Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Jay White (NJPW - 3/05/2021)

The best match of the pandemic era BY FAR. Yeah, even better than WALTER/Dragunov or Desperado/Hiromu BOSJ Finals or whatever. This match is soooooo clever, they managed to excite me and mesmerizingly following the action even with a clapping japanese crowd, something truly depressing to me as a fan. That's how good it is.

This match is for the NEVER Championship, a title that Tana is trying to elevate onto the glory of the now dissapeared Intercontinental Championship. He just won it a couple of months ago against Shingo Takagi, in a masterpiece of a performance of his part that played around his body starting to break and not being on his peak anymore. And he comes that stupid kid, the arrogant and cheating prodigy that is Jay White, trying to ruin his last train to the main events. This is a tale of Tanahashi desperately fighting for staying on top of the mountain, even if it has to be as the SECOND best guy on the company, one more run before it's too late for him to keep up with the new generation. And that is portrayed into the match in different ways: the absurd duel of abs he has with Jay, White wanting to win with his submission move no matter what... It's all a test to Tana's stamina and willpower. And, while he might not have as much of the first as he once had, he for fucking sure still has willpower inside him. That and the advantage of the experience is what keeps him alive in this, and it's so fascinating to watch.

It's a long match in front of a crowd that can't fully react to what's happening other than clapping, so I can get why it might not be for some people. But this is one of those matches that I actually believe that it needs to be that long in order to tell the complex story they were going for, and if you're in the mood for deep storytelling in your wrestling today, you'll probably be as hypnotized for the match as I was and won't give a fuck about the audience. My 2021 MOTY and a match that should have 5* but can't because the crowd factor. Other than that, this is as perfect as any other perfect match in pro wrestling history, and I promise I'm not exaggerating, I really feel that way.