On a summer night in 1999, a wrestling ring in northern Japan hosted a match between the Great Sasuke and the Dirtbike Kid that suddenly stopped being routine and became a very real fight. Within minutes, cheering fans fell silent as they witnessed a veteran Japanese wrestling legend systematically destroy a young British hopeful who dared to defy him. The brutal encounter would end a career, expose the dark underbelly of professional wrestling politics, and become one of the most disturbing examples of what happens when scripted entertainment becomes terrifyingly real.
The Great Sasuke delivers a brutal lesson to The Dirtbike Kid, turning what began as a standard match into a shocking display of real aggression. Photo Credit: Michinoku Pro. Artwork by Pro Wrestling Stories.
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The Great Sasuke’s Rise to Wrestling Stardom and Michinoku Pro Dominance
The Great Sasuke (Masanori Murakawa) battles Jushin Thunder Liger at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s 1994 Super J-Cup tournament, where Sasuke’s victory in the semi-finals established him as Japan’s premier junior heavyweight and boosted Michinoku Pro Wrestling’s credibility. Photo Credit: New Japan Pro Wrestling.
By the late 1990s, The Great Sasuke (real name Masanori Murakawa) was already a cult hero in Japanese wrestling.
As Michinoku Pro’s top star, Sasuke was known for thrilling bouts and had even gained international exposure, including a brief appearance in WWE’s light heavyweight division in 1997.
At the time, The Great Sasuke was highly revered for his innovative aerial offense and respected as the man in charge at Michinoku Pro.
Jason Harrison’s Dirtbike Kid Character and ECW Wrestling Career
Jason Harrison as the Dirtbike Kid showcased his motocross-inspired wrestling gear and a high-flying moveset that defined his career in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and European independent promotions before his fateful 1999 Japan tour. Photo Credit: Jason Harrison.
In stark contrast, The Dirtbike Kid (Jason Harrison) was a young British wrestler struggling to break out of the indies.
The Dirtbike Kid debuted in 1994 and bounced around smaller promotions in the U.S. and Europe, wrestling in places like the National Wrestling Conference in Las Vegas and various NWA affiliates.
Though he donned a flashy dirt-biker costume in the ring, Harrison never made a big splash on the mainstream scene. His biggest brush with notoriety came via Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in the mid-90s, where a one-off match against Sabu earned him a few more appearances in 1996-98.
The Dirtbike Kid would go on to run a small promotion in Europe and hold a junior heavyweight title on that circuit, but he remained largely unknown beyond die-hard fans.
By 1999, the Dirtbike Kid’s resume was modest, with some ECW undercard matches, a daredevil style inspired by tapes of Japanese lucha libre hybrids, and a reputation as a brash risk-taker. Still, like many Western wrestlers, he dreamed of making a name in Japan, a land famous for its appreciative wrestling audiences and high-work-rate junior-heavyweight matches.
How The Dirtbike Kid Secured His Spot in Japan’s Fukumen World League
The Michinoku Pro Wrestling logo, a promotion founded by The Great Sasuke (Masanori Murakawa) in 1992, hosted the 1999 Fukumen World League tournament, where Jason Harrison’s Dirtbike Kid character clashed with traditional Japanese wrestling respect protocols. Photo Credit: Michinoku Pro Wrestling.
In the summer of 1999, Michinoku Pro Wrestling announced its second Fukumen World League – a round-robin tournament exclusively for masked wrestlers. Fukumen literally means "masked," and the first such tournament in 1995 had been won by lucha libre icon Dos Caras.
The 1999 edition assembled an eclectic international lineup. Michinoku Pro’s regular masked stars like The Great Sasuke, Gran Naniwa, and Super Delfin would be joined by several foreign imports donning masks for the occasion.
Among them were a trio of up-and-coming British wrestlers – including The Dirtbike Kid – as well as Mexican high-flyer Black Warrior. It was a bold attempt to create a "world cup" of masked wrestling. On paper, it promised fast-paced action and style clashes that Japanese fans love.
For the Dirtbike Kid, the invite to Japan was a significant opportunity. Unfortunately, there were red flags present from the start.
The Dirtbike Kid was not accustomed to wearing a full mask. His gimmick typically involved a motocross helmet or half-mask as part of his entrance, but he wrestled bare-faced except for goggles. Michinoku Pro officials insisted that every participant wear a mask to fit the tournament’s theme. In an interview with On The Ropes in 2004, the Dirtbike Kid had this to say on the matter.
“I refused to wear the stupid mask they had made for me. Now sorry, but the DBK isn’t a masked wrestler, so why the **** did they want me on a masked-man tournament?”
He continued, “I managed to compromise with them, and say that I’d wear it to the ring only, and then rip it off, where I would wear the usual biking-face mask that I usually wear during my ring-entrance. They didn’t like it, I could tell but agreed to it.”
Michinoku Pro’s Tournament Booking and The Great Sasuke’s Match Strategy
The Great Sasuke (Masanori Murakawa) confronts Super Delfin (Hiroto Wakita) during Michinoku Pro Wrestling’s inaugural Fukumen World League on December 8, 1995, a masked wrestler tournament that became the template for the 1999 event featuring the Dirtbike Kid incident. Photo Credit: Michinoku Pro.
Behind the scenes, the tournament brackets for the 2nd Fukumen World League had been set. The Great Sasuke, as both company ace and owner, was heavily involved in the booking.
The Dirtbike Kid was scheduled to face Sasuke in his very first match of the round-robin. According to the Dirtbike Kid, it was only upon arriving in Japan that he learned he was effectively booked to lose quickly.
Sasuke informed him that the match would go just about five minutes, with the Kid dominating the early portion, only for Sasuke to stage a brief comeback and win decisively by submission.
This short match plan was likely due to Sasuke having multiple bouts in one night as the tournament’s star attraction. But the Dirtbike Kid was taken aback. In his mind, being flown across the world for a mere five-minute opening-round loss was not what he’d signed up for.
The Dirtbike Kid felt disrespected and voiced his discontent. In fact, by his own later admission, he even tried to renegotiate the terms of his deal and the match length with Michinoku Pro’s office, bluntly saying:
“You see, none of this was agreed when I signed my contract, and apparently I heard that they didn’t like me trying to negotiate with them. But hey, Michinoku or not, if the terms aren’t right, I am not ****ing going. I am not a wrestling prostitute.”
Understandably, this sort of pushback did not sit well in Japan’s culture of deference to the booker, especially when the booker is also your opponent.
The Great Sasuke, the "owner and operator" of Michinoku Pro, took note of the Kid’s attitude.
To make matters worse, the Dirtbike Kid came into the tour carrying a rib cartilage injury from a prior match in England. He suggests that The Great Sasuke may have been made aware of his injury before their match. Whatever the case, by the day of the match, there was palpable tension. Sasuke was reportedly aloof and largely avoided discussing the plan with the Dirtbike Kid, offering little beyond the minimal outline.
As the locker room prepared for the show, the 24-year-old Dirtbike Kid began to sense something was amiss. He couldn’t have imagined just how disastrously wrong things would go once they stepped into the ring.
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How The Great Sasuke vs. The Dirtbike Kid Went From Work to Very Real
Jason Harrison as the Dirtbike Kid faces The Great Sasuke (Masanori Murakawa) at Michinoku Pro Wrestling’s 1999 Fukumen World League in Japan, seconds before professional wrestling became legitimate violence when Harrison refused to follow the predetermined script. Photo Credit: Michinoku Pro Wrestling.
The bout between The Great Sasuke and The Dirtbike Kid at the 1999 Fukumen World League Tournament started out unremarkably enough, but it would descend into chaos within minutes.
As per the plan, the Dirtbike Kid opened aggressively, eager to impress the Japanese crowd. He burst out of the gate with a dropkick and even launched into Sasuke with a spectacular somersault plancha. Back inside, the Brit hit a flurry of high spots – a double axe-handle here, a Falcon Arrow slam there – trying to make the most of his limited time to shine.
Sasuke, a veteran, sold the moves only minimally, kicking out at one on the Kid’s pin attempts to signal none of this was truly fazing him. For a few moments, it was a regular albeit hurried match, with the masked icon generously letting the newcomer show off before the inevitable comeback. The audience had no inkling of any real trouble yet.
The turning point came when Dirtbike Kid climbed the ropes for a second consecutive flying splash and missed, crashing hard onto the canvas.
According to the planned script, this was the cue for Sasuke’s comeback. The Great Sasuke rose and began his trademark kick combination – a rapid-fire series of spin kicks and thrust kicks that he often used to set up a finish. But at the very moment Sasuke expected his opponent to bump and feed, he got an unwelcome surprise. The Dirtbike Kid didn’t go down.
The Dirtbike Kid later admitted that he outright refused to fall for Sasuke’s big spin kick – essentially no-selling the offense – because he was angry about how the match was laid out. He just stood there defiantly after Sasuke’s first kick landed.
In his words, the Dirtbike Kid said that he “didn’t want to go down to some lame-*** 20-second comeback that made me look like Mickey Mouse. So, when he started to comeback, he kicked me twice to either side of my head which was okat, then, ‘Wam!’ He hit me with his trademark spin-kick, that should of put me down. But I didn’t go down, because I didn’t want too.”
Intent to Hurt: The Great Sasuke Delivers Brutal Kicks to Punish Defiant British Wrestler
A battered Dirt Bike Kid leaves the ring holding his head in visible distress after enduring The Great Sasuke’s brutal assault. Photo Credit: Michinoku Pro.
For a split second, fans in attendance of the Sasuke vs. Dirtbike Kid match must have wondered if something was off as the no-sell unfolded.
Sasuke’s first kick struck the side of the Kid’s head and should have dropped him, but as mentioned, the British wrestler merely staggered. Sasuke threw another stiff kick, and another, getting visibly angrier each time.
When the Kid still stayed upright, Sasuke unloaded with even more force. Ringsiders could hear the thud of boot meeting flesh as seven kicks were thrown in rapid succession. Some of these shots were stiff by any standard, but the Dirtbike Kid absorbed them, only half-stumbling, fueled by pride and frustration.
On the seventh kick, Sasuke’s foot smashed into the Kid’s midsection – unfortunately, right at the site of his preexisting rib injury. That did it. The Dirtbike Kid crumpled to one knee, clutching his ribs and gasping as the wind was knocked out of him.
At this juncture, the facade of a normal match had fully evaporated.
Sasuke circled his fallen opponent and, in an instant, drove a hard knee drop into the Kid’s back and delivered a few legitimately punishing kicks directly to the face of the kneeling wrestler. The strikes snapped Harrison’s head back. There was no mistaking now that this was no longer performance.
A hush fell over the crowd as reality set in. The Great Sasuke, normally a flamboyant babyface hero, was teaching the outsider a lesson.
The Great Sasuke Defeats the Dirtbike Kid in Brutal Fashion in Under 3 Minutes
The Great Sasuke (Masanori Murakawa) exemplified Japanese puroresu excellence through his innovative aerial wrestling style and Michinoku Pro Wrestling leadership, establishing him as both a legendary competitor and respected promoter whose authority was challenged by the Dirtbike Kid in 1999. Photo Credit: Michinoku Pro.
With the Dirtbike Kid dazed and covering up, Sasuke decided to end the contest before it degenerated further. He maneuvered around the dazed Brit, grabbed hold of his head and neck, and applied a front facelock.
Sasuke cinched the hold in deep, clasping his hands for extra torque, and began legitimately choking out the Dirtbike Kid in front of everyone. The Dirtbike Kid would later say that he wanted to submit or say something, but couldn’t speak as the air was being throttled out of him.
Within seconds, his arm flailed in surrender. The referee, realizing this was no act, frantically called for the bell.
Sasuke didn’t immediately let go. He gave one last squeeze for good measure. In just 2 minutes and 29 seconds, the match was officially over.
Unofficially, it had turned into a one-sided fight and a humiliation.
The aftermath in the ring was as telling as the fight itself. As soon as he released the choke, The Great Sasuke sprang up and paced the ring with adrenaline still coursing. Sasuke was visibly agitated, shaking his head and even bouncing off the ropes to blow off steam.
The referee knelt to check on the Dirtbike Kid, who was sprawled on the mat, clutching his ribs. Arena staff sprayed cold water mist to help him regain his senses. Slowly, the Kid came around, coughing and clutching his side. Sasuke, having conferred briefly with the referee, turned back toward his beaten opponent.
The Dirtbike Kid, still on his knees, attempted to save face. He bowed and extended a hand to the Great Sasuke, seeking a conciliatory handshake in view of the fans.
Sasuke’s response was ice cold. He stared at the offered hand, then simply turned away.
Wrestling Industry Reacts to the Great Sasuke vs. Dirtbike Kid Shoot Fight Incident
The Great Sasuke’s (Masanori Murakawa) reputation as Michinoku Pro Wrestling founder and Japanese wrestling pioneer earned widespread industry support following his controversial 1999 encounter with Jason Harrison’s Dirtbike Kid character, reflecting professional wrestling’s cultural hierarchy. Photo Credit: Michinoku Pro.
Inside the wrestling industry, reactions to the incident between The Great Sasuke and Dirtbike Kid reportedly favored Sasuke.
Those familiar with the tour suggest that Dirtbike Kid may have been difficult to work with, allegedly disregarding the promotion’s customs and the agreed match plan. In traditional Japanese wrestling culture, a relatively unknown wrestler challenging the promoter’s authority and altering the script in the ring is viewed as highly disrespectful.
As both a respected wrestler and the head of Michinoku Pro Wrestling, The Great Sasuke was seen as having a responsibility to maintain discipline and uphold the company’s image. While his actions are controversial, many veterans and observers felt that Sasuke’s response was understandable given the circumstances.
What Happened to the Dirtbike Kid After His Match With the Great Sasuke?
The Great Sasuke (Masanori Murakawa) demonstrates superior wrestling technique and physical dominance over Jason Harrison’s Dirtbike Kid during their infamous 1999 Michinoku Pro Wrestling encounter that became a case study in legitimate wrestling violence. Photo Credit: Michinoku Pro.
Jason "Dirtbike Kid" Harrison, once he recovered, gave his side of the story to anyone who would listen.
In interviews, he accused The Great Sasuke of cowardice and malice, claiming the veteran set him up for a sucker-punch of a match. He recounted how he had been willing to be professional and lose, but only wanted a fair shake – and instead Sasuke "tried to line up a sucker-punch" and injured him on purpose.
Harrison did admit to refusing to go down for the kicks and made no apologies for his own stance. In his eyes, Sasuke had disrespected him, and he wasn’t going to let himself be stomped on without resistance.
However, whatever sympathy the Dirtbike Kid might have garnered in some circles was largely drowned out by the consensus that he was in the wrong.
Back in the United Kingdom, the Dirtbike Kid’s home scene, some promoters grew wary of booking a wrestler whose claim to fame was infuriating a Japanese legend.
He managed a few more matches on the European circuit – even a rematch loss to Sabu in 2000 – but the buzz from this incident was overwhelmingly negative for his career. He had alienated the Japanese market and earned a self-destructive reputation.
The Great Sasuke, on the other hand, continued with Michinoku Pro’s tour. After the incident, the Dirtbike Kid was held out of the remaining tournament matches. This is due to both injury and his poor attitude. His scheduled bouts were either forfeited or handled by substitutions, and the tournament went on without him.
Sasuke himself did not dwell on the matter publicly. In the following weeks, he continued wrestling, and the Fukumen World League ultimately concluded in August 1999 with Tiger Mask winning the finals over Dos Caras.
The Dirtbite Kid vs. The Great Sasuka: A Lesson of Respect in Pro Wrestling
The Great Sasuke (Masanori Murakawa) maintained his wrestling career and Michinoku Pro Wrestling leadership following the 1999 Dirtbike Kid incident, later making history as Japan’s first masked politician when elected to the Iwate Prefectural Assembly in 2003, where he wore his wrestling mask during legislative sessions. Photo Credit: Michinoku Pro.
The Great Sasuke vs. Dirtbike Kid match remains a prime example of what happens when professional wrestling protocol breaks down and cultural misunderstandings escalate into legitimate violence.
Beyond the ring, Sasuke entered politics in 2003 when he was elected to the Iwate Prefectural Assembly, where he made international headlines by wearing his wrestling mask during legislative sessions and becoming Japan’s first masked politician. Today, Sasuke is celebrated for his pioneering contributions to junior heavyweight wrestling and his role in elevating Michinoku Pro Wrestling to global recognition.
The Dirtbike Kid, unfortunately, never escaped the shadow of that fateful night. His name has since become a footnote, known mostly in connection with this infamous match-gone-wrong.
Decades later, highlights of the bout circulate on the internet and wrestling forums as a morbid curiosity and as a reminder that, even in a scripted sport, real violence can erupt when professional trust breaks down.
A clash of cultures, a mismatch of expectations, and two stubborn personalities resulted in a live audience witnessing something ultra-rare: a shoot beating in the middle of what was supposed to be an exhibition.
There were no winners that night. Sasuke sustained his authority but showed a dark side, and Harrison’s career trajectory was derailed. Yet the tale lives on in wrestling lore; it stands as an unforgettable chapter in the world of puroresu, where one proud masked icon and one dirt bike daredevil turned a routine tournament match into an enduring legend of what not to do.
Watch the full Great Sasuke vs. Dirtbike Kid match from July 17, 1999, at Yahaba Townsman Gymnasium in Iwate, Japan, where wrestling turned into real violence:
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"Evan Ginzburg’s stories are a love letter to wrestling, filled with heart, humor, and history. A must-read for any true fan."— Keith Elliot Greenberg
Rutvik Keche is a seasoned author with a sharp eye for the untold stories behind the spectacle of professional wrestling. While once captivated by pyros and promos, he soon found his true passion in uncovering the complex backstage politics and power plays that shape the wrestling world. Drawing from years of research and an instinct for narrative nuance, Rutvik specializes in dissecting the messy, unscripted moments that spark locker room tensions and shift industry dynamics. If it’s controversial, underreported, or buried in shoot interviews, chances are he’s already three rabbit holes deep and documenting every twist.
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