By Justin Baisden

ZERO ONE: FIGHTING ATHELETE PPV

You know there are a few really sad things in the world. One of those sad things is for a person over the age of nineteen being home on a Friday night! UGH… case in point. Justin stays home due to a combination of friends at work and really shitty weather that makes my driving to bar/club/flick/etc… something I’d rather not do. As luck would have it, I got the first Zero One PPV from http://www.triplecrowntapes.com just in the nick of time. I figured I might as well get something out of the night so I’ve reviewed this show. I also managed to review the NOAH 12/23 Great Voyage PPV. It’ll come out a little bit later in the week.

I’ve heard nothing but great things about this PPV. A lot of people have been touting the opener as a viable match of the year candidate. Others are saying this is the best PPV to come out of any fed, whether based in North America or Japan, to come out in 2001. We’ll just see about that.

NAOMICHI MARUFUJI vs NAOHIRO HOSHIKAWA

I can’t get enough of Marufuji right now. Ever since I watched his match against Takaiwa at the second Zero One PPV, I’ve been hooked on this guy. It was his involvement in the NOAH PPV that prompted me to review that show (Kobashi vs Akiyama helped too). I’ve only seen Hoshikawa at the second Zero One show and he was roughed up rather badly by old man Takano. Onto the match, as Hoshikawa takes control with his trademark stiff kicks. Hoshikawa picks him up but Marufuji gets in a spin kick. He hits a slam into a sweet Slingshot elbow ala SUWA for a two count. Hoshikawa goes for a kick, it gets caught but he hits an enzugiri. Marufuji to the floor and Hoshikawa hits a nice Tope Suicida. Back in the ring and it’s even better stuff as Hoshikawa hits a slam and an elbowdrop for 2 and ½. The fun comes when Marufuji kicks out, as Hoshikawa automatically grabs the arm and turns into a Juji Gatame. You just don’t see shit like that too often. Hoshikawa goes to work on the arm with stiff kicks and a standing arm bar. Marufuji gets to the ropes but Hoshikawa continues the assault with more kicks to the arm. This is turning really ugly (in a good way). Marufuji falls into a seated position in the corner and Hoshikawa DRILLS him with a dropkick to the face for 2 and ¾. Irish whip but the lariat misses and Hoshikawa ends up on the floor. Marufuji brings the highspots with a Somersault Plancha. Back in the ring and Marufuji gets MONSTER hang time on a missile dropkick for 2 and ¾. Irish whip into the corner, reversed by Hoshikawa who goes for a spear but that misses and Marufuji gets the OH… SO… SWEET ropeflip schoolboy for 2 and ¾. Marufuji hits a nice Capture Suplex followed up with a Guerrero worthy frog splash for 2 and 9/10. This is really getting good! Marufuji goes for the Shiranui but gets thrown off. Hoshikawa goes for a German, standing switch, Marufuji hits one of his own, which is then reversed into an arm bar and then into a neck crank. AWESOME! Hoshikawa goes for another German suplex, Marufuji tires to elbow out of it but it’s ducked and Hoshikawa hits a snap Northern Lights suplex for 2 and 9/10. Hoshikawa with another German, flipped out of by Marufuji who charges in but is met with a Gamengiri. He hits an enzugiri followed up with a double leg roll up for 2 and 9/10. NEAR FALLS, NEAR FALLS! Hoshikawa hits a MOTHER FUCKING TOP ROPE GAMENGIRI! 1… 2… 2.99999! Hoshikawa goes for a superplex but Marufuji FLIPS OUT IN MID AIR ONTO HIS FEET, hits a Superkick and puts it away with the Shiranui. ROCK ON, THIS RULED! ****1/4

AKITOSHI SAITO vs TADAHIRO FUJISAKA

OK… I’ll level with you here. I haven’t got a clue as it concerns background for these two. I’ve never seen Fujisaka prior to this match and I’ve only seen Saito when he’s no selling everyone’s offense in Pro Wrestling NOAH. As for the match, it’s a total strikefest as the chops and kicks rain down from both guys until Fujisaka hits a waistlock suplex for 2 and ½. Fujisaka goes for a lariat but Saito reverses into an Uranage followed up with an Enzugiri for the three count. This was a waste of my time. *

YU-IKEDA vs. TAKESHI TOHO

It’s a kickboxing match. I don’t watch kickboxing. Ikeda wins with a Guillotine choke. I’m not qualified to rate it.

YOSHIAKI YATSU vs GARY STEELE

Shoot style match. It’s all about stiff shots and submissions. I don’t want you to think I don’t appreciate the shoot style. I enjoy it almost as much as pro wrestling. I keep up to snuff on UFC, PRIDE and some Vale Tudo. However, I don’t like the incorporation of Shoot into a pro wrestling card. Viewing is fine, but it would bore you to tears reading a recap of a match like this. Anyway, it turns pro style near the end as Steele hits two spears for 2 and ½. He goes for a kick but Yatsu hits a capture suplex. Yatsu hits a belly to belly but Steele no sells. Rinse and repeat FOUR TIMES (there goes my respect for Steele). Yatsu then hits three waistlock suplexes for the three count. Nothing great but it wasn’t too shabby either. **

KAZUNARI MURAKAMA vs SHINJIRO OHTANI

YES! THE BITCHMASTER WILL TAKE THIS LITTLE PRICK TO TOWN! Actually I like Murakami a lot but we all know how much I love Ohtani. I’d love to know what kind of martial arts background Ohtani has to constitute him always being involved in these shoot/pro matches. I keep thinking about that match he had with Kazushi Sakuruba in the Skydiving J. I’m glad to see Ohtani is versatile enough to work a “foreign” style without looking lost though. Ohtani jumps Murakami and WAILS on him with everything you can think of. The ref tries to break it up but he elbows the ref. YES! BIIIIIIIIIITCHMASTAH! Finally they’re pulled apart and now Murakami brings the pain with loads of punches, kicks, stomps. This is total ass kicking goodness. You can almost feel a sense of hatred between the two guys. Ohtani manages to get behind Murakami and hit a German suplex followed up with a rear naked choke but Murakami gets to the ropes. Back to a vertical base and Murakami CLOCKS Ohtani with right hands and goes into the mount. Ohtani makes a classic mistake as he turns to his stomach to avoid the blows and Murakami just cinches in a choke. The referee stops the match. This had mega heat and was pretty good for what it was worth. **3/4

TATSUHITO TAKAIWA/ALEXANDER OTSUKA vs TEAM NO FEAR

I’ve really been impressed with Takaiwa as of late. He pulled his work boots out of the depths of his closet and is putting in a consistently solid effort. I have limited experience with Otsuka but I haven’t been impressed thus far. I understand he’s put on stellar matches in Battlarts. I’ve recently starting collecting TV blocks from that fed so I’m sure my impression of Otsuka will change over time. As for No Fear, I used to hate these guys. Now I only hate Takayama. HA! Omori has grown on me as time has progressed. No Fear and their plodding offense control the majority of the match. God I wish Omori would find another partner. Jump to the hot tag as Otsuka manages to hits a German suplex and gets the tag to Takaiwa. Irish whip into the corner, it’s reversed and Takayama hits a running high kick followed up with a Juji Gatame but Otsuka makes the save. Takayama goes for a kick but gets caught and Takaiwa hits the Death Valley Driver for 2 and ½. He goes for the powerbomb but it’s blocked. Tag to Omori who goes for a Dragon suplex but it’s blocked and Takaiwa hits a powerbomb followed up with a lariat for 2 and ½. Takaiwa goes for another lariat but it’s blocked and Omori hits a split legged Chokeslam. NICE! Takayama comes in and they heat the No Fear bomb. Otsuka makes the save and gets tied up with Takayama on the outside, thus giving Omori the chance to hit the Axe Bomber for the three count. I really wish they had let the juniors carry the match, as it would have made all the difference in how it was presented. As it was, the match had great heat and some good stuff near the end but the middle was sloppy (thanks Takayama) and took away from the overall feel of it. ***

MISAWA/AKIYAMA vs HASHIMOTO/NAGATA

There would have to be some kind of hell freezing over for this match to suck in any way, shape, or form. Here’s to hoping that hell is still burning like… hell. CHEERS! Basic feel out stuff between Nagata and Akiyama to start. Nagata lays in a few stiff kicks and goes for the Exploder but that’s blocked. Akiyama tries one of his own but no dice. They go back and forth with elbows and Akiyama gets the better of it (obviously). The young punk tries to taunt Hash but that gives Nagata time to his a BRUTAL released German suplex. Misawa gets the tag and they tie up. Misawa goes for a German suplex but it’s blocked and Nagata hits an Enzugiri. He lays in some stiff kicks and Misawa responds with elbow smashes and then hits the twisting lariat. It’s like watching a Kawada vs Misawa match all over again. I LOVE IT! Tag to Akiyama who hits a stalled piledriver for a two count. I love the fact he taunted Hashimoto before hitting the move. Irish whip into the corner and Akiyama goes for the flying knee but Nagata hits a roundhouse kick to the knee. NICE! Nagata goes for the Nagata Lock, gives the “your main eventer is my BITCH” salute to Misawa and then lets it go. HA! Tag to Hashimoto who unleashes the chops and kicks. Akiyama gets sick of it and no sells. Wow… he’s really matured as a top AJPW style worker, he he. Tag to Misawa and here we go. They go back and forth with chops and elbows. Hash gets the better of it with the chops and tags Nagata. It was like they wanted to give the fans a taste and then pull it away. Nagata hits a SWEET overhead belly to belly suplex, segued into a kneeling arm bar, then a Juji Gatame, and then the Nagata Lock II. This is some great work from Nagata. He lets it go and there’s a mistake as Misawa hits an elbow and tags Akiyama. Nagata hits a roundhouse kick and fires off the first volley in the Exploder wars. He charges in but Akiyama is right there to hit his EXPLOIDAAAAAAH! Akiyama plays cocky bastard to a new level as he slaps on the Nagata Lock II but Nagata gets to the ropes. Akiyama goes for another Exploder but it’s blocked and he slaps on a guillotine choke but Akiyama gets to the ropes. Tag to Hash but Akiyama is right there to meet him with a knee smash and another EXPLOIDAAAAAH! Big pop for Akiyama’s Herculean strength in getting Hash over with that move. Misawa gets the tag and goes for the Tiger Driver but Nagata stops it cold. BOOOOO! Everyone wanted to see that move. Hash comes back a spinning chop and a dropkick. Why will I have nightmares of Dusty Rhodes tonight? Tag to Nagata but Misawa stays in control with elbow strikes. He hits the Tiger Driver for 2 and ½. Misawa hits another one but Nagata manages to reverse into a triangle lock. I can’t get enough of sweet reversals like that. Nagata hits an Enzugiri followed up with a GORGEOUS bridging backdrop suplex for 2 and ¾. Tag to Hash who lays in more kicks and hits a BRUTAL DDT but Akiyama makes the save. Another BIG TIME DDT gets 2 and 9/10. Hash goes for the Vertical Drop DDT but Akiyama cuts that off. Hashimoto has had it with the young punk and completely ignores Misawa while wailing on Akiyama. Misawa takes advantage with an elbow to the back of the head and an UGLY German suplex for the three count. HUH? Well… that ending came out of nowhere but the rest was super heated with lots of great ring work. ***3/4

Hashimoto doesn’t even bother to sell the German suplex after the bell and goes right back to wailing on Akiyama. It turns into a huge pull apart with all of the wrestlers piled into the ring trying to restrain the four participants. Then to make matters just a little bit worse, here comes Protection Man, AKA Naoya Ogawa to talk trash to Misawa. Of course Misawa teaches the prick a lesson with an elbow smash and now it’s another pull apart brawl. Of course if you read my review of the “Second Athelete” PPV, then you know how this all turned out in the end.

Final Analysis: The opener rocked bells, but the rest of the undercard ranged from solid to just plain poor wrestling. The main event was great until the ending, which left a very bitter taste in my mouth. The sentiment that the main event can mold the impression of the entire show definitely holds true for this PPV. It felt like they were just building up for the second PPV. Instead of giving the fans and viewers the satisfaction they deserve for paying for this show, they went with something that some might consider a cop out finish. The argument that the four wrestlers involved needed to be protected, thus allowing for the cop out finish doesn’t hold water. Hashimoto jobbed clean in this one. They could have run the match with a proper build to the finish and then had him job just as he did with the cop out ending. The fact that he completely ignored the German suplex just to attack Akiyama shows a complete lack of respect for the match.

Whoever was toting this as the best PPV of 2001, I recommend looking at the tape a second time. Maybe, and this is a BIG maybe, this was the best PPV in Japan for 2001 thus far. Personally, I would place the NJPW Arena Power Max PPV ahead of this one for PPV of the year. Of course if you take every PPV into account, Wrestlemania X-Seven blows away everything that has been put out this year. Puro purists may scoff at that statement, but if they’d climb out of the box of ignorance they’ve stuck themselves in and tried to appreciate all forms of pro wrestling, I’m sure they’d reach the same conclusion.

Zero One: Fighting Athelete gets a mild recommendation.

Justin Baisden

http://rollinggermans.8m.com