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[2017-02-11-NJPW-New Beginning in Osaka] Katsuyori Shibata vs Will Ospreay


ShittyLittleBoots

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My most awaited New Japan match up in a quite some time. I loved all of their interactions in their multi-man tag matches, and this singles meeting between them sure was as spectacular as expected. Fantastic styles clash with Ospreay first trying to ground Shibata, only for Shibata to get out of everything he tries. Ospreay used his amazing flips to avoid Shibata's deadly strikes. He tried to go toe-to-toe with The Wrestler a few times w/ the strikes, only for him to get absolutely destroyed by him. This had everything I expected it to have - fantastic sequences, intensity, great counters, memorable moments + really good storytelling with Ospreay getting more & more frustrated as he tried everything he could to put Shibata down - the story of a cocky youngster getting humbled, but also earning the respect of the veteran he pissed off. Amazing match. ****1/2

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Really good showcase for Ospreay, who completely delivered in this big spot up the card. Ospreay also made the little things count; he'd go back and kick Shibata outside if he wasn't stunned enough for his dives. Killer tope. Story is interesting as its really all Ospreay. Shibata did a little of everything but not for long; worked the arm, then would work the leg off a reversal, back to strikes, back to the arm on the top rope. It was an interesting dynamic because Ospreay was seemingly on offense a lot. He certainly out-quicked Shibata. Shibata would kick out, or shrug stuff off and then reverse, but there wasn't ever a stretch with Shibata was dominating and Ospreay had to tough it out and make big kickouts. It was essentially an inverted Juice/Goto match from the week prior.

 

Ospreay KOs Shibata with the kick against the ring post, and gets a little frantic as the count goes on. Killer sequence when he rolls him up to his shoulders to dead lift and dump Shibata in the ring. That two-count was good, but the better one was off the inverted 450, which I bought as the finish. It almost seemed deflating that Shibata wins quickly right as Ospreay seems to have it, reversing the Os-cutter into a sleeper and then hits the PK for the win. ***3/4

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I really enjoyed the opening matwork, especially Shibata's defense. I thought Ospreay worked in his explosive high flying in creative and logical ways for the most part. The first dive through the ropes was amazing, and looked brutal. I could have done without the second one with the hand springs or whatever flipping over the top. We get the trading of stiff strikes. The blend of the styles is cool. It was nice to see Shibata sitting back and waiting for the right opportunities to catch Ospreay in the midst of something high flying and punish him for it. Ultimately, that's what cost him the match, and Shibata grabs the win. I thought this was really entertaining. ***3/4 to ****. I'm leaning towards the 4.

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  • GSR changed the title to [2017-02-11-NJPW-New Beginning in Osaka] Katsuyori Shibata vs Will Ospreay

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