Le Barron de HF
Justin make me proud
GB presents...
Kevin Owens (c) vs CM Punk for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
The Voice of the Voiceless against one of the best heels in recent history. To make it that bit better, the match is held in Chicago.
Rey Mysterio Jr. vs Kota Ibushi
Two of the best junior heavyweights go head to head in their primes.
William Regal (c) vs Zack Sabre Jr for the WWF European Title. in a best of 3 falls match.
I think I've said before but if I had a time machine making this match happen would be a top priority for me.
Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs Magnum TA for the IWGP HeavyWeight Championship
A classic Japanese face vs Gaijin heel match.
Kenny Omega (c) vs Adam Cole vs BXB Hulk for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
This match could actually happen one day. It would be amazing.
Kimber Lee (c) vs Candice LeRae vs Sara Del Rey
Kimber Lee puts her Chikara Grand Championship on the line. Hopefully Del Rey is training these two in NXT soon.
Sexy Star vs Emma
Mask vs Hair. And yes, it is Evil Emma.
Joey Ryan vs Alexa Bliss
5* match for the facial expressions alone.
Marty Scurll vs AR Fox vs The Mack vs El Dragon Ezteca Jr.
Falls count anywhere elimination match.
The Colony (Soldier Ant, Fire Ant, Silver Ant) vs Team AAA (Fenix, Drago & Aero Star)
The 2011 and 2015 Chikara King of Trios Champions square off to see who is the ultimate King of Trios.
Cage vs Rhyno
The Machine vs The Man Beast.
Norman Smiley vs Robbie Brookside
Before they were NXT trainers these two were world travelling wrestlers. Loser has to train ZZ.
nameless1 presents...
East vs. West (and the world): The Battle for Supremacy
Presenters
Maria Menounos, Fuka
Fuka was trained JDStar under its "Athtress" program. At the moment, she is retired, but she works at World Wonder Ring Stardom, as an announcer, and on-screen authority figure. She would a good fit with Menounos, since they would help highlight a East vs. West theme.
Announcers
Matt Striker, Lance Russell
Matt Striker is a good fit for my card, because he has worked as an announcer for promotions in North America, Japan and Mexico, and my card features wrestlers from all three places. His counterpart, Lance Russell, is well-known for his banters with his fellow announcers, and his ability to put over, and not overshadow, the wrestlers, so he will keep things interesting, but also let the audience feel the action.
Interviews
Renee Young
Ring Announcer
JoJo
Pre-show
3-Way Classic Heavyweight Lucha Battle
Dos Caras (Mexico) vs. Super Strong Machine (Japan) vs. Mr. Wrestling II (U.S.)
Dos Caras, the brother of Mil Máscaras, has been called "the greatest heavyweight ever to come out of Mexico". Meanwhile, Super Strong Machine was so popular in the 80s, that there were a number of "Machine" copycats in the U.S. In fact, at one point, even Andre The Giant was billed as Giant Machine. Finally, Mr. Wrestling II was one of the top draw in Georgia in the 1970s. At the time, he was probably one of the top five most popular wrestler in the U.S., and even Jimmy Carter, and according to him, his own mother, are fans.
This is a nostalgia match between 3 legendary masked wrestlers, and it is a good way to start the pre-show. It is also not often that people see a heavyweight lucha match. Plus, as my main theme is a East and West battle, a world battle of sorts fits better as part of the pre-show.
4-Way Qualification For Last Spot In Elimination Cruiserweight Championship Match #1 (Japan)
The Great Sasuke vs. Dragon Kid vs. KUSHIDA vs. Hiromu Takahashi aka Kamaitachi
Both The Great Sasuke and Dragon Kid had been named by WON as his respective year's best high flyer, while KUSHIDA has had a number of exciting matches with some of the today's high flyers, like Kota Ibushi and Will Ospreay. Meanwhile, Hiromu Takahashi, who had been wrestling in Mexico as the luchador Kamaitachi, until he was unmasked, is one of the best upcoming high flyers, known for his crazy stunts.
This will be a fast paced battle between the cruiserweights, and with a spot for the championship on the line, there is added importance.
4-Way Qualification For Last Spot In Elimination Cruiserweight Championship Match #2 (Mexico)
Juventud Guerrera vs. Dragon Lee II vs. Máscara Dorada vs. Volador Jr. (unmasked)
Guerrara, Máscara Dorada and Volador Jr. are some of the best known luchadors from Mexico. Dragon Lee II is young, but he has shown great ability, and his feud with Kamaitachi is great. His inclusion also allows me to revisit a Dragon Lee II-Kamaitachi feud in the future.
Again, this will be a fast-paced match, with added importance, as it is for a spot in a title bout.
4-Way Women's Match for #1 Contender For Women's Belt
Paige (U.K.) vs. Cheerleader Melissa (U.S.) vs. Nicole Matthews (Canada) vs. Akira Hokuto (Japan)
These four have shown that they can wrestle a fast-paced match. Paige and Cheerleader Melissa has been named as the #1 wrestler in the PWI Female 50, in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Akira Hokuto, meanwhile, has been in 4 5-stars matches, and Nicole Matthews was a Shimmer Champion.
These women can wrestle, and with the chance to be #1 contender on the line, it will not be a throwaway match.
Gimmick Mixed Gender Tag Match
Incoherence (Hallowicked & Frightmare) w/ MsChif vs. The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) w/ Daizee Haze
Incoherence has a Halloween horror gimmick, while The Osirian Portal has an ancient Egyptian theme. While MsChif is usually not associated with Incoherence, she is actually a good fit, as she plays a banshee-type of character. She would also act as a spokesperson, since Incoherence, as its name suggests, actually do not speak at all. Meanwhile, Haze is so versatile, that she should be able to fit in, and manage The Osirian Portal, just fine. Plus, MsChif and Haze are actually good wrestlers, and it would be fun to see them wrestle too.
The pre-show could use a tag team match, since it can also be used as a standalone television show, and some levity. Luckily, these teams can actually wrestle, so again, it will not be a "bathroom break" match.
OpenWeight Championship
Tomohiro Ishii (Japan) vs. El Texano jr. (Mexico)
Ishii is probably the best brawler in the world right now, as he has been named as PWI's Best Brawler the last 2 years. El. Texano jr., meanwhile, was a big star in one of Mexico's most well-known promotion, AAA, as he was a long time champion there. He combines both high flying and heavyweight moves in his repertoire, so he is an exciting opponent for Ishii's brawler style.
Again, since the pre-show can be used as a standalone television show, it is good to end it with a championship match. It is also a East vs. West bout, which is the main theme of the card. Plus, with the OpenWeight Championship, the size difference between the two, as Ishii is 5-7, while El Texano jr. is 6-1, will not seem that out of place.
Main Card
World War
Elimination Chamber Match for Cruiserweight Championship
Matt Sydal (U.S.) vs. The Amazing Red (Puerto Rico) vs. Will Ospreay (U.K.) vs. Zema Ion aka DJ Z (Philippines) vs. Winner of Qualification Match #1 vs. Winner of Qualification Match #2
All the cruiserweights in this bout are well-known high flyers, so it will be a very exciting and innovative battle, with a lot of high and risky spots, that gets the crowd out of their seats. The competitors are also all from different countries, two of whom needed to win in order to get a spot, so it is a link to the pre-show.
In the last two Wrestlemanias, it has always started with a ladder match. Those are often the best matches of the night, and it gets the crowd going. I will attempt to do the same, but it will be inside the Elimination Chamber. Plus, it will be a nice natural transition, theme-wise, from the pre-show, as most of the other card will be a true East vs. West, one-on-one battle.
East vs. West
Women's Championship (2 out of 3 falls)
Madison Eagles (Australia) vs. Kyoko Inoue (Japan)
When healthy, Madison Eagles is probably the best current women wrestler in the world. In fact, she is the only person to be named as PWI's the #1 ranked Female 50 wrestler, who does not work for any major promotions. Kyoko Inoue, meanwhile, had been one of the best female wrestler in the world for a long time now. She herself has been in 8 5-stars match, many of them against her chief rival, and arguably the best female wrestler of all time, Manami Toyota. They also look like heavyweights, so that will add gravitas to a title fight.
Thus, this will not be a throwaway match. Furthermore, as a 2 out of 3 match, it gives time for both to wrestle a technical match, which they are both very good at, and it will somewhat calm, but not lose, the crowd, so they do not get burn-out too soon.
Intercontinental Championship
Katsuyori Shibata (Japan) vs. Tommy End (Netherlands)
These two are considered to be best strikers in the world right now. In fact, it would be considered to be one of the dream matches for people, as their style match up very well together, and they are known for their stiff strikes. Both actually looks like MMA fighters, as End is pissed-off and angry, accentuated by his many tattoos, while Shibata is fearless but cocky, as he shows very little respect to people, with the way he attacks even legends sometimes, so this will be a very believable bout.
While they are relatively unknown in North America, they have the potential to steal the show, due to how realistic, hard-hitting, and potentially brutal, the match will be, and as a result, become the brand new young stars for the promotion. It also allows the chance to recreate a Shibata-Ishii rivalry in the future too, as those two have a 5-stars match together, and they always have great chemistry together.
4-Way Battle For The Tag Team Championships
The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) (U.S.) (Heel) vs. The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) (U.S.) w/ Jim Cornette (Face) vs. Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami (Japan) (Face) vs. Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima) (Heel)
The team of Inoki and Fujinami, The Midnight Express, and The Fantastics are all-time great teams, as they are ranked 12, 32, and 63, respectively, in WON's Top 100 Tag Teams in the PWI years, while Tencozy was named as the best tag team of 2001, so this will be a bout between teams with great credentials.
There will be a lot of dynamics in this tag match, because even though there are two teams from both the U.S. and Japan, they each work as a face and heel team n their respective country. As a result, it is unlikely that they will work together, or for long, so this will be a true 4-way battle. Also, Jim Cornette has managed both The Midnight Express and The Fantastics, and he has infamously turned on the face Fantastics in favour of the heel Midnight Express, so there is an extra angle there, as he could repeat the feat again.
#1 Contender For Jr. Heavyweight Title
Drew Galloway (Scotland) (Face) vs. Akira Taue (Japan) (Heel)
After Galloway left the WWE, where he was pushed as McMahon's "Chosen One", and then quickly de-pushed, due to a personal incident, he honed and improved on his craft, and eventually made his way to TNA. There, he got his push, and he is now pushed as one of the stars of the promotion. Akira Taue, meanwhile, was one of "The Four Corners of Heaven" of NJPW's golden age in the 90s. While he was never a frequent title contender, he had been in 14 5-stars matches, and he has won a title before, so he has the pedigree.
As Taue was a former sumo wrestler, he often worked as a big, bad heel who likes to hurt his opponent into submission, so he would be a good matchup for Galloway, who wants to establish himself as a future star. They are both at similar size, as Galloway is 6-5, and Taue 6-4, so they look like formidable opponents, and whoever that comes out on top, will be a credible contender, and well-positioned as one of the next future star of the promotion.
Jr. Heavyweight Title
Barry Windham (U.S.) w/ Ole Anderson (Heel) vs. Jun Akiyama (Japan) (Face)
There were many versions of the Horsemen, but the version that includes Barry Windham is considered as one of the best. In fact, many considered him to be the most naturally gifted of all the horsemen. However, the most prestigious belt he has ever won was the United States Championship, a secondary belt, and he had never challenged for the main belt in his career. On the other side, while Akiyama was not as big as the "Four Heavenly Corners" in NJPW, he was pretty much on even footing with them, when they were already major stars and draws, and he was just 22. In fact, many would consider him to be an unofficial "Fifth Corner", as he had a number of great matches with the "Four Corners". Unfortunately, even when the "Four Corners" were past their prime, he was never pushed as the face of the company, but whether, a transitional champion.
This is a battle between two great wrestlers, who never achieved the stardom their abilities should garner. Yes, it is not the Heavyweight Championship, but it is the main secondary belt, and it will get them closer to the ultimate prize. Akiyama works very well as a face, as his matches often has great in-ring psychology, and Windham is adapt at the heel role. Ole Anderson is there as the manager, which was his role when Windham was a horseman. It also allows for the potential to create a new batch of The Four Horseman, from the current roster, and create more future storylines.
Monster Battle- Falls Count Anywhere
Vader (U.S.) vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (Japan)
Vader is quite possibly the best and most athletic big man to ever grace the squared circle. He can brawl with the best of them, but he can also deliver a moonsault off the top rope. Meanwhile, Takayama is one of the few legitimate big men in Japan. When he enters the ring, there is an immediate big match atmosphere. He is also very tough, who can take a ton of punishment. If one needs proof, one just has to watch his MMA bout with Don Frye, as both pummelled each other for 5 minutes, and Takayama's face looked like a battered fish at the end of it.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp58a5_don-frye-vs-yoshihiro-takayama-pride_shortfilms
Both will fight to establish himself as the new predator, and the next challenger for the top belt, the Unified Heavyweight Championship. It will be a brutal fall counts anywhere fight, but it will be a good change of pace from the technical affairs beforehand. Most importantly, it will get the crowd heated and ready, for the main events of the evening.
#1 Contender For Unified Heavyweight Championship
Owen Hart (Can) vs. Toshiaki Kawada (Japan)
Owen Hart has always been very talented. In fact, he is probably even better than his brother, Bret Hart, as he is arguably more athletic, since he started out as a high flyer, and he is a lot more entertaining on the mic. However, he always worked in the shadow of his brother, as he had never challenged for the World Title in his career, and this helped to fuel a great feud in 1994, when he went up against his brother, due to jealousy.
Kawada, coincidentally, is in a similar situation. He came up the same time as Misawa, but while he was send away to train in Canada, United States, and even Mexico, where he was miserable, Misawa was pushed as a star. When he finally returned, he managed to established himself as one of the stars, but he continued to be stuck behind Misawa. That was why his bouts with Misawa, be it singles, or even tag matches, were always so good, because the emotions were real. He wanted to beat Misawa, to show the world that he is truly the best, but he often came up short.
This is a bout between two chasers. While they have no real beef with each other, both stand in the way of one another for his true goal, so they will definitely go all out, in order to remove what is seen as an obstacle. Kawada, in real life, also dislikes foreigners, so his already stiff shots will be even stiffer than usual, and this will become personal, whether quickly, so it has the potential to turn into a long feud, and create even more dynamics and storylines.
Unification Heavyweight Championship Bout
West Champion Bret Hart (Canada) vs. East Champion Mitsuharu Misawa (Japan)
Ref: Earl Hebner
Bret Hart is the Excellence of Execution. At a time when his company, then still known as WWF, was in trouble, and in the midst of a transition phase from larger-than-life figures to more realistic figures, he was one of the big stars of the company, and helped to draw crowds and keep the company afloat, with his superb technical in-ring ability. To this day, he still holds two of only five 5-stars matches that WWE has had in its history.
Misawa is quite possibly the great professional wrestler in history, as he holds the distinction as the wreslter with the most 5-stars matches under his belt, with 26. He wrestled for a while as Tiger Mask II, but his career exploded, as he voluntarily ripped off his mask, and wrestled under his real name. From that point on, he was the "ace" of his company, and he was the main driving force in what made NJPW great in the 1990s.
For the main event of the evening, it will feature a dream unification match, between a North American great, the West Heavyweight Belt Champion, and a Japanese great, the East Heavyweight Belt Champion. To add more fuel to the fire, Hart was less than complimentary about Misawa's ability, as in his bibliography, he said the original Tiger Mask was much better than Misawa, so there is also some personal animosity there. If that is not enough, the referee will also be Earl Hebner, who famously betrayed Hart, in the infamous Montreal Screwjob. Has he patched things up with Hart, or will history repeat itself again? I guess you should all tune into my card, to find out.
Kevin Owens (c) vs CM Punk for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
The Voice of the Voiceless against one of the best heels in recent history. To make it that bit better, the match is held in Chicago.
Rey Mysterio Jr. vs Kota Ibushi
Two of the best junior heavyweights go head to head in their primes.
William Regal (c) vs Zack Sabre Jr for the WWF European Title. in a best of 3 falls match.
I think I've said before but if I had a time machine making this match happen would be a top priority for me.
Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs Magnum TA for the IWGP HeavyWeight Championship
A classic Japanese face vs Gaijin heel match.
Kenny Omega (c) vs Adam Cole vs BXB Hulk for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
This match could actually happen one day. It would be amazing.
Kimber Lee (c) vs Candice LeRae vs Sara Del Rey
Kimber Lee puts her Chikara Grand Championship on the line. Hopefully Del Rey is training these two in NXT soon.
Sexy Star vs Emma
Mask vs Hair. And yes, it is Evil Emma.
Joey Ryan vs Alexa Bliss
5* match for the facial expressions alone.
Marty Scurll vs AR Fox vs The Mack vs El Dragon Ezteca Jr.
Falls count anywhere elimination match.
The Colony (Soldier Ant, Fire Ant, Silver Ant) vs Team AAA (Fenix, Drago & Aero Star)
The 2011 and 2015 Chikara King of Trios Champions square off to see who is the ultimate King of Trios.
Cage vs Rhyno
The Machine vs The Man Beast.
Norman Smiley vs Robbie Brookside
Before they were NXT trainers these two were world travelling wrestlers. Loser has to train ZZ.
nameless1 presents...
East vs. West (and the world): The Battle for Supremacy
Presenters
Maria Menounos, Fuka
Fuka was trained JDStar under its "Athtress" program. At the moment, she is retired, but she works at World Wonder Ring Stardom, as an announcer, and on-screen authority figure. She would a good fit with Menounos, since they would help highlight a East vs. West theme.
Announcers
Matt Striker, Lance Russell
Matt Striker is a good fit for my card, because he has worked as an announcer for promotions in North America, Japan and Mexico, and my card features wrestlers from all three places. His counterpart, Lance Russell, is well-known for his banters with his fellow announcers, and his ability to put over, and not overshadow, the wrestlers, so he will keep things interesting, but also let the audience feel the action.
Interviews
Renee Young
Ring Announcer
JoJo
Pre-show
3-Way Classic Heavyweight Lucha Battle
Dos Caras (Mexico) vs. Super Strong Machine (Japan) vs. Mr. Wrestling II (U.S.)
Dos Caras, the brother of Mil Máscaras, has been called "the greatest heavyweight ever to come out of Mexico". Meanwhile, Super Strong Machine was so popular in the 80s, that there were a number of "Machine" copycats in the U.S. In fact, at one point, even Andre The Giant was billed as Giant Machine. Finally, Mr. Wrestling II was one of the top draw in Georgia in the 1970s. At the time, he was probably one of the top five most popular wrestler in the U.S., and even Jimmy Carter, and according to him, his own mother, are fans.
This is a nostalgia match between 3 legendary masked wrestlers, and it is a good way to start the pre-show. It is also not often that people see a heavyweight lucha match. Plus, as my main theme is a East and West battle, a world battle of sorts fits better as part of the pre-show.
4-Way Qualification For Last Spot In Elimination Cruiserweight Championship Match #1 (Japan)
The Great Sasuke vs. Dragon Kid vs. KUSHIDA vs. Hiromu Takahashi aka Kamaitachi
Both The Great Sasuke and Dragon Kid had been named by WON as his respective year's best high flyer, while KUSHIDA has had a number of exciting matches with some of the today's high flyers, like Kota Ibushi and Will Ospreay. Meanwhile, Hiromu Takahashi, who had been wrestling in Mexico as the luchador Kamaitachi, until he was unmasked, is one of the best upcoming high flyers, known for his crazy stunts.
This will be a fast paced battle between the cruiserweights, and with a spot for the championship on the line, there is added importance.
4-Way Qualification For Last Spot In Elimination Cruiserweight Championship Match #2 (Mexico)
Juventud Guerrera vs. Dragon Lee II vs. Máscara Dorada vs. Volador Jr. (unmasked)
Guerrara, Máscara Dorada and Volador Jr. are some of the best known luchadors from Mexico. Dragon Lee II is young, but he has shown great ability, and his feud with Kamaitachi is great. His inclusion also allows me to revisit a Dragon Lee II-Kamaitachi feud in the future.
Again, this will be a fast-paced match, with added importance, as it is for a spot in a title bout.
4-Way Women's Match for #1 Contender For Women's Belt
Paige (U.K.) vs. Cheerleader Melissa (U.S.) vs. Nicole Matthews (Canada) vs. Akira Hokuto (Japan)
These four have shown that they can wrestle a fast-paced match. Paige and Cheerleader Melissa has been named as the #1 wrestler in the PWI Female 50, in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Akira Hokuto, meanwhile, has been in 4 5-stars matches, and Nicole Matthews was a Shimmer Champion.
These women can wrestle, and with the chance to be #1 contender on the line, it will not be a throwaway match.
Gimmick Mixed Gender Tag Match
Incoherence (Hallowicked & Frightmare) w/ MsChif vs. The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) w/ Daizee Haze
Incoherence has a Halloween horror gimmick, while The Osirian Portal has an ancient Egyptian theme. While MsChif is usually not associated with Incoherence, she is actually a good fit, as she plays a banshee-type of character. She would also act as a spokesperson, since Incoherence, as its name suggests, actually do not speak at all. Meanwhile, Haze is so versatile, that she should be able to fit in, and manage The Osirian Portal, just fine. Plus, MsChif and Haze are actually good wrestlers, and it would be fun to see them wrestle too.
The pre-show could use a tag team match, since it can also be used as a standalone television show, and some levity. Luckily, these teams can actually wrestle, so again, it will not be a "bathroom break" match.
OpenWeight Championship
Tomohiro Ishii (Japan) vs. El Texano jr. (Mexico)
Ishii is probably the best brawler in the world right now, as he has been named as PWI's Best Brawler the last 2 years. El. Texano jr., meanwhile, was a big star in one of Mexico's most well-known promotion, AAA, as he was a long time champion there. He combines both high flying and heavyweight moves in his repertoire, so he is an exciting opponent for Ishii's brawler style.
Again, since the pre-show can be used as a standalone television show, it is good to end it with a championship match. It is also a East vs. West bout, which is the main theme of the card. Plus, with the OpenWeight Championship, the size difference between the two, as Ishii is 5-7, while El Texano jr. is 6-1, will not seem that out of place.
Main Card
World War
Elimination Chamber Match for Cruiserweight Championship
Matt Sydal (U.S.) vs. The Amazing Red (Puerto Rico) vs. Will Ospreay (U.K.) vs. Zema Ion aka DJ Z (Philippines) vs. Winner of Qualification Match #1 vs. Winner of Qualification Match #2
All the cruiserweights in this bout are well-known high flyers, so it will be a very exciting and innovative battle, with a lot of high and risky spots, that gets the crowd out of their seats. The competitors are also all from different countries, two of whom needed to win in order to get a spot, so it is a link to the pre-show.
In the last two Wrestlemanias, it has always started with a ladder match. Those are often the best matches of the night, and it gets the crowd going. I will attempt to do the same, but it will be inside the Elimination Chamber. Plus, it will be a nice natural transition, theme-wise, from the pre-show, as most of the other card will be a true East vs. West, one-on-one battle.
East vs. West
Women's Championship (2 out of 3 falls)
Madison Eagles (Australia) vs. Kyoko Inoue (Japan)
When healthy, Madison Eagles is probably the best current women wrestler in the world. In fact, she is the only person to be named as PWI's the #1 ranked Female 50 wrestler, who does not work for any major promotions. Kyoko Inoue, meanwhile, had been one of the best female wrestler in the world for a long time now. She herself has been in 8 5-stars match, many of them against her chief rival, and arguably the best female wrestler of all time, Manami Toyota. They also look like heavyweights, so that will add gravitas to a title fight.
Thus, this will not be a throwaway match. Furthermore, as a 2 out of 3 match, it gives time for both to wrestle a technical match, which they are both very good at, and it will somewhat calm, but not lose, the crowd, so they do not get burn-out too soon.
Intercontinental Championship
Katsuyori Shibata (Japan) vs. Tommy End (Netherlands)
These two are considered to be best strikers in the world right now. In fact, it would be considered to be one of the dream matches for people, as their style match up very well together, and they are known for their stiff strikes. Both actually looks like MMA fighters, as End is pissed-off and angry, accentuated by his many tattoos, while Shibata is fearless but cocky, as he shows very little respect to people, with the way he attacks even legends sometimes, so this will be a very believable bout.
While they are relatively unknown in North America, they have the potential to steal the show, due to how realistic, hard-hitting, and potentially brutal, the match will be, and as a result, become the brand new young stars for the promotion. It also allows the chance to recreate a Shibata-Ishii rivalry in the future too, as those two have a 5-stars match together, and they always have great chemistry together.
4-Way Battle For The Tag Team Championships
The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) (U.S.) (Heel) vs. The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) (U.S.) w/ Jim Cornette (Face) vs. Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami (Japan) (Face) vs. Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima) (Heel)
The team of Inoki and Fujinami, The Midnight Express, and The Fantastics are all-time great teams, as they are ranked 12, 32, and 63, respectively, in WON's Top 100 Tag Teams in the PWI years, while Tencozy was named as the best tag team of 2001, so this will be a bout between teams with great credentials.
There will be a lot of dynamics in this tag match, because even though there are two teams from both the U.S. and Japan, they each work as a face and heel team n their respective country. As a result, it is unlikely that they will work together, or for long, so this will be a true 4-way battle. Also, Jim Cornette has managed both The Midnight Express and The Fantastics, and he has infamously turned on the face Fantastics in favour of the heel Midnight Express, so there is an extra angle there, as he could repeat the feat again.
#1 Contender For Jr. Heavyweight Title
Drew Galloway (Scotland) (Face) vs. Akira Taue (Japan) (Heel)
After Galloway left the WWE, where he was pushed as McMahon's "Chosen One", and then quickly de-pushed, due to a personal incident, he honed and improved on his craft, and eventually made his way to TNA. There, he got his push, and he is now pushed as one of the stars of the promotion. Akira Taue, meanwhile, was one of "The Four Corners of Heaven" of NJPW's golden age in the 90s. While he was never a frequent title contender, he had been in 14 5-stars matches, and he has won a title before, so he has the pedigree.
As Taue was a former sumo wrestler, he often worked as a big, bad heel who likes to hurt his opponent into submission, so he would be a good matchup for Galloway, who wants to establish himself as a future star. They are both at similar size, as Galloway is 6-5, and Taue 6-4, so they look like formidable opponents, and whoever that comes out on top, will be a credible contender, and well-positioned as one of the next future star of the promotion.
Jr. Heavyweight Title
Barry Windham (U.S.) w/ Ole Anderson (Heel) vs. Jun Akiyama (Japan) (Face)
There were many versions of the Horsemen, but the version that includes Barry Windham is considered as one of the best. In fact, many considered him to be the most naturally gifted of all the horsemen. However, the most prestigious belt he has ever won was the United States Championship, a secondary belt, and he had never challenged for the main belt in his career. On the other side, while Akiyama was not as big as the "Four Heavenly Corners" in NJPW, he was pretty much on even footing with them, when they were already major stars and draws, and he was just 22. In fact, many would consider him to be an unofficial "Fifth Corner", as he had a number of great matches with the "Four Corners". Unfortunately, even when the "Four Corners" were past their prime, he was never pushed as the face of the company, but whether, a transitional champion.
This is a battle between two great wrestlers, who never achieved the stardom their abilities should garner. Yes, it is not the Heavyweight Championship, but it is the main secondary belt, and it will get them closer to the ultimate prize. Akiyama works very well as a face, as his matches often has great in-ring psychology, and Windham is adapt at the heel role. Ole Anderson is there as the manager, which was his role when Windham was a horseman. It also allows for the potential to create a new batch of The Four Horseman, from the current roster, and create more future storylines.
Monster Battle- Falls Count Anywhere
Vader (U.S.) vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (Japan)
Vader is quite possibly the best and most athletic big man to ever grace the squared circle. He can brawl with the best of them, but he can also deliver a moonsault off the top rope. Meanwhile, Takayama is one of the few legitimate big men in Japan. When he enters the ring, there is an immediate big match atmosphere. He is also very tough, who can take a ton of punishment. If one needs proof, one just has to watch his MMA bout with Don Frye, as both pummelled each other for 5 minutes, and Takayama's face looked like a battered fish at the end of it.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp58a5_don-frye-vs-yoshihiro-takayama-pride_shortfilms
Both will fight to establish himself as the new predator, and the next challenger for the top belt, the Unified Heavyweight Championship. It will be a brutal fall counts anywhere fight, but it will be a good change of pace from the technical affairs beforehand. Most importantly, it will get the crowd heated and ready, for the main events of the evening.
#1 Contender For Unified Heavyweight Championship
Owen Hart (Can) vs. Toshiaki Kawada (Japan)
Owen Hart has always been very talented. In fact, he is probably even better than his brother, Bret Hart, as he is arguably more athletic, since he started out as a high flyer, and he is a lot more entertaining on the mic. However, he always worked in the shadow of his brother, as he had never challenged for the World Title in his career, and this helped to fuel a great feud in 1994, when he went up against his brother, due to jealousy.
Kawada, coincidentally, is in a similar situation. He came up the same time as Misawa, but while he was send away to train in Canada, United States, and even Mexico, where he was miserable, Misawa was pushed as a star. When he finally returned, he managed to established himself as one of the stars, but he continued to be stuck behind Misawa. That was why his bouts with Misawa, be it singles, or even tag matches, were always so good, because the emotions were real. He wanted to beat Misawa, to show the world that he is truly the best, but he often came up short.
This is a bout between two chasers. While they have no real beef with each other, both stand in the way of one another for his true goal, so they will definitely go all out, in order to remove what is seen as an obstacle. Kawada, in real life, also dislikes foreigners, so his already stiff shots will be even stiffer than usual, and this will become personal, whether quickly, so it has the potential to turn into a long feud, and create even more dynamics and storylines.
Unification Heavyweight Championship Bout
West Champion Bret Hart (Canada) vs. East Champion Mitsuharu Misawa (Japan)
Ref: Earl Hebner
Bret Hart is the Excellence of Execution. At a time when his company, then still known as WWF, was in trouble, and in the midst of a transition phase from larger-than-life figures to more realistic figures, he was one of the big stars of the company, and helped to draw crowds and keep the company afloat, with his superb technical in-ring ability. To this day, he still holds two of only five 5-stars matches that WWE has had in its history.
Misawa is quite possibly the great professional wrestler in history, as he holds the distinction as the wreslter with the most 5-stars matches under his belt, with 26. He wrestled for a while as Tiger Mask II, but his career exploded, as he voluntarily ripped off his mask, and wrestled under his real name. From that point on, he was the "ace" of his company, and he was the main driving force in what made NJPW great in the 1990s.
For the main event of the evening, it will feature a dream unification match, between a North American great, the West Heavyweight Belt Champion, and a Japanese great, the East Heavyweight Belt Champion. To add more fuel to the fire, Hart was less than complimentary about Misawa's ability, as in his bibliography, he said the original Tiger Mask was much better than Misawa, so there is also some personal animosity there. If that is not enough, the referee will also be Earl Hebner, who famously betrayed Hart, in the infamous Montreal Screwjob. Has he patched things up with Hart, or will history repeat itself again? I guess you should all tune into my card, to find out.
