[2003-11-03-NJPW] Yoshihiro Takayama vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan

[Superstar Sleeze]

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yoshihiro Takayama vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan - NJPW 11/3/03

Watched this at 5am when I couldn’t get back to sleep but after I finished I felt the sleep coming on so I went back to bed. Let’s see what I remember. 
 

If Tenzan winning the G-1 Climax this year was his coming out party and then would be the match that cemented him as a main event player. However long term booking doesn’t bear that out as he turns around drops the belt the next month to rookie supernova Shinsuke Nakamura and New Japan booking generally falls to shit in 2004.

This match Tenzan sheds that heel goon energy and tries his hand as a serious Ace Babyface warding off the cocky badass invader. Don’t remember his hair style at 2003 G1 Climax but he has CUT his trademark tire-track-meets-sting-ray mullet that he is known for. Your boy is serious now. As I have now watched twice, Tenzan came up short against Takayama in June when a surprise Headbutt uppercut did in the challenger. This is the rematch. 
 

They put over the stakes of the match as each wrestler so very cautious. I got the feeling that Tenzan has earned Takayama’s respect and Takayama considers him a credible threat to take the title. Tenzan feels like a young lion who has matured in front of us after 8 years or so of seasoning. He has been an asshole bruiser and a goon but in this case familiarity breeds endearment. It is very much “he’s our asshole” vibe and we need this asshole to vanquish the big bad outsider. At this point Sasaki left to go work in Choshu’s short live promotion and Kojima left for All Japan full time. It was down to Nagata and Tenzan. It felt like Tenzan’s time. He was being promoted. 
 

They do some standing arm work and jockeying for position. This is not Tenzan‘s forte. Then we get the stand up exchanges and clubbering. It is very much even Stevens. Tenzan catches a kick and works over the leg. It is general Tenzan work. Dragon Leg Screw that leads to leg locks and clubbering. Again working on top is not Tenzan’s forte but it give them a focal point in this segment and a touchstone for later. There are some weird moments of Takayama modulating his selling too high and too little that is not commensurate with the damage. Eventually Takayama rips a German Suplex like only he can. TAKAYAMA ROCKS TENZAN WITH TWO BIG KNEES TO THE HEAD!

Takayama’s size and pedigree make this work. No matter how down and out he is, all it takes is a suplex and a couple big knees and you believe he is right back into it. I would argue if you JIP to Takayama German Suplex you could argue this is a great match. It becomes the match you expect. The Invader beating down the ascendant lion who claws his way back into the match and wins. However the beginning does exist. 
 

The Takayama control segment is great. A offensive clinic with his cockiness that really rallies you behind Tenzan. The one foot cover is such a good spot. Tenzan is able to get the Tenzan Driver and the Anaconda Vice (set up by Takayama blocking the Mongolian Chops which was cool). Takayama is able to super plex Tenzan off the top. He is unnerved by Tenzan’s late rally and says playtime is over as he goes for those trademark big knee lifts. 

BULLDOZER KNEELIFT! EVEREST GERMAN! 1-2-No! Back to KNEELIFT but Tenzan attacks the knee, the callback to the beginning. This stymies Takayama BUT Takayama collapses onto Tenzan during the Tenzan Driver. Takayama goes for the cross-arm breaker but as Tenzan tries to free himself he goes from the frying pan into the fire into a Triangle Choke but makes the ropes. The match does lose its momentum when Takayama starts manhandling Tenzan with throws and hits a sick leg drop. He did a sick leg drop earlier. This feels like they are retrogressing to control segment work rather than building to a finish. Tenzan hits the Hashimikov Special or Beach Break as the kids call it. The Spinning Heel Kick which rocked Takayama in the first match, nails him here and gives Tenzan a big opening. 
 

Tenzan top rope Headbutt. Takayama comes up swinging. They be clubberin Tony! Tenzan wears him down with Mongolian Chops! Takayama lunging headbutt! Tenzan says not tonight and knocks him back down with a Headbutt of his own. I wish Takayama’s looked a bit more vicious as that would have looked so cool with Tenzan head butting him down. Two Tenzan Drivers and Tenzansault win the day. 
 

Playing off the first match finish with Tenzan absorbing the Headbutt and knocking Takayama back down with his own Headbutt is a badass idea in theory just wish execution was a little better. The leg work did come into play in the finish as Tenzan used that as a way to stymie Takayama’s momentum. Takayama looked great on offense and made Tenzan looked great. Just wish they could have tightened up the finish stretch. Very good but there’s a great match between those two lurking in here. *** 1/2