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NWA Main Event 1988 - 10/04/1988
Arn Anderson vs Steve Williams
Flair is on commentary for this which is fun. He states that Williams has credentials but is untested, and that’s true at this stage of his career. Williams dominates early on, getting a hammerlock on the former tag team champion before stomping and tying the leg up. Arn takes over with a chinlock, but this continues being a Dr Death showcase as he works towards the comeback. Arn’s cut offs are simple but great, cutting Dr Death’s momentum with one blow. Williams fires off strikes and cuts Arn open. He slams him around the ring and follows Arn when he tries to get some rest bite, chasing him to the dressing room for the double count out, although Williams attempts to return. I thought it was a good TV match that puts over Williams as a bad dude. ***1/4
Barry Windham vs Tully Blanchard
Tully is cagey at the start, hesitant to fully commit to a lock up, trying to run to the apron with Windham chasing. Finally Windham blasts Tully with punches that rock him. Tully, once again, goes on the run on the floor and as Windham turns the corner, Tully hits him in a genius set up that gives him some control. Windham and Tully tangle in a struggle for the headlock with Tully keeping a tight hold as Windham attempts to escape which he does with a power slam. They go back and forth for a bit and Tully hits a dropkick and Windham takes a hard tumble over the top rope and to the floor. JJ Dillon gets a cheap shot in as Windham tries to recover. They exchange great punches as the momentum continues to switch back and forth. It’s exciting seeing the two go back and forth, hitting big moves, slugging it out. It’s unpredictable at this pace with this structure. The counters are excellent too like Tully fighting out of an abdominal stretch via a stray elbow. A Flying lariat segways into the finish where Arn attempts to interfere but it is stopped by Dr Death. A sunset flip is blocked by Tully who drops down and grabs JJ’s arm for leverage, almost pinning Windham but loses the grip thanks to Dusty. Windham reverses the pin and gets the win in an awesome finish. A class match between two of the best wrestlers in 1988. ****
NJPW Fan Appreciation Event - 10/04/1988
Two On One Handicap Best Two Out Of Three Falls Exhibition Match: Keiichi Yamada & Masakatsu Funaki vs. Antonio Inoki
These are all exhibition matches so I thought I’d just watch the big one. And this is catch heavy with it being primarily holds with the young guys doing some highspots and Inoki responding. Him and Funaki did some really cool 70s style holds like a double shoulder lock. Inoki won with an enziguri. Yamada came in with no care for the exhibition rules, blasting his way with kicks and punches. The gall on this young man. Inoki fires off with punches to the face and goes for the kill right away Funaki makes the save and they double team Inoki, hitting a brain busters like atomic piledriver and a double kappo kick to get the pin over Inoki. The final fall has no time to develop as the time is called, signifying the draw. The young guys pulled of a worldy and a draw is a victory for them. New Japan definitely had hopes for Funaki and Yamada. Yamada’s would be realised but Funaki would soon be leaving for UWF in the year. ***
UWA - 10/04/1988
UWA World Lightweight Title Best Two Out Of Three Falls Match: Espanto Jr. (c) vs. El Hijo del Santo
This looks like a great fan cam. These two have had a luchas de apuestas match in 1986 that is famous and a terrific bout. This is a title match so I expect it to be more technical. The entrances are fantastic as the Torreon children swarm Santo when he enters the ring. A proper hero. Both seem to have their fans in the building in the first fall which proves to be as technical as I predicted. Espanto does a lovely sto to take Santo down which begins the first chaining sequence of the match. Espanto looks in a body scissors and Santo reverses into a surfboard. Santo gets persistent with his headscissors and gets comfortably leading the grappling with Espanto on the defensive. Santo’s technique is borderline perfection. Graceful, yet still poses that strength that keeps the holds plausible. Towards the end of the fall, Santo’s dominance is too much and Santo submits Espanto with an elevated surfboard. The match cuts into the second fall, but I don’t think it’s too much. Santo seems in control still but Espanto gets rougher with his holds and throws as he mounts a comeback. Espanto is quick to keep Santo reeled in and eventually catches Santo out with a headbutt when he attempts a dive and submits Santo with a cool submission to even up the falls. Santo seems to have hurt his arm on the finish too so Espanto works on it. Persistent hammerlocks are applied as Santo attempts to break free. Santo’s desperation and selling is excellent too. What is captured well in the fan cam is how audible he can be. It’s not often but he will let out a blood curdling yell when Espanto looks in a particularly nasty hold. Santo plugs away and gets some control back but Espanto cuts him off at the right times. Then they brawl into the crowd at one adding another wrinkle to the match. And then Santo wonderfully sets up his dive by kicking Espanto’s legs out from under him, sending him through the ropes and hits a plancha from the corner. Incredible sequence. Espanto returns to the ring, and they exchange flash pins but neither get the job done. The drama in the closing moments is palpape as the false finishes and big submission holds come into play. Espanto is able to reverse Santo’s body slam attempt and then apply a Koji-Clutch type hold that is finally able to submit Santo once and for all to retain the title in an incredible, incredible and INCREDIBLE match. Kids and adults swarm the ring once again for the celebrations. Fuck yeah. ****1/2
NJPW Super Fight Series 1988 - Day 1 - 11/04/1988
Big Van Vader vs. Seiji Sakaguchi
This seemed like it could’ve been something more at first with Sakaguchi holding his own fairly well against Vader but Vader slams him down and that’s all it took seemingly. Almost as if Sakaguchi legitimately couldn’t continue. Vader continues the assault and Inoki makes an appearance. Saito and Vader beat on Inoki together before Fujinami makes the save and sends them packing. Okay angle. ANGLE
Hiroshi Hase & Riki Choshu vs. Antonio Inoki & Shiro Koshinaka
Often I’ve found that with the Heavyweight/Junior tags, it’s heavy on separation and hierarchy which is fine but can lead to an ordinary and predictable match, but there was a great mix and match of pairings here. Inoki matched up with Hase, working the mat and Choshu slugged it out with a bloody Koshinaka. And of course the foes matched up with each other as well. The story overall was Koshinaka being worked over in a role he seems born to play, being beaten to a bloody pulp by Hase and Choshu who are full on brutal in their wrestling. Inoki’s presence is more apparent here, playing big brother opposed to an isolated figure and it works for the match when he is able to score the pinfall and celebrate as emphatically as he did. Great match. ***3/4
AJPW Champion Carnival 1988 - Day 17 - 15/04/1988
PWF Heavyweight Title / NWA International Heavyweight Title / NWA United National Title Unification Match: Genichiro Tenryu (c) vs. Bruiser Brody (c)
Not the most consistent 30 minutes, with some sagging moments and boring holds. However, they did lively things up from time to time building nicely as they progressed. Brody's rough style suits Tenryu who knows how to make it work unlike Jumbo. They both hold no punches and they were able to sustain the intensity towards the end. Despite the non finish, I think this was an effective match to tease a title unification. ***1/2
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