SWS/WWF Wrestle Dream in Kobe

Legacy Review

SWS/WWF Wrestle Dream in Kobe

April 1, 1991 from World Hall in Kobe

I couldn't say one way or the other if Tony Khan took the name for AEW's WrestleDream PPV from this show. It might be more accurate to call this an Abridged Legacy Review. So, a couple of days after their joint show in the Tokyo Dome WWF and SWS held another show out in Kobe. Not all the WWF guys that were on the Dome show made this trip however. Only the last four of the 11 matches on this card involved WWF wrestlers and, if the previous show is anything to go by, I'm not hugely interested in that much SWS so you'll forgive me if I only do those four WWF involved matches.

 

"Earthquake" John Tenta def Koji Kiato by DQ in 7:19- Two days ago these two former sumo had a match in the Tokyo Dome and the way they interacted it really looked like there were some personal issues that were being created out there. Hopefully they can put it behind them and get through this match, especially with Kitao's long documented history of attitude problems. I know this was already booked and advertised before the Dome show, but invoking the "card subject to change" clause here might not be the worst idea. Right away Quake grabs and cranks on Kitao, being very slow on a rope break. Cautious knucklelock into a test of strength. Quake headbutts Kitao in the chest to break that up. Go behind waistlock from Quake. Kitao tries to get free but Quake doesn't seem interested, instead tossing Kitao down to the mat. Oh Kitao's pissed now. He goes out, pushes aside everything on the timekeeper's table, picks it up and tosses it at the ring. Very 6 month old tossing their toys out of the crib energy there. Another knucklelock back in. Kitao tries to work that into an arm hold, but Quake again has zero interest and instead slaps at Kitao's face, forcing Kitao to break and step back. Another attempt at a lockup and some words are exchanged. Kitao just stands there staring at Quake. Another failed lockup attempt. Kitao tries a kick. Quake blocks it and again takes some legit real fighting swings at Kitao. They end up in the corner and the ref goes down trying to break it up. More standing and staring. Kitao looks like he's gearing up for a shot in Quake's eyes. Quake cuts him off with a kick. Again Quake's got some words and he does not look happy at all. More staring and not much else. Kitao swings a kick that Quake brushes off. Kitao backs down and says something. Quake has a lot to say in return. Kitao kicks the ref! And not a worked kick either, that was legit. The bell rings for a DQ. And that's where the official TV video of this ends. Fortunately, we have a hand camcorder recording to have video evidence of the rest of the story. After the bell rings Kitao strolls out of the ring and takes the mic from the ring announcer. He says something to the equivalent of "You're just a monkey in the circus of pro wrestling" at Quake, then declares that he'll "not lose to you again" and that Quake couldn't beat him if it was real. The SWS ring attendants quickly drag him away before he can embarrass himself, the company or the sport any more. In an era where kayfabe was still hanging on, this got huge media attention in Japan. SWS held a press conference the next week to disavow everything Kitao said, then declared Kitao had been fired, giving him the full being fired hat trick (sumo, New Japan, now SWS). As a wrestling match there's no way you can evaluate this disaster. As a spectacle though, it's pretty much must see just for the awkwardness and real tension. NR

"Card subject to change". Just saying.

 

George Takano def Bret "Hitman" Hart in 11:43- This is right before Bret's big singles breakout so I don't know how seriously he'd be taken as a singles wrestler in Japan at this time. Takano's music sounds like something out of ToeJam and Earl. Which hadn't quite come out yet. One of the few Genesis games I can reference, I am and have always been a classic Nintendo guy through and through. I mocked Takano's silly entrance gear enough the last review, I'll leave it alone this time. Basic lockup rope break start. Takano gets the first takedown. Bret goes to an eye rake, hits a punch, and tosses Takano out. WWF guys heeling it up in Japan again. I approve. Bret follows, gives Takano a couple of guardrail shots and slams him on the floor. Elbow to the back of the head and inverted atomic drop back in. Takano reverses a corner whip. BRET BUMP! Tombstone from Takano! Bret kicks out. Enzuguri from Takano for 2. He hooks on a half crab into an STF. He gives up on that pretty quick and works on Bret's arm a bit. Bret tries to slam out of an armbar but Takano rolls and hangs on. Crossbody from Takano for 2. Snap mare into a headscissors. In an armbreaker Bret shouts "Are you deaf, I said no!" again like he did at the 1990 Dome show. Bret comes back up with European uppercuts. Speed run and Bret catches Takano leapfrogging and inverted atomic drops him again. Backbreaker. Gut stomp. Takano gets tossed out again. Bret hits an elbow drop off the apron, then drops Takano on the guardrail. Back in Bret hooks on a Boston crab. Takano uses push ups to get out. Suplex from Bret for 2. Russian leg sweep for 2. Takano dodges the elbow off the second rope. Kick combo from Takano. Double underhook suplex for 2. Small package for 2. Suplex from Takano. Bret eye rakes again to get the edge back. Back suplex. Bret roll up for 2. Takano comes back with a dropkick. Running spinning heel kick. Takano goes up top. Big splash! That gets the pin. Eh. Nothing special. Bret didn't carry Takano as good as Savage did the previous show. Like his match with Tiger Mask, Bret didn't seem like he fully had his heart in it. **1/4

 

Genichiro Tenryu def "Macho Man" Randy Savage in 8:03- This is a rematch from the April '90 joint WWF/All Japan (and somewhat New Japan) show in the Tokyo Dome, won by Tenryu in a fantastic match. Savage is wearing his Wrestlemania 7 gear. You know, where he lost a career ending match. Don't tell anyone in the US. Tenryu CHARGES in and tosses his jacket at Savage! Savage takes his jacket off and tosses it down on Tenryu. Tenryu charges in the ring and Savage hops over the top on the other side to bail. The bell rings as Savage gets back in. Savage yells that he's been waiting a long time at Tenryu, then promptly does some more heel Savage stalling. Very rough lockup. Savage goes down in the corner and bails again. He threatens to toss a chair in the ring but doesn't. Another rough lockup back in. Savage slaps Tenryu! Then hides behind Hebner. Savage uses that to attack, tossing Tenryu out. They're quickly back in and Tenryu hits a lariato for 2. Savage goes out again and has some words with the crowd. Another lockup. Savage eye rakes and tosses Tenryu over the top rope. Double ax handle off the top to the floor! Tenryu ends up on the commentary table and Savage pounds away on him there. Chokes from Savage back in. Elbow to the throat from the floor. He goes up top. Tenryu slowly rolls in position. Flying elbow! Savage plays to the crowd before covering and Tenryu kicks out. Savage stays on the attack. Tenryu tries to chop back, putting Savage down with just one, but Savage stays on him. Another big Tenryu chop finally switches the momentum. Savage gets a boot up in the corner. He puts his head down for a backdrop. Tenryu counters into his signature powerbomb! Savage kicks out. Enzuguri! Setup slam. Tenryu goes up top. Reverse elbow drop! A second! Savage kicks out again! More chops from Tenryu. Savage eye rakes to turn things around. Tenryu takes some weird corner bumps off whips that it sounds like the crowd laughs at. Not sure what that was. Tenryu tries a rope assisted back suplex but Savage falls on top of him. Another Savage flying elbow! And another! Tenryu kicks out! Savage tosses Tenryu out again. Another double ax handle off the top to the floor. Back in Savage drops Tenryu over the top rope in a very ugly way. This thing is kind of coming apart at the seams. Front enzuguri from Tenryu. Savage dodges a lariato. Tenryu goes for the powerbomb. Savage backdrops out. Tenryu rolls around, hits the powerbomb, and that's it. They got even less time than their too short Tokyo Dome match so it was never going to be as good, but this one started out very well then fell apart a bit in the second half for some reason. **3/4

 

WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan (c) def Yoshiaki Yatsu in 7:54- Yatsu is part of SWS's Geki Dojo heel stable. He wouldn't have been my first choice in this slot, but needs must and all that. SWS didn't have a lot of options. This is Hogan's first title defense since winning the belt back at Wrestlemania 7. Yatsu has some ToeJam and Earl ripoff music going too. Oh man, Hogan looks checked out before he even gets in the ring. Not good. Total opposite of the recent Dome show too. Hogan does the big power out of a headlock. Standing switches and Hogan gets a takedown. He goes into Japan wrestling mode and grinds on Yatsu on the mat. Yatsu tries to counter an arm wringer but Hogan quickly drop toe holds him back down. Yatsu reverses on the mat and cranks Hogan's arm. Hogan has a bit of difficulty doing his standing arm takedown counter and we have a rope break. Yatsu grabs a full nelson. Hogan counters into a top wristlock. They get fully twisted up on the mat, Hogan holding the wristlock while in a Yatsu headscissors. Hogan powers out of that into a Boston crab. Yatsu gets a rope break. He tries a dropkick but Hogan swats it away. Hammerlock takedown from Hogan. He's really getting into the Japan wrestling playbook, which I appreciate. Another reset and Hogan's bleeding a bit. Might have broken the cut from the wild Dome main event back open. Headbutts from Yatsu. Hogan hits a back suplex for 2. Small package for 2. Yatsu hits some forearms in the corner. Flying forearm! Hogan must have gotten caught for real there, he keeps checking his nose to see if it's bleeding. He doesn't even seem to notice the shots Yatsu is giving his knee in the ropes. Yatsu counters a backdrop with a headbutt. Bulldog from Yatsu for 2. Boot up in the corner from Hogan. Yatsu rolls under a lariato and hits a powerslam for 2. He comes off the top rope with a flying kick. Hogan looks like he's dodging but then takes a foot straight in the face. Think he's had enough. Hogan positions Yatsu, hits a lariato, and pins him. The mat wrestling first half of the match wasn't too bad, but when they got out of that it fell to pieces with a total lack of communication or chemistry or, frankly, give a shit from Hogan. *1/2

Since this is a partial show review I won't do a full wrap up or grade, but there's nothing here worth going out of your way to check out other than the legendary Earthquake/Kitao debacle.