[2004-01-04-NJPW-Wrestling World 2004] Shinsuke Nakamura vs Yoshihiro Takayama

[Superstar Sleeze]

IWGP Champion Shinsuke Nakamura vs NWF Heavyweight Champion Yoshihiro Takayama - NJPW Tokyo Dome 1/4/04

I could’ve sworn I’d seen this match before but no review and I didn’t have any recollection of it while I was watching. Takayama was used a lot in big shows from 2002 up until time period. 

Even though, Takayama won the IWGP Championship from Nagata he was able to lose it to Tenzan without dropping NWF title. I don’t know how that was possible but this match is for the Unification of the two titles.

Right away you see Nakamura’s right eye is all fucked up and he came into the match that way. Don’t know what happened, but it is all black and kinda red and swollen. It is unsightly and nasty. I don’t know if it was for that particular reason or just as the young Lion he started off very aggressive.

It is about 15 minutes long and it tells a simple but elegant story. Nakamura does all he can to end it early with submissions. He starts off with a heated leglocks. Takayama is a bit bewildered to start as Nakamura is a Tasmanian Devil and the much larger Takayama is just trying to get a hold of him slowing him down with headlocks and smothers. Nakamura in all his haste left himself open to a wicked kick to the face. Takayama got full extension and got round that kick. Nasty. Nakamura keeps on fighting. He even gets two big throws on Takayama. There is a cool kick-catch into a powerbomb that feels really organic that people should steal. Again he pounces on Takayama with submissions but it is a Triangle that seems to spell his doom. Takayama powerbombs out of the triangle and PUNCHES HIM RIGHT IN THE BAD EYE!

The rest of the match is one long heat segment. Takayama punches, claws, kicks, grinds, smashes the eye at every turn. Nakamura sells really well. I think a Triangle was his only real hope spot. The eye work is fantastic. Takayama is absolutely brutal. He is such a great bully doing things like the one foot cover to show his domination. He hits the Everest German to put Nakamura out of his misery but Nakamura kicks out of the bridge and seamlessly gains a side mount and a double wristlock for the flash submission victory!

This plays very well with Nakamura’s early gimmick as a counter-wrestler specifically flash submissions which is how he beat Tenzan. Unlike Tenzan, the legitimate eye injury was a much better hook and Takayama is better at working on top. I think there are people who like these type of matches more than me so I highly recommend people watch this as I think this is an incredible young babyface takes a lickin and keeps on tickin’ match. Nakamura’s selling is a good here but you have to wonder is it selling if it actually hurts. Takayama’s offense is perfect bully offense. What I don’t like about these matches (Brock/Roman 2015) is the battering is too much to credibly believe in comeback. They poured it on too thick. It began to undercut the match credibility but made Takayama look like a choke. One thing they did do well is that there were zero Takayama near falls besides the Everest German. That saved Takayama. I wanted more hope spots, it could’ve led to immediate cutoffs but I needed more fight from Nakamura but this was still an awesome Dome match. ****