Michinoku Pro Wrestling on Samurai TV
Taped 3/1/97
1. Wellington Wilkens Jr. & Naohiro Hoshikawa vs Alexander Otsuka & Yoshito Sugamoto
Wilkens overpowered Sugamoto early and dominated him on the mat. Wilkens no-sold a ton of blows from Sugamoto and gave him a bunch of chops. Hoshikawa also got the better of Sugamoto. Hoshikawa and Otsuka traded matwork that was technically proficient but lacked drama. Otsuka held his own against Wilkens and gave him a cradle suplex. Wilkens fought back with a lariat on Otsuka. Wilkens dominated Sugamoto again with moves such as a press slam. Sugamoto fought back with a dropkick and a headscissors takedown on Wilkens. Sugamoto gained a near fall on Wilkens with a northern lights suplex. Wilkens gave Sugamoto a Saito-like back suplex. Hoshikawa overpowered Otsuka but Otsuka fought back. Hoshikawa got the better of Otsuka with several kicks. Otsuka countered a suplex and applied a Fujiwara armbar on Hoshikawa. Sugamoto dropkicked Hoshikawa in the corner and Otsuka gave him a northern lights suplex. Otsuka suplexed Hoshikawa and applied a sleeper but Wilkens intervened. Wilkens gained a near fall on Otsuka with a northern lights suplex. Hoshikawa also suplexed Otsuka for a near fall. Hoshikawa gave Sugamoto a swinging chinlock (Ken Patera’s old swinging neckbreaker). Otsuka gave Hoshikawa a giant swing and applied a leglock. Otsuka gained a near fall on Hoshikawa with a German suplex. Otsuka and Sugamoto hit simultaneous German suplexes on Hoshikawa and Wilkens for a near fall. Sugamoto gained a near fall on Wilkens after he and Otsuka double suplexed Wilkens. Otsuka tombstoned Wilkens and Sugamoto gained a near fall with a rocket launcher splash. Wilkens double clotheslined his opponents and tombstoned Sugamoto for a near fall. Wilkens gained a near fall on Sugamoto with a powerbomb. Sugamoto countered a powerbomb with a sunset flip on Wilkens for a near fall. Wilkens gave Sugamoto a lariat and superplexed him. Wilkens made Sugamoto submit to a cross armbreaker at 16:17. This turned into a good match with good heat for the near falls down the stretch. **3/4
2. Jinsei Shinzaki vs Masayoshi Motegi
Shinzaki got the better of Motegi early. Motegi hit a dropkick and backdropped Shinzaki out of the ring. Shinzaki caught Motegi’s arm and did his ropewalk spot into a chop. Shinzaki gained a near fall with a Vader bomb after which he applied a nervehold. Shinzaki gained a near fall after a kneedrop and another with a side suplex. Shinzaki also gained a near fall after a dropkick. Motegi fought back with a second rope cross bodyblock and a couple dropkick that knocked Shinzaki out of the ring. Motegi hit a tope and suplexed Shinzaki back into the ring. Motegi gained a near fall with a top rope dropkick and another with a urunage. Motegi gained a near fall with a German suplex. Shinzaki fought back and hit a rock bottom for a near fall. Shinzaki hit a top rope shouldertackle and pinned Motegi at 7:53 after a prayer powerbomb. A flat match. *
*The next 5 matches were from the Kaientai-DX vs Seiki-gun singles match series.
3. Dick Togo (K-DX) vs Masato Yakushiji (Seiki-gun)
They had a nice opening exchange with a lucha flavor. Togo and Yakushiji traded some quick mat moves and counters. Togo attacked Yakushiji’s left arm and applied an armbar. Yakushiji hit a smooth snapmare but Togo took him down and applied an STF. Togo dominated and overpowered Yakushiji for a time. Yakushiji hit a Misteriorana and a remarkable double tilt-a-whirl (2 full flips around Togo’s body) armdrag on Togo. Yakushiji went for his sliding headscissors from the ring to the floor but Togo countered and dropped him on the floor. Togo rammed Yakushiji’s left leg into the ringpost and threw him into the crowd. Togo stretched and taunted Yakushiji on the floor. Togo scored with a stiff forearm smash and a suplex. Togo gained a near fall with a standing senton and another with a released German suplex. Togo also gained a near fall with a DDT. Yakushiji fought back with a spin kick and hit a top rope dropkick. Yakushiji hit a tope suicida on Togo for a pop. They had a slugfest on the floor and Yakushiji whipped Togo into the ringpost. Togo gained a near fall on Yakushiji with a sharp powerslam. Yakushiji countered a powerbomb with a sunset flip for a near fall. Togo fought back but Yakushiji caught him on the top rope and gave him a top rope Misteriorana as heat mounted. Yakushiji gained a near fall with a top rope spinning huracanrana. Yakushiji went for a huracanrana but Togo countered with a powerbomb for a near fall. Togo powerbombed Yakushiji and pinned him at 11:04 after a top rope senton. A great opener to the series that played to both men’s strengths. Togo and Yakushiji had great chemistry against each other because their styles and strengths complemented each other. ***3/4
4. Shoichi Funaki (K-DX) vs Gran Hamada (Seiki-gun)
Funaki attempted to backdrop Hamada but Hamada landed on his feet. Hamada missed a dropkick but countered a lariat from Funaki with a Fujiwara armbar. Hamada hit a tope but Funaki then whipped him into the ringpost twice. Funaki gained a near fall after an elbowsmash and another with a snap suplex. Hamada took Funaki down with a leglock but Funaki countered with a cross armbreaker. Hamada won an exchange of chops and gave Funaki a few headbutts and a lariat. Funaki dropkicked Hamada’s left leg. Funaki attacked Hamada’s leg and rammed it into the ringpost. Funaki gave Hamada a kneebreaker and applied a figure 4 leglock. Funaki hit Hamada’s left leg with something from under the ring. He piledrove Hamada on the floor and gained a near fall back in the ring. Hamada fought back and went for a tornado DDT but Funaki countered with an atomic drop for a near fall. Funaki gained a near fall with a lariat. Hamada fought back and gained a near fall with a huracanrana. Funaki gained a near fall with a suplex but Hamada fought back with a lariat. Hamada hit a top rope huracanrana and pinned Funaki at 8:07 after a flying tornado DDT. A really good match. ***
5. Men’s Teoh (K-DX) w/Tiger Mask imposter vs Great Sasuke (Seiki-gun)
Teoh back suplexed Sasuke three times and brawled with him into the crowd. Teoh whipped Sasuke into the ringpost and maintained his dominance as they returned to the ring. They did a fast exchange with Sasuke hitting a cross bodyblock. Sasuke went for a half crab but Teoh countered. Sasuke held an armbar as the pace slowed. Sasuke applied a cross armbreaker followed by a half crab. Teoh held his own against Sasuke on the mat but Sasuke applied a leglock. Teoh countered with a cross armbreaker. Sasuke applied a leglock but Teoh escaped. Teoh rammed Sasuke’s leg into the ringpost and gave him a kneebreaker off the apron to the floor. Teoh hit another kneebreaker and applied a figure 4 leglock on Sasuke. Teoh gave Sasuke another kneebreaker on the floor and applied a spinning toehold back in the ring. Sasuke knocked Teoh out of the ring with a handspring elbow and hit an Asai moonsault. Sasuke rolled up Teoh for a near fall and gained another near fall with a cradle suplex. Teoh escaped a powerbomb attempt and dropkicked Sasuke’s left leg. Teoh went to give Sasuke a kneebreaker off the second rope but Sasuke countered with a huracanrana for a near fall. Sasuke missed an in-ring quebrada and Teoh rolled him up for a near fall. Teoh gained a near fall with a roaring elbow. Sasuke gained a near fall with an in-ring quebrada. Sasuke powerbombed Teoh but Teoh kicked the ref as well. The imposter Tiger Mask attacked Sasuke and gave him a lariat and back suplex. Teoh and Tiger Mask gave Sasuke a spike tombstone. Teoh gave Sasuke a couple chokeslam/powerbomb combos and pinned him at 15:27. An excellent match, perhaps Teoh’s best singles match. Sasuke was great in carrying him while everything Teoh did was solid and never boring. ****
6. Shiryu (K-DX) vs Super Delfin (Seiki-gun)
Shiryu hit a lariat early and tried to remove Delfin’s mask. Delfin responded in kind with a lariat. Shiryu and Delfin traded matwork for a while. Delfin kicked Shiryu but Shiryu fought back with a low blow. Shiryu hit a slingshot legdrop and a slingshot somersault senton on Delfin. Delfin briefly fought back but Shiryu responded and applied an STF. Shiryu piledrove Delfin in the crowd. Back in the ring Delfin won an exchange of strikes and hit a lariat. Delfin hit a tilt-a-whirl huracanrana and a dropkick. Delfin got the better of Shiryu on the mat and applied a Romero special, even gaining a near fall with that hold. Delfin gained a near fall with a snap suplex after which he applied a camel clutch/sleeper combo. Delfin gained a near fall with a double arm suplex and another with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Delfin gained a near fall with another tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Delfin attempted a German suplex but Shiryu countered with a low blow. Delfin German suplexed Shiryu and ripped his mask open. Delfin hit a back suplex and a plancha. Delfin gave Shiryu a vertical suplex for a near fall and gained another near fall with a top rope elbow. Delfin hit a tornado DDT and went for a Delfin catch but Shiryu countered with a rollup for a near fall. Shiryu dropkicked Delfin out of the ring. Shiryu ran across the apron and hit a somersault tope suicida on Delfin. Shiryu gained a near fall with a fisherman buster and another with a second fisherman buster. Shiryu hit a lariat in the corner but botched a double springboard moonsault. Shiryu gained a near fall with a slingshot moonsault and another with a moonsault. Delfin hit a tornado DDT but Shiryu rolled him up for a near fall. Shiryu pinned Delfin at 16:25 with la magistral. A very good match with a strong final few minutes. ***1/4
7. Taka Michinoku (K-DX) vs Gran Naniwa (Seiki-gun)
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. ****1/4
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