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Post by microstatistics on Jul 29, 2020 16:27:57 GMT -5
Junior challenging for the heavyweight title. Big bombs and body-part psychology with strong pacing and selling. Special finishing stretch.
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Post by microstatistics on Aug 8, 2020 15:56:10 GMT -5
Marufuji had proven himself capable against heavyweights earlier in the year and so earned an opportunity for the GHC title. Marufuji utilized his usual strategy of targeting the knee of his larger opponent and it worked quite well until he ate a brutal backdrop on the ramp, which allowed Akiyama to somewhat recover. They worked over each other’s back and neck and Akiyama even had to resort to using unusual moves like a top rope frankensteiner since Marufuji had pushed him further than expected. A final Akiyama control stretch looked to be the end of Marufuji, but he shockingly kicked out of the Sternness Dust α and recovered enough to take advantage of Akiyama’s famous susceptibility to flash pins and pull off a stunning upset. The crowd didn’t really buy a potential title change until that near fall, which was slightly disappointing, but they definitely worked a match worthy of the occasion.
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Post by makaiclub on Nov 26, 2020 15:27:12 GMT -5
Poor Akiyama. His second GHC Heavyweight Title reign was again ended by a tricky Junior Heavyweight and his cradle pins. The match kinda suffered from a lack of real drama for a long while. Seemingly the crowd didn’t totally buy Marufuji winning the match until the finish so there wasn’t much of an atmosphere suitable for Budokan Hall.But nevertheless, Marufuji put in a great performance matched by Akiyama doing the best he could to sell for Marufuji and build him for his title win. Marufuji attacked Akiyama’s left leg for large periods of the match to great success, being able to dominate Akiyama and control the bout while hitting some of his signature offences. Akiyama looked to make the recovery after the backdrop and began putting together the finishing touches of what looked like a title defence before Marufuji pulled out the tricks and layed Akiyama into a trap that allowed him to win the GHC Heavyweight title and make history. ****
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Post by elliott on Sept 26, 2023 22:06:07 GMT -5
I didn't like this. Too over the top for my tastes. Hard to get behind the limbwork when they forget about it when its time to do 10 exploders and 9 superkicks or whatever.
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