Genki Horiguchi & Ryo Saito vs. Yasushi Kanda & Susumu Mochizuki
Predictably good stuff from these four. This was the first big Kanda/Susumu tag team showcase not sidetracked by MAKOTO overbooking non-sense. All of the big double team spots that you crave from them were there: the double-team Exploder, the wheel barrel lift into Ligerbomb and of course that killer Kamikaze/Gekokujo Elbow finish. Good use of the relaxed lucha rules with Genki springboard dropkicking the shit out of Kanda instead of tagging in. Speaking of Horiguchi, him throwing out the Beach Break for near-falls in all of these opening matches is starting to feel problematic, but Kanda’s selling of it is so good that I can’t complain too much. Ryo’s already comfortably keeping up with the three other guys despite only making his Japan TV debut on the last episode, which still blows my mind. ***
Yasushi Kanda & Susumu Mochizuki © vs. TARU & MAKOTO – IWRG IC Tag Team Titles
TV DEBUT OF THE SOON TO BE M2K SUKAJAN BOMBER JACKETS! Wildly avant garde fashion choice from Kanda and Susumu considering these things would pop up in every H&M on the planet 20 years later. As for the match, it didn’t do it for me. Early parts were lacking direction, lots of crowd wandering + aimless striking/stomping and my god does the Toryumon striking get exposed in these types of situations. Outside of Magu/Mochi/Chocoball, this shit is light. Comebacks lacking build and just happening randomly = momentum killer. It picked up eventually with some solid sequences between Susumu and MAKOTO, foreshadowing their eventual Knessuka chemistry. Other than that: needlessly long and poorly laid out. **1/2
Masaaki Mochizuki & Chocoball KOBE vs. CIMA & Sumo Dandy Fuji 2000
Chocoball working his way back up the card to team with renewed friend Mochi against Crazy MAX is just good episodic storytelling, man. There was a weird CRAZY MAX VS INOKI-ISM twist to this match that I found compelling as hell. CIMA put in an incredible performance for what could’ve been a straightforward 10 minute Chicken George match, whining about Chocoball’s stiff kicks and screaming ‘’ORE GA PRO-WRESTLER’’ (I AM PRO WRESTLER) while knife-edge chopping him in the corner. Great heel beatdown on KOBE to set-up the delicious Mochi hot tag run of ass kicking fury and fun ending stretch filled with hate-filled ring-side SUWA drama. Big shoutout to CIMA’s CLOSED-VIST VENUS PUNCH to Chocoball because these god damned shooters deserve nothing less. The post-match angle really put it all over the top, with Crazy MAX calling out President Okamura and telling him they want none of this Kakutogi (MMA) bullshit in Toryumon Japan. 10/10 television wrestling segment. ***1/4
TARU vs. Stalker Ichikawa
GOAT opening: TARU chopping a baseball bat in half with his bare hands followed by Stalker immediately going ‘’Aight, I’m out’’. Not their best match, but I’m still fascinated by the weird AJPW learned psychology tangent they were starting to go on. Stalker learning from his past mistakes, now anticipating TARU’s sneak attack during his crotch chop taunts, or him kicking out of the infamous Toilet Pin from their previous matches, is what pro-wrestling is all about. Other highlights: Stalker borrowing Araken’s offense to disastrous results and TARU debuting the spectacular Ski Jump pinfall finish. **1/4
Magnum TOKYO, SAITO & Genki Horiguchi vs. CIMA, Sumo Dandy Fuji 2000 & SUWA
A template ‘’good’’ Crazy MAX 6-man tag with no wheel reinvention but enough fun bits to keep you entertained. The only new addition here was Genki getting his first main event multiman spot (on TV at least) and making the most of it. Wonderful chemistry between him and SUWA, with Horiguchi acting as a more durable Dragon Kid and SUWA going nuts with the last nanosecond rana bumps. Forgot to mention earlier that Genki debuted his SURFER CON HILO on this episode and he does another beautiful one here. As usual, lots of quality headstand-based offense from SAITO including the underrated headstand small package (can’t remember which SAITO Special that one is). Also, fun tidbit from CIMA on commentary: the ‘’Chadbuster’’ (Tombstone lifted into a reverse Powerbomb) he was using at this time was stolen from Chad Collyer, whom he had recently wrestled in Michinoku Pro. Remember Chad Collyer!? ***
