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Osaka Pro Battle Station 1999
review by Zedi Date: August 25th, 1999 1.Super Demekin vs Kaiju Tortoise Fight 1: Super Demekin vs Kaiju Tortoise Super Demekin is a random masked wrestler, while Kaiju Tortoise is a large man wearing a funny crab/tortoise hybrid outfit. Demekin starts the offense by taking Tortoise out of the ring with a series of dropkicks. Back in the ring, Tortoise starts arguing with the referee, then proposes a handshake to Demekin, but hits him with a low blow instead. Demekin tries a Sunset Flip, but Tortoise escapes, hits a Snapmare and an elbow drop for a 2 count. Irish Whip and corner clothesline by Tortoise, followed by a Space Rolling Elbow and a Powerslam, and then he delivers an impressive standing Moonsault. Tortoise interrupts the count at 2, extending Demekin's agony: Kaiju Tortoise goes on top for a Moonsault for the pin a at 2.45 Match Thoughts: This was a very short opener, basically a way to show Kaiju Tortoise ability: * Fight 2: Ebessan vs Monkey Magic Ebessan is probably one of the most popular Osaka Pro characters around the world, Monkey Magic is just a monkey; I suppose the man under Monkey's mask is the same who would later use the Miracle Man gimmick. Monkey Magic then hits an Headscissors takedown, tries another, but Ebessan reverses it into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker; hurricanrana by Monkey to counter a powerbomb attempt, then another; but the third one is reversed in a powerbomb by Ebessan. He then traps Monkey with the Nudo Clutch for the pin at 5.50. Match Thoughts: Basically a short comedy match that flew quite well, but sometimes looked a little bit sloppy: *1/2 Fight 3: Arkangel de la Muerte vs Kuishimbo Kamen Kamen is one of the most famous Osaka Pro gimmicks, Arkangel de la Muerte is a Mexican luchador touring in Japan. Match starts with Arkangel performing a Romero Special on Kamen. A quick sequence of avoided moves leads to Arkangel rolling out of the ring: Kamen perfectly hits an Asai Moonsault. Back in the ring, Kamen with a bodyslam, a top rope Crossbody and a Moonsault Press for a 2 count. Arkangel delivers several kicks to the head of Kamen, then legdrops him for a 2. A quick sequence follows, ending with Arkangel hitting Kamen with an elbow smash and taking him outside of the ring. Kamen comes back, but Arkangel hits him again with a series of Irish Whips and clotheslines; Kamen avoids one of them and goes with the Schoolboy for a 2 count only; he the tries a Sunset Flip, but Arkangel de la Muerte kicks out again. Arkangel regains control over the match by powerbombing Kamen to block an Hurricanrana attempt. He then hits a Sit-Down Powerbomb for the pin at 5.30 Match Thoughts: Another short match, involving some comedy. Not bad, but there was nothing special: *3/4 Fight 4: Tsubasa & Oriental vs Yoshihito Sugamoto & Naohiro Hoshikawa The match starts with Tsubasa and Sugamoto in the ring; Yoshihito Sugamoto is know in Dragon Gate as Gamma. Hard chops by Tsubasa, followed by a Lariat and a Camel Clutch. Tsubasa tags Oriental (who is a Mexican luchador) in, who applies a submission on Sugamoto, which is broken by Hoshikawa. Oriental gets a 2 count with a slingshot Senton, then applies a Fujiwara Armbar, but Sugamoto is able to reach the first rope with his feet; Tsubasa tags in with a slingshot elbow drop, but gets soon caught in Hoshikawa's corner, who tags in and starts kicking him very hard to the chest. Double team elbow smash on Tsubasa for a 2 count; Hoshikawa continues the beating on Tsubasa with a dropkick and an elbow drop and, when Tsubasa kicks out, he traps his left arm into a Jujigatame; Sugamoto comes in applying a Jujigatame also on Tsubasa right arm. Somehow Tsubasa is able to reach the ropes with one foot; Sugamoto continues the offense with a dropkick and a headbutt, but Tsubasa comes back with a Snap Suplex. Oriental tags in and takes Sugamoto down with chops and a somersault Senton; he then tries an STF-like submission, but gets blocked by Hoshikawa. Oriental and Tsubasa go for a double team clothesline, but Sugamoto avoids it and tags in Hoshikawa, who takes care of both opponents with some stiff kicks to the chest. Vertical Suplex on Oriental, who barely kicks out of the pin attempt. Double team elbow smash, but Oriental is able to kick out again. Sugamoto goes on top for a double team dropkick, but Oriental escapes from Hoshikawa's Full Nelson. Oriental bodyslams Sugamoto, he goes on top for a somersault Senton, and then he jumps through the ropes hitting Hoshikawa with a Suicide Dive. Tsubasa throws Sugamoto to outside and performs an Asai Moonsault on him. Back in the ring, Hoshikawa kicks Oriental and takes him down with an uppercut; Oriental is back on his feet and Hoshikawa goes for a forearm, avoided by Oriental, who hits a lariat; Hoshikawa kicks out at 2. Oriental tries the quick pin with a Schoolboy, but Hoshikawa is able to escape; a nice spot follows when Hoshikawa tries a Spear in the corner and Oriental counters with a Sunset Flip for a 2 count. Oriental hits a Somersault legdrop on the back of Hoshikawa's head, then goes for La Majistral, but Sugamoto interferes. Tsubasa tags in and starts chopping and kicking Sugamoto, then hits a Russian Side Leg Sweep turned into an Grounded Octopus Lock, which is stopped by Hoshikawa; team work on Sugamoto in the corner, with a Space Rolling Elbow, a clothesline and a double team Bulldog. Hoshikawa blocks the attempt to finish Sugamoto, only to get tossed outside the ring. Tsubasa and Oriental continue the beating on Sugamoto with a double team Cutter and Elbow Drop; they try to finish him off with a Sleeper Hold/STF Combo, but Hoshikawa hits the ring again. Match Thoughts: This was a decent tag-team match; good chemistry between Tsubasa and Oriental, with Sugamoto basically taking all the bumps and Hoshikawa looking good in the few things he did; the match itself wasn't so exciting because the team of Hoshikawa and Sugamoto never took control. Anyway a decent match: *** Fight 5: Super Delfin, Masato Yakushiji & Masaru Seno vs Dick Togo, Black Buffalo & Policeman It's main-event time, involving the most experienced workers of the show, Super Delfin and Dick Togo; Black Buffalo and Policeman are two of the classic Osaka Pro gimmicks, Yakushiji is a guy dressed like Bruce Lee and Seno is just a random wrestler, who would later become one of Osaka Pro top heels as Daioh QUALLT, a Kane inspired monster. At the beginning Togo, Buffalo and Policeman take control over Seno, trapping him in a triple team lock; Delfin and Policeman tag in with quick dropkicks and armdrags exchanges, until Policeman hits a Quebrada. It's Buffalo and Seno's turn, who trade some shoulder blocks; chops by Seno, but Buffalo counters with a Lariat: Togo and Yajushiji now in. Very high Flapjack by Togo, but Yakushiji hits a Hurricanrana and takes Togo out of the ring with a headscissors takedown. Black Buffalo tags in, but Delfin, Seno and Yakushiji take control with good team work; Seno applies a Boston Crab, followed by a double dropkick by Delfin and Yakushiji. The fight moves to the outside the ring, around the arena: Buffalo, Togo and Policeman take down their opponents and Togo drags Seno back in the ring and hits a standing Senton, but isn't able to get the pin. Policeman tags in, hits a Neckbreaker and applies a Chinlock, than tags Buffalo in. Some really hard chops, an elbow smash and a DDT by Buffalo, but Yakushiji interferes; Togo punish him with a delayed vertical suplex, but Delfin blocks the count. Policeman tags in and hits a Tiger Driver, but Yajushiji is able to kick out; a Snap Suplex follows, but Super Delfin comes in the ring again, stopping referee count. Buffalo tags in and hits a Legdrop: Yakushiji barely kicks out again. Togo hits a slingshot Senton, climbs the ropes and hits a somersault Senton; he the goes for the STF, but Yakushiji somehow reaches the ropes, but both Togo and Buffalo hit a Guillotine Legdrop on the back of his head. Buffalo tries to cover, but Delfin breaks the count again. Black Buffalo hits a Sit-Down Piledriver, but Yakushiji miraculously kicks out at 2; nice sequence by Togo, with punches and a backflip kick to the head; Togo tries the pin with a running Splash, but Delfin interferes for the 5th or 6th time. Yakushiji is finally able to react, after several minutes of beating, taking down everyone with superkicks, and tags Super Delfin in: lariat and Saito Suplex on Policeman by Delfin for a 2 count. Delfin hits an Implant DDT, but Policeman recovers at 2 and a half; Delfin goes on top and hits a Tornado DDT. It's Osaka Street Cutter time, but Buffalo kicks Delfin before he could get the pin. Seno tags in, but with little success, since Buffalo takes him down and hits a headbutt and a lariat for a 2. Buffalo goes for a shoulder block, which is reversed into a Powerslam by Seno; Seno hits a german Suplex Hold, but Buffalo kicks out; running lariat by Seno, but Togo hits the ring and attacks him. Seno applies a Boston Crab, but Policeman breaks the lock with a kick, then hits an Implant DDT on a suitcase brought on the ring by Buffalo, but Yakushiji interferes just before the 3; he then hits a Suicide Dive on Black Buffalo; Policeman goes for a top rope Asai moonsault, while Super Delfin hits a Pescado. The only two wrestlers remaining in the ring are Togo and Seno, with Togo in total control: he hits a Double Underhook Facebuster, then goes on top and hits a Cannonball Senton for the pin at 16.13. Match Thoughts: This was quite a good match: good psychology, fast-paced action, some high spots and good workers. Anyway the match lacked of something "special," so it wasn't bad, but not that good for being a main-event: ***1/4 Final Thoughts: Not a bad show, but it's not worth seeing unless you are an Osaka pro fan. The first 3 matches of the card were way too short and comedy-based to be good, but that's Osaka Pro style: they were entertaining, but the wrestling was pretty average. The tag team match was decent and the main-event wasn't bad, but lacked that something special to be considered good. |
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