Paco
Hank Scorpio
Posts: 7,145
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Post by Paco on Jan 11, 2011 22:18:29 GMT -5
Actually, his debut didn't have any big hype at all. He was brought in to job to the Great Sasuke. Sasuke was supposed to be WWF's Light Heavyweight superstar but the fans, not knowing who the Japanese "Legend" was here, were more impressed by Taka and responded to him more. Despite losing both their matches (Canadian Stampede & RAW the night after), Taka was brought back and Sasuke wasn't. Well I seem to remember the WWE hyped Taka as if he were the greatest free agent singing out of Japan they've ever had. His first match was on PPV. There was hype going as he had a few matches in WWE BEFORE "WWE signed him to a long-term deal" (the deal being pure storyline). Signing Taka was supposed to be a big deal for the WWE. I remember this. Well, you do remember correctly, in a way. After that first weekend where TAKA was Sasuke's designated jobber, they sent Sasuke packing (and all that other stuff that happened with him) and ran with Michinoku instead. That's when they did all that "free agent / we'll sign him to be the cornerstone of our LightHeavy division" stuff. But his actual debut? The hype was all Sasuke. The promos were all "Japanese Legend GREAT SASUKE makes his debut against fellow Light Heavyweight Taka Michinoku." |
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Post by John Cena's Boner on Jan 11, 2011 22:59:09 GMT -5
Dammit, I knew that. I've been confused by those 2 forever. Speaking of Sasuke, was his match with TAKA at Canadian Stampede his only WWF match? Surely it wasn't. Always wondered why they didn't keep him longer, seems like he could've gotten more over than the other cruisers just because of his awesome costume. I distinctly remember a rematch the next night on Raw. Then being confused why Taka was the one who stayed when they hyped the hell out of Saskue. Because Sasuke kept on saying to the Japanese press that he would only defend the Light Heavyweight belt in Japan, and not in America like how the WWF wanted. So Sasuke out, TAKA in. |
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Sephiroth
Wade Wilson
Surviving
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Member is Online
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Post by Sephiroth on Jan 12, 2011 1:03:39 GMT -5
Taka was a solid high flyer, but he was short and not very muscular and his english speaking skills were limited at best. Added to that, the WWF never paid much attention to the light-heavyweight division in general, and Taka was the champ no less. His match with Esse Rios/Aguila at that year's Wrestlemania was a masterpiece. He had a run with ECW that was decent, but again, the fact that he couldn't talk hindered him a lot.
I am surprised no one here is mentioning the most infamous moment of the original Kai En Tai-the Val Venis castration.
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Outcry
AC Slater
I'm The Next Breakout Star
Posts: 127
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Post by Outcry on Jan 12, 2011 2:23:48 GMT -5
At the time I never took Taka seriously and kinda just thought he looked like a little boy.
Now I guess he probably looks a little more legit.
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Post by poi zen rana on Jan 12, 2011 11:08:30 GMT -5
kaentai were a great tag team. I always wished they would have done more with them. while arguments can be made that taka and funaki were quite small, I believe they could have been booked as a threat as a tag team. play up that while they are the smaller team, they utilize fast tagging and hard hitting double teams to stay threatening.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2011 11:16:49 GMT -5
Lance Storm and Chris Jericho have both said that Sasuke was a disrespectful asshole because he was the only masked wrestler who wouldn't unmask in the locker room with the other wrestlers, which I guess is a big sign of disrespect. To be fair, this did lead to him becoming the first masked Senator in history. So he's got that going for him, which is nice. Yeah, but Atsushi Onita was elected to the Japanese Diet, as well. And he's a lame wrestler who loved his "explosive death matches" and "burning ring events". Plus he was also reported as an asshole, but for different reasons than Sasuke. |
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Post by thegame415 on Jan 12, 2011 20:21:28 GMT -5
I think the problem was that most fans viewed the Lightheavyweight division as a poor knock off of WCW's cruiserweight division. Esentially, it was. The only two wrestlers in the division who received decent air time were Taka and Brian (Grandmaster Sexay) Christopher. Other guys, like Aguila/Papi Chulo/Essa Rios and Devon Storm (who appeared in WCW as Crowbar) were seen one week, than not hear from for another month.
I think the division could've caught on if given time. However, the WWE kept giving a lot of time to guys like Austin. The Rock, Triple H. I think they made the right choice.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2011 10:13:39 GMT -5
I think the problem was that most fans viewed the Lightheavyweight division as a poor knock off of WCW's cruiserweight division. Esentially, it was. The only two wrestlers in the division who received decent air time were Taka and Brian (Grandmaster Sexay) Christopher. Other guys, like Aguila/Papi Chulo/Essa Rios and Devon Storm (who appeared in WCW as Crowbar) were seen one week, than not hear from for another month. I think the division could've caught on if given time. However, the WWE kept giving a lot of time to guys like Austin. The Rock, Triple H. I think they made the right choice. Don't forget the "big push" they gave Scott Putski for a couple of weeks, building up his WWF in-ring debut. (I think this was an instance where Vince finally wised up and thought, "Maybe we should actually see a guy in the ring instead of just touting him as the next great thing because of who his father was." A popcorn seed got a bigger pop than he did.) I liked TAKA, but they fell under the old NWA burial rules of having your Lightweight Champion wearing his belt to the ring before getting jobbed out. The size-disadvantage was just too great between him and, say, Bradshaw. Way to push a champion, Vince. Jim Crockett Jr. would be proud. |
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Spyke the Pacers Fan
El Dandy
Still hates himself for missing the last episode of Murder She Wrote
Go Indiana!
Posts: 8,061
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Post by Spyke the Pacers Fan on Jan 14, 2011 11:01:25 GMT -5
I thought he and Kaientai had a really fun match at Summerslam 1998 against The Oddities.
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Post by El Cokehead del Knife Fight on Jan 14, 2011 11:08:46 GMT -5
All of Kaientai DX were great wrestlers. Taka is a tremendous wrestler and Funaki is awesome. I reckon that Dick Togo and Men's Teioh were one of the best tandems of the 90's and 00's while Shiryu has put on many very good matches.
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Post by "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay on Jan 14, 2011 11:48:57 GMT -5
After reading this thread I looked up the Triple H/Taka match just out of curiosity and it's actually pretty f***ing amazing.
I was also reading Death Of WCW the other day and RD was saying how there's a difference between putting someone over and losing to them.
Triple H beat Taka, but I'd say he majorly put him over, the whole match implied that Triple H needed a cast of thousands to survive on his own, I think it's solid booking to have your heel champ win despite looking like he can't do shit all.
I wasn't around during Triple H's whole reign of terror from a couple of years later, but has the extent of it been exaggerated? I can understand people being mad that he held onto the belt, but was he not putting people over in the course of the matches? I mean I'm pretty sure Goldberg got put over in that Chamber match, he destroyed like four guys and then Triple H only won with a sledgehammer.
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Post by El Cokehead del Knife Fight on Jan 15, 2011 0:13:29 GMT -5
I wasn't around during Triple H's whole reign of terror from a couple of years later, but has the extent of it been exaggerated? I can understand people being mad that he held onto the belt, but was he not putting people over in the course of the matches? I mean I'm pretty sure Goldberg got put over in that Chamber match, he destroyed like four guys and then Triple H only won with a sledgehammer. Nobody looked good against him. He retained at Wrestlemania against Booker T despite his character being a racist jackass (so he needed to get his comeuppance), nobody really got to look good against him and the opening half hour always seemed to be the same promo from him. |
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agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,915
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Post by agent817 on Jan 15, 2011 1:54:17 GMT -5
I just got done watching the Triple H/TAKA match and I have to say "WOW." That match could have easily been a squash but I am so glad that it wasn't. I know that Triple H was going to win, but it was good to see TAKA shine in that match. He pretty much outperformed Hunter in that one.
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Post by TheMediocreWarrior on Jan 15, 2011 11:13:25 GMT -5
Youtube his kaientai run with funaki, They where over as all hell I still think they would have eventually been tag team champions if the Invasion hadn't taken over WWF TV and made everyone forget what was happening before in WWF. |
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ToyfareMark
Vegeta
A WINNER IS YOU!
Get well soon Hutch!
Posts: 9,672 
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Post by ToyfareMark on Jan 15, 2011 14:58:08 GMT -5
I remember at one point that the Kaientai Evil Indeed shirt was the top seller on Shopzone for a short time.
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Post by pundabaya on Jan 15, 2011 17:34:06 GMT -5
I believe that TAKA got an injury too...
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Post by Citizen Snips on Jan 15, 2011 17:53:41 GMT -5
After reading this thread I looked up the Triple H/Taka match just out of curiosity and it's actually pretty f***ing amazing. I was also reading Death Of WCW the other day and RD was saying how there's a difference between putting someone over and losing to them. Triple H beat Taka, but I'd say he majorly put him over, the whole match implied that Triple H needed a cast of thousands to survive on his own, I think it's solid booking to have your heel champ win despite looking like he can't do s*** all. I wasn't around during Triple H's whole reign of terror from a couple of years later, but has the extent of it been exaggerated? I can understand people being mad that he held onto the belt, but was he not putting people over in the course of the matches? I mean I'm pretty sure Goldberg got put over in that Chamber match, he destroyed like four guys and then Triple H only won with a sledgehammer. I think the TAKA match is sort of the summation of why a lot of people dislike Triple H. He has the ability to truly make ANYONE look credible. I remember thinking at least once watching that match live, "Holy shit...they're not actually going to have TAKA win, are they?" That's how awesome a job Hunter was doing putting him over during that match. And we've seen less and less of that from him over the years. So, I think the HHHate comes from the fact that he can get anyone over, he just doesn't always do it. All that aside, that match is probably in my Top 10 Raw matches ever. Forgotten classic! |
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Post by Perigryn on Jan 16, 2011 2:10:33 GMT -5
yeah apparently Great Sasuke is quite the asshole. Taz just mysteriously and bluntly says "I don't like him" when he does dvd commentary for Japanese matches. Must be the Japanese mil Mascaras. Too bad though, the mask and fancy suit probably would have kept him over for a while. Lance Storm and Chris Jericho have both said that Sasuke was a disrespectful asshole because he was the only masked wrestler who wouldn't unmask in the locker room with the other wrestlers, which I guess is a big sign of disrespect. He's also apparently being sued by the guy who makes his masks and outfits..hasn't been paid in some time it seems... |
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Post by Oh Cry Me a Screwball on Jan 16, 2011 3:12:21 GMT -5
I think the problem was that most fans viewed the Lightheavyweight division as a poor knock off of WCW's cruiserweight division. Esentially, it was. The only two wrestlers in the division who received decent air time were Taka and Brian (Grandmaster Sexay) Christopher. Other guys, like Aguila/Papi Chulo/Essa Rios and Devon Storm (who appeared in WCW as Crowbar) were seen one week, than not hear from for another month. I think the division could've caught on if given time. However, the WWE kept giving a lot of time to guys like Austin. The Rock, Triple H. I think they made the right choice. Don't forget the "big push" they gave Scott Putski for a couple of weeks, building up his WWF in-ring debut. (I think this was an instance where Vince finally wised up and thought, "Maybe we should actually see a guy in the ring instead of just touting him as the next great thing because of who his father was." A popcorn seed got a bigger pop than he did.) I liked TAKA, but they fell under the old NWA burial rules of having your Lightweight Champion wearing his belt to the ring before getting jobbed out. The size-disadvantage was just too great between him and, say, Bradshaw. Way to push a champion, Vince. Jim Crockett Jr. would be proud. IIRC, Putski got injured at around Ground Zero, ending his chance of becoming cornerstone of the Light Heavyweight Division. |
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mattperiolat
King Koopa
Thank you, Brodie... for everything.
Posts: 11,447
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Post by mattperiolat on Jan 16, 2011 10:10:44 GMT -5
Yeah, but there's also the "I'm going to defend the WWF Light Heavyweight Title in Japan only" from Sasuke and the fact that TAKA was willing to stay in America, as opposed to Sasuke who wanted to only do televised shows and PPV's in America and continue to do Michinoku Pro's shows in Japan. Wasn't there also an issue about Sasuke not willing to fly anywhere, which made bookings a little difficult? TAKA is a very overlooked talent from the Attitude Era. His match with Aytch is deservedly being talked up, but his LHW matches with Brian Christopher and Aguila were also good. Youtube him, you'd be surprised. |
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