NEW JAPAN WORLD PRO WRESTLING
6/1/96
1. Satoshi Kojima vs Osamu Nishimura
Nishimura hit a dropkick that highlighted the early footage. Nishimura applied a leglock but Kojima countered. Kojima gained a near fall with a somersault senton. Kojima gave Nishimura some hard slaps and a running elbow in the corner. Kojima gained a near fall with a spinebuster and another with a top rope elbow. Kojima hit a side suplex and a moonsault for a near fall. Nishimura fought back with a dragon suplex and gained a near fall with a German suplex. Nishimura hit a top rope dropkick and gained a near fall with a northern lights suplex. Kojima gave Nishimura a lariat but Nishimura rolled him up for a near fall. Kojima gained a near fall with a pumphandle suplex. Kojima made Nishimura submit at 9:56 with a move similar to the rings of Saturn (6:49 aired). A good match. **1/2
2. Shinya Hashimoto & Shinjiro Otani vs Kazuo Yamazaki & Yuji Nagata
Yamazaki gave Hashimoto a dragon screw and Nagata also attacked Hashimoto’s right leg. Nagata gave Hashimoto a few kicks as Otani dropkicked Yamazaki out of the ring. Nagata applied a leglock on Hashimoto briefly. Nagata hit Otani with a bunch of kicks and applied a half crab. Yamazaki applied a crossface chicken wing on Otani, then dropkicked Hashimoto’s injured right knee on the apron. Hashimoto hit a top rope elbow on Yamazaki. Otani dropkicked Nagata in the corner but Nagata fought back with a belly to belly suplex. Nagata gained a near fall on Otani with a back suplex. Otani hit Nagata with a spinning mule kick. Nagata threw several kicks at Hashimoto and belly to belly suplexed him for a near fall. Hashimoto hit both opponents with slaps and DDTd Yamazaki. Hashimoto gained a near fall on Nagata with an enzuguiri. Yamazaki kicked Hashimoto’s left knee but Otani then gave him a springboard dropkick. Yamazaki threw some kicks but Otani fought back and dropkicked his left knee. Otani German suplexed Yamazaki but Yamazaki made him submit to a leglock that came out of nowhere at 11:05 (8:14 aired). A very good match with all four looking strong although Otani was not given as much of a chance to shine as usual. ***1/4
3. Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Kensuke Sasaki & Junji Hirata
Hirata hit Tenzan with a chair as they brawled in the crowd. Hirata piledrove Chono for a near fall. Chono gave Hirata an atomic drop and a headbutt to the crotch. Chono hit a yakuza kick and applied an STF on Hirata. Chono gained a near fall on Hirata with a yakuza kick. Hirata fought back with a suplex on Tenzan. Sasaki applied a (triangle?) armbar on Tenzan. Sasaki and Hirata gave Chono a Hart-attack-like move. Hirata gained a near fall on Tenzan with a powerbomb as Sasaki hung Chono upside down in the corner. Sasaki powerslammed Tenzan and went for a powerbomb but Chono gave him a yakuza kick. Chono and Tenzan gave Hirata a double team powerbomb as Hiro Saito and Sasaki fought at ringside. Tenzan gained a near fall on Hirata with a top rope headbutt. Tenzan pinned Hirata at 13:41 after a moonsault (7:15 aired). A good match with everyone’s intensity enhancing this match. ***
-Highlights aired of Black Tiger (Guerrero) defeating Villano IV and El Samurai defeating Chris Benoit in two Best of the Super Junior tournament matches.
4. 1996 Best of the Super Junior Tournament: Jushin Liger vs Norio Honaga
Liger dropkicked Honaga out of the ring and hit a baseball slide kick. Liger hit a tilt a whirl backbreaker and applied a Romero special. He then briefly applied a camel clutch on Honaga. Honaga fought back and whipped Liger into the barricade. Honaga hit Liger with a chair. Honaga focused his attack on Liger’s stomach, even using a claw. Honaga dominated Liger and often fought in heelish fashion. He again took the fight outside the ring. Liger whipped Honaga into the barricade. Liger missed a dropkick and also missed a koppo kick in the corner. Liger recovered and hit a top rope superplex. Liger gained a near fall with a released German suplex. He gave Honaga a brainbuster and a top rope elbow for a near fall. Liger missed a shoda and Honaga gave him a lariat for a near fall. Honaga hit a top rope dropkick and a German suplex for a near fall. Liger countered a tombstone with one of his own on Honaga. Liger missed a second rope kneedrop and Honaga applied a figure 4 leglock. Liger pinned Honaga at 11:24 after a shoda out of nowhere. A very good match but the finish was a bit too sudden. ***
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