Minoru Tanaka vs. Takehiro Murahama (NJPW - 4/20/2001)

Seconded. This is probably my favorite Jr match of the early 2000s. Slick high end shoot style mat work that would hold up with the top BattlArts or Rings mixed into a NJPW junior match. Really was one of my favorites as a kid.

I love this match. Is the only version of this match clipped? I know that hurt my rating in the past. Do we have a full version? My recollection is that this is a high octane, shoot-style sprint with absolutely awesome submission work. I am sure it made my Top 50 Best of Japan of the 2000s and it is a super fun, breezy watch.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Minoru Tanaka vs Takehiro Murahama - NJPW 4/20/01

This match did not disappoint given my high expectations after seeing them square off in the December trios match between New Japan and Osaka Pro. I was very excited when I found out they had a match nominated for this project. The way this match builds is really why it stands out as one of the better matches I have seen so far. It begins fast and furious with each man trying to find a hold that will weaken the other man. It is not mindless grappling. It really feels like they are looking to pick something a leg, arm, anything they can get their hands on and then wrench it. Murahama went for the cross armbreaker early but Minoru powerbombed out of it. From there, they just ramped up their intensity on the mat. Minoru is able to pop off a quick back drop driver, but Murahama powders before he can press his advantage. Murahama comes in and hits a huge flash kick to the head, which was treated like a KO shot and got a big reaction, but only got two. I like how everything is so quick in this match. Blink and you miss something crucial. Murahama works over the arm and then applies the cross armbreaker this was the best presentation of the cross armbreaker I have ever seen. From the announcer, to the crowd to Minoru's wriggling and selling, it felt so frantic and I could actually feel myself becoming anxious given the confluences of all these reactions. Minoru makes the ropes and powders. So Murahama dives on top of him. Sweet! Great way to press the advantage and have a nice highspot. Now Muraham goes for the crossface chickenwing, but never quite gets his fingers locked and there is such a great struggle here. Murahama coming off the ropes eats a dropkick to the knee and crowd pops because they know the heel hook is coming. Minoru keeps pulling Murahama back on the heel hook, but cant wrangle the submission. I liked how they whiff on big kicks. It was very believable how they absorbed a kick and kept going on. I have seen enough MMA to know that not every kick or punch to the head is a knockout shot. Minoru finally catches Murahama with a kick to the head and heads to the top. Murahama follows and there is a great struggle atop the turnbuckle with Minoru throwing headbutts that actually bust himself open. Eventually, Minoru hits a missile dropkick and when he fires up you see the blood covering the right side of his face. What a war! Huge release German and a kick only get two. Minoru wastes no time and applies the cross armbreaker for the finish. This was a great blend of the en vogue MMA-styles at the time. Even the typical pro wrestling spots like the dive to outside or missile dropkick made total sense in the scheme of the match. Everything in this match was so quick they were looking for a flash KO or flash submission, but still everything built. I loved the frenetic feel during that cross-armbreaker attempt by Murahama just so perfectly executed. The finish stretch was great at putting over Minoru's fighting spirit and of course his deadly cross armbreaker. ****1/4