By Justin Baisden

WCW VS NJPW: STARRCADE 1991

New Japan hosted a cross-promotional show at The Tokyo Dome drawing a pretty good sized crowd. I believe this was the first big cross over show that the two companies had ever run. I know they had been sending each other talent for quite a while though. As a side note, if you get this show confused with the "WCW vs NJPW Supershow," don't feel too bad. That was the WCW version of this show where they only showcased WCW talent. Unfortunately that version has clipping all over the place and also has a horrendous commentary by Jim Ross who believed that "moonsault" covered anything off the top rope that wasn't a splash. As such, I had to go get this show for the "real deal." Please note that this was broken down into a two tape set. I'm just warning you so someone trying to sell/trade you only half a show doesn't rip you off.

PART 1 - AKA Someone Shoot Me

KIMURA/HAMAGUCHI/KIDO/HOSHINO VS GOTO/HONAGA/SUPER STRONG MACHINE/SAITO
You know there's trouble when I have to consult the match list in order to know who everyone is. The only people I recognized right off the bat were Norio Honaga and Super Strong Machine. Hmm… where's that WCW version of this show when you need it? This was a HORRIBLE match in every sense of the word. Honaga is by far the best one in this match, and for those of you who read my stuff you know that I don't like him very much. That should give you an idea of what I think of the rest of the participants. I'm not sure if this was supposed to either be a comedy match or just garbage. There is absolutely nothing worth noting in this travesty of a contest but I guess I owe you the finish. Goto and Machine have a miscommunication resulting in Kimura pinning Goto. This match gets 1st place on the podium of crap. DUD

SCOTT NORTON vs THE EQUALIZER
AAAHHH!!! THIS WAS WORSE THAN THE LAST MATCH! What the hell was Dave Sullivan doing on a card of this magnitude to begin with? The WCW version of this show didn't even have this match on it. Considering both guys were working for WCW, it shows how truly horrible this match was. Norton nearly kills Sullivan off a botched powerslam, which was probably Sullivan's fault anyway. This match bumps the first match down to second on the podium of crap and takes first place. - *

ARN ANDERSON/BARRY WINDHAM vs MASA SAITO/MASAHIRO CHONO
OK… there is no way in hell that this match can come close to sucking on the level of the two previous matches based solely on the fact that I'll kill myself otherwise. The match goes back and forth for a good while. Eventually Chono hits a tope suicida on Windham who unfortunately is the illegal man. Once Chono gets back in the ring he's met with the legal man. Anderson levels Chono with a spinebuster. Chono plays native in peril as Anderson and Windham pull out lots of old school tactics including the "pull on the arm while in abdominal stretch" spot. Irish whip but Anderson puts his head down and is met with a Yakuza kick. Tag to Saito who cleans house and no sells everything. He hits a Saito suplex on each man and a pier six breaks out. Anderson gets in a waistlock but Saito gets a standing switch. However Windham flies off the ropes, Anderson ducks and Saito is clocked with a sweet flying lariat. Anderson makes the cover for the three count. Well… these four are capable of a lot better but just about anything was preferable to the first two matches. **

HIROSHI HASE/KENSUKE SASAKI vs THE STEINER BROTHERS (IWGP Tag Team Titles)
Nobody brings out the best in the Steiners like Japanese wrestlers. It probably has to do with the fact that they let The Steiners work that much more stiff with them. See Wrestlewar 1992 and what's left of Takayuki Iizuka's broken nose to see my point. This was the first match in a great string of matches between the Steiners and different combinations of Hase/Sasaki/Mutoh that would last for around four years. Hase and Scott start out and Scott sets the tone with an overhead belly to belly suplex, as the Steiners would throw Hase and Sasaki around pretty much for the whole thing. Scott fires off a pumphandle slam. Scott puts Hase on the top and hits a Super Samoan Drop. Scott fires off another belly to belly suplex for 2 and ½. Hase tries to fight back but gets a DDT for his trouble. Tag to Rick who puts Hase on the top and hits a super overhead belly to belly suplex. Tag to Scott and CUE THE CHINLOCK! Hase has none of this resting garbage and maneuvers into a belly to belly suplex. Scott manages to recover first and fires off a gorgeous Tiger Driver for 2 and ¾. Tag to Rick and the Steiners go for a double shoulderblock but Hase kicks Rick and hits a Uranage, followed up with another Uranage on Scott. FINALLY Sasaki gets tagged in and cleans house. Dropkicks for everyone and a powerslam on Rick but Scott makes the save at 2 and ½. SWEET SPOT as Sasaki superplexes Hase onto Rick and Hase follows up with the Northern Lights suplex for 2 and ½. Hase is in outright disbelief as that's usually a match ender. Hase goes for a running lariat but misses and they do the double KO. Tag to Scott who hits a tilt a whirl slam but it's no sold and Sasaki is tagged in. He hits a DDT on Scott. Hase and Sasaki go for a Doomsday Device but that's cut off by Rick. Now Scott puts Hase on his shoulders and the Steiners hit the Super Bulldog without breaking Hase's neck no less, EVERYONE… A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. Irish whip and Scott hits The Frankensteiner for the three count. By today's standard, this was an above solid match ranking in around ***1/2. However, you've got to remember this was back in 1991 and most of this stuff was for all intents and purposes, revolutionary. The Steiners finally found a team that could go on an even playing field with them and it shows in a really fun match. ****

BAM BAM BIGELOW/BIG VAN VADER vs DOOM
Oh… dear… god. I have never found Simmons and Reed to be anything better than average on their best nights. Simmons was definitely the better of the two guys but a decent worker can't carry a garbage partner to great matches. Bigelow and Vader on the other hand ROCK THE HOUSE! The WWF really dropped the ball with Bigelow when he first came in near the end of the eighties. He should have got a mega push and given the IC Title instead of that raving lunatic Warrior. Until the national onset of Vader, I would easily call Bigelow the best "big man" in wrestling for the time. As for this match, There are three distinctive portions, the good parts when Vader and Bigelow control, the average parts when Simmons is in control and the garbage when Reed is in control. Once it all comes out in the wash, the match is solid. Vader and Bigelow beat the crap out of Doom, much to my viewing pleasure. Simmons gets to showcase his crisp power offense like his incomparable spinebuster, variations on the powerslam and good stiff lariats, one of which nearly decapitates Bigelow for 2 and ½. Jump to the end as Vader gets the hot tag and cleans house. Reed attempts to go for a halfhearted flying lariat but Vader ducks and hits a BIG FAT SPLASH for the victory. Doom gets into a pull apart brawl afterwards and Simmons gets the better of it (obviously). Reed says that he's through with Doom which obviously forces me to get out of my chair and do a little happy dance. I was expecting Doom to bring this match down to something akin to the first two matches but it wasn't all that bad. **1/2

RIKI CHOSYU vs TIGER JEET SINGH
Hey… remember back at the beginning of this review when those two horribly bad matches were placed on the "podium of crap?" Well take those two matches down and devote the entire podium to this match. NOTHING on this tape can compare to the sheer level of HEAPING STEAMING HORSE SHIT that this match was. I tend to avoid "death matches" and anything akin to said matches. As such, prior to this tape, I had never seen a match with Tiger Jeet Singh. Tiger Jeet Singh has now taken the spot of Giant Gonzales as the guy that I hate watching the most. There were TWO, count them, TWO MOVES used in this fifteen minute match. I don't mean two moves used over and over, I mean two moves used IN THE WHOLE FUCKING MATCH! Just so you don't think they were some crazy move like a Stardust Press, the two moves were an enziguri and… you guessed it, the Riki Lariat. Kick, punch, choke, stab, punch, stomp, choke, rake, choke, punch, kick, stab, rake. Get the idea? Never have I been so disappointed in a match out of New Japan. If there was any plus side at all to this match, it was that Chosyu bled to put over Singh's HORRIBLY STUPID, IDIOTIC, PATHETIC, PUTRID, MOTHERFUCKING SHITTY OFFENSE! I'm willing to bet Foley could have written an entire novel on how bad a person Tiger Jeet Singh was instead of just the little bit from his book. UGH… I'll never be the same. -**** The only reason it didn't get a worse rating was because I took away ¼* for each move used by Chosyu and ½* for the blade job.

Partial Analysis: Just for a little perspective, the average * rating for this tape was ½* Never in my wildest nightmare could I ever have believed a tape out of New Japan could be this bad. The sole redeeming value of this tape is the Steiners vs Hase/Sasaki match and I'm sure that match can be found on a "Best Of Steiners" or some other tape. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

Part 2 - AKA The Good Tape

KOSHINAKA/KOBAYASHI/IIZUKA vs TIM HORNER/BRIAN PILLMAN/TOM ZENK
This is the kind of match I like to see. Lots of hard work, quick tags and fun double teams. Great stuff including a sweet double team by Pillman and Zenk as they hit a dropkick into spinebuster combination. Zenk to the apron and Pillman slingshots him onto Iizuka for 2 and ½. Nice double team as the gaijin hit a crisp Demolition Decapitation (god I feel old knowing the name of that move) for 2 and ¾. Tag to Zenk who hits a running lariat for 2 and 9/10. Tag to Pillman who hits a springboard splash for 2 and ¾. NEAR FALLS, NEAR FALLS! Pillman and Iizuka get into a chopfest and Pillman tells Iizuka to bring it on. Iizuka being the young punk, dropkicks Pillman square in the mouth. Jump to the end as Koshinaka gets the hot tag and all hell breaks loose. All six men in the ring, the ref hasn't a clue how to restore order. Horner ends up on the wrong end of a missile dropkick by Iizuka followed up by a Dragon suplex by Koshinaka for the three count. Was there any doubt that Horner was going to be the one to job in this one? No complains from me on this one. ***

AKIRA vs JUSHIN "THUNDER" LYGER (IWGP Jr. Title)
YES YES YES!!! Lyger was a GOD among junior wrestlers at this point in time. It's a crying shame that he's been reduced to around ½ of his former greatness due to aging and injuries. He put in a good showing at the 2000 Super J Cup but I attribute a lot of that to the hard work of Tiger Mask IV and CIMA. Anyway onto this kick ass match as Lyger starts out quick with lots of short palm strikes, followed up with a spin wheel kick. AKIRA to the outside and Lyger comes off the top with a somersault plancha. "MOONSAULT, MY GAWD WHAT A MOONSAULT." Oops… wrong version of the show. Back in the ring and Lyger stays in control with lots of submissions. AKIRA comes back with a camel clutch and then three leg drops for 2 and ½. AKIRA goes for a missile dropkick but misses. Lyger tries to bring the pain with a belly to back suplex but AKIRA flips out of it and hits a backdrop suplex of his own. He charges in but Lyger backdrops him to the floor. Lyger goes for a pescado but gets DROPKICKED IN MID AIR! EEEWWW! Back in the ring and AKIRA goes to work on Lyger's right leg. Lyger gets tired of it and fires off a few palm strikes. Lyger hits a backdrop suplex for 2 and ½. Lyger goes for a German suplex, standing switch and AKIRA switches up into a nice sunset flip for 2 and ¾. Lyger comes right back and goes for a brainbuster but AKIRA reverses into what I can only describe as a Fujiwara armbar cradle for 2 and ½. AKIRA hits a GORGEOUS German suplex for 2 and ¾. AKIRA goes for a Dragon suplex but Lyger reverses into a cradle, however AKIRA drops down on that for 2 and ¾. AKIRA goes for a victory roll but it's blocked and reversed into a pinning combination for 2 and ¾. Irish whip and Lyger goes for a tilt a whirl tombstone but his leg gives out from the early punishment. Nice to see Lyger didn't forget about the legwork. AKIRA goes for a figure four but it's reversed into an inside cradle for 2 and ½. Lyger hits an UGLY powerbomb followed up with a VICIOUS Lygerbomb for 2 and 9/10. Lyger puts AKIRA on the top and hits a DISGUSTING SUPER DDT for the three count. This was an awesome match. It had a slow start and little by little built up into an excellent fast paced, hard hitting finish. Lyger could carry turnbuckle padding on a string to an excellent match at this point. ****1/4

EL GIGANTE vs THE BIG CAT
Wow… talk about going from the penthouse to the outhouse. The fans get a real kick out of Gigante. I'm pretty sure they've never seen a man of this height before. Baba's got nothing on El Gigante. Total squash by El Gigante as it ends in less than two minutes with The Brain Claw. Short match means I take the neuse out from around my neck. DUD

STING vs THE GREAT MUTA
I'll be clear about one thing, Muta vs Sting from "Great American Bash 1989" was the best match these two have had. You know it almost brings me to tears to think about what Mutoh and Borden have degenerated into. One can only hope that they each bow out gracefully within the next year or so. Muta jumps Sting before the bell and hits the handspring elbow right off the bat. He hits a backbreaker and goes for "THE MOONSAULT… MY GAWD THE MOONSAULT" Hmm… wrong show again. It obviously misses considering it's thirty seconds into the match. Muta lands on his feet and keeps beating Sting down. To the outside Sting goes and Muta follows with a pescado. Back in the ring and Muta comes off the top with a chop but he's met with a big boot. Sting military presses Muta to the outside and follows up with a no rope suicide dive. Question: Does a tope con hilo have to have the somersault at the end or is it just a no rope plancha? Anyway, back in the ring and Sting brings the rest holds. UGH… Irish whip and Sting hits a boot to the gut followed up with a bulldog. Sting attempts The Scorpion Deathlock but no dice. Muta with some kicks followed up with the snapmare - power drive elbow for 2 and ½. Muta hits a backbreaker and goes for the moonsault but Sting gets the knees up. Sting goes for another military press but Muta falls on him for 2 and ½. Muta goes for the moonsault yet again but Sting crotches him and hits a super belly to back suplex for 2 and ¾. Sting goes for a slam but it's reversed into an inside cradle for 2 and ½. Sting recovers first and goes for The Stinger Splash but Muta hits him with the food colouring…. I mean MYSTERIOUS GREEN MIST OF DOOM (Hmm… no one caught that right?) and follows up with a springboard cross body block for the three count. This is pegged as a "dream match," but this dream wasn't worth sleeping through your alarm for (metaphor people). ***

TATSUMI FUJINAMI vs RIC FLAIR (IWGP Title vs NWA Title)
The winner becomes heavyweight champion of both feds (yeah… like that would last). Flair was still the man at this point in time and hadn't shriveled up like a raisin due to North Carolina sun. Fujinami is crazy over in this one. I never developed a complete appreciation for Fujinami and his super ground attack style. I understand he had stellar matches in the mid - late eighties, with a standout ***** match against Akira Maeda in 1986. If anyone has a copy of this match, drop me a line and we'll chat (ie: negotiate a trade). Fujinami goes for The Dragon Sleeper (no, Ultimo Dragon didn't invent it) very early but Flair reaches the ropes and nearly dies because of it's suffocating power. Fujinami stays in firm control of the match with lots of mat stuff. Fujinami misses a dropkick and we all know what happens. Flair plays Dr. Malpractice and destroys Fujinami's knee with surgical precision. Flair pulls at the hamstrings, stomps on the knee, nails a few knee breakers. The crowd does not like this whatsoever. Flair is being booed right out of the building. Flair charges in but is met with a drop toe hold segued into a Sasurigatame which pops the crowd pretty big. Fujinami goes right back to the mat stuff but Flair takes the advantage with an inverted atomic drop. And the match SLOOOOOOWS down as Flair dogs it for a good eight minutes. The heat drops down below freezing. Fujinami mercifully retakes control after a bodypress. Fujinami goes for a big boot but Flair catches the leg. However, Fujinami fires off an enziguri and now the crowd wakes up. Fujinami charges in with a BIG TIME lariat for 2 and ½. Fujinami with a rolling reverse cradle for 2 and ¾. Fujinami with a waistlock suplex but Flair gets his foot on the rope and 2 and ¾. The ref (Bill Alfonso) gets bumped. WHAT??!! Oh you know someone in WCW booked this match when there's a ref bump in the main event. Fujinami THREE TIMES has the three count but there's no ref. It came to the point where the crowd was chanting 1… 2… 3 but WHO CARES??!! WCW booked the finish. The fans are PISSED! Finally a Japanese referee gets into the ring and Fujinami ends the match with an abdominal stretch into a cradle for the three count. Ric Flair did not bring his "A Game" for this match. I would assume he was pissed at having to job the title to Fujinami and dogged it. Not only that but they had to overbook the finish so Flair looked as good as possible. That's really disappointing coming from a pro like Flair. All bitching aside, the first 1/3 and last 1/3 were great with the Flair dominated middle 1/3 sucking horribly. **1/2 I know these two had a rematch with Flair going over but I don't know at what show. One can only hope the rematch was better because Flair wins and probably wanted to look good doing it.

Final Analysis: WCW was pretty smart to only have their guys on their PPV. If they had only left the matches in complete form instead of chopping out at least 1/3 of every match, "WCW vs NJPW Supershow" would have rocked. Just look at the line up:

Six Man Tag = ***
Jushin "Thunder" Lyger vs AKIRA = ****1/4
Arn Anderson & Barry Windham vs Masa Saito & Masa Chono = **
Rick & Scott Steiner vs Hiroshi Hase & Kensuke Sasaki = ****
El Gigante vs Curtis Hughes = DUD
Great Muta vs Sting = ***
Tatsumi Fujinami vs Ric Flair = **1/2

You can't bitch about a show with two *** matches and two ****+ matches. Even the not so good stuff was OK and the only DUD was under two minutes. However, if you throw in the garbage that came with the complete version, it changes the entire outlook of the show. As it stands, Chosyu vs Singh automatically discounts any chance of me recommending this show tape set. If anything, go for the second part of the set and ask the person you're getting it from to put the tag title match on the end.