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Post by elliott on Dec 3, 2017 17:20:19 GMT -5
Kiyoshi Tamura vs Volk Han (“Mega Battle Tournament Final” RINGS – 1/22/1997)
The second ever match between two of the greatest wrestlers of all time. This will be my highest ranked Han vs Tamura match and a top 10 contender overall. I think this is as great as any match you could put up for “best shoot style match ever.” Just sublime mat work, pacing, selling, striking, and an awesome finish.
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Post by GOTNW on Jan 5, 2018 13:36:18 GMT -5
I love this match, but I don't *love* it like you'd expect someone of my viewing habits to. It is a great match, and me making room for RINS on the list might make me rank it, but it's definitely one I'll have to revisit. It is the one match you'd expect to best place of all the shoot style matches that, idk, don't have Vader due to its canonical standing.
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Post by gordi on Jan 7, 2018 21:00:50 GMT -5
Thirded. Deserves a place just in the interest of making diverse lists, as it is the ideal exemplar of a specific kind of "exotic" style. Some of the very finest mat work ever executed in a ring.
I'm really hoping this project exposes more people to matches like this that are slightly out of the mainstream but beloved by many.
Edit: Re- visited this one, and I had kind of forgotten just how great it was. Utterly blew me away on first viewing... but even after having seen other great matches worked in this style, this one really holds up as something truly special.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Jul 29, 2018 18:52:54 GMT -5
I actually liked the September 96 match more this will still definitely make the list. Wait people hate RINGS?!?!  But why? Volk Han vs. Kiyoshi Tamura - RINGS 1/22/97 This match starts off the same way as their first encounter when Han gets an awesome double wristlock rip (did you see the wrist control!) and then ankle crossing. The difference here is Tamura acquits himself much better on the mat. He is not as easily suckered into a cross armbreaker and holds his own. The second spot in the first match is Han getting heel control here Tamura throws a wild spinning mule kick. Han tries to close the gap, but Tamura goes for a rolling legbar, but Han picks his foot out and Tamura does a kip up. WOW! Loved it! I am sorry how did anyone buy this as a shoot though? Tamura gets a takedown. Tamura is doing a lot better here. The jockeying around the heel hook is great with each looking to be in command. There is a great moment where Han has switched to a double wristlock, but releases as Tamura almost gets the ropes to prevent the rope break. Tamura gets a cross armbreaker and forces the first escape. Tamura 1-0. Interesting. Tamura is just as aggressive but is definitely wrestling within himself. Tamura is way more aggressive in his stand up now. I think this is a winning strategy for Tamura. The kicks to the legs look like they are making in roads and Han does not look as comfortabke standin up. I love Han is constantly trying to close the gap and Tamura is pushing him away so he can get full extension on his kicks. Tamura's mistake is going for a bodyscissors takedown and not completing it. This leaves him open for Han's second favorite hold the ankle cross and Tamura has to go for the ropes. On stand up, Tamura goes back to work, but Han closes the gap and takes him down with a double wristlock. Great selling from Tamura once he gets out. On the mat, Tamura gets a flash cross armbreaker that freaks Han out and Han retaliates with a choke, but keeps his ankles to the side so they cant be crossed. Very cool! Hot sequence. Tamura goes high with a kick and it is blocked. Han is vulnerable to the STRAIGHT FRONT KICK! Tamura up 4-2 and is looking much better going into the home stretch. Until Han just takes him down and immediately crosses his ankles for the rope break. Han absorbs some kicks finally feels the rhythm and catches one and THEN HE KICKS OUT THE PLANT LEG! WOW! Heel hook and immobilizes the free leg and Tamura has no choice to tap. Great callbacks to the first match. Awesome progression from Tamura. I feel like there was a lot of nervous energy in the first match (in a good way) here he is much more in the zone. He acquits himself well with the Mat Wizard from Soviet Russia but starts to make in roads in the stand up game. However, Han can still take him down at will and Tamura really does not have a defense against the double wristlock or ankle cross. The kicking out the plant leg and just watching Tamura's knee buckle was crazy. The progression from Tamura and the awesome finish make this another stone cold RINGS classic. ***** |
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Post by mvz on Aug 29, 2021 11:25:39 GMT -5
I don’t want to say I was a shoot style skeptic, but the first couple of Kayla he’s I had tried didn’t really click. I watched this trilogy and I think all three matches are top 100 caliber. This was the best of the bunch for me, gripping mat work and some moments of high drama.
Looking forward to watching some more classics involving both of these guys. Not looking forward to bumping some matches out of my current top 100, but a list with more Tamara and Han is gonna be a better list!
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Post by cactus on Nov 19, 2021 2:56:12 GMT -5
This was incredible. Tamura's slightly more polished since the last time they've met, but he still falls victim to Han's devastating wristlock throw minutes into this encounter, even if he is able to recover from it quicker and more efficiently than he did during the '96 match. Volk Han's a master seller. He's able to convey emotions without it making the hyper-realistic grappling look like a total work. He gets caught in an armbar early and he uses the first rope break of the match to escape and he has an ashamed look on his face as if he was a puppy who just shat on the rug. I don't need to tell you how brilliant the matwork was or how every submission looked like it could have ended the match as I'm sure you already know that if you're aware of either Han or Tamura. ★★★★★
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Post by puropotsy on Mar 20, 2023 18:04:39 GMT -5
The early going saw both guys going after wrists and ankles to great effect. It may seem cliché to call this a chess match with Han in it but fuck, the dude’s Russian. Tamura getting the rope break by using his arms to drag himself and Han across the ring was epic. Just as I was thinking that I’d be one of those people that prefers the 9/25/96 match, Tamura boots Han in the gut to call back to their first match and gets a knock-down. He follows up with shots to the gut and then Han maneuvers like a knight on a chessboard 😊 to get another submission attempt to throw Tamura off. Han then muscles through kicks by Tamura and gets the ankle lock. This stands up so well today and was crazy state of the art in 1997 at a time when Psycho Sid was in between WWF title reigns.
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But why?
