Super World Sports "Wrestle Dream" -04/01/91

Tenryu's rag tag group puts on a physical 3 act drama about the struggles of wearing teal as a man, finding the right organ to kick someone in, and dental hygene, hope you enjoy. And please turn off your cell phone.

1) Samson Fuyuki v. Tatsumi Kitihara - 4
After we got through the wretched armwork period and loose chinlocks, these two started beating the hell out of each other, highlights including a moonsault from the top to the outside that was riskier than buying Ford stock, a brutal mule kick in the corner and grimaces that would make Baba (rest in peace) proud.

2) Minora Suzuki v. Apollo Sugawara - 4
Again, the opening mat work was as unappetizing as $1dollar store fish sticks, but it got cooking after that, Suzuki letting loose a barrage of kicks that would make Mirko Filipovic look glumly at the ground. Outside stuff was fun and lead to a nasty guard rail bump where Suzuki actually sold to it really well. This was on it's way to a 5 but the finish and how it got there was messier than a Whopper from the most ghetto and uncaring Burger King restaurant.

3) Yoshiaki Fujiwara v. Fumi Niikura- 5
Here we have Fujiwara, the 1st name on Phil Schneider's controversial "Men I'd let Rape me" list against someone he clearly outmatches. Loved how he opened up with 2 headbutts ala Kurt Angle's TNA debut. The fun in watching the old brute is how much enjoyment he gets from stretching these guys, and it shows. This is worked with some loose MMA rules, as the crowd pops huge for the 1st F. armbar. This is a good performance, not a masterful one but funny moment when near the end Niikura hooks in a heel hook as Fujiwara lies on his side with his head propped on his arm like I used to do as a kid on the living room floor watching the Simpsons and drinking white milk. Not Strawberry.

4) Masa Funaki v. Naoki Sano - 3
was really excited for this fight, both guys are still around today cracking heads, so I thought this was would be intense. What we got was a rather tame worked shoot fight that had one good strike exchange near the end and a nasty armlock for a finisher. The rest was a bad UFC fight where neither guy wants to engage.

5) Kendo Nagasaki/ Ishinriki v. The Great Kabuki/ Takashi Ishikawa - 5
Opening stuff was real exciting, Ishinriki was like a long lost cruiserweight, doing some really great high flying stuff and Kabuki's strikes were deadlier than a dilophosaur's venomous spit. After that cooled off, had some beating down of the young boy, which he was pretty lax on selling but ratcheted up the excitement quotient with some beautiful Steamboat bodypresses.

6) Koji Kiato v. Earthquake -1
This was shit, one of the few DQ finishes I remember ever seeing in Japan. Only thing of note that happened was both men exchanging slaps like two sisters fighting over the last Hannah Montana backpack at Kohls.

7) Bret Hart v. George Takano- 6
I'm not sure who George Takano is, but after watching him versus Bret Hart, he looks like a damn good wrestler, not sure if he really is or not. He had a loose quality to him that was enjoyable, a little over energetic on hitting some of his moves, performing them all with gusto. Bret did nothing to change his habits even though he was in front of a vastly different crowd than the below poverty line fans Vince chose to take money from in the 90's (i'm not including the 20% cut he got out of every steroid sale.) Takano had some spirit and pulled off a nice splash or three during this bout. This may not have been everyone's cup of tea but it reeked of Earl Grey so it's mine.

8) Genichiro Tenryu v. Randy Savage - 4
Both these guys came out enraged, as if both were promised a late night talk show at the same time slot? Savage was playing total heel here, and I realized this was a little over a week after he was supposedly "retired" by Ultimate Warrior. Macho hits the flying elbow within 3 minutes which a veteran like him should know better. Tenryu was brutal on Savage with chops but gave him a powerbomb that looked like a dad tucking his infant into bed. 2 more elbows and Tenryu just shakes his head. There goes that finish. Some ill conceived spots were attempted and another girly powerbomb leave this match feeling very underwhelming, kind of like a bad sprint. Doesn't compare in the slightest to Tenryu v. Flair 40 minutes from this same fed in 92.

9) Yoshiaki Yatsu v. Hulk Hogan - 3
I didn't have many aspirations for this and it didn't disappoint. Hogan's armwork is always a treat in Japan and it's fun to watch him here because he always acts like he's being chased by the FBI, well this was 1991, guess there's some truth there. Yatsu has never done much for me, besides persuade me to never have a pompadour hair style after 1952. Hulk later surprises me with some rather odd sells, including Yatsu's corner work which Hulk looked like he just had to tell off another telemarketer on the phone and said some things he wasn't proud of. Then selling a bulldog by going down on 1 knee like when he proposed marriage to his daughter. Oh he didn't marry his daughter? Are you sure? If he didn't then he cloned the bitch! Yatsu attempts an RVD style flying kick off the top that pops Hogan in the mouth, but he just ignores it and hits a running clothesline for the pin. Wow, reading this back this match sucked something awful.