Round 1 - Match 3: Satanico/Cochise vs Okada/Shibata

I voted for Satanico vs Cochise, so you can just move Okada/Shibata on to the next round.

I also picked Satanico/Cochisse. That is something I consider the very pinnacle of the style, while Shibata/Okada is more of a fun occurance but not a blip on the radar when it comes to all time great japanese heavyweight slugfests.

My review of Shibs/Okada at the time:

Liked this a lot, mostly for Shibata putting an intensily violent beating on Okada. Shibata is a weird wrestler who looks like the heir to the Tenryu/Kawada type japanese wrestlers and then decides to work like a US indy trained monkey, but he got that stuff out of the way early and concentrated on stomping Okada to a pulp. This had the usual NJPW diseases, so you had the somewhat choreographed opening, loooong middle portion with the stupid elbow exchanges, sometimes random transitions and "hit a move, then wander around" Dragon Gate shit, but Shibata's general disdain was entertaining enough and the brutal ending moments were some real japanese wrestling. Shibata had all these cool moments here he unleashes his fury and basically tries to make a man out of Okada. I also like how he worked the overly long submission nearfalls. I didn't really like how Okada just absorbed everything Shibata had, but atleast he had the decency not to get overly cute with his comebacks. I agree about all the rainmaker spots being great, as it really seemed Okada was so beaten up he had no hitting power. I also loved the spot where Shibata teases the "finisher steal" and just slaps Okada like a bitch. I guess for such a long match this was indeed great.

I also picked Cochise vs Satanico. It isn't quite as close as the last two for me, but it is closer for me than most who have commented here. I very much enjoy NJPW, but I am not one who maxes out the star rating for every okada title match. In fact, I think for the most part, I would count myself generally low on him and the NJPW style (maybe not here, but more broadly). That said, I think this match was singular in his run. Shibata brought something out of Okada. It was subtle, but this match sold me on Okada as tougher than I had thought. It blended the strong style with the pro style beautifully, which is not always the case. Shibata doming himself simultaneously makes me not want to watch this match and makes me want to watch it that much more. The final match of an absolutely incredible wrestler who went too hard and quite literally left it all in the ring. I think this accomplishes what a lot of NJPW title matches (or matches in general don't). It has teeth and a grittiness to it and it stands out in the sea of big moves and long drawn out drama.... but it does so without really veering too far from the style. That is impressive.

All that said, Satanico vs Cochise is better.

Okada-Shibata for me and when we voted it made my top 10. Finest performance of both men's careers and while a great deal of that is due to the violence and intensity, it's the character work of Okada leaning into the heel role as the prodigy turned ace while Shibata, the sentimental favorite, went from being pegged as one of the three musketeers to finally earning his first world title shot. And the story is really quite brilliant too with Okada trying to beat Shibata at his own game, failing, finding some rhythm with his normal strategy, but constantly finding himself being pulled into a firefight. But Shibata gets so caught up in punishing Okada he fails to seal the deal and that's what gives Okada his opening to win.

I think I've watched Satanico-Cochise once. It was well-worked but I've come to terms with the fact that the technical, lucha title match is just not my thing. Give me a bloody Satanico brawl any day of the week.

Totally agree 100%.