Posted March 20, 20205 yr comment_5912741 IWGP Jr Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi vs Ricochet - NJPW Dominion 2014 Ricochet is fresh off winning the Best of the Super Juniors less than a month ago and they waste no time giving him his title shot against the Champ, Ibushi. These two are the kings of the "stylized action violence" style that has permeated the 2010s. The style is polarizing to me. The highspots can be eye-popping or they can be eye-rolling. These are two of the more impressive high-flyers in a generation of wannabes. So the really key highspots WOW: the opening sequence of evasive maneuvers, Ricochet's Swandive over the ringpost, the Top Rope Standing Frankensteiner Somersault Sticks The Landing for the Perfect Ten, and the finish was an incredible. I dont know what to call it. Maybe a small package suplex! I loved it! Once you distill down to those highlights, there is not much meat on the bone. Ricochet picking up his opponent into a Fireman's Carry only to put them back down on their feet is so, so fucking lame. That is a terrible spot. Because they are in New Japan the layout of this match is better than most of this genre. There is sustained momentum for each wrestler. Ricochet gets a couple nearfalls in his loss and Ibushi misses the Phoenix Splash once and gets a couple hope spot. There is more efficiency in this match than in the typical 21st century match so this raises it above your standard 21st century workrate match. Matches like this rely totally on the highspots are exciting for the moment of the highspot but otherwise leave you cold. ***1/2
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