[1996-09-21-NJPW-G1 Climax] Steven Regal vs Shinya Hashimoto

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

What, you expect this to be anything but awesome? Lots of awesome, deliberate matwork mixed in with the potato shots you'd expect. Regal gets over for taking a beating here as much as anything, and the crowd is very, very into this by the end. I wouldn't say Hashimoto was at any point taking him lightly, but it's definitely a match where it ended up being more hard fought and competitive than I think the crowd expected. There were even "Regal, Regal" chants at one point. With the kickouts, it's like a better version of Mike Rotunda/Brad Armstrong from Clash III, the difference being Hashimoto does actually win in the end. But the layout is similar. I really enjoyed this.

[Zenjo]

An intriguing, and quite nifty little match. Certainly no shortfall of stiff strikes from both. The matwork was also hard. There was a styles clash so it felt awkward at times during the first 10m. Towards the end Regal started to connect with the audience and business picked up. Being in front of the Korakuen hardcores was beneficial. Regal could definitely have been a successful gaijin if things hadn't worked out so well for him in America. He won Hash's respect for being tough.

[PeteF3]

I preferred the first match between these two, but this is every bit the chunky potato-fest you'd want between these two. Regal looks like about the gutsiest bastard in the world, doing a quasi-Hulk-Up for Hash's kicks. I also dug how much the announcer marked out over the Regal Stretch--you actually felt like Hash was in danger.

[soup23]

I will have to watch the first match again when I plow through 1995 but I thought this was incredible and gritty. An even better version of the Uncensored Finlay vs. Regal match. I like how Regal was able to get over with the crowd with his beating and wonderfully timed comebacks. That Regal stretch was effective in making the viewer believe he had a chance to take out Hash. Speaking of Hash, man does he deliver a pissed off strike in a great way. Overall this felt like a war and was the best possible match for a Korakuen spot show challenger to your ace. ****1/4

[Jordan]

Man, this was awesome. The blocked attempts at even a simple drop toehold, Regal's palm strikes, Hashimoto egging him on to crank the intensity up even more. Just so much to love, like how they make even "basic" moves or counters seem the utmost impactful and damaging. Like when Hashimoto gets a nearfall that the crowd completely eats up off just a well placed elbow drop to the face. Hell he does it again later by simply powering out of a double underhook suplex attempt. Just incredible stuff. Hash promised Regal last year that they'd go to war again in the future and they absolutely did. Makes you wish Finlay vs. Hashimoto could have happened.

[tim]

I really liked Regal and Hashimoto's chemistry. I remember their 95 match being better, maybe a lot better, but I still liked this a lot. Loved Regal working the palm strikes, and his drop toehold into the Regal stretch was awesome. Good ending stretch as Hashimoto really starts to unleash the kicks.