[2022-03-13-NJPW-New Japan Cup] Minoru Suzuki vs Hiromu Takahashi

[corwo]

Good match, not quite great. The appeal of this is fairly simple. It’s two wrestlers with big personalities battering each other’s chests until they turn into raw meat. The first five minutes are almost exclusively made up of chops. Things spill to the outside, but Suzuki stays firmly in control. Despite the even start, Hiromu spends the bulk of the match fighting from underneath. It’s Hiromu’s best showing in quite some time, as Minoru’s there to ground him and curb his worst instincts. The pacing is inconsistent, as the two start wrestling, and things speed up briefly. The main thing preventing me from enjoying this more than I did is that it feels a little too one-note. The strike exchanges are delightful, if a little long-winded. Regardless, it’s a fun match that doesn’t overstay its welcome. With current New Japan, you have to take small victories like that where you can get them.