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Post by Cap on Dec 8, 2017 20:14:42 GMT -5
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kota Ibushi (IWGP IC Championship - NJPW - 1/4/2015)
I know there are some mixed feelings about this one out there, but I thought it was absolutely incredible. I don't rely on this often, but this is a match my wife really enjoyed watching and she isn't a wrestling fan. She is at this stage where I find it effective to bounce matches off her to see if they translate outside my uber-dork brain. She has been to enough shows and sat through enough wrestling to know enough, but getting her invested takes works. This got her invested. It got me invested to. Nakamura isn't always top shelf Nakamura, but this is one of -if not his best - performances.
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Post by fadu on Jan 4, 2018 18:05:58 GMT -5
This match would likely be almost absurdly high on my list. Two flashy performers who both break a bit after they slowly realize during the match that they truly don't like each other. I say this as someone who thinks the G1 match between them is just good not great too.
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Post by maddog1981 on Jan 4, 2018 18:08:10 GMT -5
I haven't watched this match since around when it happened. I knew Ibushi was good but this was like him taking it to a different level and this was top quality work from Nakamura. I think there are a lot of years where this could have easily been a MOTYC. This one would probably make my list.
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Post by bossrock on Jan 5, 2018 23:24:55 GMT -5
Ranks up there as one of if not the best match of the 21st century. Incredible back-and-forth war with Ibushi attempting to not only step up to but even big league Nakamura, who makes him pay in return. Still, Ibushi won't go down and withstands everything Nak throws at him. Will finish at least in the upper half of my list if not the top 20.
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Post by marksman on Aug 18, 2018 2:25:02 GMT -5
Just watched this and loved it - incredible offense, especially Nakamura’s knees, and it felt brutal and awesome. High on my list at the moment.
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Post by kas on Jan 24, 2019 17:11:16 GMT -5
This was just absolutely sensational. For the first time, I'd say, Ibushi showed that he belonged in the upper echelon of New Japan, and showed why he was hotly touted as one of the best up and comers in wrestling showing great character work and storytelling abilities throughout. Nakamura has this uncanny ability to make every match of his feel longer than they are. Sometimes that's detrimental and can make his matches drag, but when it works, it makes the match feel epic, like in this case where the 20 or so minutes felt more like 30. That's not even to mention the incredible offense by both men; Nakamura's knees were brutal, and Ibushi delving into his endless arsenal of moves was awe-inspiring, including an unreal German suplex from the outside to inside the ring. Ibushi snapping into killer mode is always great to see, and the final stretch was amazing as well, with an incredibly smooth sequence where Nakamura hits a beautiful Landslide before finally nailing the Bomaye to the back of the head for the win. A lock for my top 20 and one of the greatest examples of the New Japan main event style you will see.
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Post by elliott on Oct 8, 2023 11:48:07 GMT -5
THese NJPW matches are just not for me at all. The "Now I'm selling, now I'm not" selling that permeates wrestling makes everything feel meaningless.
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Post by puroraisedme on Nov 10, 2023 4:04:16 GMT -5
Liked this one quite a bit. Not something I really loved or would ever consider for my list but something I can absolutely see the appeal for and see someone else putting on their list. A lot of fun but nothing more than that for me really.
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