This might've been the first Jumbo vs. Tenryu after Tenryu went on his own. The crowd was super hyped every time they teased going at it in the first 5 minutes. Actually, the match featured a nice two-layer story, with Tenryu trying to show he could handle Jumbo and Misawa trying to show he belonged in this level of tag. The Misawa plot dominated the first half, and he looked really sharp. I particularly liked the wide camera shot of his swank dive to the floor on Tenryu. In the second half, they got down to the business of Jumbo and Tenryu which was pretty great. Tenryu and Hara managed to neutralize Misawa on the outside and really took it to Jumbo with a bunch of nasty suplexes and double lariats. In fact, they got DQed because they wouldn't quit the double-team beatdown. Kind of a letdown because the match was going so well, but it made sense for a feud-building tag. Anyway, solid nomination.

 

All Japan Classics 150

Jumbo Tsuruta/Tiger Mask vs. Tenyru/Hara, 6/11/87 (All Japan Classics 150)

- Early on, we play the role game where Misawa and Hara match up equally but Tenryu dominates Mask. Then, we get Jumbo and Tenryu squaring off equally and Hara trying to attack Jumbo with the headbutts but Jumbo brushes his shit off. Damn, Tiger Misawa is so fun to watch. He actually uses some logic in between his pretty acrobat stuff. Nice sequence where Misawa hits a baseball slide and goes up top for a super dive from the top. He got some air. Tenryu is letting Misawa get major offense in against him. This sets up Jumbo’s attack on Tenryu but Tenryu escapes and gets the tag to Hara. Mask and Jumbo work over Hara until Jumbo has Hara in an abdominal stretch and Tenryu comes into the ring and slaps him in the face to break it up. Jumbo is pissed but Tenryu and Hara use headlocks to wear Jumbo down. Jumbo escapes with a BIG Backdrop driver. Nice spot as Jumbo goes for the big knee, but Hara holds the rope, waits for Jumbo to come down and nails the clothesline. Tenryu comes in and tries to put Jumbo away. They mix it up by tying to lariat Jumbo form the front and back. Probably sounds better than it looked. Of course, the stretch run is full of big moves and near saves including Misawa going for a senton flip off the top but being caught by Tenryu who powerbombs him but the count is saved by Jumbo who nails Tenryu with a lariat. All good. Ah shit, the bell rings , Oh well, sad ending to a great match. Full of big moves, everyone playing their roles, Logical progression to the big stretch run. Easy nomination.

Tiger Mask II & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Revolution (Ashura Hara & Genichiro Tenryu) (6/11/87)

 

This is the first match between Jumbo & Tenryu on opposite teams and the Osaka fans are into this fierce as Jumbo runs and slaps Tenryu on the apron wanting him to tag in and when he does the fans go nuts. TM has a mission of his own here since he is now Jumbo's regular partner, he wants to prove himself to everyone including himself that he belongs here and he goes a good job such as hitting a huge plancha from the top rope to Tenryu on the floor. Jumbo & Tenryu would finally get a long run against each other here and this is just great stuff with both men going to war with Hara & TM hanging right with them every step of the way. Revolution would then get rid of TM and just destroyed Jumbo enough for Joe Higuchi to call for the bell stopping the match. This was just awesome and a definite nomination.