[1980-04-04-NJPW] Mike Graham vs Tatsumi Fujinami

[SAMS]

1980-04-04
NJPW
Mike Graham (c) vs. Tatsumi Fujinami
NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title Match
City Gymnasium, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
Card
★★★

Graham was rocking this spectacular 70s afro perm complete with the porno moustache. He tried his best but he didn’t quite match the sleaze factor Steamboat managed with his moustache at this time.
Fujinami must have taken around 90% of this, working over the arm again and again and thoroughly controlling Graham every step of the way. The pacing was very staccato, Graham trying to make comebacks every once in a while but each time Fujinami would efficiently cut him off. The fact that this dynamic continued through ⅔ of this match was a bit much though. It would have served it better if they’d cut bait, shaved off the additional 5 minutes and transitioned into the finish earlier or just decided to go in a different direction.
After teasing it a few times and commentary mentioning it relentlessly all match, Graham finally had the opportunity to lock on his version of the figure four. Fujinami missed a knee drop off the top and Graham went to work. I liked how they built the necessary tension this way but they weren’t able to milk it for all it was worth though and Fujinami somewhat easily made it to the ropes. The finishing stretch had a nice plancha from Fujinami and he teased his tope but Graham continuing to go after the leg opened him up to receiving a German Suplex and Fujinami bridged perfectly to seal the win and snatch the title from the Floridian.