Him and Nishimura have a fun stiff striking battle near the end that's decent (a lot better than Suzuki's shitty touring extravaganza version we suffer through these days) but everything else was bleh and not a touch on their prior NJPW encounters. Finish has some move-stealing from both duos as Fujiwara and Suzuki do mirror spots, Fuchi tries for some Nishimura-style roll-ups but gets wrecked after a failed fighting spirit bit right into a Gotch Piledriver for the quick and easy win. All in all a pretty average affair that only gets truly great when Nishimura is allowed to cook with Fuji, it's basically just a extended tease for a matchup that never happens....pretty sad thinking about that still. Fuchi's usual goofy uncle comedy is fine as it always is but I do wish he was given a moment to at least try to look competent here. Suzuki does basically the average late 2000's and beyond lazy performance bar some moments when he cares a tad more than usual. 

FINALLY! This was uploaded in all its reigning glory I have probably been on the lookout for this for 5-6 year. This was even better than I expected. Table throws, furious strike exchanges and BLOOD~! Curious though we only get 21 minutes of a 29 minute match a little less than 75%. It feels complete so I am going to rate, but I wish we had it in its entirety. 

SUWAMA maybe the most underrated wrestler ever because he has been stuck in 21st Century All Japan his whole career, but the dude is a beast and if you like power wrestler like me you ought to check him out. Funaki is a shoot-style beast and together have a crazy sexy beast match that is probably my worldwide 2010 match of the year. In the buildup to this match Funaki was Knocking Fools Out with his kicks to the head including SUWAMA. That's how you build up a challenger. 

Pretty much an excellent shooter vs pro wrestler match. Funaki is better at strikes (kicks and open hand slaps) & submissions. SUWAMA has raw bone power and relentless heart. SUWAMA rocks the double hand chops, meaty lariats and brutal throws. Offensively, this is a dream match. 

Funaki catches him with a kick to the head that more spooks SUWAWA than anything else as he powders. This plays off Funaki's lethal kicks and his KO power. It plants that seed this match can be over at any second and SUWAMA needs to be cautious. The thing that is not SUWAMA's game plan. He is never cautious. He is always moving forward and is a bull, just lowers his head and runs into the fray. 

They do some great wrestling. I love how Funaki quashes SUWAMA's fireman's carry attempt and they both grapple really well. Upon standup, Funaki starts lighting SUWAMA up with kicks but just one might Double Chop fells Funaki. They do a great job establishing Funaki's technical advantage, but SUWAMA's strength is the great equalizer. On the outside Funaki again laces into him with kicks and SUWAMA just HURLS THE TABLE AT HIM! YES!

SUWAMA has the high ground back in the ring and scores with the Double Chop sending Funaki flying. SUWAMA sticks his leg through the ropes and Funaki gabs a kneebar. Funaki's other main weapon besides Knocking People The Fuck OUT is his heel hook. Funaki just settles into a rhythm of kicks and I could watch him kick forever. I love SUWAMA he is always moving forward and he is always trying to get back on offense. He is selling, but he keeps struggling and keeps fighting. Hell Yeah! Funaki is maneuvering into submissions like the heel hook and cross armbreaker, but SUWAMA is using his guts and power to fight out.  He starts catching those kicks and thats when he starts throwing Funaki around. At first those throws just get Funaki off balance, but eventually they will make in roads. Suplexes allow for resets they dont always cause damage. It breaks Funaki's rhythm but he gets back up. The first one that does real damage is the slam on the Triangle Choke pickup. It is all power with SUWAMA hurling his body with a shouldertackle off the apron and huge Mack Truck Lariats. Funaki for his part just starts throwing hands with reckless abandon. Funaki's hands were flying and a lesser man would be knocked out. These were stiff, brutal shots to the head. At one point in the corner I thought he fucking KO'd SUWAMA with an illegal closed fist. SUWAMA comes up with BLOOD! Holy shit! Funaki just comes flying in with a flying knee to the head. This is so fucking awesome! 

SUWAMA is out on his feet. He has nothing behind anything and Funaki is picking him apart. Funaki goes for the Back Drop Driver, but SUWAMA reverses and DEMOLISHES HIM! MASSIVE DROPKICK! THE BEST DOUBLE UNDERHOOK SUPLEX YOU WILL EVER SEE! Funaki tries fighting back, flying knee in the corner, but SUWAMA catches and muscles him into the BIGGEST RUNNING LIGER BOMB EVER! THAT WAS AWESOME! SUWAMA BLASTS WITH A SPINNING LARIAT! THIS IS SICK! SUWAMA wants his Last Ride Powerbomb. Funaki has one last gasp HUGE STRIKES TO THE HEAD! How the hell is SUWAMA not out...Funaki is teeing off...DOUBLE KO KICK AND SUWAMA OBLITERATES HIM WITH A LARIAT! Two massive Takayama style Germans and a THUNDEROUS POWERBOMB FOR THE EMPHATIC VICTORY! 

From a purely offensive standpoint, this is why type of match. I love shoot-style for its strikes and submissions. I love pro wrestling for its power in terms of the lariat, suplexes, slams and powerbombs. This was a blend of everything I love in wrestling from an offensive standpoint. On top of that, I loved the layout. It was electric, big fight feel. Both guys never giving an inch. They both coming forward, tons of struggle and urgency. This was not two dudes playing ragdoll for the other. They coming in and trying to disrupt the other. That is what I love. There is some selling stuff and some transitions here and there that could have been improved on but fuck it this was BAD FUCKING ASS! Supercharged Big Ass Pro Wrestling! ****3/4

Anyway, you can tell Mr. Workrate Dolph Ziggler is having a whale of a time getting to wrestle the Indy Legend Bryan Danielson. He's clearly been watching his ROH tapes as the opening exchange seems very reminiscence  of Bryan's time in ROH. Bryan scoops a leg and attempts to stomp on Ziggler's head, but he's just barely dodges. It's a neat exchange.  The only facial expression that Ziggler seems to have is 'Smug Handsome Heel', but he makes up for this with some nifty amateur wrestling flavoured roll ups. 

There's plenty of cool nearfalls here, mostly stemming from roll ups and cradles. It's a shame the actual finish is lacking. Ziggler gets trapped in the LeBell lock, Vickie sneaks his foot under the ropes, he taps anyway, match over. Oh well.

★★★½

I don't have too much to add to my previous review from their September match. The Bucks turning heel created a better transition into the heat segment when they hit a Super DDT off the top rope. That was a very good turning point and played off their attack. It also helped with the babyface shine as Shelley was using more stinging chops and the Guns were really dominating the Bucks with high octane strikes. Ultimately the match devolved into a spotfest. I liked the previous match better because there was more traditional wrestling and only two minutes of spotfest wrestling. Here it was seven minutes of spotfest. Some really good ones that I enjoyed but it lacked the stickiness of good, solid wrestling. I am always a big fan of 450 splashes and we got beautiful ones from the Bucks. Sabin hit a ridiculous Release German from the top rope that eliminated one of the Bucks and the other Buck ate the finish. Strong opener exactly what you want on your biggest PPV to get the crowd rocking. ****

Orton vs Sheamus, First Ever "Steel" Stairs In A Ring Match!!!!! It is funny in the PG Era of Hell In A Cell matches they have relied a lot on weapons to fill the violence left by blood, punches and stunts. There is no "weapon" on the rise more in the 2010s than the ring stairs. It has become a prevalent part of WWE to the point where there was a "Stairs" match between Big Show vs Rowan. They are more frequently used than tables at this point and I am surprised the WWE fans don't chant "We Want Stairs". The reason I bring this up is the last ten minutes or so centered completely around working spots on the stairs in the middle of the ring. They even worked an Irish Curse Backbreaker on the stairs, which Matt Striker tried to rationalize, bless his heart. You knew ultimately that an RKO on those stairs would be the finish and it was. It is just interesting that a "Hell In A Cell" really became a "Steel Stairs In A Ring" match.

On top of that, this match really forces the question is a reverse bearhug ok in a Hell In A Cell match? In the PG era, do we have to accept that these are no longer Hell In A Cell matches, but rather matches that simply take place in Hell In A Cell? Honestly, I don't think that is necessary. I think a fast & furious 10-12 minute brawl without blood can still live up to the Hell In A Cell name. It is just these 22 minute matches pretty much necessitate a typical championship match structure. That being said I don't get hung up on the fact that this was not a brawl but rather a traditional championship match.

So after all that, I do think this was a great match and the first great Sheamus match on the main roster. He spent 2010 wrestling the big dogs, Cena, HHH and Orton. He is a tremendous offensive wrestler with a wide arsenal and a great punch. Sheamus may have the best body shots in the pro wrestling history. The early Sheamus I have watched has not clicked until this match for me. I really thought he put it together in this match and Orton's selling of the ribs was great. I thought these two are well-matched because they both hit hard and they both like to throw hands. Sheamus targeted the ribs after knocking Orton off the apron into the Cell and then hitting a front suplex on the vaunted stairs. Orton did a great job verbally selling his agony and later on the match using it as a reason for him not to immediately capitalize. I thought the finish stretch was an excellent melding of the two's typical spots and use of the stairs. The powerslam on the stairs was nasty! That looked like it hurt Sheamus a lot. I liked the symmetry of Sheamus hitting two Brogue Kicks and Orton two RKOs. It really showed that they both needed extra oomph to take down the other. Sheamus' second Brogue came when Orton went for the Punt (his super special finish). Orton's second RKO came when Sheamus went for the Celtic Cross (his super special finisher). Orton double legged Sheamus on the stairs when he went for the Cross which was a good transition to rattle the Irishman. Orton then hit his second RKO on the stairs for the win.

If you just accept that this is a WWE Weapons (read: Stairs) Match That Happens To Happen In Hell In A Cell, this is a great match with great body psychology and great escalation in the finish. Orton was hitting hard and selling well. He was mixing his moves in well. Sheamus was an offensive dynamo and showed great poise controlling the majority of the match. Great WWE main event match. ****