Posted June 21, 200817 yr comment_5432337 New Japan Classics 152 Akira Maeda vs. Paul Orndorff (10/14/83) - The first few minutes have Orndorff controlling with an armbar with Maeda trying in vain to break it. Really nice counter attempts and blocks by Orndorff. You got to love Orndorff locking the arm up with his legs so he can stand and pose while Maeda is incapacitated. Shortly after, Maeda tries to give a flying headscissors but Orndorff tosses him off with armbar still intact. Great stuff. When Maeda breaks free, he gains control with an armbar of his own. After this early stage, both men go back and forth trying to wear down the other man with some pretty nice offense from both guys. The ending was weak with Orndorff trying to get back in the ring only to get a high knee from Maeda. As he is falling, Orndorff's leg gets tangled in the ropes and the ref awards the match to Maeda. There was more than enough good stuff to nominate this but I don't know how far it will go. Riki Choshu, Higo Hamaguchi & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Antonio Inoki, Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura (10/14/83) - The identity of both teams is quickly established. Kimura is the weak linbk for his team and Yatsu is his team's weak member. Choshu and his squad drop some pretty nice double/triple teaming early on including a spike piledriver and Yatsu chopping Kimura from the top as Hamaguchi falls back in a Samoan Drop. Inoki's team is not as effective as Choshu's team and it shows since they spend the majority of the match in control. IT also allows Choshu to take Kimura out witha lariat for the pin. I really liked what they were doing here but it ended abruptly. No vote for a match I enjoyed but I don't think it is nomination-worthy. The Cobra vs. Davey Boy Smith (NWA Junior Title) (10/14/83) - Davey Boy arrives in a mask but takes it off before the match starts. Before Cobra can take his jacket off, Davey attacks and just brutallizes him before the match begins, including press slamming him out of the ring. Once the match starts proper, Cobra controls frustrating Davey with his quickness and his counters. Davey has to rely on his strength to gain an advantage and that is exactly what he does. After power, lifting Cobra on to the top rope ala Backlund, Davey slams Cobra down but Cobra runs to the opposite turnbuckle, leaps off the ropes into a well-timed Davey elbow. Most of the match, the action flowed naturally but there was an awkward phase where they were running the ropes and nothing seemed to connect and I had no idea what they were trying to accomplish. One theme that was running through the match had Cobra sending Davey out of the ring at various times but stopping before he would attempt a plancha. Well, he goes for one and Davey steps out of the way and piledrives him on the floor... and Cobra freaking no sells it. Automatic no vote right there depsite any good will I was building up. Besides, by this time in the match, it had begun losing its focus anyway.
