Tag: pacific rim
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Pacific Rim: Stardom, Rossy Ogawa’s new promotion, more
Rossy Ogawa It’s the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast. Fumi Saito and Jim Valley are back. Fumi sets the record straight about Stardom and the split with Rossy Ogawa. We talk about what happened, what brought it on, and what to expect going forward. Fumi also clarifies the situations with Kairi Sane and Giulia’s exits…
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Pacific Rim: Fumi remembers Terry Funk
With the passing of Terry Funk, we hurriedly put together this very special edition of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast. Terry Funk made over 100 trips to Japan and Fumi Saito was there for many of them. Fumi knew Terry, interviewed him many times over his career, and even visited the Double Cross Ranch.…
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Pacific Rim: Fumi Saito remembers Terry Funk
With the passing of Terry Funk, we hurriedly put together this very special edition of the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast. Terry Funk made over 100 trips to Japan and Fumi Saito was there for many of them. Fumi knew Terry, interviewed him many times over his career, and even visited the Double Cross Ranch.…
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Pacific Rim: Tony Khan talks puroresu
The Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast is back. It’s a show that’s been years in the making, AEW president and CEO Tony Khan joins Fumi Saito and Jim Valley. With Forbidden Door coming up, it seemed like a good time to talk about Tony’s puroresu fandom growing up in the 90s and early 2000s. How…
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Pacific Rim: A deep dive into the career of Keiji Muto
Jim & Fumi discuss every aspect of the Japanese legend’s career. Cultural Gutter On this week’s Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast, Fumi Saito and I look at the career of Keiji Muto. We begin with his debut in 1984, American excursions, the creation of The Great Muta, his rise to stardom in NJPW, the Three Musketeers,…
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Pacific Rim: Keiji Muto’s other choices for his final opponent
Jim Valley & Fumi Saito reveal who Muto spoke with about his final match. The Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling podcast is back with myself and Fumi Saito. Fumi was live at Yokohama Arena for the Great Muta Final Bye-Bye event. This week, he shares his thoughts on Muta, Sting, Darby Allin, Hakushi and the crowd…
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Pacific Rim: Looking at Sasha Banks’ popularity and visibility in Japan
Jim Valley and Fumi Saito talk about how well-known the WWE star is in Japan. WWE The Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast with Fumi Saito and I is back and everyone is talking about the potential for Sasha Banks to appear at Wrestle Kingdom. But, how big of a star is she in Japan now…
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Pacific Rim: New Japan x Stardom Historic X-Over review
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…
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Pacific Rim: New Japan x Stardom Historic X-Over review
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…
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Pacific Rim: The career of Jun Akiyama, New Japan x Stardom Historic X-Over preview
On this week’s Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling podcast, Fumi Saito and I preview the New Japan x Stardom Historic X-Over event. Not only is the show a rare mix of male and female talent in Japan, but the women – KAIRI and Mayu for the IWGP Women’s title – will go on last. Fumi and I…
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Pacific Rim: The career of Jun Akiyama, New Japan x Stardom Historic X-Over preview
On this week’s Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling podcast, Fumi Saito and I preview the New Japan x Stardom Historic X-Over event. Not only is the show a rare mix of male and female talent in Japan, but the women – KAIRI and Mayu for the IWGP Women’s title – will go on last. Fumi and I…
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Pacific Rim: Fumi Saito’s version of AWA Tales from the Territories
The Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast is back. When he was a teenager, Fumi Saito came to the United States as an exchange student in Minnesota. He covered and photographed the American Wrestling Association (AWA) for a Japanese wrestling magazine. During that time, he became close friends with Adrian Adonis, Road Warrior Hawk, Jumbo Tsuruta,…
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Pacific Rim: Fumi Saito’s version of AWA Tales from the Territories
The Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast is back. When he was a teenager, Fumi Saito came to the United States as an exchange student in Minnesota. He covered and photographed the American Wrestling Association (AWA) for a Japanese wrestling magazine. During that time, he became close friends with Adrian Adonis, Road Warrior Hawk, Jumbo Tsuruta,…
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Pacific Rim: Fumi Saito remembers Antonio Inoki
Fumi Saito, the man who literally wrote the book on Antonio Inoki, gives his thoughts and memories of Inoki on this very special episode of Pacific Rim. Fumi and I talk about Inoki’s history and legacy: his creativity, his greatest matches and opponents, his place in history, the story of his WWE title win, why…
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Pacific Rim: Fumi Saito remembers Antonio Inoki
Fumi Saito, the man who literally wrote the book on Antonio Inoki, gives his thoughts and memories of Inoki on this very special episode of Pacific Rim. Fumi and I talk about Inoki’s history and legacy: his creativity, his greatest matches and opponents, his place in history, the story of his WWE title win, why…
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Pacific Rim: The passing of Gene LeBell, a look at the IWGP Women’s Championship
The Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast is back. Fumi Saito talks about the late “Judo” Gene LeBell, a legend in combat sports, who also was the referee for the famous Ali/Inoki match in Japan. We go in-depth on the new IWGP Women’s Championship. Whose idea was it and who might be a good first champion? …
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Pacific Rim: The passing of Gene LeBell, a look at the IWGP Women’s Championship
The Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast is back. Fumi Saito talks about the late “Judo” Gene LeBell, a legend in combat sports, who also was the referee for the famous Ali/Inoki match in Japan. We go in-depth on the new IWGP Women’s Championship. Whose idea was it and who might be a good first champion? …
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Pacific Rim: Debbie Malenko catches up with Fumi Saito
For the first time since January, Pacific Rim has returned. Debbie Malenko is back wrestling after an injury ended her career nearly 30 years ago. Fumi Saito was one of the key people who helped the then-19-year-old Debbie as she started with All Japan Women. She couldn’t even speak a word of Japanese. Listen to two…
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Pacific Rim: NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 night one review
On a new Pacific Rim, Fumi Saito and I review night one of New Japan Wrestle Kingdom 16. While it wasn’t the best WK card of all time, it did have its moments from a great main event between IWGP Champion Shingo Takagi and Kazuchika Okada to the inspirational return of Katsuyori Shibata. We also…
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Pacific Rim: Mike Kirchner thoughts, Stardom review, Wrestle Kingdom
In this episode of Pacific Rim, Fumi Saito talks about attending Stardom Dream Queensdom 2021 at Sumo Palace, running down the major matches, stories, plans for the future and if he thinks Rossy Ogawa should be considered for the WON Hall of Fame. Fumi was very close friends with the late Mike Kirchner who you…