Best Of The Super Junior I Match: TAKA Michinoku vs. Super Delfin - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 1 26/05/1994
This was awesome. A much better showcase for the Michinoku Pro style than the Super J Cup matches. A lot of the focus was fast paced out-maneuver spots that wow the crowd and it’s so cool seeing it. Taka flips effortlessly to evade Delfin while Delfin uses his agility to kick dropkicks and tie Taka in submission holds. ***1/4
Best Of The Super Junior I Match: Dean Malenko vs. El Samurai - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 1 26/05/1994
These two slowed the paced down from the lucharesu style to simple catch-as-catch-can style which suits both men’s strengths. Samurai in particular because there was more focus to his grappling than against Liger in 92, which I criticised. It wasn’t just a means to build to heat. Both were intent on winning with these holds which makes it all the more interesting. I thought Malenko’s selling of the arm and general fatigue was great for the finishing stretch allowing the match to go into a different gear for the finish. Malenko just sneaking the victory roll pin matched the story of the match and felt earned as a result. ***1/2
Best Of The Super Junior I Match: Wild Pegasus vs. Shinjiro Otani - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 1 26/05/1994
Superb match. Otani and Benoit worked perfectly together. Not everything was as fluid as you’d expect (Otani had trouble getting over the ropes for his signature springboard dropkick) but it was pretty clean which, given the pace that both went, is impressive. Hot, intense mat wrestling to open the bout before transitioning to fast paced strikes and bombs. The finishing stretch was a riot with Benoit getting a super close nearfall on a powerbomb before missing a diving headbut. Otani had some great flurries on top. I dug his spinning kicks that aren’t the most refined technique wise but always hit the mark. Otani getting the shocking win over the Super J Cup winner was an awesome moment, too. ***3/4
Best Of The Super Junior I Match: Dave Finlay vs. Jushin Thunder Liger - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 1 26/05/1994
Fairly okay match. It was fun seeing Finlay stretch Liger with holds but it wasn’t a great match. Liger pie-facing Finlay many times was fun too. **1/4
Best Of The Super Junior I Match: Dave Finlay vs. Masayoshi Motegi - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 7 01/06/1994
A nothing match. I hear many good things about Motegi but he’s showing me nothing and Finlay is kinda boring in this setting. The crowd doesn’t seem into him. He’s stiff and shows some good attributes but he’s not working with me. **
Best Of The Super Junior I Match: Dean Malenko vs. Wild Pegasus - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 7 01/06/1994
Fun ass match. Some real great grappling mixed in too. These two had a fairly similar match in WCW where the crowd couldn’t have been less interesting in it but here, the crowd is game and is actively loving what these two are doing. Benoit had some great defensive techniques for Malenko, grabbing a toe hold to escape a leg lock. ***1/4
Best Of The Super Junior I Match: Black Tiger vs. Super Delfin - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 7 01/06/1994
Super Delfin really came off as a star in this match. The cape, cool mask and presence of Delfin is immaculate. And I thought he did a great job at working from beneath. Black Tiger, of course, was excellent in control. He really commands the match well and forces his opponents into his control. Black Tiger’s main focus of the match was on the lower back of Delfin, attacking the region with holds and then a chair from the crowd. It looked like the assault would pay dividends with the brutal snap powerbombs from Black Tiger but each other Delfin would just get the shoulder up. Delfin’s comeback was short but effective. Great match. ***3/4
Best Of The Super Junior I Match: Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Dean Malenko - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 12 08/06/1994
The future Kendo Kashin! Exciting. But seriously, the match was pretty good if you want pure grappling. From what I could tell, Ishizawa was still in his Young Lion Stage so he is heavy on the basics which Malenko struggles with, more than you’d think. Malenko leads the holds but Ishizawa gives him trouble and stays with him for most of the match. Ishizawa had a really awesome counter to a Cloverleaf, twisting himself inwards and rolling Malenko up for a near two. The match shockingly ends with Ishizawa locking in a cross armbreaker which Malenko taps to. Wow. ***1/2
Best Of The Super Junior I Match: Wild Pegasus vs. Super Delfin - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 12 08/06/1994
These two matched each up really well. Pegasus could slam Delfin with as much power as he could muster while Delfin showed off his aerial, flashy side. Both complemented each other enough to create a great match. They built the drama of the match real nice which helped for the hot closing stretch with Delfin surviving Pegasus’ brutal powerbombs before selling to a roll up. ***3/4
Best Of The Super Junior I Match: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. El Samurai - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 12 08/06/1994 - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 12 08/06/1994
Similar structure to most of the top level matches of the BOSJ but it didn’t reach those heights for me. Both were really solid and generally worked well against each other but it just didn’t peak for me. It was always just “good”. That’s what happens sometimes. El Samurai getting the surprise win was cool though. ***
Best Of The Super Junior I Final Match: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Super Delfin - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 16 12/06/1994
What a final to the BOSJ tournament. I know I’m the outlier on it in saying that I prefer it over Pegasus vs Sasuke in the Super J Cup, although Sasauke v Liger is still the superior Jr Heavyweight title match of the year thus far in the timeline. With Liger showing in the aforementioned Sasuke match that he can and will lose to these indie stars, there was a fuck ton of drama for this match. Delfin definitely had a chance at winning and the crowd felt that. I loved the small mind games at the start with Delfin adopting a Liger look for his costume (which is also a nod to his legitimate fandom of Liger). Delfin gets a lot of offence on Liger, who makes Delfin look great, and wows the crowd with his faster paced style compared to what even Liger brings. Of course, Sasauke is the star and gets the push but this showed that Delfin could’ve had that spot and made it work if given the push. Liger’s comeback was smart and didn’t undermine Delfin. He was less disrespectful to the outsiders and endorsed them by being sportsmanlike after the win. ****
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs. Riki Choshu - NJPW Best Of The Super Junior I - Day 18 15/06/1994
A classic outing between these two. It was simple and easy. Both are very minimalistic, especially when against each other. Choshu is focused on keeping the basics strong with a lot of Lariat attempts and intense lock ups. Hashimoto wins with the same approach under 10 minutes but it’s a tough 10 minutes. Hashimoto keeps on kicking Choshu with all of his might and yet Choshu doesn’t give up. Choshu refusing to roll on his back for the finish was another act of defiance by Choshu. Awesome showcase for why Choshu is an all timer. ***1/2
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