TENRYU vs HASHIMOTO - Quarter Finals of G-1 Climax Tournament, 1998

You know those people who say wrestling is fake?  Well, they haven't seen this match.  This is sheer brutality, and there's no barbed wire, there's no chairs, tacks, tables, piranha fish - NOTHING.  Just two crazy old bastards chopping burns into each others sagging skin.  And not the type of chops that make the fans go, ''WOOOOOO.''  No, these are the type of chops that would make any normal human being utter the words, ''what the fuck is wrong with them?''  Or, if you're like me, ''Hahaha, go for it.  Crazy old mongrel bastards.''

Joking aside though, these are 2 of the greatest wrestlers ever to grace a ring.  Tenryu was trained to wrestle by Terry and Dory Funk Jr, so you know he's tough as nails if he survived that.  I imagine Terry Funk's training regimes to be like redneck Mortal Kombat.  Name your Japanese legends - The Muta's, the Inoki's - Tenryu has fought and beat them, and the match I'm about to show you is a great one against another legend in Shinya Hashimoto, who was one of NJPW's infamous ''Three Muskateers,'' who dominated the promotion throughout the 90's.  Hashimoto has fought, beat and lost to some of the best wrestlers the East and West had to offer including Western tag team legends the Fabulous Freebirds and arguably the most naturally gifted wrestler of all time, Barry Windham, among others.

So, why are these 2 ''real'' for lack of a better word?  Well, Japanese wrestling is famed for its Puroresu style, and this incorporates Mixed Martial Arts like bouts.  If anyone could go out there and strike the living hell out of each other it was these 2.  Tenryu is basically just a tough as nails old bastard and he'll probably die doing something brutal, and Hashimoto was famed for successfully competing in MMA bouts in NJPW.  So, why don't I quit rambling and let you see just how tough these 2 are for yourself.  If you want flashy, technical wrestling then you won't get it here.  If you can appreciate ugly, brutal physical human wrecking, then you're in for a god dang treat and you can suck my dick in Hell for introducing you to this if you haven't already seen it.  Enjoy.

RIP HASHIMOTO.  Thanks for giving us such great matches.