Review by Don Becker

Prologue:

As a tribute to the recently-retired Mick Foley, I decided to review the most popular of Mick Foley's Japanese tapes, and perhaps even the most popular puroresu tape of all time because of Foley and Funk. This tape was made even more notorious with the advent of Foley's autobiography, which devotes an entire chapter to the day Mick and his pals played in barbed wire, thumbtacks, and C4 explosives in 90-degree heat.

Of course, the typical American fan will only know a handful of names on this tape. Foley, Terry Funk, and Terry Gordy all appear in the tournament, as does Tiger Jeet Singh (father of Tiger Ali Singh). Dan Severn defends his NWA World title on the card in a normal match, and Silver King works a tag match against the Headhunters (who made occasional appearances in the WWF and ECW). Apart from that, the rest of the tournament field is a who's-who of "garbage" wrestling: Mr. Gannosuke, "Danger Man" Shoji Nakamaki, Leatherface, and Hiroshi Ono round out the field of eight. Sadly, Atsushi Onita didn't appear, but the IWA was competing with Onita's FMW group, so it's understandable. Also sadly, the undercard is padded with a number of less-than-stellar workers who really haven't been heard from again. In fact, the only midcarder who actually did something with himself after this show, Yoshihiro Tajiri, isn't featured on this tape.

One important note for those of you thinking of purchasing this tape: this is not for the squeamish. Everyone bleeds copious amounts of blood. When the wrestlers take bumps into the barbed wire, thumb tacks, or the C4, they really are getting hurt badly. Trust me - if you're uncomfortable with the kind of blood spillage that occurs when New Jack wrestles, this will sicken you. I showed this to friends of mine who aren't all wrestling fans, and they were horrified at the carnage. I'm not saying this to be melodramatic - it's the honest truth.

If this hasn't scared you away (or, God help us, has actually sold you on the tape), I would suggest buying from Brian Socha at Cabo One (http://www.cabo-one.com/wrest.htm). Please be sure to tell him I sent you.

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IWA KING OF THE DEATH MATCH TOURNAMENT

August 20, 1995, Kawasaki Stadium, Yokohama, Japan

The tape opens with the fans lining up to get into the stadium, all trying their best to keep cool in the obliterating heat. We get an interview with the Danger Man himself, Shoji Nakamaki. In the empty stadium, we see Tarzan Goto, who will be facing Dan Severn for the NWA World title (and has forehead scars that rival Abudllah The Butcher's). With the arena full, we see the setup - three rings, apparently to allow for cleanup time between matches.

The wrestlers are introduced to the crowd. Tiger Jeet Singh rides out in a van. Leatherface wields a chainsaw as he runs through the crowd. Terry Funk rides a horse. Cactus Jack carries a barbed-wire cross on his shoulders like Jesus on his way to Golgotha. Hiroshi Ono runs out with no props. Shoji Nakamaki... walks his dog. Most of the rest of the participants in the undercard and the tourney just walk out to the ring, though Dan "The Beast" Severn gets a chauffeur-driven limo. We also see Victor Quinones, IWA's contact in the western hemisphere and the guy who brought all the gaijin here (and by all accounts, a real scumbag), bragging to the crowd of almost 30,000 that the IWA is now Japan's top independent wrestling promotion, and thanking them for their support. Shockingly, the IWA folded not too long after this, despite the cheapskate tactics of the owners (as read in Mick Foley's book). The chaos begins early, as Tiger Jeet Singh takes out a ring boy, and Leatherface goes back into the crowd with that chainsaw. Look at the fans run!

Anyway, the tourney bracket looks a little something like this:

T. J. Singh
Mr. Gannosuke

Terry Funk
Leatherface

Cactus Jack
Terry Gordy

Shoji Nakamaki
Hiroshi Ono

Mr. Gannosuke and Tiger Jeet Singh are interviewed. Singh speaks enough English that I can make out "I challenge Goto!"

MR. GANNOSUKE vs. TIGER JEET SINGH, BARBED WIRE BOARD CHAIN DEATH MATCH

That nutty bastard Singh takes out the ref right away, then starts beating on Gannosuke with the handle of his sword. Outside early, and Singh tosses Gannosuke over the ropes, and the bell rings (9:29). Singh pelts Gannosuke with chairs. Gannosuke looks to be trying to get away from Singh, but Singh nails him with something he picked up, and Gannosuke takes out the railing and about two rows of seats. The ring announcer yells out whatever it is they yell in the Fire Pro games when someone gets thrown to the railing. they brawl about 15 rows into the crowd, and Gannosuke gets a chair into the face of Singh. Thankfully, Singh found some supporters, who chant "SINGH! SINGH!" We see Gannosuke, finally, and he's covered in blood. Singh and Gannosuke make it into one of the other rings, and we finally have a ref. But we don't have any barbed wire or chains, but I don't think Gannosuke minds, since he gets the upper hand. The fans chant for him, but Singh finds an opening and starts biting Gannosuke's forehead. Singh whips Gannosuke through the ropes and to the floor, then carries him back to the center ring where this all started. Back inside, the ref gives Singh the chain, which he uses as a weapon. The closeup points out that Gannosuke is doing a .3 Muta. The ref tries to break the obvious choke, but Singh doesn't budge. He finally lets go, only to grab a longer length of the chain to choke Gannosuke some more, but Gannosuke makes it to the ropes. Five minutes gone, and Singh releases the hold.

Both men back to their feet, and Gannosuke gets to throw a punch or two. Singh is already looking winded after only five minutes of work as he slumps to the corner. Gannosuke with a whip, but Singh holds on and Gannosuke dropkicks air. Singh stomps Gannosuke, picks him up, and gets him into a choke hold. Gannosuke stays down long enough for the ref to count a pinfall attempt, but he only gets two. Singh goes outside, and brings in the barbed wire board (playtime's over!) Another choke hold by Singh, which drives Gannosuke into the barbed wire. Gannosuke taps (well, sorta), and the ref rings the bell.

WINNER: TIGER JEET SINGH, submission, 7'11"

Post-match, Singh calls for "fucking Goto! I want Goto!". The ref carries Gannosuke to the back, where he proceeds to throw up in the sink. Gannosuke has been upgraded to .4 Muta, BTW.

Next match, Terry Funk gets an interview. Hey, he speaks English! I can transcribe this!

"And here I am at the Deathmatch tournament here at Kawasaki Stadium. There's one thing that I understand probably that not many people have thought about; this is for the King Of All Deathmatches. And the funny part about this is that it's kinda like this world - there can only be one king to a country, and under that king is just a bunch of subjects. And that's what it boils down to here today, is that here in Kawasaki, there'll be one winner, and you can forget about the rest. And I want to be that winner. But to be that winner, you've got to be tough, you've got to be capable of taking a lot of punishment, you have to have wrestling ability, you have to have staying power, but believe me, you have to have luck on your side. And that what I'm hoping for is just for luck to be on my side today, and the Good Lord too. And that's always one of the best things that you can have and one of the most important things you need when you're going into the ring and going to have a battle like I'm going to have today."

Leatherface offers his rebuttal:

"Because you know what - there's that great legend, there's one man that's here today, all these people - the great fans of IWA - they all know - everyone in Japan knows - Terry Funk is the greatest living legend of all time. That's why it's a great honor to step in the ring with Terry Funk, and it'll be an even greater honor to beat him right in the middle."

LEATHERFACE vs. TERRY FUNK, BARBED WIRE BOARD CHAIN DEATH MATCH

This time the refs and officials get the chains on Funk before the match starts. Leatherface is based on the killer in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, of course, and looks a bit like Mankind wearing a lobster bib. Leatherface opens up on Funk and nails an ugly moonsault. then pounds Funk until he lands on one of the barbed wire boards. Leatherface gets the chainsaw revved up, and Funk blocks it with his hands (don't worry - there's no chain blade...) Leatherface wants to dole out more punishment, but not before the ref gets Leatherface's chain on. Leatherface starts choking Terry out with the chain, and what a surprise - Funk's busted open. Leatherface releases the choke and starts whipping Funk with the chain, but Terry's got a bit of it wrapped around his fist. Funk gets up on the top rope, then biels Leatherface over the top rope into the barbed wire board. Both men outside, and Funk starts using the chain - punching Leatherface, whipping him with the chain. Leatherface starts climbing the backstop out near one of the rings, but Funk climbs up after him. Ummm, isn't this a stupid thing to do with a chain? Both men are brawling up on the backstop, with Funk getting a decided advantage. Funk chokes Leatherface out with the chain, then climbs over the top of the backstop and starts hanging Leatherface! Leatherface punches back, and Funk starts to fall off the backstop. Five minutes gone.

Leatherface kicks at Funk, who gingerly climbs back down, but starts yanking the chain in an attempt to get Leatherface to fall onto the barbed wire below. It doesn't work. Leatherface climbs down and beats on Funk with the chain, then throws the board into the ring and sets it up in a corner of the ring. And if you can't see what's coming... Leatherface whips Funk into the board, of course, and Funk's rolling out of the ring towards *another* board. But Leatherface leads us away from that and slams Funk's head into a table. Leatherface sets up the table and lays Funk across it, then goes to the top. Funk's up, and yanks on the chain until Leatherface jumps into the table... and it didn't break. Funk rolls back into the ring, and Leatherface soon follows. Funk starts with the Texas jabs, and his left cross is chain-assisted, which KO's Leatherface. The pinfall is academic.

WINNER: TERRY FUNK, pinfall, 8'54".

In the back, Funk says it's one down, two to go, and he doesn't give a shit who he's about to face.

Cactus Jack promo time, though it looks like we joined it in the middle.

"...not this body, because it will be no more! What's out there - what I'm putting on the line in front of 40,000 fans, in front of millions of Japanese watching television all over the country - is my pride, my guts, and my heart! Because you don't become the King of the Deathmatch by knowing all the moves! You become the King of the Deathmatch by kicking out of all the moves! By denying pain! Denying suffering! Hoping that you can kid yourself just long enough!"

Terry Gordy offers his thoughts: "I'm feelin' good, ya know, and Cactus, you're going down, boy! You are going down right in Kawasaki Stadium, and I mean what I say, Jack."

TERRY GORDY vs. CACTUS JACK, BARBED WIRE BASEBALL BAT THUMBTACK DEATH MATCH

Like any barbed wire baseball bat match, both men start off on opposite sides of the ring, with a ten-count until they run to the ring to get the bat. The added twist - a tray full of thumbtacks in the middle of the ring. Cactus gets there first, but Gordy gets the bat away from him and starts swinging some heavy lumbe.r Jack escapes to the relative comfort of the outside, and Gordy drops the bat to go after him. Back into the ring, and Cactus gets the early advantage, driving Gordy into the corner and nailing him with elbows and fists. Gordy hulks up and does the same to Cactus, nailing him with a clothesline. Gordy tries to force Cactus into the thumbtacks, but Cactus fights off, and is apparently doing a .2 Muta. Gordy tries to bulldog Cactus into the tacks, but Jack wisely backs off and rolls outside. Gordy follows him out, but Cactus gets the advantage and slams him into the post. Cactus tries to get Gordy to go into the barbed wire, but he counters with a backdrop. Gordy tries to piledrive jack into the barbed wire, but Jack backdrops Gordy out of the ring. Cactus goes up top, but Gordy catches him and slams him to the outside. Back in the ring we go. Whip to the corner (through the thumbtacks), and Jack slumps into the pile... and Gordy stomps him! Jack comes up with all kinds of thumbtacks stuck in his face. He picks them out, but gets the barbed wire baseball bat (remember that?) and nails Gordy. Gordy slumps across the bottom rope, and Jack legdrops his head. Five minutes gone.

Back outside, Gordy actually gets the advantage, throwing Jack into the crowd. Gordy sets Jack up on the VIP tables and piledrives him. The table does not break. Back inside the ring they go, and Gordy powerbombs Jack into the tacks! He goes for a second powerbomb, but Jack switches the momentum, and Gordy has to drop him to the mat. Gordy with punches, but Jack throws a handful of tacks into him, then DDTs Gordy on the tacks! And that's it.

WINNER: CACTUS JACK, pinfall, 6'58".

Post-match, Gordy stomps Jack some more and they brawl around. In the back, Cactus screams "GORDY!". Gordy, meanwhile, offers up a great promo. "Shit! Fuck! The motherfucker beat me! Fuck!"

Shoji Nakamaki and Hiroshi Ono talk about their upcoming match, which means retirement for the loser.

HIROSHI ONO vs. SHOJI NAKAMAKI, BARBED WIRE BASEBALL BAT THUMBTACK DEATH MATCH, LOSER MUST RETIRE.

Ono gets the bat, and Nakamaki dares him to hit him, which he does. Ono drops the bat, and we repeat the spot with Nakamaki taking a few swings. Collar and elbow, with neither man budging. Finally, Ono shoves Nakamaki into the corner, and we see some machismo slaps until Nakamaki decides to headbutt Ono. Outside we go, and Ono gets slammed into the ring bell. Nakamaki gets a running start of about 30 feet, and throws Ono into the crowd. HE nails him with chairs before throwing him back, then throws him into another set of railings. Ono rams Nakamaki into the post of a nearby ring, then starts biting at his forehead. Into the ring they go, and Ono nails a Russian Legsweep for two. Sloppy chokeslam also gets two. Ono up top with a flying clothesline gets two again. Whip to the ropes, lariat by Ono, and another two-count. Another whip to the ropes, Nakamaki ducks the clothesline and nails one of his own, and *he* covers for two. Nakamaki throws Ono outside and drags him back to the ring we started in, which has the thumbtacks. Nakamaki fails to drive Ono headfirst into the tacks on two separate attempts, then decides to go to an STF at the five minute mark.

Ono fights out of it and makes it to the ropes. Both men are doing a .4 Muta here, with Ono bleeding from just under his right eye. Nakamaki releases the hold and bulldogs Ono, falling short of the tacks. But he's got a plan... He moves the tray full of tacks and goes for another bulldog, but Ono stops short, spins around and backdrops him into the tacks! He does it a second time, then covers... for two. He goes for a third backdrop, but Nakamaki twists in mid-move and Ono goes in. Nakamaki powerbombs Ono into the tacks, then does the arrogant cover for two. Nakamaki does a full-nelson front legsweep on Ono into the tacks, and that ends Ono's career.

WINNER: SHOJI NAKAMAKI, pinfall, 7'19"

Post-match, Ono's seconds check on him, Nakamaki gets the mic, and the two men hug. Nakamaki takes off his shirt and throws it into the crowd before bowing to the crowd. We get the post-match interview with both men, and Ono bows to the winner.

So that ends the first round of the tourney, which means we go to some undercard stuff.

TAKESHI OKANO (challenger) vs. FLYING KID ICHIHARA (champion), WWA LIGHTHEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH.

This match was heavily edited down - in fact, I count about three or four blatant edits within the first two minutes alone. Which is fine with me, since this match really wasn't all that great. Anyway, Takeshi Ono rolls through an Ichihara rana attempt to get the pin.

WINNER AND NEW WWA LIGHTHEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: TAKESHI OKANO, pinfall, 17'01" (

KAMIKAZE vs. THE ICEMAN

Oh, Lord did this match suck. Kamikaze wasn't so bad, but Iceman is just some big fat guy in a purple and gold mask and bodysuit. The costume makes Shark Boy's look professional... Anyway., Iceman gets the duke by reversing a rollup into a really shitty leg-roll clutch.

WINNER: THE ICEMAN, pinfall, 9'45"

The sun is starting to set in Yokohama, which provides an interesting lack of lighting for the second round.

TIGER JEET SINGH vs. TERRY FUNK, BARBED WIRE BOARD PLATE GLASS DEATHMATCH.

Singh chases the crowd away with his sword. Funk is still bleeding from his encounter with Leatherface. Singh starts beating the crap out of a ring attendant and drives him into one of the barbed wire boards. Funk retaliates by knocking Singh into the crowd. Singh, however, still has his sword and is pounding Funk with the handle. Funk punches himself in the forehead to draw more blood. Singh works on Funk's already bloody left arm with the sword, then drops the sword in favor of a piece of metal he saw lying around. SIngh sizes Funk up and jabs him in the side with it. Funk's head wound is now pouring buckets of blood, and he's at a .5 Muta. Off camera, Funk crashes into the plate glass, and we hear a blood-curdling female scream. Singh is merciless in gouging Funk's eye with that piece of metal, and Funk is practically crying for his mommy. The ref tries to pull Singh off Funk, and Singh releases the hold. Funk rolls back into the ring, and Singh still has that piece of metal. Funk gets some momentum back with a heabutt, then picks up the metal which Singh dropped, then throws the ref out and starts attacking Singh, calling him a "motherfucker". Funk sizes Singh up for some punches at the five minute mark, but Singh blocks the attempt at a spinning toe hold.

Singh pulls a foreign object out of his boots and jams Funk in the shoulder. Singh calls CActus Jack down to ringside, and he grabs Singh's sword to attack Cactus, but Funk rolls out of the way and Singh gets hit, which is all Funk needs for the pinfall.

WINNER: TERRY FUNK, pinfall, 6'04".

In the back Funk says two down, one to go, then says "If I'm lucky I'll fucking do it." Singh gets to the back and is still screaming for Goto.

CACTUS JACK vs. SHOJI NAKAMAKI, BARBED WIRE BOARD BED OF NAILS DEATHMATCH

Cactus gets to the ring and moves the bed of nails closer to one of the corners, then offers up a hearty "BANG! BANG!' for the crowd. Both men are bandaged up from their previous encounters. Collar and elbow to start, and Nakamaki shoves Cactus into the corner, then offers up a clean break... which no one applauds for until Jack prompts them to. Jack shoves Nakamaki into the corner, and starts to cleanly break before kicking Nakamaki in the head. Nakamaki stays on the apron, avoiding a fall into a barbed wire board, but Jack baseball slides him into it. Jack props up a barbed wire board and goes to whip Nakamaki into it, but Danger Man reverses it and Jack takes the ride. Jack no-sells it, though, and clotheslines NAkamaki down. Cactus brings the bed of nails into the ring and goes to suplex Nakamaki on the outside, but Nakamaki reverses it. They hea back towards the ring, but not before Cactus throws the barbed wire board at Nakamaki. cactus then rips some of the barbed wire off and shoves it into Nakamaki's skull. Cactus rolls back in and sets of the bed of nails, and rubs Nakamaki's scalp into the bottom of the board. Nakamaki counters by shoving Cactus into the bed of nails repeatedly. Nakamaki goes outside to get the barbed wire board, and Jack's bleeding from the arm. Cactus catches Nakamaki (who's at .5 Muta), drapes him across the middle rope, props the barbed wire on top of him, then elbows the barbed wire! But it only gets 2.5, as the Danger Man doesn't know when to quit. Cactus drops the barbed wire on Nakamaki at the five minute mark.

Cactus tries to throw Nakamaki out of the ring again, but Nakamaki hangs on, and catches his boot and his shoulders on the second bed of nails at ringside. Cactus moves the bed of nailsfurther away from the ring and slams Nakamaki, though not on the board. NExt comes the spot Cactus talks about in his book, where he lays the bed of nails onto Nakamaki, then elbow drops the whole mess from the apron! He rolls Nakamaki back in, but only gets 2.5 again! Cactus with headbuts on the .8 Muta Nakamaki, who counters with headbutts of his own, driving Jack into the bed of nails still in the ring, then shoving him onto the barbed wire. Nakamaki goes for a splash, but Cactus rolls out and Nakamaki hits nothing but the barbed wire that had been underneath Jack. Cactus tries for a suplex onto the barbed wire, but Nakamaki blocks it twice... but three's the charm, and Danger Man goes into the barbed wire board. Cactus comes off the second rope with an elbow, and gets another 2.5 on the subsequent cover. Jack goes for another elbow drop and an other cover, but Nakamaki will not stay down! Cactus rams Nakamaki into the corner, but it has no effect. Danger Man hulks up and nails Jack with a series of headbutts, then a DDT onto the barbed wire, but Jack only stays down for two. Both men struggle to their feet, and Cactus nails the double-arm DDT. This time, Nakamaki stays down for three.

WINNER: CACTUS JACK, pinfall, 9'49"

...which nicely sets up our final - Cactus Jack vs. Terry Funk. Post-match, Nakamaki takes off his shirt again, talks to the crowd, and throws another shirt to the crowd. Cactus says that the next match with Funk will "separate the men from the old bastards!" Nakamaki also gets interviewed in the back.

Before the next match, Gypsy Joe (who refereed a few of the matches tonight) is introduced to the crowd, and someone is given a ten-bell salute.

THE HEADHUNTERS (challengers) vs. EL TEXANO & SILVER KING (champions), IWA world Tag Team Title match.

The Headhunters are 400+ lb. twins, so it's generally impossible to tell the two apart. The Headhunters take it to the Mexicans early, and the Headhunters isolate Silver King, who's able to nail a Headhunter with a drop kick. But the Headhinters take control with some decent double teaming on Silver King. Some editing is involved, as Silver King is miraculously able to tag out to El Texano, who also gets smacked down by the much larger Headhunters. The Headhunters' big move seems to be the double press slam, though the fatass legdrop/fatass splash seems to be a favorite as well. Jump cut to los Mexicanos doubleteaming a Headhunter, and El Texano with a tope con hilo. Then a Silver King flying body press... then, whichever Headhunter was inside the ring nails his own tope con hilo! FLY, FATASS, FLY! Jump cut to more Mexicano double teaming, as El Texano gets a two count on a Headhunter. Texano with a cross arm breaker. He releases the hold, and unsuccessfully tries to slam the Headhunter. Whip to the ropes, and Texano with a sunset flip. Headhunter tries for a sitdown splash, but El Texano rolls out. Tag to Silver King, and they try a double suplex... but Headhunter reverses it and suplexes both men. The Mexicans try again and scuceed this time. Both go to the top rope and nail elbow drops, but El Texano can only get a 2.5 count on the Headhunter. Double headbutt, and there is absolutely no crowd noise for any of this. A pair of slams, and both Headhunters go to the top. Headhunter A (I think) splashes Silver King, but Headhunter B misses a moonsault. More cuts, as El Texano does the ten-punch in the corner on a Headhunter, while the other Headhunter tosses Silver King into the crowd. Both Headhunters team up on Texano, and put him away with a top-rope spiked powerbomb. Silver King is too late to stop the pinfall.

WINNERS AND NEW IWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: THE HEADHUNTERS, Headhunter A pins El Texano, 17'39" (about five minutes shown)

Dan Severn is interviewed in the back, and seems bemused by the fact that he's taking on a madman like Tarzan Goto. Severn's plan: expect the unexpected. You know, Severn's promo wasn't *that* bad... Goto is also interviewed.

TARZAN GOTO (challenger) vs. DAN "THE BEAST" SEVERN (champion), NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH.

IWA Heavyweight champion Goto starts off with a slap, and the ref keeps Severn from ripping his head off. Goto grabs a chair from ringside, and Severn invites him to bring it in. Severn even holds the ropes open for him, but while the ref distracts Severn, Goto hooks a sleeper. Severn tries to flip out of it to break the hold, and once he does, Goto goes back outside and starts throwing chairs into the ring. Goto comes back in, and Severn goes after his legs with a grapevine. Severn wrenches at Goto's knee, but Goto flips over and turns it into a single leg crab. Severn escapes the hold by getting to the ropes, and Goto kicks Severn out of the ring. Severn comes back in and Goto goes to town on the champ with kicks and headbutts, sending the champ to the mat. Goto continues with the headbutts, then hits a jumping arm breakerand a wakigatame. Severn flips out of it, but Goto goes to a cross arm breaker. Severn stands to get out of it, then drops a series of knees onto Goto before working in a rear naked choke. Goto rolls out of it, and both men leave the ring. Goto's already busted open and grabs a beer bottle from under the ring. He breaks the bottle, and goes after Severn, who blocks it with a chair. Both men brawl into the crowd (!), where Goto uses a chair on Severn. The lighting is horrible, but Goto just keeps thwoing chairs at Severn , trying to bury him in the pile. Five minutes gone.

Goto gets back to the ring first. The referee helps Severn back up, and Severn is PISSED! Severn throws about half a dozen chairs at Goto, then climbs back towards the ring... but Goto chases him off with the threat of a chairshot. Severn gets a chair, ducks a Goto chairshot, and now we're playing dueling chairs! Both chairs fly out, and Severn hurls Goto to the mat. Severn misses a kneedrop, and we're back outside. Goto slams Severn's knee with a chair as the ref tries to break it up. Goto back in with the chair, and he's using it liberally on Severn. Goto with a running knee and a cover for two. Goto goes back to the headbutts, and nails a facebuster, also for two. Goto nails a second facebuster, and only gets a one count! Whip to the ropes reversed by Severn, who nails a wicked Mountain Bomb at the 10 minute mark.

Goto misses a clothesline, and Severn nails a big German suplex, then goes to a chinlock, which he's able to turn into a rear naked choke. Goto fights to stay conscious, but Severn refuses to let go. He turns it into a sleeper, and Goto is out cold! Severn celebrates as the ref rings the bell.

WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION: DAN "THE BEAST" SEVERN, TKO, 11'35".

Post-match, Severn brings Goto around and tries to be a good sport, but Goto shoves him away. Goto gets on the stick and runs Severn down and goes after him, but the rings fills up and everyone pulls Goto and Severn off each other. Severn gets on the stick and says "Look at me, Goto! Tonight, the NWA belt was on the line. Next time I face you, I want the IWA belt on the line also!" Goto gets the stick back, and apparently agrees.

In the back, Severn says it was a "hard-fought"

And that's it for tonight, please drive safely.

Oh, wait - there's the matter of the final match of the night...the tournament final.

TERRY FUNK vs. CACTUS JACK, NO ROPE/BARBED WIRE EXPLOSIVE/BARBED WIRE BOARD/TIME BOMB DEATHMATCH.

We see the four barbed wire boards in the ring, the barbed wire replacing the ring ropes, and the time bombs outside.

Terry opens up with punches, but Cactus is able to roll with them, and tries to throw Funk to the lack of ropes... but Funk stops short because he's so smart. Another collar and elbow, and Terry starts with headbutt and punches, and nails Jack with a neckbreaker. Terry whips Cactus to the ropes, but Jack slides under. Terry grabs one of the barbed wire boards and drags it to the center of the ring. Collar and elbow, and Cactus starts headbutting Funk, rubbing his face in the barbed wire ring ropes. He manages to rip Funk's head bandages off in the process. Cactus goes for a suplex, but Funk shoves him into another set of "ropes". Another hookup,a nd Cactus is punching Funk down. Funk's already busted open, and takes a fall into one of the exploding barbed wire boards... with less than impressive results. Cactus only gets a two-count. Cactus and Funk struggle near one of the sets of ropes, and Cactus gets shoved face first in. Funk punches Cactus, then hooks a Texas suplex into the board that already exploded. Whip to the "ropes" by Funk. Headbutts a-plenty by Funk, who moves one of the boards, then biels Cactus by his hair into the explosion! Five minutes gone.

Funk piledrives Cactus, then sets up another board facing away from the ring, and piledrives Jack onto the board (though not the barbed wire). Funk with his Texas jabs, and the big left sends Cactus to the ground. Funk sets up another barbed wire board in the corner and throws Cactus right into it. Cover gets only two. Cactus rolls out as the announcer says it's only three minutes until the time bomb. Cactus attacks Funk with whatever he can find at ringside, drops an elbow, then puts a barbed wire board on Funk for another elbow. Cactus tries to whip Funk into the crowd, but Funk reverses it and Cactus goes in. Funk drags him back into the ring, and it's less than two minutes until the time bomb goes off. Funk goes for a spinning toe hold, but Jack won't submit. Jack punches out of it just as Tiger Jeet Singh hits the ring and attacks Funk. Jack sets up another board, and it's less than one minute left until the big explosion! Cactus and Singh whip Funk into the board, which explodes on contact. Singh scatters, and Jack nails a neckbreaker, which gets 2.5! 30 seconds! Double-arm DDT gets two! 15 seconds! The ten count starts as Cactus gets another double-arm DDT off, then leaves the ring as the counter hits zero... and three flashpots go off. That was the big explosion. Terry Funk makes the international "What the hell was that?" gesture as Cactus rolls back in.

Funk backdrops CActus onto the last of the exploding barbed wire boards, and Cactus is doing a .8 Muta. Cactus rolls outside and throws a ladder in, and bashes it into Terry's head., then drops it onto the prone Funker. But Funk won't stay down for a three count.Cactus sets the ladder up in the center of the ring, climbs to the top, and has the Full Muta as he dives off with an elbow. Cover... and Funk kicks out at 2.9! Cactus goes back up to the top of the ladder, but FUnk tops it over, and Cactus goes sprawling into the barbed wire ring ropes. Both men are out of it, but Cactus manages to crawl over for a cover, and gets the three count in an anti-climactic end to the tourney.

WINNER AND IWA KING OF THE DEATHMATCH: CACTUS JACK, pinfall, 13'21".

Post-match, they try to clean up some of the carnage, and Jack is presented with the King Of The Deathmatch trophy. Cactus calls out for Terry, but Funk is too hurt to go back. Cactus is in a bit of a daze as he gets on the stick, calling for Terry Funk once more. Cactus says it was "one hell of a match", then thanks the crowd. Battered and bloody, Cactus is lead to the back.

In the post-match interview, Cactus says that while the press is calling him "the American Onita", and says that finally beating Funk may give him inner peace. Tiger Jeet Singh offers encouragement. Cactus says he doesn't feel like much of a king, and is disappointed that Funk wouldn't shake his hand.

We see Funk leave Kawasaki Stadium in an ambulance. Fade out.

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Epilogue:

Certainly, this was a historically important card. Apart from that... it really wasn't much. The Funk/Cactus match was anti-climactic (and I'm sure I've seen better explosions in chemistry class), but after fighting it out all day in that kind of heat, I can understand why they would half-ass it towards the end.

Best match of the tournament was probably Cactus vs. Nakamaki, both in terms of violence and match quality. There's nothing in this that would appeal to diehard puroresu fans, but people more interested in ECW-style brawling will probably enjoy this.

And Dan Severn showed more emotion in 20 minutes at an IWA event than in one year in the WWF.

To steal from the Netcop's system, I'd say this is a mild recommendation for historical purposes only, unless you love ECW-style brawling.