Those Days: A Michinoku Pro Retrospective Ep. 13 - Michinoku's UK Excursion
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Voices of Wrestling
New Japan/Michinoku Pro partnership
New Japan Pro Wrestling held a press conference on March 4th to officially announce it would be holding its second Tokyo Dome card of the year on April 29th. On that show, you will not only get the Great Sasuke versus Jushin Thunder Liger, but you will get Jinsei Shinzaki versus the Great Muta.
Great Sasuke vs. Mr. Pogo match
I'm putting this in the essentials tab. The spot where Sasuke gets tied to the ropes and then Mr. Pogo blows a fireball into his face is so truly insane to a point that Sasuke runs out of the arena and falls face down into the snow. Best fireball sell ever.
CMLL/AAA title controversy
Pantera came out with the CMLL welterweight title and said he was giving back the title because he is joining Triple A. We do not see that anymore of guys jumping promotions as champions.
Michinoku Pro UK excursion
I'm surprised that these UK excursion shows aren't looked at as a bigger deal, because this is probably the first time that a Japanese group ran official shows outside of Japan.
Ultimo Dragon injury status
Ultimo Dragon said that he wouldn't be going to ECW because he's in too much pain to do what would be necessary to get over there. He's got so many injuries now at 29 from all the craziness of his youth.
Taka Michinoku's wrestling style
I think the thing that takes you really aback with Taka is that he gives you this feeling of force and propulsion in his springboard. He has an ability that his flying attacks feel like there's a level of malevolence with them that is absent in 2026.
Michinoku Pro UK tour reception
Dave Meltzer was told that about 95% of the fans had no idea who the Japanese wrestlers were, but they went nuts and gave them a standing ovation at the end of the show.
Michinoku Pro historical timeline
We are now shifting into what would be recognized as the peak of Michinoku Pro, the prime of Michinoku Pro.
1995 Michinoku Pro retrospective
1995 turns into this story of plan B's essentially. It becomes really a conversation of how they've started to really flesh out the remainder of the roster.
1995 roster development
I think that 1995 becomes in a lot of ways the year of Taka Michinoku. I think that Gran Naniwa has an incredible 1995.