Ryota Hama is awesome, wrestling needs more fat guys. Let's face it-he isn't going to do much, but there are efficient ways to work around that. They chose the right one-having long, meaningful control segments that both established Hama's dominance and size. Hama's weight was so impressive the audience left out a collective OOOOOOOH when it was announced, and it makes the simplest moves look like killer. Okabayashi's gradual comeback was very well done, played off of what they had established and hit the sweet spot in its duration.

Fun match. Okabayashi made Hama look like a dangerous giant baby, and the crowd really loved it. The butt lariat made me laugh. A simple but well-executed story.

I love that Okabayashi refuses to change his typical mode of attack just for Hama. As a result, his pride ends up almost costing him the match at times. I guess there's a reason that they call it BJ Strong not BJ Smart. Hama is really great at using his weight to make his offense look extra effective. The crowd reaction to every moment that Hama squishes Okabayashi is fantastic. Maybe not one of the best matches from this year, but definitely one of the most fun to watch. ****