[2002-04-10-AJPW Champions Carnival] Keiji Mutoh vs Mike Barton

[Superstar Sleeze]

Keiji Mutoh vs Mike Barton - AJPW 4/10/02 Champions Carnival Final

MUTHAFUCKA~! Pro Wrestling Love Pose! SHINING WIZARD! God Bless Mutoh! Mutoh took two big L’s to start the year he dropped the Triple Crown titles to Kawada in February at the Budokan and lost to Tenryu on 4/1 in the Carnival. Thankfully for him Mike Barton of all people beat Tenryu in the Semis while Mutoh beat Kojima in the other semis. 
 

This match is a bit odd. It has the pacing of a 20-30 minute match but it is sub-10mins but somehow it all works. They do a New Japan chain sequence to start nothing to write home about. Mutoh dropkicks the knee. Dragon Leg Screw. Figure-4. You know the drill. 2001 Mutoh cruise control. SHINING WIZARD BUT WAIT BARTON BLOCKS! What really makes this match work is how much Barton commits to the sell and how much much Mutoh also commits to sell. It feels like we are at 15-20 minute mark instead of the 5 minute mark. The rest of the match really becomes can Mutoh hit the Shining Wizard. Barton has two high spots one is a top rope elbow drop. I love when he struggles to get up and his one knee you can see how excited Mutoh gets but BLOCKED~! Again. Great selling by both Barton knee gives out on a suplex and I audibly said to myself “is this match good?”. Ace Crusher by Barton his only other high spot no left hand today. Mutoh goes back to the knee. Shining Wizard followed by a MUTHAFUCKA Pro Wrestling Love Shining Wizard! 1-2-No! Backbreaker -> Moonsault. Mutoh after taking a couple big losses wins the Carnival bur will lose to Tenryu at the Budokan to crown a new Triple Crown Champion because of Kawada’s injury. Rocky start to Mutoh’s 2002. Selling wins the day and the Muthafucka popped me enough. Good craic *** 1/4