AJ Styles vs. Kota Ibushi

[9.0] "That catch at the very end from Phoenix Splash into Styles Clash is an all-time great timed counter. The moment with Kenny is such a perfect soft build, wish it came to something more sooner than it did but it still was a great and very important huge moment as the two were both building so much steam even if it took Kota far to long to capitalize on his."

[7.0] "I feel bad for giving this match 7 stars given the talent involved, but something was just missing for me. The highlight was definitely the Kenny spot. Maybe if there were a few more near falls in this match I would've like it more? Perhaps a couple more minutes longer? Another Kota and Kenny confrontation? I don't know. The wrestling was good don't get me wrong, but I just expected a bit more from this match."

[9.0] "Outstanding match between these two, the two gradually countering and exchanging their big moves. Ibushi as the underdog is great."

[8.0] "Yes, to get it out of the way, the Kenny spot is amazing. It feels well earned in its context and history unlike many Bullet Club interferences and it's so subtle and small in the grander context of this match that it doesn't take away from anything else that is happening. The structure of this match is ultimately simple, AJ Styles doesn't take Kota Ibushi seriously at the start, he believes that his opponent is not ready yet for this level, Kota proves him wrong obviously, and both men start bringing out the best of each other. What Styles lacks in ability to keep up with the freakish athleticism of Kota Ibushi he more than makes up in veteran experience, targeting Kota's leg and playing the psychological game at the start to get under his opponent's skin. There wasn't really any intricate spots but it didn't need to be, even the simple strike exchanges benefited from the added flair of both competitors including a really crisp one where they trade Pele Kicks in the end (though Styles' was definitely cleaner than Kota's). I also really like AJ Styles' selling throughout this match. The finish is obviously another highlight. However this match is a really bad offender of the issue I have with a lot of NJPW's main events, being that its middle portion drags on too much. The tempo never quite reaches the height it needs to with these two (who can certainly reach it), and this match needed to be leaner. [****]"

[9.0] "Kota Ibushi v AJ Styles 8.5/10 This was to me the best match on the card , kota played a great underdog and the Selling of the leg was done well, I like the story of AJ almost doubting Ibushi at the start but Ibushi almost shocking him then they added Kenny to the mix not long after turning on kota to join bullet club, his distraction which he seemed iffy on doing led to AJ catching kotas Pheniox splash into a styles clash that looked clean, and kept the big story of most of kotas big moves would get countered by the vet styles All and all very fun and good match."

[9.0] "the ability of these 2 guys in the ring just show so much in this match. Theyre doing stuff that people at this time just were not doing. At the time AJ is hands down the best wrestling in the world and hes just so freaking good man. This match is so smooth and crisp. Also pretty physical. I love the finish of the match a little story telling of kenny getting on the ring apron and distracting kota and we all know the story there. The finish was jaw dropping how aj was even able to catch kota out of the air like he did and then hit a styles clash. This was freaking SICK. 4.75 stars."

[9.0] "Perhaps the best AJ Styles New Japan match out there. Kota Ibushi rules but the beginning of the match where heel AJ mocks Kota and says he can't hang with him before Kota Ibushi quickly dispels him of that thinking is top notch work. Of course Kenny in the end plays a part and the world pauses. It is a real beautiful moment. ****1/4"

[6.0] "This was a fairly average match between these two, with the biggest issue here being the length to me. It's a NJPW main event so the thing has to be forced to 30 minutes, and Ibushi/Styles didn't really do anything interesting for that time. AJ's control work was just fine, he did some leg work but Ibushi wasn't really down for selling here so it doesn't really matter, and Ibushi's comebacks weren't really anything special. AJ catching Ibushi at the end for a Styles Clash was a cool finish though.***"

[6.0] "You know what this match is known for. It's the match where Omega does the thing. I don't even have to tell you what the thing is, you hear the phrase 'Omega does the thing' and know exactly what match this is and what thing is being referred to. And Omega doing the thing is basically all this match has going for it. It's your average run of the mill New Japan main event. Drawn out, and kinda good near the end. I've always believed that AJ Styles is a perfectly fine wrestler, and I'd never be upset at having to watch a match of his. But New Japan Styles is just downright bad. I've never seen a NJPW Styles match that has left me genuinely surprised or stoked about having seen it, outside MAYBE his match with Suzuki. I wouldn't say it's bias that led to this because again, I do believe Styles to be a good solid wrestler, but something about his way of wrestling in New Japan does not click with me at all. If you like NJPW Styles, maybe give it a chance. But you're seriously not missing much at all, Omega does the thing, and then you can close the tab."

"Going into this match, I was aware of both men. I've been a huge fan of Styles since seeing him for the first time in 2005 and had seen a few Ibushi matches - enough to know he was a solid wrestler. However, I was a little disappointed by this one. I expected just a little more from two guys who made their name being 'high flyers'. Don't get me wrong, it was a fine match - but I just expected a little'more. I'll certainly look forward to more Ibushi matches as I work my way down the Top 1000 list here at CageMatch, but this was certainly a nice appetizer to the work of Ibushi. ****1/4"

[8.0] "Great match that both maximises Ibushi? s strengths (his athleticism) and keeps AJ? s weaknesses (the match derailing interference) to a minimum. They were able to combine good face and heel charisticsims with great complex spots that aren? t hit perfectly clean, with just the right amount of roughness to make them work - the strike exchange or example where they hit each other at similar times when it wasn? t intended. The ending is famous enough with Kenny Omega getting on the apron, realising who he? s distracting (he's a long time pal) and going back down, just enough time for AJ to recover and catch Iuhsi on the die to hit a Styles Clash. ****"

[9.0] "This is an example of a match being both great and disappointing simultaneously. The middle portion of the match was rather uninteresting, but the opening and final parts of the match more than made up for that, whilst the finish was incredible from both a storytelling and move perspective."

[7.0] "A 30+ minutes match in NJPW involving the phenomenal AJ Styles and Ibushi should produce a memorable bout. It did, but it did unfortunately not exceed my expectations. From time to time we witnessed wonderful grappling work and hard hitting moves, however the tempo was not high enough. I digged the finish though."

[8.0] "This was a great match, but it was one of those matches that was hard to get into because the result was considered a forgone conclusion."

[8.0] "8. 55/10 : To keep it concise and simple, something was off in this match. Though on paper it looks like it should blow everyone's socks off, I have realized on a rewatch that this match severely lacks in anything remotely unique and takes too long before it gets interesting. However, when it does, it simply is two of the top 5 wrestlers in the world doing what they do best against each other so how could it be anything less than great ?"

[7.0] "AJ and Ibushi went for a standard NJPW epic but didn't have the chemistry to push the match to that level. Things started out with the NJPW trademark feeling out phase. Usually this is great at opening a match, but here there weren't many interesting small details to make up the match story. My main issue with this match was simply AJ. His early 2000s' work was fantastic, but his NJPW run really never appealed to me. His heel work, like here, felt quite overkill, bordering on parody of a heel character. It's a shame, because he's proven to be a great arrogant heel in the past. His in-ring work is still great, but it's also very jarring to see with such a forced heel persona. At one point he started working over Ibushi's leg and Ibushi's selling was fine but brief, as then both men forgot about it entirely. There was some general awkward chemistry in quite a few of the exchanges leading to a few moments where both men were frozen, unsure of the next spot, or when some spots were simply botched. Aside from his selling which went nowhere, Ibushi was quite good here. He bumped like crazy for AJ's big moves and had his trademark flair in his own big moves. Sadly none of the supposed big sequences/spots felt intricate enough to really come across as exciting. Omega's teased interference, relating to his history with Ibushi and foreshadowing his eventual turn on AJ and takeover of the Bullet Club, was a nice touch. Good match but far from great. ***1/2"

[9.0] "This was pretty good but I don't think did as well as they could have here really. Some sequences were great but I think this match suffered by going a bit too long and, honestly, this did more for the Ibushi/Omega story than any other storyline. The crowd weren't really that into it which took away from it but the action itself was great, but maybe they could have done more, or better. Let's see if their G1 match provides that. (****1/2)"

[9.0] "I think Ibushi and AJ put on a pretty good match. Crowd wasn't too full of energy but when there was a big spot, they really let it be known. Pacing was kind of weird, there would be moments where they would go into a quick sequence with multiple moves and then a few minutes would slowly pass by with some limb work here and there. Loved the ending with Omega and they the Splash into the Clash, ****1/2."

[4.0] "Since it was the main event of the show for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, they had to go almost 30 minutes. And because of that, this match ended up feeling like it just dragged on. AJ's heel work on top wasn't interesting, it was boring, Ibushi's selling of the leg work was bad, and his comebacks during AJ's control segments did nothing for me. I liked some of the stuff they did, some of the sequences were cool, but overall this was a very disappointing match for sure. **"

[8.0] "Not a big fan of this. When this was about to happen, I was hyped. But they sure disappointed, the crowd was dead, and the guys didn't do anything exceptional in the ring. ***3/4"

[8.0] "This match was pretty good overall with some great sequences as well and told an alright story with Ibushi really trying to hang with someone the likes of AJ Styles. Overall though this match just isn't as good as many people thought it would as it had the epic feel to it, but really took some time to get going and really lacked the drama I would come to expect in a NJPW main event. Ibushi's selling just wasn't that good although the ending was just awesome with AJ catching Ibushi in mid-air with the Styles Clash and honestly I'd say that's what this match is probably most know for. ***1/2 '"

[9.0] "A really good IWGP Championship match, Kota Ibushi is really one of the best out there right now and AJ hasn't looked so good since his heyday in the mid 00s. It was a little light on psychology but still a ton of great action and fast combinations."

[7.0] "Very good match, but the crowd largely remained dead for the majority of it and Ibushi's selling is really questionable."

[8.0] "Let's dial it down a notch. Sure, wrestling wise- This was a great match, two amazing athletes and performers then it was predictable. But there is a big lack of psychology and storytelling. Ok, Styles is a good heel but it wasn't good enough for me such as the past matches on this title. Not enough intensity and crowd involvement were also bothered me. In a lot of ways it felt more like a cruiserweight encounter, because heavyweight bout require more than a great wrestling match. The end was awesome, breath taking styles clash and the Omega's Interference maybe implying to Ibushi Vs. Omega. And boy, they have great chemistry together. ***3/4"

[9.0] "Great match, great story with Ibushi avoiding the MEGA-OVER Styles Clash while also proving he's worthy of a Sumo Hall IWGP Title main event match. Omega's involvement was perfect and sets up heaps of possibilities for the future, and the finish was something I thought to be physically impossible: A Phoenix Splash caught into a Styles Clash. Super match. ****1/2"

[10.0] "Everything about this was great. The match itself reaffirms that AJ Styles is perhaps behind only Brock Lesnar these days in terms of consistent delivery of great matches every single time he steps into a ring. Styles has found a formula that is can’t miss, working towards the calf slicer with the ever present danger of the Styles Clash always looming. Ibushi constantly finding himself in position to get caught with the Clash (from all conceivable angles, foreshadowing the incredible finish), and then desperately kicking & fighting his way out every time was way too much fun. The Styles Clash, like so many of the other finishes in New Japan (Rainmaker, Bad Luck Fall instantly come to mind) is so well protected that the teases are always super dramatic. Ibushi teasing the finish from his DDT title win over HARASHIMA was a nice little touch, as were the instances where each man had the other well scouted (Styles thwarting the first ringpost moonsault attempt, Ibushi countering the calf slicer with an inside cradle, Styles blocking the top rope rana and nearly hitting the Styles Clash, etc). The finish was brilliant and set a million different possible directions in motion. Kenny Omega, with non New Japan history clearly (and rightfully) not being ignored, distracting Ibushi just long enough for Styles to recover and CATCH THE PHOENIX SPLASH IN MID AIR INTO A STYLES CLASH was one of the most amazing finishes (on multiple levels, both from a pure physical/aesthetic aspect and from a story perspective) that I’ve ever seen. Every single thing about this ruled. The look on Ibushi’s face as he disregarded Omega before attempting the move. Omega’s picture perfect facials & mannerisms both during the distraction and after the match, indicating that he was very torn about his actions (or was he? ). The New Japan official handing Omega the trophy while Styles and the rest of the BC celebrated, and Omega just staring at it with a look on his face like “this could be me” w"