Posted June 11, 200817 yr comment_5432160 New Japan Classics 92 Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Tony Rocco (WWF Junior Title) (9/11/80) - You get the mandatory groundwork to start off. Fujinami establishes an armbar and thehy work in and out of the armbar including some nice pinning sequences and a spot where both men run the ropes, lock arms, fall to the ground and Fujinami clinches the armbar again. While Fujinami controlled the first part of the match, Rocco takes over in the 2nd half with some decent offense. We also get some nice exchanges and some unexpected counters. At one point, it looks like Rocco was trying to do a Flair flip but couldn't keep the flip out of the corner. Before I could type in blown spot, Fujinami dropkicks him out of the ring. Nice. The end run is really great with both guys going all out before Fujinami catches Rocco with a rollup. Easy nomination. Antonio Inoki vs. Stan Hansen (NWF Title) (9/11/80) - Hansen tries to hit the lariat immediately but is met with two Inoki dropkicks. After that, INoki frustrates Hansen with a headlock takeover and keeps the Texas grounded. Hansen responds by gaining control on the ground and dropping an elbow on Inoki's neck. Hansen controls the next phase of the match with Inoki occasionally showing flashes of offense, but this is mainly Hansen's run of patented moves. Later in the match, Inoki neutralizes Hansen with the Indian death lock but gets pulled out of the ring. In the stretch run, Hansen goes back and forth between Inoki's gut and neck, trying to get a pin. He keeps swinging him to the ropes but doesn't attmpt a lariat. Instead, he settles for back elbows, jumping knees and even a dropkick. Towards the end, it looks like Hansen is trying to put Inoki ina backbreaker or Torture Rack but Inoki fights him so he dumps Inoki and drops an elbow. Hansen drops an elbow and goes for the same move but Inoki tries to counter with a crucifix pin so Hansen dumps him outside the ring while tumbling out himself. Nice. Inoki wins by countout so Hansen runs in and hits him with a lariat from behind. This was another nomination and maybe the best match I have seen between the two.
