Posted April 3, 200817 yr comment_5430382 All Japan Classics 181 Shunji Takano vs. Akira Taue (7/3/89) - Takano is one of my least favorite guys on these discs and young Taue isn’t very good. Nothing to see here. Shinichi Nakano vs. Mitsuo Momota (PWF Jr. Title) (4/20/89) - One of the weaker Juniors matches I have seen. They botch a few moves, Momota no-sells a piledriver and the crowd doesn’t care. They do some decent mat stuff but the match as a whole wasn’t very strong. Momota wins the title after a cool roll-up pin. Dynamite Kid/Davey Boy Smith vs. Dan Kroffat/Doug Furnas (5/12/89) - One thing you notice about this match is that the crowd is really into the 2 foreign teams which is unusual in All Japan. Early on, it is all about showing your opponent up. Davey and Furnas square off in a power exhibition with dueling full nelsons and a test of strength. DK and Kroffat go back to a juniors exhibition. DK and Kroffat take their battle to the outside. Then Kroffat and Davey have a nice exchange of one-upmanship. Once the tag gets going, it turns into a decent back and forth tag match but nothing really special happens. Eventually, Dynamite wins with a weak back suplex pin. I really liked the early part of the match but the 2nd half felt really flat. It’s too bad because the crowd was really into both teams.
September 16, 201015 yr comment_5455780 Shunji Takano vs. Akira Taue (7/3/89) Taue makes his AJ Classics debut and his hair is fabulous although this match isn't any good. AJPW World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Shinichi Nakano © vs. Mitsuo Momota (4/20/89) Nakano just won the title 4 days earlier so he takes Fuchi's spot defending against Momota. I would've rather seen Fuchi here as these two didn't have as good of a match that Fuchi & Momota had a month earlier. There was some good matwork but there was some botched moves and other clunkiness. Momota would take the title though with a chickenwing cradle to get the win in a cool spot and the fans popped big. The British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith) vs. The Can-Am Express (Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat) (5/12/89) Masa Horie in the front row waving the American flag is awesome and the crowd is definitely into these teams. I liked the power struggle early between Davey & Furnas which was fun then DK & Kroffat came in doing highspots with the highlight being Kroffat's tope suicida to the floor. This became a total battle of can you top this with both teams going really hard with highlights being Furnas' dropkicks and the insane top rope superplex by DK which looked like it killed him. They continued working this style throughout the match but DK was struggling to hang with the others and his backdrop suplex for the win was really weak. Awkward finish to a very entertaining match that the crowd loved like crazy and I think it should be on the set. This is a nomination.
