Agahnim Demen

29th October 2005

'Mr. Puroresu', WAR founder Genichiro Tenryu spoke with press today about his Revolution Army.

"I remember talking about a dream and a vision.. I remember talking about revolutionising they way we think and what we know as professional wrestling. This idea is contained within a sole body; within a quadriplegic torso. What can this torso achieve? Very little. What I have done with the Revolution Army, is I have given this base, this torso, its arms, its legs, its head. Its ability to not only invision, but to achieve. While in its current state, The Revolution Army does have the ability to achieve at a certain level, I feel that there are still a few pieces missing, a few body parts. In the coming weeks I intead to complete the puzzle; and The Revolution will truly begin.

As a catalyst for this, I wish for The Revolution Army to begin monopolizing the WAR titles. My brother-in-law sees fit to try and hinder my plans, by giving those Heisei Ishingun rebels a shot at the WAR Six Man Tag Team Titles. On 16/11 in Saitama, I will have The Revolution Brothers challenge Magnum TOKYO and Darkness Dragon for their WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles. I have little against Magnum TOKYO, but we can not be so fickle in our monopoly. The Revolution starts here and now."

28th October 2005

Press caught up with Shiro Koshinaka on a recent sailing trip, where he revealed details of a meeting with President Takei. Koshinaka stated that he had discussed his relationship with Tenryu, and some recent relevant events, in particular his tag match against Tenryu & Choshu where he feels he had covered Tenryu for the three count, but this was ignored by the official. Takei apologised on his brother-in-law's behalf, for allowing this issue to get out of hand. As some kind of repayment for what Koshinaka had been through, President Takei allowed him a shot at the WAR Six Man Tag Team titles, alongside two other members of his Heisei Ishingun stable. Koshinaka told press that he accepted this opportunity and that the match would take place on 16/11 in Saitama.

Also today, 'Mr. J-1' Kensuke Sasaki told press that he was unsure as to whether or not he wanted to allow Arlovski a shot at the Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title. He said that he had hoped he would face Nobuhiko Takada this month, and wasn't sure whether or not Arlovski would be ready for a match of this importance. Kensuke concluded by saying that perhaps once Arlovski had proven himself worthy, then he would take his challenge under consideration, but for the time being he is unsure as to who the next challenger for his title will be.

WAR MEGA POWER SERIES 2005 26/10/05

WAR MEGA POWER SERIES 2005, 26/10/05

Niigata City Gymnasium

4,000 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Andrei Arlovski defeats Tatsutoshi Goto by submission with an Achilles Lock. (07:57)

2. Milano Collection AT & Taiji Ishimori defeat Sasuke The Great & Koji Ishinriki by submission when Milano used the Paradise Lock on Sasuke. (12:18)

3. Nobuhiko Takada & Kengo Mashimo defeat Arashi & Revolution Dragon by submission when Takada used a Jujigatame on Arashi. (13:42)

4. Kazuyuki Fujita & Kazunari Murakami defeat Ryuma Go & Nobutaka Araya when Fujita used a Knee Strike on Araya. (13:35)

5. Genichiro Tenryu & Raimu Mishima defeat Shiro Koshinaka & Shiima Nobunaga when Tenryu used the 55-Year-Old on Nobunaga. (17:55)

6. Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroshi Hase defeat Yoshihiro Takayama & Minoru Suzuki when Kensuke used a Northern Lights Bomb on Suzuki. (39:32)

Goto received a strong reaction from the Niigata crowd upon entry, quite contrary from the reaction Arlovski received. Arlovski took a mic upon entering the ring, and turned from Goto to address those in attendance. Before he could get a word out of his mouth, Goto rushes him and executes a backdrop that nearly gets a three count on Arlovski. Goto tries for another backdrop, but Arlovski drops to the ground and traps Goto in a head lock. Arlovski continues to dominate for much of the bout, with Goto ocassionally battling back, but Andrei manages to bring an abrupt end to the match when he locks in an Achilles Lock.

Two members of the now defunct Nuovo Italian Connection team up for the first time in several months to take on Sasuke The Great and veteran junior Koji Ishinriki. Milano shows great form and confidence in this bout, working well with old partner Ishimori; with Milano picking up the victory using the Paradise Lock on Sasuke. Afterwards, Milano expressed his pleasure at being the next challenger for The Great Sasuke's International Junior Heavyweight Title, and claimed to be confident in his ability to at least provide Sasuke strong opposition.

Mashimo recieves a great opportunity in this bout alongside three very experienced veterans, teaming up with Nobuhiko Takada to take on Arashi and Revolution Dragon. Mashimo puts on a very spirited performance, going toe to toe for some time with Dragon. Takada outwits the opposition, catching Arashi in a jujigatime to pick up the win.

One third of TEAM NO FEAR! 2005 and the WAR Six Man Tag Team Champions Kazuyuki Fujita teams up with Kazunari Murakami for the first time to create a very formidable team that provide more than a challenge for veteran Go and his partner Araya. Go hits a number of lariats that trouble Fujita and Murakami, but the bout comes to a conclusion when Fujita catches Araya with a number of knee strikes to end the match.

The Revolution Army vs. Heisei Ishingun war continues, as Tenryu teams up with one half of The Revolution Brothers in Raimu Mishima to take on Koshinaka and CIMA, under the name Shiima Nobunaga. Koshinaka appears very focused and does whatever it takes to get his hands on Tenryu, even going beyond the rules to harm his nemesis at times. Tenryu manages to stay composed throughout however, and uses the 55-Year-Old to finish off Nobunaga. Koshinaka continues his assault on Tenryu after the bell rings, throwing chairs at WAR founder Tenryu, until both members are seperated by their respective stable mates, who run to the ring to bring some semblance of order. Koshinaka tells press backstage that he is sick of Tenryu and his selfish ways, and that there had better be some changes in WAR.

Old partners Kensuke and Hase reform their old team once more to face two thirds of the WAR Six Man Tag Team Champions, TEAM NO FEAR! 2005 members Minoru Suzuki and Yoshihiro Takayama. Both teams show great fire and intensity in what becomes a very lengthy and physical battle; with neither team giving up anything to the opposition. Suzuki was looking to overcome his loss to Hase, and Takayama hoping for revenge after his failed attempt at capturing the Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title from 'Mr. J-1' Kensuke Sasaki. Takayama had Hase in trouble a great number of times, executing his Everest German Suplex, but Kensuke managed to break up the pin; though Sasaki managed to turn the tide of the match, somehow still finding the energy to battle back against both men, reversing a front sleeper from Suzuki into a Northern Lights Bomb to attain victory. After the bout, Kensuke expressed his pleasure at being able to team with his old partner and said that he was disappointed in the TEAM NO FEAR! 2005, predicting that this wouldn't be their last great failure this year.

25th October 2005

Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei revealed the full card for the upcoming show in the Niigata City Gymnasium. Arlovski takes on veteran Goto, and Kengo Mashimo gets an excellent learning experience in the ring with Takada, Arashi and Revolution Dragon.

WAR MEGA POWER SERIES 2005

26/10/05

Niigata City Gymnasium

1. Andrei Arlovski vs. Tatsutoshi Goto

2. Milano Collection AT & Taiji Ishimori vs. Sasuke The Great & Koji Ishinriki

3. Arashi & Revolution Dragon vs. Nobuhiko Takada & Kengo Mashimo

4. Kazuyuki Fujita & Kazunari Murakami vs. Ryuma Go & Nobutaka Araya

5. Shiro Koshinaka & Shiima Nobunaga vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Raimu Mishima

6. Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroshi Hase vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Minoru Suzuki

24th October 2005

Akira Maeda held a press conference today alongside Andrei Arlovski. With the approval of Maeda, Arlovski announced his desire to face Kensuke Sasaki in singles competition and challenge him for his Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title. He boasted of being the UFC Heavyweight Champion for many months, and stated that his new style of pro wrestling would be the key to his success, and the perfect style to represent the overall revolutionary product provided by Wrestle Association "R". Arlovski emphasised that he was gaining a strong connection with the fans and a love for professional wrestling, bringing new life to the Wrestle And Romance concept that Tenryu introduced to him during his training days. In closing, Maeda said that they were going to let Kensuke decide if he feels hes up to the challenge, but to respond very soon.

21st October 2005

Reporters caught up with Dragon Kid today to assess his physical condition, and his future. Apparently now at one hundred percent after having pulled a groin muscle, Dragon Kid said that he hoped to be continuing the form he displayed in Hakodate. Expressing as strong interest in facing The Great Sasuke and Revolution Dragon, of whom he claimed to have unfinished business, Dragon Kid stated that he would like to surpass the 'Kid' name and felt that WAR was the place for this to happen. He emphasised an understanding that it may take a few weeks for him to really get back in and involved with current junior division, but said that he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to go all the way to the top.

22nd October 2005

The Great Sasuke spoke with press early today, to announce that Milano Collection AT would definetly be the next challenger for his WAR International Junior Heavyweight Title, and that the bout would take place on 16/11 in Saitama. He added that this event was very important for Wrestle Association "R", stating that holding their event in a stadium of this size would demonstrate how strong fan support was for Wrestle Association "R", and whether or not the WWE relationship announcement would have any effect on attendances. Sasuke claimed to be happy with his current position in WAR, and wasn't quite ready yet to pass the title over to a younger wrestler; though he wished Milano all the best in his efforts, and felt that they would have a very entertaining match.

WAR MEGA POWER SERIES 2005 19/10/05

WAR: MEGA POWER SERIES 2005, 19/10/05

Hakodate Citizen Gymnasium

4,200 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Takuya Sugawara & Susumu Yokosuka defeat Taiji Ishimori & Ryuji Ito when Sugawara used the Shiisanpuuta on Ito. (10:28)

2. Dragon Kid & Sasuke The Great defeat Super Shisa & Kengo Mashimo when Dragon used a Dragonrana on Mashimo. (11:53)

3. Andrei Arlovski defeats Shigeo Okumura by submission with an Achilles Lock. (07:34)

4. Hiroshi Hase defeats Minoru Suzuki with a Dragon Suplex Pin. (13:57)

5. Jinsei Shinzaki, The Great Sasuke & Milano Collection AT defeat Genichiro Tenryu, Magnum TOKYO & Masaaki Mochizuki when Milano used the Italian Revolution on Mochizuki. (13:46)

6. Shiro Koshinaka, Tatsutoshi Goto & Masashi Aoyagi defeat Toshiaki Kawada, Katsuyori Shibata & Kazunari Murakami when Koshinaka used a Powerbomb Pin on Shibata. (17:48)

Sugawara and Yokosuka showed great team work again in this opening bout, pulling off an impressive victory over Taiji Ishimori and Ryuji Ito. After the match had ended, Sugawara and Yokosuka claimed to be the next generation of professional wrestler, utilising an evolved form of pro wrestling. In response to this, Ito pulled a flourescent light bulb out from under the ring and tried to attack SugaYoko, but Ishimori managed to calm him down.

Both Sasuke The Great and Dragon Kid make a strong return to form with a decisive victory over Shisa and Mashimo. Shisa and Mashimo showed great chemistry and put up a spirited fight, but the experience and underhanded tactics of Sasuke allowed Dragon Kid to capatilise with the Dragonrana.

Before his bout with Okumura began, Arlovski told those in attendance that he would show them an advanced and intelligent style of pro wrestling that would capitalise on both his experiences in WAR and his vast knowledge of mixed martial arts. He debuted a number of new moves with a much more pro wrestling feel to them in this bout, such as a modified power slam and an inverted samoan drop. Using an Achilles Hold to achieve a decisive victory over Okumura, Arlovski claimed afterwards that this style would be the key to success and his path to gaining the Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title.

Hiroshi Hase and Minoru Suzuki put on a stellar performance, with both competitors displaying intense physicality and great endurance. Suzuki showed little respect for Hase however, throwing slaps and jabs at the face of the veteran worker. Hase showed strong determination though, fighting through a front sleeper, guillotine hold and rear naked choke; following up with a Uranage and a Dragon Suplex that allowed him to pick up the win. He told press that he was in great shape and was looking forward to dedicating some more time to his love for pro wrestling.

Former Michinoku Pro regulars Shinzaki and Sasuke team up alongside Milano Collection AT in this bout against a vintage WAR themed team lead by Tenryu. WAR trueborn Masaaki Mochizuki worked well with Tenryu and TOKYO, as they managed to isolate Shinzaki. Milano managed to discover holes in the tactics of the Tenryu lead team, and exploited them as best he could, picking up the win with a pin fall over Mochizuki. Backstage after the match, Sasuke told reporters that he was highly impressed with the way Milano handled himself and said he would be more than happy to let him challanege for the WAR International Junior Heavyweight Title.

Kawada, Shibata and Murakami face the Heisei Ishingun team of Koshinaka, Goto and Aoyagi in the main event, that sees Kawada and Koshinaka facing one another for the first time in the WAR enviroment. Accompanied by Shiima Nobunaga and Jinsei Shinzaki, the Heisei Ishingun showed the great unity in the ring that brought them many successes in the early nineties, using their experience to outwit Shibata and Murakami. Many physical exchanges between the Ishingun team and Toshiaki Kawada almost brought a speedy demise to their chances, but they managed to persevere and Koshinaka picked up the win using his Powerbomb Pin to gain a victory over the less experienced Shibata. Shibata seemed enraged by the result and stormed off backstage, claiming that he had to re-focus himself and direct his energy appropriately. Murakami said he was pleased to be involved in such physical matches, just when he thought things were getting boring. Koshinaka tells reporters that the business between the Heisei Ishingun and The Revolution Army, particularly between himself and Tenryu, was far from over.

15th October 2005

In a press conference held earlier today, Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei revealed the full card for the up-coming 19/10 show in the Hakodate Citizen Gymnasium. This card sees the return of Dragon Kid and Sasuke The Great, who had been absent for the past few weeks due to some minor injuries. Many of the participants of this card are meeting their opponents in the ring for the first time here in WAR, in a theme that is frequent in this tour, of having new, fresh and interesting matches.

WAR MEGA POWER SERIES 2005

19/10/05

Hakodate Citizen Gymnasium

1. Takuya Sugawara & Susumu Yokosuka vs. Taiji Ishimori & Ryuji Ito

2. Dragon Kid & Sasuke The Great vs. Super Shisa & Kengo Mashimo

3. Andrei Arlovski vs. Shigeo Okumura

4. Hiroshi Hase vs. Minoru Suzuki

5. Jinsei Shinzaki, The Great Sasuke & Milano Collection AT vs. Genichiro Tenryu, Magnum TOKYO & Masaaki Mochizuki

6. Shiro Koshinaka, Tatsutoshi Goto & Masashi Aoyagi vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Katsuyori Shibata & Kazunari Murakami

13th October 2005

Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei, alongside Akira Maeda, Eiji Ezaki and Yoshiaki Fujiwara, revealed the poster, dates, locations and a few matches for the next tour; WAR: Mega Power Series 2005.

The influence of Maeda and Fujiwara is quite blatant throughout this small tour, that also sees the continued appearance of Hiroshi Hase who is featured in a number of high profile matches, including teaming up with Kensuke again to face Takayama and Suzuki. It seems that CIMA is reverting to the name Shiima Nobunaga throughout this tour as he continues to stick with the Heisei Ishingun stable through their difficult times. Also, Kazuyuki Fujita gets the opportunity to avenge his loss to Jinsei Shinzaki from earlier this year when they meet in the Differ Ariake. Many more matches are yet to be added to the tour, including a great number of junior bouts.

WAR MEGA POWER SERIES 2005

19/10/05

Hakodate Citizen Gymnasium

1. Andrei Arlovski vs. Shigeo Okumura

2. Hiroshi Hase vs. Minoru Suzuki

3. Jinsei Shinzaki, The Great Sasuke & Milano Collection AT vs. Genichiro Tenryu, Magnum TOKYO & Masaaki Mochizuki

4. Shiro Koshinaka, Tatsutoshi Goto & Masashi Aoyagi vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Katsuyori Shibata & Kazunari Murakami

WAR MEGA POWER SERIES 2005

26/10/05

Niigata City Gymnasium

1. Shiro Koshinaka & Shiima Nobunaga vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Raimu Mishima

2. Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroshi Hase vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Minoru Suzuki

WAR MEGA POWER SERIES 2005

02/11/05

Takamatsu City Gymnasium

1. Minoru Suzuki & Kazunari Murakami vs. Jinsei Shinzaki & Masashi Aoyagi

2. Hiroshi Hase & Ryuma Go vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Katsuyori Shibata

3. Shiro Koshinaka & Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Kazuyuki Fujita

WAR MEGA POWER SERIES 2005

09/11/05

Differ Ariake

1. Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Jinsei Shinzaki

WAR MEGA POWER FINALE 2005

16/11/05

Saitama Super Arena

WAR: CRUSH NIGHT IN KAGOSHIMA 2005 12/10/05

WAR: CRUSH NIGHT IN KAGOSHIMA 2005, 12/10/05

Kagoshima Arena

3,800 Fans - No Vacancy

1. Takuya Sugawara & Susumu Yokosuka defeat Super Shisa & Kengo Mashimo when Yokosuka used the Yokosuka Cutter on Mashimo. (09:31)

2. Katsuyori Shibata & Ryuji Ito defeat Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai when Shibata used a German Suplex Pin on Hirai. (10:58)

3. Kazunari Murakami defeated Ryuma Go by submission with a Cross Armbreaker. (06:57)

4. The Great Sasuke, Milano Collection AT & Taiji Ishimori defeat Magnum TOKYO, Darkness Dragon & Masato Yoshino when Milano used the Italian Revolution on K-Ness. (14:59)

5. Genichiro Tenryu & Arashi defeat Shiro Koshinaka & Masashi Aoyagi when Tenryu used a Powerbomb Pin on Aoyagi. (14:20)

6. WAR Six Man Tag Team Title: Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita & Minoru Suzuki © defeat Nobuhiko Takada, Masaaki Satake & Shigeo Okumura by submission when Suzuki used a Rear Naked Choke on Okumura. (V3) (17:56)

7. Andrei Arlovski & Bill Goldberg defeat Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroshi Hase when Arlovski used the Russian Neck Drop on Hase. (28:32)

Yokosuka and Sugawara showed great chemistry in the opening match, with a good showing against Shisa & Mashimo. Shisa and Mashimo gave them considerable opposition, but the inexperience of Mashimo was exposed as Yokosuka took advantage of a mistake and capitalised with the Yokosuka Cutter to pick up the win.

The unusual teaming of young junior Ryuji Ito and Katsuyori Shibata take on the regular team of Araya and Hirai in the second match of the night. Ryuji Ito gave a good showing, but his weight disadvantage was exposed by the more experienced Araya, forcing Ito to tag in partner Shibata. Shibata managed to maintain steady offence on the opposing team, eventually picking up the victory with a German Suplex Pin on Hirai.

Kazunari Murakami showed great fire and intensity, pushing the physical limits of experienced veteran Ryuma Go. The intensity and energy of Murakami overwhelmed Go, who went for a lariat but was caught in a Cross Armbreaker that ended the match.

The Great Sasuke, Milano Collection AT and Taiji Ishimori team up for the first time to take on Do FIXER in a six man tag bout. The match was very high paced and exciting from start to finish, with the young Ishimori managing to keep up with his more experienced partners. Some nice team work and the added experience of the WAR International Junior Heavyweight Champion The Great Sasuke allowed Milano Collection AT to pick up the victory, using the IR on Darkness Dragon, one half of the WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. Milano Collection was very pleased backstage and issued a challenge to his The Great Sasuke for his Title, that Sasuke said he would strongly consider.

In his first event as a returning member of the Heisei Ishingun stable, Masashi Aoyagi teamed up with leader Shiro Koshinaka to take on Revolution Army leader Genichiro Tenryu and partner Arashi. Aoyagi put up spirited opposition, but he showed some ring rust that Tenryu managed to take advantage of, executing the Powerbomb Pin to pick up the Revolution Army victory.

TEAM NO FEAR! 2005, WAR Six Man Tag Team Champions Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita and Minoru Suzuki came very prepared for the team Nobuhiko Takada had assembled, in a match Takada hoped would take place during the Six Man Tag Team Title Tournament a few months ago. The champions showed very strong form as usual, exploiting the weak points of Team Takada and capitalising on their strength and unity. This caused some slight confusion in the challenging team, and Suzuki eventually caught Okumura off guard with a Rear Naked Choke. Backstage after the bout, Takada said that he was working on building a stronger unit than he had assembled today, claiming to have nothing against Okumura, but stating that he would like to see someone like Kiyoshi Tamura in a team under his leadership.

'Mr. J-1' Kensuke Sasaki and Hiroshi Hase teamed up for the first time in many years to a great response from the crowd, as they prepared to face the powerful and so far undefeated gaijin team featuring Andrei Arlovski and Bill Goldberg. The strong stamina of Arlovski was in full display in this bout, that went just under thiry minutes; the longest match of Arlovski's pro wrestling career thus far. Bill Goldberg spread himself well through the match, allowing Arlovski to use his stamina to its full potential, and coming in when needed to wear the opponents down with strong power moves. Kensuke and Hase worked well together, but seemed to lack the chemistry once associated with the team. Exchanges between Kensuke and Arlovski or Goldberg had fans very excited, but in the end Arlovski overpowered Hase, executing the Russian Neck Drop to pick up a win over the veteran. Arlovski told reporters backstage that he was only going up from here, and that Kensuke should cherish his title while he can.

-

YOSHIHIRO TAKAYAMA, KAZUYUKI FUJITA & MINORU SUZUKI (first reign as WAR Six Man Tag Team Champions - 06/04/05 to present - 3 defences)

~ (06/04/05 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita & Minoru Suzuki defeat Riki Choshu, Tatsumi Fujinami & Jinsei Shinzaki when Takayama hits the Everest German Suplex on Choshu to become the 16th WAR Six Man Tag Team Champions. (35:53)

1. (18/05/05 @ Osaka Castle Hall) Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita & Minoru Suzuki © defeat Ryuma Go, Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai when Fujita uses a Knee Strike on Go. (V1) (19:07)

2. (13/07/05 @ Osaka Central Gymnasium) Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita & Minoru Suzuki © defeat Kenta Kobashi , Go Shiosaki & Tiger Emperor via submission when Fujita uses a sleeper hold on Shiosaki. (V2) (34:29)

3. (12/10/05 @ Kagoshima Arena) Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita & Minoru Suzuki © defeat Nobuhiko Takada, Masaaki Satake & Shigeo Okumura by submission when Suzuki used a Rear Naked Choke on Okumura. (V3) (17:56)

9th October 2005

Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei announced a special show that would be taking place on the 12th of October in the Kagoshima Arena; WAR: Crush Night In Kagoshima 2005.

WAR: CRUSH NIGHT IN KAGOSHIMA 2005

12/10/05

Kagoshima Arena

1. Takuya Sugawara & Susumu Yokosuka vs. Super Shisa & Kengo Mashimo

2. Katsuyori Shibata & Ryuji Ito vs. Nobutaka Araya & Nobukazu Hirai

3. Kazunari Murakami vs. Ryuma Go

4. Magnum TOKYO, Darkness Dragon & Masato Yoshino vs. The Great Sasuke, Milano Collection AT & Taiji Ishimori

5. Shiro Koshinaka & Masashi Aoyagi vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Arashi

6. WAR Six Man Tag Team Title: Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita & Minoru Suzuki © vs. Nobuhiko Takada, Masaaki Satake & Shigeo Okumura

7. Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroshi Hase vs. Andrei Arlovski & Bill Goldberg

This event would be celebrating the return of WAR to the Kagoshima Arena they used to hit on tours in the previous incarnation of WAR, and is rumoured to be an attempt to take away attention from the recent announcement made by Tatsumi Fujinami. It would also see the reunion of arguably one of the greatest tag teams of all time, in two time IWGP Tag Team Champions Kensuke Sasaki and Hiroshi Hase.

10th October 2005

'Lion Heart' Chris Jericho told press today that he would be returning to the United States, after a short run with Wrestle Association "R". He stated that he always enjoyed working with Genichiro Tenryu, and hoped that he would maybe work with him once again. Jericho specified that his return to the US had nothing to do with the recent announcement of Tatsumi Fujinami about the relationship with WWE and WAR.

Veteran worker Tatsutoshi Goto spoke with press today about his own situation, split between working for New Japan Pro Wrestling and Wrestle Association "R". Goto said that he had a lot of friends in NJPW, but none were as close as he had been with Heisei Ishingun friends Shiro Koshinaka and Masashi Aoyagi. He thanked NJPW for being a home for him for so long, but claimed in this battle he would be standing on the WAR side.

In a very similar story, junior legend Jushin Thunder Liger spoke briefly to press on this day about having to work for both New Japan Pro Wrestling and Wrestle Association "R". He said that he enjoys working for both promotions and will be more than happy to sit by the side and watch how things turn out as opposed to taking sides.

6th October 2005

Bad luck continues for the Heisei Ishingun stable as TARU announces his decision to break all ties with Koshinaka and company. When speaking with press today, he said that he enjoyed initially being a part of Heisei Ishingun, but revealed that he was uncomfortable and felt that his career in WAR might have been in jeapordy had he continued to battle The Revolution Army. TARU finished by saying that he was thinking about working more All Japan shows than he had been in the past few months, making clear that he was prioritising working for AJPW over WAR from here on.

8th October 2005

Today was the day of New Japan Pro Wrestling's huge Tokyo Dome show entitled 'Toukon Souzou New Chapter', and fans were shocked when they saw an invasion by none other than Genichiro Tenryu's Revolution Army! Tenryu appeared alongside Choshu, Arashi, Revolution Dragon and The Revolution Brothers, making their presence felt to Black New Japan, particularly Chono and Fujinami. Mr. Puroresu engaged in a brief shuffle with Tatsumi Fujinami, but they were seperated by referee Hiroyuki "Red Shoes" Unno. Whilst holding back Tenryu, Unno paused for a moment before shaking hands with Tenryu; he then tore off his NJPW shirt to reveal his old WAR referee shirt!

Tenryu told Fujinami and co. that they would regret involving themselves in the affairs of WAR. He said that the relationship with World Wrestling Entertainment was arranged by his brother-in-law Masatomo Takei, claiming that he was to blame for it. Tenryu continued, adding that he wanted to end the relationship with WWE, as WAR has gained nothing from it, and can stand easily on its own feet. Some shoving ensued before The Revolution Army left alongside "Red Shoes" Unno.

In some of the most significant bouts of the evening for NJPW, Brock Lesnar became the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion, pinning defending champion Hiroyoshi Tenzan in a three way bout also featuring 2005 G-1 winner and Team JAPAN member Manabu Nakanishi. Nakanishi demanded a singles match with Lesnar as soon as possible, as he was not pinned in the three way match. Team JAPAN went 1-1 for success against debuting former WWE workers, as LYOTO and Yujiro pick up the victory over Charlie Haas and Mark Jindrak when LYOTO finished Jindrak with a guillotine choke; but Matt Morgan pinned Yuji Nagata after a modified Chokeslam. WAR wasn't the only invading force of the evening as BNJ members Chono, Fujinami, Liger and Yano defeated Zero-One Max representatives Otani, Sato, Sai and Kamikaze; and Nakamura and Tanahashi defeated Naoya Ogawa and Masato Tanaka.

2nd October 2005

Black New Japan representative Tatsumi Fujinami spoke to press about his return to New Japan Pro Wrestling, his thoughts about the coming NJPW Tokyo Dome show on 08/10 and his decision to finally take up Chono's offer of becoming a member of BNJ; he also claimed to have a huge announcement to make concerning Wrestle Association "R".

Fujinami revealed to press that Wrestle Association "R" was just another go at the Super World of Sports ideology. Another attempt at a big money promotion with little heart for true pro wrestling. He then dropped the bombshell that WAR was indeed reliant on World Wrestling Entertainment, claiming that WWE was responsible for the 'downfall' of Dragon Gate Pro Wrestling, Michinoku Pro and the troubles suffered by Pro Wrestling NOAH that lead to the departure of its remaining founder Mistuharu Misawa. He continued, revealing that World Wrestling Entertainment had called on their relationship with Genichiro Tenryu in attempt to directly capitalise on the Japanese market; apparently in fear from talk of world wide domination by New Japan Pro Wrestling and their working relationship with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Fujinami concluded by asking that all true fans of professional wrestling boycott Wrestle Association "R" before it destroys Japanese puroresu!

On this same day, Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei revealed that on December 28th 2005, Wrestle Association "R" would be having its first ever stand alone Tokyo Dome show! The name and theme of the event have not yet been revealed, but Takei guaranteed that this night would be the catalyst for a massive revolution in Japanese professional wrestling.

4th October 2005

Experienced junior Naohiro Hoshikawa revealed today that he was planning on taking permanent leave from Wrestle Association "R". He explained that working for both Zero-One Max and WAR was providing him with more difficulties than he could handle both in the ring and backstage. He apologised to Genichiro Tenryu, Masatomo Takei and his Heisei Ishingun stable mates, but added that working for Wrestle Association "R" was having too much of a negative effect on his life.

Later in the day, in response to Naohiro Hoshikawa's departure, veteran worker Masashi Aoyagi stated that he would like to join back up with old Heisei Ishingun team mates Shiro Koshinaka and Tatsutoshi Goto as a replacement for Hoshikawa; claiming that he believes Heisei Ishingun needs all the help it can get in the battle against the tyranny of The Revolution Army, and that he felt this could be a way to freshen up his career, to give him a love for wrestling all over again.

August 2005

While attending to business in the United States, Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei took part in an interview with a representative from US wrestling radio show 'Ringside Live' that was posted on wrestlingclassics.com.

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RL: Welcome Mr. Takei, it is certainly a rare treat to have you here for this interview in the United States. Wrestle Association "R" has quickly became a growing phenomenon in Japan, with stories of success and also of controversy. Did you expect WAR to grow so quickly and to become such a success?

MT: Thank you. My brother-in-law and I shared a dream, and we shared this dream with many others who became the foundation of this new incarnation of Wrestle Association "R". Professional wrestling in Japan has become extremely competitive in the last few years, with some promotions even looking beyond their native land for success. We knew that it would be an uphill struggle, as there are so many promotions out there at the moment, so we are very happy to see such great success in such a short amount of time.

RL: What do you think was responsible for this success?

MT: Well, our dream and goal was to create an organisation that would be a revolutionary force in current Japanese professional wrestling; we intended to showcase true professional wrestling that we felt had been missing from the scene for at least a decade. Not only that though, we wanted to bring something new and fresh to the table, that was arguably missing in the earlier incarnation of WAR. We have also been able to obtain what we feel is a very strong roster, a great mixture of experience and fresh blood. Expect to see more young up and comers coming from the WAR Dojo in the near future. Since the fans seem to have embrace WAR, one can only assume that our we have been successful in achieving our goals.

RL: What is it like working with your brother-in-law again, Mr. Tenryu, after such a long period of time?

MT: It feels very natural. We have kept close since WAR originally fell apart in the late nineties, and that was how we were able to share our dream. We don't always agree with one another, in fact we butt heads quite frequently, but this is good for business and is how we are used to doing things; though I do admit that Genichiro can sometimes push the envelope.

RL: Speaking of pushing the envelope, there has been a lot of unrest amongst the fans after the South To North event when many thought that Shiro Koshinaka had pinned Tenryu for the three count. Your thoughts?

MT: I haven't been able to speak with Genichiro about this yet, but I intend to conduct a full investigation, as I am not happy with the way the match ended.

RL: Lets talk about the WAR roster. There are many in Wrestle Association "R" who also work for other promotions, does this not threaten to be a problem where stability is concerned?

MT: Foremostly, no. When these members of the WAR roster wrestle in other promotions, they are outside of the unique WAR environment that the fans crave, so there isn't a problem there.

RL: Could you clarify what members of the roster are not WAR exclusive?

MT: Obviously Satoru Sayama still runs Real Japan Pro Wrestling, which is why he doesn't frequent the WAR ring as often as some. Taiji Ishimori and Masao Orihara occassionally wrestle for Real Japan also amongst other promotions like dragondoor. Revolution Dragon can of course be seen in Toryumon Mexico, as can Takuya Sugawara, CIMA and Super Shisa. Jushin Thunder Liger is well known for being a New Japan wrestler, who can also sometimes be seen in Osaka Pro. Tatsutoshi Goto is another who occassionlly works for New Japan. Masashi Aoyagi ocassionally works for Pro Wrestling NOAH. Nobuhiko Takada works for HUSTLE amongst other things, TARU works for All Japan from time to time, Ryuji Ito for Big Japan and Minoru Suzuki sometimes works for New Japan and NOAH. There are also those like Osamu Kido, who are officially retired but still like to wrestle on occassion for a love of the sport. Beyond all of that, WAR still has a solid backbone currently lead by 'Mr. J-1' Kensuke Sasaki.

RL: What are relations like between WAR and other promotions like NJPW, NOAH, AJPW and ZERO ONE?

MT: It would seem that New Japan Pro Wrestling is jealous of the quick success of WAR, and frankly I am disappointed in them and Tatsumi Fujinami in particular. Such underhanded tactics are dishonourable and cowardly; hopefully we have seen the end of this. Liger and Goto have been mature enough so far amongst this, but time will tell where their allegiance lies. We have a strong relationship with Pro Wrestling NOAH that grows constantly, and we are friendly with All Japan Pro Wrestling. ZERO-ONE MAX seems to have some problem with the way that Genichiro and myself handle business, a problem seemingly shared by NOAH deserters Misawa, Akiyama and KENTA. I was pleased to see that Tatsuhito Takaiwa was above it and put his passion for wrestling first when he attended the WAR Six Man Tag Team Championship Tournament. WAR has become a great success very quickly, it is only natural that there will be resentment.

RL: What can we expect from Wrestle Association "R" in the years to come?

MT: The fans can expect to see a promotion that goes against the grain, constantly revolutionising professional wrestling and keeping things interesting. They can expect to see more new faces in the future and some familiar ones, and they can also expect 110% from WAR at all times.

RL: Finally, there are a lot of questions being asked on the internet and worldwide about a sequence of events surrounding the resurface of WAR. Dragon Gate Pro Wrestling and Michinoku Pro were apparently 'bought out' by an anonymous buyer. WAR resurfaces after five years of inactivity; it features workers from both promotions. Mysterious circumstances surround the financial problems of Pro Wrestling NOAH that lead to certain individuals deserting their own promotion. Genichiro Tenryu appears on World Wrestling Entertainment, and contracted WWE worker Chris Jericho makes appearances for WAR. Everyone wants to know; is World Wrestling Entertainment the financial backer of Wrestle Association "R", were they involved in the closure of Dragon Gate and Michinoku Pro, was there some deal involving NOAH that left certain people with a sour taste and is WAR just another big money venture by Tenryu and yourself?

MT: Tenryu has been friendly with World Wrestling Entertainment since his relations with them in the nineties. WAR is not reliant on WWE. That is all I can say. Thank you for having me.

RL: Thank you for your time, Mr. Takei. I wish you all the best.

------------------

Note: A little something to tide over the WAR fans for the time being. WAR will return when TEW 05 is released and I have become familiar with the game. TENRYU~!

WAR SOUTH TO NORTH 2005 24/08/05

The Tokyo Budokan Hall Presents: Wrestle Association “R”: South To North 2005.

Wrestle Association “R” makes its return to the Budokan Hall and almost fills out the building. Eiji Ezaki makes his way to the ring in preparation for the announcing role, whereas Maeda, Ujiie and Fujiwara take their place at ringside to provide commentary for the event.

1. Raimu Mishima & Takamichi Iwasa vs. CIMA & Naohiro Hoshikawa

The Revolution Brothers were very impressive in the opening bout, using a combination of intelligent ringwork and dirty tactics to gain the upper hand over the Heisei Ishingun representatives, CIMA and Hoshikawa; in the first of the Revolution Army vs. Heisei Ishingun themed matches. CIMA and Hoshikawa managed to collect themselves before suffering too much damage, and eventually turned the match right the way around, pulling off a victory when Hoshikawa executed a Comet Kick on Iwasa. Highly irritated by their loss, the Revolution Brothers made a hasty exit, as Heisei Ishingun picked up their first win of the evening. Backstage, Hoshikawa said that he was very happy to have picked up the win for the Ishingun, but apologised to his fans for not competing in a full schedule, stating that he did not wish to risk inflaming the injury that almost ended his career last year.

2. TARU vs. Revolution Dragon

The Revolution Brothers made their return to the ring alongside Revolution Dragon for this bout, seemingly with a purpose in mind. A lone TARU seemed almost defenceless in this bout, as all three members of the Revolution Army came at him from different angles, inside and outside of the ring. The referee had great difficulty in controlling the match and by the time CIMA and Hoshikawa returned to the ring, Revolution Dragon had already picked up the win over TARU after executing his Asai DDT; evening things out for the Revolution Army vs. Heisei Ishingun battle. Dragon stated after the match that he was confident this new path was the key to revitalising his career.

3. Milano Collection AT vs. Masaaki Mochizuki

This personal rivalry of jealousy and resentment was set to come to a head in this bout, as the leader of the Nuovo Italian Connection, Milano Collection AT was to take on former NIC member Masaaki Mochizuki who was known as ‘MOCHI’. Mochizuki let his anger distract him too often in this bout, as he made many mistakes that Milano wasted no time in capitalising upon. Realising this, Masaaki made an attempt at focusing himself and put up great opposition, executing his Twister brainbuster that nearly got the three count. He continued to use a variety of kicks to try and weaken Milano, but Milano showed great resilience and fought back, using a number of submission chains to slow down Mochizuki. After a particularly lengthy chain of submission moves, Milano caught Mochizuki in the Paradise Lock. The referee called an end to the match when Mochizuki failed to retaliate or respond to the predicament. Backstage after the match, Mochizuki told press that he realises he will need to adapt his style if he wishes to defeat Milano, who has been on a very successful roll in Wrestle Association “R”. Milano Collection AT also had a few things to say, stating that the Nuovo Italian Connection was officially disbanded and that he would like to focus on his singles career, perhaps with an overseas excursion.

4. Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Arashi

The Revolution Army vs. Heisei Ishingun theme continued as Arashi was set to go head to head with Tatsutoshi Goto. Both men were seconded by an individual from their respective groups (Choshu and Koshinaka respectively), but said individuals had no involvement in the match; showing great composure in the face of their strong rivalry. Goto and Arashi has a very physical battle, both big men trying their hardest to out do one another; hard chops, slaps and forearms often being exchanged. Arashi survived a backdrop from Goto and responded with a huge lariat, and followed the lariat up with a frog splash from the top rope to pick up another victory for the Revolution Army.

5. Andrei Arlovski & Bill Goldberg vs. Hiroshi Hase & Ryuma Go

The first of the heavyweight tag team exhibition matches was next; where the gaijin team of Arlovski and Goldberg was set to take on the native team of outsider Hase and WAR regular Go. Hase provided the most trouble for the gaijin team, showing great fighting spirit and energy, but the gaijin team proved to be far too powerful for the native team. Arlovski used a powerful roundhouse kick on Hase to stop him from interfering when Goldberg executed his Spear/Jackhammer combination on Ryuma Go to pick up the victory. Hase said backstage that he was happy to have teamed up with friend Go, and said that the youth and power of the Arlovski/Goldberg team would be too much for any team in Japan. Arlovski and Goldberg told press that they hoped to see the induction of a WAR heavyweight tag title where they could head the division as the most powerful team in Japan, if not the wrestling world.

6. GHC Junior Heavyweight Title: Tiger Emperor © vs. Kendo Kashin

GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Tiger Emperor was seconded by fellow NOAH junior Naomichi Marufuji in this bout. Kendo Kashin was seen trying to drag Kazunari Murakami to the ring, but Murakami seemed to have no interest in being the second of Kendo Kashin any longer and threw a punch at his jaw to get him away. A dazed Kashin staggered to the ring, but appeared to have collected himself by the time he was in the ring. Kashin used all his usual tricks in this bout, using the referee as a shield and hitting as few low blows on Tiger Emperor when he had managed to distract the official. A few cross armbreakers had Tiger Emperor in trouble, but he managed to escape each time. This wasn’t enough to deter the focused GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion however, who maintained his composure and managed to dominate Kashin with a variety of moves, eventually using the Tiger Suplex ’04 to defend his title from Kendo Kashin. Tiger Emperor told press backstage that he didn’t feel that this match really proved the superiority of NOAH juniors over those in WAR, adding that he would like to face The Great Sasuke at some point to really show their strength.

7. Katsuyori Shibata & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Nobuhiko Takada & Masaaki Satake

The second of the heavyweight tag division exhibition matches was a much longer and far more physically intense match than the first. All four men used very hard strikes throughout the match and all four men showed great tenacity and spirit. Kawada showed great focus and determination, using a jumping high kick on Satake to pick up the win for his team. Backstage after the match, Katsuyori Shibata challenged Arlovski and Goldberg, and said that they should face each other next month for WAR International Heavyweight Tag Team Titles, demanding that President Takei create them for that match.

8. WAR International Junior Heavyweight Title: The Great Sasuke © vs. Masato Yoshino

Magnum TOKYO and Darkness Dragon accompanied Masato Yoshino for their traditional Do FIXER entrance dance routine, whereas Sasuke was accompanied only by friend Shinzaki. TOKYO and K-Ness seemed to be playing the role of coach for Yoshino, one carrying a towel and the other with a bucket of water. The speed and determination of Yoshino was enough to overwhelm The Great Sasuke for some of the bout, as he executed a variety of strikes and innovative submission holds to confuse the veteran. The more experienced Sasuke managed to slow down the pace of the match a little with various submission holds of his own, successfully grounding and wearing down Yoshino. Yoshino used Another Space and the Torbellino on Sasuke, but neither were enough to keep the veteran junior down. Sasuke retaliated with his Thunder Fire Powerbomb and followed up with a Senton Dive to successfully defend his title. Sasuke told press that he was very impressed by Yoshino, and said that with much more experience he could become a very important figure in the Japanese junior division in the years to come.

9. Genichiro Tenryu & Riki Choshu vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Jinsei Shinzaki

The final and most personal of all Revolution Army vs. Heisei Ishingun matches is the second last match of the night. All members of both groups accompanied their respective teams for this match, with both teams looking extremely focused and physically prepared. Koshinaka managed to get the better of Tenryu early on, catching Tenryu by surprise with a number of Hip Attacks, forcing him to tag in Choshu. Choshu seemed to be looking to avenge his recent loss to Koshinaka, showing a great vicious streak. Koshinaka then tagged in Shinzaki, who managed to slow the bout down with his methodical and deliberate pace. Koshinaka and Tenryu eventually met again in the ring, where Koshinaka once again got the better of Tenryu, executing a number of Hip Attacks and following up with a Powerbomb Pin that seemed to get the three count, but the official claimed that Tenryu managed to kick up just in time. Tenryu quickly made the tag to Choshu who fell victim to a very focused and fired up Koshinaka, who executed two consecutive Powerbomb Pins to make it two for two in the Revolution Army/Heisei Ishingun rivalry. Many Ishingun members were seen to be arguing with the official who was tossed aside, as they changed their attention to Tenryu. The other members of the Revolution Army covered for him as he made a hasty retreat.

10. Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title: Kensuke Sasaki © vs. Yoshihiro Takayama

‘Mr. J-1’ Kensuke Sasaki was accompanied to the ring by wife Akira Hokuto and young protégé Katsuhiko Nakajima. One third of the WAR Six Man Tag Team Champions Yoshihiro Takayama was accompanied by another third in Minoru Suzuki, but the final third and remaining member of TEAM NO FEAR! 2005 Kazuyuki Fujita was nowhere to be seen. Takayama still seemed very focused however, but Kensuke looked just as ready. In the most physical encounter of the night, both men used everything they knew to try and defeat the other. Takayama used a variety of kicks, hard punches and knee strikes to try and dominate Kensuke, but Sasaki was too strong to be easily dominated and fought back with hard chops and stiff lariats of his own. A running face kick/running lariat battle ensued half way through the match, with Sasaki coming out on top even though Takayama had at times been kicking away the lariat arm of Kensuke. Takayama executed his Everest German Suplex on Kensuke, but it wasn’t enough to pick up a victory. Kensuke responded with a Northern Lights Bomb, but this wasn’t enough to keep down Takayama. Both men were bloodied by this point, after a brief exchange with the ring posts outside of the ring. Kensuke used the Strange Hold Gamma on Takayama, but Yoshihiro just managed to make his way to the ropes, with a little help from Minoru Suzuki. Akira Hokuto spotted the interference of Suzuki and went after him with her cane, seemingly eager to attack him after he mocked her earlier in the South To North tour; Nakajima had to hold her back to prevent things from getting out of hand. With Kensuke distracted, Takayama used three consecutive German suplexes on him, but this still wasn’t enough to extinguish the fire of Kensuke. Getting straight up after the three German suplexes, Kensuke executed three Northern Lights Bombs in return and fell onto Takayama to get the pin fall. Suzuki tried to attack Kensuke after the match had ended, but was confronted by Akira. Hokuto swung her cane for the head of Suzuki, but Suzuki ducked and stuck his tongue out at her. She swung a fake strike and Suzuki went to duck again, but she then struck him as he ducked. Suzuki and Takayama rolled from the ring and headed to the back as Kensuke celebrated. Takayama said backstage that he feared the spirit of TEAM NO FEAR! 2005 was diminishing and claimed that this was distracting him from the task at hand during his match. He said that over the next month he would be working on focusing that spirit and maybe challenging for the title again. Kensuke told press backstage that the strength and support his family and fans give him keep him focused and determined to represent Wrestle Association “R” as the number one promotion in Japan. He added that he was looking at Nobuhiko Takada and Shiro Koshinaka as the contenders for his title next month.

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH 2005, 24/08/05

Tokyo Budokan Hall

5,500 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Naohiro Hoshikawa & CIMA defeat Raimu Mishima & Takamichi Iwasa when Hoshikawa uses a Comet Kick on Iwasa. (11:23)

2. Revolution Dragon defeats TARU using the Asai DDT. (08:51)

3. Milano Collection AT defeats Masaaki Mochizuki via submission using the Paradise Lock. (12:40)

4. Arashi defeats Tatsutoshi Goto using a Frog Splash. (07:33)

5. Andrei Arlovski & Bill Goldberg defeat Hiroshi Hase & Ryuma Go when Goldberg used the Jackhammer on Go. (11:04)

6. GHC Junior Heavyweight Title: Tiger Emperor © defeats Kendo Kashin using the Tiger Suplex ’04. (V2) (14:48)

7. Katsuyori Shibata & Toshiaki Kawada defeat Nobuhiko Takada & Masaaki Satake when Kawada hits a jumping high kick on Satake. (15:41)

8. WAR International Junior Heavyweight Title: The Great Sasuke © defeats Masato Yoshino with a Senton Dive. (V2) (19:01)

9. Shiro Koshinaka & Jinsei Shinzaki defeat Genichiro Tenryu & Riki Choshu when Koshinaka uses a Powerbomb Pin on Choshu. (24:12)

10. Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title: Kensuke Sasaki © defeats Yoshihiro Takayama with a Northern Lights Bomb. (V3) (28:22)

19th August 2005

GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Tiger Emperor said that he is pleased Kendo Kashin accepted his offer. However, he added that to really put pressure on Kashin, he would like to make their match a GHC Junior Heavyweight Title match; so as to show the strength of NOAH juniors (especially after Kanemaru & Sugiura let the side down last month) and show that he is more than confident in his ability to defeat Kashin, who he described as nothing more than a trickster.

20th August 2005

One third of the WAR Six Man Tag Team Champions and TEAM NO FEAR! 2005 member Kazuyuki Fujita stated his annoyance to the press today about his lack of direct involvement in the South To North event at Tokyo on the 24th. He apologised to the fans for this, and claimed that he would soon like to avenge the loses he gained back in March to Jinsei Shinzaki and Kensuke Sasaki to show his strength and determination to make a mark in WAR.

22nd August 2005

Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei held a press conference alongside one third of the WAR Six Man Tag Team Champions and TEAM NO FEAR! 2005 member Yoshihiro Takayama, and Heisei Ishingun leader Shiro Koshinaka.

Takayama was very brief, claiming that he wasn't too concerned about his Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title match, as he is very confident in his ability to take down Kensuke again; adding that 'Mr. J-1' Kensuke Sasaki is an inadequte representation of the raw power and revolutionary nature of Wrestle Association "R".

Koshinaka was equally brief, and was visibly very irritated. He expressed his anger at Genichiro Tenryu for not allowing him another singles match against him, claiming that Tenryu is a coward who is ruining the promotion with his selfishness.

Masatomo Takei revealed the final card for the 24/08 South To North show in Tokyo.

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH 2005

24/08/05

Tokyo Budokan Hall

1. Raimu Mishima & Takamichi Iwasa vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa & CIMA

2. TARU vs. Revolution Dragon

3. Milano Collection AT vs. Masaaki Mochizuki

4. Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Arashi

5. Andrei Arlovski & Bill Goldberg vs. Hiroshi Hase & Ryuma Go

6. GHC Junior Heavyweight Title: Tiger Emperor © vs. Kendo Kashin

7. Katsuyori Shibata & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Nobuhiko Takada & Masaaki Satake

8. WAR International Junior Heavyweight Title: The Great Sasuke © vs. Masato Yoshino

9. Genichiro Tenryu & Riki Choshu vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Jinsei Shinzaki

10. Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title: Kensuke Sasaki © vs. Yoshihiro Takayama

WAR SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005 17/08/05

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005, 17/08/05

Fukuoka West Japan Exhibition Hall

2,800 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Masaaki Satake & Shigeo Okumura defeat Nobukazu Hirai & Nobutaka Araya when Satake used a Double Chickenwing Pin on Hirai. (12:14)

2. CIMA defeats Takamichi Iwasa using the Mad Splash. (08:35)

3. Magnum TOKYO, Darkness Dragon & Masato Yoshino defeat The Great Sasuke, Super Shisa & Kengo Mashimo when Yoshino uses a Torbellino on Shisa. (14:05)

4. Nobuhiko Takada, Tiger Emperor & Milano Collection AT defeat Katsuyori Shibata, Kendo Kashin & Masaaki Mochizuki via submission when Takada locks a Crossface Chickenwing on Mochizuki. (15:52)

5. Revolution Army vs. Heisei Ishingun: Genichiro Tenryu, Riki Choshu, Arashi & Revolution Dragon defeat Shiro Koshinaka, Jinsei Shinzaki, Tatsutoshi Goto & TARU when Tenryu executes the 55-Year-Old on Goto. (22:37)

6. Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita & Minoru Suzuki defeat Kensuke Sasaki, Kenta Kobashi & Go Shiosaki when Fujita uses a Fishermans Suplex Pin on Go. (19:46)

In a taster of what might be seen in Tokyo, the team of Satake and Okumura take on Araya and Hirai in heavyweight tag team action. Both teams show great spirit and tenacity, with Satake using a pinning combination to pick up a victory over Hirai.

In another taster of what is to come where the Revolution Army vs. Heisei Ishingun theme is concerned, CIMA takes on one half of the Revolution Brothers, Takamichi Iwasa. Iwasa is accompanied to the ring by his brother Raimu Mishima, but CIMA comes to the ring alone. Before the match begins, CIMA takes the mic and states that he doesn't need a second for this bout, because they can colour it anyway they want, but to him the Florida Brothers will always be the Florida Brothers; as such he promises victory alone. Iwasa puts up very strong compeition however, with next to no assistance from his brother Raimu. When CIMA begins to pick up some momentum, Raimu attempts to interfere, but accidentally clotheslines his brother. CIMA quickly capitalises, following the Venus and the Iconoclasm with a Mad Splash.

DO Fixer perform a variation of their regular Do FIXER entrance routine, though Masato Yoshino becomes the centrepiece of the dance. Sasuke leads Shisa and Mashimo to the ring, encouraging strong team work between them. Both teams show good chemistry, with Magnum TOKYO and K-Ness deliberately trying to allow Yoshino to win the fall in this bout. Sasuke makes the save several times, but is sidelined due to a shot below the belt from Darkness Dragon. Yoshino and TOKYO capitalise, with Yoshino using the Torbellino on Shisa to pick up a victory.

In more six man tag team action, two teams of wrestlers who haven't really had the chance to work side by side often face off in what becomes quite a physically intense battle. Easily could have gone either way, but Takada used his weight and experience advantage to pick up the victory via a crossface chickenwing on Mochizuki.

The War escalates as four members of the Heisei Ishingun stable lead by Shiro Koshinaka go head-to-head with four members of Genichiro Tenryu's Revolution Army. The crowd appeared to be somewhat divided throughout this battle, that was in itself a back and forth struggle. There were many physical exchanges between Tenryu and Koshinaka, and as the match reached it conclusion there were a few moments when the officials had difficulty controlling the action. It came to its end however, when Tenryu caught Goto with the 55-Year-Old and covered for what many have called a suspicious pin in terms of speed and whether or not Goto's shoulders remained on the mat all through the three count. After some argument with officials, the Ishingun stable managed to clear the ring of the Revolution Army, where Koshinaka promised that they would dominate the Tokyo show with complete victory over the Revolution Army.

Another extremely physical bout followed, when "Mr. J-1" Kensuke Sasaki teamed up with NOAH owner Kenta Kobashi and his protege Go Shiosaki, to take on WAR Six Man Tag Team Champions TEAM NO FEAR! 2005 in a non title exchange. Much of the physicality seemed to overwhelm the smaller Suzuki and Shiosaki, with Kensuke, Kobashi, Takayama and Fujita dominating the match. Takayama had Kensuke in trouble several times throughout, and Fujita was said to be very impressive in this match, often going toe-to-toe with Kobashi and Kensuke; using many high angle suplexes and powerbomb variations. Kobashi had Fujita in trouble however, when the match was nearing its end after a number of half nelson suplexes, and allowed Shiosaki the chance to capitalise. Shiosaki went for a brainbuster, but Fujita managed to slide out and take down young Go. As Fujita began to lay in knees to the head of Shiosaki, Kensuke and Kobashi made an attempt at saving him, however Takayama and Suzuki intervened. Fujita used a fishermans suplex pin on Shiosaki to pick up the victory.

15h August 2005

In a promotional conference for the Tokyo South to North show, Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei revealed the matches that would be exhibiting the quality of a potential heavyweight tag team division. Before he revealed these matches, Ryuma Go had something to say about the tag team partner he had been searching for. He claimed that he had searched all over Japan for the ideal partner that would be the key in his success as a part of this heavyweight tag team division. Go held up a photograph of his partner, and this partner was therefor revealed to be none other than Hiroshi Hase.

Takei then stated that as such, the two matches which would be added to the Tokyo South To North show are;

Andrei Arlovski & Bill Goldberg vs. Hiroshi Hase & Ryuma Go

Katsuyori Shibata & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Nobuhiko Takada & Masaaki Satake

As this was announced, Ryuma Go appeared to be less than happy with the opponents he had drawn. After glaring at Takei for some time he stormed off.

The South To North show now looks like this;

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH 2005

24/08/05

Tokyo Budokan Hall

1. Raimu Mishima & Takamichi Iwasa vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa & CIMA

2. TARU vs. Revolution Dragon

3. Milano Collection AT vs. Masaaki Mochizuki

4. Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Arashi

5. Andrei Arlovski & Bill Goldberg vs. Hiroshi Hase & Ryuma Go

6. Kendo Kashin vs. Tiger Emperor

7. Katsuyori Shibata & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Nobuhiko Takada & Masaaki Satake

8. WAR International Junior Heavyweight Title: The Great Sasuke © vs. Masato Yoshino

9. Genichiro Tenryu & Riki Choshu vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Jinsei Shinzaki

10. Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title: Kensuke Sasaki © vs. Yoshihiro Takayama

14th August 2005

Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei held a press conference alongside owner Genichiro Tenryu and experienced junior Kendo Kashin, where they revealed the full card for the upcoming Fukuoka show, as well as a few more matches for the big Tokyo Budokan event that seem to be continuing the Revolution Army vs. Heisei Ishingun theme.

In response to the request of Shiro Koshinaka for another singles match against Tenryu, Mr. Puroresu said that he had no interest in facing Koshinaka in another singles match since he was not impressed by his performance in their last singles match. Therefor, he denied Koshinaka a singles match, but said that he may face him in a tag bout in Tokyo.

On the other hand, Kendo Kashin accepted the request of NOAH GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Tiger Emperor for a singles match, and said that they would meet in Tokyo; where Kashin would prove that he has no fear of facing him and defeat him decisively to secure his reputation.

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005

17/08/05

Fukuoka West Japan Exhibition Hall

1. Nobukazu Hirai & Nobutaka Araya vs. Masaaki Satake & Shigeo Okumura

2. Takamichi Iwasa vs. CIMA

3. Magnum TOKYO, Darkness Dragon & Masato Yoshino vs. The Great Sasuke, Super Shisa & Kengo Mashimo

4. Katsuyori Shibata, Kendo Kashin & Masaaki Mochizuki vs. Nobuhiko Takada, Tiger Emperor & Milano Collection AT

5. Revolution Army vs. Heisei Ishingun: Genichiro Tenryu, Riki Choshu, Arashi & Revolution Dragon vs. Shiro Koshinaka, Jinsei Shinzaki, Tatsutoshi Goto & TARU

6. Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita & Minoru Suzuki vs. Kensuke Sasaki, Kenta Kobashi & Go Shiosaki

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH 2005

24/08/05

Tokyo Budokan Hall

1. Raimu Mishima & Takamichi Iwasa vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa & CIMA

2. TARU vs. Revolution Dragon

3. Milano Collection AT vs. Masaaki Mochizuki

4. Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Arashi

5. Kendo Kashin vs. Tiger Emperor

6. WAR International Junior Heavyweight Title: The Great Sasuke © vs. Masato Yoshino

7. Genichiro Tenryu & Riki Choshu vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Jinsei Shinzaki

8. Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title: Kensuke Sasaki © vs. Yoshihiro Takayama

12th August 2005

The Great Sasuke announced that after facing him briefly on 10/08, and monitoring him throughout this tour, Masato Yoshino would indeed be his opponent in Tokyo. He stressed that he had no fear of losing the WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship, and that he would like to set a level that the younger juniors would have to aspire to, so as to ensure the highest quality within the WAR junior division. Sasuke claimed that after defeating Liger for the title, he feels he has solified himself as the strongest regular veteran junior in the promotion and would always give one hundred percent so that a certain standard is set for anyone that has what it takes to take the title from him.

Shiro Koshinaka also spoke with reporters today, where he revealed that he would like to face Genichiro Tenryu again in singles competition. He said that although he didn't manage to defeat Tenryu at the Battle Angel event in Osaka, he feels that his recent victory over Riki Choshu has revitalised him, and that he now has that extra edge that would give him the advantage in another match against 'Mr. Puroresu'. Koshinaka claimed that he was far from impressed by the 'Revolution Army', stating that they are mocking themselves with the names they are using as there is nothing revolutionary about them. He concluded by saying that Tenryu may as well call himself 'Mr. Revolution', as in this context he is the boss of the army, whom the others follow blindly unto the promise of a vague revolution.

WAR SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005 10/08/05

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005, 10/08/05

Nankoku City Gymnasium

1,500 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Taiji Ishimori defeats Koji Ishinriki with the Superstar Elbow. (7:02)

2. Yoshihiro Takayama defeats Shigeo Okumura with a Northern Lights Bomb. (6:15)

3. TARU, Naohiro Hoshikawa & CIMA defeat Revolution Dragon, Raimu Mishima & Takamichi Iwasa when TARU hits the TARU Driller on Iwasa. (13:47)

4. Jushin Thunder Liger, Kendo Kashin & Kazunari Murakami defeat Satoru Sayama, Tiger Emperor & Super Shisa when Kashin uses a Victory Roll on Shisa. (15:55)

5. Kensuke Sasaki & Kengo Mashimo defeat Lion Heart & Masashi Aoyagi via submission when Sasaki uses Strangle Hold Alpha on Aoyagi. (12:50)

6. The Great Sasuke & Milano Collection AT vs. Masato Yoshino & Masaaki Mochizuki comes to a draw when the time limit expires. (20:00)

7. Shiro Koshinaka defeats Riki Choshu with a Powerbomb Pin. (19:34)

In an impressive outing, Ishimori manages to secure a victory after a poor run so far in the South To North Tour. Experienced junior Koji Ishinriki doesn't make it easy for him though, but the agillity and determination of the younger of the two gains Ishimori the pin with his Superstar Elbow.

Takayama looks extremely confident in this bout, accompanied to the ring by Minoru Suzuki, who is holding a cane and wearing a tracksuit in the style of Akira Hokuto, Kensuke Sasaki's wife. Takayama quickly dominates the bout, using many of Kensuke Sasaki's trademark maneuvers; with Suzuki yelling words of encouragment from the outside. Takayama eventually puts and end to the bout, using Kensuke's own Northern Lights Bomb to pick up a very decisive victory on a battered Okumura. WAR ring boy and dojo trainee Kentaro Fujikage helps Okumura to the back. Backstage, Takayama and Suzuki celebrate their victory with many bottles of beer, where Takayama claims that due to this victory he will no doubt be named MVP of 2005, before going on to win the Japan J-1 Title.

As a part of the Heisei Ishingun vs. Revolution Army theme that has been occuring throughout this tour, the Revolution Dragon teams with The Revolution Brothers Iwasa and Mishima, to take on the three Ishingun representatives. Those Ishingun representatives manage to avoid Revolution Dragon for much of the bout and eventually isolate Iwasa in order to pick up a decisive victory.

The team lead by Jushin Liger wastes no time in attacking their opponents, quickly going on the offensive and knocking Sayama from the ring. Sayama eventually manages to regather himself, and clears the ring of Liger, Kashin and Murakami. In what could be described as a chaotic bout, Liger goes out of his way to prevent Sayama from gaining any advantage in the bout, often forcing the fight to the outside. Murakami abandons his team mates after only being in the ring for short period of time, and as the match comes to an end, Kashin knocks Tiger Emperor from the apron and rolls up Shisa to get a very cheap victory. Those in attendance are quite vocal about the result, as Kashin quickly makes his way backstage. Murakami speaks very briefly with reporters afterwards, stating that he was simply bored of being in such weak teams. Tiger Emperor also speaks briefly with reporters stating that this barely even qualified as a wrestling match, and that he would like to face Kashin in singles competition, claiming that Kashin is cowardly and afraid to face him.

A slightly unfocused Kensuke manages to keep it together in this match against Lion Heart and Aoyagi. Mashimo shows great intensity and focus however, managing to dominate Aoyagi with strikes, and provide a strong challenge for Lion Heart. Mr. J-1 Kensuke Sasaki proves that he is still in top form however, as he forces Aoyagi to submit to Strangle Hold Alpha.

A tag match between four of WAR's best junior heavyweights provides exciting and fast paced action, but neither team looks to falter in the slightest as the time limit is reached. Throughout the bout, Sasuke appeared to be testing Yoshino with a variety of holds and submissions. Mochizuki tells reporters backstage that he can't wait to get his hands on Milano Collection AT in Tokyo, where he will prove to the world that he is the superior of the two.

Both Choshu and Koshinaka have support from their respective stables in this bout, as about eight men take the respective corner of their team mate. Both Choshu and Koshinaka appear very focused and intense as they provide an extremely physical and aggressive battle. Tenryu makes a few attempts at interfering in the bout, but it stopped by Jinsei Shinzaki which leads to a brawl of those representatives at ringside. Inside the ring, Choshu looks to have secured victory, following up a Riki Lariat with the Sasorigatime, however Koshinaka manages to fight his way to the ropes to force Choshu to break the hold. Choshu hits another Riki Lariat on Koshinaka when he gets to his feet, but Koshinaka kicks up just before the three. Choshu, seemingly angered by this, begins to berate and push around the referee. As he does however, Koshinaka gets to his feet and catches Choshu off guard with a running hip attack. He then follows up with a hard Powerbomb Pin that just keeps Choshu down for the three count. Choshu cuts any celebration short however, as he goes straight for Koshinaka when he gets to his feet after the three. Tenryu and Arashi hold Choshu back before the Revolution Army team walks to the back, defeated on this occassion.

6th August 2005

Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei (seen on the right) discusses his thoughts and feelings on WAR International Heavyweight Tag Team Titles in an open press conference promoting the South To North show in Tokyo.

He said that he was strongly considering the possibility of their being heavyweight tag team titles, as there is indeed a strong basis for such a division. With Mr. J-1 Kensuke Sasaki holding securely onto the Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title, and TEAM NO FEAR! 2005 with the WAR Six Man Tag Team Titles, many heavyweights are without title opportunites. Mr. Takei said that his main concern was that there would be too many title belts in WAR, and some of them would lose their place or significance. He also reveals that a few wrestlers within Wrestle Association "R" have contacted him and expressed interest in such a title; and he would list the teams later that night that expressed such an interest.

Those teams were;

Katsuyori Shibata & Toshiaki Kawada

Genichiro Tenryu & Riki Choshu

Andrei Arlovski & Bill Goldberg

Nobuhiko Takada & Masaaki Satake

Ryuma Go & ?

He said that he wished to hear some feedback from both wrestlers and fans where this is concerned before making any kind of decision. If he hears positive things from both sides, then matches will be announced that shall display the heavyweight tag team division.

Takei also revealed that on the next event, legendary junior heavyweight Satoru Sayama would again be wrestling for WAR in a six man tag team bout. Also, Yoshihiro Takayama had demanded a special singles bout which he claimed would keep him strong and confident on the road up to his Japan J-1 Title match. To conclude, he revealed many big matches for the remainder of the South To North Tour and announced that due to the demand of both men involved, Milano Collection AT and Masaaki Mochizuki would go head to head in singles competition in Tokyo on 24/08.

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005

10/08/05

Nakoku City Gymnasium

1. Koji Ishinriki vs. Taiji Ishimori

2. Yoshihiro Takayama vs. Shigeo Okumura

3. Revolution Dragon, Raimu Mishima & Takamichi Iwasa vs. TARU, Naohiro Hoshikawa & CIMA

4. Jushin Thunder Liger, Kendo Kashin & Kazunari Murakami vs. Satoru Sayama, Tiger Emperor & Super Shisa

5. Kensuke Sasaki & Kengo Mashimo vs. Lion Heart & Masashi Aoyagi

6. The Great Sasuke & Milano Collection AT vs. Masato Yoshino & Masaaki Mochizuki

7. Riki Choshu vs. Shiro Koshinaka

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005

17/08/05

Fukuoka West Japan Exhibition Hall

1. Takamichi Iwasa vs. CIMA

2. Katsuyori Shibata, Kendo Kashin & Masaaki Mochizuki vs. Nobuhiko Takada, Tiger Emperor & Milano Collection AT

3. Revolution Army vs. Heisei Ishingun: Genichiro Tenryu, Riki Choshu, Arashi & Revolution Dragon vs. Shiro Koshinaka, Jinsei Shinzaki, Tatsutoshi Goto & TARU

4. Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita & Minoru Suzuki vs. Kensuke Sasaki, Kenta Kobashi & Go Shiosaki

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH 2005

24/08/05

Tokyo Budokan Hall

1. Milano Collection AT vs. Masaaki Mochizuki

2. Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title: Kensuke Sasaki © vs. Yoshihiro Takayama

5th August 2005

Kensuke Sasaki spoke at great length regarding the Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title today, in a press conference resided over by Mr. Takei. He had the Title spread out across the desk in front of him.

".. Losing to Yoshihiro Takayama earlier in the tour gave me a lot to think about where the J-1 Title is concerned. I am confident that I will defend the title from Takayama, as his victory in the tag match proved nothing. I look forward to defending it, as it will mean defending the title against another former IWGP Heavyweight Champion and an NWF Heavyweight Champion, both of which have once been held by Antonio Inoki. What I would like to do is prove the superiority of the Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title over all other titles in Japan. It is a title that over forty years ago was once held by the father of Japanese professional wrestling, Mr. Rikidozan. Not only will I have defended it against an IWGP Heavyweight Champion and an NWF Heavyweight Champion, but also Triple Crown Champion in Toshiaki Kawada. Not to mention that Tenryu has also held two of those three titles mentioned, and also the Japan J-1 Title in the past; and I have defeated him for this title. Notably, I have yet to defend the title from a GHC Heavyweight Champion, which is also something I would like to do.

There are many in Wrestle Association "R" that I would like to defend the title from however, the likes of Shiro Koshinaka, who is showing admirable fire and spirit, and I feel that a match against him would be very challenging. Also Kazuyuki Fujita, Bill Goldberg, Andrei Arlovski and Nobuhiko Takada as this would further strengthen the credibility of the title. Fujita is a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion with an impressive Mixed Martial Arts record, Bill Goldberg is a former WCW and WWE Heavyweight Champion who I would particularly like to defend the title against, as in 1999, Tenryu said that he would like to defend the J-1 Title on the WAR 7th Anniversairy show against Bill Goldberg, but it never happened, due to his WCW contract. Andrei Arlovski is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion who has been having a very impressive run in WAR thus far who I feel would be a very strong challenger for the title; defeating him would only strengthen the Japan J-1 Title further and its credibility over the world of mixed martial arts. Nobuhiko Takada is also a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, and a former UWFI Undisputed Heavyweight Champion who would also add to the credibility of the J-1 Title if I defended it from him.

I heard recently about the impending invasion of New Japan Pro Wrestling into Wrestle Association "R" and I don't think that WAR has anything to worry about. New Japan is weak at the moment, and has a weak champion in Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Granted we may be battling for popularity as the number one promotion in Japan, but I do not feel that there will be much of an actual physical battle. I am ready to defend WAR from any kind of invasion if and when it actually happens."

WAR SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005 03/08/05

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005 - The Dragon Awakens, 03/08/05

Osaka Central Gymnasium

6,738 Fans

1. Takuya Sugawara defeats Taiji Ishimori with the Shiisanputa. (07:32)

2. Andrei Arlovski defeats Ryuma Go via submission with an Achilles Lock. (06:13)

3. Toshiaki Kawada defeats Masaaki Satake via submission with the Stretch Plum. (09:27)

4. Tiger Emperor & Super Shisa defeat Kendo Kashin & Kazunari Murakami when Tiger uses the Tiger Suplex '04 on Kashin. (12:44)

5. The Great Sasuke & Milano Collection AT defeat Jushin Thunder Liger & Masaaki Mochizuki when Sasuke uses the Thunder Fire Powerbomb on Mochizuki. (16:05)

6. Kensuke Sasaki & Jinsei Shinzaki defeat Yoshihiro Takayama & Minoru Suzuki when Shinzaki uses the Nenbutsu Powerbomb on Suzuki. (22:30)

7. Genichiro Tenryu & Revolution Dragon defeat Shiro Koshinaka & Naohiro Hoshikawa when Dragon hits the Revolution DDT on Hoshikawa. (18:51)

Sugawara and Ishimori have a very exciting opening bout, with Sugawara coming out on top after using his Shiisanputa (modified backbreaker into head drop).

Ryuma Go gives Arlovski some strong opposition in the second match, but the Belarus native easily overpowers Go, and takes him down for the Achilles Lock to pick up the victory. Arlovski said after the match that if someone like Ryuma Go can make a claim to being a part of a heavyweight tag division, then so can he. If such a division was to be created, Arlovski said that he has a great idea for a team that would overwhelm the division and put them on top.

In another singles bout, Dangerous K Toshiaki Kawada shows great strength and conditioning as he comes out on top of a very physical battle with Satake, using his Stretch Plum submission hold to gain the victory.

Tiger Emperor and Super Shisa show great chemistry in this bout against Kashin and Murakami. Murakami looked to have the match one on a number of occassions, but the bout reached its end when Emperor managed to use Kashin's trickery against him, and pick up the win using his Tiger Suplecx '04. Kashin appeared irrate after the match, and told Tiger Emperor that he can't just come to WAR and expect to get to do whatever he wants without consequence.

Four of WAR's top junior workers take part in an exciting tag team match that has the WAR International Junior Heavyweight Champion The Great Sasuke coming out on top. Mochizuki perhaps trying to hard to get his hands on MilaColle, doesn't manage to concentrate on the match at hand when Sasuke executes the Thunder Fire Powerbomb to get the three.

Takayama looks to secure another victory over Japan J-1 Champion Kensuke Sasaki in this tag bout. His desperation to harm Kensuke eventually leads to both men brawling on the outside, allowing Jinsei Shinzaki to pick up a victory over a distracted Minoru Suzuki using his Nenbutsu Powerbomb.

After Koshinaka, Hoshikawa and Tenryu make their way to the ring, a video package is shown featuring various clips of Yoshihiro Asai and Ultimo Dragon. As the video ends, the words 'The Dragon Awakens' are across the screen when Ultimo Dragon makes his way to the ring in a gold outfit. Genichiro Tenryu whispers something in the ear of the announcer, before the he announces this as being 'Revolution Dragon'. Tenryu and Koshinaka have many very phyical and aggressive exchanges throughout the match, but the match comes to its conclusion when Dragon isolates Hoshikawa and executes the Asai DDT. Backstage after the bout, Dragon revealed that the move he used to finish the bout was now known as the Revolution DDT, one that would help bring a change to Japanese professional wrestling under the guiding hand of Genichiro Tenryu and as a part of the Revolution Army. He said that one day he will finish some business with Dragon Kid, but for the time being he was focused on dealing with the Heisei Ishingun stable.

Note: I started using Murakami as a junior because of his weight (220lbs) which is my cut off point for junior/heavy. I've just been teaming him with Kashin as I think they make a good team, he hasn't really been actively a junior. Admittedly, I haven't been using Murakami very well, but I'll sort that eventually.

1st August 2005

Wrestle Association "R" President Masatomo Takei held a press conference today alongside Genichiro Tenryu, to reveal more matches for the remainder of the tour. Before he began, he mentioned that he had heard the statement made by Katsuyori Shibata regarding the creation of WAR International Heavyweight Tag Team Titles, and claimed that he would take this into deliberation. Tenryu told reporters that he has spoken to Riki Choshu recently regarding a singles bout between him and Koshinaka, and a date has been agreed upon for the bout. He continued by stating that at the next event, he would have a mystery partner who would not be revealed until the event itself.

The next event features the return to WAR of Pro Wrestling NOAH's GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion, Tiger Emperor. The remainder of the tour looks like this so far;

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005 - The Dragon Awakens

03/08/05

Osaka Central Gymnasium

1. Takuya Sugawara vs. Taiji Ishimori

2. Ryuma Go vs. Andrei Arlovski

3. Masaaki Satake vs. Toshiaki Kawada

4. Kendo Kashin & Kazunari Murakami vs. Tiger Emperor & Super Shisa

5. The Great Sasuke & Milano Collection AT vs. Jushin Thunder Liger & Masaaki Mochizuki

6. Kensuke Sasaki & Jinsei Shinzaki vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Minoru Suzuki

7. Genichiro Tenryu & X vs. Shiro Koshinaka & Naohiro Hoshikawa

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005

10/08/05

Nakoku City Gymnasium

1. Kensuke Sasaki & Kengo Mashimo vs. Lion Heart & Masashi Aoyagi

2. The Great Sasuke & Milano Collection AT vs. Masato Yoshino & Masaaki Mochizuki

3. Riki Choshu vs. Shiro Koshinaka

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH SERIES 2005

17/08/05

Fukuoka West Japan Exhibition Hall

1. Takamichi Iwasa vs. CIMA

2. Yoshihiro Takayama, Kazuyuki Fujita & Minoru Suzuki vs. Kensuke Sasaki, Kenta Kobashi & Go Shiosaki

WAR: SOUTH TO NORTH 2005

24/08/05

Tokyo Budokan Hall

1. Japan J-1 Heavyweight Title: Kensuke Sasaki © vs. Yoshihiro Takayama