Willsky
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Posts posted by Willsky
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PGHW "NIGHT OF WRESTLING" 2022 - PREDICTION KEY
INTERNATIONAL TITLE
Masaru Ugaki (c) vs. SATOGLORY TAG CROWN
Chojiro Kitoaji & Eisaku Kunomasu (c) vs. Bussho Makiguchi & Tsurayuki KamachiINTERPROMOTIONAL WARFARE
RONIN VII (Joshua Taylor, Seiji Jimbo & Yuri Yoshihara) vs. The Syndicate (Eddie Chandler, Nate Johnson & Wolf Hawkins)GLORY TAG CROWN SHOT ON THE LINE
Kazushige Matsuki & Michio Gensai vs. BISON Yano & Brute Kikuchi.EIGHT-MAN TAG TEAM MATCH
Crimson Tigers (Kozue Kawashima, Shinji Mihara & Shogo Furuta) & Hiroaki Nakasawa vs. REBEL (Hirotsugu Satou, Magnum Kobe, Minoru Nakahata & Motoyuke Miyake).EIGHT-MAN TAG TEAM MATCH
RONIN VII (Akinori Kwakami, Avalanche Takano, Haranobu Kobayashi & Noriyori Sanda) defeated The North (Aaron Knight, George Wolfe, Mark Griffin & Robby Griffin).GRUDGE MATCH
Mutant vs. Yasunobu Masuno.Still very much enjoying this diary. Keep it up!
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THE PAYOFF
When I started PGHW, I had in my mind the first major milestone. It was not an attendance figure or a network deal. Nor was it a number in a bank account or a global award of recognition.
It was the end of Night of GLORY. Nobuatsu Tatsuko as the first Glory Crown champion of the new generation. The ending of one era and the transition to a new one. With Miwa, Mushashibo, Hoshino, Kunomasu and Inukai at the top of the card, and many more rising below them.
A prophecy fulfilled.
The company’s future looked bright, too. I had invested significant money in the SAISHO dojo, with two exciting trainees standing out. They would debut soon enough.
I was also hoping to convert the dojo into a small promotion to give more time and opportunities to graduates and young signings. Many were on excursion in Europe and Canada, but I hadn’t seen much progress. They needed something closer to home. Those plans were in the works.
The move to broadcasting on Emperor Choice boosted finances significantly and now there was no concern over the company’s health. I could afford to make some huge signings should the opportunity arise, but at this stage the roster was plenty strong enough.
The only bad news was the injury to Luis Figo Manico. Things looked serious there and I worried that when he returned, he might not be able to do many of the things that made him special.
That aside, my focus was on a positive road ahead. We had become the second biggest wrestling promotion in Japan. BHOTWG were still far ahead. For now. I had no particular issue with them, but it was a challenge I set for myself – to make PGHW number one.
(note to readers: the diary will return in January as I'm unable to post over the Christmas period. Happy holidays!)
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Predictions
DinoKea: 4/5
Old School Fan: 3/5And there it is. The end of WWL. Like with PWL, it lasted for two years in-game and a year and a half in "real" time. I think around that time is when I begin to run out of steam with the league format. Still, they are very enjoyable years. And I think in WWL, the arc had been completed - a new major star was unleashed upon the world, which was one of the big things I wanted to achieve.
Thank you to @DinoKea and @Old School Fan for predicting pretty much every single show, and to all those who have been reading along!
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Predictions
DinoKea: 3/3
Old School Fan: 2/3Cardiff Trophy 1978 Predictions
DinoKea: 22/31
Old School Fan: 13/27
The Blonde Bomber: 4/4Next Time:
Mikel de Sota vs. William Riley (CoC Qualifier)
Jacques Strapp vs. Kenny Maynard (CoC Qualifier)
Alexander Tomov vs. Angus McCloud (CoC Qualifier)
Daniel Whitman vs. Leo KingDe Sota / Riley vs. Strapp / Maynard vs. Tomov / McCloud
(Champion of Champions 1978)(Speeding up the posting schedule as I'll be away for the next few weeks and thought it would be nice to get the diary finished off. The final show, Champion of Champions, will go up at the weekend and will be the last ever show in the diary!)
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Night of GLORY 1999
Eisaku Hoshino vs. Shuji Inukai
Chuichi Sanda & Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) vs. Danger Kumasaka, Mamoru Nagahama & Yodo Nakane
Eisaku Kunomasu vs. Hito Ichihara
Hayate Hasegawa, Fukusaburu Inao and Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) vs. Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) and Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz)
Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo © for the Historical Japan title
Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) © vs. Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan for the Glory Tag Crown titles
Dread © vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko for the Glory Crown title
MATCH 1: Eisaku Hoshino vs. Shuji Inukai
Hoshino and Inukai’s rivalry in the last few months had gotten out of control. PGHW was founded on respect and honour, with “do the right thing” a key tenet instilled into all members of the roster.
For that reason, Hoshino and Inukai’s brawl after their match at Night of SUCCESS was shocking. It resulted in the pair receiving substantial fines.
But in the spirit of competition, they were granted one more match to settle who was the superior fighter. In their previous four matches in singles competition, they had each won two, with Inukai winning the most recent – the Night of SUCCESS match that triggered the brawl.
In both their two last matches, blood had been spilled and the winners had shown a refusal to give up under pressure. Yet rather than unite the two in mutual appreciation, the similarity in their abilities and approaches only served to create more division between them.
This opening match began with the crowd expecting chaos. But for the first couple of minutes, Inukai and Hoshino just circled each other. They had become wary. Too much was on the line for mistakes now, and neither wanted to be the first to make one.
Finally, Inukai took the initiative and charged forward, swinging with the Untouchable Lariat, a finishing move nobody had ever survived…
Hoshino dodged and caught Inukai in the Godzilla Plunge! He went for a pin. One…
Kick out! Inukai roared to his feet, shaking off the effects of Hoshino’s finisher and getting right in his face.
This triggered the outbreak of violence the fans had been expecting. Elbows, forearms, palm strikes, chops, kicks, knees and headbutts flew back and forth. Occasionally one of them executed a wrestling move, but that was rare.
The battle raged on, often spilling outside the ring. Both men ended up with blood on their face and massive red welts over their chest and neck area.
But no matter how hard they hit each other, neither man backed down. It became a test of will, a contest of who was toughest. Who could absorb the most violence. Because self-protection was out of the question. There was no defence.
Just eating what the other threw at you and trying to throw something bigger back.
The decisive moment of the match came when Hoshino had Inukai down on the mat, pounding him with vicious elbows.
Inukai struggled out from beneath and applied, to everyone’s surprise, a rear naked choke to the unsuspecting Hoshino.
Hoshino battled as hard as he could to get free. But Inukai’s grip was in too tight. Yet still Hoshino survived. He refused to submit, and through a mighty show of willpower and strength, he shrugged off the choke. He struggled to his knees, then his feet, then…
Untouchable Lariat!
That was it. The referee counted to three and the match was over.
Shuji Inukai won the match. However, the sight of Hoshino crumpled and bloody on the mat after giving everything he had down to the last fibre in his body must have changed something in Inukai’s mind.
The Untouchable one waited for Hoshino to regain his senses, then gave a curt bow to the defeated man. Hoshino nodded his head back.
Respect had been gained. Violence had been glorious.
MATCH 2: Chuichi Sanda & Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) vs. Danger Kumasaka, Mamoru Nagahama & Yodo Nakane
After the chaos of the opener, this trios match calmed the crowd and gave them some time to recover. Nagahama pinned Umehara to get the win.
MATCH 3: Eisaku Kunomasu vs. Hito Ichihara
When Eisaku Kunomasu pinned Hito Ichihara in a tag match at Night of EXCELLENCE, it was a watershed moment for the young man. A three count over one of the greatest of all time was a major achievement, and Ichihara recognised that.
Ichihara would have known that this wave of youngsters would surpass anything he and Koryusai Kitoaji ever achieved, but he wasn’t about to let them walk all over him. They had to earn their place in history. And the former Glory Crown champion still had plenty left in him.
The match was world class. It was already in serious contention for match of the year and rivalled Ichihara’s bout with Koryusai Kitoaji at Night of WRESTLING 1997 and the Elite Series 1998 final against Nobuatsu Tatsuko.
Kunomasu took things up another notch. He was unbelievable, delivering crisp, accurate, well-timed offence with ease, his icy demeanour hardly changing throughout.
Ichihara, on the other hand, showed grit in surviving Kunomasu’s offence. Then he turned things in his favour with improvisation and adaptability, his strongest traits. This level of experience and strategic know-how edged the match.
Ichihara hit a Brain Drop Suplex to get the win. However, the fans were more impressed with Kunomasu and how far he had come in the last three years – his first three years as a wrestler.
MATCH 4: Hayate Hasegawa, Fukusaburu Inao and Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) vs. Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) and Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz)
An eight-man tag saw four tag teams collide. Raymond Diaz got the winning pinfall, hitting a Too Hot to Handle on Hasegawa, and Team STRENGTH RUSH looked in a good position to make another shot at the Glory Tag Crown titles.
MATCH 5: Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo © for the Historical Japan title
This match was Mushashibo’s first defence of the Historical Japan title since winning it six weeks ago from Eisaku Kunomasu. He received criticism for not defending it at Night of EXCELLENCE or Night of SUCCESS, but putting it on the line against Kitoaji and promising to defend it on tour shows subsequently turned the tide of opinion slightly back in his favour.
Assuming he defeated Kitoaji. Surprisingly, he was the favourite to do so, which is something nobody would have though at year ago. A combination of Mushashibo’s rapid ascent and Kitoaji’s recent decline meant that Mushashibo had pinned the legend on two occasions in the year so far.
Kitoaji wanted revenge. And he wasted no time trying to get it. His impactful offence was hard for Mushashibo to deal with at first. The youngster clearly wanted to get into some grappling but Kitoaji refused.
Mushashibo survived. His body had grown tough in the last couple of years. Still lean and sinewy enough to move with the grace of a panther, but now sufficiently durable to absorb Kitoaji’s punishment.
When Kitoaji tired (as he tended to do earlier and earlier), Mushashibo took control. Instead of slowing the pace, though, he increased it while maintaining control over Kitoaji. It was magnificent to watch the artist at work.
He drew curves on the mat and etched lyrics on Kitoaji’s body. His movement had rhythm and his moves blended in a dazzling array of colour.
To finish his masterpiece, Mushashibo applied the Yoshimi Lock, altering the position of his body to prevent Kitoaji’s escape. Kitoaji hung on for a couple of minutes before weakly tapping out.
History resounded through New Shiga Stadium. Mushashibo had just forced the great Koryusai Kitoaji to submit.
In doing so, he defended the Historical Japan title successfully and nobody could deny what he had achieved. The only question was, how far could he go?
MATCH 6: Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) © vs. Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan for the Glory Tag Crown titles
Tommy Cornell had been in PGHW for less than six months, but already he’d established himself as a superstar in the making. His performances had impressed Danger Kumasaka who, as a mentor of Walter Morgan, had brought the two young Englishmen together as a tag team.
A couple of wins later and they’d earned themselves a title shot.
Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly), meanwhile, were edging closer to the nine-month record reign held by Team STRENGTH RUSH.
A victory here would put them at eight months, tying Ichihara & Nagahama’s reign and placing them just a month behind the record. At this stage, they wanted no slipups. And to be fair to them, they had been in excellent form, consistently delighting PGHW fans with impressive performances.
And they needed one here. Cornell and Morgan brought their very best. Morgan was a supremely talented mat wrestler, whose tight holds and painful submissions could best anyone’s. However, he had always been undone by the fact he was very one-dimensional.
Cornell, on the other hand, wasn’t quite as good technically, but could throw and strike well enough to compete against all opponents. This versatility hid Morgan’s weaknesses and allowed him to emphasise his strengths.
And on another day, they could have beaten Team MYTHOS. The trouble was, Mito Miwa was in an imperious mood, shrugging off everything thrown at him. McFly brought unlimited energy and desire, turning difficult situations into advantages for his own team.
Miwa hit the Pride Bomber on Morgan to win the match and retain the Glory Tag Crown titles.
The bout supplanted Team MYTHOS’s match against Strike Force last month as the best PGHW tag match of the year, and many considered it even better than their match against Team Dynasty.
Once again, Mito Miwa and Sean McFly brought the tag division to new heights.
MATCH 7: Dread © vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko for the Glory Crown
Nobuatsu Tatsuko’s Elite Series victory in March earned him a shot at Dread’s Glory Crown.
The last time they met, at Night of RESPECT in January, Tatsuko fell just short. And at last year’s Night of GLORY, he also suffered defeat while challenging for the Glory Crown. He had gone on record saying this was his redemption moment.
Dread hadn’t been quite so vocal. His two-year reign of dominance came to a screeching halt when Yoshimi Mushashibo defeated him in the semi-final of the Elite Series in part due to a back injury.
Dread took some time off to heal. This frustrated Tatsuko who had done away with patience and for two months had rampaged through the roster.
Now Dread was at full strength, there were no excuses.
Tatsuko attacked Dread with full force at the start of the match. He caught the big man off guard and immediately got him off his feet. It was an electric way to begin the match, and he followed up by going for the Tatsuko Driller. He couldn’t quite get Dread up to hit it, but the intent was there, and the champion looked in real trouble.
But Dread had been around for decades. He knew how to deal with that kind of thing. He survived the early flurry and powered his way into the match. His immense strength and superior size soon gave him the advantage and Tatsuko found himself on the end of several big powerbombs and chokeslams.
For a long while Dread stayed in charge. He kept the pace relatively slow, knowing that at high speed, he’d get tired long before Tatsuko.
That was something Tatsuko knew, too, and tried to exploit. He battled back and upped the pace. Tatsuko shone here, delivering some impressive suplexes to Dread and chopping his legs from underneath him.
Then he went for the Tatsuko Driller again… he couldn’t get it done. He had Dread off the ground and in position, but his legs trembled for a moment, allowing Dread to escape. And counter. Into a Dread Bomb. One…Two…
Kick out! Tatsuko survived the move. Only to get hit by a Dreadsault! One…Two…
Kick out again! Tatsuko somehow got his shoulder up! The two moves that had beaten him at Night of RESPECT didn’t put him away this time.
Dread couldn’t believe it. But he didn’t lose focus. Instead, he went for another Dread Bomb… Tatsuko escaped, tripped Dread and tried to roll him up! One…Two…
Kickout! Dread survived by a fraction of a second. Tatsuko struggled to his feet. Dread rushed at him… Tatsuko picked him up into the Tatsuko Driller… his legs trembled, his knees wobbled, his whole core threatened to collapse…
But this was his time. This was his redemption. He was the iron man and iron would not buckle. It would hold. Veins popped out of every muscle, but he kept Dread up… then drilled him down. Tatsuko Driller! One…Two…
Three! Nobuatsu Tatsuko pinned Dread to become the new Glory Crown champion!
Another monumental victory. The first young star to earn the Glory Crown. Tatsuko was so exhausted he could barely stand to celebrate, but the 42,000 fans in the stadium helped him rise to his feet and hold the biggest prize above his head.
At last, he had done it.
Conclusion
Night of GLORY was a show packed full of memorable matches. Inukai and Hoshino’s wild battle, Ichihara’s narrow victory over a rapidly rising Kunomasu, Mushashibo’s stunning submission of Koryusai Kitoaji, another fantastic tag match and, of course, Tatsuko’s glorious crowning.
Match of the night belonged to Ichihara and Kunomasu. The Glory Tag Crown match was most people’s pick for second, followed by Mushashibo vs. Kitoaji.
The main event, while a massive moment for Tatsuko, was a very good match but a step below the others.
After the match, Nobuatsu Tatsuko spoke about his victory.
Tatsuko: It’s been just under three years since PGHW opened. Many of us have been here since the very start, growing and improving alongside the company.
Some say that PGHW was founded on two men, Koryusai Kitoaji and Hito Ichihara. But I would argue that is wrong. First, there was a third man – Dread. Without him, PGHW would not be where it is today. In the past eighteen months, I have defeated Hito Ichihara, Koryusai Kitoaji and Dread.
They were the foundation.
And secondly, there were the four pillars of PGHW. The Pride – Mito Miwa, the Glory – Nobuatsu Tatsuko, the Honour – Shuji Inukai and the Wrestling – Yoshimi Mushashibo.
All four of us have won tonight. We will never forget the foundations upon which we are built, but now it is time to look up and around. Time to plan to construct this great edifice that will house so much history and glory.
I sit here with the Glory Crown. Finally. The transition is over. Now a new era begins.
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Predictions
DinoKea: 3/4
Old School Fan: 2/4Cardiff Trophy 1978 Predictions
DinoKea: 19/28
Old School Fan: 11/24
The Blonde Bomber: 4/4Next Time:
Jacques Strapp vs. Mikel de Sota (Relegation Playoff)
Angus McCloud vs. Leo King
Alexander Tomov vs. Kenny Maynard (Cardiff Trophy) -
ELITE TAG SERIES PREDICTION CONTEST
2022 Elite Tag Series Winner: MUTANT & YASUNOBU MASUNO
2022 Elite Tag Series Runner-Up: BISON YANO & BRUTE KIKUCHI
Most Points (Group Stage): MUTANT & YASUNOBU MASUNO
Will any team end up with zero points?: (Bonus point: If so, who?). YES: The Lions of Japan
Biggest Surprise Package: The American Cobras
Biggest Upset: Kawashima & Nakasawa not doing great
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In the last month or so, I've been running long-term simulations of a near-empty database starting way back in time to see what organically emerged. After some tweaking to get some good set up and a few randomly generated companies working, I noticed a few things that put the game well out of balance.
First, all companies, no matter their size, invest heavily in merchandise infrastructure, getting it up to World Class. This earns them silly amounts of money, and even small/tiny companies had multiple tens of millions of dollars in the bank, despite having pretty low-level stars.
Secondly, companies tended to hold on to a LOT of older stars. Either as wrestlers who wouldn't retire, or as managers. Some promotions, about medium size, had a roster of 60-70 people, with 20-30 of them as retired wrestlers who were kept on as managers, despite not necessarily having the skills. None of them became road agents.
Thirdly, generated workers seemed to have a high incidence of extremely negative personalities (bully, scumbag, etc.) but very few actually got into any scandals or incidents, despite having randomness on High.
Of course, I completely understand that very long term saves are extremely rare, so these things hardly affect anyone at all. But I thought it would be helpful to share what I have discovered so we can all understand it better!
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Night of GLORY 1999 Match Card
Eisaku Hoshino vs. Shuji Inukai
Chuichi Sanda & Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) vs. Danger Kumasaka, Mamoru Nagahama & Yodo Nakane
Eisaku Kunomasu vs. Hito Ichihara
Hayate Hasegawa, Fukusaburu Inao and Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) vs. Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) and Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz)
Koryusai Kitoaji vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo © for the Historical Japan title
Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) © vs. Tommy Cornell & Walter Morgan for the Glory Tag Crown titles
Dread © vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko for the Glory Crown title
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A CHANCE AT REDEMPTION
The last twelve months had been a rollercoaster ride for Nobuatsu Tatsuko. Winning the Elite Series in 1998 was a high, followed by the low of losing to Koryusai Kitoaji in his first Glory Crown match at Night of GLORY.
He fought back to the top, though, defeating Kitoaji at Night of WRESTLING and getting himself a shot at the Glory Crown again, this time against Dread. But for a second time, in a title match, he fell short.
Now, with another Elite Series tournament victory to his name, he had an opportunity to redeem himself. To put those title failures behind him and finally get his hands on the biggest prize.
A third title shot was guaranteed. Dread was the reigning champion. But during the Elite Series, Dread had injured his back – something that allowed Yoshimi Mushashibo to defeat him in the semi-final.
This injury ruled Dread out of action for a short while. Not long enough for him to have to relinquish the Glory Crown, but enough that Tatsuko would have to wait to get his title shot. The trouble was, Nobuatsu Tatsuko was done waiting. He wanted his glory straight away.
Night of FORTITUDE, April 1999
In a main event trios match, Nobuatsu Tatsuko teamed with Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) against two former Glory Crown champions, Hito Ichihara and Koryusai Kitoaji as well as Eisaku Hoshino.
It was a superb match. Evident to all watching at home or in the crowd was how far the younger wrestlers had advanced over the last few years, now able to outshine the decorated legends they shared the ring with.
Tatsuko was in a fiery mood. Unable to get his Glory Crown shot, he took it out on all three of his opponents, particularly Koryusai Kitoaji.
Kitoaji encouraged the violence. He had revealed after Night of WRESTLING that he had manipulated Tatsuko into this state of mind. Tatsuko wasn’t about to thank him for it, though.
The match ended with Yoshimi Mushashibo pinning Kitoaji, with the latter trying to escape a Yoshimi Lock but ending up trapped in a pinfall.
It was a huge moment for Mushashibo – something that Tatsuko didn’t care to share, instead walking off once the match was over, leaving his team mates to celebrate alone.
Night of POWER, April 1999
Nobuatsu Tatsuko took on Chuichi Sanda in a one-sided affair. Sanda did well to survive as long as he did because Tatsuko showed him no mercy.
It was a battering. A sequence of devastating moves all executed with aggressive precision, and a Tatsuko Driller got the victory.
Again, Tatsuko didn’t celebrate. He stalked to the back, clearly still frustrated that he wasn’t getting his Glory Crown title shot.
Night of EXCELLENCE, May 1999
Danger Kumasaka had the misfortune of facing Nobuatsu Tatsuko with the youngster still bringing the deadly mixture of a foul mood and exceptional form.
Kumasaka tried to slow Tatsuko down and wrap him up in some holds, but Tatsuko was having none of it. He powered out of submissions and pummelled Kumasaka until the Tatsuko Driller finished him off.
After the show, Dread announced his injury issues had nearly cleared up. He would be available to wrestle at Night of SUCCESS, but preferred to take part in a tag or trios match as he wouldn’t quite be one hundred percent.
He guaranteed that he would face Tatsuko at Night of GLORY. Tatsuko took the news with a mixture of excitement and frustration. He would get his match soon, but not soon enough. Night of GLORY was a month away and he’d have to contain his rage until then. No easy feat.
Night of SUCCESS, May 1999
A huge trios match took place at Night of SUCCESS with Nobuatsu Tatsuko teaming with Eisaku Kunomasu and Yoshimi Mushashibo to face Dread, Hito Ichihara and Koryusai Kitoaji.
It was Dread’s first in-ring appearance since his loss to Mushashibo in the Elite Series semi-final, and he looked in pretty good shape. He made sure not to overexert his back, but was still able to execute most of his moves without issue.
However, his reluctance to fully commit himself may have been the deciding factor, as his team lost. Nobuatsu Tatsuko was on fire. He had kept that anger and desire to win under control, bubbling away, ready to unleash at the right moment.
His full commitment allowed his team to get the victory, with Tatsuko himself getting the pin on Hito Ichihara.
It was a huge moment as three of the young rising stars overcame three of the original main-eventers.
At the post-match press conference, Tatsuko spoke with passion.
Tatsuko: There’s no hiding now. Not for me, not for Dread. He can’t avoid me any longer. And I can’t avoid my fate any longer. I’ve tried twice already to get the Glory Crown. It was Night of GLORY last year I lost to Kitoaji. And the second time, I lost to Dread.
Now I will face Dread at Night of GLORY and this time, I will emerge victorious. I am unstoppable. I am iron. I am Nobuatsu Tatsuko!
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Predictions
DinoKea: 0/4
Old School Fan: 0/4Well that was unpredictable!
Cardiff Trophy 1978 Predictions
DinoKea: 16/24
Old School Fan: 9/20
The Blonde Bomber: 4/4Next Time:
Alexander Tomov vs. Jacques Strapp
Daniel Whitman vs. Mikel de Sota
Angus McCloud vs. Leo King
Kenny Maynard vs. William Riley-
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THE ARTIST AND THE LORD
Two wrestlers took their craft up a level in early 1999, seeing a remarkable rise in success and renown.
The first was Eisaku Kunomasu. The “Lord of Strong Style” began wrestling at the inception of PGHW, meaning he only had three years of experience under his belt. But you wouldn’t know that from looking at his achievements so far.
He had already won the Glory Tag Crown as part of Team EXPLOSION alongside Eisaku Hoshino. The pair had also reached an Elite Tag Series final.
And more recently, Kunomasu became Historical Japan champion, beating Hoshino at Night of WRESTLING in December 1998. Since then, he had defended his belt against serious competitors like Yodo Nakane and Shuji Inukai. Things were looking bright for the Lord of Strong Style.
The other wrestler on the way up was Yoshimi Mushashibo. There had never been any doubts about Mushashibo’s talents. He was one of the finest technical wrestlers in the world with an air of grace and style that earned him the nickname “The Artist”.
He had also seen success in the tag division as part of Team Dynasty alongside Shuji Inukai. They won the inaugural Elite Series in 1997 and held the Glory Tag Crown titles shortly after that.
But Mushashibo’s individual success had been limited. Until 1999 he was yet to make a serious dent in the singles division of the company. But at the Elite Series 1999, that changed. He defeated Koryusai Kitoaji in the block stage, then got a shocking victory over Dread in the semi-final stage.
It was Dread’s first singles loss in two years. Mushashibo came unstuck against Nobuatsu Tatsuko in the final, but it was clear the Artist had taken his drive to the next level.
So Kunomasu and Mushashibo had improved. But had they risen to the level where they could take consistently take the place of legends like Kitoaji, Ichihara and Dread?
Night of FORTITUDE, April 1999
Eisaku Kunomasu defended his Historical Japan title against Danger Kumasaka. Kunomasu had promised to give a title shot to anyone who beat him in the Elite Series, and Kumasaka took him up on that.
The veteran Kumasaka used all his technique and experience, but couldn’t overcome the direct precision of Kunomasu, who hit the Launching Knee Strike to retain.
In the main event of the show, Yoshimi Mushashibo teamed up with his regular tag partner Shuji Inukai and the man who defeated Mushashibo in the Elite Series final, Nobuatsu Tatsuko.
They took on Eisaku Hoshino, Hito Ichihara and Koryusai Kitoaji. It was a spectacular match with all six men showing why they were main event stars.
But the end of the match was most memorable, with Mushashibo applying the Yoshimi Lock to Koryusai Kitoaji. Kitoaji managed to wriggle out, but Mushashibo switched it into a pinning situation that got the three count.
Kitoaji looked angry that Mushashibo had beaten him again.
After the show, Mushashibo said that it was time he got his opportunity at Kunomasu’s Historical Japan title, as he had also defeated the champion during the Elite Series.
Night of POWER, April 1999
For only the second time ever, the Historical Japan title main-evented a major show. Eisaku Kunomasu defended against Yoshimi Mushashibo.
It was a great match. The best in the belt’s PGHW history. It was really a representation of the improvement both men had made, and an exciting clash of styles.
Kunomasu’s precise strikes and perfect execution had overcome the technician Danger Kumasaka at the last show, but Mushashibo’s slick grace and fluid movement proved to be a greater challenge.
And when Mushashibo got the Yoshimi Lock fully applied, there was no escape for Kunomasu who, after exerting himself for a long time to try to get free, had to tap out.
Yoshimi Mushashibo became the new Historical Japan champion!
Night of EXCELLENCE, May 1999
Yoshimi Mushashibo and Eisaku Kunomasu once again main-evented a major show. This time, they were on the same team, facing Hito Ichihara and Koryusai Kitoaji.
Kitoaji was looking for revenge against Mushashibo, who had pinned him twice in the last couple of months.
Meanwhile, Kunomasu was hoping to bounce back after dropping the Historical Japan title. He did exactly that, being the star of the show and pinning Hito Ichihara with a Launching Knee Strike.
The victory was another resounding blow from the young talents towards the old guard. Hito Ichihara congratulated Kunomasu on his victory, but suggested the result might be different in a singles match.
Mushashibo, however, was criticised for not defending the Historical Japan title at the show. And when it was announced that at Night of SUCCESS the belt would not be on the line, many fans complained that he was not living up to the expectations of a Historical Japan champion.
Night of SUCCESS, May 1999
For the third time in a row, Eisaku Kunomasu and Yoshimi Mushashibo were last on the card, in the biggest match of all. They took part in a trios match. Again, they were on the same team and this time joined by Nobuatsu Tatsuko.
They faced Dread, Hito Ichihara and Koryusai Kitoaji.
It was a spectacle. Nobuatsu Tatsuko made the biggest impact, but Mushashibo and Kunomasu’s interactions with Kitoaji and Ichihara respectively had fans excited for more matches between them.
Tatsuko got the youngsters the victory, pinning Hito Ichihara after a Tatsuko Driller.
After the show, Kunomasu and Ichihara agreed to a singles match at Night of GLORY, while Yoshimi Mushashibo was eloquent in the press conference.
Mushashibo: I understand that the Historical Japan title carries with it a level of expectation and I have not lived up to that in the last month. For that I apologise. I will endeavour to uphold the standards of the belt in the coming months.
For that reason, I will offer a title shot to anyone who wishes one, both at the biggest events and on tour. I promise that soon it will be defended at every single PGHW show until someone defeats me.
First, though, I wish to offer Koryusai Kitoaji a chance at history. I have always respected his determination and believe that he is the first who should challenge for the title. That match will happen at Night of GLORY. I am confident that I will win and in doing so prove to you all that I am a worthy champion.
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TAG CROWN DRIVE
Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) were well on their way to reaching the record for longest Glory Tag Crown reign set by Team STRENGTH RUSH at nine months. They had reached five months already, and defeated almost every regular team on the roster.
Given the strength of the tag division at the time, that was no mean feat. But there were still four months to go. Plus, with the tag belts defended on most major shows, that meant there was plenty of work still to be done.
Meanwhile, other members of the roster were considering tag competition as a route to potential glory, just like Mito Miwa and Sean McFly had done.
That meant more obstacles for the champions, and fresh competition.
Night of FORTITUDE, April 1999
Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) took on a low-level team in Hayate Hasegawa & Fukusaburu Inao for the Glory Tag Crown. The match was made mostly because there were few other teams remaining for the champions to beat.
Hasegawa was a tag specialist hoping to nurture Inao’s talents. Inao had definitely improved in the last year or so, but still had a long way to go. He was pinned by Sean McFly after a delightful Delorean Driver.
After the show, Hito Ichihara & Mamoru Nagahama decided they would reunite their tag team for another bid at the Glory Tag Crown, making a direct challenge to Team MYTHOS.
Also on the show, Tommy Cornell defeated Walter Morgan in singles competition. It was a pretty good match for the two young Englishmen, showcasing both their technical talents.
Cornell’s impressive start to life in PGHW continued, and Walter Morgan didn’t seem upset by the victory. In fact, he and Cornell chatted on the way to the back, with Danger Kumasaka (who had been in Morgan’s corner) joining in.
Night of POWER, April 1999
Danger Kumasaka tested Tommy Cornell’s skills in-ring. He was clearly impressed with Cornell’s victory over Walter Morgan, and he came out of this match even more so.
Kumasaka got the victory eventually, using his decades of experience to manipulate Cornell into the Aurora Surfboard Vice, but there was a sense of excitement in the veteran’s eyes as he shook Cornell’s hand afterwards.
Later in the show, Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) defended the Glory Tag Crown against the team they won it from, Hito Ichihara & Mamoru Nagahama.
Nagahama’s slight improvement in the last six months mirrored Ichihara’s minor decline in physicality, meaning the pair were slightly more equal now. Still, equality wasn’t enough to win.
Mito Miwa hit the Pride Bomber on Nagahama for another title defence, meaning they would extend their reign to six months.
Night of EXCELLENCE, May 1999
Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall) had shown they were ready for another Glory Tag Crown shot with some good victories in the last month. They challenged Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) for the belts.
It was a competitive match and arguably one of the best tag matches in PGHW history, second only to Team MYTHOS’s victory over Team Dynasty at Night of WRESTLING 1998.
Ultimately, the champions retained when McFly hit the Delorean Driver on Dino Maldini.
There was more tag action on the show, though, as Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan teamed up to face Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara).
Cornell and Morgan’s slick wrestling overwhelmed Boundary 97 and Cornell got the victory with a Guilt Trip on Matsunaga. In their first outing, the young Brits got a good win. Danger Kumasaka looked on, obviously quite pleased with their performance.
Night of SUCCESS, May 1999
Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan tagged again. They had enjoyed the first outing together, and they hoped to repeat it against Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara).
They didn’t disappoint. This time it was Walter Morgan who shone, getting the submission victory on Okazawaya with his Wigan Wrench.
Later on, Team MYTHOS (Mito Miwa & Sean McFly) successfully defended the Glory Tag Crown titles against the pair of Chuichi Sanda and Yodo Nakane. The challengers had tagged on and off since their miserable performance at the Elite Tag Series in 1998, and now finally got a shot at the gold. They failed. Miwa hit the Pride Bomber on Nakane to win.
After the match, Danger Kumasaka made an appearance with Morgan and Cornell. He spoke to Team MYTHOS in the arena.
Kumasaka: I understand that you are fighting champions. You have defeated every other team in PGHW in an impressive reign. I congratulate you.
But I present to you a new force. Two of the best wrestlers in-the-making, two men who have impressed me no end during the last couple of months, and two competitors I believe deserve a shot at the Glory Tag Crown titles.
And don’t think they’ll be an easy match. Tommy Cornell and Walter Morgan are no joke and, if you’re not careful, they’ll cut your reign short before you reach any sort of record!
Miwa and McFly didn’t waste any time agreeing to the match, and the fixture was made for Night of GLORY.
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Predictions
DinoKea: 4/4
Old School Fan: 2/4Cardiff Trophy 1978 Predictions
DinoKea: 16/20
Old School Fan: 9/16
The Blonde Bomber: 4/4Next Time:
Angus McCloud vs. Jacques Strapp
Daniel Whitman vs. Leo King
Alexander Tomov vs. Kenny Maynard
Mikel de Sota vs. William Riley-
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GLORY IN VIOLENCE
PGHW was home to wrestlers with a variety of in-ring styles. From the power of Dread to the skill of Danger Kumasaka, from relentless impact of Nobuatsu Tatsuko to the careful strategy of Luis Figo Manico, the conflict of these approaches plays a large part in what made the company shine.
Some wrestlers, though, just liked to fight. They cared little for tactics or technique. They weren’t the strongest, the fastest or the cleverest.
Instead, they used sheer violence and tenacity to overcome their foes. A mindset based on a willingness to get hit and hit back harder.
Two wrestlers personified that approach in their own unique ways.
Shuji Inukai had gained a reputation for being able to take serious punishment and always get back up. He was proud, aggressive and refused to give in. He may have been more famous for the devastating Untouchable Lariat that nobody ever kicked out of, but his opponents respected him more for the fact he could take all the punishment they inflicted on him and not give up.
Eisaku Hoshino had a similar ability to withstand pain. The difference between him and Inukai was that while Inukai maintained a grim, tight-lipped focus, Hoshino was wild. He scrapped and tore, battling for every single moment like a caged wolverine.
His tenacity was becoming legendary. He eschewed pretty technique and the precise delivery of his tag partner Eisaku Kunomasu and instead went at his opponents with an untampered ferocity.
PGHW fans had seen Hoshino and Inukai do battle before, mostly in tag matches. During those encounters, their wild violence had been diluted by the grace of Yoshimi Mushashibo and the iciness of Kunomasu.
In previous head-to-head singles competition, they had a win apiece. Hoshino defeated Inukai in October 1998 to retain the Historical Japan title, while Inukai scored a victory in the block stage of the Elite Series 1999.
But as the fates decided, the pair would face off again, and the results would be glory in violence.
Night of FORTITUDE, April 1999
In the main event of Night of FORTITUDE, Shuji Inukai teamed up with his regular tag partner Yoshimi Mushashibo and Nobuatsu Tatsuko to face Eisaku Hoshino, Hito Ichihara and Koryusai Kitoaji.
The star-studded match had plenty of memorable moments with Mushashibo pinning Kitoaji, but one encounter that fans enjoyed was when Shuji Inukai and Eisaku Hoshino shared the ring together.
All the patient wrestling and deliberate striking from the other members of both teams was cast aside when Inukai whacked Hoshino in the jaw with a massive elbow strike.
This set Hoshino’s temper aflame, and he reacted with a forearm shot in response. For the next three minutes, the two of them let loose a cavalcade of angry blows before Ichihara tagged himself in, replacing Hoshino.
After the match, Inukai, whose team had won, walked up to Hoshino and made a gesture and mouthed some words which nobody could quite make out.
Hoshino understood, though, and took it with the amount of grace and calmness you’d expect from him - that being none at all. He charged at Inukai, but Kitoaji and Ichihara, plus some officials, held him back. After a few seconds, his body calmed, but anger raged in his eyes.
Night of POWER, April 1999
It was only natural that Eisaku Hoshino and Shuji Inukai would face off in the ring again, this time in singles competition. It was the best way for them to resolve their differences.
The match began with the wild frenzy seen in the trios match at the previous show. Within two minutes, Hoshino’s nose was busted open and blood poured down his face.
Such a frantic pace slowed somewhat, and Inukai took control. He launched Hoshino across and around the ring with powerful suplexes and powerbombs.
Hoshino was in a real bad way. But he refused to give up. He fought back into the match with a bloodied savagery, swinging wildly at Inukai until the connections started to do some real damage.
Inukai was reeling and Hoshino saw his moment – he hit the Godzilla Plunge to get the three count!
Hoshino won and celebrated like a madman. When Inukai came to, he seethed and for a moment, looked like he might attack Hoshino, but his legs gave out from beneath him.
Nonetheless, it seemed this rivalry was far from over.
Night of EXCELLENCE, May 1999
Shuji Inukai partnered with Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) to take on Eisaku Hoshino and Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara).
The brief moments when Inukai and Hoshino shared the ring were fleeting flurries of viciousness before the other competitors took over.
Inukai’s team got the victory thanks to a Too Hot to Handle from Team STRENGTH RUSH on Harumi Okazawaya.
After the match, Inukai walked up to Hoshino and got in his face. The pair didn’t come to blows, but words were exchanged and shortly after, a second match between them was announced for Night of SUCCESS.
Night of SUCCESS, May 1999
Eisaku Hoshino and Shuji Inukai faced off in singles competition again.
This time, the start of the match was no different – a rush of savagery that resulted in Shuji Inukai bleeding from his forehead.
Hoshino was on fire. He picked up where he left off their last singles encounter, a lashing, flailing windmill of danger. Inukai took hit after hit, getting knocked down and the strength sapped from his core.
But Inukai would not give up. Blood now streaming down his face, he surged back into contention, catching Hoshino off guard. It became one-way traffic as Inukai landed big move after big move, until he connected with the Untouchable Lariat which put Hoshino away.
Inukai took a while to recover, then got his hand raised. But whether he was knocked senseless by the Untouchable Lariat or couldn’t accept his defeat, Hoshino charged at Inukai and tackled him to the ground.
The match may have ended, but the brawl continued. The pair tumbled out of the ring where fists flew and heads clashed. Hoshino was bleeding now, too, and, when they crashed into the timekeeper’s area and commentary booth, they left a trail of carnage the like of which had never been seen before in PGHW.
Officials flooded them both, dragging them apart. That didn’t stop the incensed pair trying to get at each other, though, and more than a few officials found themselves on the end of wild strikes.
Finally, enough bodies separated the two that control was restored and both Inukai and Hoshino were escorted away from ringside. It was later announced that both men would be fined for their actions.
Another announcement came in shortly after. Despite the ugly scenes and the appalling behaviour from both men, it seemed clear that their issues were not resolved. So, at Night of GLORY, they would have one more match to settle things once and for all.
At 2 wins apiece over the last half a year, this was the rubber match. The decider. The bout that would decide who was the king of violence in PGHW.
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On 12/2/2023 at 12:57 PM, Scottie said:
Shocked by that outcome! Gives Dread a couple of huge challengers, though - and what a way for Mushashibo to make a name for himself.
On 12/1/2023 at 1:02 AM, monrapi3 said:Now, that is an upset. Even at defeat, Mushashibo left Night of PRIDE '99 as a potential Glory Crown holder. His defeat to Tatsuko ain't hindering him when he's the one to finally end that streak of Dread.
Considering Tatsuko was going to win the thing and get that boost, I thought why not give the rub to someone else? And Mushashibo was right there! Also, I wanted to hold off on the Dread vs. Tatsuko rematch.
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Night of PRIDE 1999
Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko in Semi Final 1 of the Elite Series
Dread vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo in Semi Final 2 of the Elite Series
Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) and Walter Morgan vs. Hayate Hasegawa, Fukusaburu Inao and Yodo Nakane
Hito Ichihara, Mamoru Nagahama and Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) vs. Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) and Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall)
Eisaku Kunomasu © vs. Shuji Inukai for the Historical Japan title
Danger Kumasaka, Eisaku Hoshino and Kazuo Mitsushi vs. Koryusai Kitoaji, Sean McFly and Tommy Cornell
Winner of Semi Final 1 vs. Winner of Semi Final 2 for the Elite Series Trophy
As usual, Night of PRIDE was dominated by the climax of the Elite Series, with four men hoping to get their hands on the prestigious prize.
The rest of the card was filled with big tag matches featuring members of all levels of the roster as well as a Historical Japan title match.
MATCH 1: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko in Semi Final 1 of the Elite Series
Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Mito Miwa faced in this exact fixture in the 1998 instalment of the Elite Series, with Tatsuko coming out on top that time. He later went on to win the whole tournament.
Miwa was out for revenge. He had risen in the PGHW ranks thanks to his impressive tag achievements as one half of Team MYTHOS, but a win here would see him really break out in singles competition.
Tatsuko, on the other hand, was on another level since defeating Koryusai Kitoaji at Night of WRESTLING. He had fallen short of defeating Dread at Night of RESPECT, but vowed to get right back in the title picture as soon as possible. Beating Miwa would do just that.
In another great match, they went back and forth, trading their biggest shots, but in the end it was Tatsuko who got the victory with the Tatsuko Driller.
MATCH 2: Dread vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo in Semi Final 2 of the Elite Series
It had been exactly two years since Dread last lost a singles match. At Night of PRIDE 1997, Koryusai Kitoaji defeated him to defend the Glory Crown.
In that time, Mushashibo had grown from a technical starlet into a serious competitor, regularly putting in outstanding performances, and, this year, getting out of the Blocks of the Elite Series for the first time.
But nobody expected him to win.
He tried his best, though. He knew Dread was suffering a minor injury to the back, so he went to work, gracefully floating around the big American, using leverage and momentum in his favour.
He applied several holds that caused Dread visible pain. This enraged the Glory Crown champion, who fought back with a powerful vengeance. When he hit a Dread Bomb it looked all over for Mushashibo, but the youngster kicked out!
Then Dread went for the Dreadsault… missed and landed on the injured back! Mushashibo capitalised and applied the Yoshimi Lock, wrenching Dread’s spine upwards and back…
Dread tapped out!!
Mushashibo defeated Dread in what had to be called a massive upset. He moved on to the final to face Nobuatsu Tatsuko.
MATCH 3: Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) and Walter Morgan vs. Hayate Hasegawa, Fukusaburu Inao and Yodo Nakane
The first of several big tag matches was a good run out for some of the lower card workers. Nakane let his team to victory, pinning Go Matsunaga.
MATCH 4: Hito Ichihara, Mamoru Nagahama & Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) vs. Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) and Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall)
Four teams competed in the second big tag match. Many expected the team of two former Glory Tag Crown teams to win, but Pistol Pete Hall pulled of the second big shock of the night, getting the pinfall victory on Lee Wright after a Pistol Whip Lariat.
MATCH 5: Eisaku Kunomasu © vs. Shuji Inukai for the Historical Japan title
Eisaku Kunomasu promised he would give anyone who defeated him in the Elite Series a shot at the Historical Japan title. Shuji Inukai was the first to take him up on the offer.
Inukai was by far Kunomasu’s most dangerous opponent yet, and many had him down as the favourite to win. But Inukai couldn’t replicate his tag partner Mushashibo’s success, as he fell to a devastating Launching Knee Strike after a great match.
MATCH 6: Danger Kumasaka, Eisaku Hoshino and Kazuo Mitsushi vs. Koryusai Kitoaji, Sean McFly and Tommy Cornell
The third big tag match had the most famous names, with Koryusai Kitoaji, Eisaku Hoshino and Danger Kumasaka involved.
Despite the wealth of stars around him, Tommy Cornell didn’t look out of place. He had enjoyed a better-than-expected first Elite Series and his natural superstar aura helped him standout in a field of top guys.
The result of the match was given away by the presence of Kazuo Matsushi. It was inevitable that he would lose the match, and after Cornell put in his good performance, Koryusai Kitoaji finished it off with a Kitoaji Braindrop to Mitsushi.
MATCH 7: Nobuatsu Tatsuko vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo for the Elite Series
It had come. The big one.
Last year’s victor Nobuatsu Tatsuko hoped to get his name engraved on the trophy a second time. He had shown great form all tournament, going unbeaten and only dropping two points in time-limit draws. Going into the tournament, he had much better odds than Mushashibo.
That was made worse when Tatsuko defeated Mushashibo in the opening round. But since then, Mushashibo went on a winning run, picking up the two points in his six remaining matches and earlier in the night stunning Dread to get to the final.
That victory had people believing he could go on and defeat Tatsuko. Others thought he might be too tired after the effort he had put in during that epic semi-final.
It was clear from the very start Mushashibo wanted to keep a steady pace. He kept his distance and initiated grapples whenever possible. Tatsuko wanted the exact opposite. He could keep up a fast rhythm for much longer than Mushashibo, and it favoured his intense style.
This battle of strategies played out for nearly twenty minutes. Tatsuko was frustrated at Mushashibo’s stalling, while Mushashibo struggled to contain Tatsuko’s explosiveness.
When Mushashibo got in his groove, things looked bad for Tatsuko. A sequence of painful holds and submissions wore down Tatsuko, often being locked in for several minutes at a time.
The crowd grew frustrated. They wanted to see Tatsuko on a rampage.
Finally, they got it. Tatsuko broke free of an armbar and roared to his feet, sending the weary crowd into raptures. He went wild on Mushashibo, landing eight consecutive suplexes.
Mushashibo, to his credit, battled back bravely. But by then the unstoppable train was in motion and Tatsuko would not be slowed. He continued launching Mushashibo around the ring, slamming his back into the mat and crunching him with big kicks and elbow strikes.
The Tatsuko Driller capped it all off, getting the pinfall victory.
Nobuatsu Tatsuko won the Elite Series 1999!
It was an impressive victory for the young man, making it back-to-back tournament success and getting him another shot at the Glory Crown.
It may have been Mushashibo who landed the first blow to Dread, but it was Tatsuko who smelled blood in the water. Blood that could end in him redeeming his loss at Night of RESPECT and getting his hands on the Glory Crown.
After the show, Mushashibo was thoughtful despite the obvious pain he was suffering.
Mushashibo: I always say the best man wins on the night, assuming all was fair and equal. And I cannot deny that was the case. Tatsuko beat me. Only just, I’ll add, but he deserves his success.
I am disappointed not to have won the Elite Series. But I know I can walk away from this tournament with my head held high. Not only did I qualify from the block stage for the first time, but I also reached the final. What’s more, I was the first man in two years to defeat Dread.
Yes, he was suffering a mild injury. That doesn’t take away from my achievement. And if Dread doesn’t think it was an honourable way to defeat him, then maybe he would like to face me again, and I will show him I can overcome him at one hundred percent
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Maybe the likelihood for a particular worker is increased if they have poor momentum or a bad gimmick, with the idea that giving them an alter ego would refresh their character and give them a new lease of life. Plus it could be more likely when a company signs a worker as they might want to start with a new creative direction.
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Night of PRIDE 1999
As usual, Night of PRIDE was dominated by the climax of the Elite Series, with four men hoping to get their hands on the prestigious prize. The rest of the card was filled with big tag matches featuring members of all levels of the roster as well as a Historical Japan title match.
Match Card
Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko in Semi Final 1 of the Elite Series
Dread vs. Yoshimi Mushashibo in Semi Final 2 of the Elite Series
Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) and Walter Morgan vs. Hayate Hasegawa, Fukusaburu Inao and Yodo Nakane
Hito Ichihara, Mamoru Nagahama and Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) vs. Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) and Strike Force (Dino Maldini & Pistol Pete Hall)
Eisaku Kunomasu © vs. Shuji Inukai for the Historical Japan title
Danger Kumasaka, Eisaku Hoshino and Kazuo Mitsushi vs. Koryusai Kitoaji, Sean McFly and Tommy Cornell
Winner of Semi Final 1 vs. Winner of Semi Final 2 for the Elite Series Trophy
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Predictions
DinoKea: 2/4Cardiff Trophy 1978 Predictions
DinoKea: 12/16
Old School Fan: 7/12
The Blonde Bomber: 4/4Next Time:
Alexander Tomov vs. Daniel Whitman
Angus McCloud vs. Mikel de Sota
Leo King vs. William Riley
Jacques Strapp vs. Kenny Maynard -
THE ELITE SERIES 1999 (PART 2)
The Elite Series was in full flow, with both blocks having classic matches and dominant performances. Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Dread were looking like real favourites, but plenty others remained in contention.
Block A Table
8 Dread
7 Mito Miwa
5 Eisaku Hoshino
4 Hito Ichihara
4 Raymond Diaz
2 Mamoru Nagahama
2 Tommy Cornell
0 Walter MorganBlock B Table
8 Nobuatsu Tatsuko
7 Shuji Inukai
6 Yoshimi Mushashibo
3 Koryusai Kitoaji
2 Danger Kumasaka
2 Eisaku Kunomasu
2 Pistol Pete Hall
2 Sean McFlyPGHW Elite Series: DAY 5
Block A Results
Raymond Diaz def. Mamoru Nagahama
Hito Ichihara def. Walter Morgan
Eisaku Hoshino def. Tommy Cornell
Dread def. Mito MiwaRaymond Diaz, Hito Ichihara and Eisaku Hoshino all got good wins to boost their hopes of qualification, with the three at the bottom of the order suffering defeat again.
The match with the biggest impact was Dread defeating Mito Miwa. This result meant Miwa’s lead over the chasing pack disappeared and any one of them could get to the semi-final stage.
10 Dread
7 Eisaku Hoshino
7 Mito Miwa
6 Hito Ichihara
6 Raymond Diaz
2 Mamoru Nagahama
2 Tommy Cornell
0 Walter MorganBlock B Results
Koryusai Kitoaji def. Eisaku Kunomasu
Pistol Pete Hall def. Danger Kumasaka
Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Sean McFly
Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Shuji Inukai went to a time-limit drawRound 5 was a good day for Yoshimi Mushashibo as he picked up vital points by beating Sean McFly. Kitoaji and Pistol Pete Hall also picked up good wins, with Kitoaji pinning the Historical Japan champion.
However, the main event was where Mushashibo delighted most, as Tatsuko and Inukai saw out a time-limit draw, meaning there was very little difference between the top three.
9 Nobuatsu Tatsuko
8 Shuji Inukai
8 Yoshimi Mushashibo
5 Koryusai Kitoaji
4 Pistol Pete Hall
2 Danger Kumasaka
2 Eisaku Kunomasu
2 Sean McFlyPGHW Elite Series: DAY 6
Block A Results
Hito Ichihara def. Raymond Diaz
Tommy Cornell def. Mamoru Nagahama
Mito Miwa def. Walter Morgan
Dread def. Eisaku HoshinoHito Ichihara dealt Raymond Diaz’s hopes of qualification a massive blow as he got the win over the big youngster. Cornell picked up his second victory, surprising Nagahama, and Mito Miwa recovered from his loss to Dread with a strong win over Walter Morgan.
Eisaku Hoshino hoped to advance his chances at the top, but he went up against Dread. The big man’s back was still giving him trouble, but not quite enough to prevent him hitting the Dread Bomb to get the win.
12 Dread
9 Mito Miwa
8 Hito Ichihara
7 Eisaku Hoshino
6 Raymond Diaz
4 Tommy Cornell
2 Mamoru Nagahama
0 Walter MorganBlock B Results
Koryusai Kitoaji def. Sean McFly
Shuji Inukai def. Danger Kumasaka
Eisaku Kunomasu and Nobuatsu Tatsuko went to a time-limit draw
Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Pistol Pete HallKitoaji and Inukai both got good wins to advance their causes, with Inukai moving on to ten points, still not having suffered defeat in the tournament.
Eisaku Kunomasu showed signs of life in holding Nobuatsu Tatsuko to another time-limit draw, while Yoshimi Mushashibo got a win over Hall to make it three at the top all on ten points.
Kitoaji’s hopes of qualifying were dashed. The final spots would be contested on the last day, with Mushashibo set to take on his tag partner Shuji Inukai, with the winner of that match surely qualifying and the loser likely getting knocked out.
10 Nobuatsu Tatsuko
10 Shuji Inukai
10 Yoshimi Mushashibo
7 Koryusai Kitoaji
4 Pistol Pete Hall
4 Eisaku Kunomasu
2 Danger Kumasaka
2 Sean McFlyPGHW Elite Series: DAY 7
Block A Results
Mito Miwa def. Raymond Diaz
Eisaku Hoshino def. Walter Morgan
Dread def. Tommy Cornell
Hito Ichihara def. Mamoru NagahamaMito Miwa’s victory over Raymond Diaz confirmed him as the second qualifier from Block A. After that, the other matches were only about the pride of finishing as high up the table as possible.
Ichihara and Hoshino did their bit, getting wins over Nagahama and Morgan respectively. Meanwhile, despite still nursing a back injury, Dread made it seven wins from seven as Tommy Cornell battled bravely in defeat.
Block A Final Standings
14 Dread
11 Mito Miwa
10 Hito Ichihara
9 Eisaku Hoshino
6 Raymond Diaz
4 Tommy Cornell
2 Mamoru Nagahama
0 Walter MorganDread exceeded even the high expectations people had of him. He didn’t drop a single point, and all that with some kind of muscular problem in his lower back.
Mito Miwa was delighted to advance from the block stage for the second year running. Interestingly, he finished on the same number of points in Block A in 1998, only this time he was one position ahead of Hito Ichihara rather than one position behind.
Hoshino was disappointed not to advance, while Raymond Diaz and Tommy Cornell gave good accounts of themselves. Nagahama and Morgan cannot have been pleased with their final positions.
Block B Results
Koryusai Kitoaji def. Pistol Pete Hall
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Danger Kumasaka
Eisaku Kunomasu def. Sean McFly
Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Shuji InukaiKitoaji defeating Pistol Pete Hall and Kunomasu winning against McFly had no impact on the qualification spots, but were good for the confidence of the victors.
Tatsuko’s victory over Danger Kumasaka ensured his progression from the block stage.
That left the main event of Team Dynasty partners Shuji Inukai and Yoshimi Mushashibo, with the winner qualifying. It was a great match – arguably match of the tournament so far. It saw friendship and rivalry clash, ultimately resulting in Mushashibo ducking an Untouchable Lariat and transitioning into the Yoshimi Lock for the submission win.
12 Nobuatsu Tatsuko
12 Yoshimi Mushashibo
10 Shuji Inukai
9 Koryusai Kitoaji
6 Eisaku Kunomasu
4 Pistol Pete Hall
2 Danger Kumasaka
2 Sean McFlyNobuatsu Tatsuko repeated the feat of finishing top of Block B, just like he did in 1998. This time, though, he only managed it due to his head-to-head record with Mushashibo, who he defeated in the first round. Shuji Inukai was furious to have missed out right at the last.
In the end, nine points wasn’t too embarrassing for Koryusai Kitoaji, but his ego certainly took a beating. Kunomasu would have been annoyed not to have finished at least in the top half, while it was a tournament to forget for Hall, Kumasaka and McFly.
The semi-finals were set. The first would see Dread taking on Yoshimi Mushashibo, while the second pitted Mito Miwa against Nobuatsu Tatsuko, an exact repeat of the same stage in 1998.
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THE ELITE SERIES 1999
The third edition of the Elite Series took place in March 1999, with a tremendous roster of sixteen top class wrestlers.
It was by far the most unpredictable tournament, with all blocks containing multiple wrestlers who could be considered favourites to qualify, and picking a winner for the whole tournament was a real challenge.
Block A consisted of:
Dread
Eisaku Hoshino
Hito Ichihara
Mamoru Nagahama
Mito Miwa
Raymond Diaz
Tommy Cornell
Walter MorganDread stood out as the most dangerous member of Block A. The Glory Crown champion hadn’t suffered singles defeat in nearly two full years on his rampage to defeat everyone on the roster.
Behind him, Hito Ichihara was always a threat, having qualified from the Block stage in both 1997 and 1998. Mito Miwa also qualified last year, as did Eisaku Hoshino, with both men losing out at the semi-final stage. They would hope to go one further this time.
Mamoru Nagahama, Raymond Diaz and Walter Morgan were outside bets. Nagahama had done little to show he would take a massive step forward in singles competition, while Diaz and Morgan were still developing.
All of them, as well as last minute addition, Tommy Cornell, would hope to finish well in the group and perhaps even push for qualification out of the block.
Block B consisted of:
Danger Kumasaka
Eisaku Kunomasu
Koryusai Kitoaji
Nobuatsu Tatsuko
Pistol Pete Hall
Sean McFly
Shuji Inukai
Yoshimi MushashiboNobuatsu Tatsuko stood out as an early tournament favourite. He won the Elite Series in 1998 and had enjoyed some great form lately.
He would have to beat Koryusai Kitoaji again. The two-time Glory Crown champion may not have been at his best, but he was still a serious contender against anyone.
Then there were three young studs hoping to improve on their performance last year and qualify: Eisaku Kunomasu, Shuji Inukai and Yoshimi Mushashibo.
The three of them would surely hope to qualify, or even win the group ahead of Tatsuko or Kitoaji.
The fact that Sean McFly, Danger Kumasaka and Pistol Pete Hall were considered the three outsiders for qualification was a testament to how stacked Block B was. Really, on this side of the draw, anyone could beat anyone.
PGHW Elite Series: DAY 1
Block A Results
Dread def. Mamoru Nagahama
Tommy Cornell def. Walter Morgan
Eisaku Hoshino def. Raymond Diaz
Mito Miwa def. Hito IchiharaDread and Eisaku Hoshino scored strong, but expected victories and began the tournament on a positive note. Tommy Cornell scored a great win over fellow Englishman Walter Morgan, and looked delighted.
In the main event of the show, Mito Miwa got what was surely his biggest victory yet over former Glory Crown holder Hito Ichihara. It was another example of the young cohort overtaking the old guard.
Block B Results
Danger Kumasaka def. Eisaku Kunomasu
Pistol Pete Hall def. Sean McFly
Koryusai Kitoaji and Shuji Inukai went to a time-limit draw
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Yoshimi MushashiboBlock B saw some surprising results. Danger Kumasaka defeated reigning Historical Japan champion Eisaku Kunomasu, while Pistol Pete Hall defeated one half of the Glory Tag Crown holders, Sean McFly.
Kitoaji and Inukai went to a draw, which neither was particularly happy with, and in the match of the night, Tatsuko just about edged the win over a very competitive Yoshimi Mushashibo. The Tatsuko Driller proved decisive.
PGHW Elite Series: DAY 2
Block A Results
Raymond Diaz def. Tommy Cornell
Dread def. Walter Morgan
Mito Miwa def. Mamoru Nagahama
Hito Ichihara def. Eisaku HoshinoTommy Cornell couldn’t continue his winning start as he fell to the power of Raymond Diaz. There were routine wins for Dread and Mito Miwa, too, with both rising to the top of the table.
Hito Ichihara bounced back from his loss to Miwa with an excellent performance against Hoshino who looked to have the match won on several occasions, only for Ichihara to hang on and hit the Head Drop Suplex for the win.
Block B Results
Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Danger Kumasaka
Shuji Inukai def. Sean McFly
Eisaku Kunomasu def. Pistol Pete Hall
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Koryusai KitoajiMushashibo got a good victory over his mentor, Danger Kumasaka to make up for his loss in the last round. Inukai and Kunomasu scored their first wins too, over McFly and Pistol Pete Hall respectively.
The main event and big attraction of the round was a rematch of the rivalry that dominated 1998 – Tatsuko against Kitoaji. Tatsuko surged to a powerful victory, with the Tatsuko Driller getting the three count. Another massive win for Tatsuko.
PGHW Elite Series: DAY 3
Block A Results
Mamoru Nagahama def. Walter Morgan
Hito Ichihara def. Tommy Cornell
Dread def. Raymond Diaz
Eisaku Hoshino and Mito Miwa went to a time-limit drawNagahama picked up points against Walter Morgan, and Hito Ichihara got another victory, overcoming the energy of Tommy Cornell. Dread and Raymond Diaz had a hoss fight in which Dread got the victory, but seemed to tweak his back slightly. He didn’t look pleased at the end of the match.
Hoshino and Miwa were both competing for qualification and cancelled each other out. Hoshino actually hit the Godzilla Plunge, but hesitated on the cover and Miwa managed to kick out. Time ran out before anyone could get a decisive blow.
Block B Results
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Sean McFly
Koryusai Kitoaji def. Danger Kumasaka
Shuji Inukai def. Pistol Pete Hall
Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Eisaku KunomasuTatsuko got another good win, beating Sean McFly. Kitoaji and Inukai also saw victory and moved on up the table.
The main event of the round pitted Yoshimi Mushashibo against Eisaku Kunomasu. The pair had wrestled in singles competition just once before, with Mushashibo winning in the Elite Series 1998. The result was the same again, with Mushashibo using the Yoshimi Lock to tap out the Historical Japan champion.
PGHW Elite Series: DAY 4
Block A Results
Mito Miwa def. Tommy Cornell
Raymond Diaz def. Walter Morgan
Eisaku Hoshino def. Mamoru Nagahama
Dread def. Hito IchiharaTommy Cornell found himself gaining respect in defeat once again as Mito Miwa overcame him with a Pride Bomber. Raymond Diaz and Eisaku Hoshino advanced their causes, too, with good victories.
The main event was a rematch of the Night of WRESTLING 1998 main event in which Hito Ichihara became number 30 in a Glory Crown title match against Dread. Unfortunately for Ichihara, the result was a repeat, despite Dread having a dodgy back – Dread hit the Dread Bomb to make it four wins from four.
Block B Results
Sean McFly def. Danger Kumasaka
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Pistol Pete Hall
Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Koryusai Kitoaji
Shuji Inukai def. Eisaku KunomasuSean McFly got his first points of the tournament, defeating Danger Kumasaka who looked tired at this stage. Tatsuko beat Pistol Pete Hall as expected, but Yoshimi Mushashibo’s win over Koryusai Kitoaji was a massive result that sent shockwaves through the company. Mushashibo looked fantastic in victory.
Shuji Inukai and Eisaku Kunomasu did battle in the best match of the night. The intensity both of the brought was on another level. There wasn’t much wrestling, but plenty of slapping, chopping, striking and battering. Inukai hit the Untouchable Lariat for a great win.
Mid-point round-up
Block A Table
8 Dread
7 Mito Miwa
5 Eisaku Hoshino
4 Hito Ichihara
4 Raymond Diaz
2 Mamoru Nagahama
2 Tommy Cornell
0 Walter Morgan
Block B Table
8 Nobuatsu Tatsuko
7 Shuji Inukai
6 Yoshimi Mushashibo
3 Koryusai Kitoaji
2 Danger Kumasaka
2 Eisaku Kunomasu
2 Pistol Pete Hall
2 Sean McFly
Block A was still wide open at this stage. Dread looked set to qualify, but the other position was up for grabs, with Hito Ichihara, Eisaku Hoshino, Raymond Diaz and Mito Miwa all there or thereabouts.Walter Morgan had disappointed so far, not gaining a single point, while Nagahama and Cornell were doing about as expected.
In Block B, three wrestlers had moved well ahead of the pack. Tatsuko had won four from four and Shuji Inukai was only a point behind. Those two and Yoshimi Mushashibo would surely contest the two qualification positions.
It was becoming a disastrous tournament for Koryusai Kitoaji who had only won one match so far. He hoped that against weaker opponents in the second half of the fixtures he could climb up the order and maybe steal qualification.
For Kumasaka, Kunomasu, Hall and McFly, qualification was very unlikely, but they would all compete hard to avoid finishing last
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23 hours ago, Scottie said:
VERY interested to see how Dread goes in the Elite Series. He either goes unbeaten in his block (and then either wins or loses the final) or conveniently gets “injured”.
I’m thinking he makes the final, but you’ve got a big call to make from there…
It certainly was a tricky one to navigate especially after the insane run he's been on!
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THE PROSPECT
PGHW made several signings during 1998, with foreign workers coming in to bolster what was already an impressive roster.
Sean McFly, Walter Morgan and Pistol Pete Hall joined Dread, Luis Figo Manico, Raymond Diaz, Lee Wright and Dino Maldini as the gaijin found across the card, and it was known that Sadaharu Jimbo was keen to limit the number of stars that could take away spots from homegrown talent.
But there was just one name he really wanted to get hold of. And at the tail end of 1998, he did just that.
Night of RESPECT, January 1999
Eisaku Hoshino lost the Historical Japan title to his tag partner Eisaku Kunomasu at Night of WRESTLING. Now, with no belt to defend and no team mate to fight alongside, he found himself with no immediate direction.
So, always looking for a fight, he walked out to the ring at Night of RESPECT and issued a challenge to anyone on the roster who thought they were tough enough to face him.
He was answered.
A young man, just twenty years old, barely known in Japan at the time, but with a solid reputation in the UK and USA, a mess of black hair and a cheeky grin.
Tommy Cornell.
Hoshino and Cornell agreed to the match and the fans got to see what this new signing was all about. They were impressed. As was Hoshino. The youngster seemed to have a great sense of timing and opportunity, while boasting impressive technical skills and a rugged brawling style that caught Hoshino off guard.
After twenty minutes of seriously impressing the audience, Cornell fell foul of a Godzilla Plunge which got Hoshino the win.
But Tommy Cornell had done himself proud in the match and earned a lot of respect.
Night of ENERGY, January 1999
In the opening match of the show, Tommy Cornell made his second appearance. This time it was in an eight-man tag match alongside Chuichi Sanda, Hayate Hasegawa and Fukusaburu Inao.
They took on, and beat, the foursome of Dino Maldini, Kazuo Mitsushi, Takeshi Umehara and Yodo Nakane.
Tommy Cornell got the pinfall victory on Kazuo Mitsushi using a Guilt Trip (legsweep DDT). That infuriated the bitter veteran (who looked destined to lose almost every match of 1999, too).
Mitsushi challenged Cornell to a singles match at Night of DESTINY, claiming the youngster couldn’t handle life in PGHW.
Night of DESTINY, February 1999
Kazuo Mitsushi took on Tommy Cornell. Mitsushi may have lost almost all his major matches in the last two years, but he still hit hard and made life difficult for his opponents.
Unfortunately for him, though, Tommy Cornell was no ordinary wrestler. He took everything Mitsushi could throw at him and responded with another Guilt Trip (legsweep DDT) to win the match.
Between Night of DESTINY and Night of BATTLE, news came in that Luis Figo Manico had suffered a Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tear and would be out of the Elite Series tournament.
It was announced that his replacement would be the winner of a match between Chuichi Sanda and Tommy Cornell at Night of BATTLE.
Night of BATTLE, February 1999
Chuichi Sanda competed in the Elite Series in 1998 and finished sixth out of the eight competitors in Block B, getting just a single win all tournament.
Yet that was far more experience in PGHW competition that Tommy Cornell could offer.
Regardless, Tommy Cornell wanted to make a name for himself in Japan, and this match against Sanda would guarantee him seven matches against high-profile opposition which, even if he lost all seven of them, would elevate his stock.
Sanda fought hard, enjoying his best form in PGHW to date, but he couldn’t escape the Guilt Trip which got Cornell the three count and a spot in the biggest tournament of the year!
Ahead of the Elite Series, the blocks were announced:
Block A:
Dread
Eisaku Hoshino
Hito Ichihara
Mamoru Nagahama
Mito Miwa
Raymond Diaz
Tommy Cornell
Walter MorganBlock B:
Danger Kumasaka
Eisaku Kunomasu
Koryusai Kitoaji
Nobuatsu Tatsuko
Pistol Pete Hall
Sean McFly
Shuji Inukai
Yoshimi Mushashibo-
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PGHW - The Other Beginning
in Total Extreme Wrestling 2020 Dynasties
Posted
Thanks! The biggest matches get between 85 and 90 ratings. I think at this stage, the highest rated match in company history was still Kitoaji vs. Ichihara at the end of 1997 with 90, although plenty have come close.