[2000-12-31-Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye] Kazushi Sakuraba vs Kendo Kashin

[GOTNW]

Fun match, hard to rate it due how clipped the only footage of it I could find is. You could make a case for post-modernism in japanese pro wrestling being present as early as those 70s All Japan tags but here it goes even further as it's even more clear this is nothing more than a freak show for laughs while PRIDe is the real deal. Sakuraba uses a few of his trademark spots like the mongolian punches in the full mount and spinning someone when he gets in their guard, but the way he milked the double wristlock escape and his punches remind you what a lost talent he was. Top rope wristlock as a finish was cool and I appreciated them building up to it instead of just altering the stuff before it in a manner to get it in regardless of whether it made sense or not.

[Edwin]

Just to add some proper context to this. The reason Kashin is wearing a gi to this match, is a tribute to the great 90 minute fight between Sakuraba and Royce Gracie from PRIDE. Royce wore a gi to that fight and Sakuraba was smart enough to use that against Royce. That's why there's a huge "oh" pop when Sakuraba uses Kashin's gi pants to fold him up. Also the reason there's such a heavy emphasis on the kimura is because Sakuraba had previously beaten both Royler and Renzo with the kimura, inclusive he broke Renzo's arm with it.

 

The match itself is underwhelming. It was more so a way of getting Sakuraba on the card and having him display all of his PRIDE signature moves in a worked environment -- e.g. spinning his opponent when they were on their backs, mounted Mongolian chops, kimura, etc. Kashin was very predictable, lazy and everything he did looked very weak. Sakuraba on the other hand landed some great looking punches in the corner, plus he got all of his great looking PRIDE signature stuff in even got some dives to the floor. Forgettable.