[1995-01-25-RINGS] Akira Maeda vs Volk Han

[superkix]

This match rules, are you kidding me? Maeda made his "return" to greatness in 1994 against Yoshihisa Yamamoto and he's still got it. They go at it to open, chasing each other with strikes, and then Han takes Maeda to the ground and gets him in a dope inverted STF...I don't even know with Han and his crazy holds. Maeda's nose gets busted less than a minute into the match and he's just trying to survive Han's submissions and strike him down. Awesome moment where Han has him in a standing leglock and kicks Maeda's arm away in order to get the single leg crab. Good back-and-forth on the mat with tons of reversals. Maeda's able to get a few kicks in on Han but Han knows Maeda's leg is injured and like a shark to blood, Han is all about getting that leg. In the end, he traps it and then Maeda's arm, and Maeda finally taps to give Han the Mega Battle Tournament! 

[Superstar Sleeze]

Akira Maeda vs Volk Han - RINGS 1/25/95

The annual biggest RINGS show of the year the finals of the Mega Battle Tournament in the Budokan. 
 

It might be my anti-Maeda bias but this didnt do a lot for me. It felt too pro-style and cooperative. It seemed to me that Volk Han was wrestling down to Maeda. Han had a pretty serious single leg crab and watch how organically he applies it but he kinda just lets Maeda reverse it. You can feel how deflated the crowd was. There was more downtime on the mat than normal. Maeda’s best stuff is his stand up but not exactly where Han excels. Maeda tags him pretty good early to earn a down. Han rips off a Double Wristlock, Legbar and  another heel hook to start racking up points. He almost pisses it all away attacking stand up and getting rocked again. Even the finish was not that cool as they end up in the bundle of leg locks but Han was able to slip in the submission. A lot of people hype up Maeda and I truly went in with an open mind but this was pretty flat. ***