[1999-03-14-UFO-Battle in the Hama Ring] Dan Severn vs Naoya Ogawa

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dan Severn vs Naoya Ogawa - UFO 3/14/99 (Special Referee: Dory Funk Jr)

This is in the midst of Dan Severn’s long reign as NWA Champion during their darkest days. I don’t know what Inoki’s thought process was here. Perhaps starting up UFO around Naoya Ogawa he wanted him to have a belt to defend. Ogawa defeated Don Frye and Gerard Gordeau in the first two UFO events. All three of the first UFO events did 8000 or better. Ogawa is definitely a draw. 

To me this is my platonic ideal of a pro wrestling match. There are way better matches but this is perfectly solid wrestling. If this was the baseline match everyone was churning out I’d never complain. It is so claustrophobic. It is body on body. Full court press grappling. There is very little distance between the combatants at any time. It is like the perfect judoka vs wrestler match. You have Ogawa stuffing double leg takedowns with front chanceries. Severn blocking STO’s with suplex takedowns. It is such a great grappling match dripping with struggle. Ogawa has awesome charisma. I love how it gets so out of hand the wrestlers tumble over the top rope to the floor. Junior has to reset them. Severn’s selling of exhaustion at  the end may be the best selling of exhaustion ever. His double leg takedown attempts get weaker and weaker eventually Ogawa pounces with a rear naked choke and wins the match!

Have there been better matches of course but I could watch wrestling like this for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. ***1/2