[1996-03-01-NJPW vs UWFi-High Tension] Kiyoshi Tamura vs Kazushi Sakuraba

The first match in their 1996 trilogy which just demonstrated just how good these two were. The match opens with one of the best wrestling scrambles you will find, and Sakuraba and Tamura put on a clinic in grappling and counterwork. The two seem evenly matched at first, but Tamura begins to think quicker than Sakuraba and figures out openings before Sakuraba can read them. In comparison to their 5/27/96 match, there appear to be lulls where the two are trying to figure out where to go next but you don't notice it unless you watch very closely. Because of that, they convey a bit less emotion but the match is still mechanically very good. There is a point at the end where Tamura hooks Sakuraba, and Sakuraba has a moment of panic where he realizes he is fucked but can't figure out how to escape before his brain tells him to tap. Sakuraba screams out in disappointment afterward as Tamura celebrates. It's a nice moment to cap a beautiful match and a nice start to a great trilogy. ****1/4