[1993-10-08-WAR] Genichiro Tenryu vs Masaji Aoyagi

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Phil Schneider]

This was as good as it looks on paper. A pair of guys who don't pull punches not pulling their punches. I loved the spot where Aoyagi kicks Tenryu in the face with the toe of his boot, only for Tenryu to get his revenge the next round by returning the eye kick. I also loved Tenryu saying "fuck the niceties and hurling the corner stool at Aoyagi during the break. Finish was great as Tenryu's "I don't give a fuck" powerbombs were totally brutal looking.

[Ditch]

Tenryu's selling for Aoyagi was really good considering how big a jobber Aoyagi was by this point. I mean he put over Liger in a 'different style fight', so of course he had zero chance here. Unfortunately for a match with two guys blasting each other with strikes we get very weak audio because it's handheld.

[Loss]

Fun little match. Nice footwork. Would have been a good syndie U.S. TV match.

[Kevin Ridge]

Felt like an extended squash with Tenryu playing with Aoyagi. When a guy wears a Gi in a wrestling match I expect to see him getting his ass kicked. Tenryu delivers.

[PeteF3]

An extended squash with rounds, with both guys going to work after the bell. Aoyagi has Tenryu on the ropes at one point, but after kicking him one too many times Tenryu decides that playtime's over, clocking Aoyagi with a stool between rounds and repeatedly powerbombing him into oblivion.

[garretta]

Aoyagi was able to keep it close for the first couple of rounds by using his feet, but then Tenryu showed up and the match was over.

 

Tenryu's powerbombs looked especially brutal here; it was almost like he was mad that he had to wrestle a match like this in the first place and took it out on Aoyagi. I liked the spot where he hit Aoyagi over the head with his stool. It just might be the most devastating transition move in wrestling history, if you choose to look at it that way.

 

I much prefer WAR matches without rounds. In fact, I prefer most wrestling matches without rounds, period. Someone has to be used to working that style to really make it look good, and few of the rounds matches on the yearbooks have two guys who are used to it. One is nice, but it's not enough.

[soup23]

This was a fun match but I agree with the sentiment that it felt like an extended squash. I am always game for pissed off Tenryu and the way he threw the stool in between rounds and his complete disregard for Aoyagi in the powerbombs was endearing to see. Handheld was in good quality too. ***

[Jetlag]

This was exactly what you want: very short, compact and brutally violent. Aoyagi flailing Tenryu with kicks (which Tenryu puts over great), to which Tenryu responds by working rough looking sumo throws. Aoyagi spin kicks Tenryu on the break so Tenryu just flips out and we get a nasty "killed him dead" style finish. Worth watching just for Tenryu throwing the corner stool at him.