SWS Wrestlefest in Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Super World of Sports (SWS) was a short-lived (1990-92) promotion led but not owned by Genichiro Tenryu, who had a brief working relationship with the WWF, with the two co-promoting some cards in Japan, including two Tokyo Dome shows in ’91. This one did a reported 36,000 or so, and this was the main event.
This was also requested, via Ko-fi!
This is obviously a big deal match for any promotion in ’91, let alone a young one. Hogan had stopped coming to Japan in mid-1985, because he was just full-time huge with the WWF and they couldn’t afford to have him missing from cards, though he’d done a match in ’90 at the Dome against Stan Hansen on the WWF/AJPW/NJPW Wrestling Summit show.
The Road Warriors had become notable gaijin stars during Hogan’s time away from Japan, too. At this point, they’d been in the WWF since Aug. 1990 as The Legion of Doom, but they’re using the Road Warriors name for this. They’ve also got “Iron Man” back for their entrance.
This is also the one and only time that Hawk and Animal were together and Hogan on the opposite side in any sort of normal match. They’d all been in the 1991 Royal Rumble a couple months prior. Hawk did team with Power Warrior in ’93 in NJPW against Hogan and the Great Muta, but other than this, the Royal Rumble, that, and the ’95 World War 3 battle royal in WCW, Hawk and Hogan never were in a ring together, and this was the last time for Animal and Hogan.
Tenryu is wearing a yellow-and-red get-up for the entrance to show solidarity with the Hulkster. Animal and Tenryu start it off, Animal shows off his power. Hogan tags in after a couple displays and shoves Animal around on tie-ups, then Animal just starts brawling. Hogan has a bandage on his left temple. The Warriors get in for a double press slam, Tenryu lifted by Hawk, Hogan lifted with more difficulty by Animal, who eventually just gives him the, “Nah, big man, you’re going all the way up.”
Animal runs into a big foot in the corner, then Hogan hits his clothesline, which everyone loves, and Hawk takes one, too. Tenryu tagged for a couple of enzuigiris. The Warriros don’t take kindly to this and everyone stares it down, ready to go, but nobody’s making the move and we powder out for Tenryu and Hawk.
I always like how Tenryu is just so generally unimpressed by the Big Presence of various opponents. One of those little things about a wrestler that always made them stand out in my mind and turns a wrestler into a personal favorite.
Animal gets two on a powerslam to Tenryu while Hawk and Hogan fight outside and wander off. Animal takes himself and Tenryu out to the floor, too. That doesn’t last too long. Warriors isolate Tenryu and give him the what’s for. Hawk is also busted open, then they get to exchange chops, as Tenryu will do, before the tag to Hogan.
Hogan calls it out, AXE BOMBER on Hawk! Backbreaker gets two. Hogan is also busted open and grabbing a chinlock on the Hawkster. Hawk powers his way up, so Hogan goes to the back, but Animal gets the tag and runs Hogan over with a shoulderblock, Hogan making sure to take it as lightly and wimpily as possible. Now a chinlock from Animal.
Hawk’s really leaking. Hogan less so. Hogan and Animal double clothesline one another so both are down and the count is on. Hawk tags and doesn’t let Hogan make it to Tenryu, instead hitting a powerslam and a fistdrop, then back to another chinlock. But don’t worry, Hulk shows off his secret technical wrestling skills with one of his clumsy drop toeholds, and gets the tag to Tenryu.
Tenryu with chops and a lariat for two, Hawk breaks that up and Tenryu flies out of the ring, determined to make the Road Warriors look as fuckin’ alien-monster strong as possible. Hawk slams Tenryu on the floor, Hogan grabs a chair, and he goes after Hawk, nailing him a couple times. Animal, meanwhile, sends Tenryu sprawling over the commentary table.
Hawk throws a table at Hogan’s big fuckin’ bald head. Hogan mildly acknowledges this. I love Japan. The chaos settles, they get back in. Tenryu hits a back suplex on Animal, but Animal grabs hold of him before he can tag Hogan, then Hawk runs across the ring to nail Hogan, allowing the Warriors to move Tenryu where they want him, which in this case is back outside for Hawk to stomp on.
Inside and Tenryu hits a power bomb on Hawk, but Animal races in with a lariat. Hogan thinks about chasing Animal, then realizes Tenryu is close to their corner, so he goes back on the apron for the tag. Big foot for Animal, who takes that about as flush as Hogan did his shoulderblock earlier. Scoop slam, legdrop, Hawk breaks the pin and dumps Hulk to the floor.
Warriors hit the Doomsday on Tenryu, taking special care to not flip him on his dome or anything. Hogan is fucking sick of it, so he just whacks Animal with a chair, then rakes Hawk in the eyes, and everyone heads to the floor. They all fight out there until the Road Warriors get a countout win by being in position to get back into the ring on time.
Post-match, there’s more posturing with chairs and officials and young boys getting chucked around and battered. Hogan and Tenryu eventually just hit the bricks because Animal in particular is a nut, but actually it’s Hogan getting his own chair to return. He and Animal both have chairs. Tenryu is back. If I were him I’d have gotten a chair, too. Hawk is just covered in a cool smattering of his own blood. Eventually enough people get between the big boys for it to basically be settled, and Hogan and Tenryu get to hang out with Hogan’s music playing in the background.
There’s a specialness to this being the only Hogan vs Road Warriors encounter ever. Tenryu, despite this being his home base, is kind of the afterthought, but he also seems fully content with that, and he gets enough in to look credible with the American megastars if you’re paying enough attention, while also making sure you notice him flying around at the great strength of the Road Warriors.
The match sets an early tone and just sort of stays there; even the blood, which you’d think would indicate some escalation, isn’t much of a real factor, and other than seeing the blood, the tenor never really goes up any, at least not notable. Not a great match, but a cool thing that happened once and worth checking out if you’re ever so inclined. Meltzer gave it ***½ back when; if he saw a match like this on a show now, he’d fall asleep. Times do be a-changin’, and frankly Dave does more to go with that than most people. I think what older folks reject with him now — I won’t get into the youngsters — is that he never got stuck in time. And also that he’s been so OTT star-horny for certain people for so long now, and he never seems to think, “Golly, I’ve seen this all before, haven’t I? This exact match, with these exact people, repeatedly?” But that is a story for another time. I don’t even know why I’m talking about it now. Also I may be overestimating most people’s Dave issues, it may mostly be that they are stupid. Probably is.
Tape Machines Are Rolling 