[1996-07-17-NJPW-Summer Struggle] Randy Savage vs Jushin Liger

[PeteF3]

Savage comes in limping, having done a clean submission job to Ric Flair the previous night in the same arena. Unfortunately for such a weird novelty of a match-up, this is every 1996 Savage match you've ever seen--Randy gets the crap kicked out of him, hits three offensive moves the whole match, and wins with the elbow. To his credit, Savage takes the Liger Bomb, fisherman buster, and Shotei like a pro. But the match is fairly empty, with Liger logically targeting Savage's bad wheel but completely going away from it in the second half of the match. Not a waste of time because of the "yeah, this actually happened" factor but not really much of a match.

[goc]

Saw this topic and said "Oh shit I didn't know they ever wrestled each other" but then I read your post and my desire to actually watch the match has now dissipated

 

I guess this just goes on the pile of all those other 1996 Randy Savage matches that look interesting on a match list but are all exactly the same.

[Bix]

It's mostly novelty, though Savage does seem really into taking Liger's big moves and makes a point of cutting a promo after the match about how great he is.

[Matt D]

Savage comes in limping, having done a clean submission job to Ric Flair the previous night in the same arena. Unfortunately for such a weird novelty of a match-up, this is every 1996 Savage match you've ever seen--Randy gets the crap kicked out of him, hits three offensive moves the whole match, and wins with the elbow. To his credit, Savage takes the Liger Bomb, fisherman buster, and Shotei like a pro. But the match is fairly empty, with Liger logically targeting Savage's bad wheel but completely going away from it in the second half of the match. Not a waste of time because of the "yeah, this actually happened" factor but not really much of a match.

 

Yep. Pete's spot on. There are moments in this that were a lot of fun but Savage was such a waste in 95-6. He might have the worst formula in wrestling history that year, while, at the same time, probably feeling like he was very giving. I felt like I wasted fifteen minutes when I was done with it.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Randy Savage vs Jushin Thunder Liger - NJPW 7/17/96

Most likely my last review as a childless man unless I review from the hospital. Couldn’t think of a better match to go out on. Two of my top ten favorites in basically a miracle match. Like it still smacks me as bizarre this match even happened. Same night as a pretty damn good Hashimoto vs Flair match. I saw this in the early 2010s I know theres not much meat on the bone but it is Savage vs Liger it is pretty neat.

This is pretty much every 90s babyface Savage match he takes a bunch of heat and wins with a couple moves. I thought the set up for the Kappou Kick + Dropkick into Powder + Liger doing his best Hulkster impersonation popped me exactly what I needed to get my mind off that my wife is about to shit out an 8-9lb baby. Liger’s leg work including a knee crusher on the railing and figure - 4 were well done as was Macho Man’s selling. Savage knocks Liger off the top and gets the Double Axehandle but crashes and burns on the Big Elbow. Liger gets a pair of Ligerbombs and a SHOTEI~! Whiffs on the second. Lariat Big Elbow and Thats all she wrote! Theres more to this match than I remember. It is an exhibition but a fun one. If people were rolling out doing this match every week on WWE or AEW I wouldn’t bitch so much. *** 1/4