THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA
ARTICLE # 64
JANUARY 6, 2003
Best of 2002 Part 3: Puroresu
My final look at the best of 2002 in wrestling looks at 5 of the best puroresu matches of the year. These might not be the actual top 5 matches in puroresu in 2002, but do represent the best of All Japan, New Japan, Noah and the indy scene. This was one of the weaker years in recent memory for top-notch matches, but as always Japan provided us with a number of excellent and memorable offerings from a variety of groups.
2/17/02: Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata
This was Kobashi's return after an absence of more than a year due to a knee injury, and he received a thunderous ovation coming out. Misawa also received a huge ovation, probably his biggest in Budokan Hall in a few years. Misawa and Nagata started the match with a feelout process. Nagata took Misawa down by his leg and mounted his back but Misawa countered and applied a hammerlock. Nagata countered with a hammerlock of his own and Misawa calmly walked to the ropes to break the hold. Nagata threw some roundhouse kicks to Misawa's leg and took him down. Nagata applied a leglock on Misawa but Misawa turned over and reached the ropes. Misawa won an exchange of elbows and gave Nagata a flying lariat but Nagata bounced back with a clothesline of his own. Akiyama tagged in as did Kobashi to a huge pop. Akiyama elbowed Kobashi but Kobashi chopped him. Akiyama applied a headlock and couldn't tackle Kobashi on a criss cross. Akiyama grabbed Kobashi's leg and went for a dragon screw but Kobashi lunged for the ropes before any damage could be done. They had a test of strength. Akiyama landed an elbow but Kobashi responded with a chop. They traded more chops and elbows, including Kobashi absorbing a series of elbows. Akiyama ran into a chop and Kobashi blocked a jumping knee. Akiyama blocked a lariat and gave Kobashi a dragon screw to his bad leg. Kobashi jumped right back up (!) and tackled Akiyama. Kobashi backed Akiyama into a corner and gave him a mule kick. Kobashi gave Akiyama his trademark series of chops, including a fast series, in the corner. Kobashi vertical suplexed Akiyama for a near fall. Misawa elbowed Akiyama and pounded him. They traded elbows, Akiyama knocked Misawa down with an elbow but Misawa got right back up and flattened Akiyama with his own elbow. They kept knocking each other down with elbows and were at a standoff. Nagata gave Misawa an armringer and wristlock, then applied an armbar. Nagata drove his knee twice into Misawa's arm. Misawa tagged Kobashi for an interesting matchup. Nagata slapped Kobashi twice and challenged him. Kobashi backed Nagata into a corner and stiffed him with a series of chops. Kobashi gave Nagata a couple kneelifts and a Russian legsweep for a near fall. Kobashi applied an abdominal stretch on Nagata. Nagata escaped with a hiptoss and took Kobashi down by his leg. Nagata landed some kneedrops to Kobashi's head and applied a headlock. Kobashi countered and gave Nagata some elbows. Kobashi chopped Nagata but Nagata blocked a vertical suplex. Nagata went for an armbar but Kobashi countered and gave him some chops. Nagata responded with elbows but Kobashi gave him more chops. Kobashi ran into a kick from Nagata and sold his knee. Nagata gave Kobashi a roundhouse kick to his back. Akiyama gave Kobashi a jumping knee for a near fall and applied a Boston crab. Kobashi reached the ropes and Misawa elbowed Akiyama. Akiyama stomped Kobashi and kicked his head. Kobashi absorbed some elbows from Akiyama and chopped him. Akiyama whipped Kobashi into the corner but Kobashi blocked a jumping knee. Akiyama gave Kobashi a drop toehold and applied an STF. Misawa intervened and broke the hold. Nagata gave Kobashi some brutal kicks to his bad leg and gained a near fall. Nagata elbowed Kobashi but Kobashi chopped him. They traded more chops and kicks. Kobashi missed a spinning chop and Nagata belly to belly suplexed him. Nagata applied his inverted figure 4 leglock on Kobashi as Akiyama stood nearby holding off Misawa as heat mounted. Kobashi literally powered his way to the ropes to break the hold. Akiyama stomped Kobashi's leg and hit a running elbow in the corner. Kobashi blocked a northern lights suplex and suplexed Akiyama. Kobashi tackled Akiyama and tagged Misawa. Misawa won an exchange of elbows with Akiyama, Akiyama missed a jumping knee and Misawa scored with an elbow after which Akiyama rolled out of the ring. Misawa then hit his elbow suicida on Akiyama. Nagata whipped Misawa into the barricade but Misawa knocked him down with an elbow. Misawa gave Akiyama a top rope elbow strike and went for a tiger driver but Akiyama backed him into the corner. Misawa elbowed Akiyama but Akiyama caught him on the second rope. Akiyama went for a powerbomb but Misawa countered with a huracanrana. Akiyama blocked a tiger driver and gave Misawa an exploder. Nagata whipped Misawa into the corner but ran into an elbow. Misawa jumped back off the second rope but Nagata kicked him in mid-air. Nagata gave Misawa a couple roundhouse kicks and an enzuguiri. Nagata gave Misawa a northern lights suplex for a near fall. Nagata gave Misawa some kneelifts, DDTd him and applied a crossface. Kobashi stomped Nagata to break the hold but Nagata gave him a series of elbows. Misawa gave Nagata a couple elbows and a tiger driver for a near fall. Kobashi went to give Nagata his half nelson German suplex but Akiyama intervened. Kobashi gave Akiyama a chop and Nagata a half nelson German suplex for a near fall. Kobashi powerbombed Nagata but Nagata caught him in an armbar from his back. Akiyama elbowed Misawa on the apron. Kobashi reached the ropes after a struggle. Nagata gave Kobashi an overhead belly to belly suplex. Kobashi caught Akiyama in a sleeper and turned it into a half nelson German suplex for a near fall as Misawa elbowed Nagata. Kobashi vertical suplexed Akiyama (actually more like a loose falcon arrow the way he dropped him) and Misawa hit a tiger splash. Kobashi gained a near fall on Akiyama and went for a powerbomb but Nagata kicked his leg from behind. Misawa blocked a high kick and elbowed Nagata. Misawa elbowed Akiyama but Akiyama countered an emerald frosien and gave Misawa an exploder. Akiyama blocked a lariat and went for an exploder but Kobashi blocked it and gave Akiyama a lariat. Kobashi went for a lariat but Akiyama kicked him. Akiyama applied a sleeper and turned it into a neckbreaker submission hold as Nagata took Misawa down and applied an STF and then a crossface. Akiyama gained a near fall on Kobashi. Kobashi gave both opponents chops but Nagata gave him a spin kick and Akiyama added an exploder, but only gained a one count! Akiyama gave Kobashi a jumping knee in the corner and an exploder for a near fall. Akiyama gave Kobashi a wrist clutch exploder for the pin at 26:49, and the crowd was totally deflated in an instant. It was the logical finish, though, as Kobashi was returning from a lengthy injury and it would serve Noah better to put over their own Akiyama rather than New Japan's soon-to-be champion. This match had an All Japan feel to it in terms of the generally slow pace and build. Actually, I thought the build wasn't too deep psychologically or tightly paced, but it didn't have to be. Kobashi's knee was clearly the focus, and the way that his opponents attacked it made viewers cringe at times, as neither Akiyama nor Nagata held back in their strikes. The pacing wasn't too cohesive, although it wasn't all over the place either, as they took their time. Fan heat was really up and down, but it seemed as if they were mostly there just to see Kobashi's return, with the rest of the match being of secondary interest. They didn't really sustain heat for a long time until the closing minutes. The work itself was as outstanding as you'd expect. Misawa, Nagata and Akiyama were all excellent, but Kobashi was the clear star of the match with his work. In particular, I can't recall him doing a better job of selling various aspects of a match as I saw him do here. In other words, he finally looked like the veteran type he should be at this stage in his career, showing a command of the action without over the top or illogical selling that he used to be known for. Any other setting and I'd call this an excellent match. However, the main purpose here was to deliver a dream match, or at least a quasi-dream match, while giving one of the all-time great workers a fitting return, and give fans what they wanted to see. They succeeded as well as could be asked for. One of the most interesting so-called "dream" matches of the year (in a year of many), and one of the best. A very high-end ****1/4.
5/2/02 IWGP Title: Yuji Nagata (c) vs Yoshihiro Takayama
Takayama landed some headbutts as they locked up early. Nagata took Takayama down and landed some headbutts of his own. Takayama landed some punches from the mount but Nagata turned him over and landed more headbutts. Nagata applied a crossface but Takayama countered and escaped. They locked up and Nagata belly to belly suplexed Takayama out of the lockup in a neat spot. Takayama scored with a high kick. Both men tentatively threw kicks that didn't connect. Nagata landed a kick and gave Takayama a back suplex but Takayama responded by applying a headlock choke. Nagata struggled to reach the ropes. Nagata fired four great roundhouse kicks, and the crowd popped for each one. Takayama countered a back suplex and elbowed Nagata but Nagata responded with an elbow of his own. Takayama gave Nagata a high kick and German suplexed him for a near fall. Takayama landed another high kick and Nagata rolled out of the ring. Takayama went to whip Nagata across the ring but Nagata simply collapsed. Takayama gave Nagata a high kick and applied a cross armbreaker but Nagata quickly reached the ropes. Takayama landed a couple roundhouse kicks and Nagata sold like he was dead as heat mounted. Takayama landed a roundhouse kick and a high kick in the corner. Takayama went for a German suplex but Nagata did a great sell job as he lunged for the ropes in desperation. Takayama attempted the German suplex again but Nagata countered with a roll through into an ankle lock in a great spot. Nagata kicked Takayama's leg repeatedly but ran into a kneelift from Takayama, who gained a near fall. Takayama applied an elbowlock on Nagata and kicked his back. Takayama landed a kick to Nagata's back and dropkicked him. Takayama hit a jumping knee in the corner and gave Nagata a double arm suplex for a near fall. Takayama applied a chinlock and punted Nagata's back. Takayama gave Nagata a stiff roundhouse kick to his chest and legdropped him for a near fall. Takayama high kicked Nagata twice and landed two more roundhouse kicks but Nagata surprised him with a kick that swept Takayama's legs from under him. Nagata delivered a roundhouse kick to Takayama's head. Nagata applied his Nagata lock (kinda an inverted figure 4) on Takayama. Takayama reached the ropes after a struggle. Nagata gave Takayama an enzuguiri and a koppo kick in the corner. Nagata back suplexed Takayama for a heated near fall. Takayama blocked a jumping kick and gave Nagata a brutal kneelift to the head for a pop. Takayama German suplexed Nagata for a near fall. They had a spirited exchange of punches and elbows with both men collapsing at the end of it. They traded punches again and Takayama gave Nagata a kneelift. Takayama missed a roundhouse kick, Nagata scored with his own roundhouse kick and gave Takayama a roundhouse kick to the head for the pin at 15:36 to retain the title. This reminded me quite a bit of the Sasaki-Kawada matches from 2000-2001, with both men throwing bombs and mixing in enough wrestling spots to present a complete package. Takayama isn't a great technical worker, but can keep up with someone like Nagata, who knows how to work with Takayama's strengths and limitations. Both men are strong in terms of stiff strikes, and neither held back in this match with their strikes. Great intensity, and strong selling in that they put over each hold, strike and maneuver. In particular, some of Nagata's selling in desperation to avoid certain moves was especially strong. This match won't convince me that Takayama's a great worker yet, but he looked much better than some of his 2000-2001 work I saw, and he really had the aura of a major league star. This was Nagata's first title defense, and he made the most of it, carrying Takayama to one of the best matches of his career. ****1/4
5/6/02: Tiger Mask IV vs Ikuto Hidaka
Tiger applied a headlock but Hidaka quickly countered with a back suplex. Hidaka back suplexed Tiger again and applied a cross armbreaker. Hidaka stomped Tiger, who rolled out of the ring. Hidaka appeared to be going for an Asai moonsault but Tiger kicked his legs out from under him on the apron. Tiger gave Hidaka a spinning kick and they had a criss cross. Tiger whipped Hidaka into the corner but Hidaka caught him and placed him on the top rope. Tiger got the better of Hidaka and gave him a second rope dropkick. Tiger scored with roundhouse kicks to Hidaka's legs and a dropkick to his knees. Tiger applied a figure 4 leglock on Hidaka. Tiger turned Hidaka over and applied somewhat of a kneeling figure 4 leglock, and also applied an armbar. Tiger repeatedly stomped Hidaka's leg. Tiger ran into a savate kick. Hidaka went for a spin kick but Tiger caught him and kinda suplexed him. Tiger landed some roundhouse kicks to Hidaka's chest and back. Tiger slapped Hidaka and hit an enzuguiri for a near fall. Tiger stomped Hidaka but someone at ringside tripped Hidaka (Togo?). Hidaka gave Tiger a savate kick and DDTd him. Hidaka ripped at Tiger's mask and rammed him into the corner. Hidaka landed some punches in the corner and gave Tiger, who was sitting in the corner, a running dropkick. Hidaka snapmared Tiger and gave him a boot scrape. Hidaka landed some punches and gave Tiger a sharp savate kick to the head. Hidaka dropkicked Tiger for a near fall. Hidaka went for a rollup but Tiger blocked it and countered with a legbar. Hidaka reached the ropes after a brief struggle. Hidaka fought back with a hard slap and nearly scored a knockout win. Hidaka scored with another hard slap that floored Tiger for another near knockout. Hidaka German suplexed Tiger and applied a legbar. Hidaka hit a great springboard missile dropkick and caught Tiger in a legbar but Tiger quickly reached the ropes. Tiger blocked a suplex but Hidaka punched him. Hidaka gave Tiger a sitout powerbomb for a near fall. Tiger blocked a German suplex but Hidaka hit him, apparently with a low blow. Hidaka went for a German suplex but Tiger flipped out of it. Hidaka caught Tiger coming off the ropes and applied an ankle lock. Heat mounted and Tiger reached the ropes. Tiger blocked a tiger suplex but Hidaka applied a sleeper and a bodyscissors for added leverage. Tiger reached the ropes after a struggle but Hidaka was slow to break the sleeper. Tiger flipped out of a tiger suplex attempt and gave Hidaka a tiger suplex of his own for a near fall. Tiger went for a double arm superplex but Hidaka knocked him to the mat with a headbutt. Tiger kicked the top turnbuckle and crotched Hidaka on the top rope. Tiger gave Hidaka a top rope double arm superplex and hit a standing moonsault for a near fall. Tiger applied a hammerlock and turned it into a chicken wing. Tiger gave Hidaka a great chicken wing suplex and a tiger suplex for the pin at 15:28. They wasted no time at all with useless matwork, and while much of this was great matwork, the work and drama were strong because they centered it around leglocks and armbars of significance. Hidaka's strikes were sharp and he displayed a cool heel charisma that reminded me a bit of a combo of Otani/Kanemoto/Taka, which is a high compliment. And in this match, Hidaka's work was on a similar level of quality. Tiger continued to prove his rep as one of the best juniors in wrestling. Not many flying moves, but the few they used had meaning and were used smartly. Only a few fast-paced stretches, but the entire match was intense and heated, so it never dragged. Fan heat backs this up, because the crowd was much more lively for this match than one might expect for an indy show, as they were quiet very few times during the match. One of the best if not the best indy puroresu match of 2002. ****1/4
6/5/02 IWGP Tag Team Title: Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (c) vs Manabu Nakanishi & Osamu Nishimura
Chono stomped Nishimura's footage began but Nishimura threw a kick from his back ala Inoki-Ali. Chono stomped Nishimura's leg and Nishimura missed a kick. Chono repeatedly stomped Nishimura's left leg and applied a half crab. Tenzan tagged in and also attacked Nishumura's leg. Tenzan headbutted Nishimura and gave him a spin kick for a near fall. Tenzan held Nishimura as Chono hit him with a yakuza kick. Chono knocked Nakanishi off the apron and gave Nishimura a top rope shouldertackle. Tenzan gave Nishimura a top rope headbutt for a near fall. Nakanishi attacked Chono on the top rope as Nishimura caught up to Tenzan in another corner. Nakanishi gave Chono a northern lights superplex and Nishimura slammed Tenzan to the mat. Nishimura applied a sleeper and then an abdominal stretch on Tenzan but Chono intervened. Chono whipped Nishimura into the corner and Tenzan gave him a running clothesline. Tenzan whipped Nishimura into a yakuza kick from Chono. Chono knocked Nakanishi off the apron as Tenzan dropped a headbutt on Nishimura for a near fall. Tenzan applied a sleeper/armbar combo (not exactly like a chicken wing) on Nishimura. Chono snapmared Nakanishi and applied a teo lock (I think) as heat mounted. Nishimura reached the ropes after a struggle. Chono gave Nishimura a yakuza kick and applied a half crab but quickly turned it into an STF as Tenzan went after Nakanishi. Tenzan then applied a sharpshooter on Nakanishi. Tenzan held onto Nakanishi's legs as he bent back and applied a Fujiwara armbar as well. Nishimura struggled to reach the ropes and Chono stomped him. Chono and Tenzan tackled Nishimura and Tenzan gained a one count as fans reacted considerably. Tenzan headbutted Nishimura and Chono added a yakuza kick. Chono ran into an elbow and Nishimura tagged Nakanishi. Nakanishi gave both opponents a lariat and speared Chono. Nakanishi gave Tenzan a jumping knee. Chono got the better of Nakanishi but Nakanishi hit both opponents with a spear, knocking down Tenzan but not Chono. Nakanishi punched Chono and applied his backbreaker (torture rack). Nakanishi then threw Chono onto Tenzan. Nakanishi lifted Chono again in a backbreaker as Nishimura held Tenzan at bay with a sleeper. Nakanishi dropped Chono into a gutbuster and went for a German suplex but Chono countered with a low mule kick. Nishimura gave Chono a European uppercut but Tenzan gave him a lariat. Nakanishi speared Tenzan but Chono gave him a yakuza kick. Nakanishi caught Tenzan and gave him a northern lights suplex. Chono kicked both opponents. Nakanishi caught both opponents and gave them an AMAZING double northern lights suplex (!) for a heated near fall. Just an amazing visual spot because it was pulled off so perfectly. Tenzan absorbed a lariat but Nakanishi then German suplexed him for a heated near fall, and Nakanishi sold his knee. Nakanishi rolled out of the ring and Tenzan went after Nishimura. Nishimura then stood on the apron and removed his boots, going barefoot like his trainer, Hiro Matsuda, did when he wrestled. Tenzan kicked Nakanishi's leg but Nakanishi responded with a chop. Nakanishi gave Tenzan a kick of some sort (camera kinda missed it) and tagged Nishimura. Nishimura gave Tenzan a kneelift and two European uppercuts. Chono came in but Nishimura floored him with two more European uppercuts. Nishimura gave Chono some punches in the corner but Chono gave him an atomic drop. Chono took down Nishimura but Nishimura returned the favor and applied a spinning toehold. Tenzan came in but Nishimura caught his leg, took him down and gave him a spinning toehold as well. Nishimura turned it into a figure 4 leglock on Tenzan. Chono elbowsmashed Nishimura to break the hold. Chono and Nishimura traded blows. Nishimura gave Chono a kneelift for a near fall. Nishimura gave Chono a drop toehold, hooked his leg and drove his weight back repeatedly before completing the Mutolock. Tenzan intervened and stomped Nishimura and Chono added a low blow. Tenzan stomped Nishimura and slammed him, then dropped a headbutt for a near fall. Tenzan pummeled Nishimura in the corner and gave him a top rope knee drive for a near fall. Tenzan accidentally gave Chono a lariat when Nishimura ducked. Nakanishi, who I guess had been helped to the back to have his leg tended to, hurriedly limped back to his corner amidst great heat and tagged in. Nakanishi gave both opponents multiple European uppercuts to their legs (don't think they were intended low blows, certainly didn't connect as such). Nakanishi applied a spinning toehold on Chono and Nishimura gave Tenzan a spinning toehold into a figure 4 leglock. Nakanishi gave Chono a kneeling leglock and applied the iron claw to his head. Nakanishi limped over to Tenzan and gave him a spinning toehold as Nishimura had Chono in a figure 4 leglock. Tenzan landed some Mongolian chops as Nakanishi had him in a kneeling leglock but Nakanishi applied the iron claw. Tenzan and Nakanishi traded blows, including Nakanishi giving Tenzan his own Mongolian chop. Chono stomped Nishimura out of the ring. Nakanishi went for a kick but Chono caught his leg and gave him a dragon screw. Chono gave Nakanishi a second dragon screw and applied a kneeling figure 4 leglock. Chono added a front chancery while maintaining the leglock. Tenzan held Nishimura at bay with a sleeper. Nakanishi went for a claw but Chono brushed him off and taunted him as he maintained the leglock. Nakanishi finally reached the ropes after a lengthy struggle. Tenzan stomped and headbutted Nakanishi's leg. Tenzan added headbutts to Nakanishi's gut and crotch. Tenzan applied a rolling leglock of some sort on Nakanishi (different from a figure 4). Nakanishi reached the ropes after another struggle. Tenzan stomped Nakanishi and Chono gave him four consecutive Russian legsweeps. Chono added three more Russian legsweeps on Nakanishi for a near fall. Tenzan gave Nakanishi several Mongolian chops but ran into a boot. Tenzan kicked Nakanishi's leg and hit the leg for a near fall. Nakanishi blocked a Mongolian chop and gave Tenzan a jumping knee to the head, which appeared to bust him open. Nishimura tagged in and gave Tenzan a cobra twist into a rollup for a near fall. Nishimura dropkicked Chono 5 times but Tenzan intervened. Nishimura dropkicked Chono a sixth time as Tenzan was tended to at ringside. Nakanishi chopped Chono repeatedly for a near fall. Nakanishi added more chops and one to Chono's neck for a near fall. Nakanishi applied an STF of his own on Chono but Tenzan intervened and stomped him. Tenzan kicked Nakanishi and gave him a couple Mongolian chops but Nakanishi fired back with a chop of his own. Nishimura elbowed Tenzan but Tenzan gave him some low blows. Tenzan went to clip Nishimura's leg but missed and Nishimura gave him an elbow and headbutt. Nishimura went for a piledriver but Tenzan countered with a backdrop. Nishimura went for a sunset flip but Tenzan fell on him, and Nishimura bridged up and gave Tenzan a backslide for a very dramatic near fall. Nishimura applied a cobra twist on Tenzan and Nakanishi applied a cobra twist on Chono. Tenzan hiptossed Nishimura to escape and moonsaulted him for a heated near fall. Tenzan gave Nishimura a Tenzan driver for a near fall. Nishimura rolled up Chono and bridged for a near fall. Nakanishi gave Chono a jumping knee and a German suplex for a very heated near fall. Nishimura applied a sleeper on Chono and applied a bodyscissors for added leverage but Tenzan broke the hold with a headbutt. Nishimura walked into a yakuza kick and Chono gained a near fall. Nishimura telegraphed a backdrop and Chono gave him a backslide for a near fall. Nishimura gave Chono a small package for a dramatic near fall. Chono was whipped into the corner where Nakanishi gave him a running clothesline and Nishimura added a dropkick. Chono kneed Nishimura in the gut. Tenzan spin kicked Nakanishi for a near fall. Nakanishi pounded Tenzan and dropkicked him for a near fall. Nakanishi rolled up Tenzan for a near fall but time then expired at 60:00 and Chono and Tenzan retained the title. About the last 37:10 aired on TV. On June 4, 2002, if you told me these four would do a 60:00 match I would have expected it to be boring if not disastrous. I mean, Nakanishi had only come into his own over the past year, Nishimura was great at old style but had a limited moveset, and Chono couldn't possibly go that long given his health. Tenzan was the only one I could see going 60:00, but even he had been unproven in such a long match. Given the circumstances, these four hit a homerun, if not a grand slam. Sure the match had its slow points, but they were able to keep the crowd interested for the entire TV portion, and had the fans in a frenzy in the last few minutes. The early portion built well based around Nishimura's and especially Nakanishi's legs being attacked by Chono. Nice laying out of the match, almost like the Edge/Mysterio-Angle/Benoit match with the two beatdowns and hot tags. That 70s guy looked sharp with his European uppercut sequence, in part because it was so different from the usual spots we usually see nowadays. The build to a wounded but determined Nakanishi's hot tag was well done, and Nakanishi's selling based around his leg injury was terrific. Tenzan was perhaps the best worker of this match, but perhaps the least noticeable to me because of how the others stood out. Nishimura's 70s style work is not something that I enjoy watching, but it's definitely clear to me how well he pulls off that role, and that style works well because it's so different. If Nishimura had come along 15 years earlier with the same style he'd be hall of fame material, seriously. Chono was great because he knew exactly what he could do well, and stuck to that plan while leaving much of the serious bumping and athletic spots to Tenzan. Nakanishi looked light years better than his Kurasawa days in WCW, like a completely different wrestler. I haven't seen much of his work since 2000, but in this match Nakanishi lived up to the great reviews he's been getting. As for the match, it was clear early on they were going long and they made no effort to hide that, which hurt the match a bit. However, their final run was so hot, even in it's old school set of moves, that fans really bought into many of the false finishes. A very successful 60:00 match and New Japan's best match of 2002. ****1/2
7/17/02 All Japan Triple Crown Title: Genichiro Tenryu (c) vs Satoshi Kojima
Not much action early, as they eased their way into the match. After Tenryu broke cleanly twice, Kojima backed him into a corner and chopped him. Kojima alternated chops and punches amidst strong heat. Tenryu applied a waistlock but Kojima took him down with a drop toehold and applied a headlock. Tenryu pushed Kojima off but Kojima tackled him. They had a knucklelock and Tenryu backed Kojima into a corner. Kojima overpowered Tenryu by pushing him towards the middle of the ring and kicked him. Kojima landed some chops but Tenryu responded with a punch and chop of his own and Kojima rolled out of the ring. Tenryu threw a water bottle at Kojima. Kojima gave Tenryu several straight kicks to his gut and leg. Kojima attacked Tenryu's right leg but Tenryu kicked him with his left leg while on his back. Tenryu landed a couple chops but Kojima kicked his leg again and Tenryu sold the damage. Tenryu came back with a koppo kick (!) but sold his injured knee even more this time. Kojima bent Tenryu's leg going for a half crab but Tenryu countered and caught Kojima in an ankle lock. Tenryu kicked Kojima, landed some punches and some chops. Kojima kicked Tenryu but Tenryu responded with a high kick. Kojima threw a punch but Tenryu kicked him again. Tenryu punched and chopped Kojima but Kojima kicked his leg several times and gave him a dragon screw. Kojima repeatedly stomped Tenryu's knee in the corner. Tenryu punched Kojima's gut and kicked him amidst boos. Tenryu landed some punches, whipped Kojima into the corner and gave him a lariat. Tenryu whipped Kojima into the opposite corner and gave him alternating chops and punches. Tenryu gave Kojima a lariat and Kojima rolled out of the ring. Tenryu then took him out with a tope suicida. As Tenryu stood on the apron, Kojima gave him a lariat to his injured leg. Kojima hit a tope of his own and followed with a flip dive off the apron (I think, camera work was shaky). Kojima kicked Tenryu, whipped him into the corner and gave him a lariat. Kojima gave Tenryu a dragon screw and applied a figure 4 leglock after Tenryu failed to block it. Tenryu reached the ropes after a struggle. Kojima applied a sharpshooter on Tenryu as heat mounted but Tenryu reached the ropes as the hold was applied near them. Kojima rammed Tenryu into the corner and gave him alternating chops and punches. Kojima whipped Tenryu into the opposite corner and gave him a running elbow. Kojima hit a top rope elbowsmash for the first near fall of the match at about 16:00, and the heat was quite strong. Kojima ran into a chop and Tenryu gave him an enzuguiri. Tenryu DDTd Kojima for a near fall. Tenryu kicked Kojima's head and German suplexed him for a near fall. Tenryu dropped Kojima with a second released German suplex and elbowsmashed him. Tenryu applied a WAR special on Kojima but Kojima escaped with a knee to his head. Tenryu applied a sleeper and applied a bodyscissors for added leverage. Kojima reached the ropes with his foot. Kojima countered a brainbuster and gave Tenryu a Kojima cutter. Kojima gave Tenryu a cross arm neckbreaker for a near fall. Kojima gave Tenryu a Michinoku driver for a near fall. Tenryu punched and chopped Kojima, then gave him a brainbuster for a delayed near fall. Tenryu landed a couple punches and gave Kojima his German superplex. Tenryu missed a top rope elbowsmash and Kojima gave him a top rope Kojima cutter for a near fall. Kojima hit a running elbow to the back of Tenryu's head but ran into a chop. Kojima floored Tenryu with a lariat but sold his arm afterwards. They traded chops, and Tenryu landed several punches. Tenryu gave Kojima two brainbusters for a heated near fall. Tenryu went for a western lariat (left arm ala Hansen) but Kojima blocked it. Kojima gave Tenryu a lariat for a very heated near fall. Tenryu kicked and chopped Kojima and gave him some punches. Kojima tried to fight back but Tenryu gave him more chops and punches. Tenryu gave Kojima two brainbusters but Kojima bounced up and gave Tenryu a western lariat for a dramatic near fall. They had a dramatic exchange of chops. Kojima elbowed Tenryu but Tenryu responded with a punch and gave Kojima a brainbuster for a near fall. Tenryu landed more chops and punches and powerbombed Kojima for the pin at 28:57 to retain the title. Probably the best puroresu match of 2002, and this was better than New Japan's top tag team match. Very logical pacing, and fairly traditional as they started slow, worked an injury storyline, fired up the crowd with some hot moves, and went to the dramatic exchanges and near falls. The first near fall didn't even occur until 16 minutes into the match, but the fan response shows just how solidly both men had built the match up to that point. Fan heat was up and down as with most long matches, but it never died off and fans were really hot for the closing minutes. Not only did fans want to see an upset, but the outcome was also very much in doubt. Kojima was more assertive in this match than their previous match on 2/24/02, in which Tenryu dominated the bulk of the action. Kojima had been firmly settled in All Japan this time, and Tenryu gave him much more of the match both on offense and within a storyline context. As a result, Kojima showed to the fans that he had progressed since 2/24 and was able to either withstand or counteract several of Tenryu's tactics he previously fell victim to. This match was laid out very much like an epic title match, and while it wasn't as "pretty", this measures up favorably to the triple crown title match standard. Actually, this ranks as arguably the best triple crown title match since 1999, and I think this was a hair better than the legendary Tenryu-Muto match from 6/8/01. Not quite as memorable or as great as three classic U.S. matches (Ki-Dragon, WWE No Mercy tag, Ki-Lynn-Styles 8/7, and I know I might get heat for rating all of those over this match), but very close and probably cracks the worldwide top 5 matches of 2002. ****1/2
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