Posted April 3, 200817 yr comment_5430368 Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher (1/13/88) - I actually enjoyed this. IN something completely unexpected, they work this as a straight wrestling match with armbars and headlocks and tests of strengths. The work isn’t anything inspiring but I give them points for taking me of guard when I expected a brawl from the onset. Once it goes outside, the Abby we know and love appears and opens up a cut with a big spike. Abby abuses Jumbo for the next few minutes, working on the cut, mixing in some wrestling along with the trademark brawling on the outside. Jumbo fights back after a couple of big knees and that was all it took for Abby to blade. After this point, Jumbo tries to put the match away but after a fight on the outside, Jumbo tries to win the match by countout but Abby holds on to him so that both men are counted out. After the match, we get a pretty fun brawl through the crowd and around the ring. I might not fight for this but I think it should definitely be thrown on the block for discussion. (AJC 163)
May 7, 201015 yr comment_5450562 I liked this but didn't love it. Abby delivered a solid performance with all of his trademark chops to the throat and curved boots to the midsection. I liked Jumbo working as an underdog, treating Abby like the star the fans regarded him as. Of course both guys ended up bleeding. I didn't find Jumbo's rally all that memorable and the countout ending was predictable but bland. The post-match fight in the crowd redeemed it some. I don't feel a lot of passion about this one way or another, so I'll give it a gentle no. But really, I'm fine with it going on the set if Eric likes it as much as or more than Will.
July 10, 201015 yr comment_5452966 I was expecting to like this more, but I still liked it enough. Abby controlled the first 8 minutes, chopping and spiking and elbowing and posting and making Jumbo bleed. Jumbo turns the tides with an awesome running knee, then follows it up with one to a kneeling Abby. Post-match brawl is enough to put this over the top, as people are running everywhere and it’s a great capper. Match wasn’t awesome, but was plenty fun. LOW-LEVEL NOMINATION!
July 17, 201015 yr comment_5453225 I watched this again and I'm switching my no to a low-level yes. Abby's early attack was stronger than I thought, and I liked Jumbo's rally as well, with the backdrop suplex and inevitable monkey flip (that really was Abby's version of Flair getting slammed off the top.)
September 15, 201015 yr comment_5455649 NWA International Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta © vs. Abdullah the Butcher (1/13/88) This is a pretty calm start for an Abby match as he lets Jumbo work holds but it's not too long before it goes to the floor where Abby uses the ring bell hammer as a weapon and the juice comes out. Abby was relentless working over Jumbo here until Jumbo fired back with a desperation high knee and he fired up with the fans behind him. Abby is now juicing as usual and Jumbo goes to work on him even hitting a backdrop driver although not a strong one for a nearfall. Jumbo even broke out a monkey flip here before the match goes back to the floor with Jumbo trying to get back in the ring but Abby pulls him down everytime and holds him for the countout. This was a fun bloody brawl but not a nomination.
