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Great Muta vs. Tajiri
on August 27th, 2006

Event: All Japan Pro Wrestling "Love in Ryogoku"
Attendance: 12,000
Location: Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

Tie-up to start, waistlock by Muta, reversed into a wristlock by Tajiri, but Muta reverses it with a leg lock. Tajiri rolls out of the hold however and both wrestlers slither out of the ring. They eventually both get back in, tie-up, and Muta chops Tajiri in the head. Side headlock takedown by Muta and he keeps the hold applied on the mat. Tajiri struggles to his feet, Irish whip by Tajiri, but Muta shoulderblocks him down. Muta goes off the ropes and this time Tajiri hits a hip toss followed by a heel kick, sending Muta out of the ring. Muta rolls under the ring before Tajiri can sail out, but Tajiri puts his ear to the mat so that he can follow his progress. Muta finally pops back out where he started, then goes back under as Tajiri gets out of the ring and goes under as well. Muta come out again, but not seeing where Tajiri is he quickly slides back under. Muta comes back out with a chair as he waits for Tajiri, but Tajiri comes out the far side and kicks the chair into Muta through the ropes. Stomps to the head on the outside by Tajiri, he goes to Irish whip Muta into the railing but it is reversed. Muta picks up something metal from the table and hits Tajiri in the head with it. He finally throws Tajiri back into the ring and gets back in himself, but Tajiri rolls back out to recuperate. Muta follows him and kicks Tajiri in the arm. Muta then throws Tajiri into the ring post before getting back into the ring with him. Snapmare by Muta and he nails the Flash Elbow. Muta then grabs Tajiri by the leg and applies the STF, but Tajiri makes it to the ropes. Dragon screw leg whip by Muta and he applies the figure four leg lock. Tajiri struggles but eventually he makes it to the ropes and Muta has to break the hold. Tajiri rolls out of the ring, but Muta follows him out and starts beating up some dojo boys. Tajiri tries to crawl away, but Muta follows him and chokes him with the camera cable. He finally slides Tajiri back into the ring, Irish whip to the corner and Tajiri collapses upon impact. Irish whip again by Muta to the corner and again Tajiri falls to the mat when he hits the turnbuckles.

Back up, vertical suplex by Muta, but Tajiri rolls him up for a quick two count. Kick to the gut by Muta, Irish whip, but Tajiri kicks him in the head and hits a hurricanrana. They both land in a sitting position, and both wrestlers simultaneously blow mist in each others faces. High kicks by Tajiri, Irish whip, and he hits his handstand springboard elbow. Kick to the had by Tajiri, he tries to roll up Muta, Muta sits down, but Tajiri nails a back kick to the head. Cover, but it gets a two count. Tajiri measures Muta, but Muta catches his leg and hits a dragon screw leg whip. Muta charges Tajiri, but Tajiri moves out of the way and applies the Tarantula. The referee gets him to let go after a moment and both wrestlers fall to the outside. Muta grabs a chair and he hits Tajiri in the arm with it. Tajiri rolls back in the ring, but Muta follows him still with the chair. The referee tries to take it from him but Muta pushes the referee down and hits Tajiri in the arm with it again. The referee tries to help, but Muta hits him in the stomach. Kick by Muta, he picks up Tajiri and sets up the chair before delivering a Shining Wizard off of it. Muta goes for another Shining Wizard, but Tajiri blocks it with the chair. Muta tries to blow mist into Tajiri's face, but Tajiri puts the chair up to block it and then blows mist into Muta's face. Roll-up by Tajiri, but it only gets a two count. Buzzsaw Kick by Tajiri, cover, but Muta blows mist into his face as he makes the cover. Shining Wizard by Muta, backbreaker, he goes to the top turnbuckle and nails the moonsault! Cover, and Muta picks up the three count pinfall. Your winner: Great Muta

Match Thoughts: It is hard to "rate" a match like this one. Most of it was pretty dull, to be honest, but the small things they did during the beginning/middle of the match helped and the last five minutes or so they really got the crowd into it. Tajiri listening to Muta crawling under the mat to outsmart him was cute, even if the segment seemed to last too long. It makes sense that Tajiri was out-misted by the misting master, although Tajiri certainly held his own. The match came across more as an entertainment spectacle then an actual wrestling match, but that is what they were going for. As a Muta fan I really enjoyed it, but I can understand that people that don't like Muta wouldn't like this match. To me it was perfectly fine as they didn't push the match as the main event but more of a dream match freak show before the real main events begun. Score: 6.5


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