5 NJPW matches you must watch as a new viewer:
When people think of wrestling, they think of WWE. Vince McMahon’s global brand is easily the most popular wrestling company in the world, and many fans are WWE-exclusive, giving no other wrestling promotions a chance to show what they can do. However, wrestling fans are missing out on some incredible action in other wrestling promotions.
New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) is currently dishing out the best wrestling in the world, with their most recent big shows receiving a ton of praise with a bunch of amazing matches. This hasn’t just been the case recently either as for years, NJPW has been producing some of the best matches you’ll see.
This is obvious when looking at the star rating system of Dave Meltzer (from the highly respected Wrestling Observer), with Meltzer giving eleven matches from NJPW the highest possible rating of 5 stars since 2013, and one match a special 6-star rating (we will get to that).
Unsure on which matches to watch first? Here are 5 NJPW matches you must watch as a new viewer.
#5 Katsuyori Shibata vs Tomohiro Ishii, G1 Climax 23, Day 4
One of the best aspects of NJPW is the variety of styles they bring to their matches. Most WWE matches feel the same, using a very similar style. In NJPW, there is a unique style for every big match, and for this particular match, it was strong style.
Ishii and Shibata attempt to kill each other in this all-out war, a brutal and insanely hard-hitting contest that had the crowd losing their minds. Both men are known for their incredible matches, and they definitely did not disappoint in this absolute battle.
This is just simply a unique match, something you will not see outside of NJPW. This bout is almost guaranteed to amaze you, and it is the perfect place to start as a new viewer of the promotion.
#4 Kenny Omega vs Tetsuya Naito, G1 Climax 26 Semi Final
Out of all the exhilarating matches of last year, this was arguably the best.
With a special heel against heel dynamic, Omega and Naito clashed in an instant classic that saw the perfect mix of psychology, selling, atmosphere and spots.
Naito viciously targeting Omega’s knee was brilliant, and Omega’s selling was absolutely fantastic. The crowd was deeply invested, and they were on fire for all the big moves and near falls. The finishing stretch in particular in this match was just phenomenal, with amazing counters, sequences and drama that will leave you out of breath.
While other matches on this list may have the better spectacle and specialty, this was just an all-time classic match that is a must-see for any new viewer.
#3 Kazuchika Okada vs AJ Styles, Dominion 7.5
For those of you who are viewers of WWE, you will recognise AJ Styles in this match. While Styles has been nothing short of spectacular in WWE, his best work is in NJPW, and this is his best match from his time there.
This sensational match is capped off by one of the craziest and best finishing sequences to a match ever. The storytelling in this match is captivating, with Okada defined perfectly as the babyface fighting the odds while Styles is the heel faction leader doing what he can to retain his title. While there is some interference at the start, that soon disappears, and the incredible counters, sequences and moves begin.
Two of the best wrestlers in the world at the time (and still today) going back and forth in front of an incredibly hot crowd, with an absolutely amazing finishing sequence. It was magic, and it is certainly worth watching as a new NJPW viewer.
#2 Ricochet vs Will Ospreay, Best of the Super Juniors XXIII
This match is truly something special and differs from everything else on this list. The athleticism and non-stop action in this match are mesmerising. Both men are two of the best high flyers in the world, and when they met here, expectations were high.
Somehow, they exceeded those expectations and wrestled one of the best sprint matches in recent memory.
The spots and sequences in this match are just insane, and the crowd absolutely loved it. While this isn’t particularly a wrestling match, it is a spectacle, and a match that is a must see. Some fans criticise this for its lack of selling and storytelling, but there is no denying that this is a match that every fan should watch, whether it is their cup of tea or not. A classic for sure.
#1 Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada, WrestleKingdom 11
Yes, there are two of Kenny Omega’s matches on this list. That is no coincidence – he is truly one of the best wrestlers today, and his matches over the last year and a half have been some of the best wrestling of 2016 and this year so far. Kazuchika Okada is the best big match wrestler in the world and is easily having the best year of any wrestler so far.
This match between the two, of course, was absolutely incredible. This match happened in earlier this year in January, yet it’s almost guaranteed to be MOTY. Unless they top themselves in their rematch which is set for June 11th at the Dominion show. For me, this was one of the best matches I’ve ever seen. This was just the perfect pro wrestling match, an instant classic that had everybody in awe.
The video package, the entrances, the big fight feel, the atmosphere, the stage, the insane spots, the amazing counters and sequences, the incredible finishing stretch – this really was just pure wrestling gold. Taking place as the main event of WrestleKingdom 11 (NJPW’s version of WrestleMania), it delivered more than anyone could imagine. While it may start off slow, it is structured incredibly well, and the entire forty-five minutes that it goes for is definitely worth watching.
Receiving six stars (out of the usual five) from Dave Meltzer’s highly respected Wrestling Observer, this is a match that is one of the best you will see in your life. This is truly a must-watch for any fan looking to get into NJPW.
May 12th, 2017.
Why Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada was the most perfect match since Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels
When WrestleKingdom 11 was done and dusted a couple of nights back, there was one match in particular on fans’ minds.
Sure, Kushida and Hiromu Takahashi had an excellent, fast-paced Junior Heavyweight title match.
Sure, Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata was a ridiculously hard-hitting affair between two long-time friends.
Sure, Tetsuya Naito and Hiroshi Tanahashi wrestled a stellar classic for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.
But, nothing stood out more than the main event. Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega clashed for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and expectations were incredibly high. This was two of the best wrestlers in the world clashing for the first time, and it would be taking place as the main event of WrestleKingdom 11, in the Tokyo Dome.
Somehow, they managed to exceed the astronomically high expectations placed in front of them. While fans expected a classic, nobody foresaw the match we received.
Wrestling one of the greatest matches of all time in many fans’ eyes, Okada and Omega produced a spectacle, and it led to a perfect encounter. From the feeling out process to start off, to the slow build to big moves, to the insane spots, to the incredible ten-minute long finishing sequence, nothing went slightly wrong.
It was given six stars by Dave Meltzer’s respected star rating system from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, becoming the first televised match in history to be rated six out of the usual possible five stars. Meltzer stated that he believed it “was one of the greatest matches in the history of professional wrestling.”
While other matches in recent years have gone perfectly, none have achieved this perfect encounter on the huge stage that Okada and Omega were on, nor have received such incredible praise from fans and experts alike. Except for one match. Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels, from WrestleMania 25 of course.
Back in 2009, The Deadman and the Showstopper tore the house down at WrestleMania 25. It was considered the perfect match, with two of the best wrestlers in the world producing a spectacle on a grand stage. Seeing the similarities yet? Omega and Okada did the exact same thing.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with New Japan Pro Wrestling, WrestleKingdom is their version of WrestleMania, which means it is the biggest stage possible for the wrestlers to perform at. Both matches stole their respective shows and produced a match for the ages.
Sure, there have been many other classic matches in recent years, for both NJPW and WWE. In NJPW, there was the Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi main event from last year’s WrestleKingdom 10. While it was a 5-star classic on a grand stage, it was the culmination of their four-year story/feud that led to such an incredible match.
The action itself wasn’t perfect, with more focus on the story rather than producing the perfect match. They had wrestled many more flawless matches before, but the stage and story led to such an iconic match rather than the actual in-ring work. In WWE, there was the 5-star match between CM Punk and John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011. With the story being the focal point of the match, this meant that a few sloppy moments in the ring were glossed over, with the story elevating the match rather than the perfection of the action.
Also, it was on a B grade PPV. Imagine if Punk and Cena had wrestled their match at WrestleMania, instead of Money in the Bank? It would be talked about even more than it already is these days.
The point is, rarely is a perfect match delivered, especially on a grand stage. But, both the Okada/Omega and Michaels/Taker matches were executed perfectly. An amazing pre-match video package, extravagant entrances, fantastic back and forth action, no sloppy moments, insane spots, a big fight feel, incredible anticipation, and an amazing finishing sequence were all there.
Both took place on the biggest stage possible for their respective companies (WrestleKingdom and Wrestlemania), and both bouts consisted of two of the best wrestlers in the world facing off in a rare encounter. Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker hadn’t clashed since the 90s heading into their Wrestlemania 25 match, and Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada had never faced off in a one-on-one match before WrestleKingdom 11.
This dynamic led to an incredible hype for each encounter, something that only further elevated each match once they prospered on the grand stage.
While other classic matches over the years have captivated fans, nothing has delivered to the point of perfection like these two matches did. Every few years, all the aspects of a classic match combine to create the perfect pro wrestling match of all time. This happened in 2009, with The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 25, and it happened again earlier this week with Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada, in the main event of WrestleKingdom 11.
Both matches will go down as two of the greatest matches ever, and as two of the most perfect matches ever performed in professional wrestling history.
January 8th, 2017.
Star Ratings 