Posted June 26, 200817 yr comment_5432461 Riki Choshu & Higo Hamaguchi vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Akira Maeda (MSG Tag League '83) (12/2/83) - Fujinami and Choshu are much more aggressive early on. They go outside to brawl and Fujinami gets a back suplex on the floor for his troubles. Fujinami sells the neck so Higo and Choshu spend the next dew minutes working on the neck/shoulder area. By focusing on the body part, it makes simple restholds like Hamaguchi's chinlock more interesting. Eventually, Fujinami mnakes the tag and Maeda takes and control and they go to work on Hamaguchi's leg. With the exception of a Fujinami piledriver, there isn't anything exciting going on here. The segment where Choshu's tema goes to work on Maeda is more appealing. Choshu taunts Fujinami while hooking in the Sharpshooter. After Maeda reaches the ropes, he attempts it again. In a sweet spot, MAeda is fighting off the Sharpshooter so Hamaguchi drops a top rope elbow on him so CHoshu can turn him over with ease. Then, when Maeda reaches the ropes, Choshu tags in Hamaguchi so Hamaguchi can drop a leg on Maeda before Choshu releases the hold. Great stuff. The teamwork by Choshu and Hamaguchi is great. The stretch run is really great as they try to take Maeda out until he hits Choshu with a lariat of his own. At one point, everyone gets nailed by a back suplex which made the crowd explode and both teams go back and forth with the big moves and big saves but the 30-minute time limit expires. This was a phenomonal tag, probably the best I have seen in a New Japan ring. No brainer here. (NJC 155)
September 6, 200817 yr comment_5434402 Can't add much to what Will said. Excellent 30-minute draw in which every guy got worked over at some point. I loved that Choshu called for Fujinami right away and naileed him with the big suplex on the floor. Maeda in peril was good as always. The ending was hot with all the big suplexes and the scorpion exchanges. It probably won't challenge for the very top of my ballot but could well finish in the top 1/3.
August 28, 200916 yr comment_5443417 Yeah this was a batch of fun, there were some slow parts as you might expect in a 30 minute draw, but I loved the hot start and the finish run was great. Animal Hamiguchi has really nasty elbow drops. More greatness from the Fujinami v. Choshu rivalry.
