Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale (4/27/16)
Love the Hakata Star Lanes – it’s Japanese wrestling in a BOWLING ALLEY! We’ve got ourselves a very solid midcard match here… did everything it needed to do, just didn’t love it. Tanahashi’s interesting enough to work a fun big guy vs. smaller guy match around big Fale. Not as good as NXT Bayley vs. Nia Jax but better than RAW Bayley vs. Nia Jax. The build to the bodyslam was sweet. A guy like Fale isn’t going to have some epic, but he’s fun to watch. Build to the bodyslam was sweet. **3/4
Sad Tanahashi promo post-match, lying on the floor… “The damage is not good.”
IWGP Intercontinental Title: Michael Elgin vs. Kenny Omega (4/27/16)
A good physical match between two guys who I like parts of and also dislike parts of. They fit in with the New Japan crowd, but are lacking that THING that makes them special outside of having some crazy matches once in a while. Regardless, a lot of fun – you’ve got a lot of wild strike exchanges, Omega’s crazy-ass tope with his legs smashing the guardrail, Elgin’s superhuman powerbomb catches, Omega’s wild knees, Elgin taking the reverse rana like a crazy person, Omega getting his with a powerbomb to the outside through a table. The struggle at the top rope for One-Winged Angel towards the end was at times neat at times goofy, but this was a fun night at the matches. ***1/2
