[2010-10-24-AJPW Anniversary Tour] Masanobu Fuchi & Osamu Nishimura vs Minoru Suzuki & Yoshiaki Fujiwara

[Ma Stump Puller]

Really fun feature bout between all of the great old-school grapplers....and a bored Suzuki, I guess. Fujiwara/Nishimura is a dream match that would've probably been one of my personal GOAT-tier pairings had they ever faced off, this is unfortunately as close as we get to that happening and it's hardly much to really appreciate given the undercard state this is plopped in. Their stuff is, however, still pretty sturdy. Fuji at his age isn't much of a workrate guy but he's a master of the small things; him getting flustered after being caught out by a sneaky Nishimura elbow smash going along with his usual fancy knuckle-lock/handstand spot just to get his arm exposed for a sneaky armbar; just great little moments to really get over his experience and craftiness over the younger talent, really felt like I was watching UWF Fuji for a moment at points. Suzuki put on a pretty average performance and Fuchi is mostly here just to get beat up by the other two and/or do comedy, he's fine doing that so I won't judge the guy. Match mostly goes as per expected, Nishimura/Fuji easily have the most intense showings with stiff shots exchanged and actual heat felt with the two with every little bit between them mounting to a explosive finish. Everything else was just Fuchi being goofy or Suzuki working the very minimum.

Him and Nishimura have a fun stiff striking battle near the end that's decent (a lot better than Suzuki's shitty touring extravaganza version we suffer through these days) but everything else was bleh and not a touch on their prior NJPW encounters. Finish has some move-stealing from both duos as Fujiwara and Suzuki do mirror spots, Fuchi tries for some Nishimura-style roll-ups but gets wrecked after a failed fighting spirit bit right into a Gotch Piledriver for the quick and easy win. All in all a pretty average affair that only gets truly great when Nishimura is allowed to cook with Fuji, it's basically just a extended tease for a matchup that never happens....pretty sad thinking about that still. Fuchi's usual goofy uncle comedy is fine as it always is but I do wish he was given a moment to at least try to look competent here. Suzuki does basically the average late 2000's and beyond lazy performance bar some moments when he cares a tad more than usual.