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Match #61
Great Muta vs. Bob Sapp
AJPW Wrestle-1 - November 17, 2002
Great Muta vs. Bob Sapp
AJPW Wrestle-1 - November 17, 2002
Before we start, I want you to watch Bob Sapp's original music video. Look at it.
That's how over Bob Sapp was. He got his own music video just by being a big, loud dude who could knock you out legit. This is actually one of his first steps into the world of wrestling, given that Wrestle-1 was meant to be a "wrestlers vs. K1/Pride guys" show (and a name that Mutoh himself would nick when he created his own promotion 11 years later). I'm not expecting a miracle, given that and the fact that Sapp's matches were never great anyway. Here we go.
Sapp comes out to Madonna's Holiday with a full complement of dancing girls. He's actually just a fighting game character, holy shit. Muta gets an absolutely fantastic entrance too, as he appears in the ring in a cloud of red mist, and everyone's selling it like they saw the gates of Hell itself open in front of them. Are the entrances going to be the highlight of this match? Probably, but we soldier on.
Muta unleashes red mist into the air and immediately starts trying to take Sapp's legs out from under him, with low dropkicks and a dragonscrew. Sapp, however, manages to get Muta up in the air for a one-handed powerbomb! Sapp just starts pounding Muta, taking him to the corner and plastering him with big forearms and stomps. The referee tries to hold him off from doing more but is knocked down... so Muta can STEP OFF THE REF FOR THE SHINING WIZARD! That's a great spot. Muta clotheslines them both to the outside and tosses Sapp into the guardrail. The guardrail actually buckles. Once they've gotten back into the ring, Muta takes a moment to stare down Masahiro Chono who's on the outside (I'm sure this is relevant in story but I don't know the story) before hitting his special elbow.
Muta gets Sapp's arm in a keylock but Sapp lifts Muta up and slams him out! Sapp then does a three-point stance (please don't make me think about Jim Duggan) before charging Muta through the ropes. And then he hits a SLINGSHOT PLANCHA?? He then gets an elbow drop of his own on Muta on the outside. Sapp looks very gassed already, but this is entertaining. The Beast hits a couple of weak-looking clotheslines that Muta sells like death anyway. Sapp tries to lift Muta into a powerbomb but gets a faceful of green mist! This lets Muta hit 2 Shining Wizards in a row... SAPP KICKS OUT AT ONE?? A moonsault then gets only two. Muta tries for another Shining Wizard but Sapp catches him, hits a powerbomb, then a dropkick, and goes to the top rope for a diving headbutt and the win!
Wow, who put this really good sports entertainment showcase in my Wrestlers vs. MMA Guys show? Absolutely not a technical masterclass (obviously not, it's Bob Sapp) but an absolute sprint through things that should be silly but actually work. Muta is the star of this show, really selling this big dude and putting him over huge. I did not expect to actually enjoy this.