[1980-05-09-NJPW] Antonio Inoki vs Stan Hansen

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[SAMS]

1980-05-09
NJPW
Antonio Inoki (c) vs. Stan Hansen
NWF World Heavyweight Title Match
Sports Center, Fukuoka, Japan
Card
★★

Another match in their long running series and I have to say that each of their matches has undoubtedly had that big match feeling.
I can’t pinpoint what I thought was lacking here but it just didn’t grab me. I think there may be an issue here pitting two guys who work styles that involve little selling against each other. Hansen probably sold considerably more than Inoki here anyway, which is strange considering the matchup. I don’t find Inoki offensively boring and he has moments that I like, but there is something lacking with him, at least in terms of delivering an enjoyable satisfying match.
In the end Hansen was kicking the shit out of Inoki on the ring apron and the referee got in the way. A typical DQ finish and Hansen stood tall despite the blood rushing from his forehead. This series has been decent, but I would like to see them matched up against different moving forwards. So fingers crossed the next match is the decisive blowoff.

[tcg91]

Another good match in their series, but for some reason all the Inoki/Hansen matches haven't been super and something was missing here too. The chemistry was there and Inoki bumped quite generously for the big Texan, but I feel like they were lacking of bit of structure and the story didn't evolve as much as I wanted. We get another count-out tease after the Hansrn lariat, which is fine, but they have wrestled a few times so far and none of them changed their strategy or approach to get a win. Plus, Inoki persisted with some time-wasting limbo work that went nowhere. It was good though, even the non-finish, but I hope they evolve their matches next time I see them go at it.
***