Kitao Dojo – 1st Anniversary Martial Arts Tournament Battle 02/21/95
By Maffew Gregg on 17 March 2024
Kitao Dojo
Tokyo, Japan
Korakuen Hall
Attendance: 1,800
Anniversary Show? I mean it’s correct but the Dojo only runs a show every six months so this is also their third ever show ever.
Anyway as a birthday treat, tonight there’s no ring ropes.
Masaaki Mochizuki vs. Masanobu Kurisu
Masaaki starts with a weak handshake and Kurisu makes it clear he’s not happy about it. The crowd rubs their hands with glee because they know they’re about to witness a murder. Masaaki’s kicks have no effect until a big one to the shoulder knocks Kurisu off balance, forcing him to stomp Masaaki’s poor face on the mat. Kurisu ignores further kicks to slap the youngster straight across the face. Kurisu keeps up the abuse with a headbutt and another horrible face stomp, busting the greenhorn open. Kurisu keeps it up until Masaaki suddenly grows a pair and kicks Kurisu directly in the face and out the ring, with Kurisu unable to re-enter the ring in time to end it at 4:36.
Well that’s one way to introduce the new no-rope rule. Crowd only wanted to see Kurisu murder children so they’re not happy that he’s out the tournament. Tony Atlas appreciated the face-stamping.
Koji Kitao vs. Richard Byrne
Richard Byrne is so pathetic and dodgy looking. Like a A24 background character. He throws some gentle kicks as a defensive wall to keep his opponent away until Kitao applies an armbar and wins after 0:47. Byrne’s kicks wouldn’t have knocked butterflies out of their path but I appreciate the Dojo doing short matches to give the matches that “end at any time” feel.
Hiroshi Itakura vs. Akio Kobayashi
Akio throws the same kind of kicks Byrne was throwing, except better in every single way imaginable. Itakura is a wrestler and is wearing his short tights, allowing him to uhhhh actually I don’t know the advantage is there but he doesn’t seem to mind the kicks and takes down Akio. While in the ground & pound, he transitions beautifully into an ankle pick.
Where did that come from? This hold means he has to absorb kicks from Akio but again, he’s not wearing a gi so his unclothed flesh is able to deflect them. OK. Akio escapes with a kick to the face but once vertical he takes a German Suplex directly onto his head for the eight count. Itakura fakes out Akio with a high sweep before continuing the momentum into a low sweep to knock Akio on his arse to pop the crowd. Sadly Akio kicks him directly in the mush to knock him down for the win at 4:13. Itakura used every bit of time he had to put on a great performance and to give us a wonderfully stiff match while wearing armoured skin.
Al Snow vs. Takashi Okamura
Al lets us know before the match that Okamura’s kicks are nice but he’s going to put him on the mat so he can’t throw them. Well if anyone knows about being on the mat for long periods of time it’s him.
Match starts and Al takes about 17 kicks, with Okamura able to land them at will despite Al’s best arms-up defence. Okamura tries the same high/low fake-out from the previous fight but Al’s too tall so physics prevents a knock down. Dragon Screw Leg Whip takes Okamura into the Single Crab variant where you’re not on the back. I forget the name but it’s in No Mercy 64. Me and my mates used to call it the Arse Eating hold before we knew people did that for fun. Okamura struggles with that one until he absolutely windmills his other leg around like Popeye’s fist to knock Al down. Man-of-his-word Al takes Okamura to the mat and smothers him with a horizontal head & arm. Al falls into a Single Crab but he’s gangly enough to weasel out and stick in an Ankle Lock. Okamura escapes and DESTROYS SNOW WITH FACTS & LOGIC with a kick that sends Al to the outside.
Al does the dramatic Undertaker recovery as he re-enters the ring and he’s PISSED. An angry Snowman throws some hard shots while Okamura’s offence is noticeably softer now, realising he may accidentally KO the guy scheduled to win. Al locks in a Fujiwara and Okamura taps shortly afterwards at 5:33.
This was great stuff with Okamura very animated on offence and defence. You’d think I’d be above typing “it was lovely seeing Al get kicked directly in the face repeatedly” but here we are.
Koki Kitahara vs. Akio Kobayashi
These two kind of cancel each other out. Feeling out kicks starts things off until Akio wisely aims his shots to Koki’s DDP-style taped ribs. Remember when he was injured so frequently that they added that as one of his alternate outfits in WCW/nWo Revenge?
I bring it up because it’s more interesting than the first half of this. Both men roll in and out the guard and end up rolling outside like Honda and Balrog in the Street Fighter II anime. Crowd aren’t into any of this. Akio gets a high kick to the shoulder to knock down Koki but he recovers directly in a sleeper. Akio is trying his best to yell things but Koki has a permanent state of dullness etched on his face so crowd aren’t raving. Koki keeps trying for a Double Arm, with Akio countering with a back kick the first time, so Koki applies again and expects the kick, grabs it and converts it into a Triple Hold (I guess) to end it at 4:45. Decent finish but Koki just sucks at emotions so he’s already outclassed by others doing this style. Koki should so he should stick to his preferred style of riding Tenryu’s coat-tails.
Osamu Tachihikari vs. Koji Kitao
Kitao throws leg kicks as the crowd laughs. Oh that’s a good sign. Osamu tries some sumo strikes but Kitao pretends they don’t exist so he can land some horrible elbows. Osamu gets his own and he’s about 200% more convincing so the crowd gets ready for an upset of FAT GUY proportions, until Kitao single crabs Osamu so quickly at 1:43 that it takes a few seconds for the crowd to realise it’s over. Crowd politely claps because they have to. Osamu makes Kitao look like 2017 Keith Lee.
In between matches, Fuyuki shows up in the crowd to SIT DOWN and take off his COAT.
Al Snow vs. Koki Kitahara
Al goes straight for the Arse Eating Hold before transitioning into every other hold he knows before Koki throws a high kick that’s supposed to collide but Al’s selling his face so Koki’s leg sails over his head. Koki kicks Al while he’s down out of shame. Koki wears down Al as Snow shows Koki how to emote by moaning and groaning after every single one. Al gets a desperate takedown to try to stop the abuse, with Koki easily moving himself into stretching Al’s neck and arms with just his legs as the ref stops the match thinking Al’s going to die or something. Al did a magnificent job of conveying emotion and effort and was everything Koki wasn’t.
Masaaki Mochizuki vs. Koji Kitao
Masaki throws some lightning quick kicks all over Kitao until Koji delivers two casual knees to the head to end it at 1:17 as the crowd are sounding progressively less enthused after every Kitao victory. Quick bouts are only useful if the win is impressive, you know?
Ryuma Go vs. Shunme Matsuzaki
We’re JIP to with Go in the guard, unleashing fearsome strikes at Shunme’s face. Go attempts to keep the armbar locked in while still being on the outside but that quickly stops. Crowd doesn’t care, they love Go. The lovable idiot. Go slaps Shunme down and then lands a staggering brutal headbutt which doesn’t even get a standing count. Christ. No bridge, all impact on that one. Shunme somehow recovers but walks right into a sunk-in ankle lock. His cries of pain are impressive, Stu Hart would have loved him. Shunme tries to get some offence in but he looks tired from the abuse he’s received so Go kicks him in the throat. A jumping powerbomb and bulldog choke finally ends the most popular execution since Mussolini.
Koki Kitahara vs. Koji Kitao
Crowd sound only mildly excited for this tournament final rematch. Kitao gets his mild knees which get no response, until Koki lands a kidney shot that sends Kitao down. A backdrop sends Kitao on his arse but he’s able to block a Fujiwara Armbar on the mat. After getting his breath back (and knocking out a few of the front row fans due to oxygen deprivation), Kitao lands another mild knee so Koki kicks him in the kidney again. This time Koki goes for the sleeper but Kitao sits back like Vader did to Cactus Jack and you’d think that’d be it but Kitao and Koki start throwing fists to the crowd’s delight until Koki takes a Kitaodriver…which he ignores and stands up! Only to be KO’d by the Tenryu Killing Axe Kick at 4:02.
Kitao waits for like 2 seconds before challenging Fuyuki, who promptly brawls with some trainees before sodding off. OK. This at least ensured Kitao left to the sound of cheers as Koji Must Pose.
Overall
This show was cool when Kitao & Koki weren’t in it, so of course they headlined. Again. We’re three shows into this experiment and it’s already running out of ideas because of a lack of roster and interest. So Kitao wins a bunch of matches against guys beneath him again, big whoop. The undercard were working their collective arses off though so well done, and if you’re into Al Snow matches then please seek help.
