Willsky

SHIFTING The transition to the new era of PGHW couldn’t have gone much better. I was delighted with how Tatsuko was able to lead the charge as champion without any step down in quality or intensity from his more experienced predecessors. The other top youngsters were shining and it was perfectly reasonable for six men under the age of thirty to be considered the best in the company. But part of that was due to a decline in the old guard. Yodo Nakane, Danger Kumasaka, Koryusai Kitoaji, Hayate Hasegawa were the main four who had seen a serious drop off. That was to be expected. Age catches up with everyone. But while they transitioned away from full-time action and the young midcard rose to main event status, that meant several positions opened up for other to impress. Those wrestlers who had performed admirably for years but never really shone enough to get a big break. I needed them to become the mortar to keep the old foundation and the new pillars standing. The first candidates were well known to PGHW fans. Fukusaburu Inao and Takeshi Umehara in Team MILLENIUM had picked up their game significantly in the last six months. They were a strong tag outfit and potential contenders for the Historical Japan title. Mamoru Nagahama was steadily improving, although not as fast as I’d hoped, while Rebel Cell were finally showing some signs of progress. Behind them, though, was where excitement began to build. Noriyori Sanda had already shown he was a great talent, while dojo graduates Yasunobu Koiso and Akinori Kwakami were stars ready to be formed. It wouldn’t be long before the three of them would be a regular part of the shows. Yet still there was more shifting. Go Matsunaga and Kazuo Mitsushi were out of the picture now, going to help with training in SAISHO, and Luis Figo Manico’s retirement left another big spot unfilled. So there was definitely room for another signing or two. There were options everywhere. But my attention was firmly fixed on Canada. A young lad there looking to break out of the confines of his family’s company. I thought PGHW might be just the right place for him.

Night of GLORY 2000 Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Mamoru Nagahama Chuicha Sanda & Noriyori Sanda vs. Kumasaka-buntai (Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan) Mito Miwa vs. Roka Furuhata Dino Maldini vs. Pistol Pete Hall Rebel Cell vs. Team STRENGTH RUSH Dread vs. Hito Ichihara Sean McFly vs. Shuji Inukai © for the Historical Japan title Team EXPLOSION © vs. Team MILLENIUM for the Glory Tag Crown titles Nobuatsu Tatsuko © vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo for the Glory Crown title MATCH 1: Koryusai Kitoaji & Mamoru Nagahama Despite Koryusai Kitoaji defeated Mamoru Nagahama at Night of WRESTLING six months before, Nagahama’s disrespect had not waned and he still desired to prove himself against the icon. It all began when Hito Ichihara replaced Nagahama with Kitoaji as his tag partner, an act that sent the previously calm and humble Nagahama into a spite-fuelled rage which continued to this point. This match saw the culmination of that bitterness as Nagahama was relentless against Kitoaji. There was no doubt that Kitoaji had declined over the last year or so, but even so, Nagahama took up his game here. After fifteen minutes, Kitoaji was struggling with energy and conditioning. Nagahama battered him for the next five minutes and finally applied the Guillotine Choke. Kitoaji struggled… and faded, ultimately tapping out. It was a colossal victory for Nagahama, by far the biggest in his career so far! MATCH 2: Chuicha Sanda & Noriyori Sanda vs. Kumasaka-buntai (Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan) The two men called Sanda tagged for the first time together, although after this performance it appeared their name wouldn’t be strong enough to overcome their difficulties in this match as they fell to a comprehensive defeat against the much more established partnership of Cornell and Morgan. MATCH 3: Mito Miwa vs. Roka Furuhata Roka Furuhata was making his name as a legendary freelancer across the world and he returned to face Mito Miwa, having advised Miwa he would answer his open challenge. Miwa relished the prospect of knocking off the big name and, while Furuhata brought his energetic style, The Pride Warrior came out on top with another big Pride Bomber. Miwa’s Elite Series disappointment seemed to be a thing of the past as five straight victories put him back on the path towards singles success. Many fans thought he was due a Glory Crown opportunity at some point soon. MATCH 4: Dino Maldini vs. Pistol Pete Hall Dino Maldini faced his former Strike Force partner in singles competition for the first time since their acrimonious and violent split. Maldini came to the ring with the entirety of DREAD Army in his corner: Dread, Lee Wright and Raymond Diaz. It was the first of a string of three matches for the dominant faction, and many predicted they might win all of them. Hall had always been the senior partner in Strike Force, but Maldini had been slowly progressing. With Dread helping him gain his first pinfall victories in a long time over the previous few months, he held his head high and showed no fear in the face of Hall, who outweighed him significantly. It wasn’t long before Hall was punishing him for his errors, though. Hall had not taken kindly to DREAD Army’s constant beatdown of him over the spring and he was out for revenge. His body was strapped and bandaged in several places, but in the early stages of the match, that didn’t seem to worry him. However, the physicality of the match took its toll. And psychologically Hall was facing an uphill battle, too. Team STRENGTH RUSH had shown in the past they weren’t above bending the strict PGHW rules, and they tested the limits again here, repeatedly calling out abuse to Hall and occasionally even climbing up on the ring apron. The crowd were furious at this. It may have been acceptable elsewhere, but not in PGHW. Jimbo’s “Do the right thing” mantra was not to be dismissed. But once again DREAD Army escaped the consequences and Dino Maldini used the physical and mental advantages to his benefit. He finally managed to trap Hall in the Triangle Choke and, while Hall refused to tap, he couldn’t stay conscious and the referee called an end to the match. Dino Maldini got his first major win in PGHW! MATCH 5: Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) Rebel Cell were part of the group that came to the aid of Pistol Pete Hall at the end of Night of SUCCESS two weeks prior, and now they faced off against the inaugural Glory Tag Crown champions, the infamous Team STRENGTH RUSH. It seemed like the most straightforward of DREAD Army’s three matches at Night of GLORY, with Rebel Cell, while improved, yet to reach the level of Wright and Diaz’s partnership. Perhaps Team STRENGTH RUSH were overconfident. Perhaps Wright’s declining condition played a big part. Maybe they all had their minds on other battles. Whatever it was, it led to one of the most stunning victories in the tag division, with Rebel Cell putting in a heroic shift. Okazawaya was once again impressive, battling from under Raymond Diaz’s mighty power and hitting back with ferocity. It all led to Lee Wright isolated in the middle of the ring, set up perfectly for the Insurrection, which Rebel Cell hit with aplomb, and Okazawaya got the pinfall victory and the biggest result in the tag team’s history. MATCH 6: Dread vs. Hito Ichihara Having just watched his team mates suffer a stunning loss, Dread had to turn his attention to an old foe in Hito Ichihara. When Ichihara was Glory Crown champion back in 1997, he had the better of Dread. But the big American changed his fortunes over the coming year and a half, culminating in his incredible run of beating everyone in the company that finished with Hito Ichihara at Night of WRESTLING 1998. Since then, their only singles encounters had come in the Elite Series block stage, with Dread winning in both 1999 and 2000. Ichihara wasn’t the wrestler he used to be, but he was far from a spent force. And he showed he could still hold his own against the man voted “Best Brawler in the World”. It was a violent and brutal match with both men giving as good as they got. But Dread was the younger man and he had to maintain his group’s position of dominance. Those two factors provided the edge and he hit the Dreadsault followed by a Dread Bomb to win the match. MATCH 7: Sean McFly vs. Shuji Inukai © for the Historical Japan title Shuji Inukai set himself the task of becoming longest reigning Historical Japan champion. That was a huge endeavour that few expected him to achieve. Just six months into his reign, he had another fourteen to go. And if he faced opponents like Sean McFly, he’d be in real trouble. McFly’s run as one half of the longest-reigning Glory Tag Crown champions had elevated his stock enormously, but he was yet to prove himself as a top singles competitor. This was his opportunity. And he went for it. He caught Inukai by surprise early on, busting out some of his more acrobatic manoeuvres that weren’t often seen in PGHW. Inukai was on the back foot. He had to work hard to get back into contention, which is exactly what he did. Several times McFly had him set up for the Delorean Driver, but Inukai managed to escape on all occasions, and on the last, he countered with the Untouchable Lariat. That was game over because nobody ever kicked out of the Untouchable Lariat. MATCH 8: Team EXPLOSION © (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu) vs. Team MILLENIUM (Fukusaburu Inao & Takeshi Umehara) for the Glory Tag Crown titles Hoshino and Kunomasu defended the Glory Tag Crown titles for the first time since February, something Team MILLENIUM were keen to point out leading up to the show. The champions had seen mixed success in their singles endeavours, with Kunomasu winning the Elite Series, but both men failing to beat Tatsuko to win the Glory Crown. Inao and Umehara hoped to capitalise on those distractions and continue their impressive run of victories with another that would gain them gold. But despite their newfound connection and power, Team MILLENIUM were reminded why Team EXPLOSION were champions. They were simply the best tag team in PGHW. Kunomasu’s precise striking and Hoshino’s ragged intensity were too much to handle for any pairing. The Eisaku Explosion got the job done. Still, Team MILLENIUM were able to hold their heads high in defeat as they’d shown they could at least compete at the top – something neither man had been able to do until now. And with some more time together, who knows what they could achieve? MATCH 9: Nobuatsu Tatsuko © vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo for the Glory Crown title If one had the inclination to rank the potential and talent of the new wave of wrestlers in PGHW, it would be hard to argue that Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Yoshimi Mushashibo wouldn’t occupy first and second places. Mushashibo was one of the most technically accomplished wrestlers in the world, second only to perhaps Jeremy Stone, who was ten years his senior. He was also one of the most enjoyable to watch and certain for a career rich with gold. Meanwhile, Nobuatsu Tatsuko was the man with the gold. For a full calendar year, he had reigned with the Glory Crown, defeating the likes of Dread, Kunomasu and Ichihara. He had all the tools to dominate the next decade or more of Japanese wrestling. That’s why seeing them compete against each other in singles competition was special. Their most recent encounter was a time-limit draw in the Elite Series block stage, with neither man able to assert their superiority. They had sixty minutes on this occasion, virtually guaranteeing a victor would be decided. The standout fact about this matchup is that Mushashibo had never defeated Tatsuko in singles competition. Not the most embarrassing, because very few people could claim to have defeated Tatsuko. Nonetheless, it only gave Mushashibo more drive to win. The match began slow. This was Mushashibo’s aim as he reacted to Tatsuko’s aggressive start and quickly shut him down, taking things to the mat where he could methodically, gracefully begin a masterpiece. Nearly ten minutes passed with Tatsuko writhing under the oppressive grappling from the challenger. But the champion wasn’t interested in Mushashibo’s artwork and as soon as he freed himself, started hitting back with ugly, industrial strikes and slams. The following ten minutes proceeded in that way with Tatsuko delivering his own brand of intensity upon Mushashibo. Yet the challenger was not defeated so easily. Eventually, the match broke down into trading strikes and heavy-hitting offence. In theory this benefitted Tatsuko, but Mushashibo held his own. The artist had grit. And he reverted to his strengths again, smoothly taking Tatsuko down and applying the Yoshimi Lock. He had it dug in tight, pulling Tatsuko’s head nearly off his shoulders with the torque. But Tatsuko fought out. His surge of energy came seemingly from nowhere, but those long hours working out to get into “Ironman” condition paid off. As soon as he was free, though, Mushashibo had him back down on the mat with the Yoshimi Lock in tight. Tatsuko once again battled. The referee paid careful attention to him, checking he would stay conscious… he did. He heaved Mushashibo off his back and went for the Tatsuko Driller… Mushashibo escaped and got the Yoshimi Lock on again! This time Tatsuko was in real trouble. His limitless energy was running dry… surely he couldn’t get himself free again? The answer was no. But he didn’t need to. Instead, he showed that he had some technical nous and shifted his body upwards and backwards, rolling over on top of Mushashibo whose shoulders were flat on the mat. The referee spotted it and counted. One… Two… Three!! That was it! Tatsuko retained the Glory Crown by the skin of his teeth. It was a shocking moment for the crowd who had begun to believe that Tatsuko’s reign was over, but the Ironman found a way to get the victory. Conclusion Night of GLORY 2000 wouldn’t go down as one of the all time great PGHW shows, but it was solid and enjoyable. There were no particular standout matches with the main event title match the best of the night and even that was a step below a lot of the recent performances. The ending was a little disappointing for some fans and the match went on a little too long. Still, it set up plenty of interest for the future. The show saw some surprising results – Nagahama beating Kitoaji and Rebel Cell besting Team STRENGTH RUSH. Now attention would swing towards the summer season and the leadup to the Elite Tag Series and which teams would take part. After the show, a few wrestlers spoke in the press conference. Mito Miwa: I would like to announce this as early as possible in order to avoid any later confusion or disappointment. I will not be competing in this year’s Elite Tag Series. While I very much enjoy tagging with Sean, I must focus on my singles career. I am 90% of the way to where I want to be. The tag tournament would be a distraction. I want the Glory Crown and I will not allow anything to take my attention away. Mamoru Nagahama: I think you’d all better start taking me seriously now. I don’t care about your ideals of respect and honour towards elders. They’re the past. I’m the present. Yodo Nakane is washed up. Danger Kumasaka is done. Kitoaji is done, I just put him out to pasture. And there’s one man who keeps hanging on to his youth, but soon enough I’ll put him down like a sick old dog, too. Hito Ichihara, I’m coming for you. You betrayed me and wrecked my life. So I’m not going to stop going after you until the day you retire. And I’m going to make sure that day is soon. Yoshimi Mushashibo: I lost. You can debate the manner of the loss, and I’m sure you will. But the fact is, my shoulders were pinned to the mat for three seconds. That’s all. I’d love to tell you how that flash, reactive pinfall doesn’t align with the beauty of wrestling. But I can’t. Because it was decisive. Nobuatsu Tatsuko taught me something tonight. Wrestling can be art. It can be graceful and full of joy. But the most beautiful form of wrestling is winning. Victory triumphs over everything else. I will not complain or criticise Tatsuko tonight. He deserved to win. I have to think very carefully about that.

Night of Glory 2000 Card Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Mamoru Nagahama Chuicha Sanda & Noriyori Sanda vs. Kumasaka-buntai (Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan) Mito Miwa vs. Roka Furuhata Dino Maldini vs. Pistol Pete Hall Rebel Cell vs. Team STRENGTH RUSH Dread vs. Hito Ichihara Sean McFly vs. Shuji Inukai © for the Historical Japan title Team EXPLOSION © vs. Team MILLENIUM for the Glory Tag Crown titles Nobuatsu Tatsuko © vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo for the Glory Crown title

PROGRESS AT LAST For the entirety of PGHW’s existence starting in 1996, Fukusaburu Inao was Mr. Rock Solid. Solid and unspectacular. Unfortunate, maybe. Unsuccessful for sure. Despite his evident potential, the youngster struggled to get any sort of traction. His tag team with Hayate Hasegawa evolved from Inao being the understudy to their split at the tail end of 1999 when Inao indicated the veteran was holding him back. Three and a half years and he felt he hadn’t achieved anything. Meanwhile, Takeshi Umehara was going through something very similar. His tag team with Go Matsunaga, known as Boundary 97, was a mainstay in the division, but were far from ever winning gold. Umehara also ditched his tag partner and shortly after joined with Fukusaburu Inao to form Team MILLENIUM, named because it was the end of 1999 that they came together. In the early months of the new millenium, they didn’t do much better than before in terms of results. But fans could see the improvement. The pair together looked far better than either had alongside their previous partners. Could this partnership be the catalyst to success? Night of FORTITUDE, April 2000 Team MILLENIUM (Fukusaburu Inao & Takeshi Umehara) took on the pairing of Chuichi Sanda and Yodo Nakane. Yodo Nakane was at the tail end of a great career and unable to keep up with most of the roster, while Chuichi Sanda was still far from achieving what his potential promised. As a result, Team MILLENIUM were expected to get the victory, and so they did. It was a pretty dominant performance, with the new partnership showing they had been practicing together and developing their communication. They hit the Y2K and Inao pinned Sanda to win. Night of POWER, April 2000 At Night of POWER, Team MILLENIUM took on the established young tag team of Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara). Like Inao and Umehara’s previous tag pairings, Rebel Cell had yet to make any waves in the division. This was a tough match for Team MILLENIUM, though, as they struggled to overcome the chemistry between the two men who had been teaming for nearly four years. But Inao was once again in fine form, getting the pinfall over Sarumara after the Y2K. Night of EXCELLENCE, May 2000 After two wins on the bounce, Team MILLENIUM were looking for more. They took on Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan, representing Kumasaka-buntai. The young brits were a real test for Inao and Umehara, who again had to dig deep. Their continued training paid off, though, as their ability to communicate and be in the right place at the right time saved Inao when he was trapped in Morgan’s Wigan Wrench. Umehara was there to save his partner, then get the pinfall victory after they hit the Y2K. After the show, Inao spoke out against the Glory Tag Crown champions. Inao: It’s been two months since Team EXPLOSION defended their titles. And when they did, it was against Cornell and Morgan. We just beat them, making it three wins in a row. When are we going to get our shot? If they cared about the tag division, maybe they’d be less focused on becoming singles stars. Or perhaps they can let a real tag team take the reins. Night of SUCCESS, May 2000 Team MILLENIUM were in six-man action at Night of SUCCESS, getting the honour of teaming with Koryusai Kitoaji. They took on Danger Kumasaka, Mamoru Nagahama and one half of the Glory Tag Crown champions, Eisaku Hoshino. It was a fierce, back and forth match. But Team MILLENIUM were determined to prove a point to Hoshino and fought like tigers. And Hoshino was never one to back down from a fight. In the end, it was Kitoaji who got the pin for his team after hitting the Kitoaji Braindrop on Danger Kumasaka. And while Kitoaji and Nagahama squared off, Team MILLENIUM made their challenge directly to Hoshino. Hoshino was fired up and accepted the title challenge, setting it for Night of GLORY. After the show, Inao was outspoken again. Inao: This is our time. We have finally made some progress. Takeshi is a great partner for me, and I know he feels the same way. We’re finally ready for success. For gold. For glory. And at Night of GLORY, Team EXPLOSION will regret not paying attention to the tag division because they’ll no longer be the ones at the top!

SERIOUS COMPETITION The New Wave of talent in PGHW had washed over the original landscape and now the foundational veterans like Danger Kumasaka, Koryusai Kitoaji and Hito Ichihara had given way to the pillars of what was fast becoming a powerhouse in Japanese wrestling. Nobuatsu Tatsuko stood front and centre of that movement, but as he was finding out during his reign as Glory Crown champion, there were plenty of major threats breathing down his neck. The potential of 1996 was manifesting itself in 2000 in the form of serious competition for the Glory Crown. The Elite Series 2000 was a prime example. All four of the semi-finalists (Tatsuko, Miwa, Kunomasu and Mushashibo) were under the age of 30 and the likes of Inukai and Hoshino narrowly missed out. Tatsuko had fended off some dangerous threats so far in his title run, but things were stepping up. As he neared one year holding the belt, his defeat to Eisaku Kunomasu in the Elite Series final meant Kunomasu was closing in on taking the top spot. Night of FORTITUDE, April 2000 Night of FORTITUDE hosted the monumental clash between Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Eisaku Kunomasu whose Elite Series victory earned him a shot at the Glory Crown. It was a rematch of the tournament final two weeks ago and Kunomasu’s second attempt at dethroning Tatsuko. The first was at Night of WARRIORS in 1999 in what was considered by many to be match of the year and inarguably one of PGHW’s greatest ever contests. Kunomasu had recently taken exception with Tatsuko dismissing Kunomasu as one of the top stars of the company, claiming instead the four pillars of PGHW were himself, Inukai, Miwa and Mushashibo. So there was plenty of pride at stake above and beyond the importance of the Glory Crown. Both Tatsuko and Kunomasu were famed for their direct intensity, and once again they clashed in spectacular fashion. Kunomasu looked set to repeat his Elite Series victory when he hit the Launching Knee Strike, but as he went for the pin, the referee noticed Tatsuko’s leg positioned under the bottom rope. This allowed Tatsuko a way back into the match which he took advantage of, battling from underneath to stun Kunomasu with the Tatsuko Driller and retain the Glory Crown! While the match wasn’t nearly as incredible as their previous two encounters, it was another huge victory for Tatsuko. Night of POWER, April 2000 After retaining the Glory Crown, attention turned to who would be the next contender. The main event of Night of POWER gave an answer to that as Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu) and Sean McFly defeated Nobuatsu Tatsuko, Hito Ichihara and Yoshimi Mushashibo in six-man action. In an absolute classic match, Eisaku Hoshino was the star of the show. It seemed he was invincible, withstanding a barrage of offence from his opponents, particularly Tatsuko, but refusing to go down. In fact, he became one of the rare men to kick out of the Tatsuko Driller. This monumental show of spirit led to Hoshino rallying his team to victory when he and Kunomasu hit the Eisaku Explosion on Hito Ichihara to win the match. Tatsuko was angry at the loss, but more impressed at Hoshino. He immediately offered him a shot at the Glory Crown at the next show, Night of EXCELLENCE. Night of EXCELLENCE, May 2000 Surprisingly, Eisaku Hoshino’s challenge for the Glory Crown was only his second in his career. The previous came over two years before against Koryusai Kitoaji. Now he stood as number one contender against Nobuatsu Tatsuko. It was also remarkable that Hoshino and Tatsuko had only ever faced off three times in their history, two times in the Elite Series and once in early 1998. All three times saw Tatsuko come out victorious. Hoshino was determined to change that record and was typically tenacious and relentless. But Tatsuko knew how tough Hoshino could be and planned accordingly. When he managed to hit the Tatsuko Driller, instead of going straight for the pinfall, he picked Hoshino up to hit him with the move a second time. There was no kicking out of that, and Tatsuko got the three count, retaining his title once again. Night of SUCCESS, May 2000 Night of GLORY couldn’t go without a Glory Crown title shot, so Sadaharu Jimbo set up a huge number one contender’s match between Eisaku Kunomasu and Yoshimi Mushashibo. Mushashibo had drawn with Tatsuko at the Elite Series and only fell to Kunomasu in the semi-final stage. This was his opportunity to get that win back and earn his first Glory Crown shot since 1997. He and Kunomasu starkly contrasted each other in the ring. Kunomasu favoured precise strikes and utilitarian functionality. Mushashibo was an artist. He flowed and swayed with fluidity. It was staccato versus legato. And on this occasion, Mushashibo rose to the occasion. He narrowly dodged the Launching Knee Strike that put him away last time and transitioned smoothly into the Yoshimi Lock. Kunomasu was loathe to tap out, but finally he had to submit or risk permanent damage. After the match, Tatsuko, who had won in a ten-man tag earlier in the night, came out to congratulate Mushashibo, but warn him that Night of GLORY was Tatsuko’s night and there would only be one winner. In the post-show press conference, Mushashibo was pensive about his chances. Mushashibo: I have shown many times that I am capable of dealing with Tatsuko. He doesn’t intimidate me. In fact, I consider him an equal both as a wrester and as a man. There’s no denying he is seeing incredible form at the moment. But as I found out last year, reigning as a singles champion for an extended period is a challenge beyond just winning one match. There can be no days off, no mistakes, no possibility of thinking of anything other than victory. So his comment about Night of GLORY belonging to him… I think that tells us something. We know Night of GLORY was when he first lost to Kitoaji. Does that bother him? Still? I think maybe he wants to eliminate that from his memory. If he has that on his mind, there’s a potential weakness. Will I be able to exploit that? We shall see. But do not think that Tatsuko is unbeatable at this time. Someone will defeat him sooner or later, and I hope that I will be that man.

HELL (AND HELP) FOR HALL At Night of PRIDE, Dino Maldini shocked the world by turning on his Strike Force tag partner, Pistol Pete Hall and joining DREAD Army. The pack led by Dread then enacted a brutal beatdown on Hall, who couldn’t stand the four-against-one advantage. Long-time fans of PGHW were stunned by the violence. Physical contact outside of the confines of sanctioned matches was extremely rare and severely frowned upon. While it was commonplace in other promotions, it wasn’t here. Less surprising, though, was Dino Maldini’s reasons for switching sides. He had been under Pistol Pete Hall’s guiding influence for quite some time, but had failed to press on. Strike Force promised a lot, but failed to deliver in the big moments. And Dino Maldini’s year so far had been awful. He suffered loss after loss, most at the hands of DREAD Army. So when Dread gave him the opportunity to join them, it made total sense. That, unfortunately, left Pistol Pete alone and vulnerable against the most dominant faction in PGHW. Night of FORTITUDE, April 2000 DREAD Army’s new addition, Dino Maldini, joined the other three members (Dread, Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) in an eight-man tag match against Mamoru Nagahama, Sean McFly and Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara). The match was brutal. As if energised by battering Hall two weeks ago, DREAD Army took their viciousness to a new level. Also, it didn’t help that Nagahama and McFly couldn’t get on the same page, leaving Rebel Cell to take a lot of punishment. Still, Okazawaya and Sarumara showed courage and heart in defeat, refusing to go down easily. But they never stood a chance. And once Dread had Sarumara down, he tagged in Dino Maldini who finished him off, getting his first victory of the year with a Triangle Choke submission. After the match, Pistol Pete Hall came out. He sported a few bandages around his midsection, but overall looked in decent condition after two weeks of rest. He kept his distance and challenged Dino Maldini to face him like a man. Dread responded saying he wouldn’t get Maldini, but “The Monster” Raymond Diaz at the next show, Night of POWER! Night of POWER, April 2000 DREAD Army continued their dominance as Dread, Dino Maldini & Lee Wright teamed with Mamoru Nagahama to beat Chuichi Sanda, Koryusai Kitoaji, Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan. The story of the match was Nagahama and Kitoaji butting heads again. Nagahama’s aggressive disrespect had riled up Kitoaji at the end of 1999, leading to the veteran defeating Nagahama at Night of WRESTLING. Clearly Nagahama hadn’t forgotten that and made a point of targeting Kitoaji who, in response, told Nagahama to know his place. Once again, Dread set up the finish for Dino Maldini, who applied the Triangle Choke on Walter Morgan. Then there was the match between Pistol Pete Hall and Raymond Diaz. Two massive brawlers. They collided in an enjoyable match that was only marred by the presence of DREAD Army at ringside. Hall managed to keep them out of his mind to get an excellent victory over Diaz. But once the bell had rung, Dino Maldini and Lee Wright surged the ring and began another savage attack on Hall. Officials raced to the ring as Dread called his men off, but damage had been done. This was the second post-match attack, and fans wondered if there would be repercussions. Night of EXCELLENCE, May 2000 Pistol Pete Hall must have called in some serious favours as he tagged with Hito Ichihara and Koryusai Kitoaji to face DREAD Army (Dread, Dino Maldini & Raymond Diaz). For much of the match, Hall and the veterans had DREAD Army on the back foot. A spirited performance led to Ichihara exchanging massive blows with Dread. The big American struck harder, but Ichihara resisted and neither man could find an advantage. Dino Maldini and Raymond Diaz survived for long enough for Dread to recover, then get the job done himself, pinning Kitoaji after a Dread Bomb. Night of SUCCESS, May 2000 In the opening match, Pistol Pete Hall took on Lee Wright with the stipulation that if Hall won, he would get a singles match against Dino Maldini at Night of GLORY. With more and more strapping and bandaging across his body combined with the looming threat of DREAD Army at ringside, Hall had his work cut out. But Lee Wright was no longer at his peak. The veteran ran out of gas, meaning Hall was able to get a relatively comfortable win. What was not comfortable, however, was the third and most brutal beatdown yet as Maldini, Dread and Diaz piled onto Hall after the match. But while it was the most violent, it was shortlived. Hito Ichihara rushed out, followed by Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya and Sotatsu Sarumara) to come to Hall’s aid and DREAD Army retreated. Later in the show, Hito Ichihara and Harumi Okazawaya would be in action again, teaming with Sean McFly, Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan in a losing effort against DREAD Army (Dread, Dino Maldini, Raymond Diaz) with Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Noriyori Sanda. It was a wild, exciting match that ended with Tatsuko pinning Cornell, but after the show, matches were made for Night of GLORY. First, Pistol Pete Hall’s bout with Dino Maldini was confirmed. Second, Rebel Cell (Okazawaya & Sarumara) would take on Team STRENGTH RUSH (Wright & Diaz) and third, Hito Ichihara would face Dread in singles competition.

SHUJI STORMS ON Shuji Inukai’s bold claim that he would break the record for longest reign as Historical Japan champion at first seemed absurd, given he was only three months into twenty-two that he needed. However, his confidence was high, holding his first singles gold, and he had dispatched of all challengers put in front of him so far. Some already speculated that this was Inukai’s bid to stand out in a company full of young superstars just like him. Looking around at peers like Nobuatsu Tatsuko, Mito Miwa and even his tag partner Yoshimi Mushashibo, he may have seen himself as the furthest behind of the group. But a long Historical Japan title reign? Then they’d have to consider him on the same level at the very least. Night of FORTITUDE, April 2000 Shuji Inukai’s next title challenger was the young Noriyori Sanda. Sanda was approaching three years in the business during which he had been sent on excursion and returned to little fanfare. Few could deny his talents, but his physicality wasn’t at the level of the rest of the roster yet, and wins for him were few and far between. Still, this was the Historical Japan title, so all challengers were welcome. Inukai had little trouble dispatching him with a trademark Untouchable Lariat that sent Sanda flipping around and crashing to the mat. Night of POWER, April 2000 Danger Kumasaka brought a complete contrast to Noriyori Sanda. The veteran grappler had slowed down a lot over the last couple of years and now acted more of a mentor than an in-ring threat. In fact, he was mentor to Shuji Inukai in a certain way, being the leader of Kumasaka-buntai. Despite working well as a team, Inukai and Kumasaka had often seen things differently, and there was no friendly treatment from either man in this match for the Historical Japan title. Inukai got the job done with another Untouchable Lariat which dropped Kumasaka like a sack of potatoes. Night of EXCELLENCE, May 2000 A wrestler who had been quietly improving over the years was one half of Rebel Cell, Harumi Okazawaya. While he never stood out in a field of prodigious talents, he had upped his game and his popularity with the PGHW faithful. A victory for him here wasn’t completely out of the question, then. But this time, Shuji Inukai held onto his Historical Japan title with another Untouchable Lariat. The match left fans confident that one day Okazawaya may well win the title. Night of SUCCESS, May 2000 Following his victory over Okazawaya, Shuji Inukai took on the other half of Rebel Cell, Sotatsu Sarumara. Unlike Okazawaya, though, Sarumara wasn’t seen by many as such a fine prospect. Solid in his own right, he still had decades ahead of him, but his trajectory would have to pick up a lot if he held any hope of singles gold. Inukai ended any immediate hope with the Untouchable Lariat which was garnering ever stronger reactions from the crowd. Still nobody had kicked out of the devastating move. After the match, Inukai demanded a strong opponent for Night of GLORY where he hoped to steal the show. He was answered by Sean McFly. This got the arena buzzing. McFly hadn’t seen much singles success since parting ways with Mito Miwa, but he was just the kind of guy who could stun Inukai and get his hands on the Historical Japan title.

THE PRIDE WARRIOR Mito Miwa had earned his nickname as “The Pride Warrior”. He fought with a confidence that bordered on arrogance and refused to let anyone question his commitment and desire to win. But it was no secret he hated losing. And usually when he did, it was due to underestimating the opponent, like when he lost the Historical Japan title to Luis Figo Manico, or it was against Nobuatsu Tatsuko. Miwa and Tatsuko seemed destined to battle forever. But Miwa found himself on the losing side more often than not, and his defeat to Tatsuko in the semi-final of the Elite Series was the third instance of the exact same result at the exact same stage. The shame of the triple loss was burning in Miwa. But, prideful as he was, he would not resort to excuses or pettiness – he was determined to keep going until the end. Night of FORTITUDE, April 2000 Mito Miwa came out after the opening match of the show and announced he would bounce back from the Elite Series disappointment by showing he could beat anyone. He challenged anyone in the locker room to come out and face him. For a few moments, there was silence, until Tommy Cornell appeared, with Danger Kumasaka urging him on. The leader of Kumasaka-buntai clearly thought this was a great opportunity for young Cornell, and the youngster looked up for a battle. And he certainly proved himself against Miwa. Cornell’s unbelievable potential was still being realised, but he showed another step in his progression by coming close to defeating Miwa on two occasions, once with a Rough Ride and the other with a Guilt Trip. But Miwa resisted. A Pride Bomber got the victory after an excellent bout. Night of POWER, April 2000 Mito Miwa repeated his open challenge at Night of POWER. This time, it was the show opener and Noriyori Sanda was the one to answer his call. The young lion never really stood a chance, but he survived for twenty minutes and gave a good account of himself. The Pride Bomber was deadly, once again and Miwa looked as determined and committed as ever. Night of EXCELLENCE, May 2000 The third installation of Mito Miwa’s open challenge saw him face Mamoru Nagahama. This was a big step up in quality from Sanda at the previous show, with Nagahama poised to break out sooner rather than later. But it would not happen on this night. Miwa was taking no prisoners and survived everything Nagahama could throw at him to earn another victory via the Pride Bomber. Night of SUCCESS, May 2000 Now Mito Miwa’s challenge had become a regular fixture, there was some intrigue about who would confront him at Night of SUCCESS. And this time everyone was surprised. A new face in PGHW, although some may have known of his presence. A youngster, a young lion still, but tipped for future stardom. His name, Yasunobu Koiso. His performances in SAISHO had stood about above the rest in the development company and he stood up to Miwa with confidence. And what a debut it was – he not only went hold-for-hold with Miwa, but nearly got the most remarkable win in the company’s history. Miwa, for the sake of his pride, managed to withstand it, though and used the Pride Bomber to great effect again. Following the match, Miwa nodded his appreciation at Koiso’s talents, but before Koiso could pay his respects, another new face appeared. Well, not exactly new, but one not seen in PGHW for a long time – Roka Furuhata. The highly-respected and famed freelancer came down to the ring to say that he would be answering Mito Miwa’s open challenge at Night of GLORY, so Miwa should prepare himself for a loss. Miwa smiled in response and welcomed the challenge.

NIGHT OF PRIDE, 2000 Elite Series SEMI FINAL 1: Eisaku Kunomasu vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo Elite Series SEMI FINAL 2: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko Chuichi Sanda and Team Millenium (Takeshi Umehara & Fukusaburu Inao) vs. Kumasaka-buntai (Danger Kumasaka, Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan) Eisaku Hoshino vs. Sean McFly Hito Ichihara vs. Mamoru Nagahama DREAD Army (Dread & Raymond Diaz) vs. Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Shuji Inukai © for the Historical Japan title Elite Series FINAL: Winner of semi final 1 vs. Winner of semi final 2 MATCH 1: SEMI FINAL 1: Eisaku Kunomasu vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo Block A’s leader Eisaku Kunomasu competed in his first semi-final in the Elite Series after battling back from a poor start in the early rounds. He faced Yoshimi Mushashibo who was one of the favourites in Block B, and indeed, for the whole tournament. They had only competed against each other in singles competition three times before. Twice in the Elite Series block stages in both 1998 and 1999, with Mushashibo winning both times, and once for the Historical Japan title which Mushashibo won from Kunomasu. History was against Kunomasu, then, but he cared little. His reign as Glory Tag Crown champion alongside Hoshino had ignited something inside him, and he battled through Mushashibo’s clever, smooth transitions to strike harder and more precisely than ever before. When he connected with the Launching Knee Strike, it sent Mushashibo slumping, out cold, to the mat. Kunomasu got the pinfall victory and made it to the final! MATCH 2: SEMI FINAL 2: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko For the third straight year, Mito Miwa and Nobuatsu Tatsuko fought at this stage of the Elite Series. Both previous times, Tatsuko had come out on top and went on to win the tournament. The second time he did so led to his Glory Crown victory over Dread at Night of GLORY in 1999. Miwa went into the match hoping to turn things in his favour on the third attempt. He and Tatsuko’s history pre-dated PGHW when they battled for the Historical Japan title on the independent scene. Since then, Tatsuko’s rise had been incredible. Miwa, too, had seen his fortunes skyrocket, but not quite to the same fanfare. However, the fanfare was all Tatsuko’s once again as he showed the kind of aggression and unlimited spirit to absorb everything his opponent could throw at him, survive, then hit back with relentless intensity. The Tatsuko Driller ended the match and saw him advance to face Kunomasu in the final! MATCH 3: Chuichi Sanda and Team Millenium (Takeshi Umehara & Fukusaburu Inao) vs. Kumasaka-buntai (Danger Kumasaka, Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan) Many expected Kumasaka-buntai to get the win here, but a passionate performance from the new Team Millenium caught them off guard. Fukusaburu Inao particularly impressed, submitting Walter Morgan. Danger Kumasaka had lots of praise for Inao after the match. MATCH 4: Eisaku Hoshino vs. Sean McFly Hoshino and McFly were no strangers to each other, having battled over the Glory Tag Crown titles at the tail end of 1999. During that time, they battled in singles competition in one of the best PGHW matches of all time. They also met each other in the Elite Series block stage with Hoshino coming out on top. They decided to have another go, with McFly hoping to avenge the loss. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get it done as Hoshino was rampant. Hoshino’s failure to advance from the block stage had irritated him and he was taking no prisoners. A Godzilla Plunge got the win. MATCH 5: Hito Ichihara vs. Mamoru Nagahama The animosity between Ichihara and Nagahama had been boiling away for months, ever since Ichihara opted to partner with Koryusai Kitoaji at the Elite Tag Series in September last year. The rejection changed Nagahama, who abandoned his “Mr. Nice Guy” image and turned aggressive with a streak for violence. However, he was yet to achieve much on his own. That could change with a win over Ichihara, something that would surely propel his career to the next level. Ichihara had no intention of letting that happen, though, as he held off Nagahama’s violence and hit a Head Drop Suplex to win. MATCH 6: DREAD Army (Dread & Raymond Diaz) vs. Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) For all four men involved in this match, the Elite Series had been disappointing. Dread came close to qualifying, but fell to Kunomasu in the last round. Pistol Pete Hall picked up a few points, but Diaz and Maldini finished very poorly in Block A. Maldini particularly had been on a poor run, highlighted by constant defeats against DREAD Army. And that continued here. Dread was dominant, and Diaz was powerful. They got the win with a Boot Camp Driver, a new move only possible with the combined power of the two behemoths. After the match, Pistol Pete Hall consoled Maldini, but to no avail. Maldini was furious. Another loss. He hadn’t won a single match in 2000 so far. As he broke away from Hall’s attempts to calm him down, he ran into Dread. Dread grabbed him by the throat, leant in and said something to Maldini. Maldini’s expression changed. Then he turned back to Hall, who looked at his tag partner questioningly. Then Maldini struck Hall square in the jaw! Hall was taken completely off guard and Maldini continued the assault, battering his mentor and team mate. It was a shocking moment as violence outside of the matches was rare and frowned upon in PGHW. Officials rushed to break up the assault, but DREAD Army hindered their progress, allowing Maldini to beat Hall into a pulp. When the battering finally ended, Maldini left the ringside area with the rest of DREAD Army. MATCH 7: Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Shuji Inukai © for the Historical Japan title During the Elite Series block stage, Kitoaji defeated Shuji Inukai. This led to Inukai offering Kitoaji a shot at the Historical Japan title. The history of these two went back to 1997 when Inukai showed his clear potential to Kitoaji when the latter was on his way to becoming Glory Crown champion, and later holding the belt. Inukai had always impressed the legend, but never defeated him in singles competition. That changed here, though, as Kitoaji fell to the Untouchable Lariat, which still remained the deadliest finishing move in the company. Inukai celebrated another step on his aim to becoming longest reigning champion, while Kitoaji found himself once again defeated by one of the new wave. MATCH 8: Elite Series FINAL: Eisaku Kunomasu vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko Nobody was surprised to see Nobuatsu Tatsuko in the Elite Series final. After all, he had won the tournament the last two years, dominated his block and was the reigning Glory Crown champion. Kunomasu, on the other hand, had caused a bit of a stir with his involvement, especially seeing as he failed to win the first two matches of the block stage. But he had battled back and looked in fantastic form. Encounters in singles competition between them were rare. 1998 saw Tatsuko beat Kunomasu twice, and who could forget their incredible bout at Night of WARRIORS in 1999? It was match of the year in 1999 and arguably the best match PGHW had ever put on. So fans were salivating with the prospect of seeing the two intense fighters going at it again. And intensity was the key word. Tatsuko was famed for his relentless attacks, while Kunomasu was one of the rare few who could match that level of power and precision. What started as a cautious exchange of strikes and throws quickly became a savage war of will. Much of the match saw the pair clubbing, slapping, chopping and kicking each other with little regard for their own wellbeing. The two bulls seemed to agree that the winner would be the one who could deliver and survive the most violence. Tatsuko was the Ironman. He could outlast anyone. But Kunomasu was the Lord of Strong Style. And on this particular occasion, the Lord exerted his rule over PGHW. Tatsuko landed the Tatsuko Driller, but Kunomasu miraculously kicked out. Kunomasu recovered from the impact then caught Tatsuko with a brutal Launching Knee Strike, flattening the former two-time winner and allowing Kunomasu to get the three count. Eisaku Kunomasu won the Elite Series! Conclusion Night of PRIDE capped off the most high-profile and critically acclaimed Elite Series yet. The show immediately slotted in as one of the company’s greatest yet, and continued the fantastic run of quality events from the second half of 1999. Three matches competed for the best on the night, with subjective opinion the only thing separating them. Two included Tatsuko – his semi-final against Miwa and the final against Kunomasu. The other standout match was Hoshino vs. McFly. After the match, some wrestlers made their voices heard. Dread spoke, surrounded by his DREAD Army of Lee Wright and Raymond Diaz as well as Dino Maldini. Dread: The army grows. Dino Maldini is perfect for us. He has unbelievable talent that Pistol Pete Hall has held down for too long. Hall always wants to be the main man. So he stopped Maldini from overtaking him. But now you’re free, Dino. In DREAD Army, you’re free to be as violent as you want. Welcome to the army. Next up was Nobuatsu Tatsuko. Tatsuko: I don’t know what happened. I have to give credit to Kunomasu because he got the victory. It has been fourteen months since I suffered defeat in singles competition and I have almost forgotten what it is like. Kunomasu reminded me. I am not invincible. But I will make sure this doesn’t happen again! The taciturn Eisaku Kunomasu responded as he celebrated with tag partner Eisaku Hoshino. Kunomasu: Last year Tatsuko said there were four pillars of PGHW. Himself, Miwa, Inukai and Mushashibo. Even now he doesn’t consider me and Hoshino on that level. But tonight, I have proved him wrong. And in two weeks at Night of FORTITUDE, I will do it again. I’ve already won the Elite Series. Now it’s time for the Glory Crown.

Night of Pride Predictions Elite Series SEMI FINAL 1: Eisaku Kunomasu vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo Elite Series SEMI FINAL 2: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko Chuichi Sanda and Team Millenium (Takeshi Umehara & Fukusaburu Inao) vs. Kumasaka-buntai (Danger Kumasaka, Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan) Eisaku Hoshino vs. Sean McFly Hito Ichihara vs. Mamoru Nagahama DREAD Army (Dread & Raymond Diaz) vs. Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Shuji Inukai © for the Historical Japan title Elite Series FINAL: Winner of semi final 1 vs. Winner of semi final 2

THE ELITE SERIES 2000 Part 2 The Elite Series was in full flow with a wide-open block A and a tense battle at the top of block B. So far nobody had enjoyed a 100% tournament. Tension was building in the final three rounds to determine which four wrestlers would advance to the semi-finals. Block A Table 6 Koryusai Kitoaji 5 Eisaku Kunomasu 5 Hito Ichihara 5 Mito Miwa 5 Shuji Inukai 4 Dread 2 Raymond Diaz 0 Dino Maldini Block B Table 7 Nobuatsu Tatsuko 7 Yoshimi Mushashibo 6 Eisaku Hoshino 4 Mamoru Nagahama 2 Pistol Pete Hall 2 Sean McFly 2 Tommy Cornell 2 Walter Morgan PGHW Elite Series: DAY 5 Block A Results Dread def. Hito Ichihara Koryusai Kitoaji def. Raymond Diaz Mito Miwa def. Shuji Inukai Eisaku Kunomasu def. Dino Maldini Koryusai Kitoaji retained his spot at the top of the block with a veteran’s win over young Raymond Diaz. Kunomasu had a few troubles with Dino Maldini, but eventually got the victory. The other two results were monumental. Dread’s victory over Hito Ichihara saw the big man surge back into serious contention, while dampening Ichihara’s prospects. It was a great match, the best of the series so far. And Miwa’s win over Inukai saw him join Dread on seven points, just behind Kitoaji. Block A Table 8 Koryusai Kitoaji 7 Eisaku Kunomasu 7 Mito Miwa 6 Dread 5 Hito Ichihara 5 Shuji Inukai 2 Raymond Diaz 0 Dino Maldini Block B Results Sean McFly def. Pistol Pete Hall Tommy Cornell def. Walter Morgan Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Mamoru Nagahama Eisaku Hoshino and Yoshimi Mushashibo drew Tommy Cornell overcame his tag partner while Sean McFly defeated Pistol Pete Hall, with both the winners elevating themselves up the table, but now without any real hope of qualification. Tatsuko’s victory saw him take a one-point lead at the top over Mushashibo who couldn’t quite get the better of old rival, Eisaku Hoshino as they shared a draw. Block B Table 9 Nobuatsu Tatsuko 8 Yoshimi Mushashibo 7 Eisaku Hoshino 4 Mamoru Nagahama 4 Tommy Cornell 4 Sean McFly 2 Pistol Pete Hall 2 Walter Morgan PGHW Elite Series: DAY 6 Block A Results Dread def. Dino Maldini Eisaku Kunomasu def. Koryusai Kitoaji Mito Miwa def. Raymond Diaz Hito Ichihara and Shuji Inukai drew Dread and Mito Miwa got relatively straightforward wins over Maldini and Diaz to aid their bid to finish in the top two. With just one round to go, the two points were vital for both men. Eisaku Kunomasu may have started the tournament poorly, but a stunning victory over block leader Kitoaji put him level on points with Dread in second place, with their fixture coming next. And neither Inukai nor Ichihara would have been pleased with a draw as it meant they were out of the running – they could no longer mathematically qualify. Block A Table 9 Eisaku Kunomasu 9 Mito Miwa 8 Dread 8 Koryusai Kitoaji 6 Hito Ichihara 6 Shuji Inukai 2 Raymond Diaz 0 Dino Maldini Block B Results Eisaku Hoshino def. Pistol Pete Hall Sean McFly def. Mamoru Nagahama Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Tommy Cornell Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Walter Morgan Hoshino and Tatsuko furthered their strong block performances by getting expected wins over Hall and Cornell respectively. Sean McFly’s victory over Nagahama sent him higher up the table, but qualification was out of the question. Mushashibo needed a win to stay in the battle with Hoshino. What seemed like a comfortable tie against Walter Morgan turned into a fierce technical battle and the best match of the tournament so far. Morgan had progressed significantly in the last two years and went hold-for-hold with Mushashibo, who needed to break out some big strikes to get the job done. Block B Table 11 Nobuatsu Tatsuko 10 Yoshimi Mushashibo 9 Eisaku Hoshino 6 Sean McFly 4 Mamoru Nagahama 4 Tommy Cornell 2 Pistol Pete Hall 2 Walter Morgan PGHW Elite Series: DAY 7 Block A Results Dino Maldini and Shuji Inukai drew Hito Ichihara def. Raymond Diaz Mito Miwa def. Koryusai Kitoaji Eisaku Kunomasu def. Dread The top four of the block faced off – the four men who could qualify. Mito Miwa assured his progression with a big win over Kitoaji, whose early strong run faltered near the end as his body couldn’t quite keep up. Ichihara bested Diaz while Maldini battled to a surprising draw against Inukai. But the main event of the show was where the drama happened – Kunomasu overcoming the big man Dread to finish top of Block A. Nobody expected that after he only scored one point in the first two rounds! Block A Table FINAL STANDINGS 11 Eisaku Kunomasu 11 Mito Miwa 8 Dread 8 Koryusai Kitoaji 8 Hito Ichihara 7 Shuji Inukai 2 Raymond Diaz 1 Dino Maldini Block B Results Pistol Pete Hall def. Walter Morgan Eisaku Hoshino def. Mamoru Nagahama Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Tommy Cornell Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Sean McFly Eisaku Hoshino did his part to have a chance of qualification, but despite his victory over Nagahama, Mushashibo and Tatsuko also defeated their opponents, meaning they advanced ahead of Hoshino. Pistol Pete Hall rescued some pride at the end of the tournament with his second win, leaving Morgan to prop up the table Block B Table FINAL STANDINGS 13 Nobuatsu Tatsuko 12 Yoshimi Mushashibo 11 Eisaku Hoshino 6 Sean McFly 4 Mamoru Nagahama 4 Pistol Pete Hall 4 Tommy Cornell 2 Walter Morgan Block Stage Roundup Nobuatsu Tatsuko dominated the tournament, only dropping one point throughout. His Block B rival, Yoshimi Mushashibo almost matched him – two draws blemished his otherwise perfect record. Eisaku Hoshino was disappointed not to advance, but the competition in PGHW nowadays was so high. The rest of Block B flattered to deceive. The other five competitors, as expected, were fighting to finish in the top half, but none of them managed to score a big win over one of the top three. Block B was much more open, with several competitors fighting until the last day. In the end, the youngsters Miwa and Kunomasu made it through ahead of three of “the old guard” in Kitoaji, Ichihara and Dread. Shuji Inukai disappointed, but not as much as Raymond Diaz and Dino Maldini. Maldini left it until the final round to pick up a point, while Diaz only picked up points by defeating Maldini. The semi-finals would take place, as usual, at Night of PRIDE, with the Elite Series final at the end of that show. Semi-final 1 would see Eisaku Kunomasu take on Yoshimi Mushashibo for the first time since Mushashibo defeated Kunomasu to win the Historical Japan title at Night of POWER 11 months ago. The other semi-final was becoming something of a ritual. Remarkably, for the third year in a row, Nobuatsu Tatsuko would take on Mito Miwa in the semi-final. Tatsuko won both of the last encounters on the way to Elite Series victory – could Miwa get a win back against his oldest rival?

THE ELITE SERIES 2000 March meant only one thing in PGHW, the Elite Series. The tournament had grown in stature and was now considered as equal in prestige to BHOTWG’s Summit tournament. The year 2000 saw the highest quality entrants yet, with huge names across both blocks and a number of wrestlers with a serious chance of getting the victory. Nobuatsu Tatsuko entered the tournament as favourite. He was on top of PGHW, holding the Glory Crown and having won this same tournament in both 1998 and 1999. Could he make it a hat-trick? Block A consisted of: Dino Maldini Dread Eisaku Kunomasu Hito Ichihara Koryusai Kitoaji Mito Miwa Raymond Diaz Shuji Inukai Three years ago, seeing Hito Ichihara and Koryusai Kitoaji in the same block would have brought about a huge clamour. However, this was a new millennium, and neither man was favourite to advance, although nobody could rule out a surge for qualification. Instead, the likes of Dread, Eisaku Kunomasu, Mito Miwa and Shuji Inukai were expected to battle for the top two spots. Dread had picked up plenty of momentum with his DREAD Army faction, but failing to defeat Tatsuko for the Glory Crown a month ago had slowed that. He’d also have to face his up-and-coming protégé Raymond Diaz in a battle of behemoths. Eisaku Kunomasu and Shuji Inukai came into the tournament holding gold. Kunomasu had been outstanding in Team EXPLOSION’s second reign with the Glory Tag Crowns, while Shuji Inukai was enjoying a strong start to his Historical Japan run. Both men would surely be aiming to advance from the block. Mito Miwa, meanwhile, was without gold, but on a rampage, having just defeated Hito Ichihara. Was this the time for the Pride Warrior to take it to the next level? For the last two years, he had made it out of the block but fell at the semi-final. Could he go a step further this year? Dino Maldini was the only man who had a shot at losing every single match. He was by far the weakest competitor, but there was always the chance of an upset victory. BLOCK B consisted of: Eisaku Hoshino Mamoru Nagahama Nobuatsu Tatsuko Pistol Pete Hall Sean McFly Tommy Cornell Walter Morgan Yoshimi Mushashibo The obvious favourite for Block B was Nobuatsu Tatsuko. Qualification was almost a certainty in most people’s eyes. However, there was plenty of competition for the top spots. Eisaku Hoshino was always competitive in the Elite Series and his recent Glory Tag Crown win alongside Kunomasu had him in high spirits and strong form. Yoshimi Mushashibo was a dangerous prospect, too. He reached the final of last year’s tournament, becoming the first man to defeat Dread in two years in the process. Could he overcome Tatsuko this year and win the whole thing? Behind the three clear favourites was a clump of great talent who hadn’t yet stepped up to the elite level. Pistol Pete Hall was a threat, as was Sean McFly who hadn’t really competed in singles competition since last year’s tournament. Mamoru Nagahama, Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan were all hoping for a breakout tournament. Nagahama had changed his attitude and would be desperate to back that up with some success. Cornell and Morgan were improving, but still a way off competing for qualification. But could the young Brits cause a few surprise results? PGHW Elite Series: DAY 1 Block A Results Dread def. Koryusai Kitoaji Mito Miwa def. Dino Maldini Shuji Inukai def. Raymond Diaz Hito Ichihara def. Eisaku Kunomasu Mito Miwa started the tournament well with an expected win over Dino Maldini. Dread defeated Kitoaji, who fought hard but couldn’t keep up with the physicality, and Inukai battered big-man Diaz into defeat, using the Untouchable Lariat to finish him off. The big result was Ichihara defeating Eisaku Kunomasu. Many had thought Ichihara’s recent decline would see him struggle against the rampaging youngsters in the company, but he held off Kunomasu, who started the tournament poorly. Block B Results Tommy Cornell def. Sean McFly Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Mamoru Nagahama Eisaku Hoshino def. Walter Morgan Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Pistol Pete Hall Mushashibo and Hoshino got fairly comfortable wins over Nagahama and Morgan respectively, while Tatsuko had to battle hard to get the two points from Pistol Pete Hall. Cornell defeating McFly in the opener was considered by many as an upset. Cornell once again proved his talent, despite being only 21 years old. PGHW Elite Series: DAY 2 Block A Results Koryusai Kitoaji def. Dino Maldini Dread def. Raymond Diaz Hito Ichihara and Mito Miwa drew Eisaku Kunomasu and Shuji Inukai drew Kitoaji got a solid win over Maldini, while Dread had a hard battle against stablemate Diaz, who took him to the limit. There were two big draws in the block, with Ichihara once again proving he wasn’t done, surviving the full half hour with Miwa and earning his point. Kunomasu looked ferocious against Inukai, but could only get a draw. With one point from two rounds, it was a poor start for Kunomasu. Block B Results Mamoru Nagahama def. Tommy Cornell Sean McFly def. Walter Morgan Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Pistol Pete Hall Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Eisaku Hoshino After the high of defeating McFly in the first round, Cornell’s hopes came crashing down as he was forced to submit by Nagahama. McFly got his first win, defeating Walter Morgan. Match of the night belonged to Mushashibo and Hall, with the young technician getting the win. It was two losses from two for Hall, although arguably against two of the best in the block. Also, Tatsuko got an important victory over Hoshino, who couldn’t survive the Tatsuko Driller. PGHW Elite Series: DAY 3 Block A Results Mito Miwa def. Dread Hito Ichihara def. Dino Maldini Koryusai Kitoaji def. Shuji Inukai Eisaku Kunomasu def. Raymond Diaz The old guard showed they weren’t finished yet as Ichihara comfortably beat Maldini, while Kitoaji scored an upset victory over Historical Japan champion Shuji Inukai. Kunomasu got his first win of the tournament, getting the better of Raymond Diaz, but he still had plenty of catching up to do. Meanwhile, Mito Miwa made a statement by defeating Dread in a colossal match. Block B Results Mamoru Nagahama def. Pistol Pete Hall Eisaku Hoshino def. Tommy Cornell Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Walter Morgan Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Sean McFly Pistol Pete Hall suffered his third loss. This time he couldn’t claim it was against one of the favourites, because it came to Mamoru Nagahama who now had two wins. Hoshino and Tatsuko got good wins over Cornell and Morgan, with the Tatsuko-Morgan match standing out as the best of the tournament so far. In the main event, Mushashibo just got the win over Sean McFly in a match that could have gone either way. PGHW Elite Series: DAY 4 Block A Results Eisaku Kunomasu def. Mito Miwa Raymond Diaz def. Dino Maldini Koryusai Kitoaji def. Hito Ichihara Shuji Inukai def. Dread Block A blew into pieces with some massive results in the fourth round. Shuji Inukai put in a heroic performance to defeat Dread, with the big man now in serious trouble. Kitoaji ended Ichihara’s incredible start, while Ramond Diaz kept himself just about in the picture by defeating Maldini. But the biggest result was for Eisaku Kunomasu who managed to pull himself back into contention with a stunning victory over Mito Miwa, who up until this point was looking set to pull away from the pack. Block B Results Pistol Pete Hall def. Tommy Cornell Walter Morgan def. Mamoru Nagahama Eisaku Hoshino def. Sean McFly Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Yoshimi Mushashibo drew Pistol Pete Hall ended his losing streak and inflicted one upon Cornell, who was yet to gain a point since his opening round win. Morgan built on a great performance against Tatsuko last time out to beat Nagahama. Hoshino did well to defeat McFly, while there was nothing to separate Tatsuko and Mushashibo who had to settle for a point each. Mid-point round-up Block A Table 6 Koryusai Kitoaji 5 Eisaku Kunomasu 5 Hito Ichihara 5 Mito Miwa 5 Shuji Inukai 4 Dread 2 Raymond Diaz 0 Dino Maldini Block B Table 7 Nobuatsu Tatsuko 7 Yoshimi Mushashibo 6 Eisaku Hoshino 4 Mamoru Nagahama 2 Pistol Pete Hall 2 Sean McFly 2 Tommy Cornell 2 Walter Morgan Block A was anyone’s game. Surprisingly, Koryusai Kitoaji was leading the pack, but behind him were four wrestlers on five points, and Dread on four. Dino Maldini was out of it, and Raymond Diaz would have to hope for a miracle, but apart from those two, nobody could predict which two wrestlers would make it to the semi-final. In contrast, Block B was taking shape as most expected. Tatsuko, Mushashibo and Hoshino were pulling out a lead with only Mamoru Nagahama holding onto any hope of keeping pace. The remaining four wrestlers had all earned one win apiece, and it remained to be seen how they would finish in the order. Qualification hopes were gone, but there was still the pride of having a good final position.

RISE OF DREAD ARMY & TATSUKO’S REIGN At Night of WRESTLING, Dread’s new faction alongside the dominant tag force Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) erupted into life with a powerful victory over Kumasaka-buntai. Just seeing the two behemoths of Dread and Raymond Diaz next to each other sent a chill of fear down the spine. Nobody knew how far the group could go, how destructive they could be or how much gold they would win. But where there is a powerful force, others rise up to meet it, to slow it, or even try to break it apart before it can wreak havoc upon the world. Night of RESPECT, January 2000 At the first show of the year, DREAD Army (Dread, Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) showed no sign of complying with the event’s name. They took on the trio of Hito Ichihara, Mamoru Nagahama and Noriyori Sanda. On paper, they seemed like tough opponents, but a combination of Sanda’s inexperience and the major friction between former tag partners Ichihara and Nagahama meant it was easy work for DREAD Army. They picked apart the disconnected individuals. Raymond Diaz was particularly impressive, once again showing off his immense power and ferocity. Dread watched on with a sickening smile as Diaz smashed Sanda into the ground again and again, finally pinning him after a Ray Gun. In the main event of the show, Nobuatsu Tatsuko defended the Glory Crown against Sean McFly whose impressive tag performances won the admiration of the champion. McFly did well, but failed to really show himself as a main event star, at least not yet. His spirit was strong, but he couldn’t resist the Tatsuko Driller that finished him off. Night of ENERGY, January 2000 A huge trios match headlined Night of ENERGY in front of over 46,000 fans. DREAD Army (Dread, Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) faced off against Glory Crown champion Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall). Of course it was just 7 months since Tatsuko had defeated Dread for the Glory Crown (at Night of GLORY 1999) but now Dread had a renewed sense of vigour accompanied by his brutish partners. Tatsuko had his own gaijin battlers on his side, though. Strike Force were always strong contenders, although had yet to really challenge the very top of the company. A win here could change that. Unfortunately, they failed to do so. Raymond Diaz was once again in fine form, and his violent battle of shoulder-charges against Pistol Pete Hall had the crowd showing their appreciation. Dread was the decisive man, though, targeting Dino Maldini with a Dread Bomb and getting the pinfall victory. After the bell had rung, Dread made it quite clear to Nobuatsu Tatsuko that it was time for a rematch for the title. Night of DESTINY, February 2000 At Night of DESTINY, Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) faced off against Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) in tag competition. Diaz and Hall picked up where they left off, smashing into each other, trying to force the other into breaking. But it was the interactions between Wright and Maldini that decided the match. Maldini clearly had talent. And alongside Hall he had been improving. Wright showed him he had a lot more to learn with some clever reversals and understanding of the ring. The former two-time Glory Tag Crown champions, Diaz & Wright isolated Maldini and finished him off with a Too Hot to Handle. In the main event, Dread challenged Nobuatsu Tatsuko for the Glory Crown. It was a monumental rematch of the bout that saw Tatsuko crowned, and expectations were high. However, like their previous encounters, it failed to live up to the high standards of a Glory Crown title match. Tatsuko got the win after lifting Dread up for a Tatsuko Driller, something he struggled to do throughout the match. It was the first bump in the rise of DREAD Army. Night of BATTLE, February 2000 As if wanting to let off some steam following his title challenge defeat, Dread opened the show in singles competition against Dino Maldini. Maldini did his best. But against the rampaging, furious Dread, there was very little he could do. A Dread Bomb made it four straight losses for Maldini in 2000 an he didn’t look best pleased about it. Later in the show there was a huge pre-Elite Series 8-man tag match that saw Nobuatsu Tatsuko team with Yoshimi Mushashibo and Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) against the equally eclectic foursome of Koryusai Kitoaji, Sean McFly, Pistol Pete Hall and Danger Kumasaka. Most of the competitors would take part in the Elite Series in March, so it was an important bout for picking up confidence and momentum. Tatsuko led his team to victory, with Raymond Diaz getting a decisive pinfall over Pistol Pete Hall. After the match, the blocks for the Elite Series were announced: BLOCK A: Dino Maldini Dread Eisaku Kunomasu Hito Ichihara Koryusai Kitoaji Mito Miwa Raymond Diaz Shuji Inukai BLOCK B: Eisaku Hoshino Mamoru Nagahama Nobuatsu Tatsuko Pistol Pete Hall Sean McFly Tommy Cornell Walter Morgan Yoshimi Mushashibo

It's going to be very tough for them with this wave of talent coming through!

INUKAI’S HISTORY The relationship between Shuji Inukai and Yoshimi Mushashibo had been a rollercoaster for several years. The close friends often disagreed on wrestling matters, and at the end of 1999, they entered a dispute over the Historical Japan title. Shuji Inukai thought he should have the gold, and he managed to do it by showing his violence at Night of WRESTLING. It was his first singles title in his career. After the show, Inukai made it clear his priority was with the belt, above his tag team with Mushashibo. And in early 2000, he would have to prove that against the barrage of contenders that any Historical Japan champion should expect. Night of RESPECT, January 2000 Shuji Inukai’s first defence of the Historical Japan title came against Chuichi Sanda. It seemed like a straightforward match for the champion. Sanda had improved his in-ring skills over the last year or so, but his lack of fitness was a major weakness. Inukai was happy to exploit that. He set a fast, aggressive pace, and the challenger couldn’t keep up, only on a few occasions breaking Inukai’s stride to get a flurry of offence in. Nobody was surprised when Inukai turned Sanda inside out with the Untouchable Lariat – a move which still nobody has kicked out of. Night of ENERGY, January 2000 Defending the Historical Japan title against Yodo Nakane had become almost a rite of passage as the veteran midcarder always posed a threat. Now it was Shuji Inukai’s turn. While Nakane couldn’t go like he used to, his ring-intelligence held him in good stead against the direct, relentless Inukai. On several occasions, the veteran caught Inukai out with clever counters. But experience only got him so far. Inukai was not about to drop the title yet, and another Untouchable Lariat got the win. Night of DESTINY, February 2000 Fukusaburu Inao was next to step up to Shuji Inukai with the hopes of winning the Historical Japan title. As was the nature of the belt, anyone could challenge by throwing their name in the hat. This often led to surprise results, like Luis Figo Manico defeating Mito Miwa back in 1997. It also kept a busy schedule for the champion; Yoshimi Mushashibo had suffered from a demanding schedule and he claimed that’s why Inukai was able to defeat him. Inukai didn’t seem to care who he had to face. This time he overpowered Inao with the Untouchable Lariat. Night of BATTLE, February 2000 Mamoru Nagahama was the biggest test for Shuji Inukai so far. Nagahama had proved he had serious potential and was on his way to reaching it. Plus, his recent attitude change made him a dangerous, unpredictable opponent. But perhaps Nagahama was distracted by his spat with Hito Ichihara, or maybe Inukai was just the better wrestler, because another Untouchable Lariat got the job done, making it four successful defences. After the show, Inukai spoke. Inukai: The Elite Series is coming up. That’s a gruelling schedule, but I’m getting used to that. My body is in the best condition it’s ever been in, and I feel like I could wrestle three matches a night. I fully intend on winning the Elite Series, but whether I do or not, this belt remains my priority. I am untouchable right now. Nobody can take the gold from me. Everyone has stepped up so far has been well short. And, yes, there will be more. I will swat them down. I know it’s early days, but my aim is to make this a record-breaking reign. I want to surpass Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Onishi Takuma as the longest reigning champion. That means over twenty more months. Nearly two years. Can I make it that far? YES!

Damn, losing Arikida is brutal. Guys like him steady the ship, and it looks like the GCG boat is a bit unstable.

EXPLOSION Team Explosion’s first Elite Tag Series win in September 1999 put them on the road to regaining the Glory Tag Crown titles two years since they last held them. Eisaku Hoshino and Eisaku Kunomasu had changed a lot since then. Both had risen the ranks of PGHW and showed they were a serious force both as a tag team and as singles competitors, evidenced by their reigns with the Historical Japan title. The victory at Night of WRESTLING over Team MYTHOS cemented them back in the upper echelons of tag teams, united again and set to hold the belts for as long as possible. But of course, there would be challengers. And later, with a team comprised of two men with singles ambitions, the upcoming Elite Series tournament always provided potential for tension to bubble. Night of RESPECT, January 2000 The first match of Night of RESPECT, and the first match on a major PGHW show in the new millennium featured Team Millenium (Fukusaburu Inao & Takeshi Umehara), two men who had ditched their previous tag partners who were underperforming in the hopes of seeing greater success. They were two members of a five-man team alongside Kumasaka-buntai members Danger Kumasaka, Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan. Those five took on Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu), Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) and Pistol Pete Hall. It was a fun bout to kick of the show, with Cornell and Morgan showing good chemistry. Rebel Cell also impressed. Their performance was decisive in neutralising a lot of the threat from the opponents and allowing Team EXPLOSION to run rampage, getting the pin with an Eisaku Explosion. After the match, Rebel Cell said that their performance had merited them a shot at the Glory Tag Crown titles, and Team EXPLOSION agreed. Night of ENERGY, January 2000 Team EXPLOSION (Hoshino & Kunomasu) defended the Glory Tag Crown titles for the first time since starting their second reign. They took on Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara). For a long time, Rebel Cell were a low-level team. They were far from dangerous contenders for the first three years of their existence, but slowly, surely, they were improving. They showed their improvement in this match, holding their ground against the champions. But Hoshino and Kunomasu had improved at a much greater rate over the same space of time and the result was never really in doubt. An Eisaku Explosion got the job done. Elsewhere on the show, Team Millenium (Fukusaburu Inao & Takeshi Umehara) were in action again, this time in a trios match alongside Chuichi Sanda. They faced Kumasaka-buntai’s team of Tommy Cornell, Walter Morgan & Yoshimi Mushashibo. Team Millenium looked a lot better than either man had in their previous tag teams, but against a team containing Yoshimi Mushashibo, it was always going to be difficult. It was Cornell who got the victory for his team, pinning Umehara with the Rough Justice. Night of DESTINY, February 2000 The winning trio from Kumasaka-buntai (Tommy Cornell, Walter Morgan & Yoshimi Mushashibo) aimed to repeat the feat at Night of DESTINY. This time they went up against Noriyori Sanda and the Glory Tag Crown champions, Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu). Team EXPLOSION could have claimed they were handicapped by the inexperienced rookie Sanda, who got tied up in knots by the technical wizards across the ring from him, but they refused to do so and accepted defeat with grace. Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan made their challenge for the tag titles at the end of the show and the match was confirmed for Night of BATTLE. Night of BATTLE, February 2000 Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan made their second attempt at winning the Glory Tag Crown belts, with their last being a hugely exciting, critically acclaimed match at Night of GLORY in 1999. They were certainly underdogs in this title match against Team EXPLOSION (Hoshino & Kunomasu) but with Danger Kumasaka in their corner barking out advice, anything was possible. And it nearly became reality on several occasions. Cornell wrestled well, but it was Walter Morgan who shone most, his technical ability drawing gasps of wonderment. He manipulated Hoshino particularly. Hoshino’s unrelenting bulldog style fell straight into the smooth, reactive flow of Morgan’s holds, and if it wasn’t for Hoshino’s refusal to ever give in, he might have tapped out. But he didn’t tap out. And when he made the tag to Kunomasu, the tide turned very quickly. A Launching Knee Strike had Morgan reeling, leaving Cornell isolated to take the Eisaku Explosion which meant the champions retained. Still, it didn’t look unrealistic that Morgan and Cornell might one day hold the Glory Tag Crown titles. After the show, all four participants of the title match announced their entry into the Elite Series, meaning tag action would be on hold for the time being. Meanwhile, Team MILLENIUM waited in the sidelines for their opportunity.

Great to see some GCG love here and this is a great start. A while ago I did a GCG save in the 1977 mod and this is bringing back memories - Furusawa was a pain in that game, so I can see how everyone got annoyed with him. No better time for a redemption story!

ANOTHER NAIL Hito Ichihara had his last chance at the Glory Crown and failed. He would never again challenge for the title, as per the stipulation of his match against champion Nobuatsu Tatsuko at Night of WRESTLING. It marked the end of an era, the transition from one millennium to another, and the new wave of talent engulfing what had come before. Such is the natural order. And in the natural world, when predators smell weakness, they’re quick to act. Hito Ichihara had been leader of the pack for years, but now he was injured and vulnerable. And there were young, ferocious lions waiting to take over the pride. Night of RESPECT, January 2000 At Night of RESPECT, Hito Ichihara tagged alongside Mamoru Nagahama and Noriyori Sanda, facing the terrifying new trio called DREAD Army (Dread, Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz). It was the first time Ichihara and Nagahama had teamed for a while, with Ichihara previously opting to partner Koryusai Kitoaji, much to Nagahama’s annoyance. And this annoyance had not abated. DREAD Army got the win, with Diaz pinning Sanda, but it was the interaction between Ichihara and Nagahama afterwards that were most memorable, with Ichihara commiserating his team and Nagahama lashing out, first verbally, then with a fist. It was a stunning moment. Post-match antics were rare in PGHW and often frowned upon. But Nagahama had shown he cared less and less about the norms. Ichihara was stunned. The crowd was stunned. Nagahama stormed away with rage in his eyes. Elsewhere on the show, Mito Miwa defeated Dino Maldini in a fairly routine match. Miwa looked impressive, hitting a devastating Pride Bomber. It was arguably the best match on the show. Night of ENERGY, January 2000 Mito Miwa was in singles action again, this time impressing in a victory over Noriyori Sanda. There was an intensity about Miwa that he had carried over from his time with Sean McFly in Team MYTHOS, and now he looked like a serious threat in the singles division. Hito Ichihara and Mamoru Nagahama shared a ring again, but this time on opposite teams. Ichihara tagged with Sean McFly while Nagahama had Danger Kumasaka in his corner. Ichihara and McFly worked well together, and got the victory. But when Ichihara and Nagahama shared the ring, there was tension in the air. The punch from Night of RESPECT was still with both men, and Nagahama clearly wanted the hostility to continue. Ichihara shook his head after the match, wondering what had happened to his former partner. Night of DESTINY, February 2000 This time, Mito Miwa competed in tag action, but not with his usual partner, McFly. Instead, he teamed with Mamoru Nagahama in a bout against veterans Hito Ichihara and Yodo Nakane. It was youth against experience, the new wave against the old guard. In the year 2000 the old guard was crumbling and so it seemed again, with Miwa and Nagahama getting the victory when Miwa hit the Pride Bomber on Hito Ichihara, pinning him. The former Glory Crown champion looked upset at getting pinned and challenged Miwa to a single match at Night of BATTLE with the aim of redeeming this loss. Miwa accepted, but warned Ichihara that this would just be another nail in the coffin. Night of BATTLE, February 2000 The main event of Night of BATTLE was a huge pre-Elite Series clash between Mito Miwa and Hito Ichihara. Ichihara’s fortunes had been sliding, while Miwa was in the ascendency – his massively successful tag run as part of Team MYTHOS propelled him into a singles run which he hoped to start strongly. In the early days of PGHW, many compared Miwa to Ichihara, saying they shared the same strategic approach, able to make wise decisions under pressure. What Tatsuko was to Kitoaji, Miwa was to Ichihara. Tatsuko had long since surpassed his predecessor. Now it was time for Miwa to do the same. Ichihara didn’t go down without a spirited fight, battling for his own pride and position at the top, but the fresh energy of Miwa’s youth overpowered the veteran, and another Pride Bomber put Ichihara down for the count. It was a statement victory for Miwa ahead of the Elite Series, and a sign that Ichihara would be an outsider for the tournament, rather than the serious contender he had previously been.

A NEW ERA A wise man learns from the past. That’s something my uncle always used to tell me, although it may have been a lifetime of teaching history skewing his point of view. Personally, I much enjoyed imagining the future than looking back, but here I had to agree with him. How many wrestling promotions have started up, looked fantastic for a few years, then crumbled under their own weight? I look at the graveyard in this country and around the world and try to find a pattern. Does rapid growth lead to rapid decline? No, Burning Hammer came out of nowhere and quickly overtook GCG in the 70’s. Is it a case of too many new egos created that cause the company to melt from the inside? Perhaps, but a good leader deals with those situations. Look at OLLIE in the 70’s and 80’s. Full of questionable characters, drugs, steroids and crime. They’re still going pretty well. Or was it poor financial management? In some cases this is true, but most of the time income soon exceeds expenses, and I found that out myself. I had to make some hard decisions about wages, but in the end, my faith was repaid. So what kills a wrestling promotion? What should I look out for? In my opinion, it’s getting into a stupid war with a superior competitor. In a war, there are winners and losers. The losers die, or at least fall a long way. GCG and BHOTWG battled for over a and now look at how different their situations are. Burning Hammer are a heavyweight, arguably the biggest company in the world, behind SWF. And GCG are struggling along, with all their talented workers either gone or about to retire. When Maeda and Yoshizawa hang up their boots, I don’t know how they’ll manage. Hell, their next most popular stars are Fukusaburu Inao and Dino Maldini, two of my guys. If I were to hand them exclusive contracts… No. I am not about conflict. I want GCG to exist. I want BHOTWG to exist. Together we are all stronger. But as PGHW grows, there will be tough times against Burning Hammer. And I must not make the mistakes of the past. Perhaps I could win a war against them. Perhaps not. I am not willing to take that risk, not willing to jeopardize the position we have all made, the glory we have built. Instead, we must quietly continue to do what we do best. In this new era, we will not attack Burning Hammer, we will not throw insults or get into pointless bidding wars. We will simply put on better wrestling shows than them. And PGHW certainly has the roster to do that!

Night of WRESTLING 1999 Chuichi Sanda, Noriyori Sanda and Yodo Nakane vs. Fukusaburu Inao, Kazuo Mitsushi and Takeshi Umehara Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Mamoru Nagahama Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) DREAD Army (Dread, Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) vs. Kumasaka-buntai (Danger Kumasaka, Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan) Shuji Inukai vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo © for the Historical Japan title Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu) vs. Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) © for the Glory Tag Crown titles Hito Ichihara vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko © for the Glory Crown title The final PGHW show of the year and also of the millenium. Y2K was just two weeks away and the hysteria of that event was in full flow. Still, the sensible ones stuck to enjoying good wrestling. The New Shiga Stadium in Kansai welcomed a bumper crowd of 45,000 for the fourth edition of Night of WRESTLING, and they all knew they were in for a great night. MATCH 1: Chuichi Sanda, Noriyori Sanda and Yodo Nakane vs. Fukusaburu Inao, Kazuo Mitsushi and Takeshi Umehara Very much an undercard match to start the show. In 1997 and 1998, Kazuo Mitsushi failed to win anything on a major show, except for at Night of WRESTLING, where he was undefeated. In 1999 so far, he again hadn’t won a single match on a major show. The record was both amazing and appalling at the same time. But once again, he triumphed at Night of WRESTLING! Admittedly he had to thank his partners Fukusaburu Inao and Takeshi Umehara for the victory as together they performed well as a team. In fact, afterwards, Inao and Umehara, who had both recently split from their tag partners, decided to give tag wrestling another shot and christened themselves Team Millenium. MATCH 2: Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Mamoru Nagahama Koryusai Kitoaji found himself in the rare situation of being the underdog against a more determined and aggressive opponent. This was made all the more surprising by the fact his opponent was Mamoru Nagahama, someone who, until very recently, had always been quiet and hard-working. But this new Nagahama wanted revenge. He hated Kitoaji for replacing him as Hito Ichihara’s tag partner and for the way in which Kitoaji defeated him with a roll-up at Night of IMPACT. They faced off again in singles competition, with Nagahama direct and aggressive. In many ways this match resembled Kitoaji’s first bout against Nobuatsu Tatsuko, with the youngster determined to prove a point, and prove himself. But Kitoaji said previously that Nagahama wasn’t destined to be a superstar like Tatsuko was. And perhaps he was right, at least for now, as Nagahama burnt himself out, over-extending himself. Falling into all of Kitoaji’s traps. And despite not being at peak physical condition, Kitoaji won the game of patience and cunning, luring Nagahama into a Kitoaji Braindrop that got him the pinfall victory. After the match, Kitoaji bowed to Nagahama in respect. For a moment it looked like Nagahama might return to the humble kid he used to be and return the bow, but instead he snarled and walked away. MATCH 3: Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) While neither Rebel Cell or Strike Force qualified from the block stage of the Elite Tag Series, they both did alright. Rebel Cell were a team on the rise while Strike Force were yet to live up to their high, self-imposed expectations. This match put them back on track, however, as Pistol Pete Hall pinned Sarumara after a Pistol Whip Lariat. MATCH 4: DREAD Army (Dread, Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) vs. Kumasaka-buntai (Danger Kumasaka, Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan) The first two major factions in PGHW went to war to establish who was superior. Danger Kumasaka led the young pair of Brits, Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan. It was a mixture of experience and youth, and all three were technically brilliant. Walter Morgan, especially, was a deadly submission wrestler. DREAD Army only received their name at the end of Night of ENDURANCE when this match was set up. Dread had enjoyed teaming with Wright & Diaz and now they were out to make their mark. Initially, they struggled. Lee Wright got wrapped up in the many dangerous holds of Walter Morgan and later Danger Kumasaka. Wright found himself exhausted quickly and had to use all his wiles to escape and tag in Raymond Diaz. From then, the nature of the match changed. Diaz bullied Kumasaka-buntai. As if trying to impress Dread, he shrugged off all attempts to take him to the mat and set about demolishing whoever dared step in the ring with him. Finally they chopped him down, but the damage had been done. When Dread tagged in, the demolition job was finished. Dread tossed his foes around the ring like ragdolls and finished the match by hitting a Dread Bomb on Kumasaka for the win. It was a decisive and dominant performance from the new faction. MATCH 5: Shuji Inukai vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo © for the Historical Japan title The backstory behind this match needed half a novel to tell in full. On-and-off tag partners, close friends, disagreements on what wrestling was all about, competitive matches, strained egos and plenty of drama. Ultimately it came down to the fact that Mushashibo was Historical Japan champion and Shuji Inukai thought it would be better if he held the belt. When the competitors came out, there was a tension to the amicable gestures and forced smiles from both men. And there was a tautness about the initial exchanges. While they were no strangers to being on opposite sides of the ring, the friction between them and the fact the Historical Japan title was on the line, not to mention the huge occasion, meant they were both cautions and stiff. Mushashibo was first to ease into his slick, graceful style. He wrapped Inukai up in a number of holds, more to show him that he could than to do any serious damage. After a while, this irritated Inukai. The challenger obviously resented Mushashibo going easy on him and struck out, landing a vicious elbow to Mushashibo’s jaw. Naturally, Mushashibo was stunned. And angered. Now he flew into the match with a renewed vigour and those previously smooth holds turned into violent wrenches and twists. Inukai was suffering. But suffering was something that Inukai knew. And in the depths of his own pain and adversity, he found strength and will to succeed. Little by little, he scrapped his way back into the match, each time feeling the pain of armbars and leglocks as motivation. Another massive elbow strike to Mushashibo had the champion reeling, then Inukai was on him like a wild beast. He threw forearms and knees and delivered suplexes and slams. Mushashibo had to think fast to survive. And think fast he did. When Inukai went for the deadly Untouchable Lariat, Mushashibo reversed it into the Yoshimi Lock! Inukai was in real trouble. He tried to battle free, and for over three excruciating minutes, he struggled. And struggled. Until the life was nearly squeezed from him. Then he surged back! He caught everyone by surprise, not least Mushashibo who thought he had put his friend to sleep. Inukai shrugged Mushashibo off him and dragged himself to his feet. Next came a ferocious exchange of blows. Each one saw Mushashibo fade and Inukai rise. And the final blow was the Untouchable Lariat. Mushashibo couldn’t avoid it. And nobody kicked out. Ever. Shuji Inukai defeated Yoshimi Mushashibo to become the new Historical Japan champion! MATCH 6: Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu) vs. Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) © for the Glory Tag Crown titles This was the third match between Team EXPLOSION and Team MYTHOS in the latter half of 1999. Team EXPLOSION beat Team MYTHOS in the final of the Elite Tag Series, but in the following Glory Tag Crown title match, Team MYTHOS edged the victory. But Eisaku Hoshino and Eisaku Kunomasu charged back into contention when they defeated Mito Miwa and Sean McFly in singles matches to get another shot. And this time they would want to make sure they didn’t miss the mark again. And if Mito Miwa could have been accused of overconfidence in the Elite Tag Series final, he wouldn’t be now. He knew exactly what he was up against. Kunomasu started opposite him in the ring. Both men were precise and deadly, Kunomasu with his accurate strikes, Miwa with his quick, versatile manoeuvres. It was a clinic. When Hoshino and McFly tagged in, the energy went through the roof. Hoshino was a rugged, tenacious brawler, while McFly raced around the ring, probably the fastest and most agile competitor in PGHW. The result was another epic match between the two teams, matching the Elite Tag Series final. And the victors were the same as in that match, as Hoshino and Kunomasu teamed up to hit the Eisaku Explosion on Sean McFly to get the pin. Team EXPLOSION became new Glory Tag Crown champions! MAIN EVENT: Hito Ichihara vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko © for the Glory Crown Six months after defeating Dread for the Glory Crown title, the fourth man to hold the Glory Crown, Nobuatsu Tatsuko, was in roaring form. He was on his way to becoming a great champion. But he would have to prove himself against the man many were calling the last bastion of the old guard, Hito Ichihara. Ichihara and Kitoaji’s legendary bouts laid the foundation for PGHW. Their rivalry underpinned everything… until the youngsters took over. The new wave saw every champion in PGHW aged under 30 and the veterans struggling to keep up. Hito Ichihara was among those veterans, but he had done enough to earn this shot at the Glory Crown and get himself one last chance at the gold. One last chance if he lost. Because if Tatsuko defeated him, Ichihara could never challenge for the Glory Crown again. As he made his way to the ring, Ichihara held himself tall, but there was an atmosphere of finality about his expression. Gravity. As if it were life or death. His last stand. Tatsuko sensed the importance of the moment and showed his respect to Ichihara before the match. The action started slowly, with Tatsuko, unusually, keeping a steady pace. This favoured Ichihara who couldn’t physically match the champion, but perhaps Tatsuko just wanted to beat the veteran at his own game. Indeed it was Ichihara who upped the pace, suddenly and violently, exploding towards Tatsuko and lifting him up for the Head Drop Suplex! But Tatsuko was too fast and he escaped before Ichihara could dump him down. From then the rhythm quickened and Tatsuko asserted his control. His direct style was too much for anyone, even Hito Ichihara who had suffered through Koryusai Kitoaji’s relentless barrages. But Ichihara had one thing that the youngster didn’t. Experience. And a tactical mind. This was evidenced in a few attempted counters when Tatsuko was on the attack. Ichihara goaded the champion into overextending himself, then… Bam! Head Drop Suplex! He hit the move and went to pin Tatsuko! One…two… Kick out! It was a rare man who could kick out of Ichihara’s finishing move, but Tatsuko was no ordinary wrestler. Ichihara tried to slow the pace down then, looking for a submission finish. He got the Ichihara Armbar locked in and Tatsuko was in real danger. The champion fought and scraped and finally powered his way out of the hold. From then, Tatsuko’s face took on the intense fury that had propelled him to Glory Crown victory at Night of GLORY. The same expression that defeated Kitoaji a year ago. This was Tatsuko the relentless. The Iron Man. The onslaught was incredible. Suplexes, lariats, powerbombs, and just old-fashioned strikes to the jaw. It was brutal. But Ichihara held on, barely kicking out of everything Tatsuko could throw at him, suffering under the tsunami of offence, the New Wave crashing down on him. Tatsuko went for the Tatsuko Driller… Ichihara escaped! He sensed the moment. His last chance… if he could get it… Head Drop Suplex! One… Two… Kick out! Tatsuko got his shoulder up again, somehow. For several moments neither man moved. Then, when they finally struggled to their knees, Ichihara knew the situation. That had been his last chance. He had failed. He gestured for Tatsuko to come at him and, as the blows rained down on him, he embraced them all, standing up to stand eye-to-eye with Tatsuko, a last defiant gesture before… Tatsuko Driller. One… Two… Three. Tatsuko got the win and retained the Glory Crown. Conclusion Night of WRESTLING closed with the death of an era. The last show of the millennium was all wrapped up and the new generation was in full force. 1999 had been a hugely successful year for PGHW, with plenty of excitement about the future of the many young talents on the roster. The match of the night was the main event between Tatsuko and Ichihara, with the emotional weight of the occasion giving it the edge over the excellent Glory Tag Crown match that preceded it. Both matches were already at legendary status, along with the likes of Kitoaji vs. Ichihara from 1997 and Tatsuko and Ichihara’s Elite Series final in 1998. While Ichihara’s time at the very top was over, he could be pleased with the fact that he took part in four of the five best matches in PGHW during the 90’s. Tatsuko was in three of them, and few would doubt he’d be seen in many more. The match of the year award also went to this final match, barely edging out Tatsuko vs. Kunomasu from Night of WARRIORS and Ichihara vs. Kunomasu from Night of GLORY. Also in contention were two battles from the trilogy between Team EXPLOSION and Team MYTHOS. PGHW End of Year Awards: WRESTLER of the year: Nobuatsu Tatsuko MATCH of the year: Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Hito Ichihara for the Glory Crown, Night of WRESTLING, December MOST IMPROVED wrestler of the year: Sean McFly TAG TEAM of the year: Team MYTHOS Team MYTHOS also won Best Tag Team of the Year, an award voted on by notable journalists internationally across all promotions. A great honour for the pair. After the show, a few wrestlers made comments. Dread: What did I say? DREAD Army is here to dominate. Kumasaka-buntai crumpled in our path and soon we will dominate this whole company! Yoshimi Mushashibo: Shuji deserved to win. He has been taking care of his body and condition much better than I have over the last few months. While I am disappointed to lose the Historical Japan title, I believe some rest is important. Shuji Inukai: Holding this belt means a lot to me. I have worked hard to become part of history, and now my name will never be forgotten. As for the future of Team Dynasty? I do not know. Yoshimi will have to decide where his priorities are. For now, mine are with this belt. Mito Miwa: It has been a great run in the tag division. I will always enjoy tagging with Sean because he is pure energy. But at this time, I see myself focusing on singles competition. Nobuatsu Tatsuko needs challengers and, given our history, I am sure I can dethrone him. The Glory Crown will be mine, sooner or later!

Night of WRESTLING 1999 Match Card Chuichi Sanda, Noriyori Sanda and Yodo Nakane vs. Fukusaburu Inao, Kazuo Mitsushi and Takeshi Umehara Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Mamoru Nagahama Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) DREAD Army (Dread, Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) vs. Kumasaka-buntai (Danger Kumasaka, Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan) Shuji Inukai vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo © for the Historical Japan title Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu) vs. Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) © for the Glory Tag Crown titles Hito Ichihara vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko © for the Glory Crown title

LAST CHANCE FOR ICHIHARA? Nobody would question Hito Ichihara’s position as all-time legend of PGHW and future Hall of Immortals inductee. What he had achieved already in the nascent company, not to mention his previous career, was legendary. But at 43, time was getting on. He was yet to suffer the steep physical decline of his old rival and now tag-team partner Koryusai Kitoaji, but everybody could see his position gently fading away. Take the Elite Series earlier in the year. He didn’t make it out of the block. His tag team with Nagahama dropped the Glory Tag Crown titles a year ago and he was yet to hold any gold since. That’s not to say he wasn’t still competitive. He and Kitoaji went on a good tag run in the Elite Tag Series, and he had defeated Eisaku Kunomasu at Night of GLORY. But with his gradual downward trajectory, it might not be long before he was out of the Glory Crown picture for good. And the Glory Crown was where everybody wanted to be. Nobuatsu Tatsuko held the belt and was already enjoying a good run. With such a young, aggressive champion, was it possible for Ichihara to have one last chance at glory? Night of KINGS, October 1999 Hito Ichihara, Koryusai Kitoaji and Mamoru Nagahama wrestled against Glory Crown champion Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) at Night of KINGS. It was a decent match, mostly focused on the interaction between Nagahama and Kitoaji who were both hostile towards each other, believing they were Ichihara’s best partner. Ichihara had to manage his team. No easy feat. Not to mention he had to withstand a barrage of attacks from Nobuatsu Tatsuko and avoid getting pinned. But he managed it, and his team earned a victory. It was Nagahama who proved decisive, going on a rampage and pinning Dino Maldini. Night of IMPACT, October 1999 To continue with some friendly competition, Hito Ichihara took on Dino Maldini in singles competition. Maldini had improved massively since his start in PGHW and now looked like a solid wrestler ready to take a step up. And he nearly did that on this occasion. He impressed many with his direct MMA-influenced attacks, and came half a second away from pinning Ichihara. But Ichihara had something else on his mind. Something motivating him to rekindle some of that spirit that brought him to glory a couple of years ago. He hit the Head Drop Suplex to win. In the next match, Pistol Pete Hall tagged with Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) to defeat the team of Chuichi Sanda, Kazuo Mitsushi, Takeshi Umehara and Yodo Nakane. It was a fairly straightforward win, but Pistol Pete Hall stood out, his power and skill overwhelming Mitsushi, who took the pin. After the match, Tatsuko said he had been so impressed with Hall’s performance and offered him a shot at the Glory Crown at Night of COURAGE. Hall, of course, accepted. Night of COURAGE, November 1999 At Night of COURAGE, Hito Ichihara picked up another victory. This team it was alongside the much-improved team of Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) as the three of them overcame Kazuo Mitsushi, Chuichi Sanda and Takeshi Umehara. In the main event, Nobuatsu Tatsuko defended the Glory Crown against Pistol Pete Hall. Those who didn’t yet see Hall as a big-name player would have their opinions changed in this match as he took it to Tatsuko, using his size and ability to overwhelm the champion. But Tatsuko won the belt on aggression and grit, two qualities that stood him in good stead here. He fought back and hit the Tatsuko Driller on Hall to retain the Glory Crown. But as he celebrated, Hito Ichihara made his presence known, microphone in hand. Ichihara: Tatsuko! The time has come. You do not yet have a major challenger for Night of WRESTLING. I should be that man. I have proved myself in the last couple of months with strong wins, including in a trios match against yourself. I want the Glory Crown. Tatsuko approached and took the microphone out of Ichihara’s hand. Tatsuko: Your time has passed, old man. The youth of PGHW runs the show now. Figure out who your partner is gonna be and focus on the tag division. Ichihara snatched the microphone back. Ichihara: You show me disrespect. I suppose you have earned that right with all you have achieved this year. Still, I am the biggest challenge to you at the moment. You know just what it is like to be the rightful challenger and be overlooked by the champion. Don’t make the same mistake. Give me this chance and I will show you the past isn’t finished yet. Tatsuko considered the words for a moment then requested Ichihara hand him the microphone. Tatsuko: You’re right. You are deserving of a chance. One chance. The last one. Because after Night of WRESTLING, we enter a new millenium. Where the future lives. Not the past. So I’ll give you this last chance at the Glory Crown, Ichihara, but on one condition. If you lose, you can never challenge for it again. Despite the risk, this was not a challenge Ichihara would turn down. He accepted with a nod and the match was made for Night of WRESTLING. Night of ENDURANCE, November 1999 Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Hito Ichihara competed against each other for the last time before Night of WRESTLING. Tatsuko teamed with Mamoru Nagahama and Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) while Ichihara was with Koryusai Kitoaji and Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara). While Tatsuko and Ichihara briefly interacted, the match featured Mamoru Nagahama particularly, angry at Ichihara’s partnership with Kitoaji. Nagahama was the decisive factor, choking out Okazawaya with the Nagahama Guillotine. Ichihara found himself having to get involved with Nagahama and Kitoaji to stop them breaking out into violence after the bell, but once that was resolved, he found himself face to face with Tatsuko. The youngster stared at him intensely for a while, then extended a hand. Ichihara shook it. After the show, Ichihara had some contemplative words. Ichihara: I never expected to feel this way. When Sadaharu Jimbo sold PGHW to me, it was all about creating a platform for the next generation of Japanese talent to do things the right way. I believed that. I still do. That’s why it pains me to feel like this. Like I want to burn it all down. To crush all that future for my own personal glory. I always thought I was here to help. Maybe my inner self never quite agreed. I feel like the last bastion of the old guard. The one man capable of holding off the terrifying tide of the future, yet knowing it is inevitable. That standing in the face of the tsunami is futile. Hating the wall of water despite the change it will bring. Holding on to the past. My past. It is hard to let go. That is why at Night of WRESTLING I will fight with all the pride, all the honour and all the glory I can muster. Whatever strength I have will pour into the fight against the great wave. Because that is all I know. After all, what good is change if it isn’t earned? This is the last chance.

THE RISE OF FACTIONS During the first three years of PGHW, one thing typical to most wrestling promotions and particularly puroresu federations had been missing from Sadaharu Jimbo’s endeavour. Factions. But in the build up to the Elite Tag Series, a collection of young wrestlers assembled around legendary trainer Danger Kumasaka. Yoshimi Mushashibo had been Kumasaka’s first protégé in PGHW, aligning with the veteran in 1997. Shortly after, Mushashibo’s Team Dynasty partner Shuji Inukai began to align himself with Kumasaka, despite their different points of view. Then in 1998, Danger Kumasaka saw promise in young British technician Walter Morgan and even teamed with him during the Elite Tag Series of that year. And when Tommy Cornell arrived in the company, it wasn’t long before Kumasaka realised his potential and invited him to study under him. This collection was quickly christened Kumasaka-buntai and was the first significant group that could be considered a faction in PGHW. But where one group rises, another often follows in opposition. The benefit to young wrestlers of learning from older hands was obvious. And for those veterans it was a chance to give back, or to seek even greater glories. Night of KINGS, October 1999 Kumasaka-buntai (Shuji Inukai, Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan) teamed up to face Yodo Nakane and Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz). It was the first time this combination of Kumasaka-buntai had teamed together, although Inukai had tagged with Cornell in August in a bid to win the Glory Tag Crown titles from Team MYTHOS. With Danger Kumasaka coaching them from the corner, the young trio did well. The strategy was to keep Raymond Diaz as inactive as possible and instead wear down the aging veterans Nakane and Wright. They did this successfully and when Inukai hit the Untouchable Lariat on Nakane, it was all over. Night of IMPACT, October 1999 Shuji Inukai again partnered with Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan in the main event against Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) but instead of Nakane, this time it was Dread. This drastically changed the situation. The strategy of excluding Diaz was pointless because that meant inviting Dread into the ring, which was always a bad idea. The former Glory Crown champion was still in a vile mood after dropping the belt. However, as seen on recent shows, he performed with more energy and passion alongside fellow gaijin Wright & Diaz. In fact, the big man seemed to love tagging with another massive heavyweight in Raymond Diaz. The match was brutal and eventually swayed towards Dread’s team. The big man got the victory with a Dread Bomb on Walter Morgan. Night of COURAGE, November 1999 Continuing the conflict between the two nascent groups, Dread faced Tommy Cornell in singles competition. Cornell had an exciting future in front of him, certainly stocked with victory and gold. But he couldn’t match Dread at this point in his career. Cornell’s spirited offence ran into a thick wall of bricks which struck back with the power of a ballistic missile. Dread got the win with a Dread Bomb. Later in the night, Shuji Inukai and Danger Kumasaka tagged together as a duo for only the second time ever, the last being over two years ago. The pair had never got on well, but when they chose to tag, they had fantastic chemistry. So good that they were able to overcome Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz). For Lee Wright, it was a tough night. At 42 years old, his body was beginning to decline and he lacked the explosiveness and grit that had brough him success for over two decades. Shuji Inukai hit him with the Untouchable Lariat to win the match. Night of ENDURANCE, November 1999 Kumasaka-buntai suffered some internal conflict leading up to Night of WRESTLING as Shuji Inukai called out Yoshimi Mushashibo, wanting a shot at the Historical Japan title. That story is told elsewhere. It meant two of its members were busy with other things, so Danger Kumasaka, Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan would have to face down the impending threat of Dread and Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Walter Morgan) without two of their top stars. The latest conflict occurred in the main event of Night of ENDURANCE with Kumasaka-buntai teaming up with Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) while Dread and Team STRENGTH RUSH fought alongside Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu). While Team STRENGTH RUSH and Team EXPLOSION didn’t get along at all, they all wanted to win, so put aside their differences. And Dread made a huge difference. His size and power overwhelmed his smaller opponents and led his team of five to a momentum-boosting victory. After the show, Dread had these words: Dread: Kumasaka-buntai may have a lot of members, but half of them are kids and half of them are fighting each other. And Kumasaka is an old man. But if you want a group made of studs, look no further than my team-mates for the last few months. I’ll admit, I was not happy about losing the Glory Crown. But these guys are on my side. They get it. They know how to deal with things the right way… expression through violence. Together we are an army. And at Night of WRESTLING, we challenge Kumasaka-buntai to a trios match. Kumasaka, Cornell, Morgan, if you’ve got the guts, bring everything you’ve got because Dread Army will rip you limb from limb!

TAG TRILOGY Team EXPLOSION celebrated a fantastic victory at the Elite Tag Series. It was the third edition of the tournament and it had changed hugely from its first iteration, now considered by many to be on the same level as the singles Elite Series. For Eisaku Hoshino and Eisaku Kunomasu, it represented a return to the excellent form that had seen them reign as Glory Tag Crown champions in 1997. To win the final, they had to beat current Glory Tag Crown holders Team MYTHOS. Mito Miwa and Sean McFly had smashed the existing longest-reign record and had made it to a full year with the belts – an impressive achievement. But now, they had Team EXPLOSION high on momentum and chasing down their titles… would the reign continue? Or would Hoshino and Kunomasu capture the belts again? Night of KINGS, October 1999 It said something about the tag division as a whole, as well as the two teams involved, that there was no surprise at the announcement the Glory Tag Crown title match would main event Night of KINGS. Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) defended the Glory Tag Crown belts against the team who had beaten them two weeks beforehand to earn this shot, Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu). It marked a year to the day that Team MYTHOS had beaten Hito Ichihara and Mamoru Nagahama to begin their run. The match was a good one. Not nearly as jawdropping as their Elite Tag Series final bout, but still exciting. The main drawback was the fact that Hoshino got his brow busted open early on. Ringside doctors patched him up quickly, but the blood constantly slowed him and disrupted his offence. At this level of competition, fine margins matter. The slight disorientation and split-second difference in reaction time that Hoshino suffered from cost his team dear. He failed to avoid the standing dropkick from Sean McFly that led to the Pride Bomber from Mito Miwa. Team MYTHOS retained! Night of IMPACT, October 1999 Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) teamed with Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Pistol Pete Hall to comfortably defeat Chuichi Sanda, Kazuo Mitsushi, Takeshi Umehara and Yodo Nakane. Of course they did. Their opponents included Kazuo Mitsushi who had managed to once again get to October without winning a single match on a major show. Later in the show, Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu) took on Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara). Rebel Cell showed signs of improvement at the Elite Tag Series, but it wasn’t enough yet, as Okazawaya got on the end of an Eisaku Explosion. After their victory, Hoshino got on the microphone and said they were the only true challengers to Team MYTHOS and if it weren’t for his bleeding forehead, Team EXPLOSION would be Glory Tag Crown champions. Miwa and McFly came out to respond. Miwa said Team EXPLOSION could have another shot at the Glory Tag Crown titles as long as they defeated both him and McFly in singles competition at the next show, Night of COURAGE. Team EXPLOSION agreed. Night of COURAGE, November 1999 Tension was high in the opening match of the show. Eisaku Kunomasu took on Mito Miwa. Kunomasu had to win for he and Hoshino to stand any chance of getting another tag title shot. While they had met many times in tag competition, this was only the second singles match between the pair. The previous time was at Night of GLORY in June 1998, with Miwa winning. But Kunomasu had improved greatly since then. He was a precise, damage-dealing machine. Miwa found this out to his cost. Kunomasu got the win with a Launching Knee Strike. Now it was up to Eisaku Hoshino. He faced Sean McFly knowing all of Kunomasu’s work would be undone if he failed to defeat the American. It was a frantic match, with both men bringing their own brand of high-energy offence. Hoshino’s drive and aggression were the deciding factor as he landed a Godzilla Plunge to defeat McFly. With Team EXPLOSION having fulfilled their side of the bargain, a rematch for the Glory Tag Crown titles was arranged for Night of WRESTLING – the third in a trilogy of matches in the latter half of 1999, with plenty of hype to live up to! Night of ENDURANCE, November 1999 Both teams featured in the main event of the final show before Night of WRESTLING. It was a huge ten-man tag match featuring some of the biggest names on the roster. Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) teamed with Kumasaka-buntai’s Danger Kumasaka, Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan. They faced the imposing forces of Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu), Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) and the behemoth Dread. The match saw plenty of rivalries, old and new. Team EXPLOSION and Team STRENGTH RUSH put their previous animosity behind them in the name of gaining momentum before Night of WRESTLING. And with the dominant Dread on their side, they managed to do just that, with his Dread Bomb setting up Hoshino and Kunomasu for the Eisaku Explosion on Walter Morgan, a move that got them the victory. At the end of the match, Team EXPLOSION stood up to Team MYTHOS who raised the Glory Tag Crowns above their head and refused to be cowed. After all, nobody seemed to be able to stop them for over a year now. They would not repeat the mistake of the Elite Tag Series final and be overconfident, would they?