Jushin Liger vs Koji Kanemoto (NJPW - 2/16/1997)
Mar 11, 2019 10:30:18 GMT -5
Post by superstarsleeze on Mar 11, 2019 10:30:18 GMT -5
A helluva week for Liger as he has two epic title defenses against Otani and Kanemoto. I need to rewatch the Otani match, but this Kanemoto match rocked. Great escalation. Kanemoto came to play and was super aggressive. Liger timed his hope spots really well. The escalation was great in this. It felt really believable how Liger dug himself out of a hole. The finish run is just an amazing fireworks spectacle. Definite contender for Top 100.
J-Crown Champion Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs Koji Kanemoto - NJPW 2/16/97
Besides the 2009 Hayato match, I'm hard pressed to think of a better Kanemoto match or performance. He came to play in this match. You really felt that he was out to assert himself as the man even as Ohtani failed just a week before to fell the Man, the Myth, Legend, Jushin The Thunder Liger. I love how when Kanemoto gets Liger up on the ropes right the beginning there are no mind games, he just chops the hell out of him. Liger tries to match Kanemoto's early and Kanemoto just overwhelms him. Kanemoto proceeds to beat the living shit out of Liger. He is just rifling every part of Liger's body with sick, deadly kicks. If you love kicks, this match is for you as Kanemoto is absolutely on fire here. I just love that intensity and energy he is bringing. He is mostly focusing on the legs of Liger. Liger tries powdering after a cross armbreaker (no setup needed for that move, it is a match ender if applied), but he is met with more kicks. This is a thrashing but in a really compelling way. It feels like a team that had been living in the shadow of a better team for years and was just breaking free here. It was not just the kicks, it was how he pounced on him and started hammering Liger with fists. It was a Merciless Onslaught. I love Kanemoto giving him the finger in the figure-4! After the figure-4, I was like I feel like this needs a hope spot or they run the risk of going overboarding. Right on cue, Kanemoto is punching Liger in the corner and Liger throws him down with a powerbomb. Kanemoto roars back, but he is starting to get cocky. Notice how his energy level comes down and wants to humiliate Liger. He pins him with one hand. He grabs him by the horn. He is letting that chip on his shoulder get the best of him. Liger is really great selling all this. You really feel like he has nothing to give in this match.
Kanemoto goes for the moonsault. Liger moves. Kanemoto lands on feet. SHOTEI~! That was the mutha of all palm strikes. You can feel the relief in Liger's body as he hits and sort of exhales with his entire body. Like FINALLY I can catch my breath. Now lets got to work. He starts smacking Kanemoto around, Kanemoto charges dropkick to the knee. FIGURE-4! Great idea gives him a chance to breathe and really hurt Kanemoto. Liger is pissed and starts slapping Kanemoto. Kanemoto was an asshole this whole time. Kanemoto has a lot left in the tank and makes the ropes. LIGER THROWS Kanemoto down. Kanemoto gives Liger some serious side eye as he realizes he is squandering his lead. This is how the Falcons must have felt. The GOAT is telling him, Daddy's Home! Kanemoto tries to get something going on outside, but eats a Kappo Kick to the head and then a BRAINBUSTER ON THE CEMENT!
Exactly what Liger needed, head shots. Kanemoto sells this beautifully falling before he gets into the ring. The first misstep in my opinion was the belly to belly by Kanemoto into his twisting senton. He is selling the damage well. I think a Liger mistake would have made more sense to set this pass up. Liger clotheslines out of the corner. Basically, Liger is taking command of the match. Kanemoto is getting flurries now, but Liger feels like a runaway freight train. SUPER BRAINBUSTER!!! 1-2-NO! Great first nearfall!!! Liger is beside himself asking the ref is that really two. Liger keeps working. Top Rope Frankensteiner. Insane German suplex bump by Kanemoto. Liger is pouring it on. La Magistral Cradle. Kanemoto pops out at two, exclaiming two with two fingers. He cant believe it himself that he kicked out. He is exasperated. Diving Headbutt, NO FEET TO THE FACE! Great transition! This feels like Kanemoto's last chance. Great powerbomb by him! He signals to the crowd for Tiger Suplex. He throws him too far. He cant hold him!!! Big mistake? He hits the moonsault! Gets two! He does what any smart person would do. He tries again, but crashes and burns. He hurt his knee. They get up and slap exchange and SHOTEI~! RUNNING LIGER BOMB!!!! RUNNING SHOTEI!!! Liger's selling is off the charts right now! SUPER BRAINBUSTER!!!!! 1-2-3!
Incredible match, one of the best Juniors matches ever. The opening onslaught by Kanemoto is ferocious and you have no idea how Liger will make his comeback. It really comes down to the moonsault in this match. Kanemoto was ready to put Liger away and even though he landed on his feet he left himself open to SHOTEI~! The real key of this match is Liger's selling and body language. You can feel that he felt he was on the brink of defeat throughout the match. That game-changing Shotei felt like a big deal because Liger sold it like a big deal. After that Kanemoto put up a fight, but you noticed he was having a lot of trouble sustaining offense. He was getting stuff in because Liger was weakened, but there is a reason Liger is the GOAT because he can turn defense into offense like that. (I snapped my fingers, but you reading this could not hear that). Kanemoto sold pretty well himself. I loved that two out of La Magistral. It felt like he was trying to convince himself he still had a chance. I loved how he did get one more chance by a missed move the diving headbutt to the feet. That's the key. Liger is making that comeback, but he still has to win and when he eats the feet. Oh shit, maybe it is too little too late. Tiger Suplex-Moonsault is such a money false finish. Going for the moonsault was the absolute right call, but Liger moved. It really became who could win that strike exchange. The Shotei took it home for Liger. Running Liger Bomb, Running Shotei (the way Liger was running trying to exhort himself to finish the job) and Super Brainbuster to finish. Just scintillating. I know that Ohtani match is considered the crown jewel (I have seen it before and loved it), but damn if this was not expertly laid out and executed. ****3/4
J-Crown Champion Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs Koji Kanemoto - NJPW 2/16/97
Besides the 2009 Hayato match, I'm hard pressed to think of a better Kanemoto match or performance. He came to play in this match. You really felt that he was out to assert himself as the man even as Ohtani failed just a week before to fell the Man, the Myth, Legend, Jushin The Thunder Liger. I love how when Kanemoto gets Liger up on the ropes right the beginning there are no mind games, he just chops the hell out of him. Liger tries to match Kanemoto's early and Kanemoto just overwhelms him. Kanemoto proceeds to beat the living shit out of Liger. He is just rifling every part of Liger's body with sick, deadly kicks. If you love kicks, this match is for you as Kanemoto is absolutely on fire here. I just love that intensity and energy he is bringing. He is mostly focusing on the legs of Liger. Liger tries powdering after a cross armbreaker (no setup needed for that move, it is a match ender if applied), but he is met with more kicks. This is a thrashing but in a really compelling way. It feels like a team that had been living in the shadow of a better team for years and was just breaking free here. It was not just the kicks, it was how he pounced on him and started hammering Liger with fists. It was a Merciless Onslaught. I love Kanemoto giving him the finger in the figure-4! After the figure-4, I was like I feel like this needs a hope spot or they run the risk of going overboarding. Right on cue, Kanemoto is punching Liger in the corner and Liger throws him down with a powerbomb. Kanemoto roars back, but he is starting to get cocky. Notice how his energy level comes down and wants to humiliate Liger. He pins him with one hand. He grabs him by the horn. He is letting that chip on his shoulder get the best of him. Liger is really great selling all this. You really feel like he has nothing to give in this match.
Kanemoto goes for the moonsault. Liger moves. Kanemoto lands on feet. SHOTEI~! That was the mutha of all palm strikes. You can feel the relief in Liger's body as he hits and sort of exhales with his entire body. Like FINALLY I can catch my breath. Now lets got to work. He starts smacking Kanemoto around, Kanemoto charges dropkick to the knee. FIGURE-4! Great idea gives him a chance to breathe and really hurt Kanemoto. Liger is pissed and starts slapping Kanemoto. Kanemoto was an asshole this whole time. Kanemoto has a lot left in the tank and makes the ropes. LIGER THROWS Kanemoto down. Kanemoto gives Liger some serious side eye as he realizes he is squandering his lead. This is how the Falcons must have felt. The GOAT is telling him, Daddy's Home! Kanemoto tries to get something going on outside, but eats a Kappo Kick to the head and then a BRAINBUSTER ON THE CEMENT!
Exactly what Liger needed, head shots. Kanemoto sells this beautifully falling before he gets into the ring. The first misstep in my opinion was the belly to belly by Kanemoto into his twisting senton. He is selling the damage well. I think a Liger mistake would have made more sense to set this pass up. Liger clotheslines out of the corner. Basically, Liger is taking command of the match. Kanemoto is getting flurries now, but Liger feels like a runaway freight train. SUPER BRAINBUSTER!!! 1-2-NO! Great first nearfall!!! Liger is beside himself asking the ref is that really two. Liger keeps working. Top Rope Frankensteiner. Insane German suplex bump by Kanemoto. Liger is pouring it on. La Magistral Cradle. Kanemoto pops out at two, exclaiming two with two fingers. He cant believe it himself that he kicked out. He is exasperated. Diving Headbutt, NO FEET TO THE FACE! Great transition! This feels like Kanemoto's last chance. Great powerbomb by him! He signals to the crowd for Tiger Suplex. He throws him too far. He cant hold him!!! Big mistake? He hits the moonsault! Gets two! He does what any smart person would do. He tries again, but crashes and burns. He hurt his knee. They get up and slap exchange and SHOTEI~! RUNNING LIGER BOMB!!!! RUNNING SHOTEI!!! Liger's selling is off the charts right now! SUPER BRAINBUSTER!!!!! 1-2-3!
Incredible match, one of the best Juniors matches ever. The opening onslaught by Kanemoto is ferocious and you have no idea how Liger will make his comeback. It really comes down to the moonsault in this match. Kanemoto was ready to put Liger away and even though he landed on his feet he left himself open to SHOTEI~! The real key of this match is Liger's selling and body language. You can feel that he felt he was on the brink of defeat throughout the match. That game-changing Shotei felt like a big deal because Liger sold it like a big deal. After that Kanemoto put up a fight, but you noticed he was having a lot of trouble sustaining offense. He was getting stuff in because Liger was weakened, but there is a reason Liger is the GOAT because he can turn defense into offense like that. (I snapped my fingers, but you reading this could not hear that). Kanemoto sold pretty well himself. I loved that two out of La Magistral. It felt like he was trying to convince himself he still had a chance. I loved how he did get one more chance by a missed move the diving headbutt to the feet. That's the key. Liger is making that comeback, but he still has to win and when he eats the feet. Oh shit, maybe it is too little too late. Tiger Suplex-Moonsault is such a money false finish. Going for the moonsault was the absolute right call, but Liger moved. It really became who could win that strike exchange. The Shotei took it home for Liger. Running Liger Bomb, Running Shotei (the way Liger was running trying to exhort himself to finish the job) and Super Brainbuster to finish. Just scintillating. I know that Ohtani match is considered the crown jewel (I have seen it before and loved it), but damn if this was not expertly laid out and executed. ****3/4
