[1997-09-01-BattlARTS] Yuki Ishikawa vs Daisuke Ikeda

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Not as transcendently brilliant as the April match, but how could it be? Still an incredible match. RINGS isn't the best comparison for this style, as it's much nastier than your typical RINGS stuff. Check out Ikeda raking Ishikawa's face or locking in a headscissors that is dangerously close to a choke while Ishikawa's face turns red and he gasps for air. The audible selling and screams of pain take this to the next level. There's a real desperation from both guys that is conveyed really well and that reminds me of Tamura/Uematsu from GAEA in July. The stiffness is also unreal, like they watched a Flair vs Garvin match and decided they needed to hit each other even harder. This is an awesome rivalry and is in some ways as close to capturing everything great about the in-ring artform as any feud that ever existed. More hate grappling, please!

[Kevin Ridge]

It's a match that actually benefits from having a small crowd. The focus is completely what is going on in the ring. This isn't a long match by any means but both guys look totally spent from the beatings they have took. Ishikawa waking up after being choked out is great as he looks completely shocked by what happened but ready to continue on fighting.

[Childs]

I'm not sure I had seen this before, but it was an awesome installment in their series. I actually liked it a bit more than the April match, because it was tighter and had a cooler finish. I thought of Nintendo Logic's "ass kickingest matches" thread while watching, because this was pretty much the definition, with some of the sickest strike exchanges you'll ever see. Easily one of my favorite matches of the year.

[soup23]

One of my favorite matches of the year and I also liked this a smidge better than April. Everything is done with such violence and hatred that the smallest things get amplified. I cringed no less than five times while watching this and look forward to the entire series between these two.

[PeteF3]

Terrific and tighter match than the April one--this was a war that I agree felt like it could have been in a WTBS studio or Irish McNeil Boys Club and worked better in this setting than in a big arena. And a terrific finish, too.

[JKWebb]

http://placetobenation.com/countdown-top-500-matches-of-the-90s-250-201/2/

 

#211

 

I agree. You could feel the hatred. These guys worked their asses off, and their emotions were well displayed. Being less familiar with the promotion, I coundnt help but feel bad for them (in some ways) - working that hard in such a small venue with noticeably empty seats... anyways... ****. I think as I learn more about this promotion and the wrestlers/stories/characters ... it could bump this.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Yuki Ishikawa vs Daisuke Ikeda - BattlArts 9/1/97

 

Two things I love about BatBat are the register of moves and the transition of defense to offense. The register of suplexes as dangerous but not world ending is great. Perfect between not selling and selling too much. In addition plenty of showcases of them being pinned and instead of kicking out transiting into a hold through a bridge. Great BattlArts match with insanely violent strikes and heated struggles on the mat. Ishikawa had control with stiff punches to head and holds. Ikeda made in roads with shots to head. I loved Ikeda being pissed outside in the ring when he couldn't get the submission was great. Triangle choke was big for him to get back to even. I also loved Ishikawa going for suplexes having Ikeda DEFEND that and transition into a choke or armbar. Brilliant! Ikeda seemed obsessed with leg work kicks targeting Ishikawas leg or a dropkick. He gets a rolling heel hook takedown and then a kneebar. Finally Ishikawa looks in danger. Ishikawa makes his last stand throwing hands and Ikeda BLASTS him with a lariat. As Ishikawa was standing shaken Ikeda grabbed a choke and won.

 

Brutal (duh!) I liked how everything was set up. Story of Ishikawa slowly losing control and Ikeda hanging on getting kneebars but like all great Ishikawa/Ikeda it is decided standing up. ****1/4

[superkix]

This was a super cool match and another solid addition to the series. It kicks off with a couple of dope suplexes, Ishikawa trying to wrangle Ikeda on the mat, and Ikeda punching his way out of trouble. The contest is pretty even throughout the first part of the match, with them trading strikes and trying to find an opening on the mat. There is this great little spat exchange that ends in Ikeda lariating the shit out of Ishikawa. I thought Ishikawa was really good here, as far as his presence on the ground -- for example, when he has to use a rope break on the rear naked choke, he immediately grabs Ikeda’s arm after the break. Also, Ikeda works Ishikawa’s nose at one point, which rules. After he takes out Ishikawa’s knee with a dropkick, there’s some terrific selling from Ishikawa as he tries to stay in the corner. Just really good grunty groundwork and instinctive wrestling -- like when Ikeda struggles against the German suplex, Ishikawa just quickly grabs a choke instead. By the end of it, they’re both exhausted, a common trope of this series, and they clobber each other until Ikeda lariats the side of Ishikawa’s head and takes him back down with the choke sleeper for the submission.