Tatsuo Nakano vs. Shigeo Miyato
The young guns are sent out for 30 minutes to warm the crowd and set the tone. Does it go well? Quite. The pace the match in the exactly how you’d expect from a 30 minute draw. There is a lot of tentative stand-up initially with the occasional kick and shooting for the takedown for a good while. But they are always high in intensity. The holds are always snug and worked well from hold to hold. Miyato threws some wicked kicks to the head and then a low kick before trying to tap Nakano out with a head-trapped double wrist lock. I loved how Nakano began getting wise to the low kicks so began checking them more often, although Miyato’s persistence caught him out every now and again. Miyato seemed to favour the Single Leg Boston Crab heavily but Nakano fought for the ropes with all his might and somehow escaped. Nakano went he began throwing big strikes over his own like the overhand palm strike followed by kicks in the corner to a cowering Miyato. His suplexes were awesome as well. Including the one that sent him and Miyato tumbling over the top rope and onto the love which was insane. The finish wasn’t anything memorable. The referee just stopped the match for the time and that was that. It was a simple finish to a simple match. I really dug it and I don’t regret sitting through 30 minutes to two of the lesser guys in the promotion fight each other to a stalemate one bit. ***1/2
Akira Maeda vs. Nobuhiko Takada
I would definitely agree with the sentiments that this is more of a New Japan style match. Which makes sense since they have to reform the in-house style early one. What works, what doesn’t, what has to go, etc. But a great match is a great match so the fans adore it anyway. I loved how both men came across. Akira Maeda felt like the ace, and was presented as the ace. Maeda was the boss. He is no longer the young man that got put in the spotlight after Inoki didn’t join in the first UWF, he is the guy. His assertiveness in the match was great. Takada was super good as the opponent but he was just a step below Maeda and had to constantly follow his lead to keep up. Maeda threw in some great counters and suplexes like his beautiful capture suplex counter to a Takada bodykick. Takada is one of the better shoot-style underdogs there ever is and he’s pretty much that in this match. Like I said already, Maeda was the top dog so Takada was the weak link, who made the best of it. Takada made his moments on top count and hit some super suplexes and strikes that put Maeda in danger. Loved the drama of the match and how it built as the match progressed. The fans surging the ring after Maeda won with the chicken wing was awesome too. ****1/2
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