Jumbo vs. Misawa - A retrospective
May 1, 2020 4:30:07 GMT -5
Emperor Ihsahn and TheShowJordanRichards like this
Post by Alex on May 1, 2020 4:30:07 GMT -5
This is a topic I've wanted to do a piece on for a very long time, a retrospective of what I consider to be both the greatest stable and individual feud of all time, Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa in All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988 through to 1992. I'll be providing links to matches, as well as reviews and context for each match (That I have, and there are an awful lot). But, I'll begin here with a Triple Crown match between Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu from 4/19/90. I know that I said this would be from 1988 - 1992, but this is a pivotal match.
Tenryu, just prior to this, had handed in his resignation to All Japan, citing Baba's resistance to feature a shootfighting element in All Japan's booking and product moving forward. As a result, this match is a bit of a mystery, did it go as planned, or was it a spur of the moment thing? At the last Budokan show, Tenryu and Hansen lost the Tag Titles to Gordy and Williams, with Tenryu taking the fall and ending the superteam of Tenryu/Hansen. Hansen's presence here shows that things might have been to rosy in the aftermath. It's a short(er) match, and not quite the quality of their previous encounters, but you should watch the whole file.
How does this impact our overall feud? Well, this is a time after Choshu had jumped a few years earlier, lit a fire under Jumbo and Tenryu, completely changing the style of All Japan forever. Now, Tenryu is leaving to start SWS (Taking some talent with him), and someone needs to step up to be another native star in the company. They have this guy, who has some potential, who unmasks a couple of weeks later to take up the mantle.
Misawa had faced Jumbo before this match, but it still seemed as though he was a step below. This match marks a time where Misawa is forced to take the step, to become the leader of the New Generation Army and lead the company to the promised land.
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu (4/19/90)
Tenryu, just prior to this, had handed in his resignation to All Japan, citing Baba's resistance to feature a shootfighting element in All Japan's booking and product moving forward. As a result, this match is a bit of a mystery, did it go as planned, or was it a spur of the moment thing? At the last Budokan show, Tenryu and Hansen lost the Tag Titles to Gordy and Williams, with Tenryu taking the fall and ending the superteam of Tenryu/Hansen. Hansen's presence here shows that things might have been to rosy in the aftermath. It's a short(er) match, and not quite the quality of their previous encounters, but you should watch the whole file.
How does this impact our overall feud? Well, this is a time after Choshu had jumped a few years earlier, lit a fire under Jumbo and Tenryu, completely changing the style of All Japan forever. Now, Tenryu is leaving to start SWS (Taking some talent with him), and someone needs to step up to be another native star in the company. They have this guy, who has some potential, who unmasks a couple of weeks later to take up the mantle.
Misawa had faced Jumbo before this match, but it still seemed as though he was a step below. This match marks a time where Misawa is forced to take the step, to become the leader of the New Generation Army and lead the company to the promised land.
Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu (4/19/90)
