FMW New Year Generation Night 1 01/06/98

Korakuen Hall
Attendance 2,050

Hey let’s start watching FMW when it was still the third biggest Puro company but just before it gets really bad so we can really appreciate the horrible, horrible downfall in all it’s glory!

I chose 1998 because I have the full year of shows, collecting them like Panini football cards.

This is one of those episodes of Samurai TV where they get a wrestler (in this case Mr. Gannosuke) to talk about the previously recorded show. The hosts immediately focus on his Muttley patch.

Gannosuke is proud of it.

Hisakatsu Oya (ZEN) vs. Mr. Pogo # 2

Oya’s hairline is hanging on for dear life but it’s still in better shape than Pogo #2 aka Gosaku Goshogawara. The original Pogo bestowed the gimmick as he was leaving FMW but it’s done nothing for nobody. He might as well be The New New Rockers.

Oya manhandles him on the mat while Pogo remains true to the original by not doing much. Oya keeps throwing neckbreakers until Pogo tries coming back with big man offence despite being smaller than his opponent. His big boot and chokeslam get zero reaction because the crowd aren’t blind. Oya Chicken Wings his opponent to the mat until Pogo powers up enough to stand up…directly into a typically brutal Oya side suplex and a facelock ends it at 7:41.

Wasn’t much here but Oya is thankfully much better than he was in SWS in terms of intensity that I didn’t mind watching him eat up a goon.

Ricky Fuji vs. Flying Kid Ichihara (Fuyuki-Gun)

Ichihara PEAR HARBOURS FROM THE FRONT to dropkick Fuji during the introductions and land an Asai Moonsault while still wearing his entrance jacket. Ichihara keeps the offence coming with a kamikaze missile dropkick, running senton and second-rope moonsault. Jesus where did this version of Kid come from? Fuji ignores it to execute a lovely Tiger Driver and a Finlay Roll. Kid kicks out and the crowd is into this now. It’s been two minutes! Kid keeps going for pin attempts and is wrestling like his job is on the line. Another moonsault lands on knees, leading to a cocky Fuji to superkick Ichihara and finish with a suplex at 10:01.

Post-match, Jado and Gedo of Fuyuki-Gun show up to get the crowd to applaud their lad Ichihara despite losing…before immediately attacking Kid and throwing him out of the stable for being gash. I have no memory of him being part of the group so it was for the best.

Then Hayabusa and Fuji head out to accept Kid as one of their own. I don’t know why anyone would want to admit that.

Kodo Fuyuki (Fuyuki-Gun) vs. Hideki Hosaka (ZEN)

Fuyuki offers a handshake and a suspicious Hosaka takes it and…nothing happens. Crowd applauds that curious bit of sportsmanship. Fuyuki’s yelling is cut off by Hosaka’s ankle locks. Hosaka manages a smooth Top Rope Frankensteiner and a tope of all things through the ropes. Here’s a picture of beefy Hosaka for reference:

He carries on dressing like Bret but moving like Shawn with a standing Frankensteiner, before Fuyuki tosses him with a German Suplex with all the respect of a United baggage handler. Fuyuki lands a lariat to set up the Yelling lariat to end it at 7:59.

These have been very decent, to-the-point TV matches so far. FMW was stuffed with storylines and team-based shenanigans so it’s a change of pace getting a TV episode that’s not all workrate.

‘The Gladiator’ Mike Awesome & Koji Nakagawa & Tetsuhiro Kuroda (ZEN) vs. Jado & Gedo & Super Leather (Fuyuki-Gun)

Nakagawa saved Onita from a post-match beatdown last month to help turn the heel ZEN group face. I’m glad he did, heels turning face just because a heel turned on them is rubbish.

Awesome and Leather start off by trading chops and biels to prove they’re the big monster lads. Yeah whatever you say Super Leather. Kuroda tags in to a very welcoming pop as the crowd like the guy who has been here for years. Gedo tags in to take an excitable beating and the crowd love his overselling antics. He runs to his corner to tag in Jado who puts up more of a fight until Kuroda mule kicks him low. Nakagawa tags in to boos for some reason. Nakagawa gets two off a Sunset Flip. Awesome can be heard yelling “YOU’RE COUNTING TOO SLOW! FAT SHIT!” at the ref. Crowd doesn’t like Nakagawa so he’s the one taking all of Fuyuki-Gun’s offence until he uh simply tags out. Kuroda whips Gedo into an over-the ropes shoulder tackle from Awesome to set up a standing splash and leg drop with The Gladiator getting as much air as humanly possible. He knew 1998 was going to rule for him.

We clip ahead to Kuroda taking a Sheer Drop Brainbuster but making his own comeback thanks to Awesome breaking up the pin attempt. Nakagawa starts T-Bone Suplexing everyone to set up Gladiator’s top rope diving Clothesline. Leather tags in to do whatever it is he can do, which isn’t much. Gladiator busts out a Stunner before a Frog Splash gets two. Man, Awesome was just flying around. Awesome Bomb connects on Leather but he kicks out of it because he’s protected. A second top rope clothesline is dodged by Leather while everyone brawls outside and then Leather nearly kills Awesome with a Tombstone…for two! Leather had no control of poor Mike there. Awesome retaliates by smashing Leatherface through a table with an Alabama Slamma for the win at 15:17.

Gedo & Jado are pissed afterwards but don’t throw Super Leather or themselves out of Fuyuki-Gun.

Awesome’s post-match promo backstage: “ZEN IS GOING TO KICK EVERYONE’S MOTHERFUCKING ASS ALL YEAR! NOW GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!”

Hayabusa & Jinsei Shinzaki vs. Yukihiro Kanemura & Hido

Hayabusa was awarded the 1997 Fighting Spirit Award by Tokyo Sports, which apparently was their way of saying “yeah good job mate but you’re not Kawada.”

Kanemura was part of Onita’s ZEN stable but after being part of the losing side in last month’s War Games, him and Gannosuke turned on Onita. The pair of them had been getting over by being jokey characters that didn’t really fit the rest of the group’s serious vibe anyway so it was for the best.

Kanemura is all grins here while Hido mocks Shinzaki by praying on the apron. Shinzaki slaps him off so Hido demands he start the match and prays some more. HE MOCKS GOD. Hido tries to go shot for shot with Shinzaki but the much larger Monk is not in the mood and takes him down with a jumping shoulder tackle and a quick rope walk shot. Kanemura tags in to scoop slam Hayabusa and point at his crotch. Hayabusa respects by kicking him directly in the Hayabussy and landing a perfect Tope Con Hilo. Kanemura is making faces afterwards which only motivates Shinzaki to hurt him more. Man, Kanemura in his prime is such a smooth bumper. Ditto Shinzaki who Pump Splashes and kinda-Bronco Busters the dopey hardcore guy in the corner. Hayabusa gets carried away and tries a crossbody off the top so Kanemura simply kneels so he lands in a compromising position. He points at his head to point out he’s so clever before landing a Sid-esque Airplane Spin and low blow just because. Hido attempts to mock Hayabusa’s presumably swollen balls but he’s absolutely not in the mood so tags in Shinzaki who sails half way across the ring with a springboard dropkick. Praying Powerbomb connects on Kanemura but Hido runs in to take a Pump Kick which does not stop Shinzaki from applying his Goku-Raku Gatame (straight jacket camel clutch). Hido breaks it up by mocking Shinzaki which is a novel way of doing things, with a low blow not stopping the holy man from delivering a jumping Frankensteiner. Hayabusa tags in to deliver a double Face Smasher, followed by a sequence of springboard moonsaults, swantons and knee drops.

God damn, Shinzaki has his working boots on today. Kanemura doesn’t approve and chair shots both lads so Hido can take over and piledriver Hayabusa on a chair twice. Double sit-out Powerbomb can’t put Hayabusa away so Kanemura lands his trademark back senton for a two-count. Hido lands an Ace Crusher of all things for two and Shinzaki is so mad he charges in to drag out Kanemura to the outside while Hayabusa lands a beautiful twisting swanton on Hido for two. A frustrated Hayabusa DOES THE DEAL and lands THE FALCON ARROW. Kanemura knows it can’t be kicked out of so he breaks the count and spots Shinzaki coming and blocks the springboard. Shinzaki simply Dragon Screws him instead and helps Hayabusa land the 450 Splash on Hido to end it at 13:45.

This was a lot of fun with everyone getting their characters over while bumping like mad uns. Even Shinzaki who had the tendency to Bret Hart House Show it sometimes showed up. Kanemura’s personality flowed here too.

FMW Double Titles Match

Masato Tanaka (c) vs. Mr. Gannosuke

The Double Titles consist of the FMW Brass Knuckles & FMW Independent Heavyweight titles, which have been unified since Gladiator won both because he’s so great. Tanaka is the reigning champ ever since defeating Gladiator at Kawasaki Stadium. This is his fourth defence.

Gannosuke continues not caring about tradition by ripping up Shoichi Arai’s notes as he introduces the match.

Big arse slaps and shots to begin with, won by Gannosuke who uses the eye rake and low blow. Tanaka doesn’t care about CBT and slams him outside and follows with a dive through the ropes. Both lads trade chair shots in a sign of Tanaka’s future in ECW, except this time it ends with both knocking the chairs out of each other hands and continue grappling which is a nice variant. Well OK it’s technically the original version but no-one does it that way nowadays. Tanaka blasts Gannosuke with a chair in the corner, but a follow up Tornado DDT is converted into a Manhattan Drop. Oh wow that’s a sweet way to counter that. Both lads have been going full-speed since the bell rang. Big arse lariat from Gannosuke enables him to send Tanaka outside and into the front row chairs. Kanemura shows up with a table which enables Gannosuke to send Tanaka off the raised section of the Hall and through a Japanese Table which did very little to break poor Tanaka’s fall. Fuck.

Gannosuke smashes a table piece over Tanaka’s legendarily hard head before stabbing him with a sharp stick of some kind because Gannosuke has NO RESPECT. Tanaka is bleeding from both the forehead and the elbow now. Tanaka tries to come back but is easily dodged by Gannosuke who retaliates with a top rope dropkick. Now he’s stabbed his arm, Gannosuke naturally works it over with armbars with Tanaka refusing to submit. Tanaka dodges another dodgy table blow and the pop he receives when he uses it himself is very reassuring. However, Tanaka can’t land his trademark elbows now which enables Gannosuke to absorb his blows and deliver a stunning German Suplex…which Tanaka no-sells and lariats Gannosuke in response.

Tanaka successfully lands the Tornado DDT for two. Fire Thunder Powerbomb also can’t put away Gannosuke and a follow up is sandbagged. Gannosuke sees Tanaka’s lariat coming and turns it into another armbar but Tanaka makes the ropes. A quick Falcon Arrow keeps Tanaka grounded but DANGAN keeps kicking out. Gannosuke nearly gets it with a Praying Powerbomb because Gannosuke is happy to steal from whoever I guess. A brutal elevated Stunner can’t end Tanaka but a Fire Thunder Driver…also does not. Gannosuke goes to the top rope and knocks Tanaka off when he climbs up but Tanaka is PISSED NOW and shrugs it off to land a Superplex. DVD can’t put Gannosuke away as the crowd are doing their best to cheer up a despair-filled Tanaka who can’t end this, even with another Fire Thunder Powerbomb. Tanaka’s Frog Splash meets knees but still won’t end the match as the crowd are loudly OOOOhing everything now. Gannosuke lands yet another Fire Thunder Powerbomb but that still won’t shut up Tanaka or the fans. Tanaka somehow lands a desperate Rolling Elbow but even doing that can’t put away Gannosuke, who kicks out and sees another one coming and counters it into the Gannosuke Clutch to win the Double Titles at 17:12.

What a tremendously hard-fought, fast-paced balls out war of attrition. The only time they slowed down was to get stabbed, with the rest of the time being spent landing massive move after massive move. Hell yeah this ruled and it’s good to see Gannosuke’s rep during this time isn’t over-rated.

Overall: What a fun, easy to watch show with a hell of a main event with the undercard getting a chance to show their stuff without boring everyone. Hell yeah, FMW understands the Attitude Era! What can possibly go wrong?

Next week: The awkward, awkward Onita situation.

I’ve been Maffew.