[1973-09-26-IWE Japan] Mighty Inoue vs Animal Hamaguchi

[Jetlag]

So so fun. I have no clue where these chunky japanese middleweights learned to do these graceful, floating moves, but I will watch and enjoy. I want to call this state of the art, but for all we know this kind of match could have been done 20 years before in Peru. Whatever. These guys have really great execution and work almost like luchadores, with the swank rope climbing takeovers and spaceman armdrags and whatnot. They also slap the shit out of eachother! Animal takes a painful looking bump! Nearfall-ladden finishing stretch! For a workrate juniors match this was quite a joy to watch.

[superkix]

A fun, fast-paced 15:00 exhibition between two junior heavyweight hosses, full of double stomps, somersault sentons, and open-hand slaps. Hamaguchi plays the bastard grump to Inoue’s plucky protagonist, smacking and boxing Inoue’s ears, gouging his eyes, and at one point, tossing him clear out of the ring in frustration. Inoue has a lot of unique offense for a 1973 match and I liked his early neckwork with the springboard and headscissors takedowns, and that rolling necksnap. After he avoids a top rope legdrop from Hamaguchi, Inoue hits an atomic drop and a somersault senton but when he tries for a second, Animal has him scouted out. He tries to submit Mighty with the crab hold but Inoue is able to roll him up for the victory.