Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,
Pro Wrestling Love vol. 65:
The Best of Puroresu 2010-2014
Objective: Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at http://gweproject.freeforums.net/) into more manageable chunks to help me build my Top 100 List for the project.
Motivation: Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by the sands of time.
Subject: This sixty-fifth volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the conclusion of the Top 12 countdown of the best pro wrestling matches to take place in Japan between 2010-2014. I covered 2005-2009 in an earlier edition of Pro Wrestling Love. I decided to do the next five year chunk. Originally, I was thinking of covering New Japan from 2012-2016 separately as that covers the rise of Kazuchika Okada, BUT the Puroresu scene from 2010-2011 does not really have much meat on the bone to warrant its own coverage so we will look at Puroresu as a whole from 2010-2014. The last two years are very New Japan heavy as their resurgence was completed with the New Three Musketeers: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada and Shinsuke Nakamura leading the charge and also the gaijin-faction The Bullet Club renewing Western interest in the product. 2010-2011 saw FUTEN (Daisuke Ikeda's Shoot-Style Promotion) and Dick Togo's run in DDT holding down the fort while New Japan was recharging. After reigning supreme in terms of match quality in the first decade of the 21st Century, NOAH spiraled out of control due to the tragic death of Mitsuharu Misawa and the retirement of top star, Kenta Kobashi. By 2011, Jun Akiyama was the All Japan Triple Crown champion and in 2012 he officially defected with many of NOAH's top stars to All Japan. NOAH was left with KENTA as the only viable main event star. All Japan with the signings of Akiyama & Co, Masakatsu Funaki and the rise of SUWAMA & Kento Miyahara had a mini-resurgence of their own in the front half of the 2010s garnering some buzz for their matches for the first time in a decade. All Japan was still dwarfed in regards to ticket sales and critical acclaim compared to New Japan Pro Wrestling, but they offered refreshing alternative. You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders associated with the date of the match.
Contact Info: @superstarsleeze on Twitter, Instagram & ProWrestlingOnly.com.
Top Six Matches of Puroresu 2010-2014
#6. Dick Togo vs Antonio Honda - DDT 1/30/11
I don't know who Antonio Honda is, but he was a fucking star in this. He was like best possible Japanese combination of Arn Anderson/Jerry Lawler in this. Hyper focused arm work and then amazing Lawler style comeback complete with one of the best damn punch-based comebacks I have ever seen (like right up there with Lawler in the Bock match). Dick Togo sold his ass off here just like in the match with Sato, but the work from Honda matched his and this is was a stellar match.
Honda gains the upper hand by tangling him into a deathlock. The selling by Togo is incredible especially verbal and Honda rolls expertly and quickly so that he can settle into a hammerlock. This becomes the crux of the beginning of the match with Honda working these hammerlock into great old school pinning combinations. Really feels like the best possible Arn Anderson match being match with it being paired by the superb selling. A good example about how Togo has been affected is when he goes for his backslide/Pedigree spot that he cant do it due to his bad arm. Togo is able to hit a desperation kneelift and then a senton. He is targeting the midsection, but does not seem to be making in-roads. I really liked Honda grabbing a double wristlock to break a bodyscissors with Togo releasing the hold immediately and really selling it. Honda goes for the kill with a cross armbreaker, but Togo rolls on his belly, but still a painful armbar. Togo makes the ropes, his only saving grace. Togo ends up on the outside and Honda wants to finish Togo off and hits a big suicide dive, BUT HE HURTS HIMSELF!!! I love it! Really puts over the SUICIDE in Suicide Dive. He is busted open and Togo actually gets control due to Honda overextending himself. Very cool. Togo rakes the forehead by boot and is working the cut with punches. Beautiful. Honda's selling here is all time great and he is matching Togo and maybe he is exceeding Togo. Then HONDA JUST EXPLODES!!! JERRY LAWLER-ESQUE PUNCH COMEBACK! Just absolutely fires you up!!! Dragon Suplex! Never seen The King or Double A do that, but he is Japanese. :) Perfect Arn Anderson-style DDT. But misses the Jerry Lawler middle rope fist drop. Togo gets desperation crossface because Honda is wrestling like a man possessed, but he loses strength in his arm!!! Tries Pedigree, but cant hood arm settles for Diamond Cutter. Was Togo gimmick that he loved the Attitude Era??? He hits Pedigree, but then crashes & burns on Senton. Enforcer DDT and HITS THE FIST DROP! Kick out. He is toast. But he goes down swinging with one of the all time best punch exchanges. It is like two Jerry Lawlers punching each other. Some of the best simultaneous punches ever. Togo gets the better of the exchange and wins with Pedigree/Senton.
Simple, elegant and just so damn Southern, but in Japan. Selling was superb. Honda wrestled the match of his life against Togo first attacking the arm then having to make a comeback from his own move in spectacular fashion! I loved the build to end with each man hitting their set up move then missing the finish. Only to go back to that well and when Togo finally wins it; it is through the punch exchange to earn him his finish sequence. Really incredible matches. One of those matches you can watch completely in a vacuum (hell I have seen like 5 Togo matches and never seen a Honda match) and just be totally blown away by it. A Southern Classic in 2011 Japan is just awesome.
#5. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tomohiro Ishii - NJPW G-1 Climax 8/2/13
Tanahashi was born to play cocky heel douche role. It is when he is at his best. He knew the crowd would love the underdog in Ishii and he just hammed it up to great effect. I think the Tanahashi naysayers would be way bigger Tanahashi fans if this was how he always wrestled. Just a pitch perfect beginning. I am a mark for really well-done beginnings to matches. There is so much emphasis on the finish, but without a good beginning to set the table then it is all meaningless. This was a great beginning. Tanahashi crowding on the ropes to get a cravat. Then showboating. Trying to go toe to toe with the hard-hitting Ishii only to get his ass kicked was great. There is a great moment where Ishii is beating the piss out of Tanahashi's chest so he tries to fire back. The crowd is having none of it and is booing and Ishii is no selling like that all you got chump and then rifling back. It sets up the story perfectly. Ishii has come to fight and is going to kick ass. Tanahashi is going to have step up his game. Then we see Tanahashi just start hurling his body at Ishii full speed in an attempt to make up what he lacks in striking ability. Eventually he catches Ishii with patented death combo the dropkick to the knee/dragon screw leg whip. This is where Tanahashi really turns it up, baseball slide and just because he can, he skins the cat and then crossbodies him to the floor. It is that really touch of hot dogging that makes it! He goes for his somersault off the middle rope, but first takes time to taunt the crowd. Ishii makes him pay by moving. Perfect! Just an absolutely great beginning to the match. It makes you want to see the Ishii Cinderella story really come true.
Everything comes to head in a strike exchange again where Tanahashi stupidly thinks he can go toe to toe with Ishii and gets the taste slapped out of his mouth and then powerbombed to hell. This is exactly what every Tanahashi hater wants to see. That's what Tanahashi so great is that he can change it up and has different variations of his match to fit his opponent. What they don't want to see the Sling Blade! As a Tanahashi fanboy, I am ready for Tanahashi to crush some dreams as he cycles through his finish sequence. Ishii backs into the ropes on the High Fly Flow. No biggie, you knew he never just straight runs through this. Monster superplex by Ishii! He goes for his finish, the Brainbuster, but Tanahashi reverses into Dragon Sleeper (I forgot he had that in his arsenal!). Ishii hits a NASTY headbutt & big time lariat! Ishii cant put him away needs that Brainbuster and again Tanahashi reverses into Dragon Sleeper and then drops an elbow. Ishii got a stinger! He is flexing his arm! He is writhing in pain! I forgot Ishii's bread and butter is selling the neck. Tanahashi drops him on that bad neck with a Sling Blade and TWO Dragon Suplexes and kick out?!?! I am actually kinda annoyed at this point. I am like why are they going for the bloated finish run. Ishii is selling the neck great it is perfect for the finish with the Dragon Suplex. Ishii put up a great fight, but a bad break caught him. Oh well here is the High Fly Flow to end the match WAIT Tanahashi missed it?!?!? La Magistral Cradle gives Ishii one more nearfall. Ishii cant even stand. He stumbles and collapses. Strike exchange, fer fucks sake. Ishii blitzes him with elbow combos, SICK NASTY TANAHASHI HEADBUTT! Dragon Suplex->Ishii hits back headbutt. Tanahashi SLAPS him. Ishii enziguiri. NO WAY! This is not happening. Brainbuster -> kick out. Oh cmon! No! NO! NO! STEINER SCREWDRIVER! ISHII WINS!
Fuck it this is excess done right. They totally had me fooled. Totally. Ishii selling the neck, I was all in on the Tanahashi win. I was like Ishii put in a nice little blue chipper performance. If he had hit the Brainbuster he might have won, but Tanahashi countered and a bad landing fucked him. That would have been great. But Ishii would not be denied. They went in a different direction and I think they covered for it well. Tanahashi missing High Fly Flow gives Ishii the opening. He hits the desperation headbutt to stop the Dragon Suplex that would have killed him and then hits the enziguiri on the rocked Tanahashi to set up his two big bombs. You really cant do a better job of transitioning from he is fucking dead to winning a match. The beginning of this is excellent. There is some stuff in the middle with people no selling shit and my general distaste for strike exchanges that keep this from *****, but off the top of my head this is the third best New Japan match I have seen from this era (2012-2015), only behind Tanahashi/Nakamura Invasion Attack & AJ/Minoru Suzuki. Really incredible.
#4. AJ Styles vs Minoru Suzuki - NJPW G-1 Climax 8/1/14
Minoru Suzuki is pissed. He is pissed that some arrogant, punk outsider just waltzed in here and is now the champion. This is not time to stick out tongue and play mind games. That shit is reserved for those who earned it. He is here to teach a lesson in respect. Minoru Suzuki walking tall is the best thing ever! I would say this is probably the greatest heel vs heel match ever, but I would hear the argument that Suzuki is just a babyface using violent heel tactics to kick some ass. AJ Styles proves he is here to stay. He can take a lickin' and keep in tickin'. He is going to earn his stripes. Even if that means losing the use of his right arm, he is going to earn the respect of Suzuki and the New Japan crowd. It is amazing that the two biggest heels in New Japan basically play babyfaces in this match because they believe in what they are doing. Minoru Suzuki is going to send this Johnny Come Lately a message and AJ Styles is here to make a statement he won't back down. It just depends on your own sensibilities who your root for and on this night the crowd was 100% behind Minoru Suzuki.
Minoru Suzuki slaps the taste out of AJ's mouth early, but AJ scores a dropkick to retaliate. AJ uses his jump over the railing offensively by hitting a springboard forearm from the railing. I love Suzuki's angry selling. He is pissed that he is getting his ass kicked by Styles right now and there is nothing he can do. There is just a real sense of struggle to everything. Suzuki sees his opening and pounces. He trips up AJ on a springboard move and applies a hanging armbar and then kicks ever loving shit out of that arm. Suzuki is out to rip that arm off and beat him with it. I love him whipping AJ into the railing and then trying to pry the arm off while this Japanese girl just screams the entire in the background. AJ's verbal selling was so good in this. His yelps of agony really took this to another visceral level. AJ is able to roll through a couple arm drags to snap off a suplex into the turnbuckles to stop the bleeding. At this point one of Suzuki-Gun jumps AJ and here comes the Bullet Club. I like the heel gang vs heel gang warfare in the middle. AJ is so committed to selling his right arm, he hits all his strikes with his left hand and they look damn good! I love how quick and explosive this strike exchange was. There was no waiting out, goading people to hit each other. They just both desperately wanted to knock the other out and they ended up knocking each other out.
Then the match goes from excellent to instant classic in one simple moment. AJ does the Bullet Club Gun signal and puts it to Minoru Suzuki's head. Suzuki did not like that. Not one bit and AJ you aren't going to like Minoru Suzuki when he is angry. Minoru Suzuki grabs that finger and tries to wrench it off of AJ's hand, who is screaming in pain. The ref is even trying to tell Suzuki to watch the fingers. Styles tries to come back with springboard forearm, but that is caught into an armbar and Suzuki is going to snap that finger off. AJ is trying to everything and Suzuki just has an answer for everything. It feels almost hopeless for AJ. Suzuki goes for the piledriver, but AJ blocks. AJ knows it is Styles Clash or bust. Suzuki counters into a heel hook and Suzuki sniffs out AJ's second counter and grabs a cross armbreaker. AJ is dead to rights. Oh shit! Oh Shit! OH SHIT! STYLES CLASH OUT OF THE CROSS-ARMBREAKER!!! The kid may just got it. Suzuki spits at him. You feel like they are about to enter into Mortal Kombat. AJ is totally relying on left handed slaps as his right arm is fucked. Suzuki punches him in the face and thinks he has him. PELE~! Suzuki is knocked loopy. Go AJ GO! AJ wastes no time, he fights through the pain, hoists Suzuki up and STYLES CLASH! AJ wins!
AJ did not just win a G1 Climax match. He won the respect of the New Japan fans worldwide with that performance. Both wrestlers were wrestling on a out of this world level. Styles felt overwhelmed. His arm was toast and he could not get anything going. Suzuki was just ripshit the entire match and had every intention of beating AJ into submission. Then just like that a desperation Styles Clash while in a cross-armbreaker and AJ salvages his match. The selling from AJ was off the charts. His desperation in trying to survive was something most of wrestlers could never convey. The true anger of Minoru Suzuki is something you also do not see. This was not hatred. It was anger. It was amazing. Every move felt huge, consequential and urgent. It is a coin flip between Shield/Wyatts Elimination Chamber in this. It does not really matter because at the end of the day, wrestling fans win!
#3. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Minoru Suzuki - NJPW 10/8/12
Puroresu Match of the Year, 2012
Another one of those matches that I have seen know that I absolutely loved but didnt get a chance to review way back when so now I get to watch it and enjoy it all over again.
Tanahashi's left arm comes in bandaged and at one time I knew why but now I cant remember. Tanahashi does his best to play keep away. He even employs an Unorthodox stance to keep his left arm behind his right arm. I really enjoyed that touch. Tanahashi busts out a double wristlock, side headlock and an abdominal stretch to mix it up, he did not go straight for the knee. He gets cocky. He plays air guitar on Suzuki. How did I forget that? I popped for that. That drew a chorus of boos and also the ire of Suzuki. A scuffle breaks out and Suzuki ends up on the apron and then drops down with his patented top rope-assisted dangling armbar on Tanahashi's bad arm. As JR would say, "Business has picked up.". Suzuki tortures Tanahashi's bad wing. Cranking it around the railings and the steel post. Stomping on it, kneeing, twisting it. He was brutal. It looked like he was going to make short work of the champion until Tanahashi caught a kick. You know what happens next. Dragon Leg Screw! Suzuki's selling is top-notch. He really sells the pain from the dragon leg screws really well. Tanahashi goes into full 2001 Mutoh mode with the Dragon Leg Screws and Basement Dropkicks. Tanahashi lackadaisically leaves his arm out on the top rope as Suzuki is on the ground. He goes to grab Suzuki who then kicks his bad arm. More kicks to the bad arm and then rips him down with a double wristlock takedown as he bites the bandage to rip it off. Suzuki grabs a sleeper to sap Tanahashi of his energy. CROSS-ARMBREAKER! That could have been it! Big nearfall. Tanahashi responds in kind, but turns it into a Sling Blade. From there Tanahashi goes back to work on the knee. He even hits High Fly Flow on the bad leg. Suzuki's selling of this by scurrying away with all that pain on his face was exquisite. Tanahashi goes for his customary Texas Cloverleaf, but Suzuki blocks and Tanahashi settles for the Figure-4. The struggle in this over 2 minute Figure-4 is great Suzuki especially does a great job telling the story with his face. They has established the story of dueling limb psychology. Suzuki had targeted the bad arm tearing the bandage with this teeth and looking to break in two. While, Tanahashi has gone to his tried and true strategy of working the knee. Who will prevail?
My favorite part of the match is next. Tanahashi signals for Sling Blade. Suzuki evades the first attempt. He goads Tanahashi into trying another by hobbling away and as Tanahashi is coming he explodes into a dropkick, but immediately clutches the knee. The ruse was so convincing because he actually was in so much pain. Suzuki slaps Tanahashi around and grabs a sleeper. Tanahashi has a bloody mouth now and this becomes important later. Epic struggle but with a last gasp, Tanahashi lunges to the ropes. Suzuki proceeds to SLAP THE SHIT out of Tanahashi. He slaps him until he blows himself up. Now he wants the Piledriver, Tanahashi drives a desperation dragon leg screw but Suzuki steps through it and blocks! Damn that was cool. Sleeper again all of Tanahashi's energy is gone. Piledriver but Tanahashi resists twice and drops down into a Dragon Screw! Tanahashi has one burst to really wrench him down with a Sling Blade. It is not done with the usual vigor but here comes High Fly Flow but it eats knees. Suzuki is in pain but Tanahashi looks toast. It looks like that took everything out of the champ. Suzuki slaps the shit out of him some more. Tanahashi is on the apron. Suzuki steps through the ropes. DRAGON SCREW! Tanahashi with his mouth bloodied and exhausted looks like he has been through sheer hell, but he wills himself to hit not one but two High Fly Flows for the win!
One reviewer noted there was only one cover in the match and I didnt even notice. It was just that gripping. In a way the cross-armbreaker, Figure-4 and sleeper were used as nearfalls. Excellent minimalistic match where the match built organically and logically. Tanahashi never used his Capture or Dragon Suplexes or his reverse crossbody or somersault senton High Fly Flow to the floor or Texas Cloverleaf (there was an attempt). My point is this is a vast departure. It was not a formula match or check the boxes match or a Greatest Hit Match. Suzuki got pissed by the air guitar and targeted the arm. Tanahashi went all in on the leg strategy. Suzuki moved to a sleeper/slap the piss out of him strategy that left Tanahashi looking destroyed. Tanahashi cashed in on his strategy late when all those Dragon Leg Screws eventually gave him a chance to hit High Fly Flow. Terrific match and great selling performances, another ***** classic for my man, Tanahashi!
#2. IWPG I-C Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shinsuke Nakamura - Invasion Attack 2014
Puroresu Match of the Year, 2014
When I watched this in 2015, I thought it was ***** and the MOTY and I know my good buddy, Shoe agreed with me, but I didnt write a review at the time. My procrastination is my reward because I am watching this 5 years later and falling in love all over again.
Tanahashi and Nakamura should start an air band. Nakamura can be the lead singer and Tanahashi can be on guitar. I feel like Gedo would rule on air drums. Now who should we get for bass?
Tanahashi always has a dickish air to him, which is one of the many reasons why I like him, but as the match progresses he tends to play it straight. The only time I have seen him go full heel is when he participated in the Champions Carnival 2008 as an invader. His match with Suwama was awesome, it felt like Flair vs Luger but in Japan. In this match, Tanahashi fully embraces his heelishness and it is glorious. He uses Nakamura's stupid taunts against him. He does that stupid head on the belly button thing. Then he grabs the leg and wont let go on the clean break. He drops the elbow down on the leg to a chorus of boos. I love that he does the air guitar and then air throws the air guitar into crowd. I wonder if anyone air caught it? Nakamura shoved him in the ass with his foot on Tanahashi's reverse crossbody attempt. I loved that as a receipt for the dickishness of Tanahashi. Then Tanahashi was able to trip Nakamura up near the post and crack his injured across the post to more boos. This is great. Nakamura whips Tanahashi into the railing. Nakamura charges, KNEE TO THE RAILING! Now it is over. Nakamura is fucked. He is writhing in pain and Tanahashi literally shuts the gate on his knees multiple times. This is the Tanahashi I have always wanted in my life. The leg work in the ring is ferocious and the best of Tanahashi's career. He is slapping Nakamura with a left hand as Nakamura is trying to make a comeback. This is such a fuck you. Then he just kicks Nakamura straight in the kneecap. I am loving this. The cherry on top, piece d'resistance, is Tanahashi doing Good Vibrations on the injured knee. Yes! Yes! A Million Times Yes!
Of course all good things must come to end as Nakamura takes back over. He uses a lot of knees which I am not wild about but it is Nakamura's staple. He kinda sells. It is relatively short-lived comeback mostly just to remind people he is alive. Nakamura goes for that tail whip and Tanahashi catches it and hits a Dragon Leg Screw! I love this so much! Nakamura powders from the pain! HIGH FLY FLOW TO THE FLOOR! Where are "This is Awesome" chants? :P Back in Nakamura avoids a Sling Blade with a lung blower but his knees are fucked. Tanahashi aggressively and urgently chop blocks the knee. Then this part is so damn great. Tanahashi wryly slaps Nakamura. So Nakamura responds with a punch right to the face. BOM-BA-YE! WOW! I love it. 1-2-NO! What an amazing nearfall. Thats how you turn a match on a dime. Nakamura is struggling to capitalize. Tanahashi is flying around dropkicking the knee. HIGH FLY FLOW INTENTIONALLY TO THE KNEES! WOW! Tanahashi is selling his ribs. Great Texas Cloverleaf nearfall! Tanahashi hits High Fly Flow to standing Nakamura. He leaps over the ropes, Go Ace Go! HIGH FLY FLOW...TO THE KNEES! Tanahashi is in pain. Nakamura cant capitalize. Tanahashi is struggling with what to do next. He has so tenaciously worked over the knee, he wants to go to back to the Texas Cloverleaf, smart idea, but Nakamura is an excellent counter wrestler and traps the arm into the Cross Armbreaker. Great struggle on breaking the clasp. Watch how Tanahashi bridges his neck initially to relieve the press and then also how he contorts his body in all sorts of shapes to avoid the pain. This is great. He makes the ropes. His arm is fucked. He is in a lot of pain. The ref is checking on him. His back is to Nakamura. BOM BA YE! HOLY SHIT! OUT OF NOWHERE! That was brutal! Nakamura just pours it with a MERCILESS ONSALUGHT OF BOM BA YE'S TO THE HEAD! 1-2-3!
This match is everything! I always say the most effective comeback from limb psychology is to go head-hunting. Youre in a deep hole and you need dig yourself out, as Anita Ward says Ring Their Bell! Nakamura does just that.I loved the closed fist/Bom Ba Ye combo. Then the use of the Cross Armbreaker to set up that no look Bom Ba Ye was sick! I already extravagantly praised Tanahashi in this match. If it was not for the Ultimate Feel Good moment of Daniel Bryan beating HHH at WrestleMania, this is the best match of 2014. As it stands, this is the best Puroresu Match of 2010-2014 and in the top three in the world from that timeframe (along with HHH/Bryan, Cena/Lesnar 2012). I love this match.
#1. IWGP Champion Hiroshi Tanhashi vs Kazuchika Okada - Invasion Attack 2013
Puroresu Match of the Year, 2013
Okada missed his true calling in life as a chiropractor.
Definitely the best match they had together that I have seen so far. I agree with NJPW faboys that this is indeed ***** and the MOTY 2013 (sorry Tanahashi/Ishii). It was superb and the match they needed to have for this feud to ever be considered great. It is no Flair/Steamboat, but this match does launch them up because the previous matches were great, but now they have that big time classic. I liked the character work in the beginning of the match. It adds to the chippiness. Okada has Tanahashi's leg work (dropkick, dragon leg) scouted, but Tanahashi thinking on his feet gets an armbar takedown and wrenches the arm. The refrain of the match is definitely Tanahashi destroying Okada's arm and it is his Rainmaker arm using that to save himself and set up his offense. You see Tanahashi going back to that repeatedly. This adds a new wrinkle because it is usually Tanahashi looking to attack the leg, but he had to adapt because Okada had it scouted. The other major story of the match is that Okada has lost two matches in a row to Tanahashi and he really cant afford to lose a third. I think Okada does wrestle with more urgency because of this.
They end up on the apron and Okada wins the battle with a DDT on the apron. Okada is able to be in his zone working on his body part of choice, the neck. He pulls out some gnarly submissions the coolest one was the seated Crucifix hard to explain need to see. Tanahashi was trying hope spots like a reverse crossbody and body punches, but Okada was going back to the neck. Big time running dropkick to a seated Tanahashi's neck sends him to the floor. Okada wants to finish this with a tombstone. He who hits a tombstone first wins the matches in these series. Tanahashi counters by attacking the arm and then sending into hard metal objects. High Fly Flow to the floor cements his control. Loved the dragon arm screws from Tanahashi and great selling from Okada. An interesting subplot as while this weakens Okada considerably, Tanahashi really does not have much in his arsenal to take this to victory so he still will have to rely on his usual finish sequence, but that is something Okada has scouted.
Okada hits a flapjack, my least favorite Okada move to transition into the long finish stretch that is very well done. The highlights here are Okada switching the elbow pad to the bad elbow so he can hit his elbow drop (and selling the arm during the Rainmaker pose), but he still sells. Debuting a new submission crossface, but not quite getting it due to a bad arm. Of course, the big shot was the use of the dropkick to squelch any Tanahashi's comebacks (normal dropkick and the dropkick to the floor). Okada hits a Hangman's DDT from the railing. I felt like this was taking the place of the Tombstone to the floor as the final turning point in Okada's favor. They milk the count all the way to 19. We do see Tanahashi working the arm to avoid the Rainmaker, but really selling the effects of this DDT as he is very woozy. After much wrangling, Okada hits the Rainmaker, but is in too much pain to cover immediately. His inability to capitalize cost him at this moment. This was a great nearfall to accompany all the strong arm work from Tanahashi and at the same time really puts over how much damage Tanahashi has taken with his deadweight selling. Okada is still in charge, but you really feel in the home stretch.
Okada goes for the coup d'grace, Tombstone, but Tanahashi wiggles out, but Okada puts him in that nasty crossface. The ref makes this spot! You really believe Tanahashi may submit based on his reactions. It is very dramatic, but Tanahashi does make the ropes. Okada wants the dropkick to the top rope, but Tanahashi has it scouted and Okada leaves his arm prone and Tanahashi dives on it. You knew we would get it. Here comes the Tanahashi run! Can Okada survive? Standing HFF, Sling Blade, Dragon Suplex, HFF on the back and High Fly Flow EATS KNEES!!! OH SHIT! Okada has to dig down deep. Dropkick to back of the head, that's Okada's bread and butter. Smart move. Tombstone reversals you can feel the drama whoever hits this will win the match. I LOVE SPOTS LIKE THIS! Tanahashi attacks the arms and he is going to hit it NO Okada reverses TOMBSTONE! BALL GAME! RAINMAKER SEALS THE DEAL! 1-2-3! NEWWWWWWW IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!
Tanahashi changes his game plan because Okada knows what's up. The constant refrain of Tanahashi attacking the arm to save himself and set up his moves is repeated throughout the match right up until the end. We see how Okada uses headrops (DDT on apron, from railing and Tombstone) & his dropkicks to gain control and ultimately win. There are great payoffs like first Rainmaker ending with Okada writhing in pain. There is awesome drama like the Okada submission, Tanahashi's last gasp and of course the Tombstone struggle. It is a cool match where Okada felt in control since the DDT on apron, but had a weak link in his arm that Tanahashi could attack, but Tanahashi never really could gain full control. That dynamic made for a dramatic, high tension match.
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