A nostalgia match, but a very interestingly worked one. In 1997 New Japan was already bringing in Naoya Ogawa and Don Frye and moving towards the "Inokiism", and some sequences here look like they were straight out of a sparring session-Sayama takes Inoki's back, rolls him over into an Armbar, Inoki blocks it with his leg and so on. They also work some pro-style holds into it by doing stuff like Inoki turning a battle over leglocks into an Indian Deathlock. Sayama blasts Inoki with some brutal kicks and Inoki's facial expressions of dread he conveys every time Sayama knocks him down are something else. They also work in some junior moves like the Tiger Feint Kick and Sayama's pattented hammerlock snapmare counter to pop the crowd and set up the finish. So basically a Battlarts match. ***1/4

I agree with your takes. I didn't like it quite as much as you, but I think you like this style more than I do so it makes sense.

 

Antonio Inoki vs Tiger King - NJPW Battle Formation 4/12/97

 

Inoki is in his Final Countdown tour and brings in Tiger Mask for a Dream Match. I actually like Tiger Mask more than most. I especially like Tiger Mask when he wrestles more like Super Tiger. There is some Tiger Mask stuff like the 619 feint and the hammerlock, snapmare counter, but the rest is Super Tiger all the way. Some really good kicks from Sayama as expected. I liked the missed headkick right into the leg sweep. Sayama looked a little bigger than usual but still wrestled well. Inoki looked immaculate, but didn't think he did much. I thought it was interesting that even the littlest of things from Inoki popped the crowd. Like slapping his leg exhorting Sayama to kick him again or dropping to his ass to do a Jitu-jitsu spot. Sayama taps to a abdominal stretch. It felt more like a shoot style exhibition rather than a contest.