[2017-03-12-NOAH] Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Go Shiozaki

[superkix]

I like Go Shiozaki. I feel a bit sorry for him but he’s one of my favorites guys to watch in NOAH. He works hard, busts his ass in-and-out of the ring. He’s a terrific seller and he’s become a lot more aggressive with his offense. Sadly, the NOAH fans don’t give a shit. In a bubble, this was a really good, hard-hitting match with the chop vs. kick theme established early on. Nakajima as the bratty champion is a lot of fun but I still think he needs to show a little more confidence to resonate better with the fans. Shiozaki sells hard for the kicks and in general, he looked really strong throughout. The fans at least pop for the chops. Nakajima was really good here, as well – I loved his sell after the extensive chop vs. kick battle, when he finally succumbs to the pain. At one point, Shiozaki just starts clobbering Nakajima back-to-front with little lariats before decking him. The strikes came hard and often, and Nakajima lands an especially nasty kick to the side of the head to set-up the brainbuster finish. I’d love to see Go in this year’s G1 Climax with motivation and a more conducive environment. As it is, he seems dead in NOAH waters.