Satoshi Kojima, a young phenom New Japan Pro Wrestling, is known for his outstanding tag team expertise alongside Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Two days before this match, on August 4, 2001, he upset Masahiro Chono, one of the Japanese legends of the puroresu business. Thanks to that win, he got a match against Keji Muto, the current All Japan Triple Crown Champion. Muto was Kojima's mentor, so he (Kojima) uses many of the similar tactics of those used by Muto, including several kneecap dropkicks.

New Japan Professional Wrestling Show
August 6, 2001
Keji Muto vs. Satoshi Kojima

• THE MATCH: Joined in progress. Muto is tied to the tree of woe. Kojima dropkicks a leg, and then hits it with a lariat. Muto escapes the predicament and begins grabbing at his aching leg. Kojima kicks the leg, and Muto begins crawling around the ring, trying to dodge Kojima. Kojima eventually catches him, though, and locks on a single-leg boston crab. Muto screams in pain from the hold. After about thirty seconds, Muto grabs the ropes, and Kojima releases the hold. He doesn't relinquish his offense, though, as he immediately heads up to the second-rope and, once Muto is weakly standing, comes off and hits Muto's that same leg with a kneecap dropkick. He kicks at the leg more, and then locks on a leglock. He clamps down on it, but Muto drags the hold to the ropes and grabs it, forcing Kojima to break.

He continues kicking Muto's leg. Kojima heads up to the second-rope, but Muto hits him with a kneecap dropkick, and then avalanche-style dragonscrews him off the buckle and down to the mat. Both get up at the same time, and Muto hits a kneecap dropkick. Kojima hits one of his own, and Muto does the same once again. Muto hobbles around, and Kojima kicks his leg twice. A third attempt is countered when Muto catches the leg and dragonscrews Kojima. Muto gets up first and dropkicks the leg again. He then hits another dragonscrew, sending Kojima to the mat. He twists Kojima's legs into a Figure Four Leglock, and lays back on the hold, relaxing while Kojima fights in pain. Kojima tries to turn the hold, but can't. After a good while, he eventually grabs the ring rope, forcing Muto to break.

Muto goes up to the top-rope as Kojima is standing, and hits a missle dropkick. Kojima goes down. In the corner, he hammers kojima, and then sits him up on the top-rope. He brings him off with a Frankensteiner! Kojima is struggling on the mat, and eventually finds his way to his feet, and is hit with a ribbreaker. Muto heads toward the turnbuckle, looking to go up top again, but Kojima climbs to his feet and hammers him from behind. He then turns Muto around, locks his head, and drops him with the Koji Cutter (Diamond Cutter)! 1-2-No! Muto escapes. Kojima gets to his feet, and picks Muto up. He immediately scoop slams him and spikes his head into the mat with a great Michinoku Driver II. He weakly covers him, and Muto kicks out at two.

Obviously frustrated now, Kojima runs off the ropes, looking for his signature lariat, but Muto counters and brings him over with a nice hurricanrana! He sits down on Kojima's neck, looking for a pin. 1-2-No! Kojima takes awhile to get to his feet, but Muto is up by that time, and looks to hit him with an axehandle, but Kojima blocks it and locks Muto's head, again looking for a Koji Cutter. This time, though, Muto has it scouted, and counters with a sleeperhold. He then sweeps the legs and they fall down, with Muto, now on his back, keeping the hold applied on the mat. He wraps his legs around Kojima's waist, and now has the hold applied very tight. Kojima struggles toward the ropes, and is eventually able to grab it, forcing Muto to break the hold. Both struggle to their feet.

Once up, Muto runs of the ropes and nails a forearm shot to Kojima's face. Kojima runs off and goes for his lariat, but Muto blocks it and hits a rolling koppu kick. Kojima climbs to his knees, but Muto is up and charges him. Shining Wizard (running front kneelift smash)! Kojima falls back to the mat, but immediately gets up. He wasn't even affected. Muto's up, too. Kojima runs off the ropes and nails Muto with an enzui (back) lariat, but he doesn't go down. He charges toward the opposite rope. Front lariat! Muto goes down to the mat! Kojima covers his body. 1...2...3 (17:30)!!! Satoshi Kojima upsets Keji Muto!

• POST-MATCH: Kojima gets up and celebrates. The referee raises his hand. He climbs the turnbuckle and raises his arm in triumph. Muto climbs to his feet. Fade out.

• MATCH THOUGHTS: This was a good match. I've seen better from both, but nonetheless, this was an exciting bout. It had great psychology, with each man targeting the leg of the other. Each sold those injuries throughout the match. There was good drama, especially towards the end with so many false-finishes. I don't know why lariats are sold as finishers in Japan, but they are, and that's the move Kojima used to upset Muto. That adds Muto to his list of upsets, which included Masahiro Chono two days earlier. There were some nice submissions on the legs of each man, and there was a good flow. I've seen better from both athletes, but this was a good match. I was originally gonna' go with **7/8, but I'm gonna give it the benefit of the doubt, as they used original counters and reversals, instead of Muto's usual same offense.

• RATING: ***