(07/16/1988) AJPW World Tag Team Title Match (Double Crown): Jumbo Tsuruta & Yokihashi Yatsu (C) DDQ Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy in 18:37 

This was the first title defense of the world tag team titles, as The Olympics (Jumbo & Yatsu) just won the titles the previous month. The Americans did a lot of persistent mauling early, much as you’d expect. Yatsu took most of it, but there was a fun little open-handed slap back-and-forth with Hansen. Tsruta eventually tired of watching Yatsu get beaten up and interjected himself into the fight on the floor, allowing Yatsu to regain his bearings. He locked in the abdominal stretch on Hansen, and Gordy broke it up. Then, he locked it in again, and Jumbo repeatedly delivered ax handles to Hansen’s head and face to the crowd’s delight. Hansen sold it great. Gordy said, “Enough with this shit,” and hit Yatsu with a chair to break it up. A big brawl ensued, and the ref called for the double DQ, I guess because Jumbo constantly dropping the Randy Savage double sledge was equal to a Gordy chairshot. I love me some Jumbo, but that was pretty lazy for a double DQ, not surprising in the least with All Japan pre-1990. They were building nicely to something better, but they got cut off with a shit finish. ***1/4