Chris Jericho, Big Titan and Lance Storm, collectively counting to nine
(Photo courtesy Masanori Horie)
Chris "Corazon de Leon / Lion Heart / Lion-do / Monday Night" Jericho is a young member of sympathizers of not only Japanese wrestling but Japan itself. He adapted himself to the Japanese environment like Dory & Terry Funk, Abdullah the Butcher, and Stan Hansen did, and could learn the style and got over. This guy has been taking advantage of every opportunity so he can be better.
His first tour to Japan was for Atsushi Onita's FMW from 10/10 to 10/24/91.
"Sudden Impact" (Jericho & Lance Storm) from Calgary scored a big upset over The
Gladiator and Horace Boulder (Jericho packaged Gladiator in 9:51) in Yoshikawa,
Saitama on 10/24, and he returned to the FMW's Yokohama Baseball Stadium in Kanagawa
on 9/19/92 (a death match of Onita vs. Tiger Jeet Singh / a legend match of
Killer Kowalski vs. John Tolos). He and Kevin Fall beat Eiji Ezaki (Hayabusa) and
Koji Nakagawa (Jericho beat Ezaki in 10:12) in a curtain raiser match.
He headed for Mexico, and, as "Corazon de Leon"(Heart of Lion) beat
Mano Negra to win the 77th NWA World Middleweight title (one of the oldest wrestling
titles since the '30s) at Vista Revolution on 12/4/93, while Lance Storm went to Europe; then, they
as "The Thrillseekers" debuted in Smoky Mountain Wrestling area in January, '94.
After about a one year absence, he became a regular as "Lion Heart"
for Genichiro Tenryu's WAR from February in '94. He had some great matches on the WAR.
(6/4/95 Korakuen Hall) Lion Heart b. Gedo (19:20) to win the International Junior
Heavyweight title.
(7/7/95 Rogoku Kokugi-kan) Lion Heart b. Ultimo Dragon (19:20) for the title. This match was televised by satellite channel WOWOW; then, he could add to his reputation to American fans who watch Japanese video tapes. Cactus Jack witnessed the show, and he was impressed with Jericho's match, and, of course, his old hero Jimmy Snuka's match, Mil Mascaras / Bob Backlund / Snuka vs. Perry Saturn / John Kronus /Hector Garza.
(12/13/95 Ryogoku Kokugi-kan) Wild Pegasus (Chris Benoit) b. Lion Heart (13:43) in "Super J-Cup/2nd Stage" at Ryogoku Kokugi-kan. Benoit was one of his ideal wrestlers.
He had 24 tours for the WAR for 29 months from 2/24/94 to 7/21/96. He was hot on ECW at the same time, and appeared on Antonio Inoki's World Wrestling Peace Festival at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on 6/1/96. Then, he opened the door to WCW.
Calgary, FMW, Mexico, SMW, WAR, ECW, and WCW / New Japan ... Jericho's
motivation and adaptability made him a Super Star / Super Estrella all over the world.
He can read and write "kana" (Japanese alphabet / general term for a number
of syllabic writing system developed in Japan, all based on Chinese characters
["kanji"]). So, he can check out Japanese wrestling articles about himself, as well as his favorite rock music magazine "Burrn", and he can go everywhere in Tokyo by himself, and made a lot of friends.
He was even named "Lion-do" when he was teaming with Kodo Fuyuki and Jado &
Gedo; "do" means "way", "Ja-do" is "Evil-way", and "Ge-do" is "Outlaw-way."
The telephone was ringing in the evening on Friday (1/3/97), "Hey, this is Chris, Happy New Year !" "Where are you now?" "Calgary!"
The next day, at the Tokyo Dome, Koji Kanemoto's opponent "X" finally came out on the ramp .......... Silver outfit , "Super Liger" !!! It was a moment when another of a boy's dreams had just come true.
Chris Jericho is always looking for a place where hard working will be
appreciated and understood, and where he can enjoy his favorite rock.
Since the '50s, thousands of foreign wrestlers have came to Japan to work
for Japanese wrestling offices. The first wrestling show in Japan was held at Ryogoku
Memorial Hall (old Sumo Hall) on Sunday, 9/30/51. Joe Louis (former World Heavyweight
Boxing champion) and 7 professional wrestlers (including Bobby Bruns from Iowa and Harold
Sakata from Hawaii) were invited by The Torii Osasis Shriner's Club in Tokyo to appear on a show
to entertain U.S. servicemen in the Korean War ('50-'53).
he Japanese word "gaijin" means "foreigner". We call wrestlers from
foreign countries "gaijin - wrestlers" in Japan. Of course, paid employment of
gaijin-wrestlers is strictly regulated by the Immigration Control Law, and wrestling offices go through
the entry procedure and get their working Visas for them.
In September, 1998, a total of 28 offices and groups have 136 shows all over Japan, and they bring over 30 gaijins from USA, Canada, Mexico, and Austria ... New Japan(7 gaijins including Jericho), All Japan(9), FMW(1), RINGS(3), WAR(1), IWA(3), Pancrase(5), Battlarts(2), and FULL(10), Big Japan's baby face gaijins, Jason the Terrible (NY) & Fantastic (Mexico) live in Tokyo and Yokohama. Arsion Woman has 2 Americans (Reggie Bennett and Jessica Soto [from Al Snow's gym]) and 3 Mexicans (Apache sisters, Lady Metal ) in their Dojo ... "Dojo" is the Japanese wrestling training system and all-living facility, as its purpose is the training of young wrestlers into main eventers while inculcating them with the strict etiquette, discipline, and special values of wrestling. Chris Benoit (March '86), Darrell Peterson (Maxx Pain / Mountain Rock), Brian Adams (Crush; he was stationed in the U.S. Air Force in Yokota Base in '82 -'86) were training in New Japan's Dojo in the '80s.
Not every gaijin-wrestler succeeds. Only limited gaijin can get over in Japan. They have to break barriers of
language, life style, human relations, wrestling style ..........
You can simulate here if you were a gaijin-wrestler who stays in Shinjuku or Ginza (two of the major business and entertainment centers of Tokyo), and you will have to go to Korakuen Hall by yourself. Korakuen Hall is a few minutes from Suidobashi station (JR line) or Korakuen station (Subway Marunouchi line). http://www.vallab.com/expcgi/exp.cgi
You may contact Masanori at masa_h@mail.goo.ne.jp
Visit the American Pro Wrestling Message Board (Japanese language only)
http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~dnak/
Return to past articles by Masanori
The Way It Was | View From The Rising Sun | The Way I See It
SMW Tribute | WCW/WWF Satire | Rob's Photos
Wrestling Links | Sign Guestbook | View Guestbook
E-mail messages are ALWAYS welcome at smokyrobmoore@bigfoot.com
Get your own Free Home Page