[10.0] "The match that really got me back into pro-wrestling. The story of who would carry the company going forward, even though they both ended up doing that for a couple years. Didn't know either of these guys going in, but I was a lifelong fan of both by the end of it."
"Listen, is this match phenomenal? Absolutely. A lot of people consider this the holy grail of professional wrestling, and I agree it's definitely in the top 10-20, but Dave Meltzer giving this 7 stars is absolutely redundant. No match deserves over 5 stars, and I'll die on that hill. 9.3/10"
[9.0] "I was so afraid that this match wasn't gonna live up to the hype but it somehow did. Just an amazing match with an electrifying ending sequence. The desperation of Kenny doing everything in his power to win, repeatedly trying for the one winged angel which Okada keeps countering. The exhaustion and desperation in both their faces as their opponent keeps getting up. Just amazing storytelling."
[10.0] "This is the greatest match in the history of wrestling. It has it all. It has brawling, technical, hardcore, flying, slow pace, fast pace, and most importantly fighting spirt wrestling. I could probably write an essay about how amazing this match was. I thought multiple times that Kenny was going to win even though I already knew Okada wins. That's how good the match is. The reversals are legendary. The table spots are innovative. The flying outside the ring onto the guard rail multiple times is bloodly awesome. I don't what else to say than watch this match. It's literally the best match of all time. If you don't believe me watch it. Overall a 7 out of 5 star match."
[10.0] "the start of a shift... the start of something legendary and they did it 3 more times. one of the greatest matches in professional wrestling and will hold up til the end of time. immortalized and will live up to its legend and it gets better with every rewatch."
[10.0] "THE TOP STANDARD pro wrestling match and my FAVOURITE MATCH OF ALL TIME. MOTY 2017 as well as THE MATCH OF THE DECADE. This was an absolutely Banger of a match filled with crazy spots and intense drama. It was thrilling, exhilarating and the finishing stretch was just breathtakingly spectacular. The punishment that both wrestler took over the course of the match was all too real. And damn the ending made everyone just jump out of their seats. I did not think that Okada would wrestle in such an all time classic again so quickly after his Dome match with Tanahashi but he keeps on surprising us. The crowd's reactions , the commentators reactions and the reactions of every person in the stadium just made it more special than any match that I have watched. You could see that some of the fans were even crying. One of the Greatest wrestling match ever. Two of the best if not the best Wrestlers in the world wrestling in the best match of their life at the moment. *****"
[10.0] "Always heard about this match, finally just watched it. My god, I mean what can I say that hasn't already been said. This is the perfect wrestling match, from the in ring, to the crowd, to the commentary. Just perfect. This performance from Kenny Omega is the best I've seen from anyone ever. The way he was bumping made every move Okada did look like the most dangerous thing ever. And of course Okada is impeccable here as well. They both took 2 of the most insane bumps I've ever seen, with the back body drop to the outside through the table, and the dragon suplex off the top. Genuinely can't believe it's taken me this long to see this. I totally understand why this broke Meltzer's brain lol"
[10.0] "Okada and Omega work together SOOOO WELL. The juxtaposition between the very old-school Okada and the fast-paced Omega is so poetic. From the presentation to the in-ring performance and the storytelling, everything is perfect. This match is so good that even though I know how it would end, I'm still excited and engaged the whole time. It is kind of frustrating how good this match is. I always had this hot take about Okada that I didn't see how you could call him THE greatest ever. This match changes that. It showcases almost everything that he's great at, and putting him against Omega makes it x1000 times better. Words can't do this match justice, just watch it."
[10.0] "Every strike echoes like a cannon blast in the midst of a battle between two armies. Kenny Omega's bursts of speed are breathtaking, especially near the end -- after over 40 minutes of relentless combat. What Kazuchika Okada endures throughout the match is terrifying, particularly the dragon suplex from the top rope. Epic spots, fluid storytelling, and well-chosen pauses punctuate the pace and keep the match alive from start to finish. The springboard moonsault into the crowd, the back body drop through the table -- everything lands with intensity and meaning. A masterpiece I will rewatch for the rest of my life."
[10.0] "This is truly EVERYTHING it is sold as. One of the greatest matches ever produced. Brutal, well paced and performed wonderfully. The banger of bangers."
[10.0] "U could easily say that this is the greatest match to ever happen. The way these two were performing that night is just out of this world. That's the kind of match that has you standing up and applauding when it's over."
[10.0] "Is it AS good as nearly every comment on this page suggests? I'm not sure. It did avoid doing the things I was worried it WOULD do, like a million false finishes and tons of nonsensical no-selling. One false finish from each wrestler for a match of this magnitude is perfectly acceptable in my book, and I did feel like there was solid psychology with Omega working on different sections of Okada's anatomy throughout the bout. However, while this match had some amazing sequences and some truly "holy shit" spots, I still think it was missing a truly unforgettable moment that would have cemented it as an all timer. Nevertheless, I'm still granting this match a 10 here since there aren't any fractional ratings, but it gets a 4.75 star rating from me. I would definitely re-watch it in the future but I'm not sure my opinion will change."
[10.0] "This match was a real game changer for me when I watched it back in 2017. At the time I was just dipping my toe into Japanese wrestling and decided to watch this Wrestle Kingdom. Boy, what an introduction. Watched it again this week and it holds up. Some might not, but I love the slow start to this match - it's their first singles match together, so they're feeling each other out. The build up from start to finish is incredible. The inability of Omega to hit the One Winged Angel, the knees to Okada when he wouldn't let go of his grip... it's all such a great set up for what's to come. I still need to re-watch the rest in the series because I recall preferring the others to this one, but what a match."
[10.0] "Going back to this match, it's still unbelievable. It goes big and never stops escalating. When WK11 first aired, this match was the impetus for falling in love with wrestling again after I had aged out as a kid from liking fake play-fighting. I wouldn't be watching wrestling today if it weren't for this match and rewatching after all these years affirmed to me that it's still so good."
[10.0] "I'm not even sure what there is to say about this match. It is simply one of, if not the greatest matches to ever take place. Beautifully structured, so many memorable moments, and two absolute star-making performances. Crazy to think Omega started 2016 as a junior and within a year is main eventing Wrestle Kingdom and establishing himself as the top western star in the business. These two may not have had the longest rivalry in history, but purely in terms of match quality, I don't think there is a rivalry in wrestling history that can reach the incredibly high bar these two set with their four matches. 5 stars."
[10.0] "Call me crazy but I think this is the best professional wrestling match of all time. Okada and Omega were locked in. The last 15 minutes of this match were so godly. Them countering each others' moves was so cool to see. I hope we get this style of wrestling in other promotions as well."
[9.0] "Rewatched the whole thing after a few years. A few things to note. Very early on, Okada does a Spike DDT on the matted floor that looked violent as fuck, followed by a neat crossbody on the outside jumping over the guardrails, and finally, back on the ring, a slingshot senton. Pins him and it's a one count... As this is a very long match, they try to keep you engaged from the beginning, but that seems a bit too much if he isn't going to sell the damage. Omega, although he lost, ended up looking the strongest of the two, as he ate quite the punishment in kayfabe (4 rainmakers to end him), and out of kayfabe too. That cardboard box table almost injured Omega. A regular table would have been better for that spot to kill the momentun of the fall and it would have looked better as well. Okada does take some risky bumps too, with that amazing dragon suplex from the top rope being the absolute highlight of the match. Character wise there isn't much to say, Kenny is the Terminator for some reason. Making his entrance with the Bucks by his side and wasting time outside the ring, one would think he'd play the mischievous gaijin heel, but it didn't look so as the match developed. By his own merit, he stood his ground and fought cleanly. Maybe because by that time, it felt like he represented New Japan, too, having wrestled there for quite a while. The hype for this match opened a door for a lot of people in the wrestling community to a different market and style of wrestling, and influenced many on how they would start working their matches. Companies, even."
[10.0] "Really been thinking on how I'm gonna write this shit for basically three days. I saw that on Saturday and there I am on Wednesday, hoping that the words will come and I'll be able to rate this because everything related to this bout made me speechless. Hopefully, I was not the only one, as you can see in the ratings below, all barely pass the three lines and there's not because people are lazy or something, it's because it's hard to talk about a match so great like this one. When you think at a Tokyo Dome Main Event, you'll not think in a shitty Umino vs ZSJ or Sanada vs Naito with all the respect for those wrestlers, for whom I know that they tried their best, but you'll think at THIS. This is a Tokyo Dome main event. I spend three fucking days thinking "What should I write here? " "What can be unique and something that no one ever said before? " and I did not think about that to be special, but to be personal, I don't want to write something that you surely will see another three thousand people saying the same think, and that's a personal goal of me for every match in this site, can be a one, can be a seven, I think that and I try to execute that. One of the most special things about this match is that if you going to look for the incredible and amazing spots, there's not much to be fair. We had a insane moonsault executed by Kenny Omega that was pure definition of flawless. I saw him talking about this moment that he personally told the story of this match completelly for the Young Bucks and he was afraid of doing that move not only to be dangerous but also for the pressure and uncommon in his moveset, and his friends said "Don't worry, you're Kenny Omega". And the other amazing spot that comes to mind right now is the backdrop Kenny took--that he went to high in the sky that I personally thought that he died in that landing into the table. This is not a match about crazy spots, this is not a Will Ospreay's match (sorry Billy GOAT), this is a match about storytelling. You can see how much those moves that Okada did like the dropkicks, rainmakers and DDT hurt on Kenny, he sold like that was his own death. And you can see how much that moves that Kenny did focusing Okada's neck surely hurt, because he also sold like it was his own death. There was some moments here that I thought that both wrestlers would not be able to leave this place alive, both wrestlers are so GOATED that they're able to tell a story like this only using the ring and also perform a great match. I never on my life thought that a One Winged Angel can be reversed into a RAINMAKER, BUT THAT CRAZY DUDES THINKED THAT. Talking about finishers, Kenny cried in the almost ending after noticing that he wasn't able to execute the OWA one single time on Okada, but Okada already have executed the Rainmaker three times, doing one last one to end this match and retain his title. The personal felling that I had after the end was grateful. I was truly grateful for watching a match so fucking good like this one, and even the commentary desk and the crowd thought that. Trust me, if the crowd in NJPW that is pretty common to see bangers happenning over and over make a standing ovation with unstoppable claps for you, you not only did a good job, you did the best job of your entire life. Fuck the tribalism, that is the type of match that everyone in the wrestling need to watch and admire, just like SCSA did once. This was so fucking hard to a dyslexic guy like me write, and trust me, this was NOT one of the greatest matches of all time, this was THE greatest match of all time. I don't even need to say that this is a FUCKING five stars match for me, right?"
[10.0] "HOLY FUCK. This is the 1st time I've watched this match and I was fucking BLOWN away. This is amazing in any space and time. The fucking martians would come down and pray down to this masterclass of professional wrestling. Entertaining on all levels! What a way to close the fucking show! [*****3/4]"
[10.0] "I am obviously not the first one to call this match the greatest match ever had but I think there's a lot still to be learned from this match. First of all, the importance of timing and proper blocking. The truth is that pro wrestling has become far too obsessed with big moves at the expense of proper technique. Have any of these wrestlers who claim to love Misawa ever watched a Misawa match. Yes, Misawa loved the big move but a ton of time is spent on blocking. I think it's extremely important that we highlight how this is what Omega and Okada do so well. They intermix the two at such a high level."
[10.0] "Like for many, this match has been my introduction to New Japan Pro Wrestling. Rarely do I enjoy matches that go this long but this kept my attention all throughout its almost 50 minute runtime. Still one of the best matches ever in my opinion."
[10.0] "To me this is one of the greatest matches of all time. It had everything, from the stage to the star power to the in ring work and psycology. The ending sequence is one of, if not the best of all time. This match speaks for itself. 10/10"
[10.0] "The feeling of this match the first time was the most fun I have ever had watching Wrestling, not a moment or story or angle just wrestling. Hope they can deliver like this at All In"
[10.0] "It's like Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega went out there with the intention to go as far as they possibly could, and then beyond. I heard all the hype about this match, and it went above and beyond what I even expected. Okada had possibly his best match last year against Tanahashi, but he topped it right here. He and Omega had PERFECT chemistry, and though this match was more than 45 minutes long, it didn't drag at all. There wasn't a single boring moment, even during the "slower" earlier parts. Then once Omega flew out of the ring and went through the table, this match went insane. It was super stiff too, with neither guy holding a single thing back. And then the final sequences, which went for like... 15 minutes by themselves? Good god. This is definitely up there as one of the greatest matches I've ever seen, if not THE best. What else can I say? They pulled it off."
[10.0] "This is the definition of a picture-perfect match. Everything about this match was perfect, and this was the best possible way to close the show at WrestleKingdom. This was also the first match of their legendary rivalry."
[10.0] "few things will ever match my reaction to the final minutes of this match. okada and omega put on what at the time was the greatest professional wrestling match ever. deserves every bit of praise it gets and will forever hold up as a classic. my second favorite match ever."
"This is the match that made me follow Japanese wrestling. Madness in the ring and total dedication from the wrestlers. The most technical wrestlers of our time met in the ring. Okada was good with his steel character, while Omega showed his versatility"
[10.0] "This match is as good as everyone says. Okada and Omega are the perfect counters to one and other. This may be the two of them at their best. The last 20 or so minutes of this match may be the best wrestling will ever be. The use of the fear if the one winged angel and the build up to the first rainmaker is masterful. Matches like these are why the tokyo dome and wrestle kingdom are so special."
[10.0] "Greatest wrestling match of all time. By arguably the two best in ring workers of all time. 5 stars, 6 stars, 10 stars, however you rate it, it won't do justice to the absolute masterpiece this match was. And it changed the pro wrestling industry forever. Created a revolution that ended up forming AEW. The best match of all time."
[10.0] "However many stars you want to give this one, it is worth every last one. This match was all about Kenny trying to grab the brass ring after being the first foreigner to win the G1. The presentation of this match is pure gold. For being such a long match, there really aren't many rest holds or down periods, someone is doing something for more or less the entire match. The double foot stomp onto the table was cool, Kenny going THROUGH the table was awesome to see in a promotion that rarely gets hardcore (and it makes moments like this more impactful because they use them so sparingly). The V-Triggers were so crisp, the teasing of the One Winged Angel at the end was so dramatic in the best possible way. I was really rooting for Kenny to win this at the time, but knowing what we know now about how this feud played out, the right man won."
[10.0] "A very strong match. The tension build up throughout the match made me pop even for the smallest moves between the two. This banger really delivered. I discovered the two in AEW and I kept hearing about that legendary match. I'll dive deeper into NJPW as of now, thanks to these two legends."
[10.0] "This match started a little bit slow but quickly picked up. There are so many spots in this match that are just absolutely insane. The whole match just felt 50/50 you didn't know who was gonna win. The spot where Okada hit a Tombstone piledriver and then a rainmaker I thought for sure it was over but then Kenny some how kicked out was a hype moment. Great match was really emotional match you truly didn't know who would win."
[10.0] "Overrated quite a tad as it's the highest rated match on cage match lol. There 2 out of 3 falls meeting in 2018 dominion in Osaka was miles better for me at least. There 2017 dominion match is prob on par with this one for me too. 5/5 but not close to my top 10 matches ever"
[9.0] "Agreed with the 6 stars rating but no matter how many times I've seen this, the first rainmaker would've always felt like the match ender. That's why 9/10. The beginning of most probably the greatest singles fued/matches in modern wrestling history. A match made in heaven these two. The in-ring scene and storytelling was good but what makes it great were the high spots outside. Insane athleticism by Kenny Omega. KAzuchika Okada winning was definitely the right choice knowing what these two gave us moving forward."
"This is a 10 for me all day. This was the match that made me realize Kenny Omega was the world class worker he is and frankly it invigorated my entire love of New Japan as I had lagged a bit with the departure of AJ and Nakamura. This match showed me that with these two plus Tanahashi, Naito, etc New Japan's recent golden era was not over and to me 2017-2019 are maybe the three best years of work rate for an entire promotion I've ever seen."
[10.0] "This was the greatest match of all time. I watched it live back on January 4th 2017, and everything leading up to this match was awesome, super fun build up, Kenny being the first foreigner G1 winner, Okada's first dome main event not against Tanahashi, who was going to take New Japan to new heights? It was that simple. This match changed the game and the business as we know it today. Everything in this match was perfect, the story was all there. This was 46 minutes and it didn't feel like it one bit. Literally everyone thought the first rainmaker was the finish and when Kenny kicked out no one could believe it. Then they went like 10 more minutes! More near falls, crowd is losing their minds, so was I at home, then they go to the finish and Kenny hits one of the best dropkicks ever and debuts the rain trigger knee, to a HUGE POP. then goes for the OWA into a Okada flip reversal and then he debuts the jumping twisting tombstone, just like wtf who even thinks of that, then kills Kenny with the final rainmaker and the crowd goes crazy again. Immediately when this match ended I was like I've never seen anything that good, and I still haven't. It's been 8 years and this is still the best match i've ever seen and i'm confident nothing will come close and reach these levels again. This set the wrestling world on fire, especially after Dave gave it 6 stars, but it had Steve Austin begging WWE to sign Omega, and wrestlers like Rollins and Buddy Murphy/Matthews stealing his moves now. This also sent New Japan into the stratosphere and made them the hottest promotion for the next 3 years, eventually leading to the creation of AEW. This was the real start of it all, you'd see Bullet Club shirts everywhere and Kenny shirts, young bucks shirts. Kenny and Okada started the revolution here. They did around 27, 000 in the Dome for this year, and the next year they had damn near 40, 000. Like come on now. What a time to be alive this was. 5 Stars duh."
[10.0] "The match that broke a lot of brains, it is that good. One of the greatest matches of all time, a match they went all out several times to try and top."
[10.0] "Das beste Moderne Wrestling Match. New Japan Wrestlingstyle hat hier gepeaked. Anfang war nicht zu langsam sondern, sinnvoll für den Matchaufbau. Alles was danach kommt ist nahezu perfektion. Ich liebe die Spots draußen am Ring, welche allesamt unglaublich sind, besonders der wo Omega durch den Tisch geht. Im Ring ist es nicht anders, die Moves, Konter und dramatik sind nicht von dieser Welt. Crowd geht perfekt durch alle Phasen durch, von den Wechseln für Omega, Okada, Omega usw. Und das Finish...es ist das beste aller Zeiten, nur Vergleichbar ist für mich Misawa/Kobashi '03. Persönlich ist dass das Match und der Zeitpunkt wo Okada als der "Finish-God" für mich eingeht, und Omega der perfekte Tanzpartner ist. Dramatik, Up's and Down's für den jeweiligen und die Frage wer es denn am Ende schafft den finalen Finisher zu landen. Es ist wirklich einfach nur Perfektion.(*****)"
[10.0] "La mejor lucha que yo haya visto, increíble performance de dos de los mejores in-ring de la historia. Omega me hizo volver a engancharme a esto"
[10.0] "After watching Kenny Omega's amazing return match this year, I had to dig into some of his other work in NJPW and started with this, which at writing is the highest rated wrestling match on this entire site. I doubt I have anything new to add here - this was simply incredible from start to finish. There were some insane spots that will not be forgotten anytime soon - the HUUUUGE back bodydrop to the outside through the table, Kenny's snap dragon suplex from the top rope - but the entire last 10-15 minutes was out of control. Omega's determination in trying to hit the One Winged Angel, only to be countered at every turn by Okada, had the crowd gasping over and over again. Finally, Okada was able to put him away with Rainmaker after Rainmaker. Yeah, this one lives up to the hype. I just wish I had experienced it in 2017. *****"
[10.0] "Have you ever heard a japanese crowd react like this? There's no other match where you feel what is felt in the building in this way...A match that proves that wrestling transcends culture. That if two people can dance well together... Anyone can feel it."
[10.0] "[5.0*] Honestly, I believe this was the best match I've ever seen in my entire life, surpassing Okada vs. Shibata. They started at a pretty slow pace, but even so, the match was super interesting. Kenny Omega was simply brilliant in this match--his pacing was impeccable, his agility, his cool moves, and his aggression had me completely hooked. At many points in the match, I thought the Bullet Club leader was going to break Okada's neck. I also really enjoyed them breaking tables and doing dives. Okada's cool moves and the reversals at the end drove me crazy. This match was truly perfect."
[10.0] "Whenever I review matches that happened on the day, I look forward to Wrestle Kingdom. And I'm happy to be reviewing this match, because it had an absolutely PERFECT build-up. Everyone though this was gonna be Omega's day, but somehow, Okada escapes with the win. The action here was phenomenal, no doubt about it, so many crazy spots, and everything was taken seriously. And unlike most spots that're just there for a dopamine rush, these actually play into the story with how far Kenny's willing to hang in there for the IWGP Title, but just not quite getting it. He'd have his moment soon enough, though. This match was sensational, and I highly recommend it."
[10.0] "If you want to play with a combination and build up a perfect wrestling match, this bout delivers like 90% of all best combinations. THE match which pointed a track for New Japan to be the best wrestling organization from in-ring perspective until the beginning of 2024. It's really hard to pick one specific spectacle which have stolen hearts of the most number of fans, however this match is absolutely on the very high place on this list."
[10.0] "This is the match that got me back into pro wrestling back in 2017. Watching this first time I was in awe. There are matches that defines wrestlers and the eras of wrestling they are in - this bout was one of them. The big start of Kenny Omega's stardom in New Japan, the start of a rivalry that would span until Omega leaves NJ and would spill out into AEW. This match is probably is the cause of many western fans learning about New Japan and wrestling outside of US. The bout itself was almost flawless with an amazing and long build-up that had my attention all the way through. Little details made it better and Omega's work on Okada's back being the main cause of many points in the match was great. As we went on, the bigger spots came on and they were spectacular. Every big move they did looked impactful to the point where you think they are no longer "pretending" to fight. Omega's dives outside of the ring looked fantastic and NJ's camera angles made them look even better. The table spots looked brutal, with Okada going through - the aftermath was nasty, but with Omega - it was unbelievable, as not only he did an insanely high jump all the way to the guardrails, but he snapped that table in half. As we moved closer to the end, the biggest fake-out of the match happened - the first Rainmaker. A big upside to this match was the rare use or even a sign of them hitting their finishing moves. It was done rarely here and when it came down to these moments - they felt important. The first Rainmaker is an example, as probably every single person that was watching this live/for the first time thought it would be it. It just fitted to be the end. But no, Omega kicked out and what followed with probably the most ecstatic last part of a pro wrestling match you'll ever see. Both men were an inch away from victory, every single move mattered and felt like it could be that one big dot before them finishing the match. I can not put into words how great it was, but I guess saying that it was one of the best endings I ever watched - is enough. Okada came victorious and Omega was elevated like never before. The match is a classic and is definitely one of the best matching in wrestling of all time. And it was only the beginning of their epic series."
[10.0] "My opinion on this has changed after a full rewatch rather then a partial rewatch. The first 30 minutes is a 6. The last 10 minutes brings it up to a 10 as Omega and Okada perfectly cap it out. This was a spectacular match. It isn't the greatest match of all time but is definitely a 5 star match regardless of your opinion on it's placement or the two involved. Incredible."
[10.0] "(11/10) The best match I've ever watched (so far because I haven't watched the rest.) Amazing sequences with the knees. Omega probably the best seller with those DDT and the flying across from the dropkick. The Rainmakers looked absolutely devastating. Piledrivers always get me good."
[10.0] "What a match I mean the storytelling and the ring work with even the small moves looking so smooth both men at the peak of their careers. This match is absolutely one for the ages cam watch this hundred times and thank god there was no interference and the table spot taken by omega scary I don't know how these guys do this absolutely amazing"
"I went into this not knowing a single thing about their feud or storyline, since ive always been a WWE-guy. So without any emotional investment to start the match it starts a bit slow, but it does grab you a few minutes in and doesnt let you go again after. The second half of this match (at the very least, its probably more like 3/4) are absolutely flawless. Omega is a freak when it comes to selling DDT's and Dropkicks and in general just makes every single one of Okadas moves look like they just killed him! This match is incredible and makes the hour fly past."
[10.0] "I honestly had no idea how well this would hold up on rewatch. Hoooooly shit this match is still absolutely flawless. People have tried to recreate what Omega and Okada did here but no one has come within even an inch of touching this. A lot of matches in this style are either poorly paced or just go to far with the move spam but that just isn't the case here in the slightest. This match is paced to absolute perfection, starting off slow with both men being fairly even before Kenny takes control and starts going to work on Okada's abdomen. From then on the big spots start slowly rolling in, Kenny's moonsault over the barricade, then Okada's backdrop on Kenny through the table and so on and so on. The work done between the spots is always super engaging too and it never once feels like their just transitioning to the next big move instead choosing to get to that big move in a way that feels natural and logical. The selling here from both men is also surprisingly great considering the style. Okada especially is excellent at selling his abdomen throughout this as he's constant favouring it. Just everything about this match is so expertly done whether it be the pace, the storytelling of Okada constantly countering the One Winged Angel, the nearfalls which similarly to the spots are also excellently built to even just the selling of the exhaustion of being in a match of this length from both guys. This isn't my favourite style of wrestling as I feel it's so often just poorly done, but here it works and it works perfectly. One of the greatest matches of all time. *****"
[10.0] "One of the best, if not the best match I've ever watched. Flawless in all ways. The storytelling was great, with the match building up to whether kenny could or couldn't hit his finisher to end the match, while surviving the worst beating of his life. Incredible spots, perfect in ring performances from both men, and the reversal moments where absolutely breathtaking. The ability these two had to escalate the match to the highest, HIGHEST LEVEL is something that only wrestlers like Okada and Kenny Omega can pull off. This is what pro wrestling is all about, just an insane experience."
[10.0] "Greatest wrestling match I have ever seen. I have seen matches with better "workrate" in the years since then, but there was something special about capturing this match at this point in time. The last 7 minutes are pure perfection."
[10.0] "This match really is Pro Wrestling at it top level. Every move every spot and transition was flawless! defiantly the Golden standard even in 2024. The magic of it as well is you get lost in the story telling in ring to the point you forget it goes on for nearly an hour."
[10.0] "One of the greatest professional wrestling matches of all time, there's no doubt about it. It's a shame that this match is overshadowed in a way by the star-rating system discussion."
[10.0] "The Greatest Professional Wrestling Match of All Time, At the biggest sage possible in Japan, Wrestle Kingdom is their WrestleMania so you know it had to have the two biggest stars in the company verse each other for the first time ever 1v1 and it exceeded expectations. It had that big match feel to it. Everything Kenny & Okada did was Perfect. Every Move, Every Sequence, Every counter was so smooth and flowed together perfectly. They both hit all of their signature moves that we love, they both pulled out of all the tricks out of their bag, Kenny hit this Springboard Back flip to the outside on Okada and it looked brutal. Kenny he a bunch of V Triggers that looked disgusting. The Story told was Kenny trying to hit the One Winged Angel because nobody kicks out of the One Winged Angel. But every time he came close to hitting it Okada had an answer for it. Once Okada hit the Rainmaker everyone though it was over but at 2.9 Kenny Kicked out and had a spark adrenaline Kenny hit a couple more Devastating V Triggers and in position for the One Winged Angel but countered it into a Spinning Piledriver and then into one more Rainmaker for the 123. These two went to war for 46 Minutes and threw everything they had at each other. It's tough to put into words how fucking great this match is, no words do it justice."
[10.0] "This match was just incredible. Thankfully there was english commentary when I was watching, it enhanced my experience. Anyways, the work in this match is incredible. Two top guys going at it and throwing everything they have at each other in order to not only gain the top prize, but their place as the face of NJPW. I knew Okada was going to win, it only makes sense for the guy who originates from that country to be the face of the promotion. However, Kenny almost had me fooled numerous times this match. He is such a good wrestler. This match is filled with excellent wrestling and no botches at all. There was not one spot or move I saw that went wrong. These two have stolen Bret Harts name as executioners of excellence. At the end, it turned into a finished fest but instead of false kickouts, the two sold the fatigue of war and could hardly pin each other. At the end of the match, Okada hit Kenny with a spinning tombstone piledriver for the win just incredible. I see why this is the top match of Cagematch. Is this my favorite? No. But did it impress me, and invoke many emotions from me? Yes. That is why it is getting a 10. For the excellent wrestling, storytelling, star power, selling, crowd, and living up to the hype."
[10.0] "Yeah, this match is honestly underrated at this point. It has such a big fight feel that only the Tokyo Dome offers, really. Kenny spends the whole match trying to break down Okada, as he is treated as a God by the crowd. after 35 minutes, Kenny finally reaches his level, and Okada can feel it. The last 10 minutes, where they throw everything they have, are probably my favorite in wrestling. Insanely perfect, exactly what big match wrestling should look like."
[10.0] "Getting into wrestling, I was not aware of people like Okada or Omega as I only knew of WWE, I didn't even know WCW was a thing. This is the first NJPW match I watched because it was so highly rated. Now I have never been a fan of slow-paced, submission 60 minute WRESTLING matches like old Bret Hart or even Sabre Jr. matches now, but this was incredible to see. It was like 2 gods going at it which they are 2 gods of wrestling. This is genuinely the closest thing to a PERFECT match that I have seen. Again, I am a WWE guy, I like matches based on story rather than technical ability, but this was just otherworldly. I did not even need a storyline to thoroughly enjoy this match. 10/10 best match of all time to date, still wouldn't recommend it to be someone's first WWE/AEW/NJPW wrestling match to watch."
[10.0] "My favorite of all of their matches bc its what got me into njpw which has became my favorite company of all time. Great pace, insane crowd, insane bumps & amazing sequences. The best match of all time imo"
"****3/4 - In my opinion lacks some of the deeper storytelling of the later matches of the feud, but that's understandable given it's their first meeting and kinda sets up all the story to come, and in every other respect it's near flawless. Absolutely insane spots (Kenny's moonsault over the guardrail still makes me scream every time I see it), sets a breakneck pace and never once runs out of steam, and perfect execution from both participants. The ending stretch in particular is incredible, Kenny trying desperately to hang on even though he knows he's beaten. Was thinking about this one for days after I first saw it, and whilst the shock and thrill I felt on first viewing has diminished on repeat watches, it's still in the top tier of matches for me."
[10.0] "Holy fucking Shit. Finally sat down and watched this match and I can 100% understand now. This was an out of body experience. Didn't even feel like a 45 minute match. Everything was paced and executed so well, this was an all time classic. My only gripe is I didn't watch NJPW back in 2017 because I would definitely type of Wrestling fan had I seen this live. I have to watch their next two matches."
[10.0] "[5*] What a crazy match! The match started with a slow pace but with perfect execution, okada knows how to make the simple look good and escalate to an absurd scale."
[10.0] "[5.0*] This is the maybe the best professional wrestling match of all time. They should play it at every single wrestling academy because this is what the sport is about. Insane levels of drama and psychology, Kenny crying in the middle of the ring after keeping it up with 3 rainmakers without hitting a single O.W.A is top tear storytelling. He took the beating of his life and never gave up, but at the end of the day you have to win, and without hitting a finisher you can not defeat Kazuchika Okada. That is the story. They slowed down the pace after every big sequence and it was just perfect for the audience to relax a little bit and take a breath, and the funny part is that in 2023 this Ospreay Generation (the wrestler itself is fantastic, GOAT level, the fans/culture are the problem) would call this match slow and ask for more flips. Simple but goddamn perfect. When the climax hit, it was breathtaking. At the end both guys were exhausted so the crowd just did not know who was going to win, because they were selling so perfectly it looked like a real fight. At the fourth Rainmaker, Okada went 1-0 on the best feud ever in Japan. This was my third time watching this masterclass and I hope to watch it more in the future. A Timeless Classic. Thank you, Okada and Kenny. So much. EDIT: I am currently on my last month of NJPW World so I decided to rewatch the full series and oh my God this just gets better and better. These last 20 minutes are just out of this world, the reversal sequences got me speechless again. This is one of the best professional wrestling matches of all time and even when I am taking a little break from puro I just can not stop loving this. This is a match where Stone Cold Steve Austin of all people said to be a Top 3 of all-time. So yeah, even if you are just into WWE or something, watch it. This is the epitome of this sport, the best ending stretch ever. Truly an out of body experience."
"-Intense eyes. -Kenny brings the drama. -Okadas glitter trunks. -Stamina. -Their pacing is stellar. -The table is the smoking gun. -Okadas second wind, baby."
[10.0] "Theres so much action without over consuming the match with meaningless moves. Omega rolls through a couple body drop then hits a second rope sunset flip that okada rolls through and a jack knife pin thats bridged up, backslide pin, two arm drags by Okada, and into a shoulder lock, all stuff thats just gorgeous. Kennys acrobatics are so explosive, he goes for a one winged angel really early, Okada goes for a Rainmaker, but Kenny spits in Okadas face and takes a break on the outside. Okada hits a low shotgun drop kick, moves so well for such a big guy. Okada sends Omega into the barricade and Kenny fights back and tries to hit a vertical suplex on Okada onto the guardians but Okada instead gets him in an elevated DDT on the guardrail to the mat at ringside. Okada brings out a table from ringside. Okada sends Omega over the guardrail and then hits his awesome running crossbody over the guardrails. Gorgeous hurricanrana to Okada by Kenny, who then hits a gorgeous tope con hilo. Back in the ring Kenny hits a dropkick to the back of Okadas head that looks like it could kill a man, he grabs the rope to get out of the pin attempt. Okada looks completely knocked out as he kicks out of another pin attempt. Great selling. Kennys just wrenching back on Okadas neck, basically just working up and down the spine. After a bunch of knees Okada catches one of Kennys and lifts him up for a nice firemans carry throw. Okada with a running hip and then a DDT to Kenny, kips up and hits a running European to Kenny as hes seated, pin attempt and kick out. Flapjack on Kenny, then Okada hits a really gorgeous submission hold that just looks seamless. Kenny gets to the ropes. Kenny then hits just the most gorgeous springboard moonsault over the guardrails to Okada. Its just absolutely perfect in every way. Okada struggles to get back to the ring. Kenny then puts the table over Okada as he crawls to the ring, drapes it over him and then does a double stomp to the table while its on Okada, putting a big dent in it. Fucking beautiful. Omega goes back to Okada, rolls him back in the ring, hits him with a powerbomb but cant hit the three count on Okada Deadlift sit out powerbomb also kicked out of by Kazuchika. The bucks set up the table on the outside, Red Shoes stops Kenny from being able to send Okada outside onto the table. Omega flings Okada hard into the turnbuckle, boot to Kenny, but Kenny hits the forward roll fireman carry into the moonsault combo, tries to hit the dragon sleeper but Okada gets away, Okada counters Kenny, puts him up on the top rope, then hits him with a great dropkick and Omega just falls in between the guardrail and the floor mat. Okada lifts up Omega near the table, Omega teases the one winged-angel onto the table, theres more counters upon counters, in the middle of the ring they battle, Kenny hits the ropes, and then Okada back body launches Kenny clear over the ropes and he just flies through the table at ringside, couldnt have landed more squarely on that table. Just incredible. Okada goes outside and rolls Kenny back in, he heads to the top rope, and boy does Okada hit an incredible missile dropkick thats only outdone by how amazingly Kenny sells it. Okada hits an elbow from the top rope, hits the rainmaker pose, Kenny feels the wrist being locked in and heads for the ropes. Kenny avoids the rainmaker and drives Okadas spine into the turnbuckle. Kenny tries to lift up Okada to the top turnbuckle but cant because of his own back. Finally he gives Okada a big slap and gets him up on the top rope, wants a dragon sleeper suplex and hits it, I dont know how Okada is still alive, Omega pins him with one hand but Okada kicks out at 2.9. Replay shows how Okada just lands on his damn skull. Fisherman suplex neckbreaker by Kenny, Kenny finally goes for a V-trigger but Okada reverses it into a German suplex, goes for the rainmaker, Kenny avoids and Okada hits the rope where Kenny hits his v-trigger, hits the ropes again for a second but is cut off by a GORGEOUS dropkick by Okada where he must jump 6 feet in the air. Okada goes for a rainmaker but its blocked by Kenny, he hits a jumping knee and a reverse Rana, Kenny hits a gorgeous v-trigger, gets Okada up for the one-winged angel, Okada lands on his feet. Catches Kenny in midair while he goes for a cutter, and then hits a tombstone on Kenny. Okada hits the rainmaker, middle of the ring, timing is perfect, and a near fall kick out by Kenny. The build in the building is electric. Okadas eye gets raked and then he hits another huge dropkick on Kenny where Kenny just launches himself back into the turnbuckle. Kenny then reverses a tombstone into reverse air raid crash, Okada kick out at a deep two. Both guys trade forearms on the ground, they rise to their feet and trade forearms, Kenny hits another gear and hits a snap dragon suplex, a v-trigger, doesnt get the pin, hits another v-trigger, goes for the one-winged angel, but Okada reverses it and hits the rainmaker by holding onto the wrist. Okada doesnt break the connection with Kenny, keeps his hand on the wrist, brings him up again for one final Rainmaker, Kenny picks his way out of it as desperately as he can but Okada holds onto his wrist. Knee after knee but Okada holds on and hits the lariat. Back and forth, Kenny hits a huge dropkick of his own, hits a ripcord V-trigger, brings him up for the one winged angel, reversed into a spinning tombstone, Okada hits the rainmaker and then pins Kenny for the the three count. What a goddamn journey. Thats how you escalate a match on the highest level. Thats just excellence"
[10.0] "there is so many little things about this match that make it perfect or honestly, the entire series perfect, but this is a true epic, classic pro wrestling"
[10.0] "I was on a wrestling marathon, watching a lot of matches in a row and planning to watch some more, but I don't think I can watch any wrestling match in the next few days, everything will look like shit, this was the peak of this sport, a beautiful and perfect masterpiece that those two phenomenal wrestlers provided to all of us. Normally in those epic main events, we have a slow, smart and qualified construction, and then we reach to the climax where we lose our minds, but in this match I lost track of everything, I couldn't tell if it lasted 20 minutes or 1 hour, I was hypnotized, I've never watched a climax last so long, this is a cathartic experience, I couldn't move a muscle, was enable to do anything else other than watch the screen with a wide eye and mouth open. The beginning of the match had a lot of sequences, everything felt perfect and smooth, insane chemistry considering they never wrestled each other in a singles match before. Then Kenny started to destroy Okada, but not targeting his arms or legs, he was hurting everything he could, he was trying to rip out his soul. Long before the match went to another dimension, I was already feeling the pain and saying to myself that this one has to end soon, because it's crazy what they're doing, a crazy amount of stiff moves and bumps to the head. After some insane moves by Kenny, like that Asai moonsault and foot stomp trough the table, Okada saw he was facing a different beast and started to hurt Kenny too, more precisely on that back body drop over the rope to break the table, unreal move. After that it was a war, they attacked everything they could and tried to hit the other with their most impactful moves. It's common to talk about Okada face expressions, he's incredible, but Omega showed here that he's as big as any star can be, he started crying during the match, it was insane. I can't even describe what happened in those last few minutes, Okada had to do a lot of rainmakers to put him down, anyone could win, this was like someone boosted both guys ability to the maximum level, like they were super humans, and unbeatable, probably the wrestling match in history that I felt the most both guys are impossible to pin, they survived trough a lot. In the end of the match I was crying, and I'm not a guy that cries a lot, but then the transmission cut to the crowd and everyone was crying, so it was normal. I can only thank Omega and Okada for this one, there's not an acceptable list of best matches ever without this one, they elevated the whole game and set the bar on the highest level ever, I think there's wrestling before and after this one - {*****}"
[10.0] "The last 8 minutes of this match is the best thing I've ever seen that has come out of the professional wrestling industry. It's one of those rare instances in media where everything comes together so well that it creates the perfect outcome."
[9.0] "Awesome match, the first I see from them and it clearly delivers, the desperation and lack of respect the two are showing adds such a great intensity, bravo."
[10.0] "One of the greatest matches of all time in my books, it had its technical pace style, to high flying style, it had everything you can think of, Omega winning the G1 Climax that year was a great choice in my opinion, Okada be a respected champion. You know this match was going to be big, and it was they delivered with awsome spots. *****1/2"
[10.0] "Greatest match of all time. This was my first full NJPW match I saw after hearing all of the buzz online, and it's made me an NJPW fan ever since, and a fan of this different style of amazing wrestling."
[10.0] "This is probably the best pro wrestling match ever. Its as good as it gets. Perfection. The epic length adds to its legacy too because no match of that length(45+ min territory is rare) has ever felt so flawlessly constructed in its progression that you never come close to feeling as if things are dragging on or taking too long. The epic finish/closing sequence to this match is stuff of legend. It's unimaginably entertaining. Its a perfectly booked exchange between 2 of the best in the business. The first in a quartet that features arguably 4 of the top 50 pro wrestling matches of all time. This is the best of the 4, and a rare example of pro wrestling perfection. Even the event/location/venue are historic, and the crowd was as loud as you'll ever hear in NJPW, especially towards the conclusion of the bout. There's not one single botch(not even close), couple that with the sheer amount of highly difficult and extremely hard-hitting action over the course of the match and you start to understand just how special this was. I doubt you can find another match with as many memorable spots and/or noteworthy moments. And just when you think it couldn't get any better...it was 100% clean with absolutely zero outside interference or overbooking nonsense. I will forever be in awe of this masterpiece, and seem to find it getting better and better somehow every time i watch it."
[10.0] "(*****) You know how they say that Messi is not the best human footballer because he is an alien, yeah Kenny is the Messi of wrestling. I can't compare the last five minutes to anything, I just walked in circles for ten whole minutes after the match."
"This match is incredible and the pacing is pretty much perfect. I think as an overall match though, it's just shy of perfection, but I'd imagine it wouldn't take long for that to happen. Hopefully their future matches confirm this theory. ****3/4."
[10.0] "This is legendary. Two of the greatest wrestlers wrestling for the first time in the main event of the tokyo dome. It's just about 47 minutes of greatness. The in-ring chemistry is off the charts. They know each other very well. They were some big spots, lots of hard-hitting strikes, and very rugged wrestling. The storytelling in the match is fantastic. Kenny kicking out towards the ending made it dramatic, and seeing the disbelief on Okada's face was great. The way they picked up the pace at 30 mins in is insane. All of the V-triggers, rainmakers and tombstones were just awesome. Top 3 matches of all time."
[10.0] "Kinda had no context other than the hype this match gets, and the Dailymotion clip thankfully includes the pre-match promo montage which helped set the scene and gave the match clear stakes. As for the fight... I mean, as soon as it started it was 45 minutes of me sitting there smiling like an idiot or with my mouth agape. One of the most exciting and astonishing performances I've ever seen with just impeccable pacing, build, and action."
[10.0] "Incredible drama, incredible athleticism and incredible technical ability. This match absolutely deserves its reputation as one of the greatest of all time."
[10.0] "one of the most well rounded matches i thing ive ever seen honestly. It had wrestling smooth transitions big high spots it has it all. I love the springboard moonsalt to the outside might be one of my favorite wrestling spots of all time same with the incredible back drop to the outside threw the table. And then eventually we get to the point where theres so many incredible near falls. I definitely wouldve thought after that first pile driver and rain maker it was over that couldnt have been timed any perfectly. So so many great transitions threw out the end. Okada winning match 1 is for sure the right call. i give this 6 stars (which is tied for my highest rated match)"
[10.0] "Decided to rewatch the quadrilogy since the 9th was the 6th year anniversary of what is IMO the greatest match of all time. This match is better than I remember it being. The electric atmosphere that no other crowd can duplicate outside of the dome. The back flip over the barricade, the back body drop to the table on the outside, the avalanche snap dragon. These two destroyed each other for the love of professional wrestling. Then that closing stretch... starting from when Okada hits a rainmaker and falls to the floor maintaining wrist control. Wow, just perfectly beautiful pro wrestling."
[10.0] "This match is widely considered to be one of the greatest matches of all time, and it's for good reason. For this match, Omega and Okada are at the peak of their powers, and their presence alone produced an aura we haven't seen in forever. Whilst not my favourite match in their rivalry, this match is comfortably in my top 5 matches of all time. When I fell out of love with WWE, I wish I found New Japan at this time."
[10.0] "Der Start war natürlich, angesichts der Länge, relativ zurückhaltend. Irgendwann im Laufe des Matches wurde es dann richtig wild. Dann kam die Chemie hervor, die die beiden Worker miteinander haben. Die letzten 15 Minuten waren echt der pure Wahnsinn. Die Kontersequenzen waren absolut geisteskrank gut! Ich habe mich mehrfach gefragt, wo die beiden die Energie auf einmal noch hergenommen haben. Die Dramatik in der Schlussphase war dann wohl das, was die Finale Gesamtnote ausmacht. Als letzter Bonus noch: dass Kenny nach gut 30 Minuten auf das Bodypartworking vom Anfang zurückkam, war überragend"
"One of the greatest matches in the history of the sport, one of the greatest rivalries as well. If I could go back to being 17 years old watching this match for the first time again, well, I would."
[10.0] "I went into this match not knowing nothing about their rivalry and MAN THIS MATCH WAS JUST GREAT. Too great. These two mega guys throwing whatever they had at each other and it's never tiring to watch."
[10.0] "Do I need to argue? If you've seen the match you already know that it's one of the best matches in the history of the sport and it's outrageous to think that it's not even the best of their rivalry. 2 of the best of all time giving us one of the best matches of all time in the best arena of all time! It's a 10/10, a 20/20, a 6 Star, it's perfection !"
[10.0] "The first ever match between these two was an all time classic! The first few minutes of the match is a slow feeling out process, which evolves into some great offense and both men reaching deep in their bag. Omega targets Okadas midsection and Okada sells great. The two continuously go for their respective finishers only to be shut down by one another. Okada won with 4 Rain Makers used throughout the match. The crowd here was just amazing and the 46 minutes totally flew by."
[10.0] "How does one even begin to describe this match? Two of the best in ring performers of all time going against each other in a 46 minutes barn burner, absolutely everything was perfect in this bout and this might just be the single greatest wrestling match of all time. This bout had absolutely everything a wrestling fan could ever ask for in a match great strikes, great psychology, great selling all of that tied up nicely into one package. I've seen this match multiple times now and I've enjoyed it each time, the pacing of the match was as perfect as it can get and every big move from the diving crossbody to the springboard moonsault all felt important and also felt like they were adding to the story that the match was telling as opposed to ticking bullet points on a checklist. The story leading up to this match was simple enough that even someone like myself who wasn't tuned in at the time could understand, two men who both have a serious case for why they should be the Victor and be heavyweight champion first being the defending champion okada who up to that point had been the Ace of the company and Kenny who felt that he was the one who was the most fit to lead the company as it's face during it's attempt at global expansion due to him being fluent in both English and Japanese and by God these two men took that simplistic story and turned it into gold in between those ropes and the story itself more than justified the risks that these two men were willing to take and it further added to the drama of it all by the time the match got into the last 5 minutes or so the dial got cranked up to 11 and by God those final few minutes were pure gold and just might be the single greatest finishing stretch of any wrestling match ever, everything in those few minutes was off the damn charts from the sense of urgency, the counter sequences, the reversals and false finishes all had me at the edge of my seat. This match is the gold standard that all professional wrestlers should strive for and I don't see any match anytime soon dethroning this one as the greatest match."
[10.0] "Perhaps the best match of all time, at least at the time it was. I haven't seen him since. It was perfect, both in the ring and the moments outside. The further we advance in the match, the more the crowd reacts to what is happening. The last minutes are incredible. (5*)"
[10.0] "This will go down as one of the defining matches in modern day wrestling. Really the definition of a perfect match. Okada and Omega went the distance and not only proved their greatness but showed that nobody else was on their level. This was as epic as a Wrestle Kingdom main event should be. From the build up early on to the dangerous spots and an absolutely ridiculous finishing stretch, this really had it all. Just when you think its over they just keep going. Okada proved himself as the ace, Omega made himself a global superstar and both helped bring many new eyes to New Japan. Also kicked off one of the greatest in-ring rivalries since Misawa-Kobashi. If you're a wrestling fan this a match you must seek out and watch along with their other bouts. It really doesn't get better than this. (*****)"
[10.0] "The story telling that these two provide with simple things like Okada holding Omega's wrist and fighting through his strikes. Both of their spots are some of the best in wrestling history. Perfect."
[10.0] "The greatest match of all time. Simple as that really. Words don't do it justice, it's a 45 minute match wrestled at the pace of a 10 minute match. Just fantastic, and with all the pomp and circumstance that comes with a Tokyo Dome main event. A must watch match for any wrestling fan"
[10.0] "This is what legends are made of! Two of the best, at their best, in the beginning of the prime of their respective careers. Expectations were high but for them to exceed and over deliver on those ridiculous expectations were the reason that made them who they are today. LEGENDS."
[10.0] "Legendary. The first meeting between two masterclass Gods disguised as professional wrestlers. You would be hard pressed to find another match as epic and intricate as this. They could have easily gotten by off of the big fight atmosphere alone, but Omega and Okada went above and beyond on this fateful day, and never returned. They are quite frankly wrestling soulmates. Their chemistry is absolute perfection. And I do not put that lightly. See for yourself; observe their movements. Everything is so precise and calculated, their positioning for each other is always JUST right, their physical timing is IMPECCABLE. There were several moments within this match that will leave you questioning just how in the actual hell did they pull that off? These men achieved a synergy that some of the best wrestlers alive or that have ever lived could not possibly sniff. In a sense, the way in which this match came together is almost more remarkable than the match itself. A literal work of art that much be admired and quite honestly, passed down from generation to generation. An organic epic that naturally flows from moment to moment across 45 minutes that somehow only feels half that long. When you become so engrossed in a match, that's what will happen. Maybe it was that desperate savagery emanating off Kenny as he glided across the ring. Maybe it was the insurmountable weight of Okada's attacks and the unrelenting pressure of his champion like aura. Maybe it was the sheer athleticism of two freaks in the prime of their careers. But it was likely all of it coming together to create an experience that we may never witness again. Even if this is not your favorite match of all time (I don't even think it's mine), hell even if you think their following three matches are all better, it is difficult to ignore how fresh this first encounter was. It was THE match. In a lot of ways it still IS... THE match. That closing stretch granted a form of euphoria that I often never even come close to experiencing when watching wrestling. It was truly one of a kind. This match was truly one of a kind. This match was truly nothing short of... Legendary."
[10.0] "How do I put into words my appreciation for my favorite wrestling match of all time? The year was 2017 and by this time in my life, Wrestle Kingdom was my Christmas. I had always been a fan of NJPW but more from tapes of the 90's stuff than the current product. Then, around 2012 I started checking out NJPW because I was hearing about Hiroshi Tanahashi and these insane G1 tournaments and I was in. For almost 5 years I tried to get people to check out NJPW but I couldn't get through to anyone until the Wrestling Gods gifted us this masterpiece that could serve as the bridge to expose NJPW to the western commercial world. A rivalry born purely out of competition of sport; the biggest stage possible and two stars that absolutely break the world with a revolutionary blend of athleticism; in-ring story telling, drama and high spots. I've talked about the pageantry that exists in Pro Wrestling; unforgettable epic entrances by both guys. Kenny Omega; the Terminator and G1 Climax winner. And of course; Kazuchika Okada, the new ace and unbeatable champion. Nobody moves quite like Omega in the ring, the momentary twitchy explosiveness meets Okada's calm confidence. This match is literally everything; the table spot was horrifying; Omega's top rope Dragon Suplex was diabolical, Okada's dropkick defies physics and Kenny Omega shouldn't be able to move this way for a guy his size. Nobody sells the Rainmaker as a devastating finisher like Omega and nobody brings out the sleeping emotion inside Okada like Omega. An exhilarating closing stretch including all of the legendary spots that would be further expanded upon in the later matches of this epic rivalry. The opening chapter to all time greatness. Favorite match ever."
[10.0] "The last 10 minutes of this match is some of the best wrestling I have ever seen in my entire life. Great offense and all the back and forth interactions had me with my jaw dropped consistently."
"This match is probably my all time favourite. Omega's work in New Japan in the mid to late 10s is really what brought me back to pro wrestling. Every time I watch it, I start to believe it could go either way. That's the beauty of it. There is not much more to say than that"
[10.0] "Amazing, spectacular, awesome, jaw dropping, tremendous match especially the final five minutes where Omega struggled to hit OWA and okada nailing three rainmakers was beautiful professional wrestling. Would have rated it 100 if possible."
[10.0] "Everyone has said everything about this match a million times so I don't need to add anything except this is pro wrestling at it's best. The last 10-15 minutes of this match is just phenomenal. If you've never seen it you're doing yourself a disservice."
[10.0] "Not much else can be said about this match. A true masterpiece. But what I truly love about this match is that it FEELS like a true heavyweight fight. Every move is hit with a brutality that should only be felt in these types of matches. I know Kenny is going to kick out of the Rainmaker every time I watch this, but it shocks me every time. The grit displayed by both guys in those last 10 minutes or so is what wrestling is all about. But again, a brutal hard-hitting match that was flawlessly executed. Without a doubt one of the best matches of all time."
[10.0] "I'm not going to comment on the particulars of what makes this match such a spectacle. If you watched it, you already know what Okada and Omega accomplish here. Instead, I just want to comment on how much the Bucks add to this as supporting characters. Their corner work throughout is unabashed, emotional, and devoted, and elevates the humanity of this outstanding contest just that little bit more."
[10.0] "This was one of the greatest matches I've ever seen. It was cool getting to see the iconic Kenny Terminator entrance was for this match. Here are some of my favorite moments from this match. I wasn't expecting all of the grappling there was early and that was a cool sight to see. Some awesome counters, Like Okada getting out of the One Winged Angel. The DDT to Omega off the guard rail was an awesome spot. Okada jumping over the barricade and doing a Crossbody was a godly spot. Kenny's height on that first Tope was incredible. Great stuff. Kenny's Missile Dropkick to the back of Okada's head off the top rope was amazing. That springboard moonsault over the fucking guardrail is insane. Kenny is a crazy person. The Back body drop to Kenny from the ring through the table at ringside was a great moment. The iconic zoom out when Okada did the stance was awesome! Kenny's Avalanche Dragon Snap Suplex was crazy. Okada's counter of the one winged angel into a tombstone and then a Rainmaker for a near fall is phenomenal. Kenny Countering the Tombstone into that driver move for a near fall was great. The finish was incredible as well. So many great counters, So many great sequences. Incredible stuff from these two men."
[10.0] "This is the greatest match I've ever seen. This match had a little bit of everything for everybody. It had crazy bumps, awesome high flying action, great technical moves, and even some Japanese strong style. This match showed some of the best spots Iv'e ever seen. This match had me entertained for every second of it and I had to watch the match again because I felt like I see something new every time. Hands down one of my favorite matches and it definitely deserves to be one of the top contenders for the best wrestling matches of all time. I 100% recommend watching this masterpiece"
[10.0] "This match is pretty perfect. I'm not even a big fan of these guys or the new japan style, but these guys really do make a good case for being the best in the world in this one. There is something for everyone in it, some crazy bumps, and it is all paced so expertly. If you are even thinking of giving either of these guys a shot, this match is worth it. 45 minutes really does fly by and every second of this match feels important."
[10.0] "Definitely one of the best and most important matches of the 2010s. Really put Okada and Omega on the map even more than they already were, and brought a change to wrestling even outside of Japan. New Japan was fucking cooking during this time. Is it my personal favorite? No, but its certainly up there, and it's just more proof that both of these guys are fucking great. Certainly going to be interesting seeing NJPW move on without these two in their roster."
"An absolutely incredible match that gave my wrestling fandom a second wind that hopefully will never end. Calling it an instant classic would be an understatement and a top 3 match selling it short. For me, having followed the story this is the epitome of professional wrestling. I do feel like we'll get maybe one more out of them if we're lucky, but even if we don't, I'll always watch this match with the same excitement and enjoyment. In my 12 year long fandom, I've seen maybe 15 matches that I can say this about. Three of them are from these two absolute legends."
[10.0] "this match is a masterpiece this is all I could comprehend after seeing what I saw the spots the rainmakers the knees and the drop kicks just watch it already dont miss out"
[10.0] "Possibly the most important match of the 2010s and in heavy consideration for my favourite match of all time. Kenny Omega became the first ever gaijin to win the G1 Climax, giving him the opportunity to face Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom. This was already a hotly anticipated match between an established NJPW star in Okada, and Omega who was seemingly growing in popularity by the day. I doubt anyone couldve imagined just how legendary this match would become, as these two put on 45 minutes of professional wrestling brilliance that no other pairing has come close to achieving since, and only few have reached before."
[10.0] "This match is special and quite possibly the best I have ever seen, I can't really say much that hasn't been said before. All 45 minutes just fly by and both wrestlers compete with such incredible intensity, both doing the most basic but important thing of making the win look incredibly important to them. An easy 10 rating!"
[10.0] "Sheer brilliance from both men. There's a reason this was a runaway winner for the Match of the Year in 2017, with only the rematch in Osaka five months later coming close. Perfect but simple psychology where Omega's aim is to hurt and tire Okada out to hit the One-Winged Angel, with Okada always managing to wriggle out, leading to the final reversal into a Tombstone/Rainmaker combination. Absolute fireworks, and only surpassed by their famous match nineteen months later."
"[6.0] Oh boy, this match, Let me start by saying that I dont blame people for enjoying this match, it has its qualities and does provide some entertainment, but the best match in history! Seriously This match isnt even close, I am not a fan of the Japan crowd, it isnt for me, I prefer hot crowds because it makes the match feel alive, the Japan crowd just makes me bored and want to stop watching, like compared to one night stand its a day and night difference, and I know that this is how Japanese people watch matches in stadium, but it doesnt mean I cant criticize it, my second problem is how long the match is, my god it is long, and I really dont like long matches, some times I prefer 20. Minute long matches, and this match is 1 hour +, its really Annoying to watch these matches, and my third problem is that, I am not into the strong style, which sucks because that is NJPW whole personality, it isnt for me."
[10.0] "Fun story about this one. My friend was just getting into NJPW (and wrestling in general) and was a huge Kenny Omega fan, so naturally he was hoping Omega would win. After the match I called to console him, trying to tell him that the ace always wins at the Dome. He responded with "YOU THINK I'M MAD? ! ? " Anyway, this match was amazing and changed the course of wrestling history. Six stars was completely justified."
[10.0] "I heard all the hype about this match for six years and never watched it until last May, and oh boy, I finally understood why this match is held up so high. As of now, this is the highest rated match on Cagematch and understandingly so. Because of all the praise I heard about this contest, I went into this viewing with the highest expectations possible and was not dissappointed at all. The pacing is great, the big moves are incredible and memorable, and the stamina of these two is unbelievable. Undoubtedly, a perfect 10/10 or 5/5. Whatever your rating system is, this match tops that. I believe this is the best match of the Omega-Okada quadrilogy."
[10.0] "I dont really have much to add regarding Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 11. Best match of the 2010's? Likely. Best match of all time? Quite possibly. - *****"
[9.0] "Well, after seven long years I had the audacity of watch this match, one of the so called best in history and I think my fears have been confirmed. My resignation to watch this match was due to feeling like I was going to watch it without fully understanding the story behind it, without fully understanding the situation of both wrestlers before the fight and why it develops the way it does. And for that very reason, because I did not fully understand the background, I was not going to see it with the same eyes as the vast majority. Because the fact is that, yes, it is an amazing match, Omega and Okada put on a stellar performance worthy of the stadium where they have fought, there were very tough and brilliantly executed spots (the table spots were crazy, as well as the Moonsault to the commentary area that caught Okada by little), the counters were wonderful, the slow-burning construction of the match was the right choice, the pace control was sublime (I didn't feel this like it was nearly an hour long)... But I don't see what others see to consider this among the greatest matches ever. There are matches with fewer hard blows that convey more to me (Taker vs. Michaels at WM 25) and others that were more epic and told a better story (Andrade vs. Gargano). I felt the match was too formulaic, nothing I haven't seen in other Okada matches, and no matter how good it was, it didn't represent anything new or special to me. I repeat, I probably don't completely understand the story behind the match, but it didn't seem like one of the best in history to me, although it was a great match worthy of the Tokyo Dome. I have a feeling I will love the Dominion matches even more than this (**** 1/2)"
[10.0] "There's not much to say that hasn't been said already. This is probably my all time favorite match and the match that made me fall in love with Japanese pro wrestling. An absolute masterpiece 5/5"
"if you want sheer, undeniable, unmitigated wrestling greatness, you need to do yourself a favor and watch this match. i thought i initially favored the next match in their singles trilogy, but it is just a bit long for my liking. this match is to me, however, the ultimate pace, the pinnacle of pure modern wrestling storytelling. this is the match that cemented my fandom and appreciation for NJPW and modern puroresu as a whole. in roughly 47 eye-watering minutes, it is absolutely impossible to tear your eyes away from this match. you will come away from this match potentially seeing something you've never seen before, from the dives over the guard rail to omega stomping a table on a prone okada. and good fucking god, do the fans at the tokyo dome absolutely LOVE it; they are enthralled by this match from bell to bell. a "hot" crowd ain't even enough to describe it. violence, speed, athleticism, grit, pain, pageantry, determination, heart, will; it's all here, man. why are you still reading this? please go watch this."
[10.0] "The match that changed everything. One thing that gets lost in all the talk of this match was how much of a sink or swim situation for both of these men. Okada had never main evented WrestleKingdom before without Tanahashi and the one time they tried before was the WK8 debacle. And for his first opponent at Wrestle Kingdom as Ace, they pair him with the unproven Kenny Omega. With the biggest pressure at the biggest stage these two knocked it out of the park with an epic match that had the whole wrestling world talking. The match launched Omega into international superstardom and NJPW was proven justified in their choice of Okada as Ace. The first match of their historic series plays out as the typical foreigner heel vs. native ace. Omega does all the typical heel stuff, pulling Okadas hair to extend the headlock sequence. Omega spits in Okadas face and mocks him with his own taunt. He tries to stall on the outside. However Okada easily deals with this, he has seen all this before, and starts to get his formula going. But Okada is cocky and doesnt take Omega too seriously, he is loose on covers and doesnt work with urgency. This allows Omega to take over and start working the back of Okada, a strategy which makes sense given his finisher. Omega of course throws in some spectacular spots, Omega tease the springboard over the guardrail he hit on Naito during the G1 but then tops that with the Ibushi moonsault over the rail. But thats not even the most spectacular spot of the night as Omega takes a crazy bump being backdropped out of the ring and through a table on the floor, the table spot is also a turning point of the match and where it goes from being dominated by Omega to being more back and forth. But not to be outdone by his challenger, Okada takes his own crazy bump when he takes top rope dragon suplex landing square on his head. The finishing sequence is an amazing back and forth with tons of great stuff. Omega using Okadas dropkick, the rain-trigger, Omega desperately trying to break Okadas wrist control with kicks only for Okada to hang on and nail a rainmaker, the tombstone/rainmaker combo being kicked out of so Okada invents the spinning tombstone set-up for the final rainmaker. Ultimately what makes the difference is despite Omega mostly being on top, Okadas experience in the main event situations comes through as he has more inventive encounters to the One Winged Angel while Omega is unable to avoid Okadas rainmakers. *****"
[10.0] "This match is exactly what I look for when I am tuning into wrestling very good loved the spots and i started tweaking I was foaming at the mouth like a wild beast before getting put down this match DESERVED every single 10 star rating i will be showing this match to my children my grandchildren and their children this is a match for the ages and I think everybody here can agree with me definitely one of the best ever all time would have loved to see more DDT's and roughly 17 more rainmakers but it is fine ill take what I got from this match 10/10 would recommend"
[10.0] "What a fantastic match, simply the match that made me open my eyes and discover Japanese pro wrestling, everything in this match fits perfectly and I thought this match would be unsurpassed until the 2018 Dominion arrived and Okada and Omega did the unimaginable, the match that turned Omega into a world star. 2017 MOTY (*****+)"
[10.0] "This probably is the peak wrestling can possibly get. I dont love the Japanese style like many others do, but this match was absolutely phenomenal. All of the spots were textbook. The psychology of Kenny attempting to hit the one winged angel just for it to end in Okada hitting his finish was beautiful. It was an absolute textbook wrestling match. The Kenny table spot was awesome, the snap dragon off the top rope was really cool. I loved this match, I thought it was perfect and I dont know if anything will top it."
[10.0] "This match makes me love wrestling. The main event of main events. Feels huge. The atmosphere going is electric. And boy oh boy does this match GO! long match but earns every minute. Okadas drop kicks are basically fine art. and kenny is brutal in this match. endless chemistry. No flaws."
[10.0] "The beginning of the best match series of all time. Even if it is not their best match together that does not mean that it is not a top 5 match oat. For 45 minutes they had the crowd in the palms of their hands. The moves, reversals, kickouts everything was perfect. One of the loudest crowds that I have heard for a njpw match. They still managed to have 3 more excellent matches after that and hopefully in the future they will have another."
"The greatest match of all time. The wrestlers age is a huge factor here as both men are at a point in their career where they can theoretically work at a level that few athletes can ever hope to reach. However their wrestling IQ still allows them to plan and execute this masterpiece. The table spot will forever live in my memory as the perfect measure of a bombastic spot hidden carefully in amongst explosive and athletic struggle."
[10.0] "An amazing match, it could do with a bit less time in the middle, but otherwise an exciting and impressive match, which was a great 1st NJPW main event for me and built the company up. An all time classic. The moves were amazing, it was so exhilarating. A sensational start, to one of the best pro wrestling rivalries ever."
[9.0] "The match was nearly perfect. It was an epic battle, not because they hated each other personally, but because they did everything they could do to win this match. The climax was builded so well, you felt the intensity getting bigger. But I think the climax should have been shorter, Okada was especially hurted by this problem because he had to use his big moves too much times imo. Let me be clear: I don't really mind seeing Lesnar kicking out of some finishers (not too much neither) or other guys built like absolute animals, but Okada is not this kind of wrestler. Imo, his finisher has to be lethal because it is the culmination of his performance. It would have been better if the Rainmaker was built like the One-Winged Angel. But let's be honest, it's still a match that has an extraordinary quality and was a game-changer in pro-wrestling. ****3/4"
[10.0] "Eines der besten und legendärsten Matches aller Zeiten. Nach langer Zeit mal wieder angeschaut und es ist genau so gut wie damals. Dieses Match ist nicht nur eine wrestlerische Meisterklasse, sondern auch ein unfassbar wichtiger Moment in der ganzen Geschichte des Wrestlings. Die ganze Wrestlingwelt hat über dieses Match gesprochen, selbst die größten Die-Hard WWE Fans konnten das hier nicht ignorieren. Okada und Omega haben hier schlicht und einfach alles verändert und absoluten Legendestatus erreicht. Nach all den Jahren kann ich die ebenso legendäre 6 Sterne Bewertung immer mehr und mehr verstehen."
[10.0] "Simply put this is one of the greatest Professional Wrestling matches of all time. Absolutely outstanding performance from both men, and they told an excellent story as well. This match had it all, these are the two best in ring workers in the world right now in my opinion."
[10.0] "This is the match that really made me get lost in the moment. The entirety of this match was something that was so captivating that it is almost hard for me to put into words. To that point I had never seen a match that my mouth drop and imagination explode. Okada and Omega redefined what it truly meant to be great on that night. They are the standard to which it truly means to be a master of their craft and this match is proof."
[10.0] "The first match in the Omega-Okada saga, perhaps the most legendary match saga in pro wrestling history. Kazuchika Okada and especially Kenny Omega, in this period of their career, were really two wrestlers out of the ordinary and they were the best in the world. This match was absolutely perfect from start to finish, it was a continuous crescendo, with the first few minutes slower and calmer in which the two are aware of each other's abilities and in which the public wants to think about the idea of attending a main event that is epic in its own way. Psychology is never missing: it's not just a match in which there are great spots and moments in which you are amazed. It is an encounter that tells a story in a clear and definite way and in the end brings out, in a face-to-face between Omega and Okada, the mutual frustration in not having yet managed to get the better of the other after all those minutes of battle. And then the skills in the ring shown by the two: they perfectly dosed their energies and had a simply insane finish, the final minutes were thrilling for the intensity and spectacularity of the contest. Two athletes who did absolutely nothing wrong and who gave us a historic match. For me, this was the second best match of their saga and the best match of 2017. 5 stars."
[10.0] "The Greatest Wrestling Match of All Time. Kenny came into this match as already stabilized NJPW Main Eventer after defeating Tetsuya Naito and one day later Hirooki Goto in G1 finals in 2 clinics (especially the Naito match). Then there was Okada and well... 1 year before Wrestle Kingdom 11 he defeated former Ace - Hiroshi Tanahashi, then lost title and eventually regained it once again. 4th January 2017, this is the date this very match happened. If I have to describe Kenny's and Okada's entrances by one word I would use spectacular. Omega had his video package presenting him as a Terminator, remixed Theme and cool gear. Kazuchika had his "Money Entrance". The first staredown between these two gave me chills, Kenny holding Okada's dollar and crushing it with his hand, the same way Kenny wanted to end Rainmaker's reign, Fucking Chills. Provocations, provocations and provocations, they didn't need to do Danielson - McGuinness type of structure because pure provocations were enough. Cleaner was the one to start working around Limbs. His main focus was to beat the shit out of the neck of Okada's, setting him for One Winged Angel. Okada went for challenger's arm. The Match, as the time passed was faster, faster and faster. Rainmaker was in his comfort zone all the time, he had control and he was making decisions. Cleaner after a lot of struggle finally found a way to take control, massive and beautiful-looking Moonsault outside the ring only for Omega to do a few seconds later sick Double Footstomp from Apron to Table was enough to be the one who is controlling everything he wants about the match. Okada after all makes his comeback and they're are going hard. Last 10 minutes of this encounter are the best 10 minutes in the history of professional wrestling. Every strike FEELS, every chop, kick etc. breathes. Counters are so fucking sick. Pacing is perfect, they aren't going too fast and they surely aren't going too slow. Story culminates in those last 10 minutes. Beyond Perfection of a wrestling match, 6 stars and most importantly... The Greatest Fucking Match of All Time!"
[10.0] "What happens when two of the best cooks in the world make a gourmet dish together. PEAK / GOATED 10/10 / SOTM(Spot of the Match): Okada sends Omega over the top rope through a table with one of the nastiest bumps I have ever seen."
"Man, been waiting to do this one. No arguments when it comes to this being the current highest rated bout ever. Its most definitely a top 5-10 of all time. A match every fan needs to see. Many insane spots/bumps that are just absurd to do or even think of. Hope everyone reading this seeks out and watches this one in its entirety."
[10.0] "This match is one that's tough to diagnose for me as someone who JUST watched it. It reminds me in a way of two matches I've seen before. First is Omega Ospreay at WK 17, because even though this match is BLISTERING and structured great, I get the sense that they were holding back just slightly but still reached ridiculous heights. However, another comparison comes in the form of the fabled June 3, 1994 classic between Misawa and Kawada. That was the first OFFICIAL (according to big DM) 6 star match ever, and this match was the next one. Both are classic examples of King's Road wrestling, with a true back and forth slowly evolving to fever pitch and becoming pandemonium by the end. As compared to two top 15 matches ever, this one rests nestled in between for me, above Ospreay vs Omega but below Misawa vs Kawada. Few matches can claim comparison to either of those, and while I don't consider this the best match ever as some say, it deserves all the praise in the world. 50 minutes phenomenally spent. 10/10 / *****"
"One of the greatest matches of all time, in what may be the best rivalry of all time. This is what happens when two of the best in world go at it, and the match is booked right"
"Absolutely incredible, it's hard to put into words what those last 20-25 minutes of the match were like from the moment they started trying to hit each other with their finishers. Can't wait to see the other 3 matches these guys put up."
"One of the greatest matches Ive ever seen in my life, and one of the finest to ever been put on by 2 competitors in history, and theres not many that can dispute that. BOTH are the gods of pro wrestling."
[10.0] "First NJPW I ever saw. Had me hooked from then on. The matches between these two highlight the difference in long matches that engage from start to finish vs long matches that are just long for the sake of being long, and suck because they cannot maintain engagement."
[10.0] "I know this been said many times but this really is one of the best matches that I've ever seen, the last 20-25 minutes of this match is peak pro wrestling. Truly a 6 star match."
[7.0] "The best of the four matches, although maybe that was due to the fact that we hadn't had to sit through four more matches including a broadway. Too much double down selling, no sense of urgency until the ending sequence. This was the start to me souring on NJPW overly long matches and match pacing."
[10.0] "An incredible spectacle of athleticism. I dont know how else to describe it, as I've seen technically more insane things done before or since, but the way these two put it together really felt like they were pushing the boundaries of the language of pro wrestling. One of the best matches ever for sure."
[10.0] "Not 6 stars for me. It was fantastic, but that Is not at this level. 2nd and 4thchapter are (4th at 6.25). Anyway a masterpiece and a dramatic how to bulid a five stars match guide. *****"
[10.0] "One of, if not the best main event match of all time. To think both of these guys are still putting on classic after classic goes to show how once-in-a-lifetime this match is. As far as first encounters go, this will more than likely never be topped."
[10.0] "Okada and Omega Put together the Greatest Wrestling Match I've Ever Seen Up Untill that Point in Wrestling History. Little did they know they Would Top this Masterpiece with their Subsequent title Defenses. Match Rating - *****1/2"
[10.0] "Essentially this is structured as [full 5 star match] plus [kick out of the finish] plus [7 minutes of building back the suspense/excitement]. Every story beat was essentially told by the time Okada hit that rainmaker: the table spot which had been teased since the first "act, " Okada's neck/core had been thoroughly targeted, Okada had hit his dropkick (after failing in the corner the first time), etc. The match was already classic, but then Omega kicked out. There's a release of the excitement-high, though, when you kick out of a spot that should be the finish. Thus, it was their job to somehow build back the excitement, and they managed to do it marvelously. Very interestingly/abnormally (though there are probably others like it) structured match, but not scale-breaking in quality."
[10.0] "This clash in 2017 is monumental and is subjectively classified as the peak in professional wrestling (rightly so). The two wrestlers billed for this match speak volumes itself. Then the entrances happen, and Omega and Okada (but especially Omega) become bigger stars than first envisioned. The bout starts and, yes, it's a bit of a slow burn, but with it great mat action with an unfolding of the plot to come. As the match progresses (at an excellent pace) both Okada and Omega start becoming more aggressive, telling the audience the urgency both begin to feel as, 20 minutes into the match, they are at a standstill. The risks turn into crazy spots, and the crazy spots then top the spot prior to it until the table spot which pops (and surprises) me every single time I watch it. After this, the wrestling match becomes a battle. The battle showcases 10 of the best final minutes of a match you could possibly see. Every move is intense, painful, and emotional. It's a rollercoaster ride. By far, this match is the best of their saga and ranks at the top of my favorites matches of all time."
[10.0] "One of the biggest wars in a professional wrestling match in history, what an intensity, minutes of scoring, once that stage is passed, the combat becomes totally different and has a total turn, brutal false endings. PERFECTION, maybe because of the timing I don't give it the perfect note, but very close. **** 1/2"
[10.0] "In my view, this the best match of their 4 and quite possibly the greatest match of all time. Okada and Omega have chemistry like no one else in modern times."
[6.0] "It's interesting to compare this match not just to the latest big match in Omega vs. Ospreay but also more importantly later matches in the Omega/Okada series. In many ways the series is a triumph for Okada to break out from his legendary series with Tanahashi and show his growth not just from then, but in each subsequent match of the series. This is long, but I find it hard to see an argument the 2/3 falls match didn't use their time better despite being longer, although this WK match was void of the Bullet Club stuff that was definitely not for me, this as a match trended too far into being a trope version of the Okada/NJPW main event with much of the first half if not all being superfluous. I understand it was popular at the time, but this even in hindsight feels like a setup for their masterpiece in June."
[10.0] "I finally watched this match after only seeing highlights of it years ago and hearing about its legendary status in the years since. I knew to expect something incredible, but going into it after seeing it called the best match ever by so many people made me feel like my expectations were unrealistically high. Well let me just say, all of that doubt is ancient history now, because this is the best match of all time. Only one other match has made me feel the way this one did, and that was Omega vs. Naito from G1 Climax 26. This tops that. If that match was perfect, then this one is beyond perfection. Nearly 47 minutes of two wrestling gods in the main event of the biggest show, fighting for the most prestigious prize there is. As for the particulars of the match, I mean where do you even start? The first half was the less eventful, but that's not saying much, seeing as it had Okada's DDT on the floor and running crossbody, Omega leaping from the ring over the barricade with a moonsault and later hitting a missile dropkick that nearly took Okada's head off. They did all this and more while still keeping a great pace and building for the even crazier second half to come. Starting with the brutal back body drop through the table, are possibly the greatest in-ring 20 minutes of wrestling history. The springboard dropkick, the top rope dragon suplex, the V-Triggers, the Rainmaker kickout, the tombstones, Omega not being able to hit the One-Winged Angel and the emphatic Rainmaker for the finish. Perfect. Without question, an absolute masterpiece and the best match I've ever seen. *****+"
[10.0] "An incredibly important match to me as a fan of professional wrestling, introducing me to the world of NJPW and bringing me back after a few years of relative indifference. This can very easily be argued as one of the best matches of all time. Caused a seismic impact in the world of professional wrestling, turning Kenny Omega into a bona fide international star and arguably beginning the domino effect leading to the inception of AEW. Edit: Just watched this again in preparation for the Omega/Ospreay match at Wrestle Kingdom 17. Can say with absolute confidence that this is one of the greatest matches of all time, with a solid argument of being the absolute number one. Perfectly paced, memorable, just exceptional on all fronts. This is why I love professional wrestling. (*****)"
[10.0] "Ein richtig guter Auftakt in die legendäre Omega/Okada Matchreihe. Diesen Finisher Overkill und die Nearfalls zum Schluss hätte ich zwar nicht gebraucht, aber alles andere davor war Wrestlingperfektion vom Allerfeinsten. Knapp aber doch 5 Sterne. *****"
[6.0] "Re-watched this for the first time since it happened, because I wanted to see how it stacks up against Omega's recent big match vs. Ospreay. The answer' Not very well. Not very well at all. It's still a spectacle that's for damn sure; you get the huge moments such as Kenny's insane table bump, the Dragon Suplex from the top, ya'll know 'em. It just doesn't offer anything outside of generic big match NJPW filler-work for the first half or so, and that's a long time considering the runtime of the thing + I'd say Omega here, in that section of the match, is very much not somewhere where he can shine. It really is a match that, for me, hangs in there because of that said big moments/spots, but honestly' Even those have lost their biggest impacts when you know they're coming, so it's not a very re-watchable match either in my eyes. It's still obviously not bad though, but the "issues" I had with it in 2017 are even more glaring now years later."
[10.0] "Start of the best in ring rivalry in professional wrestling. Unbelievable action from start to finish, brutal yet beautiful. the greatness of both men truly shined that night."
[10.0] "what else is there to say that hasn't yet been said two of the greatest wrestlers of this generation doing everything while somehow leaving some things left on the table. imo the greatest first match a trilogy could possibly hope to put out"
[10.0] "New Japan placed their faith in Kenny Omega in the Summer of 2016, and it paid dividends. Okada vs Omega I is essentially the cornerstone of 2017< professional wrestling. Feuds and matches have tried to emulate the magic captured on the Tokyo Dome that night, but nobody has been able to top the sheer quality produced by these two men. The table is used as a bridge between the different phases of the match, meaning the 45 minute bout flows seamlessly as the story of the match naturally progresses, meaning by the time the two men are trading big moves and trying for finishers at the end of the match, it feels organic. Okada's counter of the One Winged Angel is one of the best counters of all time. Omega's deviance is what costs him the match, paving the way for a four match series between these two rivals."
[10.0] "I was watching Kenny for many years at this point and seeing Okada's rise as well. This was a great culmination of a lot of great stuff going on in NJPW at the time. Finally the match came and I watched in a 40 inch tv using my laptop in the basement of a house. After I watched it and cheered for Okada, I remember thinking that this was just absolutely incredible. I went on Reddit and everyone is commenting saying it was one of the best matches ever. I actually watched it a few times after and it really was for the time the perfect mix of styles. It will definitely go down in wrestling history as will the trilogy."
[10.0] "The first 15-20 minutes being basic makes a ton of sense given its a feeling-out process during a world championship match, and everything they did during that was technically sound, this also sets the foundations for what this match was gonna be built off in the final half with Omega targeting the neck/back of Okada. Also, credit to them for making a near 50-minute match never feel like it was going too long. This shit got really good when Omega sent Okada over the barricade and did that springboard moonsault. Omega continued his beatdown on Okada, he constantly cut off any comeback attempt Okada tried to make in this. They teased the table spot really well, and Okada hit a nasty backdrop onto the table from the ring. The rest of the way they did a bunch of jaw-dropping counters, as they transitioned into epic match mode, I thought both Okada/Omega? s selling during it was fantastic. I really liked Kenny not being able to hit the OWA at all, Okada's determination to get out of it puts over the move as killer.*****"
[10.0] "It is difficult to write a review for such a match. I don't understand how it can be criticized. This greatest match, arguably, in wrestling history. Stuck with me until this day and untouchable to this day."
[10.0] "Possibly the greatest spectacle you'll ever see. Ignore the goofs that can only parrot Cornette talking points, this is absolutely the real deal."
[10.0] "10/10, a near perfect wrestling match, the story was great, the moves were brutal, this is the embodiment of fighting spirit, the only thing that drags this match down is that the 4th match is a better match. Holy shit..."
[7.0] "It felt like both men brought incredible amounts of power throughout this match. The high knee kicks from Omega to Okada near the end of the match were ferocious, and I remember covering my mouth many times. While it's on the longer side, this is definitely one of NJPW's greatest matches."
[10.0] "i agree with jim cornette on many things, except for his excessive hate towards omega, this was one of the most brilliantly executed wrestling matches of all time, undertoned by a great story in omega being the first gaijin to win the G1 Climax, and okada beginning his incredible 2017 with for me the 2nd greatest match of his career, but this is definetely the greatest match of Omega's career"
[10.0] "The best pro-wrestling match of all time? Possibly. The start of the best series in wrestling. The table spot is monstrous, the pacing is fantastic. The near falls and reversals timed to perfection. *****"
[10.0] "it's undoubtedly one of the greatest matches of all time, i love their work both specially omega firstly chanting okada's name several times during the match delivering the feeling of determination on winning and hating okada, provoking okada when he spitted in his face made him angry then okada made his work more quickly, more risky and being tired at the match early because when he felt it omega began their work at the end having the upper hand great ring psychology from the cleaner, i liked many spots during the matche including both table spots specially when omega crashed into the table, the move was fast and accurate from okada to make omega land exactly on the table, that dragon suplex top rope spot was completely insane and super realistic, dangerous and unique, dragon suplex then v trigger after that was great spot indeed, their work both during the match especially at the last 10 minutes was more than perfect, than great, and a masterpiece for the ages, ****** the same rating as meltzer."
[7.0] "Rewatched it the other day. It's better than I give it credit for but I still don't think it reaches near the top of my all-time list. It's a great match but by no means exceptional, with both men having better outings."
[10.0] "Saw this for the first time when I was 13 completely changed my perspective on wrestling. Got me hooked on more then just WWE. This was the Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat for this generation of wrestling fans absolutely amazing."
[10.0] "Greatest match of all time, without a shadow of a doubt. It was electric throughout, start to finish you were kept on the edge of your seat. Overall, the greatest NJPW match ever and arguably the greatest wrestling match of all time as well. Must watch!"
[10.0] "Let's answer a few subjective questions, shall we? Is this a perfect match? Yes. Did it get both guys over? Hard yes. Does it deserve 6 out of 5 stars? No. I used to at least respect Meltzer's ratings and view them as a reasonable measurement of how good a match is, but the more I've thought about it and the more I disagree with his ratings, the more I disagree with the whole system. A 5-star match is a perfect match in the context of its time period. This is that in spades. The 5-star bar has been risen every decade since the 80s, except the 2010s where instead of readjusting the 5-star mark, the scale has selectively been changed to 6 or 7 stars. There's a reason this website's rating system doesn't, and never will, go up to 11--because to rate a match, one has to consider it in the context of its time. Mysterio vs. Andrade is arguably better than Dynamite Kid vs. Tiger Mask, but obviously they're from two very different eras of wrestling. Okada/Omega debatably reset the bar with this match, but that is one man's opinion... Anyway, yeah, match was great. *****"
[10.0] "I'm a spotfest fan, but this match is sensational, very physical, brutal and with the best individual performance of Kenny Omega and Okada. How wonderful, very beautiful. *******"
[10.0] "My favourite singles match of all time, its literally perfect, perfect wrestling, perfect spots, perfect selling, perfect kickouts, perfect length. That spot of Kenny being launched to the moon and landing through the table might be my favourite table spot of all time. Kenny kicking out of the rainmaker is one of the best kickouts ever. I fucking LOVE this match. 5.25 stars."
[10.0] "I'm still not sure which of these two legends' matches is the best, but this one has the strongest case simply because all the others had to build up to and one-up this Wrestle Kingdom match."
"Kenny Omega's story arc from to becoming the first gaijin winner of the G1 climax looking to takeover the NJPW with the Bullet Club and Okada being NJPW's sole savior was an amazing storyline. This is one of the 3 best matches I've ever seen, the other two being the two Dominon matches between them. The greatest feud ever between two of the greatest ever to step inside of the squared circle."
[10.0] "A fantastic, high energy match with some beautiful camera work and high work rate from both Wrestlers, this is the match that made me fall in love with Wrestling"
[10.0] "For me, being an absolute fan of Kazuchika Okada, I must admit that Kenny Omega's performance that night was something truly incredible and that he delivered one of the most formidable matches of his career. This match launched an exceptional feud between these two men and will inevitably be remembered. A big moment."
[10.0] "Look, I dont do star ratings past 5 cause that is dumb, but this is absolutely a 5 star match. Kenny Omega's work of the ribcage, to Okada bringing in the table and using it like 15 minutes later... the end of not letting go of the wrist. Just amazing. *****"
[10.0] "O início da melhor rivalidade do Wrestling, a lendária 6 Star match que chamou a atenção de todo o mundo e com todos os méritos! A sensação de assistir essa luta pela primeira vez foi indescritível, a Atmosfera do Tokyo Dome, a extrema qualidade In Ring do começo ao fim, incrível com toda a certeza, esta luta foi um marco na História, a mudança e evolução de pace ao longo da match é fantástica, os momentos finais totalmente dramáticos e de tirar o folego, o desepero de Omega para tentar acertar o One Winger Angel enquanto Okada tenta de todas as formas finaliza-lo com seu Raimaker, arte pura, super recomendada!"
[10.0] "This match was so great, that it became the second six-star rated match after 23 years following Misawa and Kawada's outstanding match from 1994. I just love everything about this match, the psychology, the storytelling.. you name it, this match is just so good. Definitely one of the best main events in professional wrestling."
[10.0] "Everything that can be said about this match has been said already, but I'll still re-iterate; this is not only one of the best professional wrestling matches that has ever been put to film, but a milestone in the history of the art. Incredible pacing, unrivalled athleticism and brilliant psychology all unite here in a perfect storm. Through 46 minutes of absolute wrestling perfection, Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega changed the course of the entire industry this night. This is a historical moment in wrestling history, and one cannot claim to be a fan of pro-wrestling if they have not seen this match."
[9.0] "The opening third works well within the context of the entire card but goes on much too long in hindsight. Ask yourself: What happened in that opening third that is relevant or meaningful? It's a feeling-out process that doesn't add anything to the rest of the match. Both guys deliver in the end though, with the middle section of the match telling a simple but compelling story of respect, with Okada taking Omega lightly until Omega uses his reckless dives and the table to get the advantage, and the One-Winged-Angel, with Okada having his neck worked on to set up Omega's finisher. The last 15 minutes, beginning with that amazing back body table spot, are incredible, with some unbelievable near-falls and counters (the jumping knee following the dragon suplex is especially incredible). Basically, shave the first 10-15 minutes off, and you would have a perfect 10 and one of the greatest matches of all time."
[10.0] "My personal favorite wrestling match of all time. Even after going back and rewatching multiple times, I still find myself getting mesmerized by the match. This is definitely one of the greatest matches of all time."
[10.0] "A match that never lets up. I've never seen such intensity and consistent stamina from performers in the history of wrestling. This will go down in history as a turning point for pro wrestling as a medium."
[10.0] "The crown in NJPW's cap during the finest run of matches modern professional wrestling has ever seen, Omega-Okada 1 is all that it is hyped up to be. Presented are the two best workers in the world at the time figuring out just how much chemistry they shared with each other. Kenny's endless pursuit of the one-winged angel ends when his face greets the rainmaker. It's an incredible ode to the majesty of pro wrestling which never stalls, stagnates or pales. (6) (Man of the Match: Kenny Omega)."
[10.0] "I was watching this while going to Orlando and spent the whole trip watching it. A masterclass of wrestling put on by two of the best in the world."
"Para mi fue una obra maestra, muy buena lucha, siempre me tuvo con el corazón en la mano y aunque esperaba que ganara Kenny, sali satisfecho con el resultado y muy asombrado del performance de ambos luchadores"
[10.0] "This match is many things. A perfectly crafted masterpiece between two of the industry's most gifted performers. The greatest main event in Wrestle Kingdom history. But above all else, it's one of the most influential and significant matches in wrestling's history for the way it has shaped the business in the following years. Companies and performers in all parts of the world have incorporated the style and structural components of this match into their work. It was the first big domino that created a boom that attracted a lot more eyes to the art, pushed the business forward as a whole, and led to more options, opportunities and competition."
[10.0] "One of the greatest match of wrestling history. The construction of this match was unbelievable, what a great perfomance of this two proffesional wrestlers. It deserves to ve watched all the time that you want. (*****)"
[10.0] "There's really nothing else to say about this match than just calling it perfect. Even before it came to an end it had already become the greatest match I have ever seen up to that moment. I really don't have a single negative thing to say about this masterpiece of a match and I think nobody would disagree with the fact that this changed pro wrestling forever. Now I can understand Dave Metzer's thought process in making his star rating system have no limit. ******"
[10.0] "The absolute best professional wrestling match I've ever watched. I lack words to describe how much I love this. For 46 minutes, what they did was pure perfection. The slower parts, the high speed parts, the fighting spirit spots, the big spots, and when you think it has already hit it's peak they give you the best 10 minutes of professional wrestling I've ever watched in my entire life to the finish. Okada won, but this match cemented Omega as the best in the world at the time and truly launched him on the way to being one of the greatest to ever do it. Watch it, please. A million stars. 6 is not enough."
[10.0] "One of my favorite matches of all time and maybe the one that had the biggest impact on today's wrestling scene when you consider what happened after this. A match that kept building and building. When you thought it was all over and the climax was reached, they still went at it for 15 mins more with one of the best finishing sequences you will ever see. A must watch for every wrestling fan!"
[10.0] "Fantastic stuff. I avoided this match for a while out of fear that it wouldn't be as good as I hoped but it's so good. Legit a classic no question. As of this writing I still have not seen their other 2 matches but this match as a standalone contest is really great."
"this match just lightly surpasses their two out of three falls match due to this match being more condensed with a higher pace. A Great 9/10 match just below perfect."
[10.0] "This is just a classic, from start to finish it is up there with the best matches of all time. Everything worked in this match and the crowd was on fire for all of it. Definitely, a match to watch over and over, it is unforgettable. *****"
[10.0] "There really isn't anything I can add that hasn't been said. Was it 6 stars' yes and no but it definitely is an iconic 10/10 5 Stars out of 5 from me. Just pure magic these 2 had cannot be overlooked from the star ratings controversy. These 2 were made for each other in that ring."
[10.0] "One fo the best matches not only in WrestleKingdom history, but also in NJPW history, this made Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada famous around the world"
[7.0] "I really just don't understand why this match is beloved. I've read all these reviews and I've watched this match multiple times and I still don't understand. Don't get me wrong it's pretty good but it's not like an All Japan King's Road match, there's only one neck bump with the Spider Dragon Suplex, the table foot stomp was cool, but other than that it set the unfortunate precedent for forced long epics that New Japan still do today, hell this match is the reason we got a 40 minute Joe Coffey match the next year. It's made wrestling fans think that if it's not over 30 minutes it's not a classic, which is a damn shame. There's plenty of better long matches than this, some that go straight out the gate in the first 10 minutes and maintains the pace for the remainder of the match, I'm sorry but this really isn't the greatest match of all time not by a longshot. Their G1 match is still their best, love that match."
[10.0] "One of the best matches I've ever seen. It's an important one for me because it's the one that made me discover japanese wrestling and how far and deep wrestling could go in general. I remember all the emotions it brought me. I keep on watching it from time to time and it's always as good as I've ever found it was"
[10.0] "This is an instant classic. The first like 25 minutes are usual New Japan nothingness even though it had some exciting moments but last 10-15 are just chef kiss. Possibly the greatest 10-15 minutes to ever take place in a match. The near falls, spots, selling all the things are just out of this world. This match is definitely in my Top 5 matches ever and one of the greatest matches ever in general. Rating *****"
[10.0] "Like that Cena dude below me said, feels like a good time to go in and remind everybody how absolutely phenomenal this match was. Absolutely fantastic display of wrestling, there's a good reason why this match exploded Omega's international popularity, and cemented Okada as one of the GOATs of Puro. Hell, just wrestling entirely."
"Just to notify the WWE Fanboy who makes fake accounts and gives these historical matches low ratings just to make the Walter and Dragunov match the highest rated match that is sooner or later the site administration will ban you"
[10.0] "It should be seen by anyone who considers themselves a wrestling fan. There will probably be a few who all they've seen in their lives are a few good WWE matches, but the opinion of that type of person is null and void, irrelevant. The main argument of those who will criticize this match is that it was too long and the beginning was boring. Proof that they don't know how to build a real main event. Look at Okada vs. Tanahashi from last year's Wrestle Kingdom 10, which was similarly slow building. The second half was absolutely phenomenal, both wrestlers put their bodies on the line. That Snap Dragon Suplex is the spot of the year for sure and I'm surprised Okada didn't break his neck in there. If I was under the impression that Omega had the best match of his career with Naito, this one with Okada surpassed everything else. A little funny how the rivalry with Tanahashi defined Okada's career, but his best match isn't with Tana. And as a story the match was at the highest level. The last 15-20 minutes of the match were incredibly dramatic, anyone who really cared about the match and lived it to the fullest must have needed a few moments to relax after it was over. I don't know if the comparison holds up, but it was like a football match where you play with your guard down in an overtime period and every chance can score the final goal. That was the case here with Omega struggling to execute the One Winged Angel, but Okada was turning the move every time and when he managed to stay alive, even as Okada executed the Rainmaker. Basically, Omega died and resurrected several times over the course of about 50 minutes. Hats off and all respect to the best wrestlers on the planet."
[10.0] "The greatest wrestling match of all time in my, and obviously many others, opinion. Incredible performance by two of the best wrestlers, if not the best, of all time. Some of the spots in this match defy belief and I don't think there is even a single botch in 40+ minutes of wrestling of the absolute highest level. If you can't enjoy this then why are you a wrestling fan?"
[10.0] "What more can be said about this match that hasn't already been said? I can't even count the number of times I've watched it at this point. Nor the number of times I've shown it to former or non-wrestling fans. Every time, they're losing their minds. The story is a masterpiece of modern art. The action in the ring is beyond explanation in terms of how damn good it is. The very essence of a five-star match. 5*, 10/10."
[6.0] "The first half of this left me cold. It was technically sound, but nothing of note happens with the exception of some finisher teases. Total Crossfit wrestling, indeed. Omega's kicks looked like shit and his bad bug-eyed facials reminded me of Edge. The match starts to pick up once Omega hits a subtle tribute to Kota Ibushi when he executed a picture-perfect springboard moonsault into the crowd. All of the big spots here looked incredible. I thought they did a good job teasing the table spot before Omega takes a gnarly backdrop from the ring to the outside and through the table. Although the finishing stretch went on for way too long and they got a little too cute with the counters for my tastes, the crowd was clearly into this. Omega not being able to land a One-Winged Angel was a small touch that'll come into play during their rematches. This certainly doesn't hold up on a rewatch, but there are still some genuinely impressive moments here, even if you do have to sit through a lot of mediocre stuff to get to it."
[8.0] "A battle for the future of New Japan delivered one of the greatest matches in modern professional wrestling. Apart from some botches late into the match, this is a perfect main event match. The nitpicks and criticisms of the first 15 minutes are asinine to me. Being the first in their incredible series of matches, their feeling out period is warranted, displaying impressive chain wrestling and tenacity from both men, neither willing to give an inch. Omega toys with the rules to keep Okada grounded, his heel antics and quickness forcing Okada to play the Cleaner's game, but the Rainmaker is able to counter his tricks and stand tall. Okada gets into a rhythm landing signature moves despite Omega's attempts to reverse. But Omega persists, targeting Okada's neck and back for an eventual One-Winged Angel. The momentum constantly shifts in a game of one-upmanship; Okada's hybrid style strings together sequences that keep him in control, and in response Omega takes to the skies with a Tope Con Hilo, a Missile Dropkick and Triangle Moonsault over the guardrail, before switching to power moves. A table is teased before Omega's confidence leads to him getting Backdropped over the ropes and through it. But not to be outdone, Omega nails a deadly Avalanche Dragon Suplex that should've broken Okada's neck. The last 20-25 minutes are nothing short of a spectacular back-and-forth battle, gradually building to a finish none of us thought possible. The tension, emotion and storytelling was there from the start and only kept rising. Omega is the Best Bout Machine when he has something to bring the best out of him, and Okada specializes in bringing his opponents to a higher level. Matches like these make me glad that I'm a pro wrestling fan. EDIT: I take back most of what I said. This doesn't hold up anywhere close to the greatest matches ever. Omega's the better of the two here, but there's no good reason for him to kickout of so much. An incredibly well-paced yet shallow finishing stretch. Thank Dave for the extra PR."
[7.0] "Watched it out of curiosity; wasn't my cup of tea. Little to none in-ring psychology and selling. Also, they could've easily cut ten to even fifteen minutes from it; would've made the match better."
[7.0] "It's impossible for this match to hold the test of time when we see Okada slow down because of matches like these. For what it is, it's a good modern pro wrestling match, yes, but at times it becomes often far too detached from what pro wrestling is and enters its own realm, which for a while worked, but it just got unrealistically long by a point, even if the action kept me entertained. Other then that, amazing modern pro wrestling match, the aftermath, and the two matches that follow, make this however, lose the test of time just a bit."
[10.0] "I'm not a fan of breaking the rating scale, but if there was one match that deserved it, it'd be this one. Going back and rewatching this, I forgot that the beginning 25 minutes or so is a pretty slow burn, far from boring though, as they mix up their moveset enough to keep things interesting throughout, it's very very well paced for a 46 minute match. Everything past the table spot is magic, and had they ended the match with the first rainmaker this would be a certified classic, but somehow they keep it going in one of the best finishing stretches I've ever seen in wrestling. It really is one of the greatest matches ever, and it deserves all the hype it got *****."
[10.0] "(1000000/10 No. 1 for The Best match i have ever watch ) The peak of kenny omega and okada match in my opinion is not the 2018 dominion match. Is this match right here is the staple and the very first brick that make AEW come to existence. How? let me explain. IF this match never happened, CHRIS JERICHO will NEVER challenge omega for the IWGP US Heavyweight belt. he would probably go to okada for the challenge or directly to naito. and this match is the one that put Kenny omega and Okada on the map. But if kenny win the belt at WK 11, The iwgp US tittle would probably not come into existence. And the NJPW US expansion would probably never have happened, And thus AEW would probably not come into existence. This is the best match i have ever watch and i watched A lot of flair vs steamboat saga, the 4 pillars of AJPW series of matches form 1990's-2005. And i have seen A LOT of classics from shawn michael, brett hart, and Taker. But this match is the PEAK of wrestling as of today june 5th (The day i wrote this review) I still watched that match from time to time. If you wanna talk about the match, this have EVERYTHING. the pacing is perfect, the buildup is the best i have ever seen, and the moveset and in ring psychology that this guys bring is 24Karat authentic pure gold. This match SHOOK the wrestling world to its core because of how perfect this match is. And i know that there is no match that can be perfect. but this match proves them wrong. and if not, This match is the only match that can get as close as possible to being perfect. I cant praise this match enough watch this match if youre truly a wrestling fans and you wont regret."
[3.0] "Wow. This. This is the most overrated match ever. I didn't know what to expect, going into this match to be honest. The building of this match is absolutely awful to me. Well, this match is probably what brought NJPW to the point they are today with their meaningless main events. This match ended with the most illogical thing the entire match wanted to tell us. The building of this match, with Omega dominating Okada during more than 40 minutes, with some little returns by Okada, with his robotic counters, an awful sequence outside of the ring at the beginning of the match, and his absolute spam of finisher teasing was awful. Okada does a very bad performance here, he oversells a lot and when he returns he doesn't sell anything anymore, and wow he is uninteresting. His forced return, wihout any logical element at all, his awful. We also have a lot of finisher teasing on the side of Omega, with his One Winged Angel. And I have to remind too that Okada's returns were almost only a teasing of finisher, and when he finally arrived to do it, Omega kicked out. This is really stupid. And I also have to talk about the Headlock of Omega, during 3 minutes at the beginning of the match, it was soooo uninteresting ! The finishing stretch is very meaningless, it's a shame to do a finish without any building in the main event of the biggest show of the year, like it's a shame to do such a bad match in the main event of the biggest show of the year. I don't understand such a high rating there. Omega was not too bad to be honest, except some facial expressions that disturbed me a little bit at the beginning in his heelwork, but Okada is just an average wrestler that can't really give us some great main events. I know this is not the opinion of most of the people, but I just hated this match, from bell to bell. *1/4"
[10.0] "An absolutely incredible match with an epic table spot, a stunning flying crossbody, a springboard suicide moonsault, some devastating dropkicks and a whole lot more. This match had a lovely combination of action and minimal rest spots which made it non stop and time pass. A really great match and these tow have the best chemistry two wrestlers have ever had. I don't have anything negative about this match except Omegas selling of the rainmaker. An incredibly memorable encounter, doesnt often get better than this. *****1/2"
[10.0] "While I don't think it is the greatest match of all time, I can't argue with someone who does. This is another level that instantly established Omega as one of the greatest wrestlers ever (on the world stage, anyway) while solidifying Okada's historic championship reign. Possibly the single greatest example of the wrestling side of professional wrestling."
[10.0] "Possibly the best wrestling match I have ever seen. Absolutely incredible, this match is perfectly paced, the crowd is hot as fuck and both guys fucking murder each other. This is how you do a long match with multiple near falls without it feeling overdone or excessive. A masterpiece."
[10.0] "If we take away the "Storytelling" factor and storyline point of view that in Japan is not so important if not to build up the competition around a title match, this is the biggest World Championship match that I have ever seen. They went into a 1 hour marathon, a 1 hour of continues epic and the incredible fact about it is that Kenny Omega never used his finisher! The One Wing Angel remained "sacred", Kenny lost after multiples RainMakers and multiples Tombstone Piledrivers without never executing the One Wing Angel and this is a master class about in ring psychology and teach us that you can create fantastic matches without gorging it of finishers. As being myself firstly a WWE Fan (and precisely an NXT mark) sometimes its hard to me to appreciate NJPW because my eyes are educated about many kick outs from finishers, but I am in love with this because the drama was at the highest of highs without abusing of the finisher between the two opponents. Rewatching it, in the first 10 minutes I thought "Well this is great, but I can't understand why Meltzer gave it 6 Stars", in the final moments I was choking of emotions and I tried on my skin why. I am a big fan about Okada vs Tanahashi previous year encounter inside the Dome, but this one is much better I have to say. I could not remember how this match ended and so, every One Wing Angel attempt and every Okada's reversal was incredible to my eyes and the match could end at least 3 times in the last 10 minutes. Kenny Omega's selling was phenomenal during that night, and so it was the work on Okada's chest and back starting with the "Rise of the Terminator" and every insane risk that both took that night make them two martyrs. The insane Moonsault that Omega delivered on Okada on the outside, the incredible Back body drop into the Table outside of the ring or the insane Dragon Suplex Omega delivered to Okada and the way they created the moment around it. Oh god, I am so happy to be alive to being able to experience this and I repeat having put my passion on hold in those years and not being able to watch this match live will be one of my biggest regrets when I will be old. Kenny Omega was really amazing and I am little sad that will be hard for him to duplicate such amazing displays in AEW and will be hard to find someone with which to have more chemistry than with Okada, this two complement each other so well . About Okada, I really think that he is one of the best "World Champions" in Pro Wrestling's modern Era. Is on nights like this that I am proud of being a Wrestling Fan and if someone tells you Wrestling is stupid, show that motherfucker this match! Thank God exist Pro Wrestling. Thank God I can watch this match on NJPW World! Rating: 10+"
[10.0] "When this match happened, I watched it multiple times the day after, the replay on AXS TV that Friday and then at least 3 times a month, watched it after Okada/Omega 2, 3, & 4. Watched it so many times I got sick of it. This is my first time watching since 2018 and it still holds up and kept me on the edge of my seat despite knowing it spot by spot. It truly was match of the decade."
[10.0] "This match deserves all the best words in the world. The best match ever in my opinion. These two geniuses gave us a incredible performance and led the whole pro-wrestling industry into a new era. The standard we used to judge a match, for example, the WON's star ratings, started to adapt the world after this match's appearance. And we started to reconsider where is the limitation in pro-wrestling. (******)"
[10.0] "In my opinion this is the second best WK main event just behind Tanahashi vs Omega from WK 13. This two put a helluva match without being dull for 46 minutes and kick-off one of the best rivalries of all time"
[10.0] "Forever epic and arguably the best match ever. I don't think I'll ever have a feeling again like the one I had watching this mat h live. Teeth chattering and goosebumps on my skin, this was a euphoric thrillride like nothing else and it lives up on every rewatch. Most NJPW big matches have 3 fairly distinct acts, but this match pretty much skips the first and goes about 20 minutes of what would usually be the 2nd act, then 10 minutes of 3rd act, and then another 10 minutes of a level never before seen. It bewilderse that anyone could ever say this match was slow or something for the first half, because it lives at a pace quicker than almost all prior big NJPW matches before this. But that final 10+ minutes will just never be duplicated. Their future matches are every bit as epic, and in some ways better, but the feeling of this match on Jan 4 2017 will never ever be duplicated. A truly special match ******"
[9.0] "Beim zweiten mal gucken viel das Match vom vielleicht besten aller Zeiten, zu einem guten aber sehr langen Match. Für mich war der Co Main Event besser."
[10.0] "By the time I watched this match, I already knew it received 6 stars and knew about the hype surrounding it. I thought there was no way it could actually live up to it. Although I think 6 stars is a bit much, it lived up to the hype. I couldn't believe the pace they were going for an over 40-minute match and the spots they were pulling out late in the match. This match also features one of the most satisfying near falls that I've seen in wrestling. It was already worthy of 5 stars had the match ended with the initial Rainmaker, but they took it to another notch similar to Shawn Michaels kicking out of the first tombstone at WrestleMania 25. In 2007, I fell out of love with wrestling after a certain murder/suicide. If I watched, it was with contempt. It took 10 years before my love for wrestling was rekindled by this match and this feud. I thought I had seen the best that wrestling had to offer. I thought wrestling had no more surprises. Then this match came along and proved to me that pro wrestling still has plenty to offer and still has the ability to shock, and awe, and surprise me. A masterpiece of modern wrestling. *****+"
[10.0] "Hier kann man nicht viel mehr sagen als das war einfach Atemberaubend! Die besten den besten Wrestler der Neuzeit zeigen eines der besten wahrscheinlich das BESTE Match was ich bisher gesehen hab. Hier gab's so viel unzählige Highlights das man sie gar nicht alle aufzählen kann. Die Knappen Nearfalls bis hin zum Tbale Spot und die Kontersequenzen erst. Klares 5* Match und ein Anwärter auf das Match of the Decade! (*****)"
[10.0] "Going into this I knew that Kazuchika Okada was absolutely amazing based on his work with Tanahashi alone, and I also knew that Kenny Omega was pretty damn good based on the few matches I've seen of his during the G1 and his junior run prior. I knew that this match was going to be pretty good at the very least, but not THIS DAMN GOOD! This match was an out-of-body experience for me with the physicality, the amazing reversals, the story they told, and the crowd going absolutely nuts! Greatest match I've ever seen!"
[10.0] "The start of the best rivalry of all-time. This match gives me goosebumps. Kara and Omega had perfect reversals for every move and this match is flawless. Great moves, great wrestling, legendary story. ******"
[10.0] "Do I need to explain this one? This is a masterpiece of physicality through and through. Each move seeming to elevate the tension to the point where I felt like these two were trying to kill each other. That Dragon Suplex off the top rope and the table spot that Omega takes during the match are absolutely insane. This also led to a fantastic storyline for both of these two, phenomenal stuff."
[10.0] "This is my favorite match of all time. Bar none, and I don't think this will ever change. I absolutely loved both guys during that time, and I was seriously hoping they were going to pull a classic. We got more than a classic, we got an absolute masterpiece. Many people say this match changed New Japan Pro Wrestling, some even say that it changed wrestling as a whole, and I can see why people are saying so. Although nowadays I feel like the lasting effect are not as good (30+ minutes main events), the match itself is nothing but pure art. It had storytelling, in-ring action, emotions, and a performance that no one will ever forget from both men. My favorite match ever and the only match that I will ever give this rating to. ******"
[10.0] "There's nothing to say: The best Match there was, the best Match there is and also probably the best Match there ever will be. No description needed, just enjoy!"
[10.0] "This was my favorite match in the whole Okada vs Omega series. This match has such fucking intensity in everything both of these phenomenal wrestlers do. From the bell, to the striking exchanges, to the work rate, to the insane spots, to the last phenomenal 15 minutes of pure emotional rollercoasters with phenomenal counters and awesome storytelling, this match is truly a one time great. This match cannot be replicated. This match definetely deserves *****"
[10.0] "The match that made everyone turn their heads to New Japan. The first twenty minutes are slow to establish the narrative of the match, with Omega looking to prove his G1 win was no fluke and working over Okada's back and neck, and Okada starting slightly nervous in his first main event as the ace before slowly growing in confidence, with small bits to keep the crowd into it, like the finisher teases, the table tease, and the crossbody over the barricade. The match slowly ramps up in pace and intensity with insane moves, crazy counters, and unbelievable kick-outs before reaching an absolute fever pitch at the finishing stretch, which is probably the best final ten minutes in a match I have ever seen. A must watch for any wrestling fan. (*****+)"
[10.0] "A masterpiece. This match opened the eyes of many people. It's a game changer that has deserved every ounce of praise it's received. Possibly the two greatest wrestlers in the world fought for the first time. They fought for the title, and for the future of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The build up to this match was beautiful and made it feel tremendously important. They managed to perform a flawless match. Some people nitpick the opening 15 or so minutes, but it's a 45 minute match and there was no way they were going do a full sprint. This first third of the match is brilliant to me. They took their time feeling each other out but they did so many great spots that it made the wait for the insane final 25 minutes worth it. Not a single minute was wasted to say the least. They utilized their time brilliantly. That Dropkick to the back of Okada's head was brutal, as was the top rope Dragon Suplex in the closing stretch. Loved the use of the table. Things really kicked into high gear once Omega hit the Springboard Moonsault. The 20+ minute closing stretch is magnificent, and is one of wrestling's finest. When i first watched this, i said "How can they keep going? ". Spectacular spots and bumps, great selling, and perfect storytelling. I popped so hard when Omega hit the Dropkick and used the devastating Rain-Trigger for the first time. Tension, emotion, drama, it was all here. They tried to recreate this feeling in their following matches, i believe they succeeded but there's something extra special about it here. It's a special chemistry like Misawa/Kobashi and Okada/Tanahashi had. One of my favorite things about this match is that Omega never hit the OWA, but it took Okada 4 Rainmakers to keep Omega down. This is a must watch for any wrestling fan. *****+"
[10.0] "A phenomenal match? Without a doubt. 7 stars? No. One of the greatest matches ever? Not quite but certainly up there. This was a true clash of titans that did drag in some parts but considering it was over an hour-long it was understandable. Great stuff, some textbook reversals and grappling with both men knowing each other so well that neither could get a one up on the other. (*****)"
[10.0] "BY GAWD ! What a match, the first ten minutes was boring, like always, but when the table was out, things accelerated. The only flaw about this match is the overuse of the V-Trigger and the Rainmaker, it bothered me a bit. But apart from that, this is, in my opinion, the greatest match of all time !"
[9.0] "After re-watching it, I can say that that is a good match. Kenny's focus on Okada's back and gut were great, and the drama was very good too. But this match isn't perfect, and the main flaw here is: Kenny Omega. This dude doesn't know how to sell, and he's pretending to die when he's trying to hit an Chop or Elbow Smash, but he can do an Moonsault with all his forces 5 minutes later. Also, this dude never got in a fight in his entire life? He doesn't know how to punch someone, it is just ugly. But still, despite this flaws, the match was great, but far from one of the best in pro-wrestling history. *****"
[10.0] "Das Match startet schon stark mit dem grandiosen Entrance Video von Omega und vor allem dieser, aber auch Okada liefern ab. Immer wieder gibt es schöne Aktionen zu sehen und mit dem Bodydrop aus dem Ring durch den Tisch einen wahren Holy Shit-Moment. Beide Daumen nach oben."
[10.0] "The match had a massive feel before it even started. I really enjoyed both entrances. The match started off slow and built towards the epic moments in the match which is great. The match is fairly even but Omega has control over Okada by maintaining momentum and making good counters. Omega plays mind games by spitting at him and then makes Okada chase him. Omega targeted Okada's back and neck which I liked. I really liked when Omega hit that awesome Rise of the Terminator to the outside. I liked how precise Omega was when he dropkicked Okada right in the back of the neck. Okada also targets the neck with some moves like the hanging ddt off the guardrail, air raid crash, and some submissions. Another great spot was the triangle moonsault over the rail. Omega destroys Okada with a double foot stomp onto the table that was on top of him. There was a lot of good drama about the table until Omega was eventually backdropped straight through it. I thought that spot was amazing. Both men were hurting and I like how well they sell it. Another amazing spot was a huge avalanche snap dragon suplex. About then is where the two really went to the next level. They went for big moves and finishers left and right and were leaving the crowd in absolute awe. Omega hit multiple V-triggers. Okada hits tombstones. Okada hits rainmakers but can't keep Omega down. It's all fantastic. The nearfalls left me breathless. I loved every time Kenny hit a finisher because I really believed he could win. Okada finally hit three rainmakers and finished him. I loved seeing fans cry and it showed that this match was moving. These two went the distance and put on one of the greatest matches ever."
[10.0] "The match that broke a scale that didn't actually exist, and if it had, had been broken years before. A match that sent a lot of people into frenzied tizzies as they desperately tried to claim that it wasn't as good as people thought it was. They are wrong. This match is not only as good as people claim, it's one of the best matches of all time."
[10.0] "I totally get why some people would hate this match. They go a long time, they have a slow build that you would have to be totally invested in, in order not to be bored. I get it but that wasn? t the case for me at all. The time flew by for me, I never felt the length nor did I feel at any point like I was bored. I was fully engaged by the match and I was amazed by the big bumps they took. Dragon suplex off the top rope, dropkick to the back on the neck, back drop on tables, reverse frankensteiner. Great performances by both Okada and Omega. Just tremendous work. Fantastic match IMO. Not everyone will like it but I am not one of those people. *****"
[10.0] "An amazing match. It has some proper wrestling, great high spots and a really fast finish with some stiff spots. Impeccable selling from both and I liked the work that Kenny did on the back and neck. Aside from one extremely reckless super dragon suplex where Okada landed on his head, it was a fantastic match. The 46 minutes passed by in a breeze. *****"
[10.0] "It was the first match I saw on the air. The beginning of the best confrontation in the 21st century. Until recently, I considered this match to be the best in their series, and only after Dominion 6. 9 I changed the opinion a little. In general, all matches of Omega and Okada are masterpieces that have already become a standard, but the match from the Dominion of 2018 is a little more beautiful than the others. As for this duel, he is flawless in everything: technique, intrigue, final sequences and extraordinary reversals. The inhuman Kenny's moonsoulte and the spot with the table are generally something. Special heat gives the fact that the first full-time meeting between Rainmaker and Cleaner is one on one. A masterpiece for all time, which must necessarily teach young people."
[9.0] "I have heard great things about the trilogy of matches Kazuchika Okada had with Kenny Omega throughout 2017. NJPW has really broken through with Western audiences in recent years to the point where it is shaping the wrestling landscape, and most lately this series seems to have been at the forefront of that movement. Right from the elaborate entrances, this has a big fight feel, enhanced by the iconic Tokyo Dome setting. I'd say the match felt a little slow to get started, you could probably shave 15 minutes out without hurting the overall quality. But once it got into the end sequence it was thrilling, with some breathtaking near falls. It all built up to this intense battle of wills between Omega and Okada over who could take the most punishment. In the course of this, Omega seemed to transition from arrogant heel to displaying flashes of the heart of a champion. Given that to my understanding this was one of Omega's first showcases as a headline talent against proven main eventer Okada, he proves here that he more than belongs. Given that this is reportedly the weakest of the pair's 3 2017 encounters, I'm excited to see how the others pan out!"
[10.0] "One of the best matches I've ever seen. A lot of insane spots which cause incredible emotions, brilliant interaction between wrestlers, extreme moments, great counters, intrigue, nearfalls. Crazy match which fully deserved the rating at 6 stars."
[9.0] "An amazing match. Starts off a bit slow for my tastes, mainly with Kenny working over Okada's back. As expected of these two though, once the pace of the match picked up, it blew the roof off the Dome with some sick spots. It all started when Kenny took a sickening back-drop from Okada over the tope through the table on the outside, which created a sense of urgency for both men to pull out all the stops to finish the bout. Despite both their backs being ravaged, the two had an intense back-and-forth battle to hit their finisher, which led to some amazing counters and nearfalls. Okada's reaction to Omega kicking out of the Rainmaker was priceless, LOL. Ultimately, the Champ proved to be the better man here and retained the title. Although in my eyes it wasn't the 6-star, greatest match of all time, it certainly was a historic contest, as it pitted the two brightest stars in NJPW against each other on the biggest stage in puroresu. Truly a match that changed the world. **** 3/4"
[10.0] "I mean, yeah, it's the best match of all time imo. The climax of Kenny's insane 2016 vs Okada's will to prove that he can be the ace at Wrestle Kingdom, these two absolutely killed each other and took this match further than anyone expected. *****"
[10.0] "One of the best matches ever made in the history of pro-wrestling. Omega comes in the match as the arrogant challenger who wants to defeat the hero, who reveals himself to be too much for him. He tries his best to overcome the champion, he goes so near to the victory, but he's never able to hit him with his final blow, with his One Winged Angel that would end the match. Okada, at the same time, struggles enormously to defeat his opponent that, even if unable to win, shows an outstanding resiliency. In the end, Okada is able to walk out as the winner, but the audience can't actually recognize a winner. Okada and Omega were able to show everybody they were the best wrestlers in the world only thanks to this match."
[10.0] "One of the greatest matches in Pro Wrestling history. This was just perfect. This match actually put NJPW on the map, not Chris Jericho. Wrestle Kingdom 12 was bound to sell out after people watched this classic."
[10.0] "Man kann zu diesem Match nur die 10 geben ! Weiß nicht ob es besser als andere 5 Sterne Matches ist aber es ist für mich definitiv 5 Star ! Okada und Omega übertreffen hier alle Erwartungen die ja eh schon sehr hoch waren ! Man bekommt viel geboten und die In Ring Psychologie kommt bei beiden auch nicht zu kurz ... Einige Aktionen bleiben im Gedächtnis wie z. B. der Stomp auf den Tisch von Omega ! Das Match steigert sich brutal bis hin zu der vielleicht besten Finishphase die ich in den letzten 3 Jahren gesehen habe ! Unfassbar gut gemacht mit den Finishern und Nearfalls und dem lauten Publikum auch sehr gut umgesetzt ! RAINMAKER sag ich nur ;) 10 Punkte und 5 Sterne von mir"
[10.0] "Well, here it is. The match to top. This is it, the new standard for wrestling. A hot 25. 000 people strong crowd, in the beautiful Tokyo Dome. Kenny Omega, looking like a Greek God of marble and muscle. Okada, the perfect wrestling machine with his kickass robes and flying money. And then the bell rings, and it starts slow, and it builds. And it builds. And it climaxes. And it keeps building. And then it's beyond what a great match is. And it keeps going. It's ridiculous, a glorious spectacle. Maybe the greatest wrestling match I've ever seen. *****"
[10.0] "LOL at that kenny jackson guy below me. This idiot cared too much about shitting on okada. This was one of the best matches i have ever seen since i started watching wrestling. I do agree that some spots were dangerous, but they definitely added to the drama of the match. I love how omega never hit the OWA. Every time he teased it, okada could counter. The kicking out of the rainmaker was well done. He was only the third person to do so. And the last 10-12 minutes was out of the world. Amazing counters after amazing counters. Just full of dramas and storytelling. I re watched this and it still blew me away. This may win MOTY of 2017. Just amazing experience for me when i watch this match live. I can't tell how much emotional i was, i wanted omega to win so bad. However, i am totally okay with the result and we can see one of the greatest world title reign ever."
[10.0] "The most overrated 5 star match of all time. I think it was definitely a great 5 star match, but all the talk of "6 stars" is a bit too much. As great as it was, it wasn't even MOTN IMO. That goes to Naito/Tanahashi. Still awesome to watch though."
[10.0] "ME fasst man sich kurz. Er war göttlich. Anfang etwas methodisch, aber mit der Zeit entwickelt sich hier ein Match, dass nur so von High Impact Sequenzen und riskanten Move Folgen sprudelt. Wie beide hier unfassbar viel bumben ist, wie gesagt, unfassbar. Wenn man nach dem Match fast eine Herzattacke bekommen hat, weil es eben so viele unglaubliche Near-Falls und No-Sell Sequenzen gab, muss das etwas heißen. Den "6 Sterne" + "Best Match of all Time" Hype sehe ich nicht, trotzdem war es göttlich (****¾)."
[10.0] "Best match I have seen, and I can't really say much else that hasn't been said already. Both were brilliant and I've never felt so invested in a match. Finish lasted like 10-20 minutes and was all completely amazing. Definitely deserved its ****** rating, I'm almost certain there's no way of one-upping this at Dominion but hell, if they did this anything's possible. (*****)"
[7.0] "Looking back on this match over 7 months later, with their 2nd and 3rd matches in mind, the original has paled in comparison. Somebody needs to sit Gedo or whoever else down and tell them that Okada working matches that go over 30 minutes is a terrible idea. Okada, and Omega as well, are sprint wrestlers and character wrestlers; booking them in 30+ minute "epics" does not play to their strengths. Now, did they both put in a tremendous amount of effort? Yes, they did. Did they have some semblance of storytelling? Yes, between Okada cockily leaving openings for Kenny to exploit and the very good build to the table spot. Was there roughly 20 minutes of filler that added nothing to the whole besides a big move? Absolutely. With these two doing a lot more in under 25 minutes in the G1, it's made their previous books look a lot worse, not just comparatively but in general perspective. ***1/2, perhaps ***3/4"
[9.0] "Kazuchika Okada -vs- Kenny Omega – (IWGP Title) [**** 1/2] - Let’s start with the negative. It’s not much. Just that I do have some difficulty taking Omega seriously as he’s a little too comical in his way (hey, last time I saw him he was wrestling little girls). Might be a cool thing if he ever survives and gets to WWE, but for NJPW that’s too goofy. Not the worst offender here, but it takes a while before I’m able to really believe and get behind him. As the match progressed all that was forgotten, but the first 20 minutes wasn’t really needed as it was mainly filler wrestling. Solid, but not really going anywhere. Just keeping things moving setting up little things. After that it was an amazing 26 minute match! Killer finishers and heart-jumping pinfall attempts! They just kept it going, pure murder-style! The backflip out of the ring was spectacular too, especially with the head landing where the table didn’t break all the way through. They pulled out all the stops to make the Tokyo Dome explode. Fantastic excitement! Greatest match ever? Not smart enough for that. But as a pure crowd pleaser it superb!"
[10.0] "One of the best matches I've ever seen, lived up to the hype! Even more impressive is how I had never seen either of them in a match before. Incredible."
[8.0] "Dieses Match war cool. Omega zeigt das er in den Oberen liegen mitspielen kann und das mit Leichtigkeit und Okada zeigt das er zurecht das Ace von New Japan ist, allerdings geht dieses Match zu lang, zwar ist dies nicht so stark aufgefallen wie bei Dominion, nichts desto trotz bleibt das Match gut, ne gute 2. Hoffentlich wrestlen sie um G1 damit sie mal unter 30 Minuten bleiben"
[10.0] "Man, I have watched this match 6 times now and damn, still amazing. The slow build in the start, picking up the pace and the ending maybe it's the best finishing stretch that I ever seen. The psychology of this match was perfect, as so the performance of both man. Definitely on my top 5 as one the greatest matches of all-time, and I'm glad that I watched this live. *****"
[10.0] "This may well be the match of the year, and deciding that 4 days into the year is an enormous feat. I watched it probably five times after watching it live, and revisiting a few months later, it's still as amazing as before. No doubt 5*, probably is 6*, but I don't really have criteria for that."
[9.0] "Brilliant bout but can't be 10 because the Shibata/Okada match was a hair better. By far the best Omega match I've seen. Lots of time given to the main event of NJPW's biggest show of the year. I've recommended this to casual old school fans and everyone loves it."
[3.0] "Tried for a huge epic and failed miserably. Usual boring okada big match performance with no story or not caring for the first two thirds of a match. Followed by a procession of moves with no story or structure. The only semblance of story was the owa attempts, they started 25 mins in. Just god awful. Okada sucks in this match omega who usually sucks was decent here but as usual gave in to his go go go tendencies. moves for the sake of moves no selling in the match with the worst example being the top rope dragon and then okada gets up and is hitting movez~ in a minute. I used to love NJPW in 2010-2014 but since then with okada as the ace he has regressed and as a company it is getting worse, the one day of light is that the bullet club are not dominating everything any more. **3/4 People love this I guess it is the height of movez~ video game wrestling but to me it is very poor I only give it the rating I do for the effort of omega."
[9.0] "So this was the match people call the MOTY and/or the Greatest match ever eh? Well I don't think it's either of those things to be quite honest with you. Both men looked tremendous in this contest and delivered some quality performances but I must say the early stages and the length as a whole really hurt this one for me. The first 10 minutes seemed lifeless and not really much happening noteworthy wise but I mean when Omega isn't going absolutely nuts in his matches it seems quite dull in trying to establish a deliberate pace. Once they went uber crazy it got GREAT but only going to say that as it seemed to drag at times but it was just fun to watch overall and check this out if you must but other matches have been way better than this. ****"
[10.0] "NJPW ist zwar nicht immer auf meinem Radar, aber den Aufbau für Okada/Omega hat man mitbekommen. Spätestens nach seinem G1 Climax-Sieg war Omega auf den Weg zu Okadas Titel. Der Aufbau war gut und der Aspekt, wer NJPW weltweit als Repräsentant und Champ vertreten darf war etwas was aufgrund der Unterschiedlichkeit von Omega und Okada auch wirklich gut passte. Omega hatte ein irres Jahr 2016 und krönte es mit diesem Match. Den Kritikpunkt, dass es zu lang war, sehe ich ein und das kostet meiner Meinung nach auch den 6. Stern. Ein etwas packenderer Aufbau in der Anfangsphase, 7-10 Minuten streichen und das Ding ist die Perfektion eines Wrestling-Matches, so war es zwar nie langweilig, aber eben kein 46 Minuten-Hype, sondern es gab diese Verschnaufpausen auf hohem Niveau. Die Spots waren irre, die Sequenzen in der Schlussphase absolute Weltklasse. Omega fliegt nur so durch den Ring und auch Okada zeigt, was in ihm steckt. Der Moonsault war irrsinnig in der Position und auch der Spot durch den Tisch wird so schnell nicht vergessen. Die In-Ring-Action war ebenfalls groß. Sehr saubere Abfolge, gute Spannung am Ende. Wann kommt der One Winged Angel? Stattdessen knallt es Rainmakers. Für mich ein überraschendes Ende eines absolut sehenswerten Matches. Der Standard und Maßstab für ein 5*-Match der Moderne. Instant-Classic. Mit Abstand das MOTN und natürlich MOTYC – auch wenn man das C wohl in 358 Tagen streichen kann. Danke, Kenny Omega und Kazuchika Okada. (*****)"
[9.0] "Ganz starkes Match. Starkes Storytelling und kranke Moves. Fand's nur schade, dass Omega nicht den One Winged Angel durchbringen durfte. Leider kann ich dem japanischen Wrestling nicht so viel abgewinnen, weswegen das wohl auch der Grund ist warum es keine 10 Punkte von mir gibt. Sinnvoll erklären kann ich dieses Phänomen aber auch nicht."
[8.0] "Really good match, however I don't think it's a 10/10 match. Some of the reason I can remember about it would be that I feel like it went on for too long. Sure there was a build up to the ending and that seems to be the typical NJPW match, but I don't think there was enough to keep me captivated during the first 20 minutes of the match. There were some good spots during the first 20 minutes but they were few and far between. The ending however was amazing and I can definitely see why people rate the match as good as they do."
[10.0] "It is almost impossible to describe the emotion this match got out of me. This is not a match, it is a work of art in the form of pro wrestling . Watch it and you will understand why it is regarded as one of the best matches of all time. ******"
[10.0] "A perfect surreal match. It had everything - counter wrestling, submission wrestling, psychology, story telling, table spots, high flying, false finishes and each of these things weren't just done well but to perfection. There's no words that can do this match the justice it deserves, definitely earned its place up there with the classics of all time, a must watch. Had the crowd in the palm of their hands, for a match that was 46 minutes long it kept my attention from start to finish, was just amazing! *****"
[10.0] "This match was so freaking unbelievable. Omega and Okada both are the absolute best wrestlers in the world and i don't think anybody has any doubt about it because of the performance that these Wrestlers gave in the biggest matches of their respective careers. The match was bit slow in the first 10 minutes but thats obvious because they were working a 47 minute match. The high spots were well executed with perfect timings and the dragon suplex off the top rope was insane. If this match ended at the first Rainmaker at 39 minutes it was a 5 Star but the unbelievable finishing stretch in the last 8 minutes was absolute awesome and i can't define that in words. This match was better than Taker-Michaels by a mile and also better than 1990's All Japan matches. A Perfect 6 Star match no doubt about it. (******)"
[10.0] "Keine Diskussion, dass war MotN und wird MotY. Ein unheimlich starkes Match, das in allen Belangen mehr als nur abliefert. Die Schlussphase, die fast einen Drittel der Matches ausgemacht haben muss, war der helle Wahnsinn, die Spannung kaum zu ertragen. Wirklich irre, ***** da gibt es keine zwei Meinungen. Auch nach mehreren Rewatches erhärtet sich meine Meinung nur: Das war das beste Wrestlingmatch meiner Zuschauerlaufbahn und nur Gott weiß, was wir nächstes Jahr im Rematch sehen werden..."
[10.0] "Klares ***** Match für mich. Omega und Okada batteln sich in einer der denkwürdigsten NJPW Schlachten und zeigen bereits am 4. Januar das MOTY 2017. Beide harmonieren super miteinander und können den Hype um das Match mit leichtigkeit überbieten! (*****)"
[9.0] "This is a ***** star match for me. Usually those are granted 10 points straight up without consideration but I feel this is something of an outlier, hell Meltzer thought as much as well given his SIX out of five star. Its fine to do such a thing but I can't disagree enough with that. It was not the greatest match Ive ever seen, it wasn't even my favorite Omega match (that would be his amazing encounter with Naito at last years G1 Climax), so lets say my docking of a point is purely selfish defiance of that meltzer rating. The match itself did start a little slow, but coming after the scolding hot Tanahashi vs Naito match it was a necessity. People were tired by this point and the breather start to this epic served as a segue into the latter half of the match. Okada and Omega wrestled as if they've known each other for years and made a lot of risky moves, two in particular being potentially career threatening. The finish was nothing short of excellent."
[10.0] "Ich weiß nicht, ob das hier das beste Match aller Zeiten ist. Aber was ich weiß, ist, dass mich bisher kein einziges Match in meiner langen Karriere als Wrestlingfan so sehr in seinen Bann gezogen hat, wie dieses hier. Nach dem Match bin ich erst mal 5 Minuten nur dagesessen und habe in die Luft geguckt und mich gefragt, was zur Hölle ich da gerade gesehen habe. Vom fantastischen Opener Video, über die Involviertheit der Fans, die Spots, die Brutalität, die Wendungen, die Story um die beiden Finisher und und und. Mir ist dabei nicht mal aufgefallen, dass das Match 45 Minuten gedauert hat, kam mir vor wie höchstens 30 - 35. Für den Mainevent einer Show, die als Startschuß für eine "Internationalisierung" des NJ Produkts stehen soll, absolut perfekt, da es mMn in Perfektion den asiatischen mit dem amerikanischen, spotlastigeren Stil verbunden hat. Für Puristen vielleicht nicht das Wahre, aber für mich DAS Match der letzten 10-15 Jahre. Fantastisch!"
[10.0] "Eins der absolut besten Matches die ich je gesehen habe plus das beste New Japan was ich je gesehen habe plus das (bisher) beste Match 2017. Okada war fantastisch in dem Match, aber Kenny Omega hat eine der absolut besten wrestlerichsten Performances aller Zeiten abgeliefert. Ich habe zum Teil noch nie solche stiffen Aktionen gesehen, auch wenn ich ein paar davon nie wieder sehen will, da sie viel zu gefährlich sind. Nichtsdestotrotz war das mit das beste Wrestling was ich je gesehen habe. *****"
[10.0] "There is no other rating than this match could get. I feel a "10" is not up for debate. Greatest finishing sequence I've ever seen and it's unfair to compare it to Misawa/Kawada as it's 2 very different times in this sport."
[10.0] "10 I start with a question, this match deserves 6 stars given him by Meltzer? In my opinion no. Stay calm and do not get angry; this match is a masterpiece but it is not at the levels of the various Misawa vs Kobashi but is the best match of the last seven years. The two came up with a perfect performance in a magnificent match with spot by fear - moonsault from the third of Omega rope on Okada who was in the area of the commentators or appron running dropkick always the Cleaner on Rainmaker placed under a table - and storytelling, masterful selling and psychology; another thing is the excellent management of Omega, was super protected since he lost after having endured 3 Rainmaker and has never led to sign the One Winged Angel. I can say one thing that probably will be for you a whore? I am happy to follow the wrestling in the era in which it was made this match."
[10.0] "This was a great match. Felt like two titans clashing and waging war with eachother for 40+ minutes. Probably the shortest feeling 40 minute match you'll ever watch. Lot of memorable stuff here for the ages-- Omega's triangle moonsault, Omega flying through the table, the spinning Tombstone. The basic story was Kenny could never land the One Winged Angel, with Okada always countering the move. It felt like either man could win, and added to the drama of the bout. I will say I do feel like the match is slightly overrated-- It's probably not my favorite Okada match in that respect. Still a tremendous match and frontrunner for MOTY. ****3/4"
[9.0] "Zweifelsohne ein sehr gutes Match. Die volle Punktzahl kann ich jedoch nicht geben, weil mich die ersten fünfzehn, zwanzig Minuten nicht vollends unterhalten und sich sogar etwas gezogen haben. Die (lange) Schlussphase mit all den Kontern, der Story rund um den One Winged Angel und dem wirklich tollen Finish entschädigen dann zwar bis zu einem gewissen Grad dafür, und Omega und Okada haben das auch alles handwerklich ganz fantastisch gemacht, aber mein Bauch sagt mir, dass das Match für mich keine 10. 0 ist."
[10.0] "Well... well... well.... Absolutely orgasmic.... Unglaublich genial dieses Match. Ich habe selten so ein spannendes Match gesehen. Ich habe echt nicht gedacht, dass so schnell mir ein Match viel besser gefallen würde als The Revival vs. #DIY bei NXT TakeOver: Toronto, aber das Match hat es um Längen getoppt. Großes Lob an Okada und Omega. Einfach nur genial!"
[10.0] "Ich schaue mittlerweile seit fast 20 Jahren Wrestling und habe schon einige Matches gesehen, die meiner Meinung nach die 5 Sterne verdient haben und auch eine sehr kleine Anzahl an Matches, die diese Grenze mit Leichtigkeit gesprengt haben. Zu diesen Matches hatte ich bis jetzt das Kawada vs. Misawa Match von 1994, das Kobashi vs. Misawa Match aus 2003 und den Main Event zwischen Okada und Tanahashi letztes Jahr gezählt und ich dachte eigentlich, dass es wieder einige Jahre dauern würde, bis ich ein Match dieser Qualität zu sehen bekomme. Jedoch dauerte es nur ein weiteres Jahr, bis Omega und Okada beschlossen einfach mal einen weiteren Klassiker zu zeigen, der zu den besten Matches aller Zeiten gehört. Die 2 hätten dieses Match auch nach 35 Minuten beenden können und es wären 5 Sterne gewesen und das ist nicht einmal übertrieben. Das Match hatte so viele tolle Phasen und Momente, dass es sehr schwer ist das alles zusammenzufassen. Am erinnerungsträchtigsten waren aber natürlich der Moonsault nach drausen und der absolut verrückt German Suplex vom 3. Turnbuckle. Die Finish-Phase, war ein absoluter Krieg und man wusste bis zum letzten Moment nicht, wer gewinnen würde. Das war der absolute Wahnsinn und das verrückteste Match, das ich je gesehen habe. Okada war so großartig wie in jedem großen Main Event, aber Omega hat sich in diesem Match zur Legende gemacht. Eine andere Bewertung, als die Höchstnote kann es hier meiner Meinung nach nicht geben. ***** (1)"
[10.0] "I honestly don't see what the "six stars" stuff is all about, but this is a pretty fantastic match in my book, perhaps around a 4. 75 range. Putting subjective star ratings aside, I enjoyed the energy these two guys put in despite the long run time, and they worked in some very impressive spots. The story of the match seemed a little simplistic all things considered but they executed it very well. Great match, I wouldn't say best of all time by any stretch but still extremely good."
[10.0] "Es gibt einen Grund, warum Mick Foley dieses Match uneingeschränkt empfiehlt: Diese Performance ist nicht von dieser Welt. Chain-Wrestling zu Beginn, das vom arroganten Omega in ein stiffes Match transformiert wird. Der angepisste Okada zeigt, dass er der bessere Wrestler ist: Er zeigt ausgeklügeltere Technik als Omega. Omega antwortet mit stiffen Kicks (dieser Dropkick an den Hinterkopf! ), Bearbeitung der Nieren seines Gegners und High Risk Maneuvern. Letzteres zahlt sich aus und bringt die Wende. Okada ist leblos, das Publikum feuert ihn verdammt laut an. Und dann bringt der vielleicht am besten vorbereitetste Table-Spot der Wrestlinggeschichte die Wende. Danach scheint es ein Leichtes für Okada den Sack zu zumachen - würde Omega nicht aus dem Rainmaker auskicken! Der Zuschauer fragt sich an der Stelle: Was soll denn jetzt noch kommen? Was die beiden dann zeigen ist über alles erhaben. Finishing-Kontersequenzen, bei denen man denkt, jede Aktion bringt das Ende. In den letzten fünf Minuten des Matches bleibt die Welt stehen. Am Ende schafft Okada den Sieg nach drei Rainmaker. Dieses Match ist in allen Details durchdacht, jeder Move macht einen Sinn, die Gesichtsausdrücke - gerade die von Omega - sprechen Bände. Dieses Match verkörpert alles, was ich an Wrestling liebe. Sechs Sterne, Meltzer? Sechs Sterne!"
[10.0] "Crazy match, though, the first part of the match isn't what I love, OK the spots are nice but spots can only make a match good not great. The second part was out of this world, clearly some of the best wrestling on the planet. Now I think Meltzer overates this match a bit, I see how this could be better than 5 stars but then, I don't see really how we can go higher than 5 1/2. He probably wanted to mark the first time he goes beyond 5 stars. Also Omega is the one who shined the most but Okada did a lot of little things we don't necessarily pay attention to. So great perfomance by both men. A must-watch *****"
[10.0] "Brilliant Tokyo Dome main event as thankfully we got serious Kenny Omega and not goofy Kenny Omega. The video package made this seem like the most important match in the history of professional wrestling with the winner seeming to go on and carry NJPW into the future as they make the big leap into global expansion and then Okada and Omega went out and wrestled like it was the most important match in wrestling history. I have seen people complain about the first 15 minutes being a bit slow, well what do you expect they had to go for nearly 50 minutes and try to not burn the crowd out after Tanahashi/Naito. Besides the match never felt long (for me) and these two controlled the crowd like fucking pros (it was a crazy reaction for a Tokyo dome crowd). Everyone seems to agree that the ending was amazing (depending of course if you enjoy New Japan style) which is typical of Okada's matches. Now was this the greatest match of all time? I say no but damn if it isn't in the discussion."
[10.0] "Definitely one of the greatest matches ever, second to only Okada vs Tanahashi (WK10). Would NJPW branch out into Western markets and therefore put Omega over? Possibly. Or would they continue pushing their new company ace, Okada? Also possible. What did NJPW feel was the best direction at this time? I didn't know, and that lack of insight put me on an emotional journey as I tossed and jumped at every big spot and near fall, knowing each could majorly affect NJPW's future. The ‘slow 15 minutes’ (as I've seen it called) was actually a nice feeling out phase between two men who’ve never competed one on one before, and filled with plenty of exciting spots that eased into the pace eventually picking up and being at about 100% for nearly 25 full minutes. Okada's character was fantastic as always, acting like he's 'too cool' for Omega but letting out that demon inside him when Omega pushes him far enough. Omega was also extremely determined, desperate to be the new and drastically different face of NJPW. Both men sold fantastically and told a great story of the two separate directions NJPW could take via both men. There were so many extravagant spots, incredible exchanges, and insane bumps between these two that I cannot list them all here in under 1500 characters, but they were all flawless and included some of the best I've ever seen. The tension and excitement just kept increasing. The passion from both men was unbelievable. I cried tears of relief and joy at the end. *****"
[4.0] "Absolutely boring, it's not a match for a Main Event excluding 4 or 5 spots. Really really boring. I don't know how this match is a 6/5 for Dave Meltzer or another people. I'm really disappointed with this."
[10.0] "If it ended at the first rainmaker it would have been 5*. What we got was an extra 7 minutes of the best wrestling in the world featuring the 2 current best wrestlers in the world at the main event on the biggest stage. Watched it 5 times and I go crazy every time for every spot, especially the Okada dropkick and Okada holding the wrist and not letting go a la WK10. For all the throwbacks, crazy spots, storytelling and unpredictability, this was the greatest match in history."
[10.0] "Einfach nur 10 Punkte wert. Das Match wurde gut aufgebaut und wurde dann spätestens mit dem Springboard Moonsault von Omega richtig spektakulär. Auch die weiteren Spots wurden von beiden gut aufgebaut und man war gespannt wer den Bump durch den Tisch wohl nehmen muss. Die härteste Aktion war aber der Dragon Suplex vom dritten Seil. Kann mir nicht vorstellen, dass Okada wirklich so fies auf den Kopf fallen sollte. Die Endphase war dann eine Aneinanderreihung von Knee Strikes und Rainmakers, die wirklich allesamt unglaublich stiff aussahen. Ich weiß nicht, ob es wirklich das beste Match aller Zeiten war, aber es ist verdammt nah dran."
[10.0] "Das Match, an dem sich alles, was dieses Jahr im Wrestling auf uns zukommen wird, messen muss. Mir fehlen die Worte, um es ausreichend zu würdigen. Ich fand es noch stärker als alle Schlachten zwischen Okada und Tanahashi, stärker als Naito vs. Omega. Schlicht das beste Match, was ich zeit langer, langer Zeit gesehen habe. *****"
[8.0] "Dylan Harris hat es im "Eastern Lariat" Podcast perfekt auf den Punkt gebracht: 38 Minuten passiert nichts, was überragend wäre, dafür sind die letzten Minuten herausragend. Das kann ich nur bestätigen, denn die Schlussphase war phänomenal! Aber alles davor zog sich & irgendwie wollte der Funke bei mir bis zum Ende nicht wirklich überspringen - sehr schade eigentlich. Das vorangegangene Match zwischen Tanahashi & Naito war in als Gesamtpaket daher besser. Nichts desto trotz hatte man mit diesem Kampf einen mehr als würdigen Main Event der (mit großer Wahrscheinlichkeit) besten Show des Jahres 2017 & ein wirklich tolles Match. Allerdings ist es bei weitem nicht das vielbesungene "beste Match aller Zeiten" & auch die 6* von Meltzer sind absolut lächerlich! Gut ja, aber nicht überragend."
[10.0] "Uff, alter Schwede, Heidewitzka, meine Fresse…haben sich Okada und Omega zerfetzt. Der Mainevent hatte zwar keine versierten Bearbeitungen wie Naito/Tana, war aber auf seine eigene Art ein Spektakel. Als Omega durch den Tisch sollte, dachte ich erst der Flug würde zu weit gehen, auf der Rail enden und Omega umbringen. War zum Glück nicht so, aber trotzdem schmerzhaft. Beide haben sich für den höchsten Preis und die größte Ehre den Arsch aufgerissen und dafür gebührt ihnen Respekt (*****)."
[10.0] "I don't really think the extra star was needed so I'll take it as a 5 star match, and a well f'n deserved 5 star match. In terns of Wrestling, this has to go down has one of the, if not the best match in history."
[10.0] "There is so much history inside of this matchup. Okada had to carry his first Wrestlekingdom main event as the new Ace and Kenny Omega made history as a gaijin getting pushed so much towards the top. He also got past many expectations and by the end of the match, you feel like both men have something the prove... and they did in spades. The false-finishes were extremely well calculated, especially considering the fact that Kenny Omega's finisher was so protected, but it came off realistic that Omega couldn't even hit his finisher on Okada at all. ****** it is, although the rating is a bit facetious, I'll run with it for now."
[10.0] "So I've heard a TON of hype for this match, probably more than I can for a match outside of WWE in recent memory. The final straw for me deciding to watch it was hearing how Dave Meltzer is lauding the match as one of the best ever. That being said, apart from the beginning being rather slow, this match was insanely great. Both guys are amazing at selling both moves, as well as the wear, tear, and beatings their bodies received during this match. I thought that Omega was amazing in this match, both with his mannerisms, expressions, and how he executed some of his stunts and moves. Every one of those HUGE driving knees into Okada made me wonder how they do that without actually hurting him, they looked devestatingly brutal. And I think Okada himself was so good that he blended into the background, letting Omega have the match of his career (I assume this would be that right? ), but also be there every step of the way. Brilliant, although I don't know if I would go out and call it 6 stars. ****3/4"
[10.0] "Diese Match war das Beste Match aller Zeiten. Die Spots waren perfekt positioniert so dass ständig mit den Spots neue Phasen eingeläutet wurden. Beide zeigten sehr viel Liebe zum Detail vom Selling mit passenden Gesichtsausdrücke bis hin zu nicht angesetzten Covern am Ende weil schon zu viel eingesteckt wurde. Ein starker Mix aus Spotwrestling und härtestem Strong Style vom V Trigger in Gesicht bis zum Missle Dropkick welche direkt an den Hinterkopf ging war alles dabei. Außerdem gab es wohl nie ein Match mit mehr brillanten Nearfalls. Nearfalls wie Undertaker bei Wrestlemania oder Styles bei Summerslam sind zwar ähnlich gut allerdings gab es in diesen Matches keine 3-4 welche brillant waren. Es ist einfach das beste Match was ich je gesehen habe."
[10.0] "Okada vs. Omega im ME von WK 11 um den IWGP Hvw Title brachte natürlich eine riesige Erwartungshaltung, der sie mehr als gerecht wurden. Es gibt einen einzigen negativen Punkt und das ist, dass sie das Match auch in 36min hätten worken können, was das Match hier jedoch nicht wirklich groß schwächt, da es nie wirklich zäh wurde. Die Matchstory ist simpel, wird aber sehr gut umgesetzt. Sie wurde über die Charaktere bzw. die Darstellung der beiden erzählt. Okada der Superstar, das Ace gegen Omega den Terminator. Okadas Kopf wird hier außerdem anfangs ordentlich bearbeitet und im Verlauf ziemlich krass zerstört, sodass Okada im Verlauf des Matches immer krassere und verbissenere Facials bringt - unfassbar grandiose Detailarbeit von Okada, der in diesem Match ungefähr wie der größte Star aller Zeiten wirkt. In der Midphase gibt es einige grandiose Spots die in die Matchstory und im Matchfluss perfekt positioniert sind und allesamt perfekt herausgearbeitet wurden. Vor allem den extrem krassen Table Bump von Omega. Der Top Rope Dragon Suplex leitet dann schließlich die Schlussphase ein, welche die drittbeste aller Zeiten war. Hier gab es göttliche Sequenzen, großartige Transitions, die göttlichsten aller göttlichsten Konter ever und göttliche Nearfalls mit göttlichen Spannungselementen von einem göttlichen anderen Stern. Ich habe hier durchgehend gezittert. Der One Winged Angel wird ausgekontert, Tombstone, Rainmaker, Nearfall. Omega zerstört Okada mit den Kniestößen, sodass er mehrmals den Rainmaker landen kann, aber nicht die Kraft und die Sinne beisammen hat um das Cover zu zeigen. Omega versucht noch zweimal den One Winged Angel zu landen, Okada kann jedoch immer irgendwie einen neuen Konter finden und Omega schlussendlich nach einem göttlichen Finish mit dem Jumping Tombstone und dem ich meine vierten Rainmaker bezwingen. Eines der besten Matches aller Zeiten (*****+)."
[10.0] "Ich bin seit über 20 Jahren Wrestling-Fan, und ich habe viele Matches gesehen, bei denen ich sagte: "So, das war's. Besser geht es nicht. " Okada und Omega haben mich hier eines Besseren belehrt. Nicht eine, nicht eine einzige verdammte Minute in diesem Match war langweilig, jeder Spot war on point, die Intensität der Moves stimmte und als ich eben gesehen habe, dass das Match über 45 Minuten ging, war ich erstaunt. Es wirkte wirklich eher wie die halbe Zeit. Und es hat mich halb sprachlos zurückgelassen. Das war der Wahnsinn. Der absolute Wahnsinn und ein Wrestling-Orgasmus."
[10.0] "Was für ein Wahnsinnsmatch! So eine krasse Intensität und das über mehr als 45min lang. Die letzten 15 Minuten waren derart dramatisch und spannend, dass man schon richtig lange überlegen muss um etwas vergleichbares zu finden. ***** ohne Wenn und Aber!"
[10.0] "Das Match hält selbst ohne Kenntnisse der Vorgeschichte was es verspricht. Die Intensität zum Ende ist unbeschreiblich. Einfach Wahnsinn und für jeden Wrestlingfan ein Must-Watch!"
[9.0] "Da gebe ich gerne neun Punkte, denn das war ein wirklich starkes Wrestlingmatch, was die beiden hier herausgefeuert haben. Bemerkenswert auch, dass das Match eine Dreiviertelstunde ging, obwohl es so wirkte, als wäre es gerade mal eine halbe Stunde gewesen."
[10.0] "Great match I've ever seen, plain and simple. Better than Misawa/Kawada. Better than Kobashi/Misawa. Better than Taker/Shawn. This match had it all and more."
[7.0] "Well, Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega are great workers that know how to work against one another there's no question about that. But in my opinion this match was kinda dissapointing as it had a lack of real passion and emotion between the two."
[10.0] "The story, the selling, the execution, the false finishes, the spots, the finish, the work rate, the psychology... it went in with lofty expectations and the burden of matching WK10 and it managed to somehow outdo everything you could've imagined. I never had my jaw drop for that long of a period during a single match. The ending was intense and suspenseful. The best match in pro wrestling history."
[9.0] "Quite a hyped up match here, I didn't think it was instant classic as many said it is, but it was still great nonetheless. The first 2/3 of the match was kinda awkward to me with both guys trying to decide what to do. The match starting rocking when Okada dropped Kenny on the table, after that I probably saw the most insane 10 minute finishing sequence to a match ever. It took 4 Rainmakers to put Kenny away, and he never hit the One Winged Angel in this match, which protects his finisher in the process. I think people rate this highly because of the insane 10 minute finishing sequence though. I think I'll go ****1/4 on this one, mad props to both guys for taking some nasty bumps, as they both looked like 2 stars coming out of this match."
[10.0] "Ist sicher ein Match das wegen der Sterne von Meltzer für Diskussionen sorgt. (******) von ihm ist eine solche Seltenheit das es sie bis jetzt nur ein weiteres Mal gab. Was für ein Main Event. Wieder mal CHAOS vs BULLET CLUB für Kenny war das hier auch ein Karriere Highlight im Tokyo Dome im Main Event zu stehen. So groß ist der Altersunterschied zwischen den beiden auch nicht nur 4 Jahre. Es war ein Match wo wieder so viel passierte das man es nicht aufzählen kann. Trotzdem ein Highlight habe ich Kennys Moonsault vom Rope auf Kazuchika. Wahnsinn wie gefährlich das war und wie knapp er da über die Absperrung flog. Auch sehr brutal der Tisch Bump unfassbar war hier die Höhe die Kenny erreichte das muss unfassbar weh getan haben. Noch was zum Finish das kann man doch nicht glauben Kenny bekam einen Tombstone Piledriver into Rainmaker Nummer 4 ab. Wenn er da auch noch ausgeknockt hätte wäre ich ausgerastet. Was für eine Schluss-Phase Konter auf Gegenkonter. Was für ein Match kann Wrestling noch schöner sein (*****)."
[10.0] "Epischer Main Event mit einer fantastischen Finishphase bei der das Publikum und auch ich total ausgeflippt sind. Im vorderen Drittel des Matches hätten ruhig 7-8 Minuten gekürzt werden können um das Ganze etwas kompakter zu machen. Aber rein wrestlerisch war das hier ganz, ganz großes Tennis und mit dem Semi-Main Event auf einer Stufe Match of the Night. Und beide jetzt schon Kandidaten für Match of the Year! Einfach nur Weltklasse! Auch wenn ich nie wirklich an den Sieg Omega's geglaubt habe, haben sie mich doch nach dem dritten Rain Maker, der immer noch nicht reichte gekriegt. Ab da war es für mich total offen wer gewinnt und da ich beide mag und das Match von beiden großartig war, war es auch einfach nur egal wer gewinnt. Und das ist wohl eines der größten Komplimente, die man einem Match machen kann."
[10.0] "Ich muss zugeben: Ich habe dieses Match erst gesehen, nachdem ich die atromomische Meltzer-Wertung gesehen hatte. Ich glaube aber nicht, dass ich hier unter 10 Pkt gegeben hätte, selbst wenn ich sie nicht gewusst hätte. Dieses Match war das Apogäum zu fast allem, was man sonst im Wrestling sieht. Die Matchlänge ist hart, aber das, was Omega und Okada über diesen Zeitraum leisten ist psychologisch, schauspielerisch, und wrestlerisch beeindruckend: Nach kurzem Rumgeplänkel setzt Omega, der Cleaner, zu einer systematischen Zermürbung seines Gegners an, ohne Kosten und Mühen zu scheuen. Jeder Move ist hart, glaubwürdig, und passt in sein Schema: Dropkick gegen den Kopf, Springboard-Moonsault über die Absperrung, Stomp durch den Tisch. Bei der Beklopptheit seiner Moves würde er jedes Chicken-Game gewinnen. Okada sieht nach den ersten 20 Minuten platt aus, als wäre das Match schon verloren; kann sich aber nach dem Schawn-Michael-esk genommenen Backbodydrop Omegas durch Tisch wieder ins Rennen bringen. Man muss hier anmerken, dass dieser Wendepunkt geschickt inszeniert ist, denn Okada dominiert Omega nicht von jetzt auf gleich, sondern gewinnt nur allmählich die Oberhand. Der wunderbar gesellelte, unbedingte Wille zum Sieg beider Männer führt auch dazu, dass bis 10 Minuten vor Schluss kein Finisher-Overkill stattfindet. Neben dieser großen, genialen Story, sind es die kleinen Dinge, die das Match so geil machen. Omega gibt Okada wiederholt das Knie ins Gesicht, aber letzterer hält am Arm Omegas fest - als wolle er sagen: kein Knie der Welt kann mich von dem folgenden Rainmaker abhalten. Wahrscheinlich Match der Dekade!"
[10.0] "Going into this match I knew it was going to be really good, since both Okada and Omega had an amazing 2016. But this... this is probably the best match I've ever seen. Yes, it starts slow (heavyweight main events usually do), but then... it becomes absolutely insane. The reversals, the kick-outs, the variety, the selling, the spots! OMG the spots! That was 1 avalanche variation I thought I would never see done, let alone done properly! The final sprint lasted about 20 minutes! And they just kept going! This, my friends, is what we hope for. This is what we yearn to find as fans. This is wrestling! #FightForever"
[7.0] "Ganz ehrlich? Das Match zieht sich zu lange für meinen Geschmack - 30 Minuten hätten locker gereicht. Es ist ein bisschen unverständlich, dass es für Omega 4 Rainmaker und tonnenweise andere harte Moves zum Pinnen benötigt, während letztes Jahr Tanahashi nach 3 gefallen ist (und das war mir schon zu viel). Ich bin kein Fan von Finisher- und Signature-Move-Overkills und das war hier in den letzten Minuten schon ziemlich inflationär (auch wenn Omega den OWA nicht anbringen konnte), was die beiden geliefert haben. War natürlich sehr spannend, aber für meinen Geschmack einfach zu viel und zu lange. Kommt an den Main Event vom letzten Jahr imo nicht mal im Ansatz ran und die 6* von Meltzer finde ich irgendwie etwas komödienhaft."
[9.0] "Epic match for sure, although the "waiting" part seemed never-ending; the second one, instead, really put this off the charts with near-falls, false finishes and the plethora of trademarks. Omega was astoundingly genial during all the match and Okada was great as usual. **** - ****1/4"
[10.0] "Ein weiterer Klassiker! Die ganze Art der beiden dieses Match aufzubauen und zu strukturieren, dass sich die Spannung und Dramatik sukzessive mit jeder Minute steigert, wie man immer wieder zusammenzuckt und richtig mitfiebert und das über fast 47 Minuten, alles zusammen ist nicht weniger als eine Meisterleistung. Ich bin immer noch beeindruckt, wie gut Okada und Omega dieses Kunstwerk auf die Beine gestellt haben, großer Respekt. In meinen Augen völlig verdient *****."
[10.0] "MATCH OF THE YEAR, MATCH OF THE YEAR! Das waren meine einzigen noch verbliebenen Gedanken nach dem Match. Einfach nur un-f**king-fassbar, was Okada und Kenny da abgeliefert haben! Wenn es jemals ein Match gab, das keine Fehler, keine langweilige Phase und so weiter hatte, dann wohl dieses! Zu jedem Zeitpunk war man absolut im Match drin, die Spots und das Wrestling an sich waren nicht von dieser Welt, der Missile Dropkick gegen Okadas Hinterkopf, Okadas Dive über die Absperrung, der Top Rope Dragon Suplex, Kennys Crash durch den Tisch und natürlich die alles übertreffende Schlussphase! Die Nearfalls nach den Rainmakern, die Tatsache, dass Kenny es weiß Gott einfach nicht schafft, den One Winged Angel durchzubringen, immer wieder powert er sich hoch und macht, aber er kriegt Okada einfach nicht down. Als dann schließlich der Sieg für Okada kam, war ich im ersten Moment etwas traurig, ich hätte es Kenny echt gegönnt, er hätts verdient gehabt, aber egal: Es war auf alle Fälle das beste Wrestling-Match, was ich in meinem Leben bisher gesehen, es löst damit AJ vs Nakamura von Wrestle Kingdom 10 ab, das war einfach nur PERFEKT! UPDATE: Meltzer hat diesem Match als aller erstem überhaupt 6 Sterne gegeben! Da geh ich doch glatt mit und erhöhe meine Wertung ebenfalls auf 6 Sterne, dieses Match hats einfach nur verdient! ******"
[10.0] "Dieses Match stellt alles in den Schatten. Was Okada und Omega hier abliefern, ist unfassbar. Das übertrifft sogar Naito vs Omega vom G1 Climax (*****+)"
[10.0] "TBH I wasn't expecting this amazing match to be amazing, but it was, it somehow topped #DIY Vs The Revival at NXT: TakeOver Toronto. If there was a 11\10, I would pick it, but for right now it's a Perfect 10."
[10.0] "This match will be talked about for years because of how controversial it is. I'll start by saying that the crowd was super hot from the get go, surprisingly a bit split with it leaning more towards Okada, but Kenny's fans were still noticable. This match can only be described as a roller coaster in 3 parts. Arguably the part most people I've seen people complain about, is the first part, the first 15-20 minutes. It's pretty standard stuff from both Okada and Omega with both just throwing their moves out there, nothing flashy yet. The second part is where things start picking up once THAT moonsault happens, and it continues to keep revving through by the use of a table with a really brutal spot happening. The final part is the most epic chemistry of wrestling that can only be claimed by the greats. So many counters, signatures, sequences and bumps that turn the momentum every single minute, leaving you wondering how the hell can they keep going. The amount of storytelling with the sequences and psychology with Omega attacking Okada's neck and head and Okada attacking Omega's back, is absolutely out of this world. Probably the most beautiful part of the storytelling in this match is the fact that Omega didn't hit the One Winged Angle ONCE, and it took Okada FOUR (4) Rainmakers to finally put Omega down; for comparison, that's the most amount of times Okada has needed to put down an opponent. I am honestly stuck between choosing Omega/Okada or Omega/Naito as my favorite Kenny Omega match ever. There were many who were weary of Omega losing the match and then his spot, but this feud is far far far from over, *****."
[10.0] "Kenny entered to a (spot-on) Terminator parody, wearing Terminator-themed tights, and with a really cheap-looking Terminator mask. It seemed goofy, and we were all laughing at it, but it ended up being the most appropriate thing for him to wear. The first ten minutes of this match were slow. Painfully slow, in fact, and in front of a tired crowd after the previous match. I've seen some suggest that this is automatically reason to dock this match points. That's one way to look at it, but I disagree. I don't think - within the greater context of the show - that the crowd would have been nearly as hot the rest of the way if not for that slow opening. And more importantly, this didn't end up feeling like a 46-minute match, anyway. The energy level of this match just kept ramping up, somehow never hitting that sore spot where you start to feel fatigued and want it to end. Kenny took so many risks, and absolutely destroyed his body, and it was horrifying to watch, but I would be a horrible liar if I said it made me want to stop watching. High spot after ridiculously high spot, and even an Avalanche Snap Dragon Suplex that looked way, way, waaay nastier to Kenny than it did to Okada. And both of them brought the facials and body language to draw the audience in like we were all children, again. From slow build, to insane spotfest spectacle, to emotional, drama-filled epic; this was unlike anything I've ever seen OR felt."
[9.0] "Omega puts on an incredible performance here in the match of a lifetime, with brilliant storytelling and hard-hitting moves that made this one to remember. It's bogged down by slow pacing early on, but the second half of the match picks up and provides some incredible near-falls and intense storytelling from two immensely talented competitors. Great match, and already a Match of the Year candidate just four days into January."
[10.0] "Über 45 Minuten hochklassiges Wrestling. Allein die drei Konter des One Wing Angles sind eine Augenweide. Dazu kommt noch einiges mehr an tollen Momenten. Jetzt schon MOTYC. *****"
[8.0] "Now. I am anticipating a lot of "hate" in the comments section, but frankly, I am not that bothered. You are welcome to have your opinion below. This match was VERY VERY good. Don't mistake me. ****1/4 is a very good rating, and will probably feature in my top 25 matches come December. I did have a few issues, which might just be personal taste. The first 20 minutes of this match were pretty boring, and a little shallow. There wasn't any limb work, I didn't feel a clear and obvious "game plan" from either guy, they kinda just 'did moves' (at a fairly slow pace) for what seemed like ages. I am a big believer in less is more, and that is my only real issue with this match, as I did feel they went into overkill down the stretch as a result, which wasn't helped by the sheer length of the match (49 minutes, I believe). All that being said, I had such a blast watching the last 15 minutes of this match. Omega is an ABSOLUTE SUPERSTAR, I thought he was the stronger performer here. Just shave 20 minutes off this, have a few less massive nearfalls down the stretch, and this had the makings of a classic. I just can't give this ****1/2 + when I didn't enjoy the first 50% of the match unfortunately (****1/4)."
[10.0] "Eines der besten Matches aller Zeiten. Zeiteinteilung bei 47 Minuten perfekt, an Dramatik nicht zu überbieten. Natürlich *****, grandioses Match."
[9.0] "Fantastic match from both men and a terrific sendoff to Wrestle Kingdom 11. The only reason I don't think it is a 10 but instead a 9, is because I feel that the match went too long. 46 minutes for a standard singles match is too long for my opinion."
[10.0] "A match that both have to win and both men can not afford losing. This is how many classic matches are made (CM Punk vs. John Cena, Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold vs. The Rock) and this match had that setup to perfection. Going into the match both Kenny Omega and Okada both had to prove different things to the world. Kenny had to prove that as the first foreign winner of the G1 that he could hang with the top wrestlers of NJPW, and Okada had to prove that he could main event The Tokyo Dome without the help of Tanahashi. So with this setup Omega and Okada both proved there points and then some by having one of the best matches ever. There are no that can describe how investing this match was to watch, it was literally edge of your seat action. During the final 20 minuets of the match there so many "this is it, it's over" moments that I could not contain my nervousness for both men nearly losing. I think has to be the most near falls ever in a match that made jump out of my seat. Going into the match I had no ideas who was going to win and who was going to lose, and they kept that mystery in my head for the entire match. Just amazing wrestling and storytelling from both men. The highspots were high, the pins were so close every time, and the edge of my seat action is something I've never experienced before in wrestling. Amazing."
[10.0] "Natürlich waren die Erwartungen groß... Doch Omega und Okada lieferten hier einen echten Klassiker ab, vermutlich sogar das beste Match was ich je gesehen habe. Die Schlussphase toppt einfach alles, ich litt regelrecht unter Schnappatmung. Schade dass man hier nur 10 Punkte vergeben kann, denn dieses Match hätte sogar 12 verdient. *****+ von mir"
[10.0] "This could be the very best fight in pro-wrestling history. Its up there with Misawa's classics. A 5 stars among 5 stars . A fight of historical importance , the magnitude of Tenryu vs Tsuruta , Misawa vs Kobashi / Kawada. That match had something of the old AJPW glory days and NOAH prime years. A very slow start, brillant buildup, crazy bumbs and a flawless performance by both wrestlers . Maybe the blue print of a new era..."
[10.0] "An Dramatik wahrscheinlich nicht zu überbieten. Storytelling und Psychologie hatte das Match auch reichlich. Absolutes Meisterwerk dieser beiden jungen Wrestler. Meiner Meinung nach das beste Match aller Zeiten, in der Top 5 eines jeden MUSS es vorhanden sein."
[10.0] "Oh my f***** god this math was simply the most epic thing I have never seen in my life. First of all, great entrances : Okada as the man who runs the place who brings money to the company and Omega aka terminator. The match was intense and brutal. The neck and the back of Okada were hardly hitted but he survived and ended the match with an outstanding jumping twisting tombstone piledriver following by a rainmaker, the fourth of the match. Omega shown all his abilities : Asai moosault, tope can hilo, package piledriver, v trigger, double foot stomp on a table, tiger suplex from the top of the corner... Moreover, he sown that he has simply the best knees of the business. The crowd was on fire during the whole match - 45 minutes - giving an unbelievable intensity to the match."
[10.0] "Okada/Tanahashi last year was said to be one of the best of all time. 1 year later they fuckin topped it. Everything to say about this match has been said. I don't know how I will feel about this match in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years whatever, all I know is the feeling live I had during this match was something I've never experienced before. Absolutely stunning, ***** doesn't do this justice because its better than many 5* matches"
[10.0] "It's no secret everyone had very high expectations from this match and boy oh did it deliver. Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada put on one of the best matches I have ever seen and I have seen my fair share. The last 10 minutes were unbelievable! Hats off to both men. (*****). Very likely to end 2017 with this match as the MOTY."
[10.0] "Expectations for this match were ridiculously high, but somehow they managed to overdeliver. If you told me this match went 20-25 minutes, I'd believe you, no way I'd think this went almost 50 minutes. This will go down as one of the best matches in the history of wrestling, last 1/3 of the match was just unbelievable, both guys were just on another level. There is no way anything in 2017 is topping this. An instant classic. *****."
[10.0] "Allein die aufmachung zu diesem Match war so exzellent! Für dieses Match sollte man mehr sterne einführen! Dies war eines der besten Matches allerzeiten! Selten war ich Emotional so stark an ein Match gebunden! Beide haben mich einfach über 45 Minuten lang so gut unterhalten und so stark eingebunden wie das warscheinlich noch nie der fall war. Ich liebe Omega weshalb ich seinen Sieg unbedingt wollte und man hat in diesem Match so stark mit mir gespielt.... Gerade diese F´N Finishphase war an spannung kaum zu überbieten. MOTN von WK11 und jetzt schon mein MOTY. Dies kann nichts toppen! ******"
