NEW JAPAN J CROWN 1996
This was a really interesting idea for a tournament. Eight participants, each holding a major junior title from around the world, compete in a single elimination tournament. If you win, then you get your opponent’s title. As a result, the winner walks away with eight junior titles. The only major junior title that I wasn’t included in this tournament was the WCW Cruiserweight Title but that was unified with the J Crown for a short time by the Ultimo Dragon at the end of 1996.
The participants are:
-Masayoshi Motegi
-Shinjiro Ohtani
-Negro Casas
-El Samurai
-The Great Sasuke
-Ultimo Dragon
-El Gran Hamada
-Jushin "Thunder" Lyger
The show starts out with every participant putting his title in the middle of the ring around a big silver trophy. It had to suck knowing that you were going to job in this tournament. Lucky for these guys that Wild Pegasus was in WCW by this point in time or there would have been some ass kicking being laid down.
QUARTER FINALS
MASAYOSHI MOTEGI vs THE GREAT SASUKE
I don’t think Motegi has any place in a junior tournament with that belly. He’s wearing a really evil goatee as well. You’d think this was Honaga in the ring. Hmm… Motegi jumps Sasuke before the bell and dropkicks him to the outside. He hits a pescado. Back in the ring and Sasuke is dropkicked on the knee. Motegi works over the knee for a while. It’s interesting to note that Motegi is working over Sasuke’s right leg when Puroresu and North American wrestling matches are "left based." Ah well… Motegi slaps on a figure four leg lock. Sasuke attempts to roll outside of the ring but Motegi actually holds onto the figure four even after they fall to the outside. WOW… now that’s dedication to a submission hold. Back in the ring and Sasuke takes control with a rear chinlock. Motegi reverses into a leglock. Sasuke reverses into a cross arm breaker. Motegi manages to break the hold by BITING SASUKE’S LEG! I’m glad to see they teach all of the fundamentals over in Japanese wrestling schools. Motegi slaps on an STF. After a good five minutes of Sasuke taking a leg beating, he hits Motegi with the RIGHT LEG. Lack of psychology from a pro like Sasuke is inexcusable. Sasuke hits the handspring elbow and Motegi rolls to the floor. It’s time to fly as Sasuke hits a gorgeous Tope Con Hilo. Back in the ring and Sasuke uses the shoulderblock into Moonsault body block combination. Sasuke attempts the Thunder Fire Powerbomb but it’s reversed into a backdrop. Sasuke to the outside and Motegi hits a Tope Suicida. Motegi suplexes Sasuke from the apron to the inside of the ring and hits The Rolling German Suplexes. The third one is bridged and gets a two and ½ count. Motegi hits a doctor bomb for two. Motegi attempts a Super Gutwrench suplex but it’s reversed in mid air for two. Sasuke hits a German Suplex and then finishes it with a Tiger Suplex. The match was nothing special and was just below solid. **3/4
JUSHIN "THUNDER" LYGER vs ULTIMO DRAGON
Starts quick with Dragon dropkicking Lyger to the outside. Dragon hits the Tope Suicida. Dragon goes to the top and hits a somersault Plancha. Back in the ring and Ultimo Dragon goes for his handspring elbow but Lyger catches him in mid air and nails him with a nasty release German Suplex. Lyger hits the Koppo Kick for a two count. Dragon trips up Lyger with a drop toe hold and slaps on La Majistral cradle for a two count. Lyger goes for the Palm Strike but Dragon ducks, trips Lyger with the drop toehold and goes for La Majistral cradle again. Lyger reverses the move for two but Ultimo Dragon reverses the reversal for THREE! WHAT THE HELL??!! I can only assume that this match was booked to establish Dragon has a bad ass contender. Lyger really had nothing to prove to anyone in this tournament. The match lasted all of four minutes and was a spot fest at best. I’d give this match *
SHINJIRO OHTANI vs NEGRO CASAS
I think the loose translation for Negro Casas is crappy luchadore piece of garbage. You’ll have to get back to me on that one though. My Spanish isn’t all that good. Thank god Casas is facing the one and only BITCHMASTER OHTANI. I will never get enough of this man. Start out with a really long submission sequence. BORING! Ohtani eventually bodyslams Casas and goes for a somersault Senton but it misses. Casas hits Ohtani with a Tiger Driver. Casas runs into the ropes and then stops. I think Ohtani was supposed to get up for the spot. I guess the Bitchmaster doesn’t feel like co-operating. Good for him. This is one NJPW Junior who isn’t going to put up with this Lucha crap. When Ohtani finally does get up, Casas pulls out a springboard headscissors. Ahem… Casas? This tournament is in 1996. Please leave Ricky Steamboat’s 1987 offense back where it belongs. Ohtani retaliates with a Lyger Bomb for 2 and ½. Ohtani is Irish whipped into the corner and he does the flair flip into Springboard dropkick combo. It misses which is just sacrilege. Casas takes control with some kicks and hair pulling and other garbage offense. What the hell is this guy doing in this tournament? They passed up with WCW Cruiserweight Champion (it would have been Rey Rey at this point in time) for this crap? Ugh… Casas hits a spinebuster and goes for La Majistral cradle. Unfortunately it doesn’t have Ultimo Dragon mystical power so it doesn’t even get a one count. HA HA! Casas hits a snapmare and hits a top rope Senton. Casas to the top again but Ohtani dropkicks him off and hits the Springboard Swandive Plancha. Back in the ring and Casas dropkicks Ohtani back out of the ring. He hits a tope suicida and then a Senton from the apron to the floor. Casas tries to suplex Ohtani from the apron to the inside but Ohtani slaps the taste out of his mouth and then hits a springboard dropkick. He runs to the other side of the ring and hits another springboard dropkick to the back of the neck. Ohtani to the apron again and hits a springboard spin wheel kick for the victory. This match was boring and Casas is definitely not the high-flying luchadore that one would expect from the EMLL Junior Champion. Match was **1/4
EL GRAN HAMADA vs EL SAMURAI
Hamada is a guy I have a lot of respect for. He’s around fifty years old but is built better than a lot of twenty year olds and he can work a better match than a lot of twenty year olds. The match starts out with some reversal stuff. The go for a Grecko Roman Knuckle Lock and Hamada pulls out something I’ve never seen before. He binds both of El Samurai’s arms and then places him in a double Fujiwara Armbar. Now that’s impressive. He segues that into a cross arm breaker. Samurai tries to pancake Hamada but it’s reversed into a huracanrana. Outside we go as Hamada goes to the top and hits a Plancha. Unfortunately the spot came off badly because Samurai the idiot got up too soon and just stood there for a good five seconds waiting for Hamada. Ugh… that’s just sloppy. Back in the ring and Samurai Irish whips Hamada into the corner but Hamada gets the feet up. He hits Samurai with a Tornado DDT for two. Hamada goes back to the second turnbuckle on the inside (good old Monsoon) and hits a leaping Tornado DDT for 2 and ½. Hamada hits a belly to back for two. He places Samurai on the top and goes for a rana but Samurai reverses and hits Hamada with a Super Inverted Atomic Drop. Samurai runs at Hamada for a lariat but it’s ducked and Hamada hits a Uranage. He segues from that into a cross arm breaker. Hamada goes for a lariat but Samurai ducks and hits reverse DDT. Samurai lands his Thunder Fire Powerbomb for 2 and ½. Samurai hits a tombstone and hits the swandive headbutt for 2 and ½. Samurai goes for Splash Mountain but it doesn’t quite work right and he has to settle for a super belly to back suplex. Samurai ends it with another Thunder Fire Powerbomb. This match was solid and gets ***
SEMI FINALS
ULTIMO DRAGON vs SHINJIRO OHTANI
Match starts with a feel out. Ohtani whips dragon into the ropes and hits a shoulderblock. Irish whip by Dragon and he hits the drop toehold. He goes for La Majistral cradle for THREE! WHAT THE HELL??!! (kidding) Yeah… a real ***** classic after thirty seconds. HA! Anyway Ultimo Dragon goes for the same sequence of moves again but Ohtani roles out of La Majistral and then shakes his finger back and forth as if to say "oh no… you’re not pulling that crap with me." It may have worked on Lyger but this is the BITCHMASTER! They go into submission sequence as Dragon slaps on a rear chinlock and then goes for a cross arm breaker. Ohtani reverses into a leg bar. Funny spot as Dragon reaches the ropes while in the leg bar. Ohtani holds onto the leg and crawls back to the middle of the ring using only his upper body. I LOVE THIS GUY! Dragon escapes and lays in some stiff kicks to the head. Bodyslam and elbowdrop gets a one count. Dragon with a half boston and then puts on an Indian Deathlock. He cinches up the first half and then swivels his hips like Rick Rude before bridging back to complete the move. Dragon goes for a suplex but Ohtani hits him with a knee to the midsection. Hmm… why is Dragon holding his crotch? What do you mean low blow? It was the midsection dammit. Ohtani Irish whips Dragon and then hits him with a beautiful dropkick. He bodyslams Dragon and hits a Somersault Senton. Ohtani works over Dragon’s arm big time. He slaps on a cross arm breaker. Dragon tries to roll out of it but Ohtani holds on and Dragon traps himself in a reverse arm bar. Dragon is forced to roll back into the cross arm breaker. Ohtani lets go only to slap on a Fujiwara arm bar. He lets up slightly and then places his knee at the joint between the arm and the shoulder. You just know that Ohtani is taking Dragon’s arm home with him as a trophy. That move is finally released and Dragon Irish whips Ohtani into the corner. Ohtani goes for his Flair Flip but once he lands on the apron, Dragon hits him with a springboard dropkick. Ohtani is on the floor and is met with a baseball slide. Dragon goes for a pescado. Not only does Ohtani move out of the way but he SLAPS Dragon on the way down. HA HA, that is just the epitome of being a jerk. Back in the ring and Ohtani hits the springboard Spin Wheel Kick. It only gets a 2 and ½ count because we all know that the move that one the first round match, NEVER gets the second round win. Ohtani goes for the Dragon Suplex but Ultimo blocks it so Ohtani hits the Tiger Suplex. It gets a heart wrenching 2 and 9/10 count. Ohtani goes for the springboard dropkick but Dragon moves out of the way and slaps on La Majistral cradle for 2 and ¾. Dragon hits Ohtani with a tombstone piledriver and hits a Moonsault for 2 and ¾. Dragon hits Ohtani with a rana but that’s reversed into a sunset flip for 2 and ¾. Ohtani whips Dragon into the ropes, goes for a backdrop but Dragon lands on his feet and hits the Dragon Suplex! It’s gets 2 and 99/100. The ref’s hand was millimeters away from coming down for three. This is just nail biting stuff here. Dragon does the shoulderblock into Moonsault body block combo. Dragon with a rana but it’s reversed into a powerbomb. Ohtani hits his springboard dropkick to the back of Dragon’s neck. Ohtani hulks up and the crowd is going bonkers. Ohtani hits THE DRAGON SUPLEX! It’s gotta be over but it gets 2 and 99/100. Oh dear god, this is just sickening. Ohtani puts Dragon on the top for a superplex but gets knocked down. Ohtani jumps right back up and is knocked down again. He jumps up, falls down, and then gets up one more time. Dragon hits a Super front Suplex and ends it with a crushing RUNNING LYGER BOMB! This match was really damn good and it gets ****3/4
THE GREAT SASUKE vs EL SAMURAI
I really doubt that this match will come close to touching the last one mainly because Samurai is involved but we’ll just have to see. They start out quick and Samurai hits a dropkick on Sasuke who rolls out. Samurai hits his Tope Suicida. Back in and Samurai goes for a piledriver but it’s blocked. Samurai hits Sasuke in the back and then hits the piledriver. Samurai hits Sasuke with a dropkick to the knee. He works over the leg with a half boston. Good showing of psychology from the previous round. Samurai puts on a leg bar. Samurai goes for a piledriver but gets backdropped. Sasuke goes for a cross armbar and Samurai gets out of it by driving his knuckles into Sasuke’s knee. That’s just brilliant! Back up and Sasuke hits his handspring into a bodyblock. Sasuke with a top rope rana for two. Sasuke leap frogs Samurai but he puts the brakes on and hits Sasuke with a German Suplex for two. Samurai with a Saito suplex. He runs into the ropes but Sasuke lays hit a brutal spin kick right to the face. OUCH!!! Samurai rolls out and Sasuke hits his Quebrada (not Asai) Moonsault. Sasuke whips Samurai into the guardrail, heads to the top and hits a single leg dropkick. Sasuke goes for the shoulderblock into Moonsault combo but it misses. Samurai hits reverse DDT for two. He goes for a German suplex but no dice so Samurai hits another reverse DDT. A swandive headbutt misses. Sasuke goes for a suplex but it’s reversed and Samurai hits a third reverse DDT. Samurai hits The Thunder Fire Powerbomb for 2 and ¾. Samurai to the top but Sasuke dropkicks him and hits him with a superplex for two. Sasuke goes for the Senton Atomico (Swanton Bomb) but it misses. Sasuke manages to recover and hits Samurai with a German suplex. Sasuke then hits his Thunder Fire Powerbomb and that’s all she wrote. This match was good bordering on great and gets ***3/4
FINALS
THE GREAT SASUKE vs ULTIMO DRAGON
Feel out process to start and both guys hit stiff kicks. Sasuke catches Dragon’s leg and slaps on a leg bar. Dragon reverses into a leg bar of his own. Sasuke reverses that into a cross arm bar but Dragon escapes and we’re back to a neutral position. Grecko roman knuckle lock and Dragon backdrops Sasuke and then floats over for one. Dragon goes for a cross arm bar but Sasuke gets on top and pins Ultimo Dragon for two. Sasuke goes for a leg bar but Dragon goes for a leg bar of his own, which Sasuke sells very well. I’m glad to see that the Sasuke leg injury has carried over throughout the tournament. Back to a neutral position and they enter a crazy sequence of one falls, trip ups, arm drags, etc… they end up neutral again and the crowd is really appreciative of the effort here. Dragon hits a dragon screw, holds on, grabs the other leg and locks Sasuke in a Texas Cloverleaf. Dragon lets go and switches to a half boston. Boston is segued into an Indian Deathlock. Dragon lets go and slaps on an abdominal stretch but that’s reversed into an abdominal stretch by Sasuke. Dragon hip tosses Sasuke and hits a leg drop for a one count. Irish whip by Dragon. He goes for a backdrop but Sasuke hits a sunset flip for a two count. Dragon and Sasuke hit each other with lariats, nobody sells it. Both guys go for a spin wheel kick. Dragon pulls his shoulderblock into Moonsault combo for two. Dragon goes for a tilt a whirl back breaker but Sasuke flips out of it. He goes for the shoulderblock into Moonsault combo but Dragon hits him in mid air with a dropkick. You’d think Dragon knew that move was coming. Sasuke rolls out and Dragon hits his Tope Suicida. Dragon to the apron and hits the ASAI Moonsault. It’s an Asai Moonsault when Dragon does it. Any other time it’s a Quebrada. Write to Jim Ross and Mike Tenay and tell them to stop calling that move incorrectly. Back in and Dragon hits a NASTY Brainbuster. Oh man, that looked like it could have killed Sasuke. Dragon follows up with a Lyger Bomb for 2 and ¾. Dragon hits Sasuke with a front slam and goes to the top. Sasuke dropkicks him off and hits the Quebrada Moonsault on the outside. Back in where Sasuke hits a suplex and goes for the Moonsault but misses. Dragon Irish whips Sasuke but it’s reversed. Sasuke with a tilt a whirl but Dragon flips out of it and hits a Dragon Suplex for 2 and 9/10. Uh oh… here come the near falls and I’m out of nails to bite from the Dragon vs Ohtani match. Dragon hits his Top Rope Frankenstainer for 2 and 9/10. The crowd is going nuts now. Dragon kicks Sasuke and he falls out to the apron. Dragon goes for a powerbomb from the apron to the floor but Sasuke flips back into the ring. He kicks ultimo dragon down and then hits a top rope somersault Plancha. Back in and Sasuke goes for the Moonsault but it misses again. Dragon with La Majistral cradle for 2 and 99/100. Ugh… this is just killing me. Dragon goes for the Running Lyger Bomb but Sasuke reverses into a Huracanrana and it’s over. This match was pretty damn good and gets ****1/2.
Post match celebration has eight girls in bathing suits each present Sasuke with a belt in the J Crown. Sasuke holds up the giant silver trophy and gets a few pictures with him wearing two belts while holding three belts on each arm.
Final Analysis: This tournament was pretty good all around. I found it interesting that they actually built up from the quarter finals into the finals instead of trying for excellent matches all around. I guess it shows who the jobbers are even when you’re a champion (save for Lyger of course). The Dragon vs Ohtani match is pure gold and is a must have for all junior fans. A definite recommendation to pick this one up.
Justin Baisden
Rolling Germans Wrestling
