ka-to

IWA Japan actually folded last year.

The 1999 Gong Puroresu Nippon Sports Mook lists Chigusa's debut as Showa year 55 August 8 versus Yukari Omori. I think Showa 55 = 1981.

In many cases the wrestlers are under contract on salary. Any show that brings in more than the building rental is a plus. Tickets probably average $50. Wrestlers are required to train at the dojo most days like a normal full time job. The set up the ring in the middle of nowhere since we are here is pretty correct.

5/13/1990 Korakuen Hall. Madusa kicked her ass. Really. It was kickboxing with gloves, but they threw each other around too. I'm inspired to watch it as soon as the Knick game is over. One of my best finds ever from a used video store.

Why didn't all the people who have the network not have WWE 24/7? You could actually watch that on TV and easily record it on a DVD recorder while watching it.

I was at that match and couldn't help but start the Matsumoto chant in the crowd. Dump was featured on a TV show loosing weight a couple years ago. It got her healthy enough to wrestle a little and more importantly not die.

I'm scared that the tv listings on the new network will just say tv classics or MSG or whatever and will be repeated constantly and have no dates and will be out of order. We will have to record it 24 hours and FF through it to try and figure out what is on.

WWWF was cool with 2 fans jumping the ring and a fat lady ready to brawl during the Fuji/Tanaka - Chiefs tag. I don't know why I didn't remember that. It must have been when they were still on at midnight on Saturday night and I was at some tavern during my college years. I liked the Mil scientific match too. I forgot that that kind of match even happened outside of Japanese rookie matches. It was a step up from the usual uneventful show.

hit up Gordi. He lives there. Missed this one! Actually I live in Nara, about half an hour by train from Osaka, but close enough... There used to be a New Japan shop in Metro Hotel in the Doutonbori area of Namba, but I think it's closed now. Mr. Hito had a small shop, also in Namba, but he passed away in 2010 (RIP, my friend). As far as I know, there are sadly no puroresu shops in Osaka any more. Bodymaker Colosseum is the new name for Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. It's also in Namba. Lots of cheap hotels there. Definitely recommend going to an Osaka Pro show (in Umeda) and a Kuuga Produce show (in the old Osaka Pro arena in, you guessed it, Namba) while you're here! I think that there is still a shop in Namba between the station and Bodymaker. http://homepage3.nifty.com/monipro/shop/p-tenpo.htm New Japan had a tiny office on the walk to Bodymaker. It might have been replaced by the hotel shop.

I stopped watching WWE when ECW and WCW died. I got pissed off at Vince for finally killing all of the competition. I do watch 24/7 for the TV Classics and pre-Hogan Garden shows. I'm just happy for all of the Spanish language wrestling on cable the last few years.