UWF Newborn

[Autistic Dragon]

Some great first round action in store.

[Control21]

UWF Newborn - "U-COSMOS Grand Prix 1989: First Round"

September 27th, 1989

Tokyo NK Hall

Chiba, Japan

Attendance: 7,000 (sold out)

Broadcast: WOWOW (live)

The UWF theme opens the show and after Nobuyuki Furuta's opening announcement, we get the full parade of wrestlers to a raucous crowd in Tokyo NK Hall. We get a few opening words from both Akira Maeda and Nobuhiko Takada, as well as Vader who is brief but to the point. Vader promises a quick victory and a demonstration of why he is "the one to beat" in this tournament. Lou Thesz, also in attendance tonight, gives some remarks as well and says he is honored to open the inaugural U-COSMOS Grand Prix and poses with his "historical world heavyweight championship," which will of course be the grand prize of the tournament. The WOWOW commentators go over tonight's tournament bracket and lineup, and things get underway soon after with the opening bell.

Minoru Suzuki vs Yoji Anjo

A very competitive opener between Anjo and Suzuki saw the latter take the initiative from the start, with Suzuki going for a host of takedowns to get Anjo to the canvas, Anjo seemed to be frantic in his defense as Suzuki had a great sense of urgency with his submission offense. Suzuki found openings early, and quickly racked up several points through rope breaks as Anjo seemed to be struggling under the spotlight. The Tokyo crowd got behind Suzuki more as the match went on, which made Anjo’s job even more difficult. Anjo managed to settle into the match to a degree, but Suzuki seemed to be the driver of this match for most of the duration. Anjo shined when he used his quickness to counter some of Suzuki’s proficient grappling, but this was Suzuki’s night. With a 3-2 lead on points going into the final few minutes, Suzuki regained control and finished the match with a double wristlock takedown that ended as a submission, with Anjo tapping out reluctantly. Suzuki defeats Anjo via submission (double wristlock), 11:31

Norman Smiley vs Erik Paulson

Norman Smiley found a tougher match than expected with Erik Paulson, who was quite crafty with a variety of strikes and submission attempts that seemed to fluster Smiley at first. Paulson found ways to threaten Smiley seemingly out of the aether, and Smiley had to rely on his defense to weather the storm during the first few minutes of the match. The Gotch-trained wrestler from Northampton eventually made some key adjustments and started to regain control of the match as Paulson found his strikes being better timed by Smiley, who used them to reverse his fortunes to surprise Paulson on the mat with some slick grappling. Smiley also used a more methodical approach to control the tempo, which played into his favor. The match settled at a 2-2 tie on points, with Smiley almost submitting Paulson with an Achilles hold before Paulson got the ropes to break the hold. Paulson attempted to surprise Smiley with a high kick, but Smiley caught it and did a beautiful counter that turned a strike into a crucifix pinfall for the victory. Smiley defeats Paulson via pinfall, 13:49

Dennis Koslowski vs Shigeo Miyato

The U.S. Olympian never seemed in danger against Miyato, who at times did challenge his opponent on the mat, but Dennis Koslowski was in full control and out grappled his opponent. Koslowski had a very technical and smooth approach, flustering Miyato with effective freestyle wrestling takedowns and reversals. Miyato’s opponent steadily built up a 3-0 lead on points after Miyato kept going for the ropes to escape Koslowski’s submission attempts. Miyato tried re-establishing himself by going for more of a strike-based approach, but Koslowski held his ground despite being knocked down. After Miyato tried repeating his success, Koslowski stunned Miyato with a powerful Dragon suplex that was turned into a full-nelson for a submission victory. Koslowski defeats Miyato via submission (full-nelson choke), 10:47

Volk Han vs Wayne Shamrock

It seemed like the UWF fans in NK Hall were anticipating this match quite a bit based on their reactions to each entrance and the match itself. Perhaps for good reason, as both Volk Han and Wayne Shamrock have proven themselves to be dangerous opponents while making a name for themselves with their abilities. Volk Han seemed to have the upper hand at first, luring Shamrock into situations where he could utilize his joint control techniques to take the offensive. Shamrock attempted to flip his way out of Han’s trademark wrist control, but Volk immediately took him to the mat and got control of Shamrock’s legs for a leg lock attempt. Shamrock rolled his way out for his first rope break, and this continued to be a problem for Shamrock as Volk continued to hunt for ways to catch his opponent by surprise. Shamrock made some adjustments and attempted to overpower Volk with a variety of suplex attempts. The Dagestan grappler found himself being tossed around but eventually found a way to counter one of the attempts into a double-wristlock takedown. While Shamrock was rapidly improving as a wrestler, Volk’s ability to counter and reverse holds became Shamrock’s weak point as he could not match the SAMBO specialist’s timing. At times, the two engaged in brief striking battles and Volk’s unorthodox striking moves sometimes caught his opponent by surprise as well, including a spinning backfist and an axe kick. The latter resulted in a knockdown for Volk as he gained a 2-1 lead on points. Shamrock attempted to use his muscle power to overwhelm Volk again with strong takedowns and another suplex attempt, but Volk caught Shamrock off-guard again with a rolling kneebar that ended as a submission victory. Han defeats Shamrock via submission (rolling kneebar), 13:21

Masakatsu Funaki vs Chris Dolman

Funaki has enjoyed a very strong 1989, firmly establishing himself as perhaps the brightest young talent in UWF. While many in the Japanese press were predicting a deep run in the tournament for Funaki, Chris Dolman had other ideas. The Dutch judoka presented a formidable challenge to Funaki, and Dolman pressed the initiative from the opening bell. Dolman used his sizeable frame to smother and slow down Funaki, particularly on the mat. Funaki had to rely on a more strategic approach when it came to his grappling as Dolman controlled the opening few minutes with a cautious approach, often frustrating Funaki with simple but effective submissions as he constantly tried to make Funaki work to get out of his predicament. A forearm choke was eventually enough to cause Funaki to scramble to the ropes for the first rope break, and Dolman seemed pleased with his approach. Funaki continued to struggle as Dolman made life difficult for him, using his size and Judo skills to keep his opponent on the defensive and often leveraged the weight difference to easily get Funaki on the canvas again with a variety of throwing techniques. Dolman established a solid 2-0 lead on points after he continued to press Funaki with a basic but effective submission-based approach. Funaki enjoyed certain stretches of the match where he mixed things up and utilized strikes to catch Dolman by surprise, and a series of low kicks to Dolman’s left knee ended in a knockdown, getting Funaki back into the match at 2-1. But Funaki continued to make the mistake of trying to prove a point on the canvas, and Dolman eventually lured Funaki into a rear-naked choke from which there was no escape. Much to the surprise of a lot of people in the crowd, Dolman was advancing. Dolman defeats Funaki via submission (rear-naked choke), 15:09

Super Vader vs Tatsuo Nakano

Vader wanted to prove a point right away, and he did. The spirited Nakano put up a fight, but this was a total mismatch. For every palm strike or low kick Nakano got on Vader, the super heavyweight responded with a devastating body punch of his own. The crowd cheered wildly for Nakano every time he got a hit on Vader, but Vader quickly silenced them with a huge fallaway slam. About three minutes into the match, Nakano started to feel the full force of Vader’s power as he fell victim to a nasty German suplex. Nakano was completely dazed, allowing Vader to finish off a very quick but frantic match with a massive face-first powerbomb, which busted open Nakano’s nose for extra effect. With a near-lifeless Nakano face first on the mat and dripping blood from his nose rapidly, Ryogaku Wada didn’t bother finishing the ten count and immediately called off the match in favor of Vader. Vader defeats Nakano via KO, 4:07

After the match, the bloodied Nakano is escorted out of the arena on a stretcher, and the commentators play up the devastation Vader has left in his wake.

Salman Hashimikov vs Dick Vrij

In a significant contrast of styles, Hashimikov and Vrij had quite an interesting match. Dick Vrij did everything possible to avoid going to the ground with the accomplished freestyle wrestler, and used rope breaks liberally to escape his grasp every time the Chechen got the Dutchman. The dynamic between the two drew excitement from the crowd, and Vrij found himself down 2-0 quite fast due to his strategy. Hashimikov continued to press Vrij, although Vrij attempted to halt his opponent’s momentum by going for several knee strikes whenever Hashimikov attempted a leg takedown. This resulted in a knockdown in Vrij’s favor, but Hashimikov was quick to get back up. After five minutes, it appeared Hashimikov had the upper hand as he managed to Vrij for a German suplex, followed by a belly-to-belly suplex. Vrij was steadily being worn down, and despite landing more kicks on Hashimikov’s legs, this was Hashimikov’s night and after another German suplex, Vrij went down for another knockdown, taking the match to 3-1 on points. Vrij was resistant to being put away, but his reliance on rope breaks would eventually lead to an exhaustion of all his points, giving Hashimikov the match via TKO. Hashimikov defeats Vrij via TKO, 9:48

Atsushi Onita vs Duane Koslowski

Both wrestlers had a methodical approach to this match. Neither was afraid to get down to the mat, and they were quite confident in their abilities. Koslowski seemed to have the edge at first, using his Greco-Roman background to work a variety of upper-body holds whenever Onita managed to get on his feet. Onita would eventually present several challenges for Koslowski though, with his Luta Livre background coming into use. The American was not entirely familiar with Onita’s skill set, but this didn’t deter Koslowski and the two settled into a protracted ground battle on the canvas. The pace was slow, but it wasn’t entirely dry either as the two were capable of creating moments of excitement with their abilities. Onita came up with quick reversals when Koslowski pressed him with a mount, and Koslowski was able to use his Greco-Roman abilities to catch Onita with a surprise throw or suplex. The match settled at 2-2 by the 12:00 mark, with Koslowski getting a knockdown after Onita took his time to get up after a hard belly-to-belly suplex. Onita and Koslowski mixed in strikes here and there, but they preferred to keep this on the ground and the pace started to pick up as both had increasing urgency to advance to the next round. After a brief striking exchange in which Onita created an opening for himself, Onita caught Koslowski with a sweet leg entry that resulted in a knee scissors. Caught in the middle of the ring, Koslowski did his best to escape the hold or ease the pressure, but eventually had no choice but to tap or risk possible injury. Onita defeats Koslowski via submission (knee scissors), 16:02

Akira Maeda & Joe Malenko vs Nobuhiko Takada & Chris Benoit

Maeda and Takada were quite familiar with each other. Their partners, Joe Malenko and Chris Benoit respectively, were less so but they immediately found each other worthy opponents as Maeda and Takada both opted for their partners to start the match. Benoit seemed comfortable in this setting and locked up with Malenko as they tested each other slowly but surely. Malenko worked for a double wristlock while Benoit was content with playing defense and going for a leg takedown. The two warmed up the crowd for a great main event as they went back and forth, with neither finding solid momentum. Takada and Maeda soon followed, and they immediately turned up the notch on excitement as they traded a variety of strikes before Maeda took Takada down to the mat. They didn’t waste any movement, but they took their time and a few rope breaks were traded as a result. Whenever Maeda or Takada faced off against their opponent’s partners, they clearly had the upperhand despite Malenko and Benoit making things interesting for them. Benoit and Maeda had an interesting dynamic in particular, and Benoit proved why he was the most highly touted graduate of the Hart Dungeon in recent years. Benoit’s savvy grappling gave Maeda a few fits before the current #1 ranked wrestler in the UWF re-established control after catching Benoit with a Capture Suplex. Takada and Malenko weren’t as explosive, but they showcased highly technical grappling and defensive wrestling in the process. After several minutes of intense tag team action, Takada was eliminated by Maeda after a well-timed high kick allowed Maeda to apply an Achilles hold to submit his foe and eliminate him from the match. Benoit quickly managed to return the favor by catching Malenko in a guillotine choke that also resulted in a tap-out. Benoit and Maeda were the last men standing, and the two managed to take each other to a stalemate for the final few minutes until Maeda caught Benoit with another Capture Suplex. This time, Maeda went for a pin to secure the victory. 1…2…3! Maeda celebrated his victory while Takada regrouped with his partner and patted him on the back for the great effort. Maeda & Malenko defeat Takada & Benoit, 20:04

With a tournament matchup potentially on the horizon soon, Takada and Maeda shake hands, although you could say they were reluctant with the competitive spirit very much a factor for both. Benoit shakes hands with Maeda and Malenko too, and Maeda acknowledges the effort he put in tonight, which the crowd picks up on. Maeda and Malenko soak in the moment a bit more. The WOWOW commentary crew does a recap of tonight's events and analyzes the bracket heading into the next round. They promote next month's show on October 29th in Sendai, which will feature the next round of matches and more! They sign off, and WOWOW's rolling credits follow, set to Queen's "We Are The Champions."

[Autistic Dragon]

The Grand Prix is off to a hot start. Vader in particular looks like an absolute beast!

[rainmakerrtv]

In classic style, Vader mulches Nakano. My boy Volk takes out Shamrock but has an incredibly tough draw in the second round against Maeda.

[spaldoni]

The much anticipated tournament has arrived! 

Tonight's matches really set the tone. 

I thought Doleman's upset would be the buzz of the night, until the next match with Vader. Vader looked like a beast tonight! I can't wait to see how Vader vs. Backlund goes. 

You did such a great job of building this promotion and giving us a look into the wrestler's backgrounds. I think that is what really puts this tournament over. We now know who all these guys are, so now we're invested in how they do in this tournament. 

Can't wait for round 2!

 

[Control21]

Quote

 

October 14^th, 1989

The first round of the U-COSMOS Grand Prix can be considered a huge success for UWF, which sold out Tokyo NK Hall in the run-up to the much bigger Tokyo Dome finale in December. Those in attendance said most of the matches were pretty good and ended up as expected, although one significant upset occurred when Chris Dolman defeated Masakatsu Funaki. The Japanese press was pretty stunned by the outcome, as most expected Funaki to make a deep run. Although perhaps Maeda wanted to do a favor for Chris Dolman (especially with Dick Vrij losing against Soviet wrestler Salman Hashimikov), who has been an early supporter of UWF’s global outreach with his gym based in Holland. Other notable matches include Volk Han defeating Wayne Shamrock via submission, Vader defeating Tatsuo Nakano in a total squash, and the main event which saw Akira Maeda and Joe Malenko defeat Nobuhiko Takada and Chris Benoit in a tag match. Chris Benoit has earned some praise for his adjustment to the UWF style and many thought he looked like a legitimate threat in a match that featured three highly-regarded wrestlers with real skills in combat sports. The event was aired live on WOWOW and the broadcast network said it was one of its most successful live events so far this year, beating out one or two boxing events.

The second round of the U-COSMOS tournament is shaping up to be quite action-packed, and the main event will see Volk Han and Akira Maeda have their third match of the year. Bob Backlund will also square up against Vader in a match that will probably be the most interesting to readers. Vader has looked incredible so far in his UWF run and Bob Backlund may be up against a wall early. Regardless of the outcome, this match will most likely be incredible in the context of the UWF style. Aleksandr Karelin will be facing Dennis Koslowski in a very interesting match that will see the American freestyle wrestler and Olympic medalist go up against perhaps the best Greco-Roman wrestler in the world and someone who could go on a very deep run in the tournament.

A very interesting and major story broke last week thanks to a report from Baseball Magazine. Naoya Ogawa, a highly regarded Judo prospect in Japan and a two-time gold medalist from this year’s World Championships in Belgrade, announced that he would be leaving Judo to become a pro wrestler. At 6’4 and 200+ lbs, Naoya Ogawa has the build and skills to become an immediate star in Japan. Ogawa said that his decision was a difficult one but the money in pro-wrestling right now was too difficult to pass up. Some commentators have said that Ogawa may have grown tired of the criticism he has received over his unorthodox approach to Judo. Speculation has been rampant about which promotion Ogawa will join. Antonio Inoki has been talking to Tokyo Sports and saying that Ogawa could be a golden ticket for New Japan and that he has had conversations with him. Giant Baba, who has had success with major prospects like Genichiro Tenryu and Jumbo Tsuruta, has proclaimed that All Japan would be very interested in securing Naoya Ogawa’s services. Of course, UWF is also keen and they have scouted him during the past year. There is also some speculation that Ogawa has already met with UWF officials, including Shinji Jin. For now, it’s unclear where Ogawa will be heading but this is a story worth keeping an eye on in the coming weeks. 

In other news, Ahmed Johnson will likely make his debut for UWF at their upcoming show later this month. He has been one of the talents scouted over the past few months in the United States. The former WCW Power Plant trainee has a background in a variety of sports, including amateur wrestling. Ahmed Johnson was seen as a promising prospect by some in the US but for one reason or another, he hasn't broken through and Ahmed decided to try his luck in Japan instead.

 

[Autistic Dragon]

Ahmed Johnson could be big in Japan.

Ogama is set to be subject of a serious bidding war.

[Control21]

UWF Newborn – “U-Cosmos Grand Prix 1989: Second Round”

October 29^th, 1989

Miyagi Sports Center

Sendai, Japan

Attendance: 7,000 (sold out)

Broadcast: WOWOW (live)

The WOWOW commentary crew greets the viewing audience shortly before the official bell time. They break down tonight's matches and hype up an increasingly high-stakes tournament. After a TV worthy fireworks and light show, the UWF theme begins playing and we get the parade of wrestlers. They enter one-by-one, with Maeda, Takada, Fujiwara, Vader, Backlund, Volk Han, and Karelin all getting the loudest receptions of the evening. Maeda and Takada speak, promising another great night of action. Both Vader and Backlund speak as well, and they seem pretty amped up for their upcoming match with both confident in beating the other.

Ahmed Johnson vs Mark Fleming

Ahmed Johnson’s UWF debut couldn’t have gone any better. The athletic Johnson had a background in multiple sports, including amateur wrestling, and he quickly transitioned to the UWF style against a formidable opponent in Mark Fleming. Johnson impressed the crowd with his active movement and quick takedowns that frustrated Fleming, who had to rely on a more strategic approach to defeat Johnson’s advantage with size and quickness. Johnson appeared to gain the upper hand after landing a huge belly-to-belly suplex on Fleming and going up 2-0 on points after forcing Fleming to go for his fourth rope break of the match. But the student of Lou Thesz had other ideas and changed the momentum of the match after going to work on Johnson’s left knee and focusing on keeping Johnson grounded. Fleming managed to get a point back after Johnson was forced to go for another rope break. Johnson attempted to get the upper hand again with another suplex, but Fleming weathered the storm and got Johnson back onto the mat. Despite Ahmed Johnson’s promising UWF debut, Fleming managed to secure the victory with a kneebar.  Fleming defeats Johnson via submission (kneebar), 11:44

Atsushi Onita vs Yorinaga Nakamura

Onita had solidified himself as one of the top up-and-coming talents in UWF, and his transition from an AJPW junior to a legit Luta Livre specialist couldn’t have gone any better. Onita had his hands full with Nakamura though, who was much more skilled and experienced. Nakamura’s striking was also an ace up his sleeve, and this caused issues for Onita in the early stretch. Onita repeatedly felt the power of Nakamura’s kicks on his thighs and lower legs, which opened up some opportunities for a flurry of palm strikes and body punches. Onita attempted to hold his own and fight back but found himself down 2-0 due to consecutive knockdowns by Nakamura. With Onita shaken up, Nakamura shifted his strategy to the ground. Attempting to outsmart his opponent, Nakamura went for a variety of leglocks which seemed to fluster Onita at first. After exhausting a rope break, Onita seemed to settle down and refocused, finding a comfort zone in battling Nakamura for leglock supremacy. Onita also found success in some clever counterwork, working from beneath as Nakamura was perhaps a bit too flashy with his grappling sometimes. Onita found his way back 2-1 on points after another rope break from Nakamura, and this opened the match up as Onita started to go on the offense with some great takedowns. The match seemed to settle at a 2-2 stalemate as Onita continued to press the advantage, although Nakamura enjoyed another period of supremacy on the mat after a double-wristlock takedown led to an extended control period. Onita found good fortune with a Judo-inspired throw that turned into a pinfall opportunity, and Nakamura struggled to break free from a shoulder lock that kept him pinned. Yuji Shimada counted to three and Onita celebrated his victory, advancing to the next round of the Grand Prix. Onita defeats Nakamura via pinfall, 15:16

Chris Dolman vs Kazuo Yamazaki

After his huge upset win over Funaki, Dolman looked to continue his run and felt confident going up against Yamazaki. Yamazaki had the obvious reach advantage with his strikes, although this didn’t stop Dolman from attempting to grapple with Yamazaki, and he found success early on. Dolman sought to control the pace of the match and keep the more agile Yamazaki off the speedtrack. The Dutchman was successful with this strategy, and Yamazaki had to exhaust a few rope breaks with Dolman’s control and ability to work methodically for submission holds. Whenever Yamazaki got free though, the pace of the match changed as Yamazaki landed several strikes on Dolman. Yamazaki’s ability to land these strikes grew more successful as time went on whenever he managed to get on his feet and break from Dolman’s grasp. A well-timed combo from Yamazaki gave him a 2-1 lead on points, and Yamazaki didn’t look back as he continued to focus on strikes to throw Dolman off his game. Yamazaki’s advantage eventually grew to 3-1 and with Dolman starting to tire, he took him to the ground a bit more and started to work for a submission victory. Yamazaki’s efforts paid off as he managed to snag a cross-armbreaker in the middle of the ring, and Dolman tapped out. Yamazaki defeats Dolman via submission (cross-armbreaker), 10:31

Salman Hashimikov vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara

In one of the more highly anticipated bouts of the evening, Hashimikov proved to be a formidable opponent for Fujiwara. The Chechen freestyle wrestler used his strength early on to pull off various suplex attempts on Fujiwara, who tried to be creative and weasel his way out of the attempts. Hashimikov was successful with most of them though, giving Fujiwara’s fans an early scare. Fujiwara also struggled to deal with Hashimikov’s size on the mat, and Hashimikov achieved an early 1-0 lead after forcing his opponent to exhaust two rope breaks. One downside to Hashimikov’s opening strategy is that it caused him to fatigue a bit early, allowing Fujiwara to get back into the match. Fujiwara, a patient wrestler when he wants to be, waited for the right moment to get Hashimikov down to the mat, reversing a lower body hold into a double-wristlock takedown. Fujiwara grew into the match from here on out and proved why he was one of the more dangerous wrestlers in the UWF in terms of his ability to even the playing the field with any opponent, including one like Hashimikov. Hashimikov had some moments as well, but this was Fujiwara’s night. Around the 14:00 mark, Hashimikov attempted to lift Fujiwara for a Water Wheel Drop, but Fujiwara managed to stay on his feet and took his opponent down for a Fujiwara armbar. Hashimikov struggled to get to the ropes, but Fujiwara held on for the victory. Fujiwara defeats Hashimikov via submission (Fujiwara armbar), 14:26

Norman Smiley vs Satoru Sayama

Satoru Sayama was in prime form for this match, delighting the crowd at the Miyagi Sports Center with sharp strikes and great wrestling on the mat. Norman Smiley was up for the challenge and credibly held his own. The two had some fantastic moments on the mat, and Smiley had a few surprises up his sleeve with some creative counterwork and submission holds. After the match settled at 1-1 with both exchanging rope breaks, Sayama continued to pick up the pace and gave Smiley something to think about more with more targeted strikes, especially those aimed at Smiley’s legs. Smiley attempted to reverse some of Sayama’s leg kicks into takedowns, and was successful with a few of those kicks. Sayama did well to avoid Smiley’s leglocks and started to take the match back on their feet as much as possible, knowing Smiley’s striking defense wasn’t as good as his wrestling. Sayama earned himself two knockdowns within a few minutes and built up a 3-1 lead on points. Smiley continued to fight on and found some luck again taking Sayama down the mat with some good arm takedowns. Smiley managed to get another rope break from Sayama after a heel hook attempt, leading to a 3-2 scoreline going into the 15:00 mark. The back-and-forth action finally settled down as Sayama regained control of the match after a DDT-esque move took the wind out of Smiley. Smiley struggled to find his feet as Ryogaku Wada initiated a ten count. Beating it just in time, Smiley attempted to launch one more comeback attempt but Sayama connected with a high kick to send Smiley down to the mat for the final time. Sayama defeats Smiley via TKO, 16:11

Aleksandr Karelin vs Dennis Koslowski

Dennis Koslowski looked to accomplish one thing his brother Duane couldn’t do in the Olympics – beat Aleksandr Karelin. Of course, that would be a tough task for just about everyone. Karelin had the clear weight and size advantage and used this in the early minutes of the match to easily control Koslowski on the mat and establish a good amount of momentum. Koslowski remained patient and used some great defensive wrestling to keep the damage to a minimum. As expected, the match mostly remained on the canvas and both wrestlers chose to participate in very little striking. Koslowski had some creative counterwork up his sleeve, which surprised Karelin at times as he reversed several holds to catch Karelin with a move of his own, including a slick back takeover that led to a rear-naked choke, leading to a moment where the Sendai crowd believed for one second that Karelin might lose. Karelin used a rare rope break to get out of the predicament. Karelin started to exert more of his strength to grapple with Koslowski on his feet and managed to execute a huge Dragon suplex to knock the wind out of Koslowski. Karelin regained control of the match and built up a 3-0 lead on points as Koslowski had opted to use several rope breaks so far. Karelin displayed his growing submission skills on the mat again and nearly caught Koslowski with a cross-armbreaker. Koslowski was on the proverbial ropes when Karelin impressed the Sendai crowd with a series of two gutwrench suplexes, with the second one leading to a pinfall attempt. Koslowski was exhausted, and Motoyuki Kitazawa counted to three. Karelin would be advancing, and Koslowski would be going home despite his best efforts. Karelin defeats Koslowski via pinfall, 14:06

Super Vader vs Bob Backlund

Both wrestlers came into this highly anticipated match on an undefeated streak of some sort. Backlund had the longest run, and he certainly wanted to prove a point against another American opponent that he was slightly familiar with. Vader was not bothered by Backlund’s pedigree and seemed quite focused on the task at hand. Both wrestlers made their entrances to warm receptions from the crowd. After ring introductions were finished, the two immediately locked up as the bell sounded. Backlund was on the receiving end of early body punches from Vader, who followed a similar strategy from his previous matches to overwhelm his opponent. Backlund fired back with sharp palm strikes and low thrust kicks to Vader’s thighs, but the big man remained on the front foot and Backlund had a lot to deal with. Vader got an early side suplex on Backlund and took the decorated amateur wrestler to the mat, using his pure size and strength to immediately lock him up with a shoulder hold. Backlund had a ton of skill but even he was helpless to break free from Vader. Vader took the opportunity to pound Backlund with several open-hand strikes, and Backlund did everything he could to escape the perilous situation. Luckily for Backlund, he somehow managed to get his feet to the bottom rope to get a rope escape. The two started trading bombs again on their feet, and Backlund even went for a rare dropkick to get Vader off his game. Backlund attempted a single-leg takedown and tried to get his much larger opponent to the mat but Vader picked him up for a huge bodyslam. Whether he liked it or not, Backlund was getting his thunder stolen from Vader.

The match continued with Vader dictating most of it, Backlund’s wrestling ability came at very little use against someone like Vader, and he was forced to try and stun his opponent somehow. This led to Vader knocking down Backlund more often than not, leading a 2-0 lead on points after Backlund managed to beat two ten counts. In another standup exchange, Backlund finally managed to do some damage to his opponent with a series of flying elbows to Vader’s head, and this finally caused Vader to take a knee, which allowed the referee to give Vader a ten count of his own. Vader had no trouble beating it of course, and took revenge on Backlund by giving him a massive German suplex. Vader took Backlund to the mat again and attempted to get an ankle lock, but Backlund twisted around his body and broke free. Backlund went for another single-leg takedown, and once again ran into a wall as Vader defended well and picked him up for a powerbomb. Backlund was dazed, and Vader knocked him down with a standing lariat. Vader opted to finish the match on the mat and beat his opponent at his own game. With Backlund helpless, Vader locked in an Anaconda vice, and Backlund, despite his own pride, eventually opted to tap out. Vader didn’t even bother to celebrate his victory, perhaps displaying that he was confident he would win all along. Vader defeats Backlund via submission (Anaconda vice), 16:07

Nobuhiko Takada vs Minoru Suzuki

Suzuki surprised not only his opponent but the audience with his early success against Takada. The young hotshot wrestler was eager to impress and surprised Suzuki with a clever leg takedown followed by some spirited and highly energetic grappling on the mat. Takada relied on his experience to remain calm and eventually found even footing with Suzuki as he lured him into several grappling traps with patient counterwork. Suzuki was able to get Takada to go the ropes two times before things settled down though, and eventually both found themselves tied 1-1 on points. Takada opened the match up more with his trademark striking abilities, which were better than Suzuki’s of course. Takada picked his spots to weaken Suzuki’s advance and landed a few high kicks that took the wind out of his opponent. Suzuki’s strategy relied on getting Takada back to the mat, but Takada managed to delay such an approach to the point where Suzuki grew frustrated. Takada seized the initiative and landed more kicks on Suzuki, eventually leading to another knockdown. A similar story repeated quite often as the match continued, with Takada building up a 3-1 lead eventually heading past the 10:00 mark. Suzuki’s fans in the audience, which were obviously fewer in number compared to the Takada fanbase, urged their favorite on. Suzuki managed to get Takada to the mat with a clever rolling double-wristlock takedown and quickly attempted to lock in the same hold near the center of the ring. Takada struggled to break free and for a moment it seemed like Suzuki was about to secure a massive upset, but his opponent eventually managed to scoot towards the ropes and escaped Suzuki’s submission attempt. With the crowd frenzied, Takada came firing back on his feet with a huge strike combo and finished it off with another high kick, which sent Suzuki down to the mat for the final time for the KO victory. Takada defeats Suzuki via KO, 16:19

Akira Maeda vs Volk Han

In their third meeting in a year, Volk Han and Akira Maeda lived up to expectations as they immediately treated the Sendai crowd to a thrilling opening few minutes. The Dagestani grappler gave Maeda all he could handle with a variety of creative takedowns and throws, forcing Maeda to exhaust two rope breaks very early as Volk Han looked for submissions whenever he got the chance on the mat. Volk Han’s 1-0 lead didn’t get into Maeda’s head too much though, and the crowd favorite steadily got back into the match on the strength of his ability to outstrike Volk Han from a distance. Maeda also found success in dictating the tempo on the mat, where slowing down Volk Han was the key. Maeda’s leglock defense was better than it was in April, and it seemed Maeda was well aware of Volk Han’s strength there. Maeda reclaimed the lead on points at 2-1 after getting Volk Han down twice in a span of a few minutes, which seemed to catch Volk by surprise. Volk attempted to get back at Maeda with with a spinning backfist and a flurry of low kicks, but Maeda latched on to Han with a shoulder lock and took him back down to the mat, where he looked for a cross-armbreaker. Volk attempted to defend but eventually opted for the ropes when Maeda got the target arm loose. Maeda went up 3-1 after catching Volk Han with a gutshot by thrusting his leg into him, leading to another knockdown. Volk Han beat the ten count from Soranaka and quickly went back to work, focusing on getting Maeda back down to the mat and away from his strikes. Volk reclaimed control of the match with a series of rope breaks from Maeda as Han’s submission skills came into play, and Maeda’s strategy of control faded with Volk’s increasing urgency. The match settled at a score of 3-3 on points, and Maeda realized that to win the match, he needed to keep Volk on his feet. Maeda did well to defend Han’s takedown attempts and managed to get his opponent on the back foot with his trademark kicks. Maeda scored another knockdown, and with a 4-3 lead, he quickly sought to finish the match via TKO. Han was visibly fatigued, with his hands on his knees. Sensing the opening, Maeda launched another high kick that knocked the Dagestani off his feet for the final time. Volk proved to be a worthy opponent once again, but Maeda had the better strategy and advanced to the next round. Maeda defeats Han via TKO, 23:11

Another great night of tournament action is recapped by the commentary team, and they preview the upcoming matches. They note the interesting matchups in Vader vs Takada and Sayama vs Fujiwara, with the latter two renewing their rivalry from the days of the original UWF. Some backstage comments are given by Akira Maeda, who heaps praise on Volk Han but says tonight was his night, and he looks forward to a tough match against Yamazaki. The next show is announced for Hiroshima on November 30th! We get the sign-off from WOWOW, and the rolling credits play with highlights set in the background with Queen's 'We Are The Champions.'

 

[Autistic Dragon]

Johnson looks strong even though his UWF debut ends in defeat.

Backlund makes Vader look like a killer.

Looking forward to Karelin take on Onita in the next round.

[Scarlet-Left]

The write-up for Vader versus Backlund was great!

The tournament is shaping up nicely!

[spaldoni]

Sorry for falling behind.

Johnson impresses but Fleming's experience pays off. 

Onita's been on fire and it continues as he advances. 

Yamazaki's plan works as he stops Doleman's recent momentum. 

Fujiwara was clicking on all cylinders. 

I give Smiley a lot of credit. He took some serious shots but kept coming back. Sayama earned that one. 

Koslowski gave it his all but Karelin's suplexes sealed the deal. Karelin vs Onita is going to be a very interesting match up. 

I was really looking forward to Backlund vs. Vader. Vader once again looks like an absolute beast as he dominates Backlund.

Suzuki came so close to a huge upset but Takada's flurry at the end did the job. 

Maeda advances after another tough fight with Han. These guys tore the house down again. 

Can't wait for the next round! 

 

[Control21]

(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

 

[Autistic Dragon]

Take your time man, everything looks good.

[Control21]

UWF Newborn – “U-Cosmos Grand Prix 1989: The Elite Eight”

November 30^th, 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?

[Autistic Dragon]

Johnson makes his first contribution to the UWF's highlight reel.

Flynn debuts with win.

Benoit puts on a game effort against Shamrock.

Loved the spot in Vader's match where he realizes "oh yeah I'm stronger than this dude."

Speaking of Vader, can't wait to see him take on Maeda in the next round.

[kevinmcfl]

Sorry for falling so far behind.  The U-Cosmos tournament is really entertaining.  The videos you added were a great addition.  Vader really seemed to crush Takada.

Was wondering if people like Vader did promos over there with the language issue and all.  Would love to see all the Americans as heels... just to see the opposite as here.

 

[Control21]

9 minutes ago, kevinmcfl said:

Sorry for falling so far behind.  The U-Cosmos tournament is really entertaining.  The videos you added were a great addition.  Vader really seemed to crush Takada.

Was wondering if people like Vader did promos over there with the language issue and all.  Would love to see all the Americans as heels... just to see the opposite as here.

 

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.

[kevinmcfl]

You always have such great answers to my questions.  Thanks for the info.

[Scarlet-Left]

Great write-up for Vader and Takada!

Excellent main event with a cool finish! The fanboy in me is rooting for Sayama to go all the way!

[spaldoni]

Damn, Johnson's finish was visually stunning. What a way to start the night. 

Flynn gets noticed with a beautiful spin kick finish. 

Tamura edges out Yamada with a classic Boston Crab submission. 

Benoit shines but Shamrock catches him with a surprise victory. Hopefully these guys go at it again. 

Karelin has been quietly dominating and just might take it all. 

Yamazaki puts up a fight but in the end Maeda proves he's still the man. Loved that suplex/armbar finish. 

Props to Takada, he withstood a tremendous amount of punishment, but man that finishing blow by Vader sealed the deal. Vader vs. Maeda is going to be epic! 

Sayama once again gets the best of Fujiwara in one heck of a main event. Sayama definitely earned his way into the finals. 

Your knowledge and write ups continue to impress me. Great job! 

 

[Jimmy Jack Punk]

Wow, you've really captured the feel of these Japanese strong style promotions. Good stuff!

[Control21]

Quote

December 6^th, 1989

A huge story broke for Japanese wrestling last week when Tatsumi Fujinami announced that he had finished up his commitments with AWA. A lot of journalists in Japan had assumed Fujinami would be returning to his home promotion, NJPW. Officials in NJPW had been telling others that an agreement with Fujinami was already in place and that Antonio Inoki would be meeting with him this week. That will not happen as Fujinami gave an interview with Tokyo Sports on Monday and said that he would not be signing any deal with NJPW. Fujinami said that he was keeping his options open and that he received an offer to attend the UWF show at the Tokyo Dome on December 31^st. He did not confirm if he was attending or not, but he did say he was “strongly considering” the offer. Fujinami also clarified that he did not receive a contract offer from UWF. Although one can imagine that would be in the pipeline.

Fujinami’s decision to not return to New Japan is sending massive shockwaves throughout the industry. Fujinami was widely seen as the heir to Antonio Inoki for most of the early 1980s, and his breakthrough in America has raised his profile even further back in Japan. While Inoki struggled with passing the torch to Fujinami, it was widely believed that the two were inseparable and that it was only a matter of time before Fujinami returned to NJPW to complete the process. Evidently, there was something deeper and this has prevented what could have been a great story. It is possible that Fujinami may be holding out for more money or other incentives from NJPW, but sources close to the situation say this is unlikely. If Fujinami does decide to join UWF, it would be a significant blow to the leading Japanese wrestling company of the 1980s. NJPW has been facing significant headwinds in the past few years and the emergence of UWF has created even more challenges, with the latter rapidly catching up and staking its claim as the industry leader. Fujinami leaving NJPW for UWF would just confirm that the UWF revolution may be permanent this time.

The good news for UWF doesn’t stop there. It appears that Naoya Ogawa will be having his first pro wrestling match at the Tokyo Dome show on December 31^st. Since announcing that he would be retiring from Judo to become a professional wrestler last month, there has been endless speculation about where he could end up. NJPW, AJPW, and UWF were the main three players interested and reports came out about meetings with all three companies. Ogawa announced last week that he has reached an agreement with UWF for a match at the Tokyo Dome, although he hasn’t signed a full-time contract yet as of press time. It is believed Ogawa is keeping his options open, but UWF’s recruitment efforts appear to be paying off so far. When asked who he wanted to face on December 31^st, Ogawa specifically challenged Bad News Allen due to his success as a Judoka in the Olympics and his current record in UWF matches.

Live reports from people who attended the UWF show on November 30^th and those who watched it live in Japan indicate that the show was another rousing success for the promotion. It was the first time UWF held an event in Hiroshima and the crowd was apparently quite lively. The big story from the show was Vader’s triumph over Nobuhiko Takada. Takada has been the clear star in the promotion besides Akira Maeda and Satoru Sayama, and it was an open question whether or not Vader would win, but despite Takada’s best efforts, Vader came away with the victory. It does make a lot of sense for Vader to advance, specifically since Akira Maeda awaits in the next round. There’s been a lot of hype around that match, and Maeda has praised Vader for his performance in UWF so far. He told Tokyo Sports that he expects Vader to be an immense challenge. Tokyo Sports also interviewed Vader, who of course spoke highly of Maeda but he thought Maeda was a similar wrestler to Takada and would have a similar gameplan to take down the top star in the company. Satoru Sayama defeated Yoshiaki Fujiwara via pinfall, earning Sayama a spot in the semi-finals against Aleksandr Karelin. Karelin defeated Onita in a solid match. Obviously, it’s not much of a surprise that Karelin has made it this far despite little professional wrestling experience but he has looked better and better with each match and UWF would be silly to not push him like they have. Sayama vs Karelin is another highly anticipated match that has earned a lot of press coverage in Japan. In other results, Maeda defeated Kazuo Yamazaki via submission, Wayne Shamrock defeated Benoit via submission, and Kiyoshi Tamura beat fellow young lion Manabu Yamada via submission as well. The show also featured the debut of several new American wrestlers, including Jerry Flynn and Billy Scott. Both Scott and Flynn faced each other in one of the preliminary matches, which ended up as a victory for Flynn via KO. Flynn continues to impress UWF officials apparently, specifically due to the praise he has received from the Malenkos and Bart Vale in Florida. Steve Nelson also made his debut against Ahmed Johnson, and a lot of reports gave Johnson props for his performance.

It is expected that UWF will hold a major press conference sometime next week to further promote the Tokyo Dome show on December 31^st. UWF will likely announce the full card at that time. There are some rumors that former Olympic gold medalist Shota Chochishvili will be facing Marco Ruas. That is an interesting rumor as Shota Chochishvili previously worked for NJPW in the past year, and his switching sides to UWF would be another blow to Inoki’s promotion which has lost a lot of ground this year. Another rumor has Maurice Smith facing Minoru Suzuki in a “mixed style” fight. Apparently, the idea for the Tokyo Dome show, outside of the U-COSMOS Grand Prix, is to have different “mixed style’ fights that will showcase various international talent to signify UWF’s growth and increasing global reach.

Satoru Sayama has been getting a lot of positive press coverage lately in Japan, and his run in the U-COSMOS Grand Prix so far has certainly solidified his profile again in the country after some of the blowback he got a few years ago when he published his book criticizing the pro wrestling industry. Sayama’s Shooto gym and organization have also received more legitimacy, especially after the success of his Shooto show at Korakuen Hall earlier this year. Many feel that Sayama’s decision to come back to pro wrestling and work with Akira Maeda again in the new UWF has paid dividends for himself and his ideas in general. Remarkably, little has been said about the relationship between Maeda and Sayama this year. Most think that the two at least carry on professionally, although the idea that there may be bad feelings still from their infamous shoot incident in 1985 hasn’t been totally dismissed. Some sources actually think Maeda may not be totally happy if Sayama continues to grow in popularity, along with his Shooto concept. Of course, this is all speculation but the possibility that the two may meet in the U-COSMOS final has drawn a lot of attention.

 

[Autistic Dragon]

UWF wisely hyping the coming arrival of Fujinami.

NJPW is really being hit hard since UWF came around.

[rainmakerrtv]

Funjinami coming to UWF is a major game changer.