Jump to content
DVDVR Message Board

WRESTLE-1 "Raising An Army" Debut on 9/8/13


Kevin Wilson

Recommended Posts

A little early but I figure any talk about the new promotion leading up to and after the event can just go in this thread.

 

Posted Image
Wrestle-1 "Raising An Army" Debut Event
Tokyo Dome City Hall
Attendance: 2,500 (Super No Vacancy Full House)

 

1. Daiki Inaba Debut Match: Hiroshi Yamato and Daiki Inaba defeated NOSAWA Rongai and MAZADA (6:38) with a Northern Light Suplex from Yamato to NOSAWA. 
2. Kohei Sato  and Ryouji Sai  defeated Ryota Hama and Yasufumi Nakanoue (10:18) with a Piledriver from Sato to Nakanoue. 
3. Women's Pro Wrestling Match: Yoshiko defeated Mayu Iwatani (6:26) with a Diving Senton. 
4. Koji Kanemoto and Minoru Tanaka defeated Masaaki Mochizuki and Fujita "Jr." Hayato (13:08) with a Ankle Hold from Kanemoto to Hayato. 
5. Daisuke Sekimoto  and Yuji Okabayashi defeated Kaz Hayashi and Shuji Kondo (15:20) with a Deadlift German Suplex Hold from Sekimoto to Kondo. 
6. Kazushi Sakuraba and Katsuyori Shibata defeated Masakatsu Funaki and Masayuki Kono (16:30) with a Chickenwing Facelock from Sakuraba to Kono. 
7. KAI Return Match: KAI defeated Seiya Sanada (16:41) with the Splash Plancha. 
8. Keiji Mutoh and Bob Sapp defeated René Duprée and Zodiac (10:20) with a Moonsault Press from Mutoh to Duprée. 
 
 
What a shock, a Bob Sapp sighting in Wrestle-1 :P
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So was Daiki Inaba a AJ Dojo kid that jumped?

 

I like that the card is basically Everyone who jumped vs. umm....somebody else. So it'll be interesting to see which freelance guys they bring in actually win a match. I'm also intrigued that Mutoh is the only guy from the split in the main event, so that means he's going to need three big names in the main. I'm assuming it'll be someone from New Japan(didn't they say they'd work with him?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a point of full disclosure, as everyone that knows me knows, I am a big fan of Keiji Mutoh.  That being said, I am not thrilled of the idea that All Japan was really hitting its stride and it suddenly gets cut in half.  Mutoh clearly got the better half (in my opinion), but starting a new promotion is hard and I fear it will go the way of BML in that it will start hot, then slowly events will take place less often until they all just become freelancers.  But they appear to have sponsors and what not so hopefully it goes well.

Honestly, no, Mutoh didn't get the better half. What he did do though was basically manage to get Kondo to follow, take a Kono who was becoming a solid hand, and steal almost all of the damn young wrestlers (Inaba, Sanada, Nakanoue, KAI, Yamato, at least two other rookies). All that said I wouldn't say he got the better half considering Burning, Suwama, Doering, a KENSO that gives a damn, & Soya all stayed. These were the guys pretty much putting on the best matches the first half of the year before the split.

 

 

So was Daiki Inaba a AJ Dojo kid that jumped?

One of them. There was also a former indy wrestler who joined and was going through the training system like Raijin did.

 

 

So a theory STRIGGA from purolove and myself have is that Mutoh may just be trying to wait out Shiraishi who will hopefully either get bored in a maybe year or see AJP's business failing and be forced to give up the promotion. Otherwise its odd that they have no plans fro titles in WRESTLE-1, and there is really no way Mutoh could keep such a place running long term. Its a light stretch and may just be wishful thinking, but I just find it odd. Even timing of Motoko Baba's asking for the Triple Crown belts back seemed off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

As a point of full disclosure, as everyone that knows me knows, I am a big fan of Keiji Mutoh.  That being said, I am not thrilled of the idea that All Japan was really hitting its stride and it suddenly gets cut in half.  Mutoh clearly got the better half (in my opinion), but starting a new promotion is hard and I fear it will go the way of BML in that it will start hot, then slowly events will take place less often until they all just become freelancers.  But they appear to have sponsors and what not so hopefully it goes well.

Honestly, no, Mutoh didn't get the better half. What he did do though was basically manage to get Kondo to follow, take a Kono who was becoming a solid hand, and steal almost all of the damn young wrestlers (Inaba, Sanada, Nakanoue, KAI, Yamato, at least two other rookies). All that said I wouldn't say he got the better half considering Burning, Suwama, Doering, a KENSO that gives a damn, & Soya all stayed. These were the guys pretty much putting on the best matches the first half of the year before the split.

 

 

In my defense, I did say in my opinion :P  But I am generally all about the youth.  I've never liked KENSO, Doering will leave in a second if WWE calls again, and personally prefer Yamato/KAI/Sanada over Soya (which I realize may be a minority opinion).  Burning I know signed a contract but the only one of the bunch I really still like is Go.  Suwama of course is the real deal, if he had left then All Japan may as well not be All Japan.  Either way it is bad for both of them in terms of putting on complete entertaining cards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

As a point of full disclosure, as everyone that knows me knows, I am a big fan of Keiji Mutoh.  That being said, I am not thrilled of the idea that All Japan was really hitting its stride and it suddenly gets cut in half.  Mutoh clearly got the better half (in my opinion), but starting a new promotion is hard and I fear it will go the way of BML in that it will start hot, then slowly events will take place less often until they all just become freelancers.  But they appear to have sponsors and what not so hopefully it goes well.

Honestly, no, Mutoh didn't get the better half. What he did do though was basically manage to get Kondo to follow, take a Kono who was becoming a solid hand, and steal almost all of the damn young wrestlers (Inaba, Sanada, Nakanoue, KAI, Yamato, at least two other rookies). All that said I wouldn't say he got the better half considering Burning, Suwama, Doering, a KENSO that gives a damn, & Soya all stayed. These were the guys pretty much putting on the best matches the first half of the year before the split.

 

 

So was Daiki Inaba a AJ Dojo kid that jumped?

One of them. There was also a former indy wrestler who joined and was going through the training system like Raijin did.

 

 

So a theory STRIGGA from purolove and myself have is that Mutoh may just be trying to wait out Shiraishi who will hopefully either get bored in a maybe year or see AJP's business failing and be forced to give up the promotion. Otherwise its odd that they have no plans fro titles in WRESTLE-1, and there is really no way Mutoh could keep such a place running long term. Its a light stretch and may just be wishful thinking, but I just find it odd. Even timing of Motoko Baba's asking for the Triple Crown belts back seemed off.

 

 

That sounds like a huge waste of time, money and resources. If Shiraishi leaves in a year, that's still a year Mutoh and company have spent building the WRESTLE-1 brand. WRESTLE-1 would have to be in pretty bad shape to just drop it and if Shiraishi leaves All Japan, they probably won't be in good shape either. And really, why would Mutoh want to go back? Unless he wants to keep the name alive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That sounds like a huge waste of time, money and resources. If Shiraishi leaves in a year, that's still a year Mutoh and company have spent building the WRESTLE-1 brand. WRESTLE-1 would have to be in pretty bad shape to just drop it and if Shiraishi leaves All Japan, they probably won't be in good shape either. And really, why would Mutoh want to go back? Unless he wants to keep the name alive.

 

Chances of WRESTLE-1 doing well after their first few shows are low and its more about how long one might be able to wait the other out. Like I said its a stretch anyways. The AJP brand would be worth more and easier to build up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apparently they have some type of sponsorship deal with Ezaki Glico, however big or important they are I have no idea.

 

I am surprised the event will be airing live on TV.  Of course I realize that the percentage of homes that get Gaora TV is low, but still for a new promotion to be on TV from the start, especially live... either he or the sponsor have stroke with someone.  Or they are paying Gaora TV a lot of money.  Not sure how that works.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 
As a point of full disclosure, as everyone that knows me knows, I am a big fan of Keiji Mutoh.  That being said, I am not thrilled of the idea that All Japan was really hitting its stride and it suddenly gets cut in half.  Mutoh clearly got the better half (in my opinion), but starting a new promotion is hard and I fear it will go the way of BML

 

Eh, this is more along the lines of Riki Choshu's "World Japan" promotion.  Muto will be back under contract to New Japan as a "legend" by 2015.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So many terrible ideas in AJP were attributed (rightly or wrongly) to Muto. Goldberg annihilating Kea and Kojima in 3 minutes each. Kronik as tag champs.  The first incarnation of WRESTLE-1. I wonder if he has gotten wiser, or if this card is gonna be some trippy shit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So many terrible ideas in AJP were attributed (rightly or wrongly) to Muto. Goldberg annihilating Kea and Kojima in 3 minutes each. Kronik as tag champs.  The first incarnation of WRESTLE-1. I wonder if he has gotten wiser, or if this card is gonna be some trippy shit.

Those were almost 10 years ago though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

November 17, 2002 in Yokohama, Japan

Yokohama Arena drawing 12,807

Shown live on Japanese PPV

  • Abdullah the Butcher pinned Masaaki Satake (5:10).

     

  • Kendo Kashin & Apeman Nigo beat La Parka & Super Parka (13:37) when Kashin forced La Parka to submit.

     

  • Sam Greco & Dos Caras, Jr. beat Taiyo Kea & Kaz Hayashi (12:20) when Caras pinned Hayashi.

     

  • Satoshi Kojima & Hiroshi Hase beat Mark Coleman & Kevin Randleman (16:49) when Kojima pinned Randleman.

     

  • Shinya Hashimoto beat Josh Dempsey (8:01) via submission.

     

  • Bill Goldberg pinned Rick Steiner (6:03).

7.  Bob Sapp pinned The Great Muta (6:33).

 

January 19, 2003 in Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo Dome drawing 20,000

Shown live on Japanese PPV

  • Abdullah The Butcher pinned Masaaki Sataake (7:35).

     

  • Anthony Mori, Henry Sugawara, & Taiji Ishimori beat Milano Collection AT, Yossino, & Condotti Shuji (13:18) when Ishimori pinned Shuji.

     

  • Kendo Kashin beat Sabu (12:28) via submission.

     

  • Ultimo Dragon & Kaz Hayashi beat Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Buccanero (17:40) when Dragon forced Buccanero to submit.

     

  • Satoshi Kojima & Hiroshi Hase beat Terry Funk & Heath Herring (10:58) when Hase pinned Herring.

     

  • Mark Coleman & Kevin Randleman beat Jan Nortje & Giant Singh (11:48) when Coleman pinned Singh.

     

  • Shinya Hashimoto beat Joe Son (5:34) via submission.

     

  • Keiji Mutoh & Bill Goldberg beat Bryan Clark & Bryan Adams (17:57) when Goldberg pinned Clark.

     

  • Ernesto Hoost pinned Bob Sapp (5:15).
Link to comment
Share on other sites

August 4, 2005 in Tokyo, Japan

Sumo Hall drawing 8,000

  • Mil Mascaras & Terry Funk beat Tomoaki Honma & Katsuhiko Nakajima (10:19) when Mascaras pinned Nakajima.

     

  • Kaz Hayashi pinned AJ Styles (14:38).

     

  • Kohei Suwama pinned The Predator (7:36).

     

  • Genichiro Tenryu beat Kazunari Murakami (7:29) via DQ.

     

  • Bob Sapp pinned Giant Bernard (5:30).

     

  • Kensuke Sasaki pinned Riki Choshu (6:10).

     

  • Jun Akiyama pinned Katsuyori Shibata (13:46).

     

  • The Great Muta pinned Akebono (10:08).
October 2, 2005 in Tokyo, Japan

Yoyogi National Stadium Gym drawing 8,012

Shown live on Japanese PPV

  • Abdullah the Butcher & Giant Kimala beat Dory Funk, Jr. & Katsuhiko Nakajima (10:16) when Abdullah pinned Nakajima.

     

  • Giant Bernard & The Predator beat Sam Greco & Jan Nortje (12:20) when Bernard pinned Nortje.

     

  • Team 3-D beat Johnny Stamboli & Chuck Palumbo (14:19) Buh Buh Ray pinned Palumbo.

     

  • Minoru Suzuki TKO Kohei Suwama (17:00).

     

  • Jamal pinned Don Frye (8:16).

     

  • Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa beat Akebono & Scorpio (14:51) when Misawa pinned Akebono.

     

  • The Great Muta pinned Kensuke Sasaki (13:14).

     

  • Bob Sapp pinned Jun Akiyama (7:21).
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...