[2002-09-23-NOAH-Great Voyage] Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs El Samurai & Masayuki Naruse

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Ditch]

Kanemaru & Kikuchi vs Samurai & Naruse, IWGP junior tag titles, NOAH September 23rd 2002

 

Background: Kanemaru and Kikuchi formed a somewhat impromptu tandem in February to tangle with the invading New Japan forces, led by Liger himself. The initial tag is one of the best of the year and I'm confident everyone will watch it. This is another skirmish in the war.

 

Why I think it's underrated: A match that isn't the main event or semi-main, let alone one with junior heavyweights, let alone one with second-tier junior heavyweights, is easy to pass over. Samurai/Naruse is a somewhat random pairing for New Japan to send over, yet improbably enough they're an effective unit. I suspect that a lot of what makes this match good is the momentum of the NJ vs NOAH feud from the August 29th show.

 

What it deserves: Top 100 consideration / on the bubble. Not as good as the top-tier matches in the feud, but most of those are top 50 caliber, so top 100 for this is reasonable.

[dawho5]

As far as spotty lower-tier juniors go, I'll take Naruse any day over Kanemaru. He works this great grounded headlock on Kikuchi early that I really, really loved. And he has nice, smooth, almost Minoru-like ability to chain into different holds from things. His strikes need work, but he's entertaining. Kanemaru used a top rope diving DDT as a transition to offense. Kikuchi vs. Damurai is pretty damn good, very gritty and more in an older style of puroresu that I really dig. It's not as good or as heated as Liger vs. Kikuchi, but I doubt much NJPW has to offer will be. This will probably be just short of the cut due to the crap finish, but it was a lot of fun up until then, for the most part.

[Graham Crackers]

Kikuchi during this era is compelling against anybody, especially anybody from NJPW. Samurai is definitely capable of embracing his role as a heel in this feud and Naruse is solid enough to make up for the fact that he's a little dry. This never reaches the heights that other matches in this feud do but it's a solid NJPW vs NOAH junior tag.

[El-P]

Quite the NJ B-team. Naruse, the poster-boy for late 90's early 00's random kickpad worker. He's quite ok. Sammy's sporting a shiny black outfit and is awkward and good as only he can be. NJ guys are heelish, but don't bring the disdain like Liger did. Kikuchi elbowing people left and right is always fun, although he really looks completely fried at points. Kanemaru was the best here, bringing in the work (yeah, he used a top-rope DDT as a transition, except it was very logical considering his positionning in the ring, and that makes it absolutely right and valid) and being a dick, but the in-house dick. Very good match with that cool interpromotionnal feel you really don't get much anymore, as these company really never mixed before.