[2016-07-24-BJW] Yuji Okabayashi vs Hideyoshi Kamitani

There was nothing pretty or flash about this. It was raw and brutal at times, and told a compelling narrative of the baby-faced Kamitani scratching and clawing his way to the title. Big boss Okabayashi was perfect in his role as he tries to break Kamitani’s spirit (and body), derailing any momentum Kamitani starts to build. The early lariat spot was sold like death and even when Kamitani recovers from it, there’s still a long uphill battle ahead. Plenty of stiff shots, like Yuji going ape shit on Kamitani with chops in the corner, and Kamitani’s nasty face slaps. The final stretch was a lot of fun, despite a minor hiccup or two, with Kamitani switching on survival mode, baby-booting his way out of a powerbomb, and finally dethroning Okabayashi after two big backdrops. Really strong performances from both men.