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by Akira Takehara, January 13th, 1999 
Who is the biggest star in Japan? No, I'm not asking who the most
popular star is, I don't care what wrestler commands a legion of fans, I
want to know, who the biggest is. Well, according to more than a few
fans, the "biggest" star in Japan isn't even Japanese, and he's
only wrestled two matches in Japan! I am talking about none other than
"Black Knight" Alex Martinez.At seven feet tall, and weighing in at three hundred and fifteen pounds, there is no doubt that Alex Martinez is one of the biggest wrestlers in the world, not only Japan. And, after wrestling only two matches in Japan, Martinez has become a bona fide star. It all began on December 28th, 1998. The UEW, the American wrestling organization that Alex Martinez wrestles for, was holding its third annual Holiday Horror Pay Per View. As a venue, they had selected the Egg Dome, in Tokyo. Almost all of the seventy thousand fans in attendance came to see the "match of the century," Rick Styles versus Chris Tyler, but they came out of the arena with the name Alex Martinez on their lips. In fact, Alex Martinez was almost completely ignored by most fans. Originally, Japanese schedule organizers passed out flyers saying that the UEW would feature a match with a man called "The Young Samurai" which was how they incorrectly translated Martinez's "Black Knight" nickname. But, soon fans learned that "Black Knight" Alex Martinez was scheduled to fight Alex Extreme in what UEW was calling the Ultimate Death Match. Now, we here in Japan know that usually American death matches are boring affairs, where the wildest thing that happens is someone gets hit by a chair. Japanese fans have a much higher standard, look at G-Pro's Jisatsu division. Most American wrestling promotions would never televise a match held in that division. But, the UEW certainly delivered. The ropes from the ring were taken down, and barbed wire was strung across the ringposts in its place, but not just any barbed wire, links of it were primed with explosives. Then, outside the ring, were death traps, a glass cage wrapped in barbed wire, and boards wrapped in more explosive barbed wire awaited anyone who tried to leave the ring. And inside the ring was no safer, it was filled with thumbtacks, baseball bats, coal miner's gloves, and a thousand other perils. Extreme and Martinez destroyed each other in some of the wildest action Japan has ever seen for well over twenty minutes. In the end, it was Extreme who won a highly controversial decision. But, it was not a victory he would enjoy long, as Extreme collapsed and spent much of the following week in the hospital. But, the story did not end there. As Alex Martinez was being placed in the ambulance, UEW American Champion came out, and offered Martinez a title shot right then and there. Martinez, being the warrior he is, rose out of his stretcher, and raced back into the ring, which was still surrounded by barbed wire, broken glass, thumbtacks, and all other manner of items. Nevermind held the advantage most of the match, but Martinez refused to quit, he could not be beaten. And, in the end, Alex Martinez took Nevermind's American title. And thus, was a legend born. Japanese fans, intrigued by this gritty, determined warrior, began to devour any and every sort of information out there on Alex Martinez. Almost over night, a fan club sprang up, and in that night, more Alex Martinez shirts were sold in the Egg Dome than any three other UEW wrestlers combined. Internet Tape traders and retailers report a backlog of videotapes that feature Alex Martinez, all of which originate from Japan. In short, Alex Martinez has become an icon in Japan. Now, make no mistake, Alex Martinez is not a nice guy. He is not the sort of person you would want to spend any time with. He is mean, nasty, and surly. He walks around with a perpetual scowl on his face, and he would just as soon give you his patented "Firebomb" Chokeslam as he would shake your hand. Martinez is a man who thrives on violence, he loves to make opponents bleed and hear their bones snap. He will certainly never be thought of as a role model. This makes his popularity in Japan even more startling, at least, at first glance. However, the typical Japanese fan looks more at what a wrestler does inside the ring, not outside of it. Unlike their American counterparts, Japanese fans will put a much higher premium on substance, rather than style. And after watched Martinez endure forty non stop minutes of brutality, and be able to walk out of the Tokyo Egg Dome under his own power, with a championship belt around his waist, who can deny that Alex Martinez is exactly what a Japanese fan looks for? Now, it is only a matter of Martinez returning to Japan. Already, we here at the Alex Martinez fan club have learned that Gunryo Pro has held preliminary meetings with the UEW, in hopes of signing Alex Martinez to a tour. One can only hope that Martinez returns to Japan soon, so that everyone can understand why the Black Knight is the next big thing. 
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