[2001-06-06-NJPW-Super Force Group Declaration] Kazuyuki Fujita vs Yuji Nagata

[Superstar Sleeze]

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuyuki Fujita vs Yuji Nagata - NJPW 6/6/01

 

I love asshole shooters in pro wrestling. On paper, Fujita should be my favorite wrestler ever. Loved him in the Tanahashi match, but I have really never found a really great Fujita match. Again this disappointed. It just did not have that energy you get usually when a shooter is in the ring. It just felt like a very decent MMA match. I liked Nagata getting the early back drop driver and Fujita hitting an uppercut to the abdomen so he could take a breather, but then it was back to the clinch again and again. Lots of blocked shots. Lots of choke, cross armbreaker attempts. I liked Nagata countering the rear naked choke by using an inverted Indian deathlock with his body as the fulcrum and his legs as the lever. Very cool. Nagata gets a head drop German and Fujita just pops up and throws him down with a slam. Fujita gets an arm triangle and clearly Nagata taps, but ref ignore and pulls Fujita off by the hair when he makes the ropes. Fujita gets some punches that don't look great hits a barrage of knees to a prone Nagata to win by knockout.

 

Akiyama was there and shook Nagata's hand to set up Nagata/Akiyama presumably, but then Nagata jobs weird. Good but not great pseudo-MMA match. INOKI BOMA-BA-YE~! ***

[superkix]

This was good. After struggling to find anything on the ground, Nagata hits a kneel kick into the ropes and a backdrop hold for two before Fujita bails to the outside. Fans loved it. Fujita mostly uses his size to keep Nagata pinned down, popping him with a few shots or knees. Loved when Nagata tries for the big elbow and Fujita evades it and turns it into the choke sleeper. Nasty German from Nagata but yeah, Fujita no sells it and slams Nagata down. Then we get some weak sauce punches from Nagata before Fujita finishes him off with some pretty great grounded knees.

[soup23]

Maybe I am generous as this came on a show that had some disappointing stuff and immediately after a Hase vs Mutoh 40 minute match which while I didn't hate, it certainly had some slow points, but I thought this match was great. Nagata was on a roll and Fujita showed his tenacity and toughness throughout the match.  The pace didn't stop and the overall conclusion felt satisfying. This felt like a direction that Inoki wanted to go in that possibly could have worked. **** 

[Superstar Sleeze]

I finally get a chance to sit down and watch and review a match and I have already seen it. Facepalm.

On second watch Id up my grade to ***1/4. I still didn’t think this was the best faux MMA, Shoot Style, Inokiiist match but it was entertaining. I really enjoy the lack of rope running  and running in general. My favorite spot was early on…Fujita holding onto the rope for dear life to avoid an Irish Whip only for Nagata to kick him in the head to set up the Back Drop Driver. Head rocking kick is a great set up to a throw. The kick was so well set up by a logical block by Fujita. That’s was one of the best logical and organic sequences I have seen in quite some time. I was watching the Cody/Austin interview on Peacock. Cody was talking about how it bugs him when people just wave things off oh it’s pro wrestling who cares how we get from Point A to Point B. He said if you really think usually there’s a creative and logical way to get from Point A to Point B. I wish more people nowadays treated every transition like how Nagata and Fujita came up with a clever, organic way to get to that Back Drop Driver.