I love wrestling from the 70's. Its got that actual sense that the guys are engaged in a grappling contest. That the contestants are actual wrestlers. Well, in most cases. You've got Abdullah the Butcher forking people but, even then, it feels real...or real enough. Here are a couple of my favorites from AJPW in the 1970's:

Destroyer vs Abdullah the Butcher - US Title (04/27/74): Put this match behind watching a Dory & Jack Brisco match and you can see why Abby & the Sheik were so feared. It really looks as if they're trying to kill their opponents. I don't know how early of an appearance in Japan this is for Abby but, he makes the Destroyer bleed through his mask! Just tons of blood here and Destroyer brings some excitement with moves too. A basic match but really fun. Recommended Match.

Pat O'Connor vs Dick Murdoch (12/15/75): This bout was a really fun match that could be replicated on TV if any of the companies knew anything about good wrestling. Pat and Dick are legends for a reason and this is how one does "comedy wrestling! The emphasis has got to be on the wrestling!

Jumbo Tsuruta vs Billy Robinson (3/11/77): A 2 out of 3 falls match. The first fall was edited down as the time shown on the fall was 34+ minutes but that is not what was televised. So, much of the surely excellent mat action was omitted in the favor of more pro-wrestling. It was great stuff nonetheless. There was tons of heat and drama built and the 2nd and 3rd falls kept up. Parity was prominent more than in their 3-5-77 match. The 3rd fall then became quite desperate and physically punishing. Each man could feel how close victory was. Again both were excellent in timing, execution, and selling. A fantastic match! A Classic!