Pro Wrestling Love vol. 33: Best of 90s New Japan Heavyweights (Shinya Hashimoto, Great Muta, Genichiro Tenryu)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 33:

The Best of New Japan Pro Wrestling Heavyweights 1990-1999

Objective:  Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at gwe.freeforums.project.net) into more manageable chunks to help me build my Top 100 List for the project.

Motivation: Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by the sands of time.

Subject: This thirty-third volume of Pro Wrestling Love completes the Top 13 countdown (I couldnt make the cut and had to put a tie for #12) of the best matches to take place in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the Heavyweight Division between 1990-1999. New Japan has a vibrant junior heavyweight scene in the 1990s led by Jushin “Thunder” Liger that has overshadowed the work of the heavyweight division in America. Make no mistake about it however, the heavyweights led by the Three Musketeers, Shinya Hashimoto, Keiji Mutoh & Masahiro Chono were the draws for the major shows at Tokyo Dome, Sumo Hall and other large shows. The Three Musketeers had back up in the form of Hiroshi Hase & Kensuke Sasaki along with the old guard of Antonio Inoki, Riki Choshu and Tatsumi Fujinami. In addition, two major invasion angles (WAR & UWFI) led by Genichiro Tenryu and Nobuhiko Takada bolstered popularity. Their counterparts in All Japan are defined by the decade of the 1990s thus it is just easier to cluster New Japan in the same way. You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders associated with the date of the match.

Defender of New Japan, Hashimoto The Destroyer, Rest in Peace

Top Six New Japan Heavyweight Matches 1990-1999

#6. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Nobuhiko Takada vs Shinya Hashimoto - 4/29/96

The only thing greater than the Right Hand of God is the RIGHT HAND OF HASHIMOTO! Incredible Dome match with insane heat! Nobuhiko Takada is a genius for a dude who cant fight a lick he made the entire world believe that he is the greatest fighter. He had the successful UWFi, three Dome matches in the 90s and then a big feud with Tenryu after this and then started PRIDE & Hustle. He may be the greatest worker of all time in the truest sense of the word meaning he made people believe the unbelievable. 

Takada gives a very selfless performance here for Hashimoto. He does not just lose clean as a sheet in the middle of the ring via submission. He sold every Hashimoto kick like it was death and he had fear in his eyes. That first kick to his leg look how nervous he looks and then how Hashimoto is staring a hole right through him. Hashimoto gives one of his greatest performances ever as Hashimoto The Destroyer just stuffing everything and mercilessly brutalizing the leader of the UWFi leader. Is there anybody you would want defending your territory against invaders? I dont think this is quite as good as Hashimoto vs Tenryu matches, but this is great. You do need to create drama so when it comes time for Takada to get offense it feels electric. My favorite moment besides the finish might be Takada rifling Hashimoto's left leg with kicks and then hitting this tremendous kick combination to the head that fells Hashimoto to the mat. The crowd went crazy. Takada went for the cross armbreaker but Hashimoto scrambled for the ropes. Hashimoto destroying the legs comes back later and boy does Takada sell his ass for it. Credit to Takada for not letting his shooter badass character get in the way of looking vulnerable. Hashimoto applies a figure-4 and the heat is off the charts. The one problem with focusing on Takada's legs is that is the source of his offense so he blows it off to hit his trademark kicks and a backdrop driver, but againt cant finish the mighty Hashimoto who powers out of a Boston Crab. On the next standup is when the Right Hand of Hashimoto sends the crowd into a frenzy. The ref tries to back him off but he runs through and hits a big meaty elbow drop while Takada is under the ropes. I love the big fight feel! Takada tries to kick his way out of trouble...he is landing some big shots...he is rocking the head...he pushes Hashimoto off to create distance for a full extension...Takada throws HASHIMOTO SWEEPS THE LEG! OH MY FUCKING GOD! I LOST MY MIND!

The rest of the match becomes about Hashimoto trying to hit the Brainbuster and Takada desperately trying to avoid it. Takada's last gasp is a Fujiwara armbar, but Hashimoto makes the ropes and Takada reapplies it in the ropes to Booos. Great heeling there. Hashimoto caves in the solarplexus with a massive kick. Takada is still avoiding his death sentence. Hashimoto rips him down with a DDT. BRAINBUSTER! Headscissors/armbreaker finishes him with a submission. 

All will bow down to Hashimoto The Destroyer! Perfect Dome match for these two, the Takada knockdown of Hashimoto feels huge then Hashimoto's offense feels like the coolest most badass thing ever. This match also gets a boost for being a really damn great blowoff match to a hot angle and being really influential in not just Japanese wrestling, but in American wrestling as the NWO was born from this match.

#5. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto vs Riki Choshu - G-1 Climax '96
New Japan Heavyweight Match of the Year, 1996

"CHOSHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!"

I am so glad I finally watched this. Incredible tour de force. Best Dome match to not take place in a Dome. I look forward to their '97 Dome encounter. The Lock Ups here are just incredible. Tight and snug. I loved Hashimoto getting the headlock and then grapevining the leg causing them to tumble over. This is one of those rough & tumble matches where nothing is gonna be pretty, but you best believe everything will be earned. The battle over that first suplex feels gargantuan. Like whoever gets it will win the match. Oddly enough that is the truth as Choshu gets the Champ over and then applies Scorpion Deathlock.But after that Choshu runs out of gas and this becomes the Hashimoto asskicking show. Hashimoto is OBLITERATING Choshu with kicks. Choshu is left gasping from breathe but he is defiant as ever. He is the Old Gunslinger with one last go around at the OK Corral. No matter how hard Hashimoto hit him and believe you me he hit hard and repeatedly, but Choshu never stayed down. Choshu would not be denied. DDT, massive second rope elbow and a barrage of kicks did not stop Choshu. Hashimoto was literally kicking Choshu so hard he kicked him out of the ring. Choshu kept getting back up. The Old Man was not going down just yet. Hashimoto hurls his entire body at him as Choshu is climbing back on the apron sending Choshu crashing back to the floor. Hashimoto looked ready to destroy the Rockstar of the 80s on the floor, but as he went for his rainbow heel kick Choshu blocked it with a big forearm to the knee. From there, Choshu alternated between attacking the knee and trying to floor the Champ with massive mack truck lariats. Some of the most brutal lariats ever and Hashimoto ate them and his appetite would not be satiated as he kept asking for more. Those lariats, the smack of flesh and Hashimoto not taking a bump is what Clash of the Titans means. Hashimoto blocks a lariat with an overhand chop. Liked the symmetry of how Choshu blocked that rainbow heel kick. Choshu goes back to the knee. I loved the Superplex for Choshu as it is just a huge spot. Choshu only gets two and Hashimoto is great at selling. You can sense he is not just selling the knee, but the fact he knows he is doomed and that The Old Man got one up on him. Hashimoto has his defiant last stand and with one last bellow of "CHOSHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!" it was all over as Choshu finally floors Hashimoto with a MONSTER LARIAT!

This is pro wrestling, muthafuckas. 

#4. Keiji Mutoh vs Masahiro Chono - G-1 Climax '91 Finals
New Japan Heavyweight Match of the Year, 1991

It is funny, I was watching this match and thinking to myself why did I like this so much a couple years ago and then it kicked me in the teeth. This match is all about build & escalation. 

First 20 Minutes: The opening matwork was perfectly solid NWA Championship style chain wrestling, but it did eventually become more important as time progressed. Chono took an early lead with a short arm scissors that made Mutoh powder. Mutoh had to go after the left arm which had a bandage around the left bicep. Mutoh did not press this instead he hit his power elbow drop for the first high spot. He could not complete his back handspring elbow and as he ricocheted off the turnbuckles, he was met with a back drop driver. Good spot that reset the match. Big strike exchange. You dont think of these two as preeminent strikers, but this came off well. Mutoh goes for the leg to set up his deathlock spot, which seems weird with the arm injury but Mutoh loves his deathlock spot. The match gets really good once Mutoh busts out Cattle Mutilation. Mutoh was bridging for whole minutes in both the deathlock and cattle mutilation, which is INSANE! Mutoh was in amazing shape. Mutoh goes for the cross-armbreaker on the bad arm. Chono boot rakes the eyes. Now it is on! Chono goes for the Yakuza kicks to the head and kicks him straight off the apron as Mutoh was trying to powder. This time Chono presses his advantage with not one, but two dives. I love this mentality. Chono was losing his grip on the match. Mutoh was dominating him on the mat and could have won the match with the cross-armbreaker. So Chono has that go for broke mentality and wants to dig himself out of a hole. He goes too far though as he hits two piledrivers, but instead of covering he goes for the STF and Mutoh scrambles out of the ring. Chono looks to put a nail in the coffin with the piledriver on the floor, but Mutoh backdrops out. It is Mutoh dragging him over into the stands that hits the piledriver on the exposed concrete. High risk leads to mistakes and now Mutoh is in control of the match. Great transition, Mutoh hits a missile dropkick in the ring and goes for the cover. Mutoh hits two more suplexes and gets a nearfall after each. Mutoh is thinking about winning. Was the opening matwork a little tedious and lacking struggle, yes, but it was NOT perfunctory. It did matter. Mutoh had to go to the arm, but he abandoned that strategy and paid for it. Then he went back to the arm and it freaked Chono out. This triggered the bombfest. Strong transitions right now and everything matters. I am really interested to see the back end. 

Last Portion: Mutoh sold really well here. Great sells of the missed moonsaults and especially the first STF. Where we left off Mutoh was in total control, the Dragon Suplex is too close to the ropes. Mutoh calls for the finish and wants the moonsault, but Chono moves causing Mutoh to crash & burn. Chono wastes no time...Yakuza Kick...STF!!! Mutoh makes the ropes and he sold this really well. Chono is now in the driver's seat. Suplexes and an Octopus Stretch as he is trying to pour it on. This is commonly reviewed as something that is done in the style 90s All Japan and nothing rings more true than Mutoh winning suplex struggle to transition back to his offense. Mutoh tries his own Octopus Stretch. Mutoh leapfrogs over Chono's counterdropkick, but they both dropkick each other on Mutoh's springboard dropkick. Chono looks for the STF, but cant apply it fully before Mutoh makes the ropes. I love that drama was in the application of the hold rather than in the hold. They do a very All Japan spot of Chono kicking Mutoh who ricochets off the ropes with a flying forearm. Mutoh hits his backbreaker...MOONSAULT...EATS KNEE! Epic sell by Mutoh, great job! Chono powerbombs him for the win!

I loved the finish...Mutoh goes for his finish...is injured...then Chono hits his for the win. Efficient and powerful. I love how every transition meant something and they did a great job building this organically from matwork to bombs to the big bombs (STF, Moonsault). I think whats keeping this from ***** is the lack of struggle, some segments were just let me hit my moves, but there was still great drama down the stretch. Chono's best match by a wide margin. I think Mutoh had better matches against Tenryu. Hashimoto vs Tenryu is better in regards to New Japan heavyweights, but this is definitely still one of the best and a real feather in the cap of both men. The future seemed very bright for New Japan in 1991.

#3. Shinya Hashimoto vs. Genichiro Tenryu - 8/8/93

The rematch takes place just days after the finish of the G-1 Climax and this time the match takes place on New Japan's turf so Hashimoto has home court advantage.

Hashimoto is much more in control here than at the beginning of the last match. He seems more confident that he can improve and get the win here. Tenryu seems more offensive-minded. He knows he eeked out a victory last time. Tenryu goes with Sumo Slaps to start and Hashimoto mostly blocks, they lock up and get tangled in the ropes. Reset. Each hits a shoulderblock knocking the other off their feet. Hashimoto favors his injured left shoulder. Is this the DDP injured ribs of Japan? Did it ever heal? Tenryu goes low though and gets a drop toehold looking to work the leg, but that goes nowhere. Upon standup, Hashimoto targets the leg he attacked in the first match with kicks and then a toehold. Rope break. Then they stare at each other for uncomfortably long period of time. Tenryu opens a can of whoop ass. Chops to the throat that are just wicked and when Hashimoto tucks his chin to block Tenryu CHOPS HIM IN THE FACE! WOW! Hashimoto opens a can in return and starts chopping the hell out of him and kicking him. Hashimoto ends up just smothering him. I didn't like Hashimoto going for a hold right after that. They should have kept rocking because they were finally letting loose. Tenryu makes the ropes. Wicked kick and then chops him repeatedly up high in the throat and face. Hashimoto goes down in a heap. Kawada kicks to the head. This is a great dick heel performance from Tenryu and a great Hashimoto selling performance. Top reverse elbow from Tenryu. He hits a big lariat for two. Goes for another and Hashimoto says DONT BE BRINGING THAT IN MY HOUSE when he throws him DOWN with an Urnage. Hashimoto wants the DDT, but cant get it so he settles for trying to pull Tenryu's shoulder out of its socket with an armdrag and works Tenryu's lariat arm. Great verbal selling and physical selling from Tenryu. Tenryu starts kneeing him in the head. Tenryu has been brutal in this match. Bodyslam by Tenryu and goes up for his top rope reverse elbow but you cant do the same move twice and Hashimoto gets the electric chair. Crawls desperately for the cover but only gets two. Cross armbeaker on the bad arm and Tenryu quickly gets the ropes. I will never get tired of watching Hashimoto kicking people. Those kicks to Tenryu's bad arm are ferocious.

Hashimoto runs the ropes and gets caught in a desperation powerbomb. Hashimoto charging in has cost him twice now (in the first match, missed jumping DDT was the beginning of the end). Tenryu goes for the powerbomb and Hashimoto backdrops out. The selling is off the charts here with Hashimoto really selling discombobulated. Hashimoto cements his advantage with the enziguiri and then the rainbow heel kick. Tenryu's selling is so good you can feel the match slipping from his grasp. Now here is Hashimoto's finish sequence. Tenryu almost blocks the jumping DDT in the same way but this time, Hashimoto gets an armbar takedown on the bad arm. Hashimoto hits his DDT. I loved the urgency on the cover but only gets two. Tenryu is grabbing his head as Hashimoto is frustrated. He grabs the hair of Tenryu and takes him over with a German suplex cover again and only two. The anguish on Hashimoto's face is great. He pulls on the hair again to pull him up this time for a powerbomb. Tenryu almost collapses, nice touch. He picks him up and Tenryu kicks him in the head. ENZIGUIRI! LOOK AT THAT SELL BY HASHIMOTO! WOW! Kappo Kick and Hashimoto is bowled over. In the last match that was the prelude to the powerbomb and the finish. Tenryu is selling his left arm but he grits his teeth and hits a lariat anyways. Tenryu is pissed. Big chops again from Tenryu, great offensive performance from Tenryu. Hashimoto powerslam! Hashimoto gnashing his teeth. Pulling Tenryu up by his hair, German? Tenryu goes wild with elbows and punches to the head. Total survival mode. Bulldog out of that position. Great enziguiri from Tenryu. Tenryu loads him up, powerbomb, 1-2-NO! HUGE POP! Here comes the Defiant Fighting Spirit last stand. Rainbow kick and then falling chops. Hashimoto can barely stand is just throwing chops. Powerbomb again for two. This time Hashimoto has nothing left and Tenryu hits the third and final powerbomb to put away the challenger to his throne.

I just want to get this out of the way early, I thought the beginning was too tepid to give this a full five. Now let me praise the match. The finish sequence would inspire generations to come. That defiant last stand by a young upstart is a common trope in 2000s puroresu. It is cinematographic but it works so well here. The way Hashimoto throws those chops after the first powerbomb is just great. In the first match, Hashimoto got caught with a kappo kick to the head in the middle of a fight. It was a flash loss. Here Hashimoto showed great resiliency but had a dug too much of a hole for himself. What makes this match so great is not the offense per se, but the selling. Not just selling of the offense, but the selling of the importance of the match. Hashimoto was selling how badly he wanted to win the match. So many wrestlers forget that is what pro wrestling is about, it is about winning. Hashimoto wanted to win this one so badly. It was completely engrossing watching him try so hard. The way he gnashed his teeth for every Tenryu kick out, how he pulled him up by the hair and how he threw those last chops, Hashimoto putting everything he had into the match. When a wrestler is invested in the outcome of the match, the fans will be invested. Hashimoto comes up short in the match, but in reality he was the true winner.

#2. Keiji Mutoh & Hiroshi Hase vs. Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono - 11/4/93
New Japan Heavyweight Match of the Year, 1993

The tag team champions at this point I believe are the Jurassic Powers (Norton & Hercules) with the Hellraisers (Hawk & Power Warrior) as their main opponents. Mutoh & Hase are a full time tag team that have won the tag belts and would win them again. I dont know how often Hashimoto & Chono tagged. It is not my favorite way to watch wrestling, but now when I need to get as much wrestling in as possible I will be doing this style from time to time, which is writing the review as I watch the match.

Hashimoto and Hase to start, they had a pretty highly acclaimed match at this year's G-1 Climax, I thought their '94 title match was better. Hase is great for a good amateur wrestling contest. Even though Hashimoto is bigger, he understands leverage is able to take the big man down. He lets him back up in a wristlock which seems hard and is looking for the armbar, but Hashimoto reverses into his own. Hashimoto working the wristlock. Pretty standard New Japan opening to the match. Nice double wristlock takedown by Hashimoto into the headscissors great bridge by Hase. The New Japan wrestler are better than their All Japan counterparts in wrestling. Nice kip up out of the headscissors by Hase. Hashimoto catches Hase good with the right and each tag out. Mutoh and Chono squared off at the '93 Dome show, but Mutoh was Great Muta and also the victor. Mutoh wins the first shouldertackle.  Collar and elbow and shoot off to the ropes and Chono wins the shouldertackle this time. Mutoh works the headlock and Chono reverses into a headscissors towards his corner. This is not being worked at the break-neck pace of the 11/1/90 match. Chono headbutts Mutoh who powders and has a conference with Hase. Knucklelock and Chono gets the drop toehold into the facelock. Chono has been looking good even post-injury here. Chono rakes the face with the boot to re-establish his arm-stretcher. Wristlock by Chono as Mutoh stands up and Mutoh gets an armdrag. Mutoh tags in Hase, which seems wide. Hase and Chono had a highly acclaimed match in 1993 by Parv that is on my list to check out. Nice bridge by Hase and tags Chono in the face with a heel kick. Chono opts not to tag out and Hase tackles him over into his corner and tags out to Mutoh. Chono has been in there awhile. He tags out to Hashimoto. Hashimoto won his first IWGP Championship in 1993 from The Great Muta. Each man misses their first big strikes. Mutoh thinks it is time to tag out. Very cautious, strategic match thus far. Hase grabs a headlock and Hashimoto shoots him off. Hase cant get the big man off his feet. He wisely uses leverage to win the knucklelock showing that Hase is a thinking man's wrestler. Hase throws repeated chops at Hashimoto, but takes one kick from Hashimoto to take Hase off his feet. This is the first mistake of the match. Hase should have stuck to wrestling once he challenged in strikes he lost the advantage. Hashimoto tagged out. Chono went to work on the legs, but Hase is wily veteran and was able to reverse into his own leg holds. They roll into the ropes. Hase goes all Gracie and fights from his back. This confuses Chono and Hase actually wins control and tags in Mutoh. They double team Chono's legs and Mutoh grabs a standard toehold. Nice work by Hase to get himself out of a jam and get Mutoh in there. Mutoh works his usual deathlock hold on Chono. Hase is the real MVP thus far. They double team both driving Chono's knees into the mat and then Hase applies a figure-4. Strong work by the most experienced tag team. Chono makes the ropes. Hase is signalling for The Giant Swing and crowd reacts but Chono makes the ropes. Tag out to Mutoh we are seeing those quick tags. Chono hits an enziguiri and wisely tags out. Hashimoto says it is game time! He bulldozes Mutoh, then throws his ass down, then hits a GIANT ELBOW! Boston Crab by Hashimoto and Hase breaks it up with chops. Hashimoto definitely just escalated this match in response to Chono losing control. Tags Chono back in and Chono is looking to redeem himself. He comes off the top crashing down on Mutoh's arm. Chono tags in Hashimoto and he comes down with a double axehandle on Mutoh's arm. Hashimoto hits such vicious kicks that he knocks Mutoh into Hase. No matter as Hashimoto CRUSHES Hase with kneelifts and kicks. Thrust kick sends Hase in their corner, smart tag work. Chono applies a chinlock as Hashimoto has completely changed the game owning both Mutoh and Hase. It was like a great individual basketball player dominating a game. Chono goes up top, shaking my head. Hase hits a superplex. Far too early to go for such a high risk move. Hase hits his patented twisting Urnage for 2. Hashimoto must be pissed. Hase wants the Northern Light Suplex, but Hashimoto breaks it up with kicks to bail Chono's dumbass out. Mutoh attacks Hashimoto, but it is too late, the damage was done. It was quite the head-rocking enziguiri. Chono got a nearfall, but Mutoh saved. Then Hashimoto came in and knocked Mutoh off the apron and covered again, but Mutoh saved again. That one enziguiri really rang Hase's bell. Hashimoto is basically a one man wrecking crew. He hits his big rainbow spinning heel kick, but that sends Hase flying to his corner. Big mistake. Mutoh is full of piss & vinegar and hits a dropkick out of the gate. Back Handspring Elbow! Bulldog! Backbreaker! He is just going for it. Chono hits a Yakuza Kick to prevent the Moonsault! Mutoh knew his partner was toast and basically just hit everything in his arsenal to try to win the match right then and there, but the 2-on-1 was too much to overcome. Hashimoto hits his rainbow spinning heel kick on Mutoh. Tags in Chono who hits his Yakuza Kick on Mutoh and as Hase is finally getting up on the apron, Chono stomps his head. It does not look good for Mutoh and Hase. Chono holds Mutoh. HASHIMOTO MISSILE DROPKICK! 1-2-NO! Hashimoto enziguiri thats the move that put Hase down and only a two. They are running away with this. Hashimoto tags in Chono and kicks Hase off the apron. Chono hits a suplex for two. Gutsy performance from Mutoh, but it seems inevitable. Octopus Stretch...Chono breaks to Yakuza Kick Hase off the apron. Double team on Mutoh coming and it is a double tackle. Hashimoto knocks Hase off the apron. Single leg crab on Mutoh. I dont see how Mutoh & Hase can comeback but I will feel like it will happen. Chono just ran across the ring and knocked Hase off the apron as Mutoh was in the crab. Mutoh lunges for his corner, but Hase is not there, Excellent! HASHIMOTO TAKES THE MOST RIDICULOUS BUMP! He is charging into a neutral corner and misses his rainbow spinning heel kick over the top rope to floor. WOW! My eyes got huge! Well there is a fucking opening. Mutoh tags in Hase! Here. We. Go. Hase suplexes Hashimoto into the ring! Chono comes in. Twisting Urnage for Chono! Then one for Hashimoto! You know what lets do another for good measure since you were such an asshole this match! 1-2-NO! Crowd was wicked into that. Hase gets a Scorpion Deathlock and then hits a German Suplex! Crowd is really counting loud 1-2-NO, Mutoh is cheerleading. Hashimoto gets the kneelift and wants the DDT, but Hase backs into the ropes. Hashimoto kicks his chest. Still wants the DDT and Mutoh saves, but Hashimoto is persistent with kneelift after kneelift. DDT! 1-2-MUTOH SAVES and then elbows Chono. Another DDT and tag out to Chono! Yakuza Kick! Another one and he blasts Mutoh as a receipt. STF! Hase scrambles for the ropes and Chono is pissed. He slaps on another one and Mutoh saves. Chono misses and twisting Urnage. Tag out to Mutoh. Backbreaker can only mean on thing. Moonsault lands on feet. Hashimoto caves in Mutoh's stomach with a kick. Hase tackles Hashimoto! Chono Yakuza Kick, but Mutoh dropkicks...MOONSAULT...1-2-3! BIG POP!

What I think I love about this match the most is how fundamental it was. It was not flashy. It was a bunch of little mistakes that built up. Hashimoto was basically like LeBron James he just decided to turn it on and say Fuck It, we are winning. He bulldozed Mutoh & Hase. The enziguiri that put Hase down was a cheapshot. It was from behind. Mutoh & Hase were in this huge hole. I love Mutoh realizing the trouble Hase was in and going for broke before Chono hit him with a Yakuza Kick during his moonsault attempt. Hase could barely make it to the apron and Mutoh was getting the shit beat out of him. Hash & Chono were such asses always knocking Hase off even though Hase was not a threat. DAT HASHIMOTO BUMP DOE~! WOW! Talk about a game-changer. You wanted to see Hase's hot tag and that was a great way to get there. You know that may not be enough once Hashimoto DDTs Hase you think the comeback was snuffed out. Hase survives Chono and tags out to Mutoh. At this point, you want Mutoh & Hase to win so bad and Mutoh to finally get that Moonsault after three tries was huge. Nothing flashy, but holy shit did they take you on a ride. I love when every little thing matters. Go big or Go HOME...****3/4...FUCK YEAH BABY! 

#1. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto vs. Genichiro Tenryu - 2/17/94
New Japan Heavyweight Match of the Year, 1994

Tenryu is coming off defeating Antonio Inoki at 1/4/94 in the Tokyo Dome, the last person to ever defeat Inoki. So to say the stakes are high in this match is an understatement. Hashimoto is 0-2 against Tenryu and Tenryu has defeated everyone on the New Japan roster. This is about pride.

If the first one is about psychology, the second one is about selling, this one is about sheer brutal offense. When you think of Hashimoto and Tenryu, you think of stiff, violent strikes, finally we get these two letting loose and ripping into each other on all their glory. Tenryu is chopping on rope breaks and Hashimoto is throwing wild kicks. Hashimoto takes him down to work the leg so Tenryu starts throwing nasty elbows into Hashimoto's side. Hashimoto throws the nastiest headbutt this side of Regal/Finlay totally out of nowhere. He just throws two more and a big kick. Then they just start firing into each other. Tenryu chops him in the throat and Hashimoto goes down in a heap. Tenryu goes for a rear naked choke. Hashimoto breaks loose and starts in on the arm. I loved how Tenryu got out by kneeing him in the head repeatedly. Tenryu is all about brutal strikes in this match. Knees and kicks to head. He constantly peppering these kicks to the head. Tenryu goes for the lariat and Hashimoto hits his armdrag and goes back to the arm and gets a cross armbreaker, but Tenryu's foot is on the ropes. Chop back to the throat. It is just violent watching this. Again, Jesus! Bodyslam and the top rope reverse elbow gets two. This has been a WAR!

Best part of the match: Hashimoto sick and tired of these chops to throat, kicks him low. Now Tenryu drops down in a heap as if he was kicked inthe fucking balls. The ref's reaction is great. He is so pissed Hashimoto did it. But there is a chance that Tenryu is faking but the ref is keeping Hashimoto back. Tenryu up on his feet and Sumo Slaps. Tenryu brutalizes Hashimoto in the corner. Now the ref is on Tenryu's case and Hashimoto LEAPS OVER THE REF AND NAILS AN ENZIGUIRI TO THE TENRYU'S HEAD!!! MARK OUT CITY! HASHIMOTO KICKS TENRYUS HEAD OFF! HASHIMOTO THE DESTROYER UNLEASHED!

Tenryu slumped down in the corner and Hashimoto seems very pleased with his corner. I loved Hashimoto finally letting loose and just letting the kicks fly and with most of them being aimed at the head. He hits an ugly version of his leaping DDT. After trying in previous matches, he finally gets it, but cant capitalize. Seems like he had his bell rung. Tenryu Kappo Kick! RUH! ROH! Tenryu hits an enziguiri. Tenryu slaps himself to shake out the cobwebs. POWERBOMB! But Tenryu is knocked silly. He cant capitalize due to all the shots to his head. Hashimoto is back up but Tenryu chops and kappo kick. Again his head is all messed up. Tenryu goes for a DDT, but Hashimoto throws him THE FUCK DOWN with an Urnage. DONT BE BRINGIN THAT IN MY HOUSE! HASHIMOTO DDT! 1-2-NO! CMON! FINISH HIM! Tenryu starts slapping the shit out of Hashimoto, he falls into a powerbomb. 1-2-NO! WOOOOO!!! Tenryu is slapping the shit out of Hashimoto. Duck. BELLY TO BELLY! HASHIMOTO ROUNDHOUSE KICK TO THE HEAD! DDT! YAAAAAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOO!!!! Chono & Hase in to celebrate with Hashimoto.

One of the best feel-good victories of all time, love these torch passing moments. They finally had the stiff, brutal war we wanted out of them. They beat the piss out of each other. Tenryu just ripped into Hashimoto with those chops. Hashimoto with the headbutts early and then those head kicks. Great Tenryu selling of the head kicks down the stretch. Amazing dramatic finish run. Hashimoto just would not be denied and Shinya Hashimoto is officially the Ace of New Japan Pro Wrestling!