Monday, January 25, 2021

Tommy Dreamers 1995 tour of All Japan Pro Wrestling

While I was working on my Limitless Wrestling book I was researching Tommy Dreamer for his bio in the book.  While looking for something unique to notate in the book I saw that Dreamer did a tour with All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1995 while he was in ECW. 

The first night of the tour was January 2, 1995 and the final night was January 29th.  He wrestled in twenty three matches winning six of them.  He compete in a battle royal, the All Asia Tag Title League, multi-man matches and singles bouts.

He scored wins in singles matches against Mighty Inoue, Ryukaku Izumida, and Manakea Mossman.  In the All Asia Tag Team Title League he was partnered with Johnny Smith finishing with six points.  During the tour he also teamed with Johnny Ace and the legendary Stan "The Lariat" Hansen battling teams like The Fantastics: Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton, The Can-Am Express: Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas, Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori and others.  

One six man tag team match saw him team with Johnny Smith and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams against Holy Demon Army: Akira Taue, Toshiaka Kawada, & Yoshinari Ogawa.  The final night of the tour Dreamer and Stan Hansen teamed to defeat Abdullah the Butcher and Giant Kimala.  

Dreamer would return to Japan for IWA in 1996, WAR in 1997, FMW in 1997, 1998, & 1999.  He wouldn't return to Japan again until 2006 & 2009 for WWE events.  SMASH1 brought Dreamer to Japan in 2010, while WNC: Wrestling New Classic booked him for two matches in 2012.  In 2014 TNA ran a show in Japan that The Great Muta main evented, Dreamer teamed with Abyss earlier on the card losing to The Dudley Boys.  In 2015 he returned to wrestled for Tokyo Gurentai One Night Stand, and again in 2016 for One Night Stand 2.  Which is his last time in Japan to date.

Although Dreamer never tagged with Hansen or Smith again, he did team up with Steve Williams on August 3, 1996 in a losing effort to Brian Lee & Taz at the ECW Arena.  

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Until next time!!

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