Posted April 24, 200817 yr comment_5430843 New Japan Classics 87 Bob Backlund vs. Hulk Hogan (5/30/80) - Hogan’s back hair is wild. I remember watching this match when I made the Backlund comp. On a plus side, both guys work hard here, working in and out of the holds and each time I see Hogan in Japan, I believe it when they say he always worked harder there. Shit, every time Backlund hooks on to the headlock, Hogan is moving and pinning and looking for ways to get out. The story has Backlund keeping Hogan grounded because after the test of strength, he knows he has no shot going toe to toe with Hulk. However, Hogan can’t capitalize until he pus his knees up after a Backlund splash. The Hogan chinlock segment brings the match down a bit especially since Hogan has enough power offense to keep things moving. Hell, flex your muscles or show some personality. The end stretch was pretty good with Bob fighting back and hooking in an abdominal stretch. Stan Hansen runs in for the shitty DQ and what was a borderline nomination is now a no vote. This made my Backlund comp but I think we have an entire decade of NJ to consider and the dead crowd didn’t help the match either. Andre the Giant vs. Stan Hansen (MSG League '80) (5/30/80) - This one was looking up but then they botch a big boot and Andre sells it anyway even though Hansen made no contact. This ends shortly after with both guys brawling through the crowd. This match-up gets better later on but this isn’t memorable except for the botched collision. Antonio Inoki vs. Tatsumi Fujinami (MSG League '80) (5/30/80) - This felt like the first ten minutes of a really great 30 minute match. Fujinami is so good at making Inoki’s holds look great as he tries working in and out, struggling for an advantage. After a couple of sweet dives to the outside from Fujinami, Inoki inexplicably makes his way back to the ring first. As Fujinami makes his way back in, Inoki hits him with a back suplex and gets the pin. The ending was really abrupt and really didn’t make sense since Fujinami had just gained the advantage and you don’t get to see how Inoki was able to recover first due to a bad camera angle. This had a beginning and end but no middle. I know they matches up a ton so I have a feeling we will get a few matches on the set by the time all is said and done.
