I'm willing to admit that I probably just haven't gotten to the right stuff yet, but while I have enjoyed some Fujiwara, I have yet to have a "Holy shit, this guy is incredible" moment watching him wrestle. Looking forward to the day that happens.

Well, if that didn't happen during Fujiwara's peak in the first UWF, or even during his comeback to NJ and then the second UWF when he was already past his prime but still excellent, I don't see how it would happen. I'm not sure what was on the 80's project, but I would guess most of his big matches were there. Really, basically, if the first UWF stuff didn't do it, well, don't hold your breath.

I'm willing to admit that I probably just haven't gotten to the right stuff yet, but while I have enjoyed some Fujiwara, I have yet to have a "Holy shit, this guy is incredible" moment watching him wrestle. Looking forward to the day that happens.

It took me a long time to "get" Fujiwara. I still vividly remember the first match I ever saw him in, against Dan Severn in 1996. I remember being unimpressed, since Yoshiaki looked so old and Severn was repeatedly planting him with endless "pick up your girlfriend and playfully toss her onto a mattress" sort of back suplexes. It looked awful. I'd seen him once or twice in multi-man tag matches afterwards, and he never seemed to stand out. It wasn't until I read Phil's columns about him over at Segunda Caida that I finally understood Fujiwara's way of doing things. That crazy match he had with Choshu in '87 was one of my favorite NJPW heavyweight matches of that decade. He can effortlessly go between crazy bloody brawling to the goofiest of comedy to mat skills so damn good that he holds is own against Volk Han. Not many people have that range of skill. And he's got an amazing punch, something that too many good Japanese wrestlers often seem to lack; and an amazingly expressive face for showing either pain or glee.

I'm willing to admit that I probably just haven't gotten to the right stuff yet, but while I have enjoyed some Fujiwara, I have yet to have a "Holy shit, this guy is incredible" moment watching him wrestle. Looking forward to the day that happens.

Well, if that didn't happen during Fujiwara's peak in the first UWF, or even during his comeback to NJ and then the second UWF when he was already past his prime but still excellent, I don't see how it would happen. I'm not sure what was on the 80's project, but I would guess most of his big matches were there. Really, basically, if the first UWF stuff didn't do it, well, don't hold your breath.

 

Fujiwara's prime was from '89-92.

I'd say Fujiwara peaked in 84-86/87. I dunno, he seemed not as great in the second UWF as he was in the first. Still excellent, but just not as great to me.

I know this is about wrestlers but I got to include an announcer in Gordon Solie. I don't really get the love for him as best announcer of all time. He was good in the early 80s but man by 1988, he's a drunken mess. Just mumbled about the most useless stuff. Lance Russell is a thousand times better.

I'd say Fujiwara peaked in 84-86/87. I dunno, he seemed not as great in the second UWF as he was in the first. Still excellent, but just not as great to me.

The second UWF was a far more developed version of shoot style and Fujiwara was the best worker in the company and arguably the best worker in Japan in 1990. Stylistically, I think his work peaked in PWFG with the classics he had there. He probably could've had more great matches in that timeframe if he hadn't taken a backseat to Funaki and Shamrock, but PWFG is definitely the peak of his artistry to me. His New Japan stuff is a fun distraction, but the real wrestling took place in UWF & PWFG.

The second UWF was a far more developed version of shoot style and Fujiwara was the best worker in the company and arguably the best worker in Japan in 1990. Stylistically, I think his work peaked in PWFG with the classics he had there. He probably could've had more great matches in that timeframe if he hadn't taken a backseat to Funaki and Shamrock, but PWFG is definitely the peak of his artistry to me. His New Japan stuff is a fun distraction, but the real wrestling took place in UWF & PWFG.

PWFG is a void to me that I need to fill eventually. But I'm not convinced since I thought Fujiwara already wasn't as great in 1989 as he was before. The greatest Fujiwara matches happened in the first UWF to me. I agree the second UWF was a far more developped style.

I'm willing to admit that I probably just haven't gotten to the right stuff yet, but while I have enjoyed some Fujiwara, I have yet to have a "Holy shit, this guy is incredible" moment watching him wrestle. Looking forward to the day that happens.

Well, if that didn't happen during Fujiwara's peak in the first UWF, or even during his comeback to NJ and then the second UWF when he was already past his prime but still excellent, I don't see how it would happen. I'm not sure what was on the 80's project, but I would guess most of his big matches were there. Really, basically, if the first UWF stuff didn't do it, well, don't hold your breath.

 

Haven't watched the 80s Other Japan set yet. I have watched him pop up on yearbooks for 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996.

Haven't watched the 80s Other Japan set yet. I have watched him pop up on yearbooks for 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996.

Oh, this explains that then.

Like I said, I dunno what matches are the set, but since UWF wasn't running lot of shows anyway, I guess most of his biggest ones are there. I never thought Fujiwara was anything special as long as I stumbled onto his 90's stuff (save for PWFG which I haven't seen), but getting into UWF stuff and that was it, I was sold on him being great in his prime.

It's within the first 8 episodes so you'll get to it quick.

Since I have less WCW TV for 1992 (only Saturday Nights), I may do WCW and SMW TV at the same time once I get there.

 

No clue when i'll get around to it but i've been downloaing the whole set of 92 WCW as well though I was able to find all the Main Events from that year too

The second UWF was a far more developed version of shoot style and Fujiwara was the best worker in the company and arguably the best worker in Japan in 1990. Stylistically, I think his work peaked in PWFG with the classics he had there. He probably could've had more great matches in that timeframe if he hadn't taken a backseat to Funaki and Shamrock, but PWFG is definitely the peak of his artistry to me. His New Japan stuff is a fun distraction, but the real wrestling took place in UWF & PWFG.

PWFG is a void to me that I need to fill eventually. But I'm not convinced since I thought Fujiwara already wasn't as great in 1989 as he was before. The greatest Fujiwara matches happened in the first UWF to me. I agree the second UWF was a far more developped style.

 

Almost straight away after he jumped he had the best UWF match to date with Kazuo Yamazaki. Physically his prime may have been years earlier, but in wrestling I think a person's prime should cover the peak of their in-ring work and I think that came later than the first UWF & his return to New Japan. To me, that's like the argument that Tamura's UWF-i work is part of his prime when his RINGS stuff blows it away.

Almost straight away after he jumped he had the best UWF match to date with Kazuo Yamazaki. Physically his prime may have been years earlier, but in wrestling I think a person's prime should cover the peak of their in-ring work and I think that came later than the first UWF & his return to New Japan. To me, that's like the argument that Tamura's UWF-i work is part of his prime when his RINGS stuff blows it away.

Well, I thought Yamazaki was the best worker in the second UWF (and probably in UWF-I too until Tamura matured), and I would point at Tamura's peak as being definitively during his RING years. It's not a big knock against Fujiwara, I thought he was still excellent then, and had several great matches.

No clue when i'll get around to it but i've been downloaing the whole set of 92 WCW as well though I was able to find all the Main Events from that year too

Damnit, we don't have the same source !

Almost straight away after he jumped he had the best UWF match to date with Kazuo Yamazaki. Physically his prime may have been years earlier, but in wrestling I think a person's prime should cover the peak of their in-ring work and I think that came later than the first UWF & his return to New Japan. To me, that's like the argument that Tamura's UWF-i work is part of his prime when his RINGS stuff blows it away.

Well, I thought Yamazaki was the best worker in the second UWF (and probably in UWF-I too until Tamura matured), and I would point at Tamura's peak as being definitively during his RING years. It's not a big knock against Fujiwara, I thought he was still excellent then, and had several great matches.

 

I'm not a huge Yamazaki fan as I think his matwork was lacking, but his stand-up game was fairly good and he often had burn burners with the lower-to-upper midcard guys. But he was jobbed out too much in 1990 for me to really consider him the best worker in the second UWF. Plus he continued his run of sickening matches with Nobuhiko Takada.

Plus he continued his run of great matches with Nobuhiko Takada.

Corrected.

One day you'll have your eyes opened like Saul on the road to Damascus.

Paul was a con man. Why would anyone wish that upon Jerome?

 

John

I thought of another guy I never understood the appeal of: Kanyon. For years, we kept hearing about how awesome this guy was and how much potential he had. But, where are the matches? For a guy who seemed physically talented, he had the unfortunate problem of having no idea of how to lay out a structure.

I don't get any praise Kanyon gets either. Furthermore I never understood why Sean O'Haire was viewed as a "missed oppurtunity," honestly I think he just sucked.

Paul was a con man. Why would anyone wish that upon Jerome?

 

John

Some think I'm preaching to the Nise Kami no UWF, Nobuhiko Takada.

Damn Fujiwaraesque heretics... They can twist it any way they can, Takada turned Gary Allbright into fine wine, and forgave Vader. And he sacrified himself in the Tokyo Dome for the good of Pride and japanese MMA...

I think Kanyon was praised for having a variety of moves, but I honestly don't remember if he ever actually did. I also can't think of any great Kanyon matches. I did enjoy the Jersey Triad stuff with DDP and Bam Bam.

This may sound like an odd reason for liking Kanyon but I can say that among my friends, we ALL liked Kanyon because he was really fun to play as in WCW/NWO: Revenge for the N64. He had a bunch of strikes and moves that were unique to his character. So then we would all look forward to seeing him, to see if he would do any of those moves. It may sound stupid, but we were only 15, and I'm sure there were a lot of people out there that were only 15 and I know that game sold TONS of copies. I even remember reading it sold more than No Mercy and Wrestlemania 2000, which blows me away since it seemed like everybody had those two games.

 

Of course, the game also made me excited to see Glacier, as he also had really fun combos in the game, and the Cryonic Kick was one of the most fun moves to hit in the game (along with Goldberg's Spear).

IMO Kanyon finally put everything together by his WWE/OVW run, where he was much more well rounded. He was less about innovative spots, just a very good working utility heel.

His Positively Kanyon gimmick was the only reason to even bother with WCW in the summer of 2000. Him randomly giving the Diamond Cutter to people backstage was always good for a laugh.

 

 

I still get a pretty good laugh out of that one.

I'm not really feeling Blue Panther. It's not the style, because I can get into guys like Dandy and Navarro. But Panther leaves me cold for some reason. When I watch him I do his thing, I think "Yep, that sure is some quality matwork all right", but nothing really knocks my socks off.