This was a Block A match in the 2013 G1 Climax.
I’m still new to a lot of New Japan. I’ve become a huge fan of Ishii over the last 4-5 years, and I’ve really dug Shibata since his return and I’ve heard he was even better before the absence.
And boy did this fuckin’ deliver.
They come out of the gate FIRING at all cylinders, right off the bat:
I mean, holy shit. This is insane. They go move for move with whips and corner attacks, just SLAMMING in to each other. Crowd is MOLTEN hot.
Then, they head to the center of the ring and start inviting each other to chop and kick the other until someone flinches because dudes rock regardless of the country. This goes on for like 2-3 minutes, each shot harder than the last, and Ishii finally flinches first, so Shibata is quick to stay on him and work him into the corner with clubbing forearms.
But it’s not just “throwin forearms with a brother in the corner”, Shibata fires away at a FAST pace, hard as Hell, and ISHII NO SELLS THE SHOTS AND STARTS GROWLING AND BARKING AT SHIBATA! So Shibata hits him more and MORR and harder and HARDER, like he’s going to fucking kill him for disrespecting him. The ref FINALLY breaks it up as Ishii crumbles into the corner.
Holy shit.
Shibata backs off, but only to do a stiff basement drop kick on Ishii in the corner, at FULL force, right in the fucking face. He stays on him, and Ishii has trouble getting to and staying on his feet, just really selling the hell out of this.
Shibata shows just an OUNCE of mercy and it backfires, allowing Ishii to belly to belly suplex him quickly. Ishii gets some kicks in and starts yelling at Shibata before hitting a quick brain buster.
Ishii stays on him and goes for a running face wash, but Shibata catches his leg and HITS HIM WITH A SHORT ARM LEG LARIAT SO HARD THAT HIS OWN ARM IMMEDIATELY STARTS TO TURN RED AND WELL UP. JESUS.
Shibata has an elevated Boston crab locked on, but Ishii just barely manages to get to the ropes. Shibata quick changes to an STF, but AGAIN Ishii uses what seems to be his last ounce of energy to get to the ropes.
Shibata back suplexes Ishii, but ISHII NO SELLS IT. BACK SUPLEX TO SHIBATA AND HE HITS HIS OWN LARIAT AND BOTH MEN ARE DOWN.
Back to their feet, both men again challenge each other to a punch/chop off, but Shibata acts quick with a huge kick to the head and ISHII KICKS OUT AT 1. Ishii fires up and hits another Lariat and SHIBATA KICKS OUT AT 1.
Now they’re throwing BOMBS at each other, daring the other to make the bigger move first, AND AFTER EACH BIG SHOT, THEYRE KICKING OUT AT 1.
Finish comes when Shibata avoids the brainbuster and traps Ishii in a rear naked choke that almost ends it. But Ishii gets to the ropes AGAIN! They exchange kicks, BUT THEY EACH JUST KEEP GETTING RIGHT BACK UP. Ishii hits one lariat, SHIBATA KICKS OUT *BEFORE* 1. Ishii hits a second lariat, and Shibata kicks out RIGHT AT two! Finally, with him dazed, Ishii hits Shibata with the brainbuster and that keeps him down JUST long enough for three!
What a fucking match!
A fifteen minute slug fest with two heavy hitters just beating the shit out of each other and telling the most simplistic story possible doing it. Crowd was hot from the get go. I could watch this over and over again. Hell yeah.
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