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