GIANT BABA vs. JUMBO TSURUTA

What a wonderful Drop Kick !!

Giant Baba vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
ALL JAPAN, The World Open League
Dec. 15 1975 Miyagi Sports Center (Sendai)

As I often say, I'm a believer of ALL JAPAN, and especially a crazy fan of Jumbo Tsuruta. It was my pleasure that I observed his growth every week. Afterwards he became a great wrestler and he was called the perfect champion, but I rather liked his rookie days. Because he had been a member of the Olympic team, of course he was a technician. But there was a recklessness or a weakness in him, I feel his fascination with it. They said his performance was exaggerated, but he might have been practicing the teaching of Terry. (^^;

Well, in this league series, Tsuruta fought against his master, Giant Baba. A big card of Japanese wrestlers was unusual in ALL JAPAN. Only about it, NEW JAPAN was in the lead. Antonio Inoki positively fought with Japanese rivals, Strong Kobayashi or Seiji Sakaguchi, because of lack of foreign wrestlers. There were many famous wrestlers in ALL JAPAN, and there was no need to make a odd card. Because I am a fan of ALL JAPAN, I always admire Baba's stance. But fans of NEW JAPAN say that ALL JAPAN was conservative.

Dory was sitting on a seat near the ring. He seemed to glad to hear the news that Terry had taken the NWA belt. And Tsuruta was a pupil of him in USA. Tsuruta actively attacked Baba with Drop Kick. That jumping power was a charm of him in his youth. I have never seen such a wonderful Drop Kick. (Look at the upper picture) Tsuruta attacked Baba with Leg split and Spinning Toe Hold, but Baba's legs were very long, and these moves had hardly effect. Though Tsuruta tried to use Double Arm Suplex, it was indeed impossible.

Tsuruta was a very big person as a Japanese, but Baba was an unbelievably tall man. It was difficult for Tsuruta to use effective moves, and he gradually lost his stamina. He did his best to try Elbow Smash and Side Suplex. Baba had enough strength in reserve to receive these attacks. When Tsuruta was dead tired, Baba used Neck Breaker Drop, and the finishing move was Kawazu Otoshi (Russian Leg Sweep) !! Of course Tsuruta lost to Baba, but he showed his good fighting spirit, and Baba taught his pupil many important things in this match.