Keiji Muto vs Vader (G1 Climax - NJPW - 8/10/1991)

Second

I agree that this belongs in the conversation with the Vader/Sting matches, but those matches are JUST barely outside elite to me. I am going to really need to take another look at 90s NJPW for this project.

Yes...Yes...Yes...two wrestling gods going at it producing a simple, classic almost perfect match. Great wrestling in it's purest form. Heel, face, big, small, Strangely moving.

I absolutely love this match. How Mutoh creates offense, How Vader both feeds and cut off. The escalation. This will be a very close cut. Really great match.


Keiji Mutoh vs Vader - NJPW G-1 Climax 8/10/91



What makes this work is that you don't have to sell for Vader. The reason wrestlers have to sell is to make you believe. If watching Vader punch someone in the face, does not make a believer out of you then I guess the only recourse is to have Vader punch you in the face.



Vader bullies Mutoh into the corner and it is classic Vader the rights and lefts in the corner. You already know Mutoh is in dire straits so when Mutoh makes a comeback it is not that he is no selling. It is that he is fighting through the pain because you already believe. I thought Mutoh was perfect in this match offensively. Five distinct and interesting offensive series. The first being a series of punches to the face that reels the big man and lets him know that he is ready for the fight. Then he goes for a lock up and Vader tags him real good in the face. His next series is a series of dropkicks and after three gets Vader off his feet. Mutoh establishing the quickness game. Now Vader takes offense for a bit longer. It is the clotheslines, splashes and just using his girth to steamroll Mutoh. They go into the corner and then throws him into the post. But as he is getting back in Mutoh dropkicks him. Plancha. Railing. Back handspring elbow on the railing! Back in the ring it is the classic Mutoh elbow. It is a very electric and exciting comeback. Mutoh tries to put Vader in a hold. Bad idea. Vader just tees off on Mutoh. A lot about Mutoh but heres an example of Vader's greatness. Huge Lariat and then the urgency and tightness of his cover put over the stakes of the match. Great stuff from the Big Man. I love the fourth comeback. Mutoh slips down from a suplex and rocks Vader with two smashmouth forearms to the face and then hits a back suplex, springboard missile dropkick (floors him for two) and then a moonsault. Love the urgency from Mutoh. The transition back to Vader is all time great one when he catches him in the back handspring elbow and then Vader THROWS HIM DOWN FOLDING HIM IN HALF. Mutoh is made to look great kickout out of a big Vader splash and Vader powerbomb. My one complaint is the finish was a bit weak. This was a bomb throwing match. To end it with backslides, small packages and not the greatest reversal of a powerslam just felt disjointed from the rest of the match. Mutoh was Vader's equal and this felt tacked on. 95% of this was just gold and you know what the finish is still good enough. Very exciting pro wrestling that makes sense. ****1/2

I haven't seen this in years, and maybe I way undersold it then or my memory was hazy because this time I thought it was fucking great. What a badass match. I feel lazy reiterating the "Vader v Sting prototype" talking point, but it really is and I can absolutely see a case for it being on the level of the best of that pairing (I wouldn't have it up there with the very best couple Sting/Vader matches, but I'd maybe put it around #3 or #4). Vader clubbing and closed fist punching Mutoh about the face was nasty as fuck and I loved those moments where Mutoh knew he had to get primitive in return. His offence came in bursts, but he made the most of them and Vader's cut-offs ruled. Felt like the stretch run was fairly short but still managed to come off as epic, and I didn't think it was one of those occasions where a few more minutes were necessary. I guess the fact people were buying even the mid-match nearfalls as legit didn't hurt in that respect. Nor did the molten hot crowd. Mutoh doing the handspring elbow on the floor was a super cool moment, then Vader reversing the attempt in the ring with his German suplex/uranage combo was awesome. Dug the finish as well, with Mutoh using some trickery as trading bombs with Vader is nothing short of a fool's errand.

I'm revisiting a bunch of 90s New Japan heavyweight stuff right now, and I wouldn't be surprised if I end up thinking this is better than the Mutoh/Chono final (as someone who's never really been a fan of the latter). Feels like it might be a top 5 Mutoh match and maybe top 10 for Vader. Really glad I checked this out again.