NJPW Explosion Tour 1992
Top Of The Super Junior III Final Match: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Samurai - NJPW Explosion Tour 1992 - Day 13 30/04/1992
The match had a nice start with El Samurai being a total rudo instantly. Spitting at Liger before the bell, slapping Liger after it and then going for the masks. And then spiking him with a tombstone on the outside. But the match got really tepid after that with some lifeless submissions on the neck and a crowd that really was sitting on their hands. The match was really awkward until Liger gained control. Him snapping on Samurai with a big punch in the corner and then slamming him on the exposed floor on the outside was great and led to the best parts of the match. Liger brought tons of hate and intensity with him returning the favour by ripping the mask and laying into Samurai with strikes and big suplexes. The finishing stretch with the big nearfalls were well done. Good in parts, bad in parts. All in all, a pretty good match with a great Liger performance and Samurai just being a good person to take it. When the roles were switched, it was clear where the quality lies. ***1/2
IWGP Tag Team Title Match: Big Van Vader & Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow (c) vs. Hiroshi Hase & Keiji Muto - NJPW Explosion Tour 1992 - Day 14 01/05/1992
Gotta love the elaborate routine Vader and Bigelow do to set up the double high 5. Hase and Mutoh staying on top of the big guys starting off surprised me a bit. Vader and Bam Bam, particularly the latter, pinballed themselves around for the smaller counterparts. It was something that deviates from the style you would normally see. Seeing the bigger guys on the defensive was really good and just added to the skill of Hase and Mutoh. Vader seeing the chance to get the momentum was spiking Hase in the forehead with a punch was a great transition and bloodied Hase up. Bam Bam had some unique ways of working the cut too. Popped big for the claw hold and the biting. Hase sold all this really well. His performance was so compelling from his ability to get you on his side to his comeback spots. I loved his arm submissions. The technique was just pleasing on the eye. Mutoh was just a sideline character but I won’t put that on him, more about the match being Hase focused. Great tag team match. ****
NJPW Crush The Super Heavy III 1992
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Riki Choshu (c) vs. Keiji Muto - NJPW Crush The Super Heavy III - Day 1: Over Heat Night 17/05/1992
This was a Choshu vs Muta match so you were always going to get both guys sitting in holds trying to lock on either the Scorpion Death lock or the figure four. I found it mildly entertaining and the big fast finish knocked it up a bit. Good match. ***1/4
NJPW Masters Of Wrestling 1992
Kensuke Sasaki vs. Hiroshi Hase - NJPW Masters Of Wrestling - Day 8 26/06/1992
God bless the training footage for Sasaki’s return. Big talks from Choshu and Saito, two big factors in Sasaki’s training. Choshu and Sasaki having a nice chat in a hotel >>>>>. Hase bloodying Sasaki up with ugly headbutts was a big surprise. But it worked because Sasaki tried to use sneaky tactics at first, using chokes instead of legit holds. Hase made him pay with some nasty uranages. Sasaki comes off like a star fighting from beneath with the crowd behind him though. The drama was really superbly built too. ***3/4
IWGP Tag Team Title Match: Big Van Vader & Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow (c) vs. The Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner) - NJPW Masters Of Wrestling - Day 8 26/06/1992
The Budokan setting looked great for New Japan. The crowd popped big for the criss cross high5 from Bam Bam and Vader as well as the Dog pose from the Steiners. This was a super fun match with the Steiners mostly working as the underdogs which was unusual for their matches. Bigelow and Vader more than took their fair share of suplexes and stiff lariats. Scott hitting the frankensteiner was nuts though. The crowd was super into the match as well, popping for everything and being the usual rabid Budokan crowd. The ref bump was usually but it wasn’t egregiously bad like most and it lead nicely to the finish. Awesome match. ***1/2
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Riki Choshu (c) vs. Masahiro Chono - NJPW Masters Of Wrestling - Day 8 26/06/1992
JIP about half way through. But what we got was pretty good. A good struggle for holds and a nice finish. Yet another solid bout for Choshu’s title reign. ***1/4
NJPW Summer Struggle 1992
Shiro Koshinaka vs. Masahiro Chono - NJPW Summer Struggle 1992 - Day 12 31/07/1992
This was pretty magical. Chono going full heel was awesome and the crowd being all behind the story of that and Koshinaka being a great face was perfect. Great brawling with the two showing some great fire and energy. Both have some great chemistry and it shined through in this match. ****
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