Upon debuting for FMW in May 1990, Fuji quickly became over with the fans, particularly among female fans, due to his Shawn Michaels-inspired gimmick and promo skills. He debuted for FMW by defeating The Shooter on May 12, 1990. He quickly established himself as an arrogant villain and entered a rivalry with FMW owner Atsushi Onita, as Fuji and Masanobu Kurisu lost to the team of Onita and Tarzan Goto in a match, a day later on May 13, marking Fuji competing in a FMW main event, just in his second match with the company. On June 2, Fuji competed in his first deathmatch, a stretcher street fight against Tarzan Goto, which Fuji lost. On June 6, Fuji received his first title shot in FMW as he unsuccessfully challenged Lee Gak Soo for the AWA World Light Heavyweight Championship. Tarzan Goto would soon enter a feud with Onita and Fuji formed an alliance with Onita's rivals Tarzan Goto and Mr. Pogo in the summer of 1990. On July 22, Fuji participated in a thirteen-man battle royal, which took place in a ring placed in the Miyazaki Nichinan Sea. Fuji went on to win the battle royal by last eliminating Kim Hyun Hwan.