[2006-05-03 NJPW] Brock Lesnar vs Giant Bernard

[Superstar Sleeze]

IWGP Champion Brock Lesnar vs Giant Bernard - NJPW 5/3/06

Inokiiam ends with a whimper not a bang. Im pretty sure this is the last IWGP title defense under Antonio Inoki and it is a Smackdown 2002-03 match. Also 5/3 was a typical Dome show date and it was not a Dome show in 2006 showing how far the business has fallen.

This starts interesting but gets progressively less interesting. Bernard throws a better clothesline than Brock. One of the few things Brock does not do well is throw lariats. Brock actually wrestlers small here which makes for a better match. Bernard is winning the clothesline war and using his bulk to bully Brock around. It is only on an errant charge to the post that Brock takes over a very small spot. Brock suplexes and when Bernard tries to use his weight Brock puts Bernard’s injured arm into a vicious top wristlock. Great sell. Fujiwara armbar less so. You can tell Brock is a product of the early 2000s because he uses a toe kick to set up moves that is so out of style now it is jarring. Big belly to belly. More arm submissions starts to drag. Albert actually picks things up on a switch into the corner. It is charges and shouldertackles that win. Baldo Bomb sets up his finishing run with a Vaderbomb and Scissors Kick. On 2nd Vaderbomb Brock hits a German. Pair of DDTs what he beat Akebono with but this time it is the F-5 that wins the day.

I am confident enough in my Brock love to know this was not his day. There was so good bumping and selling early. I thought he was much better at wrestling underneath to A-Train who had great offense. Brock obviously is a great offensive wrestler but I don’t think he brought it today. ***