EXTRA BIG EGG: NJPW Battle Satellite in Tokyo Dome 1989

Rather than give y’all the luxury of choice for this second installment of EXTRA BIG EGG, I decided to take the Tokyo Dome theme as an opportunity to go all the way back to the first Dome show, New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Battle Satellite in Tokyo Dome, which took place on April 24, 1989. Beyond the involvement of Big Van Vader, Antonio Inoki, and Shinya Hashimoto, all of whom appeared in BIG EGG during this cycle, Battle Satellite’s a fascinating show, featuring the debut of Jushin “Thunder” Liger and positing itself as a kind of Olympic-style peace project, pitting the wrestlers of the United States, the Soviet Union, and Japan against each other to prove which country’s style of wrestling was superior.

Predictably, the show doesn’t stake a claim – in the end, an American wins the vacant IWGP Championship, a Russian beats Antonio Inoki for a largely inactive martial arts championship, and Japan plays host the a veritable athletic summit, positing its championships as prizes the world ought to vie for. It’s fun! Let’s dig in!