[1979-11-01-NJPW] Antonio Inoki vs Dusty Rhodes

[paul sosnowski]

Dusty comes to the ring in a tyedye tank top and a big floppy red hat. He actually looks kind of slim...oh wait...not really, lol. This is Dusty's first tour with New Japan, he had done one tour for All Japan in 1975. Hmm the online version of this match does not include the ring entrances. Greg Valentine, Pat Patterson and Mr Saito are in Dusty's corner. The crowd stands for the playing of the American and Japanese national anthems.

 

They circle around each other to start the match, Dusty crisscrosses the ropes and hits a shoulder tackle and a bodyslam on Inoki. He whips Inoki to the corner and tries for a bionic elbow, but misses. He snapmares Inoki down to the mat but twice misses the elbowdrop. Dusty rolls to the outside and takes a stroll around the ring. They finally lockup and Inoki grabs a cravat style side headlock, he backs Dusty into the corner for a clean break. Dusty keeps trying for the elbow, but Inoki keeps blocking it. Dusty grabs an armbar and drops one on Inoki's back. Inoki takes Dusty down to the mat and grinds an elbow across his face. They stand up and Inoki tries for a front facelock, but Dusty backs him into the corner. No clean break this time, Inoki fires three elbows and Dusty, but Dusty finally nails the bionic elbow straight down on Inoki's head. Inoki is reeling as they lock up again, he cautiously applies a bear hug, which Dusty quickly breaks and hits another shoulder tackle. Inoki gets an armdrag, but Dusty is immediately back on his feet. He gets a single leg takedown and drops two elbowsmashes on Inoki's thigh. Dusty goes for the spinning toehold, but Inoki kicks up and both men get on their feet, but not for long, as Inoki takes Dusty down with a hammerlock and works on the left arm. Dusty tries to roll Inoki and grabs the tights, but Inoki thrashes him around with a rolling hammerlock and maintains control, until Dusty gets his foot on the ropes for a break.

 

Dusty rams Inoki's head into the turnbuckle and tosses him thru the ropes to the outside. He follows him out and slams Inoki on a ringside table and drops three big elbows, the table does not break. Inoki falls to the floor, Dusty gets back in the ring and waits for him. He hits a bionic elbow as Inoki comes in and picks him up for a brainbuster suplex for a two count, Inoki's foot is on the ropes. He picks him up again for an over the knee backbreaker and Inoki gets his foot on the ropes at two. Inoki hits a dropkick, Dusty nails an elbow to his back and shoulder. Inoki scoops Dusty and suplexes him, but Dusty falls over the top rope, (DQ is not called). Inoki follows him and drops a knee and rams Dusty's head into the ringside table. Back in the ring, Inoki gets a drop toehold and tries to surfboard Dusty, but cannot hold him up. Dusty gets on top and fires some punches and elbows down on Inoki's head. They stand and brawl, each nailing big shots, before Dusty starts dancing around and taunting his opponent. Inoki unleashes with four big MMA style kicks to Dusty's thigh, but is met with another bionic elbow to the head. Inoki tries to pick Dusty up in a fireman's carry, but cannot hold him. Dusty drops two big knees to Inoki's midsection, they both get tied up in the ropes. The referee comes over and tries to pull Dusty off, but Dusty pushes him away. He whips Inoki to the ropes and nails an elbow, then runs and goes for a diving elbow, but Inoki moves out of the way again. Inoki hits a big dropkick that sends Rhodes out of the ring, Inoki chases after him and rams Dusty's head into the corner post, Dusty comes up bleeding heavily around his right eye. Pedro Morales is also at ringside and suddenly grabs Inoki and pulls him off. Nikolai Volkoff is also at ringside in a purple tracksuit...wtf??? Inoki goes back outside and hits two big headbutts to open Dusty's cut further. They get back in the ring, Inoki headbutts him again and whips him to the ropes into the Octopus Submission, abdominal stretch...and that's a lot of abdomen...lol. The ref checks Dusty's arm to see if he is going out...Dusty screams "Noooooo!!!!" and hiptosses Inoki to escape the hold. Inoki hits another big dropkick for a two count, he charges at Dusty in the corner, but is met with the bionic elbow, Dusty goes for a two count and puts his feet on the ropes for leverage. The ref catches him, but wait...Dusty thinks it was a three count and jumps up and grabs the title belt. Inoki charges at Dusty, who bumps into the referee as gently as I have ever seen, he barely touches the ref with a glancing elbow. Inoki rolls up Dusty for a visible three count, Inoki tries to wake up the referee, Dusty comes from behind with a big elbow and both men tumble to the floor. Dusty drops a big elbow on Inoki's chest, but the bell rings for the immediate DQ at 17:01. Dusty drops another elbow and rolls into the ring, but the match is over. Pedro Morales strangely comes in the ring and hands Dusty the belt and celebrates with him. The ref tries to snatch the belt away, but Dusty yells NO. Other wrestlers get in the ring, Valentine starts brawling with Tatsumi Fujinami. Mr Saito raises Dusty's hand. Dusty grabs the mic and starts chanting "Five more minutes". Inoki is pissed and gets in Dusty's face, but Dusty sashays away and leaves with his hands raised. Wait...Dusty gets back on the apron, Inoki grabs the mic and they yell at each other. Dusty has a huge gash on his head and is still bleeding heavily. They give Inoki the big trophy and strap the belt back around his waist. Three and a half stars ****

 

BUT WAIT...there is a lesser known rematch held a week later!!!!