Control21

RINGS signs Lenne Hardt as a ring announcer

If no one has any serious objections, I would like to use one of my October roster slots a little early and add Mark Fleming.

Eddie vs Owen sounded like a match of the week contender.

Bob Orton and Jimmy Garvin get important wins in the Starrcade Series. I'm sure fans are already dreaming of the potential Bob Orton vs Kamala blockbuster. The Road Warriors and Beasts of Burden continue their rivalry. Who's going to emerge from two of the best tag teams in North America clashing? Looking forward to seeing how the Starrcade Series shakes out with Kamala vs Robert Fuller on the horizon. The leaderboard definitely helps as a reference point!

Aldo gets a huge win! Didn't see that one coming. The Mankind promo was very true to the era. Great job recapping that moment. Steve Austin vs Mero was a good match and Austin advances to face either Razor Ramon or Davey Boy Smith. Both will be formidable opponents. The bracket is shaping up to be very interesting.

I'm cooking...

He did wrestle in December 1988 for Ryuma Go's promotion so I don't think a few months is a big deal.

FMW in 1988 would be pretty fun, maybe you can bring some of that magic here.

You just gave me a cool idea...

UWF Newborn drops Ryuma Go and adds Atsushi Onita

Sure but he wasn't a rookie at this point and he would be eligible to be picked up by someone now if they wanted him

Also worth noting Atsushi Onita didn't work any North American dates in 1989. At that point, he was getting ready to launch FMW (late 1989) and wouldn't make any North American appearances until much later.

Yeah... there are some interviews that Karl Gotch did on YouTube and elsewhere (look up his conversations with Jake Shannon, they are interesting). He also did an interview with the Observer in 1990 where he famously called Harley Race a "kamikaze." The impression I got is that he didn't really pay attention to kayfabe when talking about wrestling, and he wasn't particularly fond of the American scene at the time. So I guess when I have him say "educate the audience" here, it is meant in more of a "stop goofing around and take it back to the basics" kind of way. There are probably people who could capture Gotch's voice a lot better than I can.

WXFL Channel 8 goes into their nightly news report, and the sports segment features a rare TV interview with Tampa’s very own Karl Gotch recorded earlier in the week. First, we get scenes of Karl Gotch doing conditioning and demonstrating the use of Indian maces for bodyweight training, and the narrator covers Karl Gotch’s background and accomplishments, including the invention of the bridging German Suplex. The narrator goes into Karl Gotch’s emphasis on conditioning and strict requirements before anyone can be instructed on his grappling knowledge. Karl Gotch: I require everyone to meet these strict standards because if you are exhausted in a match, you can’t think clearly and you’ll leave yourself open. If you are not thinking about how exhausted you are, you’ll already have an advantage. Wrestling is the toughest sport because you have to know how to attack and defend from three different positions. Standing up, on all fours, and underneath. In amateur wrestling these days, rounds are a lot shorter than they used to be so they go for 3-4 minutes and then you see nothing. Back in the 1930s, rounds were for 20 minutes so the conditioning requirements I’m used to are a lot higher. The narrator goes into Karl Gotch’s philosophy and describes how Karl Gotch sees grappling while old footage of Gotch in a wrestling match with Antonio Inoki is shown. Karl Gotch: Wrestling isn’t about strength, it’s about timing, balance, and knowledge. It’s circular. If it doesn’t come back full circle, then it won’t make sense. People often see wrestling as linear, from point A to point B, but it’s like geometry or mathematics, you deal with an equation and figure it out. Catch wrestling is all about using your opponent’s reaction against him. That’s why the key bodyweight training principles I teach incorporate circular motion. Footage is shown of Gotch doing Hindu and Moon pushups. Scenes are shown of Gotch watching a wrestling show on TV, with Gotch having a bit of a stone face. The narrator covers Gotch’s feelings about professional wrestling today and how his philosophy differs from promotions people are familiar with today, like AWA or WWF. Karl Gotch: I’m not afraid to say it because there used to be 34 territories in this country, and I got kicked out of all of them. It’s like watching a dance, but there’s no song or music. There’s too much emphasis on the entertainment aspect and choreography. When people do diving headbutts or acrobatics, I roll my eyes. I think wrestling has moved away from authenticity to getting the most reactions out of people with flash and pomp. I understand it’s a business, but I believe people appreciate authenticity. The narrator says that Karl Gotch keeps in touch with his trainees in Japan, including Akira Maeda and Yoshiaki Fujiwara. The creation of UWF Newborn is discussed, and the narrator also says that Karl Gotch has at least one wrestling promotion that follows his philosophy. Video is shown of Karl Gotch going through old pictures from his trip to the first UWF dojo in 1985. Karl Gotch: I taught those boys in Japan a lot, and I am very glad to see them carry on my lessons in a wrestling promotion that stays true to the things that make wrestling great. Fujiwara told me a few months ago that when he realized UWF was being launched, he couldn’t turn down the opportunity because it was the best way to honor me as a teacher. I am very grateful for that. UWF has stayed true to the fundamentals of wrestling, they’ve minimized the theatrics and focused on presenting a legitimate sporting contest. It’s refreshing compared to what is on TV today. I don't agree with everything they do, of course, I told Maeda that he should bring back pinfalls. For some reason, they took those out. I don't understand why. TV reporter (also the narrator): Do you think that version of wrestling can be successful in America today? Karl Gotch: I think it’s possible, you have to educate the audience. I don’t think wrestling fans are dumb, but you have to explain why certain holds are dangerous, and why you should be on the edge of your seat when someone applies an ankle lock. You know, no matter how big you are, everyone’s ankle size is the same. That’s what Billy Robinson said to me once and he was pretty popular here in America for a while. People appreciate authenticity. Footage is shown of Karl Gotch teaching the TV reporter the Gotch toe hold in Gotch’s garage, and of course, both laugh about it while the TV reporter is put through the baptism of having one’s ankle in a bad place. TV reporter: Who would you say is the greatest wrestler of all time? Karl Gotch: No one could touch Strangler Lewis. That’s the first name that comes to mind. Lou Thesz and I didn’t always see eye to eye, but he was very good. Ever heard of Waino Ketonen? He was a Finnish wrestler. George Hackenschmidt deserves a lot of credit as well. You know, they said America has the greatest wrestlers in the world. The reason for that is that this country has a mixture of nationalities, they all came here and added lessons of their own. The English with Lancashire Catch, the Germans with what they knew, the Finnish…and of course, the Eastern Europeans and Iranians as well. They combined all of that and called it American catch-as-catch-can. It was part of what we call the melting pot of America I suppose. The narrator closes the segment by saying that even if Karl Gotch keeps his distance from professional wrestling today, Tampa should be proud to call a wrestling icon and living legend one of their own. More footage is shown of Karl Gotch putting the TV reporter in several other holds and Gotch doing a handstand against his garage wall. The segment cuts back to the TV news anchors, with one of them saying Tampa’s mayor is due to issue a proclamation declaring a day to honor Karl Gotch in the future. Karl Gotch and Billy Robinson on a ferry in Japan, circa 1971

Wrestling in Nashville! Things are off to an interesting start with a seemingly repentant Tojo Yamamoto. Miss Elizabeth's presence will certainly be making waves and it looks like she sees something in Jamie Dundee. That's a huge endorsement.

Two very good shows. Everything is structured well and there is a clear identity already. Chris Candido is already making a name for himself, and while he has the talent to carry himself far, he's doing things the easy way. Not everyone expected to see Mantell win the title, but perhaps he will bring early heat to the title chase picture, which will attract attention. Dutch Mantell vs Jim Duggan is the type of match that will certainly bring a lot of buzz to the promotion. Things are already looking promising for the SMW revival.

Thank you! Speaking of the Olympics, I plan on debuting the Koslowski brothers next month and I think by December, the Russians will be fully involved. Lots of interesting things are planned for UWF over the next few months.

I completely forgot about that.

Yeah, the 1990s were a crazy time with spoofs and grandstand challenges. No worries on that end. Onita and Maeda were definitely no strangers to talking trash about other wrestlers. Maeda might fire back at Onita at some point so keep an eye out for that. You definitely have a clear idea of what you want to write about and how to incorporate humor and all the other crazy stuff with good wrestling. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing Terry Funk in W*ING. He brought a lot of the Funk magic to FMW, so I'm curious to see how he does in W*ING.

If you are on mobile, it appears using your native keyboard will allow you to delete the box. Using a third-party keyboard appears to cause a bug. https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/topic/464151-deleting-quotes-on-mobile-device/

Press backspace a few times. Usually works for me

Another really entertaining show to read. You capture the essence of an outlaw promotion run by Onita perfectly. It's even crazier than reading about ECW in the 1990s. The Meltzer segment in the Bikini contest gave me a laugh. I imagine the event would be quite chaotic, but super fun to watch. Keep it coming!

Fighting Network RINGS - "Korakuen League I" September 12th, 1996 Korakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan Attendance: 1,525 After the wrestlers are introduced one by one to the RINGS theme, Maeda takes the microphone and thanks the fans for coming, promising a great event. Maeda says that the fans will see hard-hitting action and some new elements added to RINGS. Kazuyuki Fujita vs Sanae Kikuta The two debutants quickly get to work as Fujita attempts to use his strength and power to keep Kikuta on the canvas. Kikuta, of course, is quite comfortable grappling, even with someone with Fujita’s size and strength. While Fujita is a good amateur wrestler and knows how to keep someone grounded while making them work to escape from his clutches, Kikuta is a world-class judoka and grappler and doesn’t have much trouble going to work against Fujita. Both are still a bit raw in terms of technical development, but Kikuta grows into the match a bit easier. Fujita eventually has his hands full with Kikuta’s counterwork and ability to find limbs regardless of positioning. By the 11:00 mark, the match is 4-2 in Kikuta’s favor, with both using rope breaks exclusively. Kikuta gets a single-leg takedown on Fujita and snags a heel hook for the victory. Kikuta defeats Fujita via submission (heel hook), 12:04 Caol Uno vs Hayato Sakurai Uno and Sakurai are both promising talents from SHOOTO and despite their age (both being 21), they demonstrate why they are both considered grappling prodigies with some lightning-quick grappling and counterwork to open the match. Uno hunts for Sakurai’s limbs like a U-boat hunting for cargo in the North Atlantic. Sakurai has some great defense though and keeps Uno moving, perhaps trying to get his opponent to exhaust his energy early. They both have to use rope breaks by the 4:00 mark and the crowd cheers as they test each other on the stand-up. Uno’s palm strikes are snappier, but Sakurai gets some good combos which sends Uno to the canvas for the first knockdown of the match. The match remains highly energetic throughout, and the finish comes at the 15:00 mark as Sakurai holds the advantage at 4-3. The two grapple with Uno seeking to get the advantageous position on Sakurai, but Sakurai finds Uno with a triangle choke in the center of the ring for the submission victory. Sakurai defeats Uno via submission (triangle choke), 15:21 Akihiro Gono vs Naoyuki Taira Gono, another prodigy from SHOOTO, faces up to Naoyuki Taira, who has made a name for himself as a shootboxer and a wrestler in recent years, including RINGS in the early 1990s. Taira is a bit older than Gono, and his experience shows as he keeps an impressive Gono from doing anything too dangerous despite his natural grappling abilities. Of course, Taira’s nickname, “Baki the Grappler,” isn’t just for show. Taira scrambles quite effectively against a quick but focused Gono. Taira’s defense pays off as he gets Gono back in the stand-up, which is arguably right where Taira wants him. Taira’s kicks prove tough to handle, and Taira scores two knockdowns relatively early on the SHOOTO talent. As Taira holds a 4-0 lead at around the 6:00 mark, Gono begins to work his way back into the match as the two resume their flashy grappling on the canvas. Gono gets a few rope breaks in his favor and he climbs his way back into the match, making it 4-2 at the 10:00 mark. The rest of the match is quite testy for both, as Gono continues to demonstrate some good offense, but Taira’s striking ability comes back into play as he knocks down Gono again. Taira follows it up soon afterwards with a match-ending KO which sees him landing a sharp roundhouse kick right into Gono’s cranium. Gono tries to get up by the count of 10 but is on another planet as he stumbles around. Taira scores his first victory in RINGS since 1992. Taira defeats Gono via KO, 15:55 Kevin Randleman vs Wanderlei Silva Randleman and Silva both arrive from the world of Vale Tudo in Brazil. Randleman, a former two-time NCAA wrestling champion, has built a reputation as a very gifted athlete who is also a great technician. Wanderlei Silva, on the other hand, has been scouted for his incredible striking skills and menacing physique. From the start, this is a hard-hitting match as you would expect. While the two aren’t using Vale Tudo gloves, they both throw incredibly stiff palm strikes which sends the Korakuen crowd into a frenzy. Randleman clinches with Silva, attempting to find an opening to unleash his patented suplexes. Silva has great clinch defense though, and demonstrates the power of his knees by launching them sharply into Randleman’s abdomen. Randleman somehow stays on his feet and fires back with more palm strikes. Silva is on the backfoot now, and Randleman seizes the initiative by going for a double-leg takedown. Randleman uses his strength to lift Silva from his legs and spins around for a spinebuster-esque maneuver. Korakuen Hall pops for the display from Randleman, and the former collegiate star quickly gets a full mount on Silva. Randleman smartly realizes this isn’t Vale Tudo, and doesn’t risk losing any points by punching Silva in the face, but he does use his fists to punch Silva’s sides, which causes Silva to loosen up his guard. This enables Randleman to go for a katagatame, and Silva feels the pressure enough to go for the match’s first rope escape at the 5:00 mark. The match continues to be quite exciting, with Silva growing into the match and proving his deadly striking abilities by knocking down Randleman twice in the next four minutes. Randleman, in return, showcases his suplexing ability by getting Silva in a belly-to-back suplex, which again sees Randleman go for a submission. Silva again scrambles for the ropes, making the match 4-2 in Silva’s favor. Randleman gets his first knockdown in due course by hitting Silva with a modified version of the Karelin Lift, and this sees Silva get dumped on his head! Silva stumbles around and the referee begins a ten count, but Silva gets up in time. At the 17:00 mark, the match reaches its climax when Silva and Randleman engage in another striking battle. Silva hits Randleman with a palm strike combo and uses an opportunity to hit Randleman with a jumping knee! Randleman collapses to the canvas and is out cold. Ryugoku Wada calls for the bell immediately and Silva wins via KO! The crowd gives a nice standing ovation for both as Silva attends to his fallen opponent to make sure he is alright. Afterward, they shake hands and raise each other’s arms for the approving crowd in Korakuen Hall. Silva defeats Randleman via KO, 17:22 Rumina Sato vs Carlos Newton The golden boy of SHOOTO is now in RINGS, and his first opponent is Carlos Newton, who is a similarly talented grappler from Canada. As you would expect, the opening minutes of this match are a great grappling contest between two of the world’s finest in that particular art. The pace is what you would expect, with both executing quick transitions and brilliant counterwork to get the advantage. Sato’s background becomes quite apparent in particular and has great defense and guard. For the first 7:00 or so, neither competitor opts to use a rope break with the match taking place exclusively on the canvas. Even in moments of danger, Sato and Newton choose to fight their way out of it instead of going for the ropes. Newton’s determination does pay off though, and manages to find two of Sato’s limbs by the 8:00 mark and Sato finally has to use the ropes to get his way out of danger. Facing an early 2-0 deficit, Sato takes it another gear, hitting Newton with a few quick combos of palm strikes and kicks, and takes his opponent back to the canvas where he grows into his comfort zone. Sato works from his back and lures Newton in from half-guard, locking in a triangle choke before transitioning into a full cross armbreaker. Newton quickly scrambles to the ropes and it is now 2-1. The two resume striking afterward, and Sato eventually scores a knockdown on Newton, hitting his opponent with hard palm strikes that force Newton to stumble backward. Newton doesn’t take long to get back up though, and the two clinch in the middle of the ring where Sato sweeps his opponent back to the canvas with a takedown. Sato’s experience becomes more valuable as the match continues, and after another extended grappling contest where both manage to show off their slick waza, Sato finds Newton’s leg for a heel hook after trying for another cross armbreaker, but instead opts for the easier submission as Newton scrambles to get free. Sato is applauded by the Korakuen crowd and Newton gets his share of approval as well as Sato congratulates him on the good match afterward. The fans chant "RINGS! RINGS! RINGS!" as Sato takes in the moment. Sato defeats Newton via submission (heel hook), 15:55 The new RINGS debutant celebrates in the ring as the RINGS fans give him a warm welcome. Sato will have no issues transitioning to RINGS and looks set to work his way up the ladder relatively quickly.

UWF Newborn adds Billy Robinson as a ringside commissioner and dojo trainer.