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[2017-03-12-NJPW-New Japan Cup] Kenny Omega vs Tomohiro Ishii


ShittyLittleBoots

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I usually only make threads for matches that I consider to be ***1/2+, but since this has got some serious MOTYC talk already from reviews & on twitter, I figured I'd make a thread for it & of course I am interested in hearing how others here on PWO liked it. :)

I thought that this was wayy too long, Omega dominated WAY, and I mean WAY too much of it - his work on top was painfully boring. Truly sucked the life out of the match. In the last 10 mins or so they started busting out big bombs, and that sure was more enjoyable than the first 2/3 of the match, but it wasn't interesting enough to bring it to good levels. *1/4

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I loved this match. I thought Omega was really focused on working over Ishii neck to soften it up for the One Wing Angel. He also used his knee as a big time weapon. This is also my favorite type of Ishii. The one who is selling, timing his comebacks and hope spots. Not the one who no sells and stands toe to toe. Th crowd was hot for this. The finishing stretch was amazing. I would have been happy though for Ishii to win with that stiff as fuck lariat. 4 1/2*

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Very similar thoughts to Shoe on this one. Omega's dynamic, explosive bursts of offense combined with an Ishii focused on selling made this a tremendous match. They've also done an incredible job building and teasing the One Winged Angel without him even hitting it. When eventually used to either win the IWGP title and/or for a big kickout this build should make those moments all the more tremendous. Ishii's various and repeated counters throughout the match and his selling told a great story and built to a strong finish. New Japan's big main event match times this year would scare me on paper, but they've hit home runs every single time.

 

****1/2

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I'm safely at 4.5 here, contemplated higher but there were some small disconnects along the way. Incredible match from Ishii here with the striking macho exchanges actually building the damaging and him selling the left arm losing feeling (very well could have been). They tease something on the top rope and Ishii pops Omega with a headbutt, great production work here, looks flush and then he hits a rana (!). Omega keeps me engaged in the early parts here, bumping off his head from the lariat was something. really looked like Omega had overcome Ishii and started to hit some of his big signature spots like the snap dragon suplex and some big knees but he just couldn't ice him. Some incredible nearfalls down the stretch, the lariat being a big one as Pete noted. ****1/2

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  • 1 month later...

This match was a lot of fun and pretty well executed. Omega looks fantastic in this match and I think it really pulls out not just the toughness of Ishii, but a different kind of charisma than we usually see. It does sort of run into the same issues I had with Omega/Okada; it just seems to go a little long and there are too many false finishes for my taste. It probably could have been elite if they had wrapped things up just a touch earlier, but I still think it was very very good. I give it what I gave that ****1/4

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  • GSR changed the title to [2017-03-12-NJPW-New Japan Cup] Kenny Omega vs Tomohiro Ishii
  • 2 years later...

Watched this match today and I loved it. It struck different for me from the usual Omega matches I had seen from that timeframe. I was under the feeling that Ishii made Omega adapt to his style by going for more strikes at first so he could eventually get to his arsenal. Like everyone, definitely echoing the love for Ishii's selling throughout the match (especially the spot when Ishii wants to go for another headbutt but sells his neck instead, leading to a tad overconfident Omega in the following minutes). Not a perfect match though as I felt the sequence when both were on the top rope with Omega trying to set up perhaps an Awesome Bomb took too long to my taste. But the finishing sequence was fantastic all around. **** for me

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