[2003-08-17-NJPW-G1 Climax] Jun Akiyama vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Jun Akiyama vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan - G-1 Climax Finals 08/17/03

 

This is the tale of two performances: the cold, mechanical Tenzan and the expressive selling of Akiyama. I really thought this was the one of the best individual performances from Akiyama in basically carrying Tenzan to a great match through selling and bringing Tenzan's offense alive. Tenzan reminded me a lot of Demolition in this match. Everything made sense, but it was delivered so mechanically and without passion (there were brief moments of fire) that I was often disinterested. Nonetheless, the crowd was really 100% behind Tenzan and given that they had run through Nagata and Sasaki, you might as well give Tenzan a shot. The beginning of the match was brutally boring and I really was fearing for the worst. As much as I bitch about Kojima, I was like give me a Kojima trainwreck over the incessant chops and stomps. There really was no sense of struggle. It felt like Akiyama was just letting him do offense to him. The test of strength was the spot of the beginning.

The match finally picks up when Akiyama hits a jumping knee and the announcer name drops Jumbo Tsuruta, which was cool. Akiyama does his textbook neck work with a barrage of knees to the neck, which always enjoyable and interesting even if Tenzan is the most boring wrestler ever. Akiyama hits a delayed piledriver, but only gets two. Akiyama goes for the Exploder on the apron to mercy kill this match, but Tenzan backdrops him so his upper back catches the apron. OW! This was at the halfway mark of the match and at this point I was ready to shit all over this, but the second half really salvaged the match and I can appreciate why it is highly recommended.

 

Tenzan is laser focused on the midsection of Akiyama with stomps, chops, diving headbutts, backbreaker, suplexs. What really makes this all special is how Akiyama is selling and really writhing in pain. You put someone else in this role and this match would be the most boring fucking thing ever. Akiyama is making Tenzan look way better than he is. Give Tenzan credit he is building towards his moonsault, which Akiyama musters up enough strength to powerbomb him. Akiyama is able to get a knee lift and a Exploder, but Tenzan backdrops out of a second to put on this ugly as fuck half-nelson/chinlock that looks painless. He hits a gutbuster and then his moonsault. I cant describe how awesome Akiyama's sell is. He is visibly in so much pain while being covered, but still kicks out. I hate to be the asshole that fantasy books, but this match would be so much better if Tenzan had just went up top and hit another moonsault and won. Of course, this being early 00s Japan, Akiyama hits two Exploders to level the playing field and now we hit the home stretch where we depart from the first 3/4 of the match. Akiyama gets the guillotine choke and the elbow to the back of the head. However, the wrist-clutch can not polish off Tenzan. Tenzan hits a Back Drop Driver and a headbutt to the midsection (WAHOO! Callback) to set up the top rope diving headbutt for two. Lame late match chopfest ends with Tenzan spiking Akiyama on his head via scoop piledriver. Tenzan locks in the Anacoda Vice (as called by the announcers) and when Akiyama gets up he throws him down in it to a big pop. The ref calls it awarding Tenzan his first G-1 Climax.

 

The biggest problem with this match was length. Length is not Tenzan's strength. The whole home stretch killed the great story they were telling just hit on the usual Japanes tropes before finishing. They could have run the midsection story early -> run through Akiyama's offense, but he cant hit the Exploder because he is so much pain -> big finish with two moonsaults as the finish. Instead, we get a boring as hell and perfunctory 18 minute, an interesting Tenzan control segment because Akiyama is a wrestling god and a NOAH home stretch. I recommend it for the Akiyama selling clinic and not much else. ***1/2

[Alan4L]

this crowd is molten! The love for Tenzan is just out of control. Match is longer than I remembered and I reckon you could take out 5 minutes from the middle and it wouldn’t lose anything, but it was never boring for me due to the crowd heat and Tenzan’s charisma. The closing scenes are just out of control. This was the first tour where he was using the Anaconda Vice and you’ve never seen a submission so over. When he did the Anaconda Slam to put Akiyama back down to the mat, I actually thought the roof would blow off. Amazing match.

 

edit: that was written before reading's Sleeze's write-up. I totally agree with you on Akiyama's amazing selling. The match certainly wouldn't have been as good with most anyone else in his role. He's really made the case for Best Of The Decade for me.

[Superstar Sleeze]

I agree this crowd really loves them some Tenzan and based on that and their options pushing Tenzan to win this G-1 Climax was a no-brainer. I don't understand his IWGP Title situation. Did they get cold feet? Why did he have so many short reigns? Was the idea to make him more like Chono as someone who wins the G-1, but not the championship?

 

Tenzan just does not do a whole lot for me. He did seem more fired up in the Tenryu match, I will give him that. I am glad you noticed Akiyama's selling, just totally badass.

[Steenalized]

Seven days later, the rematch is on! Both men break clean on the ropes early, so they've got some respect for each other. They go for a violent test of strength. If you're going to do that spot, do it like this. it looks like a battle. No more clean breaks either, Tenzan breaks that tradition with a judo chop. Holy hell is he over. The crowd loved him last week, but they roar any time he speaks today. Both try to one up each other with headbutts. Akiyama throws Mongolian chops to the crowd's disdain.

 

Tenzan controls the match as it goes to a slow pace, laying boots to Akiyama's ribs. Akiyama's jumping knee are the game changer here. Huge heel reaction for Akiyama after he drops on on the apron. A triangle leg choke wears Tenzan down as Akiyama takes his turn on top. Tenzan's had enough of this crap and he starts a mini-hulk up. Not on Akiyama's watch, a few elbows cut that off. Tenzan does a fine job selling while Akiyama is on top. The delayed piledriver looks damn good, especially considering it was done facing the camera.

 

Akiyama getting dumped on the apron looked like he'd break his neck. Such an awkward bump. Let the selling clinic begin. Like everyone else said above, Akiyama puts in some masterful work. Tenzan and Akiyama struggle to suplex each other over the rope. If Akiyama wins, Tenzan is hitting the floor. The crowd pops at the struggle but it's Tenzan who gets the spot. Tenzan isn't really dynamic enough for this lengthy control segment of his, at least under normal circumstances. Akiyama makes this abnormal circumstances with his again stellar sell job. Tenzan smashes in a few headbutts to a standing Akiyama. Akiyama's legs wobble. Not in a Funkian spaghetti legged manner, but a more subdued yet expressive manner.

 

Finally Akiyama is back on top. His rising knee to start it off was solid. This doesn't last long before a Tenzan clotheslines drops him. On the one hand, Tenzan in control isn't my favorite. On the other, the crowd loves it and Akiyama is so damn good. I'm trying to not by hyperbolic here but it really is some elite work. Tenzan finally gets that moonsault that he missed the last time and we get out first nearfall. Finally they shift into third gear as Akiyama drops Tenzan with two back-to-back exploders. Both men struggle to their feet. Akiyama drags Tenzan to the middle of the ring and cinches in the guillotine that basically finished Tenzan off last week. Akiyama makes a cover but Tenzan kicks out. Akiyama's flying forearm flattens Tenzan but Tenzan fights with everything he's got to avoid an exploder. Akiyama bullies him into it and makes the pin, only for Tenzan to get a foot on the rope. Tenzan elbows his way out of another exploder attempt then spikes Akiyama with a vicious backdrop driver. The crowd's eating his up. Tenzan gets a big pop on the diving headbutt, so someone can say that's happened to them. The nearfalls keep on coming, including one after a tombstone piledriver that I thought would end it. Tenzan finally ends it with the anaconda vice, cranking away at Akiyama's neck til it's all over.

 

In a sense, Sleaze is right. Him controlling the match for so long was nothing special. The ending nearfall sequences aren't especially memorable. Yet I still loved it for two reasons: Tenzan's so damn over and Akiyama's selling. Those make this one stand out in a big way. ****1/4.

[Graham Crackers]

This is one of Akiyama's greatest performances. His fingerprints are visible all over this epic main event. He takes the biggest bumps and his selling is incredible. He's obviously been brought in to give the rub to Tenzan and he did such a great job that the fist time I saw this I wanted watch more Tenzan (which lead to disappointment).

[Timbo Slice]

Some foundation for the match:

-Akiyama had just been humiliated by Nagata on a recent NOAH show and entered the G-1 for revenge
-Akiyama destroyed Tenzan in their pools matchup, putting Tenzan on the brink early
-Tenzan had to win out to have a chance since Takayama was in his pool, too, which he did thanks to the newly minted Anaconda Vice.
-Akiyama beat Nagata in the block breaker before this to get his revenge and be in position to embarrass NJPW
-Tenzan beat Takayama in their block breaker thanks to the Vice after taking a hellacious beating.

Akiyama is at his zenith here. Grumpy old Akiyama is awesome, but invading asshole Akiyama is just on another level. It's all about making Tenzan battle through the same things he had to fight for just to get to this point, but the Vice is the great equalizer. The stretch run to this might be one of favorite things ever with Tenzan just fighting through everything Akiyama has before getting his opportunity to go for the Vice. And when he slams him down to the mat as Akiyama looked to escape, the pop there, and the pop a few moments later when he gets the submission is one of my favorite moments in my wrestling watching fandom. I know people see this as the Akiyama Show, but Tenzan was terrific here. He brought some incredible tools to the table for Akiyama to work with, and the result is Tenzan's best match and Akiyama's best non-NOAH/AJPW match. The payoff with all the work on the midsection at the end is beautiful. It also cannot be understated just how amped that crowd was for Tenzan.

Then NJPW had to go fuck it up in four months because they pushed Nakamura too early. Unbelievable.

[ohtani's jacket]

This match almost has me believing the hype surrounding Akiyama. I like Tenzan more in theory than reality. There's definitely a place for bruisers in wrestling, and Japan produces its fair share of meatheads. He's just not a very interesting meathead. Still, every dog has its day, and the G-1 Climax was Tenzan's time to shine. Akiyama was excellent in his role as the outsider, and Tenzan was convincing enough as a worker grappling with his destiny and the ultimate prize of being a G-1 winner. I absolutely love the reaction of Tenzan's father, who stands there almost in disbelief, with his hands in his pockets, as the crowd goes apeshit for his boy.