Ryan's Dive into '95 - Part 49 (12/3 - 12/9)
“We don’t need more hitmen in our society”
If you haven’t read it already, please check out my introductory article that explains what this series is all about. As a reminder, footage is sourced from the Goodhelmet 1995 Yearbook unless otherwise stated.
How ya now?
We have a couple of big matches from Japan this week. We kick things off with Manami Toyota’s quest to regain her WWWA Championship, then we have another round robin tournament final that turns out to be the last chapter in a feud that gave us some of the finest tag matches in history.
However, I know that you’re all totally waiting with baited breath for an update on the condition of Shawn Michaels. Well, fear not, loyal Divers, because we’ll have that for you.
Well…
DECEMBER 4th
AJW Monday Night Sensation
WWWA World Championship: Dynamite Kansai (c) vs. Manami Toyota - Kansai had won the 3WA title from Aja Kong back on August 30th, and this is her second defense.
Toyota is rocking a KILLER pink entrance robe. The kind of stuff that would make a 1995 Gear of the Year list.
Code of Honor is upheld, and Toyota starts off very aggressively with some dropkicks, but Kansai counters a springboard dive with a kick to the guts. Toyota escapes Splash Mountain, but doesn't escape a massive backdrop driver for two. A Kansai piledriver gets two, then she soon lights up the exposed midsection with brutal kicks.
After a brief half-crab/Boston crab, Toyota ducks a clothesline and gets the rolling cradle for two! Toyota then traps Kansai in the ropes and slaps and kicks her for some payback. Toyota hits a couple of dropkicks to the exposed back, but Kansai catches a charge with a high kick. Now it's time for more nasty kicks from Kansai! She locks in a Sharpshooter, and Toyota is in AGONY.
Toyota makes the ropes, so Kansai reapplies the hold, but STEPS ON TOYOTA’S FACE in the process. Rude! Toyota again breaks, so Kansai snatches her in an STF. Kansai releases and unloads with some hard kicks, including some to the head and face. Kansai sinks in a rear choke, but Toyota barely gets to the ropes. Kansai blasts Toyota with a short clothesline, but Toyota ducks a lariat and lands a beauty of a German suplex for a near-fall.
Toyota hits a couple of dropkicks, but Kansai rips her head off with a lariat for two. Manami Roll is caught with a NASTY powerbomb for two, then Toyota hits a SLICK rebound sunset flip for a close near-fall! That is INSANE body agency.
Toyota boots Kansai off the ropes, then follows with a customary missile dropkick to the floor! Back in, Toyota hits a pair of moonsaults for two, but Kansai thwarts a Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex by doing what she does best: kicking her opponent in the face and head until she is no longer able to do basic math. Toyota dodges another kick, but can’t dodge a backdrop driver, which gets two. Kansai gets Splash Mountain, but Toyota was kicking at the ropes to temper the impact somewhat.
Another huge backdrop driver nets another near-fall for Kansai, but Toyota blocks an attempted avalanche Splash Mountain and missile dropkicks the back of her head!
Kansai escapes a Japanese Ocean Suplex and kicks Toyota in the head. Toyota hits the JOS successfully in her second attempt for two, then hits a Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex…but Kansai kicks out! Kansai escapes a second one and SWEEPS THE LEG, JOHNNY. More kicks to the face follow, as does a Splash Mountain…for two!
Kansai kicks away, but Toyota counters another Splash Mountain with a roll-up for a close two! Kansai continues with the kickings and tries another second-rope Splash Mountain, but Toyota counters with a Frankensteiner! Toyota covers and gets the three to regain the WWWA Championship!
****1/2 - There’s been some really odd booking with that title this year, but the match quality is at least stellar, and this was no exception. Another splendid underdog performance from Toyota here, doing an incredible job of fighting from underneath against a larger, more vicious opponent, and Kansai gave her a hell of a beating to withstand. Another brilliant blend of story and MOVEZ.
WWF Monday Night RAW
Jerry “The King” Lawler interrupts Mr. Bob Backlund’s campaigning to have a ringside chat. Lawler brings up next week’s match on RAW against WWF Champion Bret “Hitman” Hart.
Backlund absolutely blows a gasket when Lawler informs him that it’s a non-title match. Backlund had dreams of “BEING GOD AGAIN” and ruling supreme over the plebeians!
“We don’t need more hitmen in our society”
Backlund goes further apeshit when he’s being told to cut it short, as they need to go to commercial. Not sure about the long-term prospects of a Backlund main-event run, but killing time before the Bulldog match isn’t the worst use of him. Plus, unhinged Bob Backlund can be really funny.
We now take you to Chino Valley Medical Center for an update on Shawn Michaels after his in-ring collapse a couple of weeks ago, an event referred to by narrator Todd Pettengill as “the longest five seconds in World Wrestling Federation history”. Dr. Jeffrey Unger, Shawn’s physician, discusses post-concussion syndrome, including the various symptoms and the wildly varying recovery times.
Unger says that Shawn is not progressing well and could be out of WWF action for a long time. Maybe…FOREVER. Pettingill recaps Shawn’s year to put over his resiliency, but Dr. Unger says that the brain is NOT resilient and any additional blows to the head could be life-threatening. Jesus, that’s grim, but it was effective in selling the story. If only the industry actually listened to the stuff they had Dr. Unger say. Some people may be still be alive.
We then cut to a video of various WWF Superstars as Vince McMahon talks over sad, tinkly piano music. The FACADE OF SUPERSTARDOM was shattered when Shawn collapsed on that fateful Monday night. Wrestlers really are just human beings! To REALLY put this over the top, Vince says that they hope Michaels will ‘just be alright’ as clips of Shawn’s various stunts over the years play. Schmaltzy as all get-out, but again, they’re really going IN on this Shawn comeback story.
WCW Monday Nitro
“Mean” Gene Okerlund brings Ric Flair to the ring for an interview. Charles Barkley, best known as the star of the hit video game, “Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden”, and some basketball stuff, accompanies him to the ring.
Sir Charles denies being Flair’s tag partner, but Flair is HIS MAN. Flair says him and Charles will tear Phoenix up, then Charles tells the fans to put some respect on the Nature Boy. Flair warns the WCW main eventers not to jump on him anymore, or Barkley may retire from the NBA and become a full-time Horseman! Well, the Horsemen did eventually get a legit sportsball legend in their ranks in 1996.
We cut to the finish of “Macho Man” Randy Savage (c) vs. Lex Luger for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Luger drops elbows repeatedly on Savage, who had been working on Luger’s arm during the match. Eric Bischoff talks about the “other show” having talk and gaga, even though I literally just a watched a segment with Charles Barkley that didn’t lead to anything. Not that I mind gaga and talk within reason, but a little honesty, please.
After some ringside brawling, they mess up a turnbuckle sequence, but Savage clotheslines The Package down for two. Macho Man rams Luger head-first into an exposed turnbuckle, but Luger bumps the ref down with him. Savage drops the big elbow, but there’s no ref! Savage goes after Jimmy Hart, but Ric Flair runs down and hits Macho with some knux. Flair struts backwards down the aisle, but here’s Hulk Hogan!
Hulk chases Flair into the ring, then stops the referee’s count on Savage! The referee throws the match out because of all the fuckery as Hogan goes after Luger. Hogan preps Luger for a punch, but Sting pulls Luger away and Hogan decks Stinger instead! Hogan and Sting almost come to blows, but Savage breaks up the chaos as NITRO ROLLS ON…
…and we’re back with Mean Gene in the ring with the battling babyfaces. Okerlund brings up Hogan being on probation for assaulting a referee last week. Hogan’s not worried about no STINKIN’ probation, DUDEJACKBROTHERMAN, but he’s worried about Sting’s allegiances as they’re set to team up against Flair and Arn Anderson next week.
Sting assures Hogan that he’s on his side, but Luger is his best friend. Sting wants to straighten a mixed-up Luger out and asks the others not to doubt the Total Package. Hogan and Savage are not about to trust Luger, BROTHER. Sting says that they need to get their shit together in order to take out the Horsemen next week. Hogan agrees, but tells Sting to keep Luger out of his face.
Man, for a promotion that allegedly doesn’t dabble in gaga, there was an awful lot of it at the end of that match. The bout itself seemed pretty lousy from what was shown. The storyline, though, does carry some intrigue as WCW is also experimenting in “shades of gray” with Sting’s loyalty and Luger’s motives.
I’ve been kind of neglecting this lately, but for this week on the Monday Night Wars scoreboard, RAW edged out Nitro with a 2.6 rating against WCW’s 2.4. WCW had won the prior two weeks with the same 2.5-2.3 score. As things stand, The Fed leads the battle 6-5-2.
DECEMBER 5th
ECW Hardcore TV
ECW this week gives us a promo with Terry Funk and Tommy Dreamer. Terry says that his career is totally and legitimately winding down, for reals this time, and he wants Tommy to take over his spot as a hardcore wrestler. Dreamer, as will become custom, blubbers like a bloody, hairnet-wearing baby. He is grateful to Funk for what he means to him.
We then get a video retrospective of Funk’s ECW career set to “Desperado” by The Eagles. This was really well-done, even if this is one of many retirements for Funk that didn’t take. I’ll take digs at his many failed retirement attempts, but I truly love that crazy bastard.
DECEMBER 9th
AJPW Real World Tag League 1995, Night 16
Hey, it’s another round robin tournament from Japan! This time, it’s the annual tag team tournament for All-Japan. Ten teams fought it out in a single block, and here are the final standings:
Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue) - 16
Super Generation Army (Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa) - 16
Team Arby's (Gary Albright & Stan Hansen) - 15
‘Murica (Johnny Ace & The Patriot) - 13
Giant Baba & Tamon Honda - 10
The Can-Am Connection (Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat) - 6
Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori - 4
Masanobu Fuchi & Dory Funk, Jr. - 4
Team Chonk (Abdullah the Butcher & Giant Kimala) - 4
Johnny Smith & Rob Van Dam - 2
I may have made a few of those team names up.
Since 1988, the World Tag Team Championship had been vacated before the tournament began so that the winning team would end up as the titleholders. However, that tradition was dropped this year, so the Holy Demon Army were still the champs heading into this one and won’t lose their belts if they don’t win the tournament.
Real World Tag League Finals: Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi [16] vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue [16] - Misawa and Kobashi are looking for their third consecutive RWTL trophy. I’m always seated for these Pillars matches. However, the houses were actually down for this tour, possibly due to fans feeling some fatigue with the sameness of the lineups. These jackets are STELLAR, though.
We start tentatively with Kobashi and Kawada until the latter hits a backdrop driver and boots Misawa! Enzuigiri to Kobashi! Double-team Nodowa is thwarted by Misawa, who goes wild with elbows to both guys. Kobashi assumes control and hits a German suplex for two, then a HUGE powerbomb that knocks Kawada loopy. Taue cuts off a sleeperhold and hits a Nodowa Otoshi on Kawada! Kawada applies a jujigatame as Taue and Misawa have a go.
Kawada hits an gamengiri on Misawa, reaggravating the orbital bone injury. The HDA hit a Doomsday Nodowa on Misawa ONTO THE FLOOR! Holy cow. Taue and Kawada now have a 2-on-1 advantage and beat the tar out of Kobashi, focusing mainly on the arm in sadistically surgical fashion.
Kobashi powerbombs Kawada out of a triangle choke, but the Holy Demons maintain the upper hand, punishing Kobashi's arm and keeping Misawa off the apron. Kawada and Taue do a double-jujigatame, but Misawa finally is able to come in and break that up. Elbows and suplexes for both guys! Misawa officially tags in and Tiger Drivers Kawada for two, then hits a frog splash for another near-fall. Misawa applies a crossface on Kawada as Kobashi keeps Taue at bay!
Taue shakes Kobashi off and rips Misawa away from his partner. Taue checks in and boots Misawa into oblivion. Misawa channels his inner Manami Toyota and hits some missile dropkicks, but eats a Nodowa after a mighty struggle. Kawada comes in and we get a back suplex/Nodowa combo for two. Misawa ‘ranas out of a powerbomb, but Kawada comes back with a stern boot. Folding powerbomb gets two for Dangerous K.
The Super Generation Army fights off a Doomsday Nodowa, and Misawa gets a VERY close two from a victory roll. Taue hits another Nodowa, and it's Stretch Plum time! Kobashi breaks it up and tags back in, only to run into a jujigatame from Kawada! Kobashi breaks via the ropes, but Kawada soon blasts him with a gamengiri.
Taue tags in and lands the Dynamic Bomb…but Misawa breaks up the pin! Misawa elbows both guys and hits Taue with an elbow suicida! Kobashi hits a jackknife roll-up powerbomb for two, then a moonsault for another super-close near-fall! Kawada cuts off another moonsault and kicks Misawa in the eyeball!
Kawada hits a powerbomb on Kobashi for another close call, but Misawa hits him with a Tiger Driver on the floor!
Taue hits Nodowas on both opponents, but Kobashi lands a release German suplex for a near-fall. Misawa hits a Tiger Suplex for another extremely close count, then Kobashi lands another moonsault for the three! Misawa and Kobashi three-peat as Real World Tag League champions!
****1/2 - Oh look, it’s another incredible Pillars match, though it doesn't quite reach the lofty heights of other efforts. Again, these guys know how to sell the story and keep the viewer guessing how it'll end. Kobashi selling the arm and the eye still bothering Misawa were great story beats, as was the Holy Demon Army’s aggression. Plus, the hard hits and exciting near-falls really help things along.
If I recall, this is actually the final match of this particular configuration as Misawa would primarily team with Jun Akiyama soon after this. Given that, I'm not sure why Misawa and Kobashi needed the win here, but it’s a great match to cap off one HELL of a rivalry.
USWA Championship Wrestling
We're walkin’ in Memphis this week with PG-13 and Dave Brown.
JC Ice says that they're coming for their USWA Tag Team Championship and promises to GET LOCO on Jesse James Armstrong and Tracy Smothers before leaving.
Bob Armstrong comes out and admonishes them for their attack on Downtown Bruno (really, they should have beat him up worse) and fires them!
Randy Hales, still with 50% of the voting power in the USWA to contrast with Bob’s 50% ownership, comes out and un-fires them. Hales and Bullet Bob argue as we go to commercial. Dave assures us that PG-13 are NOT fired. Good to know.
WCW Saturday Night
On the Mothership this week, we have Ric Flair with Mean Gene.
We get a vintage-style Flair promo about the upcoming Triangle match with Sting and Lex Luger at Starrcade. He promises to be a 12-time champion and proclaims himself to be the SIXTY MINUTE MAN, then ends with a WOO! Say what you want to about Flair, but this was a fun, energetic little promo to sell the Starrcade match.
To close off the week, we have Sonny Onoo rallying the troops. The troops being the stars of NJPW, who are set to face off against WCW wrestlers at Starrcade in a Best of Seven series for the WORLD CUP OF WRESTLING.
We have Masahiro Chono (looking absolutely badass as he often does), Masa Saito, Shinjiro Otani, Koji Kanemoto, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Kensuke Sasaki, and Jushin Liger. Everyone is dressed up except for Liger, who is rocking a super-spiffy NJPW tracksuit.
Sonny Onoo continues playing a dated stereotype here, but Liger chewing the scenery is hilarious.
NEXT TIME: There is a LOT going on next week, including a couple of New Japan bouts, a pair of matches from the Monday Night Wars, a contest from Germany, and a Stu Hart tribute show. Plus, a little something known as the 1995 Super J-Cup.
Since it's going to be an insane week, I'm going to do things a bit differently. The next article will cover everything from December 10th until December 12th. After that, I’m going on a detour and will review the entire Super J-Cup show as a special article, then cover everything from December 13th-16th in the article after. December is full of crazy shit, I tell you.
Smell ya later!