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Post by jetlag on Jun 12, 2018 8:40:59 GMT -5
tl;dr it's stiff and has good matwork'n'shiiiiit. Hase's best match by a vast margin.
Actually, I thought the matwork in this was brilliant. Hashimoto may look clumsy, but anytime he did something it felt innovative, while Hase was really aggressive and trying to use his powerful takedowns to his advantage. Once they stood up this turned into a festival of pure distillated death. If I had been asked who threw the hardest chops before I probably would've said Tenryu or Kobashi, but Hase of all people may outdo them both in this one, just trying to fell a tree. The look Hashimoto gives him before getting up and damn near splitting Hase in half with one of his own says it all. That's the kinda moments why Hash is the fucking greatest. Then I believe to take Hase's speed advantage away he decides to knock the wind out of him in the nastiest manner possible. He really establishes basic moves like toe kicks or body scissors as deadly by doing them in the most violent manner possible. The last couple minutes felt like Shinya putting on some AJPW-ish touches to his game by busting out variations on his signature moves, but it had that distinct NJPW feel where they fight over posture and mini details like that, in between absolutely nuking eachother. Hard to believe anyone could get up from that spin kick alone. Badass match, Hashimoto is the king. |
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Post by tetsujin on Jun 15, 2018 11:50:51 GMT -5
Second second second!!
1994 is a hell of a year in terms of MOTYC, and this one is AT LEAST my second favourite one. All-time great matwork by both Hase AND Hash. Hase's urgency in this one is so great, it totally connects with the crowd. When he loses control of the match, and they start with the hard hitting and bombs, you might think this is over but Hace comes back and it's holy shit levels of greatness. Hashimoto's at his best here, but this was Hiroshi Hase's life performance. What an underrated worker and a VERY underrated match. Top 50 for me.
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Post by microstatistics on Jun 22, 2018 15:03:03 GMT -5
Third. My PWO review:
I enjoyed the initial matwork, it wasn't RINGS or the best of lucha or anything but it was intense and purposeful. Really great match with Hase bringing the urgency and Hashimoto bringing the brutality and expressive body language. The rib work and closing drama are great. I wouldn't consider it the Hashimoto classic or anything since he has had better singles matches but it is a really nice addition to his (and Hase's) resume.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Jul 28, 2018 20:18:02 GMT -5
The back half of this is amazing. Hashimoto looks amazing in this match. I prefer the structure of this over the 93 match.
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto vs Hiroshi Hase
In a diner in London just hitting highlights
-Same layout as 93 match organic matwork Hase is the better technical wrestler but Hash has size. Bomb throwing at the end is much better.
-Bundle of legs locks way too much, way too boring and who is being hurt when they are both hugging each other's legs.
-Hashimoto great selling the first ankle cross and figure-4 love how he pancakes Hase
-Hase undersized but had great takedowns, picks and trips. A marvel
-Hase tries to get all Macho with Hashimoto and HASHIMOTO OBLITERATES HIM! It was glorious how he crushed his midsection. The double foot stomp from the top and Denton were gnarly.
-Hashimoto walking into an urnage...LAME!
-Hase tornado DDT was a much better transition to his offense. He gets the big man up for some BIG bombs and the choke was OVER!
-Hashimoto HUGE Kneelifts to injured midsection. ANNIHILATES him with a spin wheel kick. Huge Fisherman Brainbuster kills him dead.
Thought the back half of this was awesome and way more focused. Hashimoto The Destroyer In All His Reigning Glory. ****1/4
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Post by shodate on Oct 1, 2019 4:00:04 GMT -5
Classic match. I think all the matwork to start this was simplistic yet great, with tons of unique counters, different strategies in play, a lot of struggle conveyed, and lots of rugged yet intricate struggle over holds to the death here. In particular, Hase went at the legs like a shark to try take away Hash's decimating kicks and slow him down. He does many brutal stomps to the leg, bends it in hard ways, tackles, and tries to scrape Hash at any given opportunity. Hash also targets the leg to take away Hase's speed advantage and tries to beast him on mat. We get Hash doing brutal leg kicks and using his weight advantage to counter Hase's attempt at a front leg hold and put him underneath. The figure four struggle was amazing, with Hase going to it every time he can and brutally trying to put pressure on it. Hash somehow counters it each time by just doing punches to the leg take it away, bend it, reverse it, etc. Those chops to the knee after exposing it was an awesome moment in particular. When Hase finally got the figure four perfectly him trying to torque the other knee was great. Hash limping in pain, struggling to get out of it, trying to reverse Hase's knee, and selling and screaming like his leg got knifed was awesome. He was doing everything he could in his power to reach the ropes with tremendous struggle. Hase getting more and more frustrated with the leg strategy not working to a great extent, him getting outmatched on mat, and that leading to a big explosion was an amazing narrative. Hash's selling of the leg with him selling it more gradually and walking with a limp was great. Then Hase decided to step up. We get a stand-up exchange and the match turns into a death-fest of pure violence. Hase hits some of the hardest fucking chops ever filmed, just making mincemeat of Hash, blasting his chest with a thud, like pure fucking gunshots. Hash giving Hase a look of disdain before just fuckin nuking him with his own chops was pretty epic. Hash then unleashes on Hase, destroying him with murder kicks directly to the chest. Hash working over the liver with knees and directly striking it down with short punches was great. Him casually stepping over it from the top and rearranging it was pure violence. Hase's final comeback with desperation headbutts, taking Hash down with a brutal DDT, etc., then him getting crafty with slamming Hash down with variations of suplexes was great. And the basic move nearfalls made the match feel pretty epic. Him trying wacky holds on Hash led to excellent glassy eyed selling by Hash with him almost foaming. We also got stuff such as Hase getting up from DDT's as a last-ditch effort and we get a deadly awesome chop war with them exchanging reckless killer blows. Another exchange that stood out was Hash trying to absorb Hase's death chops while struggling to not go down. Excellent selling. Him eventually going down like a demon or a tower falling was great. Hash surviving the assault and the unloading on Hase with liver kicks, taking his head off with spin kicks, and nuking him by unleashing the ultimate move was cool. The final brainbuster was disgusting. Just Hase's skull getting completely nuked. Final point: Hase in this match had the most brutal chops in wrestling, definitely outdoing even Kenta or Tenryu. Can see this making my top 50. Classic heavyweight bout. Tremendous build and amazing crowd heat as well. ****3/4
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Post by elliott on Sept 14, 2023 12:02:00 GMT -5
20 years ago I would've said this was the best NJPW heavy match of the 90s. I don't think it's that but it's not far off. Awesome match.
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