Posted September 14, 200817 yr comment_5434561 Disc 7 March 09th & 16th 1984: Last two matches also appear on Classics 161. 1. Nobuhiko Takada vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi - A harbinger of better days for the juniors. They worked this as younger, more athletic striker against wily veteran wrestler. Takada showed he wouldn't be bullied early when the action spilled outside and he nailed Kobayashi with a metal sign. Takada hit most of his signature offense, but he got overeager at times and Kobayashi invariably took advantage. Takada got to look good by kicking out after several big moves. Each near fall really popped the crowd. Kobayashi ultimately won with a Perfectplex. They might have botched the ending as Takada appeared to kick out, but the ref called for the bell anyway. This was the first strong singles performance by Takada on NJ TV and a solid nomination. 2. Tatsumi Fujinami/Kengo Kimura vs. Adrian Adonis/Dick Murdoch - This mostly featured Adonis and Murdoch working over Kimura in their corner. That's always reasonably fun, but I wouldn't call it a standout performance. 3. Antonio Inoki/Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Animal Hamaguchi/Riki Choshu - Hamaguchi and Choshu pummeled Fujiwara for most of this with Inoki taking the hot tags and cleaning house. But Fujiwara did get to save Inoki from Choshu's scorpion with a series of headbutts. I was on the fence about nominating it, but they never showed the ending so no dice. 4. Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Adrian Adonis - JIP. They traded rest holds in a rather sluggish beginning. Things started to pick up, but then Adonis crotched Yatsu on the guardrail to earn a DQ. Ouch. 5. Kengo Kimura/Seiji Sakaguchi vs. Ed Leslie/Dick Murdoch - Almost everything good in this match flowed from Murdoch's selling and bumping or his offense. It was one of those matches that showed how great he was without being great overall. 6. Antonio Inoki/Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Animal Hamaguchi/Riki Choshu - Fine match but nothing here that wasn't done better at other points in the rivalry.
