Jump to content
TSM Forums
Sign in to follow this  
Guest TSMAdmin

Japanese TV March 1994 - May 1994

Recommended Posts

Guest TSMAdmin

Japanese TV March 1994 - May 1994

 

I’m in a rush tonight, so lets cut to the chase.

 

TAPE OF THE WEEK

 

Try not to be too hard on me this week since I have no idea what the fuck I'm going to be talking about. I think that by writing this wrestling fans who only watch American wrestling will be able to see how someone else who for the most part watches American wrestling judges puroresu. I never really got into puroresu for a few reasons. First of all, I don't understand Japanese therefore I have no idea what the hell is happening. Plus it's not like I could watch it every Monday night for free. In order to watch I would have to buy tapes from someone and then wait a while before I actually receive the tapes. From what I can tell this tape contains three blocks of All Japan TV complete with some commercials and one New Japan match, so let's see what happens as I make an ass out of myself this Friday afternoon.

 

All Japan TV: March 27, 1994

 

I'm just going to ignore everything besides the matches and a few of the commercials because I don't who most of these people are.

 

Champion Carnival Match: Akira Taue vs. Kenta Kobashi JIP

Thankfully they both wear different color tights. Taue is in red while Kobashi is in orange. The Champion Carnival is a round robin singles tournament that All Japan had been hosting since the 1970's. We join about 9:29 in as Kobashi applies a chinlock. Taue reaches the ropes and pulls out an enziguri. They end up on the floor where Taue drops him over the guardrail. Akira pulls up the protective mat and DDTs Kobashi on the concrete. He rolls Kobashi back in the ring and piledrives him for 2. The crowd is strongly behind Kobashi in this one. Taue applies a plum stretch. Kobashi gets his foot on the rope. Taue drops him with the snake eyes and proceeds to stand on him. Another snake eyes, this time in the corner. Kobashi starts to HULK UP and hits some rapid chops in the corner. Taue counters by just throwing him to the mat. Kobashi says fuck that and continues to chop. Now Kobashi uses the snake eyes in the corner. Kobashi with the lariat for 2 and a legdrop for another 2. Kobashi applies a headlock and goes for the Stratusfaction, but Taue pushes him off. Taue puts on a half crab. Kobashi reaches the ropes. Taue applies the abdominal stretch. Kobashi hiptosses his way out. Taue gets a couple of twos off a couple of lariats. Kobashi gets nailed with an enziguri in the corner for 2. Taue goes for another lariat in the corner, but Kobashi moves out the way. Kobashi hits a lariat of his own and a high knee in the corner. Kobashi gets him in the sleeper. Taue hits a jawbreaker, but it has no effect. Kobashi now also applies the body scissors. Taue makes it to the ropes. Taue misses the blind charge. Kobashi comes off the top, but Taue catches him with a high knee. Kobashi ducks a lariat only to end up getting chokeslammed for 2 1/2. Taue follows up with a powerbomb for 2 3/4. Kobashi hits the rapid chops, but is once again chokeslammed for 2 3/4. Kobashi blocks a piledriver. Taue could give a damn as he hits a lariat. Kobashi counters another chokeslam with a DDT. Kobashi scores with a german suplex for 2 3/4. He comes off the top with a moonsault for a VERY long 2. Taue mounts a comeback with a big boot leading to a double lariat spot. Taue blocks a piledriver with a backdrop, but Kobashi rolls him up for 2. Taue gets 2 off a sunset flip. Another double lariat spot. Kobashi gets a few more nearfalls. Taue hits an enziguri and a chokeslam for another VERY long 2 as time expires. (21:31) ***3/4 Great match, but I hate draws. Way too many clotheslines, but I sort of expected that. I also expected the chops to be stiff, but that was not the case. What I really want to know is how these guys could look out of shape, but still put on good matches. I guess it's all about the cardio.

 

Someone really ought to make a Japanese commercial compilation tape. This "Nata de Choco" one is rather disturbing.

 

Champion Carnival Match: Stan Hansen vs. Toshiaki Kawada

Speaking of out of shape, Exhibit A: Stan Hansen. Kawada is very over. More so than Kobashi in the last match. Hansen takes charge with some brawling and a chinlock. Kawada escapes with a belly-to-back suplex. Kawada pulls out some semi-stiff chops. Hansen connects with a DROPKICK! Kawada rolls out the ring and Hansen hits him with a SUICIDE DIVE THROUGH THE 1ST AND 2ND ROPE! Hansen pulls up the protective mat and DDTs Kawada on the floor. Same spot was in the last match. Back in, Hansen covers for 2. Hansen tires for a powerbomb, but Kawada holds on to the ropes. Hansen connects with a stiff kick to the back and goes to a chinlock. Kawada escapes, but Hansen re-applies it. This time Kawada escapes with some quick kicks to the head. Hansen kicks Kawada back down to the mat and drops an elbow for 2. Kawada is sent to the floor where he blocks a suplex and hits one of his own. Kawada clotheslines Hansen and suplexes him back in the ring. Kawada puts on a chinlock into a sleeper with the body scissors. Hansen breaks the hold by nailing him in the back. They trade shots and Hansen applies a boston crab. Kawada reaches the ropes and kicks the back of Hansen's knee. Kawada goes to the leg grapevine, but he is too close to the ropes. Hansen ends up with one foot on the floor and the other in the ring. Kawada takes apart the leg in the ring until the ref forces him to stop. Why does the ref speak English? Kawada kicks in the corner and gets 2. Hansen decks him and drops an elbow for 2. Another stiff kick from Stan. Hansen connects with a piledriver and an elbow off the 2nd rope for 2. Hansen counters a piledriver with a backdrop. Hansen blocks a dragon sleeper. Kawada hits a lariat for 2. Kawada applies the plum stretch, but Hansen makes the ropes. Kawada gets 2 off another lariat. Kawada scores with not one, not two, but three enziguris. Hansen blocks his 4th attempt and hits a powerbomb. Hansen calls for the lariat, but Kawada counters with a Fujiwara armbar. Hansen fights out and DDTs Kawada. He follows that up with a powerbomb for 2. Kawada applies another Fujiwara armbar, but Hansen hits the LARIATOOOOOOOOOOO for the win. (19:34) **3/4 Good start, good finish, not so good middle. This time lariats were kept to a minimum, but there was WAY too much kicking.

 

Another strange commercial. This boy is walking around a library and every person he comes in contact with starts violently vibrating.

 

All Japan Pro Wrestling Ends

 

All Japan TV April 2, 1994

 

This was the first AJPW show reduced to only a half-hour. The Champion Carnival standings are shown.

 

Champion Carnival Match: Steve Williams vs. Toshiaki Kawada JIP

We join 9:13 in as Kawada is controlling with some kicks. Kawada takes Williams to the floor and whips him to the rail. Kawada clotheslines him into the front row. Williams tries to get back in the ring, but is kicked off the apron. Kawada leaves the ring again to slam Dr. Death on the protective mats. Williams is kicked off the apron two more times. Kawada charges Williams into the ring apron and sends him headfirst to the ringpost. Kawada goes for a big kick, but Williams moves, so he kicks the ringpost. Williams mounts a come back by slamming Kawada on to the announce table. The commentator loses his balance and seems to be rather flustered. Williams smashes Kawada's leg on the guardrail. Back in, Dr. Death applies a leg grapevine. Kawada makes the ropes and fights back with some swift kicks to William's knee. Kawada hits the lariat, but Williams puts an end to that with an avalanche. Williams with a snap suplex and a nice floatover for 2. Kawada fights out of a belly-to-back suplex with two enziguris. Williams is PISSED and no sells all of Kawada's kicks. Kawada gets thrown to the mat and is nailed with the 3-point stance charge. Williams hits the first part of the Oklahoma Stampede, but Kawada escapes with an enziguri for 2. Kawada gets 2 off the Dangerous Backdrop. Williams blocks a powerbomb, but gets caught in a modified abdominal stretch/dragon sleeper. Kawada uses his lame rapid-fire kicks. Williams starts to HULK UP, but gets dropkicked to the floor. Kawada whips Williams to the rail, but Williams bounces right off and catches him with a LARIATOOOO. In the ring, Dr. Death comes off the top with a shoulderblock for 2 1/2. Williams gets 2 off a gutwrench powerbomb. Powerslam for 2. Kawada applies the Fujiwara armbar. Steve reaches the ropes. Williams scores with a lariat for 2. Back to the Fujiwara armbar and it looks pretty damn painful. Time is running out, so Kawada breaks the hold and hits the LARIATOOO for 2 3/4. Kawada with a powerbomb for the longest 2 count I have ever seen. Another enziguri gets 2 and we are out of time. (21:47) ***1/2 They continue to fight as the show goes off the air. Another great match, but why so much kicking? At least Hansen's kicks were stiff in the last match, Kawada's weren't for the most part, which was surprising. It was also very strange seeing Dr. Death motivated.

 

In this one commercial break there are 3 of the same Capcom commercials, 2 hair growth commercials and one that sounds like they are saying "NUMBER ONE...OPERATION!!" And no, it is not an advertisement for the board game.

 

All Japan Pro Wrestling 30 End

 

New Japan TV: April 4, 1994

 

This isn’t the whole show, only one match. Also, on my matchlist this match is dated April 16, 1994, but DVDVR claim it is from April 4, 1994.

 

The Steiner Brothers vs. Jushin Liger & Wild Pegasus

This is the reason I bought this tape. Benoit has come a long way when it comes to muscle definition. I love Liger's theme music. The Steiners were in career limbo at this point. They had just left the WWF and still had about two years before signing back with WCW. Everyone shakes hands before the match. That was a nice gesture. Liger and Scott start the match with a long, yet good, mat sequence. Scott gets a few nearfalls. The first two and a half minutes have already flown by. Liger goes for a kick, but Scott catches his leg and wrenches his knee. That was sick, he bent Liger’s leg pretty far back. Rick and Benoit tag in. Rick gets 2 off a quick takedown. Some more mat stuff follows. Steiner pulls out a SICK german suplex. Don’t see too many of those around here. Scott gets the tag and both Steiners kick Benoit in the corner. Both Benoit and Liger fly off the top, but they are both powerslammed to the mat. Rick and Scott now both go up top, but this time Benoit and Liger bring them down with ranas. Benoit took a nasty bump on that rana as he landed square on his head. Stereo 2 counts. Liger knows Rick out of the ring with a somersault kick. Meanwhile, Benoit scores with a victory roll for 2. Liger spinkicks Rick out of the ring again and follows up by flying off the top onto him. Liger and Benoit superplex Scott, but Rick makes it back in to break up the pin. Scott catches Benoit with a clothesline as Rick is delivering a german suplex. Sweet spot. The match finally settles down. Scott with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for 2. Rick tags in and clotheslines Benoit for 2. Rick picks up Benoit for a shoulderbreaker and charges him into the corner for another 2. Scott tags in just for a samoan drop off the 2nd rope for 2. Rick is back in and applies a camel clutch. Rick breaks the hold and hits a belly-to-belly suplex for 2. Rick goes to an armbar and knocks Liger off the apron. Scott tags in for a double underhook suplex. Liger breaks up the pin and Rick is quickly tagged back in. Rick goes back to the arm. Once again Steiner comes in just for a suplex. This time an overhead belly-to-belly. Very good tag-team psychology. Rick is back and they go for a Doomsday Device, but Liger dropkicks Rick, who had Benoit on his shoulders. Liger sees Scott is up top, so he brings him down to the mat with an electric chair drop. Liger hasn’t done much in this match, but he has been awesome thus far. Liger gets the HOT TAG. He quickly disposes of Rick and superplexes Scott for 2 as Rick saves. Benoit takes Rick to the floor and holds him for a baseball slide from Liger. Scott is still down in the ring, so Liger and Benoit hit stereo headbutts off the top for 2. Liger slams Scott. Meanwhile, Rick presses Benoit over the top to the floor. Scott tries for a belly-to-back off the top, but Liger falls on top for 2. Liger scores with a sit-down powerbomb for 2. Outside the ring Rick charges Benoit into the guardrail. In the ring, Scott wins it with the Steiner Screwdriver. (14:02) ****3/4 This match UN F’N BELIEVABLE!!! Every wrestling fan can appreciate this kind of match and if you can’t I suggest you take up a new hobby.

 

All Japan TV: May 14, 1994

 

Steve Williams & The Heavenly Bodies vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Jun Akiyama & Satoru Asako

Damn, Akiyama looks young. Del Ray and Asako start with some armdrags Asako pulls out a dropkick and uses the armdrag -> armbar combo. Del Ray counters with much of the same. Asako hits a crossbody off the 2nd rope for 2. Prichard tags in and they trade some arm submission holds. Asako gains the advantage and tags Akiyama, who hits a nice high knee, but misses an elbowdrop. Williams gets the tag and hits a sickening lariat. Akiyama was going for the “turned inside-out” spot, but landed square on his head. Akiyama mounts a come back with some punches (I guess the US style is wearing off on him) and a running backelbow before tagging Misawa. They trade forearms that actually make contact. That is unheard of around here. Williams pulls Misawa to the floor and whips him to the rail. Dr. Death sets Misawa up for a powerbomb, but Asako dropkicks him from the apron. Back in, Misawa uses some kicks and they slug it out some more. Williams reverses a suplex into one of his own for 2. Misawa decks him with a forearm and tags Asako. They get Williams with a double suplex. Dr. Death rolls out to catch a breather, but Akiyama quickly sends him back in. Williams picks Misawa up for a spinebuster and rams him into the corner. Del Ray gets the tag and they trade shots. Akiyama tags in and it’s more punch and kick. Prichard is in and hits a running kneedrop, but misses an elbowdrop giving Akiyama the chance to tag Misawa. Misawa applies a bow and arrow, which is broken up by Williams. Prichard gouges and tags Del Ray…who punches. Misawa knocks him down with a forearm and tags Asako. Asako gets a quick 2 off a bulldog/facebuster. Del Ray blocks a suplex and hits a snap suplex of his own. Asako could care less as he pulls out an inverted atomic drop. Prichard makes the blind tag. Dr. Tom with a bulldog and gutwrench powerbomb for 2. Williams tags and applies a Camel Clutch, but Asako reaches the ropes. Williams uses a backbreaker x2 into a press slam. Misawa breaks up the pinfall attempt. Oh boy, it’s time for the abdominal stretch. Prichard is back and instantly tags Del Ray, so he could hold Asako for a Gigolo moonsault. Misawa once again stops the pin. Williams tags and does much of the same. Prichard is back and misses a blind charge. Asako hits a somersault off the 2nd rope. Misawa comes in. He gets 2 off a flying clothesline. He follows that up with a belly-to-back suplex. He goes for a butterfly suplex, but is clotheslined by Williams. Akiyama tags and gets 2 off a northern lights suplex as Del Ray makes the save. Double flapjack by the Bodies on Akiyama. Williams tags in. He pulls out a nice avalanche and spinebuster for 2. Misawa stops a Dangerous Backdrop attempt and Akiyama falls on top for 2. Dr. Death with the gutwrench, but that little bitch Misawa prolongs the match again. Prichard is ready to end it as he knocks Misawa to the floor, giving Williams the chance to put the match away with the Oklahoma Stampede. (16:32) ** This is a scary thought, but I think the match was too “American”. Great, now I sound like a puro-head. Asako and Williams were the only two that gave a damn in this match and it shows. I was very disappointed in the other four guys.

 

Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Kenta Kobashi & Tamon Honda JIP

The match is practically over when we join. Kobashi uses an AWESOME rolling bodyscissors sequence for 2 on Kawada. Honda tags in and they hit the Doomsday Device for 2. Honda comes off the top with a kneedrop off the top for 2. Meanwhile, Taue and Kobashi are fighting on the floor. Kawada comes back with a big dropkick and the plum stretch for the win. (2:30) Too short to rate.

 

THIS IS IT

 

Whether you have ever seen puro or not, I think that this tape is pretty much for everyone. As long as you like good wrestling you’ll like this. Although I did enjoy this tape, I won’t be reviewing anymore puro for a while. I’ll leave that to the people who really know what is going on. At the least everyone should see the Steiners-Liger/Benoit match.

 

Retro Rob

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Sign in to follow this  

×