|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Nov 20, 2023 11:24:53 GMT -5
Been too long!
Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland (AEW, Texas Deathmatch, 11/18/23)
Given the praise this has been getting I thought I better check it out.
And it was better than I expected.
The opening was a little weak as they do some staple gun spots. But though they’re “icky”, they’re not really match-enders, and were oversold.
But after that it kept getting better and better. Swerve’s bladejob was gruesome, by the end the canvas was covered in blood, and it made for some great visuals.
Could’ve done with being shorter and more intense, but this was still a lot of fun.
****
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Nov 20, 2023 19:20:01 GMT -5
Taking a break from FMW to start 90s joshi:
Devil Masami vs. Cutie Suzuki (JWP, 04/20/90)
This is pretty much just Masami giving Suzuki a beating.
Cutie gets a little offense, but this isn’t a match for this project.
**
Akira Hokuto & Suzuka Minami vs. Mitsuko Nishiwaki & Yumiko Hotta (AJW, WWWA Tag Titles, ⅔ Falls, 05/13/90)
This is joshi puroresu.
It’s all-action, back-and-forth, fast-paced, exciting, and with minimal long-term selling. And it’s helped by a hot crowd and great atmosphere.
Essentially it’s an upgraded version of a Crush Gals versus Jumping Bomb Angels match with better and more varied offense.
Pretty much a textbook example of a workrate sprint.
*****
Itsuki Yamazaki vs. Plum Mariko (JWP, 05/25/90)
At first this seemed like it was going to be a squash.
But Plum wouldn’t stay down and kept fighting back. And it leads to a great finishing stretch as both women are throwing everything they’ve got at each other.
***½
Aja Kong, Grizzly Iwamoto & Bison Kimura vs Manami Toyota, Mika Takahashi & Kaoru Maeda (UWF, 06/04/90)
This had the potential to be far better than it was.
As it went on for too long and got repetitive.
But it still featured some decent action. Kong looked great. And Toyota managed to repeatedly get the crowd behind her.
***
Manami Toyota vs. Yumiko Hotta (AJW, Japan Grand Prix Final, 06/17/90)
From the first couple of minutes I thought this was going to be a classic.
Toyota attacks with a viciousness you don’t expect from her, leaving Hotta angry and bloody.
But when Hotta takes over it gets a little dull. With the exception of possibly the deepest Boston crab I’ve ever seen.
Though it picks up when Toyota starts to make her comeback. But the action never gets quite as big as I’d’ve liked. And there are some awkward spots. I don’t know if Hotta wasn’t fully cooperating or if it was genuine miscommunication.
A very good match that could have been great.
***¾
Shinobu Kandori vs. Harley Saito (JWP, 07/19/90)
This was much more of a shoot-style bout than I expected.
It pits Kandori’s submissions against Saito’s kicks. And the action’s great and there’s a real sense of drama.
It’s maybe a little too one-sided in Kandori’s favour and there’s a bad false finish that was a clear pinfall.
But overall I thoroughly enjoyed this and I hope we get a rematch at some point.
****¼
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Nov 30, 2023 0:43:53 GMT -5
Filling in a gap:
The Sheik vs. Abdullah the Butcher (AJPW, 05/21/80)
Not much wrestling.
But a lot of stabbing.
Fun enough for what it was, but it needed more intensity, violence, and chaos.
***
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Dec 2, 2023 1:52:46 GMT -5
More Abby:
Abdullah The Butcher vs. Carlos Colón (WWC, 07/27/91)
They take turns stabbing each other.
And it never really goes beyond that.
***
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Dec 28, 2023 12:37:16 GMT -5
A quick detour back to Bruno Sammartino:
Bruno Sammartino vs. Ken Patera (WWWF, WWWF Heavyweight Title, 01/17/77)
This was a solid enough match.
Elevated as all Sammartino matches seem to be by a hot crowd.
But it felt a bit run of the mill.
Though Patera looked good. And they’ve clearly got the potential for something much better.
***
Bruno Sammartino vs. Ken Patera (WWWF, WWWF Heavyweight Title, 03/07/77)
And this is that something much better.
Not hugely different to the previous match, but every element has been taken up a few notches and the result is something special.
The work’s simple, but it all makes sense. Both men sell well and they build a genuine sense of drama. And a little blood at the end tops things off.
Now I’ll admit this is a very borderline 5 star match. But I’d like to see this era of wrestling represented in my top 100 so it gets the full five. If I see a better Bruno match I’ll happily replace it.
*****
Bruno Sammartino vs. Ken Patera (WWWF, Texas Deathmatch, 08/29/77)
I was hoping this might one-up their previous match.
But it doesn’t.
It’s too one-sided with Bruno giving the dastardly heel a good beating.
***
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Dec 30, 2023 11:30:52 GMT -5
Finishing off the joshi of 1990:
Devil Masami & Itsuki Yamazaki vs Miss A & Harley Saito (JWP, 08/12/90)
I can’t remember this one at all.
Shouldn’t have waited so long to write the full review.
So here are my notes I wrote while watching:
Some good action.
But it goes too long and gets repetitive.
**½
Manami Toyota vs. Akira Hokuto (AJW, 08/19/90)
Surprisingly similar in both structure and quality to the Grand Prix final.
***¾
Bull Nakano & Grizzly Iwamoto vs. Aja Kong & Bison Kimura (AJW, 08/19/90)
This felt like an 80s AJPW tag match.
That is, they went out and smacked each other around.
And it was a lot of fun. Though it didn’t come together well enough to rate higher.
****
Devil Masami & Itsuki Yamazaki vs. Shinobu Kandori & Rumi Kazama (JWP, 09/30/90)
Not all that different from the above match.
Though with more of an emphasis on kicks and submissions it felt almost like a proto-Battlarts match.
And it suffers from the same problem - it came off more as a bunch of stuff than having a clear narrative.
****
Miss A & Harley Saito vs. Shinobu Kandori & Rumi Kazama (JWP, 10/10/90)
And again.
But here the action was even better and the shots even stiffer. And they deliver a quality, exciting finishing stretch. Which up to this point has been a weakness for joshi.
Sadly once more it’s let down by the lack of any sort of storytelling.
Though the quality of work more than makes up for that here.
****½
Bull Nakano vs. Aja Kong (AJW, WWWA World Title, Cage Match, 11/14/90)
I’ve been wanting to watch this match for years.
So I’m glad this project finally gave me the excuse I needed!
But it didn’t really work for me.
It came off almost FMW-like and was far too simple and repetitive for what the pair are capable of. They just took turns hitting each other.
That said, some of the striking was impressive and it did pick up towards the end.
***
Aja Kong, Bison Kimura, Madusa Miceli, Tarantula & Xochilt Hamada vs. Manami Toyota, Mariko Yoshida, Kaoru Maeda, Mika Takahashi & Esther Moreno (UWF, Elimination Match, 11/17/90)
A fun, lucharesu-style elimination tag match.
It started off a little rough, but it soon picked up and got better and better as it went.
Esther Moreno was the standout here with a great mix of lucha and puro moves. Though the crowd’s all about Aja, cheering her whenever she does anything.
Entertaining and very easy to watch.
****¼
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Jan 3, 2024 2:02:21 GMT -5
Time to start on 90s AJPW.
I'm fascinated to see if it holds up for me.
Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs. Steve Williams & Terry Gordy (AJPW, AJPW World Tag Titles, 03/06/90)
This seemed a bit subdued compared to what I was expecting from these four.
Though the action’s still good and Williams fits right into the AJPW style. And it really picks up when Tenryu gets isolated.
Not at the level of the best 80s tags. But still entertaining enough with four heavy hitters smacking each other around.
***¾
Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Steve Williams & Terry Gordy (AJPW, 05/14/90)
With Baba in I was expecting this to be a step down from the previous tag.
Turns out I was totally wrong. This is a notable step up.
Baba’s great, Williams has improved, and the action feels more lively and violent.
Quality match that solidifies The Miracle Violence Connection as a top tag team.
****¼
Jumbo Tsuruta, Masa Fuchi & The Great Kabuki vs. Akira Taue, Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW, 05/26/1990)
Again I wasn’t expecting much from this. I assumed it would be a warm-up match for the feud.
But, no.
It’s quality action from bell-to-bell. And it does a good job of showing you who everyone is and their place in the hierarchy.
Plus, it introduces a different style of main event match. Less violent brawling and more technical exchanges.
****¾
Stan Hansen vs. Steve Williams (AJPW, 06/05/90)
This came off almost as a changing of the guard.
Williams is a younger, stronger, and not as broken down version of Hansen.
But it’s still Stan Hansen and he’s no pushover.
And this goes right back to the 80s style of big man smacking each other around.
It starts off pretty good and gets better and better as it goes.
A little more chaos and violence or maybe Hansen having a bit more offence and this would’ve been an easy five stars.
****¾
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW, 06/08/90)
I’ve watched this twice before.
Both times I was expecting a classic. And it failed to deliver.
So this time I was a little more cautious - especially after reading other not so positive reviews.
But this I got my classic.
Maybe it helped that I’d been watching in chronological order. I don’t know. But everything made sense and the action was great. With the exception of a couple of notable botches, though they didn’t take anything away from the match for me.
Excellent.
*****
Stan Hansen vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW, Triple Crown, 07/27/90)
These two should also be able to deliver a classic together.
But this wasn’t it.
The bulk of the match is Misawa working over Hansen’s lariat arm. And while he keeps the work varied and interesting, and Stan’s brief comebacks are fun, it never got all that exciting or dramatic.
A solid match, but nothing more.
***½
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Jan 7, 2024 10:24:58 GMT -5
Finishing off All Japan's 1990:
Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi (AJPW, 08/18/90)
A red hot crowd and a great opening set the stage for a classic.
Then Kikuchi does a solid job of playing the face in peril. And it seems like it’s building to the finishing stretch. But then they keep going and it loses its momentum.
Still a great match, just not quite as great as it could’ve been.
****¼
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW, Triple Crown Contender Match, 09/01/90)
This built off their previous match.
Misawa no longer came off as the plucky underdog. Here he looked like he belonged, that he was on Jumbo’s level.
And they pushed each other to the point of exhaustion. Even though they botched a couple of spots in the finishing stretch, it played into the story and increased the drama.
I thought their previous match was a classic, and this was even better.
*****
Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue (AJPW, 09/30/90)
This has a lot going for it.
The action’s good and there’s blood and violence.
But it went on for far too long and was too casually paced. It came off a little flat.
Disappointing, but it’s not as if we’re short of other great matches featuring these four.
***
Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada & Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi (AJPW, 10/19/90)
The “nose” match.
Fuchi assaults Kobashi’s nose and though it’s only a small part of the match, it's the most memorable part.
Not to take anything away from the rest of the match. The action’s excellent throughout. Especially the hatred between Kawada and Taue.
And everything comes together pretty much perfectly.
My favourite six man tag so far.
*****
Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue (AJPW, Real World Tag League, 12/07/90)
The version of this I found was both clipped and cropped so I didn’t watch.
N/A
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Jan 11, 2024 10:24:15 GMT -5
Getting started on AJPW's 1991:
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Akira Taue (AJPW, 01/15/91)
Fun, short, and violent.
I was expecting something a little better as I'd read it was something different to the norm for the promotion.But while it is different to a lot of 90s AJPW, it’d fit right into 80s AJPW. And wouldn’t stand out there as anything special.
****
Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi (AJPW, 01/27/91)
This was loaded with quality action.
As you’d expect.
But sadly it’s clipped. There didn’t seem to be much missing, but it did take me out of it.
Still a great match though.
****½
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Akira Taue (AJPW, Champion Carnival, 04/18/91)
I thought this was a notable step up from their previous match.
It’s much more of a “traditional” 90s All Japan match and it’s all the better for it.
The structure’s better, the action’s better, there’s some surprisingly good submission work, and it gets dramatic in the finishing stretch.
Excellent match.
****½
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW, Triple Crown, 04/18/91)
Their best match yet.
Story-wise it builds off their previous encounters and the action felt bigger here. And it builds to a fantastic finishing stretch which sees the winner having to pull out absolutely everything he’s got to make sure the other man stays down.
I went into this one expecting a disappointment, but ended up hooked.
It felt similar to, but a little better than, Jumbo’s matches with Tenryu.
*****
Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada & Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi (AJPW, 04/20/91)
The best six-man tag of the feud so far.
Everything just clicks here. The crowd’s red hot. The action’s excellent. And everyone gets plenty of opportunities to show what they can do.
I’m really looking forward to seeing if they can top this one.
*****
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Jan 22, 2024 15:07:10 GMT -5
Finishing off AJPW's 1991:
Kenta Kobashi vs. Stan Hansen (AJPW, 09/04/91)
After his tag and singles match with Steve Williams I was a little worried Hansen had lost his aura.
Turns out there was no need to worry.
Stan looks like himself and brutalises poor Kenta.
And it makes for an excellent match as the pendulum slowly swings back the other way the longer the match goes. At the start it seemed like Kobashi didn’t stand a chance, but by the end I was thinking he could win.
Great action, great drama, and some great selling from Hansen.
*****
Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue (AJPW, AJPW World Tag Team Titles, 09/04/91)
You can’t really go wrong with these four.
The action was great throughout. And the submission ending was different for All Japan.
But it lacked a needed spark to make it a truly top-tier tag match.
****¼
Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi (AJPW, 10/15/91)
Now this did have that spark:
Misawa came in with an injured nose that Tsuruta, Taue, and Fuchi immediately went to work on.
And that helps elevate this above the norm.
The action’s great here, and the only thing holding it back was the ending felt inevitable. It could’ve done with more drama.
****¾
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 10/24/91)
Going into this match I didn’t think Kawada stood the slightest chance against Jumbo.
And that hurts the match because everything else here is excellent.
But unlike the Kobashi/Hansen match at no point did I think the younger wrestler could squeeze out a win.
****½
Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue (AJPW, Real World Tag League, 11/29/91)
This got off to a 5 star start.
But dropped off a bit in the middle which was a real shame. And completely avoidable as Misawa had an eye injury. But Jumbo and Taue only focus on it for the last third of the match.
It would’ve been much better had it been the focus of the entire match.
Still, a great start and a great finishing stretch did more than enough to make this a great match.
****¼
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Jan 23, 2024 9:26:12 GMT -5
Invader #1 vs. Al Perez (WWC, Street Fight, 10/26/86)
This didn’t click with me.
It’s slow-paced, not particularly intense, and they just take turns hitting each other.
Though I don't want to spoil it, I did find the finish amusing.
**
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Jan 23, 2024 12:11:27 GMT -5
Carlos Colón vs. Invader #1 (WWC, WWC Universal Heavyweight Title, 08/08/92)
My favourite of all the Puerto Rican wrestling I’ve seen so far.
It’s still a little casually paced, but everything else is great here.
The work’s more than just taking turns to hit each other, there’s a clear narrative and heel/face divide, and they do a great job of selling the exhaustion as the match goes on.
And it might even be better than this, but I was interrupted repeatedly while watching so I will need to give it a rewatch at some point.
****
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Feb 10, 2024 22:09:49 GMT -5
Time for All Japan's 1992, the end of the Jumbo era:
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 01/21/92)
This got off to a great start.
And Jumbo sells more than he did in their previous match.
But despite being a more even match, the action never hits the same level. ****
Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (AJPW, 02/22/92)
This was a lot of fun.
But not a lot more than that.
***½
Stan Hansen vs. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 04/06/92)
This was loaded with quality action as you’d expect from these two.
But it didn’t quite come together as well as I’d have liked.
So while it’s great, it never felt quite as exciting or dramatic as Hansen’s match with Kobashi.
****¼
Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada & Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi (AJPW, 05/22/92)
Something about this just didn’t click.
The work’s good and they add in new elements, but it felt flat. Like they were just going through the motions.
***½
Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat (AJPW, All Asia Tag Titles, 05/25/92)
I don’t know how this is the first time I’m watching this.
But at least I’ve finally got to it.
On PWO, someone wrote this was a four star match with a five star crowd. And I think that’s about the perfect description.
A lot of fun and the crowd elevates it, but not an absolute top-tier tag match.
****½
Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue (AJPW, AJPW World Tag Titles, 06/05/92)
Like the six man tag, this felt a little flat.
Though the action was better here and it did pick up a quality finishing stretch.
****
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, Triple Crown, 10/21/92)
Didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did.
They wrestle it in almost a classic NWA style. Fittingly given this essentially marks the end of the Jumbo era. Not that they knew that then though.
Kawada targets Misawa’s arm. Misawa goes after Kawada’s back. And they continually escalate the action towards what’s easily the biggest finishing stretch to this point in All Japan as they throw everything they’ve got at each other.
Excellent match.
Now I'm really looking forward to watching the rivalry play out.
*****
Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi & Giant Baba (AJPW, 11/27/92)
I was a little sceptical about a 1992 match with Giant Baba in.
But it turns out I needn't have been.
The action’s top-notch, Baba more than carries his weight, and the finishing stretch between Kobashi and Kawada is a ton of fun.
Far better than I was expecting.
****½
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Feb 18, 2024 13:39:09 GMT -5
Starting my journey through the UWFi. Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Masahito Kakihara, (UWFi, 05/10/91)
The very first match of the newest incarnation of the UWF. This was a fantastic showcase for Tamura and how the style had evolved. The matwork was far slicker and more technical than in the first two UWFs. And though this was a bit one-sided in Tamura’s favour Kakihara comes back at the end. Very good match that showed more than just the name had changed this time. ***¾ Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Yoji Anjoh (UWFi, 07/03/91)
This really showed how good the new shoot-style could be. The matwork was top-notch and Anjoh made for a much better opponent for Tamura than Kakihara. He was skilled, aggressive, and kept Tamura on the backfoot. Excellent action. ****½ Kazuo Yamazaki & Yoji Anjoh vs. Gary Albright & Jim Boss (UWFi, 01/09/92)
This was ok, not something for this project though. Albright was impressive. But Jim Boss was out of his element here. He seemed to have skills, but didn’t know how to use them. And as I’d never heard of him a quick bit of Googling revealed this: “On December 6th, 2005, Boss allegedly had sex with a prostitute and afterwards the two smoked crack. The couple fell asleep in his car and after they awoke, the prostitute asked for her money. Boss said he would get the money to pay her and attempted two robberies to gather the money. This led Boss on a chase with police. Boss crashed his car and was apprehended by police in Nashville, Tennessee. The police officer ordered Boss face down on the ground. As the officer was handcuffing Boss on the ground, the cop still had his gun in his right hand. His gun accidentally discharged one round, which hit Boss in the back of his neck…killing him instantly. The mother of Boss’ daughter sued the Nashville Police and the court found that the officer did not follow proper procedures and awarded Boss’ daughter $100,000 in their lawsuit. Jim Boss was 49 years old at the time of his death.” (Courtesy of ringthedamnbell.wordpress.com/2022/08/22/wrestling-with-sin-399/)*** Hiromitsu Kanehara vs. Masakazu Maeda (UWFi, 02/15/92)
Masakazu Maeda had a grand total of 6 matches in his career (all against Kanehara). It’s a pity he didn’t continue as it looked like he could’ve been a Tamura style prodigy. This was loaded with great technical grappling. Though it was a little too slick, it needed more struggle. And some of Maeda’s early strikes were a little lightweight, but after Kanehara no-sold them he soon upped the intensity. A lot of fun and bodes well for a rematch… **** Hiromitsu Kanehara vs. Masakazu Maeda (UWFi, 03/17/92)
Here is that rematch. And it solves every issue with their previous match. It’s violent, they struggle over everything, and they work a clear narrative of Kanehara being better on the mat and Maeda the better striker. Not as good as the very best from RINGS. But not all that far off either. A fantastic match. ***** Yoji Anjoh vs. Masahito Kakihara (UWFi, 06/28/92)
The matwork was a little disappointing here. But the stand up exchanges were vicious. Neither man had a problem really laying it in. A very good match that could’ve been great with better matwork. ***½ Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Yoji Anjoh (UWFi, 08/28/92)
Their match from the previous year was excellent and they managed to top it here. Tamura’s continued to improve his skills and now he’s on Anjoh’s level. Which makes for a more even, hard fought bout. The early exchanges are fast-paced and exciting. As the match goes on and they slow down it becomes more tense and dramatic. And even though it’s apparent from the start that Tamura has the edge on the mat now, Anjoh refuses to recognise it and stubbornly keeps playing Tamura’s game. It’s only in the later stages of the match he finally acknowledges he needs to keep it standing if he wants to win. Top-tier shoot-style action from one of its masters and an under-rated hand. ***** Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Kazuo Yamazaki (UWFi, 10/23/92)
This was slower-paced but more tense. As Tamura initially doesn’t seem to take Yamazaki that seriously, but Yamazaki quickly shows him why that’s a mistake. An excellent first half, but it’s hampered by a second half that’s not as good. Which is a shame as this could’ve been a classic. But it does pick up for a great finish. ****½ Naoki Sano vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi, 12/20/92)
This felt like an original UWF match. The action’s slower and the matwork’s far more basic than what the likes of Tamura and Anjoh were doing. It took a while to get going. And just when it seems it’s going to get great it ends out of nowhere. ***½
|
|
|
Post by AndrewGB79 on Feb 24, 2024 10:59:27 GMT -5
Finished off the UWFi:
Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi, 02/14/93)
This pitted Tamura’s athleticism against Takada’s experience.
And it made for a great match.
Tamura was the aggressor, but Takada had an answer for everything he tried.
Not at the level of the best of the style, but still a must-watch for fans.
****¼
Naoki Sano vs. Kiyoshi Tamura (UWFi, 05/06/93)
This was a technical clinic, but a little too dry.
Which was disappointing as it could and should have been a classic.
****
Yoji Anjoh vs. Naoki Sano (UWFi, 08/13/93)
This was loaded with great sequences.
And Anjoh really impressed here. He spent most of the match attacking and showed off all sorts of cool takedown variations.
Though it didn’t really come together as well as I’d’ve liked. It was a little slow and not intense enough.
Still a great match.
****
Vader vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi, 12/05/93)
An amazing spectacle.
They made this feel like an absolutely massive match.
And the work in the ring more than lived up to the presentation.
Vader clearly wasn’t sure about things to start with, but the longer it went the better it got. And by the end it was near enough as good as wrestling gets.
****¾
Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Vader (UWFi, 06/10/94)
Fun and short.
Tamura tries to copy Takada’s strategy against Vader, but it doesn’t work for him.
Probably the only powerbomb he’s taken in his career.
****
Nobuhiko Takada vs. Gary Albright (UWFi, 06/10/94)
I was looking forward to this match and while it was great, it wasn’t as great as I wanted.
They spend too long on the mat. Albright’s not the best matworker and Takada’s not the man to carry him.
But it really picks up when they start standing and trading strikes and suplexes.
That should have been the majority of the match.
****
Vader vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi, 08/18/94)
This lacked the spectacle of their first match, but retained the big match feel.
And the work was a step up here. It felt more epic and with more drama. Especially in the finishing stretch.
Though it is hampered by some rather poor camera work.
That aside, this was an amazing match.
*****
Kiyoshi Tamura & Gene Lydick vs. Masahito Kakihara & Steve Nelson (UWFi, 10/14/94)
This was a bit of an odd one.
Tamura came off as complacent, almost dismissive of Kakihara. And things never quite clicked.
But the action was still pretty good and I enjoyed it.
***½
Naoki Sano vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi, 10/14/94)
This was a big step up from their previous match.
That was a little slow and old-fashioned, but this feels like a proper, modern shoot-style bout.
The action’s faster and the technical work from both men is great. With Takada looking surprisingly good as he keeps up with Sano.
Though it is let down by a bit of a damp squib finish.
****¼
Vader vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi, 04/20/95)
This lacked the big match atmosphere of their first two bouts.
Though the work was still great, but not quite at the level of what they’d done before.
And the finish seemed a little sudden.
****¼
Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Kazuo Yamazaki (UWFi, 05/17/95)
This was full of quality technical action.
But the action was rather lightweight. To the point it almost looked like they were making a statement so I don’t know if there were any issues.
A pity as this is another one that could and should have been a classic.
***¾
Yoji Anjoh vs. Naoki Sano (UWFi, 06/18/95)
A better version of the above match.
The technical work’s excellent and here it seems like they mean it. And Anjoh looks great again.
Though I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending as it went against the flow of the match.
****¼
Yoji Anjoh & Yoshihiro Takayama vs. Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (UWFi, 11/25/95)
Simple, heated action.
Nothing special, other than Takayama throwing a guard rail at Chono, but an enjoyable enough watch.
***¼
Nobuhiko Takada vs. Shinya Hashimoto (NJPW, IWGP Heavyweight Title, 04/29/96)
When Hashimoto makes his entrance it feels like this is going to be an absolutely massive event.
But as Takada enters the crowd cools right down.
And there is some impressive action here. But it didn’t seem like they hit top gear and it never really felt like Takada was going to win. And the muted crowd reaction didn’t help. Maybe because he didn’t go full heel and having been in some of the greatest NJPW matches of the eighties he’s not a “real” outsider to them.
A great match, but not as great as I wanted.
****
Nobuhiko Takada & Masahito Kakihara vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Yoshiaki Fujiwara (UWFi, 06/26/96)
While the teams make it obvious who’s taking the loss here, the action was solid.
At least, right up until Kakihara kicks Fujiwara in the face, closing one of his eyes. And then it becomes great. Fujiwara delivers a beating and Takada doesn’t seem to want any part of it.
A lot of fun.
Though maybe not for Kakihara.
****
Nobuhiko Takada vs. Genichiro Tenryu (UWFi, 09/11/96)
Now this was epic.
This was the match Takada/Hashimoto should have been.
They spend the first ten minutes setting everything up, and then the last ten paying it off.
The action, the strikes, and the drama are all top-notch. And it benefits from a hot crowd.
This kept me gripped throughout.
*****
Genichiro Tenryu vs. Nobuhiko Takada (WAR, 12/13/96)
Another epic!
And while it’s not all that dissimilar to their first match, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
*****
|
|