Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 9: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Tony Rocco (9/11/80)

Fujinami makes yet another appearance on the first disk. Rocco may or may not be British. I’m a World of Sport mark, that’s all.

A very technical match with almost exclusively mat hold stuff. It’s a bit dry, but well done. When they do turn it up they run the ropes and crash into each other, or drop kick at the same time and fall down. I assure you, it’s decent, above average stuff, and another increment up in my view of Fujinami. Rocco is a very capable hand. This is really intense submission wrestling. It’s very niche in its own way, but I feel just as strongly about it as I have for any of the Hansen/Inoki matches. Rocco does a deep Side Russian Leg sweep that is my choice cut. I dig this guys style.

I’ve said it already before, and this isn’t the most exciting or best laid out match on the set, but this might be the best “grinder” we see on the set. This match has the feel of legit toughness. They open it up in the end for a sprint the last few minutes. Rocco makes a run towards the end, but you know Fujinami is going over a retaining the WWWF Junior belt. He does so in twenty minutes with a victory roll. There are rough edges to this match, it’s not smooth many times, but that’s what a great grinder is. 3 ½ and 6.8/10.