[1992-05-30-AJPW-Super Power Series] Mitsuharu Misawa & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Ditch]

Taue debuts the chokeslam. This is Quality All Japan Lead-In Match #631, so while it doesn't stand out from the pack relative to the rest of the Jumbo/Misawa feud, it still accomplishes something long-term while being enjoyable on its own.

[jdw]

I'm guessing this is where he switches from the "Arm Bomber" chokeslam to the "Nodowa Otoshi" chokeslam?

 

John

[Ditch]

Yup. And thank goodness for it.

[Loss]

I always love watching Jumbo play monster to Kikuchi because of the difference in size and card placement. And this match definitely has the typically fun Jumbo/Kikuchi interaction, especially the sleeper. But maybe just to be different, Misawa is the one getting beat up for a while and Kikuchi is the savior of the team. At least for a while. The spot where Misawa gets the hot tag and goes to do his usual punching Jumbo to the floor from the apron spot and Jumbo is prepared is great. You can look at who is in this match and accurately predict who's eating the fall. Really strong match.

[shoe]

I enjoyed the match but nowhere at the level of Loss. I will have to give this a replay in the future. Maybe I was spent from watching the Can-Ams right before this.

[Kevin Ridge]

I like how Taue launches Kikuchi into the turnbuckle when he does the snake eyes move. Match was good but yeah, coming off the previously match again Can-Am that is tough to follow. Taue got some serious height on the chokeslam.

[Zenjo]

They shared out the offense. I'd rather see Kikuchi dominated. Quick paced match with little downtime. Jumbo was particularly fun with the boo-ing. Was starting to wear out its welcome towards the end but they accomplished what they set out to do.

[WingedEagle]

Was this really the first time Taue used the Nodowa? I could swear I've seen it throughout the yearbook but perhaps I missed something that distinguished his finisher there from here. Kikuchi stepped and worked pretty big here against the larger heel squad. Jumbo griding his fist into Misawa's ribs during an abdominal stretch was a great spot as well, so simple and effective yet something other workers wouldn't think of.

 

***3/4

[PeteF3]

The "proper" Nodowa showed up in the 6-man just before this. Don't know if that was the true debut or not. Another excellent tag, what else is new. It's not as good, but that this is able to stand up to a back-to-back viewing with the legendary All-Asia tag before it is a testament. Misawa works FIP(!) for a bit before Kikuchi actually gets a hot tag run before the inevitable beatdown follows. This time there is no hot tag to be made--Jumbo has Misawa's saves well-scouted and takes him out, allowing Taue to hit a killer chokeslam for the pin. A well-needed victory for Jumbo's side, who from a Yearbook perspective had appeared to be losing the war over the past few months.

[MikeCampbell]

No doubt that this is good, but it comes off lacking compared to the All Asia classic and the legendary six man before it on the yearbook.

[garretta]

This one belonged to Jumbo and Taue from the second that Taue used Kikuchi as a dart with the snake-eyes to the buckle. Man, did that look brutal, and the clothesline/stun gun off the top rope a few seconds later was every bit as bad. I get the feeling that Taue really enjoyed throwing Kikuchi around, at least in a kayfabe sense. Kikuchi as face in peril/weak link on Misawa's side is getting a tad old, but he plays the role so well that I can see why they keep him in it.

 

Can't wait for the six-man, as we get very little of substance from any other pairing in the match, particularly Jumbo/Misawa. That may be the last truly big match in the feud, as the two sides only get together three more times on the Yearbook before Jumbo gets sick, and I think all three are regular tag matches.

 

Taue's new chokeslam reminds me of the Bossman Slam, except that Taue takes his man a bit higher. Is the similarity a coincidence, or did Taue actually learn something from an American?

[ohtani's jacket]

#315

 

This starts out with a wee bit of Taue in Peril, which as a nice change of pace. It didn't take long for the normal order of business to be restored. This feud had run its course by 1992 and All Japan feels stale as a result.

[JKWebb]

http://placetobenation.com/countdown-top-500-matches-of-the-90s-350-301/2/

 

#315

 

Yeah, I thought this was really good, but not great. I'd agree with the ***3/4 range. That headlock from Jumbo on Misawa was something fierce, and of course Kikuchi gets nailed a few times with some pretty stiff blows. Really good, but I think we've seen some better AJ tags lower on this list. Pretty cool it's the debut of his chokeslam (Taue).

[dawho5]

I am in with the good, not great rating on it.  It can't compare to the earlier tag at all.

This match does illustrate why I think this is the best era of AJPW wrestling-wise.  The crowd reactions area absolutely amazing and every matchup has it's own dynamic.  Waht's better is that every wrestler seems 100% of what that dynamic is with everyone else and they play their roles in it so well.  Kikuchi's role does get a little old on repetition and it's probably why he became so much less prominent once Jumbo is out of the picture.  As Loss mentioned, Jumbo/Kikuchi is such a great mini-feud within these matches.  With better offense over time I think Kikuchi could have continued being relevant.  I do wonder if his body started to maybe break down a little early due to the sheer amount of punishment though.