The Crowd’s Reflection: Super J Cup 94′ Disc 2

Super J Cup 4.16.94

My match times are estimated and not exact. This is a continuation of Super J Cup 94. The second disc where the best matches happen! The Super J Cup tournament spanned many wrestling promotions and the winner receives the defunct WWWF Junior Heavyweight Championship (yes, that WWF). The champions in this tournament are not putting their titles on the line. Lastly, I must admit that I’m not overly familiar with every participant, so I may not know the names of their signature moves.

Quarter-finals: El Samurai vs. The Great Sasuke
The Great Sasuke enters the ring first. I only wish he had his awesome M-Pro/WWF theme, which is one of the best. Nevertheless, the crowd loves The Great Sasuke. The Great Sasuke is one of the greatest Junior Heavyweights of all-time and equal to the Rey Mysterios, Jushin Ligers, and Ultimo Dragons of the world. Sasuke is the reigning FMW Independent World Junior Heavyweight Champion in this tournament. Sasuke is representing his own promotion Michinoku Pro. The Great Sasuke rivals Jushin Liger in popularity (exceeds him on this night). El Samurai is well received too but not on that level.

Sasuke throws some kicks towards Samurai immediately. The crowd loudly chants Sasuke. Sasuke soaks in the cheers before a lock up ensues. Sasuke trips the leg and catches Samurai in a spinning leglock. Sasuke shifts into a half crab, but Samurai reaches the ropes quickly. They end up in an arm ringer situation, but Sasuke gets a headlock and jumps out driving Samurai’s head to the mat. Sasuke trips the leg again and wrenches Samurai’s toe with a toehold. Samurai headscissors out of that takedown and reverses it into a cross armbreaker. Sasuke keeps the toehold locked in. Samurai counters that with a pin. 1..2..kickout. Samurai cheapshots Sasuke with a dropkick to the knee, and continues his attack with some stomps. Samurai grabs the leg and starts elbowing it before tripping Sasuke. Samurai continues attacking the leg turning it into a reverse Indian deathlock. Soon after, he transitions to a modified double arm stretch. Samurai throws Sasuke down powerfully and starts slamming his leg into the mat. Sasuke retreats to recover. Sasuke continues limping selling the leg well. Sasuke rolls in only to be caught by Samurai. Samurai gets a body slam. Then, he catches Sasuke in a headscissors and leglock combination. Sasuke tries to fight out slowly. Sasuke reverses into his own leglock. Samurai gets the ropes after a short struggle. Sasuke again retreats to help himself recover. Samurai attacks when he reenters. Samurai hits a belly-to-back suplex. 1..2..kickout. Samurai quickly shifts that into a Russian Leg Sweep headscissors armbreaker!!! 1..2..kickout. The crowd loses it! Sasuke rolls out and tries to roll outside. Samurai isn’t having it and they start trading strikes. Samurai hits the cartwheel back elbow. Samurai follows up with a Sasuke Special or cartwheel over the top rope moonsault!! Sasuke recovers slowly and limps to his feet. Samurai gets on the apron and flips over a suplex attempt. Sasuke hits an amazing spinning wheel kick. 1..2..kickout. Samurai leaps over Sasuke who ducks only to be met with a stiff clothesline. Samurai dropkicks Sasuke and then leaps over the top hitting him with a flipping pescado! Sasuke slowly recovers and Samurai is waiting. They duck clotheslines until Samurai hits a bridging german suplex. 1..2..kickout. The crowd bought that nearfall and Samurai admonishes the referee for the 2 count. Samurai slams Sasuke down and hits a diving headbutt. 1..2..kickout. Samurai goes for a powerbomb only for Sasuke to counter with a hurricanrana pin. 1..2..kickout. Sasuke drops Samurai with a scoop slam. Samurai recovers quickly and goes for an electric chair. Sasuke counters the moment he is on Samurai’s shoulders into a pin. 1..2..kickout. Sasuke misses a spinning wheel kick. Samurai hits a thunderfire powerbomb! 1..2..kickout. The crowd is molten now. Samurai hits a hurricanrana pin that Sasuke counters with a pinfall of his own. 1..2..3.

OFFICIAL RESULT The Great Sasuke: @ 11:00 via pin
RATING: ****1/2
MATCH THOUGHTS: This was awesome stuff. The crowd exploded for this match. This was the best match of the set so far. That was an exhilarating match that showed how incredible The Great Sasuke can be. El Samurai performed far better in this match too. El Samurai seemed to do fantastic with a better opponent. That ending stretch was incredible. These two have stolen the show so far. Disc 2 starts hot!

Quarter-finals: Jushin Liger vs. Ricky Fuji
I won’t introduce the participants from this point on, since we already know who they are now! As I was writing this review I decided to get NJPWWorld. Unfortunately, for whatever reason this one match from the Super J Cup is not on NJPWWorld or I cannot seem to find it. If you want to watch all of the Super J Cup on NJPWWorld you can except for this match.

Anyway, let’s get into it. Liger and Fuji circle a bit. Liger and Fuji trade go behinds and Fuji drop toe holds Liger down. Liger flips out of that quickly and gets the arm ringer. Fuji tries to flip out and Liger catches him with a codebreaker throw. Now, they go to the test of strength that Liger wins. Fuji tries to fight out to no avail. Fuji falls on the test of strength. Fuji then catches Liger in a pin. 1..2..kickout. Liger recovers quickly and takes him down with a headlock takeover. Liger wrenches the head in a headlock. Fuji dropkicks Liger out and follows with a pescado. Fuji then powerbombs Liger on the floor. Liger slowly comes in only to be hit with a back elbow. 1..2..kickout. Fuji gets a snap suplex and goes up high. Liger catches Fuji with a clothesline on the way down. Both men are down at this point. Liger is the first to get up and he hits a running facecrusher. Liger throws Fuji to the outside. Liger scoop slams on the floor and hits a diving double foot stomp! Fuji gets back in slowly and Liger drills him with a rolling koppou kick. 1..rope break. Liger lifts Fuji and drops him with a jacknife powerbomb. Liger uses his own arrogant pin. 1..2..kickout. Liger plants Fuji on a release german suplex. 1..2..kickout. Liger throws him to a corner and hits a dropkick. Liger suplexes him to the top rope and goes for a superplex. Fuji reverses it into a DDT! 1..2..kickout. Fuji gets a front facelock and throws Liger onto the post. Fuji leaps up and dropkicks him. Fuji then baseball slides Liger. Liger recovers slowly and Fuji attacks the moment he is back in. Fuji hits a belly-to-back suplex. 1..2..kickout. Fuji and Liger go up top again but Liger slaps the taste out of his mouth. Liger hits a dragon rana!!!! 1..2..3!

OFFICIAL RESULT Jushin Liger: @ 8:00 via pin
RATING: ***1/4
MATCH THOUGHTS: I think the crowd hurt this one a little. They did not seem to buy Fuji as a credible threat to Liger. Fuji performed much better in this match than the one he had with Casas on Disc 1. Liger was his usual awesome self. The match was technically really good and got time. If the crowd was a little more involved, I’d enjoy it more. As it is, it is still a pretty good match and a worthwhile edition to the Super J Cup.

Semi-finals: Wild Pegasus (Chris Benoit) vs. Gedo
Pegasus and Gedo circle for a moment before going into a lock-up. Gedo catches him in a tight headlock. He follows that up with some shoulder bumps. Pegasus misses a kip-up, so he slaps the taste out of Gedo’s mouth to make up for it. He hits his clothesline and a falling neckbreaker. Then, he goes up top and hits a guillotine leg drop. 1..2..kickout. Pegasus throws him into a corner and starts attacking him with stiff chops. Pegasus misses a dropkick and Gedo smells blood like a shark. Gedo takes advantage with a double arm lock. Gedo fights desperately for the hold, but Pegasus reaches the ropes. Gedo lifts him afterwards and hits a piledriver. 1..2..kickout. Gedo keeps the pace slowed down from this point. Gedo keeps him down in a chinlock, and transitions to an eye rake out of frustration. Gedo hits a stiff kick to the back and lifts him for some chops. Big mistake on Gedo’s part, Pegasus gets the better of the chop exchange. Gedo regains the advantage quickly with a dropkick and a moonsault of all things!! Gedo throws him in and hits the powerslam of doom. 1..2..kickout. The crowd thought it was over there. Gedo then hits a sloppy northern light suplex. 1..2..kickout. Gedo knocks him down with a clothesline but misses the diving headbutt. Pegasus recovers quickly and goes for a belly-to-back suplex. Gedo counters that into a cross body pin. 1..2..kickout. Pegasus recovers quickly and they each miss a clothesline. They trade go behinds until Pegasus plants him with a kneeling powerbomb. 1..2..kickout. Pegasus plants him again with a powerbomb. Pegasus goes up top and hits the diving headbutt. 1..2..3.

OFFICIAL RESULT Wild Pegasus: @ 6:29 via pin
RATING: ***1/2
MATCH THOUGHTS: Thanks to my NJPW World subscription I now have exact times on the matches. Also, the quality on NJPWWorld is better than the DVD I was using before (but NJPWWorld cuts out the entrances). Gedo delivered a much better performance with one of the best. Again, Pegasus got the best out of Gedo much like his Radical counterpart Malenko. Pegasus basically destroyed Gedo for most of the match. It wasn’t the best match on the card, but it was a damn good use of 6 or so minutes. This match was completely acceptable and Gedo stepped up his game to try to keep up with Pegasus. This match was a welcome sprint.

Semi-finals: Jushin Liger vs. The Great Sasuke
This is a dream match and I expect the best from these two. Most consider them 2 of the greatest Junior Heavyweights of all-time. The crowd loves Sasuke and seems to favor him at first.
These two bide their time before locking up. This leads to a sequence of each man trying to outwrestle the other. They go for each other’s legs and start trading leglocks. Sasuke headscissors out of a leglock, while Liger gets to his feet. Then, the two meet in a test of strength that favors Liger. Eventually, Sasuke fights back and turns it on Liger. Sasuke gets an arm drag takeover and slowly works into a cross armbreaker. Liger quickly counters that into a leglock. Sasuke reapplies the cross armbreaker and they keep trading submissions. Liger gains the advantage by turning it into a stretch submission. Liger lets go for a moment before transitioning to a surfboard stretch. Liger shifts Sasuke all the way down into a surfboard stretch choke. The crowd loves that one. Liger finally lets go and lifts Sasuke. Liger catches him in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. 1..2..kickout. After that, Liger grounds him with a camel clutch. Liger lets go and elbows Sasuke in the back of the head. Sasuke recovers only to be met with a rolling koppou kick!! I love that move. The crowd starts losing it chanting for Sasuke’s revival. Sasuke gets up slowly and Liger pounds his face in. Sasuke sells the beatdown wonderfully. Liger never stops and hits a tombstone piledriver. That is followed by a crossface chickenwing submission. The crowd keeps getting behind Sasuke. Liger keeps wrenching the neck harder. Liger lets go and starts working the arm ringer. Liger drops the arm against his shoulder leaving Sasuke grounded. Liger then catches Sasuke in a rolling kimura lock. Liger pulls the arm back like a madman repeatedly. This is no rest hold. Liger keeps applying the kimura lock trying to break Sasuke’s arm. Liger transitions that into a cross armbreaker. Liger stomps the arm. Sasuke keeps selling it beautifully. Liger hits a belly-to-back suplex on Sasuke. Liger keeps the beatdown going with a scoop slam. Liger ascends and both men dropkick each other. Sasuke recovers first and quickly hits Liger with an asai moonsault. Sasuke holds the arm while going back in. Liger gets on the apron, but Sasuke tries to suplex him in. Liger nearly suplexes Sasuke to the outside, until Sasuke headbutts him in the midsection. Sasuke hits Liger’s head into the post. Sasuke follows him out with a top rope body press!! Both men recover and reenter the ring. Sasuke is waiting for Liger and drops some knees. Sasuke whips him and hits a spinning wheel kick. 1..2..kickout. Sasuke drops Liger on the mat with a piledriver. 1..2..kickout. Sasuke follows that up with a thunder fire powerbomb! 1..2..kickout. Sasuke leg drops the back of Liger’s head. Slowly, he lifts Liger and plants him with a jumping tombstone piledriver. Sasuke goes up top again but misses the senton bomb. Sasuke remains on his feet, but gets met by a hard Liger clothesline. 1..2..kickout. Liger returns the favor hitting the Liger Bomb on Sasuke. 1..2..kickout. The pro Sasuke crowd tries to will him to his feet. Liger has no part of it placing Sasuke on the top rope. Liger hits a top rope hurricanrana. 1..2..kickout. Immediately, Sasuke counters that with a sunset flip. 1..2..kickout. Liger connects on a release german suplex. 1..2..kickout. Liger hits the fishermans buster on Sasuke. 1…2..kickout. The crowd is going insane. Liger suplexes Sasuke to the outside from the apron, and follows Sasuke out with a body press. Liger takes this chance to catch a breather leaving Sasuke outside. Sasuke reaches the apron only to be met with a rolling koppou kick. Sasuke recovers quickly, but falls down on a springboard attempt. Liger like the pro he is claps and calls for the end. Sasuke takes advantage hitting Liger with a hurricanrana pin. 1..2..3.

OFFICIAL RESULT The Great Sasuke: @ 18:24 via pin
RATING: *****
MATCH THOUGHTS: I cannot in good conscience take away from the rating of this match based on one flub. In the context of the match, Sasuke missing the springboard fits because Liger worked his arm so much. Sasuke not having the strength to make the springboard fits the match well. These two put on an incredible match that you need to see if you have not. This match has awesome submission work, psychology, selling, and sweet moves. I’m sad the match is over. These two are the best and it shows.

Finals: Wild Pegasus (Chris Benoit) vs. The Great Sasuke
Both men circle and the crowd explodes for Sasuke. Everyone else in the tournament is surrounding the ring and watching. They go into a lock up that Pegasus gets the better of. Pegasus gets the go behind and transitions to an arm ringer. Sasuke quickly counters into one of his own. Pegasus regains the advantage and gets a cravate into a snapmare. Sasuke flips out. Sasuke keeps flipping out of everything Pegasus attempts. Pegasus is tripped and both men show a sign of respect. They approach each other slowly and go into a test of strength. Pegasus kicks Sasuke in the midsection and pushes him into a corner. Pegasus brings the stiff corner chops into play. Pegasus goes for a whip that Sasuke counters. Sasuke does the backflip kick in the corner to wow the crowd. Sasuke hits a spin kick and Pegasus retreats for a moment. Sasuke goes for an arm ringer, but Pegasus counters and throws him down. Pegasus traps him in a headscissors. Sasuke escapes and starts working the legs. Sasuke crosses his legs and applies a stretch. That stretch is transitioned into a bow and arrow lock. Pegasus eventually falls on Sasuke to escape the bow and arrow lock. Sasuke recovers first and digs his boot into Pegasus’ back. Then, Sasuke connects on an arm drag. Pegasus gets to his feet and they go to another test of strength. Pegasus kicks the midsection and Sasuke cartwheels away. Sasuke then leaps over only for Pegasus to level him with a clothesline. Pegasus hits a bridging german suplex. 1..2..kickout. Pegasus misses his next clothesline and is met by a spinning wheel kick. Sasuke recovers first only to hit another wheel kick. Sasuke then scoop slams him and hits a diving leg drop. Sasuke wrenches the arm in a kimura lock. Sasuke works the arm a bit before going into a cross armbreaker. Pegasus keeps trying to fight out and traps Sasuke’s legs in a leglock. Pegasus recovers slowly and levels Sasuke with a few punches. Pegasus goes for a powerbomb that Sasuke arm drags out of!! Sasuke avoids again only to be leveled again. 1..2..kickout. Pegasus drapes Sasuke’s body against the ropes with a suplex. Pegasus keeps working the arm and dives against Sasuke who is on the apron. The crowd slowly starts to get behind Pegasus and pops big for that. As soon as I say that, the Sasuke chants start back up. Pegasus meets Sasuke back in the ring and catches him in a full nelson. After a few moments, Pegasus gets a dragon suplex!!! 1..2..kickout. Pegasus sends Sasuke back down and connects on the diving headbutt. 1..2..kickout. The crowd thought it was over there. Pegasus then plants Sasuke with a thunderfire powerbomb. 1..2..kickout. Pegasus lifts Sasuke and drops him with a scoop slam. Afterwards, Pegasus locks on the sharpshooter! Sasuke seems to be fading. Pegasus eventually lets go not wanting to expend too much energy. Pegasus catches Sasuke in a beautiful tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. 1..2..kickout. Pegasus misses a dropkick and Sasuke is back in control. Sasuke goes for his own tilt-a-whirl backbreaker that Pegasus leaps out of. Sasuke misses a jump kick, and Pegasus drills him with a bridging german suplex. 1..2..kickout. Pegasus goes for another dragon suplex, but Sasuke counters with a pin. Pegasus counters with the Owen Hart pin. 1..2..kickout. Sasuke hits a diving cross body and kicks Pegasus to the outside. Then, Sasuke gets the crowd going with the Sasuke special!! Both men recover slowly trying to beat the count. Pegasus rolls in slowly. Sasuke has regained the advantage and sends him down with a spin kick. Sasuke hits a bridging german suplex. 1..2..kickout. Sasuke hooks the leg and hits the perfectplex!! 1..2..kickout. Sasuke climbs up top and Pegasus avoids the dropkick. Sasuke is on the apron and suplexes Pegasus to the outside of the ring. Sasuke unlike Liger falls to the outside with Pegasus putting his own body on the line. Pegasus comes in slowly only to be met with a dropkick. Pegasus takes a breather on the outside, but Sasuke follows him with a diving missile dropkick. Both men are exhausted at this point and sell it wonderfully. Sasuke hits a twisting moonsault on a downed Pegasus. 1..2..kickout. Sasuke goes to the well too many times and Pegasus meets him up top. Sasuke wastes time showboating and Pegasus takes advantage. Pegasus hits a top rope gutwrench suplex! 1..2..3.

OFFICIAL RESULT Wild Pegasus: @ 19:00 via pin
RATING: *****
MATCH THOUGHTS: The last match was incredible, and this one is equally incredible. These two put on a hellacious match that was every bit as good as the last. This match has less submission work than the last, but I find it equally entertaining. Also, the fact that these matches are taking place so closely together makes them more amazing. This whole tournament was incredible and this was a perfect way to end it. I was pulling for The Great Sasuke, yet I don’t feel disappointed at all. That is when you know a match is great, one of your favorites loses and you don’t care.

Next time, I’ll probably review Steiner Brothers in Japan, another 2 disc set from Highspots that I don’t think anyone else has reviewed. I always have other sets too or could even review something from NJPW World. Regardless, thanks to everyone that read this review and I always take suggestions.

10.0

The final score: review Virtually Perfect

The 411

Super J Cup 1994, what can I say to do this justice? I only rated three matches below three stars. I personally found 2 five star matches in this collection and I think even the most strict grader would find a few four star matches on this set. Disc 2 is incredible with El Samurai and The Great Sasuke tearing the house down. Jushin Liger dominating poor Ricky Fuji is entertaining if nothing else. Jushin Liger destroying an opponent is an automatic three stars for me. Gedo after having a mediocre match with Super Delfin got put in his place by Wild Pegasus. The Great Sasuke and Jushin Liger put on a phenomenal match. Wild Pegasus and The Great Sasuke kept the momentum rolling. This ended with two incredible matches similar to the recent Wrestle Kingdom. My rule is if you can find 2 five star matches and 2 four star matches, an event gets a 10 out of 10; especially, if there are few duds. I have my own grading scale, others may disagree. Regardless, I promise if you like wrestling you’ll enjoy Super J Cup 1994. The Junior Heavyweights can go bottom line. Check this one out.