[1998-06-03-NJPW] Genichiro Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka vs Satoshi Kojima & Manabu Nakanishi

[MrMoonlight]

The kind of NJPW tag match where they really try to create something special, pretty much in line with what AJPW were doing at that time. It’s the semi final of the iwgp tournament with NJPW young guns vs the outsiders team of WAR Tenryu and Heisei Ishingun leader Koshinaka.

Here there’s a huge spotlight on Nakanishi working as a face in peril after a suplex from the apron to the outside by Tenryu (a spot they would eventually use in the finals on Chono). The hope spots stopped by Tenryu and koshinaka are a pleasure to watch. Tenryu is at his old grumpy bastard’s best. Kojima as the face in fire is pretty good as well in there. There’s a great moment when Koshinaka is trapped in Nakanishi’s torture rack and it feels like he will quit while we can see Tenryu getting Kojima out to save the day for the veterans. The crowd is on fire in the kokugikan; reacting big for Tenryu’s antics and rooting for the young bulls.

 

Not a classic epic but one of those really strong and memorable tags from NJPW with Tenryu being just great in a big match environment. 3.75*