Osamu Nishimura vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (NJPW, 8/10/02)

Another fantastic performance from Osamu Nishimura, who gets to showcase his technique against lurch Yoshihiro Takayama. Nishimura's in-ring awareness in this match is phenomenal with his reversals and escapes. He has an answer for whatever Takayama's posing, to the point where a frustrated Takayama sits up after Nishimura counter like "how I keep him down?". There's a lot to love in this match, from Nishimura's run-around reversal or his many bridging escapes -- always having another option in the back pocket. Takayama working the mat is fun but he mostly lays around while Osamu goes to work on him. Nishimura does a good job of keeping the big man down and focusing on the legs to neutralize Takayama's big kicks. Love Osamu's sickle hold but Takayama plays a good counter of his own.

He finally says fuck the grappling and starts kicking Nishimura but when he tries for the big boot in the corner, he gets hung up in the ropes and Nishimura attacks with elbows, hitting a diving knee to set-up the figure-four leglock. And when Takayama reaches the ropes, what does Osamu do? Drags him to the middle, gives the leg a couple of spinning toeholds, and puts the figure-four right back on, bridging this time to put more pressure on the hold. When he's not laying there, Takayama's in-the-moment selling and facials are really good but it's short term.When Nishimura starts kicking the leg, Takayama smacks the shit out of him and hits a pair of belly-to-belly suplexes. After a couple of more counters, Takayama is finally able to snatch Osamu and pin him with the German suplex hold. The finish came out of nowhere but also made the msot sense for the cat-and-mouse game they played throughout.