[1996-02-23-FMW] Mitsuhiro Matsunaga & W*ING Kanemura & Hido vs Masato Tanaka & Ricky Fuji & Tetsuhiro Kuroda (War Games)

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

I like this just fine, but it's not really a War Games match, it just has some similarities. Pinfalls count and there's only one ring. Still, I do enjoy watching FMW, as it may be the most Memphis-influenced wrestling product in Japan. I wouldn't go to bat for it as a great match, but it's pretty entertaining.

[Phil Austin]

This was fine given it's not really 'my style' of match these days (loved that stuff back then though!). Liked the postmatch though, with a particular tag team I like turning up and Matsunaga getting all 'Mr Danger' on the fans!

[Tim Evans]

Man Ricky Fuji looks like a bigger raven Flunkie than Stevie Richards did. Good match that reminded me of a 90's Memphis brawl in a cage. Liked the beatdown by the Headhunters after the match.

[Kevin Ridge]

I wish they played up War Games gimmick more but once everyone got in the ring it was good enough. That table was real sturdy with Wing coming off the tope of the cage and it not breaking. He could have broke a rib or two the way he landed on the edge of it. The ladder was of the flimsy SMW kind.

[PeteF3]

Closer to a Smoky Mountain "Rage in the Cage" than WarGames, as we have handcuffs on the cage. And no man-advantage rule either, as each team sends a guy in at the same time. Pretty cool brawl that actually builds into a hell of a wrestling match, with some really great near-falls and saves and some cool psychology with the babyfaces having to fight off a 2-on-3 disadvantage when Kuroda gets cuffed. Afterward Victor Quinones, the Headhunters, and Mr. Pogo lay waste to everyone in sight, with one Headhunter doing a moonsault off the cage. I dug this quite a lot.

[soup23]

War Games this was not but as a violent garbage brawl confined to a cage, this was a strong effort overall. Good to see Tanaka and some of the other workers that become my favorites in FMW hang here. The cuffing stipulation added to the drama at the end for me. ***1/2