Airforce Wars J 1997

AIRFORCE WARS J 1997

From what I was able to tell, there was a really heated feud between the factions of Takaiwa, Ohtani, and Kanemoto against Jushin “Thunder” Lyger, El Samurai, and Kendo Ka Shin. As a result, this compilation from NJPW was created chronicling some of the matches that resulted from that feud.

TAKAIWA/OHTANI/KANEMOTO vs LYGER/SAMURAI/KA SHIN

Ka Shin jumps the gun and attacks all three guys. It gets him no where. Wicked spot as Ka Shin is placed in the tree of woe. Takaiwa hits Ka Shin with a flying forearm to the face. Ohtani hits him with a baseball slide, and then Kanemoto hits him with a baseball slide. Then all three guys hit Ka Shin with a TRIPLE BASEBALL SLIDE while he’s stuck in the tree of woe. I’ve never seen that one before and probably never will again. More triple team work as Takaiwa put Ka Shin in a Camel Clutch. Ohtani dropkicks Ka Shin in the face and then Kanemoto lays in three stiff kicks to the chest. Ka Shin is just having the shit beat out of him here. Ka Shin finally gets control with a rolling cross arm breaker on Ohtani. Kanemoto reverses into an arm breaker of his own but Ka Shin is “Arm Boy Extraordinaire” so he easily reverses that into a variation on the Texas Cloverleaf. Lyger is tagged in and hits Kanemoto with a powerbomb. Samurai is tagged in and hits a belly to back suplex. Lyger back in and he slaps on an inverted surfboard. Samurai comes off of the top and hits Kanemoto while he’s in the surfboard. Samurai goes for the Thunder Fire Powerbomb. Kanemoto low blows Samurai and tags in Shinjiro “The Bitchmaster” Ohtani who hits a springboard kneedrop. Faces eventually take control and beat the crap out of Ohtani with kicks. Ka Shin stays in and dropkicks Ohtani’s arm. He slaps on a Fujiwara arm bar. Lyger is tagged back in and hits a delayed brainbuster for 2 and Ѕ. Samurai is tagged in and he hits three consecutive neck breakers. Kanemoto is eventually tagged in and hits his patented snap overhead belly to belly suplex. The heels take control and go through their usual stuff on Samurai including Takaiwa’s triple powerbomb and Kanemoto’s Moonsault. The cocky bastard Kanemoto actually throws Samurai to the face corner as if to say “Yeah… he’s done. Who next?” Ka Shin the arm-breaking jackass enters and takes a spin wheel kick to the face. Kanemoto hits his front slam into springboard twisting Senton combo. He hits a nice looking released Tiger Suplex as well. Kanemoto is just mauling Ka Shin. The ref tries to pull him off but Kanemoto actually throws the ref off of him. Takaiwa actually has to restrain Kanemoto. Here comes the ending, as Ka Shin just won’t stop with the cross arm breakers on Ohtani. He slaps it on THREE TIMES, each time being attacked by the heels and saved by the faces. On the third one, Ohtani blocks and goes for the dragon suplex. That’s blocked, so Ohtani settles for a snap German Suplex and that gets a three count. Nothing was overly good but nothing was done badly either so the match was solid. ***

TATSUHITO TAKAIWA vs JUSHIN “THUNDER” LYGER

They start out with the old no sell of the shoulderblock. Eventually, Takaiwa runs at Lyger, but that crafty Lyger goes for the palm strike. Takaiwa ducks and nails Lyger with a lariat. LYGER IS DEAD! That’s almost not sarcasm. Lyger lied there for a good two minutes. Samurai, who was outside watching the match, came in to check on Lyger. Takaiwa beats him down and then eventually gets Lyger to stand up. Takaiwa lays in some kicks, stomps, punches, and general crappy offense. This is the 2000 Super Junior Champion? Uh… huh. Nice spot as Takaiwa attempts to throw Lyger into the ropes but Lyger runs about three steps and then falls down unconscious again. He’s still selling that lariat. Takaiwa with a belly to back for two. They exchange submissions and then Takaiwa hits a suplex. Takaiwa puts Lyger in the three of woe and hits a flying forearm to the face. Irish whip but Lyger reverses and hits the Koppo Kick. Hey… remember the first part of this match with the no selling and the lariat? IT’S BACK! YEAH!!! Takaiwa attempts a powerbomb but Lyger reverses into a rana. Outside we go as Lyger hits the running somersault attack from the apron to the floor. Back in the ring and Lyger hits a NASTY Brainbuster. Lyger hits a swandive headbutt for 2 and Ѕ. Lyger puts Takaiwa on the top but gets punched off. And I mean punched. Takaiwa has to have laid in a good fifteen – twenty elbows and punches to the head before Lyger fell down. Takaiwa attempts a flying elbow but misses. Lyger goes for La Majistral Cradle but only gets 2 and ѕ. Lyger goes full steam for a palm strike but gets kicked in the midsection. Takaiwa follows up with a Death Valley Driver. Takaiwa hits a second DVD and then nails Lyger with a Straight Jacket Suplex but that gets 2 and ѕ. Takaiwa hits a vicious lariat but doesn’t cover. He hits the TRIPLE POWERBOMB for 2 and 9/10. Back up and both guys no sell the lariat and palm strike respectively. Takaiwa goes for one more lariat but Lyger ducks and gets the three count off of a crucifix. The match was pretty good and gets ***1/2

KOJI KANEMOTO vs KENDO KA SHIN

I’d like to point out that THIS MATCH IS CRAP! You brawl, I brawl, we all brawl. Where the hell is the wrestling here? I don’t care if they’re trying to put over the “hatred” here. This match sucks monkey balls. Oh… wait. When they’re not brawling, Ka Shin is attempting his one move: The cross arm breaker. Lets jump to the end because I didn’t like this at all. Kanemoto ends it with a Moonsault. YEAH!!! I will no longer condemn El Samurai as the crap of the cream (it makes sense in my mind) for the NJPW juniors. Kendo Ka Shin wins that honour hands down. That guy is death in singles competition. Oh yeah, match was a *

EL SAMURAI vs SHINJIRO OHTANI

Samurai takes control early on and puts Ohtani in the tree of woe. He baseball slides Ohtani in the face. HEY… That’s the Bitchmaster’s move you punk! Back to a vertical base and Ohtani hits a spin wheel kick. Now he places Samurai in the tree of woe and hits the baseball slide. Of course he’s not done because he’s THE BITCHMASTER! Ohtani gets mad hangtime and dropkicks Samurai in the face while in the tree of woe. HA HA, chew on that one. Ohtani hits a great dropkick. He slams Samurai and hits his running somersault Senton. Ohtani goes for a suplex but Samurai counters and hits a reverse DDT for 2 and Ѕ. Samurai hits a top rope frankensteiner and holds on as they come down thus pinning Ohtani down. However, Ohtani reverses into a sunset flip for 2 and Ѕ. Samurai hits the Thunder Fire Powerbomb for 2 and Ѕ. Samurai goes for the Implant Reverse DDT but Ohtani reverses in a snap German Suplex. Ohtani goes to the apron where he hits the springboard dropkick to the back Samurai’s head. He hits Samurai with another Snap German Suplex for 2 and ѕ. Ohtani goes for the Dragon Suplex but Samurai fights out of it. Samurai runs into the ropes, Ohtani tries to hit him with a spin wheel kick but Samurai holds the ropes. He hits a WICKED Lariat for 2 and 9/10. Samurai goes for a Super Reverse DDT but Ohtani knocks him off and then hits a springboard spin wheel kick for the three count. This match was really good bordering on great and gets ***3/4

KENDO KA SHIN vs SHINJIRO OHTANI

I’m not too sure if a high caliber talent like The Bitchmaster can carry Ka Shin to a decent match. I’m not even asking for a good match; just a decent match. Ka Shin jumps Ohtani before the bell and beats the crap out of him. Ka Shin with an Irish whip but Ohtani reverses. He lays in some kicks and in a hilarious spot, chokes Ka Shin with his foot while TAKING OFF HIS JACKET! HA HA, I love this guy! To the outside where Ka Shin attacks the arm for a while. Back in the ring and Ka Shin hits a jumping knee drop on the arm. Cross Arm Breaker (what a surprise) but Ohtani gets to the ropes. Ohtani manages to move himself into a kata hajime (sp?). Ka Shin reaches the ropes so Ohtani hits him with a springboard dropkick. I’d like to point out that Ohtani is selling the arm at every point during his entire offense in this match. Ohtani hits a Lyger bomb for a two count. Ohtani with a snap German suplex for 2 and Ѕ. Ohtani goes for the Dragon Suplex but Ka Shin reverses the move into the FUCKING CROSS ARM BREAKER! I really hate that move now. Ohtani taps out because of Ka Shin’s relentless attack on the arm. Unfortunately “The Bitchmaster Super Seller Cocky Bastard Lord Of All Juniors” Ohtani couldn’t carry Ka Shin to a decent match. ** mainly for Ohtani’s amazing sell job.

KOJI KANEMOTO vs JUSHIN “THUNDER” LYGER

They start out with Kanemoto going for a wristlock and Lyger doing the tumble into kip up reversal. Kanemoto locks in a leg bar. Kanemoto lets go and hits three stiff kicks to the leg and another to the head. Kanemoto slaps on a disgusting looking ankle lock submission. The leg vibe is running high in this one. Kanemoto puts Lyger in the tree of woe and lays in some more kicks to the chest. Kanemoto snapmares Lyger over and slaps on a rear chinlock. Lyger manages to jump up and hit a jawbreaker, which is NOT SOLD AT ALL! You see, this is why I have beef with Kanemoto. He’s really talented but his no selling pisses me off to no end. Who else do you know actually no sells a jawbreaker? Kanemoto puts on a body scissors but Lyger reverses in a surfboard type move. I can’t really explain it, sorry. Lyger segues that move into a camel clutch and he’s WRENCHING back on that one. That’s right, you better scream in pain Kanemoto. Don’t screw with the booker. Lyger whips Kanemoto in and hits a tilt a while backbreaker. Lyger slaps on his inverted surfboard – dragon sleeper combo. Lyger releases, Irish whips Kanemoto into the corner but misses the Koppo Kick and sells the leg injury. Very nice job remembering the initial leg attack from the beginning of the match. Kanemoto goes for the slam – Senton combo but it misses so Lyger hits a delayed brainbuster. Kanemoto rolls out so Lyger hits him with a baseball slide. Lyger comes back in and goes right back out with a pescado. Kanemoto tries to come under the bottom rope but Lyger pulls some crazy shit. He locks Kanemoto’s arms in the bottom ropes and then baseball slides him in the face. If anything, this tape has shown me new and more innovative ways to fire off a baseball slide. Kanemoto is thrown into the turnbuckle and nails a brutal palm strike. The Running Lyger Bomb gets 2 and Ѕ. SACRILEDGE!!! Lyger gets a Superplex for 2 and ѕ. He goes for the swandive headbutt but it misses. Funny spot as Lyger recovers and hits Kanemoto with headbutts while on all fours just like The Junkyard Dog. Lyger runs at Kanemoto but is met with a spin wheel kick to the chest. Kanemoto goes right back to the leg, laying in some more stiff kicks. Whip by Kanemoto into the snap belly to belly overhead suplex. Kanemoto hits the slam – Senton bomb. He goes for the Tiger Suplex but Lyger reverses and hits a DISGUSTING Release High Angle German Suplex. This is like watch an AJPW match with all the stiff shots and moves like that. Lyger hits Kanemoto with a tombstone style slam and hits a swandive headbutt for 2 and 9/10. Lyger to the top one more time but Kanemoto catches him and hits a Superplex. Kanemoto with a front slam and goes for The Moonsault but Lyger gets the knees up. Lyger with a really rough Palm Strike which prompts Kanemoto to do the old Rockers 360 oversell. You better believe this is over. This is the best match on the tape and gets ****1/4

TATSUHITO TAKAIWA vs EL SAMURAI

Takaiwa attacks Samurai before the bell and hits a lariat. He goes for a Death Valley Driver but Samurai reverses into a reverse DDT. To the outside we go as Samurai hits a Tope Suicida. Back in the ring and Samurai goes for a rana but Takaiwa manages to reverse that into a Death Valley Driver (trust me, it’s possible). Takaiwa hits Samurai with a knee breaker and then dropkicks the knee. Takaiwa hits the TRIPLE POWERBOMBS and then slaps on a Nagata Lock (variation on Figure Four Leg Lock). Takaiwa hits a brutal lariat on Samurai for 2 and Ѕ. Takaiwa attempts a second rope powerbomb but Samurai reverses into a rana. Samurai hits his Thunder Fire Powerbomb for 2 and ѕ. Samurai hits a Super Reverse DDT for the victory. The time of the match was 12:34 but they only showed about four minutes. I haven’t a clue what point they clipped this at but the editors deserve an award for that one. However, as a result, the match was way too short for my liking. **1/2 for the nice spots.

Final Analysis: This tape most definitely DOES NOT showcase the best that NJPW has to offer as it concerns junior matches. Samurai vs Ohtani was really good and Lyger vs Kanemoto was great. The rest I could have done without. Ka Shin is death in a singles match and should be avoided at all costs. I hear he has a shoot background, maybe he should explore that route because pro wrestling fans do not appreciate his lack of a varied offense. Only pick this up if you have to have as much junior stuff as possible. You’re not missing much otherwise.

Justin Baisden

Rolling Germans Wrestling