Nobuhiko Takada vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (UWF 10/25/1989)
Oct 16, 2018 0:38:37 GMT -5
Post by superstarsleeze on Oct 16, 2018 0:38:37 GMT -5
I just finished watching this like 20 minutes ago and it is 1:30 am. I have a suspicion I maybe overrating this but fuck it I thought this was awesome. Loved the beginning matwork. The drama was in applying the holds not escaping the holds. The symmetry was great throughout the match. There was even pro-style psychology with Takada targetting the leg and Fujiwara selling like a mofo. Takada goes up 4-2 in knockdowns and the finish stretch is high drama. I will say the finish itself is clearly a protection finish to set up rematches so I can see why others may not vote for this, but the body of this match rules. I cant wait to watch the October 1990 match that is so highly praised.
Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Nobuhiko Takada - UWF II 10/25/89
I have preached this so much and I think this a perfect example of the mantra "The drama should be in applying the hold not escaping the hold". This front half of the match just drips with struggle. It has a huge fight feel. Two equals taking each other very seriously. There are so many quick, sudden movements on the mat as they each are trying to gain the most advantageous position for a finishing submission. Takada ends up in a legbar and he is immediately selling and lunging for the ropes and gets the break. Thats great psychology. There were so many holds exchange that were half-applied, but once one was fully applied the mood changed. It became very serious. You can see how Takada's game plan changed immediately. He started throwing kick after kick to the left leg of Fujiwara. Takada's forte is stand-up. There is another great moment on the ground. Takada has his hands clasped and Fujiwara is just on top of him. To the untrained this looks boring, but God is it tense. As soon as Takada breaks his clasp, Fujiwara will pounce. Takada has to break his clasp because Fujiwara is in control. In a shoot fight, Takada is fucked. Since this is shoot-style, we can suspend our disbelief and believe Takada knew that Fujiwara would try for a double wristlock and thus could counter into the cross armbreaker. Takada's move was fully applied and Fujiwara's was not and thus it is Fujiwara scrambling for the ropes. Again the tension and the drama is in who can apply the hold, once the hold is applied it is a mad dash for the ropes. That is how you respect the hold. Takada goes back to work on the legs. Fujiwara tries to throw his own kicks, which was never his forte. If he is going to throw a strike, it is a headbutt BANG! Thats what we get, it is a delayed register, but Takada goes down in a heap for the first knockdown. The symmetry in this match is incredible. Takada responds by finally chopping down the old cherry tree with his kicks as Fujiwara is forced to take a knee from a flurry of kicks for his first knockdown. Fujiwara tries to scissors the legs but Takada sits outs and now Fujiwara has no leverage. Single leg crab, great labored breathing from Fujiwara he struggles to ropes. Amazing selling from Fujiwara and he is easy pickins for Takada who cracks him in the leg again for a second knockdown. Takada opens a big lead as a wild roundhouse kick to the midsection and then one to face sends Fujiwara reeling into the corner. Takada overwhelms him with kicks to the head for the third knockdown. Takada falls prey to another headbutt in a knucklelock. Why would you ever knucklelock with Fujiwara? Especially this has been his most successful strategy. Takada goes for a knucklelock, but then thinks the better of it crosses over such that his right hand will be linked with Fujiwara's right hand which should take some of the power away from a headbutt. Takada gets another wild roundhouse kick, but this time cant follow up in the corner. He cups Fujiwara in the ear on a lock up which is a receipt for the headbutts in the lock up. It is now 4-2 Takada! Do or die time for Fujiwara! You know what that means! Kidney punches and body shots! 4-3! Takada tries to use the ref as a shield as he knows Fujiwara is lying in wait, but to no avail. Takada weathers the storm and almost has Fujiwara off his feet...only the ropes are holding Fujiwara up when...Fujiwara lunges forward and butts him with his head! IT IS 4-4! Next knockdown wins! Takada kicks out Fujiwara's leg for the close victory. The ref seems uncertain to call it a knockdown, but to be consistent has to and Takada wins via TKO.
The crowd is a bit confused because it was a judgment call. Based on the calls earlier in the match it was definitely a knockdown, but it was NOT a definitive knockout blow. Clearly that was on purpose these are two of your three biggest stars and you want rematches so there has to be some protection. The opening matwork was engaging and compelling for the reasons I outlined above. The stand up portion of the match was intensely dramatic. Great selling from Fujiwara, awesome strategy from Takada and then Fujiwara mounting a massive comeback using basically just headbutts and kidney punches was crazy. Definitely one of the best shoot-style matches ever that had pro-style elements (Fujiwara's leg selling and Takada targetting a body part) and I think it was those pro-style elements that made me like this so much. Maybe Takada's best match ever ****3/4
Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Nobuhiko Takada - UWF II 10/25/89
I have preached this so much and I think this a perfect example of the mantra "The drama should be in applying the hold not escaping the hold". This front half of the match just drips with struggle. It has a huge fight feel. Two equals taking each other very seriously. There are so many quick, sudden movements on the mat as they each are trying to gain the most advantageous position for a finishing submission. Takada ends up in a legbar and he is immediately selling and lunging for the ropes and gets the break. Thats great psychology. There were so many holds exchange that were half-applied, but once one was fully applied the mood changed. It became very serious. You can see how Takada's game plan changed immediately. He started throwing kick after kick to the left leg of Fujiwara. Takada's forte is stand-up. There is another great moment on the ground. Takada has his hands clasped and Fujiwara is just on top of him. To the untrained this looks boring, but God is it tense. As soon as Takada breaks his clasp, Fujiwara will pounce. Takada has to break his clasp because Fujiwara is in control. In a shoot fight, Takada is fucked. Since this is shoot-style, we can suspend our disbelief and believe Takada knew that Fujiwara would try for a double wristlock and thus could counter into the cross armbreaker. Takada's move was fully applied and Fujiwara's was not and thus it is Fujiwara scrambling for the ropes. Again the tension and the drama is in who can apply the hold, once the hold is applied it is a mad dash for the ropes. That is how you respect the hold. Takada goes back to work on the legs. Fujiwara tries to throw his own kicks, which was never his forte. If he is going to throw a strike, it is a headbutt BANG! Thats what we get, it is a delayed register, but Takada goes down in a heap for the first knockdown. The symmetry in this match is incredible. Takada responds by finally chopping down the old cherry tree with his kicks as Fujiwara is forced to take a knee from a flurry of kicks for his first knockdown. Fujiwara tries to scissors the legs but Takada sits outs and now Fujiwara has no leverage. Single leg crab, great labored breathing from Fujiwara he struggles to ropes. Amazing selling from Fujiwara and he is easy pickins for Takada who cracks him in the leg again for a second knockdown. Takada opens a big lead as a wild roundhouse kick to the midsection and then one to face sends Fujiwara reeling into the corner. Takada overwhelms him with kicks to the head for the third knockdown. Takada falls prey to another headbutt in a knucklelock. Why would you ever knucklelock with Fujiwara? Especially this has been his most successful strategy. Takada goes for a knucklelock, but then thinks the better of it crosses over such that his right hand will be linked with Fujiwara's right hand which should take some of the power away from a headbutt. Takada gets another wild roundhouse kick, but this time cant follow up in the corner. He cups Fujiwara in the ear on a lock up which is a receipt for the headbutts in the lock up. It is now 4-2 Takada! Do or die time for Fujiwara! You know what that means! Kidney punches and body shots! 4-3! Takada tries to use the ref as a shield as he knows Fujiwara is lying in wait, but to no avail. Takada weathers the storm and almost has Fujiwara off his feet...only the ropes are holding Fujiwara up when...Fujiwara lunges forward and butts him with his head! IT IS 4-4! Next knockdown wins! Takada kicks out Fujiwara's leg for the close victory. The ref seems uncertain to call it a knockdown, but to be consistent has to and Takada wins via TKO.
The crowd is a bit confused because it was a judgment call. Based on the calls earlier in the match it was definitely a knockdown, but it was NOT a definitive knockout blow. Clearly that was on purpose these are two of your three biggest stars and you want rematches so there has to be some protection. The opening matwork was engaging and compelling for the reasons I outlined above. The stand up portion of the match was intensely dramatic. Great selling from Fujiwara, awesome strategy from Takada and then Fujiwara mounting a massive comeback using basically just headbutts and kidney punches was crazy. Definitely one of the best shoot-style matches ever that had pro-style elements (Fujiwara's leg selling and Takada targetting a body part) and I think it was those pro-style elements that made me like this so much. Maybe Takada's best match ever ****3/4
