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Hiromu Takahashi vs. Ryu Lee

Match

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Average rating based on the displayed comments: 8.77
Fillosetti wrote on 22.01.2023:
[10.0] "This match was INSANE. I expected a fast beginning with back and forth sequences, but I got something even better: a chop battle. It was one of the best beginnings I've ever seen, it was lile seeing a Cruiserweight version of Kenta Kobashi vs Kensuke Sasaki. After that it begins to become a fantastic Cruiserweight match with a super fast pace and awesome spots. Great stuff"
TheLegitBoss wrote on 11.01.2023:
[10.0] "The last match between Hiromu Takahashi and Dragon Lee right here, they may never have one again, and they end their legendary rivalry with what for me is their best match together... to be discussed with their Osaka 2017 one but one thing is for sure these guys have done wonders together in Osaka as this one also takes place in the same city but with this time twice as much audience to watch them as well as in the famous Osaka-Jo Hall so it may make the difference in terms of symbolism. And for me it makes all the difference because their last match taking place in such a big show, in front of such a big crowd, in a match of such a great quality, I think clearly in any case that this is my favorite of their saga, hoping that we will see more in the future. As for the action I don't even know what to say anymore, two of the most suicidal wrestlers beating the crap out of each other with some insane spots and insane bumps. Those first few minutes of chop battle was tremendous stuff, just like the whole match, I can now say I saw all their matches together and what a ride it was."
7OEA7 wrote on 23.06.2022:
[8.0] "8.6/10: These guys are insane. I really wanna know what different stuff their bodies are made of because it is insane. As you'd imagine, there is no selling in this match. It doesn't even matter to track who did what because it is inconsequential. Just sit back for some batshit, close-call-to-death stunt work and enjoy."
ShineyxDiver wrote on 18.05.2022:
[9.0] "This match was dumb. Beautiful and dumb. From the chops in the first half to the tope toppling Hiromu into the crowd to just tossing bombs at one another. ****3/4"
CoolKyle wrote on 15.10.2021:
[8.0] "These guys have a death wish or maybe I'm a callous person who has no feelings but I love it. I won't apologize for being entertained by these two maniacs trying to outdo themselves."
HudE wrote on 16.08.2021:
[8.0] "Eigentlich sollte jedes Mal, wenn die zwei gegeneinander antreten irgendwo ein Krankenwagen in der Nähe stehen, weil die Typen scheren sich überhaupt nicht um ihr eigenes Leben. Wie auch die zu vorigen Matches zwischen den beiden war das absolut verrückt mit einigen komplett irrsinnigen Manövern. So viel dazu, dass Hiromu vielleicht etwas zurück stecken wird nach seiner Verletzung. Natürlich war es dabei auch extrem spaßig dieses Match anzuschauen und man kam aus dem Staunen teilweise kaum noch raus. Für eine Höchstwertung reicht es allerdings nicht, weil das Tempo teilweise etwas durcheinander war und das Finish im Vergleich zu dem was zuvor gezeigt wurde etwas abflachte. Trotzdem ein bärenstarkes Match und das MOTN vor Moxley vs. Suzuki. **** 1/4 (8)"
CFOS wrote on 19.06.2021:
[9.0] "NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka 2020 The first half of the match was a big Chops War They deliver a ton of chops Hiromu was bleeding from the chest due to the exchange And the match was not on the same level as the 2017 match but he still very good CFØS Ratings : ****1/2"
Okaro143 wrote on 23.10.2020:
[9.0] "Very hard hitting and physically intense match. I lost count of the no. of chops they hit on each other. The match was fast paced that didn't slow down much since the start. I loved how Ryu Lee kept teasing the Phoenix Driver that previously sidelined Hiromu for more than a calendar year. It was a really great match filled with incredible nearfalls, intense drama and wrestling sequences. ****1/2"
Mizzle Assault Ant wrote on 12.10.2020:
[10.0] "I almost thought this was a little too overboard but in the end they hit the sweet spot and earned another 10 in my book. The biggest highlight was the tope over the rail, nutty spot. These two guys are amazingly great talents."
medouse wrote on 30.09.2020:
[10.0] "This is one of the matches you just MUST SEE. Dragon and Hiromu have a great chemistry together. I expected 10/10 from this match and I was not disappointed."
TSwifty wrote on 05.07.2020:
[10.0] "This is yet another unbelievable match to add to the Lee/Hiromu saga and one of the best matches of the year. It started out like your usual match between the two with a crazy no-sell exchange but then they gave us something totally different with a brutal chop exchange that lasted for almost 5 minutes. This was reminiscent of Kobashi/Sasaki because they hit each other with some blistering chops that left bruises on each others chest. This is further proof that Lee and Hiromu can impress the crowd without just their high-flying and neckbreaking style(literally) but there's still plenty of that too. After the magnificent chop battle they began busting out their best offense with perfect technique and jaw-dropping athleticism. The Ospreay/Hiromu match told the story of Ospreay targeting Hiromu's neck in deadly ways, and this match did the same thing. Lee destroyed Hiromu's neck and body in brutal fashion and it was spectacular. Lee's insane dive over the announce table was beautiful yet again, and Hiromu's belly to belly off the apron was absolutely awesome. It was crazy move after crazy move with little rest spots in between. This fast pace never slowed down and they didn't waste a minute of the 24 minute run-time. The Phoenix-Plex teases added a nice layer of the story and the closing stretch was excellent. Hiromu busted out some real nasty Destroyers and Lee became the second person to kick out of the Time Bomb. I'd say this is their second best match only behind their other Osaka classic. *****"
PUNQ wrote on 26.06.2020:
[8.0] "Hiromu Takahashi (c) -vs- Ryu Lee - (IWGP Junior Title) [*** 3/4] Screw the flow. They went for crazy!"
Iceq wrote on 11.06.2020:
[9.0] "Eine unfassbare Jrs Schlacht was die da gezeigt haben. Der Kobashi/Sasaki Schlagabtausch war geil. Da waren so harte Schläge dabei, die sind durch die ganze Arena gescheppert. Ich dachte ich hätte schon alles gesehen, aber der Suicide-Dive auf den auf der Absperre sitzenden Takahashi habe ich zuvor noch nie gesehen. Danach ging es üblich weiter und ein Big-Move fällt nach dem anderen und die Kickouts dürfen auch nicht fehlen, aber es hat hier gepasst. Die erste Hälfte war der Wahnsinn und in der zweiten Hälfte fällt es ein bisschen ab. Eines der besten Matches des Jahres(****1/2)."
BDD wrote on 21.03.2020:
[10.0] "Another incredible match between these two, which in my opinion is only behind the match between them at New Beginning In Osaka 17. The Chops changes at the beginning were very good, Lee trying to apply the Dragon Driver was also very cool, and helped add something more in the history of the match. **** 3/4"
marexcel wrote on 18.03.2020:
[8.0] "Interessanter Match-Ansatz, aber der Paarung muss man ja auch was machen, wenn es sich noch frisch anfühlen soll. Die Chops klatschen (etwas zu lang), aber sind schon sehr intensiv dabei. Die weitere Action kann sich natürlich auch sehen lassen und liefert wieder auf dem typischen Niveau ab. Gute Dynamik, guter Flow und überwiegend sauber vorgetragen. Weiß zu gefallen."
KoaalaKing wrote on 10.03.2020:
[9.0] "This match was far more than the crazy, high-impact spots people associate with these two, though it had plenty of those as well. Hiromu and Lee showed that not only are they two of the best "high flyers" in the world, but that they have incredible versatility and can excite the crowd across a wide spectrum of pro wrestling "styles. " Great storytelling and callbacks to previous matches, and if it weren't for some pacing issues towards the end, it would be 5 stars from me. ****3/4-"
RatingsMachine wrote on 06.03.2020:
[9.0] "If there were any lingering doubts as to whether Takahashi was going to tone it down after returning from injury, those doubts were firmly erased in this excellent match, because he's not toning it down at all. The only move he isn't taking, at least right now, is the Phoenixplex, the move that resulted in his injury, and that's perfectly understandable."
LucaZV wrote on 27.02.2020:
[8.0] "I was expecting some crazy shit from this match, but I didn't see a fuckin' chop battle coming! It was great! That made the match for me. I appreciated a bit less the seemingly non-sensical series of big spots they pushed afterwards into the match. Some elements of storytelling were still there though, playing on their previous encounters. In the end it was a great and intense title match, that started strong and then saw the two of them trying to kill each other. ****1/4"
Robert Taylor wrote on 26.02.2020:
[9.0] "Wer denkt die beiden hätten gelernt und würden sich etwas zurückhalten, hat sich wohl getäuscht, denn die beiden hauen sich immer noch high impact moves um die Ohren. Zu Beginn gibt es auch noch dieses krasse Chop Battle, was mehrere Minuten lang ist und wonach sich direkt die Brust beider Wrestler lila und blau färbt. Das muss richtig schmerzhaft gewesen sein. Ansonsten starkes Match und ich bin froh, dass man den Suplex, bei dem sich Hiromu damals verletzt hat, nur angeteast hat."
Oregano Jackson wrote on 23.02.2020:
[7.0] "A really good match which ran for way longer than it should have been, considering the fast paced start. After the 10 minute mark, I started to get bored as the match became too repetitive and spot-oriented, so, I didn't but any of the nearfalls as I just wasn't that invested. Both Lee and Takahashi are phenomenal wrestlers who have had numerous great wrestling matches, but for me they didn't click here. That's not to say this was a bad match by any means, its just that it could've been much better had it been half as long as it was. (***3/4)"
Spider5786 wrote on 23.02.2020:
[9.0] "Awesome match started fast with a series of German suplexes we then got a great chop battle which lasted a number of minutes, lots of crazy moments including a dive to the outside by Lee over the barricade onto Takahashi, some really great sequences of action to hook the crowd including some terrifying moves including counters into destroyers and some really nice knee strikes by Lee."
zephyr wrote on 21.02.2020:
[10.0] "I didn't quite realize that my waning interest in wrestling was likely due to the absence of Hiromu and matches like this in New Japan. A marathon-length match at the pace of a sprint. Just absolutely amazing start to finish and another brilliant entry in this rivalry."
arrancar wrote on 16.02.2020:
[8.0] "Definitely the best of the matches from NJPW's 3 New Beginning shows. One thing I struggle with about Hiromu and Lee's matches is that they all sort of blend together, even if there are sections (like in this match) that are very unique. Luckily, being similar isn't an issue when these matches are all still so fantastic. The crazy big-move trades and purposeful no-selling at the start was exactly the sort of exciting thing I expected to see from these two, but then they gave us something totally different and unique by having a massive chop battle that lasted ages. It definitely gave me flashes of the legendary Kobashi-vs-Sasaki match, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing both guys, known for their crazy high-flying and 'spotmonkey' style, just go full-on with such physicality. After the chop battle was finally done, it was then time for both guys to go about hitting all their ridiculous, awe-inspiring stunts that highlighted their incredible acrobatics and athleticism. They both worked incredibly hard in this section, hitting everything with flawless technique and incredible impact. I never genuinely feared for the safety of either man, but there were definitely moments where I was apprehensive about how their next risky spot would go, and that apprehension just sucked me further into the match. The Phoenix-Plex teases and all the other moments where Lee targeted Hiromu's neck (calling back to Lee breaking Hiromu's neck in 2018) were great as a minor story point to amplify the entire match. Their intensity never faltered, and all their big spots continued to be spectacular. Their pure big-move trading sequences at the end were quite generic and a bit overkill because of how "your turn, my turn, your turn, my turn" they were, but they were still all so exciting because of the high level of intensity, physicality, and technique on display. There were many fantastic near falls before Hiromu finally picked up the win. ****1/4"
VillainClub wrote on 16.02.2020:
[9.0] "Verdammt starkes Match und definitiv das Match of the night. Das Match war zu Anfang anders als die vorherigen. Hiromu hat hoffentlich noch einen langen run."
taabr2 wrote on 14.02.2020:
[10.0] "This is the feud that will define the junior heavyweights of this generation. The opening segment with the chest slap battle was just as epic as any Kobashi chop fest. Then these two never stopped with the action with both men continually busting out big move after big move. The Dragon suplex teases were done really well. Ryu Lee becomes the second guy to kick out of Time Bomb but a second one finished the job. Best match of the feud....... so far. *****"
Nerfair1 wrote on 13.02.2020:
[7.0] "That was a good match but i found it a little bit boring at times. The chop exchanges were way too long."
PuroresuLover wrote on 12.02.2020:
[9.0] "Oh my Lord, what a match! They started with a Chop war and just got better with time! This match had everything! The callbacks were great, the storytelling was excellent, the timing was on point, and many other factors that made this match freaking great. Summarizing: MOTN. ****3/4"
Loki Hipster God wrote on 11.02.2020:
[7.0] "Both guys put in a good effort, but the chop battle at the beginning was excessively long and just didn't have the same magic as the Kobashi-Sasaki chop battle I'm assuming they were trying to emulate (or at least the commentators inferred that they were. ) I'm also not a huge fan of these "big move matches" (as I like to call them) where it feels like a series of big moves with nothing in-between. The structure of the match mostly went like this: Lee hits a big move, both guys lie on the floor for a while, both guys get up, Takahashi hits a big move, both guys lie on the floor for a while, both guys get up, Lee hits a big move, etc. As such, there were no control segments where one guy had the advantage or was building heat, and the crowd almost seemed disinterested whenever a big move wasn't being performed. The ending also felt a little anticlimactic to me. With the match being so even throughout, I expected more reversals going into the final exchange rather than Takahashi just hitting his finish twice in a row. Overall, I did enjoy this match even if I don't see it as an instant classic. The spots were fun to watch, their timing was excellent, and everything looked crisp for the most part."
rhyno1989 wrote on 11.02.2020:
[10.0] "****3/4 rating. Fantastic match. Another classic for their series. From the opening chopfest that went 5minutes to the big spots to the tease of the suplex that injured Hiromu. Just great."
SpaceLionW wrote on 10.02.2020:
[10.0] "This match was obviously very, very good. The story was ready made, it was daring without being reckless, some really creative counters... Just, yeah, two really good wrestlers doing really good wrestling."
FailGracefully wrote on 10.02.2020:
[9.0] "New Japan's received criticism lately for too often featuring long opening stretches of deliberate, methodical build (or as some call - "nothing") but that absolutely did not apply here. From the opening rally, to the brutal chop battle, series of high-risk dives, and late-match suplex exchange, this was nonstop insanity from two guys who may literally end each other's careers one day (almost happened once already). The only thing keeping me from giving it full marks is the vaguely underwhelming closing sequence, as both guys looked legit exhausted, and felt like Hiromu just kind of arbitrarily ended it with a pair of Time Bombs, one of which he didn't hit super emphatically. Regardless, another outstanding match from my current favorite rivalry."
glassS0Ldier wrote on 09.02.2020:
[3.0] "Part of me wonders if people just don't remember what made the previous matches between these two so good. Unlike other critics of this match, I wouldn't put the fault in this one on the extended chop sequences, in fact, I actually quite liked the harshness of their strikes early on, and how they'd transition lucha-sequences with even more chops to the chest, it felt like a pretty fun theme that'd run through the match. Sadly, it was abandoned as they started to throw their bigger bombs. Just after the frankly impressive Ryu Lee tope is where the match falls apart for me, as it does absolutely little to nothing to distinguish itself from the uninspired pattern of big spots->long cooldown->big spot->long cooldown->fighting spirit sequences that turn every major Jr. title match in New Japan into a manufactured pseudo-classic. After the tope suicida spot, this match became more Ospreay vs Lee than it was Hiromu vs Lee, as the structure was borderline identical (well, even the tope spot was the same, might as well be a Ryu Lee staple now). Even back in CMLL, Kamaitachi and Dragon Lee were not dwelling on milking every second of ground-laying in order to sell their exhaustion after every one of their reckless maneuvers, this is entirely a byproduct of NJPW's own pretentious, try hard attempt at instilling gravitas in every. single. title match. It doesn't help either that Ryu Lee cannot throw a convincing forearm to save his life, no matter how much he loves Shibata. Everyone should try and watch their previous bouts side-by-side with this one, it's pretty damn eye opening."
RoscoeSantangelo wrote on 09.02.2020:
[10.0] "This was absolutely incredible and after all the matches they've had against each other it still doesn't get old, this is one of my favorites of theirs. The epic chop fest at the start and then the insane chemistry up until the end. This is a perfect "fighting spirit" match where they genuinely sold the exhaustion and toll the match was wearing on then when they were fighting through spots. One of the best of the year and another classic to add to their saga ****3/4"
Sebastian V wrote on 09.02.2020:
[9.0] "Das Match ging ganz anders los, als man es bei den beiden hier erwarten kann nämlich eben nicht mit dynamischer, innovativer Offensive sondern mit absoluter Härter in Form von Chops und generell sehr strongstylehaft anmutender Offensive, bevor sie dann zwar in der Folge auch noch das zeigen, wofür sie bekannt sind, aber mit starkem Selling und ohne das es zu irgendeiner Zeit spotty ist. Insgesamt ist das ein wirklich spannendes, intensives Match, in dem beide sehr gut aufeinander abgestimmt scheinen. Für 10 Punkte fehlt mir vielleicht noch so ein bisschen mehr Story aber das ist meckern auf ganz hohem Niveau da dieses Match wirklich sehr gut war und meiner Meinung nach 9 Punkte verdient."
SchlurboMcbundle wrote on 09.02.2020:
[7.0] "Pretty good match. Little too long and too many big spots for my liking but yeah it was definitely some really solid stuff throughout ***1/2"
arthurArt95 wrote on 09.02.2020:
[10.0] "It was a cool and magnificent match between some of the best light-heavyweight wrestlers in modern world wrestling. And given the history between them, which stretches for several years and which has gained an extremely bright color over the past 2 years - this match had a special psychology. Here even the fight was not for the title, but for the principle of defending honor. And Hiromu managed to do it, showing himself in the best light after returning to the ring. ****3/4"
LatinoHeat93 wrote on 09.02.2020:
[9.0] "Was ein Heftiger Schlagabtausch der beiden und unfassbar Stiff, selten so eine lange Chopsequenz gesehen In jeder Phase spürte man ihre Rivalität, was man in diversen High Risk Spots sehen konnte.. Der Einfluss verschiedener Stile untermauert eindrucksvoll das beide nicht nur Spotwresrling betreiben. Zusammenzucken ließ mich der Ansatz von Lees Powerbomb der eindeutig ihr Match be G1 Special wo Hiromu sich den Nacken verletze andeutet. Im Finish waren einige gut Nearfalls und klasse Kontersequenzen Einzigstes Manko für mich ist bei der Vorgeschichte hätte man diese Waghalsigen High Risk Spots etwas drosseln , doch da können Anscheind beide einfach nicht aus ihrer Haut Großartiges Match (****1/2)"
Gameplayer wrote on 09.02.2020:
[10.0] "A very entertaining and intense match between two fighters with a long history of confrontation. Great speed in the match. Brutal chopping at the beginning. Many incredible spots outside the ring. OMG kick-outs at the end of the match. Great battle, one of the best matches between the two! Rating: **** 3/4 (4. 75)"
Makai Club wrote on 09.02.2020:
[8.0] "If the Ospreay match played on the neck injuries of Hiromu, then this was going to do that tenfold. Somehow there is even more added stakes to this old match with their last match causing the neck break. This had a ton of teases for the phoenix-plex which caused everyone to hold their breath every time Ryu Lee went for it. This was Ryu Lee doing insane moves to Hiromu's neck and body and it was incredible to watch. The chop battle was so awesome and it left some painful bruises on both guy's chest. The fact that it was only one side of the chest just makes me cringe thinking about it. Lee? s tope to the outside and onto the announce table was again incredible. Ryu Lee was unmistakably the best guy in the match, offensively. Hiromu had some neat counters like his belly to belly on the apron and his destroyers. He mostly got wrecked. The match suffered from a bit of an average closing stretch which in turn was give minutes too late in the match to be effective. ****"