All Japan Classics 188

 

Joe Malenko vs. Masa Fuchi (PWF Jr. Title) (7/28/89)

- This was all ground-game and twisty carny shit for a good ten minutes. This really reminded me of a Bryan Danielson match without the high spots. The crowd is absolutely dead in this which would probably hurt it but it is one of those matches where I’ll remember it 20 minutes from now. I was re-reading some of my older posts and there are several matches I didn’t nominate that I can’t even remember watching. Joe wins this with a sweet Northern Nights and gets a polite clap from the crowd thanking him for being over. I have no idea how you guys would react to this match but I want to know anyway so it gets a nomination.

 

Abdullah the Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Akira Taue (10/14/89)

- No

 

Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Ricky Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada (All Asian Tag Title) (9/2/89)

- I have the 6/5 match as my current #2 so I will be interested in how this stacks up. Early on, you have a face-off between Kawada and Kroffat but Kawada chooses to tag Fuyuki in which gets a huge boo. Nice! Once Kawada enters, the Cam-Ams bring out some big double teaming including a modified Dooomsday Device and a double dropkick that makes him retreat to his corner. Early highlight would go to Fuyuki who throws an awesome clothesline. I don’t think this as awesome as the 6/5 match but pretty damn entertaining in its own right. Tons of memorable spots, good back and forth momentum, Kawada and Kroffat going at it again. Seriously, Kada lays the kicks in and watch Kroffat’s nasty senton. Later on, watch Kawada’s insanely stiff clothesline on Kroffat. The ending is just as hot as 6/5 and this is another easy nomination.

PWF Jr. Heavyweight Title: Joe Malenko © vs. Masa Fuchi (7/28/89)

 

This started out with some really sweet matwork with both men looking great in maneuvering in and out of holds having a BattlARTS feel going on for a while. Fuchi would hit a Thesz Press to mark the transition to an normal match and he hits a big missile dropkick off the top rope for a nearfall. Then we get a real fun series of nearfalls with Joe getting a nice Northern Lights Suplex hold to retain his title. This was a really solid match that was far from boring although the crowd didn't give a shit and this deserves to be on the set.

 

Abdullah the Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh vs. Akira Taue & Yoshiaki Yatsu (10/14/89)

 

This is what you would expect.

 

All-Asian Tag Titles: The Can-Am Express (Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat) © vs. Footloose (Ricky Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada) (9/2/89)

 

Back at the Budokan for the big rematch and Kawada looks pissed during the intros so you know this will be good. Kroffat wants to continue his war with Kawada but he tags Fuyuki in drawing boos at the Budokan and that is great. This had so much great action with highlights being the vicious DDT that Kroffat gave Kawada, Furnas breaking the swinging full-nelson ala Ken Patera, Furnas' awesome dropkick, Kroffat's senton bomb, Fuyuki getting booed as he was constantly trying to help Kawada, great Can-Ams doubleteams, Fuyuki laying on Kawada taking Kroffat's big splash off the top rope, the lariat train with Kroffat eating a huge one from Kawada, a nearfall bonanza leading to Fuyuki submitting to Furnas' Canadian Backbreaker. This is fucking awesome and a tremendous match. Slam dunk nomination.