Legacy Review
SWS/WWF Wrestlefest in Tokyo Dome
March 30, 1991 from the Tokyo Dome
For the second straight year WWF is participating in a joint show in the Tokyo Dome just a week after Wrestlemania (7 in this case). Last year it was with All Japan and New Japan. This year, it's with the relatively new promotion SWS (Super World of Sports). Just a few weeks after that joint Dome show last year, All Japan star Genichiro Tenryu was lured away by, of all things, a sunglasses company. Together they decided to build a new ground up wrestling promotion. To say it was tough sledding is an understatement. They lured away a decent number of talent from All Japan and New Japan, but it was mostly midcarders, has beens, never weres and never would bes. In a precursor to what you see in many Japanese promotions today, including New Japan, the entire roster was split up into factions. There were three: Revolution, led by Tenryu and comprising ex-All Japan wrestlers; Palaestra, former New Japan talent led by George Takano; and their heel faction Geki Dojo led by longtime manager KY Wakamatsu, who worked in Stampede for a time. One of their many odd choices was that they would not have any titles. SWS never had a top heavyweight title and the ones they did have, a junior heavyweight title and tag team titles, wouldn't come around until late '91 and early '92. Another odd choice was instead of focusing on home Japanese wrestlers, they relied on US partnerships to help carry matches and feuds throughout the company's short history. Enter the WWF. WWF and SWS worked as full partners for the entire time SWS was in business, but Vince being Vince it was kept almost completely away from American audiences. It's not just the joint shows either, WWF wrestlers would work entire tours with SWS. This is the first of three fully joint shows the two companies held in '91. The second was only two days after this in Kobe, and the last would be a return to the Tokyo Dome in December. Incidentally, this show is also taking place just a week after New Japan and WCW held their first joint show in the Dome. That can't have helped ticket sales.
Normally I like providing a lot of background information on wrestlers potentially unfamiliar to readers, and myself in some cases for Japanese wrestlers, but given the overall state of the SWS roster and the fact most of these guys didn't really make much of a dent anywhere, you'll forgive me if I don't dwell as much on that as usual and focus on just the top SWS wrestlers and the WWF guys.
Gotta say, the intro with lasers coming out of Ultimate Warrior's eyes is great in an insane way. I want to say that's ripped from the intro of one of the regular WWF weekly shows at the time but I can't remember for sure. Oh, and the name of the TV station broadcasting this? WOWOW. Wow. They're still around today too. The live broadcast actually starts with match #4, the first three matches were shown later on replay during intermission. As usual for review purposes I'll stick with the order the matches actually happened.
Apollo Sugawara, Masao Orihara, Samson Fuyuki and Tatsumi Kitahara def Don Arakawa, Fumihiro Nikura, Goro Tsurumi and Kenichi Oya in 5:37- Curtain jerking 8 man tag, barely 5 minutes, 8 guys I don't know. Sorry folks, not bothering much with this one. The broadcast version is even clipped. This does give us a first look at the ring setup, which is again another neat mix. The ropes are WWF red white and blue but are physically covered cable ropes again. WWF light blue ring mat. Blue and red ring posts again. The coolest thing might be two corners have WWF turnbuckle pads while the other two have SWS ones. During the big end match scrum a crossbody off the top ends it at barely 2 minutes shown. NR
Kendo Nagasaki (w/KY Wakamatsu) def "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan in 2:49- Nagasaki had just returned to Japan after working various US territories for about 15 years, including a short run in WCW as part of the J-Tex Corporation as The Dragonmaster. This match is also JIP'd with Duggan and Nagasaki slugging away at each other. Nagasaki tries to throw Duggan over the top but Duggan doesn't go over. Duggan shows him how to do it right. Lots of lethargy and sloppiness going on in this one. Now Duggan has to physically place Nagasaki in the right spot to 360 clothesline him over. They are not communicating well at all. Nagasaki gets a boot up in the corner, kicks Duggan in the face, and covers for the pin with about half of the less than 3 minute match clipped. I highly doubt what wasn't shown was any better though. 1/4*
Demolition def Shinichi Nakano and Shunji Takano in 5:22- I've come across Takano before, working under a mask in AWA as Super Ninja. Kind of crazy they paired up two guys with such similar names. Or maybe it's because of it. This is the inferior Smash and Crush version of Demolition working one of their final matches before being disbanded and moving on, Smash to Repo Man and Crush to......well, Crush. But a different Crush. Full intros for this one so this should be our first full match. The Demos do the Suzuki-Gun jump before the bell. Crush gets hiptossed by I think Takano after things settle, then Takano hits a sloppy lariato. Dropkick off the second rope. Crush comes back with his own lariato. The Demos do their double team beat down and Smash hits a back suplex. Springboard crossbody from Takano. Nakano comes in with an enziguri. Crush presses Nakano. Backbreaker from Smash. Crush lariato. Bear hug time from Crush, then he drops Nakano in their corner. Nakano tries to chop back on Smash and it's completely no sold, even when he tries to take all of Smash's bondage straps off. Crush barely gets off the top rope for a double ax handle. Smash flips Nakano over into Crush's waiting arms, but Crush has a hard time hanging on. He drops Nakano with what was supposed to be a powerbomb but would have driven Nakano down right on his head if Crush hadn't realized and put his legs under to protect him. Takano comes in to break the pin up and we're DONNYBROOKING. Smash hot shots Nakano as Crush hits Takano with a chair. Decapitation Device on Nakano and it's over. Not much happening here and it was pretty much a squash match. 1/2*
Leading into the next match: I'm sure most everyone is familiar with the story of the phantom WWF tag
title change in 1990. The Rockers were scheduled to defeat the Hart Foundation
for the tag titles in a rare face vs face battle on a Saturday Night's Main
Event. The match and title change was taped, and the Rockers even
defended the titles on a few house shows. But, during the title change
match the top rope broke. They worked around it, and the match could
easily still have been edited to work on TV, but Vince decided to trash
the whole thing and gave the belts back to the Harts like nothing
happened. The Harts kept them until WM 7, where they dropped them to the Nasty Boys in a major upset.
The Hart Foundation def The Rockers in 14:40- This is one of the Harts' final matches as a team before Bret finally went on his long delayed singles run. I'm not digging around to check for sure, but I'm pretty certain this match was released on one of the early WWE DVD compilation sets, I'm thinking Shawn's. Even the all WWF matches are cool to see in the Dome with a Japanese crowd. I've been advocating for years for WWE to have a televised show in Korakuen Hall. Talk about a potentially bonkers crowd. Bret and Janetty start. After a lockup they hit the jets with Janetty sliding under Bret, Bret blocking a roll up, Bret gets a hiptoss, Janetty kicks back up, and stalemate. Arm wringer tradeoff. Shawn blind tags in and the Rockers give Bret the double hiptoss/double elbow drop combo. Anvil runs in and double clotheslines the Rockers! Then Hebner lets Anvil stay in without a proper tag. Anvil/Shawn shoulderblock standoff with Anvil giving us a laugh. Anvil catches Shawn leaping and goes to slam him, but Shawn rolls him over into a cover for 2. Shawn tries to slam Anvil. No dice. Anvil scoops, but Shawn rolls him up for 2. The Rockers quick tag on Anvil working on his arm. Anvil puts his head down and runs Janetty over, with Janetty flying all the way out of the ring! Back in Janetty goes into dodge mode and gets a drop toe hold into a front facelock. Rockers double superkick for 2. Lots of 2 counts. Quick fire covers. Anvil gets out of a Shawn armbar by slamming him and tags. Shawn dodges a Bret elbow drop. Another speed run. Bret catches Shawn leapfrogging, gives him an inverted atomic drop, then lariatos him down. Gut stomp. More speed with Shawn/Anvil and Bret kicks Shawn in the back from the apron! OK, Harts are our heels for the night. Makes sense. Bret drops a legdrop on Shawn. Backbreaker. European uppercuts. Shawn grabs an arm and gets a backslide for 2. HUGE Shawn air on a backdrop from Anvil. Bear hug. Shawn bell rings out. Corner ship and Shawn does the flip to the floor! Bret hops down and gives him a shot before Janetty runs him off. Back in Shawn flips out of a Bret slam and slams Bret. Bret is still up first with an elbow drop right into Shawn's forehead. The Harts do the whipped corner shoulderblock for 2. Shawn continues in peril. He reverses a corner whip to send Bret hard into the buckles with a .5 Bret bump but Bret cuts the tag off. Shawn dodges the Anvil slingshot splash. He goes for the wrong corner and Anvil is able to cut him off again. Shawn sunset flip on Bret for 2. Bret tosses him out to the floor. While Bret distracts Hebner Anvil runs Shawn's back into the apron and throws him back in. There is one very loud American fan in the crowd that's shouting for Bret the whole match nonstop and it's getting really annoying. What there is of the rest of the Dome crowd needs to step it up and drown him out. Another corner whip reversal from Shawn but Bret gets a boot up with a great Shawn flop sell. Bret goes for the elbow off the second rope but Shawn dodges. Tag to Janetty! Flying back elbow. Gut punch and kneelift. Superkick! Cover for 2. Janetty dodges Bret in the corner and rolls him up for 2. Hiptoss block into a backslide for 2. Bret dodges in the corner and Janetty flies over the top to the floor! Janetty does a nice slide under Anvil in the ring and gets a tag. Speed run, both Shawn and Anvil leap into each other! Goes without saying Anvil won that. Back elbow from Shawn. Shawn tries a springboard crossbody. Anvil catches him, but Shawn works him down for 2. Shawn crossbody off the top on Bret, but Bret rolls through it and gets the pin! As good as you'd expect from these teams. In fact it kind of feels like their floor match. Also an early indication that this is a pretty weak Tokyo Dome crowd. ***1/2
"Earthquake" John Tenta def Koji Kitao in 6:10- Kitao was a former sumo yokozuna that was fired for underperforming and being a dick, then he was signed by New Japan to wrestle and lasted a whole two months there before getting fired for being a dick. Tenryu decided to give him one more chance in SWS. Quake also spent a short time as a sumo before getting into pro wrestling, so this is a logical and much hyped showdown. Quake worked in All Japan before going to WWF which is why he's using his real name in Japan. He gets a nice pop on his entrance. Very cautious start. Lockup and Quake cranks a headlock. Shoulderblock standoff. Same spot in reverse and another no one moves collision. Then Kitao runs Quake over with a lariato! High knee and Quake has some serious snot issues happening. Another Kitao charge but Quake puts a boot up and takes him out with a lariato. Quake hits a couple of headbutts. Kitao decides he's sold enough and starts hitting forearms. Slugfest. Kitao charges again. Quake dodges him but Kitao awkwardly stops on the ropes and they both lose their place for a second. Cautious knucklelock into a test of strength. Kitao hits a couple of kicks to break that up. Another Kitao lariato that catches Quake on the side of the head. He goes for another but Quake sidesteps him in a way that looked more real than performing. Reset lockup. Quake makes a show of a clean break but then headbutts Kitao. Back elbow from Quake. Kitao gives Quake some shots in the back to break up a bear hug. Quake runs his ass over with a huge stiff lariato! Then follows up with his own clubbing blows to the back. I think Kitao's pissed the big guy off for real for some reason. Quake makes a big deal out of positioning Kitao in the right spot then drops him with a leaping kick. Kitao hits a couple of forearms and another high knee. Backdropeh suplex! Quake kicks out! More chest kicks from Kitao. Quake blocks one and scoops him up. Powerslam! Elbow drop. Here come the tremors. Quake splash! It's over. There were definitely some real personal issues during this match, and that would boil over in Kobe for everyone to see. 3/4*
"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Haku def Takashi Ishikawa and The Great Kabuki in 15:16- Kabuki was one of the most high profile signings SWS managed to get though he was too far into the twilight of his career to be any real help. Haku's color coordinated jacket with DiBiase's is a nice touch. Ishikawa and DiBiase start. Basic start with Ishikawa getting the first shoulderblock. DiBiase scoops and slams Ishikawa out of a lockup. Drop toe hold by Ishikawa. DiBiase counters into a hammerlock. Haku tags in and Ishikawa backs the hell off. Looked like a genuine backstage reaction to Haku moving into your space. Survival instinct. Kabuki tags in. Big shoulderblock from Haku putting Kabuki down. Hook kick. DiBiase double ax handle off the second rope to the back. Kabuki hits some shots in the corner. DiBiase gets a boot up on the other end. Loud Bret Hart guy is shouting for DiBiase now, fortunately not quite as bad as before. Suplex from DiBiase for 2. Dropkick from Haku for 2. Gutwrench suplex for 2. During a chinlock loud American guy shouts "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKUUUUUUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu". Where is the rest of the crowd at? Kabuki does an awful "duck" of Haku's lariato and lays in some shots. Ishikawa comes in and gets in a chopfest with Haku. Some nice stiff shots going on there. Ishikawa looks like he's hooking on a Scorpion, but instead it's a modified figure four. Haku sloooooooowly drags Ishikawa over and gets a tag. Ishikawa is all over DiBiase as soon as he gets in. While DiBiase is getting worked over we get a shot of Greg Valentine ringside in street clothes. While in a chinlock DiBiase wrestles Ishikawa into his corner and tags. Double back elbow on Ishikawa. Ishikawa dodges a Haku diving headbutt and tags. Haku and Kabuki get into a contest on who can no sell more. Haku wins, or loses, when he puts Kabuki down with a headbutt. Piledriver from Haku for 2. Elbow off the second rope and suplex from DiBiase for 2. DiBiase gets frustrated and tosses Kabuki out to the floor. He gets a chair and hits Kabuki with it! Then lays Kabuki out on one of the ringside tables! Haku hits an inverted atomic drop and gut stomp. Backbreaker for 2. Lariato from DiBiase for 2. Kabuki blocks another suplex and hits his own. DiBiase tags and Haku cuts Kabuki off. Back elbow for 2. Legdrop for 2. Kabuki dodges a Haku diving headbutt off the second rope. Tags on both sides. Ishikawa goes hot tag run on DiBiase. Now he puts the full Scorpion on. Haku quickly breaks it up with a superkick. DONNYBROOK! Haku dumps Kabuki over the top to the floor. Ishikawa runs into a superkick! Back suplex from DiBiase, and that gets the pin. It started dull, threatened to get interesting in the middle, then ended fairly dull with a decent closing stretch. *1/2
The Ultimate Warrior def Sgt. Slaughter in 7:14- Slaughter had just dropped the WWF Title to Hogan at WM 7, but his Iraqi sympathizer gimmick would continue through the summer. This is a rematch from the '91 Royal Rumble when Slaughter defeated Warrior for the title, with much help from Savage. Warrior gets possibly the biggest pop of the night so far, which isn't saying much with this weak crowd. Warrior (barely) jumps the guardrail and walks through crowd on his entrance! More than a few people look like they're getting knocked down as the goes through. Slaughter meets Warrior in the crowd and it's on! Slaughter gets run into the timekeeper's table and goes through about 5 rows of chairs! Post shot for Slaughter. Big chop and Slaughter goes backwards right into commentary! Someone there screams. So great. Everyone scrambles as Warrior grabs a chair and nails Slaughter with it. After that we get in the ring for the first time. Short clothesline from Warrior. And more clotheslines. Commentary is still laughing about almost dying earlier. Slaughter does his crazy fly over the top to the floor corner bump. Another Warrior chop puts Slaughter into the ringside tables again. Warrior tosses a table in the ring! He hits Slaughter with the table! Well it's early '90s Japan, we know the table isn't going to break, probably the right way to use it. Slaughter gets slingshot into the corner. Slaughter grabs Warrior and pulls him into the corner to try to get some space. Short clothesline from Slaughter. Now Slaughter goes out and grabs a chair. Shot to Warrior's back. He chases Hebner off and hits Warrior with it again. Slaughter works on Warrior's back a bit more and puts the camel clutch on. Warrior looks like he's spitting in Slaughter's hands while he's in it. Slaughter lets go and pounds on the back some more, then hooks it on again. Warrior powers out and pushes Slaughter into the corner. He grabs the ropes and it's Warrior up time. Running clotheslines. Big splash! It's done. The opening fighting on the floor wildness was fun and very unusual for the time, but once it settled into normal match territory it got much less interesting. **1/4
For those keeping track this is where intermission took place and the first three matches were shown on TV.
Masakatsu Funaki def Naoki Sano in 10:23- Funaki was a big freelance get for SWS for this show, an MMA guy and shoot style wrestler that was the co-founder of Pancrease along with Minoru Suzuki. Sano was one of the biggest New Japan guys SWS was able to lure over, a former IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion who was the first big rival for Jushin Thunder Liger in 1990. Judging by commentary I think this is being billed as "UWF vs Strong Style". UWF, in its various incarnations, was a shoot style company in Japan at the time. Code of Honor handshake after intros. Exploratory kicks start. They get into grappling and it's pretty clear this is going to be a UWF shoot style match. As such I'm not going to get into huge detail on it. I will say it's weird seeing a match like this in a (mostly) WWF ring. Lots of standing grabbing, try some kicks, grapple on the mat, rope break, rinse and repeat. The maneuvering on the mat trying to get leverage for a submission hold really isn't that bad. After a long fight Funaki finally gets an armbreaker fully on but Sano is right on the ropes and gets a quick break. Sano gets a nice suplex into another mat grapple. Funaki lands a kick on the side of Sano's face and gets a KO count for it. Now they're swinging hands! Sano gets a kick in Funaki's chest that puts him down enough for a count. Funaki backdropeh suplex into an armbreaker! Sano submits! Big celebration from Funaki's crew for the win. Both guys hug it out after, much good sportsmanship all around. For that style match that wasn't too shabby at all. They knew what they were doing. **3/4
"The Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich def WWF Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect by DQ in 6:59- Reviving the 1990 feud between these two that saw them swap the title back and forth between them. Perfect jumps Tornado as he gets in the ring. Tornado tries to fight back but Perfect clotheslines him 360 to the floor. Big chop on the floor as Tornado gets his robe off. Tornado pulls Perfect out and lays into him. Discus punch with a Perfect 360 sell on the floor! Tornado flips Perfect off the apron back in the ring just so he can toss him over the top back out. Reset lockup and Perfect hits a chop in the corner. Running knee to the gut from Tornado. He calls for the claw early. Stomach claw! Perfect quickly punches to get free. Tornado puts on a Boston crab. Perfect grabs a handful of tights trying to get free! That's more Tornado than I needed to see. Tornado finally gets annoyed enough to let go. He tries for the full claw but Perfect blocks it. Huge standing dropkick from Perfect that sends Tornado to the floor again. Perfect slams him out there. Back in Perfect dodges in the corner and Tornado posts his shoulder. Perfect grabs a chair and whacks the post with Tornado's head against it! That gets some good heat from the Dome crowd. Double ax handle off the second rope. He goes for another. Tornado catches him with the claw! Perfect punches free. Corner whip reversal do-si-do and we have a ref bump. Perfect runs Tornado into an exposed turnbuckle. Damn, never even saw him take the pad off. That's slick. Perfectplex! The ref shakes off the cobwebs and tells Perfect to break it. Then he raises Tornado's hand! It's a DQ for.....reasons. That gets even more heat from the Dome crowd. Perfect takes a shot on the exposed buckle with a 360 sell to theoretically send the crowd off to the next match happy. The Japanese crowd does not appreciate that finish one little bit however. Solid match before that. **1/2
Ishinriki and Yoshiaki Yatsu def "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka and The Barbarian in 10:00- Snuka and Barbarian is definitely a non-canon show only pairing. Ishinriki and Barbarian start. Armdrags from Ishinriki fluster Barbarian. Snuka actually comes in the ring to complain about a hair pull. On an armdrag? Flying forearms from Ishinriki lead to some cut down tree trunk selling from Barbarian. We're definitely in comedy match territory here. Yatsu tags in and says that's enough of the ha-ha's by getting into a chopfest with Barbarian. Double shoulderblock from the SWS team. Ishinriki tries to slam Barbarian but that just lets Barbarian drag him into his corner and tag. Snuka and Ishinriki do a bit of back and forth slugging with Ishinriki catching Snuka in the face with a kick. Ishinriki definitely sells like a comedy wrestler. He sneaks between Barbarian's legs to tag out. Reset with Yatsu and Snuka. They do some basic headlock/speed stuff and Snuka hits one of his signature chops. About all he can do at this point. Barbarian headbutts Yatsu's ribs. Yatsu comes out of the WWF corner with a backdropeh suplex on Snuka. Another Ishinriki/Snuka speed run ends with an Ishinriki hiptoss, then he dropkicks Snuka out to the floor to about the loudest crowd reaction the whole show so far. Ishinriki springboard crossbody to the floor! He almost flew over Snuka on that. Then Ishinriki hits a battering ram headbutt off the apron. Back in Ishinriki hits a belly to belly suplex. Barbarian breaks the pin up. Yatsu gets chopped by both WWF guys against the ropes. Double backdrop on Barbarian by the SWS guys. Big boot on Ishinriki! He tries to chop back on Snuka but gets eye raked. Side suplex from Barbarian. Now Yatsu breaks a pin up. Ishinriki cutters out of a chinlock and tags. Big Yatsu lariato on Barbarian for 2. Flying clothesline from Ishinriki on Barbarian. Jackknife cover on Barbarian that Snuka breaks up. Yatsu hits Barbarian with a powerslam that almost dropped him on his head. Everyone runs in to break that up. Yatsu back suplex with a bridge on Barbarian, and that gets the pin. Meh. *1/4
"Macho Man" Randy Savage def George Takano in 13:42- It's a testament to the weakness of the SWS roster that Takano was the leader of the former New Japan faction. I don't mean that as an insult, he was a solid midcard/tag team guy, but nowhere near a main eventer. Savage is wrestling despite having just lost the famous career ending match against Warrior at WM 7. In fact he'd work quite a few SWS dates during his forced "retirement". Don't tell the American audience. Takano is wearing a purple kind of Roman Legionnaires' helmet on his entrance with a purple robe and......oh dear it looks ridiculous. It's like he's trying to get people to not take him seriously. It's not unlike if Jim Herd had gone through with that plan to make Ric Flair dress like Spartacus, except without the gravitas of it at least being RIC FUCKING FLAIR. Takano comes right out swinging a big roundhouse kick. Savage dodges and spits at him, then hops out of the ring and gets in the face of commentary. Still heel Savage tonight for sure. Takano gets an arm takedown. Savage tries to shove the ref between the two of them like he was Elizabeth. Takano gets a hammerlock and Savage takes a rope break. Shoulderblock from Takano, then he blocks and hits a hiptoss. Savage gets a couple of shots in against the ropes then does a snap mare. Takano dodges a kneedrop and Savage rolls out to think things over. Dropkick from Takano back in for 2 and Savage powders again. After another lockup Savage slaps Takano against the ropes then bails again. The mind games are on. He gets Takano to chase and jumps him as he tries to get back in the ring. Suplex from Savage. Takano outwrestles Savage on the mat and Savage takes another rope break. Corner whip and Savage goes so hard into the turnbuckles he almost knocks Takano's silly helmet off the ring post it's been propped up on like it's actually something to admire. Running rolling kick from Takano in the corner. Enzuguri. Takano stomps away on Savage. Savage tights pulls Takano out of the ring to the floor. Double ax handle off the top to the floor! Takano gets run into the post. Quick cover back in but Takano grabs a rope. Takano gives Savage a buckle shot and chop in the corner. Small package from Savage for 2. He wraps up a front facelock. Takano counters that into a hammerlock and goes nuts with stomps again. Savage cuts it off with punches and hits a kick to the gut. Heel Savage eye gouging and choking follows, then he tosses Takano over the top back out to the floor. He suplexes Takano on the floor! More heel choking back in, then Savage hops over the top to hit an elbow to the throat on the apron. Comeback slugfest flurry from Takano. Slam and diving headbutt for 2. Spinning heel kick. Lariato for 2. Another one. Setup slam and Takano goes up top. Big splash! Savage kicks out! Tombstone from Takano! He goes up top again. Another big splash! But he took a fist from Savage in the gut or possibly slightly lower and can't follow up. Savage crawls over and covers for 2. Gutwrench suplex from Savage for 2. He drops Takano throat first on the top rope. Setup slam and Savage climbs. Flying elbow! Good night. That was 100% Savage wrestling a Savage match without worrying at all who specifically he was in there with, and being that it came off just fine. Takano was a slightly better partner than a broomstick. Slightly. ***
The Road Warriors def WWF Champion Hulk Hogan and Genichiro Tenryu by countout in 14:03- Talk about crazy pairings. I love it. This is the kind of crazy shit you should do on shows like this. The LOD are reverting back to their pre-WWF name which was more known in Japan. Hogan is super ceral on his entrance. Push a cameraman aside, push a ring attendant aside, tear shirt, headband off, toss belt at Hebner, let's effing go. Then when he gets on the apron he kicks a TV cameraman down! That leaves Tenryu to start with Animal. Animal shows the power out of the lockups. Hogan tags himself in and wants at Animal! Damn, he is fired up tonight. Hogan pushes Animal out of lockups and they slug it out. I'm just noticing Hogan has a bandage on his face selling Slaughter's backstage fireball attack after WM. Everyone gets in and the Roadies press slam both Hogan and Tenryu! Hogan gets a boot up in the corner and lariatos Animal. Lariato for Hawk. Tenryu tags in and enzuguris both Roadies to the floor! 2v2 standoff back in the ring while Hebner tries to get order back. Reset with Hawk and Tenryu. Hawk hits a dropkick. Animal presses Hawk into Tenryu! Hogan comes in and we're donnybrooking early again. Animal powerslams Tenryu but Hebner is distracted by Hogan and Hawk fighting on the floor and is slow to count. Hogan and Hawk are doing the full Japan barricade tearing down, ringside chair knocking down brawl. The ring announcer needs to be on the mic telling people to look out or get out of the way or whatever the exact translation is. Oh, there it is. Animal and Tenryu have also gone to the floor while Hogan and Hawk are halfway to the dugout. Animal whacks Tenryu with a chair. Hogan is busted open as things settle back down in the ring. Hawk flying tackle on Tenryu. Damn, Hawk is GUSHING blood. Too bad his and Hogan's brawl didn't get on camera more. Tenryu and Hawk get in a stiff chopfest. Hogan tags in and lariatos Hawk. Carry around backbreaker for 2. Hawk pure powers out of a chinlock but Hogan knees him in the back. Back rake of doom! Animal tags in and hits a flying tackle on Hogan. Hogan fights out of a chinlock, ducks a couple of shots, DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE! Hawk cuts a Hogan tag off. Powerslam and fistdrop. Double back elbow from the Roadies on Hogan for 2. Hogan goes into Japan wrestling mode, drop toe holding Animal, grinding him down on the mat, and getting a tag to Tenryu. Huge Tenryu lariato on Animal. Animal's kickout sends Tenryu FLYING to the floor! Hawk slams him out there. Here comes Hogan with a chair. He nails Hawk with it! Animal dumps Tenryu into commentary! They're down again! Hawk picks a table up and tosses it at Hogan! Order is again restored with Animal giving Tenryu a belly to belly suplex for 2. Tenryu ducks a wild Animal swing and hits a backdropeh suplex! But Animal quickly waistlocks Tenryu on the mat to keep him from tagging, then Hawk runs over and pops Hogan. Tenryu gets tossed out again. Hawk puts his head down for a backdrop. Big mistake. Tenryu powerbombs him! Animal runs in to break the pin up. Tag to Hogan. Animal charges but Hogan is all over him. Big boot! Slam. Legdrop! Hawk breaks up the pin! He tosses Hogan out. Animal sets Tenryu up. Doomsday Device! Hogan breaks the pin up by whacking Animal with a chair! The fight goes to the floor again. It's all nuts with barricades going down and chairs flying. Somehow Hebner is actually counting this time, and the Roadies get back in the ring just before he finishes! They win by countout. After the bell Tenryu isn't done. He enzuguris Animal out of the ring, then he and Hogan take Hawk out. Animal tries to come back in with a char. He Ken Shamrocks the refs aside! All of Tenryu's SWS seconds come in and get chairshots! Hogan and Tenryu take that opening to leave. Wait, no they don't. They get their own chairs and come back in! Huge standoff as everyone else tries to break the fight up. Freaking fantastic match, made all the better by the uniqueness of seeing these guys wrestle each other. Like in the last Dome show, those types of finishes aren't uncommon in these joint matches and are excusable. ****
OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- The main event absolutely delivered. Savage also carried his match to something good, and the Rockers and Harts did what they do. The rest was pretty bleh. It's easy to see just from one show how SWS never took hold. It has a much more bootstrap feel than a New Japan or All Japan show, and as far as Tokyo Dome crowds go this was a weak one. This was only the first show of a pair. Most of the crew would pack up and head to Kobe for another joint show two days later, though one with fewer WWF involved matches.
OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C+
