Lots of good stuff in this one. Takada came in to a big-star pop. Hase started with two Choshu-style wind-up lariats and controlled the early portion. Takada transitioned to offense with a wicked slap. They did a nice job of teasing that either man's big suplex (dragon for Takada, northern lights for Hase) would end it. Takada kept going for submissions in the middle of the match (and really, the only drawback here was the general shittiness of his submissions.) When he couldn't finish Hase, he tried to knock him the fuck out. That upped the intensity of the match, and the crowd went nuts as they traded big moves down the stretch. This went a whole movement beyond your average juniors title match. They paid off the suplex tease in the finishing sequence. This is an easy nomination and probably a top-30 match for me.

 

Ginnetty 1988 season, Disc 22

I just watched this when putting together the PWO Club disc and this will probably be even higher than me because the match succeeeded in getting me caught up in the atmosphere. This may be the loudest I have heard a NJ crowd for astretch run although I am sure both of you could list 50 other examples that are louder. I enthusiastically second this nomination.

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Hase © vs. Nobuhiko Takada (3/11/88)

 

Hase was in his Choshu prodigy days here with the same hairstyle and mimicking him in many ways especially at the start with his version of the Riki Rariato. The fans were rabid for Takada here as Hase dominated early on using various holds to keep Takada grounded. Takada got tired of the bullshit and just slapped the fuck out of Hase as he was running the ropes giving him a chance to recover hitting a great overhead belly-to-belly for a nearfall. The crowd was nuts for anything Takada did especially his near submission attempts with the wakigatame and jujigatame.The suplex teases going back to the wakigatame was great psychology to set up the chances of a successful suplex by both men and the fans were popping for both men’s attempts. Hase would get a backslide on Takada that was oh so close and the fans were on the edges of their seats which would be one upped by Takada hitting a jackknife hold for another almost 3 count. Takada then decides to just kick the hell out of Hase trying to finish him the UWF way culminating in an enzuigiri after Hase countered a kick attempt. Takada then went for the choke sleeper but Hase would get out of leading to a cobra twist that would send both men to the floor. Hase would miss a plancha horribly allowing Takada to get back in the ring where he would regroup to hit a Dragon Suplex hold after hitting Tiger Hattori by accident there was no count. Hattori would get up and we would have some great near fall attempts by both men with the crowd going bananas as Hase hit his Northern Lights Suplex hold to retain his title. Phenomenal match and a slam dunk nomination.

Yeah this was great, nothing really to add to what you guys wrote. I was pretty surprised Hase had a match this good in him at this point, and after not feeling Takada during the 80's OJ set, his juniors work here is rehabbing him a bit in my mind.