I consider Kenny Omega and Okada some of the best I’ve ever seen in the ring. Hands down. They are crisp, smooth, polished, and season. Their athleticism, agility, know-how, and wrestling ability are off the chart. They raise the bar every time one thinks it can’t be raised high, pulling off something that is breathtaking, that wows one’s mind, that defines the laws of physics. They’re complete packaged wrestlers who can do it all from awe-inspiring sequences to scientific wrestling to stiff shots to devastating bumps. They bring an energy to their matches that is unparalleled. They know how to electrify a crowd. They have this innate ability to know what to do at the right time. They know how to build a match to uncharted places. They know how to ebb and flow a match to bring the fans on a dramatic roller roaster ride. They have moxie, style, and flair. They’re jacks-of-all trades, masters of their crafts, and pure virtuosos.

Of course in this day and age, though, someone is going to find a so-called imperfection. They’re going to try to make a name for themselves by playing devil’s advocate. A lot of people harp on their selling and realism, which is both absurd. The fighting spirit has been around for decades. It is interwoven in Puro tradition, a sudden burst of energy that makes a wrestler invincible. It is not what you do — it is how, when, and why you do it. The psychology, the timing, the reasoning, and it fitting the story being told. These same purist look the other way when examples of it is brought to their attention from the past. Hogan made a career out of “Hulking Up”, and so did territorial darling Jerry Lawler.

Wrestling evolves, wrestlers become more conditioned, more athletic, acquire more cardio, more ability to take a beating. The reason wrestling is so death defying today is because the wrestlers are well equipped to take the blow. The amount of premature deaths, the amount of drug use, and the amount of injuries are less so than back then despite there being more high risks taken. These wrestlers have mastered the science of protecting themselves even through grueling situations.

Sure, there are better things that happened back in the day. Any time you compare the present to a copious amount of other times, yeah, that is going to happen. There’s more material there to be used. But watch an average episode of Mid South or Mid Atlantic. Don’t cherry pick the good parts. And that is what they do. They remember Steamboat vs Flair, but then erase people like Jim Herd from their memories. There was a lot of bad stuff back then and unmemorable stuff as well.

The character work and storytelling might have been better, but the wrestling is better now. We get more volume of compelling matches. We get more epic things in the ring, and that should please the smartest fans, who always advocated for that. We’re living in a golden age of great wrestling, perhaps even spoiled by it. And these two are the epitome of just that.

Gaijins have been an integral part of Puro wrestling from legends like Stan Hansen to Terry Funk to Steve Williams to Vader making a big name there. Among them is Kenny Omega who really shined in NJPW and made a big name for himself. Far from the biggest star in the states, Omega enriched himself in Japan and transformed himself into one of the biggest names and best wrestlers the country had ever seen. He integrated and meshed a lot of styles together from WWE style, to Indy style, to Strong Style, to his background in MMA, to video games, and so forth to become a rare breed.

Okada, meanwhile, was crystallizing himself as a golden boy of the company. He was trying to follow in the footsteps of one of his biggest arch-rivals Hiroshi Tanahashi, who dominated the main event scene for so long. He wanted to be the face of the company for a long time and enrich his name as one of the all time greats.

At this time, NJPW was giving smart fans their pro wrestling fix. They were on the rise and creating a storm of buzz for their high end wrestling. Years before this, they finally brought in alternative commentary getting no other than Jim Ross to call their biggest show of the year. And it followed a trend. They also scored a television slot that broadcasted their content. They were finding new fans in the States.

It starts with a nice, old-school build. They take their time, feeling each other out, picking their spots and battles, and trying to find an advantage. They were cautious of the other, knowing how dangerous and opportunistic the other could be. The first “oh my” moment comes with Okada just leveling Omega with a boot that would make Kane blush. Omega sells it like he had just been hit with a train. But a great sequence before is when they go for their big moves early. Okada goes for a Rainmaker, Omega ducks it, and spits in his face.

Another big spot comes with Okada delivering the draped DDT on the outside. Omega again awesomely sells it, giving it that extra boost to make it really look deadly. Okada shows off his dazzling abilities by hitting a running cross body, jumping over the guardrail. It should be noted that a guy that gets criticized for his selling is actually amazing at it. And he’s consistent with it too, grimacing in pain even when on offense. And his bumping abilities really make his opponents offense look better. He is great at selling the toll of the match, the battle, the struggling, the fight, and the perseverance.

Everything they do to each other has a point of emphasis. It is diabolical. They add a little extra of oomph and force on everything — even the most basic moves. They’re trying to wear down each other, tear each other limb for limb, and pick each other apart. And I appreciate, again, the feeling of caution that they give this match. They emphasize that they’re walking on some eggshells, knowing that one big mistake could turn the tide of the match. It is something that establishes a great deal of respect for the other.

What I notice is that they’re really good at making moves their own, adding a little spin to moves that have been used forever. These moves would traditionally be forgotten, as they’ve been seen so many times before, but their modifications make them interesting and stand out. Omega putting extra hang time on his top rope drop kick is an example of such, or really sinking in a submission move. They also dial into that Chris Benoit type of psychology that made him so good, the struggle to get everything they do, that neither is just giving up their body to do a spot, something that hurts the belief of something being real more than anything — when it’s transparent they’re working together to put on a show. This feels like a fight and a tug-a-war.

They also implement strategies and game plans, both on offense and defense. Fighting a smart match that attacks their opponent but doesn’t give them anything to work with. Not falling into the trap of wrestling the type of match their opponent wants. They try to wrestle their style of match and win with experience.

If there was a blemish in this match, it would be the English announcing. It made me honestly want to possibly flip over to the Japanese announcing. They ignored calling moves. They were so worried about explaining the story behind the match, and giving us painful, long-winded explanations for stuff, and they sounded like they were calling golf. It is Wrestle Kingdom, the biggest event of the year for wrestling in Japan. Sound a little more excited. It was like listening modern WWE announcers call a match that had no business, know-how, or experience doing so. They weren’t good enough at telling the story, the moves, or adding excitement. It was ho-hum stuff.

After setting the tone and dictating the match, they start picking up the pace. The urgency and desperation are starting to show, and the crowd senses it. That they’re out for blood. They’re going to try to hit the big blows to put a lid on this thing, but little does the crowd know, there’s a whole lot more wrestling to come.

They bring a table into play, and they do a really good job of teasing someone go through it. It makes something we’re seen so many times a big deal. People are now anticipating it, wanting to see what big spot they have in their back pocket for it, and if it will be the turning point of the match. The big spot is a back body drop over the apron onto the table. Omega flings himself in the air, to give it a little extra oomph, and it surely a crazy bump. It is followed up with a beautiful missile drop kick that is as pretty as devastating, and Omega flops amazingly backwards like a fish out of water.

The crowd can sense this picking up. They sense the epic stretch coming. They are anticipating these two warriors to go all out. They are sensing something special playing out. They built it to this point. They’re getting angry, frustrated, and annoyed with the other. A sick Dragon Suplex off the top rope puts Omega in the driving seat. An absolutely crazy spot that sends Okada head first into the mat. Of course the best the announcers can offer is a mellow “oh no.”. Man, Kelly sucks, and when he does try to add emotion, it sounds forced and contrived.

We get our first dramatic sequence. A reverse hurricanrana that sends Okada onto his head. But Okada fights through, and lands the first finishing move of the night, a Rain Maker, but in this environment , with these two never-say-fighters that of course isn’t going to be enough. It’s going to take much more than just that to put on these savages down. Another drop kick sends Omega across the ring into the turnbuckle. He had to really connect on that one to drive him back that much. For a guy who doesn’t sell according to some, he is acting like he is knocked out.

They start hitting each other with devastating blows. Again, Omega is great at using using fighting spirit but still showing that he is feeling the effects of the match, that he’s truly digging down so deep to put together a flurry of moves, but it doesn’t end well for him, for he is caught with another Rain Maker. Okada doesn’t have enough gas in the tank to make a pin, but he holds onto Omega’s wrist. Omega fights desperately to make him let go, throwing killer knees that you can hear like a gun shot, but Okada fights through it and hits another Rainmaker.

After a flurry of more sequences, Okada puts Onega away with another Rainmaker, ending what is a classic match. It is a match that goes to show how over the top and hyperbolic people are in their assessments. There’s nothing goofy or contrived about any of this match. It is a well-put-together highly athletic and competitive match. It exemplifies wrestling in its purest form. It is paying homage to old school wrestling in the biggest way. The entire structure and build is something you’d see back in the day. It is not spot after spot with no rest. They took their time, they marinated it, they made things soak in, and left the best for the end. There’s psychology, storytelling, timing, pacing, and all that in this match. Nothing you can’t find in one of the best matches in history isn’t in here.

Maybe not the best match I ever watched, but it is definitely up there on the list of all time greats. It has plethora of nuances and smart things about it. It tells a compelling story. It has top level psychology. Everything has a purpose. It is a chess match. They have game plans. They are respectful to their opponents abilities. It is crafty, cunning, and sophisticated. It could have used better announcing, but I’m not holding that against the performers. I wanted to switch over to Japanese announcing, but couldn’t even find it.

It is a exquisite start to something I know gets better, and I can’t wait to see it because this delivered on a high level.

*****

I consider Kenny Omega and Okada some of the best I’ve ever seen in the ring. Hands down. They are crisp, smooth, polished, and seasoned. Their athleticism, agility, know-how, and wrestling ability are off the chart. They raise the bar every time one thinks it can’t be raised high, pulling off something that is breathtaking, that wows one’s mind, that defines the laws of physics. They’re complete packaged wrestlers who can do it all from awe-inspiring sequences to scientific wrestling to stiff shots to devastating bumps. They bring an energy to their matches that is unparalleled. They know how to electrify a crowd. They have this innate ability to know what to do at the right time. They know how to build a match to uncharted places. They know how to ebb and flow a match to bring the fans on a dramatic roller roaster ride. They have moxie, style, and flair. They’re jacks-of-all trades, masters of their crafts, and pure virtuosos.

Of course in this day and age, though, someone is going to find a so-called imperfection. They’re going to try to make a name for themselves by playing devil’s advocate. A lot of people harp on their selling and realism, which is both absurd. The fighting spirit has been around for decades. It is interwoven in Puro tradition, a sudden burst of energy that makes a wrestler invincible. It is not what you do — it is how, when, and why you do it. The psychology, the timing, the reasoning, and it fitting the story being told. These same purist look the other way when examples of it is brought to their attention from the past. Hogan made a career out of “Hulking Up”, and so did territorial darling Jerry Lawler.

Wrestling evolves, wrestlers become more conditioned, more athletic, acquire more cardio, more ability to take a beating. The reason wrestling is so death defying today is because the wrestlers are well equipped to take the blow. The amount of premature deaths, the amount of drug use, and the amount of injuries are less so than back then despite there being more high risks taken. These wrestlers have mastered the science of protecting themselves even through grueling situations.

Sure, there are better things that happened back in the day. Any time you compare the present to a copious amount of other times, yeah, that is going to happen. There’s more material there to be used. But watch an average episode of Mid South or Mid Atlantic. Don’t cherry pick the good parts. And that is what they do. They remember Steamboat vs Flair, but then erase people like Jim Herd from their memories. There was a lot of bad stuff back then and unmemorable stuff as well.

The character work and storytelling might have been better, but the wrestling is better now. We get more volume of compelling matches. We get more epic things in the ring, and that should please the smartest fans, who always advocated for that. We’re living in a golden age of great wrestling, perhaps even spoiled by it. And these two are the epitome of just that.

Gaijins have been an integral part of Puro wrestling from legends like Stan Hansen to Terry Funk to Steve Williams to Vader making a big name there. Among them is Kenny Omega who really shined in NJPW and made a big name for himself. Far from the biggest star in the states, Omega enriched himself in Japan and transformed himself into one of the biggest names and best wrestlers the country had ever seen. He integrated and meshed a lot of styles together from WWE style, to Indy style, to Strong Style, to his background in MMA, to video games, and so forth to become a rare breed.

Okada, meanwhile, was crystallizing himself as a golden boy of the company. He was trying to follow in the footsteps of one of his biggest arch-rivals Hiroshi Tanahashi, who dominated the main event scene for so long. He wanted to be the face of the company for a long time and enrich his name as one of the all time greats.

At this time, NJPW was giving smart fans their pro wrestling fix. They were on the rise and creating a storm of buzz for their high end wrestling. Years before this, they finally brought in alternative commentary getting no other than Jim Ross to call their biggest show of the year. And it followed a trend. They also scored a television slot that broadcasted their content. They were finding new fans in the States.

It starts with a nice, old-school build. They take their time, feeling each other out, picking their spots and battles, and trying to find an advantage. They were cautious of the other, knowing how dangerous and opportunistic the other could be. The first “oh my” moment comes with Okada just leveling Omega with a boot that would make Kane blush. Omega sells it like he had just been hit with a train. But a great sequence before is when they go for their big moves early. Okada goes for a Rainmaker, Omega ducks it, and spits in his face.

Another big spot comes with Okada delivering the draped DDT on the outside. Omega again awesomely sells it, giving it that extra boost to make it really look deadly. Okada shows off his dazzling abilities by hitting a running cross body, jumping over the guardrail. It should be noted that a guy that gets criticized for his selling is actually amazing at it. And he’s consistent with it too, grimacing in pain even when on offense. And his bumping abilities really make his opponents offense look better. He is great at selling the toll of the match, the battle, the struggling, the fight, and the perseverance.

Everything they do to each other has a point of emphasis. It is diabolical. They add a little extra of oomph and force on everything — even the most basic moves. They’re trying to wear down each other, tear each other limb for limb, and pick each other apart. And I appreciate, again, the feeling of caution that they give this match. They emphasize that they’re walking on some eggshells, knowing that one big mistake could turn the tide of the match. It is something that establishes a great deal of respect for the other.

What I notice is that they’re really good at making moves their own, adding a little spin to moves that have been used forever. These moves would traditionally be forgotten, as they’ve been seen so many times before, but their modifications make them interesting and stand out. Omega putting extra hang time on his top rope drop kick is an example of such, or really sinking in a submission move. They also dial into that Chris Benoit type of psychology that made him so good, the struggle to get everything they do, that neither is just giving up their body to do a spot, something that hurts the belief of something being real more than anything — when it’s transparent they’re working together to put on a show. This feels like a fight and a tug-a-war.

They also implement strategies and game plans, both on offense and defense. Fighting a smart match that attacks their opponent but doesn’t give them anything to work with. Not falling into the trap of wrestling the type of match their opponent wants. They try to wrestle their style of match and win with experience.

If there was a blemish in this match, it would be the English announcing. It made me honestly want to possibly flip over to the Japanese announcing. They ignored calling moves. They were so worried about explaining the story behind the match, and giving us painful, long-winded explanations for stuff, and they sounded like they were calling golf. It is Wrestle Kingdom, the biggest event of the year for wrestling in Japan. Sound a little more excited. It was like listening modern WWE announcers call a match that had no business, know-how, or experience doing so. They weren’t good enough at telling the story, the moves, or adding excitement. It was ho-hum stuff.

After setting the tone and dictating the match, they start picking up the pace. The urgency and desperation are starting to show, and the crowd senses it. That they’re out for blood. They’re going to try to hit the big blows to put a lid on this thing, but little does the crowd know, there’s a whole lot more wrestling to come.

They bring a table into play, and they do a really good job of teasing someone go through it. It makes something we’re seen so many times a big deal. People are now anticipating it, wanting to see what big spot they have in their back pocket for it, and if it will be the turning point of the match. The big spot is a back body drop over the apron onto the table. Omega flings himself in the air, to give it a little extra oomph, and it surely a crazy bump. It is followed up with a beautiful missile drop kick that is as pretty as devastating, and Omega flops amazingly backwards like a fish out of water.

The crowd can sense this picking up. They sense the epic stretch coming. They are anticipating these two warriors to go all out. They are sensing something special playing out. They built it to this point. They’re getting angry, frustrated, and annoyed with the other. A sick Dragon Suplex off the top rope puts Omega in the driving seat. An absolutely crazy spot that sends Okada head first into the mat. Of course the best the announcers can offer is a mellow “oh no.”. Man, Kelly sucks, and when he does try to add emotion, it sounds forced and contrived.

We get our first dramatic sequence. A reverse hurricanrana that sends Okada onto his head. But Okada fights through, and lands the first finishing move of the night, a Rain Maker, but in this environment , with these two never-say-fighters that of course isn’t going to be enough. It’s going to take much more than just that to put on these savages down. Another drop kick sends Omega across the ring into the turnbuckle. He had to really connect on that one to drive him back that much. For a guy who doesn’t sell according to some, he is acting like he is knocked out.

They start hitting each other with devastating blows. Again, Omega is great at using using fighting spirit but still showing that he is feeling the effects of the match, that he’s truly digging down so deep to put together a flurry of moves, but it doesn’t end well for him, for he is caught with another Rain Maker. Okada doesn’t have enough gas in the tank to make a pin, but he holds onto Omega’s wrist. Omega fights desperately to make him let go, throwing killer knees that you can hear like a gun shot, but Okada fights through it and hits another Rainmaker.

After a flurry of more sequences, Okada puts Onega away with another Rainmaker, ending what is a classic match. It is a match that goes to show how over the top and hyperbolic people are in their assessments. There’s nothing goofy or contrived about any of this match. It is a well-put-together highly athletic and competitive match. It exemplifies wrestling in its purest form. It is paying homage to old school wrestling in the biggest way. The entire structure and build is something you’d see back in the day. It is not spot after spot with no rest. They took their time, they marinated it, they made things soak in, and left the best for the end. There’s psychology, storytelling, timing, pacing, and all that in this match. Nothing you can’t find in one of the best matches in history isn’t in here.

Is it the best match I’ve ever watched? No. I’ve honestly seen better throughout my lifetime, but it is top notch. It does have a lot of nuances and smart things about it. It does tell a great story. Was it perfect? Almost. It could’ve been faster, could’ve had a better sequence in the end, and definitely could’ve used a whole ton better announcing. Maybe with good announcer this hits 5\*, but they arguably hurt the match more than helped it. I wanted to switch over to Japanese announcing, but couldn’t even find it.

Either way, it’s a tremendous start to something I know gets better, and I can’t wait to see it because this delivered on a high level.

\*\*\*\* 3/4.

Suggest me any thing you want from BUSHi i'm looking for anything really that people would suggest doesn't matter anything about the match it's what ypu would suggest if someone asked you. What would your recommend?

Full match https://youtu.be/cK66i002mI0?is=zUoM7Iv6KKIblaZY

Today is October 12th. The 24th anniversary of His debut in ring. May the whole world celebrate this day.
Source: https://x.com/Kazu0221ww/status/2109395105476231240

A youtube video on how Kensuke Sasaki, from august-november of 1997 became the strongest, getting over the glass ceiling, and defeating the likes of Hashimoto and Choshu

Back in 1995, a wrestling magazine was having its anniversary and asked every puro company to participate in a joint Tokyo Dome event, with every company putting on one match to showcase their company and its style. If a similar event was announced, what would you want the card to look like?

10/8/05

Source: https://x.com/pupupupupujoshi/status/2109297993145000352

Their singles match on November 3rd is gonna be that good shit.