This is a bit of a change of pace for their matches - literally - as it doesn't start with Adams rushing the ring to attack Chu-Hi and immediately turning into a knock-down drag-out brawl. This is a natural side effect of the match's gimmick: Tojo Yamamoto is locked in a penalty cage at ringside, and Toni Adams is the keeper of the key. So the match starts with a lot of really good shtick. Tojo doesn't want to get in the cage, but he eventually relents, though Toni gives him a few whacks in the back with her kendo stick just to help send him on his way. Tojo hands off his cane to P.Y., and he starts to go after her, but Chris cuts him off and Toni gives him her stick, allowing him to play a spirited game of Whack-A-Hickerson to really start things in earnest. Lots of brawling at ringside early on. They make good use of the penalty cage aside from just having Tojo locked up in it, as guys get thrown into it several times, and anytime Adams finds himself near that corner, Tojo always tries to jab him through the bars with his kendo stick. Toni, in turn is unafraid to give Tojo a few jabs of her own when she thinks he's getting out of line. Chu-Hi tries to go after her or otherwise intimidate her several other times in the match, including a great callback to one of their previous matches where Chu-Hi works over Chris' junk for a while, and then leers at Toni and gestures towards his own crotch (the cameras keep it above the equator, but it's pretty clear where those hands were going). Adams' comeback is a bit of a mixed blessing. He eats a DDT, but flips right to his feet. He appears dazed and groggy at first, but manages to shake it off and land a superkick. I thought his shakiness upon reaching his feet was a good way of doing the All Japan-style "get hit with a big move but immediately pop up and hit one of your own" spot, but Chu-Hi was kinda out of position, and it came off a bit oddly. Adams keeps up the dizzy selling during his run on offense, but he and Chu-Hi don't have quite the right timing for it. It's short lived, anyhow, as Chu-Hi gets his knees up to block a splash. He gets a small bag of salt from Tojo, but Adams recovers and knocks it into Chu-Hi's own face, allowing him to grab an inside cradle for the win. he Punisher rushes out from the back and grabs Toni and the key, letting Tojo out of his cage and tossing her in. He, Tojo, and Chu-Hi get a good post-match beating in on Chris before Kerry Von Erich and Jimmy Jack Funk make the save. The match had some flaws, but the rest of it was really, really good, and I would still call this a strong nomination.

Penalty Box Match: "Gentleman" Chris Adams vs. PY Chu-Hi (Phil Hickerson) (10/6/89)

 

The box is for Tojo with Toni holding the key. Some heavy clipping here as we go from PY using a nerve hold on Adams in the ring to Adams choking PY on the announce table. They brawl on the floor for a good bit with Adams using a steel chair then throwing PY into the penalty box before throwing it back to the ring. PY would get the advantage back though but not for long as Adams hits a Superkick then hits a flying clothesline off the top rope before going back up top where he would miss a diving body press when PY got his knees up. Tojo hands some salt to PY through the box but Adams hits his hands and it goes into PY's face then he cradled him for the win. The Punisher would run out after the match grabbing Toni trying to get the key from her which he does and unlocks Tojo then lock her in. Adams fights off PY in the ring but Punisher would attack him and it's 3-on-1 until Funk & Kerry make the save. This was fun and more of extra material than a nomination to me.