Paid Members mim731 Posted June 9, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted June 9, 2017 43 minutes ago, air_raid said: PERSONALLY I went into that match having barely had any emotional investment in a Kenny Omega match since Apollo 55 v The Golden Lovers, got ridiculously caught up in it and had my heart pounding by the end. So I decided it must have been one of the best matches I'd ever watched unspoiled. I haven't, however, watched it back once. It killed me for not knowing who was going to win and for being invested in who was going to win, but I've not been compelled to watch it again since. I had a similar feeling on first watch, and also saw it unspoiled. However, the fact I got swept up in the drama almost as much the second time despite knowing the result makes it an even better match for me, able to make me forget who the winner is and buy into the nearfalls and the story of Omega constantly trying to hit the OWA. Ratings are of course subjective, but for me it's one of the best ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TildeGuy~! Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 Okada/Omega II just easily topped their first outing! What a match Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members air_raid Posted June 11, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted June 11, 2017 It didn't have my heart pounding as much as the first but it was a very good match. I was bitterly disappointed when Naito tapped. I was convinced they were going down the passing out route to give his legion another reason to love him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coles84 Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 What an excellent event from top to finish. KUSHIDA is fast becoming one of my favourite wrestlers of this generation and I could easily watch Okada and Omega at every event ever. I love how the crowds remind me of 1980's American crowds in the fact there are no smarky chants, just rooting for their favourite and getting really passionate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love-Wilcox Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Only watched the main event so far but what a match! Obviously didn't have quite the same excitement or impact as the first encounter but was still absolutely top drawer. Now I'm just left wondering what they're going to do with Omega from here, Omega/Okada 3 at Wrestle Kingdom ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane O' Mac Version 2 Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Well, that was outstanding. This was the first non-Wrestle Kingdom NJPW PPV I've seen, but loved it from start to finish (had to devour it in two sittings though, 6 hours is a hell of a long time to watch a show). You hear the hype behind certain matches and you tend to think there's no way it can be lived up to, but that was a true war between Okada and Omega. Will definitely be checking out more NJPW going forward. I didn't know most of the wrestlers that well at all, but I was still completely invested, very excited to see more from New Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 I had seen it spoiled that it was a draw, but what a match. Crowd into it All, little things like omega fading out and stumbling just added to everything that followed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamTH17 Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Utterly sublime event. Probably the best of the year only behind Wrestle Kingdom. Incredible. Everything from the young lion tag matches, to War Machine vs GoD, to the three classics of KUSHIDA/Hiromu, Suzuki/Goto and Tana/Naito back to back, culminating with that main event. I don't think words could do that match justice personally. I praised their first match as one of the best matches I'd ever seen and to me, they managed to top it at Dominion. Everything they did worked. From the callbacks to the original match, the continual storytelling to the fantastic selling, one of the best false finishes I've ever seen from the One Winged Angel, the entire Bullet Club coming out to support their man, and when the spot of Omega dodging the Rainmaker by literally collapsing happened I was speechless. Even the long periods of selling worked for me, as it got across you had been witnessing two of the elite wrestlers throwing bombs at each other for 55 minutes. I was on the edge of my seat the entire match. I hope that's it for a while now, I don't want to see the trilogy match for at least another year. Keep them firmly separated until Wrestle Kingdom 2019 please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted June 12, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted June 12, 2017 I predicted it elsewhere, but I think you'll get your wish and that they won't fight again for a long time. I think that when it does happen, Omega will be babyface. I'm not sure exactly what the trajectory will be, but I think he'll end up usurped and out of Bullet Club before long for failing to win the big one, or for trying to win it fair and square rather than relying on their help, and will be kept occupied feuding with his former stablemates, possibly with Kota Ibushi by his side, before winning the belt clean at the following year's WrestleKingdom. All just a hunch apropos of pretty much nothing, I should add. I like that there's a fun kind of meta-narrative underpinning this, too. When Bullet Club formed, it was all about importing US-style heel tactics to NJPW, and disrespecting the traditions of Japanese wrestling. For a long time now, they've just become a reasonably generic heel stable instead, and constantly on the verge of self-parody, and Naito has been doing the disrespectful of tradition schtick far more, and far better, than Omega et al. But the build to the first Okada/Omega match kind of harkened back to the US vs. Japan angle that underpinned the first incarnation of Bullet Club - Omega felt that, if NJPW was going to expand internationally, they needed a marketable, English speaking champion, and Okada stood up for NJPW, for tradition, and for himself. In a lot of ways, it's almost a throwback to the old Rikidozan/Inoki/Baba model of booking; the strong, proud Japanese champion fighting off dastardly foreigners. So many people assumed that Omega would win the belt to bolster the American expansion, but actually, it makes so much more sense for Okada to come in as a champion and beat someone like Cody, who's known to even the most casual of the US audience, because then it's not just Okada going over, it's NJPW as a whole going over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members IANdrewDiceClay Posted June 12, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted June 12, 2017 Hearing good things about this Billy Gunn character in New Japan. Big potential. Probably the finest pure athlete in NJPW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamTH17 Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 (edited) 3 hours ago, IANdrewDiceClay said: Hearing good things about this Billy Gunn character in New Japan. Big potential. Probably the finest pure athlete in NJPW. Yeah, that's probably not a match announcement I'll be getting behind any time soon. I can understand why you'd have Cody against Okada. He's not the choice I would have gone with, but whatever. He's a big name in America, a perfectly solid hand and it makes sense from a kayfabe perspective. He's certainly done more in that sense than some of the more recent challengers to the title (Suzuki, Fale). If there's one negative about this phenomenal Okada title reign, it's that if anything, his title defences have almost too much expectation in terms of quality behind them. His recent run of incredible matches have left people expecting these ***** esque bouts as the norm. I'm sure Cody will be fine. It's fine to be just ordinary sometimes. I wouldn't even be bothered if Cody takes the belt. It's a really good story. You've got a genuine heel champion who is taking advantage of Omega taking Okada to the very limit, and then Cody scavenges on the pieces for the win. Could finally see the Bullet Club split as well, which has been a long time overdue. He wouldn't be champion for long in any case. Billy Gunn on the other hand isn't really acceptable. In a company where logic often prevails over any other option, him being Tanahashi's first defence isn't particularly inspiring. It feels like a bit of a slap in the face to those attending. It's not a headline match which is going to help them make any big impact in the US market, which is what Kidani is constantly banging on about. I really don't think there's a single person that was clamouring for that match. In the best case scenario, it's a decently worked comedy match to help protect Tanahashi from injury. That's not really going to cut it if you're trying to be as big as WWE. The rest of the cards are alright. You've got some nice tournament matches which should compensate for the top billing matches perhaps not delivering in the highest of qualities. The whole thing has a weird feeling to it to be honest. It's like a weird combination of NJPW guys being intertwined, but not really with a hybrid of indie guys and ex-WWE. I'll give them a watch though. Edited June 12, 2017 by AdamTH17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King Of Swing Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Loved every second of Kushida Vs Takahashi. That's my feud of the year right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambulance Chaser Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 I'm gutted Takahashi lost. Team time bomb✊ Naito vs Tanahashi best match for me personally. Cracking stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coles84 Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Reading every reply to this thread is giving me goosebumps that everyone felt the same watching this phenomenal event. I am actually looking forward to a re-watch with some friends. The Billy Gunn match announcement is very random but I am sure the rest of the card will make up for it. I think Cody vs Okada will be very good. It's Cody's chance to put on an excellent show on the main event stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 What a main event that was, at the 30 minute mark I was like "really? Felt like 10", the sense of tension was brilliant. Was screaming at Cody when he came out with a towel, ignoring the fact that obviously they'd never end their main event that way. Just totally sucked in. Definitely felt like rooting for Omega and see a face turn in his future, Okada halting every bit of his momentum with those bloody brilliant dropkicks was beautiful. Hitting the one winged angel and Okada getting the ropebreak had me gasping. Just brilliant stuff Was sad that Hiromu and Naito lost but two absolutely class matches there. Hiromu and KUSHIDA in particular just seem to have so much chemistry Also thought the heavyweight tag match was excellent. War Machine and the Guerrillas are both excellent teams. Was gutted War Machine lost, Hanson is one of my very favs Don't understand what made the "lumberjack deathmatch" more than a lumberjack match? It was good though and enjoyed YOSHI-HASHI shining even though I'm yet to be won over by him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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