Novatel ovation mc760 driver
[#112+325347] This taxi driver in Spain was known for taking patients to the hospital for free. He was coming to pick up a patient one day when the doctors and nurses surprised him with a standing ovation and an envelope of money. [r/nextfuckinglevel]
2024.05.19 00:11 FrontpageWatch2020 [#112+325347] This taxi driver in Spain was known for taking patients to the hospital for free. He was coming to pick up a patient one day when the doctors and nurses surprised him with a standing ovation and an envelope of money. [r/nextfuckinglevel]
submitted by FrontpageWatch2020 to longtail [link] [comments]
2024.05.17 18:23 Far-Truth3713 Megalopolis’: The 5 Most WTF Moments From Francis Ford Coppola’s Sci-Fi Epic
The film, a $120 million epic starring Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito and Shia LaBeouf, was financed by Coppola himself — and has yet to secure a distributor in the United States. Regardless, the movie earned a 7-minute standing ovation from Cannes, as Coppola hugged Driver and Esposito and delivered an emotional speech dedicating the film to hope and family.
submitted by Far-Truth3713 to movietunes [link] [comments]
2024.05.17 16:02 Puzzleheaded-Ad-4195 Is Kino back?
 | submitted by Puzzleheaded-Ad-4195 to okbuddycinephile [link] [comments] |
2024.05.17 14:53 Dear-Choice4965 Cannes: Francis Ford Coppola’s Much-Discussed ‘Megalopolis’ Receives 10-Minute Standing Ovation
Francis Ford Coppola’s long-gestating and much-discussed sci-fi epic Megalopolis had its world premiere on Thursday night at the Cannes Film Festival, and was greeted with a 10-minute standing ovation inside the Grand Lumiere Theatre, as he gave a hug to each of his his principal stars — among them Nathalie Emmanuel, Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza and Giancarlo Esposito — and threw his hat into the cheering crowd.
submitted by Dear-Choice4965 to movietunes [link] [comments]
2024.05.17 14:43 CapableAd1401 Cannes: Francis Ford Coppola’s Much-Discussed ‘Megalopolis’ Receives 10-Minute Standing Ovation
Francis Ford Coppola’s long-gestating and much-discussed sci-fi epic Megalopolis had its world premiere on Thursday night at the Cannes Film Festival, and was greeted with a 10-minute standing ovation inside the Grand Lumiere Theatre, as he gave a hug to each of his his principal stars — among them Nathalie Emmanuel, Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza and Giancarlo Esposito — and threw his hat into the cheering crowd.
submitted by CapableAd1401 to movietunes [link] [comments]
2024.05.17 14:22 Responsible-Owl1502 Adam Driver Sex Tape, Shia LaBeouf in Drag and Dominatrix Aubrey Plaza Land Divisive ‘Megalopolis’ a 7-Minute Standing Ovation at Cannes
The two hour and 20 minute dystopian drama certainly divided the audience at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday night with its collision course of shocking scenes: a doctored sex tape featuring Adam Driver, Shia LaBeouf in drag playing a Trumpian figure and Aubrey Plaza dominating her way through a slew of men.
submitted by Responsible-Owl1502 to movietunes [link] [comments]
2024.05.17 14:22 Responsible-Owl1502 Adam Driver Sex Tape, Shia LaBeouf in Drag and Dominatrix Aubrey Plaza Land Divisive ‘Megalopolis’ a 7-Minute Standing Ovation at Cannes
The two hour and 20 minute dystopian drama certainly divided the audience at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday night with its collision course of shocking scenes: a doctored sex tape featuring Adam Driver, Shia LaBeouf in drag playing a Trumpian figure and Aubrey Plaza dominating her way through a slew of men.
submitted by Responsible-Owl1502 to movietunes [link] [comments]
2024.05.16 20:05 Jorfdood What movies were boo’d at Cannes?
I have been seeing a lot of discussion about the standing ovations for Furiosa and Bird, but I was curious if there were any films at now or past festivals that were heavily panned by the audience?
I’ve mainly heard about Taxi Driver’s original booing at the Cannes film fest, but any others?
submitted by Jorfdood to Letterboxd [link] [comments]
I’ve mainly heard about Taxi Driver’s original booing at the Cannes film fest, but any others?
2024.05.16 16:08 Parking_Apartment_70 A horror story that kind of happened to me, I had promised it to my friend u/Cyrus1404, upvote his original post not here!
Anyway this is the second story, that I was talking about, this happened fairly recently, I mean, about 4-5 years ago, it was during a particularly difficult time of life, I had lost my friends (not literally, just lost contact), my GF cheated and left me, then came back with an even wilder propostion, which kind of messed me up even more, anyway, it was a time when I was also doing my JEE preparation, and had gotten selected in top batch of one of the most prestigious coaching centres (I was an asshole to think it was ann accomplishment), anyway, I was studying 8-10 hours a day, I was irritable, used to go to school, have fun with friends, then leave it for my coaching and travelled in metro for 2-2.5 hours to reach my coaching centre and generally used to leave by 9-9:30. Anyway, it was January, and my father had some function, so, he had kind of promised that he'd pick me up, en route to Noida. He was so, I ended up standing there till 11, So, he comes, he's with his friend, and another collegue, my father is a teetotaller, he doesn't drink, both of his other collegues were visibly inebriated, his other collegue, was a lady, who was on the phone with her husband, pertaining to some stuff, anyway other guy, who I knew btw (Sadly he's not here anymore) was talking to me about bunch of stuff, asking what I learned, normal stuff that you do, anyway driver started the car, well, it was alright, we were having fun, it was Saturday, so, the 93.5 was on (Top 20 bangers from the week), we were singing, vibing, it was really cool.
Anyway, I had heard in passing about Nicholson Cemetary before, I had been there twice, once with bunch of friends, where we did some weird things including kicking a tombstone, I managed to crack it, my other friend managed to break a part of it, fun I thought, it was actually a tour about 1857 Revolt in Delhi, so, we where allowed to go to lot of areas, where most people are not! Anyway, that's where I heard this rumor that this cemetary is supposed to haunted, I was like right, lol, all cemetaries are haunted, anyway, back to the story: This cemetary was supposed to be in our way, now, I am a believer in ghosts but am not coward, so, I was fine so, were all of the other compatriots in that car. So, off we went anyway, even if you won't believe in ghosts, you'll agree that some people and place tend to have a weird vibe associated with them, and this place is like that, you'll feel a weird heaviness in the air nearby, you'll visibly uneasy, you'll feel that someone is kind of watching you at all times, it's kind of difficult to explain! Anyway, it was supposed to be a long 2 hour drive, so, we just went around didn't really pay attention to surroundings much, well, I was kinda dozing off, but suddenly, my father's coworker she draw the attention to the guy standing near the cemetary's door, now, I being a devout Hindu, am not much sure about Christian burial rituals, but all of us were of firm consensus that they were not supposed to happen at 12-12:30 at night, later we actually confirmed it, so, yeah! Well, he had a bouquet of those whites flowers, was dressed very formally, almost too elegently for any function, so, I deduced it was supposed to be pretty important funeral, anyway there wasn't any other person standing nearby, just a huge white cross above him, painted over an entrance and two small one's adorning the gates, and even gates were closed, only thing, we could conclusively see from there was the generic information about the cemetary, nothing more. Anyway, our car kind of slowed down, and it fully came to halt, I dunno why but our driver had weird fetish of talking to weird men, in weird attire hanging around in weird places. He stopped the car, kind of parked it, near the cemetary so we had a full view of everything and jumped out.
My and me dad were daredevils, two other were drunk, what do think we were feeling? It was pure joy, while the driver was scared shit! Anyway, there's this guy atleast as tall as me, dressed like someone who'd surely say Shashi Tharoor is not eloquent enough, with a bunch of mourning flowers in his hand, what could go wrong? Anyway, fear kind of elected to join me waiting, the driver reached that guy. Anyway, it was obvious that driver was having a hardtime communicating with that guy, I mean obviously, but he kind of managed to communicate with him that it seemed creepy for him to hang around cemetaries at night, anyway whatever entity he was, was cordial enough to consider not hurting his feelings and must have said something about leaving in few minutes, our driver cameback, almost too proud of himself, hopped on driving seat and we all gave him a standing ovation, like he managed to convince that Churchill looking mf, to put it mildly "shove it in", anyway as soon as we turned to see him, he was gone, like nothing, poof! There was no door opening or closing, no car nearby, no leaf unturned, the guy just vanished. It was weird! Anyway, now, the daredevilry and drinks were turning against us, we were paranoid, almost messed up, for driver it took sometime to understand what he had done, he just told a ghost, yes, a literal ghost to leave his area of interest, the charm was cast, the Pompeii was warned, the Rubicon was crossed, and yet, he went out to investigate, I knew that if he was a ghost he'd prolly be looking for me, for some kind of sick twisted revenge for breaking his lovely tombstone. So, I was petrified, but like a knightess in shining armour, my father's coworker went out to check with driver, and result came the same, no proof of that guy ever existing, no flowers, no prints, nothing, nada! They came back, she was feeling kind of uneasy so, she drank some water, maybe it was the drinks or something, but she kind of threw up nearby, we just skidaddled off from there.
Now, while moving through a particularly empty road, my father's friend just said, jokingly, I didn't know the guy we saw earlier was your friend, and there that guy was, just standing nearby, sort of in a grassy side of the road, he didn't flowers with him, he was wearing the similar outfit, I mean, we were some distance away from that prolly 2-3kms from there, there was no other way to reach there, there were cars nearby, not too many, but you know Delhi traffic, right? Maybe, it was a different person, I mean, could be, but he was looking directly upto us, like he remembered the car, well, again my driver wanted to confront him, but we just said fuck off and drove off.
Well, he kind of was a unlucky omen for all of us, the female coworker of my dad lost her husband in COVID, my dad broke his leg in an accident later, the driver was let go and we don't know what happened after that to him, I kind of suffered from deep times of melencholy and depression after that, I actually had to be properly treated, and my father's friend died, his COVID treatment kind of destroyed his family financially, he just left his wife and three children, two of them are in college now, and my father along with his friends are paying for their tuition. Anyway, this story could just very well, be some unique collection of coincidences, I know, and obviously, it wasn't anything special in large cities to know two people, who died during COVID, but it's just something, I have thought about a lot, my father on the other hand still doesn't believe it, although that female coworker of his, does agree with me, she's a friend of my moms, she's the one who told my mother this story, about 2-3 years later, anyway, my mom did this whole elaborate ritual for "Nazar Removal", she consulted a lot of pundits, and other things, my father just joked around saying that he was pretty sure that the ghost or fiend or whatever that entity was, was definately not Hindu.
Anyway, this story is kind of ongoing because apparently, the father's coworker claims, she's still having nightmares, I mean, I can't blame her, she's about 35 and has already lost her husband, she doesn't have a family and her husband's family is not excepting her and her baby (They had a love marriage, that too with consent from both sides, but still I dunno). She's trying counciling, and also going bit into religion, she meets us like every other month, so, yeah, she's brearing the blunt of this.
I have third story too, it kind of happened to friend of me (although I was also there), that too just few months ago, so, it's again quite fresh, just message if you want to hear it too.
Visit this and upvote this, don't upvote this post, I just wanted to create the comment but couldn't! This is in response to his post!
https://www.reddit.com/indiasocial/comments/1csfeoa/whats_the_creepiest_thing_youve_witnessed_irl/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
submitted by Parking_Apartment_70 to indiasocial [link] [comments]
Anyway, I had heard in passing about Nicholson Cemetary before, I had been there twice, once with bunch of friends, where we did some weird things including kicking a tombstone, I managed to crack it, my other friend managed to break a part of it, fun I thought, it was actually a tour about 1857 Revolt in Delhi, so, we where allowed to go to lot of areas, where most people are not! Anyway, that's where I heard this rumor that this cemetary is supposed to haunted, I was like right, lol, all cemetaries are haunted, anyway, back to the story: This cemetary was supposed to be in our way, now, I am a believer in ghosts but am not coward, so, I was fine so, were all of the other compatriots in that car. So, off we went anyway, even if you won't believe in ghosts, you'll agree that some people and place tend to have a weird vibe associated with them, and this place is like that, you'll feel a weird heaviness in the air nearby, you'll visibly uneasy, you'll feel that someone is kind of watching you at all times, it's kind of difficult to explain! Anyway, it was supposed to be a long 2 hour drive, so, we just went around didn't really pay attention to surroundings much, well, I was kinda dozing off, but suddenly, my father's coworker she draw the attention to the guy standing near the cemetary's door, now, I being a devout Hindu, am not much sure about Christian burial rituals, but all of us were of firm consensus that they were not supposed to happen at 12-12:30 at night, later we actually confirmed it, so, yeah! Well, he had a bouquet of those whites flowers, was dressed very formally, almost too elegently for any function, so, I deduced it was supposed to be pretty important funeral, anyway there wasn't any other person standing nearby, just a huge white cross above him, painted over an entrance and two small one's adorning the gates, and even gates were closed, only thing, we could conclusively see from there was the generic information about the cemetary, nothing more. Anyway, our car kind of slowed down, and it fully came to halt, I dunno why but our driver had weird fetish of talking to weird men, in weird attire hanging around in weird places. He stopped the car, kind of parked it, near the cemetary so we had a full view of everything and jumped out.
My and me dad were daredevils, two other were drunk, what do think we were feeling? It was pure joy, while the driver was scared shit! Anyway, there's this guy atleast as tall as me, dressed like someone who'd surely say Shashi Tharoor is not eloquent enough, with a bunch of mourning flowers in his hand, what could go wrong? Anyway, fear kind of elected to join me waiting, the driver reached that guy. Anyway, it was obvious that driver was having a hardtime communicating with that guy, I mean obviously, but he kind of managed to communicate with him that it seemed creepy for him to hang around cemetaries at night, anyway whatever entity he was, was cordial enough to consider not hurting his feelings and must have said something about leaving in few minutes, our driver cameback, almost too proud of himself, hopped on driving seat and we all gave him a standing ovation, like he managed to convince that Churchill looking mf, to put it mildly "shove it in", anyway as soon as we turned to see him, he was gone, like nothing, poof! There was no door opening or closing, no car nearby, no leaf unturned, the guy just vanished. It was weird! Anyway, now, the daredevilry and drinks were turning against us, we were paranoid, almost messed up, for driver it took sometime to understand what he had done, he just told a ghost, yes, a literal ghost to leave his area of interest, the charm was cast, the Pompeii was warned, the Rubicon was crossed, and yet, he went out to investigate, I knew that if he was a ghost he'd prolly be looking for me, for some kind of sick twisted revenge for breaking his lovely tombstone. So, I was petrified, but like a knightess in shining armour, my father's coworker went out to check with driver, and result came the same, no proof of that guy ever existing, no flowers, no prints, nothing, nada! They came back, she was feeling kind of uneasy so, she drank some water, maybe it was the drinks or something, but she kind of threw up nearby, we just skidaddled off from there.
Now, while moving through a particularly empty road, my father's friend just said, jokingly, I didn't know the guy we saw earlier was your friend, and there that guy was, just standing nearby, sort of in a grassy side of the road, he didn't flowers with him, he was wearing the similar outfit, I mean, we were some distance away from that prolly 2-3kms from there, there was no other way to reach there, there were cars nearby, not too many, but you know Delhi traffic, right? Maybe, it was a different person, I mean, could be, but he was looking directly upto us, like he remembered the car, well, again my driver wanted to confront him, but we just said fuck off and drove off.
Well, he kind of was a unlucky omen for all of us, the female coworker of my dad lost her husband in COVID, my dad broke his leg in an accident later, the driver was let go and we don't know what happened after that to him, I kind of suffered from deep times of melencholy and depression after that, I actually had to be properly treated, and my father's friend died, his COVID treatment kind of destroyed his family financially, he just left his wife and three children, two of them are in college now, and my father along with his friends are paying for their tuition. Anyway, this story could just very well, be some unique collection of coincidences, I know, and obviously, it wasn't anything special in large cities to know two people, who died during COVID, but it's just something, I have thought about a lot, my father on the other hand still doesn't believe it, although that female coworker of his, does agree with me, she's a friend of my moms, she's the one who told my mother this story, about 2-3 years later, anyway, my mom did this whole elaborate ritual for "Nazar Removal", she consulted a lot of pundits, and other things, my father just joked around saying that he was pretty sure that the ghost or fiend or whatever that entity was, was definately not Hindu.
Anyway, this story is kind of ongoing because apparently, the father's coworker claims, she's still having nightmares, I mean, I can't blame her, she's about 35 and has already lost her husband, she doesn't have a family and her husband's family is not excepting her and her baby (They had a love marriage, that too with consent from both sides, but still I dunno). She's trying counciling, and also going bit into religion, she meets us like every other month, so, yeah, she's brearing the blunt of this.
I have third story too, it kind of happened to friend of me (although I was also there), that too just few months ago, so, it's again quite fresh, just message if you want to hear it too.
Visit this and upvote this, don't upvote this post, I just wanted to create the comment but couldn't! This is in response to his post!
https://www.reddit.com/indiasocial/comments/1csfeoa/whats_the_creepiest_thing_youve_witnessed_irl/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
2024.05.16 10:52 Ren_Davis0531 Locked in Winner Pick. Episode 12 Thoughts.
With my meme winner pick getting booted (R.I.P. my brother 🫡), I can now be all in on Kenzie winning this game. She has had an interesting arc because so much of the early game was building her up as a cutthroat strategic threat, but her post-merge has mostly shown her as a social butterfly. We saw Q have a laser focus on taking Kenzie out and Bhanu heavily threw her under the bus on the journey, and that has never come back around. I think these two big storylines were done to build up Kenzie’s reputation in the minds of the audience. Not to mention Q’s standing ovation for Kenzie in the split tribal council. It’s a post-facto strategic justification for an otherwise extremely social win.
As much as we all made a big deal about the moniker “Mermaid Dragon” coming back to bite her, she has certainly been more mermaid than dragon. I think it’s possible the editors left that in either because it sounds really fucking cool or they know some of the edgic lingo and are fucking with us. Probably both. I wouldn’t put it past them with New Era editing. Since the merge, we have only doubled down on Kenzie’s social connections and we haven’t seen her drive the strategy. She’s been in the know, for the most part, but hasn’t been a driver. Her biggest move was planning a Tiffany blindside……..only for Maria to cut her off at the knees and leave her out of the vote. Her biggest strategic endeavor didn’t even happen, yet she was shown as extremely sympathetic and nuanced. That speaks multitudes.
Kenzie has the strongest edit by far and I was initially hesitant because her edit is so visible. Female winners simply don’t get this kind of visibility. However, I go with the evidence and the preponderance of evidence is definitely in Kenzie’s corner. The biggest piece of evidence is that Q wanted her gone in the pre-merge. Q is quite possibly the smartest strategic mind that we have ever gotten on this show (rivaled only by Zane Knight). If he thought Kenzie was a threat then it’s a Biiiiiig Mistake to think otherwise.
submitted by Ren_Davis0531 to Edgic [link] [comments]
As much as we all made a big deal about the moniker “Mermaid Dragon” coming back to bite her, she has certainly been more mermaid than dragon. I think it’s possible the editors left that in either because it sounds really fucking cool or they know some of the edgic lingo and are fucking with us. Probably both. I wouldn’t put it past them with New Era editing. Since the merge, we have only doubled down on Kenzie’s social connections and we haven’t seen her drive the strategy. She’s been in the know, for the most part, but hasn’t been a driver. Her biggest move was planning a Tiffany blindside……..only for Maria to cut her off at the knees and leave her out of the vote. Her biggest strategic endeavor didn’t even happen, yet she was shown as extremely sympathetic and nuanced. That speaks multitudes.
Kenzie has the strongest edit by far and I was initially hesitant because her edit is so visible. Female winners simply don’t get this kind of visibility. However, I go with the evidence and the preponderance of evidence is definitely in Kenzie’s corner. The biggest piece of evidence is that Q wanted her gone in the pre-merge. Q is quite possibly the smartest strategic mind that we have ever gotten on this show (rivaled only by Zane Knight). If he thought Kenzie was a threat then it’s a Biiiiiig Mistake to think otherwise.
2024.05.15 02:46 AEWBulletClub1016 WWW Friday Night Flames #2 (5.10.24) (Dublin)
Friday Night. flames
The show starts with the European championship opportunity tag team natch between Judgment day & The Blackpool Combat Club.
Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh) vs Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Charlie Dempsey)- if JD wins they get added in the European Championship match
The crowd cheers for both teams as they make their entrance. The match starts off with Dominik Mysterio & Charlie Dempsey. Dempsey immediately used his technical expertise against mysterio tripping him up and putting him in a headlock takedown. Holding him down there but Dom gets out of it and pushes Charlie into the ropes and leapfrogs over Charlie and then hits him with a beautiful dropkick taking Charlie down. Dominik starts getting aggressive and grounding and pounding on him for a little bit before picking Charlie back up and tries to Irish whip him into the corner but Charlie reverses it into a bridging hammer throw into the corner of the judgment day. JD tags in and faces off against Charlie Dempsey. JD strikes Charlie with a huge strike followed by another but Charlie strikes back with a huge palm strike and a nice chop but JD fights back they continue going back and forth for a couple minutes before JD Knocks Charlie loopy with a Headbutt. JD trys to drag JD to the corner but Charlie gets out with a big kick trying to get out crawling to tag in Claudio but JD grabs his leg but Charlie hits him with a back mule kick and gets the tag to Claudio. Claudio goes off immediately giving a huge European uppercut to JD and then a big punch knocking Dom off the Apron. Claudio picks up JD for the Ricola Bomb but JD punches him in the face and then reverses it into a hurricarana. Claudio gets caught in the corner JD starts to hit Claudio with kicks and elbows before Dominik gets back up and JD tags him in. JD hits a head butt on Claudio, slings him up with a Delvin slide like maneuver but Dominik catches him with a back suplex, taking down Claudio. Claudio getting back up but hit by a Superkick into the ropes and Dom clotheslines Claudio over the rope and runs off the ropes for a suicide dive but Charlie pulls Claudio aside and Dominik Mysterio lands head first on the edge of the announce table. Claudio gets back and looks to hit the ricola bomb on the announce table but JD takes out Claudio’s leg with a chop block and puts him on the announce table before Charlie hirs a German suplex but he lands on his feet and headbutts him hard. Jd wakes Dom up and tells him to go up top. JD holds Claudios Leg’s down and Dominik hits a frog splash off the top rope through the announce table. Jd throws Dominik into the ring and then Claudio into the ring. Dominik crawls to the cover 1…2…. CLAUDIO’s foot reached the rope. Dominik slowly gets up and sees Claudio grabbing the middle rope in position for a 619…. No caught by Claudio and drops him the ring for a swing… 1 2 3 4 5 6 JD then decides to get in the ring and jump Claudio taking out his knee. JD then holds Charlie off as Dominik rolls up Claudio 1…2…3
THE JUDGMENT DAY WINS!
Roman Reigns vs David Finlay- World Championship Quarterfinals
This is a tough challenge for David Finlay but David goes at it head on and starts charging at Roman immediately spearing him in the corner over and over again. But Roman fights back and spears David in the corner with multiple shoulder thrusts. Roman then picks David up and starts berating him before picking him for a powerbomb that David reverses or a sunset flip roll up 1… kickout by Roman quickly. Roman gets up looking at David angrily. David slaps Roman in the face trying to get in Roman’s head. Roman pissed starts throwing multiple shots over and over again pissed off. Roman gets cocky and mocks David and start grounding and pounding him but David catches him and rolls him up again 1…2 kickout David starts feeling himself and starts fighting back with strikes and kicks finally knocking Roman down with a dropkick. David Finlay picks himf got a suplex for a quick cover but Roman picks out at 2. David goes to the ropes and hits Roman with a clothesline but Roman reverses hit a clothesline followed by another one and then a leaning clothesline. Going to the corner calls for a Superman punch. Runs at him and hits him with a Superman punch. Roman goes to the corner again “OOOOOOAHHHHHH” SPEARRRR NO a knee to the face. Off the ropes Roman goes for the spear again but David Finlay pushes Roman to the side runs to the other side of the ring and runs at him to hit a spear of his own. David Finlay picks up Roman hits then Trash panda for the cover 1….2… ROMAN KICKS OUT. David picks him over for a suplex…. THE OVERKILL 1…2…3
DAVID FINLAY WINS
Jamie Hayter vs Dakota Kai- women’s championship quarterfinal
This match starts off with a back and forth between 2 great strikers in the women’s division. They both get the upper hand through this match. At the end of the match Dakota Kai catches Hayter with a pump kick that knocks her loopy. Dakota then goes off the rope for the kairopractor but Jamie rolls out of the ring before Kai can get the pin. Dakota goes outside and brings Hayter back in. Dakota looks for another kairopractor but Hayter capitalizes and hits her with a huge lariat flipping her upside down both are down but Hayter gets back up and reversed a kick by Kai and grabs her for the HAYTERADE. 1….2….3
JAMIE HAYTER WINS
Bullet Club Wardogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney) vs GYV (Zack Gibson & James Drake)- tag team championship tournament quarterfinals
The Bullet Club looks to get farther in another tournament against GYV legends here in England. James Drake and Drilla Moloney start the match. They lock up but Drilla just kicks James in the gut. Drilla then starts immediately trying to beat down James and starts throwing punches and kicks to the head of James. Drilla then picks up James and hits a suplex for a quick pin 1…2 kickout. Drilla goes to the ropes and looks for a big boot but James ducks it and tags in Zack. Zack springboards into the ring clothesline to Drilla. Then takes out clark off the ropes. Drilla rolls Zack up 1… kickout by Zack Drilla then locks Zack in a headlock but Zack reverses and hits a dropkick on Drilla. Zack gets good offense on Drilla before clark gets the tag. The continue both teams getting the upper hand against each other and Drilla is in the ring with Young Vets at ringside Drilla hits a suicide dive heat seeking dropkick on both throwing James back in the ring. Drilla looks for the Drilla Killa but James reverses it and picks him up for a spinning tombstone but Zack comes out of nowhere and hits the code breaker hitting the TICKET TO MAYHEM. Zack then jumps out the ring on Clark taking Clark out. The cover by James 1…2…3
Grizzled young veterans win
Guilia vs Mandy rose- women’s championship quarterfinal
I don’t know enough about Guilia so I’m not gonna fully book this match but I’ll give the ending
At the end, Mandy went for the bicycle knee but Guilia moved out the way and Guilia picked her up in a tombstone position and hit her with the Glorious driver to win:
Guilia wins
Adam Page vs Bryan Danielson- World Championship Quarterfinals
The match starts off with Adam Page and Bryan Danielson staring down. They offer a sign of respect in a handshake but then Bryan locks up and picks up Adam’s leg and dragon screws Adam and takes him down and starts stomping on his leg aggressively before dropping a knee drop on his leg. Bryan then continues targeting the leg and puts him in a leg lock but Adam page gets out of it and punches his way out. Adam grabs danielson and hits him with a huge punch and an elbow striking Bryan with multiple strikes before throwing danielson into the ropes but danielson hits a running elbow to the face knocking Adam out of the ring. Bryan runs off the ropes and hits Adam with a suicide dive followed by a second one and goes for a third one but Adam catches him and slams him back first into the apron. Going to the second turnbuckle and backflips into Bryan for a Moonsault going back to the ring and goes for the Buckshot lariat 1…2… DANIELSON KICKS OUT.! Adam page continues fighting back and looks for a dead eye but Danielson reverses into a sunset roll up 1…2. Kick Out but Danielson grabs his arms and starts stomping Adam’s chest violently but Adam uses his strength to hold danielson’s body up and Monkey flips him off. Adam hits a huge elbow to the face of danielson when danielson bounces off the rope Adam hits a discus clothesline putting danielson into the corner and on the top turnbuckle and goes for the Moonsault fallaway slam but Danielson reversed it and hit a top rope DDT. Holy shit what a reversal by danielson. Danielson goes to the corner lines Hangman up… THE BUSAIKU KNEE. 1…2… HANGMAN KICKSOUT. Danielson then repeatedly stomps on the chest of hangman before turning it to a hammer and anvil elbows repeatedly then locks him into the Lebell Lock and Hangman passes out.
DANIELSON ADVANCES
Moustache Mountain (Tyler Bate & Trent Seven) vs Subculture (Mark Andrew & Flash Morgan Webster)- tag team championship quarterfinals
2 of the most well known Tag Teams in the UK. Tyler Bate & Mark Andrew start the match as the crowd cheers for 2 as they soak it in. Tyler Bate locks up with Mark and pushes him to the corner and overpowers him. They lock up again but Baye pushes Andrews again. This time Andrews gets upset and charges at Bate with a double leg takedown and starts pounding at him on the ground but Bate wraps his legs around Andrews and turns Andrews over into a sleeper but Andrews fights out after a while reaching out and snapmaring Bate off of him and hits a running basement dropkick. Andrews gets the tag to Webster and grabs Bate to a wrist lock and hits a double stomp arm breaker on Bate. Webster tries to continue the assault but Tyler gets back it with a running wheel kick. Bate exhausted from the assaults and eventually gets the tag to Trent and Trent lariats Webster immediately and then takes out Andrews. picks up Webster but Webster catches him and reverses it to a roll up sunset flip 1..2.. Seven kicks out and and reverses it to a deadlift powerbomb and starts getting aggressive. The 2 teams continue to have a back and forth. until Bate is legal against Webster and bate goes for the rebound lariat but Webster catches him with a huge knee strike. Webster tags in Andrews. A inverted frankensteiner by Andrews assisted from Webster by a huge knee strike for the cover 1….2…3
SUBCULTURE WINS!
Xia Brookside vs Tiffany Stratton- women’s championship quarterfinals
2 of the youngest stars in the women’s divisions are going at it to advance in the Women’s Championship tournament. The match starts off and xia and Tiffany circling around the ring before locking up and they wrestle around the ring for a little while but Tiffany grabs her arm and kicks her in the knee before hitting an arm breaker against the mat. Tiffany continues beating on xia before xia fights back and starts throws strike after strike going back and forth for awhile they continue the match both girls getting the upper hand both getting exhausted. At the end of the match xia hits a Superkick on Stratton knocking her off the ropes and Stratton cartwheels toward Brookside and hits her with an Alabama slam. For the stack pin 1…2.. kick out by Brookside. Brookside crawls to the corner Tiffany goes in the other corner the handspring elbow in the corner and then goinf for the Prettiest MOONSAULT EVER but no Brookside rolls over and grabs her for the BROKEN WINGS for the cover 1…2..3 AND THE WIN FOR XIA BROOKSIDE
Xia Brookside Wins
Will Ospreay vs Micheal Oku
Both men come out to the ring with huge cheers for both men. Both men competing before having major respect for each other they stare down. They both soak in the crowds cheering circling each other for a minute and then lock up both fighting back against each others locks until Ospreay pushes Michael Oku into the corner. The referee tells Ospreay to break it up but Ospreay hits a big chop on Oku but that pissed Oku off and he pushed Ospreay into the corner and chops Ospreay back. Ospreay then puts Oku in the corner and then winds up for a big chop but just looks at Ospreay and shakes it off making a shake off sign against his chest. Call out to RevPro days. Ospreay charges back at Oku but Oku ducks runs at Ospreay and tilt a whirls around for the ddt taking Ospreay down before continuously striking him with elbows to the back. Before Ospreay gets back up and gets hit with uppercut by Oku. Ospreay starts getting bad and Oku looks for an Irish whip but Ospreay reverses it throws Oku into the ropes backflips over Oku and then does a backflip on Oku’s chest followed by a Superkick on Oku knocking him to the corner going to the other side of the ring and runs at him but gets kicked in the face by Oku. Oku climbs the middle rope and looks to jump on him but Ospreay moved and Oku ducks Ospreays move and hits a sleeper slam. Oku tries continue the assault but Ospreay fights back and chops Oku to the ground and grabs his wrist and hits him with another before picking him back up and hits a beautiful spinning back breaker. 1..2. Oku kicks out. Ospreay then picks up looks for a snap German but Oku lands on his feet and hits Ospreay with a huge jumping lariat. Oku Calls Ospreay up and hits a backstabber. Oku goes for a springboard Moonsault but Ospreay moves goes off the ropes handspring springboard back kick taking Oku out to the ring before running at Oku with a suicide dive followed by another and 3rd before throwing him back in the ring calling for the oscutter… he springboard but Oku catches him and hits a nice bridging German suplex 1…2.. Ospreay kicks out. Ospreay slowly crawls to the corner and Ospreay gets put on the top turnbuckle and Oku goes for an avalanche hurricarana but Ospreay holds on drops down and drops him with an alley oop on the top turnbuckle. Ospreay calling for the Tiger driver picks him and drops him with the Tiger driver 1…2.. Oku kicks out of the Tiger driver. Ospreay claps his hand together for the oscutter and this time connects with the oscutter on Oku. HE isn’t done he PICKS UP OKU DOUBLE UNDERHOOK, LIFTS HIM UP STORMBREAKKER. 1…2 OKU KICKS OUTS OSPREAY goes to the corner Oku barely being able to stand and Ospreay takes him out with a decapitating hidden blade. 1..2..3 OSPREAY collapses as he wins against going to the semifinals. Oku laying on the ground exhausted and Ospreay starts to get back up and helps Oku up in a sign of respect.
WILL OSPREAY ADVANCES
Sheamus vs Zack Sabre Jr
Sheamus gets cheered loudly as Sabre goes right after Sheamus trying to take out his leg, grabbing his leg and hitting a dragon screw and continues going with simple submissions to the leg keeping Sheamus down. Sheamus eventually gets out of it with a nice punch and starts hitting strikes on Zack. Sheamus put Zack in the corner and starts laying him out with punches and kicks til he collapses. Before picking back up and putting him on the top turnbuckle. Picks him up on his shoulders and goes for an avalanche white noise but Zack Sabre reverses it to a crucifix bomb grabbing his arm for an arm bar looking to make Sheamus tap out. He’s in the hold for a minute but Sheamus looks to reach the ropes but Sabre grabs his other arm and puts him in a double arm crucifix position for the pin 1…2.. SHEAMUS kicks out Sabre then grabs his leg but Sheamus kicks him off and gets back up and Sabre looks for a big European uppercut knocks Sheamus against the rope and bounces off and Sabre looks for a running enziguri but Sheamus ducks it and bounces off the rope and hits Sabre with the KNEECAP for the cover 1…2.. KICKOUT! Sheamus runs to the corner calling for the Brogue kick but it’s TMDK’s Mikey Nicholas and Shane Haste holding onto Sheamus legs in the corner but Sheamus kicks them off but when he turns around gets caught with a huge European upper cut. He then does a European clutch bridging roll up 1…2… Sheamus kicks out getting back Sabre goes for a springboard enziguri but Sheamus moves goes off the ropes and hits a huge Brogue kick for the pin 1…..2….3 SHEAMUS WINS TO END THE SHOW TO A HUGE OVATION . Sheamus has beaten ZSJ.
SHEAMUS WINS
Ends Show
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The show starts with the European championship opportunity tag team natch between Judgment day & The Blackpool Combat Club.
Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh) vs Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Charlie Dempsey)- if JD wins they get added in the European Championship match
The crowd cheers for both teams as they make their entrance. The match starts off with Dominik Mysterio & Charlie Dempsey. Dempsey immediately used his technical expertise against mysterio tripping him up and putting him in a headlock takedown. Holding him down there but Dom gets out of it and pushes Charlie into the ropes and leapfrogs over Charlie and then hits him with a beautiful dropkick taking Charlie down. Dominik starts getting aggressive and grounding and pounding on him for a little bit before picking Charlie back up and tries to Irish whip him into the corner but Charlie reverses it into a bridging hammer throw into the corner of the judgment day. JD tags in and faces off against Charlie Dempsey. JD strikes Charlie with a huge strike followed by another but Charlie strikes back with a huge palm strike and a nice chop but JD fights back they continue going back and forth for a couple minutes before JD Knocks Charlie loopy with a Headbutt. JD trys to drag JD to the corner but Charlie gets out with a big kick trying to get out crawling to tag in Claudio but JD grabs his leg but Charlie hits him with a back mule kick and gets the tag to Claudio. Claudio goes off immediately giving a huge European uppercut to JD and then a big punch knocking Dom off the Apron. Claudio picks up JD for the Ricola Bomb but JD punches him in the face and then reverses it into a hurricarana. Claudio gets caught in the corner JD starts to hit Claudio with kicks and elbows before Dominik gets back up and JD tags him in. JD hits a head butt on Claudio, slings him up with a Delvin slide like maneuver but Dominik catches him with a back suplex, taking down Claudio. Claudio getting back up but hit by a Superkick into the ropes and Dom clotheslines Claudio over the rope and runs off the ropes for a suicide dive but Charlie pulls Claudio aside and Dominik Mysterio lands head first on the edge of the announce table. Claudio gets back and looks to hit the ricola bomb on the announce table but JD takes out Claudio’s leg with a chop block and puts him on the announce table before Charlie hirs a German suplex but he lands on his feet and headbutts him hard. Jd wakes Dom up and tells him to go up top. JD holds Claudios Leg’s down and Dominik hits a frog splash off the top rope through the announce table. Jd throws Dominik into the ring and then Claudio into the ring. Dominik crawls to the cover 1…2…. CLAUDIO’s foot reached the rope. Dominik slowly gets up and sees Claudio grabbing the middle rope in position for a 619…. No caught by Claudio and drops him the ring for a swing… 1 2 3 4 5 6 JD then decides to get in the ring and jump Claudio taking out his knee. JD then holds Charlie off as Dominik rolls up Claudio 1…2…3
THE JUDGMENT DAY WINS!
Roman Reigns vs David Finlay- World Championship Quarterfinals
This is a tough challenge for David Finlay but David goes at it head on and starts charging at Roman immediately spearing him in the corner over and over again. But Roman fights back and spears David in the corner with multiple shoulder thrusts. Roman then picks David up and starts berating him before picking him for a powerbomb that David reverses or a sunset flip roll up 1… kickout by Roman quickly. Roman gets up looking at David angrily. David slaps Roman in the face trying to get in Roman’s head. Roman pissed starts throwing multiple shots over and over again pissed off. Roman gets cocky and mocks David and start grounding and pounding him but David catches him and rolls him up again 1…2 kickout David starts feeling himself and starts fighting back with strikes and kicks finally knocking Roman down with a dropkick. David Finlay picks himf got a suplex for a quick cover but Roman picks out at 2. David goes to the ropes and hits Roman with a clothesline but Roman reverses hit a clothesline followed by another one and then a leaning clothesline. Going to the corner calls for a Superman punch. Runs at him and hits him with a Superman punch. Roman goes to the corner again “OOOOOOAHHHHHH” SPEARRRR NO a knee to the face. Off the ropes Roman goes for the spear again but David Finlay pushes Roman to the side runs to the other side of the ring and runs at him to hit a spear of his own. David Finlay picks up Roman hits then Trash panda for the cover 1….2… ROMAN KICKS OUT. David picks him over for a suplex…. THE OVERKILL 1…2…3
DAVID FINLAY WINS
Jamie Hayter vs Dakota Kai- women’s championship quarterfinal
This match starts off with a back and forth between 2 great strikers in the women’s division. They both get the upper hand through this match. At the end of the match Dakota Kai catches Hayter with a pump kick that knocks her loopy. Dakota then goes off the rope for the kairopractor but Jamie rolls out of the ring before Kai can get the pin. Dakota goes outside and brings Hayter back in. Dakota looks for another kairopractor but Hayter capitalizes and hits her with a huge lariat flipping her upside down both are down but Hayter gets back up and reversed a kick by Kai and grabs her for the HAYTERADE. 1….2….3
JAMIE HAYTER WINS
Bullet Club Wardogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney) vs GYV (Zack Gibson & James Drake)- tag team championship tournament quarterfinals
The Bullet Club looks to get farther in another tournament against GYV legends here in England. James Drake and Drilla Moloney start the match. They lock up but Drilla just kicks James in the gut. Drilla then starts immediately trying to beat down James and starts throwing punches and kicks to the head of James. Drilla then picks up James and hits a suplex for a quick pin 1…2 kickout. Drilla goes to the ropes and looks for a big boot but James ducks it and tags in Zack. Zack springboards into the ring clothesline to Drilla. Then takes out clark off the ropes. Drilla rolls Zack up 1… kickout by Zack Drilla then locks Zack in a headlock but Zack reverses and hits a dropkick on Drilla. Zack gets good offense on Drilla before clark gets the tag. The continue both teams getting the upper hand against each other and Drilla is in the ring with Young Vets at ringside Drilla hits a suicide dive heat seeking dropkick on both throwing James back in the ring. Drilla looks for the Drilla Killa but James reverses it and picks him up for a spinning tombstone but Zack comes out of nowhere and hits the code breaker hitting the TICKET TO MAYHEM. Zack then jumps out the ring on Clark taking Clark out. The cover by James 1…2…3
Grizzled young veterans win
Guilia vs Mandy rose- women’s championship quarterfinal
I don’t know enough about Guilia so I’m not gonna fully book this match but I’ll give the ending
At the end, Mandy went for the bicycle knee but Guilia moved out the way and Guilia picked her up in a tombstone position and hit her with the Glorious driver to win:
Guilia wins
Adam Page vs Bryan Danielson- World Championship Quarterfinals
The match starts off with Adam Page and Bryan Danielson staring down. They offer a sign of respect in a handshake but then Bryan locks up and picks up Adam’s leg and dragon screws Adam and takes him down and starts stomping on his leg aggressively before dropping a knee drop on his leg. Bryan then continues targeting the leg and puts him in a leg lock but Adam page gets out of it and punches his way out. Adam grabs danielson and hits him with a huge punch and an elbow striking Bryan with multiple strikes before throwing danielson into the ropes but danielson hits a running elbow to the face knocking Adam out of the ring. Bryan runs off the ropes and hits Adam with a suicide dive followed by a second one and goes for a third one but Adam catches him and slams him back first into the apron. Going to the second turnbuckle and backflips into Bryan for a Moonsault going back to the ring and goes for the Buckshot lariat 1…2… DANIELSON KICKS OUT.! Adam page continues fighting back and looks for a dead eye but Danielson reverses into a sunset roll up 1…2. Kick Out but Danielson grabs his arms and starts stomping Adam’s chest violently but Adam uses his strength to hold danielson’s body up and Monkey flips him off. Adam hits a huge elbow to the face of danielson when danielson bounces off the rope Adam hits a discus clothesline putting danielson into the corner and on the top turnbuckle and goes for the Moonsault fallaway slam but Danielson reversed it and hit a top rope DDT. Holy shit what a reversal by danielson. Danielson goes to the corner lines Hangman up… THE BUSAIKU KNEE. 1…2… HANGMAN KICKSOUT. Danielson then repeatedly stomps on the chest of hangman before turning it to a hammer and anvil elbows repeatedly then locks him into the Lebell Lock and Hangman passes out.
DANIELSON ADVANCES
Moustache Mountain (Tyler Bate & Trent Seven) vs Subculture (Mark Andrew & Flash Morgan Webster)- tag team championship quarterfinals
2 of the most well known Tag Teams in the UK. Tyler Bate & Mark Andrew start the match as the crowd cheers for 2 as they soak it in. Tyler Bate locks up with Mark and pushes him to the corner and overpowers him. They lock up again but Baye pushes Andrews again. This time Andrews gets upset and charges at Bate with a double leg takedown and starts pounding at him on the ground but Bate wraps his legs around Andrews and turns Andrews over into a sleeper but Andrews fights out after a while reaching out and snapmaring Bate off of him and hits a running basement dropkick. Andrews gets the tag to Webster and grabs Bate to a wrist lock and hits a double stomp arm breaker on Bate. Webster tries to continue the assault but Tyler gets back it with a running wheel kick. Bate exhausted from the assaults and eventually gets the tag to Trent and Trent lariats Webster immediately and then takes out Andrews. picks up Webster but Webster catches him and reverses it to a roll up sunset flip 1..2.. Seven kicks out and and reverses it to a deadlift powerbomb and starts getting aggressive. The 2 teams continue to have a back and forth. until Bate is legal against Webster and bate goes for the rebound lariat but Webster catches him with a huge knee strike. Webster tags in Andrews. A inverted frankensteiner by Andrews assisted from Webster by a huge knee strike for the cover 1….2…3
SUBCULTURE WINS!
Xia Brookside vs Tiffany Stratton- women’s championship quarterfinals
2 of the youngest stars in the women’s divisions are going at it to advance in the Women’s Championship tournament. The match starts off and xia and Tiffany circling around the ring before locking up and they wrestle around the ring for a little while but Tiffany grabs her arm and kicks her in the knee before hitting an arm breaker against the mat. Tiffany continues beating on xia before xia fights back and starts throws strike after strike going back and forth for awhile they continue the match both girls getting the upper hand both getting exhausted. At the end of the match xia hits a Superkick on Stratton knocking her off the ropes and Stratton cartwheels toward Brookside and hits her with an Alabama slam. For the stack pin 1…2.. kick out by Brookside. Brookside crawls to the corner Tiffany goes in the other corner the handspring elbow in the corner and then goinf for the Prettiest MOONSAULT EVER but no Brookside rolls over and grabs her for the BROKEN WINGS for the cover 1…2..3 AND THE WIN FOR XIA BROOKSIDE
Xia Brookside Wins
Will Ospreay vs Micheal Oku
Both men come out to the ring with huge cheers for both men. Both men competing before having major respect for each other they stare down. They both soak in the crowds cheering circling each other for a minute and then lock up both fighting back against each others locks until Ospreay pushes Michael Oku into the corner. The referee tells Ospreay to break it up but Ospreay hits a big chop on Oku but that pissed Oku off and he pushed Ospreay into the corner and chops Ospreay back. Ospreay then puts Oku in the corner and then winds up for a big chop but just looks at Ospreay and shakes it off making a shake off sign against his chest. Call out to RevPro days. Ospreay charges back at Oku but Oku ducks runs at Ospreay and tilt a whirls around for the ddt taking Ospreay down before continuously striking him with elbows to the back. Before Ospreay gets back up and gets hit with uppercut by Oku. Ospreay starts getting bad and Oku looks for an Irish whip but Ospreay reverses it throws Oku into the ropes backflips over Oku and then does a backflip on Oku’s chest followed by a Superkick on Oku knocking him to the corner going to the other side of the ring and runs at him but gets kicked in the face by Oku. Oku climbs the middle rope and looks to jump on him but Ospreay moved and Oku ducks Ospreays move and hits a sleeper slam. Oku tries continue the assault but Ospreay fights back and chops Oku to the ground and grabs his wrist and hits him with another before picking him back up and hits a beautiful spinning back breaker. 1..2. Oku kicks out. Ospreay then picks up looks for a snap German but Oku lands on his feet and hits Ospreay with a huge jumping lariat. Oku Calls Ospreay up and hits a backstabber. Oku goes for a springboard Moonsault but Ospreay moves goes off the ropes handspring springboard back kick taking Oku out to the ring before running at Oku with a suicide dive followed by another and 3rd before throwing him back in the ring calling for the oscutter… he springboard but Oku catches him and hits a nice bridging German suplex 1…2.. Ospreay kicks out. Ospreay slowly crawls to the corner and Ospreay gets put on the top turnbuckle and Oku goes for an avalanche hurricarana but Ospreay holds on drops down and drops him with an alley oop on the top turnbuckle. Ospreay calling for the Tiger driver picks him and drops him with the Tiger driver 1…2.. Oku kicks out of the Tiger driver. Ospreay claps his hand together for the oscutter and this time connects with the oscutter on Oku. HE isn’t done he PICKS UP OKU DOUBLE UNDERHOOK, LIFTS HIM UP STORMBREAKKER. 1…2 OKU KICKS OUTS OSPREAY goes to the corner Oku barely being able to stand and Ospreay takes him out with a decapitating hidden blade. 1..2..3 OSPREAY collapses as he wins against going to the semifinals. Oku laying on the ground exhausted and Ospreay starts to get back up and helps Oku up in a sign of respect.
WILL OSPREAY ADVANCES
Sheamus vs Zack Sabre Jr
Sheamus gets cheered loudly as Sabre goes right after Sheamus trying to take out his leg, grabbing his leg and hitting a dragon screw and continues going with simple submissions to the leg keeping Sheamus down. Sheamus eventually gets out of it with a nice punch and starts hitting strikes on Zack. Sheamus put Zack in the corner and starts laying him out with punches and kicks til he collapses. Before picking back up and putting him on the top turnbuckle. Picks him up on his shoulders and goes for an avalanche white noise but Zack Sabre reverses it to a crucifix bomb grabbing his arm for an arm bar looking to make Sheamus tap out. He’s in the hold for a minute but Sheamus looks to reach the ropes but Sabre grabs his other arm and puts him in a double arm crucifix position for the pin 1…2.. SHEAMUS kicks out Sabre then grabs his leg but Sheamus kicks him off and gets back up and Sabre looks for a big European uppercut knocks Sheamus against the rope and bounces off and Sabre looks for a running enziguri but Sheamus ducks it and bounces off the rope and hits Sabre with the KNEECAP for the cover 1…2.. KICKOUT! Sheamus runs to the corner calling for the Brogue kick but it’s TMDK’s Mikey Nicholas and Shane Haste holding onto Sheamus legs in the corner but Sheamus kicks them off but when he turns around gets caught with a huge European upper cut. He then does a European clutch bridging roll up 1…2… Sheamus kicks out getting back Sabre goes for a springboard enziguri but Sheamus moves goes off the ropes and hits a huge Brogue kick for the pin 1…..2….3 SHEAMUS WINS TO END THE SHOW TO A HUGE OVATION . Sheamus has beaten ZSJ.
SHEAMUS WINS
Ends Show
2024.05.09 12:06 Witty_Trash9357 BeiDou Navigation Satellite System Chips Market Forecast 2024-2033: Exploring Growth Prospects
Overview and Scope BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) chips are semiconductor components designed to receive signals from the BeiDou satellite constellation (a global navigation system). These chips are integrated into various devices such as smartphones, tablets, and navigation systems to enable precise positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities. They are used to determine the user's location, velocity, and precise timing information, offering a reliable and accurate navigation solution.
Sizing and Forecast The BeiDou navigation satellite system chips market size has grown exponentially in recent years. It will grow from $0.47 billion in 2023 to $0.61 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to robust demand from defense sector, growing demand for navigation systems, rising demand for precision agriculture, increasing use in maritime navigation, expanding geospatial industry.
The BeiDou navigation satellite system chips market size is expected to see exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1.67 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising adoption of the navigation system in smartphones, expansion of beidou system, growth in autonomous vehicles, growth in consumer electronics, rise in wearable technology. Major trends in the forecast period include 5G infrastructure, integration with smart infrastructure, integration of BDS chips, integration into UAVs and drones, integration of smartphones and wearables.
To access more details regarding this report, visit the link: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/beidou-navigation-satellite-system-chips-global-market-report
Segmentation & Regional Insights The beidou navigation satellite system chips market covered in this report is segmented –
1) By Type: High Precision, Ordinary Precision 2) By Application: Special (Security) Applications, Civil Industrial, Mass Consumption 3) By End-User Industry: Automotive, Consumer Electronics
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the BeiDou navigation satellite system chips market in 2023. The regions covered in the beidou navigation satellite system chips market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.
Intrigued to explore the contents? Secure your hands-on sample copy of the report: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=14651&type=smp
Major Driver Impacting Market Growth The rising demand for autonomous vehicles is expected to propel the growth of the BeiDou navigation satellite system chips market going forward. Autonomous vehicles are vehicles equipped with advanced sensors, control systems, and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that enable them to navigate and operate without human intervention. The demand for autonomous vehicles is increasing due to safety concerns, convenience, efficiency, accessibility, and environmental benefits. BeiDou navigation satellite system chips enable autonomous vehicles to navigate precisely and efficiently by receiving signals from BeiDou satellites, providing crucial positioning and timing information. For instance, in December 2022, according to a report published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a US-based non-profit organization, it is expected to have 3.5 million autonomous vehicles or self-driving cars on American roads by 2025 and 4.5 million autonomous vehicles by 2030. Therefore, the rising demand for autonomous vehicles is driving the growth of the BeiDou navigation satellite system chips market.
Key Industry Players Major companies operating in the beidou navigation satellite system chips market are RTX Corporation, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), Thales Group, Beijing Enterprises Holdings , Trimble Inc, Kongsberg Gruppen, Topcon Corporation, Furuno Electric Co Ltd, U-blox Holding AG, BDStar Navigation Co Ltd, Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology Ltd, NovAtel Inc, South China University of Technology (SCUT), GNSS Technologies Inc, Unicore Communications Inc, SST Technology Corporation Limited, Wintec Industries Inc, RunXin Information Technology Co Ltd, Huatek Technology Corporation, Navisys Technology Corp., Raco Wireless LLC, NavtechGPS, Nevco Technology Co Ltd, Techtotop Co Ltd, Hwa Create Corporation Limited, ComNav Technology Ltd, Nanjing Veritas Electronic Technology Co Ltd, Changsha Zhongke Electric Co. Ltd.
The beidou navigation satellite system chips market report table of contents includes:
https://topprnews.com/artificial-intelligence-in-regtech-market-growth/https://topprnews.com/balance-bike-market-forecast/ https://topprnews.com/contact-lens-solution-market-forecast/https://topprnews.com/education-personal-computer-market-analysis/https://goodprnews.com/artificial-intelligence-in-regtech-market-outlook/https://goodprnews.com/balance-bike-market-growth/ https://goodprnews.com/contact-lens-solution/ https://goodprnews.com/education-personal-computer-market-insights/
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submitted by Witty_Trash9357 to u/Witty_Trash9357 [link] [comments]
Sizing and Forecast The BeiDou navigation satellite system chips market size has grown exponentially in recent years. It will grow from $0.47 billion in 2023 to $0.61 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to robust demand from defense sector, growing demand for navigation systems, rising demand for precision agriculture, increasing use in maritime navigation, expanding geospatial industry.
The BeiDou navigation satellite system chips market size is expected to see exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1.67 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising adoption of the navigation system in smartphones, expansion of beidou system, growth in autonomous vehicles, growth in consumer electronics, rise in wearable technology. Major trends in the forecast period include 5G infrastructure, integration with smart infrastructure, integration of BDS chips, integration into UAVs and drones, integration of smartphones and wearables.
To access more details regarding this report, visit the link: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/beidou-navigation-satellite-system-chips-global-market-report
Segmentation & Regional Insights The beidou navigation satellite system chips market covered in this report is segmented –
1) By Type: High Precision, Ordinary Precision 2) By Application: Special (Security) Applications, Civil Industrial, Mass Consumption 3) By End-User Industry: Automotive, Consumer Electronics
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the BeiDou navigation satellite system chips market in 2023. The regions covered in the beidou navigation satellite system chips market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.
Intrigued to explore the contents? Secure your hands-on sample copy of the report: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=14651&type=smp
Major Driver Impacting Market Growth The rising demand for autonomous vehicles is expected to propel the growth of the BeiDou navigation satellite system chips market going forward. Autonomous vehicles are vehicles equipped with advanced sensors, control systems, and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that enable them to navigate and operate without human intervention. The demand for autonomous vehicles is increasing due to safety concerns, convenience, efficiency, accessibility, and environmental benefits. BeiDou navigation satellite system chips enable autonomous vehicles to navigate precisely and efficiently by receiving signals from BeiDou satellites, providing crucial positioning and timing information. For instance, in December 2022, according to a report published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a US-based non-profit organization, it is expected to have 3.5 million autonomous vehicles or self-driving cars on American roads by 2025 and 4.5 million autonomous vehicles by 2030. Therefore, the rising demand for autonomous vehicles is driving the growth of the BeiDou navigation satellite system chips market.
Key Industry Players Major companies operating in the beidou navigation satellite system chips market are RTX Corporation, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), Thales Group, Beijing Enterprises Holdings , Trimble Inc, Kongsberg Gruppen, Topcon Corporation, Furuno Electric Co Ltd, U-blox Holding AG, BDStar Navigation Co Ltd, Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology Ltd, NovAtel Inc, South China University of Technology (SCUT), GNSS Technologies Inc, Unicore Communications Inc, SST Technology Corporation Limited, Wintec Industries Inc, RunXin Information Technology Co Ltd, Huatek Technology Corporation, Navisys Technology Corp., Raco Wireless LLC, NavtechGPS, Nevco Technology Co Ltd, Techtotop Co Ltd, Hwa Create Corporation Limited, ComNav Technology Ltd, Nanjing Veritas Electronic Technology Co Ltd, Changsha Zhongke Electric Co. Ltd.
The beidou navigation satellite system chips market report table of contents includes:
- Executive Summary
- Market Characteristics
- Market Trends And Strategies
- Impact Of COVID-19
- Market Size And Growth
- Segmentation
- Regional And Country Analysis . . .
- Competitive Landscape And Company Profiles
- Key Mergers And Acquisitions
- Future Outlook and Potential Analysis
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2024.04.29 21:17 Whatdahellhux [TOMT][show][2000s] Show About Filming a Fake Detective Movie
Trying to find the name of a show I only ever saw part of.
I believe it was on VH1 or MTV, a (fake?) reality show where they were pretending to film a movie about a private detective.
I am really curious if the “lead” (who I remember as a Ron Jeremy looking dude) was in on the joke or not. It wasn’t apparent from the part I saw. But I think he must have been.
I remember: an awkward body-double sex scene.
And: lead actor takes a limo to the premier but the driver (purposefully) gets lost and they “miss” it, so the lead walks in at the end, not seeing the film, but just a standing ovation as the credits roll.
submitted by Whatdahellhux to tipofmytongue [link] [comments]
I believe it was on VH1 or MTV, a (fake?) reality show where they were pretending to film a movie about a private detective.
I am really curious if the “lead” (who I remember as a Ron Jeremy looking dude) was in on the joke or not. It wasn’t apparent from the part I saw. But I think he must have been.
I remember: an awkward body-double sex scene.
And: lead actor takes a limo to the premier but the driver (purposefully) gets lost and they “miss” it, so the lead walks in at the end, not seeing the film, but just a standing ovation as the credits roll.
2024.04.25 02:00 LuckyLuke50 im so happy that Assetto Corsa added this to their website
 | Thank you Assetto Corsa for adding an "ADHD Friendly Mode". as an ADHD person such as myself, it really helps me to focus on specific things that im looking at on your website. So thank you Assetto Corsa devs of the game and the your website. i Thank all of you for doing this 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼. i'll enjoy your game even more now!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 submitted by LuckyLuke50 to assettocorsa [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/7eij8gitniwc1.png?width=2531&format=png&auto=webp&s=565ffbac804fba64c60db2acaa8e91f27ff2d817 https://preview.redd.it/u1hyetxtniwc1.png?width=636&format=png&auto=webp&s=4947d5e06bff51e00de559d2be42171dfd6ee57b thank you for adding the "ADHD Friendly Mode" |
2024.04.19 17:22 MycologistNo3500 Will I ever be whole again?
How do I know what’s real anymore? Or, does it even matter once the damage is done? When I look at him I see double. I see him, but I also see the addict. They look the same. They are the same. I don’t know who’s in the drivers seat anymore, and I don’t know if that even makes a difference. Even if he is genuine, if he really is recovering and doing it for himself… I will always be collateral damage, won’t I? I never had a chance.
I loved him unconditionally, I still do. I thought that’s what marriage was about, but now I don’t think it is. I don’t think that’s enough to save it anymore. In fact, I don’t know if staying is more selfless than selfish at this point. And I don’t know if walking away would be enough to save me anymore.
Two graves, one gun, and I’ve never been a straight shooter.
Is there ever really a happy ending to this story, or are we doing the same dance over and over? When I think about the future, it’s like I’m attending a performance I’ve seen a million times. I buy the ticket for myself, I like to think I have some independence in my life. It makes me feel like I have control over something, anything. I pretend I don’t know the ending and try to enjoy the show with fresh, understanding eyes. That’s my job as a wife, isn’t it? To live on faith and see what my husband sees? My eyes are not mine, they belong to him, and I must see the world as he does. He made sure of that. So, even though I don’t want to, I will always see the world, and women, and myself, through his hungry, hungry eyes. I hand him my ticket as he shows me to my seat. He has a stash of all the chances I’ve given him before. They’re the souvenirs of his descent to rock bottom. Someday he will show them off as a harrowing testament of his own strength. To him, they line the road to recovery, a yellow brick road to discovering himself. To me, they are debt manifest. Like yellow sands of borrowed time, my life is held in these ephemera. They drop from me like the trickling truths he spills and fall into his open, grasping hands. He leaves to weigh his recent bounty against his insatiable craving for something that doesn’t exist. Is it enough to sway him this time? Or can he offer himself just
one more time
in exchange for the sanctity of his marriage… the vows made and the life of his so-called “wife” “soulmate” “moon and stars?”
Inevitably, the curtain rises and the show begins. I watch as I lead him through every step, through every stumble, until I dance myself to death. Sure, there will be moments of bliss and euphoria. After all, the drama of the fall depends entirely on the height of the precipice. There is no tale of hardship worth telling, no recovery worth seeking, if the stakes are not grave. This is a tale of tragedy, is it not? But these moments of love, the “what could have beens,” will always be tainted, poisoned by the past. A musical reprise of impending doom, the tempo to our duet will stutter with every misstep he makes. Every mistake is necessary for his journey, it is a part of life- his life. There is no intermission, and the labor is too much. I cannot keep pace to our song anymore. It’s out of tune, and it’s become a dance for one. Maybe it always was, I just haven’t accepted that yet. I will lay there, lifeless, on the ground worn by our feet. He will keep going with someone new. His practiced and perfected routine will demystify what he means when he says the words “I love you.” His strides will afford him the magic of a trusting, empathic, and unconditional love. He deserves it.
But, did it have to be at my expense?
Didn’t I deserve a love like that, too?
The curtain falls and I am the only one in the audience. Of course, he would never stick around to applaud my performance. I get no standing ovation for the devotion I give. That is reserved for the addict in recovery.
If I take this path, I am accepting that my pain is a necessary sacrifice for his recovery. He will get the chance to be whole, and that is all I’ve ever wanted for him. But, if I stay, the only way to get there is to lose what little is left of me with every disclosure, every slip, and every milestone in his recovery.
My future in this marriage is an exercise in thought. I am merely a ship destroyed and rebuilt while battling an addiction I do not possess. I existed before him and I will exist after him. But to be with him will tear me apart. The wear and tear of his addiction is all-encompassing. If I stay, and every piece of me is replaced by replicas stained from his addiction, what do I become? Am I whole? Am I still me? Or was I lost when the last shred of myself before him was discarded?
He will feel the weight lift from his chest with every admission, and that heaviness will bury itself into my heart, instead. He gets to feel happiness, trust, and love in recovery, but it means unloading his addiction onto me. He may free himself from the chains of his porn addiction, but it’s like a supernatural entity. It demands a human sacrifice, doesn’t it? That’s what makes it so powerful. It’s terrifying and menacing and vindictive and tormenting. And if I stay… for him to fly into the safety of blue skies, I must be the one to jump into the mouth of the volcano and satiate this demon’s hunger. I know what’s at the end, that all-consuming fire of grief and betrayal. Even now, I can feel the heat rising and I haven’t even jumped yet. Maybe I did when I married him. Maybe I’m already falling. Maybe its just the view from halfway down. Someday that fiery pit will swallow me whole. Is it enough to know that he will finally fly?
Edit: general grammar and I reworked some areas as I’ve processed things a little more.
UPDATE: If you find yourself stuck in these feelings and this mindset loop, I want to offer some more perspective that I’ve gained so far in my own recovery (only a few days later, I know, but time is a curious thing). It’s not our fight, it’s not our burden, and it’s not our responsibility. You do not have to take on the emotional weight of their addiction, even in their recovery. You cannot be a martyr for them. These feelings I’ve shared in this writing are from a place of denial, fear, and hurt. I was, and in many ways still am, in denial of the true stakes. I cannot save him, I cannot lead him to recovery. And if I try to, I cannot save myself, and I will never make it in my own recovery. If I try to sacrifice myself for his recovery, we will both suffer.
You can choose stay, if that is what you want, and accept the work it takes to heal. Or, you can choose to leave, if that is what you want, and accept the work it takes to heal. Whatever you choose to do, choose you. Always.
I’m starting recovery, my own 12 step. I’m struggling with the first step, to accept I am “powerless.” How can I be powerless, how can HE be powerless, when we have direct control of our actions and our behaviors and our choices. Sounds like a cop out, right? But, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. I felt powerless to my husband’s addiction, that’s what caused the trauma: the loss of identity, the hysteria, paranoia, obsession, dysmorphia, depression, isolation, all of it. I felt no control and that scared me. When I think of his recovery, I have no control and that scares me. And you know what? It’s true. I AM powerless to his addiction. I have no control over his recovery, and that IS scary.
But that doesn’t mean I have no control in my life at all. I have the power to choose me, and I can choose to let go of the weight of his addiction because it is not mine. That is not to say that it won’t be hard, and painful, and scary. I will have to confront my fears of intimacy and betrayal and sexuality, and it will not be easy. But it is MY recovery and I DO have control over that, whether my husband is in my life or not. I can choose myself, I have to if I want to survive. And I do want to survive. And I hope you will want to survive, too. I did not choose to be hurt the way I was, and I didn’t deserve it, but I have the choice, a responsibility to myself, to heal. And so do you. So, I hope you choose yourself, and know that you don’t have to stay in this place of pain forever.
submitted by MycologistNo3500 to loveafterporn [link] [comments]
I loved him unconditionally, I still do. I thought that’s what marriage was about, but now I don’t think it is. I don’t think that’s enough to save it anymore. In fact, I don’t know if staying is more selfless than selfish at this point. And I don’t know if walking away would be enough to save me anymore.
Two graves, one gun, and I’ve never been a straight shooter.
Is there ever really a happy ending to this story, or are we doing the same dance over and over? When I think about the future, it’s like I’m attending a performance I’ve seen a million times. I buy the ticket for myself, I like to think I have some independence in my life. It makes me feel like I have control over something, anything. I pretend I don’t know the ending and try to enjoy the show with fresh, understanding eyes. That’s my job as a wife, isn’t it? To live on faith and see what my husband sees? My eyes are not mine, they belong to him, and I must see the world as he does. He made sure of that. So, even though I don’t want to, I will always see the world, and women, and myself, through his hungry, hungry eyes. I hand him my ticket as he shows me to my seat. He has a stash of all the chances I’ve given him before. They’re the souvenirs of his descent to rock bottom. Someday he will show them off as a harrowing testament of his own strength. To him, they line the road to recovery, a yellow brick road to discovering himself. To me, they are debt manifest. Like yellow sands of borrowed time, my life is held in these ephemera. They drop from me like the trickling truths he spills and fall into his open, grasping hands. He leaves to weigh his recent bounty against his insatiable craving for something that doesn’t exist. Is it enough to sway him this time? Or can he offer himself just
one more time
in exchange for the sanctity of his marriage… the vows made and the life of his so-called “wife” “soulmate” “moon and stars?”
Inevitably, the curtain rises and the show begins. I watch as I lead him through every step, through every stumble, until I dance myself to death. Sure, there will be moments of bliss and euphoria. After all, the drama of the fall depends entirely on the height of the precipice. There is no tale of hardship worth telling, no recovery worth seeking, if the stakes are not grave. This is a tale of tragedy, is it not? But these moments of love, the “what could have beens,” will always be tainted, poisoned by the past. A musical reprise of impending doom, the tempo to our duet will stutter with every misstep he makes. Every mistake is necessary for his journey, it is a part of life- his life. There is no intermission, and the labor is too much. I cannot keep pace to our song anymore. It’s out of tune, and it’s become a dance for one. Maybe it always was, I just haven’t accepted that yet. I will lay there, lifeless, on the ground worn by our feet. He will keep going with someone new. His practiced and perfected routine will demystify what he means when he says the words “I love you.” His strides will afford him the magic of a trusting, empathic, and unconditional love. He deserves it.
But, did it have to be at my expense?
Didn’t I deserve a love like that, too?
The curtain falls and I am the only one in the audience. Of course, he would never stick around to applaud my performance. I get no standing ovation for the devotion I give. That is reserved for the addict in recovery.
If I take this path, I am accepting that my pain is a necessary sacrifice for his recovery. He will get the chance to be whole, and that is all I’ve ever wanted for him. But, if I stay, the only way to get there is to lose what little is left of me with every disclosure, every slip, and every milestone in his recovery.
My future in this marriage is an exercise in thought. I am merely a ship destroyed and rebuilt while battling an addiction I do not possess. I existed before him and I will exist after him. But to be with him will tear me apart. The wear and tear of his addiction is all-encompassing. If I stay, and every piece of me is replaced by replicas stained from his addiction, what do I become? Am I whole? Am I still me? Or was I lost when the last shred of myself before him was discarded?
He will feel the weight lift from his chest with every admission, and that heaviness will bury itself into my heart, instead. He gets to feel happiness, trust, and love in recovery, but it means unloading his addiction onto me. He may free himself from the chains of his porn addiction, but it’s like a supernatural entity. It demands a human sacrifice, doesn’t it? That’s what makes it so powerful. It’s terrifying and menacing and vindictive and tormenting. And if I stay… for him to fly into the safety of blue skies, I must be the one to jump into the mouth of the volcano and satiate this demon’s hunger. I know what’s at the end, that all-consuming fire of grief and betrayal. Even now, I can feel the heat rising and I haven’t even jumped yet. Maybe I did when I married him. Maybe I’m already falling. Maybe its just the view from halfway down. Someday that fiery pit will swallow me whole. Is it enough to know that he will finally fly?
Edit: general grammar and I reworked some areas as I’ve processed things a little more.
UPDATE: If you find yourself stuck in these feelings and this mindset loop, I want to offer some more perspective that I’ve gained so far in my own recovery (only a few days later, I know, but time is a curious thing). It’s not our fight, it’s not our burden, and it’s not our responsibility. You do not have to take on the emotional weight of their addiction, even in their recovery. You cannot be a martyr for them. These feelings I’ve shared in this writing are from a place of denial, fear, and hurt. I was, and in many ways still am, in denial of the true stakes. I cannot save him, I cannot lead him to recovery. And if I try to, I cannot save myself, and I will never make it in my own recovery. If I try to sacrifice myself for his recovery, we will both suffer.
You can choose stay, if that is what you want, and accept the work it takes to heal. Or, you can choose to leave, if that is what you want, and accept the work it takes to heal. Whatever you choose to do, choose you. Always.
I’m starting recovery, my own 12 step. I’m struggling with the first step, to accept I am “powerless.” How can I be powerless, how can HE be powerless, when we have direct control of our actions and our behaviors and our choices. Sounds like a cop out, right? But, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. I felt powerless to my husband’s addiction, that’s what caused the trauma: the loss of identity, the hysteria, paranoia, obsession, dysmorphia, depression, isolation, all of it. I felt no control and that scared me. When I think of his recovery, I have no control and that scares me. And you know what? It’s true. I AM powerless to his addiction. I have no control over his recovery, and that IS scary.
But that doesn’t mean I have no control in my life at all. I have the power to choose me, and I can choose to let go of the weight of his addiction because it is not mine. That is not to say that it won’t be hard, and painful, and scary. I will have to confront my fears of intimacy and betrayal and sexuality, and it will not be easy. But it is MY recovery and I DO have control over that, whether my husband is in my life or not. I can choose myself, I have to if I want to survive. And I do want to survive. And I hope you will want to survive, too. I did not choose to be hurt the way I was, and I didn’t deserve it, but I have the choice, a responsibility to myself, to heal. And so do you. So, I hope you choose yourself, and know that you don’t have to stay in this place of pain forever.
2024.04.10 06:07 Awkward_Ad8670 Scorched Earth - Nakajima booking (Part 3)
AJPW Summer Action Series II 1993 #1 (20/8/1993)
Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Akira Taue) Vs Super Generation Army (Mistuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Jun Akiyama)
Two of the biggest factions in pro wrestling clash in front of a rabid crowd, with both teams having personal pride in the balance alongside seismic shifts in the potential World title scene. All 6 men lay it all out on the line, but the experience and sheer hunger on the side of the Holy Demon Army seems to overwhelm SGA as the match reaches past 30 minutes. Misawa and Kobashi hold off their own till the end, but Akiyama starts making more and more mistakes, eventually getting caught by a GAMENGIRI, followed by a BRUTAL STRETCH PLUM. Both Kobashi and Misawa try to rush in and break the hold, but Taue locks Misawa in a COBRA TWIST, while Nakajima puts on the MANJI-GATAME on Kobashi, trapping the two long enough for Akiyama to tap out.
Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Akira Taue) def. Super Generation Army (Mistuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Jun Akiyama) (36:40)
AJPW Giant Series 1993 #13 (14/10/1993)
Super Generation Army (Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi) Vs Holy Demon Army (Akira Taue and Katsuhiko Nakajima)
World Tag Team Championship
Having suffered a crushing loss against Misawa in their most recent encounter, Nakajima looks to defend his lengthy tag title reign with Taue by his side. But the odds couldn't be further stacked against Holy Demon Army, as they walk tonight into enemy territory. They walk into Sendai, the land of the Burning as the crowd is scorching hot for their boy Kobashi. Taue seems particularly annoyed with the crowd’s love for Kobashi. Nakajima lacks the usual smirk he has against Kobashi going into these encounters. Instead, he has a tense face, his eyes filled with determination with a hint of anxiety. Taue spots this and gestures to Nakajima that he’ll start the match-up. Nakajima agrees as he stands up on the apron, his eyes stalking Kobashi out of the corner, but it’s Taue who makes the pounce. Rushing in for an attack, Taue catches Kobashi off guard with a knee to the gut, forcing him into a neutral corner. He grabs a hold of Kobashi’s neck and drives it down while slamming large blows to his upper back. Kobashi fights out of it and lands an elbow of his own before chucking Taue into the corner and landing A FEW THUNDEROUS CHOPS. The crowd is electric as loud “KO-BA-SHI” chants break out in the arena. He IRISH WHIPS Taue from corner to corner, but Taue reverses it and follows Kobashi into the corner for a BIG BOOT. Kobashi is dazed from the strike as Taue grabs his wrist and pulls Kobashi in for a SHORT ARM LARIAT.
Taue regains himself, looking back at the crowd, disgusted by their love for Kobashi. Taue locks in a SEATED DOUBLE WRIST LOCK on Koabshi, driving his knee into Kobashi’s back for maximum discomfort. The harder Taue tries to break Kobashi, the louder the crowd shouts for him. Kobashi grits through the pain and slowly gets back to his feet. Kobashi runs on Fight No Flight, so that’s what he does. Kobashi uses all his might to try and turn the Double Wrist Lock around, but even with all this effort, Taue just uses his height to drive Kobashi back into the ground and halt his attempt. Taue is trying to cut the flow of the fans from the match, but they just keep screaming for their boy. Kobashi pushes himself back up and tries again. Taue struggles to keep Kobashi in the double wrist lock, AND EVENTUALLY, KOBASHI REVERSES IT, forcing Taue into one. Taue himself tries to escape, but Kobashi is way too strong and could’ve perhaps kept Taue in one for a long time if only NAKAJIMA DIDN’T JUST WALK INTO THE RING AND ROUNDHOUSE KICK KENTA RIGHT IN THE FACE. MISAWA RUSHES THE RING AND TRIES TO ATTACK NAKAJIMA, BUT TWO-ON-ONE IS A FAR GREATER ASSAULT AS HDA THROW MISAWA OUT OF THE RING.
As Kobashi lies on the mat, the referee checking his eye as he simmers in pain, Nakajima and Taue rush to the outside. The crowd is livid as Taue and Nakajima lay the boots in on Misawa, the smirk back across Nakajima’s face. He tells Taue to hold Misawa up as he steps back for a running start, AND DASHES IN FOR A VICIOUS PK TO MISAWA. Taue rolls back into the ring, darting back over to Kobashi in the corner. He spots Kobashi’s bruised eye and goes to work. He lands two sharp OVERHEAD CHOPS on Kobashi’s head and eye, before IRISH WHIPPING him into the HDA corner. Taue tags Nakajima in, who immediately toys with the crowd by pressing his boots against Kenta’s face and resting upon the middle rope for some SHOWTIME. He has a shit-eating grin on his face as the crowd rain down boos on him, at a point even urging them to do so. He pulls Kenta right off the floor, and straight into a NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX. ONE…TWO…, Kobashi powers through. Kobashi rolls towards the bottom rope, still fighting to pull himself back up. Lying against the bottom rope, he looks up at Nakajima, who drives a boot right into his face. Kobashi tries to push the boot away, but Nakajima pours onto the humiliation by joining in on the “KO-BA-SHI”, chants while scraping his boot against Kobashi’s face. Kobashi slowly tries to get back up, ONLY TO EAT A LOW KICK RIGHT TO HIS CHEST. BUT KOBASHI DOESN’T DROP. HE JUMPS BACK TO HIS FEET AND LANDS A THUNDEROUS CHOP OF HIS OWN. Nakajima retors back with a HIGH KICK TO THE STANDING KOBASHI’S CHEST, but another CHOP from Kobashi forces Nakajima to revalute with a FRONT KICK RIGHT TO KOBASHI’S EYE. KOBASHI STUMBLES BACK, FALLING ON THE BOTTOM ROPE AS HOLDS HIS EYE. Nakajima isn’t done with the assault, as he grabs Kobashi in a MUAY THAT CLINCH AND DRIVES KNEE RIGHT INTO HIS FACE UNTIL KOBASHI LOSES HIS FOOTING AND STUMBLES OUT OF THE RING.
Taue drops from the apron and rushes at Kobashi, as Nakajima signals Taue directions from the ring. He steps out onto the apron, lining up his sniper precise kick, with Taue holding Kobashi up. But before Nakajima can land the hit, Misawa jumps in from behind and drags Taue away. For the briefest moment, Kobashi looks behind to see his tag partner pull away Taue, and Nakajima pounces at his opportunity. HE RUSHES OVER AT KOBASHI TO TRY AND LAND THE BRUTALITY KICK, ONLY FOR KOBASHI TO CATCH IT, ABSORBING THE BRUNT OF THE IMPACT IN HIS BICEPS AND SHOULDERS. Kobashi tries to pull Nakajima off the apron but Nakajima latches onto the top ropes, his arms over-hooking them. Nakajima uses his free leg to kick Kobashi in the eye yet again, dropping him to his knees as Kobashi continues to try and nurse the pain away. Nakajima drops down and IRISH WHIPS KOBASHI INTO THE GUARD RAIL. He tries to follow up, rushing towards a presumably prone Kobashi, BUT WITH A SUDDEN BURST OF WILL, KOBASHI DASHES RIGHT AT NAKAJIMA AND LANDS A SHOULDER BLOCK AKIN TO A STONE WALL. Nakajima falls back on the mat immediately, with Kobashi walking a few steps before dropping to his knees and planting face-first on the mat.
Kobashi slowly crawls back into the ring, half-blind, he searches for The Ace. His good eye finally spots Misawa reaching out to him, tipping over the top rope, looking for a chance to even the playing field. Hearing the pleas of the crowd, Kobashi stumbles onto his feet and starts walking over to Misawa, collapsing at the very end, his arm stretched out for the tag, but there isn’t anyone there. Before Kobashi could tag Misawa in, TAUE WALKS UP BEHIND MISAWA, AND PULLS HIM BY HIS TIGHTS, OFF THE APRON, HEAD AND BACK FIRST INTO THE GUARD RAIL. Taue looks extremely pleased with himself, looking over at the groaning crowd. But the groans soon become cheers, AS KOBASHI TAKES A RUNNING START AND DIVES OUT OF THE RING, LANDING A TOPE SUICIDA ON AN OBLIVIOUS TAUE. The eye continues to bother Kobashi, but for the briefest moment, he can see clearer than ever. Those eyes are filled with rage and contempt. All towards Taue, and it all culminates in Kobashi landing a VICIOUS PILEDRIVER ON TAUE, ON THE FLOOR. Kobashi raises his fist to the crowd, acknowledging the responsibility they’ve bestowed upon him. Kobashi spots Nakajima rolling back in the ring, so he slides in too. As it worked on Taue, Kobashi tries to rush at Nakajima, hoping to catch him off guard, but all he caught was a LOW SPINNING LEG SWEEP. Nakajima successfully trips Kobashi, who in turn crashes against the middle rope, his eye perhaps catching some whiplash from the impact.
Nakajima has the eyes of a killer, walking up to his wounded prey and dragging him by his ears back to the centre of the ring. Nakajima warps in a tight face lock, the sharp end of his wrist dragging across Kobashi’s bruised eye. Nakajima drives his knee against Kobashi's back, to further tighten the hold. Kobashi flails his arms around in the air, trying to catch Nakajima with an errant shot, but Nakajima is too savvy to be caught by such desperate manoeuvres. Though no matter what hell Taue and Nakajima drag Kobashi through, Sendai doesn’t leave his side. They get louder and louder with each shudder and scratch from Kobashi. With the promise he made to his fans still fresh in his mind, Kobashi tries to gut through this yet again. He tries to will himself back to his feet, trying to shrug off the pressure Nakajima is applying. At first, Nakajima seems amused, but the amusement turns to annoyance and then horror as Kobashi refuses to stay down. Finally, HE LEAPS BACK TO HIS FEET AND TRIES TO CATCH NAKAJIMA OFF GUARD WITH A BACKDROP DRIVER, BUT HALFWAY THROUGH HIS ASCENT, NAKAJIMA SNEAKS A PUNCH INTO KOBASHI’S EYE. Kobashi screeches in pain, stumbling back, his hand taped over his battered eye. Still determined, however, Kobashi once again tries to rush Nakajima, only to get caught up with a BODYSLAM. The referee reprimands Nakajima for his actions, as the fans chime in too, but Nakajima shrugs em all away as he points his finger to the sky. With a grin on his face, Nakajima tries to further humiliate Kobashi BY GOING FOR KOBASHI’S MOVE. THE MOONSAULT. BUT THERE’S NO ONE HOME AS KOBASHI SENSIBLY ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY. With Misawa back up on his feet, hopped up on the apron, begging for a tag. Nakajima still reeling from the impact of his error. Taue trying to pull himself back up on his apron. Kobashi makes the crawl, dives towards his corner…AND TAGS MISAWA IN.
The Ace rushes the ringing, running past Nakajima and DROPKICKING Taue off the apron and back on the floor. Nakajima jumps back to his feet, but before he can regain his bearings, Misawa leaps forward and starts raining down right and left ELBOWS. Misawa pushes Nakajima up against the ropes and IRISH WHIPS him off em. Nakajima reverses it, sending Misawa running against the ropes, but a miscalculation over Misawa's next move catches him off guard for a RUNNING CROSSBODY STARIGHT INTO A COVER. ONE…TWO…Nakajima kicks out. Nakajima rushes back up, blocking an oncoming ELBOW STRIKE from Misawa, KICKING the other away as now he’s back up to his feet. Nakajima goes for a ROUNDHOUSE KICK but Misawa ducks under, now behind Nakajima, he latches onto his waist AND RAISES HIM FOR A RELEASE GERMAN SUPLEX. HE CAN’T LAND IT HOWEVER, AS NAKAJIMA LANDS ON HIS FEET, AND AS SOON AS MISAWA TURNS BACK AROUND, NAKAJIMA LANDS A STEP-UP ENZIGUIRI THAT STAGGERS MISAWA. He pushes Misawa back against the ropes and IRISH WHIPS him. Nakajima pushes up against the closer ropes to spring him forward and build momentum for his LARIAT. BUT MISAWA DUCKS UNDER THE LARIAT, AND IT’S NAKAJIMA THIS TIME WHO GETS CAUGHT OFF GUARD WITH A SPIN KICK FROM THE ACE. Misawa drops down to one knee after the kick, taking a deep breath before continuing his assault on Nakajima and landing a SOMERSAULT SENTON. ONE…TWO…T, Nakajima powers through.
Misawa straps Nakajima right into the FACE LOCK. The same move that once made Jumbo tap, now grinding up against Nahakima’s jaw and nose. Taue knows the danger of that manoeuvre, so he rushes to the ring trying to break it up, BUT KOBASHI HAS HIS PARTNER’S BACK, RUSHING IN AND TRAPPING TAUE IN A COBRA TWIST. Nakajima’s outstretched arm, trying to grasp at the ropes; but Misawa keeps the hold wrenched in. Misawa’s trying to squeeze Nakajima’s head till it pops like a watermelon. The life seems to be fading from Nakajima’s eyes as his hand starts to slowly drop. Taue meanwhile continues to struggle and finally breaks free from the COBRA TWIST with a HIP TOSS. He rushes over to Misawa and boots him right in the face, prying the hold open. He grabs ahold of Nakajima’s arm and drags his limp corpse back over to their corner. Taue tags himself in and rushes over a now-standing Kobashi, LANDING A DYNAMIC KICK THAT DROPS KOBASHI AND SENDS HIM STUMBLING OUT OF THE RING. Taue brings his attention back over to a now kneeling Misawa. Misawa tries to push up at Taue, but he can’t build enough momentum so Taue just catches him in a FRONT CHANCERY. Taue chokes the life out of Misawa, before transitioning into a DYNAMIC SUPLEX AND DRIVING HIM BACK FIRST INTO THE MAT. ONE…TWO…T, MISAWA KICKS OUT. Taue is breathing heavily by this point, his body exhausted, but the sound of this electric crowd keeps his heart burning. He shakes his head before picking the World champion back up. He signals the end as he GOES FOR THE DYNAMIC BOMB, but Misawa successfully grounds himself. Taue smashes Misawa’s back with a couple of Forearm strikes but Misawa refuses to go up.
Taue releases Misawa and quickly lands some OVERHEAD CHOPS, FOLLOWED BY A BABA CHOP. After softening up Misawa, Taue tries to Scoop him up for a GUILLOTINE WHIP, BUT MISAWA ESCAPES OUT THE BACK. HE GRABS A HOLD OF TAUE’S WAIST AND TRIES TO LIFT HIM FOR A GERMAN SUPLEX BUT TAUE LATCHES ONTO THE TOP ROPE. Before Misawa can pull him free, Taue Stomps at Misawa’s foot, losing him enough so he can pull him in for the COCONUT CRUSH, DRIVING MISAWA’S HEAD INTO HIS KNEE. Misawa drops back down to the mat, with Taue trying and failing to regain his composure. The crowd chanting for their heroes counties to madden and fuel Taue, as he rushes to pick Misawa back up. Perhaps attempting a CHICHIBU CEMENT, TAUE LIFTS MISAWA FOR A VERTICAL SUPLEX BUT MISAWA DROPS A KNEE FROM THE TOP AND ESCAPES OUT THE BACK YET AGAIN. Taue turns back around and eats left and right ELBOWS, BUT DUCKS UNDER THE FINAL ROLLING ELBOW AND PICKS MISAWA UP, DRIVING HIS SKULL INTO THE MAT WITH A BACKDROP DRIVER. ONE…TWO…THR, MISAWA KICKS OUT.
Taue stares up at the ceiling, the roar of the crowd ringing in his ears. He pushes himself back up, looking down on Misawa, and chucks the referee away. He grabs ahold of Misawa from his hair and drags him to the neutral corner. Taue lifts Misawa up on the top rope, with Misawa trying to fight him away, but one OVERHEAD CHOP, followed by a KARATE STRIKE to Misawa’s neck to shut that down. Taue grips Misawa’s throat and looks to finish this match once and for all. TAUE CHOKESLAMS MISAWA OFF THE TOP ROPE FOR THE NODOWA OTOSHI, BUT MISAWA COUNTERS IT IN MID-AIR WITH AN ARM DRAG. Once again the crowd is overjoyed, briefly distracting Taue as he rushes back to his feet. He turns right back to Misawa and riches him, ONLY TO BE HALTED A FEW STEPS IN BY A THUNDEROUS ELBOW FROM MISAWA. TAUE COLLAPSES TO THE FLOOR AS HE’S BEEN SHOT, THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED FROM HIS EYES. MISAWA DRAGS HIM OVER TO TAUE AND GOES FOR THE COVER. ONE…TWO…THRE, NAKAJIMA BREAKS THE PIN BY BREAKING MISAWA’S HEAD WITH A PK. Nakajima tries to pick Misawa back up, but Kobashi slides back into the ring and tackles Nakajima up against the ropes. Kobashi lands a VICIOUS CHOP, and NAKAJIMA RETORTS BACK WITH AN OVERHEAD CHOP. KOBASHI RETURNS WITH AN EVEN HARDER CHOP, AND FOR THE BRIFEST MOMENT, NAKAJIMA REALISES THAT KOBASHI AIN’T NO YOUNG BOY NO MORE. Nakajima goes low with a LOW KICK to Kobashi’s thigh, BUT KOBASHI TRUCKS IT AND KEEPS MOVING FORWARD, LANDING CHOP AFTER CHOP, BACKING NAKAJIMA UP IN THE CORNER. Nakajima fires back some ELBOWS, but they only seem to further heat up Kobashi AS HE PROCEEDS TO LAND 15 MACHINE GUN CHOPS ON NAKAJIMA, ENDING WITH A DISCUS CHOP TO NAKAJIMA’S FACE THAT SPINS HIM BACK AROUND. Kobashi clenches his fists before bellowing out a huge roar, only matched by the sound of the crowd itself. Kobashi picks Nakajima up and places him on the top turnbuckle crotch first. Kobashi gets ahold of Nakajiam’s arms and lifts him up by gripping his triceps. Kobashi walks a few steps to the centre of the ring, still holding Nakajima up in the Crucifix, HE LOOKS TO LAND A CRUCIFIX BOMB, BUT NAKAJIMA STRUGGLES ENOUGH TO FREE OF KOBASHI’S GRIP. He drops right behind Kobashi, and the moment Koabshi turns back around, Nakajima lands to SUPERKICKS that drop Kobashi to his knees.
Nakajima tries to quickly capitalize and land a ROUNDHOUSE KICK, BUT KOBASHI DUCKS UNDER AND SENDS NAAKJIMA SPINNING. HE JUMPS BACK TO HIS FEET AND TRIES TO PICK NAKAJIMA UP WITH A GERMAN SUPLEX, BUT NAKAJIMA SENDS KOBASHI REELING WITH A BACK ELBOW RIGHT ON THE DISMANTLED EYE. Kobashi stumbles back, the eye now temporarily shut, he looks up at a figure walking closer to him. When asked about it years later, Kobashi said, “All I saw was darkness on one side, and a death in the other.” Nakajima closes the distance as he lifts Kobashi in a Muay Thai Clinch, AND JUST KEEPS KNEEING HIM IN THE EYE TILL IS RAGE IS QUENCHED. Finally, after Kobashi goes limp and drops to his knees, Nakajima looks down at him and flips him off. HE PICKS KOBASHI BACK UP FOR THE VERTICAL SPIKE, BUT KOBASHI SLIDES FROM BEHIND. HALF BLIND, KOBASHI SWINGS HIS ARM IN THE AIR BUT NAKAJIMA DUCKS UNDER, ONLY TO BE CAUGHT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD WITH A WILD LARIAT THAT IMMEDIATELY KNOCKS HIM OUT COLD. Kobashi tries to catch his breath, trying to find Misawa, anyone, but everything looks blurry by this point. He gets back to his feet but immediately feels the grip of Taue around his waist. TAUE TRIES TO PICK KOBASHI UP FOR A BACKDROP DRIVER, BUT MISAWA SAVES KOBASHI WITH A CHOP BLOCK THAT DROPS TAUE. Misawa shouts at Kobashi to just run, bounce off the ropes, and hit the first thing he can find. TRUSTING MISAWA, KOBASHI RUNS THE ROPES WHILE MISAWA LINES UP TAUE FOR A TIGER SUPLEX. KOBASHI BOUNCES OFF THE ROPES AS MISAWA SHOUTS, “NOW!!!”. KOBASHI SWINGS HIS ARM BACK AND SLAMS IT BACK IN FOR A LARIAT ON TAUE, AS MISAWA CHUCKS HIM BACK OVER WITH A TIGER SUPLEX. ONE…TWO…THREE…
Super Generation Army def. Holy Demon Army (41:34)
The crowd lets out a huge roar in support as The Ace lifts the hometown boy back up from the mat. Medical officials rush in to check on Kobashi, but all Kobashi wants to hear is the love and adoration his crowd is showering on him. Misawa and Kobashi are presented with their trophies and the World Tag Team championships, with Misawa saying that the Demons that have run rampant around All Japan have finally been put to rest. Taue walks to the back before hearing Misawa’s closing statements, but the bruised, battered and broken Nakajima heard all. For a moment, he decides to rush back into the ring, but he decides to wait. The demons shall rise again he thought, and next time, they’ll drag SGA back down with them.
Real World Tag League 1994
NamePoints Misawa & Kobashi0 Akiyama & Takao Omori0 Nakajima & Kawada0 Akira Taue & Dr. Death0 Baba & Hansen0 Johnny Ace & Dan Spivey0
Real World Tag League Finals
Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada) Vs Super Generation Army (Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa)
In this tournament, Nakajima and Kawada run rampant through the whole tournament, suffering a loss only to Taue and Dr. Death, meanwhile drawing with the fiery youngsters Akiyama and Omori and Kobashi and Misawa. This leads to a rematch between the Holy Demon Army and SGA, with Kawada replacing Taue this time. The complexion of the match is a lot more different this time. Without an insane crowd to distract HGA, Nakajima and Kawada lay out a methodical attack on Misawa and Kobashi. SGA keep fighting back against the onslaught, but some of the bombs Kawada throws in this encounter devastate SGA, with Nakajima ruthlessly following up on these bombs with inhuman precision. In the final moments of the match, Nakajima once again looks down on Kobashi. It seems like no matter what Kobashi does, he can’t shake off this weight standing atop his shoulder. Even though Kobashi showed a lot of fire by surviving a VERTICAL SPIKE, A NORTHERN LIGHTS BOMB PUTS THE LIGHTS OUT, WITH NAKAJIMA REGAINING THE WORLD TAG TITLES HE LOST BACK IMMEDIATELY, albeit with a different partner this time.
Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada) def. Super Generation Army (Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa) (32:10)
AJPW New Year Giant Series 1994 #8 (12/1/1994)
Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Akira Taue) and Steve Williams Vs Super Generation Army (Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Takao Omori, Jun Akiyama)
With Taue pinning the world champion in the world tag league block match, his recent record-setting tag title reign has earned him a shot at the Triple Crown. In the leadup to that match, Taue can pick up the win here for his team, firing on all cylinders, Taue is able to take Takao out with a BACKDROP DRIVER. After the bout, the big and dangerous aura, HGA and Steve Williams exude over the ring is enough to make the mightiest kneel, but SGA stand tall against them. Misawa makes the proud declaration, that All Japan stands behind them, and HGA will never touch the Triple Crown as long as he stands in the way.
AJPW Excite Series 1994 #1 (19/2/1994)
Super Generation Army (Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori) Vs Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada) (c)
World Tag Team Championship
Having forced a draw against the tag champions, Akiyama and Omori lay out the challenge against the HDA. Unluckily for them, this time HDA aren’t already at the top of the leaderboard, cruising to a finals spot. Nakajima and Kawada are fully serious from the minute go, and regardless of how tough of a fight Akiyama and Omori give them, the result of this match was never in question. Once again, Kawada forces Akiyama to tap out to the STRETCH PLUM.
Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada) def. Super Generation Army (Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori) (19:01)
AJPW Excite Series 1994 #5 (24/2/1994)
Akira Taue Vs Mitsuharu Misawa (c)
Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
Taue has had an incredible run this past year and a half and has truly earned this World title shot against the Ace of the Company. We see an extremely mean side of Taue in this match, a similar one that showed up during the Sendai tag, as he tries to bully Misawa in the ring. But in the end, Misawa pulls out THE TIGER DRIVER 91’ to take out Taue yet again, the punishment from the move too unbearable to handle.
MItsuharu Misawa def. Akira Taue (27:17)
AJPW Champion Carnival 1994 (16/4/1994) Block A: Kawada Kobashi Nakajima Akiyama Hansen
Block B: Dr. Death Misawa Taue Omori Johhny Smith
In the tourney, we see Nakajima start the tournament string with a victory over his stablemate Kawada. The match felt like a friendly competition, with minimal animosity after the bout. Akiyama put up a much stronger fight against Nakajima next, but once again succumbed to the pressure Nakajima could exert. After this, Nakajima suffers back-to-back losses to a LARIAT, a loss to Hansen showing he still can't be the Cowboy, and a loss to Kobashi meaning that Kobashi had finally all caught up. In the end, it was Kawada from Block A and Steve Williams from Block B, facing off, with Kawada winning the Chmapion's Carnival, and immediately calling out Misawa for a fight for the Triple Crown.
AJPW Super Power Series #16 (3/6/1994)
Misawa Vs Kawada
Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
In the most famous match from this period of Japanese wrestling, these two generational rivals put on an epic for the ages. But the man who walked out victorious this time, as KAWADA. DROPPING MISAWA ON HIS HEAD WITH MULTIPLE POWERBOMB, KAWADA FINALLY WON THE WORLD TITLE, AND HE WAS NOW...UNDISPUTED.
AJPW Summer Action Series 1994 #17 (22/7/1994)
Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada Vs Akita Taue & ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams
With a victory over the tag champions, Steve Williams was able to convince Taue to take on his stablemates for a slice of the gold. But the action of the match takes a backseat to Kawada’s reaction to the love the crowd was showering on Nakajima. Perhaps after all these years, even they’ve begun to realise that there’s a method to the madness. It’s not that Kawada’s jealous, it’s just that he’s seen this before, and he won’t let his pot be snatched away again. After a back-and-forth encounter, Nakajima is able to secure the win with a NORTHERN LIGHTS BOMB on Dr.; Death, for a huge ovation from the crowd.
Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada def. Akita Taue & ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams (26:55)
AJPW Summer Action Series II 1994 (20/8/1994)
Katsuhiko Nakajima Vs Stan Hansen
#1 contender
The man Nakajima has never beaten in a Singles match. Every time Nakajima has secured a victory over Hansen, it’s been with the help of Taue. But now, if he wants a shot at the top prize of his company, he must take on the Unsinkable Battleship. The Last time Nakajima fought for the gold was about a year ago, since then he’s been running the tag division. But Nakajima is capable of more than that. The people know it, but they also know that Stan Hansen has been hungry for gold. As the match goes on, Nakajima’s tactics continue to fail. The sheer punishment he takes at the hands of Stan Hansen makes people wanna look away, but Nakajima sticks with the game plan. At first glance, it seems like Nakajima’s plans are failing. But him tiring out Hansen, constantly attacking the legs, and having the toughness to stick on for a long time helps in the finishing stretch of the match. Just like last time, Hansen tries to end it all with the WESTERN LARIAT, BUT NAKAJIMA BLOCKS IT WITH A DROPKICK TO THE ARM. Hansen tries to swing his other arm at Nakajima, but he ducks under and LOW KICKS Hansen, taking him apart limb by limb. Hansen tries to rush up at Nakajima, ONLY TO EAT A BRUTAL KNEE TO THE FACE AND SHELL SHOCKS HIM. NAKAJIMA ROARS TO THE CROWD WHO ROAR BACK TO HIM, AS HE LIFTS HANSEN ON HIS SHOULDERS AND DRIVES HIS SKULL INTO THE MAT WITH A DIAMOND BOMB. ONE…TWO…THREE…
Katsuhiko Nakajima def. Stan Hansen (26:33)
Having finally conquered the monument of a man, there was only one final obstacle in his path. His sworn brother, Kawada.
AJPW Giant Series #17 (22/10/1994)
Toshiaki Kawada (c) Vs Katsuhiko Nakajima
Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
Brother Vs Brother. Demon Vs Demon. Champion Vs Champion. These two men have defined puro in their own ways, in the past 2 years. Nakajima, running the tag division, was supposed to be the saviour of Tsuruta-gun, which led to its demise. Having failed to capture the Triple Crown once before, many of his critics have dismissed him as an exceptional tag wrestler, but a failure of a singles star. Kawada on the other hand, having just regained his World title, finds himself in a similar spot as his last World title reign. One defence in, if loses it to another stablemate, Kawada will always be referred to as the Sidekick. Forever the bridesmaid, never the Ace. Both men have a lot riding on this match, and they fight like it. Whatever gameplan they had, they chucked out the window when Kawada slapped Nakajima right in his face in frustration over his sharp kicks. Nakajima returns fire with a SLAP that completely rocks Kawada. The two start throwing bombs from the minute go, setting the pace of this match to frantic.
In the final minutes of the match, Kawada frantically tries to POWERBOMB Nakajima, but Nakajima refuses to go up. Kawada pulls Nakajima out AND STARTS LAYING IN KAWADA KICKS, BUT KAWADA JUST UPS AND SHOUTS RIGHT IN KAWADA’S FACE. KAWADA BRINGS HIS HEAD DOWN AND LANDS MORE KAWADA KICKS, BUT NAKAJIMA GETS BACK UP, GRABS KAWADA’S HEAD IN A MUAY THAI CLINCH AND STARTS LAYING IN THE KNEES. KAWADA IS STAGGERED, BUT HE PUSHES RIGHT BACK WITH MORE KAWADA KICKS. ANOTHER ROUND OF KNEES FROM NAKAJIMA BUST KAWADA OPEN. AS BLOOD OOZES DOWN HIS FACE, HIS EYES START FADING. KAWADA TRIES TO GRAB NAKAJIMA’S HEAD TO BRING IT DOWN FOR THE KICKS, BUT HIS ARM’S LOST IT’S STRENGTH. NAKAJIMA HEADBUTTS KAWADA RIGHT IN THE BUSTED HEAD, BEFORE LIFTING HIM ON HIS SHOULDERS AND DRIVING HIS SKULL RIGHT INTO THE MAT WITH A DIAMOND BOMB. ONE…TWO…THREE…
Katsuhiko Nakajima def. Toshiaki Kawada (30:01)
He’s finally done it. Walking into this company as a Demon, perhaps he has found a place in heaven. But still, the heaven that Nakajima carved is filled with blood and broken bones. But to him, that’s home. Instead of celebrating, Nakajima helps Kawada back up, and instead of pushing him away, Kawada embraces Nakajima. He nods towards Nakajima, before raising his hand in victory. The Holy Demon Army stands tall, even if the Devil has a new face.
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Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Akira Taue) Vs Super Generation Army (Mistuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Jun Akiyama)
Two of the biggest factions in pro wrestling clash in front of a rabid crowd, with both teams having personal pride in the balance alongside seismic shifts in the potential World title scene. All 6 men lay it all out on the line, but the experience and sheer hunger on the side of the Holy Demon Army seems to overwhelm SGA as the match reaches past 30 minutes. Misawa and Kobashi hold off their own till the end, but Akiyama starts making more and more mistakes, eventually getting caught by a GAMENGIRI, followed by a BRUTAL STRETCH PLUM. Both Kobashi and Misawa try to rush in and break the hold, but Taue locks Misawa in a COBRA TWIST, while Nakajima puts on the MANJI-GATAME on Kobashi, trapping the two long enough for Akiyama to tap out.
Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Akira Taue) def. Super Generation Army (Mistuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Jun Akiyama) (36:40)
AJPW Giant Series 1993 #13 (14/10/1993)
Super Generation Army (Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi) Vs Holy Demon Army (Akira Taue and Katsuhiko Nakajima)
World Tag Team Championship
Having suffered a crushing loss against Misawa in their most recent encounter, Nakajima looks to defend his lengthy tag title reign with Taue by his side. But the odds couldn't be further stacked against Holy Demon Army, as they walk tonight into enemy territory. They walk into Sendai, the land of the Burning as the crowd is scorching hot for their boy Kobashi. Taue seems particularly annoyed with the crowd’s love for Kobashi. Nakajima lacks the usual smirk he has against Kobashi going into these encounters. Instead, he has a tense face, his eyes filled with determination with a hint of anxiety. Taue spots this and gestures to Nakajima that he’ll start the match-up. Nakajima agrees as he stands up on the apron, his eyes stalking Kobashi out of the corner, but it’s Taue who makes the pounce. Rushing in for an attack, Taue catches Kobashi off guard with a knee to the gut, forcing him into a neutral corner. He grabs a hold of Kobashi’s neck and drives it down while slamming large blows to his upper back. Kobashi fights out of it and lands an elbow of his own before chucking Taue into the corner and landing A FEW THUNDEROUS CHOPS. The crowd is electric as loud “KO-BA-SHI” chants break out in the arena. He IRISH WHIPS Taue from corner to corner, but Taue reverses it and follows Kobashi into the corner for a BIG BOOT. Kobashi is dazed from the strike as Taue grabs his wrist and pulls Kobashi in for a SHORT ARM LARIAT.
Taue regains himself, looking back at the crowd, disgusted by their love for Kobashi. Taue locks in a SEATED DOUBLE WRIST LOCK on Koabshi, driving his knee into Kobashi’s back for maximum discomfort. The harder Taue tries to break Kobashi, the louder the crowd shouts for him. Kobashi grits through the pain and slowly gets back to his feet. Kobashi runs on Fight No Flight, so that’s what he does. Kobashi uses all his might to try and turn the Double Wrist Lock around, but even with all this effort, Taue just uses his height to drive Kobashi back into the ground and halt his attempt. Taue is trying to cut the flow of the fans from the match, but they just keep screaming for their boy. Kobashi pushes himself back up and tries again. Taue struggles to keep Kobashi in the double wrist lock, AND EVENTUALLY, KOBASHI REVERSES IT, forcing Taue into one. Taue himself tries to escape, but Kobashi is way too strong and could’ve perhaps kept Taue in one for a long time if only NAKAJIMA DIDN’T JUST WALK INTO THE RING AND ROUNDHOUSE KICK KENTA RIGHT IN THE FACE. MISAWA RUSHES THE RING AND TRIES TO ATTACK NAKAJIMA, BUT TWO-ON-ONE IS A FAR GREATER ASSAULT AS HDA THROW MISAWA OUT OF THE RING.
As Kobashi lies on the mat, the referee checking his eye as he simmers in pain, Nakajima and Taue rush to the outside. The crowd is livid as Taue and Nakajima lay the boots in on Misawa, the smirk back across Nakajima’s face. He tells Taue to hold Misawa up as he steps back for a running start, AND DASHES IN FOR A VICIOUS PK TO MISAWA. Taue rolls back into the ring, darting back over to Kobashi in the corner. He spots Kobashi’s bruised eye and goes to work. He lands two sharp OVERHEAD CHOPS on Kobashi’s head and eye, before IRISH WHIPPING him into the HDA corner. Taue tags Nakajima in, who immediately toys with the crowd by pressing his boots against Kenta’s face and resting upon the middle rope for some SHOWTIME. He has a shit-eating grin on his face as the crowd rain down boos on him, at a point even urging them to do so. He pulls Kenta right off the floor, and straight into a NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX. ONE…TWO…, Kobashi powers through. Kobashi rolls towards the bottom rope, still fighting to pull himself back up. Lying against the bottom rope, he looks up at Nakajima, who drives a boot right into his face. Kobashi tries to push the boot away, but Nakajima pours onto the humiliation by joining in on the “KO-BA-SHI”, chants while scraping his boot against Kobashi’s face. Kobashi slowly tries to get back up, ONLY TO EAT A LOW KICK RIGHT TO HIS CHEST. BUT KOBASHI DOESN’T DROP. HE JUMPS BACK TO HIS FEET AND LANDS A THUNDEROUS CHOP OF HIS OWN. Nakajima retors back with a HIGH KICK TO THE STANDING KOBASHI’S CHEST, but another CHOP from Kobashi forces Nakajima to revalute with a FRONT KICK RIGHT TO KOBASHI’S EYE. KOBASHI STUMBLES BACK, FALLING ON THE BOTTOM ROPE AS HOLDS HIS EYE. Nakajima isn’t done with the assault, as he grabs Kobashi in a MUAY THAT CLINCH AND DRIVES KNEE RIGHT INTO HIS FACE UNTIL KOBASHI LOSES HIS FOOTING AND STUMBLES OUT OF THE RING.
Taue drops from the apron and rushes at Kobashi, as Nakajima signals Taue directions from the ring. He steps out onto the apron, lining up his sniper precise kick, with Taue holding Kobashi up. But before Nakajima can land the hit, Misawa jumps in from behind and drags Taue away. For the briefest moment, Kobashi looks behind to see his tag partner pull away Taue, and Nakajima pounces at his opportunity. HE RUSHES OVER AT KOBASHI TO TRY AND LAND THE BRUTALITY KICK, ONLY FOR KOBASHI TO CATCH IT, ABSORBING THE BRUNT OF THE IMPACT IN HIS BICEPS AND SHOULDERS. Kobashi tries to pull Nakajima off the apron but Nakajima latches onto the top ropes, his arms over-hooking them. Nakajima uses his free leg to kick Kobashi in the eye yet again, dropping him to his knees as Kobashi continues to try and nurse the pain away. Nakajima drops down and IRISH WHIPS KOBASHI INTO THE GUARD RAIL. He tries to follow up, rushing towards a presumably prone Kobashi, BUT WITH A SUDDEN BURST OF WILL, KOBASHI DASHES RIGHT AT NAKAJIMA AND LANDS A SHOULDER BLOCK AKIN TO A STONE WALL. Nakajima falls back on the mat immediately, with Kobashi walking a few steps before dropping to his knees and planting face-first on the mat.
Kobashi slowly crawls back into the ring, half-blind, he searches for The Ace. His good eye finally spots Misawa reaching out to him, tipping over the top rope, looking for a chance to even the playing field. Hearing the pleas of the crowd, Kobashi stumbles onto his feet and starts walking over to Misawa, collapsing at the very end, his arm stretched out for the tag, but there isn’t anyone there. Before Kobashi could tag Misawa in, TAUE WALKS UP BEHIND MISAWA, AND PULLS HIM BY HIS TIGHTS, OFF THE APRON, HEAD AND BACK FIRST INTO THE GUARD RAIL. Taue looks extremely pleased with himself, looking over at the groaning crowd. But the groans soon become cheers, AS KOBASHI TAKES A RUNNING START AND DIVES OUT OF THE RING, LANDING A TOPE SUICIDA ON AN OBLIVIOUS TAUE. The eye continues to bother Kobashi, but for the briefest moment, he can see clearer than ever. Those eyes are filled with rage and contempt. All towards Taue, and it all culminates in Kobashi landing a VICIOUS PILEDRIVER ON TAUE, ON THE FLOOR. Kobashi raises his fist to the crowd, acknowledging the responsibility they’ve bestowed upon him. Kobashi spots Nakajima rolling back in the ring, so he slides in too. As it worked on Taue, Kobashi tries to rush at Nakajima, hoping to catch him off guard, but all he caught was a LOW SPINNING LEG SWEEP. Nakajima successfully trips Kobashi, who in turn crashes against the middle rope, his eye perhaps catching some whiplash from the impact.
Nakajima has the eyes of a killer, walking up to his wounded prey and dragging him by his ears back to the centre of the ring. Nakajima warps in a tight face lock, the sharp end of his wrist dragging across Kobashi’s bruised eye. Nakajima drives his knee against Kobashi's back, to further tighten the hold. Kobashi flails his arms around in the air, trying to catch Nakajima with an errant shot, but Nakajima is too savvy to be caught by such desperate manoeuvres. Though no matter what hell Taue and Nakajima drag Kobashi through, Sendai doesn’t leave his side. They get louder and louder with each shudder and scratch from Kobashi. With the promise he made to his fans still fresh in his mind, Kobashi tries to gut through this yet again. He tries to will himself back to his feet, trying to shrug off the pressure Nakajima is applying. At first, Nakajima seems amused, but the amusement turns to annoyance and then horror as Kobashi refuses to stay down. Finally, HE LEAPS BACK TO HIS FEET AND TRIES TO CATCH NAKAJIMA OFF GUARD WITH A BACKDROP DRIVER, BUT HALFWAY THROUGH HIS ASCENT, NAKAJIMA SNEAKS A PUNCH INTO KOBASHI’S EYE. Kobashi screeches in pain, stumbling back, his hand taped over his battered eye. Still determined, however, Kobashi once again tries to rush Nakajima, only to get caught up with a BODYSLAM. The referee reprimands Nakajima for his actions, as the fans chime in too, but Nakajima shrugs em all away as he points his finger to the sky. With a grin on his face, Nakajima tries to further humiliate Kobashi BY GOING FOR KOBASHI’S MOVE. THE MOONSAULT. BUT THERE’S NO ONE HOME AS KOBASHI SENSIBLY ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY. With Misawa back up on his feet, hopped up on the apron, begging for a tag. Nakajima still reeling from the impact of his error. Taue trying to pull himself back up on his apron. Kobashi makes the crawl, dives towards his corner…AND TAGS MISAWA IN.
The Ace rushes the ringing, running past Nakajima and DROPKICKING Taue off the apron and back on the floor. Nakajima jumps back to his feet, but before he can regain his bearings, Misawa leaps forward and starts raining down right and left ELBOWS. Misawa pushes Nakajima up against the ropes and IRISH WHIPS him off em. Nakajima reverses it, sending Misawa running against the ropes, but a miscalculation over Misawa's next move catches him off guard for a RUNNING CROSSBODY STARIGHT INTO A COVER. ONE…TWO…Nakajima kicks out. Nakajima rushes back up, blocking an oncoming ELBOW STRIKE from Misawa, KICKING the other away as now he’s back up to his feet. Nakajima goes for a ROUNDHOUSE KICK but Misawa ducks under, now behind Nakajima, he latches onto his waist AND RAISES HIM FOR A RELEASE GERMAN SUPLEX. HE CAN’T LAND IT HOWEVER, AS NAKAJIMA LANDS ON HIS FEET, AND AS SOON AS MISAWA TURNS BACK AROUND, NAKAJIMA LANDS A STEP-UP ENZIGUIRI THAT STAGGERS MISAWA. He pushes Misawa back against the ropes and IRISH WHIPS him. Nakajima pushes up against the closer ropes to spring him forward and build momentum for his LARIAT. BUT MISAWA DUCKS UNDER THE LARIAT, AND IT’S NAKAJIMA THIS TIME WHO GETS CAUGHT OFF GUARD WITH A SPIN KICK FROM THE ACE. Misawa drops down to one knee after the kick, taking a deep breath before continuing his assault on Nakajima and landing a SOMERSAULT SENTON. ONE…TWO…T, Nakajima powers through.
Misawa straps Nakajima right into the FACE LOCK. The same move that once made Jumbo tap, now grinding up against Nahakima’s jaw and nose. Taue knows the danger of that manoeuvre, so he rushes to the ring trying to break it up, BUT KOBASHI HAS HIS PARTNER’S BACK, RUSHING IN AND TRAPPING TAUE IN A COBRA TWIST. Nakajima’s outstretched arm, trying to grasp at the ropes; but Misawa keeps the hold wrenched in. Misawa’s trying to squeeze Nakajima’s head till it pops like a watermelon. The life seems to be fading from Nakajima’s eyes as his hand starts to slowly drop. Taue meanwhile continues to struggle and finally breaks free from the COBRA TWIST with a HIP TOSS. He rushes over to Misawa and boots him right in the face, prying the hold open. He grabs ahold of Nakajima’s arm and drags his limp corpse back over to their corner. Taue tags himself in and rushes over a now-standing Kobashi, LANDING A DYNAMIC KICK THAT DROPS KOBASHI AND SENDS HIM STUMBLING OUT OF THE RING. Taue brings his attention back over to a now kneeling Misawa. Misawa tries to push up at Taue, but he can’t build enough momentum so Taue just catches him in a FRONT CHANCERY. Taue chokes the life out of Misawa, before transitioning into a DYNAMIC SUPLEX AND DRIVING HIM BACK FIRST INTO THE MAT. ONE…TWO…T, MISAWA KICKS OUT. Taue is breathing heavily by this point, his body exhausted, but the sound of this electric crowd keeps his heart burning. He shakes his head before picking the World champion back up. He signals the end as he GOES FOR THE DYNAMIC BOMB, but Misawa successfully grounds himself. Taue smashes Misawa’s back with a couple of Forearm strikes but Misawa refuses to go up.
Taue releases Misawa and quickly lands some OVERHEAD CHOPS, FOLLOWED BY A BABA CHOP. After softening up Misawa, Taue tries to Scoop him up for a GUILLOTINE WHIP, BUT MISAWA ESCAPES OUT THE BACK. HE GRABS A HOLD OF TAUE’S WAIST AND TRIES TO LIFT HIM FOR A GERMAN SUPLEX BUT TAUE LATCHES ONTO THE TOP ROPE. Before Misawa can pull him free, Taue Stomps at Misawa’s foot, losing him enough so he can pull him in for the COCONUT CRUSH, DRIVING MISAWA’S HEAD INTO HIS KNEE. Misawa drops back down to the mat, with Taue trying and failing to regain his composure. The crowd chanting for their heroes counties to madden and fuel Taue, as he rushes to pick Misawa back up. Perhaps attempting a CHICHIBU CEMENT, TAUE LIFTS MISAWA FOR A VERTICAL SUPLEX BUT MISAWA DROPS A KNEE FROM THE TOP AND ESCAPES OUT THE BACK YET AGAIN. Taue turns back around and eats left and right ELBOWS, BUT DUCKS UNDER THE FINAL ROLLING ELBOW AND PICKS MISAWA UP, DRIVING HIS SKULL INTO THE MAT WITH A BACKDROP DRIVER. ONE…TWO…THR, MISAWA KICKS OUT.
Taue stares up at the ceiling, the roar of the crowd ringing in his ears. He pushes himself back up, looking down on Misawa, and chucks the referee away. He grabs ahold of Misawa from his hair and drags him to the neutral corner. Taue lifts Misawa up on the top rope, with Misawa trying to fight him away, but one OVERHEAD CHOP, followed by a KARATE STRIKE to Misawa’s neck to shut that down. Taue grips Misawa’s throat and looks to finish this match once and for all. TAUE CHOKESLAMS MISAWA OFF THE TOP ROPE FOR THE NODOWA OTOSHI, BUT MISAWA COUNTERS IT IN MID-AIR WITH AN ARM DRAG. Once again the crowd is overjoyed, briefly distracting Taue as he rushes back to his feet. He turns right back to Misawa and riches him, ONLY TO BE HALTED A FEW STEPS IN BY A THUNDEROUS ELBOW FROM MISAWA. TAUE COLLAPSES TO THE FLOOR AS HE’S BEEN SHOT, THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED FROM HIS EYES. MISAWA DRAGS HIM OVER TO TAUE AND GOES FOR THE COVER. ONE…TWO…THRE, NAKAJIMA BREAKS THE PIN BY BREAKING MISAWA’S HEAD WITH A PK. Nakajima tries to pick Misawa back up, but Kobashi slides back into the ring and tackles Nakajima up against the ropes. Kobashi lands a VICIOUS CHOP, and NAKAJIMA RETORTS BACK WITH AN OVERHEAD CHOP. KOBASHI RETURNS WITH AN EVEN HARDER CHOP, AND FOR THE BRIFEST MOMENT, NAKAJIMA REALISES THAT KOBASHI AIN’T NO YOUNG BOY NO MORE. Nakajima goes low with a LOW KICK to Kobashi’s thigh, BUT KOBASHI TRUCKS IT AND KEEPS MOVING FORWARD, LANDING CHOP AFTER CHOP, BACKING NAKAJIMA UP IN THE CORNER. Nakajima fires back some ELBOWS, but they only seem to further heat up Kobashi AS HE PROCEEDS TO LAND 15 MACHINE GUN CHOPS ON NAKAJIMA, ENDING WITH A DISCUS CHOP TO NAKAJIMA’S FACE THAT SPINS HIM BACK AROUND. Kobashi clenches his fists before bellowing out a huge roar, only matched by the sound of the crowd itself. Kobashi picks Nakajima up and places him on the top turnbuckle crotch first. Kobashi gets ahold of Nakajiam’s arms and lifts him up by gripping his triceps. Kobashi walks a few steps to the centre of the ring, still holding Nakajima up in the Crucifix, HE LOOKS TO LAND A CRUCIFIX BOMB, BUT NAKAJIMA STRUGGLES ENOUGH TO FREE OF KOBASHI’S GRIP. He drops right behind Kobashi, and the moment Koabshi turns back around, Nakajima lands to SUPERKICKS that drop Kobashi to his knees.
Nakajima tries to quickly capitalize and land a ROUNDHOUSE KICK, BUT KOBASHI DUCKS UNDER AND SENDS NAAKJIMA SPINNING. HE JUMPS BACK TO HIS FEET AND TRIES TO PICK NAKAJIMA UP WITH A GERMAN SUPLEX, BUT NAKAJIMA SENDS KOBASHI REELING WITH A BACK ELBOW RIGHT ON THE DISMANTLED EYE. Kobashi stumbles back, the eye now temporarily shut, he looks up at a figure walking closer to him. When asked about it years later, Kobashi said, “All I saw was darkness on one side, and a death in the other.” Nakajima closes the distance as he lifts Kobashi in a Muay Thai Clinch, AND JUST KEEPS KNEEING HIM IN THE EYE TILL IS RAGE IS QUENCHED. Finally, after Kobashi goes limp and drops to his knees, Nakajima looks down at him and flips him off. HE PICKS KOBASHI BACK UP FOR THE VERTICAL SPIKE, BUT KOBASHI SLIDES FROM BEHIND. HALF BLIND, KOBASHI SWINGS HIS ARM IN THE AIR BUT NAKAJIMA DUCKS UNDER, ONLY TO BE CAUGHT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD WITH A WILD LARIAT THAT IMMEDIATELY KNOCKS HIM OUT COLD. Kobashi tries to catch his breath, trying to find Misawa, anyone, but everything looks blurry by this point. He gets back to his feet but immediately feels the grip of Taue around his waist. TAUE TRIES TO PICK KOBASHI UP FOR A BACKDROP DRIVER, BUT MISAWA SAVES KOBASHI WITH A CHOP BLOCK THAT DROPS TAUE. Misawa shouts at Kobashi to just run, bounce off the ropes, and hit the first thing he can find. TRUSTING MISAWA, KOBASHI RUNS THE ROPES WHILE MISAWA LINES UP TAUE FOR A TIGER SUPLEX. KOBASHI BOUNCES OFF THE ROPES AS MISAWA SHOUTS, “NOW!!!”. KOBASHI SWINGS HIS ARM BACK AND SLAMS IT BACK IN FOR A LARIAT ON TAUE, AS MISAWA CHUCKS HIM BACK OVER WITH A TIGER SUPLEX. ONE…TWO…THREE…
Super Generation Army def. Holy Demon Army (41:34)
The crowd lets out a huge roar in support as The Ace lifts the hometown boy back up from the mat. Medical officials rush in to check on Kobashi, but all Kobashi wants to hear is the love and adoration his crowd is showering on him. Misawa and Kobashi are presented with their trophies and the World Tag Team championships, with Misawa saying that the Demons that have run rampant around All Japan have finally been put to rest. Taue walks to the back before hearing Misawa’s closing statements, but the bruised, battered and broken Nakajima heard all. For a moment, he decides to rush back into the ring, but he decides to wait. The demons shall rise again he thought, and next time, they’ll drag SGA back down with them.
Real World Tag League 1994
NamePoints Misawa & Kobashi0 Akiyama & Takao Omori0 Nakajima & Kawada0 Akira Taue & Dr. Death0 Baba & Hansen0 Johnny Ace & Dan Spivey0
Real World Tag League Finals
Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada) Vs Super Generation Army (Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa)
In this tournament, Nakajima and Kawada run rampant through the whole tournament, suffering a loss only to Taue and Dr. Death, meanwhile drawing with the fiery youngsters Akiyama and Omori and Kobashi and Misawa. This leads to a rematch between the Holy Demon Army and SGA, with Kawada replacing Taue this time. The complexion of the match is a lot more different this time. Without an insane crowd to distract HGA, Nakajima and Kawada lay out a methodical attack on Misawa and Kobashi. SGA keep fighting back against the onslaught, but some of the bombs Kawada throws in this encounter devastate SGA, with Nakajima ruthlessly following up on these bombs with inhuman precision. In the final moments of the match, Nakajima once again looks down on Kobashi. It seems like no matter what Kobashi does, he can’t shake off this weight standing atop his shoulder. Even though Kobashi showed a lot of fire by surviving a VERTICAL SPIKE, A NORTHERN LIGHTS BOMB PUTS THE LIGHTS OUT, WITH NAKAJIMA REGAINING THE WORLD TAG TITLES HE LOST BACK IMMEDIATELY, albeit with a different partner this time.
Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada) def. Super Generation Army (Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa) (32:10)
AJPW New Year Giant Series 1994 #8 (12/1/1994)
Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Akira Taue) and Steve Williams Vs Super Generation Army (Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Takao Omori, Jun Akiyama)
With Taue pinning the world champion in the world tag league block match, his recent record-setting tag title reign has earned him a shot at the Triple Crown. In the leadup to that match, Taue can pick up the win here for his team, firing on all cylinders, Taue is able to take Takao out with a BACKDROP DRIVER. After the bout, the big and dangerous aura, HGA and Steve Williams exude over the ring is enough to make the mightiest kneel, but SGA stand tall against them. Misawa makes the proud declaration, that All Japan stands behind them, and HGA will never touch the Triple Crown as long as he stands in the way.
AJPW Excite Series 1994 #1 (19/2/1994)
Super Generation Army (Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori) Vs Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada) (c)
World Tag Team Championship
Having forced a draw against the tag champions, Akiyama and Omori lay out the challenge against the HDA. Unluckily for them, this time HDA aren’t already at the top of the leaderboard, cruising to a finals spot. Nakajima and Kawada are fully serious from the minute go, and regardless of how tough of a fight Akiyama and Omori give them, the result of this match was never in question. Once again, Kawada forces Akiyama to tap out to the STRETCH PLUM.
Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada) def. Super Generation Army (Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori) (19:01)
AJPW Excite Series 1994 #5 (24/2/1994)
Akira Taue Vs Mitsuharu Misawa (c)
Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
Taue has had an incredible run this past year and a half and has truly earned this World title shot against the Ace of the Company. We see an extremely mean side of Taue in this match, a similar one that showed up during the Sendai tag, as he tries to bully Misawa in the ring. But in the end, Misawa pulls out THE TIGER DRIVER 91’ to take out Taue yet again, the punishment from the move too unbearable to handle.
MItsuharu Misawa def. Akira Taue (27:17)
AJPW Champion Carnival 1994 (16/4/1994) Block A: Kawada Kobashi Nakajima Akiyama Hansen
Block B: Dr. Death Misawa Taue Omori Johhny Smith
In the tourney, we see Nakajima start the tournament string with a victory over his stablemate Kawada. The match felt like a friendly competition, with minimal animosity after the bout. Akiyama put up a much stronger fight against Nakajima next, but once again succumbed to the pressure Nakajima could exert. After this, Nakajima suffers back-to-back losses to a LARIAT, a loss to Hansen showing he still can't be the Cowboy, and a loss to Kobashi meaning that Kobashi had finally all caught up. In the end, it was Kawada from Block A and Steve Williams from Block B, facing off, with Kawada winning the Chmapion's Carnival, and immediately calling out Misawa for a fight for the Triple Crown.
AJPW Super Power Series #16 (3/6/1994)
Misawa Vs Kawada
Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
In the most famous match from this period of Japanese wrestling, these two generational rivals put on an epic for the ages. But the man who walked out victorious this time, as KAWADA. DROPPING MISAWA ON HIS HEAD WITH MULTIPLE POWERBOMB, KAWADA FINALLY WON THE WORLD TITLE, AND HE WAS NOW...UNDISPUTED.
AJPW Summer Action Series 1994 #17 (22/7/1994)
Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada Vs Akita Taue & ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams
With a victory over the tag champions, Steve Williams was able to convince Taue to take on his stablemates for a slice of the gold. But the action of the match takes a backseat to Kawada’s reaction to the love the crowd was showering on Nakajima. Perhaps after all these years, even they’ve begun to realise that there’s a method to the madness. It’s not that Kawada’s jealous, it’s just that he’s seen this before, and he won’t let his pot be snatched away again. After a back-and-forth encounter, Nakajima is able to secure the win with a NORTHERN LIGHTS BOMB on Dr.; Death, for a huge ovation from the crowd.
Katsuhiko Nakajima & Toshiaki Kawada def. Akita Taue & ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams (26:55)
AJPW Summer Action Series II 1994 (20/8/1994)
Katsuhiko Nakajima Vs Stan Hansen
#1 contender
The man Nakajima has never beaten in a Singles match. Every time Nakajima has secured a victory over Hansen, it’s been with the help of Taue. But now, if he wants a shot at the top prize of his company, he must take on the Unsinkable Battleship. The Last time Nakajima fought for the gold was about a year ago, since then he’s been running the tag division. But Nakajima is capable of more than that. The people know it, but they also know that Stan Hansen has been hungry for gold. As the match goes on, Nakajima’s tactics continue to fail. The sheer punishment he takes at the hands of Stan Hansen makes people wanna look away, but Nakajima sticks with the game plan. At first glance, it seems like Nakajima’s plans are failing. But him tiring out Hansen, constantly attacking the legs, and having the toughness to stick on for a long time helps in the finishing stretch of the match. Just like last time, Hansen tries to end it all with the WESTERN LARIAT, BUT NAKAJIMA BLOCKS IT WITH A DROPKICK TO THE ARM. Hansen tries to swing his other arm at Nakajima, but he ducks under and LOW KICKS Hansen, taking him apart limb by limb. Hansen tries to rush up at Nakajima, ONLY TO EAT A BRUTAL KNEE TO THE FACE AND SHELL SHOCKS HIM. NAKAJIMA ROARS TO THE CROWD WHO ROAR BACK TO HIM, AS HE LIFTS HANSEN ON HIS SHOULDERS AND DRIVES HIS SKULL INTO THE MAT WITH A DIAMOND BOMB. ONE…TWO…THREE…
Katsuhiko Nakajima def. Stan Hansen (26:33)
Having finally conquered the monument of a man, there was only one final obstacle in his path. His sworn brother, Kawada.
AJPW Giant Series #17 (22/10/1994)
Toshiaki Kawada (c) Vs Katsuhiko Nakajima
Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
Brother Vs Brother. Demon Vs Demon. Champion Vs Champion. These two men have defined puro in their own ways, in the past 2 years. Nakajima, running the tag division, was supposed to be the saviour of Tsuruta-gun, which led to its demise. Having failed to capture the Triple Crown once before, many of his critics have dismissed him as an exceptional tag wrestler, but a failure of a singles star. Kawada on the other hand, having just regained his World title, finds himself in a similar spot as his last World title reign. One defence in, if loses it to another stablemate, Kawada will always be referred to as the Sidekick. Forever the bridesmaid, never the Ace. Both men have a lot riding on this match, and they fight like it. Whatever gameplan they had, they chucked out the window when Kawada slapped Nakajima right in his face in frustration over his sharp kicks. Nakajima returns fire with a SLAP that completely rocks Kawada. The two start throwing bombs from the minute go, setting the pace of this match to frantic.
In the final minutes of the match, Kawada frantically tries to POWERBOMB Nakajima, but Nakajima refuses to go up. Kawada pulls Nakajima out AND STARTS LAYING IN KAWADA KICKS, BUT KAWADA JUST UPS AND SHOUTS RIGHT IN KAWADA’S FACE. KAWADA BRINGS HIS HEAD DOWN AND LANDS MORE KAWADA KICKS, BUT NAKAJIMA GETS BACK UP, GRABS KAWADA’S HEAD IN A MUAY THAI CLINCH AND STARTS LAYING IN THE KNEES. KAWADA IS STAGGERED, BUT HE PUSHES RIGHT BACK WITH MORE KAWADA KICKS. ANOTHER ROUND OF KNEES FROM NAKAJIMA BUST KAWADA OPEN. AS BLOOD OOZES DOWN HIS FACE, HIS EYES START FADING. KAWADA TRIES TO GRAB NAKAJIMA’S HEAD TO BRING IT DOWN FOR THE KICKS, BUT HIS ARM’S LOST IT’S STRENGTH. NAKAJIMA HEADBUTTS KAWADA RIGHT IN THE BUSTED HEAD, BEFORE LIFTING HIM ON HIS SHOULDERS AND DRIVING HIS SKULL RIGHT INTO THE MAT WITH A DIAMOND BOMB. ONE…TWO…THREE…
Katsuhiko Nakajima def. Toshiaki Kawada (30:01)
He’s finally done it. Walking into this company as a Demon, perhaps he has found a place in heaven. But still, the heaven that Nakajima carved is filled with blood and broken bones. But to him, that’s home. Instead of celebrating, Nakajima helps Kawada back up, and instead of pushing him away, Kawada embraces Nakajima. He nods towards Nakajima, before raising his hand in victory. The Holy Demon Army stands tall, even if the Devil has a new face.
2024.04.10 04:20 apehasreturned Book Katsuhiko Nakajima in 90's All Japan - Part Two: The Holy Demon
We pick up in the wake of the formation of the Holy Demon Army at the end of Spring 1993, sending us into the heat of summer - where Katsuhiko Nakajima’s stablemate Toshiaki Kawada will seek to dethrone the unstoppable Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa. With Nakajima now on the same page as all his allies, and acting much more aggressively to boot, the Holy Demon Army stands as the biggest threat to Misawa’s Super Generation Army to date, making for an absolutely electric battle for dominion over All Japan.
The battle officially begins on the first show of the Summer Action Series, where the first ever elimination match in AJPW history will take place, pitting Nakajima, Taue and Kawada against Misawa, Kobashi and the newest Super Generation Army member, Jun Akiyama. With all six men being nigh unbeatable, at least three of them will have to fall short at Korakuen Hall, and nobody can wait to see this one unfold.
Summer Action Series 1993, Night 1 - Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Elimination: Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima, Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada) vs. Super Generation Army (Jun Akiyama, Kenta Kobashi and Mitsuharu Misawa)
The energy is unparalleled in Korakuen Hall, with Toshiaki Kawada and Mitsuharu Misawa on a collision course and the Holy Demon Army striving to cement their status - but picking up a win here means pinning or submitting not only AJPW’s top rookie in Akiyama, not only its hottest rising babyface in Kobashi, not only the untouchable forever champion Mitsuharu Misawa… but all three. Kobashi and Kawada kick things off, Kawada taking the fight to Kobashi and highlighting his newfound brutality with a wild flurry of kicks, followed by a BOOT OFF THE APRON TO MISAWA! Korakuen explodes as Misawa rushes in, but Taue grabs him by the throat, only for Akiyama to blast Taue with a forearm before hoisting him up with an EXPLODER SUPLEX! It’s the first time anyone’s seen that, and Taue sells it like death, dropping to the floor as Akiyama roars out before EATING A SUPERKICK FROM NAKAJIMA! Nakajima stares down Misawa, giving Kawada the opening to take him down, but Kobashi gets back on Kawada before tagging in the Triple Crown Champion. Here we go.
Misawa and Kawada circle each other, Kawada lunging in with a gamengiri that Misawa blocks with a forearm, but that’s just fine by Dangerous K, who immediately targets the arm with some vicious offense. He tags in Nakajima, Nakajima working the arm over with more kicks before locking in a Fujiwara Armbar, forcing Misawa to the ropes. He tags in Taue before charging at Misawa, Misawa low bridging Nakajima over as Taue goes on the attack, bearing down on the champion with relentless force. He goes for a powerbomb, Misawa barely fighting free and diving for the tag to Kobashi, but Taue holds him steady before eating a ROLLING ELBOW! Misawa tags in Kobashi, who levels Taue with a Burning Lariat, going for the MOONSAULT PRESS AS MISAWA TAGS BACK IN… TAUE ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY, AND NAKAJIMA BLINDSIDES KOBASHI WITH A MAWASHI-GERI BEFORE AKIYAMA SENDS HIM PACKING! Kawada runs in, Misawa dropping him with an elbow as well before hooking Taue’s arms… TIGER DRIVER! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Akira Taue is eliminated
Nakajima rushes straight in before Kawada can make himself legal and trip himself up on emotion alone, catching Misawa off guard with a palm strike to the ear and a STRAITJACKET GERMAN! ONE! TWO! THR-KICKOUT! He goes right back to work on the arm, focusing his kicks towards the head and forcing Misawa to keep blocking. Once Misawa gets in the rhythm of ducking, Nakajima goes straight to the leg, depriving him of mobility and forcing him to rely on blocks. The crowd is awestruck, Nakajima methodically and maliciously picking apart the company’s ace, but soon enough, he learns the same lesson as everyone else… Misawa’s elbow is god. Misawa nails a rolling elbow to drop Nakajima like a sack of potatoes, but as he goes to tag Kobashi, KAWADA PULLS HIM OFF THE APRON! Kawada lunges at Akiyama, but Misawa NAILS AN ELBOW SUICIDA, ROLLING BACK IN TO TAG AKIYAMA! Misawa makes a beeline for Kawada on the floor, both men brawling around ringside as Akiyama squares up with the man that he once called a friend, but who eventually capitalized on his absence in the Champion Carnival, stole his shine, became the heralded rookie in his stead.
Nakajima smirks, and BOTH MEN START SWINGING! Akiyama is clearly levels below his former tag partner Nakajima, but he gives Nakajima a ton of trouble, assaulting the neck with a barrage of suplexes and stiff forearms to keep him on the ropes before GOING FOR THE EXPLODER AGAIN, BUT NAKAJIMA FIGHTS FREE FOR A PALM STRIKE AND A MAWASHI-GERI! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO! He goes for the Brutality Kick, Akiyama evading it and going for a BACKDROP SUPLEX, BUT NAKAJIMA FLIPS OVER TO LAND ON HIS FEET, BRAINING AKIYAMA WITH ANOTHER PALM STRIKE… BUT AKIYAMA FIRES BACK WITH A FOREARM TO DROP NAKAJIMA TO HIS KNEES! He delivers a knee lift to Nakajima’s face, letting out a battle cry before hoisting him up for another Exploder attempt, Nakajima reversing desperately into a cradle… ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO! AKIYAMA SPRINGS UP, THROWING A FRANTIC LARIAT, BUT NAKAJIMA INTERCEPTS FOR A VERTICAL SPIKE! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Jun Akiyama is eliminated
Exhausted, Nakajima collapses, Kawada not in the corner to receive him, and he’s immediately met with the onslaught of physicality that is Kenta Kobashi, who FLIES OFF THE ROPES WITH AN ELBOW FOR TWO! Nakajima is entirely depleted after his showdown with Akiyama, desperately firing back with the odd stiff and brutal kick to the head or body, but Kobashi’s a brick shithouse, absorbing the blows before backing him up into the corner for a series of chops. With the air driven out of him, Nakajima can hardly fight back against the devastating backdrop suplex Kobashi hits him with, followed by a BURNING LARIAT! ONE! TWO! THRE-KAWADA MAKES THE SAVE! Kawada nails a high boot on Kobashi, calling for Nakajima to make the tag, and Nakajima slowly crawls towards the ropes before his boot is grabbed by a defiant Kobashi. Kobashi pulls him back, Nakajima kicking his way free before DIVING FOR THE HOT TAG, BUT MISAWA TURNS THE TIDES BY GIVING KAWADA A TASTE OF HIS OWN MEDICINE, HEAVING HIM OFF THE APRON AS NAKAJIMA TAGS THIN AIR! Nakajima pivots, accepting his fate and going out swinging with a HUGE KICK TO THE BODY, BUT KOBASHI FIGHTS THROUGH THE PAIN TO FLOOR HIM WITH A SPINNING BACKHAND! NOW A DROPKICK TAKES NAKAJIMA DOWN COMPLETELY, AND KOBASHI FINISHES IT OFF WITH A VERTICAL BRAINBUSTER! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Katsuhiko Nakajima is eliminated
Stuck in a two on one against the company’s two top faces, it’s pretty elementary for Kawada, who gives it all he’s got and manages to further injure Misawa’s arm ahead of their Triple Crown showdown, but he’s eventually shut down by a tag team flurry and a Tiger Driver that grants a hard-fought win to the Super Generation Army.
Super Generation Army def. Holy Demon Army (42:13)
Summer Action Series 1993
The rest of the tour sees more tag team action for the Holy Demon Army, Kawada and Taue getting their reps in as Nakajima goes back to work teaming with Fuchi. However, Nakajima also gets some singles shine, insisting he wants to climb the ranks and earn a shot at the Triple Crown - but also saying he stands by Kawada’s pursuit no matter what. He goes undefeated in singles across the entire tour, established as a true breakout star, and the Holy Demon Army fares remarkably well in tag action, setting the stage for Night 22, the final event on the tour, where Mitsuharu Misawa defends the Triple Crown against his onetime best friend, Toshiaki Kawada. Nakajima corners Kawada at the Budokan for the biggest match of his life, but in the end, Misawa has to dig deep into his bag of tricks. Kawada kicks out of everything he can throw, until… TIGER DRIVER ‘91! ONE! TWO! THREE!. Kawada failed, and is left to lick his wounds as Misawa, aided by Jun Akiyama, raises the gold and poses with the trophy. Barely able to stand, Kawada’s helped to his feet by the Genius of the Kick, who stares at the champion with looks of pure contempt.
Giant Series 1993
It’s time for the final non-tournament tour of 1993, and Nakajima’s singles prowess only grows, notching increasingly major wins over the likes of Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, Johnny Ace and even a huge victory over Ted DiBiase. He works alongside the Holy Demon Army in a series of tags as well, the team building momentum out of Kawada’s unfortunate loss to Misawa by regaining the AJPW Tag Team Titles for Kawada and Taue, while also recruiting a new member in rookie Yoshinari Ogawa. The end of the tour sees the announcement of the 1994 Asunaro Cup, a round robin tournament designed for All Japan’s newest and youngest stars to compete with one another. Jun Akiyama is slotted as the favourite to win, especially as Nakajima is too experienced to be included in the field, but he declares that he debuted in All Japan on the same day as Akiyama, and should be afforded the same opportunity at the trophy. He says with the Junior Heavyweight Title and Tag Team Titles already belonging to the Holy Demon Army, his only hope is the Triple Crown or the Asunaro Cup… but regardless, it’s high time he notch an accolade.
Real World Tag League 1993
Nakajima spends his Real World Tag League teaming with Masanobu Fuchi as the Holy Demon Army’s secondary team, the defending champions Kawada and Taue running roughshod over their foes as the tournament kicks off. Nakajima and Fuchi also fare remarkably well, Fuchi’s veteran instincts and submission prowess pairing perfectly with Nakajima’s striking and burgeoning mercilessness. They start off with a loss to Misawa and Kobashi, but otherwise dominate, racking up win after win as they hurtle towards the final night. In an intra-faction battle, Taue pins Fuchi to set Nakajima and Fuchi back, but Nakajima rebounds with a huge win over Stan Hansen’s team with Giant Baba. On the final night, Nakajima and Fuchi are sitting in third place, but a win could just rocket them into the lead. However, their last opponents are the Super Generation Army’s Akiyama and Kikuchi, and, in the end, Akiyama does the unimaginable and pins Nakajima with an exploder suplex, Nakajima apoplectic with rage as Misawa and Kobashi end up winning the tournament and the AJPW Tag Team Titles. Misawa’s unstoppable, and now a double champion, and Nakajima knows he needs a decisive win if he’s to have a hope of stepping to the Emerald Ace in Kawada’s stead. It’s made official - he’ll have his chance at revenge against Akiyama in the Asunaro Cup.
New Year Giant Series 1994
The Asunaro Cup sees Nakajima fucking dominate. The first tour of 1993 is simple - Akiyama and Nakajima always win. They both beat everybody else. They both go undefeated, save for one draw… against each other, battling to the time limit on the opening night. However, when all is said and done, they’re the two top scorers, and they have to meet in the Final on the last day of the tour to determine who takes home the trophy. It’ll be Nakajima vs. Akiyama once again, with Akiyama looking to take down his onetime friend and Nakajima looking to progress into the main event scene for good by putting down Misawa and Kobashi’s trainee, while also joining Toshiaki Kawada as one of two men to win the Asunaro Cup, keeping the accolade exclusive to the Holy Demon Army.
New Year Giant Series 1994, Night 20 - Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Asunaro Cup Final: Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Jun Akiyama
It all comes down to this - in the same place they both debuted for All Japan on the same night a year and a half prior, Jun Akiyama and Katsuhiko Nakajima square up in the battle heralded as the future of the Holy Demon Army and the future of the Super Generation Army colliding. The crowd is at capacity, and they’re deafening as Nakajima enters, his hair having grown into an unkempt copper coloured mane in the time since he teamed with Akiyama. Akiyama’s out next, and as he steps through the ropes, NAKAJIMA LAYS HIM OUT WITH A BOOT! HE’S NOT WAITING! Akiyama tumbles to the floor, Nakajima in rapid pursuit with another high kick and a thunderous shoot kick to the chest, whipping Akiyama into the barrier for a series of forearms and a MAWASHI-GERI! He takes in the crowd’s jeering with a smirk, gesturing that he’s got his eyes on the camera as well as the Asunaro Trophy before laying into Akiyama with a PALM STRIKE, FLUSH ON THE EAR! Jun is rocked, stumbling through the barrier gap and into the rows of seating as Nakajima follows him out, battering him with forearms before Akiyama roars in his face and NAILS A SUPLEX INTO THE FRONT ROW OF CHAIRS!
Returning the action to the ring, it’s a war of attrition between both men, Nakajima looking to simply beat Akiyama into submission, but the Supernova refusing to give in to the punishment while still dishing out his own, laying Nakajima out with a high knee lift before paying homage to his mentor Kobashi with a flurry of chops in the corner. He calls for a powerbomb, Nakajima reversing with a back body drop before dishing out a SPINNING HEEL KICK, DROPPING AKIYAMA TO HIS BACK! He wraps up Akiyama’s arms, following it with a BRIDGING STRAITJACKET SUPLEX! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOO! With a smirk, knowing he’s in the lead, he hits Kenta Kobashi’s signature taunt, drawing a sea of boos from the crowd as he clambers to the top rope to go for a MOONSAULT PRESS, BUT AKIYAMA MEETS HIM UP TOP! Everyone is anxiously holding their breath as Akiyama clobbers the back of Nakajima’s head, Nakajima turning around as AKIYAMA CALLS FOR AN EXPLODER SUPLEX! NO! NO! Nakajima desperately kicks out his leg, following it with an ELBOW TO THE HEAD, FORCING AKIYAMA DOWN TO THE MAT! Akiyama scrambles back up to his feet… MISSILE DROPKICK FROM NAKAJIMA SNIPES HIM RIGHT ON THE JAW! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO!
The Genius of the Kick is completely in the driver’s seat, and now he’s relishing in dishing out punishment to Akiyama, talking smack as he lays in devastating kicks to the body. The Supernova is coughing and wheezing, clutching his ribs as Nakajima rushes at him with a BRUTALITY KICK, BUT AKIYAMA HAS THE WHEREWITHAL TO ROLL UNDER THE ROPES! Nakajima follows with a few needlessly petty stomps to the body on the apron, the referee insisting he back up before Akiyama reenters the ring, only to be tossed into the turnbuckles for a BIG BOOT IN THE CORNER, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER SERIES OF FOREARMS TO SIT AKIYAMA DOWN! He digs his boots into Akiyama’s face, lying across the ropes for SHOWTIME! Making direct eye contact with the camera as Akiyama squirms, Nakajima talks some more shit, finally dropping down at a four count before going for a VERTICAL SPIKE, BUT AKIYAMA COUNTERS INTO A NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX! HE GOT HIM! KORAKUEN HALL LEAPS UP AS THE REFEREE MAKES THE COUNT… ONE! TWO! THRE-KICKOUT! Akiyama can’t believe it, but he has to earn this comeback, knowing he’s still taken more cumulative damage than Nakajima. He wraps him up for an Exploder Suplex, letting out a battle cry as he HOISTS HIM UP, BUT NAKAJIMA CRACKS HIM SQUARE ON THE NOSE WITH A HEADBUTT! Dazed and confused, Akiyama staggers momentarily, giving Nakajima room for A SUPERKICK UNDER THE JAW, AND NOW A BOOT TO THE FACE! AKIYAMA’S ON THE ROPES… MAWASHI-GERI LANDS! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Katsuhiko Nakajima def. Jun Akiyama (18:09) to win the 1994 Asunaro Cup
There’s a sickening smile on Nakajima’s face as he crouches next to the Asunaro Trophy, Kawada coming down to the ring to congratulate him on his victory. Kenta Kobashi and Mitsuharu Misawa usher a dejected Akiyama out of the ring as Nakajima celebrates, both he and Kawada eyeing up the Triple Crown Champion. Nakajima’s done with the bush leagues - he’s ready to move up.
Excite Series 1994, Night 1 - Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima and Toshiaki Kawada) vs. Super Generation Army (Jun Akiyama and Mitsuharu Misawa)
The 1994 Excite Series kicks off with a huge main event, Akiyama and Misawa teaming up against Nakajima and Kawada in a straightforward tag match. Kawada and Misawa spend much of the bout brawling, seemingly out of obligation as Kawada tries to prove himself worthy. Akiyama looks to avenge his Asunaro loss against Nakajima while Nakajima turns his focus towards the Triple Crown Champion, leading to a heated showdown between them, everyone frantically tagging in and out to try and secure the upper hand in the match. Kawada and Nakajima finally show some real chemistry, managing to piece Misawa up and make him look mortal for a few minutes, but Misawa breaks through the armour with a rolling elbow and a tag to Akiyama. Akiyama runs wild, rebounding from the Asunaro Cup Final with a flurry of shots to both Nakajima and Kawada before ejecting Kawada from the ring with an EXPLODER SUPLEX! He scrambles to get to his feet, but NAKAJIMA PUNTS HIM SQUARE IN THE FACE WITH A BRUTALITY KICK! Blood gushes from Akiyama’s nose like a faucet as Nakajima follows it with a VERTICAL SPIKE! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Holy Demon Army def. Super Generation Army (20:44)
It may not have been the pinfall over Misawa either of the Holy Demon Army tandem were hoping for, but it’ll most certainly do. However, Nakajima has an idea on how to send a message to Misawa, staking his claim to the gold by pie-facing Akiyama and using his blood as gel to slick back his own mane of hair. With a chuckle and a half-smile, he eyes up the Triple Crown Champion, letting Akiyama roll out of the ring while Kawada stands his ground beside the Genius of the Kick, proud of the win but clearly upset that he once again failed to break the curse by pinning Misawa for the first time.
Excite Series 1994
The rest of the tour continues as a series of multiman tags, but it’s made official that at the end of the tour, Asunaro Cup Winner Katsuhiko Nakajima will face off with Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa in singles competition for the third time, this time for All Japan’s top prize. Misawa’s beaten Nakajima to end his Trial Series on a loss, he’s beaten Nakajima to end his first Champion Carnival run, but this time, Nakajima intends to get revenge by ending the most legendary title reign in All Japan’s history. He seems to be a new man and deeply daunting challenger, and while there’s tensions with Kawada as a result of Dangerous K’s desire to dethrone Misawa, he’s still got the Holy Demon Army on his side. The unit is dominant on the road to the Budokan, racking up multiman wins over the gaijin units and the Super Generation Army, but Misawa still remains an insurmountable obstacle for them. They can go around him by pinning his partners, but nobody can go through him - so it’s up to Nakajima to see if he can be the first.
Excite Series 1994, Night 12 - Nippon Budokan, Tokyo
Triple Crown Title: Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (c)
The Genius of the Kick has a pretty good track record at the Budokan, but this is a whole different ball game. Misawa is shown pacing backstage with his three championships, the crowd erupting as he appears before greeting Nakajima with a much more mixed response, the challenger displayed stretching out his legs with his jacket’s hood swung over his eyes. He’s out first, the capacity crowd clamouring around him as he makes his way to the ring at a light jog, a confident smirk on his face as he pulls the hood back on his new entrance attire. He has new ring gear, too, with red stripes running down the sides of his trunks. Looking ready for battle, the only question is if he’ll be able to pull off the shock of the century with a win over the Ace, who blows the roof off the Budokan as he comes into view. Rushing down to the ring, he hands over the titles, the pageantry going through and the streamers flooding the ring before Nakajima’s first Triple Crown Title bout begins. MISAWA! NAKAJIMA! THE TRIPLE CROWN! HERE WE GO! The opening lockup is a tense one, Nakajima knowing Misawa was able to get control on the mat in short bursts in their first meeting, so he simply backs Misawa into the ropes, permitting a clean break by lightly clapping Misawa on the side of the face, drawing an “ooooh…” from the audience. They lock up once again, Nakajima sending Misawa into the ropes but being shoulder checked to the canvas, Misawa’s size advantage paying dividends. Nakajima’s quick to get up, perfectly executing an arm drag to take Misawa down, only for the champion to reverse with a headscissors, both men scrambling up for Nakajima to nail another arm drag, followed by another headscissors counter as BOTH MEN SPRING TO THEIR FEET AT A STALEMATE!
Misawa looks for another lockup, feeling confident he can outgrapple his foe, but Nakajima’s learned from his mistakes last time, realizing he can’t beat Misawa at his own game. He tentatively approaches for the lockup before promptly throwing a kick to the leg, the champion’s knee buckling momentarily for Nakajima to get an opening for a MAWASHI-GERI! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOO! Misawa rolls straight out to the floor to clear his head, the crowd buzzing as Nakajima follows him out to the apron, winding up for a PENALTY KICK TO THE CHEST, BUT MISAWA REVERSES WITH A DRAGON SCREW OFF THE APRON TO THE FLOOR, NAKAJIMA CRASHING AND BURNING TO THE OUTSIDE! Misawa staggers over to Nakajima to go for a rolling elbow, Nakajima ducking to avoid catastrophe and slipping behind to attempt a straitjacket german, Misawa rolling forward to buck him off before HOOKING BOTH ARMS FOR A TIGER SUPLEX, THE CROWD ERUPTING BEFORE NAKAJIMA LANDS AN INSIDE STOMP TO THE KNEE TO GET OUT OF THE HOLD! Both champion and challenger have taken heavy damage early, but Nakajima doesn’t seem to be out of his depth, connecting with focused, precise kicks to the knee and body, each blow sounding like a gunshot. He rolls Misawa back in, scaling the ropes for a MISSILE DROPKICK! ONE! TWO! THR-KICKOUT BY MISAWA, BUT NAKAJIMA’S FOUND HIMSELF IN CONTROL!
Continuing to work on the leg, Nakajima sinks in a single-leg crab, soaking in the heated response as Misawa manages to contort his way out, prying Nakajima’s leg up off the canvas before rolling under and BLASTING HIM WITH AN ELBOW ON THE JAW! The challenger stumbles into the ropes, cobwebs filling his head as Misawa goes on the offensive with a ROLLING ELBOW TO TAKE NAKAJIMA DOWN! ONE! TWO! TH-NOOO! Knowing his leg has limited mileage, Misawa tries to get all his power moves in early, leaning over and deadlifting Nakajima into a BACKDROP SUPLEX FOR TWO! Now it’s Nakajima’s turn to roll to the outside, Misawa winding himself up in the ring before RUNNING THE ROPES FOR AN ELBOW SUICIDA, BUT NAKAJIMA KNOWS HIS PLAYBOOK, INTERCEPTING HIM WITH A HUGE ROUNDHOUSE KICK! Nakajima drops to a knee clutching his shin, but Misawa clearly took the brunt of the impact, slumping through the ropes and tumbling to the floor in a crumpled heap. Nakajima grins, winking at the camera before hoisting the champion up, the entire Budokan gasping in shock as he delivers a VERTICAL SPIKE STRAIGHT ONTO THE FLOOR! NOBODY’S EVER KICKED OUT OF THE VERTICAL SPIKE, AND HE JUST NAILED ONE ON THE OUTSIDE! He sends Misawa between the ropes once more, hooking a leg and planting his palm squarely on the champion’s chest, a look of pure confidence on his face as the referee counts… ONE! TWO! THRE-MISAWA KICKS OUT!
It’s clear that we’re still too early in the match for Misawa to have accumulated enough damage to go down, but he’s quick to evacuate the ring, Nakajima left to seethe in the middle of the squared circle as Misawa makes the most of every second of recovery time. The referee’s count crosses ten, Nakajima content with a countout victory, knowing All Japan’s rules dictate a twenty-count countout can still force the title to change hands. At fourteen, Misawa begins to stir, and at fifteen, he tries and fails to get to his feet. Sixteen sees him drag himself up on the guardrail, the fans willing him on as he struggles to remain vertical. Seventeen has the crowd screaming, wanting to see Misawa’s fight continue, and then at eighteen, he makes a final burst to GET BACK IN THE RING AND BREAK THE COUNT! Nakajima goes straight for a BRUTALITY KICK, BUT MISAWA AVOIDS IT, SLIPPING BEHIND FOR A TIGER SUPLEX! HE GOT ALL OF IT! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO! Misawa’s taken far more damage than Nakajima, but he’s back in control, Nakajima barely able to get to his feet as Misawa looms over him, limping towards his challenger before rooting his bad foot and pivoting on it for a ROLLING ELBOW! ONE! TWO! THRE-ANOTHER KICKOUT!
Nakajima is propping himself up on the bottom rope, fighting back to his feet as Misawa lines him up for another rolling elbow, Nakajima only able to sidestep and HOTSHOT MISAWA INTO THE TOP ROPE, JUST AS MISAWA DID TO TSURUTA SO MANY TIMES! Misawa’s stunned by the quick impact to the throat, and Nakajima manages to capitalize with a low dropkick, taking the champion to a knee before going for a SPINNING HEEL KICK, BUT MISAWA DUCKS, HOOKING THE ARMS FOR ANOTHER TIGER SUPLEX ATTEMPT… NAKAJIMA LACES HIS FEET IN THE ROPES, HOLDING HIMSELF IN PLACE UNTIL THE REF FORCES A BREAK! Misawa releases, raring to go as Nakajima turns around, the Genius of the Kick connecting with a BIG BOOT AS MISAWA RUSHES HIM! HE BAITED HIM IN AGAIN! He goes for a second Vertical Spike attempt, Misawa countering with a drive into the corner, followed by a FLURRY OF ELBOWS TO THE JAW, ALL CATCHING NAKAJIMA SQUARE! ROLLING ELBOW CONNECTS AGAIN! He hooks the leg… ONE! TWO! THR-KICKOUT! Astonished, Misawa covers again, this time for another two count before hooking both of Nakajima’s arms… HE’S GOING FOR A TIGER DRIVER! NAKAJIMA’S WEAKNESS IS ON FULL DISPLAY! IF HE’S HIT WITH THIS, IT’S OVER… HE GETS HIS HEAD FREE, REVERSING INTO AKIYAMA’S NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX! ONE! TWO! MISAWA POWERS OUT! Nakajima swivels around to try and get a shot off on the champion, but Misawa drops his head, uncorking a SPINNING HEEL KICK OF HIS OWN THAT NAKAJIMA NARROWLY AVOIDS, SNAGGING MISAWA FOR A STRAITJACKET GERMAN! ONE! TWO! THRE-MISAWA GETS THE SHOULDER UP!
“Fuck it we ball” mode has engaged for Nakajima, who came in with a brilliant strategy and now gets to reap the rewards by leading a fairly one-sided bout against the best in the world. However, he wasn’t expecting Misawa to keep kicking out, so he leaps right into a flurry of offense, throwing caution to the wind in the hopes that he can knock Misawa out before Misawa can manage to find a Tiger Driver sized opening. He lights him up with a series of kicks, suplexes him right on his head, but nothing’s enough, forcing him to once again call for the Brutality Kick. He makes his way to the corner, Misawa lying prone as he CHARGES IN, BUT MISAWA ROLLS ASIDE, SWEEPING OUT HIS LEG BEFORE NAILING A BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! He follows it with an axe kick to the back of the head, a spiteful look on his face reminiscent of Jumbo Tsuruta’s as the crowd get to their feet - they’re about to watch the true Ace come out, Mitsuharu Misawa having been pushed up against the wall until he had enough. He’s about to show Nakajima there are levels to this game, and he delivers a TIGER SUPLEX ‘85! ONE! TWO! THRE-NAKAJIMA KICKS OUT! Incredulous, Misawa hauls him up by the arms, hooking them as he drags him into position for a Tiger Driver. He knows that Nakajima can’t kick out of a powerbomb variant, nevermind one as powerful as the Tiger Driver, but Nakajima refuses to say die, stomping on the foot to try and earn a reprieve before grapevining Misawa’s leg with his own, trying to force him to the mat… MISAWA WITH AN ELBOW STRIKE TO THE BASE OF THE SKULL, AND NOW A TIGER DRIVER! ONE! TWO! THRE-NAKAJIMA IS STILL IN IT, AND THE NIPPON BUDOKAN HAS EXPLODED!
Letting out a roar of frustration that’s lost in the deafening cheers of the crowd, Misawa lifts Nakajima up by the trapped arms once again. If one didn’t do it, two will, but Nakajima lets himself go limp, Misawa unable to stabilize him on one good leg. Dropping the barely conscious Genius of the Kick back to the canvas, Misawa pounds some feeling back into his leg with a few punches, firing himself up before trying again, but NAKAJIMA LAUNCHES HIMSELF SKYWARDS WITH A HEADBUTT TO THE BRIDGE OF THE NOSE! Agony sears across Misawa’s face, just as it did for Akiyama, and Nakajima immediately hooks his head for a VERTICAL SPIKE, BUT MISAWA FLOATS OVER, LANDING ON HIS BAD LEG! NAKAJIMA KICKS THE KNEE, AND NOW THROWS A MAWASHI-GERI… MISAWA GRABS THE LEG, TRAPPING NAKAJIMA FOR AN EXPLODER SUPLEX! THE LEGACY OF AKIYAMA HAUNTS HIM FROM AFAR, MISAWA SCRAMBLING INTO POSITION TO DELIVER A SECOND TIGER DRIVER! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Mitsuharu Misawa def. Katsuhiko Nakajima (27:27) to retain the Triple Crown Title
Heartbroken after coming so tantalizingly close, Nakajima can only struggle to his feet and watch as Misawa celebrates with Kobashi and Akiyama. Kawada is there to comfort him, nobody on Earth knowing Nakajima’s pain better than Dangerous K, but something has clearly switched in Nakajima’s brain. He came within milliseconds. He’s gotten better every time, but that time… if he’d only done a few tiny things differently, he’d be champion, and he knows it. He knows he has what it takes to be Triple Crown Champion, as does the Budokan… and as does Misawa, who extends a hand to the vanquished challenger. Kawada looks at the champion with gritted teeth, telling Nakajima he can do as he chooses. Nakajima looks Misawa in the eyes and snubs him, taking the loss hard and rolling out of the ring, clutching an ice pack to his neck. Both he and Kawada, on behalf of the Holy Demon Army, were so close… yet so far.
Champion Carnival 1994
With the Excite Series wrapped up and Nakajima’s bid for the Triple Crown having come and gone without success, his next best bet is to rebound in the Champion Carnival. His Budokan main event served as his coming out party, and now he’s seen as one of the favourites to take the tournament home, alongside stablemates Kawada and Taue, rivals Misawa and Kobashi, and old foes turned top gaijins, Stan Hansen and Dr. Death Steve Williams. His matches with any midcarders are fairly elementary, picking up wins over Doug Furnas, The Eagle, John Nord, Johnny Ace and a hard-fought victory in the next chapter of his rivalry with Jun Akiyama. He even earns a forfeit victory over Mitsuharu Misawa, who sustains an injury early in the tournament, opening up the field for everyone else to take home the trophy. He fights Toshiaki Kawada to a violent thirty minute time limit draw, impressing the crowd by going the distance while also impressing Dangerous K himself, both men shaking hands after the bell to show there’s no ill will in their competitive pursuit of All Japan’s top prize. He defeats Akira Taue in a massive intra-stable collision, and even manages to defeat Kenta Kobashi, making him the sole competitor in the tournament to notch a clean sweep over the Super Generation Army in the tournament, albeit on a technicality against Misawa. However, his luck runs out against Dr. Death, who lays him out with a powerbomb for the win, and then finally against Stan Hansen, who delivers two unfathomably stiff lariats to take the Genius of the Kick down and eliminate him on the final night of the tournament with an astonishing 17 points, just two shy of the eventual victor, Toshiaki Kawada.
Following Kawada’s victory, Nakajima is naturally disappointed he didn’t get the win himself, but he still comes off as completely sincere as he congratulates his stablemate, Kawada’s stoic demeanour slipping for a moment as he raises his arms and fights back the tears on the shoulders of both Nakajima and Taue. He shakes Williams’ hand to an ovation, the crowd lauding his efforts as he stands alongside the trophy, saying that he’s ready to take the championship from Mitsuharu Misawa and finally pin him for the first time… and he’ll meet him on a date all puro fans know - June 3rd, 1994. Nakajima stands alongside Kawada, patting him on the back as the revelry continues, nobody in the world ready for what’s to come.
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The battle officially begins on the first show of the Summer Action Series, where the first ever elimination match in AJPW history will take place, pitting Nakajima, Taue and Kawada against Misawa, Kobashi and the newest Super Generation Army member, Jun Akiyama. With all six men being nigh unbeatable, at least three of them will have to fall short at Korakuen Hall, and nobody can wait to see this one unfold.
Summer Action Series 1993, Night 1 - Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Elimination: Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima, Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada) vs. Super Generation Army (Jun Akiyama, Kenta Kobashi and Mitsuharu Misawa)
The energy is unparalleled in Korakuen Hall, with Toshiaki Kawada and Mitsuharu Misawa on a collision course and the Holy Demon Army striving to cement their status - but picking up a win here means pinning or submitting not only AJPW’s top rookie in Akiyama, not only its hottest rising babyface in Kobashi, not only the untouchable forever champion Mitsuharu Misawa… but all three. Kobashi and Kawada kick things off, Kawada taking the fight to Kobashi and highlighting his newfound brutality with a wild flurry of kicks, followed by a BOOT OFF THE APRON TO MISAWA! Korakuen explodes as Misawa rushes in, but Taue grabs him by the throat, only for Akiyama to blast Taue with a forearm before hoisting him up with an EXPLODER SUPLEX! It’s the first time anyone’s seen that, and Taue sells it like death, dropping to the floor as Akiyama roars out before EATING A SUPERKICK FROM NAKAJIMA! Nakajima stares down Misawa, giving Kawada the opening to take him down, but Kobashi gets back on Kawada before tagging in the Triple Crown Champion. Here we go.
Misawa and Kawada circle each other, Kawada lunging in with a gamengiri that Misawa blocks with a forearm, but that’s just fine by Dangerous K, who immediately targets the arm with some vicious offense. He tags in Nakajima, Nakajima working the arm over with more kicks before locking in a Fujiwara Armbar, forcing Misawa to the ropes. He tags in Taue before charging at Misawa, Misawa low bridging Nakajima over as Taue goes on the attack, bearing down on the champion with relentless force. He goes for a powerbomb, Misawa barely fighting free and diving for the tag to Kobashi, but Taue holds him steady before eating a ROLLING ELBOW! Misawa tags in Kobashi, who levels Taue with a Burning Lariat, going for the MOONSAULT PRESS AS MISAWA TAGS BACK IN… TAUE ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY, AND NAKAJIMA BLINDSIDES KOBASHI WITH A MAWASHI-GERI BEFORE AKIYAMA SENDS HIM PACKING! Kawada runs in, Misawa dropping him with an elbow as well before hooking Taue’s arms… TIGER DRIVER! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Akira Taue is eliminated
Nakajima rushes straight in before Kawada can make himself legal and trip himself up on emotion alone, catching Misawa off guard with a palm strike to the ear and a STRAITJACKET GERMAN! ONE! TWO! THR-KICKOUT! He goes right back to work on the arm, focusing his kicks towards the head and forcing Misawa to keep blocking. Once Misawa gets in the rhythm of ducking, Nakajima goes straight to the leg, depriving him of mobility and forcing him to rely on blocks. The crowd is awestruck, Nakajima methodically and maliciously picking apart the company’s ace, but soon enough, he learns the same lesson as everyone else… Misawa’s elbow is god. Misawa nails a rolling elbow to drop Nakajima like a sack of potatoes, but as he goes to tag Kobashi, KAWADA PULLS HIM OFF THE APRON! Kawada lunges at Akiyama, but Misawa NAILS AN ELBOW SUICIDA, ROLLING BACK IN TO TAG AKIYAMA! Misawa makes a beeline for Kawada on the floor, both men brawling around ringside as Akiyama squares up with the man that he once called a friend, but who eventually capitalized on his absence in the Champion Carnival, stole his shine, became the heralded rookie in his stead.
Nakajima smirks, and BOTH MEN START SWINGING! Akiyama is clearly levels below his former tag partner Nakajima, but he gives Nakajima a ton of trouble, assaulting the neck with a barrage of suplexes and stiff forearms to keep him on the ropes before GOING FOR THE EXPLODER AGAIN, BUT NAKAJIMA FIGHTS FREE FOR A PALM STRIKE AND A MAWASHI-GERI! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO! He goes for the Brutality Kick, Akiyama evading it and going for a BACKDROP SUPLEX, BUT NAKAJIMA FLIPS OVER TO LAND ON HIS FEET, BRAINING AKIYAMA WITH ANOTHER PALM STRIKE… BUT AKIYAMA FIRES BACK WITH A FOREARM TO DROP NAKAJIMA TO HIS KNEES! He delivers a knee lift to Nakajima’s face, letting out a battle cry before hoisting him up for another Exploder attempt, Nakajima reversing desperately into a cradle… ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO! AKIYAMA SPRINGS UP, THROWING A FRANTIC LARIAT, BUT NAKAJIMA INTERCEPTS FOR A VERTICAL SPIKE! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Jun Akiyama is eliminated
Exhausted, Nakajima collapses, Kawada not in the corner to receive him, and he’s immediately met with the onslaught of physicality that is Kenta Kobashi, who FLIES OFF THE ROPES WITH AN ELBOW FOR TWO! Nakajima is entirely depleted after his showdown with Akiyama, desperately firing back with the odd stiff and brutal kick to the head or body, but Kobashi’s a brick shithouse, absorbing the blows before backing him up into the corner for a series of chops. With the air driven out of him, Nakajima can hardly fight back against the devastating backdrop suplex Kobashi hits him with, followed by a BURNING LARIAT! ONE! TWO! THRE-KAWADA MAKES THE SAVE! Kawada nails a high boot on Kobashi, calling for Nakajima to make the tag, and Nakajima slowly crawls towards the ropes before his boot is grabbed by a defiant Kobashi. Kobashi pulls him back, Nakajima kicking his way free before DIVING FOR THE HOT TAG, BUT MISAWA TURNS THE TIDES BY GIVING KAWADA A TASTE OF HIS OWN MEDICINE, HEAVING HIM OFF THE APRON AS NAKAJIMA TAGS THIN AIR! Nakajima pivots, accepting his fate and going out swinging with a HUGE KICK TO THE BODY, BUT KOBASHI FIGHTS THROUGH THE PAIN TO FLOOR HIM WITH A SPINNING BACKHAND! NOW A DROPKICK TAKES NAKAJIMA DOWN COMPLETELY, AND KOBASHI FINISHES IT OFF WITH A VERTICAL BRAINBUSTER! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Katsuhiko Nakajima is eliminated
Stuck in a two on one against the company’s two top faces, it’s pretty elementary for Kawada, who gives it all he’s got and manages to further injure Misawa’s arm ahead of their Triple Crown showdown, but he’s eventually shut down by a tag team flurry and a Tiger Driver that grants a hard-fought win to the Super Generation Army.
Super Generation Army def. Holy Demon Army (42:13)
Summer Action Series 1993
The rest of the tour sees more tag team action for the Holy Demon Army, Kawada and Taue getting their reps in as Nakajima goes back to work teaming with Fuchi. However, Nakajima also gets some singles shine, insisting he wants to climb the ranks and earn a shot at the Triple Crown - but also saying he stands by Kawada’s pursuit no matter what. He goes undefeated in singles across the entire tour, established as a true breakout star, and the Holy Demon Army fares remarkably well in tag action, setting the stage for Night 22, the final event on the tour, where Mitsuharu Misawa defends the Triple Crown against his onetime best friend, Toshiaki Kawada. Nakajima corners Kawada at the Budokan for the biggest match of his life, but in the end, Misawa has to dig deep into his bag of tricks. Kawada kicks out of everything he can throw, until… TIGER DRIVER ‘91! ONE! TWO! THREE!. Kawada failed, and is left to lick his wounds as Misawa, aided by Jun Akiyama, raises the gold and poses with the trophy. Barely able to stand, Kawada’s helped to his feet by the Genius of the Kick, who stares at the champion with looks of pure contempt.
Giant Series 1993
It’s time for the final non-tournament tour of 1993, and Nakajima’s singles prowess only grows, notching increasingly major wins over the likes of Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, Johnny Ace and even a huge victory over Ted DiBiase. He works alongside the Holy Demon Army in a series of tags as well, the team building momentum out of Kawada’s unfortunate loss to Misawa by regaining the AJPW Tag Team Titles for Kawada and Taue, while also recruiting a new member in rookie Yoshinari Ogawa. The end of the tour sees the announcement of the 1994 Asunaro Cup, a round robin tournament designed for All Japan’s newest and youngest stars to compete with one another. Jun Akiyama is slotted as the favourite to win, especially as Nakajima is too experienced to be included in the field, but he declares that he debuted in All Japan on the same day as Akiyama, and should be afforded the same opportunity at the trophy. He says with the Junior Heavyweight Title and Tag Team Titles already belonging to the Holy Demon Army, his only hope is the Triple Crown or the Asunaro Cup… but regardless, it’s high time he notch an accolade.
Real World Tag League 1993
Nakajima spends his Real World Tag League teaming with Masanobu Fuchi as the Holy Demon Army’s secondary team, the defending champions Kawada and Taue running roughshod over their foes as the tournament kicks off. Nakajima and Fuchi also fare remarkably well, Fuchi’s veteran instincts and submission prowess pairing perfectly with Nakajima’s striking and burgeoning mercilessness. They start off with a loss to Misawa and Kobashi, but otherwise dominate, racking up win after win as they hurtle towards the final night. In an intra-faction battle, Taue pins Fuchi to set Nakajima and Fuchi back, but Nakajima rebounds with a huge win over Stan Hansen’s team with Giant Baba. On the final night, Nakajima and Fuchi are sitting in third place, but a win could just rocket them into the lead. However, their last opponents are the Super Generation Army’s Akiyama and Kikuchi, and, in the end, Akiyama does the unimaginable and pins Nakajima with an exploder suplex, Nakajima apoplectic with rage as Misawa and Kobashi end up winning the tournament and the AJPW Tag Team Titles. Misawa’s unstoppable, and now a double champion, and Nakajima knows he needs a decisive win if he’s to have a hope of stepping to the Emerald Ace in Kawada’s stead. It’s made official - he’ll have his chance at revenge against Akiyama in the Asunaro Cup.
New Year Giant Series 1994
The Asunaro Cup sees Nakajima fucking dominate. The first tour of 1993 is simple - Akiyama and Nakajima always win. They both beat everybody else. They both go undefeated, save for one draw… against each other, battling to the time limit on the opening night. However, when all is said and done, they’re the two top scorers, and they have to meet in the Final on the last day of the tour to determine who takes home the trophy. It’ll be Nakajima vs. Akiyama once again, with Akiyama looking to take down his onetime friend and Nakajima looking to progress into the main event scene for good by putting down Misawa and Kobashi’s trainee, while also joining Toshiaki Kawada as one of two men to win the Asunaro Cup, keeping the accolade exclusive to the Holy Demon Army.
New Year Giant Series 1994, Night 20 - Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Asunaro Cup Final: Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Jun Akiyama
It all comes down to this - in the same place they both debuted for All Japan on the same night a year and a half prior, Jun Akiyama and Katsuhiko Nakajima square up in the battle heralded as the future of the Holy Demon Army and the future of the Super Generation Army colliding. The crowd is at capacity, and they’re deafening as Nakajima enters, his hair having grown into an unkempt copper coloured mane in the time since he teamed with Akiyama. Akiyama’s out next, and as he steps through the ropes, NAKAJIMA LAYS HIM OUT WITH A BOOT! HE’S NOT WAITING! Akiyama tumbles to the floor, Nakajima in rapid pursuit with another high kick and a thunderous shoot kick to the chest, whipping Akiyama into the barrier for a series of forearms and a MAWASHI-GERI! He takes in the crowd’s jeering with a smirk, gesturing that he’s got his eyes on the camera as well as the Asunaro Trophy before laying into Akiyama with a PALM STRIKE, FLUSH ON THE EAR! Jun is rocked, stumbling through the barrier gap and into the rows of seating as Nakajima follows him out, battering him with forearms before Akiyama roars in his face and NAILS A SUPLEX INTO THE FRONT ROW OF CHAIRS!
Returning the action to the ring, it’s a war of attrition between both men, Nakajima looking to simply beat Akiyama into submission, but the Supernova refusing to give in to the punishment while still dishing out his own, laying Nakajima out with a high knee lift before paying homage to his mentor Kobashi with a flurry of chops in the corner. He calls for a powerbomb, Nakajima reversing with a back body drop before dishing out a SPINNING HEEL KICK, DROPPING AKIYAMA TO HIS BACK! He wraps up Akiyama’s arms, following it with a BRIDGING STRAITJACKET SUPLEX! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOO! With a smirk, knowing he’s in the lead, he hits Kenta Kobashi’s signature taunt, drawing a sea of boos from the crowd as he clambers to the top rope to go for a MOONSAULT PRESS, BUT AKIYAMA MEETS HIM UP TOP! Everyone is anxiously holding their breath as Akiyama clobbers the back of Nakajima’s head, Nakajima turning around as AKIYAMA CALLS FOR AN EXPLODER SUPLEX! NO! NO! Nakajima desperately kicks out his leg, following it with an ELBOW TO THE HEAD, FORCING AKIYAMA DOWN TO THE MAT! Akiyama scrambles back up to his feet… MISSILE DROPKICK FROM NAKAJIMA SNIPES HIM RIGHT ON THE JAW! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO!
The Genius of the Kick is completely in the driver’s seat, and now he’s relishing in dishing out punishment to Akiyama, talking smack as he lays in devastating kicks to the body. The Supernova is coughing and wheezing, clutching his ribs as Nakajima rushes at him with a BRUTALITY KICK, BUT AKIYAMA HAS THE WHEREWITHAL TO ROLL UNDER THE ROPES! Nakajima follows with a few needlessly petty stomps to the body on the apron, the referee insisting he back up before Akiyama reenters the ring, only to be tossed into the turnbuckles for a BIG BOOT IN THE CORNER, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER SERIES OF FOREARMS TO SIT AKIYAMA DOWN! He digs his boots into Akiyama’s face, lying across the ropes for SHOWTIME! Making direct eye contact with the camera as Akiyama squirms, Nakajima talks some more shit, finally dropping down at a four count before going for a VERTICAL SPIKE, BUT AKIYAMA COUNTERS INTO A NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX! HE GOT HIM! KORAKUEN HALL LEAPS UP AS THE REFEREE MAKES THE COUNT… ONE! TWO! THRE-KICKOUT! Akiyama can’t believe it, but he has to earn this comeback, knowing he’s still taken more cumulative damage than Nakajima. He wraps him up for an Exploder Suplex, letting out a battle cry as he HOISTS HIM UP, BUT NAKAJIMA CRACKS HIM SQUARE ON THE NOSE WITH A HEADBUTT! Dazed and confused, Akiyama staggers momentarily, giving Nakajima room for A SUPERKICK UNDER THE JAW, AND NOW A BOOT TO THE FACE! AKIYAMA’S ON THE ROPES… MAWASHI-GERI LANDS! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Katsuhiko Nakajima def. Jun Akiyama (18:09) to win the 1994 Asunaro Cup
There’s a sickening smile on Nakajima’s face as he crouches next to the Asunaro Trophy, Kawada coming down to the ring to congratulate him on his victory. Kenta Kobashi and Mitsuharu Misawa usher a dejected Akiyama out of the ring as Nakajima celebrates, both he and Kawada eyeing up the Triple Crown Champion. Nakajima’s done with the bush leagues - he’s ready to move up.
Excite Series 1994, Night 1 - Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Holy Demon Army (Katsuhiko Nakajima and Toshiaki Kawada) vs. Super Generation Army (Jun Akiyama and Mitsuharu Misawa)
The 1994 Excite Series kicks off with a huge main event, Akiyama and Misawa teaming up against Nakajima and Kawada in a straightforward tag match. Kawada and Misawa spend much of the bout brawling, seemingly out of obligation as Kawada tries to prove himself worthy. Akiyama looks to avenge his Asunaro loss against Nakajima while Nakajima turns his focus towards the Triple Crown Champion, leading to a heated showdown between them, everyone frantically tagging in and out to try and secure the upper hand in the match. Kawada and Nakajima finally show some real chemistry, managing to piece Misawa up and make him look mortal for a few minutes, but Misawa breaks through the armour with a rolling elbow and a tag to Akiyama. Akiyama runs wild, rebounding from the Asunaro Cup Final with a flurry of shots to both Nakajima and Kawada before ejecting Kawada from the ring with an EXPLODER SUPLEX! He scrambles to get to his feet, but NAKAJIMA PUNTS HIM SQUARE IN THE FACE WITH A BRUTALITY KICK! Blood gushes from Akiyama’s nose like a faucet as Nakajima follows it with a VERTICAL SPIKE! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Holy Demon Army def. Super Generation Army (20:44)
It may not have been the pinfall over Misawa either of the Holy Demon Army tandem were hoping for, but it’ll most certainly do. However, Nakajima has an idea on how to send a message to Misawa, staking his claim to the gold by pie-facing Akiyama and using his blood as gel to slick back his own mane of hair. With a chuckle and a half-smile, he eyes up the Triple Crown Champion, letting Akiyama roll out of the ring while Kawada stands his ground beside the Genius of the Kick, proud of the win but clearly upset that he once again failed to break the curse by pinning Misawa for the first time.
Excite Series 1994
The rest of the tour continues as a series of multiman tags, but it’s made official that at the end of the tour, Asunaro Cup Winner Katsuhiko Nakajima will face off with Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa in singles competition for the third time, this time for All Japan’s top prize. Misawa’s beaten Nakajima to end his Trial Series on a loss, he’s beaten Nakajima to end his first Champion Carnival run, but this time, Nakajima intends to get revenge by ending the most legendary title reign in All Japan’s history. He seems to be a new man and deeply daunting challenger, and while there’s tensions with Kawada as a result of Dangerous K’s desire to dethrone Misawa, he’s still got the Holy Demon Army on his side. The unit is dominant on the road to the Budokan, racking up multiman wins over the gaijin units and the Super Generation Army, but Misawa still remains an insurmountable obstacle for them. They can go around him by pinning his partners, but nobody can go through him - so it’s up to Nakajima to see if he can be the first.
Excite Series 1994, Night 12 - Nippon Budokan, Tokyo
Triple Crown Title: Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (c)
The Genius of the Kick has a pretty good track record at the Budokan, but this is a whole different ball game. Misawa is shown pacing backstage with his three championships, the crowd erupting as he appears before greeting Nakajima with a much more mixed response, the challenger displayed stretching out his legs with his jacket’s hood swung over his eyes. He’s out first, the capacity crowd clamouring around him as he makes his way to the ring at a light jog, a confident smirk on his face as he pulls the hood back on his new entrance attire. He has new ring gear, too, with red stripes running down the sides of his trunks. Looking ready for battle, the only question is if he’ll be able to pull off the shock of the century with a win over the Ace, who blows the roof off the Budokan as he comes into view. Rushing down to the ring, he hands over the titles, the pageantry going through and the streamers flooding the ring before Nakajima’s first Triple Crown Title bout begins. MISAWA! NAKAJIMA! THE TRIPLE CROWN! HERE WE GO! The opening lockup is a tense one, Nakajima knowing Misawa was able to get control on the mat in short bursts in their first meeting, so he simply backs Misawa into the ropes, permitting a clean break by lightly clapping Misawa on the side of the face, drawing an “ooooh…” from the audience. They lock up once again, Nakajima sending Misawa into the ropes but being shoulder checked to the canvas, Misawa’s size advantage paying dividends. Nakajima’s quick to get up, perfectly executing an arm drag to take Misawa down, only for the champion to reverse with a headscissors, both men scrambling up for Nakajima to nail another arm drag, followed by another headscissors counter as BOTH MEN SPRING TO THEIR FEET AT A STALEMATE!
Misawa looks for another lockup, feeling confident he can outgrapple his foe, but Nakajima’s learned from his mistakes last time, realizing he can’t beat Misawa at his own game. He tentatively approaches for the lockup before promptly throwing a kick to the leg, the champion’s knee buckling momentarily for Nakajima to get an opening for a MAWASHI-GERI! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOO! Misawa rolls straight out to the floor to clear his head, the crowd buzzing as Nakajima follows him out to the apron, winding up for a PENALTY KICK TO THE CHEST, BUT MISAWA REVERSES WITH A DRAGON SCREW OFF THE APRON TO THE FLOOR, NAKAJIMA CRASHING AND BURNING TO THE OUTSIDE! Misawa staggers over to Nakajima to go for a rolling elbow, Nakajima ducking to avoid catastrophe and slipping behind to attempt a straitjacket german, Misawa rolling forward to buck him off before HOOKING BOTH ARMS FOR A TIGER SUPLEX, THE CROWD ERUPTING BEFORE NAKAJIMA LANDS AN INSIDE STOMP TO THE KNEE TO GET OUT OF THE HOLD! Both champion and challenger have taken heavy damage early, but Nakajima doesn’t seem to be out of his depth, connecting with focused, precise kicks to the knee and body, each blow sounding like a gunshot. He rolls Misawa back in, scaling the ropes for a MISSILE DROPKICK! ONE! TWO! THR-KICKOUT BY MISAWA, BUT NAKAJIMA’S FOUND HIMSELF IN CONTROL!
Continuing to work on the leg, Nakajima sinks in a single-leg crab, soaking in the heated response as Misawa manages to contort his way out, prying Nakajima’s leg up off the canvas before rolling under and BLASTING HIM WITH AN ELBOW ON THE JAW! The challenger stumbles into the ropes, cobwebs filling his head as Misawa goes on the offensive with a ROLLING ELBOW TO TAKE NAKAJIMA DOWN! ONE! TWO! TH-NOOO! Knowing his leg has limited mileage, Misawa tries to get all his power moves in early, leaning over and deadlifting Nakajima into a BACKDROP SUPLEX FOR TWO! Now it’s Nakajima’s turn to roll to the outside, Misawa winding himself up in the ring before RUNNING THE ROPES FOR AN ELBOW SUICIDA, BUT NAKAJIMA KNOWS HIS PLAYBOOK, INTERCEPTING HIM WITH A HUGE ROUNDHOUSE KICK! Nakajima drops to a knee clutching his shin, but Misawa clearly took the brunt of the impact, slumping through the ropes and tumbling to the floor in a crumpled heap. Nakajima grins, winking at the camera before hoisting the champion up, the entire Budokan gasping in shock as he delivers a VERTICAL SPIKE STRAIGHT ONTO THE FLOOR! NOBODY’S EVER KICKED OUT OF THE VERTICAL SPIKE, AND HE JUST NAILED ONE ON THE OUTSIDE! He sends Misawa between the ropes once more, hooking a leg and planting his palm squarely on the champion’s chest, a look of pure confidence on his face as the referee counts… ONE! TWO! THRE-MISAWA KICKS OUT!
It’s clear that we’re still too early in the match for Misawa to have accumulated enough damage to go down, but he’s quick to evacuate the ring, Nakajima left to seethe in the middle of the squared circle as Misawa makes the most of every second of recovery time. The referee’s count crosses ten, Nakajima content with a countout victory, knowing All Japan’s rules dictate a twenty-count countout can still force the title to change hands. At fourteen, Misawa begins to stir, and at fifteen, he tries and fails to get to his feet. Sixteen sees him drag himself up on the guardrail, the fans willing him on as he struggles to remain vertical. Seventeen has the crowd screaming, wanting to see Misawa’s fight continue, and then at eighteen, he makes a final burst to GET BACK IN THE RING AND BREAK THE COUNT! Nakajima goes straight for a BRUTALITY KICK, BUT MISAWA AVOIDS IT, SLIPPING BEHIND FOR A TIGER SUPLEX! HE GOT ALL OF IT! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO! Misawa’s taken far more damage than Nakajima, but he’s back in control, Nakajima barely able to get to his feet as Misawa looms over him, limping towards his challenger before rooting his bad foot and pivoting on it for a ROLLING ELBOW! ONE! TWO! THRE-ANOTHER KICKOUT!
Nakajima is propping himself up on the bottom rope, fighting back to his feet as Misawa lines him up for another rolling elbow, Nakajima only able to sidestep and HOTSHOT MISAWA INTO THE TOP ROPE, JUST AS MISAWA DID TO TSURUTA SO MANY TIMES! Misawa’s stunned by the quick impact to the throat, and Nakajima manages to capitalize with a low dropkick, taking the champion to a knee before going for a SPINNING HEEL KICK, BUT MISAWA DUCKS, HOOKING THE ARMS FOR ANOTHER TIGER SUPLEX ATTEMPT… NAKAJIMA LACES HIS FEET IN THE ROPES, HOLDING HIMSELF IN PLACE UNTIL THE REF FORCES A BREAK! Misawa releases, raring to go as Nakajima turns around, the Genius of the Kick connecting with a BIG BOOT AS MISAWA RUSHES HIM! HE BAITED HIM IN AGAIN! He goes for a second Vertical Spike attempt, Misawa countering with a drive into the corner, followed by a FLURRY OF ELBOWS TO THE JAW, ALL CATCHING NAKAJIMA SQUARE! ROLLING ELBOW CONNECTS AGAIN! He hooks the leg… ONE! TWO! THR-KICKOUT! Astonished, Misawa covers again, this time for another two count before hooking both of Nakajima’s arms… HE’S GOING FOR A TIGER DRIVER! NAKAJIMA’S WEAKNESS IS ON FULL DISPLAY! IF HE’S HIT WITH THIS, IT’S OVER… HE GETS HIS HEAD FREE, REVERSING INTO AKIYAMA’S NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX! ONE! TWO! MISAWA POWERS OUT! Nakajima swivels around to try and get a shot off on the champion, but Misawa drops his head, uncorking a SPINNING HEEL KICK OF HIS OWN THAT NAKAJIMA NARROWLY AVOIDS, SNAGGING MISAWA FOR A STRAITJACKET GERMAN! ONE! TWO! THRE-MISAWA GETS THE SHOULDER UP!
“Fuck it we ball” mode has engaged for Nakajima, who came in with a brilliant strategy and now gets to reap the rewards by leading a fairly one-sided bout against the best in the world. However, he wasn’t expecting Misawa to keep kicking out, so he leaps right into a flurry of offense, throwing caution to the wind in the hopes that he can knock Misawa out before Misawa can manage to find a Tiger Driver sized opening. He lights him up with a series of kicks, suplexes him right on his head, but nothing’s enough, forcing him to once again call for the Brutality Kick. He makes his way to the corner, Misawa lying prone as he CHARGES IN, BUT MISAWA ROLLS ASIDE, SWEEPING OUT HIS LEG BEFORE NAILING A BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! He follows it with an axe kick to the back of the head, a spiteful look on his face reminiscent of Jumbo Tsuruta’s as the crowd get to their feet - they’re about to watch the true Ace come out, Mitsuharu Misawa having been pushed up against the wall until he had enough. He’s about to show Nakajima there are levels to this game, and he delivers a TIGER SUPLEX ‘85! ONE! TWO! THRE-NAKAJIMA KICKS OUT! Incredulous, Misawa hauls him up by the arms, hooking them as he drags him into position for a Tiger Driver. He knows that Nakajima can’t kick out of a powerbomb variant, nevermind one as powerful as the Tiger Driver, but Nakajima refuses to say die, stomping on the foot to try and earn a reprieve before grapevining Misawa’s leg with his own, trying to force him to the mat… MISAWA WITH AN ELBOW STRIKE TO THE BASE OF THE SKULL, AND NOW A TIGER DRIVER! ONE! TWO! THRE-NAKAJIMA IS STILL IN IT, AND THE NIPPON BUDOKAN HAS EXPLODED!
Letting out a roar of frustration that’s lost in the deafening cheers of the crowd, Misawa lifts Nakajima up by the trapped arms once again. If one didn’t do it, two will, but Nakajima lets himself go limp, Misawa unable to stabilize him on one good leg. Dropping the barely conscious Genius of the Kick back to the canvas, Misawa pounds some feeling back into his leg with a few punches, firing himself up before trying again, but NAKAJIMA LAUNCHES HIMSELF SKYWARDS WITH A HEADBUTT TO THE BRIDGE OF THE NOSE! Agony sears across Misawa’s face, just as it did for Akiyama, and Nakajima immediately hooks his head for a VERTICAL SPIKE, BUT MISAWA FLOATS OVER, LANDING ON HIS BAD LEG! NAKAJIMA KICKS THE KNEE, AND NOW THROWS A MAWASHI-GERI… MISAWA GRABS THE LEG, TRAPPING NAKAJIMA FOR AN EXPLODER SUPLEX! THE LEGACY OF AKIYAMA HAUNTS HIM FROM AFAR, MISAWA SCRAMBLING INTO POSITION TO DELIVER A SECOND TIGER DRIVER! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Mitsuharu Misawa def. Katsuhiko Nakajima (27:27) to retain the Triple Crown Title
Heartbroken after coming so tantalizingly close, Nakajima can only struggle to his feet and watch as Misawa celebrates with Kobashi and Akiyama. Kawada is there to comfort him, nobody on Earth knowing Nakajima’s pain better than Dangerous K, but something has clearly switched in Nakajima’s brain. He came within milliseconds. He’s gotten better every time, but that time… if he’d only done a few tiny things differently, he’d be champion, and he knows it. He knows he has what it takes to be Triple Crown Champion, as does the Budokan… and as does Misawa, who extends a hand to the vanquished challenger. Kawada looks at the champion with gritted teeth, telling Nakajima he can do as he chooses. Nakajima looks Misawa in the eyes and snubs him, taking the loss hard and rolling out of the ring, clutching an ice pack to his neck. Both he and Kawada, on behalf of the Holy Demon Army, were so close… yet so far.
Champion Carnival 1994
With the Excite Series wrapped up and Nakajima’s bid for the Triple Crown having come and gone without success, his next best bet is to rebound in the Champion Carnival. His Budokan main event served as his coming out party, and now he’s seen as one of the favourites to take the tournament home, alongside stablemates Kawada and Taue, rivals Misawa and Kobashi, and old foes turned top gaijins, Stan Hansen and Dr. Death Steve Williams. His matches with any midcarders are fairly elementary, picking up wins over Doug Furnas, The Eagle, John Nord, Johnny Ace and a hard-fought victory in the next chapter of his rivalry with Jun Akiyama. He even earns a forfeit victory over Mitsuharu Misawa, who sustains an injury early in the tournament, opening up the field for everyone else to take home the trophy. He fights Toshiaki Kawada to a violent thirty minute time limit draw, impressing the crowd by going the distance while also impressing Dangerous K himself, both men shaking hands after the bell to show there’s no ill will in their competitive pursuit of All Japan’s top prize. He defeats Akira Taue in a massive intra-stable collision, and even manages to defeat Kenta Kobashi, making him the sole competitor in the tournament to notch a clean sweep over the Super Generation Army in the tournament, albeit on a technicality against Misawa. However, his luck runs out against Dr. Death, who lays him out with a powerbomb for the win, and then finally against Stan Hansen, who delivers two unfathomably stiff lariats to take the Genius of the Kick down and eliminate him on the final night of the tournament with an astonishing 17 points, just two shy of the eventual victor, Toshiaki Kawada.
Following Kawada’s victory, Nakajima is naturally disappointed he didn’t get the win himself, but he still comes off as completely sincere as he congratulates his stablemate, Kawada’s stoic demeanour slipping for a moment as he raises his arms and fights back the tears on the shoulders of both Nakajima and Taue. He shakes Williams’ hand to an ovation, the crowd lauding his efforts as he stands alongside the trophy, saying that he’s ready to take the championship from Mitsuharu Misawa and finally pin him for the first time… and he’ll meet him on a date all puro fans know - June 3rd, 1994. Nakajima stands alongside Kawada, patting him on the back as the revelry continues, nobody in the world ready for what’s to come.
2024.03.31 17:51 Lit-Up Enoch Powell: A political giant who was unafraid to argue his case. By Alex Kane
https://web.archive.org/web/20120626111154/http://www.newsletter.co.uk/community/columnists/a-political-giant-who-was-unafraid-to-argue-his-case-1-3963932
Published on Monday 18 June 2012 14:56
One hundred years after the birth of political maverick Enoch Powell, ALEX KANE remembers an oratorical genius
It was a dazzling, almost hypnotic performance. He had them in his palm from start to finish, his slow, precise, slightly sinister voice echoing around the room: sometimes lowering to almost a whisper as he pursued a particular point and then rising to a whinny as he nailed it finally into place.
This was a startling change of style for an audience used to the platitudinous drone of their Stormont MPs and local Orange leaders. And they loved it, rewarding him with a long and very loud ovation.
Yet the most extraordinary aspect of the speech — and I read the complete script afterwards — was that it demolished the arguments for a return of a majority-rule Parliament (and this was only about six months after Stormont had been prorogued) and made the case for Northern Ireland’s complete integration into the UK body politic.
It was a very bold speech to make to an Ulster Unionist audience at that time, many of whom would have taken part in the parades and protests opposing prorogation.
Only a truly great speaker could earn applause by telling an audience what it didn’t really want to hear. Only a truly great politician would dare challenge the certainties of his audience in the first place.
I didn’t see him again until September 1979, five years after he had become the Ulster Unionist MP for South Down. The association had been looking for an organiser and agent and I had been chosen for the job.
While the public image of Powell was of an austere, insular, brilliant, difficult, controversial political maverick, prone to pushing logic beyond the point of common sense and practicality, in private he was very different.
He adored and was adored by his wife and two daughters. He loved the Marx Brothers and Jacques Tati. He had a house in Loughbrickland, which I lived in and looked after and to which he came every other weekend.
He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of south Down and insisted on sharing that knowledge as I drove him around!
He probed every view and belief I had. He had a mischievous sense of humour and I still remember him drilling me with questions about why the men in Dallas (the programme) always wore their hats inside the house and how they never had difficulty driving after downing never ending glasses of bourbon. He was also the scariest, fastest driver I have ever known. He was a hugely entertaining man.
He was born on June 16, 1912, barely two months after the introduction of the Third Home Rule Bill and three months before the signing of the Ulster Covenant and he liked to remind local audiences of that fact.
But what of his influence on unionism? He was of the view that the only way to undermine the IRA was for Northern Ireland to become an integral part of the United Kingdom, governed in precisely the same way as the other constituent parts; believing that the ambiguity surrounding the Province’s status encouraged terrorists to hope that it could be detached.
He regarded terrorism as a form of warfare that could not be prevented by laws and punishments but by the aggressor’s certainty that the war was impossible to win: “Every word or act which holds out the prospect that our unity with the rest of the United Kingdom might be negotiable is itself, consciously or unconsciously, a contributory cause to the continuation of violence in Northern Ireland.”
While there may have been logic at the heart of that argument (and this was a time when many unionists believed that London was looking for an exit strategy) it ignored the reality that integration would also deprive constitutional nationalists of the opportunity to promote their own agenda to any great effect.
And it also ran contrary to the stated position of the Government (supported by the other main parties at Westminster) that there would have to be an “Irish dimension” to any new political arrangements. Mind you, he also believed that power-sharing was a negation of democracy.
Yet Powell’s argument had enormous influence upon the UUP leader James Molyneaux in particular, as well as a significant section of the party. Indeed, it led to a fairly constant tussle between the integrationist and devolutionist wings of the party, with many (and not just in the UUP) believing that he was a malign influence on unionism because of his anti-devolutionary stance.
Put bluntly, they weren’t willing to put their trust in Westminster alone: which was, ironically, an opinion mirrored by nationalists too. Some critics also believe that it was Powell’s influence which led to the “inertia of the Molyneaux era”.
When he was persuaded to stand for the UUP (having deserted the Conservatives in early 1974) he was at the height of his popularity across Great Britain and key figures in the leadership of the party believed that the scale of that popularity would be of benefit.
But for all of the fact that millions supported him on immigration and the EEC (as it was still known) they didn’t share his interest in Northern Ireland.
The same was true of the Conservative Party. His influence within it shrank when he encouraged voters to back Labour in the February 1974 election and many who would have agreed with him on major issues never fully trusted him again: which partly explains why there was such a limited rebellion over the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985.
He also developed something of an obsession with what he believed was American influence over British policy towards Northern Ireland; caused, in part, by his possession of a State Department Policy Statement (albeit from August 1950) that argued that “it is desirable that Ireland should be integrated into the defence planning of the North Atlantic area, for its strategic position and present lack of defensive capacity are matters of significance”. He went as far as claiming that the CIA was responsible for the deaths of Lord Mountbatten, Airey Neave and Robert Bradford.
Viewed from a distance it now seems to me that Powell’s influence within Westminster and in UK politics generally was diminished by the fact that he cut an increasingly isolated, seemingly paranoid figure when he left the mainstream.
He increasingly saw the world in black and white, believing that grey was mere illogic. But it was his close friend Iain Macleod who said: “You always had to get off the train of Enoch’s logic before it hit the buffers.”
I’m not sure what overall benefits he brought for unionism in Northern Ireland, although he was instrumental in securing extra Parliamentary seats.
Oddly enough, for someone who promoted the benefits of integration he did very little in the way of promoting the pro-Union argument to Roman Catholics and he was pretty hostile to the idea of either the Conservatives or Labour organising here.
Strangely, though, none of that matters now. He was a one-off, a genuine gold-plated political giant; utterly unafraid to argue his case and equally unafraid of any criticism that followed. It was a privilege to have known him and to have shared so many happy times with him.
submitted by Lit-Up to northernireland [link] [comments]
Published on Monday 18 June 2012 14:56
One hundred years after the birth of political maverick Enoch Powell, ALEX KANE remembers an oratorical genius
It was a dazzling, almost hypnotic performance. He had them in his palm from start to finish, his slow, precise, slightly sinister voice echoing around the room: sometimes lowering to almost a whisper as he pursued a particular point and then rising to a whinny as he nailed it finally into place.
This was a startling change of style for an audience used to the platitudinous drone of their Stormont MPs and local Orange leaders. And they loved it, rewarding him with a long and very loud ovation.
Yet the most extraordinary aspect of the speech — and I read the complete script afterwards — was that it demolished the arguments for a return of a majority-rule Parliament (and this was only about six months after Stormont had been prorogued) and made the case for Northern Ireland’s complete integration into the UK body politic.
It was a very bold speech to make to an Ulster Unionist audience at that time, many of whom would have taken part in the parades and protests opposing prorogation.
Only a truly great speaker could earn applause by telling an audience what it didn’t really want to hear. Only a truly great politician would dare challenge the certainties of his audience in the first place.
I didn’t see him again until September 1979, five years after he had become the Ulster Unionist MP for South Down. The association had been looking for an organiser and agent and I had been chosen for the job.
While the public image of Powell was of an austere, insular, brilliant, difficult, controversial political maverick, prone to pushing logic beyond the point of common sense and practicality, in private he was very different.
He adored and was adored by his wife and two daughters. He loved the Marx Brothers and Jacques Tati. He had a house in Loughbrickland, which I lived in and looked after and to which he came every other weekend.
He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of south Down and insisted on sharing that knowledge as I drove him around!
He probed every view and belief I had. He had a mischievous sense of humour and I still remember him drilling me with questions about why the men in Dallas (the programme) always wore their hats inside the house and how they never had difficulty driving after downing never ending glasses of bourbon. He was also the scariest, fastest driver I have ever known. He was a hugely entertaining man.
He was born on June 16, 1912, barely two months after the introduction of the Third Home Rule Bill and three months before the signing of the Ulster Covenant and he liked to remind local audiences of that fact.
But what of his influence on unionism? He was of the view that the only way to undermine the IRA was for Northern Ireland to become an integral part of the United Kingdom, governed in precisely the same way as the other constituent parts; believing that the ambiguity surrounding the Province’s status encouraged terrorists to hope that it could be detached.
He regarded terrorism as a form of warfare that could not be prevented by laws and punishments but by the aggressor’s certainty that the war was impossible to win: “Every word or act which holds out the prospect that our unity with the rest of the United Kingdom might be negotiable is itself, consciously or unconsciously, a contributory cause to the continuation of violence in Northern Ireland.”
While there may have been logic at the heart of that argument (and this was a time when many unionists believed that London was looking for an exit strategy) it ignored the reality that integration would also deprive constitutional nationalists of the opportunity to promote their own agenda to any great effect.
And it also ran contrary to the stated position of the Government (supported by the other main parties at Westminster) that there would have to be an “Irish dimension” to any new political arrangements. Mind you, he also believed that power-sharing was a negation of democracy.
Yet Powell’s argument had enormous influence upon the UUP leader James Molyneaux in particular, as well as a significant section of the party. Indeed, it led to a fairly constant tussle between the integrationist and devolutionist wings of the party, with many (and not just in the UUP) believing that he was a malign influence on unionism because of his anti-devolutionary stance.
Put bluntly, they weren’t willing to put their trust in Westminster alone: which was, ironically, an opinion mirrored by nationalists too. Some critics also believe that it was Powell’s influence which led to the “inertia of the Molyneaux era”.
When he was persuaded to stand for the UUP (having deserted the Conservatives in early 1974) he was at the height of his popularity across Great Britain and key figures in the leadership of the party believed that the scale of that popularity would be of benefit.
But for all of the fact that millions supported him on immigration and the EEC (as it was still known) they didn’t share his interest in Northern Ireland.
The same was true of the Conservative Party. His influence within it shrank when he encouraged voters to back Labour in the February 1974 election and many who would have agreed with him on major issues never fully trusted him again: which partly explains why there was such a limited rebellion over the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985.
He also developed something of an obsession with what he believed was American influence over British policy towards Northern Ireland; caused, in part, by his possession of a State Department Policy Statement (albeit from August 1950) that argued that “it is desirable that Ireland should be integrated into the defence planning of the North Atlantic area, for its strategic position and present lack of defensive capacity are matters of significance”. He went as far as claiming that the CIA was responsible for the deaths of Lord Mountbatten, Airey Neave and Robert Bradford.
Viewed from a distance it now seems to me that Powell’s influence within Westminster and in UK politics generally was diminished by the fact that he cut an increasingly isolated, seemingly paranoid figure when he left the mainstream.
He increasingly saw the world in black and white, believing that grey was mere illogic. But it was his close friend Iain Macleod who said: “You always had to get off the train of Enoch’s logic before it hit the buffers.”
I’m not sure what overall benefits he brought for unionism in Northern Ireland, although he was instrumental in securing extra Parliamentary seats.
Oddly enough, for someone who promoted the benefits of integration he did very little in the way of promoting the pro-Union argument to Roman Catholics and he was pretty hostile to the idea of either the Conservatives or Labour organising here.
Strangely, though, none of that matters now. He was a one-off, a genuine gold-plated political giant; utterly unafraid to argue his case and equally unafraid of any criticism that followed. It was a privilege to have known him and to have shared so many happy times with him.
2024.03.24 00:59 Narrow_Muscle9572 Once In A Lifetime Opportunity
I don’t like the word “hate”, but I make an exception when it comes to the mail. I hate everything about the mail. Most of the time it’s junk that gets tossed without a second look. The amount of times that I get junk mail from a politician asking if they can count on my vote or something trying to get me to sign up for a credit card is enough to make me sick.
There are days that I don’t even bother collecting it.
It isn’t common, but every once in a while I will get something memorable. The last time I got something worth the short walk to the mailbox I found a red envelope with white cursive handwriting that said “you’re invited”.
It didn’t have my name or address on it, there was no return address and there was also no stamp. Naturally I was curious and I had to see what was inside.
Dear, Miss Swanson,
We would like to invite you and up to one other person to Fūd, a restaurant that specializes in perfection. Normally people would pay lots of money to dine on this level of quality, but you have been chosen to attend for no cost. All we ask is that you bring your appetite.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and since people would kill to eat with us, we hope you don't pass it up.
If you do choose to come, please know that this invitation is only good for the second Friday in May at eight PM. The directions are listed below.
Sincerely,
Julian Dubois, Head Chef and Owner of Fūd
Why was I chosen? I have no idea, but I was too intrigued to say no to a free meal. If it was half as good as they claimed I would have to be a fool not to go.
Since the invitation was good for two people I called my boyfriend, David, and told him about it. He was thrilled about the prospect of eating at a fancy place like Fūd but if I’m being honest, I was hoping he was going to talk me out of going because something about it didn't sit right with me.
On the day this invitation was good for, David and I followed the directions and found ourselves on a street that was nearly deserted. Not saying it was a bad neighborhood, it was just hard to believe that a fancy restaurant would have been there.
After walking up and down the same street for twenty minutes and not seeing any sign of the restaurant, I was beginning to think it was some kind of joke. But before I could tell this to David, a van pulled up beside us and gave the horn a light tap.
A short Asian woman with a kind face opened the sliding door and smiled widely before stepping out and ushered us inside. “Ready for the dining experience of a lifetime?”
Needless to say I was skeptical and scoffed. “Is this some joke? I thought I was going to a restaurant.”
“We are here to take you to Fūd” the driver answered. He was perhaps ten years younger than the woman, but was equally happy.
“Here you go,” the woman said, handing both David and I a large white bag.
“What's this?” I asked, taking it from her.
“It’s so you don't know the location of Fūd. That is a well kept secret. Too much riff raff otherwise” the woman answered.
Upon coming to the realization that she wanted me to put it over my head I laughed uncomfortably. “I don't know about that.”
“Come on, Megan,” David said. “Think of it like an adventure” he added before putting the white sack over his head.
“I assure you, everything is above board,” the woman replied. “You can take it off once we get to Fūd.”
“I don’t know,'' I said sheepishly. “I didn't know I would—”
“I understand. Believe it or not, I was in the exact same spot as you” the woman said.
From under the sack, David begged me to just do as I was asked. He had been complaining that I never like to do anything fun and adventurous for months and the tone of his voice reminded me of that. Feeling guilty, I did what he wanted.
We drove for perhaps twenty minutes, though this might be way off. After all, my heart was pounding so the adrenaline might have made it feel longer than it really was.
When the van slowed down, I reached for the sack to take it off. The woman gently stopped me and said “Please, just a few more moments. You can take it off once you have been seated.”
Inwardly, I groaned but did as she asked.
When the van came to a stop, the woman and the driver guided David and I out of the van, through a door and down some steps before reaching our table.
If it wasn't for the intoxicating smells and the sounds of cooking, I would have expected to see a horror show when the sacks came off. As if this was just a big ruse to get an unsuspecting couple to the site of a future murder. However this could not have been further from the truth.
The room was lit solely with candles, either from the tables or one of the small crystal chandeliers above us. Its walls were covered in curtains, the same ones seen in movie theaters as well as tasteful paintings of naked people. All around us were people sitting at their tables and I wondered if their previous twenty minutes mirrored my own.
“Wow,” David said, looking around. “What do you think, huh?” he asked, clearly excited.
That was when Julian Dubois, the head chef and owner of Fūd, decided to come out and speak to everyone. He was a tall and skinny man in his late sixties and as he spoke his face strained to create the illusion of a smile.
“My name is Julian Dubois and welcome to Fūd, where we strive for perfection. Tonight I will have the honor of serving each of you. I hope you all realize just how lucky you are to be here. People would kill to be seated where you are now. I hope you are all hungry because for the next few hours you will be dining on the best dishes the world has ever seen. Be mindful of every taste, the textures, colors and aromas. Take it all in and savor it. Thank you and bon appetit” he said before turning around and walking back to the kitchen. As he walked, there was scattered and uneasy clapping from the other patrons.
“Did he say hours?” I asked silently.
“Isn't that how multi course meals go?” David asked.
Before I could reply, the waiter approached with a bottle of wine which he explained the history of before filling our glasses. Most of what he said was lost on me because the only thing I know about wine is that it gets better the more it ages.
Which is why it was so shocking when I heard the man say its year: 1877.
Words fail at describing just how good the wine was.
“Wow,” David said before taking a second sip.
I couldn't reply to David because that would mean swallowing, and the last thing I wanted was for the taste to go away.
The wine wasn't even the star of the show that night.
Before each course, Julian Dubois would tell us what we were about to be served and share the history of each dish. The passion he used to describe each of the dishes was captivating, almost hypnotic.
I did as Julian instructed and savored every bite because everything was tear inducingly good, even the things I didn't think I would like, such as the escargots de Bourgogne, the mushroom pate and the foie gras.
At no point in the afternoon did any of the patrons leave anything on their plates. The food was far too good for that.
I wish I could put into words how good the food was, but I can't. I tried, Lord knows I tried but they always fall short. All I can say is that every bite made my eyes cross.
By the end of the meal, it was a little past midnight and Julian Debois and his staff were given a well deserved standing ovation by everyone there.
Before we left, we were all given a complete list of what we just ate. Julian explained that without it one day we might look back on this afternoon and think it was all a dream.
This got a slight chuckle from everyone there but there was a hint of truth to it. The food was too good to be true.
As everyone was getting the list, we were also handed a white sack to once again cover our heads. I nearly forgot about that during the course of the meal, but this time I didn't hesitate to put it on. With it over my head I could smell my own breath and it smelt heavenly.
It's been nearly a year since eating at Fūd and neither David or I can get it out of our minds. We tried looking for the restaurant online, but there is next to nothing about it or Julian Dubois.
There is a Discord dedicated to Fūd by people who ate there. They tried to pinpoint the location but to no avail. Even if they did locate it they don't take reservations or accept walk-ins.
David and I must have spent thousands of dollars on cooking lessons, equipment and cook books in an attempt to taste something that good again. We served our friends our dishes and they praised each and every one, but to us, people who actually ate at Fūd, it might as well have been cat food.
It was a depressing thought, remembering that eating there was a once in a lifetime experience and could never be repeated.
So imagine my surprise when I got an email from Julian Dubois himself.
Could it be another invitation?
My hands were shaking as I clicked it.
Dear, Miss Swanson,
Have you heard the phrase, ‘Imitation is the highest form of flattery?’ Well, the reason I ask is because it has come to my attention that you have gone through extraordinary lengths to do as I do.
I am flattered. So flattered that I wish to invite you, and only you, back to Fūd. I only ask for three things. The first is that you tell no one about this ‘once in a lifetime offer’ repeating itself. After all, I have a reputation to uphold in the culinary field. Besides, I don't want others to think that I am favoring you.
The second thing I need from you is to remember the speech I gave to you when you were dining with us. Specifically the part where I said: “People would kill to be seated where you are now.”
The third thing I require is that you be honest with yourself when you answer this question: How much do you really love David?
You're smart enough to read between the lines.
We hope to serve you soon Miss Swanson.
Sincerely,
Julian Dubois, Head Chef and Owner of Fūd
I closed out of the email, shocked at what I read and ran to where my phone was charging so I could call David. He wasn't able to understand a word I was saying because I sounded hysterical, but agreed to come over right away.
As soon as he said this I calmly hung up my phone and went to the kitchen drawer where I keep the good knives.
WAE
submitted by Narrow_Muscle9572 to Odd_directions [link] [comments]
There are days that I don’t even bother collecting it.
It isn’t common, but every once in a while I will get something memorable. The last time I got something worth the short walk to the mailbox I found a red envelope with white cursive handwriting that said “you’re invited”.
It didn’t have my name or address on it, there was no return address and there was also no stamp. Naturally I was curious and I had to see what was inside.
Dear, Miss Swanson,
We would like to invite you and up to one other person to Fūd, a restaurant that specializes in perfection. Normally people would pay lots of money to dine on this level of quality, but you have been chosen to attend for no cost. All we ask is that you bring your appetite.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and since people would kill to eat with us, we hope you don't pass it up.
If you do choose to come, please know that this invitation is only good for the second Friday in May at eight PM. The directions are listed below.
Sincerely,
Julian Dubois, Head Chef and Owner of Fūd
Why was I chosen? I have no idea, but I was too intrigued to say no to a free meal. If it was half as good as they claimed I would have to be a fool not to go.
Since the invitation was good for two people I called my boyfriend, David, and told him about it. He was thrilled about the prospect of eating at a fancy place like Fūd but if I’m being honest, I was hoping he was going to talk me out of going because something about it didn't sit right with me.
On the day this invitation was good for, David and I followed the directions and found ourselves on a street that was nearly deserted. Not saying it was a bad neighborhood, it was just hard to believe that a fancy restaurant would have been there.
After walking up and down the same street for twenty minutes and not seeing any sign of the restaurant, I was beginning to think it was some kind of joke. But before I could tell this to David, a van pulled up beside us and gave the horn a light tap.
A short Asian woman with a kind face opened the sliding door and smiled widely before stepping out and ushered us inside. “Ready for the dining experience of a lifetime?”
Needless to say I was skeptical and scoffed. “Is this some joke? I thought I was going to a restaurant.”
“We are here to take you to Fūd” the driver answered. He was perhaps ten years younger than the woman, but was equally happy.
“Here you go,” the woman said, handing both David and I a large white bag.
“What's this?” I asked, taking it from her.
“It’s so you don't know the location of Fūd. That is a well kept secret. Too much riff raff otherwise” the woman answered.
Upon coming to the realization that she wanted me to put it over my head I laughed uncomfortably. “I don't know about that.”
“Come on, Megan,” David said. “Think of it like an adventure” he added before putting the white sack over his head.
“I assure you, everything is above board,” the woman replied. “You can take it off once we get to Fūd.”
“I don’t know,'' I said sheepishly. “I didn't know I would—”
“I understand. Believe it or not, I was in the exact same spot as you” the woman said.
From under the sack, David begged me to just do as I was asked. He had been complaining that I never like to do anything fun and adventurous for months and the tone of his voice reminded me of that. Feeling guilty, I did what he wanted.
We drove for perhaps twenty minutes, though this might be way off. After all, my heart was pounding so the adrenaline might have made it feel longer than it really was.
When the van slowed down, I reached for the sack to take it off. The woman gently stopped me and said “Please, just a few more moments. You can take it off once you have been seated.”
Inwardly, I groaned but did as she asked.
When the van came to a stop, the woman and the driver guided David and I out of the van, through a door and down some steps before reaching our table.
If it wasn't for the intoxicating smells and the sounds of cooking, I would have expected to see a horror show when the sacks came off. As if this was just a big ruse to get an unsuspecting couple to the site of a future murder. However this could not have been further from the truth.
The room was lit solely with candles, either from the tables or one of the small crystal chandeliers above us. Its walls were covered in curtains, the same ones seen in movie theaters as well as tasteful paintings of naked people. All around us were people sitting at their tables and I wondered if their previous twenty minutes mirrored my own.
“Wow,” David said, looking around. “What do you think, huh?” he asked, clearly excited.
That was when Julian Dubois, the head chef and owner of Fūd, decided to come out and speak to everyone. He was a tall and skinny man in his late sixties and as he spoke his face strained to create the illusion of a smile.
“My name is Julian Dubois and welcome to Fūd, where we strive for perfection. Tonight I will have the honor of serving each of you. I hope you all realize just how lucky you are to be here. People would kill to be seated where you are now. I hope you are all hungry because for the next few hours you will be dining on the best dishes the world has ever seen. Be mindful of every taste, the textures, colors and aromas. Take it all in and savor it. Thank you and bon appetit” he said before turning around and walking back to the kitchen. As he walked, there was scattered and uneasy clapping from the other patrons.
“Did he say hours?” I asked silently.
“Isn't that how multi course meals go?” David asked.
Before I could reply, the waiter approached with a bottle of wine which he explained the history of before filling our glasses. Most of what he said was lost on me because the only thing I know about wine is that it gets better the more it ages.
Which is why it was so shocking when I heard the man say its year: 1877.
Words fail at describing just how good the wine was.
“Wow,” David said before taking a second sip.
I couldn't reply to David because that would mean swallowing, and the last thing I wanted was for the taste to go away.
The wine wasn't even the star of the show that night.
Before each course, Julian Dubois would tell us what we were about to be served and share the history of each dish. The passion he used to describe each of the dishes was captivating, almost hypnotic.
I did as Julian instructed and savored every bite because everything was tear inducingly good, even the things I didn't think I would like, such as the escargots de Bourgogne, the mushroom pate and the foie gras.
At no point in the afternoon did any of the patrons leave anything on their plates. The food was far too good for that.
I wish I could put into words how good the food was, but I can't. I tried, Lord knows I tried but they always fall short. All I can say is that every bite made my eyes cross.
By the end of the meal, it was a little past midnight and Julian Debois and his staff were given a well deserved standing ovation by everyone there.
Before we left, we were all given a complete list of what we just ate. Julian explained that without it one day we might look back on this afternoon and think it was all a dream.
This got a slight chuckle from everyone there but there was a hint of truth to it. The food was too good to be true.
As everyone was getting the list, we were also handed a white sack to once again cover our heads. I nearly forgot about that during the course of the meal, but this time I didn't hesitate to put it on. With it over my head I could smell my own breath and it smelt heavenly.
It's been nearly a year since eating at Fūd and neither David or I can get it out of our minds. We tried looking for the restaurant online, but there is next to nothing about it or Julian Dubois.
There is a Discord dedicated to Fūd by people who ate there. They tried to pinpoint the location but to no avail. Even if they did locate it they don't take reservations or accept walk-ins.
David and I must have spent thousands of dollars on cooking lessons, equipment and cook books in an attempt to taste something that good again. We served our friends our dishes and they praised each and every one, but to us, people who actually ate at Fūd, it might as well have been cat food.
It was a depressing thought, remembering that eating there was a once in a lifetime experience and could never be repeated.
So imagine my surprise when I got an email from Julian Dubois himself.
Could it be another invitation?
My hands were shaking as I clicked it.
Dear, Miss Swanson,
Have you heard the phrase, ‘Imitation is the highest form of flattery?’ Well, the reason I ask is because it has come to my attention that you have gone through extraordinary lengths to do as I do.
I am flattered. So flattered that I wish to invite you, and only you, back to Fūd. I only ask for three things. The first is that you tell no one about this ‘once in a lifetime offer’ repeating itself. After all, I have a reputation to uphold in the culinary field. Besides, I don't want others to think that I am favoring you.
The second thing I need from you is to remember the speech I gave to you when you were dining with us. Specifically the part where I said: “People would kill to be seated where you are now.”
The third thing I require is that you be honest with yourself when you answer this question: How much do you really love David?
You're smart enough to read between the lines.
We hope to serve you soon Miss Swanson.
Sincerely,
Julian Dubois, Head Chef and Owner of Fūd
I closed out of the email, shocked at what I read and ran to where my phone was charging so I could call David. He wasn't able to understand a word I was saying because I sounded hysterical, but agreed to come over right away.
As soon as he said this I calmly hung up my phone and went to the kitchen drawer where I keep the good knives.
WAE
2024.02.10 03:19 TwixKids I’m the Best driver in company history
Started my day by coming in an hour and half early to sort my truck, off the clock ⏰ of course. Made sure to notify preload sup of the misloads on my truck so Preloader could be disciplined (integrity matters 💯). Then led a team stretch 🏃 at PCM (center manager was very impressed with my initiative btw) and told my fellow drivers to make sure to hydrate throughout the day 💦. My route was pretty light today 460 deliveries 46 pickups 980 pieces (normally over 1500 📦 pieces each day). Finished up around 14:30. No lunch or paid breaks for me I don’t believe in stopping and I’m tryna get home 🏡 as early as possible. so dispatch had me go take 80 off another driver. Finished up around 15:15. Swept 2 UPS stores (both only have front door access). Took me bout 45 minutes. On my way back in I clipped not 1 but 2 side mirrors of cars but no one saw me so I kept going 🧑🏼🦯. When I returned to the building all On Roads and Center managers lined up outside their offices and gave me a standing ovation. 👏🏼 they told me I put up hall of fame numbers today and was way under allowed/miles while following trace 100%. To them it was the best telematics day they’ve ever seen, but to me it’s just another day at the office 🤷♂️. I am the goat 🐐 I am untouchable 💯💯
I’m a former Amazon driver btw so they trained me right over there 🤝🫡
submitted by TwixKids to UPSers [link] [comments]
I’m a former Amazon driver btw so they trained me right over there 🤝🫡
2024.02.06 23:45 Mysterious_Bath All Roads Lead to Heaven - The Story of Four Pillars
ROH Final Battle 2005:
The Four Pillars of Heaven make their arrival into America at the final event of ROH's 2005, which has proved to be a stellar year for the company, and with these four making their debut, it's only going to get bigger in 2006.
The first to appear at the event is Kobashi, following McGuinness' successful Pure Championship defense against Castagnoli, albeit under a disqualification. Kobashi gets a thunderous reaction from the New Jersey crowd as McGuinness puts the challenge forward to Kobashi, telling him any place, any time. Kobashi looks fired up as the two shake hands, but get up close to each other as Kobashi lets him know he's gunning for that belt.
Taue and Kawada arrive together as HDA reunite to confront Generation Next, who have only just won the ROH Tag Titles against Rinauro and Mamaluke. Aries and Strong look completely exhausted after this contest as Taue and Kawada arrive to ruin their parade, standing at the entrance way to let the newly crowned champs know they should watch their backs at all times, because who knows when HDA will strike?
And saving the biggest to last, Misawa takes to the stage at the second to last match of the night, with Danielson retaining the title against a debuting Marufuji. Misawa garners a greater reaction than Kobashi, but for Danielson its an unwelcome one, attacking Misawa as soon as he gets in the ring and DROPPING HIM WITH A REGAL-PLEX!! Danielson picks up his title, screaming into the camera that he doesn't associate himself with people who think they're the best but can't prove it before lifting the title in the air as MISAWA STANDS RIGHT BEHIND HIM!! Danielson turns around as MISAWA LAYS INTO HIM WITH FOREARM STRIKES!! Danielson tries making an escape across the other side of the ring but Misawa stops him, and LOOKS FOR A TIGER DRIVER BUT DANIELSON MANAGES TO ESCAPE AND ROLLS OUT OF THE RING!! He leaves his belt in the ring though, which Misawa notices, and lifts it up to finish the show off, with the intentions for all Four Pillars clear now as we head into 2006. They all want gold.
Kenta Kobashi - A Burning Impact:
Following Kobashi's confrontation of McGuinness, he's immediately placed in a match against the loser of that match, Claudio Castagnoli. Castagnoli showed some distain for Kobashi from the second he walked into ROH, letting it known that he calls dibs on facing Kobashi first to show him what the H means in ROH, with the match announced not long after.
ROH Hell Freezes Over:
Result: Kenta Kobashi def. Claudio Castagnoli by pinfall (12:06)
This loss obviously doesn't bode well with Castagnoli, who alongside Colt Cabana beat Kobashi down UNTIL MCGUINNESS MAKES THE SAVE!! Although it's viewed as an uncharacteristic action from the Pure Champion, he still drives Castagnoli and Cabana out of the ring and aids Kobashi up to his feet as they stare down both men on the outside, with McGuinness setting in a challenge. Castagnoli and Cabana vs MCGUINNESS AND KOBASHI AT DISSENSION!! Cabana accepts the match, but if he and Castagnoli win, a triple threat match is made for the Pure Championship. McGuinness is confident in his ability to win the match, and says he doesn't even need Kobashi to knock the two knobheads out.
ROH Dissension:
Result: Claudio Castagnoli and Colt Cabana def. Kenta Kobashi and Nigel McGuinness by pinfall (19:51) (As Castagnoli and Cabana won, they both get a title match against McGuinness)
After technically costing Kobashi the win, it appears McGuinness forgot the repercussions of what would happen if they were to lose, as both Castagnoli and Cabana come knocking for a title match. They struggle to figure out who fights for the title first, with both men wanting to face a worn out McGuinness, leading to the two having a Pure Rules match at the beginning of Unscripted II, with the winner getting the second match against McGuinness. Castagnoli would end up winning the match after hitting Cabana with a Ricola Bomb. This loss wouldn't demotivate Cabana though, as he'd bring McGuinness to a war not too long after, almost forcing McGuinness to tap out to the Billy Goat's Curse but he's forced to use up his final rope break which is more than ideal for Cabana, who drives him to the centre of the ring AND LOCKS THE SUBMISSION IN AGAIN!! McGuinness is borderline set to tap out, but manages to bring himself to the ropes, and although the ref doesn't break up the submission, McGuinness manages to himself, throwing Cabana out of the ring and giving himself a second to recover from the submission. Cabana doesn't need any time to recover, rolling into the ring and charging at McGuinness WHO HITS A JAWBREAKER LARIAT OUT OF NOWHERE!! 1..2..3!! MCGUINNESS SURVIVES THIS WAR!!
Despite winning one match, he finds himself right into the next one as Castagnoli wastes no time getting down to the ring as this match doesn't last as long as the previous one, with Castagnoli eagerly tries to end the match in the first few minutes, HITTING A RICOLA BOMB ONTO MCGUINNESS!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! Castagnoli is enraged by this and turns angry which McGuinness capitalises on AND ROLLS CASTAGNOLI UP IN A MOVE OF DESPERATION!! 1..2..3!! HE SNEAKS A WIN FROM HIM!! McGuinness grabs the title and escapes up to the ramp WHERE KOBASHI IS WAITING!! McGuinness is exhausted and wants nothing to do with Kobashi, attempting to walk past him but Kobashi walks right in front of him. McGuinness tells him to move, but Kobashi KNOCKS HIS HEAD OFF WITH A LARIAT!! He sees the Pure title lying on the mat and picks it up over his head, telling McGuinness he's next.
A match as big as this deserves a big stage, and what bigger than THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY SHOW!! Kobashi remains determined to hold gold in America, and sees McGuinness as his best shot right now at getting a title on his shoulders. McGuinness views this as another title defense, albeit the biggest one yet.
ROH Fourth Anniversary Show:
Result: Kenta Kobashi vs Nigel McGuinness (c) ended in a double countout (24:18)
Despite the questionable finish, McGuinness appears to move on from Kobashi, completing his trilogy against Castagnoli at Best in the World, while Kobashi is just left there, doing nothing. That is until he is booked to face Christopher Daniels at Dragon Gate Challenge, which seems like an odd match to book considering Kobashi doesn't view his story with McGuinness to be finished, but the only way to get to the top of the ladder again is by climbing up it and that's exactly what he has to do here.
ROH Dragon Gate Challenge:
Result: Kenta Kobashi def. Christopher Daniels by pinfall (9:37)
Following the match, McGuinness would come out to the ring and confront Kobashi. With a mic in hand, he congratulates Kobashi for committing murder as he kicks Daniels' lifeless body out the bottom rope. He then tells Kobashi that unfortunately for him, things are very different in America compared to Japan, and that just because someone draws a match, doesn't mean they get a rematch. Kobashi is staring dead into McGuinness' soul, as he just points at the Pure title, then himself. McGuinness understands the potential language barrier so he decides to translate it for him as he HEADBUTTS KOBASHI TO THE MAT!! He drops the title and microphone to the mat and waits for Kobashi to get to his feet before DELIVERING A JAWBREAKER LARIAT!! McGuinness picks the title and the microphone back up and tells Kobashi that if he wants a fucking rematch, he's got it, TOMORROW NIGHT AT SUPERCARD OF HONOR!!
ROH Supercard of Honor:
Result: Kenta Kobashi def. Nigel McGuinness (c) by pinfall to win the ROH Pure Championship (28:51)
Kobashi's first defence would arrive not too long after, as after his win against Jimmy Yang, AJ STYLES WOULD PUT THE CHALLENGE OUT TO KOBASHI!! He says he never lost the Pure title despite ROH not recognizing him as a former champion, claiming he won a different title to the one on Kobashi's shoulders. Kobashi doesn't care whether he won the title or not, and accepts the match, shaking Styles' hand before getting up close to him as these two look ready to go to war for that belt.
ROH Weekend of Champions Night 1:
Result: Kenta Kobashi (c) def. AJ Styles by pinfall to retain the ROH Pure Championship (21:43)
With his first defense finished, it doesn't take long for Kobashi to find his next one as during his celebration, MISAWA COMES OUT AND CONFRONTS THE PURE CHAMPION!! THIS IS MASSIVE!! He offers the challenge out to Kobashi, WHO ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE!! A MONUMENTAL MATCH IS SET FOR NIGHT 2!!
Mitsuharu Misawa - The Emerald Warrior:
Before we can get to this heavily hyped up match, we need to go back to the start of Misawa's ROH run to figure out why this match is so big.
Following Misawa's confrontation with Danielson, he is originally scheduled for a ROH World Title match at Hell Freezes Over, but it's later revealed that Danielson was attacked entering the building and with medical not clearing him, Misawa is left without an opponent. He appears pretty pissed off by this, and appears to demand for an opponent. Being a Pillar of Heaven clearly must come with some connection to the higher beings, as a miracle arrives right as Misawa's feet as CM PUNK MAKES A SHOCK ARRIVAL TO THE BUILDING!! Despite being contracted to WWE, Punk tells Misawa that he'll be seeing him soon, so he better have his A-game ready because it'll be PUNK VS MISAWA AT UNSCRIPTED II!! The fans go into a frenzy over this bout as Misawa and Punk shake on it.
ROH Unscripted II:
Result: CM Punk def. Mitsuharu Misawa by pinfall (31:52)
Despite being a face, Danielson seems to have an overwhelming dislike to Misawa, almost acting like a heel but the fans still cheer him as he enters the ring and raises Punk's arm. Misawa manages to bring himself up and confronts both men for what just happened. Danielson sees Misawa is pissed and says if he wants to let it out, he can have a match against both Danielson and Punk, but that would mean he needs a partner, but who the fuck does Misawa know in ROH?
ROH Fourth Anniversary Show:
Result: Mitsuharu Misawa and Samoa Joe def. Bryan Danielson and CM Punk by pinfall (38:46)
Misawa is now the rightful No.1 contender to the ROH World Title, but Danielson doesn't seem too willing to defend the title, claiming Misawa to not be a worthy enough opponent, although it's pretty obvious Danielson is fearful of losing his belt. Misawa ends up trying to confront him after his match with Roderick Strong as Supercard of Honor, but Danielson just leaves him hanging. It's not until the 100th Show that Danielson finally gives Misawa an answer, but only after a wild provoking. After his second match of the night against Delirious, Misawa storms the ring from behind, knocking Danielson to the mat with a vicious Rolling Elbow and following it up with a Tiger Driver. He then picks up Danielson's belt and puts it on his shoulder, feeling it's a suitable fit for him. He exits the ring as Danielson is getting back to his feet, which is when he grabs a microphone and tells him that if he wants the biggest match of his career, they're doing it at the biggest stage...WEEKEND OF CHAMPIONS!!
Now we've caused up to speed with Misawa's story, you can see why this match is so big considering there may be a double champion walking out of Night 2. Danielson wants in on this, and before any bell can ring, he says that the winner of the main event of Night 1...FACES KOBASHI AT NIGHT 2 FOR BOTH BELTS!!
ROH Weekend of Champions Night 1:
Result: Bryan Danielson (c) def. Mitsuharu Misawa by ref stoppage to retain the ROH World Championship (42:58)
Kobashi confronts Danielson following the contest as both champions raise their titles up in the air, with Misawa sitting demoralized in the corner. Kobashi goes over to him and brings him up to his feet as he raises his hand, telling the crowd to not let his efforts tonight go unrecognized as the fans give him a standing ovation.
ROH Weekend of Champions Night 2:
Result: Bryan Danielson (c) def. Kenta Kobashi (c) by submission to retain the ROH World and win the Pure Championships (32:01)
Kobashi walks out of the ring in frustration following this as Danielson raises both titles up in the air. Kobashi stands at the entranceway as MISAWA JOINS HIM!! They stand together and stare down Danielson but GET ATTACKED FROM BEHIND BY TWO PEOPLE!! IT'S TAUE AND KAWADA!! Danielson gets out of dodge as the fight is brought to the ring, with HDA dominating Misawa and Kobashi as Taue plants Misawa with a NODOWA OTOSHI!! Kawada grabs Kobashi as he picks him up as he and Taue HIT THE DANGEROUS BACKDROP DRIVER AND NODOWA OTOSHI COMBO!! With both men left in a heap in the ring, HDA exit the ring as the all four roads have finally met came to the same end point...
Holy Demon Army - Dangerously Dynamic
After HDA's threat to Aries and Strong, they appear weary in their first title defence against Jay Lethal and a shock debut from Kenny King to just throw them off that bit more. Despite this, Aries and Strong do manage to retain their titles, with Aries hitting King with a Brainbuster onto the top turnbuckle followed by a 450 Splash. They raise the titles in the air but HDA'S THEME SONG PLAYS!! Aries and Strong look in a panicked motion, but they're looking in the wrong direction as TAUE AND KAWADA JUMP THE BARRICADE AND ATTACK THE CHAMPS!! The champs exit as quick as they can, not wanting anything to do with these absolute monsters.
It's made clear that HDA want a fight, but the commissioner Jim Cornette will not allow them to get a title match this easily, and instead books them in a match against the previous champions, Rinauro and Mamaluke, with the bout set for the Fourth Anniversary Show.
ROH Fourth Anniversary Show:
Result: Holy Demon Army def. Sal Rinuaro and Tony Mamaluke by pinfall (4:27)
With this dominant display, you'd think Aries and Strong would be next, but no, Cornette is not convinced and because of this, gives HDA a No.1 Contenders match against THE RETURNING BRISCOES!! It seems unfair that The Briscoes can return and instantly be put into a No.1 Contenders match, but Cornette dubs them "the greatest tag team to grace ROH" and sees it only right that they should get this sort of treatment on their way back into the company.
ROH Arena Warfare:
Result: The Briscoes def. Holy Demon Army by pinfall for the No.1 Contendership to the ROH Tag Team Championships (19:57)
With HDA screwed out of a title match by the champions, they respond in the best way they can. They have their title match against the Briscoes at Best in the World, but after their shenanigans at Arena Warfare, HDA return the favour to Aries and Strong, getting them disqualified after attacking the Briscoes before attacking the champs, with all hell breaking out between the 6 men. They are stopped by Cornette though, who calls for a final resolution to this. He sees all 6 men want to tear limbs off their opponents, so he's got the best solution to this issue. At Supercard of Honor, it'll be Aries and Strong defending their titles against HDA AND THE BRISCOES!! The fans go absolutely mental as everyone in the ring looks ready to go to war.
ROH Supercard of Honor:
Result: Holy Demon Army def. The Briscoes and Austin Aries and Roderick Strong (c) by pinfall to win the ROH Tag Team Championships (26:51)
The champs just take the titles and walk out, not allowing any time for congratulations or celebrations. In the meantime, The Briscoes find themselves fighting the next night at Better Than Our Best, and following their win, they call out HDA and say they want a match since they never technically lost. HDA arrive, cutting a promo in Japanese and leaving both the fans and the Briscoes completely confused as no-one is able to translate it in the moment. It is eventually deciphered though, with HDA telling the Briscoes to meet them in the ring at The 100th Show.
Despite this, it's still unclear whether there's a match going on tonight or not. Anyways, the Briscoes come out with their ring gear on, ready for a fight. HDA also come out with belts in hand, however with full three piece suits on. The Briscoes look pissed as they thought they were getting a fight tonight. HDA enter the ring and grab mics, but the Briscoes slap them right out of their hands, not wanting to hear any more waffle from them. They put their hands on HDA's titles, which pisses off the champs who throws the belts to the ground. They then come nose to nose, before MARK LANDS THE FIRST STRIKE ON KAWADA!! This then leads to a mass brawl which spreads into the crowd as weapons are used, blood is spilled and the challengers prevail as they send HDA flying through plaster wall. They make their way back to the ring, picking up the titles HDA dropped and tell the audience that they'll be fighting for the titles at Weekend of Champions, regardless of whether HDA want to play ball or not.
submitted by Mysterious_Bath to FantasyBookingElite [link] [comments]
The Four Pillars of Heaven make their arrival into America at the final event of ROH's 2005, which has proved to be a stellar year for the company, and with these four making their debut, it's only going to get bigger in 2006.
The first to appear at the event is Kobashi, following McGuinness' successful Pure Championship defense against Castagnoli, albeit under a disqualification. Kobashi gets a thunderous reaction from the New Jersey crowd as McGuinness puts the challenge forward to Kobashi, telling him any place, any time. Kobashi looks fired up as the two shake hands, but get up close to each other as Kobashi lets him know he's gunning for that belt.
Taue and Kawada arrive together as HDA reunite to confront Generation Next, who have only just won the ROH Tag Titles against Rinauro and Mamaluke. Aries and Strong look completely exhausted after this contest as Taue and Kawada arrive to ruin their parade, standing at the entrance way to let the newly crowned champs know they should watch their backs at all times, because who knows when HDA will strike?
And saving the biggest to last, Misawa takes to the stage at the second to last match of the night, with Danielson retaining the title against a debuting Marufuji. Misawa garners a greater reaction than Kobashi, but for Danielson its an unwelcome one, attacking Misawa as soon as he gets in the ring and DROPPING HIM WITH A REGAL-PLEX!! Danielson picks up his title, screaming into the camera that he doesn't associate himself with people who think they're the best but can't prove it before lifting the title in the air as MISAWA STANDS RIGHT BEHIND HIM!! Danielson turns around as MISAWA LAYS INTO HIM WITH FOREARM STRIKES!! Danielson tries making an escape across the other side of the ring but Misawa stops him, and LOOKS FOR A TIGER DRIVER BUT DANIELSON MANAGES TO ESCAPE AND ROLLS OUT OF THE RING!! He leaves his belt in the ring though, which Misawa notices, and lifts it up to finish the show off, with the intentions for all Four Pillars clear now as we head into 2006. They all want gold.
Kenta Kobashi - A Burning Impact:
Following Kobashi's confrontation of McGuinness, he's immediately placed in a match against the loser of that match, Claudio Castagnoli. Castagnoli showed some distain for Kobashi from the second he walked into ROH, letting it known that he calls dibs on facing Kobashi first to show him what the H means in ROH, with the match announced not long after.
ROH Hell Freezes Over:
- Kenta Kobashi vs Claudio Castagnoli
Result: Kenta Kobashi def. Claudio Castagnoli by pinfall (12:06)
This loss obviously doesn't bode well with Castagnoli, who alongside Colt Cabana beat Kobashi down UNTIL MCGUINNESS MAKES THE SAVE!! Although it's viewed as an uncharacteristic action from the Pure Champion, he still drives Castagnoli and Cabana out of the ring and aids Kobashi up to his feet as they stare down both men on the outside, with McGuinness setting in a challenge. Castagnoli and Cabana vs MCGUINNESS AND KOBASHI AT DISSENSION!! Cabana accepts the match, but if he and Castagnoli win, a triple threat match is made for the Pure Championship. McGuinness is confident in his ability to win the match, and says he doesn't even need Kobashi to knock the two knobheads out.
ROH Dissension:
- Kenta Kobashi and Nigel McGuinness vs Claudio Castagnoli and Colt Cobana (If Castagnoli and Cabana win, they both get a Pure Championship match)
Result: Claudio Castagnoli and Colt Cabana def. Kenta Kobashi and Nigel McGuinness by pinfall (19:51) (As Castagnoli and Cabana won, they both get a title match against McGuinness)
After technically costing Kobashi the win, it appears McGuinness forgot the repercussions of what would happen if they were to lose, as both Castagnoli and Cabana come knocking for a title match. They struggle to figure out who fights for the title first, with both men wanting to face a worn out McGuinness, leading to the two having a Pure Rules match at the beginning of Unscripted II, with the winner getting the second match against McGuinness. Castagnoli would end up winning the match after hitting Cabana with a Ricola Bomb. This loss wouldn't demotivate Cabana though, as he'd bring McGuinness to a war not too long after, almost forcing McGuinness to tap out to the Billy Goat's Curse but he's forced to use up his final rope break which is more than ideal for Cabana, who drives him to the centre of the ring AND LOCKS THE SUBMISSION IN AGAIN!! McGuinness is borderline set to tap out, but manages to bring himself to the ropes, and although the ref doesn't break up the submission, McGuinness manages to himself, throwing Cabana out of the ring and giving himself a second to recover from the submission. Cabana doesn't need any time to recover, rolling into the ring and charging at McGuinness WHO HITS A JAWBREAKER LARIAT OUT OF NOWHERE!! 1..2..3!! MCGUINNESS SURVIVES THIS WAR!!
Despite winning one match, he finds himself right into the next one as Castagnoli wastes no time getting down to the ring as this match doesn't last as long as the previous one, with Castagnoli eagerly tries to end the match in the first few minutes, HITTING A RICOLA BOMB ONTO MCGUINNESS!! 1..2..KICKOUT!! Castagnoli is enraged by this and turns angry which McGuinness capitalises on AND ROLLS CASTAGNOLI UP IN A MOVE OF DESPERATION!! 1..2..3!! HE SNEAKS A WIN FROM HIM!! McGuinness grabs the title and escapes up to the ramp WHERE KOBASHI IS WAITING!! McGuinness is exhausted and wants nothing to do with Kobashi, attempting to walk past him but Kobashi walks right in front of him. McGuinness tells him to move, but Kobashi KNOCKS HIS HEAD OFF WITH A LARIAT!! He sees the Pure title lying on the mat and picks it up over his head, telling McGuinness he's next.
A match as big as this deserves a big stage, and what bigger than THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY SHOW!! Kobashi remains determined to hold gold in America, and sees McGuinness as his best shot right now at getting a title on his shoulders. McGuinness views this as another title defense, albeit the biggest one yet.
ROH Fourth Anniversary Show:
- Kenta Kobashi vs Nigel McGuinness (c) for the ROH Pure Championship
Result: Kenta Kobashi vs Nigel McGuinness (c) ended in a double countout (24:18)
Despite the questionable finish, McGuinness appears to move on from Kobashi, completing his trilogy against Castagnoli at Best in the World, while Kobashi is just left there, doing nothing. That is until he is booked to face Christopher Daniels at Dragon Gate Challenge, which seems like an odd match to book considering Kobashi doesn't view his story with McGuinness to be finished, but the only way to get to the top of the ladder again is by climbing up it and that's exactly what he has to do here.
ROH Dragon Gate Challenge:
- Kenta Kobashi vs Christopher Daniels
Result: Kenta Kobashi def. Christopher Daniels by pinfall (9:37)
Following the match, McGuinness would come out to the ring and confront Kobashi. With a mic in hand, he congratulates Kobashi for committing murder as he kicks Daniels' lifeless body out the bottom rope. He then tells Kobashi that unfortunately for him, things are very different in America compared to Japan, and that just because someone draws a match, doesn't mean they get a rematch. Kobashi is staring dead into McGuinness' soul, as he just points at the Pure title, then himself. McGuinness understands the potential language barrier so he decides to translate it for him as he HEADBUTTS KOBASHI TO THE MAT!! He drops the title and microphone to the mat and waits for Kobashi to get to his feet before DELIVERING A JAWBREAKER LARIAT!! McGuinness picks the title and the microphone back up and tells Kobashi that if he wants a fucking rematch, he's got it, TOMORROW NIGHT AT SUPERCARD OF HONOR!!
ROH Supercard of Honor:
- Kenta Kobashi vs Nigel McGuinness (c) II for the ROH Pure Championship
Result: Kenta Kobashi def. Nigel McGuinness (c) by pinfall to win the ROH Pure Championship (28:51)
Kobashi's first defence would arrive not too long after, as after his win against Jimmy Yang, AJ STYLES WOULD PUT THE CHALLENGE OUT TO KOBASHI!! He says he never lost the Pure title despite ROH not recognizing him as a former champion, claiming he won a different title to the one on Kobashi's shoulders. Kobashi doesn't care whether he won the title or not, and accepts the match, shaking Styles' hand before getting up close to him as these two look ready to go to war for that belt.
ROH Weekend of Champions Night 1:
- Kenta Kobashi (c) vs AJ Styles for the ROH Pure Championship
Result: Kenta Kobashi (c) def. AJ Styles by pinfall to retain the ROH Pure Championship (21:43)
With his first defense finished, it doesn't take long for Kobashi to find his next one as during his celebration, MISAWA COMES OUT AND CONFRONTS THE PURE CHAMPION!! THIS IS MASSIVE!! He offers the challenge out to Kobashi, WHO ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE!! A MONUMENTAL MATCH IS SET FOR NIGHT 2!!
Mitsuharu Misawa - The Emerald Warrior:
Before we can get to this heavily hyped up match, we need to go back to the start of Misawa's ROH run to figure out why this match is so big.
Following Misawa's confrontation with Danielson, he is originally scheduled for a ROH World Title match at Hell Freezes Over, but it's later revealed that Danielson was attacked entering the building and with medical not clearing him, Misawa is left without an opponent. He appears pretty pissed off by this, and appears to demand for an opponent. Being a Pillar of Heaven clearly must come with some connection to the higher beings, as a miracle arrives right as Misawa's feet as CM PUNK MAKES A SHOCK ARRIVAL TO THE BUILDING!! Despite being contracted to WWE, Punk tells Misawa that he'll be seeing him soon, so he better have his A-game ready because it'll be PUNK VS MISAWA AT UNSCRIPTED II!! The fans go into a frenzy over this bout as Misawa and Punk shake on it.
ROH Unscripted II:
- Mitsuharu Misawa vs CM Punk
Result: CM Punk def. Mitsuharu Misawa by pinfall (31:52)
Despite being a face, Danielson seems to have an overwhelming dislike to Misawa, almost acting like a heel but the fans still cheer him as he enters the ring and raises Punk's arm. Misawa manages to bring himself up and confronts both men for what just happened. Danielson sees Misawa is pissed and says if he wants to let it out, he can have a match against both Danielson and Punk, but that would mean he needs a partner, but who the fuck does Misawa know in ROH?
ROH Fourth Anniversary Show:
- Mitsuharu Misawa and ??? vs Bryan Danielson and CM Punk
Result: Mitsuharu Misawa and Samoa Joe def. Bryan Danielson and CM Punk by pinfall (38:46)
Misawa is now the rightful No.1 contender to the ROH World Title, but Danielson doesn't seem too willing to defend the title, claiming Misawa to not be a worthy enough opponent, although it's pretty obvious Danielson is fearful of losing his belt. Misawa ends up trying to confront him after his match with Roderick Strong as Supercard of Honor, but Danielson just leaves him hanging. It's not until the 100th Show that Danielson finally gives Misawa an answer, but only after a wild provoking. After his second match of the night against Delirious, Misawa storms the ring from behind, knocking Danielson to the mat with a vicious Rolling Elbow and following it up with a Tiger Driver. He then picks up Danielson's belt and puts it on his shoulder, feeling it's a suitable fit for him. He exits the ring as Danielson is getting back to his feet, which is when he grabs a microphone and tells him that if he wants the biggest match of his career, they're doing it at the biggest stage...WEEKEND OF CHAMPIONS!!
Now we've caused up to speed with Misawa's story, you can see why this match is so big considering there may be a double champion walking out of Night 2. Danielson wants in on this, and before any bell can ring, he says that the winner of the main event of Night 1...FACES KOBASHI AT NIGHT 2 FOR BOTH BELTS!!
ROH Weekend of Champions Night 1:
- Mitsuharu Misawa vs Bryan Danielson (c) for the ROH World Championship
Result: Bryan Danielson (c) def. Mitsuharu Misawa by ref stoppage to retain the ROH World Championship (42:58)
Kobashi confronts Danielson following the contest as both champions raise their titles up in the air, with Misawa sitting demoralized in the corner. Kobashi goes over to him and brings him up to his feet as he raises his hand, telling the crowd to not let his efforts tonight go unrecognized as the fans give him a standing ovation.
ROH Weekend of Champions Night 2:
- Kenta Kobashi (c) vs Bryan Danielson (c) for the ROH World and Pure Championships
Result: Bryan Danielson (c) def. Kenta Kobashi (c) by submission to retain the ROH World and win the Pure Championships (32:01)
Kobashi walks out of the ring in frustration following this as Danielson raises both titles up in the air. Kobashi stands at the entranceway as MISAWA JOINS HIM!! They stand together and stare down Danielson but GET ATTACKED FROM BEHIND BY TWO PEOPLE!! IT'S TAUE AND KAWADA!! Danielson gets out of dodge as the fight is brought to the ring, with HDA dominating Misawa and Kobashi as Taue plants Misawa with a NODOWA OTOSHI!! Kawada grabs Kobashi as he picks him up as he and Taue HIT THE DANGEROUS BACKDROP DRIVER AND NODOWA OTOSHI COMBO!! With both men left in a heap in the ring, HDA exit the ring as the all four roads have finally met came to the same end point...
Holy Demon Army - Dangerously Dynamic
After HDA's threat to Aries and Strong, they appear weary in their first title defence against Jay Lethal and a shock debut from Kenny King to just throw them off that bit more. Despite this, Aries and Strong do manage to retain their titles, with Aries hitting King with a Brainbuster onto the top turnbuckle followed by a 450 Splash. They raise the titles in the air but HDA'S THEME SONG PLAYS!! Aries and Strong look in a panicked motion, but they're looking in the wrong direction as TAUE AND KAWADA JUMP THE BARRICADE AND ATTACK THE CHAMPS!! The champs exit as quick as they can, not wanting anything to do with these absolute monsters.
It's made clear that HDA want a fight, but the commissioner Jim Cornette will not allow them to get a title match this easily, and instead books them in a match against the previous champions, Rinauro and Mamaluke, with the bout set for the Fourth Anniversary Show.
ROH Fourth Anniversary Show:
- Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue) vs Sal Rinuaro and Tony Mamaluke
Result: Holy Demon Army def. Sal Rinuaro and Tony Mamaluke by pinfall (4:27)
With this dominant display, you'd think Aries and Strong would be next, but no, Cornette is not convinced and because of this, gives HDA a No.1 Contenders match against THE RETURNING BRISCOES!! It seems unfair that The Briscoes can return and instantly be put into a No.1 Contenders match, but Cornette dubs them "the greatest tag team to grace ROH" and sees it only right that they should get this sort of treatment on their way back into the company.
ROH Arena Warfare:
- Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue) vs The Briscoes (Jay and Mark Briscoe) for the No.1 Contendership to the ROH Tag Team Championships
Result: The Briscoes def. Holy Demon Army by pinfall for the No.1 Contendership to the ROH Tag Team Championships (19:57)
With HDA screwed out of a title match by the champions, they respond in the best way they can. They have their title match against the Briscoes at Best in the World, but after their shenanigans at Arena Warfare, HDA return the favour to Aries and Strong, getting them disqualified after attacking the Briscoes before attacking the champs, with all hell breaking out between the 6 men. They are stopped by Cornette though, who calls for a final resolution to this. He sees all 6 men want to tear limbs off their opponents, so he's got the best solution to this issue. At Supercard of Honor, it'll be Aries and Strong defending their titles against HDA AND THE BRISCOES!! The fans go absolutely mental as everyone in the ring looks ready to go to war.
ROH Supercard of Honor:
- Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue) vs The Briscoes (Jay and Mark Briscoe) vs Austin Aries and Roderick Strong (c) for the ROH Tag Team Championships
Result: Holy Demon Army def. The Briscoes and Austin Aries and Roderick Strong (c) by pinfall to win the ROH Tag Team Championships (26:51)
The champs just take the titles and walk out, not allowing any time for congratulations or celebrations. In the meantime, The Briscoes find themselves fighting the next night at Better Than Our Best, and following their win, they call out HDA and say they want a match since they never technically lost. HDA arrive, cutting a promo in Japanese and leaving both the fans and the Briscoes completely confused as no-one is able to translate it in the moment. It is eventually deciphered though, with HDA telling the Briscoes to meet them in the ring at The 100th Show.
Despite this, it's still unclear whether there's a match going on tonight or not. Anyways, the Briscoes come out with their ring gear on, ready for a fight. HDA also come out with belts in hand, however with full three piece suits on. The Briscoes look pissed as they thought they were getting a fight tonight. HDA enter the ring and grab mics, but the Briscoes slap them right out of their hands, not wanting to hear any more waffle from them. They put their hands on HDA's titles, which pisses off the champs who throws the belts to the ground. They then come nose to nose, before MARK LANDS THE FIRST STRIKE ON KAWADA!! This then leads to a mass brawl which spreads into the crowd as weapons are used, blood is spilled and the challengers prevail as they send HDA flying through plaster wall. They make their way back to the ring, picking up the titles HDA dropped and tell the audience that they'll be fighting for the titles at Weekend of Champions, regardless of whether HDA want to play ball or not.
2024.01.29 18:46 JohannesMeanAd2 The Champion Formula 1 Never Had: The Full Story of Jean-Pierre Wimille, Part 3
 | Greetings! Welcome back to the full story of Jean-Pierre Wimille, a French Grand Prix driver who passed away 75 years ago on January 28th, 1949. Last time in this series of retrospectives [which you can check out here], I covered Wimille’s tumultuous journey of sacrifice during the second world war. His adventures ranged from the design of a new production car, serving for the French air force, and a heroic stint as a Special Operations Executive agent alongside his former racing colleagues. submitted by JohannesMeanAd2 to formula1 [link] [comments] Just like last time, this installment will continue straight from where the previous one finished, right after motor racing had returned to Europe with a series of celebratory races in Paris. Without further ado, this is the conclusion of Jean-Pierre Wimille’s legacy. Jean-Pierre Wimille. Image credits to GettyImages. Part 3: The Final Years (1945-1949) 1945 Wimille was successful in the AGACI Coupe des Prisonniers, and indeed for a few days the entirety of western Paris became alive with the exciting sound of thundering engines. However, As soon as the races were over, the reality of the post-war environment within Europe kicked back in. The main priority for nearly every country after the war was to rebuild the destroyed neighborhoods, and provide easy access to better health and food after so many years of living on the bare minimum. Clearly, a return to normal life would take quite some time, as would be made clear to Jean-Pierre Wimille. Less than 48 hours after his success at Bois de Boulogne, he was required to report back to the air force for mandatory training exercises, likely out of fear of enemy reprisal. 1946 Wimille began to miss his wife back home, especially with the reports of soldiers returning home en masse, making his extended stay in the air force somewhat tedious. However, on New Year’s day of 1946, Jean-Pierre Wimille was let go from France’s Air Force, and he returned home with Christiane to finally relax after several years of service. The first prototype of Wimille’s road car. Image credits to PostWarClassic.com Part of the relaxation for Jean-Pierre included reviving his personal project from during the war. You may recall from the previous installment of this series that in 1942, Wimille designed a production car with several innovative practices, including an electric gearbox and highly aerodynamic bodywork. With the war now over, Wimille now had the time to reach out to those of his former Bugatti colleagues that survived, and bring them together to finish the job they’d started. Due to supply shortages, the original engine was replaced with a stock one, but they were ultimately able to build their first batch of cars for a launch of June. During this period, like many other couples at the time, Jean-Pierre and Christiane also had a son, who they’d named Francois. Wimille didn’t always have time to help Christiane care for him, though, as by the time April rolled around, there was a flurry of new racing events popping up all across France. Despite the country still being ravaged, there was enough prize money to host events, which were now especially crucial for public morale. Wimille set his sights on returning to the cockpit, but he sold his Bugatti Type 50B, deeming it unfit to use as a race car for the long-term. Most people were still entering races with whatever cars they still had in their personal possession, and Wimille was struggling to find something that would fit his needs. The lack of a car forced him to miss a major race at Nice in April, but he returned to action in May. Wimille’s veteran racing compatriot Raymond Sommer was moving on to cheaper cars, and in the process he offloaded his pre-war Alfa Romeo 308 to Wimille. Buoyed by the 308 being more powerful than the old Bugatti, on May 30th, Wimille entered the Parisian Resistance Cup. He would in fact be racing at the same Bois de Boulogne circuit as in the Coupe des Prisonniers. With competition spanning pre-war greats such as Louis Chiron in a Talbot, and new drivers like Henri Louveau in a Maserati, Wimille put on a lights out performance, winning by a full lap over Chiron. The crowd roared in excitement, knowing they were witnessing a truly special driver at his peak. However, a certain Giovanbattista Guidotti, head of Alfa Romeo’s motorsport division, was in attendance that day, and impressed with what he saw, went to Wimille after the race to make an offer. The 1500cc Alfa Romeo 158 “Alfetta.” This car was very strong in the early years of F1, and still stands as one of the most successful racing cars ever built. Much like Wimille himself, Alfa Romeo were treating motorsport as much more than just a morale-booster for war-trodden Europe. During the war, when Alfa Romeo’s facilities were taken over, they took their successful pre-war voiturette car, the ‘Alfetta’ 158, to a deserted cheese factory in the Italian suburb of Melzo, hoping to use them again one day. With the war over and racing now back, Alfa Romeo wanted to return to racing with these 158s, and use the knowledge they gained with the 512 to restore their once-great racing dynasty. Wimille’s performance in an old Alfa Romeo at Bois de Boulogne was all the convincing Battista needed to invite Wimille into the Italian concern as their primary international driver. Wimille gladly accepted the offer, and the news spread all across France overnight. Finally Jean-Pierre Wimille had a car and team that could match his competitive convictions. Jean-Pierre Wimille leading Raymond Sommer at the Rene Le Begue Cup. Image credits to 8W/Forix. Their first race together was on June 9th, at the Rene Le Begue Cup in St. Cloud, also in western Paris. Wimille would be paired with the Italian Dr. Giuseppe Farina, a driver many considered to be Jean-Pierre’s biggest rival, which was ultimately true given their similar career trajectories. Nevertheless, according to 8W/Forix, the competition was stiff, with Raymond Sommer campaigning the latest upgraded pre-war Maserati and beating the Alfa drivers to pole position. During the race, however, the excitement of Wimille in the Alfetta only grew among the crowd, as he drove it with such emphatic precision. Soon he was in the lead, but Farina and Sommer were both closing in. Bad luck would strike both Wimille and Farina, however, with their gearboxes proving faulty only halfway through the race, ensuring an easy victory for Sommer. Jean-Pierre Wimille returned home frustrated, but not bruised by the defeat; after all, the combination of Wimille and the 158 proved to be frightening when it came to race pace. After the race, Alfa Romeo were retrofitting the rest of their fleet with power upgrades for their next race in July. Wimille raced in two more events at Perpignan and Burgundy with his personal Alfa Romeo, and won both of them easily. With the upgrades of the “Alfetta” complete, Wimille and Alfa Romeo travelled over to Geneva, Switzerland for the first true international post-war motor race: the Grand Prix des Nations, featuring all of the most famous names in racing. Maserati arrived with the likes of Sommer, Tazio Nuvolari, and Luigi Villoresi. Alfa Romeo had expanded to a four-driver lineup, with Wimille and Farina being joined by Carlo Trossi and decorated pre-war star Achille Varzi. Jean-Pierre Wimille battling one of his Alfa Romeo teammates at the 1946 Nations Grand Prix, colorized. The Nations GP had a unique format with drivers being split off into separate heats for a 12-car final. In Wimille’s heat, he shocked everyone with another attacking performance, cruising to a 48-second win over his own team-mate Varzi, going 1.5 seconds faster per lap. You may recall from part 1 that Wimille claimed he learned everything he knew watching Varzi fly by him all those years ago, so this was a true full circle moment for Wimille to blow by Varzi this time. With Farina winning his own heat in slower fashion, in the final Alfa Romeo once again won after Villoresi crashed on only the 2nd lap. Wimille’s supercharger was malfunctioning late in the race, so he was forced to settle for 3rd, but he held his rival Farina to only one lap of winning margin. After Geneva, Wimille only entered in one more French race, which was held on July 28th at Nantes, the same city where he worked for Robert Benoist as part of the Clergyman network. Despite another strong performance, victory eluded him with mechanical issues at half distance. The success of the Nations Grand Prix in Geneva led to a major change for racing going forward; the rebranded FIA announced new technical regulations for Grand Prix racing for 1947, derived from old pre-war rulesets. As it was the first formula to be crafted post-war, the ruleset would be aptly titled “Formula One.” The first trial run of the formula would be in Valentino Park in Turin on September 1st, marking Italy’s return to hosting races in the process. After just one month at home, Jean-Pierre Wimille’s services were again needed at Alfa Romeo. Both Alfa Romeo and Maserati showed up in full force for the event, and with almost 200,000 spectators watching, expectations were high. However, prior to the race, Giovanbattista Guidotti confided in Jean-Pierre Wimille that Alfa Romeo’s suits wanted an Italian driver to win Italy’s first post-war race, probably to help boost public morale. Wimille said nothing to him, obviously furious at nationalism once again taking priority over pure racing. Wimille’s only realistic rival for victory was Giuseppe Farina, who just about pipped Wimille to pole position. But on the very first lap, Farina’s differential fell apart, leaving Wimille with just the Maseratis and his older Italian teammates as competition. From there, Jean-Pierre concocted a plan to drive as fast as was humanly possible in protest of the team orders, with every intention of letting one of his teammates win, were it possible. Grand Prix of Turin, the very first Formula One race. Image from Pinterest. Despite the best efforts of teammate Achille Varzi as well as Maserati’s Nuvolari and Chiron, the aging greats of the past had no answer to Wimille’s breakneck pace. The pit crew frantically displayed a sign to Jean-Pierre that said “1. Varzi, 2. Wimille,” reiterating Alfa Romeo’s wishes. Wimille didn’t slow down until he reached the final corner, after which he stopped his car for one minute, letting Varzi through for victory by only 0.8 seconds. There was outcry at Wimille effectively giving Varzi a win, but Wimille refused to answer any of the media’s questions on the subject. Jean-Pierre’s silent protest ultimately proved something very important: in the Alfa Romeo 158, Jean-Pierre Wimille was unquestionably one of the fastest racing drivers in the world, and you’d be making a big risk betting against him. It had an effect on the Italian crowd as well, who were awestruck by his performance. In anticipation of a smackdown from the higher-ups, Guidotti ultimately didn’t bring Wimille to Alfa’s roster for the next Italian race. From then on, Alfa Romeo never sidelined Wimille from a sure victory again. In spite of the team order scandal, the Formula One race at Turin was a huge success, leading to an official debut of the ruleset for 1947. With the season over, Jean-Pierre returned home in mid-September to see Christiane again, as well as begin work on a complete redesign of his production car after underwhelming trial results. The redesign ended up taking nearly a full year to complete, with a search for a better engine than the old Citroen one taking a similar amount of time. 1947 After a full year of racing had passed, more and more venues all across Europe were getting repaired and restored enough for a proper return to racing. The same was also true of prospective racing teams, with startup companies making race cars on a shoestring budget. One such manufacturer was the French Gordini, and thanks to his heroics with Alfa Romeo, Gordini had their sights set on Jean-Pierre Wimille. Recognizing the valuable knowledge Wimille had obtained through the design of his own production car, Aldo Gordini offered him a full-time race seat. Wimille initially refused, knowing the superiority of the cars Alfa Romeo had, but Gordini persisted. Eventually, a compromise was reached between both manufacturers, which allowed Wimille to race in French events with Gordini, and continue with Alfa Romeo internationally. Jean-Pierre Wimille raced his little Gordini at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1948. This offered Wimille a fresh perspective within racing, giving him a chance to race as an underdog and the overwhelming favorite; it’d be a bit like if Max Verstappen raced for one of the backmarker teams in F1 today. Unsurprisingly, Gordini’s car being something of a low-budget special meant there were plenty of teething troubles. With Gordini, Wimille set a personal target of beating any of Maserati’s vast inventory of works supported and independent drivers; their post-war 4CL may not have been as dominant as the 158, but it was very reliable and won many races. This was easier said than done, however, and at Europe’s season-opening event at Pau, Wimille experienced inconsistent pace all day and would drop out due to a slipping clutch. Things were no better at Perpignan, where his attempts at repeating victory would fall short thanks to the engine overheating at only 1/3rd race distance. Maserati’s top drivers, such as Luigi Villoresi and Reginald Parnell, continued to see off any threat Jean-Pierre Wimille posed in the Gordini, but the design was seeing gradual improvement. On June 1st, however, there was a major event at Nimes, and two races were on the bill: one for the big race cars, and a shorter sprint for smaller cars. At the recommendation of Wimille, Gordini entered in the smaller race, seeing as it was far more likely Gordini would win with a shorter race distance. Though if you ask me, the race had personal significance for Wimille himself, as it was named in memory of Robert Benoist. Wimille and Gordini had opposition, though, and it came from Italian startup team Cisitalia, who fielded Raymond Sommer as their lead driver. The race was very competitive, with Sommer posting the fastest lap and giving Wimille a run for his money, but it wasn’t enough. Finally, the stars had aligned and Jean-Pierre Wimille won the Coupe de Robert Benoist. As you might expect, this was a very emotional win for Wimille, since he had Benoist to thank for most of the opportunities he had before and during the war. One can imagine that winning this event was a way of giving something back to his old friend. The very next week on June 8th, Wimille returned to racing for Alfa Romeo, for the Grand Prix of Switzerland, the first international post-war Grand Prix, was run in Bremgarten. When it came to racing for this team, Wimille was blessed this year, as his biggest rival Giuseppe Farina had a falling out with Guidotti before the season started, and resigned. This left Wimille with Achille Varzi and Carlo Trossi as his full-time teammates, making his victory quest a little easier. Jean-Pierre Wimille raced against Varzi at Spa-Francorchamps in 1947. They are pictured in what is now the start/finish straight, approaching the old La Source hairpin. Just like the Grand Prix des Nations, the Swiss Grand Prix ran to a two heat format with a final for anyone who finished their heat. Varzi and Trossi were in a different heat from Wimille, which allowed him to advance with two minutes of margin over Maserati’s Villoresi. In the main event, despite a spirited campaign from Varzi, Wimille exercised superior endurance and triumphed over Varzi by 45 seconds. Bremgarten was Wimille’s first Formula One Grand Prix victory, and it certainly would not be the last. Three weeks later was the Belgian Grand Prix at the great Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Only Louis Chiron of the Talbot team could challenge the Alfas, and his engine would give way after only 10 laps. From then on, Wimille would win again in even more dominant fashion, lapping the entire field, including Varzi! Each victory somehow seemed to be more impressive than the last, and fans became enamored with Jean-Pierre Wimille’s success. It really was harder than ever to deny Wimille’s place as the new flag bearer for Grand Prix racing. However, Alfa Romeo’s upper management still wasn’t fully convinced, and sidelined him from the Italian Grand Prix to ensure an Italian driver winning. The decision would blow up in their faces when the Italian crowd booed Trossi, the eventual winner, asking where Wimille was. Wimille didn’t hold anything against Alfa, though, because most of his efforts for the remainder of the season went into improving Gordini’s inconsistent performances. Race after race within France, something was always going wrong even when things looked certain to be good. That all changed however, when on July 20th at Nice, Wimille put together a 2nd place result against some of the strongest drivers from Maserati and Talbot. In this time, Jean-Pierre became great friends with one of Gordini’s younger drivers, Maurice Trintignant, and Wimille found himself taking the role of mentor. Trintignant went on to have a very long career in Formula One, spanning all the way until 1964. Jean-Pierre’s strong result at Nice buoyed the confidence of the Gordini team, who closed the year out strongly with podium finishes at Lyon and Lausanne. Within a year, Wimille had helped transform Gordini from an underfunded pipe dream to a team with legitimate future prospects. 1948 Wimille returned home at the end of 1947, prioritizing the remainder of the year spending time with Christiane and re-designing the bodywork of the Wimille prototype car, opting for a more conventional yet striking design. However, in light of a trend in Grand Prix racing that picked up significant traction in 1947, Jean-Pierre Wimille chose to join in on the hype, and start the 1948 season a little earlier than expected. In January, he (as well as several other top drivers) made a pilgrimage all the way down to Buenos Aires to take part in the “Temporada” Grand Prix races. You see, after the war ended, the newly-elected Argentinian president Juan Peron wanted to increase tourism to the country, and chose to revive the country’s immensely popular motor racing sector as a means of promoting it to the world. With Europe still rebuilding from the war, the relatively unaffected continent of South America hosting races was a huge breath of fresh air for the European racing community. The first series ran in 1947 to enormous success, having attracted the likes of Luigi Villoresi and Achille Varzi. For 1948, they were set to attract yet more talent, as Jean-Pierre Wimille wanted in on the fun. Wimille featured as the cover of El Grafico magazine during his visit. The inset reads “Jean-Pierre Wimille, Winner of the City of Rosario’s Grand Prize.” Wimille brought his pre-war Alfa Romeo, and one of the works Gordinis, down to Buenos Aires with him, and upon arrival he was seriously impressed with their strong car culture. He registered for every major race they had to offer, one of which was the Rosario Grand Prix, north of Buenos Aires. During practice for it, Wimille found a local driver using a Gordini identical to his own. How he got it is still unknown, but it’s safe to say he looked very fast. Come race time, Wimille found himself outpaced by the locals. He eventually charged to the front, dispatching Dr. Farina and Villoresi quickly, but the Argentinian he saw in practice kept level, and even charged for the lead himself. Wimille and the Argentinian battled wheel to wheel all race long, providing an enthralling fight for the fans. The race for the win only ended when the local hero had an engine failure. Wimille had won, but after the race he strolled over to the local’s pit stall and learned his name: Juan Manuel Fangio. It was a battle neither of them ever forgot. Juan Manuel Fangio racing his Gordini car. Image credit from Flickr. Indeed, After several years of being the strongest racing driver in Europe, in one race with Fangio, Jean-Pierre Wimille had found his match. He returned to France in early March with a lot to think about, and soon made it his mission to convince the unassuming European population of the untapped potential that Mr. Fangio possessed. Wimille said of him, “If one day he has a car that is right for his temperament, Fangio will perform miracles” (8W/Forix). Words of praise from who was then considered the best in the world was certainly reason for interest among his peers, but more on that later. Keeping the same arrangement with Gordini and Alfa Romeo as in 1947, Jean-Pierre Wimille started the 1948 season with Gordini at the Pau Grand Prix, where a winning drive was halted due to gearbox troubles. After Alfa Romeo opted to skip both the Nations Grand Prix and the returning Monaco Grand Prix, Gordini and Wimille entered in both together. In each race, Wimille was greeted by the return of his rival Giuseppe Farina, now racing for Maserati. Thanks to a highly upgraded car, they had the edge on top speed and defeated Wimille handily at Geneva. Monaco however wasn’t as clear cut. The lower speeds were advantageous for the Gordini, and Wimille held a lead for the first half. The Gordini was still pushed to its limits, and Wimille had to concede to Farina yet again after the engine failed. Between Fangio’s heroics in Argentina, and two consecutive losses to Farina, it seemed like the motor racing world was beginning to catch up to Jean-Pierre. And yet, the remainder of the 1948 season may well go down in history as the absolute zenith of Jean-Pierre Wimille’s career. The once wildly temperamental driver was now second to none, and from here on out it showed in his performances. Achille Varzi, one of the greatest racing drivers of the interwar period. Image credits to Formula 1 wiki. Alfa Romeo’s racing season began at the Swiss Grand Prix on July 4th, and already there was a certain tension in the paddock. Word soon broke that one of their drivers, Carlo Trossi, had developed a brain tumor and only had one year to live. Worse still, when qualifying got under way, Wimille and everyone else got a grim reminder that racing was still as terrifyingly dangerous as it always was. Achille Varzi would lose control of his Alfa Romeo, and careened into the barrier at high speed, catapulted from the car on impact. He was dead on the way to hospital, sending Europe into shock, especially at the loss of such a revered pre-war legend. As a testament to the tolerance of motorsport’s danger at the time, the race went on, albeit with a solemn mood. Thanks to the fast Maseratis of Farina and Villoresi, the race was still close, but Wimille and Trossi were able to pull clear. In the end, Wimille gave way to his sensitive side and allowed Trossi to take victory, perhaps as a gift before his eventual passing a year later. The podium ceremony was equally emotional, being dedicated in memory of Varzi. With the fatal accident of Varzi, and Trossi’s terminal illness, Jean-Pierre Wimille was suddenly the undisputed number one driver for Alfa Romeo. Fearing a driver vacuum in the short-term, Giovanbattista Guidotti ordered Wimille to every last major event of the year while he scouted for new drivers. Wimille obliged, and from there he never looked back. Jean-Pierre Wimille racing through Valentino Park, circa 1948. Two weeks later was the French Grand Prix at Reims-Gueux, which marked a major turning point for the future of Formula One. Buoyed by the positive comments from Jean-Pierre Wimille, president Juan Peron seized the opportunity and gave the Automobil Club Argentino a full budget for a multi-year international racing program, featuring all of Argentina’s top drivers. This included Juan Manuel Fangio, who was to make his Formula One Grand Prix debut in France. He impressed, dragging his small Gordini to a top 5 placing before dropping out. During the race itself, Jean-Pierre Wimille’s new teammate Alberto Ascari proved to be significantly competitive, but Wimille was able to hold him off. Maserati’s Villoresi made it past Ascari late with an eye for Wimille, but teething troubles forced him out too, ensuring Wimille scored another commanding victory, this time on home soil. Fangio said later in his life that he found Wimille’s driving style to be “inspirational.” Next came two Italian events: the Italian Grand Prix at Valentino Park, and the Autodrome Grand Prix, a celebration of the post-war reopening of the “Temple Of Speed,” Monza. At Valentino Park, Wimille faced extremely stiff competition; Ascari went back to Maserati to partner Villoresi, and the startup Ferrari team was headlined by Farina and Raymond Sommer. Yet despite that, Jean-Pierre Wimille put together a race-dominating performance that turned him from the eminent champion to a living legend. In a 75 lap race, Wimille took pole position, the fastest lap, and lapped everyone except for Villoresi twice. It served to prove that, although Formula One was becoming more and more competitive, there was a long way to go to reach the best in the business. The Autodrome Grand Prix closed out the year for Wimille, where he partnered with Carlo Trossi for the final time. Bringing out a special streamlined variant of their 158, Alfa Romeo were aerodynamically superior to their rivals, and Wimille led home a podium lockout for the team, and his third consecutive victory in the process. It’s safe to say that, had the Formula One World Championship been established, Jean-Pierre Wimille was most certainly a deserving champion. In a way, Wimille came full circle with this successful season; he was inspired by Robert Benoist’s dominance in the late 1920s, and here Wimille stood two decades later, in virtually the same position. The second prototype of the Wimille road car. All while this was happening, Wimille and his team of engineers were completing the work on the redesign of Wimille’s road car. It was unveiled at the end of 1948 at the Salon de Paris. The new bodywork looked much sleeker and elegant, and it was paired with a brand-new Ford V8 engine capable of triple digit power output. It really looked as though the 2nd Wimille Prototype could’ve done really well, providing Jean-Pierre and co. found the right vendor for it. 1949 Sadly, the story of his road car is another “what if” in automobiles that the world can never know, as you’ll soon understand. Jean-Pierre’s visit to down South in 1948 was very popular in Argentina, and the Automovil Club Argentino invited him back down again to kick off the 1949 season. Seeing as he enjoyed it so much last time, Wimille accepted the offer and traveled down to Buenos Aires representing the Gordini team. According to motorsportmemorial.org, Wimille was billed to the locals as “the authentic European Champion of motorsport.” Jean-Pierre Wimille photographed with his Gordini in Buenos Aires. Image credits to PreWarCar.com. The marquis event of the Temporada Series was the Grand Prix of Buenos Aires at Palermo Park, named in honor of president Peron. In the early morning on Friday, January 28th, Wimille took to the circuit to engage in practice, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd. After a couple of installation laps, Wimille went for a timed lap, and indicated to Gordini to start the clock. However, on the far side of the circuit, Jean-Pierre Wimille unexplainably lost control of the car, and the Gordini soon tumbled end over end after colliding with a hay bale, and it came to a rest upside down. Wimille was squarely underneath the car, knocked unconscious. There is still some debate as to how Wimille crashed. Some claim it was sun blindness, others say spectators invaded the track, but it’s impossible to know for certain with no photography of the accident. The emergency services arrived as quickly as they could, but Wimille’s condition was beyond critical. He briefly regained consciousness while in the ambulance, and his last recorded words were “what happened?” Tragically, a few minutes before they had reached the city hospital, Wimille lost his heartbeat. That Friday evening, the Buenos Aires mayor had the unenviable task of conveying to the general public that Jean-Pierre Wimille was dead, aged 40. The motorsport world was devastated at the news. Much like the public later thought with drivers such as Jim Clark and Jochen Rindt, if there was anyone who was too good to die at the wheel, it was Wimille. Allegedly, Alfa Romeo’s manager, Giovanbattista Guidotti, was so grief-stricken at the accident, that he ceased Alfa Romeo’s Grand Prix operations for the entirety of the 1949 season. The death of who was then the world’s finest racing driver truly hit close to home for everybody, whether you supported him or not. A memorial service in Buenos Aires was soon granted for the fallen Frenchman. His wife Christiane was in attendance in Argentina for the race that weekend, and she refused to let the service go public; only allowing local and French authorities, and Wimille’s racing driver colleagues, to attend the service. The Jean-Pierre Wimille monument in western Paris. The day after the race, Jean-Pierre Wimille’s casket was taken to be buried. The casket bearers included Giuseppe Farina, Luigi Villoresi, and local racing veteran Oscar Alfredo Galvez. He was soon buried in Buenos Aires before being exhumed and returned home to Paris, where Christiane arranged for the construction of a memorial in Jean-Pierre’s honor. Wimille’s remains would be placed in Bois de Boulogne, the same place where Wimille won the Coupe des Prisonniers right after World War II ended. Wimille was survived by Christiane, his father Auguste, and his son Francois. All of them would be buried alongside him at Bois de Boulogne. Without Jean-Pierre to back it, the promising Wimille road car never secured enough funding for production, and ultimately was left to fade away as a mere footnote in the history of French automobiles. The 1949 Grand Prix season carried on without Wimille, but it never truly felt the same without him. However, there were some things to smile about despite Wimille’s tragic departure. As if to confirm Jean-Pierre’s prophetic statements about him a year prior, Juan Manuel Fangio rose to become a truly sensational racing driver in 1949. He won no less than five major races on European soil with a privateer Maserati. The performances were so impressive that, almost as a posthumous gift to the late Wimille, Guidotti offered Juan Manuel Fangio a contract for Alfa Romeo from 1950 and beyond. Fangio accepted, and the rest was history. Fangio went on to become a five-time Formula One World Champion with four different teams, cementing his continuing status as one of the greatest transcendent Grand Prix drivers of all time. Finally, Guidotti also offered a seat to Wimille’s long-time on-track rival, Dr. Giuseppe Farina, who had mended his wounds with Guidotti by 1950. The Legacy Farina would become Formula One’s very first world champion that year, which neatly brings me to an interesting point. The World Championship of Drivers was first conceived of in late 1948, with an intention for a 1950 debut. Jean-Pierre Wimille lost his life only a little over a year before the World Championship began its inaugural season, which is a shame in so many different ways. As brilliantly talented as Farina was, he was in fact two years older than Wimille, and they both lost their peak years as racing drivers to the second world war. This paints a picture that, if Wimille lived to race in Formula One as we know it today, he most certainly would have been the first World Champion, or at least given the likes of Fangio and Farina a run for their money. This is a sentiment shared by many historians, including the revered journalist Joe Saward, who dedicated almost 20 years of his life researching Wimille and his colleagues. Indeed, when you think of Formula One’s history, you think only back to 1950. That is the official year when the history books start; the year where every statistic is first compatible with those we encounter in the sport today. Formula One has lasted three quarters of a century for a reason; for its millions of fans it’s the sport of immortals, and it inspires young people now in much the same way it continuously has, through all the difficult times the sport faces. The point is, Wimille died just one year before he had the figurative “immortality” of F1’s venerated history preserving his great legacy. When writing for grandprix.com in 2000, Joe Saward put it best: “The world has forgotten Jean-Pierre Wimille - and it is not really fair.” Consider the nearly two-decade long career in motorsports that Wimille embarked on. He started by crashing nearly every car he owned, but went on to punch well above his weight in every race he could enter. He then became the pride of France whilst politics influenced his racing career, and then served as a member of a resistance cell during the second World War. Wimille survived that harrowing experience and emerged from it as the most dominant racing driver in the world; an inspirational story from any angle. Jean-Pierre Wimille [right] speaking with a fellow driver prior to a race. Image credits to 8W/Forix. Putting pen to paper, Jean-Pierre Wimille’s accolades as a driver left an impact similar to that of other drivers such as Fangio, Clark, Senna, Schumacher, and even Hamilton. Wimille’s middle-class upbringing, inconsistent yet respectable pre-war career, and heroic service during the war were all things that enhanced what his post-war accomplishments represented: a tribute to excellence in its purest form. From the moment he returned to a racing car, Jean-Pierre Wimille was one step ahead of the competition, and continually improved upon himself and his rivals time and again. Who knows how much longer his dynasty could have continued if it wasn’t cut short. This sentiment is also shared by no other than Enzo Ferrari, who in the mid-1960s spoke of Wimille as “one of the greatest drivers representing France." Indeed, part of the reason why Formula One is still so relevant and enduring 75 years later, is that unending chase for perfection and on-track excellence. Max Verstappen’s performance in 2023 is historically dominant and it’s up there as one of the most impressive runs any driver has ever put together. And yet, when you look back at when the building blocks of Formula One were being laid, you’ll see a French driver who was equally as spectacular every single time he got in a car; one we can be proud to say is a founding father of Formula One as we know it. His name? Jean-Pierre Wimille. That concludes this three-part insight into Wimille’s life. I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read this saga; it means so much to me, and it always motivates me to keep writing bigger and better. I also want to thank the amazing resources online that I consulted in writing this up, including GrandPrix.com, Motorsport Memorial, Sports Car Digest, the Bugatti Revue, 8W/Forix, and the Silhouet motorsport results archive. This post would not be what it is without the invaluable work of the historians that came before me. I’ll be back for the premiere of Season 3 of The Centennial Series in April, so as they say, watch this space. Take care, and I’ll see you all again soon! |