Home » News Archive » News from 02/05/05 to 02/14/05

Roster Updates - Kasai Out!

February 14th, 2005

Shinjiro Otani and the "Crazy Monkey" Jun Kasai met with the Japanese sports media today at the ZERO1 offices and announced that Kasai is ending his contracted status with ZERO1-MAX. He'd been out of action lately re-habbing from elbow surgery done on January 6th, not scheduled to return for at least another month. He has decided to go freelance, handling his own bookings, so there's a VERY good chance you haven't seen the end of him in ZERO1. Otani even announced at the press conference that he'll always be welcome back to the promotion.

Look for the "Crazy Monkey" to show up in Big Japan and Apache Army Promotions, as he said that he's feeling the call of the Deathmatch and needs to express himself in the medium once again. Personally I feel Kasai leaves ZERO1 a better grappler then when he arrived two years ago.

Hoshikawa Update!

February 14th, 2005

An update on the recuperating Naohiro Hoshikawa, as he has moved from the hospital to a rehabilitation center has continued to improve. As we've been hearing since the beginning, doctors and friends alike are amazed at Hoshikawa's recovery ability. Otani said that as always the ZERO1-MAX promotion is behind him in wishing Hoshikawa a speedy recovery to full health.

ZERO1-MAX Office Gets A Facelift!

February 12th, 2005

Today the new location of the ZERO1-MAX offices in Tokyo had some cosmetic work done to it. Workers came and installed two new pieces of window glass emblazoned with the company's updated name and logo design.

Otani Says He'll Pin Misawa!

February 11th, 2005

NOAH and ZERO1-MAX will collide once more, and this time the heat comes right from the top. NOAH's leader, Mitsuharu Misawa, has booked the match of himself and fellow NOAH wrestler Kotaro Suzuki versus Shinjiro Otani and Tatsuhito Takaiwa for the March 5th NOAH Budokan Hall show!

Takaiwa surely remembers his last visit to Pro Wrestling NOAH - a rough loss to GHC Jr. Champ Yoshinobu Kanemaru on January 8th also at Budokan Hall in Tokyo. Takaiwa's not the only one looking to find redemption after a memorable loss...

Otani originally wanted Misawa in a one-on-one singles bout, and he promised that he will go after Misawa in the tag match, and it is NOAH's leader he will pin for his and ZERO1-MAX's victory. Otani also mentioned that he still remembers his 2001 loss in the GHC Tag Team Tourney against Jun Akiyama and Akitoshi Saito while teamed with current AWA Heavyweight Champion Takao Omori. Otani took the pinfall in that match, and now wants redemption on Misawa by scoring the pinfall against him at the NOAH show.

Top Gaijin Young Lions Included In "Ø1U.S.-E" Show!

February 8th, 2005

This is an announcement regarding the upcoming "Ø1U.S.-E" show on March 15th, 2005 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, as we present you with the gaijin roster for the show:

• Spanky
• Super Crazy
• Sonjay Dutt
• CW Anderson
• Alex Shelley
• Ricky Reyes
• B-Boy
• Kevin Steen
• Jay Lethal

As you can see, wrestlers from all over the US will be competing, along with a representative of Mexico (Super Crazy) and Canada (Kevin Steen). A few of these wrestlers are regulars to ZERO1 like Spanky and Super Crazy, or familiar faces like Sonjay Dutt and "The Enforcer" CW Anderson.

New faces in ZERO1 will be Alex Shelley, Jay Lethal, Kevin Steen, B-Boy and Ricky Reyes. All five of these wrestlers will be familiar to American wrestling fans from their various work in promotions from New Jersey to Southern California and all points in-between. These fighters are former or current champions all throughout numerous North American promotions - Jersey All Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor, Combat Zone Wrestling, Ultimate Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Guerilla, TNA and others.

As of this writing, more gaijin wresters may be announced for this show. Stay tuned right here to www.zerooneusa.com.

Spanky Interview!
by Bryan Riegel

February 5th, 2005

Bryan Riegel: First things first Spanky: what are your feelings towards the organizational change to ZERO-ONE MAX, and what effect, if any, does it have on your standing within the company?

Spanky: To me the only real change is that Hashimoto is gone. Hashimoto did push for me, so I do owe him that much, but at the same time I always felt on edge when he was around. It was like I had to stand at attention or something. Now that he is gone, the locker room is so relaxed. I couldn't imagine a closer locker room than ours right now.

My standing with the company should remain the same, except now I feel that I have more freedom in the ring. I don't have to wrestle the way Hashimoto wants me to wrestle, but the way I want to wrestle and it is relief.

BR: You made your ZERO-ONE debut in 2001, and shortly after that you captured the NWA/UPW/ZERO-ONE International Jr. Heavyweight title. What was it like to achieve such a high level of notoriety that quickly, and how did it change the reaction you received from the other fighters?

Spanky: It was shocking. I was very excited, and very nervous to have such a responsibility. At the same time, I couldn't have been more disappointed in Tom Howard and Predator. I was living out in LA for some time before that, and I knew both of them really well, and Tom jumped all over me, telling me how undeserving I was, and Predator, who didn't really have any friends in Japan at the time other than Tom, decided to join the fun. I like both of those guys, but that is the sort of thing you remember, when people turn on you for no other reason, except they are jealous of other people being successful, which was silly, because they were much big names than I was, and were getting paid a hell of a lot more, so that hurt, but probably not as much as the 40 knees to the face Tom took from Blue Wolf.

BR: Being that you are a former NWA/UPW/ZERO-ONE International Jr. Heavyweight champion, as well as a former and current NWA International Lightweight Tag Team champion (formerly with Low Ki, currently with Kaz Hayashi), you are accustomed to wearing some gold around your waist. Can you explain to people the pressure and expectations that come with holding a title in Japan?

Spanky: The first one that really hit me are the titles that Kaz and I now hold together. He is amazing, and every time we team together I realize how lucky I am. He is very underrated in the United States, and despite what Steve Corino might tell you, he is hilarious too. Now I do feel the pressure of holding a title, and I love that pressure because I would rather have a chance to run with the ball and if I fumble, well than I fumble, and if you want to fire me I can't blame you, but I like having that chance. That is why I wanted to come back to Japan in the first place, for that opportunity.

BR: In February of 2004, you returned to the American independent scene with a tour of WORLD-1. Recall for me some of your memories of the tour (particularly your match with Homicide in Philadelphia), and what it was like to know that you would be returning to Japan soon after having been away for an extended period of time.

Spanky: Whenever I work in the states my girlfriend goes nuts because I am gone in Japan so much, but every time Homicide and I get to wrestle I always have fun. He cracks me up, and every time I think about how well he and I get along I have to laugh, because if somebody were to look at this thug and a dopey pale kid from Seattle laughing together, they would have to do a double take.

BR: In your first match back in ZERO-ONE (February 19, 2004 at Korakuen Hall), you and Low Ki captured the NWA International Lightweight Tag Team titles from The Far East Connection of Dick Togo and Ikuto Hidaka, and just like that you were back in the title scene. Describe how the fans responded to your return, and how you felt about being teamed with Low Ki.

Spanky: I like Low Ki, as crazy as he is. I wish I could say that he likes me too, but I wouldn't bet on it. Oh well, not everybody likes everybody. I think us teaming might have turned him so crazy. He is a serious guy, and I like to have fun, and I don't think he liked that. I appreciate his love for pro-wrestling, and I think he is a very unique talent, truly amazing, but that much focus would drive me crazy, and I think he thought I didn't care enough, which is too bad. I was thrilled to wrestle Hidaka and Togo. I am a huge fan of both of them, and I would love to wrestle the two of them with Kaz. I feel that I am much more in the swing of things right now that I was a year ago, or even 6 months ago. I had a tough time getting out of the WWE style, which if you are not a wrestler for WWE, nobody really wants to see.

BR: Your team with Low Ki was very successful throughout the year (beating Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Jun Kasai, CW Anderson & Homicide, Takiawa & Sonjay Dutt, Takiawa & Osamu Namiguchi, Naohiro Hoshikawa & Kasai, Tetsu Kuroda & Yoshihito Sasaki in non-title matches, and AJ Styles & Frankie Kazarian, Hidaka & Minoru Fujita, Kasai & Dutt in title defenses) until your title defeat at the hands of Takiawa and Tomohiro Ishii on June 4th. After that defeat the two of you teamed a few more times, but never received a rematch for the title. What lead to the sudden parting of ways between you and Low Ki, and would you consider that team the best one you have ever been a part of?

Spanky: I think he and I could have been a fantastic team, but weren't, and that is my fault. I wasn't adjusted, style wise and attitude wise, to where I am now. I would say without a doubt, I am most comfortable with Kaz. I loved teaming with Paul London, and I think he is fantastic, but we teamed in the WWE, and we had matches that I was very proud of, but we weren't given the opportunity that Kaz and I have been given, and I feel that if I am to be a tag team wrestler, than I want my partner to be Kaz. The parting of Ki and I was due to him seeking other opportunities with NOAH, and I hope he excels there. I am sure he will if he can get along with everybody. He is a singles wrestler, and I am sure he sees him self as one.

BR: Later in the year, you gained a measure of revenge on Takiawa and Ishii by winning the NWA International Lightweight Tag Team titles back, this time with Kaz Hayashi as your partner. How does teaming with Kaz compare with teaming with Low Ki?

Spanky: Night and day. Kaz and I laugh together. I think our outlook on life is much more similar that Ki and I had. Kaz loves to wrestle as do I, but we both realize that the world will go on without us and without wrestling. He likes to entertain the fans, and come back and laugh about a match, and I really am happy to see somebody who is so great in the ring having a good time.

BR: During 2004, ZERO-ONE ran a few events that saw every match conducted within the confines a steel cage. Were these your first cage matches, and what goes through your mind when you find out you have to be in one of these contests? Do you think that matches like this could have an adverse long term effect on your career?

Spanky: I had wrestled twice in a steel cage for Shawn Michaels in Texas. I think the fans enjoy the idea of a steel cage, but too much is too much. I am glad that Zero-One got it out of their system for at least a little while. I think if we run shows like that again, soon the fans will say enough already. I feel that for cruiserwieghts especially, they can really shorten a career. We are expected to be unbreakable, and to make a living in this business we kinda have to be.

BR: When you are in Japan, what do you do to pass the time between events? Also, when you are away from the arenas, do you have problems with people recognizing you on the streets? I am sure there are some interesting tales you can share of fan obsession...

Spanky: I play a lot of video games and watch a lot of DVDs. It gets BORING out here at times. Japan is very exciting, for a while. Then it is just like anywhere else, but with added difficulties. I talk on the phone a lot, and hang out with the other Americans. As far as getting recognized, sorry to disappoint but I NEVER get recognized. Which is fine because what I do for a living is silly, and it would boil down to "Hey aren't you the guy who wears pink underwear and pretends to act tough, and then gets beat up, all while using the name Leonardo Spanky and doing a silly Titanic Shtick?", "Yup", "Well okay just checking, see ya", "see ya"

BR: Before we wrap this up, is there anything you would like to say to the fans of ZERO-ONE MAX?

Spanky: Yeah, the adding the MAX to the name was not my idea, so don't tell me how goofy it is. I didn't come up with "Fantastic Fighting" either, but I think it rocks, so if you have a problem with that, well than you have a problem with this Fantastic Fighter chump!

BR: Thank you for your time, and best of luck in the squared circle in 2005.

Spanky:: Thank you very much for the well wishing, and thank your for you patience.