Newish W-1

Wrestle-1 2015/1/30

Masayuki Kono vs. KAI

Good enough for me. I actually don’t mind Kono because he’s a very capable worker who can really shine when in the ring with a better opponent, it’s just that his current DESPERADO angle is holding him back and turns his matches into shit quite regularly. It can be fun, but it’s usually a miss. There wasn’t much of that here, the match was rather normal, with some grappling at the beginning, then some ringside brawling before the good closing stretch where they had to improvise due to KAI knocking out Kono during a double lariat spot. I liked this, good match.

***

Wrestle-1 2015/1/30

Hideki Suzuki & Yusaku Obata vs. Masakatsu Funaki & Jiro Kuroshio

Credit for all the stars goes to HIDEKI SUZUKI for being such a marvelous dickbag heel, he hijacked the match and fucking owned it. First he ripped Kuroshio’s jacket apart, then no sold him all the way ‘till the end where he destroyed him ringside while Funaki was busy in the ring. The Suzuki/Funaki heat is amazing and thankfully they’re finally booked for a singles slugfest in March, shit man, that match’s going to rule the world. They really hate each other, so much animosity in the air when they’re in the ring, everything is so natural and organic, that’s what a true wrestling rivalry should look like. On top of that, we also had Kuroshio and Obata smacking each other silly and punching each other after the match. God, I loved this match, such a nifty piece of storytelling.

****1/4

Wrestle-1 2015/1/30

Wrestle-1 Championship: Manabu Soya vs. Keiji Muto ©

Not as great as Sanada defense, but still very good. Muto is slow but he can still bump very well, and it certainly helps to see his opponents adjusting to his style and working his levels of pacing. Plus, of course, Muto’s always been a brilliant tactician and strategist with big ass wrestling IQ, it serves him good no matter the age. Soya is one rough fucker but Muto did his best to tame him and bring down to the ground, there were some neat hold-for-hold spots and reversals on the mat, Soya took a page or two from Sanada’s book. Huge points go to Muto for finishing off his opponents with Figure Four Leglock… in 2015. Like I said earlied, Muto is an amazing tactician whose “less is more” institute is glorious, and it fucking showed in the finishing run. Very good title match.

***3/4