Weeping May Remain For a Night, But Yoshiaki Fujiwara Comes in the Morning
Yoshiaki Fujiwara v. Riki Choshu NJ 8/6/94-GREAT
These two guys have just magically charisma with each other. Their June 1987 match is one of my favorite matches of all time, this doesn't live up to that, but it is a worthy entry in the cannon. Fujiwara knows exactly where he is going to win this match, he needs to get Choshu to the ground and submit him, while Choshu wants to keep the match on the feet and smash Fujiwara. It is worked very similar to a striker v. ju jitsu artist MMA match, although way more exciting then those matches usually are. Choshu ends up cutting Fujiwara on the temple and both guys are awesome at losing their temper and talking shit. Unusually for a Fujiwara match this wasn't about the arm, as Fujiwara is constantly moving Choshu into the corners and dragging him down and attacking his leg. FInish was pretty surprising as Fujiwara has a ankle lock variation and Choshu is pulling himself to the ropes to break, he gets almost their but can't take it and gives up. Seemed really abrupt, and that probably kept this from being an EPIC match, still excellent stuff, and Fujiwara really had a hell of a 1994
Yoshiaki Fujiwara/Minoru v. Daichi Hashimoto/Shinjiro Otani IGF 4/28/11-GREAT
If you are looking for someone to work a compelling exciting match against a green but super over kicker, Yoshiaki Fujiwara would lead every list. One of the better Fujiwara performances in the last decade, he takes Hashimoto drags him to the mat, roughs him up in the corners, while still giving the kid chances to flash what he will become. Hashimoto is a mirror at this point, anything you get out of him will reflect what you put in. The finish here was a classic Fujiwara finish. Minoru is working over Hashimoto and tags in Fujiwara, Fujiwara rushes in only to be met by a Daichi flurry which knocks him to the ground. The overzealous youngster rushes in, only to almost get caught in the Fujiwara armbar. He rolls out, gets back to his feet to throw again, this time Fujiwara yanks the arm down and cranks it for the tap out. Such cool stuff. Ohtani and Minoru were fun too, but baby Hash should work with Fujiwara every night and in six months he will be great.
COMPLETE AND ACCURATE FUJIWARA
Labels: Daichi Hashimoto, Fujiwara, Minoru, Riki Choshu, Shinjiro Otani
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posted by Phil @ 10:00 PM
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