[1986-04-18-AJPW] Stan Hansen vs Jumbo Tsuruta

[Superstar Sleeze]

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen vs NWA International Heavyweight Champion Jumbo Tsuruta - AJPW 4/18/86

Double championship match means there is going to be some sort of skullduggery at the finish. Hansen had just dropped his PWF Championship to Riki Choshu earlier in the month, who would keep until he returned to New Japan in 1987.  Even though, Jumbo & Hansen are each considered two of the ten greatest wrestlers who ever lived, their rivalry is generally considered lackluster and I dont really hear of anyone pointing to them having that one match that is held up as GOAT material. I do see a match from 1986 did finish highly in the DVDVR voting. It was not this one, mind you. 

Jumbo starts off pugnacious. He takes it right to the ornery, Texan bully. Overwhelming him to start and really smothering him on the ropes. I was not expecting such a hot start from Jumbo, it was most likely a fighting fire with fire deal as Hansen loves to jumpstart matches and cause chaos. Jumbo started to try to just control Hansen with a side headlock. Maybe sap his energy. Lean on Hansen, make Hansen carry his weight. Hansen is like the Tasmanian Devil. I think Jumbo is thinking it best to just control/contain until he can strike. It is a feeling out process that drips with struggle as each man has their hands in each other's faces and they are really grapple for best position, but still it is not the most entertaining or stimulating beginning to a match ever. Hansen looks poised to work an arm injury but Jumbo armdrags out of trouble and back to side headlock. Hansen eventually does get a hold of this arm and just wails on it. He drags Jumbo out of the ring and wrenches the arm against hard, metal object. Great selling by Jumbo while Hansen continues to clobber. Jumbo is able to get a well-timed kneelift up which Hansen sells well. Hansen DECKS Jumbo with a wild swinging Lariat from the apron albeit from a stationary position. Jumbo recovers, blocks the suplex attempt, and hit shis own. This kicks us into the finish stretch with Jumbo rattling off those big Jumbo highspots that we are accustomed to Baba Neckbreaker Drop, Russian Legsweep, bodyslam, High Knees Galore! Hansen goes for the Lariat, but Jumbo decks and gets the Sleeper. On the Second Attempt, Hansen BULLDOZES Jumbo with the Lariat and then both careen outside the ring. Hansen restrains Jumbo from getting back into the ring by holding onto the foot. 

Lame, albeit, expected finish aside, I liked the work, but didnt love it. The early strategy of trying to contain the normally chaotic, havoc-wreaking Hansen was smart even if it was not visually stimulating. I did appreciate all the struggle. I liked the arm psychology at first as Hansen was working the arm well, but it was ultimately meaningless and just a means to fill time. Jumbo's finish stretch was good, but I know he has bigger fireworks in his arsenal. This was only their third singles match together. Their first was in 1982 and second was in March of 1986. So they might not have had their chemistry down, BUT even more importantly, they did NOT want to blow their wad yet. With Baba waning, these were the two big stars of the promotion so you want to get a lot of rematches out of the rivalry so as a "first" match in the series, this match is tastefully executed to make you want more. ***1/2