Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada

[9.0] "This is probably on the lower end when ranking the Tanahashi/Okada series but is still easily a five star match. Okada plays up being the arrogant youngster a little bit more in this match and actually dominates most of the match by working Tanahashi's neck forcing Tanahashi to fight up from underneath."

[9.0] "After watching all of their matches against each other up until this one, this is probably second best one only behind their Dominion encounter. A perfect main event for a Wrestle Kingdom and this match is truly amazing. These guys cannot dissapoing against each other and this match is no exception."

[8.0] "[****] These guys have such electric chemistry, every time they face off it's a big fight feel and they're worthy of the Tokyo Dome main event. This bout was paced really well. It felt like both guys came in with sound game plans that unravelled as they had to keep going further to put their opponent down. The DDT from the top rope was sick and I loved Okada's smug demeanour in the first half of the match. Tanahashi's working of the leg with dragonscrews and basement drop kick played nicely into the Texas Cloverleaf, I was convinced Okada would have to tap. Tanahashi's experience at this level helped him overcome the biggest threat to his throne."

[8.0] "[4.0*] The match is really tasty, but it seems like the high score is only because it's their first WrestleKingdom ME - the score is inflated. Okada's selling on the leg improved a lot and the old sequences are still wonderful. The flapjack, the High Fly Flow reversal, and the senton that Okada never landed. It's awesome to see the first kickout on High Fly Flow and the out-of-ring sequences, but I still don't think it's the ceiling for both."

[8.0] "great match with really good drama and display of urgency in getting a winner. A great wk main event. Tana pulling of a neat babyface comeback"

[9.0] "The second key chapter in their God-tier rivalry, defined by the beating that Tanahashi gives Okada, particularly his knee (again) that sets the whole thing up as the veteran giving the rookie a lesson in their first meeting on their grandest stage, and Okada battles back just enough to maintain his integrity (I think the highlight of the match is him battling against allowing Tanahashi to get him up in the tombstone) before The Ace well and truly puts him in his place. The crowd eats it all up."

[8.0] "A truly great match, although one that is still a few notches below the best that these two are capable of. 4.25 stars"

[5.0] "I'm no expert on the Tanahashi/Okada census but I remember this not being a favourite of their series by me or anyone and coming back to it I feel 100% vindicated because it's easily the worst of their first 3 major matches. A lot of that it feels like comes down to this being their first big Tokyo Dome match, a setting that doesn't typically reward intricacy and nuance and favours the flash and "epicness" of it all. It's also the most telling early signs of apathetic Okada going too far and just coming across as purely disinterested and dull as oppose to overconfident. A 33 minute match isn't easy to pace or whatever but the long walks around the ring and a different albeit very clearly time wasting ramp spot really stick out as sore thumbs in this against their comparatively briefer matches before this. It's especially worsened when you compare it to Tanahashi who sure isn't bouncing off the walls for 30 minutes but has that vigour and energy behind him. The Ace still paints this thing with a fine attention to detail though, the High Fly Flow kickout coming as early as it does makes perfect sense as he hadn't really gotten much of his major offence going nor a ton of leg work and Okada is yet again not ready for this big match etc but it's one of those matches that I really struggle to pick out many interesting things that happen in the first 25 minutes. Says a lot about Tana's earlier WK efforts that this is far from the weakest of them but if this wasn't in the Dome I'd be worried about revisiting their later 2013 matches that have such a reputation behind them."

[8.0] "This is kind of reminiscent of their first match together the year before. A little bit slower and less intensity than their bout at Dominion the previous year. Still a good match, especially the exchanges in the finishing stretch."

[5.0] "This is basically a discount version of their previous great match at Dominion. With a much slower pace, less interesting sequences and it being 5 minutes longer, the match drags quite a bit. I've seen 3 Okada/Tana matches so far and this one is my least favorite."

[9.0] "A more methodical pace than their first two. Both men spend a lot of time grappling for an advantage early on to no avail. For the first time in their rivalry, this feels like a battle between equals. Like any great story with a slow burn, this one ends with an electrifying final act. The last 10 minutes of this match are truly mesmerizing and represent the peak of the rivalry up to that point. 4.5 stars."

[9.0] "This was very close to a 10 for me i think i just needed a little more in the early stages but the end stages of this match was fantastic, both men missing there big moves or being countered, Tanahashi staying on the ropes to avoid the dropkick, Tanahashi gets the win through 2 high fly flows and it was a great match for the IWGP Heavyweight Belt."

[8.0] "[4.0*] I am very much into puro epics, so I loved this one. To be fair, every single thing they did here was done with perfection in a technical standpoint. The Dominion 2012 match had more spots, a better climax and more emotion, but it was worse on the technical wrestling aspects and Okada sold his leg in a very bad way, which is fine because he was literally a rookie, but on this one his selling was a lot better. My favorite parts were the brawl on the ramp, the High Fly Flow kickout (I think was the first one on the feud) and the tombstone reversal sequence. There were a couple of things missing in terms of drama and progression though."

[9.0] "This was an incredible match, but seeing this one after the banger one they put on a couple years later, this one is slightly worse. This match is still fantastic with the best in-ring grappling and wrestling of the whole night. Tanahashi got the win over the young Okada and this rivalry would be set to be one of the greatest rivalries of all time. Absolute amazing match-up"

[9.0] "[4, 75 Stars] What an incredible match, it was their first clash at Wrestle Kingdom and it was too good. Everything was there - the suspense, the excitement, the in-ring. It's a ****, 75 match."

[9.0] "Okada failing to dethrone Tanahashi in the Tokyo Dome begins the next phase of their arc in tremendous fashion here with a five star match."

[9.0] "Really great match. A reminder of how good these two men are. They can have their recurring set pieces in each match and every time it means something new. Wonderful."

[5.0] "Yeah I'm not sure where the disconnect for me is here. Maybe because Tanahashi v Okada is lauded as being one of the best feeds of all time that I put my expectation too high. Or maybe I just wasn't connecting with what they were trying to do. Regardless I was just pretty bored the entire match. I love me a good slow-burn long main event, but I feel like nothing built to anything over the course of the match. They just exchanged moves and counters until someone won. It took me 3 whole tries to watch this as well, like it just could neither hook me, nor hold me. I really hope I connect with future matches though because they're both incredible wrestlers."

[8.0] "This is an interesting one to have main eventing Wrestle Kingdom, because the ppv is the conclusion to everything that happened the year before, and I think this encapsulated well the previous chapters of their story. I understand the choice to do a slow epic, it really fits, and this match definitely wasn't anywhere near bad, but it just didn't fully clicked with me. A lot of dull action around the beginning and the middle, and at the end the action picked up and we had some thrill but nothing compared to their previous encounter and the matches they were going to have in the future - {***3/4}"

[8.0] "Far from their best match together, which is understandable as it was early on in the series. Dragged a bit in the beginning but really heated up after the ramp spots and had a great finish."

[9.0] "This was another great match between the two. The first half of the match the two are evenly matched, however Okada starts to become cocky and overconfident leading to him losing focus and Tanahashi targeting his knee again which lead to him retaining."

[8.0] "A great match yet again. Okada showed his underrated submission game here which was nice to see. Absolutely not their best match, but a very good one nonetheless"

[9.0] "It took a little bit for this match to get TRULY amazing, but when it did... goodness me. That final 5-10 minutes was absolutely unbelievable. However, I won't give this a 10/10 because it took a little while to get there. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with the wrestling early on (from a technical standpoint, it was pretty damn perfect) but it just didn't quite grab me as much. So while this is a 9/10, it's like a very HIGH 9. These two are awesome as always, but their match from Dominion 6.16 the previous year was better."

[9.0] "So this is the first match between Okada and Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom and shows the future of WK main events here that they start. What an incredible, meaningful match between these two rivals. It builds off their prior two matches from last year, only making it bigger and grander. It is always good to see the crowd go crazy whenever Okada attempts the Tombstone Piledriver on the outside, this time on the ramp. They treat it like death... which it is for his matches. ****1/2"

[9.0] "Very good match, very well executed, with some great spots and work. Particularly liked the exchange on the ramp, and Okada's kick-out of the high fly flow - a big big moment showing Okada's strength and fighting spirit. I also particularly liked when Tana gets angry at Red Shoes Unno for what he says was a delay for the third count before Okada kicks out - a nice little moment that adds to the realism. However there seems like something is lacking, either in story telling or match flow, where until the final third it doesn't really feel like what has happened before matters? Like there is some ground work for it, but it largely tells the same story as the last match. It is still compelling, and is a of a pregression in the overall story arc of these two.The moment and match feel huge and epic in so far as a wrestle kingdom main event should be, but its just missing that extra bit of something that made the last match feel a little bit more special."

[10.0] "Perfect match. It was the beginning of Rainmaker. He and Tanahashi, the most loved two guys, had a great rivalry. Okada, the winner of g1 climax, finally come against the champion Hiroshi Tanahashi after losing previous match. It was Okada's turn to get back this title. Tanahashi was ready to prove his worth. Why he deserves to be the champion. They started with traditional wrestling style. Then they slowly started others style such as catch as can. Tanahashi hit his finisher after two failed tries, but Okada kicked out. Tanahashi then targeted Okada's leg as they were brutally hurt when Tanahashi hit two finishers on them. Okada also came back, went for Rainmaker finisher but Tanahashi countered into a zig zag. I Don't know the actual name of the move, but it looks like zig zag. Tanahashi successfully hit his finisher two more times. He pinned Okada. And Tanahashi retains the belt. (*****)"

[6.0] "This was a case for me where there is too much of the match that you can fast forward through without missing too much. If you are going to save all of the must-see moments in a match until the very end, then the match should only be the very end, and it should be a sprint. The good stuff should be sprinkled into the beginning to hook you, then you can slow down, then the middle to keep you, then you can bring it back down, and then back again at the end with the flourish. phil ibuster wrote on 18.02.2020: [6.0] "Super slow match. Didn't feel like much was going on, the storytelling was light, must be a weaker chapter of Okada/Tanahashi. Also I'm not the biggest Okada fan, and this is another match of his where he just doesn't do much to stand out." ohnoes wrote on 05.07.2018: [7.0] "This was one of the weaker Tanahashi vs Okada matches, in my opinion. It still hits the high notes and the storytelling is on point, but I tend to prefer a quicker-paced match than this one." Blood Pump wrote on 10.07.2017: [7.0] "A slower match then their first two encounters, which kind of makes me feel like the 30+ minutes isn't quite justified but the match was of course still a must watch classic and the final five or so minutes had a lot of clever moments, specifically Okada very nearly hitting the Rainmaker only for it to be ducked but having enough wherewithal to try for one of his phenomenal drop kicks, only for IT to be avoided as well, and then dodging what looked to be a sling blade attempted to get the dropkick in on Tanahashi from behind. THAT exchange is something that could've been in a five star match and is bar none my favorite part of this match. Otherwise it was a slow but worth while match with some attention grabbing stuff along the way. The sling blade on the ramp was set up well, and Tanahashi getting the knees up on the attempted elbow dive was very unexpected, but overall I definitely think their second match was better then the first one. **** 1/4" yanus wrote on 19.02.2015: [7.0] "This match never really goes into a higher gear; the start is slow and tempo somewhat quickens during the finish, but it never really reached the height of their other matches. I especially disliked the fact, that they repeated several spots during the match. Overall, good, but disappointing - *** 3/4""

[8.0] "This match oozes "big fight feel" from the entrances to the three count. The match begins with a focused Okada dominating, but as the match goes on Tanahashi begins to find counters (the slingblade in particular). Both men work a body part and it drives this match forward. Okada on the neck, allowing him to dictate pace and take advantage of his superior submission game. Tanahashi works the legs, giving him the time and speed advantage to find counters. My only serious complaint is that it does drag at times. The finish was great as the inexperienced Okada departs from his successful submission gameplan and begins searching for a Rainmaker, allowing Tanahashi to counter and eventually win the match. Overall great storytelling and psychology, but lacks the excitement needed for a match of this length."

[8.0] "Tanahashi targets Okada's legs while Okada targets the neck. Okada struggles to hit the rainmaker, as Tanahashi's slingblade is a great counter. Part of the appeal of these matches (and I guess the "Okada match" these days) are the insane amount of counters and reversals that factor in moves and limbwork from earlier in the match as well as opponent's signature offense. The tombstone sequence was a highlight."

[9.0] "The opening exchanges in this were pretty good with there being a nice sense of urgency/struggle in the lockups. I Wish Okada would've stayed with the arm work as opposed to him targeting the neck as he did in the 1st two big matches these two have had, Tanahashi targeted the leg again as well. The constant changing of who was in control in this match as opposed to one man having long control segments was a nice way to differentiate this match. The last specific exchange in this match was awesome with both men jockeying for position to hit a tombstone but neither is able to gain control so Okada starts throwing elbows to Tanahashi's neck, but Tanahashi counters this with a dragon screw allowing Tanahashi to hit the Tombstone. Okada kicked out of the high fly flo earlier, he puts his hand out to try and stop Tana from hitting a 2nd time but Tana just kicks it away and hits it for the win.****3/4"

[10.0] "Their first match at Wrestle Kingdom was a fantastic, action-packed epic, and while it is not their best WK match, it's still a great and a memorable bout in their rivalry. Like this, the first act of their rivalry ended."

[9.0] "The saga continues. Roughly a year prior to this, Kazuchika Okada shocked the world by defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in one of the biggest upsets in professional wrestling history. Tanahashi himself admitted to overlooking Okada as an opponent and scoffing at the idea that an individual who had only just returned from excursion could possibly be in his league. The next time around, Tanahashi showed Okada what life is like when your legendary opponent sees you coming. In one of my personal favorite matches, Tanahashi schooled Okada in a thrilling match to regain the title. It was one of the best examples of storytelling through the psychology of wrestling that I have ever seen. Okada, however, would not be defeated by reality. Instead, he would learn from it. He would join rare air by winning the G1 Climax in his very first tournament appearance, thus guaranteeing that he would face Tanahashi once more. This time on perhaps the biggest stage in professional wrestling: Wrestle Kingdom at the Tokyo Dome. The question simple: Could Okada defeat Tanahashi when The Ace had time to prepare for him and the knowledge that The Rainmaker was capable of pulling out the victory' The ultimate test of the future face of New Japan Pro Wrestling. The perfect story for a main event at the Tokyo Dome. Okada showed early that he was not afraid of the moment, pulling out his signature Rainmaker pose as early as the opening lockup. Tanahashi responded with a lockup and a pose of his own. And with one finger, Tanahashi said enough was enough. It was time to wrestle. This was all about a battle for the top spot in the top company in Japan, and there was nothing more to be done but to see who the better wrestler truly was. The match itself is another masterpiece between them. Minor details to enhance a broader story, all enhanced by some genuinely unbelievable moments of wrestling brilliance. The early rope-hung DDT was perhaps the nastiest I have witnessed in terms of the angle at which it was hit, as well as the reverberations it sent throughout the ring and arena. And, at just 25 years of age, Okada had the presence of mine to not only stay on the injured neck, but work at a pace that accounted for Tanahashi being an all-time counter wrestler. All the while mixing in little things like emphasizing the headlock, a la Tanahashi in their previous match. While throwing other elements right in our face, such as Okada hitting a Dragon Screw of his own. All to hammer home the tagline of the event. Evolution. Throw in Tana having the slightest little twitch in his neck and this was just brilliant, brilliant wrestling. The type of match that has you at a loss for words, yet yelling at your screen. Simply put, these are simply two of the best wrestlers ever and this match is yet another example of why. A Wrestle Kingdom main event for the ages, and somehow, not even their best. 4.5 stars, 9 out of 10. Some of the best near falls ever."

[9.0] "Incredible. Two of the best ever who could have a cracker together with their eyes closed. Always interesting, even the slower parts with it perfectly paced towards a frenetic finishing stretch. The height Okada gets on those dropkicks is absolutely unreal. One of the all time great pro wrestling rivalries"

[9.0] "Liked this more on rewatch, more methodical and less fiery than their Dominion match but it all comes together in amazing finishing stretch like usual with these two."

[9.0] "It was their third match since Okada's return and it wasn't as cool as two previous in terms of development. But it was Wrestle Kingdom main event and it felt really big. In the firs part wrestlers were calm and just enjoyed the moment, but later they exploded. 4. 5/5"

[8.0] "The first WK main between these two, and it's every bit the NJPW epic that you'd expect. Looking back on this rivalry, it's amazing to see the gradual character development of both wrestlers with each match. How their motives change with each victory or loss, and that's pretty apparent here. Tanahashi, driven with the desire to prove that the "Rainmaker Shock" was nothing but a fluke, came into the match with more big-match experience, seeing that he'd already been in the same spot last year; in the main event of the biggest NJPW show of the year. Okada of course knowing what a win against the Ace here would mean had to give it his all. The match itself, as I said is an NJPW epic to the very bone, and that's both a good and bad thing. Good for all the things I mentioned above (and the fact that it was their first-ever big-time meeting so going full-on epic made sense) but bad in the sense that not all of the 33 minutes of it were utilized well. with a LOT of dead space during the first half. Tanahashi's mesmerizing as always but Okada still isn't quite there yet. He does some arm work during the initial grappling which would've been a refreshing change of pace from the usual neck work but it never goes anywhere and so it's just an excuse to stretch the time. Then when Tana goes for the leg, he sells inconsistently which I might add is worse than not selling at all because Okada CAN sell, and he does here too but then he completely shits on all the great work Tana had done in exchange for an explosive finishing sequence. However, for all the pacing issues and lack of selling, it's still a well-executed NJPW big match, mostly because Hiroshi Tanahashi is one of the all-time great big match performers, and his grasp on psychology and storytelling compensates for all the issues I mentioned. Well not entirely but you get the point."

[10.0] "Awesome match, great action, great story, Okada was evolving but Tanahashi showed Okada wasn't ready yet, epic"

[8.0] "Excruciatingly slow, but with the limb work by both guys and the great selling, I can't give this any less than an 8/10. ***3/4"

[6.0] "Super slow match. Didn't feel like much was going on, the storytelling was light, must be a weaker chapter of Okada/Tanahashi. Also I'm not the biggest Okada fan, and this is another match of his where he just doesn't do much to stand out."

[9.0] "Tokyo Dome is really time for the grand entrances. Okada has an extended entrance where he comes out from atop of the stage and Tanahashi comes out with a rock band (unsure as to who though). The opening exchanges are pretty cool, there was an extra emphasis on struggle in the opening mat holds, like Tanahashi holding on to the headlock despite Okada? s attempts at thwarting it. I think with this being the third match, they did a great job of setting it apart with both guys being very assured in their own offence, as well as learning from third previous matches. Which kept the match competitive. Even when Okada was in control for the early portions, Tanahashi keep himself alive and kept on fighting through. The escalation was great, I thought. The match just kept on getting more and more intense, made all the better by the excellently timed counters that would change the momentum in either guys favour. The finishing stretch was great as they usually are with these two. The High Fly Flow kick out was awesome, they belted up the drama and climaxed extremely high. A great Dome main event that took elements of previous matches and made it something a little different. Although some parts dragged on a bit longer than necessary. ****1/4"

[10.0] "Once again, these two did a very awesome match! Tanahashi's focus on Okada's leg was excellent, and so was the Rainmaker's selling. The story is on point and the in-ring action is near perfect. ****3/4"

[9.0] "One of the greatest bouts I've had the pleasure of watching. It was a little slow paced, but nevertheless very entertaining. The English commentary was good, too."

[10.0] "The famed Tokyo Dome series between two of the best wrestlers of all time gets off to an incredible start."

[10.0] "Well, this was a hell of a thing. I remember being greatly annoyed that Okada lost this match, but I understand why they did what they did. At the very least, I appreciate Tanahashi never kicked out of the Rainmaker. Also, all is well that ends well, and we should have many, many months of Okada reigning over NJPW. As for the match, it was everything you expect from a NJPW Wrestle Kingdom main event between these two great performers. This is one of the best matches of 2013. Seek it out right now."

[7.0] "This was one of the weaker Tanahashi vs Okada matches, in my opinion. It still hits the high notes and the storytelling is on point, but I tend to prefer a quicker-paced match than this one."

[10.0] "This may be a bit slow and a weaker okada/tanahashi match for sure but still worth a watch. Back when okada being cocky and the youngest g1 winner and he challenged the champ again at wk main event. This was a different story. Tanahashi was confident against the young, cocky challenger. He shut down any momentum that okada tried to build from the leg work, the counters, everything. This was well-built and the nearfalls were really great. Both threw everything they could and delivered an amazing match here."

[10.0] "Great main event, Tanahashi as Mr. Tokyo Dome and Okada trying to exude confidence were both great pieces of character work. In-ring work was great towards the last quarter, pretty much after the first High Fly Flow kick out. Showbuckle made a fantastic video on why this match was so good and it honestly made this match amazing, maybe not as an in-ring showcase but definitely as a storytelling and psychology showcase. Both looked amazing, definitely Okada considering this was just one year after his debut. Great way to further the rivalry. (****3/4)"

[7.0] "A slower match then their first two encounters, which kind of makes me feel like the 30+ minutes isn't quite justified but the match was of course still a must watch classic and the final five or so minutes had a lot of clever moments, specifically Okada very nearly hitting the Rainmaker only for it to be ducked but having enough wherewithal to try for one of his phenomenal drop kicks, only for IT to be avoided as well, and then dodging what looked to be a sling blade attempted to get the dropkick in on Tanahashi from behind. THAT exchange is something that could've been in a five star match and is bar none my favorite part of this match. Otherwise it was a slow but worth while match with some attention grabbing stuff along the way. The sling blade on the ramp was set up well, and Tanahashi getting the knees up on the attempted elbow dive was very unexpected, but overall I definitely think their second match was better then the first one. **** 1/4"

[9.0] "Okada's first taste of the WK main event was a great showing. Okada at this point was rather still pretty fresh in the main event scene and wasn't as convincing as someone who could win a WK main event, so Tanahashi was the clear and majority fan favorite in this match. The first half of this match is rather slow as maybe the first five minutes are basic mat wrestling to see who gets the momentum first. Okada eventually gains the momentum wearing down Tanahashi with various submissions and holds, though nothing long term effective. Things start picking up once Tana hits the High Fly Flow to the outside, which leads to a really cool spot on the entrance ramp where Okada looks to deliver a long and hard dropkick, but Tana reverses it into a sick Slingblade. When both guys get back in the ring is when things really start getting heated with both guys starting to go through the motions and throw out their usual moves and poses, with Tana working the left leg of Okada pretty well. One really shocking moment is when Tanahashi actually hits the High Fly Flow and Okada actually kicks out of it. The final few minutes are really hot with both guys reversing each others finishers and moves until Tana hits the Dragon Screw one more time to hit the top rope and two HFF's for the win. This loss would only further Okada's ambition, ****1/2."

[8.0] "This was great. The match story was Okada desperately trying to prove himself as superior to Tanahashi and Tanahashi constantly mocking Okada and asserting himself as the dominant wrestler. There are many great back-and-forth sequences between both men and Okada gets in a lot of convincing hope spots and comebacks. However, whenever Okada is close to mounting a decisive comeback Tanahashi pulls out a comeback of his own and quickly changes the balance of power. In all their amazing matches together I've realised the appeal of both men. Tanahashi's wants to impress and excite people. Okada's wants to prove himself as the best in the world. With different motivations both men deliver amazing theatrical performances. Tanahashi screams and poses to the crowd because he wants to excite them. Okada screams and poses over Tanahashi because he wants to tell him: "I am better than you". It's the many subtle bits of acting through facials, gestures, body positioning, and (of course) the wrestling moves which tells this great story. I love when Okada grabs Tanahashi's foot to stop him climbing to the top rope for his HFF, symbolically trying to stop Tanahashi achieving his goal at the expense of Okada's goal, but Tanahashi kicks his hand away and then wins via 2 HFFs. Nothing was actually bad about this mach, except the tension wasn't built up as properly as it should have been and the finish wasn't super spectacular. Overall this was a great match which told a very nice story. ****"