Kerry Von Erich vs Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW - 5/22/1984)

Second

This matches doesn't speak to me as much as some (most?). I like it a lot and absolutely think it deserves nomination (no doubt), but as of right now it is sort of a long shot on my list. I'll be interested in revisiting it and hearing what others have to say about it when making the case for it being an all timer.

Not particularly crazy about this match. Not bad by any means but Jumbo just seems to work so much better as the surly ass-kicker. Going after the claw hand was pretty cool though. Will need to give this another view but I wouldn't be surprised if it misses the cut.

I prefer a couple Flair matches but this is best non-Flair Kerry match. Everyone know about Jumbo attacking the claw hand, but his entire bomb throwing offense was amazing. Kerry rules so hard. He sells being overwhelmed so hard.

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich vs Jumbo Tsuruta - AJPW 5/22/84



Nothing puts a big smile on my face quite like typing 'NWA World Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich". Seen this match twice before and loved it. Lets watch this one again. I love that classic NWA Championship build with the collar-elbow tieups, the circling, the caution, the tests of strength. It allows you to settle into the match and really get into it. Jumbo is not shy about throwing bombs in a championship. He made it to the promised land in February against Bock so he has that monkey off his back. He is free to go for broke. I love little things like the struggle over the Irish whip with Jumbo kicking Kerry in the gut and after lots of struggle hoisting him in the air for the butterfly suplex. Kerry's response to immediately retreat to the ropes. Kerry's reactions to everything in the first fall was pitch perfect. Kerry tries to make in roads on the arm but instead eats a cross body for two. Jumbo shoots in with ease and gets an ab stretch. Kerry is used to Dallas where is an overwhelming favorite. Now he is in Japan where everyone loves Jumbo. Kerry needs to fire up because Jumbo is dictating this match. Banana split rollup. Kerry forms the Claw hand. I get excited. The struggle over the claw was AWESOME! Both sold the drama of it so well and the crowd was right there with a Tsuruta chant. Kerry gets the stomach claw. Kerry is able to pick Jumbo up and seat him on the top rope. Something Jumbo did to him earlier to show him up. Now things get chippy! Pride is on the line. The handshake that started the match has been replaced by shoving. It is Jumbo that comes out the winner with TWO big high knees. Kerry's sell of the second one is so damn good. Kerry is left on the outside, but gets a sunset flip back in for two. ENZIGUIRI BY JUMBO! BACK DROP DRIVERRRRRRRR! 1-2-3! Jumbo up 1-0.



Jumbo looked great in the first fall besides the Claw, Kerry looked lost what to do with a firing on all cylinders Jumbo Tsuruta. Things got worse for Kerry before they got better. Jumbo pressed his advantage. He was taking no prisoners. He just starts pounding on Kerry's head with fists until it literally starts bleeding. Kerry's selling in this match is fucking awesome. Some of the best I have ever seen. He looks down and out being held up by the turnbuckles, but has just enough fight left in him. He gets a sleeper, which stops the bleeding figuratively because literally his face is now a crimson mask, but Jumbo gets out. Jumbo risks DQ by pounding on Kerry some more in the corner. This is a brutal Jumbo. Even the crowd that wants Jumbo to win does not seem happy with these tactics. The ref does not want to DQ the Japanese hero, but backs him up. Jumbo needs to get Kerry off his feet because Kerry is doing the smart thing by standing in the corner. Jumbo gets him out hits a suplex and then a piledriver. Miraculously Kerry kicks out twice. I was actually thinking to myself after the piledriver. Kerry needs to be thinking Discus Punch/Claw. He needs a home run. Lo and behold, Kerry starts firing off those big, looping Texan rights. SPINS AROUND CLOCKS JUMBO WITH THE DISCUS PUNCH! Jumbo bounces off the ropes CLAW~! Jumbo goes down, fights it off, back to his feet, Kerry with all his Texan might drives Jumbo's head back into the mat for three count. Incredible second fall. Totally believeable way to get Kerry back into the match. Tied 1-1.



I liked how they have taken advantage of the fact that Jumbo will be over no matter what to have him play the roughhousing heel and Kerry do what he does best play sympathetic babyface. 1. Because it is more natural for both 2. It is unexpected. You would expect in Japan to play Kerry to play subtle heel. So it is a nice wrinkle. Kerry refuses to let go of Jumbo with the claw. There is a great visual of Jumbo being attended by all the young boys while Kerry stands alone in the corner bleeding. They comes out. Jumbo is still selling the effects of the claw as Kerry looks spry floating around like Muhammad Ali just tagging Jumbo with rights. He goes for the kill with the CLAW! Jumbo resists. Kerry runs into a knee. Jumbo says enough of this fucking claw and just DESTROYS Kerry's hand. This is the hook of the match. This is what everyone remembers. Jumbo's utter decimation of Kerry's right hand. Just watch it. It is beautiful pro wrestling. Kerry is awesome selling it and even throws a punch then grabs his hand. Kerry is able to get a suplex out of an armbreaker then a piledriver, but misses a reverse elbow from the top which bother his bad hand. Jumbo wastes no time and hits a Big Time Jumping Knee and immediately applies the Boston Crab. Kerry flexes all his muscles and powers out of it. They end up on the outside and Kerry applies the CLAW, but Jumbo hits a backdrop driver. It is a moot point as the ref counts to ten. Double Countout. Jumbo raises Kerry's hand.



Incredible offensive performance from Jumbo. He did not care about being a dick. He wanted to be World Champion again. All is fair in love and war. Kerry was in his element selling his ass off. The blood added a lot as Kerry really did look overwhelmed. He survived long enough to win the stand up war with some nice punches and the claw. When it came time for Jumbo to sell, he did a great job too. The hand work is all-time great stuff. I want to give this ***** so badly, but the finish just does not do it for me. I don't mind the double countout, but want something more chaotic. Still up until that, they absolutely killed it. Two of the all-time greats putting on one helluva championship wrestling match. ****3/4

I am pretty sure I will be the high voter on this and right now it is my working #1. I have miles to go before I sleep in terms of my list but I love everything about this match. I first saw it 20 years ago on a Highspots tape for NWA Title Matches in Japan and had no context other than that and it being a rare Kerry title defense. I was blown away then by the use of the claw in all three falls and Jumbo working over the hand in the third fall. Then I watched it for the DVDVR AJPW Set and loved it even more, with particular attention to the over-the-top massaging of Jumbo’s scamp and temples by his seconds in between falls. But apparently I had wiped my mind clean of everything before Kerry winning the second fall with the claw and today I was blown away by the match as a whole. Even the double count-out finish worked great with Kerry applying the claw as Jumbo back suplexed him on the floor. This is lightning in a bottle.

It's an awesome match