UWF Newborn

[Autistic Dragon]

UWF closing out 89 in style.

[rainmakerrtv]

Some amazing shows, definitely can't wait for the Semi-Finals as Suzuki vs. Smith. 

[Control21]

(In lieu of a full-length press conference which I didn't find the time for, here's a "digest" version it)

 U-COSMOS Grand Final Press Conference Recap

December 13th, 1989

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

 

[Autistic Dragon]

I was curious with what you were going to do for both the "Judo Jacket" match and the "Mixed Style Fights" and I like the direction you went with them. Adds another dash of personality to UWF cards.

[kevinmcfl]

Looking forward to U-COSMOS.  This press conference really made is seem so serious.  

[spaldoni]

This is going to be awesome! 

This event has been building since day one and I know the pay off will blow away all my expectations. 

[Control21]

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

December 31^st, 1989

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo Dome

Attendance: 60,000 (sold out)

Broadcast: WOWOW (live)

The highly anticipated broadcast opens with a small pre-show as cameras show fans filing into the stadium. The WOWOW commentary crew previews the matches tonight and they note the show opening with the two U-COSMOS semi-finals, with Aleksandr Karelin set to take on Satoru Sayama and Super Vader set to face Akira Maeda. Clips from earlier in the day with the wrestlers preparing are shown. The preview is wrapped up and the fans in the Tokyo Dome along with the viewing audience on WOWOW are treated to an awesome light show, followed by pyrotechnics and the thumping sound of the UWF theme as the wrestlers make their respective entrances.

Huge cheers for the usual suspects, with Maeda and Sayama getting the loudest. Karelin, Vader, Suzuki, Funaki, Han, and a few others get a good amount as well. After the parade is wrapped up, cameras switch to Karl Gotch, Billy Robinson, Lou Thesz, Tatsumi Fujinami, and George Foreman all sitting ringside. Maeda and Sayama give speeches thanking the fans for coming and promising a great event. Sayama says he is focused and ready to win the tournament while Maeda says he has a tough ask on hand but is confident in succeeding. Takada is introduced as well. Takada says he won't be competing tonight due to a minor injury, but says he is looking forward to competing next month. He wishes the fans a happy new year. After the commentators talk over a brief break, the event is officially underway.

Aleksandr Karelin vs Satoru Sayama

When perhaps one of the most eagerly anticipated matches in Japanese wrestling opens a show, you know you are in for a great event. From the start, these two wrestlers did not disappoint. Sayama was out in full force while Karelin stepped up to the challenge as well. Sayama focused his approach on his striking abilities and had to be on top of his game to maximize his advantage. Karelin’s frame appeared to be unassailable at times and took down Sayama to the mat with ease in the early phase of the match. But Sayama did well to get the match back to where he wanted it, and Karelin slowly revealed his weakness as Sayama expertly targeted Karelin’s lower legs and knees with low kicks. The Tokyo Dome crowd was already swelling with buzz, and the fans cheered Sayama on as he took the initiative and Karelin was reeling. A keen eye could tell Karelin was facing the most dangerous moment of his young career yet as he seemed to be more eager to grapple with Sayama to bring him down to the mat and buy some time. Despite Karelin’s obvious strength and mastery in Greco-Roman wrestling, Sayama’s mat defense was almost impeccable, and combined with a strategic approach to rope breaks, he was able to get back on his feet relatively quickly.

 It took several minutes for Sayama to score the first knockdown on Karelin, but once he did, there was no looking back. Sayama’s striking skills allowed him to catch Karelin by surprise more often as fatigue set in, and Sayama slowly built up a solid 3-1 on points to the delight of the packed Tokyo Dome. Despite Karelin managing to crawl back a few more points on the ground, this was Sayama’s night. Sayama scored one more knockdown to make it 4-3 on points after the 15:00 mark with a jumping roundhouse kick. Karelin’s knees and shins were throbbing with pain, and he was now moving quite slower than usual. Sayama gave everything he had to finish the job. Karelin attempted to lock up with Sayama and get him in the position for an attempt at the Karelin Lift, but Sayama managed to somehow fight out of Kareelin’s bear-like grip and quickly delivered several high kicks to achieve what was perhaps one of the most important wins in Sayama’s career. The Tokyo Dome went wild as Karelin fell to the mat for the fifth and final time and Sayama jumped around in celebration. Sayama defeats Karelin via TKO, 15:54

Akira Maeda vs Super Vader

Maeda had a huge task on his hands. Since debuting in UWF, Vader has proven to be unstoppable. The American had adapted to the UWF spirit and used his strength and size to his advantage as a devastating striker and powerful grappler. He had no weak points. Maeda knew he had to give everything he had to triumph, and still save some strength left for the final later tonight. Vader was confident going into the match and approached the match with a similar strategy from his match with Nobuhiko Takada last month. After the entrances were made and the bell sounded, Maeda immediately opted for a flurry of strikes aimed at Vader’s shins. Perhaps seeking to replicate Sayama’s strategy in the match before. Vader wasn’t afraid to strike back though, and launched his fists at Maeda in retaliation. It seemed like a clash of the titans in the opening minutes, with both Maeda and Vader willingly slugging it out to the delight of the Tokyo Dome crowd. Both Maeda and Vader traded knockdowns, and both responded quite quickly to beat their respective ten counts. Maeda kept firing and continued his focus on Vader’s lower legs while avoiding the reach of Vader. The American grew a bit frustrated before finally timing one of Maeda’s low kicks and turning it into a single-leg takedown. Maeda’s fans immediately got behind the standard bearer of the UWF, with Vader controlling his opponent from the top. Vader attempted to lock in an Anaconda vice, but Maeda did well to defend himself and managed to get back on his feet after a brief struggle on the mat. Vader seemed surprised, but he refocused himself and managed to land a few body blows on Maeda.

The two traded more vicious strikes and the score reached 2-2 apiece after another exchange of knockdowns. Vader adjusted his strategy and attempted to time more of Maeda’s strikes to turn them into takedown attempts. Vader had mixed success and Maeda’s defense was quite solid despite Vader’s overwhelming strength. But when Vader got Maeda to the mat, it was clear Maeda had to think quickly to avoid the worst possible outcomes. Vader mixed in some ground-and-pound for good measure, and Maeda had to be smart to avoid a sudden KO. When Maeda managed to find himself back on his feet, he threw more kicks at Vader’s shins and kept targeting them. Vader did his best to hide the pain he was feeling, but Maeda knew his strategy was beginning to work. Vader eventually fell to one knee and the referee counted again, with the American reacting quite quickly again to beat the ten count. Now down 3-2 on points, Vader launched himself at Maeda with a running lariat, and he immediately dragged up Maeda for a huge side suplex. With Maeda stunned for a brief moment, Vader managed to lock in a full-nelson on Maeda and attempted to steadily choke the life out of his opponent. The Tokyo Dome roared as Maeda fought to get back on his feet. Vader’s strength proved to be quite capable though, and Maeda had to resort for another rope break to escape the hold. Now the match was tied 3-3 on points. Down the closing stretch, Maeda unleashed his full arsenal and mixed up a variety of kicks to get Vader on his backfoot. A combination of low kicks and a well-timed high kick got Vader back down to the canvas. This time, Maeda didn’t allow the referee to initiate the ten count and he immediately seized the opportunity to get Vader’s back. Grabbing Vader’s massive right arm, Maeda dragged Vader backward and locked in a cross-armbreaker, leveraging Vader’s huge arm as best as he could. It took some effort at first, but when Maeda managed to finally fully extend the arm, the “Big Egg” exploded in pandemonium as Vader tapped. Maeda jumped up the nearest turnbuckle almost instantly, and Vader grabbed his arm in pain. Maeda defeats Vader via submission (cross-armbreaker), 15:23

Maeda continues to celebrate while Vader is treated to by ringside staff. Maeda eventually settles down a bit as he realizes his task isn't quite complete. Vader is helped back by staff while he is holding his arm. The camera eventually follows Vader backstage his arm is put into a pretty sizeable support device. Vader doesn't say much but does tell the cameras that "You'll be seeing me again. This isn't over."

Shigeo Miyato vs Tatsuo Nakano

While Miyato and Nakano had a tough task following two fantastic semi-final bouts, they did quite well to keep the crowd entertained and engaged while lowering the temperature just enough to keep the flow of the show going. Both engaged in exciting striking exchanges and good matwork stretches where both managed to get some points off each other through rope breaks. In their last encounter, it was Miyato’s mat skills that proved to be the difference but Nakano’s defense was better this time on the ground, and this allowed him to use his stiff striking abilities to gain the upper hand. After a well-fought contest, Nakano caught Miyato dead on with several open hand strikes, and this enabled him to go for a pinfall for the victory. Nakano defeats Miyato via pinfall, 9:33

Eugenio Tadeu vs Yoji Anjo

Tadeu was a new face in UWF, but the Brazilian Luta Livre grappler quickly made his presence felt and the crowd appreciated the high-octane offense he brought to the table. Anjo was able to hold his own in the opening round, catching his opponent with several low kicks and a well-executed double-leg takedown that almost caught Tadeu totally off guard. Anjo was quick to go for a keylock on his opponent, but Tadeu eventually managed to escape out of the hold and survive the opening round. In the second round, Tadeu took complete control of the match took Anjo to the ground, and remained in control for the remaining duration. Anjo had to exhaust two rope breaks quickly, but despite his best efforts to reset the match, he found himself back on the ground in short order. Tadeu’s lively grappling and superb conditioning presented all sorts of problems for Anjo. Tadeu also exhibited great striking ability of his own with well-timed palm strikes and punches to the body. Almost unceremoniously, Tadeu picked Anjo’s ankle and locked in a heel hook for the submission victory. Tadeu defeats Anjo via submission (heel hook), 2R of 5, 3:22

Masakatsu Funaki vs Willy Wilhelm

Funaki was seeking to recover from his disappointing defeat to Chris Dolman in the U-COSMOS Grand Prix and had the perfect opportunity to elevate himself again against a very respectable opponent in Willy Wilhelm. Wilhelm, an accomplished Judoka, was an imposing figure. At 6’4 and 251 lbs, he was a bit of a mismatch for Funaki. Funaki’s skill would be the equalizer, and he quickly went to work to apply this strategy. Funaki utilized a variety of strikes to open his grappling approach, and he wasn’t scared to get down to the mat with Wilhelm despite the Dutchman’s background. The first round saw tentative grappling on the mat from each, although Wilhelm managed to draw the first breakthrough after forcing Funaki to go for a rope break after a double wristlock attempt while working from the bottom. In the second round, Funaki stuck to a similar approach and landed several strikes on Wilhelm, and took him down with a well-executed single-leg takedown. Wilhelm’s defense was excellent, but Funaki managed to get a rope break from Wilhelm with a heel hook attempt before time expired. Wilhelm continued his cautious approach in the next round, but it paid off as he managed to take down Funaki with an Ura-nage, and took the lead at 1-0 after he worked for a shoulder lock which forced Funaki to break the hold with the ropes. Funaki fired back with a series of low kicks and palm strikes which evened the score at 1-1 with a knockdown. Wilhelm was quick to get up and the two fought on the mat before the third round came to an end. Wilhelm picked up the pace and took Funaki to the mat again with a Uchi-mata, where he attempted a cross-armbreaker on Funaki. This nearly caught Funaki in the middle of the ring but he somehow managed to get to the ropes before his arm was locked in. Wilhelm continued to enjoy the momentum and got another rope break from Funaki after he managed to get Funaki’s back for a rear-naked choke. At 2-1 heading into the fifth round, Wilhelm started to stall for the decision and this played into Funaki’s hands. At around 3:00 into the fifth round, Funaki managed to surprise Wilhelm with a clever leg entry and transitioned quickly to a kneebar. Caught a fair distance away from the ropes, Wilhelm had no choice but to tap. Funaki got his much-desired win, and the crowd of course voiced their approval as they chanted his name. Funaki defeats Wilhelm via submission (kneebar), 5R of 5, 3:07

Minoru Suzuki vs Maurice Smith

In an intriguing “kickboxer vs wrestler” match, both competitors were looking to secure bragging rights for the evening and an important win in their UWF careers. Maurice Smith, in an interesting twist, opted to use kickboxing gloves. While this may give him an advantage with punches, it also would limit his ability to grapple with his opponent. Suzuki was lively in the first round, looking to take Smith to the mat at every opportunity, and wasn’t afraid to exchange strikes if needed. Suzuki was able to draw two early rope breaks from Smith in the first five minutes after a series of clever takedowns that were quickly followed by submission attempts. With a 1-0 lead in the second round, Suzuki was looking to press his advantage but Smith opened up his striking skills. After getting caught by several stiff punches, Suzuki became a little bit too cautious for his own good. Smith evened the score before the round expired with a high kick that knocked Suzuki off his feet for a ten count. Suzuki quickly got back to his feet but the story continued in the third round. Suzuki found little success in taking down Smith to the mat, and Smith used Suzuki’s tepidness against him. Smith picked his spots and inflicted more damage on his opponent with well-timed strikes, and another knockdown gave Smith a 2-1 lead on points. Suzuki managed to beat the ten count and finally got Smith off his feet with a leg sweep takedown right before time expired, but this didn’t lead to anything for Suzuki. Smith didn’t need to change much for the fourth round, and a sweet combo of punches and kicks took Suzuki off his feet again for another ten count. Ryogaku Wada initiated another ten count as Suzuki was a bit more dazed this time, but he managed to get on his feet before the count of eight. Suzuki tried to get back at Smith with a series of palm strikes, but Smith defended well and caught Suzuki right in the face with a right hook. Suzuki fell back against the ropes and onto the ground. This time, Suzuki couldn’t gather himself before Wada finished the ten count. Maurice Smith was happy to celebrate a solid victory while Suzuki pounded the mat in frustration, knowing that a good opportunity slipped through his fingers. Smith defeats Suzuki via KO, 4R of 5, 1:47

Volk Han vs David Gobejishvili

On paper, this was quite intriguing. A decorated freestyle wrestler and Olympic gold medalist against one of the best SAMBO practitioners the Soviet Union perhaps had to offer. To go along with the theme of a “mixed style fight,” Volk Han opted to wear his blue SAMBO gi and blue shorts while Gobejishvili donned his red wrestling singlet. With the first round underway, Han appeared to be quite unorthodox in his initial approach. This was perhaps to get Gobejishvili off his usual flow, and he was successful to a degree. The Georgian had trouble predicting Han’s movements and Han had success in wrapping up his opponent’s legs. Han was in the driver’s seat for most of the round, with David going on the defensive. The Georgian’s defense gave Han some trouble, but the Dagestani managed to get an early rope break after trying to snatch a cross-heel hold. Things went better for the Georgian in the second round, with David’s wrestling background and pedigree coming into play more. David caught Han with a couple of unique wrestling throws, and this allowed him to eventually get Han into a rear-naked choke, forcing the SAMBO specialist to go for a rope break of his own. David then caught Han with a double leg takedown and went for a forearm choke as he gained control from the top, getting his opponent to exhaust another rope break. Heading into the third round, the match settled into a bit of a stalemate with both eager to prove their superiority on the mat.

David’s height and reach started to become a factor, and Volk had to be resourceful to stay competitive with the Olympic gold medalist. By the fourth round, David eventually built a 2-0 lead on points through further rope breaks and Han seemed to have difficulty getting a second rope break from David until he finally caught his fellow countryman with a kami-basami that he quickly turned into a heel hook attempt. This finally forced the Georgian to exhaust his second rope break of the match, making things 2-1 in favor of David heading into the fifth and final round. The mainly grappling-focused affair turned a bit more unpredictable with Han going for his unorthodox strikes a bit more, and he managed to catch David with a spinning backfist followed by a quick axe kick. This knocked Han’s opponent off his feet and the crowd was delighted with Volk’s creativity. Facing a ten count, the Georgian got on his feet again quickly. Han warded off an attempt from David to execute a suplex, and the two took things down the stretch without another breakthrough. Time expired, and the two were equal on points. The ringside judges declared a draw, and despite the competitive spirit, both Han and Gobejishvili congratulated each other for the well-fought match.  Draw, 5R of 5 (25:00)

Marco Ruas vs Shota Chochivishili

Shota previously made a name for himself as someone who fought Antonio Inoki in NJPW. Inoki had recruited him as an answer to UWF’s partnership with the Soviet Union. The former 1972 Olympic gold medalist in Judo was now in UWF, deciding to take up a challenge with Marco Ruas in an anticipated Judo vs Luta Livre affair. Ruas had firmly established himself as one of the top Luta Livre fighters in Brazil and decided to become a missionary of sorts in UWF to expand Luta Livre’s global reach as a legitimate martial art discipline. He had the perfect opportunity to make waves in Japan by defeating a highly regarded Judoka like Shota. The Georgian had a towering presence and was wearing a full gi against Ruas’ more barebones Vale Tudo gear. The two bowed to each other before the bell sounded, and didn’t waste any time in getting things underway once the sound echoed throughout the packed Tokyo Dome. Ruas sized up Shota in the first and exercised caution as the Georgian stalked his opponent like a large bear trying to corner its prey. Ruas fired at Shota with several low kicks, but Shota checked them to minimize the damage. Both men were able to stay on their feet throughout the first round. When Shota got his hands on Ruas, Ruas’ great defense kept him grounded while Shota’s size and strength presented problems for Ruas as he sought to seize the initiative. The next round went better for Shota, as he finally managed to sweep Ruas off his feet with an O-soto-gari. Shota quickly went for a cross-armbraker, but Ruas managed to roll out of danger and took control of the mat contest from the top. Ruas sought to secure a kneebar but Shota defended and stalled for time. The breakthrough came in the third round for Ruas. Shota scored another nice throw early on and nearly caught Ruas in the center of the ring with a shoulder lock, but Ruas took control of the match after he escaped this predicament. Shota’s age was starting to show, and Ruas had the better conditioning. Ruas caught Shota with a double-leg takedown and wasted no time to secure the kneebar, forcing the Judoka to tap. Ruas celebrated with his cornermen while the crowd appreciated the technical and professional display from the Brazilian. Ruas defeats Cochivishili via submission (kneebar), 3R of 5, 3:01

Naoya Ogawa vs Bad News Allen

Ogawa’s debut has been widely anticipated, and the decorated Judo prodigy entered the Tokyo Dome with a roar of cheers. Wearing a white Judo gi Ogawa seemed like a towering presence already despite his youth. Bad News Allen, also wearing a white Judo gi, also carried a significant aura as headed towards the ring. Not unfamiliar with UWF, Allen was looking to cement another win in the promotion and knock Ogawa’s recent overconfidence down a peg. After the rules are explained by Nobuyuki Furuta, Motoyuki Kitazawa calls both competitors over from their respective corners and explains the rules. He checks both of them for readiness and asks them to shake hands. Reluctantly, Ogawa and Allen do, but Ogawa is caught with a smirk on his face by the cameras.

The bell sounds and the two size each other up with the commentators conveying the excitement over this match quite well. A lot of fans in attendance were on their feet, and Ogawa was on the front foot. Allen played defense in the first few minutes of the match, doing well to stay on his feet against Ogawa’s highly-regarded Judo offense. Allen almost tripped up Ogawa with a sneaky move, and this caused the young sensation to back off as Allen returned the smirk Ogawa gave him earlier. Allen took the opportunity to take command of the match, and he pressed Ogawa towards the ropes. Ogawa found himself in his first tricky situation inside a wrestling ring as Allen wrapped his arms around him. Doing his best to stay on his feet, Ogawa eventually found himself being welcomed by the seasoned American with a belly-to-belly takedown. On his back, Ogawa scrambled to defend himself against Allen, who hunted for a quick cross-armbreaker. Ogawa managed to reach the ropes just before Allen could snap his arm back, and quickly got back on his feet for the reset. The two reached another stalemate as they grasped onto their respective Gis and tried to throw each other off their feet. Ogawa finally managed to secure a Uchi-mata. The crowd popped for Ogawa’s clever move, and Allen seemed a little shocked that he found himself on his back. Ogawa went for the double wristlock, but Allen refused to let his arm go and managed to tie up his opponent. After a brief stalemate in which neither wrestler could get some offense going, Kitazawa stood both back on their feet. The match started to get a little bit more free-flowing, with Allen taking his young opponent for a ride with a well-executed side suplex. Allen quickly went for a heel hook and Ogawa scrambled to get his leg free. Ogawa managed to get back on his feet and decided to throw some palm strikes to try and catch Allen off his game. Allen attempted to wrap up Ogawa again for another suplex attempt, but Ogawa countered with a Hiza-guruma that tripped up Allen. Allen had to defend against a shoulder lock attempt and went for a rope break after Ogawa started to lock in the hold.  The match continued to swell towards the climax, and both Ogawa and Allen managed to get another rope break off each other to tie the match at 1-1 heading into the 10:00 mark.

Ogawa was starting to prove why many regarded him as a prodigy in Judo, and Allen was growing visibly fatigued. Allen managed to land some sharp body punches on Ogawa, which pushed him towards one of the turnbuckles. Allen found the strength to push Ogawa back and get him with a surprise O-goshi that threw his opponent off his feet once again. Allen decided to play it safe and not go to the mat with Ogawa, which seemed to surprise the latter quite a bit. After Ogawa got back on his feet, Allen and Ogawa fought again for control. Allen seemed to be setting Ogawa up for another throw when suddenly….Ogawa hits Allen with an STO! Out of nowhere, the young sensation used Allen’s own finishing move in UWF against him. Ogawa immediately moved for another cross-armbreaker attempt and this time he secured the hold. Allen struggled to reach the ropes, but it was a fool’s errand. After considering his career back in America, Allen tapped out. In just a split few seconds, Ogawa had defeated Bad News Allen and secured a major upset victory. The crowd went wild as Ogawa was declared the winner. Ogawa defeats Allen via submission (cross-armbreaker), 11:44

After the match, Ogawa continued to celebrate while Allen gathered himself back to his feet. The two have a brief staredown before Allen reluctantly offers his hand. Ogawa shakes it and the two have slight cordial bow before Allen appears to tell something to Ogawa. The microphones don't really pick it up so we are left guessing. Perhaps these two aren't done competing against each other.

Lou Thesz is introduced and welcomed into the ring before the main event. Lou Thesz is given a microphone and the honorary chairman for UWF delivers a short speech. While he does so, WOWOW cameras catch both Sayama and Maeda getting ready backstage:

"Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. Standing in this ring reminds me of 32 years ago when I wrestled Rikidozan at Korakuen Baseball Stadium. Tonight, we will witness a contest between Akira Maeda and Satoru Sayama to determine the new Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world. This is indeed a historical match that will determine the the undisputed best wrestler in our sport. Pro wrestling, UWF pro wrestling, is the most sophisticated combat sport of all. I will strive, with all my might, to perpetuate the nobility of one undisputed pro wrestling champion. I will do that as long as I live. Thank you very much for your attention."

After the speech, Lou Thesz shows off his historical heavyweight belt once again:

With both Maeda and Sayama now ready to make their entrances, we are now ready for the most important match in UWF's short history!

Akira Maeda vs Satoru Sayama

After two grueling semi-finals, Maeda and Sayama were finally set for battle. It was anyone’s guess what condition both wrestlers were in, but the chance to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world was finally at hand. Neither would back down. After WOWOW’s cameras showed both getting ready backstage while Lou Thesz was giving his speech, it was finally time for action. Akira Maeda was first to enter the Tokyo Dome, with Camel’s “Captured” blaring through the sound system triumphantly. Maeda had several UWF dojo trainees as his cornermen, and he marched down the ramp with a determined look on his face. Chants of “Ma-e-da!” echoed throughout the Tokyo Dome as he entered the ring. Satoru Sayama entered the “Big Egg” next, seconded by several Shooto trainees. Although his ovation wasn’t as loud as Maeda’s, it was clear Sayama was beloved by a good portion of the 60,000 in attendance. Nobuyuki Furuta announced both wrestlers in their respective corners, and Lou Thesz presented his title one more time. We are also treated to the Japanese national anthem and the Tokyo Dome falls silent at attention. Finally, the long wait was over, and the bell finally rang to commence the biggest match in UWF’s short history so far.

Both Maeda and Sayama wasted no time to get going. They immediately launched into a heated kicking exchange, with Sayama, in particular, throwing some very stiff strikes. Maeda returned the favor, and Sayama visibly grimaced as one of them landed on his thigh. Sayama attempted to sneak in a palm strike, but Maeda dodged and caught Sayama with a suplex. Perhaps opting to conserve their energy, both wrestlers settled into a more patient mat exchange. Sayama worked to gain a dominant position and was seemingly going after Maeda’s legs while Maeda defended to keep Sayama from snagging any sudden hooks.  Sayama was the quicker of the two, but Maeda’s defense and positioning were quite difficult for Sayama to deal with in this early stage. After the two ended up near the ropes, Masami Soranaka called for a clean break and stood both back up on their feet.

This time, Maeda seemed like he wanted to avoid a protracted striking exchange with Sayama and looked for a quick single-leg takedown. Sayama warded off the attempt and fired back with several low kicks, causing Maeda to go on his back foot. Both exercised a bit of caution, with Sayama choosing to fatigue Maeda a bit through constant pressure, but not constant engagement. Maeda attempted another single-leg takedown after catching one of Sayama’s low kicks, and this time the symbolic UWF “ace” was successful. After a brief struggle, Maeda managed to apply an Achilles hold, and this was enough to force Sayama to go for his first rope break of the match. Back on their feet, Maeda applied the pressure this time and immediately started to look for another takedown. The two found themselves back on the mat in short order, and Maeda worked for a rear-naked choke to force another rope break from Sayama to take a 1-0 lead on points. Sayama would eventually get one back relatively quickly though, after knocking Maeda off his feet with a well-timed high kick. Maeda was quick to beat the ten count from Soranaka, and the crowd grew louder to give their favorite more support.

The match continued to mature, and Sayama found more success on the mat in the next few minutes after Maeda opted to continue his more ground-based approach. Sayama’s ability to transition quickly from limb to limb gave Maeda a bit of trouble, and Sayama was able to lock in a quick heel hook to force a rope break. Sayama continued to enjoy a stretch of good fortune, and he knocked Maeda off his feet again with a jumping knee to his abdomen. With a 2-1 lead on points, Sayama was growing quite confident. Maeda refused to relent though, and landed a knockdown of his own after catching Maeda with a combo of palm strikes. Sayama was quick to get up but knew he had a tough assignment ahead of him.

With the match now tied at 2-2 heading into the 15:00 mark, the pace was starting to pick up a bit. Chants for Maeda continued to dominate the atmosphere in the Tokyo Dome, and Maeda pressed the advantage as if those chants were giving him a boost of energy. Maeda grabbed Sayama for a German suplex and tried to take his back for another rear-naked choke attempt. Sayama defended and managed to roll through to grab Maeda’s knee for a surprise kneebar attempt. Maeda had to scramble for another rope break with Sayama applying pressure on his knee. Back on their feet, Sayama managed to catch Maeda for a suplex attempt of his own. A Tiger suplex sent Maeda back and Sayama attempted to bridge through for the pin attempt, although Maeda kicked out quickly after Soranaka counted one.

A true classic was unfolding, and the Tokyo Dome was treated to a brilliant display of wrestling in the next several minutes. The UWF philosophy was on full display with both competitors living up to the “Kick, Submission, Suplex” mantra. Maeda and Sayama continued to fight hard and both sought to end the match in a variety of ways. After Maeda delivered several knee strikes on Sayama in a clinch, they found themselves tied 4-4 on points heading into the 22:00 mark. After exchanging various rope breaks and further knockdowns, both men were now quite fatigued. They had given everything they had and more. The only thing keeping them going was the boisterous crowd inside the Tokyo Dome. Maeda and Sayama decided to unleash everything they had in a heated striking exchange, a last gasp at glory. Maeda appeared to get the upper hand with several kicks to Sayama’s kidneys, and the Shooto founder bounced against the ropes as if he was ready to fall over. Sayama only fired back though, and struck Maeda with a sharp palm strike. Sayama hit Maeda with a jumping kick, which caused Maeda to stumble back. Another high kick nearly finished the match, but Maeda somehow stayed on his feet. Sayama jumped up and delivered a roundhouse kick which finally sent Maeda tumbling to the canvas. Despite Maeda being the heavy favorite, the Tokyo Dome could only let out a climactic roar as Soranaka signaled for the bell. Sayama, the man who left wrestling behind after the collapse of the first UWF, was on top of the world once again. He had bided his time successfully and proved that his time with Shooto wasn’t a waste. Sayama defeats Maeda via TKO, 25:39

Maeda takes his time to process what just happened as Sayama continues to celebrate in the ring with his Shooto cornermen. Sayama is surrounded and he is hugged en masse as he cracks a rare smile. The word 'Shooto' on the backs of Sayama's cornermen says it all as it is made clear visually what it means to Sayama and his organization. Maeda is shown slowly getting back on his feet while Sayama's theme continues to blare triumphantly in the Tokyo Dome. WOWOW shows a replay of key moments in this match, and the finish as well. After Sayama's celebration, Lou Thesz enters the ring to congratulate him. They shake hands and Lou Thesz places his belt around Sayama's waist. Maeda comes to congratulate Sayama as well, although a bit reluctantly. Karl Gotch and Billy Robinson are in the ring as well to shake hands with the victor. Sayama and Maeda do a slight bow out of courtesy, and the latter exits the ring to give Sayama his moment. The WOWOW cameras catch Fujinami looking on from his ringside seat, applauding Sayama while doing so. Sayama is presented a huge check from WOWOW officials and several finely decorated trophies for his accomplishment.

Sayama is interviewed in the ring and says that he is extremely proud of winning the belt and becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. He says he gave everything he had and can barely stand. Sayama praises Akira Maeda and Karelin as opponents more than worthy. Sayama thanks Lou Thesz, Karl Gotch, and Billy Robinson for their continued support for UWF. He also thanks Shinji Jin for his leadership. Most importantly, he thanks the Shooto organization for helping him to become a better fighter and wrestler. Sayama says his victory tonight represents a victory for Shooto, but that the UWF spirit and philosophy is better off for it. Sayama is asked about this moment in context to his departure from wrestling in 1985 and the falling out he had with Maeda from their encounter that year. Sayama says the past is the past, and that tonight they settled any differences they had. Sayama also says he has huge respect for Maeda now.

Sayama is congratulated one more time by the ring announcer, Nobuyuki Furuta. Pyrotechnics go off along with confetti which fills the ring. Sayama grabs the microphone one more time and says that the new year is just hours away. He wishes everyone a happy new year and raises his fist in the air for the WOWOW cameras to catch.

The WOWOW commentary crew recaps all the fantastic matches from tonight, and they have an in-depth review of the main event. George Foreman walks by and goofs around a bit before they all do their final sign-off of the evening. An instrumental remix of "Auld Lang Syne" plays as the WOWOW credits roll with highlights from a fantastic show that ends the year for UWF and Japanese professional wrestling as a whole on a high note.

[rainmakerrtv]

Huge win for Sayama! Smith over Suzuki is a bit of an upset, but always loved Smith, so very happy with that. 

[Autistic Dragon]

After so much talk of Maeda being the front man for UWF I thought for sure he'd be the first champion but Sayama wins it for Shooto.

[spaldoni]

I'll say this, Maeda and Sayama earned their way into the finals. Sayama was clicking on all cylinders in his win over Karelin. Maeda has some huge momentum with a submission win over Vader. 

A lot of pressure following the semis but Nakano overcomes it and gets a nice win

Tadeu will be someone to watch. I like the style he brings

Wilhelm tries to work the clock but Funaki doesn't give up and takes it. 

Wearing gloves pays off for Smith. He was hitting hard tonight 

The Russians go the distance and hopefully a rematch can settle things

Ruas has quietly racked up some impressive wins

Wow, yea big upset by Ogawa. He delivered Allen some bad news. 

It all comes down to Maeda and Sayama! Even after some earlier incredibly tough bouts, these guys put it all out there. Props to both on a tremendous finale. I thought for sure Maeda would take the title, but Sayama wins it. The Sayama story is great movie material. I'm looking forward to his reign. He deserved this. 

 

 

[Control21]

 

Quote

January 10^th, 1990

UWF U-COSMOS was a historical success for what is now arguably the leading promotion in Japan. The event drew a capacity crowd of 60,000 and broke all-time live gate records in Japan with a reported 3 million dollar gate. Tokyo Sports called it one of the best shows of the 1980s. Baseball Magazine said that UWF blew away all expectations with an innovative show that showcased pro-wrestling as a combat sport. Other magazines heaped praised on it, and it even made the nightly news on New Year’s Day. The feel-good story coming out of the show was Satoru Sayama’s amazing run through Aleksandr Karelin and Akira Maeda. The latter being the predicted favorite to win the tournament as the clear figurehead of the company. Many felt that Maeda would cement himself as the ace of the company heading into the new decade, but now that ace will be Satoru Sayama. Sayama, who left professional wrestling after the collapse of the first UWF and the infamous shoot incident against Akira Maeda, redeemed himself as one the “undisputed world wrestling champion.” Sayama had vanquished one of his real-life rivals from earlier in the decade. But perhaps it was redemption for Akira Maeda as well. Maeda, who had earned a reputation for being one of the “bad boys” of Japanese professional wrestling from his incidents with Sayama, Choshu, and Andre the Giant, seems to have established himself as a top professional now willing to put over people like Sayama. Sayama’s victory has established quite a narrative for both UWF and Sayama himself. The exile has returned and climbed to the top of the mountain. This sets up potentially a huge year for UWF in 1990, perhaps even bigger than 1989.

 Aleksandr Karelin, despite losing to Sayama in the semi-finals, looked quite impressive. Karelin has made it clear in interviews with Japanese and Soviet reporters that he doesn’t plan to leave and is here to stay. Karelin said that losing to Sayama only made his desire to become champion in Japan one day stronger. Vader, who lost to Akira Maeda in the other semi-final, sold a broken or damaged arm pretty well and exited the Tokyo Dome shortly after his match. He will likely appear in WCW and begin working there for the foreseeable future, but the hope is that he will be able to return to UWF down the line. He was quite impressed with the UWF style and has grown a fondness for it. He called his experience at UWF a “very important learning experience” in an interview with a Gong Magazine reporter shortly before he left Japan.

In other results, Shigeo Miyato fell short against Tatsuo Nakano, Eugenio Tadeu (a student of Marco Ruas) defeated Yoji Anjo, Masakatsu Funaki defeated Willy Wilhelm (a Dutch Judoka), Maurice Smith overcame Minoru Suzuki in a closely fought match, Volk Han drew with David Gobejishvili, Marco Ruas triumphed over Shota Chochivishili in a “Luta Livre vs Judo” match, and Naoya Ogawa made an impressive debut by scoring a huge upset win over Bad News Allen. More on Ogawa later, but Ogawa seemed to fit into the professional wrestling ring almost naturally.  The live broadcast on WOWOW was said to be top-notch with great production values. WOWOW has been very happy with UWF’s performance on its network and it has done good numbers to go along with their live boxing events. After the event, there was talk of making an annual U-COSMOS show at the Tokyo Dome every New Year’s Eve a tradition.

The good news doesn’t stop there for UWF. This week, Tatsumi Fujinami made what was becoming obvious official. Fujnami announced that he had signed a “long-term” contract with UWF Newborn starting January 1^st. The contract is believed to be at least five years in length. The news, although expected, is a huge blow to New Japan who had hoped to bring back Fujinami somehow but it wasn’t to be. Fujnami’s presence in UWF immediately elevates an already impressive roster to mainstream status. Fujinami was a student of Karl Gotch, and it is believed that Gotch’s influence and recommendation made him consider UWF quite heavily. Fujinami said that he was interested in the UWF style and that the emphasis on scientific wrestling and combat technique would push him to become a better wrestler. He said he has no hard feelings for Antonio Inoki and NJPW. He called Inoki his “eternal teacher” but that he believes UWF will provide a new path in his career. Fujinami is also expected to debut on the next UWF show later this month on January 28^th, which will take place in the Nippon Budokan. It is also believed that Naoya Ogawa has signed or will be signing a contract with UWF.

After his impressive debut against Bad News Allen in the Tokyo Dome, there seems to be a mutual interest to enter a long-term relationship. Both NJPW and ANJPW have recruited Ogawa quite hard over the past few weeks, and even with Ogawa committing to a match in the Tokyo Dome, they still pressed hard to secure his signature. The news will likely be less of a shock than Fujnami jumping to UWF as a lot of people within the industry expected Ogawa to land with UWF at the end of the day. Still, it must be another huge disappointment for Antonio Inoki especially, as NJPW’s business is steadily falling behind UWF and even AJPW on the backend of 1989.

There’s been some speculation about who Sayama will face as his first opponent. His first title defense will likely take place at the Budokan, and some have suggested Fujinami could be in line for an immediate title shot but Baseball Magazine featured an article earlier this week with some backstage comments from Sayama, where he said that he wanted to make a statement with his first title defense to truly prove he was a world champion. He said that he was impressed with Eugenio Tadeu’s debut and that he was someone Shooto had scouted before UWF contacted him in 1988. Shinji Jin agreed with Sayama that a match with an international flavor seemed fitting and that a Brazilian wrestler competing for a title in Japan would be a historic event for both Japanese and Brazilian wrestling. It is very interesting that UWF would give a title shot to a relatively unknown Brazilian, but perhaps this will help set up a match between Marco Ruas and Satoru Sayama down the line. There has been more speculation recently that UWF plans to hold an event in Brazil later this summer, and drumming up interest ahead of time would make a lot of sense.

Heading into 1990, UWF is the leading promotion in Japan in terms of live attendance, mostly on the strength of it the events at the Tokyo Dome and Osaka Baseball Stadium. The company has proven any remaining doubts about its viability wrong. With 12 consecutive sellouts, it appears that the wrestling industry in Japan is going to enter a new era heading into the new decade. With NJPW's attendance figures in steady decline, there is a belief that Antonio Inoki will either needed to shake things up massively or accept NJPW's new role as a secondary or even tretiary promotion in Japan. AJPW found more success in 1989, with a new generation of wrestlers steadily being prepared to lead the company in the coming decade. There is a growing belief that Mitsuharu Misawa, aka Tiger Mask II, will be separated from the Tiger Mask gimmick sometime this year. With Jumbo Tsuruta back touring in Japan, there have been hints that a feud between the two is brewing. Kenta Kobashi and Akira Taue also have been climbing the ranks and both have seen some major wins this year. Giant Baba's decision to part ways with his earlier booking style and implement a more athletic, physical house style appears to be paying dividends. It has allowed the promotion to embrace clean finishes and match UWF's in-ring quality while not deviating too much from their own brand. While NJPW has struggled to find a new successor to Inoki, Giant Baba may have found three, or even four, extremely talented wrestlers to elevate the promotion after a difficult 1988.

 

 

[Autistic Dragon]

UWF looks to take the lead role in Japanese wrestling in the new decade.

[kevinmcfl]

WOW.... such great work here.  I loved how the videos you found support the show and results.  Most of us just find a picture and add it but you had the video of Vader's arm injury.  

You have also mastered the match description from beginning to end.  I struggle to do more then the entrance and the finish but you give such detail to all your matches.

UWF is on a roll heading into the 90's.

[Control21]

Card Announcement: 

UWF Newborn – “UWF ’90 1st”

January 28^th, 1990

Tokyo, Japan

Nippon Budokan

Yusuke Fuke vs Masahito Kakihara

Manabu Yamada vs Yasuto Sekishima

Kiyoshi Tamura/Billy Scott vs Jerry Flynn/Erik Paulson

Naoki Sano vs Tatsuo Nakano

Shigeo Miyato vs Bob Backlund

Naoya Ogawa vs Grigory Verichev

Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Nobuhiko Takada

Akira Maeda vs Tatsumi Fujinami

Satoru Sayama vs Eugenio Tadeu

[Autistic Dragon]

UWF is roaring into the new year.

[Control21]

UWF Newborn – “UWF ’90 1st”

January 28^th, 1990

Tokyo, Japan

Nippon Budokan

Attendance: 14,500 (sold out)

Broadcast: WOWOW (live)

UWF kicks off 1990 in a sold out Budokan Hall. The WOWOW broadcast opens with the pre-show display of lights and fireworks, followed by the opening parade of wrestlers coming out to the ring with the UWF theme blasting in the background. Sayama, Maeda, Takada, and Fujinami all give some opening remarks to welcome the fans into the new year. Sayama hypes up his title match with Eugenio Tadeu while Fujinami says he is very happy to be with UWF and looks forward to proving why he is the strongest. The WOWOW commentators are hyped up for tonight and break down the match card. We are soon underway with the opening bell!

Yusuke Fuke vs Masahito Kakihara

An exciting opener saw Kakihara go full throttle against Fuke, and the young lion pressed his fellow constantly with hard strikes and quick movement on his feet. Fuke struggled to get Kakihara to the ground in the opening few minutes but found more after weathering the storm. Yuke did find himself down 2-0 early on points after Kakihara got two quick knockdowns in, but he worked his back into the match after forcing Kakihara to go for the ropes twice with better-timed takedowns, followed by solid matwork to get into positions for a submission. After a brief lull, Kakihara turned into a bundle of energy again and cornered Fuke again with some hard knees near the turnbuckle. With a 3-1 lead on points after another knockdown, Kakihara perhaps became a bit too overconfident. Yuke was allowed back into the match and managed to catch Kakihara with a couple of hard suplexes. Fuke continued to demonstrate superiority on the mat worked hard again to get another point, and forced Kakihara to go for a rope break after a double wristlock attempt. Back on their feet, Yuke caught Kakihara with a bridging Fisherman’s suplex for the pinfall attempt. 1…2…3!!! Despite Kakihara’s fierce determination, he was still quite young compared to the other young lions and perhaps the greenness allowed Fuke to secure the victory. Fuke defeats Kakihara via pinfall, 11:33

Manabu Yamada vs Yasuto Sekishima

Hoping to get an important win under his belt, Yamada seemed eager to tangle up with Sekishima and found some early success as he managed to catch his opponent with a couple of creative leg entries. Sekishima remained calm and his experience helped prevent Yamada from scoring a couple of rope breaks early on. Both wrestlers preferred to test each other on the mat, but at times they mixed in some great striking exchanges. The Shooto philosophy of fast striking mixed in with quick grappling and counterwork was on full display, with both being members of Sayama’s Shooto gym. After both managed to get rope breaks from each other, the match went into a period where it was tied at 1-1 on points. Yamada started to get some tough hits on his opponent, and Sekishima appeared rocked at one point as Yamada attempted to get an inverted guillotine locked in, but Yasuto managed to find a way to slither out somehow, impressing the crowd in the process. Back on his feet, Sekishima fired back with a flurry of sharp kicks and caught Yamada with a flying armbar. Sekishima quickly locked in the cross-armbreaker and Yamada had no choice but to tap in the center of the ring. Sekishima defeats Yamada via submission (cross-armbreaker), 10:19

Kiyoshi Tamura/Billy Scott vs Jerry Flynn/Erik Paulson

In a bit of a showcase for younger wrestlers, these two teams were both chomping at the bit to make a statement. The team of Tamura and Scott were quite dangerous on the mat, and Tamura in particular caused Flynn all sorts of problems when they locked up despite Flynn’s height. Jerry’s reach did help him avoid the worse though, and he eventually made things even after hitting Tamura with a couple of sharp low kicks. Tamura found his match when Paulson got tagged in, and he was able to meet Tamura’s quickness and speed on the mat. Paulson was adept at beating Tamura at his own game and caught him by surprise in the middle of his quick transitions with a snappy cross-armbreaker attempt. Tamura was able to reach the ropes for a rope break and quickly tagged in his partner. Scott was willing to go toe-to-toe with Paulson but Paulson’s experience was the key factor here and Scott had to exhaust a few rope breaks of his own in short order. Scott’s firey demeanor impressed the fans in the Budokan but he didn’t find much luck in his first go. With Tamura back in, he changed the momentum once again and was able to catch Paulson with a double-leg takedown and a kneebar attempt. Paulson had to go for a rope break before tagging Flynn back in. Flynn focused on striking with Tamura this time, doing his best to avoid going back down to the mat with a superior submission wrestler. Flynn was able to hook Tamura for an impressive German suplex and attempted a bridging pinfall, but Tamura kicked out at two. Seeking to press the advantage, Flynn immediately followed up with a jumping rolling kick which caught Tamura square in the head. Tamura had to beat the ten count and quickly tag his opponent back in. Scott was able to hold his own against Flynn and almost caught him with a single-leg Boston crab, but Flynn was able to tag in Paulson who reasserted control over the match. Scott eventually found himself going for the ropes again, and after exhausting two points, he had no choice but to tag in Tamura. After a short, but impressive exchange on the mat, Paulson was able to surprise Tamura with a well-executed D’Arce choke for the submission victory. Tamura was frustrated with the loss, and Paulson celebrated with one of the newest members of the UWF roster. Flynn & Paulson defeat Tamura & Scott, 15:27

Naoki Sano vs Tatsuo Nakano

Sano and Nakano had a scrappy contest which displayed the willpower and no-fear attitude in both wrestlers. Nakano took it to his opponent with a variety of stiff strikes while Sano answered back with some of his own. This defined the opening few minutes of the match until Nakano finally knocked down Sano with a palm strike combo. After getting back on his feet, Sano elected to try and take the match to the mat and Nakano was happy to oblige. The two battled to get a point off each other and it seemed like a stalemate with neither willing to give an inch. Sano was finally able to lock in a heel hook but Nakano quickly went to the ropes for a rope break. A few nice striking exchanges were mixed into what was increasingly becoming a more mat-based affair, and things settled at 2-2 on points after a back-and-forth battle with Nakano holding his own against someone who was probably just a bit quicker than he was. Down the stretch, Nakano and Sano elected to engage in another heated striking exchange, and this time Nakano got the better of Sano and scored the decisive knockdown after a really stiff palm strike that landed right on Sano’s nose. Sano wasn’t able to beat Ryogaku Wada’s ten count in time and Nakano celebrated a well-earned victory. Nakano defeats Sano via KO, 12:44

Shigeo Miyato vs Bob Backlund

Bob Backlund was a man on a mission and wasted no time in delivering a stern lesson to Miyato. It was unfortunate that Miyato was in the way of a seemingly pissed off Backlund, but those were the cards that he was dealt with. He did his best despite Backlund delivering a bevy of suplexes early on, and Backlund’s skills on the mat were unquestionably among the best in UWF. Miyato was no slouch when it came to skill either, but Backlund was just too good and too determined. Finding himself down 2-0 on points relatively quickly, Miyato tried catching Backlund with a combo of strikes, but Backlund fought through it and picked up Miyato again for a huge side suplex. Miyato had to dig deep to find his “fighting spirit” as Backlund continued to pressure him on the mat. Miyato was able to earn a brief reprieve after finding Backlund’s foot for a Gotch toe hold, but Backlund was able to escape and returned the favor with a heel hook. The crowd urged Miyato to get to the ropes, which he did. Unfortunately, Backlund just picked him up again for another big side suplex. Miyato didn’t get the chance to recover before Backlund pounced on him to lock in the Crossface Chicken Wing. Miyato did his best to escape but Backlund forced the tapout. After the match, Backlund walks over to the side of the ring where Billy Robinson is sitting. Backlund leans over the ropes and it sounds like he is demanding a title shot against Sayama! Robinson seems like he is a bit annoyed by Backlund’s attitude. Backlund defeats Miyato via submission (Crossface Chicken Wing), 9:39

Naoya Ogawa vs Grigory Verichev

Hot off his impressive debut against Bad News Allen last month, Ogawa was looking to further cement himself as the top new talent in UWF. Grigory Verichev, a fellow Judoka and 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, made his debut last year at UWF’s big event in the Soviet Union. Now he was facing someone he was familiar with from the international Judo circuit, and Ogawa presented a tough challenge despite his youth. Contested under normal UWF rules, both men opted to wear their usual Judo gis. Verichev’s size caused some issues for Ogawa early on, as he struggled to get Verichev off his feet. Verichev found more success on that front, tripped up Ogawa early on, and followed up by hunting for a quick cross-armbreaker on the mat. Ogawa was able to ward off the attempt after some struggle, but Verichev’s strength on the mat continued to present some issues as the Soviet Judoka continued to hold his dominant position on Ogawa. Ogawa knew he had to get back on his feet to find some momentum, and struggled to get out of his predicament. Verichev found another opening to apply a scarf choke, but Ogawa managed to get to the ropes to break the hold and force a reset. Ogawa lured Verichev in and managed to execute a Uchi-mata to the delight of the Budokan crowd. Ogawa returned the favor to Verichev by forcing a rope break of his own after a double wristlock attempt. The next few minutes saw both competitors exchange a variety of Judo throws as Verichev fought to control the flow of the match, but it appeared Ogawa’s throws were cleaner and more decisive as Ogawa’s techniques on this front had earned him world renown as a prodigy in Judo. Ogawa also had Verichev beat on the conditioning front and didn’t seem to tire as quickly as Verichev did. Sensing this, Ogawa took the match to the mat more often to tire out his opponent and kept the Soviet busy with some controlled and calculated matwork. In an impressive display of strength, Ogawa appeared to pull up Verichev by his gi-collar. Verichev attempted to use his remaining strength to execute a Uranage, but Ogawa once again demonstrated his strength in countering throws by hitting Verichev with an O-soto-gari. Sensing the end was near, Ogawa lifted Verichev again and finished off his opponent with the STO. Maybe Bad News Allen would be filing for gimmick infringement, but it appears Ogawa has decided to adopt the powerful finishing move as his own. With Verichev flat on the mat, Ogawa went for the pinfall and secured the victory. Ogawa defeats Verichev via pinfall, 13:47

Ogawa celebrates his victory while Verichev collects himself and exits the ring. It's a huge moment for the young Ogawa. With a victory over two accomplished Judokas, the young prodigy appears to be set for a huge rookie year. Who's next to stand in Ogawa's way? 

Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Nobuhiko Takada

After a disappointing exit in the U-COMOS Grand Prix at the hands of Super Vader, Takada was looking to re-establish momentum in the new year. The only problem with that was that Fujiwara would be standing on the opposite side of the ring. Of course, Fujiwara was also looking to establish some momentum in 1990 and wanted to possibly earn himself a title shot against his old rival at some point. Takada knew he had a tough task at hand and immediately went to work by delivering a series of sharp kicks to Fujiwara’s abdomen. Fujiwara immediately wrestled Takada into a turnbuckle and punched away at Takada’s stomach with closed fists. The two continued the heated start by pounding into each other and testing each other’s willpower. Fujiwara finally managed to drag down his opponent with a double wristlock and a more mat-based contest evolved, with Fujiwara looking to best Takada with calm but intent grappling. Takada had to utilize his best defense to avoid Fujiwara’s submissions. Takada was able to surprise Fujiwara with some nice counterwork but Fujiwara managed to get two rope breaks off Takada eventually, giving him a 1-0 lead on points. Takada answered back with a quick high kick that led to a knockdown, but Fujiwara beat the ten count from Motoyuki Kitazawa with confidence. Another great striking exchange was assured, with Fujiwara beginning to boss around Takada with a flurry of punches and low kicks aimed at Takada’s thighs. Fujiwara grabbed Takada for a great German suplex which he quickly transformed into a rear-naked choke attempt. Takada had to quickly get to the ropes to escape Fujiwara’s tight constraint around his neck. What became a 1-1 affair eventually turned into a match tied 2-2 on points after Fujiwara forced another rope break from Takada on the mat, and Takada answered back with a belly-to-belly suplex that led to a ten count. After the surge in energy from both, a more controlled mat exchange took place on the canvas and both refused to relent while doing their best to conserve their energy. The decisive moment in the match came when Fujiwara cornered Takada again near a turnbuckle and pounded on him, leading to consecutive knockdowns. On the second knockdown, Takada struggled to get up in time and barely just beat the ten count. After a defiant display from Takada, in which he slapped Fujiwara across the face a few times with palm strikes, Fujiwara put him away with another German suplex followed by a series of vicious headbutts. Takada was down for good this time after exhausting all of his points. Fujiwara defeats Takada via TKO, 17:11

Akira Maeda vs Tatsumi Fujinami

A defining moment in UWF history was set to take place as the former NJPW superstar and heir apparent to Antonio Inoki was set to make his debut in the promotion against a man who he had a bitter rivalry with a few years earlier in NJPW. Maeda was looking to make a statement with a victory tonight while Fujinami wanted to make it clear he was still the best wrestler in the world, pound-for-pound. Maeda and Fujinami made their respective entrances, and the Budokan was red hot as they awaited the opening bell to signal the start of the match. It seemed like a long wait, but once it did, Maeda and Fujinami immediately went to work. An opening mat exchange turned into a contested battle with Fujinami showing off his nifty submission skills, seemingly getting the best out of Maeda early on. It was apparent Maeda would become more frustrated, as he delivered several sharp kicks when he got the opportunity. Their connection to Fujinami’s shins and thighs was audible in the Budokan, drawing a reaction from the crowd. Chants for Maeda grew louder as the UWF icon began to press Fujinami in the stand-up, but Fujinami would not relent. Maeda’s kicks were less effective with Fujinami timing his leg checks and found success in taking down Maeda with a few leg takedowns. It was clear by this point that Fujinami was the better wrestler on the mat. Maeda was often on the defensive, working to prevent Fujinami from getting any rope breaks off him. The newcomer was adept at finding loose limbs though, and eventually managed to hook a sleeper hold on Maeda, which finally convinced Fujinami’s opponent to go for the ropes to force a break. It seemed like Fujinami was in control, dictating the pace of the match while Maeda continued to work to find a way through Fujinami’s impressive defense. Around the 15:00 mark, a breakthrough came when Maeda executed a great German suplex on Fujinami, which allowed Maeda to lock in a quick heel hook to force a rope break from Fujinami.

The match was tied 1-1 on points and both wrestlers wanted to pick up the pace a bit. Fujinami got a German suplex of his own and attempted a full Boston crab, but Maeda reversed it into a kneebar, which got the Budokan rocking as Fujinami was forced to go to the ropes again. Maeda found a bit more success on the mat during this stretch and took a 2-1 lead on points after another submission attempt forced his opponent to exhaust another rope break. Fujinami demonstrated that he wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with Maeda and landed a series of sharp palm strikes to force Maeda to back off a bit. Maeda attempted a rolling kick, but Fujinami got out of the way just in time as Maeda flew into the ropes in a bit of a picturesque moment for the Budokan crowd. The chants for Maeda only grew louder as he started to feel the pressure. Maeda launched a series of high kicks which knocked Fujinami off his feet. Soranaka went for the ten count but Fujinami got back up quickly. Now down 3-1 on points, Fujinami put the pedal to the metal so to speak, and changed the momentum of the match with incredible mat-based wrestling. Maeda was overwhelmed by Fujinami’s offense, and a series of rope breaks got Fujinami back into the match at 3-2. With only five more minutes to go, the crowd was fully engaged and the Budokan was probably in danger of having its roof blown off. Some more kicks from Maeda only met a stone-faced Fujinami who got behind his opponent for another suplex. This time Fujinami attempted the pinfall but Maeda kicked out! With only a minute to go, Fujinami was able to catch Maeda with a huge Dragon Suplex! Maeda, landing on his head, was dazed and a ten count was initiated. Both wrestlers settled for a controlled mat exchange as the rest of the time expired. At 30:00, the match went to a draw, and a decision was thrown to the judges with both tied 3-3 on points. As both men stood in the middle of the ring with Soranaka between them, the judges made their decision official. Judge 1….Akira Maeda! Judge 2….Tatsumi Fujinami!…. and Judge 3…..TATSUMI FUJINAMI! By split decision, Tatsumi Fujinami scored the massive upset on his debut and Maeda was left frustrated. But surely we will see these two meet again soon. Fujinami defeats Maeda via split decision, 30:00

Fujinami offers to shake hands with Maeda. Maeda does the right thing and agrees, but the handshake is short and Maeda seems determined to meet Fujinami again. There's a brief exchange of words, but it is professional. Fujinami has made a statement even if he didn't get a decisive victory tonight. Will he be in the title hunt soon?

Satoru Sayama vs Eugenio Tadeu

While Akira Maeda vs Tatsumi Fujinami was seen by many as the headlining match based on namepower alone, there was no question that the new UWF title was going to play second fiddle, especially with Sayama involved. While many were excited about the prospect of Sayama taking on a relatively unknown Brazilian martial artist as his first defense, there were some questions about whether or not Tadeu should have been granted a title shot in only his second appearance for UWF. Tadeu would need to give the fans their money’s worth and make a statement tonight. There was a lot of curiosity about the match to his credit, and the Budokan remained buzzing for this encounter. Right out of the gate, Tadeu looked very impressive and surprised the crowd with a mixture of Capoeira and Muay Thai striking, and Sayama looked a bit overwhelmed at first with the Brazilian’s offense. Tadeu nearly got an opening knockdown with an acrobatic spinning kick, but Sayama somehow managed to stay on his feet. Knowing he needed to go into third gear fast, Sayama took it back right at Tadeu with a nice jumping roundhouse, followed by a combination of high kicks. The Budokan was thrilled by the display of high-level striking and they immediately got behind Sayama with Tadeu proving himself to be a credible threat.  Things became even more urgent for them after Tadeu connected with a cartwheel kick that finally got Sayama off his feet. While the damage wasn’t serious, it was still enough to secure the first point of the match. Tadeu seemed to be enjoying himself and seemed thrilled with the challenge. Sayama connected with some more kicks and took down Tadeu with a flying armbar. Tadeu would cause a lot of problems on the mat as well with his dynamic grappling skills, and he was able to seamlessly transition from one limb to another to confuse his opponent. Sayama had to be on the top of his game to avoid an early submission.

Sayama was able to establish some control of the match after Tadeu exhausted his gas tank a bit, which allowed Sayama to use a more methodical but still pointed approach. He kept Tadeu busy by going for his legs and prevented him from getting back on his feet. After two kneebar attempts that led to two rope breaks, the score was tied at 1-1. Tadeu took the opportunity to showcase his striking skills again, but this time Sayama was ready. Tadeu attempted a spinning backfist, but Sayama ducked it and struck him with another roundhouse. Tadeu was down for the count for the first time in the match, and Sayama seemed quite pleased with himself. Tadeu beat the ten count and immediately locked with Sayama. Tadeu locked in a rolling guillotine choke, which seemed to catch Sayama in no man’s land. Sayama found a way to fight out surprisingly, and this got the entire Budokan chanting for Sayama as he fought from underneath to escape Tadeu’s mount. After some struggle, Sayama managed to surprise his opponent with a triangle choke. Tadeu felt his arm being extended and had to grab the nearby ropes almost immediately. After another striking exchange in which both wrestlers managed to land some clean hits, Sayama grabbed Tadeu for Tiger Suplex. Tadeu landed hard on the canvas and didn’t have time to recover before Sayama started kicking away at him. With Tadeu slowly getting back on his feet, Sayama launched him for another suplex, this time a German. Sayama’s opponent was more vulnerable than ever and the reigning undisputed world wrestling champion quickly secured the necessary hooks for a rear-naked choke. Despite an impressive performance, there was no escape for Tadeu this time. The hooks were getting deeper and the Brazilian Luta Livre fighter decided to tap out. Sayama jumped up on the nearest turnbuckle to celebrate his victory in front of a rapturous Budokan crowd. Sayama defeats Tadeu via submission (rear-naked choke), 15:24

Sayama celebrates his victory some more. Eugenio Tadeu meets with his cornermen, and the Brazilian and Shooto teams shake hands. Tadeu and Sayama do the same and they embrace each other for the well-fought match that will certainly be on early Match of the Year lists. Tadeu has made a name for himself in UWF, and he leaves the ring with his head held high. Sayama is awarded his belt by Lou Thesz and Billy Robinson, who meet him in the ring. Sayama poses for some photos as he gets a nice trophy to go along with it  The WOWOW commentators recap the great main event and the undercard. After a thorough breakdown of tonight's events, they announce that UWF Newborn will hold a special event in February. For the first time, UWF will be holding an event in Holland! On February 21st, the best from Japan, Holland, and around the world will meet for FREE FIGHT '90. The event will be broadcast on WOWOW as well! UWF will hold its next event in Japan on March 23rd, which will be at Osaka-jo Hall. The commentators sign off and we get the rolling credits set to Queen's "We Are The Champions" with highlights from tonight's event at the Budokan. 

 

[Autistic Dragon]

Fujinami makes huge waves by beating Maeda in a nail-biter.

Sayama cements his reign with his first successful defense.

UWF is poised to make history when it heads to Holland.

[spaldoni]

Sorry for the late response. I don't know how I missed this post. 

The UWF is on pace for an explosive 1990

Backlund is adding some intense fire by demanding a title shot. I would pay top dollar to see that. 

Ogawa is rapidly on the rise

Fujinami is back with a vengeance as he pulls off a gigantic win over Maeda. What a match! I'm sure the UWF is already counting the money for a rematch

Poor Sayama and the UWF title had to follow Fujinami and Maeda. Sayama's reign is off to a good start, but man does he have a lot of contenders waiting in line 

[kevinmcfl]

I know I am biased but I find myself rooting for the Americans as I read this as some of the names are unfamiliar to me.  That being said, I really could see Backlund and the Crossface Chicken Wing thriving in this style.  I am interested to see what comes of his wish for the title.

I liked how you explained that the Maeda/Fujinami bout was the real main event while the title bout played second fiddle.  Would the UWF always put the title match last even if it wasn't the real main event?  This could serve to bring value to the belt but also could anger certain wrestlers who knew they were the reason for the packed house.

[Control21]

6 hours ago, kevinmcfl said:

I know I am biased but I find myself rooting for the Americans as I read this as some of the names are unfamiliar to me.  That being said, I really could see Backlund and the Crossface Chicken Wing thriving in this style.  I am interested to see what comes of his wish for the title.

I liked how you explained that the Maeda/Fujinami bout was the real main event while the title bout played second fiddle.  Would the UWF always put the title match last even if it wasn't the real main event?  This could serve to bring value to the belt but also could anger certain wrestlers who knew they were the reason for the packed house.

UWF Newborn never had a title in real life, so it is hard to say. UWFi had Lou Thesz's title (which is the angle I have borrowed) and it headlined every show it was defended on. The thinking here was that while Maeda/Fujinami was a major attraction, there was an equal amount of buzz (for different reasons) around Sayama defending the title against a legit shooter from Brazil. I guess I was trying to convey the uncertainty of a defense against such an unknown in the shadow of a Maeda/Fujinami match.