The OtherArena

JAG · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 2260

Dave gave Okada-Omega six stars and called it the greatest pro wrestling match he has ever seen.

I have seen clips. It will air on AXS with JR calling it on Jan. 13.

Let's put our thoughts here after watching?

Jagdip

jdw · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 17046

Some other folks thoughts:

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/36454-wrestle-kingdom-11

JAG · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 2260

So the same shit people have been saying about this style since the '90s?

I'm OK with crying about the excesses as long as we view '90s AJPW through the same prism. And I realize some of these guys are experiencing these emotions for the first time. ;)

These guys aren't going to stop doing more, the viewer has to stop watching if it bothers them too much. Also they stopped being fake fights long ago. The audience now is there for performances, so I don't see an issue with Omega channeling HBK.

Nitpicking the details is fair.

I haven't watched it yet and I highly doubt it will be the best match I have ever seen.

:)

Jagdip

jdw · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 17046

Don't forget that I was crapping on the excesses of late-90s AJPW as it was happening. ;)

I've never loved this style, and was bored by it by stuff like the 1998 Misawa-Kobashi match. Heck, you were with me for the famous "Sell The Arm!" spot. So if I watch it and don't like it, cut me some slack. I started bitching about the style before it was cool to bitch about it. :P

Steve Yohe · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:24 am Post subject:

Watched it tonight. For the style it's real good, I grade low & always have....so I might give it ****1/4 or ****1/3. I think I would have enjoyed it better if I didn't know what Dave gave it. If you have to give something 6 stars in a system of 5 stars....then your system isn't working. So I kind of resented it going in.

I like my wrestling to resemble a real wrestling match. No fucking wrestler would be doing 360 & 450 & shooting star presses in something real, so it would be better to not do so much. I was thinking it would been cool to stay on the mat for 20 minutes doing some submissions & then break into the flying stuff. This is just what I like. The top level stuff from the late 70's and early 80's is fine with me. How much stuff from the top rope was done in that match? Doing that, Omaga will have maybe 3 or 4 years left doing all that stuff. He better get that WWE job next year.

It looks like two guys doing a acrobat or tumbling act. Your watching a performance & not a wrestling match. There is no emotion to it or the finish.

So it's far from the best match I've ever seen. But looking thru the eyes of a fan today, they hit everything & it's probably really great for them.

Dave needs John to calm him down. Too bad the romance broke up. They were good for each other.---Steve Yohe

khawk20 · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 234

JAG · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 2260

Couldn't find the JR version, but just finished watching it.

It's pretty fucking great, not easy to keep my attention for 47 minutes. Not the best match I've ever seen, but that's hard to proclaim if you're not watching weekly or at least monthly.

Better than any WWE match since HHH-Taker. I personally liked Styles-Suzuki better from a couple years ago. Probably couldn't articulate why other than I enjoy Suzuki very, very much. I also liked Tanahashi-Okada from '14 a lot, but not better.

The big bumps are what they are. They certainly didn't turn me off to the match, and I liked Okada refusing the countout win after the Omega backdrop through the table. Made the spot make sense. Corino referencing Okada's inevitable neck fusion was a bit stomach turning.

I liked the slowish build and the selling was believable and good, and the last few flurries were gorgeous. The high knee, dropkick, ReverseRana, reversal, Tombstone, Rainmaker and KICKOUT is as good as it gets. Okada soul searching was appropriate, as was a desperate Omega going for the eyes that late.

The ode to Misawa at the end got incredible heat as did Omega's nearfalls. The second to last Rainmaker after refusing to let go of the wrist was fucking awesome. It peaked there for me, but last part was still great.

And I loved that Omega never hit his finisher.

*****

Jagdip

Steve Yohe · Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 12:37 pm Post subject:

In my system I don't give 5 stars.--Yohe