This one has obvious appeal, with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada combining for a shot at the tag team titles. Okada has extensive history with both Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI too, either acting as their big brother or regularly treating them like his little brother. That’s present at the bell, as Okada quite disdainfully steps to YOSHI-HASHI, pushing him back as you’d expect. It’s clear early though that the tag champion won’t be walked over, even if he’s unquestionably outgunned.
Bishamon have chemistry and continuity also, using that for some tandem offence as they take control of Tanahashi. The knee is their target before long, earning an early interference or two from Okada that captures the gravity of this initial control on Tanahashi. Okada can see the match changing in front of his eyes, as Tanahashi is worn down by quick tags from the champions, neatly cutting the ring off as they go. Soon enough though, Tanahashi creates distance, landing a timely Dragon Screw and making the tag.
Okada comes in with that same aggression that accompanied his aforementioned interference, instantly overwhelming the champions. There’s a real swagger to the ace right now and it’s especially compelling after so long in that more restrained state. He’s wrestling like a man who truly believes he’s without peer and that’s exactly what his resume demands at this point, honestly. Either way, Okada briefly takes control, wiping out both only for YOSHI-HASHI to momentarily target the ace’s own knee.
A kick to his Rainmaking right arm follows, bringing in Goto for a fiery salvo that neatly matches Okada’s prior energy. I never particularly liked the Goto – Okada pairing in singles matches but they’re bringing it here, using this setting to showcase an intensity that I often felt was absent from their big title tilts. Regardless, Okada ultimately settles into a Money Clip because you can’t win them all, and not long into this match, Goto is barely surviving in centre ring.
The Money Clip is well, The Money Clip but Goto’s sell here is extraordinary, wearing agony and terror on his grimacing face all at once. YOSHI-HASHI eventually makes the save though, not preventing the short arm Rainmakers that follow anyway. He does return in time to stop the final blow however, allowing Goto to clobber Okada with a desperate lariat. That forces Okada to bring Tanahashi back in, but only after flooring Goto with a flapjack first.
Within seconds, poor Tana is reeling again, eating a Ushigoroshi for his troubles. He fires back on YOSHI-HASHI though, destroying him with a German Suplex that was gloriously un-Tanahashi (such a thing would rarely be complementary, but it is here). Things are now breaking down, with all four men moving in and out of the picture as this live crowd explodes. Goto halts Tanahashi’s hopes for High Fly Flow, giving YOSHI-HASHI time to recover as he returns to the old ace’s knee via Dragon Screw.
Okada soon returns though, scoring a timely dropkick as NJPW’s past and present combines for a triumphant roar. Both men then head up, with Okada hitting an elbow drop only for YOSHI-HASHI to block Tanahashi’s High Fly Flow. That sequence is really the whole match encapsulated. Okada saves Tanahashi and sets him up to finish the deal, but it’s just not to be, not anymore at least. Instead, Tanahashi is left to trade strikes with YOSHI-HASHI, unable to overwhelm him as his partner has.
The champions soon reunite in centre ring too, flooring Tanahashi with a combination that forces Okada to just barely make the save. ‘The Rainmaker’ single-handedly fights Bishamon off for a moment or two, but is again wiped out as they return their focus to Tanahashi. He has a final show of defiance however, escaping their finish and snatching a quick pin for the match’s most dramatic near fall. He continues to rally too, briefly rolling back the years but eventually succumbing to the numbers game. Wow.
Beautiful all-star tag, with the actual team coming out on top as the wrestling god (not JBL) intended. Bishamon had the tandem offence, they had the quick tags and so, their work on Tanahashi ultimately paid off. Okada is untouchable throughout though, just bossing this thing whenever he’s legal and at times when he’s not. The champions simply survived him, focusing on Tanahashi just enough to keep the gold around their waist.
Pinning Tanahashi certainly felt like a moment for YOSHI-HASHI and this did an awful lot for Bishamon as a team. They left this match with a main event shine, or as close as this combination can get to that anyway. Great performances from all involved and one of the year’s best tag matches thus far. At just over twenty minutes, this was a perfectly paced epic too, not even slightly stretched thin. More tags of this variety, please.
Bing Bong's Match Reviews 