Chris Hero vs. Katsuyori Shibata

[9.0] "Super stiff and intense match, in a way that you cannot even believe. At the beggining the match even trick you, Hero and Shibata started at more chain wrestling style, avoiding each other impactful moves and focusing on holds, something more on the mat. Then, Hero started slapping the shit out of Shibata and the awnser was just one deadly slap that even awake me from the pre-sleep I was going into. Never ever in your life, you should exchange strikes with Katsu. Never."

[10.0] "In the opening match, Shibata is very cautious. He targets Hero's arm, and Chris tries to keep himself near the ropes (I really like his strategy). Hero uses heavy strikes to make a comeback, and of course, Shibata is going to match him blow for blow, but for the first few minutes, Hero was more successful. Hero lands several strikes on Shibata, but Shibata makes a comeback. I don't think I need to mention the type of match we're witnessing (hard-hitting). What stood out to me was hero's style, which is completely different from his younger version; he has transformed into a brawler, and in this match, he didn't attempt a single submission. I really loved the ending of the match. Both Shibata and Hero performed excellently, as always, right at the finish. I don't need to describe the selling of both wrestlers. Overall, it was an incredible match because Shibata and Chris Hero were in the ring together."

[6.0] "I probably should have been at this show. Loved Hero in this match busting out an array of different piledrivers. This was a sprint really. Good for a quick bombfest. Was interesting to see Shibata work more from underneath here almost as a classic Ricky Steamboat type."

[6.0] "Mostly strikes in this, some of them fairly stiff. Crowd is into it, good pacing overall, doesn't quite reach a real upper tier of drama."

[9.0] "I think this fell slightly short of the Hero's match with Ishii, but it is still excellent in its own right. Hero's offence is just fantastic - that knee to the midsection and quick follow up piledriver is a tremendous combination. Shibata's relentless search for the sleeper hold is so good, and I love how frustrated and defeated Hero looks once Shibata has the final attempt locked in and Hero is fading. This is exactly what a bombfest style match should look like - they get in, beat the hell out of each other, and get out. Nothing drags, it just feels like two men giving it their all until one of them drops."

[8.0] "Hero gets announced as "A man who has won titles everywhere he's gone, except for the UK" and immediately, you know this match is about to rule. Sure, it's RevPro, and RevPro isn't exactly a top of the line big fight feel company, but all it took is one sentence to make the match seem meaningful. Endlessly rewatchable. Shibata tries to neutralize Hero's striking arm, fails, and gets pulped. Straightforward and great. I'd like to write more about it, given that Shibata is one of my favorites of all time and 2014-16 Hero is one of the best of all time, but there's really not much more to say. It's great, it's simple, and they be striking. Sometimes you don't need anything more than that. I almost watched this three times in a single day."

[9.0] "? A man who has held championships everywhere he? s gone except the United Kingdom: Chris Hero! ? If that? s not an introduction that sets the stage for a compelling story, then I don? t know what is. And on the other end: A Musketeer whose path to glory had been marred by controversy and tragedy. A man whose first-ever time at the top had begun just 24 hours prior. Two men fresh off of legitimate classics, two men who had been at war the previous evening, and two men who had spent more than a decade working tirelessly to epitomize their ideal of a professional wrestling. Two wrestling geniuses in the most important match of their respective careers. And it was brilliant. Shibata incorporated tactics that he learned from Zack Sabre Jr. and utilized them against a strikingly similar opponent in Hero. See: Throwing European Uppercuts instead of forearms. As always: The psychology of high-level competition in its finest form. And when Hero strikes back with his typical arrogance, Shibata reminds him of just who it is that he is in the ring with. An opponent unlike anyone other than himself. And much as Shibata reflected on his previous match when creating his plan, Hero did the same. See: Taunting Ishii with the multiple kip-ups but getting straight back to his feet on the first attempt against Shibata. Brilliance found in the most minor of details. Compounded by how this devolves into one of the best slugfests of either illustrious career, this is an absolute classic. Psychology, storytelling, stiff striking, and technical wrestling. A candidate for the best match in RevPro history. 4. 5 stars, 9 out of 10. What a weekend for both men!"

[10.0] "After an early sleeper doesn't go anywhere, Shibata tries to neutralize Hero's arm in an attempt to disable his strikes. This ends up failing and Hero is soon striking Shibata all around the ring area. These two aren't holding anything back and the strikes here are disgustingly brutal. Shibata sold Hero's Piledrivers like death. This reminded me of a big Ishii bombfest, but with more story and meaning. Ishii also wishes he was as charismatic as Shibata was when he made his comeback, the guy looked like a fucking rockstar."

[10.0] "This was a dream match that delivered in spades. The first couple minutes are a bit of a feeling out process with Shibata targeting Hero's arm but once Shibata throws the first strike things pick up and don't slow down. Hero takes control and brutalizes Shibata with his vicious strikes and kicks. Hero does such a good job at elevating his opponents match formula to an even greater height. His style can mesh with almost anyone. Once Shibata makes his comeback it's big bombs and strikes galore. Just incredible hard hitting action. Piledrivers, suplexes, fists, chops, forearms, reversals, etc. This was everything you'd expect from two great wrestlers giving it their all. If this was given a couple more minutes i'd call it a classic. One of 2016's finest matches. ****3/4"

[6.0] "I gave this match *** 1/4 stars out of five. They started off with some excellent exchanges in striking. Took it outside for a little bit with some more strike exchanges. Came back into the ring and eventually exploded with some nice suplex sequences and a couple piledrivers, but mostly was a solid strikefest. Decent match, but not great."

[9.0] "The day after his classic against Ishii, Hero has another Dream match against Shibata, once again he doesn't disappoint, the match had everything you could expect from these two, rigid and brutal attacks, a real war, that if it were a a little longer would be even better. **** 1/2"

[10.0] "Oh yeah, another dream match that delivered here. This was exact what i expected. Back and forth action with no single dull moment. Both were very stiff as usual and with hot crowd, they gave us an absolutely amazing match."

[8.0] "Stiff match between two very stiff opponents. Hero and Shibata were both very pretty over on this night with fan reaction leaning more towards Hero. The first half of the match is pretty slow as it starts off with Shibata trying to take control by mat wrestling with Hero, but is quickly overtaken by Hero and his vicious elbows. Halfway through Shibata finally makes a comeback by coming back with his own vicious strikes and elbows. Some more nice back and forth moves and reversals between the two until eventually Shibata finally puts Hero down with his sleeper and finishes it off with a PK. Great exhibition match that showed great chemistry between both men, ****1/4."

[6.0] "I though this match was good, but I really didnt think it was that good. And I was surprised that it ended when it did. ***1/4"

[10.0] "Such a fantastic matchup and one that told a good story too. Really physical as well which was expected when putting Hero against a man like Shibata. Crowd was into this one and definitely a match worth checking out as well. (****1/2)"

[9.0] "Great match, in my opinion even a bit better than his match with Ishii the day before. Shibata is having a wicked great run recently and this was another great example. Seeing Hero mix up with these hard hitting NJPW guys is a treat."

[9.0] "Really stiff, brutal stuff. Lived up to my expectation. These guys brought it to each other in an all out war ****1/4"

[7.0] "Hero did sell the ring announcer's backhanded compliment/insult of "... held titles everywhere he's been except The United Kingdom. " I wonder if he knew of it beforehand. Anyway, 98% of 12-13 minute matches aren't capable of outsizing itself into what is the stratosphere of 4 star matches, and the pace these two set isn't enough to reach that plateau. Certainly there was some quality heavy-hitting and admirable moments including the finishing sequence that started when Shibata kicked out of the second Hero pdriver of the contest, the same Gotch Piledriver Ishii was unable to kick out of the previous night. On setting up for what could have been a Steiner Screwdriver, Shibata flips over and applies the sleeper that was used consistently throughout the last quarter of the match to wear down the redwood until he was prone for the PK although, frankly, the smaller ZSJ often appears to hit it w/ the same amount or more force than does Shibata. Something appreciable about Hero is that w/his untimely delays, distant looks and tremulous limbs it all aggregates into the desire of the crowd to want to see Shibata emerge victorious. Hero isn't playing the crowd to feel bad about his loss but rather putting over Shibata's stylings into something masterful the crowd can believe in. 7. 5 rounded down b/c I feel the current 8. 72 rating is too high, but I liked it... just like I like Hero coming out w/ his 'Duke' jersey tonight, being in England and all... more appropriate than the Sonics."

[9.0] "Two of the top strikers in their respective scenes faced off here and brought us a hot, hard-hitting main event with a handful of quite memorable spots. Much like Hero vs Ishii, this was Hero elevating his opponent's regular big match formula with his incredible work, not that that says anything bad about Shibata, as he's been very consistent in title matches this year. The strike exchanges here were some of the best you'll anywhere this year, with elbows, chops, fists, kicks, and everything else being thrown as fast and as furious as they come. The reversals, the fighting spirit, the defiant begging for more, everything you'd expect in a match like this with Shibata coming out in full force. Not quite as special as the Hero/Ishii match despite the higher stakes, but a hell of a contest and the second-best match of the tour behind said Ishii match. An incredible way to start Shibata's reign as the British Champion off. ****1/2"

[10.0] "Absolutely amazing, and the best match of both Revpro/NJPW shows. Hero and Shibata felt like equals in a fight that fellows high stakes. ****3/4 stars."

[10.0] "Well this was incredible, probably even better than Hero/Ishii from N1. Very heated brawl, those two just beat the shit out of each other for 13 minutes. Chris Hero is the best wrestler in the world right now, that's all I have to say. Best UK match from 2016, and a MOTYC for sure. **** 1/2."

[9.0] "A great match that would have been excellent with another 5/10 minutes. Chris Hero made a great case for inclusion in next year's G1 Climax with his performances against Ishii on Night 1 and Shibata here. Interesting to see who Rev Pro have lined up to challenge Shibata, or if Shibata goes to Orlando in March."

[10.0] "Much like Hero/Ishii, this was a total dream match & one that I was really excited about, and it sure did not disappoint. It reminded me of one of my favorite All Japan matches, Stan Hansen vs. Toshiaki Kawada, in that it was really brutal, stiff & truly felt like a war. Beautifully violent. ****1/2"

[10.0] "Chris Hero might quite honestly be the best wrestler in the world today. 4 classics he delivered, 4 days in a row. This was no different, a classic between 2 of the most hardhitting wrestlers today. What a crazy little slugfest we had here, Hero and Shibata just beat the living crap out of eachother for 13 minutes. (****3/4)"