Posted February 2, 200817 yr comment_5427754 All Japan Classics 137 Tiger Mask/Takashi Ishikawa v. Strong Machine/Shunji Takano (09/03/86) - This was pretty damn solid but there are so many tag matches that will smoke this. It also bothered me that they worked up to an Ishikawa piledriver on Takano and a minute later, he shrugs it off and tags in Machine. Misawa looked good, not great. Yoshiaki Yatsu v. Tiger Mask (09/03/86) - This one started off real slow. It picked up toward the end but there wasn’t anything that really stood out except Yatsu’s powerslam that ended the match. Jumbo Tsuruta v. Stan Hanson (Int'l Title, 09/09/86) - I was really enjoying this match. Early on, some stiff chops and elbow exchanges. It kind of slipped from me when Hansen was working the nerve hold, but he actually worked the move. This led to Jumbo selling an injured arm that Hansen continued to attack in and out of the ring. Somewhere along the way, Jumbo gets busted open and I can’t tell if it was from a vicious Hansen blow or from falling on the rail outside. Sick visual as Hansen gives Jumbo a knee lift and a big blotch of blood is left on his leg. Eventually, Stan joins in and lets out a gusher himself and once inside, Jumbo, kicks the shit out of Hansen’s head and hits a nice enziguiri as well. Late in the match, Hansen looks like he is in control but misses a charge and Jumbo gets a roll-up for the win. Shit, I always heard Jumbo and Hansen never had a great match against each other. This was pretty damn great. Easy nomination from my point of view.
September 8, 201015 yr comment_5455453 Super Strong Machine & Shunji Takano vs. Takashi Ishikawa & Tiger Mask II (9/3/86) I really dug Shunji Takano as he was like the Kendall Windham compared to his brother George's Barry as big brother got the big push but little brother was a good worker as well. Regarding the match, it was a solid tag match with everyone working hard but this crowd couldn't give a shit. Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Tiger Mask II (10/20/86) TM attacked Yatsu before the bell and the attack went on as fans threw their streamers with TM dropkicking Yatsu to the floor. TM really works over Yatsu early but Yatsu would finally come back with a bulldog then a huge German suplex for a nearfall. Yatsu then hit his big moves on TM trying to put him away but TM stays alive before just magically coming back trying to take Yatsu back to the mat but Yatsu's power would be too much for him until he caught a break with a backdrop suplex that sent Yatsu to the floor. TM then hit a huge slingshot plancha taking out Yatsu then took it back to the ring where he was going all out trying to put Yatsu away before missing with a somersault senton off the top rope then eating a big powerslam by Yatsu for the win. I liked this one more than Will did but not enough for a nomination. NWA International Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta © vs. Stan "The Lariat" Hansen (9/9/86) Now this was way better than their match 6 days earlier. Sure they did the armwork but there was more viciousness here regarding the strikes plus you get double juice here which is always a plus. Plus you get a hot crowd that is wild for Jumbo who is fucking drenched in blood making a fun comeback after being dominated by Hansen. Then we had a hot stretch run leading to a great finish with everyone including Akira Fukuzawa going nuts and this was completely awesome. Slam dunk nomination.
