Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,
Pro Wrestling Love vol. 67:
The Best of All Japan Pro Wrestling 1985-April 1990
Objective: Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at http://gweproject.freeforums.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 sixty-seventh volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the conclusion of the Top 12 countdown of the best pro wrestling matches to take place in All Japan Pro Wrestling between 1985-April 1990. For the first time ever, Pro Wrestling Love does a partial year. Pretty straightforward. The last major Genichiro Tenryu match is in April of 1990 before his exodus to form SWS, which would later become WAR. His departure along with several others forced the push of the next generation of pro wrestlers namely, Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue and Kenta Kobashi, the Four Corners of Heaven. In May of 1990, Misawa unmasked as Tiger Mask II and there is the famous six-man tag with the Elbow Heard 'Round The World pitting Jumbo's Army vs Super Generation Army for the first time. That explains the ending point. We previously did an All Japan series from 1980-1984 so that picks where that left off. The years 1985-1987 see a major shake up as Riki Choshu, a major player in New Japan, formed his "own promotion" Japan Pro-Wrestling and invaded All Japan Pro Wrestling. What may have started out as an earnest at founding his own promotion turned into a major stable for All Japan. This forced Baba away from the business model of native vs gaijin and away from the touring NWA & AWA World Champions. 1985 is about when the touring dates on the NWA World Champion started to dry up. Ted DiBiase would stop coming over once he signed with WWF. That really left Hansen and Gordy as the only two major heavyweights that consistently wrestled in All Japan. Once Choshu left in early 1987 to return to New Japan, Baba stuck with the native vs native concept and had Jumbo Tsuruta feud with his junior tag partner Genichiro Tenryu which became an instant sensation in the late 80s producing amazing match after amazing match both in singles and tags. It became the template for booking 90s All Japan. I hope you enjoy this article as I truly enjoying watching all these matches from this time period to come up with this list. 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.
Contact Info: @superstarsleeze on Twitter, Instagram & ProWrestlingOnly.com.
Top Six Best All Japan Matches of 1985-Apr 1990
#6. PWF World Heavyweight Champion Riki Choshu vs
NWA United National Heavyweight Champion Genichiro Tenryu - AJPW 9/3/86
These two have excellent chemistry and the 1985 series seems to be when Tenryu finally got it (I will say he had a terrific match with Ted DiBiase in 1983, but this was different). The 1986 is less heralded except for the review above, which is both excellent as a review and extols the virtues of the match well.
Choshu comes out with his ribs taped up a result of the war with Killer Khan just a little over a month prior. Choshu returns to his typical heel roots against #2 babyface Tenryu. In a great display of Choshu drama, he rips off the tape in front of Tenryu and the crowd in defiance. The velocity by which they run the ropes and Tenryu BOWLS Choshu over with a shoulder tackle is very 90s All Japan as is Choshu catching Tenryu subsequently and hitting a Back Suplex! Tenryu powders to regroup. This would not be out of place in a 1996 Kenta Kobashi match. They trade side headlocks. Their lock-ups are ferocious. Choshu knows how to make every little detail so big. Excellent Fireman's Carry by Choshu whilst maintaining wrist control to seamlessly transition into a cross-armbreaker attempt. Genius wrestling. Love it. Great struggle over the hold. Choshu wins the Shouldertackle takedown and figure-4s the head as he is wont to do. Choshu has been in control of most of the match, early Back Drop Driver and controlling the action via tight holds. Tenryu is able to reverse into a Bow & Arrow and for the first time, Choshu is in retreat as he powders to regroup. Tenryu allows him back in and is another of those batterring ram lock ups. The first strike is delivered a Tenryu overhand chop. Choshu hits a reverse elbow in the corner. He has his back to Tenryu. Tenryu kicks him with the toe of the boot right into the injured midsection. Dick move by man who hitherto was not known for his dick moves but would later become a King Prick. Tenryu does not continue the attack there, rather consolidates around arm work. The idea is perhaps that is more honorable and that that kicks to the injury was a desperation tactic and he was back to wrestling with honor. I LOVE how Choshu struggles to get out of these holds just throwing kicks from his back in the hold trying to connect with any part of Tenryu's body. They are doing a great job changing the holds as Choshu struggles, Tenryu repositions, rinse, lather, repeat for maximum entertainment value. Choshu bullies Tenryu into the corner to force a break but does not give one. Instead, he attacks Tenryu's knee and then delivers two WICKED, HEATED ELBOWS to Tenryu's head that pops the crowd. Tenryu's responds in turn with an AWESOME DROPKICK! Best exchange thus far!
Tenryu Mack Truck Lariat on Choshu wins the Criss-Cross battle. Kneedrop re-consolidates his advantage into an armbar. Showing Choshu's rally was really just a hope spot. Choshu feels more like the babyface and Tenryu the heel here, which probably suits their personalities better. I LOVED Choshu catching the High Knee, Sweeping The Leg and IMMEDIATE SCORPION DEATHLOCK! Great struggle to turn it over, slapping Tenryu's in the face, but too clsoe to the ropes and Choshu goes right back to it. But again too close to the ropes. Choshu takes full advantage of the count. Huge highspot when Choshu goes up top and Tenryu hits an Enziguiri wicked bump by Choshu to the apron. They battle on the apron! Choshu ducks the Lariat and nails his own to win the Apron battle. I like their Battling Ram Mini-Battles. Choshu is too injured to captialize. It is actually Tenryu, who is grabbing his jaw, that drags Choshu out by his hair into the railing. CHOSHU DANGEROUSSSSSSS BACKDROP DRIVER ON THE APRON! HOLY SHIT! This would not be out of place at all in mid-90s All Japan! Choshu is Winding-Up but Tenryu has a well-placed knee to the injured side of the charging Choshu. Choshu crumples into a heap.
Tenryu turning full heel here is great. Choshu is writhing in pain as Tenryu delivers a series of standing elbow drops. Struggle over the Back Drop Driver, Tenryu breaks the clasp and kicks the injured side. SLINGSHOT SUPLEX BY TENRYU! WOW! This rocks! Tenryu applies The Octopus Stretch which pops the crowd but Tenryu loses his balance and they end up in the ropes. Toe kick to injured side. Choshu catches a kick and MUSCLES his way into a Scorpion Deathlock in the middle of the ring! Great heat for this! Choshu injured ribs force him to break the hold. Vertical Suplex by Choshu gets two.. Tenryu lunges at Choshu from his knees and attackes the injured side. Choshu MANS UP and fights through the pain and hoists Tenryu over in a Dangerous Backdrop Driver. Tenryu tries for a Top Rope Reverse Elbow. Choshu pulls him down with a Back Suplex! Tenryu moved too quickly to go up top in my opinion. Another Backdrop Driver and gets a heated nearfall for two. Choshyu hammerlocks Tenryu and drives him shoulder first into the post and then he BASHES Tenryu's head into the ringpost to bloody him. It is amazing how bloody All Japan was compared to the sterile 90s. Choshu tees off on the open wound in typical awesome Choshu fashion with great punches. Tenryu collapses into the ring as Choshu winds up! MACK TRUCK LARIAT! I love how Tenryu doesnt budge initially to absorb all of the blow to make it extra meaty and then collapses. Choshu smashes him into the railing. Back in the ring he continues to brutalize Tenryu and he triggers a DQ in the only surefire way to trigger a DQ in 80s All Japan by attacking the ref. Tenryu nails an Enziguiri in the post-match but other than that Choshu is a man possessed punching Tenryu and Young Boys.
I am shocked this placed #63. You have Prick Tenryu, Badass Rockstar Choshu fighting from underneath to overcome Tenryu's dickishness, you have the side injury, you have a ton of MOVEZ~! and blood. DQ finishes dont bother me too much and I thought this was a good one honestly. Choshu was seeing red. Tenryu had been a docuhe to him the entire match. He bloodies him and just starts teeing off. He cant stop, the ref does the right thing to protect Tenryu and Choshu does the right thing to signal to the audience how pissed he is by decking the ref. I really liked that Tenryu always had to use the injury to gain the advantage and as the match wore on he would become more & more focused on it. I didnt think the beginning (as much as I liked the early Backdrop Driver) was wrestled at a ***** level even though the later stages of the match got there for me. The Lariat battle on the Apron and the BackDrop Driver on the Apron were NUTS! The finish stretch was crazy! Call me crazy, but I liked this definitively better than Choshu/Killer Khan match.
#5. PWF & United National Champion Genichiro Tenryu vs Stan Hansen - AJPW 3/27/88
Forget everything I said in the previous review, this was a WAR~! Tenryu delivered; he matched Hasen's pugnacity and stiffness. I liked this even more than the Hansen/Jumbo match before it was red-hot, hate-filled from the start. Tenryu has a bandage over the fresh, raw cut on his eye that Hansen gave him about three weeks ago. You know that a bullseye for Hansen. There is some many good little details than I am going to watch this again live so I can capture them all:
Tenryu charges at Hansen and they meet like two rams. One right punch square to the face from Hansne and ten two wicked pops from the left wing. It spills to the outside and Hansen keep firing away at the eye. Tenryu unlike on 3/9 keeps roaring back with chops. Hasnen fights through it. Tenryu tries for the bodyslam but keeps fighting. Enziguiri and Hansen immediately dives with an elbow drop on Tenryu. This is why I love Hansen. He is always moving forward. He is a fucking animal in there. I love the overhead elbow he throws smashing into the cut. Red-hot, hate-filled. Hansen is very literally out for blood and Tenryu needs to fight for survival. Hansen again with that elbow crashing down into the cut, rubbing the face into the ropes. Tenryu comes back with a Lariat but on the second he charges and eats buckles. Great facial expression as Hansen takes him over with a Back Suplex. Tenryu fights out of a tight smother and Russian Legsweep. I love that Tenryu is trying to press the issue and take control of his own destiny. Tenryu only gets one and immediately goes for the Powerbomb. Smart. In a fight for survival, go for your biggest bomb early. Hansen deadweights him. Tenryu moves with him into wrist control and trying to get an armbar. There's a great close-up of Tenryu at this point, you are so focused on how nasty the cut is and then BAM! all of sudden Hansen's left hand comes flying into the screen and pops him with precision into the cut. Great struggle over the armbreaker, but that moment was so damn badass.
Hansen rolls to the topes. Hansen drags Tenryu outside like a bear to his lair. He rams him hard into the ringpost. Tenryu takes some time to regroup as Hansen looks great. Tenryu's eye looks all sorts of fucked up. Tenryu gets a half knucklelock and starts mercilessly and relentlessly kicking Hansen's left side and the crowd comes more and more alive with each rapid kick and this becomes Hansen's Achilles Heel, the monster's weak underbelly if you will that Tenryu can exploit later. Tenryu is overzealous with his running punt to the ribs and goes ass over tea kettle over the top rope. Typical Hansen fashion, he thrust kicks Tenryu from is back completely Tenryu's drop to the floor. Hansen is left clutching at his ribs and is having trouble standing. Tenryu fights from his back in the ring. Kicking at the injured ribs while Hansen is punching the cut. This is fucking badass. Tenryu toe kicks to the bad ribs. Hansen is selling so damn well. Resisting the Irish Whip so hard. Tenryu drives his shoulder into the injured ribs. Hansen collapses outside the ring ass first. In a rare moment, Hansen looks more battered compared to his opponent. Hansen rolls back in and is trying to protect his side. AWESOME! Toe kick and THEN BASHES WITH THE OVERHAND ELBOW! BRUTAL! Another one to sitting Tenryu this time. Hansen with these wicked short left jabs to Tenryu's cut. Hansen misses the running elbow eats turnbuckles and Tenryu toe kicks the injured side again. This is incredible. Tenryu is thinking Powerbomb so smart to attempt it now. Back to punting the ribs when he cant get him up. Hansen drags him down by the wrist. This is so Hansen just flailing with his kicks from his back and grabbing whatever bodypart he can get. Then driving the exposed bone on bone knee to the orbital bone of Tenryu. I love Hansen! Everything is a struggle with him.
This is when we get a proper heat segment from Hansen after how hard fought the first ten minutes were for both men. Hansen seems to have weathered the storm and really rung Tenryu's bell with all these headshots. Hansen piledrives Tenryu! Tenryu gets a foot on the ropes. Nice gradualism on the sell. OH MY FUCKING GOD! Hansen rears back and just RIFLES Tenryu in the face with a kick. Not to be outdone, Tenryu FUCK YOU PUNCH FOLLOWED BY A FUCK YOU LARIAT! OH FUCK YEAH!
Tenryu Enziguiri! POWERBOMB! 1-2-NO! Probably one of the best Tenryu powerbombs ever which is damning with faint praise. Hansen took it smartly. He went up in a traditional piledriver once steady, He did a sit-up and Tenryu dropped him. Everyone else in the world has a better powerbomb, but at least that one looked ok. Tenryu hits his Top Rope Reverse Back Elbow. That's his four big moves! Oh shit! Hansen lunges and pops him good with a left wing. WESTERN FUCKING LARIAT! HE DECAPITATED HIM! OH MY FUCKING GOD! Tenryu drapes the foot on the ropes at the last second. YES! YES! YES! Perect use of the ropes. Hansen Clobbers Him Again with the Western Lariat but pulls him up at two to start rapid fire punching Tenryu in the cut. He shoves the ref. Uh oh. Tenryu fires up and starts swinging wildly with headshots. Hansen tries to strangle Tenryu to death with his bullrope as he throws Higuchi and Hara around, Higuchi calls for the bell. Absolute chaos as Hansen should be tried for attempted murder! Fucking hell!
This was a WAR~! Like I said it is ahead of the Jumbo match because it was kickass from smart. I imagine most people's issue with this if any is the finish. Not just because it is DQ but because he pulled him up. I agree that knocks it down from ***** for me, but not too much. The whole strangling with a bullrope is a perfect, chaotic DQ finish. Everything before that is manly, stiff, beefy, bloody, hated-filled wrestling. Hansen sees red from jump and is just merciless targeting the eye. Tenryu in order to fight fire with fire needs to create a weakness and attacks the ribs. You just get great dueling psychology, with great selling especially from Hansen and tremendous offense from both. When Hansen reared back kicked Tenryu hard as he could and Tenryu's response was to CLEAN HIS CLOCK WITH A FUCK YOU PUNCH AND LARIAT was so fucking epic! I am jacked to the Moon after watching this. Probably the best Hansen singles match between 1984 and 1992, killer.
#.4 NWA International Tag Team Champions Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs
Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu - AJPW 1/28/86
Frenetic Maelstrom of Kickass Pro Wrestling! I cant believe I have never seen this before. I could have sworn had like 8 years ago and just never wrote a review but I definitely didnt watch his badassery. Excellent Interpromotional War! I loved how Jumbo & Choshu didnt bump or sell for shit earlier. Not every move needs to be sold as painful, have some pride, my dudes. I love how Choshu was trying to keep his injured ribs away from Jumbo. I love the disrespectful slap exchange between Jumbo & Yatsu. This is how an Interpromotional War should be booked with tons of pride and passion. I like how it is an overzealous Tenryu that caused the dynamic to shift and for finally someone to take heat. The one slightly unexpected aspect is that initially the invading Choshu feels like the sympathetic babyface as he is getting his ribs dissected and his Scorpion Deathlock feels like a massive babyface comeback spot. Then they flip the roles back to normal when Jumbo who had been Walking Tall all match has his head bashed into post and is bleeding. The crowd is losing their shit over all this. It is nonstop action in the best way possible as it is just four dudes trying to tear into each other. I knew this match was special coming into it so I wanted to watch it once without typing and those were the things that stuck out to me. So now I am going to rewatch and do stream of consciousness:
It has been twenty minutes since I watched this badass slice of pro wrestling and am excited to rewatch it. Choshu had been in the promotion for a year now but this is really what it has been building to. I didnt talk about Yatsu much in the preamble, but he was an excellent assassin in this match. He knows when to strike for maximal effect throughout the match. They waste no time and start out with the two heavy hitters Choshu & Jumbo. Choshu throws a toe kick to keep Jumbo away from his bandaged right side. Jumbo is caught off guard that he could not lock up. Jumbo throws one back and Choshu blocks. Jumbo tries again bit to no avail. Collar elbow tie up and Jumbo kicks the bandaged side and Choshu sells it as a close shave. Choshu single back heel trip and Choshu stomps and Jumbo right back up. Jumbo goes for his signature bodyslam but Choshu backs into Yatsu for the tag out. Just two bulls that didnt give an inch. Loved it.
Yatsu goes for the snapmare and Jumbo fights it off. Jumbo is not giving them anything! I am here for it. Yatsu CRACKS Jumbo with a slap. Two more. Jumbo says you best be ready and he gets his receipt. It is on! Jumbo wants Choshu! Jumbo and Choshu go at it with slaps. Jumbo tags out. Tenryu chops Yatsu on the apron and Choshu drives him into the corner. Rookie mistake. I like how it is Tenryu that makes it. First double team goes to Choshu & Yatsu on Tenryu. Yatsu kneelift on tenryu and I love that is Tenryu as the first to get heat on him. Spike Piledriver on Tenryu. This is building so well. Choshu throwing haymkers at Tenryu and Tenryu gets in with a single leg pick up into a toehold then figure-4. Dont love the use of the Spike Piledriver if that is what was to follow. I think they are chanting for Choshu. Choshu rolls toward Yatsu hits an Excellent Top rope elbow on the prone Tenryu who sells it like a million bucks. Jumbo comes in and stomps Choshu on the injured side. It is getting chippier and chippier. Tenryu tags out. Jumbo does not hit his customary High Knee but opts for two kneelifts that leaves Yatsu to powder. Yatsu dropkick gets him right back in it and the first time Jumbo bumped. Double suplex on Jumbo. They exchange shots, Jumbo body shots and High Knee and Choshu looks to be in peril. SAITO SUPLEX BY CHOSHU! He needed that, but Jumbo is up first and to quote Jesse The Body that has to be depressing as hell. It took too much out of Choshu. They slug it out with a double clothesline spot. Choshu is in a bad way and they double sledge him. Tenryu is in and is stomping away at Choshu. I love the gradualism of the Choshu heat segment. He was throwing Suplexes and Lariats to try to save himself but he was already in too deep. So good. Jumbo is proud of himself as he is stomping the ribs but the crowd is mixed. Tenryu suplex on Choshu. Jumbo kneelifted Choshu in the ribs and then tore off the bandage. Yatsu finally had enough and tries to take a wing at Jumbo but the ref holds him back. Tenryu gets involved. Jumbo abdominal stretch! He has his back to Yatsu. DOUBLE AXEHANDLE FROM THE TOP! Perfect transition! Love it!
It is all up to Yatsu! Dropkick! Saito Suplex! Tenryu goes crazy on Choshu as Jumbo is in trouble . Yatsu kneecrusher. Tenryu had peeled around the ring to attack a lying Choshu and then whipped him into the railing. Bounced a chair off him. Yatsu goes for the Spinning Toehold. Tenryu Saito Suplex on the prone Yatsu. Jumbo Death Lariatx2! Jumbo applies a Boston Crab as the JWP boys tape Choshu back up! Yatsu is in the ropes. The fight is on! Shit has exploded! Tenryu tagged in. Tenryu kneelift to Yatsu and slashing chops. As Choshu is crawling back up Tenryu attacks Choshu. Yatsu keeps Jumbo at bay and Choshu tags in. Choshu dropkick to a pop! Choshu single leg! SCORPION DEATHLOCK TO A MASSIVE POP! The girl in the fur coat losing her mind in the front row rules!
Choshu's ribs give out and he collapses and tags out to Yatsu which is an awesome way to end that hold. Jumbo walks tall and slings Yatsu into their corner. It does not look good for him. In what I believe is a first, the first time I have sene the Sling shot Suplex done by someone other than Tully Blanchard as Tenryu does it to Yatsu. Yatsu neckbreaker dorp on Jumbo. and YATSU BULLDOG ON JUMBO! He sends Jumbo out. Choshu bashed Jumbo's head into the post repeatedly drawing blood. It is a melee and Tenryu loses control and beats this shit out of Choshu using railings and chair. So begins the third act.
Yatsu suplexes Jumbo back in and Yatsu goes crazy working the cut, piston punches to the open wound! Killer. Yatsu throws Jumbo out. They bash his head into the post again. Tenryu is in a blind rage towards Choshu. He beats him on the announce table. Yatsu piledrivers Jumbo and Jumbo had to kick out on his own because Tenryu is so obsessed with Choshu. Saito Suplex by Yatsu for two! Red hot shit. Yatsu punches the cut and Jumbo slaps but he cant follow it up. Yatsu Texas Cloverleaf is an odd choice in what has been a red hot series of kick ass wrestling. Yatsu backbreaker and then a Scorpion Deathlock ok thats more like it. Tenryu HITS AN OUT OF CONTORL LARIAT TO SAVE! Tenryu almost went careening out of the ring. Choshu stomps the cut as the ref is trying control Tenryu and now the ref scrambles back to peel Choshu off Jumbo. Jumbo is firing up. He tags out. Tenryu Enziguiri. Choshu breaks it up. Tenryu enziguiri as Choshu and Jumbo fight on the floor. Yatsu German suplex! Huge pop! Crowd is going crazy! JWP boys are on the apron screaming that was three. Yatsu gets Hotshotted and Tenryu Enziguiri/powerbomb polishes him off to a big reaction. That was awesome!
Loved how everything crescendoed. The early stuff was excellent, the Choshu heat segment, Yatsu as a one man gang, Jumbo getting bloody. When I think about it compared to my other tippy top matches, I dont think the finish is quite there for me, but that is a nitpick that you have to do when thinking in context of Top 100 matches. This rocked so hard!
#3. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Jumbo Tsuruta vs Genichiro Tenryu - AJPW 6/5/89
Here it is, baby! After all these years, I am finally reviewing Jumbo vs Tenryu the Match! I have seen this match at least two or three times, but it has easily been ten years if not more. When I did watch it, I barely knew what I was doing. I just knew it was a famously great match. I reckon this is the most famous 80s All Japan match. Theres an outside shot that Funk vs Hansen or Funks vs Hansen/Gordy is more famous, but thats it. On top of that, not only is it famous, it is supposed to be one of the greatest matches of all time. Lets get a little context out of the Jumbo formed the Triple Crown in April of the year when he walked in as the International Heavyweight Champion and walked out with Stan Hansen's PWF and United National Championships. I will go back and watch that match after this. We are in the Budokan!
In the early part of the match, my main takeaway is Jumbo is playing not to lose and Tenryu is playing to win. Jumbo seems unnerved by the slightest big of Tenryu offense and is retaliating with a lot of hold specifically the Cobra Clutch. It feels like he is trying to contain Tenryu and sap his energy. Jumbo does try to hit bombs but they are pretty much always well-scouted. The first instance is the very high first highspot of the match when Tenryu evades the world-renowned Jumbo High Knee and executes a bridging German for two. Jumbo's response clamp on a side headlock. When Jumbo did go for the High Knee again, Tenryu caught the leg and slashed him with a Chop. Jumbo hit the big boot. Cobra Clutch and lots of hard, stiff clubbering. Tenryu via scouting was forcing Jumbo to go to fundamentals. Tenryu proves he is the smarter competitor when he gets back to the ring first and smashes Jumbo with a lariat as he is trying to re-enter the ring. Tenryu had grabbed the high ground. Tenryu goes flying over the top rope like he is Misawa and leaps off the apron wiping Jumbo out. There have been elements of the 90s All Japan taking root in the 80s and you see that here with the complicated missed Second High Knee and the way the dive off the apron was presented. It is very interesting that it is minimalist Tenryu driving the match in that direction while Jumbo is working a more holds-based style. Tenryu drops into a legbar smart for him to recuperate. Then Tenryu gets into a full mount and reigns down the HEAVY forearms. Great ground & pound. It is only a well-timed Belly To Belly suplex, the first executed Jumbo highspot that reverses the advantage. Furthermore, the belly to belly suplex is not a common Jumbo spot. Jumbo goes back to the Cobra Clutch and then finally hits on his patented High Knee for two. By having to EARN that High Knee it made the spot and the nearfall so much bigger! One of my favorites spots in All Japan is the attempted Powerbomb. Here Jumbo was more likely going for a Piledriver but the though is the same. The crouch position, trying to hoist, the two men struggling against each other. So good. Jumbo settles for hard, stiff clubbering and an Abdominal Stretch. I didnt love the Tenryu hiptoss counter into an armbar and a short Tenryu control of strikes. Tenryu hits a Mack Truck Lariat for two, he's always good for one of those. Jumbo POPS him good with an Elbow. Tenryu's sell of this is so good. You know Jumbo caught him good. Jumbo is thinking Dangerous Back Drop Driver but Tenryu holds onto the ropes. Jumbo hits the High Knee in the corner and then tries for the Big Move again only for Tenryu kick off the ropes, shift his weight and have Jumbo absorb a lot of the blow on his head & neck. Good double KO Spot. JUMBO DEATH LARIAT! Loved Tenryu's reaction to roll to the ropes immediately even though it happened middle of the ring. Jumbo caught up to him but it was too late, the ropes break the pinfall. Great details match.
Now we get to the Jumbo "pouring it on" portion of the match. I did think they went a little overboard here too. It was interesting at first it was a ton of feet on the ropes demonstrating Tenryu's intelligence. Jumbo learned to too, he tried to bundle both legs at one point only for Tenryu to fight through and get to the ropes. What was odd to me was as they escalated, they left that and started going to kick outs. Jumbo executes the Thesz Press without being hotshotted which popped me. That the first kickout and then he finally nailed the Dangerous Back Drop Driver and kick out. I didnt think the heat segment went as overboard as say Brock vs Roman I at the 2015 Mania but I would have liked more hope spots and struggle. I did however love the transition(s)! First Tenryu, hotshots Jumbo on the second Thesz Press! Hell Yeah! Second, Jumbo's High Knee in the corner eats the buckle and Tenryu nails an Enziguiri. He's on the comeback trail! Small Package! 1-2-NO! Tenryu attempted powerbomb gets great heat. Jumbo backdrops into a pin cover for two. The crowd is red hot. Jumbo starts repeating moves like the Top Rope High Knee, Tenryu closes the gap and Jumbo misses. Jumbo tries the Belly To Belly again, but Tenryu BACK HEEL TRIP! Popped me. Tenryu tries for his patented Reverse Top Rope Elbow but misses. It was Jumbo's turn to have it scouted. Jumbo telegraphs the Death Lariat and Tenryu uses the momentum to drive Jumbo's head into top rope. ENZIZGUIRI! POWERBOMB! 1-2-NO! NUCLEAR HEAT! POWERBOMB 1-2-3! CROWD GOES WILD!
One thing I didnt mention was that Jumbo got a considerable amount of heat in the match. It can be hard to make out the difference between Tsuruta and Tenryu chants. I thought I heard some Tsuruta chants but this was definitely a pro-Tenryu crowd. I am surprised. I always thought Tenryu/Revolution were heels but watching all the footage it is clear they are the fan favorites. Also interesting that before the match Jumbo attempts to shake Tenryu's hand but Tenryu looks like he says Fuck You, but it was probably something else. Then Jumbo came over to shake his hand while Tenryu was slumped down in the corner, but Tenryu didnt again. Very Stone Cold vibes there. I have been debating between ****3/4 and *****. There are some things that keep this out of contention for my top 25 of all time, but I see it around #50. I am going with this as the tiebreaker. Once Jumbo started dropping bombs I noticed a teenage boy and girl in the front row were very committed to Tenryu winning. The girl's reaction to Jumbo's kickout was perfect. She was trying to take a picture right at right time with the old Kodak camera. She thought Tenryu won and she got wicked excited only to have her hopes dashed. Unfortunately during the actual pinfall, we miss her reaction, but we see the boy's and he is JUBLIANT! How can I deny a match that stirred such great emotion,
#2. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen - AJPW 12/6/89 Real World Tag Finals, All Japan Match of the Year 1989
Watched this a week or two ago, I was amazed at how good it was. Yatsu's head injury performance gives this workrate-oriented All Japan tag match the hook it needed to keep you invested when sometimes the style/genre can be a little workrate dense/noisy. I didnt write a review at the time but had it at about ~****3/4 in my head and fun fact I dont remember who won! I have an excellent short term memory but the shits for a long-term memory which is why I write such detailed reviews. I am going to watch this back stream of consciousness style and am excited to fall in love all over again:
Yatsu has the amateur wrestling headgear on with strap. If I recall correctly in the other Real World Tag I watched with Yatsu he had that on. I cant remember if I know what happened or not. Yatsu tries to get the crowd revved up. Surprised he is starting based on his injury. Tenryu stalls and Yatsu tags in Jumbo. Jumbo won back the Triple Crown from Tenryu in October. Tenryu says he wants Yatsu and Yastu obliges. Yatsu throws a much of headbutts using the padded helmet and then throws an explosive dropkick. Tenryu tries to fire up and meets more headbutts. He throws him to the Grizzly Hansen. Stan bashes him as Tenryu holds him and Tenryu is left holding his own head after all the headbutts. Yastu escapes to Jumbo. Jumbo and Hansen collide. Jumbo wins the second collision with a High Knee. Jumbo and Hansen get into a wrestling match with Jumbo trying work an armbar on the mat into a half-nelson cover for one. Some really nice selling early from Tenryu and like Yatsu tempting fate as there is a break in the action thought I'd throw in some commentary. They exchange slashing chops as Hansen throws Jumbo into into Tenryu. Tenryu blocks the High Knee as customary and is about to wrangle an inside cradle. Tenryu gets an Enziguiri, but must have been more of a grazing blow as Jumbo throws Tenryu into Yatsu. Yatsu clothesline and Harley Race style falling headbutt. Yatsu attempts a powerbomb. Hansen tags in. Frequent tagging a hallmark of the All Japan tag style. Yatsu gets an enziguiri in the slugfest but Hansen lunges with a shouldertackle and kneelift to the head and it looks like they have finally rattled the injured Yatsu. Spoke too soon as Yatsu evades a double shouldertackle and Tenryu goes ass over tea kettle on the top rope and then railing courtesy of a Jumbo Tsuruta Irish whip. Nice fakeout. Tag into Jumbo. Footloose Jumbo Death Lariat into Tenryu in the corner as Jumbo plays to the crowd and Tenryu slumps into the corner. First five minutes have been hot and mostly Jumbo/Yatsu. Jumbo bulldozes Tenryu with a Thesz Press for two. Tenryu looks to be in peril as they are building momentum on him which is a nice change of pace from the frenetic All Japan style. Knee Sandwich as called by the announcer. Tenryu closed fist stymies Yatsu on Dangerous Back Drop Drive attempt. Yatsu works hard and earns an overhead belly to belly suplex. Tenryu looks like shit. Hnasen has the wisdom to break it up. Jumbo High Knee and Dangerous Backdrop Driver on Tenryu as Hansen saves again. I forgot they did a compelling Tenryu in peril segment first which I really like. They are really built some momentum. Yatsu butterfly supleZ and kneedrop on Tenryu. Tenryu grapevine trips Yatsu on the belly to belly suplex. Yatsu fall back on his head and is left clutching it! HERE WE GO!
Tenryu tags in Hansen and everything is a VICIOUS BLOW TO the head! It has begun! Hansen is stepping on The head. Jumbo makes the saves as Hansen is stepping on his head in the ropes. The ref breaks it up. Yatsu powders but to no avail as Hansen keeps stomping. HANSEN RIPS OFF THE HEAD GEAR! Another stiff short knee and another, another. It is a merciless onslaught. He tags in Tenryu. Tenyru kicks him in the head. I cant way for the classic Tenryu stomp to the head; no one is better at that. Tenryu follows Hansen's lead it is nothing but knees, fists and boots to the head. Hansen tosses Yatsu's carcass to the floor. He drives Yatsu's head into railing. Jumbo tries to save as Hansen has Yatsu. Hansen pops Jumbo with an elbow. It is a melee. Hansen is a rabid dog with a bone. He wont let go. Yatsu is too close to the ropes. Tenryu tags in and its an Enzgiuiri to the head. THERE IS IS! Tenryu's stomp to the head! This is brutal. Wicked chop from Tenryu the first time it has not been a blow to the head. Tenryu with repeated headbutts to the injured cranium of Yatsu. Brutal. Yatsu deadweights Hansen on the suplex. Hansen says not a bother, and plants him with a DDT. Tenryu blasts Yatsu with a Lariat and then slaps Jumbo off the apron for good measure. He throws a kick at the fallen Jumbo. Double suplex on Yatsu as he looks like he ripe for the pickin'. Yatsu kicks out on his own. I am ready for the hot tag. Hansen slashes Jumbo with a chop. Lets see if we get it. Yatsu trips Hansen but Hansen uses a waistlock to role Yatsu into Tenryu. Tenryu enziguiri. Tenryu bodyslam Reverse Top Rope Elbow MISSES! CMON YATSU! LETS GO! Hansen knedrop. We needed that hope spot. That has reinviogorated me. They trade chops, Hansen and Yatsu. Hansen duoble axehandle stops any Yatsu momentum dead in its tracks. Hansen holds Yatsu as Tenryu chops him. Tenryu wrist control and chops Yatsu and Yatsu ducks and a quick German gets two for Yatsu who can hold it. Yatsu makes the tag! HOT TAG!
Jumbo ROARS! Jumbo slap barrage! Jumbo Big Boot! Jumbo pops him with an elbow. Jumbo Death Lariat! Hansen has to leapfrog Tenryu's fallen body as Jumbo pops him and then reigns down heavy blows on Tenryu. Hansen saves by crashing down on Jumbo. High Knee to Tenryu sends Tenryu into Hansen for the tag. Jumbo meets him at the pass. Jumbo dropkicks Hansen. Jumbo is a one man wrecking crew! Jumbo abdominal stretch is an interesting choice in what has otherwise been a red hot tag! Yatsu is still of apron as Jumbo gets two. Can Jumbo the Ace win this alone? Hansen is selling like a champ. His jelly leg sell on the Irish whip is amazing. It is like he is melting. It made Jumbo Thesz Press look more authentic. HEY! Thats Rat Boy Watching! Dangerous Back Drop Driver! Tenryu saves. Jumbo might have punched himself out as he is slowing down. Jumbo drags Tenryu in for a big boot. Jumbo leaves himself prone going for a German suplex. HANSEN LARIAT TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD! Jumbo & Tenryu both collapse. Jumbo is left clutching him head. It doesnt look good for Olympians as Yatsu is getting his head/jaw taped up. Hansen is beating Jumbo up and Yatsu comes divining for the save. Lets Go Yatsu! Hansen tags in Tenryu as Jumbo is fucked. Hansen bodyslam and Hanse Rocket Launcher! HOW DID I FORGET THAT SPOT! That was insanely awesome! Jumbo kicks out. I remember Yatsu getting his taped how did I forget the rocket launcher. Tenryu blasts Yatsu off the apron. SPIKE PILEDRIVER ON JUMBO! Yatsu saves again! He wont let Jumbo die! Everybody looks like they have been through war. Hansen with these short nasty knees to Jumbo. Jumbo reverse and knees Hansen right in the mush. Hansen on the outside. YATSU BULLDOG ON THE EXPOSED FLOOR! I remember that spot! HELL YEAH! That fucking ruled! Jumbo inside cradle in the ring Tenryu races to save but Hansen kicks out on his own.
Yatsu hot tag! GIVE EM HELL BRUTHA! Yatsu kicks Hansen in the head and then heabdutts the wound. Headbutt Tenryu down. Yatsu headbutts Hanse relentlessly. Fuck Yeah! Yatsu Bulldog! Tenryu saves and kicks Yatsu hard in the head. Jumbo has had enough and SNAPS~! He blizted Tenryu with a brutal elbow barrage. Hansen pummels Yatsu with everything he has. The is insane. Jumbo cuts Tenryu off and back drop off the top. Hansen keeps pummeling Yatsu. Tenryu Enziguiri Hansen when he was holding him. AWESOME MISCOMMUNICATION SPOT! You dont see that often in Japan. Yatsu only gets two! Cmon Yatsu! Jumbo top rope Jumping knee but Tenryu saves. Tenryu SUMO SLAPS Jumbo off. Tenryu ground & pound.
That was one of those awesome, intricate All Japan finish runs. Tenryu holds Hansen to save him from getting Bulldog out of the corner. You can smell The Lariat from a mile away. They do a bunch of fake outs. The best is when Hansen tugs on the elbow pad, the crowd goes wild and Yatsu DROPKICKS him on the attempt. The crowd and me loses our collective shit! I wont do every detail but suffice to say Hansen CLOBBERS Yatsu with the Lariat to win the match and the vacant All Japan World Tag Team Titles.
Helluva match which I liked even more the second time around. Loved both hot tags, really enjoyed Tenryu's heat segment because it lulls you into a false sense of security that everything is going to be alright for the Olympians. Everything once Yatsu gets bandaged up is pure pro wrestling gold.
#1. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW Real World Tag League 12/16/88, All Japan Match of the Year 1988
JBL would cream himself over how many MONSTER LARIATS are in this match.
The last half of this match is basically legalized murder of Tenryu by Hansen & Gordy. This match embodies "Think shoot, but work" and is Hansen's definitive statement on pro wrestling. Every single thing is a struggle. If he can throw a wild kick, he will throw a wild kick. He is not going to wait on the apron, he is going to come in and smack the shit out of you to save his partner. Gordy took his cue from Hansen was great as Hansen Jr., but the difference was Hansen was just absolutely wild and merciless. There is a point towards the beginning where Tenryu is just tagged in and Hansen yanks out a prone Gordy to save him from Tenryu gaining an advantage. You truly felt that this match mean the world to all four men. Hansen was so worried about going down an advantage that he pulled out his tag partner. That's Japanese tag wrestling in a nutshell. It is really hard to make comebacks because each tag is essentially trying to make this a handicap match. In the Southern tag formula, there is a face in peril and a hot tag, but there is always that sense of hope. Once a tag team falters in Japan, there is just a sense of impending doom.
Young cheetah-print Kawada was massively over and utterly fearless in this match against these bullies. I thought this would be your standard vet/young lion against dick heels, but Kawada more than held his own. Hell, he took it to these tough SOBs. Kawada was throwing massive spinkicks and monster lariats with the best of them. Tenryu trusted Kawada and against these two, he had to! Tenryu is definitely the equal of the gaijin, but suffers from the fact that he constantly has to face them two on one. He can handle them individually, but as soon as Hansen or Gordy feels the other is trouble they will rush to the other's aid.
The brutality of this match was something else. The lariats, chops and kicks need to be heard to be appreciated. The yell of agony from Tenryu when Hansen clobbered him in the back was something I have never heard in a Tenryu match or men's wrestling. It was a fucking war out there. There is clothesline from Gordy that hit Tenryu so hard I don't think he even had to sell, it hurt that much. Kawada's big moment is that he goes wild on Hansen and he actually stomps Hansen down and crowd goes wild. Gordy saves, but Hansen is actually hurt and has to tag out. Kawada Germans Gordy and Hansen kicks Kawada's leg out from underneath the bridge.
Then in the spot that maybe my favorite spot of all time, Hansen steps on Kawada's foot and rifles his knee with kicks. That is sadism. Hansen lets Kawada go only to push him out of the ring and NAIL Tenryu with a LARIAT! The match goes on, but at this point is when the impending doom sinks in. Kawada's is pretty much finished and for the rest of the match the gaijin takes turns beating shit out of him at ringside. Tenryu blasted by the Lariat so hard that he fell over the railing is in pretty piss poor shape to take on these two bullies two on one. The rest of the match you just get angrier and angrier at how unfair it is that Tenryu is basically being murdered by these two men. The spot where Kawada explodes in a frenzy from the outside to save Tenryu from Gordy powerbomb is great. You do get the sense that Hansen has blown himself up in a worked sense and Tenryu's last gasp is chop the shit out of Hansen. He gets his licks in and perhaps if the match is one on one he could pull it off, but anytime he gets anywhere Gordy interferes, Until Gordy misses wildly with a clothesline and Tenryu POWERBOMBS Hansen! Gordy recovers and powerbombs Tenryu. HANSEN LARIAT!!! Mercy killing.
Even though, the last half of the match was full of impending doom, they did a great job working in hope spots. I thought Hansen sold exhaustion fabulously. Gordy was a great dick heel sidekick. Hansen's individual performance in this match is a candidate for greatest performance in a single match. Kawada was great as the fearless rookie and selling the knee is Kawada's bread and butter. Tenryu was perfect in his role as veteran asskicker that's outgunned, but is going to down in a hail of bullets. The best non-90sAJPW tag match in history in my book!
Just rewatched this and this ruled so fucking hard! For anyone else this is a performance of a lifetime but Kawada it is just another day at the office. Kawada takes what would be a classic makes it a GOAT candidate by going crazy! Rookie Kawada trying to prove himself to his mentor Tenryu against the big bad gaijin is just the best shit! I vividly remember him going hog wild with kicks in the corner to Hansen which is some of the best Hansen selling. The referee has to pull him off and Gordy demolishes him. He really got fucked over. It was a double fuck over because Hansen was pissed because that snot nosed punk embarrassed him and as he chased him down he NAILED TENRYU WITH A WICKED LARIAT! What a perfect confluence of violent narrative building! He was actually not just surviving these American bullies he was thriving, nailing spinning heel kicks, dropkicks and wild, out of control Lariats. Both Gordy and Hansen took massive bumps for him. Kawada peeling around the corner and attacking Hansen from behind on the apron was ELECTRIC! Hansen mule kick and then DESTROYING the knee was EPIC! If that was electric, it was FUCKING NUCLEAR when Kawada made it back in for the ring and just rained down wild blows. Awesome! The Hansen & Gordy vs Tenryu handicap match was terrific too. So much energy mixed with the looming doom of Tenryu's fate, but with glimmers of hope. Hansen's selling was so good down the stretch. Hansen was the one feeding the hope spots being felled by chops and Enziguiris and Top Rope Reverse Elbow. Gordy was saving him. The energy was off the charts! Everybody was perfect! One of the best matches of all time!
