JANUARY 7
1990
Tarzan Goto defeated Masanobu Kurisu in a short but excellent ***1/4 match in the in-ring highlight of an FMW show at Korakuen Hall. JWP also ran a show at Korakuen the same day (I’m not sure which was the afternoon show and which was the evening show), which featured a ***3/4 headlining match where Devil Masami took on Eagle Sawai and a ***1/4 match where Miss A (later known as Dynamite Kansai), Miki Handa and Harley Saito teamed to face Shinobu Kandori, Yuki Ito and Mami Kitamura. Even in 1990, before Kansai had fully established herself as a star, there was definite intrigue over her duking it out with Kandori. Both were taller than their contemporaries and were also presented as badasses, so it was a natural feud that sadly never happened.
After drawing an impressive television rating for a match the month prior, Ric Flair wrestled Bobby Eaton for the second time on NWA Main Event in a great **** match that Dave Meltzer called “pay-per-view calibre” in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The match was taped on December 14 in Peoria, IL. In the first match, Flair won by disqualification when Jim Cornette interfered on Eaton’s behalf. According to Jim Cornette’s account in the Midnight Express Scrapbook, Herd insisted on a decisive win for Flair in the rematch since he was facing “Bobby Eaton, of all people”. This match was far better than their Clash of the Champions match the following year, as Flair was riding the momentum of a career peak and Eaton was a heel, which was a role far better suited to his strengths.
1994
All Japan continued the 1994 New Year’s Giant Series in Kochi with the in-ring highlight being a ***3/4 match where Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi teamed against Toshiaki Kawada & Masa Fuchi. While it was obvious Fuchi would eat the fall based on his card placement, Kawada and Fuchi still worked very well together against the top team in the company.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRO6WxjbbgE
1995
Jerry Lawler sent in a taped promo, which aired on Smoky Mountain Wrestling television, hyping his upcoming debut in the territory. He took cheapshots at the “Dirty White Boy” Tony Anthony and his wife Kimberly while running down Knoxville, TN, channeling his inner Andy Kaufman to work an “I”m From Memphis” gimmick. Also on the show, we saw highlights of a recent house show match where Cactus Jack and Tracy Smothers teamed to face Chris Candido and Boo Bradley. Candido and Bradley found themselves on the losing end of the match, and Candido and manager Tammy Fytch put the blame on Bradley. When Bradley defended himself, Chris and Tammy responded by shockingly killing his cat Boots! This earned Tammy a suspension from SMW. We also see highlights of a Rock & Roll Express vs Gangstas match where babyface Jim Cornette agreed to be in the corner of the Rock & Roll Express for one night only. He ended up laid out by the Gangstas and cut a promo while nursing his wounds at home where he lamented that he was so injured that he could not even take down his Christmas decorations. He wanted the Heavenly Bodies to return to SMW to help him get revenge, but since they lost the Loser Leaves Town match to the Rock & Roll Express at the Bluegrass Brawl the year before, they were not able to return.
Tommy Rich and Doug Gilbert trash talked PG-13 on USWA television when Lance Russell interviewed them, with Tommy Rich calling them “two boys that don’t even have no business.” Them proved to be fightin’ words, as a brawl broke out between the two teams that had to be pulled apart, capping off a really strong segment.
1997
Damiancito El Guerrero defeated Cicloncito Ramirez in a tremendous, all-action **** match at Arena Mexico. Guerrero would later leave the minis division and change his name to Virus, and he remains one of the top workers in the world to this day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv8PKmlJGKQ
1999
Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama won the AJPW World Tag Team Titles from Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue in a great **** match in Kochi. Kobashi wrestled the match with a bandaged eye and forehead, which added to the drama in a big way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMrb6VTAUsc
Ric Flair responded to the NWO’s triumph on the “Fingerpoke of Doom” Monday Nitro by promising repercussions for Hogan and Nash that would never come. While Flair was booked to be almost completely ineffective as the President of WCW, his babyface promos were reliably great. Also on the show, the NWO attacked all the members of the LWO. We were told by the announcers that Eddy Guerrero, who had a life-threatening car accident on New Year’s Eve in real life, was attacked by the NWO off-camera, but that bit of detail was never mentioned again. Also on the show, a series of terrible vignettes aired where Raven and Kanyon sulked at home. The Sandman made a cameo as Raven’s friend “James”, a well-groomed, clean cut neighbor in Raven’s upper class childhood neighborhood, a role that was quickly nixed. The show drew a 4.27 rating.
In The “To Watch” Queue:
Riki Choshu & Hiroshi Hase vs Masa Chono & Hiro Saito (NJPW 01/07/91)