Posted October 23, 200816 yr comment_5435336 DVD #27 12/12/85 (taped 12/12) - Match also appears on NJ Classics 220 Antonio Inoki/Seiji Sakaguchi vs. Tatsumi Fujinami/Kengo Kimura - Huge moment at the end when Fujinami pinned Inoki to win the tag league. The early matwork was pretty bland but about 10 minutes in, Fujinami and Kimura began a focused attack on Sakaguchi's wrapped knee. That proved to be the key story, as they gradually took Inoki's sidekick out of the match. I thought they rushed the ending a bit. Sakaguchi's absence would have seemed more dramatic if they had worked Inoki over for a few more minutes. Instead, it felt more like Fujinami caught him off guard with the dragon suplex and Sakaguchi couldn't rush in to break up the pin. It still felt like a major upset, and the emotion on Fujinami's face showed how much it meant to him. I think it has to go on the set. 12/19/85 (taped 12/10) - Matches also appear on NJ Classics 219 Kimura vs. Jimmy Snuka - This started really slowly, but they built some drama when Kimura kicked out after two straight head butts from the top. He was pretty good at playing the spunky underdog. I can't see this making a set, however, given all the competition. Fujinami vs. Bruiser Brody - Fujinami attacked right away and Brody choked him with his chain to slow him down. He sent him outside with a big boot, but Fujinami rallied, ultimately nailing Brody with five straight enziguiris and a back suplex. They brawled to the outside, and Fujinami knocked Brody over the rail to end the match. They packed all of that into five minutes, so it came off as a real jolt and made Fujinami look strong. I don't think they did enough to earn a nomination, but it was fun while it lasted. Antonio Inoki vs. Dick Murdoch - They worked back and forth a lot more than in some of their previous singles matches. Murdoch seized the advantage after some opening matwork with his usual punches and knees to the body. Inoki rallied with punches and moved into a legwork section. Murdoch sold both the blows and the leg stuff well, especially with his facial expressions. He responded with some of his bigger offense before Inoki finished it with the enziguiri. Murdoch used this great cross-eyed expression to sell the brain-scrambling effects of Inoki's finisher. Not a classic but very solid and I'll nominate it because it's the best singles match I've seen between these two.
