Pioneer Senshi Launch Round 2 10.26.89

Pioneer Senshi was the first genuinely independent Puro wrestling company to run Tokyo so let’s have a look at one of the few recorded shows that exists for such an important company.

Details about their first (unrecorded) show:

In late 1988, when now-JWP sales manager Hisashi Shinma made plans to restructure the organization into the mixed-gender Martial Arts Union (Kakutōgi Rengō) promotion, Go was poised to join alongside JWP salesclerk Atsushi Onita, as well as Gran Hamada. However, this was not how he would step back into the ring. A patron of Masahiko Takasugi had asked if he wanted to start a small wrestling promotion, and Takasugi approached Go and Sugawara to join him. Takasugi and Sugawara’s original name for the promotion, Shin Kokusai Puroresu, was shot down by Go due to his own shame over how he had left the IWE. On November 15, 1988, they held a press conference at Animal Hamaguchi’s gym and announced their new enterprise, which had been given a name by Takashi Kikuchi: Pioneer Senshi. While Go had not initiated the plan to start the promotion, and his partners were concerned that he may take control of the organization, he was made its ace due to his greater name value. He used his friendship with his old rival, Tatsumi Fujinami, to receive a ring on loan from New Japan and help secure Korakuen Hall for their first show. Go also secured and opened the Pioneer Gym Popai gym in Urayasu, where he would train aspiring wrestlers such as Yukihiro Kanamura and Hiroshi Itakura.

By the time Pioneer held its kickoff show on April 30, 1989, none of the trainees were deemed ready to wrestle, although they did hold open training sessions and arm-wrestling tournaments to “make up for it”. The show only had two matches: Takasugi vs. Sugawara, and Go vs. Onita. Go dislocated his shoulder when he took a bump off the apron; he had instructed his seconds to move the floor mats several inches back in case Takasugi performed a tope but had forgotten to tell them to move it back. While the show was profitable, Sugawara would leave when Mitsuo Endo hooked him up with Koji Kitao; he was replaced by former Japan Pro wrestler Fumihito Niikura, who faced Go in Pioneer’s second show on October 26, less than a month after FMW’s first show. On April 5, 1990, Go wrestled Masashi Aoyagi. The match was thrown out after an Aoyagi kick broke Go’s nose (Go also claimed his eyeball popped out and he had to push it back in), before an enraged Animal Hamaguchi dragged both back to the ring to restart the match; a riot almost broke out. The two would have a rematch three weeks later, and although Pioneer Senshi provided lousy pay, their partnership with NJPW proved fruitful for Aoyagi.

We sadly don’t have footage of the first show or anything listed above. Onita would obviously be inspired by a company’s ability to succeed without AJPW or NJPW, and would team up with WKA later in the year.

So we jump ahead to October for the handheld fan cam of their second show!

Pioneer Senshi Launch Round 2 10/26/89

Korakuen Hall

Attendance 1,200

The roster welcomes the crowd and bows to them. These intros always make me think there’s going to be a song and dance but there never is.

Exhibition Match

Matsuzaki Kazuhiko vs. Hashizume Mutsuhito

Kazuhiko is still wrestling to this day for tiny indies like Pogo’s WWS and Crazy Union. We start with some decent jostling on the mat in a lovely feeling out process. A lot of fire in these two as they jockey for position with basic holds until we get the bell after two minutes because it’s under round rules.

With only two minutes in the rounds, no wonder they’re going at it so quickly. Strikes are exchanged in the opening seconds before a camel clutch is blocked by Mutsuhito. Kazuhiko spins himself around his opponent’s back instead looking for an opening and to look cool.

Third round gets more spirited as the ref has to break up the hold at one point. Mutsuhito powers out of a chinlock by powering up and falling backwards like Vader with Cactus Jack but Kazuhiko keeps it held on because Mutsuhito isn’t a fat piece of shit. Mutsuhito cowers as Kazuhiko lands some elbows but the bell rings before it can go any further.

Fourth round sees high angled overhand slaps which look a little silly when both men are doing them. It looks like they’re both cleaning the same window from different sides. Action is mostly side headlocks but Mutsuhito does nicely counter a takedown with a chinlock of his own to end the round.

Last round has the crowd yelling encouragements as neither can get an advantage on the other. Both lads are spent as they throw aimless strikes until a headlock takeover is converted into an armbar.

Bell rings, match is over and the crowd applauds both lads. Ronseal It Does Exactly What It Says On The Tin match here with two rookies doing their best to impress with their knowledge of the basics. Nothing more you can say.

Exhibition Match

Hiroshi Itakura vs. Hideki Kawauchi

Four matches and two of them are exhibitions? Yeah OK. Itakura retired from full-time wrestling in 1998 after a career spent in IWA Japan, W*ING, WAR and one time in ECW. Itakura busts out a picture-perfect armdrag into an armbar for the crowd’s approval.

These two are clearly far more advanced than the previous lads as they’re a lot more measured and make the offence mean more. They also slap one another very hard in the face which is always appreciated. Kawauchi locks in a STF but has to release due to rope break. Textbook drop toe hold sets up some holding and giving. Hideki Kawauchi’s flying armbar is lovely as this is burying the previous encounter. Headlock is blocked and turned into a deep ankle lock with Kawauchi actually selling pain by yelling for the first time tonight. Itakura attempts a cross armbreaker but Kawauchi escapes by kipping up and using the momentum to roll out. Itakura makes up for it by splatting his opponent with a spinning neckbreaker type move.

Itakura rolls out of an armbar before kicking Kawauchi in the spine for good measure. Itakura rolls out of Kawauchi’s armbar and kicks HIM in the end to make up for it, with a Northern Lights Suplex only getting two in the first pin attempt so far. Itakura’s armbar is rolled out of with Kawauchi locking in his own (surprise) armbar of his own before a crossface chicken wing is teased. Suplex-into-a-pin is followed by an overhead, which only motivates Itakura into busting out a delayed back body drop to the crowd’s “whoooos”. Both lads carry on but I don’t know how I can continue typing “an armbar is converted into another armbar!” without making it sound like I’m being sarcastic but it is genuinely lovely and intense. These kind of matches benefit from being seen via crusty handheld, it adds to the intimacy and closeness of the encounter. Kawauchi throws a dropkick to Itakura who throws his own one out of envy. Crowd adored that. A Sayama style jumping kick doesn’t move Itakura so he eats a German Suplex pin (All Bridge, No Impact). These two will not stop with the hold exchanges on the mat. Kawauchi attempts a jumping armbar but slips out and lands on his arse which the crowd laugh at. Tokyo crowds are harsh.

Itakura casually suplexes his foe before trying to keep him grounded but these two won’t stop. Kawauchi’s dropkick is shrugged off so Itakura can wrap his legs around his face with a spinning leg kick. Single crab has to be released due to rope break. I’m not saying I’m getting bored of this by now but it has been two guys going non-stop with their holds and suplexes and neither has the advantage so far. Does this match end? A lengthy armbar is eventually broken up before even more suplexes take us back to the same point in the we’ve been stuck in for the past five minutes. Another big kick, another ankle lock. Running dropkick directly to Itakura’s face threatens us with a good time with Kawauchi taking a German Suplex for two…leaving him wide open for an ankle lock aaaaand the twenty minute time limit draw. Oh.

I went from loving this to wishing it would end. As exciting and intense as a match like this can be, you can only go so long with two dudes doing the same three moves and strategies over and over again before you’re wanting something else. Like two crap Pokemon going at it.

Masahiko Takasugi vs. Masato Ueno

Masahiko Takasugi is still going strong in 2025 at age 69. Wow. Takasugi instantly drops Ueno with a fucking Randleplex style head drop but like Fedor, he shrugs it off. Puro guys are built different. Ueno focuses on the armbars while he tries to remember where he parked his car. Pace here is much slower than the previous match but it’s still based on mat wrestling so we’ll see if it’s the NJPW Jr. style where it’s there because it has to be there. Oh it’s rounds again so time for a paragraph break.

And we’re back. Ueno suplexes Takasugi across the ring so he can lock in some more armbars. And that’s all that happens this round.

Oh they were saving their energy for the third round as Ueno delivers a meaty powerbomb to impressed “ooooos.” Takasugi retaliates with kicks to the head and a German Suplex he can’t transition into a pin cover. Single crab kills a few minutes before it’s released and a Boston crab kills a few more.

Fourth round is started with a single crab as I’m regretting watching this show because I’m struggling to make it sound interesting. Oh the hold finally ends the match by submission. Well I’ll be. That was a flat finish to a flatter match. Any flatter and it’d be AJ Styles’ Earth.

Ryuma Go vs. Fumihiro Niikura

Fumihiro Niikura would stick around SWS and NOW and everywhere else forgotten wrestlers hung out in the 90s. Go is a legendary wrestler who is somehow both a legend and a joke at the same time. He receives a hero’s welcome even with his knee wrapped up.

Niikura doesn’t get a handshake from Go so he tries a slap instead. Lots of “ooooos” already. Both lads circle the ring to build tension to a lock up which is welcome after the previous encounters. Go takes a Dragon Screw but lands on top of Niikura which allows him to get in an armbar. More chinlocks and time-killing until Go comes back with THE ARMBAR. Niikura slowly adjusts himself out of it to then quickly move into a side anklelock which was decent. Crowd didn’t agree.

Niikura controls on the mat with a side headlock for a bit before they reset stood up and then Go locks in THE ARMBAR for a while before turning into a crossface chicken wing. Sometimes I think about not bothering typing up shows like this because I worry I’m not able to convey how interesting/entertaining a solid technical battle can be, but one thing I don’t worry about is when a match is like this because it’s so much easier to explain how slow and dull it’s been so far.

Niikura lets Go get up and starts throwing low kicks as he notices Go is limping on his bandaged leg. Go holds the ropes to avoid further damage but Niikura grapevines that sucker as Go flails and screams on the mat. OK this is more like it. Go gets the ropes and the ref makes him release the hold but not before Niikura gets a cheeky kick in. Go powers up with headbutts as the Niikura complains about their legality. Crowd heckle him for that bit of cowardice so Go BLASTS him with a running lariat. Big arse piledriver gets two for Go who smothers his foe with a chinlock. Niikura gets his breath back so he can kick Go right in the eye, causing much yelling from the fans. Go tries to get away but Niikura kicks that giant bandage before slapping him in the eye before another leglock causes Go discomfort.

Go powers out to lock in a Cross Armbreaker while also wrapping his legs around Niikura’s face. Niikura isn’t fussed and again kicks Go in the face before a dropkick sends Go flying outside. Crowd loudly cheer for Go to get back up but he walks right into an enziguri to fly out again. Go responds by nearly murdering the poor guy with a Fire Thunder Powerbomb directly onto the head and neck. Niikura survives to take a side suplex onto the same head and neck, before Go calms down and ankle locks him. Niikura land a volley of strikes to the chest before applying the Dragon Sleeper on Go. This is losing it’s promising direction. Niikura lands his own side suplexes before going to the mat with a…hold of some sorts. Fuck knows. Niikura counters a back grapple with a backwards dropkick which was lovely, but somehow turns into Go locking in a Fujiwara Armbar for the submission at 22:02.

Loud “ehhh” from the crowd sums up my thoughts on that finish. How was that the end? Go really is an idiot.

The match took a while to get there but the formula wasn’t that different to Onita or Hogan or anyone else that realised you need to take a licking to start to get the crowd behind you and then make your comeback. If only he’d bothered to use an ending that made sense rather than seeing how many times Go could land outside in one match he may have had something here.

Overall: I’m glad there was only four matches, after match three I never wanted to see another frigging armbar again. I guess they figured “variety” was already decided by the show not being AJPW or NJPW so they didn’t need to bother with including any in the show itself.

I was going to watch the other two recorded shows but I can’t be arsed as I envision maybe two comments for this sad recap so we’ll end with some relevant news and info on Pioneer’s other shows:

Aoyagi who had been injured and unable to wrestle in the barbed wire match had requested a pay raise from Onita as he had been paid $200 dollars for the two main event matches in October and going forward wanted to be paid $300 dollars per show with Onita turning down the request. This would upset Aoyagi who would announce that he would pulling his Seishin Kaikan group which just consisted him and his student Mitsuhiro Matsunaga out of FMW and going to Pioneer Senshi instead where Aoyagi would make $2,000 dollars a match although Pioneer Senshi was barely working at this point.

Aoyagi would be Onita’s few foe in FMW so him leaving meant Onita could move onto guys like Tarzan Goto and crazier gimmicks. Things worked out OK for him.

Kanemura would go on to graduate high school and move to Tokyo with the plan of joining Animal Hamaguchi’s Gym in 1989 where he would train to become a pro-wrestler. After about a year, Hamaguchi would end up introducing Kanemura to Ryuma Go who had started up the very Japanese independent promotion called Pioner Senshi with Kanemura joining the promotion. Pioneer Senshi had a working relationship with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and the new Pioneer Senshi wrestlers would be sent to the New Japan Dojo to train which would be incredibly difficult for Kanemura though, as he would end up deciding to run away before coming back only to decide it was too tough again and once again leave.

Then one day Kanemura would be out shopping when he would come across Ryuma Go with Kanemura letting Go know he wanted to come back to Pioneer Senshi, as the dojo life had just been very difficult because he had also getting bullied while there. Ryuma Go would agree to take Kanemura back without passing the proper training at the New Japan Dojo and before he knew it, Kanemura was booked to make his pro-wrestling debut.

So Kanemura got his first break in Pioneer Senshi which in turn would lead to him leaving for W*ING so really, the main thing Senshi pioneered was the rise of the 90s hardcore Puro companies.

Thanks Ryuma, I’m sure many tape-traders recorded over Pioneer VHS to make way for Best Of The Headhunters Vol. 2.

I’ve been Maffew and I’ll add this review to my long list of regrets.