[1992-08-28-UWFi-The Root of Wrestling] Kiyoshi Tamura vs Yoji Anjo

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Ditch]

Tamura was in several good matches before this, but they had an 'undercard' feel to them. Here he comes across as a star, as does Anjoh, and both would get more of the spotlight in '93.

[MJH]

Their '91 match is definitely worth watching too. Tamura was such a strong young talent and Anjoh was a perfect opponent.

[KB8]

Is this the 30 minute draw? If so, I watched this earlier in the year and thought it was really good, if a little "down-timey" at points. I recall some Anjoh prickyness which is always good times.

[Loss]

I really did enjoy this match, but I just think 30 minutes is too long for this style. There is some great action, but I wish I could chop out the slow spots and make a really action-packed 15 minute match. Then you'd have a great match. As it stands, this is really good, but there's too much time killing. Anjo would certainly have a spot in a revised top 100 list for me though.

[shoe]

These guys worked hard. To spend 95% of the time on the floor and go 30 minutes. These guys are studs. I agree it went too long. I loved the mat work, and them shooting for submissions. You cut about 10 or 15 minutes out of this bout you have a MOTY contender. Like Loss said it's hard to go that long in this style.

[Kevin Ridge]

Yeah, the length would be my issue. These guys were doing pro wrestling type submissions on each like the Scorpion Death Lock and STF which was getting big pops from the crowd.

[Zenjo]

When the time limit expired. Watching the 80's Other Japan set recently has certainly improved my tolerance and appreciation for lengthy shoot style. Anjoh was the more experienced and more balanced fighter. Tamura had few strikes or sumplexes, but was a wizard on the ground. It was mainly submissions and high quality matwork. The fans were really into it. Given that 30m isn't ideal I thought they did the best they could with the pacing. It was such a tough match physically. The youngster tired a lot more and I loved how he just managed to cling on at the death with 1pt remaining. Very good overall.

[WingedEagle]

Great chain wrestling and counters early. Watching Tamura do his thing here even a novice can sense you're seeing a top shelf performer in this style. Tamura with a great submission I've never seen wrapping Anjoh's calf around his own leg. They tell a good story with Tamura constantly working for submissions while Anjoh is looking for the knockout. This definitely went too long though and would rate much higher as a 15-20 minute match. There still hasn't been a single RINGS/UWFI/PWFG match on the set I haven't enjoyed.

 

***1/2

[PeteF3]

Good, heated, but overlong. Maybe some of these undercard bouts could have used 15- or 20-minute time limits.

[garretta]

This was very good. I liked the variety of submissions these guys performed, especially the ones centered around the legs. Anjoh dominated for the most part, but I could tell that they were going for a draw finish when he let Tamura hook him and take him down so easily in the last couple of minutes. Tamura was very plucky in hanging on for the draw, but he was clearly outclassed on this night.

 

I liked the regulation pro-style matwork and submissions, and apparently the crowd did too. I've seen it crop up more and more in these matches as the yearbooks have gone on, and as long as it doesn't begin to completely dominate the style I think it's fine.

 

In matches with shorter time limits, you'd need to decrease the target score proportionately so you wouldn't limit the finishes to knockouts or draws. In a twenty-minute match, first one to ten wins; in a fifteen-minute match, first one to eight wins; in a ten-minute match, first one to five wins, and so on.

[superkix]

For a 30 minute draw, I thought this was pretty great and they did a good job of keeping the matwork exciting. Anjoh is easily the second best guy in UWFi at this point behind Tamura, and they always manage to have competitive tag exchanges up to this point. Tons of neat transitions and defense -- like Anjoh, for example, blocking the single or his transition into the double wristlock attempt, to which Tamura powers out and takes Anjoh over with a big fireman's carry. Lots of cool moments peppered throughout; Anjoh's reflex knee to Tamura's head, the shoot figure-four into the STF, Anjoh hitting the fisherman buster and Tamura immediately snagging the double wristlock. Loved Anjoh getting heat for dropping those knees to Tamura on the ropes. I thought Tamura's rubber-legged selling towards the end of the draw was really good, with Anjoh running in with these shitty low kicks, trying to take him out. By the final couple of minutes, they're both exhausted and Tamura tries for one last choke off the big waterwheel drop but the time expires. Good stuff! 

[dawho5]

I'll agree this is overlong, but there is a ton of good stuff packed into the match.  Both of these guys are absolute workhorses and really bring the goods on the mat.  Tamura may be slightly better on the mat, but he can't match Anjoh on his feet.  Good to great match that would absolutely be MOTY contender at 15 mins.