Misawa knocks All-Japan off TV

Misawa knocks All-Japan off TV

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling
Mitsuharu Misawa scored his first major victory in the promotional war brewing with All Japan Pro Wrestling as Nippon TV in Japan have cancelled All Japan's time slot on their network and given it to Misawa's group who are scheduled to start up this August.

Misawa met with N-TV officials today and was successful in obtaining a new time slot for his new promotion. Misawa revealed this past weekend that his new promotion would be called NOAH.

All Japan's show, Pro Wrestling 30, had a fluctuating time slot that saw the program usually air Sunday evening/Monday morning just after midnight. No word was given when Misawa's time slot would be. The final All Japan TV show on the network will air this Wednesday evening.

According to Japanese wrestling observers and officials within the company itself, the cancellation of the TV program, the backbone of All Japan pro wrestling, spells the end for the promotion. It is expected that the July 23 show booked at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan Hall will be the last ever All Japan show as company officials are telling All Japan owner Motoko Baba to throw in the towel.

The cancellation of All Japan's time slot brings to an end one of the longest running relationships in wrestling broadcast history. N-TV has broadcast All Japan's TV shows since All Japan founder Giant Baba left the Japan Wrestling Association to form All Japan Pro Wrestling in October of 1972.

In related news, All Japan star and foreign talent liaison Johnny Ace is expected to be at WCW's Nitro taping this evening to discuss the possibility of joining the booking team. No word yet if he will make an on camera appearance.

-- With files from Zach Arnold, Wrestling Observer

Related stories