Another brutal match between these two. Jumbo knocked Tenryu back on his heels early, but Tenryu got back in the match by wrenching on a headlock for a few minutes. They slapped the shit out of each other in several toe-to-toe exchanges and then, Jumbo went after Tenryu's neck with his power offense. Tenryu returned the favor after Jumbo missed a shoulder block into the corner, popping the crowd with a nearfall off a German suplex. For the finishing run, they played off their previous match, trying to knock each other out on the apron to win by countout. I loved the spot where Jumbo dodged a shoulder block, leaving Tenryu to launch a tope to nowhere. Their execution could have been better on the key spot where Jumbo tried a flying knee and Tenryu caught him with a lariat. That led to some bitching by the seconds about the way the ref handled the count, which I didn't quite get. But they ended up back in the ring, where Jumbo just pounded the shit out of Tenryu in the corner and got DQed for body slamming the ref. It was a fine finish that showed Jumbo's furious will to get back at his ex-partner. I don't know why Brody had to run in and attack Jumbo after the bell, but whatever. Given the small bits of iffy execution down the stretch, I have this as their fifth best singles match from 1987-1989. Nonetheless, it has to be on the set.

 

1987 All Japan TV Disc 22

Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, AJ TV 10/10/87 (TV22)

- Tenryu working the headlock and Jumbo countering by working t he arm. More slow-paced than I am used to but never boring. Nice to see Jumbo using an enziguiri on Tenryu. The match picks up after Jumbo rams his arm into the post. Ugh… ugly backslide takes some points off followed by an ugly small package. Oh Christ, wasn’t expecting some of the ugliest execution during the stretch run I have ever seen. The out of control ending was fun but I just saw one that was better earlier. I never thought I would say this but I think we can leave this one off. The least Jumbo-Tenryu match I have seen and it might not crack my Top 125.

NWA International Heavyweight Title vs. NWA United National Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta © vs. Genichiro Tenryu © (10/10/87)

 

Here we go again at the Budokan. This would pickup where the last one left off with both men taking the action to each other with hard shots but it would very soon turn into mat action with both men working holds. This would last a while but it wasn't boring at all as they kept it moving and the fans were into the submission attempts. Jumbo would then work over Tenryu's neck before missing a shoulderblock into the corner hitting all post giving Tenryu the shoulder to work over but he never really got there as he started slapping Jumbo around firing him up to fire back with shots. The crowd is very hot now as these two start throwing bombs on each other trying to put the other away and there was some bad execution on a couple of spots which wasn't good but they started beating ass again and all was forgiven until Tenryu almost killed Jumbo on a powerbomb attempt where he fell down and Jumbo almost landed head first. The battle continued to the floor where Jumbo almost put Tenryu away with a backdrop driver but both men fought back to the ring. Tenryu then tried to give Jumbo a tope suicida as he was standing on the apron but Jumbo moved and Tenryu hit all floor in an awesome spot. Jumbo then posted him and sandwiched the ref as he tried to give him a high knee to the floor. Jumbo's seconds were pissed at the ref who was in the way as Jumbo wouldn't quit beating Tenryu's ass and he was so pissed that he bodyslammed the referee for the DQ which was great. The fans were going nuts here as Bruiser Brody shows up to attack Jumbo as the bell rung. This may not have been as good as some of the others but this was still a great violent match that is a fairly easy nomination in my mind.