[2000-04-07-NJPW-Dome Impact] Takashi Iizuka vs Kazunari Murakami

[soup23]

Murakami is awesome. I can’t help but think of Charles’ description of him being a snot throughout this match. He is able to bring a frantic and insane pace in the match to Ilzuka and the crowd reacts really well. The tension and transitions really made this match for me. I thought Murakami might take the match overall but it is to no avail as he succumbs to a huge pop. ***3/4

[Loss]

Pretty great match. Murakami's heeling mixed in with his awesome shoot-style stuff is really tremendous. Iizuka has really assumed the old role in the company held by Hiroshi Hase as the guy who can work any spot on the card against anyone and make it work. I also definitely notice a shift in New Japan's working style throughout this card, with most matches having quite a bit of matwork. I think after the excesses of the late 90s, this would have been a welcome change in every company just to make some of the styles a bit more sustainable. I'm sure it's going to make me angry at some point, but right now, I do think they are getting the balance right between that and the pro-style jaw-jacking and character stuff that makes wrestling fun. ****

[Moonsault Marvin]

This one had a really hot start, and the matwork had lots of struggle. Murakami did a good job of heeling with his facial expressions and taunting, but his punches didn't always look like they had any oomph to them. The match ran out of steam as it went on, but it was still a good showing for both guys.

 

Good match.

[superkix]

I love the visual of Iizuka running down the rampway toward the ensuing chaos in the ring...and then immediately getting pummeled and taken out by Murakami. Whenever Iizuka is able to get a submission hold locked on, it feels like a big deal and while the groundwork is rather simple, the struggle conveyed from both sides really adds to the gritty feel of the match. Iizuka being a dope on the ropes, not letting go and then pounding Murakami in the back of the head was great. I think this could've benefited from being shorter but whatever, we got Murakami trying to goad Iizuka back to his feet after blasting him with a kick, and the slack-jawed looks of Inoki and Fujinami at ringside. As the match heads home, you can really see the frustration in Iizuka's strikes and when he's able to get the choke sleeper on Murakami, it's huge but at the same time, it's hard to put a rapid dog to sleep. Good stuff.

[ny32986]

I liked Iizuka's 2000 push. Being Riki Choshu's driver definitely helped him.