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by Sochiro Mizaki, October 4th, 1998 
When Super Japan Pro Wrestling made the welcome announcement of it's
reopening this September, there were a few surprises that went along with
it. And to followers of American wrestling, one of the biggest
surprises had to be the inclusion of a certain Gaijin tag team... a tag team
some consider the best in the sport... The Outlaws.Brent Maverick and Doc Holliday are under contractual obligation to two American wrestling leagues, most notably Ultimate E-Wrestling (UEW), where they have been Ultimate Tag Team Champions since June. Considering this, why did they sign to compete in SJPW, where their matches will be, quite literally, half a world away from the arenas and wrestlers that they know? Certainly, travel will be an issue... as will the change in surroundings. Maverick and Holliday employ a fast-paced wrestling style that the fans of puroresu will appreciate. BUT... their tactics of choice, at least those we have seen in the past, will not be so appreciated. Their recent matches have been plagued by run-ins, foreign objects, and a basic degeneration of match control, causing tag team matches to become four-man street fights. While Super Japan officials recognize the talent they have, they also worry about whether or not this team will adapt to the more restrained, in-ring ability oriented puroresu style. Those who know The Outlaws best tell Puroresuringu Nikki... don't worry. It is because Maverick and Holliday have sought a change from the wild mayhem that accompanies their UEW title defenses, that they have signed with SJPW. Also, there is another motivation, perhaps an even greater one. A motive that becomes apparent when one delves into the background of these two men. When they entered the sport of professional wrestling in the fall of 1995, Brent Maverick and Doc Holliday were a far cry from the superstar-caliber tag team wrestlers we see today. They weren't even known as The Outlaws. They were known as Stormtrooper One and Two, and were bottom-rung preliminary wrestlers in a talent-rich wrestling league. It was from these humble beginnings that The Outlaws eventually emerged from, and it was not by chance or by accident... hard work is what got them where they are today. In the minds of Maverick and Holliday, they are still climbing out of the hole that they were in in September 1995. Still climbing to the one goal they set three years ago. And that goal is to be the best in the world. There are some that say they are there... but deep down, Maverick and Holliday are not among them. For, while they have conquered America, they have yet to prove themselves against the teams of Japan, and to the discerning fans of puroresu, who consider this to be the purest and truest form of professional wrestling. There will be no fireballs, no glass lanterns, and no bullwhips on this proving ground. The Outlaws will have only themselves, two opponents... and destiny. And that is what brings them here. 
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