New Japan TV 1-6-94 IWGP Jr title and Hogan vs Fujinami!

[Chitohausen]

Sanctioned by International Wrestling Grand Prix; Seiji Sakaguchi, president


Airs across Japan on Saturday, January 6, 1994 on:


TV Asahi


Taped on January 4, 1994 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan



Announcers: Kenji Wakabayashi and Kotetsu Yamamoto
Ring Announcer: Hidekazu Tanaka
Referees: Red Shoes Unno, Tiger Hattori and Kyohei Wada



KENJI WAKABAYASHI and KOTETSU YAMAMOTO open the show.

They welcome us to the world-famous Tokyo Dome for this week’s episode of Asahi TV’s “World Pro-Wrestling”!

This week, we’ve got four big matches:

Shinjiro Ohtani meets El Samurai in junior heavyweight action!

Then, the IWGP junior heavyweight title will be on the line, as Ultimo Dragon makes the first defense of the title, against the Great Sasuke!

We’ll see boxer Tony Halme and karateka Akitoshi Saito meet in a mixed-style match!

And, the feature bout, the longtime ace of New Japan, “the Dragon” Tatsumi Fujinami squares off with one of the biggest names in history of pro wrestling in North America, Hulk Hogan!


SHINJIRO OHTANI defeats EL SAMURAI. Ohtani has been wrestling a mat-based, no-nonsense style over the past few months. He’s also taken on a bit of a rougher edge, and we see that here in this opening match. At one point, Ohtani tries to pull Samurai’s mask off! Samurai manages to get away from Ohtani, sliding out to the floor, but he’s clearly not happy about Ohtani attempting to remove the mask. Samurai tears into Ohtani and the match kicks into high gear! In the end, Ohtani pulls off what has to be considered somewhat of an upset, hitting Samurai with a Dragon Suplex for the 1, 2, 3!


A highlight package is shown, focusing on the history between Jushin Thunder Liger and Ultimo Dragon, showing their matches as opponents, as well as teaming together in the recent SG Tag League. We see clips from the December 13 show in Osaka, where Dragon succeeded in defeating Liger for the IWGP Jr heavyweight title! The video ends with footage of Great Sasuke pinning Liger in a tag team match back at the end of September, and then making his intentions clear . . . he wants the Jr heavyweight title!

That leads us to our next match, with Sasuke challenging the new champion Ultimo Dragon for the title.


IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP:
ULTIMO DRAGON (champ, 1st defense) defeats GREAT SASUKE. Sasuke is as talented as anyone in the junior heavyweight division, and he gives the champion all he can handle.

The champion started off by trying to ground the high-flying Sasuke, focusing on Sasuke’s legs with different submission holds, culminating in Dragon slapping on a Figure-4 Leglock, but Sasuke manages to get to the ropes to force a break. Sasuke then goes on the attack, but it’s short-lived, as he misses a dropkick attempt, and Ultimo responds with a springboard Moonsault for a 2-count. After some back-and-forth action, both men run the ropes, and both have the same idea, going for a spinning wheel kick, and they collide, leaving both men lying on the mat.

Sasuke is up first, and goes on the attack. He attempts a springboard Moonsault, but Ultimo Dragon dropkicks him in mid-air! Sasuke rolls to the outside for a breather, but he’s not safe there either, as Dragon dives through the ropes, crashing into Sasuke on the floor! Dragon follows up with an Asai Moonsault that sends Sasuke crashing into the guardrail.

Back inside, Dragon heads to the top rope, feeling he’s got things well in hand, but Sasuke isn’t out yet, he dropkicks Dragon off the top rope all the way to the floor! Sasuke then dives off the top rope onto Dragon on the floor.

Sasuke stays on the attack when Dragon rolls back into the ring. After wearing Dragon down, Sasuke rolls Dragon up in La Magistral, but Dragon saves the title, kicking out at the very last second!

Sasuke stays on him, and goes for a Powerbomb . . . but Dragon reverses it into a Huracanrana for a VERY close nearfall!

From there, Dragon sets Sasuke up on the top turnbuckle . . . and drives him into the mat with a top-rope Frankensteiner! There’s no kicking out of that for Sasuke, and Dragon is successful in his first defense of his IWGP Junior heavyweight title!


After two action-packed junior heavyweight matches, we change gears, as it’s time for the mixed style match between boxer Tony Halme and karateka Akitoshi Saito!

MIXED STYLE MATCH:
TONY HALME defeats AKITOSHI SAITO (w/ Masashi Aoyagi). This match only lasts about 5 minutes, as these two tear into each other. Saito uses his karate, while Halme relies on his boxing and kickboxing. In the end, the Finnish hellraiser gets the better of his opponent, and KO’s Saito with a vicious uppercut!


We see a video package of Hulk Hogan’s previous matches in Japan, and then a short pre-recorded interview from Hogan. He says that he has a lot of respect for Fujinami, but he’s coming to the Tokyo Dome to win, and he’s going to give Fujinami everything he’s got, and he hopes Fujinami will do the same!


HULK HOGAN defeats “THE DRAGON” TATSUMI FUJINAMI. The two men shake hands before the match as a show of respect. Hogan shows off more wrestling ability here than he usually does in the US, and he trades holds with Fujinami. Both men enjoy the advantage at various points in the match. In the end, Hogan simply overpowers his opponent, and hits the Axe Bomber! He goes for the cover, but Fujinami kicks out at 2! Hogan hits a second Axe Bomber, and this time Fuji can’t kick out. Hogan picks up the pinfall victory over the legend Fujinami!

The two men shake hands again after the match, with Hogan then posing for the fans as the show comes to an end.


Wakabayashi and Yamamoto wrap things up and hype next week’s show, which will feature more action from January 4 at the Tokyo Dome! We’ll see former stablemates battle, as Super Strong Machine squares off with Tatsutoshi Goto! Two former IWGP tag team champs square off as Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki meet the Jurassic Powers of Scott Norton and Hercules Hernandez! And, in the feature bout, a battle between New Japan and All Japan, as Riki Choshu squares off with Genichiro Tenryu!


Credits Roll