[2018-12-09-DDT-D-King Grand Prix] Shinya Aoki vs Konosuke Takeshita

[aaeo_]

While every Shinya Aoki pro wrestling match we've had is interesting on some level, on paper this is one of his most interesting matchups because Takeshita is one of a handful of wrestlers in DDT who is significantly bigger than Aoki. It is also better than his previous tournament matches in practice, because during the tournament all of Aoki's matches were just stalling. And some of those were fun, Aoki armbarring Guevara after being given the middle finger is a great moment, but I'm glad this didn't fall into that mold. The grappling is good again, not as much as in the HARASHIMA match, but watching Aoki react to what the other wrestler is doing and cycle through submissions is fantastic. He does a weird spot to escape a headscissors via a headstand which was also intriguing.

Just as I was really getting into this match, Takeshita gets an Acting Moment after Aoki gets a rope break out of a boston crab and his selling for Aoki's subsequent strikes is goofy as shit in the worst possible way. However, the finish is cool as Takeshita finally ragdolls Aoki with a chokeslam and a german suplex, which was my expectation coming into the match.