[1989-10-20-AJPW] Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki

[Superstar Sleeze]

All Asia Tag Team Champions Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki - AJPW 10/20/89

The third iteration of this matchup which is highly regarded that has not yet blown me away. I feel they are in good to great status. The Can-Ams underwhelmed me against Kobashi & Joe Malenko too. Always have an open mind, lets see what they do here, it is a 1989 AJPW Tag team match, stream of consciousness:

Interested to see what the crowd dynamics for this are. Kroffat shoulder tackles Fuyuki. Kroffat works a crossarmbreakr on Fuyuki. It is 1989 so this is not sold properly. Fuyuki stomps his way out. Tags in Kawada. Kawada has been great in so much of 1989. Really want to see a great performance here from hm. Double shoulder tackle. Bodyslam/Senton combo. Kawada kicks kicks in the corner. Kroffat nails him right on the button with a superkick. Kawada throws his ass down. Furnas comes in. Fuyuki tags in too. Furnas knucklelock no? Fuyuki slaps him and Furnas does not take liking to that. [EDIT: This was the spark that led to the heated Can-Ams/Fuyuki interactions throughout the match] Furnas has Fuyuki on the ropes and slaps him and then kicks him through the ropes. It is mugging on the outside. They thrash Fuyuki. Furnas tags in Kroffat. Double shoulder tackles by Can-Ams. Kroffat Single Leg Crab on Fuyuki. Kroffat DDT on a telegraphed back drop by Fuyuki. Gets two and Kroffat wraps him in a chinock. Crowd has been pretty dead thus far. Another fine match so far. I liked the Furnas/Fuyki stuff the most so far. Kroffat spinning heel kick on Fuyuki. Fuyuki Lariat. Kawada Hot Tag, Spinning Heel Kick, Snap Suplex! Kawada brings some energhy! Kroffat covers up as the Kawada onslaught continues. Kawada throws him out. Kawada whips him into the railing. Fuyuki hard chop. Spinning Heel Kick sends him over the railing as Furnas checks on hom. Kroffat throws A ROW OF CHAITS in anger. Fuyuki throws them back! It is mugging of Fuyuki in the crowd! This sick! Kawada throws Kroffat in. Furnas tags in. Furnas Belly to Belly Suplex! Furnas drops into a cross armbreaker. Again this is treated like a resthold in 1989 which sucks! Terrific Military Press Slam of Kawada, Furnas back handspring so he can create more space for a lunging shouldertackle. What is this 2021? Kroffat Superfly Splash, Kroffat spits at Fuyuki. Double DDT on Kawda. Kroffat works a headlock. Kroffat Guillotine catapult on Kawada. Kawada Mack Truck Lariat! Fuyuki tags in. FOOT LOOSE CHARGE TRAIN! Furnas comes in and attacks Fuyuki to buy Kroffat some time. Big Furnas/Fuyuki brawl! HOLY SHIT! ARGENTINE BACKBREAKER GONE AWRY! Kroffat tries one, which is Furnas' forte and ends dropping Fuyuki like an out of control Razor's Ede. Damn. 

Furnas dropsault. Dropdown into a Kroffat spinning heel kick. Great double team chemistry. Crowd is wicked dead. I thin this is a step down but still pretty good. The Furnas/Fuyuki stuff has been great. Furnas Lariat in corner leaves Fuyuki slumps down in corner. Kroffat kicks in the corner. Nice Kroffat LARIAT! Kawada saves. Kroffat gets a version of the Rocking Horse submission. Lots more holds in this match but because they are not doing sustained heat segments they dont feel like they mean as much. Kawada finally has enough and kicks Kroffat in the face. Fuyuki suplex on Kroffat but Kroffat is the one up first. They do the ol double noggin knocker on a criss cross. Kroffat sells it well to tags in Furnas. Furnas needs to work on his kicks. Furnas powerslam. 15 mnutes time call expect this one to pick up. Fuyuki tags out. Kawada missile dropkick. Spinwheel kick by Kawada. Somersualt splash on Kroffat. Powerbomb by Kawada popped me.  Furnas breaks it up. Furnas gets distracted beating up Fuyuki. Kawada Lariat. Kawada decides to save Fuyuki with a crazy slingshot plancha. They do a Thesz Press Doomsday Device and Kawada blocks Furnas...1-2-3! New All Asia Tag Team Champions! 

I will say this Kawada is definitely NOT the problem in these matches! He is the one that consistently brings the energy and the fire. Furnas has been kind of downhill since the first match. I like Furnas more than I like Kroffat who has not shown me much. I think the big disconnect for me is that they act like Fuyuki is this ultimate little shit, heatseeker but he is not even like a Top 50 prick in Japanese wrestling history. I liked seeing him get mugged and bringing some fire out of the Can-Ams but I dont really feel that heat. It seems like it is a me thing because the June crowd loathed Fuyuki and I didnt really get that either. It was a very good workrate tag but nothing super special. ***1/2