[1986-06-12-AJPW] Masanobu Fuchi vs Hiro Saito

[GOTNW]

The opening portion of this one was intriguing as Saito completely dominated Fuchi mostly with stomps and punchs, some were nice but overall Saito's punches and stomps didn't look good enough to have significant merit on their own nor did they look bad enough to take away from the match, the quality of this one was mostly down to how they were gonna follow up the beatdown and that's where the match really took off, Fuchi went absolutely berserk just blasting Saito with amazing punches and just beat the shit out of him and when he satisfied my bloodthirst they transition to the closing stretch which was mostly built around big nearfalls including a swell count-out tease. Also worth noting is that Fuchi hit a Dropkick that was so good I replayed it about five times. Good stuff.

[Jetlag]

Impossibly gritty, underrated, blood-drenched classic. Saito bloodying Fuchi's ear in the opening and contstantly attacking it with nasty punches was some amazing violent pro wrestling. Fuchi throwing wild punches and fist drops like Jerry Lawler was great, and his dropkick was such a fantastic, simple spot. The finishing stretch of the match was really well worked and felt equal to a high end lucha brawl. Loved Fuchi leaving a bloody imprint of his ear on Saito's side while applying the back suplex. I wouldn't be surprised if this ended up in my Top 3-5 80s AJPW singles matches. After watching this I was wondering if Fuchi ever had a hair match in Tijuana, and thinking I should really watch more Hiro Saito.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Masa Fuchi vs Hiro Saito - AJPW 6/12/86

Masa Fuchi is two for two in unexpected, bloody brawls in 1986! I am pretty sure I have seen Hiro Saito in New Japan or MUGA against Fujinami. He has a very similar body type and tights as his namesake the awesome Masa Saito. Much like the Kobayashi match, the tape cuts right to a chaotic start where Saito is roughing up Fuchi on the outside and ends up bloodying his ear ala Piper/Valentine from 1983. Saito punches, stomps and chomps on the bloody ear! He throws in a piledriver for good measure. The ear much like Pipers is a bloody mess and this already unique and badass. The match really picks up when Fuchi back suplexes Saito as a transition to his offense. I love the back suplex as a transition. The best part of the match by far is Fuchi just walloping Saito with some of the best potatoes you would ever see. He was fucking clobbering him. In addition to badass punches, we get a lot of enziguiris and a piledriver on the floor! I dont think I have ever seen babyface Fuchi but he is pretty damn good. The fight over an abdominal stretch, Saito with a wicked German! Saito crashes and burns hard on the Top Rope Senton! I like how this has gone from bloody brawl to high end All Japan finish run. Fuchi gets a Gutwrench Suplex and then Saito a Fisherman's Suplex, I love how Fuchi breaks it up. Love the variety of throws. Fuchi hits a gnarly back suplex from the apron to the floor and as someone mentioned previosuly it leaves a blood stain on Saito's chest from Fuchi's ear. Fuchi bumps into the ref. Saito yanks the chair out from under the timekeeper and jabs into Fuchi's head for a hot nearfall. Second German puts Fuchi away. Another great bloody, kickass brawl. Similar complaint to the last match, bit too much ragdolling, I would have liked to seen more fighting through offense. This has the pinfall finish as opposed to the  DQ finish, but I thought it was a little anti-climatic. We had seen the German already and if Saito was going to go over, I think the steel chair jab to the head was a better route. Still this was a killer Fuchi performance and everyone has to see those punches!!! ****