[2003-01-26-NOAH-The First Navigation] Jushin Liger & Koji Kanemoto vs Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUGm2g3rPeY&feature=youtu.be

[dawho5]

Pretty good match. For whatever reason, Kanemoto plays the (not really a face, but) face-in-peril for the only heat segment of the match. And it works to a degree. When Liger comes in and starts beating on Kikuchi to the point where you know a tag can be made the boos are LOUD. Otherwise, very chaotic, hate-filled brawl. The finish builds on top of the tag match in NJPW from August 2002. Might make somewhere between 50 and 75. Might not. There's better Liger vs. Kikuchi matches in 02.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Jushin Liger & Koji Kamemoto vs Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru - NOAH 1/26/03

 

The key for me regarding this match was to throw out any preconceived notions about the match and just take the match for what it is. You would expect Liger & Kanemoto to be the working heels in the match, but they wrestle as the working faces with Kanemoto taking a beatdown only for Liger to clean house and win the match with an exciting finish run. I modify with the term "working" because while the match is worked that way there is no doubt that the crowd is behind Kikuchi and Kanemaru. even they are dastardly and Liger & Kanemoto are mounting a comeback. This is a pretty easy switch in my head because I am a way bigger fan of the New Japan guys so it is easy to make the switch for me to get behind my man, Liger. This match also has me second-guessing how I ranked the previous 2002 matches in the series because I liked this a lot and I feel those were in a similar vein. So more rewatching is necessary.

 

The one consistent thread through all the New Japan vs. NOAH matches is that they are red-hot with hatred and anger. I am always a sucker for a blood feud and Liger vs. Kikuchi was definitely one of the best of the 00s in Japan. Kikuchi running at Liger and eating palm strike after palm strike was a great opening. Kanemoto is too emotionally compromised though as he is attacked from behind while jawing with Kikuchi, Kanemaru dropping a leg on him while he hanging over the guardrail gets a big pop of the crowd as they beating down Kanemoto. Kanemoto tries to rally, but a nasty, nasty Kikuchi headbutt fucks him up. The selling from this headbutt is just amazing and should be watch to be fully appreciated. During a series of rolling suplexes, Liger says enough of this shit. He sets Kikuchi up in the Tree of Woe, but Kikuchi avoids a dropkick by doing a sit up leaving Liger probe to be crotched on the ringpost. The other consistent thread has been the excellent testicular psychology!

 

After this, they do lose me for a bit as Kanemoto remains in the ring rather than tagging out and it just does not have as much heat. I would contribute a lot of that to Kanemaru being in the ring instead of Kikuchi. Kanemaru whiffs on his moonsault and Kanemoto goes after the knee. Kanemoto and Kikuchi have this weird exchange where Kanemoto wants to throws Kikuchi out the ring, but Kikuchi takes it like his head is slammed into the ropes and then just stands there. Kanemoto sends him out the other side. I found it amusing. Now Kanemoto whiffs on his moonsault. It is not matter because Kanemoto applies his famous heel hook with Liger detaining Kikuchi. Sometimes these detainments come off as perfunctory in Japan, but I thought this one was especially dramatic. Kanemoto and Kanemaru trade some suplexes and finally Liger and Kikuchi are tagged in and KATIE BAR THE DOOR! Kikuchi hits Protobomb that won him the match in August of 2002, but cant get the job done. Here comes Liger BABY!!! Palm strikes and sweet Ligerbombs abound! I thought the youtube video made Kikuchi's defiant stand hilarious. So the youtube video is not the best quality and sometime it can be a little shaky and tilted. Of course, there is Japanese symbols on the screen. So all this makes for hilarity because when Kikuchi gets angry it looks straight out of 90s Japanese video game you have the close up of him enraged with Japanese symbols and a shaking camera. Liger puts him down with a super Brainbuster and palm strike to win and I guess finish off the series with Kikuchi at least, as I know he competed against KENTAFuji.

 

Like I said, I enjoyed this match the stretch in between the Kanemoto in Peril and the finish run did lose me because they sort of went into generic 00s puroresu mode, but still overall fun. Given that, in my memory, the '02 matches were better yet about give this the same rating as I did two of those because I was still figuring out my scale. So rewatching that series soon, but this was some good stuff. ***1/2

[Graham Crackers]

I know that calling this the fourth best NJPW vs NOAH junior tag doesn't sound like a compliment but this is still pretty damn good. It's just not great like the other Liger vs Kikuchi tags. Kanemoto is a great addition to this even if he doesn't come across like a contemptible prick like Minoru did. It's a shame Kanemoto didn't play a bigger role in this feud because he is definitely capable of being a merciless asshole when called upon to do so. I would have preferred him to guys like Gedo and Jado.

[tim]

I absolutely love these Liger/Kikuchi tags. Contrary to everyone else in this thread I don't think this is a step below their average. In fact, I've got it ranked as the #2 of the series and sitting right outside by top 20, at number 21 right now. I love the chaotic nature of these matches and this was no exception, Liger and Kikuchi would start to brawl on the outside in the middle of Kanemoto/Kanemuru segments, interferences all over the place, heeling from the NJ guys. Some great big moments like the totally sick Kikuchi headbutt to Kanemoto, and that being played off later as Kikuchi gets into a headbutt war with Liger in the middle of his awesome FIP segment. They dial up the workrate for the homestretch but don't lose the sense of chaos and the clear roles that make these matches unique. Love the final couple minutes as Kikuchi powers up from a Liger bomb and attempts to do the same from a top rope brainbuster, but is clearly finishes as he collapses and immediately falls to a big Shotei. The only flaw in this match is the crowd. Which isn't to say they were bad, they reacted big as some big moments, but I think due to the nature of this match not flowing like most matches do and having some 'awkward' moments (awkward in a good way, imo, getting over the struggle and messiness of the match) so moments that should have felt bigger fell a little flat. Still very up there for the decade.

[El-P]

Contrary to everyone else in this thread I don't think this is a step below their average.

 

Indeed, not at all. This is great.

 

You would expect Liger & Kanemoto to be the working heels in the match, but they wrestle as the working faces with Kanemoto taking a beatdown only for Liger to clean house and win the match with an exciting finish run.

 

Wait, what ? Sometimes I wonder if people are actually watching the same matches I do... No offense. But Liger & Kanemoto absolutely work heel from the get-go, disrespecting NOAH junior belt even before the match starts. You'd expect Kikuchi & Kanemaru not taking that too well, hence the first chaotic brawling part of the match, peaking with that ridiculous (and stupid, let's be honest) headbutt by Kikuchi, allowing them to beat on NJ asshole Kanemoto. It's gonna haunt the old, fat, gassed up fuck later on, during a long heat sequence on his ass, which include the greatest camel clutch ever by the Liger/Kanemoto duo. Kikuchi finally manage to make a hot tag (as the babyface dynamic commands) to get onto the last stretch. Although some of his stuff looks downright bad, Kikuchi really is the star of the match, and some of his timing, as well as attitude, is quite awesome. Yet again, kudos to Misawa for booking that awesome Kikuchi resurgence in the early 00's after years of doing nothing in AJ after the great early 90's stuff. Liger shows again why he's probably the best interpromotionnal worker ever. Complete antagonist here. Kanemoto is crisp as ever, although he does no-sell on random at times like he always does (the brainbusters series interrupted after two for the worst offense to selling 101) while Kanemaru kinda takes a little step back to his old-ass elbowing partner but still working some cool shit against his NJ counterpart Kanemoto. Liger keeps on being a dick even after he won. Great match.

[ohtani's jacket]

This is one of the most overrated feuds of the early 00s. I appreciate a fat Kikuchi trying to work a Southern style brawl against Liger and shoot headbutt Kanemoto, but this is a weak brawl that turns into a regular juniors match. At least Kikuchi had a heroic death at the end. Japanese guys are so bad at pull apart brawls and acting angry with each other. It reminds me of fights on the train platform where they pull at each other's collar.

[G. Badger]

Oh man!! He's dropped the belt like it was a piece of trash!! Koji dropped the GHC Jr. belt like it was heavy bag of turds! He is such is a dick! These matches suit him best. I mean go all the way to the 1992 WAR match also with Liger. Old man Liger is grumpy speaking of Wrestling and Romance. He just wants to foul Kikuchi and Kanemaru up. That's cool because Kikuchi is as grumpy as they make em. He's channeling Ashura Hara because he's punching, elbowing, and elbowing some motherfuckers in this. He's some kind of ogre as he's all beat up but, keeps pushing forward. Then we've got Kanemaru as the young fire plug, throwing bones and dropping bombs. This is some great stuff! Note: I'm gonna say something that might be rather obvious. If you're not familiar with these guys then may be it won't be as enjoyable as it was for me. Additionally, if you're watching this as a stand alone then it lacks the moves and Jr. action for a great match by itself (I did a rewatch 10 years from the initial review and I wasn't as gung-ho). But I fully believe what I said because I'd watched a handful of other matches in the NOAH vs NJ Jr. feud in '02 prior to this. Those previous bouts make this one more meaningful and dramatic than just rough & tumble match. But if you're just seeing this match then yeah its just a brawl.