Post by Nordiques95 on Feb 18, 2005 21:12:14 GMT -5
Part 2 – Why 2 first? The main event is on part 1. Silly Video Pack Nippon.
Yuji Nagata vs. Manabu Nakanishi
Strangely there’s no commentary for this match which makes it way too quiet in their. The crowd finally comes alive for them trading slaps, but settles down quickly. Nakanishi is basically on offense for about 12 minutes, until Nagata gets a German and a quick armbreaker for the submission. Off to WCW with you Kurosawa. Not a bad match, it was just a typical Young Lion encounter without much flair.
Norio Honaga & Akira Nogami vs. Takayuki Iizuka & El Samurai
I’m not sure about the particulars about Iizuka’s career at this point, but after nearly 9 years in the company, a couple learning excursions, and a tag title reign he ends up with the juniors. This doesn’t make sense to me. Anyway back to the match which was quite entertaining back and forth action. Iizuka gets the fall over his soon to be J-J-Jacks partner Nogami.
Chris Benoit vs. Scorpio
Scorpio does his usually dancing which Hidekazu Tanaka joins in with. This one’s already a keeper for me based on that. Now I know Tanaka’s been holding out the past few years. Oh yeah, there’s a match too. Pretty vanilla stuff from these two in this one. I think they could of done much better than what they did.
Steiner Brothers vs. Scott Norton & Hawk
This one was pretty much a brawl the whole way through. The crowd took to some of the stiffer lariats and the Steiners’ double team DDT, but was quiet for the most part. The match was decent for what it was, I can’t say it was overly great or bad, but just decent if that makes sense.
Masahiro Chono & Hiromichi Fuyuki vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Terry Funk
About five minutes into this one Chono, had already tried to pick a fight with announcer Masa Saito, wrestle cable wire for a chair, and then toss said chair a few rows into the crowd. This match already has more energy and heat in five minutes than most of the matches shown so far. Everyone loves the Funker and is weak punch spot. It’s a pretty quick paced match even with Fuyuki and Funk participating. The finish is a little perplexing as Chono jobs to a hip attack! Overall, a very enjoyable match in my opinion.
After the match Funk is interviewed, downplaying himself, while completely putting Koshinaka over. Koshinaka, not being able to understand, or not listening just strokes the beard.
Antonio Inoki & Koji Kitao vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Riki Choshu
Strange entrance attire for Inoki in this one, as he comes out looking like KFC’s Colonel Sanders with a black suit, instead of white. Kitao and Choshu start things off with Kitao throwing his ham blocks and hitting about 19.6% of them, but Choshu sells anyway. Quick tag and Tenryu comes into the fray. Tenryu immediately goes for a chair, but is rejected by the bottom rope. Back in Tenryu gets some of Kitao’s clobbering when Inoki gets tagged in, followed by a Choshu tag. Inoki goes down to the mat like it’s 1976, but Choshu doesn’t want to play, so we get Kitao back. Tenryu gets back into just in time to receive more from Kitao, who decided Inoki, can come back in. Inoki tries for his choke sleeper, but Tenryu immediately gets over to get the tag. Inoki gets a few punches in, but Kitao wants back in. With his cat like movements Kitao grabs Choshu into a sleeper. Choshu actually picks him up for a backdrop popping the crowd and then going for the tag. Kitao catches the running Tenryu into a chokeslam. They play roll around the mat until Kitao ends up on top with some punches leading to Choshu to run in. Inoki waits to help and then gives Kitao a reviving slap which gets him to knock down the their two opponents with kick. Choshu’s short sleeper is broken by a flying knee from Inoki, who then tag into the match. Inoki gets a quick enzuigiri on Choshu and then the choke sleeper which gets a very quick three count.
Sadly we don’t get Inoki’s "ich, ni, san, DAAAA!!!” catchphrase.
A very decent offering form New Japan so far, now onto part 1.
Well, here’s part 2, really Part 1 of the 1995 Wrestling Dontaku
Masa Saito welcomes us to the show and that’s followed by clips from 1993 (awesome Hell Raisers entrance) and 1994 Dontaku shows. I thought 1993 was pretty decent, and I need to get around to 1994. Maybe Video Pack Nippon can get going on more Revival discs. Some of the old dome shows would be appreciated. I also got my “ich, ni, san, DAAAA!!!” that I was looking for from Seiji Sakaguchi and the three musketeers before the show.
Junji Hirata vs. Hiro Saito
This one was clipped to shreds with about 3 out of the 6 minutes being shown. Junji gets the win with a sit-down powerbomb. This was short, but it had a couple highlights such as Hiro’s flying body press to the outside and top rope senton.
IWGP Jr. Title
Sabu vs. Koji Kanemoto
A little bit of a style differential here. Sabu tries to bring all of his craziness of course with the chairs and tables and that’s where this one becomes quite nutty. Unfortunately if there was a tape of matches to expose the business this may be on there. After Sabu takes a nifty bump from the ramp into the first row he comes over to the side of the ring where Kanemoto tries a back flip body press. Of course Sabu completely misses catching him so he landed half on the small mat and half on the concrete. Super Koji gets quickly looking pissed as he gets into the ring so they can exchange unsold chops and some of the worst looking punches you’ll ever see from Sabu. I try to be positive, but Sabu is killing this one for me. Sabu of course gets a table and does a moonsault to the outside, maybe hitting Koji’s cheek with his boot, of course Koji sells it. This one mercifully ends with a chair shot followed by Sabu’s springboard leg drop. If it weren’t for a certain tequila bottle, I could see this as the lowest point for the Jr. Title.
Ric Flair vs. Hiroshi Hase
Wow, overpowering gust of fresh air coming after the last match. I believe this was during the time that Flair was “retired” from WCW and it shows, as he obviously kept himself in great condition. Anyway the match itself was what you’d expect a good offering from decent workers. Lots of leg work abound from these two, since it’ll probably make sense as part of the finish ‘wink, wink’. A very nice moment has Flair work in his begging off routine which Hase answers with hip swiveling. Flair eventually gets Hase into figure-four, which he does counter for a couple seconds, but it’s for naught as Flair reverses back into the move and gets the win in a good match at about the 23 minute mark. A very good match with the added bonus of constant shots of a nice looking Japanese woman in the crowd that I’m suspecting is Hase’s wife.
Kensuke Sasaki vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
This could be a decent encounter even though they were miles apart at this point. Kensuke was a year and half away from his mega push and well, Tenzan was just about to become Chono’s lackey for the next 8 years. Well, I have to say this was much better than I ever thought it’d be. Tenzan carries the majority of the match with his usual stuff of Mongolians and a couple moonsaults, but he also varies his usual fare. I can’t remember him pulling out a Samoan drop from the second rope any time lately, it looked good here. Kensuke of course makes a comeback and gets the win with a lariat.
Now it’s time to sit back and watch how the main event came to be. Unfortunately my Japanese isn’t as good as I’d like so I’m sure I’m going to miss some of the true nuances of the story here. We begin on 2/3/95 with Mutoh losing a #1 contender’s match to Scott Norton. Checking Stu’s results Mutoh also dropped falls to Akira Nogami and Mike Enos of Beverly Brothers fame within days of the 2/3 match. These losses apparently drove Mutoh to grow a thick beard and only work out and hang at temples where the monks hit him. Mutoh returns on 3/27 where he’s provoked by Tenzan, rather than fighting he walks away. This leads to 4/16 where Mutoh is defeated by Tenzan using one of Mutoh’s signature moves the moonsault! It’s a good thing his contract was signed for the Dontaku on 4/15 for the title match. Elvis lives!!!! Oh wait; it’s just Hash coming into the arena. I don’t know why, but we’re also treated to Scott Norton’s prediction. According to Flash wrestling is crazy and he picks Muta to win.
IWGP Title
Keiji Mutoh vs. Shinya Hashimoto
A very good heated match from the two of them. The match flows very well, from point of view with things building up to the finish. Unfortunately Mutoh botches his first attempted moonsault almost completely missing Hash, but he nails the second and gets the win. The crowd explodes for the finish making it even more abundantly clear who they had been rallying for throughout the match. After the match Mutoh talks to the crowd and ends things with an impassioned “ich, ni, san, DAAAA!!!” sending the fans home even happier.
Overall this was a very decent offering from New Japan. Things go from the lows of Sabu to the highs of the main event. The matches may not be all time classics, but they’re worth 4 hours spent to watch the show.
Yuji Nagata vs. Manabu Nakanishi
Strangely there’s no commentary for this match which makes it way too quiet in their. The crowd finally comes alive for them trading slaps, but settles down quickly. Nakanishi is basically on offense for about 12 minutes, until Nagata gets a German and a quick armbreaker for the submission. Off to WCW with you Kurosawa. Not a bad match, it was just a typical Young Lion encounter without much flair.
Norio Honaga & Akira Nogami vs. Takayuki Iizuka & El Samurai
I’m not sure about the particulars about Iizuka’s career at this point, but after nearly 9 years in the company, a couple learning excursions, and a tag title reign he ends up with the juniors. This doesn’t make sense to me. Anyway back to the match which was quite entertaining back and forth action. Iizuka gets the fall over his soon to be J-J-Jacks partner Nogami.
Chris Benoit vs. Scorpio
Scorpio does his usually dancing which Hidekazu Tanaka joins in with. This one’s already a keeper for me based on that. Now I know Tanaka’s been holding out the past few years. Oh yeah, there’s a match too. Pretty vanilla stuff from these two in this one. I think they could of done much better than what they did.
Steiner Brothers vs. Scott Norton & Hawk
This one was pretty much a brawl the whole way through. The crowd took to some of the stiffer lariats and the Steiners’ double team DDT, but was quiet for the most part. The match was decent for what it was, I can’t say it was overly great or bad, but just decent if that makes sense.
Masahiro Chono & Hiromichi Fuyuki vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Terry Funk
About five minutes into this one Chono, had already tried to pick a fight with announcer Masa Saito, wrestle cable wire for a chair, and then toss said chair a few rows into the crowd. This match already has more energy and heat in five minutes than most of the matches shown so far. Everyone loves the Funker and is weak punch spot. It’s a pretty quick paced match even with Fuyuki and Funk participating. The finish is a little perplexing as Chono jobs to a hip attack! Overall, a very enjoyable match in my opinion.
After the match Funk is interviewed, downplaying himself, while completely putting Koshinaka over. Koshinaka, not being able to understand, or not listening just strokes the beard.
Antonio Inoki & Koji Kitao vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Riki Choshu
Strange entrance attire for Inoki in this one, as he comes out looking like KFC’s Colonel Sanders with a black suit, instead of white. Kitao and Choshu start things off with Kitao throwing his ham blocks and hitting about 19.6% of them, but Choshu sells anyway. Quick tag and Tenryu comes into the fray. Tenryu immediately goes for a chair, but is rejected by the bottom rope. Back in Tenryu gets some of Kitao’s clobbering when Inoki gets tagged in, followed by a Choshu tag. Inoki goes down to the mat like it’s 1976, but Choshu doesn’t want to play, so we get Kitao back. Tenryu gets back into just in time to receive more from Kitao, who decided Inoki, can come back in. Inoki tries for his choke sleeper, but Tenryu immediately gets over to get the tag. Inoki gets a few punches in, but Kitao wants back in. With his cat like movements Kitao grabs Choshu into a sleeper. Choshu actually picks him up for a backdrop popping the crowd and then going for the tag. Kitao catches the running Tenryu into a chokeslam. They play roll around the mat until Kitao ends up on top with some punches leading to Choshu to run in. Inoki waits to help and then gives Kitao a reviving slap which gets him to knock down the their two opponents with kick. Choshu’s short sleeper is broken by a flying knee from Inoki, who then tag into the match. Inoki gets a quick enzuigiri on Choshu and then the choke sleeper which gets a very quick three count.
Sadly we don’t get Inoki’s "ich, ni, san, DAAAA!!!” catchphrase.
A very decent offering form New Japan so far, now onto part 1.
Well, here’s part 2, really Part 1 of the 1995 Wrestling Dontaku
Masa Saito welcomes us to the show and that’s followed by clips from 1993 (awesome Hell Raisers entrance) and 1994 Dontaku shows. I thought 1993 was pretty decent, and I need to get around to 1994. Maybe Video Pack Nippon can get going on more Revival discs. Some of the old dome shows would be appreciated. I also got my “ich, ni, san, DAAAA!!!” that I was looking for from Seiji Sakaguchi and the three musketeers before the show.
Junji Hirata vs. Hiro Saito
This one was clipped to shreds with about 3 out of the 6 minutes being shown. Junji gets the win with a sit-down powerbomb. This was short, but it had a couple highlights such as Hiro’s flying body press to the outside and top rope senton.
IWGP Jr. Title
Sabu vs. Koji Kanemoto
A little bit of a style differential here. Sabu tries to bring all of his craziness of course with the chairs and tables and that’s where this one becomes quite nutty. Unfortunately if there was a tape of matches to expose the business this may be on there. After Sabu takes a nifty bump from the ramp into the first row he comes over to the side of the ring where Kanemoto tries a back flip body press. Of course Sabu completely misses catching him so he landed half on the small mat and half on the concrete. Super Koji gets quickly looking pissed as he gets into the ring so they can exchange unsold chops and some of the worst looking punches you’ll ever see from Sabu. I try to be positive, but Sabu is killing this one for me. Sabu of course gets a table and does a moonsault to the outside, maybe hitting Koji’s cheek with his boot, of course Koji sells it. This one mercifully ends with a chair shot followed by Sabu’s springboard leg drop. If it weren’t for a certain tequila bottle, I could see this as the lowest point for the Jr. Title.
Ric Flair vs. Hiroshi Hase
Wow, overpowering gust of fresh air coming after the last match. I believe this was during the time that Flair was “retired” from WCW and it shows, as he obviously kept himself in great condition. Anyway the match itself was what you’d expect a good offering from decent workers. Lots of leg work abound from these two, since it’ll probably make sense as part of the finish ‘wink, wink’. A very nice moment has Flair work in his begging off routine which Hase answers with hip swiveling. Flair eventually gets Hase into figure-four, which he does counter for a couple seconds, but it’s for naught as Flair reverses back into the move and gets the win in a good match at about the 23 minute mark. A very good match with the added bonus of constant shots of a nice looking Japanese woman in the crowd that I’m suspecting is Hase’s wife.
Kensuke Sasaki vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
This could be a decent encounter even though they were miles apart at this point. Kensuke was a year and half away from his mega push and well, Tenzan was just about to become Chono’s lackey for the next 8 years. Well, I have to say this was much better than I ever thought it’d be. Tenzan carries the majority of the match with his usual stuff of Mongolians and a couple moonsaults, but he also varies his usual fare. I can’t remember him pulling out a Samoan drop from the second rope any time lately, it looked good here. Kensuke of course makes a comeback and gets the win with a lariat.
Now it’s time to sit back and watch how the main event came to be. Unfortunately my Japanese isn’t as good as I’d like so I’m sure I’m going to miss some of the true nuances of the story here. We begin on 2/3/95 with Mutoh losing a #1 contender’s match to Scott Norton. Checking Stu’s results Mutoh also dropped falls to Akira Nogami and Mike Enos of Beverly Brothers fame within days of the 2/3 match. These losses apparently drove Mutoh to grow a thick beard and only work out and hang at temples where the monks hit him. Mutoh returns on 3/27 where he’s provoked by Tenzan, rather than fighting he walks away. This leads to 4/16 where Mutoh is defeated by Tenzan using one of Mutoh’s signature moves the moonsault! It’s a good thing his contract was signed for the Dontaku on 4/15 for the title match. Elvis lives!!!! Oh wait; it’s just Hash coming into the arena. I don’t know why, but we’re also treated to Scott Norton’s prediction. According to Flash wrestling is crazy and he picks Muta to win.
IWGP Title
Keiji Mutoh vs. Shinya Hashimoto
A very good heated match from the two of them. The match flows very well, from point of view with things building up to the finish. Unfortunately Mutoh botches his first attempted moonsault almost completely missing Hash, but he nails the second and gets the win. The crowd explodes for the finish making it even more abundantly clear who they had been rallying for throughout the match. After the match Mutoh talks to the crowd and ends things with an impassioned “ich, ni, san, DAAAA!!!” sending the fans home even happier.
Overall this was a very decent offering from New Japan. Things go from the lows of Sabu to the highs of the main event. The matches may not be all time classics, but they’re worth 4 hours spent to watch the show.