June 2024

You could have these two face off a million times and they'd probably still find a way to make this at least somewhat entertaining. Suzuki was much more energetic than in some of his other material (showing off with some cool Robertson-lite transitions that even Keita was stumped to deal with like that rolling Indian Deathlock!) and Keita despite his fucked up throat from years of trauma was game to do some rough and tumble amateur sprawling with the occasional wacky submission attempt out of nowhere. This really felt more or less like something you'd see from WoS, especially the way they get a ton of tension out of even the slightest big transition or suplex as a game-ch…

This was classic pro wrestling at its finest, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Mistico. His incredible entrance, with the crowd singing along to "Me Muero," showcased his star power and the respect he commands. As I mentioned earlier, everything was simple yet effective. Hiromu's performance relied on typical rudo tactics that drove the crowd wild. Of course, it didn't hurt that Mistico's undeniable charisma and excellent selling made the match thoroughly enjoyable.

This match had everything needed for a great GHC title defense: it was bloody, physically intense, and featured a champion and challenger you could both root for and despise in Kiyomiya and the New Japan invader Kidd. My only criticism is that while I enjoy Kidd's work and performance in the match, he needs to tone down his over-the-top heel shtick as it almost takes you out of the match. Additionally, it's refreshing to see NOAH finally perceive Kaito Kiyomiya as a top guy, which made his fiery babyface comebacks even more impactful with the crowd.