[1992-03-01-NJPW-Big Fight Series] Keiji Muto & Hiroshi Hase vs Bam Bam Bigelow & Big Van Vader

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Last few minutes. They get some good kickouts, but ultimately, Bigelow and Vader win the IWGP tag titles after double-splashing Muto. Then Vader gives Muto a chokeslam to seal the deal.

[Tim Evans]

I just gotta say that Vader and Bam Bam's theme is awesome. Sounds like some 80's hair metal.

[Victator]

Love this match though I will never get why a guy with as great a gimmick as the Great Muta would ever want to be Keiji Muto.

[Kevin Ridge]

This time we get to see Vader get thrown around by Muto which doesn't seem right. Bigelow and Vader make a pretty cool team team. Vader gets to squash Muto in the end though. Think I saw this in full on the NJ 92 TV set. Will have to go back and watch again.

[MikeCampbell]

Love this match though I will never get why a guy with as great a gimmick as the Great Muta would ever want to be Keiji Muto.

With how unmotivated and lazy the facepaint and mist made him, I'm thankful that he only trotted it out on occasion.

 

Vader and Bigelow are the ultimate gaijin monster heel tag team.

[WingedEagle]

Solid finishing stretch with the champs working well with the bigs but not able to finish the job as Vader & Bigelow win with a double splash followed by a choke slam after a number of near falls.

[PeteF3]

Good but not great action down the stretch, with a few moments of Bam Bam looking lost and Vader doing one of the most obvious spotcalls since Sid in WarGames. Plus Vader gets tossed around not just by Muto but also by Hase, which is pushing things quite a bit. Still, some hot near-falls and Muto is quite convincingly beaten down to net Vader and Bam Bam the IWGP tag belts.

[xlynwoodx]

Hase doesn't factor into this much, I can only guess that he played FIP early on leaving Muto to battle the two giants by himself. He gave a valiant effort but couldn't last in a two on one battle. Both guys looked completely bulldozed post match, this was a finish that has me hoping for a rematch a few months down the road where Muto & Hase can gameplan and come back more prepared.

Loved the theme music as well!

 

[garretta]

I would have loved to see this one in full, as both teams looked great. Sure, Hase and Muto threw Vader and Bam Bam around a bit too easily, but they're the natives, so that's understandable in a way that it wouldn't be in the States. Vader and Bammer have a Mutoh sandwich for the pin and the belts, and Hase and Muto almost do a double stretcher job to prove just how awesome the new champions are. I hope to see a rematch in the not too distant future.

 

I wonder why Bam Bam didn't get a run in WCW at some point while they were working with New Japan. I would have liked to see what he could have done against guys like Sting, Steamboat, and Dustin. Tag matches with Vader against the Steiners or any two members of the DA would have been interesting as well.

[G. Badger]

Watched the full match a couple years back and found my review: I thought it was fantastic. The timing and near finishes were just awesome. You knew the hope spots were going to be there but, wow! This was just an awesome match that should be on every one of these guys “Best Of” comps. The stand-outs were Hase and Vader. The segments they had were just great stuff and very stiff. Vader was just punishing throughout and Bigelow and Mutoh were the charismatic ones who put the flashy bits in. Everything was hitting just right. Maybe this is a case of low expectations and being surprised but I really enjoyed this. Great match.

 

I'd like to rewatch this to see if my opinion holds up.

[dawho5]

I got the feeling that Vader and Bigelow were out of trouble after the moonsault kickout. Mutoh puts in a valiant effort, but can't stand up to both monster gaijin. Vader and Bigelow is an awesome gaijin team.

[fxnj]

Not sure why more people aren't seeking out the full version of this given how acclaimed their match from a few months later is. I'd say it's a really good match in its own way that gives some nice context to the rematch. Like others, I watched their May match bewildered by why Vader and Bigelow were selling so much for Hase and Muto rather than gobbling them up in the early going like you'd expect with super-heavyweights. Here, you actually see a match where Vader and Bigelow do manage to gobble up their lighter opponents, and the results aren't pretty for Hase and Muto. Like 95% of the match consists of Hase and Muto taking turns getting beat up on, and any attempt to gain momentum quickly gets shutdown. Not to say it isn't entertaining, though, given that Vader and Bigelow are still great to watch offensively and the hope spots worked in are quite good. I loved all the drama around Hase trying to take Vader off his feet. When Hase and Muto eventually do finally gain control of the match after around 20 minutes, by then it's too little too late and the superheavyweights are clearly the far fresher team, leading to them regaining control and taking it home shortly thereafter. The big takeaway seems to be that if Hase and Muto want to win they can't afford to spend so much of the match on the defense.