New Japan Pro Wrestling
NJPW Nexess 2004 May 3rd 2004 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Best of American Super Juniors 2004 April 16th 2004 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW King of Sports PPV 2004 March 28th 2004 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Fighting Spirit PPV 2004 February 15th 2004 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome 2004 January 4th 2004 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW The Major Ten Singles Matches December 8th 2003 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Ultimate Crush II PPV (Volume 1) October 13th 2003 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Ultimate Crush II PPV (Volume 2) October 13th 2003 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Osaka Dream Night PPV August 28th 2003 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax 2003 (Volume 1) August 11th - 17th 2003 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax 2003 (Volume 2) August 11th - 17th 2003 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax 2003 (Volume 3) August 11th - 17th 2003 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
Special Offer: buy all three Volumes of G1 Climax 2003 together for £21 - a saving of £6 on the individual tapes!
NJPW Best of Super Junior Tournament 2003 May 25th - June 13th 2003 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Ultimate Crush PPV (Volume 1) May 2nd 2003 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Ultimate Crush PPV (Volume 2) May 2nd 2003 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW The Spiral (Volume 1) October 14th 2002 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW The Spiral (Volume 2) October 14th 2002 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax 2002 Finals August 10th & 11th 2002 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax 2002 Opening Night PPV August 3rd 2002 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Summer Fight Series 2002 July 19th & 20th 2002 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Best of the Super Junior Tournament 2002 May 18th - July 5th 2002 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Memorial Day at the Dome (Volume 1) May 2nd 2002 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Memorial Day at the Dome (Volume 2) May 2nd 2002 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome 2002 January 4th 2002 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Indicate of Next October 8th 2001 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome 2001 January 4th 2001 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW The Second Judgement PPV December 14th 2000 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Do Judge October 10th 2000 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax 2000 August 7th - 13th 2000 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Riki Choshu Revival PPV July 30th 2000 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Best of the Super Junior Tournament 2000 May 19th - June 7th 2000 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Dome Impact (Volume 1) April 7th 2000 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Dome Impact (Volume 2) April 7th 2000 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome 2000 (Volume 1) January 4th 2000 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome 2000 (Volume 2) January 4th 2000 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW The Juniorism II June 25th - September 9th 1999 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax '99 (Volume 1) August 10th - 15th 1999 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax '99 (Volume 2) August 10th - 15th 1999 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Best of the Super Junior Tournament '99 (Volumes 1 & 2) May 19th - June 6th 1999 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax '98 (Volume 1) July 31st - August 2nd 1998 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax '98 (Volume 2) July 31st - August 2nd 1998 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW The Juniorism September 11th - 18th 1998 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Best of the Super Junior Tournament '98 (Volumes 1 & 2) May 17th - June 1st 1998 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Final the Inoki Four April 4th 1998 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome '98 January 4th 1998 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Air Force Wars J October 10th - 27th 1997 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax '97 (Volume 1) August 1st - 3rd 1997 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax '97 (Volume 2) August 1st - 3rd 1997 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Best of the Super Junior Tournament '97 May 16th - June 5th 1997 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Strong Style Evolution '97 May 3rd 1997 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Battle Formation '97 April 13th 1997 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Liger vs Muta October 20th 1996 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW J*Crown Tournament August 2nd - 5th 1996 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW The Skydiving J June 17th 1996 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Battle Formation '96 April 29th 1996 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome '96 January 4th 1996 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Best of the Super Junior Tournament '95 June 23rd - July 13th 1995 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Summer Struggle '95 June 12th & 14th 1995 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku III (Volume 1) May 3rd 1995 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku III (Volume 2) May 3rd 1995 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Battle 7 in Tokyo Dome (Volume 1) January 4th 1995 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Battle 7 in Tokyo Dome (Volume 2) January 4th 1995 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Super Grade Tag League '94 October 19th - 30th 1994 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Super Grade Junior Heavyweight Tag League '94 October 9th - 18th 1994 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW G1 Special '94 September 23rd 1994 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Best of the Super Junior Tournament '94 May 25th - June 15th 1994 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Super J Cup I April 16th 1994 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW G1 Specials '93 September 24th - 26th 1993 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Summer Struggle '93 June 1993 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Best of the Super Junior Tournament '93 May 25th - June 15th 1993 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Birth of Muta/Revenge of Muta September 9th 1990 - December 14th 1992 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW Battle Zone Space '92 November 23rd 1992 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Battlehold Arena '92 September 23rd 1992 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Super Power Warrior '92 March 1st 1992 £9 vhs / £10 dvd
NJPW G1 Climax 1991 August 7th - 11th 1991 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
AJPW/NJPW/WWF Summit at the Tokyo Dome April 13th 1990 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Super Powers Clash '89 (Volume 1) April 24th 1989 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Super Powers Clash '89 (Volume 2) April 24th 1989 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW The IWGP Big Three March 16th 1989 £5 vhs / £6 dvd
NJPW Best of the Super Junior Tournament '88 January 4th - February 7th 1988 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Riot in Sumo Hall December 27th 1987 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW Summer Night Fever (Volumes 1 & 2) August 19th & 20th 1987 £7 vhs / £8 dvd
NJPW/WWF Junior Heavyweight Title Scramble February 7th 1984 £5 vhs / £6 dvd
Est. 1972
Two-part TV special from the Tokyo Dome. 17 year-old prodigy Katsuhiko Nakajima finally appeared on this card, as did the long-awaited match between MMA men Ken Shamrock and Josh Barnett. The main talking point is the four-match NJPW vs K-1 series, with two shootfights under K-1 rules and a pair of traditional New Japan outings. Equal parts experiment and extravaganza, no one quite knew what to make of it. Jushin Liger vs Katsuhiko Nakajima (GHC Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Yoshihiro Takayama & Minoru Suzuki vs Masa Chono & Kazunari Murakami (IWGP Tag Team Title Match)... Yutaka Yoshie vs Jan Nortje (K-1 rules)... Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Sean O'Haire... Musashi vs Katsuyori Shibata (K-1 rules)... Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Osamu Nishimura & Shinya Makabe vs Giant Makai, Super Strong Makai & New Strong Makai... Josh Barnett vs Ken Shamrock (their first singles match)... Genichiro Tenryu & Meng vs Dolgorsuren Sumiyabazar & Dolgorsuren 'Blue Wolf' Serjbudee... Yuji Nagata & Kendo Ka Shin vs Kensuke Sasaki & Manabu Nakanishi... Bob Sapp vs Shinsuke Nakamura (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)
To add some spice to the fifteenth Super Juniors festival, New Japan put together a warm-up tournament to decide the two North American entrants for the main draw. This is the uncut version of the card, which was held at Antonio Inoki's Dojo in downtown LA. None of these matches aired on television. American Dragon vs Syxx-Pac... Chad Collyer vs Bobby Quance... Rocky Romero vs Ice Man... Ricky Reyes vs Teddy Hart (all Quarter-finals)... Tommy Williams & Frankie Kazarian vs Eric Matlock & Joey Ryan... American Dragon vs Chad Collyer... Rocky Romero vs Ricky Reyes (both Semi-finals)... Samoa Joe vs Aaron Aguilera... American Dragon vs Rocky Romero (Final)
This card sent teacups rattling across Japan, as the irrepressible Bob Sapp captured the IWGP title from Kensuke Sasaki in a titanic main event. With a fabulous undercard and an electric crowd at Sumo Hall, this could prove to be one of New Japan's most important dates of 2004. Highly recommended. Makai Mask #1, Mitsuya Nagai, Katsuyori Shibata & Ryushi Yanagisawa vs Shinya Makabe, Yutaka Yoshie, Blue Wolf & Toru Yano... Tiger Mask IV vs Katsushi Takemura... Masayuki Naruse vs Jushin Liger (GHC Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Heat vs Koji Kanemoto (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Josh Barnett vs Mitsuya Nagai... Ken Shamrock goes nuts, challenging Josh Barnett... Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazunari Murakami (U-30 Title Cage Match)... Shinsuke Nakamura vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Yoshihiro Takayama & Minoru Suzuki vs Manabu Nakanishi & Genichiro Tenryu (IWGP Tag Team Title Match)... Masa Chono vs Yuji Nagata... Kensuke Sasaki vs Bob Sapp (IWGP Heavyweight Title Change)
Tournaments for the IWGP heavyweight title have provided some of the hottest nights in wrestling - Wrestling World 2001 and Super Powers Clash '89 being the classic examples. This card certainly upheld that tradition. Inexplicably, the mat appears green rather than blue on this tape; a minor problem, but it might make NOAH fans feel at home. Yuji Nagata vs Tadao Yasuda... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Kensuke Sasaki... Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama... Genichiro Tenryu vs Masa Chono (all IWGP Tournament Quarter-finals)... American Dragon, Curry Man & Koji Kanemoto vs Heat, Tiger Mask IV & Masayuke Naruse... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Yuji Nagata... Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Genichiro Tenryu (both IWGP Tournament Semi-finals)... Shinya Makabe, Yutaka Yoshie & Blue Wolf vs Makai Mask #1, Mitsuya Nagai & Katsuyori Shibata... Mitsuo Momota vs Jushin Liger (GHC Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Genichiro Tenryu (IWGP Tournament Final). After the main show is a feature on NJPW Toukon II, with clips of two matches held at Inoki's LA Dojo on March 6th 2004 - Ken Shamrock vs Shinsuke Nakamura and Heat vs American Dragon.
Commercial release of Japan's own Wrestlemania, featuring Tenryu and Sasaki returning to NJPW as freelancers, Liger bagging yet another junior heavyweight title, Tenzan and Chono reuniting to tackle a Muto/Sapp invasion, and the IWGP/NWF belts changing hands in a real face-flattener of a main event. Sasaki's bloodbath with Yuji Nagata is an early frontrunner for Match of the Year. Also includes three bonus matches. Ryusuke Taguchi vs Akiya Anzawa... Gedo & Jado vs Heat & Tiger Mask IV (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match)... Takashi Sugiura vs Jushin Liger (GHC Junior Heavyweight Title Change)... Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yutaka Yoshie (U-30 Title Match)... Josh Barnett & Takashi Iizuka vs Kazunari Murakami & Katsuyori Shibata... Osamu Nishimura vs Minoru Suzuki... Manabu Nakanishi vs Genichiro Tenryu... Yuji Nagata vs Kensuke Sasaki (blood!)... Keiji Muto & Bob Sapp vs Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Shinsuke Nakamura vs Yoshihiro Takayama (IWGP & NWF Heavyweight Title Change)
This commercial release was filmed in the run-up to two key events: Wrestling World 2004 and, more crucially, contract renewal season. As a result, just about everyone had their working boots on. American Dragon vs Katsushi Takemura... Jushin Liger vs Gedo... Shinsuke Nakamura vs Tiger Mask IV... Josh Barnett vs Heat... Takashi Iizuka vs Mitsuya Nagai... Minoru Suzuki vs Blue Wolf... Manabu Nakanishi vs The Shadow... Scott Norton vs Yutaka Yoshie... Yuji Nagata vs Osamu Nishimura... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Hiroshi Tanahashi (IWGP Heavyweight Champion vs U-30 Openweight Champion)
Following the success of New Japan's first ever pro wrestling/MMA love-in (the first Ultimate Crush PPV), this Tokyo Dome supercard again combined traditional pro wrestling with vale tudo fights. Volume One features the full gamut of shootfights, plus a juniors-only Royal Rumble. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Royal Rumble (featuring Jushin Liger, Katsushi Takemura, Tiger Mask IV, Koji Kanemoto, Dick Togo, Heat, El Samurai, Masayuki Naruse, Masahito Kakihara, Gedo & Jado)... Blue Wolf vs Yutaka Yoshie (U-30 Title #1 Contenders Match)... Toa vs Shinya Makabe... Tadao Yasuda vs Osamu Nishimura... Osami Shibuya vs Khaliun Boldbaatar (vale tudo match)... Tsuyoshi Kosaka vs Ricardo Morales (vale tudo match)... Josh Barnett vs Yoshiki Takahashi (vale tudo match)... Kazunari Murakami vs Katsuyori Shibata
After a shoot-style undercard designed to please Antonio Inoki, the titanic double main event is pure ChonoVision. The elimination match is studded with stars from K-1, PRIDE, Pancrase and even NJPW, while the idea of Hulk Hogan vs Masa Chono at the Tokyo Dome caused something of a frenzy in Japan. Hogan's uses may be limited, but no other wrestler - living, dead or otherwise - can inspire such a brilliantly ridiculous spectacle. After the guilty pleasure of Hogan-Chono, the ten-man provides 45 minutes of top quality action. Hulk Hogan vs Masa Chono... Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita, Bob Sapp, Minoru Suzuki & Shinsuke Nakamura vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Seiji Sakaguchi (elimination match)
The main event here is the first steel cage match in New Japan's 32-year history. Ryusuke Taguchi vs Hirooki Goto... Yutaka Yoshie vs Blue Wolf... Tiger Mask IV, Heat & Masahito Kakihara vs Jushin Liger, Koji Kanemoto & Wataru Inoue... Osamu Nishimura vs Shinsuke Nakamura... Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Makai #2 (hair vs mask match)... Manabu Nakanishi vs Kazunari Murakami... Tadao Yasuda & Ryushi Yanagisawa vs Yuji Nagata & Enson Inoue... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Shinya Makabe... Yoshihiro Takayama vs Masa Chono (IWGP Heavyweight Title Cage Death Match, ****1/4)
Here it is: the tournament that got everyone excited, including the usually level-headed bods at Power Slam and the Wrestling Observer. This is the complete edition, featuring every single match of the tournament. The highlight of Volume One is a terrific round robin clash between the eventual finalists, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Jun Akiyama. Shinsuke Nakamura vs Katsuyori Shibata... Yutaka Yoshie vs Yuji Nagata ... Manabu Nakanishi vs Hiroshi Tanahashi... Masa Chono vs Osamu Nishimura... Yoshihiro Takayama vs Tadao Yasuda... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Jun Akiyama... Yutaka Yoshie vs Shinsuke Nakamura... Tadao Yasuda vs Katsuyori Shibata... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Hiroshi Tanahashi... Jun Akiyama vs Osamu Nishimura... Masa Chono vs Manabu Nakanishi... Yuji Nagata vs Yoshihiro Takayama... Masayuki Naruse & Minoru Suzuki vs Josh Barnett & Koji Kanemoto
The big matches on Volume Two are friendlies, of sorts: four-time G1 winner Masa Chono knocks heads with his protégé, Tenzan, while Karl Gotch disciples Nishimura and Nakanishi deliver an understated technical exhibition. Katsuyori Shibata vs Yutaka Yoshie... Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Masa Chono... Shinsuke Nakamura vs Yoshihiro Takayama... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Osamu Nishimura... Tadao Yasuda vs Yuji Nagata... Manabu Nakanishi vs Jun Akiyama... Shinsuke Nakamura vs Tadao Yasuda... Manabu Nakanishi vs Osamu Nishimura... Yutaka Yoshie vs Yoshihiro Takayama... Yuji Nagata vs Katsuyori Shibata... Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Jun Akiyama... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Masa Chono... Josh Barnett vs El Samurai... Manabu Nakanishi & Shinsuke Nakamura vs Enson Inoue & Michiyoshi Ohara
Volume Three includes the blinding 35-minute final - the longest (and best?) decider in G1 history. Tenzan and Akiyama wrestle the match of their lives, and Tenzan's long-awaited victory is genuinely heart-warming. If you only buy one tape of this set, I would heartily recommend this one - if only for the climax of the Climax. Yutaka Yoshie vs Tadao Yasuda... Osamu Nishimura vs Hiroshi Tanahashi... Yuji Nagata vs Shinsuke Nakamura... Manabu Nakanishi vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Yoshihiro Takayama vs Katsuyori Shibata... Jun Akiyama vs Masa Chono... Yuji Nagata vs Katsuyori Shibata (G1 Climax tie-breaker)... Yuji Nagata vs Jun Akiyama... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Yoshihiro Takayama (both G1 Climax Semi-finals)... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Jun Akiyama (G1 Climax Final).
Following the format of the excellent 1995 edition, this Super Juniors commercial tape begins with a blitzkrieg of tournament highlights, followed by the best matches from finals night - including a fine encounter between Tiger Mask and Takehiro Murahama. Minoru Fujita vs Ryusuke Taguchi... Akira vs Takashi Suguira... El Samurai vs Koji Kanemoto... Ebessan vs Gedo... Takashi Suguira vs Jushin Liger... Koji Kanemoto vs Tiger Mask IV... Masahito Kakihara vs Akira... Takashi Suguira vs Koji Kanemoto (both Semi-finals)... Koji Kanemoto vs Masahito Kakihara (Final)... Katsuyori Shibata vs Yuji Nagata... Tiger Mask IV vs Takehiro Murahama (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Yutaka Yoshie & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (IWGP Tag Team Title Match)... Yoshihiro Takayama vs Shinsuke Nakamura (NWF Title Match)
The competing visions of Masa Chono and Antonio Inoki resulted in NJPW's first ever combined pro wrestling/MMA supercard. Volume One includes three matches of each type, the highlight being Shinsuke Nakamura's impressive demolition of lumpy Dutchman, Jan 'The Giant' Nortje. Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Hiroshi Tanahashi (IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 contenders match)... Ken Shamrock vs Takashi Iizuka... Jushin Liger & Koji Kanemoto vs Tiger Mask IV & Heat (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Title Match)... Lyoto vs Kengo (vale tudo match)... Tsuyoshi Kosaka vs Dolgorsuren Sumiyabazar (vale tudo match)... Shinsuke Nakamura vs Jan Nortje (vale tudo match)
Concluding part of the six-hour Tokyo Dome show. MMA and pro-style matches alike pick up steam for the final leg: Kazunari Murakami goes on a bloody rampage, Manabu Nakanishi makes a complete balls-up of his first shootfight, Kenta Kobashi and Masa Chono provide a Dome-sized dream match, all capped off by a double title main event. Josh Barnett vs Jimmy Ambriz (vale tudo match)... Kazuyuki Fujita vs Manabu Nakanishi (vale tudo match)... Kazunari Murakami vs Enson Inoue... Kenta Kobashi vs Masa Chono (GHC Heavyweight Title Match)... Yuji Nagata vs Yoshihiro Takayama (IWGP Heavyweight & NWF Heavyweight Double Title Match)
Tokyo Dome undercard featuring the usual junior heavyweight suspects, and the New Japan debut of ex-RINGS fighter Tsuyoshi Kosaka. Jushin Liger, Masahito Kakihara & Tiger Mask IV vs Ricky Reyes, Rocky Romero & American Dragon... Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kenzo Suzuki vs Shinya Makabe & Minoru Fujita... Heat (Minoru Tanaka) vs Koji Kanemoto (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Tsuyoshi Kosaka vs Tadao Yasuda (NWF Heavyweight Title Tournament Semi-final)... Yutaka Yoshie vs Ryushi Yanagisawa
Includes an excellent main event, and the mixed bag that was the 'New Japan vs Foreign Army' series - taking in everything from a corking, RINGS-style opener, to Masa Chono wrestling a large woman with a speech impediment. There's no accounting for taste. Osamu Nishimura vs Bas Rutten (10 rounds under 'Catch Rules' - Tony St. Clair as guest referee)... Kazunari Murakami vs Masayuki Naruse... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs New Great Muta... Masa Chono vs Joanie Laurer... Bob Sapp vs Manabu Nakanishi... Yuji Nagata vs Kazuyuki Fujita (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)
In which New Japan booker Masa Chono wins his fourth G1 Climax at the age of 40. Chono was in a position to glide through on charm alone, but credit where it's due: he really made the effort. The other highlight is a power/technique battle between Osamu Nishimura and Yoshihiro Takayama. Osamu Nishimura vs Manabu Nakanishi (tie-breaker)... Masahiro Chono vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Yoshihiro Takayama vs Osamu Nishimura (both G1 Climax Semi-finals)... Tadao Yasuda & Ryushi Yanagisawa vs Manabu Nakanishi & Masayuki Naruse... Yuji Nagata & Kensuke Sasaki vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Osamu Nishimura... Masahiro Chono vs Yoshihiro Takayama (G1 Climax Final)
Includes the most satisfying Tadao Yasuda match of 2002. It lasts 37 seconds. The rest of the card is enjoyable for more conventional reasons, thanks to the sterling efforts of Messrs. Kanemoto, Nishimura, Nagata and Takayama. Masayuki Naruse & Masahito Kakihara vs Wataru Inoue & Blue Wolf... Koji Kanemoto, Gedo & Jado vs Jushin Liger, El Samurai & Minoru Tanaka... Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shiro Koshinaka... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Yutaka Yoshie... Kenzo Suzuki vs Tadao Yasuda... Osamu Nishimura vs Manabu Nakanishi (30-minute draw)... Yuji Nagata vs Masa Chono... Kensuke Sasaki vs Yoshihiro Takayama
Includes a fabulous match for the IWGP junior title, Tatsumi Fujinami's nose exploding for no apparent reason, and two "efforts" involving the Steiners. Masahito Kakihara vs Tatsutoshi Goto (finish only)... Blue Wolf vs Minoru Fujita... Tadao Yasuda vs Tatsumi Fujinami... Minoru Tanaka vs Koji Kanemoto (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Change)... The Steiners vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Masa Chono... Manabu Nakanishi & Shiro Koshinaka vs Yutaka Yoshie... The Steiners vs Kenzo Suzuki & Hiroshi Tanahashi... Masahito Kakihara vs Kazuyuki Fujita... Masa Chono & Manabu Nakanishi vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Yoshihiro Takayama... Yuji Nagata vs Bas Rutten (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)
Despite renewed interest in the junior heavyweight division, there was no comprehensive commercial release of this tournament - hence this compilation of TV matches. Curry Man vs Jado... Koji Kanemoto vs Masahito Kakihara... Akira vs Minoru Tanaka... Curry Man vs Black Tiger III... Tiger Mask IV vs Gedo... Minoru Tanaka vs Masayuke Naruse... Jushin Liger vs Katsuyori Shibata... Tiger Mask IV vs Minoru Tanaka... Jushin Liger vs Koji Kanemoto... Tiger Mask IV vs Masayuke Naruse... Koji Kanemoto vs Katsuyori Shibata... Minoru Tanaka vs El Samurai... Jushin Liger vs Jado... Koji Kanemoto vs Minoru Tanaka (Final)
New Japan celebrates its 30th Anniversary at the Tokyo Dome. This tape covers the undercard, featuring a very good junior tag title switch, a show-stealing All Japan Women tag match, and Koji Kanemoto harking back to his feckless youth - wrestling as Tiger Mask III for the first time since 1993. Kintaro Kanemura vs Daisuke Sekimoto... Wataru Inoue vs Katsuyori Shibata... Tiger Mask III & Tiger Mask IV vs Black Tiger III & El Samurai... Momoe Nakanishi & Kaoru Ito vs Yumiko Hotta & Manami Toyota... Jushin Liger & Minoru Tanaka vs Gedo & Jado (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Change)... Naoya Ogawa & Shinya Hashimoto vs Scott Norton & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Completion of the 30th Anniversary event, with all the big matches: Bas Rutten's debut, Rick & Scott Steiner's return, a mesmerising brawl for the IWGP heavyweight belt, and the first ever meeting of those gods among men, Mitsuharu Misawa and Masa Chono. The double main event is part of the NJPW vs NOAH feud. Don Frye vs Tadao Yasuda... Bas Rutten vs Manabu Nakanishi... Don Frye vs Tadao Yasuda (restart)... The Steiners vs Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kenzo Suzuki... Guest referee Joanie Laurer challenges everyone to a fight... Yuji Nagata vs Yoshihiro Takayama (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)... Mitsuharu Misawa vs Masa Chono (30-minute draw)
The last major event before Keiji Muto, Satoshi Kojima and Kendo Ka Shin defected to All Japan. Luckily for NJPW, its feud with Pro Wrestling NOAH had already begun with the Jun Akiyama-Yuji Nagata main event. Additionally, the Pidgin English match descriptions are great fun: 'Fight In Strange!' indeed. Masahito Kakihara & Masayuke Naruse vs Wataru Inoue & Katsuyori Shibata... Minoru Tanaka & El Samurai vs Akira Nogami & Koji Kanemoto... Kazunari Murakami & Yuki Ishikawa vs Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kenzo Suzuki... Jushin Liger, Tiger Mask IV & The Great Sasuke vs Gedo, Jado & Dick Togo... Kazuyuki Fujita vacates IWGP Heavyweight Title... Manabu Nakanishi vs Giant Silva... Kendo Ka Shin vs Daijiro Matsui (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Keiji Muto & Hiro Hase vs Osamu Nishimura & Tatsumi Fujinami... Kensuke Sasaki vs Naoya Ogawa... Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs Masa Chono & Giant Singh... Jun Akiyama vs Yuji Nagata (GHC Heavyweight Title Match)
Tokyo Dome card headlined by a critically-acclaimed, tri-promotional tag match. On the undercard: Kendo Ka Shin goes maskless, Bob Backlund and the Funks are let loose in public, and two matches fought under vale tudo rules.
El Samurai, Jushin Liger & Minoru Tanaka vs Gedo, Jado & Akira Nogami... Giant Singh & Giant Silva vs Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kenzo Suzuki, Yutaka Yoshie & Wataru Inoue (handicap match)... Gary Goodridge vs Michiyoshi Ohara... Tokimitsu Ishizawa (Kendo Ka Shin) vs Masayuki Naruse (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Change)... Bob Backlund & Tatsumi Fujinami vs Terry & Dory Funk Jr... Riki Choshu & Osamu Nishimura vs Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Manabu Nakanishi vs Tadao Yasuda (vale tudo match)... Kazuyuki Fujita vs Kensuke Sasaki (IWGP Heavyweight Title - vale tudo match)... Yuji Nagata & Jun Akiyama vs Hiro Hase & Keiji Muto
The second episode of New Japan vs All Japan at the Tokyo Dome, highlighted by a terrific tournament for the IWGP heavyweight belt. Kensuke Sasaki surrendered the title after his momentous loss to Toshiaki Kawada at Do Judge. Kensuke Sasaki vs Satoshi Kojima... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Yuji Nagata (both IWGP Title Tournament Quarter-finals)... Kensuke Sasaki vs Masa Chono... Toshiaki Kawada vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan (both IWGP Tournament Semi-finals)... Riki Choshu vs Shinya Hashimoto... Toshiaki Kawada vs Kensuke Sasaki (IWGP Tournament Final)
The sequel to Do Judge. The main event here is every bit as rivetting as its predecessor, with All Japan psychology and some stellar (but all too brief) exchanges between Toshiaki Kawada and Yuji Nagata. Undercard-wise, credit to Tatsumi Fujinami for an exciting, credible match with Koji Kanemoto, and a nice Osaka Pro vs New Japan six-man. The less said about Yutaka Yoshie and Tatsutoshi Goto the better. Kensuke Sasaki & Super Strong Machine vs Masa Chono & Team 2000 Machine (Tatsutoshi Goto)... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Yutaka Yoshie... Michiyoshi Ohara vs Kendo Ka Shin... Satoshi Kojima vs Kenzo Suzuki... Jushin Liger, Minoru Tanaka & Shinya Makabe vs Super Delfin, Tsubasa & Takehiro Murahama... Manabu Nakanishi vs Osamu Nishimura... Tatsumi Fujinami vs Koji Kanemoto... Toshiaki Kawada & Masa Fuchi vs Takashi Iizuka & Yuji Nagata
Commercial tape featuring the biggest Japanese match in years - the huge New Japan vs All Japan main event that put 64,000 bums on seats at the Tokyo Dome. Something of a one match show, but the quality of that one match is truly staggering. Also features Hashimoto's last match as an employee of New Japan. Shinya Hashimoto vs Tatsumi Fujinami... Jushin Liger vs Super Delfin (highlights)... Don Frye vs Takashi Iizuka (highlights)... Koji Kanemoto vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa ... Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata... Steve Williams vs Scott Norton... Masa Chono & Tatsutoshi Goto vs Masa Fuchi & Shiro Koshinaka... Toshiaki Kawada vs Kensuke Sasaki (non-title match)
Includes a surprisingly dramatic final, considering the limitations of those involved. Yuji Nagata vs Takashi Iizuka... Manabu Nakanishi vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Kensuke Sasaki vs Yuji Nagata... Manabu Nakanishi vs Masa Chono (both G1 Climax Semi-finals)... Kensuke Sasaki vs Manabu Nakanishi (Final)
New Japan's disgruntled godfather returns - sporting pot belly and 'attitude' beard - in the company's first Sky PPV. Riki bangs heads with fellow liar/un-retirer, Atsushi Onita, in an exploding barbed wire death match. Shinya Makabe vs Hiroshi Tanahashi... Minoru Tanaka vs Akira Nogami... Junji Hirata vs Kenzo Suzuki... Shiro Koshinaka vs Koji Kanemoto... Takashi Iizuka vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Yuji Nagata & Kensuke Sasaki vs Yutaka Yoshie & Manabu Nakanishi... Riki Choshu vs Atsushi Onita (no rope, exploding barbed wire death match)
Features esteemed guests from Michinoku Pro, Battlarts and EMLL. And Kid Romeo. Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs Shinya Makabe... Koji Kanemoto vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa... Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Shinya Makabe... Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs El Samurai... Koji Kanemoto vs Dr. Wagner Jr... Gran Hamada vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Minoru Tanaka... Kid Romeo vs Kendo Ka Shin... Minoru Tanaka vs Minoru Fujita... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Katsumi Usuda... Kendo Ka Shin vs Katsumi Usuda... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Kendo Ka Shin
Includes a four-match 'Challenge the Super Heavy' series, pitting New Japan's juniors against the heavyweights. The results are painfully predictable (note the even number of contests - no need for a dramatic decider here!), but the first and third matches are very good nonetheless. Yuji Nagata vs Kendo Ka Shin... Don Frye vs Koji Kanemoto... Satoshi Kojima vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Kensuke Sasaki vs Jushin Liger (IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match)... Masahiro Chono vs The Great Muta
Due to a 'poor turnout' (a meagre 40,000) and 'creative differences' (yawn), this proved to be Shinya Hashimoto's last Tokyo Dome main event with New Japan. Even with the writing on the wall, his final showdown with Naoya Ogawa is far and away the best thing on the card. Manabu Nakanishi vs Scott Norton... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Yutaka Yoshie... Takashi Iizuka vs Kazunari Murakami... Shinya Hashimoto vs Naoya Ogawa
New Japan's first event of the new century was also its best Tokyo Dome effort since Battle Formation '96. The first instalment features Chris Benoit's last ever match in New Japan, an excellent junior doubles contest, Randy Savage wearing the greatest coat in the history of men using fabric to cover their shoulders, more Hashimoto-Ogawa chaos, and a spectacular, futile effort by Don Frye to make Scott Norton watchable. New Japan pulled out all the stops here. Shinjiro Ohtani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs Kendo Ka Shin & Minoru Tanaka (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match)... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Chris Benoit... Manabu Nakanishi vs Kenzo Suzuki... Scott Norton vs Don Frye... Rick Steiner vs Randy Savage... Shinya Hashimoto & Takashi Iizuka vs Naoya Ogawa & Kazunari Murakami
Second instalment from the Dome, featuring Kazuo Yamazaki's retirement match (far superior to the guff surrounding the retirements of Inoki and Choshu), a 'Black Summit' match between the main men of nWo Japan and Team 2000 (Masa Chono enters his best performance in years, and impresses with his yeti fur jacket), the debut of 'Black Liger', Kimo getting hugely cross, and fine matches throughout. Highly recommended. Shiro Koshinaka vs Satoshi Kojima... Jushin Liger vs Koji Kanemoto (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Yuji Nagata vs Kazuo Yamazaki (retirement match)... Kimo vs Kazuyuki Fujita (vale tudo)... Masa Chono vs Keiji Muto... Genichiro Tenryu vs Kensuke Sasaki (IWGP Heavyweight Title Change)
In the year following the release of this tape, Tatsuhito Takaiwa left for Zero One, Yuji Nagata fully graduated to the heavyweight bracket, and Shinjiro Ohtani did both - ending a great era for NJPW's junior division. I guess this is the epitaph of a golden age. Kendo Ka Shin vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa... Jushin Liger vs El Samurai... Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs Koji Kanemoto... Yuji Nagata vs Shinjiro Ohtani... El Samurai vs Koji Kanemoto... Kendo Ka Shin vs Shinjiro Ohtani
This is the tournament where Yuji Nagata and Satoshi Kojima really began to bloom as heavyweights. Their matches with each other and an on-form Keiji Muto are particularly good. Manabu Nakanishi vs Kazuo Yamazaki... Shinya Hashimoto vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Masa Chono vs Shiro Koshinaka... Yuji Nagata vs Satoshi Kojima... Kensuke Sasaki vs Tadao Yasuda... Keiji Muto vs Tatsumi Fujinami... Satoshi Kojima vs Kensuke Sasaki... Tatsumi Fujinami vs Tadao Yasuda... Keiji Muto vs Yuji Nagata... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Kazuo Yamazaki... Manabu Nakanishi vs Shiro Koshinaka... Masa Chono vs Shinya Hashimoto... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Shiro Koshinaka... Masa Chono vs Manabu Nakanishi... Shinya Hashimoto vs Kazuo Yamazaki... Satoshi Kojima vs Tadao Yasuda
The high quality continues up until the tournament final, where it takes an Olympic-level dive. Even a wildly resurgent Keiji Muto couldn't make apeman Nakanishi look good. Yuji Nagata vs Tatsumi Fujinami... Keiji Muto vs Kensuke Sasaki... Keiji Muto vs Tadao Yasuda... Satoshi Kojima vs Tatsumi Fujinami... Yuji Nagata vs Kensuke Sasaki... Manabu Nakanishi vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Masa Chono vs Kazuo Yamazaki... Shinya Hashimoto vs Shiro Koshinaka... Yuji Nagata vs Tadao Yasuda... Kensuke Sasaki vs Tatsumi Fujinami... Masa Chono vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Keiji Muto vs Satoshi Kojima... Manabu Nakanishi vs Shinya Hashimoto... Keiji Muto vs Yuji Nagata (both G1 Climax Semi-finals)... Keiji Muto vs Manabu Nakanishi (G1 Climax Final)
Two commercial tapes in one. Despite the profusion of interesting new talent (Mochizuki, Tanaka and eventual winner Ka Shin), Jushin Liger and El Samurai absolutely rule this tournament. Jushin Liger vs Super Shocker... Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs Masaaki Mochizuki... Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs Gran Hamada... Jushin Liger vs Masaaki Mochizuki... Koji Kanemoto vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa... Koji Kanemoto vs Gran Hamada... Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs Super Shocker... El Samurai vs Masao Orihara... Kendo Ka Shin vs Minoru Tanaka... Kendo Ka Shin vs Masao Orihara... El Samurai vs Minoru Tanaka... Kendo Ka Shin vs Shinjiro Ohtani... El Samurai vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Kendo Ka Shin vs Dr. Wagner Jr.
A fine pair of tapes thanks to some dramatic storytelling. The standout match here is Keiji Muto vs Genichiro Tenryu, which reawakened Tenryu after his dozy days in WAR. Tadao Yasuda vs Big Titan... Satoshi Kojima vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Osamu Nishimura vs Shiro Koshinaka... Kensuke Sasaki vs Michiyoshi Ohara... Shinya Hashimoto vs Tatsutoshi Goto... Tatsumi Fujinami vs Kazuo Yamazaki... Manabu Nakanishi vs Masa Chono... Keiji Muto vs Genichiro Tenryu
Includes an incredible match between Shinya Hashimoto and Genichiro Tenryu, in which they chop one another past the point where most normal people would have wet themselves. Even if they were only watching. The dramatic final recalls the NJPW vs UWFI feud of yore, highlighted by Yamazaki's best performance in years. Tadao Yasuda vs Satoshi Kojima... Kensuke Sasaki vs Kazuo Yamazaki... Shiro Koshinaka vs Masahiro Chono... Shinya Hashimoto vs Genichiro Tenryu... Masa Chono vs Kazuo Yamazaki... Shinya Hashimoto vs Satoshi Kojima (both G1 Climax Semi-finals)... Shinya Hashimoto vs Kazuo Yamazaki (G1 Climax Final)
90-minute commercial tape, including an Ohtani-Kanemoto match awarded ***** by the Wrestling Observer. Jushin Liger & El Samurai vs Kendo Ka Shin & Tatsuhito Takaiwa... Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs El Samurai... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Koji Kanemoto... Kendo Ka Shin vs Jushin Liger... Jushin Liger & El Samurai vs Shinjiro Ohtani & Koji Kanemoto
Two excellent commercial tapes in one handy volume. Guests from all over the place: WAR, WCW, EMLL and FMW. Yuji Yasuraoka vs Koji Kanemoto... Jushin Liger vs Masakazu Fukuda... El Samurai vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Kaz Hayashi vs Kendo Ka Shin... Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Dr. Wagner Jr. vs El Samurai... Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Kendo Ka Shin vs Hayato Nanjyo... Masakazu Fukuda vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa... Jushin Liger vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Koji Kanemoto vs Hayato Nanjyo... El Samurai vs Jushin Liger... Koji Kanemoto vs Kaz Hayashi
Featuring a tournament to decide who faces Antonio Inoki in his retirement match, Antonio Inoki's retirement match, Antonio Inoki's retirement ceremony, and gushing tributes to Antonio Inoki, this is nauseating stuff. To compensate, the tape includes TV matches from the Fighting Spirit tour. Fighting Spirit '98: Keiji Muto & Masa Chono vs Satoshi Kojima & Manabu Nakanishi... Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs Hayato Nanjyo... Kendo Ka Shin vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Jushin Liger vs Koji Kanemoto... Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Satoshi Kojima & Tatsumi Fujinami... Jushin Liger, El Samurai & Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Koji Kanemoto, Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Hayato Nanjyo... Kendo Ka Shin vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Keiji Muto & Michael Wallstreet vs Satoshi Kojima & Shinya Hashimoto... Kensuke Sasaki & Tatsumi Fujinami vs Masa Chono & Brian Adams... Final the Inoki Four: Naoya Ogawa vs Brian Johnston... Don Frye vs Igor Meindert (Final Inoki Tournament Semi-finals)... Naoya Ogawa vs Don Frye (Final Inoki Tournament Final)... Antonio Inoki vs Don Frye... Kensuke Sasaki vs Tatsumi Fujinami (IWGP Heavyweight Title Change)
This show features excessive quantities of Riki Choshu, bookended by a very good opening match and main event. Shinjiro Ohtani vs Ultimo Dragon (J*Crown Titles Match)... Riki Choshu vs Kazuyuki Fujita... Riki Choshu vs Yutaka Yoshie... Riki Choshu vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa... Riki Choshu vs Takashi Iizuka... Riki Choshu vs Jushin Liger... Don Frye vs Naoya Ogawa... Shinya Hashimoto vs Dennis Lane... Masa Chono vs Shiro Koshinaka... Kensuke Sasaki vs Keiji Muto (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)... Riki Choshu's retirement ceremony
Two-hour commercial tape featuring almost every permutation of the never-ending NJPW Junior Heavyweight Feud. These guys never let you down. Shinjiro Ohtani, Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs Jushin Liger, El Samurai & Kendo Ka Shin... Jushin Liger vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa... Koji Kanemoto vs Kendo Ka Shin... Shinjiro Ohtani vs El Samurai... Jushin Liger vs Koji Kanemoto... El Samurai vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Not the most successful G1 Climax to date - too much dead weight and not enough people willing to carry it - but notable for Hiroyoshi Tenzan's spirited ascension to main event status, and Steven Regal's last NJPW appearance before his undignified exit from WCW. Satoshi Kojima vs Lord Steven Regal... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Tadao Yasuda... Junji Hirata vs Scott Norton... Masa Chono vs Michiyoshi Ohara... The Great Muta vs Manabu Nakanishi... Shinya Hashimoto vs Kazuo Yamazaki... Don Frye vs Kazuyuki Fujita... Kensuke Sasaki vs Marcus Bagwell
The better of the two tapes, thanks to some very respectable performances by young Tenzan. His mouth gets busted up quite royally in the final. Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Satoshi Kojima... The Great Muta vs Scott Norton... Masa Chono vs Shinya Hashimoto... Shinya Hashimoto vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Kensuke Sasaki vs Scott Norton (both G1 Climax Semi-finals)... Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Kensuke Sasaki (G1 Climax Final)
Excellent two-hour commercial tape supplemented by the best, hardest-hitting BOSJ final ever, taken from NJPW TV. With the regulars in fine form and a guest list including Tajiri, Gran Naniwa and our own 'Doc' Dean, this is one of my favourite Super Juniors tapes. Jushin Liger vs Chavo Guerrero Jr... Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Tatsuhito Takaiwa vs Koji Kanemoto... Jushin Liger vs Gran Naniwa... Koji Kanemoto vs Ian 'Doc' Dean... Koji Kanemoto vs Jushin Liger... El Samurai vs Shinjiro Ohtani (Semi-finals)... El Samurai vs Koji Kanemoto (Final)
Osaka Dome show featuring the New World Order at its peak, with in-ring appearances by Nash, Hall, Bagwell, Syxx and the rest, and Eric Bischoff giving his translator a headache. Bagwell, of all people, is a riot. This also features the Ogawa-Hashimoto rematch, a NJPW/MPW ten-man tag, Kengo Kimura's retirement, and a 'masters of wrestling' tag with Liger, Inoki, Sayama and Fujiwara. Shiro Koshinaka vs Kengo Kimura... nWo Sting & Syxx vs Takashi Iizuka & Tadao Yasuda... Scott Norton & Marcus Bagwell vs The Giant & Lex Luger... Masa Chono, Kevin Nash & Scott Hall vs Keiji Muto & The Steiners... Antonio Inoki & Tiger King (Satoru Sayama) vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Jushin Liger... Koji Kanemoto, Shinjiro Ohtani, Dick Togo, Mens Teioh & Hanzo Nakajima vs El Samurai, Norio Honaga, The Great Sasuke, Super Delfin & Gran Hamada (best of three falls match)... Kazuo Yamazaki vs Kendo Ka Shin... Tatsumi Fujinami vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Manabu Nakanishi & Satoshi Kojima vs Riki Choshu & Kensuke Sasaki (IWGP Tag Team Title Change)... Shinya Hashimoto vs Naoya Ogawa (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)
New Japan made a rare cock-up by announcing a Shinya Hashimoto vs Ken Shamrock main event for this card. The error being, Ken Shamrock had just signed a $3 million deal with some bloke called Vince McMahon. NJPW calmly drafted in Olympic judo hero Naoya Ogawa as a substitute, the crisis turned into a media spectacle, and the license to print money was back in effect. The highlight for anyone without a vested financial interest was the fifth instalment of the Jushin Liger-Great Sasuke series, taped just 24 hours after Sasuke tore down the ECW Arena at Barely Legal. Antonio Inoki vs Tiger King (Satoru Sayama)... The Great Sasuke vs Jushin Liger... Masa Chono vs The Great Muta... Kensuke Sasaki & Riki Choshu vs Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura... Shinya Hashimoto vs Naoya Ogawa (non-title match). This tape also includes AJPW TV, April 20th 1997 featuring: Stan Hansen vs Johnny Ace... Akira Taue vs Gary Albright... Stan Hansen vs Jun Akiyama (highlights)... Toshiaki Kawada vs Gary Albright (highlights)... Mitsuharu Misawa vs Steve Williams (highlights)
Classic match with one of the greatest surprise finishes ever. Failure to recognise Liger as the world's greatest wrestler/booker is inexcusable. Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Satoshi Kojima... Scott Norton & Shinya Hashimoto vs Riki Choshu & Kensuke Sasaki... Jushin Liger vs The Great Muta. This tape also includes W*ING Take Off 1996.
Fabulous tournament held over three nights at Sumo Hall, merging eight junior heavyweight belts into the J*Crown. Ultimo Dragon vs Shinjiro Ohtani was hailed as the Match of the Year by everyone, everywhere; the Great Sasuke outdid his performance at MPW's Masked Man League, going home with eight title belts and a fractured skull; and Jushin Liger bravely wrestled with a brain tumour (be careful how you read that). Highly recommended! The Great Sasuke vs Masayoshi Motegi... Jushin Liger vs Ultimo Dragon... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Negro Casas... El Samurai vs Gran Hamada (all J*Crown Quarter-finals)... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Ultimo Dragon... The Great Sasuke vs El Samurai (both J*Crown Semi-finals)... The Great Sasuke vs Ultimo Dragon (J*Crown Tournament Final)
Excellent all-juniors show held at Budokan Hall, featuring eight different title matches and an all-star guest list, drawn from UWFI, WAR and MPW. Wrestle Dream Factory also sent along Masayoshi Motegi, but you can't win them all. Taka Michinoku and Dick Togo steal the show like the dirty rotten scoundrels they are. El Samurai & Norio Honaga vs Lance Storm & Yuji Yasuraoka... Masayoshi Motegi vs Shiryu... Gran Hamada vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Kazushi Sakuraba... Super Delfin vs Taka Michinoku... Ultimo Dragon vs Gran Naniwa... Jushin Liger vs Dick Togo... The Great Sasuke vs Black Tiger II
Hailed by Power Slam as the best Tokyo Dome card of the 1990's, and not without justification. The Great Sasuke and Jushin Liger tear down the Dome, Genichiro Tenryu and Tatsumi Fujinami tear up their pension books, Jinsei Shinzaki returns to the biggest stage in Japan, and there's a happy ending as Shinya Hashimoto brings the IWGP title home to NJPW. Luger and Savage matches aside, 'rather good' would be a huge understatement. Yuji Nagata & Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs Shinjiro Ohtani & Koji Kanemoto... Randy Savage vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Masa Chono vs Lex Luger... Genichiro Tenryu vs Tatsumi Fujinami... The Great Muta vs Jinsei Shinzaki... Riki Choshu, Takashi Iizuka, Osamu Nishimura & Satoshi Kojima vs Shiro Koshinaka, Kuniaki Kobayashi, Tatsutoshi Goto & Akira Nogami... The Great Sasuke vs Jushin Liger (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Change)... The Road Warriors & Power Warrior vs The Steiners & Scott Norton... Shinya Hashimoto vs Nobuhiko Takada (IWGP Heavyweight Title Change)
Keiji Muto and Nobuhiko Takada were the names on the marquee, but Vader and Antonio Inoki were the names on everyone's lips (emphasis on Vader). This is the show where he pummelled Inoki to his last great match, completely upstaging the NJPW vs UWFI main event. I doubt there were any complaints. Satoshi Kojima vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Yoji Anjoh vs Hiromichi Fuyuki... Masa Chono vs Shiro Koshinaka... Jushin Liger vs Koji Kanemoto (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Change)... Hiro Hase vs Kensuke Sasaki... Vader vs Antonio Inoki... clips of all the undercard matches... Riki Choshu vs Masahito Kakihara... Keiji Muto vs Nobuhiko Takada (IWGP Heavyweight Title Change)
There are so many matches to recommend here. It makes sense to say sit back and enjoy all of the Super Juniors matches, then judiciously exercise that fast forward button for the heavyweight stuff. Brian Pillman vs Alex Wright... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Chris Benoit... Koji Kanemoto vs Black Tiger II... Dean Malenko vs Black Tiger II... Chris Benoit vs El Samurai (30-minute draw)... Chris Benoit vs Black Tiger II... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Koji Kanemoto (both Semi-finals)... Jushin Liger interview... Chris Benoit vs Shinjiro Ohtani (Final)... Riki Choshu, Kensuke Sasaki & Yuji Nagata vs Shiro Koshinaka, Akitoshi Saito & Michiyoshi Ohara... Scott Norton & Mike Enos vs Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata (IWGP Tag Team Title Tournament Final)... Keiji Muto vs Hawk (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)
Commercial tape highlighted by a trio of nifty junior matches. Sabu vs Black Tiger II (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Koji Kanemoto vs Gran Hamada (UWA Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Sabu vs Koji Kanemoto (IWGP & UWA Junior Heavyweight Titles Match)... Keiji Muto vs Kensuke Sasaki (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)... Riki Choshu & Kensuke Sasaki vs Masa Chono & Hiro Saito... Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Junji Hirata & Shinya Hashimoto (IWGP Tag Team Title Match)... Keiji Muto vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)
This was New Japan's last May Day supercard at the Fukuoka Dome, before it was upgraded to the somewhat more prestigious Tokyo Dome. The highlights here are a wild Sabu-Kanemoto title switch, and Hiro Hase pushing Ric Flair to one of his best latter-day matches. Junji Hirata vs Hiro Saito... Sabu vs Koji Kanemoto (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Change)... Ric Flair vs Hiro Hase... Kensuke Sasaki vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan... Keiji Muto vs Shinya Hashimoto (IWGP Heavyweight Title Change)
New Japan's bright young things provide a fine undercard, and the crowd remains silent. Then the haggard likes of Inoki, Choshu and Fuyuki get in the ring, and there's an outbreak of mass hysteria. I really can't explain. Yuji Nagata vs Manabu Nakanishi... Takayuka Iizuka & El Samurai vs Akira Nogami & Norio Honaga... Chris Benoit vs Too Cold Scorpio... The Steiners vs Scott Norton & Hawk... Shiro Koshinaka & Terry Funk vs Masa Chono & Hiromichi Fuyuki... Antonio Inoki & Koji Kitao vs Riki Choshu & Genichiro Tenryu
Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Manabu Nakanishi... Shinjiro Ohtani vs El Samurai (UWA World Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Norio Honaga vs The Great Sasuke (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match)... Masa Chono & Sabu vs Tatsumi Fujinami & Junji Hirata... Shinya Hashimoto vs Kensuke Sasaki (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)
Koji Kanemoto vs Yuji Nagata... Shiro Koshinaka & Michiyoshi Ohara vs Tiger Jeet Singh & Tiger Jeet Singh Jr... Hawk vs Scott Norton... Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs Kengo Kimura & Tatsutoshi Goto... Keiji Muto & Hiro Hase vs The Steiner Brothers (IWGP Tag Team Title Match)... Sting vs Tony Palmore... Antonio Inoki vs Gerard Gordeau (BVD Final Countdown Tournament Semi-finals)... Sting vs Antonio Inoki (BVD Final Countdown Tournament Final)
Commercial tape of New Japan's annual 'openweight' tag tournament (meaning: big guys get to eat the little guys). Not a bad tape, but after the huge success of the junior edition, you can see why this one felt a bit flat. Chris Benoit & Jushin Liger vs Masa Chono & Shinya Hashimoto... Chris Benoit & Jushin Liger vs Jurassic Powers... Hellraisers vs Hiro Hase & Keiji Muto... Chris Benoit & Jushin Liger vs Hiro Hase & Keiji Muto... Masa Chono & Shinya Hashimoto vs Hiro Hase & Keiji Muto... Jurassic Powers vs Hiro Hase & Keiji Muto. This tape includes the WCCW Star Wars commercial tape, featuring Solitaro vs Roharo... Lola Gonzales vs Irma Gonzales... Kerry Von Erich vs Harley Race (NWA World Title #1 Contender's Match)
The first junior edition of New Japan's annual tag tournament was also the last, despite a tidal wave of rave reviews. It's inconceivable that the plug was pulled because the heavyweights felt threatened. Isn't it? Thankfully, the format was revived as the G1 Junior Tag League in 2001. Dean Malenko & Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs Masakatsu Funaki & Yuki Ishikawa... El Samurai & Too Cold Scorpio vs Masayoshi Motegi & Kamikaze... Super Delfin & Taka Michinoku vs Gran Hamada & Norio Honaga... The Great Sasuke & Black Tiger II vs Chris Benoit & Shinjiro Ohtani... Dean Malenko & Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs Chris Benoit & Shinjiro Ohtani... The Great Sasuke & Black Tiger II vs Gran Hamada & Norio Honaga (Semi-finals)... The Great Sasuke & Black Tiger II vs Chris Benoit & Shinjiro Ohtani (Final)
Yokohama Arena card from the G1 Revenge Tour. El Gigante & Black Tiger II vs El Samurai, Tokimitsu Ishizawa & Tadao Yasuda (handicap match)... Gran Hamada vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Jushin Liger... Scott Norton & Chris Benoit vs The Steiners... Tatsumi Fujinami & Hiro Hase vs Riki Choshu & Manabu Nakanishi... Masa Chono vs The Great Muta... Shinya Hashimoto vs Power Warrior (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)
Following the success of the Super J Cup, New Japan's in-house junior tournament received a bit of a publicity boost, which is reflected here by a very good WCW/MPW-assisted roster. Taka Michinoku vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Chris Benoit vs Tokimitsu Ishizawa (highlights)... El Samurai vs Masayoshi Motegi (highlights)... Jushin Liger vs Dean Malenko... Jushin Liger vs Super Delfin... Chris Benoit vs Dave Finlay... Black Tiger II vs Taka Michinoku (highlights)... Shinjiro Ohtani vs El Samurai... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Dean Malenko (highlights)... Taka Michinoku vs Dave Finlay (highlights)... Super Delfin vs Tokimitsu Ishizawa (highlights)... Jushin Liger vs Black Tiger (highlights)... Chris Benoit vs Black Tiger II... Taka Michinoku vs Masayoshi Motegi... El Samurai vs Super Delfin... Jushin Liger vs Super Delfin (Final)
Widely regarded as the best men's wrestling event of the 1990's, if not of all time. It isn't a claim worth arguing with: from Hayabusa's Japanese debut to the classic final, this card established the Super J Cup as the most prestigious gimmick in the land. Dean Malenko vs Gedo... Super Delfin vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Taka Michinoku vs Black Tiger II... El Samurai vs Masa Motegi... Ricky Fuji vs Negro Casas... Jushin Liger vs Hayabusa (all First Round)... Gedo vs Super Delfin... Chris Benoit vs Black Tiger II... El Samurai vs The Great Sasuke... Jushin Liger vs Ricky Fuji (all Quarter-finals)... Chris Benoit vs Gedo... Jushin Liger vs The Great Sasuke (both Semi-finals)... The Great Sasuke vs Chris Benoit (Final)
Three 60-minute commercial tapes ('Tokon Special' video magazines #17, #18 and #19) featuring an abundance of big matches from a Yokohama Arena double-header: Keiji Muto vs Hulk Hogan, the first singles meeting between Tenryu and Fujinami, a bloody scrap between Chono and Fujiwara and a host of junior matches. Tiger Mask III vs Masao Orihara... Jushin Liger vs Black Tiger II... Genichiro Tenryu vs Tatsumi Fujinami... Masa Chono vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara... Shinya Hashimoto vs Hiro Hase... Keiji Muto vs Hulk Hogan... Jushin Liger vs Tiger Mask III... Masa Chono & Shinya Hashimoto vs The Hellraisers... Hiro Hase vs Keiji Muto. Bonus: the Best of Tatsumi Fujinami!
Keiji Muto & Takayuka Iizuka vs The Hellraisers... Jushin Liger & Osamu Kido vs Brad Armstrong & Norio Honaga... Masa Saito, Tatsutoshi Goto & Super Strong Machine vs TNT, Paul Diamond & Brad Rheingans... Scott Norton & Hercules vs Hiro Hase & Manabu Nakanishi... Michiyoshi Ohara vs Masashi Aoyagi... Shinya Hashimoto, Tatsumi Fujinami & Akira Nogami vs Shiro Koshinaka, Kengo Kimura & The Great Kabuki. As a bonus, this tape includes IBV Wrestling Fascination, a German independent tape from 1991.
The story of this tape is the legit destruction of Jushin Liger's ankle (which had to be completely rebuilt after Liger's exit from the tournament), including some strangely touching footage of Liger, unable to stand on his own two feet, signing autographs for children. Also includes the NJPW debut of a maskless Eddie Guerrero, who has a cracking match with Shinjiro Ohtani. Jushin Liger vs Dean Malenko... El Samurai vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Chris Benoit vs Dean Malenko... El Samurai vs Masao Orihara... Jushin Liger vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Eddie Guerrero vs Shinjiro Ohtani... Jushin Liger vs Norio Honaga... Jushin Liger vs El Samurai... Jushin Liger vs Too Cold Scorpio. This tape includes two bonus matches from the Austrian TWA, both pitting Robby Lee vs John McLaine. Control yourself.
Twin commercial releases on one tape, including all Muta's classic Red Cross blood donor sessions with Hiro Hase (all three matches feature a horrendous blade job). Everything shown is complete; picture is good, rather than great. Birth of Muta Mini-Movie... The Great Muta vs Hiro Hase... The Great Muta vs Ricky Steamboat... The Great Muta vs Sting... The Great Muta & TNT vs Hiro Hase & Kensuke Sasaki... The Great Muta vs Super Strong Machine... The Great Muta vs Tatsumi Fujinami... The Great Muta & Sting vs The Steiner Brothers... Revenge of Muta Mini-Movie... The Great Muta vs Shinya Hashimoto... The Great Muta vs Hiro Hase
Genichiro Tenryu, Takashi Ishikawa & Kohki Kitahara vs Shiro Koshinaka, Kengo Kimura & Masashi Aoyagi... Shinjiro Ohtani vs Yuji Nagata... Satoshi Kojima & Hiroshi Yamamoto vs Koji Kanemoto & Osamu Nishimura... Jushin Liger & Takayuka Iizuka vs Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko... Scott Norton & TNT vs Tony Halme & Ron Powers... Super Strong Machine vs Akitoshi Saito... Tatsumi Fujinami & Keiji Muto vs Shinya Hashimoto & Akira Nogami... The Hellraisers vs Riki Choshu & Hiro Hase... Masa Chono vs Scott Steiner (NWA World Title Match)
Satoshi Kojima vs Osamu Nishimura (clip)... Black Cat vs Masa Saito (clip)... Super Strong Machines vs The Great Kokina & 'Wild Samoan' Samu (clip)... Jushin Liger & Hiroshi Yamamoto vs El Samurai & Takayuka Iizuka... Tony Halme vs Scott Norton... Shiro Koshinaka, Kengo Kimura, Masashi Aoyagi & Akitoshi Saito vs Tatsumi Fujinami, Riki Choshu, Osamu Kido & Takayuka Iizuka... Shinya Hashimoto vs The Great Muta (IWGP Heavyweight Title Match)... The Steiners vs Kensuke Sasaki & Hiro Hase (IWGP Tag Team Title Match)... Masa Chono vs Steve Austin (NWA World Heavyweight Title Match)
New Japan celebrates its 20th Anniversary. Features Koji Kanemoto's debut as Tiger Mask III, and guests beamed in from the olden days. Perfect quality and uncut matches. Satoshi Kojima vs Osamu Nishimura... Shinya Hashimoto vs Kensuke Sasaki... Seiji Sakaguchi & Shozo Kobayashi vs Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosuke Ueda...Bam Bam Bigelow & Vader vs Hiro Hase & Keji Muto (IWGP Tag Team Title Change)... Brian Blair vs Michiyoshi Ohara... Kantaro Hoshino & Kotetsu Yamamoto vs Black Cat & Hiroshi Yamamoto... Koji Kanemoto interview... El Samurai vs Tiger Mask III... Shiro Koshinaka vs Akira Nogami... Riki Choshu & Kengo Kimura vs Antonio Inoki & Osamu Kido
New Japan's first and, arguably, best G1 Climax tournament. The final is rightfully worshipped as one of the greatest heavyweight matches of the 1990's. This is a recent re-release, with great picture quality. Bam Bam Bigelow vs Shinya Hashimoto... Keiji Muto vs Scott Norton... Riki Choshu vs Masa Chono... Vader vs Tatsumi Fujinami... Bam Bam Bigelow vs Riki Choshu... Vader vs Scott Norton... Tatsumi Fujinami vs Keiji Muto... Masa Chono vs Shinya Hashimoto (G1 Climax Playoff)... Keiji Muto vs Masa Chono (G1 Climax Final, *****)
Unrepeatable dream card highlighted by two remarkably enjoyable WWF vs AJPW matches, in which Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan step up to the plate against Genichiro Tenryu and Stan Hansen. Picture is a bit grainy (it adds to the historic feeling), but it's certainly watchable. Jumbo Tsuruta & Haku vs Mr. Perfect & Rick Martel... Randy Savage vs Genichiro Tenryu... Ted DiBiase vs The Ultimate Warrior (WWF World Heavyweight Title Match)... Giant Baba & Andre the Giant vs Demolition... Kenta Kobashi & Masa Fuchi vs Jimmy Snuka & Tito Santana... The Great Kabuki vs Greg Valentine... Hulk Hogan vs Stan Hansen
First of two commercial tapes from New Japan's first ever Tokyo Dome show. Volume 1 includes the one-night tournament for the vacant IWGP heavyweight belt; both tapes have excellent picture quality. Naoki Sano vs Hiro Saito (Young Lions League Final)... Vader vs Masa Chono... Tatsumi Fujinami vs Vladimir Berkovich... Victor Zangiev vs Buzz Sawyer...Shinya Hashimoto vs Riki Choshu (all IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament Quarter-finals)... Vader vs Tatsumi Fujinami... Shinya Hashimoto vs Victor Zangiev... (both IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament Semi-finals)... Vader vs Shinya Hashimoto (IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament Final)
Features Keiichi Yamada's first match as Jushin 'Thunder' Liger, and more of those crazy Russian wrestlers scouted by Antonio Inoki at the Moscow Olympics. Benny Urquidez vs Shinya Asuka... Wahka Eveleov vs Masa Saito... Super Strong Machine & George Takano vs Hiro Hase & Shiro Koshinaka (IWGP Tag Team Title Match - Lou Thesz as guest referee)... Jushin Liger vs Kuniaki Kobayashi... Salman Hashimikov vs Bam Bam Bigelow... Shota Chochyashvili vs Antonio Inoki (New Japan Martial Arts Title Match)
Three long-lost title matches, including the one and only meeting between AWA champ Jerry Lawler and IWGP champ Tatsumi Fujinami. Great picture quality. Hiro Hase vs Shiro Koshinaka (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Change)... Riki Choshu & Masa Saito vs George Takano & Super Strong Machine (IWGP Tag Team Title Match)... Tatsumi Fujinami vs Jerry Lawler (AWA Heavyweight Champion vs IWGP Heavyweight Champion)
Perfectly-preserved commercial tape of the first Super Juniors tournament. Match and picture quality both impress. Owen Hart vs Hiro Hase... Keiichi Yamada vs Kazuo Yamazaki... Hiro Hase vs Shiro Koshinaka... Nobuhiko Takada vs Shiro Koshinaka... Nobuhiko Takada vs Kazuo Yamazaki... Hiro Hase vs Nobuhiko Takada... Shiro Koshinaka vs Kuniaki Kobayashi... Hiro Hase vs Shiro Koshinaka (Final)
This show caused a bona fide riot, resulting in a ban on all wrestling at Sumo Hall for over two years. The trampling of the fans and burning of the fittings isn't explicitly shown, but there's an incredibly hostile atmosphere throughout the show (Riki Choshu's Ishingun army - still hot from their run in All Japan - almost got hung, drawn and quartered). Events between the ropes are no less chaotic, with the debuting Vader squashing Antonio Inoki in three minutes flat. Picture is a bit shaky, but this is still a remarkable tape. Keiichi Yamada vs Masakatsu Funaki... Hiro Hase vs Shiro Koshinaka (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Change)... Kazuo Yamazaki & Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Nobuhiko Takada & Osamu Kido (IWGP Tag Team Title Match)... Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura vs Riki Choshu & Masa Saito... Antonio Inoki vs Riki Choshu (bloody no-contest, leading to)... Antonio Inoki vs Vader.
Everyone, everywhere, refers to these as the best commercial tapes of the 1980's. Includes a superb tournament for the IWGP junior title, a red-hot elimination match, and a bit of a shaky picture. Keiji Muto was the man back then. Tatsutoshi Goto vs Norio Honaga... Kazuo Yamazaki vs Hiro Saito... Kuniaki Kobayashi vs Masakatsu Funaki... Nobuhiko Takada vs Keiichi Yamada (all IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Tournament Quarter-finals)... Riki Choshu, Tatsumi Fujinami, Akira Maeda, Kengo Kimura & Super Strong Machine vs Antonio Inoki, Seiji Sakaguchi, Kantaro Hoshino, Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Keiji Muto (elimination match)... Kuniaki Kobayashi vs Tatsutoshi Goto... Nobuhiko Takada vs Kazuo Yamazaki (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tournament Semi-finals)... Kuniaki Kobayashi vs Nobuhiko Takada (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tournament Final)... Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami vs Antonio Inoki & Keiji Muto
In the pre-IWGP days of 1984, New Japan's favoured junior prize was the WWF's Junior Heavyweight Title. A three-way points draw in this tournament for that belt led to a unique trangular series, featuring a rare singles encounter between the Dynamite Kid and his British Bulldogs partner, Davey Boy Smith. The third man in the series is George 'The Cobra' Takano, the hugely underrated successor to the original Tiger Mask. Great picture quality. Davey Boy Smith vs The Cobra... Davey Boy Smith vs The Dynamite Kid... The Dynamite Kid vs The Cobra (WWF Junior Heavyweight Title Tournament Triangular Final)
design & content (c) 2003-2004 Elliot Sparks