Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Toshiaki Kawada (NJPW, 11/3/04)

This is Shibata's second-to-last match in New Japan before his exodus and it's against the Triple Crown Champion, Toshiaki Kawada! It isn’t much but what we get is Shibata trying to get in as much offense against Kawada as he can, riffing some of Kawada’s own signatures, before Kawada snaps and goes apeshit on him, chopping him in the throat and backdropping him on his head! Surprisingly, Shibata is able to wear Kawada down with the sleeper for a big PK for two but that’s as close to victory as Shibata is able to taste. The finish is something else as he and Kawada go at it until Kawada rocks him silly with shots, including a KO punch, which Shibata mistakenly sits up from so Kawada kicks him in the head and drops the knee for the three count. Kawada's selling made this thing all the more enjoyable. A sub-10 minute match with a great back half. 

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