Superstar Sleeze

Masahiro Chono vs Keiji Mutoh - NJPW G-1 Climax Finals 8/11/91 It is funny, I was watching this match and thinking to myself why did I like this so much a couple years ago and then it kicked me in the teeth. This match is all about build & escalation. First 20 Minutes: The opening matwork was perfectly solid NWA Championship style chain wrestling, but it did eventually become more important as time progressed. Chono took an early lead with a short arm scissors that made Mutoh powder. Mutoh had to go after the left arm which had a bandage around the left bicep. Mutoh did not press this instead he hit his power elbow drop for the first high spot. He could not complete his back handspring elbow and as he ricocheted off the turnbuckles, he was met with a back drop driver. Good spot that reset the match. Big strike exchange. You dont think of these two as preeminent strikers, but this came off well. Mutoh goes for the leg to set up his deathlock spot, which seems weird with the arm injury but Mutoh loves his deathlock spot. The match gets really good once Mutoh busts out Cattle Mutilation. Mutoh was bridging for whole minutes in both the deathlock and cattle mutilation, which is INSANE! Mutoh was in amazing shape. Mutoh goes for the cross-armbreaker on the bad arm. Chono boot rakes the eyes. Now it is on! Chono goes for the Yakuza kicks to the head and kicks him straight off the apron as Mutoh was trying to powder. This time Chono presses his advantage with not one, but two dives. I love this mentality. Chono was losing his grip on the match. Mutoh was dominating him on the mat and could have won the match with the cross-armbreaker. So Chono has that go for broke mentality and wants to dig himself out of a hole. He goes too far though as he hits two piledrivers, but instead of covering he goes for the STF and Mutoh scrambles out of the ring. Chono looks to put a nail in the coffin with the piledriver on the floor, but Mutoh backdrops out. It is Mutoh dragging him over into the stands that hits the piledriver on the exposed concrete. High risk leads to mistakes and now Mutoh is in control of the match. Great transition, Mutoh hits a missile dropkick in the ring and goes for the cover. Mutoh hits two more suplexes and gets a nearfall after each. Mutoh is thinking about winning. Was the opening matwork a little tedious and lacking struggle, yes, but it was NOT perfunctory. It did matter. Mutoh had to go to the arm, but he abandoned that strategy and paid for it. Then he went back to the arm and it freaked Chono out. This triggered the bombfest. Strong transitions right now and everything matters. I am really interested to see the back end. Last Portion: Mutoh sold really well here. Great sells of the missed moonsaults and especially the first STF. Where we left off Mutoh was in total control, the Dragon Suplex is too close to the ropes. Mutoh calls for the finish and wants the moonsault, but Chono moves causing Mutoh to crash & burn. Chono wastes no time...Yakuza Kick...STF!!! Mutoh makes the ropes and he sold this really well. Chono is now in the driver's seat. Suplexes and an Octopus Stretch as he is trying to pour it on. This is commonly reviewed as something that is done in the style 90s All Japan and nothing rings more true than Mutoh winning suplex struggle to transition back to his offense. Mutoh tries his own Octopus Stretch. Mutoh leapfrogs over Chono's counterdropkick, but they both dropkick each other on Mutoh's springboard dropkick. Chono looks for the STF, but cant apply it fully before Mutoh makes the ropes. I love that drama was in the application of the hold rather than in the hold. They do a very All Japan spot of Chono kicking Mutoh who ricochets off the ropes with a flying forearm. Mutoh hits his backbreaker...MOONSAULT...EATS KNEE! Epic sell by Mutoh, great job! Chono powerbombs him for the win! I loved the finish...Mutoh goes for his finish...is injured...then Chono hits his for the win. Efficient and powerful. I love how every transition meant something and they did a great job building this organically from matwork to bombs to the big bombs (STF, Moonsault). I think whats keeping this from ***** is the lack of struggle, some segments were just let me hit my moves, but there was still great drama down the stretch. Chono's best match by a wide margin. I think Mutoh had better matches against Tenryu. Hashimoto vs Tenryu is better in regards to New Japan heavyweights, but this is definitely still one of the best and a real feather in the cap of both men. The future seemed very bright for New Japan in 1991. ****3/4

Now this I am interested in. I am really interested in what you consider to be a better spotfest than this. Because I thought this was a great spotfest that was a mile a minute that was strikes and dives. When I watch a Dragon Gate spotfest, I am bored because it is just modified slams that look stupid. This was fun. I really thought this was one of the best matches in the genre.

This match should be a thrilling spotfest exhibition and thats exactly what this was. If there was ever a time to say "Fuck Psychology. Fuck Selling." it was right here and they want balls to the fucking wall. If you are going to do a spotfest, go all in. My big problem with the Dragon Gate bullshit is their spotfests are just ok and consist of a bunch of modified slams. This was fun and cool. Dream is better in a longer match when he can do his character work. I thought this would be where Ricochet would shine and he did well, but to me the breakout star was Aleister Fucking Black. The Dutch had a great kickboxing tradition in the 90s and early 00s. Aleister Black is the next generation and he looked phenomenal. Those kicks looked incredible. He looked like he kicked some people's heads off. Made me a fan. Excellent match exactly what it should be. ****1/4

Jushin "Thunder" Liger & Dr. Wagner Jr vs Shinjiro Otani & Koji Kanemoto - NJPW 3/6/99 I am watching the Super Bowl with my Dad. Even though, I am from Boston, I am not very into Boston sports. My Dad is so that makes it entertaining, but it also gives me time to write some reviews. First Half: I really liked the first ten minutes of this. Great heeling and fuck you spots. To me it was better than those Liger vs NOAH tags that everyone loves (I like them, just done love them). I like that it is Kanemoto & Otani that start it so it is Liger & Wagner paying them back. The beginning is so, so good. Kanemoto is being a dick. Liger cracks him with a Shotei. Then on the criss cross nails a fucking axe kick! That was so cool. Then he grabs him by the horn and brings him. They fuck with Liger in the corner. I really liked that Otani was shoving his foot in the face and then Liger grabbed the foot and dumped him on his ass. I am not a huge Wagner fan and he is definitely the fourth best in this match. However, they use him wisely and that it is to do double team payback spots and hit bombs. Most of his problems are related to a lack of psychology so if it is just go hit offense, he can do that. Liger and Wagner do a great job paying the heels back in their shine which Wagner mostly takes. I love Liger throwing the facewash back in Otani's face after all those years of wrestling him. So Otani ballshots him! Yes! Otani does his own facewash! Then they mock Wagner's stupid criss cross spot he had done earlier. My disdain for Wagner makes me root for Otani & Kanemoto. The match does kind of fall off the rails as people just start throwing bombs without any transitions or selling. Kanemoto is taking a superplex and then hitting his twisting senton. Then all the dives on the outside. Even without psychology, it is a very good spotfest. Last Half: Great stuff even where there were patches without psychology thanks to Wagner. There is an excellent moment where Kanemoto is pumped to tag in Otani and then Otani EATS a Shotei and Kanemoto is bummed out. Liger is trying to wipe Otani's face off with these Shoteis amazing. Ligerbomb! Kanemoto saves. Wagner attacks Kanemoto. Liger eats knees on a splash. Otani hits his big springboard spinning heel kick for two. Wagner comes in and I just dont like him. He does these weird taunts and then Otani mocks him and I love it. Liger saves Wagner's dumbass with a Shotei to the back of Kanemoto's head. Ligerbomb and then a Crucifix Powerbomb by Wagner that I totally bit on. I thought that was the finish for sure. Good nearfall. Otani nails his trademark spirngboard dropkick to the back and Kanemoto hits a moonsault while Otani keeps Liger at bay, 1-2-3! Otani & Kanemoto were an amazing heel tag team it is too bad they split them up. Kanemoto & Otani as heels against a Liger & Minoru Tanaka tag team with Minoru being groomed for the babyface ace role would have been tremendous business in the early 2000s. Real shame. Fantasty booking, the beginning ten minutes rule hard! It is just heel prick work and babyface payback spots. Then it is just a bunch of bombs...Liger vs Otani came off really good and I am really happy Kanemoto pinned that dumbass Wagner. ****1/2

WCW Light & IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs Wild Pegasus - NJPW 2/10/92 Is Benoit wearing lipstick or is his lip busted? The Beast God takes this match on short rest as he has just won back the IWGP Jr Championship from Honaga two days prior, but it is also important to remember that he re-aggravated a rib/abdominal injury. I had visions of Benoit hanging Liger out to dry with his front suplex on the top rope before the match even started and I was not disappointed. This is basically the Honaga match but Benoit can actually carry his end of the work. Liger gives two of the best selling performances of all time in these two matches. It would be easy to say he did better in the Honaga match, but it just stood out more because Honaga is so bland. Here the subtly was the key. The way he comes up favoring the ribs after an innocuous bow and arrow. Blink and you miss it. Hell, I am not even sure Benoit knew he had injured ribs for like five minutes. Another good one was on the first round of shoulder tackles. Liger wins, but at what cost. I was really enjoying this nuanced performance. Benoit hits a missile dropkick from the top rope to the outside and then whips him into the railing, gotta hurt those ribs. Benoit figure-4s the head and this is my one complaint. I dont mind a hold being used, but why not an abdominal stretch. Liger transition into a upside down surfboard, but his ribs give out. Now he is in a full sell! Benoit smells blood. He buries the knee deep into the midsection and then hangs him out to dry. Yes! Liger hits a desperation Kappo Kick, which is go to bail out move. Then he suplexes him from the ring to floor, which is a crazy spot, but he collapses in the ring and cant follow up. Liger needed that to catch his breath and inflict some damage to Benoit. That was his first real offense. Rapid fire Shotei to the face, Liger figure-4s the head, which I am a proponent of. Liger needs to sap Benoit's energy and regain his breath. This is excellent strategy by Liger to land big blows and then try to control Benoit. Benoit uses the Electric Chair Drop to finish and Liger is agony. Stuff like Benoit forearming Liger when he could kick in the midsection is kind of bumming me out. He gets a German and Belly-to-Belly to get a couple nearfalls. Then he goes back to figure-4 the head, which only seems to exist so that Liger can Man Up and get the surfboard to show he can fight through the pain, but ultimately Liger succumbs to the pain and releases the hold. Great selling by Benoit. Liger hits a shoulder tackle and again that sell after the tackle is so friggin' good. For all the shit I was giving Benoit he makes up for it with a gutwrench gutbuster that is just beautiful and then instead of a diving headbutt hits a BEAUTIFUL SPLASH on the ribs. I wish he kept doing the splash instead of the headbutt. He only gets two so he does the reasonable thing and tries it again, but wrestling is not reasonable and eats knees. He gets dumped on the outside and Liger hits his wicked baseball slide and Asai Moonsault. Ultimo Dragon would be jealous. That was a great sequence. Benoit looked like he had it won with the splash and it is Liger that ends up wowing with the Asai Moonsault. Benoit is committed to the aerial assault as he hits a beautiful top rope leg drop. He is getting very frustrated. Benoit makes the cardinal mistake of putting his head down and Liger hits a powerbomb for two. They do the tombstone reversal, Benoit nails it and Diving Headbutt...1-2-NO! Another great nearfall for Benoit. Liger gets that cool rollup for the win...the one Marc Mero would do. If Benoit had Honaga's commitment this would be an all-timer, still as is, this is their best match together and one of the best matches of each man's storied career. Liger's selling was ***** again, just exquisite. Benoit is a machine on offense. I loved Liger's hope spots and how they were timed. The finish run was perfect with Benoit pouring it on and Liger escaping with the victory. ****1/2

Best of New Japan Heavyweights 1990-1999 Part 1 Sorry to all my fellow dudes out there, but at 31 days into the new year I have already locked up "Son of the Year". I totally knocked it out of the park for my Mom's birthday with a "Travel Guide To Port Charles"! Port Charles is the fictitious upstate New York city (near Buffalo) where General Hospital takes place and to say she loved this 200-odd page book is an understatement. Hell, why I am limiting myself to "Son of the Year", I am "Progeny of the Year", BABY! Just like I dont overlook my Mom and how amazing she is, I have scoured the internet for the best of New Japan Pro Wrestling in 1990s, but specifically from the Heavyweights. You see here in the States, the New Japan Heavyweights from the 1990s get the shaft in favor of their vibrant junior heavyweight counterparts and the epic performances from All Japan in 1990s. This is where I love to tread because this where you find the hidden gems that have been covered by the sands of time. I uncovered some real hum-dingers! I will say Shinya Hashimoto, Defender of the New Japan realm against outside invaders has seen his popularity boosted over the years by re-watches but still great classics like his '94 match against Fujiwara remain mysteriously underappreciated. While Hashimoto The Destroyer also has great classics against Jushin Liger (a dream match come to life in 1994) and Yamazaki in 1998, it was Keiji Mutoh as the Great Muta that came through as a star. Mutoh has become so underrated due to many lazy performances, but when he is on, he is truly great. The Great Muta as a horror movie monster come to life stalking his opponents with bloodlust and a giant spike makes for compelling view. Matches against Hashimoto and Fujianami are hidden gems that display Great Muta in all his violent glory. The infamous match against Hiroshi Hase which created the Muta Scale and maybe the most famous match Stateside of this time period from New Japan holds up to this day. All Bow Before The Great Muta in Pro Wrestling Love vol. 32! https://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2019/02/pro-wrestling-love-vol-32-best-of-90s.html

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Genichiro Tenryu - SWS 9/15/92 2 Out Of 3 Falls Flair has since regained the World Championship from Savage and is about to transition it to Bret Hart. There's such a big fight feel/dream match feel to this even though Flair has been wrestling Tenryu since at least 1981 if not even earlier. I think it feels so different because this is now Tenryu's promotion and Flair is in the WWF with shorter hair. First Fall: Two distinct differences from Flair right off the bat is that there is a lot more American Flair heel character work in this match than in his previous matches. Lots of trash talking and bravado. Second, he wrestles this match completely differently from an offensive perspective. Tenryu gets absolutely zero shine. Yes, folks you read that right, heel Flair did not bump 'n' run for his babyface opponent. This was NOT a fire fight either initially. This was a domineering Flair performance. Put that in your pipe and smoke, Flair haters. Flair works the arm with a ton of great holds and lots of tight pinning combinations. Flair shows how you are supposed to actually pin a man by cradling the leg & neck and then clasping your hands! Can we please bring back good pinning! Flair starts working these nasty short punches to Tenryu's face, repeatedly. Tenryu sells as if his nose has been broken. Tenryu had another good delayed sell of a chop. Flair uses his kneedrop on the injured nose and again that tight cradle pinning combination. Flair tries to use the sleeper to no avail. Tenryu armdrags him off and as he comes in Flair throws a wild chop and catches him in throat. This match is really damn good. Tenryu finally nails a lariat that causes Flair to powder. I love how Tenryu always had the puncher's chance. Flair could pour on all the offense he wanted but it was just one lariat that could change the complexion of the match. Tenryu press slams Flair off the top and NAILS an enziguiri. Flair blocks the Lariat! Flair tries for a kneecrusher to stymie Tenryu's momentum, but Tenryu shifts his weight and they topple over backwards, another enziguiri and Tenryu is rolling. Powerbomb...1-2-3! Tenryu up 1-0. Awesome first fall! Second Fall: Wow! I waited far too long to watch this match! This could be heel Flair's best offensive performance ever. Babyface Flair has great offense, but for everyone who has wanted to see offensive-minded Flair needs to check this out. This starts with Tenryu refusing to break on a sleeper and even gets some boos. The Japanese are sticklers for rules. A great fire fight breaks out. This has not been Flair vs Garvin in terms of sustained chopping, but the chops that have been throws have been brutal. Flair begs off and Tenryu is like "C'mon, brutha" and Flair pokes him in the eye! Flair is just firing on all cylinders. Tons of great suplexes and tight pinning combinations. Tenryu tries to mount a comeback and then it is an eyepoke. Flair chop block. Flair works a clinic working the leg and even busts out a new leg move. He looks great. I wish Flair worked full-time in Japan in 1993 instead of going back to WCW. Imagine Tenryu & Flair invading New Japan together! They battle over the Figure-4 maybe the most compelling use of the Figure-4 ever. Eventually succumbs to the Figure-4 via pinfall. It is important that he is does not tap out. I love 2 out of 3 falls matches because moves that are badass like the Figure-4 actually get put over as real finishes. I am loving this match! Third Fall: They fell back to Earth in this fall. I think if they went 5 minutes in this fall instead of close to 15 minutes they would have been much better off. There were a lot of stilted moments where they were sort of thinking of what to do next to fill time. Flair just started strutting around for no reason to kill time. Here's a complaint you never thought would be written...I thought Flair was too focused on working the leg. There was not much forward progression. Also the urgency was lost. The finish was kinda lame. Flair was just on the apron for no reason strutting and Tenryu enziguiris him and Flair hits the post and it is a countout loss. I have no problem with a countout. It was the finish I was expecting. Negative complaints done, there is some good from this fall. The chops are brutal and the leg work is good. The best part is the first five minutes. Flair applies an STF, AN STF! He then goes back to the figure-4. This is just smart. Tenryu gets a kneebar! Flair is hollering in agony. Flair comes up limping. There is this great fight and then Tenryu applies the kneebar on Flair and what a sell! Great job! If they went home right after that, I would be tempted to give this the full monty *****, I really thought the first two falls were spectacular. They bite off a little more they can chew and go longer than necessary, but 35 minutes out of 45 minutes being ***** is still fantastic and I highly recommend watching this very unique Flair performance oh and that Tenryu guy is pretty damn fantastic himself. ****1/2

Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura - RINGS 9/26/97 Some people find God, I found Volk Han. Fan-fucking-tastic. I love how aggressive Han comes out in this match. He wants to rip Tamura's arm off. The normally stoic, nonchalant Tamura was even caught off guard. Han ripped him to the ground and hit a wicked palm strike to break the clasp of Tamura's hands preventing the cross-armbreaker. It set the tone for the entire match. The drama was off the charts. On the second scrap, Han loses the grip on his clasp for a second and then quickly regains before Tamura get him all the way over. That was crazy. Han was just so into the double wristlock. Great double wristlock rip takedown. Tamura is a great fighter, but Han was just imposing his well. Han wraps Tamura up in a pretzel and Tamura escapes right into a double wristlock. Tamura shows some signs of life when he gets a kneebar and forces a ropebreak. Then all of sudden the match changes. Tamura has all this pep in his step and Han has kind of gassed himself. Tamura throws some AMAZING kicks in this match. Han is knocked down but quickly springs to his feet as if to stay dont charge me with a knockdown. The first two times they dont but Tamura is just blitzing him and evrntually Han has to take counts. Two knockdowns are scored back to back. Han catches the next kick, but Tamura wraps him in a guillotine choke. It was all Han in the first part, but Tamura is whuppin' him now. So Han does for his trusty double wristlock, but Tamura partially blocks but it leads to a Han cross armbreaker and Tamura needs a rope break. Han is feeling better and again goes back to the double wristlock, but cant get the right positioning. My favorite moment of the match is when Tamura reverses into a cross armbreaker but just as he breaks the clasp, his grip slips and he loses Han's hand! Han immediately grabs the legs! A close second is right after this, Han comes in with a wicked combination of palm strikes and knocks Tamura down! Han's cocky celebration is magnificent. I fucking love him! Not to be outdone, the finish sequence is a beauty. The struggle it took for Tamura to yank Han down to the mat with a side headlock takeover into a cross armbreaker was awesome! Perfect reaction upon tap out...Tamura is fucking pumped and Han slams the mat in disgust. The only reason I know more perfect matches exist is because I like the other two more, but this is terrific. It is absolutely thrilling with so many character touches. All three of Han/Tamura matches will make my Top 100. ****3/4

Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Wellington Wilkins Jr. - PWFG 5/19/91 Pull up a seat and welcome to the Yoshiaki Fujiwara show, the pleasure will most assuredly be all yours. It is all your favorite Fujiwara tricks. This is from the second ever PWFG show and to me this the perfect match. You have your Ace in a showcase match doing what he does best. He is never in any trouble, but you get a feel for everything Fujiwara can do so down the line you can build drama. They grab you attention immediately with Fujiwara's great Boston Crab reversal and Wilkins takes a header for that. Wilkins starts smacking Fujiwara in the head like Fujiwara is a dumbass. Joke is on you, brutha. You are the dumbass. Fujiwara hits him with one of his wicked headbutts and then fucking CRACKS him with a slap in the corner. This is Fujiwara in full "Fuck you" mode and it is glorious. Wilkins keeps trying to play Fujiwara's game of smacking him and in turn Fujiwara hits him twice as hard and twice as much. At one point, Fujiwara has Wilkins in a legbar and just has his head and his head leisurely reclining, if it was anyone else I would be pissed, but I love Fujiwara. I thought the finish was pretty anti-climatic. Just a standard legbar. This is a very fun exhibition of what Fujiwara can do, but he was never in any actual danger, but boy did it put a big smile on my face! ***3/4

I feel like most I accidentally watched the rematch first and came away liking the rematch more, but this match is still pretty good. Vader & John Tenta vs Gary Albright & Kazuo Yamazaki - UWFi 10/08/94 I accidentally watched the rematch first, but thats a good thing because the rematch is the better match precisely because there is less John Tenta. Tenta was trash in this. I thought he was totally useless. It is night and day between Tenta and Vader being there. I am just going to focus on Vader. I thought the Vader vs Albright interactions were better in the rematch until I watched the closing minute. That finish stretch was double hot. Yamazaki used his kicks to create the separation necessary to tag in Albright. Albright hits THREE MASSIVE Suplexes on Vader. Between this and the rematch, he is the best ever at suplexing Vader. These look gorgeous. I also really liked his cornerman screaming loudly "Kick him in the fucking head" twice. The whole point of these two matches is to build to Vader vs Albright as the next big main even feud and it does a great job doing that. But I thought it was Vader vs Yamazaki that had the best chemistry. These two are just made for each other. Some of the best stand up fighting ever in these two matches. Vader BLASTS Yamazaki on multiple occasions, but Yamazaki is not afraid to smoke Vader with some massive kicks. I have watched their singles match from when Vader first joined UWFi in 1993 and they are just great together. I recommend this match, but for my money the rematch is clearly better. ***1/2

I too thought Tenta sucked! Vader & John Tenta vs Gary Albright & Kazuo Yamasaki - UWFi 10/14/94 John Tenta proves that Vader is not just good at shoot style because he is big because Tenta sucks! Besides the sumo slaps, I thought he was useless, but he is not in there long. Vader vs Yamasaki and Vader vs Albright are thrilling! The former is Vader in his Hell selling the David vs Goliath narrative selling his ass off. Yamasaki was just rifling him. Great kicks. Then Vader vs Albright was Vader in his other element: King Kong vs Godzilla! Vader threw some of his stiffest punches and firearms on Albright. OW! Not to be outdone Albright throws Vader with two of the most beautiful Germans. Once the bosses are done, Yamasaki comes flying in full of piss & vinegar before Vader cleans his clock and then THROWS HIM DOWN IN POWERBOMB! To win by KO! Type of Vader performance to remind everyone why he is Greatest Hoss of All Time! ****

Real World Heavyweight Champion Nobuhiko Takada vs Gary Albright - UWFi 6/10/94 The other semi-final besides Vader vs Tamura is an uneven performance. The first half is sluggish. After just watching Shamrock vs Sano and Fujiwara vs Malenko rock it on the mat, I know the difference between interesting defensive wrestling and lethargy on the mat. Why did Albright break the Full Nelson the first time? Thats a finisher, brutha! I hate when people give up on holds. I did think Takada's and Albright's toeholds and anklelocks were sunk in...though they went for the bundle of legs too much. This match picked up in the second half a lot and they did salvage the match. Overall, I do think this was an entertaining main event. I really liked Takada getting a heel hook on the first German Suplex attempt. Boy, what that big Cornhusker gets Takada up and sends him flying that felt huge. I loved Takada blocking the Dragon Suplex vigorously. My favorite part of the match was when Takada made the ropes on a hold (I think a Boston Crab) and Albright just spear/tackled him to the ground, felt huge! Takada comes back with kicks to the leg to get a knockdown. So Albright just SLAMS him DOWN! Great! UWFi feels like pro wrestling without dives or Irish Whips or rope running, but it very much pro-style, which I can dig. Takada retaliates with a backdrop driver. With all these bombs, I feel like Im watching All Japan! Takada quickly tries for the cross-armbreaker but Albright gets the ropes. Takada unleashes an incredible bevy of strikes. I could watch Takada kick and kneelift all day. Albright charges, but Takada defends well with palm strikes and then kneelifts in the clinch. Albright is able to manage to wrangle Takada into a double underhook takedown, but is too exhausted to finish. Takada hits his signature kick combination finish that always looks fantastic. Takada is just blitzing him, BIG KNEE TO THE HEAD...CROSS ARMBREAKER! TAKADA WINS! Takada vs Albright is the feud that defines peak UWFi and I couldnt do a Greatest Match Ever Project without watching one match. This one got better reveiws than the 1992 match where Takada beat Albright to win the Real World Heavyweight Championship, but I think a lot of the criticisms of UWFi Takada apply he just is not compelling on the mat. He is a great stand up fight and knows how to have a dramatic finale. Once the matches comes about suplexes and kicks to the face, this match picks up in a big way and feels like a great native hero vs foreign Cornhusker menace match. ***1/2

SUPER Vader vs Kiyoshi Tamura - UWFi 6/10/94 How damn good is Vader? What amazing selling! I have come to learn from the RINGS stuff that Tamura is a legit great in his own right, but this only works because Vader is so committed to selling everything. The way he hollers out in pain. I often say Brock is the best seller on today's roster, but I think the case can be made for Vader being the seller in the 1990s he is that damn good. Everyone says it because it is true...this is a mighty fine David vs. Goliath sprint. Tamura slaps Vader before the bell and Vader removes his headdress. It is on punk! Tamura like a gnat is kicking Vader's leg and Vader is just swatting him away. Playing with his food. This is a semi-finals of a tournament...Takada vs Albright is the other semi. The look on Vader's face when he traps Tamura in the corner twice just says: DEAD MEAT. Each time Tamura comes out kicking and Vader is left screaming in agony. Tamura does get a kneebar on him twice and manages a total of four rope breaks. Eventually Vader gets a hold of Tamura and you know it is just a matter of time. Vader lights up Tamura the first time with that crazy bear paw swipe. A wounded bear can be the most dangerous. It is tied 12-12. Tamura gets one more kneebar, but after that it is all Vader in the corner. Vader just hits those big meaty blows. Then he goes full pro-style, big powerslam and then THROWS TAMURA DOWN IN THE POWERBOMB! TKO! Tamura shows a lot of moxie, but Vader is just too much man for Tamura too handle. ****

Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Joe Malenko - PWFG 6/1/93 Doing a live watch. I love Fujiwara so any time something with him get recommended I have to watch. This was nominated for Greatest Match Ever. PWFG is a huge blind spot. I dont know what has and has not been touted. It does not seem as prolific as the Original UWF or RINGS. I have seen two Joe Malenko matches in my life so excited to see some more. Pretty basic takedowns thus far. Pretty cautious wrestling. Fujiwara seems to go away in the 90s besides a really great Hashimoto match in '94 and Tenryu match in '97 (both are underrated). and of course the Takada classic in '90. Fujiwara is the opposite of Chono as his breathing adds to the match instead of being distracting. They are doing a bundle of leg locks. But both have their two holds so sunk in that it is pretty good. Joe relents and grabs the ropes. Only Volk Han is better at that spot and thats a spot that is usually a real killer for me. Malekno gets a nice hammerlock. Good squeal from Fujiwara. Fujiwara uses his own abdomen to block the hammerlock. Fujiwara comes up trying for a double wristlock, but Malenko blocks by keeping his arm forward. Fujiwara grabs the ankle lets go and they stand up. Shake hands. Thats nice. Good hipblock/oo-soto-gari takedown by Malenko. Joe is thinking short arm scissors but Fujiwara blocks and evades. Fujiwara gets a front chancery and Malenko muscles him into the ropes. Joe takes him down more forcefully and pounces into a toehold. Fujiwara reverses efficiently into a cross-armbreaker attempt as Joe is moving towards the ropes. Fujiwara casually puts his hand to head to say he is resting. He is a cheeky bastard and I love it. Fujiwara gets his takedown and is trying for his armbar, but Joe blocks. Nice bridge by Joe to reverse. This is all matwork. Very tight and great struggle. Fujiwara is just grabbing joints from crazy positions. Fujiwara is the one who needs the ropes when his toehold fails. This is grapplefuck to the highest degree. No strikes. No highspots. Even the takedowns arent that exciting. Basic takedowns a lot of them falling together. It is all grappling and chaining on the mat. Joe is starting to dominate nice crossface and headscissors. Fujiwara squeals are so important to sell all this. Fujiwara stands up with a hold of the leg. They are all wrapped up. I cant tell who has who, but in a good way! They are both attacking and defending. Joe applies a modified Crippler Crossface but Fujiwara rolls into and gets a full mount. Fujiwara is close to a top wristlock. Joe gets on his stomach and sit outs into a Fujiwara armbar on Fujiwara! Fujiwara uses his legs to get on his toes and drive out of the hold. This is high end technical wrestling. Malenko gets a double wristlock from underneath that looks like it could be a finishers, but again Fujiwara is using his weight balance to block some of the move to avoid the maximum damage. Fujiwara kind of had an armbar, but they ended up in the ropes. Joe locks into a front chancery more conventional oo-soto-gari takedown with the back heel trip. Joe gets on top with a side mount looking for a double wristlock. It is a top one. Fujiwara ends up on top, I got to rewind, I missed that. Fujiwara scissors the leg causing pain to Joe and that allowed Fujiwara to flip him. Malenko gets a headscissors from underneath. Get sell from Fujiwara. Fujiwara has the hands clasped to avoid an armbreaker. Nice short knee by Malenko on top (good Fujiwara sell) and Malenko grabs a front chancery as they stand up. Fujiwara gets out of that into his Fujiwara armabr, center of the ring and thats the finish. ***3/4

Cant believe no one has mentioned Shamrock's mullet yet! Wayne (Ken) Shamrock vs Naoki Sano - PWFG 5/19/91 Doing a live watch. Shamrock's hair is glorious as they trade kicks in the standup. Shamrock throws a high one, caught by Sano roll through but end up in the ropes. Sano shoots for the single leg and Shamrock comes down and goes for an ankle. Sano ends up on top of his back and scissors the arm. Nice escape by Shamrock. Shamrock looks like Sean Penn with this hair cut. This is generally regarded the best PWFG match. PWFG was born out of the Newborn UWF's dissolution. Lots of struggle on the mat as Shamrock is working a legbar. Everyone is always trying to escape or apply. PWFG was founded by Fujiwara and he was accompanied by Shamrock, Funaki and Suzuki. Really nice top wristlock from Shamrock in the side mount and great verbal selling from Sano to clue you in that something is happening. Sano makes it to his belly. PWFG would later give birth to Pancrase and BattlArts. I know the least about PWFG compared to UWFi and RINGS. Sano is someone I have liked from the Liger and Misawa matches, but had not seen the deep cuts. They are working hard on the mat. Sano is trying for a double wristlock in the side mount. He gets it. Great verbal selling from Shamrock and nice bridge escape. They are doing a great job chaining. Lots of body contact. Lots of smart weight distribution to impede the other from gaining an advantage. Snap takedown by Shamrock sort of a side German suplex. Shamrock is laying on his head, but Sano sneaks out. This is wrestled so differently lots of work from side mounts and from the back. I am surprised there are not more choke. Shamrock almost gets a calf-slicer, but Sano immediately blocks. Shamrock gets an amazing roll (basically he flips Sano using his left leg onto Sano's back) into a cross-armbreaker, but Sano has his hands clasped. Shamrock figure-4s Sano's midsection and here is our first choke attempt. Not as strongly sold as the other holds but Sano gets the ropes. Shamrock I would say won that lengthy exchange. Back to stand up and they let the hands fly. Sano catches him with a kneelfit and grabs a front chancery and spikes him on his head. Nice organic DDT. Sano immediately goes for the cross-armbreaker. Shamrock rolls in and gets on top driving into an armbar, but Sano blocks. Shamrock gets a hammerlock, but Sano gets to his knees. Shamrock seems to have any answer for everything and is getting Sano's back. Shamrock drops back into a choke again. Sano makes the ropes. Wicked double underhook suplex by Shamrock! He looks damn good here! Tries to get a top wristlock from the side mount immediately but Sano scrambles out. Shamrock quashes him and just rides him. Shamrock was thinking Fisherman Suplex, but Sano breaks free with a kneelift. A series of slaps and a roundhouse kick gives us our first knockdown as Shamrock takes a nine count. Shamrock beats the shits out of him with palm strikes and then gets him in the clinch with knees. Sano throws a wild slap. Shamrock gets him in the corner and the ref breaks it. Shamrock takes him down. Some really good stand up. Shamrock has been owning Sano on the mat thus far. Shammy is riding, but seems to have his arm trapped. Shamrock ends up almost getting a double wristlock but Sano escapes. The crowd is very intelligent they are reacting to almost applies submissions and escapes. I feel this is very amateur wrestling based a lot of side mounting on the back. Nice headscissors on Sano while on top of his back. I like how they are organically standing back up. Sano rolls nicely into an STF, but Shamrock is too close to the ropes. That was Sano best submission. Shamrock almost takes Sano's off with a wicked kick. These front kicks by Shamrock the way he flicks his foot look deadly. Sano is selling the midsection. Shamrock comes in with a flying knee and a ton of kneelifts. He takesdown Sano down via a front chancery to get a nine count on Sano. Shamrock comes flying back into the screen with wild palm strikes. Sano tries a back heel trip, but Shamrock rolls through to end up on top. Shamrock has Sano's back again. Sano looks like he doesnt know to shit or wind his watch. Great organic German Suplex. Shamrock has a waistlock, Sano stands up and Shamrock hoists him and dumps him on his head for a nine count. Great flurry of strikes and Shamrock wins the clinch with a kneelift & front chancery. Sano finally gets Shammy's back when they go to the mat. Not much happening right here. Shamrock definitely is doing more of the moving in this match. Shamrock wriggles out and looks for a toehold, Sano has a waistlock. First time, this match has dragged. I cant believe Shamrock is out wrestling Sano. Shamrock pops out with a deep legbar. Sano makes the ropes. Shamrock is outclassing Sano. Sano catches the kick, but Shamrick tries for a legscissors. Nice block by Sano who has his arms figure-4'd around Shamrock's left leg, but again cant do anything. Shamrock gets a kneebar and Sano makes the ropes. Thank God for the Ropes if you are Sano. Sano gets a double underhook takedown. Both guys are working incredibly hard. This is such a physically demanding match and style and to be going 20+ minutes is insane. They are struggling against each other so much. I know I said it before, but the weight distribution and balance is so impressive here. They are both doing so well to keep a wide base. The defense here is top notch. This is a defensive wrestling fan's dream. Are there defensive wrestling fans? I am pretty traditionalist, but I dont even like defense that much. Really great rolling ankle pick, but again Sano gets a great facelock to pry Shamrock off his ankle. Nice, nice defense. Let it fly, boys! Shamrock shoots in for the double, but Sano pancakes him. Shamrock has a waistlock, but Sano picks the ankle rolls through into a kneebar and Shamrock gets the ropes. Shamrock comes up swinging. SOME BRUTAL SHOTS! Wicked kneelifts. He is swinging for the fences. DRAGON SUPLEX~! Sano applies a Fujiwara armbar immediately for the tapout. The struggle was definitely real in this match. The standup was excellent. Shamrock hit some big boy shots in this match. He was letting it fly. I thought the matwork was very tight. Some really cool setups for the application of a wide variety of submissions. I thought Sano was good on defense but was lacking on the mat during offense. Some of the matwork did long in the tooth without any immediate payoff. I thought Shamrock was the most dynamic and explosive wrestler here. Surprised more of his shoot style work is not more heralded as he looked great here. ****

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Vader vs Stan Hansen - NJPW Dome 2/10/90 King Kong vs Godzilla! The infamous Eye Pop Out match where the especially gruesome injury overshadows how actually great this match. This is one of those Watts hoss battles that I love. It was a better match than that Doc vs Gordy series. I still think I like their AWA match a little more, but is a crazy, stiff, physical brawl where neither man gave an inch. There is not much bumping in this match. I saw this match many moons ago and I could have sworn I saw the eye pop out easily. But this time I had a harder time to seeing it. It was nasty. Jesus! They were very handsy with each other in the face. I believe in football they would call this illegal hands to the face. I could not tell if it one of the two stiff forearm shivers to the arm or if it was a thumb to the eye. I cant believe Vader did not fucking KO him. You can tell there is a problem is when Vader goes into the clinch and then an armbar. You can see Vader put the eyeball back in place and then thankfully for Vader the swelling kept the eye in place. Everyone talks about receipts in pro wrestling. To me the only receipt is to fucking KO Stan. Vader is a nice and tough man. Nice that he didnt KO Stan and tough because he fucking wrestles for the next 15 minutes with his eye held only in place by swelling and his orbital bone broken. Anyways, the rest of the match is great. Vader wrestles like there is nothing wrong. He is still doing all his spots and landing them. No bumping, just kicking ass. Vader works over the ribs and it was really good selling from Hansen. Really good work for Vader on top. Vader beats him up in the crowd. Lands some wicked lariats and stiff shots. He even comes off the top rope and hits his Vader Flying Body Attack. Vader ends up charging and eating the steel post. Hansen takes over. He kicks the injured eye! Then kneedrops the injured eye. This is fucking Hansen so that means those were not light kneedrops. What about infection with the flat of the boot thats terrible. Hansen wants the Lariat but Vader hits a dropkick. They both trade two big meaty lariats and then it is a double countout. This is an insane, heated brawl. It really lives up to King Kong vs Godzilla. The eye injury adds to the drama, but you hate to see that happen. Thankfully, the doctors were able to save Vader's eye. It is tough to stomach this match, a couple of the close-ups are just grizzly, but if you can manage it this is a great match. ***3/4

I read the first sentence and had a mini-heart attack. Thank God, he moved it. Yes, I am glad he still hosts. A lot of what I am watching for Greatest Match Ever (http://gweproject.freeforums.net/) I found in a Ditch.

Terry Funk vs Atsushi Onita - FMW 5/5/93 Exploding Barbed Wire Time Bomb Death Match Wild Thing! Greatest referee outfit of all time. He looked like coolest beekeeper there ever was. As part of the Greatest Match Ever Project, I want to leave no stone unturned in regards to American & Puroresu wrestling. Thus here I am 1:30 am on a work night watching damndest thing ever. There were sirens and explosions and the match all of sudden ends, but the clock is still going and Onita is throwing the beekeeper referee out of the ring. I think the ring is going to explode but I am not sure. THEN KA-BOOM! Apparently the ring explosions get cooler as the year progressed. I thought it was cool, but I was not blown away, ha ha. This is first time I am watching Onita in his prime and this is probably his most famous match. I thought they were both pretty great in this. I thought Onita did a great job subtly selling, but I was expecting something more over the top. I think what this match does better than anything else is sell the dread of going into exploding barbed wire. The lock up is so intense because you dont want to be the one overwhelmed and shoved into exploding barbed wire. Funk wins with an elbow to the head, chop and some big punches. Onita hits the barbed wire BOOM! This got me because there is no fucking around that explosion happened on his back. You see the singe marks. Funk tries to win the piledriver. Onita goes into the barbed wire again BANG! Onita's arms are all cut up by the end. Really bloody. Funk wants to send Onita head first into the barbed wire now that would be something. The struggle here is epic and it is FUNK WHO GOES INTO THE BARBED WIRE! Funk did a good job covering up and opts for the safety of a blade to get his color. When a razor blade is the safe operation, thats a dangerous match. I am surprised to see Onita go into the fourth explosion and it is ta this point the sirens blare and there is a five minute countdown! Funk goes for the Spinning Toehold he is kicked off...BOOM...that was a big one. DDT...1...2...3...that was the flattest finish ever. The crowd did not even react. There is still two minutes on this countdown thingy. Funk tries to choke Onita because if he lost then ONITA MUST DIE! Funk attacks the ref...NO NOT BEEKEEPER REF! Onita makes the saves and powerbombs Funk...signing his death warrant. Onita throws the Beekeeper Ref to safety, but had a last second change of heart and goes to save Funk only for KA-BOOM! I enjoyed this a lot, but I think there are better more dramatic, violent matches. I actually prefer Funk vs Sabu's Barbed Wire Match to this. The flat finish was a bummer. The selling of the dread of the barbed wire was great, but I thought the selling after the fact could have been better. Onita's arms were bleeding badly but he is so tough you wouldnt know it. I highly recommend it because it is so unique, interesting and influential. ***3/4

Are we really sure that Watts told Rude and Chono to stink out the joint at Halloween Havoc? Chono just had his neck broken in September by Austin and wasnt Rude plagued by injuries in late 1992 to the point where he didnt compete at Starrcade and was basically never the same again. It seems like both guys were pretty broken down. Masahiro Chono vs Rick Rude - NJPW 8/12/92 Vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship Rick Rude is in that 1992 groove where everything he touched turned to gold. Also, this is one month before Chono got dropped on his head by Austin in a pilerdriver botch that broke his neck and basically killed his workrate. The difference between before and after the neck injury is night and day. Chono is so spry and energetic here. Rick Rude does his full American schtick unabashedly and the Japanese crowd hates him. The match is very much a Rick Rude match plenty of bump 'n' run and stooging. It is a nice change of pace and really unlike anything you would see from New Japan at this time. Rude slaps Chono to start right at the bell and Chono is fired up. Big back body drop, rapid fire clotheslines and Rude Flair Flops and slithers out. Chono even does the hip swivel. It gets a pop too! Very much a Rick Rude match. The rest of the first 15 minutes is really just Rude getting a marginal advantage and Chono coming back and showing he is the better wrestler while Rude bumps & stooges for Chono. Chono gets a couple kneecrusher and begins working on the leg. Chono applies the figure-4. Rude is really in his element selling here. I thought some of the transitions were too easy especially the transition to heat. Rude was taking a lot of punishment and Chono not so much. Rude just hits him once and then hits a piledriver to turn the tide. Dont get me wrong, a piledriver is a big deal, but I would have liked something to make the piledriver feel bigger. Rude whips Chono into the railing and then comes crashing down on him from the top rope. It is not a Rick Rude match without his camel clutch and seat drops on the back of his opponent. The electric chair in inevitable. Chono misses his flying clothesline (becomes important later). Rude nails his missile dropkick for two. They trade superplexes. I feel like this match would get over today huge. That would be a total trigger for "This Is Awesome". The Japanese crowd loves this and is very behind Chono. Rude uses his tombstone reveresal spot and Chono nails a great tombstone for two. I am shocked that he didnt have Chono atomic drop him. It was pretty much the only Rude spot that was not done. Chono applies his STF, but he is too close to the ropes. Up until this point, I thought the match was pretty good, but I was kinda waiting for that classic to kick in. Then the opposite happened, I got really annoyed when Rude made the ropes and was the first up and took over immediately with a piledriver. That's twice now Rude's transitions have sucked. It really undercut the drama of the STF. Not cool, bro. Rude hits a mega top rope knee drop for two. The transition back to Chono is not much better. They kinda just stand around staggered looking at each other. Chono is clearly waiting for Rude to call a spot. He calls a back body drop. Chono applies the STF twice (the first time huge pop and everyone came to their feet), but it was the flying clothesline which he had missed earlier that connected here that won him the match and NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Overrated match in my book. Very good match, no doubt. Plenty of action, the novelty of Rude doing his full blown American performance in Japan was great and Chono was very energetic. To me there was no real story. There were lots of shoddy transitions that undercut the heat of the previous moves. It was a fun spotfest with a great feel-good ending. ***3/4

Masahiro Chono vs Hiroshi Hase - NJPW 8/6/93 This hidden gem comes from the Parv pile during Parv's Hase Period. Masa Chono comes in as the two-time defending G-1 Climax Champion. The winner of this match faces Tatsumi Fujinami in the finals. First 15 minutes: Chono had his neck broken in September of 1992 by Steve Austin. Austin loves bringing up his tours of gems but always conveniently forgets this detail, but sure loves telling the story of his own broken neck. Whats crazy it is the same exact move a sitout tombstone. They play it up here to a big effect. The early match is Hase dominating in the amateur wrestling: takedowns and bridges. On a criss-cross, he catches Chono and hotshots him. He works that neck over like nobody's business. Not one, but two Stone Cold Stunners, a dragon sleeper, a backdrop driver and even a piledriver. Man, if I was Chono I would not be happy about that, but it went fine. This is a great example of dry psychology. Every move is focused on the neck and Hase is moving along at a good pace, but it is very dry. Hase can be charismatic, but it is not really on display here. Chono actually does in turn a great selling performance. I think the issue is that it is long and there is not much development. It is just move after move after move on the neck. Eventually Chono hits a backdrop driver and then an enziguiri to take Hase off his feet and Chono has a moment to recuperate. There is a great moment where Chono goes up top and Hase collapses. Chono just hops down woozy. It really puts over the damage both men have taken. Chono does a great job selling having his bell rung. Hase had his left knee wrapped. Chono targets that with ferocity with toeholds and deathlocks. Unfortunately then I noticed something I couldnt unhear. A sound that didnt sound human. I thought it was just something near the camera that was being picked up but apparently it is just how Chono breathes. That does not sound healthy. I think it is going to bother me for the rest of the match. As I left them they were climbing to the top. They established a great foundation even if it was a little dry, a rousing home stretch and this could be a real classic. Last Part: Hase hits the first two big bombs of this lo-fi match. A super Northern Lights Suplex then a German Suplex. From there the match becomes about dueling leg psychology. Chono is able to get back on top and work the leg. I dont think that was Chono breathing, I think that was someone else because it just didnt seem in rhythm of the match. Chono applies his world famous STF on the good leg then on the bad leg. Hase makes the ropes. Hase wrangles his own STF and then gets pissed about his own knee. He rips off his knee pad and throws it at Chono. Someone is frustrated. He applies a figure-4. They do this cool spot where they both fall off the apron while in the figure-4. When you are wrapped up like that, thats actually a pretty rough bump to brace for. Hase keeps it applied for the full twenty count. Chono hits a couple Yakuza Kicks to the knee and then applies his own figure-4 and they roll off the apron again. Thats a crazy bump to do twice. I really like the symmetry. The ending is a big bomb run. Hase throws a couple of his patented twisting Urnages and then two Northern Lights Suplexes. First time his knee gives way, second time, Chono kicks out. Chono struggles and manages a DDT, but thats it. He tries to hit repeated Yakuza Kicks, but Hase evades and hits an Axe Bomber. He then applies a reverse STF, it is an STF where Hase is on his back and Chono's back is on Hase's stomach. Hase's shoulders were down and he should have got counted down, but whatever. I liked this a lot. Strong psychology throughout. It was a little on the dry side, but they escalated well to the finish. I appreciate a match that is dramatic without a lot of bombs. The dueling STFs and Figure-4s were cool and am glad they finished with a submission. Hase throwing a bunch of bombs at the end felt disjointed. Another New Japan heavies hidden gem. ****

Keiji Mutoh & Hiroshi Hase vs Shinya Hashimoto & Masa Chono - NJPW 11/4/93 Tag League The tag team champions at this point I believe are the Jurassic Powers (Norton & Hercules) with the Hellraisers (Hawk & Power Warrior) as their main opponents. Mutoh & Hase are a full time tag team that have won the tag belts and would win them again. I dont know how often Hashimoto & Chono tagged. It is not my favorite way to watch wrestling, but now when I need to get as much wrestling in as possible I will be doing this style from time to time, which is writing the review as I watch the match. Hashimoto and Hase to start, they had a pretty highly acclaimed match at this year's G-1 Climax, I thought their '94 title match was better. Hase is great for a good amateur wrestling contest. Even though Hashimoto is bigger, he understands leverage is able to take the big man down. He lets him back up in a wristlock which seems hard and is looking for the armbar, but Hashimoto reverses into his own. Hashimoto working the wristlock. Pretty standard New Japan opening to the match. Nice double wristlock takedown by Hashimoto into the headscissors great bridge by Hase. The New Japan wrestler are better than their All Japan counterparts in wrestling. Nice kip up out of the headscissors by Hase. Hashimoto catches Hase good with the right and each tag out. Mutoh and Chono squared off at the '93 Dome show, but Mutoh was Great Muta and also the victor. Mutoh wins the first shouldertackle. Collar and elbow and shoot off to the ropes and Chono wins the shouldertackle this time. Mutoh works the headlock and Chono reverses into a headscissors towards his corner. This is not being worked at the break-neck pace of the 11/1/90 match. Chono headbutts Mutoh who powders and has a conference with Hase. Knucklelock and Chono gets the drop toehold into the facelock. Chono has been looking good even post-injury here. Chono rakes the face with the boot to re-establish his arm-stretcher. Wristlock by Chono as Mutoh stands up and Mutoh gets an armdrag. Mutoh tags in Hase, which seems wide. Hase and Chono had a highly acclaimed match in 1993 by Parv that is on my list to check out. Nice bridge by Hase and tags Chono in the face with a heel kick. Chono opts not to tag out and Hase tackles him over into his corner and tags out to Mutoh. Chono has been in there awhile. He tags out to Hashimoto. Hashimoto won his first IWGP Championship in 1993 from The Great Muta. Each man misses their first big strikes. Mutoh thinks it is time to tag out. Very cautious, strategic match thus far. Hase grabs a headlock and Hashimoto shoots him off. Hase cant get the big man off his feet. He wisely uses leverage to win the knucklelock showing that Hase is a thinking man's wrestler. Hase throws repeated chops at Hashimoto, but takes one kick from Hashimoto to take Hase off his feet. This is the first mistake of the match. Hase should have stuck to wrestling once he challenged in strikes he lost the advantage. Hashimoto tagged out. Chono went to work on the legs, but Hase is wily veteran and was able to reverse into his own leg holds. They roll into the ropes. Hase goes all Gracie and fights from his back. This confuses Chono and Hase actually wins control and tags in Mutoh. They double team Chono's legs and Mutoh grabs a standard toehold. Nice work by Hase to get himself out of a jam and get Mutoh in there. Mutoh works his usual deathlock hold on Chono. Hase is the real MVP thus far. They double team both driving Chono's knees into the mat and then Hase applies a figure-4. Strong work by the most experienced tag team. Chono makes the ropes. Hase is signalling for The Giant Swing and crowd reacts but Chono makes the ropes. Tag out to Mutoh we are seeing those quick tags. Chono hits an enziguiri and wisely tags out. Hashimoto says it is game time! He bulldozes Mutoh, then throws his ass down, then hits a GIANT ELBOW! Boston Crab by Hashimoto and Hase breaks it up with chops. Hashimoto definitely just escalated this match in response to Chono losing control. Tags Chono back in and Chono is looking to redeem himself. He comes off the top crashing down on Mutoh's arm. Chono tags in Hashimoto and he comes down with a double axehandle on Mutoh's arm. Hashimoto hits such vicious kicks that he knocks Mutoh into Hase. No matter as Hashimoto CRUSHES Hase with kneelifts and kicks. Thrust kick sends Hase in their corner, smart tag work. Chono applies a chinlock as Hashimoto has completely changed the game owning both Mutoh and Hase. It was like a great individual basketball player dominating a game. Chono goes up top, shaking my head. Hase hits a superplex. Far too early to go for such a high risk move. Hase hits his patented twisting Urnage for 2. Hashimoto must be pissed. Hase wants the Northern Light Suplex, but Hashimoto breaks it up with kicks to bail Chono's dumbass out. Mutoh attacks Hashimoto, but it is too late, the damage was done. It was quite the head-rocking enziguiri. Chono got a nearfall, but Mutoh saved. Then Hashimoto came in and knocked Mutoh off the apron and covered again, but Mutoh saved again. That one enziguiri really rang Hase's bell. Hashimoto is basically a one man wrecking crew. He hits his big rainbow spinning heel kick, but that sends Hase flying to his corner. Big mistake. Mutoh is full of piss & vinegar and hits a dropkick out of the gate. Back Handspring Elbow! Bulldog! Backbreaker! He is just going for it. Chono hits a Yakuza Kick to prevent the Moonsault! Mutoh knew his partner was toast and basically just hit everything in his arsenal to try to win the match right then and there, but the 2-on-1 was too much to overcome. Hashimoto hits his rainbow spinning heel kick on Mutoh. Tags in Chono who hits his Yakuza Kick on Mutoh and as Hase is finally getting up on the apron, Chono stomps his head. It does not look good for Mutoh and Hase. Chono holds Mutoh. HASHIMOTO MISSILE DROPKICK! 1-2-NO! Hashimoto enziguiri thats the move that put Hase down and only a two. They are running away with this. Hashimoto tags in Chono and kicks Hase off the apron. Chono hits a suplex for two. Gutsy performance from Mutoh, but it seems inevitable. Octopus Stretch...Chono breaks to Yakuza Kick Hase off the apron. Double team on Mutoh coming and it is a double tackle. Hashimoto knocks Hase off the apron. Single leg crab on Mutoh. I dont see how Mutoh & Hase can comeback but I will feel like it will happen. Chono just ran across the ring and knocked Hase off the apron as Mutoh was in the crab. Mutoh lunges for his corner, but Hase is not there, Excellent! HASHIMOTO TAKES THE MOST RIDICULOUS BUMP! He is charging into a neutral corner and misses his rainbow spinning heel kick over the top rope to floor. WOW! My eyes got huge! Well there is a fucking opening. Mutoh tags in Hase! Here. We. Go. Hase suplexes Hashimoto into the ring! Chono comes in. Twisting Urnage for Chono! Then one for Hashimoto! You know what lets do another for good measure since you were such an asshole this match! 1-2-NO! Crowd was wicked into that. Hase gets a Scorpion Deathlock and then hits a German Suplex! Crowd is really counting loud 1-2-NO, Mutoh is cheerleading. Hashimoto gets the kneelift and wants the DDT, but Hase backs into the ropes. Hashimoto kicks his chest. Still wants the DDT and Mutoh saves, but Hashimoto is persistent with kneelift after kneelift. DDT! 1-2-MUTOH SAVES and then elbows Chono. Another DDT and tag out to Chono! Yakuza Kick! Another one and he blasts Mutoh as a receipt. STF! Hase scrambles for the ropes and Chono is pissed. He slaps on another one and Mutoh saves. Chono misses and twisting Urnage. Tag out to Mutoh. Backbreaker can only mean on thing. Moonsault lands on feet. Hashimoto caves in Mutoh's stomach with a kick. Hase tackles Hashimoto! Chono Yakuza Kick, but Mutoh dropkicks...MOONSAULT...1-2-3! BIG POP! What I think I love about this match the most is how fundamental it was. It was not flashy. It was a bunch of little mistakes that built up. Hashimoto was basically like LeBron James he just decided to turn it on and say Fuck It, we are winning. He bulldozed Mutoh & Hase. The enziguiri that put Hase down was a cheapshot. It was from behind. Mutoh & Hase were in this huge hole. I love Mutoh realizing the trouble Hase was in and going for broke before Chono hit him with a Yakuza Kick during his moonsault attempt. Hase could barely make it to the apron and Mutoh was getting the shit beat out of him. Hash & Chono were such asses always knocking Hase off even though Hase was not a threat. DAT HASHIMOTO BUMP DOE~! WOW! Talk about a game-changer. You wanted to see Hase's hot tag and that was a great way to get there. You know that may not be enough once Hashimoto DDTs Hase you think the comeback was snuffed out. Hase survives Chono and tags out to Mutoh. At this point, you want Mutoh & Hase to win so bad and Mutoh to finally get that Moonsault after three tries was huge. Nothing flashy, but holy shit did they take you on a ride. I love when every little thing matters. Go big or Go HOME...****3/4...FUCK YEAH BABY!

IWGP Tag Team Champions Masa Chono & Keiji Mutoh vs Hiroshi Hase & Kensuke Sasaki - NJPW 11/1/90 So I watched this a long time ago and I loved it. Watched it last night it took my breathe away but it was so fast I couldnt keep up so I am doing a review where I write and watch it at the same time. This reminds me so much of the first Four Corners Tag in June of 1993. 90s Workrate baby! This is an All Japan tag before All Japan tags were even invented. They set the tone early with tons of rope running and big explosive spots. Thats really what characterizes 90s work rate in my mind it is movement and explosiveness. It is not cool moves but a lot of well-executed high impact moves. Chono hits a big shouldertackle then Sasaki follows suit with a powerslam. Nothing fancy but it is the speed and the intensity that make it compelling. Mutoh and Hase slow it down. There is no sense of hatred from the 1990 bloodbath indicating that Keiji Mutoh and Great Muta are considered two separate entities. Mutoh and Hase work the more traditional strong style opening focusing on wristlocks and single leg pickups. Sasaki & Hase were a young and upcoming team. Hase just graduated from the juniors and Sasaki was very wet behind the ears. Mutoh works the headlock to ground the explosive Sasaki. Sasaki throws him off the headlock and nails a dropkick. I love wrecking ball Sasaki. He tags out to Hase so we get our fourth unique pairing. Hase is such a charismatic wrestler. We get the first sense this is a tag team match as Chono bullies him into the corner and they double team him with a quick tag and double shouldertackle. Chono tags back in and Hase takes him to the ground, which is his forte. Chono again brings him over to their corner and they double team him. I LOVED Mutoh's back drop into his power drive elbow. It looked so good. I like they are establishing the champions as the better team. They are not heels. They are just better at the tag team strategy than the younger challengers. Hase gets an amazing submission out of nothing basically and grabs an armbar. Hase is being controlled without getting owned so he is not dying. I like that sort of struggle and energy. Clear leader, but it is not a blowout. Chono works his way into deathlock and tags Mutoh back in. It is not that Chono or Mutoh is better than Hase they are just better tag wrestlers. Mutoh works his deathlock gimmick including the bridge. Sasaki finally saves Hase with a big elbow to the bridging Mutoh. I love any spot that involves dropping body weight on a bridging opponent. The action is fast & furious, but everything makes sense and is well-executed. Chono looks like a million bucks that neck injury really did him in. Hase immediately tags out! Awesome tag psychology. No fucking dawdling like you will see in America. Hase is being honest with himself and needs to get Sasaki in there. Sasaki dominates Chono with strikes good selling and a nice bump there by Chono. I dont love Sasaki getting all Scotty Steiner loving his own work and telling his opponent to get up. He makes for it with a big Oklahoma Slam and WOW WHAT AN ELBOW DROP! Sasaki brings Chono over to his corner and Hase gets some of his frustrations out on Chono's chest. Sidewalk slam gets two and Hase is thinking Scorpion Deathlock, but Chono gets a inside cradle. They continue to work Chono over in their corner with Sasaki holding the hair as Hase slaps the chest and now a double clothesline on Chono, but the ref wont count the cover. I love old school reffing like that. Now the challengers are throwing good tag psychology back in the champs' faces. Sasaki crashes and burns on a dropkick as Chono holds the ropes. Chono does not tag out. Seems like a mistake but he hits a Yakuza kick to the side of Sasaki's head. He signals for another and then tags out and collaspes. Mutoh immediately hits his back handspring elbow, extra explosive. He throws Sasaki to the floor and Chono whips him into the railing. The champions are escalating the action and the challengers are responding. They hit a Doomsday Device like move and Chono locks in his finish the STF and Mutoh hits a dropkick on Hase, but Hase is able to get past Mutoh to knock Chono off, but Mutoh throws Hase out. Chono reapplies the STF, but Sasaki makes the ropes. High drama! Mutoh hits the kneecrusher. Chono & Mutoh are working on a clinic on the rookie Kensuke Sasaki as Mutoh now applies a figure-4. Sasaki is showing a lot of fighting spirit making the ropes. Chono attacks him in a neutral corner, which seems like a mistake. Sasaki hulks up and THROWS CHONO DOWN! Tags out to Hase who immediately hits his twisting urnage and applies a Scorpion Deathlock. Mutoh casually walks in to break this up to a chorus of boos. Hase tags out to Sasaki. Was it too soon? Sasaki sets up for superplex and hits it. Hase illegally comes off the top rope with a splash, but the ref counts it for two. Chono looks to be in real trouble. Sasaki locks in the Scorpion Deathlock. Mutoh comes into break it up but takes a lot more kicks and Sasaki beats the shit out of Mutoh and they throw him out. Sasaki hits a big dropkick in the corner and then a big German Suplex for two. Hase cant believe it is not three! He comes off the apron to contest the count. I love it! Mutoh is cheering on Chono. Chono hits the Yakuza Kick and falls into a tag. Mutoh comes out hot! Surprisingly, he is able to his back handspring elbow (very rare to be able to hit the same spot twice), but he screws up and dropkicks in Sasaki towards his corner allowing the fresh man, Hase to come in, but Mutoh meets him at the pass and hits a backdrop driver. Mutoh slows it down and feels more in control hits a bulldog then takes him over with a Dragon Suplex. Chono hits a missile dropkick on Sasaki as he was trying to break it up. Mutoh hits his backbreaker/moonsault combo but Hase kicks out at 2! Mutoh is incredulous. Sasaki hits a monster lariat on Mutoh as he is contesting the count. Chono comes in and POWERSLAM! Hase hits a Northern Lights Suplex...BRIDGE...1-2-3! Wow! They pack so much in here without it feeling like overkill too much. There was no waiting for people to be ready. No intricate spots. It was all high impact moves that were well-executed and done with a great sense of urgency that is what defines 90s workrate. I thought this told a great story of the Champions beating the challengers in a tag match by using quick tags and double teams. Chono and Mutoh looked amazing this match and looked like they would be massive workrate stars of the 90s. Sasaki was just a bulldozer and Hase is so damn good on the mat. I like how the challengers won not by cheating per se but bending the rules. Saving is more lax in Japan, but Sasaki coming in trucking Mutoh during an argument with a ref is pretty cheap so it is protects the Champs, but also is an exciting finish. It was just chaos towards the end with bodies flying everywhere. Every bit as good as anything All Japan produced in 1990. It wouldnt be until later that gulf widened. ****1/2

IWGP Heavyweight Shinya Hashimoto vs Nobuhiko Takada - NJPW 4/29/96 The only thing greater than the Right Hand of God is the RIGHT HAND OF HASHIMOTO! Incredible Dome match with insane heat! Nobuhiko Takada is a genius for a dude who cant fight a lick he made the entire world believe that he is the greatest fighter. He had the successful UWFi, three Dome matches in the 90s and then a big feud with Tenryu after this and then started PRIDE & Hustle. He may be the greatest worker of all time in the truest sense of the word meaning he made people believe the unbelievable. Takada gives a very selfless performance here for Hashimoto. He does not just lose clean as a sheet in the middle of the ring via submission. He sold every Hashimoto kick like it was death and he had fear in his eyes. That first kick to his leg look how nervous he looks and then how Hashimoto is staring a hole right through him. Hashimoto gives one of his greatest performances ever as Hashimoto The Destroyer just stuffing everything and mercilessly brutalizing the leader of the UWFi leader. Is there anybody you would want defending your territory against invaders? I dont think this is quite as good as Hashimoto vs Tenryu matches, but this is great. You do need to create drama so when it comes time for Takada to get offense it feels electric. My favorite moment besides the finish might be Takada rifling Hashimoto's left leg with kicks and then hitting this tremendous kick combination to the head that fells Hashimoto to the mat. The crowd went crazy. Takada went for the cross armbreaker but Hashimoto scrambled for the ropes. Hashimoto destroying the legs comes back later and boy does Takada sell his ass for it. Credit to Takada for not letting his shooter badass character get in the way of looking vulnerable. Hashimoto applies a figure-4 and the heat is off the charts. The one problem with focusing on Takada's legs is that is the source of his offense so he blows it off to hit his trademark kicks and a backdrop driver, but againt cant finish the mighty Hashimoto who powers out of a Boston Crab. On the next standup is when the Right Hand of Hashimoto sends the crowd into a frenzy. The ref tries to back him off but he runs through and hits a big meaty elbow drop while Takada is under the ropes. I love the big fight feel! Takada tries to kick his way out of trouble...he is landing some big shots...he is rocking the head...he pushes Hashimoto off to create distance for a full extension...Takada throws HASHIMOTO SWEEPS THE LEG! OH MY FUCKING GOD! I LOST MY MIND! The rest of the match becomes about Hashimoto trying to hit the Brainbuster and Takada desperately trying to avoid it. Takada's last gasp is a Fujiwara armbar, but Hashimoto makes the ropes and Takada reapplies it in the ropes to Booos. Great heeling there. Hashimoto caves in the solarplexus with a massive kick. Takada is still avoiding his death sentence. Hashimoto rips him down with a DDT. BRAINBUSTER! Headscissors/armbreaker finishes him with a submission. All will bow down to Hashimoto The Destroyer! Perfect Dome match for these two, the Takada knockdown of Hashimoto feels huge then Hashimoto's offense feels like the coolest most badass thing ever. This match also gets a boost for being a really damn great blowoff match to a hot angle and being really influential in not just Japanese wrestling, but in American wrestling as the NWO was born from this match. ****1/2

IWGP Heavyweight Shinya Hashimoto vs Kensuke Sasaki - NJPW 1/4/95 A battle of wills! Two rams that would not give an inch to on another. I had seen this match like five years ago and I remember loving it and I still think this is amazing and another overlooked NJPW Heavies' classic. We are in the midst of peak Hashimoto. He had just finished running through the legends (Tenryu, Fujinami, Fujiwara & Choshu) and had wins over his peers (Chono, Hase & Power Warrior), but now Sasaki has removed the makeup and is ready to challenge for the championship as Sasaki. Hashimoto takes the best of Inoki and Choshu, but also puts his own spin on it. As much as I love Sasaki, he is Choshu v2.0, which is fine because Choshu rocks and Sasaki rocks too. Plus Hashimoto vs Choshu is one of the all-time great rivalries in pro wrestling. What makes this match so good is that everything is earned. Both wrestlers dont yield to the other. To hit any move feels like a herculean effort. They are tentative to start but they start firing off stiff slaps that Sasaki gets the better of. However the ref breaks them in the corner and Hashimoto gets in a cheapshot. He RIFLES Sasaki with kicks to the chest. O how I have missed Hashimoto. The ref breaks in the corner again, but this time it is Sasaki with the cheapshot and he starts giving these kicks back to the receipt. For a dude with short, stubby legs he actually has pretty good kicks. Sasaki's strategy early on seems to get a cross armbreaker, this is thwarted as Hashimoto is too strong still. Sasaki comes charging in with one of his meaty lariats but Hashimoto blasts him with an elbow to the lariat arm. OW! Hashimoto now smells blood and tries to go for his own Fujiwara armbar and cross-armbreaker, but Sasaki will not allow it to happen. He has too much fighting spirit. Hashimoto hits a Missile Dropkick! Holy shit! Sasaki still will not go down. So he goes up again, but this time Sasaki hits a massive exploder from the top rope. One other thing I forgot to mention is I love how symmetric this match is. Both cheapshot on the ref break. Both go for the arm. Both hit big highspots from the top. It makes Sasaki feel like Hashimoto's equal. With Hashimoto having defeated everybody but Mutoh in the past year, it was important someone look like Hashimoto's peer. I LOVE this control segment from Sasaki. It is a ton of big, muscular highspots combined with trying to rip Hashimoto's arm off. Basically it is big highspot, cover, no dice, let me try to dislocate his shoulder. The highspots such as the powerbomb, powerslam and his specialty power armdrag all look great and are perfect for the big Dome atmosphere. Then when he cant negotiate he tries applying the armbar, but Hashimoto fights with all he has got to get out. This is Bill Watts Mid-South wrestling with more submission focus. It is two big uglies fighting each other with all they go. At one time, they are just locked up and Hashimoto busts out a belly to belly suplex and Sasaki lands on his bad shoulder. Hashimoto wants that armbar for himself but Sasaki just keeps fighting back. It is intense and everything drips with struggle. The power arm drag was Sasaki's last nearfall as he pulls Hashimoto up, Hashimoto uppercuts him and SWEEPS THE LEG! You have to see how much work Hashimoto has to put in to hit the DDT. Once he hits it you know it is just a matter of time even though Sasaki kicks out and kicks out of the rainbow spinning heel kick. It is finished with an Fisherman Brainbuster! Where's the beef? Right here, Grandma! Big, burly, brawny pro wrestling everything was earned, nothing given that made Sasaki look like a future main eventer at the end though he succumbed to Hashimoto The Destroyer! ****1/4

Antonio Inoki vs Vader - NJPW 1/4/96 A match befitting the Dome to the tee. Antonio Inoki the biggest Japanese save for Rikidozan on his Final Countdown tour against the last behemoth he made, Vader, with history dating all the way back to 1988. Vader is in between WCW and WWF stints. This match does drag in parts due to the fitness limitations of both wrestlers, Inoki (age) and Vader (weight), BUT these are two of the best of all time and they more than enough tricks to knock one out of the park. Vader slaps the taste out of Inoki's mouth before the bell. He set the tone this was going to be a fight and he was ready to kick the old man's ass. He proceeded to do just that, those trademark Vader punches and that big slam on the table. It looked like Inoki was about to be forced into retirement. I love shit like Inoki grabs a sleeper, but Vader goes to the eyes to break. He is a 400lbs monster kicking this old man's ass, but he goes for the eyes. What a prick. Then comes the most famous spot of the match, The German Suplex. VADER HURLS INOKI BACKWARDS ACROSS THE RING CRUMPLING THE OLD MAN IN HALF! You got to see it. Vader sets up his own transition. He goes flying over the ropes from the apron. Inoki hits a diving knee drop. On the outside, Inoki creams him with a steel chair, busting the Mastodon open, a modicum of revenge. In Japan, Vader's arm has always been seen as weak, with Inoki, Hashimoto and Takada all targetting it. Inoki looks to get the submission, but it is too early and this grizzly bear bear paws him on the ground. Not far behind the German, is the chokeslam Inoki takes. Inoki evades the Powerbomb, but eats the Vaderbomb and the Vadersault each for two! The raucous pro-Inoki crowd is eating this up with a spoon. This David vs Goliath done right. Vader squishes him in the corner, but on the second charge eats nothing but turnbuckles. I love how Vader sets up these transitions with missed moves. Inoki uses his momentum to bodyslam him and Cross-Armbreaker gets the tapout victory to a MASSIVE POP! This has the David vs Goliath feel with the additional bonus of David as the aging warrior and everyone always want to see their hero live forever and one of the nice things about pro wrestling is that it can become a reality. ****