Control21

Wrestling feels more homogenized than ever before. I think EI-P is probably right about streaming just making it worse for American fans.

Kelly and Charlton were both trashing NOAH during the NJPW vs NOAH angles so I doubt they actually care too deeply about this sort of stuff. It's more likely someone from AEW or Rocky got their feels feels hurt and decided to push it up to the NJPW office for action.

I think he was clearly going for the Joey Styles ONS role, and maybe some higher-ups were surprised by how sharp he got. Either way, his comments pale in comparison to the barbs people made years ago. He didn't deserve to be suspended and whoever made that call is a jackass (whether that's TK, Rocky, Tanahashi, or Kidani). That's just my two cents tho.

UWF Newborn picks up Dave Taylor. Vader has returned from his loan with UWF to WCW. Chris Benoit has also returned from his loan back to WWF. UWF also adds Billy Scott, Steve Nelson, Naoya Ogawa, Eugenio Tadeu, and Jerry Flynn as full-time members of its roster.

UWF Newborn – “U-Cosmos Grand Prix 1989: Grand Final” December 31st, 1989 Tokyo, Japan Tokyo Dome Attendance: 60,000 (sold out) Broadcast: WOWOW (live) The highly anticipated broadcast opens with a small pre-show as cameras show fans filing into the stadium. The WOWOW commentary crew previews the matches tonight and they note the show opening with the two U-COSMOS semi-finals, with Aleksandr Karelin set to take on Satoru Sayama and Super Vader set to face Akira Maeda. Clips from earlier in the day with the wrestlers preparing are shown. The preview is wrapped up and the fans in the Tokyo Dome along with the viewing audience on WOWOW are treated to an awesome light show, followed by pyrotechnics and the thumping sound of the UWF theme as the wrestlers make their respective entrances. Huge cheers for the usual suspects, with Maeda and Sayama getting the loudest. Karelin, Vader, Suzuki, Funaki, Han, and a few others get a good amount as well. After the parade is wrapped up, cameras switch to Karl Gotch, Billy Robinson, Lou Thesz, Tatsumi Fujinami, and George Foreman all sitting ringside. Maeda and Sayama give speeches thanking the fans for coming and promising a great event. Sayama says he is focused and ready to win the tournament while Maeda says he has a tough ask on hand but is confident in succeeding. Takada is introduced as well. Takada says he won't be competing tonight due to a minor injury, but says he is looking forward to competing next month. He wishes the fans a happy new year. After the commentators talk over a brief break, the event is officially underway. Aleksandr Karelin vs Satoru Sayama When perhaps one of the most eagerly anticipated matches in Japanese wrestling opens a show, you know you are in for a great event. From the start, these two wrestlers did not disappoint. Sayama was out in full force while Karelin stepped up to the challenge as well. Sayama focused his approach on his striking abilities and had to be on top of his game to maximize his advantage. Karelin’s frame appeared to be unassailable at times and took down Sayama to the mat with ease in the early phase of the match. But Sayama did well to get the match back to where he wanted it, and Karelin slowly revealed his weakness as Sayama expertly targeted Karelin’s lower legs and knees with low kicks. The Tokyo Dome crowd was already swelling with buzz, and the fans cheered Sayama on as he took the initiative and Karelin was reeling. A keen eye could tell Karelin was facing the most dangerous moment of his young career yet as he seemed to be more eager to grapple with Sayama to bring him down to the mat and buy some time. Despite Karelin’s obvious strength and mastery in Greco-Roman wrestling, Sayama’s mat defense was almost impeccable, and combined with a strategic approach to rope breaks, he was able to get back on his feet relatively quickly. It took several minutes for Sayama to score the first knockdown on Karelin, but once he did, there was no looking back. Sayama’s striking skills allowed him to catch Karelin by surprise more often as fatigue set in, and Sayama slowly built up a solid 3-1 on points to the delight of the packed Tokyo Dome. Despite Karelin managing to crawl back a few more points on the ground, this was Sayama’s night. Sayama scored one more knockdown to make it 4-3 on points after the 15:00 mark with a jumping roundhouse kick. Karelin’s knees and shins were throbbing with pain, and he was now moving quite slower than usual. Sayama gave everything he had to finish the job. Karelin attempted to lock up with Sayama and get him in the position for an attempt at the Karelin Lift, but Sayama managed to somehow fight out of Kareelin’s bear-like grip and quickly delivered several high kicks to achieve what was perhaps one of the most important wins in Sayama’s career. The Tokyo Dome went wild as Karelin fell to the mat for the fifth and final time and Sayama jumped around in celebration. Sayama defeats Karelin via TKO, 15:54 Akira Maeda vs Super Vader Maeda had a huge task on his hands. Since debuting in UWF, Vader has proven to be unstoppable. The American had adapted to the UWF spirit and used his strength and size to his advantage as a devastating striker and powerful grappler. He had no weak points. Maeda knew he had to give everything he had to triumph, and still save some strength left for the final later tonight. Vader was confident going into the match and approached the match with a similar strategy from his match with Nobuhiko Takada last month. After the entrances were made and the bell sounded, Maeda immediately opted for a flurry of strikes aimed at Vader’s shins. Perhaps seeking to replicate Sayama’s strategy in the match before. Vader wasn’t afraid to strike back though, and launched his fists at Maeda in retaliation. It seemed like a clash of the titans in the opening minutes, with both Maeda and Vader willingly slugging it out to the delight of the Tokyo Dome crowd. Both Maeda and Vader traded knockdowns, and both responded quite quickly to beat their respective ten counts. Maeda kept firing and continued his focus on Vader’s lower legs while avoiding the reach of Vader. The American grew a bit frustrated before finally timing one of Maeda’s low kicks and turning it into a single-leg takedown. Maeda’s fans immediately got behind the standard bearer of the UWF, with Vader controlling his opponent from the top. Vader attempted to lock in an Anaconda vice, but Maeda did well to defend himself and managed to get back on his feet after a brief struggle on the mat. Vader seemed surprised, but he refocused himself and managed to land a few body blows on Maeda. The two traded more vicious strikes and the score reached 2-2 apiece after another exchange of knockdowns. Vader adjusted his strategy and attempted to time more of Maeda’s strikes to turn them into takedown attempts. Vader had mixed success and Maeda’s defense was quite solid despite Vader’s overwhelming strength. But when Vader got Maeda to the mat, it was clear Maeda had to think quickly to avoid the worst possible outcomes. Vader mixed in some ground-and-pound for good measure, and Maeda had to be smart to avoid a sudden KO. When Maeda managed to find himself back on his feet, he threw more kicks at Vader’s shins and kept targeting them. Vader did his best to hide the pain he was feeling, but Maeda knew his strategy was beginning to work. Vader eventually fell to one knee and the referee counted again, with the American reacting quite quickly again to beat the ten count. Now down 3-2 on points, Vader launched himself at Maeda with a running lariat, and he immediately dragged up Maeda for a huge side suplex. With Maeda stunned for a brief moment, Vader managed to lock in a full-nelson on Maeda and attempted to steadily choke the life out of his opponent. The Tokyo Dome roared as Maeda fought to get back on his feet. Vader’s strength proved to be quite capable though, and Maeda had to resort for another rope break to escape the hold. Now the match was tied 3-3 on points. Down the closing stretch, Maeda unleashed his full arsenal and mixed up a variety of kicks to get Vader on his backfoot. A combination of low kicks and a well-timed high kick got Vader back down to the canvas. This time, Maeda didn’t allow the referee to initiate the ten count and he immediately seized the opportunity to get Vader’s back. Grabbing Vader’s massive right arm, Maeda dragged Vader backward and locked in a cross-armbreaker, leveraging Vader’s huge arm as best as he could. It took some effort at first, but when Maeda managed to finally fully extend the arm, the “Big Egg” exploded in pandemonium as Vader tapped. Maeda jumped up the nearest turnbuckle almost instantly, and Vader grabbed his arm in pain. Maeda defeats Vader via submission (cross-armbreaker), 15:23 Maeda continues to celebrate while Vader is treated to by ringside staff. Maeda eventually settles down a bit as he realizes his task isn't quite complete. Vader is helped back by staff while he is holding his arm. The camera eventually follows Vader backstage his arm is put into a pretty sizeable support device. Vader doesn't say much but does tell the cameras that "You'll be seeing me again. This isn't over." Shigeo Miyato vs Tatsuo Nakano While Miyato and Nakano had a tough task following two fantastic semi-final bouts, they did quite well to keep the crowd entertained and engaged while lowering the temperature just enough to keep the flow of the show going. Both engaged in exciting striking exchanges and good matwork stretches where both managed to get some points off each other through rope breaks. In their last encounter, it was Miyato’s mat skills that proved to be the difference but Nakano’s defense was better this time on the ground, and this allowed him to use his stiff striking abilities to gain the upper hand. After a well-fought contest, Nakano caught Miyato dead on with several open hand strikes, and this enabled him to go for a pinfall for the victory. Nakano defeats Miyato via pinfall, 9:33 Eugenio Tadeu vs Yoji Anjo Tadeu was a new face in UWF, but the Brazilian Luta Livre grappler quickly made his presence felt and the crowd appreciated the high-octane offense he brought to the table. Anjo was able to hold his own in the opening round, catching his opponent with several low kicks and a well-executed double-leg takedown that almost caught Tadeu totally off guard. Anjo was quick to go for a keylock on his opponent, but Tadeu eventually managed to escape out of the hold and survive the opening round. In the second round, Tadeu took complete control of the match took Anjo to the ground, and remained in control for the remaining duration. Anjo had to exhaust two rope breaks quickly, but despite his best efforts to reset the match, he found himself back on the ground in short order. Tadeu’s lively grappling and superb conditioning presented all sorts of problems for Anjo. Tadeu also exhibited great striking ability of his own with well-timed palm strikes and punches to the body. Almost unceremoniously, Tadeu picked Anjo’s ankle and locked in a heel hook for the submission victory. Tadeu defeats Anjo via submission (heel hook), 2R of 5, 3:22 Masakatsu Funaki vs Willy Wilhelm Funaki was seeking to recover from his disappointing defeat to Chris Dolman in the U-COSMOS Grand Prix and had the perfect opportunity to elevate himself again against a very respectable opponent in Willy Wilhelm. Wilhelm, an accomplished Judoka, was an imposing figure. At 6’4 and 251 lbs, he was a bit of a mismatch for Funaki. Funaki’s skill would be the equalizer, and he quickly went to work to apply this strategy. Funaki utilized a variety of strikes to open his grappling approach, and he wasn’t scared to get down to the mat with Wilhelm despite the Dutchman’s background. The first round saw tentative grappling on the mat from each, although Wilhelm managed to draw the first breakthrough after forcing Funaki to go for a rope break after a double wristlock attempt while working from the bottom. In the second round, Funaki stuck to a similar approach and landed several strikes on Wilhelm, and took him down with a well-executed single-leg takedown. Wilhelm’s defense was excellent, but Funaki managed to get a rope break from Wilhelm with a heel hook attempt before time expired. Wilhelm continued his cautious approach in the next round, but it paid off as he managed to take down Funaki with an Ura-nage, and took the lead at 1-0 after he worked for a shoulder lock which forced Funaki to break the hold with the ropes. Funaki fired back with a series of low kicks and palm strikes which evened the score at 1-1 with a knockdown. Wilhelm was quick to get up and the two fought on the mat before the third round came to an end. Wilhelm picked up the pace and took Funaki to the mat again with a Uchi-mata, where he attempted a cross-armbreaker on Funaki. This nearly caught Funaki in the middle of the ring but he somehow managed to get to the ropes before his arm was locked in. Wilhelm continued to enjoy the momentum and got another rope break from Funaki after he managed to get Funaki’s back for a rear-naked choke. At 2-1 heading into the fifth round, Wilhelm started to stall for the decision and this played into Funaki’s hands. At around 3:00 into the fifth round, Funaki managed to surprise Wilhelm with a clever leg entry and transitioned quickly to a kneebar. Caught a fair distance away from the ropes, Wilhelm had no choice but to tap. Funaki got his much-desired win, and the crowd of course voiced their approval as they chanted his name. Funaki defeats Wilhelm via submission (kneebar), 5R of 5, 3:07 Minoru Suzuki vs Maurice Smith In an intriguing “kickboxer vs wrestler” match, both competitors were looking to secure bragging rights for the evening and an important win in their UWF careers. Maurice Smith, in an interesting twist, opted to use kickboxing gloves. While this may give him an advantage with punches, it also would limit his ability to grapple with his opponent. Suzuki was lively in the first round, looking to take Smith to the mat at every opportunity, and wasn’t afraid to exchange strikes if needed. Suzuki was able to draw two early rope breaks from Smith in the first five minutes after a series of clever takedowns that were quickly followed by submission attempts. With a 1-0 lead in the second round, Suzuki was looking to press his advantage but Smith opened up his striking skills. After getting caught by several stiff punches, Suzuki became a little bit too cautious for his own good. Smith evened the score before the round expired with a high kick that knocked Suzuki off his feet for a ten count. Suzuki quickly got back to his feet but the story continued in the third round. Suzuki found little success in taking down Smith to the mat, and Smith used Suzuki’s tepidness against him. Smith picked his spots and inflicted more damage on his opponent with well-timed strikes, and another knockdown gave Smith a 2-1 lead on points. Suzuki managed to beat the ten count and finally got Smith off his feet with a leg sweep takedown right before time expired, but this didn’t lead to anything for Suzuki. Smith didn’t need to change much for the fourth round, and a sweet combo of punches and kicks took Suzuki off his feet again for another ten count. Ryogaku Wada initiated another ten count as Suzuki was a bit more dazed this time, but he managed to get on his feet before the count of eight. Suzuki tried to get back at Smith with a series of palm strikes, but Smith defended well and caught Suzuki right in the face with a right hook. Suzuki fell back against the ropes and onto the ground. This time, Suzuki couldn’t gather himself before Wada finished the ten count. Maurice Smith was happy to celebrate a solid victory while Suzuki pounded the mat in frustration, knowing that a good opportunity slipped through his fingers. Smith defeats Suzuki via KO, 4R of 5, 1:47 Volk Han vs David Gobejishvili On paper, this was quite intriguing. A decorated freestyle wrestler and Olympic gold medalist against one of the best SAMBO practitioners the Soviet Union perhaps had to offer. To go along with the theme of a “mixed style fight,” Volk Han opted to wear his blue SAMBO gi and blue shorts while Gobejishvili donned his red wrestling singlet. With the first round underway, Han appeared to be quite unorthodox in his initial approach. This was perhaps to get Gobejishvili off his usual flow, and he was successful to a degree. The Georgian had trouble predicting Han’s movements and Han had success in wrapping up his opponent’s legs. Han was in the driver’s seat for most of the round, with David going on the defensive. The Georgian’s defense gave Han some trouble, but the Dagestani managed to get an early rope break after trying to snatch a cross-heel hold. Things went better for the Georgian in the second round, with David’s wrestling background and pedigree coming into play more. David caught Han with a couple of unique wrestling throws, and this allowed him to eventually get Han into a rear-naked choke, forcing the SAMBO specialist to go for a rope break of his own. David then caught Han with a double leg takedown and went for a forearm choke as he gained control from the top, getting his opponent to exhaust another rope break. Heading into the third round, the match settled into a bit of a stalemate with both eager to prove their superiority on the mat. David’s height and reach started to become a factor, and Volk had to be resourceful to stay competitive with the Olympic gold medalist. By the fourth round, David eventually built a 2-0 lead on points through further rope breaks and Han seemed to have difficulty getting a second rope break from David until he finally caught his fellow countryman with a kami-basami that he quickly turned into a heel hook attempt. This finally forced the Georgian to exhaust his second rope break of the match, making things 2-1 in favor of David heading into the fifth and final round. The mainly grappling-focused affair turned a bit more unpredictable with Han going for his unorthodox strikes a bit more, and he managed to catch David with a spinning backfist followed by a quick axe kick. This knocked Han’s opponent off his feet and the crowd was delighted with Volk’s creativity. Facing a ten count, the Georgian got on his feet again quickly. Han warded off an attempt from David to execute a suplex, and the two took things down the stretch without another breakthrough. Time expired, and the two were equal on points. The ringside judges declared a draw, and despite the competitive spirit, both Han and Gobejishvili congratulated each other for the well-fought match. Draw, 5R of 5 (25:00) Marco Ruas vs Shota Chochivishili Shota previously made a name for himself as someone who fought Antonio Inoki in NJPW. Inoki had recruited him as an answer to UWF’s partnership with the Soviet Union. The former 1972 Olympic gold medalist in Judo was now in UWF, deciding to take up a challenge with Marco Ruas in an anticipated Judo vs Luta Livre affair. Ruas had firmly established himself as one of the top Luta Livre fighters in Brazil and decided to become a missionary of sorts in UWF to expand Luta Livre’s global reach as a legitimate martial art discipline. He had the perfect opportunity to make waves in Japan by defeating a highly regarded Judoka like Shota. The Georgian had a towering presence and was wearing a full gi against Ruas’ more barebones Vale Tudo gear. The two bowed to each other before the bell sounded, and didn’t waste any time in getting things underway once the sound echoed throughout the packed Tokyo Dome. Ruas sized up Shota in the first and exercised caution as the Georgian stalked his opponent like a large bear trying to corner its prey. Ruas fired at Shota with several low kicks, but Shota checked them to minimize the damage. Both men were able to stay on their feet throughout the first round. When Shota got his hands on Ruas, Ruas’ great defense kept him grounded while Shota’s size and strength presented problems for Ruas as he sought to seize the initiative. The next round went better for Shota, as he finally managed to sweep Ruas off his feet with an O-soto-gari. Shota quickly went for a cross-armbraker, but Ruas managed to roll out of danger and took control of the mat contest from the top. Ruas sought to secure a kneebar but Shota defended and stalled for time. The breakthrough came in the third round for Ruas. Shota scored another nice throw early on and nearly caught Ruas in the center of the ring with a shoulder lock, but Ruas took control of the match after he escaped this predicament. Shota’s age was starting to show, and Ruas had the better conditioning. Ruas caught Shota with a double-leg takedown and wasted no time to secure the kneebar, forcing the Judoka to tap. Ruas celebrated with his cornermen while the crowd appreciated the technical and professional display from the Brazilian. Ruas defeats Cochivishili via submission (kneebar), 3R of 5, 3:01 Naoya Ogawa vs Bad News Allen Ogawa’s debut has been widely anticipated, and the decorated Judo prodigy entered the Tokyo Dome with a roar of cheers. Wearing a white Judo gi Ogawa seemed like a towering presence already despite his youth. Bad News Allen, also wearing a white Judo gi, also carried a significant aura as headed towards the ring. Not unfamiliar with UWF, Allen was looking to cement another win in the promotion and knock Ogawa’s recent overconfidence down a peg. After the rules are explained by Nobuyuki Furuta, Motoyuki Kitazawa calls both competitors over from their respective corners and explains the rules. He checks both of them for readiness and asks them to shake hands. Reluctantly, Ogawa and Allen do, but Ogawa is caught with a smirk on his face by the cameras. The bell sounds and the two size each other up with the commentators conveying the excitement over this match quite well. A lot of fans in attendance were on their feet, and Ogawa was on the front foot. Allen played defense in the first few minutes of the match, doing well to stay on his feet against Ogawa’s highly-regarded Judo offense. Allen almost tripped up Ogawa with a sneaky move, and this caused the young sensation to back off as Allen returned the smirk Ogawa gave him earlier. Allen took the opportunity to take command of the match, and he pressed Ogawa towards the ropes. Ogawa found himself in his first tricky situation inside a wrestling ring as Allen wrapped his arms around him. Doing his best to stay on his feet, Ogawa eventually found himself being welcomed by the seasoned American with a belly-to-belly takedown. On his back, Ogawa scrambled to defend himself against Allen, who hunted for a quick cross-armbreaker. Ogawa managed to reach the ropes just before Allen could snap his arm back, and quickly got back on his feet for the reset. The two reached another stalemate as they grasped onto their respective Gis and tried to throw each other off their feet. Ogawa finally managed to secure a Uchi-mata. The crowd popped for Ogawa’s clever move, and Allen seemed a little shocked that he found himself on his back. Ogawa went for the double wristlock, but Allen refused to let his arm go and managed to tie up his opponent. After a brief stalemate in which neither wrestler could get some offense going, Kitazawa stood both back on their feet. The match started to get a little bit more free-flowing, with Allen taking his young opponent for a ride with a well-executed side suplex. Allen quickly went for a heel hook and Ogawa scrambled to get his leg free. Ogawa managed to get back on his feet and decided to throw some palm strikes to try and catch Allen off his game. Allen attempted to wrap up Ogawa again for another suplex attempt, but Ogawa countered with a Hiza-guruma that tripped up Allen. Allen had to defend against a shoulder lock attempt and went for a rope break after Ogawa started to lock in the hold. The match continued to swell towards the climax, and both Ogawa and Allen managed to get another rope break off each other to tie the match at 1-1 heading into the 10:00 mark. Ogawa was starting to prove why many regarded him as a prodigy in Judo, and Allen was growing visibly fatigued. Allen managed to land some sharp body punches on Ogawa, which pushed him towards one of the turnbuckles. Allen found the strength to push Ogawa back and get him with a surprise O-goshi that threw his opponent off his feet once again. Allen decided to play it safe and not go to the mat with Ogawa, which seemed to surprise the latter quite a bit. After Ogawa got back on his feet, Allen and Ogawa fought again for control. Allen seemed to be setting Ogawa up for another throw when suddenly….Ogawa hits Allen with an STO! Out of nowhere, the young sensation used Allen’s own finishing move in UWF against him. Ogawa immediately moved for another cross-armbreaker attempt and this time he secured the hold. Allen struggled to reach the ropes, but it was a fool’s errand. After considering his career back in America, Allen tapped out. In just a split few seconds, Ogawa had defeated Bad News Allen and secured a major upset victory. The crowd went wild as Ogawa was declared the winner. Ogawa defeats Allen via submission (cross-armbreaker), 11:44 After the match, Ogawa continued to celebrate while Allen gathered himself back to his feet. The two have a brief staredown before Allen reluctantly offers his hand. Ogawa shakes it and the two have slight cordial bow before Allen appears to tell something to Ogawa. The microphones don't really pick it up so we are left guessing. Perhaps these two aren't done competing against each other. Lou Thesz is introduced and welcomed into the ring before the main event. Lou Thesz is given a microphone and the honorary chairman for UWF delivers a short speech. While he does so, WOWOW cameras catch both Sayama and Maeda getting ready backstage: "Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. Standing in this ring reminds me of 32 years ago when I wrestled Rikidozan at Korakuen Baseball Stadium. Tonight, we will witness a contest between Akira Maeda and Satoru Sayama to determine the new Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world. This is indeed a historical match that will determine the the undisputed best wrestler in our sport. Pro wrestling, UWF pro wrestling, is the most sophisticated combat sport of all. I will strive, with all my might, to perpetuate the nobility of one undisputed pro wrestling champion. I will do that as long as I live. Thank you very much for your attention." After the speech, Lou Thesz shows off his historical heavyweight belt once again: With both Maeda and Sayama now ready to make their entrances, we are now ready for the most important match in UWF's short history! Akira Maeda vs Satoru Sayama After two grueling semi-finals, Maeda and Sayama were finally set for battle. It was anyone’s guess what condition both wrestlers were in, but the chance to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world was finally at hand. Neither would back down. After WOWOW’s cameras showed both getting ready backstage while Lou Thesz was giving his speech, it was finally time for action. Akira Maeda was first to enter the Tokyo Dome, with Camel’s “Captured” blaring through the sound system triumphantly. Maeda had several UWF dojo trainees as his cornermen, and he marched down the ramp with a determined look on his face. Chants of “Ma-e-da!” echoed throughout the Tokyo Dome as he entered the ring. Satoru Sayama entered the “Big Egg” next, seconded by several Shooto trainees. Although his ovation wasn’t as loud as Maeda’s, it was clear Sayama was beloved by a good portion of the 60,000 in attendance. Nobuyuki Furuta announced both wrestlers in their respective corners, and Lou Thesz presented his title one more time. We are also treated to the Japanese national anthem and the Tokyo Dome falls silent at attention. Finally, the long wait was over, and the bell finally rang to commence the biggest match in UWF’s short history so far. Both Maeda and Sayama wasted no time to get going. They immediately launched into a heated kicking exchange, with Sayama, in particular, throwing some very stiff strikes. Maeda returned the favor, and Sayama visibly grimaced as one of them landed on his thigh. Sayama attempted to sneak in a palm strike, but Maeda dodged and caught Sayama with a suplex. Perhaps opting to conserve their energy, both wrestlers settled into a more patient mat exchange. Sayama worked to gain a dominant position and was seemingly going after Maeda’s legs while Maeda defended to keep Sayama from snagging any sudden hooks. Sayama was the quicker of the two, but Maeda’s defense and positioning were quite difficult for Sayama to deal with in this early stage. After the two ended up near the ropes, Masami Soranaka called for a clean break and stood both back up on their feet. This time, Maeda seemed like he wanted to avoid a protracted striking exchange with Sayama and looked for a quick single-leg takedown. Sayama warded off the attempt and fired back with several low kicks, causing Maeda to go on his back foot. Both exercised a bit of caution, with Sayama choosing to fatigue Maeda a bit through constant pressure, but not constant engagement. Maeda attempted another single-leg takedown after catching one of Sayama’s low kicks, and this time the symbolic UWF “ace” was successful. After a brief struggle, Maeda managed to apply an Achilles hold, and this was enough to force Sayama to go for his first rope break of the match. Back on their feet, Maeda applied the pressure this time and immediately started to look for another takedown. The two found themselves back on the mat in short order, and Maeda worked for a rear-naked choke to force another rope break from Sayama to take a 1-0 lead on points. Sayama would eventually get one back relatively quickly though, after knocking Maeda off his feet with a well-timed high kick. Maeda was quick to beat the ten count from Soranaka, and the crowd grew louder to give their favorite more support. The match continued to mature, and Sayama found more success on the mat in the next few minutes after Maeda opted to continue his more ground-based approach. Sayama’s ability to transition quickly from limb to limb gave Maeda a bit of trouble, and Sayama was able to lock in a quick heel hook to force a rope break. Sayama continued to enjoy a stretch of good fortune, and he knocked Maeda off his feet again with a jumping knee to his abdomen. With a 2-1 lead on points, Sayama was growing quite confident. Maeda refused to relent though, and landed a knockdown of his own after catching Maeda with a combo of palm strikes. Sayama was quick to get up but knew he had a tough assignment ahead of him. With the match now tied at 2-2 heading into the 15:00 mark, the pace was starting to pick up a bit. Chants for Maeda continued to dominate the atmosphere in the Tokyo Dome, and Maeda pressed the advantage as if those chants were giving him a boost of energy. Maeda grabbed Sayama for a German suplex and tried to take his back for another rear-naked choke attempt. Sayama defended and managed to roll through to grab Maeda’s knee for a surprise kneebar attempt. Maeda had to scramble for another rope break with Sayama applying pressure on his knee. Back on their feet, Sayama managed to catch Maeda for a suplex attempt of his own. A Tiger suplex sent Maeda back and Sayama attempted to bridge through for the pin attempt, although Maeda kicked out quickly after Soranaka counted one. A true classic was unfolding, and the Tokyo Dome was treated to a brilliant display of wrestling in the next several minutes. The UWF philosophy was on full display with both competitors living up to the “Kick, Submission, Suplex” mantra. Maeda and Sayama continued to fight hard and both sought to end the match in a variety of ways. After Maeda delivered several knee strikes on Sayama in a clinch, they found themselves tied 4-4 on points heading into the 22:00 mark. After exchanging various rope breaks and further knockdowns, both men were now quite fatigued. They had given everything they had and more. The only thing keeping them going was the boisterous crowd inside the Tokyo Dome. Maeda and Sayama decided to unleash everything they had in a heated striking exchange, a last gasp at glory. Maeda appeared to get the upper hand with several kicks to Sayama’s kidneys, and the Shooto founder bounced against the ropes as if he was ready to fall over. Sayama only fired back though, and struck Maeda with a sharp palm strike. Sayama hit Maeda with a jumping kick, which caused Maeda to stumble back. Another high kick nearly finished the match, but Maeda somehow stayed on his feet. Sayama jumped up and delivered a roundhouse kick which finally sent Maeda tumbling to the canvas. Despite Maeda being the heavy favorite, the Tokyo Dome could only let out a climactic roar as Soranaka signaled for the bell. Sayama, the man who left wrestling behind after the collapse of the first UWF, was on top of the world once again. He had bided his time successfully and proved that his time with Shooto wasn’t a waste. Sayama defeats Maeda via TKO, 25:39 Maeda takes his time to process what just happened as Sayama continues to celebrate in the ring with his Shooto cornermen. Sayama is surrounded and he is hugged en masse as he cracks a rare smile. The word 'Shooto' on the backs of Sayama's cornermen says it all as it is made clear visually what it means to Sayama and his organization. Maeda is shown slowly getting back on his feet while Sayama's theme continues to blare triumphantly in the Tokyo Dome. WOWOW shows a replay of key moments in this match, and the finish as well. After Sayama's celebration, Lou Thesz enters the ring to congratulate him. They shake hands and Lou Thesz places his belt around Sayama's waist. Maeda comes to congratulate Sayama as well, although a bit reluctantly. Karl Gotch and Billy Robinson are in the ring as well to shake hands with the victor. Sayama and Maeda do a slight bow out of courtesy, and the latter exits the ring to give Sayama his moment. The WOWOW cameras catch Fujinami looking on from his ringside seat, applauding Sayama while doing so. Sayama is presented a huge check from WOWOW officials and several finely decorated trophies for his accomplishment. Sayama is interviewed in the ring and says that he is extremely proud of winning the belt and becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. He says he gave everything he had and can barely stand. Sayama praises Akira Maeda and Karelin as opponents more than worthy. Sayama thanks Lou Thesz, Karl Gotch, and Billy Robinson for their continued support for UWF. He also thanks Shinji Jin for his leadership. Most importantly, he thanks the Shooto organization for helping him to become a better fighter and wrestler. Sayama says his victory tonight represents a victory for Shooto, but that the UWF spirit and philosophy is better off for it. Sayama is asked about this moment in context to his departure from wrestling in 1985 and the falling out he had with Maeda from their encounter that year. Sayama says the past is the past, and that tonight they settled any differences they had. Sayama also says he has huge respect for Maeda now. Sayama is congratulated one more time by the ring announcer, Nobuyuki Furuta. Pyrotechnics go off along with confetti which fills the ring. Sayama grabs the microphone one more time and says that the new year is just hours away. He wishes everyone a happy new year and raises his fist in the air for the WOWOW cameras to catch. The WOWOW commentary crew recaps all the fantastic matches from tonight, and they have an in-depth review of the main event. George Foreman walks by and goofs around a bit before they all do their final sign-off of the evening. An instrumental remix of "Auld Lang Syne" plays as the WOWOW credits roll with highlights from a fantastic show that ends the year for UWF and Japanese professional wrestling as a whole on a high note.

(In lieu of a full-length press conference which I didn't find the time for, here's a "digest" version it) U-COSMOS Grand Final Press Conference Recap December 13th, 1989 The presser started with Vader, Aleksandr Karelin, Satoru Sayama, and Akira Maeda giving their opening statements and taking questions from the press. Vader exuded confidence and said he was the best wrestler on the stage and would prove it on New Year's Eve. Karelin didn't say much but had a stern look on his face, and seemed quite confident as well. Karelin said that his training and career had prepared him and that he would overcome any challenges that remained in his way. Maeda said he had respect for everyone on the stage and that his focus for now would be the semi-final match against Vader. Sayama said that Karelin would be the toughest opponent he has faced so far in his career, although he believed that the philosophy behind Shooto offered a path to defeat a wrestler like Karelin, and whoever met him in the final as well. All four wrestlers posed for photos with Lou Thesz standing in the middle with his belt. Tokyo Sports' front cover featured one of these photos with the headline "The four best wrestlers in the world will collide on December 31st to determine the undisputed champion of the world." Shinji Jin confirmed that Tatsumi Fujinami will be in attendance for the show and that he would be a special guest along with Karl Gotch, Lou Thesz, Bily Robinson, and George Foreman (through their partnership with WOWOW, which also airs boxing events) Naoya Ogawa and Allen "Bad News" Coage formally signed their contracts for their encounter at U-COSMOS. It will be a "Judo Jacket" match where both competitors will be in full gi. Naoya Ogawa remained coy on whether or not he signed any long-term agreements with UWF. Bad News Allen said that he has met a lot of young punks like Ogawa in his wrestling and Judo career and that he would put him in his place on the 31st. Ogawa said that by defeating Allen, he will prove he belongs in the world of professional wrestling. The two had a face-off while posing for photos, which were featured in several magazines. Shinji Jin also confirmed that several of the matches will be under "Mixed Style Fight" rules, including newly announced matches Masakatsu Funaki vs Willy Wilhelm and Maurice Smith vs Minoru Suzuki. These matches will be held under normal UWF rules but in a round system of five 5-minute rounds. Jin said that Willy Wilhelm, a highly regarded Dutch Judoka who medaled twice in the 1983 and 1985 World Judo Championships, would be a good challenge for Masakatsu Funaki. Jin also confirmed that wrestlers like Maurice Smith could choose to wear boxing gloves if desired. Jin said that he hoped the rule set would create a unique environment for the Tokyo Dome and further promote a spirit of competition in the combat sport tradition. Jin also said that a new Brazilian wrestler would be making his debut at the event. Eugenio Tadeu, a Luta Livre competitor and a student of Marco Ruas, will face Yoji Anjo. Jin said that he and Maeda have plans to establish the UWF brand in Brazil in the coming decade, and tentative plans are in the works for a show in Brazil next year. Jin also said that he remembers New Japan bringing its brand to Brazil in the 1970s and that he hoped UWF would find similar success. Jin praised Tadeu as an extremely talented fighter. Marco Ruas and Shota Chochishvili took questions from the press as they promoted their match under the "Mixed Style Fight" rules. Ruas said that he had much respect for Shota and his accomplishments in Judo, but Shota was standing in his way to further establish himself as one of the top competitors in UWF. Shota talked about his decision to leave NJPW and have his final match in UWF, and that the opportunity to face a renowned fighter like Marco Ruas was difficult to turn down. Shota also talked about his plans to help further strengthen the relationship between the Soviet Union and UWF, particularly when it comes to recruiting new Georgian competitors. Ruas talked about the history of Judo vs Luta Livre or Jiu-Jitsu fights in Brazil and Japan, and that this match would continue the tradition. Jin closed the press conference by stating his excitement for U-COSMOS. He expects both attendance and gate records to be broken on December 31st due to the incredible ticket demand.

Norman Smiley is marked for retirement in 1989. He actually retired in 2008 so he should be good to go for a while

We are just days away from the highly anticipated event! Tickets for the U-COSMOS Grand Prix Grand Final sold out weeks ago and a capacity crowd of 60,000 is expected to pack the Tokyo Dome for one of the biggest events in the history of Japanese professional wrestling! UWF Newborn – “U-Cosmos Grand Prix 1989: Grand Final” December 31st, 1989 Tokyo, Japan Tokyo Dome U-COSMOS Grand Prix Semi-final: Satoru Sayama vs Aleksandr Karelin U-COSMOS Grand Prix Semi-final: Akira Maeda vs Super Vader Shigeo Miyato vs Tatsuo Nakano Mixed Style Fight: Eugenio Tadeu vs Yoji Anjo Mixed Style Fight: Masakatsu Funaki vs Willy Wilhelm Mixed Style Fight: Minoru Suzuki vs Maurice Smith Mixed Style Fight: Volk Han vs David Gobejishvili Mixed Style Fight: Marco Ruas vs Shota Chochishvili Judo Jacket Match: Naoya Ogawa vs Bad News Allen U-COSMOS Grand Prix Final: TBD vs TBD (Might be another small delay like last month due to the holidays! Thanks for your patience!)

This is a huge card! Really looking forward to Hogan vs Koloff, Orndorff vs Hansen, Sammartino vs Zbyszko, and St. Clair vs Colon in particular.

A full Kintaro Oki/Kim Duk vs Tito Santana/Thor Kamata match was recently uploaded to Youtube. It makes for a fun watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMmrVLLci_g

Yeah, a lot of Americans in Japan did their promos in English and had them translated via subtitles, usually in video packages. The heel dynamic wasn't as evident as it was in America, although the "foreigner vs native ace" angle was one of the primary things that made wrestling so popular in Japan, especially after WWII when the country needed heroes to cheer on. This is why Rikidozan vs Lou Thesz drew such huge television ratings in Japan during the 1950s. One of their matches had an 87.0 rating! That would repeat through the 60s/70s/80s and onwards. Hogan vs Inoki, Inoki vs Jack Brisco, Baba vs Fritz von Erich, Flair vs Tsuruta, etc When Vader came over to UWFi, he was presented more of a "monster" type guy who wasn't a heel as he avoided underhanded tactics, but the fans were fully behind Takada, and the threat Vader posed to everyone as an unstoppable force made the fans more passionate about the matches between the two.

Great to see Prentice back with another grassroots promotion, this time in good ole' Kentucky. I missed reading the IPW shows and this hits the spot. You have a unique philosophy when it comes to booking and it makes your writing stand out I think. Keep up the good work!

WrestleWar was great! Lots of good stuff that makes Memphis wrestling what it is at its core. The Jerry Lawler vs Curt Hennig match went 60 minutes and I'm sure the fans got double their money's worth there. Jimmy Hart remains one of the scummiest men in the business, but you can't get rid of him either. I'm hoping Simmons and Reed get their revenge soon!

1989 has been a great year for PCW and I think you've utilized all of your talent pretty well. The arrival of Steve Williams and Terry Gordy has brought a lot to the promotion and their interactions with other members of the roster have always been interesting to read about. 1990 should just as exciting with some great young talent coming up through the ranks.

AWA is buzzing with hot angles and great matches! Can't wait for Super Clash and the hype for Nikita vs Hogan has been excellent. The inclusion of Col. Deebers has been a stroke of genius and I'm loving the promos between all three. I'm really looking forward to Orndorff vs Hansen as well. That should be a barnburner.

Excellent job with PWF so far. I can definitely feel the unique Florida 'flavor' here and it feels like the territory that made the headlines so often (both good and bad! ). The tournament felt big time. I'm sure the live and TV audiences will both appreciate the quality involved. Dory Funk Jr as champion will help establish a lot of credibility.

I loved how you handled WWF. You did well to bring so many of our favorite wrestlers and personalities to life here. Survivor Series was just proof positive of that approach. The British Bulldog, Ultimate Warrior, and Andre the Giant all really stood out. It seems like Bulldog is ready to make a huge run in whatever promotion he lands after the shakeup! Looking forward to seeing what you can do with WCW

You did a tremendous job with NWA and Starrcade was a great way to finish this project. Having Buddy Landel and Ric Flair have a big staredown at the end was fitting! I think you did the "NWA" initials justice with how hard you worked to bring us great action for so long.

Looking forward to what WWF will bring in the new decade. Lots of exciting opportunities and talent ready to make the jump to super stardom.

UWF Newborn – “U-Cosmos Grand Prix 1989: The Elite Eight” November 30th, 1989 Hiroshima, Japan Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium Attendance: 5,180 (sold out) Broadcast: WOWOW (live) The live broadcast starts with Nobuyuki Furuta formally opening the show in the ring, and the viewing audience is greeted with fireworks and flashing lights, with the UWF theme thumping in the background. Furuta announces each wrestler in the customary parade, as they line up inside the ring. The Hiroshima crowd gives huge ovations for Akira Maeda, Nobuhiko Takada, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Satoru Sayma, Super Vader, and Aleksandr Karelin. After the parade concludes, Maeda, Takada, Fujiwara, and Sayama give short statements in Japanese as they thank the fans for coming and making the tournament highly successful so far. Super Vader gives one in English that is translated into Japanese, and he promises another victory on his march to becoming the undisputed champion of the world. Lou Thesz, Billy Robinson, and Karl Gotch (in their snazzy red sportcoats) are all welcomed into the ring by Shinji Jin and other UWF officials. Thesz presents the belt that awaits the winner next month in Tokyo. The WOWOW commentary team then break down the matches for the evening and we are soon underway. Ahmed Johnson vs Steve Nelson Steve Nelson, the newcomer to UWF Newborn, found himself in a bit of a mismatch but made the most of it. The smaller American had to rely on skill and a developing background in catch wrestling thanks to Billy Robinson. Ahmed Johnson went for brute force, attempting to overwhelm Nelson with his wrestling background and pure strength. Nelson had some moments initially, but Johnson didn’t have to wait long to gain control of the match, suplexing and slamming Nelson at will almost. Ahmed Johnson quickly racked up a 3-0 lead on points after three consecutive ten counts from the referee. After Ahmed regained his breath by controlling Nelson on the mat for a brief stretch, the WCW Power Plant product stunned the crowd with an incredible piledriver slam that sent Nelson crashing into the mat head-first. Ahmed Johnson went for the pinfall and secured it easily as Nelson remained almost lifeless on the canvas. It was a memorable start for Steve Nelson’s UWF career, but not exactly one he imagined! Johnson, on the other hand, had made his mark. Johnson defeats Nelson via pinfall, 9:49 Jerry Flynn vs Billy Scott In another match featuring two new UWF wrestlers from America, both Flynn and Scott impressed as they both had the opportunity to put their respective backgrounds on display. Flynn, the tall and dashing striker seemed quite confident and moved impressively against the Tennessean with a developing catch wrestling background. Scott was now one of Billy Robinson’s protégés and managed to bring Flynn down to the mat a few times with some tricky takedowns. Flynn was able to defend credibly and minimized Scott’s opportunities with solid defense. Scott got a few rope breaks to get a 1-0 lead, but Flynn started to press his opponent more and landed a variety of kicking combinations to get his first knockdown, evening the score as Scott had to take a few seconds to get back on his feet. Flynn remained in control, and Scott found himself having to navigate Flynn’s long reach and determination to win. While the Nashville native wasn’t totally out of his depth, it wasn’t his night. After Scott tried to get more points on the canvas, Flynn scored the finishing blow by knocking Scott off his feet with a spinning roundhouse. Scott was in no man’s land and couldn’t find his footing again as Yuji Shimada finished the ten count, handing Flynn a victory in his first UWF match. Flynn defeats Scott via KO, 11:06 Kiyoshi Tamura vs Manabu Yamada These two wrestlers previously had an encounter in June that was fought to a stalemate. Yamada, still quite green, was showing signs of improvement in the UWF dojo while Tamura remained a wonderkid of sorts, quickly impressing his instructors and his peers with growth over the past few months. Tamura made sure to remind the crowd of who he was as well and dictated the tempo of the match from the opening bell. Tamura’s impressive grappling kept Yamada quite busy, and the latter mostly fought from underneath as he worked to defend himself. Tamura secured a 1-0 lead on points after getting two rope breaks out of Yamada. Yamada did grow into the match, and as he did, it became apparent that Yamada’s Shooto base differed from Tamura’s Robinson-inspired catch wrestling base. The keen eye would have picked up subtle differences, including how Yamada worked to soften up Tamura with strikes before going for swift takedowns, including Sayama’s trademark flying armbar. Tamura remained patient and mixed in more calculated offense backed up by his athletic abilities. Yamada managed to tie the match up at 1-1 after getting back at Tamura and securing a few rope breaks of his own. Eventually though, Tamura proved to be the better wrestler this night in Hiroshima and secured a submission victory via a single-leg Boston crab. Tamura defeats Yamada via submission (single-leg Boston crab), 13:18 Chris Benoit vs Wayne Shamrock Benoit and Shamrock were both highly talented wrestlers, with each having a varying degree of background in catch wrestling through their training and upbringing. Shamrock, of course, has been learning his trade in the UWF dojo and has studied under Karl Gotch and Joe Malenko as well. Benoit learned from Stu Hart himself, and wanted to prove his worth tonight against an opponent has some familiarity with but hasn’t faced yet. Benoit was able to showcase his excellent skills early and often surprised Shamrock with a variety of moves that took him to the canvas, with Benoit always looking for an early submission. The two put on a clinic in catch-based wrestling at times on the canvas, and the crowd seemed quite impressed with both and their pacing. The score reached 1-1 on points, with both being able to gain points through rope breaks. Shamrock decided to mix things up a bit by throwing in several palm strike combos in the middle stretch and caught Benoit with a massive Dragon suplex. Shamrock attempted to take Benoit’s back for a rear-naked choke, but Benoit managed to roll to the ropes and forced a clean break. Back on his feet, Benoit answered back and took down Shamrock with a fine German suplex, and followed that up with a quick pinfall attempt but Shamrock kicked out. The match continued to pick up the pace, and Shamrock scored a knockdown with a flurry of palm strikes and followed that up with another knockdown from a belly-to-belly suplex. Benoit crawled back into play by forcing Shamrock to the ropes again with a kneebar, making the score 3-2 at around the 15:00 mark. Benoit seemed to be going for the kill when Shamrock caught him by surprise with a heel hook and left Benoit in the middle of the ring to accept his fate. Shamrock defeats Benoit via submission (heel hook), 15:44 Aleksandr Karelin vs Atsushi Onita Karelin has been on a roll, and although Onita had been successfully establishing himself as a key member of the UWF roster both in the ring and with the fans, he was probably running into a brick wall tonight. The match would also be a clash of styles, with Karelin’s Greco-Roman and SAMBO background going up against Onita’s skills in Luta Livre. Karelin’s strength was a key factor against Onita, and Onita found himself struggling to break free from Karelin’s upper body holds. As a result, Onita had to rely on his defense in the opening minutes as Karelin worked from the top and pressured his opponent constantly on the canvas. Karelin’s patience guided him to forcing several rope breaks from Onita, and he built up a 2-0 lead without much issue. Onita seemed flustered on his feet and didn’t seem confident in any strategy he tried to come up with, including trying to soften up Karelin’s with low kicks. Karelin kept coming though, and roughed up his opponent with a couple of suplexes. Onita did his best to put up a fight, but Karelin remained in total control. Onita had to beat a ten count after another suplex from Karelin, and soon found himself on the mat again with Karelin going for a shoulder lock. Onita defended quite well to his credit, but Karelin brute forced his way into locking in the hold, and Onita struggled to break free before deciding that tapping out was the best way to prevent the Soviet from inflicting more pain. Karelin defeats Onita via submission (shoulder lock), 12:31 Akira Maeda vs Kazuo Yamazaki Yamazaki had made it this far and had no plans of stopping. The only problem was that Akira Maeda stood in his way. Maeda had no plans on losing either and had most of the crowd in Hiroshima behind him. Both wrestlers were quite evenly matched in the opening few minutes, with both exchanging a variety of strikes, including kicks. Content with staying on their feet neither had much action on the mat. This changed when Yamazaki got one of Maeda’s high kicks and turned it into a single-leg takedown. Yamazaki had the speed advantage, but Maeda was more patient and managed to avoid firm submission attempts from Yamazaki. When he managed to get back on his feet, Yamazaki shifted his focus to low kicks. This was an attempt to slow down Maeda and give him something to think about, but Maeda fired back with some hard strikes of his own and caught his opponent clean with a palm strike. Yamazaki tumbled down to the canvas for the first time and faced a ten count, but he didn’t take long to beat it. The urgency increased as time went on for both, and Maeda seemed more willing to press his opponent with the clock ticking. Yamazaki relished the opportunity and only fired back when he was cornered. When Maeda brought his opponent down to the mat with an armdrag, Yamazaki was quick to try and surprise Maeda with a double wristlock attempt from the bottom. Maeda, with the crowd behind him, managed to fight out and returned the favor with a kneebar attempt. Yamazaki was forced to go for a quick rope break and this gave Maeda a 2-0 lead on points. Yamazaki got one back a few minutes later after landing a kick combo on Maeda, and Maeda had to beat a ten count of his own to keep the match going. The crowd continued to cheer for Maeda quite loudly, and the two fought to a stalemate again, which led to an extended battle on the canvas with neither getting the advantage. When both got back on their feet after a clean break, Maeda landed a few hard kicks on Yamazaki’s abdomen. This allowed Maeda to move in for a Capture suplex, and Yamazaki was sent flying backward. Maeda grabbed Yamazaki’s arm on the mat and went for a cross-armbreaker. Despite doing his best to escape the hold, Yamazaki had to tap or risk breaking his arm. Maeda defeats Yamazaki via submission (cross-armbreaker), 16:03 Nobuhiko Takada vs Super Vader The crowd inside Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium was anticipating this match to a high degree, and the building nearly exploded with the theme from Rocky IV heralding the arrival of Nobuhiko Takada. Takada marched confidently to the ring and it was clear he was amped up for his encounter with the unstoppable force known as Vader. Vader entered next to thumping music, and if Takada was confident, Vader was doubly so. The big man was wearing his trademark black singlet with red detail down the sides. Takada was in his black trunks and kickpads, and the two faced off as the referee checked both competitors for their readiness. Without any further delay, the referee called for the bell and both Takada and Vader sized each other up. Takada seized the opening initiative by landing several sharp kicks on Vader, who smartly raised his leg to help defend. Vader fired back with several hard body shots that bothered Takada as he retreated off his front foot. Takada, well aware of Vader’s power, remained calculated and didn’t give Vader much as he picked his spots with his longer reach. Vader seemed slightly unbothered if not a bit frustrated by Takada’s careful approach so far. Takada decided to test Vader’s standing grappling, and Vader seemed hesitant at first, which gave Takada the advantage as he nearly tripped up the big man. Vader finally realized he was much stronger than Takada, and took him down to the canvas easily in the next exchange. Vader went for the side control as he hunted for a shoulder lock, and Takada struggled as Vader’s massive frame was too much to handle. Luckily, Takada was near the ropes and he managed to escape via the ropes before Vader did too much damage. The story of the match continued to evolve similarly, Takada’s reach gave him an advantage over Vader but the American continued to land hard shots on his opponent, using his fists to let Takada know he could fight too. Vader also had the advantage in grappling despite Takada’s superior skill levels. Takada continually found himself on the canvas when he got near his opponent, and he had to quickly react to prevent Vader from overpowering him. Vader built a 2-0 lead on points just from Takada’s rope escapes and Takada picked up the urgency as a result. He started to throw more strikes and aimed for Vader’s knee as he attempted to chop down his opponent. Vader couldn’t prevent some damage from being done, and his visible grimacing urged the crowd to get behind Takada more. Vader refused to relent though, and answered back with sharp open-hand strikes to knock Takada off his feet. Facing the first ten count of the match, Takada quickly got back on his feet. Vader was in the driver’s seat but quickly found out that Takada would not easily give up. Takada targeted the same knee again with a series of low kicks, and Vader finally went down to one knee and he grabbed the other in pain. Motoyuki Kitazawa started another ten count, and the crowd roared as Takada raised his fist in the air. Vader finally got back on both feet at the eight count, and immediately launched himself at Takada with a running lariat to silence the Hiroshima audience. Vader managed to pick up Takada for a huge powerbomb near the center of the ring and Takada remained almost motionless on his back as Kitazawa started another ten count, giving Vader a 4-1 lead on points past the 15:00 mark. Takada was roughed up but did his best to remain in the match as Vader started to assert himself again. The two engaged in a heated striking exchange down the stretch, with Takada giving everything he had. But Vader proved why he was “Super” and landed repeated body shots and open hand strikes on Takada’s head, and the strikes grew in number as Takada was nearing the proverbial abyss. Finally, Vader landed the finishing blow with another kidney shot and Takada collapsed to the canvas with a 1000-yard stare, clearly having lost track of where he was. Kitazawa signaled for the bell, and the stunned crowd watched as Vader celebrated in the middle of the ring. He would be moving on to the semi-finals. Vader defeats Takada via TKO, 19:26 Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Satoru Sayama The rivalry between Sayama and Fujiwara has stretched from the days of the original UWF, and it always seemed like Sayama got the better of Fujiwara, including in their most recent encounter in UWF Newborn. Fujiwara was looking to change that tonight, with a trip to the next round of the U-COSMOS Grand Prix on the line. With the formalities done, Soranaka called for the bell and the match was underway. Sayama seemed in top form, executing brilliant kicks that overwhelmed Fujiwara and had the Gotch-trained submission specialist reeling. Fujiwara tried covering up, but Sayama landed his trikes where he needed them and sent Fujiwara down to the canvas for an early knockdown. The Hiroshima crowd was a bit surprised and urged Fujiwara back to his feet. Sayama continued to feel inevitable as his fleet-footed approach gave Fujiwara a ton to think about. But Fujiwara was too good to totally fade out, and he steadily re-inserted himself into the match. Sayama found his opponent predicting his kicking patterns much better than earlier, and Fujiwara got him down to the canvas a few times after turning some of them into takedown opportunities. Fujiwara and Sayama were both brilliant mat wrestlers, but Fujiwara had the upper hand once again as was usual in their rivalry so far. The former NJPW dojo product was very good at finding openings, even where Sayama was defending well to ward off a sudden submission attempt. After some extended exchanges on the canvas, Sayama continued to lead 2-1 on points thanks to rope breaks being exhausted by both. Sayama’s advantage when it came to striking continued to be evident, but Fujiwara’s defense continued to be strong, and this limited Sayama’s ability to score another knockdown. Fujiwara had some surprises of his own, including a sharp headbutt that was used as a counter to one of Sayama’s flurries. This enabled Fujiwara to get Sayama back down to the canvas, where he established control with some clever matwork to control his opponent from the top. Fujiwara worked patiently for a Fujiwara armbar attempt, and Sayama saw it coming. Fujiwara’s opponent did his best to escape, but Fujiwara constantly hunted for his arm even as Sayama shifted and reversed positions. Gaining control of Sayama’s back, Fujiwara locked in his right arm and locked in his favorite hold. The crowd grew louder as Sayama grimaced in pain, and the ropes seemed quite far with the pain shooting through his body. A struggle commenced as Sayama did his best to reach salvation, and Fujiwara fought to keep Sayama from escaping. After what seemed like an eternity for Sayama, he finally reached the ropes and escaped the hold. Fujiwara continued his momentum as he perhaps found the most success in keeping Sayama down to the mat so far in their long rivalry. Sayama grew more and more frustrated as Fujiwara continued to hunt for a variety of submission holds, including another Fujiwara armbar attempt. Sayama was forced to change his strategy, going from a striking-based approach to one of defensive submission wrestling. Fujiwara’s strategy paid off and he gained a 3-2 lead on points going past the 14:00 mark. Sayama had to dig deep, and he utilized his creative Shooto techniques to get back into his match. He caught Fujiwara by surprise with a triangle choke, and this nearly finished the match, but Fujiwara managed to escape the hold after struggling for the ropes just like Sayama did minutes earlier. Back on his feet, Sayama caught Fujiwara with a flying armbar and this led to a cross-armbreaker attempt that Fujiwara broke out of as well, using the ropes again to escape. Now tied at 3-3 points, both men looked fatigued as neither could find a decisive breakthrough. Sayama continued to buy his time though, and worked patiently as he knew Fujiwara wouldn’t rush things either. Both approached the final few minutes like chess masters, working small holds here and there as they mixed in very few strikes. As Fujiwara attempted to lock in a rear-naked choke after catching Sayama’s back, Sayama fought to remain on his feet and suddenly found a way to reverse positions. Sayama quickly caught Fujiwara with a German suplex position and managed to execute the maneuver. Not letting go, Sayama sent Fujiwara flying backward again. This time, Sayama held the bridge and pinned Fujiwara’s shoulders to the mat. The crowd chanted as Soranaka slapped the mat…1…2….3!!!! Despite how the match was evolving, there would be no creative submissions to end the contest, instead, Sayama would be advancing to the semi-finals via pinfall. Sayama defeats Fujiwara via pinfall, 17:03 After the match, Sayama celebrates his victory as Fujiwara gathers himself and tries to figure out how he let Sayama slip from his grasp. The two shake hands eventually, and certainly, this won't be the last time they meet each other. Sayama takes in the crowd a bit more before heading backstage. The WOWOW commentary team recaps the hard-fought main event before moving on to the rest of the evening, where they talk about some key moments. They move on to the bracket and explain the format for the semi-finals and final next month in the Tokyo Dome. The semi-finals and final will be happening on the same night - December 31st! The semi-finals will open the big show and the final will of course cap off the highly anticipated event. This will test the willpower and strength of the four wrestlers remaining - Akira Maeda, Super Vader, Aleksandr Karelin, and Satoru Sayama. There will be no doubt that the victor will be the most deserving winner of the U-COSMOS Grand Prix. Their status as the undisputed world champion will be unquestionable. With Japan's new emperor, a new decade and a new era await on a momentous New Year's Eve. Who will emerge from the Final Four?

Taz has been sent to Bluegrass Championship Wrestling on loan

UWF picks up Fujinami

(The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday will probably cause a slight delay, but I have most of it written except for the final few matches. Thanks for your patience!) Card Announcement: UWF Newborn - "U-COSMOS Grand Prix 1989: The Elite Eight" November 30th, 1989 Hiroshima, Japan Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium Ahmed Johnson vs Steve Nelson Jerry Flynn vs Billy Scott Kiyoshi Tamura vs Manabu Yamada Chris Benoit vs Wayne Shamrock U-COSMOS Grand Prix Quarter-final: Aleksandr Karelin vs Atsushi Onita U-COSMOS Grand Prix Quarter-final: Akira Maeda vs Kazuo Yamazaki U-COSMOS Grand Prix Quarter-final: Nobuhiko Takada vs Super Vader U-COSMOS Grand Prix Quarter-final: Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Satoru Sayama

Fighting Network RINGS - "RINGS USA: Showdown in Casper" November 6th, 1997 Casper, Wyoming Casper Events Center Attendance: 1,963 Valentijn Overeem drew with Dave Menne, R3 of 3 (15:00) Jeremy Horn def. Travis Fulton via split decision, R3 of 3 (15:00) Maurice Smith def. Egan Inoue via TKO, R2 of 3 (9:41) Carlos Newton def. Elvis Sinosic via submission (keylock), R2 of 3 (6:45) Kevin Randleman drew with Randy Couture, R3 of 3 (15:00) Mark Kerr def. Renato Sobral via split decision, R3 of 3 (15:00) Josh Barnett def. Bitsadze Tariel via submission (double wristlock), 15:11 Frank Shamrock def. Dan Henderson via submission (rear-naked choke), R1 of 3 (4:22) Notes from the Wrestling Observer: RINGS held their first event in the USA on November 6th in Casper, WY. The show was pretty good and available on PPV in select markets. The buy rate wasn't spectacular, but that was to be expected with the limited promotion. The live gate was solid but below the UFC event held there in 1995. The announced attendance was 1,963, compared to 2,500 fans for the 1995 UFC event. Frank Shamrock was most likely the main factor, and he put on a tremendous performance against top prospect Dan Henderson, who was submitted by a rear-naked choke in the first round. After the fight, Frank Shamrock told the crowd that he had big plans for RINGS in the US and that future shows would be happening going into the new year. He praised Dan Henderson as a promising fighter and said that he would make an impact in Japan soon enough. The show was mostly shootfights, with Josh Barnett vs Bitsadze Tariel as an exception, which was contested under traditional RINGS rules compared to the round format of three five-minute rounds. Josh Barnett won in a huge surprise but looked tremendous against a well-respected member of the RINGS roster. Tariel got some strikes in and knocked Barnett down several times, but Barnett came storming back and managed to get Tariel to the ground for a double wristlock. Josh Barnett has caught the attention of Akira Maeda and there are plans for him to appear regularly at more RINGS events in Japan going forward. RINGS will hold its next major Japan event on November 30th in Osaka, which will be the second round of the annual Mega Battle Tournament.