[1995-12-13-WAR-Super J Cup] Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[El-P]

Jericho was really all about doing cool spots back then, complete with the "Yeah baby!" babyface shout. Cool to see how far he went.

[MJH]

Benoit's problem at this point was that because he was so fucking good, and his peerless execution can't really be hidden, no matter how hard he'd try to make them look good, his opponents would just come off looking inferior. Such is the case here.

[Loss]

This match was a little overhyped for years -- I suspect because people knew Benoit and Jericho more than they knew most people from this show -- but it's still a good match. I still think they had better matches in WWE when Jericho became a more complete wrestler.

[Tim Evans]

I'm guessing this is a first round match. It was good and I liked the powerslam finish.

[PeteF3]

Pretty good match. Not as spectacular but maybe a little more fundamentally sound than the good but overindulgent Jericho/Ultimo match. Jericho hangs surprisingly well doing the mat-based stuff and Benoit knows how to reign in the worst tendencies of the style.

[El-P]

Wild Pegasus vs Lionheart. That how they are actually introduced. Is this a Canadian version of Saint Seya now ? "Come on motherfucker !" Wow. That's no Gold Saint talk, Jericho. Mechanically not as slick and swift as that match with that non-Saint Tiger fellow, but the whole story of Jericho wanting to upstage Benoit and show off some amazing offensive move and getting frustrated in the process makes it better to me. More dynamic. And I admit I "Come on baby !" Jericho cracks me up. Benoit, well, is a machine. Very good match in a formative way. Oh, and of course, at the end, Seya wins.

[Zenjo]

Rion Harto's loudmouth character was gratingly obnoxious. He certainly hadn't entered his prime yet. A match that felt longer than it was because a disproportionate amount of time was given over to the closing stretch. It had some decent stuff in it, but nothing standout.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Wild Pegasus vs Lionheart - WAR Super J Cup 12/13/95

Writing this while walking in a magical Christmas Eve snowstorm see how my phone and fingers hold up. 
 

Benoit must have thought to himself who is still fucking clown? Cmon Muthafucka Let’s Go Baby Cmon Baby Are You Ready? Jericho your Paul Stanley is showing. I have not seen a match with less psychology in quite some time. There was no sense of characters or plot. They just did some moves and Jericho HOLLERED a lot. His scream being dumped over the top was fun. It was interesting that Benoit did the Lion Tamer. Benoit’s offense looked great it was all the usual stuff. It is early Jericho so there’s always one death wish spot here he does like Flosbury Flop to the floor and almost piledrives himself. Benoit’s Powerbomb looked great. Missed top rope Headbutt great transition but didn’t really mean anything because they transitioned back to him. Awesome dive by Benoit’s he bulldozed him. Jericho gets Lionsault. Benoit hits his 1995 finish top rope Tombstone pretty ugly one for the win.

Benoit won BOSJ in 95 but with Liger back it was full steam ahead on him winning here and getting his title back. I think 96 is Benoit last real year as a Japanese Junior. Jericho was a much better fit for America. *** for the effort