This takes a while to get going, as SS Machine doesn’t really deliver his stuff nasty enough at the beginning, to counter what Maeda is doing, but when it does get going it gets really great as Machine starts laying it in with big clotheslines and boots, crowd really starts going nuts too and the finish run is super hot, not everything is landed crisp. End is kind of awesome as it looks like Machine dislocates his shoulder legit, and Maeda is really great playing it up and really wrenching on the bad shoulder. Really fun stuff and a nomination.

 

NJ v. UWF Vol 1 disc 2

This was the best Super Strong Machine singles match I've seen. He could reel off some seriously punishing offense when inspired, and he looked absolutely convincing trading shots with the UWF's heaviest hitter. The ending was indeed awesome as Maeda went right after the shoulder, first kicking the crap out of it and then moving to the prickish stretching. This has to make the set and could end up in the top 1/3 of my ballot. Maeda in 1987 was pretty fabulous.

I really liked the matwork early on. Not high-end stuff but worlds better than the Fujinami-Inoki snorefest. The big difference is that when they were finished rolling around on the ground, Machine would hit a huge suplex or MAeda would kick Machine right in the face to let everyone know they weren't going to put us in a coma. Loved the work on Machine's shoulder but not nearly as much as Liger-Sano where Liger wrestles the match with one arm. I didn't like this as much as you guys but enjoyed it enough to give it a nomination.