NJPW Super Grade WPW Coverage

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New Japan Pro Wrestling Presents
Super Grade Tag League III
October 15th, 1993
Tokyo@Korakuen Hall

TELEVISED ON TV ASAHI AS PART OF WPW

Not for TV:

Osamu Kido defeats Michiyoshi Ohara via pinfall off a Kido Clutch at 8:11.
Tatsutoshi Goto defeats Norio Honaga via pinfall off a backdrop suplex at 10:22.

Scott Norton & Hiromichi Fuyuki (Fuyuki-gun) defeat Jushin Liger & Yuji Nagata when Norton pinned Nagata off a power slam at 6:01.

The Hell Raisers (Power & Awesome Gladiator) defeated Koji Kanemoto & Tatsumi Fujinami when Kanemoto is pinned off a doomsday device at 7:52.


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WPW Coverage hosted by Hidekazu Tanaka & Hiroshi Hase

Official Opening Match
El Samurai

Vs.

Tatsuhito Takaiwa

Takaiwa has partner Shinjiro Ohtani in his corner, while Samurai is accompanied by Norio Honaga. Strong show here from young Takaiwa in his first major singles outing since his return last month. Takaiwa nearly wins the whole thing off a kneeling power bomb only for Samurai to pop the shoulder just before 3. He's extra agressive here, as has been the case with just about every Ohtani/Takaiwa tag contest. Lariat attempt gets ducked as Samurai counters to a quick inverted DDT only earning two. The Samurai Bomb that follows however seals Takaiwa's fate when all is said and done. Still a valiant effort from the youngster, and a strong showing against a former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight and Multi-time IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champion in Samurai.

Your Winner: " El Samurai in 9:54 via pinfall. "

Before our next contest we're treated to a very special sit down interview with IWGP Champion: Genichiro Tenryu. The topic of discussion is Hiroshi Hase, Tenryu is extremely dismissive of Hase's impending challenge. stating that Fujinami was far more tried and tested in regards to big league match ups, and we all saw what happened there. He says Hase has a ton of heart, but heart will only get you so far.

After the interview airs, Hase actually laughs it off, stating he's already proven himself by defeating Hashimoto, Chono, Muta & Windham, and that's with much more than heart. He urges those at home to purchase tickets as THE MATCH HAS BEEN SIGNED for SUMO HALL November the 6th as

NJPW Presents

POWER STRUGGLE 1993!

Special Attraction
Grudge Match

"Super Rookie" Jun Akiyama

Vs.

"Bad Attitude" Satoshi Kojima (BNJPW)

Lots of bad blood here as Kojima just recently cost Akiyama a major victory over Goto. For a young lion's match it's pretty heated, with some stiff back and forth forearm smashes. We have a fun little bit where Kojima tosses his foe into the corner and scores with a leaping forearm smash, turns around to pose and WHAMO Akiyama floors him with one of his own! Near the end we're trading elbows with Kojima coming out ahead. Lariat gets ducked under and WHAMO he gets dropped with an EXPLODER!!! Cover..

1...

2...

Kick up!

Second exploder is set up but Kojima elbows his way to freedom. He pulls the ref into an Akiyama attack seconds later, momentarily taking him out. Elbow pad gets loaded.... LOADED LARIAT... NO AKIYAMA DUCKS UNDER YET AGAIN! Akiyama off the ropes... RYDEEN BOMB FROM KOJIMA ON THE REBOUND!

1..

1...

NO REF!

Kojima's fustrated as he turns to awaken the official, and GETS HOOKED UPON TURNING AROUND.. EXPLODER!!! EXPODER!! Northern Lights Suplex Hold follows..

1..

2..

GOTO PULLS THE OFFICIAL OUT OF THE RING BEFORE 3!!

We tease a DQ here but Akiyama doesn't want it that way, so it continues. Minutes later we've got Akiyama trying to suplex Kojima in, and MAYBE he should have just taken the DQ victory as we've got a cheap WRESTLEMANIA V finish as Goto sweeps the legs and holds on for dear life as Kojima falls on top..

1...

2..

3!! Satoshi Kojima steals it!

Your Winner: "Satoshi Kojima in 12:54 via pinfall."

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Before our first Super Grade Tag League Bout of the evening, we're shown highlights from night 1 in this very building from October 8th, focussing on Ookami Gundan's *AKA TEAM WOLF*'s upset victory of Keiji Mutoh & Masahiro Chono when the returning Hiroyoshi Tenzan debuted the TDD on Mutoh. The post match is shown with Tenzan & Saito extending a hand to Chono only to be left in the dust.

This brings us to comments from Hiro Saito (Tenzan in the background) to explain just what said to Chono. Saito is speaking on behalf of Tenzan, explaining that it was Hiroyoshi's intention to return to Japan as a member of Black New Japan, and how it upsets him that Chono disbanded the group to team with Mutoh. Both Saito & Tenzan call Hiromichi Fuyuki weak, and a joke, and fully understand why what happened had to happen, but Saito & Tenzan both WISH for Chono to ditch the weak link that is Mutoh and JOIN TEAM WOLF. They will pick up where BNJPW left off, and TAKEOVER NJPW. It starts WITH OR WITHOUT CHONO, and it starts by WINNING THE SUPERGRADE.

A backstage interview with the JJ Jacks (Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka) is next, with the tandem's luck coming into question. Together they have won just about ALL there NON-tournament bouts thus far, BUT have yet to score a point on the board. Nogami laments that something has to give, and states that they MUST WIN here tonight.

Super Grade Tag League
Official Match

JJ Jacks (Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka) (0Pts)

Vs.

Transcending Power (Masa Saito & Manabu Nakanishi)
(0Pts)

Both teams need a win to get on the board here. This is Nogami and Iizuka's third match thus far in the league and they've yet to score any points. It's also a return match from Destruction. Can really go any way when you consider what Saito means to NJPW. There's some heat spots with Nakanishi being worked over, but it's brief and this one boils down to a misfire from Nogami taking out his own man with a missile dropkick! Nogami seemingly BLAMES Iizuka for this and berates him, leaving himself open to being hoisted up onto the shoulders of Nakanishi and TORTURED in the ARGENTINE BACKBREAKER! Saito holds Iizuka back, and that's it Nogami submits and JJ Jacks bad luck CONTINUES!

Your Winners: " Manabu Nakanishi & Masa Saito via submission at 7:21. Saito & Nakanishi now have 2Pts."

Extended Ad Break

During the break we get an other announced bout for the November 6th: POWER STRUGGLE event, win, lose or draw King's Road WILL be defending the IWGP Tag Team Championships against former Champions: THE HELL RAISERS at the event! That's right the HELL RAISERS get their long anticipated rematch come POWER STRUGGLE! A video package set to Kiss's WAR MACHINE plays showing highlights of the Hell Raisers DOMINANCE.

We also of course run down the matches to come in the Super Grade League, but that's to be expected.

Super Grade Tag League
Official Match

Ookami Gundan (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Hiro Saito) 2Pts

Vs.

Strong Destruction (Super Strong Machine & Shinya Hashimoto) 2 Pts

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Both teams have a lot to prove here as each are being touted as favorites based on their performances thus far. Extremely heated contest with each team pulling out all the stops here to stay ahead. Some REALLY fun interactions with Machine & Tenzan in particular as these two just seem to be natural freaking rivals! We get some editing here and there, but what makes air is pretty fun. A wild series of kicks from Hashimoto on Saito nearly has the official ready to call it right then and there, but Tenzan plays difference maker. Some fun Tenzan/Hashimoto exchanges, with the former Yamamoto showing he's no young lion any more, but getting taken down with ONE HELL OF A ROUNDHOUSE. We've got a busted nose on Saito at one point, and we get heat working Machine's mask for a spiel.

Machine gets a nice little comeback spot, taking both Saito & Tenzan down with a pair of Devil Windmill Suplexes. Tag to Hashimoto who quickly scores with a spinwheel kick on the illegal Saito, before scoring with a roundhouse to the gut and hooking Tenzan up... JUMPING DDT CONNECTS! Cover..

1...

2...

KICK UP JUST BEFORE 3!

We clip again, this time to Machine being tagged in with Saito as our legal man. They SCORES with a double chokeslam, but here's Tenzan.. AND HE'S TAKEN DOWN WITH A DOUBLE CHOKESLAM AS WELL! Saito rolls to the floor preventing the pin, and Machine's right after 'em... QUICK shot to the throat with some sort of foreign object from Saito, as the vet quickly rolls back into the ring for a breather. WE CLIP yet again, to Tenzan & Saito working over Machine. Tenzan scores with the mountain bomb (high angled samoan drop) before tagging out to Saito as he's set up on the top rope...

DIVING SENTON!

1..

2..

Tenzan holds off Hashimoto...

AND MACHINE STILL POPS THE SHOULDER BEFORE 3!!

*CLIP*

And it's to the HOT TAG to Hashimoto, who freaking CLEANS HOUSE but we've got a two minute warning going on here fans! Tenzan EATS A SPINNING BACKCHOP TO THE JAW! ANOTHER DDT CONNECTS! Cover..

1..

2..

SAITO BREAKS IT UP BEFORE 3!!

Here's Machine to take him out with a lariat! Next thing you know it they're brawling out on the floor! Hashimoto motions for the end here.. hooks him up for a waist lock... NO TENZAN WITH A LOW BLOW PUTS A STOP TO THAT! SMALL PACKAGE!

1..

2..

HASHIMOTO KICKS UP BEFORE 3!!

Tenzan now motions for the end.. quick scoop slam before setting up on top...

DIVING HEADBUTT...

MISSES!!!

WILD SERIES OF KNEES TO THE HEAD FROM HASHIMOTO! Tenzan accidently gives up his back... AND HASHIMOTO JUMPS ON TAKING HIS FOE DOWN WITH A CHOKE SLEEPER!!! BODY SCISSORS IS APPLIED AS WELL... WE'VE GOT SECONDS LEFT... CAN TENZAN HOLD ON?

10...

9...

8...

7...

6...

5...

4...

3...

2..

1!!! IT'S A DRAW!! IT'S A DRAW!! WE HAVE OUR FIRST 30 MINUTE TIME LIMIT DRAW OF THE TOURNAMENT!

Official Result: " 30 Minute Time Limit Draw (Aprox. 14 Shown), as a result each team earns 1 point. "

Before our main event we're taken to brief highlights of Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Kido defeating IWGP Tag Team Champions: King's Road (Johnny Ace & Steve Williams) during night 2. Brief promo from King's Road says they've since rebounded, and tonight they WILL continue to win.

Main Event
Super Grade Tag League
Official Match


King's Road (Johnny Ace & Steve Williams) 2 pts

Vs.

The Musketeers (Keiji Muto & Masahiro Chono) 2 Pts

Another huge match here with two heavy favorites going at it for the very first time. The crowd is solely behind the Muto/Chono super team, as per usual these days. Match itself truly feels like something special. Lots of near falls, a ton of heat, and tons of aggression shown by each of the four. The first near fall comes just moments in as Muto is able to duck a wild swing from Ace and plant him with a Dragon Suplex for two!

Ace plays his role of fall guy quite perfectly, taken the brunt of the beating from Muto & Chono throughout the match as a frustrated Williams keeps trying to get in the ring but is thwarted each time out. That is until Ace counters a Chono hip toss to a jumping DDT out of nowhere and NEARLY gets the pin! We do get the tag to Doc, who's all lariats and suplexes to BOTH Muto & Chono! Gorilla press on Muto see's Doc TOSS him over the top rope onto Chono out on the floor! The champions dominant for a bit here, working over Muto. We bust out the old MVC double 3 Pt Stance tackle for a near fall.

Ace even SCORES WITH AN ACE CRUSHER! This should be it right here...

1...

2...

Chono breaks it up before 3!!

That very same Ace Crusher swings the tide as Ace tries for another but gets shoved into Williams out onto the apron! A dazed Ace takes a snap mare before Muto's off into the ropes and DROPS A FLASH ELBOW INTO THE HEART OF JOHNNY ACE! No cover instead Muto rolls to the corner and MAKES THE TAG TO CHONO!

Ace ends up taking the Muto hand spring elbow followed by a Chono Yakuza kick, BUT WILLIAMS is there to plow right thru BOTH Muto & Chono with a 3 Pt stance tackle! Boot to the face of Chono before being dragged off. Ace is able to make the tag a while later and things break down. CHONO gets a low blow in! PILEDRIVER... NO ACE BREAKS IT UP WITH A FLYING CLOTHESLINE! Williams with a jacknife pin...

1...

2...

MUTO SAVES BEFORE 3!!

Ace & Muto brawl to the floor...

AND WE END up re-using the finish from the IWGP decession match, ONLY DIFFERENCE is Williams sets Chono up for it as Ace waits on the apron... BUT CHONO shoves Williams forward and ACE ACCIDENTALLY DROPS HIS OWN PARTNER THROAT FIRST ACROSS THE TOP ROPE WITH AN ACE CRUSHER!!! Williams turns around into a Yakuza kick from Chono! He's still standing, SO CHONO TAKES HIM DOWN WITH A BODY SCISSORS STYLE VICTORY ROLL! Muto EXPLODES into the ring and dropkicks ACE OFF THE APRON...

Chono grabs the tights..

1...

2...

MUTO SLING SHOTS HIMSELF OVER THE TOP ROPE AND TO THE FLOOR OUT ONTO ACE..

3!!! MUTO & CHONO HAVE DEFEATED THE IWGP TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!!!

Your Winners: " Masahiro Chono & Keiji Muto in 19:51 via pinfall. Bringing Muto & Chono to 4Pts. "

After some celebration we're back to the announcers, who take us to a look at the league standings thus far...

Point Totals For the First 6 Days

The Musketeers (Masahiro Chono & Keiji Mutoh) (3 Matches) 4 Pts.
Ookami Gundan (Hiro Saito & Hiroyoshi Tenzan) (2 Matches) 3Pts.
Strong Destruction (Shinya Hashimoto & Super Strong Machine) (2 Matches) 3 Pts.
Hell Raisers (Power & Awesome) (1 Match) 2Pts.
Original Sekigun (Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Kido) (1 Match) 2 Pts.
Fuyuki-gun A Team (Scott Norton & Tatsutoshi Goto) (1 Match) 2Pts.
King's Road (Johnny Ace & Steve Williams) (2 Matches) 2 Pts.
Transcending Power (Masa Saito & Manabu Nakanishi) (2 Matches) 2 Pts.
Yuji Nagata & El Samurai (2 Matches) 0 Pts.
JJ Jacks (Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka) (3 Matches) 0 Pts.
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[somethingsavage]

Another great show, man. Some highly enjoyable matches here. The details in your write-ups remain second-to-none, even shining in shorter formats like we got here. Still carried the feel of strong-style, fighting spirit, and near-falls throughout. It's everything New Japan should be, with a lot of interesting stuff going on at different levels as well.

Chono & Mutoh are rolling strong. Glad to see this treatment, since anything else would feel underwhelming for such a super team, hot off their fierce feud together. Putting them over King's Road could make for a HUGE headline match down the road also. Crossing my fingers for that one at some point.

Meantime? I'm liking the announcement of the Raisers against the Tag Champs for Power Struggle. The lineup's barely been mentioned, but you've got two stellar bouts already on tap for that event. And I'm continuing to dig the treatment for Ace & Doc as this sort of "All-Japan elite" faction within your own promotion.

Neat new element introduced here with the reference to JJ Jacks being in a bit of a slump lately. I hadn't noticed it, but it makes for an intriguing little story to follow - especially since ya just done away with the Junior Tag "curse" and all that.

Also enjoying the rise of Team Wolf, from the embers & ashes of what's left with Black New Japan. Makes sense that the renegades would march on to forge their own path - with or without Fuyuki and company. I like the peace offering to Chono for the moment, since it provides yet another dynamic to pursue with the angle. No way he betrays Mutoh already, but ya gotta know - good logic, common sense, and their history would help to cast at least some shadow of a doubt in the back of Mutoh's mind here. Good stuff.

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Big main event here. Paths had to cross at some point, and the finish would seem to set up a future encounter or at least leave the door open to get brought up it if you want to go there, while not having to commit to that or anything. Really liked the sequence of Ace accidentally hitting Doc with the Ace Crusher across the top, Yakuza kick, guy is still standing. Really made Doc look strong even in defeat, and if there was a match to give a written description of through TV, this would be 1 of them because it is stuff like that, that would not come out in the non TV results.

Also at that same point, looking forward to the title match with King's Road and The Hell Raisers at Power Struggle. Doc and Awesome should be some stiff, hard hitting action.

To follow up on the last post's feedback with the planning of this, a draw. Hard to see it coming, but the addition of odd numbered point teams always throws things because it creates the late situation presumably where a win puts a team above 1 of these teams, rather than just a tie. Already working towards that late drama. JJ Jacks look to be the bottom feeders here, hopefully they can pull out 1 win as hate to see teams finish with 0.

Good inserts with the comments from Saito, and Tenry and Hase. Starts the sell for November 6, and in the case of Saito, a good explanation of where things are going with that group. Hopefully those 2 teams meet later on after the points part and the "upset" in the first match was to give some further story because it feels like now I am getting pumped to see that match after having seen it.

Akiyama and Kojima was a good undercard match, some fast action. Can not imagine that is the end of these 2 with that finish, especially since Akiyama did not take the DQ when he had the chance and then it came back to bite him.

Good to see Samurai getting a TV victory. Not like the guy has been nothing or anything, but it helps keep his presence there and be an important player to do things like that when you could have easily just done the last 4 matches on TV and skipped out on that 1. Hopefully between that and grabbing the final spot the opening night is a sign of things to come with him as he can certainly be a good counter on the other side for a hot group like Los Amigos to keep things interesting.