Superstar Sleeze Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Nakajima is my favorite Japanese wrestler to have debuted in the 2000s. He wrestles way beyond his years as he was just 18 when he debuted in 2004 and by 2005 he was winning MOTYs (w/Sasaki vs Kobashi/Go, Purotopia), In 2007, he was crafting well-laid out matches against Shuji Kondo at a level that few wrestlers ever reach. In 2008-09, he was essential to the Kensuke Office vs. Burning feud that could have culminated in the greatest series of juniors of the decade had KENTA been a bit more cooperative. Nakajima is a prodigy in every sense of the word. His basic fundamentals and commitment to sound wrestling psychology make him stand out in the decadence of the 2000s. It begins and ends with selling. If you don't make the move feel critical, the transition feel consequential, the contest worth winning, if you don't believe, then nobody will believe. When you watch Nakajima, he believes in what he is doing. He has a game plan, it is dynamic and adaptable, but he has a strategy to win because that is what wrestling should be about. Along the way especially as a rookie, he is going to take his lumps and he responds to these lumps by selling and adapting. His selling is among the best of his generation and his fighting spirit more convincing than most. I believe that the only thing holding him back is lack of junior peers for him to excel against. Just googled Nakajima vs Hayato, O FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!! Not one, but two matches, so pumped. At 28 years old, he is already a ten year veteran and with the right push, the sky is the limit. Want to go all the way back to his rookie year (won the Tokyo Sports Award for Rookie of the Year) in 2004 against Great Sasuke. Great Sasuke vs Katsuhiko Nakajima - Michinoku Pro 6/19/04 Right from the get go, Sasaki really did know he had something special with Nakajima and was able to convince a lot of his peers. Japanese matches are very hierarchical, based on that tradition you would expect this to be a shit kicking, but Nakajima shows some fighting spirit, but ultimately succumbs to Sasuke. The Sasuke treats Nakajima like his peer. Having watched a lot of puroresu, this makes Nakajima right then and there in my eyes. You know he is a wrestler to watch immediately. Just like the Sasuke match I watched recently with Hayato, they are working a match around struggling for a victory, but along the way they are popping the crowd. Nakajima takes advantage of Sasuke giving his back with roundhouse kick and kicks him in midsection. He makes the mistake of breaking without protecting himself and Sasuke takes him to the mat. The matwork is really sound with Nakajima doing some great verbal selling, but fighting Sasuke every step of the way. I loved Sasuke pounding the mat in frustration when Nakajima grabbed the ropes on a cross armbreaker. Once Nakajima starts revving up and looks to dive, Sasuke hightails it. Nakajima continues to dominate once Sasuke returns. I will say Nakajima for how comfortable he looks selling and working spots would get more fluid on offense. I loved Nakajiam wriggling out of a powerbomb with a backslide and then immediately following a whiff by Sasuke he goes for a roll up. On the second nearfall, he pounds the mat and lets out a yell because he knows how much a victory would mean over a legend like Sasuke this early in his career. He goes for an axe kick and Sasuke dumps him on his head. Does this spell the end of Nakajima's cinderella run or does the phenomenon pull off the unbelieveable and score the upset? Watch the match as it is worth it. Great little veteran vs rookie match that really showcased Nakajima. ***1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W2BTD Posted October 25, 2014 Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 I think the series of matches he had with KENTA between 2008 & 2009, including the tags, are right up there with any short term series of matches ever. The match to match storytelling was at an elite level. I'm not sure what you mean about KENTA not being cooperative. That feud felt very give & take, especially for an established star who was starting his run up to company ace going up against a 22 year old outsider just getting his feet wet in big matches. Do you think KENTA ate him up in individual matches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superstar Sleeze Posted October 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 Please read my reviews in2009 folder. On my phone so cAnt c&p. He definitely ate him up and showed him up in the rematch where he just straight up did not sell Nakajimas work. The first match could have been one if the best matches if the decade if they didn't go into the standard KENTA/NOAH finish run. Watching enough Nakajimas and KENTA, I pin this on KENTA, but that was not instance of being uncooperative like the rematch in March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W2BTD Posted October 25, 2014 Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 I guess as someone who really likes what you call "the standard KENTA/NOAH finish run", that never struck me as an issue. I'm going to rewatch the March match with fresh eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxnj Posted October 25, 2014 Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 No way was KENTA being uncooperative in the March match. Like I said in the thread, if you pay attention to KENTA's mannerisms and the overall camera work during KENTA's runs of " no selling" the knee, it's obvious it was a conscious part of the story they were telling. Plus, if the goal was to "eat up" Nakajima, the post-match with KENTA getting the fans to cheer for Nakajima would make no sense, and I actually think part of why he did that was to prevent such an impression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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