Super J Cup 1994 First Round
Gedo vs. Dean Malenko
Gedo with the worst hair cut of all time - a terrific way to kick of the most important day in Jr Wrestling History. The match wasn’t very special. Some decent moves being thrown apart. Neither can get the advantage so this is back and forth for a lot, I imagine to showcase both wrestlers as quickly as possible. Gedo wins with a slam to advance. Close win. **1/4
Shinjiro Otani vs. Super Delfin
It’s my boy Super Delfin! Before he got jacked. Otani went right to the leg in his explosive fashion, locking on some deep knee bars. Delfin contrasted Otani’s submission focus with a flasher style doing a beautiful dropkick and a few tilter-will backbreakers before Otani cut him off with a heel kick. Otani was brilliant in this match. His submissions looked amazing. And while Delfin wasn’t really selling them, each submission got over with the crowd and seemed like a match ended. Delfin advances with a neat leg trapped pin-hold to advance! ***
Black Tiger vs. TAKA Michinoku
This was another quick spotfest. I’d love to see these two against each other on another show where they didn’t have ~10 minutes to wrestle but this was super fun. Taka hit a fucking amzing double-jump plancha onto Black Tiger (Eddie Guerrero is under this version of the mask). The rest of the match was them hitting each other with their signature moves trying to get the win before Black Tiger did it with a nasty spinning ddt in the corner. ***
Masayoshi Motegi vs. El Samurai
Never watched Motegi before this (I’ve heard good things though) but my first impression of him is of him slipping on the ropes (which won’t be the last time tonight). Shame. I liked some of his offence. A lot of it isn’t hit the smoothest and unrefined but it seemed to work well for him. Motegi had a sick dropkick as well. Samurai was his usual unremarkable self. He hits a few nice topes and wins with a folding powerbomb. Lame result to a funky match. **
Negro Casas vs. Ricky Fuji
After two spot fests in a row, this was a nice simmering down with a more technical approach from both sides. The matwork wasn’t anything new but Casas had some great defensive techniques for a knee bar by Fuji (locking on a dragon sleeper). Casas gets a few nearfalls on Fuji before Fuji wins with a Tiger Driver. It’s a shame Negro Casas is out because him vs Liger sounds amazing. **1/2
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Hayabusa
And here comes the star of the show, Jushin Thunder Liger. Hayabusa isn’t the Hayabusa that everyone loves (for some reason) so it’s not really a big dream match. Liger is by far the better of the two and the bigger star but that’s okay because Liger is great at projecting that. He wallops Hayabusa with strikes and goes to town on his leg (Using a Prison Lock which I’ll never not pop for). Hayabusa sells for Liger as he should and makes some solid comebacks to create some drama but he fucks up a rana and almost necks himself with a Shooting Star Press in typical Hayabusa fashion. Liger responded with a powerbomb and soon enough won with a Fisherman suplex. Easy match of the first round thanks to Liger. ***1/4
Super J Cup 1994 Quarter Final
Gedo vs. Super Delfin
As a big fan I am of Super Delfin, this isn’t a good match (tournament) for him and he goes out with a whimper. Gedo doesn’t do much better. The match starts off with some super quick rope running spots and the match just simmers into their basic spots that the crowd respond moderately into. **1/4
Black Tiger vs. Wild Pegasus
This was a real treat to watch. This is given a lengthy amount of time and I think they do a great job at maximising that time without burning themselves out in the process (Benoit/Pegasus has a few matches to go yet). We got some awesome chain wrestling mixed in with lucha libre style aerial moves. Black Tiger almost messes up on those dreaded ropes but he recovers immediately, showing the gulf in class between him and Motegi, to hit a springboard rana. They build up the pace as the match goes with a few false finishes and counters before Pegasus wins with a roll up. ***1/2
El Samurai vs. The Great Sasuke
This was awesome. Not better than Benoit v Eddie in the previous match (sorry, Tiger vs Pegasus) but still good. It took awhile for things to get going with Samurai more than willing to keep on a hold longer than the match would have benefited from but his submissions were pretty snug and it allowed Sasauke to stand out a hell of a lot more in return. I popped big time for his Sasuke Special. Sasuke goes through with an impressive performance. ***1/2
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Ricky Fuji
This was a match. Liger should’ve killed him in a minute. Ricky Fuji sucks. Who goes 7 minutes with Liger and comes out with nothing gained? Weird. Liger advances. *
Super J Cup 1994 Semi Final
Gedo vs. Wild Pegasus
I love how the second famous story from this show is Gedo being inexplicably super over. This was a solid match with Pegasus being the complete favourite with Gedo trying to get his shots in. Gedo is very sleezy and prefers punches over suplexes. It makes for a nice battle of styles but Pegasus puts him away eventually to advance to the finals. ***
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. The Great Sasuke
Excellent match. Liger vs Sasuke! Some excellent mat work from both, Liger dominating Sasuke on the crowd which lead to Sasuke taking it to striking and high flying where they were evenly matched. Sasuke played a great babyface, making some great comebacks popping the crowd while selling everything Liger did to him really well. Everyone played their roles well - Liger an aggressive almost-heel and Sasauke the flashier underdog - and the crowd responded with huge noise for the messed up but recovered finish with Sasauke heading through! I don’t think it works as well as lore would have you believe but Liger does save some of it. ****1/2
Super J Cup 1994 Final
Super J Cup 1994 Final Match: Wild Pegasus vs. The Great Sasuke
I have to admit that this left me rather cold for the most part. The closing third with the nearfalls and highspots was all good but I was pretty disinterested in the rest of the match. They kept up the intensity to their credit and had a fairly decent competitive match. It just didn’t grab me like it did the crowd. The finish with a Super Gutwrench is tremendous though. Benoit could only pull that off and Sasuke could only take it. ***
Comments
Post a Comment