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[1982-07-06-NJPW] Tatsumi Fujinami vs Dick Murdoch


Loss

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A weird case where two great performances don't add up to a great match. It's still worth seeing, but the layout was odd because instead of building to something, it started off hot, then cooled down and kept going back and forth without any clear story or anything. It's a good way to set up a rematch, though, and I'm glad I saw it. But I'm sure these two can do much better.

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  • 7 months later...

I'd chock it up to blood in this match? I'm on the fence about watching the rematch. Too much wrestling to be watched!

 

Tatsumi Fujinami vs Dick Murdoch - NJPW 7/6/82

 

Murdoch punts the flowers he is given. Then rips more flowers out of the ref's hand and punts those! ***** Murdoch just gets wrestling!

 

I loved the beginning Murdoch punching Fujinami right in the face in a chinlock and then grinding those knuckles in his chin just like my Dad would do when we were wrestling. We then get the usual Murdoch arm torture that's the hallmark of all his performances. Fujinami fires up in the corner. Fujinami is great at throwing strikes. Now we go to Fujinami's hallmark the side headlock. The cravat by Fujinami and Murdoch repeatedly punching him in the midsection to get out looked great. It was definitely Murdoch's punching against Fujinami's technical ability. The Texan roughouser looked like he had this one in hand until Fujinami got a back heel trip into a toehold. Fujinami rides high and leads to Murdoch choke. Murdoch goes right back to punching and strikes to set up a piledriver, but is back dropped over the ropes. This leads to the BIG high spot of the match the wicked Fujinami suicide dive. Then he bashes Murdoch's head into steel to draw blood. They seem well on their way to classic at this point, but a quick finish robs us of that. Fujinami blasts him right in the cut and then hits a suplex, but only gets two. The Abdominal stretch even in 1982 New Japan seems lame to be a part of a finish run. Fujinami runs into a big reverse elbow and Murdoch rides him down with a knee for his big nearfall before the finish. Oklahoma Slam by a Texan??!? Will wonders ever cease? Fujinami rolls to outside. I will give you three guesses at a finish. Double countout. Murdoch gives him the Brainbuster on the floor to set up the rematch.

 

Flower punting could not save this match. Two all-time great wrestlers, but just a very good match. Nothing really to hook you in. Just when it was getting good with the dive and blood, it was time to end. The finish run was not very memorable. Good, not much more. ***1/4

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  • GSR changed the title to [1982-07-06-NJPW] Tatsumi Fujinami vs Dick Murdoch

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