MATCHES FROM THE VAULT #27

KATSUHIKO NAKAJIMA & KENSUKE SASAKI VS DAICHI KAKIMOTO & DAISUKE SEKIMOTO – BJW 5/5/2006

At this point a year and a quarter into the blog I’ve found myself reviewing many more Kensuke Sasaki matches from the indies then I originally thought. WMF, NIGHT-MARE, Osaka Pro and KAGEKI are just a few companies he took Nakajima to during this time period. I’ve only ever seen a handful of Kakimoto matches but by memory he was involved in one of my favourite matches of all time, some amazing tag match from 2005 in DDT with Tanomusaku Toba that’s just skipping my memory for the time being. I don’t believe Seki and Sasaki ever had a singles match but holy shit their interactions during this contest were absolutely world class. Exactly what you’d expect from these two behemoths but your expectations will remain blown out of the water, the way they deliver their chops and shoulder blocks are just leaps and bounds above 96% of wrestlers on earth. When Sasaki finally took a bump from Sekimoto the already rabid crowd lost their shit. Sixteen year old Katsuhiko Nakajima holding his own in a slapping contest to an already gigantically built Daisuke Sekimoto was a sight to see, he managed to get the best of Big Japan’s heavyweight ace. Sasaki ate Kakimoto alive on many occasions, the legend may have bumped for Sekimoto but he wasn’t taking any of Kakimoto’s shit. Kakimoto started getting the old wobbly leg after being decimated. Kensuke wrecked Kakimoto with a lariat then Nak finished him with a the bridging German, great match.

RATING – 8/10
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COSMO SOLDIER 20TH ANNIVERSARY MATCH: COSMO SOLDIER VS SUPER CRAZY – COSMO SOLDIER/IIDA PRODUCE 4/12/2015

Say what you will about Super Crazy but in the year 2022 he is signed to a Japanese promotion and still landing moonsaults which in my opinion is cool as shit especially given he made his Japanese debut all the way back in 1995. In fact in 1995 he met Cosmo Soldier in Wrestle Yume Factory during Cosmo’s first year as a professional so it’s fitting that the stars aligned and Cosmo was able to wrestle his 20th anniversary match against Super Crazy. Cosmo with a 619 and flipping suicide dive within the first couple of minutes, the mat work prior was actually really good in itself. Super Crazy’s rolling Romero special will never not be impressive, he still applies it sweetly to this day. Cosmo was once a truly great wrestler and whilst he still looks good in spots you can tell not wrestling on a regular basis took a toll on his wrestling capabilities. I say that but as I typed that he managed a decent top rope dive to the outside followed by a bridging German suplex so my man Cosmo is trying. Super Crazy is still very good here, his timing and precision is just leaps and bounds above Cosmo’s. A reverse rana and swanton bomb still couldn’t keep the Mexican man down. COSMO KICKED OUT OF THE MOONSAULT! He couldn’t kick out of a Liger bomb though, really glad I came across this match.

RATING – 2.5/10
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MR. GANNOSUKE & MICHIO KAGEYAMA VS DRAKE MORIMATSU & DRAKE TAKAI (KENGO TAKAI) – DERA 3/11/2018

The HOF man himself has booked a funny little tag match for his Team Dera promotion. For anyone that knows Michio Kageyama then you’d know he is basically a mini Mr. Gannosuke so playing on that Takai dressed up like Drake Morimatsu so we’ve got doppelgangers everywhere! I don’t expect much out of the match in an actual work rate aspect but it should be fun regardless. Gannosuke’s hairs are really starting to turn grey but anyone that know Gannosuke know’s that he adapted his style over the years allowing himself the opportunity to wrestle at a very high level up until his second retirement. Lots of comedy centered around the referee not being able to tell Gannosuke and Kageyama apart. A fan was thrown into the ring by the double Gannosuke’s and he proceeded to give Kengo Takai the worst chop in history of which he actually sold for haha. Not the usual match I’d watch considering it was 100% comedic and not from Osaka Pro but this has been on my watch list for over eighteen months so I thought I best get to it. Gannosuke pins Takai with the Gannosuke clutch! Some of you might enjoy this but It was easily forgettable for me personally.

RATING – COMEDY
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YUTO AIJIMA VS TATSUTOSHI GOTO – KINGS ROAD 2/28/2006

Shout out to Kazushi Miyamoto for near daily uploads to his YouTube channel, this Kings Road clash between two dads being just one of the many matches on the man’s channel. Goto wrecked Aijima with a lariat within the opening seconds and that was just about the coolest thing that took place during this five minute match. A lot of waddling around the ring, the crowd didn’t care for either of these guys at all which sucked because their both very awesome on their day but in this scenario it wasn’t it. Goto’s back drop driver that he secured the win with did look fantastic so that was actually the best part of the match.

RATING – 1/10
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