(taped 1.3.88) 1 - Abdullah the Butcher/TNT vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Kabuki - This was no better and no worse than you'd think based on who was in it. No vote.

 

(taped 1.2.88) 2 - Curt Hennig vs. Tiger Mask (AWA Title) - Henning started out with some dull armwork on Misawa. Eventually, they traded some higher end offense. Both guys looked pretty good, but the crowd didn't give a shit. Misawa got the win by beating the count after an exchange on the floor. That ending can work but didn't make a lot of sense here because the exchange wasn't that fierce and Misawa shouldn't have needed such opportunism to beat a guy on Henning's level.

 

(taped 1.2.88) 3 - Jumbo Tsuruta/Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Tenryu/Ashura Hara - This was a lot better than their RWTL draw a few weeks earlier. It didn't feature a lot of plot development, just ragged, violent offense thrown at a fast pace. I liked how a lot of the spots didn't seem perfectly set up. Hara nailed a couple of lariats from odd angles, and Yatsu hit him with a missile dropkick while he appeared to be walking away. Jumbo and Tenryu traded a bunch of their big stuff as well. I'm not sure why Jumbo needed Yatsu to hold Hara outside for a countout, but that's just a quibble. This will probably be mid-ballot or below for me, but I enjoyed it enough to second the nomination.

The Great Kabuki & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Abdullah the Butcher & TNT (1/3/88)

 

This is your normal Abby match in that he bleeds and uses his various strikes and Jumbo was fun when brawling with him with Kabuki being fired up as well. TNT was just there basically to setup the finish where Kabuki was holding him so Jumbo could hit the high knee but missed TNT and hit Kabuki instead. Abby then hits his big diving elbow to get the win. Then we got a pretty fun brawl after the match and this whole thing was fun for what it was.

 

AWA World Heavyweight Title: Curt Hennig © vs. Tiger Mask II (1/2/88)

 

Hennig's robe here is fabulous. Slow start here but I laughed when Curt used the Perfect Plex for a throwaway nearfall move. It would finally pick up when TM got sent to the floor and right into the railing by Curt followed up by TM sending him outside himself with a dropkick then hitting a nice slingshot plancha on the floor. TM would then give him a backdrop on the floor before beating him back into the ring to win by countout. This was one of the worst world title matches I've seen in All-Japan which isn't saying it was a bad match but it was just a decent match that's all.

 

Revolution (Ashura Hara & Genichiro Tenryu) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu (1/2/88)

 

Yatsu & Jumbo are now dressed alike and they are now the Olympic Heroes. This started out as more of a regular match than their RWTL match which was all emotion but Jumbo & Tenryu would still bring the stiffness with chops early. Yatsu slapping Hara viciously on the chest with him just looking at him thinking I know you aren't doing this before headbutting him very hard was great. Tenryu trolling Jumbo by using high knees before eating a belly-to-belly by Yatsu was also great. Jumbo & Tenryu would do the double lariat spot again but this time both were sent to the floor so Hara took advantage by bashing Jumbo's head into the table then smashing a steel chair across his back. Jumbo would fight back though hitting a lariat on Hara then a spike piledriver would give Yatsu a chance to get some nearfalls on Hara before Tenryu comes in and Yatsu would eventually get the Prison Lock on him until Hara breaks it up setting a hot stretch run with everyone getting big blows and nearfalls with Jumbo giving Hara brutal backdrop driver then going for another one until Tenryu hits a shoulderblock sending both men to the floor then catching Jumbo with a high knee as he was on the apron but he would make it back in the ring as Yatsu held both of Revolution on the floor for the countout. Another great match with these two teams and a definite nomination.