[1995-09-25-NJPW-G1 Climax Special] Koji Kanemoto vs Wild Pegasus

[Superstar Sleeze]

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Koji Kanemoto vs Wild Pegasus - NJPW 9/25/95

If anyone has Kanemoto’s title defenses against Benoit, 3/13/95 and Ohtani, 4/16/95 please dm me. I plan on watching at least one of the two Sabu championship matches from this year. It seems like 1995 is important year to understand Kanemoto. Benoit had a wicked good match with Regal two days prior to this. I thought this was very good and not as good as Regal/Benoit match. 
 

This is a Benoit spot fest but what I like about a Benoit spot fest is at least the spots have snap and do not feel overly cooperative. There is just no connective tissue. 
 

Customary 5 minutes of New Japan wrestling to open. Benoit applies the surfboard really nice Kanemoto drop toehold escape into a heel hook. Benoit does his standard knuckle lock monkey flip sequence which always looks cool. 
 

The match picks up when Benoit catapults Kanemoto to the outside through the middle rope which looked cool as did his dive. Kanemoto quashed Benoit opening onslaught with leg kicks and leg lace. Kanemoto seemed to want to stymie Benoit who is an offensive dynamo by working holds. Kanemoto suplexed Benoit over the top rope to the floor in a sick spot. Kanemoto get his patented twisting senton but misses moonsault and this leads to Benoit finally opening up. We get the snap suplex. Top rope belly to back. He missed the first Diving Headbutt but scored with the second. He hits Mutha of All Powerbombs man when he busts that out against Juniors always looked wicked. Kanemoto snaps off some Frankensteiners and his moonsault but nothing doing. German Suplex and Dragon Suplex are Benoit’s last gasp. The Dragon Suplex got a lot of heat. Kanemoto hot a top rope twisting Senton and Tiger Suplex for the anti-climatic win. 
 

I have seen a smattering of Kanemoto I think he is solid but not special. I think that was the case here. It was missing that urgency and desperation down the stretch. All the moves looked tight but I was not emotionally stirred. *** 1/2