[1989-10-14-AJPW] Jumbo Tsuruta, Great Kabuki & Kenta Kobashi vs Genichiro Tenryu, Toshiaki Kawada, Ricky Fuyuki

[Superstar Sleeze]

Jumbo Tsuruta, Great Kabuki & Kenta Kobashi vs Genichiro Tenryu, Toshiaki Kawada, Ricky Fuyuki - AJPW 10/14/89

On paper, this looks like a pretty killer Jumbo's Army vs Revolution match! Looking forward to BABY KOBASHI~! vs Young Kawada! It is 1989 All Japan tag so stream of consciousness:

Great Kabuki has Ultimate Warrior facepaint on! Kabuki just seems like a weird fit in ultra-serious All Japan. Inoki always liked the freaks more, seems like he'd be a better fit for New Japan. We start with the big guns right off the bat. Three days prior to the his Jumbo won the Triple Crown. Jumbo is able to nail his High Knee early and raise his fist to the crowd. Second one and Tenryu doesnt look good. Jumbo pulls him by the hair to his corner. Kobashi tags in and double teams with Jumbo. Dropkick to Tenryu sends him into Kawada. Kawada tags in. Kobashi heads him off at the pass. Another dropkick for Kawada. Kobashi has plucky white meat babyface offense. He wraps Kawada up in a front chancery. Kawada powers out and sits him up on a neutral corner and slaps the taste out of his mouth. Tags in Fuyuki with a reverse elbow and then a Boston Crab. Kobashi powers out, roll up sequence. Headlock/headscissors get again, face off applause, a harbinger of whats to come in the wrestling world. Kobashi applies a cross armbreaker to Fuyuki this being in 1989 not sold properly. Kobashi tags in. Kabuki has the best uppercuts! Nice meaty lariat from Kabuki. He looks weird but a great wrestler. Nice armbar takedown from Kabuuki as he works an armbar. Armwringers and another armbar takedown. It has been all Jumbo's Army for the most part. Kobashi double axehandle to Fuyuki's arm, drop toehold but Fuyuki affords a tag to Tenryu who tags over with back body  drop and bodyslam. Kawada dropkick after he tags in. Nice bodyslam/Senton combo. Kawada looks great as always. Kawada moves to the Single Leg Crab, but no stepping on his head. Great stretch though but Kawada. VICIOUS CHOP BY Tenryu! Nice crossbody but Kobashi tags out to Kabuki. Kabuki throws some amazing uppercuts that ring Tenryu's bell, amazing Tenryu standing selling. Fuyuki chops to Kabuki who doesnt fight back. Bodyslam/legdrop combo. Kabuki superkick. Jumbo high knee! Jumbo chinlock on Fuyuki. Jumbo abdominal stretch. Kawada breaks it up. Kobashi missile dropkick as Jumbo holds. It blows him so far away Kawada tags in. Kobashi heads off at pass again and then vertical suplex back to front chancery. Kawada kicks in the corner. Kawada big vertical suplex. Kobashi spinning heel kick gets two. Kabuki great body punches to Kawada. Is Kabuki good in the US? Nobody ever talks about him. 

Kabuki drops down into a tight leglace. It actually looks good and I hate that hold. Kabuki drops the knee into the knee. Those body punches were great. Does Great Kabuki vs Fujiwara exist?

Tenryu breaks it up and Kobashi tags in. Kobashi with an amazing Single Leg Crab. Kawada uses free leg to kick Kobashi in the mush. Jumbo sets too early and allows tag to Tenryu. Jumbo owns Tenryu again with High Knee for third time, but on the fourth time, Tenryu HOTSHOTS JUMBO! Cowboy kick! Tenryu tries for the Reverse Top Rope Elbow, but Kabuki interferes. Jumbo Death Lariat in th corner! Jumbo brings him over to Kobashi who fires away. Tenryu SMOKES Koabashi with a chop. Kobashi crashes and burns on a dropkick. Kobashi deadweights on a suplex attempt. Kobashi wins the suplex struggle. Kawada tags in and spinning heel kick for two. Kawada Frenetic Lariat! Tenryu tags in Footloose Lariat in corner as Tenryu looks contemptuously down at Kobashi. Tenryu chops to Kobashi. Tenryu bodyslam with authority on Kobashi and Cowboy Kick. Kobashi powerslam on Fuyuki wisely tags in the FIghting Machine that is Kabuki. Snap suplex and neckbreaker by Kabuki. Jumbo vs Tenryu! JUMBO DEATH LARIAT! 1-2-NO! Holy shit! He smoked him. Jumbo wants the Buttrerfly suplex. Tenryu back body drop. Kawada tags in and kicks Jumbo a bunch. Kawada gets low on Suplex attempt but Jumbo is well too Jumbo for Kawada. Jumbo tags in the workrate God Kabuki. Kabuki bodylam! Kabuki dropkick on Kawada. Kabuki tags in Kobashi. Kobashi chop on Kawada and crossbody. Tenryu a double axehandle helps Kawada get a  suplex on Kobashi. Sandwich kick as as called by announcer as Footloose double team Kobashi for two. Kobashi Kappou Kick why he did stop doing that! Kawada missed the dropkick. Kobashi tags in Jumbo. Jumbo nearly takes Kawada's head off with High Knee. Kobashi back in. Kobashi Fisherman Suplex on Kawada. I am pretty sure Revoluton is going to win they are getting their asses kicked. 

Koabashi Kappou Kick and baseball slide as Kawada goes to outside. Kawada slams Kobashi onto railings and tags in Fuyuki. Fuyuki abdominal stretch. Kobashi hiptoss out. Tenryu Tenryu slashing chop on Kobashi. Back body drop and Cowboy Kicks! Tenryu suplex. Fuyuki back to the abdominal stretch NO ROLLING CRADLE! POPEPD ME! Even though crowd doesnt care. Kobashi tags in Jumbo. Jumbo High Knee to Fuyuki to surprise of no one. Good Jumbo vs Kawada fire fight ends with a Jumbo big boot. Kabuki back in, Hell Yeah! Kawada spinning heel kick, Kabuki evades and doesnt sell shit. He just throws sick uppercuts and thrust kicks. Fuyuki Thesz Press for to! Excellent Kabuki uppercut coming from Sweet Home Nobeoka!

Kobashi reverse crossbody for two. Fuyuki kneelift and tags in Kawada. Kawada kicks at midsection. Kawada overzealous and they end up Spinning Heel Kicks simultaneously. Kobashi dropkicks Tenryu repeatedly, spinning Heel kicks. Tenryu Lariat! Kobashi Kicks Out! Tenryu Double Leg Takedown Finish but Kabuki uses sweet uppercut to break up the pin. Tenryu tries again but Kabuki shoves Kobashi on top for him for two! Kobashi crashes and burns coming off top but get inside cradle for two. Kobashi about to take a nap soon me thinks. Tenryu powerbombs as Footloose stands guard for the win. Callled it!

This is a workrate-driven, action-packed tag that never drags but also really never crescendos or gets out of second gear. It is six kickass wrestlers so it is still very good. Kabuki and Kobashi raise this above good, but doesnt quite get to great. ***3/4