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[KTID]

State of the Art, WWF's style versus the world

 

The following Mitchell's Take was originally published two years ago (November 5, 2000) on PWTorch.com. It prompted quite a bit of discussion among fans of various international styles of wrestling...

 

I got a chance to see on tape the historic Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kensuke Sasaki match from the Tokyo Dome's All Japan-New Japan non-title showdown recently. Great match.

 

It needed to be. After the death of All Japan patriarch Shohei Baba, the split off of Pro Wrestling NOAH, and a dull year for New Japan's aging stars, the Japanese wrestling scene needed a spark. The long-anticipated New Japan vs. All Japan feud has much riding on it, even if All Japan is a shadow of its former self.

 

Obviously this situation is similar to what might happen if the WWF buys WCW. One promotion is clearly stronger than the other, or these longtime rivals would never have worked together. Because of that, the weaker promotion needs to be artificially strengthened in the storyline.

 

Which is why Kawada from All Japan, the best wrestler in either company, won the match. The build-up and setting of the match was exactly as it should have been, as could be expected from New Japan, which has been the most successful at the "promotion vs. promotion" gimmick of any company in the world.

 

The question was Sasake, who while having been the IWGP Champion, is not held in the same regard as New Japan stars such as Shinya Hashimoto, Keiji Muto, and Masahiro Chono. These wrestlers, like this generation of All Japan main eventers, are past their primes due to age and the physical demands of the Japanese style. Sasake usually has decent, if boring, matches - but nothing more.

 

Kawada, on the other hand, is the stiffest worker in the world and one of the AJ Big Three (with Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi) who had the best ring action anywhere in the '90s.

 

The match lived up to its reputation. These two punched, chopped, and in particular, kicked the holy crap out of each other. The loud slap of skin, followed by sweat flying into the night air, underscored exactly how hard the blows were.

 

Both looked strong, both looked tough, and Sasuke seemed to absorb some of Kawada's fighting spirit. After some well-built near falls Kawada won with an enzuigiri. Sasauke's surrender of the IWGP Title, even though the belt was not at stake, added the perfect coda to a perfectly booked match. Kawada, Sasuke, and All Japan were all re-established as main event threats in New Japan.

 

Still, I was struck by a thought as I watched this excellent match. Japan no longer sets the standard for in-ring work in the world. While this match was executed well, the two neither showed the variety of moves nor told the breadth of story that WWF main eventers such as Triple H, Kurt Angle, The Rock, Chris Benoit, and Chris Jericho do. The WWF uses more holds, works them better, and uses more of them. As importantly, they're more mobile, using more of the ring and a better selection of moves to tell their story. They sell pain better because their facial expressions are much better, and they get over submission holds more effectively.

 

As much credit as star power, soap opera, and production values get for keeping the WWF out of the rest of the world's wrestling downturn, don't fool yourself.

 

Great wrestlers in great wrestling matches make wrestling companies great money.

[Guest TheyCallMeMark]

Well, in one respect it's true that Japan isn't just murdering North America in match quality anymore, but still they have a better style going for them as well as better workers and more time to show those workers off. WWE has Benoit, the Guerrero's, Misterio, Jericho as well as a few other really good wrestlers, but could you honestly tell me that if the wrestlers were having a match in a stiffer, more technical style with more reliance on psych than suplexes the matches WOULDN'T be better? I don't honestly think the work is all that much better here, there are just some better guys who are able to work a crappy style because they learned in a style that didn't suck, and can bring elements of that.

 

Or maybe I missed the point?

[Guest Brian]

With the roster the WWE has, and with Japan in their current state, the indy's lead the way. Sad sorta.

[KTID]

I see your point. My point was that it's ironic that Bruce Mitchell was talking about this 2 years ago. I would have disagreed with him 2 years ago. In the last few months, however, that is absolutely correct, at least in my opinion.

[Guest TheyCallMeMark]

Maybe it's time to start watching some Lucha.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Maybe it's time to start watching some Lucha.

Lucha compainies have beniftted from the death of WCW. Without Turner stealing their big stars, CMLL and AAA, have managed to improve steadily since 2001.

[Guest dreamer420]

If you have Directv CMLL and AAA are on both Saturday and Sunday for about 3 hours each day.

 

I love it.

[Guest TheyCallMeMark]

What channel, Dreamer? That is almost enough to prompt me into getting DirectTv.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

If you have Directv CMLL and AAA are on both Saturday and Sunday for about 3 hours each day.

 

I love it.

Wow, Dreamer.

 

 

You lucky bastard.

[LaParkaYourCar]

Ummmm you don't need Direct Tv to get Lucha.

 

I have Time/Warner Digital Cable and I get it. It's on Galavision every Saturday and Sunday. It usually starts around 1pm Central time and runs to 4pm.

 

The first half is CMLL and the second half is AAA.

[Guest RicFlairGlory]

Again, channel anybody?

[Guest AndrewTS]

While this match was executed well, the two neither showed the variety of moves nor told the breadth of story that WWF main eventers such as Triple H, Kurt Angle, The Rock, Chris Benoit, and Chris Jericho do. The WWF uses more holds, works them better, and uses more of them. As importantly, they're more mobile, using more of the ring and a better selection of moves to tell their story. They sell pain better because their facial expressions are much better, and they get over submission holds more effectively.

Whenever you said two years ago, it made sense. Ahh...I miss when Triple H tried, when Jericho consistently was trying instead of not giving a shit.

 

Meeeeeeemories.

[LaParkaYourCar]

Galavision...I said that in my last post.

 

Look it up in your listings.

 

In Houston it's channel 50 on Time/Warner Digital Cable.

[Guest RicFlairGlory]

I hadnt seen your post when I asked, lo siento

 

I'll check to see if I have it at my College actually, I remember seeing a couple obscure wrestling shows that resembled lucha, but I was on my way out.

[Guest razazteca]

CMLL is the better show AAA is mostly crap unless you like to watch fake La Parka or fake Psicosis.

 

So what are the top companies in Japan today, Zero-1, NOAH, AJPW, NJPW?

[LaParkaYourCar]

Is the La Parka from WCW still around anywhere? Or is the AAA La Parka like the new La Parka or something?

 

I still haven't quite got why there's another La Parka.

[Guest razazteca]

still haven't quite got why there's another La Parka

well basically the promoter owns the rights to the mask/gimmick and just past it own to another luchadore.

 

As for the orginal topic at hand are you telling me that Smackdown is better some feds in Japan?

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

CMLL is the better show AAA is mostly crap unless you like to watch fake La Parka or fake Psicosis.

 

So what are the top companies in Japan today, Zero-1, NOAH, AJPW, NJPW?

That list is in reverse order:

 

1. New Japan

 

2. All Japan

 

3. NOAH

 

4. Zero-One

[Guest evenflowDDT]

still haven't quite got why there's another La Parka

well basically the promoter owns the rights to the mask/gimmick and just past it own to another luchadore.

So then it's like Tiger Mask, only with dishonorable intentions?

[Guest TheyCallMeMark]

From what I undertsand, as far as wrestling quality goes MPro is putting on the best shows at the moment.

[Guest razazteca]

what about Toryumon? Which current Japanese group has the best Junior wrestlers, thats the style that I prefer. So is New Japan the company that currently has Joanie Launer and Goldberg?

[Guest wolverine]

All Japan Women is the best promotion in Japan and has been since 2000. Don't believe me? Read this:

 

There were some awesome matches on the last "Athena" (All Japan women) TV show, topped off by clips of a 30:00 draw with Miho Wakizawa vs. Momoe Nakanishi. Nakanishi at this point, even though she's only 20, is one of the best workers, male or female, in the business today. Their most recent TV show blew away, at least for in-ring, any promotion in the world, and for out of the ring video features, probably only trails WWF.--Dave Meltzer, July 10, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter

 

THERE YOU HAVE IT.

[LaParkaYourCar]

All Japan Women is the best promotion in Japan and has been since 2000. Don't believe me? Read this:

 

There were some awesome matches on the last "Athena" (All Japan women) TV show, topped off by clips of a 30:00 draw with Miho Wakizawa vs. Momoe Nakanishi. Nakanishi at this point, even though she's only 20, is one of the best workers, male or female, in the business today. Their most recent TV show blew away, at least for in-ring, any promotion in the world, and for out of the ring video features, probably only trails WWF.--Dave Meltzer, July 10, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter

 

THERE YOU HAVE IT.

Well Vince automatically won't pay attention to that...........they said WWF.

[Guest Brian]

New Japan's not the best. I'd go with Zero-One. what little I've seen and heard has been awesome. They've been boasting some of the better stuff. Ishikawa's been freaking awesome lately. NJPW and AJPW are falling apart.

[Guest El Satanico]

still haven't quite got why there's another La Parka

well basically the promoter owns the rights to the mask/gimmick and just past it own to another luchadore.

So then it's like Tiger Mask, only with dishonorable intentions?

There's also a midget La Parka