KING OF SPORTS: VOLUME 9

December 12, 2004

2004 is almost over, and we learn some important lessons from New Japan as we head into 2005.

Minoru Tanaka . . . isn’t a great worker.

Wataru Inoue . . . just might be.

The highlights of the IWGP Title in 2004 . . . were also low lights in the entire history of the title

RIKI CHOSYU/TOMOHIRO ISHII vs. TOGI MAKABE/TAKASHI IIZUKA

Chosyu may have been away from NJPW for two plus years, but his booking influence seems to live on. The way Makabe pounds on Ishii and blows off any offense he gets at all, shows that he’s definitely a Chosyu in-training. Ishii gets nothing in terms of offense until he gets a vertical suplex on Iizuka (which is Iiuzka’s lone contribution to the match) and makes the tag, for the big Chosyu vs. Chosyu-wannabe showdown. Makabe no-sells the Riki Lariat, and hits one of his own (Togi Lariat?), and Chosyu climbs to his feet and completely smears him with another Riki Lariat and puts on the Scorpion for an extremely fast submission. With all this garbage about the young generation rising up and overthrowing the old guard, it was a really good idea for Chosyu to job to that young kid Chono, before leaving.

HEAT © vs. WATARU INOUE (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title)

Both of these two have stretches in the match where they’re tolerable, Inoue much more than Tanaka. But both of them also have their fair share of frustrating moments. Tanaka is the main offender here, with his taped up shoulder. He sells it well whenever Inoue is directly targeting it, with kicks, or the Triangle Lancer. But other than that and it’s not even an afterthought for him. Tanaka does zero to sell it when he takes a flat back bump, and shows no difficulty whatsoever with pulling off any of his major moves, including the Minoru Special. Wataru actually attempts a pin while putting the majority of the pressure on the taped up shoulder, and that’s the shoulder that Tanaka opts to get off the mat for the near fall.

Inoue is quite the breath of fresh air, compared to Tanaka. He makes mistakes obviously, but one thing he shows is the ability to learn from his mistake. With Tanaka’s bad shoulder, attempting the Triangle Lancer was an obvious given. Inoue’s first transition to offense was countering the Irish whip toward the guardrail into the hold. Inoue attempts the hold again once they get into the ring, but tries to roll with the hold and cradle Tanaka. Only it’s too early and Wataru winds up rolling Tanaka right out of the hold. Another time, after he’s worked the arm over some more, he calls out that he’s going to put it on, and Tanaka knows it’s coming and counters it. When the opportunity again arises for Wataru to put the Triangle Lancer on, he keeps his mouth shut so he can get the hold applied, and successfully rolls Tanaka around the ring, and cradles him up for the near fall. Inoue isn’t perfect though, as it’s shown when he takes two release Germans, a fisherman buster, and still kicks out at one. Also, he takes two of Tanaka’s famous roundhouse kicks to the head, and climbs to his feet with a goofy look on his face, before Flair flopping back to the canvas. One of Inoue’s best actions in the match turns into his worst, when Tanaka initially locks in the Triangle choke. Wataru flails his limbs around, but does so in slow motion to put over him slowly being choked unconscious, and then decides to climb to his feet, pick up Tanaka in a powerbomb position and run to the ropes.

Tanaka seems to have the idea that the best way to set up for the Minoru Special, or a regular Juji-gatame is to plant Inoue on his head a whole bunch of times. When in fact the best way to set up for it, is to not set up for it, since both of them are totally plausible as flash submission holds. The point of dropping someone with a brainbuster, release German, and backdrop off the top, to eventually get the win with an armbar, I’m not quite sure of. But Tanaka seemed to think it was a good idea.

Next up are the highlights (and trust me, that term is being used very loosely here) of the IWGP Heavyweight Title in 2004, to build up to the final title match of the year.

SHINSUKE NAKAMURA (IWGP) vs. YOSHIHIRO TAKAYAMA (NWF) (IWGP and NWF Heavyweight Titles - 1/4/04)

This would almost be unremarkable if not for Nakamura’s facial injuries that he suffered on his 12/31/03 MMA fight. That alone makes every kick, forearm, punch, and knee strike that Takayama throws at Nakamura’s face, mean more than simply filler. Nakamura can be fun to watch, even though it’s been made more than a little obvious that he doesn’t have much to offer other than submissions. Not that there is anything wrong with pushing someone like Nakamura as the upset kid, and putting him over big names to build him up. The key element is “to build him up”, for a potential IWGP or NWF Title shot, not to hotshot the titles onto him and *then* push him as the upset kid. It’s fun to watch Takayama smack the boy around, and dually fun to watch Nakamura surprise him with the Shining Triangle. But the main event on the biggest show of the year, should end on a better note than Nakamura turning the Everest German suplex into a basic chicken wing for the upset tap out.

HIROSHI TANAHASHI vs. KAZUYUKI FUJITA (vacant IWGP Heavyweight Title - 6/5/04)

I applaud Fujita for beating the holy hell out of Sapp and driving him out of wrestling. I curse New Japan for simply booking Fujita to take his place. The clipping of this match really hurts it, because 9/10 of what they opted to show is Tanahashi laying on the mat, while Fujita kicked him in the head, and strutted around with a big grin on his face. The opening of the match with Tanahashi ducking the big kick, hitting the Dragon screw (to a huge ovation) and then hitting the big tope on Fujita, is instantly replaced with Tanahashi looking dead to the world. It’s not a shocker that Tanahashi would get destroyed (especially with that fluke pin he got on Fujita the previous October), but at least let us see him getting some offense in before he gets killed. Tanahashi does get a quick burst, but Fujita stops that in a hurry and finishes him off with more kicks to the head, for the ref stoppage victory.

KAZUYUKI FUJITA © vs. KATSUYORI SHIBATA (IWGP Heavyweight Title - 7/19/04)

This match looks a lot better than the last match, by virtue of showing more of Shibata on offense. The match is worked more of a legit shoot style, than a flashy shoot style. They’re all about throwing the strikes, and nothing substantial in terms of submissions. Although with all the kicks to the head that Fujita was laying in, some juice would have been a nice touch. Fujita obviously isn’t taking Shibata seriously and it comes back to haunt him when Shibata escapes the shoulder hold, and hooks on the sleeper which allows Shibata to hit Fujita with the PK. Fujita’s cocky strut and grin, is replaced by sheer anger, and he finally shows a bit of intensity. Unfortunately he also sucks the drama out of the match like a vacuum cleaner. Every time Shibata even moves to beat the ten-count and get back to his feet, Fujita is right there to kick him. He doesn’t even give Shibata a chance to try to get up and fall, or grab the ref for support, or do anything to make a show out of it. It’s fun for a while, but it gets old pretty fast, and seems like ages before Shibata finally doesn’t answer the count.

For some odd reason, we aren’t treated to Fujita’s two minute title loss to Kensuke, or Kensuke’s defenses against Tanahashi and Minoru Suzuki. Instead we skip right ahead to the final match of the show, and the final IWGP Heavyweight Title match of 2004.

The opening stretch of this match makes one thing crystal clear, not only do these two have no place working a thirty-minute match, but they both understand they have no place working a thirty minute match. As dull as it is watching these two do next to nothing except trade off chops, punches, kicks, etc. it’s more preferable than watching them completely kill any sort of flow or structure they had developed, just to kill some time and draw the match out a bit longer. But preferable or not, it’s still there and it still hurts the match. When they do start to establish something, the match picks up almost instantly.

Tenzan’s arm work on Sasaki is nice, and it gives Tenzan a chance to show off his mean streak, which makes it that much more frustrating when Sasaki forgets about it. Tenzan manages to make up for it though, when Sasaki goes on offense. Sasaki’s offensive run begins with the most insulting thing possible, the Tenzan Tombstone Driver. From there on, he’s just relentless as he works over Tenzan’s neck. It’s a bit heavy in the lariat department, but Sasaki does do some surprising things, like the plancha to the floor. Tenzan’s selling is great here too, as good a job as he did with showing off his mean streak. Tenzan does an even better job, as the helpless victim, and the fans are red-hot for Tenzan. 2004 was a very turbulent year for Tenzan, but during the G-1 he finally started the road back to redemption, and even though his “Big December” hasn’t gone well (two losses and a time limit draw) the win here would make up for all of it.

Tenzan knows that the moonsault is the key to victory, he gets a quick run of offense by using his famous hard head, and goes up the ropes for it, only for Sasaki to cut him off, and wear his neck down some more. Tenzan finally does get an opening though, and gives Sasaki a receipt in the form of the Northern Lights bomb. The nice thing here is that Tenzan doesn’t just turn into Superman. He’s still putting over fatigue and the punishment he’s taken. Learning his lesson from the moonsault attempt, Tenzan hits a TTD and waits for Sasaki to kick out. When he does, Tenzan pounces with the Anaconda Vice. Tenzan once again tries for the moonsault, and doesn’t get cut off this time, but Sasaki rolls out of the way.

The lariat trade off is a bit on the silly side, especially as late in the match as it is when they do it. Kensuke’s attempt to bring the neck back into focus was bad as well. The Stranglehold Gamma, as a potential finisher isn’t in the same league as the STF, Anaconda Vice, Crippler Crossface, or even the Stretch Plum. The NLB and Volcanic Eruption (which he’d used to beat Tenzan in March) would both have been better attempts to get one last good near fall. Tenzan learns from his last failed moonsault attempt though, and after he counters a charging lariat into the Anaconda Vice, with a really smooth transition. Before he heads up, he stuns him with a rolling kick, and spikes him with the TTD. Tenzan is finally able to drop the moonsault and claim his third IWGP Title. It’s quite fitting actually. Fujita and Sapp essentially shared a title reign, so the title went in a complete circle. Tenzan had finally beaten Shinsuke Nakamura, he won the G-1 for the second year in a row, and won the IWGP Title (from the man who took it from him no less), without anything to tarnish the victory this time. Tenzan may have gotten the storybook ending, but it didn’t come with the storybook great match.

Conclusion: 2004 was not a good year for NJPW artistically, and this commercial release doesn’t do a whole lot to change that perception. Tenzan’s title win is nice, but the win on its own don’t make up for the match. Thumbs down for this one.