2014 Yes/No DDT, Joshi, and the lil' Indies

[jaedmc 5,922]

Match nominations must be accompanied by an explanation as to why the match is worth nominating. Above all: DISCUSS WRESTLING.
 

 

DDT

HARASHIMA vs. Masa Takanashi February 23rd - Yes 2, No 1

HARASHIMA vs. Kenny Omega vs. Isami Kodaka August 17th - Yes 1, No 0

 

LEGEND PRO

Ishii vs. Okabayashi, January 13th - Yes 2, No 1
Akitoshi Saito vs. Daisuke Sekimoto January 13th - yes 2, No 0

JOSHI
Io Shirai vs. Natsuki Taiyo, January 26th - Yes 3, No 0

[Kevin Wilson 1,031]

NOMINATE:  Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yuji Okabayashi, Legend Pro on 1/13/14

 

This probably won't surprise anyone, but this was a man-sized match. What I really like about matches like this is they make every move look meaningful. Since they both wrestle like powerhouses, even a suplex or a powerslam is made to look like a big deal, and nothing is a throw-away spot. Also there was no overkill, Ishii weakened Okabayashi, hit the brainbuster and it was over. They also only really had one "rest hold" in the match, which I define as just a move to kill time and catch a breather, otherwise they were just throwing elbows and chops at each other while mixing in various power moves. I knew going into this match I would like it since I enjoy both wrestlers, and they did not disappoint, I wish Okabayashi was in a promotion that made TV more as I really enjoy his work. The only negative I can really think of is the chop battle at the beginning went longer than I'd prefer, but otherwise just a great hoss match.

[bucky 157]

I don't get why Big Japan isn't in this thread. Didn't we always used to have DDT and Big Japan on the same list? It fit so well I thought, and I almost just posted a vote for Hashimoto/Kanemoto in here until I realized.

 

I'll give that Okabayashi vs. Ishii a YES. It's not an all-time classic but they build their bigger spots well and lay everything in real hard. Ishii looks the better of the two with awesome cutoff spots, as well as some headbutts that would rate pretty high on the Futen scale and a pretty fucking great brainbuster. Not a MOTYC but still a ton of fun.

[jaedmc 5,922]

I had a reason. I don't remember what it was.

[Kevin Wilson 1,031]

NOMINATE: Io Shirai vs. Natsuki*Taiyo in Stardom on 1/26/14

 

I had never seen Stardom before so I didn't really know what to expect, but I thought this was a great match.  There were some little things here and there that didn’t work as they tried to get too cute, but considering the speed in which they go and having very little downtime some missteps here is easier for me to excuse.  It may stop the match from becoming an all-time classic but it doesn’t take away from all that they did right.  I have to admit any match with a perfect moonsault doublestomp automatically is good in my book, it is such an awesome looking move when hit properly like the second one was in this match.  I hadn’t seen either of these women before and Shirai is great fun to watch as she was just flying around everywhere.  They didn’t spend a lot of time with submission holds, just a few general ‘weaken your opponent’ ones and seemed content to just drop bombs and big moves on each other.  It felt like a big match, and it was as this was a big anniversary show for them.  Overall just a great match, I can look past a few of the hiccups and a few minor selling when a match is as exciting as this one, definitely a must-see.

 

I'l try to get the match uploaded later today and posted in the forum for those that want to see it.

[Eivion 2,055]

YES to Io/Natsuki.

[jaedmc 5,922]

Also a yes to Io/Natsuki.

I LOVE MOONSAULTS. The step up corner moonsault was slick as hell. I also like that they managed to work in all those gymnastic counters while making it feel natural, instead of it being a cooperative dance thing. Also I like that Io's tope is a crossbody instead. Little differences like that make me smile. FUN MATCH.

[Edwin 3,201]

Nominate: HARASHIMA vs. Masa Takanashi (DDT, 2/23/2014)

 

This was was a lot better than it had any right to be, still not great, but definitely a solid, very good match though. I agree that it gets extra points in its favor mainly because it's worked very differently than almost every match in Japan today specially for a Jr.'s match which really sets it apart.

 

I believe Takanashi is from the T2P Toryumon class. He was King Pocota I believe. I could be wrong though.

 

This was worked very smartly as it's a given Takahashi is ranked lower than HARASHIMA and if he has any of actually beating HARASHIMA it's by surprising him with some type of pinning combination and that's what he does exactly pulling out some pretty awesome and contrived pinning combinations meanwhile HARASHIMA plays the bully throwing Takahashi around and beating him up with some pretty good strikes.

 

However I thought the early ground work was a bit weak and cooperative or maybe I've been watching too much Rumina Sato combat wrestling and grappling in Shooto and I've set my standard too high.

I thought the armwork by Takahashi was solid, but HARASHIMA isn't exactly 1990's Shinjiro Ohtani at selling, but he still did fairly well at selling it. Takahashi also isn't exactly Johnny Saint at the pulling the arm trick, but it still worked since it allowed Takahashi to continue working over the arm.

 

There was too many awesome spots in this such as the HARASHIMA reverse curb stomps to the chest and the Yama Ori Manjigatame counter by Takahashi. HARASHIMA's deadlift moves weren't exactly at the same level of how awesome Cesaro is at pulling them off, but they were still pretty much on point. HARASHIMA's striking was particularly good in this and Takahashi's slaps were pretty awesome. HARASHIMA countering the standing kimura with the crazy throw dumping Takahashi was one of the many awesome counters in this match.

 

The finishing stretch was particularly awesome as the crowd who was dead for the majority of the match came alive and brought into Takahashi's pinning combinations and into the crazy spots they pulled out. The Gannosuke Clutch counter leading to the Canadian Backbreaker Piledriver was particularly nasty and legit made me cringe and shout ouch out loud.

 

Overall a very good match which I highly recommend, so give it a watch.

[bucky 157]

YES to that HARASHIMA vs. Takanashi match. I'm not huge on HARASHIMA but he was fine here playing bully champion and was a good base for Takahashi's unconventional offense. Takahashi was excellent in this, really making this work with his weird limbwork and schtick. I don't remember him doing this character a few years ago (I remember a match vs. Sekimoto where he was a much more traditional underdog) but it's really unique and he plays it very well. He won't get a lot of opportunities to lay out long singles matches like this so this was definitely a treat.

[Edwin 3,201]

Ishii/Okabayashi - No

 

I didn't think this was anything special really. It was your standard Ishii against chubby Japanese wrestler match. Ishii has had these type of matches over the years against other chubby and fat Japanese wrestlers and they’ve been much better.

 

This lacked heat and drama, didn’t particularly keep me engaged and the crowd was pretty much dead for the entire thing except for the last minute or so of the final stretch.

 

I did enjoy Ishii’s brutal headbutts in the final stretch and I also dug the fact that they didn’t go overboard with the big moves and false finishes, but that was about it.

[jaedmc 5,922]

No to the Harashima/Takanashi match. I like both guys, but I really wasn't into the first half of the match. Takanashi's offense is strange, and I dig the concept, but it feels a little too rough. I'd like it more if some of his spots came a little more organically like they did in the second half. The first chunk felt like him trying to hard to get them over. I can see myself loving his characters a year from now when he's mastered this schtick (or sooner of course) but right now it's a work in progress.

[Alan4L 40]

NOMINATE: DDT August 17th - HARASHIMA vs. Kenny Omega vs. Isami Kodaka

 

My word, that Sumo Hall main event was incredible. Easily my favourite thing on the show. Isami is cracking my top 10 favourite wrestlers in the world right now. He's so fun to watch, so creative and takes some serious beatings. Everything in this match was on point, but also looked spontaneous (which is rare for a 3 way). They did a great job keeping all three guys in the action for a large portion of the match before Isami got killed on the floor, so you didn't have the usual three way rotation thing. Also, they got what what was a very reserved crowd losing their shit bigtime. Hell of an effort.

[jaedmc 5,922]

Nominate

LEGEND PRO Akitoshi Saito vs. Daisuke Sekimoto January 13th

This was exactly what I wanted. There's a stumbling block with the arm work that doesn't get sold particularly well long term, minus some brief call backs to it. HOWEVER this match is all about these two clubbing the ever living fuck out of each other and it excels at that. Did I mention I love Saito, so I'm probably biased about this? Any match that can kill a couple of minutes with two guys just running into each other as hard as they can gets a pass from me.

[Lazlo Woodbine 1,681]

I'll say yes to that. Solid looking dudes hitting each other solidly. I never really cared for Saito before this year, but he's won me over, he had some good stuff in that singles tournament NOAH ran a couple of months ago, bunch of good tags too. He looks like a proper surly bastard.