KENTA vs. Naomichi Marufuji

[10.0] "They finally understood what pro wrestling means. To be more specific, now they truly learned how to execute both of their styles almost at their peak. The theory for what concern pro wrestling is pretty easy to understand for guys trained by Kobashi and Misawa, two of the most game changers of this entire business. But when the bells rings for those guys, there is no more Kobashi, there is no more Misawa, they are alone to deal with their own demons inside the square ring. Them, they need to see what they are good at and what they are not, their better attributes and their weakness, see what the crowd react for and what they don't. This match, expect brutality, agressive sequences with a high insane speed that you only see nowasday when Ospreay face...another Ospreay. You can easily argue about how much of a influence Marufuji was for Ospreay's in ring style, but what about KENTA? When it comes to hard intense kicks and chops, yeah man, for sure KENTA was also a inspiration for Billy the GOAT. Let's end the point about this match here right now, this is a five stars match for me and we need to economize the words, because the next review will be intense..."

[9.0] "Insane match. They started the match at full throttle and the first third featured some euphoric exchanges and some were incredibly stiff offense. My biggest issue is the pacing of this first third because in between those insane exchanges, they would bring things to a halt, but man do those big spots and exchanges make up for any faults. I really enjoyed how Marufuji had the longest and most dominant control segment because it really got the point across of how threatening he was to take the strap off the champ. During that control segment he worked over Kenta's leg and it was beautiful making the crowd gasp at times, it all led to a figure-four leg lock that got an eruption from the crowd. Another issue I had is that after the limbwork was done, Kenta didn't go on to sell it instead opting to drop it to deliver his insane offense. The last act offered the more back-and-forth centric action, however in between exchanges, they'd sell it long enough for the crowd to absorb what they had just witnessed. The last stretch was all about letting the champ shine. I am still in a state of euphoria as I type this. ****1/2"

[10.0] "This match happened around the time I was getting into puro in early 2006, so I watched it not long after, and it was my first exposure to both of them, and NOAH, I think. It maybe wasn't the best representation of what they normally did, but for that reason, I think it holds up so well. KENTA is at his vicious best with sharp strikes, but Marufuji is always one step ahead with counters and limb work. It explodes with both of them dropping bombs in the last few minutes. There is a litany of things you could understandably hold against it: I don't love that KENTA just gives up selling the leg after having it worked over for so long, they spend too much time outside, there get super sloppy at points. But the build, the excitement, the nearfalls all just make it spectacular. It's a vision for what wrestling would become, for better or worse, and it's amazing that this took place 19 years ago. I may not be able to articulate how this match feels so similar, but is also so refreshing, after watching a lot of AEW and 2020s NJPW in the past few months."

[9.0] "Great match (as always) between Kenta and Marufuji, this match ends up a bit overshadowed by the fact that in the same they have that legendary match for the Heavyweight Title, even though this one isn't on the same level as that one, this one still deserves its flowers (****1/2)"

[8.0] "bits of this match look really sloppy, and its a bit long, and the leg work goes nowhere (but was well done in the moment) But its still really good with some very impressive spots (dive over the top rope for example), and it features lots of really nice stuff."

[9.0] "Kenta and Marufuji have their first singles match after their generational run as a junior tag team, and God damn its good. Right from the get go, you get a sense of how well both guys know eachother after years of teaming before they both start trading slaps and kicks. Throughout the early parts of the match, Kenta is easily the most impressive here. His kicks are absolutely devastating, and for the most part his control segments were much more interesting than those of Marufuji. Marufuji's early control segment basically consisted of some decent leg work, but it never once comes in to play at any point during the rest of the match and Kenta rarely ever sells it. As the match progresses, Marufuji starts outshining Kenta by just doing some of the most insane shit ever. Easily the best spot of the match is where he leaps over the top rope to deliver this fucking mental dropkick to Kenta who is on the outside. During the closing stretch of the match he does something similarly insane when he hits Kenta with a Shiranui off of the apron onto the floor. Said closing stretch is also really good btw; CTE inducing kicks by Kenta, insane moves and bumps by Fuji, it was basically both guys throwing every thing they had at eachother and surviving everything that their opponent did to them before Kenta eventually won with the lethal combo of a GTS and 2 Busaiku knees that finally kept Marufuji down. This match does have it's issues, mostly due to that pointless leg work segment and Kenta's subsequent lack of selling and these guys have had way better singles matches together, but this match is still really fucking good. ****1/2"

[9.0] "The work here was very good with some mean looking exchanges but at the same time I was thinking this was not a patch on other matches I have seen them have. Then the last 10 minutes happened in which they went from trying to hurt each other to full murder."

[9.0] "[4.75*] This was a tough battle between the two, one of the most personal matches I've ever seen, with each exchange of slaps and kicks between them, the match became more intriguing for me. Here we see the physical peak of the two greatest legends in NOAH history, the match was insane and lasted a long time but the two had great chemistry and each had their moment to dominate the actions. Kenta applied a beautiful avalanche falcon arrow that made me get up from my chair. The last 10 minutes of this match were completely frantic with everyone delivering their best moves and finishers. Kenta needing GTS and two Running Knees to win the match made Marufuji look almost invincible."

[8.0] "This is sort of the forgotten match between the two because of how closely linked to their GHC Heavyweight Title belt later in the year. It? s easy to confuse one for the other. The match starts off well with quick action and heated flurries from KENTA. The match presents a clear stylistic difference where Marufuji is all about the unpredictable, fast paced sequences which included strikes and aerial moves whereas KENTA was a bit more simple and relied more on force than creative technique. The match also follows the classic trope of working a body part - in this case, Marufuji works the left knee of KENTA, first using the barricade. But that? s largely forgotten once the bigger spots of the match begin to flow. KENTA and Marufuji work splendidly together in that regard, naturally being able to pull off some spectacular moves that wow the crowd but still come off like a fight for a title. And unlike their reputation, the spots are built up really well - Marufuji attempted to hit a Shiranui on the apron but KENTA blocked it to try for a German which Marufuji blocked before hitting a superkick and only then could Marufuji nail the Shiranui onto the floor. The closing stretch was excellent; KENTA hit a fisherman's brainbuster off the top, got an amazing double nearfall on the running knee and the Go To Sleep before finishing Marufuji off with another Busaiku Knee. Just a wonderful match outside the needless limb working spots of the match. ****"

[8.0] "While this match has a slightly slower pace than the previous encounter between these two, it's still a very good match. The finishing sequence was especially great, I'll never get tired of watching KENTA knee people."

[9.0] "This is the first time I've seen KENTA and Naomichi Marufuji go one on one, and it was awesome. I've seen these two involved in plenty of tag matches together and this was easily on par with the best of those. This kicked all kinds of ass with some incredible moments between the two (including the shiranui off the apron). The only slight flaws I could give this was the lack of selling (which was only a minor flaw) and there were one or two slightly sloppy moments. Still, fantastic match."

[10.0] "I actually liked this noticeably more than their match later in the year. It wasn't 100% perfect but man, some moments were ridiculously good. KENTA is generally the most impressive in this era but Marufuji's over the top to the floor dropkick is unlike anything I've ever seen. 4.75 for me."

[8.0] "I agree with the previous 8. 0 ratings. This match really had the makings of being at least **** 3/4 for me but with it overstaying its welcome by about 5 minutes or so, and the opening portion of (brilliant) leg work from Marufuji being entirely pointless soon as KENTA started no selling it, it fell down in my estimation. That being said, it is still a great match and for what they chose to do, they did it superbly and pulled it all off. Marufuji's flying kick over the top rope was insane. Both men's kicks look and sound devastating. I just wish they had incorporated the leg work from Marufuji in some way and cut some of the huge bombs out since, as pointed out previously, the near falls became borderline cartoonish. ****"

[6.0] "Decent match, the first few minutes were great, but then it degenerated into what felt like a lot of filler, especially Marufuji's leg work on KENTA, which I don't think was sold once by the latter. There were some cool spots in the middle, and the finishing stretch was alright for what it was, a trading of big moves essentially. I didn't like the finish, though, I don't buy that Marufuji needed 3 Busaiku Knees just to knock him down, immediately after taking another Busaiku Knee and a GTS."

[10.0] "An incredible match that set the tone for their rivalry. Extremely stiff strikes, big moves, quick sequences, and filler leg work. They didn't waste any time showcasing their hatred as they immediately started slapping and kicking the hell out of each other. The intensity between these two is really something else. As i mentioned before, the first third of this match has filler leg work from Marufuji but at least it was good filler. There were some really creative attacks on KENTA's leg and KENTA's selling in real time was good but it was all blown off so they could do their usual fast paced wrestling style. I wish they did have a match where the leg work came into play because it was such a missed opportunity. Nonetheless, what these two wrestlers are capable of is absolutely mind-blowing. There were some insane spots here. Like the flying dropkick over the top rope, the Shira Nui onto the outside, the closed first and kick exchange, it's all executed with such technique. There were a few botches here and there but nothing that killed the mood. The closing stretch was of course insane. KENTA had to go into overkill to beat Marufuji which somehow made sense because of the structure of the match. It's a great match. Probably their second best behind their next encounter. *****"

[10.0] "This is probably the match that would set the tone for Marufuji vs KENTA matches. From the get go both guys don't hide their aggression, and instantly go for stiff strikes against each other which would set the tone for the rest of the match. Obviously the biggest flaw with the match is KENTA no selling Marufuji's leg work as per usual, but that didn't stop my enjoyment of the match. The final stretch is just amazing with the sequences and big moves each guy pulled out, not to mention the stiff kicks they threw at each other. Shockingly, one GTS was not enough to put Marufuji down, so KENTA laid out two more running knees, and then one final "super" running knee to finally put down his rival, ****3/4."

[8.0] "KENTA -vs- Naomichi Marufuji - (GHC Junior Title) [****] - Top-5 puro match of '06! This match was more about their quick kicks and counters. A very spotty match at times, but with enough twists and turns to make to a very enjoyable light heavyweight bout. Spectacular moves include Marufuji's flying kick jumping over the top rope to the outside and his Shiranui off the apron to the floor along with KENTA's top rope leghook driver type moves. A strong finishing minutes with loads of hard stiff moves and near falls deserving of a top junior title match!"

[8.0] "Though 'cartoonish' may be stretching matters, my opinion on this match aligned with 'Doctor Rags. ' As these two were among the better pro wrestlers at this time, and given such a stage, there was no way this match wouldn't amaze. That being said K wasn't at his best as NM looked the smoother, more wizened competitor who made the fewer mistakes. It's a notable exposure, and a poor reflection on the art of pro wrestling, when K flubs going over the top from a NM scissorslock. To the match, after early headlock-s work by NM, K bullies NM in and out-of-the-ring for awhile until NM slides brilliantly under the ropes to knock K off-the-apron to the outside. NM places K's leg over the guard rail and dropkicks it thus setting up the work-the-left-leg of K schtick that was later no-sold. Some seven minutes later NM hits my fave dive of his... the leaping dropkick over, but never touching, the ropes. They go on to execute everything one would think these two would do, but there's no story outside their tremendous capabilities. But to have such a match, in which the audience gets all the moves, w/out creating any texture or mood, exhausts the crowd's desire to see them fight again. I believe there is a correlation between the lack of psychology here and the terrible attendance when these two fought in a Budo main event later in '06. They fought like juniors & played too little to the emotional camraderie that might have encouraged the crowd to return and see more some months later."

[8.0] "This match could easily have been ****3/4, but sadly it faltered in a few key areas. The best part was how stiff it was. The kicks, the slaps, the strikes, the power moves - they were all hit with such aggression that it was hard not to cringe. Both men also took moments to mock the other, which added to entertainment of their rivalry. It was clear they hated each other. Some of the sequences between these two were godly, especially in the final 10 minutes when they were both giving it their all. I absolutely loved Marufuji hitting the Shira Nui to the outside, and that sequence where they were trading closed fists and kicks was incredible, even if it was occasionally a bit awkward. That actually leads me into the major negative I had with the match: because they were continuously trying to pull off so many crazy sequences they were often falling into moments where their chemistry would get messed up and they would both come off looking rather awkward. This would usually be saved by a spot or sequence following on which would be very impressive, but that doesn't take away the fact that every now and then their poor chemistry would hinder the match tension. The other negative was that the working over of Kenta's leg was soon forgotten by both men, which was a real shame since it could have been an interesting match factor. Despite these flaws which negatively affected my enjoyment of the match I still loved its overall product. Lots of amazing moments. ****1/4"