KEIKOKU INAI PURORESURINGU

It is with mixed emotions that I watch the resurge of Japanese wrestlers on Smackdown. The WWE has decided to give us a stable, which has yet to be named, of Japanese cruiserweights. Such wrestlers have a lot to offer American audiences. Japan, and consequently its style of wrestling, brings so much to the sport. So many talented names. So many innovations. So much tradition and history. So...

...will this latest attempt succeede? Probably not, but I am going to watch with great interest anyway, and I will tell you why.

In my mind, the greatest hopes for Japanese wrestling on WWE television are Tajiri and Ultimo Dragon. For those only familiar with Dragon as "that guy from WCW who came to WWE and doesn't get TV time," allow me better explain who this world renowned wrestler truly is.

Ultimo Dragon, whose real name is Yoshihiro Asai, made his professional wrestling debut in 1987. While originally working for the New Japan promotion, he soon saw more of the world by travelling to Mexico and working for UWA. He spanned the globe, gaining experience and fame along the way. In the 90's, he defeated Dean Malenko to win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship, which would be the ninth title he held at the same time. Not throughout his career. At the same time. Everyone wanted Ultimo Dragon to work for them.

While Ultimo Dragon was entertaining the world in the early 90's, at least the old WWF gave us a lot of masked Japanese wrestlers. Of course, most of them were Al Snow.

As his popularity grew and grew, Ultimo Dragon suffered an injury to his arm. In what should have been a routine surgery, something went wrong in the operating room. Dragon's nerves were damaged, and it was thought that his career would be over. Thinking himself unable to wrestle again, Dragon formed a wrestling promotion called Toryumon, roughly translated as Fighting Dragons' Gate, in 1998. He trained wrestlers with his vast knowledge of the sport.

Ultimo Dragon would not lay down, though. He refused to allow his career to end because of a surgeon's mistake. In December of 2001, Dragon went under the knife again. This time, it was successful. While not quite the worker he was a few years ago, he still had the drive and the ability to show the world his incredible talents. A month after the surgery, he announced his return to the ring. Not long ago, he signed a contract with the WWE and made his debut after weeks of promoting Dragon with images of his past matches in well-crafted video packages. He has been in the background in the months that followed, but that may change soon.

Recently, on Smackdown, Ultimo Dragon has been given a little television time. He may be in the beginning stages of a feud with the unnamed Japanese stable, lead by Tajiri.

"What do we call this Japanese stable?" you may be asking.

I don't know. If reports are to be believed, Tajiri shot down the idea of calling his team the "Yakuza," so not to offend the actual Yakuza crime syndicate in Japan. For those unfamiliar with the organization outside of violent video games and Kill Bill, it holds considerable underworld power in their home country. Enough that Tajiri has reason to fear it and wishes to protect his loved ones. A wise precaution. Just another way Japan is different from America. I don't think anyone in the Italian mafia is planning a hit on the actors of The Sopranos.

Unfortunately, it leaves us without a name for the Japanese stable, so for the time being, let's just call it The Japanese Stable or TJS.

TJS is led by WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri, a worldly veteran of the sport. Don't be fooled by his whacko facial expressions. Tajiri is an intelligent and highly skilled wrestler. He has worked all over the world and for many companies before arriving in the WWE during the Alliance Invasion. Finally, it seems as if the WWE are handing Tajiri the ball and seeing how well he runs with it. No longer William Regal's errand boy or a Velocity jobber. Tajiri is quick, strong, highly experienced, and has yet to disappoint me in the ring.

Along with Tajiri are Akio and Sakada. The former is better known to learned wrestling fans as Yang of World Championship Wrestling and recently Major League Wrestling. He is a talented cruiserweight, to say the least. I watched a tape recently of an excellent WCW tag match involving Jamie Noble, Yang, Billy Kidman, Shannon Moore, Misterio, and others. Wonderful match. I've also just seen Yang vs. Sonjay Dutt of MLW. Excellent aerial acrobatics. Casual wrestling fans may not know Yang/Akio, but they will soon. I must confess that I know little of Sakada, except that he was formerlly known as Keiji.

Japanese stables are not new to American viewers. The late 90's gave us Kaientai. Talented cruiserweights led by Taka Michonoku. It could have been a strong showing of Japanese style, but instead, fans remember them merely as the stable that attempted to cut off Val Venis's money-maker and later as a bad Godzilla joke. The waning days of WCW gave us The Jung Dragons comprised of Jimmy Yang, Kaz Hayashi, and Jamie Noble in a mask calling himself "Jamie-San." Seriously. It had potential. Unfortunately, while the cruiserweights were the last bastions of good television for WCW, it wasn't enough to keep the company floating. The Jung Dragons were gone.

As I have explained in a previous column, "...In a Right-Handed World," the Smackdown cruiserweight division died before it was even given life. Cruiserweights have been mistreated as second-rate citizens due to the increasing love of big men in the WWE. Yet, recently the bookers have attempted to shut the mouths of critics like myself by allowing the division Pay-Per-View time after an unfortunate absense. The previous PPV, No Mercy, featured Rey Misterio and Tajiri. The next, Survivor Series, will showcase Tajiri vs. Jamie Noble. Could attention to the cruiserweight division finally give Ultimo Dragon, Tajiri, Funaki, and Jimmy "Call Me Akio" Yang time to shine?

Maybe, but I have my doubts. The WWE almost never seems to book Japanese wrestlers correctly. They are given over-the-top storylines (Val's penis) to get over or a ridiculous gimmick (Japanese crime organization) so the fans notice them. Has the WWE ever thought that maybe the best way to put over incredible wrestlers is by allowing them the time to show the audience their ability? Japanese training is on par with that of Canadian and Mexican. Not much room for no-talents who can get by on their looks or microphone skills. Japanese wrestlers can wrestle. Let them wrestle. WWE fans, based on crowd recations I've seen, definately enjoy high-flying manuevers and fast-paced action. Japanese wrestling has that in bulk. Yet, I feel that the WWE will let this opportunity pass by.

Speaking of missed opportunities, let's go back to the original focus of this piece: Ultimo Dragon. The veteran is not only a famed wrestler. He is also a promoter. His Toryumon promotion is known throughout Japan and Mexico as one of the top outlets for cruiserweight action. The WWE, always in search of new talent, could have made a deal with Dragon to work in America. Well, good news! Toryumon is scheduled to work with an American wrestling company!

It's not WWE, though. Toryumon has inked a deal with Major League Wrestling, a Florida-based wrestling company that can be seen on the Sunshine Network, for inter-promotional matches. Ring of Honor, another independent promotion, is scheduled to present a supercard of All Japan Pro wrestlers against ROH stars later this month. WWE's response to all this? Another sure-to-be-short-lived Japanese stable.

Mixed emotions. I hope I am wrong, good readers. I hope that this is the one time that the WWE will give the Japanese wrestlers (make no mistake, Yokozuna was Samoan) their time in the spotlight. While I'm not pleased with the gimmick of TJS, I will say this: The WWE, through this stable, has an opportunity to educate the Western world on the merits of Japanese wrestling. If given the proper matches, Yang, Tajiri, and their potential opponents Ultimo Dragon and possibly Funaki could finally bring a strong Japanese style to mainstream American television.

Are my hopes likely to be dashed?

"Indeed."