By Justin Baisden

This was one of the first shows that I ever picked up in a trade. Unfortunately the VQ was not up to snuff (at least not by the standards I have now) so I went to http://www.ultimotapes.com (they rule, GO NOW) and picked up a 1st gen copy of this show. The stereo sound (first tape was mono) and clear picture helped made my viewing experience all the sweeter this time around.

This was a really interesting set of matches. Each match involves the defense of a Junior Heavyweight Title from a different federation. It was the precursor to one of the biggest junior heavyweight tournaments in wrestling history. It will all be explained at the end of this review.

LANCE STORM & YUJI YASURAOKA vs EL SAMURAI & NORIO HONAGA (WAR Jr. Tag Titles)
Storm is sporting that stupid tail at the end of his buzzcut. Thank god he got rid of that thing. I don't really like Yasuroaoka. I've only seen him twice before this. One of matches was against Rey Misterio Jr. and if you can't pull out ** with Misterio during 1996, then you've got a problem. Samurai was actually wrestling pretty well by this point so he's not going to get too much disrespect from me. I've never quite grown used to Norio Honaga's "no nonsense" style of junior wrestling. I've got to have flash with the substance or I just don't enjoy it as much. Ah well… Samurai and Honaga beat down the faces for a while. Yasuroaoka retaliates with some stiff kicks and tags in Storm. Irish whip but Storm misses the "stinger splash" by more than kilometer. Honaga and Samurai pull out lots of fun stuff including a double "hang out to dry" suplex and Honaga slaps on the dreaded GRABBING OF STOMACH FAT! I remember a Seinfeld episode where Kramer makes note that Killer Kowalski used to use that exact same move. Of course pudgy man George didn't like Kramer's demonstration. Anyway, nice spot as Samurai backdrops Yuji into a waiting Honaga who hits a powerbomb. Another great spot as Honaga and Samurai hit stereo missile dropkicks "Rockers style" on Yuji. Samurai hits The Thunderfire Powerbomb but Storm makes the save at 2 and ½. Honaga goes to the top but Yuji cuts him off and hits a superplex. Wicked spot as Storm hits a powerbomb, lifts up Honaga and Yuji hits a German suplex. That gets two after Samurai makes the save. Storm hits his handspring splash and follows up with a Northern Lights Suplex but Samurai makes the save at two. Storm hits the wicked roll through Boston crab but Samurai makes the save again. Storm goes for a powerbomb but Honaga reverses into a rana, which is again reversed into a sunset flip for the three count. The spots were cool but the match was just below solid. **1/2

MASAYOSHI MOTEGI vs SHIRYU (NWA Jr. Heavyweight Title)
WCW really dropped the ball with Kaz Hayashi. I've recently picked up quite a bit of footage with Shiryu/Hayashi and it's all been great stuff. This guy should be Cruiserweight champion instead of Scott Steiner's recliner bitch. I've seen enough of Motegi in big tournaments to know I don't like this guy very much. He's always got a title though so I'm assuming he's very good and I just haven't seen it as yet. Motegi uses a lot of mat stuff to start. Motegi with an abdominal stretch but Hayashi hip locks him out of it. Shiryu slaps on a disgusting Boston crab - surfboard combination move that I've never seen before. Shiryu slaps on a side headlock; he segues that into a dragon sleeper, which he then converts into reverse DDT. NICE! Nice sequence as Motegi tries to suplex Shiryu he slips out and goes for a German suplex. Motegi gets a standing switch and goes for a German suplex of his own but that's flipped out by Shiryu who hits Motegi with a dropkick and he's out on the floor. Shiryu hits a SOMERSAULT TOPE SUICIDA! HOLY SHIT!!! This was not a somersault plancha or a tope con hilo. Hayashi managed to do a somersault after going through (not over) the ropes. WOW! Back in the ring and Shiryu hits a JUMPING Fisherman's Buster. Shiryu nails a tombstone piledriver followed up with a gorgeous moonsault for 2 and ½. Shiryu charges in but Motegi catches him in a Uranage for 2 and ½. A powerbomb gets 2 and ¾. Motegi hits a delayed brainbuster for 2 and 9/10. Motegi with a jumping tombstone piledriver but misses with a flying headbutt. Shiryu goes to the top but Motegi catches him and hits a top rope powerbomb. UGH… Hey Motegi, you're supposed to beat him, NOT KILL HIM! In any case, it gets the three count. The match started out pretty sloppy but Hayashi made it a lot of fun to watch. **3/4

GRAN HAMADA vs TATSUHITO TAKAIWA (WWA Jr. Heavyweight Title)
Oh my god, you've got to see what Takaiwa looks like. He's got a full head of hair, he's clean shaven, built like a brick house and he has non-rookie tights on. I didn't recognize him until halfway through the match when his usual stuff was starting to get pulled out. Hamada of course is the greatest fifty-year-old wrestler in the history of the planet. They start out with a Grecko roman knuckle lock, which Hamada dropkicks out of. Takaiwa lays in some stiff punches, kicks, and stomps. Yep… that's the Takaiwa I know alright. Hamada responds with his trademark MEGA HEADBUTT! Irish whip and Hamada goes for a leapfrog but Takaiwa catches him in a powerslam. Irish whip by Takaiwa into the corner but Hamada hits a second rope moonsault bodyblock. WOW… remember this guy is about forty-eight years old at the time of this show. Takaiwa to the outside and Hamada hits a pescado. Back in the ring and Hamada hits a top rope rana. Hamada goes for another rana but Takaiwa reverses into a sit out powerbomb for 2 and ½. Takaiwa hits a bodyslam and top rope elbow drop for 2 and ½. Awesome spot as Takaiwa looks to flapjack Hamada but catches him in mid air and hits a Death Valley Driver. Takaiwa hits an Aztecan suplex for 2 and ½. Really nice spot as Takaiwa heads to the top but Hamada handstands up and hits a rana. Hamada hits a leaping swinging DDT for three. This match was solid all throughout and gets ***

SHINJIRO OHTANI vs KAZUSHI SAKURABA (UWA Light Heavyweight Title)
Sakuraba is a BAD ASS shooter! On a side note: What's Sakuraba's fighting style? I'm not sure to be honest. He's beaten many a good shooter including Royce Gracie in a match that went over an hour. Hmm… you know I bought that PRIDE show a while back and never got around to watching all of it. When reviewing this match, I was reminded of an analysis for an UWA Jr. Title match between Ohtani and Samurai from 01/21/1996 (I need that match, any help?) Ohtani seemed to be working a style mixing submissions with the high flying at the right places and it was very well received. Too bad that style never took off, oh wait it did, it's called Battlearts. ANYWAY… Odds are Ohtani will have the shit beat out of him with various stiff kicks and rough punches. Remember the Super J Cup 1995? They stuck Ohtani against Masaki Mockizuki who took the liberty of pelting Ohtani with kicks that might as well have been bricks. Ah well… I'm sure THE BITCHMASTER is up to the task once again. Shooter boy in the J Cup couldn't handle Ohtani and shooter boy in the Skydiving J isn't going to handle him either. On to the match where Sakuraba lays in some NASTY kicks. Ohtani tries to turn his back to decrease the pain but Sakuraba lays in a GODDAMN YOU'RE TOASTED RELEASED GERMAN SUPLEX! Misawa take note, Ohtani just took a sicker bump than you (except for the Ganso Bomb that is). THIS IS STIFF CITY! Sakuraba lays in some more brutal kicks. Ohtani is dead on his feet. Sakuraba lays in some rough punches and some knees to the head. Sakuraba goes for a leg bar but Ohtani rolls through and slaps on a leg bar of his own. DAMN RIGHT!!! The bulk of the match is crazy submission based. Nothing is boring by any means though. It all comes across very crisp and nothing is held on for too long so boredom can never set in. Sakuraba keeps it fresh by interspersing his submissions with stiff kicks. Ohtani does his best to stay in it with lots of leg submissions. You can tell the match is nearing the end because Sakuraba tries to kick Ohtani but it only pisses him off. Ohtani lays in a spin wheel kick and hits a released German suplex. He heads to the top for a missile dropkick but it misses. Sakuraba slaps on a Sasurigatame but Ohtani reaches the ropes. The crowd is really into this match. Sakuraba has the move cinched in really well. Ohtani reaches the ropes and Sakuraba lays in three stiff knees to the head and then a BRUTAL kick to the head. Oh lord… this is really ugly. Ohtani passes out and rolls to the apron. Sakuraba tries to punch Ohtani while on the apron but Ohtani blocks, gets in a forearm shot and fires off the springboard dropkick to the back of the head followed up with a released Dragon suplex. He slaps on a choke bodyscissors and that's the ball game. This match was fucking stiff as hell and shows that you don't need big flashy spots to make a match something to remember. ***1/2

SUPER DELPHIN vs TAKA MICHINOKU (CMLL Welterweight Title)
It's disturbing that TAKA has death threats thrown at him when he's in Japan because of the work he does in the WWF. I can't really say I blame him for staying though. He gets paid more than the bag of Tostitos that Sasuke was giving him and he doesn't have to destroy his body as much. His pride takes a hit but I'm sure he's crying all the way to the bank. As for the match, TAKA works the leg for the first half and then it's a complete spoterific good time as TAKA gets the ball rolling with a SWEET double jump plancha. Back in the ring where TAKA goes for his half of The Dream Sequence but Delphin knocks him off the ropes as TAKA goes for the springboard dropkick. Delphin hits a top rope plancha. Back in the ring and Delphin hits a Bridging belly to back suplex. NICE!!! TAKA kicks out at 2 and ½. Delphin gets a flying body press for 2 and ½. Delphin hits a really delayed brainbuster for 2 and ½. Delphin hits a wicked Tornado DDT and goes for the Delphin Clutch but TAKA manages to get an inside cradle for two. TAKA hits La Majistral cradle for 2 and ¾. TAKA goes for the Michinoku Driver but Delphin slips out and hits a German suplex for two. Delphin hits a huracanrana for 2 and ½. TAKA rolls through that for a sunset flip for 2 and ¾. TAKA hits a springboard dropkick for 2 and ¾. TAKA hits the Michinoku Driver II. 1… 2… 2.99999! . TAKA goes for another Michinoku Driver but Delphin reverses into a tornado reverse DDT for a heart wrenching 2 and 99/100. WOW!!! THAT WAS AN AWESOME MOVE! Delphin hits The Delphin Special II (German suplex rolled through into a Tiger suplex) for the victory. THIS MATCH ROCKED! Coming from someone that doesn't like Delphin very much that means a lot. ****1/4

GRAN NANIWA vs ULTIMO DRAGON (WAR International Jr Heavyweight Title)
Naniwa is someone that I like but bugs the hell out of me. He's really talented but devotes so much time to so called "comedy" that it detracts from the match. A prime example is that stupid crab walk elbow. Ugh… Dragon on the other hand is one of my favourite wrestlers ever. Those RAT BASTARDS in WCW should be hung for what they did to him. The doctor who operated on him should be put in the tree of woe while Dragon cuts a few of the nerves out of that crack sawbones arm. THAT… would be retribution. I better review the match before I start on a tirade. Naniwa hits a dropkick right off of the bat followed up with a top rope rana but Dragon no sells and hits a lariat. Irish whip and Dragon hits a tilt a whirl back breaker. He segues that into a half Boston, which he then turns into an Indian Deathlock complete with bridge. Uh oh... clipping. That's not good. We find Naniwa in control with a figure four leg lock. Naniwa lets go, hits a front slam and then goes for the STUPID, IDIOTIC, WORSE THAN THE DELPHIN CLUTCH AND THE WORM COMBINED, CRAB WALK ELBOW OF SHITTINESS! Anyone that disrespects The Rock's People's Elbow but gets a kick out of Naniwa's crab walk elbow is an idiot and a hypocrite. Anyway, Ultimo gets the feet up in Naniwa's face. GOOD, THAT'LL TEACH YOU! Dragon hits a dropkick, which sends Naniwa to the outside. Dragon hits the Asai moonsault. Back in the ring and Ultimo Dragon gets a brainbuster for 2 and ¼. Dragon gets a backdrop suplex for 2 and ½. Dragon hits a snap suplex and attempts a springboard dropkick but Naniwa knocks him to the floor and hits a somersault bodyblock from the apron to the floor. Back in the ring and Naniwa hits a doctor bomb for 2 and ¾. Naniwa hits a Tiger suplex for 2 and 9/10. Naniwa goes for another but we all know what happens when you try two moves in a row. Dragon kicks him, and lays in a spin wheel kick. Dragon hits a front slam and then a moonsault for 2 and ¾. Dragon hits a butterfly suplex and goes to the top for another moonsault but Naniwa cuts him off. Naniwa goes for a rana from the top to the floor but Dragon throws him off. Back in the ring and Dragon hits a running Lyger bomb for 2 and 9/10. He goes for another but Naniwa reverses into a rana for 2 and ¾. Dragon hits the shoulderblock - moonsault combo and then slaps on La Majistral cradle for three. This was just above solid. ***1/4

DICK TOGO vs JUSHIN "THUNDER" LYGER (British Jr. Heavyweight Title)
Remember how I said WCW dropped the ball with Hayashi? Substitute WWF for WCW and substitute Kaientai for Hayashi and you understand everything. It's too bad that Togo left Osaka Pro. I was having a good time thinking about him beating the shit out of Delphin. TEACH FISH BOY SOME RESPECT! I really hate clipping. We start out with Togo hitting a huracanrana on Lyger, which sends him to the floor. Togo hits a tope suicida. Togo pulls away the ring mat and hits Lyger with DDT on the floor. OUCH!!! Back in the ring and Togo hits the kitchen sink and follows up with a slam and a double stomp on the chest from the second rope. UGH... that probably hurt as badly as it looked. Irish whip but Lyger reverses and hits a monkey flip. He follows up with a Koppo kick. Togo goes for a lariat but Lyger ducks and hits a VICIOUS released German suplex. Lyger hits a rough powerbomb for 2 and ½. Lyger works over the arm for a while. Lyger hits a front slam and hits a top rope stomp on the arm. Lyger hits a Koppo kick and follows up with a juji gatame but Togo gets to the ropes. To the outside we go as Lyger hits a plancha from the top. Back in the ring and Lyger hits a brainbuster for 2 and ½. Irish whip but it's reversed and Lyger gets backdropped to the outside. Togo hits a baseball slide and hits a SICKENING slingshot senton from the ring to the floor. The only word I can use to accurately describe that move is 'SPLAT!" Togo goes for a rana from the apron but Lyger powerbombs him on the floor. NASTY!!! Lyger gets back in the ring and does a "Jeff Jarrett" strut. Ooohhh... now that's cocky. Lyger rolls Togo back in the ring and goes for a German suplex but Togo hits a low blow. Togo hits a BRUTAL powerbomb and follows up with a top rope senton. The arrogant bastard doesn't want the cover though. He hits a second top rope senton and that gets 2 and ¾. Togo goes back to the top but misses the senton. Lyger hits a missile dropkick to the arm. Lyger is the king of arm innovation. Lyger goes for a running shotei but Togo gets a drop toehold and slaps on La Majistral cradle for 2 and ¾. Togo charges but Lyger kicks him in the midsection and hits The Fisherman's Buster for 2 and 3/4. Lyger hits a SUPER FISHERMAN'S BUSTER and a rough shotei for the three count. This match was really good and gets ****

BLACK TIGER vs THE GREAT SASUKE (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title)
I don't understand why the WWF never explored a better relationship with Michinoku Pro. We could be seeing this match today if McMahon would loosen up. Think about this: Sasuke, Tiger Mask IV, Gran Hamada, Dick Togo, Masato Yakushigi vs Jeff Hardy, Eddie Guerrero, Essa Rios, K Kwik and TAKA Michinoku. OH MY GOD!!! Excuse me while I drool for a second. If you ever want to see the full heel potential of Guerrero, check out his Black Tiger stuff in NJPW. Now THAT'S… a heel. They start out with some mat stuff. Eddie works over the arm while Sasuke works over the leg. Nice sequence of moves as Eddie slaps on an arm bar, which he turns into a hammerlock, which is then turned into a shoulder breaker, which is then followed up with the slingshot senton. Eddie goes for a suplex but it's reversed and Sasuke hits a sleeper - armbar combination. Eddie gets out and hits a side waistlock suplex. Irish whip and he hits the jumping rolling elbow. Irish whip by Eddie but it's reversed and Sasuke goes for a rana but Eddie reverses that into a variation on the spinebuster. I'm not sure if they just recovered from a botched sequence or not. It looked a little weird. Sasuke charges but Eddie hits a tilt a whirl slam for two. Eddie goes for a suplex but Sasuke slips out and goes for a German suplex. Standing switch by Eddie who goes for a belly to back suplex but Sasuke rolls out of that and hits a hardcore suplex. Sasuke heads to the top and hits a top rope jumpkick. Back in the ring and Sasuke hits the shoulderblock - moonsault combo for 2 and ½. Sasuke goes for The Thunderfire powerbomb but Eddie slips out. He runs into the ropes but Sasuke meets him with the handspring bodyblock. However Eddie catches him and hits a belly-to-belly suplex, which is then followed up with a juji gatime. Sasuke reaches the ropes and Tiger hits a VICIOUS brainbuster. They try for something on the top but it doesn't seem to work. Sasuke goes for a top rope rana but it's reversed into a powerbomb. Black Tiger hits the Crucifix powerbomb for 2 and 9/10. Eddie goes for Splash Mountain but Sasuke reverses into The Jericho Spike and that gets the three count. The ending was anti climatic but the rest was really good. ***3/4

And now we witness one of the most historical moments in junior wrestling history. Jushin "Thunder" Lyger convinces all of the junior champions to put their titles on the line in a single elimination tournament. All of the junior champions lay their belts around a giant trophy symbolising they'll put it all on the line in the J Crown.

Final Analysis: Nothing sucked on this show, which is a definite plus. The reps from Michinoku Pro did an excellent job in all of their matches. It was nice to see a change of style in the Sakuraba vs Ohtani match. The best match involved Delphin, which really surprises me. I'll attribute that to TAKA's great ring work even though I'm sure others will be more than happy to tell me that Delphin is just really good and I won't admit it. The general feeling is that Togo's best singles match was against Lyger on this tape so that's another plus if you're a Togo fan. I'm waiting for my copy of "Osaka Wars 2" which had Togo vs Delphin in an apparent **** affair so we'll see which one is best (in my opinion at least). This tape is recommended to all junior fans. Do yourself a favour and save some extra cash for the J Crown (ahem… my review is somewhere around here) when/if you ever get this show. It's the direct follow up to this show and involves one of the best junior matches in history between Ultimo Dragon and Shinjiro Ohtani.