1. IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Title: Juice Robinson [c] vs. Bad Luck Fale
This is JIP at about 5 minutes into a 17-MINUTE MATCH, which just seems outrageous. Juice is babyfacing it up, they get some fire near falls, and it really is a solid David vs. Goliath type of match – but you also never get the match you want with Fale, for he is sweating profusely moments in and never seems to recover. He is physically big, but a real empty slate of a giant. Juice did alright with it. But he still was tasked with 17 minutes to do so. ***
2. IWGP Intercontinental Title: Kota Ibushi [c] vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
With every match these two inch closer and closer to a bonafide classic, regardless we again settle to some of the most fun wrestling around. At around half an hour it was their longest outing, and it also felt like their best outing. Ibushi played underdog and Zack brought the pain, and that is a very good dynamic.
Plus, Kevin Kelly explained on commentary that Zack has stated that Sabre-ISM will overtake Inoki-ISM, and that Ibushi looked to former IWGP IC Champions Nakamura and Tanahashi as Gods, while Zack doesn’t believe God exists, and that is all just some incredibly layered stuff.
Zack stretched, Kota kicked. But I mean he really really stretched and really really kicked. Like, Zack stretched the shit out of Kota. I loved him stretching Ibushi’s shoulder sockets back for a pinfall and Ibushi kicking out like “AWWW FUCK C’MON MAN THAT HURT.” And Kota kicked the shit out of Zack. He’s a unique wrestler in that his kicks are somehow more spectacular then his planchas, which are also spectacular. The stretch of counters around the straitjacket hold towards the end were unreal too, a good ol’ fashioned New Japan-style finish. Zack being so knocked out by the Kamigoye at the end that he couldn’t reach the ropes despite being nearly directly beneath them was good stuff too.
Love these guys, I just wish they were a little… scrappier? Is that weird? Perhaps. But god damnit I want that epic and it still eludes me. ****1/4
