[1996-12-13-WAR-Ryogoku Crush Night Yuji Yasuraoka & Lance Storm vs Tiger Mask I & Masaaki Mochizuki

[Jetlag]

YUJI YASURAOKA OF THE DAY #1

 

This was a really fun junior's tag as you had guys flying around recklessly plus all the awkward painful violence that WAR entails. Problem with the match was obviously Lance Storm who is such a terrible wrestler. Half his stuff looked really out of place soft and he didn't have a clue about how to sell, or really add any substance to what he was doing beyond just executing one move after another. However, I'd say Sayama carried him okay with his shoot techniques (boy you are in trouble when Sayama has to carry things). Tiger Mask I is fat here and like Mil Mascaras meaning he is on offense whenever he is in, and really recklessly kicks the little dudes. No wonder Storm is such a pussy about working stiff, he probably still wakes up at night dreaming of fat Tiger Mask awkwardly spin kicking him in the liver. Mochizuki and Yasuraoka are really the best guys in the match as Mochizuki really really REALLY brings the nasty shots from all angles and positions including axe kicking Yuji in the face and Yasuraoka is maybe the only guy in the match who actually sells properly between the moves making everything a lot more meaningful when he is in there. Really dug his desperation lariat after almost crumbling and super fast double jumping dives. Also because this isn't Dragon Gate these guys aren't super polished so sometimes you get junior moves like a moonsault turned into a nasty backflip kneedrop. Super enjoyable match.