki's. ****
Selection #194
7/11/89 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center, Asanaro Hai Sodatsu Leaguesen: Samson Fuyuki vs. Kenta Kobashi
10/20/89 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan, Sekai Tag Senshukenjiai: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen
10/22/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shunji Takano
11/19/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Akira Taue & Isao Takagi
10/20/89 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan Giant Baba 30th Anniversary Memorial Match: Giant Baba vs. Tiger Jeet Singh
10/22/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jumbo Tsuruta & The Great Kabuki vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Samson Fuyuki
AJ Selection #197
10/28/89 Sagamihara Municipal City Gym: Joe Malenko & Ken Shamrock vs. Dick Slater & Joe Deaton
10/11/89 Kanagawa Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan: Stan Hansen & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shunji Takano
10/28/89: Giant Baba & The Great Kabuki & Shinichi Nakano vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki
10/28/89: Jumbo Tsuruta & Shunji Takano vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh
AJ Selection #198
10/14/89 Tsu City Gym: Mighty Inoue & Akio Sato vs. Doug Furnas & Danny Kroffat
11/17/89 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan '89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs. Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith
11/19/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall '89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura
AJ Selection #199 taped 11/19/89 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Nasty Boys vs. The Great Kabuki & Shunji Takano
Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith & Kenta Kobashi vs. Doug Furnas & Danny Kroffat & Masa Fuchi
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs. Terry Gordy & Bill Irwin
AJ Selection #200
11/25/89 '89 Fuji Municipal Yoshiwara Gym Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Doug Furnas & Danny Kroffat vs. Nasty Boys
12/4/89 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center: Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki & Yoshinari Ogawa
11/25/89
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh
AJ Selection #201 taped 11/29/89 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen
AJ Selection #202
10/1/89 Naha Shimin Taiikukan: Doug Furnas vs. Shinichi Nakano
1/2/90 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Super Heavykyu Battle Royal
12/4/89 Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Terry Gordy & Bill Irwin
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs. Nasty Boys
AJ Selection #203
1/3/90 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Shinshun Battle Royal
12/6/89 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Terry Gordy & Bill Irwin vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith vs. Doug Furnas & Danny Kroffat 17:48. Unfortunately, these aren't the British Bulldogs we're used to seeing. Dynamite has lost considerable muscle mass and seems to have aged 5 years since his last All Japan tour a few months ago. Meanwhile, Davey has now reached the super roidy threshold where you begin to wonder if he can touch his arms to his side. The match starts out really well with a series of spots where athleticism trumps power, but Dynamite begins to fall apart 4 1/2 minutes in, reinjuring his back. Davey slowed the match down after this, unsure how much more his partner could offer. Dynamite was back in briefly 2 minutes later, but seemed very stiff, and Davey began incorporating his full arsenal of WWF preening and posing. Dynamite came in blazing, but seemed to injure his arm lariating Kroffat, as if his whole right side had gone numb. Dynamite was ever the trooper, but was literally crumbling before our eyes. Can-Am did a good job of keeping it entertaining, but weren't exactly sure what they should and shouldn't do given Dynamite wasn't Dynamite and Davey, after a certain point, just seemed to be looking for excuses to do as little as possible. Dynamite lost Kroffat in midair, not having the strength or flexibility to complete his avalanche style suplex. The ref just got Dynamite out of the ring after this, leading to an impromptu finish where Furnas came in with a diving body attack, but Davey shifted his weight for the victory. **1/2
'89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Samson Fuyuki
AJ Selection #204
10/28/89 Sagamihara Shi Sogo Taiikukan: Doug Furnas & Danny Kroffat vs. Masa Fuchi & Kenta Kobashi
12/6/89 Tokyo Nippon Budokan '89 Sekai Saikyo Tag Decision League Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen