TRIBUTE TO AMERICAN DRAGON - PART TWO
Last week, I began a tribute to one of my favorite young wrestlers, "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson. I don't often dedicate an entire column (let alone two) for a mostly biographical article, but in this case, with a wrestler not fully known by the American mainstream, it seemed to make sense. If you missed Part One, click here to read it. If not, on with the show...
--THE ERA OF HONOR BEGINS--
In 2002, as the American Dragon's career was about to skyrocket, a new independent wrestling promotion was taking shape on the East Coast. A more "old school" brand that promised highly athletic matches, clean finishes, honorable conduct, and some of the best performers on the American indy scene. It was Ring of Honor. Former Extreme Championship Wrestling followers Gabe Sapolsky and Rob Feinstein, who at the time were only working a wrestling DVD and VHS ordering website, pooled their resources and formed ROH to be something radically different from the over-the-top "Attitude" of the WWE and a great departure from the hardcore indy wrestling promotions like Combat Zone Wrestling. Who did ROH call to work the main event of their very first show? American Dragon. After recently winning the All-Pro Wrestling King of the Indies Tournament and NWA Canada's Junior Heavyweight Championship, it was time for his next challenge.
ROH presented "The Era of Honor Begins" on February 23, 2002. The undercard was strong and included future big names like Jay Briscoe, The Amazing Red, Xavier, Homicide, and Spanky. Not to mention international superstar Eddie Guerrero, who at the time was recently released from the WWE and looking to once again prove himself. The main event was a triple threat match that I have often heard called the greatest match of its kind in the new millennium. It featured indy veteran "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels, and two rising stars: Low Ki and American Dragon. Low Ki and American Dragon, who had a series of matches in ECWA and APW the year before, brought their feud to Ring of Honor. It was an incredible match with a lot of innovative submissions. Fans chanted "Match of the Year!" at the conclusion.
"It was perhaps the greatest match I've ever seen live and that is saying something considering I shot 90% of the ECW shows at ringside for RF Video. I knew it would be great, but it blew away all my expectations and was out of this world. That is why I put it on last. I knew it would be an unbelievable, best match on the show, but it was even better than that. Those guys were all welted up after the match and they are all so talented and take so much pride in their work." -Gabe Sapolsky, Ring of Honor booker
Low Ki picked up the victory but lost a month later at Ring of Honor's next show to American Dragon. The feud continued. Through 2002, ROH grew and American Dragon was there the whole way. He became one of the main players in Ring of Honor's monthly (and eventually twice a month) cards. In April, Ring of Honor allowed the Dragon to go back to his roots with the Heartbreak Gauntlet Series. Matches pitting Shawn Michaels' students against each other. In the finals, Dragon lost to sometimes-partner and long-time opponent Spanky. In June, American Dragon took part in the "Road to the Title" tournament to crown the first ever Ring of Honor Championship. He advanced in the first round by defeating Bio-Hazard of Shawn Michaels' academy but lost his chance at the gold when Doug Williams bested him in the semi-finals. One review called it a "scientific four-star classic." Eventually, constant rival Low Ki became the first ever Ring of Honor Champion.
Later, American Dragon went on to face the likes of Chad Collyer, Samoa Joe, and fellow Michael's student Paul London in a 2 out of 3 falls match considered one of the greatest matches of 2003. Not just in ROH but in America. The Dragon had much more to conquer than Ring of Honor...
--MEANWHILE ON THE WEST COAST--
Dragon was being called the best wrestler in the independent promotions. With all his success and talent, he still stayed humble and gave proper respect to the veterans even after being declared the best...
"Yea. It's ridiculous when people say things like that because when you compare us, me, Spanky and Low Ki, to guys like [Chris] Daniels he is just a notch above us. I can have a good match with Spanky, I can have a good match with Low Ki, I can have a decent match with Super Dragon, but I can't go in there and carry some guy who doesn't know how to throw an arm drag like Daniels has been doing for the last five years. He knows so much about selling and wrestling. He is one of the guys who does wrestle 300 matches a year. So guys like that, guys who have been in the business for many more years than these younger and flashier guys, should be the ones who should be elevated. Not guys like us." - Bryan Danielson interview with SoCal Uncensored
Some of the credit for American Dragon's "best indy wrestler" title was owed to California promotion All-Pro Wrestling's King of the Indies Tournament in 2001. Naturally, in 2002, he spent a great deal of his time there. He wrestled APW wrestlers like James Choi, "Kamikaze Kid" Jardi Frantz, Joey Ryan, and JoJo Fantastico before taking on someone who is now one of the biggest names in West Coast wrestling, Super Dragon. A high-risk daredevil with obvious Japanese strong style influence. Both in terms of wrestling and fashion sense.
I personally have had the good fortune to see Super Dragon wrestle live in a rare ROH appearance in New Jersey earlier this year. While most in attendance only knew him through tapes and DVD's, Super Dragon was incredibly over with the crowd. In June 2002 in APW, the two Dragons went one-on-one. The result? American Dragon won the Internet Championship, firmly solidifying his place on the West Coast and helping Super Dragon get over as the top star I saw in Jersey.
The American Dragon, to this day, continues to be one of the biggest names on the West Coast. Much like what he did for Ring of Honor and the East Coast, he helped catapault another scene and another promotion: Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. Having never been to California, I can only go by what I am told. As I understand it, PWG is a similar atmosphere to ROH. Heavy emphasis on strong wrestling and no nonsense storylines. American Dragon and Samoa Joe went to a thirty-minute time limit draw at PWG last month.
--AN AMERICAN DRAGON IN JAPAN--
"American pro wrestling is all about entertaining the fans. Japanese pro wrestling is more about the wrestling, which is what I enjoy." -Bryan Danielson interview with New Japan Pro Wrestling
Early in the American Dragon's career, Shawn Michaels managed to get him booked in FMW in Japan. Michaels was making a guest appearance as a referee, so the Dragon came along and was given some work. He was still green at the time and considers his matches there to be abysmal. Though he did pick up his "roaring elbow" move from Masato Tanaka, that was the extent of his success in FMW. He was not invited back. Years later, Dragon greatly improved and was given a chance in the more prestigious and well-known New Japan Pro Wrestling. Home to greats like the legendary Jushin "Thunder" Liger and Tiger Mask IV.
Dragon's first match with NJPW was on October 6, 2002 against Wataru Inoue. Dragon won. The next was against junior heavyweight veteran El Samurai. Dragon won again. He was getting over with the crowds. Earlier in his career, Dragon told interviewers that his career goal was the wrestle in Japan. He knew he was probably too short to make it big in the WWE, but he was the perfect size for NJPW.
"I actually find the Japanese audience more responsive than typical American audiences. In America, if they don't know you, they rarely cheer during your match even if you're wrestling your guts out. In Japan, its different. Sure, they'll respond more to people they know, but if they see that you're doing your best and fighting hard, they appreciate it. Sometimes the audience gives you energy when you are down. But even if the crowd is quiet, I still give everything I have. You have to, or else you'll get hurt." -Bryan Danielson interview with New Japan Pro Wrestling
Dragon continues to work with NJPW to this day. He is scheduled to compete in the most respected and all-around best tournament in the Eastern Hemisphere, Best of the Super Juniors or "Super J" for short. While the tournament is mostly Japanese, many gaijins have performed in it as well. Including but not limited to Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, Chris Jericho, and Super J winner Chris Benoit. Dragon, sometimes touted as the next Benoit, is one of the favorites to win.
--CURRENT EVENTS--
In November of 2003, during a break from his New Japan committments, American Dragon came home to wrestle AJ Styles in Ring of Honor's Main Event Spectacles show. It is considered by many fans to be one of the best matches in company history. American Dragon doesn't have bad matches these days. Simple as that. Later that month, after a long absense from the WWE, he competed in a dark match before Raw and later a televised match on Velocity: American Dragon and John Walters vs. Paul London and Spanky, then a tag team under WWE contract. An ROH reunion.
In early 2004, the American Dragon, Samoa Joe, Pinoi Boy, and the Havana Pitbulls (Rocky Romero and Ricky Reyes) joined forces to train young wrestlers at the Inoki/New Japan dojo in California. The training program, called "Origin," has its first class next month. If I wanted to be a wrestle, and I were to choose any wrestling school in America, I'd choose Origin without a doubt. I'd even pass up going to Ring of Honor's school with head trainer CM Punk. With the knowledge and talent of the Pitbulls, Samoa Joe, and Dragon running the show, this is going to turn out great talent much in the way the Shawn Michaels Academy did a few years ago. American Dragon has come full circle.
Last month, Ring of Honor sufferred a terrible blow. NWA-TNA, in a power play move, pulled all TNA stars previously scheduled to wrestle at ROH's shows. Scrambling to make up for the losses of AJ Styles, Jerry Lynn, and "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels, ROH brought in American Dragon to work two shows in two nights which were touted as "dream matches" against CM Punk and Homicide. American Dragon comes through in a time of crisis. He may be one of NJPW's biggest stars, but he knows who helped him launch his career. He will be wrestling with ROH again in June.
--CONCLUSION--
Later this week, "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson will turn twenty-three. Yes, at this very early age, he is already considering one of the world's greatest technical wrestlers. Some wrestling stars blow up big quick and burn out. Some never reach that level at all. Then there are those few who reach superstardom early and maintain that excellence throughout their career. I predict American Dragon will be one of those few. Danielson has come a long way. From wrestling in his backyard to training with the legendary Shawn Michaels to earning a WWE to working with NJPW. American Dragon is the man right now.
Good luck to him in the Super J.
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