This tape takes a look at a variety of different matches featuring a number of FMW greats from the high flying Hayabusa, to the blood thirty Mr. Pogo and beautiful hardcore woman, Megumi Kudo. I honestly don't think there was one match that is bad on this tape. There was blood, excitement, barbed wire, plates of glass, fire and even some hot chicks. This is not your daddy's wrestling. Hell, it isn't even your son's. It's the ultimate in extreme sports and if you don't go out and take a look for yourself, you will never know what you are missing.
The first match on this tape featured the Women of FMW. Combat Mother-in-Law, the legendary wrestler, was supposed to be Bad Nurse's opponent for this bout, but Sato begged for her shot to come back from injury and win the respect of her peers again. She was granted the match and started off very well against her adversary. The women hit hard, but from this match, you can tell that FMW lacked something the day they lost Kudo and Mother-In-Law. Still, these women really gave it their all and are far better wrestlers than some of WWF's lady grapplers. Bad Nurse had the advantage throughout the match and Sato fought back and escaped one attempt at a Bridge Suplex Pinfall. However, Nakamura applied the move again and scored the pin. Here, you see how much honor means to wrestlers in Japan as Sato grabs the microphone and apologizes to fans who came to see Mother-In-Law do battle. She promised to work harder next time. If this was America, we would have told her to show her tits, but Japan fans respect the wrestlers. Sato will have plenty of chances to win back the honor she lost in this match.
This match was funny, because the announcers made it very interesting. The storylines is really bad. CPA is actually a Certified Public Accountant arrested by the FBI. He turns over States' Evidence and spends time in jail, where he meets a street thug, Fuji and teaches him how to speak English. They form a bond and help each other in a battle with Super Leather who was hired by the mafia to take out Boulder for snitching. Of course, they decided to settle these scores in a wrestling ring where most mob wars take place-OK, and Undertaker really rises from the dead. Still, I found it very funny and worth watching the match. And the athleticism helped, too.
Fuji is a little chubby, but the boy can fly, and he does so through the ring ropes and also walks those very same ropes, jumping forwards and driving Super Leather's face into the mat. As Super Leather and Boulder took the war outside with chairs and tables and such, Fuji and Hido work on their technical skills in the ring. Hido lands a Spinning Kick on Fuji and then a Jumping Pile Driver, but only managed a two-count. He went for a Slingshot, but Fuji reverses it, taped on an Armbar and forced Hido to submit.
No matter how many times these two women fight, they always put their all into it. This match didn't feature anything less and Kudo did not disappoint her fans either. The popular star came out with very elaborate martial arts outfit and face paint. She launched streamers into the air as is customary in many Japanese matches and then got into the action. Kudo lands some awesome martial arts kicks to take out her nasty looking opponent. She then sprang onto the ropes and walked them, then jumped and landed a Frankensteiner. Wow! But Kudo was not done, landing a Suicide Dive through the ropes onto the Shark. The bad girl fought back, bringing a barbed wire pole into the ring and to hit Kudo. However, Kudo spews red mist into Shark's face and uses the pole on her.
Mother-In-Law made a huge save and took Bad Nurse out of the equation. Shark swang a chain at Kudo, who ducked as the chain wraped around Shark. Kudo grabed the chain, locked her arm around Shark's stomach and Back Suplexed her into Bridge Pin Attempt, giving Kudo the win.
This match featured a lot of Grappling and Takedowns from Nyama, Ooya and Hayabusa, but Gladiator (a.k.a. Mike Awesome) supplied some power to turn the match in his team's favor. He continued the onslaught, but Hayabusa counters with some power of his own. It is Gladiator's aggressiveness that gets the best of him as he rushes Hayabusa, who hits his Hurricanrana finisher to get the pin for his team.
Boulder now teams with the lethal Mr. Pogo to do battle with Matsunaga and Super Leather in a barbed wire, chains, sickles, anything goes match. I didn't know who the hell to root for and it didn't matter. I just cheered the violence. The only way to win here was to put your opponent into a casket. Things were bloody right from the get-go as Super Leather launched Boulder over the top ropes into a bed of barbed wire. Pogo was doing his part, scraping Matsunaga's face with his sickle. He then choked him over the top ropes with a chain. Super Leather made the save and slamed Pogo. Matsunaga wraped a chain around his hand and attacked Pogo, but accidentally hits his partner. Boulder came in and sent a chair through Matsunaga's head. The padding exploded. Pogo Powerbombed Matsunaga onto a bed of barbed wire and then Boulder comes crashing down on him with a table. They finished it off by Powerbombing Matsunaga into the casket and nailing it shut for the victory. Pogo pours kerosene onto the casket, but Kanemura made the save and chased Pogo and Boulder out of the ring.
Kanemura fought Tanaka in a great hardcore bout in an outdoor arena. There is nothing like fresh air when you are beating the living crap out of your opponent. The match was very stiff as both fighters traded blows back and forth. Tanaka looked like he blew out his knee early, and Kanemura, the good sport that he is, works on the knee with a nice painful Figure-Four Leglock. Tanaka rolled out of the ring and Kanemura Powerbombed him onto the concrete. Kanemura dominates this match and but Tanaka fought back, but not strong enough. When Kanemura landed a Belly-to-Belly Suplex, he got a two count as Tanaka barely got his foot on the ropes. However, as the match goes on, both men are dazed after knocking each other down. Tanaka got to his feet and hits a huge Exploding Forearm, followed by an equally huge Powerbomb. Miraculously, he got the big victory. The two men hug after this incredibly powerful match. You have to see this one.
This was a match without any lights, so it was hard to see what was going on. But I can tell you that there was a bed of barbed wire in each corner and that this match was not for the faint at heart. The two grapplers fought all over the arena using whatever weapon they could get a hold of. Pogo used a barbed wire bat and of course ended up using a sickle to open up Matsunaga. Poor guy was bleeding all over the place, but he kept on fighting. He got a bat with barbed wire and emblazoned it with fire before beating the hell out of Mr. Pogo with it. He then got his revenge by using a blade on Pogo, while wrapping a chain around his neck for good measure. Pogo fought back and decimated Matsunaga to the point where he could barely continue. The match only stopped when Pogo spilled kerosene on Matsunaga and spewed fire onto his back. Pogo won by KO. This was one bloody and rather disgusting match. I have never in my life witnessed anything like this and that is what makes FMW wresting so much better than what we are forced to see on television. I wish we could get a satellite feed of this show every week.
These guys have fought so many times, but amazingly despite their contrast in style, these guys put together an excellent awe-inspiring match each and every time out. Back and forth these two wrestlers go, Gladiator using his power while Hayabusa uses his agility and athleticism. Hayabusa tried to cut Gladiator's power by continually working on his arm. For several minutes, Hayabusa used Armbar Twists and Leglocks to weaken the arm, but Gladiator just picked Hayabusa up with one arm and dropped him. He then worked on Hayabusa's back with a Camel Clutch and one nasty Belly-to-Back Suplex that looked like it would snap Hayabusa's neck. But Hayabusa was not easily stopped and seemed to snap into a fit of crazy highflying maneuvers. One big Moonsault followed by a Senton Splash and then a Moonsault from a standing position. He even hit a 450-degree Firebird Splash, but only gets a two count.
Gladiator fougt back using a barrage of powerful moves to weaken the high flying masked superstar. Hayabusa went for a Hurricanrana, but Gladiator just Powerbombed him. He jumped from the top ropes with a Frog Splash and got a two count. He then went for a second attempt, but Hayabusa flew up the ropes with him. Gladiator grabed the masked marvel and went for a Powerbomb off the top ropes. However, Hayabusa actually fliped Gladiator off the ropes with a Hurricanrana from the top. Wow! Then, in the most disgusting thing I have ever seen Hayabusa went for a Shooting Star Press but lands short. It looked like he broke his neck. It just looked like it snapped. It was very awkward. Still, Hayabusa fought on, despite serious pain. He even went back to the top ropes, but Gladiator pulled him off and Powerbombed him, only to get a two count. He then landed the Powerbombed from the top ropes and finally put Hayabusa out of his misery.
In some horrible news, recently, I discovered that Hayabusa hurt himself in a similar matter last year and has been out of wrestling since, barely able to walk and just learning how to do everything all over again. FMW is not the same without Hayabusa who has given the fans of Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling something they will never be able to see again. The Michael Jordan of FMW may never wrestle again, but we at YBFREE.com wish him the best and thank him for the many great matches.
FMW may never be the same without Hayabusa, but they are still putting on some great shows in Japan. In our next issue, we take a look at the next crop of DVDs to hit American shores from the FMW library. They feature Hayabusa as well as Tanaka and many other FMW favorites. Learn why Legends never die.
Send your comments and or questions to JMinners@ybfree.com.