[2006-03-05-NOAH-Navigate For Evolution] Akira Taue vs Naomichi Marufuji

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[dawho5]

Wow did this match rule. Taue does this great set of spots where he mimics Marufuji's spots that came just before. Marufuji's flippy stuff comes right where it makes the most sense instead of all the time. The heat segment on Marufuji is great, then we get another amazingly timed (and well-executed) comeback. Finishing run is all kinds of incredible as they tie in the rest of the work and work between all the nearfalls. Finish is great on so many levels. This is my working number 6. 2004-2006 have been the years of Akira Taue.

[Matt D]

Talk about a match getting dragged down by genre conventions. I know nothing about any of this, but whenever I see a random Taue match that's only 15 minutes long or so I'm going to give it a look now, since he's my new favorite Japanese guy. This had all the shapings of a great big vs little match. Marufuji's shooting himself in the foot by going for gutsy power moves or staying in holds long enough for Taue to get his hands on him only to fight back by going to the leg was all extremely effective. Taue really used his size well, from the opening dickishness with the sunset flip and dropkick to all the sense that if he just gets his hands on Marufuji, then the poor guy is doomed. I like that a lot of the big chokeslams were countered or escaped from instead of just kicked out of, and the blocking of the hand into the cross arm breaker was an incredible moment.

 

That said, there was just too much. There's no economy in this at all. The biggest nearfall in the match was probably after the massive powerbomb and it might have meant something more if it wasn't surrounded by other ridiculous two count kickouts. I don't blame the match too much because it was something the crowd was conditioned to and everything was fairly clever, but it grated because there was a legitimately great little match in there and it got damned by its own very nature.

[dawho5]

And people wonder why I hate NOAH. Try watching Kobashi vs. Misawa or Akiyama and see how long it takes you to hate the match.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Akira Taue vs Naomichi Marufuji - Budokan 3/6/04

 

Taue's specialty is reigning wrestlers in and there is no wrestler on the NOAH roster that needs to be reigned in more than Marufuji. Taue rises to the occasion and pulls out a pretty good match from Marufuji. It is a straightforward story if the veteran giant against the undersized, plucky young hotshot. Taue dominates early with his size throwing around Marufuji. Taue mocks Marufuji by doing his own moves and then teasing the big dive to the outside. The crowd and I were ready to pop big for the dive, but it was for naught. While Taue was on the apron, Marufuji wisely went after the giant's legs and getting into the ring to apply a figure-4. After tangling up in the ropes, Taue wins a suplex struggle and hits a hot shot. He is selling the knee, but fighting through the pain. On the outside, Nodowa into post and Taue's heat segment is pretty tame. The match picks up once Marufuji hits a Nodowa when he is on the turnbuckles calling back to how Taue was hitting his moves. Taue tries for a Nodowa, but Marufuji flips out and hit a basement dropkick and running kick to head. Marufuji hits a Human Capture Suplex and then a superkick/sliced bread combo. I hate Sliced Bread No. 2. TAUE COUNTERS SLICED BREAD WITH NODOWA!!!! If that was the finish, FIFTY BAZILLION STARS! Taue counters a schoolboy roll-up with a triangle choke. If that was the finish, FIFTY BAZILLION STARS! Taue Nodowa and Dynamic Bomb only get two! Oh Shit! Marufuji counters Backdrop Nodowa and Taue goes to town with chops on Marufuji. I love Taue! Marufuji blocks the back drop Nodowa with holding his hand and converting into a cross-armbreaker, which Taue breaks with overhand chops. They told a stupid Spanish Fly tease and Marufuji wins with a superkick and intricate cradle.

 

The finish run was wicked hot, but I thought the body of the match was pretty tepid. Everything made sense, but Marufuji just is not that fiery compared to Kobashi or Akiyama so there is a lack of struggle. The finish was lots of fun with some really cool moments like Nodowa counter to Sliced Bread and Marufuji countering the Nodowa, but not enough to make this a classic match. On a night where the theme was old guard versus new guard, it seemed like the new guard just was not there yet. They split the matches 2-2 with the big guns, Misawa and Kobashi going 2-0. Probably the most telling statement was that Akiyama defended against an outsider (Minoru Suzuki) rather than Rikio, Maurufuji, Morishima, KENTAor Shiozaki. The new guard still needed more time to develop unfortunately for everyone involved there was not much time left. ***3/4

[Graham Crackers]

Taue is good in this one but I think my hatred for Marufuji is too blinding for me to enjoy this match. Taue's bombs are usually pretty cool but here they just feel like excuses for Marufuji to jump high.

[supersonic]

Taue vs. Marufuji - March 5, 2006

Really good storytelling in this one. Marufuji went after the legend's left leg early to limit his already limited mobility, but Taue would still be able to withstand some dropkicks to the chest. After Marufuji put in more work on him, Taue could no longer hold his ground and was actually getting thrown around by the much smaller Marufuji. Taue would rely on his old man strength to get him out of jams, such as just throwing Mongolian chomps and relying on his various chokeslams. My favorite moment of the match was when Marufuji blocked one while falling, absorbing the bump since Taue didn't get the full impact on it, and getting a cross armbreaker on Taue.

It became crystal clear that the upset was coming, and it certainly did when Taue found himself stunned standing after a blocked Flux Capacitor, getting a superkick and being pinned clean with a pumphandle small package. This was a simple story, one that NOAH unfortunately didn't go on to fully utilize with its booking: Marufuji had too much speed, just enough experience, and significantly less wear-and-tear, and that is what got him this landmark victory. ***1/2

[TonyPulis'Cap]

I really enjoyed this one. At the beginning Marufuji tries his high flying but his drop kicks are largely ineffectual and then Taue nails him with one of his own, as if to to say, "if that's your game, I'm still better at it than you". The sunset flip another example. It's not until Marufuji goes to the leg and grinds things down he can get some control. But then he wants to go back to the flying, and that's his downfall. As soon as he gives Taue space and goes to dive to the outside, he gets caught and slammed into the ring post. I didn't think the kick outs were too unbelievable and enjoyed the escape of the chokeslams. The one off the top was beautifully timed. If you held a gun to my head on star ratings I would say a smidge under ****, but I enjoyed it as a rather reigned in NOAH contest not just full of bomb throwing.

[ShittyLittleBoots]

Best singles match Marufuji has had in NOAH? Yep - pretty easily, too. This was a great David vs. Goliath match up; loved Taue just throwing Maru around while Maru tried to use his quickness to escape from the veteran's dominant work. Very well laid out bout. ***3/4

[EnviousStupid]

Fun match. There's the core idea of size vs. speed from the first lockup, but from then on is more about taking the opponent by surprise with the distinct abilities each wrestler has. Marufuji is quick and can avoid some standard offense, but a flurry of his own can't keep someone like Taue grounded, as shown when both try a dropkick and it's Taue who knocks his opponent down. Taue's still willing to try for moves you'd never expect a guy his size and age to do, like a running sunset flip, top-rope maneuvers and ALMOST pulling out a suicide dive. He's also able to regain the upper-hand through adapting his Nodowa to throw Marufuji into the ringpost - something I can't recall having ever seen before. It's not a long match, however it's clear than both Marufuji's strategy and signature moves aren't working; he manages to kick out of a Chokebomb and Dynamic Bomb (impressive feats for a Jr. at the time), but the match is no longer his to win, so much as it is Taue's to lose. Unfortunately for Taue, that's what ends up happening. I'm guessing this relates to Taue having lost the GHC Heavyweight Title earlier in the year, but he opts to finish the match quickly instead of sticking to his strengths. He goes for a top-rope Chokeslam and Marufuji does one of the most beautifully-timed backflip counters you'll ever see, then strings together a superkick followed by a wrist-clutch cradle pin to snag victory from the jaws of defeat.