Posted June 18, 200916 yr comment_5440884 Episode #313 2/16/98 10/7/88 Antonio Inoki vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (Sky A 110) - Pretty much non-stop action to begin with. Oh shit, Inoki pinned him in like 2 minutes. 10/19/88 Riki Choshu vs. Antonio Inoki - A little slow to start off. They do the extended version of matwork (killing time) and I was disappointed because it was a little sloppy in execution: Inoki not able to hook the Indian Lock on so he hops to a sleeper, the legs clearly under the ropes but the ref not breaking it. However, after Inoki lifted his legs up like scissors and locked onto Choshu’s head, I started to enjoy this immensely… the scissors lock, the slam escape into the sleeper outside the ropes, the sharpshooter struggle. I see Choshu grabbing his forearm but I don’t know where he hurt it. Choshu busting Inoki up outside was unexpected and a pleasant surprise. Inoki looks as bloody as I have ever seen him and the ending was fitting for the violent turn that the match took midway through. Nomination. 10/27/88 Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Antonio Inoki - Bigelow is probably pissed because he got beat in 2 minutes last time around. He also seems much more tentative to lock up with Inoki this time around, much more cautious. I like how Bigelow thought he got his receipt after the top-rope headbutt only for Inoki to have his foot under the ropes. Bigelow’s weakness is clearly trying to work holds with Inoki because sometimes it looks like he doesn’t know what the hell to do next. Oh Christ, if Phil is going to disqualify Backlund-Inoki for a weak enziguiri, this match gets DQed for the worst executed dropkick/sell around. The sleeper ending was cool but this pales compared to the Choshu match.
