[1983-08-04-NJPW] Tatsumi Fujinami vs Riki Choshu

[Matt Franklin]

Like all of the other Fujinami/Choshu matches Ive seen, this was an intense, mat based war. They were able to convey an intensity going back and forth in their exchanging of holds that is not seen too much these days.

 

The way they would work holds and treat them was more realistic than the typical body part weakening/selling that is more prevalent in the US. An example being Choshu hitting a shoulder breaker and then going into the scorpion. Yes, his previous attack was on the shoulder, but the scorpion deathlock is a deadly hold and when the opportunity arises, why wouldnt you go for it. An analogy would be in MMA, if someone is working a leg kick game standing and then when it goes to the ground a choke is available, should they pass and dive for a knee bar on the leg theyve been kicking? Of course not, you would go to the hold that is most likely to finish.

 

They did a great fake out of a typical 80s count out finish, with Choshu lariating Fujinami from behind and sensing him headfirst into the post, resulting in Fuji coming up bloody. After the tease, they end up delivering on the count out finish, with Fujinami hitting an enzuigiri and backdrop suplex on the floor to sqeak out the win. This obviously sets up rematches down the line, and plays off of previous finishes.

 

Overall, I thought this was really good and look forward to seeing the rematches later.

 

****

[superkix]

This, in my opinion, is the most complete match of the series. While the line of tension threading these matches has been strained throughout, it finally snaps in what was perhaps the most heated and evenly-contested encounter. Fujinami’s sense of purpose was a constant source of strength as he tries to overwhelm the slower, more prone to frustration champion. The sooner Choshu can end this, the better, but when he tries to open with a lariat, Fujinami hangs on the ropes in avoidance. He’s finally got Choshu’s number. Fujinami’s able to counter and reverse a lot of the champ’s early offense, once again trying to find a way to beat Choshu with the same sasori-gatame that cost him the previous match. When that doesn’t work, Fujinami tries to end it with the figure-four leglock but Choshu is able to once again fight through the submission attempt, the action spilling it to the outside and chaos ensuing. One of the recurring themes of this series has been the chaotic nature of their exchanges, and that’s once again prevalent here as they rebound off one another like pinballs.

Fujinami emerges crimson-masked only for Choshu to suplex him back into the ring. Here, overcome with exhaustion, Fujinami gives his strongest selling performance of the entire series. After Choshu inadvertently takes out the ref, Fujinami hooks him with a nasty-looking lariat but doesn’t have the gas in the tank to follow up. The finishing stretch is red-hot and full of great dramatic moments -- stuff like Choshu pointing at his foot on the rope after a suplex and the aggravation that follows as Fujinami peppers him with slaps. Or Fujinami dumping Choshu to the outside on a lariat attempt only to get himself tangled in the ropes, unable to capitalize. But from the start, Fujinami has wanted it more and in the end, he’s able to thwart Choshu’s finishing blow, sending him into the ring post and hitting that crowd-popping enziguri. I loved the countout victory for the frustrated Fujinami, backdropping Choshu on the floor after having been unable to pin him or submit him in the ring.