| 1 | 18.11.2022 | Ma Stump Puller | 6.0 | This is recorded in full, a rarity at the time for matches like these. We start off with some competent feeling out sequences, with the foreign trio using a lot of strikes and scrappy stuff in comparison to the more pure wrestlers on the NJPW side. Valentine is definitely a required taste but if you like his more refined, old-school pacing then you'll definitely get something out of here with his sharp elbows and big slams. They repeat the Kimura spot from the 16 tag by having him get beat down before just run to the corner to hot tag Tiger Mask, as well as Kid tagging out as soon as he comes in. Of course Bret is the one to take the beatings from the trio given he's by far the less experienced (and the best seller, to be fair). They all take turns working the leg for a bit before Kid gets in to land some dirty headbutts to even the score. The middle admittedly is rather heatless as everyone kinda just gets in, bumps a bit, tags out, repeat etc. There's not really any attempt to push much apart from the other trio working the leg of Kimura after Valentine counters a headlock with a good delayed shin breaker. Bret doesn't have the experience to keep the limb work going, so he accidently ends up letting Kimura go during the leg work. The crowd only really gets going when Sayama returns to land lots of mean kicks to Bret alongside a cross chop. Crowd bites for a Kid near fall as he goes for a mean Tombstone on Mask. Fuji and co both land big backdrops on Kid because he can bump for them well, but Bret gets in to land a dirty closed fist on Kimura to knock him to the outside. Kid lands a nasty apron knee drop to Kimura as well as just hurling the fucker over the guardrail, which costs them the first fall by DQ. The heels use this to their advantage as Kimura is still the legal man, meaning Valentine is just free to hunt for his bad leg; despite some close calls he's able to eventually get a tap with a figure four for their first fall. They beat down on him afterwards until Kid goes for a single leg Boston Crab and gets wrecked with a running kick by Mask, leading to a Fuji hot tag, which he does fairly well. They get the finish over quick as Mask lands a dive, Fuji gets the win on Bret with a backdrop/Enzuigiri for the win. This was basically a standard house show tag, and while it wasn't the most bonkers spot-wise, it's a smartly worked match with certain things to enjoy about it, especially given everyone involved knows how to work pretty well at this point. Nothing to brag but a fun watch nonetheless. |
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