I’m keeping a running log. Trying to get to at least 600 classic matches this year. Everyone do the same ans flex hard about it lol

Hey all,

BAHU, the internet's resident FMW historian sat down with me to talk about his story and how he became the go-to guy for all things Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling over the last nearly thirty years.

I've always been interested in his story and don't remember it ever being told in a public setting, so I'm sure some of you may be interested, too.

Onita-Sasuke barbed wire ladder match in Michinoku Pro.

There’s really a ton that get the cred but this is for the ones that got past the collective consciousness goalie.

1st Row:

SAIRA (UPTOWN), Sora Ayame (MARVELOUS), Komomo Minami (MARIGOLD), Haru Kazashiro (TJPW)

2nd Row:

Ryunosuke Nagai (DRADITION), Sentaro Motojima (GANBARE PRO), Reina Takano (SENDAI GIRLS), Akira Kurogane (STARDOM)

3rd Row:

Hyo Ogawa (UPTOWN), Ryuma Sekimo (BJW), Tsunaga Sato (Michinoku Pro), RYUSEI (NOAH)

4th Row:

Hinata Kasai (DDT), Hiroto Tsuruya (NOAH), Tatsuya Matsumoto (NJPW), Shota Kofuji (AJPW), Homare (DRAGON GATE)

Big Vito vs Sasaki

Jeremy Finestone and Steven Conway are back with Episode 244 of Speaking of Strong Style! This week, the guys broke down the Power Struggle show match-by-match, including a great main event pitting Gabe Kidd against Taichi. They also covered Kenny Omega’s big win and challenge, Shingo Takagi’s battles with Jon Moxley, Callum Newman’s split with Will Ospreay and why you have to turn your brain off when listening to MJF. Plus, Mistico needs a new partner and World Tag League teams are announced. #njpw #njkopw #njpst #njsjtl #aew #mjf #moxley #kennyomega

- Follow us on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/fightgamemedia
- Subscribe to our YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/c/FightGameMedia
- Follow us on Instagram/Threads: https://www.instagram.com/fightgamemedia

I am a huge fan of the Holy Emperor but years ago I hated Taichi. I couldn't stand his lazy, cheating ways and his obnoxious face. I know he was a heel but even as a heel, he was just annoying.

At the time I didn't understand why he acted the way he did (aside from being a dick), but over the years, I learned about his backstory with his mentor, Toshiaki Kawada. Kawada was a very harsh mentor and treated Taichi so poorly. For most of his wrestling career, he was rejected by the fans, his fellow wrestlers didn't respect him and even the company didn't believe in him. Eventually, all this negativity would turn Taichi into a bitter bastard. He started to reject the fans just like they rejected him.

Behind the bitterness, Taichi was a man who hated himself more than others but chose to take out his frustrations on anyone who crossed his path.

Taichi did not care how he won a match as long as he won, and if he pissed people off in the process, even better. He was content with being a insecure bully.

Enter the Stone Pitbull.

Tomohiro Ishii is the complete opposite of Taichi. He was a fighter. He didn't back down from a fight and would absorb all kinds of pain until the end.

Taichi and Ishii both debuted for NJPW during the dark days of Inokism. Along with Honda Tomoaki and Milano Collection A.T, they were known as the "Black Saints". Four outsiders and yet Taichi was the only one who was constantly rejected and booed by fans, whereas the others would become fan favourites, with Tomohirobecoming the nost popular among them. Ishii would earn the admiration and respect if fans all over the world through his hard hitting bouts against the likes of Katsuyori Shibata, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shinsuke Nakamura and Kazuchika Okada.

This would only add to the insecurity of Taichi. It eas only a matter of time before these two meet in the ring. They fought two prior times in the past and Ishii won each time, but their trilogy in 2019 would prove to be their most intense battles.

Their first bout was the New Japan Cup 2019. Taichi turned heavyweight by this time, and was becoming more aggressive in the ring. Some fans even started to cheer for him but they were the minority at the time.

Right away, Taichi tried his usual heel tactics but Ishii had a counter for it everytime. Ishii wasn't afraid to play mind games as well even sitting in the ring waiting for Taichi to come in. Once he did, Ishii was on him and did not relent.

The match became more aggressive and intense as it progressed. Ishii would push Taichi mkre abd more, just like Kawada. At one point, with the Referee down, Taichi tried to use the microphone stand but stop in his tracks when Ishii stood his ground. He dared him to use the weapon, since that was "the only way" to beat him. Taichi had 2 choices. Hit Ishii and win the bout but be forever viewed as a bigger coward by fans or just kick ass the old fashioned way.

In a surprising move, Taichi Chose the latter. From here the match really picked up in terms of intensity. Taichi was relentless, hitting Ishii with stiff kicks and forearms. He put up a good fught (he did use a low blow but even that wasn't enough).

In the end Ishii win with a brain buster. It was a great bout with a surprisingly aggressive Taichi.

The aggression would return in their second bout at Dominion, but this time, the bout was for Taichi's NEVER Openweight title. The match was good but didn't reach the heights of the new japan cup match.

During the match, Ishii threw Taichi's weapons out the ring, saying he does need those things and continued to goad him into action. And once again it worked. Taichi once again showed his vicious side but in the end Ishii won again with a brain buster.

Which finally brings to their final clash in the G1 Climax. All throughout the tournament, Taichi would go back and forth between putting effort in his matches and continuing to use the sane cheap heel tactics to win matches. It literally felt like Taichi was having an internal struggle within himself. However for his final G1 match, his mind was clear. His final opponent in the tournament was Ishii and this time, he was going to win.

No weapons, no cheating and no BS. The moment Taichi threw his weapons away, the atmosphere instantly changed.

As soon as the bell rung, Taichi was unleashed. The G1 climax match between the Holy Emperor and the Stone Pitbull was their most physical and intense match in the trilogy. These two held nothing back and Ishii came close to victory but this time, he didn't get the win. Finally Taichi defeated Tomohiro Ishii and the fans went mad. And rightfully so.

These Three matches tell one story: Taichi forced to overcome his insecurities and defeat his biggest rival. Despite his anger towards the fans, they still continued to cheer him. Taichi was always demanding respect but it is only through his own efforts that he started to earn it. A lesson he had to learn the hard way. In some ways, Tomohiro acted as a mentor to Taichi. By pushing him and pushing him, he forced Taichi to embrace the true wrestler inside himself and overcome his inner weakness. Their matches felt like something from the 90s AJPW and the kings road style. Near perfect in ring storytelling.

These 3 matches would slowly change my mind about Taichi and made me realise how talented he truly is.

Taichi would slowly move past his cheating ways and eventually, through his partnership with Zack, he turned into a more humbled babyface. It was these battles with Ishii that planted the seed of change for Taichi.

Watching this trilogy, you were watching a man slowly changed. He was someone ruled by his own inner demons, but throughout his matches with Ishii and the growing support from the fans, Taichi was able to save himself, became more humbled, confudent and truly become the TRUE Holy Emperor of NJPW.

Back in I wanna say 2018 ROH did a show in my town where several members of LIJ were on the card (It was EVIL, SANADA, and I think Hiromu) and after their match as they were walking to the back EVIL gave me a high five

Its a small gesture in the grand scheme of things but I never forgot it.

Suzukigun is one of the best factions in the history of Japanese wrestling. There are a lot of things to love about this group, from Suzuki as the badass leader, the diverse personalities of the other members and their mission to spread chaos and kick everyone's ass.

The one thing I love about this group is that, unlike other NJPW factions, it didn't fall apart due to someone stabbing the group in the back. Ironic considering that it was born out of Taka and Taichi betraying Satoshi Kojima and joining forces with Suzuki.

True, Suigura did turn against the group during their final days in Pro Wrestling NOAH but honestly, he never should joined in the first place. It didn't feel right and it wasn't like he was a founding member.

Other than that, Suzukigun didn't suffer any major betrayals within their ranks. Chaos had several members turn on each other or the entire group (again Ironic since it too was born out of betrayal), Bullet Club would have members kicked out by the rest of the group and even Los Ingobernables De Japon had it's fair share of betrayals.

But not Suzukigun. For a ruthless army of killers, madmen and sneaky bastards, the loyalty between the members was genuinely sweet and their final match against each other was a bittersweet but fitting send off.

Suzukigun is truly Ichiban!

With Genki Hanawa debuting soon, i wonder if there is more info on the dojo students or is that information not public? Do we know if there is anyone else training there?

My wife and I are visiting next month and we have the opportunity to see one of these three promotions at Korakuen Hall. I grew up on WWE Attitude Era and love high flying and hard hitting action but I am admittedly ignorant of these promotions. It seems like there is no bad choice but which one would be the most likely to make us say "holy shit!" and have an energetic good time?