The Banshee - More Bark Than Bite?
by Natsumi Kuroyama, September 10th, 1998

The Banshee Since the demise of SJPW and PJW, a gap has existed in the ranks of puroresuring which has been ably filled by the Gunryo Pro organization.  And one of the earliest superstars to be signed to a G-Pro contract is the gaijin known as The Banshee.

A talented high flyer, The Banshee is a former PJW International Champion as well as a veteran of Australian, Mexican and American wrestling federations.  But it has always been The Banshee's stated desire to wrestle in Japan and he has made no secret that he prefers competing here.

He is a popular wrestler and deservedly so.  He abides by a strict code of moral conduct and is quick to defend his honour.  He has also put on some memorable performances in the ring as some of his suicide planchas and top-rope maneuvers have been thrilling to watch.

But lately, it seems, The Banshee has stumbled.  He has only wrestled one singles match in G-Pro thus far and while successful in that venture, has been restricted to trios action ever since.  And in the trios division, his team, The Hiryuu Batsu, has also struggled.

While they won their first match over The International Brotherhood, this was achieved through the interference of Frazer Fury.  This interference cast a shadow over The Banshee's valued honour and he has been visibly shaken ever since.

In a subsequent trios match pitting Hiryuu Batsu against Fury's Zokugan Sangai team, The Banshee got into an argument with Kabuki Master over the use of illegal tactics and this distraction cost Hiryuu Batsu the match.  Despite an outward show of team solidarity, rumours of strife between The Banshee and Kabuki Master continue to circulate through the locker rooms.

So why is The Banshee struggling all of a sudden?

The answer is not hard to find... Frazer Fury.

Back when both were in PJW, the two exchanged verbal barbs and The Banshee successfully defended his International title against Fury.  But since coming to G-Pro, it has been Fury who has gained the upper hand.

In a recent interview, I asked The Banshee about this problem but he tried to gloss it over by claiming that he was looking beyond Fury.

If this is true, then The Banshee is being very foolish.

Fury's defeat of The Banshee's Hiryuu Batsu teammate, Ozeki Shumasita, in a recent shootfight demonstrates that he is not someone to be overlooked.

And yet, because they are in different weight classes in G-Pro, the two may not wrestle each other for quite some time.  But who else is there for The Banshee to face?  Kashan Akuma seems a logical choice considering he is a member of Zokugan Sangai, a friend of Fury's and a former PJW competitor as well.  But while Akuma has directed many of his verbal attacks against The Banshee, he seems to bear an even greater hatred toward The Kabuki Kid with whom he feuded in the CIWF.

But if not Kashan Akuma, then perhaps The Kabuki Kid himself?  Unlikely.  The Banshee openly admires The Kabuki Kid and his own teammate, Kabuki Master, wants to face The Kid should a match with Akuma not be forthcoming.

It seems, then, that The Banshee is somewhat directionless.  He is the supposed captain of his team and yet he cannot maintain discipline within the Hiryuu Batsu's ranks.  And every time he turns around, Zokugan Sangai are successfully mocking him or disrupting his matches.

The Banshee has a lot of potential but he needs additional motivation if he is to remain one of the top-ranked G-Pro stars.  He cannot be satisfied with resting on his laurels as his enemies have proven quite successful at keeping him off balance.

If he can find that motivation, I predict more great matches from The Banshee.  But until he does, he'll continue to languish as someone who reacts to events rather than initiating them.

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