New Japan vs. WAR 6 Man Tag Match: Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka & El Samurai vs. Koki Kitahara & Masao Orihara & Nobukazu Hirai 15:11
Shinya Hashimoto & Masa Saito vs. Scott Norton & Dusty Rhodes Jr (Dustin Rhodes) 13:57
Battle of Burning Stars: Hiroshi Hase vs. Sting 15:31
New Japan vs. WAR Taikosen: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Takashi Ishikawa 11:41
NWA World & IWGP Heavyweight Double Title Match: Great Muta vs. Masahiro Chono 19:48
Power Struggle of 8 Men: Shiro Koshinaka & Great Kabuki & Masashi Aoyagi & Akitoshi Saito vs. Super Strong Machine & Hiro Saito & Norio Honaga & Tatsu Goto
Ron Simmons vs. Tony Halme
IWGP Junior Title: Ultimo Dragon (WAR) vs. Jushin Thunder Liger. Liger wins title
IWGP Tag Titles: Hellraisers vs. Steiner Brothers
The Climax of Wrestling: Riki Choshu vs. Genichiro Tenryu (WAR)
Dream Win IV 1/24/93
Osamu Nishimura vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa 7:42
Hiroshi Hase vs. Yuji Nagata 7:13
Takayuki Iizuka vs. Hiroyoshi Yamamoto 15:43
Akira Nogami & El Samurai defeat Satoshi Kojima & Shinjiro Otani 13:00
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa 9:02
Hiroshi Hase vs. Akitoshi Saito 10:03
Battle of Dealer! 3/21/93
IWGP Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Dean Malenko. Excellent match. So smooth and fluid. They knew what they wanted to do and they executed to perfection. Of course, in all their wisdom NJ "had to" cut 10 minutes out so they could keep the clips, interviews, and intros and still get the tape over in 1hr. 13:40 of 24:17. **** range
Power Struggle of 5 vs. 5: Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Great Kabuki & Masashi Aoyagi vs. Tatsutoshi Goto & Super Strong Machine & Hiro Saito & Ashura Hara & Norio Honaga. Typical decent large NJ tag where they made quick tags, double teamed often, and kept it moving. Aoyagi was cut immediately, with Honaga getting a huge blood smear on his breast. 4:30 of 18:10.
BATTLE OF DOUBLE DEALER: Power Warrior vs. Keiji Muto. Thankfully, it was Muto and not Muta because then 1 guy could wrestle. The problem with this match, and really any match with Sasaki as Power, is his gimmick doesn't allow him to sell. At this stage, Muto could still be an good bump taker, but that's still disappointing since he's much better offensively than Power. Some nice spots like Power stopping Muto on the top rope, stepping up to the 2nd, and press slamming him to the floor. Muto "injured" his knee on the landing, so Sasaki attacked it. The first half was Power domination, while the 2nd half was more even. Power looked bad bumping when Muto finally went on offense. He was effective when the match was simple, but otherwise his flaws were apparent. Good near finishes though, and the crowd was into it. 20:32 of 23:30. **3/4
Digest of 17 matches from 1/24/93-3/24/01
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
NJ Wonderland #554 8/30/99
2/6/93 Chiba Shi Sports Center: Yuji Nagata vs. Shinjiro Otani. 3:32 shown
2/5/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Keiji Muto & Shinya Hashimoto & Akira Nogami vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Michiyoshi Ohara & Takashi Ishikawa 13:21. ***
1/4/93 Tokyo Dome, NWA & IWGP Heavyweight Double Title Match: The Great Muta vs. Masahiro Chono 19:48. ***1/4
NJ Wonderland ~Chosenshi Gekiko Hen~ #555 8/31/99
taped 2/6/93 Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Riki Choshu & Takayuki Iizukda vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura. *3/4
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Brad Armstrong. **3/4
taped 2/13/93 Chiba-shi Sports Center
Ashura Hara & Masao Orihara vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Masashi Aoyagi. **
Keiji Muto & Akira Nogami vs. Hellraisers. *
#556 taped 2/6/93 Chiba Shi Sports Center
Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Brad Armstrong & Perry Saturn 11:14. *3/4
Tony Halme & Matthew Rambo vs. Masahiro Chono & Takayuki Iizuka 10:16. *
Hiroshi Hase & Riki Choshu & Osamu Kido & Takayuki Iizuka vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi & The Great Kabuki & Akitoshi Saito & Shiro Koshinaka 8:59 **
Tatsumi Fujinami & Shinya Hashimoto vs. Takashi Ishikawa & Koki Kitahara 9:57. **
#557 taped 2/10/93 Gifu Sangyo Kaikan
Osamu Nishimura vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa 8:17. *
Hiroyoshi Yamamoto vs. Yuji Nagata 8:42. *1/4
Satoshi Kojima vs. Shinjiro Otani 8:53. *1/2
taped 2/6/93 Chiba Shi Sports Center
Satoshi Kojima vs. Hiroyoshi Yamamoto 3:40 shown
Genichiro Tenryu vs. Kengo Kimura 10:43. ***1/4
NJPW Wonderland #557 taped 2/10/93 Gifu Sangyo Kaikan
Osamu Nishimura vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa 8:17. *
Hiroyoshi Yamamoto vs. Yuji Nagata 8:42. *1/4
Satoshi Kojima vs. Shinjiro Otani 8:53. *1/2
taped 2/6/93 Chiba Shi Sports Center
Satoshi Kojima vs. Hiroyoshi Yamamoto 3:40 shown
Genichiro Tenryu vs. Kengo Kimura 10:43. ***1/4
Wonderland #558 taped 2/13/93 Okayama-ken Taiikukan
Shinjiro Otani vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa 7:47. *
Satoshi Kojima vs. Hiroyoshi Yamamoto 10:52 *1/4
Masa Saito vs. Tatsutoshi Goto 8:35. 3/4*
Jushin Thunder Liger & Hiroshi Hase & Manabu Nakanishi & Akira Nogami vs. Norio Honaga & Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto & SS Machine 19:29. **1/2
2/10/93 Gifu Sangyo Kaikan
Osamu Nishimura vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Yuji Nagata vs. Hiroyoshi Yamamoto
Shinjiro Otani vs. Satoshi Kojima
Black Cat vs. Osamu Kido
Jushin Thunder Liger & Hiroshi Hase & Akira Nogami & & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Super Strong Machine & Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto & Norio Honaga
2/10/93 Gifu Sangyo Kaikan
Keiji Muto & Masahiro Chono vs. Tony Halme & Perry Saturn
Hell Raisers vs. Brad Armstrong & Rambo
Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu & Takashi Iizuka vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi & Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka
2/13/93 Okayama-ken Taiikukan
Shinjiro Otani vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa
Hiroyoshi Yamamoto vs. Satoshi Kojima
2/13/93 Okayama-ken Taiikukan
Perry Saturn vs. Black Cat
Masa Saito vs. Tatsutoshi Goto
Jushin Thunder Liger & Osamu Kido vs. Hiro Saito & Super Strong Machine
Masahiro Chono vs. Matthew Rambo
Riki Choshu & Akira Nogami vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka
2/13/93 Okayama-ken Taiikukan
Hell Raisers vs. Takashi Iizuka & Tatsumi Fujinami
Keiji Muto & Hiroshi Hase vs. Tony Halme & Brad Armstrong
2/16/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Osamu Nishimura vs. Shinjiro Otani
Manabu Nakanishi & Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata & Hiroyoshi Yamamoto
Akira Nogami vs. Brad Armstrong
#560 2/13/93 Okayama-ken Taiikukan
Perry Saturn vs. Black Cat
Jushin Thunder Liger & Osamu Kido vs. Hiro Saito & Super Strong Machine
Masahiro Chono vs. Matthew Rambo
Takayuki Iizuka & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Road Warrior Hawk & Power Warrior
#561 9/21/99 aired 2/27/93 taped 2/?/93 Okayama Budokan
Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura vs. Riki Choshu & Akira Nogami
Tony Halme & Brad Armstrong vs. Hiroshi Hase & Keiji Muto
2/3 Falls NJ vs. WAR 10 Man Tag Match: Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu & Osamu Kido & Hiroshi Hase & Takayuki Iizuka vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara & Takashi Ishikawa & Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara. This is the heavyweight match to get you excited about the NJ vs. WAR program, in many ways a superb early in the series interpromotional match that served the purpose of making you want to see the various NJ vs. WAR possibilities in addition to being an excellent match. However, it also shows the fault in Choshu's booking valuing destroying the other leagues credibility by having them lose two straight falls (and both to him!) over long term business. Given who was involved you probably couldn't have asked for a better match. Heated intense stiff fast paced match with quick tags to get the most out of everyone. Hase & Iizuka were in top form, troopers who made it good no matter whom the opponent. Choshu wasn't in much, but it was a great example of how effective he can be at instigating, building rivalries, and generating heat. When he first came in he elbowed the legal man Fuyuki, but followed through with an elbow to Ishikawa on the apron. Later Tenryu saved Kitahara from Iizuka's submission with a soccer kick, so Choshu was right in there with a scowl kicking Kitahara in the back. Fujinami was the peer Tenryu targetting, selling more than you'd expect early on and turning in a good performance. They pounded on Hara's head in the 2nd fall, busting him open hardway then doing their best to open the cut up further. WAR was pretty much carried though Tenryu and Kitahara had their moments and Hara gave everything he had. Tenryu was injured by Kido's wakigatame, and his team held up their end for a while but eventually crumbled without him. ****
Osamu Nishimura vs. Shinjiro Otani. Digest
Yuji Nagata & Hiroyoshi Yamamoto vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Satoshi Kojima. Digest
Akira Nogami vs. Brad Armstrong. Digest
El Samurai vs. Masao Orihara
Jushin Thunder Liger & Ultimo Dragon vs. Hiro Saito & Norio Honaga
Tatsutoshi Goto & Super Strong Machine vs. Masashi Aoyagi & Kuniaki Kobayashi
IWGP Tag Title Match: Hellraisers vs. Tony Halme & Matthew Rambo
Masahiro Chono & Keiji Muto & Shinya Hashimoto vs. Great Kabuki & Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka
2/16/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
El Samurai vs. Masao Orihara
Ultimo Dragon & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Hiro Saito & Norio Honaga
Masashi Aoyagi & Kuniaki Kobayashi vs. Super Strong Machine & Tatsutoshi Goto
Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono & Keiji Muto vs. Great Kabuki & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura
2/16/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
IWGP Tag Title Match: Hellraisers vs. Tony Halme & Matthew Rambo
2/3 Falls NJ vs. WAR 10 Man Tag Match: Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu & Osamu Kido & Hiroshi Hase & Takayuki Iizuka vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara & Takashi Ishikawa & Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara
3/9/93 Akita Shiritsu Taiikukan: Dean Malenko & Wild Pegasus vs. Jushin Liger & El Samurai
3/9/93 Akita Shiritsu Taiikukan
Akitoshi Saito & The Great Kabuki vs. Takashi Iizuka & Akira Nogami
Raging Staff vs. Heisei Ishingun 4 Single 4 Battles
Norio Honaga vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi
Hiro Saito vs. Masashi Aoyagi
Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Kengo Kimura
Super Strong Machine vs. Shiro Koshinaka
Masahiro Chono & Keiji Muto & Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez & TNT (Savio Vega) & Axe Boulder (Horace Boulder)
NJPW Wonderland #562 taped 2/16/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Shinjiro Otani vs. Osamu Nishimura 7:34. *1/4
Yuji Nagata & Hiroyoshi Yamamoto vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Satoshi Kojima 11:49. *3/4
Akira Nogami vs. Brad Armstrong 9:29. ***
El Samurai vs. Masao Orihara 9:20. ***
NJPW Wonderland #563 taped 2/16/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Jushin Thunder Liger & Ultimo Dragon vs. Norio Honaga & Hiro Saito 14:53. ***1/2
SS Machine & Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masashi Aoyagi 8:23. *3/4
The Great Kabuki & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura vs. Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono & Keiji Muto 18:40. ***
Wonderland #564
3/9/93 Akita Shiritsu Taiikukan: Takayuki Iizuka & Akira Nogami vs. The Great Kabuki & Akitoshi Saito 9:50 shown. Iizuka & Nogami were trying, but the opposition wasn't providing much help. Iizuka & Nogami weren't given much offense, and were basically jobbers given the tough task of trying to make Kabuki look good. *1/2
2/16/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan, 2/3 Falls NJ vs. WAR 10 Man Tag Match: Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu & Osamu Kido & Hiroshi Hase & Takayuki Iizuka vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara & Takashi Ishikawa & Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara 18:25 & 14:17. This is the heavyweight match to get you excited about the NJ vs. WAR program. In many ways it's a superb early in the series interpromotional match that served the purpose of making you want to see the various NJ vs. WAR possibilities in addition to being an excellent match. However, it also shows the fault in Choshu's booking valuing destroying the other leagues credibility by having them lose two straight falls (and both to him!) over long term business. Given who was involved you probably couldn't have asked for a better match. Heated, intense, stiff, fast paced match with quick tags to get the most out of everyone. Hase & Iizuka were in top form, troopers who made it good no matter whom the opponent. Choshu wasn't in much, but it was a great example of how effective he can be at instigating, building rivalries, and generating heat. When he first came in he elbowed the legal man Fuyuki, but followed through with an elbow to Ishikawa on the apron. Later Tenryu saved Kitahara from Iizuka's submission with a soccer kick, so Choshu was right in there with a scowl kicking Kitahara in the back. Fujinami was the peer Tenryu targetting, selling more than you'd expect early on and turning in a good performance. They pounded on Hara's head in the 2nd fall, busting him open hardway then doing their best to open the cut up further. WAR was pretty much carried though Tenryu and Kitahara had their moments and Hara gave everything he had. Tenryu was injured by Kido's wakigatame, and his team held up their end for a while but eventually crumbled without him. ****
3/9/93 Akita Shiritsu Taiikukan, Young Lion Cup League Matches
Shinjiro Otani vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa
Satoshi Kojima vs. Osamu Nishimura
Manabu Nakanishi vs. Hiroyoshi Yamamoto
4/6/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Osamu Nishimura vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa
Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata vs. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Yamamoto
Young Lion Cup 1993: Shinjiro Otani 1 vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa 0 9:57
Young Lion Cup 1993: Osamu Nishimura 1 vs. Satoshi Kojima 0 9:59
Young Lion Cup 1993: Hiroyoshi Yamamoto 1 vs. Manabu Nakanishi 0 13:02
Dean Malenko & Pegasus Kid vs. El Samurai & Jushin Thunder Liger 14:01
Akitoshi Saito & The Great Kabuki vs. Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka 10:39
Kuniaki Kobayashi vs. Norio Honaga 5:10
Hiro Saito vs. Masashi Aoyagi 9:41
Kengo Kimura vs. Tatsutoshi Goto 11:41
Super Strong Machine vs. Shiro Koshinaka 10:38
Keiji Muto & Masahiro Chono & Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Axe Boulder & Hercules Hernandez & Scott Norton & TNT 11:57
Young Lion Cup 1993: Shinjiro Otani [3] vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa [0] 9:13
Young Lion Cup 1993: Osamu Nishimura [5] vs. Manabu Nakanishi [4] 8:47
Young Lion Cup 1993: Satoshi Kojima [4] vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa [2] 8:44
Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka vs. Dean Malenko & Pegasus Kid 12:01
El Samurai & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Hiro Saito & Norio Honaga 12:46
Super Strong Machine & Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Kengo Kimura & Kuniaki Kobayashi 10:31
Akitoshi Saito & Shiro Koshinaka & The Great Kabuki vs. Hiroyoshi Yamamoto & Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami 10:35
Michiyoshi Ohara & Shinya Hashimoto vs. Axe Boulder & TNT 10:23
Hercules Hernandez & Scott Norton & Tony St. Clair vs. Keiji Muto & Masahiro Chono & Osamu Kido 10:30
4/6/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Akira Nogami vs. The Great Kabuki
Michiyoshi Ohara vs. Takashi Ishikawa
Norio Honaga & Ultimo Dragon vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai
4 vs. 3 Handicap Tag Match: Tatsutoshi Goto & Hiro Saito & Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & Akitoshi Saito
4/6/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
IWGP Tag Title Match: Hell Raisers vs. Masahiro Chono & Takayuki Iizuka
Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Kido vs. Super Strong Machine & Ashura Hara
Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu
3/23/93 Tokyo Taiikukan: Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Pegasus Kid & Dean Malenko
3/23/93 Tokyo Taiikukan
4th Young Lion Cup Final: Osamu Nishimura vs. Hiroyoshi Yamamoto
Hell Raisers vs. Hercules & Scott Norton
Shinya Hashimoto vs. Hiromichi Fuyuki
Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa
NJ Tadakai no Wonderland ~Chosenshi Gekiko Hen~ #566 10/11/99
4/7/93 taped 4/6/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata vs. Hiroyoshi Yamamoto & Satoshi Kojima
Takashi Ishikawa vs. Michiyoshi Ohara
3/6/93 taped 2/16 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
IWGP Tag Senshukenjiai: Hellraisers vs. Tony Halme & Rambo
3/13/93 taped 3/9 Sakata Kenritsu Taiikukan
Scott Norton & Hercules & TNT & Axe Boulder (Horace) vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu & Keiji Muto & Masa Chono
NJ Tadakai no Wonderland ~Chosenshi Gekiko Hen~ #567 10/12/99
4/7/93 taped 4/6 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Akira Nogami vs. The Great Kabuki
3/13/93 taped 3/9 Akita ShiritsuTaiikukan
Single 4 Rensen (series of battles): Norio Honaga vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi
Single 4 Rensen (series of battles): Hiro Saito vs. Masashi Aoyagi
Single 4 Rensen (series of battles): Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Kengo Kimura
Single 4 Rensen (series of battles): Super Strong Machine vs. Shiro Koshinaka
Young Lion Cup Advance to Championship Decision Match: Osamu Nishimura vs. Manabu Nakanishi 6:03
Young Lion Cup Final: Hiroyoshi Yamamoto vs. Osamu Nishimura 12:23
Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Pegasus Kid & Dean Malenko 14:32
The Great Kabuki vs. Akira Nogami 8:26
Masahiro Chono & Takayuki Iizuka vs. TNT & Tony St. Clair 11:55
Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto & SS Machine & Ashura Hara vs. Akitoshi Saito & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura 11:52
Hellraisers - Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior vs. Scott Norton & Hercules 10:54
Shinya Hashimoto vs. Kodo Fuyuki 12:24
Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu vs. Takashi Ishikawa & Genichiro Tenryu 10:54
#568 taped 3/13/93 taped 3/9 Akita Kenritsu Taiikukan
Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Pegasus Kid & Dean Malenko. It was disappointing that they made no attempt to have a memorable match, but it was readily apparent that they were all slick workers who were capable of reaching that level. They didn't go spot crazy, but they were always working hard and thinking, which allowed them to consistently put on a good show despite their self imposed limitation of not putting their bodies through much duress. Liger & Pegasus did a really impressive opening given they were simply countering basic locks. The progression to their good offense was quick, but their preestablished ability to work the positions, turning a disadvantage into an advantage, made the progression seem more natural than usual. ***1/2
4/7/93 taped 4/6/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura & Akitoshi Saito vs. Koki Kitahara & Hiromuchi Fuyuki & Tatsutoshi Goto & Hiro Saito
Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Kido vs. Ashura Hara & Super Strong Machine
#569 taped 4/6/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
3/23/93 Tokyo Taiikukan: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Osamu Nishimura
Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Norio Honaga & Ultimo Dragon
Riki Choshu vs. Genichiro Tenryu
Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Osamu Nishimura. Basic submissions and strikes rookie match. Nishimura did do a moonsault at the end, but it was a terrible one. *
Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata vs. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Yamamoto. Solid match that got good in the later stages. Nakanishi was in most of the match, but this was at the time whenshe showed some potential. Nagata & Kojima were the best of the four at this time as well. **1/4
Akira Nogami vs. The Great Kabuki. Nogami worked his ass off to pull a good match out of the less than great one. He basically had a good solid match with a broom that moved when he needed to. In a way it could have been much better, but in a way Kabuki barely doing anything was what saved it. The focus of the match was Nogami attacking Kabuki's left knee. Nogami somehow made the whole thing entertaining though. Maybe I overrate this match a bit, but Nogami definitely did a great job and showed that a basic match can be better. ***
Michiyoshi Ohara vs. Takashi Ishikawa. Ohara did a tope right away. He got the crowd behind him with his energy and enthusiasm. Ohara was at his best here because he had charisma, stuck to what he can do, and did moves that could be done against anyone so it wasn't too apparent how bad Ishikawa was. The match was so short though, with Ohara losing practically as soon as Ishikawa touched him. *1/2
Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Ultimo Dragon & Norio Honaga. The work of Liger, Samurai, & Dragon was so exceptional at this time that this almost couldn't not be good. It's one of those matches where it's hard to pinpoint specific areas that made it so good; it's more that the guys brought their A game, did everything so well, and were just so smooth. The heat was clearly on Liger vs. Ultimo, with Liger having defeated Ultimo for the junior title three months earlier. They played this up with Ultimo getting Liger to essentially start the match with him by dropkicking him off the apron. A fast start got the crowd involved and carried their interest through the slower points. The match wasn't exceptional when it was slow, but the precision and fluidity of the fast sequences made up for it. There were times when the match would simply take off. There was a dive sequence around 12 that was probably the best and most important in the match because prior to it the match was essentially Liger vs. Dragon in the fans eyes, but this and the subsequent near falls on Liger until the now "injured" Samurai saved him from the double beating set the crowd on fire and got them into Samurai & Honaga. The last 6 minutes and the finish itself were great. Liger was so charismatic here and made the match with his electrifying performance, but everyone was at least really good. ****
4 vs. 3 Handicap Tag Match: Tatsutoshi Goto & Hiro Saito & Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & Akitoshi Saito. Punch, kick, and stomp match. Had some heat, but only Koshinaka could be called good. No one was exactly bad, but most were quite uninteresting. *3/4
Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior vs. Masahiro Chono & Takayuki Iizuka. Another in the long line of Hellraisers squashes. Iizuka gave a good performance as usual, but was basically there to be embarrassed. He was nearly finished in the first minute, but Chono saved him from the double impact. Chono was also good, but his performance too was wasted in a short one-sided match. Due to the Hellraisers opposition, the match was good for what it was. *3/4
Super Strong Machine & Ashura Hara vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Kido. SS & Fujinami looked good and showed fire. Hara & Kido were old, dated, and generally lifeless. Well executed, but basic and dull. Even though it was short it was somewhat repetitive becase these guys don't have many holds. *3/4
Riki Choshu vs. Genichiro Tenryu. Stiff, solid match with good timing. This was clearly the match the fans came to see; it had great heat and the aura that it was something special. Tenryu gave Choshu several hard kicks to the face, which caused him to bleed. He was pretty dominant to set up a big long run by Choshu that the fans went crazy for. Choshu's limitations kept this from being very good, but he was motivated and on. The execution could have been a little better, but basically the match at least lived up to expectations. ***
#570 taped 3/23/93 Tokyo Taiikukan
Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Dean Malenko & Pegasus Kid
The Great Kabuki vs. Akira Nogami
Masahiro Chono & Takayuki Iizuka vs. Tony St. Clair & TNT
Kuniaki Kobayashi & Akitoshi Saito & Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka vs. Ashura Hara & Super Strong Machine & Tatsutoshi Goto & Hiro Saito
#571 taped 3/23/93 Tokyo Taiikukan
4th Young Lion Cup Final: Hiroyoshi Yamamoto vs. Osamu Nishimura
Hellraisers vs. Scott Norton & Hercules
#572 taped 3/23/93 Tokyo Taiikukan
5/3/93 Fukuoka Dome: Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka & El Samurai vs. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Yamamoto & Osamu Nishimura
Satoshi Kojima vs. Hiro Saito
Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa
#573 taped 5/3/93 Fukuoka Dome
Masa Saito vs. Brutus Beefcake
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tiger Mask
Hiroshi Hase vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara
5/3/93 Fukuoka Dome
Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Yamamoto & Osamu Nishimura vs. El Samurai & Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka
Akitoshi Saito vs. Michiyoshi Ohara
Brutus Beefcake vs. Masa Saito
Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Great Kabuki & Masashi Aoyagi vs. Super Strong Machine & Tatsutoshi Goto & Hiro Saito & Ishikawa & Ashura Hara
5/3/93 Fukuoka Dome
Sting vs. Scott Norton
Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Hiroshi Hase
6/5/93 Mie Tsu-shi Taiikukan
Black Cat vs. Satoshi Kojima
Eddy Guerrero vs. Lightning Kid
Shinjiro Otani vs. Norio Honaga
6/5/93 Mie Tsu-shi Taiikukan
Flying Scorpio vs. Wild Pegasus
Manabu Nakanishi & Hiroshi Hase vs. Hiro Saito & Super Strong Machine
Bobby Eaton & Tony Halme vs. Masahiro Chono & Takashi Iizuka
Keiji Muto & Akira Nogami vs. Great Kabuki & Akitoshi Saito
Shinya Hashimoto & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka
El Samurai & Takayuki Iizuka & Akira Nogami vs. Satoshi Kojima & Osamu Nishimura & Hiroyoshi Yamamoto 15:01
Power Struggle All Out War: The Great Kabuki & Masashi Aoyagi & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura vs. Ashura Hara & Takashi Ishikawa & Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto & Super Strong Machine 11:25
Super Explosion Bout: Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior vs. Masahiro Chono & Shinya Hashimoto 12:22
Real Masters of Wrestling: Hiroshi Hase vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara 12:11
Super Dream Match Real American: Great Muta vs. Hulk Hogan 15:55
Battle of Young Master: Michiyoshi Ohara vs. Akitoshi Saito 9:26
Rise the Professional: Masa Saito vs. Brutus Beefcake 8:35
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tiger Mask 14:35
Gold Rush in New Japan: Sting vs. Scott Norton 9:16
Special Climax: Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu & Genichiro Tenryu 26:25
Disk 1
6/15/79 Los Angeles, CA Olympic Auditorium 2/3 Falls NWA North American Tag Titles: Seiji Sakaguchi & Riki Choshu vs. Hiro Matsuda & Masa Saito. All technical wrestling, but since this was '79 that meant a lot of rolling around on the mat. Sakaguchi's technique and execution weren't that great, but the others all did the moves they did well. Saito was clearly the best of the bunch. Decent.
8/2/81 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Riki Choshu vs. Roland Bach. There must be some significance to this match that I'm not aware of because why would they show Choshu get squashed in 3+ minutes otherwise?
10/8/82 Tokyo: Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Bad News Allen & S.D. Jones. The big story here was major dissention in the ranks between Choshu & Fujinami, caused by Fujinami, with the two coming to blows a few times during the match. Fujinami celebrates his win and thinks Choshu might be coming over to join him, but instead he kicks Fujinami's ass to set up their singles feud and Seikigun vs. Ishingun series.
4/3/83 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan WWF Nintei International Heavykyu Senshuken: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu. It was weird seeing an immediate ref bump in New Japan, as well as double KO from a lariat right off the bat. Once things settled down they were on the mat for too long, but it got really good when they finally turned it up and went to the spots. Their offense was pretty basic, but the fans were going nuts for everything. ***
1/6/83 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Riki Choshu & Masa Saito vs. Seiji Sakaguchi & Killer Khan. Khan allowed Choshu & Saito to constantly doubleteam Sakaguchi a stomp a mudhole in him. After Choshu & Saito were DQ'd for constant double teaming, Khan finally completed his heel turn by coming off the top with a diving kneedrop for Sakaguchi then putting the boots to him. Inoki & Fujinami eventually made the save. The match wasn't any good from a technical perspective, but it didn't try to be. The angle was pretty intense, and definitely heated up the Seikigun vs. Ishingun feud.
4/19/84 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan Seikigun vs. Ishingun 5 vs. 5: Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami & Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Kengo Kimura & Nobuhiko Takada vs. Riki Choshu & Animal Hamaguchi & Yoshiaki Yatsu & Isamu Teranishi & Kuniaki Kobayashi. Choshu vs. Inoki was complete, but the other matches were shown in digest form.
6/14/84 Tokyo Kuramae Kokugikan: Masa Saito & Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Dick Murdock & Adrian Adonis & Ken Patera. Choshu & Patera were the weak links.
8/19/87 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan 5 vs. 5 Elimination Match: Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami & Akira Maeda & Kengo Kimura & SS Machine vs. Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi & Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Kantaro Hoshino & Keiji Muto. Fast paced all action match. Very intense with awesome heat. Probably the best match on the tape, but only 1/2 was shown.
Disk 2
8/20/87 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan: Antonio Inoki & Keiji Muto vs. Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami. Mad heat. Good old style action, except Muto added a lot of excitement to that with his flashy moves. Inoki was, not surprisingly, the worst of the bunch, but Muto vs. Fujinami was real good. ***1/2
10/5/87 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Riki Choshu vs. Tatsumi Fujinami. Really good match with really crappy endings. The match would have been better if it was shorter because the last 7 minutes of the first match were really exciting with all their spots back and forth, but the beginning was real slow with a bunch of submissions. Fujinami did work over Choshu's leg during the slow portion, so it wasn't a total waste. They restarted the match after a double count out, but it never really picked up after that like you'd expect, instead they kind of just meandered until Choshu hurt Fujinami's arm and then kept on it until the finish. ***1/4
10/19/87: Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Antonio Inoki & Keiichi Yamada. Yamada is a little punk here, but gets pinned virtually as soon as Choshu catches him. Since Inoki never got into the match, they have a second match where he goes against Choshu & Fujinami. Inoki is overmatched, but Choshu & Fujinami fight over who is going to pin Inoki and the match winds up breaking down into a fight between Choshu & Fujinami.
7/22/88 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center IWGP Championship Decision League Match: Riki Choshu vs. Antonio Inoki. Really short match, but that was actually a good thing because it was fast-paced and exciting. **
2/22/89 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan: Riki Choshu vs. Antonio Inoki. This wasn't as short, so it wasn't as good because the first 6 minutes were wasted. After that the match took off with Choshu giving Inoki a stiff beating. *3/4
8/19/90 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan IWGP Heavykyu Senshuken: Vader vs. Riki Choshu 11:51. Choshu overcame monster Vader in the most basic and least dynamic fashion possible. Vader bullied Choshu with Vader hammers for several minutes. Choshu had a brief comeback with punches and stomps, messing Vader's eye up, but Vader dragged him to the floor and railed and posted Choshu, busting him open. The fans went nuts when Choshu cut Vader off on the top and hit a superplex and from here Choshu did almost nothing beyond Riki lariats until he finally won the match despite "injuring" his arm on Vader's chin on the first lariat. The wrestling content in the match was almost non-existent, and it was too repetitive and poorly structured to be worth much as a brawl. If there was any semblance of back and forth it might have developed some genuine drama, but I guess between Choshu's popularity and how much effort they'd put into getting Vader over as the dominant monster heel, they were able to be dramatically lazy without it hurting the crowd reactions. **
Part 3
6/1/84 Takamatsu Shi Min Bunka Center '84 IWGP Leaguesen: Riki Choshu vs. Andre The Giant. Andre dominated from start to finish. Really bad match that did nothing for Choshu. DUD
3/21/91 Tokyo Dome Greatest 18 Club Title Match: Riki Choshu vs. Tiger Jeet Singh. Typical god awful and incredibly fake brawling by Tiger, who uses his sword the whole match but never tries to do anything with it but hit Choshu with the handle. -*
12/7/89 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan '89 World Cup Sodatsu League Yushoketteisen: Riki Choshu vs. Shinya Hasimoto 18:31. Choshu did more a credible Hashimoto style match based on kicks and submissions. The early matwork tended toward stalling, but they broke it up well with the stiff kicks and occasional suplex or impact move. As the match progressed, you began to see this was actually the story of the match, and you began to believe in the submissions because they kept going to them every time they created an opportunity. They'd knock their opponent down with something good and then rather than going for the pin or dragging them back up, they'd hook them. Though it was a very basic technical match that didn't have any intricate matwork that was going on in the U.W.F. or hell, even the most basic countering, the layout and the impact of the strikes kept a good level of interest, intensity, and believability. I liked that the finish appeared to be the usual series of Riki lariats, but instead Choshu faked Hashimoto out and lept at him with an enzuigiri the 3rd time then worked the Dragon sleeper until Hashimoto tapped, finishing what they started as far as the big standing impact always setting up a submission attempt. ***
5/24/90 Tokyo Bay NK Hall: Riki Choshu vs. Keiji Muto. Muto did a lot of cool moves to make it entertaining. Unfortunately, the match would die when Choshu went on offense. Muto looked really good, but Choshu was in control too much. **1/2
8/7/91 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan G1 CLIMAX Koshikisen: Riki Choshu vs. Masahiro Chono. I guess this style would be described as strong style. It was more of a UWF style match, but some of the strikes were more brawl oriented and they didn't worry about trying to make it look like a shoot. Not that exciting, but everything was well executed. **
1/4/93 Tokyo Dome: Riki Choshu vs. Genichiro Tenryu. Stiff match with strong selling. They worked hard, but seemed old. It was slow paced, but they got a lot out of what they are able to do. Tenryu bled. ***
4/6/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan: Riki Choshu vs. Genichiro Tenryu. The fans were really into it. Another stiff match. This time Choshu bled. Choshu mainly dominated Tenryu though, and really the only reason it wasn't very good is that it ended before Tenryu had a chance to get much offense in. ***
NJ Wonderland #575 taped 5/3/93 Fukuoka Dome
Shinya Hashimoto & Masa Chono vs. Hellraisers
Riki Choshu & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami
NJ Wonderland #576 taped 6/5/93 Mie Tsu-shi Taiikukan
Black Cat vs. Satoshi Kojima
Eddy Guerrero vs. Lightning Kid
Pegasus Kid vs. Flying Scorpio
Masahiro Chono & Takashi Iizuka vs. Tony Halme & Bobby Eaton
#576 taped 6/5/93 Mie Tsu-shi Taiikukan
Black Cat vs. Satoshi Kojima
Eddy Guerrero vs. Lightning Kid
Pegasus Kid vs. Flying Scorpio
Masahiro Chono & Takashi Iizuka vs. Tony Halme & Bobby Eaton
#577 taped 6/5/93 Mie Tsu-shi Taiikukan
Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. David Finlay & Dean Malenko
Michiyoshi Ohara vs. Masashi Aoyagi
Keiji Muto & Akira Nogami vs. The Great Kabuki & Akitoshi Saito
Tatsumi Fujinami & Shinya Hashimoto vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka
Best Of The Super Jr. III: Liger vs. Shinjiro Otani. Otani was still developing at this point. Everyone knew he was no match for Liger, so Liger just let him do the things he could do well before putting him away. They made it a little more interesting by Otani getting in Liger's face and slapping him before the match, showing that he might be overmatched but he wasnt' afraid. Otani missed a diving elbow drop off the 2nd and Liger attacked that arm, with Otani doing an awesome job of putting the injury over. The finish was surprisingly lame, but this was a generally good match with Otani's enthusiasm and verve making up some of what he lacked offensively. 11:57. **1/4
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Michiyoshi Ohara. Brawl. This was one of Liger's early junior vs. heavy matches, but Ohara doesn't appear to weigh much more than Liger. Ohara ripped Liger's mask. Ohara doesn't have much of a move set, but since he was mainly using heel tactics it didn't hurt this particular match too much. Good, crisp execution. Liger was on top of his game here, and he needed to be with this opponent. He's able to do a lot more with his usual opponents, but he was smart in that he kept things simple so Ohara could "excel." ***
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Kengo Kimura. This match works because Liger is able to wrestle like he's big and tough, making Kimura's size advantage irrelevant. ***1/4
Note: all bouts are league matches
5/26/93 Omiya Skate Center
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Dean Malenko. It always looks like Liger and Malenko have these excellent matches, but sadly we never get the whole thing. Again, this was so well worked, just poetry in motion. Really solid match with impressive counters done so smoothly. Malenko consistently worked Liger's knee, though Liger didn't sell it as well as he did in later years, and even got a little help from Liger when he still tried a diving kneedrop & all Malenko had to do was avoid. 9:36 of 17:23
Shinjiro Otani vs. El Samurai. 2:45 of 12:05
5/28/93 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Dean Malenko vs. Pegasus Kid. Beautiful short match that was so smooth and fluid. They just countered and countered and countered. Malenko jumped over Pegasus like a sunset flip, but hooked him like a backslide. However, Pegasus flipped over Malenko's back, landing on his feet and taking Malenko down with an arm drag. Too short, but lots of fun while it lasted. 6:47 of 9:41
El Samurai vs. Masao Orihara. Only match on this tape that definitely wasn't good. They used nice oves, but their utilization was poor and Orihara was really off in his execution. the way they were no selling piledrivers, I wondered if they weren't possessed by Roid Warrior Hawk. 5:41 of 11:39
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Shinjiro Otani. Otani was still developing at this point. Everyone knew he was no match for Liger, so Liger just let him do the things he could do well before putting him away. They made it a little more interesting by Otani getting in Liger's face and slapping him before the match, showing that he might be overmatched but he wasnt' afraid. Otani missed a diving elbow drop off the 2nd and Liger attacked that arm, with Otani doing an awesome job of putting the injury over. The finish was surprisingly lame, but this was a generally good match with Otani's enthusiasm and verve making up some of what he lacked offensively. 11:57. **1/4
6/8 Shizuoka Hamamatsu Shi Taiikukan
Shinjiro Otani vs. Eddy Guerrero. Guerrero carried Otani to a match that was at least close to good, though again the finish was lame. Otani's execution was a bit off, but Guerrero was especially sharp. Otani's swandive plancha looked great, but he got so much altitude he took out the security rail more than Guerrero. 5:38 of 13:28
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Norio Honaga. Honaga attacked Liger's knee. It looked like he would use his favorite jumping neckbreaker drop, but the opportunity to hit the soft spot was also there, so Honaga actually ended it with a kneecap dropkick. 4:25 of 12:51
6/11/93 Soka: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Samurai. A more spot oriented match that wasn't up to their 1992 standards. Granted those are extremely high, but it certainly wasn't wrestled as cleanly or as logically. 7:43 of 13:27
6/12/93: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Flying Scorpio. Scorpio went after Liger's shin, which worked well until he accidentally snapped his ankle with a diving body press. Liger did a great job of selling before it became legit. 3:30
5/26/93 Omiya Skate Center
Pegasus Kid [2] vs. Masao Orihara [0] 1:04 shown
El Samurai [2] vs. Shinjiro Otani [0] 1:06 shown
Dean Malenko [2] vs. Jushin Thunder Liger [0] 1:13 shown
5/28/93 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Dave Finlay [4] vs. Norio Honaga [0] 6:20 shown
Pegasus Kid [4] vs. Dean Malenko [2] 0:44 shown
Masao Orihara [2] vs. El Samurai [4] 1:02 shown
Jushin Thunder Liger [2] vs. Shinjiro Otani [0] 1:00 shown
6/8/93 Hamamatsu-shi Taiikukan
Shinjiro Otani [2] vs. Eddie Guerrero [8] 1:06 shown
Pegasus Kid [10] vs. Lightning Kid [6] 0:42 shown
Norio Honaga [8] vs. Jushin Thunder Liger [10] 1:02 shown
6/11/93 Soka Sports and Health Memorial Gymnasium
Lightning Kid [8] vs. Shinjiro Otani [2] 7:11 shown
Dean Malenko [8] vs. Norio Honaga [8] 0:13 shown
Jushin Thunder Liger [12] vs. El Samurai [10] 0:10 shown
6/12/93 Kawasaki City Gym
El Samurai [12] vs. Dean Malenko [8] 0:59 shown
Pegasus Kid [14] vs. Eddie Guerrero [10] 1:02 shown
Flying Scorpio [8] vs. Jushin Thunder Liger [10] 0:33 shown
6/14/93 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukan
Playoff: Dean Malenko vs. Eddie Guerrero 9:40 shown. They were definitely still figuring out their match, but this was good with some nice counters & mirror spots.
Playoff: Flying Scorpio vs. El Samurai 5:37 shown. They do a good job of propelling their bodies at one another, but generally didn't have much chemistry & the execution was slightly off. Disappointing.
Semifinal: Dean Malenko vs. El Samurai 10:41 shown. There were some slick sequences when they were on the move, but the matwork had no sense of them working together. Good.
Top Of The Super Junior IV Final: Pegasus Kid vs. El Samurai 18:44. Jushin Thunder Liger's injury truly threw the tournament into disarray, causing Scorpio to essentially wrestle a tournament to get to the finals, going through Scorpio & Dean Malenko earlier in the night, who along with Eddy Guerrero & Liger each had 12 points during the league portion. That's one of the big problems with this high impact workrate match, it's a total one off final that's structured exactly like any other notable juniors match of the time, despite the obvious story of Benoit being fresh & Samurai being worn down. There's no sense that Samurai needs to win quickly, and he neither gets off to a fast start from being warmed up (they always do the fast start into the matwork, and while the initial chain wrestling is better than usual, the matwork is probably worse with only Samurai's typical Russian leg sweep into the ground manjigatame being of note) nor gets overwhelmed and put into the big underdog roll from being beaten down (Benoit doesn't overwhelm him any more than the typical opponent). Benoit's power and roughhousing advantages are established early on, and definitely his exceptionally high impact on even the most pedestrian moves such as the bodyslam are highlights of the early portion, with Samurai getting one big running elbow to get him hope in the striking exchanges. Samurai is just great on the move, definitely the slicker worker in this match, and part of the problem is the first half typically devotes too much time to matwork that neither excels at rather than to Benoit overwhelming Samurai with power, which tells not only a story, but a logical one given the circumstances. Once the match gets going, they really let loose, stepping up the big move quotient for the final including 3 avalance style moves down the stretch, which was really a lot at the time. There's several minutes of exchanging big moves before that, and this is probably hurt by the post produced commentary, which both mutes a lot of crowd noise and has the energy of a golf match, but you can see the wide array wrestlers at ringside, which includes all the tournament participants as well as many of the native heavyweights, are particularly into it, with Masahiro Chono even climbing onto the ring apron when Samurai hits his signature avalanche style Frankensteiner, ready to rush the ring to congradulate him on his victory. Benoit not only survives that, but also an avalanche style backdrop. Samurai doesn't know what it's going to take to beat this guy, and winds up going to the well one too many times, with Benoit turning his 3rd avalanche style move into a ridiculous powerbomb off the top for the instakill! The finisher, which Samurai did a stretcher job for, was so off the charts at the time that it not only made up for a lot of the flaws of the match, but made the bout an instant sensation. It doesn't hold up as well as move sets have advanced and there's not enough reacting and countering to really bring out the best in both, but everything they did was crisp & well if not brutally executed. Pegasus' win made him the first foreigner to take the tournament, with Guerrero in 1996 being the only other before the junior division was gutted by just pushing every native to "heavyweight" ASAP. ****
Vol. 16 6/14/93 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukan
Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Osamu Kido
IWGP Tag Titles: Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior vs. Tony Halme & Bobby Eaton
5/28/93 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & Great Kabuki & Masashi Aoyagi vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu & Shinya Hashimoto & Michiyoshi Ohara
6/8/93 Hamamatsu-shi Taiikukan
Riki Choshu & Hiroshi Hase & Akira Nogami vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & Great Kabuki. Highlights
6/14/93 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukan
Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami & Keiji Muto & Hiroshi Hase & Takashi Iizuka vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & Great Kabuki & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masashi Aoyagi
Vol. 17 '93 GI Climax Special 9/26/93 Osaka Jo Hall
Tiger Mask vs. Masao Orihara
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Black Tiger. Read Review. ***3/4
Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Genichiro Tenryu
6/15/93 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
Osamu Nishimura & Shinjiro Otani & Yuji Nagata vs. Yuji Yasuraoka & Nobukazu Hirai & Yoshiro Ito 12:44
Satoshi Kojima & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Kodo Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara 12:49
El Samurai & Pegasus Kid vs. Ultimo Dragon & Dean Malenko 15:43
Hellraisers (Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior) vs. Haku & "The Earthquake" John Tenta 15:51
6/5/93 Mie Tsu-shi Taiikukan: Michiyoshi Ohara vs. Masasho Aoyogi
6/15/93 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Great Muta vs. Great Kabuki
Elimination Match: Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu & Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono & Hiroshi Hase vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Super Strong Machine & Ashura Hara & Takashi Ishikawa & Tatsutoshi Goto
#578
6/5/93 Mie Tsu-shi Taiikukan: Hiroshi Hase & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Hiro Saito & SS Machine
6/15/93 Tokyo Nippon Budokan:
Osamu Nishimura & Shinjiro Otani & Yuji Nagata vs. Yuji Yasuraoka & Nobukazu Hirai & Yoshiro Ito 12:44
Hellraisers (Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior) vs. Kim Duk & "The Earthquake" John Tenta 15:51
#579 taped 6/15/93 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura vs. Akira Nogami & Takashi Iizuka 12:32
Shin Nihon vs. WAR Zenmen Taikosen 2nd Round 5 vs. 5 Elimination Match: Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami & Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono & Hiroshi Hase vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa & Ashura Hara & Super Strong Machine & Tatsutoshi Goto 37:10
Osamu Nishimura vs. Shinjiro Otani 10:13
Pegasus Kid vs. Yuji Nagata 10:16
Top Of The Super Junior IV First Round: Dave Finlay [5] vs. Dean Malenko [5] 11:51
Top Of The Super Junior IV First Round: El Samurai [4] vs. Norio Honaga [4] 9:06
Top Of The Super Junior IV First Round: Eddie Guerrero [5] vs. Jushin Thunder Liger [5] 14:39
Bobby Eaton & Tony Halme vs. Michiyoshi Ohara & Shinya Hashimoto 10:51
Keiji Muto & Manabu Nakanishi & Masahiro Chono vs. Hiro Saito & Super Strong Machine & Tatsutoshi Goto 11:46
The Great Kabuki vs. Takayuki Iizuka 7:58
Akitoshi Saito & Kengo Kimura & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masashi Aoyagi & Shiro Koshinaka vs. Akira Nogami & Hiroshi Hase & Riki Choshu & Satoshi Kojima & Tatsumi Fujinami 13:35
Osamu Nishimura & Shinjiro Otani & Yuji Nagata vs. Yuji Yasuraoka & Nobukazu Hirai & Yoshiro Ito 12:44
Satoshi Kojima & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Kodo Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara 12:49
Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura vs. Akira Nogami & Takashi Iizuka 12:32
El Samurai & Pegasus Kid vs. Ultimo Dragon & Dean Malenko 15:43
Hellraisers (Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior) vs. Haku & "The Earthquake" John Tenta 15:51
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Great Muta vs. The Great Kabuki 11:41
Shin Nihon vs. WAR Zenmen Taikosen 2nd Round 5 vs. 5 Elimination Match: Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami & Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono & Hiroshi Hase vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa & Ashura Hara & Super Strong Machine & Tatsutoshi Goto 37:10
NJPW Wonderland #579 taped 6/15/93 Tokyo Nippon Budokan
Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura vs. Akira Nogami & Takashi Iizuka 12:32
Shin Nihon vs. WAR Zenmen Taikosen 2nd Round 5 vs. 5 Elimination Match: Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami & Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono & Hiroshi Hase vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa & Ashura Hara & Super Strong Machine & Tatsutoshi Goto 37:10
NJPW Wonderland #580
6/15/93 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara vs. Satoshi Kojima & Manabu Nakanishi 12:48 *1/2
taped 6/30/93 Ueda Shimin Taiikukan
Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa 6:34. *1/4
Takayuki Iizuka & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Brad Rheingans & Paul Diamond 10:53. **1/2
6/15/93 Tokyo Nippon Budokan, IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Great Muta vs. The Great Kabuki 11:41. *
No Referee Death: Koki Kitahara vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi 20:23
Ashura Hara vs. Akitoshi Saito 9:12
Super Strong Machine vs. Masashi Aoyagi 9:24
The Great Kabuki vs. Tatsutoshi Goto 15:45
Kengo Kimura vs. Hiro Saito 15:14
Takashi Ishikawa vs. Shiro Koshinaka 14:56
6/30/93 Ueda Shimin Taiikukan
Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs. Tokimitsu Ishikawa
Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata
Paul Diamind & Brad Rheigans vs. Takashi Iizuka & Manabu Nakanishi
Great Kabuki & Kunyaki Kobayashi vs. Masahiro Chono & Akira Nogami
Super Strong Machine & Hiro Saito vs. Masashi Aoyagi & Akitoshi Saito
TNT vs. Keiji Muto
6/30/93 Ueda Shimin Taiikukan
Shinya Hashimoto & Michiyoshi Ohara vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka
Tatsumi Fujinami & Hiroshi Hase & Riki Choshu vs. Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez & Brad Armstrong
taped 7/13/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Yuji Nagata vs. Shinjiro Otani
Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masaji Aoyagi & Akitoshi Saito vs. Super Strong Machine & Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto
Tiger Mask III vs. Norio Honaga
#582 taped 6/30/93 Ueda Shimin Taiikukan
6/15/93 Tokyo Nippon Budokan: El Samurai & Pegasus Kid vs. Ultimo Dragon & Dean Malenko
Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata
Masahiro Chono & Akira Nogami vs. The Great Kabuki & Kuniaki Kobayashi
Super Strong Machine & Hiro Saito vs. Masashi Aoyagi & Akitoshi Saito
#583 taped 6/30/93 Ueda Shimin Taiikukan
Jushin Thunder Liger & Osamu Nishimura vs. El Samurai & Shinjiro Otani 15:07 ***
Masahiro Chono & Tatsumi Fujinami & Hiroshi Hase vs. Scott Norton & Hercules & Brad Armstrong 13:21 **1/4
taped 7/13/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka vs. Brad Rheingans & Paul Diamond 5:42
Scott Norton & Hercules vs. TNT & Brad Armstrong 6:55. *1/2
#584 taped 7/13/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Yuji Nagata vs. Shinjiro Otani 11:37 *
Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masashi Aoyagi & Akitoshi Saito vs. SS Machine & Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto 11:14. *
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Samurai 8:12 shown. All sorts of great moves, but if there was a story it didn't make it to this version.
Tatsumi Fujinami & Masahiro Chono vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Osamu Kido 12:40. *1/4
#585 taped 7/13/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Tiger Mask vs. Norio Honaga
Hiroshi Hase & Michiyoshi Ohara & Satoshi Kojima vs. Shiro Koshinaka & The Great Kabuki & Kengo Kimura
IWGP Tag Senshuken: Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior vs. Shinya Hashimoto & Keiji Muto
7/13/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Samurai
Satoshi Kojima & Michiyoshi Ohara & Hiroshi Hase vs. The Great Kabuki & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura
Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez vs. TNT & Brad Armstrong
Tatsumi Fujinami & Masahiro Chono vs. Osamu Kido & Yoshiaki Fujiwara
IWGP Tag Title Match: Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior vs. Keiji Muto & Shinya Hashimoto
Wonderland #585 taped 7/13/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Tiger Mask vs. Norio Honaga
Hiroshi Hase & Michiyoshi Ohara & Satoshi Kojima vs. Shiro Koshinaka & The Great Kabuki & Kengo Kimura
IWGP Tag Senshuken: Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior vs. Shinya Hashimoto & Keiji Muto
Wonderland #586 taped 7/14/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Yuji Nagata vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa
Hiroshi Hase & Osamu Nishimura & Satoshi Kojima vs. Akira Nogami & Takashi Iizuka & Manabu Nakanishi
Shinya Hashimoto vs. The Great Kabuki
Keiji Muto vs. Brad Armstrong
NJPW Wonderland #587 taped 7/14/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
7/22/93 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Black Cat vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa 7:36. *3/4
Shiro Koshinaka vs. Takashi Ishikawa 6:33 shown. Good.
Jushin Thunder Liger & Shinjiro Otani vs. Tiger Mask & El Samurai 15:13. ***1/2
Kengo Kimura & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masashi Aoyagi & Akitoshi Saito vs. SS Machine & Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto & Koki Kitahara 13:00 *3/4
NJPW Wonderland #588 taped 7/22/93 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Norio Honaga vs. Shinjiro Otani 10:20. ***
Jushin Thunder Liger & Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. El Samurai & Osamu Nishimura 15:46. ***
7/14/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Tatsumi Fujinami & Masahiro Chono vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara 16:52. ***1/2
7/14/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Shinya Hashimoto vs. The Great Kabuki
Keiji Muto vs. Brad Armstrong
Jushin Thunder Liger & Shinjiro Otani vs. Tiger Mask III & El Samurai
The Hell Raisers vs. Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez
Kengo Kimura & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Akitoshi Saito & Masashi Aoyagi vs. Takashi Ishikawa & Tatsutoshi Goto & Hiro Saito & Super Strong Machine
7/14/93 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center
Masahiro Chono & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara
7/22/93 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs. Black Cat
Norio Honaga vs. Shinjiro Otani
Akitoshi Saito vs. Yuji Nagata
Manabu Nakanishi vs. Akira Nogami
7/22/93 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Jushin Thunder Liger & Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Osamu Nishimura & El Samurai
Michiyoshi Ohara & Takashi Iizuka & Shinya Hashimoto vs. Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto & Super Strong Machine
Power Warrior & Hawk Warrior vs. Hercules Hernandez & Scott Norton
Hiroshi Hase & Keiji Muto & Masahiro Chono & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Masashi Aoyagi & The Great Kabuki & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura
NJPW Wonderland #589 taped 7/22/93 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Yuji Nagata vs. Akitoshi Saito 11:37. **
Manabu Nakanishi vs. Akira Nogami 9:53. *1/2
Shinya Hashimoto & Takayuki Iizuka & Michiyoshi Ohara vs. SS Machine & Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto 13:59. **
Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior vs. Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez 6:45. 1/2*
NJ Wonderland #590
taped 8/3/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Osamu Nishimura & Satoshi Kojima & Shinjiro Otani vs. Nobukazu Hirai & Yuji Yasuraoka & Yoshito Ito. These guys looked like they didn't like each other, which was important since it was an interpromotional feud. Not spectacular, but the moves were well done. **1/2
Wild Pegasus vs. Tiger Mask. Tiger's ribs and shoulder were all taped up. Benoit went after the shoulder early on, and the doctor stopped it just after 4 minutes. Pegasus kept attacking the shoulder anyway. The match was good while it last, but that wasn't long.
taped 7/22/93 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Tatsumi Fujinami & Keiji Muto & Masahiro Chono & Hiroshi Hase vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & Great Kabuki & Masashi Aoyagi. A lot of kicking, but a solid, well executed, hard fought match. Hase put on a good show, as did Chono & Koshinaka. Aoyagi got a really nasty mouse under his left eye. ***
8/3/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Akitoshi Saito
Wild Pegasus vs. Tiger Mask (Kanemoto)
Power Warrior & Road Warrior Hawk vs. The Nasty Boys
Jushin Thunder Liger & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Koki Kitahara
G1 Climax Tournament 1st Round: Takashi Iizuka vs. Hiromichi Fuyuki
8/12/92 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Masahiro Chono vs. Rick Rude
8/3/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
'93 G1 Climax Tournament 1st Round: Shiro Koshinaka vs. Super Strong Machine
'93 G1 Climax Tournament 1st Round: Masahiro Chono vs. Ashura Hara
'93 G1 Climax Tournament 1st Round: Shinya Hashimoto vs. Hiroshi Hase
Shinjiro Otani & Satoshi Kojima & Osamu Nishimura vs. Yuji Yasuraoka & Nobukazi Hirai & Yoshihiro Ito
8/3/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan: Keiji Muto & Akira Nogami & Manabu Nakanishi vs. The Great Kabuki & Kengo Kimura & Masashi Aoyagi
8/8/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Shinjiro Otani vs. Eddie Guerrero
Black Cat & Osamu Kido vs. Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Wild Pegasus 14:35. ****
8/8/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Masahiro Chono & Takashi Iizuka & Tatsumi Fujinami & Keiji Muto & Michioyoshi Ohara vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura & The Great Kabuki & Masashi Aoyagi & Kuniaki Kobayashi
IWGP Tag Title Match: Road Warrior Hawk & Power Warrior (Hell Raisers) vs. Hercules Hernandez & Scott Norton
Hiroshi Hase vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Shinya Hashimoto vs. Genichiro Tenryu
8/8/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi & Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Yasuraoka & Nobukazu Hirai & Yoshihiro Ito
Osamu Nishimura vs. Akitoshi Saito
8/7/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan, '93 G1 Climax Final: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Hiroshi Hase
NJ Wonderland #194
8/16/85 taped 8/3 Hawaii Aloha Stadium: Jimmy Snuka vs. Larry Sharpe. 2 minute squash.
8/2/85 taped 7/28 Osaka Jo Hall
NWA Sekai & WWF Nintei Junior Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: The Cobra (NWA champ) vs. Hiro Saito (WWF champ). Hiro showed nothing. Cobra tried hard, but had nothing to work with. The first match was really slow paced and rather dull with an awful screw job finish. They restarted the match and it was much faster paced and more exciting, but unfortunately this only lasted a couple minutes. Cobra unifies the titles. *1/2
Antonio Inoki vs. Bruiser Brody. Brody totally dominated, with the fans cheering the whole time for Inoki to come back. The pace wasn't very fast, but they did do a lot of "big" moves in the last 4-5 minutes. Good match largely due to Brody, but the finish sucked. **1/2
NJ Wonderland #591 8/7/93 taped 8/3 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
G1 Climax Tournament 1st Round: Takashi Iizuka vs. Hiromichi Fuyuki. Iizuka put on a good show, but even he couldn't really carry Fuyuki. The match was good when Iizuka was on offense, but it was terrible when Fuyuki was on offense. Luckily, Iizuka got to get some offense in because he was doing the job. The fans were behind Iizuka the whole way, and popping for all the near falls. Iizuka was close to getting beat several times, but kept kicking out at 2 3/4. **
Gi Climax Tournament Ikkaisen: Shiro Koshinaka vs. Super Strong Machine. The last 2 1/2 was really good, but the rest was a real disappointment for these two. **
Keiji Muto & Akira Nogami & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Kengo Kimura & Great Kabuki & Masashi Aoyagi. Boring match a ton of kicking and punching and really no sequences. *
NJPW Wonderland #593
taped 8/3/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs vs. Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior 5:21. 1/2*
Tatsumi Fujinami & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Koki Kitahara 10:26. ***1/4
taped 8/8/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
SS Machine & Hiro Saito vs. Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs 4:09. DUD
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Wild Pegasus 14:35. ****
NJPW Wonderland #594 taped 8/8/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Nobukazu Hirai & Yuji Yasuraoka & Yoshiro Ito 12:27. *1/4
Osamu Kido & Black Cat vs. Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara 12:03. *1/2
Hiroshi Hase vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara 14:30. **1/4
Tiger Mask vs. Eddy Guerrero
Tiger Mask vs. Wild Pegasus
Tatsumi Fujinami & Masa Chono & Shinya Hashimoto vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara & Takashi Ishikawa
'93 G1 Climax Tournament 1st Round
Masa Chono vs. Ashura Hara (WAR). Highlights
Shiro Koshinaka vs. Super Strong Machine. Highlights
Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara. Highlights
Keiji Muto vs. The Great Kabuki. Highlights
Hiroshi Hase vs. Shinya Hashimoto. Highlights
2nd Round
Super Strong Machine vs. Keiji Muto
Masa Chono vs. Hiromichi Fuyuki
Osamu Kido vs. Tatsumi Fujinami
Akitoshi Saito vs. Hiroshi Hase
Hellraisers vs. King Haku & The Barbarian
IWGP Tag Title Match: Hellraisers (Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior) vs. Jurassic Powers (Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez) 11:30 of 13:36. Powers win titles
G1 Tournament Semifinal
Keiji Muto vs. Tatsumi Fujinami
Hiroshi Hase vs. Masa Chono
G1 Tournament Final
Hiroshi Hase vs. Tatsumi Fujinami
8/3 1st Round
Takashi Iizuka vs. Hiromuchi Fuyuki (WAR)
Shiro Koshinaka vs. Super Strong Machine
Masa Chono vs. Ashura Hara (WAR)
Hiroshi Hase vs. Shinya Hashimoto
Highlights of the rest of the 1st round matches, the second round matches, and the semifinals
8/7 Final
Hiroshi Hase vs. Tatsumi Fujinami. Fujinami wins G1
8/3 Special Bouts
Akitoshi Saito vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Wild Pegasus vs. Tiger Mask (Kanemoto)
Hell Raisers vs. Nasty Boys (WCW)
Fujinami & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Koki Kitahara (WAR)
Highlights of 1992-94 Takada matches
4/3/94: Takada vs. Kazuo Yamazaki
5/6/94: Takada vs. Gene Lydick
9/21/92: Takada vs. Gary Albright
8/13/93: Takada & Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Gary Albright & Dan Severn
2/25/94: Takada & Naoki Sano vs. Gary Albright & Dan Severn
7/18/93: Takada vs. Salmon Hashimikov
10/4/93: Takada vs. Billy Scott
12/5/93: Takada vs. Super Vader
disc 1
4/24/89 Tokyo Dome: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi
5/25/89 Osaka IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Hase vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
7/13/89 Tokyo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Naoki Sano
8/10/89 Tokyo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Naoki Sano
1/31/90 Osaka IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Naoki Sano vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
6/12/90 Fukuoka Martial Arts Match: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Masashi Aoyagi
8/19/90 Tokyo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Pegasus Kid
11/1/90 Tokyo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Pegasus Kid vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
disc 2
4/15/91 Tokyo Top of the Super Junior: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Dave Finlay
4/28/91 Saitama Top of the Super Junior: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Owen Hart
4/30/91 Tokyo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Top of the Super Junior Final: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Norio Honaga
7/4/91 Fukuoka Mask vs. Mask Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Pegasus Kid
8/9/91 Tokyo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Akira Nogami
2/8/92 Sapporo IWGP Junior & WCW Light Heavyweight Double Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Norio Honaga
disc 3
4/16/92 Tokyo Top of the Super Junior: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Samurai
4/30/92 Tokyo Top of the Super Junior Final: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Samurai
6/26/92 Tokyo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Samurai
1/4/93 Tokyo Dome IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Ultimo Dragon vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
8/3/93 Tokyo: Jushin Thunder Liger & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Koki Kitahara
1/4/94 Tokyo Dome: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tiger Mask
2/24/94 Tokyo: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Shinya Hashimoto
disc 4
4/16/94 Tokyo Super J Cup 1st RD: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Hayabusa
4/16/94 Tokyo Super J Cup Semifinal: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Great Sasuke
5/1/94 Fukuoka Exhibition Match: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Satoru Sayama
6/13/94 Osaka Best of the Super Junior Final: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Super Delfin
9/23/94 Yokohama: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara
10/9/95 Tokyo Dome: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Naoki Sano
1/4/96 Tokyo Dome IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Koji Kanemoto vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
4/29/96 Tokyo Dome IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. The Great Sasuke
disc 5
6/12/96 Osaka Best of the Super Junior Final: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Black Tiger
6/17/96 Tokyo MPW British Commonwealth Junior Title: Dick Togo vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
8/2/96 Tokyo WAR International & British Commonwealth Junior Title, J Crown Tournament 1st RD: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Ultimo Dragon
9/23/96 Yokohama: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Wild Pegasus
1/4/97 Tokyo Dome J Crown Title: Ultimo Dragon vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
5/3/97 Osaka: Jushin Thunder Liger & Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Antonio Inoki & Tiger King
7/6/97 Sapporo J Crown Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Samurai
11/2/97 Fukuoka: Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger King vs. Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa
disc 6
1/4/98 Tokyo Dome: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Riki Choshu
2/7/98 Sapporo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Shinjiro Otani vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
8/2/98 Tokyo IWGP Junior Tag Title League: Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa
3/17/99 Hiroshima IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Koji Kanemoto 28:43 of 31:38
4/10/99 Tokyo Dome IWGP Junior Tag Title: Dr Wagner Junior & Kendo Kashin vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & Great Sasuke
5/25/99 Ishikawa Best of the Super Junior: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Gran Hamada
disc 7
6/4/99 Kagawa Best of the Super Junior Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa
10/11/99 Tokyo Dome IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Kendo Kashin vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
1/4/00 Tokyo Dome IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Koji Kanemoto
2/4/00 Sapporo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Minoru Tanaka
3/20/00 Hyogo: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Don Frye
4/7/00 Tokyo Dome: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Kensuke Sasaki
8/7/00 Osaka G1 Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tatsumi Fujinami
8/9/00 Hiroshima G1 Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tatsutoshi Goto
3/6/01 Tokyo IWGP Junior Tag Title: Koji Kanemoto & Minoru Tanaka vs. El Samurai & Jushin Thunder Liger
5/25/01 Fukushima Best of the Super Junior Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Gran Naniwa
disc 8
6/1/01 Kanagawa Best of the Super Junior Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Silver King
6/4/01 Osaka Best of the Super Junior Final: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Minoru Tanaka
8/4/01 Osaka G1 CLimax Block B: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
8/5/01 Osaka G1 Climax Block B: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Keiji Muto
8/6/01 Nagoya G1 Climax Block B: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Masahiro Chono
8/8/01 Sendai G1 Climax Block B: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Satoshi Kojima
10/19/01 Oita IWGP Tag Title: Osamu Nishimura & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & Keiji Muto
disc 9
11/16/01 Ishikawa G1 Junior Tag League: Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Gedo & Jado
11/23/01 Tokyo G1 Junior Tag League: Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai vs. Katsuyori Shibata & Wataru Inoue
12/7/01 Hiroshima G1 Tag League: Jushin Thunder Liger & Osamu Nishimura vs. Giant Silva & Masahiro Chono
5/2/02 Tokyo Dome IWGP Junior Tag Title: Gedo & Jado vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & Minoru Tanaka
5/24/02 Tokyo Best of the Super Junior Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Katsuyori Shibata
5/28/02 Sendai Best of the Super Junior Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Koji Kanemoto
disc 10
8/29/02 Tokyo IWGP Junior Tag Title: Jushin Thunder Liger & Minoru Tanaka vs. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
1/4/04 Tokyo Dome GHC Junior Title: Takashi Sugiura vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
7/19/04 Sapporo IWGP Tag Title: Minoru Suzuki & Yoshihiro Takayama vs & Jushin Thunder Liger & Kensuke Sasaki
5/14/05 Tokyo Dome: Jushin Thunder Liger & Masahiro Chono vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Tatsumi Fujinami
1/4/06 Tokyo Dome: Jushin Thunder Liger & Gedo & Jado vs. BADBOY Hido & Kintaro Kanemura & Masato Tanaka
8/8/06 Yokohama G1 Climax Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
2/17/08 Tokyo IWGP Junior Tag Title: Minoru & Prince Devitt vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA
disc 11
7/21/08 Sapporo IWGP Junior Tag Title: Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA vs. Minoru & Prince Devitt
1/4/09 Tokyo Dome: Jushin Thunder Liger & Takuma Sano vs. Koji Kanemoto & Wataru Inoue
2/15/09 Tokyo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Tiger Mask vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
4/4/10 Tokyo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Naomichi Marufuji vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
5/3/10 Fukuoka CMLL World Middleweight Title: Negro Casas vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
5/27/12 Tokyo Best of the Super Junior Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. PAC
6/16/12 Osaka IWGP Junior Tag Title: Taichi & TAKA Michinoku vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask
5/24/13 Tokyo Best of the Super Junior Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Hiromu Tanahashi
9/29/13 Kobe NWA World Heavyweight Title: Rob Conway vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
11/8/14 Osaka NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title: Chase Owens vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
5/22/15 Tokyo Best of the Super Junior Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Yohei Komatsu
disc 12
5/3/16 Fukuoka IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: KUSHIDA vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
5/17/17 Tokyo Best of the Super Junior Block A: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. TAKA Michinoku
5/31/17 Osaka Best of the Super Junior Block A Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Taichi
3/25/18 Long Beach: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Will Ospreay
6/9/18 Osaka: Jushin Thunder Liger & Hiroshi Tanahashi & Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Cody & Hangman Page & Marty Scrull
3/6/19 Tokyo IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Taiji Ishimori vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
9/22/19 Kobe: Jushin Thunder Liger & Hiroshi Tanahashi & Rocky Romero & Tiger Mask vs. DOUKI & Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Zack Sabre Jr.
10/14/19 Tokyo: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Minoru Suzuki
Wonderland #595 taped 8/8/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Osamu Nishimura vs. Akitoshi Saito 7:44. **
Shinjiro Otani vs. Eddy Guerrero 13:01. **
Tatsumi Fujinami & Keiji Muto & Masahiro Chono & Takayuki Iizuka & Michiyoshi Ohara vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & The Great Kabuki & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masashi Aoyagi 11:01. **
#598 9/23/93 Kanagawa Yokohama Arena
Shinjiro Otani & Satoshi Kojima & Dean Malenko vs. El Samurai & Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Yuji Nagata
Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara
Shinya Hashimoto vs. Jake Roberts
Jake Roberts vs. Black Cat 5:00
Black Tiger vs. El Samurai 13:46
Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask vs. Dean Malenko & Shinjiro Otani 15:30
Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Yuki Ishikawa vs. Hiroshi Hase & Yuji Nagata 16:37
Genichiro Tenryu & Hiromichi Fuyuki vs. Osamu Kido & Tatsumi Fujinami 12:40
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Great Muta vs. Shinya Hashimoto 20:30
9/23/93 Kanagawa Yokohama Arena
Black Tiger vs. Tiger Mask III
Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez vs. Takayuki Iizuka & Akira Nogami
Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara vs. Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi
Shinya Hashimoto vs. Jake Roberts
9/23/93 Kanagawa Yokohama Arena
Tatsumi Fujinami & Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Yuki Ishikawa
The Great Muta & Hulk Hogan vs. The Hellraisers (Road Warrior Hawk & Kensuke Sasaki)
Genichiro Tenryu vs. Hiroshi Hase
Dean Malenko & Satoshi Kojima & Shinjiro Otani vs. El Samurai & Yuji Nagata & Tatsuhito Takaiwa. Solid match with pretty good action. Too bad they didn't show the whole thing.
Brutus Beefcake vs. Black Cat. Really awful. Beefcake just used the mask. 3:55 shown
Black Tiger vs. Tiger Mask. An 11 minute match paced like they were going 20. The last three minutes were good, but overall it was disappointing even given Kanemoto wasn't that good in 1993. **
Takashi Iizuka & Akira Nogami vs. Jurassic Powers (Scott Norton & Hercules). Really one-sided squash. Norton & Hercules just mauled the JJ Jacks with one power move after another. *
Masahiro Chono & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Hiromichi Fuyuki & Koki Kitahara. Chono & Kitahara were impressive, but Fuyuki is always garbage and Nakanishi was just there to do the job. **1/4
Shinya Hashimoto vs. Jake Roberts. Just too much of a style clash. Jake pretty much did his thing, which didn't bode well for Hashimoto or his legit gimmick. *1/4
IWGP Junior Heavykyu Senshuken: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Masao Orihara. A really solid match with Liger doing just about everything. Each segment logically follows the next, and there wasn't a lot that was just there, although too much of the mat wrestling wasn't done in a way that it really advanced the match. The spots were ordered so they had purpose and actually meant something, the transitions were logical, and the match really flowed well. Given Orihara wasn't going to compete, it was probably the best match they could have had because everything made sense and it was so technically sound. The thing is I don't think you can give a huge rating to a match that was a glorified squash where no attempt was made to elevate Orihara to a level where at least for one day he could compete with the best. ***1/2
Tatsumi Fujinami & Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Yuki Ishikawa. Mainly submissions. Nothing really happened, and suddenly it was over. 1/2*
Hellraisers vs. Hulk Hogan & Great Muta. You know you are in trouble when Muta is by far the best of the bunch. A bunch of rest holds. Hogan vs. Hawk was particularly awful. 3/4*
Hiroshi Hase vs. Genichiro Tenryu. Tenryu supplied the stiffness and Hase really made the match with his work and attitude. Hase was really over and the outcome was in doubt so the match had main event aura. ***3/4
Vol. 16 6/14/93 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukan
Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Osamu Kido
IWGP Tag Titles: Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior vs. Tony Halme & Bobby Eaton
5/28/93 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & Great Kabuki & Masashi Aoyagi vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Riki Choshu & Shinya Hashimoto & Michiyoshi Ohara
6/8/93 Hamamatsu-shi Taiikukan
Riki Choshu & Hiroshi Hase & Akira Nogami vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & Great Kabuki. Highlights
6/14/93 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukan
Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami & Keiji Muto & Hiroshi Hase & Takashi Iizuka vs. Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka & Great Kabuki & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masashi Aoyagi
Vol. 17 '93 GI Climax Special 9/26/93 Osaka Jo Hall
Tiger Mask vs. Masao Orihara
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Black Tiger. Read Review. ***3/4
Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Genichiro Tenryu
Vol. 18 '93 GI Climax Special 9/26/93 Osaka Jo Hall
Masa Chono vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Shinya Hashimoto vs. Hiroshi Hase
Keiji Muto vs. Hulk Hogan
Vol. 19 G-1 Special 9/24/93 Miyagi Prefectural Sports Center
Jushin Liger vs. Tiger Mask
Masa Chono & Shinya Hashimoto vs. Hawk Warrior & Power Warrior
Keiji Muto vs. Hiroshi Hase
Liger vs. Black Tiger (Eddy Guerrero). Read Review. ***3/4
Note: There's about 178 matches shown in total. Listed matches are the complete ones.
Disc 1
9/18/85: Keiji Muto vs. Tony St. Clair
Disc 2
11/3/86: Keiji Muto & Kengo Kimura vs. Antonio Inoki & Kerry Von Erich
11/9/87: Keiji Muto vs. Dick Murduch
Disc 3
6/30/90: Keiji Muto vs. Brad Rheigans
3/14/91: Keiji Muto vs. Mike Rotunda
5/17/92 IWGP Title: Keiji Muto vs. Riki Choshu
Disc 4
9/26/93: Keiji Muto vs. Hulk Hogan
1/4/95 IWGP Tag Title: Keiji Muto & Hiroshi Hase vs. Rick & Scott Steiner
5/26/95: Keiji Muto vs. Steve Austin
Disc 5
11/14/95: Keiji Muto & Sting vs. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson
9/23/96 Vale Tudo Rules: Keiji Muto vs. Pedro Otavario
5/3/99 IWGP Title: Keiji Muto vs. Genichiro Tenryu
Disc 6
6/8/01 Triple Crown Title: Keiji Muto vs. Genichiro Tenryu
Disc 7
10/28/01 IWGP & AJPW Tag Titles: Keiji Muto & Taiyo Kea vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Nishimura
10/31/04: Keiji Muto & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Hiroshi Hase & Kensuke Sasake
Disc 9
12/5/05: Keiji Muto & Akebono vs. Dudley Boyz
Disc 10
4/27/08 IWGP Title: Keiji Muto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Disc 1 Birth of Muta
9/14/90 Hiroshima Sun Plaza: Great Muta vs. Hiroshi Hase. Although it was a technically excellent match with with virtually perfect execution and great flow with so many counter holds, it's mainly memorable for Hase bleeding buckets and really milking the blood loss for all it was worth when he was selling. If it wasn't for the crappy American finish, this might have been a gret match. ***3/4
9/30/90 Kanagawa Yokohama Arena: Great Muta vs. Ricky Steamboat. This should have been a lot better, but their styles didn't mesh well. Good technically due to Steamboat, but kinda dull. Outside of Muta working over Steamboat's "injured knee," there wasn't a lot of direction. **1/4
3/21/91 Tokyo Dome: Great Muta vs. Sting. Muta's entrance was awesome, but they had better matches in the US. Muta looked really good on offense and made the match, but it dragged when Sting was on offense. The length would suggest a sprint, which could have been a good thing considering Sting was involved, but instead they did too many rest holds. **1/2
7/19/91 Hokkaido Sapporo Nakajima Taiiku Center: Great Muta & TNT vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroshi Hase. Muta was more heelish here, resulting in Hase doing another huge blade job. The match was only good when Hase was in, although that is a little unfair because Muta mainly worked with Hase. **
8/25/91: Great Muta vs. Super Strong Machine. These guys could have had a damn good match, but Muta was in slow and deliberate mode and there wasn't much of note here aside from Muta ripping Machine's mask off for the DQ. *1/4
9/23/91 Kanagawa Yokohama Arena: Great Muta vs. Tatsumi Fujinami. Muta mainly brawled, dominating Fujinami and making him bleed. Fujinami gave a good performance, resulting in this being better than the typical Muta match. ***
1/4/92 Tokyo Dome: Great Muta & Sting vs. Steiner Brothers. Another awesome Muta ring entrance. Short match, but fast-paced and exciting Steiner style spotfest. All the big moves. ***3/4
Disc 2 Muta vs. Monster
9/23/92 Kanagawa Yokohama Arena IWGP Heavyweight & Greatest 18 Club Double Title Match: The Great Muta vs. Shinya Hashimoto. Stiff match, but slow-paced and deliberate. Muta did too much of his heel routine, and really didn't do much to put Hashimoto over. Hashimoto wasn't that great at this time, but I still expected a lot better than this.
12/14/92 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan: Great Muta vs. Hiroshi Hase. The thing that made this special was that the backbone of the match was stuff not commonly done in NJ rings, and even though it wasn't their standard fair, they did it so well. The match was simplistic, but what they did was done right and done in a way that made it meaningful and effective. Hase played heel here, and was able to pull it off because he was so aggressive and went all out to try to score the upset over his rival. The thing that stood out the most was that Muta did one of the sickest blade jobs ever, which got over the story of the match and was key toward Hase getting over as a heel. ****1/2
1/4/93 Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavykyu & NWA World Heavyweight Double Title Match: Great Muta vs. Masa Chono. This should have been an excellent match, but failed to reach that level because they didn't take the time to figure out why they were doing things. This was vintage Muta, mailing it in for a useless first half then turning it on for an excellent second half. The first half was wasted because they didn't really do anything to advance the match. The second half was really good with a lot of big moves, although only the moonsault and STF really had any meaning. Overall, this was toned down some spot wise and they didn't try to do anything to compensate, but they were still talented and healthy enough that they had a very good match anyway. ***1/2
5/3/93 Fukuoka Dome: Great Muta vs. Hulk Hogan. Hogan worked a lot harder than normal, but still wasn't good. Muta worked a lot harder than usual to make it passable. He looked good in points, but they both stalled too much. Typical ridiculous Hogan finish. *1/2
9/23/93 Kanagawa Yokohama Arena: Hulk Hogan & Great Muta vs. Hellraisers. You know you are in trouble when Muta is by far the best of the bunch. A bunch of rest holds. Hogan vs. Hawk was particularly awful. 3/4*
Disc 3 Revenge of Muta
6/15/93 Budokan IWGP Heavyweight Title: Great Muta vs. The Great Kabuki 11:41
4/4/94 Hiroshima Green Arena: Great Muta & Masahiro Chono vs. Riki Choshu & Genichiro Tenryu
9/23/94 Yokohama Arena: Masahiro Chono vs. Great Muta 19:40
4/29/96 Tokyo Dome: Great Muta vs. Jinsei Shinzaki 19:44
1/4/97 Tokyo Dome: Power Warrior vs. Great Muta 16:09
The Great Muta SFX making scene
Disc 4 Changing into nWo Muta
2/16/97 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Great Muta vs. Shiro Koshinaka 12:43
8/3/97 Ryogoku Kokugikan: Great Muta vs. Lord Steven Regal 6:40
8/10/97 Nagoya Dome Martial Arts Match: Great Muta vs. Naoya Ogawa 6:39
9/13/97 Gunma Arena: Great Muta vs. Tadao Yasuda 11:07
9/23/97 Nippon Budokan: Great Muta & Masahiro Chono vs. Kazuo Yamazaki & Kensuke Sasaki 17:56
8/8/98 Osaka Dome: Great Muta & The Great Kabuki vs. Michiyoshi Ohara & Tatsutoshi Goto 10:33
8/28/98 Meiji Jingu Stadium No Rope Explosive Barbed Wire Barricade Explosive Land Mine Double Hell Death: Great Muta vs. Great Nita 13:32
4/7/00 Tokyo Dome Masahiro Chono vs. Great Muta 16:21
5/5/00 Fukuoka Dome IWGP Heavyweight Title: Power Warrior vs. Great Muta 12:44
Disc 5 Special Edition Battle-0
4/7/94 Kumamoto City Gym: Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Great Muta & Hiroshi Hase 6:19
5/1/94 Fukuoka Dome INOKI FINAL COUNTDOWN 1st: Antonio Inoki vs. Great Muta 20:12
4/12/97 Tokyo Dome: Great Muta vs. Masahiro Chono
7/6/97 Makomanai Ice Arena: Riki Choshu & Shinya Hashimoto vs. Great Muta & Masahiro Chono 12:38
8/1/97 Ryogoku Kokugikan G1 Climax 1997 First Round: Great Muta vs. Manabu Nakanishi 10:25
9/20/97 Aichi Prefectural Gym G1 Climax Special Tag Tournament Final: Kazuo Yamazaki & Kensuke Sasaki vs. Great Muta & Hiroyoshi Tenzan 15:21
9/16/01 Rainbow Hall: Hakushi & Kokushi Muso vs. Masahiro Chono & Mike Barton 14:45
Note: All matches are Super Grade Tag League bouts
10/5 Tokyo Korakuen Hall: Jushin Thunder Liger & Wild Pegasus vs. Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono. Hashimoto used his size, strength, and generally brute to punish Liger. He didn't let up any just because they were "little guys." Meanwhile, Liger showed he could be effective against Hashimoto through speed, athleticism, and generally technique. Still, Hashimoto couldn't sell too much for these guys without hurting his ass kicker gimmick, so he pretty much destroyed Liger apart from brief flurries off a counter. Luckily, Chono could still work at this point and was willing to sell for the juniors. Even though their styles differed, Chono worked well with both opponents. All in all, this match did a great deal for the juniors because it showed that while they weren't as strong, they had enough skill to be competitive with the best heavyweights NJ had to offer. They weren't going to knock one of these guys out, but they could win through thriftiness. After seeing a match like this, you really wonder how NJ/Choshu could have become such complete and utter morons doing junior vs. heavy stuff six years later. ***3/4
10/19 Hiroshima Sun Plaza
Jushin Thunder Liger & Wild Pegasus vs. Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez. The biggest reason I always hated the Jurassic Powers combination is that neither guy could sell even if they wanted to, not that they probably ever did. That, in my book, eliminates the possibility of having a good match because even if the opponents do a phenominal job of putting the Powers over, it's still going to be a boring squash match. The fans were intrigued by the size difference, but the interest and reaction didn't sustain like they could have because nobody could delude themselves into thinking the juniors had a chance. To make things worse, Norton screwed up his spot where he suplexes an opponent in each arm, resulting in Pegasus injuring his neck on a wicked unintentional brainbuster. Liger & Pegasus made Powers look good, and aside from the afformentioned spot it was well executed. Liger & Pegasus pretty much only used flying. Norton & Herc were knocked off their feet now and then, but nothing hurt them. **
Keiji Muto & Hiroshi Hase vs. Hawk & Power Warrior. Actually a really good match within the confines of the Warriors gimmick, but that gimmick is so constricting that it still damn near sucked. Hawk took on both opponents at once, running through their double lariat then taking them down both arms at the same time as lariats. He no sold Muto's windspring lariat and backdrops, while Power no sold Hase's uranage. *1/2
11/1 Nagano Matsumoto Shi Sogo Taiikukan: Keiji Muto & Hiroshi Hase vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & Wild Pegasus. It's sad when you have to comment that this was the only match where everyone sold. Since size wasn't an issue, they just went out and had the strong technical match you'd expect from these guys. It still wasn't the match they were capable of because they used a standard sequence structure instead of challenging each other to something complex. Also, Muto/Hase didn't inject enough of their style into the match, with Muto not even using many of his notable moves. So it was really well worked and executed, but they didn't make their styles come together. Too much talent not to succeed, but much more potential than they realized. 14:02 shown. Very good.
11/4/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Shinjiro Otani vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa
Yuji Nagata vs. Manabu Nakanishi
Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez vs. The Barbarian & Sean Royal
Super Strong Machine vs. Tatsutoshi Goto
Tatsumi Fujinami & El Samurai & Osamu Kido & Black Cat & Satoshi Kojima vs. Kengo Kimura & The Great Kabuki & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masashi Aoyagi & Michiyoshi Ohara
NJPW Wonderland #601 taped 11/4/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
Shinjiro Otani vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa 10:59. *1/2
Yuji Nagata vs. Manabu Nakanishi 11:43. **3/4
Tatsumi Fujinami & El Samurai & Osamu Kido & Black Cat & Satoshi Kojima vs. Kengo Kimura & The Great Kabuki & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masashi Aoyagi & Michiyoshi Ohara 19:22. *
NJPW Wonderland #602 taped 11/4/93 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
SS Machine vs. Tatsutoshi Goto 14:18. *
Keiji Muto & Hiroshi Hase vs. Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono 26:48. ***1/4
Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata 8:23
Black Tiger vs. Shinjiro Otani 6:30
Osamu Kido vs. Brad Rheingans 6:37
Hercules Hernandez & Scott Norton vs. Hiroshi Hase & Manabu Nakanishi 6:25
Keiji Muto vs. Mike Enos 11:15
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Michiyoshi Ohara 12:18
Tatsumi Fujinami vs. The Great Kabuki 10:11
Kengo Kimura & Kuniaki Kobayashi & Masashi Aoyagi & Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka & Masahiro Chono & Shinya Hashimoto 16:15
Best Of The Super Jr. III: Liger vs. Shinjiro Otani. Otani was still developing at this point. Everyone knew he was no match for Liger, so Liger just let him do the things he could do well before putting him away. They made it a little more interesting by Otani getting in Liger's face and slapping him before the match, showing that he might be overmatched but he wasnt' afraid. Otani missed a diving elbow drop off the 2nd and Liger attacked that arm, with Otani doing an awesome job of putting the injury over. The finish was surprisingly lame, but this was a generally good match with Otani's enthusiasm and verve making up some of what he lacked offensively. 11:57. **1/4
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Michiyoshi Ohara. Brawl. This was one of Liger's early junior vs. heavy matches, but Ohara doesn't appear to weigh much more than Liger. Ohara ripped Liger's mask. Ohara doesn't have much of a move set, but since he was mainly using heel tactics it didn't hurt this particular match too much. Good, crisp execution. Liger was on top of his game here, and he needed to be with this opponent. He's able to do a lot more with his usual opponents, but he was smart in that he kept things simple so Ohara could "excel." ***
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Kengo Kimura. This match works because Liger is able to wrestle like he's big and tough, making Kimura's size advantage irrelevant. ***1/4
Wonderland #605 taped 11/24/93 Niigata Shi Taiikukan
12/10/93 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan: Satoshi Kojima vs. Michiyoshi Ohara
Takashi Iizuka & Akira Nogami vs. Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez
Keiji Muto & Osamu Kido vs. Jerry Saggs & Brian Knobbs
IWGP Junior Heavykyu Senshuken: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Black Tiger
Wonderland #606 taped 12/10/93 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan
11/24/93 Niigata Shi Taiikukan: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Michiyoshi Ohara 3:45. Fujinami attacked on the floor before the bell and Ohara was bleeding heavily by the time the match started. Fujinami completely dominated him. His old partner Kengo Kimura got into it with him after the match.
Shiro Koshinaka & Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Super Strong Machine 14:10. Major heat early for this HI vs. WAR bout, particularly for leaders Koshinaka vs. Tenryu. Koshinaka was getting big reactions for everything he did, but Goto is useless and thus Koshinaka had to work most of the match. Goto kept getting taken out and Tenryu would put the boots to Koshinaka, with SS double teaming now and then. Tenryu was acting really grumpy, trying to put over how much above Koshinaka he was. This got more reaction for Koshinaka early but he had almost no offense during the 2nd half of the match, causing the crowd to die and the match to lag some. ***
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Masashi Aoyagi 6:30. Aoyagi jumped Liger right after he pinned Tiger in the title defense, so Liger immediately challenged him. For whatever reason this was hardly a match though. They did some technical wrestling with Liger working the knee then suddenly Liger won with a half crab. *
Tokimitsu Ishizawa & Yuji Nagata vs. Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa 11:01
Kuniaki Kobayashi & The Great Kabuki vs. El Samurai & Satoshi Kojima 11:47
Hiroshi Hase vs. Mike Enos 12:26
Hercules Hernandez & Scott Norton vs. Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka 7:56
Super Strong Machine vs. Hiro Saito 10:32
Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags vs. Keiji Muto & Osamu Kido 9:13
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Black Tiger 13:30
Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Michiyoshi Ohara 3:42
Kengo Kimura & Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Masahiro Chono & Shinya Hashimoto 10:55
#606 taped 12/10/93 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan
11/24/93 Niigata Shi Taiikukan: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Michiyoshi Ohara 3:45
Shiro Koshinaka & Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Super Strong Machine 14:10. ***
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Masashi Aoyagi 6:30
#607 taped 12/10/93 Aichi Prefectural Gym
Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Kengo Kimura
Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez vs. Jerry Sags & Brian Knobs
12/13/93 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Kengo Kimura
Shinjiro Otani & Yuji Nagata vs. Satoshi Kojima & Tatsuhito Takaiwa 11:49
Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags vs. Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka 7:26
Hercules Hernandez & Scott Norton & Mike Enos vs. Hiroshi Hase & Keiji Muto & Masahiro Chono 16:18
Hiromichi Fuyuki & Super Strong Machine vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi & Tatsutoshi Goto 13:23
Hiromichi Fuyuki & Super Strong Machine vs. Hiro Saito & Norio Honaga 10:01
Shiro Koshinaka & The Great Kabuki vs. Black Cat & El Samurai 10:07
Kengo Kimura vs. Jushin Thunder Liger 23:32
Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Masashi Aoyagi 6:22
Shinya Hashimoto vs. Michiyoshi Ohara 12:18
Shinjiro Otani vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa 9:51
Mike Enos vs. Yuji Nagata 9:33
Brad Rheingans vs. El Samurai 7:20
Hercules Hernandez vs. Black Cat 9:56
Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags vs. Masahiro Chono & Satoshi Kojima 8:35
Kengo Kimura vs. Manabu Nakanishi 9:08
Jushin Thunder Liger & Keiji Muto vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi & Tatsutoshi Goto 10:42
Hiroshi Hase & Shinya Hashimoto & Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Michiyoshi Ohara & Shiro Koshinaka & The Great Kabuki 18:19
#608
12/13/93 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. The Great Kabuki
12/10/93 Nagoya Aichi-ken Taiikukan IWGP Heavykyu Senshuken: Shinya Hashimoto vs. Keiji Muto
#609 taped 12/13/93 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan
Osamu Kido & El Samurai vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata
Kuniaki Kobayashi & Michiyoshi Ohara vs. Hiro Saito & Norio Honaga
Keiji Muto & Black Cat & Satoshi Kojima vs. Mike Enos & Jerry Saggs & Brian Knobs
Hiroshi Hase vs. Tatsutoshi Goto
Masahiro Chono vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Wonderland #609 taped 12/13/93 Osaka Furitsu Taiikukaikan
Osamu Kido & El Samurai vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata
Kuniaki Kobayashi & Michiyoshi Ohara vs. Hiro Saito & Norio Honaga
Keiji Muto & Black Cat & Satoshi Kojima vs. Mike Enos & Jerry Saggs & Brian Knobbs
Hiroshi Hase vs. Tatsutoshi Goto
Masahiro Chono vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Wonderland #610
Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner vs. Scott Norton & Hercules Hernandez. High impact match steeped in power moves, but with little accumulation of damage. Jurassic Powers actually took several bumps, while Scott still managed to take the fewest and do the least selling. 9:54. *3/4
IWGP Heavykyu Senshukenjiai: Shinya Hashimoto vs. Power Warrior. Normally I want long matches, but I'd take 12 minutes with intensity over this. For the most part they wrestled a slow dull auraless match with little in the way of movement. It seemed like any old match, but just kept going and going, so eventually, after they did near fall after near fall, you began to be a bit surprised when the match continued. Though the fans popped for the big moves, there wasn't enough going on early and too much going on late, so for me it was kind of a double whammy putting me to sleep then frustrating me by damaging too many finishers. Still, in an odd way it was interesting. Power gave his typically uninspiring performance, while Hashimoto saved himself for the final minutes. 25:17. **1/4