[1980-09-09-AJPW] Giant Baba vs Harley Race

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[JKWebb]

Night.and.day. This match was SO much better than 9/4/80. I would say it is the complete opposite of the previous match. There are no rest holds here. This is just a fun brawl. I love the jumping chops to Race's head. The action on the outside of the ring is heated. There's a chairshot in there. Harley gets busted open towards the end, when his head is rammed into the ring post, but pulls out the win. I enjoyed this one. I mean it starts with a jumping piledriver - id say it's a pretty fast pace too for these two.

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Giant Baba vs Harley Race - AJPW 9/10/80

 

The initial title change was pretty much panned and that fact that Race is already one of my least favorite wrestlers means I am skipping it. This is the rematch to switch the title back to Race. They actually had a classic in 1979 that I really enjoyed. I thought this was very good. Didn't overstay its welcome. Just a totally bomb throwing sprint. They packed a lot into a short amount of time. Harley starts the match off with the bang of Piledriver! So you know he is invested in regaining this title. He misses the second middle rope headbutt. Baba takes over and sends him flying over the top rope in typical Harley Race fashion (its the bump that HHH stole if you cant picture it). Chair gets involved and Baba slams him in the head with it during the struggle. Baba press slams him off the top. There are no real transitions or selling. It is just offense and bumping, which is Harley's style. Baba hits his Russian Legsweep and goes for a multiple covers. Back to the floor and Baba busts Race wide open on the post. Good baldejob by Race adds to the drama. Really hot finish run with Baba style lariat and piledriver. The heat was awesome for these nearfalls the one where Race just got the foot on the ropes was something else. The Giant wants to fly but Harley crotches him. The Giant falls to the ground in a heap. Harley collects him into a pinfall win. I love his wife giving him a little kiss and then being all grossed out by the blood and wiping it off her face. Harely putting over Baba at the end for the live crowd was really classy. Just a collection of offense and bumps, but thought they put together a really hot finish with the blood, big Baba nearfalls and a cool finish. Not as good as their 79 match, but recommended. ***1/2

[SAMS]

1980-09-09
AJPW
Giant Baba (c) vs. Harley Race
NWA World Heavyweight Title Match
Otsu Park Gymnasium, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
Card
★★

Definitely a step up from their match earlier in the month and certainly worked at a faster pace. Race jumped Baba to start and nailed a piledriver to set the tone but a missed headbutt turned the tide and Baba was able to take control. His offense consisted mostly of chops, and while people vary on their opinion of these, they don’t do much for me. On the outside a chair got involved and eventually Race was posted for some blood spillage. Back in the ring Baba began the final stretch run and he really went all out for this defence. A big boot got an excellent near fall, with Race barley getting his foot to the ropes. A follow up running neckbreaker didn’t quite work as well, due to Race visibly shifting his body closer to the ropes after the bump, telegraphing the rope break. Baba then hit a pretty gnarly jumping piledriver which Race was forced to kick out of and then Baba got desperate - he climbed the ropes, a jarring image and certainly got a strong reaction from the crowd, and then tragedy struck. Race was on his feet and the champion was in no man’s land. He got knocked off the top and was crotched on the top rope, allowing Race to roll him up for the pin and to regain his lost championship.
The faster pace was very welcome and I did find the idea of the finish interesting. You could tell Baba was very keen to put Race away and the concept of him going for something risky and out of character to do so gave the finish a nice twist. However I do wonder, if you take a step back and see how this frames Baba from a big picture perspective, whether it made him come across like a choker. This was his first defence of the title and ultimately he didn’t have a cool enough head to get the job done. I’m not sure whether this paints him in the best light as the top guy in the promotion, even with all of his history behind him.

[tcg91]

They worked this quite smartly, keeping it short and sweet because Baba didn't look in great shape. Race went straight to the point in an aggressive way, leaving no space to mat work, which was probably for the best. Baba's comeback was a bit goofy but alright, Race bled to add some drama and needed the ropes' help to save himself a couple of times. The finish was clean but a bit silly to be honest, Race knocked Baba from the top rope and pinned him in an anticlimactic way, even though fans still popped for the title change. Not great, but watchable.
**3/4