NJPW Super Fight in Tokyo Dome

Legacy Review

NJPW Super Fight in Tokyo Dome

February 10, 1990 from the Tokyo Dome

Following on the success of the first ever Tokyo Dome wrestling show in April '89, New Japan is back less than a year later with what would be officially the third wrestling show in Dome history. The original Japan UWF, not to be confused with Herb Abrams' failed UWF in the US or the later and better known UWFi in Japan, had a show between the two, but that featured almost all shoot matches or "different style fights" rather than traditional wrestling matches. While Battle Satellite was a straight New Japan only event and this one was also solely promoted by New Japan, this show would begin a new tradition of joint shows in the Dome, with All Japan also taking part and even one dying US company holding a world title match on the card.

This is (mostly) from the New Japan World archives so Japanese commentary only.

Takayuki Iizuka def Osamu Matsuda in 10:49- Traditional early career almost Young Lion guys opener here. Iizuka would be a career midcarder/tag team guy most known much later in his career as the crazy guy with the leash and Iron Fingers in Suzuki-Gun. Matsuda put on a mask a couple of years later to become El Samurai and had a pretty successful career as a junior under that gimmick. Iizuka is in all red, which is weird as he was a straight black gear guy nearly his whole career. Slow feeling out start and they go back and forth on the mat. Iizuka takes the first rope break and Matsuda gives him a kick right on the spine after breaking just for the hell of it. Iizuka turns it on a bit after that with a sleeper, then goes into cranking on Matsuda's arm for a bit. Matsuda gets on a headscissors that Iikuza can't free himself from. Again Matsuda is the first one to go to strikes. Iizuka gives him one back with chop across the chest on a rope break. On the next break Matsuda returns the favor. Matsuda gets the first (relatively) high impact move, a body slam for 1. After a short strike exchange Iizuka slams Matsuda and hooks on a half crab. Backbreaker for 2, then back to the half crab. Matsuda saving himself with a rope break gets some applause. Iizuka with the BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK bodydrop. Little Vince for you there. He puts Matsuda into a camel clutch. Matsuda won't quit and Iizuka is getting frustrated. He lays in a bunch of kicks. Matsuda grabs one then swings an elbow in the general direction of Iizuka's chin. Iizuka sells it anyway. Dropkick from Matsuda. Another slam, legdrop, and a roll into a kneedrop for 2. He goes up top. Iizuka dropkicks him off to the floor! Now that woke the crowd up. After a couple of counters coming back in Matsuda hits a stunner! Rude Awakening style neckbreaker. Missile dropkick! Matsuda tries a Euro clutch but it only gets 2. Iizuka does an amateur style throw for 2. He rolls into a legbar. Matsuda sells the hell out of fighting to get to the ropes. Spinebuster from Masuda with a jackknife cover for 2. German suplex for 2. He gives Iizuka a much better elbow to the jaw. Another amateur style flip from Iizuka. Exploder suplex with a bridge! That gets the pin! Both guys' inexperience definitely showed but the stretch run wasn't bad. All part of the learning process in Japan. **

 

Pegasus Kid and Naoki Sano def IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Jushin Thunder Liger and Akira Nogami in 16:47- Sano and Liger had been having a big feud over the junior title, which is the basis for this match. Liger defeated Sano just 10 days prior to take the title back and start reign #2. Pegasus Kid is young Chris Benoit in a really small mask. Small as in too small for his head. He's got a ponytail going outside the mask too. Akira (as he would later be known solely as) is the young guy here, he'd be off on his excursion a couple of months after this, so pretty easy call on who's going to take the fall here. This match is clipped on NJPW World so I'm going elsewhere to get the full copy. Not the last match on this show I'll need to do that. Liger has a shield and sword! That's something that wouldn't last, but cool. Akira is in full (American) football gear. A red jersey with number 16, given the time likely a Joe Montana shoutout. One of the absolute greatest QBs ever. Put him in today's game and I have no doubt he'd be putting Patrick Mahomes like numbers up. Anyway, rivals Liger and Sano start us off with some nice flippy counterwrestling. Liger gets a shoulderblock and quick tiltawhirl backbreaker. Akira holds Sano on the floor for a Liger baseball slide. Kid nails Akira with a lariato and backdropeh suplex. Gutwrench suplex for 2. Akira manages to get a takedown on Kid and tags out. Liger with a double stomp off the top on Kid. After some back and forth Kid backdrops Liger. Sano comes back in with a back kick to Liger's face, then another spin kick into a Boston crab. Akira runs in with a dropkick to break it up! The enthusiasm of youth. Liger and Akira double dropkick Sano, then Akira puts Sano in a Boston crab. Then drags Sano back to the middle when he's close to the ropes. Sano goes to the power push up game to get free. Speed run and Sano hits a diving lariato for 2. Sano flips over a backdrop attempt and gets a victory roll, but Akira is barely in the out of bounds area. Liger drop toe holds Sano and we're going surfing. Kid stomps Liger to break it up. Young Liger, he could hold a guy up there forever. Another dropkick from Akira. He sets Sano up top. Superplex! Cover for 2. Akira goes for a backdropeh suplex but Sano rolls over him for 2. Straight suplex from Sano and he tags out. Backbreaker from Kid for 2. He puts Akira up top backwards, with difficulty. Kid with a back superplex! Akira rolled over on the landing too. Akira gets a flash small package for 2. Kid and Sano get Liger trapped in their corner and Sano pounds him down. Liger grabs Sano's leg on a kick and wraps up a legbar! Rolling kick! Spike piledriver on Sano! And Liger doesn't even try to cover him after that. Liger swings a kick that might have grazed the top of Sano's head. Whoops. Sano works Akira into another Boston crap. Liger quickly comes in to break it up with a chest kick. Kid and Akira slug it out. Dropkick from Kid. Kid snap suplex on Liger. Sano puts Liger up in a Canadian backbreaker and drops him down. Akira breaks the pin up. Leaping piledriver from Sano! Again Akira breaks the pin up. German from Sano and again Akira is there. Liger hits an enzuguri and tags. Akira hits a pair of dropkicks on Kid for 2, then puts on a half crab. Kid gets a sunset flip for 2. Tombstone for 2. Sano tags in, but Akira chops him all across the ring and tags out. Sano gets trapped in the corner. Running knee from Sano. Corner clothesline from Liger. Running double dropkick from both of them. Sano tries a flip off the top rope as a counter, but Liger sees it coming and German suplexes him for 2! Liger goes up top. Kid grabs his leg from the apron to hold him down. Sano dropkicks Liger down to the floor! TOPE SUICIDA! MAMA MIA! Sano puts Liger on his shoulders and Kid shotgun dropkicks him off! Setup slam. Kid headbutt off the top! Akira's in to make the save again and we're DONNYBROOKING! Sano suplexes Akira on the floor. Liger rolls Kid up, but Sano saves the pin. Akira running high knee on Kid. Liger assisted whip into a TOPE SUIDICA from Akira! Liger TOPE CON HILO on Sano! Akira crossbody off the top on Kid. Kid *just* kicks out! Kid ducks a clothesline. Belly to belly! Liger breaks up the pin. Sano tombstone on Akira. Kid cuts Liger off. Sano tiger suplex on Akira, and that gets the pin! Damn good stuff, though a bit more of a spotfest than you normally see from a New Japan junior match with a lot of popping right back up after big moves without much selling. ***1/2

 

Blond Outlaws def Hiroshi Hase, Kuniaki Kobayashi and Kantaro Hoshino in 13:29- Blond Outlaws are a heel group with Norio Honaga, Hiro Saito, and Tatutoshi Goto, all of whom would join New Japan's biggest heel group of the '90s, Heisei Ishingun, when it formed not too long after this. This is fairly typical undercard trios stuff for the time so I'm not going to get too deep into it. In fact this match is clipped as well on World, but in this case it doesn't bother me. Hoshino is the face elder statesman here and he's cleaning house to the delight of the crowd where the video comes in. The Blond Outlaws guys are in matching black long tights, a forebear to Heisei Ishingun's purple pants the whole faction wore. They're also not all blonde which is a bit of a planning issue. Saito gets knocked around and Kobayashi superplexes him off the second rope. After that the Outlaws get control on Kobayashi. Hoshino again comes in to get his spots in to pop the crowd. Kind of weird seeing Hase not get much from the crowd considering how big he'd become in just the next year or two. Unintentionally funny moment when Goto completely whiffs on a lariato attempt but it's sold anyway. The faces to the rotating hits in the corner spot to Goto. Hoshino tries for a crucifix, but that only allows Goto to drop him with a Samoan drop and that gets the pin. *3/4 for what was shown

 

Brad Rheingans def Victor Zangiev in 6:13- This is the first of two US vs USSR matches. New Japan had held its show in Moscow by now so the bloom was off the rose for the Soviet guys, who were heavily featured in the last Dome show in attempt to drive ticket sales for the Moscow trip. Zangiev was one of the more successful, relatively speaking. The Street Fighter character Zangiev was loosely based on him. It's the hair. Rheingans was a longtime midcard babyface in the AWA. He was also the blonde guy seconding all the US wrestlers at the last Dome show that got into it with some of the Soviet guys, I'm only just now realizing that was him. He was a successful amateur as well, coming as close as you can to medaling in the '76 Olympics (4th) and he made the US Olympic team for 1980, only to be hit by the US/NATO boycott of the games being in Moscow. Rheingans has gotten the amateur singlet with the Olympics logo on it back out. They shove before the bell, then go nose to nose before setting off with amateur style grappling. Zangiev tries to stretch a cross armbreaker out. Rheingans gets a headscissors that Zangiev escapes from. Looooooooooooooooong sequence of both guys basically hugging each other trying to get a takedown. Rheingans gets a suplex style takedown that echoes all around the Dome. Crowd's got nothing for this one. Zangiev deadlifts Rheingans and flips him over, still to total silence. Rheingans tries to grind Zangiev over with a crossface. Finally Rheingans says screw this crap, gives Zangiev a couple of clubbing blows on the back, and backdropeh suplexes him for 2. Zangiev gets a German suplex for 2. Belly to belly for 2. Euro clutch for 2. Now it's Rheingans' turn for a German for 2. Sort of powerslam from Rheingans for 2. They straight up collide in the middle of the ring while Rheingans does a running cradle and that gets the pin. Competent amateur style work, but pretty dull with zero crowd investment. *1/4

 

"Dr. Death" Steve Williams def Salman Hashimikov in 9:00- Williams had been making occasional appearances for New Japan the past few years around his full time Mid-South and Jim Crockett/WCW work, and this is his first match since leaving WCW over disagreements with Jim Herd (sounds familiar). Long story short, Herd tried to make him an *actual* doctor, driving ambulances and saving lives. It would also be his last match with New Japan before hopping over to All Japan, where he would become one of their biggest foreign stars of all time. Hashimikov was another Soviet amateur wrestler that was featured at the last Dome show, and ridiculously enough he was actually IWGP Heavyweight Champion for a month later in '89 despite his complete lack of pro experience. Inoki really, really wanted that Moscow show to go well. This is another clipped match on World so I'll pull up the full version, only because it's Doc Death. Quick takedown from Williams that almost puts Hashimikov on his head. The ref has to force a break in the corner. Hashimikov grabs a quick fisherman's suplex. Williams responds with a belly to belly suplex. Hashimikov gets a takedown and puts Williams in a half crab. Williams cranks things up with a knee to the gut and starts pounding on Hashimikov's back. It looks like Hashimikov sandbags him on a slam but Williams still gets him up and down. Another Hashimikov takedown that really tries to plant Williams on his head. Williams reverses on the mat and puts on a half nelson. Test of strength knucklelock that ends in a stalemate. Williams gives us a little flex. Backdropeh suplex from Williams. Hashimikov lifts Williams up by the legs, carries him around a bit, then drops him down hard. Both guys tumble out of the ring to the floor and I think Williams has had enough. He lays in some STIFF chops on Hashimikov on the floor. Hashimikov responds with some shots on the back and tries to whip Williams on the floor. Williams says eff that and runs him into the barricade. He lifts Hashimikov up, carries him across the floor and runs him into the post. Back in Hashimikov can't or flat won't let Williams whip him into the ropes. Williams says fine and lariatos him instead. Another mat stalemate and reset. Williams gets another knee to the gut and tries to follow up with punches but Hashimikov was falling away from him. Hashimikov slugs back and chops Williams in the corner, all completely no sold. Hashimikov dodges a running elbow in the corner. He lifts Williams up and norther lights suplexes him for 2. Corner clothesline from Williams. Man Hashimikov looks horrible trying to get going on these Irish whips. Like watching a Pinto trying to drag race. Lariato from Williams. He lifts Hashimikov up, gives him the shortest Oklahoma Stampede ever, and it's over. Fugly as hell, but also amusing to watch Williams try to force this guy that clearly doesn't want to work a pro match right to do it. 3/4*

 

AWA World Heavyweight Championship: Masa Saito def Larry Zbyszko (c) in 14:29- All Japan had been the AWA's Japanese partner for many years, but after the Stan Hansen incident (see my AWA show reviews for full details, it's a long story) they broke off from All Japan and started a new partnership with New Japan. Saito had been working in both AWA and New Japan since the mid '80s so he was known on both sides. Code of Honorish hand slap and we're off with a rough lockup. Zbyszko ducks under into a waistlock and gets Saito down. He tries to get a half crab on but Saito has too much power. Armdrag from Saito and Zbyszko's flustered. Zbyszko gets a fireman's carry takedown into an ARMBAR. He transitions into a hammerlock and they stay there for a bit. Saito tries to power out but Zbyszko cranks the arm to get him back down. Finally Saito gets free and hits his own extra flippy armdrag. Zbyszko counters into a headscissors. Refreshing lack of stalling from the old stall master Zbyszko so far. It's Saito's turn to do some arm work. Another reset and things go backwards a bit with another lockup and rope break. Saito gets a takedown and puts on what's pretty much a cobra clutch. Zbyszko gets a rope break, then says enough of the playing nice and back kicks Saito against the ropes. He hits a delayed suplex for 2. Backbreaker for 2. Crucifix from Zbyszko but Saito keeps a shoulder up to keep from getting pinned. Saito blocks another suplex attempt and hits his own suplex. Lariato! Crowd's waking up now. Reverse figure four from Saito! Zbyszko just reaches out to grab a rope. Saito kicks at the hurt knee. Back to the reverse figure four. Saito pumps the crowd up while telling Zbyszko to give it up. Zbyszko tries a waistlock, but Saito easily breaks it and pushes him back down. Finally Zbyszko manages to twist one of Saito's legs to escape. More kicking Zbyszko's leg out of his leg as the crowd smells blood in the water. Another lariato for 2. Backdropeh suplex! Slow cover and Zbyszko kicks out! The crowd's going borderline ape shit now. Another backdropeh! Zbyszko kicks out again! Chops from Saito. More knee kicks. Zbyszko grabs Saito and gives him a low blow kick! HUGE heat from the crowd for that. Abdominal stretch from Zbyszko. Saito hiptosses out with little effort. Another delayed suplex from Zbyszko for 2. Punches only hulk Saito up. Big open hand slaps and Zbyszko falls out of the ring! Zbyszko snaps Saito's throat over the top rope. Saito grabs him coming back in into a small package for 2. Zbyszko small package for 2. Saito dodges a dropkick. Backdropeh! Paul Smackage and it's over! HUGE pop for Saito winning the title in his home country, the first and what would be the only singles world title win of his long career. Normally AWA World title matches and controversy go together like prostitutes and venereal diseases, so it's only fitting that even though this was literally the only clean AWA World title match I've ever seen it wouldn't be without controversy. Not for what happened in the match, for the booking. Saito winning was a hugely unpopular move outside Japan. The general consensus was Verne Gagne "sold out" because he was so desperate for money. Rumor is he might not have even gotten any money out of it strictly speaking, but just had debts forgiven by the Japanese companies. That's how desperate AWA was at this point. Zbyszko would win the title back at Superclash IV in April, the last change in the title's history before AWA closed up shop for good in early '91. The match itself was not too shabby. Getting them away from Gagne, and Mr. "I'm holding the title up" Stanley Blackburn, did it a world of good. The first half was a bit dull but they got going nicely the second half, and the home country crowd cheering Saito on was a plus. ***

 

Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion Jumbo Tsuruta and Yoshiaki Yatsu def Kengo Kimura and Osamu Kido in 15:06- The first of two AJPW vs NJPW tag matches, and for some reason both have been completely scrubbed from NJPW World. Fortunately that's not the only place to find things on Al Gore's interwebs. There's no commentary at all for these matches so maybe they were never intended to be broadcast but were taped anyway, who knows. Tsuruta was one of AJPW's two biggest legends from its early years, along with company founder Giant Baba. He's in his second of three reigns with All Japan's top title. Yatsu was a successful former amateur wrestler that was Tsuruta's regular tag partner in this period. They held AJPW's world tag titles five times. They're not exactly facing New Japan's best here. Both Kimura and Kido were career midcard/tag guys with Kimura being Tatusmi Fujinami's regular tag partner in the '80s and having several IWGP tag title reigns with him being either's biggest claim to fame. The crowd is very amped up for this interpromotional battle. Code of Honor handshakes all around before the bell. The bell rings and that's right out the window as we're DONNYBROOKING ALL OVER THE PLACE! The camera was out wide so I can't tell who jumped who. Things settle in with Tsuruta being trapped in the New Japan corner. He recovers to hit Kido with a high knee and tags. Bit of a reset with Yatsu and Kimura as they get into more grappling than striking. The ref keeps getting onto Kimura for closed fists or something. Yatsu pummels him with a series of headbutts. Tsuruta big boot on Kimura. Kido uses a test of strength to work Tsuruta down and tries to get a Fujiwara armbar on him. Tsuruta goes right back to the high impact offense. Yatsu hits Kido with a belly to belly suplex for 2. He goes for a Scorpion Death Lock but Kido reverses into a legbar. That leads to a mutual rope break. Kido works a crossface for a bit. Kimura comes in with some gut punches and a dropkick. Been really high impact this match so far. Very little of the mat wrestling you usually saw in this era. Yatsu plants Kimura with a backdropeh suplex and tags. Tsuruta/Kimura slugfest that Tsuruta wins. For a moment at least, then he gets caught in the wrong corner. Swinging neckbreaker from Kido for 2. Now Kido and Tsuruta slug it out, with Tsuruta again winning. Yatsu hits a brain buster on Kido and covers. Kimura comes in to break it up and Yatsu did not like that one little bit as the match devolves into an all out brawl. The ref steps in to try to get a bit of control back as Yatsu gets wailed on in the New Japan corner. Double lariato on Yatsu. Yatsu backdrops out of a piledriver attempt and tags. Tsuruta walks right into a back kick from Kimura. More kicks. Lariato. Double suplex on Tsuruta by the New Japan guys. Tsuruta comes back with a back suplex on Kimura and tags. Double chop on Kimura, followed by opposite end double high knees! Kneebreaker from Yatsu and he puts on a modified figure four. Kido runs in to break it up. Leg lariato from Kimura and he gets Yatsu in a half crab. Tsuruta breaks it up with a big boot. Another neckbreaker from Kido on Yatsu for 2. Yatsu hits a powerslam with the cover instantly broken up by Kimura. Tsuruta tags in and charges....right into a Kido Fujiwara armbar! In the wrong corner and all. Tsuruta manages to fight for a rope break. Kido gets him right back into it! After initially being cut off Yatsu manages to break it up. Everything breaks down again until Kido small packages Tsuruta for 2. Crossbody from Kido for 2. Hot shot from Tsuruta on Kido! While Yatsu and Kimura are fighting in the corner Tsuruta hits a Thesz press on Kido and that gets the pin. Good and intense cross promotional stuff, even with not being overly familiar with most of those involved. ***1/4

 

Genichiro Tenryu and Tiger Mask def Riki Choshu and George Takano by countout in 18:59- Three certified Japanese hall of famers, and Takano. Really no offense intended to him, he was fine, just not nearly on the same level as the other three. Tenryu was the ultimate journeyman, a Japanese legend that never called one place home for too long his whole career. Soon after this show he left All Japan to found SWS, the promotion that would have a full working relationship with WWF during its short run. This Tiger Mask is Tiger Mask II, AKA Mitsuharu Misawa, an All Japan legend of legends with and without the mask, and later he was the founder of Pro Wrestling NOAH. Choshu has yuge heat with the All Japan guys, especially Tenryu, because he once led a cross promotional invasion there as part of one of the biggest angles in Japanese wrestling in the '80s. Tiger Hattori is in to ref this one. Choshu and TM start things off much more cautiously than the last match. Huge Choshu shoulderblock. He tries a suplex but TM flips out, hits a roundhouse kick and tags. As soon as Tenryu steps in Choshu is all over him! Big lockup tussle in the corner Hattori has to break up. Crazy deadlift slam by Choshu. He snap mares Tenryu over and works a headscissors. Takano comes in with a standing elbow off the top rope. Dropkick on Tenryu. German for 2. Tenryu pushes Takano over to his corner and tags. TM dropkick on Takano. Crossbody collision won by TM. Takano comes back with a back kick and tags. Back elbow from Choshu on TM. Suplex. He goes for the Scorpion, and really takes his time turning TM over, starting at Tenryu the whole time like he's mocking him. Finally he turns TM over, then tags Takano in while still in the hold. Takano hits the defenseless TM with a kneedrop to the back of the head off the top rope. He then works TM over with kicks and a shiteload of stomps. Tiger suplex on TM from Takano! TM gets free at 2. Choshu gets caught in the wrong corner and Tenryu chops the crap out of him. He tries to fight back but Tenryu gets him back in his corner. These two constantly look like they're having a real fight. TM gutwrench suplex on Choshu for barely 1. Tenryu tags in and after a staredown pause has a reset lockup with Choshu. Choshu backdropeh suplex! He goes for the Scorpion. This time he stares down TM, but instead of turning all the way over tags Takano in instead. Takano hits some kicks, then some chops that only seem to annoy Tenryu. Tenryu fires back with his own. TM lays some kicks in on Takano. Takano hits an enzuguri, followed by a belly to belly and tags. Spike piledriver on TM! Cover but TM gets a foot on the rope. TM gets Choshu back in his corner. Tenryu tags in and really wobbles Choshu with a huge series of kicks and knees right in the face. Just brutal looking. More chops from Tenryu. Choshu fires back with a lariato. Double suplex on TM from the New Japan guys. Kneedrops from Takano get a 2 count. He looks like he's setting up another enzuguri but TM sees this one coming and kicks his plant leg to knock him down. Huge sunset flip from Tenryu on Takano for 2. Choshu tags in and Tenryu absolutely RUNS HIM OVER full speed while he's still stepping through the ropes! TM chops Choshu down with some kicks. More chops from Tenryu. Setup slam. Tenryu starts to climb the ropes backwards. Takano comes in and back suplexes him off! Small reset as things settle down. Choshu lariato on Tenryu! Takano kicks Tenryu to the floor. Plancha from Takano! He takes a wild kick swing in the ring that Tenryu ducks. Choshu runs in and tries for another lariato but Tenryu was ready for hiim too. Standing switches. Choshu goes for a backdropeh but Tenryu rolls on top of him. Takano breaks the pin up. Hattori tries to restore order. TM hits Choshu with a shotgun dropkick off the top. He goes up the other side and big splashes Choshu for 2. TM seemed to hurt his knee on the landing and Choshu is right on it. Double team back suplex on TM. After a short brain fart Takano continues work on the knee. Choshu tags in and puts the Scorpion on with zero hesitation this time. Tenryu runs in to break it up. Shotgun dropkick from Takano that sends TM to the floor. Another Takano plancha. I want to see Choshu do one! Wait, I probably don't. Takano holds TM on the apron, then Choshu charges across with a lariato, knocking TM back down to the floor. Tenryu comes in and suplexes Choshu and pounds away on him on the mat with wild fists flying. TM gets back in the ring, gets a head of steam, and goes for his own plancha but I think he misses. The camera was on a wide shot but he looks pretty splatted when they cut back to a ringside camera. Tenryu hits Choshu with an enzuguri. He goes for the powerbomb. Takano breaks it up with a spinning heel kick. Again Hattori tries to restore some order but I don't think anyone's listening. Takano crashes and burns in the corner. Tenryu knocks him off the apron to the floor with a lariato. Choshu backdropehs Tenryu and puts him in the Scorpion! But Takano and TM, somehow, are still legal and somehow Hattori knows this and is counting them on the floor. TM slides back in at 18. Takano leaps to get back in, but just after Hattori counted 20! He's counted out and the All Japan team get the win. Little bit of a flat finish as you'll often get in these big cross promotional matches to protect everyone but fantastic stuff otherwise. I would have loved to have seen a Choshu/Tenryu singles match. ****1/4

 

IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Big Van Vader (c) and Stan Hansen double countout in 15:47- Another cross promotion match as All Japan's Hansen is coming in to challenge for the title. Vader defeated Riki Choshu in August to win the title for the second time and is in the middle of a year long reign with it. At this point Hansen was a former AWA World champ but he hadn't won All Japan's big prize, the Triple Crown Championship, just yet. He'd also be the one to end Lex Luger's record reign with the NWA US title later in the year during a quickie run in WCW. This is the very first meeting between these two in what would become a legendary rivalry. Vader's still wearing his early career full size mask. The video starts up with Vader knocking Hansen's hat off before intros! That leads to a mutual agreement that screw your ceremony, WE'RE FIGHTING NOW. Hattori concedes and rings the bell, then the ring announcer does the short, short version of intros from the floor. Vader gets the first good shots in but Hansen chops right back. Vader lays in some straight right hands right on Hansen's jaw. Hansen open hand slaps Vader across the face. On a stiffness meter of 1-10 this is already at an 11. Maybe higher. Vader makes some attempts at wringing up Hansen's arm, and once he does he hits a short lariato. Hansen fires back with elbows to the face. Short jab exchange. They spend a long while grappling in the corner with not much visibly happening, but there's a good reason for that. One of Hansen's jabs caught Vader right on the eye and POPPED THE EYEBALL OUT. Yup, this is *that* match. While they're jostling in the corner Vader's literally trying to put his eye back in. Once that's accomplished Vader works Hansen down and cranks his arm some. While he's down there it's easy to see his right eye is completely swollen. At least nothing's dangling. He keeps his eye closed the rest of the match literally so it doesn't flop back out again. Pop it back in, finish the damn match, worry about it later. After they break Vader takes his mask off! I think this was the first time ever for that and gets a pretty good gasp from the crowd. He's still rubbing his eye, probably making sure it's still in there. Damn that is nasty looking. But we continue. Vader corner avalanche! He's still messing with the eye. We get a real close up look at it and I bet commentary is talking about it now. Hansen snap mares Vader and hooks on a chinlock. They're definitely taking it easier now. Vader headbutts Hansen and starts laying in the potato shots. He hits some jabs to Hansen's forehead. Hansen dodges another avalanche and back suplexes Vader! Vader tackle. Hansen pops up with a headbutt going straight up into Vader's jaw. A kick sends Vader out to the floor. Hansen runs him into the post. He whips Vader on the floor and Vader takes a cameraman out! Lariato from Vader on the floor. Vader sets Hansen over the barricade and tackles him into the crowd! Back in a gut punch really wobbles Hansen. Hansen falls out to the floor again. Vader follows and pounds him against the guardrail. Powerslam from Vader back in for 2. Vader goes up top, removing Hansen's rope on the way. Tackle off the top rope! Hansen kicks out! Vader drives a couple of elbows into Hansen's side. Full elbow drop and cover for 2. Hansen ducks a Vader back elbow, though of course they still hit each other in passing, then gets shellacked by a Vader lariato coming back and falls out of the ring again. Vader goes for a tackle on the floor, but Hansen dodges and Vader splats right into the post! You'd never know at this point that Vader had an eye literally punched out of the socket earlier, other than the giant welt it left. Not slowing down at all. Hansen is being careful not to hit that side of his face though. He gives Vader a bunch of kicks and knees to the left side. Back to the floor. Hansen charges and shoulderblocks Vader over the guardrail! Ground and pound in the ringside seats! He drops an elbow right in Vader's face. Another elbow drop back in for 2. Back elbow for 2. Vader reverses a whip and hits a dropkick! They start slugging it out again, a bit slower but no less stiff than the start of the match, and both tumble out to the floor again. They fight all the way into one of the entrance aisles! Hattori is out there counting. They crash through a guardrail into another section of seats! Hattori says that's it, counting both out. Both guys celebrate in the ring seperately before leaving, Vader getting some much deserved love from the crowd for that performance. This is legendarily one of the most violent, stiff wrestling matches anyone has ever seen. They never could have kept the pace up they set in the first few mintues when they were hitting each other full on like a real fight, but once Vader recovered from the eye pop the rest of the match was still very good, especially considering the circumstances. You can even excuse the finish given the interpromotional nature of the match. Vader, after almost losing an eye, would miss a whole three months before getting back in the ring. In fact his next title defense was a rematch with Hansen in June that is sadly not on World. Also in June Hansen would win the Triple Crown title for the first of his four reigns. ***3/4

 

Koji Kitao def Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow in 9:58- This is the second straight Dome show Bigelow is working with a newcomer in the semi-main slot. Kitao is making his New Japan debut (but not his true first wrestling match, he had two matches in the AWA under a mask as Monster Machine). He's a former sumo wrestler who became infamous in those circles. Long story slightly less long, he was promoted to yokozuna at a very young age and with some controversy because of that. Those fears proved to be founded as he failed to perform at the expected level. Things became worse when he was accused of striking and abusing younger sumo under his tutelage. Eventually, he was forced into retirement and expelled from sumo. After that, he decided to give wrestling a try. Men will reveal their character when given the chance over time, and it wouldn't be long before he became infamous in pro wrestling circles as well by turning heel on the entire industry. Bigelow's got his alternate sleeveless look tonight. He does some sumo moves during intros to mock Kitao. Kitao tears his shirt off when introduced. Trying to copy someone are we? He's even in yellow and red gear. He's a big boy too, easy to see why New Japan courted him despite his obvious character red flags. He's taller than Bigelow and much more muscled. Bigelow shoves Hattori across the ring when he tries to do prematch checks! So that's a no then? Hattori's shirt looks like he's gushing sweat after the matches he's already worked tonight. Both guys play to the crowd a bit after the bell. Kitao wants to go and Bigelow is in no rush at all. Lockup and quick Kitao armdrag. And again. Bigelow's much more cautious about getting in now. He uses that to get a kick in, then hits a headbutt. Shoulderblock standoff. They go again and collide with no one going down again. Headbutt exchange. Kitao slams Bigelow! Bigelow rolls out to have a full rethink of things. While Hattori is holding Kitao back Bigelow slides back in and lariatos him. More headbutts. Kitao definitely needs some work on his selling. It's barely a step up from El Gigante's. Bigelow tosses Kitao over the top to the floor! Every time Kitao gets on the apron Bigelow knocks him back down. Then he suplexes Kitao back in for 2. Bigelow grounds things for a bit with a chinlock. An eye rake cuts a comeback off. Kitao dodges an avalanche and lays in some chest kicks. Lariato from Kitao for 2. DDT from Bigelow for 2. Kitao fires back with more kicks and elbows to the back of Bigelo's head. He slowly gets Bigelow's girth up and puts him down with a very sloppy Samoan drop. Legdrop! And that gets the pin! Bloody hell. Tears shirt, wears red and yellow, wins with a legdrop. All that has to be deliberate. Unfortunatley for New Japan it wouldn't take long for Kitao's true character to show itself. He would be fired in July for making racist and dispariging comments to Riki Choshu, who was of Korean descent. Kitao would be picked up by Tenryu to work for SWS when they formed. Among other things that would get him a WWF PPV payday when he teamed with Tenryu in a match at Wrestlemania 7 to promote WWF's upcoming joint shows with SWS. It would be at one of those joint shows that his most high profile incident would take place. As for this match, Bigelow carried it to being halfway watchable, not unlike the amazing ring general job he'd later do with Lawrence Taylor, a much more capable partner. *1/2

 

Antonio Inoki and Seiji Sakaguchi def Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto in 15:43- After the cross country and cross promotional battles we've had tonight, an all New Japan true cross generational battle is the main event. Chono and Hashimoto are the young upstarts, two thirds of the group that would be known as the Three Musketeers, who would individually take New Japan over as we move further into the '90s. The third member, Keiji Mutoh AKA The Great Muta, was wrapping up his famous excursion to the NWA and would be back in March. Inoki and Sakaguchi are here to put these young'uns in their place. A PREMATCH PROMO ON A NEW JAPAN SHOW?! My whole world is askew. Cockeyed even. Sakaguchi plays nice, but Inoki clearly has nothing to say, slapping the mic out of the interviewer's hand. Inoki charges at Chono during intros while he still has his robe on! Damn he's fired up tonight. Things settle down as guest ref Lou Thesz, doing that job on the second straight Dome show, gives instructions. Thesz messed up the winning count in the IWGP Heavyweight title match on the last show, hopefully he does better tonight. Start proper with Chono and a slightly calmer Inoki. Inoki gets Chono down and goes to work on his arm. Sagaguchi seamlessly transitions in to the same arm. Hashimoto tags in and gives Sakaguchi a hammy kick. Sakaguchi takes him down and cranks on his arm. Hashimoto gets some stiff chest kicks in the corner. Inoki runs in to cut it off and takes a hammy kick. He wants to tag in with Hashimoto. He and Inoki go back and forth on the mat for a bit. Chono comes off the top rope with some shots on Inoki's back. Inoki hooks him up in an Indian Death Lock, then transitions into a bow and arrow. Sakaguchi puts Chono in a Boston crab. Hashimoto comes in to break it up. Chono works a cravat on Sakaguchi, twisting it into a hangman's neckbreaker. Hashimoto and Sakaguchi get into a chopfest. Hashimoto gives Inoki some more hammy kicks. Inoki actually retreats back to his corner to avoid them. He gets a hold of Hashimoto's arm in his "I'm gonna break this SOB" position. Hashimoto gets a break on the ropes and one more hammy kick before both sides swap. Now Chono kicks at Sakaguchi's leg and puts a half crab on. STF! This wasn't Chono's big submission finisher yet, at least the crowd doesn't react like it. Chono and Hashimoto continue work on Sakaguchi's leg. Huge elbow drop from Hashimoto. Sakaguchi fights out of the young team corner and hits Hashimoto with an atrocious running knee. Inoki tags in and hits Hashimoto with huge straight right hands. Hashimoto leaping DDT! Like the STF for Chono, that would be Hashimoto's big finisher in the future but not quite yet. Speaking of the STF, Chono hooks it on Inoki. Sakaguchi chops and hiptosses Chono. He tries to grind Chono down into a cover. Chono holds Sakaguchi for a Hashimoto spinning heel kick, but for some reason they step backwards and it barely connects. Chono tackle off the top rope on Sakaguchi. Running forearms wobble Sakaguchi, but he dodges a Chono dropkick. Inoki enziguri! Octopus! Hashimoto breaks it up. Chono enziguri on Inoki! He wraps Inoki up in his own octopus hold! Inoki hiptosses out. Chono backdropeh suplex on Inoki. He goes for a second but Inoki rolls over for 2. Another Inoki enziguri! Thesz counts 3! Completely opposite to the last show, he definitely sped up between 2 and 3. Everyone looks kind of put out and for a good reason- the wrong team won! Hashimoto and Chono were booked to win this match, but Thesz messed the count up and gave the win to the wrong team early. I'm starting to think he shouldn't be invited back. There's a little moment between Inoki and Hashimoto that almost looks like an apology from Inoki. Fortunately the mistake wouldn't hurt Chono and Hashimoto in the long run. The match was fine, not great. Definitely not Tokyo Dome main event worthy. Sakaguchi was pretty past it at this point and Inoki's main event days were also just about behind him. **1/2

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Another pretty solid Dome show, though more up and down than Battle Satellite and without the great backbone that one had with the Heavyweight title tournament. The All Japan vs New Japan matches delivered in full and that would lead to a lot more joint shows in the Dome before the companies fell out around the turn of the century. One of which will happen barely two months later in April, with a very large new addition to the mix: the WWF.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B-