[2018-07-10-Choshu Produce] Katsuhiko Nakajima & Masa Kitamiya vs Takuya Nomura & Hideyoshi Kamitani

[Jmare007]

A very simple match. Nakajima is the veteran - his new sleazy look works perfectly with his demeanor - and does not give one single fuck about the Strong BJ young kids, so he takes any chance he gets to beat the fuck out of them. Kitamiya is the enforcer of the team, though he never establishes control like a Nak, he's there to change the pace and do some cool exchanges with Kamitani. As we know, Nomura and Kamitani are not easy to put down so we basically get one of those "4 people stiffing each other for 20 minutes" tag matches. Everyone involved plays their role perfectly so of course the simple formula works like a charm. Korakuen is red hot and behind the Big Japan underdogs to give this a proper atmosphere. The ending sequence was fucking brutal and it served a very clear purpose, loved it.

[superkix]

I love Nakajima's look and demeanor. I mean, the early rope break against Nomura was so so good. The stuff between Nakajima/Nomura is the obvious highlight of the match. Both Kitamiya and Kamitani were fine as the bodyslamming bruisers, with Kamitani being especially stiff, but Nakajima was really terrific here. The striking on the floor, the no selling of Nomura's comeback attempts, the shitty condescending boots to the head. One of the best moments of the match is when Nomura gets the tag, he walks in with a big smile and then smacks the shit out of Nakajima before delivering the half-hatch suplex. The final strike exchanges between he and Nakajima were snug and brutal, and Nakajima just wallops him, busting his lip. Nomura's able to escape the brainbuster attempt but Nakajima catches him with a couple of thrust kicks and then KOs him after kicking him in the face. Really good tag. 

[9 Corpses Hang in the Mist]

I wonder if 'getting violently kicked in the head while in the prone position' will become Nomura's eventual kryptonite.  Anyways yes this was really good.  Nomura continues to look like the best wrestler of his generation/age group while Kamitani seems to have improved from the last time I saw him (he's either added a bit more muscle to his frame or burned off some baby fat and his offense seems stiffer and more impactful).  Nakajima's kicks still continue to impress me  and I'm also digging this new(ish?) look and attitude of his.  And Kitamiya was perfectly fine as the other meathead in the match.

[nivvad]

You can tell Nakajima sees something special in Nomura if he's willing to beat the kid to absolute death. This match was pretty sick though as this was fast paced with lots of stiff strikes. Kamitani and Kitamiya did some classic hoss stuff while Nakajima and Nomura slugged it out with their kicks. That beatdown at the end with Nakajima just KO poor little Nomura with a punt to the face is absolutely brutal, ****1/2.

[Boss Rock]

Well, this was fantastic. Simple, yet effective story of the seasoned and prickish Nakajima and Kitamiya trying to take out the valiant underdogs in Kamitani and Nomura. Nakajima in particular really shined in this role, relishing in the violence in a laid-back, douchey sort of way. That was a great contrast to the absolutely vicious kicks he was throwing. Kamitani and especially Nomura were great in their comebacks and really came off as being on the former tag champs' level. Nomura smirking right before he smacks Nakajima across the face was brilliant. The heels then realize that they've let the faces come closer than they should have and absolutely brutalize them. The last five minutes here was some of the most violent of the year as Nakajima repeatedly slaps and ground-and-pounds Nomura into oblivion before finishing him off with the KO.

Not just one of the best tag matches this year, but purely one of the best overall. ****3/4.