Posted June 25, 200916 yr comment_5441159 Antonio Inoki vs. Hulk Hogan - (IWGP Final) - The crowd is amped for these guys. A little slow in the beginning but it picks up once Hogan starts unloading some sweet forearms. Di he ever rely on the forearms in the states and I just missed it? Both Hogan and Ibnoki traded big moves and Inoki even uses a blatant choke that sends Hogan to the outside to regroup. Just good stuff by both guys. At one point, you could tell Inoki was accustomed to the enziguiri but I guess he decided to just use a dropkick instead since it was Hogan. They brawl outside and Inoki wins on a countout. I was banking on a double countout. Anyway, I’ll go low-level nomination since I enjoyed the match but not a match I’ll go to the wall for. New Japan Classics 197
June 26, 200916 yr comment_5441172 This lacked the drama of some of their previous matches. Inoki hit the enziguiri as the ref gave instructions, which was kind of a cool signal to Hogan that he was reasserting his supremacy. Then, he tried to control Hogan with holds for much of the match, which would've been fine if they'd worked them better. I liked the ending too, as Inoki evaded a Hogan lariat on the outside, hit another enziguiri and scooted in just before the 20 count. But the build portion wasn't compelling enough to earn a nomination.
September 26, 200916 yr comment_5444560 I like this match up, and it did have a great start and cool finish with a hot crowd. We need at least one of these on the set, it may not be this one, but there should be one.
