Andre The Giant Memorial 2018 Battle Royal

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal has, over the years, become more of a tradition than a meaningful showcase and this year’s edition did little to change that perception. With such a large number of participants crammed into the ring, the action quickly became difficult to follow. Eliminations happened with little fanfare and there were very few sequences that stood out or felt significant.

This is the inherent issue with these matches, quantity over quality. Instead of highlighting rising talent, it often exposes how many performers are directionless at any given time.

Dolph Ziggler was one of the few wrestlers who managed to carve out a semblance of narrative within the chaos.

Matt Hardy winning was unexpected, but it didn’t feel like a major moment. If anything, it felt like a placeholder decision rather than the beginning of something substantial.

Winner: Matt Hardy
Rating: *1/4

Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali
WWE Cruiserweight Championship

On paper, this had all the ingredients to steal the show. Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali are two of the most athletically gifted performers on the roster and the Cruiserweight division has often thrived when given time and creative freedom.

Instead, what unfolded was a match that was technically sound but emotionally flat. The anticipated high-flying spectacle never fully materialized and the pacing never quite reached the level needed to engage the audience.

Part of the issue was the face-versus-face dynamic. Without a clear heel or strong emotional hook, the “heart vs. soul” narrative felt forced rather than organic. The crowd, sensing this, remained largely quiet throughout much of the match.

Alexander winning was the right call from a booking perspective, he has been positioned as the division’s cornerstone, but the match itself felt like a missed opportunity to redefine the Cruiserweight brand on a major stage.

Winner: Cedric Alexander
Rating: **3/4

WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal

Compared to the men’s battle royal, this match benefited from a more manageable number of participants, allowing for clearer sequences and a more coherent flow. It wasn’t a great match, but it was at least watchable.

The inclusion of NXT talent was a highlight, particularly in the early exchanges where they were given a chance to shine. However, Kairi Sane’s early elimination was puzzling, especially given her popularity and unique presence.

The most compelling aspect of the match was the continued tension between Sasha Banks and Bayley. Their interactions hinted at an inevitable breakup.

Naomi winning, however, felt like an odd decision. Carmella’s quick elimination also raised questions, particularly given her Money in the Bank status at the time.

Winner: Naomi
Rating: **

The Miz © vs. Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor
WWE Intercontinental Championship

This was exactly what a WrestleMania opener should be: fast-paced, exciting and structured in a way that immediately energized the crowd.

Seth Rollins’ entrance, complete with elaborate staging, set the tone, while Finn Balor’s more subdued presentation, lacking the Demon persona, was a surprising but ultimately effective choice. It allowed the focus to remain on the wrestling rather than the spectacle.

The Miz, often overlooked in matches like these, played his role perfectly. By targeting Rollins’ leg, he added a layer of storytelling that grounded the match and gave it a sense of continuity.

The action was crisp, the near falls were believable, and the finish, Rollins capturing the title, felt both satisfying and inevitable. The win also elevated Rollins to Grand Slam Champion status, adding historical significance to the moment.

Winner: Seth Rollins
Rating: ***3/4

Charlotte Flair © vs. Asuka
SmackDown Women’s Championship

This was one of the most anticipated matches on the card and, for the most part, it delivered. Charlotte Flair and Asuka worked a technically proficient match that blended striking, submissions and near falls effectively.

The story was pretty straightforward. Asuka, the undefeated challenger, throwing everything she had at Charlotte, only to come up short. It’s a classic narrative structure and it worked here.

However, the match felt like it was missing an extra gear. With just a few more minutes, they could have built additional drama through more near falls and extended sequences, potentially elevating it to match-of-the-night status.

Charlotte ending Asuka’s streak was a bold decision, but not an illogical one. Waiting another year might have diminished its impact.

Winner: Charlotte Flair
Rating: ***3/4

Randy Orton © vs. Bobby Roode vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Rusev
United States Championship

This match never rose above the level of a standard television bout. With talent like Randy Orton, Bobby Roode, Rusev and Jinder Mahal involved, expectations were modest but reasonable.

Instead, the match felt rushed and lacking in direction. There was no clear narrative thread and the crowd never fully engaged.

Jinder Mahal winning was particularly questionable. While he has been a focal point of booking in the past, this felt like a missed opportunity to capitalize on Rusev’s popularity, which was at its peak at the time.

Winner: Jinder Mahal
Rating: **1/4

Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs. Triple H & Stephanie McMahon

This was the match that exceeded expectations by the widest margin. Going in, there were questions about Ronda Rousey’s in-ring ability, but she answered them emphatically.

Rousey looked like a natural. Her intensity, timing and overall presence made her feel like a legitimate star. Stephanie McMahon, surprisingly, delivered what was arguably the best performance of her career, fully committing to her role.

Kurt Angle showed his age at times, but that was to be expected. And Triple H provided stability throughout the match.

The booking was nearly perfect. Every participant had a role, the pacing was well-structured, and the finish, Rousey forcing Stephanie to submit, was exactly what it needed to be.

Winners: Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey
Rating: ****

The Usos © vs. The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The New Day
SmackDown Tag Team Championship

The Usos entered as one of the best tag teams in the world, but the structure of this match didn’t allow them to showcase their full abilities.

The Bludgeon Brothers’ victory had been telegraphed for weeks and while they were booked strongly, the match itself felt more like a formality than a meaningful contest.

The New Day’s entrance provided entertainment, but it had little connection to the match itself.

Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers
Rating: **1/2

John Cena vs. The Undertaker

This segment was more about the moment than the match. The build, involving John Cena calling out The Undertaker, led to a payoff that was surprisingly brief.

The Undertaker’s entrance alone lasted longer than the match itself, which turned out to be a quick squash.

While disappointing from a match quality standpoint, it did serve a purpose. Presenting The Undertaker as a dominant figure once again and giving the crowd a memorable WrestleMania moment.

Winner: The Undertaker
Rating: NR

Shane McMahon & Daniel Bryan vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

This match was all about Daniel Bryan’s return and, in that regard, it succeeded. The crowd reaction to Bryan was one of the loudest of the night, underscoring how much he had been missed.

Bryan looked sharp, executing his signature moves and taking bumps that suggested confidence in his recovery.

Shane McMahon’s involvement, however, slowed the match down at times. While he brings spectacle, his in-ring limitations were evident.

Still, the emotional weight of Bryan’s return carried the match.

Winners: Shane McMahon & Daniel Bryan
Rating: ***1/4

Alexa Bliss © vs. Nia Jax
RAW Women’s Championship

The outcome here was never in doubt. Given the storyline centered around bullying, Nia Jax had to win. Anything else would have undermined the narrative completely.

The match itself was limited, largely due to Jax’s in-ring shortcomings. Alexa Bliss, however, played her role perfectly, using her character work to elevate the match as much as possible.

Winner: Nia Jax
Rating: **

AJ Styles © vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
WWE Championship

Technically, this was a very good match. AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura are capable of far more, but what they delivered here was still solid.

The problem was timing. By this point in the show, the crowd was fatigued and the match’s slower pacing didn’t help re-engage them.

The post-match heel turn by Nakamura was the most interesting aspect.

Winner: AJ Styles
Rating: ***1/4

The Bar © vs. Braun Strowman & Nicholas
RAW Tag Team Championship

This was one of the most confusing decisions on the show. Braun Strowman choosing a random child as his partner undermined the credibility of the tag team division and, more specifically, The Bar.

While it may have been intended as a feel-good moment, it came at the expense of long-term storytelling.

Winners: Braun Strowman & Nicholas
Rating: DUD

Brock Lesnar © vs. Roman Reigns
WWE Universal Championship

For a WrestleMania main event, this was a major disappointment. The match relied heavily on repetition, finisher after finisher, without building meaningful drama.

The crowd quickly turned on the match, chanting, throwing beach balls and largely disengaging from the action.

Roman Reigns took significant punishment and his effort can’t be questioned, but the booking worked against him. By this point, he had been firmly positioned as the company’s chosen star and the audience rejected that narrative.

Brock Lesnar retaining the title only added to the confusion. It left the show on a flat note and raised serious questions about the direction of the company’s top storyline.

Winner: Brock Lesnar
Rating: *

Final Thoughts

WrestleMania 34 was a show defined by contrasts. At its best, it delivered moments of genuine excitement: Ronda Rousey’s debut, Seth Rollins’ title win and Daniel Bryan’s return.

At its worst, it exposed ongoing issues with booking, pacing and long-term storytelling.

The result was a show that felt uneven. Memorable in parts, but ultimately lacking the cohesion and payoff expected from WWE’s biggest event of the year.

FTR © vs. The Young Bucks
AEW World Tag Team Title

In theory, the idea made sense, skipping the traditional build and going straight into violence can work, especially with a modern audience. The issue here was the execution, which didn’t quite live up to that premise.

The blade jobs, rather than adding to the sense of realism and struggle, came off as contrived, almost like boxes being checked rather than organic consequences of what was happening in the ring. The rushed opening didn’t help matters either, as it undercut the ability to establish a natural progression. They leaned heavily into overbooking, with excessive shenanigans and a kind of dramatization that veered more into soap opera territory than the traditional emotional arc of a wrestling match.

The irony is that this match didn’t need any of that. The story they were trying to tell could have been conveyed far more effectively through a cleaner, more straightforward approach, allowing the action and the performers to carry the narrative without all the added clutter.

Rating: ***1/2

Note: It looks like we're heading toward FTR vs. Cage & Copeland or, perhaps, a Three-Way Ladder War between these teams and the Young Bucks.

Toni Storm vs. Marina Shafir

Marina Shafir came into this with the idea of being, essentially, a woman with a plan. Early on, the timing wasn’t quite there and she had to calibrate, but once she did, she leaned heavily into a very stiff striking style, particularly with the kicks, which gave the match a certain level of credibility.

Ultimately, though, the story was always centered around Toni Storm and her ability to overcome another obstacle. It wasn’t a bad match by any means. You could argue Shafir would have benefited from more connected offense, but given the time allotted, she more than held her own.

Rating: ***1/4

Note: Lol. They brought in Ronda Rousey just to point at Toni Storm like she’s staring at the WrestleMania sign.

Jon Moxley © vs. Konosuke Takeshita
AEW Continental Title (No Time Limit Match)

The dynamic between Takeshita and Moxley was one of the stronger points on the show. They established a fast pace right from the start and built on it in a logical way as the match progressed.

Moxley worked more heel here, which in turn allowed Takeshita to really shine as a babyface and get that organic crowd support behind him. That said, they went back to the well once too often with another blade job that didn’t add much, especially in the way it was executed. Takeshita’s knee selling was inconsistent at times, but his facial expressions were strong enough to convey the damage.

The bigger issue is the finish. In trying to escalate things, they may have booked themselves into a corner when it came to delivering a more meaningful payoff.

Rating: ****

Note: Will Ospreay is back, and he looks better than ever.

Babes of Wrath © vs. Divine Dominion
AEW Women's World Tag Team Title

This was essentially a glorified squash and not much more than that. Megan Bayne and Lena Kross were presented as physically imposing, which was the key takeaway, but there wasn’t much beyond that in terms of substance.

Rating: **

Swerve Strickland vs. Brody King

From the outset, the atmosphere made it clear this was going to be worked at a very high pace and they never really deviated from that. Despite having contrasting styles, they meshed extremely well. Swerve Strickland bringing that underlying sense of sadism, while Brody King balanced it out with intensity and heart.

The result may have felt predictable, but the way they structured the match kept you from focusing on that. It was very much a “balls to the wall” type of performance.

Rating: ***3/4

Thekla © vs. Kris Statlander
AEW Women's World Title (Best 2-Out-Of-3 Falls Match)

The first two falls had excellent synergy. Thekla’s craftiness, particularly in how the first fall was executed, elevated everything that followed into the second.

Kris Statlander, meanwhile, was completely locked in. Everything she did had impact and the overall presentation bordered on brutal to the point where you almost felt sympathy for Thekla. The issue came in the final fall, where instead of sticking the landing with something decisive and clean, they went in a more convoluted direction that undercut what had come before.

Rating: ***1/2

Don Callis Family (Kazuchika Okada, Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) © vs. JetSpeed & Mistico
AEW World Trios Title

This was just a very fun match to watch. It hit that point in the show where the audience could relax a bit and just enjoy the action without overthinking it. The pace was frenetic and kept the crowd engaged throughout. The interactions involving Okada, particularly with Místico and Kevin Knight, stood out and added to the overall enjoyment.

Rating: ***1/2

Note: More important than the match itself, Mistico is now officially All Elite.

Andrade El Idolo vs. Bandid

An outstanding match, blending an indie-style approach reminiscent of PWG with elements of lucha libre. Bandido’s presentation here was particularly noteworthy, and it influenced the entire structure of the match in a positive way.

While the outcome felt obvious, especially with the ROH World title not being on the line, they went out of their way to make Bandido look as credible as possible. A lot of that came down to the chemistry and trust between the two. Even when they shifted briefly into more entertainment-driven spots, it worked within the context.

The finishing stretch was wild, filled with reversals and there was a believable near fall off the modified deadlift 21 Plex that could have easily been the finish.

Rating: ****1/4

Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy & Roderick Strong vs. The Dogs (Clark Connors, David Finlay & Gabe Kidd)
Tornado Trios Match

At this point, Darby Allin matches often feel like an exercise in finding new and creative ways to punish him and to his credit, that’s clearly part of the appeal.

This was nonstop action with no real downtime. What stood out was the continued creativity in how the babyfaces managed to outsmart the heels, which kept things fresh despite the familiar structure.

Rating: ***1/2

MJF © vs. “Hangman” Adam Page
AEW World Title (Texas Death Match)

Given how personal and layered the feud between Hangman and MJF has been, combined with the stipulation, it was certainly a choice to open with a more goofy sequence in the first few minutes. From there, though, the match escalated into outright violence, with both guys trying to one-up each other. There were several memorable spots, some perhaps memorable for the wrong reasons, like the syringe spot, which won’t be for everyone.

Both men’s selling was strong and the camera work played a significant role in enhancing the overall presentation. That said, the sequencing of the big spots was questionable. They would jump from peak violence to more standard TV-level spots, rather than building in a steady escalation. Some trimming would have helped, as there were stretches that felt like filler.

The underlying theme of sadism came through clearly and the level of violence matched the story they were telling, but it could have been achieved in less time without losing its impact. The finish, however, was poetic. Once the strap came into play, it became a question of whether Hangman’s pride would once again be his downfall and that element was handled well. Overall, a very strong match, particularly from a storytelling standpoint.

Rating: ****

Final Thoughts

The biggest issue was the length. It was simply too long, with too many matches on the card. There’s also a lack of variety at times, as AEW tends to lean heavily into violent match styles on PPV. There were matches that felt like filler, even though, to their credit, nearly everything had some level of build or storyline behind it.

Taking everything into account, Revolution ends up on the positive side of the ledger. Still, there’s something to be said for a tighter, more concise show. Ideally, a PPV should be something you can watch in one sitting without feeling like you’ve committed half your day to it.

The trilogy between Sareee and Syuri was one of my personal highlights of last year. Three matches across three different promotions and at least two of them are must-see.

I. Sareee-ISM Chapter VII

A true war, in the stiff, unforgiving spirit of joshi puroresu.

Matches with this kind of payoff, built carefully, executed precisely and emotionally earned, don’t come around very often. This one can absolutely serve as a blueprint.

The beginning may feel slightly slow or even confusing for viewers unfamiliar with the history between Sareee and Syuri. The emotional investment doesn’t hit all at once, it builds. Gradually. Intentionally.

At its core, this was a war between Syuri’s obsession with destroying Sareee’s arm. An obsession that slowly turned into desperation, brilliantly conveyed through her facial expressions and body language, and Sareee as the resilient hero, refusing to quit, constantly pushing past her limits, dragging herself back to her feet no matter how much punishment she endured.

The dramatic finish felt fully earned because everything leading up to it mattered.

From a pure wrestling standpoint, the match was a perfect blend of brutal high-impact offense, stiff, believable striking exchanges and tight, purposeful chain wrestling.

Their chemistry is undeniable. Nothing felt overly choreographed, yet the pacing was fluid enough that it never looked like they were simply waiting for each other to hit the next move.

Considering how submission-heavy the structure was, they managed to make every hold feel credible and dangerous. The crowd reaction played a massive role too, responding at exactly the right moments, elevating the drama because the execution demanded it.

There aren’t many negatives. A few early transitions and some elements of the closing stretch could perhaps have been presented more cleanly, but those are minor details in an otherwise exceptional match.

Rating: ****3/4

II. Stardom The Conversion 2025

This time, the in-ring dynamic was established much faster and with far greater clarity.

Even before the bell rang, Syuri stared at Sareee with near-psychotic intensity. Sareee, meanwhile, subtly showed flashes of doubt and fear, clearly remembering what happened in their previous encounter.

In many ways, this match felt like a mirror image of the first. Sareee was noticeably more aggressive, more focused and more willing to do whatever it took to win. While Syuri’s offense largely functioned as counter-measures, stopping Sareee’s momentum or attempting to end the match decisively and quickly.

Despite the stiff strikes, which added both realism and narrative weight, the hardest moments to watch were Sareee’s sustained attacks on Syuri’s leg. Credit goes to Syuri here. Her selling was exceptional. Step by step, hold by hold, she made the damage feel real and progressive. Nothing was exaggerated.

What I especially appreciated was the story around Sareee developing the “killer instinct” she lacked in the first match. With that in mind, the late near-falls made sense. They felt justified. They weren’t just dramatic for the sake of drama, they were the culmination of character growth.

Even so, while this was an excellent match, it didn’t fully recapture the magic of the first encounter. That extra layer of raw intensity was missing. The atmosphere was great, just different. Creatively, it didn’t innovate much either. Structurally, it leaned heavily on the same framework as match one. Those are the primary drawbacks.

Rating: ****1/2

III. NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling

The third match, unfortunately, felt like the weaker younger sibling of the trilogy.

It wasn’t bad, not even close. But it didn’t leave a strong enough impression to justify an extensive breakdown. It was good. Solid. Worth watching. Just not on the level of the first two.

Rating: ***3/4

Final Thoughts

As a trilogy, this series stands as one of the strongest women’s wrestling arcs of the year. It showcased long-term storytelling, technical excellence and emotional escalation.

The first match is essential viewing. The second refines the narrative and deepens the character work. The third concludes the arc competently, even if it doesn’t reach the same heights.

Editor’s note: Originally, I wanted to leave this review in Notes on February 16, the exact day marking 21 years since this match. But I missed the date, so it turned into what you’ll read in the lines below.

Toshiaki Kawada vs. Satoshi Kojima

Triple Crown Title

This was a true war of attrition, built around stiff, grinding offense that steadily escalated toward an inevitable, violent conclusion. Satoshi Kojima was completely locked in from bell to bell. This was the night where he felt untouchable. You could see it most clearly in the closing stretch, where Toshiaki Kawada’s facial expressions went from disbelief to genuine shock as he realized Kojima wasn’t going away.

The slower pace early on didn’t hurt the match at all. This was very much a slow-burn main event and the crowd understood it immediately. The atmosphere was electric from the opening moments and Kawada’s prolonged control only heightened the audience’s emotional investment in Kojima. Every minute Kawada stayed on top made the crowd want that Kojima comeback even more, which is exactly what you want in this kind of match.

Kawada played the role of the crafty, confident veteran heel perfectly. Almost never panicked, always in control, always thinking one step ahead. Kojima, meanwhile, was a textbook babyface. He had the audience completely with him the entire way. He never gave you a moment where it felt like he was done and even when his selling bordered on being slightly exaggerated, it only served to make Kawada’s offense feel more brutal and to better set up the eventual comeback. That extra selling planted the seeds for why Kojima’s late surge felt so cathartic.

The finish was a natural extension of everything that came before it. It respected the physicality and the story that had been built over the course of the match. Even as Kojima was clearly overwhelming him, Kawada didn’t just give in. He fought to the end, which made Kojima’s victory feel earned rather than handed to him.

Rating: ****3/4

Osaka is a city that demands violence and technical perfection. While The New Beginning started with promise, the momentum plateaued, reaching its peak with a stellar tag team semi-main event, only to stumble where it mattered most: the main event.

Unbound Co. (Hiromu Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori) vs. United Empire (Francesco Akira & Jakob Austin Young)

In his final NJPW match, Hiromu Takahashi teamed up with one of his greatest rivals in the junior heavyweight division, Taiji Ishimori.

The match essentially brought together the past, present and future of the junior heavyweight division in one ring.

Despite the strong reaction from the crowd at the start, they weren't able to sustain that level of hype and the finish ended up coming rather abruptly.

Rating: **3/4

War Dragons (Drilla Moloney & Shingo Takagi) vs. United Empire (Great-O-Khan & HENARE)

A match that didn't offer anything memorable in any way. I honestly don't have much to say about it, because it felt more like a routine house show match than something designed to actually stand out on a bigger stage.

The pacing was flat, the crowd never seemed fully invested and there weren't any real moments that made me react or feel surprised. It just kind of happened and then it was over, without leaving much of an impression.

Overall, it felt forgettable and disappointing.

Rating: **1/2

NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Title Match

Bishamon & Oleg Boltin (c) vs. TMDK (Jackson, Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr.)

That was a nice little sprint of a match, packed with energy from start to finish. It didn't overstay its welcome and kept a solid pace throughout, which made it an easy and enjoyable watch.

There honestly isn't a whole lot more to say about it since it was pretty straightforward, but it did what it needed to do. That said, I would've liked to see a bit more from Oleg Boltin specifically, as he showed flashes of potential and it would've been great to see him given a little more time to showcase what he can really do.

Rating: ***1/4

IWGP Global Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership

Andrade El Idolo vs. Gabe Kidd

Andrade worked most of the match like a babyface but sold like a heel, while Gabe Kidd mostly wrestled as the heel yet sold like a babyface.

That mismatch was the match's biggest and pretty much only problem. Kidd ended up selling too much for Andrade, who didn't return the favor, which made Kidd's offense come across as flat more often than it should have.

I enjoyed the match a lot more when it was truly back and forth, when it felt like a genuine 50/50 struggle rather than an extended job for Andrade. The finish was also well set up and nicely executed.

Andrade is set to receive his opportunity at the Global title at the New Beginning show in the USA.

Rating: ***3/4

David Finlay vs. Callum Newman

The match kicked off in fifth gear and I thought that was going to be the pace all the way through, but it immediately dropped in both intensity and urgency.

It did recover as it went on, though and I especially liked the stretches where David Finlay was in control, playing the hero really well here.

I also appreciated that, for most of the match, you could feel the venom between the two and their genuine desire to hurt each other.

The finish dragged it down, unfortunately. I understood what they were going for, but the execution felt flat and the crowd felt it too.

After the match, David Finlay also signaled that he will be leaving NJPW. Another loss for Unbound & Co.

Rating: ***1/2

NEVER Openweight Title Match: A Hype-Killer

Aaron Wolf (c) vs. Ren Narita

They completely killed all the hype built around Aaron Wolf. I think there were better ways to handle this if that was the outcome they wanted or at the very least, they could have given him a proper chance in the match.

Rating: 1/2*

IWGP Tag Team Title Match: The Match of the Night

Knockout Brothers (OSKAR & Yuto-Ice) (c) vs. Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura

The match didn't grab me right away, but over time it drew me in.

It didn't reinvent the wheel, but it told a clear story and flowed smoothly enough to stay engaging. I wasn't blown away by how Oscar sold the neck injury, though I appreciated the effort.

The match really hit its stride when Yuto and Uemura returned to the ring and the final sequence had it all. It was dynamic, intense and very well executed.

Rating: ****

IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: The Champion’s Hurdle

Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Jake Lee

I thought I didn't quite understand Jake Lee's character at first, but I realized I did. I just didn't find it believable or fitting for the position he was placed in.

It was hard to wrap my head around a junior heavyweight-sized wrestler dominating someone like Yota Tsuji so easily. But that's exactly what the match was trying to convey.

The storytelling centered on Yota Tsuji, who had to overcome this first hurdle in his reign and emerge as a stronger, superior wrestler, even if it meant taking a beating along the way.

The problem was that Jake Lee simply wasn't the right choice to carry that narrative.

The ending, though, worked well, classic NJPW style. It was the only moment in the match where I genuinely believed Jake Lee had a chance.

Rating: ***1/2

Final Thoughts

New Beginning in Osaka 2026 will be remembered for Hiromu Takahashi’s bittersweet farewell and a great tag team match, but also for a disappointing main event. However, the main event scene still seems to be searching for the right “big fight” to live up to Tsuji’s potential.

Future Matches

The New Beginning USA (February 26, 2026)

AEW National Championship: Ricochet (c) vs. Taiji Ishimori

IWGP Tag Team Championship: Knockout Brothers (Yuto-Ice & OSKAR) (c) vs. Gates of Agony (Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun)

IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Andrade El Idolo

The Punjabi Prison match remains one of the most polarizing - and often ridiculed -stipulations in WWE history. Designed as a playground for The Great Khali, the structure usually ended up trapping both the audience and the wrestlers in a creative void.

1. Big Show vs. The Undertaker

The Great American Bash 2006

Originally, this match was supposed to feature The Great Khali vs. The Undertaker, but Khali was seemingly pulled due to injury. In a last-minute angle, Big Show, the reigning ECW Champion, attacked The Undertaker, prompting Teddy Long to announce him as the replacement.

JBL and Michael Cole did their best to sell the match and its stipulation. JBL repeatedly claimed he’d never seen anything like it, despite his extensive in-ring experience. They went out of their way to put over the action, but the match itself simply didn’t deliver.

There was no intensity, no urgency and barely any emotion. Big Show looked uninterested and completely disengaged. Undertaker did what he could and put in a decent effort, but even he couldn’t carry this one to mediocrity.

The match dragged on for over 20 minutes, making it a chore to sit through. To top it all off, the finish was flat. Both men collapsed through the cage structure and Taker was declared the winner. Easily one of the worst Undertaker matches I’ve ever seen. Yes, even worse than the one with Big Boss Man at WrestleMania XV.

Rating: DUD

2. Batista © vs. The Great Khali

No Mercy 2007 | World Heavyweight Championship

The second-ever Punjabi Prison match took place a year later, this time with The Great Khali actually competing for Batista’s World Heavyweight Championship.

Surprisingly, WWE seemed to have learned from the disaster of the first match. The booking here was at least competent, but the inherent problem remained: The Great Khali. His movement in the ring was clunky and awkward and his offense looked weak, likely due to him trying not to hurt Batista.

Batista was the clear standout. His selling made Khali look like a real threat and he single-handedly held the match together.

A shorter runtime and a final sequence that actually managed to generate some real tension made this watchable. Not great, but a noticeable improvement over the original.

Rating: **

3. Jinder Mahal © vs. Randy Orton

Battleground 2017 | WWE Championship

This followed the same tired formula as the previous two Mahal vs. Orton matches. If the Singh Brothers' interference made any sense at the start of the rivalry, it had long worn out its welcome by Battleground. At this point, I think Vince just enjoyed watching Orton beat them up.

There are so many reasons why this was awful: Mahal and Orton were sloppy, there was zero emotion, the match dragged for nearly 30 minutes and the overbooking was absurd. Oh, and Orton’s chest tattoo is still terrible. But worst of all? The return of The Great Khali, who ended the show holding the WWE title. That says it all.

Rating: DUD

This show represents the creative depression WWE is currently stuck in. The two Royal Rumble matches are the clearest examples of that, but the problem doesn’t stop there. The so-called “creative” team also made its presence felt in the Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn match.

The saving grace of this Royal Rumble was Gunther vs. AJ Styles, which was both a genuinely significant moment and a high-quality match that stood on its own merits.

Triple H’s booking continues to be deplorable.

Women’s Royal Rumble

After the way this match started, I genuinely thought we were about to get the best women’s Rumble so far.

Everything from the opening moments up until around entrant #14–15 felt like the peak of the match. The whole dynamic between Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss was working, also Nia Jax getting booed by an entire arena built in record time by exploited immigrant workers.

I was honestly happy, thinking they were going to introduce new mini-storylines throughout the match, similar to the Charlotte/Alexa one. I especially expected Maxine, Becky and Nattie to spend more time interacting with each other. Another missed opportunity. And that was pretty much the last stretch where anything truly notable happened, outside of the usual formula: entrance, 3–4 moves, disappear into a corner until it’s your turn to hit your spot. Just like what happened with Lash Legend.

The finish was cool and somewhat surprising, though.

Rating: **1/4

AJ Styles vs. Gunther

One underrated aspect of Gunther is how well he sells for his opponent, something you rarely see from wrestlers built like him. That’s why here, beyond the emotional weight of the match, even the few moves AJ Styles managed to hit actually felt meaningful.

Gunther came in clearly prepared to force AJ into retirement one way or another. I was expecting his offense to become increasingly brutal, but instead he leaned into attrition. He knew time was on his side, so rather than rushing for a finish, he focused on wearing Styles down piece by piece.

From a storytelling perspective, this made Gunther look great. Everything he did in the ring suggested he had studied Styles closely, especially their RAW match and he wrestled accordingly.

The finish came suddenly, but not in a bad way. Once AJ caught that last burst of wind, it was obvious it would also lead to his downfall. And while I criticized Gunther vs. Cena for relying too much on the sleeper hold, here I have no complaints. AJ’s selling made it feel completely believable and kept my attention on the moment rather than the mechanics of the move.

Maybe a more 50/50 match would’ve given Styles a stronger showcase, but considering how the storyline unfolded, this felt like the right choice and a fitting result.

Rating: ****1/2

Drew McIntyre © vs. Sami Zayn
WWE Championship

Sami Zayn is WWE’s ultimate underdog, but if you actually want that role to remain credible, you can’t keep wasting moments like this.

Because with this result, it’s hard not to see the match as little more than a glorified squash.

This felt like the right time. It made sense. Otherwise, what was the point of putting Zayn through all that brutal punishment? Of questioning his readiness? Of presenting him as coming in with too much enthusiasm and energy, only for everything to collapse after that dive to the outside? To me, this doesn’t just hurt Zayn, it drags down the entire SmackDown division. Or maybe I’m being dramatic and I simply prefer wrestling to follow some basic logic.

Aside from that, it was a match that made both wrestlers look good in terms of performance. But the booking killed it. And it definitely lowered my rating too.

Rating: ***3/4

Royal Rumble Match

This match started out promising thanks to Oba Femi, if we ignore what happened with Bron Breakker and how a potential winner was taken out of the match just because he was “part of the story”. Honestly, fuck off Triple H and all the bullshit that comes out of his mouth.

I really liked the dynamic between Oba Femi and Je’von Evans, and in general I liked how Oba was presented, right up until the moment he suddenly looked like an amateur in front of Brock Lesnar and got eliminated by him. Up to that point, the match was genuinely interesting. Even the Los Americanos spot had some potential.

After that, though, the match became creatively bankrupt from every possible angle. It’s honestly impressive how they can waste so much time while nothing of real substance is actually happening.

Sure, Roman Reigns was presented well, but if you had asked before the match who needed to win the Royal Rumble the most, literally any wrestler - signed or unsigned - would have come before Roman Reigns, including Gunther. I’d genuinely love to see how the booking meeting for this match actually went.

From the very first bell, it’s obvious that this match is really about John Cena. This was the night he was meant to win his 16th world title and, in WWE’s eyes, tie Ric Flair’s record. The irony is that JBL spent most of the match on commentary trying to put AJ Styles over.

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tolerate Cena’s selling. It doesn’t feel exaggerated in a classic, old-school way. It just comes across as fake. And that disconnect only gets worse when he’s repeating the same “moves” over and over, including one that barely qualifies as a wrestling move, while AJ is countering Blue Thunder Bombs into hurricanranas. That contrast says everything.

To be fair, the match does have some nice touches. There are callbacks to their previous encounters and even to earlier moments in this match. One of my favorites is Cena hitting a partial Blue Thunder Bomb, clearly trying to avoid giving Styles an opening for a counter. Throughout the bout, Cena anticipates a lot of AJ’s offense and credit where it’s due, the attention to detail there is solid.

It takes almost nine minutes for the first real finisher attempt, after three failed setups, which I genuinely liked. I was hoping they’d stretch it past ten. Right after the first AA, Cena throws a lariat that wouldn’t look out of place in a puroresu match and that was honestly impressive. The second finisher comes just after the ten-minute mark and from there we enter submission-spam territory. The counters during this stretch look good, even great at times.

But then we’re back to the same problem: Cena’s selling. It’s borderline clownish. Styles, on the other hand, sells the STF properly. No exaggerated facial expressions, just pure physical struggle and it looks completely believable. And of course, Cena eventually locks in the Figure Four, because what better way to “honor” Ric Flair while breaking his record than stealing his finisher?

To Cena’s credit, his execution here is better than usual. Some of his transitions are surprisingly smooth. Unfortunately, that illusion doesn’t last long, because he goes on to botch a Cutter not long after. And the finishing stretch is weak. Cena suddenly rises from the dead and hits back-to-back AAs. Classic Big Match John.

In the end, this is a very good match that could have been great with smarter booking. There were seven finishers in total. Seven. Everything here ultimately served one purpose. AJ Styles did an incredible job propping Cena up though.

Rating: ****1/2

This match made me think more about their NJPW encounter from ten years ago than about their WWE feud. And what I mean by that is I liked the match. It was a good match.

Since I brought up their feud, I couldn’t help but draw a parallel while watching their entrances. Nakamura’s WWE run has been, for the most part, disappointing (there’s a much longer conversation to be had there). AJ, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Nobody expected him to accomplish what he did or to be given the opportunities he received in WWE. From my point of view, his career was already complete before he ever arrived there, he had nothing left to prove.

As I said, the match itself was good, with plenty of callbacks to their Tokyo Dome meeting. The selling was believable enough for the kind of match they were having. I also appreciated that it wasn’t just a move-fest, moves were used with purpose. Still, it felt like the match never quite shifted into that final gear and the drama was understandably lower given the stakes. For me, that was offset by the emotional attachment I still have to their Wrestle Kingdom classic.

One of the callbacks in this match comes from Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kazushi Sakuraba at Wrestle Kingdom 7

What I liked the least, though, was the booking. I think it ultimately dragged the match a little bit down. From the very first stiff kick AJ took to the chest, I thought the story would lean toward Styles questioning whether he still had what it takes, before eventually finding that killer instinct and putting Nakamura away.

It was what it was. But I’m still glad we got to see, one more time, a glimpse of the magic Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles gave us back in 2016 at Wrestle Kingdom.

Rating: ****1/4

If you want to understand the history of Kings Road wrestling, this is a good place to start. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta it is the emblematic “passing of the torch” moment that redefined a promotion and a generation.

Even though the entire arena was behind Misawa from bell to bell, his victory arrived as a genuine shock, a seismic shift that made the moment feel monumental.

Context Over Perfection

While I wouldn’t necessarily label this a “five-star classic” in the purely modern, technical sense, the way historical context was woven into the ring work is what elevates it. A younger, more athletic and innovative Misawa adapted his style throughout the encounter. He showed the “guts” and the confidence necessary to look the legendary Tsuruta in the eye and refuse to back down.

Throughout the match, Misawa had an answer for every one of Jumbo’s attacks. He was competing on a level no one expected. By the end, he didn’t just win a match, he earned the right to lead the company.

The Sound of Revolution

The atmosphere in the Nippon Budokan played a crucial role. Even watching this with the original Japanese commentary - without understanding a single word - you can feel the tension and drama escalating minute by minute.

There were some slower moments and the finish might not have been “perfect” in a traditional, choreographed sense, but it was absolutely perfect for what the match represented. It was raw, it was emotional and it was the birth of a new era.

Remember when your high school literature teacher talked about the coming-of-age story? That’s exactly what NJPW crafted with Katsuyori Shibata.

From the moment he returned to the company, every match, every feud and every hard-fought war shaped his character. It all led to this specific moment, standing face-to-face with Kazuchika Okada for the most prestigious title in professional wrestling.

The Wrestler & The Rainmaker

Shibata was flawless. He entered the ring with a quiet, terrifying confidence and unleashed his full arsenal in a bid to dethrone the Rainmaker. It was a visceral display of bone-rattling forearms, brutal submission holds and, of course, that sickening headbutt. Time and time again, he came agonizingly close, perhaps the closest anyone has ever come to taking that belt.

Okada stepping into this match with a distinct heel edge added a refreshing twist. It wasn’t just change for the sake of change, it signaled the gradual build toward his eventual fall.

The subtle darkness in his offense, the arrogance and the growing disdain in his expression are all part of a long-term story arc that NJPW tells better than anyone else. They managed to present a compelling heel vs. face dynamic without relying on cheap tricks, letting the stakes and the strikes speak for themselves.

An Atmosphere Like No Other

The crowd was phenomenal. One of the most emotionally invested audiences I’ve ever witnessed. They didn’t just watch the match, they elevated it. Their energy was the final ingredient that made every near-fall more gripping, every hold more painful and every strike more devastating.

Okada’s throne may not have fallen that night, but it trembled. Shibata left without the title, but he exited with his head held high, earning a level of respect that few wrestlers ever achieve.

The Price of Art

This was an unforgettable experience and undoubtedly a serious contender for Match of the Year 2017, standing shoulder to shoulder with the legendary Okada vs. Omega encounters.

However, it is impossible to talk about this match without the tragic postscript. After the bell, Shibata was rushed into surgery for a life-threatening subdural hematoma.

Wrestle Kingdom 20 was a complex mix of missed opportunities, booking that ranged from excellent to embarrassing and moments that offered a small dose of optimism for the company’s future. Most importantly, however, it marked the final match of Hiroshi Tanahashi’s legendary career. Even if the undercard didn’t always deliver, the final two matches are absolute must-see wrestling.

Overall Show Rating: *1/4

NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Title
Rambo Match

Rating: DUD

An absolute clusterfuck that had no business being on the Wrestle Kingdom main card, let alone as the opener.

Just imagine wanting to watch New Japan for the first time and this being the very first thing you see. You don’t understand the rules, you don’t understand the teams and the in-ring action is constantly interrupted by entrances. Whatever does happen in the ring feels like a horde of NPCs running around. There’s nothing positive to take away from this.

IWGP / NJPW STRONG Women’s Title
Saya Kamitani vs. Syuri

Rating: ***3/4

It’s no surprise that Saya Kamitani is considered the best women’s wrestler in the world right now, she understood her role perfectly.

The stakes were clear even before the bell. What looked like a standard 50/50 opening exchange nearly ended the match early for the champion, a point the commentary team hammered home. Kamitani was hunting for a quick advantage, trying to end the night before it truly began. The psychological turning points were Syuri’s armbars. Kamitani survived the first convincingly, but eventually, she had no answer for Syuri’s relentless offense.

Unfortunately, the match felt rushed. They weren’t given enough time to fully build an ending that matched the story they were telling.

United Empire vs. War Dogs & Unaffiliated
10-Man Tag

Rating: ***1/4

I liked the fire Andrade and Gabe Kidd showed at the start, they fought like they had something to prove. Sadly, that momentum was short-lived, followed by a lot of filler that didn’t add value.

The highlight was the interaction between David Finlay and Hiromu Takahashi. We’ve seen the “forced alliance” trope before, but they took it to an extreme that worked perfectly. Other than that, this was a United Empire showcase where Jake Lee failed to impress.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership

Rating: *1/2

Extremely stupid booking. Halfway through, I completely forgot what the stakes even were. The logic made Desperado, Fujita and Ishimori look like they had the brains of a mollusk. They were so focused on attacking SHO that the second he stepped out of the ring, they forgot he existed.

If all the interference was just to get more people on the card, it could have been handled with far more intelligence. This had no business being on a Wrestle Kingdom card.

NEVER Openweight Title
Aaron Wolf vs. EVIL

Rating: ***1/2

This was the most hyped Young Lion debut since I started watching New Japan. The twist with Wolf was brilliant. Instead of him being “unready” physically, the story was that he wasn’t mentally prepared for the reality of House of Torture.

When HoT interference is executed logically and with a real payoff, it adds value. That’s exactly what happened here. The chaos actually put Wolf over and everyone involved worked their tails off to make him look like a star. The crowd reaction at the end proved it was all worth it.

IWGP World Heavyweight / Global Title
Yota Tsuji vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Rating: ****3/4

Takeshita arrived with a defiant, “too big for this” attitude, having skipped the Road to Tokyo Dome shows entirely. He didn’t take Tsuji seriously and for a moment he was right, because a single, brutal brainbuster affected Tsuji for the entire match.

While Takeshita looked like the future of New Japan dominance, Tsuji embodied the “Fighting Spirit”. He often needed three or four impact moves to counter a single strike from Takeshita, but spirit eventually overcame strength. Tsuji forced Takeshita to submit, both literally and figuratively. A massive win for the new era.

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Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada

Rating: *****

The atmosphere turned emotional the second the music hit. It was impossible not to be reminded of every battle that came before, perhaps the greatest rivalry in pro wrestling history. Regardless of where you rank it, the Okada–Tanahashi saga holds a permanent place in the record books. And so does the man himself - Hiroshi Tanahashi, a man who represented pro wrestling with pride until his very last breath.

Tanahashi’s career was defined by the faith in the “King of Sports”. He stayed when Shibata left, the first time, when Nakamura left and when Naito left. Time and again, he was the pillar holding New Japan together even during its most turbulent years.

This match revealed a new, darker dynamic. This was the most overtly heel version of Okada we’ve ever seen in a New Japan ring.

I found myself clenching my jaw every time Tanahashi hit a move. Even the simplest bumps looked devastating and it hurt to see that every offensive move Tanahashi landed seemed to take just as much out of him as it did Okada.

The drama was palpable, almost suffocating. The crowd roared for every Tanahashi comeback, even though we knew those comebacks were only prolonging the suffering. It was a final chapter worthy of the legend, the rivalry and the company.

Arigatou gozaimasu, Tanahashi-san.

This match didn’t reach the level of their previous encounters. Not the Tokyo Dome, not the 60-minute draw, not even their G1 sprint. But that isn’t necessarily a jab at the match itself.

This match felt less like a quest for “match of the year” and more like a reflection of who these two men are today. Kenny Omega isn’t the same physical force he was, given the medical battles he’s fought. On the other side, Okada in AEW feels different. He still shows those flashes of the “Rainmaker” brilliance, but he isn’t pushing himself to that terrifying limit he reached in New Japan.

Intensity vs. Urgency

The match had intensity, sure, but it lacked that “breathless” quality. I don’t mean the slow, methodical pace that Okada is famous for. I mean it lacked that seamless flow and the sense of urgency that made their Japanese bouts feel like life or death. Under the bright lights of Globe Life Field, it felt like a high-level pro wrestling match. At Dominion, it felt like a transcendental event. There’s a difference.

The “Smoke and Mirrors” Problem

One thing that really pulled me out of the moment was Don Callis. When you have Okada and Omega in the same ring, you don’t need “smoke and mirrors.” A clash of this caliber should be able to stand on its own two feet without outside interference or managerial distractions. Here, the extra layers felt like they were unnecessary for a story that already had all the history it needed.

Ultimately, watching them in 2025 is a bittersweet experience. It’s a reminder of how lucky we were to witness their peak, but it also shows that even legends eventually have to settle into a different rhythm.

My goodness... where do I even start? There is so much to say about this match that I’m honestly afraid I’ll forget half of it. It’s the kind of experience that leaves you speechless, making any analysis feel like it’s losing value because words just aren’t enough. You have to see it to believe it.

The story started before the bell even rang. You could see the contrast in their entrances. Okada still had that unshakable confidence, while Kenny looked like a man who had spent every waking second focused on this one moment.

Fall One

In the first fall, it was clear that Omega had done his homework. After three matches, he knew exactly what to expect. Every time Okada tried to build momentum, Kenny was there with a counter. Okada even tried his signature Crossbody and Kenny shut it down immediately.

Eventually, Okada had to reach deep into his bag of tricks, pulling out a Tombstone Piledriver much earlier than usual just to surprise Kenny. He managed to follow up with the diving elbow, but even then, Kenny wouldn’t stay down. Okada actually won the first fall, but it felt... fluky. He was dominated for most of those 30 minutes and it felt like he escaped with a win rather than earning it.

Fall Two

The second fall was the total opposite. Okada dominated a large portion of it, but it was Omega who found a way to win. The pace increased tremendously here. We started seeing the physical toll, but Omega was “All In.”

One of the coolest parts of this sequence was Kenny “stealing” from Okada’s own playbook, hitting a Dropkick and a Piledriver to set up the One Winged Angel. It was a psychological middle finger to the Champion.

Fall Three

By the third fall, both men were running on fumes. This was pure physical collapse and it led to some of the most emotional wrestling I’ve ever witnessed. Kenny looked at Okada and told him he was in better condition, it was a battle of wills.

Then came the tributes. When Kenny called for the Styles Clash, the crowd exploded, chanting AJ Styles’ name. Then, at Ibushi’s suggestion, he went for the Phoenix Splash. He missed, but the tension in that building was suffocating. The selling from both men was fantastic. They looked like they were dying for the title.

The image of Okada and Omega leaning on the bottom rope, barely able to stand, is legendary. It’s a shot that defines a generation of wrestling.

If you love this sport, you owe it to yourself to watch this masterpiece.

The third chapter of Okada vs. Omega was a different beast entirely. Unlike the marathons we saw at the Tokyo Dome or Dominion, this was a G1 Climax block final. Kenny Omega had to win to reach the final. A draw or a loss meant Okada moved on. For the first time, the clock wasn’t just a background detail.

Going into this, Okada was a shell of himself. The G1 grind is brutal, and he was coming off a shock loss to EVIL and a grueling draw with Minoru Suzuki. His neck and back were held together by tape and prayers and Omega knew it. Kenny’s strategy was to destroy the neck to set up the One Winged Angel.

A Fight for Every Inch

What made this match stand out from the first two was how incredibly even it felt. There were no long sequences of dominance. Neither man could string more than two or three moves together before being shut down. It was a frantic, desperate struggle where both men were constantly scouting each other’s finishers. You could feel the history between them in every counter.

The Cost of Arrogance

We’ve talked about Okada’s ego before, but here it finally caught up with him. He had the match in his hands, but he got greedy. Instead of finishing Kenny, he tried to land a third consecutive Rainmaker. That split second of arrogance was all the opening “The Cleaner” needed.

When Kenny finally hit the One Winged Angel and the referee’s hand hit the mat for the three-count, it felt like a tectonic shift in the wrestling world. Omega had finally done the impossible. He had beaten the most dominant champion of the modern era.

It was shorter than the others, but in those 30 minutes, they told a story of exhaustion, ego and the sheer will to survive. It was the perfect bridge to their final encounter.

If their first encounter was about shock and impact, their second at Dominion was about pure endurance. Keeping an audience on their feet for 60 minutes is almost impossible, but Okada and Omega managed to turn an hour into a masterpiece of tension.

I have to be honest, because the beginning bothered me a little. They spent a lot of time with Kenny working over Okada’s leg, only for Kenny to move away from it and for Okada to stop selling the injury entirely.

Tension on the Outside

The middle of the match was loaded with callbacks to January. When the table spots started happening, it took me right back to the Tokyo Dome.

The character work here was also fascinating. Okada played the “cocky Ace” for a good portion of the match, looking like a man who knew he was untouchable. That naturally pushed Omega into the babyface role. Then we got the Bullet Club drama. Cody Rhodes coming down with the towel, teasing that he was going to throw it in to save Kenny. It was a brilliant move. Beyond the added tension, it gave both wrestlers a few precious moments to breathe and recover during a literal marathon.

To the Final Second

Omega’s selling at the end of this match was perfect. He looked like a man who had left every ounce of his soul on that mat.

The near-falls were some of the most emotional I’ve ever seen. The moment Kenny finally hit the One Winged Angel, only for Okada’s foot to barely find the bottom rope... Then you had Okada’s series of desperate Dropkicks. They weren’t even offensive moves anymore, they were just a wall he was building to keep Omega away until the clock ran out.

I know some people are intimidated by the length, but for me, those 60 minutes flew by. The draw was the only logical result. The match was heading in that direction from the start.

I know there’s a crowd out there - mostly people who’ve never looked outside the WWE bubble - who will tell you it was too long or that the beginning was "boring". Honestly? That’s a casual take. If you think the first 20 minutes were slow, you just don’t understand how to build a real main event. Look at Okada vs. Tanahashi from Wrestle Kingdom 10, it had that same slow-burn psychology. You need that foundation to make the payoff mean something.

The Physical Toll

The second half of this match was just... insane. There’s no other word for it. They weren’t just “performing”, they were putting their lives on the line. That Snap Dragon Suplex? That was the spot of the year, easily. I’m still half-convinced Okada should’ve left the ring in a neck brace after that landing.

I really thought Kenny had reached his absolute peak in the G1 Climax match against Naito. I didn’t think he had another gear. I was wrong. This surpassed everything. It’s actually kind of funny, because Okada’s entire career is defined by his rivalry with Tanahashi, yet his greatest matches ever happened with Kenny Omega.

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Living and Dying in the Tokyo Dome

Those last 15 or 20 minutes were pure drama. If you were actually invested in the story, you probably needed a drink and a dark room to decompress after the bell rang.

The best way I can describe it is like a football match that’s gone into extra time. Everyone’s exhausted, the tactical shape is gone and you’re just playing with your guard down. Every single move feels like a golden goal. You saw it in the way Kenny fought like a madman to hit the One Winged Angel and the way Okada just... refused to go away. Even when the Rainmaker landed, the struggle didn’t stop.

By the end of those 50 minutes, it felt like Kenny Omega had died and been resurrected three or four times. Hats off to them. What about you? Do you agree that the slow start was necessary, or are you in the “it was too long” camp?

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