RIPPA Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 TOMOAKI HONMA vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21ui0w_g1-climax-2014-block-a-match-hiroshi-tanahashi-vs-tomoaki-honma_sport Honma WOTD KATSUYORI SHIBATA vs. Hirooki Goto http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x19h0lb_hirooki-goto-vs-katsuyori-shibata-njpw-wrestle-kingdom-8-2014_sport Oh and since this match actually happened during the time period... http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22ston_g1-climax-24-block-a-match-katsuyori-shibata-vs-tomoaki-honma_sport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolidGoldBomb Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 This is a tough one, both these guys are awesome...but it feels like Honma had more of a stand out year. But Shibata will kick your ass regardless...hmm I'll have to think on this some more but i'm leaning towards Honma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I'm going Shibata, only because I've just started to enjoy Honma with his recent little push and him stepping up to the plate with it, even with his one move arsenal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Honma has been the Japanese MVP of 2015 with great matches against Ibushi and Ishii. He also was the most enjoyable part of the G1 last year, his match with Fale was Fale's best and I liked the Nakamura match. I love Shibata but no fucking way does he touch Honma right now. Their ability to get moves over and psychology is what sets them apart. Honma has headbutt based offense and people lose their fucking minds when he finally connects. Shibata does 1000 things in a match and maybe 2 of them get a big response. Here's the Ibushi match: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2gzvf1 I can't find the Ishii match, I watched it on NJPW World. Does RealHero not upload stuff that's on World? Also, how do we paste dailymotion links on here so the video shows up in the post? Edit: found it. Starts at athe 1:17:30 mark. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2h73wl I think one of the things Honma does so well is make you forget that of course he's going to lose. I know I wasn't alone in thinking that he could actually win the NEVER championship in that Ishii match. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I will watch a match with this Honma chap, but not that Tanahashi one. What should I watch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Z Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I will watch a match with this Honma chap, but not that Tanahashi one. What should I watch? http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2gzvf1 EDIT: Why can I not get this to show up as a video? What am I doing wrong? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I will watch a match with this Honma chap, but not that Tanahashi one. What should I watch? See above your post, dawg. Or The Z's post but also check out the Ishii match even though Ishii ain't your cup of tea. Watch for Honma's excellent performance. Edit: also this match with Fale that's short and sweet. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22lqyt_g1-climax-24-block-a-match-bad-luck-fale-vs-tomoaki-honma_sport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DylanWaco Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I actually think last year was Shibata's best year in ages. And I think he has a legit badass aura to him that is underutilized by NJPW. He was really, really good at his best last year, But he's not Honma. Honma was either the best or second best guy in the G1 last year as a last second addition who NEVER won. He SHOULD have beaten Shibata in that tourney (still annoyed by that), but even still this is a guy that is so good at what he does he makes you believe even though you know he's not likely to succeed. There are minor things he does that annoy, but most of those things are more theoretical annoyances than anything else. People will mention the Ibushi, Ishii, Shibata matches, but everyone should watch his carry job of Bad Luck Fale from the G1 to see how amazing this guy can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamp, broken circa 1988 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I voted for Shibata entirely on emotion. Back when I was deep into New Japan in the oughts (you damn kids), Shibata's disappearance felt like the biggest waste of talent possible. Here's a guy that has strikes that all look incredible, has a purposefully small moveset out side of striking, and he bumps and sells basically perfectly. And then he's just gone, and I thought I was never going to see that stuff again. Being wrong about that is the best. I am fine if Honma wins this, but I'm just so grateful to have more Shibata matches that I had to vote for him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I agree with what you said but sometimes I feel like he can pick the wrong time to hulk up and no sell shit. Also, he's one of the primary offenders in needless strike exchanges. He was my favourite of the 2nd generation of the three musketeers back in the early 2000s (Shibata, Tanahashi, Nakamura) and I too was crestfallen when he left to be horrible in MMA. He's got incredible fire and a bad ass presence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamp, broken circa 1988 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Fair, but see, i remember Japan pre-Kobashi/Sasaki. 99% of strike exchanges that have happened since are completely needless. I'm just numb to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I still have the stigma with Shibata that he can get lost in many of these spot show matches. Honma's formula does play to working on any environment but damn if he isn't entertaining in almost every match no matter how throw away going for the Koheski. Shibata has around 5-10 tremendous performances a year and then hangs out for the rest of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I voted for Shibata entirely on emotion. Back when I was deep into New Japan in the oughts (you damn kids), Shibata's disappearance felt like the biggest waste of talent possible. Here's a guy that has strikes that all look incredible, has a purposefully small moveset out side of striking, and he bumps and sells basically perfectly. And then he's just gone, and I thought I was never going to see that stuff again. Being wrong about that is the best. I am fine if Honma wins this, but I'm just so grateful to have more Shibata matches that I had to vote for him. Which is funny, because the fans have such an emotional attachment to Honma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supremebve Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I like Shibata, but I can't really remember much of what he did in the last year. Honma went from someone who I didn't give a single solitary fuck about to someone I really enjoy. Honma wins...for once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Here's what I'll say about Honma vs Fale: I've never seen either guy before and I came out of that thing that Fale is pretty good. Apparently, Fale is NOT pretty good so that's a huge testament to Honma. It was the poster child match for how a guy can lose and still come out looking better. His facial expression on not being able to get Fale up for the suplex was so good that i feel robbed he didn't get to hit it later in the match. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Here's what I'll say about Honma vs Fale: I've never seen either guy before and I came out of that thing that Fale is pretty good. Apparently, Fale is NOT pretty good so that's a huge testament to Honma. It was the poster child match for how a guy can lose and still come out looking better. His facial expression on not being able to get Fale up for the suplex was so good that i feel robbed he didn't get to hit it later in the match. This is true for damn near every Honma match in New Japan. He's one of the top 5 most over guys in the company and his only win was in a meaningless 6 man tag at WK9. Honma has mastered the art of looking great in defeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Watched the Ibushi match. I may have not actually watched any Ibushi matches before voting for Masters. Oops. He's new to me I don't think it's nearly as impressive as the Fale match feels but I like Honma a lot in it. He's very emotive, both in trying to get someone up for a suplex/brainbuster/slam/etc, in looking to the crowd after hitting or missing a move, and especially in taking a bunch of forearms in an exchange and selling the cumulative damage in a way that makes it seem way more meaningful than it should. There was a moment where he was getting up after kicking out of a pin and waggled his finger to the crowd saying. "Nope, it's not over. I've got this," and then he turns around into a kick and it was the most endearing thing in the world. If I was a wrestler I'd 100% have it in my moveset to have a series of moves that I'd miss more often than I'd hit. First, it makes for really easy transitions without having to be super clever, but more than that, when they do get hit, it means so much more because of the misses. He has a very "feel good" offense. He needs to start doing 10 count headbutts in the corner or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.T. Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 HOOOOONMAAAA TOMOAAAAAKIIIIIIII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 Honma - 47 Shibata - 24 Honma advances Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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