MICHINOKU PRO 1995 MASK TOURNAMENT WORLD LEAGUE

Running Time: 5 hours 10 minutes

This was perhaps Michinoku Pro’s biggest tournament to date and one of the highlights of their year. To current fans, this tournament included some familiar names (Sasuke, Delfin & Naniwa) and a couple other familiar faces (Dos Caras, J.L. & Convict aka Super Boy). Also, there were a few rather unfamiliar wrestlers, such as King’s Cross & Mongolian Yuga. In terms of work this was a pretty good tournament, although almost definitely not the best in Michinoku history. Its best matches were all in the **** range, so there were some memorable matches. While this tape includes footage of about 40 matches, it only airs 10 in their entirety. The choices of complete match airings were for the most part correct, as none of the edited matches looked better than ***1/2. Because of the selection of complete matches, this is a very good tape that I would definitely recommend to fans of Michinoku Pro Wrestling. For the sake of this review, I’ll only cover the 10 matches that aired in their entirety.

1. Super Delfin vs J.L. 7/27/95

They did mainly tests of stature early on. JL got the better of Delfin on the mat. They had a nice exchange of quick but basic offense. Delfin scored with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors but JL responded with a huracanrana. JL hit a running lariat in the corner for a near fall but Delfin kicked him low twice. JL blocked a sharpshooter attempt and DDTd Delfin for a near fall. JL gained a near fall with a face front suplex. JL missed a dropkick and Delfin gained a near fall. Delfin gained a near fall with a back suplex but missed a top rope elbow. JL gained a near fall with a powerbomb. JL dropkicked Delfin and German suplexed him for a near fall. He dropkicked Delfin out of the ring and hit a plancha. JL tombstoned Delfin on the floor and won via countout at 11:40. A “good” match, but far from great and a bit disappointing given the talent involved. **1/2

2. Great Sasuke vs Gran Naniwa 7/27/95

Naniwa worked on Sasuke’s left leg early. Both men traded camel clutches. Naniwa tried to unmask Sasuke. Naniwa missed a lariat and Sasuke hit a spinning mule kick as the pace picked up. Naniwa gave Sasuke a bulldog and did his second ropewalk spot into an elbow but crashed onto Sasuke’s boots. Sasuke hit a spin kick that sent Naniwa out of the ring. Naniwa went back to working on Sasuke’s left leg and applied a figure 4 leglock. Naniwa dropkicked Sasuke’s leg and continued to weaken it but Sasuke applied an armlock and then a cross armbreaker. Sasuke gained a near fall with a double arm suplex. Sasuke applied a rear headscissors. Sasuke also applied a cross armbreaker briefly. Sasuke did a cartwheel into a cross bodyblock for a near fall. He hit an Asai moonsault on Naniwa at 13:10. Sasuke suplexed Naniwa back into the ring. Naniwa caught Sasuke on the top rope and superplexed him for a near fall. Naniwa hit an inverted DDT and a plancha. Naniwa ended a series of counters with a low blow mule kick. Naniwa slipped and crotched himself on the top rope. Sasuke dropkicked Naniwa off the top rope to the floor and hit a spectacular tope con hilo. Sasuke gained a near fall with an in-ring quebrada. Naniwa countered a powerbomb and gave Sasuke a lariat for a near fall. Naniwa gained a near fall with a top rope huracanrana. Naniwa caught Sasuke and gave him a top rope huracanrana to the floor for a pop. Naniwa gained a near fall with a top rope huracanrana back in the ring. Naniwa pinned Sasuke at 20:32 after a spinning doctor bomb for the upset. A very good match, but Naniwa was a year or two shy of his peak and Sasuke wasn’t quite as strong as he would be in carrying long matches. ***1/2

3. Great Sasuke vs Super Delfin 8/12/95

Sasuke attacked Delfin and gave him an Asai moonsault before the bell for a huge pop. Delfin fought back and applied a half crab but Sasuke fought back with a leglock of his own. They went to the traditional early-match offense exchanging matwork and doing nice quick but simple action sequences. Delfin applied a camel clutch. Delfin applied a Romero special and even turned it into a pin attempt for a near fall. Delfin gave Sasuke about the most spectacular twisting tilt-a-whirl backbreaker ever. He hit Sasuke with almost a Sayama-like enzuguiri kick. Delfin dominated Sasuke outside the ring and slammed him on the floor. Delfin gained a near fall with a double arm suplex and then went back to the half crab. Delfin applied a sharpshooter. He gained a near fall with a snap suplex and then applied an abdominal stretch to surprisingly good heat. Delfin caught Sasuke and applied an octopus submission hold. Both men traded chops after which Sasuke knocked Delfin out of the ring with a handspring elbow. Sasuke hit his spectacular space flying tiger press on Delfin at 13:25. Delfin recovered and hit a flying bodypress but Sasuke reversed his momentum for a heated near fall. Delfin dropkicked Sasuke off the top rope, knocking him to the floor and hit a plancha. Delfin gained a near fall with a brainbuster and another heated near fall after a top rope elbow. Sasuke gained a near fall with an in-ring quebrada. Sasuke went for a splash mountain but Delfin countered with a sunset flip for a great near fall. Sasuke attempted a German suplex but Delfin countered with a low mule kick. Delfin gained a near fall with a back suplex. Sasuke went for a springboard dive but Delfin dropkicked him in mid-air in the ring. Delfin hit another tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and Sasuke barely answered a 10-count. Delfin gave Sasuke a tornado DDT for a near fall. Delfin went for his Delfin catch but Sasuke escaped. Delfin gained a near fall with a German suplex and a dramatic near fall with a German suplex into a rollup. Sasuke suplexed Delfin and hit a top rope twisting splash for a very heated near fall. Sasuke pinned Delfin at 21:18 with a powerbomb. A super match that was as good as it got from these two. Add super crowd heat at the start and during the last 5 minutes and you get a near-classic match. ****1/2

4. Great Sasuke vs Convict 8/13/95

Convict dominated Sasuke on the mat early but Sasuke held his own. Convict back suplexed Sasuke and gave him a standard suplex. Convict hit a top rope somersault legdrop to Sasuke’s back and a senton for an early near fall. Convict hit a dangerous backdrop and worked on Sasuke’s back and legs for a time. Convict took the fight to the floor and hit a somersault senton on the floor. They had a nice action sequence ending when Sasuke knocked Convict out of the ring with a spin kick. Convict whipped Sasuke with a belt and choked him with the belt. Convict hit a top rope somersault senton and hit a corner splash on Sasuke. Sasuke fought back with a back suplex. He dropkicked Convict out of the ring and hit a tope con hilo for a pop. Convict slammed Sasuke on the floor and gave him a somersault senton off the apron. Convict rammed Sasuke back first into the ringpost and hit a tope suicida. He gained a near fall with a top rope headbutt and another with a top rope somersault senton. Sasuke gained a near fall with an in-ring quebrada. Convict gained a near fall with a top rope sunset flip but Sasuke immediately responded with a rollup for a near fall. Sasuke attempted a back suplex but Convict fell on top of him for a near fall. Convict powerbombed Sasuke and moonsaulted him for the pin at 14:06. A great match. Convict is a great underrated worker given his size and Sasuke was his usual strong self. ***3/4

5. Super Delfin vs Gran Naniwa 8/13/95

Naniwa tried to unmask Delfin early. They started with the simple but solid matwork and exchanges. Delfin dominated Naniwa early, gaining a couple near falls. Naniwa fought back with a series of chops but Delfin recovered and hit an enzuguiri. Delfin hit a tilt-a-whirl headscissors but Naniwa fought back with a bulldog. Naniwa did his second rope-walk elbow spot but crashed onto Delfin’s boots. Naniwa gave Delfin an atomic drop and dropkicked him out of the ring. Naniwa hung Delfin upside down in the corner and stood on his crotch. Naniwa also rammed Delfin’s thigh into the ringpost. Naniwa crotched Delfin on the top rope and applied a half crab. He continued to dominate Delfin with moves such as an abdominal stretch and a Boston crab. Naniwa gained a near fall with a backbreaker and another with a DDT. Naniwa gained a near fall with a frog splash and another with a lariat as heat picked up. Naniwa also hit a top rope dropkick for a near fall. He tackled Delfin out of the ring and did his walk on the middle rope into a hip attack on the floor. Naniwa gained a near fall with a northern lights suplex and another with a doctor bomb. Delfin gained a near fall with a German suplex and another with a top rope elbow. They exchanged rollups for near falls. Naniwa gained a near fall with a top rope huracanrana and another with a spinning doctor bomb. Delfin countered a powerbomb with a huracanrana. Naniwa caught Delfin on the top rope but Delfin regained his bearings and pinned Naniwa at 16:29 with a Misteriorana. A very good match with a great final few minutes. ***1/2

6. Super Delfin vs Dos Caras 8/18/95

They didn’t lock up until 1:30. Caras dominated Delfin early with his usual indescribable submission holds. Delfin applied a half crab on Caras but Caras fought back with more submissions. Caras applied something like the stump puller hold on Delfin and even showboated by flexing to the crowd. Caras aborted a Delfin comeback and applied a figure 4 leglock. Caras also briefly applied a sharpshooter. Caras maintained the advantage as the pace picked up and dropkicked Delfin out of the ring. Caras then hit a tope suicida. Delfin fought back and hit a lariat in the corner but Caras came back with a second rope cross bodyblock for a near fall. Caras used more incredible submission holds on Delfin. Delfin fought back at 11:00 but Caras quickly aborted his comeback again. Delfin recovered and applied a Fujiwara armbar. Caras regained the advantage and applied an armlock. Caras applied a Boston crab but Delfin reached the ropes. Delfin low-blowed Caras. Caras gained a near fall with a powerslam of sorts. Caras did a victory roll into an inverted figure 4 leglock. Caras applied a Romero special and gained a near fall. Caras gained a near fall with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and another with a powerbomb. Delfin DDTd Caras and gained a near fall with a Delfin catch. Delfin German suplexed Caras and pinned him at 17:58 with a rollup. A good match but too one-sided and lacking the buildup of a great match. **3/4

7. Dos Caras vs Great Sasuke

Sasuke looked strong on the mat early against Caras although Caras kept up with his quickness. Caras took down Sasuke but Sasuke continued to dominate him on the mat as he applied a leglock. Caras countered and bent Sasuke’s body over his knees. Caras soon proved his superiority on the mat as he contorted Sasuke with his incredible array of submission holds although Sasuke held his own. Caras applied somewhat of a standing figure 4 leglock and turned it into a standing sharpshooter. Caras did his flying headbutt and applied a camel clutch. Sasuke escaped and applied a cross armbreaker. Caras applied an inverted figure 4 leglock on Sasuke. Caras applied a Romero special and rolled with the hold, then bent Sasuke back with a rear chinlock. Caras rammed Sasuke back first into the ringpost and gave him a backbreaker on the floor. Sasuke fought back and rolled up Caras for a near fall. Sasuke gained a near fall with an in-ring quebrada but Caras then sunset flipped him for a near fall. Caras gained a near fall with a sitout powerbomb. He dropkicked Sasuke out of the ring and hit a tope. Caras rammed Sasuke’s back into the ringpost three times. Caras gained a near fall with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and another with a double arm suplex into a backbreaker. Caras also gained a near fall with a powerbomb. He did a catapult into a Boston crab on Sasuke in a neat spot. Sasuke missed a spin kick and Caras gave him two flying headbutts and a tope suicida. Sasuke recovered and hit an Asai moonsault. Sasuke hit a space flying tiger press on Caras. Sasuke won via countout at 19:46. A great match, with the only drawback being the lack of a cohesive flow from the first half matwork and submissions into the closing segment. Great matwork by Caras and great highspots from Sasuke as usual. ***3/4

8. Super Delfin vs Mongolian Yuga 8/24/95

Delfin worked on Yuga’s arm early. Delfin applied a camel clutch and pulled on the tail of Yuga’s mask. Yuga fought back with some decent matwork but Delfin gave him an enzuguiri. Delfin dropkicked Yuga out of the ring. Yuga did a Shinzaki-like ropewalk spot. He applied a camel clutch on Delfin and gained a near fall with a piledriver. Delfin kicked Yuga’s crotch and applied a sharpshooter/armbar combo. Delfin gained a near fall with a snap suplex. Yuga gained a near fall with a Samoan drop and another with a prayer powerbomb. Yuga gained a near fall with a top rope shouldertackle and another with a clawslam. Delfin gained a near fall with a back suplex and another with a top rope elbow. Delfin gave Yuga a tornado DDT but Yuga caught him with a small package and pinned Delfin at 9:28. A good match but nothing memorable. **1/2

9. Gran Naniwa vs J.L. 8/25/95

JL dropkicked Naniwa before the bell and tore into him early. JL gained a near fall with a bulldog. JL dropkicked Naniwa out of the ring and hit a tope but hurt his left knee in the process. Naniwa dropkicked JL’s injured knee and twice rammed it into the ringpost. Naniwa applied a figure 4 leglock and continued to attack JL’s knee with other submission holds such as a sharpshooter. Naniwa did his middle rope walk spot but missed the elbowsmash. JL gave Naniwa a stun gun and tried to tear off his mask. Naniwa fought back with chops in the corner. JL accidentally whipped Naniwa into the ref. JL DDTd Naniwa and piledrove him on a chair. Naniwa’s mask was torn open and he was bleeding from the head. JL rammed Naniwa’s shoulder into the ringpost. JL hit a dropkick in the corner for a near fall and suplexed Naniwa for another near fall. Naniwa fought back with a lariat and won a slugfest. Naniwa gained a near fall with a top rope dropkick as heat increased. Naniwa tried to unmask JL. Naniwa did his middle rope walk into a slpash for a heated near fall. Naniwa gained a great near fall with a doctor bomb. JL caught Naniwa and superplexed him for a near fall. JL also gained a near fall with a sitout powerbomb. Naniwa countered a powerbomb with a huracanrana for a great near fall. Naniwa caught JL and gave him a top rope huracanrana for a near fall. Naniwa dove off the top rope but JL caught him a rolled him up for a near fall. JL placed Naniwa on the top rope and DDTd him while standing on the canvas for another very heated near fall. Naniwa gained a near fall with a sunset flip out of the corner. JL hit a top rope flying bodypress but Naniwa reversed the momentum for a great near fall. Naniwa rolled up JL for a near fall. JL gained a near fall with a backslide. Naniwa reversed a pin attempt by JL and rolled him up for the pin at 16:32 for a huge pop. JL unmasked afterwards revealing himself as Jerry Lynn. It should be noted that he appeared to go by a different name in this tournament, but I couldn’t catch it, and since he wore his JL outfit that’s the name I used. Just a super match with sensational heat. Just as enjoyable as the Sasuke-Delfin match. ****1/4

10. Mask Tournament World League Final: Dos Caras vs Great Sasuke 8/25/95

Caras hit a flying headbutt but missed a second one and Sasuke gave him a spin kick. Sasuke dominated Caras on the mat early but Caras established his superiority on the mat three minutes into the match. Caras applied a standing sharpshooter and a Romero special. Caras rolled with the Romero special and sent Sasuke out of the ring. Caras hit a flying bodypress but Sasuke soon regained the advantage on the mat. Sasuke applied a camel clutch and then a cross armbreaker. Caras fought back with a more painful version of the Romero special although Sasuke escaped and applied an armlock of his own. Sasuke aborted a Caras comeback with a dropkick. The traded offense on the mat after which Caras gained a near fall with a cross bodyblock. Sasuke suplexed Caras and went back to working on his left arm. Caras trapped Sasuke in a headscissors for a while but Sasuke eventually escaped. Caras back suplexed Sasuke for a near fall. Sasuke missed a spin kick and Caras dropkicked him out of the ring. Caras hit a tope at 13:15 and gave Sasuke a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near fall. Caras hit a flying bodypress but Sasuke reversed his momentum and gained a near fall. Sasuke dropkicked Caras out of the ring and hit an Asai moonsault. Sasuke hit a springboard top rope dropkick for a near fall and an in-ring quebrada for another near fall. Sasuke also gained a near fall with a rollup. Caras countered a Sasuke powerbomb with a backdrop and hit a tope suicida. They repeated the same spot that got Caras counted out in their previous match where they tried to keep each other out of the ring. Sasuke hit a spinning mule kick on the floor and followed with a space flying tiger press for a pop. Sasuke missed a running tope. Caras powerbombed Sasuke off the apron to the floor in a crowd-popping spot. Caras powerbombed Sasuke twice and pinned him at 20:09 to win the tournament. An excellent final match with very good work throughout. This was better than their last match since this match flowed more cohesively from the first half to the second half. ****

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