All Japan TV 5-20-93 Misawa vs Muta!!!

[Chitohausen]

Sanctioned by the Pacific Wrestling Federation; Lord James Blears, chairman


Airs across Japan on Saturday, May 20, 1993 on:




Taped on May 3, 1993 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan



Announcers: Kenji Wakabayashi and Kosuke Takeuchi
Ring Announcer: Takashi Yamada
Referees: Red Shoes Unno, Tiger Hattori and Kyohei Wada



KENJI WAKABAYASHI and KOSUKE TAKEUCHI open the show.

They welcome us to this week’s episode of “All Japan Pro Wrestling”!

We’re back in the Big Egg again this week!

Today, we’ll see the third match between Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask III. Liger won the last two, but Tiger Mask has greatly improved in each of those matches, and he feels today is the day he finally beats Liger and proves that he belongs at the top of the junior division!

Kenta Kobashi has a tough road ahead of him, as he faces the monster gaijin, Scott Norton!

And, in the main event, a “dream match” for the Triple Crown, as Mitsuharu Misawa makes his third defence of the title against the Great Muta!


We see footage from the previous two matches between Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask III. The first clip is from January 14, when Liger and TMIII met in the junior heavyweight top contender league. Liger got the win in a hard-fought match, and when he offered his hand to the younger man afterwards, Tiger Mask slaps Liger’s hand away and storms off.

They meet again two weeks later, in a tie-breaker to see who would advance to the finals. Tiger Mask shows improvement from the last match, he’s clearly been studying footage of their previous match, as this time he’s got counters for a lot of Liger’s offense. Liger eventually picks up the win, and again offers his hand. This time Tiger Mask shakes his hand, and raises Liger’s arm before leaving the ring.


SUPER DIMENSIONAL HERO SHOWDOWN:
TIGER MASK III beats JUSHIN THUNDER LIGER. Tiger Mask has improved with each match against the legendary Liger, and even though the World Jr heavyweight title isn’t on the line here, TM believes this is his time, this is the match where he defeats Liger and proves that he belongs among the top wrestlers in the junior heavyweight division.

The match is fast and furious, both men give it their all for the Tokyo Dome fans. We see some innovative high flying from both men. Liger eventually gains the upper hand, and looks to be on his way to victory. When he sets TM up for the top-rope Frankensteiner, Tiger Mask is somehow able to block it, and instead jumps off the turnbuckle, driving Liger into the mat with a brutal Powerbomb!

Liger looks to be out, but Tiger Mask picks him up, and delivers the Tiger Suplex for the 1, 2, 3!!!!!

What an upset! The youngster, Tiger Mask III, has just pinned the World Jr heavyweight champion Jushin Thunder Liger in front of 50,000+ in the Tokyo Dome!

After getting his hand raised, Tiger Mask takes the house mic and asks Liger for a shot at the World Jr heavyweight title. Liger accepts, and the two men shake hands.


SCOTT NORTON (w/ Bam Bam Bigelow) beats KENTA KOBASHI (w/ Tsuyoshi Kikuchi). Kobashi, the youngest and most inexperienced of the “four pillars” has his work cut out for him here, as he takes on the monster from America, Scott Norton!

Norton is one of the most powerful men in the sport, and he shows it early on, throwing Kobashi around like a ragdoll! Kenta has a never-say-die attitude, and no matter how much punishment he takes, he just keeps battling back!

Norton gets frustrated that he can’t keep Kobashi down, and that frustration leads to him making mistakes, and Kobashi takes advantage! Kobashi uses a stick-and-move type of offense, then he unleashes a barrage of chops that leave Norton’s chest bright red! Norton turns the tables though, he bounces off the ropes and hits a devastating Lariat! He covers Kobashi, but somehow Kenta is able to get a shoulder up at the very last possible second!

Norton then hoists Kobashi up into the Flashback, an overhead gutwrench backbreaker, then dropping into a shoulderbreaker! That’s all she wrote for Kobashi, as he can’t kick out this time, and Scott Norton gets the win!


Before the main event, we see footage of The Great Muta in action, first from 1989 in WCW, then some early 90s footage from New Japan Pro Wrestling.


SUPER DREAM MATCH:
TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP:
MITSUHARU MISAWA (champion) (3rd defense) defeats THE GREAT MUTA (challenger). Before the introductions, PWF chairman Lord James Blears proclaims that the Triple Crown is on the line for this match, and takes the three belts, showing them to each man. Misawa and Muta are then presented with flowers from several women.

As the bell sounds, Muta paces around like a caged animal, then touches his throat, before spitting green mist into the air! The commentators wonder if Muta’s antics are getting inside the head of the champion?

This could be Misawa’s toughest challenge yet, not only is Muta an exceptionally talented wrestler, he’s also wildly unpredictable, and that makes him very dangerous.

Muta dominates in the early going, Misawa just can’t seem to get anything going against his unorthodox opponent. We see Muta’s big moves, like his lightning-quick snap elbow drops, and the handspring elbow in the corner. When he goes for the Moonsault, Misawa is able to roll out of the way and avoid the move, but he’s taken a beating, and despite avoiding the Moonsault, he’s not able to get anything going and Muta goes right back on the offensive.

Misawa soon makes a comeback, and stuns Muta with some vicious chops and elbow strikes. He connects with the Rolling Elbow, but Muta quickly rolls under the bottom rope and to the floor.

Muta takes a breather, pacing around ringside, but Misawa decides not to wait for Muta to get back in the ring, he runs the ropes and dives through the ropes with a suicide dive elbow smash! The champion then pummels Muta on the floor, before throwing him back in the ring.

Back inside, Misawa stays on the offensive, and methodically wears Muta down. However, the challenger still has plenty of fight left, and a shot to the throat stops Misawa dead in his tracks! Muta then goes on the offensive, pummelling Misawa!

After wearing Misawa down, Muta heads to the top rope for another Moonsault attempt! This time, he connects, and covers Misawa. The referee is right there for the count . . . ONE . . . TWO . . . TWO AND A HALF . . . Misawa gets a shoulder up at the last second!

Muta pulls Misawa up, and connects with some kicks, then a big roundhouse kick to the head of the champion, and that sends Misawa reeling back into the turnbuckles . . . but Misawa explodes out of the corner with another Rolling Elbow! Misawa falls on top of Muta, and gets a very close nearfall, but Muta kicks out at 2!

Misawa then hoists Muta up, and drives him into the mat, right on his head, with the Tiger Driver ’91!!!!

This time, Muta can’t kick out, and Mitsuharu Misawa gets the three count, to successfully retain the Triple Crown championship!




Wakabayashi and Takeuchi wrap things up, saying that does it for All-Japan’s first event at the Tokyo Dome! They hype next week’s show, which will mark the beginning of the Super Power Series.


Credits Roll



© 1993, All Japan Pro Wrestling