[Bakusho Sengen intensifies], or An Ace Unable to Change

Asterisked stuff (***) is the most important. The rest of it is useful but not crucial. I don't necessarily love all the important stuff but it probably oughta be watched either way.

Shinya Hashimoto, Keiji Mutoh, & Masahiro Chono vs Tatsumi Fujinami, Kengo Kimura, & Shiro Koshinaka
NJPW Summer Fight Series 1988 Day 9 (07/29/1988, Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan)
All three Musketeers return from excursion for a rare team-up on a big show that needed to draw well, making a big showing as the leaders of the new school taking on a few big names from the previous generation.
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto vs Riki Choshu
IWGP Heavyweight Championship Tournament First Round Match
NJPW Battle Satellite in Tokyo Dome (04/24/1989, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan)
Hashimoto gets tossed into a tournament to declare a new IWGP champion on his first day back from excursion. He’s facing Choshu, a veteran and the top native heel in the promotion, someone he should have no chance against… right?
NJPW WORLD

***Shinya Hashimoto vs Vader***
IWGP Heavyweight Championship Tournament Finals for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (vacant)
NJPW Battle Satellite in Tokyo Dome (04/24/1989, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan)
In the biggest match of his young career, Hashimoto has a chance to win the vacant top title in NJPW by defeating the gaijin who’s dominated the company of late in a huge title match on the first ever Dome show.
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono vs Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi
NJPW Super Fight in Tokyo Dome (02/10/1990, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan)
Hashimoto’s first Dome show main event! Can two of the Musketeers triumph over the boss and his right hand man?
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto & Masa Saito (c) vs Keiji Mutoh & Masahiro Chono
IWGP Tag Team Championship
NJPW (04/27/1990, Tokyo Bay NK Hall, Urayasu, Japan)
Hashimoto’s been able to hold gold tagging with a tough-as-nails veteran, but how does he fare against his fellow second generation stars?
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto vs Riki Choshu
NJPW Crush the Super Heavy 1990 Day 3 (05/28/1990, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan)
THESE GUYS HATE EACH OTHER AND IT’S ALWAYS FUN TO WATCH.
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto & Masa Saito vs Keiji Muoth & Masahiro Chono
NJPW New Kokugikan Densetsu ~ New Japan Pro Wrestling Explosion ~ (06/26/1990, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
Hash and Saito dropped the belts to these guys back in April and now they’re back for revenge in a non-title match on a bigger show.
DITCH

Riki Choshu (c) vs Shinya Hashimoto
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Dream Tour 1990 (11/01/1990, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan)
Hashimoto’s beaten Choshu clean twice now but can he do it a third time when Choshu’s got everything to lose?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Epvpe1CykM

Shinya Hashimoto vs Riki Choshu
G1 Climax 1991 Block B
NJPW Violent Storm in Kokugikan Day 2 (08/10/1991, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
The first G1 Climax has rolled around. Will the likes of Choshu defend their position as top dogs heading into the 90s or will Hashimoto & co. finally usurp them?
DITCH

***Shinya Hashimoto vs Masahiro Chono***
G1 Climax 1991 Block B Decision Match
NJPW Violent Storm in Kokugikan Day 3 (08/11/1991, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
These two went to a 30 minute draw when they met earlier in the tournament and wound up tying in scoring. This tiebreaker sends the winner to the finals to face Mutoh. Which Musketeer pushes forward to make history?
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto vs Tony Halme
Different Style Fight
NJPW Memorial Battle in Yokohama (09/23/1991, Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan)
Hashimoto carried on Inoki’s legacy far more than his fellow Musketeers did, as evidenced by these Different Style fights over the years. He’s only lost two of them to this point, both to this guy Halme, a big Finnish pro wrestler who later became Ludvig Borga in WWF and a decorated mixed martial artist/boxer after that. They meet for a third time here as a headline match in one of the biggest wrestling venues in Japan. Can Hashimoto finally get his win over the Finn?
NJPW WORLD

Riki Choshu (c) vs Shinya Hashimoto
Greatest 18 Club Championship
NJPW Tokyo 3 Days Battle Day 3 (11/05/1991, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan)
I’m gonna make you watch like every match these two had, get used to it.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto vs Akira Nogami
NJPW Masters of Wrestling Day 3 (06/20/1992, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan)
One of the first entrants in a beloved, long-running series: Hashimoto letting a younger/smaller/foreign opponent get far against him before beating the absolute shit out of ‘em.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto & Hiroshi Hase vs Tatsumi Fujinami & Kensuke Sasaki
NJPW Summer Struggle 1992 Day 12 (07/31/1992, Nakajima Sports Center, Sapporo, Japan)
Sasaki, a beefy youngster sort of caught between the Musketeers generation and the one that followed, has returned from excursion and made a few big showings in singles matches against old partner Hase. Naturally Hashimoto tries to end his life when he tries stepping up even more.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto, Keiji Mutoh, & Akira Nogami vs Genichiro Tenryu, Ashura Hara, & Takashi Ishikawa
NJPW Fighting Spirit 1993 Day 4 (02/05/1993, Nakajima Sports Center, Sapporo, Japan)
NJPW VS WAR, YEAH. Genichiro Tenryu, longtime AJPW wrestler who’s left to find his own fortune in self-ran promotions, has shown up with a few pals to wreck shit in NJPW. Hash and friends have other plans.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto vs Hiromichi Fuyuki
WAR (03/03/1993, Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium, Yokohama, Japan)
MORE NJPW VS WAR, WOOO. Hashimoto’s taking on a pretty low-ranked heavyweight in his first match on enemy territory and, for the sake of the Shin Nihon, he can’t afford to lose.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto & Michiyoshi Ohara vs Ashura Hara & Hiromichi Fuyuki
WAR (03/07/1993, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan)
EVEN MORE NJPW VS WAR, YES. Hash is back on WAR, this time with a lackluster rookie in tow. He’s already beaten Fuyuki and can handle himself with Tenryu’s #2, but can he prevent Ohara from embarrassing both of them and their beloved NJPW?
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto & Riki Choshu vs Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa
WAR (04/02/1993, Sendai City Gymnasium, Sendai, Japan)
STILL MORE NJPW VS WAR, WILL WONDERS NEVER CEASE? Hashimoto puts his differences aside with an old rival to take on a newer—and arguably greater—one.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto & Michiyoshi Ohara vs Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa
NJPW Explosion Tour 1993 Day 17 (06/14/1993, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan)
YEP, NJPW VS WAR CONTINUES, DON’T YOU DARE COMPLAIN. We’re back on NJPW soil and it looks like our heroes are outgunned in this one. Can Hashimoto avoid a loss heading into his big singles showdown with Tenryu?
DITCH

***Shinya Hashimoto vs Genichiro Tenryu***
WAR 1st Anniversary of Revolution (06/17/1993, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan)
NJPW VS WAR CONCLUDES, BRIEFLY. Maybe the best match these two ever had together. Either way it’s the first match in a glorious tradition of surly heavyweights smacking each other real good.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto, Tatsumi Fujinami, & Masahiro Chono vs Genichiro Tenryu, Ashura Hara, & Takashi Ishikawa
NJPW G1 Climax 1993 Day 1 (08/02/1993, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
AFTER A FEW WEEKS OFF, NJPW VS WAR RETURNS. Hashimoto and Tenryu are scheduled for a rematch on the last night of this tour, so you know they’re dying to get their hands on each other here.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto vs Hiroshi Hase
G1 Climax 1993 First Round Match
NJPW G1 Climax 1993 Day 2 (08/03/1993, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
Ok so Hash lost in the big tag last night but he can still turn this tour around. He hasn’t even made it to the G1 finals yet but he has a good chance this year, given the single elimination format and a weak first round opponent like Hase… right?
DITCH

***Shinya Hashimoto vs Genichiro Tenryu***
NJPW G1 Climax 1993 Day 7 (08/08/1993, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
Ok ok ok so Hashimoto’s lost both of his big matches so far on this tour but he’s had a few days to get his head on straight and focus on beating Tenryu. He couldn’t get it done in WAR but now on home soil he can’t afford to lose.
DITCH

The Great Muta (c) vs Shinya Hashimoto
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW G1 Climax Special 1993 Day 1 (09/20/1993, Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, Japan)
Really not sure how Hashimoto got this title shot, given that he lost all his big matches over the summer. He’s been competitive in IWGP title matches before but now he’s facing a real challenge, a fellow Musketeer who’s just broken the record for longest reign with the title.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6qfyhf

Shinya Hashimoto & Masahiro Chono vs Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara
WAR WAR-ISM 1993 ~Dragon Spirit~ Day 1 (10/01/1993, Nakajima Sports Center, Sapporo, Japan)
Uh holy shit, Hashimoto won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship so… can he finally get his win over Tenryu?
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Masahiro Chono
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Battlefield in Tokyo Dome (01/04/1994, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan)
Hashimoto defends the IWGP title at the Dome for the first time, facing a friend and rival who’s dying to finally win the belt.
NJPW WORLD

***Shinya Hashimoto vs Genichiro Tenryu***
NJPW Fighting Spirit 1994 Day 15 (02/17/1994, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
Hashimoto’s lost to Tenryu twice already but he’s progressed a great deal since the summer, beating both his fellow Musketeers in his first major title reign. However Tenryu’s fresh off a win over Antonio Inoki at the Tokyo Dome, which main evented over Hash vs Chono. With the title set aside, can Hashimoto avenge his mentor and finally defeat his biggest rival?
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto vs Jushin Liger
NJPW Thanks Wrestling Day Brush Up (02/24/1994, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan)
Junior heavyweight champ takes on heavyweight champ in the main event of a big ol’ fan appreciation event!
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Scott Norton
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Hyper Battle 1994 Day 14 (03/21/1994, Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, Japan)
In the last half year Hashimoto’s defeated the other Musketeers, Tenryu, and even the junior ace… but now he comes face to face with the new top gaijin, a guy who beat him two weeks ago without breaking a sweat. When all his big moves are impossible or ineffective, what can Hash do to avoid losing what he’s worked so hard to achieve?
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Tatsumi Fujinami
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Battle Line Kyushu 1994 Day 4 (04/04/1994, Hiroshima Green Arena, Hiroshima, United States)
Despite a record four reigns with the IWGP title, Fujinami’s been downplayed more and more as a top guy since his big back injury in ‘89. On paper he has no chance against a protege in the prime of his career but stranger things have happened in NJPW.
NJPW WORLD

Tatsumi Fujinami (c) vs Shinya Hashimoto
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku in Fukuoka Dome (05/01/1994, Fukuoka Dome, Fukuoka, Japan) After a string of big wins, Fujinami caught the champ sleeping and reminded him of the bitter defeat that has characterized his career thus far. Can Hashimoto bounce back in this huge arena to prove that he isn’t a choke artist after all?
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Riki Choshu
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Day 18 (06/15/1994, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan)
It’s been years since their last match, during which time Hashimoto’s become a multi-time heavyweight champion and Choshu’s only gotten older. Still, as we saw with Fujinami, a tricky veteran can get the best of anybody, so is this the gimme defense Hash hopes it is?
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto vs Hiroshi Hase
G1 Climax 1994 Block B Match
NJPW G1 Climax 1994 Day 1 (08/03/1994, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
So right, Hashimoto’s been through a lot this last year and as good as Hase is, he has no chance against a tougher, wiser opponent who’s the reigning IWGP Champion, especially not on the first night of the tournament… right?
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7l9vs4 (clipped)

***Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Hiroshi Hase***
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Battle Final 1994 Day 16 (12/13/1994, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan)
After a few other title defenses against the guys who actually made it to the finals, Hashimoto comes face to face with the guy who beat him _again_ in the G1. This wound up being Hase’s only shot at the title and he makes the most of it.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Fighting Spirit 1995 Day 5 (02/04/1995, Nakajima Sports Center, Sapporo, Japan)
GO TENZAN, YOU’RE DOOMED BUT I BELIEVE IN YOU.
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Scott Norton
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Fighting Spirit 1995 Day 16 (02/19/1995, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
Last time around Norton seemed unstoppable but along with another non-title win over Hashimoto he beat Mutoh in a number one contender’s match to get here, so the guy’s on a huge roll. Thing is, his shoulder’s all taped up, giving the champ more of a target than he had last time. With a win here Hash will tie Fujinami’s record for most defenses in a single reign but will the big bad foreigner strike him down first?
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Lord Steven Regal
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Battle Rush 1995 Day 3 (04/16/1995, Hiroshima Sun Plaza, Hiroshima, Japan)
Sort of a bummer that Hashimoto’s record-breaking defense is sort of an obvious win BUT these two are scrappy and mean and great together, so who can complain?
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata vs Ookami Gundan (Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan)
IWGP Tag Team Championship (vacant)
NJPW Fighting Spirit Legend Day 14 (06/12/1995, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan)
After finally being knocked out of the IWGP title scene, Hashimoto returns to tag title contention with a new partner, facing an old rival who’s likewise looking to start a new chapter with a fresh team.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto vs Keiji Mutoh
G1 Climax 1995 Finals
NJPW G1 Climax 1995 Day 5 (08/15/1995, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
With Chono dominating the early years of the G1, these guys are still both looking for their first tournament win. However they’ve not had the same sort of luck over the years; Mutoh made the finals the first time around and has been in the semis every year since while Hashimoto’s been knocked out early time. With something to prove after losing the title back in May, can Hashimoto finally win the tournament his generation defined?
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto vs Kazuo Yamazaki
NJPW Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome (01/04/1996, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan)
In the midst of the NJPW vs UWFi feud, Hashimoto runs into another major rival who will prove to be a thorn in his side for years to come.
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata (c) vs Golden Cups (Yoji Anjoh & Yoshihiro Takayama)
IWGP Tag Team Championship
NJPW Fighting Spirit 1996 Day 18 (02/25/1996, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
Hash vs shooty boys never gets old. If you think it does, you might as well stop here.
NJPW WORLD

***Nobuhiko Takada (c) vs Shinya Hashimoto***
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Battle Formation in Tokyo Dome (04/29/1996, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan)
While the NJPW vs UWFi feud was mostly a sad, underwhelming affair, the shooty boys always had one thing they could cling to: their top guy was (supposedly) as good as anyone in the world, holding his own against Mutoh in October before defeating him for the title in a rematch on 1/4. If a different style doesn’t work, NJPW figures they’ll fight fire with fire—only their shootiest of boys has been slumming it in the tag division for a year now. Hashimoto lost to Mutoh twice last year, so what chance does he have against the guy who beat that guy with ease? Can Hashimoto somehow defend NJPW’s honor on the biggest stage imaginable or will UWFi reign supreme with the IWGP title held hostage?
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto & Osamu Kido vs Kazuo Yamazaki & Takashi Iizuka
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors III Day 2 (05/24/1996, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan)
Hashimoto and Yamazaki hate each other! They’re facing off for the tag titles later in the tour but forget waiting around for that!
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto & Shinjiro Ohtani vs Kazuo Yamazaki & Yuji Nagata
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors III Day 5 (05/28/1996, Big Hat, Nagano, Japan)
Hashimoto and Yamazaki still hate each other! Golden junior rookie Ohtani wants to prove himself with the heavyweights! Nagata’s good too I guess!
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto, Junji Hirata, & Osamu Nishimura vs Kazuo Yamazaki, Takashi Iizuka, & Yuji Nagata
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors III Day 12 (06/05/1996, B-Con Plaza, Beppu, Japan)
More build-up to Hash/Hirata vs Yamazaki/Iizuka, this time with all the participants and some youngsters too!
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata (c) vs Kazuo Yamazaki & Takashi Iizuka
IWGP Tag Team Championship
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors III Day 18 (06/12/1996, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan)
The climactic showdown! Mean as hell! Watch it already!
DITCH

***Shinya Hashimoto vs Riki Choshu***
G1 Climax 1996 Block A Match
NJPW G1 Climax 1996 Day 1 (08/02/1996, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
Hashimoto’s a few months into what will prove to be a record-breaking reign that sets high water marks for the IWGP title that will remain unbroken for years. If he can’t the G1 this year, it feels like he might never get there. Standing in his way is his old nemesis Choshu, who announced that he’ll be retiring soon-ish, making this his final G1. Because of that people are 1000% behind him here as both men throw their all at each other.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto vs Kensuke Sasaki
G1 Climax 1996 Block A Match
NJPW G1 Climax 1996 Day 5 (08/06/1996, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
By virtue of both of them losing to Choshu (and Choshu not losing to anybody), neither of these guys have any chance of making the finals in this, their last block match. However Hashimoto’s pride is still on the line, as he’s not won a single match so far; his only points have come from partner Hirata’s forfeiture, being that he was injured in his first match and had to drop out. Hashimoto’s beaten Sasaki three times in title matches but last year the young powerhouse got the best of him in the G1. Will _any_ success in this tournament continue to elude our hero?
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata vs Riki Choshu & Kensuke Sasaki
NJPW Battle Final 1996 Day 11 (12/01/1996, Rainbow Hall, Nagoya, Japan)
Winning the G1 earned Choshu a title shot at the Dome so he and his beefy protege go after a pair of guys they both beat in the tournament.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Riki Choshu
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome 1997 (01/04/1997, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan)
Choshu made the impossible happen back in August but can he do it in the last title shot of his career?
NJPW WORLD

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Kazuo Yamazaki
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Fighting Spirit 1997 Day 16 (02/16/1997, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
They kick each other real hard. It’s good.
DITCH

***Shinya Hashimoto vs Naoya Ogawa***
Different Style Fight
NJPW Battle Formation 1997 (04/12/1997, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan)
Initially this was meant to be Hashimoto vs Ken Shamrock but NJPW went and announced Shamrock for a series of matches before actually signing him, allowing WWF to come and offer him a contract instead. So with several big Dome shows to fill throughout the year, NJPW turns elsewhere in the combat sport world to Olympic silver medalist judoka and Japanese national hero Naoya Ogawa. With K-1 exploding in popularity and PRIDE FC on the horizon, MMA is quickly encroaching on puroresu’s territory in Japan’s mainstream consciousness. For decades Inoki was able to prove that pro wrestling was the strongest but can Hashimoto keep hope alive in a new, more formidable era?
https://vk.com/video496410132_456239085

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Naoya Ogawa
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Strong Style Evolution in Osaka Dome (05/03/1997, Osaka Dome, Osaka, Japan)
Embarrassed by his defeat in Tokyo, Hashimoto lays it all on the line: a rematch for the IWGP title.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7oi6ll

Shinya Hashimoto vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan
G1 Climax 1997 Semi-Finals
NJPW G1 Climax 1997 Day 3 (08/03/1997, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
Having dispatched old foes Yamazaki and Chono easily in the first two rounds, Hashimoto’s got his best shot at the G1 finals in a while. This Tenzan kid, though, he won’t go down easy.
DITCH

Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs Kensuke Sasaki
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Final Power Hall in Yokohama (08/31/1997, Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan)
Having won the G1 Climax handily, Sasaki comes into the first leg of his mentor’s retirement tour (for which this show is named) with all the momentum in the world. Hashimoto’s still reeling from his two big losses this year, cracks appearing in the foundation of his era-defining role as NJPW ace. Will Hashimoto’s record-setting third reign continue or will Sasaki finally begin a new age?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUekZZnt_ps

***Shinya Hashimoto vs Genichiro Tenryu***
G1 Climax 1998 Quarter-Finals
NJPW G1 Climax 1998 Day 2 (08/01/1998, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
Outside of a title shot back in June that no one thought he’d win, Hashimoto’s been out of the spotlight for a full year, tagging with protege Tadao Yasuda and beating up foreigners in the midcard. After stomping the shit out of Tatsutoshi Goto in the first round, he’s got a much bigger challenge in the second round with old man Tenryu coming back for more. The G1’s always been cursed for Hashimoto but after wasting the last twelve months he’s going all out—and of course Tenryu doesn’t plan on losing easy.
NJPW WORLD

***Shinya Hashimoto vs Kazuo Yamazaki***
G1 Climax 1998 Finals
NJPW G1 Climax 1998 Day 3 (08/02/1998, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan)
Against all odds, Hashimoto finds himself in the G1 Climax finals once again. Aside from the Tenryu slobberknocker, though, he’s had a pretty easy path to the finals, facing young guys and nobodies. The smaller Yamazaki’s had to go through Fujinami, Sasaki, and Chono, a murderer’s row of top names. Still, he beat ‘em all by submission in less than ten minutes each, so he’s clearly a major threat. Can another submission hold win Yamazaki the biggest match of his career by far or will Hashimoto finally win the tournament that has dealt him loss after heartbreaking loss?
NJPW WORLD