[1990-07-20-UWF-Mind] Akira Maeda vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara

[Control21]

Another masterclass from Yoshiaki Fujiwara. When people talk about how great Fujiwara was as a defensive wrestler, this is the type of performance they have in mind. He is constantly on the back foot against Maeda, but he is constantly looking for ways to counter and reverse. There's always an element of danger because Fujiwara can change the tide of the match at any second. Maeda appears to be in control for one moment, and then suddenly Fujiwara can reverse a Boston crab attempt into a beautiful leg scissors, which totally flusters Maeda. Maeda's performance in this match is fantastic as well. He plays off Fujiwara's strengths and allows him to shine, while creating enough of a threat to make the crowd buy into a potential Fujiwara upset. That pays off big time, because this match has one of the best finishing stretches I've seen. Maeda gets flustered with Fujiwara's magisterial ability to play defense, and he goes all out with offense....but this gives Fujiwara the opening he needs to get a huge victory. The undisciplined kicks turn into a captured leg, and Maeda's attempt to break Fujiwara loose with undisciplined palm strikes turns into a Fujiwara armbar attempt that is right in the middle of the ring. There is no escape for Maeda here. Only defeat. Fantastic match that should serve as a textbook example of how to structure a wrestling match around defense and sudden turns in the tide. ****3/4