Keiji Mutoh vs. Jushin Thunder Liger, New Japan on 4/19/01

[Kevin Wilson]

Ever had that match you always wanted to see but it was nowhere online and you didn't feel like paying for it?  Well this is that match for me.  I am a huge Liger and Mutoh fan, and I try to watch any singles matches between them.  This would be the third I have seen, they had a match at the 2001 G1 Climax which is of course online, and the famous Great Muta vs. Kishin Liger match from 1996.  And they have this one, a random singles match on a random card that no one cares about.  Well just in case there was anyone else in the world interested, I figured once I purchased it I may as well upload it

 

 

 

Date:  April 19th, 2001
Location:  Tokyo Korakuen Hall
Reason:  No idea

Download Link: Here (330 MB)

 

If I am missing any Mutoh/Muta vs. Liger singles matches that were recorded, let me know so I can go find them.... cagematch tells me they had matches on 8/1/91 and 1/5/85, guess I will look through Lynch's catalog and see if I see those anywhere.  As for the match, its good, but submission-based (this was during Liger's failed "heavyweight" phase) and since it wasn't even the main event they didn't do a ton.  But it is still Mutoh after his revival and Liger is Liger, so I still thought it was entertaining.  Mutoh also did the 'original' Shining Wizard here so it was before he changed it to the more opponent-friendly version.

[KidKash202]

1/5/85?

I am not aware of this match. Did you find this?

[Kevin Wilson]

I got the information from cagematch.de, but I highly doubt it was taped.  It wasn't on the TV list for that year.

[Jingus]

Mutoh also did the 'original' Shining Wizard here so it was before he changed it to the more opponent-friendly version.

What's the difference? The shining wizard seems to be the one of those moves that inspires mountains-out-of-molehills arguments, every single time.

[Kevin Wilson]

 

Mutoh also did the 'original' Shining Wizard here so it was before he changed it to the more opponent-friendly version.

What's the difference? The shining wizard seems to be the one of those moves that inspires mountains-out-of-molehills arguments, every single time.

 

Well the original Shining Wizard, he does a step-up and just knees the person in the nose.  This was slightly more dangerous of course as it was straight on contact.  Then he switched it to what he has been doing the last 13 years, which is more of a leg swing with (in theory) his leg connecting with the side of his opponent's head.  Which misses about 25% of the time but is certainly a safer move.  This would be the original:

 

 

And a well-connected version of what he does now:

 

 

So one is just a straight knee to the face, while the other is more of a swinging knee aiming at the side of his opponent's head.  He only did that original version for a few months, so I don't know if it was harder to do, if he hurt someone, or what.  But it didn't last long.  He MIGHT have busted it out sometime in All Japan as a 'super special' at some point but my memory is hazy on that.

[Salads]

Pro wrestling learning the lariats > punches lesson all over again.

[GojiColin]

I wasn't aware Liger ever tried to step up into the Heavyweight category, now I kind of want to check it out.

[KidKash202]

It seems like the original SW would be harder to pull off if your hips aren't square to the defensive wrestler. Just attempted it on my couch a few nights ago while reading this thread.

 

But this match put me to sleep Kev. I will give it another shot. Maybe it was because I was in the bed while watching it. 

[Irving]

It seems like the original SW would be harder to pull off if your hips aren't square to the defensive wrestler. Just attempted it on my couch a few nights ago while reading this thread.

 

 

This just made me laugh so hard at work, lol.