Bas Rutten was brought in New Japan in 2002 and wrestled a total of six, including an IWGP Heavyweight Title challenge against Yuji Nagata and a European Catch Rules match against Osamu Nishimura (which if someone has seen, please @ me). His last match in NJPW was against Koji Kanemoto for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title and, not to my surprise, he actually plays pro-wrestler quite well. Sure, he's got some goofy...uh, dropkicks...but he knows how to work the fans and he sells Kanemoto's legwork well. I like the way he sort of ragdolls Kanemoto around in the double arm hold, then transitions into the front guillotine and supplements with knees. Rutten's able to use his raw strength to muscle Kanemoto into predicaments or escape them, like his awesome powerbomb counter to the triangle. At one point, he just starts slamming Kanemoto's head into the canvas. And of course, we get some slick matwork from Bas. During a kick exchange, Bas is able to catch a leg for a takedown, floats around into an armbar then shifts into a heel hook to force Kanemoto to the ropes. Kanemoto is clearly overshadowed here, and while he'll get in some mounted tantrum slaps or go back to the leg to set-up the finish, Rutten really makes this match an interesting spectacle of sorts. After he hits Shining Wizard!!, Bas doesn't go for the pin but instead, plays to the crowd, like "hey, I can do this too", but it costs him, as Kanemoto's able to snag the ankle hold for the submission victory. An interesting match-up and from what I've seen, Rutten's best pro-wrestling performance...and sadly, his last.
