Antonio Inoki vs. Kintaro Oki, 10.10.1974

Match #1 of the Thank you Antonio Inoki project.

NJPW Toukon Series 1974 - Tag 30.

NWF Heavyweight Title Match.

Kuramae Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan.

Watch here

This rules so much ass. Before the match starts, Oki ignores multiple attempts at a handshake from Inoki and gets punched in the face for his troubles. Immediately they're separated with the official and other wrestlers keeping Inoki at bay whilst Oki is struggling to gain his bearings, just milking that punch of all it's worth. The bell rings and as Inoki comes out of the corner fired up, Oki is hesitant to engage; sometimes bringing the referee's attention to Inoki's clenched fists - as closed-fist punches are technically against the rules - or just trying to land a quick punch of his own in retaliation.

The first 10 or so minutes are a great example of building that kind of tension between two men that want to get their hands on each other, but neither willing to overreach for it. Each lock-up is scrappy, hard-fought with urgency, but all of them end with a rope-break or brought back to a standstill. A lucky punch and hair-pulling is the closest we get to any catharsis early on. There are some slight differences in how both carry themselves through these sections: Inoki forces the contact onto his opponent, generally being the one to initiate the grappling and transition to other holds, with Oki often having to rely on the ropes to escape out of holds. The few times Oki does take an offensive position, Inoki's able to shake him off with ease, before returning to the center of the ring, assured knowing that he's got the advantage so far. He's not a clear-cut babyface, like the cheap shot before the bell was any indication, but he doesn't need to be here for fans to be drawn to his charisma.

After a collar-and-elbow tie up, Oki breaks out the first major move of the match with an explosive snap suplex, only to be met with an even more explosive kick out from Inoki before the referee could start counting. Another lock-up is followed with Inoki's own suplex that gets promptly kicked out off as well, except Inoki presses forward for another that winds up getting reversed into a scrap on the mat. Clear escalation from what had preceded these moments, but no sure sign of either wrestler having taken control just yet. That is, until Oki nails a headbutt to the midsection and it's the first move that Inoki can't shrug off. It's a dent in the armor which Oki proceeds to not only home in on, but fully embrace for the remainder of the match. His entire heat segment could be summarized as Oki using his head as a battering ram whenever Inoki gets up, to knock him back down harder. Moreover, Inoki is constantly daring him to do it again each time, almost eager to be the proverbial punching bag as a point of pride. Some could criticize this for being repetitive and basic, and while it wouldn't be wrong to describe it as such, it would be missing the point entirely of why it's being done.

One of Inoki's greatest strengths as a performer lies in his connection with Japanese crowds. Being able to hook them in various ways into the stories of his matches and siphon thousands of cheering fans to a united rally in support of the hero. Structurally, this match works as a means of prolonging heat and eventually harnessing it into something unquestionably satisfying for the audience. He takes an absurd amount of damage and punishment compared to before, whilst never opting to lock-up or counter the attack, just take it head-on. As he's taunting back at Oki, there's an incredible visual of blood trailing down from his forehead, with an expression as if he couldn't care less about the wound. It's as much a mental game as it is physical now. Finally, he pushes back with a punch to a lively uproar, with people in the front row standing in applause. A flurry of punches and slams is enough to cinch Inoki the victory, but the moment prior is where the triumph of this match lies.

Verdict: Excellent. Stands out as one of the best matches of its time and to this day, can still be easily appreciated. You get the classic start-stop approach from Inoki in the early periods, spirited grappling that looks legitimate, before the dramatics are brought to the forefront and the heat which had been sustained for so long can finally be released for an exciting third act.