Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen v Terry Gordy & Steve Williams (All Japan, 3/6/90) - EPIC
This was Dr. Death's first title shot since coming to All Japan, about a month after he debuted, and boy did he come out like he wanted to make a statement. He'd been on TV a few times already, but this was at the Budokan so it's a different kettle of fish. He was feral in the way he was going after folk, just amped to the moon, whereas Gordy was a little more stoic because he's been here and seen it all before. For about two thirds this was real good stuff. Everything was snug as fuck which shouldn't surprise anybody, lots of impact on everything and the striking was world class. It was pretty back and forth though, with both teams having short little runs of offence before possession bounced across to the other team. The transitions were usually alright and it never really felt like an abrupt shift of momentum, but these are four guys who will lay a huge beating on someone and I wanted an extended heat segment to sink my teeth into. Then Tenryu accidentally enziguris Hansen off the apron and I get my wish. Gordy and Williams go after Tenryu's leg and with Hansen on the floor all Tenryu can do is try to survive. Williams stomping the kneecap got some massive heat and I loved how Gordy would just yank and twist the knee at weird angles; there was nothing fancy about it, it looked plain nasty and Tenryu sold it all great. Then when you think Tenryu's about to make the hot tag, Williams tackles him from behind and Hansen ends up flying off the apron again. At that point he's had enough and comes in swinging a chair, but before he breaks it over Williams' head Tenryu has to submit to whatever sort of figure four abomination Williams put him in. After the bell Hansen flips on his own partner and tries to string him up with the bullrope. I guess being the one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest against Gordy and Williams and not winning is enough for a man like Hansen to ditch you. It's a ruthless business after all. Jumbo of all people comes to Tenryu's aid but then Tenryu grabs the bullrope and goes buck wild on both of them! Jumbo's like "ffs mate I tried to HELP you!" and Tenryu's like "away and shite, you." As a match it's probably on the GREAT-EPIC borderline, but those last five minutes were awesome and the post-match carries it through.
Genichiro Tenryu v Katsuyori Shibata (New Japan, 11/13/04) - EPIC
Fucking hell I love this match-up. I wish they wrestled seven hundred times. Their G-1 match from earlier in the year is one of the best five minutes matches ever and this is worked in similar fashion, with Shibata showing all kinds of disrespect and trying to hospitalise his elder while Tenryu throttles him for his temerity. Tenryu as badass Clint Eastwood putting a young jock in his place is really the perfect dynamic. Right at the start Tenryu meets Shibata on the ramp and throws him off the stage into a row of chairs, then a little later Shibata drags him to the same spot and I thought for a second he was going to chuck the old man to his death. They do a back and forth in the ring where Shibata punts Tenryu in the chest, Tenryu responds with a punch and one of those low angle brainbusters, and they basically repeat that sequence three times until Tenryu comes out on top. It was kind of dumb but also awesome in that egregiously stupid sort of way. Tenryu hitting a draping DDT from the top rope to the floor was sheer fucking lunacy and I don't know how he never killed him. Shibata popping up and deciding it's his turn to throw potato shots a couple minutes later was a wee bit rubbish, but he doesn't get much offence in before Tenryu chokes him half to death. I can see someone thinking the finish was a touch flat, but for as annoying as Shibata dropping all selling can be, the way he staggered around like a man ready to be put out his misery was great. And of course Tenryu doesn't need to be told twice.
Complete & Accurate Tenryu
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