AICW TOKYO THUNDER FESTIVAL
DAY ONE: Sunday, March 29, 1998
Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan

<PART ONE>

<"Sakura, Sakura", the Japanese national anthem plays as we see a cherry blossom 
tree blowing in the wind in the Imperial Gardens.  Dan "The Man" Chan does the 
voice over.>

Dan (voice over): The peaceful tranquility of this scene evokes a mysterious 
force that forces one to sit back and meditate on the beauty of the land of the 
rising sun. <Shot of a man meditating in a garden.> Scenes like this remind us 
of what Japan is all about.  So do these.  <Shot of a busy Ginza street on 
Sunday afternoon.  For miles and miles, nothing but people.>
This harmony between nature and the modern age typifies Japan.  This harmony is 
what inspires "puro-resu"--Pro-Wrestling.  Perhaps no-one but it's biggest 
legend, Antonio Inoki, better personifies this harmony.  <Scenes of Inoki's 
career>  Tonight, the Inoki Cup champion will be determined!

<Eight frames appear on screen containing Tom Corson, "Golden Boy" Johnny Smith, 
"Big D" Devon Burke, Alex Raptor, "Sadistic" Steven Dunne, "Brilliant" Brian 
Walters, "The Canadian Cougar" Rory Christianson, and Daron Foley.>

Dan (voice over): These eight superstars will compete to become the first ever 
Inoki Cup Champion!  All eight superstars competing in an unprecedented display 
of ability, sportsmanship, and honor!  Only one of them will capture the Inoki 
Cup, and that man will represent the ideals of our sport!!

<A split screen shows "8 Ball" Vic Garibaldi and Gino "Knuckles" Valentini.>

Dan: (voice over): These two men, once united, will settle their differences in 
the ring.  Vic Garibaldi, the first and former AICW International Champion, will 
collide in an epic battle with Gino Valentini, the rising young and undefeated 
star!  It's day one of the Tokyo Thunder Festival!!

<Thunder claps boom through the speakers as lightning flashes across screen. The 
skyline of Tokyo is silouetted against a bright wall of lightning. The camera 
flies up into the sky, and as a monstrous lightning bolt cracks the blackness, 
the Tokyo Thunder logo appears on screen.  A computer generated lightning bolt 
explodes the logo as the image bleeds into a shot of the
Tokyo Dome.  The crowd is on its feet, but only clapping.  "Day One" appears on 
the bottom of the screen as fireworks and fake lightning bolts explode 
throughout the "Egg Dome."  The crowd roars its approval and the camera begins 
to scan the ringside fans.  We approach the American broadcast booth and see Dan 
"The Man" Chan sitting next to "The Franchise" Andru Edwards.
Behind them, a group of young Japanese fans wave to the camera, giggling and 
giving the peace sign.>

Dan: Welcome everyone to the AICW Tokyo Thunder Festival!  This is Day One of 
the competition, and tonight we'll see the crowning of the Inoki Cup champion, 
and in addition to that, a big contest pitting "8 Ball" Vic Garibaldi against 
Gino "Knuckles" Valentini!!  It will truly be an
event of INTERNATIONAL proportions!!  Speaking of International, let's get a 
look at some of the International broadcast teams we have with us today!!

<The camera moves left and focuses on the Japanese broadcast booth.  It consists 
of Kenji Takakura, a Japanese man in his early forties who is wearing glasses, 
and Japanese wrestling legend Masa Saito.  Dan begins speaking to them in 
Japanese and Kenji and Dan begin a short
conversation, seemingly about the event.  Masa joins in from time to time, and 
towards the
end of the conversation, we hear the words "Andru Edwards" mentioned in a 
sentence, followed by laughs from all three men.>

Andru: Hey!  What the hell was that that he said about me?!!  I could've sworn 
they mentioned ANDRU EDWARDS!

Dan: They were just saying....how great you are!

Andru: I see....

Dan: Let's get a look at the Spanish broadcast team!!

Manny Cabrera: ¡Bienvenidos a todos! Mucho gusto a presentarles elprimero pay-
per-view internacional AICW: ¡Tokyo Thunder Festival!

<Welcome everyone! It gives me great pleasure to present to you the AICW's first 
ever international pay-per-view, the Tokyo Thunder Festival!>

Larry Loco: Tokyo Thunder Festival, ¡que una porquería! ¡Ésta país es 
repugnante!  ¡Debe estarlo en mi país nativo, el mejor país delmundo--elMéxico!

<Tokyo Thunder Festival? What a load of crap! This country isdisgusting! They 
should have had this in my home country, the greatest country in the world--
Mexico!!>

Manny Cabrera: ¡Qué acción tenemos para ustedes anoche! Y todo el pay-per-view 
estaría en español por la primera vez, donde seadisponible...

<What action we have for you folks tonight! And the show will be in Spanish for 
the first time, where available...>

Larry Loco: ¡Y qué más! Dígame, hermano, ¿por qué antes nunca me pusóen la 
televisión? ¿Eh?

<Big whoop! Tell me somethin', brother, why is it that they've never put me on 
TV before?>

Manny Cabrera: Pues...<Well...>

Larry Loco: ¡Por que hay muchos tontos gringos en el AICW, eso esporque! ¡Son 
muy estupidos y prejuicido también!

<Because there's a lotta dumb white gringos up in the AICW, that's why! They're 
all stupid AND prejudiced, to boot!>

Manny Cabrera: ¡Cayate! Ay yi yi...

<Knock it off! Jeez...>

Dan: Let's get some comments from our French team, consisting of renowned 
commentator Jacques Biblié and the AICW's own JUAN LA FON!!!

<The overzealous Jacques is smiling and Juan looks like she can't wait to 
leave.>

Dan: Hello Juan!  Long time no see!

Juan: What the hell do you want, buster?!!

Dan: Just checking in, so...Juan..what do think about tonight's card?

Jacques: QUELLE ACTION!!  QUELLE EXCITEMENT!!!

Juan: Yeah, sure.  I can't wait.

Jacques: L' électricité...errr...errr...

Juan: Right.  Hey can someone get ol' cheese breath over here to shut his hole?

Dan: What is he saying?

Juan: How the hell do I know?!

Dan: But I thought you were Fre..

Juan: JUST SHUT UP!  GODDDDD....SOMEONE GET ME OUT OF HERE!!

Jacques: ..errr... BRULE DANS M'ANE!!!  JE NECESSITE UNE DOCTEUR!!!!

Juan: Let those hemmoroids BURN....BURN...........BURRRRRNN!!!  Dan, just 
continue along your stupid little 'International revue' or whatever!  Au revoir 
or whatever...

Dan: Very well, finally, we have...um.....um.....DJ Slam and "Da Mack" James 
Mack at....uh.....THE EBONICS COMMENTARY TABLE?!!!

James Mack: YO DAN!  Dis place is DA BOMB!  Yo Dan, peep dis s#it...last 
night..I was up in my phat ol' penthouse suite..and I was with these two hoes 
and yo, I rocked it allllll night long, ya know what I'm sayin?!! So yo, next 
time, Dan, take me up on my invitation!  There's tons of hoes just waitin' to..

DJ Slam: Yeah...

James Mack: Yo B, don't be interupptin' me!

Dan: Guys, what about the Festival?

James Mack: What Festival?  OHHH!!  My bad!  Yeah, we's da first crew
ever
to be broadcastin....blastin.......all over da world yo...real proper
lot!

Dan: Thanks for coming out tonight.  Let's go to Andy Burton, the Tokyo
Thunder Festival is about to begin!!!

Andy: Our opening contest is a first round matchup of the Inoki Cup and
it
is scheduled for one fall!  Introducing first...

<"Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears plays over the sound 
system.>

Andy: ...Led to the ring by his tag team partner "Smashing" Scott Howard and
"Elegant" Johnny Edwards, from Washington, DC, weighing 237 pounds, "BRILLIANT" 
BRIAN WALTERS!

Dan: Brian Walters!  The first AICW superstar to walk into the Tokyo Dome! He's 
pointing to his head, telling the Japanese how smart he is!

Andru: Dan, you can have all the brains in the world, but if YOU don't have the 
ability, YOU don't have anything!!

Andy: And his opponent, led to the ring by his tag team partner "The Masochist" 
Danny Moore, Mr. Y, and Christina O, from Detroit, Michigan, weighing 270 
pounds, "SADISTIC" STEVEN DUNNE!

<"Wicked" by Ice Cube blasts over the sound system.>

Dan: Steven Dunne walking down the aisle very focused.  This man is out for the 
Inoki Cup!

Andru: He's going into this with the right attitude, but only time will tell!

Dan: Johnny Edwards is distracting Steven Dunne!

Andru: No relation to Andru Edwards!

Dan: OH MY!  Walters nails Dunne from behind!

<DING DING DING>

Dan: Walters blatantly choking Dunne out near the ropes!  Referee James Roma 
stepping in to break it up!  And surprisingly, both men break clean! Roma backs 
away, and Walters goes right back to the choke!  Dunne grabs the bottom rope, 
but Walters refuses to break the hold!  James Roma pulls Walters off!  Referee 
James Roma getting in Walters' face!  Walters continiuing to argue, and now 
Scott Howard is choking Steven Dunne!

Andru: It isn't cheating if you don't get caught!

Dan: Walters now back to the action, and he brings Steven Dunne to his feet. 
Irish whip by Brian Walters, and he takes Dunne down with a vicious clothesline!  
Walters pointing to his head, and he drops a knee to the throat!  Dunne gagging 
for breath, and Walters continues to stomp away!

Andru: You've gotta get in there and take control of the match, just like 
Walters is!  If you're gonna stand around like a tree, then you're gonna get cut 
down!!

Dan: Another Irish whip by Walters, and Dunne blocks a clothesline! BOO-YAA!  
Belly-to-belly suplex by Steven Dunne!  Dunne bringing Walters to his feet, and 
he takes him back down with an armdrag!  There's a stomp to the inside elbow of 
Walters, and Dunne immediately bringing him up by the hair.  Reverse knife-edge 
chop by Dunne!  That one echoed throughout the Tokyo Dome!  Whip to the ropes by 
Dunne, reversed by Walters!  BOO-YAA!  He nailed Dunne with a stun gun!

Andru: Gotta be quick on your feet!  Dunne's slow as a ox!

Dan: ONE.....TWO.......kickout by Dunne!  Walters certainly does have a 
noticeable speed advantage.  There's an Irish whip by Walters. Hurricanrana 
caught by Dunne!!  He drops straight down with a powerbomb! 
ONE.....TWO.......Walters kicks out!  Dunne with some quick thinking of
his own!  What incredible back and forth action!  Dunne up on his feet before 
Walters.  He waits for him, and nails him with a series of hard buzzsaw chops!  
Headbutt by Dunne, and Walters backs into a corner!  Dunne now with a pair of 
roundhouse rights, and he slams Walters' head into the buckle! 

Andru: Walters is in big trouble!  If he'd spend less time showboating, and more 
time wrestling the match, he wouldn't have this problem! 

Dan: Walters slumped in the corner, and Dunne charging in with a clothesline!  
Walters lifts his knee!!  He lifted that knee and caught Dunne right in the 
midsection!  Dunne is stunned, and Walters applies an abdominal stretch!  
Referee James Roma seeing if Dunne will submit, and OH COME ON! Scott Howard 
offering Walters his hand, and he's using it for leverage! 

Andru: Smart move!  The Entrepeneurs Inc know how to work as a team.

Dan: Danny Moore running around the ring!  He pulls Scott Howard down, and we've 
got a brawl on the outside!  Both men punching away!  Brian Walters releases the 
hold, and immediately plants a dropkick to the stomach! Steven Dunne crumpled 
over on the mat, clutching his midsection!  Brian Walters looks as if he's in 
control of this match.  He whips Steven Dunne to the ropes, and Walters with a 
sleeperhold!  Steven Dunne reaching for anything! BOO-YAA!!  Jawbreaker by 
Steven Dunne breaks the hold! 

Andru: Walters just couldn't put him away quick enough!

Dan: Scott Howard and Danny Moore still going at it, and Steven Dunne plants 
Brian Walters with a DDT!  Steven Dunne looking to put Walters away! Irish whip!  
BOO-YA!  Dunne nails Walters with an absolutely devastating spinebuster!!  Dunne 
running his thumb across his throat, I think he's looking to put Brian Walters 
away!

Andru: He better not waste any more time!

Dan: Dunne placing Walters on the turnbuckle!  BOO-YAA!  There's the Compactor!  
ONE.............TWO...........THREE!!!  Steven Dunne advances!

Andy: The winner of this first round contest, "SADISTIC" STEVEN DUNNE!!! 

Dan: What a great showing by Steven Dunne, winning with that crushing spike 
piledriver off the ropes!  <Instant replay is shown on screen>  This was a great 
match from start to finish, and after the fight Brian Walters gave him, I think 
Dunne is in for a tough contest in the semi-finals!  He'll take on the winner of 
our next match, between "Big D" Devon Burke and Alex
Raptor!

<GO TO PART TWO>