Matches from 1991

[gordi]

AJPW TV 1991 disc 10:

 

HOLY GUACAMOLE what a great, great disc. God bless Dan Ginnetty for putting this one together:

 

* Kawada vs. Taue 15:53 shown

* Gordy & Williams vs. Hansen & Spivey 14:42 shown

* Kid & Smith vs. Kroffat & Furnas 4:31 shown

* Misawa, Kobashi & Kawada vs. Jumbo, Taue & Fuchi 28:20 of 51:32 shown

 

I believe the air dates were 05/05 and 05/12

 

Kawada vs. Taue:

 

Four years later, they'd have one of the best matches ever, and their '91 Carnival match ain't exactly chopped liver, either.

 

Kawada cranks on Taue's arm from many angles, and when Taue gets his turn, Toshi just kicks Akira in the face repeatedly. TAUE BLADES! and, enraged by the sight of his own blood, he uses the power of SUMO to knock Kawada out of the ring. They brawl Pier 6 style, and Taue drops Kawada's knee on the railing. Back inside, Taue goes for the knee -- PSYCHOLOGY!-- They brawl back outside. Taue just f'n plants Kawada with a huge power bomb on the mats. Kawada beats the count... and he is PISSED! They just beat the living hell out of each other until they end up outside yet again. Kawada lifts the mats, he wants to give Taue a big receipt... but Kawada ends up hoisted on his own petard, as Taue reverses and gives him a big Nodowa on the bare floor. Kawada's eyes go glassy, and it's clear he will not beat the count this time. Awesome stuff, really Mid-Southish and violent and well thought out. The well dressed men in the front row momentarily lose their composure from time to time. Who can blame them?

 

Tag Titles Match:

 

Gaijin on Gaijin violence! Doc is amped up, attacking people in the crowd as he comes to the ring. It's extremely weird seeing Hansen, bleeding from his forehead and from the first knuckle on his right hand, playing face in peril. Doc and Gordy are so damn good at cutting off the ring and laying in the beating, though. They actually get some booooooos from the crowd. This is even more Mid-Southy than the previous match. Every strike is stiff and full on, every bump is hard and loud. Nothing against Starship Eagle, but his HOUSE AFIRE bit is the least compelling part of the match. Thing pick right back up once he tags The Lariat back in, though. Hansen brawls outside with Gordy, and keeps making back into the ring just in time to save Waylon Mercy from being pinned. Eventually, Joe realizes that Spivey isn't the legal man, anyway.

 

You'll never guess in a million years what offensive maneuver Hansen uses to take Doc's head off his shoulders.

 

The crowd goes crazy for the title change.

 

Bulldogs vs. Can Ams:

 

It's Johnny, not Davey Boy, so Furnas is the most jacked up guy in this clip. It's non-stop athletic action for 4 and a half minutes, of course.

 

 

Misawa, Kobashi & Kawada vs. Jumbo, Taue & Fuchi

 

Super hot crowd for this one. Maybe they were expecting one of the greatest matches of the era. If so, maybe they were right.

 

This whole disc is nothing but great wrestling, but this match is just on a whole other plane.

 

MI-Sa-WA! KO-Bash-I! and FU-chi (clapclapclap)! each get crowd chants. Later on, so do Ka-wa-DA! and Ta-u-E! Jumbo gets his OH!s

 

When Misawa and Jumbo face off, the crowd gets so hot that there are women actually screaming.

 

Kobashi looks young and fit enough to remind me of my own mortality.

 

Seeing Kawada run in to beat on Taue in order to save Kobashi is too strange for words.

 

The hate is apparent, and I think that the old guard vs. young upstart dynamic would be apparent even if I'd never seen an AJPW match before.

 

While Misawa vs. Jumbo is obviously the key, and Kawada vs. Taue is the most hate-filled of the rivalries here, every possible individual match-up is an absolute killer... and they play it that way.

 

Kobashi just Kikuchis it up something fierce as the old guys take his knee apart. Fuchi is particularly beautiful to watch here.

 

There are many girls in the audience with puffy hair and baggy sweaters. They are all really into the match.

 

The editing is really well done, and the match doesn't feel clipped up at all.

 

There is a clean big-move finish.

 

I don't know how this could have been much better.

[jdw]

AJPW TV 1991 disc 10:

 

* Misawa, Kobashi & Kawada vs. Jumbo, Taue & Fuchi 28:20 of 51:32 shown

 

Dan has a more complete version of this (48-49 minutes of it) that aired on a special. Well worth asking him about.

 

 

John

[Loss]

I also think the match comes across even better complete, or virtually complete I should say. 48:00 of 51:32 are shown.

[jdw]

I also think the match comes across even better complete, or virtually complete I should say. 48:00 of 51:32 are shown.

 

I agree. It does have ebb and flow that slow it down here and there and also tend to re-set things. They weren't used to filling 50 minutes at that point.

 

But a primary element that they were working for in the match was the length of the match, so to get the drama they had as it kept going and going and going, one really needs to see all of it (or as much of it as possible).

 

The 5/94 Misawa & Kobashi vs. Kawada & Taue is the same way. To a degree it helps seeing earlier World Tag Title and Tag League matches of the era to understand it better. Not exactly from a "storyline" standpoint, but from a shift/development/change/evolution in how big tag matches (and to a degree big matches) were being worked.

 

But this I mean...

 

All Japan big matches were slipping into a patern where they'd fill time for 15-20 minutes, then work the hell-on-wheels to the finish for 7-10 minutes, depending on the match and who was in it.

 

The 5/94 pushed the boundries. They filled time for about 17 minutes, including a stretch of working over Kobashi's knee (which from a storyline standpoint would play into some things later in the match). When television joins the match, we're getting just a little taste of the knee work period before things pick up and it looks like their begining the hell-on-wheels to the finish work.

 

TV has about the last 22 or so minutes of the match. It's work pretty much like the last 7-10 minutes of earlier big tag matches. As Frank would say, the match went past midnight... and kept going for another 10+ minutes.

 

We'd see a lot of that as the decade went on. 6/95 is another 40+ minutes match that has a very long equivalent of the old "work to the finish" part. In fact, we saw so many long periods of work like that as the decade went on (including a pair of 60 minute draws), that if you watch the 5/94 match after some of those other ones, you might miss that it is the break through match in the format.

 

I'm not saying that makes the match "great" or "better" than some others. Simply that part of what they were doing in the match was breaking through their prior boundries, and that to see that one needs to see both all of the match, but a good sample of it's peers *prior* to it.

 

The April 1991 six-man tag is similar.

 

 

John

[gordi]

 

AJPW TV 1991 disc 10:

 

* Misawa, Kobashi & Kawada vs. Jumbo, Taue & Fuchi 28:20 of 51:32 shown

 

Dan has a more complete version of this (48-49 minutes of it) that aired on a special. Well worth asking him about.

 

 

John

 

 

I will have to seek that out at some point. I was hoping it would be out there somewhere.

 

I picked up the full version of the 5/94 tag, and loved every minute of it. The longer build made the huge finishing run seem that much more dramatic.

 

With the clipped version of the six-man tag, the time just flew by. I mean, I got a glass of water and settled in for half an hour of wrestling... then the match was done and I hadn't had a sip of my water. I'd imagine the (almost) full match feels much the same.

[Loss]

If you got the full AJ '91 season from Dan, the longer version of the match is on the last disc.

[jdw]

Are you sure? The "28:20 of 51:32 shown" is from Dan's set lists.

 

 

John

[Loss]

When he shilled the set, he included the Midnight Special as a separate disc with every order.

[jdw]

That's right. I suspect that gordi hasn't taken a look at that.

 

 

John

[gordi]

That's right. I suspect that gordi hasn't taken a look at that.

 

 

John

 

I don't have it. I got the 1992 set direct from Dan Ginnetty, but I got a bunch of '91 discs from someone else in a trade, and picked up some others in a buy. I may have the full version, but I'm hoping that Ginnetty will be willing to sell me the single disc if it turns out I don't have it.

[jdw]

I don't have it. I got the 1992 set direct from Dan Ginnetty, but I got a bunch of '91 discs from someone else in a trade, and picked up some others in a buy. I may have the full version, but I'm hoping that Ginnetty will be willing to sell me the single disc if it turns out I don't have it.

Ditch has it. Check you PM's over at SC.

 

 

John

[Guest Chainz]

Brian Pillman vs Barry Windham WCW Main Event 3/23/91, Pro 4/6/91 and the taped fist match @ Superbrawl 5/19/91

 

The first (Maint Event) happened about a month after wargames, so Brian's shoulder was still strapped and injured. This was a good basic 8 minute or so free tv match, which got over that Pillamn and Windham still had unfinished business after their encounter at Wargames.

 

The second match (Pro) was my favourite of the three. If this match had have happened today i'm sure it would be classed as a US MOTYC considering what is produced weekly on tv these days. Windham had previously had a match with Ricky Morton and along with Sid had beat him to shit until Pillman made the save. Pillman comes into this match with his shoulder still taped, but starts the match off with a heep of great offense, reversing Windham's every move, completely outsmarting him and letting him know he ain't gonna get him that easily. I love simple openers like this, just like their GREAT 5 minute period in wargames 91. Windham finally gets some control and goes to work on the shoulder. Windham has great offense here, little things like a backdrop were accentuated by Windham bending Pillmans arm under him so he'd squash it when he landed. Brilliant. The second half of the match is just amazing, with Windham doing everything he can to put Pillman away, but Brian shows no signs of giving up and relentlessly comes back - great drama here. Finally Windham puts him away for the win, And as Larry interviews him, Pillman again keeps coming back and giving everything he can to beat Windham up. I just loved watching this, it was great, dramatic classy wrestling.

 

The third was the taped fist match, which was a short, but awesome intense match. Both guys juiced in the early going, and went at each other with the fists. I twas too short for my liking, but was great because they had already made it clear in the previous match that you gotta do EVERYTHING to put that touch SOB Pillman away. I suggest anyone try and watch their match from WCW PRO, its on the Windham comp and is just choice stuff.

[Resident Evil]

You have to watch their WCWSN match. The one where Pillman has the bloody eye.

[Guest Chainz]

You have to watch their WCWSN match. The one where Pillman has the bloody eye.

 

Unfortunatly that wasn't on the comp i've got, any idea where i can get this?

[Loss]

I have watched the three matches in question, along with about 15-20 other Barry Windham matches, this weekend and agree with everything you said about the series. Pillman/Windham was a strong feud -- their interaction in War Games at Wrestle War '91 is awesome. That may be the best five minute opening for any War Games ever. Pillman put on a hell of a performance in that match selling the injury and being pissed and all. That was nice to see since he was usually in the token workrate spot on the card and rarely had an actual storyline with animosity to sink his teeth into around this time.

[Phil Schneider]

Some more hidden classics from Segunda Caida

 

El Hijo Del Santo v. Brazo De Oro UWA 1/13/91

 

PAS: This is a mask v. hair match, and is two guys working an amazing match in their secondary specialties. Santo is primarily known for classic lucha, either technical singles matches or formula trios match, the Brazos are primarily known as comedy wrestlers. However both guys are amazing brawlers, and this is a bloody violent amazing brawl. Oro has such force on everything he does, headbutts, kicks, stomps, he comes off as a total asskicker. He dominates the first round, busting open Santo so you can see a pulsating blood stain on the Silver mask. Santo comes back and hits his brawling flying moves, he is the best at making topes look like vicious attacks. Oro isn't about to be out bled and by the end of the match has a sickening amount of blood squirting out of his head.

 

TKG: Santo is a guy who works really great singles matches. I've written a bunch of times about the difference between how luchadors work a title match and how they work a hair/mask match. Both very different styles/genres of matches and both genres that Santo really is master of. And on some level here you have a formula Santo hair/mask match where they meet all the genre conventions/requirements that you need to get that off. This is of course not jut any Hair/Mask match its a Hijo del Santo hair/mask match which means really the finish is never in any doubt...nonetheless the two guys need to work up to a level where you loose track of that. There is normally an inherent drama in a hair/mask match that is going to be missing when you have a Santo hair/mask match. Instead the drama is about the guy who you know is going to loose having to make an actual fight out of it, so not just a hair/mask match its kind of hair/mask match with undercurrent of lower ranked guy challenging Jumbo or somesuch. And motherfuck does Brazo del Oro just step up to the plate. Oro isn't just an absolute bad ass in the opening fall which he dominates but he really comes off as guy fighting for the fall in the second Santo fall too.

 

Wayne Shamrock v. Naoki Sano PWFG 5/19/91

 

PAS: I was pretty much in shock during this match, I couldn't believe what I was watching. I have never particularly cared for a thing Ken Shamrock has ever done, so I expected nothing out of this match, and it turned out to be as good as anything on the 80's Other Japan set. So much to love about this match, as they pretty much went back and forth from spectacular mat exchanges into awesome slugfest strike exchanges, great takedowns, into more spectacular mat exchanges.

 

The pacing of this was great, I especially loved how they paced their mat highspots. One guy would get in position and struggle a bit, and their would be a lull, and then super fast move into a choke or a kneebar. The crowd would pop huge for all of the mat spots, and it was the pacing of them which would really do it. Then after the mat near falls they would stand and just lay into each other with big shots, Shamrock's strikes looked way better here then in the previous match, and Sano was drilling him too. This was before Sano went to UWFI so I would guess this was his first shootstyle match ever, and he was a master of it. This was Sano's match, and while Shamrock was game, you could tell Sano was leading him. I also loved how Sano mixed in pro moves, as I actually bought an STF as a shoot submission, and a DDT as a shoot throw.

 

TKG: Shamrock comes into this with preposterous Saturday Night Fever hair. He's one headband away from being the Dingo Warrior. This had a ton of crowd heat and first half is really made by that crowd heat. Phil covers really the early pacing of this as its two guys jockeying for position, conservatively moving toward a big move...moving moving...then they hit it and crowd pops. Both guys are conservative. They don't want to leave anything open for opponent. So its all about fight for position.

 

As the match goes on you get the sense that both guys get more desperate. Shamrock throws his hands more often and all the big moves go from being hit cleanly to being almost video game style "make or miss" moves. So first half of the match is all about guys getting into position for throws or submissions and then hitting them cleanly, second half is about their health power bars wearing down and so they struggle to get into position for stuff and then can't hit it cleanly. Shamrock moves into position to hook Sano's legs with leg scissors and can't do it...opening himself up for Sano. Sano moves into position for throws but can no longer deal with Shamrocks weight advantage and so can't hit the throws cleanly...leaving himself open for Shamrock.

 

It's not the traditional body of match/finish of match split. Its two conservative fighters sticking to their gameplan with the fight taking its tole. It's that layout that really made this for me. Well that and the shoot DDT

 

 

Genericho Tenryu v.Yoshiaki Yatsu SWS 10/29/91

 

TKG: So Phil gets this SWS card with a disappointing Orient Express vs. Sano/Orihara match, disappointing Haku/Nakano vs. somebody and Fuyuki, disappointing Takano v. Barbarian, Bestia carrying Asai to a nice juniors match , and I guess a the Hara vs. Warlord match which exceeded expectations. And then there was the main event. And Fuck I need to see every time these two guys match up. What did Tenryu do to Yatsu to deserve this? What did Yatsu do to Tenryu? What in hell are these two guys doing to each other. This starts with Yatsu slapping the dogshit out of Tenryu's ear, and then Yatsu just looks to be going after the ear, forearm right to the ear, stiff enziguri right to ear, etc. Its like he wants to bust his eardrum. Yatsu is sick of the women being drawn to Tenryu on the dance floor and has decided to fuck Tenryu's balance up permanently. Tenryu crawls around the ring and sells. Damnit bitch its my jherri curl that draws the women not my dance steps you ugly fuck. Tenryu chops the fuck out of Yatsu chops him right on the throat, enziguri's him in the back of the head, etc. But this is really the Yatsu show as he goes on these huge runs of offense were you legit believe that Tenryu is concussed or at least been rendered near imobile. I think my favorite spot is the first rope flying battering ram headbutt that Yatsu throws. He follows this up with just a really nasty Terry Taylor type chinbreaker except he executes it with this kind of complete disregard. Like Steve Williams throwing a dangerous suplex, except its a chinbreaker. Chinbreaker 91~!

 

PAS: Yatsu had all the really great offense in this match, Tom didn't even mention the bulldog on the floor or the running shoulder block off the apron, but Tenryu was bringing some sick violence to the show. Laying in the Kawada kicks right to Yatsu's eye and face, there was a section where Tenryu kicks him directly in the kidney and Yatsu kinds of rolls on the mat clutching it in pain. Then Tenryu just starts kneeing and punching him right on the kidney, and you get the sense if Tenryu lost his equilibrium after this match, Yatsu wasn't able to drink coffee or liquor ever again. I think there were multiple parts in this match where you figured they would have to stop the match and get a doctor. I thought Tenryu was concussed by an early Yatsu lariat, thought Yatsu had lacerated his spleen. Just an epic amazing shockingly violent train wreck of a classic match.

[pantherwagner]

El Hijo Del Santo v. Brazo De Oro UWA 1/13/91

 

Instead the drama is about the guy who you know is going to loose having to make an actual fight out of it, so not just a hair/mask match its kind of hair/mask match with undercurrent of lower ranked guy challenging Jumbo or somesuch. And motherfuck does Brazo del Oro just step up to the plate.

 

Tom, I actually agree with what you said regarding the Santo mask matches, but I think you are wrong when it comes to this match.

 

At this point, while Santo was the bigger star in Mexico (the country), Brazo de Oro was the overall bigger star in Mexico (the district) and especially El Toreo. Brazos were the top drawing trio in the country, and had been since about 1986 or 1987. They were main event and semi-main event at El Toreo while Santo was third match from the top. To the common fan going to UWA's arenas it wasn't so clear yet that Santo's mask was untouchable, and Brazo de Oro here was a bigger and stronger guy, way more vicious, and a much bigger star.

[smkelly]

Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta 10/24/1991 - A great, great match. Jumbo allowed Kawada to get in a ton of offense, and Kawada really layed in the gamengeri's, and elbow strikes. Jumbo killed Kawada with lariats, and two nasty backdrop drivers. Recommended viewing.

[Loss]

The Santo/Brazo match almost felt like a more violent version of Liger/Samurai at times, with Oro going crazy on Santo to start and Santo making a late rally and then forcing his opponent to get his just desserts. Two guys that really understand how to create visuals, create doubt over the outcome (despite the finish being a bit obvious) and wrestle for a big audience and create big drama are always a blast to watch, and Santo is really among the best at it.

[PeteF3]

The Big Boss Man vs. The Barbarian ('91 Royal Rumble)

 

I knew I'd seen a good match when I first/last saw this 15+ years ago and certain folks on the 'net have praised it since, so I was almost hesitant to watch it again off the Rumble box set in case it didn't live up to memories. Luckily for me, it did. Most of it due to the Boss Man, as he moves and bumps around like a freak. Barbie

pulls his weight, as he had the strength to throw around the Boss Man with a few nice moves (slamming him backfirst into the post, and a nice backbreaker in addition to his flying clothesline), but it's the Boss Man's show here.

 

The LONG finishing sequence is not something you normally see in the WWF, especially at this time, but it starts with Boss Man landing a hotshot and the Barbarian getting a hand on the ropes at the last second--with the crowd *sure* that that was ending the match. Boss Man has to use the ropes himself to escape a pin after the Barbarian hits his clothesline off the top.

 

Boss Man quickly comes back to hit the Boss Man Slam, leading to the markout moment of the match, as a WWF heel actually escapes a face's finisher when Barbarian literally gets one fingertip on the bottom rope to break the count. A great, great near-fall, at least by the standards of 1991 WWF...

 

The finish is fine for what it is but is still my one quibble with the match. This was part of the Boss Man's feud with the Heenan Family and his quest to go through each member, one by one. As what is essentially a feud match (even if the real issue was between Boss Man and Heenan with Barbarian only tangentially involved), it seemed less than satisfying for the Boss Man to win with a roll-through on a top rope body press. Especially since the Barbarian wasn't really going anywhere while Boss Man was headed for an IC title match at WrestleMania.

Flukiness aside, it was a clean victory, Heenan high-tailed it out of there to stall the ultimate payoff, and this was a surprisingly hot, exciting match in front of an amped crowd.

[Resident Evil]

The Big Boss Man vs. The Barbarian ('91 Royal Rumble)

 

I knew I'd seen a good match when I first/last saw this 15+ years ago and certain folks on the 'net have praised it since, so I was almost hesitant to watch it again off the Rumble box set in case it didn't live up to memories. Luckily for me, it did. Most of it due to the Boss Man, as he moves and bumps around like a freak. Barbie

pulls his weight, as he had the strength to throw around the Boss Man with a few nice moves (slamming him backfirst into the post, and a nice backbreaker in addition to his flying clothesline), but it's the Boss Man's show here.

 

The LONG finishing sequence is not something you normally see in the WWF, especially at this time, but it starts with Boss Man landing a hotshot and the Barbarian getting a hand on the ropes at the last second--with the crowd *sure* that that was ending the match. Boss Man has to use the ropes himself to escape a pin after the Barbarian hits his clothesline off the top.

 

Boss Man quickly comes back to hit the Boss Man Slam, leading to the markout moment of the match, as a WWF heel actually escapes a face's finisher when Barbarian literally gets one fingertip on the bottom rope to break the count. A great, great near-fall, at least by the standards of 1991 WWF...

 

The finish is fine for what it is but is still my one quibble with the match. This was part of the Boss Man's feud with the Heenan Family and his quest to go through each member, one by one. As what is essentially a feud match (even if the real issue was between Boss Man and Heenan with Barbarian only tangentially involved), it seemed less than satisfying for the Boss Man to win with a roll-through on a top rope body press. Especially since the Barbarian wasn't really going anywhere while Boss Man was headed for an IC title match at WrestleMania.

Flukiness aside, it was a clean victory, Heenan high-tailed it out of there to stall the ultimate payoff, and this was a surprisingly hot, exciting match in front of an amped crowd.

 

I too remember liking this. Does anyone have a link to where I can watch this match?

 

A few weeks ago I rewatched Bret vs Mr. Perfect from Summerslam 91. I had always been of the belief that Summerslam was not as good as King of the Ring which was mostly due to King of the Ring's superior flow. I also though King of the Ring escalated better or more smoothly to a climax as it was practically a flawless match. Summerslam's main attribute was that is was always more of a fight and a long drawn out struggle.

That fight I find I'm liking more now. I also find myself marking out more over Bret's kickout of the perfectplex. That was BIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGG and seeing someone on the totem pole below Hogan or Bossman kick out sent shivers down my spine. I think one of the problems before was Perfect going for the low blows near towards the end of the match left it a little anticlimatic. I didn't feel that was damaging enough before. But this time I started thinking of the pain Bret was in and the heelish antics Henning was doing as his other strategies didn't seem to be working. It worked better for me though I still don't think low blows were the most damaging thing one can do in a wrestling ring. Still a different way to end a match though and it wasn't as anticlimtatic as I thought it was before due to my thinking about it in a different perspective. Great storytelling, strong face/heel structure and a super match.

 

And kudos to Perfect for wrestling this match.

[ohtani's jacket]

1991 All Japan

 

Kawada vs Taue, 1/15/91

 

Such an awesome match. It's like a throwback to 80s brawling, but with cool new spots. Courtesy of Taue.

 

Taue in the early 90s was more visibly "on" or "off" than most wrestlers, but "not so good" workers simply don't have matches like this. Taue owned this match. Hell, that was the story of the match, which made the finish beyond awesome. And that cheap shot at the end was such class. Tenryu would've been proud of that.

 

Jumbo/Taue/Fuchi vs Misawa/Kawada/Kikuchi, 1/27/91

 

In the grand scheme of All Japan 6-man tags, I guess this is just another good one, but rewatching this stuff I keep finding that the 6-man tags are the best way (for me) to enjoy All Japan. The multiple story threads & shifting dynamics are more engaging than the single match structure. I liked how this shifted from Kawada vs. Taue into Jumbo getting all pissy with Kawada, to the point where he's even shoving Fuchi out of the way.

 

Jumbo/Taue/Fuchi vs Misawa/Kawada/Kobashi, 4/20/91

 

The type of match that makes me wish I went to shows back in the day, though if this really went past midnight (as the analogy goes), I'd miss the train & that'd be a bitch... I was impressed that they kept up this pace for 50 minutes without running out of ideas. It was held together by two story threads -- the first was Kawada vs. Taue, the second was a reprise of the 10/90 match where Kobashi had his nose broken. The latter came just in time for people like me who have a hard time sitting through long matches. Fuchi was such a prick in this. I gotta say, though, that was dumb of Jumbo to go after Kawada on the outside when his man was in a pinning predicament.

 

Misawa/Kawada vs Jumbo/Taue, 9/4/91

 

Cool match. It seemed like they were putting a different spin on the 12/90 match, where Jumbo was laid out on the floor. At first I thought Misawa made his comeback too soon, but they beat him down & it was all good. The finish came out of nowhere, similar to Misawa's original victory over Misawa, so either Misawa wasn't good at working to a finish or they wanted to play it that way. The captions at the end are cheesy. I don't know if they're direct quotes or not, but you're not missing out on anything.

 

Jumbo/Fuchi/Taue vs Misawa/Kawada/Kikuchi, 10/15/91

 

I thought this was the most exciting match of the year. Maybe I'm partial to a big story match, but I really felt like everything came to a head in this match. I mean there was so much shit boiling over in '91, and this was the match where it all got nasty. Interesting that Taue was the calmest guy in the ring, despite the fact he was being a real asshole.

 

Jumbo vs Kawada, 10/24/91

 

A good match, but it felt a bit stark to me. It didn't have a big arc -- Kawada basically tried to wear Jumbo down, until Jumbo shrugged it off and killed Kawada, reaffirming what we already knew, that Jumbo was still _The Man._ To be honest, I thought their exchanges in the 6-man tags were more exciting than this, and I'd expect a singles match to escalate that, not fall into predictable patterns.

[ohtani's jacket]

Jumbo vs Kobashi, 5/24/91

 

Hard to know how good this is... The Sapporo crowd is hot (I guess they didn't get many shows up that way) and what's shown is well laid out. I don't like Kobashi that much (don't like his moveset for a guy that size), but he was perfect in the young wrestler role & the commentating keeps driving that point home.

 

Jumbo/Fuchi/Ogawa vs Misawa/Kawada/Kikuchi, 7/26

 

Eh, this is an example of them working a 6-man without any story or major booking point. The work is good, but the intensity is several notches below the best 6-mans. The finishing stretch was excellent, as usual.

 

Jumbo/Taue vs Misawa/Kawada, 11/29

 

Great match. Actually, this might be the most exciting match of the year.

 

This is a match-up I've really come to love, which is strange, because as a tag team I think Misawa and Kawada had very little rapport. Nevertheless, this was great. It was almost like a coda for the entire year -- a year in which these guys really tried to physically hurt each other. The result didn't really matter to me because the intensity never dropped off. As popular a heel as Jumbo was, this was one of those matches where he was just out-and-out pissed & Misawa came into this match with a target on this forehead (or under his eye(s) as the case may be.) On a side note, I thought Taue was brilliant in his secondary role in this match. Dunno what the elbow pad was there for, but the legitmacy of Taue the worker continues.

[ohtani's jacket]

So, I decided to go back and watch more 1991 All Japan, since, IMO, '91 > 93-94.

 

This time I concentrated on the Gordy & Williams vs. Misawa & Kawada feud, including two very good singles matches (Misawa vs. Gordy and Kawada vs. Williams), MVC vs. Misawa/Kobashi and the two Gordy/Williams vs. Misawa/Kawada tag matches.

 

I gotta say I prefer the old heavyweight style more. It's slower, but Gordy and Williams actually get to play heels and there's -- gasp -- matwork. I read a quote from Baba saying one of the reasons they moved in a new direction was the lack of great American wrestlers coming to Japan (i.e. no touring NWA champion and no AWA), but like the Matsunagas, who thought there couldn't be idols anymore, the new All Japan style was unsustainable really. Japanese professional wrestling shot itself in the foot in many respects in the 90s, stylistic changes being one of them, if you ask me.

 

Anyway, this stuff smokes the big, dopey Williams & Ace tag matches I've been watching.