Bryan Danielson vs Takeshi Morishima (ROH - 8/25/2007)

This is probably the best singles match from the ROH Golden Age. It's an incredible match that really captures the feeling of a promotion at the time in unique ways. The booker was trying to push the promotion forward in ways the fan base wasn't ready for, but was able to capitalize on that to create a drama filled and organic title match and retention.

To me this is Danielson's best individual performance. He totally makes this match work from every aspect. One can argue he is not really selling the eye because he was in very legitimate pain because Morishima hit him so hard that he detached his retina, but goddamn if it is not some of the most compelling selling ever. Danielson makes the match work offensively so well because he works around Morishima's size so well and if bites off more than he can chew he allows Morishima to win that struggle. Respect the size difference and people will respect the match. The only thing that holds this back from ***** is that Morishima gives a bland performance for stretches of time. Definitely the most aggressive Morishima has been in his lackluster career. Still his selling and general aura of badass could be improved, but it is a nitpick. I still dont know if I would pick Ki vs Danielson or this as the best ROH match yet but both should make it.

ROH World Champion Takeshi Morishima vs Bryan Danielson - ROH 8/25/07

"He has such a tight small package" - Only in pro wrestling is that a compliment.

While not as gruesome as Vader vs Stan Hansen, this was just as scary. You cant really say this is Danielson's best selling performance because he is in very legitimate pain as his retina is detached in the match. The anguish on his face makes it hard to watch at times but it is not as bad as Vader literally putting his eyeball back in his head and the swelling keeping it in place. Speaking of Vader, this is a Vader 101 match through and through. If Morishima even had an 1/8th of Vader's charisma then this would be ***** classic. As it is, Danielson basically figured out a way to drag an amazing match out of Morishima but it almost cost him his eye. Imagine how Vader sells Tamura's or Yamazaki's kicks in UWFi, but now he is selling Danielson's kicks here. Oh my God that would be tremendous! Lets stop talking about Danielson vs Vader dream match and instead talk about the match we got which was really good.

They do a great extended sequence where Danielson is evading Morishima at every pass but also sneaking in stiff kicks to the thigh of Morishima. Morishima just cant seem to wrangle the elusive Bryan. He finally corners him and just clubs him into submission. He targets the eye from jump. So really stiff forearms to the eye has Danielson clutching it immediately. Morishima facewashes the eye and then goes so far as to blast on the outside. It is brutal. I am pretty sure that's where he injured it because Danielson is in an insane amount of pain immediately. Morishima drives his ass into Danielson and then the next time Morishima runs into the railing. Danielson dumps him into the crowd and hits his signature springboard somersault into the crowd. The look on his face as he is grabbing his eye is just painful to watch. He whacks Morishima's leg with a steel chair. The dueling psychology is great and both are exploiting it though I am worried for Danielson. I wonder with the language barrier if they were able to explain to Morishima in the middle of the match that Danielson was actually hurt. The rest of the match is Danielson working underneath rolling into crazy leg submissions from all angles while Morishima is just picking up and slamming Danielson to the ground any chance he gets. Morishima kicks out of a leg submission by raking the boot across the injured eye. Great! Danielson tries a barrage of cradles and roll-ups, but on a sunset flip, Morishima just squashes him by dropping his ass on his chest for two. Danielson recovers and fells the Giant with more kicks to the leg. When Morishima crumples, the crowd pops! Fancy that! I loved the urgency in the run up to the finish...German...Elbows to the head...Kicks to the head...Cattle Mutilation...he was suffocating Morishima. Great work! But then he does the dumbest thing imagineable he tries for a Super Back Suplex, Morishima counters mid-air and lands with all his body weight on Danielson. Morishima OBLITERATES Danielson with a lariat for two and then a Back Drop Driver and it is academic.

Danielson gave a performance of a lifetime under severe adversity. Danielson was so feisty in this match. He was always fighting back even on his back. I loved his urgency. He was suffocating Morishima every chance he got. Offensively his strategy was sound and focused. It was only when deviated by going for the suplex that he did himself in. Honestly, Morishima's greatest attribute was his weight. He was this riddle that Danielson was trying to solve. Occasionally, the giant riddle would sit on him or come crashing down with all his weight. Ultimately, it was Morishima's sheer size that won him the match. If Morishima had any charisma or just sold better, this would be an all-timer, still an excellent David vs Goliath match and may be Danielson's best individual performance of his career. ****3/4

That had to be so tough for Bryan to go through. Leaning into the injury is exactly what he did, enhancing a match that could have gone even further off the rails. What a wrestler he is.

MOTY. As I explained in my blog, this is a top 10 ROH match ever and really deserves to be in the upper part of my list.