Control21

I mean, the top guy in the company wrestling the best members on the roster isn't unheard of for any style or promotion, I think?

Kiyoshi Tamura is going to end up #5 on my ballot. He was absolutely one of the best wrestlers I've ever seen. We talk about Volk Han's batting average (rightfully so), but Tamura's is right up there as well. I've struggled to find a good way to describe the differences between Volk Han and Tamura. While Volk had the explosiveness and the ability to manipulate "space," I think Tamura differentiated himself by being one of the best athletic specimens we've ever seen in the ring. It's not that Tamura couldn't manipulate space as well, but I think he relied on it less than Volk did, and instead combined his natural talents with a raw intensity that very few have. I remember seeing someone describe Tamura as the shoot-style version of Kenta Kobashi (could have been in this thread). In other words, he could convey emotion, urgency, and will through his actions and movements in the ring. The differences here are probably one of the major reasons why the Volk/Tamura trilogy was so damn good; they played off each other's differences and abilities extraordinarily well. I think people sometimes forget how good he was during his U-Style run. His matches with Ito, Mishima, Barnett, etc., all come to mind initially. He was probably one of the best in the world during that period. He was doing all of this while facing people like Yoshida and Bob Sapp in PRIDE as well. He really never let up once in his career. Maybe that's why he decided to step away from the ring after his PRIDE run. Perhaps he understood he couldn't deliver the same level of quality after the beating his body took in PRIDE. That's a very admirable quality to have, I believe, despite us not having more matches to enjoy. Tamura is also one of those wrestlers who made the shoot/work spectrum nebulous at times. He had a whole host of pro wrestling matches in his career that looked like shoots. He also had a handful of shoots where I wouldn't blame someone if they thought they were worked. I've written to some degree in some of the other threads here about how it is hard to ignore how certain workers spent a lot of time in places like Pancrase, or had matches in RINGS, PRIDE, or other JMMA groups that were straddling the line between shoot and work very delicately. Tamura falls under this category. His match against Frank Shamrock in RINGS stands out as one of the best displays of scientific wrestling I've ever seen, and it was basically conducted under RINGS' pro wrestling rules. He also had a match against Renzo Gracie under RINGS' KOK rules, which were more explicitly MMA. I would argue, though, that Tamura was a pro wrestler that night, and getting a win over Renzo while carrying the UWF banner is one of the greatest "pro wrestling" moments I've ever seen.

Doing a little experimentation...

The AWA Title tournament has been a success so far, with a lot of interesting matches. Shawn Michaels seems poised for a breakout year, although he would need to beat a lot of legends and big names to reach the mountain top.

I'm loving how you are running WWF so far. Everything feels fresh and exciting. Ric Flair vs Dynamite Kid sounds like a dream match. That probably would have been great in real life if both wrestlers were healthy.

Very well said, @GOTNW. Inoki moved up a few places on my ballot over the past few months. He's right outside of the top 10 now. He had a very remarkable in-ring career for the reasons you just laid out. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Wrestler Eligibility: Wrestlers must wrestle a minimum of 10 matches in a year in either the United States or Canada according to wrestlingdata.com. or cagematch.com. Wrestlers who do not meet that requirement in the year we are currently in or any future year will be considered retired. Rookies will be eligible in the year they debut. It depends on how people want to interpret this. Rey did wrestle in a US show in 1992 according to Cagematch, so technically, he meets the criteria set by the last sentence. But he didn't wrestle 10 shows in the US until 1993/1994, as he was largely doing AAA shows in Mexico in 1992, and they didn't start expanding to the US until 1993/1994.

I think as long as they have a thread and are listed in the nominees list, they should count

I think Sid and Paul E. have started the year strong for WCW. Looking forward to Superbrawl. Sid vs Sting should be a blockbuster match

Looks good to me at first glance. The only thing I would add is that 1994 would probably be more appropriate for Matt Hardy, since that was when he was actually wrestling for other promotions besides his own backyard thing he was doing with his brother.

Nice to have SMW in our game world. I think you will get a very consistent and quality product going with Steve Austin being one of your major players, along with the usual characters we would come to expect for this territory. Can't wait to read more.

I know people scoff at the idea that NJPW is an AEW development territory, basically, but when NJPW makes decisions like this, it's hard to ignore it. Putting the rocket on Newman's back and then immediately having him do a big program for AEW at Wembley is just too blatant. Another possibility is that they are doing all this as a favor for Ospreay, which is just even more stupid.

NJPW hasn't learned its lesson, I guess. What a shitshow.

My revised current top 10: 1. Bret Hart 2. Volk Han 3. Blue Panther 4. Akira Maeda 5. Kiyoshi Tamura 6. Billy Robinson 7. Yoshiaki Fujiwara 8. Mitsuharu Misawa 9. Kenta Kobashi 10. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka

I had intended to do a "Complete and Accurate" series for Volk Han, but real life got in the way, unfortunately. So I'll try to summarize my case for Volk Han here. He'll be my #2 vote in all likelihood, but he has a small chance to take the #1 spot when I submit my ballot. There are very few wrestlers who have the same awareness and "command" of the space in the ring that Volk Han did, especially right out of the gate. Anytime I watch a Volk Han match, I immediately notice two things. The first is how he never loses track of the flow of the match, and never gets "lost." He knows how to keep the crowd engaged and interested in the context of shoot style, and always seems to weave the match in ways that you don't expect immediately. Even if his career was limited to the RINGS style, this is a huge accomplishment for anyone in pro wrestling. It's a very rare gift. The second is how Han seems to manipulate space and create moments where you just have to wonder what you just witnessed. I can think of several moments here, including his debut with Maeda, where he pulls a flying armbar almost out of nowhere. Another example I can think of is his match against Andrei Ruminezei, where he does this incredibly sick combo that seems to defy the movement of time. There's also his matches with the likes of Tamura, Kohsaka, Nagai, and Yamamoto, where he does similar stuff. I know this sounds a bit hyperbolic, but I think there is something to how he can center the ring around him. He does not let the ring center him. The fact that he could maintain such a high consistency of quality matches throughout his career is remarkable. People will note that he only wrestled one match a month for most of his career, and only worked like ~65-70 matches or so. I don't think this critique makes much sense, and it seems to be centered in the American perspective where the real mettle that is valued comes from being able to work a similar number of matches in a month, or even a week, due to the old territory structure or the demands of television wrestling. This is very short-sighted, because regardless of the number of matches you work in a given timeframe, being able to put on a good match for almost every match of your career is a very high demand, especially in the context of the physical toll of shoot-style. Even when Han lost his explosiveness after 1997 or so, he was still able to work very good Pancrase-esque matches with the likes of Kanehara and Grom Zaza. He wasn't good just because of his athleticism and his ability to do certain spots; he was good because he could work a match that wasn't centered around those things. In a way, he's similar to a baseball player who had a short career but an extremely high WAR or batting average. Think Sandy Koufax or Shoeless Joe Jackson. Looking at my Cagematch ratings for Han (not entirely complete, but still a good pool of ratings), he only had two matches ranked below a 6.0 (both against Hans Nijman). Of course, that is a subjective measure (most of this is admittedly, but I like to believe insane talent is hard to deny), but Han is also ranked in the top 15 of Cagematch's rankings at the moment if you factor in rating regardless of the total amount of the votes. The "it factor" with wrestlers gets talked about a lot, and Han had it from the very beginning. When he made his debut against Maeda, the crowd seemingly knew he would be a huge star right out of the gate. "Aura" gets overused a lot these days, but he had it. The way RINGS promoted him, as a somewhat mysterious Soviet Commando badass, was genius. SAMBO was almost unheard of in a pro wrestling context at the time, and I think Han immediately changed how shoot-style would evolve from the moment he debuted. People were not doing the things he did. If the GWE is a vote based purely on in-ring work, I think Han deserves serious consideration for a spot on any ballot, especially in the top 20-30 range. Again, subjectivity comes into play here, because people have to adjust to shoot-style and the RINGS style in particular, but I can't imagine not seeing Han's magisterial work in the ring once you adjust to it. (This post might be edited as I add more thoughts, but this is my opening argument for now)

FWIW, I 100% agree with you

News & Notes (3/30-4/3/1991) Lou Thesz has reportedly returned to Japan following his scouting trip during the NCAA Wrestling Championships, which were held from 3/14 to 3/16. Thesz also made visits to several US wrestling events afterward, which were being held to help determine qualifiers for the 1991 World Championships to be held later this year. Thesz met with UWF officials to discuss his findings. Reportedly, Thesz was very excited about some of the leads he gathered. Sources close to UWF are keeping very mum about details, apparently out of fear that US promotions could hamper their recruitment efforts. (Wrestling Observer, 4/2/1991) Some sources have speculated that UWF could be targeting several names from an increasingly dynamic generation of American amateur wrestlers. Lou Thesz is still a widely respected name in amateur circles, and with the success of Duane and Dennis Koslowski in the UWF, UWF officials apparently hoped they could find receptive ears. However, one source seemed skeptical that the UWF would see much success in recruiting anyone with the Olympics coming up. Despite the success of the Koslowskis, which hasn't gone unnoticed in American wrestling circles, most young American amateur wrestlers want to chase their dreams in the Olympics, and a transition to pro wrestling straight out of college is very rare. (Wrestling Observer, 4/2/1991) With the help of Akira Maeda's connections in the Soviet Republic of Georgia, UWF has reportedly signed Zaza Tkeshelashvili. Zaza apparently impressed during a trial held for potential prospects. Zaza has a background in both amateur wrestling and SAMBO, and some have compared him to a more raw version of Volk Han. (Tokyo Sports, 4/1/1991) Oleg Taktarov, despite controversy during his match in the Netherlands in February, will be making an appearance this month for the next UWF event in Hiroshima. Taktarov reportedly apologized to UWF officials, and members of the UWF Soviet camp pushed for the avoidance of any sanctions. Despite the controversy, Taktarov is seen as a great talent for the future. (Baseball Magazine, 4/2/1991) Akira Maeda has accepted a challenge from Maurice Smith for a match this month in Hiroshima. Maurice Smith scored a big win over Peter Smit in a kickboxing event held in Tokyo, and fans have been clamoring for a match between the two striking specialists since. It will reportedly be a title match. (Weekly Pro Wrestling, 4/3/1991)

Dan Severn Oh wait....

Of course, you are not required to do anything at all. Still, common sense and fair manners suggest to me that if someone is really passionate about shoot-style, and is running a shoot-style group, one should (at least on paper) be happy to accommodate them with two wrestlers (again, two wrestlers who were doing shoot-style shit during this period) from an already deep roster in the spirit of fair play and cooperation. Edit - On the topic of Ruas, Hug, Karelin, etc....if these guys were wrestling the territories weekly in the late 80s and 90s, I would understand the point, but they weren't. They were doing shootfighting or amateur wrestling. I don't have many options to expand my roster. I can't draft, etc., so where else would I turn? Joe Bob Thornton from Wyoming Central Pro?

A modern day SMW would be interesting

UWF officials have denied any interest in Hulk Hogan. Karl Gotch was asked about the potential blockbuster bidding war at his home in Florida, and he reportedly said, "I'd rather eat bird shit!"

Yorinaga Nakamura, Yasuto Sekishima, Peter Senerchia, Marty Jones, Mark Fleming, and Norman Smiley have all been released from UWF. Mitsuya Nagai, Koji Kanemoto, Koichiro Kimura, Willie Peeters, Eric Edelenbos, Oleg Taktarov, Masaaki Satake, and Grom Zaza have joined the UWF roster.

Bob Backlund has been sent to the WWF.

UWF Newborn – “UWF ’91 2nd” March 29th, 1991 Sapporo, Japan Nakajima Sports Center Attendance: 5,200 (sold out) Broadcast: WOWOW (live) Mitsuya Nagai vs Koji Kanemoto - 15:00 draw A testy match between two promising young lions went back and forth, and both Nagai and Kanemoto had moments that looked like they were on the verge of victory, but neither could finish the job before the 15:00 time limit expired. Nagai and Kanemoto continue to look promising in their development. Billy Scott def. Koichiro Kimura via submission (cross-armbreaker), 12:32 The young American seemed very sharp in his match against Kimura, another talented young lion from the latest UWF dojo class. Kimura appeared dangerous at times, but Billy Scott seemed prepared and held out until he managed to snag a cross-armbreaker dead center in the ring. Jerry Flynn/Steve Nelson def. Yusuke Fuke/Tatsuo Nakano via knockout, 15:11 Flynn and Nelson secured a solid win over the experienced duo of Nakano and Fuke. The Americans have continued their development, with Flynn looking dangerous with his range and striking ability. Nelson was formidable on the mat, showing off his wrestling skills against Fuke, pushing the latter to the limit. Nakano appeared to get the upper hand in the second half, but Nakano was caught square on by a high kick from Flynn, giving the Americans a well-earned victory in a tough match. Masaaki Satake def. Willie Peeters via knockout, 13:44 Satake, who recently joined the UWF roster from the kickboxing/karate circuit, was a very tough opponent for the fiery Willie Peeters, who was eager to impress after a promising run in the Netherlands under Chris Dolman's tutelage. The two engaged in a very hot, hard-hitting match that got the Sapporo crowd rocking at times. Both secured numerous knockdowns, but it was Satake who got the victory after hitting Peeters with a devastating combo. World Tag Team Championship: Dennis Koslowski/Duane Koslowski(c) def. Minoru Suzuki/Masakatsu Funaki via pinfall, 17:56 The reigning Tag Team champions earned another successful defense of their championship after Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki both pushed them to their limits. The Koslowski brothers were threatened several times throughout the match, and Masakatsu Funaki looked like he was going to continue his hot streak by nearly putting away Duane Koslowski with a well-timed kneebar. Ultimately, the Americans rallied, and Dennis Koslowski hit Minoru Suzuki with a huge suplex and a pinning combination to earn the victory. Masakatsu Funaki did not look happy with his partner after the match. Atsushi Onita def. Yoshiaki Fujiwara via submission (knee scissors), 18:02 Onita would not be denied against the UWF veteran, but Fujiwara made him work for it. The two engaged in one of the best matches of the night, with brilliant matwork and strategy on display. Fujiwara appeared to be on the verge of victory with a Fujiwara Armbar, but Onita fought out of it and launched a brilliant comeback to secure the win. Fujiwara congratulated Onita on his well-earned victory. Perhaps this will be Onita's year? Volk Han def. Tatsumi Fujinami via submission (cross heel hold), 17:15 In a bit of an upset (but not to those who are Volk Han fans), the Dagestani SAMBO specialist made Fujinami tap to the surprise of the fans in Sapporo. Volk had to work extra hard and was down to his last point with Fujinami leading as well, but Volk pulled another rabbit out of his hat with a stunning takedown that led to a cross heel hold. Fujinami fought to get to the ropes, but Volk held on, and Fujinami tapped. Fujinami's masterful catch wrestling was on display, but Volk's SAMBO magic was just too much to deal with. Nobuhiko Takada def. Naoya Ogawa via pinfall, 16:21 In another closely fought bout, the young Judo prodigy nearly caught Takada with an almost perfect STO, but Takada kicked out at the last second to launch a comeback. With both wrestlers tied on 3 points each, it looked like Ogawa was on the edge of a breakthrough, but he needed more to put away Takada down the stretch. Takada's striking seemed to be a major factor here, and Ogawa struggled throughout with his defense against Takada's timing. Takada hit Ogawa with a combination of high kicks before a bridging German Suplex put Ogawa down for good. Takada congratulated Ogawa on the well-fought match. Ogawa will be back for more, that's for sure. Akira Maeda def. Salman Hashimikov via submission (kneebar), 15:50 Salman Hashimikov was eager to get revenge for Karelin from last December, when Maeda triumphed over the Soviet machine to win the U-COSMOS Grand Prix. Maeda was game, though, and despite Salman Hashimikov working his tail off against the reigning Undisputed World Heavyweight champion, the reigning champion was just too good. Hashimikov was impressive at times, defending well against Maeda's strikes and posing a huge threat on the mat with sharp wrestling and matwork. Maeda came away with the victory after catching Hashimikov with a Capture Suplex that sent the Sapporo fans into a frenzy. Maeda quickly followed up with a kneebar to make the Soviet wrestler tap. News and Notes: - UWF announced a brand new dojo class for 1991, and they will begin training shortly. Among names mentioned are: Yoshihiro Takayama, Yoshihisa Yamamoto, Sanae Kikuta, Yuki Ishikawa, Hiromitsu Kanehara, and Masakazu Maeda (no relation to Akira Maeda). This is UWF's largest dojo class yet, and there is a ton of excitement over the talent now working hard in the dojo. It is hoped some debuts will occur later this year. (Baseball Magazine) - Lou Thesz announced he will be taking a scouting trip to the US this spring. It is expected that Thesz will be attending the NCAA wrestling championships to look for potential talent to add to UWF's growing American roster. (Tokyo Sports) - UWF's next event will be on April 26th in Hiroshima. (Tokyo Sports) - More on the strange story about Oleg Taktarov and the finish with Gerard Gordeau from UWF's February event in Amsterdam. Apparently, Taktarov was annoyed with Gerard Gordeau's antics and wanted to give the "cheapshot artist" a taste of his own medicine. He was invited to the show after a UWF scout noticed him at an underground NHB event in the Soviet Union. The Dutch were apparently livid with how Taktarov handled himself and nearly caused a huge brawl backstage, but Chris Dolman managed to calm things down. UWF officials were very high on Taktarov, but it remains to be seen whether or not Taktarov will be invited back to the promotion after nearly causing an international incident. (Wrestling Observer) - Potential departures are expected soon from the UWF. The UWF front office is apparently looking to downsize to a degree while moving further away from pro-wrestling elements. (Wrestling Observer) - UWF plans to do another overseas summer event, with Moscow and a return to Brazil both in contention. Lou Thesz is also pushing for American UWF shows, but there is skepticism that the American audience would be open to UWF's style. (Wrestling Observer) - UWF officials are apparently keeping an eye on AJPW's continued success with Misawa and Kobashi both becoming prominent players over the past year. AJPW sold out Nippon Budokan earlier in January, which marks their 5th consecutive sellout in the venue. (Wrestling Observer)

UWF Newborn – “Free Fight Holland ‘91” February 27th, 1991 Amsterdam, Netherlands Sport Hall South Attendance: 3,833 Broadcast: WOWOW (taped) Yusuke Fuke def. Kevin Kastelle via submission, 2R of 3 (8:41) Naoyuki Taira def. Herman Renting via submission, 3R of 3 (12:11) Fred Hamaker def. Tom von Maurik via judges' decision, 3R of 3 Kiyoshi Tamura def. Eric Edelenbos via submission, 1R of 3 (4:35) Willie Peeters def. Marcel Harmaans via KO, 1R of 3 (3:24) Dick Vrij def. Bart Vale via KO, 2R of 3 (5:09) Oleg Taktarov def. Gerard Gordeau via TKO, 1R of 3 (0:55) (Fans nearly riot after Taktarov got away with a dirty blow. Gordeau's corner throws in the towel to protest. Both corners nearly erupt in a brawl. Chaos in Amsterdam.) Chris Dolman def. Wily Wilhelm via submission, 10:22 Akira Maeda def. Willie Williams via pinfall, 12:39