GIANT BABA vs. HARLEY RACE (1)

Giant Baba vs. Harley Race
ALL JAPAN, NWA World Championship Match
Oct. 31 1979 Aichi-Ken Taiikukan (Nagoya)

Giant Baba fought against Harley Race many times on the ring of ALL JAPAN, and they contended for the NWA belt harshly. Especially, it was the most impressive fight that Baba challenged Race in Nagoya in 1979. I will introduce that very severe title match and the return match of it. Baba had taken the NWA belt from Jack Brisco in 1974, and he had become the NWA World Champion for the first time as a Japanese. Though it was a borrowed title, that was an inspiring deed. The top managers of NWA could not disregard the existence of Baba. (Afterwards Baba became the vice-president of NWA.)

On one hand, Harley Race got back the NWA belt from Dusty Rhodes and visited to Japan, but his physical condition was not good. Race narrowly defended his title from Jumbo Tsuruta in Matsumoto. But the next challenger was Giant Baba who was hard to deal with, and the new severe rules were created, that the title could move on a foul or a count-out. Race's family also visited to Japan, and Race wished to show them good fight. And Baba wanted to put the belt of the World Champion on his waist after an interval of five years.

At the same time as a starting bell rang, Baba's kick hit the breast of Race. Because a preemptive attack of Baba was very unusual, Race was unsettled. Baba continued to attack Race with Kawazu Otoshi (Russian Leg Sweep ) and Pile Driver. When the referee Joe Higuchi beat the ring two times, Race narrowly escaped from a fall. Spectators screamed. Race attacked Baba's stomach with Head Butt, and he used cruel Knee Drop on the forehead of Baba. Baba was bloodied, and he dropped from the ring. Race went after the opponent, but Baba knocked Race's face against an iron post. Blood spouted from his wound.

Race did his best bloodily, and tried to Diving Head Butt from the corner post. Baba threw him with Deadly Drive as usual. (^^; And Baba used his special move Running Neck Breaker Drop !! Joe Higuchi beat the ring three times, young wrestlers came into the ring, spectators cried out, and the whole hall was in an uproar. Baba got back the title after a long time. Surely it was a borrowed title, but it was true that Baba was the most difficult rival for Race. And they would do a harder fight in the return match.