[2000-12-31-Inoki-Bom-Ba-Ye] Naoya Ogawa vs Tadao Yasuda

[Superstar Sleeze]

Naoya Ogawa vs Tadao Yasuda - Inoki BOM Ba Ye 12/31/00

What a stacked card that drew 40000+ to the Osaka Dome on New Years Eve. Inoki vs Renzo Gracie main events with Mutoh, Frye, Shamrock, Sakuraba, Hashimoto and Fujiwara on the undercard. I’m surprised how middle of the pack this is on the card. I know Yasuda got pushed hard in 2002 but was he really pushed yet? My Cagematch research made it seemed like he didn’t get the big push until next year. Would’ve been interesting to see Fujita in this slot. Unlike the UFO show in 2002 this is clearly a work. Although I’m 99% sure Yasuda had to stand there and take live rounds from Ogawa. He was not KO’d but he got cut up, his face looked like shit and he looked out of it. I guess it was a worked shoot. As after Ogawa pulverized him with punches he submitted with a choke. Yasuda bumrushed him at the bell with Sumo Slaps and the shoving the ref down by Yasuda is all you need to know this is a work. Ogawa uses a great front kick to corner Yasuda and unloads to set up the finish. It is 1:37 so nothing anyone has to see but an interesting card. It shows how hot New Japan was at the time that they could this and the 1/4 Dome so close and draw big. Americans may have not liked This style but it drew big money.