Fighting Network RINGS

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Owner: Akira Maeda

Commentators: Kenichi Takayanagi, Hideyuki Kumakubo, Shigesato Itoi

Referees: Ryogaku Wada, Yuji Shimada, Motoyuki Kitazawa

Ring announcer: Nobuyuki Furuta, Lenne Hardt

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Fighting Network RINGS, established in 1991, is the promotion founded by Akira Maeda after the collapse of UWF Newborn in 1990. Other UWF stars founded their own promotions as well and took most of the talent with them. Maeda was the most isolated of the group and started from scratch. He only had himself and one promising UWF trainee named Mitsuya Nagai. This was perhaps a blessing in disguise for Maeda as he had to use his old contacts in Holland to help build a roster for the promotion's first few shows. This international flavor quickly grew, as Maeda also ventured to Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to find new talent in the wake of political upheaval in the region. In time, RINGS would develop a unique identity in the 1990s, becoming known as a shoot-style promotion that billed itself as "real fighting." This wasn't any different from UWF Newborn, but the use of international talent who had legit backgrounds in various combat sports gave it more legitimacy. WOWOW, Japan's HBO equivalent, would air RINGS shows from 1991 onwards, treating their shows as boxing-esque special events. RINGS was somewhat of a pioneer, using fancy video game-style graphics to serve as match introductions along with high production values to give fans a "big fight feel" on almost every show. While RINGS was not a top drawing promotion in the 1990s, they did carve out a unique spot for themselves in the professional wrestling landscape and often drew more than 10,000+ fans to their big "Mega Battle Tournament" show every January at Budokan Hall. By 1996, RINGS was reaching its zenith and had become known for its high-level grappling, state-of-the-art wrestlers, and a growing mix of both worked matches and shoots to add more flavor to their shows. This was out of necessity as MMA organizations such as UFC, Pancrase, and even Shooto were growing in popularity. RINGS was still a "professional wrestling" promotion though, and it would not transition into full MMA until late 1999 after PRIDE's growing strength forced its hand. For now, as RINGS enters August 1996, a shifting professional wrestling landscape is presenting some very unique opportunities for Akira Maeda. Perhaps this will make RINGS more resilient in the long run, as the tides of shoot-style retreat thanks to the growing presence of MMA across the globe. Can Akira Maeda forge a path for RINGS and retain its unique identity?

 

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Fighting Network RINGS ruleset:

• Matches can end in a submission, KO, 10-count KO, TKO, referee stoppage, doctor stoppage, or judges' decision
• Each wrestler has 10 "points" that can be deducted. A loss of all 10 points ends in a TKO. 
• 30-minute time-limit for all matches, except for RINGS' round system, which is 5 rounds for 3 minutes each.
• Points are deducted when a wrestler uses a rope break or gets knocked down. Rope breaks result in a 1-point deduction, knockdowns result in two points being deducted.
• Yellow cards and red cards can be used by the referee in any given match. Yellow cards serve as a "caution" and result in a point deduction. Red cards serve as a "warning" and result in two points being deducted.  Three red cards results in an automatic disqualification. 
• In the case time expires, the wrestler with the fewest points deducted will be declared the winner.
• If there is no point difference at time expiration, the decision will go to a judge panel.
• Fist strikes to the face are prohibited but are allowed for anything below the face except for the groin. Palm strikes are allowed except for the groin area. Knee strikes are allowed. Headbutts are prohibited above the neck area. All kicking techniques are allowed. Hitting a downed opponent is prohibited. An opponent is considered downed when both knees or hands are touching the mat. All joint techniques are allowed except for knuckle techniques. "Soccer kicks" are prohibited, even if the opponent is not fully downed. Grabbing or hitting the groin area is prohibited. All strangulation and throwing techniques are allowed. 
• Tag team matches will be sanctioned starting August 1996. Under RINGS rules, tag team matches will be 20 minutes with five points for each wrestler instead of 10. Matches will be in an elimination format, meaning if one wrestler is eliminated, the team can still win if the remaining wrestler eliminates the other two opponents, or a single opponent if an elimination for the other side has already occurred. 
• Vale Tudo rules are also sanctioned occasionally, with the same rules applying as above, but in these matches, opponents can choose to wear gloves. If they wear gloves, closed fists to the face are allowed. If no gloves are being worn, closed fits to the face are still prohibited. 

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Official RINGS Roster:

Akira Maeda (President and currently active as a wrestler, RINGS Japan)

Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS Japan)

Yoshihisa Yamamoto (RINGS Japan)

Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (RINGS Japan)

Mitsuya Nagai (RINGS Japan)

Masayuki Naruse (RINGS Japan)

Wataru Sakata (RINGS Japan)

Kazushi Sakuraba (RINGS Japan)

Yoshihiro Takayama (RINGS Japan)

Hiromitsu Kanehara (RINGS Japan)

Kenichi Yamamoto (RINGS Japan)

Sanae Kikuta (RINGS Japan)

Naoyuki Taira (RINGS Japan)

Kazuyuki Fujita (RINGS Japan)

Rumina Sato (SHOOTO)

Caol Uno (SHOOTO)

Hyato Sakurai (SHOOTO)

Akihiro Gono (SHOOTO)

Volk Han (RINGS Russia)

Andrei Kopylov (RINGS Russia)

Nikolai Zouev (RINGS Russia)

Mikhail Ilyukhin (RINGS Russia)

Grom Zaza (RINGS Georgia)

Bitsadze Tariel (RINGS Georgia)

Bitsadze Ameran (RINGS Georgia)

Todor Todorov (RINGS Bulgaria)

Dick Vrij (RINGS Holland)

Willie Peeters (RINGS Holland)

Hans Nyman (RINGS Holland)

Semmy Schilt (RINGS Holland)

Joop Kasteel (RINGS Holland)

Valentijn Overeem (RINGS Holland)

Egan Inoue (RINGS USA)

Maurice Smith (RINGS USA)

Frank Shamrock (RINGS USA)

Kevin Randleman (RINGS USA)

Carlos Newton (RINGS Free)

Christopher Haseman (RINGS Australia)

Ricardo Morais (RINGS Brazil)

Adilson Lima (RINGS Brazil)

Wanderlei Silva (RINGS Brazil)

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Wrestling "News and Notes" Newsletter

8/8/1996

RINGS:

• Some more details on the recent signings of Akihiro Gono, Rumina Sato, Hayato Sakurai, and Caol Uno. RINGS will apparently still bill them as "Shooto" instead of RINGS Japan. What this means is unclear as RINGS traditionally bills full-time wrestlers as part of their respective country's "fighting network." They could still be working for Shooto on the side while spending most of their time in RINGS, but sources in Japan expect this is just a choice of presentation for now. In any case, expect all four guys to make their debut next month...
• Tokyo Sports is speculating that RINGS will be joining the pursuit of Yoshihiro Takayama and that they are the favorites to land him. Nothing is confirmed at the moment, but Takayama is certainly one of the hottest free agents in Japan. The report also says that Maeda has held talks with Kazushi Sakuraba and that discussions are going well. RINGS will instantly become even more of a must-see promotion if those two names join anytime soon...
• Kazuyuki Fujita is currently deciding whether to join RINGS or NJPW. Inoki had initially recruited Fujita in 1993 but his start date with New Japan was delayed as he finished up his amateur wrestling career. Akira Maeda has made a strong push in the past few weeks, so that's another name to keep an eye on...
• Some matches have been confirmed for RINGS' next show on 8/24. The full card will be announced next week it seems, but the currently confirmed matches include Volk Han vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in a rematch from last month's indecisive first encounter (Volk Han accidently KO'd Kohsaka with a knee to the head), and Kiyoshi Tamura vs Maurice Smith. Maurice Smith is still signed to do some UFC fights, but the rumor is that he will be joining RINGS full-time...

 

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Wrestling "News and Notes" Newsletter

8/14/1996

RINGS:

• Tokyo Sports is reporting Akira Maeda met with Yoshihiro Takayama over the weekend and convinced him to sign with RINGS. There is already speculation he will be on the 8/24 show. Needless to say, this news is making waves as Giant Baba also met with Takayama last week and many expected Takayama to sign with AJPW, but it appears Maeda has won this war, and going head-to-head with a blue blood promotion in a recruiting battle and coming out on top is earning Maeda praise...
• The same report mentions that Sakuraba hasn't signed anything yet with RINGS, but that he is leaning towards signing with them as well. That would be another "huge" get for Maeda. Sakuraba is also speaking with some about potentially launching his own promotion, and appears to be keeping his options opne for now...
• RINGS' recruiting efforts are expanding elsewhere as well. According to another report in Japan, Frank Shamrock and Semmy Schilt might make the jump to RINGS from Pancrase. Schilt made his debut in Pancrase earlier this year and has connections to Chris Dolman and other RINGS Holland guys. Frank Shamrock is reportedly not happy with the matchmaking in Pancrase and sees opportunities to have better matches and fights in RINGS...
• We should find out about the full RINGS card for 8/24 soon, but other rumors in Japan suggest that Egan Inoue will be making his debut, and two Brazilian Vale Tudo fighters will be appearing as well. Egan Inoue has been previously scouted by RINGS in the Lumax Cup earlier this year and had a impressive showing...

 

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Card Announcement:

Fighting Network RINGS - "Maelstrom VI"

August 24th, 1996

Ariake Coliseum

Tokyo, Japan

Willie Peeters vs Wataru Sakata

Masayuki Naruse vs Egan Inoue

Bitsadze Tariel vs Yoshihiro Takayama

Mitsuya Nagai vs Dick Vrij

Kiyoshi Tamura vs Maurice Smith

Adilson Lima vs Mikhail Ilyukhin

Volk Han vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka

Yoshihisa Yamamoto vs Ricardo Morais

 

[MLB]

Solid lineup, I know maybe half of these names. Vrij's a badass. Maurice vs. Tamura seems like an important match, interested to see how that plays out. Takayama vs. Volk Han is an inevitable war on the horizon.

Are there any championships at stake in the promotion? Is RINGS more of a shoot than Battlarts? 

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6 hours ago, MLB said:

Solid lineup, I know maybe half of these names. Vrij's a badass. Maurice vs. Tamura seems like an important match, interested to see how that plays out. Takayama vs. Volk Han is an inevitable war on the horizon.

Are there any championships at stake in the promotion? Is RINGS more of a shoot than Battlarts? 

At this stage, RINGS doesn't have any championships outside of the Mega Battle Tournament winner, who was more or less considered the top guy in RINGS for the year. In 1998, the winner of that tournament (Tamura) was awarded the RINGS Openweight Title, which was then defended off and on. I plan on introducing some titles a bit earlier, but I'm still hammering out the way I want to go about it.

RINGS in 1996 was about 70-80% worked matches, with the rest being shoots or worked shoots like Tamura vs Yamamoto in December 1996. I don't think BattlArts had that many shoots, especially in 1996. I'd say it is safe to imagine my matches being worked unless I indicate otherwise. 

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Fighting Network RINGS - "Maelstrom VI"

August 24th, 1996

Ariake Coliseum

Tokyo, Japan

Attendance: 9,236

The Fighting Network RINGS theme plays (without the lyrics!) as customary, with each competitor being introduced individually. Large cheers for the usual suspects, including Volk Han, Kiyoshi Tamura, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, and Yoshihisa Yamamoto. There's a big pop for the new guy, Yoshihiro Takayama, as well. Akira Maeda welcomes everyone and thanks the fans for coming. He says tonight will be a great event and will feature the debut of Brazilian fighters in RINGS. He also introduces the audience to Yoshihiro Takayama. Takayama is handed the microphone and says that he is glad to be here and is eager to prove himself in RINGS. He promises that he will be the #1 wrestler in RINGS in the future. Before the proceedings start, the WOWOW broadcast gives the RINGS rankings for August: 1) Volk Han 2) Yoshihisa Yamamoto 3) Nikolai Zouev 4) Bitsadze Tariel 5) Andrei Kopylov 6) Mitsuya Nagai 7)Tsuyoshi Kohsaka 8) Mikhail Ilyukhin 9) Dick Vrij 10) Masayuki Naruse

Willie Peeters vs Wataru Sakata

A somewhat spirited affair. Sakata comes out firing against Peeters, but Peeters shows the younger Sakata how to dance as the minutes pass. Peeters constantly applies pressure on Sakata, proving to be the more proficient grappler in this match by making Sakata scramble to the ropes several times. Sakata appears to have a chance against Peeters in the striking game, knocking down the Dutchman once, but Peeters punishes Sakata with his patented stiff palms strikes. The match features more grappling as we move into the 12:00 mark and Peeters continues to give Sakata fits. The score stands at 8-2 in favor of Willie Peeters when he locks in a north-south choke for the victory. Peeters defeats Sakata via submission (north-south choke), 17:42

Masayuki Naruse vs Egan Inoue

Another pretty exciting match that sees Egan Inoue giving Naruse fits from the start. Egan Inoue is the better grappler, but Naruse does find his rhythm and prevents Inoue from doing any serious damage at the start. They both end up scrambling for a few rope breaks and the score remains at 2-2 for a while until they start engaging in a pretty fierce striking battle, with both throwing a lot of stiff palm strikes. Naruse knocks down Inoue with one of these strikes, and this gets Inoue going again as he manages to find Naruse in a clinch and brings him down for a rear-naked choke that ends the match in a submission. Inoue defeats Naruse via submission (rear-naked choke), 11:21

Bitsadze Tariel vs Yoshihiro Takayama

Takayama is welcomed into RINGS by a loud ovation from the fans in Ariake Coliseum, and Bitsadze Tariel looks to present a formidable challenge to the newcomer. The first several minutes of this match feature mainly striking, with Takayama showing off his power against Tariel’s strength. Tariel’s kicks give Takayama some trouble, but he fires back with his own and manages to clinch with Tariel, scoring a few knees to the abdomen for his first knockdown. Tariel quickly gets up and soon returns the favor with a powerful right kick to Takayama’s kidney. The story continues for most of the match, with it remaining even and each scoring two more knockdowns. As they begin to seriously test each other’s grappling strength around the 11:00 mark, Takayama emerges as the more competent of the two and manages to snag a guillotine choke on Tariel for the submission victory! The crowd erupts with excitement as Takayama wins on his debut over a strong RINGS heavyweight wrestler. Takayama defeats Tariel via submission (guillotine choke), 12:19

Mitsuya Nagai vs Dick Vrij

Dick Vrij comes out swinging against Nagai and appears to have Nagai on the ropes several times with several hard strikes resulting in three knockdowns by the 3:40 mark. Nagai tries to get Vrij on the canvas, knowing that he is a better grappler than Vrij. Vrij plays good defense, and manages to score on another knockdown on Nagai! But in the last minute, Nagai comes roaring back and catches Vrij by surprise with a double-leg takedown. Nagai takes the initiative and locks in a kneebar as Vrij struggles to break free. He has no choice but to tap! Nagai gets the surprising victory to the delight of the fans as his old mentor Maeda, dressed in a fine red jacket at ringside, looks on approvingly. Nagai defeats Vrij via submission (kneebar), 6:42

Kiyoshi Tamura vs Maurice Smith

A very evenly contested bout. Maurice Smith opts not to use any gloves as he has in some of his previous matches in RINGS, and this may allow him to challenge Tamura on the canvas. The two open the match with some tentative striking, with Smith testing Tamura with some sharp kicks aimed at Tamura’s legs. Tamura returns the favor, showing he is a dangerous kicker too. Tamura soon tries for the double-leg takedown after Maurice Smith aims too high with a knee. Smith controls Tamura at first, keeping him in a half-mount and making Tamura exert energy to try and counter Smith on the canvas. Smith attempts to work his way into a rear-naked choke on Tamura, but Tamura has excellent defense and avoids the attempt. Neither can find the advantage on the canvas, so they opt for the stand-up again and Tamura brings some more fire here, working in some combos with palm strikes to keep Maurice Smith moving. Smith uses his kickboxing experience to land a few hits on Tamura as well, but neither is in danger of being knocked down. At around the 8:00 mark, Tamura makes Smith scramble for the ropes as he nears locking in a leglock attempt. Smith opts to take the match to the canvas, but as Tamura grows into the match, so does his danger. After Tamura and Smith trade control, with Smith keeping Tamura busy with some counter sweeps, Tamura seizes the initiative and manages to exploit an opening by getting a cross-armbreaker on Smith. Smith tries to find the ropes, but is some distance away and is forced to tap. The crowd erupts in joy over Tamura’s fine victory over a very capable opponent. Tamura defeats Smith via submission (cross-armbreaker), 10:31

Adilson Lima vs Mikhail Ilyukhin

Adilson Lima is the first Brazilian to debut in RINGS and has a formidable opponent in Mikhail Ilyukhin. On paper, this is an interesting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu vs SAMBO match. In reality, the match is mostly a cautious affair with Adilson not doing anything too risky while Ilyukhin doesn’t commit fully either. Adilson is happy to trade some tepid strikes with Ilyukhin and the two measure each other out for the first few minutes. When they get to the canvas, Lima is more calculated, keeping Ilyukhin from doing anything too dangerous. Lima uses a smart vertical four-quarter hold and keeps Ilyukhin pinned. Ilyukhin struggles to break the hold but eventually manages to roll over to the nearest set of ropes to force a break. With the two standing back up, Ilyukhin tries to take the initiative but Lima proves to be too adept and avoids several takedown attempts. By the 15:00 mark, the match is 4-1 in favor of Lima as he manages to get Ilyukhin to scramble to the ropes several times while he looks for a submission hold. The last few minutes see the match pick up a bit as Ilyukhin gets Lima to the mat and gets the opportunity to look for a Keylock, but Lima fights through it and sweeps Ilyukhin, getting the advantageous position and uses his side control to grab Ilyukhin’s arm for a cross-armbreaker. Lima immediately locks it in and Ilyukhin taps. Adilson celebrates the victory while Ilyukhin holds his face in frustration. Lima defeats Ilyukhin via submission (cross-armbreaker), 17:37

Volk Han vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka

Following up from their exciting match in July, this proves to be a grappling masterclass by both. Volk Han is up to his usual tricks at the beginning of the match when he gets wrist control on Kohsaka and spins him around with a creative wrist lock. Kohsaka finds himself on the mat but uses his wit to wrap his legs around Han’s and grabs a quick leg-lock, bringing Han down with him. Han, of course, finds his own leg to lock into and we see an early exchange in the art of leg-locking techniques. Kohsaka finds himself in trouble but rolls himself to the ropes and we get an early clean break. Both Han and Kohsaka show off their fancy striking abilities, with Kohsaka perhaps showing better palm strikes of the two. Kohsaka takes down Han with a double-leg takedown but Han reverses in due course and attempts to get a cross-armbreaker on Kohsaka, but Kohsaka slips out of it, only to find Han snatching onto his leg again. We see another calm exchange in leg-locking techniques. Kohsaka grows bolder and eventually finds a way to confuse Han while working on top, spinning around to snatch in a cross-armbreaker, which forces Han to tap the ropes with his legs. Kohsaka goes 1-0 up and grows into the match, giving Han some headaches as the two continue to show off some tremendous grappling skills.

 By the 10:00 mark, the two are even at 2-2 as each uses a rope break a few more times. Kohsaka and Han find themselves back up and they exchange a few strikes before Han brings Kohsaka back down to the canvas. Kohsaka works to find Han’s back for a rear-naked choke but Han escapes with a rope break. As they resume, Han gains wrist control and does a beautiful joint-lock armbar takedown, which leads to a double-wrist-lock, and Han smartly traps both of Kohsaka’s legs with his own. Kohsaka calmly finds a way out though and gets a rope break and the two are tied at 3-3 at the 12:30 mark. Han fires back with some stiff palm strikes and goes for another double-wrist-lock takedown, but Kohsaka finds his way to side control and works into a triangle armbar position, but Han rolls to the ropes and gets another rope break. 4-3 Kohsaka as we head into the final stretch where Kohsaka gets Han into a rolling single-leg takedown where he attempts a knee crusher, but Han has great awareness and somehow snags Kohsaka’s arm for the armbar! Kohsaka taps! The crowd roars in approval of the great display of grappling and counterwork. Volk Han pulls another rabbit out of his hat. Han defeats Kohsaka via submission (cross-armbreaker), 13:39

Yoshihisa Yamamoto vs Ricardo Morais

Ricardo Morais, standing at 6’8, poses a towering figure even against Yamamoto, who is 6’3. The muscular frame of Morais looks to be unstoppable, and Yamamoto’s hope seems to lay in the fact that this is a RINGS rules match, which will put both competitors on an even playing field. Yamamoto immediately tries to grapple with Morais, attempting a double-leg takedown, but Morais’ strength proves to be too much and he guards easily against the attempt. Morais hooks his arm around Yamamoto’s neck and drags him back up as Yamamoto tries to push away. Morais doesn’t let go, and lands a few hard knee strikes against Yamamoto’s abdomen, causing the rising RINGS star to fall to the canvas for Morais’ first knockdown. Yuji Shimada begins the count and Yamamoto manages to get back up relatively quickly, but the theme continues through the match as Morais bosses Yamamoto with his pure strength and striking ability, showing that even his palm strikes are dangerous. Yamamoto appears to struggle every time he tries to close the distance against Morais, getting knocked down three more times by the 5:00 mark. Morais even shows off his kicking ability, using his powerful legs to cut down his opponent at any opportunity. This is unfortunately a complete mismatch as Yamamoto tries to bravely fight back with some furious palm strikes, but Morais counters with a nice combo and delivers a sharp blow that knocks out Yoshihisa Yamamoto for good. Shimada calls for the bell as an audible gasp fills the Ariake Coliseum. Morais celebrates with his cornermen as several other RINGS Japan wrestlers attend to Yamamoto, who appears to be shellshocked. Morais defeats Yamamoto via KO, 5:49

The fans in Ariake Coliseum continue to take in what they just witnessed, as Ricardo Morais works his way back to the locker room. There will be no celebration or words of victory from Yamamoto tonight. The RINGS commentary team breaks down tonight's events for the WOWOW audience and promotes the annual RINGS Mega Battle Tournament, which will start in October. The WOWOW broadcast signs off with the end titles theme to "Apollo 13" as the credits roll.

[Mr JMML]

If the Volk Han vs Kohsaka rivalry is half as good as it was in real life we got something special on our hands.

[Mr JMML]

 

I never thought a shitty grapplefuck could be this fun.

[MLB]

Good to see Peeters pretty much dominate and get a W, I'm a fan. Maurice taking the gloves off was a nice touch against the great Tamura. Can Volk be beaten? I've shown some of Volk's stuff to casual fans in the past and they instantly got it!

It's very cool we're all in our own wheelhouse with this 1996 project. The vivid details you wrote reflects your deep appreciation for the style. Definitely something for everybody!

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Wrestling "News and Notes" Newsletter

8/29/1996

RINGS:

• RINGS' August 24th show drew an audience of 9,236 at Ariake Coliseum. Live reports suggest that this was a solid show overall. Yoshihiro Takayama made his debut as expected and got a win over Bitsadze Tariel, who is seen as an upper-card guy. This suggests that RINGS has big plans for Takayama. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Maurice Smith and Volk Han vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka were the best matches according to live reports, with Han vs Kohsaka being rated as a five-star match by some. Tamura vs Smith wasn't as flashy, but the technical level was said to be very good. Morais vs Yamamoto was described as a squash, although Yamamoto did put up some resistance at least. Morais is a Vale Tudo fighter so some saw it as a surprise that he fought under traditional RINGS rules. Perhaps this indicates Morais will stick around as a "monster heel" for another guy to vanquish down the line. Yamamoto is the obvious candidate for this role as he has been pushed as a top guy since Akira Maeda's injury and has been seen as the heir apparent since his match with Rickson Gracie at Vale Tudo Japan '94...

 

•  Another match noted in the live reports was Ilyukhin vs Adilson Lima, which some saw as a shoot, or at least a worked shoot. It appears that RINGS is continuing to blur the lines between a work and a shoot, and shoots may become more common in RINGS, especially at the top half of the card. Akira Maeda returns from injury later this year, and it will be interesting to see whether or not RINGS continues down this path as Maeda has not been known to work shoots and such a decision would be questionable considering Maeda's age and injuries...

 

• Tokyo Sports reported this week that Kazushi Sakuraba is signing with RINGS and that he will make his debut next month. Nothing has been officially confirmed, but this matches up with the current rumors in Japan. Sakuraba joining RINGS would be another big statement from Akira Maeda...

 

• Tokyo Sports is also reporting that Frank Shamrock and Semmy Schilt are set to make their debut next month as well. The next "major" RINGS show is scheduled for September 26th. RINGS is also promoting a Korakuen Hall show for September 12th. The debuts of RINGS' Shooto signings are being promoted, along with Kazuyuki Fujita and Sanae Kikuta.  Wanderlei Silva and Kevin Randleman are also booked for the card. Randleman is a former NCAA wrestling champion who started a Vale Tudo career earlier this year. Silva is seen as more of an unknown, but some Vale Tudo observers have described him as a killer...

 

• Speaking of RINGS shows, RINGS confirmed the yearly Mega Battle tournament will start in October as expected. It will be interesting to see how this tournament shapes out with all the new signings...

 

[Autistic Dragon]

You really do a great job breaking down this more MMA inspired matches. Really appreciate it as someone who's never watched a lot of MMA.

[jeff5819]

This is all new to me but the detail you put into your shows really helps me understand things and looking forward to see where everything goes 

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Fighting Network RINGS - "Korakuen League I"

September 12th, 1996

Korakuen Hall

Tokyo, Japan

Attendance: 1,525

After the wrestlers are introduced one by one to the RINGS theme, Maeda takes the microphone and thanks the fans for coming, promising a great event. Maeda says that the fans will see hard-hitting action and some new elements added to RINGS. 

Kazuyuki Fujita vs Sanae Kikuta

The two debutants quickly get to work as Fujita attempts to use his strength and power to keep Kikuta on the canvas. Kikuta, of course, is quite comfortable grappling, even with someone with Fujita’s size and strength. While Fujita is a good amateur wrestler and knows how to keep someone grounded while making them work to escape from his clutches, Kikuta is a world-class judoka and grappler and doesn’t have much trouble going to work against Fujita. Both are still a bit raw in terms of technical development, but Kikuta grows into the match a bit easier. Fujita eventually has his hands full with Kikuta’s counterwork and ability to find limbs regardless of positioning. By the 11:00 mark, the match is 4-2 in Kikuta’s favor, with both using rope breaks exclusively. Kikuta gets a single-leg takedown on Fujita and snags a heel hook for the victory. Kikuta defeats Fujita via submission (heel hook), 12:04

Caol Uno vs Hayato Sakurai

Uno and Sakurai are both promising talents from SHOOTO and despite their age (both being 21), they demonstrate why they are both considered grappling prodigies with some lightning-quick grappling and counterwork to open the match. Uno hunts for Sakurai’s limbs like a U-boat hunting for cargo in the North Atlantic. Sakurai has some great defense though and keeps Uno moving, perhaps trying to get his opponent to exhaust his energy early. They both have to use rope breaks by the 4:00 mark and the crowd cheers as they test each other on the stand-up. Uno’s palm strikes are snappier, but Sakurai gets some good combos which sends Uno to the canvas for the first knockdown of the match. The match remains highly energetic throughout, and the finish comes at the 15:00 mark as Sakurai holds the advantage at 4-3. The two grapple with Uno seeking to get the advantageous position on Sakurai, but Sakurai finds Uno with a triangle choke in the center of the ring for the submission victory. Sakurai defeats Uno via submission (triangle choke), 15:21

Akihiro Gono vs Naoyuki Taira

Gono, another prodigy from SHOOTO, faces up to Naoyuki Taira, who has made a name for himself as a shootboxer and a wrestler in recent years, including RINGS in the early 1990s. Taira is a bit older than Gono, and his experience shows as he keeps an impressive Gono from doing anything too dangerous despite his natural grappling abilities. Of course, Taira’s nickname, “Baki the Grappler,” isn’t just for show. Taira scrambles quite effectively against a quick but focused Gono. Taira’s defense pays off as he gets Gono back in the stand-up, which is arguably right where Taira wants him. Taira’s kicks prove tough to handle, and Taira scores two knockdowns relatively early on the SHOOTO talent. As Taira holds a 4-0 lead at around the 6:00 mark, Gono begins to work his way back into the match as the two resume their flashy grappling on the canvas. Gono gets a few rope breaks in his favor and he climbs his way back into the match, making it 4-2 at the 10:00 mark. The rest of the match is quite testy for both, as Gono continues to demonstrate some good offense, but Taira’s striking ability comes back into play as he knocks down Gono again. Taira follows it up soon afterwards with a match-ending KO which sees him landing a sharp roundhouse kick right into Gono’s cranium. Gono tries to get up by the count of 10 but is on another planet as he stumbles around. Taira scores his first victory in RINGS since 1992. Taira defeats Gono via KO, 15:55

Kevin Randleman vs Wanderlei Silva

Randleman and Silva both arrive from the world of Vale Tudo in Brazil. Randleman, a former two-time NCAA wrestling champion, has built a reputation as a very gifted athlete who is also a great technician. Wanderlei Silva, on the other hand, has been scouted for his incredible striking skills and menacing physique. From the start, this is a hard-hitting match as you would expect. While the two aren’t using Vale Tudo gloves, they both throw incredibly stiff palm strikes which sends the Korakuen crowd into a frenzy. Randleman clinches with Silva, attempting to find an opening to unleash his patented suplexes. Silva has great clinch defense though, and demonstrates the power of his knees by launching them sharply into Randleman’s abdomen. Randleman somehow stays on his feet and fires back with more palm strikes. Silva is on the backfoot now, and Randleman seizes the initiative by going for a double-leg takedown. Randleman uses his strength to lift Silva from his legs and spins around for a spinebuster-esque maneuver. Korakuen Hall pops for the display from Randleman, and the former collegiate star quickly gets a full mount on Silva. Randleman smartly realizes this isn’t Vale Tudo, and doesn’t risk losing any points by punching Silva in the face, but he does use his fists to punch Silva’s sides, which causes Silva to loosen up his guard. This enables Randleman to go for a katagatame, and Silva feels the pressure enough to go for the match’s first rope escape at the 5:00 mark.

The match continues to be quite exciting, with Silva growing into the match and proving his deadly striking abilities by knocking down Randleman twice in the next four minutes. Randleman, in return, showcases his suplexing ability by getting Silva in a belly-to-back suplex, which again sees Randleman go for a submission. Silva again scrambles for the ropes, making the match 4-2 in Silva’s favor. Randleman gets his first knockdown in due course by hitting Silva with a modified version of the Karelin Lift, and this sees Silva get dumped on his head! Silva stumbles around and the referee begins a ten count, but Silva gets up in time. At the 17:00 mark, the match reaches its climax when Silva and Randleman engage in another striking battle. Silva hits Randleman with a palm strike combo and uses an opportunity to hit Randleman with a jumping knee! Randleman collapses to the canvas and is out cold. Ryugoku Wada calls for the bell immediately and Silva wins via KO! The crowd gives a nice standing ovation for both as Silva attends to his fallen opponent to make sure he is alright. Afterward, they shake hands and raise each other’s arms for the approving crowd in Korakuen Hall. Silva defeats Randleman via KO, 17:22

Rumina Sato vs Carlos Newton

The golden boy of SHOOTO is now in RINGS, and his first opponent is Carlos Newton, who is a similarly talented grappler from Canada. As you would expect, the opening minutes of this match are a great grappling contest between two of the world’s finest in that particular art. The pace is what you would expect, with both executing quick transitions and brilliant counterwork to get the advantage. Sato’s background becomes quite apparent in particular and has great defense and guard. For the first 7:00 or so, neither competitor opts to use a rope break with the match taking place exclusively on the canvas. Even in moments of danger, Sato and Newton choose to fight their way out of it instead of going for the ropes. Newton’s determination does pay off though, and manages to find two of Sato’s limbs by the 8:00 mark and Sato finally has to use the ropes to get his way out of danger. Facing an early 2-0 deficit, Sato takes it another gear, hitting Newton with a few quick combos of palm strikes and kicks, and takes his opponent back to the canvas where he grows into his comfort zone. Sato works from his back and lures Newton in from half-guard, locking in a triangle choke before transitioning into a full cross armbreaker. Newton quickly scrambles to the ropes and it is now 2-1. The two resume striking afterward, and Sato eventually scores a knockdown on Newton, hitting his opponent with hard palm strikes that force Newton to stumble backward. Newton doesn’t take long to get back up though, and the two clinch in the middle of the ring where Sato sweeps his opponent back to the canvas with a takedown. Sato’s experience becomes more valuable as the match continues, and after another extended grappling contest where both manage to show off their slick waza, Sato finds Newton’s leg for a heel hook after trying for another cross armbreaker, but instead opts for the easier submission as Newton scrambles to get free. Sato is applauded by the Korakuen crowd and Newton gets his share of approval as well as Sato congratulates him on the good match afterward. The fans chant "RINGS! RINGS! RINGS!" as Sato takes in the moment. Sato defeats Newton via submission (heel hook), 15:55

The new RINGS debutant celebrates in the ring as the RINGS fans give him a warm welcome. Sato will have no issues transitioning to RINGS and looks set to work his way up the ladder relatively quickly.

 

[Autistic Dragon]

Kikuta wins a largely grounded after.

Sakurai wins the battle of the young guns.

Taira gets what must've been a hugely satisfying k.o victory.

The Spider catches Randleman in his web.

Sato shows RINGS why he was the man in SHOOTO.

[Perfectly Straightedge]

I don’t know too much about who you have except for your big names.

really cool picturing that Randleman and The Axe Murderer fight. Very entertaining visuals you mixed in. 

You can basically stack your whole promotion so it’s cool to see.

[Control21]

Card Announcement:

Fighting Network RINGS - "Maelstrom VII"

September 25th, 1996

Nakajima Sports Center

Sapporo, Japan

Semmy Schilt vs Wataru Sakata

Christopher Haseman vs Masayuki Naruse

Mitsuya Nagai vs Hiromitsu Kanehara

Yoshihiro Takayama vs Dick Vrij

Kazushi Sakuraba vs Nikolai Zouev

Tsuyoshi Kohsaka vs Frank Shamrock

Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura

Yoshihisa Yamamoto vs Andrei Kopylov

[Autistic Dragon]

Looks like a fun show in Sapporo.

[Control21]

Fighting Network RINGS - "Maelstrom VII"

September 25th, 1996

Nakajima Sports Center

Sapporo, Japan

Attendance: 4,117

 

The RINGS theme plays in the Nakajima Sports Center as the wrestlers are introduced one by one as they make their way to the ring. The WOWOW broadcast team of Takayanagi, Kumakubo, and Akira Maeda go over the matches scheduled for tonight's event and they hype up Tsuyoshi Kohsaka vs Frank Shamrock, Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura, and Yoshihisa Yamamoto vs Andrei Kopylov in the main event. Scenes of Sakuraba getting ready in the dressing room are shown as they also promote Sakuraba's debut tonight. They also mention Semmy Schilt and Hiromitsu Kanehara, who making their debuts as well. 

Semmy Schilt vs Wataru Sakata

A good debut for Semmy Schilt as the 6’11 Dutchman from Pancrase makes quick work of Wataru Sakata. Sakata does try to put up a fight, but Schilt has too much of a reach and too much power for the young RINGS homegrown talent to overcome. As you would expect, Schilt uses his striking ability somewhat methodically to dispatch Sakata and wins the match via TKO within 8 minutes. Every time Sakata tried getting back up to launch a comeback, Schilt had an answer. Even when Sakata was able to grapple with Schilt, Schilt did not have much issue fending his opponent off. Schilt defeats Sakata via TKO, 7:21

Christopher Haseman vs Masayuki Naruse

Haseman, the lone RINGS Australia representative, has become quite a solid wrestler since his debut in 1995. Naruse has become one of his main rivals in the promotion and the two have had solid matches before. This would be no different as they put on a spirited match for the next 9 minutes. Haseman and Naruse spend the first few minutes of the match grappling on the canvas, with Haseman proving very adept at preventing Naruse from using his quickness to gain an advantage. Haseman appears to have the strength to keep Naruse where he wants him at times, and this leads to an early 2-0 advantage for Haseman as Naruse grabs the ropes to prevent an early submission. The match heats up as it continues, with Naruse getting several opportunities to hit Haseman with slick striking combos. Haseman’s defense is good enough at first, but Naruse keeps finding openings. Haseman tries to get Naruse down to the canvas again and even manages to find a cross-armbreaker near the ropes, which Naruse escapes. Naruse and Haseman measure each other up afterward, and Naruse lands a wicked spinning backfist after Haseman appears to relax a bit too much. Haseman tries to beat the count but is unable to, and Yuji Shimada waves for the bell. Naruse defeats Haseman via KO, 9:38

Mitsuya Nagai vs Hiromitsu Kanehara

Tonight’s show will be notable for the debut of Kazushi Sakuraba later on, but another talented wrestler from UWFi makes his debut here as Kanehara squares off against a RINGS mainstay in Mitsuya Nagai. The pace is quite strong from the start, with Kanehara eager to show off his skills against Nagai on the canvas. Kanehara gets the early advantage as he gets Nagai to scramble to the ropes early after working in an early cross-armbreaker attempt. Nagai answers back with a knockdown by landing a kicking combo on Kanehara, catching his opponent off-guard. Kanehara doesn’t have much trouble beating the count, and the match continues the pace as it evolves into a sort of grappler vs striker match with Nagai embracing his inner kickboxer more and more. Kanehara does demonstrate why he is considered to be the best grappler in UWFi behind Sakuraba by getting Nagai down to the canvas when needed. Kanehara gets a kani-basami on Nagai and tries to work in a leg lock but Nagai is quick to find the ropes again. Tied at 2-2, the two fight for the advantage again after Yuji Shimada stands both back up. By the 10:00 mark, Kanehara is working with a 4-2 advantage after he gets the better of Nagai again on the mat. Nagai, sensing he needs to win the match with his striking, begins to apply pressure on Kanehara. As Kanehara clinches with Nagai, Nagai gets the advantage and lands several knee strikes to Kanehara’s abdomen. Kanehara tries to stay on his feet but this proves to be a fool’s errand as Nagai eventually knocks him down again. This time, Kanehara doesn’t beat the 10 count. Nagai defeats Kanehara via KO, 11:06

Yoshihiro Takayama vs Dick Vrij

Takayama, coming off his win last month against Bitsadze Tariel, is facing a determined Dick Vrij after facing somewhat of an upset at the hands of Mitsuya Nagai. Vrij comes out swinging, keeping the RINGS newcomer busy as he demonstrates why he is the most feared striker in RINGS at the moment. Takayama is caught off guard several times, giving Vrij an early score as Takayama falls to the canvas by the second minute. Takayama quickly brushes himself off though, and the two begin to engage in a very good striking battle. Lots of strong kicking as Takayama shows off his strength against Vrij, and lands a few combos against the Dutchman. Vrij is undeterred though, and as the two exchange knockdown attempts, he grows more dangerous as he works to find the openings Takayama leaves due to his inexperience against the Dutch Terminator.

By the 7:00 mark, Vrij leads 6-4 after scoring another knockdown, this time catching Takayama by surprise as he shoots for one high kick, which Takayama blocks and then immediately lands another on the opposite side. Takayama attempts to get the match to the canvas, and the two have their only grappling battle of the match, which Takayama gets the better of after finding Vrij’s back for a rear-naked choke. Vrij quickly goes for the ropes, however. Vrij decides to dispatch Takayama soon after they stand back up, landing his own palm strike combo on the newcomer, before landing a mid-roundhouse kick to Takayama’s abdomen. Takayama goes down again and struggles to stand back up as the referee finishes up the 10 count. Takayama attempts to raise his fists in time, but the referee, Ryogoku Wada, decides he has seen enough anyway. Takayama looks a bit frustrated and disappointed as Vrij has his hands raised in victory. Some in the crowd, firmly behind Takayama, make their displeasure known to Wada. Vrij defeats Takayama via KO, 9:25

Kazushi Sakuraba vs Nikolai Zouev

One of the hottest free agents in Japan has finally arrived in RINGS after weeks of speculation. Sakuraba’s talent is already well known, but now he has to prove himself in RINGS. His first opponent is a very talented grappler, Nikolai Zouev, a SAMBO specialist and champion, and a RINGS fan favorite. Sakuraba comes into the arena to a warm reception and is ready to go as they lock up after the bell sounds. Sakuraba immediately shows off his quickness and speed, finding openings left and right as Zouev scrambles to defend himself. Zouev’s experience pays off as he holds off Sakuraba despite his hyper-speed transitions on the canvas. Zouev smartly uses his legs to reverse a cross-armbreaker attempt from Sakuraba, pinning Sakuraba to the canvas as he uses his intelligent counterwork to find Sakuraba’s legs for a double cross heel hook. Sakuraba goes to the ropes early, and the crowd applauds the two as they stand back up.

The match continues and mostly remains on the canvas as this proves to be an excellent grappling affair. Zouev and Sakuraba exchange several ropebreaks over the next five minutes before they engage in one of the few striking exchanges of the match, with Sakuraba getting the better of Zouev. Zouev manages to stay on his feet and manages to Sakuraba back to the canvas with an arm drag takedown. They resume their battle on the canvas, and it is a bit of a stalemate as Sakuraba is unable to seriously endanger Zouev with a submission despite his athleticism and quickness. In a way, Zouev’s calmness is key as he continues to react to the moment and uses his great defense to keep himself in the match. The match is tied 5-5 with rope breaks aplenty as it heads into the 13:00 mark. Finally, as Zouev attempts a huzinga roll on Sakuraba, Sakuraba’s persistence in the transition game pays off as he reverses the hold in time and catches Zouev’s legs for a surprise toe hold. The simple yet effective submission is enough to catch Zouev off guard, and the blonde Russian has no choice but to tap as Ryogoku Wada calls for the bell. Sakuraba celebrates his victory in front of an approving crowd and a few chants of “Saku-ra-ba!” break out. Sakuraba defeats Zouev via submission (toe hold), 13:25

Tsuyoshi Kohsaka vs Frank Shamrock

Tsuyoshi Kohsaka comes out to the arena to The Stone Roses’ “Driving South” and prepares to face one of his toughest opponents yet as the debuting Frank Shamrock follows. Shamrock has earned a great reputation in Pancrase and has become one of the best shootfighters and grapplers in the world in 1996. Kohsaka, despite all of his natural talent, may be unprepared for someone of Shamrock’s caliber. This doesn’t deter Kohsaka though. As the bell rings and Kohsaka and Shamrock measure each other up and trade tentative strikes, Kohsaka looks for an early opportunity and clinches with Shamrock while looking for a double leg takedown. The attempt nearly forces Shamrock through the ropes and out of the ring, and the referee breaks the two up. The two quickly resume the match and Kohsaka holds his own, proving to be a very capable opponent for Shamrock. Shamrock, of course, has a great sense of timing and appears to be in control of the match at times, but Kohsaka is very comfortable despite the opponent he is facing and the two engage in some excellent grappling counterwork on the canvas over the next several minutes without exhausting any rope breaks. A key moment comes at the 11:00 mark when Shamrock blocks a double-leg takedown attempt from Kohsaka and manages to transition into a guillotine choke, giving Kohsaka something to think about while near the ropes. Shamrock appears to lock this one in deep, and Kohsaka quickly goes for a rope break to avoid any further complications.

Despite the setback, Kohsaka doesn’t appear to be too bothered and goes back to work with Shamrock as the match resumes. They engage in a bit of a striking battle, exchanging palm strikes before Shamrock backs Kohsaka into a corner and clinches with him as he lands several knee strikes to the abdomen and Kohsaka’s face. Kohsaka holds his own and is granted a reprieve when the referee notices a cut above Kohsaka’s eyebrow. Kohsaka’s cornermen work on the cut briefly before the referee, Ryogoku Wada, has the two resume the match again. Kohsaka keeps up the energy, and even manages to get Shamrock in a dangerous spot as he applies a Tate-shiho-gatame (full mount) on Shamrock, and slowly works in a kata-gatame (shoulder hold). Shamrock appears to be in a bad spot, but as expected, Shamrock works his way out of it with an intelligent sweep. Kohsaka continues to look to get even with Shamrock and grows even more energetic as the ring announcer calls out the 20 and 25-minute mark. As the match nears its conclusion, Kohsaka manages to get Shamrock on the canvas again and works for a last-minute “catch” with an ude-garami (entangled arm-lock). Shamrock remains calm and works from defense for the time limit expiration and the 1-0 advantage. The referee calls for the bell and Shamrock soon celebrates his victory as the expected decision is confirmed by the judges. Shamrock shakes Kohsaka’s hands and shows his appreciation for the challenge Kohsaka posed. The crowd applauds both in what can be described as a bit of a grappling masterclass. Shamrock defeats Kohsaka via decision, 30:00

Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura

Tamura has already made his mark in RINGS since his debut in July, beating the likes of Dick Vrij and Maurice Smith. This will be his first encounter with the Russian “Command SAMBO” master from Dagestan. Kiyoshi Tamura and Volk Han both enter to warm receptions from the crowd, with “Flame of Mind” and “Second Rendez-Vous” both blaring from the PA system respectively. As one would expect, the two get off to a quick start. Volk Han almost immediately snags Tamura with a gyaku-ude-garami (entangled armlock) and turns it into a double-wrist-lock suplex. If the move had any effect on Tamura, he doesn’t let it be known as he recovers very quickly to engage with Volk Han on the canvas. Han tries to find a cross-armbreaker, but Tamura is quick to get out of the confines of Volk Han’s limbs and instead goes for his opponent’s legs for a kneebar. Han counters as well, and finally locates the opening needed for the cross-armbreaker. Kiyoshi Tamura scrambles for the ropes with his legs quickly, and Volk Han gets his first point in the first minute.

Both competitors continue to deliver in a high-paced match, with both dedicating the majority of the time to the grappling arts on the canvas. After getting an early 2-0 lead, Han finally has to use the ropes to escape a clever knee-bar attempt from Tamura. As the two stand back up, Tamura shows off his patented sharp kicks and palm strikes, which throw Han off-balance. Han maintains his balance though, and clinches with Tamura before finding the positioning needed for a naked strangle choke, but Tamura shows off his great awareness by applying pressure on Han’s lower legs with a hiza-tori-garami (knee-entanglement), using his arms. The crowd is loving this as Tamura is forced to go for another rope escape as Han finds Tamura’s back for another rear-naked choke attempt. By the 7:00 mark, Tamura is facing a 4-1 deficit and reacts by slamming his foot into Han’s abdomen for a thrust kick, which knocks down the Russian and gives Tamura his first knockdown. Han gets up quickly, and the two resume as Tamura continues to throw several calculated strikes to get the advantage. The two resume the grappling battle on the canvas, allowing Tamura to snag Han in a Fujiwara armbar. Han is near the ropes, and senses this, going for another quick escape from Tamura’s clutches.

The crowd applauds both competitors and Han comes firing back with some unique-looking strikes that he is known for. He slams his knee into Tamura’s face and Tamura gets knocked down. Tamura beats the 10 count at 8 but Han maintains a 6-4 advantage at the 10:00 mark. The match reaches its climax when Tamura clinches with Han and attempts to lock in a rear-naked choke, but Han shows off his ability to pull submissions out of nowhere by finding one of Tamura’s arms for a double-wrist-lock while locking in Tamura’s legs with his own. Tamura has no choice but to tap! “Second Rendez-Vous” plays in the arena again as Motoyuki Kitazawa raises Volk Han’s arm in victory. Volk Han and Tamura shake hands, and surely this won’t be their last encounter. Han defeats Tamura via submission (double-wrist-lock), 10:41

Andrei Kopylov vs Yoshihisa Yamamoto

Despite Yoshihisa Yamamoto’s decisive loss to Ricardo Morais last month, Yamamoto has a chance to redeem himself in a second consecutive main event. Andrei Kopylov, another Russian icon in RINGS, poses another huge test as well. Yamamoto comes out to a supportive crowd, but will it be enough? As Kopylov finds out, Yamamoto is determined to get back on track. The two get started on the canvas, with Yamamoto being quick to look for openings that Kopylov has, hoping to snag a limb for an early submission victory. Kopylov has great defense though, and keeps Yamamoto at bay. Yamamoto keeps the pressure on though, and as the two expand the match to the stand-up, Yamamoto’s striking abilities give the RINGS dojo product a 4-0 advantage heading into the 5:00 mark as he scores two early knockdowns. Kopylov is forced to readjust and gets more determined to keep the match on the canvas, and closes the gap to 4-3 soon enough as Yamamoto finds himself on the back foot in the grappling game. Kopylov is experienced enough to outsmart Yamamoto, especially as Yamamoto is a bit too eager to prove himself again. After exhausting several rope breaks, Yamamoto slows down and prevents any unnecessary mistakes by being smart and more calculated. As Kopylov goes for a double-leg takedown around the 13:00 mark, Yamamoto works to position himself to take control of Kopylov’s back. Kopylov struggles to break free, but Yamamoto’s persistence finally pays off as he locks in a Katahajime and forces the Russian to tap. Yamamoto immediately jumps and celebrates with the crowd as he appears to have erased the nightmare from last month. Motoyuki Kitazawa raises Yamamoto’s arm in victory as Yamamoto looks a lot happier than he was four weeks ago. Yamamoto defeats Kopylov via submission (katahajime), 13:21

Yoshihisa Yamamoto celebrates in the ring a bit more as Andrei Kopylov gives him a hug. After Yamamoto delivers comments backstage, in which he recognizes that he has more work to do to regain his top spot in the promotion, the WOWOW broadcast team recaps tonight's events and they promote the first round of the annual Mega Battle Tournament next month. Akira Maeda says that he will not be in the tournament to allow for new talent to shine, but says he will return to the ring next month to face an unnamed opponent. The bracket is revealed before the WOWWOW broadcast signs off to the ending theme from Apollo 13.

 

[Autistic Dragon]

Shamrock & Kohsaka turn out a classic in the mid-card.

Excited for the start of the Mega Battle Tournament.

[SirEdger]

I have zero familiarity with RINGS but you make such a great job at breaking this down and get us involved in the action. We should have a solid tournament!

[Control21]

 

Quote

 

Wrestling "News and Notes" Newsletter

October 2nd, 1996

• RINGS' 9/25 show in Sapporo drew 4,117 in what was described as a great event with plenty of action. As expected, Frank Shamrock, Semmy Schilt, and Kazushi Sakuraba made their debuts, along with Hiromitsu Kanehara. In the main event, Yoshihisa Yamamoto recovered from his disastrous loss to Ricardo Morais in August and halted the bleeding that has gone on over the past several months. Volk Han cemented his top spot in RINGS' rankings by beating Kiyoshi Tamura in what was described as a fantastic match. Kazushi Sakuraba survived his first test in RINGS against Nikolai Zouev, which was another good match. Frank Shamrock squared off against Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in what was apparently a shoot, with Kohsaka giving Frank Shamrock all he could handle. Shamrock survived after the match went the full 30:00 and went to a decision, with Shamrock declared the winner. Semmy Schilt made quick work of Wataru Sakata in the opening match. In a bit of a surprise, Dick Vrij defeated Yoshihiro Takayama. This may be setting up Dick Vrij's place in the Mega Battle tournament however, as Takayama was not included in the bracket, but is scheduled to be in the main event at the next show in October, potentially against Akira Maeda...
• The official RINGS rankings as of 9/26 are: 1) Volk Han 2) Mitsuya Nagai 3) Dick Vrij 4) Yoshihisa Yamamoto 5) Kiyoshi Tamura 6) Tsuyoshi Kohsaka 7) Mikhail Ilyukhin 8) Nikolai Zouev 9) Bitsadze Tariel 10) Grom Zaza...
• The Mega Battle Tournament will start on 10/25 in Nagoya and will be a straight 16-man tournament this year, so the first round matches will be the primary focus of the next show, with the main event being a non-tournament match. Akira Maeda will likely feature in that match, and Yoshihiro Takayama is currently rumored to be his opponent according to Japanese media outlets this week. This will be a major test for Takayama and many believe that Maeda sees a ton of potential in Takayama, so he will be expected to deliver...
• Of note, Kiyoshi Tamura and Kazushi Sakuraba could meet in the second round of the Mega Battle tournament should they both advance, which would be a killer match. The two had a series of great matches before Tamura left for RINGS in June earlier this year. Former Pancrase stars Semmy Schilt and Frank Shamrock will meet in the first round, which should be very interesting in whether they go for a work or decide to shoot. Speaking of potential Maeda successors, Kiyoshi Tamura is another guy who could be aiming for that role and many believed that was why he made the jump to RINGS. Of course, the UWFi exodus soon followed him and now others like Takayama and Sakuraba are now in RINGS as well. Yoshihisa Yamamoto won't go away quietly either and was Maeda's heir apparent before all of this happened. Either way, this tournament should make it clear who the top guys are in RINGS...

[Autistic Dragon]

Interesting behind the scenes look as members of the roster vie to be Maeda's successor.