Control21

He would probably be eligible for a foreign exemption, I think

Both would be ineligible, going by the rules

I think Vampiro screwed around as a jobber/trainee in Montreal for a while before heading down to Mexico to start his actual career. IWD and Cagematch don't really show him doing much before that. He didn't wrestle regularly in the US until the late 1990s.

UWF Newborn – “U-COSMOS Grand Prix: First Round” August 26th, 1990 Sapporo, Japan Nakajima Sports Center Attendance: 5,200 (sold out) Broadcast: WOWOW (live) The WOWOW broadcast opens with interviews featuring all 24 wrestlers in this year's tournament. They all hype up their chances and goals. A recap is shown of last year's tournament, and then we get the live commentary crew welcoming everyone to this evening's show in Sapporo. They break down the bracket and tonight's matches. After some previews, we get the parade of wrestlers as usual, with the UWF theme blasting in the arena. Lou Thesz and Akira Maeda give some opening remarks to formally kick off this year's Grand Prix, and Funaki, Backlund, Onita, and Yamazaki make brief comments as well. After a good firework and light show for the crowd, we are underway! Tatsuo Nakano vs Dick Vrij The 1990 U-COSMOS Grand Prix opened with a very interesting match on paper. Nakano had a consistent year in UWF and worked hard, although he didn’t have many big wins under his belt. This would be a good opportunity to change that. Dick Vrij had become a formidable opponent for anyone, with his bodybuilder-esque frame and a style that earned him the nickname “Cyborg.” Vrij opened the match by throwing sharp low and middle kicks that cracked against Nakano’s legs and body, while Nakano charged forward, eating shots to get inside and throw back stiff palm strikes and body shots. The opening minutes saw Nakano bull his way into a clinch, dragging Vrij to the mat with a basic takedown and immediately hunting for an arm, but the Dutchman wasted no time lunging for the ropes, burning his first rope break to escape. Back on his feet, Vrij wasted no time getting back to work, circling and stinging Nakano with heavy kicks, one of which landed flush on the thigh and caused Nakano to stumble to the mat, giving Vrij the first knockdown count. Nakano recovered with his trademark stubbornness, firing back with palm strikes that bloodied Vrij’s lip and kept the Sapporo crowd on edge. Nakano then seized an opening at around the eight-minute mark to trip Vrij into a scramble, nearly wrenching a leglock before Vrij clutched the ropes again to survive. The score was even at 1-1. Vrij’s striking skills were on display once again as he stuffed further takedown attempts and battered Nakano’s body with knees from the Muay Thai clinch. The knees were enough to send Nakano to the mat again for another knockdown, and Vrij now enjoyed a 2-1 lead. Nakano rallied, managing a raw side suplex for a clean takedown that drew cheers, yet he couldn’t hold Vrij down long before Vrij got back on his feet. Vrij remained poised, snapping Nakano’s head back with straight palm strikes and doubling up with kicks to keep him outside his comfort zone. The decisive moment came around the twelve-minute mark. After getting another rope break from Vrij and tying the match at 2-2, Nakano rushed forward, swinging with his palms, only for Vrij to clinch, pin him upright, and drive a crushing knee into his ribs. Nakano was slowing down, but tried to press on. Vrij unleashed a brutal right middle kick followed by a left high kick that cracked across the temple, sending Nakano sprawling to the mat in a heap. The referee dropped to start the count, but it was academic. Nakano was slow to recover and unable to beat Shimada’s count by the end. Vrij defeats Nakano via KO, 12:11 Minoru Suzuki vs Dave Taylor Nothing would do Suzuki more favors than a deep run in this year’s Grand Prix. Suzuki has been steadily improving and making a name for himself as one of the brightest UWF talents on the roster. With Masakatsu Funaki also gaining steam this year, it was quite important for Suzuki to keep pace. Dave Taylor was a new member on the UWF roster, but was quite impressive in his debut and earned a bid as a representative of the British “wing” of the UWF. It didn’t hurt to have Billy Robinson in your corner either. Taylor, schooled in the British catch tradition, immediately grounded the action. Taylor forced Suzuki into wrist control and methodical mat sequences, where he applied grinding pressure through chained submission wrestling that tested his opponent in multiple ways. Suzuki responded by firing short palm strikes to Taylor’s jaw in the clinch and kicking at his legs when space allowed, but the veteran Brit absorbed them and repeatedly funneled the fight back to the canvas, where he preferred to dictate. Early on, Taylor scored the first knockdown by catching Suzuki off a wild strike and dumping him with a German suplex. Suzuki hit the mat hard and was down long enough for Shimada to start the count. Suzuki responded early and quickly went back to work. Suzuki quickened his pace, chaining armlock attempts and leg entanglements in a furious bid to shift the momentum, forcing Taylor into burning his first rope break after a sudden transition into a cross-armbreaker. Suzuki’s aggression seemed to work in his favor. Each time Taylor seemed to establish control, Suzuki would slip free and then swarm into another attack. The two men traded rope breaks. Taylor leaned into them when Suzuki latched on too tightly, and Suzuki, after Taylor locked a deep double wristlock near the mat’s center. With the match now tied 2-2 on points at around the ten-minute mark, the contest evolved into a stalemate. Taylor relied on positional dominance, but Suzuki countered with bursts of submission chaining that kept the veteran on edge. Taylor seemed especially vulnerable to leglocks, and Suzuki worked again to get a heel hook or kneebar. The crowd, sensing the big moment, roared as Suzuki caught Taylor in a rear mount late in the match, raining open-handed strikes before Taylor rolled free and attempted to find a clever pinning combination. But Suzuki escaped Taylor’s bridging pin attempt. He then caught the Brit off guard with a sudden switch into a rolling cradle variation, pinning both shoulders flush to the mat. Shimada slapped the canvas three times, and the audience erupted as the young upstart scored a clean pinfall over the Englishman. Suzuki defeats Taylor via pinfall, 13:46 Ahmed Johnson vs Duane Koslowski Duane Koslowski and Ahmed Johnson were both power-based wrestlers, although Koslowski perhaps had more finesse to his game. Johnson started the match by pressing Koslowski constantly, relying on his explosiveness and heavy body punches to overwhelm the Olympian. Johnson connected with several thudding shots to the midsection that drew reactions from the crowd and forced Koslowski into defensive grappling early. A sudden body lock slam from Johnson earned the first knockdown of the match as Koslowski was slow to recover under the referee’s count, and the momentum stayed with the powerhouse as he attempted to keep the pace frantic. Koslowski steadied himself and forced Johnson into close quarters, sprawling on a double-leg attempt and cinching a front headlock before transitioning into an armbar attempt, which Johnson survived by grabbing the ropes for his first break. The pace stabilized a bit. Johnson continued to throw bursts of punches and tried to muscle Koslowski to the mat, while Koslowski increasingly found ways to close the distance, tie up the upper body, and slow the bout into a wrestling match on his terms. Koslowski displayed his superior skills on the mat and forced Johnson into another rope break after a double wristlock attempt. With the match tied at 1-1, Johnson nearly landed another clean slam but was reversed in the clinch, and Koslowski capitalized with a high-arching belly-to-belly suplex that stunned the crowd and forced a knockdown as Johnson struggled to regroup. Smelling the shift and leading 2-1 on points, Koslowski pressured with deliberate clinch work. Koslowski denied Johnson the space to throw bombs and soon delivered a crushing Greco back suplex that dropped Johnson hard on his shoulders. Johnson somehow quickly got back up and was just barely able to convince the referee to avoid another ten count. Johnson charged back with wild palm strikes and a final burst of body punches, but Koslowski maintained his composure, slipped into double underhooks, and powered Johnson overhead with a German suplex, bridging tightly for the pin. Johnson was stunned and could not muster the energy to kick out. The referee’s hand hit three, giving Koslowski the victory. Koslowski defeats Johnson via pinfall, 14:12 Eugenio Tadeu vs Joe Malenko The next match would be a very intriguing clash of styles, and the fans sensed it as they cheered for both competitors making their way to the ring. Malenko’s catch-as-catch-can foundation would meet Tadeu’s dynamic blend of Luta Livre, Muay Thai, and Capoeira. After the bell sounded, Malenko worked patiently, working for clinches to try and bring Tadeu down to the mat and neutralize his standing skills. Tadeu darted in and out with footwork and feints, throwing probing low kicks and palm strikes. Despite being frustrated early, Malenko weathered the storm and earned the first rope break when Tadeu’s rolling kneebar attempt was stuffed, and Malenko managed to bring him to the mat. Tadeu was able to defend well early, but Malenko continued to test his skills and found a heel hook that forced Tadeu to the ropes. Back on their feet, the Brazilian answered with a stiff kick to the shoulder that staggered Malenko briefly. Another takedown attempt from Malenko drew applause when he muscled Tadeu down with a catch-style double wristlock setup into a front facelock, but the Luta Livre fighter showed his improvisation skills, rolling free into a scramble and diving for a guillotine before Malenko found sanctuary in the ropes. The crowd was quite pleased that Malenko dropped Tadeu with a crisp German suplex that forced the referee’s first knockdown count of the bout. Tadeu got up quickly and established control on his feet, with his evasive movement beginning to frustrate Malenko, who was forced to lunge more aggressively, and that opened up angles for Tadeu’s creative striking that thrilled the Sapporo crowd. A sharp counter-leg kick followed by a sudden flying armbar nearly ended the bout around the ten-minute mark, but Malenko’s patience saved him as he stacked forward and used the ropes for a clean break. The match was tied 1-1 on points. The atmosphere grew tense as Tadeu landed more hard strikes on Malenko. Malenko succeeded in slowing the pace momentarily, pressing Tadeu into a corner and fishing for an armbar. After a brief scramble on the mat that ended with both men getting back on their feet, Tadeu’s explosiveness turned the tide. The Brazilian found Malenko in a clinch and immediately launched piston-like knees to the ribs that folded Malenko over, the sound echoing through the arena as the crowd rose in anticipation. A final crushing knee to the solar plexus dropped Malenko to his knees, gasping and unable to respond to the referee’s count, giving Tadeu the knockout victory. Tadeu defeats Malenko via KO, 13:36 Wayne Shamrock vs Salman Hashimikov Wayne Shamrock perhaps wished for a better draw here. Salman Hashimikov has been on a hot streak recently and looked to cement himself further by making a deep run in the Grand Prix. Shamrock was certainly up to the challenge. From the opening moments, the American tried to impose his speed, darting in with low body punches and sharp palm strikes to draw reactions from the Soviet. Shamrock then went for a quick single-leg, but Hashimikov’s size and balance stifled the attempt. The Chechen answered by muscling Shamrock into the ropes, where a clean break was called. Shamrock pushed the pace again, this time mixing in a quick exchange of body shots before exploding with a double-leg that got the Soviet strongman down. The crowd cheered as Shamrock worked to establish control on the mat. Hashimikov’s heavy hips smothered any chance at a leglock, and Shamrock was forced to work a bit more. Unable to get anything going, Shamrock seemed a bit perplexed, and eventually the referee got both men back on their feet. The next stage of the match started with Shamrock firing off more palm strikes and looking to create more opportunities to scramble. Hashimikov waited patiently to counter and caught Shamrock in a clinch for an impressive belly-to-belly suplex. Hashimikov quickly went for a keylock attempt, and this forced the American to get to the ropes quickly for the first rope break of the match. Hashimikov continued to be patient as Shamrock continued his high-energy approach. The Soviet fought off Shamrock’s striking attempts and found more success when the American overcommitted to a bodylock, allowing Hashimikov to arch back with a thunderous German suplex that brought the crowd to its feet and forced the referee’s first knockdown count against Shamrock. Shamrock, defiant, beat the count and charged back with another beautiful double-leg takedown that got the Soviet off his feet again. Shamrock found more success on the mat and forced Hashimikov to defend as he worked for a cross-armbreaker attempt. Shamrock scared him enough to earn a rope break. Another mat scramble almost immediately after saw Shamrock find similar success, and the match was now tied 1-1 on points. The later stages of the bout saw Hashimikov reassert himself. The Soviet baited Shamrock into another clinch, and Hashimikov scored another belly-to-belly suplex, sending Shamrock back to the mat. Hashimikov followed and crushed him with weight and positional control. The Soviet methodically worked and exhausted his opponent, using his size to grind Shamrock and pressure his defense. At around the twelve-minute mark, Shamrock attempted to use a burst of energy to catch Hashimikov by surprise with some smooth counterwork on the mat, but the Chechen snatched an arm in the scramble. With startling speed for a man his size, he dropped into a cross-armbreaker, fully extending Shamrock’s arm before the American could wriggle free. Shamrock fought hard, twisting and clawing for the ropes, but Hashimikov’s grip was immovable, and within seconds Shamrock tapped. Hashimikov defeats Shamrock via submission (cross-armbreaker), 12:28 Dennis Koslowski vs Victor Zangiev With the rivalry between the Koslowski twins and the Soviet duo of Zangiev and Hashimikov reaching fever pitch this year, resulting in the Koslowskis defeating the Soviets for the tag team title belts at the Anniversary show, these two had something to prove. Zangiev was eager to get one over the American, while Koslowski wanted to show that they would not allow the Soviets to get even with them. After the bell sounded, both wrestlers seemed willing to go to the mat early. Zangiev tried to impose himself, keeping Koslowski down with front headlocks. Koslowski answered with Greco-Roman upper-body control, digging underhooks and working for reversals, forcing Zangiev to adjust. The first big moment came when Zangiev slipped behind with a waistlock and hurled Koslowski into a rolling suplex, a heavy impact that left Koslowski briefly stunned on the mat. The referee seemed ready to start a ten-count, but Koslowski recovered quickly and went straight back to grounding Zangiev with steady mat wrestling. Koslowski went for Zangiev’s back with tight waist control, fishing for arm locks. Zangiev broke free and stood back up. The Soviet escalated the pace, hammering in palm strikes and landing a sudden hip toss into side control, from which he briefly threatened a SAMBO-inspired shoulder lock before Koslowski wriggled to the ropes, costing him his first rope break. The middle stretch was fought with more parity, as Koslowski repeatedly shot for bodylock takedowns while Zangiev countered with throws that tested the American’s balance. Neither could find much control on the mat for an extended period, and eventually both found themselves tied 1-1 on points after several rope breaks. Near the ten-minute mark, Zangiev exploded with a perfectly timed belly-to-belly that dumped Koslowski hard. Zangiev went to establish side control, but Koslowski’s folkstyle instincts allowed him to roll through with a sweeping motion. The Soviet found himself on the other side instead, and was forced to defend as Koslowski went for a straight armlock. Zangiev reached for the ropes again to escape and force a reset. The finish came shortly after another great scramble. Zangiev shot in low, but Koslowski sprawled, spun around to the back, and drove Zangiev flat to the mat. Koslowski immediately worked for a folkstyle-inspired half-nelson cradle. Koslowski trapped Zangiev’s arm and head, rolling him to his shoulders with a tight grip, pinning both shoulders square while grapevining the leg to block any escape. Zangiev bucked wildly, but Koslowski’s leverage and amateur control were not going to relent. The referee counted to three to confirm the pinfall. Koslowski defeats Zangiev via pinfall, 15:14 Kazuo Yamazaki vs Atsushi Onita With a huge win over Yoshiaki Fujiwara in Brazil, Onita was looking to keep his momentum going. A win in the Grand Prix would do just that. Yamazaki, on the other hand, was looking to get a new streak of wins going. Onita was becoming a feared member of the UWF roster, and tonight’s match would not be an easy task. Both wrestlers would leave everything on the table. The opening stretch immediately saw sparks fly. Yamazaki moved with precision, firing off sharp low kicks that cracked against Onita’s thigh and ribcage. Yamazaki used his striking skills to dictate the range and flow of the match early. Onita, true to form, lunged forward with palm strikes to the jaw and body punches in the clinch, throwing his weight into every exchange. Yamazaki stunned him early with a clean middle kick to the sternum, sending Onita stumbling backward for the first knockdown, but Onita responded with urgency and got back up quickly. Yamazaki held an early 1-0 lead, but this did not stop Onita. Onita rushed inside and caught Yamazaki off balance with a sudden belly-to-belly suplex that dropped him hard. Onita followed and attempted to establish control on the mat, but Yamazaki was alert and immediately utilized his defense to neutralize Onita’s quick attempt at a kneebar. Both men traded rope breaks in the grappling sequences that followed. Yamazaki dove into an armbar attempt from guard, forcing Onita into the ropes once, and later, Onita countered a takedown into a heel hook, which Yamazaki wisely broke with a grab of the ropes. After both men got back on their feet, Yamazaki went back to work with crisp kicks, while Onita pressed forward relentlessly, shrugging off punishment to hurl slaps and body shots in bunches. Yamazaki nearly ended it midway, catching Onita flush with a spinning back kick that sent him down for his second knockdown. Onita beat the ten-count with relative ease, but Yamazaki still maintained a 2-0 lead on points. Onita was then caught by a single-leg takedown. Yamazaki followed with a juji-gatame attempt, but Onita’s rope grab saved him. Yamazaki built up his lead to 3-0, but Onita quickly got a point back after he took down Yamazaki with an inside trip and locked in a kneebar, which Yamazaki broke with a rope escape. The bout’s intensity heightened as Yamazaki dug in with leg kicks and knee strikes, while Onita, bruised but undeterred, fired off his own palm strike barrages, even dragging Yamazaki down in a scramble and briefly mounting him with hammering strikes to the chest. The final minutes pushed the contest into a visceral struggle, with the audience rallying behind the underdog performance from Onita. Yamazaki, bleeding slightly from the mouth after absorbing a stiff palm strike, doubled down on his approach, looking to pick apart Onita systematically. He grounded him again with a smooth inside trip and flowed into a keylock, drawing gasps as Onita twisted in pain, but the charismatic brawler found the ropes a second time, costing him yet another rope break. Sensing his margin shrinking, Onita shifted to desperation. With about three minutes left, he baited Yamazaki into a kick exchange, absorbed a heavy low kick, and then surged forward with a clinch, smashing Yamazaki with repeated body punches and a wild palm strike flurry that staggered him down to a knee for his first knockdown. The crowd erupted, and Onita pressed his advantage. Yamazaki tried to reassert control, shooting for a bodylock, but Onita sprawled, spun to his back, and locked his arms tight around the neck. The guillotine choke was wrenched in brutally, Onita pulling guard and arching his back with all the ferocity of a man fighting not just for victory but for pride. Yamazaki kicked his legs, tried to posture, even attempted to roll, but Onita’s grip was suffocating, his forearms biting into the throat. The referee knelt close, checking as Yamazaki’s resistance weakened, and after several seconds of visible struggle, the technician finally tapped. Onita was tonight’s victor, and the crowd loved it. Onita defeats Yamazaki via submission (guillotine choke), 17:31 Masakatsu Fuanki vs Bob Backlund Inside the Nakajima Sports Center, the crowd awaited the main event with anticipation, knowing it would be a classic. Masakatsu Funaki, the young prodigy of the UWF system, against Bob Backlund. This would be a rematch from last year, where Backlund won via disqualification. A lot would be riding on this match. Backlund was looking to re-establish himself in the UWF as a top foreigner, and Funaki wanted to go far in the tournament to truly prove why he is considered one of the best talents in Japanese professional wrestling. The opening minutes saw Funaki test Backlund with probing low kicks and sharp palm strikes. Backlund, with his wide-legged stance and hunched guard, approached like a wrestler stalking for an opening, occasionally lunging with unorthodox feints or suddenly breaking into a grin. Funaki appeared unsettled at first, but this was fleeting. Funaki clipped him early with a pair of heavy kicks to the thigh, drawing audible reactions from the crowd, but Backlund quickly closed the distance with a snap double-leg takedown, driving Funaki to the canvas and immediately shifting into side control. Backlund’s folkstyle instincts shone through as he rode tight, grinding his forearm into Funaki’s face and looking for crossface cranks and half-nelson positions, not with the intent to submit, but to force a rope escape or sap energy. Funaki displayed his skill, twisted his hips, snuck a butterfly hook inside, and swept Backlund back to neutral, drawing cheers for composure. The first ten minutes established the bout’s framework. Funaki pressed Backlund with hard strikes and movement, while Backlund repeatedly dragged him into grappling exchanges where leverage and pressure reigned supreme. Backlund built up an early 1-0 lead on points after forcing Funaki to the ropes twice. Things picked up more when Funaki scored the first official knockdown with a sharp body kick followed by a sudden palm strike flurry that staggered Backlund to a knee, the referee administering a count as the American shook off the cobwebs with a peculiar, almost defiant smile. Backlund rebounded immediately, charging into the clinch and executing a powerful side suplex that rattled Funaki on the mat. Backlund went for the top position and started to pressure Funaki on the mat again. Funaki had no choice but to go for another rope break after Backlund attempted a double wristlock. The two continued to go back and forth on the mat and on their feet. The scoreline evened at 2-2 in knockdowns and rope breaks, and the sense of balance in the match kept the fans on edge. Funaki began to increase his striking volume, targeting the legs and ribs with heavy kicks, but Backlund answered with sheer persistence, at one point hoisting Funaki overhead in a sudden Olympic slam, the landing drawing a loud gasp from the arena. Backlund went down to the mat again to follow and forced Funaki to get back on his feet. Perhaps breaking up a crucial knockdown in the process. The later stages of the bout became a battle of attrition. Funaki relied on his Koppo-inspired palm strikes and calculated leg attacks, landing repeated inside kicks that slowed Backlund’s approach. Yet Backlund surged forward in bursts, dropping into scrambles and chaining takedowns with uncanny stamina. At one point, Funaki sprawled beautifully on a shot, only for Backlund to switch directions mid-motion and dump him with a cradle, the pressure forcing Funaki into the ropes for another rope escape, costing him his third knockdown. With Backlund leading 3-2 on points, the crowd sensed the stakes rising as both men chipped away at one another’s reserves. Funaki scored another knockdown with a stiff middle kick followed by a sudden high kick that caught Backlund’s temple, sending him crashing down for a referee count at around nineteen minutes. Backlund, however, beat the count with his trademark energy, slapping his own chest and charging forward as though the damage had only fueled his resolve. The match was tied again at 3-3. The audience roared at the sight of the veteran’s heart. Funaki, smelling blood, became more aggressive, mixing feints and palm strikes to push Backlund toward the corner. As Backlund ducked into another clinch attempt, Funaki pivoted sharply, landing a flush knee to the body that folded Backlund slightly. He immediately transitioned behind, locking his arms and dragging Backlund to the mat with a quick trip. From there, Funaki wasted no time. Funaki isolated the arm, stepping over and cinching in a textbook cross-armbreaker, the hold executed with the fluidity of years of Gotch and Robinson’s instruction. Backlund resisted initially, bridging and twisting with all his energy, but Funaki’s control was impeccable. The torque on Backlund’s elbow grew unbearable, and after several seconds of visible strain and a brief grimace that betrayed his pain, the American finally tapped out. The crowd erupted, applauding both men for a contest that would surely go down as one of UWF’s best so far this year. Chants for Funaki quickly broke out as he hopped on a turnbuckle and celebrated. Funaki defeats Backlund via submission (cross-armbreaker), 22:42 Funaki continues to celebrate, and the fans are going wild for Funaki's huge win tonight. Backlund takes his time to recover, but eventually approaches Funaki and shakes his hand. Backlund leaves the ring to give Funaki his moment, and he makes his way to the back as the UWF theme plays again. The commentators comment on how Funaki looks sharp and ready to advance farther in the tournament....but how far will he go? He has Yoshiaki Fujiwara next, and that won't be an easy match. They recap the other matches of the evening. They show the updated bracket and advertise the show for the next round, which will take place on September 30th in Hiroshima! Both Backlund and Funaki give taped interview remarks backstage, with Backlund congratulating Funaki on his progress and his victory. Backlund says that some have speculated about his future in UWF.....and while tonight was disappointing, he still has unfinished business and is looking forward to next year. Funaki says that Backlund was a worthy opponent and that he is now looking forward to wrestling Fujiwara. The crew signs off, and we get the rolling credits from WOWOW, with highlights set to Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down."

PCW has had a strong summer so far. Really solid events, and the most recent one is no exception. Ted Dibiase keeps being pushed to the limits, but he knows how to win in the process. The Force of July beating the OWC is a bit of an upset for me, but they've been very consistent, and their time was going to come eventually. Bam Bam seems primed for a big run here eventually. Art Barr vs Too Cold sounded like a tremendous match.

Steiners vs Road Warriors sounds like a tremendous feud. That would be a great match. Lawler is having a great run as champion. I'm not sure if anyone can touch him right now. He seems to be on course for a very long reign as champion. Keep up the great work! USWA continues to deliver a very unique flavor and knows when to push the envelope to advance the product and make the territory a lot more interesting across the board.

Great work with WCW over the past several weeks! You do a great job at managing the roster and keeping the cards fresh and interesting. Scott Hall is primed for a major push, I think, and might be one of the most promising prospects on the WCW roster. Lex Luger has been solid champion as well. It'll be interesting to see if anyone can dethrone him before the new year.

UWF is pleased to announce the bracket for the 1990 U-COSMOS Grand Prix! The event will start on August 26th with the first round in Sapporo. A press conference was held today in Tokyo, and the hype for this year's tournament is in full swing with tickets for the final at the Tokyo Dome on New Year's Eve already on sale. Who will come out on top and become the next Undisputed World Heavyweight champion? Or will Sayama run the gauntlet and defend his title?

Israel is a pretty funny case because UWFi held a show there in 1995, which was a very well attended. UWFi Bushido was also apparently a very popular program on Israeli TV and often drew big ratings in prime time

Wrestle Rock was a fantastic event up and down the card. I really enjoyed reading that. AWA seems to be on a roll right now with a lot of interesting programs and a very experienced roster that appears to deliver every night and gives the fans their money's worth. Ric Flair as AWA's champion is going to open up a lot of interesting doors for the promotion.

Summerslam delivered as expected. The Rougeau Brothers beating The Commonwealth is a bit of an upset for me, but that match still sounded really solid! I was also impressed with Kevin Von Erich getting the win over Jake Roberts. The One Man Gang also came across as a huge threat after dispatching Bad News Brown with ease. Terry Funk also taught Dusty Rhodes a lesson, and I'm sure Dusty won't go away quietly. Looking forward to what comes next!

UWF Newborn –“Brazil Martial Arts Festival” August 16th, 1990 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Ginásio Gilberto Cardoso Attendance: 20,000 (sold out) Broadcast: WOWOW (taped) The WOWOW broadcast team greets the viewing audience, who are there live at ringside in Brazil. They talk about the highly anticipated event and note how it's the first major professional wrestling event in Brazil since the early 1980s. They break down tonight's card and highlight the debut of Giant Silva, Wallid Ismail, and Murilo Bustamante. They also note Aleksandr Karelin vs Naoya Ogawa, Atsushi Onita vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara, and the main event where Sayama will defend his title against Marco Ruas. Karl Gotch, Billy Robinson, and Lou Thesz are also there at the event and are seen at ringside. Various interviews are shown, including with fans who bought tickets to the event. Various wrestlers on tonight's card also give their thoughts, including Akira Maeda, Satoru Sayama, Marco Ruas, and Giant Silva. Karl Gotch is also seen discussing the importance of this event not only for Brazil, but for the world of professional wrestling in general. He views Brazil as a country with a rich history of combat sports, and that the amount of talent in the country is just waiting to be tapped. He shoots on the Gracies as well and calls them cowards for trying to disrupt the event. Lou Thez and Billy Robinson also give their thoughts on the event. The broadcast switches to the official opening of the event, with Nobuyuki Furuta formally commencing the proceedings. The UWF theme plays in the arena, and the crowd goes crazy as the wrestlers make their way to the ring. Akira Maeda, Marco Ruas, Satoru Sayama, Atsushi Onita, and Aleksandr Karelin all give some remarks, which are, of course, translated too. Finally, some notable figures from the world of Luta Livre and Vale Tudo are greeted in the ring and are given some awards by Akira Maeda and other UWF representatives. Akira Maeda says he would like to have a minute of silence for Ivan Gomes, a Brazilian Vale Tudo pioneer who wrestled in Japan during the 1970s. Gomes had unfortunately passed away earlier in March 1990. Maeda also holds up a portrait of Gomes. After a minute, the crowd applauds, and the event is ready to get started. Giant Silva vs Tatsuo Nakano The Ginásio Gilberto Cardoso had eagerly anticipated the opening match, and were ready to go as they greeted the man known as Giant Silva. Silva marched slowly to the ring with a look of confidence. The 7’2 big man was a towering presence, a bit lanky but also with some muscle for balance. Tatsuo Nakano entered next and seemed a bit wary of the big unknown standing in front of him in the ring. Nobuyuki Furuta made the ring introductions, with the translator following afterward. Yuji Shimada made quick checks on both men and called for the bell soon afterward to kick off the historic event. Nakano darted in and out, testing Silva’s reach with low kicks and quick palm strikes to the midsection, but Giant Silva’s sheer size made it difficult to find a safe avenue to approach from. Silva, calm and deliberate, used his long arms to push Nakano back toward the ropes, eventually trapping him in a clinch where heavy knees to the ribs thudded audibly in the arena. With nowhere to go, Nakano felt the full force of Silva’s sharp knees and quickly went down for the first ten count of the match. Nakano got up quickly and didn’t hesitate to go back to work. Silva attempted to go in for another standing clinch, but Nakano managed to slip free, landing a sharp low kick and a couple of body shots before circling out. Giant Silva did not seem bothered and continued to stalk his opponent. Midway through the match, Silva caught him rushing in and wrapped him in a crushing collar tie, forcing him into the corner where more knees and forearm smashes landed. The size disparity became increasingly apparent as Nakano had no answer for Giant Silva’s reach and size. Silva made quick work of Nakano again. Nakano collapsed to the mat, and Shimada initiated another ten-count. Leading 2-0 on points, it was quite apparent that Silva was raw but impressively forceful in his approach. When Nakano tried to shoot for a takedown, Silva sprawled, muscled him upright, and delivered a heavy palm strike to the face that sent the smaller man stumbling to the mat for a third knockdown. The crowd roared as Nakano rose at eight, defiant but visibly shaken. Silva’s palm strike caught him in the nose, and blood started to pour out, much to the delight of the fans sitting near ringside. Silva had a commanding 3-0 lead and seemed to enjoy bossing around his opponent. Silva closed in another clinch, leading to a driving knee that bent Nakano forward. Silva worked in a few body punches for good measure as Nakano went down again for a 4th knockdown. Nakano was getting battered and took his time to get up again before beating the count from Shimada. A final sharp palm strike to the side of the head sent him crumpling to the canvas, the referee immediately stepping in to signal a TKO at the ten-minute mark. The hometown crowd erupted in approval for the Brazilian giant, whose raw power proved too much for Nakano tonight. Perhaps Nakano simply didn’t know what to expect from the former basketball Olympian. Giant Silva defeats Nakano via TKO, 10:04 Murilo Bustamante vs Yoji Anjo Yoji Anjo would be the next UWF wrestler to face quite a bit of an unknown tonight. Murilo Bustamante was a well-rounded Vale Tudo fighter recruited by Marco Ruas. Despite Bustamante’s background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the Brazilian grew closer to Ruas’ orbit after a political fallout with the Gracie family. He had a good opportunity tonight to make a name for himself against Yoji Anjo. After the introductions and checks were made, Shimada called for the bell to commence the match. The Brazilian maintained an upright stance while Anjo circled and flicked probing low kicks. Bustamante answered with sharp, straight palm strikes to the body, using his boxing background to keep Anjo from closing in. Anjo managed to slip inside for a quick clinch, landing short knees before breaking away, but Bustamante immediately reasserted control with a clean double jab to the midsection followed by a level change into a smooth inside trip. The takedown drew applause, but Anjo scrambled well, using his agility to reach to scramble out of Bustamante’s grip and roll towards the ropes for a clean break. Resetting in the center ring, Anjo tried to increase tempo with flurries of palm strikes to the head, forcing Bustamante to cover and counter with a stiff body punch that made Anjo recoil. Bustamante started to get a better feel for his opponent, and Anjo seemed to be a bit outclassed when Bustamante got the opportunity to take his opponent to the mat. Bustamante’s positional sense was top-tier, and Anjo struggled as he attempted to defend Bustamante’s timing at picking limbs and angles to attack. Bustamante was especially formidable with his counterwork, and Anjo could get little going. After exhausting a few rope breaks, Anjo was down 2-0 on points by the five-minute mark and seemed a bit desperate as time moved forward. Smelling an opportunity, Bustamante pressured forward, clinching against the ropes and hitting another crisp takedown into side control. This time, he locked his weight down, his hips pinning Anjo’s escape attempts. As Anjo attempted to defend from his back, Bustamante slid his arm under the neck, transitioning fluidly into an arm-triangle choke. Anjo kicked his legs and shifted to relieve the pressure, but Bustamante’s positioning was textbook. The crowd cheered with anticipation as the choke deepened; Anjo’s resistance slowed, his movements weakened until Shimada saw enough and intervented, calling for the bell in the process. Bustamante lept up and celebrated by jumping on the nearest turnbuckle while Anjo remained on the canvas almost motionless before slowly recovering. Bustamante defeats Anjo via submission (arm triangle choke), 9:42 Wallid Ismail vs Eugenio Tadeu The next match saw two hometown heroes facing off for bragging rights, with a potential for a violent match quite high between two Vale Tudo specialists. Neither wasted much time once the bell rang to begin the contest. Ismail forward instantly, closing the gap before Tadeu could set his rhythm. They locked in a tight clinch. Ismail peppered in short palm strikes to the head and body before hitting a well-timed inside trip. He landed in side control, driving his shoulder into Tadeu’s jaw and threatening with an arm-triangle choke. The crowd gasped as Tadeu twisted desperately, eventually reaching the ropes for the first rope break of the match. Resetting in the center ring, Tadeu’s capoeira-inflected footwork became more pronounced, weaving side-to-side with feints and light kicks to probe Ismail’s defenses. Ismail, undeterred, cut him off and secured another takedown, this time into half guard, where he worked for a keylock. Tadeu’s hips shifted suddenly, and in a slick reversal, he swept to top position. Rather than engage with Ismail’s highly respected grappling defense, Tadeu popped back to his feet and taunted Ismail to get back up. Ismail smiled and obliged. Tadeu used swift lateral movement to try and get Ismail off his preferred stance. Tadeu landed some sharp low kicks, which seemed to slightly bother Ismail despite his attempts to hide it. Tadeu attempted to clinch for a flying armbar setup, but Ismail defended well and seemed to know what Tadeu was trying to do. Ismail twisted around to gain control of Tadeu’s back and went for an inside trip to establish back control on the canvas. The crowd cheered as Tadeu was forced to go for another rope break to ward off a rear-naked choke attempt. Leading 1-0 on points, the first seven minutes belonged largely to Ismail. Although after the reset, Tadeu seemed to establish more of a rhythm as he landed more hard strikes on his opponent, and managed to secure a single-leg takedown that established an opportunity for Tadeu to try for a heel hook, forcing Ismail to the ropes for his first rope break. The tide turned sharply just past the ten-minute mark. Tadeu feinted a low kick, drawing Ismail forward, then exploded upward with a switch knee that cracked flush against the jaw. Ismail went down in a heap. Yuji Shimada counted to seven before he found his feet, clearly shaken. The crowd, sensing blood, erupted as Tadeu paced back and forth. Back on his feet, Ismaill tried to re-establish a clinch to buy more time, but Tadeu sprawled hard, stuffing the entry and firing knees into the ribs before breaking away. Now fully in control, Tadeu attacked in bursts, landing a stinging palm strike to the face followed by a quick step-off angle kick to the body. Ismail staggered but pressed forward stubbornly, only to eat a perfectly timed spinning back kick to the midsection that dropped him to his knees for the second knockdown. Tadeu was now leading 2-1 on points. The referee’s count reached six before Ismail stood, but his legs were unsteady. Tadeu closed the distance with the confidence of a man who knew the finish was at hand. A short exchange in the pocket ended with Tadeu slipping a wild palm strike and countering with a brutal high kick to the temple. Ismaill crumpled backward, and Shimada initiated the final ten-count as Ismail was unable to get up before it finished. The crowd cheered wildly as Tadeu’s hand was raised. Tadeu defeats Ismail via KO, 12:19 Casemiro “Rei Zulu” Martins vs Salman Hashimikov The crowd continued to be invested as the next match featured two international stars whose approaches to wrestling could not have been more different. Salman Hashimikov was a Soviet wrestling champion, trained in freestyle wrestling. The powerful Chechen was burly and a bit of an exotic sight for the Brazilian fans in attendance. Casemiro Martins was a Vale Tudo champion who had made a name for himself in the 1980s through a feud with Rickson Gracie. Martins was a powerful man himself who had blended indigenous techniques with traditional wrestling and street fighting. This would be a true “styles makes fights” bout. Zulu was the first to advance, bouncing lightly on his feet in a Capoeira rhythm, throwing off Hashimikov’s early attempts to measure distance. A series of darting feints drew the Soviet into reaching for a clinch, only for Zulu to pivot and fire a sharp body punch to the ribs that drove Hashimikov a step back. The crowd cheered as Martins taunted his opponent. The early minutes saw Martins continue playing to the crowd, swaying and shifting as if to dance, then lunging forward with wild palm strikes to force Hashimikov into defensive ties. A sudden bodylock takedown from Martins sent the Soviet to the mat, and Martins maintained his grip as he threw Hashimikov back with a raw Vale Tudo throw. The impact was enough to stun Hashimikov and keep him down for the first ten count of the match, but the Soviet quickly got back on his feet. Hashimikov responded by tightening his stance, smothering space, and forcing Zulu into a grueling upper-body battle. A clean rope break came after a prolonged tie-up near the corner. The tempo changed soon after as Hashimikov timed Martin’s entry perfectly, exploding with a belly-to-belly suplex that brought the Brazilian down hard for his first knockdown. The crowd gasped as Hashimikov displayed his brute strength against a man who might be among the few to claim they could match Hashimikov’s power. With the match tied 1-1, Martins got up quickly, but the impact had slowed his footwork just enough for Hashimikov to begin closing the distance with more authority. When Martins attempted another rushing clinch, Hashimikov shifted his hips and delivered a thudding uranage that forced a second knockdown on the Brazilian. This time, Martins seemed a bit shellshocked as Hashimikov returned the favor and taunted his opponent, with the crowd inside the arena at a fever pitch. Martins beat Ryogaku Wada’s ten count by the count of five and got signaled he was ready to continue. From here, the match settled into a bit of back and forth. Martins still had moments of control, using short knees and palm strikes inside the clinch to open space for another powerful body tackle. Martins established control on the mat and made Hashimikov work as he attempted to gain control of his back for a rear-naked choke. Hashimikov managed to fend him off and roll to the ropes for a clean break. The crowd roared each time Martins surged forward, but Hashimikov did not relent. A third knockdown for Martins came when Hashimikov caught him in mid-spin and launched him with a high-angle German suplex, the Brazilian landing hard and taking a seven-count to recover. Hashimikov took command with a 3-1 on points, and fatigue was now evident in Martin’s movements. His earlier looseness was replaced by heavier steps. Hashimikov resumed his advance on Martins, dumping him again with a side suplex before dragging him into the center for a grinding half-nelson ride. Martins fought the grip, but his arms were weak, and Hashimikov methodically transitioned into a neck crank before rolling into a seated arm-triangle choke. The pressure forced Martins flat, and the Soviet’s weight kept him pinned and gasping for air. Martin’s hand tapped the canvas, giving Hashimikov the submission victory in hostile territory. While the crowd showed disappointment at their hero’s defeat, they also acknowledged Hashimikov’s impressive display of athletic skill. Hashimikov defeats Martins via submission (arm triangle choke), 12:04 Aleksandr Karelin vs Naoya Ogawa The heavily publicized debut of Aleksandr Karelin in Brazil created a lot of buzz before the event, with Brazilian fans anxious to get their first glimpse of the 1988 Olympic gold medalist. Karelin was greeted by loud cheers from the fans as he made his way towards the ring. Naoya Ogawa had a lower profile, but there was still a ton of curiosity about his status as one of the most promising young Judokas in the world. After the referee made his checks and called for the bell, Karelin and Ogawa squared off, the size of the Soviet wrestler contrasting with the gi-clad frame of the young Judoka. The opening stretch saw both men measure each other out to gain a feel for their respective strategies. Ogawa probed Karelin’s arms in search of an opening to turn his balance. Karelin remained immovable, content to stalk forward and corral Ogawa into clinches where his Greco-Roman tie-ups began to smother the youngster’s mobility. Ogawa responded with sharp palm strikes to the chest, stinging shots meant to back the Russian off, before darting into an attempted harai-goshi. Karelin’s balance proved otherworldly, the attempt ending with him muscling Ogawa across the ring into the ropes, where a clean break was called. Karelin seemed unbreakable, but Ogawa still searched for an opening. Perhaps a bit too confident, Karelin relaxed his defense, which allowed Ogawa to establish some momentum as he launched a few palm strikes to get his opponent off his game. The Judo prodigy managed the first significant moment when he baited Karelin forward and snapped into a lightning-quick seoi-nage, dumping the Olympic gold medalist hard to the canvas. The building erupted, recognizing the danger posed by Ogawa’s explosiveness and in awe of Karelin being thrown to the canvas. Karelin got up quickly, shaking out his shoulders, and resumed his inexorable pressure. The next exchange saw him clamp a bodylock and lift Ogawa into the air with a monstrous belly-to-belly suplex, the impact knocking the air from the young Judoka and forcing his first knockdown at the seven-minute mark. Karelin grabbed the lead at 1-0 on points. Ogawa beat the ten-count quickly, but seemed a bit shaken. From that point, the contest took on a more suffocating tenor. Karelin forced Ogawa into increasingly desperate throws while refusing to yield an inch. Ogawa managed another flash moment when he ducked under and snapped Karelin over with a hip throw, but the Soviet rolled instantly through the landing, avoiding a potential knockdown, and snarling into a clinch that shut down Ogawa’s momentum. Karelin’s methodical progression became more pronounced. The Soviet wrestler threw heavy palms to the chest, short body punches, and then a relentless series of tie-ups that drained Ogawa’s energy. Another suplex, this time a crushing side suplex, earned Karelin a second knockdown on the young Japanese prodigy, who staggered up at nine with his gi disheveled. By the twelve-minute mark, Ogawa’s explosiveness had faded, and Karelin seized his moment. Snatching a gutwrench from the mat, he executed his signature Karelin Lift, hoisting Ogawa violently before slamming him headfirst into the canvas. The Brazilian fans gasped. Ogawa barely survived the referee’s next count, and Karelin immediately pounced with suffocating top control. Using his background in SAMBO, he locked in a brutal head-and-arm choke, his vice-like frame crushing down until Ogawa’s struggles slowed. Ogawa submitted after the pressure became too much. The Brazilian fans certainly got what they anticipated with Karelin, but they also gained an appreciation for Ogawa and his courage against the Soviet Olympian. Karelin once again proved the aura of invincibility that surrounded him was very real. Karelin defeats Ogawa via submission (head-and-arm choke), 13:06 After the match, Karelin is honored by the Brazilian amateur wrestling delegation and poses for pictures in the ring. Nobuhiko Takada vs Kazuo Yamazaki The energy inside the building remained steady, and the opponents in the next match would not disappoint. Both Takada and Yamazaki would have something to prove tonight in front of the Brazilian fans. Yamazaki began the match on the front foot, circling and firing off sharp, low kicks meant to sting Takada’s legs and force him into movement. Takada answered in kind, his kicks landing with deeper thuds, snapping Yamazaki’s stance back to a more defensive one. The early exchanges were defined by a striking duel as each man sought an opening. Yamazaki seized the first big moment at the five-minute mark, slipping a kick and countering with a lightning palm strike to Takada’s jaw that buckled him to one knee, earning the first knockdown of the match. Takada got back up to his feet without much issue. The Brazilian crowd responded positively, sensing the upset potential. Takada immediately slowed the pace, shifting the fight toward grappling engagements where his methodical nature could come into play. After an extended mat contest that saw a few rope breaks exchanged, Yamazaki got back on his feet and lunged with another kick. Takada caught the leg and took him down, working deliberately into half guard. Yamazaki threatened with a juji-gatame attempt, but Takada’s defense was tight, keeping his arms close as he pried free and pressed his weight down. With the score tied at 1-1 now, this rhythm held for several minutes. Takada gradually imposed himself with positional control, but Yamazaki’s quickness on the mat meant no prolonged dominance. The two wrestlers eventually saw a score tied at 2-2 after another exchange of rope breaks. The contest turned heavier in the final stretch, with Takada and Yamazaki exchanging more hard strikes as the flow of the contest shifted to a striking-based affair. At around the eleven-minute mark, Yamazaki struck with a sharp high kick that snapped Takada’s head back. The crowd was a bit shocked as the UWF superstar staggered into the ropes. Yamazaki pounced, peppering him with palm strikes and shooting for a double-leg, but Takada sprawled expertly. Takada shifted the weight onto his opponent before countering with a vicious knee strike to the body. The impact folded Yamazaki, earning a knockdown that gave Takada a 3-2 lead on points. Yamazaki had to take his time to catch his breath again, but beat the count by eight. Now emboldened, Takada became more deliberate in cutting off space, walking Yamazaki down with his heavy low kicks and forcing him into reactive strikes. Another exchange of palm thrusts ended with Takada slipping inside, locking a clinch, and hurling Yamazaki to the mat with a tight suplex. From there, Takada showcased his effective catch wrestling skills, inching into side control, isolating an arm, and fighting through Yamazaki’s resistance. Takada cinched in a double wristlock, applying steady torque until Yamazaki was unable to resist. With nowhere to go and his arm extended dangerously, Yamazaki tapped, giving Takada the hard-earned submission. The Brazilian crowd applauded the effort from both men, and they seemed to be quite enthralled with Takada’s undeniable ring presence. Takada defeats Yamazaki via submission (double wristlock), 15:34 Atsushi Onita vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara For the Brazilian crowd, the next bout had intrigue. Onita had trained in the country years earlier and had made a name for himself as an undercarder on the Vale Tudo circuit. Meanwhile, Fujiwara represented the respected tradition of catch wrestling, which had influenced Luta Livre. The opening few minutes highlighted the difference in styles. Onita pressed aggressively, whipping palm strikes at Fujiwara’s guard and hacking kicks into his ribs, trying to force a firefight from the outset. Fujiwara was stone-faced and unhurried, catching one of Onita’s kicks and tripping him into half guard. From there, Fujiwara methodically worked to trap an arm. Onita had solid counterwork and worked to defend, slapping at Fujiwara’s body and twisting into a scramble until he reached the ropes. With both men near the bottom rope, the referee ruled it a clean break. Onita sprang back up to press forward again. Fujiwara answered with short body punches in the clinch and a sudden headbutt that staggered Onita, dropping him to one knee for the first knockdown at just under six minutes. The count reached five before Onita rose, grinning through the haze and gesturing defiantly at Fujiwara. The veteran stayed calm and seemed almost amused, but Onita’s determination began to make the fight messier. He charged in with palm flurries, backed Fujiwara into the corner, and hammered away until the referee pulled them apart, much to the chagrin of the crowd. Another exchange saw Onita lift Fujiwara and slam him with a rough belly-to-belly throw, a moment that drew a surprised roar from the crowd as Fujiwara rolled to the ropes to steady himself. Fujiwara got back on his feet quickly to avoid initiating a ten-count from the referee. Fujiwara remained in the lead on points at 1-0. As the contest entered its tenth minute, Fujiwara sought to slow the pace, especially on the mat, while Onita worked to draw Fujiwara into a more chaotic match. Onita attempted to bait Fujiwara into scrambles with his relentless forward pressure. Fujiwara nearly closed the match when he countered a desperate Onita palm strike flurry with a takedown into the Fujiwara armbar, wrenching back on the limb as the audience gasped. Onita barely managed to inch to the ropes. It became clear that Fujiwara had the advantage on the mat and seemed to have Onita’s number whenever the two found themselves in a grappling exchange. Eventually, Fujiwara built up a 2-0 lead through another rope break from Onita during a heel hook attempt. Onita’s urgency heightened. At the fourteen-minute mark, he turned the tide explosively. He caught Fujiwara low with a thudding body kick, then charged in with a flying palm strike that knocked the veteran flat to the mat for the first knockdown in Onita’s favor. Fujiwara rose at six. However, Onita was already on him, diving into a guillotine choke as they tumbled to the mat. He cinched the choke deep, wrapping his legs tight around Fujiwara’s midsection, wrenching upward until the veteran, caught with no route to the ropes, tapped. The Brazilian crowd erupted, recognizing the importance of Onita’s victory. The young sensation trained in Brazil a win secured a big win against one of Japan’s most revered technicians. Fujiwara bowed slightly to acknowledge Onita’s heart and grit. Onita defeats Fujiwara via submission (guillotine choke), 14:49 Onita continues to celebrate his win and calls for a microphone....he says the Gracies can storm all the dojos and buildings they want, but they can never lead a movement like this. That comment earns a huge pop from the crowd. Akira Maeda vs Dick Vrij Maeda, dressed in his familiar black trunks, cut a stoic figure; his reputation as the UWF’s ace was well-advertised in Brazil, and the fans received him warmly. Vrij, by contrast, looked loose and confident, aware that his striking could trouble anyone if he kept the fight on the feet. He was more of an unknown quantity for the Brazil fans, but his muscular build and wild, colored hair made him look like a bit of a character. The opening exchanges were based around both wrestlers attempting to exert their rhythm. Vrij opened with a stinging middle kick that drew a sharp slap from Maeda’s midsection, but Maeda returned fire with a crushing low kick that made the crowd wince. Vrij kept his hands high and answered with hard palm strikes, one catching Maeda clean and forcing him back a step. A clinch soon followed, where Vrij used his Muay Thai skills to dig in a pair of knees before Maeda muscled him into the ropes. After a bit of a stalemate, the referee forced a reset. The flow of the fight became clear as Vrij tried to catch Maeda with strikes. Maeda had a good defensive stance and looked for his chance to drag things to the mat or hammer away with his own powerful kicks. The first knockdown came at six minutes when Maeda ducked under a Vrij palm strike and countered with a brutal roundhouse to the body, folding the Dutchman briefly before he rose at a count of six. The knockdown did little to temper Vrij’s offense. He came forward harder, ripping palm strikes to Maeda’s guard and sneaking in a clean knee from the clinch that staggered Maeda. Maeda managed to stay on his feet and grappled with Vrij in an attempt to slow his opponent down. Vrij held his ground and attempted to create some distance with his knees, but Maeda blocked and caught him for a side suplex, planting Vrij squarely in the center of the mat. Vrij scrambled and had trouble finding his feet as the referee initiated another ten-count. Vrij managed to beat the count quickly again, but he did seem a bit shellshocked. As Vrij continued to hunt for a killer blow on Maeda, Maeda was able to wrestle Vrij down to the mat several times, and each time, Vrij was quick to use a rope break if needed to cut any grappling exchange short. By the ten-minute mark, Vrij had already given up three points. Still, his striking remained dangerous. A violent high kick late in the sequence caught Maeda on the shoulder and glanced off his jaw, nearly flooring him. The crowd stirred, sensing that Vrij had forced Maeda on the back foot. Maeda attempted to defend, but another striking combo from Vrij managed to knock him off his feet to give Vrij his first point of the match. Maeda got back up quickly, but Vrij now had some momentum. The finishing stretch did not disappoint the fans in the audience, as the two pushed each other to the limit. The two engaged in another extended striking exchange, with neither giving ground. Vrij managed to stay on his feet despite some sharp high kicks from Maeda, and Maeda ate some punishment as well after Vrij delivered a series of sharp knee strikes from a clinch. At the twelve-minute mark, Maeda again cornered Vrij, eating a few palm strikes to close the distance before unleashing a German suplex that landed Vrij hard on his back. The referee’s count reached seven before Vrij rose, now visibly weary as he knew he was down to his last point. Maeda wasted no time, blasting him with a left body kick that opened him up for a clinch from Maeda. Vrij tried to stand his ground bravely. Maeda stepped in and hooked Vrij’s leg before launching him through the air with a Capture Suplex. Vrij landed hard on his back again and was too slow to get up as the referee called for another knockdown and the final bell, awarding Maeda the TKO victory as Vrij’s five points were exhausted. The Brazilian crowd made their appreciation known for the contrast of styles and Maeda’s convincing victory. Maeda defeats Vrij via TKO, 15:02 Before the main event, Lou Thesz, Billy Robinson, and Karl Gotch are all welcomed into the ring by Brazilian dignitaries. They are given separate awards, and Lou Thesz formally presents the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship belt before the audience. Lou Thesz also gives a brief speech that is translated. He praises Satoru Sayama for choosing to defend the belt on foreign soil, and that Marco Ruas was a worthy opponent with an incredible pedigree. "May the best man win!" Satoru Sayama vs Marco Ruas After the pre-match ceremonies, both wrestlers made their entrances. Marco Ruas was met with a thunderous ovation as he marched to the ring in his black Vale Tudo trunks, absent anything else, including kickpads. Satoru Sayama entered the arena in black long tights trimmed with gold. Sayama, despite his status as champion, remained a bit of a mystery to the Brazilian fans, but they were informed about his reputation as one of the most accomplished wrestlers on the UWF roster and someone who had legitimate combat skills. Masami Soranaka presented the belt one final time in front of the audience, as Nobuyuki Furuta made the ring introductions. Both competitors were checked before the bell sounded, and the anticipation was palpable. The Ginásio Gilberto Cardoso was charged with energy; the fans were eager to see their countryman take on the reigning champion. The bell finally sounded, and the main event was underway. The opening minutes saw both fighters testing each other’s range. The crowd was buzzing at every strike thrown. Sayama worked behind his speed, cutting angles and tagging Ruas with quick low kicks and palm strikes. Ruas checked a kick and returned fire with a heavy low kick that made Sayama wince, and then followed him toward the ropes. Both men continued at a similar pace, and neither seemed interested in showing any signs of weakness. At the five-minute mark, Ruas closed the distance, forcing Sayama into a clinch where he ripped a knee to the body and executed a sharp hip throw into side control. Sayama, unwilling to give up position, twisted and slid toward the ropes, grabbing them to force the break. Back on his feet, Sayama adjusted. The champion answered back with a crisp middle kick followed by a palm strike combination that briefly stunned Ruas and set the tone that he could not be bullied outright. Sayama continued to remain clinical. He stayed light on his feet and used sudden flurries to keep Ruas from walking him down. At nine minutes, he caught Ruas stepping forward and drilled a head-level roundhouse kick that dropped the Brazilian to the mat, forcing the referee to administer the ten count. The sudden blast rocked the jam-packed arena, and the fans were immediately urging Ruas to get back up. Ruas, grimacing but defiant, rose back up at six. The champion pressed his advantage with rapid kicks to the thigh and midsection, but when he attempted to follow with another spinning kick, Ruas absorbed it and countered with a body lock, dragging Sayama to the ground. From half guard, Ruas worked deliberately to isolate Sayama’s leg, forcing the champion to stretch desperately for the ropes to avoid a kneebar. The crowd roared as the referee waved it off as a rope escape; the score was now tied 1-1 on points. Ruas enjoyed a good stretch of momentum afterward, as he was able to keep close to Sayama and prevent the champion from unleashing his powerful strikes. Ruas snagged a double-leg takedown and the two engaged in an extended contest on the mat. After a few more minutes of impressive grappling, Ruas secured a third and eventually fourth rope break from Sayama after he threatened him twice with another series of submission attempts. Ruas was now leading 2-1 on points. The middle of the bout saw Sayama enjoy more success as he tagged Ruas a bit more with kicks. Sayama relied on clever feints to throw Ruas off his defensive stance. At fourteen minutes, Sayama landed another sharp high kick, knocking Ruas off balance and forcing the referee’s second knockdown count against the Brazilian, tying the match at 2–2. Ruas was quick to get up again, but the crowd seemed to sense that Ruas felt he was in trouble. The champion followed with a flurry of palm strikes, but Ruas weathered the storm and turned the tide again with the backing of the fans. Ruas caught Sayama with a brutal inside low kick that buckled him. Sayama dropped to the mat, holding his thigh. Soranaka initiated the ten count, but Sayama got up, signaling to Soranaka that he was ready to go again. Ruas recognized that he was now leading 3-2 on points. The fans realized it as well, and they erupted, sensing Sayama’s movement was slowing. But the champion’s composure held. He retained his ability to change levels unexpectedly, slipping under a Ruas palm strike to drive through to attempt a German suplex, but Ruas defended well and shrugged off the attempt. Sayama tagged Ruas a few more times with sharp low kicks in an attempt to slowly weaken the formidable Brazilian. It seemed like Sayama recognized this was becoming a war of attrition. The final ten minutes saw both men dig deep. Sayama’s legs received a fair share of punishment from Ruas’ low kicks, and he seemed to be slowing down a bit more. Ruas stayed calculated, picking his moments to unleash more heavy body kicks and looking to clinch whenever Sayama’s back neared the ropes. The two found themselves on the mat again, but neither found an advantage as Sayama nullified Ruas on the canvas and prevented him from establishing top control. Ruas seemed flustered by Sayama’s grappling counterwork at times. At twenty-five minutes, Ruas finally forced Sayama into another dangerous scramble, nearly sinking in a heel hook before the champion barely rolled through and got free without touching the ropes. The crowd gasped at the narrow escape. Back on his feet, Sayama responded in kind with one of his best sequences of the night. After feinting low and landing a flush palm strike to Ruas’s jaw, Sayama slipped around him for a well-executed Tiger Suplex that sent Ruas crashing hard onto his shoulders. Ruas was stunned, and so was the crowd. The Luta Livre icon was slow to get up as Soranaka administered a count. Ruas finally found his feet at the count of eight. Both men were tied 3-3 on points. The final stretch played out with pure determination as the time limit neared. Ruas charged in, throwing a last desperate clinch knee that Sayama blocked with his forearm, while the champion answered with sharp counters to keep space. At twenty-nine minutes, Sayama slipped another body kick and fired a spinning back kick that drove Ruas into the ropes. Ruas stumbled but maintained his footing, perhaps due to the energy the fans were giving him. The two circled with exhaustion in the closing seconds, trading one last set of palm strikes before the bell rang at thirty minutes. With the score tied at 3-3, the judges were called upon. After what seemed like an eternity for the fans, the decision was announced for Sayama. The Brazilian fans, as expected, were livid. A good number of jeers could be heard as Furuta made the announcement. Those closest to the arena were on their feet and calling for extra time. Sayama defeats Ruas via judges’ decision, 30:00 Marco Ruas is quick to call for a microphone, and he attempts to calm the fans down by saying he believed it was a fair fight and that the judges arrived at their decision objectively. He raises Sayama's hand in the process, and this seems to help a bit, although there is still a bit of tension in the air. Marco Ruas shakes Sayama's hand, and they both bow to each other, drawing some applause from the fans as things seem a bit calmer eventually. Ruas gets on the microphone again and thanks the fans for attending, saying that he believes the UWF philosophy is an honorable one, and one that will show the world what real wrestling looks like. Sayama and Ruas embrace again as the UWF theme plays in the arena. Ruas steps aside as he lets Sayama have his moment to celebrate. The commentators recap the events of the evening and promote the first round of the UWF U-COSMOS Grand Prix, which will be held later this month, on August 26th, in Sapporo! Sayama is shown being interviewed backstage, giving his thoughts on the match. Ruas gives some brief remarks as well and says the Brazilian fans are passionate, but they understand the result. Some other wrestlers are shown being interviewed, including Maeda. The rolling credits for WOWOW's broadcast hit, and another successful international event for UWF is in the books.

They finally killed NJPW. This will be the first G1 final I will not bother watching. This is just totally inexcusable. That company needs surgery to remove a deep cancer.

Card Announcement: UWF Newborn - "Brazil Martial Arts Festival" August 16th, 1990 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Ginásio Gilberto Cardoso Giant Silva vs Tatsuo Nakano Murilo Bustamante vs Yoji Anjo Wallid Ismail vs Eugenio Tadeu Casemiro "Rei Zulu" Martins vs Salman Hashimikov Aleksandr Karelin vs Naoya Ogawa Nobuhiko Takada vs Kazuo Yamazaki Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Atsushi Onita Akira Maeda vs Dick Vrij Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship: Satoru Sayama(c) vs Marco Ruas

UWF Newborn – “Second Anniversary” July 27th, 1990 Yokohama, Japan Yokohama Arena Attendance: 17,000 (sold out) Broadcast: WOWOW (live) The WOWOW broadcast opens, and the television viewers are greeted with a live pyro and light show and a jam-packed Yokohama Arena that is buzzing. The commentators hype up the card in the process. Afterward, Nobuyuki Furuta stands in the middle of the ring and officially opens the event. The UWF theme starts playing over the PA system, and the traditional parade of wrestlers commences. As expected, Fujiwara, Takada, Maeda, Fujinami, and Sayama all get pretty loud receptions. So do Aleksandr Karelin and Bob Backlund. Maeda, Takada, Sayama, and Fujinami all give brief remarks and hype up their respective matches. Sayama promises to walk out tonight as the reigning champion, while Fujinami says he is confident, and while he respects Sayama as an opponent, he will prove he is stronger. Karelin and Backlund also hype up their matches, with their remarks translated. Backlund says he recognizes Karelin is an opponent unlike anyone he has faced before, but his wisdom and skill will be the decisive factor. Backlund drops the serious facade for a moment by taunting the Soviet Union as the "world's sick man" while riling up the crowd with his usual antics. Karelin seems to be unbothered and responds by saying that he has come back to the UWF with only one goal in mind - to win at all costs. The commentators are also sure to note the tag team championship bout between the Koslowskis and the Soviet duo of Zangiev and Hashimikov. After the formalities, we are underway! Mitsuya Nagai vs Manabu Yamada Nagai had a solid debut last month, but still learned a hard lesson in the difference between dojo training and being inside a live ring. He faced a similar lesson tonight against Manabu Yamada, who was young but still Nagai’s senior according to the traditional dojo ranking system. Nagai started quite well, pressing Yamada with a flurry of kicks and palm strikes, even if they were a bit undisciplined. Yamada remained on the defensive for a few minutes, with Nagai putting the metal to the pedal with an all-out attack. Yamada attempted to find some success with takedown attempts, but Nagai defended well and reversed them to get some offense on the mat instead. Yamada had to use a rope break after Nagai nearly snagged a cross-armbreaker. After the reset, Yamada found more success in warding off Nagai’s offense and neutralizing it with counters and his takedown attempts. Nagai was easier to bring down after he exhausted his initial burst of energy. Yamada’s technical skill became more of a factor, and Nagai struggled to keep his defense up against his opponent’s awareness and quickness; Yamada’s submission wrestling skills were a lot better as well. After a series of rope breaks, Yamada tied the match up at 1-1 on points. Nagai attempted a high kick, but Yamada blocked and immediately dragged his opponent down again with a single-leg. After a brief struggle, Yamada locked in a kneebar, and Yamada had no choice but to reach for the ropes again. Yamada, perhaps choosing to prolong the match instead of finishing it early, continued to punish his opponent on the mat and scored another rope break after a single-leg Boston crab. The same pattern continued, and Yamada eventually found himself up 3-1 on points in just a few minutes. Luckily for Nagai, the end was near. Yamada hit him with a high-arching German suplex before transitioning to a rear-naked choke attempt. Yamada got a clean lock in, and Nagai tapped quickly to end the punishment. Yamada defeats Nagai via submission (rear-naked choke), 9:34 Yusuke Fuke vs Jerry Flynn Both wrestlers were looking to get a win in front of a molten-hot crowd at the Yokohama Arena. Of course, earning such a win would be a huge moment in the spotlight. Perhaps such a moment would serve as a breakthrough in their respective careers. After the formalities, Yuji Shimada called for the bell, and both men didn’t waste any time. Flynn opened up Fuke’s standing defense with several sharp kicks, showing off his Karate and Taekwondo skills. Fuke struggled with Flynn’s considerable reach advantage, but he managed to secure a single-leg takedown after catching one of his opponent’s kicks, and this earned an early boost from the crowd. Fuke went to work on the mat and established side control, going for a straight armlock. Flynn didn’t panic and made Fuke work for the hold. After a bit of a stalemate, Flynn managed to fight his way out of the predicament and get back on his feet. Fuke again chose a more defensive approach to deal with Flynn’s reach and picked opportune times to try and go for another takedown. On one occasion, Flynn timed him with a low knee and sent Fuke to the mat. Shimada initiated a ten-count after Fuke was slow to get up. Fuke beat the count quite quickly after recovering, but Flynn immediately pressured him and delivered another series of kicks to score another knockdown. Facing a 2-0 deficit, Fuke had to gather himself quickly. Fuke surprised the crowd when he managed to wrestle Flynn down to the mat with a bit of a half-suplex/half-takedown belly-to-belly maneuver. Fuke quickly went for a cross-armbreaker, which forced a rope break from his opponent. Fuke enjoyed more momentum over the next few minutes and managed to score another rope break, making the match 2-1 on points. Flynn was visibly exhausted, and this gave Fuke an opening. After Flynn attempted a roundhouse kick, Fuke ducked and went for a double-leg takedown. Caught in the center of the ring, Flynn felt Fuke apply serious pressure to his knee through a snappy kneebar. Despite his reach advantage, the pain was too much, and Flynn quickly tapped. Fuke defeats Flynn via submission (kneebar), 10:21 Ahmed Johnson vs Dick Vrij Ahmed Johnson was enjoying an undefeated streak and came into this match determined to keep his momentum going. Dick Vrij saw this as an opportunity to score a solid win against a credible opponent. Vrij opened the proceedings by testing Johnson with a series of low kicks, but Johnson defended well with leg checks and did not seem overly concerned. Johnson was good at closing the distance, and this gave the Dutchman trouble early on as he found himself being wrestled to the mat without much resistance. Vrij used a strategy to reach for the ropes as quickly as possible to avoid a prolonged affair with his opponent on the mat. Despite racking up rope breaks quickly, this was probably a wise decision. Johnson quickly built up a 1-0 lead and kept pushing his opponent, although Vrij’s kicks were starting to land and were sounding a lot harder despite the raucous crowd inside the Yokohama Arena. Johnson got put on his back foot after a clever combo from Vrij, and this allowed Vrij to attack with a series of palm strikes. Back into a corner, Johnson covered up, but another series of kicks from Vrij was enough to send him down to the mat for a ten count from Yuji Shimada. Johnson responded and got back on his feet early, but Vrij continued to make like difficult for him. Johnson was starting to get a little wobbly again, but an errant kick from Vrij allowed the American to wrap up his opponent for a huge side suplex that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Johnson immediately tried to pummel his opponent with some palm strikes, but Vrij was close enough to the ropes to end the onslaught early. Vrij’s troubles didn’t end there as Johnson managed to find another entry, and this time he delivered a full-nelson suplex that was enough to cause Shimada to initiate another ten count. Leading 2-1 on points, Johnson felt confident. Vrij had more to offer, though, and he wrestled out of another waistlock attempt from Johnson and delivered a sharp knee right to his opponent’s face. The strike was enough to open up the American’s defense again, and Vrij followed through with more kicks to the head. Johnson was sent back down to the mat for another ten count. This time, Johnson had to take his time before responding to the referee to break the count. Another clinch struggle ensued between the two, and Vrij managed to get the upper hand to deliver another series of knees to Johnson. This was enough to send him back to the mat, this time for good, as Shimada initiated another ten count. Johnson stumbled around before Shimada finished the count, awarding Dick Vrij the victory via KO. Vrij defeats Johnson via KO, 10:11 Kiyoshi Tamura & Masahito Kakihara vs Tatsuo Nakano & Yoji Anjo The crowd inside Yokohama Arena gave a warm reception to the four young competitors, who all entered the ring with a look of confidence. Tamura and Kakihara appeared eager in their corner, the former focused and composed, while the latter bounced on his feet, filled with the restless energy that had already made him a standout among UWF’s rising talents. Across from them, Nakano cracked his knuckles and gave Anjo a nod. They were the more experienced team on paper, but that didn’t guarantee a victory. Tamura and Anjo opened for their teams and immediately settled into a mat-based rhythm. Anjo was lively and twitchy in his movements, but Tamura methodically pulled him down with a well-timed switch into a waistlock and worked behind him. Anjo tried to scramble out, but Tamura transitioned quickly to a front headlock and then looked to hook the arm for a possible choke. Anjo wisely slid toward the ropes, prompting a clean break as both men reset. Tamura stuck to his strategy, keeping the match on the mat and denying Anjo the chance to engage in striking exchanges. After another brief scuffle, Tamura transitioned to the back again and spun through into an ankle lock, which forced Anjo into his first rope break. Kakihara tagged in next and wasted no time pressing the pace. He peppered Anjo with slapping palm strikes and quick kicks to the legs, pushing Anjo backward. The crowd reacted as Anjo answered back with a stiff low kick and a quick punch to the body, halting Kakihara’s momentum. A clinch followed, and Anjo hit a quick standing switch into a rear waistlock, dumping Kakihara to the mat with a sharp takedown. From there, he worked into a basic crossface and tried to isolate the arm, but Kakihara spun free and popped up, landing a jumping knee to Anjo’s body as he rose. That flurry brought the fans to life again, but Anjo turned the tide with a double leg that landed flush, bringing the match back to the mat. Nakano tagged in soon afterward and took a more direct approach, charging Kakihara and trading palm strikes in a heated exchange. Kakihara held his own at first, but Nakano’s experience showed as he ducked a wild strike and used a rolling trip to bring the youngster down. He worked for a double wristlock, but Kakihara escaped and held his own for the next few minutes. Eventually, both teams found themselves tied 2-2 on points after each had exchanged a knockdown throughout the action, mixed in with a few rope breaks. Tamura eventually got tagged back in, and his entry shifted the match again, as he slowed things down with deliberate mat control. Nakano struggled to get much going against Tamura’s technical base. Tamura nearly caught him in a triangle choke off his back. Nakano wisely used his positioning to scoot toward the ropes, earning a clean break. A reset followed, and Nakano fired a few kicks that Tamura blocked before catching one and taking Nakano down with a sharp inside trip. The bout continued to build tension, with Tamura starting to gain more momentum. He chained from side control into an armbar attempt, forcing Nakano into his first rope break of the match. The momentum shifted again when Tamura tried to take Nakano’s back but got too aggressive, allowing Nakano to roll through and scramble to his feet. Both corners tagged, and the match entered its final phase. Kakihara reentered full of spirit and took the fight directly to Anjo, landing a sequence of low kicks and stiff palms that briefly put Anjo on his heels. But Kakihara’s youthful arrogance was on display when he lunged for a takedown and got sprawled out by Anjo. The veteran capitalized, spinning behind and locking in a tight chicken wing facelock. Kakihara tried to roll through and fight free, but Anjo shifted his hips and transitioned smoothly into a grounded rear-naked choke. The crowd grew louder as Kakihara tried to twist free, but Anjo sank the hold in deeper, his forearm crushing across the chin and neck. Kakihara struggled, but couldn’t find a route to the ropes this time. With Tamura shouting encouragement from the apron, it was too late. Kakihara finally tapped, giving Nakano and Anjo a hard-fought victory. Anjo & Nakano defeat Tamura & Kakihara via submission (rear-naked choke), 14:07. Masakatsu Funaki & Wayne Shamrock vs Kazuo Yamazaki & Minoru Suzuki After Funaki’s loss against Akira Maeda last month, the young UWF upstart was looking to get back in the win column. With his UWF training partner, Wayne Shamrock, Funaki was confident his team would get a win tonight. On the other side, Minoru Suzuki and Kazuo Yamazaki had other plans. Funaki and Yamazaki opened with a brisk, upright striking duel, trading stinging palm strikes and hard low kicks with textbook precision, each man testing range before Yamazaki fired off a sharp left high kick that Funaki absorbed without staggering. They locked up after a brief exchange, Yamazaki trying to initiate grappling with a waistlock takedown attempt, but Funaki sprawled and slipped behind with a waistlock of his own before releasing to reset. Funaki tagged in Shamrock, who went low with a double-leg on the advancing Yamazaki and powered into top position near the ropes. Yamazaki tied him up with a triangle attempt, forcing Shamrock to lift and drop him with a basic powerbomb-style slam. The hold loosened, and Shamrock rolled free. Yamazaki tagged in Suzuki, who met Shamrock in the center with sharp low kicks, looking to chop away at his defense. Shamrock bit down and answered with a flurry of palm strikes, then surprised Suzuki with a lightning belly-to-belly suplex for the first knockdown at just under five minutes. Suzuki rose at seven and shook off the cobwebs. The match became more of a back-and-forth affair, with all four competitors finding some success. At around the 8:00 mark, the team of Funaki and Shamrock found themselves up 2-1 on points after Shamrock managed to send Suzuki to the ropes with a heel hook. Suzuki tagged in his partner afterward. Yamazaki fought with urgency, trading kicks with Shamrock until a hard left upper kick sent Shamrock down for another knockdown. Now tied at 2-2, Shamrock opted to tag in Funaki. Funaki returned, changing the pace with sharp palm strikes that backed Yamazaki into the corner. A clean break allowed Yamazaki to tag Suzuki again, and the match entered its most volatile stretch. Suzuki charged in with wild pressure, clinching and dragging Funaki to the mat. They scrambled through multiple transitions, Funaki surviving a tight guillotine before slipping behind and dragging Suzuki down with a rolling leg tie-up that drew a rope break. Funaki weathered a frantic surge from Suzuki, who fired off hammering palm strikes in the clinch before Funaki snapped off a kick to the ribs and locked in a front choke. Suzuki escaped with a quick sit-out, but when he re-engaged, Funaki used a lightning duck-under into a rear waistlock and tripped him back down. As Suzuki tried to roll free, Funaki trapped his leg and arm simultaneously and spun into a tight modified keylock, wrenching until Suzuki tapped at 15:19. Funaki & Shamrock defeat Yamazaki & Suzuki via submission (keylock), 15:19 Duane Koslowski & Dennis Koslowski vs Victor Zangiev & Salman Hashimikov The long-anticipated match between the American Greco-Roman Olympians and the formidable Soviet duo was finally here. It would decide the first World Tag Team champions. After both teams made their entrances, Lou Thesz entered the ring from his seat at ringside and gave a brief speech. After Ryogaku Wada checked both teams and asked if they were ready, the bell rang. The bout began with Dennis Koslowski opposite of Victor Zangiev. The two immediately locked up in a clinch battle that showcased their difference in style. Zangiev favored his SAMBO-infused freestyle control from over-under ties, while Dennis used short-level changes and folkstyle instincts to fight inside and duck under. Dennis briefly hit a snap takedown, but Zangiev rolled through, bringing the crowd to life. Zangiev continued to build up momentum and often caused Dennis some trouble with a very tricky stance, along with his creative entry moves. After a brief scramble on the mat that caused Dennis to roll for a clean rope break, Duane tagged in. Hashimikov tagged in as well, and the pace slowed under with a bit of a different approach. Hashimikov controlled the clinch with bull-like forward pressure, muscling Duane into the ropes twice. The first time was a clean break, but the second resulted in a leg trip takedown. Hashimikov quickly attempted a scarf choke, but Duane Koslowski reached for the ropes near him for a rope break. The Soviets drew first blood. However, Duane responded with a sharp hip toss moments later, landing Hashimikov hard. Though the referee began counting, Hashimikov returned to his feet by three. Regardless, the Americans were now up 1-0 on points. That suplex, a textbook Greco drop, helped establish Duane’s rhythm. As the match wore on past the 10:00 mark, both teams traded tags frequently, keeping the pace consistent and grounded in upper-body grappling. Victor re-entered against Dennis, and their exchanges were crisp, a blend of Greco-Roman and Freestyle throws and tight wrist control fighting. Dennis used duck-unders and snap-arms to frustrate Zangiev, eventually chaining into a folkstyle-inspired front headlock series that forced Victor into the ropes. That break, his first, didn’t cost points, but the next sequence did. After a belly-to-belly from Dennis and a quick transition to a high ride, Victor scrambled and kicked off the ropes again, resulting in a second rope break and a knockdown. The scoreboard now read 2-2, with both teams tied on points. As fatigue mounted, Hashimikov returned to square off against Duane in a stiff exchange. Duane’s throws were less fluid, but he used palm strikes to the body to bait Hashimikov’s base wider, finally hitting a rear trip that planted the Soviet heavyweight straight into the mat. Duane attempted a rear-naked choke, but Hashimikov defended well and the two ended up in a stalemate near the ropes that prompted the referee to stand both back up. Near the 16:00 mark, Victor tagged back in and caught Duane with a beautiful Sambo-style modified gutwrench for a knockdown. Duane struggled to get back on his feet, which prompted Wada to initiate it. The Soviets were now ahead 3-2 on points and seemed to be moving closer to a victory. Duane tagged his brother back in, who went to work with the crafty Zangiev. Dennis appeared to be gaining the upper hand against the Ossetian, but Zangiev managed to execute a uranage throw, catching Dennis by surprise. Zangiev opted to maintain control and went down with him, establishing side control to go for a straight armlock, but Dennis quickly scrambled and floated over, transitioning to establish back control over Zangiev with a half-nelson. In the closing sequence, Dennis maneuvered Zangiev into a precarious pinning position using a crossbody leg ride and tilt. Dennis used the unorthodox move to cradle up Zangiev and get his shoulders on the mat. Zangiev struggled to break the pin while Ryogaku Wada counted….1…2……3!!! The 1988 Olympic medalists had done it! The crowd cheered the loudest of the night so far as the two brothers celebrated in the ring. The Soviet pair gathered themselves near a corner and took a minute or two to recover from a shock defeat. Lou Thesz and Billy Robinson entered the ring to present the two shiny boxing-style gold belts to the brothers. Dennis and Duane Koslowski remained over the moon as they continued to celebrate. Dennis Koslowski & Duane Koslowski defeat Zangiev & Hashimikov via pinfall, 18:24 The Koslowski's continue to celebrate while Hashimikov and Zangiev make their way to the back. Their belts are put around their waists. They soak in the moment a bit more as the commentators explain how the Koslowskis climbed their way to the top of the UWF tag team division. Naoya Ogawa vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara The young Judo prodigy, Naoya Ogawa, has had an impressive start in UWF so far. Quickly making a name for himself, Ogawa has ascended to become one of the immediate young stars of the promotion. Opposite of the ring tonight stood Yoshiaki Fujiwara, who was eager to teach the young buck a lesson. Motoyuki Kitazawa would be the referee for this match, and he checked both competitors as customary before calling for the bell. Ogawa opened with a compact, low stance, his left hand gripping at Fujiwara’s wrist, while Fujiwara stood more upright, hands relaxed and floating. The early exchanges favored Ogawa’s pace. He faked a sasae tsurikomi ashi that caused Fujiwara to post his left leg, then yanked into a kosoto gari to off-balance the veteran and bring him to the mat in a scramble. Fujiwara wisely rolled through, catching a crossface as he recovered guard, forcing Ogawa to release and stand. Fujiwara rose and offered a half-smile, recognizing Ogawa’s intent to control from the top. At the four-minute mark, Ogawa executed a crisp ippon seoi nage that sent Fujiwara crashing. The move caught Fujiwara by surprise, and it was enough to make him take his time to recover, prompting a ten count from Kitazawa. Fujiwara was up at three, shaking off the impact and circling his opponent again. Ogawa pressed, looking to re-engage standing, but Fujiwara chopped into Ogawa’s stance with a quick leg kick and followed with palm strikes to the body to test his range. Another clinch formed, and Ogawa attempted a hip toss, but Fujiwara countered with a tight waistlock, dragging Ogawa down and immediately moving to trap the right arm. Ogawa reached the ropes once, giving up a rope escape. Fujiwara was building up a nice flow and managed to wrestle Ogawa back down to the mat again with some clever footwork, leading to a wristlock takedown. Fujiwara worked patiently from the legs and eventually found enough room to lock in a heel hook attempt that forced Ogawa to reach for the ropes again. With the score even at one apiece, the tempo subtly shifted as Fujiwara began to impose a slower rhythm. At around eleven minutes in, Fujiwara drew Ogawa into another clinch, but this time used a subtle underhook to step behind and attempt a rear takedown. Ogawa posted hard and rotated into a shoulder throw, but Fujiwara kept his base, shifting his weight and dragging both men down in a tangle. Fujiwara’s grappling knowledge began to surface. He slowly worked wrist control, pinning Ogawa’s elbow to the mat and isolating his shoulder with pressure. Ogawa, to his credit, resisted with urgency, managing to roll out and force another rope break after Fujiwara transitioned to a deep cross armlock. The young judoka, sensing he was in danger of losing control, responded. Ogawa regained some confidence after he managed to wrestle Fujiwara down to the mat with a clever leg entry. Fujiwara remained calm while Ogawa attempted to work in an entry for a rear-naked choke, but Fujiwara sprawled out and got back on his feet. Ogawa continued to remain on the front foot and shocked the Yokohama crowd with another knockdown with a monstrous uranage that dropped Fujiwara squarely on his back. The veteran absorbed the impact, and it was enough to keep him down for another ten count. Fujiwara was slower to get back up this time, but beat the ten count at six and never seemed concerned. Now leading 2-1 on points, Ogawa seemed more confident. Yet Fujiwara remained composed, continuing to chip away at Ogawa’s posture with punches to the body and low calf kicks before luring him into a clinch near the ropes. Fujiwara worked for wrist control and spun Ogawa through the air with another wristlock takedown. Fujiwara quickly followed and established side control. Ogawa had to defend from the bottom as Fujiwara worked for a Fujiwara armbar attempt, but Ogawa reached for the ropes again to force a break. The match was now tied 2-2 on points. Two minutes of patient engagement on both ends passed before Fujiwara managed to lure in Ogawa in another clinch, and surprised his opponent with a vicious headbutt. That was enough to send Ogawa to the mat and force Kitazawa to start another ten count. Ogawa seemed a bit shellshocked and took his time to get up before beating the count at eight. In the final minute, Fujiwara used a slick feint, pretending to collapse from a failed leg trip, to bait Ogawa into a front headlock attempt. In the ensuing scramble, Fujiwara captured the arm, rolled through, and torqued back with his signature Fujiwara armbar, flattening Ogawa’s hips and angling away from the ropes. Ogawa was at a fair distance away from the ropes now and sensed his arm being pulled in a painful direction. The pain was increasing every second. Ogawa, deciding to avoid serious injury, tapped out. The Yokohama Arena exploded as they chanted for Fujiwara, with the bell sounding to signal the winner. Fujiwara defeats Ogawa via submission (Fujiwara armbar), 18:22 Aleksandr Karelin vs Bob Backlund The highly anticipated clash between the renowned American icon and the 1988 Olympic gold medalist was finally here. Backlund did not have Karelin’s Olympic credentials, but he did have a prestigious background of his own. A multi-time WWF champion, Backlund had proved himself in the squared circle and was already a first-ballot hall of famer. Karelin had chosen to enter the world of professional wrestling in 1988 and came close to capturing gold in the U-COSMOS Grand Prix last year, but fell short. Karelin entered the arena first, with Metallica’s “For Whom The Bell Tolls” playing loudly. Backlund entered next, with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, Movement 4 serving as the entrance music. Nobuyuki Furuta made the ring introductions as both men stared down each other. Kitazawa made quick checks and called for the bell once both men were ready. The crowd watched as Backlund, the eccentric but formidable technician, circled the stoic and imposing Aleksandr Karelin. Right from the opening tie-up, the contrast was stark. Backlund used erratic footwork and vocal taunts to test Karelin’s rhythm, while Karelin stood firm, unmoved by the psychological bait. Backlund initiated with a deep-level drop, trying to get under Karelin's hips with a single-leg, but Karelin countered with a heavy sprawl, flattening the American and wrapping him in a head-and-arm tie. Backlund scrambled, bridging to slip out before a clean rope break could be called, showing his impressive escape instincts. The two remained on the mat, with Karelin continuing to maintain front control. He worked from bottom to frustrate Karelin’s positional pressure, momentarily reversing position and attempting to spin to the back, but Karelin calmly re-established top control. Karelin worked for a scarf choke that almost served as a taunt, but Backlund defended well, and both men eventually found themselves back on their feet. Backlund used a palm thrust to the body and clinched high, trying to create a scramble into a suplex, but Karelin anchored down and delivered a crisp Greco-style bodylock takedown. Karelin forced Backlund to work for an escape out, grinding him down with his power and positioning. Karelin to side control and attempted to hunt for a cross-armbreaker, but Backlund was wise enough to reach for a rope break after sensing he was close to them. Karelin remained undeterred after the reset and wrapped up Backlund for a clinch again. This time, Backlund didn’t seem to have an answer for Karelin’s brute strength as he sent him flying with a SAMBO-style headlock suplex. Backlund eventually had to exhaust another rope break and handed Karelin a 1-0 lead on points after Karelin nearly caught him with an Achilles hold. Backlund came out more aggressively in the middle portion of the match, quickening the pace and using feints to dart into tie-ups, trying to prevent Karelin from dictating the tempo. He managed to surprise the Russian with a fast duck-under and executed a picture-perfect side suplex, lifting Karelin off his feet for a powerful slam. The move caught Karelin by surprise, and the force was enough to keep him down long enough for Kitazawa to start a ten-count. The crowd was audibly impressed as the aura of invincibility surrounding Karelin took its first visible dent in the match. Karelin beat the ten count quickly and got back on his feet, while Backlund sensed an opportune time to resume his advance. But of course, Karelin answered. He trapped Backlund’s next takedown attempt in a front headlock and transitioned into a brutal twisting neck crank that drove Backlund to the ropes. Backlund bounced off but was again dragged across the ring with a huge belly-to-belly suplex. Backlund grabbed his back in pain as he was slow to get up, costing him another knockdown. Kitazawa counted to ten, but Backlund got back up by the count of five. With Karelin leading 2-1 on points, the match grew more grinding and physical. Karelin bullied his way into over-under clinches, hammering Backlund’s ribs with gut punches to sap the American’s defense. Backlund responded with grit, using unorthodox movement to create off-balances and even securing a brief full mount from a scramble before Karelin calmly reversed position and locked in a head-and-arm choke that forced another rope break. A short time later, Karelin blasted Backlund off his feet with a fast, shocking German suplex that led to the third knockdown for Backlund as the referee counted to seven before he stood up, breathing heavily. The final minutes saw Backlund valiantly attempt to swing the momentum. After slipping another clinch, he drove through with a single-leg and forced Karelin to the mat, briefly threatening with a crossface neck lock and then a power half-nelson, but Karelin slowly worked free, showing patience and balance. Backlund managed to tighten his grip before Karelin powered to his feet and fought out. Backlund’s movements began to slow as Karelin’s relentless pressure and clinch fighting wore him down. After dragging Backlund down to the mat, Karelin established side control from the rear and picked up Backlund with brute strength for a deadlift gutwrench suplex. The impressive move sent Backlund reeling for a fourth knockdown. Backlund was slow to get up, but beat Kitazawa’s count by 9. In one final tie-up, Backlund tried to explode into an Olympic slam to change the tide. Karelin blocked, forced Backlund back to the mat while maintaining side control from the waist, and hoisted him clean off the mat, and launched him backward with the Karelin Lift. The gutwrench suplex with a terrifying spike folded Backlund right on his neck. Kitazawa, the referee, immediately began the count as Backlund lay motionless, eyes shut. The crowd roared in awe as Karelin stood over him, stone-faced. The referee reached ten and called for the bell as Backlund remained motionless on his stomach. Though Backlund gave a spirited performance, even scoring a rare knockdown on Karelin, the sheer force of the Soviet machine proved too much. Karelin defeats Backlund via TKO, 17:17 Karelin doesn't waste too much time celebrating and bows gently before the Japanese audience before leaving the ring while Metallica plays in the arena once again. Bob Backlund is helped to his feet by some UWF dojo trainees, ice packs in hand, and Backlund seems a bit shellshocked. He exits the ring with a disappointed look and makes his way to the back. Nobuhiko Takada vs Akira Maeda The fans inside Yokohama Arena were humming with anticipation as two of the primary pillars of UWF were set to meet each other once again. Maeda made his entrance first, with Camel’s “Captured” roaring through the arena as nearly 17,000 fans chanted “Ma-ae-da! Ma-ae-da!”. Maeda made his way to the ring confidently. Next, Nobuhiko Takada entered, set to “Training Montage” from the Rocky IV soundtrack. Takada nearly got an equally loud welcome, with chants of “Ta-ka-da!” following as he made his way to the ring as well. The two stood in their respective corners as Nobuyuki Furuta made the ring introductions. Masami Soranaka, the referee for this match, made checks on both men and asked if they were ready before ringing the bell. Maeda and Takada met in the center of the ring to begin their encounter. The first few minutes were filled with caution, both men acutely aware of the other’s ability to end things early with a well-timed kick. Takada stayed light on his feet, probing with low kicks, targeting Maeda’s lead thigh. Maeda didn’t rush, absorbing the damage without reacting outwardly, occasionally responding with a thudding body kick of his own. The first real contact came when Takada lunged in with a right palm strike that connected high on Maeda’s cheek, only to be immediately caught in a collar tie and dumped with a sudden belly-to-belly suplex. Takada scrambled to his feet, feeling a bit shaken by the sudden move. The crowd roared in approval as the pace quickened, each man trying to assert their rhythm without overcommitting. As Maeda began imposing his stalking pressure, peppering in sharp left kicks to the body. Takada adjusted, ducking into a clinch and nearly dragging Maeda into a double wristlock, but the veteran calmly twisted into the ropes. The two continued to land some strikes in a back-and-forth exchange, followed by some patient matwork as they tried to get one over each other. Maeda and Takada played the long game, choosing not to exhaust too much energy as they struggled for a submission hold. Maeda eventually managed to cause Takada enough concern with a kneebar attempt that forced the first rope break of the match. As the bout passed the ten-minute mark, the tone shifted to one of attrition. Maeda began targeting Takada’s legs more heavily, landing inside and outside low kicks with growing intensity, forcing Takada to rethink his stance. Takada returned fire with a high kick that barely grazed Maeda’s head and a palm strike flurry that opened the door for a single-leg takedown attempt, but Maeda stuffed it, sprawling low and slowly working into top position. The resulting ground battle showcased their mutual Gotch lineage. Maeda clamped down on an ankle and teased a heel hook, but Takada rotated through the pressure and reached the ropes, costing him his second rope break. Maeda was up 1-0 on points. Takada became more aggressive, stepping in with a left middle kick that Maeda caught. Takada bounced on one leg to throw Maeda off a bit and managed to get into a clinch. Takada’s smooth transition was enough to catch Maeda for a well-executed side suplex that sent Maeda crashing to the mat. That was enough to draw the first ten count of the match. Maeda didn’t waste any time getting back up after a brief pause. The next few minutes were spent engaging on more measured terms, with Takada targeting Maeda’s midsection with a series of kicks. A fast double palm strike combo staggered Maeda for a split second. Takada capitalized with a takedown into side control and briefly threatened a double wristlock of his own, but Maeda calmly nullified the angle and reversed the position after a tense struggle, working his way into mount. Maeda worked for a cross-armbreaker while Takada defended, and nearly got it before Takada rolled through and established control of Maeda’s legs on his feet. Takada quickly went for a kneebar attempt, while Maeda defended well, using his hands as leverage to prevent torque. The two continued to fight for position, and Takada eventually managed to secure a cross-armbreaker attempt. Maeda failed to prevent his arm from being snapped back, but was near the ropes to secure a rope break. Takada was now leading 2-1 on points and seemed to be in the driver’s seat. The match continued, and the even war of attrition eventually saw both wrestlers exchange more rope breaks. Tied 2-2 on points, Takada and Maeda engaged in a heated kicking exchange around the seventeen-minute mark, and Takada landed a hard right kick that sent Maeda down to the canvas again for a knockdown. Kitazawa counted to ten as the crowd cheered loudly for Maeda. Maeda managed to get up to beat the count before Kitazawa reached seven. Takada was leading 3-2 on points, and his fans were beginning to become the loudest inside Yokohama Arena. Dueling chants of “Ta-ka-da!” and “Ma-ae-da!” broke out, and it very much seemed to be in Takada’s favor. The final stretch of the match, now deep into the twenty-minute mark, saw fatigue settle in. Maeda’s sharp leg kicks had left Takada visibly limping, with his lateral movement now compromised. Takada landed one final palm strike combo and attempted a spinning back kick, but Maeda caught the leg and hoisted him violently overhead into a high-angle Capture Suplex that planted Takada on his upper back and neck. The impact drew a sharp gasp from the Yokohama crowd. Takada was flat on his back, and Maeda immediately latched onto Takada, dragging him up to his feet. Maeda secured his waist and dropped backward for a bridging German suplex. Takada was still out cold from the Capture Suplex and did not sense Soranaka going for the three count. 1….2…..3!!!! Maeda had prevailed after twenty-two grueling minutes. Maeda defeats Takada via pinfall, 22:03 Both men remained motionless for a moment, breathing heavily. Maeda slowly stood, acknowledging the fans with a subtle bow. Takada, aided to his feet moments later, received a respectful ovation of his own. They turn to each other and shake hands while exchanging quick bows. Takada is the first to leave the ring while Maeda celebrates for a little bit before heading back as well. Tatsumi Fujinami vs Satoru Sayama The main event had finally arrived. 17,000 fans in the Yokohama Arena were fully locked in as both wrestlers made their entrances. First to enter was Satoru Sayama. The reigning champion had been on a mission to keep his place on top of the mountain over the past several months, but faced a very tough challenge tonight. It was evident that Sayama’s fans were quite loud and numerous. Tatsumi Fujinami made his entrance next, and the challenger seemed very prepared and focused as he quickly made his way to the ring. He had vocal fans as well, although perhaps not as numerous compared to Sayama. With both wrestlers in the ring, Masami Soranaka presents the belt for the final time and makes his customary checks on both wrestlers. With both wrestlers signaling they were ready to start, Soranaka called for the bell, and the main event commenced. The atmosphere in the arena was electric. From the outset, the contrast was evident. Sayama moved lightly on his feet, darting in and out of range with short feints and sharp angles. The champion tested Fujinami’s reactions with probing low kicks and the occasional fast palm strike targeted at the head. Fujinami, as always, remained composed and centered. In the early minutes, Sayama’s speed was clearly to his advantage; his sharp middle kicks and quick entries forced Fujinami into a reactive posture. Still, the veteran caught a body kick around the six-minute mark and converted it into a crisp single-leg takedown, transitioning immediately into a cross-armbreaker attempt. Sayama remained calm, using a knee shield and his hips to slide toward the ropes. The referee called for a clean break, and both men disentangled mutually. Back on their feet, Fujinami continued to play the long game and refused to be reactionary against Sayama’s quick feet. He baited the reigning champion into another mistimed kick that he turned into a shoot-esque Dragon corkscrew that popped the crowd. Fujinami immediately went for a well-executed kneebar, and Sayama attempted to defend. Despite a brief struggle, Fujinami was able to lock it in, and Sayama quickly went for the ropes and exhausted the first rope break of the match. Sayama got one in return shortly afterward, after he wrestled Fujinami down to the mat with a double-leg that he turned into a heel hook attempt. For now, it seemed like a battle of leglocks. Sayama eventually managed to force Fujinami to the ropes. The match continued to be a mainly submission-based affair as Sayama did not seem to be able to land his kicks on Fujinami in the way he wanted. Fujinami was clever, and his defense and own approach neutralized Sayama’s striking so far. Eventually, both men found themselves tied 1-1 on points after two more rope breaks from each. The next phase of the match did eventually become more grueling for both. Bmen worked toward small positional advantages rather than dramatic shifts. Fujinami continued to show off his great timing, deflecting Sayama’s kicks more effectively and using underhooks in the clinch to shut down scrambles. At one point, he secured a waistlock off a missed kick and planted Sayama with a German suplex, bridging high and tight. Sayama kicked out just before the three count, and the crowd erupted. Fujinami transitioned smoothly into side control and began attacking the near arm, but Sayama used the rotation to spin free, climbing up Fujinami’s back as they reset. The pace quickened, and Sayama began to shine as his athleticism became more of a factor. Sayama flipped out of a wristlock, turning a grounded half-nelson into a slick armbar entry. Fujinami had to shift his hips quickly and grab the ropes to avoid the full extension. Fujinami seemed to be caught off guard, but he didn’t let the moment get to him. He responded with a sequence of chain wrestling that led to a near hammerlock, but Sayama managed to reverse into a triangle attempt from the bottom. It was clear both men had scouted each other quite well, with neither giving an inch without determined effort. Sayama finally started to find some luck in the striking game, baiting Fujinami with palm strikes and body jabs before going in with hard kicks. Fujinami was momentarily stunned by a sharp kick to the ribs, allowing Sayama to open up with a slick combo that got the crowd rocking. Fujinami was on his back foot, and a beautiful jumping roundhouse was enough to get Fujinami off his feet for the first knockdown of the match. Masami Soranaka initiated the ten count after a delay, but Fujinami was able to get on his feet before the count of six. Now leading 2-1 on points, Sayama continued to apply pressure on his opponent. Fujinami was forced to regain his rhythm quickly, and he managed to do just that. Fujinami managed to block a high kick and slipped behind to gain control of Sayama’s waist and delivered another beautiful German suplex. Fujinami maintained control of Sayama’s back and worked for a rear-naked choke, forcing Sayama to reach for the ropes for another break. Fujinami had seemingly regained control of the match around the sixteen-minute mark when he countered a palm strike from Sayama with a sharp one of his own, before delivering a snap suplex that he attempted to turn into a guillotine choke. Sayama somehow found his way to the ropes again, and the match was now tied 2-2 on points. By the final stretch, the fatigue had set in. It was visible in their breath, their sweat-streaked backs, and the slower movements, but Sayama still carried an edge in pace. A few more rope breaks from both wrestlers after more grappling on the mat saw the match now even at 3-3 on points. It was a back-and-forth struggle, and something had to give. Fujinami found a way to neutralize Sayama’s pace advantage again with deliberate wrist control. Fujinami slipped through a reversal attempt from Sayama and found his waist again. Sayama seemed a bit surprised, but couldn’t do much as Fujinami delivered another German suplex. Fujinami maintained waistlock control and lifted Sayama again, before opting for a Dragon Suplex. The suplex combo was enough to deliver a knockdown in Fujinami’s favor, and Sayama seemed to be on the edge as he stumbled his way back up. Soranaka nearly counted to ten before Sayama regained his footing and signaled his ability to continue. At 4-3, Fujinami was close to unseating the champion and claiming the belt for himself. Sayama still had something up his sleeve, though. A flush right palm strike caught Fujinami stepping forward and rocked him off balance, followed by a quick spinning back kick to the ribs that sent him retreating. Sayama pressed aggressively, with another middle kick, a low kick, and a left palm that grazed Fujinami’s jaw. Fujinami ducked in for a clinch and looked for another Dragon Suplex, but Sayama dropped his hips and rolled through, maintaining wrist control. With a sudden burst, he shifted behind Fujinami, locked in a tight waistlock, and arched violently into a high-angle Tiger Suplex. Fujinami landed hard, the back of his shoulders slamming the mat as Sayama bridged beautifully into a pin. Soranaka initiated the count….1…2………3!!!!!!!!! The bell rang, crowning Sayama the winner by pinfall. Sayama defeats Fujinami via pinfall, 24:17 Sayama slowly got to his knees, bowed toward Fujinami, and received a reverent ovation from the Yokohama crowd. Fujinami sat up slowly, nodding in acceptance, having pushed the champion to the edge. Fujinami gets plenty of cheers for his performance. Fujinami and Sayama have a quick embrace before Fujinami leaves the ring. Lou Thesz and Billy Robinson enter the ring to award Sayama his championship belt once again. Instrumental music fit for the occasion plays as the title is wrapped around his waist. Sayama is also presented with a few trophies for good measure. Everyone seems to be enjoying the moment. Sayama gives a brief speech and says he commends Fujinami for the great match and that he looks forward to facing him again soon. Sayama says his attention is now turned to Marco Ruas, who is sitting ringside as well. The camera catches Ruas as Sayama talks about their upcoming title match in Brazil. Sayama says he has huge respect for Ruas and that the test will be difficult but worthwhile. Sayama turns to Ruas and says he will see him in Rio de Janeiro. Ruas is seen with a stoic, but intrigued look on his face. Sayama celebrates a bit more, although the ring eventually clears as the show officially draws to a close. The commentators recap the events of the evening while commenting on who could stop Sayama, who seems to be on top of his game. They mention Ruas' skill and homefield advantage as factors Sayama will have to overcome next month. The commentators talk about the Rio de Janeiro event and break down some of the matches already announced, including Aleksandr Karelin facing Naoya Ogawa. After they talk about how much time has flown since UWF's debut two years ago, they wrap up the show with WOWOW's rolling credits sending off the TV audience.

Card Announcement: UWF Newborn - "Second Anniversary" July 27th, 1990 Yokohama, Japan Yokohama Arena Mitsuya Nagai vs Manabu Yamada Yusuke Fuke vs Jerry Flynn Ahmed Johnson vs Dick Vrij Kiyoshi Tamura & Masahito Kakihara vs Tatsuo Nakano & Yoji Anjo Masakatsu Funaki & Wayne Shamrock vs Kazuo Yamazaki & Minoru Suzuki World Tag Team Championship: Duane Koslowski & Dennis Koslowski vs Victor Zangiev & Salman Hashimikov Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Naoya Ogawa Aleksandr Karelin vs Bob Backlund Akira Maeda vs Nobuhiko Takada Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship: Satoru Sayama(c) vs Tatsumi Fujinami

UWF Newborn – “Fighting Arena Sendai” June 29th, 1990 Sendai, Japan Miyagi Sports Center Attendance: 7,000 (sold out) Broadcast: WOWOW (taped) After WOWOW's pre-show advertisements, the viewing audience is greeted by the usual slick production that serves as a preview for the event, covering all the planned matches, as well as taped interviews leading up to the event. The WOWOW commentary team welcomes everyone to tonight's event and breaks down the card. Soon, Nobuyuki Furuta stands in the middle of the ring inside the arena and commences the official opening of the show. The UWF theme plays in the background, and as usual, we get the parade of wrestlers as they line up inside the ring. Maeda, Takada, Onita, Ogawa, Funaki, and Han get the loudest cheers of the evening. Maeda, Funaki, and Takada hype up the audience with some words, and away we go. Mitsuya Nagai vs Yusuke Fuke After spending a lot of time in the UWF dojo, it was finally Nagai’s chance to get some reps in a live ring. The debuting young lion was still quite raw, and Yusuke Fuke exploited this weakness to his advantage. While Nagai had tons of fire and energy, Fuke was able to use his skill and experience to avoid serious damage. Nagai landed some stiff strikes at least, but Yuke was able to take Nagai to the mat almost at will, and Nagai struggled to defend himself on the mat as he seemed a bit overwhelmed at times. Yuke added to Nagai’s frustration by being a bit patient and seemed to enjoy giving Nagai a lesson in grappling. Yuke built up a quick 3-0 lead on points after a knockdown around the 5:00 mark, and this didn’t change as Nagai continued to get hounded by his opponent. After a brief comeback attempt from Nagai, who exhausted his remaining energy with a flurry of palm strikes, Fuke ended the affair by taking down Nagai with a quick German suplex and locking in a full-Boston crab for the submission victory. Fuke defeats Nagai via submission (full-Boston crab), 8:32 Masahito Kakihara vs Naoyuki Taira As the fans would expect with these two in the ring, this was a very dynamic affair with both wrestlers being very eager strikers and capable, evolving grapplers. Taira and Kakihara were both happy to open proceedings on their feet, with both exchanging some hard strikes to the delight of the fans. Taira’s kicks seemed to be an early factor, as he managed to change things up with a variety to throw Kakihara off his game. Kakihara found himself down a point early after Taira caught him with a jumping roundhouse, and beat a ten count from Yuji Shimada quickly. Kakihara found himself on the mat soon after, with Taira continuing his momentum with ground control. Kakihara did well on defense, and he was able to get himself out of a potentially dangerous situation when Taira went for a heel hook in the middle of the ring. Kakihara rolled through and was able to secure one of Taira’s free legs to decrease his opponent’s leverage. Back on their feet, Kakihara was able to even things up after catching Taira with a palm strike combo, with the match now even 1-1 on points. Taira beat the ten count quickly as well and went back to work with little time wasted. The match continued with a relatively frenetic pace, and another exchange of knockdowns increased the score to 2-2 on points. Taira continued to hound Kakihara on the mat and managed to secure another rope break from Kakihara with a rear-naked choke attempt, giving Taira the lead 3-2 on points. The decisive moment in the match came when Taira caught Kakihara with a rolling kneebar near the middle of the ring, which was enough to convince Kakihara to tap. Taira defeats Kakihara via submission (kneebar), 11:51 Peter Senerchia vs Tatsuo Nakano It had been a while since the young American was last seen in UWF, but the explosive Judoka was eager to make a mark in the promotion. He faced a good test tonight against Tatsuo Nakano. Senerchia came into the bout with a clear game plan. He wanted to close the distance, impose his strength, and smother Tatsuo Nakano before Nakano could exploit his vulnerabilities on his feet. The opening minutes reflected that intent as Senerchia pressed forward behind tight palm strikes and heavy body punches in the clinch, eventually muscling Nakano down with a powerful kata guruma that landed clean in the center of the ring. Nakano scrambled to the ropes to avoid being flattened further, costing him his first rope break. Senerchia stayed on him, landing another takedown shortly after and working from top position with pressure and occasional open hand strikes to the midsection. Nakano managed to work his way back to his feet, where he finally found some success with low kicks and short palm strikes to disrupt Senerchia’s forward momentum. But just when he seemed to have regained his footing, Senerchia exploded with a high-angle belly-to-belly suplex that drew a pop from the crowd and earned him the first official knockdown of the bout. Nakano had a rough going, but the damage seemed to light a spark in him. Nakano returned fire with renewed aggression, targeting the body and mixing in quick palm strikes to the head, finally forcing Senerchia to retreat. The fight broke into more of a back-and-forth rhythm, with Senerchia continuing to hunt for takedowns and suplexes while Nakano looked to create chaos with strikes. The match turned when Nakano caught Senerchia leaning in too low during a clinch and tagged him flush with a palm strike across the jaw, followed by a low kick and a second, harder palm strike that knocked Senerchia off balance. Nakano immediately pounced, backing the younger man into the corner with body punches and short strikes to the head. A stiff knee to the ribs stunned Senerchia further, and Nakano uncorked a final wild flurry, body shots, an open-hand slap to the ear, and a full extension palm thrust straight to the face. Senerchia collapsed onto his side, dazed and unable to recover before the ten count. The crowd gave Nakano a strong ovation for the comeback win, as the referee waved off the match. Nakano defeats Senerchia via knockout at 13:22. Dick Vrij vs Yoji Anjo Dick Vrij and Yoji Anjo were both very eager for a win coming into this match. Anjo approached the match conservatively at first, wary of the Dutchman’s power, circling with a lowered stance and probing with kicks to the thigh. Vrij, ever confident on his feet, looked relaxed but dangerous, waiting for his openings and firing off thudding low kicks that visibly staggered Anjo early. The first few exchanges set the tone. Anjo tried to close the distance with flurries of palm strikes or opportunistic clinches, but Vrij kept finding the mark with body kicks and well-timed knees. One particularly loud right kick to the ribs caused Anjo to wince and drop down to a knee, initiating the first ten count of the match. Anjo beat the count quickly and went on the offense. He attempted a reactive takedown midway through the third minute, but Vrij sprawled and powered free before the two ended up in the ropes, prompting a clean break. Vrij began pressing the action more, and his pressure forced Anjo to try his luck at grappling with the Dutchman. After another stiff body kick, Anjo dove for a single-leg, but Vrij landed a sharp downward palm strike to the back and shook him off. Anjo finally managed to catch a kick and bring the fight to the mat briefly, where he tried to lock up an ankle, but Vrij reached the ropes almost immediately, sacrificing his first rope break in exchange for safety. Back on the feet, Vrij’s dominance became more apparent. He battered Anjo’s legs and ribs, with a particularly brutal sequence of a left body kick followed by a knee from the clinch, dropping Anjo for the second knockdown of the match around the 8-minute mark. Anjo recovered but was taking heavy damage. Anjo again tried to mount offense with a few sneaky palm strikes and even got a partial back take during a scramble, but Vrij’s strength allowed him to shake free and get back to his preferred range. The final sequence came when Vrij backed Anjo into a corner and unloaded a brutal series of knees to the body and palm strikes to the head. One knee landed flush to the midsection and folded Anjo over, leading to a delayed collapse. The referee began his count as Anjo clutched his side, clearly in pain. Though he stirred around the count of eight, he could not get fully upright, and the referee waved it off at 13:04. Vrij defeats Anjo via KO, 13:04. Andy Hug vs Yorinaga Nakamura The following match between Hug and Nakamura was a live demonstration of strategy versus power, with Nakamura’s cerebral grappling style tested against Hug’s explosive striking. From the opening bell, Hug imposed his presence, controlling the center with sharp movement and peppering Nakamura’s lead leg with stiff low kicks. Nakamura responded with feints and level changes, looking to create an entry into the clinch or tangle Hug up into a mat exchange, but Hug kept his strikes deliberate. Nakamura managed to clinch briefly and threaten a trip, but Hug framed off and fired a crushing knee to the ribs that dropped Nakamura for the first knockdown at around the three-minute mark. Nakamura recovered and went back to movement, trying to bait Hug into overcommitting, and eventually caught a kick, sweeping Hug’s planted leg to take him down. Nakamura scrambled into a leg entanglement and worked for a heel hook, forcing Hug to scramble toward the ropes, giving up his first rope break but avoiding real danger. The pace slowed a bit, with Nakamura circling and switching levels, but Hug stayed patient and kept chipping away with low kicks, gradually wearing down Nakamura’s mobility. Another takedown attempt followed, but Hug sprawled and spun away before delivering a body kick that visibly staggered Nakamura. Moments later, a head-height left roundhouse from Hug grazed the temple and dropped Nakamura again for another knockdown, as the crowd gasped at the sudden precision. Nakamura, ever the technician, regrouped and went back to work off a clinch, tripping Hug and flowing into a mounted crucifix that transitioned into a shoulder lock. Hug powered out, though, and reached the ropes for his second rope break. With the match nearing the fifteen-minute mark and Hug enjoying a 2-1 lead, Hug sensed momentum turning his way. Nakamura’s movement had slowed, and Hug went back to punishing the legs, now mixing in palm strikes upstairs. After a punishing sequence that forced Nakamura to shell up in the corner, Hug stepped in with a spinning back kick to the liver that crumpled Nakamura instantly. The referee counted him out as Nakamura clutched his side, unable to beat the ten. Hug stood tall, the victor after a methodical dismantling. Hug defeats Nakamura via KO, 15:22. Atsushi Onita vs Naoya Ogawa In front of a passionate Sendai crowd, Naoya Ogawa and Atsushi Onita continued a blossoming rivalry, and both were committed to securing a win. The atmosphere buzzed as Onita made his entrance, his wild, rebellious aura still drawing strong reactions from fans who admired his relentless intensity and unpredictable nature. Ogawa followed, calm and focused, his white judo gi crisp as he carried the quiet confidence of a 22-year-old prodigy ready to prove himself. The match began with Ogawa keeping distance and trying to establish control of the center, while Onita immediately pressed forward with aggressive flurries of palm strikes and body punches. Ogawa’s disciplined defense and footwork allowed him to avoid brawling on Onita’s terms, but the veteran still found success landing a hard kick to Ogawa’s thigh, followed by a clinch palm strike that snapped Ogawa’s head back. Ogawa patiently fought for an inside position, timing a clean kosoto gake to bring Onita down to the mat. From side control, Ogawa briefly applied a scarf hold before Onita powered his way to the ropes, earning his first rope break and a valuable reprieve. By the 8:00 mark, Onita got one back on Ogawa after he caught him with a belly-to-belly suplex that turned into a double wristlock attempt on the mat. Ogawa quickly scrambled for the ropes for his first rope break of the match. Ogawa’s confidence grew as the match progressed, but Onita’s scrappy style remained dangerous. The Sendai crowd roared as Onita taunted Ogawa with slaps to the face, daring the younger man into reckless exchanges. Ogawa resisted, choosing instead to pick his moments carefully. Another key grip exchange saw Ogawa slip under a wild palm strike and launch Onita with a high-impact harai goshi that stunned the veteran. On the mat, Ogawa secured kesa gatame and quickly transitioned to isolate Onita’s arm, but the veteran’s grit earned him a second rope break. With one knockdown scored against him, Onita came back with renewed urgency, landing a body kick and pressing a barrage of palm strikes. Onita caught Ogawa with a single-leg takedown and immediately went to work on the mat, hunting for a leglock. Ogawa scrambled, but Onita was able to finally secure a heel hook attempt that sent Ogawa to the ropes again. With the match tied at 1-1, both men got back on their feet as Ryogaku Wada restarted the match. Onita went for another takedown, but Ogawa fought back and defended well. Onita did not relent, though, and eventually caught Ogawa with a combination of palm strikes that sent Ogawa down to the mat. Onita built up a 2-1 lead on points and seemed to be in control. Onita continued to pressure his opponent and tried to open up Ogawa for another takedown attempt. Ogawa weathered the storm and seized a collar grip, sweeping Onita down with a sasae tsurikomi ashi, establishing dominant top control. Onita tried to fight back from the bottom, but Ogawa trapped an arm and locked in a modified kata-juji choke. The Sendai crowd watched intently as Onita struggled, desperately reaching for the ropes that were out of reach. Ogawa tightened the hold with clinical precision, and after tense moments, Onita’s arm went limp. Referee Masami Soronaka called the match at 15:36, awarding Ogawa a hard-fought submission victory. Ogawa defeats Onita via submission (kata-juji), 15:36 Volk Han vs Kazuo Yamazaki Volk Han scored an impressive victory over Minoru Suzuki last month and was looking to build on that against a very formidable and respected opponent. Kazuo Yamazaki, dressed in his usual black tights and stoic expression, received a polite welcome from the crowd, while Volk Han made his entrance with a confident look, while Jarre’s “Second Rendez-vous” played in the arena. Volk’s growing legion of fans welcomed him. The two men met at the center of the ring while Motoyuki Kitazawa checked both men before calling for the bell. As soon as the bell sounded, Yamazaki threw out a few probing low kicks, testing Han’s reactions. The Dagestani barely flinched, maintaining a relaxed stance as he watched his opponent move. Yamazaki grew bolder and looked to close the distance with a stiff middle kick, but Han caught the leg and executed a smooth inside trip, immediately entering top control. Yamazaki quickly used the ropes to avoid Han’s follow-up attack, costing him one rope break early. Upon the restart, Yamazaki picked up the pace with a sharp palm strike combination that caught Han on the jaw, followed by a quick left high kick that clipped the side of the head and dropped the Soviet for a knockdown. Han got up quickly, brushing himself off, and returned to the center. Yamazaki tried to repeat the sequence, but this time Han ducked under and launched a rolling kneebar attempt that sent both men scrambling. Yamazaki twisted free but left his leg exposed just long enough for Han to slap on a cross heel hold, which forced the Japanese striker to crawl for the ropes, his second rope break and first official point lost. The match was tied 1-1 on points. Yamazaki looked increasingly wary of engaging on the ground, knowing Han could threaten from any position. The match entered a tense middle phase, with both men alternating between sudden flurries and cautious circling. Yamazaki landed a few more hard body kicks and sharp slaps in the clinch, but Han’s composure never broke. At one point, Yamazaki tried to shoot in for a takedown of his own, hoping to surprise Han, but the SAMBO wizard sprawled and floated over into a front headlock before transitioning to a standing switch and throwing Yamazaki over with a beautiful SAMBO-style suplex. Han immediately transitioned into a leg entanglement and tried to isolate the knee, but Yamazaki used his speed to kick free, resulting in a clean break as they both hit the ropes. The action restarted with a feeling of mounting danger. Han was beginning to figure out Yamazaki’s timing. After a few more striking exchanges, Han baited a high kick and countered with a rare kani-basami, slicing into Yamazaki’s legs and bringing him down hard. The Dagestani pounced with another leg lock attempt, forcing a third rope break from Yamazaki. The tide had fully turned now. Yamazaki attempted a flying juji-gatame as a last-ditch response to a clinch, but Han blocked the attempt and stepped through into a straight ankle lock that drew a fourth rope break. Yamazaki showed some signs of frustration as he was now down 2-1 on points. He fired off a spinning back kick that missed, and Han answered with a spinning backfist that clipped him behind the ear and sent him reeling. The referee started another count, and Yamazaki needed some time to gather himself before signaling to the referee. With the match entering its eighteenth minute, the crowd was fully engaged, murmuring with anticipation as both men took a moment to reset. Han was enjoying a 3-1 lead on points and seemed to be in control. Yamazaki, battered but defiant, threw another middle kick, but Han stepped inside and wrapped him up before launching a lightning-fast suplex variation, a double wristlock suplex, that stunned Yamazaki and left him disoriented. Han wasted no time and spun into a mounted position, faking a transition to side control before twisting into a rolling omoplata. The shift was so quick that Yamazaki had no chance to defend. As Han secured the shoulder and torqued the joint with precision, Yamazaki tried to roll through, but Han adjusted, wrapping the free arm and collapsing into a full extension. Trapped with nowhere to go, Yamazaki was forced to submit at 18:02. The referee called for the bell, and Han jumped up, adjusting his wrist wraps while Yamazaki remained seated on the mat, disappointed and seemingly a bit shellshocked as well. Han defeats Yamazaki via submission (rolling omoplata), 18:02 Nobuhiko Takada vs Chris Dolman The Sendai crowd was locked in with anticipation as Nobuhiko Takada entered to a strong ovation. “Training Montage” from Rocky IV thumped through the arena as Takada’s fans chanted his name. Facing him tonight was the imposing Dutchman Chris Dolman, whose judo and SAMBO credentials had made him a feared opponent despite a mixed record. After Soranaka signaled for the bell, both men took a bit of a cautious approach. Takada took the initiative early with probing low kicks to Dolman’s thighs, trying to keep the larger man from closing the distance. Dolman stayed patient and absorbed the damage, eventually timing a clinch after catching a body kick. From there, he powered Takada to the mat with a heavy inside trip and secured a punishing kesa-gatame, applying short palm strikes to the side of the head. Takada wisely rolled near the ropes, using them to escape before Dolman could isolate the arm, giving up his first rope break. After the restart, Takada stayed light on his feet, wary of Dolman’s grip. He peppered the Dutchman with more kicks to the legs and midsection, forcing Dolman to sag defensively. One stiff left roundhouse caught Dolman clean to the ribs and knocked him back. Takada followed with a palm strike flurry that forced Dolman to cover up and stumble to the mat, drawing the first knockdown of the match. Dolman beat the count and resumed with a bit more urgency, charging into a Greco-style clinch and forcing Takada back into the ropes. After a quick clean break, the referee allowed them to continue, and Dolman used the moment to land a hard body punch before dragging Takada down again with a harai goshi. Dolman once again worked his grinding top control, but Takada used a clever hip escape to initiate a scramble and get back to his feet before Dolman could apply pressure. Another reset followed, and the tempo slowed momentarily as both men reset their strategies. The second half of the match saw Takada pull away. Dolman attempted to clinch again, but Takada baited him with a feint and landed a crisp high kick to the left side of the head, stunning the Dutchman and sending him crashing down for a second knockdown. Dolman got back up just in time to beat the count, but was visibly stunned. Takada remained clinical and met Dolman back in the center of the ring with more probing low kicks. From there, Dolman grew more aggressive, but the desperation left him vulnerable. A slow attempt at an uchi mata was countered by Takada sprawling and applying a loose guillotine before transitioning into a leg entanglement that forced Dolman to scramble for the ropes for a break. Takada immediately pressured Dolman again after they got back on their feet, and he took the Dutchman down with a rear waistlock takedown. Dolman quickly scrambled again to escape, and Takada now had a 3-1 on points. Upon the restart, Takada remained in the zone, mixing kicks with feints and angling away from Dolman’s clinch attempts. Another well-timed palm strike caught Dolman flush, followed by a leg kick and a spinning back kick to the body that dropped him to one knee again. The referee began the count, and Dolman barely beat it at nine. Takada was now leading 4-1 on points. Undeniably exhausted and low on gas, Dolman tried to bull forward once more, but Takada side-stepped and landed a sharp liver kick that folded the big man again. The crowd reacted with a roar as Dolman collapsed for the fifth time. Soranaka waved it off at 15:04. Takada jumped on the nearest turnbuckle to celebrate with his adoring fans. Dolman was attended to by fellow countrymen who were acting as his cornermen. It was a decisive victory for Takada, and Dolman would need to go back to the drawing board. Takada defeats Dolman via TKO, 15:04. Akira Maeda vs Masakatsu Funaki Masakatsu Funaki was finally getting a chance against the top dog in the promotion. After two years of cementing himself as perhaps the best young talent in the promotion, Funaki was eager to score a huge upset tonight and make a statement about the future of the promotion. Maeda, as composed and commanding as ever, took his time in the ring, soaking in the atmosphere in Sendai, while Funaki bowed respectfully before pacing to his corner, his eyes locked forward. Masami Soranaka did the opening pre-match checks before calling for the bell. The early stages reflected an early measured approach from both. Funaki opened with a few low kicks that landed cleanly but without full commitment, likely testing Maeda’s reactions. Maeda answered with a heavy inside kick of his own and a straight palm strike that backed Funaki up early. The first significant exchange came around the four-minute mark, when Funaki slipped under a palm thrust and caught Maeda’s hips for a takedown, but Maeda widened his base and used an overhook to block the entry before dragging Funaki into a standing clinch. A capture suplex attempt from Maeda was stuffed, and the crowd responded with polite applause at the evenly matched exchange. Maeda eventually grounded Funaki off a low single and quickly locked on a heel hook, forcing Funaki to stretch for the ropes for his first rope break. A few moments later, Maeda absorbed a hard body kick and returned fire with a thunderous German suplex, drawing the first knockdown of the bout after Funaki took a bit longer than necessary to respond to Soranaka’s ten count. Funaki, now trailing by a point, didn’t let the setback affect him. In fact, it seemed to fire him up. After the reset, he came forward more assertively, landing a clean left palm strike and following with a high kick that partially connected with Maeda’s shoulder. Funaki then tried to close the distance for a throw, but Maeda countered with a short belly-to-belly suplex and floated into side control. Funaki squirmed and found a gap to spin into Maeda’s legs, threatening a kneebar of his own, which Maeda had to defend by scooting toward the ropes, prompting a clean break. The bout continued to escalate as both men exchanged kicks at mid-range, with Funaki now showing less hesitation in the pocket. Maeda tried to slow him down with body punches, but Funaki darted in with a jumping palm strike and landed flush, wobbling Maeda and earning a knockdown of his own. Maeda seemed a bit shocked and quickly got back up to beat the ten count. The Sendai crowd perked up, sensing a shift. With the match tied at 1-1 and past the ten-minute mark, the pace quickened. Funaki surprised Maeda with a waistlock takedown and immediately attacked the arm for a juji-gatame, but Maeda postured up and powered out with his legs before settling into top control. A clever leg entanglement allowed Funaki to scramble back to his feet, and he landed a spinning back kick to the ribs that caused Maeda to take a step back. Funaki pressed forward, but a momentary lapse allowed Maeda to catch him coming in with a sharp palm strike and a quick side suplex that earned a second knockdown. Funaki had to gather himself before responding to Soranaka’s count, but he did not seem to be in imminent danger. Now trailing 2-1 in knockdowns, Funaki still showed no signs of folding. He picked up the urgency and began peppering Maeda with palm strikes to force openings, then tried to shoot in for a low single again. Maeda sprawled and transitioned to a front facelock, but Funaki spun free and nearly trapped Maeda’s leg on the scramble. Maeda escaped, but Funaki stayed on him and managed to score with a flush mid-kick that drew another knockdown, tying the match 2-2. Maeda collapsed to the mat as the Miyagi Sports Center was rocking with thunder. The crowd cheered as Funaki adjusted his wrist tape, looking sharp and locked in. Maeda, meanwhile, appeared slightly frustrated at the young man’s resilience. A stiff exchange of kicks followed, with both men digging deep, but it was Maeda who finally broke the deadlock with another suplex, this time a high-arching German that spiked Funaki hard on his shoulders for the third knockdown. The pace slowed slightly from there as fatigue set in, but Maeda stayed in control. Funaki managed one more strong sequence, catching Maeda with a spinning back kick and diving into a double wristlock attempt, only for Maeda to inch toward the ropes and force a break. With Maeda already exhausting a rope break from earlier, the match was now tied 3-3 on points. On the restart, Maeda landed a hard palm strike and another low kick that forced Funaki to dig in to remain on his feet. Funaki seemed hurt, and Maeda moved in for the kill. The finish came moments later, when Funaki got caught in the clinch, followed by a lightning-quick Capture Suplex. Maeda quickly went for the pinfall attempt, and Masami Soranaka initiated the count. 1…2….3!!!! Despite a very commendable effort from Funaki, Maeda secured the victory and fended off a huge upset. Maeda defeats Funaki via pinfall, 20:19 After the match, Maeda celebrates, but not before counseling Funaki and congratulating him on the hard-fought match. Funaki makes his way back as Maeda is given his moment to shine. The crowd chants for Maeda as the WOWOW commentary crew recaps the events of the evening. Before signing off, they hype up the upcoming Anniversary show, which will take place July 27th at the Yokohama Arena. They also officially announced UWF's debut show in Brazil, which will take place on August 16th at the Ginásio Gilberto Cardoso in Rio de Janeiro. They tell the fans to stay tuned for match announcements next week. They also confirm the opening round of the UWF U-COSMOS tournament will take place on August 30th at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. The commentators sign off, and we get the rolling credits set to highlights from the evening, as Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" plays.

Card Announcement: UWF Newborn - "Fighting Arena Sendai" June 29th, 1990 Sendai, Japan Miyagi Sports Center Mitsuya Nagai vs Yusuke Fuke Masahito Kakihara vs Naoyuki Taira Peter Senerchia vs Tatsuo Nakano Dick Vrij vs Yoji Anjo Andy Hug vs Yorinaga Nakamura Atsushi Onita vs Naoya Ogawa Volk Han vs Kazuo Yamazaki Nobuhiko Takada vs Chris Dolman Akira Maeda vs Masakatsu Funaki

(OOC: Sorry for falling a bit behind, it's crunch time for my LSAT studies since I will be taking the test in August. The June show is in the oven, but it might be a day or two late.)

UWF Newborn – “UWF Fighting Arena” May 30TH, 1990 Fukuoka, Japan Hakata Starlanes Attendance: 4,000 (sold out) Broadcast: WOWOW (taped) The WOWOW broadcast opens with the thumping UWF theme playing over a montage of the wrestlers preparing earlier in the afternoon in the arena, and shots of the various wrestlers on the roster are seen. In particular, we see the eight competitors in the co-main events gathering and talking over strategy. The commentators greet the viewing audience and break down tonight's card. They spend a good amount of time talking up the tag team matches to determine the #1 contenders for the tag team championship in July, Volk Han in action, and how the Brazilian duo of Ruas and Tadeu will take on the team of Sayama and Fujinami. They speculate how personal agendas will factor into the main events tonight, including Fujinami having his eyes on Sayama's title and the dynamics between Onita, Takada, Maeda, and Ogawa. The UWF theme plays again on the taped broadcast, and the parade of wrestlers starts as they enter the ring one by one. Heavy cheers for the usual suspects. Maeda, Takada, Sayama, and Fujinami all give opening remarks, followed by brief comments from Onita and Ogawa. We are soon underway as the fans are quite lively for tonight's major but intimate event at Hakata Starlanes. Yusuke Fuke vs Manabu Yamada The opening match featured two young lions who were going through the grind in the UWF dojo and were eager for a breakout win. Yamada, in particular, was hoping to make his mentor Satoru Sayama proud by securing a victory against a trainee who had been under the guidance of Akira Maeda and Yoshiaki Fujiwara. While Fuke had a lot of weapons, so did Yamada. Yamada was pretty sharp out of the gate and took it to Fuke and gave him all sorts of trouble on the mat with fluid movement and skilled positioning. Fuke had to adjust quickly because he was down a point before he knew it after exhausting two quick rope breaks in succession. Yamada’s energy was winning the crowd over, but Fuke had an answer by catching his opponent with a smooth spinning backfist that knocked Yamada off his feet for the first ten count of the match. Yamada beat the ten count quickly, but Fuke quickly went for a double-leg takedown and established side control to slow the pace down a bit. Fuke enjoyed more moments of success as he managed to settle Yamada down, but Yamada’s ability to fight off holds and counter with his own was a key factor, and Yamada soon held a 2-1 lead after several minutes of grappling on the mat. After a palm strike exchange that led to a knockdown in favor of Yamada, Fuke tried to fight back and get Yamada back to the mat, but Yamada delivered several sharp knee strikes to the head to finish off his opponent. Fuke was down for the count again, this time for good. Yamada defeats Fuke via KO, 9:43 Kiyoshi Tamura vs Erik Paulson Tamura was slowly making a name for himself, and while he wasn’t exactly taking the promotion by storm, people were noticing his rapid improvement in skill. Erik Paulson, the young American, was in a similar boat but had been around longer and was a steady presence in the undercard. The bout started with both wrestlers being a bit more cautious than usual, especially on Tamura’s end. Both spent some time testing the waters and feeling out their respective strategies. Paulson attempted to get control of Tamura’s back, but Tamura rolled through and defended from his back briefly while Paulson hunted for a leg lock. Tamura fended off the attempt and got back on his feet. Both attempted to get the upper hand with a palm strike exchange, but neither could gain the advantage. Paulson took Tamura down the mat with a rolling armbar drag and attempted the cross-armbreaker before Tamura managed to roll through and reverse it into a snappy kneebar attempt. The suddenness of the move was enough to get Paulson to exhaust a rope break. The back and forth continued, with Paulson and Tamura both getting opportunities to finish the match via submission. While Tamura had a lot of natural skill, Paulson had the experience, and this was the decisive factor in his favor. A flying armbar turned into a cross-armbreaker was enough to put Tamura away and give Paulson the victory. Paulson defeats Tamura via submission (cross-armbreaker), 9:29 Ahmed Johnson vs Masashi Aoyagi The next match featured the impressive Ahmed Johnson going up against perhaps his toughest test yet in Masashi Aoyagi, a skilled karateka who could get brutal and dirty if needed. The crowd at Hakata Starlanes was buzzing for this match, with Johnson building up a bit of a fanbase for himself with his approach in the ring. From the outset, Johnson pressed forward with his trademark aggression, closing the distance and digging heavy hooks into Aoyagi’s midsection. Aoyagi, calm under fire, tried to manage the range with sharp kicks to the thighs and body, circling out and planting a few crisp palm strikes as Johnson charged in. The pace was relentless early, with Johnson walking through Aoyagi’s kicks to land a crushing bodylock throw that brought both men to the mat. Aoyagi scrambled for the ropes under threat of a neck crank, giving up his first rope break just under three minutes in. The Fukuoka crowd buzzed with anticipation as Johnson continued to assert control, briefly mounting Aoyagi with heavy palm strikes before the karateka managed to turn into him and tie him up, eventually earning a clean break near the ropes. Knowing he couldn't match Johnson’s physicality, Aoyagi wisely slowed the tempo, frustrating the American with long kicking exchanges and brief flurries. Just past the six-minute mark, Aoyagi caught Johnson with a perfectly timed spinning back kick to the liver, followed by a right high kick that landed flush, sending Johnson crashing to the mat for a knockdown. The crowd roared as Johnson beat the count at nine, visibly winded but still dangerous. Johnson aimed to tie things up on points after closing the distance with his opponent. Aoyagi struggled to break from Johnson’s grasp as the American executed a near-perfect belly-to-belly suplex. Johnson quickly hunted for a keylock, and this was enough to force Aoyagi to go for the ropes again. The match was tied at 1-1, and Johnson seemed to be relishing things so far. Regardless, Aoyagi pushed forward, hoping to end things before his stamina gave out, but his next flurry left him open. Johnson ducked under a roundhouse kick and exploded into a double-leg takedown that shook the canvas. Smelling blood, he transitioned into a waistlock and executed a deadlift German suplex that left Aoyagi motionless on the mat. The referee began the count as the crowd leaned in with bated breath. Aoyagi stirred at eight, but his body gave out before ten. It was Johnson’s power that told the final story in Fukuoka. Johnson defeats Aoyagi via KO, 9:02. Victor Zangiev & Salman Hashimikov vs Wayne Shamrock & Joe Malenko The next match would determine the first qualifier for the chance to compete for the new tag team championship at the anniversary event in July. The Soviet duo of Victor Zangiev and Salman Hashimikov faced off against Joe Malenko and Wayne Shamrock. Zangiev opened against Malenko in a slow-burning exchange rooted in mutual respect and shared influences; both men were technically sharp, conservative in risk, and looking to control the pace. They worked a deliberate tempo in the opening minutes, fighting for control ties, inside wrist pressure, and low-leverage throws that never quite connected. Malenko briefly gained the upper hand with a waistlock trip, grinding Zangiev’s shoulder into the mat before the Ossetian slipped free and worked back to neutral. A clean rope break came after a rolling front headlock battle forced both men too close to the corner pad, and both tagged out, bringing in the stylistic foils of the match: the compact powerhouse Hashimikov and the explosive, unpredictable Shamrock. Where Zangiev and Malenko had played chess, this next phase was a gunfight. Shamrock entered with energy, firing off palm strikes and low kicks, keeping the heavier Hashimikov off balance and circling. But the Chechen veteran had seen enough after the second low kick and surged forward, absorbing a strike to clinch and hurl Shamrock with a punishing side belly-to-belly suplex that drew a reaction from the crowd. The American was dazed and took his time to get up as Ryogaku Wada started a ten count. Shamrock recovered at the count of eight and looked rattled. Hashimikov tried to follow up with a second throw, but Shamrock scrambled mid-air and trapped the leg on the landing, twisting into a rapid-fire kneebar. Hashimikov had to roll violently to the ropes, exhausting his first rope break. Both teams reset with tags after a brief reset in positioning, and again it was Malenko and Zangiev, this time with a more purposeful intensity. Malenko tried to isolate an arm for a hammerlock, but Zangiev reversed with an explosive gutwrench, transitioning beautifully into a grounded cattle mutilation variant. Malenko struggled but managed to rotate his hips into the ropes before the hold could be fully tightened. Malenko opted to remain in the match, but Zangiev continued to press the advantage and despite Malenko’s technical skill, Zangiev used his insistence on wrist control to counter with a hammerlock takedown and quickly went for a toe hold, which again prompted Malenko to scramble to the ropes for another break and his first point loss. The Soviets continued to enjoy building up momentum as both Shamrock and Malenko seemed a step behind their opponents. Malenko did nearly catch Zangiev with a pinfall attempt, but the Ossetian was able to break out by the two count. Back in with Shamrock, Zangiev had to adjust to a far more kinetic opponent, but his ability to neutralize speed with positioning paid off. Shamrock’s shot attempt was stuffed, and Zangiev immediately spun behind into a lift, hitting a clean German suplex that folded Shamrock on his shoulders. With Shamrock stunned again, Wada counted to nine—another knockdown. The crowd came alive as Shamrock stood, clearly showing fatigue, and now down to 1 point. He came forward recklessly and nearly caught Zangiev with a jumping guillotine, but Zangiev adjusted his base and spiked Shamrock down hard. That prompted a final tag to Hashimikov, who wasted no time asserting himself with heavy body pressure and clinch work. After a brief struggle on the ropes, Shamrock tried to roll through into a leg lock, but Hashimikov stuffed it, twisted out, and dropped down into a scarf hold position. He shifted his weight, locked in a strong base, and turned the hold into a side crucifix-style pin. Shamrock kicked his legs in protest, but was trapped. 1…2…3!!! The Soviets were advancing, and the American duo had to embrace disappointment. Zangiev and Hashimikov defeat Malenko and Shamrock via pinfall, 16:21. Dennis Koslowski & Duane Koslowski vs Marty Jones & Dave Taylor After the Koslowskis entered to "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen to a very warm welcome by the fans, the British team entered dressed in fancy tracksuits that resembled the British flag. The Koslowski brothers were a win away from getting the chance to face the Soviets for the right to become the first UWF tag team champions. The former American Olympians took on the tandem of Marty Jones and Dave Taylor in a match that was anticipated for the contrast in styles. Duane Koslowski started opposite Taylor, and the opening exchange was deliberate and mostly contested in collar-and-elbow tie-ups and positional jockeying. Taylor’s catch wrestling fundamentals were apparent; he floated into an underhook and tried to turn it into a rolling wrist control sequence, but Duane kept his base low and fought back to neutral with a Greco-inspired lift-and-dump that earned a brief reaction from the crowd. A short mat struggle followed, with both men exchanging front headlocks, wrist rides, and leg locks, but nothing stuck. After a clean rope break during a scramble, both tagged out to give their partners a go. Dennis Koslowski immediately pressed forward, initiating contact with a short arm drag into a waist control tie. Jones tried to turn out with a hip switch, but Dennis stayed glued to him and dragged him down with a folkstyle-style spiral ride. Jones briefly trapped a leg and looked to roll, but Dennis shifted his weight expertly and floated into a mounted half-nelson position—reminiscent more of Iowa than Wigan. The referee called for a clean rope break as they rolled toward the ropes and the match reset. Back on their feet, Jones tried to change the rhythm with quick palm strikes and a sneaky low kick, but Dennis wasn’t rattled. He stepped in with double underhooks and delivered a high-angle belly-to-belly suplex that stunned Jones—he hit hard and stayed down long enough for Wada to start a ten count and reach eight. One knockdown scored in favor of the Americans. Duane tagged back in and kept the pressure up with aggressive clinch entries and short lifts, wearing down Jones with bodylock throws and a few standing switches that emphasized control. Jones managed to create space and tagged Taylor back in, who slowed things down again and worked his way into a tight double wristlock after ducking under a Koslowski arm drag attempt. Duane struggled as Taylor wrenched the hold and had to fight for the ropes to get a rope break. The technical exchanges continued with methodical pacing. Taylor tried again to isolate an arm, but Duane surprised him with a sudden hip toss, immediately following with a quick transition into an armbar attempt. Taylor resisted well, but Duane got even with his opponent and forced Taylor to grab the ropes for another rope break. Duane tagged in his brother, and Dennis went to work against the British technician. A hammerlock led to a unique pinning position, reminiscent of folkstyle tilt series, but Taylor fought out. Dennis kept waist control and lifted his opponent for a German suplex. Taylor was in trouble as Dennis went for a rear-naked choke. Taylor had no choice but to go for the ropes again, handing the Americans a 2-0 lead on points. But Marty Jones, being tagged in, managed to find a way to press Dennis, and even Duane, for a brief stretch, to get a point back for his team after catching Dennis Koslowski with a double wristlock attempt. The American had to exhaust his second rope break of the night. The closing stretch came as Taylor went up against Duane. Taylor was trying to quicken the pace with a few brisk palm strikes and a tight snap suplex, but Duane responded with a Greco-style over-under throw that put Taylor hard onto the mat. Taylor needed his time to get up, and Wada started another ten count. A 3-1 lead for the Americans was now the story. Duane followed with pressure passing and heavy shoulder rides, frustrating the Brit’s efforts to create scrambles. Taylor rolled into a half-guard and tried to underhook for a sweep, but Duane sprawled, used his hips, and transitioned cleanly into a modified arm triangle from the side. Taylor fought to bridge and turn, but Duane adjusted his weight, shifted to a tighter grip across the throat, and dropped his chest low for maximum pressure. With no path to the ropes and the choke fully cinched, Taylor tapped out, bringing the match to an end. Duane and Dennis Koslowski defeat Jones and Taylor via submission (arm triangle), 17:04. The Koslowskis celebrate on their way to the back, and they seem quite confident and cheerful. Duane Koslowski makes the belt motion around his waist and gives the thumbs up. Andrei Kopylov vs Nikolai Zouev The crowd anticipated the next match-up, which was a compelling matchup between two very dangerous SAMBO stylists. From the moment the opening bell rang, it was clear that this would be a highly technical affair. Zouev opened the match by circling his opponent, occasionally flashing feints with his shoulders or hips to provoke Kopylov into exposing something early. Kopylov didn’t bite. Kopylov stayed patient in the center of the ring, shifting his stance slightly and pawing at Zouev with palm strikes and low kicks. After a brief exchange in the clinch, Zouev dropped low for a leg reap that transitioned into a trip takedown, expertly navigating around Kopylov’s size and strength. The action moved to the canvas, where Zouev tried to create space with a sit-out into a reverse cradle, looking to tie up the legs. Kopylov resisted and clamped down from the top position, nullifying Zouev’s first real submission sequence. Kopylov eventually worked into a modified knee-on-belly and dropped several open-hand strikes to Zouev’s head Zouev kept his composure and, when the timing was right, shifted his hips and threatened a kneebar from the bottom. Kopylov disengaged just in time, and both men returned to their feet. With five minutes gone, the match had already developed a compelling rhythm. Zouev was looking to play artist, flowing from hold to hold, while Kopylov pursued control and wore his wily compatriot down with pressure. Zouev scored the first point when he managed to trap Kopylov in a banana split, forcing Kopylov to the ropes after a painful stretch and exhausting his second rope break of the match. But Kopylov returned the favor shortly after, catching Zouev off a reset with a low single into a straight ankle lock, forcing a rope break of his own. Zouev got back on his feet, but Kopylov immediately pressed again and the two scrambled on the mat again. Kopylov worked for side control and eventually found Zouev’s back as he attempted to roll through. Zouev found himself in a rear-naked choke and quickly went for the ropes again for another break. At 1-1 on points, the pace quickened ever so slightly. Zouev adjusted by becoming more elusive; ducking in and out, and changing angles before diving in to snag another limb. He used the momentum to trip Kopylov to the mat again and chained together a series of holds that began with a leg lace and transitioned into a modified calf crusher. Kopylov was visibly strained and once again had to grab the ropes, conceding a third rope break. Zouev found some more momentum, and after landing several kicks to Kopylov’s midsection, he twisted around his opponent and went for a rear trip that quickly turned into a creative shoot inverted STF variation, which was enough to get Kopylov to panic again for a fourth rope break, giving Zouev the 2-1 lead on points By the 12-minute mark, Kopylov was visibly slower to get up and started to rely more on short-range strikes to disrupt Zouev’s rhythm. He managed to corner Zouev briefly and landed a few body punches and palm strikes to the ribs. Kopylov and Zouev grappled a bit on their feet, and both seemed a bit fatigued Zouev broke free, but Kopylov caught him with a few palm strikes, and that was enough to send his fellow countryman to the mat. Wada initiated the ten count, although Zouev got back up fairly promptly. With the match tied at 2-2, Kopylov tried to catch his breath, but Zouev wisely clinched and used a hip turn to redirect Kopylov’s balance. From there, he went right back to the mat. This time isolating an arm and transitioning between a wristlock and a figure-four shoulder hold. Kopylov resisted valiantly and tried to roll free, but Zouev anticipated it. In one seamless motion, he floated over the top, trapped Kopylov’s free arm with his leg, and twisted the shoulder back into a high-angle wristlock-style submission. Kopylov thrashed for a second, but the torque was too great. Before he risked serious damage, the pretzeled Kopylov was forced to submit. The crowd cheered heavily for both, who had just put on a masterclass in SAMBO grappling. Zouev, in particular, was impressive and had earned a few new fans tonight. Zouev defeats Kopylov via submission (double leg trap wristlock), 15:18 Volk Han vs Minoru Suzuki The next match between Volk Han and Minoru Suzuki opened with an intense sense of anticipation from the crowd in Hakata Starlanes, who were already familiar with Suzuki’s fearlessness and Han’s reputation as a wizard. After the pre-match check from referee Motoyuki Kitazawa, both men wasted little time, with Suzuki showing his usual high-energy approach early. He shot for a single-leg within the first thirty seconds, trying to surprise the Russian. Han calmly sprawled and used a quick switch to take Suzuki’s back momentarily, forcing the young prodigy to scramble free. Suzuki came forward again with tight palm strikes to the body and a low kick that landed flush, but Han’s demeanor never changed, with his eyes staying locked on Suzuki’s hips and feet. The Dagestani grappler answered with a low-line inside kick and a spinning backfist that forced Suzuki to cover up. Suzuki then ducked into the clinch, where he attempted to muscle Han down with a trip, but the Soviet’s balance held. Han countered with a sudden rolling kneebar attempt, twisting from a seemingly innocuous position, which stunned the crowd with its speed. Suzuki desperately reached for the ropes, scoring the first rope break of the match. Volk wasted little time back on his feet, and Suzuki was caught by Volk’s axe kick, which opened the opportunity for Volk to hit some low body punches, followed by a clinch. Suzuki was then sent into the air with a Uranage-esque throw. The light blue-clad Soviet quickly went for a cross-armbreaker, and earned another rope break as Suzuki was happy to get a brief respite from the storm. Volk looked a bit pleased with the 1-0 lead on points. The pace continued without much interruption. Suzuki, undeterred, worked into a high clinch and surprised Han with a clean hip throw, momentarily silencing the crowd. He landed on top and quickly worked for a cross-armbreaker, yanking back on Han’s limb with all his weight. But Han slipped his leg in between, used it as a wedge, and popped his arm free, flowing into a toehold attempt mid-scramble. Suzuki’s athleticism allowed him to back-roll out, and both men returned to their feet. Suzuki was eager to continue his momentum, perhaps a little bit too much for his own good. He was happy to grapple with Volk again, and the Dagestani obliged. Volk snagged a standing double wristlock and almost attempted a double wristlock suplex, but Suzuki was able to escape and nearly caught Volk for a piledriver attempt, but the Soviet was able to trip up Suzuki. The Soviet wizard quickly went for a kneebar attempt, and that was enough to get Suzuki to exhaust another rope break. Back on their feet, Han tried to walk Suzuki down, palm-striking just to create a reaction. Suzuki returned fire with a strong low kick, but overcommitted when he followed with a body punch. Han capitalized, hitting a sharp kani-basami scissor takedown that drew gasps. He immediately transitioned to a cross-heel hold, forcing Suzuki into another rope break to survive. Now up two points, Han grew more methodical, baiting Suzuki into rushing in with aggressive grappling attempts. Suzuki managed to chain together a double wristlock and bodylock takedown, impressively securing side control and trying to isolate an arm, but Han tensed, baited a move, and reversed into an ankle lock in one fluid motion. Suzuki again reached for the ropes. Suzuki was in a hole but showed his fire, scoring a traditional knockdown moments later with a beautiful German suplex after catching a Han kick and countering into a throw. Volk faced a ten count from Kitazawa but wasted no time in clinching his fists in front of him to signal his ability to continue. The crowd was very pleased with Suzuki, and despite being in Han’s corner, they were reminded to cheer for the Japanese native. The crowd started to rally behind Suzuki, who poured forward with urgency, throwing crisp slaps and a knee to Han’s ribs before securing another clinch. But that intensity would be his undoing. As Suzuki looked to drag Han down again, Han posted off his hips and twisted into a standing armbar trap, popping Suzuki’s arm into the air in a sickening fashion and drawing a pop from the crowd. The Dagestani then rolled through and spun underneath, snapping into a tight inverted armbar. Suzuki tried to turn and relieve pressure, but Han adjusted in a blink, releasing the hold and reattaching into a straight cross-armbreaker across the body. Suzuki’s body arched in agony as Han wrenched with perfect leverage. It was too much. Suzuki had no choice but to tap. The crowd roared in admiration for the effort, and the “Command SAMBO” wizard quietly let go, rising with a clinical calm. Han defeats Suzuki via submission (cross-armbreaker), 14:56 Satoru Sayama & Tatsumi Fujinami vs Marco Ruas & Eugenio Tadeu Hakata Starlanes showed no signs of tiring as the fans were vocally excited for the next match that brought together four wildly different but equally skilled fighters. On one side, Tatsumi Fujinami and reigning Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion Satoru Sayama, two of Japan’s most revered technicians, molded by Gotchism and, in Sayama’s case, real combat systems. On the other side stood Marco Ruas and Eugenio Tadeu, a dangerous Brazilian duo blending Luta Livre, Muay Thai, and capoeira-infused movement. The bout opened with Satoru Sayama and Eugenio Tadeu testing each other with speed, rhythm, and striking nuance. Sayama set the tone early with tight lateral movement, sharp low kicks, and disciplined distance control, disrupting Tadeu’s capoeira-inflected entries. Tadeu responded with creative footwork and sudden spinning attacks, but Sayama’s economy of motion and discipline neutralized Tadeu’s creativity. A step-in palm strike from Sayama found Tadeu’s chin, and as Tadeu staggered backward, Sayama closed the gap and tripped him to the mat. Tadeu tried to spin out into a leg entanglement, but Sayama calmly floated into side control. The referee called for a clean break as they drifted too close to the ropes. Both corners tagged out, and now it was Fujinami and Ruas, grappler versus grappler. Fujinami pursued a collar tie, but Ruas broke the grip with a clinch knee to the ribs and executed a tight hip throw that grounded Fujinami. The referee, Masami Soranaka, began the count as Fujinami took a moment to rise. Fujinami seemed a bit annoyed and committed himself to getting one back on Ruas. A scramble on the mat saw a stalemate before Fujinami nearly locked in a Gotch toe hold, but Ruas escaped. Fujinami calculated that a tag and a change-up were in order. Sayama returned to face Ruas, and the crowd came alive for a duel between the reigning champion and one of the most dangerous martial artists from the Americas. Ruas tried to close Sayama down in the clinch, favoring knees and body pressure, but Sayama’s movement was tricky to lock down. A stinging low kick from Sayama to the thigh, followed by a palm thrust to the solar plexus, momentarily halted Ruas’ forward march. Sayama ducked under a clinch attempt and latched on for a rear waistlock, trying to off-balance Ruas for a suplex, but the Brazilian widened his base and shucked him off. Ruas stayed in the center and absorbed another body kick, then caught Sayama’s leg on the next attempt and drove him backward with a trip takedown. Sayama immediately scrambled, threatening a triangle as Ruas postured. Ruas was able to find a way out and managed to snag a quick heel hook that forced Sayama to the ropes for the first time in the match. Sayama then caught Ruas with a sharp spinning heel kick and then took advantage of his stunned opponent to lock in a flying armbar. The quick cross-armbreaker attempt quickly forced Ruas to the ropes as well, and both wrestlers got back on their feet. A round of applause from the fans signaled an appreciation of the technical chess between two elite minds. Sayama tagged out after the exchange, and Fujinami stepped in once more. Ruas opted to tag in his partner as well. Fujinami’s methodical approach slowed the tempo, dragging Tadeu into a style of match that limited the Brazilian’s free-flowing rhythm. A clinch from Fujinami led to a clean takedown via an outside trip, and he passed to half-guard, pressuring Tadeu with subtle shoulder pressure and hand fighting. Tadeu threatened a guillotine off a scramble, but Fujinami calmly shut it down and advanced to mount before Tadeu tried to catch his opponent with a sweep. Fujinami resisted and nearly locked in a rear-naked choke, which forced Tadeu to the ropes. Tadeu took his time to get up while evaluating his extremely skilled opponent. When action resumed, Tadeu exploded with a jumping knee and spinning back kick, but Fujinami ducked under the arc of motion and used the momentum against him, grounding him with a rear waistlock takedown. A brief scramble on the mat was followed by Tadeu getting back to his knees, and the two clinched up again on their feet. This time, Tadeu was able to score a point on Fujinami by delivering several knee strikes to Fujinami’s abdomen. Fujinami fell to the mat and needed some time as Soranaka initiated a ten count. After getting back to his feet, Fujinami opted to get his partner back into the match. Sayama tagged back in and worked Tadeu’s body with inside low kicks and a crushing middle kick that buckled the Brazilian briefly. As Tadeu covered up, Sayama attempted a Tiger suplex, but Tadeu turned through and escaped into a seated position near the ropes. A clean break was ordered, and both men got back to their feet. As the match passed the 18-minute mark, Tadeu—having expended a good amount of energy—was visibly slowing, and Fujinami came in for the final stretch. Tadeu tried to bait him with capoeira feints, but Fujinami refused to bite, keeping calm under pressure. He ducked under a wild spinning kick, secured the rear waistlock, and launched Tadeu high with a picture-perfect German suplex—arching into a deep bridge. The referee dropped to the mat and counted the pinfall: 1…2…..3!!!! At 18 minutes and 46 seconds, the match concluded with a huge win for the Japanese team. Sayama & Fujinami defeat Ruas & Tadeu via pinfall, 18:46 After the match, Fujinami rolled off, calm and collected, while Sayama stood with his hands behind his back, nodding slightly in respect in Ruas’ direction. Ruas appeared to return the gesture, and Tadeu seemed a bit disappointed with himself. Meanwhile, Fujinami appeared to glance toward Sayama, perhaps in recognition that a clash between the two was now inevitable. They briefly celebrated, but business loomed. The WOWOW broadcast cameras catch Billy Robinson at ringside, studiously observing the body language. Akira Maeda & Naoya Ogawa vs Atsushi Onita & Nobuhiko Takada The tag team main event saw the two biggest names in UWF teaming with younger, but hungry and dangerous partners. Maeda and Takada’s rivalry has been ongoing throughout UWF Newborn’s short history, and the tension was already palpable between the two as soon as the bell sounded. Ogawa was the youngest competitor in the match and had the most to prove, while Onita, the wildcard of the bout, was chomping at the bit to get his hands on his new rival. The styles of each man promised an unpredictable and volatile contest, and the Fukuoka crowd seemed well aware of the stakes. Maeda and Takada opened the match with a tense feeling-out process, each probing with low kicks and range-finding palm strikes. Maeda looked to impose himself with power, attempting to bait Takada into clinching, while Takada kept his distance and replied with sharp inside kicks and stinging body slaps. Neither man wanted to give the other an early advantage. The result was a careful, measured opening exchange. Eventually, Maeda forced a clinch and landed a thudding knee to the body before attempting a side suplex. Takada blocked and countered with a standing switch, looking to work into a double wristlock. Maeda quickly shifted his hips and drove the action to the ropes, leading the referee, Masami Soranaka, to call for a clean break. Takada made the tag to Onita, who charged in with no hesitation and immediately pressured Maeda with wild palm strike flurries. Maeda covered up and circled, choosing to weather the storm rather than get into a dangerous exchange. Onita’s forward pressure backed Maeda into the ropes, and Maeda countered with a low kick that staggered the Luta Livre brawler. That opening gave Maeda a chance to secure a waistlock and take Onita down hard with a German suplex. Maeda floated into side control and began grinding with shoulder pressure, but Onita squirmed and kicked toward the ropes. Maeda attempted to tie up an arm, but Onita found the rope with his leg, costing his team their first rope break. Onita looked annoyed, but not rattled. Maeda tagged in Ogawa, who entered calmly and circled Onita with a Judo stance, hands lower than usual and hips ready to shoot in. Onita tried to surprise him with a palm strike to the chin, but Ogawa ducked under and secured a beautiful harai goshi that sent Onita crashing to the mat. The crowd responded strongly to the throw. Ogawa immediately followed up with a top-side attack, trying to isolate an arm or work into a scarf hold. Onita defended well enough to stall progress, but Ogawa continued pressuring. Onita eventually trapped a leg and used a scramble to force another rope break, costing his team their first point. It was a slow burn, but Maeda and Ogawa had gained a small foothold. Onita tagged out and Takada returned, now facing Ogawa. Takada looked more deliberate in his movement, clearly respecting the Judo prodigy’s throwing ability. Ogawa tried to tie up from a standing clinch, but Takada used a short knee to the body and then broke the grip, landing a hard middle kick to Ogawa’s ribs. Ogawa stepped back and reset, this time feinting low before rushing in and launching Takada with a lightning-fast uchi mata. Takada hit hard and turtled up. Ogawa tried to hop over for control, but Takada rolled and threatened a heel hook in transition. The sudden counter forced Ogawa to dive for the ropes, giving up a rope break. Takada kept the pressure on, mixing up his kicks now with sharper intent. He peppered Ogawa with outside low kicks and then snuck in a body kick that visibly shook the young Judoka. Sensing a potential opening, Takada went high with a round kick and grazed Ogawa’s temple. Ogawa fell to his side and held the side of his head. Takada didn’t hesitate and closed in, but the referee stepped in and started a count. Ogawa recovered quickly and beat the count at five, but his team had now lost a point, and the match was even at 1-1 for both teams. Maeda looked concerned but didn’t panic, calling for the tag. With fresh legs, Maeda came back in and went straight after Takada with hard palm strikes. The two exchanged furious open-hand blows, and Hakata Starlanes came alive. Chants for Maeda, mixed in some for Takada as well, filled the interior. Maeda backed Takada up with a left body punch and then planted a shin kick into his thigh. Takada fired back with a knee, but Maeda caught it and dumped Takada with a side suplex. Rather than follow on the ground, Maeda allowed Takada to stand, only to punish him again with a thudding low kick. The back-and-forth continued until Maeda ducked a palm strike and launched Takada with his signature Capture Suplex. Takada landed hard and was slow to get up, and the referee began his count. Takada rose at eight, but the impact was clear; Maeda had scored a knockdown, and now his team held the lead at 2-1. Takada was reluctant, but he tagged Onita back in. Onita returned to the ring and wasted no time getting into Maeda’s face. The intensity picked up again as Onita forced a frantic exchange, swinging wide palm strikes and body punches at close range. Maeda absorbed most of it before clinching and tripping Onita down to the canvas. Onita wrapped his legs around Maeda’s waist and threatened a guillotine choke, but Maeda postured out and began punishing Onita with open hand body shots and grinding shoulder pressure. Onita, desperate to create space, tried to explode into a leg entanglement, but Maeda stepped over and flattened him again. Masami Soranaka briefly counted for a pinfall attempt, but Onita reached for the ropes and reached them, giving up another rope break in the process. Now dangerously close to giving up his second point of the match, Onita fought with desperation. Maeda would have none of it, though, and started landing some stiff body shots on Onita. Onita refused to go down and tried to get Maeda with a standing guillotine, but Maeda easily evaded. A bit gassed, Onita decided to tag Takada back in. Takada tried to swing the match back in their favor. He used his footwork to evade Maeda and then caught him with a beautiful roundhouse. Maeda dropped to a knee, and Takada quickly attempted a rear-naked choke. Maeda defended, but Takada’s aggression had returned. Maeda turtled up and went for the ropes to break up Takada’s attack. Chants for Takada were growing louder in the arena. Back on their feet, Takada started to catch Maeda clean with several sharp kicks. Maeda was able to catch one of them and executed a single-leg takedown. After another brief scramble, Maeda was forced to slide backward into the ropes to avoid a heel hook. The score now stood at 2-2. Maeda went for the tag, and Ogawa came in cautiously against Takada. The two exchanged grips for nearly a minute with little activity, both wary of being the one to make the mistake. Ogawa nearly scored with an osoto gari, but Takada landed on his knees and spun through. Ogawa jumped onto his back, but Takada stood and shook him off. The scramble led them to the ropes, and the referee called a clean break, to applause from the crowd. It was tense, with the match past the 22-minute mark and nearing its climax. Ogawa went for another throw, but Takada saw it coming and countered with a slick trip of his own. On the mat, Takada quickly moved to side control and worked toward a double wristlock. Ogawa defended well and tried to sit out, but Takada transitioned beautifully into a kneebar. Ogawa gritted his teeth and barely managed to reach the ropes before the hold could be locked in fully. After being tagged back in, Maeda returned one final time, and Onita met him again with a motivated fury. The crowd erupted as the two traded again in the center of the ring, Maeda landing hard low kicks and Onita swinging wildly. Onita connected with a left palm to Maeda’s jaw and went in for a clinch, but Maeda slipped under and threw him hard with a full-nelson suplex. Onita landed awkwardly and clutched at his back. Maeda quickly pounced and locked in a cross-armbreaker. Onita kicked, thrashed, and tried to roll, but Maeda kept it tight. After several seconds of struggle, Onita had no choice but to tap. The referee called for the bell at 24:38, and Maeda’s hand was raised. Maeda & Ogawa defeat Takada & Onita via submission (cross-armbreaker), 24:38. Maeda and Ogawa celebrate in the ring, and the fans let the streamers fly into the arena. Takada and Onita retreat and stand defeated outside, looking back towards their opponents with disappointment on their faces. Ogawa seems to make some gestures towards Onita, who seems eager to get back into the ring but knows better. Takada and Maeda exchange some looks, as captured by the cameras. In any case, this is Maeda's and Ogawa's night as the fans chant for Maeda in particular. The WOWOW commentators recap the great main event, along with the other matches. They note that the Koslowski twins will be facing the team of Zangiev and Hashimikov for the tag team belts at July's anniversary show. Maeda and Ogawa receive some ceremonial trophies from the Fukuoka mayor as the celebrations continue. Backstage, Takada and Onita give a brief interview, and they leave room for potential future encounters between Maeda and Takada, and Ogawa and Onita. We also get pre-recorded interviews with Sayama and Fujinami, who seem destined for a clash in July for the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship. Ruas also gets some airtime in a pre-recorded interview, and he does his job to begin hyping up the August event that will take place in Brazil. He seems to suggest he wants a shot at Sayama as well. The commentators finish their recap and sign off for the evening, leading to the rolling credits set to highlights from the evening. "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty plays in the background, and another chapter of UWF Newborn is in the books!

Damn, this one stings. Hashimikov was a pioneer who helped bridge the divide between the Soviet Union and the rest of the world in the realm of pro wrestling. He was very skilled in the ring as well, and always seemed to have at least a decent match with anyone. Inoki had a lot of great ideas, and a lot of bad ones, and his decision to bring in the Soviets to NJPW was one of his great ideas. RIP.

AWA Title Night delivered, and Hansen vs Hogan was as good as advertised. Ric Flair vs Austin Idol made for an enjoyable read as well. Hogan has another big match coming up, and it's against Ric Flair. That's going to be huge. Don Muraco vs Jumbo Tsuruta is another very tasty match. I'm looking forward to Wrestle Rock. AWA always delivers with the big events.

Looking forward to The Rockers vs The Samoans! Ricky Steamboat is back in WCW, and that's as a perfect fit as you can ask for. Pairing up Chono with Heyman is a great idea too.