[2015-04-29-DDT-Max Bump 2015] Kota Ibushi vs HARASHIMA

[aaeo_]

Much better match than their Saitama Arena match and I probably liked it a bit more than their 2009 Ryogoku match. The opening matwork is really good, as per usual. This time, there's no singular focus on a limb or body part but Ibushi does gain the upper hand and from there starts getting off his bigger. Match centers around HARASHIMA outlasting Ibushi. Thankfully, he doesn't just lay down and absorb offense, which almost always makes for dull wrestling. But for most of the match, Ibushi gains the upper hand at every turn. Ibushi counters all of HARA's big match moves, such as the kneedrop (?) he does over the ropes and the diving somato. HARASHIMA escaping the phoenixplex through headbutts was dope as well, and he wins by finally hitting the diving somato. I don't know if I'd call those "callbacks" but it does play into the familiarity these two have with each other. It's a really great match.

As a side note, this is one of the best DDT shows I've seen and I've gone through a lot of their stuff last couple of months. It has a pretty good/funny undercard and two incredible matches at the top. Sadly it's not on DDT Universe but it's well worth seeking out.

[Makai Club #1]

Similar to the Saitama match. They start on the ground with Ibushi using his speed and agility to not be overrun in the early goings before HARASHIMA targets the ribs. Then they transition into throwing big strikes and all their hits at each other. But I think this is much better paced than their last match. They pulled out some really awesome sequences, which are also received much better in front of the Kourkean Hall crowd. They even expended on the finishing stretch of their other match by adding some great counters with tons more struggle to pull off their finishers. The whole match was pretty good but it wasn’t without fault. The early parts of the match with HARASHIMA going for the ribs and Ibushi for the back were blown off rather quickly. If they cut that part out and kept the rest, this would've been a MOTYC for me. ***3/4