Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 11: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Tony Londos (9/19/80)

I have no idea who Tony Londos is, but if he’s anywhere near as good as Tony Rocco, this match will rule. Random white guy in black trunks meets WWWF Champ AKA Asian dude in black trunks. It’s on.

Londos is a real meat and potatoes looking worker. He pulls off a flying head scissors and I’m already in love. This is graceful mat switches and – dare I say – fancy moves. It doesn’t have that grinder feel because there is some finesse to it. It’s systematic holds and moves based around escaping holds. Londos is good and Fujinami keeps getting better. The only thing this really lacks is a heel-face dynamic, because both of these dudes are playing by the rules.

Londos soon adds that heel streak with some pounding strikes to set up submissions. Fujinami makes fiery comebacks and works from underneath Londos before gaining control, and losing it a bunch of times. Londos possesses a very World of Sport head scissors out of an arm bar, from his back! These guys don’t have a ton to sell, as it’s mostly wear down offense, but they run hard the last three minutes. Fujinami wins with a backslide out of nowhere in 9:30. Solid stuff. 3 and 6/10.