Shinya Hashimoto Discovers There is No Room to Rumba in a Sports Car

Shinya Hashimoto vs. Super Strong Machine NJPW 8/4/90 - EPIC

ER: Weird, another awesome Hashimoto singles match? This was great, worked far more like a "Different Style" match from this era than a traditional New Japan match. Much of the match was standing with a great, messy, awkward rhythm. There were no typical turn-based strike exchanges, no throws, no rope running, just a bunch of nasty strikes, like Hashimoto kicking Machine across the kneecaps or Machine throwing punches to Hashimoto's neck. There was no real grappling, more standing attempts at wrist control, just two meaty dudes backing each other up with focused, grubby strikes, lariats to the face, all great. Strong Machine is flat out mean in this match, kicking Hash hard in the chest when Hash is bent at the waist, hitting rough leg sweeps to Hash's inner leg, slapping him in the ear, all rough. Machine does seem to lean out of a couple big Hash haymaker kicks, but there are plenty that land, and I loved how big the crowd was reacting to Hash. Finish is cool and unexpected, when Machine hits a huge diving lariat/avalanche off the apron and a big axe handle, landing hard into Hashimoto, and winning by count out. If I had seen on paper that a flying clothesline off the apron and an axe handle was enough for the count out, I would have been skeptical, but it looked really great in execution and the post match celebration from Machine really made it feel like he went through a war and was thankful to be in one piece on the other side. Awesome match.

PAS: What an out of nowhere gem this was. The hate is layered on pretty thick from the first moments of the match with SSM slapping Hashimoto across the face, and Hash responding by spitting in his eye. The match structure was really cool, with Machine landing some big shots, but he was mostly trying to take out either an arm or leg to slow down Hash who is this menacing beast lumbering forward and unleashing mayhem. Machine's limb work wasn't really based on holds, but more on these awkward and nasty strikes, kicking Hashimoto in the side of the knee cap, throwing uppercuts to the inside of leg, and chops to the arm. Meanwhile Hashimoto is walking throwing it and responding with huge Hashimoto style chops and kicks. Loved this finish with SSM dragging Hash to the floor, hitting a great looking apron clothesline and a crazy diving axe handle and getting the count out win. This looks fun on paper, but it totally over delivered and ended up being one of the best matches from this batch of handhelds