[1996-09-30-UWFi-Road in Morioka] Masahito Kakihara vs Yoshihiro Takayama

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

I like both of these guys quite a bit, but Takayama looks sensational here. Kakihara lays in some wicked kicks on Takayama to break free, while Takayama really outclasses Kakihara on the mat. So it's matwork vs footwork. Each guy is no slouch in the other area, but it's not as much the calling card. Super stiff, dramatic, lots of good selling and pacing makes a great match. Takayama finally takes the match, but Kakihara looks great in losing.

 

I have to admit the post-match music is terrible and made me laugh because it was so inappropriate given the epic nature of the match.

 

How come no one ever talks about Kakihara?

[Ditch]

Kakihara was never a 'top 20 in the world' type, or someone involved in a bunch of MOTYCs. Add to it that he was always a midcarder and there's a reason why he flew under the radar.

 

I'll have to re-watch this. It didn't do anything for me the first time.

 

Random Kaki recommendation: vs Yamazaki from 11/30/94. Good shoot-style with a story worked in.

[Tim Evans]

I've never seen Takayama before his illness. This was alright but the subdued crowd and the constant rope breaks kinda hurt it. I"m guessing there are different rules between RINGS and UWFI right? And what's the difference between UWF and UWFI?

[PeteF3]

Fun to see Takayama look so nimble and lithe on the mat for such a big gangly guy, but UWFI really feels like a dying promotion and there's a pall over everything, as good as the work is.

[soup23]

I like both of these guys and this was good but it did leave me dry a bit. I thought Takayama took too much of the match and while he does feel like the main guy in UWFi a lot of the time now, that isn't a great distinction as the promotion is clearly on the decline. ***

[tim]

Whoa! I've never seen young Takayama before. Quite a difference. Good match with a good story -- Kakihara appears to be the more skilled fighter for the first half or so of the match, but Takayama begins to impose his size advantage, and the advantage accumulates over the match with him hitting harder strikes with more weight behind them. Cool German suplex also.