#238: Nobuhiko Takada vs. Shinya Hashimoto, NJPW Battle Formation in Tokyo Dome (4/29/1996).
This is for Takada’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
This was the culmination of the interpromotional feud between New Japan and UWFi, one of the most famous and popular shoot style promotions in Japan. UWFi challenged the notion that New Japan was the king of sports and a legit place for combat, so this led to the two promotions going to war in 1995, with Takada winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestling World in 1996 from Keiji Mutoh.
Hashimoto was New Japan’s only hope of bringing their top title back home, but in order for him to do that, he’d have to defeat one of the most dangerous wrestlers in the game in Takada. This match is a historic moment in pro wrestling worldwide, not just in the annals of Puroresu history. It was this match, and the NJPW/UWFi feud that inspired the idea of the nWo in WCW, which would kick off the most financially successful period in American Pro Wrestling history, and would take pro wrestling to heights it had never reached before.
I’m excited to watch this for the first time, as it’s the first time I’ve ever seen Shinya Hashimoto wrestle.
The bell sounds, and both men go fighting stance right away. The fans are loud for this one. Both men go for a test of strength, and Hashimoto gets Takada to the mat quickly. Hashimoto with a quick roll up, and Takada goes for an arm bar. Hashimoto is able to escape, and both men are back to their feet. Takada with a quick kick to the leg, and Hashimoto counters with a stiff one of his own. He stares a hole at Takada, letting him know that he means business.
Hashimoto with another stiff leg kick, and Takada starts unloading with some of his own. He drops Hashimoto with a hard leg kick, and then goes back to the arm bar. Hashimoto quickly gets to the ropes to break the hold. Back to their feet, Hashimoto explodes with some Muay Thai knees to the chest, but Takada quickly takes him down to the mat. They separate, and they’re back to their feet again. Hashimoto takes control of the arm, and extends it outward on the mat.
He stretches the arm out, looking for a submission. They’re on their feet again, and Takada peppers in some kicks to the leg. Hashimoto with some of his own, and the champion is staggered! He’s knocked to the mat, and Hashimoto applies the Figure Four Leglock! Takada survives long enough to get his hand on the bottom rope to break the hold. Hashimoto is right back up, and he’s asking for more from Takada, who responds with stiff kicks to the chest.
He looks for a back suplex, and he connects! The fans are standing in unison at this action. Takada locks in the arm bar once again. Keen eyes can see a young Yuji Nagata at ringside! Takada transitions to the leg for a Half Crab submission. When that doesn’t work, Takada turns it into a full Boston Crab. Hashimoto uses his strength to push Takada away and break it up. Big chop by the challenger, but Takada responds with some slaps. Hashimoto with hard chops to the top of the head!
He drops an elbow on the champion next. They’re back to their feet. More kicks from Takada, including one to the head! Hashimoto with a trip, and Takada is down! The crowd popped hard for that. Takada is holding his leg, as Hashimoto zeroes in on it. He looks for the Brainbuster, but Takada is fighting it off, and goes back to the arm bar. Hashimoto makes it to the bottom rope, but Takada continues to apply pressure.
Takada with a kick to the chest, and Hashimoto connects with one to the kidney! The challenger scores with more kicks, and then goes for the Brainbuster. Takada escapes, but Hashimoto chops him. Big DDT by Hashimoto, which gets him a nearfall. After some struggle, Hashimoto finally lifts Takada up and connects with the Brainbuster! Instead of going for the cover, he instead locks Takada in a Triangle Choke. Takada can’t last, and he submits! Hashimoto brings the IWGP Heavyweight Championship back to New Japan by submitting one of Shoot Style’s greatest stars!
This was far from an all time classic, but what it lacked in action, it made up for in spades with an incredible atmosphere. The crowd loved everything Hashimoto did, and they bit on every bit of offense that Takada had. This felt like a big time prize fight, and the stakes were very high coming in. Hashimoto played along with Takada’s style, and the fact that he won with a submission instead of his trademark Brainbuster is certainly a way to make a statement against the Ace of UWFi.
The match is criminally basic, though, which would hurt it more if the atmosphere was weaker. This being the culmination of a big time interpromotional rivalry, I expected more from it, and I was kind of let down in that respect. Alas, like WrestleMania 18 between The Rock and Hulk Hogan, it doesn’t matter here, because the fans and the aura of the match itself helped it tremendously. Also, this match was still light years better than Rock and Hogan’s match.