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| OMORI CAPTURES AWA HEAVYWEIGHT
TITLE! January 23rd, 2005 |
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Takao Omori made good on his promise and successfully became the 32nd holder of the AWA World Heavyweight title! Many of the Japanese athletes had figured in Steve Corino to win the title due to the inclusion of the well-known gaijin Referee Mr. Fred Rubenstein. Yet as he had promised, Omori defeated the Japanese 2004 MVP Kensuke Sasaki and the "Fire Festival 2004" winner - Kohei Sato in the Japanese 3-way semi-final. And then in the finals he took defeated former ECW and NWA Heavyweight champion Steve Corino. Not to mention all the other odds he faced to secure the throne...including basically winning the title only to have it yanked away from him by the AWA officials.
The main event final saw Takao Omori versus Corino in
a long (almost 25 minutes) and hard fought battle. Before
the match began, Omori confronted Referee Mr. Fred Rubenstein
and told him to watch his counts, calling out to the audience
to watch for any foul behavior as he battled. Early on Omori
hit the Axe Guillotine Driver on Corino on the outside,
leaving him to be counted out. Corino made it back in at
the17 count, and the two continued to brawl outside the
ring, with Corino throwing Omori through the chairs and
using one as a weapon (Referee Fred was distracted...).
As they fought, Corino continued to work on Omori's right
arm doing significant damage, Omori eventually blocked a
flurry of offense from Corino, hit the Axe Guillotine Driver,
and two Axe Bombers for the 1-2-3.
Other matches on the show saw Fudo beat Jeto Yamagasa,
Yoshihito Sasaki beat Nami, Otani beat Sai, and Fujita pinned
well known Northeast indy wrestler Sonjay Dutt in a six-man
where Fujita was teamed with Takaiwa and Hidaka. Dutt was
teamed with fellow gaijin Spanky and Super Crazy. |
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| PRESS CONFERENCES - AWA TOURNEY PRINCIPALS COMMENT January 21st, 2005 |
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| Today and yesterday several of the combatants
taking part in the AWA World Heavyweight finals on Sunday
came to the ZERO-ONE offices to view the finalized fight card
and meet the press. The most outspoken of the fighters present
was Masato Tanaka, who said he couldn't understand the resoning
of AWA's Oscar David turning the AWA Finals into a 3-way and
then adding an additional 3-way representing "International"
fighters. The thing that perplexed him the most was why he
wasn't included in the Japanese 3-way and is instead facing
fellow ECW alumni Steve Corino and Simon Diamond in the International
block.
He also mentioned Kensuke Sasaki and said he's not scared of Sasaki but is a little scared of his wife! (This did not amuse Sasaki, by the way) Shinjiro
Otani on the other hand expressed joy that he would be teaming
with his former New Japan trainer on the February 4th "New
Years Special" show against Takaiwa and Sato. He said
he'd heard some negative stuff from fans about Sasaki appearing
in ZERO-ONE but it doesn't bother him. He also commented
on Tadao Yasuda's recent release from New Japan and said
that it's a possibility he might show up in ZERO-ONE MAX
but right now it's just idle speculation.
And finally, today Takao Omori also commented on the chain of event and the upcoming match. He said it was aggravating to think he had won the tournament only to have the rules changed. And he said he will win the AWA title anyway against Sato and Sasaki, and said he will use his brain and experience to win the match, especially since Sato is distracted by his anger for Sasaki.
Omori, along with First On Stage President Mr. Nakamura, did show some concern that Referee Mr. Fred Rubenstein is going to be the AWA Referee. Mr. Fred built himself a reputation in ZERO-ONE working for the NWA and treating the gaijin wrestlers more favorably than the native fighters. They expect this isn't a coincidence that he's here. Mr. Nakamura stated that Mr. Fred's prescence makes the chance "...next to nothing" that a Japanese wrestler will win the AWA title. Omori swears he will hold both the United National title and the AWA World title at the end of the day. |
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| AWA WORLD TITLE TO BE
DECIDED ON JANUARY 23 IN TOKYO! January 13th, 2005 |
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The
stage is set for Korakuen Hall on Saturday afternoon, January
23, when we will finally see one man walk out of the ZERO-ONE
MAX ring as the 39th AWA World heavyweight champion. ..
We learned on January 10th that there was going to be a 3-way match featuring United National champion Takao Omori, Fire Festival '04 Tournament Winner Kohei Sato, and Japanese MVP for 2004 and former IWGP heavyweight champion Kensuke Sasaki. Today it's announced that there will be another 3-way featuring the gaijin locker room and the winners of the 3-way matches will meet in the main event to crown the new AWA World champion. ZERO-ONE MAX US champion Steve Corino will take on the WORLD-1 champion Masato Tanaka and, making his ZERO-ONE MAX and Japanese debut - SIMON DIAMOND! One of these six fighters is going to become the first worldwide-recognized AWA World champion since Larry Zybyszko in 1990. Who has the most momentum going into the 3 ways? Lets take a look: 1. Takao Omori: The United National champion has been on a tear since defeating Masato Tanaka in October for that title. He avenged his Fire Festival '04 tournament final loss to Kohei Sato by defeating him twice in singles matches and also increased his singles record to 3-0 against US champion Steve Corino. Could he be the favorite? 2. Kohei Sato: The 2004 Fire Festival winner has been hot and cold of late. He went 3-2 in his 5-match singles challenge in November beating Testuhito Takiawa, Ryouj Sai, and Hirotaka Yokoi. His losses however were against Corino and Omori. Kohei has proven that he can win the big matches by beating Omori in the finals of the Fire Festival and by beating Shinjiro Otani two times in a row. Sato, at 25 years old, would be the youngest AWA World champion in history... 3. Kensuke Sasaki: What more can be said about the 2004 Japanese pro-wrestling MVP? After ending 2003 without a company, Kensuke started the Kensuke Freelance Office and began working for every Japanese company. He even won the IWGP heavyweight title on two occasions in 2004. This will be Kensuke's debut in a ZERO-ONE MAX ring and he plans on making quite an impact! 4. Steve Corino: The ZERO-ONE MAX United States champion is also on a hot streak. Over the past eight weeks since regaining the ZERO-ONE MAX United States championship from Kohei Sato he has scored pinfall victories over Shinjiro Otani and All Japan Triple Crown champion Toshiaki Kawada. And all with a broken jaw! Corino would be only the third pro-wrestler in history to win the NWA and AWA World championship (also achieved by Pat O'Connor and Gene Kiniski). If he wins his 3-way this will be the first time that he has wrestled two times in one night in Japan. 5. Masato Tanaka: The King of E-Style Wrestling used his status as the oft forgotten WORLD-1 champ to secure his spot in the Gaijin 3-way. Tanaka, one half of the Intercontinental tag team champions, is a former United National champion and has won his last two singles matches against Corino. Tanaka can wrestle any style: American, Japanese, or E-Style. And you never know which style he will pull out! Tanaka is looking to win his first World championship since he won the ECW World Heavyweight title in 1999. 6. Simon Diamond: The "Blue Chipper" might be the dark horse in this because he has never wrestled in Japan before but this might be to his advantage. Diamond has wrestled Masato Tanaka once in a W1 tag match last year and is 2-1 in singles matches with his "Extreme Horseman" partner Steve Corino. A former NWA World tag team champion, Simon Diamond is looking to show the world that he is ready to win that World heavyweight singles championship that has eluded him his whole career. Go to the message board and give us your thoughts on who is going to become the leader of the AWA and ZERO-ONE MAX's new generation of pro-wrestling. |
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| Three Years Ago... by Matt Striker January 12th, 2005 |
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Roughly
three years ago, I had the opportunity to meet Steve Corino
after a PWF show in Pennsylvania. We said hello to one another
and I expressed the desire to work for the PWF in the future.
I couldn't help but notice a huge bruise that covered Corino's
entire bicep. I asked him what had happened-and he simply
replied, "Japan." As I began to work up and down the East Coast of the United States with tours of England and Ireland, I kept with me the hopes to one day realize the honor, the dream, the prestige of being invited to Japan to fight. I recently realized that dream on Dec. 16th when I touched down in Tokyo to start my inaugural tour for the ZERO ONE Company. I cannot express in words what this tour has meant to me as a person and as a professional wrestler. Everywhere I went, fans and press alike were courteous and receptive. Many American fans and wrestlers are aware of the "legend" of the Japanese wrestling fan base and media from tapes and tales, but until you experience it first hand you cannot really comprehend the major role that the fans and press play. When I first stepped out into the arena in Chiba, the fans responded like a rising wind with a roll of thunder on the end of it. As I climbed into the ring and heard my name announced in Japanese, I knew I had reached another goal and was indeed living the dream. To make things even more special- the match featured, Steve Corino, and world-renowned superstars, Masato Tanaka and Jun Kasai. What made this match unique to me was the "feeling" of the arena and the promotion of ZERO ONE MAX in general. There are no guardrails to separate the fans from the action, they are right there with you, in the heat. Afterwards, many of the fighters were accessible and receptive to the fans, making ZERO ONE MAX genuinely feel like a family event. Afterwards, the gracious Japanese press came to the back to ask questions. Steve Corino took the press on a whirlwind ride with his silver tongue laying out the plans of the future for ZERO ONE and the AWA. One member of the press was kind enough to ask me what I thought of wrestling in Japan, I told them that "inside me lives a child and tonight that child realized his dream in the greatest wrestling in the world, in front of the greatest fans in the world, and I am grateful and humbled to be fighting in Japan" I always speak from the heart and that night was no different. As
the tour continued, I learned so much from grappling and
adapting to the international styles of Hidaka, Sato and
Sai. I truly believe that I have returned home to the states
a improved athlete because of these challenges and experiences.
To know that I have walked the same streets and halls and
eaten in the same places as some of the greatest names in
all of wrestling is something that will stay with me wherever
I go, whatever I do. The best part about Japanese fighting,
for me, is the competition, the battle. In the states, wrestling
fans sometimes seem to be desensitized and even jaded. Many
times you will see young athletes trying desperately to
break into our great sport without any merit. Either they
do not have the athletic ability, the appearance or worst
of all, the respect for the sport. When fans see this night
in and night out of course they are going to grow restless. In Japan EVERY SINGLE fighter that graces that ring is accomplished, trained, and above all has the respect and reverence for all those who have come before him. There is truly a great mystique, a certain untouchable air, that surrounds Pro wrestling in Japan and the fans see, feel, and contribute to it every night. I have always been a true fan of this great sport. Growing up I was drawn to the sport and felt like these superstars leaped off the pages of magazines and television screens and into my life. Needless to say when I stood face to face with the likes of Ohtani, Tanaka, Ogawa , Takada, Takaiwa, etc. I truly understood how special the opportunity was. Now, I am so excited for the opportunity that lays ahead of me. I have been invited by the offices of ZERO ONE MAX to join their roster for an extended stay of 90 days. I lay awake at night and try to envision all of the things I am going to learn training in the dojo and immersing myself in Japanese culture. I am a Social Studies teacher in my "other life" and I know Japan is rich in history both world and wrestling. Everywhere the ZERO ONE tour bus goes fans smile and children wave and it is great!! I have Mr. Nakamura, the great sponsors, Ohtani, Tanaka, and of course Steve Corino to thank for this opportunity of a lifetime. It has been said many times, but it is ever so true...Follow your dreams…because we sometimes regret the things we DON'T do-as opposed to the things we do. 3-2-1- ZERO-ONE!! Matt Striker www.thisisstriker.com |
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