Posted August 15, 201015 yr comment_5454480 Tiger Mask II vs. La Fiera (8/26/84) Fiera had a cool look here looking sorta like the Mexican version of Adrian Adonis with the leather and chains. Misawa still fresh from working in Mexico has a good chemistry with Fiera here and they work this quasi lucha-NJ Jr. match with Fiera bumping like crazy doing wild dives such as a plancha from the top rope to the floor while Misawa was doing TM spots mixed in with his own flair. Fiera taking an insane bump from the ring over the top rope to the floor followed up by a beautiful tope con hilo by Misawa was one of the key highlights of this match and it's watching Fiera bumping like a madman here makes it easy for you to realize that he can barely walk these days. Misawa would eventually nuke him with a Tiger Suplex to get the win in this fast paced match that was non-stop action. This moves forward fairly easily. NWA International Jr. Heavyweight Title: Mighty Inoue © vs. Atsushi Onita (8/26/84) Good basic action to start but it kicks up a notch when Onita hits a sweet tope suicida on Inoue on the floor followed up by a diving headbutt after they return to the ring. Inoue would regain the advantage though using a rib breaker then a knee breaker before going for the figure-four which Onita would get the ropes to break the hold. Inoue would then hit some nice suplexes before going back to the figure-four where they rolled across the ring to the floor where they would break the hold but couldn't get back in the ring in time for the count so both were counted out. This had some good action but combined with the finish and the fact that they followed TM II/Fiera it didn't come close as far as match quality. Not a nomination. AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta © vs. Greg Gagne (4/19/84) Jumbo now gets the other half of the Hi-Flyers in Gagne and this is similar to the Brunzell match in the pacing but they work this like Gagne is equal to the strength of Jumbo as they go back and forth trying to get the advantage. They work this heavy on the mat with lots of holds and counter wrestling before Gagne finally starts bringing the aggression which the psychology is messed up here but it's understandable because Jumbo is in Japan. Gagne should be getting his ass beat and then firing up at the end but Jumbo is the babyface here so that wasn't happening. This probably would've been better in the US psychology wise. The finish was fucked up too because Jumbo hit a backbreaker for the pin but Greg had his foot on the bottom rope clearly although Joe Higuchi never saw it which made me wonder a bit if Greg was supposed to do that or not. Then we get Blackwell/Patera vs. Crusher/Gagne from the AWA which we will hit later. AWA World Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta © vs. Nick Bockwinkel (3/24/84) Loads of streamers for Jumbo here and the fans are hot for him at Sumo Hall so this should be good. Bock does lots of legwork here trying to setup for the figure-four later and Jumbo does a really good job of selling actually when he goes to the floor trying to regain his strength then returns to the ring fired up going right after Bock hitting a high knee for a nearfall. Jumbo then took it to the mat before Bock cajoled his way into going for a figure-four which Jumbo would try to block twice before getting it in but Jumbo would get to the ropes though. Bock would continue to work on the leg before Jumbo cleaned his clock with an enzuigiri giving him a chance to get back on the offensive. They would trade the advantage hitting some big moves like piledrivers and backdrop suplexes and both men doing a good job of selling their fatigue. We would get a ref bump and both men brawled to the floor with Jumbo bashing Bock & Higuchi with the AWA title belt. Jumbo goes nuts as he would throw Bock into Higuchi prompting a DQ and the brawl would continue after the match before they were pulled apart. I really dug this as you had some really good selling by both men especially Jumbo and good psychology mixed in with great aggression at the end with Jumbo using the belt as a weapon. This is a nomination. PWF Heavyweight Title: Stan "The Lariat" Hansen © vs. Giant Baba (3/24/84) Hansen...Baba....Sumo Hall.....this should be fun. Hansen jumps Baba before the intros so the fans throw their streamers anyway as Hansen is kicking ass which was great. Hansen's selling for Baba was always fun considering he rarely sold for anyone else as he took a Baba chop then rolled all over the ring to the floor and over the guard railing. Baba then went to war on Hansen's left arm which is the lariat arm by using armbars and jujigatames trying to take away Hansen's main weapon. They would botch a Baba neckbreaker drop allowing Hansen to go back on the offensive mainly with one arm before they took it to the floor where Hansen tried to give Baba a lariat but he hit all ringpost giving Baba the opening he needed to go back to work on the arm. Baba would hit a big boot on Hansen which would see Hansen getting his left arm caught in the ropes and Baba going off on Hansen not relenting until Higuchi would call for the DQ. This was a blast with both men going pretty balls out here in their roles especially Hansen who was really selling here and even with the shitty finish this moves forward easily.
