Genichiro Tenryu & Atsushi Onita v Riki Choshu & Shiro Koshinaka (No Ropes Explosive Barbed Wire Deathmatch) (World Japan, 6/29/03) - FUN
What a magic. This was basically seven minutes of four old guys doing signature spots. With explosions! It was like a puro version of the video for that 'Girls & Boys' by Good Charlotte. Onita came out with his Noel Gallagher hair died a purplish brown looking like a slightly less cosmetically enhanced Sharon Osborne. The other three were kitted out exactly like they would be for any other match. Onita took three bumps into barbed wire and by the end he had bladed his forehead, stomach and maybe his back, his leather jacket had been discarded and the t-shirt under it a shredded mess. He spat green mist in Choshu's face to break up a Sharpshooter on Tenryu, then when Choshu wouldn't let go he threw a fireball at him instead. Tenryu took the tamest explosion bump you ever did see after a Koshinaka hip attack and I don't recall him doing anything else outside the finish. Koshinaka got caught in the crossfire of Onita's final bump into the wire and sold it like his ear got blown off, so naturally he was afforded the sympathy of being dropped on his neck. You can fairly well skip this, but it certainly has a novelty factor if you're a fan of anybody in it. You could literally watch it while boiling an egg.
Complete & Accurate Tenryu
Friday 11 October 2019
Thursday 10 October 2019
NWA Classics 24/7 #27
Jack Brisco v The Spoiler (Houston Wrestling, 7/27/79)
I should probably watch more Spoiler. To be honest I haven't really thought about Brisco in years either, but I at least formed an actual opinion of him way back whenever (though that's been a loooong time as well). It's not that this is the first Spoiler/Super Destroyer match I've seen, it's that it might be the one closest to his peak and man that guy was fun as hell. This had a bunch of great headlock work in the first five-six minutes, and while Brisco is someone who'll always be active in holds to keep them semi-interesting it was Spoiler who was doing all sorts of neat stuff. I've probably seen it done before, but the way he held Brisco in the headlock so he could choke him over his knee at the same time is such a cool spot that more people should've pinched. He also sends the ref' around to check for Brisco pulling the mask (he's not, obviously), then when he's in the clear he yanks Brisco back down to the mat with a handful of hair. It was all just really solid heat-building. There was another awesome part where he perched up on the top rope waiting for Brisco to get back in the ring, scoping Brisco's movements before giving him a double axe handle as Brisco was halfway through the ropes. It doesn't sound like much, but he looked super menacing just by the way he quietly bided his time, and the longer he waited the more worried you were for Brisco. The claw v figure-four part of the match ruled as well. Initially Brisco countered the claw with a kneebreaker (after some really nice desperation selling while in the hold), then as he went to the half crab Spoiler was trying to grab anything he could to get out of it. By the time Brisco finally managed to get the figure-four on proper you had Spoiler almost crawling up Bronko Lubich's shirt for a reprieve. The two falls coming in quick succession worked as well, not just as comeuppance for Gary Hart's interference but because the second one made Brisco look he's always thinking on his feet. He was the world champ for a reason, you know. Imagine how much more cool Spoiler footage we could be getting if NWA On Demand was still a thing.
I should probably watch more Spoiler. To be honest I haven't really thought about Brisco in years either, but I at least formed an actual opinion of him way back whenever (though that's been a loooong time as well). It's not that this is the first Spoiler/Super Destroyer match I've seen, it's that it might be the one closest to his peak and man that guy was fun as hell. This had a bunch of great headlock work in the first five-six minutes, and while Brisco is someone who'll always be active in holds to keep them semi-interesting it was Spoiler who was doing all sorts of neat stuff. I've probably seen it done before, but the way he held Brisco in the headlock so he could choke him over his knee at the same time is such a cool spot that more people should've pinched. He also sends the ref' around to check for Brisco pulling the mask (he's not, obviously), then when he's in the clear he yanks Brisco back down to the mat with a handful of hair. It was all just really solid heat-building. There was another awesome part where he perched up on the top rope waiting for Brisco to get back in the ring, scoping Brisco's movements before giving him a double axe handle as Brisco was halfway through the ropes. It doesn't sound like much, but he looked super menacing just by the way he quietly bided his time, and the longer he waited the more worried you were for Brisco. The claw v figure-four part of the match ruled as well. Initially Brisco countered the claw with a kneebreaker (after some really nice desperation selling while in the hold), then as he went to the half crab Spoiler was trying to grab anything he could to get out of it. By the time Brisco finally managed to get the figure-four on proper you had Spoiler almost crawling up Bronko Lubich's shirt for a reprieve. The two falls coming in quick succession worked as well, not just as comeuppance for Gary Hart's interference but because the second one made Brisco look he's always thinking on his feet. He was the world champ for a reason, you know. Imagine how much more cool Spoiler footage we could be getting if NWA On Demand was still a thing.
Tuesday 8 October 2019
Tenryu Needs a Back Road Somewhere Deep in the Pines, Burning His Wheels Until the Sun Shines
Genichiro Tenryu v Satoshi Kojima (All Japan, 7/17/02) - EPIC
This might be the most obvious example of Tenryu working modern day epic. Even seventeen years on I don't think it would feel out of place today (of course I say that as someone who pays almost no attention to current Japanese wrestling). It had everything you'd expect -- the bomb-throwing, the strike exchanges, a few too many nearfalls, some iffy transitions, a wee bit of Fighting Spirit that I could've done without, maybe five minutes more than it needed...but man was some of it tremendous. I thought the last ten minutes were the weakest as they mostly became about the nearfalls and head drops, though they were interspersed with some stellar striking and the crowd was nuclear. Kojima had already lost to Tenryu in February so this was his chance at redemption, and naturally you expect him to go all out down the stretch. The people are fully behind him as well, just going bonkers when he rips off his elbow pad for the big home run hit. The part where he eats two brainbusters and immediately sleepwalks his way into hitting a lariat is stupid and I'll probably never be into those spots, but he at least lay in a heap afterwards like he was completely spent. Even if the drama started to peter a bit by the end I was never rolling my eyes thinking they should've wrapped it up fifteen minutes ago. Still, the first two thirds were outstanding and some of the best All Japan I've seen since the NOAH exodus. Kojima is fired up from the bell and is the first to throw strikes, doing a Tenryu of his own with the punch-chop combos. Tenryu sitting down in the corner holding his jaw like "okay, I guess we're doing this already" was awesome, just as a little hint that Kojima is going to eat shit for that sooner or later. They tie up in a knucklelock, Tenryu backs him into the corner, and for a second there it looks like he's about to shred him, but then Kojima keeps his grip and forces Tenryu back into the middle of the ring. Kojima won't be taken lightly and he's not about to let Tenryu be Tenryu. Eleven thousand billion words have been written on the internet about how 90s All Japan would use the early match to establish roles and narrative points and how amazing all of it was and this was basically the exact same thing. Plus Tenryu's strikes have GRAVITY to them so every time he throws one it feels like a big deal for one reason or another. When he hits his breaking point and goes off it's incredible. He chops Kojima dead in the trachea and launches a water bottle at him - as Kojima writhes around holding his throat on the floor - and so we all know then and there that we have truly arrived at the party. I don't think Tenryu threw one single strike in this match that wasn't at least an eight out of ten. Some of the punches looked as jaw-dropping to the viewer as they did jaw-shattering to the recipient, and obviously the chops were first class. Kojima going after Tenryu's leg was a cool bit of strategy as well. It never had a real payoff as they moved past it in the final third, but it gave Kojima an out when he needed one and it added an extra layer to his offence, something that he added to his repertoire after falling short in the first match. Tenryu sold all of it nicely as well and that sometimes meant getting indignant and punching Kojima in the willy (to many boos). So I guess this was twenty minutes of excellent work with ten minutes of work that didn't always land perfect, but had enough to it that it still largely hit the mark (on a personal level anyway. It clearly landed as intended with the live crowd). I'll accept a few too many brainbusters if I'm getting elite striking, plus the build overall was really strong. Probably a top 5 Kojima match and maybe the last true singles MOTYC from Tenryu.
Complete & Accurate Tenryu
This might be the most obvious example of Tenryu working modern day epic. Even seventeen years on I don't think it would feel out of place today (of course I say that as someone who pays almost no attention to current Japanese wrestling). It had everything you'd expect -- the bomb-throwing, the strike exchanges, a few too many nearfalls, some iffy transitions, a wee bit of Fighting Spirit that I could've done without, maybe five minutes more than it needed...but man was some of it tremendous. I thought the last ten minutes were the weakest as they mostly became about the nearfalls and head drops, though they were interspersed with some stellar striking and the crowd was nuclear. Kojima had already lost to Tenryu in February so this was his chance at redemption, and naturally you expect him to go all out down the stretch. The people are fully behind him as well, just going bonkers when he rips off his elbow pad for the big home run hit. The part where he eats two brainbusters and immediately sleepwalks his way into hitting a lariat is stupid and I'll probably never be into those spots, but he at least lay in a heap afterwards like he was completely spent. Even if the drama started to peter a bit by the end I was never rolling my eyes thinking they should've wrapped it up fifteen minutes ago. Still, the first two thirds were outstanding and some of the best All Japan I've seen since the NOAH exodus. Kojima is fired up from the bell and is the first to throw strikes, doing a Tenryu of his own with the punch-chop combos. Tenryu sitting down in the corner holding his jaw like "okay, I guess we're doing this already" was awesome, just as a little hint that Kojima is going to eat shit for that sooner or later. They tie up in a knucklelock, Tenryu backs him into the corner, and for a second there it looks like he's about to shred him, but then Kojima keeps his grip and forces Tenryu back into the middle of the ring. Kojima won't be taken lightly and he's not about to let Tenryu be Tenryu. Eleven thousand billion words have been written on the internet about how 90s All Japan would use the early match to establish roles and narrative points and how amazing all of it was and this was basically the exact same thing. Plus Tenryu's strikes have GRAVITY to them so every time he throws one it feels like a big deal for one reason or another. When he hits his breaking point and goes off it's incredible. He chops Kojima dead in the trachea and launches a water bottle at him - as Kojima writhes around holding his throat on the floor - and so we all know then and there that we have truly arrived at the party. I don't think Tenryu threw one single strike in this match that wasn't at least an eight out of ten. Some of the punches looked as jaw-dropping to the viewer as they did jaw-shattering to the recipient, and obviously the chops were first class. Kojima going after Tenryu's leg was a cool bit of strategy as well. It never had a real payoff as they moved past it in the final third, but it gave Kojima an out when he needed one and it added an extra layer to his offence, something that he added to his repertoire after falling short in the first match. Tenryu sold all of it nicely as well and that sometimes meant getting indignant and punching Kojima in the willy (to many boos). So I guess this was twenty minutes of excellent work with ten minutes of work that didn't always land perfect, but had enough to it that it still largely hit the mark (on a personal level anyway. It clearly landed as intended with the live crowd). I'll accept a few too many brainbusters if I'm getting elite striking, plus the build overall was really strong. Probably a top 5 Kojima match and maybe the last true singles MOTYC from Tenryu.
Complete & Accurate Tenryu
Monday 7 October 2019
Tenryu Needs a Shot of Holy Water. He Needs it to Chase Down His Demons and Burn 'em Just a Little Bit Hotter
Genichiro Tenryu v Doug Furnas (All Japan, 4/18/89) - FUN
Mostly forgettable, though a decent enough offensive showcase. Doug Furnas really did have a spectacular dropkick. He threw a goodly amount of them in this, maybe a couple too many, but every one of them looked gorgeous so how much can you really complain? Tenryu mostly let Furnas shine and stuck to throwing a chop here and there, one of which catching Furnas under the chin that he was none too pleased about. Tenryu's enziguri also looked awesome, the way Furnas almost tried to spear him only to be caught flush in the face. Usually Tenryu will hit that enziguri to the back or side of the head, but this one was head on and Furnas took it like a trooper. It reminded me of how Finlay would always take Rey's 619 with no hands and it'd land right on the forehead. There were no half measures with Furnas, he knew that shin bone across his nose was going to hurt like a bastard but he leaned into it anyway. The lariat at the end was appropriately ugly.
Genichiro Tenryu v Stan Hansen (All Japan, 10/21/00) - GREAT
In a just world this match would've happened six thousand times. It would've meant either Tenryu never left All Japan and we'd have been robbed of WAR v New Japan, or Hansen would've gone with him and that would've robbed us of old man Hansen tearing up the Pillars, but I like to think the trade off would've kept us happy (well it would've kept ME happy and to hell with everybody else). By 2000 Hansen was a shot fighter, broken down and at the foot of retirement. Tenryu was fifty, though clearly had no intention of hanging up his own boots. Like any pro wrestler worth their salt these two embraced their impending decrepitude by making up for whatever they'd lost in athleticism with a dose of old bastarditis. And these were some of my favourite ever Hansen v Tenryu exchanges, starting right from Hansen's entrance as Tenryu wiped him with a surprise tope. Hansen's lumbago was obviously giving him grief so of course Tenryu booted him in the spine many times. Many other times he punched him in the jaw. Hansen would sort of look at him in astonishment, like he couldn't quite believe his old tag partner was treating him like he'd have treated any lumpy undercarder, so he punched him back really hard. Tenryu's sell of a couple jawbreakers was unreal, the way he'd hobble on jelly legs after biting off more than he'd usually be able to chew against those lumpy undercarders. Hansen would also stagger around at points with this total "why am I even doing this to myself?" look. He's a man who knew the end of the road was near, but why he was seeing out that home stretch getting punted in the kidneys was anybody's guess. Maybe this was the match where it all clicked and, if he didn't before, he knew it was time to just call it a day. One more lariat for the road. His last ever singles match and he went out swinging. Like he'd have it any other way.
Complete & Accurate Tenryu
Mostly forgettable, though a decent enough offensive showcase. Doug Furnas really did have a spectacular dropkick. He threw a goodly amount of them in this, maybe a couple too many, but every one of them looked gorgeous so how much can you really complain? Tenryu mostly let Furnas shine and stuck to throwing a chop here and there, one of which catching Furnas under the chin that he was none too pleased about. Tenryu's enziguri also looked awesome, the way Furnas almost tried to spear him only to be caught flush in the face. Usually Tenryu will hit that enziguri to the back or side of the head, but this one was head on and Furnas took it like a trooper. It reminded me of how Finlay would always take Rey's 619 with no hands and it'd land right on the forehead. There were no half measures with Furnas, he knew that shin bone across his nose was going to hurt like a bastard but he leaned into it anyway. The lariat at the end was appropriately ugly.
Genichiro Tenryu v Stan Hansen (All Japan, 10/21/00) - GREAT
In a just world this match would've happened six thousand times. It would've meant either Tenryu never left All Japan and we'd have been robbed of WAR v New Japan, or Hansen would've gone with him and that would've robbed us of old man Hansen tearing up the Pillars, but I like to think the trade off would've kept us happy (well it would've kept ME happy and to hell with everybody else). By 2000 Hansen was a shot fighter, broken down and at the foot of retirement. Tenryu was fifty, though clearly had no intention of hanging up his own boots. Like any pro wrestler worth their salt these two embraced their impending decrepitude by making up for whatever they'd lost in athleticism with a dose of old bastarditis. And these were some of my favourite ever Hansen v Tenryu exchanges, starting right from Hansen's entrance as Tenryu wiped him with a surprise tope. Hansen's lumbago was obviously giving him grief so of course Tenryu booted him in the spine many times. Many other times he punched him in the jaw. Hansen would sort of look at him in astonishment, like he couldn't quite believe his old tag partner was treating him like he'd have treated any lumpy undercarder, so he punched him back really hard. Tenryu's sell of a couple jawbreakers was unreal, the way he'd hobble on jelly legs after biting off more than he'd usually be able to chew against those lumpy undercarders. Hansen would also stagger around at points with this total "why am I even doing this to myself?" look. He's a man who knew the end of the road was near, but why he was seeing out that home stretch getting punted in the kidneys was anybody's guess. Maybe this was the match where it all clicked and, if he didn't before, he knew it was time to just call it a day. One more lariat for the road. His last ever singles match and he went out swinging. Like he'd have it any other way.
Complete & Accurate Tenryu
Sunday 6 October 2019
90s New Japan Heavyweights (part 6)
Rick Rude v Kensuke Sasaki (New Japan, 8/11/92)
This was very much a Rick Rude match in 1992; the kind of thing you could easily see him work against Ron Simmons on a Clash of the Champions or Brad Armstrong on Saturday Night. It meant there was some stuff that didn't totally click -- it probably went too long, was a bit too methodical (or slow, if you like) for Sasaki's strengths, and because Rude was clearly leading the whole thing there were moments where Sasaki looked a wee bit lost, like he wasn't really sure how to follow up or what Rude wanted him to do so he'd just go to the stomps. It meant there was some real fun stuff too, though. Rude never toned down his act at all and the crowd tore into him for it, booing his flexing and any time he'd rake the eyes as a cutoff. He took two atomic drops - one inverted - and so we got a couple all-time atomic drop sells, which of course the crowd ate up because they're human after all and how could anybody not? Sasaki worked over the back and even if the back work itself was fairly bog standard, Rude sold it pretty well for the most part. Sasaki got to throw him around a little and the crowd dug that as Rude made the obvious point of being stronger earlier on. The whole thing probably would've come off better if it was worked exactly the same in front of a US crowd, but for what it was it was alright. If they upped the pace and cut a chunk of time it could've been super fun.
This was very much a Rick Rude match in 1992; the kind of thing you could easily see him work against Ron Simmons on a Clash of the Champions or Brad Armstrong on Saturday Night. It meant there was some stuff that didn't totally click -- it probably went too long, was a bit too methodical (or slow, if you like) for Sasaki's strengths, and because Rude was clearly leading the whole thing there were moments where Sasaki looked a wee bit lost, like he wasn't really sure how to follow up or what Rude wanted him to do so he'd just go to the stomps. It meant there was some real fun stuff too, though. Rude never toned down his act at all and the crowd tore into him for it, booing his flexing and any time he'd rake the eyes as a cutoff. He took two atomic drops - one inverted - and so we got a couple all-time atomic drop sells, which of course the crowd ate up because they're human after all and how could anybody not? Sasaki worked over the back and even if the back work itself was fairly bog standard, Rude sold it pretty well for the most part. Sasaki got to throw him around a little and the crowd dug that as Rude made the obvious point of being stronger earlier on. The whole thing probably would've come off better if it was worked exactly the same in front of a US crowd, but for what it was it was alright. If they upped the pace and cut a chunk of time it could've been super fun.
Saturday 5 October 2019
Tenryu Keeps His Faith Intact, Makes Sure His Prayers are Said, 'Cause He's Learned that the Monsters Ain't the Ones Beneath the Bed
Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara v Yoshiaki Yatsu & King Haku (SWS, 8/9/91) - GREAT
Hot damn. This started like a train and for the first five minutes it was looking like a true SWS classic. Haku jumped Tenryu at the bell and about took the Jheri curl off him with a thrust kick, then when Tenryu managed to tag in Hara we were treated to a heabutt-fest between him and Haku. These were some unruly headbutts and the crowd reactions were that of almost disbelief, eventually popping huge for Hara coming out on top. When Haku regained control he just stomped clean on Hara's balls - to a chorus of boos - and when Yatsu got in he threw a few dangerously low stomps of his own. I thought for second they were actually going to do a bit of "lower abdomen" work, which would've been absolutely spectacular (and the crowd were SO ready for it), but instead they went to the leg locks to bring an end to a sensational five minutes of surliness. What they did from there on out still ruled, but landed just a step below your highest of the high end potato festivals. Haku and Yatsu were a pretty awesome pair of assholes in this. Tenryu and Hara were throwing tons of mean strikes, but other than a couple moments where one of them would make a save on their partner's behalf they were wrestling clean as a whistle. They were hard but fair. I don't think there was one single chop to the throat or punch to the eye socket. On the other hand Haku and Yatsu were a well-oiled headbutting machine and weren't remotely above taking cheapshots. I'd listen to an argument that Haku probably absorbed a bit too much punishment without ever leaving his feet, but he was always treated as a bit of a juggernaut in the Tenryu feds and it's not like he wasn't willing to get walloped to hell. Every headbutt looked nasty, every lariat looked nastier, and when Tenryu clobbered him with that last enziguri you expected his eyeballs to pop out. So I'll take that balancing of the scales and sleep soundly. Other than that match with Tenryu later in the year (where they crowbar the fuck out of each other. Obviously) I couldn't point to any 90s Yatsu matches that I know for a fact I've seen. I mean, I know I've watched 90s Yatsu matches, I just don't remember which ones because I was left with no impression of them. I guess public opinion on him is that he sort of fell off a cliff after the turn of the decade, but he looked every bit as good in this as he did in the 80s. He was aggressive pretty much the whole way and there was an amazing bit where Tenryu came in looking to run riot, so Yatsu just dragged him out to the floor and gave him a bulldog on exposed concrete. Finishing run was short and hectic, and overall if it was a little smoother structurally it's probably hitting EPIC. Still a whole bucket of surly goodness and somewhere around that upper tier of SWS.
Complete & Accurate Tenryu
Hot damn. This started like a train and for the first five minutes it was looking like a true SWS classic. Haku jumped Tenryu at the bell and about took the Jheri curl off him with a thrust kick, then when Tenryu managed to tag in Hara we were treated to a heabutt-fest between him and Haku. These were some unruly headbutts and the crowd reactions were that of almost disbelief, eventually popping huge for Hara coming out on top. When Haku regained control he just stomped clean on Hara's balls - to a chorus of boos - and when Yatsu got in he threw a few dangerously low stomps of his own. I thought for second they were actually going to do a bit of "lower abdomen" work, which would've been absolutely spectacular (and the crowd were SO ready for it), but instead they went to the leg locks to bring an end to a sensational five minutes of surliness. What they did from there on out still ruled, but landed just a step below your highest of the high end potato festivals. Haku and Yatsu were a pretty awesome pair of assholes in this. Tenryu and Hara were throwing tons of mean strikes, but other than a couple moments where one of them would make a save on their partner's behalf they were wrestling clean as a whistle. They were hard but fair. I don't think there was one single chop to the throat or punch to the eye socket. On the other hand Haku and Yatsu were a well-oiled headbutting machine and weren't remotely above taking cheapshots. I'd listen to an argument that Haku probably absorbed a bit too much punishment without ever leaving his feet, but he was always treated as a bit of a juggernaut in the Tenryu feds and it's not like he wasn't willing to get walloped to hell. Every headbutt looked nasty, every lariat looked nastier, and when Tenryu clobbered him with that last enziguri you expected his eyeballs to pop out. So I'll take that balancing of the scales and sleep soundly. Other than that match with Tenryu later in the year (where they crowbar the fuck out of each other. Obviously) I couldn't point to any 90s Yatsu matches that I know for a fact I've seen. I mean, I know I've watched 90s Yatsu matches, I just don't remember which ones because I was left with no impression of them. I guess public opinion on him is that he sort of fell off a cliff after the turn of the decade, but he looked every bit as good in this as he did in the 80s. He was aggressive pretty much the whole way and there was an amazing bit where Tenryu came in looking to run riot, so Yatsu just dragged him out to the floor and gave him a bulldog on exposed concrete. Finishing run was short and hectic, and overall if it was a little smoother structurally it's probably hitting EPIC. Still a whole bucket of surly goodness and somewhere around that upper tier of SWS.
Complete & Accurate Tenryu
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