naomichimarufuji

[naomichimarufuji]

Bonus paid watch note: They have a second singles match during BOSJ 31. If you have a subscription to world, it's worth the watch. There is also no HoT interference in it. Nobu does his cheating all by himself.

It's just a great match.

Watch note: This is the preview. The match itself is on NJPWWORLD for free.

Rating: 4.75

Notes:

These two are just so good and have great chemistry and a great story to build from. Kanemaru is a bit of an underrated wrestler at times and this showcases it. He's a wrestler who, even at 48, hasn't lost his step or touch. And Despe is an amazing babyface in peril for this.

Just give it a watch now

[naomichimarufuji]

Watch note: This is the preview. The match itself is on NJPWWORLD for free.

Rating: 4.75

Notes:

These two are just so good and have great chemistry and a great story to build from. Kanemaru is a bit of an underrated wrestler at times and this showcases it. He's a wrestler who, even at 48, hasn't lost his step or touch. And Despe is an amazing babyface in peril for this.

Just give it a watch now

[naomichimarufuji]

You had to know a MaruKen match was going to happen eventually.

Rating: 4.5

Notes: These two never miss and this match is a good showcase of them and their history. It doesn't have the same insane spots from the 2000's era of their matches, but it shows how they've adapted as they've gotten older.

Also it's wild that in 2018, Marufuji somehow convinced the WWE to let Kenta wrestle back in Noah for his 20th anniversary. True wrestling soulmates.

[naomichimarufuji]

Rating: 4.5 stars Notes: A newly back Ren taking on a man who has no issues shoving a forearm into your throat. Which he does. This is a match that embodies the whole strong style spirit and is a good showcase of what both men can do. It's a good story of a young wrestler showing what he can do post-excursion against a damn good vet. Highly suggest setting aside the 15 minutes it would take to watch this.

Warning: Kevin Kelly doesn't shut the fuck up

[naomichimarufuji]

Overall rating: 4 stars

Notes:

This is a fantastic match with a lot of good back and forth. It's a bit slower and there are better matches out there between these two. It's still very hard hitting but you can see the difference from their older matches on how much they've aged and adjusted their style for their age.

It's still a fantastic match and I do suggest giving it a bit of a watch. I will say though, this is a clap crowd so it loses a bit of something special without the crowd.

[naomichimarufuji]

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

Notes:

This match starts out slow but when it gets going, it's really going. It's a good showcase at two legends and innovators.

While I don't understand the language, the story of Marufuji having to save the title from peak SZG Minoru Suzuki comes through plain and clear. It's very clear he was tasked with the job and had to succeed.

While there was interference, it didn't distract from the match and didn't overshadow it.

I highly recommend watching this match if you have the time.

[naomichimarufuji]

Under construction - don't mind the mess