Posted December 8, 200816 yr comment_5436283 This carries historic weight as the first singles match in their long feud. It was also good, though on the low end of their series. They set the template for a lot of what they would do in the future. They started with a methodical, evenly contested mat section. Choshu upped the intensity by fighting out of a leglock with elbows to a bandaged cut on Fujinami's forehead. They got up and traded hard slaps mid ring. Fujinami gained a brief advantage, but Choshu countered with his back suplex-lariat combo. Choshu went up top and Fujinami regained the advantage by dropkicking him off. They spilled outside for the double countout and brawled for a long time after the bell. I'll nominate it but wouldn't have a problem with it dropping off and becoming an extra. Obviously, we'll have a ton of Choshu-Fujinami to choose from, and I'd take their match from two weeks later and at least three or four of their 1983 matches over this one.
August 23, 200916 yr comment_5443204 I did like this a lot, finished with a ton of heat and I love the keylock lift spot. The finish with the ref getting spilled looked bad though. I am with Childs on this one, this is a super long feud with a ton of matches, and this feels like one we could leave off if we don't want to put them all on.
August 23, 200916 yr comment_5443217 The finish appeared to be DQ not count out. The Fujinami dropkicks Choshu who is fighting with ref for chair thus propelling ref over top rope was super dumb.
August 30, 200916 yr comment_5443543 The biggest problem I had early on is that these guys didn't fight like guys who hated each other. It was a nice respectable match where the crowd was respectful while they traded respectful holds. Chosh teases me with some nasty elbows to the back of Fujinami's head before going back to a chinlock. I am with the panel on this one. We can leave this one off.
