The Flying Hammerlock Video Review #39: Owen Vs Iizuka

 

This review is dedicated to the memory of Owen Hart.  R.I.P.
 

Owen Hart vs. Takayuki Iizuka, TWA Autumn Armageddon II, The Original Sports Bar, Philadelphia, PA, September 21, 1991.
 

No real backstory here, just Owen working wherever he could before returning to WWE in December.  This was Iizuka's American debut and one of only two matches he ever had in the U.S., the other being The Steiner Brothers defeating Tatsumi Fujinami and Iizuka at WCW WrestleWar 1992 on May 17, 1992.  This was Owen's only appearance for TWA.  TWA was Joel Goodhart's promotion and the precursor to ECW.  These two actually had wrestled each other several times in New Japan Pro Wrestling and after this encountered each other in battle royals for Otto Wanz' Catch Wrestling Association in Austria.   There is no commentary for this match.
 

They circle each other and tie up and Iizuka forces Owen into the ropes.  The referee starts to count and Iizuka breaks on 3.  They circle each other again and tie up and Owen grabs a wristlock.  Owen turns it into an arm wringer and then a takedown.   Iizuka gets up and grabs an arm wringer of his own.   Owen rolls around on the mat and gets up and gets control of the arm.   Iizuka takes that away and goes after the arm himself.   Iizuka gets a top wristlock but Owen counters with a headscissors takedown.   Iizuka escapes and both guys get to their feet.  They circle each other again and tie up again and Iizuka grabs a side headlock.  Iizuka turns into a headlock takedown but Owen counters with another headscissors.   Iizuka escapes and gets a jackknife pin but Owen holds on and turns it into a backslide for 2.  Back up, they clasp each other's hands and Owen gets a fireman's carry takedown.   Owen gets a wristlock and drops a knee on the arm.  They do a test of strength and Owen turns it into a Northern Lights Suplex for 2.   Their hands are still connected and they do the test of strength which Iizuka turns into a pin but Owen bridges up at 2.  Owen powers up, kicks one of his hands free and hits a dropkick.   They tie up again and Iizuka does an armscissors takedown and turns it into a cross-armbreaker.   Owen tries to get up but Iizuka takes him down again.  Iizuka turns it into a pin but only gets 1.  Iizuka gets a top wristlock but Owen gets to his feet.  Iizuka gets a fireman's carry and hangs on to the wristlock.  Owen gets up and gets a fireman's carry of his own and hits a Samoan Drop.  It gets 1.  Owen snapmares Iizuka and hits a knee drop and goes for the pin but only gets 2.  Owen brings Iizuka up but Iizuka trips up Owen and grabs Owen's ankle.  Owen tries kicking away with his free leg to escape the hold.  Iizuka drops elbows on Owen's leg.  Iizuka kicks Owen and both guys get to their feet.  As Owen is getting up Iizuka delivers an elbow drop to the back of Owen's neck.  Iizuka grabs a side headlock and Owen powers him into the ropes and whips him across and Iizuka hits him with a shoulderblock.   Iizuka comes off the ropes and Owen goes for a hiptoss but Iizuka blocks it.   Owen does a backflip and gets the hiptoss.   Owen gets a headscissors and a dropkick, sending Iizuka to the floor.  Owen hits a baseball slide dropkick sending Iizuka crashing into the guardrail.  Iizuka gets back in the ring.   They tie up again and Owen grabs a side headlock and turns it into a hammerlock but Iizuka reverses it into one of his own.   Iizuka takes Owen down and applies a Camel Clutch.   Owen gets to his feet and, with Iizuka still sitting on his shoulders, hits an Electric Chair Drop.   Owen climbs up to the second turnbuckle and drops an elbow.   It gets 2.  Owen brings Iizuka up and locks on an Abdominal Stretch, driving his elbow into Iizuka's leg to add to the pressure.  Owen rolls backwards and turns it into a rollup for 2.  Owen tries for the pin again, another 2.   Owen goes to work on Iizuka's legs and applies some kind of leglock.   Iizuka won't submit.   Owen releases the hold but is still working over the legs and Iizuka punches him to escape.  Iizuka escapes and applies a single-leg Boston Crab.   Owen gets to the bottom rope to escape.   Iizuka stomps on Owen's back and, once Owen is back up, knees him in the midsection.   Iizuka kicks Owen.   Iizuka tries again but Owen catches the leg and hits a leg whip.   Owen hits a Side Backbreaker for 2.  Owen hits a Butterfly Suplex for 2.  Owen is down and Iizuka punches, kicks and stomps him.   Owen gets to his feet and punches Iizuka in the midsection.   They exchange chops for a bit until Iizuka hits a spinkick.   Iizuka whips Owen into the ropes and hits a dropkick for 2.   Iizuka slows things down with a chinlock.   Owen gets a jawbreaker to escape and hits an elbow to the back of Iizuka's head.   Owen smacks Iizuka face first into the mat and drops a leg on the back of Iizuka's head.   Owen brings Iizuka up and hits an European Uppercut.  Iizuka responds with one of his own.  Owen responds with another.   They exchange chops and punches until Owen hits a dropkick.   Iizuka trips up Owen and applies a Sharpshooter! (Oh the irony.)   Owen trips up Iizuka and applies a leglock of his own.  Iizuka struggles but makes it to the ropes.   Back up, Owen gives Iizuka three uppercuts and goes for a slam but Iizuka escapes it.  Iizuka runs off the ropes, ducks Owen's clothesline and hits a spinning kick.   Iizuka hits a Vertical Suplex and goes for the pin and gets 2.  Iizuka gets another chinlock.   Iizuka elbows the top of Owen's head and reapplies the hold.  Again.  Owen gets to his feet and elbows his way out of the hold.   Owen hits a Gutwrench Suplex for 2.  Owen hits a Belly to Back Suplex for 2.  Then a Vertical Suplex for 2.  Owen then locks on a Camel Clutch of his own.  Owen releases the hold and drops a knee to Iizuka's back.  Owen ties up Iizuka's legs and applies a Bow and Arrow hold.   Iizuka escapes and lands on top for a 2 count.   Iizuka gets up and gives Owen some shots to the midsection and an uppercut.   Iizuka hits a spinkick.   Owen retreats to the corner and Iizuka gives him two kicks to the chest.  Iizuka gives Owen a cross-corner whip and Owen crashes into the corner.   Iizuka covers for 2.  Iizuka gives Owen three kicks to the midsection.  Iizuka snapmares Owen and goes back to the chinlock.  Owen gets up and Iizuka grabs a side headlock.  Owen whips Iizuka into the ropes and he comes off with a shoulderblock.   They do a criss-cross spot, Owen leapfrogs Iizuka and catches him with a Belly to Belly for 2.   Owen whips Iizuka off the ropes, he avoids Owen's clothesline and hits an Uranage!   It gets 2.   Iizuka brings Owen to the corner and gives him a cross-corner whip.  Iizuka charges in but Owen escapes and gets a Crucifix rollup for 2.   Owen grabs a front facelock and lifts Iizuka onto the top turnbuckle.   Owen goes for a Superplex but Iizuka lands on top for a 2 count.  Iizuka hits a T-Bone Suplex for 2.  Iizuka whips Owen into the ropes and Owen slips through Iizuka's legs and goes for a kick.  Iizuka catches Owen's boot but Owen hits an Enzuigiri.   Owen slams Iizuka and climbs up top and dives off but the splash hits the knees.  Iizuka goes out to the apron and climbs up but Owen dropkicks him down to the floor.   Owen climbs up top and dives out onto Iizuka on the floor!  Iizuka rolls back into the ring.   Owen climbs up to the apron and Iizuka tries to Vertical Suplex him back in but Owen lands on his feet and hits a German Suplex for the pin at 21:40!  ****

Really good match.  Recommended and you can watch it here.