[1999-07-29-BattlARTS] Yuki Ishikawa vs Daisuke Ikeda

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

I need to watch this full series back to back sometime to track the progression, but just going on memory, this seems like the best Ishikawa performance in their singles matches so far. An abdominal stretch is normally such a perfunctory move, but Ishikawa applies it so tightly and with so much conviction that it's pretty great. That's really where this match excels - taking a lot of basic things and making them *look* really special. It's impressive that Ikeda can even try for a clothesline and it doesn't look out of place. In fact, they used that to get to the finish. Add in the stiff footwork from Ikeda (mostly Ikeda this time around), pro style selling, pacing and match layout and you have another awesome match in their series.

[tim]

The opening spot was really awesome, Ikeda was stiff as hell and the ending was really cool with them managing to do a string of missed strike spots that looked believable and very in keeping with the style. This was very good but a little disappointing, definitely some steps down from the best Battlarts matches of the year I thought.

[Tim Evans]

Good match but yeah they've had better this year. I do like them having a kicking contest like indie guys these days have chop battles. Ikeda is just so fluid and Ishikawa has great strikes.

[Zenjo]

Nothing standout but it was the highlight of the disc. Could've done with a bigger and/or louder audience. They were working within themselves and not going hell for leather. Solid stuff generally. They should steer clear of top rope manoeuvers in this style.

[soup23]

15 minutes of awesome action. These two give such good contrasts of each other that it works within the confines of shoot style. Ikeda has his kicks but man when those are neutralized by Ishikawa's sick leg work, that brings everything into question. A wonderful feud for the 1990's. ****

[PeteF3]

Not much pretty about this, at least until the end--just a gloriously down-and-dirty fight. They blend shoot-style fighting with a few pure wrasslin' spots and as usual, they make it all work, with shoot-style winning in the end. Maybe a "small" match in the grand scheme of things but one of my favorite BattlArts efforts so far.

[superkix]

Probably the most pro-wrestling match of thei series -- Ikeda tries for a moonsault at one point. Pretty good struggle on the mat, always making it look like they’re trying to grab somethingor anything. When Ishikawa tries for the rope armbreaker, Ikeda has it scouted this time and catches him in a choke sleeper. Ishikawa start building momentum, hits a beautiful double arm suplex, works in the Indian Deathlock and a sickle hold, which Ikeda breaks by squeezing Ishikawa’s nose! The whole match is kind of a scramble, no one can maintain control, and by the end, Ikeda starts escalating the violence of his strikes, but Ishikawa’s able to block the final lariat and take him down with the crossface chickenwing for the submission.

[Jetlag]

Nice to see one of the best matchups in wrestling making tape twice in a year. This was some very good shootstyle pro wrestling between two guys who obviously know eachother extremely well. Obviously not an epic war like the Young Generation Battle final, but a good look at a spot show type match. Actually liked how they integrated the attempted diving moves into the match. Great finish.