FMW Flashover 10/06/98 DirecTV PPV

Korakuen Hall
Attendance 2,050

Previously In FMW…

The go-home show for FMW’s big November PPV at the Yokohama Bunker Gym!

Onita announced because FMW is going to be Entertainment Wrestling then he’s going to set up a new company named USO (Japanese for “liar”) that won’t be like the current version of FMW (aka the version where he’s not main eventing and winning all the time.)

According to BAHU, this turned into the straw that broke the camel’s back as Onita was informing FMW wrestlers they’d be appearing on his shows without consulting them or the company. This all comes to a head at the next show.

Mohammed Yone (Battlarts) vs. Hideki Hosaka (ZERO)

Yone makes his entrance to Inoki’s theme for some reason. I know it was Ali’s first but Inoki made it his. Hosaka meanwhile looks like he’s very familiar with George Foreman. Or at least his grill.

Yone is on loan from Battlarts and blasts Hosaka with kicks until he bothers to sell them. Hosaka gets outclassed on the mat so Yone blasts him some more before Hosaka kills the vibe by taking over on offence. Yone wakes up the crowd with a beautiful leg-drop. He must have jumped that high because he knew the landing would be soft. Hosaka lands a decent German Suplex and a weird looking Liger Bomb but Yone kicks out to impressed murmuring before succumbing to a second one at 12:41.

Match was acceptable when Yone was on offence. Post-match Hosaka looks “proper fucked” as they say in Snatch.

Super Leather vs. Gosaku Goshogawara (ZERO)

Like Leather’s last match, we’re JIP which is brutal considering the amount of time FMW has to fill on these shows. Gosaku kicks out of a Superplex and a wonky Powerbomb before teasing an upset with a small package leading to Leather winning with a Tombstone at 9:47. Glad we got to see it.

Nanjyo Hayato vs. Flying Kid Ichihara

Hayato has been with FMW since 1993 but has spent 1998 touring NJPW teaming up with (googles) Jushin Thunder Liger? To defeat guys like Koji Kanemoto?? Norio Honaga??? Kaz Hayashi???? And then he’d never return???? Puro is weird sometimes.

Feeling out process plays out to silence as I can see why Hayato wouldn’t make many more appearances after this. Kid keeps it simple with a Figure Four Leglock until Hayato is able to throw some simple kicks. Ichihara takes him out on the outside with a rope-assisted headscissors on the floor before following up with an Asai Moonsault. Ichihara is very motivated to outclass Hayato here with a springboard moonsault before putting away Hayato with a La Magistral…oh wait no he didn’t. Well he did as Hayato didn’t kick out but wrestling’s fake so we pretend he didn’t so he can land a Michinoku Driver for two. Kid grabs a Victory Roll and again Hayato doesn’t kick out in time but we pretend he does. Jesus Christ. Hayato wins with a DVD Bomb at 10:05.

I bet FMW pretended to not be in when NJPW returned Hayato.

Daisuke Ikeda & Ricky Fuji vs. Gedo & Hido (Team No Respect)

Ikeda has moved from camo pants to beige trousers. They don’t help him against Hido who kicks him lazily around the ring. Then Ikeda comes back with stunningly basic moves while being presented as this supposed big deal. Hido throws him into ringside chairs to slow this down even more. “Gedo” and “mid card filler” are the biggest red flags for FMW. Hido blocks a standing Fujiwara Armbar because Ikeda doesn’t want to go to the floor as the red mat may stain his Alan Grant from Jurassic Park trousers. Fuji takes a spike piledriver on the outside mats, leaving Ikeda alone to kick out of a dozen moves until Fuji recovers. Ito grabs Ikeda’s foot which brings out Kaoruko Arai to beat him up at ringside so Ikeda is able to get the win with an un-seen move at 14:30.

Wow what a great victory for Ikeda The Bad Ass, able to defeat the irregular B-Team tandem of Hido and Gedo with the aid of someone who weighs less than Ito. Match was dull dull dull dull dull dull dull.

Post-match Kaoruko Arai DDTs Ito as the crowd pops for the first time.

Kodo Fuyuki (Team No Respect) vs. Hisakatsu Oya

Oh(ya) please save this show. Fuyuki has the strength advantage but as soon as Oya takes him to the mat it’s all over. Hey there’s a reasonable story so let’s hope they stick to it. Fuyuki sticks him in a leg chinlock that Oya can’t escape so he gets the ropes and grounds Fuyuki again with a hammerlock while grinning. Oya then beats Fuyuki in a test of strength, annoying him to the point of trying a hold based on girth…so Oya punches him in the balls. I’m impressed they’re giving Oya this much offence a month before Fuyuki’s big-ass title match but good on them. Oya manages an Indian Deathlock on the large lad so Fuyuki goes low but Oya is too tough for that and prays to the Backdrop Driver Gods to snap Fuyuki’s neck. Oya then fits in an Octopus Stretch and converts it into a Sunset Flip in a lovely spot. Fuyuki gets desperate and starts throwing lariats, with Oya grabbing one which Fuyuki converts into a roll-up for the snap win at 10:12.

These two were like Robinson vs. Baba compared to the rest of the show. And again, Fuyuki was very willing to keep Oya strong and to give himself a victory but still be booed. Well done lads, Oya rules and deserves it.

Oh unrelated to all of that: Mr. Pogo has somehow returned to feud with Onita for the 17th time. Onita naturally defeated Pogo in his return match to set up a rematch at the big show next month because Onita right now is at “Hitler in Downfall where he tries to move troops to a location that doesn’t exist” levels of madness.

Yukihiro Kanemura (Team No Respect) vs. Tetsuhiro Kuroda (ZERO)

Kanemura talks a bunch of crap and does a little dance before the match, so Kuroda responds in kind to show he’s not a youngling anymore.

Kanemura pushes Kuroda into the ring ropes and walks off while firing finger guns. Kanemura works Kuroda’s arm so he can’t throw those pesky lariats. Makes sense. Kuroda responds by dragging Kanemura outside and landing a running hip attack into the fans. Kanemura is mad his sound strategy has failed so he starts the tried-and-tested chair duel, except with Kuroda no-selling a chair shot which leads to Kanemura German Suplexing him instead.

Kanemura has enough of his strategy failing and suplexes a table onto Kuroda before slamming him off the cheap seat balcony through a table. Kanemura drags his poor body into the ring to slice open his forehead with half a table. Kanemura takes too much time wiping Kuroda’s blood on him and gurning so Kuroda is able to recover and oh WOW is he ever pissing blood. Kuroda smashes some more table on Kanemura’s head before German Suplexing the big boy as he seems intent on landing as painfully as possible. Kuroda tries a lariat but Kanemura turns it into a small package to set up his wonderfully large back senton. Kuroda recovers long enough to stunner Kanemura on the top rope and to avoid Kanemura’s dick kick. Kuroda more-or-less manages a Fire Thunder Driver which is nice but not as impressive as the Lariat (1) Kuroda throws at Kanemura who sells by launching himself halfway across the ring as only he can.

Still-bleeding Kuroda is too busy yelling and going “AHHH” as guys do when they realise they’re bleeding a lot to notice Kanemura’s roll-up, which he kicks out of to land another Lariat (2) to surprisingly win at 12:45! The Lariat actually won a match!

Lovely reputation-building encounter here for the increasingly-improving Kuroda. Kanemura’s got nothing going on right now and he can bump for ten men so yeah, good decision here with plenty of blood and violence to upset the well-measured people reading this.

But then!

Mr. Gannosuke returns wearing a Buddhist monk outfit à la his rival Jinsei Shinzaki. He heads out to a big-arse pop as Kuroda offers a hand-shake. Gannosuke prays then leaves.

Good, we’ve all been praying for his return.

FMW Double Titles

Hayabusa vs. Koji Nakagawa (Team No Respect)

Hayabusa’s fourth title defence, set up from Nakagawa’s victory over Kuroda and because Hayabusa wants a chance to batter ratboy. Also both men want to redeem that Godawful Darkside match from a few months ago.

Hayabusa uses his speed to frustrate Nakagawa who uses his annoyance to try to avoid everything until he takes out Koji with a Quebrada very soon into the match because Hayabusa does not like this man. Would have been nicer if Koji had attempted to catch him so he didn’t splat on the floor though. Hayabusa works over Nakagawa while he gets his breath back. Crowd are so confused by the sight of Hayabusa on offence for an extended period of time that they don’t know how to react. Hayabusa doesn’t have the personality to make this one-sided beating interesting either, it’s all scissor holds and staring into space. Koji finally gets on offence by countering a crossbody with a well-timed kneel. Kofi sends Hayabusa outside with the Ace managing to bounce off the apron on the way out for good measure. What a pro. Koji works on Hayabusa’s back like a proud dickhead and now the crowd are reacting. Hell, some of them are cheering. For Nakagawa? I can understand cheering for Kanemura but this bastard?

Kofi locks in a Camel Clutch but takes too long being an arsehole so Hayabusa delivers a huuuuge Asai Moonsault to land in the crowd and Kofi’s face. Dream Sequence sets up a Fisherman’s Buster for two. Tiger Bomb can’t put away the pleb so Hayabusa land a 450 Splash but gets a little cocky with the pin so Koji kicks out. He immediately tries a low blow which is dodged by Hayabusa and the Falcon Arrow…still doesn’t end it. Koji is getting a lot of love with these kick outs. They sadly mess up with Hayabusa slipping on the ropes and then Koji seeing it and not moving, leading to an awkward “alright now what?” moment from the pair of them. Hayabusa thankfully slams Koji before heading up to miss a Shooting Star Press. Koji gets the fork and attempts to remove the mask but Hayabusa blocks it. Crowd are going nuts for the fork. It should wrestle Pogo instead of Onita. Koji holds Hayabusa in place with his foot before stabbing his arm. Hayabusa’s arm starts trickling with blood now as he continues to be treated like a microwavable meal’s sleeve. Hayabusa tries a Frankensteiner but Koji easily converts it into a Powerbomb before trying the low blow/Jacknife rollup that enabled him to beat Kuroda last time. Hayabusa kicks out and delivers a brutal German Suplex because he’s had enough of this shit. Koji shrugs it off to start throwing T-Bone Suplexes. Koji locks in the Camel Clutch again which I think is supposed to be his big submission hold but crowd aren’t buying it. Hayabusa is unable to lift Koji the first time due to his bleeding arm but he mans up and executes a pretty yet loose Tiger Bomb. Koji shrugs that off to dick kick Hayabusa and stab him in his arm again as the crowd get worried. Hayabusa blocks a lariat with a high kick and smacks Koji in the face with a Palm Strike to set up the match-winning Falcon Arrow at 23:22.

Yeah, this more than made up for their previous match. Opening stretch aside, the more Koji got to be a dick the more the crowd were into it with Hayabusa’s willingness to bleed and sell for the twat working wonders. The fact that the crowd were making panicky noises for Koji’s antics in the fourth quarter even though the biggest show of the year is next month with Hayabusa in the main event is the biggest compliment you can give.

With the Nakagawa loss avenged, the course is clear for Hayabusa’s big match with Fuyuki. Sure enough, the big man shows up and blasts the champion with the champagne they had ready for Nakagawa’s victory before strutting away with a grin.

I’m going to continue watching the rest of the 1998 shows because I’m nearly done but I’ll have to have a think about watching 1999 in it’s entirety because MEIN GOTT are these FMW undercards a large waste of time. For every Kanemura vs. Kuroda or Oya vs. Fuyuki there’s two hours that would be better spent watching Tom & Jerry.

Like a platformer with bad controls, you don’t know where FMW is going to land.

Next week: FMW’s biggest show of the year and Onita’s last stand. Oh it’s a big un next week.

I’ve been Maffew