Yuji Nagata vs. Kazunari Murakami (NJPW, 12/12/02)

One of the most interesting aspects of any Kazunari Murakami match is watching how his opponents manage his rabid dog-style in the ring, and for the most part, the strategy is predictable: let the dog tire himself out and then sink in a submission hold. Yuji Nagata, IWGP Heavyweight Champion, uses the same approach, absorbing Murakami's wild swings and stomps before taking control of the situation with a suplex and finding some leverage on the ground. Of course, when jerkface Murakami's able to get an armbar takedown, he refuses to let go in the ropes, which leads to some shenanigans on the outside.

When Nagata's returned to the ring, he's a red mess and Murakami continues punishing him on the mat, at one point, licking Nagata's blood from his forearm because why not? Nagata dripping blood while Murakami's wrenching back with the facelock is quite the visual. Nagata's finally had it and he lays into Murakami with some good looking knees and starts disarming him with his patented reverse armbar, breaking it down in between holds with armbreakers on repeat or stripping the elbow pad and stomping away. In one final act of desperation, Murakami tries to sneak in a sleeper hold off the interference, foaming at the mouth (not literally) as he tries to defeat Nagata. But Nagata dumps him with a belly-to-back suplex, then using the armbreakers to set-up three consecutive wrist-clutch Exploders to put down Murakami. Pretty great match.