Maeda shootkicking Choshu

[KinchStalker]

There's an Igapro article about Maeda's second stint in New Japan, which addresses that. You know how these Japanese sources are about never totally breaking kayfabe, but nevertheless there's a thread or two that I haven't seen brought up in English-language recounts of the incident. Maeda claims that he tapped Choshu on the shoulder because he expected Choshu to turn towards him to set it up, but Choshu turned the other way instead and bore the brunt of the kick. According to the article, Maeda came up with this spot because he felt that he needed to top Tenryu, who had brutalized Hiroshi Wajima with unprotected kicks in a recent singles match. Inoki and Sakaguchi apparently knew it was an accident, but they suspended Maeda to cool down the situation (this coupled with the accidental Fujinami injury from 1986.06.12 wasn't a good look for him). 
 

[DGinnetty]

Hmm.  Earlier in this match, Maeda and Choshu squared off, and I thought they both appeared uncooperative, to the point that it looked a little out of place.

Thanks for keeping my favorite wrestling message board thread EVER alive!

Dan Ginnetty

 

[NintendoLogic]

If you look at the video of the incident, Maeda does put his hand on Choshu's back before throwing the kick, but it looks like he's doing it to steady himself rather than to give Choshu a heads-up. The kick is certainly way too quick for Choshu to have a realistic chance to protect himself.

As for why he did it, I've read that it was largely fueled by resentment over Choshu leapfrogging him in the company hierarchy after returning from All Japan. Meltzer has said that going to a double countout against Kerry Von Erich at Korakuen also played a part. Supposely, he had to do something to redeem himself in the eyes of the hardcore fans since a DCOR with a fake American wrestler at the UWF's home base made him look like a sellout. But according to Cagematch, that match took place in May of 1986, a year and a half before the Choshu incident, so the timeline doesn't add up.