[2000-04-24-BJW] Tomoaki Honma vs Mike Samples (Bunkhouse Barbed Wire Sword Board Death)

[soup23]

Yeah, Honma is one of the best workers in the world this year. Here he takes a slug like Samples and makes this into a fun garbage style contest by essentially being a bump freak. They do tour Korakuen but it was the frantic and bump heavy style brawling that I much prefer to the walk and stalk one. Back inside, the barbed wire boards are emphasized and Honma takes the blunt of the punishment. They even do a semi compelling kendo stick light saber battle in the middle of this one. Honma sets up a board on the outside and ends up taking a bump through it from the middle rope. The rest of the match is Honma trying to survive but Samples puts him away with a big lariat. I have to question Honma jobbing here but hell of an effort from him. ***1/4

 

[Loss]

I loved this match. Honma can make just about anything work. Samples didn't look great here or anything, but he was a perfectly solid big man in the mold of Kane or Earthquake or whoever else is always where they need to be without coming across as spectacular. But Honma took this from what would have been a solid match to something really special by creating moments that seemed inspired by cinema, like the staredown with the kendo sticks and attempt to bury Samples in barbed wire. You could tell he took a really thoughtful approach to this. He truly has been one of the best wrestlers anywhere in 2000, and add this to the list of matches he had that year that were better than the Yamakawa death match on 1/2. ****

[Laney]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this match. I wouldn't consider Samples a very good wrestler by any means, but this was very well structured and Honma did an excellent job in this one. There was some great stuff in this one with the kendo sticks, and I thought it was particularly impressive when Samples destroyed a kendo stick over Honma's head.

 

Just a very well structured hardcore brawl with Honma doing a good job taking bumps.

 

 

****

[Moonsault Marvin]

The kendo stick fight was the highlight of the match. The violence seemed mild compared to other death matches as the barbed wire wasn't particularly devastating, but the kendo stick to the head did look like it hurt. The match didn't really build to a big finish. Average match.

[drew wardlaw]

Man this is a Honma highlight reel. First of all, hes coming out to Heading for Tomorrow by Gamma Ray!!!!!! He really brings the energy here right from the Bell with the tope, and doesnt stop with the highspots like the big elbow on the outside to the huge bumps he takes for Samples. Im very bad at telling when one wrestler is carrying another but man this was a carry job if Ive ever seen one. Samples really didnt come off as a monster here, but rather just a big lazy wrestler. Even still, Honma shows that even in 2000 his selling and bumping are incredibly strong attributes.

[Edwin]

This was a match during the World Extreme Cup. Honma has been on fire so far this year. Samples apparently worked for USWA for some years and he did some tours with BJW, but I'm not familiar with his USWA work. His BJW work isn't particularly great either from what I recall.

 

Yeah, I didn't like this as much as you guys as this was a one man show. Honma does a great job at taking the ball and running with it as Samples really looks like a lazy big dude waiting for Honma to actually walk him through.

 

I'm convinced that at this point Honma can have a decent match with anyone who's willing to try and work with him, Samples isn't that guy.