SLAM! Wrestling: International Stories

SLAM! Wrestling: International Stories

Michelle Starr shines overseas

By ODAIN NURSE - For SLAM! Wrestling Michelle Starr is no stranger to travel. He's fought in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Korea and the fact that he's just returned home from an extensive tour in the United Kingdom hasn't kept him grounded at all. He's only getting started.
"I had a great time and look forward to going back to the UK," Starr said in a recent interview with SLAM! Wrestling. Starr, whose real name is Mark Vellios, is a B.C. native and a member of SLAM's Canadian Hall of Fame, but is best known for his gay gimmick alongside Loverboy Johnny Canuck in ECCW as the Glamour Order of Discipline, or G.O.D. He is proof positive that the alternative lifestyle can go a long way, especially overseas.

Jan. 31, 2002: Full story

New Japan Tokyo Dome report

Akiyama wins dream match

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling

New Japan Pro Wrestling ran their annual Tokyo Dome spectacular this afternoon as Pro Wrestling NOAH star and World Champion Jun Akiyama squared off against New Japan's Yuji Nagata in a dream match, main event before 51, 500 fans.
Broadcast live on network television on TV-Asahi, the show saw Akiyama successfully defend his Global Heavyweight Title against New Japan's Yuji Nagata, scoring the pinfall in 19:58 after executing his signature Exploder.

Jan. 4, 2002: Full story

History of New Japan's Tokyo Dome Show

Lucha Libre: A spicy Mexican treat

Jericho, Benoit on their time in Mexico

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling Sasaki

Combining a lightning quick pace with a ballet-like refinement, Lucha Libre is one of the most breathtaking, exciting and captivating wrestling styles to watch.
Part of what makes it such an enduring brand of pro wrestling is its universal appeal. Wrestlers from around the world migrate to Mexico's sunny shores and amalgamate their respective wrestling cultures -- be it Japanese wrestling, shoot-submission style, mat wrestling -- with Lucha Libre, further expanding the boundaries of Mexican wrestling and creating a wonderful kaleidoscope of possibilities.
Mexico has continually opened its doors to foreign talent, welcoming them with a warm embrace and providing them with an environment with which to excel. The list of Canadian and foreign wrestlers who have wrestled extensively in Mexico reads like a who's who of the industry:

Nov. 28, 2001: Full story

EMLL PPV Report

Mascara Magica unmasked

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling Mexican promotion Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL) held its second pay-per-view show of the year Friday night, as hooded wrestler Mascara Magica was unmasked following a wild main event at Mexico City's Arena Mexico.
Magica was the last wrestler remaining in the steel-cage main event featuring six other wrestlers. A pre-match stipulation cited that the last man to escape the cage would either lose his mask or have his head shaved.

Sep. 29, 2001: Full story

Sep. 28, 2001: Mexican wrestler Arsacio Vanegas dies at 79

Nagata wins G1 Climax

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling Sasaki

New Japan Pro Wrestling's 11th annual G-1 Climax tournament concluded today as former WCW star Yuji Nagata defeated current Triple Crown Heavyweight champion Keiji Mutoh (AKA The Great Muta).
Before an announced crowd of 11,500 fans in the venerable Tokyo Sumo hall, Nagata forced Mutoh to submit to his signature Nagata Lock II move in 22:03.
Nagata finished in first place in Group A with seven points in the round-robin portion of the tournament with a record of 3-1-1.

Aug. 12, 2001: Full story

Preview: G1 Climax 2001

Stan Hansen enjoying retirement

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling Having to walk away from wrestling was one the most difficult decisions Stan Hansen ever had to make.
A grizzled veteran who made his mark in the rings of All Japan Pro Wrestling, Hansen called it quits in 2000 after 27 years in the business and over 130 tours of Japan.
Years of grueling punishment took its toll on the Texan. He was forced to announce his retirement last November when a chronic case of lumbago, a painful affliction that affects the lower back, forced him out of the business he loved dearly.

Aug. 11, 2001: Full story

Nash to work Tokyo Dome show

By GREG OLIVER -- SLAM! Wrestling 'Big Sexy' Kevin Nash has the date January 1, 2002 marked on his calendar -- that's the day that he becomes a free agent.
His contract with the former company known as WCW, officially known as Universal Wrestling Corporation now, expires on the last day of 2001. Nash doesn't think it will take long for him to return to action.
"As of right now, the plan is for Scott [Hall] and I to work the Tokyo Dome show for New Japan Pro Wrestling on January 4, 2002 ... and then go from there. There have been some talks about an overseas tour to Australia after that," Nash wrote on his web site, KevinNash.net.

Aug. 7, 2001: Full story

One year after the split, All Japan is alive and well

Defying the odds

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling It was the biggest news story in all of professional wrestling last year. When All Japan Pro Wrestling booker and President Mitsuharu Misawa left the promotion and took the majority of its stars with him to form his own Pro Wrestling NOAH group, the landscape and fabric of Japanese professional wrestling was forever changed.
With a depleted talent roster and in deep financial trouble, All Japan appeared to be doomed. Many journalists and critics were convinced All Japan and its owner Motoko Baba would not make it to the end of the year and be forced to fold. It's now a year later and both Mrs. Baba and All Japan are still around.

July 28, 2001: Full story

Mat Matters Editorial

Gordy made it all seem real

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling

That 'ol familiar refrain from the southern rock anthem that echoed from the loudspeakers every time Terry 'Bam Bam' Gordy made his way to the ring as one of the Freebirds seems more poignant than ever before.
Terry Gordy, the six-foot-four, 289-pound Chattanooga, Tennessee native who was considered one of the best foreign wrestlers ever to compete in Japan, passed away last Monday from blood clots to his heart. He was only 40 years old.

June 7, 2001: Full column

July 18, 2001: Gordy remembered as a great talent

July 17, 2001: Terry 'Bam Bam' Gordy dead at 40

Previous SLAM! Wrestling editorials

Fujita retains IWGP strap

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling IWGP World heavyweight champion Kazuyuki Fujita defeated Don Frye to retain his title in the main event of New Japan's show at the Sapporo Dome today in Sapporo, Japan.
A disappointing crowd of 28,000 fans saw Fujita grab Frye in a front neck lock and secure a front guillotine submission to get the win in 17:22.

July 20, 2001: Full story

Canadians succeeding in Korea's WWA

By GREG OLIVER -- SLAM! Wrestling On Tuesday, Michelle Starr left Vancouver for his fifth tour of Korea with the WWA. Pretty good work if you can get it, especially because his involvement in the tour came about almost by accident.
Like almost every other Canadian who has been to Korea to wrestle over the past year, Starr owes a debt of gratitude to world traveller extraordinaire, Winnipeg's Rick Patterson, aka Leatherface. Patterson has been talking up his countrymen and women to WWA booker Roberto Rodriguez, better known to international fans as Leatherface's long-time partner in crime Jason the Terrible.

June 13, 2001: Full story

Mutoh (Muta) wins Triple Crown title

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling New Japan star Keiji Mutoh defeated All Japan's Genichiro Tenryu to capture the prestigious Triple Crown title today before a sell-out crowd of 16, 000 fans at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan Hall. Mutoh, who North American fans remember best as the Great Muta in WCW, scored the win with a pinfall on Tenryu in 23:24 after executing a moonsault from the top rope. Mutoh set up the moonsault by nailing Tenryu with a series of high knees to the head and a frankensteiner.

June 8, 2001: Full story

Fujita retains I.W.G.P. Title

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling I.W.G.P. World Heavyweight champion Kazuyuki Fujita defeated former WCW star Yuji Nagata in the main event of New Japan Pro Wrestling's pay-per-view show today before a reported 13,200 fans at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan Hall.
The referee stopped the match after 10:57 of brutal action. Fujita had Nagata cornered in the ropes and was delivering a series of sweeping leg kicks to his knees before nearly 'knocking him out' with a vicious knee to the head.

June 6, 2001: Full story

Liger wins Super Juniors tournament

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling Jushin "Thunder" Liger defeated I.W.G.P. Junior Heavyweight champion Minoru Tanaka today in the finals of New Japan Pro Wrestling's annual Best of Super Juniors tournament.
A crowd of 5,700 fans packed into the Prefectural Gym in Osaka, Japan as Liger pinned Tanaka in 26:12 following his trademark brainbuster move. This is Liger's third tournament championship, having previously won the tournament in 1992 and 1994.

June 4, 2001: Full story

All Japan tournament concludes

Tenryu wins Carnival Championship

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling Current Triple Crown Heavyweight champion Genichiro Tenryu defeated Taiyo Kea in the finals of All Japan Pro Wrestling's annual Champion Carnival tournament today before 4,850 fans at the City Gymnasium in Sendai, Japan.
Tenryu secured the victory after 17:08 of action when he pinned Kea following a lariat clothesline. The three-week tournament kicked off on March 23 in Tokyo as a field of ten wrestlers that included Steve Williams, Johnny Smith and Toshiaki Kawada began to compete in a round robin tournament where a win was worth two points and a draw worth one. Tenryu and Kea finished tied atop the standings with fifteen points each, thus earning the right to face each other in the finals.

Apr. 11, 2001: Full story

Preview: 2001 Carnival Championship

Pro Wrestling NOAH report

Misawa wins GHC title

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama today in the finals of a tournament to crown Pro Wrestling NOAH's first ever Global Honored Crowns champion.
A reported crowd of 12 000 fans jammed into Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum as Misawa squared off against Takayama in a physical battle. Both men exchanged a series of stiff elbow smashes and Tiger Suplexes as Misawa bled from the mouth before scoring the pinfall in 21:12 following his 'Emerald Flowsion' finisher.
By virtue of his victory Misawa, who is the president and booker of Pro Wrestling NOAH, becomes the promotion's first ever world champion.

Apr. 15, 2001: Full story

Preview: Global Honored Crowns tournament

New Japan Osaka Dome report

Scott Norton drops IWGP title

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling Scott Norton lost the I.W.G.P. World heavyweight title to Kazuyuki Fujita at New Japan Pro Wrestling's "Strong Style 2001" show today in Osaka, Japan.
A crowd of 27,000 fans at the Osaka Dome watched on as Fujita defeated Norton in 6:43 by submission via a choke sleeper.

Apr. 9, 2001: Full story

Perro Aguayo gets his head shaved

EMLL PPV a hair-raising affair

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling Mexican legend Perro Aguayo came out on the losing end of a mask vs. hair match in the main event of Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre's (EMLL) "El Juicio Final" pay-per-view event Saturday night from Mexico City's venerable Arena Mexico.
Aguayo squared off against longtime rival and CMLL World Heavyweight champion Universo Dos Mil in a match that was marred by interference from Mascara Ano Dos Mil, Universo's brother. Universo Dos Mil scored the pin on Aguayo following a tombstone piledriver, a move that is 'illegal' according to Mexican wrestling storylines.

Mar. 31, 2001: Full story