Naohiro Hoshikawa Appreciation Reviews Part 2
M-Pro 1999.1.10 Crazy Max (Shiima Nobunaga, Judo Suwa, Sumo Fujii) vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa, Masato Yakushiji, Masaru Seno
So nothing’s topping yesterday’s match right? … right?
RIGHT?
Nope, WRONG! This topped it. Or at the very least, equalled it. It’s two years later and Hoshi is still battling a band of no-good thugs only this time they’re younger, hungrier and jerkier! Out with Kaientai DX, in with Craaaaaazy Max!
Yakushiji is once again by Hoshikawa’s side and this time they’re joined by a man I’ve never seen before – Masaru Seno, a fresh faced youngster bedecked in plain black tights. From the outset CIMA and pals are just heeling it up like nobody’s business. A couple of minutes in and I got proof of God’s existence as Naohiro Hoshikawa and Judo Suwa were in a ring together. It was as awesome as you’d expect. Hoshi was significantly more threatening in 1999 than he was in 1997.
The bulk of the match was C-Max destroying Seno and Yakushiji and it was a joy to behold, but it was nothing that you were going to lose your mind over. However once Hoshi got the hot tag – boy oh boy, you lost your mind. And this wasn’t like losing your keys and finding them down the side of your couch, this was losing your keys and having them fall down into the sewer and swallowed by a rat. So anyway Hoshikawa was kicking a load of Ultimo Dragon lovin’, Worldwide jobbin’ ass and the people were loving it. The babyfaces delivered a combo cooler than the KDX murderising from yesterday as Yakushiji hit a perfect Dragonsteiner, Hoshi hit his flying enzigiuri and Seno (who was the most sympathetic babyface ever by this point) hit a HYOOGE lariat. It got a ridiculous nearfall.
Speaking of nearfalls, we then got alot of them down the stretch and I was jumping up and down for every single one. Crowd was going mental. Throw in a nutty dive by CIMA too for good measure and yeah this was rockin’. Unlike yesterday’s match the finish of this was PERFECT as SUWA finally manages to put down the valiant Seno.
****3/4 again! YOU WANT THIS PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING MATCH.
