[2001-07-20 NJPW-Dome Quake] Kazuyuki Fujita vs Don Frye

[Superstar Sleeze]

IWGP Champion Kazuyuki Fujita vs Don Frye - NJPW 7/20/01 Sapporo Dome

As much shit as the Inokiist Era gets, it did pretty massive business until it ran itself into the ground. Undercard looks kinda interesting Nagata vs Coleman, I’d say Mutoh vs  Chono does not intrigue me but it is 2001 Mutoh so it could be cool. This match here underwhelmed.

Both dudes look cool as fuck and I want them to be great pro wrestlers but they really aren’t. Besides that awesome Fujita vs SHIBATA match he just doesn’t have that killer charisma you want. I think the biggest difference between Inokiist NJPW and 90s Shoot-Style is NJPW is too influenced by MMA and it leads to a generally uninteresting style of ground & pound and mounts and guards. It can be entertaining and great but it has not been. The front half of this was boring takedowns. Business picked up when Fujita did his one calling card: the ground & pound knees to head which leads to the Frye powder. Frye came back firing with punches which leads to a Fujita powder. They brawl on the outside, solid but not the best shoot style brawl I’ve seen. Fujita finished him with a Guillotine Choke. I hope some other matches delivered on this show as this did not.