10 Live Observations From NJPW’s FIRST EVER UK Tour
8. Yano More Heroes Anymore
A six-man tag team match pitting Takashi Iizuka, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado against YOSHI-HASHI, Gedo and Toru Yano offered Altrincham fans a chance to see a broad array of New Japan Pro Wrestling regulars, but the respective entrances of each man provided an obvious clue of who the majority were really there for.
The pop for the shrugged shoulders of the long-tenured goofball was insane. Funny may not be money according to Jim Cornette, but the roar of approval and howls of laughter he received at various points in the car crash encounter seemed to represent value for money for almost all 3000 in attendance.
The wrestlers knew it too. The entire contest first cut off (as a way to expertly build towards) his hot tag, with Toru barely even registering a sustained period of attack following his entrance before the contest broke down again ahead of yet another Suzuki-Gun win.
Doubt Yano's prowess if you absolutely must, but years of equity in his gimmick has created something real and unbreakable between wrestler and audience - with several stars further up the card a long way removed from establishing such a bond.