PGHW - The Other Beginning

[Willsky]

DREADINATION

At Night of HONOUR, Dread’s victory over Yodo Nakane was the ninth in his charge to defeat the entire roster. It seemed like the monster hadn’t really been challenged, except for in his match against Nobuatsu Tatsuko. Nakane did fine, but nobody truly believed he would end Dread’s run.

And people were starting to take notice. Media outlets around the world were picking up on Dread’s undefeated run, and there was plenty of speculation about who it would be. Could Dread really beat everyone?

With Night of WRESTLING approaching, it was certain that someone would step up to try to defeat him on the biggest show of the year. But who had the courage?

 

Night of KINGS, October 1997

Dino Maldini had the misfortune of facing Dread at Night of KINGS. Maldini’s former tag partner, Java, had left the company, so the young former-MMA fighter looked to make a name for himself in the singles division.

And there’s no denying the glimpses of talent Maldini offered. The problem was, Dread was at the peak of his powers and advancing through the company with such intensity that Maldini didn’t stand a chance.

A Dreadsault got the job done.

 

Night of IMPACT, October 1997

This time, Dread faced Takeshi Umehara. Umehara was one half of Boundary 97, a tag team which had failed to make an impact on the roster, and nobody thought Umehara stood a chance against Dread.

And he didn’t. In comparison to some of the other wrestlers at the lower end of the card, Umehara didn’t get completely mauled, but it was a comfortable win via the Dread Bomb.

 

Night of COURAGE, November 1997

The other half of Boundary 97, Go Matsunaga was next on the chopping block to face Dread. At this point, it seemed like even Dread was getting tired of disposing of opponents. Such an accomplished competitor needs a challenge, and he wasn’t getting any.

After hitting the Dreadsault to win, Hayate Hasegawa made a challenge for the next show, Night of ENDURANCE.

 

Night of ENDURANCE, November 1997

Hayate Hasegawa may have been in his mid-forties, but he could still go like someone ten years younger. After a few shows of limited competition, Hasegawa brought more fire and experience to face Dread.

On a few occasions, Hasegawa even got the better of the big man, felling him with a smart legsweep.

But Dread wasn’t to be defeated easily. He surged back into control and hit the Dread Bomb to get yet another victory. To be precise, this was his 13^th straight singles victory, and the bottom of the card had almost entirely fallen before him.

As he left the ring, Mito Miwa stepped out before him. Miwa had lacked direction ever since he lost the Historical Japan title to Luis Figo Manico at Night of HONOUR. He was direct with his challenge to Dread.

Miwa: I knew this moment would come eventually. Nobody doubted that you could defeat most of the youngsters and veterans on this roster. But I was on your team at Night of POWER when we suffered defeat and you started this whole campaign.

I saw what you were capable of. We all know what you can do. And I told myself I would step up to you when the time was right. And it is that time.

Dread, at Night of WRESTLING, it will be you who is full of dread, because I, the Pride Warrior, will end your streak. I will be the one to derail you. Not because I dislike or disrespect you. Far from it. But because it is better to leave you disappointed now than devastated in the future.

[Willsky]

THE FIFTH MATCH

Koryusai Kitoaji’s second reign as Glory Crown champion was going well. He had beaten three young talents in Yoshimi Mushashibo, Shuji Inukai and, controversially, Mamoru Nagahama.

The last one was controversial not for the match itself, but for the fact it ever happened. Kitoaji claimed he was offering an opportunity to a rising star, rather than only wrestling the same names over and over, but critics suggested he might have picked an easy opponent.

Of course, the champion disagreed. He took pride in his strong-style spirit. Yet more than a few people wondered if his “respectful” method of picking his own challengers might be a ploy to avoid facing those he feared.

At this point, nobody had really challenged him on it. However, with the biggest show of the year, Night of WRESTLING coming up in December, nobody wanted another Nagahama in the main event. But who would step up?

Kitoaji’s main rival, Hito Ichihara, had suggested he might join the tag division with Mamoru Nagahama, Dread was rampaging through the roster, and Danger Kumasaka was focused on Team Dynasty, who were, in turn, focused on the tag division.

 

Night of KINGS, October 1997

Hito Ichihara and Mamoru Nagahama opened the show with a solid victory over Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara). Ichihara was by far the most impressive member of the match, but Nagahama held his own alongside the former Glory Crown champion.

It was the pair’s first outing as a tag team, and they had already put themselves in a strong position in the division.

In the main event of the show, Koryusai Kitoaji teamed with Nobuatsu Tatsuko and Danger Kumasaka to defeat Mito Miwa and Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu).

Tatsuko was instrumental in the victory, surviving a lot of offence and tagging in Kitoaji who turned the tide. Later, Tatsuko returned to hit the Tatsuko Driller on Eisaku Hoshino, earning the win.

After the match, Tatsuko made a point of shaking Kitoaji’s hand and giving a knowing look at the Glory Crown. But Kitoaji didn’t seem to get the message. Either that or he ignored it.

Tatsuko walked away calmly, but the fans could see what was on his mind.

 

Night of IMPACT, October 1997

Hito Ichihara and Mamoru Nagahama saw tag team success again, this time defeating former Glory Tag Crown champions Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu).

The victory sent a clear message to the tag division. Ichihara & Nagahama were a cut above the rest, and with Team STRENGTH RUSH looking for challengers, it was only natural that a title match was made for the coming show, Night of COURAGE.

Ichihara was very confident about his team’s ability to win the titles, and he looked excited at the prospect of becoming the first holder of both the Glory Crown and Glory Tag Crown titles.

In another trios main event, Nobuatsu Tatsuko once again helped Koryusai Kitoaji to a win, alongside Roka Furuhata. They defeated Danger Kumasaka and Team Dynasty (Yoshimi Mushashibo & Shuji Inukai) in a very close match.

Tatsuko proved himself vital to the team’s effort by not only escaping the intensity of Inukai, but surviving several long minutes of pain in submissions applied by Kumasaka and Mushashibo.

His fighting spirit kept his team alive, and this time it was Roka Furuhata who finished off the match, getting the pin on Danger Kumasaka.

After the bell had rung, Koryusai Kitoaji congratulated both his team mates, then announced that his next title challenger would be Roka Furuhata, since he had scored the winning pin that night.

Tatsuko looked on with a frown, wondering why he hadn’t been granted the same honour after getting the pinfall victory at the previous show. Yet the young man showed patience and good temperament and walked away.

 

Night of COURAGE, November 1997

Night of COURAGE featured two hugely important title matches on the way to Night of WRESTLING.

The first was for the Glory Tag Crown. Hito Ichihara and Mamoru Nagahama took on Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) in a brutal battle.

Ichihara proved himself a cut above the rest, but unfortunately for him, Nagahama had an off night. He couldn’t handle the intensity of the gaijin team, and the match ended with a Too Hot to Handle and a pin by Diaz.

While he usually kept his emotions quiet, Ichihara looked frustrated at the loss. He had done everything he could, but his partner let him down.

The main event saw Koryusai Kitoaji defend against Roka Furuhata. While a few fans seemed discontent at the choice of opponent, believing Tatsuko was more deserving, they quickly got on board with a great match.

Furuhata played a great underdog with an outside chance of causing an upset. Those who knew the goings on surrounding PGHW contracts knew that, as a freelancer, Furuhata would leave the company at the end of the year, so it was very unlikely he’d defeat Kitoaji. Nonetheless, there were several moments where Furuhata looked like he might win the title.

In the end, though, the champion retained with a Kitoaji Braindrop.

After the match, Nobuatsu Tatsuko made his presence known on the entrance ramp. He had comfortably beaten Walter Morgan at the start of the show, and he seemed like the obvious next choice of title challenger.

As Kitoaji had laid down the precedent, Tatsuko didn’t ask for a title shot. He didn’t “beg” as Kitoaji would say. Instead he stood and waited for Kitoaji to challenge him. But the champion was slow to do so.

He instead stared at Tatsuko, looking him up and down several times, with a sour expression. The crowd grew excited.

Kitoaji took a microphone and spoke.

Kitoaji: For months I have overlooked a man who deserves a title shot. He has pride enough to restrain himself, but I know he has been patiently biding his time. I consider this man a serious threat. And I respect him.

But that man is not Nobuatsu Tatsuko. No, boy, you are not ready. You have done little to impress me of late, except struggle in tag matches. You have talent, yes. But not to challenge me at Night of WRESTLING.

No, my challenger for that match will be Hito Ichihara. He has stayed away from the title picture for long enough, and now it is only fitting that we have our fifth match on the same night he beat me for the Glory Crown last year. Only this time he will fail.

Kitoaji walked away from Tatsuko who was battling to keep his temper under control. The young man’s entire body was tense. He walked to the back with a dark cloud over his head.

 

Night of ENDURANCE, November 1997

On the last show before Night of WRESTLING, Nobuatsu Tatsuko took his frustrations out on Fukusaburu Inao, defeating him with ferocity. After the match he called out Roka Furuhata, claiming that he was better than the man Kitoaji had challenged at Night of COURAGE, and he would prove the champion he made the wrong decision.

In the main event, Hito Ichihara, Mito Miwa, and Danger Kumasaka defeated Koryusai Kitoaji, Roka Furuhata and Walter Morgan, with Ichihara pinning Morgan.

It was a statement of intent from Ichihara, who looked to have played Kitoaji’s game by staying away from the Glory Crown for so long. But after the match, he had these words for the champ.

Ichihara: You are correct that I have earned a rematch for the Glory Crown. I earned it before I lost it. I made a mistake at Night of GLORY, but that doesn’t change the fact I had defeated you twice already in the year.

We are currently at 2-2. This is the decider. The match to end all matches. By this time next year, the talent in this company will have caught up with us, Kitoaji, so let’s decide this once and for all on the biggest stage. Who is the better wrestler? Who is the greatest champion?

You will of course say it is you, but let’s find out. And trust me, Kitoaji, I won’t make any mistakes again.

 

Night of WRESTLING, December 1997

Nobuatsu Tatsuko vs. Roka Furuhata

Dino Maldini, Kazuo Mitsushi & Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) vs. Fukusaburu Inao, Hayate Hasegawa & Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara)

Dread vs. Mito Miwa

Chuichi Sanda, Danger Kumasaka & Yodo Nakane vs. Walter Morgan & Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu)

Luis Figo Manico © vs. Mamoru Nagahama for the Historical Japan title

Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) © for the Glory Tag Crown titles

Hito Ichihara vs. Koryusai Kitoaji © for the Glory Crown title

[monrapi3]

Nobuatsu Tatsuko vs. Roka Furuhata (TAT-SU-KO! TAT-SU-KO! TAT-SU-KO!)

Dino Maldini, Kazuo Mitsushi & Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) vs. Fukusaburu Inao, Hayate Hasegawa & Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) (no thoughts really)

Dread vs. Mito Miwa (MI-WA! MI-WA! MI-WA!)

Chuichi Sanda, Danger Kumasaka & Yodo Nakane vs. Walter Morgan & Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu) (no thoughts about this one except that Team Explosion ftw lmao)

Luis Figo Manico © vs. Mamoru Nagahama for the Historical Japan title (Nagahama's not ready yet, Figo ftw)

Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) © for the Glory Tag Crown titles (JUSTICE FOR TEAM DYNASTY)

Hito Ichihara vs. Koryusai Kitoaji © for the Glory Crown title (a bit early for Kitoaji's second reign to end)

[SomeLazyMagic]

Nobuatsu Tatsuko vs. Roka Furuhata

Dino Maldini, Kazuo Mitsushi & Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) vs. Fukusaburu Inao, Hayate Hasegawa & Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara)

Dread vs. Mito Miwa

Chuichi Sanda, Danger Kumasaka & Yodo Nakane vs. Walter Morgan & Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu)

Luis Figo Manico © vs. Mamoru Nagahama for the Historical Japan title

Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) © for the Glory Tag Crown titles

Hito Ichihara vs. Koryusai Kitoaji © for the Glory Crown title

[kinnikuniverse]

This has been a really good diary so far. By the way, this is so setting up for Tatsuko to dethrone Kitoaji as the first of the Sinister 6 to become glory crown champion

[MidKnightDreary]

Nobuatsu Tatsuko vs. Roka Furuhata

Dino Maldini, Kazuo Mitsushi & Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) vs. Fukusaburu Inao, Hayate Hasegawa & Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara)

Dread vs. Mito Miwa

Chuichi Sanda, Danger Kumasaka & Yodo Nakane vs. Walter Morgan & Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu)

Luis Figo Manico © vs. Mamoru Nagahama for the Historical Japan title

Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) © for the Glory Tag Crown titles

Hito Ichihara vs. Koryusai Kitoaji © for the Glory Crown title

[Willsky]

Night of WRESTLING, December 1997

Nobuatsu Tatsuko vs. Roka Furuhata

Dino Maldini, Kazuo Mitsushi & Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) vs. Fukusaburu Inao, Hayate Hasegawa & Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara)

Dread vs. Mito Miwa

Chuichi Sanda, Danger Kumasaka & Yodo Nakane vs. Walter Morgan & Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu)

Luis Figo Manico © vs. Mamoru Nagahama for the Historical Japan title

Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) © for the Glory Tag Crown titles

Hito Ichihara vs. Koryusai Kitoaji © for the Glory Crown title

 

MATCH 1: Nobuatsu Tatsuko vs. Roka Furuhata

Nobuatsu Tatsuko was not best pleased to be in the opening match of the show. He had been dismissed as a contender by Koryusai Kitoaji, while many believed he had earned a shot at the Glory Crown. If not now, then a month ago.

Instead, Roka Furuhata got that opportunity at Night of COURAGE and failed to take advantage.

Now Tatsuko aimed to prove Kitoaji wrong. Furuhata was a tough competitor with huge name value around the country. But there were plenty of rumours, most of them true, that he was finishing up in PGHW for the time being.

Tatsuko had much more to fight for, and this showed in his intensity. He kept up a breakneck speed of strikes and slams. Furuhata countered many of them, but ultimately succumbed to the Tatsuko Driller.

Tatsuko didn’t stop to celebrate. He had proven his point.

 

MATCH 2: Dino Maldini, Kazuo Mitsushi & Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) vs. Fukusaburu Inao, Hayate Hasegawa & Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara)

Kazuo Matsushi’s last win on a major show in PGHW was at Night of FORTITUDE back in April. Having him on your team had become like a curse – he always lost.

But in this match, his fortunes turned around as his team scored a victory thanks to Dino Maldini pinning Sotatsu Sarumara.

Now that his streak had been ended, it remained to be seen whether Matsushi could press on and get more wins under his belt.

 

MATCH 3: Dread vs. Mito Miwa

Dread’s streak in PGHW was much more impressive than Kazuo Mitsushi’s. He had taken his winning run to 13 consecutive singles matches and many of those had been dominant victories.

Now Mito Miwa stepped up. He said that he had expected this match would come at some point, and that he knew he would be the one to stop Dread. At the biggest show of the year, that was a big ask.

Dread began the match with brutal power. Miwa couldn’t match him hold for hold, and ended up eating some big moves.

But Miwa is of the Hito Ichihara school of strategizing and adapting. He worked his way into the match using his brain rather than his brawn. And with a few clever counters, using Dread’s momentum to his advantage, he had the big man down on the mat.

Now it was time to press home the advantage. And it looked like he would do just that when he set up the Pride Bomber. But, at the last moment, his knee buckled under the weight and the move didn’t come off as intended. Dread kicked out.

With the opportunity gone, the momentum swung back in Dread’s favour. A Dreadsault and a Dread Bomb later, and the match was over. Dread increased his winning run to 14, over half the number of full time wrestlers on the roster.

 

MATCH 4: Chuichi Sanda, Danger Kumasaka & Yodo Nakane vs. Walter Morgan & Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu)

Team EXPLOSION had suffered a string of defeats since losing the Glory Tag Crown titles, and hoped a victory in front of 33,000 fans in Osaka would pick them back up.

Unfortunately, they came out with an L once again. Danger Kumasaka’s experience proved vital, and the veteran applied the Aurora Surfboard Vice on Hoshino for his team’s victory.

After the match, Hoshino and Kunomasu seemed to get into an argument, but they cooled themselves before things got physical.

 

MATCH 5: Luis Figo Manico © vs. Mamoru Nagahama for the Historical Japan title

Figo had proven himself a worthy champion, defending against the likes of Yodo Nakane, Eisaku Kunomasu and Walter Morgan.

He faced arguably his toughest test yet in Mamoru Nagahama. Although the youngster was yet to get a breakthrough victory, many thought that would arrive too, perhaps in this match.

Nagahama is known for his humility and workrate. Even when Figo was manipulating his body into uncomfortable positions, he kept battling to get out, and when he was on top, he didn’t stop to gloat.

Despite his good character, he failed to get the win. Figo showed once again that he was the fastest rising star in PGHW, applying the Madrid Maul on the ground and switching into a pin to get the victory, his fifth defence of the title.

 

MATCH 6: Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) © for the Glory Tag Crown titles

Tensions were high between champions and challengers. Team Dynasty felt aggrieved at the way they lost their first title shot at Night of KINGS, with the rules being broken by Lee Wright. This went against the “do the right thing” philosophy of Sadaharu Jimbo.

Team STRENGTH RUSH countered that they hadn’t broken the rules because the referee hadn’t said anything. This really grated on Mushashibo. Shuji Inukai wasn’t as bothered, but he did want to get his revenge for the loss and show he could hit harder than either of the tag champions.

And it was Inukai who started the match, across the ring from Lee Wright. The action started hard. Inukai kicked and barged Wright around the ring and, on one occasion, nearly wiped him out with the Untouchable Lariat. Raymond Diaz tagged in and used his bulk to even the playing field.

This prompted Mushashibo to enter, downing Diaz with a clever trip, and working over his legs.

The action kept on at a relentless pace. Neither team could sustain dominance for an extended period, and by the twenty-five-minute mark, they all looked exhausted, with blood leaking from Inukai’s nose.

The decisive moment happened when Mushashibo cracked Wright with a stiff elbow. Wright stumbled to the side and knocked into the referee, who fell to the mat, then rolled out of the ring. Wright fell to his corner, tagging in Raymond Diaz. In theory, the tag was legal, but the referee didn’t see it.

Diaz barrelled into Mushashibo and hit the Ray Gun, his finishing move. Seeing his tag partner wiped out, Shuji Inukai entered the ring without making the tag. He shoved Diaz away and went to work. He took out Diaz, then grabbed Wright and hauled him between the ropes.

An Untouchable Lariat later, and Wright was turned inside out. Nobody survived Inukai’s finisher.

By now the referee had recovered, and Inukai helped him crawl back into the ring. The ref saw Mushashibo and Wright as the legal men. Inukai yelled at Mushashibo, who managed to get an arm across Wright’s shoulders for the one, two, three.

Team Dynasty won the Glory Tag Crown titles! They became the third team to hold the belts.

Mushashibo looked a little confused afterwards, but he celebrated with Inukai, who looked delighted. Danger Kumasaka came out to join them as they held the tag titles high.

 

MATCH 7: Hito Ichihara vs. Koryusai Kitoaji © for the Glory Crown

They were calling this “The Fifth Match”. Ichihara and Kitoaji were 2-2 in singles competition, with all four encounters being for the Glory Crown. Kitoaji had won the first, becoming inaugural champion. Ichihara had won the second to gain the belt, then defended it successfully on the third meeting.

Their most recent bout was at Night of GLORY with Ichihara’s infamous mistake, taking to the skies and crashing down to earth.

Since then, Ichihara had taken time to recover physically and mentally, briefly joining the tag ranks, before his inevitable return to the title picture.

Nobody could say he didn’t deserve this shot. However, there was some controversy about the way in which Kitoaji had rejected Nobuatsu Tatsuko’s clear intentions and instead opted for his old foe.

Yet who could deny that this was the biggest match in PGHW? It was the pairing that defined the company in its first year of existence and, with its fifth instalment, that initial era would reach a monumental climax.

In previous encounters, either Ichihara or Kitoaji decided to take the initiative early, to great effect. But this time, they both began at a steady pace. They knew each other too well for any surprises now.

Ichihara’s approach was to modify his moves, to try new strategies and catch out his opponent with something they hadn’t prepared for. In this match alone he innovated two variations of an armlock and modified a piledriver in ways never seen before.

Kitoaji just hit harder. He did what he knew best and took it to the next level. Even at 41, his musculature had gotten even more impressive, and the power and torque with which he struck Ichihara knocked the breath out of the lungs of the fans on the front row.

After fifteen minutes of back and forth, Ichihara gained an advantage. He seemed to have found that when he moved in a certain way, Kitoaji would always try a kick to the midsection. After taking a few of these kicks, he caught one, twisting it into a dragon screw leg whip and straight into a leglock.

This had Kitoaji in real trouble. The champion struggled to get to the safety of the ropes, but Ichihara pulled him back. He slapped at Ichihara’s face, but the challenger absorbed the blows.

Finally Kitoaji found a way to extricate his leg from the hold, but some serious damage had been done. He was struggling to hold his weight on the leg.

From then on, the challenger was in control. Kitoaji’s movement was hampered and he couldn’t evade the onslaught. But while he couldn’t evade it, he refused to let it beat him. For ten full minutes Ichihara laid on a beating, but could never quite set up his devastating Head Drop Suplex.

Kitoaji grit his teeth. He fought back with ferocity, driving Ichihara back into the corner, forcing him into the turnbuckles. The recovery was astonishing, but shortlived. A well-placed kick to the leg had Kitoaji staggering backwards again.

Then Ichihara climbed. The crowd drew a collective gasp of breath. The last time Ichihara had climbed the ropes, he had fallen to a humiliating defeat. Was he really going to do it again?

The answer was, yes. Ichihara, seemingly in control of the match, balanced on the top turnbuckle, waited for Kitoaji to stagger close, then hit a picture-perfect missile dropkick. His feet collided with Kitoaji’s head and shoulder, propelling him across the ring.

Ichihara chased up and went for the Head Drop Suplex! One…Two…

Kickout! Somehow Kitoaji stayed alive!

The fans couldn’t believe what they were seeing. First, the missile dropkick – an astonishing top-rope move rarely even considered in PGHW. Then the Head Drop Suplex, which had put away countless opponents. But Kitoaji, with an injured leg, had wrenched his shoulder off the mat to stay in the match.

Ichihara was equally stunned. But he didn’t waste time crying over his failure. He steeled himself and went back to work. Kitoaji was on his knees and Ichihara hit him with a kick across the chest. Another. Another. Each impact thudded around the stunned arena.

The challenger had abandoned his strategic plays and was now resorting to hitting his opponent as hard as he possibly could.

But while each impact knocked Kitoaji back, he recovered a little more every time, rising higher, as if the punishment gave him more strength.

And when Ichihara went for yet another kick, Kitoaji caught it. In a mirror image of what happened earlier in the match, Kitoaji wrenched the leg with a dragon screw leg whip, then transitioned into the same leglock Ichihara had used.

Ichihara struggled in the hold for a while, but figured out an escape before any serious damage was done.

However, Kitoaji had another trick up his sleeve. With a stroke of ingenuity and improvisation Ichihara himself would have been proud of, he shifted his body weight, swept Ichihara off the ground and hoisted him up to hit the Kitoaji Braindrop!

He went for the pin. One…Two…

Three!!! Koryusai Kitoaji won the match and retained the Glory Crown!

 

Both men took a long time to recover, with plenty of medical attention being afforded to the top stars. Finally, Kitoaji recovered to hold the title above his head.

Ichihara also got to his feet and, although visibly shaken, managed to offer his respects with a deep bow. Kitoaji returned the favour. Ichihara turned to leave, but Kitoaji shouted at him.

A moment of tension filled the arena as the two gladiators stared at each other. Then Kitoaji stepped forward and embraced Ichihara.

It was the fifth match. And perhaps the last.

 

Conclusion

Before the main event, the Match of the Year award was very much up for debate. Ichihara and Kitoaji’s battle at Night of GLORY was a strong shout, as was Ichihara’s match with Yoshimi Mushashibo at Night of BATTLE in February.

There had been many top-tier matches in 1997, but this one topped them all. By quite a distance. In fact, the whole show received critical acclaim, with many saying it would set the bar for all future shows.

So, at the end of the year, the awards were as follows:

WRESTLER of the year: Hito Ichihara
MATCH of the year: Hito Ichihara vs. Koryusai Kitoaji at Night of WRESTLING
MOST IMPROVED WRESTLER of the year: Yoshimi Mushashibo
TAG TEAM of the year: Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz)
 

The top of the company had maintained its ridiculously high standards. Meanwhile, the crop of exciting young talent came ever closer to superstardom, with the likes of Nobuatsu Tatsuko, Mito Miwa, Yoshimi Mushashibo, and Shuji Inukai close to establishing themselves as true main event players.

After the show, some wrestlers made their voices heard:

Yoshimi Mushashibo: I’m delighted. To hold gold alongside my friend Shuji Inukai is a dream come true. To be honest, I don’t remember exactly what happened at the end there. Things went a bit fuzzy. I’m looking forward to watching it back to relive our victory. But for now, it’s time to relax and enjoy a bit of time off.

Dread: Did you think Miwa might be the one? ‘Fraid not. I’ve heard you all wondering who the “one” is going to be. Don’t you understand? There won’t be “one” to defeat me. Nobody can do it. Every time I come out, the people who doubt me call for my failure. And each time I defy them. And soon, there’ll be nobody left to conquer and a pool of apologies at my feet.

Nobuatsu Tatsuko: I’m not going to say anything. My actions speak louder than words, and I think my message was clear tonight.

Koryusai Kitoaji: Tonight was the best night of my life. Better than winning the belt the first time. You know why? Because me and Ichihara shared something nobody can ever take away from us. It was beautiful. I’m not one to flowery words and hyperbole, but I felt a change in me, an awakening. And it’s thanks to him. He gave me something irreplaceable, and I hope he felt the same. So I’d like to thank him publicly for what he has done.

Now, looking to the future, 1998 will be another strong year for this company and for Koryusai Kitoaji. In my reign, challengers earn title shots. They do not beg. So far I am yet to see the one who will face me next, but I’m sure it won’t be long before someone deserving steps up.

 

[kinnikuniverse]

So yeah, i'm calling it, 98 will be the year that Tatsuko dethrones Kitoaji and makes him pay for ignoring him, becoming the first of the sinister 6 to become glory crown champion.

 

Also, since Miwa teased that Dread's defeat will be devastating, i believd that he will become glory crown champion, then he will lose the glory crown to one of the sinister 6 when he will finally lose. Maybe Musashibo, so he begins his push as ace of the company

[Willsky]

TURNING POINT

Trust is a powerful thing. In the middle of 1997, I decided to trust my roster. I relied upon them to deliver, knowing they had the talent, the spirit and the determination. Finances were looking shaky at best.

And they pulled through. It was not easy, mind, but ultimately the quality of our product shone through to enough people to make the endeavour profitable. And shining through to important people was vital. We signed a much-improved deal to broadcast our major shows on PPV Japan, bringing in enough money to balance the books, and sufficient viewers to expand our reach.

With an attendance of 33,141 at Night of WRESTLING, the gate alone was enough to raise us well out of debt.

I was yet to claw back my initial investment, but the future was looking extremely bright.

Doubts lingered over the Night of WRESTLING main event. Part of me wanted to go with Tatsuko as he had improved so much and could have worked brilliantly with Kitoaji.

But I couldn’t overlook Ichihara. He had been our number one performer in the ring and his rivalry with Kitoaji had reached legendary heights. In the end, it was a simple choice, but one that hurt. Tatsuko would have his moment soon enough.

And the decision panned out well. Kitoaji and Ichihara put on one of the best matches I’ve seen in a long time, and by far PGHW’s most acclaimed bout. To think I even considered parting ways with one, or both of them.

The roster would remain fairly stable going into the new year. A few minor names came in to support the midcard. The young stars were growing into their roles and, aside from an amazing opportunity opening up to sign a megastar, there was no need to add any more names.

Speaking of megastars, there was one man on my radar. Over in SWF, a lad aged just 24 but already on top of the world and with his contract expiring soon. It would be challenging to snatch him away from the American giant. Yet he was a perfect match. That one would have to wait and see.

As for heading into 1998, things were looking positive. Everyone was pulling in the same direction, and I believed the year would not only have success in-ring, but also on the balance sheet.

[Willsky]

EXPLOSION Implosion

Overall, 1997 had been a fine year for Team EXPLOSION. Eisaku Hoshino and Eisaku Kunomasu were young, highly-rated wrestlers who had teamed up to great success. They had beaten Team STRENGTH RUSH to become the second ever Glory Tag Crown champions, and had reached the final of the Elite Tag Series.

Considering Kunomasu was still in his first year of wrestling, that was quite an achievement. Until Team Dynasty turned their attention to the tag division, Team EXPLOSION were one of the best two tag teams in the company.

But that’s when things started going wrong. They lost the Glory Tag Crown titles back to Team STRENGTH RUSH, then suffered defeat to Team Dynasty in the Elite Tag Series final.

Since then, they tried to get back into title contention, but a loss to Hito Ichihara & Mamoru Nagahama in October slowed them down, then another defeat to Team Dynasty in November had them really struggling.

At Night of WRESTLING, they once again suffered defeat, this time in trios action alongside Walter Morgan. After the match, the pair exchanged heated words. Cool heads prevailed, though, and they seemed to put aside whatever issue had arisen.

In 1998, they would hope for success to fill in the cracks that had started to form.

 

Night of RESPECT, January 1998

To kick the year off, Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu) took on former 2-time Glory Tag Crown holders and their biggest rivals throughout 1997, Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz).

Hoshino and Kunomasu looked like their normal cohesive selves at the start of the match, and took the fight to Wright and Diaz. But a few things went wrong. A miscommunication saw them fail to make a proper tag, and a stray elbow from Kunomasu collided with Hoshino’s jaw.

At this level of wrestling, the finest margins make the difference, and Team STRENGTH RUSH took advantage. They hit the Too Hot to Handle on Eisaku Hoshino to get the win.

After the match, Kunomasu was visibly angry. He shouted at Hoshino, gesticulating furiously and complaining about another loss they had suffered.

Hoshino was never one to back down from being criticised. He got into Kunomasu’s face and told him that maybe he was to blame for their failure.

Shoving ensued. Tempers flared. Finally, it was Kunomasu who raised his hands and walked away, shaking his head. Hoshino shouted after him, but didn’t press the issue.

After the match, they both individually announced that they would be taking a short break from tag action in order to explore other pursuits and cool off the tension between them.

For such young and prideful men, they handled the situation with maturity, each admitting they were partly to blame, and hoping that the time away would heal their relationship.

 

Night of ENERGY, January 1998

Both members of Team EXPLOSION competed in singles action, with serious stakes.

Eisaku Hoshino defeated Yodo Nakane in a match that impressed Glory Crown champion Koryusai Kitoaji enough for him to offer Hoshino a title opportunity at the next show, Night of DESTINY.

Meanwhile, Eisaku Kunomasu battled against Nobuatsu Tatsuko. The match was closer than some might have expected, but in the end Tatsuko got the win with a Tatsuko Driller.

 

Night of DESTINY, February 1998

Eisaku Kunomasu continued to face high-profile opponents as he became the latest person to try to spoil Dread’s rampage through the roster. Once again, Kunomasu proved he was a strong competitor away from Hoshino, and there was no shame in his loss.

Eisaku Hoshino also gave a good account of himself. In front of over 35,000 fans in Osaka, he battled with Koryusai Kitoaji for the Glory Crown. The arena loved watching the pair go at each other without worrying about protecting themselves, purely intent on hitting the other harder.

Few people hit harder than Kitoaji, and Hoshino wasn’t one of them. But in defeat, Hoshino elevated his stock significantly.

Nobuatsu Tatsuko challenged Hoshino after the show and the match was set for Night of BATTLE.

 

Night of BATTLE, February 1998

In the opening match, Eisaku Hoshino took on Nobuatsu Tatsuko. With the Elite Series beginning in less than a week, both men hoped to get a momentum-giving win before a month of brutal matches.

Tatsuko was on another planet, though, and defeated Hoshino.

Eisaku Kunomasu got his first win of the year. He competed alongside Koryusai Kitoaji, Mito Miwa and Danger Kumasaka to defeat Walter Morgan, Lee Wright, Akihiro Ishikawa and Yodo Nakane.

Both Hoshino and Kunomasu announced their participation in the Elite Series and, to many people’s delight and to others’ concern, they were both drawn in Block A.

So, like it or not, Team EXPLOSION would reunite, only this time on the opposite side of the ring.

[MidKnightDreary]

Uh oh, trouble in paradise? They've not really had much of a disagreement in 1998 so it's probably okay?

[Willsky]

FINDING "THE ONE"

Having defeated over half the roster in singles competition in the last six months, the talk around Dread focused on the idea of “The One”. The One who would end his winning streak.

Nobuatsu Tatsuko had tried. Yodo Nakane had tried. Mito Miwa had tried. Over a dozen wrestlers had entered the ring with the big man hoping to ruin the point he had been trying to prove for months.

Dread dismissed the idea of there being such thing as “The One”, but his rejection of the term only gave it more intrigue. Media outlets in the Osaka area had picked up on it, and plenty of wrestling magazines in USA had caught on. Whoever defeated Dread was someone to look out for.

So 1998 began with a raft of opponents. But would any of them prove tough enough to do what so many had failed at?

 

Night of RESPECT, January 1998

Chuichi Sanda had officially finished his commitments with BHOTWG and was hoping to improve his standing in PGHW. He took on Dread knowing that a win would change his life.

But Dread wasn’t the charitable sort. While Sanda fought hard, it was ultimately fruitless as he suffered a Dread Bomb to end the match. Credit to Sanda for lasting longer than most, but it wasn’t the breakout performance he had dreamed of.

 

Night of ENERGY, January 1998

Many saw Kazuo Mitsushi’s challenge as more of a box-ticking exercise as Dread had to defeat everyone on the roster. Mitsushi had only recently broken his loser’s curse. He had become infamous for being on the losing team in all tag matches he participated in for 8 whole months.

With that curse now broken, he hoped his fortunes would turn about face. But they ran into Dread, who dashed that fantasy on the canvas. A Dreadsault got the job done.

 

Night of DESTINY, February 1998

Eisaku Kunomasu may have only been wrestling for little over a year, but he’d already picked up gold in PGHW, alongside Eisaku Hoshino as Team EXPLOSION won the Glory Tag Crown titles last year.

However, the team had gone through hard times of late and, with singles action the focus at this time, Kunomasu wondered if he may be able to become “The One” by beating Dread.

He certainly did a good job of trying. The young man brought intensity and precision which had the big man in trouble at times. But Dread wouldn’t be felled easily, and he retaliated with a Dread Bomb to get the three count.

 

Night of BATTLE, February 1998

In a battle of true heavyweights, Dread faced the man who many saw as a younger version of him, “The Monster” Raymond Diaz.

Diaz was just 21 and had already won tag gold twice alongside Lee Wright. The future certainly looked bright for him, but at this time it seemed blocked out by the bulk of Dread.

It was a match many had been looking forward to, and it lived up to expectations, already being talked about in the upper echelons of PGHW matches. No, it wouldn’t win Match of the Year, but it was certainly memorable.

The two big men smacked seven shades of the proverbial out of each other, with Diaz desperate to prove he was on the same level. A devastating powerbomb (which few men could even think about doing to Dread) saw Diaz gain control. Dread came out of the move with serious pain in his back.

Inexperience cost Diaz as he failed to capitalise. Instead of following up, he paraded in front of the fans, giving Dread time to recover enough to hit a Dread Bomb and get the win.

That made it 18 wins for Dread, around two-thirds of the full-time roster. Nearly everyone remaining would pose a serious threat.

 

Dread’s Injury

After the match, Dread announced that he would not be competing in the Elite Series tournament. He claimed the back injury suffered in the match with Diaz would keep him on the sidelines for a month or two, and after the tournament he would return to his dominant run.

More cynical fans wondered if this was some kind of ploy. The Elite Series was a gruelling tournament with so many matches that defeat was likely at some point. Avoiding that risk would keep Dread’s winning run in tact. Some wondered if the injury was just “unfortunate” or if it was tactical.

 

[Willsky]

INFALLIBLE FIGO

Luis Figo Manico had ended all doubts around his talent and durability. He remained undefeated in singles competition since his arrival in the company six months ago.

He had established himself as a good modern champion, frequently defending the Historical Japan title and upholding the tradition and legacy that belt brought with it. For a gaijin, he was already very well respected.

And as always, he had a queue of challengers hoping to take the belt off him. The Historical Japan title was always open for business. Unlike the Glory Crown, where challengers had to prove they were worthy of the highest honour, Figo’s contenders simply put their name in the hat and, sooner or later, they’d get a shot.

Indeed, that was how Figo earned his opportunity. He was ready to offer the same favour to anyone who was brave enough to face him. But at some point he would slip up. Wouldn’t he?

 

Night of RESPECT, January 1998

Dino Maldini had been meandering through PGHW ever since his tag partner, Java, left. He had clear talent, but still needed experience in the ring to convert those MMA skills into wrestling acumen.

He got his chance against Figo, and in doing so exposed the fact he was still some way off. Figo used the Madrid Maul to get the win.

 

Night of ENERGY, January 1998

Raymond Diaz took a rare break from tag action to challenge Figo for the Historical Japan title, a belt which his tag partner Lee Wright had held years ago.

For Diaz, a win would change the trajectory of his career. All his success had come alongside Wright, but this would mark a successful foray into singles action that may spell the end of Team STRENGTH RUSH.

Fortunately for fans of the tag team, Diaz fell to the Madrid Maul, although his good performance suggested he may have a good future in singles competition, if not quite yet.

 

Night of DESTINY, February 1998

One half of Boundary 97, Go Matsunaga was next in line for a shot at Figo. Nobody expected Matsunaga to pose a real challenge. But he did much better than people predicted.

He pushed Figo to the limit and, if it hadn’t been for the Spaniard’s diligence in researching and analysing all his opponents, the fans might have seen an upset similar to the one Figo put on Mito Miwa when he won the belt in the first place.

In the end, the Madrid Maul was once again the deciding factor.

 

Night of BATTLE, February 1998

In the final show before the Elite Series, Hayate Hasegawa took on Figo. Hasegawa had wrestled for QUEST when the Historical Japan title was in its early days, but never got his hands on the belt. He had always had more success in the tag division.

And some may say that’s where he should have stayed, at least on this occasion, as Figo defeated him with relative ease, finishing him off with a Full Nelson.

After the match, Figo spoke about the upcoming Elite Series.

Figo: I will be in the Elite Series. I understand what it entails, and I appreciate that my 100% singles record will come under serious threat. But preserving it would mean missing out on the biggest tournament of my lifetime. A league system really shows where people are. I have been facing good competitors for a while, but now I wish to go up against the best. I believe I can win the tournament, even with the likes of Ichihara, Kumasaka, Tatsuko and Miwa taking part. But win or lose, I will not miss it.

 

[Willsky]

THE RIGHT THING

At Night of WRESTLING in December 1997, Team Dynasty walked away as new Glory Tag Crown champions. They had won the Elite Tag Series in September and finally got their hands on the gold. Their delight was contagious. They had become one of the fans’ favourite teams, and beating the perennial villains Team STRENGTH RUSH only reinforced that perception.

However, the nature of their victory was somewhat controversial. Having complained about Team STRENGTH RUSH’s bending of the rules in a previous title match, in which Lee Wright entered the action despite not being the legal man, Shuji Inukai did a similar thing at Night of WRESTLING.

Mushashibo, especially, had criticised Wright on that occasion. He said it was against Sadaharu Jimbo’s motto of “do the right thing”.

On the night, Mushashibo hadn’t realised what Inukai had done. So after the show he was in good spirits. Yet he would have watched the match back and seen how his tag partner entered the ring without having tagged in, and was instrumental in their team’s victory.

How Mushashibo would react to the hypocrisy of his victory and the actions of Inukai remained to be seen. It could have a serious impact on the future of Team Dynasty, especially given how hard it had been to convince Mushashibo to focus on the tag division.

Meanwhile, the tag division was steadily evolving. Following Hito Ichihara’s loss to Kitoaji at Night of WRESTLING, he offered Mamoru Nagahama another chance at tag success. Team EXPLOSION were going through their own journey, and there always loomed the threat of the two-time Glory Tag Crown champions, Team STRENGTH RUSH.

 

Night of RESPECT, January 1998

Three important tag matches took place at Night of RESPECT.

The first was for the Glory Tag Crown titles as Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) faced the young team of Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara). Nobody expected Rebel Cell to win, but they provided good opposition in the new champions’ first defence of the belt.

Mushashibo seemed quiet and withdrawn. He was effective in his actions, but seemed like he was going through the motions.

Hito Ichihara and Mamoru Nagahama renewed their position as a tag team with a victory over the unusual pairing of Kazuo Mitsushi and Walter Morgan. It seemed that Mitsushi’s rare win at Night of WRESTLING might have been an exception to the rule as, once again, he was on the end of a loss. Nagahama and Ichihara showed a good understanding. Nagahama submitted Mitsushi with a Guillotine.

The third match saw Team EXPLOSION (Eisaku Hoshino & Eisaku Kunomasu) lose to Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz). It was an eventful match, especially for Team EXPLOSION, but that is a story best told in “EXPLOSION Implosion”.

 

Night of ENERGY, January 1998

At Night of ENERGY, Hito Ichihara and Mamoru Nagahama picked up another victory, this time over Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) who had failed in their title shot at the last show.

It was another comfortable win, with Nagahama using the Guillotine to choke out Sarumara.

Later in the show, the Glory Crown titles were on the line again as Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) defended against Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara). The challengers hoped 1998 would bring more success than their titular founding year. Unfortunately for them, it didn’t start that way, as they lost the match.

Like at Night of RESPECT, Mushashibo’s heart wasn’t in it. He and Inukai communicated little. The word “sulking” might be a little strong to describe Mushashibo’s behaviour, but he was certainly not pleased. Danger Kumasaka was present at ringside and he tried to act as intermediary, but he failed to make a difference.

 

Night of DESTINY, February 1998

Team STRENGTH RUSH (Lee Wright & Raymond Diaz) took on Hito Ichihara and Mamoru Nagahama with the expectation that the winner of the match would go on to face Team Dynasty at the next show, Night of BATTLE.

It was Ichihara and Nagahama’s toughest test yet. It was against Wright and Diaz that they had lost their first match together when they challenged for the Glory Tag Crown titles at Night of COURAGE in December. That loss annoyed Ichihara, who abandoned the team and pursued the Glory Crown against Kitoaji.

Now, with their renewed partnership, they hoped to put the ghosts of the past behind them. And they did so in style. Ichihara looked extremely motivated, and he coached Nagahama into another impressive performance, this time submitting Lee Wright with the Guillotine.

Things were looking up for the pair, and they would get their Glory Crown title shot at Night of BATTLE.

Their opponents for that match would be the victor of the match later in the show between Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) and the semi-permanent duo of Hayate Hasegawa and Fukusaburu Inao.

Mushashibo and Inukai hardly spoke. They communicated enough to organise themselves in the match, which they won, but their celebrations were muted. Things were not well in the Dynasty.

 

Night of BATTLE, February 1998

In the main event of Night of BATTLE, Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) put their titles on the line against Hito Ichihara and Mamoru Nagahama. It marked the first time in PGHW history that the Glory Tag Crown titles headlined a major show.

That was credit to the popularity and ability of the champions and, indeed, the challengers.

The contrast in mood between the two teams was striking. Ichihara and Nagahama were bouncing with their recent success, and the veteran Ichihara had plenty of guidance, tips and even jokes for his young partner.

On the other side of the ring, a chill hung between the champions. Clearly Mushashibo wasn’t happy with how his team had won the belts, and any attempts to reconcile him had fallen on deaf ears.

And against serious challengers, a lack of cohesion proves costly, as it did here. Ichihara had been around long enough to deal with any situation and he played a smart, tactical game. He instructed Nagahama about when to press on and when to lay off and let the opponents stew in their discomfort.

And when the time was right, Ichihara pounced, hitting a Head Drop Suplex on Inukai to get the win.

Hito Ichihara and Mamoru Nagahama won the Glory Tag Crown titles!!

They celebrated with plenty of cheer after the match, with Ichihara praising his team mate after the show.

Team Dynasty’s title reign had been brief – just two months. In the post-show press conference, both men made their voices heard.

Mushashibo: I’m disappointed we lost. But, if I’m honest, our reign was tainted from the start. I’m still struggling to process how things transpired at Night of WRESTLING and wondering whether it’s right for me to feel this way.

Inukai: We won. That’s what we wanted. Team STRENGTH RUSH would have done exactly the same. In fact, they did. In the same match. But I made sure their tactics didn’t go unpunished.

Mushashibo: Two wrongs don’t make a right. In that match, you stepped away from the idea of “do the right thing”. I would have preferred we lost instead of—

Inukai: Preferred we lost? What’s wrong with you? I just levelled the playing field, made it a fair fight. But you would rather we were handicapped and came out losers again, just to satisfy your conscience? Forget that. I’m proud we won the titles.

Mushashibo: Shuji, let’s not do this anymore.

Inukai: What?

Mushashibo: I don’t mean we shouldn’t tag anymore. I mean let’s not sulk and act cold towards each other. I’m tired of it. And maybe now that we don’t have the weight of tainted gold on our shoulders, we can push on, doing the right thing.

Inukai: Fine. But we differ on what that means. I believe in fairness. I did the right thing at Night of WRESTLING by making it a fair fight.

Mushashibo: I know you tried to do the right thing. But it was wrong. I forgive you for that, because you’re my friend. But next time we tag together, remember that immediate success isn’t always the goal. We’re Team Dynasty. That means we will always have success. But more importantly, we will have Pride, Glory and Honour on our side. 

[Willsky]

UNDENIABLE

One of the big controversies at the tail end of 1997 was how Koryusai Kitoaji overlooked Nobuatsu Tatsuko as a challenger to the Glory Crown.

It all began when Kitoaji challenged Mamoru Nagahama. The champion had imposed his will on the nature of challenging and challengers, enforcing the idea that the champion should select challengers and everyone else should do their best to earn his attention.

In many people’s eyes, Nagahama hadn’t done nearly enough to merit a title shot at Night of HONOUR. But the match took place and, as expected, Kitoaji won.

In the following two shows, Kitoaji and Nobuatsu Tatsuko were on the same winning team in two multi-man main events. Tatsuko impressed in both. Yet it was another team mate, Roka Furuhata, who teamed alongside them in the second match who got the title shot at Night of ENDURANCE.

All the while, Tatsuko looked irritated, but did nothing. So after Night of ENDURANCE, he stood up to Kitoaji, expecting the champion to accept him as a challenger. But Kitoaji declined. He instead opted to face Hito Ichihara at Night of WRESTLING.

Ichihara was Kitoaji’s biggest rival and the only other man to hold the Glory Crown, so it was hardly a case of Kitoaji picking an easy ride. And the two capped off their story with an epic match. But this gave small consolation to Tatsuko who felt overlooked and undervalued.

Now in 1998, with Kitoaji still champion, it was only a matter of time before Tatsuko got his way. Wasn’t it?

 

Night of RESPECT, January 1998

The first show of the year saw Koryusai Kitoaji choose Mito Miwa as the challenger for the Glory Crown. There was no doubt Miwa was a worthy wrestler, but fans of Tatsuko (one of Miwa’s long-time rivals) were incensed at yet another insult.

Kitoaji won a hard-fought match that went over 35 minutes. In many ways, Miwa resembled Hito Ichihara with his tactical, adaptable approach, and he sprang a few surprises for the champion. But Kitoaji hid harder and in more volume, retaining his title.

Earlier in the same show, Nobuatsu Tatsuko was on the winning team alongside Danger Kumasaka and Boundary 97 (Go Matsunaga & Takeshi Umehara) as they beat Fukusaburu Inao, Hayate Hasegawa, Yodo Nakane and new signing Akihiro Ishikawa.

Tatsuko got the pin and remained stoic after the bell. Everybody knew what was going through his mind; he didn’t need to say anything.

 

Night of ENERGY, January 1998

Night of ENERGY saw several singles matches take place. Most notable among them was Eisaku Hoshino defeating the veteran Yodo Nakane and a later match with Nobuatsu Tatsuko winning against Eisaku Kunomasu.

Earlier in the night, Kitoaji had been part of a winning 8-man tag alongside Lee Wright, Fukusaburu Inao and Hayate Hasegawa against Akihiro Ishikawa, Chuichi Sanda, Dino Maldini and Walter Morgan.

But it was his post-show comments that attracted greater interest. He said he had been highly impressed with Eisaku Hoshino’s victory over such a highly-respected competitor like Yodo Nakane. He extended his offer of a title challenge to Hoshino. The match was made for Night of DESTINY.

 

Night of DESTINY, February 1998

Nobuatsu Tatsuko had to settle for competing in the opener again, when he thought he should be in the main event. He teamed with Mito Miwa and Yodo Nakane to beat Danger Kumasaka, Akihiro Ishikawa and Walter Morgan.

Throughout the match, Tatsuko was in a sour mood. Not only did he have to suffer the humiliation of another rejection, but he was tagging with Mito Miwa. While the two respected each other, they weren’t exactly friends, even less now that Miwa had got the title shot at Night of RESPECT.

Tatsuko was known for being quite calm and collected. His intensity was extreme, yes, but he never lost control of his emotions. Now, though, that resolve was being tested.

In the main event, Koryusai Kitoaji defeated Eisaku Hoshino in another great title match. Hoshino showed his tenacity and rugged spirit. He and Kitoaji spent good periods of the match furiously attacking each other with little thought of defence or regard for their own safety.

A Kitoaji Braindrop got the job done. Immediately after the match, word got out that Tatsuko had challenged Hoshino to a match at Night of BATTLE. The speculation was that he wanted to defeat Hoshino to show Kitoaji that, once again, he had picked the wrong challenger.

 

Night of BATTLE, February 1998

In another opening match, Nobuatsu Tatsuko faced Eisaku Hoshino. The stakes were high for Tatsuko, because a loss here would foil his plans to show up Kitoaji. There was also the anticipation of the Elite Series beginning the next week and a win for either man would give them confidence going into the gruelling month of matches.

Hoshino fought well, but Tatsuko was a man on a mission. In 27 minutes, Tatsuko got the win with a Tatsuko Driller.

Later on, Koryusai Kitoaji teamed with Mito Miwa, Eisaku Kunomasu and Danger Kumasaka to defeat Walter Morgan, Lee Wright, Akihiro Ishikawa and Yodo Nakane.

Once again, it was Kitoaji’s press conference comments that made the headlines.

Kitoaji: I’m looking forward to the Elite Series. I’m sure fans around the world are, too. But I’m reluctant to announce that I won’t be taking part in the tournament this year. Firstly, my body needs some time to heal. I’ve been a fighting champion for nearly 9 months now, and that takes a toll. And I know better than anyone what it takes, both physically and mentally, to win the tournament. It’s tough.

But I’m excited to find out who my next challenger will be. This time I do not have to make the decision – the results will do that for me. And such a tournament always results in the winner having EARNED their title shot. You can’t fluke it.

So good luck to everyone, and I’ll see the winner when it’s all over.

Later, Nobuatsu Tatsuko made his voice heard.

Tatsuko: I will not disrespect anyone. I will not speak out of turn because that is not who I am.

But know this. I will win the Elite Series. And when I do, nobody can overlook me. Nobody can disregard me as unworthy. Because it will be my right to challenge for the Glory Crown. I will be undeniable.

[Willsky]

THE ELITE SERIES 1998

1997 saw the first Elite Series, an excellent tournament won by Koryusai Kitoaji. The semi-finals and final came to screens as part of Night of PRIDE, but many of the block matches, which were highly rated by those in attendance, were not broadcast anywhere.

In 1998, with PGHW’s new network deal, every single tournament match would be shown on PPV Japan as part of a month-long extravaganza.

And there was plenty of hype going into the tournament. Despite two big names not entering (Dread and Koryusai Kitoaji), the anticipation to see young stars in high-profile action was irresistible.

Everybody had their own pick, but nobody stood out as a clear favourite.

Block A consisted of:

Akihiro Ishikawa
Danger Kumasaka
Hito Ichihara
Luis Figo Manico
Mamoru Nagahama
Mito Miwa
Shuji Inukai
Yodo Nakane

By far the biggest name was Hito Ichihara. The former Glory Crown champion was a strong pick to get out of the block, and many expected him to win the tournament and go on to avenge his Night of WRESTLING loss to Koryusai Kitoaji.

Mito Miwa and Shuji Inukai both had a good chance of qualification. The two youngsters spent 1997 showing that they were destined for the top, and this could be their breakout year.

Danger Kumasaka and Yodo Nakane were the veterans of the group. Nakane had clearly slowed down over the last year, so his chances were perceived as slim. Kumasaka, too, wasn’t quite at his peak. But he had reached the semi-final of the tournament last year, and that experience may get him over the line.

Luis Figo Manico and Mamoru Nagahama were the dark horses. Figo had proven his talents, but was yet to test his quality against true high-level opponents. Nagahama may have been a few years away from really breaking through, but competitions like the Elite Series can really fast-track progress.

And then there was the wildcard, Akihiro Ishikawa. Nobody knew what to expect from him, although his performances since joining at the start of the year hadn’t set the world on fire.

Block B consisted of:

Chuichi Sanda
Eisaku Hoshino
Eisaku Kunomasu
Hayate Hasegawa
Nobuatsu Tatsuko
Raymond Diaz
Walter Morgan
Yoshimi Mushashibo

Some might argue that Block B was less competitive than Block A. And sure, there was no megastar there, but there were plenty of wrestlers not far away from the level.

Nobuatsu Tatsuko had been close to becoming a true main eventer for some time now, and Yoshimi Mushashibo was one of the best performers in the entire company. Those two topped the betting odds.

Not far behind was Eisaku Hoshino, who had done well in singles competition since temporarily splitting from his tag partner Eisaku Kunomasu. Speaking of which, Kunomasu had developed quite a lot of support, with fans wondering if this was his time to shine.

Raymond Diaz was the hardest to predict. On his day, he could beat near enough anyone, but without Lee Wright directing him, he was prone to rash mistakes.

Chuichi Sanda, Hayate Hasegawa and Walter Morgan were outside bets. Nobody really expected them to compete at the top, but they could all raise their stock with a few upset victories, or a top-half finish.

 

PGHW Elite Series: DAY 1

Block A Results

Luis Figo Manico def. Yodo Nakane
Danger Kumasaka def. Akihiro Ishikawa
Hito Ichihara def. Mamoru Nagahama
Mito Miwa def. Shuji Inukai

Miwa defeating Inukai was by far the most important result. With both men competing for a qualification spot, Miwa gained an early two points. The other results were as expected, with Akihiro Ishikawa offering little challenge to Kumasaka.

Block B Results

Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Chuichi Sanda
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Eisaku Kunomasu
Raymond Diaz def. Hayate Hasegawa
Eisaku Hoshino def. Walter Morgan

Raymond Diaz started the tournament well, defeating the veteran Hasegawa. Tatsuko and Kunomasu had a fierce battle, with Tatsuko picking up the points. The other results were straightforward wins for Hoshino and Mushashibo.

 

PGHW Elite Series: DAY 2

Block A Results

Mito Miwa def. Akihiro Ishikawa
Luis Figo Manico def. Mamoru Nagahama
Shuji Inukai def. Yodo Nakane
Hito Ichihara def. Danger Kumasaka

Luis Figo Manico’s victory over Nagahama was a repeat of their Night of WRESTLING match, and put the Spaniard on 4 points. Miwa and Inukai picked up good wins, while Ichihara bested Danger Kumasaka.

Block B Results

Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Walter Morgan
Eisaku Kunomasu def. Chuichi Sanda
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Hayate Hasegawa
Eisaku Hoshino def. Raymond Diaz

With comfortable wins for Mushashibo, Kunomasu and Tatsuko, the standout match was Hoshino facing long-time rival in the tag division, Raymond Diaz. It was the first time they had competed in singles action, and Hoshino came out on top, meaning he was two wins from two.

 

PGHW Elite Series: DAY 3

Block A Results

Mito Miwa def. Danger Kumasaka
Yodo Nakane def. Akihiro Ishikawa
Shuji Inukai def. Mamoru Nagahama
Hito Ichihara def. Luis Figo Manico

Miwa’s victory over Kumasaka sent a strong message. Kumasaka reached the semi-final last year, but it seemed the youngsters like Miwa had now overtaken him. Nakane got his first win, with Ishikawa looking like he’d rather be elsewhere, while Inukai got another victory.

Ichihara and Figo put on the best match of the tournament so far, with Figo battling to keep his 100% singles record intact. Unfortunately for him, Ichihara managed to hit the Head Drop Suplex and end the streak.
 

Block B Results

Hayate Hasegawa def. Chuichi Sanda
Eisaku Kunomasu def. Walter Morgan
Eisaku Hoshino def. Yoshimi Mushashibo
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Raymond Diaz

Eisaku Hoshino scored a huge win over Yoshimi Mushashibo. It was a fantastic match in which Mushashibo’s artistic grace fell to Hoshino’s rugged aggression. Hoshino had made a great start to the tournament.

Kunomasu and Tatsuko picked up solid wins, while Hayate Hasegawa got his first points, defeating Chuichi Sanda in a poor match.

 

PGHW Elite Series: DAY 4

Block A Results

Mito Miwa def. Mamoru Nagahama
Danger Kumasaka went to a time limit draw with Luis Figo Manico
Shuji Inukai def. Akihiro Ishikawa
Hito Ichihara def. Yodo Nakane

Solid wins for Miwa, Inukai and Ichihara were to be expected, but fans revelled in the first 30-minute time-limit draw between Figo and Kumasaka. After the match, Kumasaka was full of praise for the Spaniard, who said Kumasaka was welcome to a rematch sometime soon, with the Historical Japan title on the line.

Block B Results

Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Raymond Diaz
Eisaku Hoshino def. Chuichi Sanda
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Walter Morgan
Eisaku Kunomasu def. Hayate Hasegawa

Those hoping for an upset victory were disappointed as the top four defeated the bottom four. Raymond Diaz came closest, almost getting the better of Mushashibo with pure strength alone, but his focus failed him for a moment, allowing Mushashibo to pounce.

 

Mid-point round-up

Block A Table

8 Hito Ichihara
8 Mito Miwa
6 Shuji Inukai
5 Luis Figo Manico
3 Danger Kumasaka
2 Yodo Nakane
0 Akihiro Ishikawa
0 Mamoru Nagahama

Block B Table

8 Eisaku Hoshino
8 Nobuatsu Tatsuko
6 Eisaku Kunomasu
6 Yoshimi Mushashibo
2 Raymond Diaz
2 Hayate Hasegawa
0 Chuichi Sanda
0 Walter Morgan

Mamoru Nagahama was a huge disappointment at this stage. He had lost every single match. Admittedly, competition was tough and he’d have opportunities to pick up easier points, but the block didn’t look good.

It wasn’t ideal for Raymond Diaz, either. His lack of experience and guidance had cost him against the top competitors.

The worst, though, was Akihiro Ishikawa. Not only had he failed to score a single point, but he’d not even come close. It was a dismal performance so far, and most fans would have been happy to see him go straight back to BHOTWG.

Incidentally, at this point, that very company contacted him with an offer to return, which he accepted. He would finish the Elite Series and then head off.

Block A’s Ichihara and Miwa made fantastic starts, winning all four of their matches. The same was true in Block B for Hoshino and Tatsuko. The four had set themselves out as favourites to qualify, but they were under pressure from those close behind. And the final positions would determine who they faced in the semi-final.

[kinnikuniverse]

Hmm, wonder if it'll go the G1 Climax 91 route and have Miwa and Tatsuko face each other in the final to establish them as stars...which will lead to Miwa vs Ichihara and Tatsuko vs Kitoaji. I like the sound of that

Edited August 19, 2023 by kinnikuniverse

[Willsky]

THE ELITE SERIES 1998 (part 2)

So far the Elite Series had produced some fantastic matches, with some wrestlers taking an early lead. There was already a split between the top four and the bottom four in both blocks, with only four real contenders to qualify in each.

There were some massive bouts still to come, particularly on Day 7, with some crucial last round matches.

Block A Table

8 Hito Ichihara
8 Mito Miwa
6 Shuji Inukai
5 Luis Figo Manico
3 Danger Kumasaka
2 Yodo Nakane
0 Akihiro Ishikawa
0 Mamoru Nagahama

Block B Table

8 Eisaku Hoshino
8 Nobuatsu Tatsuko
6 Eisaku Kunomasu
6 Yoshimi Mushashibo
2 Raymond Diaz
2 Hayate Hasegawa
0 Chuichi Sanda
0 Walter Morgan

PGHW Elite Series: DAY 5

Block A Results

Danger Kumasaka went to a time-limit draw with Shuji Inukai
Luis Figo Manico went to a time-limit draw with Mito Miwa
Mamoru Nagahama def. Yodo Nakane
Hito Ichihara def. Akihiro Ishikawa

In the previous round, Kumasaka and Figo had drawn, now they both got the same result against different opponents. Kumasaka might have been pleased with his result if it didn’t mean it was impossible for him to qualify from Block A.

Figo still had a chance, but there was a long way to go to catch up with Mito Miwa and he’d have to rely on Miwa slipping up.

Mamoru Nagahama got his first win, finally, while his tag team champion partner, Hito Ichihara, made it five from five.

10 Hito Ichihara
9 Mito Miwa
7 Shuji Inukai
6 Luis Figo Manico
4 Danger Kumasaka
2 Mamoru Nagahama
2 Yodo Nakane
0 Akihiro Ishikawa

 

Block B Results

Eisaku Kunomasu def. Raymond Diaz
Chuichi Sanda def. Walter Morgan
Eisaku Hoshino def. Hayate Hasegawa
Nobuatsu Tatsuko went to a time-limit draw with Yoshimi Mushashibo

It was a round full of draws. Tatsuko and Mushashibo cancelled each other out, but would have both been content with a single point. Meanwhile, Hoshino took the lead, making it five wins from five by beating Hasegawa.

Kunomasu earned a big win, too, putting him in serious contention just behind Tatsuko, with the top two qualifying spots still up for grabs.

10 Eisaku Hoshino
9 Nobuatsu Tatsuko
8 Eisaku Kunomasu
7 Yoshimi Mushashibo
2 Raymond Diaz
2 Hayate Hasegawa
2 Chuichi Sanda
0 Walter Morgan

 

PGHW Elite Series: DAY 6

Block A Results

Danger Kumasaka def. Mamoru Nagahama
Luis Figo Manico def. Akihiro Ishikawa
Mito Miwa def. Yodo Nakane
Hito Ichihara def. Shuji Inukai

With all competitors suffering the effects of a gruelling schedule, things went down to the wire. Despite Figo defeating Ishikawa, he learned he would not qualify this year, as Mito Miwa beat Yodo Nakane, meaning that Figo was three points behind with just a single match to go.

The same was true for Shuji Inukai who desperately needed a win against Ichihara to rise above Miwa, but could only get a draw. That draw meant that Miwa and Ichihara would go into the final round equal on points. They would face each other in that match to determine who finished top of the block.

11 Hito Ichihara
11 Mito Miwa
8 Luis Figo Manico
8 Shuji Inukai
6 Danger Kumasaka
2 Mamoru Nagahama
2 Yodo Nakane
0 Akihiro Ishikawa

 

Block B Results

Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Hayate Hasegawa
Raymond Diaz def. Walter Morgan
Eisaku Hoshino def. Eisaku Kunomasu
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Chuichi Sanda

Yoshimi Mushashibo needed two points to stand a chance of qualifying. He got them against Hayate Hasegawa. However, Tatsuko also won, making Mushashibo’s chances a lot slimmer.

The crucial match was Hoshino vs. Kunomasu. The two hadn’t shared the ring since the start of the year, as tag partners in Team EXPLOSION, and while they began on good terms, they certainly didn’t finish that way.

During the match, some heavy strikes were thrown and the two looked to take out their frustrations on each other. Hoshino got the win when Kunomasu lost his cool and charged, only to get countered with a Godzilla Plunge.

The win meant Hoshino would qualify from the block, while Kunomasu could not mathematically advance.

The next round would see Hoshino take on Tatsuko. A win for Tatsuko would see him top the group, while a loss might see Mushashibo oust him from second spot.

12 Eisaku Hoshino
11 Nobuatsu Tatsuko
9 Yoshimi Mushashibo
8 Eisaku Kunomasu
4 Raymond Diaz
2 Hayate Hasegawa
2 Chuichi Sanda
0 Walter Morgan

 

PGHW Elite Series: DAY 7

Block A Results

Danger Kumasaka def. Yodo Nakane
Luis Figo Manico def. Shuji Inukai
Mamoru Nagahama def. Akihiro Ishikawa
Hito Ichihara def. Mito Miwa

For most, there was not much to play for in Block A on the final day, except pride. Kumasaka’s win got him to a respectable 8 points, while Luis Figo Manico would have counted himself unlucky not to qualify after defeating Inukai. The Spaniard only lost one match in the whole tournament, but two draws cost him dearly.

The highest stakes were in the main event, with top spot on the line. The match was spectacular. Ichihara and Miwa put on the match of the tournament so far. The pair showed their similarities in style, but differences in experience as Ichihara had just a few more tricks up his sleeve than the younger man and got the win.

Block A Final Standings

13 Hito Ichihara
11 Mito Miwa
10 Luis Figo Manico
8 Shuji Inukai
8 Danger Kumasaka
4 Mamoru Nagahama
2 Yodo Nakane
0 Akihiro Ishikawa

Akihiro returned to BHOTWG with his tail between his legs. It was a disappointing tournament for Yodo Nakane and Mamoru Nagahama, the latter of which failed to shine.

Kumasaka, Inukai and Figo did well, but weren’t quite at the required level to advance. Ichihara’s success was never in doubt, but Mito Miwa exceeded expectations by getting into the semi-finals.

Block B Results

Raymond Diaz def. Chuichi Sanda
Walter Morgan def. Hayate Hasegawa
Yoshimi Mushashibo def. Eisaku Kunomasu
Nobuatsu Tatsuko def. Eisaku Hoshino

Diaz and Morgan both got wins to make their performance look slightly better, but neither man would have been happy with their overall standing.

Yoshimi Mushashibo fought hard to defeat Kunomasu, and got a good win. To qualify, though, he needed Hoshino to defeat Tatsuko, but in the end, Tatsuko got the victory, confirming his place at the top of the Block.

13 Nobuatsu Tatsuko
12 Eisaku Hoshino
11 Yoshimi Mushashibo
8 Eisaku Kunomasu
6 Raymond Diaz
2 Chuichi Sanda
2 Hayate Hasegawa
2 Walter Morgan

Morgan, Sanda and Hasegawa struggled, predictably. Raymond Diaz did okay, but those hoping he would challenge the frontrunners were disappointed.

Kunomasu showed he wasn’t quite on the level of his peers yet, but still a formidable threat that would surely challenge in the future.

11 points proved insufficient for Mushashibo to advance in a very competitive group – just a single loss and one draw, yet he still couldn’t get past Hoshino or Tatsuko.

Speaking of the top two, Tatsuko’s victory over Hoshino meant he finished top and would face the second placed competitor from Block A, Mito Miwa.

Eisaku Hoshino would go on to compete against Hito Ichihara in the other side of the draw.

Both matches were set to take place at Night of PRIDE, with the final main-eventing that show.

 

Night of PRIDE, 1998 Predictions

SEMI FINAL 1: Eisaku Hoshino vs. Hito Ichihara

SEMI FINAL 2: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko

Chuichi Sanda and Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Go Matsunaga, Hayate Hasegawa & Mamoru Nagahama

Lee Wright vs. Luis Figo Manico © for the Historical Japan title

Danger Kumasaka, Yodo Nakane and Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Eisaku Kunomasu, Koryusai Kitoaji, Raymond Diaz & Shimi Komatsuzaki

Winner of SEMI FINAL 1 vs. Winner of SEMI FINAL 2 for the Elite Series tournament title

 

The next show will be posted in a few weeks after I'm back from being away.

[Tiberious]

Just wanted to mention that you're doing a great job with this dynasty. Focusing on individual wrestlers storylines/progress over the months between major shows is a really unique and interesting way to highlight the most important stuff going on in your company.

 

Night of PRIDE, 1998 Predictions

SEMI FINAL 1: Eisaku Hoshino vs. Hito Ichihara
Ichihara is on such a high level that it's hard to see Hoshino beating him here.

SEMI FINAL 2: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko
Nobuatsu's had a lot of focus as the one being ignored and disrespected by the champion, so I think he makes it through to the finals.

Chuichi Sanda and Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Go Matsunaga, Hayate Hasegawa & Mamoru Nagahama
Not a lot of starpower in this match, but Nagahama is the one with the closest thing to a push here.

Lee Wright vs. Luis Figo Manico © for the Historical Japan title

I'd be surprised if Manico lost his title before defending vs Danger Kumasaka.

Danger Kumasaka, Yodo Nakane and Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Eisaku Kunomasu, Koryusai Kitoaji, Raymond Diaz & Shimi Komatsuzaki

When in doubt pick the champions team.

Hito Ichihara vs Nobuatsu Tatsuko
I think it's time to elevate a next generation star and Nobuatsu Tatsuko is the one to do it.

Edited August 21, 2023 by Tiberious

[MidKnightDreary]

SEMI FINAL 1: Eisaku Hoshino vs. Hito Ichihara

SEMI FINAL 2: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko

Chuichi Sanda and Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Go Matsunaga, Hayate Hasegawa & Mamoru Nagahama

Lee Wright vs. Luis Figo Manico © for the Historical Japan title

Danger Kumasaka, Yodo Nakane and Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Eisaku Kunomasu, Koryusai Kitoaji, Raymond Diaz & Shimi Komatsuzaki

Winner of SEMI FINAL 1 vs. Winner of SEMI FINAL 2 for the Elite Series tournament title

[SomeLazyMagic]

Night of PRIDE, 1998 Predictions

SEMI FINAL 1: Eisaku Hoshino vs. Hito Ichihara

SEMI FINAL 2: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko

Chuichi Sanda and Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Go Matsunaga, Hayate Hasegawa & Mamoru Nagahama

Lee Wright vs. Luis Figo Manico © for the Historical Japan title

Danger Kumasaka, Yodo Nakane and Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Eisaku Kunomasu, Koryusai Kitoaji, Raymond Diaz & Shimi Komatsuzaki

Winner of SEMI FINAL 1 vs. Winner of SEMI FINAL 2 for the Elite Series tournament title

[Scottie]

Night of PRIDE, 1998 Predictions

SEMI FINAL 1: Eisaku Hoshino vs. Hito Ichihara

I think it makes sense for one of the old guard to make the final, and so my bet is on Ichihara.

SEMI FINAL 2: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko

This isn't Miwa's time yet. My money is on Tatsuko.

Chuichi Sanda and Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Go Matsunaga, Hayate Hasegawa & Mamoru Nagahama

In truth, I have no idea about this one. So I will go with the team with Nagahama, who seems destined for bigger things.

Lee Wright vs. Luis Figo Manico © for the Historical Japan title

Wright is a great wrestler, but I don't think he's the one to end Manico's reign.

Danger Kumasaka, Yodo Nakane and Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Eisaku Kunomasu, Koryusai Kitoaji, Raymond Diaz & Shimi Komatsuzaki

Star-studded teams, but I'm going for the first team with Komatsuzaki to take the fall.

Winner of SEMI FINAL 1 vs. Winner of SEMI FINAL 2 for the Elite Series tournament title

This could go either way, but it seems perhaps a little too early for Tatsuko to win the whole series. I'm betting on Ichihara, though Tatsuko would be a breath of fresh air in the title chase.

[Willsky]

On 8/21/2023 at 10:49 AM, Tiberious said:

Just wanted to mention that you're doing a great job with this dynasty. Focusing on individual wrestlers storylines/progress over the months between major shows is a really unique and interesting way to highlight the most important stuff going on in your company.

Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it. It's definitely a lot easier to keep track of the stories one by one than trying to write them all at the same time.

[Willsky]

Night of PRIDE, 1998

SEMI FINAL 1: Eisaku Hoshino vs. Hito Ichihara

SEMI FINAL 2: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko

Chuichi Sanda and Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Go Matsunaga, Hayate Hasegawa & Mamoru Nagahama

Lee Wright vs. Luis Figo Manico © for the Historical Japan title

Danger Kumasaka, Yodo Nakane and Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Eisaku Kunomasu, Koryusai Kitoaji, Raymond Diaz & Shimi Komatsuzaki

Winner of SEMI FINAL 1 vs. SEMI FINAL 2 for the Elite Series tournament title

 

The second Elite Series came to a head at Night of Pride in March 1998 after a gruelling month of block matches.

The Glory Crown champion, Koryusai Kitoaji had watched the tournament from the sidelines with interest, wondering who would be the next wrestler to step up to the plate.

Four men remained in contention. The semi-finals pitted Eisaku Hoshino against Hito Ichihara and Mito Miwa against Nobuatsu Tatsuko, with the winners of those matches meeting in the main event final.

 

MATCH 1: SEMI FINAL 1: Eisaku Hoshino vs. Hito Ichihara

Hito Ichihara was the clear favourite in this match. He was one of only two men to hold the Glory Crown title and was widely considered one of the top two wrestlers in the company. His fans hoped the Elite Series would springboard him back into contention for the Glory Crown and another massive match with Kitoaji.

Hoshino, meanwhile, had surprised quite a lot of people by getting out of the block stage. It was a step up for him, having spent most of his time in tag competition so far.

And he showed he was ready to step up here. His relentless tenacity contrasted with Ichihara’s cerebral style. Ichihara usually adjusted his approach according to the needs of the match, something he often did to great success. He always though a couple of steps ahead, anticipating the logical next move.

Hoshino wasn’t interested in logic. His aggression and unorthodox style threw Ichihara off his game for much of this match, and it was a real challenge for the former champion to find a pattern to exploit.

But find a pattern he did. It was quite a clear pattern – Hoshino will attack from all angles at all times. Ichihara used that to set up some lures, a few which failed, but the last one which led to a Brain Drop Suplex to finish the match.

Ichihara advanced to the final.

 

MATCH 2: SEMI FINAL 2: Mito Miwa vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko

Tatsuko won Block B while Mito Miwa came runner up to Ichihara in Block A. As soon as this match was announced, fans expressed their excitement at seeing the pair go head to head again.

The last time they met was at Night of FORTITUDE, nearly a full year ago. Tatsuko was on the verge of breaking the longest-reign record with the Historical Japan belt, but Miwa took it off him mere days before he could make history.

In fact, their rivalry went back further than that. It predated the inception of PGHW itself, as Tatsuko had beaten Miwa on the independent scene to win the Historical Japan title two years prior.

And when they met, it was always an occasion. This time the stakes were even higher. A spot in the Elite Series final would elevate their stock no end.

Tatsuko was gaining serious credit for his intense durability. He had already acquired the nickname “Ironman” for his ability to endure for long periods without running out of gas. And his strong-style offence was reminiscent of Koryusai Kitoaji.

Miwa, on the other hand, was more of the Ichihara mold. He used his strategy and adaptability to react to his opponent’s gameplan and manipulate it in his favour.

But sometimes the opponent’s gameplan is too strong and the foe in such a determined mood that no clever tactic can hold him back.

This proved to be the case here, as Tatsuko kept coming. He refused to slow a rapid pace, and while Miwa kept him at bay for a long time, eventually the tide broke through and Tatsuko hit the Tatsuko Driller to get the win.

Tatsuko advanced to face Hito Ichihara in the Elite Series final.

 

MATCH 3: Chuichi Sanda and Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) vs. Go Matsunaga, Hayate Hasegawa & Mamoru Nagahama

The Elite Series competitors needed a substantial break before facing off in the final. And in that time, a few others got to show their stuff on the card.

Nagahama was the only one to really look good in this tame match, pinning Sarumara for the win.

 

MATCH 4: Lee Wright vs. Luis Figo Manico © for the Historical Japan title

Former Historical Japan champion Lee Wright challenged the current holder Luis Figo Manico.

Wright’s age and experience gave him some advantage against the younger Figo. And now Figo’s 100% singles record had been broken by Hito Ichihara, Wright may have hoped the Spaniard would be fragile.

He was not. If anything, he was even more ferocious. The weight of the streak was off his shoulders and he seemed to enjoy duking it out with the veteran.

There was a smile on his face when he applied the Madrid Maul to get the win. His impressive reign continued.

 

MATCH 5: Danger Kumasaka, Yodo Nakane and Team Dynasty (Shuji Inukai & Yoshimi Mushashibo) vs. Eisaku Kunomasu, Koryusai Kitoaji, Raymond Diaz & Shimi Komatsuzaki

Another filler match, but one that contained much more star power than the last. It also saw the debut of Shimi Komatsuzaki. He had joined the company a month ago, but had struggled the shake off the last effects of an injury.

He teamed with Block B rivals Kunomasu and Raymond Diaz as well as Glory Crown Champion (in action for the first time in a month) Koryusai Kitoaji.

Unfortunately, his team came up short against Danger Kumasaka, Yodo Nakane and the pair of Inukai and Mushashibo, who seemed to have shaken off the tension between them during the Elite Series, where both had narrowly missed out on qualifying from their blocks.

 

MATCH 6: Hito Ichihara vs. Nobuatsu Tatsuko for the Elite Series title

With last year’s winner Koryusai Kitoaji watching from the skybox, Ichihara and Tatsuko fought for the 1998 installation of the Elite Series.

Winning the tournament would be a hugely prestigious achievement for both men. But they both had designs on the Glory Crown in mind, something that motivated them even further, and raised the excitement in the crowd.

Ichihara’s rivalry with Kitoaji was legendary. And he wanted to get another shot at the belt and set the record straight.

Tatsuko, though, had reason to feel unfairly treated by Kitoaji. The champion had consistently overlooked him as a potential challenger, despite his strong record of late.

So, the competitors held no ill-will against each other, but they would not let the other stand in their way.

The match began slowly. This was the first encounter between the pair, and neither wanted to rush in and make a mistake. Tatsuko took the initiative at times, but refused to commit himself fully. There was too much on the line to make mistakes now.

Plus, Tatsuko could go all night. He may have had an exhausting battle with Miwa earlier, but his energy levels would outlast Ichihara’s, who had struggled to get past Hoshino.

But Ichihara would also benefit from the slow pace, as he could figure his opponent out and find weak spots.

That’s not to say the match bored the fans. Far from it. They absorbed the early chess-game with keen intrigue and exploded when things kicked up a gear.

Tatsuko had run out of patience. He went for Ichihara and battered him for a while, until Ichihara figured out a way to stop him and countered with some slick wrestling.

The match went on like this, with Tatsuko on the attack but unable to maintain significant stretches of control as Ichihara would find a weakness to exploit.

Then things went to the next level.

Ichihara got Tatsuko in the Ichihara Armbar, and things looked over for the youngster. He couldn’t find a way out. But he refused to tap, and his body held out. For over four minutes he struggled in the hold, battling against exhaustion and pain. Four minutes of his arm being wrenched out of place, twisted and mangled in a vice-like grip.

But remarkably, Ichihara was the one to give in first. Keeping the hold on for so long had tired him out, and by this stage of the match, the 41-year-old was out of breath.

Tatsuko hurt too much to take advantage, though. He and Ichihara gasped for breath before resorting to sheer force of will. Gone was the technique and strategy. With their minds clouded by fatigue, base emotions took over.

They clubbed each other. Again and again. Over and over. Until Ichihara fell. The veteran had nothing left. Tatsuko struggled to get him up in the Tatsuko Driller.

One… Two…

Three! Tatsuko got the pinfall and won the Elite Series!

The crowd loved it. It was a crowning moment in many ways for Tatsuko, who had surely established himself as a serious player in the title picture, and one of the best competitors in Japan.

After a long period of recovery, Ichihara paid his respects to Tatsuko and left. Tatsuko celebrated while Kitoaji watched on from the skybox.

 

Conclusion

Tatsuko and Ichihara’s main event instantly became one of the highest-rated bouts in PGHW history. It was up there with Ichihara and Kitoaji’s Night of WRESTLING classic, and many already thought it might get match of the year.

The show itself was by far the most critically acclaimed of the year, too. The three Elite Series matches had all been stunning, and fans went home delighted.

The main eventers had their say after the show.

Hito Ichihara: I’m very happy for Nobuatsu. He deserves his success, even if it comes at my expense. I have suffered some failures in the last year, but many triumphs, too. I am Glory Tag Crown champion, and for now, that’s where my focus will remain, alongside Nagahama, who has a bright future.

Tatsuko: I have been patient. I have waited. I have swallowed my tongue when others would have used it to lash out. For months, no… more than that… nearly two years, I have watched others get their chance to fight for the Glory Crown. Yet I have never been granted an opportunity.

Now that changes. And for the first time, I truly believe I can defeat anyone. Ichihara, Kitoaji, you are my equals now. Because over the last few months, I have transformed. Kitoaji refused to see it. He denied me.

But now, I have become undeniable.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Willsky

[Willsky]

A NEW FORCE

Fans of wrestling around the world were shocked by PGHW’s big-money signing of Sean McFly. At just 24, he had shown signs of becoming one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, already winning the SWF World Heavyweight title twice, and putting on classics against the likes of Sam Keith and Christian Faith.

He seemed destined to be SWF’s prized asset. But Sadaharu Jimbo swooped in, splashing a serious amount of cash, to contract his services.

However, the reception in Japan was muted. The fact was, at this time, SWF hadn’t broken through to most of the Japanese audience and, while a few had heard of him, not many knew quite what they were getting. And at a reported monthly wage that exceeded that of even Kitoaji and Ichihara, there was definitely some concern about the decision.

Sean McFly couldn’t ride on his previous stardom. He would have to earn his place on the card in PGHW and prove in the ring why Jimbo believed he deserved such a lucractive contract.

 

Night of FORTITUDE, April 1998

Sean McFly debuted in PGHW in a singles match against Mito Miwa. Miwa was certainly a strong opponent to begin with, but the newcomer would have to prove himself quickly if he was going to be a success in the company.

From the moment the bell rang, the fans saw what McFly was all about. Speed and energy. He stopped short of taking to the skies (something nobody ever did in PGHW), but he whizzed around the ring with the agility and pace of a junior combined with the force and brutality of a heavyweight.

Despite his rapid style, McFly was not a small man. He matched Miwa both in height and weight. And Miwa had a hard time keeping up with him.

But eventually, the Pride Warrior figured out the American and countered a Delorean Driver into a Pride Bomber to get the win.

Although he had lost, McFly received a round of applause from the crowd, and a show of respect from Miwa. In fact, Miwa went so far as to request McFly join him in tag action in the near future.

 

Night of POWER, April 1998

McFly and Miwa’s partnership would have to wait, as Mito Miwa took on Luis Figo Manico for the Historical Japan title. Miwa couldn’t get the win in that match, so reaffirmed his desire to collaborate with the company’s new signing.

Speaking of which, Sean McFly got his first victory in PGHW against Chuichi Sanda. It was a fairly quick affair that didn’t set the world on fire, but the crowd enjoyed getting another glimpse of the man who promised so much.

 

Night of EXCELLENCE, May 1998

Night of EXCELLENCE saw the first match with Mito Miwa and Sean McFly on the same team. They took on the thrown-together pair of Dino Maldini and Eisaku Kunomasu.

McFly and Miwa had unbelievable chemistry together. To many, it seemed like they had been tagging together for a decade as they both knew exactly where the other would be at all times.

Kunomasu and Maldini fought hard, with Kunomasu getting into a heated striking exchange with Miwa, but a Delorean Driver from McFly to Maldini got the victory.

Both men looked delighted with their victory and agreed to team again at the next show.

 

Night of SUCCESS, May 1998

Mito Miwa and Sean McFly took on Rebel Cell (Harumi Okazawaya & Sotatsu Sarumara) in a short match, where the new team once again impressed. McFly hit the Dolorean Driver on Sarumara for the victory.

But it was the post-match events that really stood out.

First of all, Sean McFly challenged Dread to a match at Night of GLORY. He claimed it was his destiny to reach the top, and defeating Dread would prove that. In the “Dread Rises Again” story, the details of the post-match press conference are elaborated.

It seemed, then, that Mito Miwa would be without a match. But an irate Eisaku Kunomasu got in Miwa’s face and said they had unfinished business. Their striking battle at Night of EXCELLENCE had clearly irked Kunomasu, who was usually ice cold.

Miwa suggested a match at Night of GLORY, and it was confirmed moments later.