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Post by elliott on Dec 7, 2017 4:00:06 GMT -5
Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Kazuo Yamazaki (UWF - 7/24/1989)
This is a lock to make my list. This is a long match going I believe either just under or just over 30 minutes. Fujiwara is the master and this is an awesome teacher vs student match with Yamazaki pushing Fujiwara to the limit and giving him everything he can handle. Like many all time great wrestlers (Flair, Funk, Jumbo, El Dandy, Satanico), Fujiwara was at his absolute peak in 1989/90 and this isn't terribly far behind the best matches those guys were having, if it is at all. I want Matt D to do an in-depth breakdown of this match against WrestleWar. Great mat work, striking, selling and drama. Love this.
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Post by childs on Jan 12, 2018 11:52:46 GMT -5
This might be Fujiwara's best singles match, which is saying a hell of a lot. He was never better than when working against a striker, because that dynamic allowed him to show off all his defensive and positioning genius. And Yamazaki really held up his end with a focused, intense performance. The finish, with the tease of a possible draw and the sudden, violent KO, is an all-timer. Lock for my ballot.
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Post by gordi on Jan 15, 2018 9:41:08 GMT -5
Thirded. It's a rare thing in pro wrestling: An epic DEFENSIVE battle. The ending is just tremendous. The palpable tension in the air before Fujiwara goes in for the kill is a near-perfect pro wrestling moment. Fujiwara's facial expressions, body language, and general cocky and condescending demeanor throughout this match are simply amazing. He's up there with Steve Austin and Mayumi Ozaki in terms of in-ring acting ability. Yamazaki is such a great feisty underdog and also a great seller. And, much like Sangre Chicana vs MS-1 felt like a real drunken bar brawl between two guys who hate each other, this match feels like a to-the-finish dojo battle between two highly trained fighters: the nasty but lovable old sensei and one of his top students.
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Post by tetsujin on Feb 15, 2018 8:10:37 GMT -5
What I said about this match a couple of months ago at PWO:
Just watched this for the first time, and it was awesome. What an all-time-great performance by Fujiwara, being an arrogant jackass, working the crowd wonderfully and making Yamazaki earn every single one of his little victories. I totally agree with Phil, as this is the Fujiwara show, but Kazuo's determination was amazing too. He was pissed off by Yoshiaki's attitude and used that feeling as a weapon, learning about his rival and evolving into a better oponent for him. Also, I really liked that fucking finish.
I'm kinda new watching shoot style stuff, but I loved every second of this: great character development and cool technique from both guys. One of the most underrated matches of the year and mayyyyybe of the whole decade? Maybe. ****1/2.
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Post by stunninggrover on Feb 19, 2018 19:34:18 GMT -5
A great shoot style match. Shoot style matches are usually not my kind of thing, but the ones I like usually involve Yoshiaki Fujiwara. Great psychology and great performance in general. The crowd was really into it and watched in awe, which also helped for the atmosphere of the match. If I had to recommend a shoot style match to someone who had never watched one before, this would probably be the one I’d recommend (or the 1984-12-05 Fujiwara vs. Super Tiger match). ****¾
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Post by superstarsleeze on Oct 16, 2018 0:23:53 GMT -5
Welcome to the Fujiwara Show! Sit & enjoy. If someone said Fujiwara is the greatest wrestler of all time at this point I wouldnt bat any eye. What holds me back up from putting this on my list is I thought Yamazaki gave a dejected performance and looked like a tool most of the match. Fujiwara rules.
Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Kazuo Yamazaki - UWF II 7/24/89
I was kinda dreading this because it is 30 minutes and I dont think shoot-style should go more than 15. I know, I know who am I to doubt Fujiwara?
First Half: Really fun front half. When we discuss shoot-style we dont use the word "fun" that much but this was fun. The best spot was Fujiwara feigning a knockdown as if to say "You really think you had me down for a nine count from what little kick to the midsection?". Fujiwara was such a jackass. After being a dick about faking a knockdown, he lures Yamazaki into the corner and headbutts him instead of giving him a clean break. Then he just unloads a barrage of stiff body shots that puts Yamazaki down. Yamazaki gets back up and only takes a couple more body shots before he is down again. I know that was just the last 3 minutes or so of the first half, but what an incredible three minutes. I enjoyed the work prior to that. Fujiwara delivered a nasty headbutt in the opening lockup. Destroyed Yamazaki in the kick game. There was a great moment when Yamazaki had a kneebar and Fujiwara thinks about a rope break. He thinks better of it. He puts his forearm on the throat of Yamazaki and cracks him with a palm strike. What an asshole. Guess what, he counters into his own leg lace and Yamazaki has to use his rope break. Delivered a badass Fisherman's suplex. So was this a squash? No. Yamazaki was able to counter a Fujiwara armbar and attempt his own. His best moment came when Fujiwara hit the a Fisherman Suplex and didnt know what to do next. Yamazaki was able to get a double wristlock then choke, Again, Fujiwara proved to be better as he was able to get a really deep toehold. When Yamazaki tried to use his free leg to free himself, Fujiwara grabbed that and put Yamazaki in a really deep toehold. I hate, hate the term carryjob. But man reflecting on what I watched and writing this, it does feel like a Fujiwara carryjob, but damn if it hasnt been fun as fuck so far.
Second Half: Yamazaki looks like such a tool in this match. He is throwing spinwheel kicks that barely connect and Fujiwara just looks down on him like "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Fujiwara is able to get back to back leg submissions that force rope breaks and so he scores another down. I literally say out loud, "Yamazaki you suck, do something" at this point. I finally realize he is throwing the axe kick as feint to set up a roundhouse kick. He finally connects with one to mush but Fujiwara is back up at nine quickly to say that one didnt phase me that bad. Yamazaki kinda spooks Fujiwara with a couple kicks and you can tell these actually affect Fujiwara because he roars back and a couple swift body shots for the fourth knockdown. Fujiwara is such a cocky prick. He announces he only needs one more knockdown and holds out one finger. Yamazaki has such body language at this point. He looks like a man that is defeated and has no fight left in him. At one point, a firefight breaks out and he catches Fujiwara with a kneelift that stuns Fujiwara and scores a knockdown. I am rooting hard for Fujiwara at this point and would hate to see him choke. Yamazaki delivers a brutal headbutt and pops Fujiwara in the mouth so hard he bloodies him. OH SHIT! It is on! Fujiwara just starts leading with his head. He is a fucking Yamazaki-seeking missile. He cracks Yamazaki hard under the eye, I think drawing blood and a TKO victory. Wild finish!
If someone says Yoshiaki Fujiwara is the greatest pro wrestler, I wouldnt bat an eye. This is the Fujiwara show and just enjoy it. What knocks this down from the tippy toppy is that I thought Yamazaki was just a load in this match and didnt contribute much. Fujiwara was glorious in this match. Watch him work! ****1/2
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Post by microstatistics on Oct 16, 2018 11:39:27 GMT -5
Interesting review Sleeze. Your points about Yamazaki's performance might explain why this match has never really connected with me. I'd recommend the 4/15/90 match where Yamazaki is way more compelling and they build off this match.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Oct 16, 2018 13:21:04 GMT -5
I'll add it to my list. I have Fujiwara vs Maeda 8/13/89 and Fujiwara vs Takada 10/25/90 before I finish UWF II this week.
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Post by makaiclub on Jun 7, 2021 16:15:13 GMT -5
Awesome 29 minute match. This has all the things you'd expect from Fujiwara and the best of Yamazaki, too, who can be a bit of a dud on his day. The grappling was excellent as always but the defensive side of it was the strongest aspect of the match rather than the offence. Even when Fujiwara was floored by Yamazaki, he'd twist and turn to block some of the kicks. They used the striking smartly with even Fujiwara throwing some low kicks to knock Yamazaki off balance enough with Yamazaki while trying to avoid getting them on his own. I loved it when he'd gloat and tease Yamazaki after he'd side step them. The finish is sick. Yamazaki busted Fujiwara's mouth open, causing it to bleed so Fujiwara headbutted him 4/5 times in the skull to cause the KO. I hope that was Fujiwara giving Yamazaki a receipt and the match was supposed to go 30 (that's a draw). That would make it so much better. Those are the best kinds of finishes - the ones that can be bought as either worked or shoot. ****1/2
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Post by Cap on Dec 30, 2021 7:17:30 GMT -5
Finally got around to watching this match and I loved it. This is exactly the kind of escalation in intensity and violence that I like in my shoot style. I loved Fujiwara's nifty combo early that got him to the armbar. Everything changing when he took a hard shot about half way through and then marched Yamazaki down was great. Then Fujiwara hitting the lunging headbutts later when it happened again... chefs kiss. Awesome stuff.
I think it is unfair to say Yamazaki didn't contribute much. He wasn't on Fujiwara's level, but he brought the lumber on his strikes and while his exhaustion was probably real, it highlighted the war the match had become without being so sever that he couldn't pull out any offense. I was borderline shocked when he hit that suplex and landed the bridge.
Loved this match.
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Post by Control21 on Mar 10, 2024 0:11:14 GMT -5
This was a great display of wrestling and also a great display of psychology and storytelling in the context of shoot-style. Fujiwara doesn't take Yamazaki seriously at first, and sort of has a nonchalant approach to this match. Then Yamazaki catches Fujiwara with a sharp kick to the head and Fujiwara turns things up a notch. Fujiwara is a master at pacing in his matches, and there are moments of pure intensity followed by slower lulls, which makes sense if we look at real combat sports and MMA. While shoot-style wasn't trying to replicate MMA, it has its roots in catch wrestling, and catch wrestling contests were often games of chess between two chess masters. Fujiwara is the chess master, and Yamazaki is the man certainly on the same path but is not quite there yet. The result is a compelling and exciting match that despite going nearly 30 minutes, draws you in as a viewer and keeps your eyes glued to the screen. The last five minutes see a pissed-off Fujiwara tasting his blood after a sharp headbutt from Yamazaki, and Fujiwara has no problem returning the favor to secure the victory via KO. Another great UWF classic and a match worth viewing. ****3/4
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