[1987-06-09-NJPW] Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Riki Choshu

[GOTNW]

I wasn't expecting this one to actually GROW on me on a rewatch since I thought it was pretty great the first time I saw it but here we are. Fujiwara jumps Choshu at the bell and dominates the opening with neat punches and headbutts. What really stands out is how much Choshu protecting his image of a badass adds to the match-he's always looking for a way, either with body blows or kicks. Fujiwara dismisses Choshu's comeback attempts initially but quickly resorts to choking once he realises he is in serious peril. And Choshu doesn't let Fujiwara just choke the life out of him either-he grabs Fujiwara by the face, to which Fujiwara reacts by grabbing that arm and Armbaring Choshu. It is a reactionary match. When Fujiwara spends too much time untying the corner post Choshu goes after him and Fujiwara knocks him down. When Choshu tries to counter the Wakigatame Fujiwara changes it into another armlock. The first Wakigatame counter was brilliant-Choshu went for a big move too early and got dropped with a "shooty" counter. Similarly Fujiwara's choke was an excellent way to feed Choshu the Backdrop Suplex counter and the move itself looked amazing. Choshu's arm selling was pretty great-it isn't that it was the focus of the match, but not everything has to (or can) be. It doesn't excuse filling time with nothing as a good idea or mean selling that plays a bigger part in how the match turns out is inherently better-in fact often it's just the opposite. Fujiwara's wobbly selling after Choshu bloodies him up is as great as you'd expect it to be and Choshu modifies his Lariats here by just hitting Fujiwara straight in the face with them, absolutely brutal stuff. Choshu stomping Fujiwara after the match was already over was just icing on the cake. ****3/4

[Microstatistics]

On 8/7/2016 at 10:33 AM, GOTNW said:

Choshu modifies his Lariats here by just hitting Fujiwara straight in the face with them, absolutely brutal stuff.

 

I didn't really notice that before, that's a good observation.

 

 

One of the all time great sprint brawls with nuclear heat. Loved how Fujiwara went from the hyper aggressive heel to a sympathetic figure in a span of 13 minutes. **** 1/4

[superkix]

Quite the little barnburner here between a couple of fiery personalities with a fun shift in dynamic, as Fujiwara goes from mean-spirited aggressor to a beaten and bloody mess on shaky knees. But when he’s being nasty, it’s terrific. The headbutts and punches, standing on Choshu’s busted face, the blatant choking. Loved the little maneuver where Choshu tries to push him off and Fujiwara takes the arms and lays back with the jujigatame. When Choshu stalks Fujiwara into the corner and starts laying in the shots, Fujiwara’s wears this amazing scowl as he absorbs the punches to the head. The only way Choshu’s able to make a dent is by ramming him headfirst into the ringpost, bloodying him…but even then, Fujiwara’s still throwing headbutts. Fujiwara makes use of the wakigatame as a counter but he can’t manage to submit Choshu and in the end, Choshu stands tall after blasting Fujiwara with a couple of nasty lariats.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Riki Choshu vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara - NJPW 6/9/87

I wish I knew the context of many of these New Japan matches. Why do these two hate each other so much? Is New Japan vs UWF still in effect? How does Choshu's recent return play into this? I love how we fade into Fujiwara attacking Choshu during his entrance and drawing first blood by ramming Choshu into hard, metal objects. You gotta watch Fujiwara's face during this he has a sadistic, maniacal grin on his face. It is all Fujiwara early the usual headbutts to the wound, punches and stomps too. Piledriver, but he pulls him up so you know Choshu will start his comeback soon. I love how gradual it is. Kicks at first as he uses the ropes to get back up, but Fujiwara starts blatantly choking him. Choshu tries to punch Fujiwara in the head, bad strategy, brutha. Fujiwara keeps choking him to quell the rally, but from the choke, Choshu hurls Fujiwara over his shoulder with Saito Suplex. Choshu, bloody & battered, with his first advantage goes for Scorpion Deathlock, great idea saps Fujiwara's energy allows him to regain his wind. Great Scorpion Deathlock too look at the placement of his right hand for extra leverage. I am a mark for that shit. Fujiwara makes the ropes. Choshu is thinking suplex FUJIWARA ARMBAR! Wow! Fujiwara moves to a top wristlock, stand back up and punches/headbutts the arm. Fujiwara makes a rare, rookie mistake turning his back on Choshu to take off the turnbuckle pads. He hits Choshu with the pad but it is he for who is whipped into the exposed steel. Choshu hits a wicked lariat and wants another one FUJIWARA ARMBAR! Roof damn near comes off the place while I pop out of my seat over 30 years later. That was hot. Choshu makes the ropes. Outside the ring, Choshu slams Fujiwara's head into the post drawing blood and getting his receipt. Fujiwara is a tough muthafucka and is still throwing headbutts with a crimson mask, but is on jelly legs. Definitely watch Fujiwara sell from the post shot on, even though he is on offense you can tell he is not long for this match. The headbutts take too much out of him and Choshu hits two monster lariats and it is KO victory. The bell rings and Choshu add a little stomp for good measure. Stone cold bloody brawl classic. I love how the match does a great job transforming from all Fujiwara bloodying Choshu and dominating to gradually Choshu making in-roads then finally Choshu bloodies Fujiwara and Choshu wins with dominant Knockout victory. A strong contender for match of the year globally in 1987 in what is actually a rather weak year. ****3/4

[Makai Club #1]

Fujiwara bum rushing Chohu then pounding on him for the entire match whilst the fans are cheering for him was a wild ride. I'm not say they were anti-Choshu but they weren't cheering him either. Fujiwara was fantastic, his punches looked stiff and nasty as hell. His headbutts were rough. His facial expressions were excellent, and his selling of the headbutts that HE did himself was awesome; really putting them over as damaging. Choshu didn't do much but sell but when he went on offence, he was good too. The speed of Choshu's lariats was crazy. Excellent match. ****1/2

[Chess Knight]

Simultaneously feels like a match everybody's written about, but not enough people have seen, though still a bit of legend in the online wrestling sphere. Choshu is bloodied basically as soon as Fujiwara gets his hands on him, and you don't see too many wrestlers focus on chokes after their opponent is in that state. Fujiwara was grinning like some sociopathic school kid squeezing the life out of a mouse. Best smile of the match came when Fujiwara countered the first lariat into a Fujiwara armbar. It's like he was just taking Choshu's shit just to humour himself, baiting Choshu into the lariat, for which he knowingly had a swift counter. Contrast to that, he looks much more determined to keep the second armbar on because Choshu actually gets in a lariat before it, and Choshu manages to rush toward the ropes during the hold because Fujiwara's actually finally been worn down a bit. Bloody Fujiwara changes the tone of the whole match (or at least reverses the roles) and his rigid selling of things is a sight. This one stumble after one of his own headbutts was just impossibly good. You couldn't teach kind of sell. You could show someone the first minute of the match, then last minute, and then tell them there's only about ten minutes in between and probably have them go "what the fuck how?" There are matches of a similar description but I can't get the same thing out of any other match.