[2000-05-05-NJPW-Wrestling Dontaku] Great Muta vs Power Warrior

[soup23]

The last time we will see Muta in Japan until late December. This really has an epic feel with the entrances and Hokuto escorting Sasaki. Muta is limping around on a crutch but that was all a ruse and he attacks Sasaki with the crutch before the bell. He then mists Hokuto. Muta is certainly limited and hurting here but the pageantry and mobility is just enough to make this entertaining. Sasaki did good on his power moves and displaying his Power Warrior persona throughout this match. The finish was neat as Muta has misted Sasaki once and goes for the evil red mist. Sasaki blocks that and then mists Muta. One lariat later and he retains. ***1/4

[AstroBoy]

This is largely carried by spectacle. The business with Muta and Hokuto at the beginning is cool and then Power Warrior runs through him with power stuff. They work a deliberate pace for a bit and Muta uses the mist again leading to a run-up moonsault that gets a nice response. The end bit with the mist is honestly really clever, well-done, and definitive as Power Warrior blocks red mist then mists Muta himself to lead to the lariat and victory. This was good for what they set out for.

 

**3/4

[jasch]

Big fan of the pageantry and spectacle in the Dome setting. The match was about what I expected. Clever finish. ***

[Moonsault Marvin]

Muta attacks Sasaki with the crutch to start, and Hokuto gets the green mist in the face after an exchange with Muta. Muta works the arm and hand with the test of strength and armbars. I liked his going to the cross armbar after the kickout from the moonsault to follow up on the previous arm work. After an excursion outside the ring, they have a finishing stretch that ends with Power Warrior blocking the red mist and delivering his own green mist. The surprised Muta falls prey to a lariat. Fun ending and Muta kept the match interesting throughout.

 

***1/2

[Superstar Sleeze]

IWGP Champion Power Warrior (Kensuke Sasaki) vs The Great Muta - NJPW 5/5/00

I have now seen 3 out of the four matches Muto/a had in Japan in the Year 2000. I was really disappointed he didn’t have Miss Madness/Mona with home especially when I saw Sasaki brought his wife Akira Hokuto with him.

Now this was a classic Great Muta match. The Chono match had the table but there was a lot of Keiji in that match. This was Great Muta through and through. Sasaki is dressed as his alter ego the Power Warrior so that means no one is selling shit in this match. 
 

Muta comes to the Ring hobbling on crutch why you might ask because it is Great fucking Muta who the fuck knows. He attacks Warrior with the crutch. Then he kicks Hokuto. I was like no fucking way. So then she dropped his ass Northern Lights Bomb I had to stifle my pop because my wife is asleep next to me. HE MISTS HOKUTO~! ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY FOR THIS OPENING!

It settles into a Muta match. Weird pacing, strange selling choices by both, really long wrist control work by Muta. Sasaki throws in some of his normal spots. Muta does the Powerdriver elbow and dragon leg screw. I really liked the Muta Springboard Dropkick/Power Warrior No-Sell/Levels him with a lariat. Sasaki dumps him on his head with the Northern Lights Bomb. MIST~! MOONSAULT! Cross-armbreaker was a bit weird. I dug the finish. Muta goes for the RED MIST! BLOCK~! POWER WARRIOR MIST~! LARIAT WIN! After the match Hokuto hits a Doomsday Device on Muta!

Sort of defies rating because it is mostly bad but when it is good it is fucking great pro wrestling theatre. Call it *** 1/4 I think most people will enjoy the 15-ish minutes it takes to watch this.