First Tokyo Dome Show: Battle Satellite.

 Battle Satellite in Tokyo Dome

This is the first show to be held in the newly built Tokyo Dome. Antonio Inoki's NJPW during an incredibly hot period of business is the first to run it.

Match 1: Young Lion Cup Hiro Saito vs Naoki Sano

Saito is first to gain an advantage but Sano uses his speed to take out Saito and hit a dive on the outside. Saito is able to work from on top here. Quite enjoy Sano as a fiery babyface. Saito is an unbelievable heel using his size to his advantage. He is really grinding out Sano in this one. Sano’s kicks are awesome in this one. Am a hair confused on how either man is a young lion. However this is damn awesome with fantastic heel face dynamics. Hiro Saito hits a fantastic missile dropkick to send Sano to the outside before eating shit on a dive. Sano hits a massive crossbody to the outside. Sano gets impossibly close on a two count. Saito hits a backslide but Sano gets a rope break. Saito hits a fantastic electric chair drop and a bridging German suplex for a 2 count. Sano reverses

 the jackknife pin on the powerbomb into a pin of his own, beating Saito this was fantastic.

60/80

Match 2: IWGP Heavyweight Tournament Masahiro Chono vs Big Van Vader 

Vader starts the festivities quickly with a right hand as Chono tries to fight him off but the Mastodon is too strong. This crowd is impossibly hot for this match, Vader has been this unkillable monster and the young Chono is a fiery babyface roaring against the odds. Vader mauls Chono in this one as he was one to do. Chono desperately tries to fight back with everything he has but it’s simply not enough. The Mastodon is able to completely overpower Chono. The hope spots from Chono cause the crowd to roar, but it's always quickly snuffed out. This match genuinely uses its 5 minutes perfectly. Vader mauls Chono as Chono desperately claws for every inch. Chono hits a massive German suplex but it takes more from him then Vader and Vader’s able to pin him for two after. Vader hits a massive splash for the win. This was really quite great, using its limited run time to perfection.

55/80

Match 3: IWGP Heavyweight Tournament Tatsumi Fujinami vs Vladimir Berkovich

This was a theme of this tournament: Japan vs USSR wrestlers. Early feeling out process that leads to grappling with Berkovich finding a takeover but Fujinami is able to find one of his own. I really enjoy the desperation in this match up. Both men know if they win they will still have to wrestle later tonight so they both try and finish this as quickly as they can. The psychology of the frantic pace is fantastic. Fujinami is the first to send strikes landing leg kicks. Berkovich finds a submission but Fujinami finds a rope break, a suplex and an arm bar for the win. This was a fantastic 4 minute match. I loved the dynamic here a lot. 

50/80

Match 4: IWGP Heavyweight Tournament Buzz Sawyer vs Victor Zangief

I love the way they add tension immediately by finding holds on the mat. This is already absolutely fantastic. Both men are working at a frenetic pace. Sawyer and Zangief both keep sending takedowns and pin attempts. Zangief and Sawyer are equals on the mat where it rules. I love Zangief in this match so much he absolutely rules. Sawyer kicks out of one German but cannot kick out of the second one. This was fucking great but less great then the previous match

45/80

Match 5: IWGP Heavyweight Tournament Riki Choshu vs Shinya Hashimoto

Start with feeling out strikes before a tense and nasty lockup and break. The test of strength here is absolutely fantastic in this one before Hashimoto takes over with an arm lock. This has turned into a bomb throwing match with Choshu hitting multiple throws but getting rolled up. This was comfortably the weakest of the first round match ups. I enjoyed this a decent amount but lacked the psychology of the previous ones. 

40/80

Match 6: IWGP Heavyweight Tournament Tatsumi Fujinami vs Big Van Vader

Fujinami is hesitant to interact with the monster and his hesitancy is quickly found to be justified as he eats a backdrop. I love Vader’s offense but his selling is truly what makes him so great. His ability to take moves and knowing when to sell and when not to is the key to Vader. Fujinami’s comeback is beyond words. Fujinami sends Vader to the outside before trying to lock up with Vader but Vader is able to sweep the leg and find a hold. Fujinami’s valiant comeback as he smacks the shit out of Vader, before transitioning to an arm lock. Fujinami has an arm bar now, impossibly deep. Will the monster tap out?!?! Vader is able to survive by rope break. Fujinami reverses a vertical suplex and hits a suplex of his own. Fujinami is fantastic in this one. Vader forces his way to his feet. Before leveling the dragon with a lariat. Fujinami manages to stop his momentum in the ropes and sends Vader to the outside where they brawl. Fujinami refuses to quit keeping the pressure on Vader to put the pressure on the Dragon. Fujinami attempts a flying attack and it is his downfall. Eating a suplex but he still continues to fight the monster as the crowd roars around him. Vader connects on a lariat and a splash. This was the perfect match for these two to have.

70/80

Match 7: IWGP Heavyweight Tournament Victor Zangief vs Shinya Hashimoto

Impossibly tense lock up to begin now. Hashimoto is absolutely awesome in this with his ability to sell the stakes. Trying to grapple the Russian but it's rarely successful. I love the heel work from Zangief, just not giving an inch on the mat. It's fantastic. Shinya is first to throw strikes as expected as he is outclassed on the mats. However Zangief is able to take over with mat work. This match is genuinely so fantastic. Zangief's ability to maul Shinya is incredible. Shinya surviving Zangief puts him over massively; and that is what he did he simply survived the Russian before finding a heel hook. Zangief’s selling is the best part as he is forced to tap. This was really great.

55/80

Match 8: Wahka Eveleov vs Masa Saito

Pretty great mat work to begin but is missing the intensity of the previous Japan vs USSR matches. Wahka is the first to find a rope break but is not the last. This one is pretty lifeless compared to the others we had today. Masa Saito rules here however, even if Wahka isn’t great. Wahka finds an armbar, this was whatever.

35/80

Match 9: IWGP Heavyweight Tournament Shinya Hashimoto vs Big Van Vader

Vader is trying to intimidate Hashimoto but the musketeer is not phased one bit. Vader cannot use his size to dominate Shinya here. However Vader’s power is unlike anything else in wrestling. Hashimoto refusal to back down from the Mastodon even as he is being battered causes him to shine like a star. He gives as good as he gets with vicious kicks. Hashimoto is able to out grapple the monster in this one targeting Vader’s arm. I love this match a lot. Vader’s selling then violence is so damn great. Vader smashes Hashimoto with lariats as the musketeer continues to kick out refusing to quit rules before he is finally killed. This match was fantastic. The final portion was slightly weaker than the Fujinami one. Still a fantastic showing. Vader wins the vacant title. 

65/80

Match 10: Super Strong Machine George Takano vs Hiroshi Hase Shiro Koshinaka

Tense beginning between Takano and Hase before Machine tags in and works over Hase. I really enjoy Strong Machine and  Takano’s offense here. Takano and Koshinaka trade slaps then headbutts then holds. I really enjoy Strong Machine and Takano in this one working over Hase. Hase being a beast in these matches is truly unfortunate with who he is as a human being. Strong Machine is one I was unfamiliar with and he is fantastic here.  Machine hits a perfect bridging suplex before being rolled up by Koshinaka. Hase is fantastic in this match. Takano is someone I definitely need to check out after this performance. Koshinaka drops Machine straight on his head with a suplex before doing the same to Takano with a powerbomb. The kickouts are a tad excessive at this point. Strong machine wins after a bridging fisherman suplex. This was great.

55/80

Match 11: Jushin Thunder Liger vs Kuniaki Kobayashi

This is the debut of Yamada under the Liger mask. Liger is a house of fire flying all over the place here even hitting a massive crossbody. Liger hasn’t quite figured out the right blend yet for the character but is still awesome here. Kobayashi focuses on grounding Liger. This match is really fun but Liger hasn’t quite figured out the psychology of a more aerial style yet. Kobayashi is fantastic in this one as a bullying heel. I love Liger’s kicks in this one wish he used more of them.Liger goes for a massive splash but Kobayashi gets the knees up. Liger wins with a massive German suplex. This is pretty damn good.

50/80

Match 12: Bam Bam Bigelow vs Salmon Hashimikov 

Bam Bam is taunting Hashimikov, refusing to shake his hand and hitting a dropkick. I love Bam Bam’s big man moving way to well spots. Hashimikov is able to take down the big man with ease. Hashimikov is able to hit a suplex on the massive Bigelow to win in 2 and a half minutes. This was here, I think this could’ve been great but sadly wasn’t. 

35/80

Match 13th: Antonio Inoki vs Shota Chochishvili 

This is one of those weird Inoki needs to show how great pro wrestling is in hybrid rules worked matches. Chochishvili is not a trained wrestler and instead a judoka and it shows. This is not good. Chochishvili just completely doesn't sell a backdrop. Round one done this is bad. Chochishvili takes over Inoki whilst hunting an armbar. I really don’t get the rules here. Another round comes to an end. Chochishvili doesn’t seem to understand what pro wrestling is and it shows in this match. They are now taping up Inoki’s arm to help with the damage with arm bars. Inoki finds a heel hook that the ref forces him to break. Round 4 is pretty fun but is still not particularly good. Inoki is selling one arm and it looks weird. The round ends with Inoki in a choke hold. This is bad and boring. Inoki barely survives a back suplex and even a third one but the fourth is enough. This was not good at all.

30/80

Battle Satellite is absolutely fantastic as a show. The Main event drags it down considerably. The tournament was definitely a highlight. Hashimoto Vader and Fujinami did spectacularly in this one. The Takano tag was fantastic, as well as Liger’s debut as Liger. I loved the Japan vs USSR matches a lot. Overall a great show. 

7.5/10

Signing off for now, Peace E.K