[1978-04-21-NJPW] Antonio Inoki vs Seiji Sakaguchi

[aaeo_]

Just a pure wrestling match. Still finding their work very interesting. Something like the section where Sakaguchi has Inoki in the crucifix position and tries to do an arm slicer and pin him out of it is very cool. Sakaguchi gets some big offense (loved the running knee!) and dominates most of the match, Inoki slows him down a couple of times but is almost always very overwhelmed and ends the match escaping the manjigatame just a bit before the time limit draw. A remarkably flat finish, but they restart the match! This second match is also very technical, with both wrestlers struggling to defend from the double underhook position. Inoki does a belly-to-belly suplex outside the ring and takes control from there. He tries to put away Sakaguchi with different holds (including a calf slicer, which he did a lot during this match.) but fails. Sakaguchi gets a brief comeback, but he still ends up tied up in a figure four. They reach the time limit again before Sakaguchi submits.

A thing that's struck me about NJ's style at this time is how they don't sell big impactful throws and strikes too much (or at all, sometimes), but their selling for submissions is usually very good.

[Makai Club #1]

Out of all 70s Puro Wrestlers, Sakaguchi is probably a personal favourite of mine. His big lanky frame and legit skill makes for a great match always. Inoki was game for it, rounding this out to be an excellent match - a purist dream. Inoki keeps going for the legs but switches gears when Sakaguchi defends against it, turning into a chess match that leads to three stale mates. Two time limit draws and a double count out. The pop when it was announced that 10 minute minutes was being added was huge. Quality bout with outstanding submission wrestling. ****1/4

[Superstar Sleeze]

I am pretty sure Inoki won the match by countout after a top rope flying knee to the floor.

Antonio Inoki vs Seiji Sakaguchi - NJPW 4/21/78 MSG Series

The opening match in the MSG Series, successor to the World League and precursor to the IWGP & G1 Leagues. Don’t be fooled by New Japan World this is not the Final, the final pits Inoki vs Andre on 5/30. I have not seen too much of Sakaguchi. It is his size that leaps off the page but not much else. Perhaps as I watch more of him, I will grow to appreciate him more but he seems like a solid hand. 
 

The match started as a pretty good Ace vs Second Banana technical contest with tempers flaring but they progressively lost steam down the stretch so this settled into the good, not great territory. The opening 30 minutes was surprisingly very Sakaguchi heavy on offense. Inoki really could not get much started. Besides an open salvo Saito Suplex that caused Sakaguchi to powder and some leg work, Sakaguchi stymied Inoki at every turn using his size, technique and most importantly his willingness to bend the rules and roughhouse to his advantage. The holds and amateur style takedowns and defense are a wrestling Purist dream. There is a great back heel trip by Sakaguchi on a rope break. That’s what I mean by blending the purity of amateur style with the storytelling of the professional style showing gamesmanship. There’s early warning signs. Each man chokes the other a little bit ;)  but the ref is on it. Sakaguchi romps and stomps. Inoki wants to pull Sakaguchi out to the floor but can’t pull the trigger. It is Sakaguchi who finally lets it rips with strikes and wiping Inoki out with two wedgie style piledrivers. The ref doesn’t not count the pin because used the tights illegally to execute the move. God bless 1978 Japan! Sakaguchi hits an Atomic Stomp and even grabs the Octopus Stretch as time expires at the 30 minute mark. I thought this was great. I do have some issues with Inoki’s selling. He was doing a lot of not selling which is different than no selling. He was NOT registering the pain of the previous move or hold. He was just living onto the next one. On the flip side, Sakaguchi registered the pain of the Saito Suplex powdered acknowledged Inoki almost got him, realized it was kill or be killed and came back stronger. That’s a proper register. Inoki was being dominated but he was not very compelling underneath.

They restart the match and this 10 minute stretch is not very good. They lose all the steam and storyline thread of the previous 30 minutes. Predictably it is Inoki’s turn to get on top. He dominates with holds and a Bombs Away Knee. It feels really heatless. He does clock Sakaguchi with a sick mule kick. This ten minute overtime ends with an Inoki figure-4 as time limit expires. I am assuming since they finished with Sakaguchi applying Inoki’s hold in the first period that the figure-4 is Sakaguchi’s hold? Am I right?

Third reset not surprisingly this is quick. Inoki does his famous sliding kicks to the big man as they go out the ring. Inoki shoved him into the post and hits a BOMBS AWAY KNEE DROP FROM THE TOP ROPE TO THE FLOOR! Sick finish. Normalize countout finishes again in pro wrestling.

There is some good stuff no doubt but it is hard to call this more than good. The heat just isn’t there and there is a lack of progression. The Bombs Away Kneedrop At the end is sick but feels tacked on. They had not worked the match to a fever pitch yet. ***1/4