Day 20 2024

 

NJPW G1 Climax Special 1995 Day 7

Singles Match

Sabu vs. Jushin Thunder Liger

Finally cracking back into a Best Of Sabu in Japan DVD I’ve had for a couple years. 

Sabu hoofs it to the ring. One of my favorite things about Sabu is that during the pre-match he’s always pacing around and taking swipes at his opponent like he just can’t wait for the bell to ring. Bell rings and Sabu dives for the legs but Liger sidesteps him. Sabu points to the sky and Liger looks up to see what he’s pointing at. Liger gives no shits and it’s great. Sabu tries for another leg takedown but Liger sidesteps him and waves an imaginary cape like a bullfighter. Sabu takes the bait and dives only to get Kappou Kicked for his effort. Liger grabs the leg but fails to follow up. He winds up in a Camel Clutch and Sabu bites on one of the horns on his mask. Doesn’t hurt him in anyway but I guess it sends a message. 

Out of the ring, and Sabu sets Liger up against a table. The bell only rang maybe a minute and a half ago. Sabu tries for a Suicide Dive but Liger recovers and slams the table into Sabus head as he comes through the rope. The table they use is that long one at ringside which looks solid as a motherfucker. Liger then mocks Sabus pre-match bowing because why not. 

Sabu re-enters the ring and he’s now bleeding. Hard way too since the cut is right around where the sideburns are. Liger gains control briefly and even gets a near fall off of a pinning Powerbomb. The two go to the May while still showing off their innovative offense. Sabu takes a control and takes Liger back to the outside with a Hurricanrana over the top rope. Back to the table but Sabu tries a Senton instead of a Suicide Dive. He hits but the table doesn’t break it just kinda slides out from under Liger. The two look worse for wear. 

 

A Baseball Slide from Sabu prevents Liger from breaking the count. But then Sabu botches so Liger gives him a taste of his own medicine by whooping him into the table which is propped against the turnbuckle post. A Doving Headbutt back in the ring scores Liger another near fall but he ends up taking a DDT for his trouble. Sabu checks off a couple more signature spots but his botching tendencies rear their ugly head. He tries Suplex off of the apron but it  goes south and it looks like Sabu almost hurts his back in the process. A Diving Hurricanrana botch follows and again Liger just moves on like it didn’t happen. Things fall apart here, I think Sabu may actually be fucked up. He stumbles on a Top Rope Hurricanrana and I can’t tell if it’s a legit slip or if Liger was meant to have pushed him. If it was planned it didn’t look like it. Liger hits a Shotei and a Fisherman’s Buster to seal the match. Sabu kicks out like after the three. 

Good match overall. It was slower than I expected but that was to its detriment. Sabus worst tendencies showed up late in the match and kind of derailed the whole thing. It’s not a must see match but it’s cool to see these two tangle.