Post by Jeff L. on Oct 3, 2024 16:28:42 GMT -5
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.
Japan.
-----------
The Gymnasium was busy that day, with thousands of people filling out their reserved seats, preparing to witness the very first show of this ultimate physical theater. As the empty seats soon became filled, the stomping was replaced by slow claps, as the announcer welcomed the crowd. Occasional claps were soon replaced by an uproar of delight, as slow and heavy J-Rock guitar mixed with glamorous trumpet solos and piano bits, a song perhaps perfect for an early morning workout, filled the murmur in the Gymnasium. Soul of the Champion played, as one of the greatest personalities in history of pro wrestling, and Japan itself, entered the ring.
Towering at nearly 7 feet, the great Shohei Baba entered the squared circle, welcoming the crowd to the very first All Japan Pro Wrestling Show. Thanking everyone in attendance, he announced tonight’s five matches, and proclaimed the start of the Pacific League: a round robin tournament taking place over the next 9 days, with 10 best Japanese wrestlers participating. The winner of the league, the fighter with most points, will become the winner, and will be recognised as the first champion of AJPW’s leading governing body, Pacific Wrestling Federation. Baba once agained thanked everyone, and left the ring to join Kenji Wakabayashi on the commentary table. The announcer Ryu Nakata, legendary voice of puroresu, then did the honors introducing the participants of the very first AJPW match ever.
#1: Jumbo Tsuruta vs Kenta Kobashi
The very first All Japan match featured two men who exhibited a plethora of similarities: imposing bodybuilds, lethal strikes and powerful throws, and above all: the indomitable fighting spirit. The usual feeling out process, in which Tsuruta showed his superior amateur skills, were soon ended with Kobashi throwing kicks at Tsuruta’s shins and thighs. Tsuruta waved these off easily, catching the leg of Kenta, spinning him around, and connecting with a belly to back suplex, smiling as a friendly adult would smile if they were getting kicked by a kid. The Orange Crush kicked out at two and a half.
Jumbo then continued to wear down the younger opponent with a headlock, and connected with a suplex as his opponent got to his feet. But Kobashi did not stay down; clenching his fists, staring at the crowd, he stood up mere seconds after getting hit by a suplex. He evaded Jumbo’s big boot attempt, and started to pepper the veteran with more kicks: low kicks, toe kicks, back kicks, even the ones of spinning variety; yet none were a match for the great Jumbo Tsuruta. As Kenta ran the ropes to connect with another running kick, he found his face full of Jumbo’s high knee. Tsuruta pulled his stunned opponent in for a Backdrop Driver, as he left the ring after 10 minutes of duel. Kenta was left with a concerned look on his face: if kicks can’t help him hurt opponents enough for a three count, what can?
#2: Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue
The setup of the second match was a lot different than the first one: this one was a young vs. young kinda situation, with one opponent being a smaller, faster kicking type, while the other was more of the powerhouse variety.
Taue tried to catch the quick, agile Misawa, as the green menace kept bouncing off the ropes, kicking away at Taue, and connecting with crossbodies and sentons. He’d slither away every time Akira would catch him, and finding far more success with kicks than his colleague Kobashi ever could. However, Akira would soon surprise everoyne with his own agility, as the 6’4’’ powerhouse caught Misawa with a huge dropkick. Proceeding to dominate his opponent with slams and suplexes, he couldn’t really score a three count against him. At around a 12 minute mark, as Taue was preparing for his powerful Atomic Drop, Misawa landed on his feet, and kept the big man down for the three count with an O’Connor roll.
The crowd was elated at Misawa’s win, who didn’t seem too bothered nor too tired after this match.
#3: Gran Hamada vs Satoru Sayama
Junior heavyweight style proved to be the way to go in this match as well, as Hamada chained together a side headlock, wrist lock, and a waist lock, only to trip Sayama from behind and step over his back. Slightly agitated, but still in control of his emotions, Sayama connected with his side headlock into a spinning leg trip, followed by a La Magistral Cradle. A kick out at two, and a battle of kicks ensued, with Hamada on top. He performed a release German on Sayama, and as he stood up, he raised his hands in elation, pandering to the crowd.
But his arms were suddenly stopped halfway through, with Satoru performing a double underhook from the behind. Before Hamada could react, he found himself driven on the back of his neck. As it turned out, Sayama landed on his feet following Hamada’s release German, and caught his opponent with a vicious bridging Tiger suplex for the win.
#4: Genichiro Tenryu vs Riki Choshu
Tenryu outwrestled Choshu at the start, and the visibly agitated Choshu started chopping his opponent. Genichiro defended himself with kicks, until Choshu delivered a vicious elbow to the back of the head of his opponent, as they were in the ropes; crowd booed Riki relentlessly throughout the bout, building up Tenryu’s comeback. Genichiro then surprised Choshu with a Gamengiri, as Choshu was preparing for his lariat, pinning his frustrated enemy.
Genichiro Tenryu tried to shake Riki Choshu’s hand after the gruelling match, but the only answer he got was Choshu brushing him with his shoulder, as he left the ring. Crowd booed Riki even more now, as the agitated wrestler left the ringside, still holding his nose from the brutal surprise kick. It seems that he won’t forgive this loss so quickly…
#5: Toshiaki Kawada vs ?
In the final match of the evening, young Toshiaki Kawada gets introduced to the ring. Looking as delighted as a kid in a candy store, a pure, innocent smile (with some of the pearliest, shiniest whites on a pro wrestler) he welcomed the crowd to the main event. The crowd is however, almost mute for Kawada, who is still very early into his career.
“Who do you think Kawada’s opponent is, Baba-san?”, the commentator Wakabayashi asked. “Must be a pretty big name you’ve signed, since you’re keeping us on our toes like this.”
“Oh”, Baba sighed with a smirk, unbuttoning his shirt, “it’s not up to me to say it, but I’d say one of the biggest ever”. As the Soul of the Champion began to play just like at the beginning of the show, followed by a roar of the crowd, Baba entered the ring, removing the rest of his three piece suit.
Kawada's smile turned into a face of surprise, even shock, as Baba tossed him around the ring. The younger wrestler tried to kick Baba away, but the veteran slamed him, manhandled him, before kicking his teeth with a huge arched boot. The All Japan owner got the pin after barely 6 minutes. He then pandered to the joyous crowd, while a distressed, concerned Kawada held a hand over his mouth, almost like trying to prevent something to fall out of it. Thick red blood dripped over his fingers, as the feed faded to black.
----------------
Full results:
Jumbo Tsuruta def. Kenta Kobashi (10:43)
Mitsuharu Misawa def. Akira Taue (12:52)
Satoru Sayama def. Gran Hamada (13:24)
Genichiro Tenryu def. Riki Choshu (15:07)
Giant Baba def. Toshiaki Kawada (06:13)
Pacific League points:
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Tsuruta 3
Misawa 3
Sayama 3
Tenryu 3
Baba 3
Kobashi 0
Taue 0
Hamada 0
Kawada 0
Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.
Japan.
-----------
The Gymnasium was busy that day, with thousands of people filling out their reserved seats, preparing to witness the very first show of this ultimate physical theater. As the empty seats soon became filled, the stomping was replaced by slow claps, as the announcer welcomed the crowd. Occasional claps were soon replaced by an uproar of delight, as slow and heavy J-Rock guitar mixed with glamorous trumpet solos and piano bits, a song perhaps perfect for an early morning workout, filled the murmur in the Gymnasium. Soul of the Champion played, as one of the greatest personalities in history of pro wrestling, and Japan itself, entered the ring.
Towering at nearly 7 feet, the great Shohei Baba entered the squared circle, welcoming the crowd to the very first All Japan Pro Wrestling Show. Thanking everyone in attendance, he announced tonight’s five matches, and proclaimed the start of the Pacific League: a round robin tournament taking place over the next 9 days, with 10 best Japanese wrestlers participating. The winner of the league, the fighter with most points, will become the winner, and will be recognised as the first champion of AJPW’s leading governing body, Pacific Wrestling Federation. Baba once agained thanked everyone, and left the ring to join Kenji Wakabayashi on the commentary table. The announcer Ryu Nakata, legendary voice of puroresu, then did the honors introducing the participants of the very first AJPW match ever.
#1: Jumbo Tsuruta vs Kenta Kobashi
The very first All Japan match featured two men who exhibited a plethora of similarities: imposing bodybuilds, lethal strikes and powerful throws, and above all: the indomitable fighting spirit. The usual feeling out process, in which Tsuruta showed his superior amateur skills, were soon ended with Kobashi throwing kicks at Tsuruta’s shins and thighs. Tsuruta waved these off easily, catching the leg of Kenta, spinning him around, and connecting with a belly to back suplex, smiling as a friendly adult would smile if they were getting kicked by a kid. The Orange Crush kicked out at two and a half.
Jumbo then continued to wear down the younger opponent with a headlock, and connected with a suplex as his opponent got to his feet. But Kobashi did not stay down; clenching his fists, staring at the crowd, he stood up mere seconds after getting hit by a suplex. He evaded Jumbo’s big boot attempt, and started to pepper the veteran with more kicks: low kicks, toe kicks, back kicks, even the ones of spinning variety; yet none were a match for the great Jumbo Tsuruta. As Kenta ran the ropes to connect with another running kick, he found his face full of Jumbo’s high knee. Tsuruta pulled his stunned opponent in for a Backdrop Driver, as he left the ring after 10 minutes of duel. Kenta was left with a concerned look on his face: if kicks can’t help him hurt opponents enough for a three count, what can?
#2: Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue
The setup of the second match was a lot different than the first one: this one was a young vs. young kinda situation, with one opponent being a smaller, faster kicking type, while the other was more of the powerhouse variety.
Taue tried to catch the quick, agile Misawa, as the green menace kept bouncing off the ropes, kicking away at Taue, and connecting with crossbodies and sentons. He’d slither away every time Akira would catch him, and finding far more success with kicks than his colleague Kobashi ever could. However, Akira would soon surprise everoyne with his own agility, as the 6’4’’ powerhouse caught Misawa with a huge dropkick. Proceeding to dominate his opponent with slams and suplexes, he couldn’t really score a three count against him. At around a 12 minute mark, as Taue was preparing for his powerful Atomic Drop, Misawa landed on his feet, and kept the big man down for the three count with an O’Connor roll.
The crowd was elated at Misawa’s win, who didn’t seem too bothered nor too tired after this match.
#3: Gran Hamada vs Satoru Sayama
Junior heavyweight style proved to be the way to go in this match as well, as Hamada chained together a side headlock, wrist lock, and a waist lock, only to trip Sayama from behind and step over his back. Slightly agitated, but still in control of his emotions, Sayama connected with his side headlock into a spinning leg trip, followed by a La Magistral Cradle. A kick out at two, and a battle of kicks ensued, with Hamada on top. He performed a release German on Sayama, and as he stood up, he raised his hands in elation, pandering to the crowd.
But his arms were suddenly stopped halfway through, with Satoru performing a double underhook from the behind. Before Hamada could react, he found himself driven on the back of his neck. As it turned out, Sayama landed on his feet following Hamada’s release German, and caught his opponent with a vicious bridging Tiger suplex for the win.
#4: Genichiro Tenryu vs Riki Choshu
Tenryu outwrestled Choshu at the start, and the visibly agitated Choshu started chopping his opponent. Genichiro defended himself with kicks, until Choshu delivered a vicious elbow to the back of the head of his opponent, as they were in the ropes; crowd booed Riki relentlessly throughout the bout, building up Tenryu’s comeback. Genichiro then surprised Choshu with a Gamengiri, as Choshu was preparing for his lariat, pinning his frustrated enemy.
Genichiro Tenryu tried to shake Riki Choshu’s hand after the gruelling match, but the only answer he got was Choshu brushing him with his shoulder, as he left the ring. Crowd booed Riki even more now, as the agitated wrestler left the ringside, still holding his nose from the brutal surprise kick. It seems that he won’t forgive this loss so quickly…
#5: Toshiaki Kawada vs ?
In the final match of the evening, young Toshiaki Kawada gets introduced to the ring. Looking as delighted as a kid in a candy store, a pure, innocent smile (with some of the pearliest, shiniest whites on a pro wrestler) he welcomed the crowd to the main event. The crowd is however, almost mute for Kawada, who is still very early into his career.
“Who do you think Kawada’s opponent is, Baba-san?”, the commentator Wakabayashi asked. “Must be a pretty big name you’ve signed, since you’re keeping us on our toes like this.”
“Oh”, Baba sighed with a smirk, unbuttoning his shirt, “it’s not up to me to say it, but I’d say one of the biggest ever”. As the Soul of the Champion began to play just like at the beginning of the show, followed by a roar of the crowd, Baba entered the ring, removing the rest of his three piece suit.
Kawada's smile turned into a face of surprise, even shock, as Baba tossed him around the ring. The younger wrestler tried to kick Baba away, but the veteran slamed him, manhandled him, before kicking his teeth with a huge arched boot. The All Japan owner got the pin after barely 6 minutes. He then pandered to the joyous crowd, while a distressed, concerned Kawada held a hand over his mouth, almost like trying to prevent something to fall out of it. Thick red blood dripped over his fingers, as the feed faded to black.
----------------
Full results:
Jumbo Tsuruta def. Kenta Kobashi (10:43)
Mitsuharu Misawa def. Akira Taue (12:52)
Satoru Sayama def. Gran Hamada (13:24)
Genichiro Tenryu def. Riki Choshu (15:07)
Giant Baba def. Toshiaki Kawada (06:13)
Pacific League points:
Misawa 3
Sayama 3
Tenryu 3
Baba 3
Kobashi 0
Taue 0
Hamada 0
Kawada 0
