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Post by shodate on Feb 16, 2019 12:27:15 GMT -5
Dont have alot to say as this is not a review.first match in their series trilogy and epic grappling is displayed. Also brutal dives. And this is worked unlike any modern jr match. Just two people wanting to defeat each other in a combat with grappaling knowledge and holds. Struggle and great selling and intensty. A really realistic match with violent matwork. Lock for my top 100. Their 2nd match is top 75 to me.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Jun 25, 2019 15:39:13 GMT -5
A workrate classic! Fujinami looked phenomenal here. Technically and how urgent everything was. I watched a bunch of his early 80s stuff and keeping thinking his matches are amazing but nothing transcendent in terms of narrative. Am I missing something? I haven't watched the Choshu series yet.
WWF Jr Heavyweight Champion Tatsumi Fujinami vs Ryuma Go - NJPW 7/27/78
The only thing makes you 100% sure that this match takes place in 1978 is the ref's pastel green bell bottoms. If you told me this took place in 1998 I would believe you. This feels like the pinnacle of 90s workrate except it is 1978. They even do the headlock-headscissors-pop out-stare off-applause spot. We have been popping for that for over 40 years. There is the Stampede wristlock reversal sequence (though this may be the best version of it because there is a sense of struggle). Did Fujinami work Stampede? Or was it the Stampede guys working New Japan that caused this style to proliferate to America? What makes this so high end is how much struggle there is. The grappling is so gripping and so compelling. It is fast paced but without feeling loose. I loved Fujinami upping the ante by slapping Go. It gets Go's dander and causes him to make a mistake and Fujinami takes him down with a spinning toehold. Go gets receipts with slaps to a vulnerable Fujinami but Fujinami maintains his toehold I love it. Fujinami has an answer for everything. This feels like the best possible blow out. Fujinami is taking Go down at will or quashing his offense at will. It is a clinic. Fujinami spikes a piledriver but only gets two. Fujinami gets greedy trying to go off the top rope. Fujinami takes a great bump off a flying karate kick. Go's big nearfall is a beautiful German Suplex Bridge but Fujinami is too close to the ropes. Go pours it on with more suplexes but it is Fujinami that finishes him with a German Suplex. Just beautiful intense pure pro wrestling. Fujinami looked world class here, Go was game but Fujinami was on another level. ****1/4
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Post by mvz on May 24, 2021 4:49:19 GMT -5
This felt ahead of its time. Matwork at the start had a sense of struggle and realism, and then the slap exchanges brought a hint of violence. I liked how Fujinami got Go a little riled and asked him to bring it, then took advantage by grabbing the single leg. Ffinishing stretch was red hot. Fujinami hits a big dropkick and then I loved Fujinami’s big bump when Go hits a dropkick of his own. Great sell of the Impact of the German suplex, and Go hits a few more big moves, But Fujinami prevails. I really liked this match and liked Fujinami here.
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Post by tetsujin on Jun 15, 2021 18:42:15 GMT -5
This was pretty cool, and yeah, it feels ahead of its time sometimes. The urgency they both gave to this fight since the very beginning is much appreciated, it felt like the finish could come almost at any moment. Fujinami was amazing, and definitely the best I've seen him before the Choshu series; his performance was full of little details on the mat, and Cesaro knows I'm all in for little details in my matwork. Go Ryuma was basically reacting, or trying to, to everything Fujinami was doing and was a very decent dance partner overall, but this was the Tatsumi show. This felt to me like one of those fast-paced fighting videogames where it seems pro players are just smashing buttons but in reality they're planning everything they're doing and there are actual strategies, baits, counters and combos being made, they're just using ultra instinct or something. A 40-year-older version of Andrade/Gargano. Holy shit.
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Post by mrjmml on Jul 13, 2023 3:31:03 GMT -5
I appreciate the early days of NJPW’s junior division, I love the match narrative of this one in particular, the limbwork is amazing, many wrestlers should watch this matches and learn from them, the match structure is solid and Fujinami came out of this match as the future of NJPW, this match is a star-making performance.
This match is for Fujinami’s WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship, Ryuma Go is the challenger, the match doesn’t look like a 1978 match it looks like something out of the 90’s, from Fujinami’s masterful work on Ryuma’s left leg, his struggle feels real, then Tatsumi Fujinami hit a piledriver on Ryuma Go for the two count, the nearfalls in this one are very impressive, after that and a double heel hook, they go outside the ring and Tatsumi stayed for a bit, Ryuma Go hit a running powerslam for a two count and the crowd popped with the kickout, Tatsumi Fujinami hit a german suplex with a pin combination for the three count and the win, the leg work in this match was awesome but it didn’t pay off, the finish didn’t have anything to do with that.
I’d recommend this match to everyone who likes the NJPW’s junior division from the 70’s and 80’s. Very innovative wrestling, I hope everyone of his matches are as great as this one. At least the ones I’ll review.
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Post by elliott on Aug 31, 2023 0:13:19 GMT -5
Excellent match. You could see Liger and Opponent X having this match in 1992 or 93.
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