Osamu Nishimura vs. Toshiaki Kawada

[8.0] "While this was not really my style, but this was still a great match. Never watched much Nishamura, but he was good here."

[9.0] "Kawada tries to do some submissions because he feels inadequate despite being a hard ass and the defending champion. Nishimura isn't wearing shoes. Where are his shoes? Kawada does the ugliest octopus hold ever in this but it's adorable that he tried. Eventually he gives up with the theatrics and just powerbombs Nish and kicks him in the face. Great match."

[9.0] "Pretty technical start where nishimura works kawadas leg and kawada gets in some leg work as well. Once kawada is able to get his momentum back he is able to work his style and get his stiff strikes in. Soon though nishimura is back to working the leg of kawada and put him in a really grueling figure four and kawada sells the hell out of it, this was probably the longest part of the match, there are some other pretty long submission spots in this, the match keeps an incredible pace though. Kawada works nishimuras upper body after he works his way out of the figure four and executes a couple back drops and an abdominal stretch. Kawada was throwing everything he could leading up to the finish but nishimura kept matching him, kawada attempts an enzuiguri but its blocked and then nishimura comes back with an enzuigiri of his own and then hits a german but it wasnt enough to put kawada away. Nishimura locks in an abdominal stretch but nishimura wasnt strong enough to hold onto it. The finish is rather dissapointing but with how much action filled the match, im not surprised a simple head kick put nishimura out. Nishimura works as a good underdog opponent for kawada and brought out a technical side of kawada, much like the previous triple crown defense nishimura was able to make something out of nothing, i was really impressed and will have to check more of him out! Loved this! Hidden gem for sure ****1/2"

[8.0] "Gimmicky to start off. Kawada gets attacked by Kea before he even gets to the ring, and Nishimura chooses to exploit that by attacking him as well, ending with him bouncing his knee off a table, which causes him to limp for the starting minutes of this match and gives Nishimura a opening, forcing Kawada to grapple instead of his usual kicking stuff. After some fairly decent technical work, they back outside where Kawada rails on him with his usual strikes and kicks. His leg is still iffy, but he can put weight on it, allowing him to take the advantage. Nishimura is decent with strikes, but noticeably outmatched in any real exchange. This then quickly follows into a traditional limb working sequence as Nishimura hones in on the bad leg with working holds, really getting into it with some of his work and laying it in. Kawada doesn't oversell the leg but gets noticeably more and more annoyed as time goes on as Nishimura keeps trying to wrap him up in the ropes or stop him getting to his feet. He eventually gets the advantage with a great wide angle kick, but Nishimura keeps pulling out tricks to keep him down, namely a great looking Dragon Screw/Figure Four combo and a knee stomp from the second rope right on it. He even pulls out a Spinning Toe Hold, of all things! We then have a insanely long Figure Four spot that lasts maybe 4 minutes, and while this would kill the crowd in any other context, it just works amazingly here: Kawada is screaming, Nishimura is putting all of his weight into the hold, both men basically try to psych-out the other here in Kawada trying to outlast Nishimura's best efforts, and he succeeds, being able to eventually turn around and hit the ropes. Kawada gains small advantages with huge jumping kicks, but can't capitalise due to his bad leg. Nishimura holds to him like glue at this point, but his methods are growing less and less effective: Kawada manages to catch him in a abdominal stretch and counters his sleeper into a backdrop. He still manages to get on a sleeper hold of his own and a abdominal stretch (even rubbing his forearm in his face in a great spot) and tries for even a cross armbreaker, but Kawada is breaking out easier and easier. The finish has Kawada nail a Stretch Plum to a close submission, Nishimura finally overcoming Kawada with a huge Enzuigiri/German Suplex combo, but ultimately Kawada escapes the Cobra Twist, and, despite some crazy roll-up near falls, gets the win after a Powerbomb and huge kick to the head. A great defence, remarkably. This is mostly technical work but Kawada makes it all very engaging, going from mildly annoyed to outright howling throughout, and Nishimura is a perfect opportunist, using Kawada's weaknesses and exploiting them perfectly with some fantastic technical sequences and simple but very well put together ring work. Nishimura has always been a hidden gem and this is a GREAT example of that in action. Must watch for Kawada fans, didn't feel like 25+ minutes at all."