The rock accepts keiji muto's challenge...

[Guest Stuart]

Thought I'd post this update from my site, as the Rock story may interest some WWF fans or just people interested in this stuff...

 

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NOAH ran what looked to be it's best regular tour show in a while today, with a good range of matches. The main event saw Omori, Honda and Shiga team up, an unfamiliar unit, but both Omori and Shiga have been split from their old factions (No Fear and STERNNESS respectively), and Shiga has been teaming with Honda frequently lately.

 

NOAH, 5/14/02

Toyama Industrial Exhibition Techno Hall

2,200 Fans

 

1. Rusher Kimura, Mitsuo Momota & Masashi Aoyagi beat Haruka Eigen, Jun Izumida & Kishin Kawabata (10:19) when Aoyagi used an enzuigiri on Kawabata.

2. Masao Inoue beat Ray Gordy (11:24) with an Argentine backbreaker.

3. Michael Modest, Donovan Morgan & Juventud Guerrera beat Yoshinobu Kanemaru, KENTA & Mohammed Yone (17:32) when Morgan used the Golden Gate Spin on Yone.

4. Takeshi Morishima & Takeshi Rikio beat Daisuke Ikeda & Richard Slinger (14:49) when Rikio used a powerbomb on Slinger.

5. Yoshihiro Takayama & Takashi Sugiura beat Jun Akiyama & Makoto Hashi (15:16) when Sugiura used an Olympic slam on Hashi.

6. Vader & Scorpio beat Akira Taue & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (8:07) when Scorpio used a Scorpion Twist II on Kikuchi.

7. Yoshinari Ogawa, Mitsuharu Misawa & Takuma Sano beat Takao Omori, Tamon Honda & Kentaro Shiga (26:09) when Misawa used a running elbow smash on Honda.

 

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- The Rock has accepted Keiji Muto's challenge for a match, saying he wants to wrestle Muto. The story said that Rock has stolen Muto's dragon screw leg whip and "flushing" elbow drop (snap-style elbow drop) from Muto/a. The possibility of the WWF returning to Japan in October has surfaced, and there might be All Japan participation if so. There is likely to be negotiation difficulties between the two promotions (well, Muto virtually runs All Japan now, so moreso from WWF), but both are determined to wrestle each other in a "battle of entertainers".

 

- Tanaken have challenged the winners of Chono & Tenzan vs. Nakanishi & Nishimura for a shot at the IWGP Tag Team Title. Suzuki, who has bulked up 10kg during his absence, said that they will "represent" Riki Choshu right now, even using his famous music. Suzuki was the "next in line" disciple of Choshu, which is why they were teaming up a lot last year (they were supposed to challenge Tenkoji on the February PPV last year, but Kenzo got hurt and Makabe replaced him).

 

- Meanwhile, Hashimoto is now ignoring Chono & Tenzan's challenge for a match against OH Gun. He said he and Ogawa don't need the belts independently, and Hashimoto is more interested in going after Tenzan alone now, since Tenzan has been calling he and Ogawa "Chicken & Pork Gun".

 

- Yuji Nagata will be getting married this Autumn to a 32-year-old woman, who's maiden name is Sato. The wedding will take place in Tokyo, and New Japan TV will probably show clips of it, like they did with Nakanishi's at the beginning of 2001. Hopefully Nakanishi won't crash the wedding and say he already married Ms. Sato in Las Vegas, after drugging her. :-)

 

- All Japan's 6/9 show, which will be taped for Samurai! TV, is going to be called "BAPE STAR!! PRO-WRESTLING", whatever that means. It's being done in conjunction with some fashion designers, and Kojima was to experiment with new production, such as a new ring mat, possibly to implement on future All Japan shows. Kojima is likely to revert to his bizarre persona for this show as well.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Interesting...very interesting. I won't lie by saying it will be a 5-star or even 4-star classic. But it should be pretty good. Better than what WWF fans are used to seeing.

[Guest]

Man, this is going to suck on so many levels. How Mutoh expects to be able to deal with an ass like McMahon and come out saving face is beyond me...

[Guest J*ingus]

Well, Rock already jobbed clean to Jericho the last time he was over there, so we know that he doesn't have a problem putting anyone over.  And if it's to be in Japan, Mutoh definitely has to win.  The problem is, will the WW(F)E management allow one of their top stars to lose to an outside guy?  

 

Oh, and why would Baba roll over in his grave?  Even The Rock is a much better wrestler than he was.

[Guest PlatypusFool]

"Oh, and why would Baba roll over in his grave?  Even The Rock is a much better wrestler than he was."

 

Because the values of purely great wrestling he instilled into AJPW during the 80's and 90's are being completely fucked over by the current management and Mr Mutoh. The emphasis has been taken off pure wrestling and is slowly moving towards the NJPW style with a slight emphasis towards angles and wrestler's gimmicks. Evidence? I need no more than "BAPE STAR!! PRO-WRESTLING" - a ludicrously titled show, "in conjunction with fashion designers", and with the promotion for it based on a gimmick change for Kojima. If I was Baba, i'd be spinning in the dirt as we speak.

[Guest Hogan Made Wrestling]

Mutoh defended the Triple Crown against Scott Hall, so it could be a hell of a lot worse. In fact, the Rock would probably rank in the upper half of American workers in Japan right now.

[Guest PlatypusFool]

Very true, AJPW has been dragged through the mud often enough in the last few months, and The Rock would indeed be a big step up from some of the people wrestling there at the moment. I believe Rock is one of the greatest match workers in the world, never mind in Japan, but the fact is, he represents sports entertainment, and that is why him going anywhere near AJPW is wrong. Put him in NJPW, NOAH or any number of indie feds, but someone so representative of something that isn't purely wrestling based should not be getting into an AJPW ring.

[Guest MRFTW]

It's not like this is the first time All Japan and the WWF will have worked together.

 

Tenryu's worked a few WWF dates over the years along with I think a few other guys, specifically he was at Mania 7 and Rumble 94. The WWF also leant the New Blackjacks(Bradshaw and Whindam) to AJ a few years back for the RWTL.

[Guest PlatypusFool]

Well, I wasn't aware of that, thankyou MRFTW.

[Guest J*ingus]

Plus they worked a supercard or two together in Japan, with Hogan-Hansen, Bret-Misawa, Andre/Baba-Demolition, and so on.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

I'm pretty sure The Rock would do the job. He lays down for everybody. Especially his buddies and it looks like him and Mutoh have been getting real buddy buddy.

[Guest dreamer420]

I'd like to see the match.  I don't see it as being a **** classic or anything but for historic reasons it will be a great match to watch.

[Guest RickyChosyu]

Well, Rock already jobbed clean to Jericho the last time he was over there, so we know that he doesn't have a problem putting anyone over.  And if it's to be in Japan, Mutoh definitely has to win.  The problem is, will the WW(F)E management allow one of their top stars to lose to an outside guy?

Rock didn't job cleanly to Jericho. The Dudleys came in and 3d'ed Rock after a ref bump, and Jericho stole the win. Plus, they had a non-title rematch right afterwards which Rock won cleanly. The whole thing was to keep the title on Jericho without making Rock look bad. He was plenty protected, make no mistake.

 

Yes, this is much more suited to NJPW than AJPW, but then again Mutoh/Tenryu are turning AJPW into a completely different promotion anyway. What the hell is with Kojima's gimick, anyway? Fashion designers? The only thing that could possibly make this seem worse is if the rediculous idea actually does good business. That would be ludicrous.

 

As for the match...don't really care. It'll be "good" the way Rock/Hogan was "good" if anything. The crowd heat will be guaranteed but watching it with the sound off will be torture. Besides, why is Rock bothering with all this crap if he's just going to leave wrestling for Hollywood anyway? I don't resent him for his decision (hell, I would have left sooner) , but who gives a shit about whether he "becomes a true icon" if his true goal is acting? Oh well, let him run go and make sure people will remember his name in five years, I don't care.

[Guest Markme123]

I'm pretty sure The Rock would do the job. He lays down for everybody. Especially his buddies and it looks like him and Mutoh have been getting real buddy buddy.

 

Huh? What do you mean "Especially his buddies"?