Posted August 30, 200817 yr comment_5434303 New Japan Pro Wrestling TV (August 12th & 19th 1983) 1. Rusher Kimura vs Animal Hamaguchi (4/8) - This was also on Classics 148. Will, I saw that you passed on it, but I'm going to toss it out there, because it felt like the match these two needed to have after Hamaguchi left for Ishin Gundan. They basically just slapped and head butted the shit out of each other, with Hamaguchi trying to look defiant and Kimura trying to look impassive and above his nonsense. I really liked the part when Hamaguchi had Kimura in an Indian death lock and kept slapping him while Kimura maintained this look that said "Bring it on." Sure, there was some lying around but that was part of the territory with Kimura. At least he was in full-on feisty old prick mode. I realize this might not make the set and probably won't go far if it does, but I enjoyed watching it. 2. Tiger Mask & Osamu Kido vs Kuniaki Kobayashi & Isamu Teranishi (1/8) - I guess this actually set up the Tiger Mask/Teranishi match on the previous episode. So bad sequencing that way. It was OK, with lots of hate directed Tiger Mask's way, but nothing spectacular. I guess this was Sayama's last televised match for New Japan. 3. Tatsumi Fujinami vs Paul Orndorf - This was fine, with Orndorff looking sharper than he had in his tour earlier in the year. But it didn't convey much heat or greater purpose. 4. Nobuhiko Takada vs Athol Foley (Calgary, 13/8) 5. Bruce Hart & Davey Boy Smith vs Cobra & Kuniaki Kobayashi (Calgary, 13/8) 6. Animal Hamaguchi vs Bret Hart (Calgary, 13/8) 7. Tatsumi Fujinami vs Don Karloff (Calgary, 13/8)
