[1985-07-13-UWF] Akira Maeda vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara

[Superstar Sleeze]

Akira Maeda vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara -UWF 7/13/85

 

Missing the beginning four minutes of a 15 minute match. Overall, I was thinking the problem with some of these Original UWF matches is that they are too long. Shoot style is a hard style to do for a long time. Fujiwara/Super Tiger made it work but the other pairings aren't doing as well with the 20+ minutes timing on their matches. I thought this was much better with the compact style. This the most intense I have seen Maeda. These two were dripping sweat minutes into the match from how hard they were going on the mat. I loved the story of this match. Maeda was going low instead of high with his kicks. Even though Fujiwara was trying to take it to the ground, Maeda was coming up with inventive ways to get Crabs on him (single, Boston and even Scorpion Deathlock). What made this was the struggle to apply the holds and Fujiwara's verbal selling. Really compelling matwork. Fujiwara was able to get his own legbars, but everytime he stand up he would hobbled and Maeda would kick out his legs. It was interesting because Fujiwara could not stand up with Maeda but on the ground he was competitive. Maeda figured this out and tried to go for the kill with multiple spinwheel kicks to the head to win the match. Except he kept WHIFFING! Fujiwara capitalized with a legbar to win. Just as good as the March match if not slightly better. I liked the story of Maeda attacking the legs, Fujiwara competitive on the mat, but not on his feet because of bum wheel so Maeda goes for kill, but whiffs and Fujiwara pounces with win. This is twice now Maeda has choked and failed to put Fujiwara away, Fujiwara just has that killer instinct. ****