News Archive

This was a stipulation put forth by AWA GM Oscar David and Omori rightfully distrusts it. Besides the stipulation of the MMA gloves, there is no pinfalls, only knock out, TKO or submission. Omori thinks this puts him and the Axe Bomber at a disadvantage and these rules favor the mixed martial arts fighter and not the pro wrestler. McCully on the other hand was very happy with the rules and after signing was quick to offer Omori his handshake. McCully, who received some heat from Otani for A) intruding on the Team Emblem reformation press conference and B) Causing a ruckus outside the First On Stage office while being forcible removed by wrestlers. McCully said when he wins the AWA title it will be Otani he wants to fight first.

Also on April 14th, Team Emblem will take on Kohei Sato and Ryouji Sai for the NWA Intercontinental tag team titles, Super Crazy will defend his ZERO-ONE/UPW/WORLD-1 International Jr. Heavyweight Title against Ikuto Hidaka and Osamu Namiguchi will once again be facing his teacher Tatsuhito Takaiwa. These things never turn out pretty...

Both fighters said they are sick of Kohei's mouth and that they view the NWA Intercontinental tag titles as "their" titles, as they accepted Kohei and Ryouji Sai's challange on 4/14 for the titles. They also dismissed Kohei's remarks about Otani's knee and Tanaka's shoulder, saying if he thinks he found a weakness he's mistaken.

There was a brief interuption during the Press Conference, as Justin McCully stormed the offices screaming about his match with Takao Omori for the AWA Heavyweight title and saying that is much more important than some tag titles.

After Kohei Sato lost to Kensuke Sasaki in a singles match, Katsuhiko Nakajima challenged Kohei and a partner of his choosing to a tag-team match at the Differ Cup and asked Osaka Pro and Kickbocker Takehiro Murahama (who was also present) to be his own partner.

After the semi-main event, Kohei and Ryouji came out and attacked Otani and Tanaka, who had been wrestling on opposite teams. They once more challenged them to re-form Team Emblem to battle them on the 14th for the NWA Intercontinental tag team titles. Otani and Tanaka asked the crowd how they felt about that and were greated with a VERY positive reaction.

Ogawa entered the ring and said that in 1961 when Rikidozan, Baba and Inoki all fought there, it's where the pro wrestling boom all started. And this is why ZERO1-MAX is holding the event there. Muto left without addressing the crowd, but said that he also made a new determination to help revive pro wrestling in Japan.

Today the younger members of ZERO1-MAX, Kohei Sato, Osamu Namiguchi, Ryouji Sai, Yoshihito Sasaki, Rikiya Fudo and Fuyuki Takahashi, also know as the "Young MAX," installed and set up the ring for the event where the Sumo ring usually stands. Kohei, as the leader, spoke and promised they would be part of the sport's revitalization and win all their respective matches.

They worked out very quickly, only testing the ring, but filling the Yakusuni Shrine with the sound of the pro wrestling mat for the first time in 44 years, and then gave the ZERO1-MAX cheer under the full bloom of the cherry tree blossoms.

It was also announced that Naoya Ogawa would once more be at a ZERO1 show and attend the event as a special guest.

Koehi said he and his Young MAX stablemate, Ryouji Sai, are looking forward to their NWA Intercontinental Tag Titles match on April 14th but not against scheduled opponents Otani and Takaiwa. Kohei said he wanted to battle the "tag team symbols of ZERO1" - Team Emblem.

Team Emblem, the pairing of Shinjiro Otani & Masato Tanaka, was the most dominant tag team of the Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE era. PWF Universal tag team champions, NWA Intercontinental Tag team champions and voted best tag team of 2002. The team was together until February 19, 2004, when there was a disagreement after a Intercontinental tag team title loss against Takao Omori and Shiro Koshinaka at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall.

Kohei acknowledged that Otani and Tanaka are not the friends they once were, and that Tanaka and Otani are beat up physically and that Tanaka will be going to wrestle for the WWE in June. While mentioning Otani's knee and Tanaka's beat up shoulder, Sato & Sai used a safety sign shaped like a little man as a representation of Masato Tanaka by taping up it's right shoulder which Kohei then stabbed with the Fire Festival Katana. They also mockingly struck the Team Emblem pose for the photographers.

Kohei said he wants the Young MAX crew to change the history of ZERO1-MAX as to who the greatest tag team is in the company. They then said after winning the titles on April 14th they want to face current IWGP Tag Champions Shinsuke Nakamura & Hiroshi Tanahashi in New Japan to show who the greatest tag team is, period.

The fight card was also announced and LA Boxing- Japan''s Justin McCully will be taking part in the show. Apparently McCully is AWA General Manager Oscar David's American choice to fight the April 10th winner on the following April 14th show.

Otani also reminded everybody that children below the Middle School will be admitted free to the event, and that the ring will be open for kids to play in until 30 minutes before the event.