From the UK: NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 94

Reviews, Wrestling DVDs

Well it’s been a good run for me so far so I decided to pop back to Puroseau this time with a bit of New Japan, All Japan’s main rival in the 90’s. I got this video an awesome website run by my good pal Squat Rocker from the TWC forums. Check his site out

For those of you who aren’t that familiar with New Japan Pro Wrestling BOTSJ was a yearly tournament held to decide who the best Junior Heavyweight was in a league like fashion. You get a point for a win and the two with the most points fight in the final. This event happened in the summer of 94.

The entrants are
El Samurai
Black Tiger (Eddie Guerrero)
Wild Pegasus (Chris Benoit)
Jushin “Thunder” Liger
Dean Malenko
Dave “Fit” Finlay
Super Delphin
TAKA Michinoku
Masayoshi Motegi
Shinjiro Ohtani (I spell it with an h. deal with it.)
Tokimitsu Ishizawa

Nice graphics show what’s up next

Shinjiro Ohtani Vs TAKA Michinoku

TAKA wants a handshake but Ohtani refuses. Ohtani takes TAKA down in a headlock and they fight over an arm lock and Ohtani somehow gets TAKA in a leg lock. TAKA fights up to a vertical base but Ohtani knocks him down and drops an elbow. He then slaps another headlock on but TAKA wiggles out. STF by Ohtani but TAKA fights out but is Irish whipped into the corner. TAKA hits a flurry of quick moves and hits a beauty of a dropkick that sends Ohtani outside. TAKA then launches himself off the rope with an awesome plancha onto Ohtani outside. TAKA rolls back and taunts with the fans. Ohtani knocks TAKA out and springboards onto him outside. TAKA manages to beat the count but has his leg ripped apart by Ohtani in the ring with a variety of painful submission moves. God Ohtani is so awesome.TAKA is grounded in the centre with a half Boston Crab. Ohtani lets go? And then stomps away at TAKA before flooring him with a spinning kick. He then goes after the leg again. TAKA makes the ropes to break a leg lock. Ohtani wastes no time slapping TAKA in another painful leg move that looks like the move HHH did to Booker T at Wrestlemania XIX. Ohtani just stands on the leg of TAKA. AWESOME. He delivers some slaps as well. TAKA hits some open hand chops and forearm for a two. He Irish Whips Ohtani who lands on the apron and hits a springboard dropkick for two. He then slaps on another leg lock and TAKA gets to the ropes. TAKA gets a roll up out of nowhere for two. A German Suplex gets two as does a Hurricanrana. Another Rana is reversed into a power bomb and another leg lock. TAKA fights the pain and reaches the ropes. Ohtani calmly drags him into the middle of the ring and slaps it on again to win the match.

WINNER – SHINJIRO OHTANI

***1/4 nice match and Ohtani put TAKA through some torturous moves. He made a leg lock look devastating.

Wild Pegasus Vs Ishizawa

This match his just highlights. It looks like an average Benoit match as he hits all his usual moves and reverses a German suplex into a pin for the win

El Samurai Vs Motegi

Again highlights. Samurai gets it with a roll up.

Dean Malenko Vs Jushin Liger

We join this mid match with both men tumbling outside. Malenko rolls Liger in and goes up top but is stopped by Liger. Superplex by Liger and he signals for the end. Liger Bomb only manages him a two count. Malenko reverses a Rana and goes for the Cloverleaf but Liger reverses that into a cradle for two. Malenko dodges a missile dropkick and hits a Tiger Driver to win

WINNER – DEAN MALENKO
Looked like the match was around ***1/2. I would of liked to seen it all

Liger cuts a promo afterwards. I don’t know what he’s saying but I’m sure it’s riveting

Jushin Liger Vs Super Delphin

Oh great it’s Super Delphin. Hopefully Liger will slap him around a bit. For those wondering why I hate Super Delphin I’ll explain for you. Besides the fact that he does the Delphin Clutch which is the stupidest finisher in wrestling he also can’t sell and has total lousy psychology. Want an example? J Cup 94 he’s fighting Ohtani and Ohtani puts him in some of the most painful looking submission moves ever. Seriously, I had to wince at some of them they were that awesome so it looks like Ohtani could be going over with a submission. What does Delphin do? He jumps up like nothing has happened, does about 3 different moves using the injured leg and then goes over with the crappy Delphin Clutch. That’s why I hate him and when a guy forgets to sell I say he’s doing a Delphin. We join the match with Liger being whipped off into the ropes. Delphin dodges him with a leapfrog and hits a dropkick three more send Liger outside. Delphin then dives off the top onto Liger outside. Back inside Delphin gets a sunset flip for two. Liger dodges a clothesline and sends Delphin outside. He then hits a baseball slide. He goes for a dive onto Delphin but Delphin moves. Then Delphin, the cheating son of a bitch that he is, rolls back the mats to reveal the concrete. He then Tombstones Liger on the concrete and then starts taunting in the ring. Liger somehow rolls back in and is Brain Busted for two. Delphin goes up top and hits a missile dropkick for another two. He hits a victory roll but Liger rolls through to get the three. Then Delphin the poor loser that he his starts standing on Liger.

WINNER – JUSHIN LIGER
*** From what I saw. I would of liked to have seen the full match

Delphin then cuts a whiny promo backstage. Oh I’m playing my violin for you mate.

Wild Pegasus Vs David Finlay

Again this is just highlights. I never knew Finlay was a junior heavyweight. He sure put on the pounds when he went to WCW. Looks like a nice stiff match here. Benoit wins with a weird pinning hold.

Black Tiger Vs TAKA Michinoku

We join this match with Tiger hitting a Brain Buster. He then puts TAKA onto the top turnbuckle and hits an awesome Splash Mountain Bomb from the top for three.

El Samurai Vs Shinjiro Ohtani

They lock up to start, which quickly develops into a clinic in leg psychology as they fight over a leg lock with Samurai gaining the advantage. Ohtani then goes after the arm forcing Samurai to get to the ropes. Ohtani then zones in on the arm putting it through some nasty holds. An arm bar in the ring forces Samurai to roll outside to catch a breather. Ohtani pounces back and forth in the ring like a caged animal. He then continues to destroy the arm back in. samurai manages to fight back and hits a nice back drop. He then tries for a piledriver and after three attempts he gets it. He only gets a two count. He goes for a Tombstone but Ohtani gets an inside cradle for two. Samurai then hits a neck breaker and locks on a camel clutch. Ohtani makes the ropes but Samurai then targets his offence on the back and neck of Ohtani. Ohtani rolls outside and his dragged onto the apron. He hits a springboard dropkick. He whips Samurai off the ropes and gets a victory roll for two. Ohtani reverses a German Suplex for a close two count. Samurai hits a reverse suplex and a German Suplex for two. Ohtani rolls through a Hurricanrana for two. Samurai floors Ohtani with a Heart Attack Clothesline for two. He then hits a beauty of a Tombstone sold excellently by Ohtani. A Swan Dive Head butt for an unbelievably close two count. Ohtani’s selling here is top notch as he looks like he has a concussion. Randy Orton should take note. He gets a Prawn hold out of nowhere for the three.

WINNER – SHINJIRO OHTANI

**** – This was the usual El Samurai match of a slow start with an amazing finish. El Samurai isn’t the best Junior Heavyweight in New Japan but he’s such a great workhorse it’s near impossible not to like him. And Ohtani was his usual awesome self.

Ohtani keeps selling even when he’s backstage doing an interview. What a guy.

Dean Malenko Vs Shinjiro Ohtani

We just get highlights here and it looks like Malenko is in control for most of this one and Ohtani gets put in the Texas Cloverleaf for the submission win

TAKA Michinoku Vs Dave Finlay

Wow talk about styles clash. As we join this Finlay has just given TAKA a power bomb for a two count. TAKA gets an inside cradle and a Rana for two. Finlay reverses a German suplex into a power bomb to win.

Super Delphin Vs Ishizawa

More highlights here. This Ishizawa guy looks decent but I would have to see a full match of his to fully base an opinion. Delphin huts his usual stuff and wins with that stupid Delphin Clutch which I used to think was cool when I was younger and played WCW Vs The World.

Black Tiger Vs Jushin Liger

MY DREAM MATCH AND IT’S HIGHLIGHTS. Good stuff here as both guys hit all their trademark moves. Liger reverses a tilt a whirl back breaker into a pin for three.

Black Tiger Vs Wild Pegasus

Well I’ve seen two matches with these two in then from Japan and they both were excellent so this should be no different. Fast start as Tiger jumps Benoit at the bell. Benoit knocks Tiger down and hits a backdrop for two. Benoit slams Tiger down and hits a perfect splash from the top for two. Snap suplex follows for another two count. Tiger hits a dropkick that sends Benoit outside. He sends Benoit into the guardrail and nails Benoit in the mid section with a chair. Back in Tiger gives Benoit a side backdrop and scrapes his face with his foot. Benoit fights back and hits a Superplex for two. Full nelson by Benoit but Eddie gets two the ropes. Dragon Suplex gets twp for Benoit. Tiger reverses another into a pin for two. He gets another roll up out of nowhere to get the win.

WINNER – BLACK TIGER

**1/2 – Far too short to really be great. Kind of a disappointment

TAKA Michinoku Vs Motegi

Highlights again here. Motegi and TAKA hit some good moves and the match looks to be pretty decent. TAKA gets the win with a La Magistral

Ohtani Vs Liger

We join the match as Ohtani is stomping away at Liger on the floor. He hits an excellent springboard dropkick for two but walks into a Liger Palm Strike. Liger gets Ohtani in a Figure 4 leg lock for the submission win.

Super Delphin Vs El Samurai

Handshake to start us off and Delphin starts yelling abuse at the fans. What a heel isn’t he fantastic? Delphin beats Samurai down to start and drops his throat over the top rope. Delphin again has f*cked up psychology as shook hands like a good little face but then starts trying to be Uber heel. Anyhoo Samurai gets him in an STF forcing him to the ropes. Samurai then stands on his neck and hits a jaw breaker for a two count. A head scissors sends Delphin down and he gets spiked with a hanging Brain Buster for two. Delphin hits a dropkick sending Samurai outside. He then motions that he’ll dive outside but decides to be a pussy and not. Delphin slams Samurai down and drops an elbow. He then locks him in a half Boston Crab. Snap suplex by Delphin gets two followed by a choke. Delphin then locks samurai in a sleeper which Samurai fights out off and hits a piledriver for two. Atomic drop causes Delphin to waddle around the ring like a duck. Delphin knocks Samurai out and this time decides to dive out onto him. Macho elbow by Delphin gets two. Delphin then hits a tornado DDT but the crappy Delphin clutch is reversed into a pin for two. I am reminded of the time Gedo did that in Super J Cup 94 and won. Then he LAUGHED at Delphin. That was hilarious. Delphin is shocked. I don’t know why that has to be the stupidest finishing move I’ve ever seen. I mean it makes the Worm look like The Killer Driver. Samurai sends Delphin outside and hits a suicide dive. Delphin just breaks the count. A German suplex in the ring by Samurai gets two. He then hits that brilliant Tombstone followed by a Head butt for two. A power bomb only gets two as well. Samurai Driver finally gets the win.

WINNER – EL SAMURAI

**** – Samurai did it again. The same formula that he used in the Ohtani match and again another good match. And Delphin lost which always improves a match

Final – Jushin Liger Vs Super Delphin

How come Delphin is in the final when he lost twice? He’s dressed half like himself and half like Liger. Sorry Delphin you’ll NEVER be as good as him EVER. Lock up to start and they fight over the arm. Delphin hits a Japanese arm drag and and we have a stand off. Liger puts Delphin in a weird surfboard move and then moves onto a Camel Clutch. Delphin rolls through and starts pulling Ligers hair. Is this his idea of getting heat? Meanwhile Liger continues to beat on Delphin and locks in another Surfboard. He then puts Delphin in a head scissors which Delphin is able to escape into a headlock. Rude Awakening gets two for Delphin. Delphin then locks in the head scissors and hits a leg drop. Now a chin lock. This is turning into a Stevie Ray match. Finally they hit some fast pace moves and Delphin knocks Liger outside and teases a suicide dive. Liger gets a rib breaker inside and then a crappy looking half Boston crab. Delphin then puts in a full Boston crab which Liger powers out of. Delphin then continues to go after the back with a Steiner Recliner. Delphin then starts going for Ligers mask in the corner but takes a Power Bomb in return. Liger then hits a nasty leg drop to the leg. Delphin actually sells the leg this time. Figure 4 by Liger and Delphin actually sells it very well. I’m surprised normally he’d be doing flips and stuff by now. Delphin makes the ropes finally but takes a kick in the stomach and then the head. Liger hits some painful looking chops and hits a rolling kick in the corner. Delphin dodges an enziguiri but takes a back drop. Delphin dodges a Liger palm strike and sends Liger outside. Then he forgets all the work on his legs and dives off the top rope to the outside. THIS IS WHY I HATE HIM. He’s not even selling the leg anymore. Delphin gets a couple of near falls back inside. A side back drop gets two. Delphin hits the Macho Elbow for two. Liger is able to reverse a tombstone and goes up top but misses a head butt. He rolls outside and Delphin follows with and axe handle and a DDT on the mats outside the ring. Liger gets sent into the ring post outside. Delphin then botches a Hurricanrana off the apron and barely gets Liger over. Liger just beats the count and the match goes on. Delphin hits some slaps and a Tornado DDT. He then goes for the Delphin Clutch and Liger kicks out because he’s Jushin Fucking Liger and jobbing to THAT would be a travesty. Delphin goes for a super back drop but Liger lands on top for two. Delphin is knocked outside and Liger hits a Tope onto Delphin outside. That was a beautiful move. Frankenstiener in the ring gets two for Liger. Fans get behind Delphin and he reverses a Liger bomb into a roll up for two. Delphin is nearly beat here. Liger hits a top rope Fisherman’s Buster for the three.

WINNER – JUSHIN LIGER

***1/2 – Great match despite Delphins crappy psychology in places.

The Inside Pulse
Well all in all this is a fun way to kill 2 hours. However, you can’t help but think that if some of the matches were longer this could have been an essential 3-4 hour video instead of just a time killer.