Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (NOAH - 9/23/2002)
Mar 15, 2019 22:18:57 GMT -5
Post by fxnj on Mar 15, 2019 22:18:57 GMT -5
I've always been fascinated by the structure of this match. It's not perfect, but I have to give them points for creativity here with blending NOAH and PRIDE styles. Well worth watching, or rewatching if it's been a while.
PWO review:
I'm a mark for unconventional match structures, so I really loved watching this. They basically take the King's Road formula and fuse it with a PRIDE paint coat. Instead of having long control segments, here it's more back-and-forth with the emphasis being more on momentum rather than individual big moves. This allows them to work in some great failed rallies from both guys. Also, they play even more emphasis on strikes here than usual, throwing all kinds of stiff shots with reckless abandon and even often using them as transition moves. You just know from how it's worked that the finish is going to involve someone getting knocked out by a strike, and that's exactly how it goes.
The beginning of the match with Takayama letting Misawa hit him with several hard elbows without flinching is really good at getting over the match's dynamic. Takayama wants everyone to know he's the new sheriff in town, and he's not going to be backing down from a shootout with the old gunslinger. Misawa takes Takayama down, but he gets put into an armbar for his troubles. His next few minutes of trying to work the mat don't prove any more fruitful, and eventually Takayama applies Misawa's own facelock on him. That spot deserved way more of a reaction than it got. From there, they seem to take notice of the dead crowd and start wailing on each other. The story of the early going is all about Takayama having an answer for pretty much everything Misawa tries. There's this great spot where Misawa switches to a kickboxing stance and start throw leg kicks just for Takayama to switch to the same stance and destroy Misawa with kicks.
The way that they build to Misawa's comeback is really well-done. When he initially starts stringing together elbows you think the tide might be turning, but he goes for a top rope move just to get kicked off by Takayama and eating a hard bump on the outside. It's creates just a little bit of doubt that maybe Takayama really does have an answer for everything. But it also shows that Takayama really isn't immune to Misawa's elbows and the tide just might turn if he can keep hitting them, which is what eventually happens. Later, there's an amusing spot where Misawa, seeming like he might be a little desperate, pulls out a rear chinlock that Takayama sells like it might be a little too close to the neck, but it's Misawa's company so the ref doesn't care. Another spot I love was when Misawa did a flying elbow to the outside that Takayama sold by arching his back across the guardrail. Made the move look so brutal.
Takayama rallies for the finish run and we're treated to all-out brutal strikes from both guys. Takayama sure can throw some hard knees. Such a spectacle to see Takayama beating the hell out of Misawa while the crowd goes nuts chanting Misawa's name. A damn great nearfall happens when Takayama hits two consective Everest Germans, but makes the mistake of being too close to the ropes and Misawa survives by getting his foot on the ropes. Unfortunately, I kind of agree that the match falls off the rails a bit by the end. The finishing stretch just doesn't have the sort of drama or intensity you'd like from a match like this, as it's pretty clear Takayama has nothing left and Misawa isn't too far behind. I'd go ****1/4. Most guys should be proud to have a match that good, but for this I can't help but be a bit disappointed as they clearly had an all-timer in them. The world needed way more PRIDE Takayama vs. old man Misawa.
PWO review:
I'm a mark for unconventional match structures, so I really loved watching this. They basically take the King's Road formula and fuse it with a PRIDE paint coat. Instead of having long control segments, here it's more back-and-forth with the emphasis being more on momentum rather than individual big moves. This allows them to work in some great failed rallies from both guys. Also, they play even more emphasis on strikes here than usual, throwing all kinds of stiff shots with reckless abandon and even often using them as transition moves. You just know from how it's worked that the finish is going to involve someone getting knocked out by a strike, and that's exactly how it goes.
The beginning of the match with Takayama letting Misawa hit him with several hard elbows without flinching is really good at getting over the match's dynamic. Takayama wants everyone to know he's the new sheriff in town, and he's not going to be backing down from a shootout with the old gunslinger. Misawa takes Takayama down, but he gets put into an armbar for his troubles. His next few minutes of trying to work the mat don't prove any more fruitful, and eventually Takayama applies Misawa's own facelock on him. That spot deserved way more of a reaction than it got. From there, they seem to take notice of the dead crowd and start wailing on each other. The story of the early going is all about Takayama having an answer for pretty much everything Misawa tries. There's this great spot where Misawa switches to a kickboxing stance and start throw leg kicks just for Takayama to switch to the same stance and destroy Misawa with kicks.
The way that they build to Misawa's comeback is really well-done. When he initially starts stringing together elbows you think the tide might be turning, but he goes for a top rope move just to get kicked off by Takayama and eating a hard bump on the outside. It's creates just a little bit of doubt that maybe Takayama really does have an answer for everything. But it also shows that Takayama really isn't immune to Misawa's elbows and the tide just might turn if he can keep hitting them, which is what eventually happens. Later, there's an amusing spot where Misawa, seeming like he might be a little desperate, pulls out a rear chinlock that Takayama sells like it might be a little too close to the neck, but it's Misawa's company so the ref doesn't care. Another spot I love was when Misawa did a flying elbow to the outside that Takayama sold by arching his back across the guardrail. Made the move look so brutal.
Takayama rallies for the finish run and we're treated to all-out brutal strikes from both guys. Takayama sure can throw some hard knees. Such a spectacle to see Takayama beating the hell out of Misawa while the crowd goes nuts chanting Misawa's name. A damn great nearfall happens when Takayama hits two consective Everest Germans, but makes the mistake of being too close to the ropes and Misawa survives by getting his foot on the ropes. Unfortunately, I kind of agree that the match falls off the rails a bit by the end. The finishing stretch just doesn't have the sort of drama or intensity you'd like from a match like this, as it's pretty clear Takayama has nothing left and Misawa isn't too far behind. I'd go ****1/4. Most guys should be proud to have a match that good, but for this I can't help but be a bit disappointed as they clearly had an all-timer in them. The world needed way more PRIDE Takayama vs. old man Misawa.
