[2018-07-01-RevPro-Strong Style Evolved UK] Kazuchika Okada vs Zack Sabre Jr

[MoeTWrestling]

Not quite as good as their Sakura Genesis match, but this was still damn good. The story throughout the match was ZSJ countering all of Okada's signature moves. Whether it was the rainmaker, elbow or dropkick similar to their first match. Only difference in this match is Sabre picked up a huge win and and slump of Okada continues prior to the G1. ****1/2

[ShittyLittleBoots]

Just a bit below their 1st meeting. This one was almost all ZSJ w/ Okada making just a few brief comebacks, and I loved every second of it. ZSJ had a counter for almost everything Okada had in store, which resulted in some great work on top by the man. And all of Okada's brief times on the offense were great, too - pretty much everything he did was done to damage that neck of Zack's, to soften him up for the Rainmaker. Great psychology/storytelling. Great match. ****

[Boss Rock]

Really liked this match although I agree that it wasn't quite as good as the Sakura Genesis match. Similar story of Zack having a counter for damn near everything Okada had to give him. As much as I love Okada, the criticisms of him not being the, shall we say "hardest" hitter were pretty much on full display here. Still, the guy has a way of elevating a match and making things feel important against almost anyone and that was the case here. He also did a really good job selling the arm by hitting a somewhat limp Rainmaker and being too hurt to follow up on another one. And the finish was perfect as it not only proved that Sabre is clever but that Okada is still reeling from losing the title.

****

[nivvad]

I honestly didn't think Zack and Okada could have a match that lived up to their previous classic, and while this match in the UK admittedly wasn't as good, this was still quite an awesome bout with a shocking upset win for Zack with a flash pin. Stylistically similar to their previous match with lots of spots and sequences directly from it, both men once again proved they have chemistry with Zack especially showing he has a counter for anything Okada can throw at him. A big loss and win for Okada and Zack respectively means a lot for their momentum going into the G1, ****1/2.

[G. Badger]

I think that its being generous to give this ***3/4. A lot of that is based on ZSJ working his carny moves and Okada being a great base for that.

The finish was appropriate as Zack wrestled circles around Okada.

This may be the case where I need to see the Sakura match to "get" this. If that's the case then, that precludes it from being a classic in my book. But, as a stand alone it's pretty good stuff with good action and a little bit of drama.

[WingedEagle]

This felt like the TV rematch of Sakura Genesis's PPV classic.  That's not to knock this at all, as it was a very good match.  But it seemed a bit rushed and certainly lacked the psychology and intricacy of the first match, which featured some truly great arm work by Sabre that was not only right out of his wheelhouse, but worked to counter Okada's Rainmaker.  They worked that angle for so long that when it finally paid off down the stretch (in multiple variations) it was all the more rewarding.  This simply didn't have the depth of the original outing.  Everyting they did here worked, as between the transitions and escalation they built to something special before the surprise finish.  There just wasn't enough for it to rise to the level of something truly great or memorable.

***3/4

[Childs]

This was not very good for the first 2/3. Sabre gave an unfocused performance, and a lot of Okada's offense looked downright shitty. They did pick it up in the stretch, with ZSJ delivering some cool counters to Okada's signature spots. And the finish felt like it was probably quite a live moment, though it wasn't miced properly. Still, this was a significant step down from their IWGP title match.