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NWJ Show 27 - Firestorm '05 - Show 1

CarlzillaPosted on 03/11/05 at 13:36:54

Shoichi Funaki pinned Masahito Kakihara with the Fisherman's Buster in 0:14:11.
Rating: *** 1/4

Barbed Wire Falls-Count-Anywhere Match:
Tajiri pinned Mr. Pogo with the Kick Of Death in 0:17:52.
Rating: ****
[Tetsuhiro Kuroda interfered against Mr. Pogo.]

Dragon Kid and Minoru Fujita defeated Terry Funk and Toru Yano when Dragon Kid
pinned Yano with the Dragon Rana in 0:18:39.
Rating: ** 1/4

Tetsuhiro Kuroda pinned Mr. Gannosuke with the Butterfly Suplex in 0:18:48.
Rating: *** 3/4

Masahiro Chono made Christopher Daniels submit to the STF in 0:19:23.
Rating: **** 1/4

[Thundercats Farewell Match]:
Thundercats (Jyushin Lyger and Tiger Mask IV) defeated
Team EGO (Magnum TOKYO and CIMA) when Lyger defeated CIMA when CIMA
passed out in a bow-and-arrow submission in 0:17:02.
Rating: **** 1/2

Manabu Nakanishi pinned Genichiro Tenryu after a flying bulldog in 0:12:15.
Rating: *** 1/4

Yuji Nagata made Kenta Kobashi submit to the Nagata Lock in 0:25:50.
Rating: **** 1/4
(Yuji Nagata won the NWJ Heavyweight Title.)


Card rating: *** 3/4

Match observations:

Well, big big news in NWJ today! Kenta Kobashi was finally decrowned, Yuji Nagata was
able to bring the once undefeatable Kenta Kobashi to become the second NWJ Heavyweight
Champion. We had some other great matches, as well as the triumphant disbanding of one
of the most popular tag teams in NWJ history, as Lyger and Tiger Mask called it quits
tonight. Well, lets get to the match rundowns.

In our opener, Funaki, was able to get the win over the newcomer Kakihara. Kakihara
promised a better outing next time. Funaki feels good about this tour and says that he
thinks it's his time to get himself on track and be a serious threat to the juniors.

Tajiri and Mr. Pogo had a very well recieved barbed wire match. This was your standard
barbed wire affair, with face scrapings, chokings, and plently of blood. The end came
when Tajiri threw Pogo into the wire, and then delivered the Kick Of Death as Pogo
tried to pull one of the barbs from his pants. Tajiri said that even though he is not
afraid to step into a barbed wire ring, that he does not like to be thought of as a
hardcore wrestler, because when people think of hardcore, people think lack of talent.
Tajiri asked that everyone look at his matches, and they will see his wrestling
talent no matter what the match situation.

Dragon Kid and NWJ Jr. Heavyweight Champion Minoru Fujita defeated Terry Funk and
Toru Yano tonight. Yano and Funk just couldn't get along as a team. The final straw
came when Funk tried to take Yano's alcohol from him. Yano became very angry and Funk
and threw salt into his eyes. Funk wasn't able to recover fully and Yano was forced
to go 2 on 1. The numbers got the better of Toru, and Dragon Kid put him away with a
Dragonrana.

Kuroda has been on a winning streak of late, putting away Gannosuke tonight. Kuroda
said that he has been training with Inoki, and that has given him the edge that he
needs to get wins and great matches instead of just great matches.

Chono suprised no one when he pinned Christopher Daniels. Daniels said he felt good
about the match, but was just out wrestled. He said that he's going to practice harder
and then he wants a rematch with Chono.

In our semi-main event, Lyger and Tiger Mask faced Team EGO, in what would be the
final Thundercats match in the NWJ. Lyger and Tiger Mask worked very well as a team
and they showed no signs of hostility towards one another. Team EGO graciously
accepted the loss which suprised a lot of fans. Tiger Mask and Lyger made speeches
after the match thanking the fans for their support and asking that they support
them as singles wrestlers from this point forward. Tiger Mask at the end of his speech
then challenged Lyger at an upcoming card. Lyger accepted the challenge.

Nakanishi and Tenryu battled next. This was a classic match of the big men. With all
the brawling you would expect from such a confrontation. What suprised eveyrone though
was the outcome. With Nakanishi putting away the legend with a big flying bulldog.
Nakanishi helped Tenryu up after the match only to ask him to retire.

In our big main event, Yuji Nagata was able to dethrone Kenta Kobashi in a match that
went for over 25 min. Kobashi was undoubtably caught off gaurd as Nagata was much more
of a challenger than Kobashi was expecting. Kobashi then stepped up his game, but was
met by a more determined Nagata. Nagata celebrated with the title after the match, and
Kobashi congradulated the new champion. Nagata is expected to defend his title at some
point during this tour, but with the next 4 cards already solidified, it will not be
until after the 5th show at least.

Well that's all for us, we hope to see you at our next show!
VertigoPosted on 03/11/05 at 14:32:11

I already want a Thundercats reunion... but I know they'll tear the place down when they get the opportunity to go one-on-one.

I was going to say that I thought Mr. Pogo looked awkward in NWJ, but he could fit in well with the likes of Gannosuke and maybe even Kuroda from their past with FMW.

Congrats to Nagata for not only winning the title, but for making Kobashi tap out! That's no easy task! If I was Kobashi, I would have shook Nagata's hand afterwards too.

Did Tenryu agree to retire? I kinda hope not. Not like that at least. I would like to see a big spectacle made out of his retirement - a HUGE retirement show! Bring in some legends for it, too! Unless you already had something planned... haha...
CarlzillaPosted on 03/11/05 at 23:44:41

Thundercats had their run, and they held the GWA Tag Team Titles. But then they kinda fell into big name jobberdom status at NWJ. I think this will breathe new life into them, with both of them working for the Jr. Heavyweight Title, good things can only be so far away.

Pogo was actually used as a 'Fake Great Nita' and interfered during some of Onita's matches during the 'Fake Hayabusa' story. Fake Hayabusa turned out to be Shoichi Funaki, and Fake Nita turned out to be Mr. Pogo. I originally planned to send him packing after the story was up, but he's only on the roster in a pay per apperance deal anyway, so it's not like he's cluttering it up.

I was super suprised by this. Nagata was a human tank in this match, he wouldn't stay down for anything. Kobashi was definatly beaten by a better man, even if he was only better for this one match. We'll see how long Nagata can hold the belt...the announcement of his first challenger will be up shortly (probably within the week).

Tenryu was angry at the comment and found it disrespectful. I doubt he's going to retire. I'm sure Ezaki would send Tenryu out in the blaze of glory he deserves.