Throwback Match Reviews: Antonio Inoki vs Billy Robinson

Antonio Inoki vs Billy Robinson (NJPW) 12/11/1975

This match was flawless in execution. Billy Robinson’s mat grappling is really fun to go back and look at. The finish was a time limit draw in a 2 out 3 falls match which saw both Inoki and Robinson each score a fall. Robinson out wrestling Inoki worked into building for Inoki’s comeback spots. Inoki was being bested on the mat and when he hit suplexes to escape the crowd fired up. Robinson’s mat work was something Inoki had to overcome. When Robinson scored the first fall with a basic roll up you see the frustration in Inoki’s face as he is disappointed with himself. In the second fall he begins to find answers to Robinson’s technical offence and it all built to the fall. Inoki makes Robinson tap out in the last minute of the match. The drama for that second finish, especially since it happened literally in the last minute, was outstanding. It also made the last 30 seconds of the match very exciting as both men just dropped their gameplans and desperately seeked to score the final fall. The moves in this match, although simplistic, were beautifully done. Although the execution was perfect and the story simple and logical, the match did go too long. The draw was perfect for the story but going an hour tends to have its problems. There were a few moments were nothing was really happening. It took me out of the match and ruined the flow. 

Final Rating - ****¼