12/18/97 Tokyo Korakuen Hall Independent World World Junior Title: Shoichi Funaki vs. TAKA Michinoku. TAKA wins title. Excellent match ruined by the fact that only 10 minutes aired. TAKA "injured" his knee when Funaki stopped his swandive move with a forearm and he crashed his knee on the apron. TAKA sold his knee HUGE, and his selling was typically excellent in this match. Funaki launched one of the best and most focused all out knee attacks I've seen. Later on, TAKA landed on his feet to counter a German suplex like Shiryu, but his knee "gave out." Match was almost perfect until the end, which was beyond lame and cheesy. Still, TAKA's selling and facials were awesome and the execution was perfect. TAKA got almost no offense in, but that was fine because he was "hurt." Unfortunately, it ended too soon and pretty much out of nowhere. Funaki's sold way too much at the end based on what had been done to him. ****
12/18/97: Great Sasuke & Super Delfin vs. Dick Togo & MEN'S Teio. Read Review ****
1/14/98: Jinsei Shinzaki vs. Magic Man. About the shortest "match" I've ever seen.
1/14/98 New World Sendai Tennis Club: Great Sasuke & Tiger Mask IV & Yakushiji vs. Super Delfin & Naniwa & Yone. Sasuke's knee gave out a few times. Yakushiji did an ultra huracan rana off the apron as part of a 6 dive sequence. Really hot action with a ton of big spots. Very good and exciting match, but not enough was shown.
1/16 Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Shinzaki vs. Yone. Not nearly as bad as you'd expect, but still not good. Genjin was slammed and facebustered in the snow. Shinzaki wins with his gokuraku hold, but off the balcony! **
1/16/98: Great Sasuke & Gran Hamada & Tiger Mask IV vs. Dick Togo & Shoichi Funaki & Super Boy. Excellent work. Spots all the way. Tiger was a lot better than normal here. Heels debilitated Sasuke's knee, of course. ***3/4
12/17/97 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Mr. Aguila & Mr. Niebla vs. Rey Bucanero & Black Warrior. Flying was awesome. Rest of the match wasn't all that great, especially when Aguila was in as he's terrible at everything but flying. The most incredible spot saw Buccaneer avoid Aguila's dive over the top, so Aguila landed on the apron in handstand position and sprung forward off the apron so he landed outside the ring on his feet! Just incredible! Niebla did a flying headscissors off the top with Black Warrior on the apron. Aguila did his screw pescado like dive. Flying made this worthwhile to watch, but overall it wasn't that enthralling. ***1/4
Tony Rivera & Ringo Mendoza vs. Violencia & Karloff Lagarde Jr. Wrestling was really bad and there weren't any cool spots. Ringo looks like he's ready to collect social security. 1/2*
Mexico Guerrero Welterweight Title (?): Arkangel de la Muerte vs. Shinobi. Pretty bad match with neither looking good. Highlight was Shinobi being powerbombed off the apron. *1/4
Mr. Aguila & Mr. Niebla & Atlantis vs. Rey Bucanero & Black Warrior & Emilio Charles Jr. Lots of awesome high spots. Aguila did a screw Orihara moonsault that was just unbelievable! ***1/2
Feature on Teio with highlights from his past title defenses
1/14/98 New World Sendai Tennis Club UWA Super Welterweight Title: MEN'S Teio vs. Shoichi Funaki. Teioh carried this, and it was a very technically sound and solid match. They attacked each other's knees and the selling was quite good. Excellent job of working the high spots into the match. Nice teases and counters. Finish was one great counter after another. Drawbacks were there weren't enough high spots and there were so few people in attendance that the match didn't come off as well as it should have. ***3/4
1/16/98 Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center UWA Super Welterweight Title: MEN'S Teio vs. Super Delfin. Appeared to be in excess of ****, but only 9:15 was shown. Some great near falls including Teioh doing a floating DDT to the Delfin clutch, which was the finish of their 5/5/97 match where Teioh won the title from Delfin. Delfin won the title and the fans crowded the ring after the match.
1998 34min
1/14/98
Jinsei Shinzaki vs. Magic Man
UWA Super Welterweight Title: MEN'S Teio vs. Shoichi Funaki
1/16/98
Great Sasuke & Gran Hamada & Tiger Mask IV vs. Dick Togo & Shoichi Funaki & Super Boy
UWA Super Welterweight Title: MEN'S Teio vs. Super Delfin
2/28/98: W*ING Kanemura & Mr. Gannosuke vs. Jinsei Shinzaki & Hayabusa
3/10/98: MEN'S Teio & Super Delfin vs. Shoichi Funaki & Jinsei Shinzaki
4/29/98: Sasuke The Great & Masked Tiger vs. Masaru Seno & Tiger Mask
7/18/98
Naohiro Hoshikawa & Minoru Fujita & Masaru Seno vs. Shiima Nobunaga & Sumo Fuji & Judo Suwa
Great Sasuke & Masato Yakushiji vs. Super Delfin & Yone Genjin
8/23/98 Fukumen World League: Super Delfin vs. Great Sasuke
9/15/98: The Great Sasuke vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa
9/23/98: The Great Sasuke & Gran Hamada vs. Sasuke the Great & Masked Tiger
11/1/98: Super Delfin & Gran Hamada & Gran Naniwa & Tiger Mask & Masato Yakushiji vs. SASUKE & Sasuke The Great & Shiima Nobunaga & Judo Suwa & Sumo Fuji
11/3/98: SASUKE & Sasuke The Great & Masaaki Mochizuki & Shiima Nobunaga & Judo Suwa & Sumo Fuji vs. Super Delfin & Gran Hamada & Naohiro Hoshikawa & Masato Yakushiji & Tiger Mask & Yone Genjin
11/8/99 Tag League Final: Super Delfin & Gran Naniwa vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa & Masato Yakushiji
1999 24min
1/8/99: Super Delfin vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
1/10/99
Super Welterweight Title: Super Delfin vs. Solar
Adios Yone! Saishusen: Gran Naniwa vs. Yone Genjin
1/13/99: SASUKE & Sasuke The Great & Takeshi Ono vs. Gran Hamada & The Great Sasuke Tiger (Yuki Ishikawa) & Tiger Mask
3/13/99: The Great Sasuke & TAKA Michinoku & Gran Naniwa vs. Shiima Nobunaga & Judo Suwa & Sumo Fuji
4/27/99: The Great Sasuke vs. Jinsei Shinzaki
6/20/99: The Great Sasuke vs. Minoru Fujita
8/20/99 2nd Maskman's World League: Dakko CHAN vs. White Bear
8/21/99 2nd Maskman's World League Final: Dos Caras vs. Tiger Mask
11/7/99 Michinoku Futari Tobi '99 Yushoketteisen: Tiger Mask & Magnum TOKYO vs. CIMA & SUWA
12/21/99
Minoru Fujita & Shiryu 2 & Jody Fleisch vs. CIMA & Super Boy & Curry Man
The Great Sasuke & Great Sasuke Dina & Great Sasuke Tiga vs. Sasuke The Great & Masked Tiger & NANIWA
2000 16min
1/9/00: CIMA vs. Minoru Fujita
4/1/00 J Cup 1R
The Great Sasuke vs. Kaz Hayashi
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tiger Mask
4/9/00 J Cup
2R: CIMA vs. Onryo
2R: The Great Sasuke vs. Naoki Sano
Final: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. CIMA
10/9/00 NWA World Middleweight Title: The Great Sasuke vs. Dos Caras
11/3/00: Gran Hamada & Tiger Mask vs. Pentagon & Electro Shock
2001 23min
3/18/01: Gran Hamada & Dick Togo & Tiger Mask vs. Pentagon & Apache & Fujin
4/28/01: Gran Hamada & Dick Togo & Hideki Nishida vs. Gedo & Pentagon Black & Super Boy
6/23/01: The Great Sasuke vs. Gedo
7/22/01: Dick Togo & Gedo & Psychic vs. Hideki Nishida & Masao Orihara & The Great Sasuke
8/19/01
IWGP Junior Tag Title Match: Jado & Gedo vs. The Great Sasuke & Tiger Mask
Keiji Muto & Hakushi vs. Tatsutoshi Goto & Hiro Saito
9/16/01 NWA World Middleweight Title Match: The Great Sasuke vs. Tomohiro Ishii
10/8/01: Dick Togo & Tomohiro Ishii vs. SASUKE & Sasuke The Great
11/2/01 Michinoku Futari Tabi 2001 Final, Intercontinental Tag Title Champion Decision: The Great Sasuke & Masao Orihara vs. Dick Togo & Gedo
12/22/01 UWA/UWF Intercontinental Tag Title: Masao Orihara & The Great Sasuke vs. Dick Togo & Gedo
2002 26min
1/14/02
Jinsei Shinzaki vs. Yone Genjin
NWA World Middleweight Title: The Great Sasuke vs. Gedo
2/17/02: Gedo & Jado vs. Masao Orihara & The Great Sasuke
3/23/02: The Great Sasuke & Tiger Mask & Hideki Nishida vs. Dick Togo & Masao Orihara & Ikuto Hidaka
5/6/02
Kazuya Yuasa vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Gran Hamada vs. Macho Pump
Tiger Mask vs. Ikuto Hidaka
The Great Sasuke vs. Dick Togo
8/25/02 1st Tohuko Jr. Heavyweight Champion Decision: Tiger Mask vs. Dick Togo
10/12/02: Hayate & Komachi vs. Tsubo Genjin & Yone Genjin
10/20/02 Tag League Final: Curry Man & Hayashi Rice Man vs. Jinsei Shinzaki & Kazuya Yuasa vs. The Great Sasuke & TAKA Michinoku
11/8/02
Tsubo Genjin vs. Yone Genjin
The Great Sasuke & Jinsei Shinzaki & Dick Togo vs. TAKA Michinoku & Kaz Hayashi & Gran Naniwa
12/15/02: Curry Man & Hayashi Rice Man vs. Hayate & Komachi
2/28/98 Tokushima
Gran Hamada & MEN'S Teioh & Funaki vs. Super Delfin & Tiger Mask & Naniwa. Good match, but the fluidity and timing wasn't there. Low impact, even by Michinoku standards. Finishing sequence was damn good, as always. ***
W*ING Kanemura & Mr. Gannosuke vs. Jinsei Shinzaki & Hayabusa. Too much of a bloody brawl for Michinoku rings. Turned into a good match though. **1/2
3/1/98 Osaka
Yoshihiro Tajiri (Big Japan) & MEN'S Teioh & Funaki vs. Gran Hamada & Hoshikawa & Yakushiji. Looked awesome because the finish was really hot and there were all kinds of great spots. They edited a lot out though, so that makes you wonder. Tajiri fit in really well here and Hoshikawa was real good. ***3/4
Hayabusa (FMW) & Super Delfin vs. Tiger Mask & Naniwa. Tiger & Hayabusa had problems working together because they are both high flying faces so neither of them have the rudo skills to be the base of the flying. Turned into a good match with nice flying and the usual near falls. ***
Groupo Revolucion taped Mexico City
Young Dragon Final: Magnum Tokyo vs. Tony Rivera. Some great spots, but the work wasn't fluid. Tokyo does a Sasuke Special. **
Shiryu & Tsubasa & Kendo vs. Violencia & Rey Bucanero & Black Warrior. Good work. Technicos did some great spots including a Super Frankensteiner and corkscrew plancha by Tsubasa. Set up was deliberate in spots.
NWA World Middleweight Title: Ultimo Dragon vs. Dr. Wagner Jr. Very good match with near falls back and forth. ***1/2
TOMORROW NEVER DIES taped 3/10/98 Tokyo Ota-ku Taiikukan
Gran Hamada vs. Tiger Mask IV. Not much of a match as Tiger brought nothing to the table. *1/2
MEN'S Teio & Super Delfin vs. Shoichi Funaki & Jinsei Shinzaki. Shinzaki didn't want to do anything. Last quarter was damn good, but the rest was dull. Funaki vs. Teioh was the highlight. Kaientai got their sendoff after the match as they were off to toil in the wasteland and learn the finer points of jobbing to The Oddities(:.**1/2
Groupo Revolucion
Elimination Match: SAITO & Dragon Kid & Shinobi & Tony Rivera & Magnum Tokyo vs. Dr. Cerebro & Arkangel de la Muerte & Sumo Fuji & Judo Suwa & Shiima Nobunaga. Rivera, who was trying to be the second coming of Silver King, was the star of the match. Magnum also looked quite good, especially when in with Nobunaga. Fun match to watch as the guys were spotted well, but it was sloppy in points as you would expect given the experience level of the workers. Highlight was the 8 dive sequence. ***1/2
Shiryu & Tsubasa & Ultimo Dragon vs. Scorpio Jr. & Dr. Wagner Jr. & Bestia Salvaje. Technicos did some choice flying, but the rudos couldn't hold up their end as Bestia and Scorpio didn't look good. **1/2.
4/29 Niigata Phase
Yone Genjin vs. Alexander Otsuka. A goofy match that went into the balcony and even above the lights. They did some good high spots and took some risks, but it was not good at all. 3/4*
Sasuke The Great & Masked Tiger vs. Masaru Seno & Tiger Mask IV. Really boring one-sided match designed to get Sasuke & Tiger over as heels. No one looked good. Both Tiger's were almost unmasked after the match. 1/4*
5/5 Nakayama Machi Sogo Taiikukan
Sasuke The Great & Masked Tiger vs. Mohammad Yone & Tiger Mask IV. Another boring one-sided match. Faces showed nothing, and the heels weren't too good either. Tiger Mask was unmasked after the match, but you couldn't get a good look at his face. *
J.Y.B. Michinoku Pro League: Naohiro Hoshikawa vs. Gran Naniwa. Naniwa carried the mach, but Hoshikawa was the better of the two here. His technique was crisp, while Naniwa was kind of sloppy and needed to be stiffer at times. Naniwa was pretty good here, for once this year. The match was quite good until Hoshikawa hurt himself landing on a suicida. Naniwa tried to pick up on this, but he attacking the knee rather than the bad ankle. At least his attack was focused.:) ***
Gran Hamada & Otsuka & Fantastic vs. Super Delfin & Yone Genjin & Rocky Santana. The outsiders all looked bad here, and of course Genjin sucked as well. Delfin & Hamada looked like gods in comparison to the other guys. They were actually very good, but it was still a bad match. Highlight was Fantastic doing a great Sayama feint then a Super Astro tope atomico. *1/4
Nobuyuki Kurashima vs. Kazuhiko Masada. Muga guys, so it was all submissions. 4:22 shown
Yone Genjin vs. Flying Kid Ichihara. This was a straight match, which showed why Yone normally does comedy. *
Jinsei Shinzaki & Super Delfin vs. Masato Yakushiji & Tiger Mask. Action packed match with one spot after another. Shinzaki had his working boots on, and even sold for the opposition. ***1/2
Royal Rumble style battle royal. Goofy bullshit. Everyone was afraid of Shinzaki. DUD
JYB league match highlights
JYB Michinoku Puroresul League Yushoketteisen: Naohiro Hoshikawa vs. Gran Naniwa. Hoshikawa's work was excellent. Naniwa did more spots and took more chances than normal. Lots of big moves for very near falls. There were a few execution problems, but it went close to 30 minutes and they tried a lot of spots they don't use every day. ***3/4
Highlights of JYB League matches
5/31 Fukushima JYB (Junior Young Blood) Michinoku League Finals: Naohiro Hoshikawa vs. Gran Naniwa. Highlights. Hoshikawa wins JYB.
Shinzaki & Super Delfin vs. Yakushiji & Tiger Mask IV. Yakushiji was the star. He did a choice ultra huracan rana. Some spots could have looked better, but the finish was strong as always. Shinzaki's execution was good, but he wasn't working hard. **3/4
Toryumon 5/22/98 Naucalpan
10 minute Exhibition match.
Magnum Tokyo & Dragon Kid & SAITO vs. Shiima Nobunaga & Judo Suwa & Sumo Fuji. Dragon Kid showed great athleticism. He was like another Rey Jr., although obviously not close to that level yet. Kid did perhaps the move of the year, a somersault off the top into a huracan rana, and all in one motion. Why this didn't get a pinfall I'll never know. Match was nothing special early, but got really good with tons of near falls down the stretch. Nobunaga was probably a little behind Magnum for 2nd best. Fuji & Suwa were nothing special. ***1/4
Ultimo Dragon & El Hijo Del Santo vs. Negro Casas & Black Warrior. Warrior didn't look too good early, and did too much stalling when he was in early. Later on he looked great when in with Dragon. Rudos tried to injure the technicos knees. Selling was quite good. Work was good, but should have been way better considering who was involved. **3/4
6/14 Iwate Training Center
Super Delfin & Gran Hamada vs. Tiger Mask IV & Gran Naniwa. Work was fine, but nothing like what Michinoku could once present in tag. No one really stood out. **1/4
6/21 Fukushima Shirakawa
Sasuke the Great & Masked Tiger vs. Mohammad Yone & Tiger Mask IV. Tiger was partially missing his spots and Yone was worse. No one really looked good. Masked Tiger unmasked Tiger 4 after the match. 1/2*
6/28 Fukushima Sunshine Namie
Hamada & Jinsei Shinzaki vs. Masato Yakushiji & Masaaki Mochizuki. **1/4
6/21
Yakushiji vs. Hoshikawa. Yakushiji showed what a worker he is here. Lots of great spots including a Misterio rana off the top. The problem was that they were out there too long, and they got tired and sloppy, which really hurt the match. ***1/4
6/28
Super Delfin vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa. Read Review ****
Tiger Mask & Minoru Fujita vs. Soldier & Masaru Seno
Yuko Kosugi & Sachie Abe vs. Sumie Sakai & Kazuko Fujiwara
Jinsei Shinzaki & Gran Hamada vs. Masato Yakushiji & Masaki Mochizuki
Super Delfin vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa
7/18/98: Naohiro Hoshikawa & Minoru Fujita & Masaru Seno vs. Shiima Nobunaga & Sumo Fuji & Judo Suwa. **1/4
8/2 Aomori: Shiima Nobunaga vs. Seno. *1/2 range
8/2: Hoshikawa & Masato Yakushiji vs. Sumo Fuji & Judo Suwa. Match was good in points, but sloppy in others. **1/2
7/18: Gran Hamada vs. The Convict. This had the potential to be a good match, but was ruined by a skinny Convict running in before Hamada could pin the real Convict.
7/18: Great Sasuke & Masato Yakushiji vs. Super Delfin & Yone Genjin. The spot where Sasuke hurts his shoulder trying some kind of tope con giro is nuts. Yakushiji was easily the best here, but with Sasuke not being in close to top form and Genjin being his usual sucky self, it was only okay. **
8/15/98: Yuki Ishikawa vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa. Digest
8/16/98: Hayabusa vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa. Digest
8/16/98: Great Sasuke Tiga & The Great Sasuke vs. Masked Tiger & Sasuke The Great. Digest
8/14/98: Hayabusa vs. Magic Man. Digest
8/21/98: Battle Royal
8/23/98 Miyagi New World Sendai Tennis Club Fukumen World Leaguesen Selection Match: Super Delfin vs. Great Sasuke. Beginning missing. Even though Sasuke was all banged up, it was still quite a good match. It started slow, but it turned into a hot match when they went to the high spots. Strong execution. ***1/4
8/29/98 Arena Naucalpan
SAITO vs. Yasushi Kanda. Both guys were green, but it was an adequate match. They didn't stick to just the basics, but they also didn't take too many chances. *1/2
Elimination Match: Magnum Tokyo & Dragon Kid & SAITO vs. Shiima Nobunaga & Judo Suwa & Sumo Fuji. Execution wasn't a strong point, but it was an exciting match where almost everyone showed a lot of potential. Dragon Kid was the most exciting, but Shiima vs. Magnum was the best because they are more consistent in pulling their spots off. ***1/4
9/23/98 Sakata
Riley Shonen vs. Toire no Hanek-san. -**
Gran Hamada & Super Delfin & Shinzaki vs. Hoshikawa & Yakushiji & Ikuto Hidaka (Battlarts). **3/4
The Great Sasuke & Gran Hamada vs. Sasuke the Great & Masked Tiger. Clip
9/15/98: The Great Sasuke vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa. Clip
Great Sasuke & Tiger Mask vs. Sasuke the Great & Masked Tiger. **3/4
CMLL Japan Lucha Fiesta '98 8/19/98 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Mr. Niebla & Mano Negro Jr. vs. Rey Bucanero & Black Warrior. Good short match.
El Hijo del Santo & Atlantis & Lizmark vs. Pirata Morgan & El Satanico & Fishman. **3/4
10/24/98 Tag League: SASUKE & Sasuke The Great vs. Super Delfin & Gran Naniwa
10/24/98 Tag League: Naohiro Hoshikawa & Masato Yakushiji vs. Shiima Nobunaga & Sumo Fuji
Tag League Digest
11/1/98: Battle Royal
11/1/98: Shodai Tiger Mask vs. Yone Genjin
11/1/98 10 Man Tag Match: SASUKE & Sasuke The Great & Shiima Nobunaga & Judo Suwa & Sumo Fuji vs. Super Delfin & Gran Hamada & Gran Naniwa & Tiger Mask & Masato Yakushiji
11/3/98 Aomori-ken Min Taiikukan 12 Man Tag Match: SASUKE & Sasuke The Great & Masaaki Mochizuki & Shiima Nobunaga & Judo Suwa & Sumo Fuji vs. Super Delfin & Gran Hamada & Naohiro Hoshikawa & Masato Yakushiji & Tiger Mask & Yone Genjin
11/8/98 New World Sendai Tennis Club Tag League Final: Super Delfin & Gran Naniwa vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa & Masato Yakushiji
Royal Rumble
Beef Wellington vs. Mamoru Okamoto
Takeshi Ono vs. Masaru Seno
Shodai Tiger Mask vs. Yone Genjin
Super Delfin & Gran Hamada & Gran Naniwa & Tiger Mask & Masato Yakushiji vs. SASUKE & Sasuke The Great & Shiima Nobunaga & Judo Suwa & Sumo Fuji
Jinsei Shinzaki vs. Masaaki Mochizuki
Tag League: Gran Hamada & Yone Genjin vs. The Great Sasuke & Sasuke The Great
Sumo Fuji & Judo Suwa & Shiima Nobunaga vs. Tiger Mask & Convict & Masaru Seno
Tag League Final: Super Delfin & Gran Naniwa vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa & Masato Yakushiji
Naohiro Hoshikawa & Gran Naniwa & Masaru Seno vs. Judo Suwa & Sumo Fuji & Shiima Nobunaga
Lerey Shonen vs. SASUKE
Naniwa vs. SASUKE
Super Delfin & Yone Genjin vs. Gran Hamada & Tiger Mask IV
Naohiro Hoshikawa & Masato Yakushiji & Masaru Seno vs. Judo Suwa & Sumo Fuji & Shiima Nobunaga
Toryumon 12/12/98 Arena Naucalpan
Young Dragon Tournament First Round Highlights
Young Dragon Tournament Round 2: Kenichiru Arai vs. Genki Horiguchi
Judo Suwa & Shiima Nobunaga & Sumo Fuji & Yoshikazu Taru vs. El Hijo Del Santo & Vampiro & Magnum Tokyo & Dragon Kid
12/16 Odawara Digest
12/22/98 Chiba Port Arena Sub Arena
Tiger Mask IV vs. Yone Genjin
SASUKE & Takeshi Ono & Masaaki Mochizuki vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa & Gran Naniwa & El Pantera