[1987-02-05-AJPW] Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu

[JKWebb]

This match didn't start off with the intensity level and crispness that I got from the previous match on 01/24/1987. But, I do think this still turned out to be a great match. I love the callback from the previous match - Choshu is about to look in the sharpshooter, but he remembers the massive slap in the face he took in the previous encounter. He points to the ref and tells him to keep an eye on Jumbo before he locks in the move on Tenryu. Eventually, the ref is focusing on the submission, and Jumbo gets to slap him in the face again anyway. The match didn't really pick up for me until Jumbo gets really fired up delivering three big knees to Choshu. I felt like the crowd got more involved, or felt more emotionally connected by that point as well. I loved Choshu barely getting the foot on the bottom rope right before the three count. Tenryu looked like a star pulling out the W with nice looking German suplex.

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA International Tag Team Champions Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu - AJPW 2/5/87

Only 11 days after their last match, they are back at it. I smell a title change as Choshu is New Japan-bound. This is the last MAJOR 80s All Japan match left for me to watch. There are still plenty of interesting matchups for me to check out but this is the last big one. We ready for a blog soon. Stream of consciousness follows:

Will Jumbo redeem himself for his gaffe last match? Choshu is pretty damn over during the introduction. Yatsu charges and kneelifts the shit out of Tenryu and throws him out like yesterday's garbage. He slaps Tenryu. I guess their strategy it to piss off the other team. Tenryu works a headlock early. Tenryu shoulderblock. I am diigging this start. Jumbo tags in and it is a kneelift by him. I like how Yatsu whole body was wrapped around his knee. Abdominal stretch into a Banana Split Cradle, they work in & out. Yatsu rolls Jumbo into Choshu and tags out. Lock up. Jumbo wrist control and chops Choshu. Choshu slaps back and bashes Jumbo into the turnbuckles. Choshu singe leg/back heel trip. Jumbo standing headlock and tags in Tenryu. Choshu blocks the Enziguiri and then applies a Scoprion Deathlock. Nice sequence. Loved the struggle to turn him over. Jumbo breaks it up. Yatsu comes in. Yatsu bars the arm and tries to take him down, but Tenryu resists so Yatsu goes the other way with a Russian Legsweep. Back drop by Yatsu. Again nice struggle on trying to turn him in the Texas Cloverleaf but Tenryu makes the ropes. Tenryu tags out to Jumbo. Jumbo sets too early. Jumbo back elbows out of the German. Classic Jumbo Bodyslam and then hits a Jumping High Knee from Top Rope which we have not seen in this series. Jumbo is chopping Yatsu and tags in Tenryu  Double sledge on Yatsu and Tenryu wipes him out with the Enziguiri. Suplex struggle. Tenryu gets the vertical suplex. Tenryu figure-4s the head. Choshu tags in. Choshu back ebow on Tenryu. Bodyslam. Choshu figure-4s the head. They have definitely dropped the energy level here. Tenryu pops out and gets the Bow & Arrow, a classic sequence. Tenryu chop/Enziguiri combo. Choshu kicks out. Choshu Saito Suplex feels like the first big bomb of the match. Yatsu stomps away at Tenryu. Tenryu bullies Yatsu into his corner and Jumbo tags in. Jumbo chops and back elbows Yatsu. Jumbo seems to have the highest intensity level. He slaps on a tight chinlock on Yatsu. Yastu gets his dropkick but weirdly not on a tag in. Yatsu/Choshu Double Dropkick! Ricky & Robert watch out for Riki & Yoshiaki! Choshu works hard on the Scorpion Deathlock and Yatsu elbow drops Jumbo in the hold. Yatsu powerslam on Jumbo. Yatsu abdominal stretch on Jumbo. Jumbo walks to the ropes and hiptosses Yatsu over the top. Tenryu whips him into railing and rolls him back in. Jumbo works a stepover toehold on Yatsu. Match has been solid but nothing too special. Jumbo counters into the Inverted Indian Deathlock. Similar to the last match just a lot of solid work no real hook. Jumbo stomps Yatsu. and tags in Tenryu. Tenyu big, meaty chops to Yatsu and gets two. Yatsu comes back with an Enziguiri and tags in Choshu. Tenryu tries for Saito Suplex but loses control of Choshu on the way up but ends up applying a Full Nelson that was cool. Jumbo and Choshu work a cool criss cross sequence that ends with Jumbo scoring not one but two High Knees and heres a third! Chosh is too close to the ropes. Choshu Saito Suplex and tags out to Yatsu. Theres the Yastu dropkick on a tag in. Classic Yatsu. Yatsu Saito Suplex and tags out to Choshu. CHOSHU MACK TRUCK LARIAT ON JUMBO! Tenryu saves! That was sick! Choshu tags out. Yatsu Bulldog! Yatsu German Suplex for two. Spike Pieldriver on Jumbo! I like that way more as a late match move! So much better placement there. Yatsu Belly to Belly Suplex. Yatsu blocks the Jumbo Death Lariat. Jumbo Saito Suplex out of the Yatsu Bulldog. Tenryu tags in. Good transition. Tenryu Mack Truck Lariat. He clobbers Yatsu with a Lariat and then an Enziguiri. Yatsu powerslam o the charging Tenryu. Tenryu backpedals Yatsu into the buckles and winds up and hits an Enziguriri->Tenryu Powerbomb, Choshu races across with a  Lariat to save the match bulldoze Tenryu. Jumbo tackles Choshu. Tenryu German Suplex for the win! Count to Three! New International Tag Team Champions!

Very similar to the January '87 match. I liked the finish of the January match a little more but this had the feel good win. Just another strong All Japan tag style match to end this era for me. ****