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Keiji Mutoh and Masahiro Chono vs. Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Defense on November 1st, 1990

Event: New Japan Pro Wrestling TV Taping
Location: Tokyo Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan
Announced Attendance: 14,014 

Mutoh and Hase start things off. Tie-up, and Mutoh armdrags Hase to the mat. They go into a Test of Strength, Mutoh pushes Hase to the mat but Hase bridges back up. Mutoh trips Hase and applies an armbar, arm wringer by Mutoh, Hase flips out of it and trips Mutoh to the mat. Back up, and Hase tags in Sasaki. Sasaki and Mutoh circle each other, side headlock by Mutoh and he takes Sasaki down to the mat. Sasaki struggles to his feet, Irish whip by Sasaki but Mutoh shoulderblocks him down. Mutoh goes off the ropes but Sasaki hits a dropkick. Mutoh tags in Chono and Sasaki tags in Hase. Chono punches Hase into the corner and makes the tag to Mutoh. Double Irish whip by Hase and they hit a double back elbow. Front facelock by Chono to Hase, Hase reverses it with a hammerlock and applies an armbar. Stomps by Hase but Chono grabs him and tags in Mutoh. Kicks by Mutoh to Hase, Irish whip, and Mutoh hits a back bodydrop. Flashing Elbow by Mutoh and he applies an achilles hold, but Hase rolls into the ropes. Mutoh tags in Chono, and they both yank on Hase's legs. Chono ties up Hase's legs but Hase applies a stretch hold. Hase applies a cross armbreaker but Chono gets out of it and tags in Mutoh. Mutoh grabs Hase and applies the Muta Lock. Sasaki breaks it up with an elbow drop, and Hase tags in Sasaki while Mutoh tags in Chono. Chono and Sasaki circle each other, kicks by Sasaki and he hits a series of chops until Chono falls to the mat. Sasaki picks up Chono and he delivers a running power slam. Elbow drop by Sasaki, cover, but it gets a two count. Sasaki picks up Chono and throws him into the corner. Sasaki tags in Hase, and Hase clubs Chono in the back. Sidewalk slam by Hase, cover, but it gets a two count. Hase goes for a Scorpion Deathlock but Chono rolls him up for a two count. Hase chops Chono into the corner and tags in Sasaki, double Irish whip to Chono and they deliver a double lariat. Cover by Sasaki but it gets a two count. Irish whip by Sasaki to Chono but Chono avoids the dropkick. Yakuza Kick by Chono, he waits for Sasaki to get up and hits a second one.

Chono tags in Mutoh, Mutoh picks up Sasaki, Irish whip to the corner and he hits a Space Rolling Elbow. Mutoh throws Sasaki out of the ring and Chono throws Sasaki into the guard rail before sliding him back into the ring. Mutoh picks up Sasaki, he holds him for Chono and Chono comes off the top turnbuckle with a diving shoulderblock. Chono applies the STF to Sasaki, while Mutoh comes in the ring to take care of Hase. Chono helps dispose of Hase and re-applies the STF to Sasaki, but Sasaki gets a hand on the ropes. Chono tags in Mutoh, Mutoh picks up Sasaki and he hits a kneebreaker. Mutoh applies a figure four leg lock, but Sasaki gets a hand on the bottom rope. Mutoh tags in Chono, Chono picks up Sasaki, chopping him into the corner. Sasaki throws Chono out of the corner and tags in Hase. Hase hits a uranage onto Chono and applies the Scorpion Deathlock. Mutoh quickly breaks it up with kicks to the chest, and Hase tags in Sasaki. Sasaki picks up Chono and throws him into the corner. Sasaki puts Chono onto the top turnbuckle and hits a superplex, then Hase comes off the top turnbuckle with a diving body press. Cover by Sasaki, but Chono barely kicks out. Sasaki applies the Scorpion Deathlock to Chono but Mutoh breaks it up. Mutoh and Sasaki trade strikes, and Mutoh is thrown out of the ring. Irish whip by Sasaki to Chono and he hits a dropkick in the corner. Bulldog by Sasaki, he hits a German suplex hold but it gets a two count. Sasaki picks up Chono, Irish whip, but Chono kicks him in the face and tags in Mutoh. Irish whip by Mutoh to Sasaki and he hits the Space Rolling Elbow. Irish whip by Mutoh and he dropkicks Sasaki to the mat. Sasaki tags in Hase, and Mutoh drops Hase with a backdrop suplex. Face crusher by Mutoh and he hits a dragon suplex hold for a two count. Mutoh picks up Hase, rib breaker, he goes up to the top turnbuckle and nails the moonsault. Cover, but Hase barely gets a shoulder up. Sasaki comes in and lariats Mutoh, Chono runs in but Sasaki catches him with a powerslam. Hase grabs Mutoh, hits the Northern Lights Suplex and picks up the three count! Your winners and new champions: Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki

Match Thoughts: Just like Mutoh and Chono had picked up the upset eight months previously, this time they are the ones that get beaten by the hungrier underdog team. Mutoh was so surprised his moonsault didn't get the win, he let his guard down and that was the beginning of the end. Up until then it was going like a typical Mutoh/Chono match, but one mental lapse and they were done. The crowd was super hot too, which always helps a surprise like this one. Up until the end it was still a good match, they have good chemistry (especially Hase and Mutoh) and they kept the action going. Overall an entertaining match. Score: 8.0


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