Quebrada

by Mike Lorefice (M.L.Liger@juno.com)

October 18, 1996

The recent addition of Hiroshi Hase should really help All Japan out. Hase was originally a junior heavyweight wrestler with New Japan, but "graduated" to the heavyweights after dropping the IWGP Jr. Title to Liger on May 25, 1989. Hase was easily the group's best working heavyweight until he stopped wrestling in 1995 when he won a seat in the Japanese Diet (equivalent to U.S. Senate). Hase, 35, will only work a few dates a year with All Japan because of his political commitments, but they have the potential to be big money matches. All Japan should run big shows when Hase wrestles. The group's biggest shows are traditionally the monthy Budokan Hall shows. Aside from a few recent shows, All Japan has sold out every show at the 16,300 seat arena for 5 years. The problem with running a bigger show has been that all the big matches have been done over and over again at smaller arena's, so they wouldn't be able to sell out a 50,000 seat arena. Since no one has seen a Hase vs. Misawa match, it should be able to sell out a large arena. Nobohiko Takada is also available for $27,000 a show, so he could theoretically fight say Toshiaki Kawada on the same card. One thing that should be noted about Hase is that his style is based on skill and workrate (so is All Japan's which makes him a great fit) and he probably won't be in that great of shape when he wrestles. Hase is still good enough to have a good to very good match with any of the "big 5" even if he is rusty and a bit out of shape, but it is doubtful that the match will be the classic that it would have been if Hase was in his prime.

I got a chance to see most of the Japanese tv shows from June to September. The best of the Super Jr. Final between Liger and Black Tiger (Eddie Guerrero) was amazing. The match was one big move after another with great heat. Guerrero was really on the top of his game. Unfortunately, in the Skydiving J main event, Guerrero looked like he was in WCW. The Guerrero vs. Sasuke match, which was the main event was kind of lifeless. It didn't seem like a major match at all and, although it had some good spots, it was really nothing special. The match made Sasuke look bad because Dick Togo and Taka Michinoku of his own promotion, Michinoku Pro, fought great matches earlier on the show. Taka Michinoku has quietly become one of the 20 best wrestlers in the world. He is a super athlete, a great worker, and he's very innovative. He lacks size and experience, but has tremendous upward potential. Misawa & Akiyama vs. Ace & Williams where Ace & Williams won the double tag team titles was 4 ½ stars. Ace is very underrated wrester. He might be the best of all the American heavyweight wrestlers, but for some reason people don't seem to recognize his talents. I guess he still has the "Dynamic Dude" stigma. Of all the matches Ultimo Dragon vs. Shinjiro Otani from round 2 of the J Crown was the best (4 3/4 stars, match of the year candidate). It had heat plus all the big moves, near falls, and an innovative finish. Otani was going for a superplex, but Dragon knocked him off the top rope twice which built the heat. The third time Ultimo countered with a top-rope face first superplex which both men sold big. Ultimo got up first and hit a running Liger-bomb for the pin.

There were three moves on the New Japan tv that I never saw before. El Samurai used a super reverse atomic drop which was basically the old inverted atomic drop, but both men were on the middle rope. Hamada used a leaping swinging DDT off the 2nd where instead of both men starting in the corner he jumped off the middle rope and grabbed his opponent who was standing in the ring. Taka Michinoku did the best new move, a double springboard plancha. Michinoku was going to do a regular springboard plancha, but Super Delfin ran around the corner to avoid it, Michinoku then springboarded to the top rope on that side of the ring and hit the plancha on Delfin. This was all done really fast, so it looked great.

If you were wondering about the name of this column, a quebrada is a springboard moonsault bodyblock off the middle rope. The move was invented by Yoshihiro Asai (Ultimo Dragon), so it is also known as the Asai Moonsault. The move is performed both in and out of the ring.

When I decided to postpone Matt's recent request for a top 10 to put it in my column, I had no idea how hard it would be. I started out with a list of 24 wrestlers and other than a couple of names I really couldn't justify leaving anyone out. This is based on the wrestlers overall ability, push was not considered. I could sit here and list the wrestler's accomplishments, but since this looks like a very controversial list I think it makes more since to justify each wrestlers inclusion. Real names and ages in parenthesis. Without further ado, here is in my opinion, the 10 best wrestlers in the world.

#10 Juventud Guerrera (Anibal Gonzalez) (21)-Although he seems forever stuck in the shadow of Misterio Jr., Guerrera is nearly his equal. The main thing that separates him from the rest is his nearly flawless execution of even the toughest moves. Guerrera attempts and has to sell the toughest moves in the sport while working against Rey Misterio Jr. and unlike Sabu hardly misses any spots. In my opinion, his program vs. Rey Misterio Jr. has produced the best match (3/9/96) and the best fued of the year. If you have only seen him in WCW, where he is totally wasted, then you probably think this is a joke.

#9 Mitsuharu Misawa (34)-Regarded by many as the best wrestler in the world. Hasn't lost a step despite an age that would suggest he is past his prime. No wrestler combines psychology with work-rate like Misawa. Ability to build a match is unparalleled. Can wrestle a 30 minute match and still get each move to build toward the climax. Early in his career he had the unenviable task of following Sayama as the 2nd Tiger Mask, but stepped up to the plate and the rest is history. If you just listed all the 4+ star matches he has been a part of it would fill a book.

#8 Chris Benoit (29)-The expressionless wrestling machine. Doesn't have great charisma and doesn't do a very good interview, but in the ring few are better. He is probably the best pure worker in the sport. Can match almost anyone hold for hold. His WCW work has dropped him a lot on my list. He is much better in Japan where he has a defined role (New Dynamite Kid) and can work stiff. He has had tons of great matches including The Super J Cup Final (4/16/94) vs. Sasuke which is one of the five greatest matches of all time.

#7 Shinjiro Otani (24)-The most versatile wrestler in the sport. Can work any style. Works to the strengths of his opponents so he can have a great match against any capable wrestler. Was one of the two best (Yugi Nagata) in New Japan in working the UWF-I style. Has great charisma to go along with his great matwork, technical skill, aerial skill, psychology, and facials. The sky is the limit as he is only going to improve.

#6 Ultimo Dragon (Yoshihiro Asai) (29)-Defeated Sasuke for the octuple Jr. Titles on 10/11. One of the great innovators of the Jr. style. Invented several maneuvers during his career. Originally tried out for New Japan, but was deemed too small and they didn't take him. He went to Mexico and became a great worker and a huge star. All the years of performing daredevil maneuvers (and the injuries that accompany them) are catching up. Due to his injuries he can't wrestle his best possible match every night. He can wrestle up to and in many cases above anyone when he wants to though. No wrestler can work the Japanese style and the Lucha style as well as Ultimo.

#5 Great Sasuke (Masanori Murakawa) (27)-Trained by Ultimo Dragon. Founder of Michinoku Pro Wrestling which he runs, recruits talent for, books, and is the top star of. His style blurs the lines between the Japanese jr. style and Mexican Lucha Libre style. Took daredevil maneuvers to a new stratosphere. Has to be very seriously injured to miss a match. Will give you his heart and soul whether there are 50 people in the crowd or 50,000.

#4 Kenta Kobashi (29)-Kobashi is the most talented and best working heavyweight wrestler ever. Extremely versatile wrestler who incorporates all styles into his matches. This allows him to work to the strengths of his opponents and mask their weaknesses. Master of psychology. Great stamina. Will always give you at least three match of the year candidates.

#3 Manami Toyota (25)-Gives 110% every time out and is unhappy if her match isn't the best. Fights extremely fast-paced matches despite the fact that her matches are generally 20 minutes long. Takes way more bumps than she has to. It is a disappointment if her match isn't at least 4 stars. Unfortunately it looks like injuries and age (women tend to peak at 22-23 years old) are catching up to her. Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada vs. Dynamite Kansai & Mayumi Ozaki 4/11/93 and Toyota vs. Kyoko Inoue 5/7/95 were the best matches of their respective years and among the best of all-time.

#2 Rey Misterio Jr. (Oscar Gonzalez) (21)-Wrestling premier aerial wrestler. The greatest innovator of moves since Satoru Sayama. Matches are nearly flawless with great timing and superb execution. Can do it all. A threat to have a match of the year any time he sets foot in the ring. If promoted properly his lack of size would be a bonus, but don't expect WCW to ever realize that. Should be one of the top wrestlers for several years, but may not hold up for two reasons. He doesn't take any time off to let his injuries heel and he allows himself to be overbooked.

#1 Jushin "Thunder" Liger (Keiichi Yamada) (31)-One of the great innovators of wrestling. Very influential wrestler who set the standard that his predescesors have attempted to copy. Knows more holds than anyone in the sport. Best technical wrestler. Great psychologist. Can work a great match against any style of opponent. Doesn't fly as much as he used to, but picks his spots well. Can work high spots into a shoot style match without losing any realism. Books the juniors for New Japan. As unselfish a booker as there is. Willing to do jobs to much lesser opponents for the better of the company. Great at selling his opponents moves. Makes sure his opponent gets over, usually makes you look like a star whether you are or not. Major injuries caused him to miss a lot of 1993 and 1995. 1/31/90 match vs. Naoki Sano was probably the best match ever when it occured. Has had too many great matches and fueds to list. Has slowed up some, but has improved his psychology, mat skills, and transitions. Still has a lot of great work left in him.