[2001-03-17-NJPW-Hyper Battle 2001 Night 12] Kensuke Sasaki vs Scott Norton

[Superstar Sleeze]

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kensuke Sasaki vs Scott Norton - NJPW 3/17/01

Man if you were Kensuke in January you must have thought you were sitting pretty you just won IWGP Title back at the Biggest Show of the Year against inter promotional rival Kawada, Hashimoto is leaving to form Zero-One, Mutoh had one foot out the door to All Japan. You were poised to be the Ace of the biggest promotion in Japan leading it into 21st century. Two months later your dropping the belt to fucking Scott Norton so he could transition it to Inoki’s shiny new toy, Kazuyuki Fujita. What a roller coaster.

Weird match. Liked some of it but strange finish. They do a bunch of good Clash of Titans shit. Tight lock ups, test of strength, chops and shoulder block battles. Two alpha rams type shit. Sasaki hits a sick cross body block through ropes onto the floor. Exposes the floor and bodyslams Norton on it. Great suplex struggle on the apron that Sasaki win. This I all love. Sasaki throws one too many lariats so Norton’s catches him in a slam and then A shoulder breaker. Even when I was a little kid I always thought Norton should follow up the  shoulder breaker with an armbar or something it looks weird as a finisher. Scott Hall is here. Norton’s still has NWO gear even though Final Nitro is around now. Norton gets a long chinlock. Sasaki transition is lame he just takes over. Loved the Lariat to the knee along the apron. Great chop block. Sasaki struggles with an inverted figure-4. This is where the match gets weird as they had a good thing going with the battle of the bulls and now leg psychology but instead they just start throwing bombs. They fuck up a pump handle slam. Norton throws in a flash roll up which I bite on because it would protect Kensuke. Powerbomb but nope. Sasaki just roars back with that Arn drag thing he does such a strange transition. Tejana Bomb. 1-2No! Clobbers him with a Lariat. Nope, winds up again but Norton ducks and flattens him with his own for the shock win,

This must have been very surprising at the time. Finish stretch was weird but the body of the match was entertaining. Sasaki as Ace we hardly knew ya. ***