Bryan Danielson vs. Naomichi Marufuji

[9.0] "This was a really good match. The mat work was great and the hard hitting was good as expected. The chemistry was there as well."

[10.0] "True technical masterclass from two of the best to ever do it. This was definitely better than their Final Battle match."

[7.0] "These guys matches don't quite wow me the way that they seem to do for most, and given the story that leads to the match it seems even less appropriately worked and lacking in the degree of intensity that it probably should have. It's still a very, very good wrestling match, of course."

[9.0] "Marufuji was handpicked as Bryan's opponent by Takeshi Morishima, and as such was functioning as somewhat of a 'hitman' here. He wrestled appropriately for this role, attacking Danielson's neck and really seeking to injure the American Dragon. Marufuji had a couple of little (often transitional) moves here that I hadn't seen before, and I liked seeing some creativity from him. The finishing stretch had a strong series of nearfalls where it really felt like Bryan was battling back from adversity, with a crowd that was heavily in to the action. Great match."

[10.0] "Fantastic match. American Dragon is in top form and Marufuji matches up with him well, doing savagely after his neck. That drop on the apron, yeesh but very cool."

[9.0] "This was the third Bryan Danielson vs Naomichi Marufuji match that I've seen, and it was probably the best yet! I loved how their styles meshed here, with Marufuji using more of a risk-taking faster-paced style, while Danielson used more of a slower, technical submission style. Both styles, despite being very different, worked so well, though! Both guys were two of the best in the world at this point, and this match really proved it yet again. Awesome match, and one that didn't go too long either!"

[8.0] "The first 5-7 minutes of tentative but super competitive chain wrestling was awesome, and that really set the ball rolling for a high quality bout between two world class professional wrestlers. Marufuji hit those big moves on the apron and really worked the head and neck for the rest of the contest and always had the advantage. As such it was a nice change of pace for Danielson, whom we're so used to seeing dominate matches. Watching him wrestle as the underdog, courageously battling injury and a top class adversary and STILL coming out with the victory made for gripping viewing"

[9.0] "An absolutely electric environment for one of the best matches of the decade. This was peak Ring of Honor and it showed just why both Bryan Danielson and Naomichi Marufuji were legitimate candidates for the title of Best In The World at that point in time. And both legacies have only grown since this classic encounter. It starts with your traditional chain wrestling holds, with Danielson trying to out-Marufuji Marufuji. But Marufuji quickly shows him how it is done. In response, Danielson goes back to what works best for him and we have the type of match that many of us dreamed of seeing from these long-time rivals and living legends. It was a shot-for-shot encounter at an appropriately titled event. Danielson proving that he can hang with Marufuji, Marufuji proving the same in response, and both men ultimately resorting to what they do best in pursuit of their common goal. The feeling-out process alone was worth the price of admission. And then the pride and the experience against one another came into play. Danielson learning from his mistake in initially falling for the game of misdirection that Marufuji loves to play. Marufuji countering the classic Double Underhook Suplex into a Cross Armbreaker combination with an even more impressive version of it. And then Danielson catching a Superkick, kicking out the other leg, and dropping directly into a submission. Only for Marufuji to later hit a Running Curb Stomp on the back of the knee to set up a kneeling Superkick. This was a legitimate class on how to wrestle at a high level. Marufuji trying to one-up Danielson, Danielson learning from those experiences as the match progresses, and both men seeming to have a counter every time they were in serious danger. Danielson countering to win, Marufuji countering to demoralize, and a story that earns 9 out of 10 status for me. 4.5 stars. Great for its time."

[9.0] "I didn't even know that this match existed, shame on me. Both Danielson and Marufuji are in their prime at that moment, Marufuji being NOAH's Junior Ace and Danielson being one of ROH's top guys at a time where ROH was at its best. During 21 minutes, they do what they do best : wrestle. There isn't a clear face vs heel dynamic, there isn't any prize to fight for, I don't think there is even much build-up for the match, but they don't need any of these things. Just let them wrestle, and everyone will be happy. Bryan's submission game is incredible, he turns anything Marufuji throws at him in a submission, and Marufuji's kicks are just wonderful, and his neck work on Danielson was great with the brainbuster on the apron that looked brutal. ****1/2"

[8.0] "As it turns out, I was at this show! I have zero memory of this and i just happened to stumble across this 10 years later. I'm disappointed that i don't remember this, because this was a great match. No surprise the work was rock solid. Crowd was up for it. Check this out. ****1/8."

[9.0] "Great match. Marufuji's performance in this is excellent. He targets Danielson's neck like if he was Akiyama or something; very focused & brutal with his work. ****"

[9.0] "Quite the dream match with the NOAH Jr Ace vs the ROH Ace. Marufuji picked apart Bryan for most of the match until Bryan made his hot comeback. Those final few minutes are awesome with each guy throwing everything at each other. Marufuji was just a man possessed at the end and would not stay down until Bryan finally caught him in the Cattle Mutilation for the win, ****1/2."

[9.0] "Didn't like this to the all time classic level, but I still enjoyed it. Marufuji & Bryan wrestled a very fun fast paced technical style here, and eventhough I'm not a fan of Marufuji's jump up after every move style, Bryan sure did made the best out of it here. (****1/4)"

[9.0] "The usual fantastic match between these two. I got the feeling they were sleepwalking through this one, and they still put on a must-see match"

[10.0] "Dream match! When Marufugi is GHC Champion and Dragon is peak. Result = Unpredictable. Amazing spots and crowd make this match more exciting. Good CHEMISTRY from this two Marufugi looks like unbeatable champion, Dragon is a man trying to be the best in the world. So this match can tell stories. One of the best match of 2008. ****1/2"