Posted June 22, 200916 yr comment_5441029 #276 12/25/97 12/??/87 Riki Choshu vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara - This was a little slow at times early on but I love Fujiwara’s facial expressions. However, just when it was really picking up steam, we get a countout. That was abrupt. 12/27/87 Keiichi Yamada vs. Masakazu Funaki - When it comes to juniors, I understand why people don’t like them going to the mat but Yamada and Funaki were keeping it interesting early on. Yamada must have been watching some lucha tapes because he was twisting Funaki into a pretzel. Really loved when Funaki took over on offense and hit a sweep only to try it again and for Liger to counter with a kick to the head. Mix in some cool counters (Yamada’s deadlift powerbomb), Funaki’s insane kicks, and the great stretch run of Yamada trying to put it away and we have an easy nomination. The end pin looked pretty sweet as well. Loss made the point that you could argue that Liger is the greatest wrestler of all time. Even his early shit as Yamada is freaking awesome. 12/27/87 Kuniaki Kobayashi vs. Hiro Hase - Great story early on with Kobayashi wanting to mix it up and trying to engage Hase with strikes. Hase lets him know who is in control and tries to keep the match grounded. I like that neither guy is content to sit in a hold and if it doesn’t seem to get them anywhere, they end up nailing the guy with a forearm or kick or fist. I love how Kobayashi couldn’t get the Boston Crab over so he just drops down and shoves his forearm across Hase’s face. After Hase’s sharpshooter, he smells blood and just murder’s Kobayashi’s back. Keep an eye for the kick that Hase eats in the corner. Brutal. I love how Kobayashi’s injured back is still a factor up until the end and allows Hase to capitalize and end it with a Northern Lights. Shit, this is an easy thumbs up.
June 24, 200916 yr comment_5441065 #276 12/25/97 12/??/87 Riki Choshu vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara They came out hot again with Fujiwara blasting away with headbutts and punches. This only went 10 minutes, but it had some great sequences. I liked Choshu bitch slapping Fujiwara while Fujiwara had him in a knee bar that he wouldn't break. I loved Riki nailing the lariat as Choshu reared back for his big headbutt. Maybe the ending was a bit abrupt, but you could say that for a lot of their matches. They had pretty well established that a couple of lariats from Choshu were enough to stop Fujiwara in his tracks. This whole match felt like a fight that barely stayed in the bounds of a wrestlling match. Easy nomination for me. 12/27/87 Keiichi Yamada vs. Masakazu Funaki I definitely missed some of this in the TV version. It was a nifty match with some counters and mat stuff that you wouldn't see in any other juniors match from the decade. Funaki got a little sloppy at times but fuck, he was only 18. I think it's worth having at least a match or two to show how precocious he was before he went shootstyle. And this seems as good a choice as any. 12/27/87 Kuniaki Kobayashi vs. Hiro Hase Discussed elsewhere.
