Kiyoshi Tamura vs Dokonjonosuke Mishima (U-Style - 4/6/2003)

Kiyoshi Tamura vs Dokonjonosuke Mishima (U-Style - 4/6/2003)

I love this match, Kiyoshi Tamura is the greatest shoot wrestler in history in my opinion he brings a level of intensity and commitment to every single bout he’s apart of and that’s the best quality a wrestler can have every match with Tamura matters. He’s an amazing performer, I’m fascinated by how he sells every single move like he’s being killed, that’s what I mean when I say commitment to your craft, he’s special, one of a kind in his specialty where unconvincing selling can very easily kill a match for me. He’s everything I want in a wrestler, he’s undoubtedly a top 10 wrestler of all time and this match is a great example of why that’s the case, a unassuming match from a little shoot style promotion made memorable by Tamura’s performance it’s beautiful. He also makes whoever he’s facing look way better than they actually are, Dokonjonosuke Mishima isn’t a bad wrestler but he isn’t nearly as good as his opponent but still feels like a threat thanks to his opponent’s selling, professional wrestling is truly a special medium that can make every idea off the top of your head work. This one is short with a ten minute runtime (not that short by shoot style standards) which is more than enough to get the story across in a convincing manner that wouldn’t have worked if this match was any longer because Dokonjonosuke Mishima shouldn’t last more than ten minutes against one of the greatest wrestler ever. This match is great but it isn’t a great introduction to Kiyoshi Tamura, if you are already familiar with his style and legacy grab some popcorn you’ll be amazed by the way the match was structured and how Kiyoshi made his opponent look legit for a few moments.