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Post by microstatistics on Jul 12, 2020 17:35:03 GMT -5
Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWF, 10/25/1990)
Epic chess match as Takada endeavored to weather a multifaceted Fujiwara storm. Fujiwara employed psychological warfare, unleashed some hellacious strikes (both during stand-up and from the ground) and utilized his submission expertise. Plus, Fujiwara’s masterful defensive technique added another obstacle for Takada. Takada initially made good use of some defensive grappling, but the mat was still generally Fujiwara territory, who reversed a few holds to force rope breaks. But Takada’s strikes, particularly his kicks, were a highly effective weapon. Great use of cumulative damage, as the kicks took a greater toll on Fujiwara the longer the match went on. Additionally, the points system complemented the action really well. Takada’s calmness through adversity had been arguably his greatest asset and played into the finish. Fujiwara animatedly baited him into the corner to deliver a strike combo that had proved effective earlier, only for Takada to coolly turn the tables for the TKO. ****3/4
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 12, 2020 19:00:32 GMT -5
Jushin Liger vs. El Samurai (NJPW, 4/30/1992)
This was the final of the 1992 BOSJ tournament as Liger and Samurai faced-off for a second time, with the latter having secured an upset earlier on. Samurai responding to a Liger handshake by spitting on him set the stage for a devious assault, in which Samurai primarily targeted Liger’s face and attempted to rip his mask. The attack was violent, but Samurai seemed more intent on humiliating Liger than on beating him. A few ultra-stiff elbow smashes were the last straw for Liger as from then on, Samurai was forced to endure his wrath. Liger busted out every bomb he could think of, tore Samurai’s mask clean off and tried to cave his face in with palm strikes. He then grabbed a bunch of submissions for no real purpose other than to thoughtlessly inflict pain. But this might have let Samurai back into the match, as he launched an impressive and focused counterattack. This led to a more competitive and evenly match final stretch as both tried to outthink and out-bomb the other. Samurai proved surprisingly resilient and Liger’s struggle to put him away felt herculean. But the decisiveness of the finish left no doubt that Liger was the king of the juniors. The heavy artillery moves constitute the bulk of the match but the way they were incorporated into the story, combined with strong use of submissions and strikes, enables its greatness. ****3/4
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 13, 2020 17:07:59 GMT -5
Kenta Kobashi/Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Doug Furnas/Dan Kroffat (AJPW, 5/25/1992)
Kikuchi, the wildly popular hometown boy, and his senior partner Kobashi challenged the heel gajins for the All Asia tag titles. The initial babyface shine eroded as the villainous tactics of Kroffat and the power of Furnas allowed the isolation of Kikuchi. They dished out a savage beating, but Kikuchi refused to buckle and kept on firing back. Kobashi excelled as both the hot tag and as the enforcer but Kikuchi’s contributions were vital towards Kobashi finally putting Kroffat away. Top-notch tag wrestling and a huge success from an entertainment standpoint. ****3/8
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 13, 2020 17:11:12 GMT -5
Ricky Steamboat vs. Rick Rude (WCW, 6/20/1992)
This was a 30-minute Iron man match and the conclusion to a bitter rivalry. Right out of the gate, Steamboat damaged Rude’s ribs with a gut-buster and zeroed in on them in vicious fashion. But, completely against the run of play, Rude took a 2-0 lead with some devastating blows. He then sacrificed a fall to further incapacitate Steamboat, while maintaining the two-fall margin. But as the rib injury continued to impede Rude, he wasn’t able to inflict critical damage, allowing Steamboat to tie things up 3-3. Rude had broken Steamboat’s nose a few months earlier and frequently targeted it here. Cutting Steamboat’s momentum off with a jawbreaker to the face was tremendous psychology. Rude decided to run the clock out but Steamboat employed the Bret Hart counter to go up 4-3. This left Rude in no man’s land timewise as he desperately tried everything in the final seconds but to no avail. Similar to Piper vs. Valentine Dog Collar, it is disappointing that this was a non-title affair since Rude’s strategy backfiring would have been even more rewarding if he lost the US title in the process. Regardless, truly unique psychology and great action make for a WCW classic. ****5/8
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 13, 2020 18:55:40 GMT -5
Vader vs. Sting (WCW, 7/12/1992)
The babyface world champion faced his biggest challenge yet in form of the behemoth Vader. Great start as Sting got absolutely pummeled whenever Vader got a chance to corner him. But he possessed enough strength and athleticism to knock Vader off his feet. Sting made use of some clever tricks to gain the advantage but primarily relied on high impact offense to topple his opponent before Vader’s brutality crushed him. But Sting’s strategy was a double-edged sword due to the high risk, high reward nature of the maneuvers. He ended up going for one move too many and hit his head on the post, which allowed a rattled Vader to recover and put him down. Maybe the model David vs. Goliath type matchup. ****1/2
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 13, 2020 21:06:42 GMT -5
Mayumi Ozaki/Dynamite Kansai vs. Manami Toyota/Toshiyo Yamada (AJW, 11/26/1992)
In the AJW vs. JPW war, the bruiser Kansai and malevolent Ozaki took on the local duo of Toyota and Yamada. A furious first fall saw Toyota/Yamada primarily fighting from underneath until the smaller Toyota eventually succumbed to a splash mountain, leading to a 0-1 deficit. But Yamada quickly equalized for her team after she stunned Kansai with a barrage of backdrop drivers. The pace slowed slightly in the third fall, but the action was still grand and the face-offs between Kansai and Yamada were particularly intense as the latter tried to fight fire with fire. The JWP pair was still in the ascendency but the AJW women seemed to be gaining momentum. This culminated in Toyota catching Ozaki with an ocean cyclone suplex for a triumphant victory, albeit under controversial circumstances due to the uncertainty behind the final 3-count. One of the best inter-promotional battles. ****5/8
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 14, 2020 16:07:51 GMT -5
Hiroshi Hase vs. The Great Muta (NJPW, 12/14/1992)
Hase was known more for his technical wrestling but realized the danger his opponent posed and displayed unusual aggression right from the start. Muta fought back, hurting Hase’s hamstring in the process, before grabbing a spike. But Hase turned the tables and busted him wide open with it, perhaps as revenge for their September 1990 match when the shoe was on the other foot. He attacked the cut with a great mix of psychology and barbarism, forcing Muta to eventually make an almost underdog like comeback. This led to a bomb-heavy finishing stretch, where Muta finally prevailed. One of the better 90s NJPW heavyweight matches. ****3/8
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 14, 2020 16:13:08 GMT -5
Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori (AJW, 4/2/1993)
This was a clash of wrestling philosophies, infused with hatred, as the prideful Hokuto might have bitten off more than she could chew against the deadly shooter Kandori. It opened with a bang as Hokuto almost broke Kandori’s jaw with an elbow smash and then talked some trash. Kandori responded by almost ripping her shoulder out of its socket and the arm damage became a major plot point. Kandori didn’t attack the arm in the traditional sense and Hokuto didn’t really sell it explicitly but the specter of the injury lingered. Kandori would grab different holds out of nowhere at various points in the match and a potential submission seemed legitimate. More hostile pseudo-brawling followed the opening exchange until Kandori reversed a tombstone piledriver on a table, splitting Hokuto wide open. The intensity dipped as Hokuto busted Kandori open in retaliation and they brawled in the crowd for a while. The match then degenerated into an exhausting attritional battle as they weaved bombs, submissions, and the mounting fatigue together in impressive fashion. Eventually they were simply reduced to trading haymakers and Hokuto just happened to land the lethal blow. You could argue she got lucky, but she had displayed the necessary fortitude, so it felt like an earned overcoming of the odds victory without being too decisive. Kandori recovering first after the match was a really nice touch. ****5/8
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 16, 2020 2:52:35 GMT -5
Aja Kong vs. Yumiko Hotta (AJW, 1/24/1994)
Hotta had a reputation of being a reckless crowbar so she was not exactly the first choice to play sympathetic underdog. But it worked really well since Aja was arguably the ultimate monster here as she demolished Hotta pretty much from the opening bell. Hotta courageously tried to fight back but cut her hand in the process, which Kong targeted in a gruesome yet clinical manner. She even displayed an intelligent side as she goaded Hotta into rejecting a protective bandage and then simply continued with the mauling. Near the end, Hotta got in some big bombs that shook Aja and teased an upset, but Kong finally crushed her from the top rope. This is famous for its stiffness, and rightly so, as both dished out some face shattering palm strikes and kicks, but the violence was far from mindless and well incorporated into the story. ****1/2
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 16, 2020 22:28:37 GMT -5
Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (WWF, 3/20/1994)
Owen’s envy had been festering over the years and finally boiled over as he attacked Bret’s knee after a tag match. Bret was quite hesitant about wrestling his brother but all the same determined to teach him a lesson. They began with some nice chain wrestling as Owen’s obnoxious behavior and frustration dominated proceedings. He shifted gears and targeted Bret’s back and neck, which was interspersed with Bret’s defensive maneuvers, setting up a longer fightback. Owen had impressed offensively but Bret had generally got the better of the exchanges and, in the process, subtly showed Owen up. This was until he re-injured his knee on a plancha. Owen tore the knee apart mercilessly and even cruelly mocked him, revealing the extent of his resentment. Bret sold masterfully as the knee hampered him at every turn during his elongated comeback. But he seemed to have Owen on the ropes, until the latter blocked a victory roll to pull off a stunning win. While the victory was clean, Vince McMahon made the point that Bret’s uncertainty was a non-negligible factor, adding another layer of storytelling to the outcome. The distinctive family dynamic, smoothly flowing segments and sharp wrestling made for one of the best matches in WrestleMania history. ****3/4
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 16, 2020 22:30:43 GMT -5
Akira Hokuto/Shinobu Kandori vs. Aja Kong/Bull Nakano (AJW, 3/27/1994)
Hokuto and Kandori despised each other’s guts but were forced to tag together and wrestle maybe the most powerful team in joshi. Predictably, their inability to cooperate and hostile clashes frequently conceded control of the match to their opponents. Their individual skill won them isolated exchanges, but victory seemed inconceivable without a coordinated effort. Surprisingly Hokuto, with all her hubris, was the first to realize this, while Kandori more reluctantly came around. Of course, once this was achieved, the job was far from over considering the stature of their opponents. But they had finally gained a foothold and persisted to secure the upset. The struggle ended up fostering mutual respect between formerly bitter enemies. My biggest problem with this match is the action before Hokuto and Kandori got on the same page. It was fine story and build-wise, but the actual substance was a little pedestrian. But then it suddenly exploded into life and the rest was off the charts. So, as a whole package, it worked quite well. ****3/8
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 17, 2020 15:32:20 GMT -5
Akira Taue vs. Stan Hansen (AJPW, 4/11/1994)
Hansen was coming in with injured ribs, giving the opportunistic Taue the opening he needed. Taue callously assaulted the ribs, with an impressive combination of focus, variety, and tenacity. Hansen desperately tried to keep him at bay but continued to absorb blows from every angle. An unnecessary risk cost Taue control as Hansen counterattacked. The ribs continued to hinder Hansen, as he winced in pain following every maneuver, but his ferocity really pushed Taue on the backfoot. But Taue continued to sneak in shots to the ribs every chance he got and managed just enough to keep Hansen down for the three. Great tactical wrestling as Taue had the winning strategy, which he stuck with through thick and thin, and it paid off. Maybe the best non-final Champion Carnival match. ****1/2
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 17, 2020 15:34:06 GMT -5
Jushin Liger vs. The Great Sasuke (NJPW, 4/16/1994)
This was the second semi-final of the Super J-Cup 94 as New Japan’s #1 junior took on the underdog from the indies. Liger was extremely dismissive as he coolly schooled Sasuke on the mat, nearly KO’ed him with a koppu kick and destroyed his arm. Then, when he got bored, he just dumped Sasuke on his head. But Sasuke managed a counterattack, busting out some gigantic dives and a Thunderfire bomb that Liger sold like death. When Liger regained control, he threw everything at Sasuke but nothing stuck. Despite this, he continued to underestimate Sasuke, even mocking him after the latter tripped on the ropes. But this left him susceptible to a flash pin and ensured a huge upset. Still one of the best uses of a ‘botch’ ever. Aside from Liger’s coverup, Sasuke’s fall was actually quite realistic considering the beating he had just taken. ****3/8
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 17, 2020 15:37:22 GMT -5
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW, 6/3/1994)
Kawada had the momentum, having won the 1994 Champion’s Carnival (CC), which Misawa had to withdraw from due to a lingering neck injury. Kawada rarely held back with his offense, but he cranked up the stiffness to a new level here, to the point where Misawa was getting overwhelmed. Out of pure desperation, Misawa attacked Kawada’s weak knee for the first time ever in maybe the best moment of the match. I especially liked Kawada’s selling here since he sold enough to show that the knee was bothering him but didn’t center everything around it, since it was only a sub-plot. Misawa clipping the knee later on to regain the advantage was a nice touch. Some parts in the middle were a little bland and meandering but Kawada repeatedly cutting Misawa off by attacking his neck glued things together nicely. Strong build to the finishing stretch with the major Kawada control segment, Misawa’s comeback and the desperation Abisegeris as Kawada felt the match slip away. The ending is famous of course with Kawada’s last-ditch efforts but the writing was on the wall for him as Misawa prevailed through superior skill. The prototypical King’s Road heavyweight singles clash. ****1/2
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Post by microstatistics on Jul 17, 2020 16:41:21 GMT -5
Akira Hokuto/Aja Kong vs. Dynamite Kansai/Yumiko Hotta (AJW, 8/24/1994)
This was an elimination tag match and Hokuto’s initial smugness was awesome as she knew she had the ultimate difference maker in her corner. Kansai and Hotta were tough but Aja was an absolute force who could turn things around in a flash. Kansai nearly broke her foot on Kong’s face, but it ended up being the most crucial moment of the match since the kick dazed Kong long enough to be counted out. Hokuto was suddenly isolated as her earlier behavior blew up in her face. Still, her resilience and spirit, combined with Kansai and Hotta’s needless heel tactics made her more sympathetic in the eyes of the crowd. She took Hotta out and pushed Kansai close, but the task ended up being insurmountable. Compelling and compact action that told a superb story. They could have cut out a few kickouts and the selling wasn’t perfect near the end but there was genuine drama behind everything, and the finish was appropriately decisive. ****5/8
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