Michinoku Pro Wrestling December 1995

[jackknight]

Commish said:

Yahaba, Iwate
Municipal Gym
December 19, 1995

Match 1: Dave “Fit” Finlay, Johnny Smith & Beef Wellington vs. Taka Michinoku, Shoichi Funaki & Grand Hamada

A lucha libre style trios match opens up this special card, which is being broadcast on Nippon Television. The gajins really rile up the crowd by bending the rules at every opportunity. The finish sees all six men brawling in the ring, Michinoku comes off the top rope with a tope that knocks down both Smith and Wellington, but also his own partner Shoichi Funaki. Taka gets back to his feet, but walks right into a clothesline from Finlay.

The Fighting Irishman goes to work on the veteran Gran Hamada and looks to put him away with a tombstone pile-driver, but Hamada puts on the breaks and back-drops Finlay. Hamada stuns Finlay with a hurricanrana when the Bruiser gets back to his feet and then catches him with the Hama-Chan Cutter to score the shocking three count out of nowhere!

Winners: Taka Michinoku, Shoichi Funak & Gran Hamada

Match 2: Shiryu vs. Tiger Mask III

Tiger Mask III is not defending his IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title here, but he is still on the top of his game. Shiryu shows promise as well a brutal enziguri early on and then a frog splash. He makes a mistake when he goes for a for a flying senton, which allows Tiger Mask to recover. Tiger Mask then drills Shiryu with a series of kicks and finishes him off with a Tiger Suplex bridged into a pinning combination to score the fall.

Winner: Tiger Mask III

Match 3: Hayabusa vs. El Samurai

This one has been highly anticipated from fans here in Japan. Both of these men have been tipped as the future of junior heavyweight wrestling in the country and they prove that here tonight. El Samura gets some near falls throughout the match, especially with an elevated DDT that plants Hayabusa head-first into the canvas.

Hayabusa will not stay down, however, and he continues to bring the fight to El Samurai. Samurai goes for the Samurai Clutch, but Hayabusa gets out of it, only to be drilled with a spinning heel kick. El Samurai then goes for the Samurai Clutch II, but Hayabusa is able to kick out. Samurai is stunned and he pulls Hayabusa up, but Hayabusa drills him with a super kick! Hayabusa then connects with the Falcon Arrow to score the three count! Huge win here for Hayabusa.

Winner: Hayabusa

INTERMISSION

Match 4: Tohuko Tag Team Champions Dick Togo & Men’s Teioh vs. Gedo & Jado

Two impressive young teams square of here, with Gedo and Jado dominating the early going with quick tags. They keep Men’s Teioh on their side of the ring and almost score the win with a double brain-buster. Teioh keeps fighting and is able to break free for the hot tag to Dick Togo, who comes in with a reverse STO on Gedo and a diving frankensteiner on Jado.

Togo has both challengers on the ring, but soon Gedo attacks from behind and connects with a hangman’s neckbreaker. Gedo takes over and really pounds on Togo, connecting with a brutal backbreaker. He then signals for a second neckbreaker, but Togo spins away and hits facebuster. Jado comes back in, but Togo hooks him with a Tornado DDT that sees them land right on the fallen Gedo. Teioh is in and he makes the double cover with Dick Togo to score the win!

Winners: Tohuko Tag Team Champions Dick Togo & Men’s Teioh

Match 5: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Sabu

Our semi-main tonight is the first-ever meeting between Jushin Liger and the homicidal, genocidal, suicidal Sabu. We have a bit of a styles clash here, but Sabu is able to gain some momentum by dumping Liger to the floor and connecting with a brutal plancha. Sabu then climbs up to the apron and goes for a moon-sault, but Liger catches him and drives him back-first into the steel turnbuckle. Liger throws Sabu back in and then flies off the top with a leg drop across the chest!

Liger makes the cover, but Sabu kicks out! Liger goes to pull Sabu up, but Sabu rakes the eyes! Liger stumbles back, only for Sabu to leap up and DDT him! Sabu with the cover, but this time it’s Liger who kicks out! Sabu then suplexes Liger and grabs a steel chair. Sabu climbs up to the top rope and he goes for the Arabian Facebuster, but Liger is up and dropkicks the chair in midair! Liger then connects with the Liger-Bomb on the steel chair to score the win! Jushin Liger helps Sabu up after the match and the two men shake hands!

Winner: Jushin Thunder Liger


Match 6: British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Champion Danny Boy Collins vs. The Great Sasuke

Collins is not very well known in the USA, but has a sterling reputation in both his native England and Michinoku Pro here in Japan. He puts his title on the line against the current XPW Openweight Champion The Great Sasuke, the heart and soul of this promotion. These two spend time testing the waters early on and Collins is able to takes Sasuke to the ground to really work him over. Collins lands a variety of back and vertical suplex variations to weaken the challenger. Sasuke struggles to gain any traction as Collins looks set for a successful title defense here in the main event. The tide turns when Collins goes to throw Sasuke in a belly-to-back suplex, but Sasuke hangs on and shifts forward to bulldog the champion! Collins stumbles up – and walks right into a savate kick for a near fall.

Sasuke scales the top rope and comes for Senton Atomico – again, he only gets a very close two count on the champion! Sasuke goes to pull Collins up, but Danny fights back with an elbow. Sasuke will not be denied as he lunges with a knee lift to the chin! Collins is doubled over in pain and now Sasuke hooks him and connects with the Thunder Fire power-bomb! Sasuke hooks both legs and he gets the 1-2-3! We have a new British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Champion! Sasuke celebrates with his protégés Shoichi Funaki, Shiryu and Taka Michinoku to close out the night.

Winner: British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Champion The Great Sasuke