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The OH MY GOD! Review: ECW’s “A Matter of Respect” 1996

By
Heels Inc
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1

The “OH MY GOD!” Review of ECW’s “A Matter of Respect” 1996-05-11
From ECW Arena in Philadelphia, PA

Champions
World: Raven
TV: 2 Cold Scorpio
Tag Team: The Eliminators

What we missed: Taz beat Beef Wellington in 4.53 with the Tazmission.

Our show opens with a graphic of what looks like a wedding invitation with classical music playing, inviting us to ‘A Matter of Respect’.

El Puerto Ricano vs. Damien 666 ref John Finnegan
Match is joined in progress with the men fighting by a table outside the ring. Joey tells us this match has been like a tribute to Sabu. Sabu shows up and puts both men through a table. About 1 minute of the match was shown

“Dangerous” Devon Storm & “The Godfather of Extreme” Damien Kane (w/ Lady Alexandra) vs. D-Von & Buh Buh Ray Dudley (w/ Sign Guy, Dances With and Chubby Dudley) ref Paul Richards
Buh Buh gets on the mic and does his stuttering gimmick before the match. “My name is Buh B B big tits” Damien Kane goes berserk. Buh Buh gives Alexandra a pair of glasses and he gets very excited when she puts them on. The heel team attacks from behind. D-Von sends Storm to the floor as Buh Buh hits Kane with a chair and puts him on a table outside of the ring. Splash by Buh Buh puts Kane through the table. All four men brawl on the floor. Storm hits D-Von with a top rope drop kick back in the ring. Buh Buh with an avalanche in the corner and D-Von follows in with a flying forearm. We cut forward a bit and Buh Buh back drops Devon over the top to the floor and Storm lands on DW Dudley. D-Von now in the ring with Kane. D-Von just hammering away on Kane. Buh Buh hits a crossbody from the top rope to the floor onto Devon. Storm hits D-Von with a chair from the top rope. All four men in the ring and they all dive at a chair on the floor. D-Von comes out of the pile with it and lays out his opponents with it and then turns and hits Buh Buh and the ref with it. The ref calls for the bell and the Dudleys are disqualified. The announced time of the match was 14.10 with 6.24 actually shown. In the ring Buh Buh and D-Von are arguing and shoving each other.

The F.B.I. vs. Axl Rotten & “The Shah” Hack Myers ref Jim Molineaux
J.T. Smith and Axl start the match. The fans chant “J.T. Sucks” and the F.B.I. decide they are going to leave. After taking a trip down the aisle they go back to the ring. Smith gets on the mic and tells the crowd if they keep doing that they are leaving for good. Crowd starts chanting “J.T.’s got a woody” Smith gets the mic again and says “Pretty spectacular huh?” Finally 3 minutes after the bell rings the two men lock up. Smith gets Axl in the ropes and slaps him around. Smith with a side headlock. Axl pushes him off gets hit with a shoulder block. Smith hits the ropes and gets hip tossed. Little Guido hits the ring and gets hip tossed also. Edit in the match Shah is in the ring with Guido he hits a leg drop and goes up top for his finishing move. Smith pushes Myers off the top but he goes for a sunset flip on Guido. Guido drops down Smith grabs on for some extra leverage and the F.B.I. gets the victory. The match is announced as 10.55 but only 4.50 was shown.

Three Way Dance: World Champion Raven (w/ Miss Patricia, Stevie Richards & The Blue Meanie) vs. Sandman (w/ Missy Hyatt & 2 Cold Scorpio) vs. Pitbull #2 (w/ Pitbull #1 & Francine), ref John Finnegan
Raven’s entrances with his gang are so insanely entertaining. Richards and Meanie were so out of control. The Pitbulls were originally scheduled to team with Tommy Dreamer in the six man tag match but were attacked by the Tag Team Champions Eliminators. Pitbull #1 was unable to compete so they were pulled from that match. Bell rings and we get a three way lock up. Pitbull pushes off both men. The same thing happens a second time. He charges both men and misses a clothesline and goes over the top rope. Raven turns and hits a DDT on Sandman that almost gets 3. Raven throws #2 back in the ring and him and Sandman hit him with cane and chair shots. #2 does not go down and after about 10 hits charges and this time hits the double clothesline sending all three men over the top rope to the floor. #2 lays Raven over the guardrail and leg drops him from the apron. Sandman leaps over the ropes and nails #2 with the cane. Sandman brings #2 back in the ring and hits more cane shots. Raven goes for the cover on him but Sandman breaks it up. #2 misses a spin kick in the corner and falls to the floor. Raven throws Sandman out of the ring and hits a plancha on both men. Pitbull gets whipped into the rail by both men. They go for it again but he reverses and sends them both into the rail. #2 charges but gets back dropped into the crowd. Raven hits a butterfly suplex in the ring on Sandman for 2. Pitbull with a tiger bomb for 2 as we hit the 7 minute mark. Powerslam by the Pitbull gets a two count on Sandman. Sandman hits a top rope frankensteiner. Raven goes for a double DDT but it’s reversed. Raven gets sandwiched with a double clothesline. They go for it again but Raven pulls the ref in the way. Scorpio comes in and attacks #2. #1 comes in and attacks Sandman. Now the two men go after each other and go to the floor and brawl to the back. Stevie gets in the ring and pulls Raven on top of Sandman but the ref is still out. Pitbull sets up a table across the top turnbuckle. He puts Sandman on it and starts to climb up with him but the table slides off and Sandman goes crashing to the floor. Pitbull puts Sandman back up on the buckle and hits a sick looking superbelly to back! Sandman elbows Raven from the top rope and then a leg drop from the top. Sandman grabbing at his knee. #2 and Raven fighting now Sandman goes low with the cane on both. Superbomb onto Sandman! #2 goes for the cover but Raven boots him in the face and gets the cover to eliminate him in 15.10. Francine comes in and attacks Raven and Patricia comes in and goes after Francine. Missy comes in and canes them both as the two girls fight to the back. Sandman gets up and rolls up Raven for a 2 count. Sandman hits a DDT for 2. Stevie goes for a Steviekick but Sandman moves and it hits Raven. The crowd is going crazy but it only gets a 2 count. Sandman taking apart the guardrail and he throws a piece in the ring. Raven recovers and attacks Sandman as he gets in the ring. Raven gets irish whipped into the rail. The fans sense a title change. Sandman suplexes the rail onto Raven. Suplex blocked Raven pushes Sandman onto the rail quick DDT and Raven gets the win at 18.20 to retain the World title. Pitbull 2 hits the ring to chase off Raven and Richards. Meanie stands in the aisle making faces. #1 comes up behind him and they drag him to the ring. Sandman canes Meanie and they superbomb him. Pitbull 2 gives Sandman a beer and they shake hands. Missy makes out with #2 but Francine hits the ring and goes after Missy.

“Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. Mikey Whipwreck ref Paul Richards
These guys had a nice match at the last house show so I’m looking forward to this. Jericho forces Mikey to the ropes and slaps him across the face. Waist lock takedown by Jericho into a bow and arrow submission. Chops in the corner, whip reversed by Mikey and he follows it with a drop kick. Snapmare and an indian deathlock by Mikey. Jericho comes back with a suplex. Spin kick in the corner and body slam by Jericho. Mikey ducks a clothesline and gets hit with a spin kick. Powerbomb by Jericho for 2. Mikey reverses a tombstone piledriver and hits one of his own. Mikey goes up top but Jericho stops him climbs up with him and drop kicks him to the floor. Mikey on the apron and Jericho hits his springboard elbow and both men go to the floor. Jericho brings it into the crowd and covers Mikey in a bunch of chairs and then hits the pile with one. Jericho suplexes Mikey back into the ring and hits a top rope splash for 2. He goes for a second but Mikey gets the boots up and hits a rocker dropper for 2. Corner whip reversed Jericho follows with a clothesline back the other way with the same. He tries a third time but Mikey moves and Jericho spills to the floor. Mikey dumps him into the crowd and dives off the top rope into the crowd. Back in the ring Mikey hits a top rope clothesline that gets him a 2 count. Mikey hits a top rope frankensteiner but Jericho kicks out. Mikey hits the ropes ducks a clothesline and grabs a waistlock. Jericho spins out into his own waistlock, Mikey throws an elbow but Jericho ducks and hits a fishermen buster followed by a lionsault for 2. Mikey ducks a clothesline Jericho throws him in the air and Mikey hits a frankensteiner for 2. Jericho hits a Dragon suplex for 2. Mikey ducks a chair shot and drop kicks it into Jerichos face and a cradle pin gets a long 2. Jericho back drops Mikey but he lands on his feet on the apron and goes up top. Jericho stops him and hits a super underhook suplex for the win at 14.20. The two men shake hands and hug after the match.

“The Franchise” Shane Douglas vs. TV Champion 2 Cold Scorpio, ref John Finnegan
Shane Douglas wrestling for a belt he claims he doesn’t even want. The ref brings the title over to Shane to show it to him and Shane grabs it and throws it out of the ring. Scorpio gets a “WWF” shirt from the crowd and taunts Shane with it. The two men lock up and Scorpio takes the back of Shane. Douglas throws him off and the same thing happens again. Scorpio gets Shane to the mat and ties up the leg of Douglas. Shane gets to the ropes to break the hold. They each sweep the leg and get a 2 count. Scorpio with an arm bar brings Shane to his knees. Douglas reverses but Scorpio cartwheels out of it and is back in control of the arm. Douglas now rolls through and has a top wristlock. Scorpio back flips out of it and hits an arm drag. Shane reverses a hip toss and hits one of his own. Scorpio bails to the floor. Back in and Scorpio back to the arm. Douglas shows his power and pulls Scorpio into a clothesline. Scorpio bridges out of a pin and goes for a back slide. Shane blocks it but Scorpio backflips out of hit. Douglas goes for the belly to belly but its blocked, double arm suplex by Shane and Scorpio goes outside again and throws a chair into the ring. Shane sits down on it and throws it at Scorpio as he gets in the ring. Douglas stomping the champ. Irish whip reversed by Scorpio and he kicks Shane in the stomach. Shane leaning against the ropes back drops Scorpio to the floor as he charges. Baseball slide followed by a plancha by Shane. Shane picks up Scorpio for a suplex and bounces him off the ropes and just throws him onto the guardrail. A very nasty looking move. Dougals gets back in the ring and tells the ref to count out Scorpio. Scorpio pulls Shane out of the ring and sends him into the guardrail and follows its up with a splash. Scorpio charges and Shane sends him flying into the crowd. Shane follows and they fight through the crowd. Scorpio gets a crutch and chair giving him the upper hand back at ringside. Douglas fights back and hits a power bomb on the concrete floor which gets a soft “Oh my god” from Joey and an “E-C-W” chant from the crowd. Scorpio gets in before the count out and Shane goes back to work. Scorpio kicks Shane low and uses a chair. Shane rolls to the apron Scorpio gives him a Pele kick that sends Shane to the floor. Moonsault off the apron to the floor. Scorpio sets Shane on a table and goes back into the ring. Scorpio charges but Shane disappears and ends up behind Scorpio and attacks. Scorpio with a roll up gets 2 and he hits a superkick as they get up. Scorpio goes up top but Douglas drop kicks his feet. Shane jumps off the chair and drop kicks Scorpio off the ropes to the floor. Back in the ring Shane hits a hanging vertical suplex but Scorpio is able to kick out. Shane goes up top but misses a knee drop. Scorpio ducks a clothesline and hits another superkick. Scorpio hits a beautiful moonsault but he gets off before getting the three count. Back up top he hits a perfect 450 but doesn’t go for the cover. Twisting leg drop but again no cover. Scorpio getting cocky now but Shane is getting up. Shane leaps over Scorpio and hits a belly to back for 2. Fishermen suplex for 2. Shane throws Scorpio to the ropes and goes for the belly to belly but it’s blocked. Scorpio hits a urinagi slam. Scorpio puts Shane up top and goes for a frankensteiner but Shane blocks it and hits a superbomb. Corner whip and Shane charges but gets hit with a superkick. Scorpio goes up top but gets down and then goes back up. Shane cuts him off and hits a super belly to belly. Shane gets the pin at 26.14, announced as 26.31 to end Scoprio’s 4th TV title reign at 127 days. We get a replay of some of the action that took place. Shane gets the mic and says that he has wrestled all the greats and worked for a great promoter in Paul Heyman and that he has wrestled in the greatest building in the world. He shakes Scorpios hand and tells him that he is the greatest wrestler in the world. Shane asks Scorpio to put the belt on him as a sign of respect. They shake hands again but Scorpio hits Shane with the belt and hits him with a pile driver. Scorpio lays a chair over Shane’s face and hits a top rope leg drop.

Respect Match: Rob Van Dam vs. Sabu, ref Jim Molineaux
The loser of the match will be required to shake the other persons hand. Van Dam with a leg trip Sabu fights out of a leg lock. Van Dam bails Sabu follows and throw him into the guardrail. Air Sabu and Sabu back in the ring. Van Dam taunts Sabu and he goes back out. Van Dam tries to jump off a chair and slips. Back in Van Dam sets up a chair and charges but Sabu runs out of the way. Both men getting back in Sabu lays Van Dam on the second rope facing up and places the open chair under Van Dam. Sabu hits a leg drop and Van Dam bounces off the chair. Two count for Sabu. Van Dam set up on the to buckle Sabu hits him with a chair and then runs up it and hits a super frankensteiner. Van Dam takes over with mat wrestling and submissions. Sabu fights back and hits a springboard DDT. They go to the floor and Van Dam is thrown into the crowd. Sabu attempts a plancha but Van Dam throws a chair into his face. Van Dam in the ring now sets up a chair hits the ropes and does a flying somersault over the chair and ropes to the floor onto Sabu. Back in Sabu kicks out of a splash at 2. Van Dam hits a float over suplex for 2. Van Dam back to the submission wrestling working over the legs and back. Van Dam with an arm bar and karate kicks. Sabu fights back and hits a springboard body attack and now he goes to work on the arm of Van Dam. Corner whip Van Dam hits sternum first Sabu hits a springboard drop kick and moonsault for two. Van Dam hits a power bomb and rolling somersault splash for 2. He goes to the top rope and Sabu throws a chair at him. Sabu goes to run up the chair and Van Dam goes to jump over Sabu but Sabu stops himself and drop kicks Van Dam. Sabu puts Van Dam back up and runs up the chair again but gets pushed onto the rope. Sabu straddling the top rope and Van Dam frankensteiners him off. Sabu’s head Is laying outside the bottom rope and Van Dam lays a chair on it and leaps over to the top rope and leg drops him. Sabu pushes Van Dam to the apron and sunset flip powerbombs him to the floor. Sabu sets up a table in the crowd and throws Van Dam on it. Sabu goes back in the ring runs up a chair onto the ropes and hits a big splash through the table. “OH MY GOD!” and an “E-C-W” chant. Sabu crawls back in the ring as we reach the 15 minute mark of the match. Van Dam rolls into the ring and Sabu covers for 2. Sabu to the apron and slingshot sommersault leg drop back into the ring. Sabu now on the second rope but Van Dam cuts him off and hits a brainbuster off the second turnbuckle, which almost gets a 3. Van Dam to the ropes but Sabu knocks him down to a seated position grabs his head and hits a diamond cutter. Triple jumps moonsault but Van Dam gets the knees up. Sabu goes up top but Van Dam cuts him off again and this time hits a fishermen buster from the second rope. Sabu still able to kick out at 2. Split legged moonsault and Van Dam gets the win at 18.50. Sabu leaves the ring afterwards and runs to the back. We get a replay of the action and when we come back Sabu, Paul E and Joey Styles are in the ring. Heyman asks Van Dam to come to the ring so they can show each other respect. Van Dam gets on the mic and tells Sabu that not only does he NOT respect Sabu he thinks he’s a piece of shit. Bill Alfonso and Taz show up at ringside and Van Dam tells them that he respects them.

“Primetime” Brian Lee & Tag Team Champions The Eliminators vs. Tommy Dreamer & The Gangstas, ref John Finnegan
Dreamer and Gangstas hit the ring with garbage cans full of weapons and go right after their opponents. Not much to report about in the first five minutes. Kronus in the ring does a back hand spring and leaps over the ropes with a moonsault onto Dreamer. Saturn hits an asia moonsault and then Dreamer hits a plancha. Aside from those three moves and its brawling and weapons all over and its awesome! After the Gangstas music stops Saturn and Mustafa get in the ring and Saturn misses and big top rope knee drop. Mustafa now in control hits a running powerslam on a chair. Big diving press slam by Mustafa. Mustafa sits Saturn in a chair and gives him a running big boot. Lee and Dreamer are deep in the crowd. Back in the ring Saturn hits a flying forearm for 2. Dreamer and Lee now get in the ring with Lee in control using lots of weapons. Saturn and Mustafa head up to the podium by Styles. Mustafa hits a suplex as Lee and Dreamer make it up to the stage. The Eliminators are in the ring with the Gangstas now. Saturn with a pump handle slam and leg drop onto New Jack, he covers and gets 2. Dreamer gets suplexed through a table and launched off the top stage onto the platform below! Dreamer has been busted open. Mustafa hits Kronus with a toy robot. Lee and Kronus post Jack. Saturn hits a hurricanrana on Dreamer. Dreamer catches a cross body and slams Saturn. Dreamer goes up top and misses a splash and gets hit with a swinging neck breaker. Saturn hits a top rope knee. Lee hits a big boot on Dreamer as the Eliminators hold him. They hit a second and go for a third but Dreamer kick Lee between the legs. Mustafa hits a spinebuster on Kronus. Dreamer and Lee on the floor brawling. Back in the ring Dreamer ducks a big boot and hits a DDT. He sets Lee up for a piledriver but Stevie Richards sneaks in the the ring and hits a Stevie Kick. Beulah and Kimona Wanlaya come to the ring and grab him by the balls and drag him back to the locker room. Dreamer lays a cinder block on Lee’s groin and hits it with a chair but Saturn breaks up the pin and hits Dreamer with a piledriver. Saturn sets up a table in the ring and puts Dreamer on it. Mustafa stops Saturn before he can jump onto Dreamer. Dreamer gets up and hits a super DDT through the table! Kronus breaks up the pin New Jack nails Kronus with a chair in the back and hits the 187 chair shot. New Jack pins Kronus at 20.48

My thoughts on the show,
Very slow start with the first three matches being edited like crazy. Could we have seen the end of the Dudley Boys? A very hectic World Title match that I enjoyed much more then I thought I would. The Jericho/Whipwreck match was a little too back and forth for me as it was really just one guy doing a move and then the other guy doing a move. The TV title match and the Sabu/Van Dam match were both very good. Scorpio and Douglas were two of the top talents in the industry in ‘96 if you ask me. Sabu and Van Dam put on a much better match than their first, I felt this one flowed much better. The brawl was your classic ECW fight from start to finish with some nice spots added into it. Thumbs way up on this show. Easily my favorite ECW show to date.

More On Nancy Grace Piece; Wrestlers Lash Out

By
Jim Somers
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Nancy Grace interviewed Diamond Dallas Page on Headline News tonight to discuss the death of The Ultimate Warrior. During the segment, which you can watch above, Warrior was referred to as a “WWE Superstar.” Grace spoke about wrestlers dying of steroids and illegal drugs, and while she was discussing it, a list of wrestlers who died young was shown which included Owen Hart, who actually died from a freak stunt during a WWE pay-per-view in 1999.

DDP noted that he saw Warrior at the WWE Hall of Fame last weekend, and while “he looked great” and his energy was as high as ever, you never know what’s going on inside. Grace brought up that Warrior has admitted to past steroid use, and DDP said that “we all used it back in the day” – obviously referring to wrestlers, but Grace took it like he meant every person on the planet, and clarified that she never used steroids. DDP noted that Warrior was passionate about working out, and was not as big now as he was back in the day. The segment ended with Grace talking about rumors of drug abuse swirling for Warrior’s death.

As you can imagine, a lot of people took offense to Grace’s report, especially the list with Owen’s name mentioned. Zeb Colter took to his Twitter to ask that Nancy Grace be deported, and later wrote, “If anybody receives an email entitled NANCY GRACE NUDE, do not open it. It’s not a virus. It really is Nancy Grace nude. @NancyGraceHLN @WWE”

The Iron Sheik also lashed out, as only he can, writing, “Nancy Grace YOU FAT DUMB b—h I beat the f–k out of you talk bad about my wrestling brother.”

As noted, wrestling fans and workers have been speaking out about Nancy Grace’s comments on Owen Hart and The Ultimate Warrior last night. Many are demanding an apology. Road Dogg wrote the following on his Twitter: “Nancy Grace has a biased opinion of our industry! She is overlooking the fact that a wife and children lost their husband and father! I guess it’s true what they say,”only bad news is news” all the good things @WWE does as a company and she’s stuck in the mud!”

Read more at http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2014/0410/573042/road-dogg-talks-nancy-grace/#eKwM4JQOAvuy35QY.99

Owen Hart’s oldest brother, Smith Hart, also issued the following statement on his Facebook page:

“I think our beloved sister-in-law Martha as well as my entire family should be tremendously offended by the implication of Nancy Grace that my brother Owens demise had anything to do with drugs or steroids. For her to attempt to capitalize on Warrior’s death while his family grieves for personal choices he may have made more than 20 years ago is a sad to day for what passes as journalism today. Breaking news; Many rock stars snorted cocaine in the 80’s. Perhaps we should shut down the entire music industry. We should not buy into any of their such ridiculous libelous statements. We will hear official details from the coroner this weekend and not from some gossip journalist.”

Mick Foley Comments On Warrior’s Passing; Says His HoF Tweet Was ‘Foolish’

By
Brian Grey
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0

– Mick Foley published a new Facebook blog about The Ultimate Warrior. He wrote:
Read more at http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2014/0410/573039/mick-foley-says-his-ultimate-warrior-hof-tweet-was-foolish/#DS7ff1F9Cx8LXfWP.99

“WORDS OF A WARRIOR

When I first heard the news of the Ultimate Warrior’s passing – from my oldest son – my first thoughts were of his precious daughters, and how their father – whose love for them was clear – had been taken away from them far to early in their lives.

My second thought was about the foolish tweet I sent out during Warrior’s Hall of Fame induction speech – and how badly I wish I could have taken those words back. Maybe they seemed harmless at the time, but in retrospect, the fact that my final words about Warrior were negative ones has had me feeling pretty bad these last 24 hours.

I did not dislike Warrior. I got along fine with him in 1996, and years later, during a “Legends Roundtable” focusing on “Heatseekers”, I was good-naturedly kidded by my fellow Roundtable guests for having nothing negative to say about Warrior, Paul Heyman or Buff Bagwell.

His promo style was loved by some, loathed by others for their seemingly nonsensical style. But Warrior’s promos were unique and intense – and no one has done anything quite like them, before or sense. But in his final promo, he was anything but nonsensical. He was profound, and eerily prophetic.

“No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own,” he told the audience. “Every man’s heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe their final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them believe deeper in something that’s larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized by the storytellers — by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him, and make the running the man did live forever.”

A brilliant statement, but a bittersweet moment to watch after the fact – knowing how close the subject hit to home. I was thrilled to see someone I knew at the 3:10 moment of the video clip – my own daughter, reacting to the historic moment – smiling, clapping; making sure that at least one Foley gave this iconic figure – and a well-deserved inductee in to the WWE Hall of Fame the goodbye I should have had for him.”

Nancy Grace Airs ‘Trash Piece’ on The Warrior; DDP Comments

By
Brian Grey
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0

Former WWE star Diamond Dallas Page appeared on Nancy Grace tonight to speak on the death of the Ultimate Warrior.

Grace began with the news recap of Warrior’s death, then continued to reiterate an overly-dramatic subliminal message throughout the segment that “rumors of steroid and drug use are swirling” in the case of Ultimate Warrior’s death.

To my knowledge, there hasn’t been a single media outlet that has linked steroid or drug use to the sudden death of Ultimate Warrior.

Grace brought a doctor onto the show to discuss the long term effects anabolic steroids have on your body, and the lasting problems they can cause even if you’ve stopped using them long ago. This was clearly Grace’s indirect way to blame Warrior’s past steroid use (which he has admitted to) for his death yesterday.

At one point in the segment, she listed numerous pro wrestling names who have died young, and attempted to group them into the same “steroid” umbrella that she was using against Warrior, even if some of the names she mentioned had never been linked to steroid use.

DDP talked briefly about wrestlers using steroids in the past, but praised WWE’s Wellness Policy for getting guys like Scott Hall and Jake Roberts the help they needed to get their lives back on track following their past drug use.

Grace continued to reiterate “rumors of steroid and drug use are swirling,” and then introduced a correspondent who spoke on the “catastrophic medical condition” Warrior suffered yesterday. Grace asked for clarification of the phrase “catastrophic medical condition,” but the correspondent said nothing else is known at this time. She did mention most people believe the cause of Warrior’s death to be a heart attack, but those details remain unconfirmed.

DDP mentioned Warrior’s vigorous workout habits, and noted he was a very intense man, but added he is not a doctor, and cannot speak to the truth of any drug or steroid related causes of Warrior’s death.

The segment closed with Grace reiterating, for the hundredth time, “rumors of steroid and drug use are swirling,” and at this point she’s said it so many times she has to be the person who started the rumors, and is continuing to “swirl” them.

Steve Wilton Of Warrior Entertainment Issues Statement On The Ultimate Warrior’s Passing

By
Jim Somers
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0

Steve Wilson of Warrior Entertainment issued the following statement on The Ultimate Warrior’s death:

“Statement from Warrior Entertainment

I am shocked and profoundly saddened by the death of my friend Warrior. He was a great man and leaves behind a legacy that will forever live in the hearts and minds of those who knew him personally, and his legions of Ultimate Warrior fans.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Warriors beautiful family, his wife Dana and their daughters Mattigan and Indiana. No words are strong enough to express my feeling for them at this time.

I was honored to be able to spend the weekend with Warrior and his family at WrestleMania 30 and have never seen a prouder father or more loving family.

Warrior was the happiest I had ever seen him to bring Ultimate Warrior back home to WWE and share that unmistakable passion and excitement with each and every Ultimate Warrior fan around the world.

I have lost my best friend and my hero but take comfort in knowing his legacy will live forever. I will Always Believe.

Steve Wilton
Warrior Entertainment”

WWF’s “The Ultimate Warrior” Coliseum Home Video ScreenCap Collection

By
xstat32x
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0

Screen Caps from The Ultimate Warrior Coliseum Video








































































































































































































Triple H Discusses The Ultimate Warrior’s Death With ESPN; Bret Hart Comments

By
Brian Grey
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0

ESPN spoke to Triple H about The Ultimate Warrior’s untimely passing today, which you can watch above. Triple H said that the company was devastated when learning of his death. He said that Warrior’s return to the company was a wonderful homecoming and celebration of an iconic career. He noted that Warrior was ecstatic to be back, and that he didn’t think he saw the smile leave Warrior’s face the entire time. He said his passing was “shocking, tragic and devastating to all of us.”

Triple H repeated what Warrior said during his Hall of Fame induction speech, that his greatest accomplishment in his life were his wife and being a great father to his young daughters. Triple H noted that Warrior always had the mentality that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and work hard, to the point where he always signed everything – including his contracts – with “Always Believe.”

Triple H admitted that they were grateful to reunite with Warrior before his death. He noted that he’d been working on Warrior’s return to the company for 18 months. He called it a healing process that doesn’t happen overnight, but both sides had grown and that it was time to move on from their past issues. It meant the world to them and to the Warrior to get inducted into the Hall of Fame and be immortalized in front of his fans. He believes that Warrior would consider his Hall of Fame induction in front of his family to be the greatest moment of his career.

In other news, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart spoke with CJAY 92 in Calgary this morning about his encounters with The Ultimate Warrior over WrestleMania weekend:

“He seemed good, he seemed happy for sure. I had a sense his health wasn’t great. He seemed a little frail. He seemed a little less indestructible than he used to be.”

Bret also commented on Warrior’s use of steroids over the years:

“I don’t think it would be a surprise to know he took steroids for a long time and I don’t know if he ever stopped.”

Fighting Spirit Review: All Japan “EXCITE SERIES 2014” on 2/5/14

By
Kevin Wilson
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0

Date: February 5th, 2014
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Announced Attendance: 936

As I continue on our trek with All Japan, I have to point out that All Japan’s attendances since the split last summer are just horrendous. Having under 1,000 at Korakuen Hall is literally indy level, there are almost a dozen promotions that have done better than that at Korakuen just in 2014 alone. I am not sure what they are going to do to fix this and they still have some high-priced stars. If they start losing sponsors I have serious concerns about the future prospects of one of the oldest promotions in Japan. But for now, we will look forward to the start of the Jr. Battle of Glory tournament, which is basically a Champion Carnival for Jr. Heavyweights. Looking at the match-ups we should have some good ones on this event, here is the full card:

– Ryuji Hijikata and Hikaru Sato vs. Shigehiro Irie and Takao Soma
– Jr. Battle of Glory – Block A: Kaji Tomato vs. Ultimo Dragon
– KENSO and Mitsuya Nagai vs. Osamu Nishimura and Masao Inoue
– Akebono and Yutaka Yoshie vs. Go Shiozaki and Kento Miyahara
– Jun Akiyama, Takao Omori, and Keisuke Ishii vs. Suwama, Joe Doering, and SUSHI
– Jr. Battle of Glory – Block A: Atsushi Aoki vs. Kotaro Suzuki
– Jr. Battle of Glory – Block B: Masaaki Mochizuki vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru

I can assure you that something on this event will be good, some quality Jr. Heavyweights here. Let’s get started.

Ryuji Hijikata and Hikaru Sato vs. Shigehiro Irie and Takao Soma

Sato and Irie start things off. Takedown by Sato but Irie reverses it, Irie applies a front facelock but Sato gets out of it and gets Irie to the mat. Irie reverses positions and struggles back up, side headlock by Sato and he takes Irie to the mat but Irie applies a side headlock. Soma Irish whips out of it but Irie hits a shoulderblock. Irie tags in Soma and Sato tags in Hijikata. Hijikata and Soma circle each other, tie-up, side headlock by Hijikata, Soma Irish whips out of it but Hijikata hits a shoulderblock. Hijikata goes off the ropes but Soma knocks him down with a lariat. Stomp by Soma into the corner, Irish whip by Soma but Hijikata kicks Soma in the chest. High kick to the head by Hijikata, he picks up Soma and he knees Soma in the chest. More kicks by Hijikata and he tags in Sato and Sato kicks Soma to the mat. Cover, but it gets a two count.

Sato picks up Soma and they trade elbows, Irish whip by Sato but Soma dropkicks Sato and hits an elbow smash. Soma tags in Irie, Irie knocks Hijikata off the apron and then kicks Sato. Scoop slam by Irie to Sato, he goes off the ropes and hits a seated senton. Cover, but it gets a two count. Irie picks up Sato and goes for a suplex but Sato blocks it, Irie goes for it again and this time he hits the vertical suplex. Cover, but it is broken up. Irie tags in Soma, they throw Sato into the corner, Irish whip by Soma and he hits a running elbow. Irie follows with a lariat, then Soma hits a superkick followed by a lariat by Irie. Cover by Soma but Hijikata breaks it up. Double Irish whip to Sato but Sato dropkicks both Soma and Irie. Sato kicks Irie out of the ring, Soma picks up Sato but Sato hits a suplex. Soma ducks Sato’s kick and rolls up Sato, but Sato applies a cross armbreaker. Soma gets a foot on the ropes to break up the hold, Sato picks up Soma and kicks him in the chest and head. Sato goes off the ropes and hits a PK, cover, but he only gets a two count. Sato applies a crab hold to Soma and Soma has to submit. Your winners: Ryuji Hijikata and Hikaru Sato

Match Thoughts: Pretty basic opener. Some of the wrestlers here have the potential to put on really good matches, so wrestler quality wasn’t a problem, but unlike some openers we have seen in 2014 they didn’t really make an attempt to make it a good match. Perhaps intentionally to not overshadow the tournament matches, but the reason/intent doesn’t really matter to the viewers. Most of it was standard strike offense and Sato put away Soma pretty easily at the end. Overall it was technically fine, just lacking in excitement, intrigue, or a reason to watch. Score: 3.5

Kaji Tomato vs. Ultimo Dragon

This match is part of the Jr. Battle of Glory. Waistlock by Ultimo Dragon to start and he throws Tomato to the mat, they jockey for position on the mat and Tomato applies a wristlock. Ultimo Dragon flips out of it and hits an armdrag, sending Tomato down in the corner. Tomato returns to his feet and they lock knuckles, headscissors by Ultimo Dragon and he spins Tomato to the mat. Tomato manages to get up and Ultimo Dragon spins Tomato to the mat again, but Tomato gets a foot on the ropes. Ultimo Dragon knees Tomato as he gets up, Irish whip by Ultimo Dragon and Ultimo Dragon hits an elbow strike. Cover, but it gets a two count. Snapmare by Ultimo Dragon and he applies a stretch submission hold. Cover by Ultimo Dragon but it gets a two count. Irish whip by Ultimo Dragon and he delivers a dropkick. Ultimo Dragon slams Tomato’s knee into the mat and does it a second time. Ultimo Dragon twists up Tomato again and applies a knee lock, but Tomato gets to the ropes to force a break. Hammerlock by Ultimo Dragon and he rolls up Tomato, keeping the hammerlock applied while also applying a headscissors, but Tomato gets to the ropes. Ultimo Dragon picks up Tomato, Irish whip, and Ultimo Dragon hits a spinning backbreaker. Single leg crab hold by Ultimo Dragon but Tomato gets to the ropes to force a break. Chop by Ultimo Dragon and he hits Tomato into the corner, Irish whip by Ultimo Dragon but Tomato kicks him back and hits a rebound dropkick. Irish whip by Tomato, Irish whip, and Tomato hits a jumping elbow strike. Shoulder tackle by Tomato in the corner,he goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a cannonball. Cover by Tomato, but it gets two. Tomato picks up Ultimo Dragon, knees by Ultimo Dragon but Tomato rolls him up for a two count. Backslide by Tomato, but it gets two again. Tomato picks up Ultimo Dragon and hits a scoop slam, Tomato goes up to the top turnbuckle but Ultimo Dragon dropkicks Tomato as he jumps off. Kick combination by Ultimo Dragon and he delivers the Asai Moonsault, cover, and he picks up the three count. Your winner: Ultimo Dragon

Match Thoughts: Tomato is a pretty respected wrestler in K-DOJO and has won a few different titles there, but here Ultimo Dragon treated him like a rookie. Which to the average viewer it is the legendary Ultimo Dragon against a wrestler most people haven’t seen before, but I wouldn’t have minded if Tomato had gotten a bit more offense in and came off as more of a threat. So it ended up being a pretty basic mat-based match, with Ultimo Dragon using a bunch of different submission holds, taking a brief moment of Tomato’s offense, and then quickly winning the match. I was hoping for a bit more, what we got wasn’t much. Score: 4.0

KENSO and Mitsuya Nagai vs. Osamu Nishimura and Masao Inoue 

KENSO and Nagai attack their opponents before the match starts as the action spills out of the ring. KENSO takes Inoue around the ring while Nagai singles out Nishimura. Nagai throws Nishimura into the ring post while KENSO slaps Inoue near the bleachers. KENSO grabs the camera from the cameraman and films the crowd before slapping Inoue again. Nagai comes overs and he rolls Inoue into the ring, KENSO gets in as well, Irish whip by KENSO to Inoue and he hits a lariat. Cover, but it gets a two count. KENSO slaps Nishimura off the apron before going back to Inoue, he picks up Inoue and throws him out of the ring. Nagai greets Inoue on the floor and throws him into the guard rail before sliding him back in. KENSO tags in Nagai and then throws Inoue into his boot. Snap suplex by Nagai to Inoue, cover, but it gets a two count. Nagai applies a stretch hold to Inoue before elbowing him in the shoulder. Nagai kicks Inoue in the chest and then stands on his neck near the ropes. Nagai picks up Inoue and tags in KENSO, Irish whip by KENSO and he chokes Inoue with his feather belt. He releases Inoue after a moment so the referee can check on him, KENSO then kicks Inoue low. KENSO picks up Inoue but Inoue elbows him off, eye rake by Inoue but KENSO slaps him. Nagai elbows Inoue from the floor while KENSO takes off the turnbuckle pad, KENSO picks up Inoue and tries to throw him into the exposed corner but Inoue reverses it, sending KENSO into the steel.

Nagai runs in to kick Nishimura off the apron, he picks up Inoue and hits a scoop slam followed by a leg drop. KENSO tags in Nagai and Nagai applies the texas cloverleaf, but releases it when Nishimura gets into the ring. Nagai picks up Inoue and kicks him in the chest. Nagai picks up Inoue and throws him into the corner so that KENSO can slap him. Nagai kicks Inoue out of the ring and then tags in KENSO, KENSO gets a running start in the ring and goes for a pescado but Inoue moves and KENSO hits Nagai on accident. Inoue makes the hot tag to Nishimura, Nishimura goes out of the ring and punches KENSO against the guard rail up towards the bleachers. Nishimura punches KENSO around the floor before bringing him back to the ring, uppercuts by Nishimura in the corner and Inoue comes in the ring. Inoue hits a lariat onto KENSO in the corner, Nishimura trips KENSO and hits a diving knee drop off the top turnbuckle. Figure four leglock by Nishimura, but Nagai breaks it up. Irish whip by Nagai to Nishimura but Nishimura kicks him and hits an uppercut. They trade blows with Nishimura getting the better of it, he goes back to KENSO and uppercuts him as well. KENSO throws white powder at Nishimura and then punches down the referee, which gets him DQed. Your winners: Osamu Nishimura and Masao Inoue

Match Thoughts: At least in this match they showed a bit of passion which others haven’t really showed, even if it was coming from goofy ass KENSO. The average age here of the wrestlers was 42 which isn’t usually a great sign but no one tried to wrestle beyond their means and at least KENSO using cheap tactics/fighting outside the ring fits into his character which made it seem like less of a time waster. The DQ ending was a bit lame, but since they were losing it made some sense, I get more annoyed when heels get DQed when they were winning the match anyway. For a mid-card ‘veteran’ match it wasn’t bad and actually is the best match on the card so far… which hopefully won’t remain true for much longer. Score: 5.0

Akebono and Yutaka Yoshie vs. Go Shiozaki and Kento Miyahara

Akebono and Shiozaki start things off. Tie-up, Akebono pushes Shiozaki into the ropes but he gives a mostly clean break. Shiozaki goes for a single leg takedown but Akebono pushes him away, he goes for a second one but Akebono pancakes him before letting him back up. Slap by Akebono, Shiozaki applies a side headlock, Akebono Irish whips out of it and shoulderblocks Shiozaki down. Akebono tags in Yoshie and Shiozaki tags in Miyahara. Side headlock by Yoshie, Miyahara Irish whips out of it but Yoshie shoulderblocks him down. Yoshie goes off the ropes but Miyahara hits a dropkick. Dropkick to the head by Miyahara and Yoshie is knocked off his feet, Miyahara picks him up, Irish whip, reversed, Miyahara goes for a sunset flip but Yoshie sits on him. Yoshie picks up Miyahara and he hits a scoop slam. Rolling senton by Yoshie and he tags in Yoshie. Yoshie kicks at Miyahara but Miyahara gets back to his feet, and Akebono quickly knocks Miyahara back to the mat. Akebono stands on Miyahara stomach and Miyahara rolls out of the ring, Yoshie joins him and throws Miyahara into the guard rail. Akebono then runs over and knocks Shiozaki off the apron as Yoshie battles Miyahara at ringside. Yoshie and Miyahara trade elbows while in the ring Shiozaki and Akebono trade strikes. Akebono throws Shiozaki out of the ring while Yoshie continues knocking Miyahara around at ringside. Yoshie slides Miyahara back into the ring, and Akebono hits an elbow drop. Akebono tags in Yoshie, and Yoshie hits a scoop slam to Miyahara. Stomp by Yoshie, he picks up Miyahara and knocks him into the corner.

Chops by Yoshie in the corner, Irish whip, and Yoshie hits a splash in the corner. Another splash by Yoshie, he picks up Miyahara, Irish whip, but Miyahara moves when Yoshie charges in. Miyahara goes off the ropes and hits a big boot, giving him time to tag in Shiozaki. Shiozaki chops Yoshie in the corner, Irish whip, reversed, and Shiozaki chops Yoshie. Shiozaki goes for a suplex but he can’t get Yoshie over, and Yoshie hits a suplex instead. Yoshie goes off the ropes but Shiozaki hits a jumping shoulderblock. Kick by Shiozaki, cover, but it gets a two count. Back up they trade elbows and chops, Shiozaki goes off the ropes but Yoshie hits a Lou Thesz Press and tags in Akebono. Akebono picks up Shiozaki, Irish whip to the corner and he hits a running splash. Yoshie then hit a butt smash in the corner, snapmare by Yoshie and Akebono hits an elbow drop onto Shiozaki. Cover by Akebono but it gets a two count. Yoshie hits a senton onto Shiozaki and Akebono follows with a body press, cover, but Miyahara breaks it up. Yoshie throws Miyahara out of the ring, they both go to splash Shiozaki but Shiozaki moves and the big men run into each other. Miyahara comes back into the ring to get Yoshie while Miyahara goes off the ropes but he can’t knock over Akebono. A lariat by Miyahara finally does the trick, cover, but it gets a two count. Shiozaki picks up Akebono and hits the Go Flasher, cover, and he picks up the three count. Your winners: Go Shiozaki and Kento Miyahara

Match Thoughts: I am being very generous calling the final move the “Go Flasher” since obviously Shiozaki couldn’t get Akebono all the way up. I really enjoyed the bulk of this match, you could really feel that Akebono and Shiozaki didn’t like each other, they were going out of their way to attack each other and considering the wrestlers it kept a good pace throughout. Akebono is very limited but in a match like this he was able to play to his strengths. I didn’t like how quickly the match ended, they seemed to have a good build-up going but Shiozaki won so easily at the end. Akebono wasn’t really hurt but went down after just one lariat and a very ‘modified’ Go Flasher. As a Triple Crown Champion I would think he should have been better protected, getting pinned is fine but it should have taken more effort. Even considering the ending though it was still a good match and got the fans ready to see Akebono and Shiozaki go at it again. Score: 6.5

Jun Akiyama, Omori, and Keisuke Ishii vs. Suwama, Doering, and SUSHI

Omori and Suwama go at each other to start the match, as Ishii and SUSHI trade elbows in the ring. Suwama takes Omori up into the bleachers while in the ring SUSHI Irish whips Ishii and hits a jumping heel kick. Lariat by SUSHI in the corner and he hits a suplex to Ishii. Diving headbutt by SUSHI, cover, but Ishii kicks out. SUSHI picks up Ishii but Ishii hits a drop toehold followed by three backflip kicks. German suplex hold by Ishii, but it gets a two count. Ishii charges SUSHI but SUSHI ducks the jumping kick. Enzigieri by Ishii but SUSHI follows with a lariat. Ishii tags in Akiyama while Doering is also tagged in, Doering throws Akiyama into the corner and hits a lariat followed by an elbow drop. Vertical suplex by Doering to Akiyama, cover, but it gets a two count. Doering picks up Akiyama and goes for a powerbomb but Omori breaks it up. Doering pushes Omori back into the corner, Doering charges Akiyama but Akiyama kicks him back. Front facelock by Akiyama, he goes off the ropes and goes for a knee but Doering blocks it and hits a death valley driver. Cover, but Ishii breaks it up. Doering tags in Suwama, Suwama kicks Akiyama and goes off the ropes, hitting a big boot. Belly to belly suplex by Suwama, cover, but it gets a two count. Suwama punches Akiyama, Irish whip, reversed, and Akiyama knees Suwama in the shoulder.

Akiyama tags in Omori, Omori goes off the ropes and boots Suwama. Omori hits a spinning heel kick, he waits for Suwama to get up and applies a waistlock, but Suwama gets out of it. Omori punches Suwama into the corner, Irish whip by Omori, reversed, but Omori kicks Suwama as he charges in. Big boot by Suwama, he goes off the ropes but Omori hits a boot as well. Irish whip by Suwama but Doering lariats Omori from the apron. Chaos breaks up around the ring while Suwama picks up Omori, Doering comes in the ring, double Irish whip and they hit Omori with a double dropkick. Cover, but Ishii breaks it up. Suwama picks up Omori, Irish whip to the corner and Suwama hits a lariat. Doering follows with a lariat as well. SUSHI then hits a swandive dropkick onto Omori, cover by Suwama but it gets a two count. Doering grabs Akiyama in the ring and goes for a powerbomb but he is stopped by Ishii. The ring clears leaving just Omori and Suwama, Suwama goes off the ropes but Omori catches his leg when he goes for the boot. Suwama drops Omori with the Last Ride, cover, but it gets a two count. Suwama waits for Omori to get up and hits a lariat in the corner followed by a release German suplex. Lariat by Suwama, cover, but Omori gets a shoulder up. Suwama picks up Omori and goes for another powerbomb, but Omori reverses it into the Axe Guillotine Driver. Akiyama comes in the ring and knees Suwama in the corner, and Omori follows with a lariat. Full nelson slam by Omori, cover, but Suwama kicks out. Omori waits for Suwama to get up and hits the Axe Bomber, cover, and he picks up the three count. Your winners: Jun Akiyama, Takao Omori, and Keisuke Ishii

Match Thoughts: Not a bad match since it continued a few different storylines, even if it was a bit short. Omori and Suwama had some good interactions as did Akiyama and Doering, but I don’t think that Ishii and SUSHI added much to the match. I understand why they were there, but in terms of the match itself they really didn’t add much to the party. A solid match action-wise, it just needed more time with six wrestlers to really get their stuff in. Score: 5.5

Atsushi Aoki vs. Kotaro Suzuki

Tie-up to start, Aoki pushes Suzuki into the ropes and he gives a clean break. Tie-up again, side headlock by Aoki, Suzuki Irish whips out of it but Aoki rolls up Suzuki and goes for a cross armbreaker. Suzuki quickly gets out of it and they trade hold attempts on the mat until both me return to their feet. Hammerlock by Suzuki, Aoki reverses it into an armbar and then into a wristlock, but Suzuki spins out and reverses the hold. Aoki takes Suzuki to the mat while applying an armbar, Aoki pushes Suzuki into the corner and gives him a hard elbow. Another elbow by Aoki, Irish whip, Aoki charges Suzuki and hits a running elbow smash. Irish whip by Aoki, reversed, but Aoki kicks Suzuki back. Aoki goes off the ropes, snapmare by Aoki, Suzuki goes for a handspring attack but Aoki dropkicks him in the back. Suzuki falls out of the ring but Aoki goes out after him and throws Suzuki into the guard rail. Aoki picks up Suzuki onto the railing with him and hits a vertical suplex off the rail onto the floor. Aoki picks up Suzuki and slides him back into the ring, cover by Aoki but it gets a two count. Kick to the back by Aoki, cover, but it gets a two count. Aoki picks up Suzuki and knocks him into the corner, Aoki goes for a suplex but Suzuki blocks it. Elbow to the back by Aoki, he picks up Suzuki and puts Suzuki onto the top rope. Aoki then gets a running start and connects with a running kick to Suzuki’s back. Cover by Aoki but it gets a two count. Aoki picks up Suzuki and he hits a snap suplex. Cover, but it gets a two count. Aoki applies a single leg crab hold but Suzuki gets to the ropes. Aoki knees Suzuki in the back, they get back up and they trade elbows. Headbutt by Aoki, he picks up Suzuki and hits another headbutt. Aoki slams Suzuki into the turnbuckles twice and goes for a backdrop suplex, but Suzuki lands on his feet. Handspring elbow strike by Suzuki, he waits for Aoki to get up but Aoki avoids him in the corner. Hurricanrana by Suzuki and he hits a vertical suplex. Jumping knee by Suzuki in the corner and he hits a jumping knee off the second turnbuckle for a two count cover.

Suzuki picks up Aoki and goes for a slam but Aoki gets out of it and hits a jumping lariat. Aoki picks up Suzuki but Suzuki hits an elbow, and they trade shots. Suzuki goes off the ropes but Aoki catches him with a lariat. Aoki picks up Suzuki and hits another lariat followed by a backdrop suplex. Cover, but it gets a two count. Aoki picks up Suzuki and hits a scoop brainbuster, cover, but again it gets two. Aoki picks up Suzuki and goes for the Assault Point, but Suzuki gets to the ropes. Elbow to the back by Aoki and he tosses Suzuki out of the ring. Aoki gets a running start in the ring but Suzuki uppercuts him from the floor as he goes to do a dive. Suzuki gets back into the ring, he waits for Aoki to get up and sails out onto him with a tope suicida. Suzuki throws Aoki back in the ring, he goes up to the top turnbuckle but Aoki recovers and punches Suzuki. Aoki joins Suzuki on the top turnbuckle and he goes for a superplex, but Suzuki lands on top of Aoki and gets a two count cover. Suzuki picks up Aoki and goes for a tiger driver but Aoki gets out of it and applies an armbar. Cross armbreaker by Aoki and he blocks Suzuki’s attempts to get out of the hold until Suzuki gets into the ropes. Aoki picks up Suzuki and applies a wristlock, then he kicks Suzuki in the arm. Aoki goes off the ropes, Suzuki gets him up in a tombstone position but Aoki reverses it and hits a shoulder breaker. Cover, but it gets a two count. Aoki applies a hammerlock and then rolls over Suzuki into the cross armbreaker, but Suzuki rolls up Aoki for a two count. Strike combination by Suzuki, cover, but it gets another two. Suzuki picks up Aoki and nails the Blue Destiny, cover, but Aoki gets a shoulder up. Suzuki puts Aoki up on his shoulders but Aoki slides off and applies the cross armbreaker. Suzuki gets out of it and applies La Magistral, but it gets a two count. Suzuki rolls up Aoki a few more times with also no luck, Aoki charges Suzuki in the corner but Suzuki elbows it back. Suzuki goes up to the top turnbuckle and pulls Aoki up with him, but Aoki recovers and hits an avalanche cross armbreaker. Suzuki can’t get to the ropes this time and he has to submit! Your winner: Atsushi Aoki

Match Thoughts: A really good mat-based match. Aoki did a solid job on focusing on the arm during the match and the avalanche cross armbreaker is a good looking move. Suzuki didn’t get a lot in which seemed strange, it never really looked like during the match he was on the cusp of winning, and since the match got plenty of time there was no real reason for him not to get a longer stretch of offense in. But I liked Aoki’s focused offense, he is a more mat-based Jr. Heavyweight and he grounded Suzuki pretty effectively. Overall entertaining, if not oddly one-sided. Score: 7.0

Masaaki Mochizuki vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Big boot by Mochizuki right as the match starts, Kanemaru gets back up and they trade shots. Irish whip by Kanemaru, shoulderblock by Mochizuki but Kanemaru fires back with his own shoulderblock. Back kick by Mochizuki and he kicks Kanemaru in the head. Mochizuki picks up Kanemaru and hits a vertical suplex. Cover, but it gets a two count. Kanemaru rolls out of the ring to re-group but gets back in after a moment, and Mochizuki kicks Kanemaru when he is on the apron. Punches by Mochizuki and he throws Kanemaru into the corner before kicking him in the chest. Kanemaru comes back with elbows and applies an armbar, but Kanemaru gets to the ropes to force a break. Mochizuki stomps Kanemaru and kicks him in the arm, he picks up Kanemaru and goes for a suplex but Kanemaru blocks it. Mochizuki goes back to the arm and this time applies a crossface, but Kanemaru gets to the ropes. Back up, Mochizuki hits an armbreaker but Kanemaru blocks one and applies a sleeper. Mochizuki gets to the ropes to break the hold, he flips Kanemaru out to the apron and then hits a springboard kick which sends Kanemaru down to the floor. Mochizuki goes outside the ring after Kanemaru and elbows him in the arm. Irish whip attempt by Mochizuki but Kanemaru reverses it, sending Mochizuki into the steel.

Kanemaru elbows Mochizuki and throw shim into the rail again, he goes for a springboard move off the rail but Mochizuki moves and kicks Kanemaru in the arm. Mochizuki gets back into the ring with Kanemaru slowly following and Mochizuki hits a vertical suplex. Cover by Mochizuki but it gets two. Mochizuki applies a keylock and then applies a cross armbreaker, but Kanemaru quickly gets to the ropes to force a break. Kicks to the head and arm by Mochizuki, Irish whip by Mochizuki, reversed, but Mochizuki avoids Kanemaru’s dropkick. Mochizuki picks up Kanemaru and throws him into the turnbuckle, reversed, but Mochizuki kicks Kanemaru back. Mochizuki goes off the ropes and hits a kick to Kanemaru’s chest, cover, but it gets a two count. Mochizuki picks up Kanemaru and goes for the Twister but Mochizuki reverses it into a vertical suplex. Mochizuki is up first, he charges Kanemaru but Kanemaru moves and dropkicks Mochizuki in the knee. Kanemaru charges Mochizuki, Mochizuki goes for an axe kick but Kanemaru catches it and hits a dragon screw leg whip. Kanemaru goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a diving crossbody, cover, but it gets a two count.

Kanemaru picks up Mochizuki and throws him into the corner, and Kanemaru hits a lariat. Scoop slam by Kanemaru, he goes up to the top turnbuckle but Mochizuki moves out of the way of the moonsault. Roll-up by Kanemaru, but it gets a two count. Kanemaru goes for a suplex but Mochizuki lands on his feet and hits a dragon suplex. Mochizuki goes off the ropes and kicks Kanemaru in the chest, then kicks him twice in the head. Mochizuki picks up Kanemaru and hits the brainbuster. Kanemaru is up first and goes up to the second turnbuckle, and he hits the Deep Impact. Cover, but Mochizuki gets a shoulder up. Kanemaru picks up Mochizuki and goes for the brainbuster but Mochizuki blocks it, Mochizuki goes off the ropes but Kanemaru hits a release German suplex. High kick by Mochizuki, he sets up Kanemaru in the corner and hits a running knee. Twister by Mochizuki, cover, but Kanemaru barely kicks out. Mochizuki is up first, he waits for Kanemaru and goes to run off the ropes but Kanemaru grabs him by the waist. Kick to the arm by Mochizuki and he kicks him again, he goes off the ropes but Kanemaru catches him with a lariat. Kanemaru goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits another Deep Impact, cover, but it gets a two count. Kanemaru picks up Mochizuki and goes for a brainbuster but Mochizuki gets out of it. Mochizuki goes for a high kick but Kanemaru blocks it and hits the brainbuster, cover, but Mochizuki gets a shoulder up in time. Kanemaru picks up Mochizuki and goes for a second brainbuster, but Mochizuki quickly applies an inside cradle and picks up the three count. Your winner: Masaaki Mochizuki

Match Thoughts: An unusual match… I’m not really sure how I feel about it. Mochizuki dominated the bulk of the match but his offense was all over the place, he seemed for awhile to be focusing for the arm but the last few minutes he switched to the head and the arm was forgotten by both wrestlers. Kanemaru didn’t do much until the end of the match but then at the end he was dropping bombs, almost picking up the win in the process. It wasn’t bad, it just felt a bit random and the structure was a bit off here and there. Score: 6.0

Final Thoughts:

Best Match: Atsushi Aoki vs. Kotaro Suzuki. Of the three tournament matches this was definitely the best one. Aoki did a great job on focusing on the arm, and it had enough ‘high spots’ sprinkled in to keep the excitement going in the nearly 20 minute match. I had a few minor squabbles with the match, such as Suzuki not really looking very competitive, but overall it was quite entertaining.

MVP:  Atsushi Aoki. Aoki really established himself as one of the wrestlers to beat in the tournament, as he really took it to one of his biggest competitors. He kept his work on the arm interesting as he did a variety of moves to weaken it. A good showing by the former NOAH star.

Overall:   I was pretty disappointed in this event. Maybe because it was Day 1 of the tournament none of the wrestlers wanted to go all out, but the matches weren’t as good as I was hoping they would be. Ultimo Dragon and Aoki dominated their opponents, and while the Aoki match was still really good it wasn’t the back-and-forth affair that I was expecting. The other matches were ok, but the tournament matches were the hook here and they underwhelmed. Hopefully the rest of the tournament matches that made air will be better.

Grade: D+

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