Posted April 3, 200817 yr comment_5430369 All Japan Classics 163 Hiroshi Wajima vs. Abdullah the Butcher (1/2/88) - I am not a real fan of either one of these guys so this didn’t really appeal to me. This was basically an Abby squash. Tenyru & Ashura Hara vs. Abdullah the Butcher & TNT (PWF Tag Titles) (1/9/88) - Crowd was silent when TNT and Hara were in the ring but livened up when Tenryu or Abby entered. File this one under disjointed mess. However, there was a cool spot worth mentioning. Abby jumped of the 2nd rope with a fat man elbow splash but Tenryu got his leg on the rope to save the match. However, most of this match was Abby and TNT trading off and applying nerve holds. 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.
July 10, 201015 yr comment_5452965 All Japan Classics 163 ~Hiroshi Wajima vs. Abdullah the Butcher (6:33, DQ, 1/2/88) I LOVED this, and I imagine this being one that I fight to get on, only for it to finish dead last. Abby no sells a bunch and does his hilarious karate poses, but Wajima keeps coming back stronger and stronger, before using his sumo expertise to do a couple legitimately impressive throws on Abby. Abby eventually gets him down and does his big elbow, but Wajima gets his foot on the ropes! Great hope spot. Then Abby does a couple more giant elbows and socks Joe Higuchi and we're out. Fun match with Wajima (whom isn't one of my favorites) playing a underdog you can really get behind. It's not long, but I enjoyed it. NOMINATION. ~Tenyru & Ashura Hara vs. Abdullah the Butcher & TNT (PWF Tag Titles) (17:38, 1/9/88) You know, this had a lot of awesome moments, but it also had the whole middle section of Abby and TNT tagging in and out and doing nothing but nerve holds. I’m not as opposed to nerve holds as most, but they really drug things down. Everything after that was awesome, so this is bittersweet. The heat segment on Abby was great, with him taking a back suplex and a monkey flip, and eating some great punches and kicks from Tenryu. Of course all Abby’s throat thrusts were great, and his shoulderblock to Tenryu was king-sized. Best part was his corner splash on Tenryu, with TNT falling on top for a good nearfall. Or Abby coming off the bottom rope with a crushing elbow drop on Tenryu for a great nearfall. If this didn’t have that middle section, I would nominate. Buuuuut it did. ~Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher (13:24, CO, 1/13/88) 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!
September 15, 201015 yr comment_5455640 Hiroshi Wajima vs. Abdullah the Butcher (1/2/88) This was perverse fun and the post match involving Baba & Jumbo was great. PWF Tag Titles: Revolution (Ashura Hara & Genichiro Tenryu) © vs. Abdullah the Butcher & TNT (1/9/88) The fans are into Butcher & Tenryu going at it but TNT & Hara bring it as well as the fans who pop for the big spots. We do get the nerve hold stuff from the gaijin on both Hara & Tenryu and that slows it down some. Abby taking a backdrop suplex by Tenryu after being chopped by mistake by TNT was fun which led to him taking some punishment from Revolution causing the juice to flow. TNT would come in and ate a spike piledriver then a powerbomb but Abby would save him so Hara sent him to the floor so Tenryu could powerbomb TNT again for the pin. This was a pretty fun match. 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.
