Top 10 Matches Of 2020
10) Kento Miyahara vs Suwama (AJPW) Dream Power Series 2020 (03/23/2020)
Coming into this match Miyahara was in the midst of nearly a year and a half reign with the Triple Crown. Miyahara defeated basically everyone on the roster who had a realistic chance at winning, every believable challenger and Yoshitatsu. He even defeated Suwama a year before in the same tour. His reign was filled with a lot of great matches and many wondered who would finally dethrone the King. Suwama was an odd choice at first but as this match proved, he often is overlooked. He still has the ability to go in-ring and hang with the likes of Miyahara. They went out to tell that story. I originally had this match outside of my top 10. I rewatch the top 20 matches of the year whenever I make this list. It definitely improved on second viewing.
This is a weird one for me because I might be crediting storytelling where there is none. I rewatched for a third time and still felt the same way. The match started slowly. At first it looked as if Kento may have been phoning it in. I’m not sure whether it was a shoot or if he was just playing to the match but he was more methodical than usual. Now if it was planned, then it worked with the story of the match. Miyahara was levels above everyone in this reign. It felt as though he wasn’t being challenged or was bored. This allowed Suwama to take control for the majority of the first portion of the match. There were good exchanges between the two and the wrestling was pretty good. Miyahara got some minor comeback spots here as well. I usually leave my critiques of the match at the end but this was my one major flaw with the match. Because I’m not 100 percent sure that this is what we were supposed to get out of this I’m holding it against the match.
After a series of big moves from Suwama, Kento wakes up. He realizes Suwama is getting the better of him and immediately fires into a great comeback. This is why I’m going with the position that the first portion of the match was a poorly executed build to this portion of the match. From here on, Kento is at a disadvantage as Suwama has dealt some damage. The match gets really great here. They battle for control as Suwama looks to keep the momentum he built in the beginning and Kento desperately tries to diminish that momentum. We get a lot of cool sequences as the intensity of both wrestlers increases. It all leads to a great finishing stretch where Suwama is countering all of Kento’s offense and proceeds to finish him off with a flurry of suplexes. It was a story of persistence on Suwama’s part and desperation of Kento’s as he saw the Triple Crown and all of his hard work slip through his fingers.
Final Rating - ****¾
9) Hiromu Takahashi vs Will Ospreay (NJPW) Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 1 (01/04/2020)
If I had to describe this match using only one word, that word would be energetic. Whether it was from the wrestlers themselves, the crowd or both the Japanese and English commentators, the energy coming from this match was surreal. Hiromu was out of action for almost a year and a half and people were aching for his return. Even though Hiromu had a couple of matches on the Road to The Tokyo Dome tour, the anticipation for a big match on the big spot for Hiromu enhanced the quality of this match. From the start the crowd was hot and Hiromu and Ospreay were at full speed.
The pace was insane. Every move was done with great urgency and precision. There were several sequences throughout that were expertly done. One of those was the Sasuke Special counter into a German suplex counter into a belly to belly suplex counter into a Sasuke Special. I know that explanation was awkward but it’s really hard to put it into writing and everyone knows what I’m talking about anyway. Another great sequence was when Ospreay went for the Spanish fly, Hiromu counters, Ospreay then goes for a powerbomb and Hiromu turns it into a Canadian destroyer. The strike exchanges and counters were well done, especially in the finishing stretch.
But this match was not all high spots and nearfalls. They told a simple yet great story throughout the match. In the build up to this match, Hiromu’s neck injury was a focal point. There was doubt about Hiromu’s ability after a career altering injury and an extended time away from the ring. Ospreay’s plan was to target the neck. His offense was built around working the neck. It all worked to build towards the finishing stretch. Hiromu was out to prove that he was the Hiromu of old. He took all of Ospreay’s offense and reciprocated with even more force. Ospreay had to use everything he had and still could not put him away. He even introduced a new finisher and by doing so he’s showing us that he is not just the same old Hiromu, he’s even better.
There was almost nothing wrong with this match. A few critiques I have is that some of Ospreay’s offense was a little too fake. A couple of times he took too much time setting up and there was one spot where he completely missed a missile dropkick from the top rope but Hiromu sold it anyway. These types of moves take me out of the match a bit. Also the finish felt a little flat. I like the introduction of a new finisher here for Hiromu because it made the match better but at the time it felt like it came out of nowhere. There was a weak build to it. These things didn’t ruin the match for me but they did irk me a little.
Rating - ****¾
8) Momo Watanabe vs Utami Hayashishita (STARDOM) Osaka Dream Cinderella (12/20/2020)
This match was absolutely amazing. After a great title win against STARDOM Icon and wrestler of the year Mayu Iwatani, Utami needed a great performance in her first title defense to continue the roll she is in. Who better to put her up against than perhaps one of the best unsung wrestlers in the world, Momo Watanabe. Momo has a habit of putting on great matches with just about anyone. When Utami first debuted, Momo was in the midst of her great Wonder of STARDOM title reign. They’ve had two great matches prior to this one, the first one Momo won relatively easy against a still new and green Utami and the second they drew in a 5Star Grand Prix block match.
Because of the draw they have against each other, the stakes for this match for the World of STARDOM title are higher. Being friends, teammates and opponents they know each other very well. That was the major story of the match. They constantly had to find new and creative ways to try to defeat each other. Utami tried to work Momo’s legs to limit the effectiveness of her kicks but found no success. They threw big powerbombs and suplexes. The counter sequences were well constructed. The transitions made the match flow smoothly. It looked like two warriors who have faced each other a thousand times were in a final battle for supremacy. The match progressed steadily until the final five minutes where they threw everything at each other. It was intense and brutal. In the previous match they slowly built to the last stretch of the match where they would start to unleash everything but time ran out. This time they came out with everything and kept a steady pace throughout. Utami finally found a way to beat Momo. It’s a great three match story with Utami taking everything Momo had and finally beating her. The urgency of Momo’s offense suggests that she knows Utami is constantly improving and is about to surpass her. She desperately fights to prevent that from happening but comes up short.
One major criticism of the match I want to address is the poor selling of Momo’s leg. This criticism is objectively wrong and anyone who makes it probably didn’t watch the match or didn’t understand what was happening. People claim that they completely forgot about the leg after Utami worked on it for the first five minutes of the match. That’s not the case. Utami tried this strategy of trying to take out Momo’s leg. Momo was able to withstand the leg work and after a Peach Sunrise to the exposed floor on the outside, she recovered. Utami’s strategy did not work as intended. Momo made sure everyone knew that the damage by Utami didn’t work by obnoxiously attacking Utami with the same leg and even literally, not figuratively, literally shaking it off. It couldn’t be more apparent. Utami had to adapt her gameplan to one that didn’t involve Momo’s leg. They didn’t forget about it, they wrote it off. This even plays into the story of the match. Utami is trying anything to finally beat Momo. She makes a mistake and Momo punishes her for it when she takes control of the match after the Peach Sunrise. These first five minutes did not take away from the match, in fact, it made it better.
Despite how great this match is and despite the flawed popular criticism of the match, there were a couple of things that bothered me about this match that kept it from being higher on the list. Earlier I mentioned that Momo did a fantastic job in selling her desperation that Utami is surpassing her. The urgency in her moves and facial expressions successfully relay her message. Utami could work on her facial expressions. She hit hard and threw some brutal suplexes and bombs but her emotional expressions could not match Momo’s. I needed a little more determination and intensity from Utami as she is defending her title against an opponent she hasn’t beaten yet. It’s the one thing she needs. She has the looks. She has the wrestling ability. She just needs to work on emoting better. Although she is off to a great start in her title reign, I feel as though they might be moving too quickly with her. A Wonder of STARDOM reign would have done more to develop her abilities than putting her at the top of the company. Finally some spots during the match were a little sloppy to the point where the flow of the match was disrupted. Thankfully they were able to get back on track so it didn’t ruin the match for me.
Final Rating - ****¾
7) Shingo Takagi vs Kazuchika Okada (NJPW) G1 Climax 30 Night 13 (10/10/2020)
Okada received a lot of criticism about the new direction of his character in 2020. He left a lot to be desired in-ring with the way he would perform. Many doubted whether Okada could perform at a high level anymore. This match proved that the Okada of old is still there. He wasn’t completely back as the Rainmaker in this match because he was still doing his new arc, but he gave us enough to show that he can still go. Shingo was great as usual. Despite this year being difficult for anyone to put on great matches, Shingo stood above pretty much everyone when it came to match quality. Even though this is his only match on my top ten list, his consistency all year was incredible. They put on the typical G1 main event here. This is their first ever match and it seems like they left off some stuff for future matches. Okada’s slower and methodical style juxtaposed Shingo’s more aggressive and frantic approach.
The technical wrestling at the beginning of the match was very good. There’s many different stories you can tell with mat wrestling. The one here was of two wrestlers meeting in the ring for the first time and they are figuring each other out. The story of the match was simple. Okada tries to wear Shingo down while Shingo tries everything to defeat this new foe. His offense here was excellent as he smoothly transitioned between sequences. He even brought back an alternate version of the Rainmaker. The inclusion of the sort-of Rainmaker here reinforces the story being told with Okada starting to refer to his old tactics. It also adds to the urgency to defeat Shingo.
Although Okada performed to his usual standards here, Shingo was the star of the match. His selling alone really made this match stand out to other Okada G1 matches. He had the most convincing sell of the Money Clip that I've ever seen. The spot where he stops the ref from calling for the bell by yanking at his shirt and pulling him down is the moment that put this match over the top. Shingo did his usual stuff with extra force behind it. His lariats were stiff. He was aggressive yet still precise in the performance of his moves. Given the G1 standings going into the match it was easily predictable that Okada would win but Shingo managed to get me on a Made in Japan nearfall.
Although I am a staunch defender of the “first half of Okada matches are good” line of thinking, I can admit that the first few minutes were a bit stale. Not bad, stale. It wasn’t enough to really hurt my enjoyment of the match however, given that it was a G1 match and the match couldn’t go longer than 30 minutes.
Final Rating - ****¾
6) Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Go Shiozaki (NOAH) The Chronicle Vol. 4 (11/22/2020)
Brutal isn’t a word strong enough to define this match. Shiozaki and Nakajima absolutely battered each other. Two former partners turned bitter enemies is one of the best stories to tell in wrestling. They both played their roles well in this match. Nakajima excelled in his bitter heel role and Shiozaki was brilliant in the fighting spirit face role. They have been entwined in each other's careers from the start. Through their wrestling alone they display their bitterness and hatred for the other.
The staredown at the start really set the tone of the entire match. Nakajima had a very calculating and devious stare, like everything he did to Go in the match he had a careful and thought out plan. Shiozaki had more of a stern but vengeful stare, like he was dying to get his hands on Nakajima but wasn’t going to act erratic. Nakajima worked Shiozaki’s arm from early on. A simple but yet effective game plan, Shiozaki’s chops became less impactful at first. Nakajima’s kicks were disgusting. The sound they made as they caved in Go’s chest is something to be heard. Nakajima targeted the arm and chest with great aggression. Shiozaki had a lot of great comebacks throughout the match. Most notably, there was a spot where Go is trying to lariat Nakajima with his right arm but couldn’t because of the damage so he just threw a lariat with his left arm with all the energy he could muster up. There were many spots like these in the match that made the transitions of the match both smooth and rough at the same time. Smooth because they didn’t interrupt the flow or pace of the match and rough because they were always brutal counters or reversals. Another great example of this is the possibly botched hurricanrana from the top rope where Shiozaki blocked the attempt by Nakajima and they stumbled to the outside. Nakajima used that slip up to immediately go after Go on the outside. They didn’t miss a beat despite a possible mistake.
Nakajima’s frustration grew at the same rate that Shiozaki’s resilience did. At the base of it, the story of the match was a reversal of power. Nakajima started out strong because of his aggression but Shiozaki ended up the victor because of his resilience. Shiozaki did an excellent job selling the arm. He never once forgot about it and he always took it into consideration when on offense. The sell job led to great comebacks for Go and really created sympathy for him. This was such a classic face/heel dynamic. Go hit him with powerful chops and some powerful moves. This match was a lesson on how to properly do the face/heel dynamic that I think many wrestlers can take.
Of course now is the time where I nitpick. After the amazing staredown at the start, the match slowed down a bit. It wasn’t enough to bore me, as Nakajima made it interesting when he started working the arm, but it was enough to keep it from being a perfect match. Another that bothered me a little was just the finish. It fell a little flat. It may be because of the crowd. I think Go needed to hit Nakajima with a few more lariats, considering that Nakajima worked his arm the whole match. I guess this is a nitpick on the selling a bit. Despite it being the story of the match that Go had to overcome the damage to arm, it felt a little like anime main character shrugging off damage because the plot needed it to. Like I said, just a few more lariats probably would have fixed that.
Final Rating - ****¾
5) Takumi Iroha vs Mayu Iwatani (STARDOM) Goddess of STARDOM Tag League 2020 Day 4 (10/18/2020)
Before her match against Mayu in February, which was also excellent, I had never seen Takumi Iroha wrestler. I knew who she was and what she looked like because she looks awesome and unforgettable but I never really went into a deep dive. These two matches really opened my eyes to Takumi’s greatness and pushed me to go find anything I could to watch. This was an excellent match that continued off the story of their first encounter. This one had higher stakes as it was for the World of STARDOM title. It was also a fine example of a match that handles size difference respectfully.
In the previous match Takumi defeated Mayu in dominant fashion. She overwhelmed her with stiff blows. She picked up where she left off in the last match. She brutalizes Mayu even further when she goes after her leg. The leg work by Takumi was great. It was aggressive. Her kicks were viscous. The more Mayu persisted the more aggressive she became. Mayu has to rely on her endurance to keep up as she cannot physically match with Takumi. Mayu took it to Takumi. She hit her with everything she had. They went back and forth escalating the pace and the intensity as they went along. The match was structured perfectly and provided a great segway into the finish. Mayu counters Takumi for a rollup, catching her off guard. The abrupt finish was a great contrast to the intense and fast-paced match. After all the damage Mayu took, winning with a roll-up made sense.
What really put this match over the top were the individual performances from each wrestler. Takumi carries herself like a star. Her presence is undeniable. Her aggression and brutality is not only apparent through her moves but also through her demeanor. As Mayu is fighting back she laughs at her attempts to come back. She’s the perfect foil for a wrestler the size of Iwatani. Mayu has to bring out a nastier side to fight Takumi. She shows growth and intelligence by not making the same mistakes as before. Her selling was phenomenal and only highlighted Takumi’s offense even more. It also garnered sympathy as the smaller underdog in the match. She turned her pain into aggression and lashed out against Iroha. The dynamic between them made for such an amazing experience.
There were two things that I found that kept this match from perfect. One was that they kind of forgot about Mayu’s leg in the middle of the match. They brought it back at the end of the match but it bothered me a little. Also the finish was a little awkward to see. As Mayu had Iroha rolled up for the pin, Iroha’s leg was inadvertently on the ropes. It was a weird visual and the referee ignored it. It was probably for the best though because if he broke up the pin it would have ruined the effect of the quick finish.
Final Rating - ****¾
4) Kota Ibushi vs Kazuchika Okada (NJPW) Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 1 (01/04/2020)
Kota Ibushi puts in an incredible performance in this match. The lead up to the match and the first half of the match perfectly build up to a pivotal moment. Ibushi unleashes his more sadistic side like he did in the Nakamura match five years earlier. The criticism that the first portion of the match was bad or boring is annoying, overused and not real accurate. It’s just one of those things that people who don’t have anything meaningful to add say about the match. That’s not to say that Okada matches never go longer than needed and sometimes the first portion of some of his matches have no content in them but this was not one of those matches. If one simply paid attention to the build to the match they would see that. It was a slow pace at the start but it was necessary for the rest of the match. I get that not everyone likes long matches and that’s okay. This match had a slow start for sure but to say that it lacked any meaningful content is incorrect.
In the lead up to the match Okada repeatedly goaded Ibushi into wrestling a style he wanted to. Ibushi, being the idiot he can be sometimes, fell for it and moved away from more of his striking offense to more of Okada’s mat wrestling. The wrestling here was pretty good. Okada got the best of Ibushi on the mat. Every time Ibushi would begin to muster up a comeback Okada would cut him off and wear him down. Ibushi’s frustration grew with every failed comeback. Ibushi did a great job selling his frustration. The urgency of his comebacks escalated until it reached the boiling point. Without this portion of the match, the next part where Ibushi pummels Okada with a flurry of strikes is not as effective. It is earned and it is a great payoff to that first half.
Ibushi going ballistic on Okada was one of the highlights of the year. The no-selling was excellent. Okada with Ibushi with everything and just shrugged it off. Ibushi then responded with some of the nastiest kicks, chops, punches, slaps and forearms I’ve seen all year. It was so brutal and vicious that the crowd started to boo Ibushi a little when he wouldn’t let up on Okada who was cowering on the ropes. Okada was great in this too. At first he was a little smug and cocky when he was hitting Ibushi. His plan hit a roadblock. You can sense his desperation as he tries to wear down Ibushi once more. He sold Ibushi’s offense like death. This entire sequence was a great transition into the next part of the match.
At this point the match is moving at a faster pace. Ibushi and Okada go back and forth hitting each other with big moves. Every move they did was done with great intensity and urgency. The sequences were well done. They struggled intensely to even hit moves on each other. One of the better spots of the match was the battle for the tombstone on the apron. The drama was outstanding. The crowd hung with every big move and every nearfall.
Final Rating - *****
3) Hiromu Takahashi vs El Desperado (NJPW) Best Of The Super Juniors 27 & World Tag League 2020 Finals (12/11/2020)
Since the day they were young lions Hiromu and Desperado have been rivals. They’ve had a lot of matches against each other and most of them were won by Desperado, including one earlier in the tournament. Fast forward all these years later and Hiromu is now ahead of Desperado career-wise. This match is a perfect encapsulation of their rivalry. The performances from both wrestlers were outstanding. We all know Hiromu is one of the best wrestlers in the world today but Desperado showed everyone that he can step up and perform at the next level when needed.
They start off with some excellent mat wrestling. Desperado quickens the pace by viciously attacking Hiromu’s knee. His knee work was great. He really looked like he was trying to rip his leg in two. He applied the Numero Dos with great maliciousness. His unrelenting attack on the knee allowed for a great obstacle for Hiromu. Hiromu sold the knee perfectly. The anguish in his face and in his screams was horrid. Desperado was made to look like a monster because of it. Eventually Desperado would resort to more heelish tactics. He attacked the knee with a chair and even landed a low blow. Hiromu had fiery comebacks but was thwarted by Despy. It was the perfect face/heel dynamic.
Hiromu ate everything Desperado threw at him. His undying attitude kept enraging Desperado and Desperado would increase his brutality in return. It all led to the best spot of the match. Hiromu now in control taunted Desperado by ripping off a portion of his mask. Desperado stood up and removed the rest of his mask off to a pop from the COVID NJPW crowd. He was pushed to his limit by Hiromu and he had enough. They proceeded to pummel each other and eventually it led to the finish. There was a level of bitterness from Desperado because he hit Hiromu with everything he had and couldn’t get the job done.
The pace in this match was incredible. From the start they were going 100 miles per hour. They transition from sequence to sequence effortlessly. The escalation in the match occurred very naturally. There was one spot in particular where Desperado was on the apron and Hiromu went for a sunset powerbomb to the outside but he overshot it. Hiromu got right back up and tried to powerbomb Desperado from the floor off the apron but Desperado fought him off. This was an excellent example of adapting on the spot. They didn’t allow this slip up to disrupt the pace and flow of the match and they finished the spot with plausible reactions from both wrestlers. This added to the match. A spot like this demonstrates the intelligence of the performers.
Final Rating - *****
2) Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tetsuya Naito (NJPW) G1 Climax 30 Night 2 (09/20/2020)
This is the first singles match between these two in over three years. Their dynamic is very drastically different since the G1 block final match back in 2017 where Naito beat Tanahashi to win the block and avenge a loss from a couple months before. Their dynamic here is drastically different from three years ago. Naito has far surpassed Tanahashi at this point. There is almost a complete role reversal, where now it’s Tanahashi that has to prove his place among the best and Naito is his big roadblock. It is a unique match because despite the role reversal, Naito is still working from underneath as an underdog while Tanahashi is in control for a big portion of the match. The focus on Tanahashi’s story is what really makes this match great.
Tanahashi goes after Naito’s knee immediately. The technical wrestling here is pretty great. Tanahashi pulls out some sick ways to attack the knee. Naito’s selling was outstanding as usual. The transitions were smooth and the reversal sequences were well thought out. The early exchanges were great as they showed how well they knew each other’s moves. Both wrestlers gave it their all. Tanahashi even busted out the High Fly Flow to the outside. In typical NJPW main event fashion the match steadily progressed. The technical aspects of the match were as good as any other G1 match or main event or Tanahashi/Naito match. One might even say this was a “greatest hits” match. But there is a caveat as I mentioned earlier that really makes this match great.
In the time between the 2017 G1 match and this one, Tanahashi’s career has gone in the other direction. He has taken a step down and let other younger talent step up. This selflessness has made me love and appreciate Tanahashi even more. And even though he is happy to step aside he still wishes to perform at the top level. For years his story has been about a struggle to remain at the top. With every move he does in this match you can feel his determination to prove himself. From his facial expression to his body language to the way struggles to catch his breath you can feel his desire to reach that top level again. You just can't help but to root for the man. Even though it’s Naito that’s struggling to overcome Tanahashi’s brilliant game plan, you want more to see Tanahashi successfully execute it. Even the COVID crowd, who are not supposed to make any noise, couldn’t control themselves to his nearfalls and kickouts. There wasn’t one moment in the match where Tanahashi wasn’t in some way displaying emotion. Whether it was pain from Naito’s attacks, intensity when on offense or desperation when he had Naito in the Texas Cloverleaf, he was on another level.
Tanahashi did everything to Naito that allowed him victory in the past. But unlike past matches, Naito was able to overcome everything. Naito withstood all the damage from Tanahashi. The painful realization that he was not what he used to be hit Tanahashi hard. The Texas Cloverleaf was perhaps the most important part of this match because a move that had defeated Naito before after he worked his knees like before should have worked. He executed his plan to the best of his abilities but it didn’t work. This was a major turning point in the match. After some more great back and forth action, Tanahashi had one more shot to win it. He hit the High-Fly Flow to the back. He went for the second and Naito, with the best timing in the world, moves out of the way at the last second and you can hear an audible gasp in the crowd because they knew that was it. Naito regained control and it led to the finish. The sloppiness at the end added to the match. Naito struggled to hit the Destino but it made sense since Tanahashi obliterated his knee early on. This display of professional wrestling was a masterpiece.
Final Rating - *****
1) Tetsuya Naito vs Kazuchika Okada (NJPW) Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 2 (01/05/2020)
How do I even start this review? Naito up to this point had accomplished almost everything. He’s a multiple time G1 Climax winner, New Japan Cup winner, he’s had multiple titles in NJPW including the IWGP Heavyweight Title and he has even main evented the Tokyo Dome. His ultimate goal however, to become the undisputed top star of the promotion, has always slipped his fingers. Some of it has been his fault and some of it was the promotion holding him down. Regardless, he decided to take what he feels is rightfully his by his own means. His journey culminated here: in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom versus Kazuchika Okada for both the IWGP Heavyweight title and the IWGP Intercontinental title. It is here that he finally accomplishes what he set out, learned from his mistakes and accepted what his career was before his big change of outlook.
Naito’s acceptance of the IWGP Intercontinental title represents his acceptance of his past failures. He realizes that, as much as he tried to prove otherwise, the title would always follow him around. He feels held back by the title. He thinks it defines his career. His evolution into the Ingobernable was a statement that he no longer wants to be defined by some outside force. What he failed to realize for the longest time is that that includes the Intercontinental title. By challenging for the heavyweight title as the Intercontinental champion he shows that he is not going to be defined by one belt. The IC title will always follow him around, so why not just go for both? Naito’s story is that he writes his own destiny so he came out with the Naito Two Belts campaign. In the Wrestle Kingdom 12 main event against Okada, he hesitated to use the Stardust Press. This time there was no hesitation. With a chest pound he climbed the ropes and hit it without much thought. This further proves he accepts everything that has happened to him and uses it to accomplish his ultimate goal.
Naito makes his entrance but he does not look like the Naito we see all the time. He’s more serious. It’s the most important match of his career. Okada’s demeanor heavily contrasts Naito’s. He’s not cocky but confident. He lives where Naito wishes to be. He knows what it takes to be there. Naito’s seriousness is reinforced when he drops all of his snide offense. The two wrestlers stare each other down. You can feel the tension through their gazes. They know each other. There’s no need for the feeling out process. They know what they need to do to win.
The entire match is one constant back and forth battle. There are almost no extended control periods in the match. The attention to detail for every little transition is phenomenal. It was a continuous flow of mat wrestling, strike exchanges and big spots. The fact that they were able to keep this going for the entire match is incredible. In most matches there are usually turning points that shift the momentum of the match. But they went with a different approach and executed it flawlessly. The match was almost never slow and the pace of these struggles kept increasing. They targeted body parts that were previously injured. Naito targeted Okada’s neck and Okada Naito’s knee. This demonstrates their familiarity with each other. The drama was off the charts here. The crowd was living and dying with every strike, submission, dropkick, suplex, piledriver, nearfall, ringout count and even Naito’s spit. Everything was over in this match. The closing stretch was one of the greatest closing stretches I’ve ever seen. Both wrestlers performed smooth counters and transitions and despite being half an hour in their stamina and accuracy was on point. The Stardust Press was such an amazing moment. Watching it live it honestly felt as if time slowed as we waited to see if Naito would actually hit the move. And when he did, time slowed again while we waited to see if it was the finish.
A great story was told her and even if you are not a diehard Naito fan you can still appreciate the depth and attention to detail. This is one of my favorite matches of all time. Easily top 10 for me and easily my Match of the Year 2020.
Final Rating - *****
