Superstar Sleeze Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 Shinya Hashimoto vs Kensuke Sasaki - NJPW G-1 Climax '96 Shinya Hashimoto, IWGP Champion, Defender of New Japan, Ace, does not win a single match in the G-1 Climax...WHAT?!?! He does not lay a complete egg because Hirata gets injured and forfeits his match to Hashimoto. You see Hashimoto had an absolute war with Choshu the first night of the tournament where he injures his leg and it never recovers. He drops his next two bouts to Tenzan and Sasaki due to the bum wheel. I am so annoyed I cant find more Kensuke Sasaki. I mostly just watched this match because at least it was something. I would love to see the 1/4/95 match again and the title switch, 8/31/97. Hashimoto gets on the mic and tries to psyche out Sasaki, but to no avail. Sasaki zeroes in on the leg and never relents. Scorpion Deathlocks and leg attacks galore. I thought he gave up a little easily on some holds. Good work from him on top. Mixes in a powerbomb and some lariats. Hashimoto sold like a champ. For a badass asskicker, he could still show vulnerability like he was Ricky Morton. Great mini-comeback from Hashimoto catching Sasaki coming off the ropes with a wicked overhand chop and then the crazy DDT for two. Cross armbreaker, but cant get it fully applied. That was his last gasp as Sasaki goes back to the leg. Hashimoto tries the defiant stand in the face of lariat spitting on Sasaki. Spit is so gross. KILL HIM SASAKI! Weird finish as Sasaki does that nasty over the top armdrag he does and just gets the pin. Solid match, good Sasaki power performance and even better Hashimoto selling performance. ***1/4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makai Club #1 Posted August 31, 2023 Report Share Posted August 31, 2023 The story of Hashimoto’s G1 continues here. Hashimoto’s knee has gotten progressively worse and Sasaki wastes no time in making it the worst it can be. Hashimoto is immediately on the backfoot and gets little offence during the early exchanges. His selling is excellent in this part but gets stronger as Hashimoto starts to get a little more here and there. Hardly anything he does retains his usual range of skill and control, it’s all done with vulnerability and desperation, which makes it easy for Sasaki to cut off. The finish is similar to the Choshu/Hashimoto match. Sasaki is hitting lariat after lariat with Hashimoto not going down, spitting in his face as he does it until one final lariat knocks Hashimoto backwards into the ropes with enough momentum for Sasaki to hit a seoi-nage, albeit a rough one, for the 3 count. A great recovery match for Sasaki after being bested by his mentor. And a terrific performance by Hashimoto. **** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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