[2000-02-20-NJPW-Fighting Spirit] Masahiro Chono vs Kensuke Sasaki

[soup23]

Sasaki can’t get to his feet as both factions are still all in the ring jawing at each other. The match starts and Sasaki goes for broke rushing over with a dropkick. Chono tries to retreat to the outside but Sasaki musters up a suplex back in the ring and then looks for the same submission that put Chono away in the first match. Chono gathers his bearings and cheats his way through to gain more of an advantage. Sasaki again pulls off the one armed powerbomb and goes towards the submission but his legs give out. Chono regains and is able to lock in the STF. Sasaki puts up a fight but Chono syncs in the hold and adjusts putting more torque on the injured leg. The camera pans to Helen Hashimoto who could throw in the towel for Sasaki. After a few more seconds, Hashimoto throws in the towel and that is it giving Chono the win. The final moments were dramatic and it could have set up a lot of interesting stuff between Hash/Sasaki/Chono if politics wouldn’t have intervened. *** (6)