Posted August 12, 200817 yr comment_5433933 1. Tiger Mask & Kantaro Hoshino vs Kuniaki Kobayashi & Gran Hamada (10/2) - This was JIP but actually pretty long and pretty damn fun. It started as just a decently paced tag with all four guys getting in some nice looking offense. But then Kobayashi and Hamada got all hateful on TM and tried to rip his mask off. I was a little disappointed that TM didn't seem more pissed after he got free. Instead, he just hit his normal tombstone, flying headbutt sequence. But the match continued in cool fashion. Hoshino actually seemed more pissed than TM after the mask segment, and he started wailing motherfuckers in the face. Then Hamada tossed in some nasty looking strikes and head drops. I really dug him with Kobayashi. Wish they had teamed more. Anyway, Hamada did a nice flying press to the floor on Hoshino. Then TM, finally seeming appropriately fired up, did an out of control tope that carried both him and Kobayashi into the crowd. Ref called the match at that point. I liked the fire from both teams and Hamada was pretty badass, so I'll toss this one on the pile.
June 28, 200916 yr comment_5441269 Tiger Mask & Kantaro Hoshino vs Kuniaki Kobayashi & Gran Hamada, NJ TV 2/10/83 (aired 2/25/83) Did Hoshino and Hamada ever have a singles match? I can't tell them apart but they were pretty fun to watch against each other. This was pretty non-descript until the mask came into play. These non-descript juniors became complete assholes in a matter of seconds and it actually left you choosing sides instead of looking at the pretty acrobatic moves. PRetty great stuff from both teams up to the suicidal Tiger Mask dive at the end. I am happy to move this forward.
August 27, 200916 yr comment_5443391 I really enjoyed this, Hamada is such a pleasure to watch one of the smoothest wrestlers of all time. The stuff Will thought was meandering I loved, and the finish run was great shit. Hoshino threw some killer punch combos here too.
