THE FASCINATION OF FUJINAMI

Fujinami's Dragon Sleeper Hold

Though I am a crazy fan of ALL JAPAN, it is not fair that I don't mention the wrestlers of NEW JAPAN. Today I introduce Tatsumi Fujinami who was a star wrestler of NEW JAPAN in the 80's. Fujinami was a pupil of Antonio Inoki. He fought with Canek in Mexico many times, and grew up to a unique technician. When he came back to Japan, he developed the new field of the wrestling world in Japan, that was the hard fights of Jr. heavy weight wrestlers.

Fujinami kept WWF International Jr. Championship, and fought with Chavo Guerrero, Dynamite Kid, and other strong enemies. His fight-style was like a 'small Inoki', but moreover, he used unique special tricks and holds. He transported Tope Suisida into Japan for the first time, that was the shocking Dragon Rocket. Because 'Tatsu' in his name means an oriental dragon, his tricks were named Dragon something.

Fujinami took a fall from Inoki with Dragon Suplex Hold

Fujinami's special hold which surprised us extremely was Dragon Suplex Hold. That is a very violent and an acrobatic trick that he throw back an opponent from Full Nelson. Using this special hold, he took a fall from the master Antonio Inoki in 1985. Afterwards Gary Albright often used it as Full Nelson Suplex, and that was very destructive, but I like Fijinami's speedy and elegant Suplex.

Since in the middle of 80's, Fujinami turned to a heavyweight wrestler, and showed good fights with Inoki, Hogan, Vader, and his rival Riki Chosyu. But because his weight was comparatively light, he was injured his waist by attacks of terrible big wrestlers. Though he was active for a long time as a veteran, I thought he lost his vividness of in his youth. It was very impressive that he wrested NWA Championship from Ric Flair, but at that time NWA was nearly ruined, it might be not recorded officially.