It’s with tear in my eye (™ Ric Flair) that I type this message. And it’s a long one so indulge me.

They say all good things must come to an end, but for a long time I wanted to prove that wrong with Strong Style Spirit and keep it going until I was old and grey.

Unfortunately the time has come where I feel I have to stop updating the site. It may sound silly but this is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made because this site has been open for 13 1/2 years, not far off half my life. Before that I ran another website that also had Japanese wrestling news and before even that I would post tidbits on RSPW (Usenet).

When something becomes so embedded in your routine for so long, it is very hard to let go of. But time has passed and with each year other things demand more time. These things weren’t a hassle when I started SSS as a teenager. SSS doesn’t provide any income and never really has (most went to hosting costs or buying wrestling DVDs), nor have I ever wanted to monetize it because I’ve run this site out of love for what it covers and to give honest coverage.

For a few years now it has been a strain to keep the site going. Those who have been around a long time will remember just how much detail I used to go into, but in recent times I’ve only been able to cover the essentials. This always bothered me because I would pride myself on SSS offering truly in-depth coverage.

And so I have to announce that 2014 has been the final year of updates for Strong Style Spirit.

I debated doing this after the 1/4 Tokyo Dome show, an iconic event on the Japanese calendar, but thought ending coverage before 2015 arrived would offer more closure.

And no, I haven’t lost interest! I still love New Japan and professional wrestling, and always will. From idolising Hulk Hogan as a little boy to discovering the exciting world of Japanese wrestling, it’s been part of my life for many years and always will be. I’ll continue to watch New Japan and other promotions. Perhaps freeing this time will allow me to watch more of it again. I quite fancy going back and watching some 90s stuff…

Also, the site isn’t going away! I’ve secured hosting for the indefinite future and will always try to keep it around in some form as a permanent archive. There is years worth of information here that you can read through at any time. Also, the Strong Style Symphony forums will remain open for anyone wishing to chat about wrestling or other things.

It’s been a great journey for me and in other circumstances I’d keep it going for years and years to come. Who knows, I may win the lottery and retire early, allowing me to resume it some day! I won’t rule out doing an Onita and making a surprise comeback some day so don’t delete your bookmarks.

I think many English-speaking fans of Japanese wrestling who have come and gone will have stopped by puroresufan.com and I’m proud of that. I like to think of this as my small part of internet history.

I’d like to thank everyone who has visited the site. Everyone I’ve met online and chatted with, including former regulars of the #puroresu chatroom (great times!). Those who have done a great service to the scene such as BAHU and Jae. Check out their sites and support any other puroresu sites you can, such as Purolove (a great place to keep up with results).

This has been my project and ends as my project so I’m not looking for someone to run it. The site/domain isn’t actively for sale but if someone made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, I’d think about it.

I’ll still be around on the message boards, more often lurking than posting but still there. If you want to contact me with messages or anything, my email address remains toukonstuart AT gmail DOT com.

I’ll leave you with a picture of the man I have to thank for piquing my interest in puroresu when I bought the WCW Superbrawl II commercial tape in the mid-90s. It took a couple more years for me to start my tape collection but it was the sight of he and Brian Pillman flying around the ring that started my journey into the world of Japanese professional wrestling.

Strong Style Spirit, 2001-2014

–> “ROAD TO TOKYO DOME 2014 (12/12/14 to 12/20/14)” <--

NJPW, 12/20/14 (TV Asahi ch2)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,015 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

1. El Desperado beat Yohei Komatsu (5:44) with the Guitarra de Angel.
2. Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask beat KUSHIDA & Sho Tanaka (9:43) when Liger used a brainbuster on Tanaka.
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & Captain New Japan (9:35) when Taguchi used an ankle hold on Captain.
4. Minoru Suzuki, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi beat Kazushi Sakuraba, YOSHI-HASHI & Jado (12:23) when Taichi used a Taichi-style Gedo clutch on Jado.
5. Toru Yano beat Takashi Iizuka (6:15) by DQ.
6. Special Tag Match: Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata beat Tetsuya Naito & Tomoaki Honma (13:08) when Shibata used a PK on Honma.
7. Road to TOKYO DOME Special 6 Man Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe & Kota Ibushi beat Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii (23:53) when Makabe used a King Kong kneedrop on Ishii.

–> “ROAD TO TOKYO DOME 2014 (12/12/14 to 12/20/14)” <--

NJPW, 12/19/14 (Samurai! TV)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,974 Fans – Super No Vacancy

1. Yohei Komatsu beat Sho Tanaka (10:03) with a crab hold.
2. Taichi & El Desperado beat Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask (9:30) when Desperado used the Guitarra de la Muerta on Liger.
3. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & BUSHI beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma (9:33) when Nagata used a backdrop hold on Honma.
4. Toru Yano, Kazushi Sakuraba & YOSHI-HASHI beat Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka & TAKA Michinoku (10:39) when Sakuraba used the Sakuraba Lock on TAKA.
5. Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata beat Tetsuya Naito & Captain New Japan (13:52) when Goto used the Shouten Kai on Captain.
6. Road to TOKYO DOME Special Elimination Match – Jado Return Match: Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii, Jado & Gedo beat Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Kota Ibushi, Ryusuke Taguchi & KUSHIDA (29:39). Makabe and Ishii went over the top rope (16:43). Taguchi used an ankle hold on Jado (18:42). KUSHIDA used a Japanese leg roll clutch hold on Gedo (20:09). Okada used the Red Ink on KUSHIDA (21:30). Tanahashi and Okada went over the top rope (25:00). Nakamura threw Ibushi over the top rope (26:35). Nakamura used the Boma Ye on Taguchi (29:39).

–> “ROAD TO TOKYO DOME 2014 (12/12/14 to 12/20/14)” <--

NJPW, 12/15/14
Koga Central Sports Park Gymnasium
980 Fans

1. TAKA Michinoku , Taichi & El Desperado beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Sho Tanaka (10:21) when Desperado used the Guitarra de Angel on Tanaka.
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Manabu Nakanishi & BUSHI (10:30) when Kojima used a lariat on BUSHI.
3. Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka beat Toru Yano & Gedo (9:31) when Suzuki used a sleeper hold on Gedo.
4. Hirooki Goto, Katsuyori Shibata & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Yuji Nagata, Tetsuya Naito & KUSHIDA (14:23) when Shibata used a go2sleep on KUSHIDA.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii beat Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma (12:32) when Nakamura used the Boma Ye on Honma.
6. Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Captain New Japan (13:55) when Okada used the Rainmaker on Captain.

–> “ROAD TO TOKYO DOME 2014 (12/12/14 to 12/20/14)” <--

NJPW, 12/14/14
Hachinohe City Gymnasium
1,750 Fans

1. Tiger Mask beat Yohei Komatsu (6:47) with a Tiger Driver.
2. Taichi & El Desperado beat Jushin Thunder Liger & Sho Tanaka (8:36) when Desperado used the Guitarra de Angel on Tanaka.
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Manabu Nakanishi & Captain New Japan (9:24) when Tenzan used the Anaconda Vice on Captain.
4. Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI beat Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka (10:38) when Suzuki was DQ’d.
5. Yuji Nagata, Tetsuya Naito & KUSHIDA beat Hirooki Goto, Katsuyori Shibata & BUSHI (12:22) when Naito used a Stardust press on BUSHI.
6. Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & Gedo beat Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Ryusuke Taguchi (18:49) when Nakamura used the Boma Ye on Honma.

–> “ROAD TO TOKYO DOME 2014 (12/12/14 to 12/20/14)” <--

NJPW, 12/13/14
Aomori Industrial Hall
1,972 Fans – Super No Vacancy

1. TAKA Michinoku , Taichi & El Desperado beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Yohei Komatsu (9:21) when Desperado used the Guitarra de Angel on Komatsu.
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Manabu Nakanishi & BUSHI (8:37) when Kojima used a lariat on BUSHI.
3. Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI beat Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka (10:08) when Iizuka was DQ’d.
4. Hirooki Goto, Katsuyori Shibata & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Yuji Nagata, Tetsuya Naito & Tomoaki Honma (15:51) when Shibata used a go2sleep on Honma.
5. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii beat Togi Makabe & Captain New Japan (14:25) when Nakamura used the Boma Ye on Captain.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi & KUSHIDA beat Kazuchika Okada & Gedo (16:08) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on Gedo.

–> “ROAD TO TOKYO DOME 2014 (12/12/14 to 12/20/14)” <--

NJPW, 12/12/14
Fukushima National Athletic Meet Gymnasium
1,650 Fans – No Vacancy

1. KUSHIDA beat Sho Tanaka (8:35) with a moonsault press.
2. Taichi & El Desperado beat Jushin Thunder Liger & BUSHI (8:13) when Desperado used the Guitarra de Angel on BUSHI.
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Manabu Nakanishi & Captain New Japan (10:18) when Tenzan used the Anaconda Max on Captain.
4. Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI & Gedo beat Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka & TAKA Michinoku (10:53) when Yano used the Uragasumi on TAKA.
5. Hirooki Goto, Katsuyori Shibata & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Yuji Nagata, Tetsuya Naito & Tiger Mask (11:53) when Shibata used a go2sleep on Tiger.
6. Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii beat Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma (15:50) when Okada used the Rainmaker on Honma.

The 2014 World Tag League final will be repeated at the Tokyo Dome with winners Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata challenging Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows for their IWGP Tag Team Title. This was one of several matches added to the 1/4 card today, another being Tetsuya Naito vs. AJ Styles. Jeff Jarrett also makes an appearance, while Yano and a mystery partner face a Suzuki-gun selected team.

NJPW “WRESTLE KINGDOM 9 IN TOKYO DOME”, 1/4/15 (WPW)
Tokyo Dome

0. New Japan Rumble (battle royal)
1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title – 4WAY Match: Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly (c) vs. Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA vs. Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov vs. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson
2. Special 6 Man Tag Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma vs. Jeff Jarrett, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi
3. Toru Yano & X vs. Suzuki-gun selected team
4. Special Singles Match – Full Conclusion Rules: Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Minoru Suzuki
5. NEVER Openweight Title: Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Togi Makabe
6. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Ryusuke Taguchi (c) vs. Kenny Omega
7. IWGP Tag Team Title: Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows (c) vs. Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata
8. Special Singles Match: Tetsuya Naito vs. AJ Styles
9. IWGP Intercontinental Title: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Kota Ibushi
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada

–> WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2014 (11/22/14 to 12/7/14) <--

NJPW, 12/7/14 (WPW)
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium

1. Sho Tanaka beat Yohei Komatsu (6:20) with a modified high-angle crab hold.
2. Taichi & El Desperado beat Tiger Mask & BUSHI (6:30) when Desperado used the Guitarra de Angel on BUSHI.
3. Special Tag Match: Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. beat Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi (7:47) when Archer used the Killer bomb on Nakanishi.
4. Special Tag Match: Matt Taven & Michael Bennett beat Jushin Thunder Liger & Captain New Japan (8:57) when Bennett pinned Captain after the Hail Mary.
5. Special Tag Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima beat Rob Conway & Jax Dane (9:10) when Tenzan used the Anaconda Max on Conway.
6. Special 6 Man Tag Match: Kazushi Sakuraba, Toru Yano & Gedo beat Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka & TAKA Michinoku (9:10) when Yano used the Uragasumi on TAKA.
7. Special 6 Man Tag Match: AJ Styles, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi beat Tetsuya Naito, Tomoaki Honma & Ryusuke Taguchi (14:20) when Takahashi used the Miami Shine on Honma.
8. Special 8 Man Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Kota Ibushi & La Sombra beat Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI (17:10) when Tanahashi used the High Fly Flow on YOSHI-HASHI.
9. World Tag League – Final: Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata beat Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows (20:58) when Goto used the Shouten Kai on Anderson.

* Sworn friends Goto & Shibata completed a momentous comeback to win the 2014 World Tag League today, beating the IWGP Tag Team Champions, Anderson & Gallows, to lift the trophy. After their win they re-challenged the Bullet Club pair for a title match at the Tokyo Dome on 1/4.

–> WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2014 (11/22/14 to 12/7/14) <--

NJPW, 12/5/14 (Samurai! TV)
Osaka Central Gymnasium Sub Arena
1,480 Fans – No Vacancy

– World Tag League – Block A: Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows [10] beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yoshitatsu [0] by forfeit.
1. Taichi & El Desperado beat Captain New Japan & BUSHI (6:01) when Taichi used the 13Y5 on BUSHI.
2. World Tag League – Block A: Rob Conway & Jax Dane [6] beat Tetsuya Naito & La Sombra [8] (7:46) when Conway used the Ego Trip on Sombra.
3. World Tag League – Block B: Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga [6] beat Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi [4] (7:54) when Fale used the DAWN RAID on Nakanishi.
4. World Tag League – Block A: Matt Taven & Michael Bennett [8] beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima [8] (7:29) when Bennett pinned Kojima after the Hail Mary.
5. World Tag League – Block B: Kazushi Sakuraba & Toru Yano [7] beat Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. [8] (7:51) when Yano used the Uragasumi on Archer.
6. Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Captain New Japan (10:04) when Anderson pinned Captain after the Magic Killer.
7. World Tag League – Block B: Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma [6] beat Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka [7] (9:30) when Makabe used a King Kong kneedrop on Iizuka.
8. World Tag League – Block A: Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI [8] beat AJ Styles & Yujiro Takahashi [8] (11:56) when Okada used the Rainmaker on Takahashi.
9. World Tag League – Block B: Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata [8] beat Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii [8] (9:55) when Shibata used a PK on Ishii.

* After a poor start to the tournament, Goto & Shibata mounted a big comeback and today sealed their place in the World Tag League final with a win over Shinsuke & Ishii. They’ll face Anderson & Gallows, the IWGP Tag Team Champions, in the final on Sunday.

NJPW, 12/7/14 (WPW)
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium

1. Sho Tanaka vs. Yohei Komatsu
2. Tiger Mask & BUSHI vs. Taichi & El Desperado
3. Special Tag Match: Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr.
4. Special Tag Match: Jushin Thunder Liger & Captain New Japan vs. Matt Taven & Michael Bennett
5. Special Tag Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Rob Conway & Jax Dane
6. Special 6 Man Tag Match: Kazushi Sakuraba, Toru Yano & Gedo vs. Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka & TAKA Michinoku
7. Special 6 Man Tag Match: Tetsuya Naito, Tomoaki Honma & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. AJ Styles, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi
8. Special 8 Man Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Kota Ibushi & La Sombra vs. Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI
9. World Tag League – Final: Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows