Control21

I just started a Pancrase watchthrough blog, which will be covering every Pancrase show up until September 1999 (when Pancrase more or less stops using their old rules), and probably some other things on the side, like Shamrock's UFC adventures. I will be doing this through the lens of a broader definition of professional wrestling. I will be sharing my thoughts on the matches specifically in this thread, but feel free to read along on the blog itself! I'd highly encourage everyone to read my introductory essay at the very least. Show reviews: https://pancrasespirit.wordpress.com/2026/06/20/pancrase-yes-we-are-hybrid-wrestlers-9-21-1993/ Introductory essay: https://pancrasespirit.wordpress.com/2026/06/17/nature-and-being-of-pancrase/ Yes, We Are Hybrid Wrestlers (9/21/1993) Minoru Suzuki vs Katsuomi Inagaki Immediately, the urgency in this match is off the charts. Both Suzuki and Inagaki are moving like this LIVE in the sense that we are, yes, SHOOTING. Live rounds and all. Suzuki immediately snatches Inagaki’s left leg and goes for a nice single-leg takedown. Suzuki is clearly very confident as he works from top control and doesn’t give Inagaki much room to breathe. Inagaki does manage to trip Suzuki while he hunts for a leg, and the two end up in a bit of a leglock tangle on the mat. Suzuki keeps cool and snatches Inagaki’s leg for a heel hook attempt almost immediately. Inagaki fights out, and the two scramble for a bit on the mat as the intensity is still quite impressive. Back on their feet, Inagaki tries to throw Suzuki off him in a clinch, but Suzuki stays on him. It does seem like Suzuki never loses control of this bout. Inagaki and Suzuki trade palm strikes before Suzuki lunges in for another single-leg takedown from the waist. Inagaki scrambles out again to his credit, but Suzuki just doesn’t relent. Suzuki gains control of Inagaki’s back in the process, and oh no….Suzuki is hunting for the rear-naked choke. It doesn’t take long for him to secure it, and Inagaki knows he is in deep shit. Inagaki is caught in no-man’s land and eventually taps. Suzuki lets out a primal scream after the bell, and he approaches All Japan Kickboxing’s president at ringside. In a bit of a famous scene, Suzuki requests a match against Maurice Smith. Will he get one? I guess we will find out soon! In any case, this was a very impressive performance from Suzuki. Inagaki, to his credit, put up a spirited fight, but Suzuki was just too good. For the fans watching in attendance, the first match must have been a bit of a surprise. It was only three minutes, and the finish came a bit suddenly. Yet….it also didn’t seem quite different from anything else they saw. Except for the pre-determined finish and cooperation. That was very fun, I think! ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: ***3/4 Bas Rutten vs Ryushi Yanagisawa Bas Rutten doesn’t seem too bothered by the occasion, and Ryushi Yanagisawa looks fairly confident. The bell rings, and the two trade quick kicks. Bas Rutten’s kick has a noticeable thud to it…and…yeah, he means business. He catches Yanagisawa with a devastating high kick, followed by a vicious palm strike. Yanagisawa is sent to the mat, but he manages to beat the ten count just in time. I have a bad feeling about this. After the match resumes, Bas Rutten comes rushing in with another palm strike and a nasty kick to Yanagisawa’s abdomen. That’s enough as Yanagisawa collapses to the mat in a stunned daze. The referee counts to ten, and Bas Rutten celebrates with his trademark jumping taunt for the first time. Wow, Bas Rutten made a statement there. Yanagisawa was just totally blitzed in 43 seconds. This was probably a more shocking finish than the first one we saw. The crowd seemed to agree! I’m sure they were thinking, “Is this for real?” Yes, it was quite real. Was it professional wrestling, though? We have a lot more questions to answer in this show, but if anything didn’t feel like pro wrestling on this show, it was this match. ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: **** Vernon "Tiger" White vs Yusuke Fuke The match has a quick start with Vernon testing Fuke with palm strikes before Vernon manages to get Fuke to the mat with a front guillotine, but Fuke manages to work his way out of it pretty quickly. Fuke establishes side control in the process and works both sides. Fuke is clearly hunting for a submission here, and he finds one with a Pillow V armlock, which looks quite painful! Vernon is in trouble, and he struggles quite a bit to break the hold. Fuke loses some leverage in the process, which helps relieve the pressure enough. Vernon tries to wiggle his way free, but Fuke stays on top of him and secures a cross armbar setup in the process. Vernon tries to headstand his way out of trouble, but Fuke increases the pressure in the process, and that’s enough to get Vernon to tap. Another quick finish! Both guys brought a ton of energy into the match, so credit to them for a good display of grappling. The crowd seems more prepared for a quick finish, and they seem to be understanding now that this is indeed different. It’s not as shocking as Bas Rutten annihilating Ryushi Yanagaisawa, but the brevity is still a bit breathtaking to anyone watching at the time. Still, there’s definitely a sense of pro wrestling here. The speed at which both Vernon and Fuke were grappling here is a treat. I don’t think they were going for entertainment straight out of the gate, but they allowed the quickness to take them where they wanted to go in terms of securing a legitimate submission. At least with Fuke, the fluidity comes naturally to him, especially as he transitions from a Pillow V to a cross armbar. No doubt this was something he picked up from his time in the UWF and PWFG dojos, and what they were doing there was a setup for what they would apply in a shoot-style setting. There’s a big common element here, I think! ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: **** Yoshiki Takahashi vs George Weingeroff The next bout is a bit of an interesting one. We have Yoshiki Takahashi, also of the PWFG dojo, against George Weingeroff. Weingeroff was a bit of a journeyman in the territory days, wrestling under nicknames like “Abdul Hassan” and “The Sheik.” He was also apparently an accomplished high school and collegiate wrestler in Tennessee. He’s also legally blind, and how he got to Pancrase is a bit of an unknown to me, but apparently, he made connections with Funaki during Funaki’s time in Florida during his PWFG stint, and Funaki figured he might be up to the challenge for a match on Pancrase’s debut show? I’m not entirely sure, but it’s an interesting combination nonetheless! Weingeroff would be roughly 41 years old here, so it’s certainly a bold and brave step for him. Yoshiki Takahashi arrives in his neon green trunks, while Weingeroff chooses to wear a black singlet. The bell sounds, and away we go! Weingeroff immediately pressures Takahashi into a corner, and perhaps this would be a smart strategy on most days, but Takahashi positions himself well and manages to fight out by creating enough distance to launch a knee. This forces Weingeroff to back off, and Takahashi moves a bit too quickly for Weingeroff on his feet. Takahashi delivers a sharp kick right to Weingeroff’s head, and he goes down fairly quickly. The referee starts a ten count, and Weingeroff manages to respond by the count of eight. The crowd applauds politely, and Weingeroff attempts to apply pressure again, but Takahashi immediately starts throwing strikes and delivers another sharp kick near the same area he landed one before. That’s enough to put Weingeroff down for good! Another very short match at 1:23, and by this point, I imagine most people in Tokyo NK Hall had accepted they were seeing real, legitimate SHOOTING. I feel a bit bad for Weingeroff. I don’t think he really knew what he was getting into, but perhaps he was! It’s a good showing for Takahashi in any case, and this type of bout wouldn’t have been a stranger in the UWF or PWFG undercards if they came up with the same idea. Very one-sided match, though, and I don’t think Weingeroff ever gave Takahashi much to think about. ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: *** Masakatsu Funaki vs Wayne Shamrock The bell sounds, and our fantastic main event is underway. Shamrock opens with a hard kick to Funaki’s abdomen, and Funaki responds by creating distance and attempting one of his own, but Shamrock dodges and throws another one, leading Funaki to check it this time. They briefly tangle up, but they move quite quick, and they end up darting across the ring, exchanging strikes and testing each other with feints. Shamrock looks supremely confident here, and his confidence pays off as he manages to tie up Funaki and gain control of his back. It’s clear to me that Shamrock has the strength and explosiveness advantage. Funaki doesn’t appear to have the same cutting edge here, and I think Shamrock senses this. On the mat, Shamrock stays on Funaki with his rear control, and doesn’t look too fussed by Funaki’s attempts to change position. Shamrock attempts to set up a rear-naked choke, but lets go for some reason as he rolls through and regains control of Funaki’s back as he escapes. I would like to note at this point that Robert Wu makes a similar observation in his commentary on the IATV version, and even asks Josh Barnett why Shamrock would let go there. Josh Barnett responds by saying that perhaps Shamrock felt he didn’t have the leverage he needed. Was this one of those moments where Shamrock allowed Funaki to remain in the contest to keep the match going longer? Hard to say! It’s not the strangest thing I’ve seen, but it gives food for thought. Back on the mat, Shamrock works from the rear as he attempts to gain an angle, but Funaki manages to roll over and attempts to neutralize Shamrock’s position by locking his arms around his waist, and then tries to create distance using his arms. Shamrock remains calm, and yeah, his strength might be too much for Funaki here. Shamrock forces his arm into Funaki’s neck, and this forces Funaki to roll over again. Shamrock is in total control here, and he is just casually giving Funaki a ton to think about. It doesn’t seem Shamrock is happy with the angles he has, so he keeps hunting, and this allows Funaki to escape and free up his legs. Shamrock is happy to allow this and picks one for a heel hook attempt, and the two engage in a bit of a leg lock battle near the ropes. This forces the referee to stand both back up eventually. This is a classic shoot-style spot! They were just applying what they knew to a real setting. On their feet again, Shamrock measures up Funaki and delivers another sharp kick. Funaki clinches with Shamrock, and Shamrock muscles him down to the mat again while establishing top control. Funaki attempts to create distance again, but Shamrock applies more pressure with his forearms. Shamrock seems to be looking for an arm triangle here, and he gets it! Funaki is in trouble and seemingly out of ideas. Shamrock leans into the hold, increasing the pressure while finding an ideal angle. I think he has it…and YEAH, FUNAKI TAPS! Shamrock lets go and immediately starts celebrating while screaming. He is a happy camper! And why shouldn’t he be? That’s a well-deserved victory! I must say that the audience seems fairly shocked that Funaki lost that match, and never really seemed to be giving Shamrock much trouble. How often did the top guy lose their first match at the first major show in Japan? Not very often! Especially not in a match that only goes 6:15! Despite the way Shamrock controlled the match and the way Funaki never threatened Shamrock with a submission, this was still a very exciting match to watch. I’m not sure if Shamrock letting go of that rear-naked choke setup was an attempt to keep the match going longer, but I do feel that Shamrock probably wanted to keep things going a little bit longer when he went for the arm triangle, but he sensed that Funaki was out of ideas and went for the kill. Is this something that a pro wrestler would do in a real fight? I’d say so. Both Funaki and Shamrock brought a ton of energy into the match regardless, in line with the theme that defined most of the show earlier. In the same way that Fuke allowed his dojo training to guide him to the cross armbar against Vernon White, I think both Shamrock and Funaki allowed themselves to be guided by their shoot-style knowledge, and only lifted the barriers that existed in shoot-style to fully engage in a pure shoot. Pro wrestling without limits, in other words, and pro wrestling defined by legitimacy at the center, with the entertainment aspects more as periphery elements. In other words, this match was the clearest signal yet that Pancrase was taking pro wrestling back to its roots. ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: ****1/2

UWF Newborn – “Battle Dimension: Fukuoka” June 21st, 1991 Fukuoka, Japan Hakata Starlanes Attendance: 4,000 (sold out) Broadcast: WOWOW (taped) Koji Kanemoto vs Steve Nelson Steve Nelson was looking to get some momentum going in his fledgling UWF career, but Koji Kanemoto had other ideas. The two young lions were hungry, and they both brought a ton of energy into the early stages of the match. Kanemoto launched a seemingly endless number of kicks, while Steve Nelson played defense smartly and managed to score several takedowns by going for Kanemoto’s legs. On the mat, Nelson scored points early by forcing Kanemoto to exhaust a couple of rope breaks, but Kanemoto settled into his rhythm and defended himself better against Nelson’s grappling as time went on. Nelson’s weaknesses against striking were also exposed as the match continued, and Kanemoto took advantage of this with harder kicks and combos, resulting in two quick knockdowns almost back-to-back. In the end, Kanemoto delivered a sharp German suplex, which was enough to put away the American for the ten count. Kanemoto defeats Nelson via KO, 9:58 Mitsuya Nagai vs Billy Scott In another bout featuring two UWF trainees, Billy Scott took control early and never really let up against Nagai, especially in terms of dictating affairs on the mat. Nagai was spirited, but his rawness was still evident, and Billy Scott used his grappling finesse to exploit Nagai’s openings. It wasn’t total domination, but it seemed like Nagia never really settled into a good strategy, and Scott racked up points early with rope breaks and knockdown after a strong side suplex. Later in the second half, Nagai attempted a comeback after successfully hitting Scott with a strong combo that led to a knockdown, but Scott recovered quickly and went straight back to work, frustrating Nagai further. Nagai couldn’t get outside of his own head, and Scott caught him with a rolling double-wristlock takedown that he turned into a straight armlock. Nagai struggled to break the hold, but Scott applied enough pressure to force the tapout. Scott defeats Nagai via submission (straight armlock), 8:11 Grom Zaza vs Chris Benoit Zaza brought an unfamiliar, Eastern European grappling pedigree into the ring, and Benoit was determined not to let that unpredictability throw off his usual approach. Benoit stuck to his strengths early, looking to chain together takedowns and pressure Zaza's positional awareness. Zaza proved surprisingly slippery, using leverage and an unorthodox sense of timing to scramble out of trouble more than once. Benoit's frustration grew as a clean double-leg attempt was reversed into a tight front headlock that forced his first rope break of the match. Settling back in, Benoit became more patient, choosing his entries more carefully and chipping away with palm strikes to slow Zaza's movement. Zaza answered back with a stiff knockdown off a counter strike that briefly swung momentum his way, but Benoit's superior conditioning and mat fundamentals began to show as the match progressed, and he started controlling longer stretches on the canvas. After evening the points with a takedown of his own, Benoit set up a snug heel hook that Zaza couldn't quite escape this time, and the Georgian had no choice but to submit. Benoit defeats Zaza via submission (heel hook), 12:18 Yusuke Fuke vs Wayne Shamrock Fuke faced a difficult task in the powerful and increasingly polished Shamrock. Shamrock wasted little time pressing his physical advantages, looking to bully Fuke into bad positions with strength rather than finesse. Fuke, however, showed real composure for a young wrestler of his experience, using quickness and flexibility to avoid Shamrock's heavier shots and find brief openings of his own on the mat. A sharp ankle pick from Fuke even forced an early rope break out of Shamrock, much to the crowd's surprise. But Shamrock's superior strength eventually became the deciding factor, as he began to smother Fuke's scrambling attempts and wear him down with sustained top control. Fuke's resistance bought him a couple of additional rope breaks, but Shamrock's pressure never let up, and after stuffing one last desperate escape attempt, Shamrock transitioned smoothly into a tight kneebar that left Fuke no room to maneuver. Shamrock defeats Fuke via submission (kneebar), 10:42 Minoru Suzuki vs Naoya Ogawa This was a clash of styles as much as personalities. Suzuki’s agility and refined catch wrestling skills went up against Ogawa’s strength and judo-honed throws. Ogawa wanted this fight in tight quarters from the outset, looking to use his superior size to control collar-and-elbow exchanges and set up his trademark throws. Suzuki, characteristically unwilling to simply absorb that kind of pressure, fired off hard leg kicks and slipped to the outside whenever Ogawa closed the distance, frustrating Ogawa's attempts to find a clean grip. A sudden Ogawa hip toss briefly put Suzuki on the back foot, forcing a rope break as Ogawa hunted for a quick follow-up submission, but Suzuki recovered well and returned to peppering Ogawa with strikes and quick takedown attempts. The two traded knockdowns in a tense midsection of the match, with neither man willing to cede control for long. Suzuki's persistence eventually paid off as he ducked through a clinch attempt and locked in a tight guillotine choke from the front and rolled through to lock in the hold on the mat. Despite Ogawa's strength advantage, there was no escaping the position in time. Suzuki defeats Ogawa via submission (rolling guillotine choke), 14:51 Kiyoshi Tamura vs Masahito Kakihara Two of the promotion's most dynamic young talents met here, and the pace was electric from the bell. Both men were eager to establish their presence early, trading sharp exchanges that drew appreciative reactions from the crowd. Kakihara's hard palm strikes found a home a few times, but Tamura's superior footwork and timing allowed him to avoid the worst of it and counter with quick combinations of his own. The two also tested each other extensively on the mat, with Tamura's growing reputation as a complete technician evident as he took control of the match in this aspect of the bout. Kakihara’s energy was muted by Tamura’s technical superiority, resulting in a few rope breaks and a 1-0 lead for Tamura. A later spirited exchange saw both men score knockdowns in quick succession, keeping the points close and the crowd fully invested. Kakihara's aggression nearly paid off when he rocked Tamura with a sharp kick combination, but Tamura weathered it and used the resulting scramble to drag Kakihara to the mat, where his technical skills came in handy again. After forcing another rope break with a cross-armbreaker attempt, Tamura finally secured the hold fully through a flying cross-armbreaker attempt, and the submission was unavoidable. Tamura defeats Kakihara via submission (cross-armbreaker), 15:33 Masakatsu Funaki vs Manabu Yamada Yamada faced a stern early test against Funaki, who was increasingly one of the most dangerous members of the UWF roster. Funaki controlled the pace from the outset, using sharp leg kicks to keep Yamada at range before closing the distance and forcing the action to the mat on his terms. Yamada showed flashes of promise, particularly in his ability to scramble back to his feet when Funaki threatened to settle into a dominant position, but his inferiority showed, giving Funaki several angles to attack a limb. Funaki forced an early rope break with a snug kneebar attempt, and Yamada's response was to fight even harder for distance on the feet, looking to land something clean before Funaki could drag him back down. That strategy yielded little success, however, as Funaki's striking was just as sharp as his grappling, and a stiff combination sent Yamada briefly to the canvas for a knockdown. With the match well in hand on points, Funaki eventually closed the show by catching a tired Yamada shooting in and rolling him directly into a tight heel hook. Funaki defeats Yamada via submission (heel hook), 11:27 Satoru Sayama vs Gerard Gordeau Gordeau's karate background made for a great pairing with Sayama, who was eager to get back into winning form after a relatively lengthy break from the promotion. Gordeau looked to use his reach advantage early, throwing hard, probing kicks that kept Sayama at a distance. Sayama, never one to be rushed, studied Gordeau's rhythm patiently before darting in with a sudden low kick that briefly disrupted Gordeau's stance. Gordeau answered with a powerful counter strike that forced Sayama into playing defense for a few minutes. Gordeau looked dangerous and started to land sharp blows on Sayama. Undeterred, Sayama shifted his strategy and began mixing in feints and takedown attempts to draw Gordeau toward the mat, neutralizing Gordeau’s danger and giving Sayama a chance to take control of the bout. Gordeau defended, using his strength to muscle back to his feet on several occasions, but Sayama's persistence and craft began to wear on him. After evening the score with a sweeping roundhouse kick that briefly stunned the Dutchman, Sayama seized the opportunity to lock in a swift single-leg Boston crab before Gordeau could react in any meaningful way. Gordeau strained for the ropes but couldn't quite reach in time and was forced to tap. Sayama defeats Gordeau via submission (single-leg Boston crab), 13:09 Akira Maeda vs Volk Han Two of the most respected names in the promotion collided in a highly anticipated championship bout. Maeda, wary of Han's ability to conjure submissions from out of nowhere, kept his engagements deliberately conservative, preferring to control range with kicks rather than commit fully to the mat. Han, in turn, seemed content to let Maeda dictate the pace early, patiently waiting for any small opening to spring one of his trademark entanglements. That patience nearly paid off when Han caught a Maeda leg kick and spun directly into a heel hook attempt, forcing Maeda to scramble desperately for the ropes. Maeda regrouped and became noticeably sharper with his striking afterward, landing a series of stiff kicks that started to visibly affect Han's movement. The match found a tense equilibrium from there, with Han threatening constantly from unconventional angles while Maeda relied on his superior striking power to keep the Russian honest. After the match saw both content to battle evenly on points, Maeda finally found the opening he needed, catching a fatigued Han with a hard combination that sent him reeling, and following up immediately with a cross-armbreaker that Han had no time to escape. Maeda defeats Han via submission (cross-armbreaker), 18:46 News and Notes (6/15-6/19/1991) It appears Vader's return to the UWF will be finalized next week at UWF's press conference after the Fukuoka show. Paperwork is being signed between WCW and UWF, and things are set for a formal announcement of the Akira Maeda vs Vader match at next month's anniversary show in Yokohama. (Wrestling Observer, 6/18/1991) UWF is planning on officially announcing its return to Brazil in early August at their post-Fukuoka press conference in Tokyo. There's a lot of excitement in the roster about the opportunity to wrestle in front of Brazilian fans again. A major match between Marco Ruas and either Satoru Sayama or Tatsumi Fujinami is rumored. In fact, Fujinami and Sayama might be facing each other at the anniversary event. Aleksandr Karelin is also expected to return for the big show in Yokohama, with several rumored names floating around. UWF plans on holding two events in August, with a show in Kobe slated later in the month. (Tokyo Sports, 6/15/1991)

Card Announcement: UWF Newborn - "Battle Dimension: Fukuoka" June 21st, 1991 Fukuoka, Japan Hakata Starlanes Koji Kanemoto vs Steve Nelson Mitsuya Nagai vs Billy Scott Grom Zaza vs Chrs Benoit New Generation Tournament: First Round Yusuke Fuke vs Wayne Shamrock Minoru Suzuki vs Naoya Ogawa Kiyoshi Tamura vs Masahito Kakihara Masakatsu Funaki vs Manabu Yamada Satoru Sayama vs Gerard Gordeau Undisputed World Heavyweight Title: Akira Maeda(c) vs Volk Han

Who are you to doubt Orange Cassidy? All joking aside, I think Joseph put out a very good list, and a nicely balanced one at that.

News and Notes (6/1-6/5/1991) UWF Newborn ran their "Battle Dimension: Nagoya" show on 5/29 at the Tsuyuhashi Sports Center in Nagoya before a sold-out crowd of 5,000, taped for WOWOW. The undercard was largely what you'd expect from this group, with Billy Scott and Steve Nelson opening in a decent enough young lion match, Scott getting the submission win at 8:57. Koji Kanemoto looked improved against Koichiro Kimura, taking the win via Boston crab at 11:21. Chris Benoit had another strong outing against Tatsuo Nakano, picking up the win with a pinfall off a German suplex-to-choke transition that was creative as hell. Masahito Kakihara handled Eric Edelenbos from the Dolman gym in Amsterdam by KO at 12:03 in a decent match. The Tamura and Yamazaki tag against Joe Malenko and Erik Paulson was probably one of the most fun tag matches this promotion has done, with Tamura in particular looking like a star in the making. Yamazaki closed it out with a cross-armbreaker at 15:17. The top four matches are really where this show delivered. Wayne Shamrock pulling off the upset over Yoshiaki Fujiwara with a bridging Dragon suplex was a genuine shock, and the Nagoya crowd lost their minds for it. Shamrock fighting out of a double wristlock that Fujiwara trapped him with was incredible, and this was probably Shamrock's best performance in the company to date. Sayama and Onita against Ogawa and Fujinami was a solid tag match, with Onita tapping Fujinami with a guillotine at 15:01. The Takada-Han match was everything you'd want it to be, with Han delivering one of his trademark breathtaking sequences, turning a potential cross-armbreaker into a cross heel hold for the submission win over Takada at 16:46. The main event saw Maeda take a beating from Dick Vrij before gutting out the rear-naked choke win at 18:55. Vrij looked legitimately dangerous and Maeda's comeback from a rough middle stretch made for a compelling main event. Strong show overall, probably one of the better shows UWF Newborn has had this year. (Wrestling Observer, 6/4/1991) ----- Bonus! Dave Meltzer's Star Ratings! Chris Benoit defeated Tatsuo Nakano at 13:44 via pinfall. This was a good match. Nakano's palm strikes are legitimate, and Benoit had to adjust his entire game plan early after getting rocked. The story of Benoit figuring out how to duck under the strikes and attack the legs was well told, and the finishing sequence with the German suplex transitioning into the rear-naked choke that Nakano survived before getting caught in the pinning combination was creative and unexpected. Benoit continues to impress every time out in this promotion and is clearly one of the better workers they have brought in from the outside. *** Kiyoshi Tamura and Kazuo Yamazaki defeated Joe Malenko and Erik Paulson at 15:17 when Yamazaki submitted Malenko with a cross-armbreaker. This was the best tag match this promotion has done and one of the better matches on the show. The dynamic of Tamura and Yamazaki using speed and striking to counter the more methodical submission work of Malenko and Paulson was well conceived and well executed. Tamura in particular was exceptional here. There is a sequence where he knocks down both Paulson and Malenko in succession that got an enormous reaction and was completely deserved. Yamazaki's counter-grappling was sharp whenever Malenko or Paulson tried to slow things down. Tamura, at this point, looks like one of the best young workers in the world, and every performance reinforces that. ***½ Wayne Shamrock defeated Yoshiaki Fujiwara at 16:22 via pinfall with a bridging Dragon suplex. This was a genuinely great match, and the result was a legitimate shock. Fujiwara is one of the best ever at this style, and Shamrock came in aggressive, which was the right call, but Fujiwara, being Fujiwara, was patient and waited for the opening and got the first rope break with an arm entanglement off a rushed single leg attempt. Shamrock recalibrated and the match got very good from there with both men fighting for position on the mat. The spot where Shamrock fought out of the double wristlock was incredible, and the crowd completely turned for him at that point. For Shamrock to then immediately come back and catch Fujiwara with the bridging Dragon suplex for the pin was as good a finishing sequence as you will see. Fujiwara losing clean to Shamrock here is a big deal and is a significant rub for the American. ****1/4 Volk Han defeated Nobuhiko Takada at 16:46 via submission with a cross heel hold. This was everything you would expect from these two and then some. Han is simply one of the most creative submission wrestlers on the planet right now, and the range of holds he attempted from positions that should not allow for any offense at all is something that has to be seen to be believed. Takada was characteristically disciplined and smart, using his kicks to keep distance and refusing to engage on the mat unless he was confident in his position, which is the correct approach against Han. The finish was the highlight of the entire show. Takada going for a cross-armbreaker and Han rolling through and converting it into a cross heel hold in one motion was breathtaking and the crowd reacted accordingly. Takada tapping to Han is not a small thing and Han continues to look like one of the best workers in the world every single time out. Match of the night by a comfortable margin. ****½ Akira Maeda defeated Dick Vrij at 18:55 via submission with a rear-naked choke. Good main event. Vrij's kickboxing is as legitimate as it gets, and Maeda had no interest in letting this become a stand-up fight, which was the smart call. Vrij's takedown defense was much better than expected in the early going, and he was landing body kicks that were visibly hurting Maeda. The head kick midway through that dropped Maeda was the most dramatic moment of the match, and Maeda was genuinely fortunate to beat the count. What followed was a very good stretch of Maeda using ring intelligence and clinch work to survive before slowly reasserting himself as Vrij tired. Once Maeda started hitting takedowns and hunting submissions consistently, Vrij was in trouble, and the rope breaks piled up quickly. The rear-naked choke finish was decisive. Maeda looked genuinely vulnerable in a way that was good for business, and Vrij looked like a legitimate threat throughout, even in defeat. Strong main event to close out a very good show. **** ----- Vader is apparently close to returning to UWF Newborn in what would be a working arrangement between the promotion and World Championship Wrestling. The deal is not finalized, but sources indicate Vader is genuinely interested in renewing his relationship with UWF, and the feeling appears to be mutual. The natural direction if this comes together is a match with Akira Maeda at the anniversary show in July, which would make obvious sense given the unfinished business between the two from Vader's previous run with the promotion. Maeda is the current world champion and needs a credible big match opponent for what figures to be the promotion's most important show of the year, and there are very few names on the planet that fit that bill better than Vader at this point. The WCW working arrangement angle is worth watching closely. WCW has been increasingly aggressive about exploring working deals with Japanese promotions, and this would not be the first arrangement of this kind. Vader is one of the rare western wrestlers who has demonstrated he can operate credibly in a shoot-style environment, which is precisely why this pairing makes sense in a way it simply wouldn't with most WCW talents. If this gets finalized and Maeda vs. Vader happens at the anniversary show, it would be a genuinely big match and one of the more anticipated bouts the promotion has put together in some time. More on this as it develops. (Wrestling Observer, 6/4/1991) UWF Newborn officially announced their "New Generation" eight-man tournament at a press conference ahead of the Nagoya show, with first round matches set as Masakatsu Funaki vs. Manabu Yamada, Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Masahito Kakihara, Minoru Suzuki vs. Naoya Ogawa, and Wayne Shamrock vs. Yusuke Fuke. The tournament will begin in June, and the winner receives a cash bonus along with a significant bump in the UWF rankings, which, given how seriously this promotion treats its ranking system, is not a trivial incentive. The bracket is strong, and this is a genuinely interesting collection of young talent. The tournament concept is smart booking for UWF at this stage. Shamrock's recent upset win over Fujiwara has given him real momentum, and a deep run here would go a long way toward cementing him as a legitimate player in the promotion rather than just an impressive foreigner who got lucky on one big night. Funaki and Tamura are probably the two favorites on paper, and a potential final between them would be a very big deal. Suzuki vs. Ogawa is a fascinating stylistic clash and could be the sleeper match of the first round. The winner of this tournament is not going to be handed a world title shot immediately, given where the rankings stand, but a strong performance throughout could absolutely accelerate someone's trajectory in a significant way. Brackets and scheduled dates for the remaining rounds are expected to be announced shortly. (Wrestling Observer, 6/4/1991) ----- Now for the big story of the week.... After months of speculation and careful maneuvering behind the scenes, UWF Newborn has finalized deals with five American collegiate wrestling stars in what has to be considered one of the most significant recruitment efforts in the history of the promotion. The signings, which were brokered largely through the tireless efforts of Lou Thesz, represent a major statement of intent from UWF regarding the direction of their American roster. The news was announced at the UWF post-event press conference on Monday afternoon. The five wrestlers signed are Mark Kerr, Mark Coleman, Kurt Angle, Kevin Randleman, and Randy Couture. All five are legitimate amateur standouts, and the caliber of this group is genuinely exceptional. This is not a case of UWF scraping the barrel for any available American body with a wrestling background. These are serious, decorated amateur competitors, and the acquisition of all five in one swoop is a remarkable achievement for the promotion. The story began earlier this year when Tokyo Sports reported that Thesz would be making a scouting trip to the United States with the NCAA Wrestling Championships as his primary destination. Thesz attended the championships, held from March 14th through March 16th, and subsequently made visits to several additional American wrestling events being held to determine qualifiers for the 1991 World Championships. Upon returning to Japan, Thesz met with UWF officials and, by all accounts, was very enthusiastic about what he had found. Sources close to the promotion were keeping details extremely tight at that stage, with the fear being that American promotions could potentially interfere with recruitment efforts if word got out too early. As we noted at the time, there was legitimate skepticism from some corners about how successful this effort would actually be. With the 1992 Olympics on the horizon, convincing decorated American amateur wrestlers to bypass their Olympic dreams in favor of transitioning to professional wrestling in Japan was always going to be a difficult sell. One source familiar with American amateur wrestling circles told us flatly that most young wrestlers at that level have no interest in turning professional before chasing the Olympics, and that the transition from collegiate amateur wrestling to pro wrestling straight out of college remains exceedingly rare regardless of financial incentive. The success of Duane and Dennis Koslowski in UWF had not gone unnoticed in American circles, and Thesz's legendary status in the amateur world gave UWF a credibility that most Japanese promotions simply would not have had, but the Olympic factor was always the central obstacle. Thesz made multiple trips back to the United States to continue negotiations after his initial scouting run. A significant round of talks was held in Virginia, and it was following that meeting that sources close to the situation indicated deals were imminent. The contracts are described as financially very competitive, which clearly played a role in getting this across the finish line. It was also confirmed that the agreements include provisions addressing the Olympic question, with sources indicating that Olympic participation clauses and compensation structures for wrestlers who might withdraw from Olympic qualifying were among the details being ironed out in the final stages of negotiation. The specifics of those clauses have not been made available. The plan for all five is not an immediate debut but rather an assignment to the UWF dojo, where they will undergo several months of training before being introduced. Thesz was reportedly insistent on this point, wanting the recruits properly prepared for the UWF style before they were put in front of a crowd. Given the promotion's reputation for working a credible, shoot-style product, this makes obvious sense. Raw athletic talent is one thing, but the UWF style demands a specific kind of preparation that even the most accomplished amateur wrestlers will need time to absorb. The success of the Koslowskis suggests the model works when given proper time, and UWF appears committed to taking the same patient approach here rather than rushing anyone out for a quick publicity pop. The depth of talent in this group is worth emphasizing. Without getting too deeply into the background of each individual, this is a collection of wrestlers who collectively represent some of the best American amateur wrestling has produced in recent years. If even two or three of them translate effectively to the UWF style, this could prove to be one of the most important roster moves the promotion has ever made. The obvious comparison point remains the Koslowskis, but the sheer volume of signings here suggests UWF is making a much more aggressive and sustained commitment to building an American presence than anything they have done previously. There will be plenty of questions going forward. How long the dojo period actually runs before any of these five see action remains to be seen. How the Olympic clauses are structured and whether any of them ultimately decide the Olympic dream outweighs the financial opportunity will be something to monitor. And of course, translating elite amateur credentials into compelling professional performances in the UWF style is far from automatic. But as a statement of ambition and organizational reach, this is a genuinely impressive development, and Thesz deserves enormous credit for pulling it off. More details as they become available. (Wrestling Observer, 6/4/1991)

Volk Han vs Bryan Danielson Volk Han vs Blue Panther Volk Han vs Vader Volk Han vs Genichiro Tenryu Kiyoshi Tamura vs Samoa Joe Kiyoshi Tamura vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara Yuki Ishikawa vs Vader Yuki Ishikawa vs William Regal Daisuke Ikeda vs Kota Ibushi

Big thanks to @Grimmas and everyone else involved in running this project. This was a massive behemoth, and seeing it through despite the difficulties that come up with something like this is very commendable. I'm very happy with how this list turned out. I would take it over 2016's list any day of the week. I thought Danielson would take the #1 spot, but I guess I underestimated the depth and universality of Funker's appeal. No complaints though!

King of the Ring was an excellent tournament and seemed like a major success for WWF. Flair vs Santana is a tasty matchup on paper, and I would be surprised if those two didn't deliver at SummerSlam.

The last month or so has been really good for WCW. Several pieces are coming together in a big way, and I think Clash of Champions is setting up to be one of the best shows of the year. Tenryu in WCW is going to be blockbuster.

Well, that's my "Complete and Accurate" of UWF Newborn in the books. I would say 1990 was the promotion's strongest year by far. 1989 wasn't too bad either, but things felt very flat during the stretch between July and November. The ceiling is definitely raised when Fujiwara, Suzuki, and Funaki arrive in the promotion, and it feels like everyone is pushing each other to get better at that point. It would have been interesting to see UWF get more international talent. The Dutch guys definitely added some flavor (Dick Vrij especially), and some of the American wrestlers like Wayne Shamrock and Mark Rush added depth. It's also a shame that Kiyoshi Tamura was injured for most of 1990. We were robbed of potential classics like Tamura vs Funaki or Tamura vs Fujiwara. Another thing I noticed is that Takada is involved with a lot of high-level stuff in UWF Newborn. I think he's a much better wrestler than people give him credit for, and while he definitely has moments where he checks out, he steps up to the plate when the moment demands it. My Top 10 UWF Newborn matches: 1. Nobuhiko Takada vs Akira Maeda (6/21/1990) 2. Masakatsu Funaki vs Tatsuo Nakano (7/24/1989) 3. Nobuhiko Takada vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (10/25/1990) 4. Kazuo Yamazaki vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (7/24/1989) 5. Nobuhiko Takada vs Akira Maeda (11/10/1988) 6. Nobuhiko Takada vs Akira Maeda (1/10/1989) 7. Nobuhiko Takada vs Akira Maeda (1/16/1990) 8. Bob Backlund vs Nobuhiko Takada (12/22/1988) 9. Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Tatsuo Nakano (1/16/1990) 10. Akira Maeda vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (7/20/1990) Honorable mentions: Masakatsu Funaki vs Yoji Anjo (6/14/1989) Nobuhiko Takada vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (2/27/1990) Akira Maeda vs Masakatsu Funaki (10/25/1990) Masakatsu Funaki vs Wayne Shamrock (12/1/1990) Minoru Suzuki vs Masakatsu Funaki (4/15/1990)

UWF Energy (12/1/1990) Kiyoshi Tamura vs Masahito Kakihara I expected these two to deliver, and they did. While Tamura looked impressive in his previous UWF outings, I think this match is really the start of the Kiyoshi Tamura we would eventually fall in love with in UWFi and RINGS. He is sharp, and despite his size, he is quite a physical presence. Kakihara is still a little raw, but Tamura plays off this well, and the stiff, tense nature of this match is the result of these two recognizing how to play the music, so to speak. Tamura is still vulnerable despite his rapid improvement, and Kakihara picks him off with well-timed strikes, but Tamura is just better, and he knows how to get under Kakihara's skin. Kakihara exhausts a lot of rope breaks as a result and is increasingly vulnerable to Tamura's striking. The two are pretty much even on points down the stretch, and both are down to their last out. Kakihara actually gets back into the match with some well-timed counters, but Tamura keeps pressing, and Kakihara burns all of his rope breaks. Tamura looks a bit upset after the match. He's aware that he couldn't get Kakihara to tap, and knows the victory isn't quite decisive. Mechanically, this is a very impressive match, a great example of what made Kakihara and Tamura so good, even this early in their careers. ****1/4 Yoji Anjo vs Minoru Suzuki Mechanically, this was a very solid match. Both Anjo and Suzuki demonstrated good technique and pushed each other on the mat with some very nice grappling mixed in with stand-up exchanges as well. This probably went a little longer than it should have, but it didn't really have any slow points, and they kept up a solid pace to give the bout a nice flow. There's a very creative finish at the end, which I enjoyed quite a bit. **** Bart Vale vs Kazuo Yamazaki Nothing particular exciting here, I'm not the biggest fan of Bart Vale, and it is painful to see him try to work the mat when he should be sticking to being a ferocious striker. Still, this isn't as bad as I expected, and Yamazaki does a good job of keeping the match on track. I admit, this match kinda just "happened" for me. *** Shigeo Miyato vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara This was decent enough. Miyato doesn't pose much of a threat until the last minute or so, so this is all about Fujiwara dictating his junior around the ring, although this isn't the most spirited Fujiwara performance you'll find either. The technical quality wasn't bad or anything, but I felt this match could have benefited from Miyato posing more of a threat and gunning for the upset over Fujiwara. ***1/2 Nobuhiko Takada vs Tatsuo Nakano This is a frustrating match to some degree. It's not terrible, but I got the feeling these two were approaching things in a way that was counterproductive. They went a little longer than they should have, and I felt that they missed an opportunity to have more stand-up exchanges, which would have allowed them to ramp things up and take the match to another level. The grappling work was fine, but it's obviously not Nakano's strength, and when Takada isn't feeling motivated, there's a very noticeable lack of urgency in his grappling. Nakano can't really make up for this, so they overstay their welcome with some sequences. Mechanically, the matwork is good....it's just not where it should be, and I think these two could have played to their strengths more. ***3/4 Masakatsu Funaki vs Wayne Shamrock I suppose having Masakatsu Funaki vs Wayne Shamrock as the main event of the final UWF show is very fitting. Of course, they didn't know it would be the final show, but these two represented the future of Kakutogi, and the fact that they served as the final sendoff for the promotion is quite poetic in retrospect. Both stepped up to the occasion, and the result was a technically sound match, with both displaying their grappling skills in the first half, before they decided to ratchet things up with some intense striking and suplex exchanges. It's not quite a preview of Pancrase in the same way Funaki vs Suzuki was earlier in 1990, but we still see glimpses of the technical craft that would define 90s shoot-style throughout promotions like UWFi, RINGS, and PWFG. Funaki finds his match in Shamrock, and it's the beginning of what would be a beautiful rivalry for years to come. Shamrock isn't a pushover on the mat, and Funaki has to work extra hard to exploit any openings, because Shamrock is both strong and quick. Funaki can't use his speed against Shamrock as he did against Maeda and Fujiwara; he has to resort to a more methodical, scientific wrestling to keep control of the pace. Shamrock's calling card is his striking and suplexes, and he uses this as an advantage to force Funaki out of his comfort zone. Funaki finds his rhythm in the process and delivers one heck of a performance in the second half of the match. Shamrock is a prodigy like his opponent, but Funaki's confidence and zeal are just too much to handle in the end. It's not quite a full-blown classic, but it's a great, if not low-key, finish to one of the greatest promotions in wrestling history. A burning, bright star dies, but several more are waiting to be born. One of them will retain the elements that Shamrock and Funaki brought to the table, and in the process, a whole new solar system will be born. ****1/2

UWF Atlantis (10/25/1990) Masahito Kakihara vs Yusuke Fuke Another good showing for these two. This match had a really hot start after Kakihara took a swing at Fuke right before the bell, and they exchanged stiff strikes afterwards. The action wasn't as constant as in their previous two matches, but the quality was still way above what you would expect. They spend a little more time stalling with matwork, but the striking exchanges are still pretty good. Neither guy really has the advantage, so they just keep going back and forth until they both start running low on gas. The nice thing about both guys is that they look like legitimate threats, and the idea of either of them going toe-to-toe with another roster member like Tamura or Miyato isn't entirely far-fetched. **** Shigeo Miyato vs Minoru Suzuki Nothing too bad here. There was a nice pace to this match, and both Suzuki and Miyato pushed each other enough that they didn't lose the main thread, so to speak. Suzuki kept a good control of things, and it didn't really feel like Miyato was a real threat until the last few minutes or so. This did cause the match to get stuck in a certain gear. Certain mechanical aspects of this match were quite impressive, including how Suzuki remained fluid and kept hunting for submissions even when Miyato attempted to slow the match down. Miyato wasn't a passenger, but it felt like this was the Suzuki show. ***3/4 Wellington Wilkins Jr vs Tatsuo Nakano A short match. Wellington Wilkins Jr seemed totally lost and/or lazy here. Nakano carries most of the match, and Wilkins doesn't seem interested at all. **3/4 Wayne Shamrock vs Yoji Anjo This was a good debut for Shamrock. Anjo gave Shamrock plenty of room to breathe, which allowed him to showcase his athletic abilities and natural grappling skills. The fact that Shamrock already looks like a credible threat to any member on the roster is a feather in both caps. Anjo's ability to play off the strengths of other wrestlers is quite underrated. Shamrock knows how to transition from hold to hold and hunt for submissions, and the fluid dynamism that already defines his approach to this style of wrestling is notable already. Shamrock seems to be able to dictate things on the mat, but Anjo's calling card is his striking, which gives Shamrock trouble at first. Anjo makes the mistake of taking things to the mat again, which allows Shamrock to exploit an opening to secure a rear choke variation for the submission. Good stuff. **** Nobuhiko Takada vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara Fujiwara's performance in this match is one of the most cerebral I've seen in any style of wrestling, let alone shoot-style. Fujiwara knows he can get inside Takada's head, as we saw from the February 1990 match, and he tries the same tactic here, especially as he uses his facial expressions to try to throw his opponent off his game. Fujiwara is overconfident here, and Takada resists the same tricks and mind games that cost him earlier in the year. Instead, Takada waits Fujiwara out, rolling with Fujiwara's approach without giving an inch. It's a great display of Takada's development; he is wiser and knows he can't beat Fujiwara by sheer force. He needs to be patient and take his opportunities when they come. Fujwiara works harder as a result and is drawn into a position he is less comfortable with. He doesn't mind playing long chess games, but he is more vulnerable when he doesn't have control of them. Takada isn't afraid to use rope breaks when he needs them, unlike Fujiwara, who chooses to risk himself rather than opt for a reset. While Takada doesn't get Fujiwara in any real dangerous moments, he does wear him down. This makes his task easier, as Fujiwara is increasingly exhausted, leaving himself open to Takada's striking. Takada's strategic approach starts paying off. He doesn't get baited this time; you could even say that he is the one who is baiting Fujiwara in the end, especially as he lures Fujiwara into his favorite defensive spot near the turnbuckle, only to use the close distance to fire several knee strikes into Fujiwara's body. It's a huge victory for Takada because he doesn't just beat Fujiwara; he beats Fujiwara in one of the greatest wrestling chess matches of all time. ***** Akira Maeda vs Masakatsu Funaki This was a solid card, top to bottom. The only real disappointment was Nakano vs Wellington Wilkins Jr. Other than that, we had several good to great matches, including the debut of Wayne Shamrock. Shamrock looked very solid in his match with Anjo, and Takada vs Fujiwara was a bona fide classic, with a great psychological performance from Fujiwara. Maeda vs Funaki wasn't as good, but it was quite spectacular in its own way. Fuke vs Kakihara (****) - Probably not as action-packed compared to their previous two matches, but still entertaining, and it's fun to see these two continue their little feud. Miyato vs Suzuki (***3/4) - Solid if not a little restrained performance from both. I didn't feel like this match hit the level that it needed to, or that it should have reached, but it was mechanically very solid. Suzuki continues to improve. Wilkins Jr vs Nakano (**3/4) - Wilkins Jr is a lazy jerk in this match, and doesn't do much. He almost seems like he is forcing Nakano to carry the match because his head isn't in it. Disappointing. Shamrock vs Anjo (****) - A very impressive debut for Shamrock, who is already showing a ton of potential as a wrestling prodigy. Anjo gives Shamrock plenty of room to shine, and Shamrock returns the favor, which creates a very good dynamic. Fujiwara vs Takada (*****) - Read my full review for this match, but it is incredible, and Fujiwara delivers one of the most compelling psychological performances you will ever see in the wrestling ring. Takada ain't bad either. Maeda vs Funaki (****1/2) - A fantastic main event, with Maeda frustrating Funaki's hopes and dreams as Funaki realizes he doesn't quite have enough at the moment to overcome the UWF frontman.

I think it's a combination of people not knowing where to start and the footage quality generally being a bit worse compared to what is available with Japanese wrestling.

I think I see something similar when I look back at the first two wrestlers I fell in love with as a kid....Bret Hart and Blue Panther.

AWA has been on a roll lately. I really enjoyed the Puerto Rico event! That territory has always been one of my major blind spots, but everything I've seen from it was really solid, and I think you did the spirit of that particular strand of wrestling a lot of justice with that show.