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Post by nintendologic on Jun 16, 2019 22:59:31 GMT -5
Pretty famous bloodbath at the Tokyo Dome. The way they combine shootfighting with more traditional brawling makes this feel like an underground kumite fight to the death. The finish is rather anticlimactic from a dramatic standpoint, but it makes logical sense. Sasaki is too stubborn to give up, but he has no way of escaping the Nagata Lock III and he's lying in a pool of his own blood, so the referee has to stop the match for his own safety.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Nov 17, 2019 0:49:20 GMT -5
I didnt realize this was famous. I thought this was a sort of forgotten about bloody gem from the Inokiism era between two pro wrestlers when all the focus was on the shooters. I agree with you the body of the match is just so gripping and compelling. It was a bloody fight between two badass bulls. The finish ultimately leaves something to be desired and why ultimately I wouldnt vote for it. This was not eligible for Ditch's Best of Japan in 2000s, but I think it would sneak into my Top 100 for that.
Yuji Nagata vs Kensuke Sasaki - NJPW 01/04/04
Up until the finish, I thought this was a classic, bloody, Dome brawl. I was perplexed why no one talked about this match until that finish, which takes it down quite a bit. Sasaki returns, but not to a hero's welcome. No, he must have been portrayed as a turncoat for leaving Inoki's New Japan to join a short-lived Choshu's promotion that would focus more on pro wrestling. Sasaki fit the 90s New Japan Strong Style well, but Sasaki stuck out like a sore thumb in Inoki's MMA-influenced New Japan of the early 2000s, but he comes back here to challenge Inoki's boy, Yuji Nagata at the Dome. Without the title on the line and New Japan in its nadir in terms of critical quality, I can see why this is overlooked, but I thought this was awesome.
They are chippy before the match starts and have to be held back during introductions. It feels like Sasaki is a Choshu-like invader taking on the Hero of New Japan. They just stand up and duke it the fuck out. Sasaki rocks him with a slap to the ear. Nagata tries to fight back and Sasaki hits him a lariat. Sasaki goes for the cross-armbreaker to win the match, but Nagata retreats to the outside. Sasaki whips him into the railing and goes for the chair. Nagata in desperation smokes the chair back into Sasaki's face with a wicked kick. Sasaki does a nice blade job. Sasaki gets a lariat to back of Nagata's head and sends him head-first into the post. Nagata does a nasty, gory blade job. We get the double juice and Nagata & Sasaki stand up in the ring and just throw haymakers, headbutts and strikes. It was fucking awesome. Nagata is left in the middle ring laying and you can see the pool of blood forming around the back of the head. Sasaki just goes vampire crazy gnawing on Nagata and then headbutting him. Sasaki gloats and the New Japan crowd boos loudly. Damn! Northern Lights Bomb! He chooses to go for the ten count. He goes for it again, but Nagata gets a wild kick to the head that rocks Sasaki. Nagata follows it up and you really feel like it going to build to this awesome finish and be a slam dunk 2004 match of the year contender, but then Nagata just puts Sasaki in the Rings of Saturn for like 60-90 seconds until Sasaki passes out. It was very anticlimatic. Up until the finish, a damn exciting brawl. I loved the visual of the double juice with them standing up and just trading strikes in the middle of the ring. Sasaki was actually playing a good heel. Definitely worth a look and see. ****
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Post by elliott on Sept 22, 2023 13:46:06 GMT -5
Really great match.
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