MATCH REVIEW

An All Japan vs. New Japan tour occurred from April 8 - June 8, 2001, and it had such blockbuster interpromotional matches as Keji Muto (NJ) vs. Toshiaki Kawada (AJ), Kawada vs. Satoshi Kojima (NJ), Hiro Saito & Kojima (NJ) vs. Mike Rotundo & Steve Williams (AJ), Kawada vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan (NJ), and an incredible on-paper match which saw Genichiro Tenryu of All Japan defending his AJPW Triple Crown Title (the unified PWF World Heavyweight, NWA United National, and NWA International Titles) against New Japan's Keji Muto. Muto had challenged Tenryu for the title, and Tenryu had agreed to a match with it on the line. This would be Tenryu's second Triple Crown title defense, as he had won the vacant title in a tournament final from Toshiaki Kawada in October 2000 (the title is so prestigious that it's only defended at very large megacards). This is the first time ever that a wrestler contracted outside of All Japan has ever challenged for the Triple Crown Title, so it's quite historic (of course, any Triple Crown match is historic). So, without further ado, let's go back to Genichiro Tenryu's AJPW Triple Crown title defense against Keji Muto.

All Japan Professional Wrestling Interpromotional Show
Nippon Budokan
16,000 fans

All Japan Triple Crown Title: Keji Muto (New Japan) vs. Genichiro Tenryu (C) (All Japan)

• THE ENTRANCES: A graphic of the title match is shown. Some wierd piano music hits, and the arena, which is completely black, breaks out into some chant. Out comes Keji Muto, dressed in a big white robe. He steps through the roopes and does his signature taunt. The fans chant along to the next tune, and out comes Genichiro Tenryu with the titles on his shoulder. He shows no emotion. He's dressed in a black overcoat. He steps through the ropes and goes to his respective corner.

• THE INTRODUCTIONS: Some lucky high-power guy in a tuxedo reads off some stuff. Tenryu hands over the titles to the tux guy. Another guy in a tux introduces the combatants. First Muto, who gets a big pop. White streamers are shot into the ring towards him. Muto takes off his nice robe. Next up, Tenryu is introduced, and he gets a big pop. He too takes off his overcoat. The streamers are cleared out of the ring, and all of the officials clear the ring, and we're set to begin.

• THE MATCH: Muto immediately attacks with two kneecap dropkicks to Tenryu's right leg and an attempted dragonscrew, but Tenryu escpapes and hits a chop. He too goes for a dragonscrew dreaded Shining Wizard (jumping front knee smash). Tenryu's down on the ground struggling, so Muto picks him up and drops him on his knee with a ribbreaker (scoop slam/side backbreaker combo). He quickly heads up top for a moonsault, but decides against it when Tenryu rolls to the outside. Applause. Tenryu climbs back up onto the apron and they again squareoff. Tieup. Muto with a waistlock. Tenryu fights back and locks on an armlock, which subdues Muto to the mat. He eventually stands back up, but Tenryu hits an armdrag-like manuever, locking on a mat submission. Muto kicks out of it, and they again squareoff. Muto misses a kneecap dropkick, as Tenryu moves away. Squareoff.

Tieup. Muto w/ a side headlock. Tenryu down on one knee, but he eventually stands, only to get snapmared. Muto comes of the ropes with a snap elbow drop. He hits another snapmare, and locks on a rear chinlock, eventually transitioning into a side headlock. Tenryu gets up and hits a backdrop suplex, escaping the hold. Both recover. Tenryu whips Muto. Muto rolls under him and hits a dropkick. He goes to an armlock hold, and uses it to eventually push Tenryu into the corner. He hammers him twice. Corner whip. Muto goes for a handspring back elbow, but Tenryu sloppily gets a boot up. Muto holds his head while Tenyu circles him. He hits an enziguri. 1. He drops Muto with a powerbomb, and rolls him up with a pinning combo. 2. Tenryu kicks Muto, and then chopes him, but gets spinning heel kicked out of nowhere! He rolls to the outside, where he lies on the ground, grabbing at his head. Meanwhile, Muto recovers in the ring. Tenryu climbs to his feet, and Muto catches him w/ a pescado (slingshot bodypress)!

Muto climbs back into the ring, and Tenryu climbs to his feet. Tenryu gets up onto the apron and is kneecap dropkicked twice. He's now lying on the apron. Muto goes to suplex him in, and Tenryu tries to counter, and so does Muto again, but Tenryu suplexes him out and drops him on the concrete, Muto's neck hitting the apron on the way down! Tenryu catches him with a sucidide-dive through the second and third ropes! Both are down on the outside mats. Tenryu climbs back in, but Muto grabs his foot and dragonscrew legwhips him off the apron onto the mat below! The referee checks on hium. Muto climbs up onto the apron. Tenryu rises, and Muto leaps off the apron and onto the mat, connecting with a kneecap dropkick! They climb to their feet, and Muto rolls Tenryu back into he ring. Applause. He goes up top, and with Tenryu climbing to his feet, hits a kneecap dropkick! Tenryu goes down and grabs at his right knee. Muto then comes off the second-rope with what looks to be a kneedrop (or possibly an elbow or forearm shot, but I think it was a kneedrop; it's hard to tell).

Muto then hits a dragonscrew, and locks on a Figure Four Leglock! Tenryu screams out in pain, but refuses to give up. He tries to reverse it, and eventually rolls far enough to grab the second-rope. muto releases the hold, but the damage has been done. Muto double-leg dropkicks the same leg. Tenryu climbs to his feet, and Muto ges for another dragonscrew, but Tenryu fights him off (he's holding onto the top-rope, so he's not going anywhere). He chops Muto and then hits a kneecap dropkick. Muto hits his own, but Tenryu won't go down. Tenryu hits one, and goes down himself. He then grabs Muto's leg and hits a dragonscrew! Both are down, grabbing at their knees. Tenryu eventually stands, and locks on a Figure Four Leglock. Muto moans in pain. New Japan President Tatsumi Fujinami watches from ringside. Muto's shoulders are down, but he gets them up at 2, and quickly crawls to the ropes and grabs them.

Muto breaks the hold, and Muto immediately gets up and goes for a kneecap dropkick, but misses. Tenryu hits one of his own, and goes for a dragonscrew, but instead just chops Muto down to the mat, and quickly locks on a Texas Cloverleaf. Muito graos in pain, but Tenryu realeses it very quickly. He lies down and gets his breath. Muto gradually gets up, and gets sparring punched twice. He tries fighting back with a chest slap, but gets sparring punched again. he gets atomic dropped up onto the top-rope. Muto climbs up, too, and brings him off with a Spider German Suplex! Tenryu doesn't come off the buckle, as he had his legs tied in to the ropes. He then comes off and hits Muto with a diving back elbow drop. He covers, but Muto escapes at 2 1/2. Tenryu rises and hits two chops. he then comes off the ropes, but Muto catches him with a great hurricanrana. He then hits a Shining Wizard, but Tenryu blocked most of it. Tenryu sparring punches wice. Tenryu then hits a Nornern Lights Bomb. 2 1/2.

Muto is just about out. Tenryu gets to his feet, points up to the sky, and picks Muto up. He corner whips him and hits a running chop. He nails several sparring punches and chops, and then lifts Muto up onto the top-rope. He points up to the sky again, and then Frankensteiners Muto off, showing that he's still flexible at his age! Muto escapes at 2 1/2! Tenryu hits two more sparring punches. Another Northern Lights Bomb is countered with a knee smash (not a Shining Wizard) to the shoulder. They both rise at the same time, and Muto hits a punch. Tenryu fights back with a chop, sparring punch, and chop, but Muto hits a backflip overhead kick, like Jinsei Shinzaki! They eventually get up, and Muto hits the Shining Wizard! 2 3/4! Muto leans on the ropes, exhausted. He hits another Shining Wizard! 2 3/4, agan! He picks Tenryu up, and hits a ribbreaker. Tenryu's lying in the middle of the ring! Muto climbs up top and comes off with his Moonsault press! 1...2...3 (23:24)!!!

• POST-MATCH: Keji Muto is the new Triple Crown Champion! He's the first non-All Japan wrestler to win the title! He shakes the hand of some guy in a tux, who gives him the belts. He lays them down on the mat and kisses them, while his fellow BATT members, including Hiroshi Hase, enter the ring and congratulate him. Clip to the next match, which is a NOAH one.

• AFTERTHOUGHTS: This was a great match. This was my first Keji Muto match ever, and while I think he may be a tiny bit overrated, and I think his Shining Wizard is ludicrous (I was picturing some kind of brainbuster, powerbomb, or top-rope move), this match had tons of drama and great wrestling. I'm sure both have done better, as the match was somewhat slow-paced, but nonetheless, it was a teriffic Triple Crown match. It told a good story, and there were tons of near falls. It was somewhat of a spotfest, but the drama inserted in really hid that mostly. Both guys are getting very old, so this match was a classic when that's considered.

It was also rather repetitive to a first-time viewer (like me), with tons of dragonscrews, figure-fours, and Shining Wizards. However, the abundance of drama really covered that up, and actually was able to make it very exciting, with the viewer waiting to see if Muto will nail his knee smash or if Tenryu will get his Northern Lights Bomb. There's tons of history associated with this match, as it was the first time anyone other than an AJPW wrestler won the Triple Crown, so Muto made history. He's won the IWGP World Heavyweight Title (NJPW's World Title) three times, but even during his Great Muta days, he never won the AJPW Triple Crown; This was his first time, and therefore quite emotional for him.

• RATING: ***1/2

• OTHER NOTES: I bought this match from RFVideo.com, which is a very reputable dealer. It's the very first match on their "Best of Japan 2001 Vol. 2" tape, and I'll be reviewing more of the matches on that tape soon. You can also view this match as the last one on the All Japan's "AJPW vs. NJPW New Century Battle in King's Road" commerical tape. That tape also has Kawada/Muto, Rotundo/Williams vs. Kojima/Saito, Kawada/Tenzan, and two other tag team bouts. That's supposed to be a very good tape, so you may want to pick it up. You can also find this match on Highspots.com on several of their tapes, so that's another option. Highspots prices are much better than RFVideo's.