This never bored me while it was unfolding but didn't leave me particularly satisfied. Hansen and Tenryu started out blasting each other which was never a bad thing. The teams worked fairly evenly for the first 10 minutes, with everybody getting in some offense and keeping it brisk. Hansen and Gordy tried to focus their attack on Tenryu, who bled but never seemed in deep trouble. After Jumbo took the hot tag, he and Tenryu really dominated Hansen and Brody, which was unusual. I haven't seen Brody sell a thorough ass-kicking too many times, but he did here. Hansen tried to save his partner from Jumbo with a lariat but Tenryu got in the way and took the impact. That left Jumbo in the bad spot of working one on two. Hansen and Brody overplayed their hand, however, refusing to quit the double teams and getting themselves disqualified. The story, though workable, didn't seem worthy of the big fight that would decide the RWTL. The match had plenty of action and probably belongs on the set; it just could have been more.

 

GH Hansen Comp Disc 9

Real World Tag League - Finals: Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan "The Lariat" Hansen (12/12/84)

 

Yokohama is buzzing for the entrances so this should be a great crowd. Hansen & Tenryu just beat on each other to start the match and it sets the pace which is going to be a tough battle for the natives. Everyone gets in some offense early and it's good back and forth action with the gaijin getting a slight edge which turned into a big edge when they started working over Tenryu but the gaijin did give the natives more offense than normal here. Tenryu came into the match bandaged and the cut got worked over here but Tenryu had enough in him to get some hope spots before getting the hot tag to Jumbo. Jumbo came in blazing and along with Tenryu they really worked over Brody who bladed himself while sitting on the mat which was bad. The fans were hot for the natives here as the gaijin were rarely in this much trouble with Brody looking like he could get finished off at any moment. Hansen hit Tenryu with a lariat as he saved Jumbo from one leaving Jumbo to fight off the gaijin by himself with the double-teams being too much for Joe Higuchi and then he got pushed down so he called for the DQ. The Funks came out and got their pound of flesh on Hansen by bashing his lariat arm with chairs before they left. The natives celebrated this as a huge victory and I liked this a lot. This is a pretty easy nomination to me.

I'll play spoiler again. The structure of the match bothered me. Initially, Tenryu is getting his ass kicked but it is fine because that is his role in 1984. Then, Jumbo tags in and he gets treated like Tenryu. However, Stan and Brody keeping Jumbo hooked in neck vices and headlocks was a sound strategy but rather dull. When Tenryu tags in, no hope spots, no nasty slaps to the face... just more of the same. It picks up late but by that time I had already checked out. On an island, this may be a perfectly acceptable match. Unless of course that island is called All Japan 1980s and then it doesn't look so good. I'll pass on this one. No vote.