January 2003 Report Archive

News and Report Archive

1/29/2003- Got a big batch of TV today. Ultimo Dragon special, T2P 12/26 w/ Young Dragons Cup, and the 2 W-1 matches. Ultimo special was decent, the match with DK vs the Guerreros Infernales was very good. Ultimo really can still go, he looked pretty good. Also got my first extended look at Taiji Ishimori, he really does live up to the hype. Tremendous flyer, with some experience and more training he will exceed Dragon Kid, in my opinion. K-ness vs. YOSSINO is a close to 2nd if not better than the Kness/Kid 9/8 match for best singles match of 2002, with 5 or so more minutes they could really have a classic. CIMA vs. Milano was good, Milano was SOOO superior, he schooled CIMA the whole match. W-1 stuff was also fun. The 6 man had little heat, due to the stupid idiot Tokyo Dome crowd, but YOSSINO, Milano and Taiji were tearing it up. The tag with Ultimo and Kaz was also very very good, mostly because of the Infernales. Hopefully I will have the normal VamoAmi in about a week. Match lists are up.

1/27/2003- Results from the final T2P performance.

Taiji Ishimori was introduced before the matches started.
BATA..yarn is Noriaki Kawabata. It is a totally new character. He wears a kimono, carries a fan, and sings a song on the way to the ring. His ring costume is now apparently camouflage long pants. He cheated a lot in the opener, and won with his feet on the ropes. He also attacked Iwasa after the match.
Owashi vs. Ogawauchi was said to be a great match, with Ogawauchi showing a lot of heel mannerisms.
That isn't a typo in the TARU match, his new finishing move is called the Malw. It appears to be some sort of Face Buster type move. TARU shook hands with Oyanagei and said although he lost the match, he earned TARUs respect.
In the main, Doi missed his sliding dropkick and hit Ryo, causing Ryo to go after Doi, leaving Mori isolated for the finish. After the finish, M2K and DF intruded, leading to some brawling. After it was settled down, YOSSINO challenged K-ness to a match for possession of Venezia. Don Fujii, Venes' prior kidnapper will also be involved, making it a 3 way for the 2/16 Korakuen show. Mochi also challenged Magu, and there will be a M2K vs. DF 6 man tag..
Finally, Milano called out every member of T2P, and they had a tearful goodbye to the 6 sided ring that was their trademark.

1/26/2003- Chiba results. The new M2K rode their kickboards to the ring, but the new members had "Student Driver" signs attached. K-ness and YOSSINO brawled on the floor during the 2nd match, allowing Fujii to score a quick pin. Did some profile work today, a few picture changes and added one for Venezia (combined with YOSSINOs')

1/25/2003- Results from the Toryumon matches on the East vs. West All Star show. The reason YASSINI and Condotti were on opposite sides, was due to the east vs. west theme. Condotti tried to appeal to make it a 3 way, but was turned down. Mochi was named the MVP and won ¥2,500,000 and a suntan machine..... Despite a lot of hype and build up at the time of his debut, the man purported as "Future Ace" Hisamaru Tajima has left the Toryumon system (he did quite some time ago, apparently), whether it was by his own will or otherwise, it isn't known. His profile has been deleted. 2 matches decided for tomorrow nights' final T2P performance, as TARU returns from his injury. This show is being billed more as a T2P reunion, and will resemble the early Desembarcamiento shows more than the last few T2P shows, hence the crossing of unit barriers in the main.

1/25/2003 East Vs. West Offer Matches
2. Yumiko Hotta (3:15-Referee Stop from Palm Strike) Stalker Ichikawa
4. Anthony W. Mori/Jun Ogawauchi{W}/brother YASSINI (9:10-Samurai Lock) Takamichi Iwasa{L}/Condotti Shuji/Henry III Sugawara
7. Masaaki Mochizuki{W}/TAKA Michinoku/The Great Sasuke (11:24-Dragon Suplex Hold) CIMA/SUWA/Don Fujii{L}

1/24/2003- Shizuoka results. Just to clear up the uncertainty, the ItaConne are going to continue using their Italian ringnames, thus making their Japanese coming out declaration even more pointless.

1/23/2003- Results and reports from Korakuen. Easily the worst Korakuen show (on paper) I have seen from Toryumon. Judging from reports, it played out just as bad. More short, wasteful matches, with the emphasis on the side show. This direction has about 6 months before it really kills things. Pretty much every decision made today was the wrong one. It's simply impossible to stay positive about anything going on right now.

M2K has returned. Kanda announced that Mochis' new unit would be called M2K. The unit is Mochi, Second (2nd) Doi, and Keni'chiro Arai. Raimu Mishima (with a new costume, and a jacket) and Dragon Kid joined after the main, making them a full unit. Before you start complaining about Araken, he is more popular than most others, and while he isn't exactly my first candidate, he deserves a prominent role. My main problem is M2K is basically now Seikigun with M2K jackets, and is pretty pointless, whether they go technico or rudo, it won't fit, because M2K aren't technicos, and Dragon Kid and Raimu (at least) don't have much rudo appeal. Mishima has taken on the Gekokujoh gimmick of Kanda. While it really shouldn't surprise anyone that Mochi brought back M2K, it was done in the worst possible way.
The Italian Connection all admitted they were really Japanese people. For everyone but Milano this is fine, but now Milanos' character is pretty much killed. Conflicting reports as to whether they are back to going by their old names again, so I'm going to stick with the Italian names for now.
Iwasa appealed formally to join CMAX, but was turned down. CIMA has said CMAX would increase it's ranks soon, however. This leaves probably Ogawauchi as the leading candidate.
The Toryumon team for the Differ Cup tournament was decided, it will be Ultimo Dragon and YOSSINO.
K-Ness came out after the YOSSINO/Fuji match with the newly kidnapped Venezia, and made the poor thing do the Magu dance. Funny, I guess.
Anthony appealed to Magu to allow Ryo to team with him on the final T2P show, since Ryo is the bridge member between T2P and Japan. Magu allowed it.
Match wise, the CIMA/SUWA match was said to be terrible. YOSSINO and Fujii was good, the main was satisfactory. DF was said to have been pretty boring, even the dance wasn't that good. A show that will be forgotten rather quickly, I'm sure.

1/20/2003- Couple small notes today. Kid and Mishima announced through the Gaora page blog that they will be siding with Mochi and Doi in their unit. This may of course lead one to ask "What exactly was the point of dismissing Sekigun, then?" Well, who knows, honestly. *ahem*. Also on the subject of Dragon Kid, he has been unveiling a few new moves this year, although I don't know specifics. Got a chance to read more reports on the W-1 match, including some more descriptions of what Taiji was pulling off. Some moves include a Tiger Feint (619) into rana, a "Super Star" Quebrada, and perhaps the most impressive, a handspring rebound moonsault footstomp. I'm guessing this looks like, forward handspring, hit the ropes and bounce back ,ala Ultimo, Tajiri, Sasuke, but instead of hitting a back elbow as they would, keep rotating in the air and finish with a reverse 450 of sorts. There will be a Do FIXER bus tour from 3/13-14. It will cost ¥39000 for 2 persons/1 room and ¥6000 for 1 person/1 room. Call 078-333-9797 for bookings. (More complete details are up on my Japanese news page)

1/20/2003- A couple more notes out of the W-1 shows. Ultimo, for some god-forsaken reason has stated he looks forward to returning to the next W-1. All objectivity aside here, Ultimo is stupid. He goes out in front of the worst crowd in Tokyo Dome history, watches his kids (who are far and away the best performers on the card, along with the Infernales) get little to no reaction for a great match, not to mention his own, and STILL wants to come back. More then ever, the WCW Nitro nostalgia side show that Ultimo and his ego are pushing, are a danger to Toryumons' well-being. Taiji spoke about Toryumon X after the match, asking Mori and Henry to aid them. X would seem to only have 3 or 4 that are ready to appear in Japan, so I would be surprised to see them begin to come over. Hopefully Taiji stays for the upcoming Korakuen shows, and wrestles. YOSSINO and Milano put Taiji over, saying he was much stronger than he was when they last faced him over the summer. I guess we should get ready to have Taiji all over the place like we did with Milano during the T2P arrival......

1/19/2003- Mie and W-1 results. Due to the ItaConne loss, the T2P dismissal remains in effect, and T2P will hold it's final performance on 1/27 in Korakuen Hall. Milano gave a quick interview, thanking the fans for support, and asking them to come see T2P one final time. He said although he will be fighting in the Japan ring, he will also do so elsewhere, representing Italy. Taiji was said to have looked good in his debut, showing off some nice high flying technique. Overall it sounded like a normal, great T2P 6 man, but the crowd (all 13 of them) weren't very receptive.

Wrestle-1 Offer Matches
--Taiji Ishimori{W}/Henry III Sugawara/Anthony W. Mori (13:18-Huracanrana) Milano Collection AT/YOSSINO/Condotti Shuji{L}
--Ultimo Dragon{W}/Kaz Hayashi (17:40-Dragon Sleeper) Ultimo Guerrero/Rey Bucanerro{L}

1/18/2003- Hachioji results. Quite a few things happened at the show. Dragon Kid and Raimu are considering joining Mochi and Dois' group. Magnum presented Araken with a Hanshin Tigers style DF jacket, and invited him to join, it isn't known if he accepted. Can you imagine THAT dance? Magnum said the coat cost ¥10,000. Los Guerreros kept beating down Ultimo and Ogawauchi, until Kaz Hayashi ran in to make the save, building heat for tonight. The "Knessuka Buster" is a double team Darkness Buster, for those wondering. Yokkaichi and Wrestle-1 tonight. Hopefully I will have news flash for both (well, the Toryumon stuff on W-1, anyway...)

1/16/2003- Some small tidbits today. The Toryumon matches on W-1 are being billed as Toryumon Mexico offer matches, not Japan or T2P. I haven't given an injury update in quite some time, so to get you all up to speed: TARU is out until at least the upcoming Korakuen with a knee injury, Shisa another month or so with a shoulder separation, TARUcito remains sidelined indefinitely with the head injury he suffered in August 2001. CIMA has been using several new moves this year, one of course is the "Turkey" that he has been winning with. This is more commonly known as the Romania Clutch, which I still have no clue as to what it looks likes. He has also been using a Sasorigatame (Sharpshooter) variation called Sasorizagatame (Sasori Seat Hold, loosely). He also said he was considering lifting his self imposed ban on the Tornado Plancha, as he did recently with the Mad Splash.

1/14/2003- Full teams and such were announced for the Differ Cup.

2/8/2003 Differ Cup Tag Tournament, Differ Ariake
1. Round 1: Tetsuhiro Kuroda & Chocoball Mukai (WEW) vs. MIKAMI & KUDO (DDT)
2. Round 1: Ikuto Hidaka & Masao Orihara (MPRO) vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Yoshito Sasaki (ZERO ONE)
3. Round 1: The Great Takeru & Kappa Kozou (IWA Japan) vs. KENTA & Kotaro Suzuki (NOAH)
4. Round 1: Ultimo Dragon/YOSSINO vs. Jun Kasai & Gran Naniwa (Free)
5. Semi-Finals: Winner of 1 vs. Winner of 2
6. Semi-Finals: Winner of 3 vs. Winner of 4

2/9/2003 Differ Cup Tag Tournament, Differ Ariake
1~4. First round losers singles matches
5.. 3rd Place Match (Semi-finals losers)
6. Tournament Finals

1/11/2003- Toryumon kicked off its' 2003 schedule today. Norman Smiley and Ultimo Guerrero have gone home and Super Shisa remains out with a shoulder injury. Mochi invited Anthony to join Japan, but Anthony refused and responded by asking Mochi to join the Royal Brothers. They joked that Mochis' face wasn't royal enough.

1/9/2003- Praise be to Yevon, for those of you who still care, I have uploaded my old Toryumon edit file for FPD. Click here for the gory details.

1/20/2003- Couple small notes today. Kid and Mishima announced through the Gaora page blog that they will be siding with Mochi and Doi in their unit. This may of course lead one to ask "What exactly was the point of dismissing Sekigun, then?" Well, who knows, honestly. *ahem*. Also on the subject of Dragon Kid, he has been unveiling a few new moves this year, although I don't know specifics. Got a chance to read more reports on the W-1 match, including some more descriptions of what Taiji was pulling off. Some moves include a Tiger Feint (619) into rana, a "Super Star" Quebrada, and perhaps the most impressive, a handspring rebound moonsault footstomp. I'm guessing this looks like, forward handspring, hit the ropes and bounce back ,ala Ultimo, Tajiri, Sasuke, but instead of hitting a back elbow as they would, keep rotating in the air and finish with a reverse 450 of sorts. There will be a Do FIXER bus tour from 3/13-14. It will cost �39000 for 2 persons/1 room and �6000 for 1 person/1 room. Call 078-333-9797 for bookings. (More complete details are up on my Japanese news page)

1/18/2003- Hachioji results. Quite a few things happened at the show. Dragon Kid and Raimu are considering joining Mochi and Dois' group. Magnum presented Araken with a Hanshin Tigers style DF jacket, and invited him to join, it isn't known if he accepted. Can you imagine THAT dance? Magnum said the coat cost �10,000. Los Guerreros kept beating down Ultimo and Ogawauchi, until Kaz Hayashi ran in to make the save, building heat for tonight. The "Knessuka Buster" is a double team Darkness Buster, for those wondering. Yokkaichi and Wrestle-1 tonight. Hopefully I will have news flash for both (well, the Toryumon stuff on W-1, anyway...)

1/14/2003- Full teams and such were announced for the Differ Cup.

1/9/2003- Praise be to Yevon, for those of you who still care, I have uploaded my old Toryumon edit file for FPD. Click here for the gory details.