Today marks the 30th Anniversary of the World Class Tag Team Gedo and Jado, to celebrate I'm re-releasing this article I wrote for Wrestle Talk TV as part of my Forgotten Tag Teams series.
Who is the most influential tag team in wrestling today? The Usos with their family friendly outlook,
history and work rate? Or is it The Wolves with their American Strong style approach to Impact? Or is
it the state of the art spot driven offence of The Young Bucks and Time Splitters in NJPW? Well they
are in NJPW, in fact you could argue they ARE NJPW. They are the reason for the whole companies
success and growth after hitting rock bottom in the early 2000s. They are Gedo and Jado, one of the
most successful tandems in wrestling history, a fact overlooked by their success as bookers. In fact so
successful are they with the pencil they have taken the Wrestler Observer Booker of the year awards
from 2011-2014, no one else has got a look in.
history and work rate? Or is it The Wolves with their American Strong style approach to Impact? Or is
it the state of the art spot driven offence of The Young Bucks and Time Splitters in NJPW? Well they
are in NJPW, in fact you could argue they ARE NJPW. They are the reason for the whole companies
success and growth after hitting rock bottom in the early 2000s. They are Gedo and Jado, one of the
most successful tandems in wrestling history, a fact overlooked by their success as bookers. In fact so
successful are they with the pencil they have taken the Wrestler Observer Booker of the year awards
from 2011-2014, no one else has got a look in.
If you examine the story of the pair, it looks like the word Journeymen was invented for them. Training
with Wally Yamaguchi and then with FMW, they never outstayed their welcome in any promotion
they were in. In fact they were often one week ahead of the promotion closing entirely. While their
predecessors had widely started in one promotion and staid there until retirement, they were not
afraid to take risks and find another way of doing things. The result gave them an encyclopedic
knowledge of wrestling angles and approaches that has been incredibly useful in creating a NJPW
product that lies heavily on its history while always looking forward. Some 26 years after their
debuts they are still active wrestlers as part of the CHAOS roster. Gedo is the more visible of the
pair as he manages Kazuchika Okada. He is often shown giving promos on his behalf as well as
offering a helping hand to The Rainmaker, while Jado took up Alex Koslov's spot in Forever Hooligans
while he was recovering from arm trouble in 2014. Their story charts the growth and boom and bust
of the Japanese industry in its most volatile period. They appeared on some of the biggest cards in
wrestling history and they truly found their groove in the promotion they had rejected, becoming
the most dominant Junior Heavyweight Tag Team of their era. They wrestled for UWA, W*ING, FMW,
NJPW and NOAH, and were mutli-time champions. This is the story of The World Class Tag Team.
with Wally Yamaguchi and then with FMW, they never outstayed their welcome in any promotion
they were in. In fact they were often one week ahead of the promotion closing entirely. While their
predecessors had widely started in one promotion and staid there until retirement, they were not
afraid to take risks and find another way of doing things. The result gave them an encyclopedic
knowledge of wrestling angles and approaches that has been incredibly useful in creating a NJPW
product that lies heavily on its history while always looking forward. Some 26 years after their
debuts they are still active wrestlers as part of the CHAOS roster. Gedo is the more visible of the
pair as he manages Kazuchika Okada. He is often shown giving promos on his behalf as well as
offering a helping hand to The Rainmaker, while Jado took up Alex Koslov's spot in Forever Hooligans
while he was recovering from arm trouble in 2014. Their story charts the growth and boom and bust
of the Japanese industry in its most volatile period. They appeared on some of the biggest cards in
wrestling history and they truly found their groove in the promotion they had rejected, becoming
the most dominant Junior Heavyweight Tag Team of their era. They wrestled for UWA, W*ING, FMW,
NJPW and NOAH, and were mutli-time champions. This is the story of The World Class Tag Team.
Shoji Akiyoshi, or as we better know him Jado, began his career on March 19th 1989 for Frontier
Martial Arts Wrestling. His work style would be similar to that of a lot of his contemporaries, heavily
influenced by the King's Road style with the possibility of a lot of violence in his future. As FMW were
a direct off shoot of Atsushi Ohnita's home promotion All Japan, the story telling style of their matches
were driven towards simple, straight ahead booking. Keiji Takayama, or as we know him Gedo, was a
NJPW Dojo creation. He would bring a different background to the team with his Strong Style
approach; the realistic ground and pound martial arts style favoured in the eighties by NJPW
headliners like Tatsumi Fujinami. They first met when Jado left FMW for New Japan and became part
of the Takeshi Puroresu Gundan, NJPW's back handed compliment to the Rock 'n' Wrestling era of
WWF. When the angle ran it's course and it was clear the group would not be moving forward, Gedo
and Jado chose to jump ship together, setting precedent that would keep them as a pairing for the
next twenty six years.
Martial Arts Wrestling. His work style would be similar to that of a lot of his contemporaries, heavily
influenced by the King's Road style with the possibility of a lot of violence in his future. As FMW were
a direct off shoot of Atsushi Ohnita's home promotion All Japan, the story telling style of their matches
were driven towards simple, straight ahead booking. Keiji Takayama, or as we know him Gedo, was a
NJPW Dojo creation. He would bring a different background to the team with his Strong Style
approach; the realistic ground and pound martial arts style favoured in the eighties by NJPW
headliners like Tatsumi Fujinami. They first met when Jado left FMW for New Japan and became part
of the Takeshi Puroresu Gundan, NJPW's back handed compliment to the Rock 'n' Wrestling era of
WWF. When the angle ran it's course and it was clear the group would not be moving forward, Gedo
and Jado chose to jump ship together, setting precedent that would keep them as a pairing for the
next twenty six years.
Their first move was to sign on with UWA in Mexico and soon they were UWA/UWF Intercontinental
Tag Team Champions, defeating Silver King and El Texano for the belts. While it sounds like a
downward move; World's second biggest company to Mexican Indie, UWA, though waning, was
actually still a big name player in Lucha Libre. The company had started in the seventies as an
alternative to the ultra conservative CMLL (or EMLL as it was known then). While CMLL was a purely
Mexican affair with very few outsiders, UWA's bread and butter was building up home grown talent to
face the biggest stars from around the world. Big Van Vader would win their World title in this period,
showing how much UWA meant to the wrestling community beyond the big organisations like WWF
and NJPW. UWA had a talent agreement swap agreement with W*ING which lead to Punish (Jado)
and Crush (Gedo) defending their belts on Japanese soil (which I wrote about here), in a fire match
which ended with W*ING Kanemura needing hospital treatment for burns. They would also make
trips to the very first Lucha Promotion in Japan; Gran Hamada's Universal Lucha Libre that would be
the UWF portion of the titles. Though Hamada was a successful NJPW wrestler, he had joined the
original UWF with Satoru Sayama the original Tiger Mask. As he realised his gymnastic,aerial style
wasn't going to fit in a promotion that didn't allow for moves off the ropes, he decided to break out
and start his own company. His connections with Mexico, a place that had revered him so much they
had given him the name "Gran" (The Great), he was able to lever talent that would give him a strong
and diverse roster, that at one time included Sean Waltman and Jerry Lynn. This would be their first
run of success as a tag team, and they would take two more title reigns in this process. Back in those
days, their look screamed "Japanese Independent Wrestler"; stereo mullets, face paint in the manner
of The Road Warriors and full leotard and tights for Jado, like a small Bret Hart who had wandered
into Hawk's make up kit. Gedo looked stocky, which was really the only way to describe him. While
they may have looked comedically generic for the era, their style was smash mouth and straight
ahead. Ideal for someone trying to grab attention. The Superbomb finisher and it's set up move, a
Spike Piledriver on the floor assisted from the ring apron was pure heat to the fans of all three
companies. After years of continued success, eventually it would be time to return home to a
Japanese company permanently.
Tag Team Champions, defeating Silver King and El Texano for the belts. While it sounds like a
downward move; World's second biggest company to Mexican Indie, UWA, though waning, was
actually still a big name player in Lucha Libre. The company had started in the seventies as an
alternative to the ultra conservative CMLL (or EMLL as it was known then). While CMLL was a purely
Mexican affair with very few outsiders, UWA's bread and butter was building up home grown talent to
face the biggest stars from around the world. Big Van Vader would win their World title in this period,
showing how much UWA meant to the wrestling community beyond the big organisations like WWF
and NJPW. UWA had a talent agreement swap agreement with W*ING which lead to Punish (Jado)
and Crush (Gedo) defending their belts on Japanese soil (which I wrote about here), in a fire match
which ended with W*ING Kanemura needing hospital treatment for burns. They would also make
trips to the very first Lucha Promotion in Japan; Gran Hamada's Universal Lucha Libre that would be
the UWF portion of the titles. Though Hamada was a successful NJPW wrestler, he had joined the
original UWF with Satoru Sayama the original Tiger Mask. As he realised his gymnastic,aerial style
wasn't going to fit in a promotion that didn't allow for moves off the ropes, he decided to break out
and start his own company. His connections with Mexico, a place that had revered him so much they
had given him the name "Gran" (The Great), he was able to lever talent that would give him a strong
and diverse roster, that at one time included Sean Waltman and Jerry Lynn. This would be their first
run of success as a tag team, and they would take two more title reigns in this process. Back in those
days, their look screamed "Japanese Independent Wrestler"; stereo mullets, face paint in the manner
of The Road Warriors and full leotard and tights for Jado, like a small Bret Hart who had wandered
into Hawk's make up kit. Gedo looked stocky, which was really the only way to describe him. While
they may have looked comedically generic for the era, their style was smash mouth and straight
ahead. Ideal for someone trying to grab attention. The Superbomb finisher and it's set up move, a
Spike Piledriver on the floor assisted from the ring apron was pure heat to the fans of all three
companies. After years of continued success, eventually it would be time to return home to a
Japanese company permanently.
Thankfully for them Geniruchi Tenyru had started WAR, and was trying to build a Junior Heavyweight
division to rival that of NJPW. By 1994 he had managed to secure the services of not only Jado and
Gedo, but also Último Dragón who had jumped from Hamada's promotion as well as Tomhiro Ishii.
The roster was strong enough to support a Junior Heavyweight tag division, the first of its kind, and
it would make big money with inter promotional feuds against the UWFi and New Japan rosters. The
most success Jado and Gedo had, would be in Six Man Tag competition. WAR would be were they
developed their signature look; Jado would keep the mullet, Gedo would crop his short spike it up
and die it blonde, his gaped toothed maw constantly screaming his way through matches (often in
English) as they dressed in matching martial arts outfits; baggy pants, shoot shoes and loose shirts.
They became anarchic warriors, and their partner in crime would be former AJPW mid carder
Hiromichi Fuyuki who had grown to prominence in the new company. Known for his high pitch squeal
and impassioned promos, he wasn't a great worker, but he was over. As the leader of Fuyuki-Gun,
which in future years would feature a young Chris Jericho, he became the lead heel of WAR, when the
roster weren't off feuding with everyone else in pro wrestling which was often. Tenryu's promotion
featured a Six Man Tag Division, one of the many things that singled out the young company. It was
also an idea more likely to come from the NWA than Mexico as Tenryu was a former NWA Six Man
Champion himself with The Road Warriors. Fuyuki-Gun set their sights on that gold and in 1994 would
set themselves out as the dominant team in the division, they would defeat Animal Hamaguchi, Kouki
Kitahara and Genichiro Tenryu in a tournament final on June 30th 1984. When they got in the ring
they mixed speed and technical ability with straight up rule breaking, this was a team who sold t-shirts
emblazoned with the words "Fuck You we're Jado and Gedo". in short they knew how to make an
impact, despite their soft spoken interviews which were in great contrast Fuyuki who was all bluster
and drama. As Junior Heavyweights they were more often in the ring with much heavier opponents
and handled them with ease, tricky when your base offence is aerial and double team work, it's easy
to look out of your depth, but they were cocky heels who could deliver. While the trio were a little
rough and ready in their style, they had a lot of presence and a lot of charisma. Which they were
going to need considering the opponents who unseated them; Bob Backlund, The Warlord and Scott
Putski, the imported talent straight off the Titan charisma bypass department. However a six days
later they would regain the titles, their second reign established them as name players WAR and the
wider wrestling community. Gedo would win a WAR Junior Heavyweight singles title after they
dropped the Six Man Title to Heisei Ishingun (Tatsutoshi Goto, Shiro Koshinaka and Michiyoshi Ohara).
This would in turn lead to his entry in the 1995 Super J Cup. Already with a heavy reputation as a great
singles Junior, the title cemented things and NJPW seemed to agree with WAR when he made the final,
but lost out to overall winner Jushin Thunder Liger. Fuyuki-Gun reunited to take another run at the Six
Man titles and would regain them from, Animal Hamaguchi, Kouki Kitahara and Genichiro Tenryu, the
team they had beaten in the original tournament final. Being the perennial and three time champions
brought some prestige to the belts, usually regarded as the lowest phase on the totem pole of any
organisation outside of Mexico. They would hold them till the October of '95 dropping them to Arashi,
Nobutaka Araya and Kouki Kitahara, but rebound with a title win in March of '96. What would really
put them and WAR on the map was their inter promotional feud with UWFi's Youji Anjoh, Yoshihiro
Takayama and Kenichi Yamamoto. Anjoh who is best remembered for his booking of UWFi in its
imperious arena filling phase. Tayayama was the baddest of the many bad asses that came out of
UWFi, Yamamoto was another heavy hitter. Faced with serious matt driven talent, Fuyuki turned to
comedy. Anjoh ended up with a box of eggs being thrown at his head, but the shooters would not be
denied and doused their opponents in champagne after winning the titles. Despite this setback,
things were going well generally for them. They would regain the titles twice more. They vacated
them in time for a tournament in 1997, however failed to win them back. Not long after all three
jumped ship to FMW, Atsushi Ohnita's Blood and Guts Empire.
division to rival that of NJPW. By 1994 he had managed to secure the services of not only Jado and
Gedo, but also Último Dragón who had jumped from Hamada's promotion as well as Tomhiro Ishii.
The roster was strong enough to support a Junior Heavyweight tag division, the first of its kind, and
it would make big money with inter promotional feuds against the UWFi and New Japan rosters. The
most success Jado and Gedo had, would be in Six Man Tag competition. WAR would be were they
developed their signature look; Jado would keep the mullet, Gedo would crop his short spike it up
and die it blonde, his gaped toothed maw constantly screaming his way through matches (often in
English) as they dressed in matching martial arts outfits; baggy pants, shoot shoes and loose shirts.
They became anarchic warriors, and their partner in crime would be former AJPW mid carder
Hiromichi Fuyuki who had grown to prominence in the new company. Known for his high pitch squeal
and impassioned promos, he wasn't a great worker, but he was over. As the leader of Fuyuki-Gun,
which in future years would feature a young Chris Jericho, he became the lead heel of WAR, when the
roster weren't off feuding with everyone else in pro wrestling which was often. Tenryu's promotion
featured a Six Man Tag Division, one of the many things that singled out the young company. It was
also an idea more likely to come from the NWA than Mexico as Tenryu was a former NWA Six Man
Champion himself with The Road Warriors. Fuyuki-Gun set their sights on that gold and in 1994 would
set themselves out as the dominant team in the division, they would defeat Animal Hamaguchi, Kouki
Kitahara and Genichiro Tenryu in a tournament final on June 30th 1984. When they got in the ring
they mixed speed and technical ability with straight up rule breaking, this was a team who sold t-shirts
emblazoned with the words "Fuck You we're Jado and Gedo". in short they knew how to make an
impact, despite their soft spoken interviews which were in great contrast Fuyuki who was all bluster
and drama. As Junior Heavyweights they were more often in the ring with much heavier opponents
and handled them with ease, tricky when your base offence is aerial and double team work, it's easy
to look out of your depth, but they were cocky heels who could deliver. While the trio were a little
rough and ready in their style, they had a lot of presence and a lot of charisma. Which they were
going to need considering the opponents who unseated them; Bob Backlund, The Warlord and Scott
Putski, the imported talent straight off the Titan charisma bypass department. However a six days
later they would regain the titles, their second reign established them as name players WAR and the
wider wrestling community. Gedo would win a WAR Junior Heavyweight singles title after they
dropped the Six Man Title to Heisei Ishingun (Tatsutoshi Goto, Shiro Koshinaka and Michiyoshi Ohara).
This would in turn lead to his entry in the 1995 Super J Cup. Already with a heavy reputation as a great
singles Junior, the title cemented things and NJPW seemed to agree with WAR when he made the final,
but lost out to overall winner Jushin Thunder Liger. Fuyuki-Gun reunited to take another run at the Six
Man titles and would regain them from, Animal Hamaguchi, Kouki Kitahara and Genichiro Tenryu, the
team they had beaten in the original tournament final. Being the perennial and three time champions
brought some prestige to the belts, usually regarded as the lowest phase on the totem pole of any
organisation outside of Mexico. They would hold them till the October of '95 dropping them to Arashi,
Nobutaka Araya and Kouki Kitahara, but rebound with a title win in March of '96. What would really
put them and WAR on the map was their inter promotional feud with UWFi's Youji Anjoh, Yoshihiro
Takayama and Kenichi Yamamoto. Anjoh who is best remembered for his booking of UWFi in its
imperious arena filling phase. Tayayama was the baddest of the many bad asses that came out of
UWFi, Yamamoto was another heavy hitter. Faced with serious matt driven talent, Fuyuki turned to
comedy. Anjoh ended up with a box of eggs being thrown at his head, but the shooters would not be
denied and doused their opponents in champagne after winning the titles. Despite this setback,
things were going well generally for them. They would regain the titles twice more. They vacated
them in time for a tournament in 1997, however failed to win them back. Not long after all three
jumped ship to FMW, Atsushi Ohnita's Blood and Guts Empire.
Well Ohnita was there for a while, but Fuyuki would end up running the show as lead booker for new
company President Shoichi Arai. While a strong Hardcore element would remain in the company,
Fuyuki and Arai tried to break away from the tradition of FMW to find a new and wider audience.
They realised that without Ohnita, and to a lesser extent without Tarzan Goto, Megumi Kudo, and
Combat Toyoda who were either retired, retiring or gone of too IWA, the company would not be a
long term bet for success. Fuyuki Gun would become a wider stable under the name; Team No
Respect and would win the FMW Six Man Streetfight titles, their premier Trios belt, in short order.
Picking up where they had left off in WAR, they were presented as a dominant trio, taking the titles
from Hisakatsu Oya and The Headhunters on March 21st 1997. Their reign would last four months,
but it would be the last they saw of title glory for quite some time.
company President Shoichi Arai. While a strong Hardcore element would remain in the company,
Fuyuki and Arai tried to break away from the tradition of FMW to find a new and wider audience.
They realised that without Ohnita, and to a lesser extent without Tarzan Goto, Megumi Kudo, and
Combat Toyoda who were either retired, retiring or gone of too IWA, the company would not be a
long term bet for success. Fuyuki Gun would become a wider stable under the name; Team No
Respect and would win the FMW Six Man Streetfight titles, their premier Trios belt, in short order.
Picking up where they had left off in WAR, they were presented as a dominant trio, taking the titles
from Hisakatsu Oya and The Headhunters on March 21st 1997. Their reign would last four months,
but it would be the last they saw of title glory for quite some time.
As Jado and Gedo went on to become an integral part of the FMW "World Entertainment Wrestling"
they were kept away from the title picture. However they did take trips to other companies as a
tandem and had a modicum of success. The World Class Tag Team found themselves in demand from
All Japan working their first Tokyo Dome show in 1998. Paul Heyman also came a calling, they would
debut for ECW in March of 2000, for a number one contenders match with The Impact Players. Wildly
popular with the ECW Arena crowd who knew of their hardcore reputation, they also had the exact right
opponents in Justin Credible and Lance Storm to push all the right buttons with the Philly fans. They
would lose a heated match. Gedo had lost a lot of his bulk by this point in his career. He was down to a
slim body shape which suited his high impact style more. Jado had bulked up slightly but was still the
lean flyer. He also nearly got the pin with a Belly to Back Suplex off of the top rope which looked
incredible, and Hip Tossed Justin through a table all guaranteed things to get you over in ECW, especially
as he took a hellacious cane shot from Credible. A Tiger Drive/Frog Splash combination didn't get the job
done, and Storm would kick out of the Superbomb. Eventually Jado would fall foul to a Stuff Piledriver
from Lance Storm. They did however make quite the impression in that one match.
they were kept away from the title picture. However they did take trips to other companies as a
tandem and had a modicum of success. The World Class Tag Team found themselves in demand from
All Japan working their first Tokyo Dome show in 1998. Paul Heyman also came a calling, they would
debut for ECW in March of 2000, for a number one contenders match with The Impact Players. Wildly
popular with the ECW Arena crowd who knew of their hardcore reputation, they also had the exact right
opponents in Justin Credible and Lance Storm to push all the right buttons with the Philly fans. They
would lose a heated match. Gedo had lost a lot of his bulk by this point in his career. He was down to a
slim body shape which suited his high impact style more. Jado had bulked up slightly but was still the
lean flyer. He also nearly got the pin with a Belly to Back Suplex off of the top rope which looked
incredible, and Hip Tossed Justin through a table all guaranteed things to get you over in ECW, especially
as he took a hellacious cane shot from Credible. A Tiger Drive/Frog Splash combination didn't get the job
done, and Storm would kick out of the Superbomb. Eventually Jado would fall foul to a Stuff Piledriver
from Lance Storm. They did however make quite the impression in that one match.
It wouldn't be until July of 2000 that the pair would return to tag team glory. Taking the WEW World Tag
Team Championships from H (formerly Hayabusa) and Tetsuhiro Kuroda in a tournament final for the
vacant straps. The reign would only last two weeks, but they would go on to win the WEW Hardcore Tag
Team titles in a three way dance ladder match in September in Sapporo. It would be another short reign
of just over two weeks. It would be their last in FMW, a Six Man title reign came with Masato Tanaka as
"The Complete Players", but ten days after winning the titles all three were gone from the company.
After some time freelancing, they would return to where they started as a team, Gedo and Jado went
home to New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Team Championships from H (formerly Hayabusa) and Tetsuhiro Kuroda in a tournament final for the
vacant straps. The reign would only last two weeks, but they would go on to win the WEW Hardcore Tag
Team titles in a three way dance ladder match in September in Sapporo. It would be another short reign
of just over two weeks. It would be their last in FMW, a Six Man title reign came with Masato Tanaka as
"The Complete Players", but ten days after winning the titles all three were gone from the company.
After some time freelancing, they would return to where they started as a team, Gedo and Jado went
home to New Japan Pro Wrestling.
NJPW would be the place they had the most success. Financially, artistically and in terms of
championships, there were few Junior Heavyweight teams as good or as dominant as Gedo and Jado.
They came in as part of Masahiro Chono's Team 2000 faction, they would be the Junior Heavyweight
representatives in the tag team division. Gedo was the stick man, his promos did what they do now
for Kazuchika Okada; proclaim superiority and explain their greatness. Jado was the mechanic, not
that Gedo was a slow coach in the ring, and they were effective substantial brawling wrestlers who
could work a technical style as well as anyone on the roster. They were also the most vicious and best
heels in the company. They had now got down to a more traditional look to match a more traditional
promotion. Both of them were trim and lean, with shaved heads. Tights and boots were now the
order of the day, and Gedo wore an ever present Bandana hooding his eyes, giving him the look of a
Latino Gangsta and that's what they based their attitude on. The came in as killers, Masa Chono and
Hiroshi Tenzan were tearing up the heavyweight tag division and Jado and Gedo would do the same
in the Juniors. Their swagger was backed up by their heavy reputation from WAR and FMW. They used
that swagger, and their Team 2000 Bretheren to intimidate and dominate. Their matches were brutal,
using out of the ring brawling, in the ring brawling and bringing a general street fight aesthetic to the
NJPW Juniors that for so many years had been sweetly scientific. Their attitude and their ring style was
a breath of fresh air in a division that though it sported some of the most talented grapplers the world
had ever seen, had rested on its laurels to long and hadn't been shaken up in a very long time.
championships, there were few Junior Heavyweight teams as good or as dominant as Gedo and Jado.
They came in as part of Masahiro Chono's Team 2000 faction, they would be the Junior Heavyweight
representatives in the tag team division. Gedo was the stick man, his promos did what they do now
for Kazuchika Okada; proclaim superiority and explain their greatness. Jado was the mechanic, not
that Gedo was a slow coach in the ring, and they were effective substantial brawling wrestlers who
could work a technical style as well as anyone on the roster. They were also the most vicious and best
heels in the company. They had now got down to a more traditional look to match a more traditional
promotion. Both of them were trim and lean, with shaved heads. Tights and boots were now the
order of the day, and Gedo wore an ever present Bandana hooding his eyes, giving him the look of a
Latino Gangsta and that's what they based their attitude on. The came in as killers, Masa Chono and
Hiroshi Tenzan were tearing up the heavyweight tag division and Jado and Gedo would do the same
in the Juniors. Their swagger was backed up by their heavy reputation from WAR and FMW. They used
that swagger, and their Team 2000 Bretheren to intimidate and dominate. Their matches were brutal,
using out of the ring brawling, in the ring brawling and bringing a general street fight aesthetic to the
NJPW Juniors that for so many years had been sweetly scientific. Their attitude and their ring style was
a breath of fresh air in a division that though it sported some of the most talented grapplers the world
had ever seen, had rested on its laurels to long and hadn't been shaken up in a very long time.
While attacking referees and using gang warfare tactics was the antithesis of the Strong Style
approach, they made a deep impression with New Japan officials, wrestlers and fans. They would
challenge for the IWGP Tag Team Championships against Jushin Thunder Liger and El Samurai, the
two cornerstones of the NJPW Junior scene on July 20th 2001, and take the titles. They would hold
the belts for ten months, a dominating time frame when you look at the history of that title. While
there were clear portents of change for the Junior division, the company as a whole was going
through a grindingly low period. Of the Three Musketeers who had pushed the company forward in
the nineties, Masa Chono was the only one left with the company. Kieji Mutoh had moved on to be
President of All Japan, and Shinya Hashimoto was now heading up Zero One, the days of regularly
filling the Tokyo Dome four times a year were over. As Rocky Romero pointed out on the Art of
Wrestling podcast, it was a dark time for anyone involved in the company. They knew they had the
talent, but there was a lot of dead wood floating around in the mid card, and the top guys were not
willing to make way for the new stars. The problem of the company shrinking had made the main
eventers more wary of risk in letting someone else into the club. It's an awful lot easier to drop down
the card when you know your paychecks will still be reflective of your tenure, understandably they felt
that if they dropped down they would be left with the age old problem of being diminished stars. It
would take ten years to rebuild the company, but Gedo and Jado would be the key components of
that revival. They were also key to building the fortunes of the Junior Division. Then New Japan
booker Riki Chōshū, experimented with reducing the importance of the Junior Heavyweights,
moving Jushin Liger up to the Heavyweight division. It was a decision that would cost the company
dearly as it pulled one of the key attractions of the wider company. So when Jado and Gedo set about
making the Junior Heavyweight division their stomping ground and stamping their own style of violent
authority all over it, it was important to hook those fans they had lost. They were stomping on
tradition for sure, but it was a move reignite that fire in something that had been stripped of its
prestige.
approach, they made a deep impression with New Japan officials, wrestlers and fans. They would
challenge for the IWGP Tag Team Championships against Jushin Thunder Liger and El Samurai, the
two cornerstones of the NJPW Junior scene on July 20th 2001, and take the titles. They would hold
the belts for ten months, a dominating time frame when you look at the history of that title. While
there were clear portents of change for the Junior division, the company as a whole was going
through a grindingly low period. Of the Three Musketeers who had pushed the company forward in
the nineties, Masa Chono was the only one left with the company. Kieji Mutoh had moved on to be
President of All Japan, and Shinya Hashimoto was now heading up Zero One, the days of regularly
filling the Tokyo Dome four times a year were over. As Rocky Romero pointed out on the Art of
Wrestling podcast, it was a dark time for anyone involved in the company. They knew they had the
talent, but there was a lot of dead wood floating around in the mid card, and the top guys were not
willing to make way for the new stars. The problem of the company shrinking had made the main
eventers more wary of risk in letting someone else into the club. It's an awful lot easier to drop down
the card when you know your paychecks will still be reflective of your tenure, understandably they felt
that if they dropped down they would be left with the age old problem of being diminished stars. It
would take ten years to rebuild the company, but Gedo and Jado would be the key components of
that revival. They were also key to building the fortunes of the Junior Division. Then New Japan
booker Riki Chōshū, experimented with reducing the importance of the Junior Heavyweights,
moving Jushin Liger up to the Heavyweight division. It was a decision that would cost the company
dearly as it pulled one of the key attractions of the wider company. So when Jado and Gedo set about
making the Junior Heavyweight division their stomping ground and stamping their own style of violent
authority all over it, it was important to hook those fans they had lost. They were stomping on
tradition for sure, but it was a move reignite that fire in something that had been stripped of its
prestige.
That first ten month reign established them in the company. They would lose the belts to Liger and
Minoru Tanaka in May of 2002, by then though they were a fixture of the company and over the next
18 months their narrative would be to prove themselves once again. They did the job spectacularly
well. They reclaimed the titles in November of 2003 from Liger and Koji Kanemoto. Not long after
Jado would take his first and as it turns turned out only IWGP Singles title by beating a field of Junior
Heavyweight legends in a Battle Royal at Ultimate Crush II in Tokyo on October the 13th. After 14
years of trying, as guests and as regulars, the two veterans finally stood atop of the Junior
Heavyweight world in New Japan.
Minoru Tanaka in May of 2002, by then though they were a fixture of the company and over the next
18 months their narrative would be to prove themselves once again. They did the job spectacularly
well. They reclaimed the titles in November of 2003 from Liger and Koji Kanemoto. Not long after
Jado would take his first and as it turns turned out only IWGP Singles title by beating a field of Junior
Heavyweight legends in a Battle Royal at Ultimate Crush II in Tokyo on October the 13th. After 14
years of trying, as guests and as regulars, the two veterans finally stood atop of the Junior
Heavyweight world in New Japan.
Though that dominance would only last a couple of months, their intensity and team work always
shone through their performances. They would lose the belts to the team of The American Dragon
Brian Danielson (Daniel Bryan to all of you WWE fans) and Christopher Daniels under his Curry Man
persona. They would swap the titles back and forth over the next three months before losing them
eventually to Koji Kanemoto and Watoru Inoue.
shone through their performances. They would lose the belts to the team of The American Dragon
Brian Danielson (Daniel Bryan to all of you WWE fans) and Christopher Daniels under his Curry Man
persona. They would swap the titles back and forth over the next three months before losing them
eventually to Koji Kanemoto and Watoru Inoue.
While in the midst of their third reign, the factional alliances of New Japan began shifting once again.
With Chono spending time in NOAH for a refreshing outlook and taking over the booking duties of the
company, Team 2000 came to its natural conclusion. Meanwhile in the Junior ranks, Jushin Thunder
Liger revamped his persona, gone were the red and blue colours that he had historically worn, he
turned to an all black outfit and full on heel, bringing together a stable that would define this era of
Junior Heavyweight wrestling. Control Terrorism Unit had an impressive talent roster; Hirooki Goto
(now a Heavyweight who had a brief reign as IWGP Tag Champion this year), Minoru Tanaka
(One of Wrestle-1's key draws who wrestled at Bound for Glory in 2014 against Manik),
Black Tiger IV (better known today as Rocky Romero), Prince Devitt, (better known to NXT fans as
Finn Bálor) and Gedo and Jado. They would be CTU's tag team specialists and they would deliver
one more reign for the group in July of 2006 when they would defeat El Samurai and Ryusuke Taguchi
for the titles. They would hold the belts for another long stint but it would be their last. Dropping
them to Michinoku Pro legends Taka Michinoku and Dick Togo. They would start taking the name
World Class Tag Team shortly after, verbally exerting their dominance, even if they didn't have the
titles. In 2007 Liger broke up CTU after they had achieved everything the could in NJPW. Jado And
Gedo were gone shortly before that joining Togi Makabe's Great Bash Heel unit. GBH was not long
for the world though. Makabe would run into Shinsuke Nakamura, lose and find the entire GBH
Roster turning on him as they joined Nakamura's new group CHAOS. Nakamura would proclaim
himself "King of Strong Style" and claimed that CHAOS would bring back the legacy lost when
Antonio Inoki and Shniya Hashimoto left NJPW.
With Chono spending time in NOAH for a refreshing outlook and taking over the booking duties of the
company, Team 2000 came to its natural conclusion. Meanwhile in the Junior ranks, Jushin Thunder
Liger revamped his persona, gone were the red and blue colours that he had historically worn, he
turned to an all black outfit and full on heel, bringing together a stable that would define this era of
Junior Heavyweight wrestling. Control Terrorism Unit had an impressive talent roster; Hirooki Goto
(now a Heavyweight who had a brief reign as IWGP Tag Champion this year), Minoru Tanaka
(One of Wrestle-1's key draws who wrestled at Bound for Glory in 2014 against Manik),
Black Tiger IV (better known today as Rocky Romero), Prince Devitt, (better known to NXT fans as
Finn Bálor) and Gedo and Jado. They would be CTU's tag team specialists and they would deliver
one more reign for the group in July of 2006 when they would defeat El Samurai and Ryusuke Taguchi
for the titles. They would hold the belts for another long stint but it would be their last. Dropping
them to Michinoku Pro legends Taka Michinoku and Dick Togo. They would start taking the name
World Class Tag Team shortly after, verbally exerting their dominance, even if they didn't have the
titles. In 2007 Liger broke up CTU after they had achieved everything the could in NJPW. Jado And
Gedo were gone shortly before that joining Togi Makabe's Great Bash Heel unit. GBH was not long
for the world though. Makabe would run into Shinsuke Nakamura, lose and find the entire GBH
Roster turning on him as they joined Nakamura's new group CHAOS. Nakamura would proclaim
himself "King of Strong Style" and claimed that CHAOS would bring back the legacy lost when
Antonio Inoki and Shniya Hashimoto left NJPW.
Gedo and Jado would join up and on screen would become a key part of the group's development,
offering veteran heft to a group of rising stars. However things would not turn out so great on the
championship front. Still chasing that fifth title to this day, they gently and quietly shifted into the
back ground. The reason being that they were started to take over the book of NJPW, and for that
reason wrestling duties came second to creative thought. They would be exceptional at the task.
The Wrestling Obsever "Booker of the Year" Award has not gone to anyone else since 2010. Their
logic driven story telling has put the emphasis back on the main event and it's key stars Shinsuke
Nakamura and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Under their watch the IWGP Intercontinental title has been raised
in prestige to almost the equal of the IWGP Heavyweight title. While Nakamura has had to do the
leg work in the ring, it's Jado and Gedo who set the scene. While on first glance it may seem that the
pair didn't have the heritage to take the company forward, it was exactly that reason that made them
so successful. Their journeys around the wrestling world got them set for this job. Wary of keeping
one man at the top like they saw in FMW and WAR, they have been at pains to spread the weight of
the main event scene, and insuring new stars emerge on a regular basis. The promotion of the
Intercontinental title was one facet of that, but clearing the dead wood of the promotion has also
helped. Wrestlers who were boring the pants off of the audience have been revamped into new
characters; most notably Takashi Iizuka. Having been incredibly boring since his debut, he was
reinvented as a crazed and treacherous loon, turning heel on Hiroyshi Tenzan and joining CHAOS,
attacking commentator Shimpei Nogami and generally having a rip roaring fun time by being the
exact opposite of the noble, but dull, shooter he portrayed before then. Toru Yano was given a
chance to shine for his comedic timing and his ability to look confused and happy at the same time.
All that time in FMW that tried to reinvent itself as an entertainment company,but failed, paid off,
giving them ample material they knew would work. They knew what was likely to be a hit and what was
likely to miss. They also understood they couldn't get too silly, it was NJPW after all. They have dug back
into the past of pro-wrestling to successfully recycle some of its best under developed ideas. Bullet Club
may well have been Prince Devitt's concepts, but the execution was straight out of the FMW playbook;
a re-run of Terry Funk's army of The Headhunters, Mike Awesome and other gaijin talent that invaded
FMW, banding together to protect themselves from what they saw as an uneven playing field for the
home talent. The Funk Masters of Wrestling faction was a hit, praying on that oldest of all Japanese
tropes Nationalism. While Bullet Club tore down Strong Style's respect tradition, it is an extension of
what Gedo and Jado did themselves as part of Team 2000. Of course you need the characters and the
wrestlers to be portrayed well, but it was they who set the canvas on which the artists could work.
offering veteran heft to a group of rising stars. However things would not turn out so great on the
championship front. Still chasing that fifth title to this day, they gently and quietly shifted into the
back ground. The reason being that they were started to take over the book of NJPW, and for that
reason wrestling duties came second to creative thought. They would be exceptional at the task.
The Wrestling Obsever "Booker of the Year" Award has not gone to anyone else since 2010. Their
logic driven story telling has put the emphasis back on the main event and it's key stars Shinsuke
Nakamura and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Under their watch the IWGP Intercontinental title has been raised
in prestige to almost the equal of the IWGP Heavyweight title. While Nakamura has had to do the
leg work in the ring, it's Jado and Gedo who set the scene. While on first glance it may seem that the
pair didn't have the heritage to take the company forward, it was exactly that reason that made them
so successful. Their journeys around the wrestling world got them set for this job. Wary of keeping
one man at the top like they saw in FMW and WAR, they have been at pains to spread the weight of
the main event scene, and insuring new stars emerge on a regular basis. The promotion of the
Intercontinental title was one facet of that, but clearing the dead wood of the promotion has also
helped. Wrestlers who were boring the pants off of the audience have been revamped into new
characters; most notably Takashi Iizuka. Having been incredibly boring since his debut, he was
reinvented as a crazed and treacherous loon, turning heel on Hiroyshi Tenzan and joining CHAOS,
attacking commentator Shimpei Nogami and generally having a rip roaring fun time by being the
exact opposite of the noble, but dull, shooter he portrayed before then. Toru Yano was given a
chance to shine for his comedic timing and his ability to look confused and happy at the same time.
All that time in FMW that tried to reinvent itself as an entertainment company,but failed, paid off,
giving them ample material they knew would work. They knew what was likely to be a hit and what was
likely to miss. They also understood they couldn't get too silly, it was NJPW after all. They have dug back
into the past of pro-wrestling to successfully recycle some of its best under developed ideas. Bullet Club
may well have been Prince Devitt's concepts, but the execution was straight out of the FMW playbook;
a re-run of Terry Funk's army of The Headhunters, Mike Awesome and other gaijin talent that invaded
FMW, banding together to protect themselves from what they saw as an uneven playing field for the
home talent. The Funk Masters of Wrestling faction was a hit, praying on that oldest of all Japanese
tropes Nationalism. While Bullet Club tore down Strong Style's respect tradition, it is an extension of
what Gedo and Jado did themselves as part of Team 2000. Of course you need the characters and the
wrestlers to be portrayed well, but it was they who set the canvas on which the artists could work.
Even today workers like Kenny Omega have a debt to characters of the Japanese golden era of which
Jado and Gedo were a part. Omega isn't that different to Ricki Fuji's Rock 'n' Roll loving, hair metal
wrestler (who was a hit in FMW and New Japan), it's just that Omega turns up the heel quotient a few
more notches. As Jim Ross has often said, the job of a booker, or in his case talent relations director,
was to act like a good head coach; put the best players available to you in the best positions and give
them every chance to flourish. Gedo and Jado have lived that philosophy, and have made surprising
main event stars in the process. Prince Devitt went from a happy go lucky face in the Apollo 55 tag
team, to a killer heel who was out for himself in Bullet Club. So good in fact he demanded attention
way beyond his role as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Gedo and Jado were the first to see his
main event potential and pushed him with a pinfall win over Tanahashi which set him up for a run at
Kazuchika Okada. While coming up short against The Rainmaker, it gave him a gravitas and elevated the
Junior title even in defeat, in fact so great was their faith in him, he was the first Junior Heavyweight
Champion to be granted a title shot. Not even Jushin Liger, The Original Tiger Mask or The Dynamite Kid
could say that, as well as the host of Junior Heavyweight legends that have run through the company.
Jado and Gedo were a part. Omega isn't that different to Ricki Fuji's Rock 'n' Roll loving, hair metal
wrestler (who was a hit in FMW and New Japan), it's just that Omega turns up the heel quotient a few
more notches. As Jim Ross has often said, the job of a booker, or in his case talent relations director,
was to act like a good head coach; put the best players available to you in the best positions and give
them every chance to flourish. Gedo and Jado have lived that philosophy, and have made surprising
main event stars in the process. Prince Devitt went from a happy go lucky face in the Apollo 55 tag
team, to a killer heel who was out for himself in Bullet Club. So good in fact he demanded attention
way beyond his role as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Gedo and Jado were the first to see his
main event potential and pushed him with a pinfall win over Tanahashi which set him up for a run at
Kazuchika Okada. While coming up short against The Rainmaker, it gave him a gravitas and elevated the
Junior title even in defeat, in fact so great was their faith in him, he was the first Junior Heavyweight
Champion to be granted a title shot. Not even Jushin Liger, The Original Tiger Mask or The Dynamite Kid
could say that, as well as the host of Junior Heavyweight legends that have run through the company.
While they have upset the conservative apple cart at NJPW, by bringing in such concepts as three way
and four way matches, they have kept within the bounds of the New Japan tradition; no one is breaking
tables, and barbed wire has stayed in the Korukean store cupboard till the BJW boys are in town.
However their time in Mexico has also served them well. The now annual Fantasticamania CMLL/NJPW
tour has become a high point of the NJPW Calendar, and without that time in UWA back in the early
nineties, they wouldn't be able to deliver such great cards that are booked with a sense of proportion
and by putting the best players together at the right time. While Lucha and Japanese wrestling have a
lot in common, they also have severe style clash issues, to get the best out of both rosters requires a
steady hand. The Shinsuke Nakamura versus La Sombra feud being a great example. Sombra being the
best matchup for Nakamura from the CMLL locker room meant excellent wrestling quality. Nakamura
dropping the title in Mexico meant that CMLL got a boost from their relationship with NJPW, Nakamura
winning it back gave him more prestige for facing truly international competition. It gave La Sombra a
huge push in Mexico and in Japan as one of the few players to unseat the great Nakamura on the big
stage, and it gave Nakamura a huge hometown response when he won the title back in Tokyo. Everyone
was a winner, and while it was an old school angle, Baba won and lost the NWA title three times in the
seventies under similar circumstances but for much shorter periods of time, it paid dividends and added
to the mystique of the Intercontinental belt.
and four way matches, they have kept within the bounds of the New Japan tradition; no one is breaking
tables, and barbed wire has stayed in the Korukean store cupboard till the BJW boys are in town.
However their time in Mexico has also served them well. The now annual Fantasticamania CMLL/NJPW
tour has become a high point of the NJPW Calendar, and without that time in UWA back in the early
nineties, they wouldn't be able to deliver such great cards that are booked with a sense of proportion
and by putting the best players together at the right time. While Lucha and Japanese wrestling have a
lot in common, they also have severe style clash issues, to get the best out of both rosters requires a
steady hand. The Shinsuke Nakamura versus La Sombra feud being a great example. Sombra being the
best matchup for Nakamura from the CMLL locker room meant excellent wrestling quality. Nakamura
dropping the title in Mexico meant that CMLL got a boost from their relationship with NJPW, Nakamura
winning it back gave him more prestige for facing truly international competition. It gave La Sombra a
huge push in Mexico and in Japan as one of the few players to unseat the great Nakamura on the big
stage, and it gave Nakamura a huge hometown response when he won the title back in Tokyo. Everyone
was a winner, and while it was an old school angle, Baba won and lost the NWA title three times in the
seventies under similar circumstances but for much shorter periods of time, it paid dividends and added
to the mystique of the Intercontinental belt.
They themselves still wrestle, but as bookers have backed themselves well out of the limelight, it
appears they only do it for fun. With Gedo firmly ensconced as Okada's manager his ring presence and
Jado often doing commentary duty for the large events, the pair are visible to the NJPW audience. While
they were not a ground breaking team in terms of move set or look, though they did innovate, their
outsider attitudes always set them apart from the pack. What made them stand out as a unit in NJPW
was that they were a team, when you saw Gedo, Jado wasn't far behind. The first team to be truly
together with their own name, joint gimmick and goal, like ALL the tag teams in the Junior division now.
appears they only do it for fun. With Gedo firmly ensconced as Okada's manager his ring presence and
Jado often doing commentary duty for the large events, the pair are visible to the NJPW audience. While
they were not a ground breaking team in terms of move set or look, though they did innovate, their
outsider attitudes always set them apart from the pack. What made them stand out as a unit in NJPW
was that they were a team, when you saw Gedo, Jado wasn't far behind. The first team to be truly
together with their own name, joint gimmick and goal, like ALL the tag teams in the Junior division now.
Gedo and Jado were pirates on a rough sea and they have ridden every wave until it was time to turn
privateer and hunt for the establishment. As NJPW look out on to the horizon, the next thing on the
agenda is World domination in the untapped markets of the far east. With Bushiroad's money behind
them, seemingly limitless potential from the strongest roster in wrestling today, long sighted free agency
signings like AJ Styles, talent agreements in place with DDT, CMLL, ROH, NWA and NOAH, a online
service that is looking to bolster it's library by buying up FMW, WAR and other defunct company's
product for redistribution and that has a stunning library of its own, New Japan is looking to meet
WWE head on. A booking war between Gedo, Jado and Vince McMahon? Now that will be a sight to
see my friends, a sight to see.
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