[2002-10-27-AJPW] Genichiro Tenryu vs Great Muta

[Superstar Sleeze]

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Genichiro Tenryu vs Great Muta - AJPW 10/27/02

The big October Anniversary show at the Budokan, the biggest main event they could deliver without Kawada or any outsiders. The beauty of Mutoh is once you have run his matches in to the ground with someone you can always run one with The Great Muta. This doesn’t touch their ‘96 WAR classic but it is on par with their April title match.

It is the Great Muta so lots of slow-paced brawling which sometimes works and sometimes is boring. This is more the latter. Lots of looking under the ring he finds that wicker witch’s broom again but doesn't use it. He spews some mist. He finally kicks into gear with a bell Shot. It takes a lot to make Tenryu bleed he finally gets there with the bell hammer and array of other things. Tenryu clobbers him a water bottle but Muta fights through. I wish Tenryu fought back more or sold more interestingly. Tenryu takes back over by spewing the water in the eyes of Muta! He runs through his offense: Punch/Chop, Enziguiri, Brainbuster (which beat Mutoh in April), Top Rope Reverse Elbow and Powerbomb. Just not enough heat or struggle. Too neat. Muta knees out of brainbuster. Gets chair but Tenryu gets the chair and throws it at him! MIST~! That was cool. Tenryu blocks the Shining Wizard. DROPKICK to the knee which in most matches is ho hum but in Mutoh match means a lot. Tenryu hits his Spider German which is a crazy thing to do at 50. Tenryu goes for 3rd Brainbuster but Mutoh hits the Bicycle Kick. There is so weird awkward shit down the stretch. Muta Shining Wizard the ref but im not sure he was supposed to because the ref didn’t really sell like a traditional ref bump and it look awkward. Some of the pauses after the Shining Wizards to Tenryu were clunky. He won with a moonsault.

It was fine there was so good stuff but this 2002 work says leave the memories along the 96 WAR match and 01 All Japan match are classics watch those. ***