Ring Crew Reviews: Puro Comp #5

• Since this is the fifth go-round, here are the previous four.

• Puro Comp #1

• Puro Comp #2

• Puro Comp #3

• Puro Comp #4

• Kenny Omega vs. KUSHIDA. NJPW Best of the Super JR. XX – Day 9. 06/06/2013. Lockup takes them into the ropes for a clean break. Omega grabs a wristlock and torques it. Kushida with a go-behind that Omega tries to match but he winds up on his ass for bothering. Kushida stays on the arm but Omega gets to his feet so it becomes a headlock. Omega sends him off and leap frogs but Kushida cartwheels avoiding a monkey flip. Omega with an armdrag and BLOCKS ONE FROM KUSHIDA! GUTBUSTER AND KUSHIDA BAILS OUT! That was awesome. Omega flies out with the tope con giro and collects a few high fives on the way back in. Omega fires up and heads up top for a nice crossbody. Cover gets 1, 2, only 2. Omega with a few boots and elbows to the neck. He sends Kushida into the turnbuckle. Omega now lays the leather with some stiff chops. Omega sends him across and says it’s GO TIME, MOTHERFUCKER! Omega with a flying back elbow for 1, 2, only 2. Omega goes to a Camel Clutch but doesn’t hook the arms. Kushida gets the ropes for a break. They slug it out and Omega wants a suplex. He lowers Kushida all the way down and then raises him back up for the move. Impressive. Cover gets another nearfall. Kushida fires back with forearms only for Omega to boot him to the breadbasket. Kushida puts the brakes on a whip and hits a few forearms. Omega takes the skin off his chest with a chop. Kushida backs off and flips to the apron to counter and hits the rope-assisted enzuigiri. He springboards back in with a sledge and a hiptoss. Kushida goes for the handspring back elbow but Omega ducks under catching him in the Electric Chair position. Kushida fights it off and counters to a RANA! OMEGA ROLLS THROUGH! 1, 2, KICKOUT! Nice.

• Omega gets the boot up to avoid a charge. He SWAT team rolls to bypass and goes for the lucha special but Kushida counters to a DDT. Cover gets 1, 2, 2 ½. Kushida heads up and hits a moonsault. 1, 2, NO! Kushida goes for the DR FG enzuigiri but Omega ducks behind for the Dragon suplex. Counter, so Omega chops him down again. GO BEHIND! NO! HANDSPRING KAPPOU KICK! Slick, seamless stuff. Omega bails out to take a breather. Kushida heads up top and dives out with a SWANTON! Ref starts the count and Omega beats it back at 19. Kushida catches him with an IED. Kushida springboards in but looks to lose his footing and only manages a double sledge. Omega comes back with a Bluechipper dropkick. They repeat the spot and Kushida flies into a dropkick. Omega gathers him up in the KARELIN LIFT SPINNING DOCTOR BOMB! 1, 2, 2.999999999! Badass move. Kenny heads up but Kushida meets him. Omega shoves him away but Kushida fires up and gives him an enzuigiri. Omega no sells and teases a piledriver or powerbomb off the top. They jockey for position and Kushida wins with the TOP ROPE RANA! ONE, TWO, THREEOHNOHEALMOSTGOT’IM! Kushida goes for the Midnight Express but Omega rolls under. Omega goes to his power source and hits the HADOUKEN! He wants Croyt’s Wrath but KUSHIDA ROLLS THROUGH! 1, 2, 2.99999999999. Omega rolls back with the tights for 1, 2, 2.9999999999999999999999999999. Kushida clips the knee! WOOOOOO! They go to the forearms for the third such sequence in less than 15 minutes. They switch to chops but Kushida clips the knee again and follows with a ROARING ELBOW! Omega no sells for a PUMP BOMA YE! Omega wants one more but Kushida avoids and hits the Sling Blade. Dragon suplex gets 1, 2, nearfall for Kushida. Kushida again goes for Midnight Express but Omega gets the knees up. Croyt’s Wrath finishes Kushida at 16:09.

• On par with the excellence I’ve come to expect from Omega: fast, almost breathlessly, chaotically quick. There’s enough selling or at least pausing in the moments where you would normally sell to keep it from being too much, but it remains mostly about “one-ups-manship” – who throws the bigger moves at the key moment in time to secure a win. Great displays of smooth, mat wrestling but I don’t much care about who wins and who losses. Also, three slug-it-outs in 15 minutes is a tad much for anything outside of NOAH. ****

• GHC Heavyweight Championship: Takashi Sugiura vs. KENTA (c). NOAH 05/12/2013. I wasn’t the biggest fan in the world of their Global League Finals match, so I’m a bit skeptical, but know both are crazy good. Rather than the fast start against Maybach or the blitzkrieg from the beginning of the tournament finals, KENTA is more measured this time around. They trade waistlocks and reversals before KENTA tries a kimura that goes nowhere. They shove away for a stalemate. Now, they move in for underhook/overhook before getting a rope break. KENTA with a cheap kick and Sug swings for a haymaker but MISSES and the crowd is digging the animosity. Me too. They’re all ENOUGH OF THIS CIRCLING SHIT and move in with the forearms. Obviously, brutal stiff shots. After several, they up the ante with even stiffer shots. KENTA is more phased before delivering a crushing blow that staggers Sug. Sug pauses before rolling into a yakuza kick. KENTA comes back with one of his own and cuts off a charging Sug with another. KENTA tries one more but ug catches him in an overhead belly to belly suplex. KENTA no sells for another yakuza kick. They go back to the forearms and KENTA finally wins the exchange with several kicks that Sug sells back into the corner. KENTAKENTAKENTA! KENTA goes for a waistlock but Sug switches to a wristlock. They trade counters before Sug drop toe holds KENTA into a headlock. KENTA bridges into a cover for 1, 2, nearfall. KENTA tries sending him off but Sug holds on for the Bret Hart Dickensian headlock. KENTA again tries to send him off but Sug holds tight so KENTA tries counters to a head suplex. NO! SUG HANGS ON! YEAHHHHHH! That’s more like it. KENTAKENTAKENTA says the crowd. Sug finally breaks the forearm KENTA and snapmare him down. KENTA fires up to smack the SHIT out of Sug to repay him in kind with several kicks to the back. Sug no sells and is all WHAT DID THE FIVE FINGERS SAY TO THE FACE and SLAPS down KENTA like a boss.

• KENTA sold that one and can barely stand up. Sug is disgraced at his weakness and tells the ref to start a count. The ref gets to 7 before KENTA gets to his feet. A back elbow gets 2 for Sug. Back to the chinlock. Man, the crowd is HOT for this chinlock. KENTA forces a rope break which Sug reluctantly allows but only to kick KENTA out like some trash. On the floor, KENTA tries to fight back with forearms so Sug puts him down with a Roll The Dice OFF THE APRON! Back in, Sug boots him around and KENTA gets pissed and fires back with forearms. Sug no sells to headbutt him and KENTA is stunned. Sug chokes him in the corner and smacks him around. Again, never one to be outstruck, KENTA smacks him back, so Sug mans up and forearms him into semi-unconsciousness. KENTA sits in the corner reconsidering his choice of career considering in his line of work he has to get smacked by guys like Sugiura. KENTA hits a vertical suplex for 1, 2, only 2. KENTA tries to charge into the corner but Sug yakuza kicks him away only to run into a powerslam. Double KO spot. A powerslam is a bit thin to even the odds after all that. KENTA follows up with a burrito and heads up top. He hits a flying clothesline for 1, 2, 2 ½. KENTA rolls him into an STF. KENTA releases to go for a German so Sug elbows his way out and gives KENTA a knee to the breadbasket. Sug hangs him out to dry on the top rope and hits the Spear. 1, 2, nearfall. Sug with a yakuza kick in the corner. He follows out for another but KENTA chases behind him and then sidesteps sending the lunging Sug into the ringpost. Nice cutoff. Correction, nice tease as Sug puts him back down with a gordbuster. Sug hangs him out on the apron and Spears him off to the floor. Sug recovers first to whip KENTA around ringside into the rails and the front row. Sug preps a suplex on the rail but KENTA blocks and snap suplexes him on the floor instead. KENTA climbs into the crowd and leaps off a small balcony with the double foot stomp.

• KENTA tosses him further into the crowd and Sug is in at least the fifth row. KENTA heads back to the ring and heads up for the WARRIOR’S WAY HOMICIDA! KENTA is fired up as Sug is on the floor feeling the effects. The ref starts the count. Sug pulls himself to his feet and stumbles back to beat it at 19. Springboard dropkick, yakuza kick, and an IED and KENTA is in control. He flies off top with another double foot stomp. Cover gets 1, 2, only 2. KENTA wants the G2S but Sug still has life left. He counters so KENTA pulls him down into another STF. Kenta switches to a reverse full nelson and hoists up Sug for a TIGER SUPLEX! NICE! 1, 2, kickout. KENTAKENTAKENTA! KENTA with a head of steam but Sug catches him in a rana for 1, 2, only 2. KENTA tries to kick out so Sug rolls through into the ANKLE LOCK! KENTA MAKES THE ROPES! ARM-CAPTURE GERMAN SUPLEX AND KENTA LANDS ON HIS HEAD! BRUTAL! Sug moves in for the victory but KENTA recovers for the LARIATO! KENTA tries to pick him up but Sug traps the arm and moves to omoplata and back around for the Ankle Lock. Beast. KENTA rolls under into the same omoplata position. Sug rolls through and both go for stereo yakuza kicks. DOUBLE NO SELL! DOUBLE YAKUZA KICKS! DOUBLE NO SELL!

• Now, it’s time for the smacks but KENTA stops short with a Bluechipper dropkick. KENTA pulls him in from the apron for the Orton DDT. KENTA fires up for the G2S. Sug escapes out and grabs the ankle but KENTA blocks that. Sug hangs on as neither will give an inch. SUG LOCKS IT IN! KENTA HAS NOWHERE TO GO! KENTA stands up and forearm shivers Sug. They slug it out and then switches to the smacks. Sug hits a few in succession but KENTA smacks him back to go for a DISCUS SMACK. Sug blocks that with one of his own. KENTA shoots in for a single but Sug puts him down like Old Yeller with a knee to the jaw. KENTA is DONE. BOMA YE! 1, 2, KICKOUT! Sug wants the AngleSlam but KENTA no sells to try the G2S. Sug slides back for a waistlock but KENTA elbows him. Sug ratchets up for the GERMAN BUCKLEPLEX! Sug mounts him in the corner with BRUTALLY stiff forearms. KENTA fires up for the slug it out. Sug puts him DOWN with several right and left forearms. Sug locks him in for the German Suplex rolling into the Dragon Suplex. Bridge gets 1, 2, 2.99999999999. Sug sits him up for a couple FOREARM HOMICIDAS. He says it’s over and hits the AngleSlam. Sug turns over the remains for 1, 2, NO! He goes for another but KENTA catches him in a pseudo Triangle Choke. Sug releases for another knee to the face. The ref checks to see if it’s Sug by KO by KENTA won’t go down. More stiff GnP elbows from Sug. Sug smacks some life back into him and KENTA counters to the omoplata facelock better known as the NO LOCK! Sug crawls his way and makes the ropes. KENTA with a stiff kick and a running knee to the back of Sug. He fires up for one more but Sug catches him with a forearm. Double KO spot. They slug it out from their knees. They fight to their feet and smack it out. It’s an all out smack and chop war. KENTA ducks one and gets him up for the G2S! 1, 2, 2.9999999999999999999999999999999. DR FG ENZUIGIRI! NO! SUG NO SELLS! KENTA knocks him out with chops and another DR FG ENZUIGIRI! G2S! 1, 2, KICKOUT! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Sug is on his last legs and KENTA hits several front kicks and smacks Sug around. Another G2S and Sug is finally down for the count at 32:32.

• My favorite NOAH match since Go/Kensuke in 2010 (though I haven’t seen nearly enough so say it’s the best in that time period). KENTA has had a big task since winning the HW strap to prove he belongs in the land of the bigs, but he’s upped his game a bit if that’s possible to one of the gnarliest strikers and pound-for-pound heaviest hitters in the world. He’s the only junior I can think of that could go blow for blow with a guy like Sugiura much less Kensuke. These two pound the shit out of each other for 30 minutes straight, but unlike their Global League finals match which felt rushed and too one-note, this match has significant stretches where each guy controls. My only mild reservation is that Sug so thoroughly dismantles KENTA throughout most of the match, that KENTA’s ultimate comeback and win in the war of attrition comes off disappointing. Sequence of the match: Sugiura working the headlock for a while and the series of strikes after that. ****3/4

• IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Davey Boy Smith, Jr. vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (c). NJPW Invasion Attack. 04/07/2013. Jr. is DH Smith, formerly of the Hart Dynasty. DH is the typically evil, arrogant gaijin and much larger than Nakamura. He was IWGP tag champs with Lance Archer at the time. DH poses at the bell. They feel out with some kicks to the back. NM backs away a bit after the stiff kick from DH. NM dances a bit as they lock up. NM goes for the kimura but DH picks him up. NM holds strong and lands into a wristlock. DH counters and takes him off his feet working a wristlock much to the crowd’s shock and awe. NM uses the ropes to flip over and take DH take down a headlock. DH headscissors his way back to a stalemate. ECW STANDOFF! NM gets double underhooks but DH rolls under into side control and then full guard. He paces around NM and floats into a phantom cover for nothing. Rope break but NM won’t move. DH is all WHAT THE FUCK, BRO?! And piefaces him outta the way. NM comes back with some stiff knees but runs into a belly to belly suplex that sends him over the top and TO THE FLOOR! Lance Archer, better known as Lance Hoyt from the Rock ‘n Rave Infection with Jimmy Rave in TNA, puts the boots to NM. Someone comes to NM’s aid and brawls with Archer. On the floor, DH takes over and sends NM into the rail. DH points to the belt: “IT’S GONNA BE MINE!” NM regroups but rolls back in to a waiting DH with boots. DH teases before delivering the Bret Hart Low Blow to BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOs. DH goes to a nerve hold and changes to a chinlock. DH grabs Nakamura’s hand and taps 3 times for him. DH releases to celebrate: “HE TAPPED! WHAT?! 1, 2, 3! HE TAPPED!”

• DH drives him into the corner and delivers the double arm capture Northern Lights suplex. Cover gets 1, 2, 2 ½. DH now deep seats a Camel Clutch. DH drives down on him and then talks trash to the crowd. DH with a few bumps and grinds before delivering a simple bodyslam and then hits the FRONT DOUBLE BI! DOUBLE MIDDLE FINGERS TO THE CROWD! DH delivers another slam but stops mid-move to flex and AGAIN flip off the crowd. DH FOR IWGP WORLD CHAMP! DH mounts in the corner and spits down at the crowd as he goes for the guillotine leg drop. NM moves and DH eats canvas. DH with a head of steam but runs into a boot and a dropkick. NM is fired up and the crowd is with him. Several running knees in the corner and then NM stomps a mudhole again working the neck nerve. DH counters but runs into another knee. NM puts him up top and prances his way across for the running knee. Cover gets 1, 2, only 2. NM with a few knees to the gut to a lying DH for 1, 2, 2 ½. NM with a few kicks. DH tries to block so NM hits an enzuigiri. NM runs into a powerslam but DH is too out of it to cover. They slug it out with forearms and DH wins with Euro uppercuts and a high knee. Cover gets 1, 2, 2.7. DH says it’s over. NM slides behind for a Sleeper but DH counters with the BACKDROP DRIVER! 1, 2, nearfall. NM counters a suplex with a knee to the head and a backcracker. He goes for the CHINLOCK! Errr….? Strange place for that. DH elbows out but runs into a knee and a spinkick. Nakamura flips him with an inverted Exploder. NM tunes up the band for the Boma Ye but DH ducks behind. NM headbutts him up but lands off the top into a FIREMAN’S CARRY JACKHAMMER! 1, 2, 2.999. DH rolls him over into the Sharpshooter. NM reaches for the ropes but DH PULLS HIM BACK TO THE MIDDLE! HE GRABS A HANDFUL OF HAIR! THATNOGOODBASTARD! The ref forces him to release the hair and Nakamura grabs the ropes. DH poses and calls for the powerbomb. He gets him up but NM sandbags him and lands for the ABISEGIRI! NM wants the Landslide but instead goes for the FU neckbreaker. NM sells exhaustion from the Sharpshooter I’m guessing. They both get up for the slug it out. DH fires up and flips NM with a LARIATO HOMICIDA! 1, 2, 2.99999. He calls for the powerbomb and pantomimes with the belt. He hits it! 1, 2, KICKOUT! DH can’t believe it. DH pulls him to the middle for a TIGER SUPLEX! 1, 2, NO! DH calls for another powerbomb but first makes sure to flip off the crowd AGAIN just so they know for sure to go to hell. NM counters by sitting up and hitting a jumping knee. SPRINGBOARD BOMA YE! BOMA YE! 1, 2, 3 to retain at 18:03.

• Really fun, David-Goliath match with a big chunk of US style psychology and crowd work. Nakamura has a flair for the flamboyant, and while it wouldn’t work against everyone, here it plays nicely against the dickish gaijin. I wouldn’t be surprised if DH is back stateside soon (if he wants to be). Some odd choices and inconsistent selling bring it down a bit but it’s still awesome. Spot of the match: DH grabbing Nakamura’s hand and tapping for him or DH’s back to back powerbomb and tiger suplex for false finishes. ****

• GHC Heavyweight Championship: Maybach Taniguichi vs. KENTA (c). NOAH Great Voyage. 03/10/2013. KENTA comes out flying with a burrito and quickly lands on top with GnP. Maybach up for the slug it out, so KENTA smacks him back and goes to work with kicks. KENTA drives him into the corner but the ref demands a break. KENTA pretends to listen only to facewash Maybach a few times. Maybach shakes the cobwebs lose for more forearms. KENTA kicks him down in the corner and moves in for the kill but the ref forces a break. These are some brutal strikes of course. Maybach blocks a suplex, so KENTA boots him and hangs him out to dry. More kicks from KENTA and a double foot stomp that lands Maybach back in. Cover gets 1, 2, only 2. They slug it out FIERCELY and you can hear the thud of these strikes. KENTA runs into a belly to belly suplex and Maybach dumps him out. Maybach sends him into the guardrail and they work their way into the crowd. They brawl through the crowd with a spotlight following them. Maybach tosses KENTA into a row and THE MASKED MAN HAS A CHAIR! The ref tries to pull him away but Maybach throws down the ref and belts KENTA anyway. The ref recovers to pull away the chair and they go back to slugging it out. KENTA fires back with kicks so Maybach blasts him with another chair much to the ref’s displeasure. Maybach shrugs him off and walks back to the ring. Back in, Maybach chokes away before the ref tries to force a break. Maybach won’t cooperate, so the ref counts louder. Maybach finally THROWS DOWN THE REF! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

• KENTA Hulks up and no sells the strikes to fire back with forearms. Maybach yakuza kicks him down and grunts the TROLL YELL! Maybach rolls him into a Camel Clutch. KENTA makes the ropes, but Maybach stays on him with boots. The KENTA ring rats are loud and out in full force as usual. KENTA tries to forearm his way back into the advantage but Maybach is all BRING IT, MOTHERFUCKER and picks him up with his bare hands for the vaunted GIANT GOOZLE! Whereas Big Show’s shlock on Hogan looked harmless, this looks deadly. The ref pleads with Maybach and gets him to drop what’s left of KENTA to the mat. KENTA runs into a few boots in the corner and goes back down in a heap. KENTA comes back with a running kick to the face. KENTA boots him down and heads up top and for a flying clothesline. Cover gets 1, 2, 2 ½. KENTA slows things down with a STF. Maybach gets the ropes so KENTA goes for a waistlock but Maybach sends him off for the powerslam. Maybach flattens him with a pair of corner clotheslines. Maybach goozles him but KENTA blocks so Maybach shoves him into the corner. KENTA tornado DDTs him into the ropes and preps a springboard but Maybach shoves the ref into the ropes and KENTA EATS IT TO THE FLOOR! KENTA gets thrown into the rail again and NOW THE MASKED MAN HAS A TABLE! Maybach gets KENTA to the apron for a ChokeSlam through the table but KENTA blocks and yakuza kicks him down. KENTA fires up for a clothesline but Maybach swats him away and KENTA tumbles violently over the rail and into the crowd. Awesome. Maybach is a monster. Maybach gets a chair but there’s the ref again – an honest man in a dishonest world – who just can’t get Maybach to stop. Maybach ignores him to chairshot KENTA. Maybach stacks up some chairs and preps a POWERBOMB ON THE CHAIRS! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! SOMEONE STOP THIS! THIS MAN HAS A FAMILY!

• KENTA counters with a backdrop and Maybach eats chair. Back in, KENTA mounts the top rope and dives INTO THE THIRD ROW for a double foot stomp. Insane. Maybach drags himself back to the ring and barely beats the count at 19. Springboard dropkick, yakuza kick, and an IED have KENTA fired up. KENTA goes for the double foot stomp but Maybach rolls under. KENTA rolls through for a powerslam. Maybach realizes he’s dealing with a maniac possibly as crazy as himself and he tries bailing. KENTA chases him down for Orton’s apron DDT. KENTA flies off top with a double foot stomp. Cover gets 1, 2, nearfall. Maybach blocks a G2S so KENTA has a head of steam but runs into a Spinebuster. KENTA tries Hell’s Gate so Maybach gathers him up for a RAMPAGE BUCKLEBOMB! Oh. Shit. KENTA is DONE. ChokeSlam gets 1, 2, 2.99. Maybach preps a powerbomb but KENTA counters to the fireman’s carry for the G2S. Maybach grabs the ref to get free. KENTA wants a LARIATO but Maybach moves and the ref eats it. Maybach takes him down with a clothesline and rolls to the floor to get another chair. Not done, he comes up with a GIANT SPEAR! The ref recovers and tackles Maybach to pull the chair away. Maybach lets him have it because he’s got a trident with his name on it anyway. The ref can’t stop him so the ref stands in the way! Now, THAT’S commitment to your profession. The ref demands that if anyone is going to get skewered by Maybach, he’s going to have to go through the ref first. IT’S SHOWDOWN TIME! And… THE REF WINS! Maybach backs down. WOOOOOOOOOOOOO! BUT WAIT! The ref collects applause and checks on KENTA only to turn around into a BRUTAL chairshot to the head. THE MASKED MAN HAS GONE MAD!

• Back suplex and now Maybach brings in the chair. Everyone checks on the ref while Maybach wants a powerbomb through the table. KENTA counters and clotheslines him down. KENTA thinking he has slayed the beast, heads up top but Maybach recovers to SMACK HIM DOWN! MAYBACH GETS ANOTHER SPEAR! Maybach gets KENTA a few shots to the gut and pole vaults him off the top through the table. Another ref slides in, not to call for a DQ, but the tell KENTA that no one can stop this man and he’s on his own in restoring order. Powerbomb gets 1, 2, 2.999999999. KENTAKENTAKENTA. Maybach heads up top for a big splash. He hits it for 1, 2, NO! Another powerbomb attempt but KENTA counters to a DDT. A few DR FG enzuigiris follow but Maybach no sells. Maybach tries another ChokeSlam but KENTA counters on the way down to a triangle choke. They both roll through and fire up but Maybach clubs down him down and is all YOUR TIME IS UP, MY TIME IS NOW! KENTA catches him running off the ropes with the G2S! ONE, TWO, THREEOHNOHEALMOSTGOT’IM! They both stagger to their feet for forearms and then stiff open hand smacks. Maybach staggers him but KENTA smacks the SHIT out of him 1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6! 7 TIMES! 1! 2! 3 KICKS TO THE HEAD! MAYBACH GOES DOWN! ANOTHER KICK! 1, 2, NEARFALL! KENTA DROPS THE KNEE PAD! UNPROTECTED GTS! 1, 2, 3 to retain at 24:54.

• This is a monster movie come to life with only the hero (and the ref) standing between the villain ensuing chaos on humanity. KENTA tried battering ramming his way to victory only to realize his opponent felt no pain and showed no weakness. KENTA tried strikes, then holds, then his best impact moves, before finally needing a deadly combination of strikes and moves to put down the monster foe. I loved the ref’s interference to try to make Maybach show some humanity even though he was an inhuman conqueror. Awesome stuff. Spot of the match: The ref getting Maybach to back down with the spear only to eat a chairshot from him. ****1/2

• Prince Devitt vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi. NJPW 41st Anniversary. 03/03/2013. This is HW champ vs. JR champ. Devitt’s music is the epic “You’re the Best Around” from Karate Kid. Neither title on line. Devitt grabs an arm quickly but HT rolls under and on top for the headlock. They trade wristlock counters with Devitt nicely armdragging under and spinning on top for another headlock. HT headscissors out and it’s the ECW STANDOFF! Sizable Devitt chant breaks out but HT gets a bigger one from his contingent. After a headlock, HT takes down Devitt with a headlock and BOWS A CURTSIE! YOU SONOFABITCH! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! HT rides a headlock into the mat. Devitt tries to send him off but HT hangs on and hiplocks him back over. Devitt drives him into the ropes where HT again works a bit heel going to the ribs rather than clean break. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Even the ref is like, c’mon don’t be a dick. Devitt reverses a whip but runs into a boot. He comes back with the step up enzuigiri in the corner and HT eats it TO THE FLOOR! Devitt wants a dive but HT slides back in to cut him off. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Devitt’s fans are pissed that their guy can’t get out of the blocks. AIR GUITAR FROM TANAHASHI! Devitt leap frogs and comes back with a Bluechipper dropkick. HT bails out so Devitt follows with a TOPE CON GIRO but he overshoots and HT can’t grab him and Devitt lands on the rail. Brutal. LET’SGODEVITT! LET’SGODEVITT! Devitt gets a chair and blasts HT with it. The ref admonishes him so Devitt pushes him down.

• In Japan, that’s like punishable by death. Devitt then follows up with a HUGE leaping chairshot off the apron. He seats Tanahashi next to the guardrail and follows up with a IED that sends HT reeling into the crowd. LET’SGODEVITT! HT is checked on by a whole track team of young boys before crawling back to the ring. Back in, Devitt applies the ab stretch and strums a little chin music on the STOLEN AIR GUITAR! Devitt rolls him up and then hits a dropkick for a pair of 2 counts. They slug it out with forearms and Devitt wins. HT goes for the crossbody but Devitt avoids and covers for a 2 count. Devitt goes to some leathery chops and MOARAIRGUITAR! Devitt’s bows and hits another IED in the corner. He covers HT for 1, 2, 2 ½. HT punches his way out of a hold but eats more chops. Devitt outsmarts avoiding the backdrops and this another chop. Devitt leaps out to the apron to avoid a charge. Devitt goes for another step up enzuigiri but HT blocks and switches to the DSLW. HT heads up top for the High Fly Flow crossbody to the floor. Devitt struggles to beat the count but makes it at 18. HT is waiting and grabs the leg for another DSLW and then a dropkick INTO the leg. Nice. HT wants a Texas Cloverleaf but Devitt grabs the ropes. HT tries to roll it anyway before the ref forces him to release it to big heel heat for HT. HT slams and goes for the Harlem Hangover but comes up dry. LET’SGODEVITT! LET’SGODEVITT! They slug it out before Devitt wins with a pseudo Pele kick. HT goes for a Stinger Splash but wipes out. Devitt dropkicks him to the head and comes flying off top with the DOUBLE FOOT STOMP. Nice. Devitt fires up and wants the double arm Edge-o-cutioner but HT counters to a Dragon Suplex attempt. NO! Devitt gets him up for the Curtain Call. NICE! Cover gets 1, 2, 2.7. HT quickly cuts off Devitt with some DSLWs. Now, it’s time for the Texas Cloverleaf. Devitt makes the ropes after a spell. LET’SGODEVITT! HT hooks him up for the leg capture Michinoku Driver. HT heads up top for the High Fly Flow but Devitt gets the knees up and cradles him for 1, 2, 2 ½. Cool nearfall. Devitt hits another Flying Double Foot Stomp for 1, 2, nearfall. Devitt misses the spinning enzuigiri and HT goes the leg. Devitt sidesteps and tries to shitcan him out but HT skins the cat back in. Spinning enzuigiri follows and Devitt tries the DDT but HT counters to the AWESOME ARMTRAP GERMAN SUPLEX! Cover gets 1, 2, 2.9. Crowd still behind Devitt. Sling Blade and HT wants a submission BUT Devitt rolls through(!) into a sunset flip roll up for 1, 2, NO! That was very cool. HT comes back with another Sling Blade and the High Fly Flow crossbody. High Fly Flow puts down Devitt for 1, 2, 3 at 20:45.

• Several repeat spots from the earlier match with Anderson. Tanahashi’s always had a bit of Flair and a bit of Cena about him. This was more Flair than Cena this time. He heeled it up to keep it from being face-face and to up the entertainment value, something Cena never does. I have to say, usually, my favorite part of these matches is the wrestling, but here it was the sports entertainment aspect with the stolen bows and air guitars. The wrestling was very good, but a step below Tanahashi’s best work. I still feel like I’ve yet to see Devitt’s best match but everything here was mechanically sound but unenthusiastic. Lots of head strikes one way vs. some leg work the other way with some solid counters and cutoffs in-between. Spot of the match: Devitt’s roll up after the Sling Blade or Devitt’s Tope Con Giro. ****

• IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Karl Anderson vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (c). NJPW The New Beginning. 02/10/2013. Anderson has a taped up right knee. Rowdy crowd at the start. HT gets a full nelson and goes to a wristlock. Anderson rolls through to a headlock takeover but HT headscissors him back to square one. Crowd with a big ANDERSON chant. Another headlock and Anderson bowls over HT with a shoulderblock. Headlock takeover and Anderson has top position. HT sends him off for a hiptoss. HT tries to pick him up but Anderson rolls under and BACK INTO TOP POSITION! Slick. Tanahashi gets him into the corner for a break but gives a cheap shot the breadbasket. HT gets the elbow up in the corner to stop a charging Anderson and then crossbodies him down. HT drops down and rolls Anderson into a reverse Indian Deathlock. Anderson reaches for the ropes so HT drives him down into the mat knees first. Kneebreaker and NOW WE GO TO SCHOOL, RITSUMEIKAN STYLE! HT torques the leg but Anderson gets the ropes. HT charges into the corner but Anderson fires back with a yakuza kick. HT outsmarts him by again getting up the boots but runs into a leg lariat from Anderson. Anderson shakes some life back into the leg and they slug it out with forearms. HT blocks and sends Anderson into the turnbuckle. Anderson no sells to come back with the GUN STUN! HT sells it to the floor and the ref starts the count. He gets up to 10 and Tanahashi hasn’t moved. At 15, Karl rolls out to go to work. He sends HT into the rail for some Euro uppercuts and elbows across the head. GUN STUN ON THE RAIL! Another count and HT barely beats it back in at 19. The whole time mind you Anderson has been in the ring selling the leg. That’s commitment to your craft.

• The ref wants to check on Tanahashi but Anderson pulls him away. Anderson hits one boot and then sells the leg again. Nice. Hangman’s neckbreaker gets 1, 2, 2 ½. Anderson goes to a reverse chinlock with the knee in the back and then grinds the nose. Anderson chokes a bit and covers but the ref REFUSES TO COUNT! INTEGRITY IN PRO WRESTLING! HT elbows free but runs into the spinebuster. Cover gets 1, 2, nearfall. Anderson drops a few knees and AWESOMELY SELLS THE KNEE! He goes for another but HT moves and Anderson comes up dry. Anderson sniffs out a dropkick and comes back with a senton for 1, 2, 2 ½. They go face-to-face and HT fires up for some forearms and a burrito. HT heads up top for a HARLEM HANGOVER! Cover gets 1, 2, 2.7. Anderson whips him across but HT comes running out and clips the knee with a basement dropkick. Chop Block follows and HT with another dropkick to the leg and Anderson is sent reeling to the floor. HT heads up top and flies out to the floor with a HIGH FLY FLOW CROSSBODY1 That was beautiful. Anderson beats the count. HT grabs the legs for the DSLW! NO! Anderson counters and wants a suplex to the floor. Every single person in the building including the ref is like FUCK NO, ARE YOU INSANE?! Anderson gets him up! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Tanahashi counters to land on the apron. PHEW!

• HT tries clipping the knee again but Anderson fires up for a RUNNING PUMP CURB STOMB! YEAHHHH! Back in, Anderson drags HT to the top rope. He says it’s over and preps a top rope superplex but HT fights him off. HT gestures to the crowd but misses Anderson cutting him off with a yakuza kick. SUPER TKO! 1, 2, KICKOUT! Anderson is up top and flies off and catches HT in a nice neckbreaker on the way down. Cover gets 1, 2, 2.7. Now we’re cooking. Anderson wants another Gun Stun! NO! COUNTER TO SLING BLADE! Double KO spot. Both now up for the forearm slugfest. HT wins that but runs into a CRANE KICK! Anderson tries another but HT ducks another and grabs the leg for the DSLW! SLING BLADE! NO! GUN STUN! NO! HT hits the Sling Blade after a few counters. Falcon Arrow and he heads up for the High Fly Flow but Anderson gets the knees up! Both pull themselves to their feet. Anderson hits the kick and follows it with an AWESOME BOMB! He says it’s over and calls for the Greetings from Asbury Park. 1, 2, 2.99999999! Anderson fires up but HT counters with a DSLW! TWO OF THEM! Crowd is feeling it. Anderson kinda no sells all that to get up first. HT goes back to the leg but Anderson stands stall for the slug it out. HT tries another Sling Blade but Anderson counters to the SITOUT RAZOR’S EDGE! 1, 2, NO! HT counters a Gun Stun with a back slide for 1, 2, nearfall. Anderson checks the count and wants the Gun Stun AGAIN but HT follows through with a Dragon Suplex and a Sling Blade. More loud chants from the crowd. HT misses a splash in the corner so Anderson counters to another Curb Stomp. HT counters to a Gun Stun of his own for 1, 2, 2.999999999999. Crossbody for HT and one more High Fly Flow for 1, 2, 3 to end it at 25:10.

• Awesome stuff with a hot crowd. Tanahashi’s leg work left me a big cold and not up to Anderson’s tremendous sell job. Tanahashi only did a few holds early on and then several DSLWs in the go-home but were remarkably well-timed. Anderson looked great too but I felt went to the Gun Stun move just a bit too much. Part of my enjoyment for Japanese wrestling is the change of pace – each guy has several finishers and signature moves, so the match can end dozens of ways. Anderson seemed determined to win with the Gun Stun and even if that is his main move, I would have liked more variation. Still, great match. Spot of the match: Teasing the suplex into the crowd only for Tanahashi to counter only for Anderson to counter back with a huge curb stomp on the apron.****1/4

• IWGP Intercontinental Championsihp: Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (c). NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 7. 01/04/2013. Sakuraba is more famous from MMA as the guy who single-handedly took out several branches of the Gracie family tree. They shake hands as a sign of respect. They trade low leg kick attempts early for some feeling out. Sakuraba shoots for a single and then a go-behind. Nakamura backs him to the ropes for a break. Sakuraba with a few kicks to measure distances and then stuffs a double leg attempt from Nakamura. They get tied up in the ropes and the ref wants a break. Sakuraba with a quick TD and into guard. He shifts into side control but then back to half guard and then back into full guard. Nakamura tries some butterfly guard but Sakuraba stands up to measure again. He lays right back into side control and grabs a guillotine. He works a knee from the clinch but Nakamura grabs for a rope break and bails out. Back in, they block some stand up from each other. Sakuraba gets close with a head kick so Nakamura closes the distance and drives him into the corner. The ref calls for another break rather than dirty boxing so Nakamura smacks the shit out of Sakuraba and gloats. Sakuraba pauses for a moment to reflect and then comes back with an OPEN HAND PALM STRIKE BARRAGE!

• Nakamura tries fighting back but he’s outgunned and instead grabs a clinch. He tries a few kicks but Sakuraba tries and goes for a DOUBLE FOOT STOMP TO THE HEAD! He lands it and Nakamura is DONE. Sakuraba goes for a RNC but Nakamura gets a rope break. Nakamura comes back with some brutal knees from the clinch and then focuses on Sakuraba’s neck. NM puts him head up and goes for a running knee but SR moves and NM eats turnbuckle. SR reapplies the RNC while on the apron but the ref ain’t having it. Instead, SR is back in with palm strikes in the corner and a GERMAN SUPLEX! Nakamura tries to no sell and shoot in for a single but Sakuraba gives him a knee to the face and NM is OUT COLD! The ref checks on him, but Nakamura is gone. He recovers enough for SR to jump him into full mount and some GnP palm strikes. SR chokes him with his own arm and rolls him into a triangle choke. Nakamura is now back with it (at least I hope) long enough to escape the triangle and hit a knee to SR’s head. NM fires up for another running knee but Sakuraba slides behind for another German attempt. NM blocks so he rolls through into an armbar! NM stacks him up so SR rolls into mount. SR wants the kimura, so NM rolls into an armbar attempt but SR blocks. Back into side control for Sakuraba and full mount now. He goes back for the kimura but NM gets the ropes. SR won’t release the hold so NM hoists him up for the Landslide. NM wants a German but Sakuraba rolls him over into the kimura and locks it in. NM won’t tap and fights the hold. NM escapes out with knees, so SR repositions for the armbar. NM closes his hands but SR torques it. NM escapes out and knees Sakuraba TO THE FACE! BOMA YE! 1, 2, 3 and Nakamura retains at 11:08.

• It’s hard for me to get into stuff like this. This felt more like an MMA match with some pro wrestling thrown in, rather than a pro wrestling match with some MMA thrown in and there’s a big difference for me. I think it’s possible to do a pro wrestling MMA hybrid well, but most attempts don’t do it for me. Joe-Angle is not it; neither is Davey Richards or Kyle O’Reilly; Shamrock-Owen in the Lion’s Den is more my taste. The BattlArts is probably my favorite mixture though. The problem with worked shoot matches is that Sakuraba has a collection of Gracie limbs on his wall and Nakamura doesn’t. It requires a bigger suspension of disbelief when one guy has legitimate, badass credentials and the other guy doesn’t. This was cool enough if you can ignore the fact that Sakuraba seemingly could have won the match numerous times but didn’t. Spot of the match: knee to the face. **3/4

The 411: Everything here is great and worth seeking out, even the acquired taste, MMA hybrid with Nakamura/Sakuraba has a crazy KO from a knee. Sug/KENTA and KENTA/Maybach are two of my leading contenders for Match of the Year along with some US stuff.
Final Score:  9.5   [  Amazing ]