"Spread the ~PURORESU LOVE~" General AJPW Discussion Topic

[Mr. Kinniku Mike]

AJPW "FLASHING TOUR 2008", 16.09.2008
Strait Messe Shimonoseki
ca. 900 Fans

1. NOSAWA Rongai besiegt Phil Atlas (9:10) mit einem Super-High Horizontal Cradle.
2. Nobukazu Hirai besiegt Manabu Soya (10:18) nach einem Rock Bottom.
3. Kaz Hayashi besiegt Hiroshi Yamato (11:11) nach dem Final Cut.
4. Suwama & Seiya Sanada besiegen MAZADA & TAKEMURA (16:20) mit einem Ankle Hold von Suwama gegen MAZADA.
5. Keiji Muto, Osamu Nishimura, Joe Doering & Ryuji Hikikata besiegen TARU, Zodiac, Shuji Kondo & "brother" YASSHI (15:31) nach dem Shining Wizard von Muto gegen YASSHI.
6. Taiyo Kea & Minoru Suzuki besiegen Satoshi Kojima & KAI (24:06) nach einem Gotch-Style Piledriver von Suzuki gegen KAI.

[JRV]

I thought for a second there that Nosawa beat Tony Atlas.

Anyway, looks like a pretty swell show. Except Hirai using a rock bottom, that is.

[Eivion Thanatos]

Dory Funk Jr. students, Shane Chung and Elvis Sharp, have been selected as the newest gaijin to travel to All Japan! The two will make their All Japan debuts on the upcoming “Annivesary Tour” in October! Osamu Nishimura will return to the Conservatory on October 4th and 5th to scout more talent for All Japan as well as participate in the !BANG! TV taping

It can be confirmed that the newest trainee to the All Japan dojo is indeed Yasufumi Nakagami. Nakagami passed the open audition earlier this year and stands at 182cm tall. After a few days of putting together recent photos of him, I concluded it was Nakagami, but confirmation today came through Kaz Hayashi’s blog.

From Irving/Shining Road

[Eivion Thanatos]

Keeping the various tour threads like we did on the old board.

[LARMORE]

Hirai using a rock bottom, that is.

He's been using it since (at least) last year.

[Irving]

He's been using the "Hirai End" for years upon years now.

[Eivion Thanatos]

This year’s WSTL has a bit of an odd schedule.  Korakuen will not traditionall open the tour as in past years, instead the tour will kick off in Ibaragi, and end in Hiroshima.

11/22 @ Koga City Gymnasium
11/23 @ Act City Hamamatsu
11/24 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
11/25 @ Shizuoka Shimizu Building
11/27 @ Nagoya International Conference Hall
11/29 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium #2
11/30 @ Kurashiki San-yo Heights Gymnasium
12/4 @ Fukui City Gymnasium
12/8 @ Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall

From Irv

[LARMORE]

Hopefully, TenKoji don't take it again.

Would love to see Makabe involved in this somehow.

[Stone Cold Amigo]

Hopefully, TenKoji don't take it again.

Would love to see Makabe involved in this somehow.

Maybe with TARU or ZODIAC?

[Unknown]

Personally i like TARU, he can do anything, the first time i saw him i saw a guy that looked about 45..but in the ring, he sure is fast and i couldn't believe it when he pulled of a twisting moonsault, he is impressive

[LARMORE]

You must be mistaking TARU for someone else.

The guy cannot do singles matches.

[Lasakon]

Taru has had nothing in the tank going on five years now, I can't really blame him considering at how late an age he got into wrestling and with just how long he's been doing it.

[LARMORE]

TARU playing the role of Tiger Jeet Singh is fine.

So long as he doesn't have a boring, shit fest of a singles like he did with Suwama on 4/1.

[25:17]

When is the Yokohama Show?

[Lasakon]

The 28th.
As an aside, All Japan posted some photos from a Weekly Pro story covering F4 and Raijin.

[Unknown]

Its official. Araya has retired people, lost to Kojima. I liked Araya but everyone has to retire.

Fucked up again.

AJPW, 26.07.2009
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Nobutaka Araya Retirement Match: Nobutaka Araya & Kikutaro vs. Masanobu Fuchi & TAKA Michinoku

[Beard4Sale]

I can understand having Fuchi and Kikutaro, but is there any history between Araya and TAKA?  Seems kinda random to me.

[DJonatello]

Mexican Amigos maybe?

But who cares! SUPER F'N CRAZY!

[LARMORE]

Super Crazy in All Japan? Nice. Very, very nice.

Now they just need to bring TAJIRI over, and give Crazy and TAJIRI one more shot at each other.

E C fucking W.

[Lasakon]

I would post the results, but eh. Anyways, Mutoh and Kea payed tribute to Misawa in the semi main.

[DJonatello]

Kea actually does a pretty awesome Tiger Driver, from what I can tell in that pic.

[OrangeCrush99]

Toward the end of his career, Misawa always seemed to go for the "safer" version of the TD, where he'd basically lay them out like a power bomb instead of impacting them on their head and shoulders.  I wonder how Kea did it.

[L.G Rod]

Jr Heavyweight League participants announced! It's the regular bunch of AJPW Juniors,  with Petey Williams and SUPER F'N CRAZY. Awesome.

And Araya's last match is against Fuchi and TAKA. Kikutaro is his partner. Should be fun.

Ugh Petey Williams. But yay for Super Crazy!

[Eivion Thanatos]

AJPW "PRO-WRESTLING LOVE IN RYOGOKU VOL. 8", 30.08.2009 (PPV)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Keiji Muto 25th Anniversary Special Tag Match: Keiji Muto & Masakatsu Funaki vs. Masahiro Chono & Minoru Suzuki
2. Triple Crown: Yoshihiro Takayama (c) vs. Suwama

purolove.com

[AKINAN]

Loving those matches.

I say Takayama over Suwama

[Anwin]

The founding fathers of Pancrase (I'm still doubting if Shamrock could be considered as one) and the two surviving musketeers of New Japan, in the same match? I don't know how anyone wouldn't love that.

I'll pick Suwama over Takayama, just for the sake of seeing someone different as champion before the greatness known as Minoru Suzuki wins the TC and struggles with so many gold in his shoulders.

Yes, I love Minoru.

[NewJapanAllJapanfan84]

Don't know anything about Funaki but the other are good/great and it should be a fun match.

Takayama/Suwama should be another fun match and I like both guys so it doesn't matter who wins.

[club]

Don't know anything about Funaki

Go check out his stuff on Ditch's site. The '89 UWF match with Tatsuo Nakano has to be seen to be believed.

[rjones2818]

Funaki v Minoru Suzuki:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrccNIv0tmM

[AKINAN]

God damn, seeing Suzuki with a full head of hair is always weird. Love his current hair style, its crazy

[Ligerbusa]

Speaking of Suzuki's hair, NOSAWA had his show today.

[manjiimortal]

Speaking of Suzuki's hair, NOSAWA had his show today.

I can't wait to see this!!!

[L.G Rod]

They somehow look more attractive (and feminine) than the real Chigusa and Dump.

[Anwin]

Takayama and Suzuki cosplaying? Wow, I gotta see it to believe it!

But no Jericho surprise appereance?

[manjiimortal]

Takayama and Suzuki cosplaying? Wow, I gotta see it to believe it!

But no Jericho surprise appereance?

You've never seen then on the NOSAWA shows have you?

[The Diamondhead]

Does Funaki have enough history with Muto to warrant him being in Muto's 25th anniversary match?

[Olly is Olly]

If he wants him in his 25th Anniversary match, then of course.

[Unknown]

Does Funaki have enough history with Muto to warrant him being in Muto's 25th anniversary match?

One wrestling class Mutoh, Hashimoto, Funaki, Chono, AKIRA. Btw, Funaki held record as he debuted when he was 15 years 11 months, Nakajima beat him 15 years 8 months.

[LARMORE]

If you've never seen Minoru Suzuki as Bruiser Minodi, then you're missing great stuff.

Does Funaki have enough history with Muto to warrant him being in Muto's 25th anniversary match?

He has a lot of history with Suzuki, who has a lot of history with Chono and Muto, who have decades of history with each other.

Besides, who wouldn't want to see Funaki in All Japan?

Funaki v Minoru Suzuki:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrccNIv0tmM

This will always remain a personal favorite of mine.  Wrestling at its purest.

[Anwin]

Takayama and Suzuki cosplaying? Wow, I gotta see it to believe it!

But no Jericho surprise appereance?

You've never seen then on the NOSAWA shows have you?

I was going to see his appereance as Bruiser Minodi once...but I was late to go to class...

[NewJapanAllJapanfan84]

Funaki v Minoru Suzuki:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrccNIv0tmM

THanks, it was good match, funny seeing Suzuki with a head of hair.

[Eivion Thanatos]

AJPW is returning to Taiwan this year.

AJPW, 20.11.2009
Taipei National Taiwan University Gymnasium, Taiwan


AJPW, 21.11.2009
Taipei National Taiwan University Gymnasium, Taiwan

purolove.com

[TPO]

Word going around is that AJPW is advertising the return of Kobashi at the 8/30 AJPW Sumo Hall show in some newspaper. It looks to have something to do with Kojima.



Kobashi back in All Japan for one night?!  Break out the orange trunks!  One of my dream matches is Kobashi vs. Kojima.  So this is absolutely amazing news if this singles match happens.

[LARMORE]

Good stuff.

Kobashi vs. Kojima?  Ehh..

[Fukuzawa Justo Meeet]

Kobashi Vs Kojima and bring in Wakabayashi Kenji to do commentary for that match!

[Eivion Thanatos]

There is a general topic for stuff like this, especially when its still in the rumor phase.

[Beard4Sale]

If the Kobashi thing did happen, it'd probably just just be F4 vs. the remnants of Burning.  Which is kinda underwhelming from my point of view.  Should get a few extra punters in to Sumo Hall which is never a bad thing.

[MutoFan83]

Give us a 4 vs. 4 elimination-er:  TenKojiKAIYamato vs. Kobashi/Go/KENTA/Honda(Taniguchi or Kikuchi would work too)

Dome semi-main! Fuck yes.

Kojima/Kobashi would've ruled in 01, it could still draw a house full for sure though.

[L.G Rod]

Too bad Kojima sucks.

[MutoFan83]

AJPW now has 33 WON ***** matches:

All Japan Pro Wrestling

    * Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs. Dory Funk, Jr. & Terry Funk - December 8, 1984
    * Tiger Mask II vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi - March 9, 1985
  * Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Chōshū & Yoshiaki Yatsu - January 28. 1986
    * Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy - December 16, 1988
    * Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu - June 5, 1989
    * Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta - June 8, 1990
    * Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue, & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, & Kenta Kobashi - October 19, 1990
    * Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, & Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue, & Masanobu Fuchi - April 20, 1991
    * Jumbo Tsuruta, Masanobu Fuchi, & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, & Toshiaki Kawada - May 22, 1992
    * Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi - May 25, 1992
    * Masanobu Fuchi & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi - July 5, 1992
    * Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi - April 14, 1993
    * Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue, & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, & Jun Akiyama- July 2, 1993
    * Stan Hansen vs. Kenta Kobashi - July 29, 1993
    * Steve Williams vs. Kenta Kobashi - August 31, 1993
    * Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi - December 3, 1993
    * Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, & Giant Baba vs. Masanobu Fuchi, Toshiaki Kawada, & Akira Taue - February 13, 1994
    * Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue - May 21, 1994
    * Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada - June 3, 1994
    * Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada - January 19, 1995
    * Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue - January 24, 1995
    * Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Steve Williams & Johnny Ace - March 4, 1995
    * Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue - April 15, 1995
    * Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue - June 9, 1995
    * Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi & Satoru Asako vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue & Tamon Honda - June 30, 1995
    * Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue - May 23, 1996
    * Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs. Steve Williams & Johnny Ace - June 7, 1996
    * Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama - December 6, 1996
    * Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada - June 6, 1997
    * Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama - December 5, 1997
    * Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi - October 31, 1998
    * Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi - June 11, 1999
    * Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa - October 23, 1999


Besides the bolded, are there any other new ones?  AJW has a few more now too and NJPW's Keiji Mutoh & Shiro Koshinaka vs. Akira Maeda & Nobuhiko Takada - March 20, 1987 also got ***** honors, their first heavyweight match to accomplish the  ***** feat. 

[Stitch "Marcus" Duran]

Who is Satoru Asako?

[MutoFan83]

Decent lowercard AllJa guy who went to NOAH too I believe. 

[The Diamondhead]

Yeah. He was actually a member of the Over Generation Army alongside Misawa, Kawada and Kobashi, but somehow never managed to get the big break. He did jump to NOAH in 2000, but retired quickly after. He's working as a ring doctor for NOAH nowadays as far as I know.

[Timbardo Russo]

Update on T28,

He's recently turned to a good guy and now is curtin jerking/2nd match guy. I wouldn't be surprised if he returns to Japan soon since he's been put on the IWRG backburner in favor of IWRG vs Super X feud.

[Eivion Thanatos]

How has he looked in IWRG?

[Timbardo Russo]

Most of his stuff never airs but from what I've seen he's looked ok.

[Unknown]

Mutoh interview 1st and 2nd part summary. I should note my japanese is far from great and the way Mutoh speaks at times makes it a bit more complex. So think of it as "hard sub". I omit something due to various reasons.

Mutoh originally wanted to become Judo Therapist (bone setting), but he also took part job as worker in insurance company. However, when he had to examine guy from that company he only had real examined grandfather and grandmother, he felt a lot of stress and couldn’t really do it (guy had problem with lower back). He didn't have confidence. He also had stress from returning into society (since he was away from it while he worked and studied). He thought to become gardener (as his father), but NJ was lookin for guys in judo classes and his sempai said “Before you become gardener try proresu for one time”. He liked wrestling before so tried. He said while doing exercise in NJ he thought “it’s hard, I’d better be gardener” (lol). He even said “I quit” to Yamamoto once, but he replied “Wait a little, Mutoh”. He was also told “Wait a little more, and try your best.” They’ve seen ability in him, he understood it and stayed.
Apparently there wasn’t a wrestler he aimed for. He just trained hard everyday. He remembers his first match was with Chono, but doesn’t remember how it was, only that he tried desperately. Mutoh knew he was gonna to debut before official notice in some extent, because tights and ring shoes were prepared. Mutoh was called “tensai” first time when he returned from oversea. Until then he was young lion.

When he came to Tokyo from Yamanashi, impression was “a lot of buildings, in night time so bright”. He thought America will be even more amazing, but when he came to Florida, it was more countryside than Yamanashi (lol). But he wasn’t disappointed, he says Florida was good place. Still now it’s good place, now in Tampa quite a lot Japanese restaurants, but in his time there was only two. Reporter admits living seemed to be easy, Mutoh says there was a lot of wrestlers, Hogan, everybody, they did tours around US. Some didn’t, many have their homes settled in Tampa. Mutoh tried his best al the time  in America, he was young and stimulated.
System in America was very open, there wasn’t sempais or students. As Kazuo Sakurada was sempai, but in match order Mutoh could be higher. Mutoh studied that what wrestling should be in Florida. He studied it naturally. Mutoh didn’t want to return to Japan. In US – it was interesting, there was water, and he didn’t think he studied enough.
When he returned he did 2 series with Fujinami, Maeda came with his UWF, there was opposition of the old and the new generations. Mutoh somehow ended in old generation. New were Fujinami, Choshu, Maeda, old were Inoki, Sakaguchi, Hoshino. He was asked what was his mental state being in old generation. He said he wasn’t wrestler with intention, he was doing Space Lone Wolf gimmick, Inoki said “Maybe you’ll be sponsored by helmet shop”, so he started to wear helmet during entrance.
Company was expected something out of him, Hashimoto and Chono, but Mutoh said they weren’t his rivals. Those fellows were "comrades" at that time. Mutoh says he was doing moonsault press since he was young lion. Moonsault and him became synonym in America, and so in Japan. He had confidence in that move from beginning, he very first did it in young lion cup.
Mutoh considered it would burn knees. He did high-speed wrestling (with Choshu), American wrestling, handled anything. He also handled things with foreign talents, he had trust from company.


http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/oth ... avi_1.html

[Eivion Thanatos]

Thanks for the translations. Nothing great, but some interesting things are there. The story of his becoming a wrestler is particularly interesting.

[MutoFan83]

Good stuff.  I always love a good Muto inteview. His shoot is interesting and he's one of the only Japanese guys to not need a translator.  Kazu without a translator earlier in the shoot was epicly awkward.

[Unknown]

And 3rd part.

He was to Puerto Rico then, Mutoh tells it was interesting, he always told to company he should go to America again. Reporter says Puerto Rico has dangerous place image, Mutoh agrees telling Brody was killed there, a little after it Mutoh left. But Mutoh didn’t cross him, heels and faces rooms were different. (Mutoh was heel, Brody face).  Mutoh first heard Brody was stabbed by fan, though he understood that he had died, there was a big show on that day, and Mutoh handled it. It was big tour. Next day he heard it was done by local booker called Jose Gonzales. All Americans wrestlers feared him. Tour continued, but American wrestlers were against continuing, on that day matches were not held, thou there was many spectaculars.
Mutoh and Sakurada were told “Return. Return.” After all Mutoh canceled it and backed to Texas. Why Texas? Because Sakurada had house here. He performed for Von Erich promotion for half a year. He said it was his peak and admits his finisher was Iron Claw. As revenge for Great Kabuki (who was as I understand gimmick father of Mutoh). Fritz Von Erich used Iron Claw in Japan (on Kabuki too). Mutoh says Kabuki did 1 vs 3, but he did 1 vs 4. He asked is Great Muta was born in Texas. Not yet. WCW Josh Scott scouted him while he worked in Texas. Mutoh was happy.
Mutoh hadn’t any permission from NJ. When he was offered contract he was asked “Are you NJ wrestler?” Mutoh replied “No, I have no connections with them.”. He doesn’t know if NJ side had problems with that. If he wouldn’t sign contact it would be unreasonable. He did one match in WCW and thought it was amazing, Great Muta begins from here. He was told to paint face, he was face after all, but he also was Japanese. Thus he would cover all the face and became like that. Gary Hart thought it was good to use mist, since Hart was inventor of mist and Great Kabuki character. People started to recognize him in WCW, he did matches with Sting, Flair, and he didn’t lose for around one year. He was active one year and won TV belt. He returned in Japan then. Why he left WCW? Invitation from WWF came, he heard they need him. Gary Hart has been fired. He did face talk for him, he thought he had to drop being face. Many games were played around so he left. When Mutoh phoned to Japan, AJ, NJ and WWF were crossing to do Dome show, he introduced himself, returned for one time to Japan and talked with Vince McMahon, but stayed with NJ. Mutoh was asked - "Did WWF just gave it up?" But Mutoh says there was a lot of other invitations, from Megane Super (SWS). Other choices too. It was crossroad of his life.

It ends here.

Btw nobody knows what dialect Mutoh speaks? I guess some yamanashi or some thing. He uses "dawa" and "ja" lot.

[sledgehammer]

His shoot is interesting and he's one of the only Japanese guys to not need a translator.

I love the Mutoh shoot, He doesn't remember most of his career but at least he's got a sense of humor about it

[MutoFan83]

"You know Choooooono?"  Awesome.

[1randy1]

“Maybe you’ll be sponsored by helmet shop”, so he started to wear helmet during entrance.

Haha, I love Inoki.

[wOOt]

I hear tell Muto AND Misawa were both offered to jump to SWS.

I guess this interview confirms one half of that, I am sort of surprised he told WCW he had no connection with NJ(but it happens?)

I cant even imagine Muta in WWF, I simply cant.

[1randy1]

I cant even imagine Muta in WWF, I simply cant.

He was also going to go to WWF in 2000, but had that no complete clause dealo from WCW.

[The Hater]

I cant even imagine Muta in WWF, I simply cant.

He was also going to go to WWF in 2000, but had that no complete clause dealo from WCW.

let us not forget that jericho incident...

[sledgehammer]

I cant even imagine Muta in WWF, I simply cant.

He was also going to go to WWF in 2000, but had that no complete clause dealo from WCW.

That would have been awesome, Short lived but it would have been cool to just see Muta in a WWF ring

[L.G Rod]

let us not forget that jericho incident...

?

I cant even imagine Muta in WWF, I simply cant.

He was also going to go to WWF in 2000, but had that no complete clause dealo from WCW.

That would have been awesome, Short lived but it would have been cool to just see Muta in a WWF ring

Of course! MUTA was made for WWE.

[Anwin]

I cant even imagine Muta in WWF, I simply cant.

He was also going to go to WWF in 2000, but had that no complete clause dealo from WCW.

let us not forget that jericho incident...

What?

I cant even imagine Muta in WWF, I simply cant.

He was also going to go to WWF in 2000, but had that no complete clause dealo from WCW.

That would have been awesome, Short lived but it would have been cool to just see Muta in a WWF ring

Yeah. But, feuding against who? Taker-Muta wouldn't have that many of sense those days.

I'm still expecting to see him inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame, though.

[MutoFan83]

Muta and HHH together forever against Rocky/Austin.  Ah, would could have been.

[DefLeppardVanHalen]

Muta vs. Undertaker would be THE dream match.

[Anwin]

Reversing the Last Ride with the mist? EPIC!

[NewJapanAllJapanfan84]

I want to point out if I'm not mistaken today is the 25th Anniversary of Mitsuharu Misawa debuting as Tiger Mask II.

[OrangeCrush99]

Hiroshi Hase lost his seat in the Japanese Parliament. I don't think it will affect what he does in AJ (I'm still not sure what he does!) but I just thought it was kind of interesting.

[MutoFan83]

Hiroshi Hase lost his seat in the Japanese Parliament. I don't think it will affect what he does in AJ (I'm still not sure what he does!) but I just thought it was kind of interesting.

Return pronto please. I think he's just the Triple Crown Chairman or whatever title there is for the guy who reads the scroll before sankanhebi title matches.

[OrangeCrush99]

It's due to the Romanization systems out there. To pronounce it, it's a long "o" sound, held a bit longer. For instance, the difference between the "go" sound and the "goh" sound would be like saying the 2nd one (the one with the h) by holding the "o" sound about a second longer. Yeah, I know, it's crazy. Even worse, if you wanted to be technical, Mutou (with a u at the end) would be a more accurate Romanization (but not pronunciation), because when you write it in script (hiragana), you get the "lengthen" the preceding vowel by adding a the character for the "u" sound. Yeah, it's fucked. 3 yrs of it, one hour a day, 5 days a week in college kicked my ass. But at least I can follow matches and tv shows OK now!

[crimson flames]

ō=ou=oh. Omitted in romaji when not important. Like Mutoh. U - doubles o in 95%. When it not doubles - verbs like omou, and words like kouta (小唄).
Mutoh pronounced like - mu-to-o. Pronounce double "o" is important in phonetic aspect of Japanese.
When important - example, hato (鳩, dove) and hatou (波濤, surging sea) are two different words.

[TPO]

THE HISTORY OF MITSUHARU MISAWA VS. JUMBO TSURUTA (13 Disc Set)

This 13 Disc set chronicles the feud between Mitsuharu Misawa and Jumbo Tsuruta, quite possibly the most important feud in the history of All Japan Pro Wrestling. The Misawa vs. Jumbo feud would set the tone for All Japan throughout the 90's. With Jumbo getting older, and Tenryu having jumped ship, All Japan was lacking main event draws in 1990. Sure they had Stan Hansen, but besides Jumbo they were lacking a strong native main event draw. Enter the newly unmasked Misawa. This feud and these matches made Misawa into the icon of All Japan in the 90's. Beginning in May of 1990, but really taking off on 6/8/90 the Misawa and Jumbo feud would carry All Japan into the 90's with incredible match, after incredible match. Perhaps no feud other than maybe Misawa/Kawada has produced such an amazing body of matches. This feud truly had it all; all time classic singles matches, amazing tag matches, and unbelievable six man tags. The six man tags must be noted as standout. Week after week various combination's of Misawa and Co. vs. Jumbo and Co. produced without a doubt the greatest collection of six-man tags you will ever see. Just amazing stuff with the various story line's and spots that carry over from match to match. This 13 disc collection contains all of the best/most important matches necessary to tell the story of the Misawa vs. Jumbo feud. I’ve also included some matches that do not directly have interaction between Misawa and Jumbo, and this was done to show how each wrestlers individual story was evolving, how they fared against established veterans like Hansen, titles they won, facing members of each others factions, etc…

The video quality is VG-EX throughout, with 90% of the set being EX. All discs have full menus authored with TMPGE DVD Author 2.0 (See below for menu art) and Misawa or Jumbo's theme music in the background.

The cost of the set is $45.00, this includes shipping in the USA or Canada. To Europe/Mexico/Australia/Elsewhere please add $5.00 extra for shipping. Paypal only please. PM ME IF YOU'RE INTERESTED. THE SET IS NOT FOR TRADE. Thanks!

MATCH LISTINGS:

DISC 1
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Mask II (All Japan 3/9/88) - Their first match. Jumbo is SOOOO far above Misawa here, yet Misawa puts up a good fight.
Tiger Mask and Toshiaki Kawada vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu and Ricky Fuyuki (All Japan 5/14/90) - Tiger Mask II unmasks as Misawa, and kicks some old veteran ass. This would piss off Jumbo and his buddies.
Jumbo/Kabuki/Fuchi vs. Misawa/Kobashi/Taue (All Japan 5/26/90) - Jumbo joins his friends to take on the young punks in the first of the legendary Misawa vs. Jumbo six man tags.
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (All Japan 6/8/90) - An all time classic. Misawa gets the upset of the decade here.

DISC 2
Tsuruta/Kabuki/Inoue vs. Misawa/Kawada/Kobashi (All Japan 7/12/90) – Kabuki would leave All Japan shortly after this match. Taue would step in as Jumbo’s #2.
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Stan Hansen (All Japan 7/27/90) - Misawa is on a hot streak, as he challenges Hansen for the Triple Crown. This was Misawa’s first title shot.
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (All Japan 9/1/90) - Jumbo wants revenge; Misawa wants to prove that 6/8/90 wasn't a fluke. Another ***** classic.
Jumbo Tsuruta and Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada (All Japan 9/30/90) - 45 minutes of perfect tag team wrestling. The first (and IMO best) of the Jumbo/Taue vs. Misawa/Kawada matches.

DISC 3
Jumbo/Taue/Fuchi vs. Misawa/Kawada/Kobashi (All Japan 10/19/90) - The first truly classic six man tag of the feud. Kobashi takes a brutal beating in this one.
Jumbo Tsuruta and Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada (All Japan 12/7/90) - The second meeting of these teams, and probably the second best of them all. Shorter than 9/30, but with more heat and hate.
Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (All Japan 1/19/91) - Jumbo begins his final Triple Crown title reign here.
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue (All Japan 1/26/91) - Misawa vs. Jumbo's #2, a very famous move is created here, and is named after the year.
Jumbo/Taue/Fuchi vs. Misawa/Kobashi/Kikuchi (All Japan 3/23/91)

DISC 4
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Toshiaki Kawada (All Japan 4/6/91) – Jumbo and Kawada meet in the Champions Carnival.
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Stan Hansen (All Japan 4/6/91) – Misawa may have a singles win over Jumbo, but he has never beaten Hansen. Can he do it this time?
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen (All Japan 4/16/91) - Jumbo wins the 1991 Champions Carnival.
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (All Japan 4/18/91) - Misawa challenges Jumbo for the Triple Crown. Of course it’s an awesome match.

DISC 5
Jumbo/Taue/Fuchi vs. Misawa/Kawada/Kobashi (All Japan 4/20/91) - 55+ minutes of EPIC wrestling. The best six man of the feud. Hell, it might be the best six man tag of all time. A true classic.
Jumbo Tsuruta and Masa Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (All Japan 5/17/91)

DISC 6
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kenta Kobashi (All Japan 5/24/91) - Jumbo vs. Misawa's #3... Kobashi puts up a hell of a fight in a match he really has no chance of winning.
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Terry Gordy (All Japan 6/1/91) - Misawa puts away the former Triple Crown Champion in convincing fashion. Misawa's elbow would become a viable finisher after this match.
Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada vs. Terry Gordy and Steve Williams (All Japan 7/24/91) - Misawa and Kawada upset the MVC and win the World Tag Titles.
Jumbo/Fuchi/Ogawa vs. Misawa/Kawada/Kikuchi (All Japan 7/26/91) – Jumbo is on fire in this match. One of the best six man tags of the feud.

DISC 7
Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta and Akira Taue (All Japan 8/18/91)
Mitsuharu Misawa and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta and Akira Taue (All Japan 8/29/91)
Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta and Akira Taue (All Japan 9/4/91) - This match has a legendary finish... just an awesome holy shit moment. And of the course the match itself is amazing.
Jumbo/Taue/Ogawa vs. Misawa/Kawada/Kikuchi (All Japan 10/10/91)

DISC 8
Jumbo/Taue/Fuchi vs. Misawa/Kawada/Kikuchi (All Japan 10/15/91)
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Toshiaki Kawada (All Japan 10/24/91) - Kawada challenges Jumbo for the Triple Crown. The last classic singles match of Jumbo’s career.
Jumbo Tsuruta and Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada (All Japan 11/29/91) – The last meeting of these teams, and its 30 minutes of awesome wrestling. There’s nothing as standout as the finish to 9/4/91, but as a whole it’s a better match. You can feel the HATE in this one.

DISC 9
Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta and Masa Fuchi (All Japan 1/2/92)
Misawa/Kobashi/Kawada vs. Jumbo/Ogawa/Fuchi (All Japan 1/10/92)
Jumbo/Taue/Fuchi vs. Misawa/Kawada/Kobashi (All Japan 1/24/92)
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen (All Japan 1/28/92) - Jumbo loses the Triple Crown to Hansen; he would never hold it again.

DISC 10
Terry Gordy and Steve Williams vs. Jumbo Tsuruta and Akira Taue (All Japan 3/4/92) - Jumbo and Taue win the World Tag Titles, this would end up being the final title win of Jumbo's career.
Jumbo/Taue/Fuchi vs. Misawa/Kobashi/Kikuchi (All Japan 3/6/92)
Jumbo Tsuruta and Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (All Japan 3/20/92)
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (All Japan 4/2/92) - Their final singles meeting. Not on the level of their previous matches, but still a good match.
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Stan Hansen (All Japan 4/17/92) - Misawa once again attempts to win the Champion's Carnival.

DISC 11
Team Jumbo vs. Team Misawa Tag Trial Survivor Match (All Japan 4/18/92) - Nearly 70 minutes(!!!) of great tag team action. A LONG, but very fun match.
Jumbo/Taue/Fuchi vs. Misawa/Kawada/Kobashi (All Japan 5/22/92) – This match is a classic and the second best six man of the feud. This is Taue’s return match after a leg injury, and everyone is at the top of their game. This is also the last time we would see this particular six-man combo.

DISC 12
Jumbo Tsuruta and Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (All Japan 5/30/92) – Taue debuts one of his staple moves here. Great match as always.
Jumbo Tsuruta and Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi (All Japan 6/5/92) - The last Budokan main event for Jumbo, the first for Kobashi. This is probably the last match from the Jumbo/Misawa feud that would be considered a classic.
Jumbo/Taue/Ogawa vs. Misawa/Kawada/Kikuchi (All Japan 8/20/92) – Jumbo’s been out for a few months with a leg injury, this is his return match and he’s all fired up.

DISC 13
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Stan Hansen (All Japan 8/22/92) - Misawa FINALLY wins the Triple Crown. With Jumbo’s illness and injuries, Hansen ended up being the one to pass the torch.
Jumbo/Taue/Ogawa vs. Misawa/Kawada/Kikuchi (All Japan 9/5/92)
Jumbo/Taue/Ogawa vs. Misawa/Kobashi/Kikuchi (All Japan 10/17/92) - The last of the legendary Misawa vs. Jumbo six-mans. Injuries and illness would force Jumbo from competing in main event matches ever again. Unfortunately this would be the end of the Misawa/Jumbo feud. Never getting a proper singles match blow off, the feud would not end with a bang, but a whimper...
BONUS: Misawa/Jumbo/Baba vs. Honda/Omori/Akiyama (All Japan 1/19/95) - Misawa and Jumbo team up in one of Jumbo’s last matches. Far from the tag matches of Jumbo’s past, this match is more like an exhibition, but the fans still appreciate seeing Jumbo.

MENU ART:

__________________________________________________

Keith_H just released this bad boy. I've been waiting for this for well over a year. He was the guy who made the 13 disc Kawada/Misawa set. Can't wait to get this.

[Eivion Thanatos]

The touring schedule for late November and December were also released yesterday.

“WORLD’S STRONGEST TAG LEAGUE 2009”
11/23 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
11/24 @ Iwaki City Gymnasium
11/25 @ Toyama Techno Hall
11/26 @ Toyohashi City Prefectural Gymnasium
11/28 @ Toyooka City Prefectural Gymnasium
12/01 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
12/02 @ Fukui Prefecture Industrial Hall
12/03 @ Wakayama Prefectural Gymnasium
12/05 @ Yokkaichi Australia Memorial Hall
12/06 @ Gifu Industrial Hall

12/13 - “FAN APPRECIATION DAY” @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall

Shining Road/Irving

[NewJapanAllJapanfan84]

That's a lot of dates, this could be fun. Hopefully with that many dates will see more than 8 teams.

[rjones2818]

One Night Taiwan Cup Tournament!
Suwama v Hama
Soya v Senada
Kea (He's Back!) v Kono
Nishamura v Kondo

Singles Match
Great Muta v Zodiac

6 Man Tag Match
Kai/Yamoto/Kojima
v
Suzuki/Takayama/Rongai

6 Man Tag Match
Funaki/Akebono/Hayashi
v
Taru/Doring/Minoru

The card on the 21st hasn't been set yet. If I were in Japan, I'd try to take the tour package.

http://all-japan.co.jp/news_fight.html?id=220

[Eivion Thanatos]

The tournament interests me. I'm happy that they actually kept up with what they said last year about running one.

[AttitudeAJ nevermind the M]

I remember seeing a strange video of Kojima doing this dance at the end of the last Taiwan show. Does anyone remember it?

[1randy1]

I remember seeing a strange video of Kojima doing this dance at the end of the last Taiwan show. Does anyone remember it?

Muto, Akebono, Hayashi, Hama, Wubai, and his band were all dancing to it. It's called "You are my Flower." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-GJl6ch ... re=related <--Song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-udJgUI ... L&index=14 <-- Video of them doing it. There's TV footage that aired like a month later, but i'm too lazy to dig it up. Wubai, who is big in Taiwan, put the show together with All Japan. He did a new theme for Muto, which he used during last years World's Strongest Tag League. He was also at Muto's 25th anniversary show.

Edit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8AmCc1bIL0 <--TV Footage

MUTO SHINING WIZARD SONG~!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnAvvLkZRd4

[rjones2818]

I remember seeing a strange video of Kojima doing this dance at the end of the last Taiwan show. Does anyone remember it?

Muto, Akebono, Hayashi, Hama, Wubai, and his band were all dancing to it. It's called "You are my Flower." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-GJl6ch ... re=related <--Song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-udJgUI ... L&index=14 <-- Video of them doing it. There's TV footage that aired like a month later, but i'm too lazy to dig it up. Wubai, who is big in Taiwan, put the show together with All Japan. He did a new theme for Muto, which he used during last years World's Strongest Tag League. He was also at Muto's 25th anniversary show.

Edit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8AmCc1bIL0 <--TV Footage

MUTO SHINING WIZARD SONG~!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnAvvLkZRd4

Add it to the list...

Gackt can't dance!
Hyde can't dance!
Mutoh can't dance!

[Epyon]

I'm no Feed Astaire, but don't you kinda need knees to dance?

[AKINAN]

I'm no Feed Astaire, but don't you kinda need knees to dance?

I just major LOL'd.

[rjones2818]

I'm no Feed Astaire, but don't you kinda need knees to dance?

Mutoh, Gackt and Hyde are my favorite living Japanese, so their not being able to dance is interesting.

>:D

[wOOt]

I think it's cool Muto and them learned the dance for Taiwanese audience.

I applaud his efforts to expand on Asian market, lets just pray he's smart enough to get an All Asian Tag Title defense as a main event sometime in the near future.

Furthermore, I see no reason. Could we maybe see an All Asian Heavyku return? Perhaps defended only outside of Japan..

[Eivion Thanatos]

Well there are two shows for the upcoming Taiwan tour. The second could always see Akebono and Hama make a defense.

Furthermore, I see no reason. Could we maybe see an All Asian Heavyku return? Perhaps defended only outside of Japan..

Believe Irving mention long ago that the current owner of the belt won't it give up.

[Kinniku Mike Ishijima]

I remember seeing a strange video of Kojima doing this dance at the end of the last Taiwan show. Does anyone remember it?

Muto, Akebono, Hayashi, Hama, Wubai, and his band were all dancing to it. It's called "You are my Flower." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-GJl6ch ... re=related <--Song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-udJgUI ... L&index=14 <-- Video of them doing it. There's TV footage that aired like a month later, but i'm too lazy to dig it up. Wubai, who is big in Taiwan, put the show together with All Japan. He did a new theme for Muto, which he used during last years World's Strongest Tag League. He was also at Muto's 25th anniversary show.

Edit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8AmCc1bIL0 <--TV Footage

MUTO SHINING WIZARD SONG~!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnAvvLkZRd4

Seeing Hama shake his business was quite....interesting.

[Minoru Special]

Did AJPW ever release numbers for the Taiwan show? Because the building looks pretty full in that video.

[Eivion Thanatos]

Did AJPW ever release numbers for the Taiwan show? Because the building looks pretty full in that video.

Nope, they didn't even come close to selling out though they also chose a really freaking huge arena. Fans were very positive though, and I'm guessing they didn't lose much money since they are going back this year. Here's a link to pics of the show giving you an idea of the attendance.

http://tokyo-walkers.blogspot.com/2008/11/20081116.html




All Japan will be doing a small tour of Taiwan in November with two back to back shows. On 11/20 there will be a single elimination “Taiwan Cup”, and the Great Muta has been added to the show after a huge request from promoters and fans alike. On 11/21, Taiwan will actually hold the first “World’s Strongest Tag League” matches!

AJPW, 11/20/09
Taipei National Taiwan University Gymnasium

1. Taiwan Cup - Round 1: Suwama vs. Ryota Hama
2. Taiwan Cup - Round 1: Seiya Sanada vs. Manabu Soya
3. Taiwan Cup - Round 1: Taiyo Kea vs. Masayuki Kono
4. Taiwan Cup - Round 1: Osamu Nishimura vs. Shuji Kondo
5. Great Muta vs. ZODIAC
6. Satoshi Kojima, KAI & Hiroshi Yamato vs. Minoru Suzuki, Yoshihiro Takayama & NOSAWA Rongai
7. Taiwan Cup - Semi Final: Winner of #1 vs. Winner of #2
8. Taiwan Cup - Semi Final: Winner of #3 vs. Winner of #4
9. Masakatsu Funaki, Akebono & Kaz Hayashi vs. TARU, Joe Doering & Minoru
10. Taiwan Cup - Final: Winner of #7 vs. Winner of #8

AJPW, 11/21/09
Taipei National Taiwan University Gymnasium

Shining Road/Irving

[TPO]

I wonder if there will be a 15th Anny match for Kea.

[rjones2818]

AJPW "ALL JAPAN AUTUMN FESTIVAL 2009", 04.10.2009
Iruma City Minamimine Seishin Industry Transportation Special Ring
2,400 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Ryota Hama besiegt Super Crazy (6:32) mit einer Running Body Press.
2. Suwama besiegt Manabu Soya (11:43) mit einem Ankle Hold.
3. Minoru Suzuki & Yoshihiro Takayama besiegen Hate & Toshizo (7:49) nach einem Running Kneelift von Takayama gegen Toshizo.
4. NEO Offer Match: Kyoko Inoue & Mima Shimoda besiegen Yoshio Tamura & Tanny Mouse (18:41) nach einer Powerbomb von Inoue gegen Tanny.
5. Masakatsu Funaki & Masayuki Kono besiegen Osamu Nishimura & Seiya Sanada (16:53) nach einem Backdrop Suplex von Funaki gegen Sanada.
6. Keiji Muto, Kaz Hayashi & Shuji Kondo besiegen Satoshi Kojima, KAI & Hiroshi Yamato (17:27) nach dem Shining Wizard von Muto gegen Yamato.

Also:

Cruiser´s Game, 04.10.2009
Shinjuku FACE
413 Fans - No Vacancy

2. Mixed Tag Match: MAZADA & Toshie Uematsu besiegen Masa Takanashi & Cherry (12:57) nach einem Dragon Suplex Hold von Uematsu gegen Cherry.
5. Special Tag Match: MIKAMI & Isami Kidaka besiegen Sabu & NOSAWA Rongai (18:24) nach einem Schoolboy von MIKAMI gegen NOSAWA.

via http://purolove.com

[d232009]

Real World Tag League Teams Announced.

- Keiji Muto & Masakatsu Funaki
- Satoshi Kojima & Zodiac
- Suwama & Masayuki Kono
- Osamu Nishimura & Seiya Sanada
- Riki Choshu & Manabu Soya
- Akebono & Ryota Hama
- Minoru Suzuki & Taiyo Kea
- Yoshihiro Takayama & NOSAWA Rongai
- TARU & Joe Doering

[DJonatello]

Ok, that looks fucking awesome.

[Eivion Thanatos]

I'm surprised they announced the teams already. I figured they would wait until the end of the tour.

Disappointed Kondo isn't with Suwama. Would have referred to see Funaki team with Kono doing the whole mentor deal. Feels like this was a case of Mutoh being the odd man out so he removed Kondo from the equation so he could have partner while keeping Kono in there so he can stay noticed.

Takayama teaming with NOSAWA for this seems so wrong.

Do love that Soya is teaming up with Choshu though.

Will be interesting to see who takes the tournament this year.

[AKINAN]

Nice looking so far, good teams apart from Takayama & NOSAWA and Suwama & Kono. Chosu & Soya = Brilliance.

This is a tournement that will be hard to call.

[NewJapanAllJapanfan84]

Awesome Teams. I think we all saw these teams coming with the exception of Takayama/NOSAWA.

I really love the TARU/Doering, Suwama/Kono, & The Sumos. Best of all, I have no odea who will win this.

With all due respect Eivion, the Mutoh/Funaki team was very obvious.

Suwama/Kono seems a little better to me as Kondo is a Jr Heavyweght and was already in the Jr. Tag League earlier this year.

[LARMORE]

If I had to make a prediction on who wins it, I'd go with Keiji Muto & Masakatsu Funaki or Riki Choshu & Manabu Soya.

[Stone Cold Amigo]

I kind of wished Takayama would have paired with someone like Sano, but I guess NOSAWA means they will be a feeder team.

[Eivion Thanatos]

With all due respect Eivion, the Mutoh/Funaki team was very obvious.

I didn't say it wasn't.

[wOOt]

- Keiji Muto & Masakatsu Funaki
- Satoshi Kojima & Zodiac
- Suwama & Masayuki Kono
- Osamu Nishimura & Seiya Sanada
- Riki Choshu & Manabu Soya
- Akebono & Ryota Hama
- Minoru Suzuki & Taiyo Kea
- Yoshihiro Takayama & NOSAWA Rongai
- TARU & Joe Doering

Here's my thoughts

TARU and Doering? Naw

Nosawa and Takayama? Naw

Bono and Hama? Naw

Kea and Suzuki? Naw

Soya and Choshu? Pretty solid chance, not much more than that.

Kojima and Zodiac? Eh.....naw

Suwama and Kono? Naw

The Nish and Sanada? I would take these guys to be my dark horse pics. Sanada and The Nish as tag champs sounds pretty damn refreshing right now if ya ask me. Gives Nish something recent, to make him still look stong, cause I'm hoping by maybe next year he could be within grasp of the TC.

Funaki and Muto? The odds on favorite and why not? These guys can draw and Funaki winning the thing would be nice. But, I figure maybe they might lose in the final. might.

[TPO]

That's one sweet ass t-shirt. Only $19.00, too.

[deathmetal_dan]

That shirt could not be any more 90's lol

[Sato]

Other than finding the shows here and elsewhere online, where would I go for updated news and such to keep up with and follow All Japan?

[Eivion Thanatos]

Other than finding the shows here and elsewhere online, where would I go for updated news and such to keep up with and follow All Japan?

Follow the board or http://ajpw.puroresufan.com/.

[Sato]

Other than finding the shows here and elsewhere online, where would I go for updated news and such to keep up with and follow All Japan?

Follow the board or http://ajpw.puroresufan.com/.

Thanks man, also does All Japan really use any storylines, or characters, or is it more along the lines of athleticism and the best man wins kind of promotion? Also any heels or faces?

[Stone Cold Amigo]

Other than finding the shows here and elsewhere online, where would I go for updated news and such to keep up with and follow All Japan?

Follow the board or http://ajpw.puroresufan.com/.

Thanks man, also does All Japan really use any storylines, or characters, or is it more along the lines of athleticism and the best man wins kind of promotion? Also any heels or faces?

A bit of both. There are storylines like "Soya betrays his mentor Nishimura to join up with Choshu" but then, there's "VDM tries to recruit whoever", something related to the main event, etc. The true heels are VDM, GURENTAI can also sometimes be heelish as well, everyone else is mostly face.

[Eivion Thanatos]

Other than finding the shows here and elsewhere online, where would I go for updated news and such to keep up with and follow All Japan?

Follow the board or http://ajpw.puroresufan.com/.

Thanks man, also does All Japan really use any storylines, or characters, or is it more along the lines of athleticism and the best man wins kind of promotion? Also any heels or faces?

There are storylines. Characters exist to an extent though they aren't as defined as what you would get from the US or a Japanese indy. There are heels and faces to an extent. Only real heels currently in AJPW are Voodoo Murders (VDM) which consist of TARU, Joe Doering, Minoru (Tanaka), Toshizo (Ryuji Hijikata), and Hate (Nobukazu Hirai).

Look here, http://www.purolove.com/ajpw/roster.php, to see the roster.

[Sato]

Thanks alot guys, that cleared up alot. I'll be prepared to atleast understand what is going on, instead of being lost for the first couple of shows figuring out who is with who, and what groups are heel etc. Thanks again

[TPO]

That shirt could not be any more 90's lol

That's what is so great about it.

[wOOt]

Interesting how apparently a MMA gym held some exhibition matches before the last show began.

[MutoFan83]

That's one sweet ass t-shirt. Only $19.00, too.

I need this, where did you get it from?

[OrangeCrush99]

Watching several old 90s King's Road AJPW videos made me realize how much the Budokan crowds and Fukuzawa's announcing enhanced the experience. Don't get me wrong. The in-ring work was great, but the frenzied crowd and his out-of-breath announcing at the end sent the matches into new heights. Just watch the last 10 mins of Misawa/Kobashi vs Taue/Kawada 1995 to see what I mean. When Kawada gets the pinfall, you see some people jump up and go crazy as if they won the match themselves.

[TPO]

That's one sweet ass t-shirt. Only $19.00, too.

I need this, where did you get it from?

The auction is over now. But go to Yahoo Auctions Japan. You can find some amazing stuff on there.

[Guy]

I may be reaching but I feel that the best defense of Nakajima's AJPW Junior Championship reign came against Brother YASSHI.
How off base am I with that statement?

[TPO]

I thought I would share this. It's an interesting read.

http://wrestlingclassics.com/.ubb/ultim ... 365#000000

Dave Meltzer on Jumbo Tsuruta (Courtesy of WrestlingClassics forum):

posted 11-29-2003 05:44 PM

If you were to talk with the wrestlers at that time (mid-80s) that worked
with him, you would get a very different opinion. Everyone respected
that when he wanted to go, he could go with anyone, but his reputation
was that he was a lazy worker unless there were TV cameras. I got that
from Brody (who always complained that I overrated him), Terry Funk (an
example of which I saw live when Jumbo wouldn't do squat on a night when
Terry had decided he wanted to put on a great match, and Jumbo was the
type of wrestler that even Terry couldn't overcome when he thought it was
too cold to wrestle), Kroffat, Furnas, Zenk and Foley just off the top of
my head and probably others, so it was not one bitter person. It was his 80s reputation among people who worked with him day in and day out. Brody's
take was that Jumbo made so much money early in his career and was
guaranteed his position whether he worked for it or not, that he had
nothing driving him. I think when he got older, the fact the young guys
in the company were so good that it drove him because his last four or so
effective years, he was as good as anyone ever, in my opinion. However,
wrestlers who saw him nightly during even that period disagreed with that
viewpoint.

Basics on his rep. First off, if he didn't consider you at his level, he
wouldn't do anything for you. I saw that on numerous occasions with good
working but mid-level Americans so I think that's valid, and that was
even in his hot period. If he wasn't in the mood, you couldn't get a
match out of him. It was more frustrating to people because he was so
talented than if he was a slug. The New Japan guys in the early 80s used
to laugh at Jumbo & Tenryu because they thought they were working an
outdated style and felt them being on top was why New Japan was kicking
All Japan's ass at the time.

In the early 90s, when I thought Jumbo was the best guy in the business,
Foley came back from a tour and saw me at an Arezzi convention. He went
up to me and was vehement about disagreeing after being there for a
month. He said that when he worked singles with Jumbo, Jumbo only wanted
to do three moves, didn't want to give him anything, and only wanted to
work 5-6:00 (and that was a TV match). He couldn't see how I could rate a guy like that top three in the world.

In late 1984 in Nagoya, they ran the big angle where Choshu and company
arrived to set up Choshu vs. Jumbo as the big money program for 1985.
The decision was made by Baba after the tour, and after seeing Choshu's
Army work a few live matches, that there would be a working problem.
Baba changed his mind on the original angle, feeling is that the new
style they imported was much faster-paced, and Jumbo wasn't going to
adapt. He also saw that the guys they imported working their asses off
every night, and that would create problems on non-TV nights. He took
Jumbo out of the key position in the program and put Tenryu in. Tenryu,
while not as talented, would and did adapt. If there was nothing to his reputation of being lazy, then Baba himself, who knew Jumbo better than anyone, was also guilty of being fooled.

As far as a guy who, on a big show, understood his role and usually went
over on younger guys while giving them hope spots and having great
matches, he was totally awesome. His matches with a young Kobashi and
Kawada were perfect, his matches with Tenryu rank with just about
anything and his match with Misawa that I was at, in one night, created a
legend and spurred the Budokan Hall sellout streak. Not to mention, I've
seen people cry at wrestling, but never seen a match, where when it was
over, more than half, and maybe three-quarters of a crowd of nearly
15,000 were in tears like the June Misawa-Jumbo match.



But then someone counters Meltzer's post. Meltzer doesn't reply.

[TPO]

jdw

posted 11-29-2003 10:46 PM

Dave Meltzer wrote:

> If you were to talk with the wrestlers at
> that time (mid-80s) that worked with
> him, you would get a very different opinion.

I know, Dave.

But I've also been with you when one wrestler is putting over the greatness of another wrestler and the two of us rolled our eyes. Rey and Konnan putting over Sabu is one the comes quickly to mind. Sean Waltman doing the same does as well, but then again Sean was stoned out of his mind so everyone at the table rolled their eyes.

You recall Terry Funk telling us that Tanaka was better than Misawa, Kawada and Kobashi back in 1996 after Terry's match with Pogo? This is Terry, a guy you go a long ways back with and respect on a number of levels. But you and I were literally laughing at the one.

What about all the old timers who bagged on Ric Flair for "working the same match every night"?

There was a time when, with respect to judging work, you took the opinion of wrestlers only so far. You not only knew, but also would articulate, that wrestlers were often nutty in juding work. Even wrestlers you liked and respected.

> Everyone respected that when he wanted to go,
> he could go with anyone, but his reputation
> was that he was a lazy worker unless there
> were TV cameras.

It's a bit odd that you never wrote this in the WON back in the day, Dave. Whereas when Savage or Bret Hart or even Shawn Michaels took nights off when the cameras weren't rolling, you would hammer them. With Jumbo, it's only a recent explanation that you've rolled out.

> I got that from Brody (who always complained
> that I overrated him),

I find this rather hard to believe, since you didn't rate Jumbo very high during the time the WON existed _and_ Brody was alive. It really was only after Brody died that you started writing that Jumbo was "picking up his game".

> Terry Funk (an example of which I saw live
> when Jumbo wouldn't do squat on a night
> when Terry had decided he wanted to put on a
> great match, and Jumbo was the type of
> wrestler that even Terry couldn't overcome
> when he thought it was too cold to wrestle),

This simply isn't credible, Dave. When wrestlers took nights off at shows you saw live, you wrote about it in the WON. You've been consistent about this for 20 years, even with wrestlers that you personally like. Laziness on house shows, when the camera isn't rolling, is something you always use to hammer people on.

In the match in question, you wrote literally nothing about the match other than "*1/2". Even more poblematic is what you wrote in reviewing a later Funks match on the series:

"Although the Funks looked good in this match, they are not what they once were in Japan. Terry in particular was greatly bothered by a bad back suffered in Puerto Rico in September and couldn't take any bumps and was in pain every time he tried to move."
-Dave Meltzer, 12/21/87 match covering Budokan final night

It was Terry who couldn't do anything during the series, Dave. He had an excuse, no doubt, with the bad injure that at the time looked like it might end his career. Do you honest expect us to believe that a Terry Funk who couldn't bump on the biggest show of the series would have earlier in the series decided to have a "great match" on a non-TV spot show match in a "cold building"? It's not credible. If you had written something about it at the time, as you always did on things like that, one would them have to try to deterime if Terry was blowing smoke like he was nearly a decade later with Tanaka. But since it's not in there, and as far as I can recall in reading the WONs never was in there until the last year or two, it really comes across that your memory being off.

> Kroffat, Furnas, Zenk

I respect Kroffat and Furnas, but I take this with a grain of salt. I've seen things in the WON the were directly from one or the other of them (either spoken to you infront of me, or things you mentioned to me as being from them and then later ending up in the WON), and this is something that you never put in the WON. Considering you pretty consistently had Jumbo in the Top 10 while the careers of Kroffat, Furnas and Jumbo overlapped in the WON, I'd have to believe it would be something you'd mention.

Zenk has very little credibility when it comes to judging work, or speaking with candor. His track record on both is pretty horrendous.

> and Foley just off the top of my head and
> probably others, so it was not one bitter
> person.

More on Foley below.

As far as "more than one person", I'd again point to all the old-time wrestlers who over the year have rated Flair down for "wrestling the same match every night". Or even Bret Hart ripping Flair's abilities when the two worked together in 1992 in the WWF. You were able to look beyond that, Dave.

> It was his 80s reputation among people who
> worked with him day in and day out.

Then why is it absent from your writing in the era, Dave?

> Brody's take was that Jumbo made so much money
> early in his career and was guaranteed his
> position whether he worked for it or not, that
> he had nothing driving him.

I tend to take most everything Brody is on record as say with a grain of salt. Other than perhaps the stuff about flushing David Vion Erich's dope down the hotel toilet. But other than that, if one actually watch's Jumbo's work in the era, you see a guy who was working extremely well.

> I think when he got older, the fact the young
> guys in the company were so good that it drove
> him because his last four or so effective
> years, he was as good as anyone ever, in my
> opinion.

Agreed that he was pretty darn good from 1989-92. But one can go back to 1985 and 1986 and 1987 and 1988 and see him driven to have good matches, simply on his own desire. I'd again point to the match above, one that you when watching it thought "Jumbo didn't want a match this good". In reality, the match was exactly as good as Jumbo wanted it.

> However, wrestlers who saw him nightly during
> even that period disagreed with that viewpoint.

Except the are two problems with that.

One, as mentioned before, is that you never wrote that at a time when you would mention it about others. Choshu, for example, often got mentioned as taking matches off, but "firing up" for Big Matches. That tag never got applied to Jumbo by you.

The second is that when you were over there watching Jumbo during that "great era", he was pulling in high star ratings from you, even in matches that weren't shot for TV.

It doesn't add up.


> Basics on his rep. First off, if he didn't
> consider you at his level, he wouldn't do
> anything for you. I saw that on numerous
> occasions with good working but mid-level
> Americans so I think that's valid, and that
> was even in his hot period.

You'd have to cite the matches so that the rest of us can go back and watch the tapes.

> If he wasn't in the mood, you couldn't get
> a match out of him. It was more frustrating
> to people because he was so talented than if
> he was a slug. The New Japan guys in the
> early 80s used to laugh at Jumbo & Tenryu
> because they thought they were working an
> outdated style and felt them being on top was
> why New Japan was kicking All Japan's ass at
> the time.

Tenryu sucked. Everyone admits that.

The problem with Jumbo working an outdated style is that it was dictated by his opponents. Here's the guys he wrestled title matches against from 1981 (the dawn of Sayama) until Choshu & Co. came in:

* Abdullah the Butcher
* Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk
* Jack Brisco
* Jimmy Snuka
* Dick Slater
* Killer Tor Kamata & the Great Martialborg
* Billy Robinson & Genichiro Tenryu
* Gypsy Joe
* Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka
* Ric Flair
* Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosuke Ueda
* Alexis Smirnoff
* Tor Kamata
* Nick Bockwinkel & Nikolai Volkoff
* Nick Bockwinkel
* Tommy Rich
* Harley Race
* Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen
* Bruiser Bordy
* Tiger Jeet Singh & Killer Tor Kamata
* Mil Mascaras
* Stan Hansen & Ron Bass
* Bruiser Brody & Nikolai Volkoff
* Ted DiBiase
* Stan Hansen & Alexis Smirnoff
* Terry Funk & Ted DiBiase
* Nikolai Volkoff
* Jose Lothario
* Stan Hansen & One Man Gang
* Steve Olsonoski
* Terry Gordy & Michael Hayes
* Rick Martel
* Greg Gagne
* Kerry Von Eric
* Billy Robinson
* Bruiser Brody & Crusher Blackwell
* Terry Gordy

Now perhaps we can objectively look at the list and ask which of the wrestler on it were able to transition from the "outdated" style to the "non-outdated style" that Choshu & Co. worked?

Hansen obviously, though your writings in 1986 were that Hansen had better matches feuding with Jumbo, and Choshu had better matches feuding with Jumbo, than Hansen and Choshu had feuding with each other. Ironically Hansen and Choshu got the credit for the quality of their matches with Jumbo, and Jumbo didn't. [Smile]

Gordy.

And that's really it. DiBiase was decent in Japan to limits. He worked the older style, and not the Choshu & Co. style. The Hansen & DiBiase matches against Choshu & Yatsu paled compared to Jumbo & Tenryu's.

Oh, and of course Jumbo was able to work the non-outdated working style. In the end, when one watches his matches with Choshu & Yatsu, and with Tenryu, and later with the kids, it's clear that Jumbo worked the "non-outdated style" better than any heavyweight of his generation - Choshu, Fujunami, Tenryu, Yatsu, and on and on.

So perhaps, if one wants to knock the quality of his work in that ear for being "out dated", one might want to look at the workers he was stuck with. We know that now of those smacktalking New Japan heavyweights ever had better matches with Hansen, Gordy and Tenryu than Jumbo did.

Again, this knock of Jumbo's work fails when one actually looks at it. Unless we want to blame Jumbo's regular opponents like Flair and Brody for dragging him down into the old, outdated working style. I suspect you don't want to go that far?

> In the early 90s, when I thought Jumbo was
> the best guy in the business, Foley came back
> from a tour and saw me at an Arezzi
> convention. He went up to me and was vehement
> about disagreeing after being there for
> a month. He said that when he worked singles
> with Jumbo, Jumbo only wanted to do three
> moves, didn't want to give him anything, and
> only wanted to work 5-6:00 (and that was a TV
> match). He couldn't see how I could rate a
> guy like that top three in the world.

There are several ironic things about reading that now.

The first is that it made no impacting on how you rated Jumbo that year (1991), since come the end of the year you rated Jumbo higher as a worker than you ever had, or ever would.

The second is that none of that made it into the WON.

The third is your review of the match:

"3/31[/91] - [...] 2. Tsuruta beat Cactus with a back suplex. Cactus took a few incredible bumps [description of the bumps...] but needs more hot offensive moves for Japan. ***"
-Dave Meltzer, 04/29/91 Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Granted, *** was the worst rated match by Jumbo in the series, even below a match he had with Taue who you pointed out for the 20th time wasn't as good as the rest of the main eventers. But the one negative thing you had to say about the match wasn't aimed at Jumbo not wanting to do anything, but rather at *Cactus* for not having any good offense for Japan.

The fourth is actually rewatching the match.

Jumbo does more than three moves - the Jumping Knee, the Abdominal Stretch, the Cobra Twist, a Jumbo Backdrop on the floor, the Jumbo Lariat, a second Jumping Knee, and the Jumbo Backdrop to win.

The problem, as you pointed out in your review, is that Mick doesn't have any good offense in return. It's ironic that Jumbo actually gives Mick most of the match, but all Mick has for offensive are elbows, punches, kicks, stomps, headbutts and clubbering arms, a hip toss counter, a running back elbow, posting Jumbo, a medicore backbreaker to set up the elbow off the apron. Oh, and several bumps - the elbow (which Jumbo lets him hit), one over the baricade, one off the Jumbo Lariat to the floor, and a nice one on the Jumbo Backdrop on the floor.

What's somewhat ironic watching it now is to notice that none of Mick's bumps really get much for pops. The biggest one is for his bump over the baricade, but if you listen closely (really, you don't have to listen closely since it's obvious), you'll notice that the pops are bigger for Mick tossing Jumbo to the floor (a noticable 'Booooo' pop because the fans want the match to stay in the ring), and for Jumbo in the ring calling Mick to come back in and wrestle (because the fans want the match in the ring and not garbagey). Mick's other bumps really don't get much pops for *the bump*:

* fans pop for Jumbo's lariat, and his signal for it, not for Mick's admittedly great sick bump.

* Fans pop for Jumbo hitting the backdrop on the floor, not for Mick trying to splat himself.

* they is very little pop for the elbow to the floor, which is Mick's one signature cool spot.

Really it's not Jumbo who treats Mick bad in the match - it's the fans who really couldn't care less about him. Jumbo let's Mick do his "show", which includes four of Mick's sick bumps for the era, and hit his one key move of offense (since even as you admitted, he didn't have an cool offense for Japan). And then took it home.

Lastly, it's worth noting that Mick was the designated jobber in the Carnival that year, even in a year they had split groups. Mick finished with _zero_ points, even jobbing to a mid-carder like Dan Kroffat and a prelim worker like Johnny Smith. Mick got to "look good" against prelimers like Inoue, Slinger, Teranishi, Ogawa and King in non-tourney singles matches. But it's enlightening to note that Catus went short with with most of them (6-7 minutes with everyone but King), *and also* went only 8 minutes when jobbing to guys like Taue and Kobashi (the Kobashi one being non-tourney).

In contrast, Jumbo went eight minutes with Kroffat, which is the same as Taue went with Kroffat and Kobashi went with Furnas in tourney matches. Kroffat and Furnas were mid-carders, and the booking was designed to make them look better against Jumbo than prelimers like Cactus.

This is why you didn't comment at all about the match being short at the time - you knew All Japan booking, and given the length of other matches, that's exactly as long as Baba would have wanted it to go.

Perhaps when complaining to you Mick thought he had a **** match in him against Jumbo. That's doubtful, since even the Jumbo vs. Kawada and Jumbo vs. Hansen matches you wrote well of in that tourney topped out a ***1/2. Mick wasn't the worker those two were at the time, and as you point out, didn't have the cool offense for Japan. He did have quite a few garbage spots that he could have used, but you know as well as anyone, All Japan wasn't about that at the time.

Rewatch the match, Dave. It's pretty much as good of a match as Jumbo could have had with Cactus in an *All Japan setting* in 1991.

> In late 1984 in Nagoya, they ran the big angle
> where Choshu and company arrived to set up
> Choshu vs. Jumbo as the big money program for
> 1985. The decision was made by Baba after the
> tour, and after seeing Choshu's Army work a
> few live matches, that there would be a
> working problem. Baba changed his mind on the
> original angle, feeling is that the new
> style they imported was much faster-paced,
> and Jumbo wasn't going to adapt. He also saw
> that the guys they imported working their
> asses off every night, and that would create
> problems on non-TV nights. He took Jumbo out
> of the key position in the program and put
> Tenryu in. Tenryu, while not as talented,
> would and did adapt. If there was nothing to
> his reputation of being lazy, then Baba
> himself, who knew Jumbo better than anyone,
> was also guilty of being fooled.

This is a myth. It's bit like claiming that Hansen was booked into a feud with Baba when he came in because Baba knew that Jumbo couldn't work with Hansen, while he could. What really happened is that Hasen was put into a feud with Baba while the story of Jumbo chasing the International Title was being told. Baba, with his usual long term outlook, knew he would get to Jumbo vs. Hansen down the road.

Jumbo, Choshu and Tenryu was no different. Jumbo was the established main event anchor of the promotion. The company had been trying to get Tenryu up to that level for more than a year, with the UN title and the Int'l Tag title with Tenryu essentially moving into Jumbo's old role as Jumbo moved into Baba's role of anchoring the company. None of it really worked, largely because Tenryu wasn't very good and didn't have much of a personality.

Baba knew he could always get to Jumbo vs. Choshu, whereas Tenryu needed to be elevated and get over to give the All Japan side someone *other than Jumbo* to carry the feud. Go back and watch those Choshu Invasion shows and see the garbage on the All Japan side that Jumbo was having to carry while on the other side Choshu, Yatsu, Animal, Saitoh and even Khan were wrestling circles around the likes of Okuma. That feud dies if they don't get a second person up there and over.

Which is what they did. And by the second half of the year, after Tenryu had been established, it was time for Baba to start putting focus back in Jumbo in it. Which is what he did, both with the singles match and with Jumbo being the one to heel it up to turn Choshu & Yatsu the "faces" in the feud on some level.