LOW - Legends of Wrestling

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson and I am glad you enjoyed the ROH card. C & C over KOW was huge and I agree it would have been cool to see them win the tournament. Next up is the last edition of LOW All-Star Wrestling prior to WrestleCade VIII and it is a big one so get your DVR ready...

LOW All-Star Wrestling (Episode 38) - WMC-TV5 Studios - Memphis, TN (Card #791)

Announcers Lance Russell and Dave Brown opened the broadcast by discussing the upcoming WrestleCade VIII (Card #800 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA) and that it will be headlined by SWA star Lou Thesz challenging The Sheik for the LOW World Heavyweight title. That came as a result of Thesz beating his mentor, Ed “Strangler” Lewis, in the finals of the 12-Man Gold Star Battle Royal at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY (Card #785). It was stated that The Sheik will be in non-title action on the broadcast facing a tough challenge in Henry Irslinger. The two also announced that a rematch for the LOW International Heavyweight title has been signed for WrestleCade VIII with the “Russian Lion” George Hackenschmidt defending against former champion Harley Race. They were then joined in studio by the Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) along with their manager “Precious” Paul Ellering. The seven-time LOW World tag team champions and their manager discussed the 10-Team Gauntlet Match that LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox has set up for WrestleCade VIII weekend to determine who would challenge the Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello & Roy Heffernan) for the titles at the big event.

PE: “This is going to be a huge opportunity for us as I have officially entered Hawk and Animal into the field pending, of course, a final confirmation from Mr. Cox.”

LR: “As a matter of fact, Paul, we have the LOW Commissioner on standby via satellite from the LOW offices in New York, NY, so let’s hear from him.”

CC: “Thanks Lance and I will now take this time to reveal the ten teams that will be participating in the Gauntlet Match. First up from the AWE we have the Valiant Brothers (Jimmy “Boogie Woogie Man” Valiant & “Luscious” Johnny Valiant) and then there is The Sheepherders (Butch Miller & Luke Williams) from the NWC.”

At that point the segment was interrupted by none other than freelance stars Randy “Macho Man” Savage and “King Kong” Bruiser Brody who stormed into the studio and stood face to face with the Road Warriors and Ellering. The studio audience was buzzing with anticipation as the tension mounted.

LR: “Who-kay, Randy and Brody we are in the midst of some big announcements from LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox. What on earth are you guys doing out here?”

RS: “Freak out, freak out Lance Russell this is our time now, yeah! Me and “King Kong” have been doing some thinking, thinking and we want in on some of this WrestleCade VIII action, Oh yeah! You got something to say about that?”

LR: “This is a bad time, Randy. You guys are scheduled for tag action later on but right now we are discussing the tag team championship situation.”

BB: “Lance, you know that I respect you and I don’t respect many people but me and “Macho” want a fight and I think we found one.”

With that it was Savage and Brody getting into a shoving match with Hawk and Animal that looked to explode out of control but LOW officials and studio security, along with Ellering, were able to diffuse the volatile situation. Road Warrior Hawk, however, wasn’t ready to leave.

RWH: “Well you guys want a fight you got one. Let’s do this at WrestleCade VIII. Commissioner Cox if you are still listening take us out of the Gauntlet Match and give us Savage and Brody. We want to beat down some trash instead! Oooooh What a Rush!”

RS:” You keep talking, Hawk, because that’s all you are good for yeah. This one is going to get real personal, yeah dig it. When we finish off the Road Warriors at WrestleCade VIII the sky will be the limit for the “Macho Man” and “King Kong”. Oh yeeah, dig it!”

LR: “OK guys, ok, we have got to get this under control so let’s get on out of here to commercial.”

After the break it was Lance Russell announcing that LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox has officially approved of a match between the Road Warriors and Randy Savage & Bruiser Brody at WrestleCade VIII. He also said that a substitute team would replace the Road Warriors in the Gauntlet Match and that the revised list of teams competing for the world tag team title shot will be revealed by Cox later in the broadcast.

1) Falls Count Anywhere Match: Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon defeated PG-13:
This grudge tag team battle between PG-13 (J.C. Ice & Wolfie D) and Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon, who were accompanied by manager Jimmy Hart, continued a wild start to the broadcast. The Falls Count Anywhere rules provided some wild moments including both teams brawling by the announce desk sending Lance Russell and Dave Brown running for cover. Highlights included Wolfie D scoring a near fall on Mad Dog with a flying face slam on the bathroom floor and Mad Dog grabbing the cane of an old man at ringside and smashing it over the head of Ice. There were two near falls in the aisle as Ice hit a DDT on Mad Dog and he came back with his trademark Piledriver. The finish of a wild bout saw Mad Dog cut off Wolfie D while Butcher trapped Ice in the Hangman in mid-ring for a submission victory.

2) Les Thatcher defeated Playboy Buddy Rose:
Popular veteran star Les Thatcher of ASW pulled off a big win as he defeated PCW star Playboy Buddy Rose who was accompanied by both “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe and Konnan of Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc. Thatcher survived a three-on-one situation, which included a physical attack by Konnan at one point, and also kicked out after Rose delivered the Bombs Away. Rose was beside himself and resorted to using a foreign object, the rope string from his tights, to choke Thatcher. The veteran from Cincinnati, OH, weathered the storm and scored with a series of dropkicks before catching a stunned Rose with a Flying Cross Bodyblock to score the pin. Rose, Konnan, and Sharpe went after Thatcher post-match but he escaped into the arms of a cheering studio audience. A disgusted Sharpe then went to the announce table and demanded a return tag team match on the next broadcast of ASW with Rose and Konnan against Thatcher and a partner of his choosing.

Interview – Cheerleader Melissa:
Dave Brown went to ringside to introduce SHIMMER champion Cheerleader Melissa for a special interview. The two-time champion will defend her title against the strong challenge of Lufisto at WrestleCade VIII. Melissa thanked the studio audience for their support as they gave her a nice reaction coming out. The beautiful star from San Francisco, CA, said that Lufisto will be a tough opponent as she is not only skilled but also hardcore in terms of her style. Brown said that Lufisto had to get through some strong opposition to earn the title shot and then threw it to a brief video from the Canadian star. Lufisto said that Melissa is a great champion and a credit to the SHIMMER roster but that “business is business” and she will do her best to dethrone her at WrestleCade VIII. Melissa responded that Lufisto can hang with any opponent and that she knows that she will need all of her ability to successfully defend the title. Brown thanked Melissa for her time and said that the two SHIMMER stars could have one of the best matches of the night at WrestleCade VIII.

3) Tommy Rich defeated Savage-T:
SWA star “Wildfire” Tommy Rich returned to ASW taking on Savage-T who was accompanied by his valet KJ Hill. Also present at ringside was Abdullah Farouk, the manager of LOW World Heavyweight champion The Sheik, who looked to be scouting Rich who is the protégé of Lou Thesz. Rich was pretty dominant in this one and finished off Savage-T with a Thesz Press for the pin. Rich then stared down Farouk who flashed an evil grin before returning to the locker room.

4) Randy Savage & Bruiser Brody defeated Danny Doring & Amish Roadkill:
This rematch from a previous broadcast of ASW (Card #771) saw freelance stars Randy “Macho Man” Savage & “King Kong Bruiser Brody battle Danny Doring & Amish Roadkill. Doring and Roadkill won that initial bout by disqualification but paid for it in a post-match assault. Savage and Brody were already fired up from their confrontation with the Road Warriors and came into this one chomping at the bit for a fight. Doring and Roadkill were on the defensive most of the way though Doring did hit the Danaconda on Savage for a near fall. Late in the bout Savage laid out Roadkill with a piledriver and tagged Brody who followed with a Twisting Vertical Suplex on the Amish star to score the pin.

5) Naptown Dragons & Ken Doane defeated Heartbreak Express & Jim Powers:
The stars of ASW were featured in six-man tag action as the Heartbreak Express (Fabulous Phil Davis & Superstar Sean Davis) and Jim Powers took on the Naptown Dragons (“Die Hard” Dustin Lee & Scotty Vortekz) and Ken Doane. It was the ASW debut for Doane who has left the AWE to sign a contract with the television brand of LOW. This was a great bout with Powers as the standout for his team. The star on the other side was Vortekz and the Indianapolis, IN, native would lead his team to victory. The finish saw Vortekz catch Phil Davis with a Gut Check, his version of the Dominator, to score the pin.

Promo – Kings Road United:
A special vignette aired to hype the upcoming tour for Kings Road United (Card #792-794) that will feature ASW’s own S.D. Jones returning along with such stars as Andre the Giant, “Dangerous” Dan Spivey, the Osirian Portal, Nigel McGuinness and more. The video also presented the full lineup that has been assembled for the second annual big Tokyo Dome show, subtitled Strong Style Experience, that takes place in Tokyo, Japan (Card #801) kicking off the new year in LOW:

●New Year Special Opening Fight: C.W. Anderson vs. Boris Zhukov
● Sky Queens Battle: Sumie Sakai vs. Tomoka Nakagawa
● Galaxian Warfare Reunion: Massif & Wolf vs. Massacre & Brute
● Four Score Emancipation: Abraham Lincoln vs. Evan Lewis
● Junior Stars Rising: Jushin Liger & Tiger Mask vs. Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito
● 30-Intergalactic Species Kaiju Big Battel Royal with Louden Noxious as host and the following participants:
Dr. Cube, The French Angel, George Steele, The Missing Link, Ultramantis Black, The Executioner, Tursas, Dragon Dragon, Genghis Khan, Mister ZERO, Hydra, El Hijo del Ice Cream, Ice Cream, Jr., Harker Dirge, Timber “The Insane Lumberjack”, The Blue Meanie, Exotic Adrian Street, Pinkie Sanchez, Al Snow, Kobald, Sam Hayne, Invincible Kraken, Mutant, Obariyon, Kodama, Jessicka Havok, MsChif, The Mysterious & Handsome Stranger, Shane Storm, and the “Man Beast” Rhino!
● Mountain Power Struggle: The Mongols vs. Masked Superstar & Big John Studd
● Legend of Masked Man: Mil Mascaras vs. The Destroyer
● Fighting Spirit Battle: Rikidozan vs. Antonio Inoki
● War of the Gargantuans: Giant Baba vs. Andre the Giant

6) Non-Title Match: The Sheik© defeated Henry Irslinger:
It was a rare televised appearance for the LOW World Heavyweight champion as The Sheik, accompanied by his manager Abdullah Farouk, took on Henry Irslinger. The studio audience was in full support of Irslinger as was “Wildfire” Tommy Rich who joined Lance Russell and Dave Brown on commentary. Farouk took exception to the presence of Rich and went over to the announce table telling him to “watch what the noble Sheik will do to Lou Thesz at WrestleCade VIII.” Irslinger had some shining moments in this one including using a scissors hold for a submission chance. The Sheik countered using his hardcore tactics and by the end of it Irslinger was busted open. The finish saw The Sheik wear Irslinger down with the sadistic hammerlock before stabbing him with a Sharp Object in the throat to score the pin. Rich noted afterward that The Sheik is a “tough customer” but that Thesz will have his number at WrestleCade VIII.

Interview – LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox:
The broadcast concluded with LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox again appearing via satellite to officially announce the ten teams that will be competing in the Gauntlet Match being held at Municipal Auditorium in Atlanta, GA (Card #798) during WrestleCade VIII weekend. The winners, of course, would then go on to challenge the Fabulous Kangaroos for the LOW World tag team titles at WrestleCade VIII:

● Valiant Brothers (AWE)
● The Sheepherders (NWC)
● Sabu & Rob Van Dam (NWC)
● Midnight Express (SWA)
● Larry Zbyszko & John Pesek (AWE)
● Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon (AWE)
● John & Chris Tolos (AWE)
● Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik (NWC)
● Steve Williams & Terry Gordy (GWA)
● Love Brothers (PCW, replacements for the Road Warriors)

[Crimson Cross]

I really could have seen that segment with the Road Warriors and Savage & Brody, killer stuff and I like the victory by S&B. I can't wait to see more between those two teams, great stuff...

[cruefan68]

Next up is the opening show of the three show KRU tour...

LOW Kings Road United - Korakuen Hall - Tokyo, Japan (Card #792)

1) Mister ZERO defeated Hydra:
The SRO crowd at the legendary Korakuen Hall was treated to a CHIKARA style opening match as the “powerful” Hydra took on Mister ZERO. Both men are part of the Kaiju Big Battel Royal upcoming at the Tokyo Dome (Card #801) so this was a chance for them to showcase their talents. It was ZERO that dominated this one including entertaining the crowd by applying his newspaper assisted camel clutch. He also delivered the Blue Thunder Bomb before finishing off Hydra with the Last Shaven Unicorn Drop to score the pin.

2) Kyle O’Reilly defeated Dan Spivey:
The recent run of bad luck for GWA star “Dangerous” Dan Spivey continued as he lost this one to Kyle O’Reilly of ROH. O’Reilly, who is a part of Future Shock along with reigning ROH Heavyweight champion Adam Cole, looked motivated from the opening bell. He took down the much larger Spivey with moves such as the Regalplex and triple butterfly suplexes. Spivey bailed out of the ring but O’Reilly kept on top of him giving the big man no chance to rest. The finish saw O’Reilly lift up Spivey for an impressive brainbuster before trapping him in the Guillotine Choke resulting in a submission victory. An angry Spivey tossed the victorious O’Reilly out of the ring post-match and then tore up ringside before KRU officials were able to escort him to the back.

3) Jushin Liger & Ilio DiPaolo defeated Tiger Mask & Brian Blair:
A most interesting tag team match saw Jushin “Thunder” Liger and NWC star Ilio DiPaolo team up to take on Tiger Mask and SWA star Brian Blair. Even though they are teaming up at the Tokyo Dome the duo of Liger and Tiger have a rivalry of respect and often find themselves on opposing sides. That includes their upcoming singles match on the tour ending show in Kobe (Card #794). Liger nearly pinned Tiger in the opening moments after hitting a Tombstone Piledriver. DiPaolo took over and looked good during his time in particularly when battling Blair. The finish of a competitive bout saw DiPaolo avoid a corner charge by Tiger causing him to fall out of the ring. Liger took over and a short time later nailed Tiger with the Brainbuster to score the pin.

4) Osirian Portal defeated Young Bucks:
A sensational tag team bout saw the Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) of ROH take on the Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) of CHIKARA. Both teams were clicking on all cylinders in this one and had had the crowd on the edge of their seats. The Bucks looked really dominant during one stretch and hit More Bank For Your Buck on Ophidian but Amasis made a timely save setting of a four-way brawl. The Portal also delivered their noted finisher, the Osirian Sacrament, on Matt but Nick was able to make a last second save. A great spot saw Ophidian counter a sunset flip attempt by Matt and execute a reverse rolling prawn hold into the Death Grip for a submission chance. Both Matt and Nick hit their respective finishers, the Moonsault and 450 Splash, for big near falls during the course of the battle. This one ended when Amasis cut off an offensive by Matt and caught him with The Move I Beat Moses With to score the pin. The crow cheered the victory by the Osirian Portal as well as the exchange of hand shakes post-match by both teams.

5) The Crusher vs. Masked Superstar was a DDQ:
Popular free agent star The Crusher met an old rival in the form of the Masked Superstar in this bout. The Masked Superstar had a surprise as he was accompanied to the ring by Big John Studd who will be teaming with him on the upcoming card at the Tokyo Dome (Card #801). The presence of Studd pissed of The Crusher who took out his frustration on the Superstar. He caught him with the Crusher Bolo and went for the pin but Studd distracted the referee breaking the count. That action led to Studd being ejected from ringside. The battle continued both in and out of the ring with both men trading stiff blows. The Crusher used the Crusher Nelson going for the submission and the Superstar likewise used the Cobra Hold looking for a tap out. The ring could hardly contain the action most of the way and both men wound up battling back on the floor with the referee unable to control the action. The official result: a double disqualification.

●The appearance of Big John Studd in the corner of the Masked Superstar led to the two meeting with the press following the match. The Superstar talked about their past teaming together when Studd worked under a mask as Masked Superstar II. He said that they are reuniting to take on The Mongols (Bepo & Geeto) at the Tokyo Dome and looked to make an impact once again in the tag team division of LOW. Studd then revealed that he has signed a contract with Kings Road United ending his days as a freelance star in LOW. That was huge news as KRU added a notable name to its roster and it will be interesting to see how Studd and Superstar fare in this reunion of a very powerful tag team.

6) The Mongols defeated Nigel McGuinness & C.W. Anderson by DQ:
The first of a triple tag team main event saw The Mongols (Bepo & Geeto) take on free agent star Nigel McGuinness who was paired up with C.W. Anderson of KRU. It was a return to action for McGuinness who was forced to leave the GWA after he and Exotic Adrian Street, known as the Hell’s Angels, lost a loser of the fall leaves town Steel Cage Match to Steve Williams & Terry Gordy (Card #773 in Berlin, Germany). McGuinness looked great in this one and nearly won it when he trapped Bepo on the London Dungeon but Geeto made the save. Geeto would also make a timely save when Anderson had Bepo pinned after hitting the Spinebuster. Geeto was the standout for The Mongols battering both McGuinness and Anderson during his time in. The Mongols wound up getting their arms raised in victory when Anderson was disqualified after hitting Bepo with a chair during a battle on the outside.

7) Giant Baba & The Destroyer defeated Andre the Giant & S.D. Jones by DQ:
Another technical decision marred this highly anticipated bout as Shohei “Giant” Baba & The Destroyer took on Andre the Giant & S.D. Jones. This was something of a preview for the “War of the Gargantuans” at the Tokyo Dome where Baba will face the undefeated Andre in the main event. It was also the first of three matches on the tour featuring Baba and Andre on opposite sides in tag team action. The crowd was at a fever pitch whenever Baba and Andre squared off in this one. Jones, who is a part of the ASW roster, was making his second consecutive tour of KRU as he was invited back due to his success the last time. He more than held his own here even taking Baba down with the Philly shuffle and KO punch. The Destroyer looked great during his time in and had Jones in trouble with the single leg Boston Crab. A hot tag made to Andre led to the finish as he took The Destroyer to the floor and battered him with headbutts. With Jones and Baba battling on the inside, Andre grabbed The Destroyer and speared him head first into the ring post resulting in a snake eyes disqualification call by the referee. The post-match was wild as The Crusher joined in helping Andre and Jones attack Baba and The Destroyer and left them laying as a prelude to the six-man tag team match on night two of the tour where Baba and The Destroyer will team with Rikidozan.

8) Rikidozan & Antonio Inoki defeated Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito:
This rematch from the last KRU tour (Card #764 in Sapporo, Japan) saw Rikidozan & Antonio Inoki out for revenge against Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito. In that match it was Fuji getting disqualified for using a salt attack. Fuji and Saito did a great job holding the advantage in this one as they kept Rikidozan isolated from tagging Inoki. Saito scored a series of near falls on Rikidozan with the Saito Suplex and lived up to his nickname of “Mr. Torture” by using the Prison Deathlock. When Inoki finally got the tag he exploded into action and scored a submission chance on Fuji using the bow and arrow hold. Saito tagged in and got a two count on Inoki after hitting a middle rope kneedrop. Rikidozan battled back later in the match tearing into Fuji hitting the overhead chops and forearm hammer for a near fall. The end came when Inoki and Fuji collided out of the corner before Inoki recovered and blasted him with the Enzuigiri to score the pin.

[Crimson Cross]

KRU night one had some really cool winners, I really liked O'Reiley over Spivey and seeing the Mongols win even by DQ is really cool...

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson, day two of the KRU tour is up next...

LOW Kings Road United - Castle Hall - Osaka, Japan (Card #793)

1) C.W. Anderson defeated Hydra:
CHIKARA star Hydra, a “powerful” member of the Order of the Neo Solar Temple, took on the rugged C.W. Anderson in the opening match. Anderson came into this one focused and did a quick number on Hydra finishing him off with the Spinebuster for the pin. The crowd politely applauded Hydra afterward and he responded with a series of bows out of respect and then flexed the muscles on his bodysuit.

2) Dan Spivey defeated Brian Blair:
Two natives of Tampa, FL, squared off here as SWA star Brian Blair took on GWA star “Dangerous” Dan Spivey. Both men have been struggling in recent bouts, in particularly Spivey who has dropped decisions to Ricky Landell and Kyle O’Reilly. The 6’7” and 310-pound Spivey looked to reverse that here and controlled early hitting a gutwrench suplex and press slam. Blair used his technical skill and speed advantage to gain control and scored a submission chance with a Boston Crab and a near fall with an airplane spin. A series of reversals led to the finish with Spivey nailing Blair with a Clothesline to score a snake eyes pin.

3) Kyle O’Reilly defeated Nigel McGuinness:
An impressive tour continued for ROH star Kyle O’Reilly as he toppled free agent star Nigel McGuinness in a hotly contested bout. McGuinness was dominant in the early going blasting O’Reilly with a diving European Uppercut (ch) and London Dungeon for near falls. O’Reilly bounced back going for back-to-back submissions with the Guillotine Choke and ankle lock. With time nearly running out in the match it was O’Reilly scoring with triple butterfly suplexes for a near fall before catching McGuinness with the Regalplex to score the pin.

4) Osirian Portal & Mister ZERO defeated Jushin Liger & Young Bucks by DQ:
Exciting six-man tag team action saw Jushin “Thunder” Liger team with ROH stars the Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) to face CHIKARA stars the Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) and Mister ZERO. The highlight of the match saw ZERO lay out Liger with the face first power bomb and then trapping him in the newspaper assisted camel clutch for a submission chance. There was plenty of high flying to go around as well including Liger hitting a dive out of the ring on Amasis and then rolling him back in for near fall using a cradle hold. Matt Jackson went for the Moonsault at one point but Amasis rolled out of the way. The finish saw Ophidian trap Matt in the Death Grip for what looked to be a submission but Nick Jackson saved his brother with a diving attack from the top rope. The referee immediately called for the bell giving the Osirian Portal and Mister ZERO a disqualification victory as top rope saves are illegal under LOW rules.

5) Big John Studd defeated Ilio DiPaolo:
Popular Italian star Ilio DiPaolo of the NWC took on Big John Studd now of KRU in a great bout. Studd was accompanied to the ring by the Masked Superstar and was looking to make a strong impression in his first match under contract to the company. The veteran DiPaolo had other ideas, however, and nearly won the match via submission with a leg nelson that was broken up in the ropes. DiPaolo later survived a strong attack from Studd and executed a back bodydrop off the ropes followed up by a bodyslam and rope climb headlock takeover for a big near fall. The Masked Superstar attempted to get involved after DiPaolo executed the Airplane Spin but he was knocked off of the ring apron. Studd managed to turn it around moments later and nailed DiPaolo with a headbutt followed by a Clothesline to score the pin.

6) Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito defeated The Mongols:
The epic rivalry between The Mongols (Bepo & Geeto) and Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito has been a focal point since the start of KRU and this war only added to the legacy. It was a war of attrition between two teams determined to come away with a victory. By the end both Geeto and Saito were bleeding and fighting with their last breaths in an attempt to get the win. Early action saw Fuji score a near fall on Bepo with the Banzai Drop. Saito then laid Bepo out with the Saito Suplex but Geeto saved him from defeat. The Mongols stormed back with some savage attacks including a chain shot by Bepo which is what busted Saito open. They also hit the Mongolian Drop on Saito but somehow he kicked out of the pin just before the three count. The finishing sequence saw Geeto deliver the Oriental Spike on Saito but then miss with an elbow drop. The dazed and bloody Geeto was then caught from behind with a Sleeper Hold by Saito as Fuji fended off Bepo. Geeto tried to get to the ropes but Saito was able to cinch the hold on scoring a submission victory.

7) Antonio Inoki defeated Masked Superstar:
The popular Antonio Inoki, who will be competing in the first round of the PWI Invitational Cup Tournament during WrestleCade VIII weekend, faced the Masked Superstar who was accompanied by Big John Studd. It was all Superstar early as he overpowered Inoki and punished him with the bodyslam and headbutt. Inoki began fighting back and after connecting with a top rope kneedrop he locked on the cobra twist going for the submission. Studd interfered, however, distracting the referee which caused Inoki to release the hold. That action by Studd also caused him to be ejected from ringside. As the battle continued Inoki survived the Cobra Hold and then caught the Superstar in the Octopus Hold in mid-ring getting the victory via submission.

8) Rikidozan, Giant Baba, & The Destroyer defeated Andre the Giant, The Crusher, & S.D. Jones:
The main event between Rikidozan, Shohei “Giant” Baba, and The Destroyer and Andre the Giant, The Crusher, and S.D. Jones more than lived up to its expectations. Both teams had their shining moments in this one which was highlighted once again by Baba and Andre squaring off as a preview of their “War of the Gargantuans” match at the Tokyo Dome (Card #801). The crowd was at a fever pitch anytime that the two made contact including Baba executing the Russian Legsweep and Andre countering with a powerful bearhug during one exchange. Andre actually nearly won this one in the opening moments when he hit a big boot to the face on Rikidozan and covered him for a near fall. The Destroyer looked to nearly have it won at one point as well when he trapped Jones in the Figure Four Leglock. Jones showed great drive and determination by getting to the ropes for a break. Jones also looked great during his time in battling all three men and that including kicking out of the pin after a Hiplock executed by Rikidozan. The finish of a tumultuous battle saw Baba counter a crushing headlock by The Crusher and strike with the Russian Legsweep to score the pin. It was a rare time on the losing side for Andre though his undefeated record in singles competition in LOW remains intact.

[Crimson Cross]

A very unique Six Man pairing is Jushin Liger and the Young Bucks, plus I really liked the Spivey versus Blair match. Too bad the Mongols lost, but Fuji/Saito are a solid team. I wonder if anyone can beat Andre in singles action in your LOW, it'll be a huge moment in your history for sure...

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson. Andre has been on the losing side of about thirty matches in my fed (which includes a bootleg Andre that I had used prior to the release of the official card) but none are by pinfall or submission and most are in tags with his partner(s) losing the match. Yes it will be huge when he finally does lose by pin or submission. I am in constant fear of snake eyes when rolling his pin Anyway next up is the final night of the KRU tour as we move one step closer to WrestleCade VIII weekend...

LOW Kings Road United - Kobe World Hall - Kobe, Japan (Card #794)

1) Kyle O’Reilly defeated Brian Blair:
ROH star Kyle O’Reilly completed a successful tour of KRU by going undefeated as he topped Brian Blair of the SWA in the opening contest. Blair had minimal offense in this one as O’Reilly neutralized him with the ankle lock nearly winning it by submission. O’Reilly also relied on variations of the suplex, including hitting the Regalplex, before trapping Blair in the Guillotine Choke. Blair tried to fight out of it but was forced to tap out giving O’Reilly an impressive submission victory.

2) Harley Race defeated S.D. Jones:
Making his only appearance of the tour, KRU star Harley Race looked very impressive in beating S.D. Jones of ASW. Race is headed to WrestleCade VIII (Card #800 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA) to challenge the “Russian Lion” George Hackenschmidt for the LOW International Heavyweight title and took this match to stay in ring shape. It was an all out effort by Race who dominated the action before executing the Piledriver on Jones to score the pin.

3) Masked Superstar, Big John Studd, & C.W. Anderson defeated Young Bucks & Hydra:
ROH stars the Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) teamed up with Hydra of CHIKARA to face the imposing team of the Masked Superstar, Big John Studd, & C.W. Anderson. There was some levity as the “powerful” Hydra flexed the muscles on his costume in an attempt to intimidate Studd. It didn’t work. The finish of a fairly quick bout saw the Superstar nail Matt with the Superstar Clothesline to score the pin as Studd and Anderson fended off the opposition.

4) The Crusher defeated Ilio DiPaolo:
Two veterans squared off here as Ilio DiPaolo of the NWC took on free agent star The Crusher. Known as the “Man that made Milwaukee Famous”, The Crusher came to the ring chomping on a cigar and looking ready for business. DiPaolo knew that he was in for a fight and he answered a strong assault by The Crusher delivering big right hands and a running head ram to the buckle. The Crusher was reeling until he took over on the outside and then battered DiPaolo with power forearms before he locked on a punishing stomach claw. DiPaolo was able to fight out of that but a subsequent Bearhug applied resulted in a submission victory for The Crusher.

5) Dan Spivey, Nigel McGuinness, & Mister ZERO defeated The Destroyer & The Mongols:
The popular KRU team of The Destroyer and The Mongols (Bepo & Geeto) took on “Dangerous” Dan Spivey (GWA), Nigel McGuinness (Free Agent) and Mister ZERO (CHIKARA) in six-man tag team action. This one was all action as both teams looked to come away with a tour ending victory. Spivey has been struggling in recent weeks but he looked good here at one point laying out The Destroyer with a gutwrench suplex. The Destroyer took plenty of punishment and barely kicked out when Mister ZERO nailed him with the Last Shaven Unicorn Drop. It was not a good night for the popular masked man as it would be The Destroyer taking the fall at the end. McGuinness weakened him with a cobra clutch and then connected with a Flying Elbowdrop (ch) to score the pin.

6) Osirian Portal defeated Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito by DQ:
The popular Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) of CHIKARA ended the tour with a tough match against the dangerous KRU team of Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito, known as the “Devious One” and “Mr. Torture” respectively. Fuji and Saito will stop at nothing to dish out punishment and they handed it out in heavy doses using chops, nerve holds, and even a salt attack during the course of the battle. The Portal staged a nice comeback at one point and hit the Osirian Sacrament on Saito for a big near fall. It boiled down to a situation where Amasis looked to have Fuji pinned after hitting The Move I Beat Moses With but Saito interfered breaking it up. The subsequent attack saw Saito with a blatant chop to the throat on Amasis and the referee called for the bell ordering a disqualification. Fuji and Saito protested the call as Ophidian pulled Amasis to the outside saving him from further attack.

7) Tiger Mask defeated Jushin Liger:
The history between Jushin “Thunder” Liger and Tiger Mask in LOW is the stuff of legend. Both men are multi-time holders of the LOW Junior Heavyweight title, as Liger is a record seven-time champion and Tiger is a six-time champion, and they met for that championship at three consecutive WrestleCade events with Liger holding a 2-1 advantage. The two are also on friendly terms and in fact are teaming up against Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito on the upcoming Tokyo Dome card. This match was the latest chapter in a great series and an ultra aggressive Liger nearly won it early by hitting the Fisherman’s Buster for a big near fall. He also accidentally struck the referee on the outside and that nearly ended this one on a disqualification. A great spot saw Tiger going for a dive on the outside but Liger moved and that resulted in the very quick Tiger grabbing the ropes and flipping back into the ring. He followed that up with a jumping spin kick attack and nearly pinned Liger with a twisting moonsault. Liger picked up another near fall coupling a shoda with a rolling koppo kick. The finish saw both men go down on a collision out of the corner Tiger recovered and executed the Tiger Suplex to score the pin. The crowd cheered for both men who shook hands and bowed post-match in a show of mutual respect.

8) Rikidozan & Giant Baba defeated Andre the Giant & Antonio Inoki:
This incredible main event was something of a preview for the card at the Tokyo Dome (Card #801) as Rikidozan & Shohei “Giant” Baba teamed up against Andre the Giant & Antonio Inoki. It will be Baba vs. Andre and Rikidozan vs. Inoki in the huge double main event at the Tokyo Dome so the opposing sides paired up hoping to build some momentum going into the big event. Early action saw Rikidozan gain the upper hand on Andre hitting him with the overhand chops before the 450-pound giant caught him with a turnbuckle squash. That set up Inoki taking on his mentor and he clipped him with a diving knee off the top rope before hitting the Enzuigiri for a big near fall. As with other matches on the tour the crowd was amped up to see Baba and Andre square off but unfortunately their time in against each other was pretty minimal during the course of the match. Baba managed to gain the upper hand on Inoki late in the bout and it was the Jumping Neckbreaker Drop that won this one as he covered Inoki to score the pin.

A frustrated Andre, who was on the losing end of all of his tag team matches on the tour, tore up the ringside area post-match and then grabbed the mic telling Baba to be ready for the Tokyo Dome. Rikidozan meanwhile went to help up his protégé but Inoki refused the help and got to his feet slapping his mentor in the face! Rikidozan went into a fighting stance but Baba urged him to back off as Inoki looked to the crowd for support. Things cooled down as Baba and Rikidozan left the ring leaving Inoki to lead the crowd in a chant of “ichi, ni, san daaaahhhh!”

●Antonio Inoki met with the press following the main event and expressed disappointment over the loss as he felt that he and Andre the Giant made a formidable team. He said that his slapping Rikidozan was a “show of respect” to his mentor and also a sign that he is ready to face him at the Tokyo Dome. When asked about that pending match he said that Rikidozan is the top man in Kings Road United and that he must go through him to earn that spot. He added that this will not break up the tag team partnership between the two as both have a great amount of respect for each other but that this is a test he must pass. The reporters also asked him about being part of the sixth annual PWI Invitational Cup Tournament where he will face CHIKARA founder Mike Quackenbush in the opening round. He said that he also has great respect for Quackenbush and what he has accomplished with CHIKARA but that he is prepared to defeat him and continue on in the tournament. That brought up an interesting question regarding WrestleCade VIII (Card #800 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA) and that should Inoki make it to the PWI Cup finals that he will then have to travel quickly to Tokyo in order to compete against Rikidozan. Inoki said that it will be a very tough weekend but that should he be fortunate enough to win the PWI Cup he will be prepared to have very little rest before competing at the Tokyo Dome.

[Crimson Cross]

More great KRU action, but what stands out for me is the success by Kyle O'Reilly in Japan, good stuff there...

[bookerbill]

Could not agree with CC more. Huge tour for O'Reilly. Like the build up to the Dome show but really don't like SD Jones in the main events with Andre. The heel reaction from the Giant was perfect for Japan. Thunder Liger v Tiger Mask was awesome.

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson and Bookerbill. I was surprised by the success of Kyle O'Reilly as he has struggled in ROH singles action thus far but maybe his luck will turn around now.

I see what you are saying about S.D. Jones, Bookerbill, but that came about due to Jones having a successful tour of KRU last time out plus a little nod to history as Andre and Jones teamed up in the infamous haircut match. I figured I would use their friendship as a reason to team them up on the gaijin side. I was actually surprised that Jones didn't take the fall in either match. So far Jones has fared pretty good in his KRU tours but I don't expect to bring him back for the next one.