Author: Jim Valley

As promised, it’s a second Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast this week as Fumi Saito and I review Saturday’s New Japan Stardom Historic X-Over: a truly historic showcase of men and women from Japan’s two largest pro wrestling companies on the same card.  Fumi runs down the card, the results and his thoughts on the…

Image: NJPW Pacific Rim is back. On this episode, Fumi Saito and I talk about NJPW’s plans for the Tokyo Dome. 2022 is also their 50th anniversary so they are bringing back The Golden Series. Fumi discusses the history and whether we might see Antonio Inoki make an appearance in New Japan for the first time in many years. There’s…

Pacific Rim is back! Fumi Saito gives Jim Valley his firsthand account of NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome, the matches, the results, crowd reaction, and what non-COVID related situation could affect the upcoming Wrestle Kingdom in Tokyo Dome event in 2022. In addition, Fumi offers his thoughts on Shingo Takagi as NJPW World Heavyweight Champion,…

On a very personal episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast, Fumi Saito talks to Jim Valley about his memories of Hana Kimura and his experiences following her tragic passing. Fumi met Hana when she was a seven-year-old kid who went with her mom Kyoko Kimura to the matches. He tells a great story about…

Pacific Rim is back with Fumi Saito and Jim Valley. With little new wrestling taking place in Japan, Fumi talks about what some companies are doing to produce content, create new revenue streams, and find work for wrestlers. Weekly Pro Wrestling’s 1995 Bridge of Dreams card featuring 13 promotions on one show was recently uploaded to YouTube. Fumi…

On April 13, 1990, the WWF, New Japan, and All Japan Pro Wrestling came together at the Tokyo Dome for an interpromotional card called the Wrestling Summit. It featured Hulk Hogan vs. Stan Hansen, Genichiro Tenryu vs. Randy Savage, and Bret Hart vs. Tiger Mask (Mitsuharu Misawa) in a matchup of future legends. My co-host Fumi Saito not…

From Seattle to Tokyo, this week the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast updates you on how Fumi Saito and Kiki are coping with social distancing. Believe it or not, he’s watching even more wrestling. Fumi has some interesting thoughts on the Fujita-Shiozaki match and its 30-minute staredown. Rather than see the empty venue as a negative, they looked…

On this week’s Pacific Rim, Fumi Saito and I bring you a free episode entirely dedicated to the life and career of Kazuo Sakurada, also known as Japanese wrestler Kendo Nagasaki. Fumi grew up watching Sakurada and spent time with him years ago in Japan and Florida. While you may know just the basics about…

Happy New Year from Tokyo. Spend New Year’s Eve and his New Year’s Day birthday with Fumi Saito as he and Jim Valley start the night at Killer Khan’s restaurant and wrap up around 2 a.m. in Shinjuku. Killer Khan is most famous in the United States for “breaking the ankle” of Andre the Giant, wrestling in Mid…

Wrestle Kingdom 14 is one month away. For the first time, New Japan Pro Wrestling’s biggest show is two nights of action. On this episode of Pacific Rim, Fumi Saito offers his advice for fans visiting Tokyo during Wrestling Week. Fumi spotlights some cards, locations, stores, and restaurants to check out. Ideas include All Japan at Korakuen, Toudoukan pro wrestling store,…

It’s a very special free edition of Pacific Rim with Fumi Saito’s longtime friend Chris Jericho. They’ve known each other since Chris’ first tour of Japan for Frontier Martial Arts in 1991. Fumi and Jericho share stories of Chris’ early tours in Japan, what it was like, what’s different now, and what was challenging in days before instant communication. In…

Pacific Rim is back with a ton of news and events to cover. Fumi Saito and Jim Valley talk about the Jumping Bomb Angels reuniting for a special interview and a look at their history in WWE and AJW. Then, we have an in-depth conversation on Stardom: the chances of Io Shirai and Kairi Sane returning after…

Image: Stardom On this very special episode of Pacific Rim, Fumi Saito, Dave Meltzer, and I explain how the purchase of Stardom, a small Japanese company, could end up being a very influential move in the wrestling business. You don’t need to be a hardcore joshi fan to get something out of this show. There’s…

Another packed episode of Pacific Rim. We talk about the reemergence of Kishin Liger, his history, and if Fumi thinks will lead to a Suzuki-Liger match at Wrestle Kingdom in the Tokyo Dome. With Ren Narita and Shota Umino heading out of Japan, we discuss the history of excursions for Young Lions in puroresu, what happens when they…

You saw the video of Minoru Suzuki ripping the mask off of Jushin Thunder Liger. On this episode of Pacific Rim, Fumi Saito tells the story of their history, their parallels in wrestling, and what their upcoming match means for both men. In addition, we run down this year’s Japan ballot for the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame,…

On this episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast, Fumi Saito looks at Chris Jericho’s early career from 1991 to 1997 in Japan. We take you from his first two tours with the IWA to Tenryu’s WAR promotion to his debut for NJPW as Super Liger. Fumi met Chris in the early 90s. Hear Fumi talk about…

Fumi Saito went to two shows this week in Tokyo. The first was Jun Kasai’s Freedoms, a deathmatch-style show in Shinkiba which featured Joey Janela tagging with an invisible partner against Kikutaro and an invisible partner. Fumi also went to a standing-room-only Korakuen Hall for the second Takayamamania, a fundraiser for the legendary Yoshihiro Takayama who suffered…

AEW roster member and joshi star Riho announced this week that she has joined Stardom. There’s also a report from Dave Meltzer about WWE officials meeting with Stardom officials. With this news, Fumi Saito and I talk about the likelihood of possible working agreements between Stardom, AEW, and NJPW. In addition, we talk about AEW’s television deal, Jon…

Perro Aguayo Sr. made many tours of Japan and even won the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship there. On this episode of Pacific Rim, Fumi Saito and I talk about Aguayo’s history in Japan. After that, we segue into the long relationship between Japan and Mexico: from the many young wrestlers sent on excursions to those who left…

Fumi Saito and Jim Valley talk about Raw and compare Monday night’s AJ Styles to his time in New Japan. Fumi was at Sumo Hall for both nights of the WWE Tokyo tour. Hear his thoughts on Triple H, Shinsuke Nakamura, The Kabuki Warriors, the fans in attendance, and the wrestling they saw. Plus, an…

Fumi Saito and Sean “X-Pac” Waltman have known each other for nearly 30 years. In this special episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast, these two long-time friends reminisce about how they met, times in Japan, spending Christmas together in Minnesota, and key moments in Waltman’s career. We talk about Sean’s first tour of Japan, his later…

Fumi Saito was in Ryugoku for New Japan’s Best of the Super Juniors finals. After seeing Will Ospreay’s victory, he wonders if Ospreay has taken Kenny Omega’s place in the hearts and minds of New Japan fans. Fumi also has thoughts on the crowd’s reaction to Jon Moxley. Before the show, Fumi did an interview with…

Fumi Saito and I are back with a whole host of topics on this week’s episode of the Pacific Rim podcast. Before he wrestled Bret Hart in WWE, Tom Magee worked in All Japan Pro Wrestling. Fumi gives his first-hand account of the impression Magee left on him, plus Magee’s matches against Wajima and Chosu.…

This edition of Pacific Rim looks at the career and legacy of The Great Sasuke. Fumi Saito and I look at not just his championships and biggest victories, but also his business model and strategy that was very unique for its time and is still used by some pro wrestling companies today. Great Sasuke was also a politician…

In honor of the first-ever women’s main event at WrestleMania, it’s a women’s wrestling-centric episode of Pacific Rim. Fumi Saito and I talk about Asuka’s future. Will she team with Io Shirai & Kairi Sane on the main roster? Plus, the controversy between Bea Priestley and Manami Toyota over the use of the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex. Fumi…

Japanese fans in attendance thought they witnessed history as IWGP Champion Tatsumi Fujinami beat Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but a disputed finish and secret angle after the match tarnished the victory. On this episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast, Fumi Saito and Jim Valley go in-depth on “Starrcade at Tokyo…

On this episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast, Fumi Saito and I share our memories of Dick Beyer, The Intelligent Sensational Destroyer, who just passed away at the age of 88, and discuss his incredible legacy in Japan. The Destroyer was Rikidozan’s last opponent. Two of Beyer’s matches drew some of the highest television ratings in…

From Tokyo while driving in traffic, Fumi Saito and Jim Valley review the Giant Baba 20th Anniversary Memorial Show. Immediately after leaving Sumo Palace, Fumi and Jim give you their thoughts on the event, its historical significance, and the history and politics behind many of the choices made on the show. Stars who appeared on the…

Former WWWF Champion Pedro Morales, who passed away yesterday, was very famous in Japan. He was even featured in a comic book (pictured). On this edition of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast, Fumi Saito shares stories of Morales, who was promoted as a friend of Giant Baba and then later as a rule-breaking enemy of Antonio…

We’re back for another episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling podcast. Fumi talks about his night out with Keiji Muto and others. In addition, we talk about Becky Lynch, the road to WrestleMania, Jim’s observations attending SmackDown in Everett, Kendo Kashin at the WWE Performance Center, Giant Baba’s “MMA” match with Raja Lion, the…

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Jushin Thunder Liger. And on this episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast, Fumi and I look at the legendary career of Keiichi Yamada, from his beginnings in 1984, to becoming Liger in ’89 and beyond. Fumi talks about the origins of the Liger character, great opponents like…

Jumbo Tsuruta is one of the greatest wrestlers and biggest legends in the history of professional wrestling. On this edition of Pacific Rim, Fumi Saito and I go in-depth on the life, career, and legacy of Tsuruta. From the Munich Olympics, to The Funks, All Japan, the AWA, and helping to build and establish Mitsuharu Misawa, learn…

Photo credit: Toshi Kuramori It’s another packed episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast. Fumi Saito and I talk about Kenny Omega. Fumi offers his thoughts on why he thinks the odds are good that Omega will work for both NJPW and AEW in 2019. Plus, the winners of the Tokyo Sports Pro Wrestling Awards and…

It’s a special episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast as Fumi Saito catches up with his long-time friend Paul Lazenby. Fumi and Paul first met when Paul was a gaijin in the Pancrase dojo. Paul recounts how Fumi introduced himself and told Lazenby that he had a lot of potential. There is also…

From Tokyo, Japan, less than a mile away from the Tokyo Dome, home of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 13, it’s the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast. Fumi Saito and Jim Valley talk about all of their wrestling-related activities this week. Jim and Fumi describe Korakuen Hall and talk about its history. They go in-depth…

From Tokyo, Japan, a very special episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast. Fumi Saito and Jim Valley welcome Dave Meltzer to the show. After months of trying, Dave and Fumi are finally together on a podcast. Over an hour of discussion on Japanese wrestling history between two of the most respected journalists in pro…

This week, the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast goes in depth on one of the members of the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame Class of 2018: Yuji Nagata. Fumi Saito and Jim Valley talk about Nagata’s career, his amateur background, getting recruited by Hiroshi Hase, his time as IWGP Champion, his MMA career, Fedor, and Nagata’s current time…

Fumi Saito and Jim Valley are back with a new Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast. This week, they look at Asuka winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship at the WWE TLC PPV, how it’s being received in Japan, and what it can mean for the future. Plus, how companies in Japan remembered Dynamite Kid following his…

Dynamite Kid made an impression everywhere he wrestled: England, Calgary, Portland, and the WWF. But he arguably had his most famous matches and greatest historical impact in Japan. On this special episode of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast, Jim Valley and Fumi Saito look at the Japanese career of the Dynamite Kid, including the…

Fumi Saito and Jim Valley are back and cover a lot of topics on this new episode of The Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast. They include: Fumi’s annual quest for turkey and Thanksgiving dinner in Japan, The Nosawa Rongai show featuring The Jung Dragons, Shannon Moore, the return of Dory Funk Jr., plus the viability of…

This time of the year means one thing: it’s tag league season in Japan. Fumi Saito and Jim Valley cover the history of both tag league tournaments: Real World Tag League in All Japan and the World Tag League in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Tracing back to Rikidozan, they also talk about the Madison Square Garden tournaments in…