The Art of Wrestling: A Heaping Helping of Dangerous K
First off: Sorry there was no column last week. Real life got in the way, again. To make up for it, here’s an extra-long column with three reviews of genuinely interesting bouts, the last of which doubles as a heartfelt ode to one of the very greatest wrestlers of our time:
The DVDVR Best of the 80s Project
One of the great things about writing for Inside Pulse is that the editors let me use my column space to promote anything I want, even if it’s something on another website. I’m pleased that this is the case here, since I really feel that the Death Valley Driver Video Review guys deserve some recognition for taking on their massive new project: compiling a list of the best Pro Wrestling matches of the 1980s. I’m proud to be one of the voters participating in the fist stage of the project: ranking the 100 best WWF matches of the decade.
Off the top of my head, these would be the top five matches I remember from that period:
1) Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat, WrestleMania 3
2) Sgt. Slaughter vs. Iron Sheik, Boot Camp Match
3) Bret Hart vs. The Dynamite Kid, Sept. ’84
4) British Bulldogs vs. The Hart Foundation, Nov. ’86
5) Bret Hart vs. Ricky Steamboat, March ’86
I’m sure that going through the matches on the nomination list will introduce to matches that I’ve either forgotten or never seen in the first place, and I’m sure it will change my mind about some matches that I either liked or disliked in the past. I’m interested to see if anything will impress me enough to force its way onto the above list, and I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing how the list turns out.
Mixed Martial Arts for Wrestling Fans
Another benefit of spending a bit of my free time on the DVDVR is that I’ve been learning quite a bit more about MMA, courtesy of their excellent writers on the subject. Mike Naimark, in particular, has been responsible for turning me on to the joys of the smaller and lesser-known No Holds Barred promotions, like Hook ‘n’ Shoot, IFC, UCC, Shooto, and DEEP. Of course, for those interested in learning more about the UFC, IP’s own Reverend Sick has been doing an outstanding job with his column, Into the Pit.
While I’m promoting IP Sports’ columns, I’d also like to give a tip of the hat to Nick Pomazak. For my money, his columns are among the best NFL writing on the ‘net. Pancakes in the Age of Enlightenment, Monday Morning Pancakes, MMQ, and TMQ are the football columns that I look forward to reading every week.
Back to MMA. I’ve decided that I’m going to drop a mini-column on the sport into The Art of Wrestling from time to time. The more MMA I watch, the more I believe that PRIDE, UFC, and the rest are doing at least a good a job as Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and the rest at providing their fans with compelling characters competing in matches that tell interesting stories.
I’ll explain more about why I feel that way, next week.
TOSHIAKI KAWADA DEFENDS HIS TRIPLE CROWN
The following reviews are part of an ongoing series of reviews of matches that are on Golden Boy Tapes’ Best of Japan 2004 set. I’m finding that the process of reviewing these matches is a very rewarding one, as it’s opening my eyes to just how much greatness there is on the current Pro-Wres scene. Toshiaki Kawada’s record-setting run with All Japan’s Triple Crown was, of course, one of the greatest stories of recent years, and the Golden Boy set contains quite a few of his more notable defenses.
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Genichiro Tenryu, January 18, 2004:
A truly crazy number of yellow streamers fly into the ring from the crowd to start out this New Year’s Giant Series Triple Crown defense.
There’s a palpable moment of tension before the two lock up for the first time, and it’s there every time they lock up for the remainder of the match. Even in the earliest moments of the slow feeling-out process that leads into the body of the match, Tenryu uses facial expressions and subtle body language such as briefly clenching his fists in pain to show that Kawada is strong enough to hurt him. Kawada, for his part, shows respect for the legendary veteran’s power by being reluctant to release him once they are in the ropes, and by cringing ever so slightly and striking a defensive posture the moment he lets Tenryu go.
It is quickly made clear that the story of this match will be told as much by small details as by grand gestures. It is also established early on that, while Kawada cannot overpower Tenryu, he can out-strike him. This is apparently a bitter pill for Tenryu to swallow, as he erupts with rage after being kicked off the ring apron, flinging chairs and threatening the referee. Kawada keeps the advantage, however, and he knocks Mr. Puroresu goofy with chops, slaps, and kicks.
When Tenryu finally turns the tables, he doesn’t leap straight into his own offense. Instead, he takes the time to let the audience see the pain, anger, and frustration that he is feeling. Too proud to back down, Tenryu initiates another exchange of strikes, and the sound of his Knife-Edge Chops echoes off the arena walls. Kawada fights back, however, and once he starts losing the advantage Tenryu wisely switches to his big power moves. A Top rope Backdrop, Neckbreaker, Lariat, and Powerbomb are all kicked out of, and Kawada is left worn down but still kicking. Tenryu attempts to take Kawada’s main weapon away, switching his focus to the injured right knee that had kept Dangerous K out of wrestling for a year, working it over with a variety of strikes and holds.
The match proceeds at a very deliberate pace. The story of Kawada’s struggle to regain the upper hand is told mainly through changes in the postures and facial expressions of the two combatants. Kawada’s desperation transforms into determination as Tenryu moves from confidence through fury and into exhaustion and renewed frustration as he can’t put Kawada away.
Something rather odd happens when Kawada regains control. He immediately goes back to unleashing big kicks on his opponent, making no effort at all to sell the damage that has been done to his knee. Normally I don’t let things like this bother me too much, but it’s just so blatant in this case. I imagine that this would have been enough to completely ruin the match for some people I know.
Kawada keeps pouring on the offense, and both men do a wonderful job of selling the physical toll that the match as a whole is taking on them. Tenryu in particular is a joy to watch as his legs and spine gradually turn to jelly under an onslaught of kicks and backdrops. At one point, near the end, he very effectively gives the impression that he is able to remain standing only through instinct.
The final Brainbuster is a thing of beauty and a fitting way to end this war of attrition. Even without the obvious flaw, I’d say that this match wasn’t as good as Kawada vs. Hashimoto, but it’s still well worth watching.
A Little Digression
In the above review, I remark frequently about how Tenryu is doing all of the little things that he needs to do to get the story of the match across to the audience. This really struck me, at least in part because a couple of very intelligent wrestling fans had written to me suggesting that I had underrated Tenryu’s performance in his G-1 match with Sasaki. After watching Tenryu vs. Kawada I decided to write back and argue that Tenryu is simply much better when he’s taking care of all the details that enable him to communicate with his audience. I went back and re-watched Tenryu vs. Sasaki to pick out some concrete examples of him not doing so, and found to my surprise that Tenryu in fact uses all of his little tricks in the G-1 match as well.
I seriously do not know why I didn’t see that the first couple of times I watched the G-1 match. Maybe there was something in my mood or my expectations that made me view the Triple Crown match a little differently. Maybe I was paying too much attention to Sasaki’s crazy new offense.
It’s definitely strange to see the same match from two entirely different perspectives like that. At any rate, I’m forced to revise my opinion of Tenryu vs. Sasaki almost entirely. What I saw as disinterest on Tenryu’s part on first and second viewings now comes across as a very fitting and proper stoicism. Hats off to Genichiro Tenryu, Mr. Puroresu!
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Satoshi Kojima, August 23, 2004:
It almost seems as if most of Kawada’s 2004 Triple Crown matches followed the same basic formula. They start out with some mat wrestling, with Kawada’s opponent either coming out on top or at least stalemating the champ. Then there is an extended striking sequence, which Kawada always, rightly, dominates. Unable to best Kawada by going toe to toe, his opponents then usually switch to high impact moves before trying to wear down one of Kawada’s body parts. Kawada then fights his way back, hits some big moves of his own, slaps on the Stretch Plum, then heads for the finish. The 2004 Kojima match follows the formula to a certain extent, but once they reach the finishing sequence they push it much, much further than Tenryu or Hashimoto did. Perhaps they were able to do this because Kojima is younger and more spry than Kawada’s legendary challengers. Who knows?
Anyway, the extended finishing sequence kicks off with the time-honored AJPW cliché of one man hitting a big power move only to have the other pop up and hit a move of his own, followed by both men lying splayed out on the mat. From there, they move on to trading big moves followed by two counts followed by both men again collapsing from exhaustion. They push this right to the edge of absurdity and then move deftly into a series of very credible near-falls, each of which has the crowd going crazy.
In the end, Kojima is unable to regain his feet after absorbing a creatively punishing three-strike combination, which sets him up for an innovative and deadly looking Buzz Saw Kick type of finisher.
This might, technically, be the best of the Triple Crown defenses on this DVD set. It doesn’t have the special aura of the Hashimoto fight, and it’s probably better appreciated in hindsight now that Kojima is holding the Triple Crown, but I’d say it deserves serious consideration as a candidate for the 2004 AJPW Match of the Year.
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Taiyo Kea, October 31, 2004:
There are a lot of things that we take for granted about Toshiaki Kawada:
The way he doesn’t merely apply holds but rather throws them on with snugness and intensity.
The way he actually works a hold instead of just putting it on and then resting for a while.
The way he sells with his eyes, his changing mannerisms, and his posture as well as with his broad facial expressions and his voice.
The way he takes every one of his opponent’s strikes with full force.
The way he throws his whole body into each of his bumps.
The complete believability he brings to his role as the ultimate surly bad-ass.
The great variety of ways that he can credibly finish an opponent, which in turn leads to his ability to work numerous believable near-falls into any match.
The casual violence with which he’ll stomp on a helpless opponent’s head.
The otherworldly stiffness of his massive arsenal of strikes.
The way he makes even a lesser opponent look like a legitimate threat without ever losing his own aura of toughness and determination.
His constant willingness to put his body on the line, match after match after match.
His impeccable sense of timing, pacing, and structure.
His virtually unmatched ability to convey a sense of real struggle and to tell a story in the ring.
This match, like so many Kawada matches, displays all of those qualities in abundance, but I don’t recall too many people getting very excited about it. Perhaps that is because Kea wasn’t seen as a legitimate threat to take the Triple Crown. Maybe the match was overshadowed by the mildly disappointing spectacle of Misawa and Mutoh teaming up in the main event of the show where it took place. Maybe people were put off by the finishing sequence, where it was hard to tell whether Kawada and Kea were just selling really well or if they were both legitimately exhausted. I think the reason this match didn’t create more of a stir is that we’ve fallen into the habit of taking Kawada very much for granted.
Next week, we’ll look at a few more of Kawada’s matches from 2004, including his forays into New Japan and K-Dojo, and I’ll go on a little bit about my newfound love for MMA.
In the meantime, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out Fitzgerald’s list of interesting matches, Ditch’s New Japan rant, and Burnside’s slow descent into insanity.
Thanks for reading!
