[2013-06-22-NJPW-Dominion] Hirooki Goto vs Katsuyori Shibata

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Katsuyori Shibata vs Hirooki Goto - NJPW Dominion 2013

 

Big, dumb, hyper-masculine, testosterone-addled fun! So often spotfests seem so dainty and like a gymnastic exhibition. THIS IS A MAN'S SPOTFEST! They beat the living shit out of each other. I love Shibata. Hell, Goto was awesome in this too. Goto set the tone right out of the gate with a monster lariat as they charged each other. I loved the way Shibata stepped through that roundhouse kick. That was the most intense figure-4 ever when Goto slapped the shit out of Shibata and Shibata yelled at him. I don't care they dropped each on their head three times and each time popped up to deliver another head drop because THEY ARE MEN! That Shibata headbutt was ferocious. They rifled each other with kicks, slaps and forearms. The finish was actually really well-built. Goto basically slammed Shibata face first down on the mat, which was his big nearfall. Shibata used a desperation sleeper to get himself back in it and then with kicks and a couple Death Valley Drivers was able to use the Sleeper effectively enough to set up the Penalty Kick!

Stiffness marks rejoice and revel in this manliness! Awesome! ****1/2

[ShittyLittleBoots]

Stiff strikes, brutal suplexes. This is balls to the walls action of this style from start to finish, and it's super enjoyable. ****

[G. Badger]

I'm a fan of macho bullshit wrestling for its own sake but, I couldn't get into this match. It had some really interesting spots and sequences but, I never felt it told a story. It didn't really even build to the finish. So if the story is "let's beat each other up" that's cool but, it never escalated. They started out at a 10 in the stiffness department and that left them nowhere to go. So, the macho b.s. wrestling was there but, for this to be something great or let alone classic, it need to be more than two guys seemingly winging it. I like Goto & Shibata but, they've had much better, more thoughtful bouts than this.

[SmoothS]

An absolutely brutal affair between these 2 real life friends. They did not even go over 15 minutes, but the sheer intensity & aggression that they fought with, the stiffness of their strikes, and the toughness that they have shined bright here, and the crowd as well as myself was rocking with everything that they did in this match. This is clearly one of Goto greatest matches & opponents, and we ALL miss the assassin known as Katsuyori Shibata. ****3/4

[EnviousStupid]

Shibata hit the GTW and then immediately slapped on a sleeper, as if to choke whatever hope there was of Goto no-selling his own move done onto him. It is one of the most disrespectful things I can recall watching from pro wrestling, as well as another reason why Shibata is the fucking man. Match was fantastic too, but holy hell did I feel something in that moment.