[1977-03-23-CWF] Jumbo Tsuruta vs Billy Robinson

[superkix]

This is, in my opinion, the weakest match of the 1977 trilogy but still a good match. Standard first fall with jockeying for control, Robinson whipping out a few neckbreakers, and Jumbo getting in little spurts of offense here and there, eventually pinning Robinson after a belly-to-back suplex. The referee is the worst. Jumbo works a headlock through most of the second fall and while it isn't quite as engaging as Robinson doing it, it's still fun to see Robinson headstand his way out of it only to get caught back on the mat. In the end, Robinson drops Jumbo with a couple of backbreakers and submits him with the crab hold. Billy continues looking for the crab hold into the third fall, hitting a pretty sweet side suplex at one point. The end is a mess, as Jumbo hits the double arm suplex and puts Billy in his own crab hold...only for Abby the Butcher to interfere and stick Robinson with a fork, allowing Jumbo to hit the dropkick for the win.

[fxnj]

I think people are underselling the work here a bit. Watching this after being somewhat familiar with their matches from earlier in the month (have seen 3/6 several times and watched 3/11 when it released in full on Hulu a few weeks ago), I was wondering at the end of the 2nd fall why this wasn't talked up among the epics of Robinson's AJPW run. I loved all the fight for control stuff at the start for all the details Robinson worked in, and I was very disappointed that they clipped what looked to be a great leg lock sequence. Robinson's work on Jumbo's neck was fantastic with how he wrenched in on those cravats and mixed it up with some neckbreakers to stop it from feeling like a mat exhibition. I also liked the way he bumped hard for Jumbo's strikes. Jumbo's persistence with the headlock in the 2nd fall was cool as a receipt for the brutal neck work Robinson put him through earlier in the match. So many cool sequences of Robinson escaping and Jumbo managing some quick counter to put him back in. The backbreaker transition was brilliant as well, both in Robinson's slick execution and in how it seemed like his knee pad happened to be a bit low when he did the move and sold the damage according. 3rd fall starts promising with more great throws, but I'd agree it goes off the rails with the Butcher interference and it deflates things a bit. Still an awesome match though.