[1985-01-07-UWF] Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Kazuo Yamazaki

[superkix]

Fujiwara was once again ruled in this match match with his great veteran prowess, time and again forcing Yamazaki back to the ropes as he zeroes in on Kazuo’s arm. Seriously, those ropes became Yamazaki’s second home. When Yamazaki realizes that taking the grap action down to the canvas is a bad idea against Fujiwara, he starts snapping off kicks. It works to an extent but it also serves to further piss off Fujiwara. The build to the arm submission finish was teased throughout, with Fujiwara briefly switching things up to the legs as a way to weaken some of Yamazaki’s kick. Yamazaki's kicks were on point, especially that solebutt, and he puts a little extra spicy mustard behind some of them toward the end of the match. Yamazaki’s able to deliver a low-bridging German suplex but Fujiwara responds with the piledriver, transitioning right into the kimura. Yamazaki again makes it to the ropes but after Fujiwara stuns him with a big slap, he’s back on the arm and quickly submits Yamazaki. An great little "Take Your Kid to Work Day" match.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Kazuo Yamazaki - UWF 1/7/85

 

Welcome to the Yoshiaki Fujiwara Show, Kazuo Yamazaki! Fujiwara is just so compelling. He has the explosiveness to make shoot style work that Maeda lacks. He really rips Yamazkai over on these takedowns. He is so committed to everything he does. When he is transition to a wristlock or applying a figure-4 on a limb he does it so decisively. He is a man who knows exactly what he wants and he gets what wants. On top of that Fujiwara complements his excellent offensive repertoire with dramatic pro style selling. The way he collapses when Yamazaki is able to nail a desperation kick to the head or how he sends himself flying across the ring on a roundhouse kick to the chest is just awesome. He is a badass but knows how to show vulnerability. The way he controls Yamazaki with those forceful takedowns and gripping submission work is great. Loved the finish with Yamazaki getting one nearfall with the German (oh now pinfalls count!) before Fujiwara hits a monster piledriver and then double wristlock for win. It was short but sweet.

 

In a lot of ways this was a poor man's Fujiwara/Super Tiger. Yamazaki used home run kicks to the head to create in-roads. Unlike Tiger, in both a kayfabe and artistic sense, his kicks just arent as good so Fujiwara was able to respond and always regain the advantage. Yamazaki lacked the killer instinct of Tiger in the 12/05/84 match. Fujiwara was just too overwhelming for him, but God was Fujiwara just incredible to watch in this. Super Tiger has been a joy to watch, but Fujiwara is the undisputed best worker in this promotion. There is no shame in being the poor man's version of one of the greatest series of all time! Recommendation to watch just to see what Fujiwara can do as it is breath-taking. ****

[KB8]

Fujiwara and the original UWF is such a match made in heaven. Nobody does corner strike exchanges like Fujiwara and nowhere accentuates the violence of corner strike exchanges like the original UWF. I think it's because that first UWF run was a little less defined from a stylistic standpoint. In UWF 2.0 and then especially the Takada/Maeda/Fujiwara offshoot promotions, you weren't going to get some of the insane brutality you got here because the rules around TKOs and knockdowns were actually enforced. You wouldn't get Fujiwara lying hunched in the corner while Yamazaki tries to cave his skull in with kneedrops in RINGS or PWFG. This had some of the very best corner striking you'll see, almost bordering on Battlarts at points. There was a spell of about four minutes where they pretty much stayed in the one corner shredding each other with kicks, punches, slaps and headbutts. First it was Yamazaki leathering Fujiwara with kicks, Fujiwara covering up and trying to weather the storm, then Fujiwara reversing it and laying into Yamazaki with body blows, then the tables being flipped again and Fujiwara ending up back in the foetal position. The heat for Yamazaki catching Fujiwara with kicks was absurd and there was one high kick to the neck that elicited one of the loudest pops ever, as well as one of the best Fujiwara sells of a high kick you'll see. There's another moment where it looks like Fujiwara has Yamazaki trapped against the turnbuckles and Yamazaki rips off a spin kick that about ruptures Fujiwara's spleen. He sold this thing like he had internal bleeding and I legit thought they were going to do a stoppage for a second. Basically this was some godly corner work and corner work is another thing Fujiwara is an expert at. The thread running through this is one as old as time in shoot style - Fujiwara is clearly the stronger on the mat while Yamazaki would rather be standing and striking, so it's the always-reliable striker v grappler dynamic. Yamazaki is often frantic in trying to reach the ropes while Fujiwara knows he can cinch in holds with significantly less resistance. Some sick examples of this where Fujiwara will rip into a hold in about two seconds and Yamazaki is left floundering. I thought the kimura following the piledriver was for sure the end, but Yamazaki making the ropes sent that crowd fully off their head. It was nuts. It's sort of unfortunate then that as soon as Fujiwara grabbed the nasty facelock the crowd knew it was over. There was no way he was escaping twice in quick succession like that, not with Fujiwara. Who - you may be shocked to hear - looked fucking amazing in this bout. So we're off to a flyer.