THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA

ARTICLE # 73
SEPTEMBER 15, 2003

Taka Michinoku Classics

He combined the best aspects of in-ring gems such as Shinjiro Otani, Koji Kanemoto and even Rey Misterio Jr., and at times came across as just as great a worker as any of them. Yet Taka Michinoku was always trapped in the shadows of his peers, primarily Michinoku Pro franchise star Great Sasuke. Few wrestlers stole the show in tag team matches as much as Taka did, and that was at a time when just the main events of Michinoku Pro cards often contained as much talent as many of the more prominent puroresu groups in general. Since many people know of such legendary 6-man and 10-man tag team classics, this article focuses on some of Taka�s best singles match performances, and most importantly a collection of matches that IMO showcases his growth as a worker in the mid-90s.

4/16/94 Super J Cup Round 1: Taka Michinoku vs Black Tiger (Eddy Guerrero)

They traded waistlocks and Tiger armdragged Taka. Tiger snapmared Taka and gave him a boot scrape. Tiger slammed Taka and hit a slingshot somersault senton. Tiger powerbombed Taka for a near fall that fans bought because of the hot start. Tiger chopped Taka and gave him a sharp elbow. Tiger gave Taka a neckbreaker for a near fall and applied an abdominal stretch. Tiger elbowed and chopped Taka and gave him a European uppercut. Tiger briefly applied a sharpshooter. Taka got the better of Tiger when they ran into each other and stomped him. Taka headlocked Tiger and tackled him. Taka kicked Tiger but Tiger gave him a lariat. Tiger missed a lariat and Taka backflipped off the top rope over him. Taka gave Tiger a tilt-a-whirl headscissors and teased a springboard dive but flipped back into the ring when Tiger moved. Tiger kicked Taka and rammed him into the corner. Tiger whipped Taka into the corner and gave him a running lariat. Taka backflipped over Tiger and belly to belly suplexed him. Taka dropkicked Tiger out of the ring and hit a springboard plancha. Tiger tried to suplex Taka back into the ring but Taka flipped over him. Taka German suplexed Tiger for a near fall. Taka gave Tiger a huracanrana for a near fall. Taka went for a second huracanrana but Tiger powerbombed him for a near fall. Tiger slammed Taka and hit a top rope splash for a near fall. Taka caught Tiger off guard with a sunset flip for a near fall. Taka powerbombed Tiger for a near fall and moonsaulted him for another near fall. Taka went for a second moonsault but crashed onto Tiger�s knees. Tiger gave Taka a brainbuster for a near fall. Tiger then gave Taka a tornado DDT for the pin at 6:48. A white hot match that was just long enough for both men to showcase their strengths. Tiger was great in not just doing his spots but also leading 20 year old Taka through the match. He gave Taka just enough time on offense to make fans take notice of his talent while hiding Taka�s weaknesses in working a match. Maybe the best singles match up to this point for Taka and this was probably the one match that put him on the map as a future cruiserweight star. ***3/4

7/30/94: Taka Michinoku vs Jado

Jado gave Taka a kneelift but missed a lariat. They traded waistlocks and Jado missed an elbowsmash but so did Taka. Jado countered a hiptoss with a short lariat. Taka whipped Jado into the corner and gave him a running elbow. Taka slammed Jado and hit a springboard splash for a near fall. Taka dropkicked Jado out of the ring and teased a springboard plancha but flipped back into the ring. Taka kicked Jado but Jado headbutted him and stomped him. Jado pounded Taka and gave him a lariat for a near fall. Jado applied a headscissors on Taka. Jado stomped Taka and chopped him twice. Jado slapped Taka for a near fall and gave him a backbreaker. Jado applied a half crab and stomped Taka. Jado choked Taka in the ropes. Jado placed Taka�s neck over the bottom rope and legdropped him. Jado hit Taka with a chair and choked him. Jado piledrove Taka on the floor and rammed him into a ringside table. Jado propped the table against the ringpost but Taka whipped Jado into the table. Taka hit Jado with a chair. Taka kneedropped and choked Jado. Taka applied a choke sleeper and a bodyscissors for added leverage. Jado reached the ropes but Taka then reapplied the sleeper. Jado countered with a leglock but Taka went back to the sleeper. Jado gave Taka a jawbreaker but Taka went back to the sleeper. Taka stomped Jado and choked him. Taka elbowed Jado and gave him a lariat for a near fall. Taka applied a front chancery and kicked Jado. Jado blocked a kick and slapped Taka. Jado powerbombed Taka for a near fall and gave him a spinning powerbomb for another near fall. Jado whipped Taka into the corner and gave him a running lariat. Taka whipped Jado into the corner but Jado dumped him to the apron. Taka gave Jado a springboard dropkick and then hit a springboard plancha. Jado hit Taka with a chair but Taka pulled him off the apron and hit a springboard plancha (almost a superquebrada but no backflip). Jado gave Taka a shoulderblock and suplexed him over the top rope to the floor. Jado gave Taka a somersault bodyblock off the apron. Jado placed Taka on the top rope and went for a top rope back superplex but Taka fell on top of him for a near fall. Taka went for a top rope superplex but Jado countered and gave him a face front superplex to the mat for a near fall. Taka telegraphed a backdrop and Jado gave him a Liger bomb for a near fall. Jado missed a lariat and Taka gave him a huracanrana for a heated near fall. Taka German suplexed Jado for a near fall and slammed him but missed a moonsault. Jado gave Taka a lariat and a superfrankensteiner (both men standing on the top rope) for the pin at 15:28. Jado wasn�t all that great, particularly in the early going but did have enough good offense to contribute to a strong final few minutes. If he was 20 pounds heavier with the same skill level and offense, Jado would have made a more than competent heavyweight type worker. Even at age 20, Taka was a heck of a worker as he lit up the place with his innovative and spectacular spots. Both men�s weaknesses in working a lengthy singles match were evident in the first 8-9 minutes, but the work was fine and fans were patient. Once they went to the big spots and near falls this turned into a great match with super heat during the closing minutes. The same match today wouldn�t get half the heat this match did. Jado�s superfrankensteiner finisher was really cool, particularly coming from someone who otherwise doesn�t really do anything spectacular. ***3/4

12/15/94: Taka Michinoku vs Great Sasuke

Sasuke threw some kicks at Taka�s leg and back. Sasuke applied a front chancery on the mat. Sasuke went after Taka�s arms but Taka reached the ropes. Taka went for a front chancery but Sasuke took him down. Sasuke threw punches from the mount but Taka blocked them. Taka landed some slaps but Sasuke grabbed his leg and applied a legbar. Taka kicked and stomped Sasuke. Taka snapmared Sasuke and dropkicked his head. Taka gave Sasuke some kicks to the back and applied a half crab. Sasuke countered and applied a legbar but Taka reached the ropes. Sasuke gave Taka a roundhouse kick and a drop toehold before applying a modified half crab. Taka reached the ropes after a struggle. Sasuke tackled Taka and they did a criss cross. Taka missed a dropkick and Sasuke gave him a spinning savate kick. Sasuke headbutted Taka and gave him an armwringer. Sasuke whipped Taka into the corner and grazed him with a spin kick in a miscommunicated spot. Sasuke gave Taka a spinning savate kick. Taka whipped Sasuke into the corner and gave him a running elbow. Taka belly to belly suplexed Sasuke and gave him a springboard splash for a near fall. Taka dropkicked Sasuke out of the ring and teased a plancha but flipped back into the ring. Taka kicked and slammed Sasuke and gave him a top rope kneedrop. Taka applied a cross armbreaker but Sasuke reached the ropes. Taka stomped Sasuke and pumphandled his arm twice. Taka applied a Fujiwara armbar but Sasuke reached the ropes again. Taka punched Sasuke and went for a Fujiwara armbar but Sasuke countered. Taka applied an armbar on Sasuke. Sasuke left the ring but Taka gave him an axhandle from the apron. Taka slammed Sasuke and jumped off a ringside table with a foot stomp. Taka knocked Sasuke off the apron with a dropkick and went for a tope but Sasuke gave him a roundhouse kick in mid-air. Sasuke pounded Taka and kicked him. Sasuke hit his Asai moonsault on Taka and both men sold the damage. Sasuke headbutted Taka and suplexed him back into the ring for a near fall. Sasuke gave Taka an in-ring quebrada for a near fall and back suplexed him for another near fall. Sasuke tombstoned Taka but missed a moonsault and Taka dropkicked him out of the ring. Taka hit a springboard plancha on Sasuke. Sasuke sunset flipped Taka for a near fall but Taka rolled him up for a near fall as well. They threw simultaneous spinning savate kicks and then simultaneous lariats. Taka countered a German suplex with an elbow but Sasuke blocked a German suplex as well. Taka elbowed Sasuke and German suplexed him for a near fall. Taka hit a great superquebrada on Sasuke. Sasuke dumped Taka out of the ring but Taka gave him a springboard missile dropkick for a near fall. Taka gave Sasuke a double arm DDT for a near fall and gave him a pyramid driver (cross arm Liger bomb) for a great near fall. Taka stomped Sasuke and slammed him. Sasuke caught Taka on the top rope with a kick and gave him some headbutts. Sasuke gave Taka a double arm superplex and powerbombed him. Sasuke then applied a crossface chicken wing for the submission win at 16:54. Not as great a match as they would have been a year or two later, but definitely up to expectations given the stages of their careers. Sasuke became a star earlier in the year with his sensational work at the same Super J Cup tournament that made fans take notice of Taka, but had not yet reached his peak as an all-around worker. Taka was still learning, but the gaps in his build portion work were starting to shrink while his big spots were becoming some of the most spectacular in the business. Fans were quiet for the early work and they had to earn heat more than Taka vs Jado, but even this crowd was hot by the end as Taka and Sasuke won the fans over. Sasuke�s early work was more sophisticated than Taka�s although Taka�s armwork was the highlight of the first half. Once they went to the big spots one thing became clear. Sasuke was clearly the better worker, but it was Taka who had the hotter top rope offense and hotter work in general. Not that Taka was a better overall worker in late 1994 than Sasuke, but the gap was narrower than I had been led to believe. And to think that Taka was fairly low in the Michinoku Pro pecking order behind guys like Sato (Dick Togo), Shiryu (Kaz Hayashi) & Super Delfin. The depth in the talent pool of Michinoku Pro was great to an almost scary extent for such a small group, and Taka might have been the most underrated talent out of the group at the time of this match. ****

11/23/95: Taka Michinoku vs Tiger Mask IV

Taka gave Tiger a drop toehold and a crossface on the mat. Taka applied an armbar but Tiger countered and armdragged him. Taka dropkicked Tiger and knocked him out of the ring with a baseball slide kick. Taka teased a springboard dive but flipped back into the ring. Tiger kicked Taka and gave him some roundhouse kicks. Taka ran into a roundhouse kick but elbowed Tiger. Taka missed a lariat and Tiger applied a sleeper. Taka countered with elbows but Tiger gave him a spinning savate kick. Tiger hit a tope suicida on Taka. Both men took turns preventing each other from returning to the ring and both men just beat the count. Taka pounded Tiger but Tiger fought back with kneelifts. Tiger did a cool rolling takedown into a cross armbreaker that Taka sold great as he scrambled for the ropes. Tiger landed a couple roundhouse kicks but Taka blocked a third and elbowed his leg. Taka gave Tiger a dragon screw and applied a figure 4 leglock. Tiger reached the ropes after a struggle. Taka dragged Tiger back to the middle of the ring and reapplied the figure 4 leglock. Tiger reached the ropes after failing to turn the hold over. Taka rammed Tiger into the corner and gave him an armwringer. Taka whipped Tiger into the corner and gave him a jumping knee. Taka then hit a springboard kneedrop to the back of Tiger�s neck. Taka slapped Tiger and kicked him. Tiger whipped Taka into the corner and backflipped off his chest but Taka gave him a running elbow. Tiger caught Taka on the top rope and slammed him to the mat. Tiger gave Taka a top rope dropkick and hit a plancha. Tiger gave Taka a double arm suplex for a near fall and tombstoned him twice. Tiger gave Taka a top rope headbutt for a near fall. Taka countered a German suplex with an elbow but Tiger gave him a huracanrana for a heated near fall. Taka blocked a tiger suplex but Tiger gave him a roundhouse kick to the back of his head. Tiger German suplexed Taka for a heated near fall. Tiger jumped off the top rope but Taka dropkicked him in mid-air and Tiger rolled out of the ring. Taka hit a great springboard plancha on Tiger. Taka tried to suplex Tiger back into the ring but Tiger countered and suplexed Taka to the floor. Tiger went for a space flying tiger press but at the last instant Taka jumped to the apron and elbowed him. Taka then hit a sharp springboard missile dropkick. Taka gave Tiger a sharp brainbuster for a near fall. Taka gave Tiger a Michinoku driver and a gut wrench into a splash mountain for the pin at 13:03 (8:33 aired). It�s too bad the entire match didn�t air on the tape I have, because the work shown was outstanding. My only complaint is that the closing segment with the near falls and spots only lasted a couple minutes, but still this was an excellent match. Tiger had only been wrestling I think for a year or two when this match took place, but even back in 1995 showed the ability to be a first rate cruiserweight. Not as quick or as spectacular as Sayama (the original Tiger Mask), but probably the best since the original in terms of adopting the vintage Tiger Mask style and mannerisms. Taka�s growth as a worker was really evident here. The holes in his mat game continued to shrink, and were barely noticeable here. His selling of the cross armbreaker was exceptional, and he showed much more poise and charisma in the early going than in previous singles matches. Taka continued to grow in his spots as well, at this point already being one of the best in terms of springboard spots (along with the likes of Shinjiro Otani). Both men worked together so well and Tiger�s style was a much better fit for Taka than someone like Sasuke. ****

6/17/96 CMLL World Welterweight Title: Super Delfin (c) vs Taka Michinoku

Taka attacked Delfin at the bell but Delfin dumped him over the top rope and Taka took a big bump to the floor. Delfin missed a tope and Taka then hit his springboard superquebrada, which is still one of the most awesome spots I've ever seen. Taka stomped Delfin and rammed him into the corner. He whipped Delfin into the opposite corner and gave him a running elbow strike. Taka snapmared and dropkicked Delfin, then applied a half crab. Taka kneedropped Delfin and gave him a backbreaker. Taka applied a modified half crab with Delfin on his side, and pressed his knee into Delfin's side for added impact. Taka bent and twisted Delfin's left leg. Taka won a mat exchange and applied a front facelock. Delfin countered and applied a wristlock. Taka gave Delfin an armringer and wristlock but Delfin countered and armdragged him and Taka rolled out of the ring. Taka continued to attack Delfin's legs, picking him up by his arms and legs in what looked like a rocking cradle surfboard. Taka applied a camel clutch but Delfin escaped. Delfin snapmared Taka and punted his back but Taka stood right up. Taka snapmared Delfin and punted his back, then taunted Delfin. Taka stomped and elbowsmashed Delfin, then applied a crossface. Taka dropkicked Delfin out of the ring and faked a springboard plancha. Taka kicked Delfin but Delfin punched him. Delfin landed some chops, armdragged Taka and dropkicked him after a criss cross. Delfin gave Taka a tilt-a-whirl headscissors and started to go for a dive but Taka walked away. Delfin snapmared and kneedropped Taka, then applied a chinlock. Delfin slammed Taka and applied a half crab, then also placed his boot on Taka's head. Delfin landed some punches but Taka floored him with an elbow. Taka belly to belly suplexed Delfin. They traded German suplex counters and Taka rolled through into a legbar on Delfin. Delfin reached the ropes and rolled out of the ring. Taka dropkicked Delfin's knee as he reentered the ring and reapplied the legbar. Taka gave Delfin a kneebreaker and applied a figure 4 leglock. Taka won an exchange of blows and knocked Delfin out of the ring with an elbow. Taka went for a springboard plancha but Delfin moved to another side of the ring. Taka then jumped from one side of the top rope to another around the corner and hit his springboard plancha on Delfin. Maybe not quite as crazy as it reads, but truly a spectacular and neat spot. Taka kicked Delfin and rammed him into the corner. Taka whipped Delfin into the opposite corner, hit a running knee to the head and went for a springboard move but Delfin knocked him to the floor I think with a low blow. Delfin hit a plancha but Taka fought back and they barely beat the count back into the ring. Delfin back suplexed Taka for a near fall. He slammed Taka and gave him a flying bodypress for a near fall. Delfin gave Taka a cool delayed brainbuster for a near fall. Taka caught Delfin going for a tornado DDT and threw him down. Taka ran into a boot and Delfin gave him a tornado DDT. Delfin went for the Delfin catch but Taka rolled him up for a quick near fall that drew strong heat. Taka gave Delfin la magistral for a heated near fall. He hit a top rope knee to the head on a crouched over Delfin (not quite a Takako panic, but close). Delfin fought back and German suplexed Taka for a near fall. Delfin botched a sunset flip move of some sort. Delfin then gave Taka a somewhat sloppy Misteriorana for a near fall but Taka reversed the rollup for a near fall of his own. Taka hit a great springboard missile dropkick for a near fall and a Michinoku driver for a heated near fall. Taka went for a Michinoku driver but Delfin countered with a tornado DDT in such a cool spot I had to see it twice to realize what it was for a near fall. Delfin German suplexed Taka and rolled into a tiger suplex for the pin on Taka at 16:10 to retain the title. A pretty amazing match, and if you're fans of vintage Michinoku Pro you must see this match. They've been in many better tag team matches, but this was possibly the best singles match from both of them. Taka showed why he was one of the coolest workers in wrestling around 96-97, while Delfin, aside from the botched spot late, looked as good as any singles match I've seen. Lots of creative spots by 1996 standards, including the double springboard plancha and the Michinoku driver countered into a tornado DDT, which was such a smooth spot that I never saw coming until it already happened. Well-paced, with a hot opening to get fans into it before they slowed things down. The body, with the matwork and submissions, never dragged, since most of it was focused and contained good selling. The last 6:00 or so contained some incredible spots, but it wasn't like they were going nuts with spots until very late, which worked here. Whether this was the best match of the show or not depends on your taste. Not as focused or flawless as Liger-Togo, but more spectacular and definitely the match of the night for highspots. ****1/2

3/1/97: Taka Michinoku vs Gran Naniwa

Naniwa hit a plancha at the bell and a DDT in the ring. Naniwa hit a tornado DDT on Taka for an early near fall. Naniwa tombstoned Taka for a near fall and gained a near fall with a second tombstone. Naniwa bulldogged Taka and applied a WAR special on him. Naniwa gained a near fall after three slams but then missed his second rope elbow. Taka elbowed Naniwa but ran into a boot and Naniwa hit a lariat for a near fall. Naniwa hit a backbreaker and applied a half crab. Taka countered and applied a leglock on Naniwa. Taka gave Naniwa a second rope clothesline for a near fall. Naniwa went for a German suplex but Taka countered with a rolling leglock. Taka gave Naniwa a kneebreaker and a dragon screw before applying another leglock on Naniwa�s left leg. Taka hit a springboard kneedrop and went for a figure 4 leglock but Naniwa rolled him up for a near fall. Taka gained a near fall with a brainbuster and another with a German suplex. Taka won an exchange of strikes and knocked Naniwa off the apron with an elbow. Taka hit a spectacular springboard superquebrada on Naniwa but hurt his left knee in the process. After several counters Taka belly to belly suplexed Naniwa. Taka went for a springboard dive but Naniwa dropkicked him in mid-air. Taka fought back but Naniwa caught him on the top rope and kicked him to the floor. Naniwa missed a plancha and Taka applied a figure 4 leglock on the floor. Taka dropkicked Naniwa�s left leg and hit a springboard missile dropkick. Taka gained a near fall with a Michinoku driver. Naniwa fought back and gained a near fall with la magistral. Naniwa hit a top rope huracanrana but Taka rolled through and gained a near fall. Naniwa hit a released tiger suplex and a top rope splash. Naniwa gained a near fall with a doctor bomb. Naniwa pinned Taka at 17:22 after a spinning doctor bomb for a pop. A super match with both men at the top of their game. A fitting conclusion to the 5 vs 5 series and the best match on the show. If you want to see Naniwa at his peak and almost totally different than his sluggish work nowadays, check out this match. One of the best singles matches of Taka�s career, and it wasn�t like he was working with a world-class talent either. Taka looked as sharp in this match as he ever did on offense, including one of his best superquebradas. ****1/4

7/6/97: Taka Michinoku vs Great Sasuke

Sasuke threw a couple tentative kicks early. Sasuke gave Taka an armwringer but Taka took him down. Taka elbowsmashed Sasuke�s leg and went for a leglock but Sasuke countered. Taka blocked a cross armbreaker but Sasuke gained a couple near falls. Sasuke gave Taka a spinning savate kick and snapmared him before applying a chinlock. Sasuke applied a headscissors and gained a near fall. Taka turned Sasuke over and applied a headlock. Taka applied a surfboard and elbowed Sasuke�s arm twice. Taka pumphandled Sasuke�s arm but tried a second time and Sasuke countered with a sleeper. Taka elbowed Sasuke but ran into a spinning savate kick. Sasuke applied a half crab but Taka quickly reached the ropes. Sasuke landed a couple roundhouse kicks but Taka blocked a third and slapped Sasuke hard. Taka snapmared Sasuke and dropkicked the back of his head. Taka gave Sasuke a running dropkick to the face and slapped him. Taka elbowed Sasuke but Sasuke dumped him out of the ring and Taka took a spectacular bump to the floor. Sasuke then hit his ryder kick off the top rope to the floor. Both men sold the effects of the move for a while. Sasuke gave Taka a spinning savate kick and some roundhouse kicks in the corner. Sasuke gave Taka a brutal spinning savate kick to the face and a roundhouse kick to the back of the head. Sasuke landed a roundhouse kick but Taka blocked a second and gave him a dragon screw. Taka dropkicked Sasuke�s knee and Sasuke rolled out of the ring. Taka then hit a spectacular springboard plancha on Sasuke and landed about 12-15 feet from the ring. Taka tried to suplex Sasuke back into the ring but Sasuke flipped over him. Sasuke went for a German suplex but Taka flipped to his feet and gave Sasuke a huracanrana for a near fall. Taka gave Sasuke la magistral for a near fall. Sasuke knocked Taka out of the ring with a handspring elbow and hit an Asai moonsault. Sasuke missed a lariat and Taka gave him a quick belly to belly suplex for a near fall. Taka whipped Sasuke into the corner and gave him a running/jumping knee in the corner. Taka then hit a great springboard missile dropkick and Sasuke rolled out of the ring. Taka gave Sasuke a Michinoku driver for a near fall. Taka jumped off the top rope but Sasuke dropkicked him in mid-air. Sasuke gave Taka an in-ring quebrada for a near fall. Sasuke powerbombed Taka and gave him a tiger suplex for the pin at 10:02. Sasuke was great as usual, but he was not the story. Sasuke had just signed a 6-month WWF contract and this was supposed to be his coming out party to WWF fans, but it was Taka who stole the show with his eye-opening charisma and breathtaking offense. Taka�s springboard moves were sharp and spectacular, with his springboard plancha being one of the best ones yet from him. Taka also impressed by taking some brutal kicks from Sasuke. Just as big if not a bigger story was how much of an eye-opener this match was to WWF fans, particularly those in attendance. Fans were really quiet during the entrances, but by the end of the match were reacting huge to the work. You could tell those who had never seen Taka and Sasuke before were blown away by what they saw. Little did they realize this was far from their best match against each other. ***3/4

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