Into the Indies 12.15.09: DDT Ryogoku Peter Pan (Part 2)

Banner Courtesy of John Meehan

Last week, I began coverage of Ryogoku Peter Pan, a show from August 23 of this year presented by the Dynamic Dream Team promotion, or DDT for short. The show, held at Tokyo’s Sumo Hall, was noteworthy largely because it managed to draw roughly 8,500 paid fans whereas the average DDT show is only viewed live by a few hundred folks. That’s a short version of the background, and you can find a bit more detail if you backtrack to last week’s column.

However, the focus this week isn’t on rehashing a backstory that I already gave. The focus this week is on taking a look at the top three matches of the Ryogoku Peter Pan card, which couldn’t be covered last week because the total run time of the show was six and one-half hours long, simply far too much wrestling for me to view in one go.

Let’s pick it up at the sixth match of the evening.

Match Numero Seis: Poison Sawada JULIE vs. Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono, who is one of the biggest – if not the biggest – puroresu stars of the late 1990’s is in here as a special, one night only attraction for DDT. He is wrestling one of the company’s regulars in Poison Sawada JULIE. There’s an interesting dynamic here in that Chono was celebrating his twenty-fifth year as a professional wrestler at the time this match was taking place, while JULIE was just behind him at twenty-one years pro. However, Chono had worked almost exclusively with the biggest promotion in Japan during that time and had become a major star as a result, while JULIE had solely been an independent wrestler and gained a cult following but not much else.

Chono hits a glancing blow with one of his trademark Yakuza kicks as literally the first move of the match, but he pulls JULIE up after the one count. Because the kick did not connect fully, the DDT wrestler is able to head out to the floor briefly for a breather. When the wrestlers engage each other again, Chono goes to JULIE’s midsection and applies a half Boston crab before switching into the STF, one of his regular finishing holds. PSJ crawls to the ropes, though Chono refuses to break until the referee forces him off. Chono also dominates his man in a Greco-Roman knuckle lock, forcing JULIE down to his knees and then hitting a series of headbutts. The former IWGP Champion looks for a cross arm breaker after that, but Poison makes the ropes again and gets his first offense with a kneelift and a senton. JULIE goes to the chinlock after that, and now it’s Masa’s turn to make the ropes. JULIE stays on his man with a traditional sleeper hold, but Chono rolls through and hooks the bottom rope with his legs. In a smart move, JULIE dropkicks Chono’s knee as he attempts to get back up to his feet, and that sets up a figure four leglock. Again, Chono uses the ropes to break the hold. JULIE continues to work the leg and reapplies Ric Flair’s favorite hold. It’s on for a longer periord this time around, but the conclusion is the same.

Chono is noticeably limping a bit when he returns to his feet, but he manages to retake the advantage when PSJ runs into an inverted atomic drop, which is followed by a one-legged dropkick. That move sends JULIE to the floor, with Chono following him and whipping him into a row of chairs. This for some reason results in a pull-apart brawl between one of the young wrestlers seconding JULIE and one of the young wrestlers seconding Chono, which has no real effect upon the match. When the wrestlers who are involved in the official bout return to the ring, Chono immediately hits his patented top rope shoulderblock for a two count. JULIE tries to come back by blowing mist into the NJPW legend’s face, but Chono ducks it. It doesn’t matter for Julie, though, as he catches Chono in an octopus hold off the ropes. The two men reverse that maneuver back and forth, and JULIE ends the sequence with a cradle out of the hold for a nearfall. It is Chono who remains in control, though, landing a jumping piledriver for a two count. JULIE responds with a chokeslam of all things, which looks a bit ridiculous given that the men are roughly the same size and that, if anything, PSJ is smaller. In any event, the DDT rep then he goes into his version of the cattle mutilation, which he popularized in the Japanese indies long before Bryan Danielson made it his own. Chono gets out of it with a well-placed headbutt, and both men have to spend a fair amount of time on the mat recuperating. When they return to their feet, Masa takes the advantage with more headbutts and another boot to the face, but JULIE starts firing up. He builds more and more steam after each Chono kick, though a shining version of the boot kills his momentum dead. That would normally be a finish, but Chono decides he needs a little bit more this time and goes back up to the top rope.

JULIE responds with his magic finger wag, which usually has the uncanny effect of freezing opponents dead in their tracks. It even works on the legendary Chono, who stalls out while standing on the top rope, giving JULIE the perfect opportunity to hit a SUPERPLEX. Both wrestlers struggle to get up to their feet after that move, and the referee applies a ten count to both. Ultimately, it is Chono who gets to his feet first, standing before ten while Poison Sawada JULIE is counted down to take the loss.

Match Thoughts: This was a completely different style of match than anything that had been presented on the card up to this point. The most memorable bouts from the undercard were all played strictly for comedy. Meanwhile, this was a decidedly serious encounter, looking far more like a match that Chono might have against an oppodnent in New Japan than a match that JULIE might have against an opponent in DDT. Yes, they worked in Sawada’s finger spot, but, other than that, they played it straight, and, as far as the offense in the match and its pacing were concerned, there was “a lot more bait n’ switch than humacanranas” to quote Dusty Rhodes from an episode of WWE’s Legends Roundtable. However, even though this was different than any other match on the show and different than the style of wrestling that DDT usually presents, it WORKED. I don’t think that I have ever seen JULIE involved in a match that did not rely on a healthy dose of comedy, and it was interesting to see that he could more than hold his own in a serious battle against a man the caliber of Chono. Also, Chono himself deserves big kudos here. Oftentimes in professional wrestling, when we see a major league star making his presence felt in a smaller promotion, the major leaguer will coast by on his name value and not necessarily deliver in the ring. Here, the former nWo Japan mastermind put 100% into the match, takingrq several bumps like the superplex which he should probably not be taking at this point in his career and that you would think he would reserve for the handful of major New Japan matches that he has left before retirement. This battle was well worth the price of admission if you’re a fan of either man. ***

Match Numero Siete: PIZA Michinoku & Francesco Togo (c) vs. KUDO & Yasu Urano vs. Jun Kasai & MIKAMI vs. Kenny Omega & Mike Angels for the KO-D Tag Team Titles in a four-way elimination match

In all of the DDT that I’ve reviewed in this column to date, I do not think that we’ve yet run across the Italian Four Horsemen. They are a stable consisting of former Kaientai members TAKA Michinoku and Dick Togo as well as younger DDT stars Antonio Honda and Daisuke Sasaki, with each man taking on an Italian surname and dressing vaguely like a mafioso. It works particularly well for Togo, who has the hardened face and sadistic glare that makes him look exactly like a stereotypical mob boss, especially when he’s chomping down on a cigar. Here TAKA and Dick – or rather PIZA and Francesco – of the Horsemen have the KO-D Tag Titles, the top tag championship in DDT. They’re defending them against two teams of DDT regulars (or at least a semi-regular in the case of Kasai) plus the Canadian imports Kenny Omega and Mike Angels. Most readers of this column will know Omega from his work in ROH and PWG, but Angels is even more obscure still, to the point that I have difficulty finding good information on him. Near as I can tell, he is a running buddy of Omega’s from the Manitoban indy scene who Kenny managed to have called over to DDT with him.

All eight men engage in a brawl as soon as the bell rings, with the squared circle quickly clearing out until only Omega and MIKAMI are left. The Japaense wrestler gets taken down with a spinning heel kick and a body slam, after which Omega tags in KUDO. He slingshots into the ring immediately with a rana and then lands a dropkick. He runs into MIKAMI’s boot after his next shot off the ropes, and here comes Urano. He slams KUDO but gets caught up on the Italian corner, where PIZA tags himself in. The former WWF Lightheavyweight Champion gives Urano a running knee before bringing in Dick, who succeeds in hitting a monkey flip. Angels gets a cheap shot on Urano from the apron, which I guess counts as a tag. Angels wants Togo, but Dick won’t have it, tagging out to Kasai. Angels’ entire DDT gimmick is apparently based around the fact that he can crush a raw apple in his hand (therefore giving him a devastating claw hold), and he goes to do that when confronted with Kasai, but Jun cuts him off and attempts an apple crush of his own. Naturally, it fails in spectacular fashion. The deathmatch king does get a chance to hit Angels with the fruit, though, after which the two exchange forearms. Angels attempts a claw hold, but Kasai misses and kicks him low. This sets up a series of spots in which the men accidentally low blow each other back and forth. When that’s done, Angels hits a falling knee to the back of Kasai’s head, which fans of women’s indy wrestling in the United States might recognize as the Daff-Knees.

This all leads into another eight-man brawl, which ends with KUDO and Urano hitting a series of corner attacks on the Canadian team. Angels and Omega counter, though, eventually giving Yasu a big bulldog that was set up by Kenny leapfrogging over his much taller partner. Helluva a vertical there. Jun runs in and fairs much better, DDTing Angels and taking Omega down with a cross body block from the top and a lariat. He stops to shake the ropes a la the Ultimate Warrior and tags out to Urano, who brings KUDO with him. The two men run circles around Omega, almost literally, culminating with KUDO giving him a basement dropkick to the face. The Horsemen are in next to torment Kenny, giving him the old Kaientai DX camel clutch/dropkick to the face combo. Ah, how I have missed that move. Dick then tags out to MIKAMI, who lands a sweet standing, flipping senton and looks for a suplex. It is blocked, and Angels runs in to assist Omega with a suplex of his own. KUDO and Urano run in quickly after that, though, and before long it is KUDO, Urano, and MIKAMI all teaming up to give the Canadians a three-on-two suplex.

After that, KUDO is left alone with Omega, and they trade kicks and forearms until Kenny blocks a roundhouse to the head and plants his opponent with a sweet uranagi. That sets up the hot tag to Angels, who forearms everything that moves and then hits a double stomach claw on Urano and KUDO. He beals them out of that position and goes for the same move on the Horsemen. They escape, but Angels does succeed in lariating them. That allows Omega to catch the Italians with a cross body off the top and a double rana. They bail, and their stablemate Antonio Honda runs in to attack Omega. He eats an enzuguiri for his trouble, and, before long, there’s a huge pile of men on the floor begging to be dived on. Kenny obliges, hitting a glorious no hands hilo over the top rope. Back on the inside, MIKAMI and Kasai have found a ladder, and they use it as a battering ram to bull Mike Angels back into the corner. The ladder is then set up for both men to climb, but Omega cuts them off. He knocks MIKAMI off the ladder and German suplexes Kasai out of an electric chair position. MIKAMI responds with a body block but is caught by the recovered Angels, who tries for his claw. MIKAMI cuts off the claw with a 619, but he can’t avoid Mike’s doctor bomb and gets covered for two. Angels eventually does get the stomach claw and tries to turn it into a chokeslam. MIKAMI does a flip to escape, and, seconds later, he has school-boyed his much larger opponent for a three count.

As soon as the bell rings to signal Angels and Omega’s elimination, KUDO comes flying off of the ropes out of nowhere, directing his two knees square into MIKAMI’s face. That gets two, as Kasai saves. Urano hits the ring as well and sends the Crazy Monkey into the ladder, which gives Kasai the idea to do the old Terry Funk helicopter spot. It works until KUDO counters with a drop toe hold, sending the metal into Kasai’s face. KUDO and Urano then try to lariat him with the ladder, but MIKAMI catches them by surprise with a missile dropkick. That sets up a 450 on KUDO, but he escapes at two. MIKAMI has the ladder now, while Kasai pulls a table out from underneath the ring. Urano finds himself laid out on the wood, and, not long after, Kasai gives him a big superfly splash through the furniture. Literally two seconds later, MIKAMI is on top of the ladder in the ring, where he gives KUDO a swanton. The Horsemen are RIGHT THERE to steal his glory, though, as TAKA hits what the announcers refer to as an “Italian Mafia Kick” on MIKAMI to pin him before he can even attempt to cover KUDO.

Now we’re down to the teams of Michinoku & Togo and KUDO & Urano. Having just taken ladder and table spots, respectively, the latter team is not looking too hot. KUDO is hit with the ladder by his European opponents, and they take him down with a double lariat as well. KUDO starts to mount a comeback when he reverses a double team vertical suplex into a two-man DDT, followed by a series of big kicks on Togo. Dick fires back with a lariat, though, and KUDO is soon back to facing both Horsemen. TAKA locks him in an STF, which Togo joins in on with a crossface of his own. It looks like a certain submission, but this is the point at which Urano decides to rejoin the match to break up the hold. He is quickly dispatched by Togo, though, who tosses him to the floor and then gives him a big cannonball dive off the apron. That allows TAKA to reapply the STF to KUDO in the ring, but the challenger makes the ropes. The champions then hit him with a double buzzsaw kick to the head, but it only gets a two count. The Italians look for their finisher, a variation of a two-man piledriver, but KUDO rolls through and gets the hot tag to Urano. I don’t understand why a hot tag matters in this apparently no DQ match, but whatever. The fresh man runs wild on the bad guys – mainly TAKA – giving him an enzuguiri before being blindsided by a Togo kick. Dick and TAKA attempt a Doomsday Device variation of some sort, but the good guys block it, leaving Michinoku straddling the top rope.

Urano gives him a rana out of that position, which KUDO follows with a diving double knee strike and a tope onto Togo. Urano looks to finish TAKA with a piledriver in the ring, but Antonio Honda runs in again and throws powder into the challenger’s eyes. That sets up a double superkick from the Horsemen, which only gets two when KUDO saves. Honda and Togo then team up for a Doomsday Device on Urano, which Togo and Michonku follow with the two-man piledriver on Urano. TAKA also hits another Italian Mafia Kick for good measure, but Urano kicks out at two. Another Doomsday Device attempt is made, but, out of nowhere, Urano throws his own powder into Dick Togo’s eyes and cradles TAKA for a two count. KUDO runs in and gives TAKA a quick kick out of the blue, and a second rollup by Urano makes the challengers into the new champions.

Match Thoughts: Eight letters, two words . . . SPOT FEST. There was not much structure here, and there was not much flow here. There were just eight men on four teams with two additional guys running interference doing as many cool moves as they could in rapid succession, all building to a big finish. In some ways, the match worked, as there really were some breathtaking moments, including Omega’s hilo and double rana, the Horsemen double submission, and the counter to Kasai’s whirlybird spot. As fun as this was as an exhibition of moves, though, it never really came together as a cohesive match, particularly when you consider the fact that a match should usually build in excitement throughout, whereas this bout seemed to be at its best when all four teams were involved and got somewhat more boring with each elimination. Perhaps it would have been better to set this as a one fall to a finish affair. **1/2

Match Numero Ocho: HARASHIMA (c) vs. Kota Ibushi for the KO-D Openweight Title

The wrestlers are guarded at first, circling each other for quite some time, occasionally attempting to land a palm strike or throwing a leg kick. HARASHIMA rushes in for a double leg to take us down to the mat, and the two men rapidly jockey back and forth for position. Nobody gets a decided advantage, so the two pop up to the applause of the crowd. Perhaps tiring of the slow pace, Ibushi swings for the fences with a big kick, but it gets ducked. The two men then do an outright RAPID sequence of spots off the ropes, several of them involving Kota looking for more kicks but missing on every one. The competitors stare each other down for a bit more, after which it is time for our first lockup of the match. They trade armbars from that position, and ultimately it’s Ibushi that gets the advantage when he snags HARASHIMA’s wrist and jumps over the top rope, snapping the champ’s limb over the cable a la Randy Savage. Kota slingshots back in with a missile dropkick, but things don’t go too well for him after that, as he attempts a moonsault bodyblock, only to be kicked right in the midsection on his way down. HARASHIMA then places his opponent into the Tree of Joey Lawrence and hits a dropkick, earning him a two count.

Now it’s time for HARASHIMA to hit a bit of a resthold, which sees him crank on Ibushi’s neck until the latter man drapes his foot over the bottom rope. The champion stays on his opponent with a body slam and a bodyscissors, which Kota attempts to escape by ramming his elbow into HARASHIMA’S knee. HARASHIMA responds by chopping Kota’s back, but ultimately he relinquishes the hold and goes for a headlock. Ibushi shoves him off and there is more rope running to be had, but Kota makes a mistake as he goes for a leapfrog. Rather than running under him, HARASHIMA puts on the breaks and gives him a big kick to the chest as he’s in midair. HARASHIMA then begins to work a version of the camel clutch, but he misses a charge in the corner when he gives up on the hold and then runs straight into Ibushi’s boot. Kota mounts some offense with the World’s Strongest Slam, after which he goes up to the top rope. HARASHIMA cuts him off almost immediately, but Ibushi battles back and knocks HARASHIMA off of the ropes. HARASHIMA tries to get up and crotch Ibushi, but the challenger jumps over him with a backflip and lands on the mat, IMMEDIATELY jumping up onto HARASHIMA’s shoulders after that and giving him a rana.

That sends the champion down to the arena floor, and Kota climbs the ropes as though he’s going to do a big dive down onto the mats. HARASHIMA prevents that with another kick, and, before long, the two wrestlers are exchanging punches on the ring apron. They begin to climb the ropes together for god knows what reason, allowing HARASHIMA to kick Ibushi in the head at a really weird angle. HARASHIMA tries to climb the ropes for more offense after that, but Ibushi gives him an enzuguiri that knocks him to the floor. Then, in a spot of pure beauty, Ibushi runs the entire length of the ring apron, and, in one fluid motion, leaps up onto the top turnbuckle, spins, and dives down onto HARASHIMA with an Asai moonsault. I’m tempted to call him the most graceful professional wrestler of all time based on that one spot alone.

Though it looked good, apparently the dive didn’t have that much effect on HARASHIMA, as he’s in fine shape and trading punches with Ibushi in mid-ring seconds later. Kota puts a quick end to that, though, dodging a strike and wacking HARASHIMA with his version of the Pele kick. The sometimes-ROH star ascends the ropes again after that one. HARASHIMA rolls out of the way of the ensuing moonsault, but Ibushi lands on his feet and then immediately does a standing moonsault, landing right on top of his opponent. Again, a very visually impressive spot from Ibushi. It’s back to the top for Ibushi after that, and he attempts a cross body block. In a sick spot, HARASHIMA basically just kneels, causing Ibushi to land ABS FIRST ON HIS KNEE. After that, the champion drapes his adversary gut-first over the top rope and gives him a guillotine legdrop from the top, following it with a springboard splash for a nearfall. HARASHIMA’s next move is the Uncle Slam, followed by a unique combination ankle lock/armbar hold. HARASHIMA voluntarily gives up on the hold and looks for some move out of a fireman’s carry, but Ibushi leaps out of the champ’s grasp and takes him down. Kota immediately pops up on to the ropes and tries for another moonsault . . . ABS FIRST ON THE KNEE AGAIN. Christ, somebody get this man Bret Hart’s spear-protector.

Ibushi is endowed with FIGHTING SPIRIT, however, so he’s not going to let a couple of gut shots keep him down. He rolls through HARASHIMA’s attempt at a German suplex and hits one of his one, but HARASHIMA has a bit of the spirit himself, as he completely no sells the move. Both men look for big kicks, and the result is both men crumpling to the mat as the crowd begins to buzz. The referee applies the ten count to both wrestlers, and they both answer it at nine. It is now time for your federally mandated kick exchange. That starts slow, but both men begin reeling off the boots faster and faster until one from HARASHIMA finally manages to take Ibushi off of his feet. The champ gets a two count as Ibushi’s foot goes over the bottom rope, and then he goes to the top. Kota stops him with a SUPER. PELE. KICK~! Another high kick and a half nelson suplex get a close two count for the challenger, who then lands a powerbomb and attempts a Phoenix splash. It connects, but HARASHIMA is out at 2.9! Ibushi’s eyes bug out of his head in shock, and he ultimately decides that he’s going to do what he does best in an attempt to end the match. Yes, it’s back to the top rope. This time, HARASHIMA cuts Ibushi off from behind, and both men are standing on the top rope with their backs facing toward the ring. This won’t end well . . . REVERSE HURICANRANA WITH BOTH MEN STANDING ON THE TOP ROPE!!! HOLY FUCK! DIVING DOUBLE KNEE STRIKE BY HARASHIMA! AND A SECOND! IBUSHI KICKS OUT AT TWO!

Sorry for the extended caps lock sequence there, but, trust me, it was deserved! Tiger suplex from Harashima also can’t put Ibushi away! A Buzzsaw Kick connects, as does a springboard double knee strike, but Ibushi is STILL out at two! HARASHIMA begins to question the referee at this point, which we know never ends well in wrestling. Kota is flopping around on the mat like a dying fish, but he eventually gets to his feet and manages to reel off some strikes. HARASHIMA responds, and Kota slowly builds momentum until he is wailing away on the champion with shotei. That softens HARASHIMA up to the point that Ibushi can get him in a dragon suplex for a two count, and the challenger’s subsequent lariat gets one. Now it’s Ibushi who hits the Buzzsaw Kick, which he follows with a package suplex that finally gets him the three count and the KO-D Openweight Championship.

Match Thoughts: I’d imagine that it’s hard to have a match that closes out a six-and-a-half hour long show which manages not only to keep the crowd’s imagination but also manages to get the biggest reaction of anything on the card. However, HARASHIMA and Ibushi managed to do just that. They did have some assistance from how the rest of the show was booked, because a variety of match styles were presented, meaning that there was less likelihood of the fans getting burned out. However, they more than kept up their end of the bargain, going back and forth with state-of-the-art offense put together in a way that the crowd wasn’t blitzed with so many high impact moves that they got overwhelmed nor deprived of action for so long that they got silent. Though I oftentimes wind up thinking that the darling wrestlers of US indy fans are overrated, the fact of the matter is that, when it comes to Kota Ibushi, you can believe the hype. ****1/2

Overall

When I first started getting involved with online discussion of professional wrestling in the late-1990’s, one of the things that would come up every three or six months would be a relative newcomer to the ‘net asking some of the more seasoned wrestling fans what shows they should hunt down when attempting to get into Japanese professional wrestling for the first time. There were a few shows which almost universally got mentioned. Fans looking for “hardcore” wrestling were directed to IWA Japan’s Kawasaki Dream. Fans who might be interested in joshi got sent to AJW’s Big Egg Wrestling Universe. It was recommended that just about everybody watch the 1994 and 1995 Super J Cup tournaments produced by New Japan Pro Wrestling. Over the past several years, I’ve fallen a bit out of touch with the hardcore puro fans of the world, so I don’t know whether there are still “essential” shows like that being recommended to neophytes.

If there are, Ryogoku Peter Pan deserves to be one of those shows for the modern era. Though it doesn’t contain every single thing that makes puroresu (and particularly indy puroresu) great, it contains a fair amount of them. The opener is a solid one, setting the table for the rest of the card perfectly. The battle royale and the weapons match provide wacky comedy galore. The Chono/JULIE match was a fine example, although not a classic example, of a Japanese heavyweight matchup. The four-way tag team match was a wild, unpredictable brawl highlighting the athletic ability of several of this promotion’s key pieces of talent. The main event . . . wow. While Chono/JULIE may have been an example of traditional Japanese wrestling, this is a great example of where Japanese wrestling is headed. It’s a revolutionary, state-of-the-art bout that is an example of what most wrestling matches in the country will probably look like in five years.

Go out of your way to see this card, regardless of whether you normally watch shows from Japan. It is absolutely worth it, and, if you can’t find SOMETHING to enjoy on the show, you might want to start asking yourself why you still watch professional wrestling.

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