[1997-12-07-WWF-D-Generation X] Brian Christopher vs Taka Michinoku

[Bierschwale]

(Final of the LHW title tournament.)

 

The incessant commentary joke for this match is Lawler denying that he's related to Brian, no matter how many times that JR catches him. Christopher is SUCH a piece of shit scumbag heel, taking a rising sun sign made for TAKA, tearing it in half and wiping his ass. You just want him to fuck off and die throughout the match, it's excellent. That friggin' hyena laugh. I also love that great tacky dark red leather belt.

 

The crowd is all over Christopher about being Lawler's son, too, just a perfect storm of hateability. And of course, this is prime TAKA, flipping out of a low-angle German attempt by Christopher that looks great, with the crowd eating up his comeback and popping huge for a classic TAKA springboard plancha. Christopher takes back over and throws TAKA to the outside, and goes for an arrogant dive of his own and just EATS SHIT, going face-first into the rail, getting busted open for his trouble. Another great pop and the first nearfall for a TAKA tornado DDT which Christopher takes like a champ. TAKA pops up after a baseball slide under Christopher and hits a rana that sets up another great Asai moonsault from the turnbuckle. Back in the ring after Lawler comes over in concern and dabs the blood off of his baby boy and we get a good rope-running exchange that ends with Christopher planting TAKA with a good full nelson facebuster after TAKA escapes a wheelbarrow suplex, then catches a TAKA telegraph with a sitout powerbomb. Arrogant crotch-first pose leads to a nearfall that TAKA reverses into a 2.75 of his own. The match is just pure energy. Second-rope dropkick from Christopher hits TAKA in the back of the head. Rocker Dropper and a gutbuster leads to another 2. Christopher mocks him with some horribly shitheaded crane kicks in the corner before a waistlock exchange that ends with TAKA taking a whammer of a head drop off of a German. Christopher dicks him around before a powerslam to set up the guillotine off of the top, but this ain't his night, and TAKA escapes and catches him just as Christopher snaps his tailbone with a great Michinoku Driver for the three. Awesome pop for the win. TAKA looks as good as anyone in the company, Christopher goes above and beyond in scumbaggery to help him get over, and it almost looks like that the LHW division might have a future. Almost.