NJPW Sept 25th 1995 - Keiji Mutoh vs. Junji Hirata (IWGP Heavyweight Title bout)

Link to the match on NJPW World.

Keiji Mutoh a man at the forefront of NJPW and one of its long time main event headliners against someone I genuinely know nothing about. Wikipedia tells me Junji Hirata  a veteran, was once known as Super Strong Machine before losing the mask. He isn't a rank of wrestler who is likely to get a title shot often so its quite the surprising match up.

Collar and elbow tie up, which Hirata forces in to the ropes before taking control over Mutoh's arm. They tussle over control and Mutoh comes out on top now working on Hirata's arm and a cross arm breaker attempt leads to them struggling to grasp each others legs, no clear advantage just yet for either.

Hirata topples Mutoh with a shoulder block and continues to run the ropes until his momentum is cut short by a drop toe hold by Mutoh. More jockeying for position by both on the ground with it not going anywhere. Mutoh applies a full nelson but its countered by a side headlock and both are continuing this struggle to find an opening with very little happening early on with lots of ground holds. All this is nothing more than a very long feeling out process.

Hirata whips Mutoh and hits a hard back elbow and a lariat and the crowd are very much pro Hirata. A sudden Hirata DDT sends Mutoh fleeing to the outside in pain. Mutoh regains control back inside very quickly with a series of kicks followed up by dropping his flashing elbow and then putting on a tight ki lock to the grounded Hirata. Hirata forces himself free and Mutoh bails to the outside again, but once he re-enters he is greeted by a series of stiff Hirata headbutts. Its all for nothing though as a dragon screw takes Hirata down and he tumbles towards the corner, as he stands Mutoh dashes towards him with his handspring elbow but Hirata actually catches Mutoh from behind and attempts to suplex him. Mutoh struggles to escape the sudden predicament he found himself in by elbowing Hirata in the face but Hirata holds on and german suplex hims anyway!

A running Hirata lariat picks up a two count. So he follows it up for a german suplex hold and it too only gets a two count. Hirata is looking far more competitive than I think anyone expected at this point but a diving headbutt from Hirata misses the mark and allows Mutoh back to his feet. A Mutoh dropkick and patent frankensteiner only gives Mutoh a two count.

Top rope missile dropkick by Mutoh sends Hirata flying but he is instantly up (fighting spirit!!!) and levels Mutoh with a hard lariat as the crowd erupt with cheers. Mutoh gets back to his feet and connects with a spinning back kick and Hirata is looking worst for wear, very tired even though he himself hasn't took that much punishment. A sudden surge of energy forces Hirata forward hitting Mutoh again with another lariat.

Another lariat attempt is blocked with a drop kick, and as Mutoh runs back towards Hirata he is caught by a headbutt to the chest which allows Hirata to hit thunderous sit out powerbomb for a super close near fall and the crowd is buzzed and ready for an upset win,backed up by chanting Hirata's name loudly. A german suplex slams Mutoh down and Hirata climbs the top rope looking for his diving headbutt and it actually connects!

Crowd chanting along now, 1....2....ohhh kickout. Stomping feet echo throughout as the crowd really were excited by that sequence and thought Hirata had it won. Back on their feet Hirata sees his chance to go for his hammerlock DDT though Mutoh wriggles free and lays in some boots. Hirata is having none of it and lifts up Mutoh for another devastating powerbomb but Mutoh reverses into his frankensteiner hold and that just nets him a two count.

Missile dropkick pummels Hirata from behind and sends him crashing down, so Mutoh lifts him up to the top to deliver a top rope frankensteiner sending Hirata crashing again down hard to the mat. Without a moment wasted Mutoh is back to the top and hits his moonsault press for the three and victory.

Hirata very much was the underdog but the crowd loved it and Hirata made his presence known by trying to stay ahead of Mutoh's assault though as a valiant effort as it was, it just wasn't enough. It was a great match built on the drama of hope and the idea of an upset victory made for a captivating watch. The early part of the match didn't do any favours for anyone but once that gigantic sitout powerbomb was hit then the whole match became alive making for an exciting contest.

NJPW Apr 29th 1995 - Antonio Inoki vs. Ric Flair (NJPW in North Korea)

Link to the match on NJPW World.

Legend vs. Legend in a packed out house in a venue you would have never thought possible. No idea of crowd size here but there are certainly a LOT of people here. Wikipedia lists the venue as having 150-160,000 people in it making it the largest wrestling crowd ever.

Collar and elbow tie up to start which Inoki gets the better of to the delight of the crowd. Inoki gets Flair's arm caught up in an armbar and Flair reaches the ropes and Flair retaliates with his own arm breaker which Inoki escapes by kicking Flair in the back of the head repeatedly which the crowd love.

Off the ropes and Inoki stops Flair cold with a hard shoulder block and then pummels Flair down with wild stomps. Flair bails to the outside and composes himself then re-enters going to the classic chops to put Inoki down. Both men here are yelling at each other to bring it and fight, Flair throws Inoki out and in to the ring post to buy himself some time. Flair pulls Inoki on to the ring side and beautifully suplexes him back in to the ring and goes for the cover, which only garners a hot two count. So Flair goes for several pin attempts in a row which get the same strong crowd response but are not enough to keep Inoki down.

Flair keeps it on the ground and applies an STF and then focuses like he does best on Inoki's leg. Stomps, shin breakers, chop blocks, the full works and then Flair gets his patent hold the figure four locked in, in the middle of the ring too. Inoki tries so hard to reach the ropes so Flair wrenches back and keeps the pain in full force on Inoki though he won't submit. Inoki uses his strength to separate Flair's legs and escapes the hold, so Flair reapplies it only for the classic spot of a sudden inside cradle by Inoki drawing out a very close two count.

Hip toss attempt by Flair is lowered into a backslide by Inoki and again it scores only a two count and the crowd continuing their support for Inoki. Flair regains himself first and drops some kicks and a chop but Inoki stands up to him and they start launching fists at each other with each sending the crowd in a loud roar and Inoki comes out on top. Inoki starts feeding off the crowd's response and essentially begins "hulking up" not ready to be weakened by any of Flair's offence. More punches, more chops both going full force on each other with Flair backing off taking the worst of the attacks and is thrown up and over to the outside.

Flair gets back in and waits for Inoki to lower his guard and punts him in the chest and snapmares him down. Flair goes up to the top rope but of course is caught and thrown off by Inoki, Flair stumbles back to his feet so Inoki hits a big dropkick and gets several two counts in a row off it. Flair turns the tide with chops but it again turns in a wild battle of back and forth attacks until Flair simply slams Inoki down. A standing elbow drop by Flair gets a two count, Flair delivers a massive back body drop and takes a long time to get the cover, which only results in a two.

Flair picks up Inoki to slam him again but Inoki reverses it sending Flair off and away from him but Inoki doesn't delay and hits an incredible rolling enziguri kick, which the crowd erupt when they see. Inoki wastes no time and climbs on up to the top and leaps with a diving knee drop to the prone Flair adding even more damage to Flair's head. Inoki stands up a dazed Flair and hits the final and decisive blow of a standing enziguri and its more than enough to get the three as everyone is over joyed with the result.

This match is wild and shows that its not about what moves you do but more about making it so that the crowd care and believe you are trying your best to win, intensity and determination carry a lot of weight. It was very well paced and was thoroughly entertaining from the start until the final blow and quite the spectacle considering the location and those involved.

NJPW Jan 4th 1995 - Shinya Hashimoto vs. Kensuke Sasaki (IWGP Heavyweight Title bout)

Link to the match on NJPW World.

Main event match of the Jan 4th 1995 Tokyo Dome show known as Battle 7. Antonio Inoki is in attendance and Hashimoto even makes a plea to him before the contest begins. Hashimoto the veteran and the relatively younger, take no nonsense Kensuke "I will make a name for myself at your expense" Sasaki.

Gong chimes and the ref yells its time to fight! Both men do not fear one another and it isn't long before the heavy hitting strikes are unleashed setting the tone for what is a heavy handed and heated contest. Hashimoto punishes the fiery Sasaki with kicks, who in turn hits his own and levels Hashimoto with a follow up lariat showing he isn't afraid or willing to back down from Hashimoto. Battle of power here and a boat load of arrogance too.

Sasaki is in charge keeping Hashimoto down with a sleeper and body scissors then transitions into a cross armbreaker and once Hashimoto struggles to find the ropes Sasaki goes straight back to the sleeper and holds his dominant position even slapping a downed Hashimoto, again showing no fear whatsoever. A Sasaki lariat is met with a well placed Hashimoto chop to the arm and like that Hashimoto regains control and begins the destruction of Sasaki's arm.

Hashimoto lays in the kicks and boots even going to the extreme of laying Sasaki out with a top rope missile dropkick before delivering a DDT. Hashimoto tries his luck again on the top rope but is caught by Sasaki who joins him and eventually powerslams Hashimoto off the top. A follow up lariat only gets a two for Sasaki, so Sasaki hits his own DDT and attempts to lock on the strangle hold gamma but Hashimoto squirms and gets to the ropes. Sasaki feeling like he can keep Hashimoto down hits a powerbomb and a big powerslam before finally locking in the strangle hold. Sasaki can't keep it locked for long and Hashimoto over powers Sasaki and in return totally destroys him with a belly to belly suplex. Totally brutal suplex as Sasaki was dumped as if to say, "I will put you in your place".

Its not enough as Sasaki still has plenty of strength to launch Hashimoto across the ring with a massive throw and again gets the strangle hold gamma applied. Sasaki lauches Hashimoto off the ropes and delivers an all mighty ippon judo throw dropping Hashimoto square on his head and gets a very hot near fall with Hashimoto barely kicking out. Back on their feet, Hashimoto staggered and dazed yet in a flash a sudden spinning leg sweep sends Sasaki crashing down allowing Hashimoto to regain control. Hashimoto uses this chance to lay in some heavy knee strikes that the ref even tells him to lay off with followed up by a big DDT resulting in a close two count, which raises the crowd to their feet. Hashimoto hits a powerful spinning wheel kick sending his whole weight into Sasaki that nets Hashimoto a two count so Hashimoto digs deep and plants Sasaki directly on his head with a tight fisherman buster, which is enough to get the three.

Antonio Inoki gets in to the ring and presents Hashimoto with his world heavyweight belt and reassures a disappointed Sasaki. The match totally flew by, never once being dull and it was a decent length and once it got going it was delivering on the big near falls making for a great match but the finish came just a tad too early. Overall it was quite exciting and a great spectacle of power vs power with experience prevailing in the end.

NJPW Aug 15th 1995 - Shinya Hashimoto vs. Keiji Mutoh (G1 Climax Finals)

Link to the match on NJPW World.

Big ovation for these two massive stars that really adds to the atmosphere early on and helps keep that early feeling out process intriguing as it is quite slow to get going, which seems to be a theme so far with these NJPW heavyweight matches.

Excellent moment with Hasimoto bowling over Mutoh, Hashimoto goes for the big kick which is ducked by Mutoh, so Mutoh hits one of his own only for Hashimoto to capture it and bring him crashing down with a leg hold. Crowd responds awesomely to that and I thought it was ace, really digging the sudden nature of the capture and how both know each other so well. Though Mutoh gets the eventual upper hand by laying Hashimoto out with a dragon screw and applying a leg hold of his own.

Mutoh keeps the pressure on Hashimoto for quite some time and working on his legs is a sound way to neutralise those dangerous kicks so it makes sense though once Hashimoto regains control its about working away on Mutoh's arm. A little kick by Hashimoto is more than enough for Mutoh to cut that short and ground Hashimoto again with a single boston crab. A sudden flashing elbow and Mutoh returns to the leg work, in a manner that sort of feels like a rest hold rather than trying to gain an advantage. Hashimoto simply grabs an arm and applies the pressue as he goes back to working on that until Mutoh has had enough and the strikes come in to play which is bit more enjoyable to watch to be honest.

Back on their feet we finally see some action including a massive running dropkick by the large Hashimoto which he then follows up with gigantic kicks that Mutoh no sells until a running spinning wheel kick levels Mutoh to the mat. A DDT gets just a two count. A Hashimoto brainbuster attempt is reversed into an armbar by Mutoh which puts Hashimoto down and screaming. Mutoh hits an ugly backdrop deadlifting the big enemy down hard and missile dropkicking him once he stands up then follows that up with a top rope frankensteiner for a very hot near fall. The action has picked up and its all quite exciting now. Mutoh dashes to the top rope and sees that Hashimoto has moved so backflips to his feet off the moonsault only for Hashimoto to stop him dead by sweeping out his legs real hard. The crowd are really into this.

Here come the kicks and Hashimoto gets a two count. Off the ropes Hashimoto goes and Mutoh lowers his head for a back body drop but Hashimoto grabs Mutoh by the head and drills him straight into the mat with a simply vicious DDT. Super hot near fall there and the crowd are molten. Mutoh is busted open from a taped up wound.

Hashimoto delivers a monster of a brainbuster. Truly insane but it looks like Mutoh hit Hashimoto with his knees on the way down delaying Hashimoto from making the important cover. So he goes to the top rope!!!!! A huge flying body attack is dodged by Mutoh who rolled out of the way and good job too as that would have killed him. Mutoh gets to the top himself and a moonsault misses the target and both guys are knackered yet the crowd are chanting as loud as they can.

Hashimoto charges Mutoh but is caught off guard by a frankensteiner sending him crashing down so seeing his opening Mutoh races up the ropes hitting not one but two moonsaults to pick up the tournament win, and the crowd lose their minds.

The drawn out mat work personally wasn't that great but its that slow build towards the big moments is what makes japanese wrestling what it is. The drama was there and it all felt very important and like both wanted to win and if you have patience the pay off is worth it. Hashimoto was fantastic to watch and someone I've seen very little of.

NJPW Aug 13th 1995 - Ric Flair vs. Keiji Mutoh (G1 Climax A-Block bout)

Link to the match on NJPW World.

Lots of stalling to begin with that honestly was fine by me as it added to the drama of them finally locking up, including plenty of Flair trash talking and posturing. Flair took the early advantage and worked on Mutoh's arm eventually Mutoh broke free and used his speed to send Flair over and out the ring, which was pretty cool. Flair regained control and essentially went american old school with basic holds and takeovers wearing down Mutoh though I did enjoy once they began exchanging strikes picking up the intensity.

The match style feels like something from 1989 rather than 1995 but even without a barrage of moves by Flair it still kept an interesting pace. A missed top rope missile dropkick by Mutoh gave Flair his opening to apply the figure four, which roused the crowd into a Mutoh chant and cheers when he got to the ropes. Mutoh delivered a thunderous top rope superplex and an old head wound of Mutoh's suddenly re-opened letting the blood flow and Mutoh went mental.

A moonsault attempt by Mutoh misses the mark with Flair rolling out of the way and he used that moment to work on Mutoh's mess of a face with open punches but the blood, seemed to waken up Mutoh who got up time and time again no matter how many punches Flair hit him with. The blood is flowing and its quite a visual and genuinely adds to the drama as the crowd don't want to see Mutoh lose at all.

Classic Flair stuff now with shin crushers and Mutoh hitting sudden inside cradles off Flair figure four attempts and a Mutoh backslide got a super close near fall. The blood has just covered Mutoh's face sending him into a demon like rage and all it takes is a sudden moonsault for Mutoh to capture the win.

Real slow start but once Mutoh's old wound let the blood flow then the drama turned up to a whole new level and it helped turn the match in to something quite cool and entertaining. I liked it and thought that Flair who seemed a little too old to be taken seriously still stood his ground and helped generate that compelling drama we all love.

NJPW Jan 4th 1995 - Scott & Rick Steiner vs. Hiroshi Hase & Keiji Mutoh (IWGP Tag Title Bout)

Link to the match on NJPW World.

A match on paper that looks like it should tear the house down and instead of getting a classic we get awkwardness mixed in with bewilderment that only resulted in a lacklustre contest. There is no focus so there is prolonged mat work that goes nowhere, no structure with the referee getting confused by the non-tags and a pace that didn't help anything.

It is a long match in front of a respectfully quiet Tokyo Dome crowd so when we get a cool spot such as Mutoh and Scott hitting frankensteiners on their opponents at the same time there is no crowd reaction, which annoys Scott. And understandably so but instead of standing around the momentum should have been used to do something else to help draw the crowd in, which by that point have been treated to some very boring action and needed more spots to help them care.

The non-legal man problem we see in tag matches became very annoying towards the end as no-one could keep track who was and wasn't legal resulting in a very obvious 3 count on Hase being waved off due to the confusion.

Meltzer gave this ****1/4 stars. It doesn't hold up well at all and I feel it was underwhelming and overall a clumsy contest though having just enough to deliver a match that wasn't bad but not good either, meaning I would say its around that **1/2 star range.