[2007-02-18-NJPW-Circuit] Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Koji Kanemoto

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUL5Wxm-q-E

[dawho5]

So there is a major NJPW match without Chono at ringside so we can cut to him anytime a submission is applied? Well, color me surprised. As for the match, it seems like Koji might be questioning Tanahashi's cred as the future ace or something, but I don't understand Japanese. Opening moments are pretty even. Koji offers a handshake. Then kicks the crap out of Tanahashi. For the better part of 25 minutes. Tanahashi gets in 5 moves, hits a dragon suplex and wins. HUH? How exactly does booking your future ace getting his ass handed to him by a junior (your top junior, sure, but a junior?) for 20 out of 25 minutes help? Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems really out of place. Also, the strike exchange near the end was terrible. But you know, the beatdown of Tanahashi was mostly good as Koji seemed to enjoy punting him around the ring. So I guess not a complete waste.

[Superstar Sleeze]

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Koji Kanemoto - NJPW 2/18/07

 

You know what this reminds me of the basic WWE upper midcarder match. There is not a lot of "downtime", but it basically just boils down to two guys running through their spots. There is no transitions, glue or hook to it. I am going hit some of my moves then you hit yours. Kanemoto was nominally on top for most of the match, but damn if Tanahashi did not sell one iota. Tanahashi never even flexed his knee once. This is the worst I have seen Tanahashi since the 2005 Dome Debacle. It also differs greatly from Tanahashi usual style of working on top whether face or heel. He works underneath for the top junior of all people. The match kicks in when Tanahashi bails on a heel hook attempt selling how that cna be instant ender even though he never sells it again. Kanemoto extends his hand only to roundhouse kick Tanahashi in the chest Sano-style. Tanahashi actually fired up pretty aggressively and convincingly. He mocks the Kanemoto facewash only to eat a dropkick. Two facewashes and some kicks to the head and we have Tanahashi selling a possible countout finish. Kanemoto one foot cover and Tanahashi gets a superman punch to turn the tide. I guess you can say this match is one-upping gloating, but there really has been no hook. Tanahashi runs through some moves only to get trapped in a heel hook. This is sold like a Kurt Angle ankle lock not a proper match-ending heel hook. Here comes the strike exchange. Tanahashi rolls out of the way on a moonsault, but still gets hit by it. He ignores that and goes up and misses High Fly Flow. Kanemoto rolls into a weird leg submission. Tanahashi basically says fuck you because he does a swining dragon sleeper. High Fly Flow->2! Kanemoto gets some random offense in just because, I guess the inside cradle was hot. Tanahashi hits a Human Capture and Dragon Suplex to win. The match was all over the place. If all you care about is action than you will probably like this match. If you like a sense of struggle, urgency, consequence, then this match leaves you wanting a lot more. It is what I like to call the standard *** WWE match and that's why it gets ***.