[2003-07-21-NJPW] Yoshihiro Takayama vs Masahiro Chono

[Superstar Sleeze]

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yoshihiro Takayama vs Masahiro Chono - NJPW 7/21/03

Takayama is a promoters dream: size, power, look,technique (stand-up and on the mat) and charisma. I have made no bones about it, Chono is my least favorite Japanese heavyweight Main eventer pre-2005. A lot of this match hinges on the fact that Chono beat Takayama in the previous year G-1 Climax Final. 
 

Takayama throttles Chono to start. Big boot. Butterfly suplex. Kneelift. Oh how Takayama has a glorious kneelift. Stinging kicks to the knee. It is a clinic. Chono kinda wrestles this like he is wrestling a shooter. His offense comes in the ropes and on the floor. The turning point for him is when Takayama is returning to the Ring on the apron, he hits a Shining Wizard. Chono is laborious on offense but he somehow cuts Takayama open which adds to the intrigue of otherwise uninspired clubbering session. I did like him working the cut with punches. Takayama butterfly suplexes off the top and goes back to work. Awesome Takayama control segment big running dropkicks. Tears the tights to expose the knee brace. Kicks to the knee, leg locks. He is just manhandling. I thought Chono was going back on offense with a dropkick to the knee but Takayama BLASTS him with two High Knees to the head. Legdrop. Takayama looks to be cruising to victory when Chono the coward that he is uses the ref to anchor him on an Everest German causing him to crash down with all his weight on Takayama. Flying shoulder tackle. STF~! The one Chono spot always guaranteed to get heat. Octopus Stretch, man, Inoki really liked him for some reason. Flying Shoulder tackle again. This is where having seen the G1 Climax Finals match comes in handy. Chono won with a barrage on Yakuza Kicks to a kneeling Takayama. Here we go again. I hated This spot in 2002 and dont like it in 2003. Takayama withstands the barrage, hits his own big boot, Everest German for the Double KO finish to set up the Big Cage match.

Enjoyed Takayama’s performance both offensively and tried to make Chono look good. Chono was clearly outgunned. He wrestled that way for the most part, Shining Wizard in the ropes, bloodied Takayama, used the ref to avoid the German. I he is just not that interesting. What left a bad taste in my mouth is they tried to present him as an equal at the finish. These were two badass warriors who spent it all in the Ring and fought to this epic double KO and just wasn’t buying it. Haven’t seen a Takayama match in a while but it is always fun. *** 1/4