knickerboker marie taka 1996 omega vote totals etc.

1983 - Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama)

1984 - Dynamite Kid and Masa Saito (tied)

1985 - Tatsumi Fujinami

1986 - Tatsumi Fujinami

1987 - Nobuhiko Takada

1988 - Tatsumi Fujinami

1989 - Jushin Liger

1990 - Jushin Liger

GABRIEL DAIGLE: In the context of a match, Hiroshi Hase is pretty hard to beat. He can wrestle on the mat, he can fly, he can sell like crazy, he can brawl like crazy and he has a wide variety of finishing moves.

CHRIS ZAVISA: Hiroshi Hase is a winning combination of solid amateur experience and the ability to work the best dramatic match in pro wrestling. His bouts against Muto and Liger were among the best in 1991. He is one of the few athletes who is every bit as good in singles as in tag teams.

DEAN KNICKERBOCKER: Mr. Perfect is the best technical wrestler around, bar none.

TOM WISCHMANN: Hase is the best. He's charismatic, knows countless moves and when to use them and can sell with the best of them.

MITCH NAKAGAWA: Keiji Muto has it all. Flying moves, suplexes, great matwork and submission holds. It's fascinating just to watch him wrestle. Hiroshi Hase is good but Muto is good enough to work better matches with Big Van Vader and good matches with Scott Norton.

MIKE KELLY: Without a doubt Blue Panther is the smoothest and best technical wrestler in the world.

MYSTERY: Hiroshi Hase gets my vote. He's so excellent at every technical move in the book and some that aren't in the book because they're just too technical.

BRUISER BRODY MEMORIAL AWARDS

(BEST BRAWLER)

1.CACTUS JACK (268)1,671

2.Atsushi Onita (111)1,087

3.Stan Hansen (74)763

4.Bull Nakano (73)628

5.Terry Gordy (19)498

Honorable Mention: Eddie Gilbert 393, Abdullah the Butcher 221, Steve Williams 134, Aja Kong 124, Jumbo Tsuruta 109

PREVIOUS WINNERS

1980 - Bruiser Brody

1981 - Bruiser Brody

1982 - Bruiser Brody

1983 - Bruiser Brody

1984 - Bruiser Brody

1985 - Stan Hansen

1986 - Terry Gordy

1987 - Bruiser Brody

1988 - Bruiser Brody

1989 - Terry Funk

1990 - Stan Hansen

JEFF COHEN: I take aspirin after watching Cactus Jack. That much hurt comes through during his matches. Talk about taking no shortcuts.

ANDY STOWELL: I'm glad those Cactus Jack vs. Eddie Gilbert matches only happened a few times or both guys would be dead by now. The funny thing is, Gilbert is just a junior heavyweight but Jack sells so well for him that he makes him out to be a total killer. Gilbert is better working with foreign objects than anyone in the business. So I'll give them both a tie for first.

TERESA DEMARIE: While Cactus Jack doesn't impress me with actual ring skills or psychology, he comes off as crazy and can be a good brawler who takes crazy bumps.

EVAN SCHLESINGER: Bull Nakano is the most brutal wrestler around.

MYSTERY: As far as brawling is concerned, Cactus Jack's submission match with Sting was one of the best things I saw all year. The bumps he takes are frightening.

DAN LENNARD: Atsushi Onita single-handedly kept Gillette in business in 1991.

STEVE SIMS: I think Atsushi Onita did even more this year to deserve the award than last year. Besides, he threatened to throw me into land-mine barricade-laced barbed-wire if I didn't vote for him.

BEST FLYING WRESTLER

1.JUSHIN LIGER (459)3,039

2.Yoshihiro Asai (81)778

3.Brian Pillman (18)359

4.Bobby Eaton (4)256

5.Owen Hart (14)221

Honorable Mention: Keiji Muto 216, Atlantis 179, Negro Casas 165, Chris Benoit 159, Masao Orihara 141, Naoki Sano 131, Shawn Michaels 110, Lightning Kid 107

PREVIOUS WINNERS

1981 - Jimmy Snuka

1982 - Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama)

1983 - Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama)

1984 - Dynamite Kid

1985 - Tiger Mask (Mitsuharu Misawa)

1986 - Tiger Mask (Mitsuharu Misawa)

1987 - Owen Hart

1988 - Owen Hart

1989 - Jushin Liger

1990 - Jushin Liger

JOHN MUSE: Even though Masao Orihara took Yoshihiro Asai's move one step farther, Asai incorporates his flying moves into his matches better. If Orihara doesn't miss his move once, look for him as a winner next year.

GABRIEL DAIGLE: Liger is the king. Sure, Asai is exceptional but many times his high spots don't seem to fit within the match. Everything about Liger's matches make sense.

CHRIS ZAVISA: Masao Orihara can do flying moves that go beyond what anyone thought was possible just two years ago. He certainly can't wrestle as well as the other best fliers, but when it comes to flying, he's in a league by himself.

MYSTERY: Nobody is better than Jushin Liger. Just like the Best Brawler Award became the Bruiser Brody Award and inevitably the Best Babyface Award will become the Hulk Hogan Award, I think Liger has proven that's he's the best aerialist the sport has ever seen.

MYSTERY: Lightning Kid is a definite plus for Global. He may be small but he can do it all. A great wrestler who understands what crowds want to see and delivers. I hope to see more of him in the future and with one of the larger promotions when they really are serious about re-educated the fans away from steroids.

This is the final issue of the current four-issue set. If you've got a (1) on your address label it means that your subscription expires with this issue. Renewal rates remain $6 for four issues, $12 for eight, $24 for 16, $36 for 24, $48 for 32 up through $60 for 40 issues within the United States and Canada. Rates for overseas airmail subscriptions are $9 for each set of four issues through $90 for 40 issues. All subscription renewals, letters to the editor, arena reports, news items and any other correspondence relating to this newsletter should be sent to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228.

Fax messages can be sent to the Observer after Noon Eastern tie (9 a.m. Pacific) daily at 408-378-6562.

EMLL


Sunday's Galavision television show aired the 1/24 show from Arena Coliseo in Mexico City as Super Gallo & La Mascara won 2/3 falls from Baby Richard & Mario Prado Jr. **, Martha Villalobos & La Diabolica beat Cynthia Moreno & La Sirenita in 2/3 falls **, Super Astro & Volador & Kato Kung Lee won 2/3 falls from Ponzona & El Hijo del Gladiador & Kung Fu in 2/3 falls **, Jerry Estrada & La Fiera & Bestia Salvaje won two straight falls from Huracan Seville & El Hijo del Solitario & Blue Demon Jr. when Salvaje beat Sevilla for both falls (they are building to a Salvaje vs. Sevilla hair vs. hair match) ** and the finale saw Fuerza Guerrera & Satanico & Blue Panther beat Ultimate Dragon & Octagon & Canadian Vampire Casanova in 2/3 falls when Guerrera made Octagon submit for the final fall. Even though this match had three of the best heels in Mexico, just about the most-pushed babyface (Octagon) and one of the two or three most talented wrestlers in the country (Dragon), the guy who got Hogan/Sting level heat throughout was Vampire, who can't do much at all.

No word on if they're now going to air television on a week delay (like UWA does) perhaps to protect the live gates (as expected, with all the added television in Mexico City, it's been harder to pack the buildings). Hopefully that's the case because 1/31 was the return to Arena Mexico with a loaded show with Octagon defending the Mexican National middleweight title against Guerrera, Blue Panther (CMLL world middleweight champ) vs. Ultimate Dragon in a non-title match, Atlantis & Salomon Grundy & Rayo de Jalisco Jr. vs. Cien Caras & Mascara Ano 2000 & Universo 2000 and Los Brazos vs. Masakre & Pierroth Jr. & Jacque Mate in a battle of heels. So my guess is that this show airs on television Sunday.

CMLL announced a plan to unify all the CMLL world champions and NWA world champions (ultimately to get rid of the NWA name in Mexico) by the end of this year.

Popitekus returns in February.

Justiciero was suspended by the wrestling syndicate but I've got no idea why.

Conan is appearing as a regular in the TV soap called "Mi Abuelo y Yo" which airs on Ch. 2 (Televisa) in Mexico City.

UWA


1/26 at El Toreo in Naucalpan saw Pegasus Kid (Chris Benoit) retain the WWF world lightheavyweight title beating Villano III in 42:10 (both worked as babyfaces said to be very good), Dos Caras & Gran Hamada & El Hijo Del Santo beat Canek & Fishman & Negro Casas in 2/3 falls, Buffalo Allen (Badnews Allen) & Kokina & Gigante Warrior (Butch Masters) beat Tamba the Flying Elephant & Enrique Vera & Fantasma, Los Villanos beat Baby Face & Canadian Tiger (Mike Lozansky) & The Killer, El Signo & Black Power & Negro Navarro beat Super Raton & Super Pinochio & Valente Fernandez and Lasser & Kendo (making a rare El Toreo appearance) beat Los Mohicanos.

Fernandez had a hair vs. hair match against Casas on 1/27 in Puebla.

Santo beat Perro Aguayo in 2/3 falls on 1/22 in Tlalnepantla which I believe gave Santo the UWA world junior heavyweight title but I'm not certain. This would make Santo a champion in two entirely divergent weight classes (welterweight and junior heavyweight) simultaneously. Aguayo has left UWA for EMLL.

Santo had a welterweight title defense on 1/30 in Mexico City against Casandro.

Canek & Fishman headlined against Kokina & Gigante Warrior on 1/30 in Toluca.

Kokina & Gigante Warrior headlined against Mil Mascaras & Caras on 2/1 in Netzahualcoytol.

2/1 in Pachuca was the 40th anniversary of the opening of the building headlined by El Signo defending the UWA lightheavyweight title against Solar I.

2/2 at El Toreo had Canek defending the heavyweight title against Caras to prolong their million year feud.

Takeda (a Mexican doing a Japanese gimmick--take-off on the Takada name) challenged Santo for the welterweight title.

The Steel Warriors from the United States (no idea who) are supposed to be coming in February.

They are setting up a feud with The New Fantastics (Kendo & Blackman II & Katana/Leon Chino) vs. Shu El Guerrero & Hijo Del Diablo & Lobo Rubio.

1/16 in Mexico City saw Lasser keep the lightweight belt beating El Mohicano I and Canek & Fishman drew Pegasus Kid & Buffalo Allen when Canek and Allen both pinned each other simultaneously. Fans booed the inconclusive finish heavily.

They have a special Wednesday night show as well at El Toreo this week because it's something of a Mexican national wrestling holiday because the legendary El Santo passed away on 2/5/84. Because the show is so big, several EMLL wrestlers like Los Brazos, Lola Gonzales, Grundy, Mascara Sagrada, Pierroth Jr., Masakre and Jacque Mate will all appear.

For those who have asked about this, the UWA television show is on satellite on station Morelos 1 on both Ch. 2 and Ch. 8 on Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time (12:30 p.m. Pacific time).

ALL JAPAN


The New Year series ended on 1/28 before a sellout 3,850 fans at Chiba Park Gym (air date this coming Sunday night) with Stan Hansen winning the Triple Crown from Jumbo Tsuruta with a lariat and pin in 16:41. In other results, Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi beat Joel Deaton & Johnny Ace, Yoshinari Ogawa & Akira Taue beat Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Toshiaki Kawada, Billy Black pinned Jackie Fulton, Mighty Inoue & Rusher Kimura & Giant Baba beat Haruka Eigen & Motoshi Okuma & Masa Fuchi, Chris & Mark Youngblood beat Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton, and Scott Armstrong & Richard Slinger beat Isamu Teranishi & Mitsuo Momota.

You want to know the sign of a hot promotion? The next All Japan show at Budokan Hall on 3/4 has already sold out all 15,900 seats which would be a gate of around $750,000 and not one match has even been announced as of yet. Most speculation is that the main event will be Steve Williams & Terry Gordy defending the tag team titles against Tsuruta & Taue.

They did a team trophy with Tsuruta, Misawa and Hansen all captaining teams and all the wins and losses put together. Tsuruta's team won by percentage points ahead of Misawa's team. Tsuruta's team of himself, Taue, Ogawa and Fuchi was 18-14 (.563) while Misawa's team of himself, Kawada, Kobashi and Kikuchi was 20-16 (.556). Hansen's team of himself, Deaton, Black and Ace was 10-18 (.357).

The 1/27 television show headlined by the Tsuruta vs. Kawada match (said to be around a 4 1/2 star match) drew a 6.0 rating.

NEW JAPAN


The new tour started 1/30 before a sellout 4,000 fans at the Ota Ward Gymnasium in Tokyo amidst some interesting items. Results from opening night saw Riki Choshu & Hiroshi Hase beat Tatsumi Fujinami & Akira Nogami in 9:26 when Choshu pinned Nogami, Tony Halme pinned CWA world heavyweight champion Rambo in a non-title match, Scott Norton & Shinya Hashimoto beat Bam Bam Bigelow & Kim Duk, Keiji Muto & Masa Chono beat Tony St. Clair & Brad Armstrong, Akitoshi Saito (karate man who had worked with WING) debuted and beat Kuniaki Kobayashi when the referee stopped the match, Jushin Liger & Shiro Koshinaka beat Pegasus Kid (Chris Benoit) & Scorpio (Charles Skaggs), Kantaro Hoshino & Osamu Kido beat Michiyoshi Ohara & Kengo Kimura and prelims.

I don't know if this is an angle or a shoot but Super Strong Machine, Hiro Saito, Tatsutoshi Goto, Norio Honaga (the current IWGP world junior heavyweight champion who I'm assuming would have lost the title this past week to either Liger or Pegasus Kid) and Masanobu Kurisu all missed the show and haven't been back since. In addition, WCW canceled Steve Austin's debut tour at the last minute citing Austin's knee injury. Austin & Armstrong were scheduled to challenge Muto & Hase for the IWGP tag team titles on 2/10 in Nagoya, but that has been changed to Armstrong & Norton. New Japan made no public announcement regarding why Machine and the rest of the Blond Outlaws missed the tour. Rumor has it that Kurisu was going to join with Masashi Aoyagi's independent group that runs in the Nagoya area while the other four are either working an angle or possibly headed to SWS.

New Japan Vice President Seiji Sakaguchi said that New Japan after all would not be doing a co-promotion with SWS but admitted talking with Hachiro Tanaka but said that Antonio Inoki has never spoken with Tanaka.

They have a big show on 3/1 at the 17,000 seat Yokohama Arena billed as the 20th anniversary of the New Japan promotion (the promotion's first card was on 3/6/72. They announced two ten minute time limit exhibition matches with active wrestler Kantaro Hoshino teaming with retired wrestler Kotetsu Yamamoto (the bald-headed color commentator on the television show, 50 years old who wrestled from 1963 through the early 1980s) against Black Cat & Hiroshi Yamamoto (no relation). Hoshino & Yamamoto were a famous prelim tag team in the late 1960s and early 1970s as "The Yamaha Brothers." The other has Sakaguchi teaming with former wrestler Shozo Kobayashi (51-years-old, former longtime champion of the defunct IWE who worked in the U.S. as Strong Kobayashi and after retiring more than a decade ago became a relatively famous actor) against famous heel tag team of the 1970s and early 1980s Tiger Jeet Singh and Umanosuke Ueda (51 years old). Antonio Inoki will work against a mystery man who may wind up being Killer Khan. The March tour (3/1 to 3/11) will have Big Van Vader, Bam Bam Bigelow, The Wild Samoans (Kokina & Samu), The Mad Bull Busters (Rex & Spike from New Jersey), Singh and Brian Blair.

Bad news for U.S. fans in regard to the Liger vs. Pillman match on 2/29. Liger suffered some serious rib injuries on 1/30 and was going to take off until going to the U.S. on 2/24, however with the six wrestlers scheduled on the tour already having canceled, the office is having Liger work in his poor condition where he can't do much in the ring (and for credibility, having him do the job most nights as well).

2/2 in Sanyo drew a sellout 3,250 as Hase & Muto & Fujinami beat Armstrong & St. Clair & Bigelow when Hase pinned Armstrong with the Northern Lights suplex in 12:37, Choshu & Hashimoto beat Duk & Norton, Rambo & Pegasus Kid beat Cat & Chono, Halme pinned Saito, Nogami & Kimura beat Liger & Koshinaka when Nogami pinned Liger and prelims.

2/1 in Shinjo drew a sellout 1,520 as Armstrong & Duk & Bigelow beat Chono & Choshu & Hashimoto when Bigelow pinned Chono, St. Clair & Norton beat Fujinami & Muto when Norton pinned Muto, Scorpio & Pegasus Kid beat Liger & Nogami when Kid pinned Liger, Rambo & Halme beat Kimura & Saito, Koshinaka & Kido beat Hase & Hoshino.

1/31 in Nagano drew a sellout 2,560 as Duk & Rambo & Norton beat Muto & Saito & Choshu when Rambo pinned Saito, Hashimoto & Chono beat Armstrong & Bigelow, Liger & Fujinami & Koshinaka beat Scorpio & St. Clair & Pegasus Kid when Koshinaka pinned St. Clair, Halme pinned Kido, Nogami & Kimura beat Cat & Hase, Aoyagi beat Ohara and prelims.

OTHER JAPAN NOTES


FMW on 1/30 in Osaka drew a sellout 2,015 as Sambo Asako & Atsushi Onita beat Horace Boulder (Hulk Hogan's legit nephew Michael Bollea) & Blond Bomber (someone from Ohio), Tarzan Goto won the WWA World Martial Arts title beating The Big Titan in 10:57, Sabu pinned Ricky Fuji and Star Man (Billy Anderson) beat Mr. Gannosuke.

1/31 in Nishiwaki drew a sellout 2,218 as Onita & Goto & The Shooter beat Sabu & Boulder & Titan in a street fight, Asako beat Star Man and Boulder beat Fuji.

2/1 in Miye drew a sellout 2,324 as Titan & Boulder & Sabu beat Gannosuke & Asako & Onita in a street fight, Goto beat Star Man and Fuji beat Blond Bomber.

2/2 in Shinjo drew a sellout 2,078 as Sabu & Boulder & Titan beat Fuji & Asako & Onita in a street fight, Goto beat Blond Bomber and Star Man beat Shooter.

Kevin Sullivan missed this tour.

WING has added a cage match on 2/16 at Korakuen Hall with Mr. Pogo vs. Gypsy Joe.

WING tour from 3/6 to 3/13 will have Ivan & Vladimir Koloff, Miguelito Perez, Iceman (Ricky Santana), Vic Steamboat, Rip Rogers, The Head Hunters, Pogo and manager Victor Quinones.

SWS is planning a major card on 4/18 at the Tokyo City Gym and Tenryu is hoping for a singles main event of himself against either Undertaker or Ric Flair.

All Japan Women announced the 1992 Wrestlemarinpiad show will be held on April 25th, which is several months earlier than usual.

Mariko Yoshida & Mima Shimoda from All Japan Women started with EMLL in Mexico on 1/31.

Akira Maeda's Rings announced shows on 3/5 in Hyogo, 4/3 in Hiroshima and 5/16 at the Ariake Coliseum in the Tokyo Bay Area.

Because of his Titan suspension, Marty Janetty's SWS tour has been canceled.

2/9 in Isesaki for SWS has The Natural Powers (King Haku & Yoshiaki Yatsu) vs. Samson Fuyuki & Takashi Ishikawa, Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Kendo Nagasaki & Kenichi Oya, Sano defending the jr. heavyweight title against some (originally it was to be Janetty), George & Shunji Takano vs. Tatsumi Kitahara & Shinichi Nakano, Ultimate Dragon & Kato Kung Lee vs. Emilio Charles Jr. & Blue Panther and Davey Boy Smith & Kabuki vs. Hercules & Goro Tsurumi. 2/10 in Aizumi has Tenryu & Hara vs. Smith & Sano, Natural Powers vs. Nakano & Kitahara, Takanos vs. Nagasaki & Oya, Dragon & Lee & Fumihiro Niikura vs. Nakahara & Charles & Panther and Kabuki & Hercules vs. Ishikawa & Fuyuki. 2/12 at Korakuen Hall has Tenryu vs. Hercules (what a main event that'll turn out to be in front of those fans), Natural Powers vs. Takanos, Fuyuki & Ishikawa vs. Kitahara & Nakano, Hara vs. Kabuki, Smith & Sano vs. Nagasaki & Oya and Dragon & Lee vs. Charles & Panther. 2/14 in Kyoto has Tenryu & Hara vs. Nakano & Kitahara, Natural Powers vs. Smith & Sano, Takanos vs. Fuyuki & Ishikawa, Niikura & Dragon & Lee vs. Charles & Panther & Nakahara and Oya vs. Hercules.

A few real names that weren't in the last yearbook: Dynamite Kansai aka Miss A is Chieko Suzuki, Devil Masami is Masami Yoshida, Bull Nakano is Keiko Nakano, Coolie SZ aka Crush aka Akiyoshi is Shoji Akiyoshi, Bulldog KT aka Punish aka Takayama is Keiji Takayama, Monkey Magic Wakita aka Momotaro is Hiro Wakida, Masa Michinoku aka Ninja Sasuke is Masanoru Murakawa, Sakigake Gantetsu is Shigetatsu Sato.

JAPANESE TV RUNDOWN

1/11 SWS

1. The Berzerker & Shawn Michaels beat Kendo Nagasaki & Kenichi Oya in 11:16. This entire card was totally devoid of heat and mainly devoid of good wrestling. This match had decent pacing but Berzerker's timing was hideous. Michaels was pretty good and saved the match. Berzerker pinned Oya with a powerslam. *1/2; 2. Ultimate Dragon pinned Bestia Salvaje in 10:07. Salvaje did a cross bodyblock to the floor and Dragon did a dive through the ropes. But this was nowhere close to what these two are capable of and have done before. Fans did get into the finish and chanted "Asai, Asai," particularly after he did the moonsault to the floor and he won with the monkey special (german suplex rolled into a cradle). Fans threw money into the ring after the match. **3/4; 3. Smith & Sano beat Kitahara & Nakano in 13:07 when Smith pressed Sano overhead and dropped him on Kitahara for the pin. *1/2; 4. The Natural Powers DDQ The Takano Brothers in 17:48. They tried but it was awful and the finish made it even worse. They were all blown up so the "out of control brawl" at the end really looked bad. -*; 5. Tenryu & Hara beat Ishikawa & Fuyuki in 17:43 when Hara pinned Fuyuki with a power bomb. Hara has really gotten fat. Very stiff action with no crowd reaction. Fuyuki took a Cactus Jack bump over the guard rail and the press table into the front row. ***

1/12 ALL JAPAN

1. Hansen pinned Taue in 15:30 with the lariat. Started real slow like a 1950s match with Taue holding a headlock for the first 9:20. Picked up and Taue even got some good near falls as it went. Actually the period with Taue just holding the headlock wasn't as bad as it sounds and the match was okay. **; 2. Misawa & Kawada & Kobashi beat Tsuruta & Fuchi & Ogawa in about 25 minutes. Typical super match with great action, great heat and great psychology. You really can't ask for more from a match. Kawada wound up making Ogawa submit to a camel clutch after all the hot moves, near falls, kick outs and saves. ****1/2

1/18 SWS

1. Ishikawa & Fuyuki beat Michaels & Kabuki when Fuyuki pinned Kabuki with a crucifix. Michaels took some good bumps and all four were real good here. ***1/4; 2. Kitahara & Nakano beat Oya & Nagasaki in 15:34 when Nakano pinned Oya with the Northern Lights suplex. ***; 3. Dragon pinned Comando Ruso with a german suplex in 12:08. Ruso was nothing special but Dragon was pretty hot here. Another good match. ***1/4; 4. Smith & Sano beat Takano Brothers in 14:30 when Smith pinned Shunji with a splash off the top rope. Smith was in less than 2:00 of the match in total so didn't hurt it. Shunji was actually good for a change as well. Smith did press Shunji (who must go 290-310 because he's so fat and out of shape) overhead which was pretty impressive. George did a perfect moonsault on Sano, Sano did a Liger-dive on. It must be a record--four real good SWS matches in succession. ***; 5. Natural Powers beat Tenryu & Hara in 21:51 when Haku pinned Tenryu with a splash off the ropes. Kind of slow and boring at times but basically not bad. **1/4

1/20 ALL JAPAN WOMEN

1. Debbie Malenko & Sake Hasegawa won the Japanese tag team title beating Takako Inoue & Mariko Yoshida in 18:44. All action match with lots of hot moves and near falls which popped the crowd big. Yoshida & Inoue were very inventive with their moves. Super match with the only bad spot when Malenko & Hasegawa messed up an attempted double team dive out of the ring. Malenko caught Yoshida in a chicken-wing crossface with a super set-up for the submission title change. ****1/4; 2. Aja Kong & Bison Kimura regained the held up WWWA world tag team titles beating Kyoko Inoue & Toshiyo Yamada in 2/3 falls. First fall saw Inoue pin Kimura with a stuff power bomb after Kong was taken out by five oil can shots and five enzuigiris in 9:13. Kimura pinned Inoue in the second fall with a diving head-butt off the top rope in 8:04. Third fall saw Kong pin Yamada with a power bomb off the middle rope in 14:37. The finish itself was botched and match was edited heavily on TV (maybe 15 minutes of the 32 minutes aired) but otherwise super. ****

GLOBAL


The 1/31 show at the Dallas Sportatorium drew another good crowd of nearly 1,300 as The Patriot pinned Billy Joe Travis, Dark Patriot pinned Ben Jordan, Sam Houston pinned Bull Pain, Eddie Gilbert pinned Terry Garvin in a TV title match in which the first man to break the rules would be disqualified. The stipulation never came into play because both worked completely scientifically. After the match Garvin took the house mic and asked Gilbert since he's such a good wrestler, why does he always cheat? Gilbert had no answer until Black Bart, Scandor Akbar and Sweet Daddy Falcone came out and attacked Garvin while Gilbert just stood by and watched. When Gilbert tried to walk out as they were beating on Garvin, Falcone & Bart cut him off and attacked him as well and left him laying. After the match Gilbert did an interview and said he found a $10,000 bounty poster in the locker room and that he was the target and he swore he'd get to the bottom of the situation. Then Jordan beat Pain via DQ when Samantha interfered, Houston & Gary Young beat Bart & Falcone, Jerry Lynn pinned Barry Horowitz to keep the GWF lightheavyweight title and Samantha Pain pinned Rockin Robin with her feet on the ropes (Robin was apparently none too pleased at having to put over a non-wrestling valet). Final hour of the taping saw Horowitz go to a draw with Jordan in a match where Gilbert had to forfeit $1,000 to Jordan because he put it up saying Horowitz would win. Houston, Chaz Taylor, Lynn and Young all came to ringside to cheer Jordan on to holding on for the time limit. Bart pinned Rattlesnake in a bullrope match (said to be the worst match on the card), Mike Davis pinned Chaz Taylor by hitting him with a chain and Dark Patriot (Doug Gilbert) won the North American title beating The Patriot (Del Wilkes). Before the match started, Patriot did an interview and said his North American title belt was stolen in the dressing room and that he knew Dark Patriot had something to do with it. Just before the match started, announcer Bruce Prichard (formerly Brother Love in WWF) told Patriot that he'd found the belt and said he'd make sure and watch it during the match. During the match announcer Craig Johnson asked Prichard how he had found the belt and Prichard flipped out and started swearing at him (this was during a TV commercial break so only the live audience saw this). He then walked away from the announcer podium and came to ringside with the belt. Ref James Beard was KO'd by a Patriot missile when Dark Patriot ducked. When he got up, Patriot ducked a Dark Patriot scud missile and Beard took a second bump. Patriot then hit Dark Patriot with a missile and went for the pin, but Prichard came into the ring and hit Patriot with his belt and put Dark Patriot on top for the pin.

2/7 at the Global Dome has a ten man tournament with the winner getting a shot at Dark Patriot's title. They announced The Patriot suffered an "eye injury" so he wouldn't be in the tournament and that the first round matches will be Scott Anthony vs. Young, Houston vs. Scott Putski, Pain vs. Garvin, Irwin vs. Bart and Gilbert vs. Horowitz. Gilbert went nuts during his local interview when told his normal tag team partner Horowitz would be his opponent. Also Lynn defends against Travis and Mike Davis vs. Chaz Taylor.

Prichard as a heel manager of Dark Patriot is yet another Prichard brother doing a Roddy Piper clone interview. Prichard for years had wanted to be a heel manager and if you recall, was originally supposed to manage Undertaker in WWF but he ran into trouble and was replaced by Paul Bearer.

Looking at the title tournament it appears with Dark Patriot as champ that the best bet to win the tourney is Eddie Gilbert which would set up a brother vs. brother match.

USWA


The "Attempted Murder and Attempted Rape Hour" took place on television this past Saturday. It all started rather innocently when The Moondogs destroyed a few jobbers and beat them up after the match with chair shots. They then aired a clip from the previous Saturday night from Memphis with Jerry Lawler & Jeff Jarrett vs. Moondogs for the USWA tag team titles. Richard Lee pulled the old 1983 Andy Kaufman routine of coming to the ring all bandaged, but it wasn't really Lee. Jarrett was pounding on the bandaged up fake Richard Lee when the real Richard Lee came out and interfered leading to Jarrett getting pinned. The next clip from the Coliseum (which on 1/25 drew 1,300 fans and a $7,700 house which is considerably better than usual) saw Eric Embry defend the Southern title against Tony Anthony. Embry brought in handcuffs and somehow Anthony reversed things and Embry got himself handcuffed to the ropes. At this point Anthony pulled downs Embry's trunks and Dirty White Girl came out and whipped Embry with a belt. At this point they went back live to television and Embry and valet C.J. came out and were furious and it wound up with Tony Falk handcuffing Anthony to the ropes while Eric went to get revenge on Dirty White Girl. Embry started trying to rip off her clothes, and ripped her top off (revealing the dreaded black bra) and before he could get her pants off, Lawler and Jarrett made the save. I guess they are just trying to be topical since the Tyson trial is the biggest thing in the news in Indiana.

Doug Gilbert appeared as himself.

They aired another interview by Dennis Coraluzzo who is said to be Kimala's financial adviser and he showed a beautiful house where he said Lawler lived in and then a rundown house and said that's where Lawler's sons (who he calls "Jerry's Kids) live.

They announced the return of Austin Idol which should have picked the gate up for the 2/2 afternoon card since Idol has always been a good draw in Memphis. Anyway, Idol was supposed to be at television but he hadn't arrived. Lawler did a squash match and The Moondogs jumped him with Jarrett making the save. Richard Lee came in, followed by Robert Fuller, followed by a new heel called The Flaming Star (no idea who). Star threw fire at Fuller. Finally Idol showed up having "just arrived in the building" and cleaned house using his briefcase. During the face comeback, Idol's briefcase opened and Lawler threw shaving cream on the Moondogs.

Then came the attempted murder interview. Idol did one of those all-time classic interviews (Idol is the one who taught Paul E. Dangerously how to do an interview) and said that Richard Lee had sent someone to sabotage his private airplane and called it an attempted murder. Dave Brown, who does the weather on the news for Ch. 5 in Memphis said, "If that's true, those are some serious allegations." . . They also gave free cotton candy to the first 500 kids in the building on the card on Sunday.

2/2 results saw Doug Masters & Brian Christopher beat Tony Williams & Bart Sawyer, Miss Texas & Dirty White Girl beat C.J. & Miss Jennifer via DQ when Embry and Falk interfered and attacked the face girls, Tom Prichard pinned Falk, Fuller beat Flaming Star when Lee's attempt to throw fire at Fuller backfired, Embry DDQ Anthony for the Southern title when the valets both interfered, Kimala DDQ Koko Ware in a match for Kimala's USWA title which ended up with the title held up where they used the Dusty finish where Ware pinned Kimala after a ref bump but the second ref ruled that Ware had thrown Kimala over-the-top rope before the pin and the two refs couldn't agree on who won so they held the belts up, Jarrett beat Lee in a cage match and Moondogs beat Lawler & Idol via DQ to keep the USWA tag team titles in another brawl all over the building ending with Lawler & Idol double-posting Lee.

2/1 in Nashville saw Falk beat Sawyer, Prichard beat Masters, Fuller beat Falk, Embry DDQ Anthony, Kimala beat Idol via DQ and Moondogs beat Lawler & Jarrett.

1/31 in Kennet, MO saw Anthony over Falk, Christopher beat Ken Wayne, Fuller beat Lee, Embry & C.J. beat Prichard & Texas and Lawler & Jarrett beat Moondogs.

1/28 in Louisville saw Anthony beat Masters, Prichard & Texas beat Falk & C.J., Embry beat Sawyer, Anthony won an eight man strap Battle Royal, fuller beat Lee and Moondogs DDQ Lawler & Jarrett.

OREGON


The 2/1 card with kids night drew a little more than 300 in Portland as Jesse Barr beat Col. DeBeers via an over the top rope DQ, Al Madril refused to wrestle Mike Winner since it was kids night but Al jumped him wearing street clothes and beat on him until Winner made a comeback and unmasked Madril and he ran out, Buddy Rose pinned C.W. Bergstrom, Mike Miller DDQ Winner when Al tried to distract ref Sandy Barr so Miller could use a 2x4 but Barr turned around in time. After the match Madril attacked winner, tore his shirt off and shoved the shirt down his throat and hit him with a 2x4. Brickhouse Brown beat John Rambo via DQ when DeBeers threw in nunchakus for Rambo to use (to set up a nunchakus on a pole match for next week) and Steve Doll & The Grappler won a one fall match from Ron & Don Harris to set up a 2/3 fall tag team title match for next week.

Word should be official one way or another within the next two weeks whether this group gets local television on Ch. 49 in Portland or has to settle for public access.

HERE AND THERE


The meeting to decide whether the bill to regulate pro wrestling in Florida which would include government mandated random anabolic steroid testing will be on Friday. My gut feeling says it won't go but committee chairman Norman Ostarau does want to implement some sort of regulation regarding the steroid use. WCW apparently decided this past week that if the bill passes (it would, if it passes the house, senate and is signed by the governor, probably go into effect around October or January) that they would pull out of Florida which in a sense is saying that they feel it's a higher priority to keep the wrestlers on steroids than to maintain promoting in some of its best cities (including Jacksonville, which is its best city).

The LPWA PPV show on 2/23 is tentatively back on with them looking at actually taping the show the night before in either Hammond, IN; Jackson, TN or Laughlin, NV and edit it for an airing the next day. If the show goes on, they'll probably use Eddie Gilbert & Candi Divine vs. The Patriot & Misty Blue in a mixed match as part of the card.

Ron Garvin captured the WWC Universal title from Carlitos Colon on 2/1 in Caguas due to outside interference of Fidel Sierra. Miguel Perez (the same one who headlined Madison Square Garden in the 50s as Argentina Rocca's tag team partner) came out of retirement to team with son Miguelito in the semifinal to beat Sierra & El Profe, plus Heartbreakers beat Rex King & Ricky Santana, Dick Murdoch drew Invader #1, Randy Rhodes & El Exotico beat Head Hunters, Bobby Davis beat Leatherface via DQ and Road Block pinned El Corsario.

Todd Gordon, who worked as a financial partner with Joel Goodhart is going to start up a group called Eastern Championship Wrestling and use a lot of Goodhart's local wrestlers like J.T. Smith, D.C. Drake, Larry Winters, etc.

Sunflower State Wrestling debuted on 1/19 in Hoisington, KS before 300 fans headlined by Doug Buttons winning a Battle Royal. SSW has talked with Rip Rogers and Bobby Jaggers among others.

Former pro wrestler George Grant gained some mention on Paul Harvey's radio show as the evangelist that was the famous Gorgeous George. Grant has been masquerading for years claiming to be Gorgeous George but the real Gorgeous George died in 1963.

Stu Hart and Bob Johnson are conducting exploratory discussions with some television stations about re-opening Stampede Wrestling.

Southeastern Wrestling Federation is a new group based out of Mississippi using Johnny & Davey Rich, Don Bass, Chris Champion, Carl Fergie and Tommy Lane.

WWF