Posted July 4, 201015 yr comment_5452717 These two matched up really well. They started with a fast, hard grappling section that led to Martel doing some great legwork and locking in a figure four. Once Choshu fought his way out, he turned it into more of a brawl. He ultimately put Martel in the scorpion, and Martel fought to the ropes twice. Martel sold the pain admirably while in the hold but recovered a little too quickly as they moved right into the finishing stretch. After earning a few nearfalls, he missed a splash off the top, and Choshu put him away with the lariat. They went about 11 minutes and hardly wasted a second. Both guys had a way of conveying great effort with every movement, and they just flowed together in both the grappling and brawling sequences. This didn't carry the stakes of a high-end match but it's a good, solid nomination. 1986 All Japan TV Disc 26
September 18, 201015 yr comment_5455888 Riki Choshu vs. Rick Martel, 12/29/86 (TV26) - Nice little feeling out process early on. After Martel’s charge in the corner, Choshu smells blood and immediately goes for the Scorpion. Nice. Martel gives Chonshu a taste of his medicine giving Choshu the spinning toe hold and figure-4. Good legwork by Martel, selling the leg injury and Choshu coming right back at him with the Scopion. Really hot stretch run with Martel throwing everything out there to put Choshu away but Choshu hitting the big comeback, winding up for the lariat for the win. I think I enjoyed this more than Funk-Hansen. While that match was wilder, this one had the better wrestling. Nomination.
October 6, 201014 yr comment_5456877 Riki Choshu vs. Rick Martel (12/3/86) This was a really good wrestling match as both men worked hard and this had the elements from their match a year before which ended in a draw. They would pick up the action after some matwork with Choshu being the aggressor but Martel would fire back with a piledriver that Choshu would bounce up from and would hit a backdrop suplex in return. Martel would miss a huge splash off the top rope before Choshu would bounce up and popped him with a lariat for the win. This was a very solid match and I think it should move forward.
