IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Norio Honaga (c) vs. Dean Malenko - NJPW Fighting Spirit 1995 - Day 4 03/02/1995
You know what you’re going to get with these two. Two totally pragmatic wrestlers that keep in simple and asic, mostly. Malenko can make it more complicated depending on his opponent. Honaga isn’t that person though, so the match benefits from it. There is a lot of mat-work with the aim to target the leg on both sides. Malenko uses his training to control Honaga on the ground utn Honaga has the more effective holds. The wrestling doesn’t really go anywhere as they transition into a quick sprint for the finish with Honaga winning out. ***
IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Match: Keiji Muto vs. Scott Norton - NJPW Fighting Spirit 1995 - Day 4 03/02/1995
Good match but there were some huge flaws mixed in. Stuff that Muto is known for really, like the pointless limb work on the arm of Scott Norton. He worked on the move for a while in the match and it didn’t lead to anything really. After a while he just stopped attacking it and Norton didn’t sell the arm anyway. Now, the match was still pretty good, Norton showed off his power moves, Muto did a good job of wearing down Norton and made good use of his attacks, hitting his big moves and making his comebacks. Norton looked great surviving Mutoh’s biggest moves though, such as the moonsault, the frankensteiner, etc. That’s what he needed for his eventual title match against Hashimoto. ***1/2
Kensuke Sasaki & Koji Kanemoto vs. Hiroshi Hase & Shinjiro Otani - NJPW Fighting Spirit 1995 - Day 5 04/02/1995
A fun outing involving these four wrestlers but it was in a midcard position and everyone acted like it. Hase did a prolonged giant swing spot and had an odd drop kick into a celtic cross type move with Hase taking a dropkick off Otani. Sasaki and Kanemoto win the match. **1/2
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan - NJPW Fighting Spirit 1995 - Day 5 04/02/1995
With Tenzan only returning from his year long excursion in Europe a month before, this was his first BIG match. A title match against the IWGP Heavyweight Champion and ace of the company, Shinya Hashimoto. Hashimoto dominates the early potions but the match doesn’t go quite as smoothly as planned as Tenzan starts to fight back and even starts to control the match as well. Countering some of Hashimoto’s big moves and doing them himself. The crowd really responded to all of Tenzan’s hope spots. Of course, Hashimoto is the champion and figures out the way to beat Tenzan and wins the match. A very competitive match to put over Tenzan and make the point that he is a big star in the future. Good performance by all. ***1/2
Hiroshi Hase & Kensuke Sasaki vs. Ookami Gundan (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Masahiro Chono) - NJPW Fighting Spirit 1995 - Day 14 17/02/1995
An angle straight out of the Mid South Coliseum. Tenzan is fresh of turning heel by siding with Chono in a 3-Way feud between Heisei Ishingun, them (and Sabu) and the rest of the company which is a big push for the young lad. Chono has more heat with the wrestlers on the outside, such as Shinya Hashimoto than in the ring but that didn't seem to stop the match from turning into a chaotic brawl several times. Tenzan was mostly doing the grunt work and holding his own but Hase and Sasaki start to make a comeback which causes another breakdown with the ref bump and then the weapons come into play and Ookami Gundan were able to regain the advantage and score the win over Hase with the moonsault from Tenzan, which lead to Hase being stretchered out. Great match/angle that got high interest in the ratings for its airing. ****
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs. Scott Norton - NJPW Fighting Spirit 1995 - Day 16 19/02/1995
For a IWGP Heavyweight Title Match, this was mostly a one sided beatdown that highlighted Hashimoto's strengths in both striking and recognising his opponents weaknesses (Norton’s arm, in this instance). Hashimoto beats Norton with harder kicks than usual and rips at his elbow joints. Norton’s selling was surprising strong an allowed for the match to be quite compelling outside of it being a squash. Norton’s hope spots weren't convincing anyone but they were okay. The finish was awkward. I believe the idea is that Hashimoto hyperextended Norton’s arm with his legs while on Norton’s shoulders and that caused the submission win. Oh well. ***1/4
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