[7.0] "Marufuji clearly looked his age. I am not sure why AJ Styles chose Maru to be his opponent with his little trip to Japan. AJ looked good. Didn't think this was as good as other thought."
[8.0] "AJ Styles in Japan. What could be better than this? I didn't care for their match at all because nothing special was done in it except working on each other's heads and hands and the storyline didn't inspire anything special, but the fact that AJ was in Japan by himself makes this match interesting. I wish Marufuji wasn't his opponent either."
[9.0] "It's always good to see a dream match becoming true, no matter how long it takes for happen. Styles and Marufuji are both pretty close to retire and this will happen in at least 3 years, but man, this was so fucking good. The mutual respect both wrestlers had to each other made this match a instant banger, and Styles here fight exactly like he normally did in his NJPW era. Unbeliavable good. There's a lot of matches from AJ Styles that still didn't happen yet (Gunther, Dragon Lee, Penta) and this need to happen asap, IF he continues in WWE, of course."
[7.0] "I had no idea they let AJ Styles go through the forbidden door after his I quit match. Neither of these guys are in their primes, but this was still a solid match. ***3/4"
[9.0] "[4.25*] I may be overrating this one a little bit because the action was not as good as Kaito vs YOICHI, but man, this is AJ Styles vs Marufuji, a Dream Match for the ages, and comparing this with what AJ was doing (stinkers with Karrion Kross) and with what Maru was doing (stinkers with Ibushi and etc), this absolutely over delivered in all aspects, specially on the pure in-ring work. For the first half it was a super carryjob from AJ, he is having a hell of a year, his best since 2018. For the second half, Marufuji finally showed up, specially after that insane Shiranui on the guardrail. The ending stretch was phenomenal (sorry) and the sequence where both guys hit their trademark combination popped me a lot. AJ brought up some of his old moves like the Ushigoroshi or the Torture Rack Bomb and you could tell that he really bust his ass off to deliver a special performance, which he fully accomplished. This was an all-timer experience that I will never forget."
[9.0] "What a match, this is the first Naomichi Marufiji match I've ever seen and he's legit. AJ Styles proves why he's still one of the best wrestlers Japan has ever had."
[8.0] "Although I had my reservations that this wouldn't be as good as I had hoped due to both men being in the twilight years of their career, this ruled! AJ Styles is simply ageless and I have no idea how he can work at such a high level physically at his age. He even reigns in Marufuji from his worst tenancies. We get some limbwork in the early stages that pays off once they start busting out their signature spots. I love that psych-out that AJ does before going up for a springboard. All the action was crisp and super stiff. Everything I want in an AJ match."
[9.0] "AJ beating the washed allegations fully after the Cody matches was just a treat man, one of the greatest ever, and even without knee's Marufuji put on a very good performance as well, it just makes me think how great a match between them could'v been if they were in their primes"
[10.0] "A legendary dream match that 100% more than delivered. Both men are getting to the latter days of their careers, but they showed that they can continue to put on all time classics and great performances. Some great sequences, brilliant moves and moments to show just how brilliant both men are. Ending what was a once in a lifetime showcase of how incredible pro wrestling really is."
[8.0] "This was great, albeit both men look like their slowing down in age, but even then that didn't stop them from putting on a masterclass of a match. There were brutal spots that neither of these guys should be taking yet here we are. Overall it was a fun encounter and really enjoyed seeing two vets go at it."
[6.0] "Didn't even come close to the expectations I had for it. While AJ is still great, Marufuji is definitely showing his age. He whiffed on a lot of strikes and in general, looked much slower than AJ, despite being couple years younger. Finish was kind of flat too. Right as the action was starting to pick up, it just ended. Disappointing match sadly"
[9.0] "[****3/4] Great sequences, brutal spots, what more could you want? Suplexes on the guard rail to the outside, tackling the top rope to mess up the phenomenal forearm, do an Eddie Guerrero to force a 450 splash, then counter that what the hell? I also think this matches one of the greatest pure strike sequences in history With AJ and Marufuji hitting both their combinations at the same time. Excellence in one match."
[8.0] "This was a great match. This is one of those true dream matches that as a fan you could only wish to see. Thanks to the new leadership in WWE, AJ Styles was able to go overseas to wrestle Naomichi Marufuji. Not only that, but for all the time he spent in Japan, this was the first time he ever wrestled in Pro Wrestling NOAH. If we got this match even 5 years ago, this could have been so much better, but even still this was awesome to see. This was a nice mix of high flying, technical wrestling and good strikes. It was surprising to see Marufuji lose, but AJ made a name for himself in Japan with 2 IWGP title reigns and some of the best matches in his career. On top of that, both men are basically teflon, so who won didn't really matter. It was about giving the fans around the world a dream match they had been wanting to see. ****1/4"
[5.0] "Yeah, whatever. Marafuji has never had a great mind for wrestling, but I'll always have a soft spot for the guy. He's effortlessly cool, and his shit looks dope. The problem is that he's 44 years old, and it's become apparent this year that time is catching up to him. The same can be said for AJ, who, to his credit, has always had a better mind for structuring matches. Unfortunately, his time in WWE seems to have hurt him as of late, as shit matches with LA Knight and Cody have shown him that getting all the nostalgia pops instead of producing something that makes you feel something is easier. Don't blame either guy here, just getting their shit in and leaving. The crowd loves it, so they do their job. But in terms of a sense of struggle, in-ring story, or motivation? Yeah, this is as empty as it gets. I can only swallow a nostalgia pill so much. 2.5 Stars."
[8.0] "What an amazing experience to watch AJ Styles first match outside of the WWE after more than 8 years, and he showed why he's one of the best wrestlers of his generation, absolutely phenomenal performance, he's fabulous for his age, and Marufuji, who's also a veteran, accompanied him and delivered high quality wrestling. I loved the kicks and the sequences, it's only a shame that, just like IYO SKY, AJ won pretty easily, I was expecting a kickout or more emotion, but he connected the Styles Clash and won, just when the match could start to reach another level. Loved this match - {****}"
[9.0] "Masters of the craft. Two of the greatest, most innovative, and most influential wrestlers to ever live. Two wrestlers whose fingerprints are all over the modern era. They get this started with a show of respect, but AJ Styles quickly changes the tone by throwing Naomichi Marufuji off of him instead of initiating the traditional Irish Whip sequence. Marufuji then shows he can match Styles strength with quickness and we get going. Styles takes it to the mat in an interesting story development that showcases a trepidation as far as matching quickness with Marufuji is concerned. As that strategy begins to lose its hold, however, Styles pulls out the classic Dropkick sequence and begins to gain confidence in his ability to go step-for-step with his fellow living legendbut foregoes an expected dive to the outside of the ring to show a continued uncertainty as to whether he can pull that move off. Keep in mind: He was injured on a dive not too long agothe first major injury of his career. Back in the ring, the battle for controlling the pace and style of this encounter continued. Marufuji took the reins after losing the quickness battle, targeting Styles arm with a series of attacks that were simple yet effective. His efforts in violence grew as he progressedonce again epitomizing the story of this match. And then THAT kick happened. And the technical element of this match took over, with Styles going shot for shot and submission for submission, only in his case targeting the knee. The sell by Marufuji on the Handspring Dropkick attempt was beautiful, and Styles hitting the Dynamite/Pegasus style Snap DDT was a wonderful touch. It was Exhibit A of how the minor details drove this match, as they always have with these two icons of the industry. Look no further than the story within the story coming full circle, as Marufuji finally lands his Dropkickto the top rope as AJ was attempting to Springboard. Marufuji picks Styles apart a bit with moves that fans know from WWE and AEW wrestlers, but he actually innovated. It was a lovely chapter in this match that justifiably spoke to his undeniable influence. It also led into Marufuji taking the first big risk of the match, with the Springboard Dropkick to Styles as he entered the ring. It led to Styles turning back the clock to his TNA days with the Phenomenal Forearm off the guardrail. That progressive build hit an even longer stride when Marufuji nearly snapped Styles neck with the Shiranui across the guardrail. The second half of the match is a blur of brilliance. Everything that had been built to during the first half paid off, with both wrestlers taking chances that wrestlers their age never wouldand perhaps they wouldnt have wanted to in any other scenario. Against who they were facing, however, there was no choice. And high-flying maneuvers, submission counters, and an absolutely astonishing striking sequence took us home. They played the hits in ways that wrestlers their age shouldnt be able to, which really meant digging deep into the arsenal in ways that few can force them to. They know theyre 44 and 47 years of age. But they also know that this is a dream match of the highest order. And they want to win as the version of themselves they wereproving they havent even lost a step after all. The friendliness subsides, the competitiveness takes over, and a genuine classic takes shapeall the way down to a Tiger Driver transition into a Styles Clash in a NOAH ring. 4.5 stars, 9 out of 10. Absolutely phenomenal, all puns intended."
[9.0] "Very well worked match by two absolute professionals. Sometimes dreammatches tend to disappoint because the expectations are simply to high but those two really hit a homerune with this one. I am in awe how well AJ and Marufuji can still go in their later stages of their careers."
[7.0] "I don't mean to say that Styles & Marufuji aren't in excellent condition for their respective mid-to-late-40s, but I do think these two going nearly half an hour wasn't the right call even as a dream match. Every piece of offense looked really good but there really wasn't any throughline here. I think these guys knew they probably weren't going to have a second match and just threw every sequence and spot they could think of out there and got them out of the way, it barely felt like they were building up towards anything, besides one Calf Crusher attempt a few minutes after Marufuji got the knees up for the 450. That said, no matter how cool I am on this match that finish was so sick; holding on to your tights to prevent the step-through of the Clash so AJ hits a nasty powerbomb so you can go limp and he steps over the arms. A great watch for those who love the work of these two but this is one of those dream matches I think would've been better in their primes. ***1/2"
[9.0] "Dream match for the ages! I've been saying these two would deliver an absolute banger, and I was fucking right! This was amazing and it had some fantastic sequences and spots, the pacing was perfect and AJ Styles' work on Naomichi Marufuji's leg was top notch, just like the latter's selling. One thing I should point out is how even after all these years, Marufuji is still inventive, and that crazy Shiranui on the guard-rail is proof of this. ****1/2"
[6.0] "I thought this was a perfectly decent match but the only really notable part of it was the return of AJ Styles to a puro promotion. Not sure how NOAH will ultimately fare out of this partnership but it was nice to see AJ doing his thing in this context, I think he is past his prime but he put forward a very solid effort here. I thought Marufuji had a really disappointing showing though, I know precision is not his strongest suit but even I couldn't ignore how badly he was whiffing a lot of his attacks. I also thought it was notably longer than it needed to be, though I suppose that's the house style. Not a bad match by any stretch but I didn't get a lot of hype from it."
[8.0] "This was largely a thing of beauty with world class complexity and execution. I would've gone a 9, but they both ignored the limb damage when it suited ****"
[9.0] "This was a true dream match that delivered on all cylinders. Sure, the two arent exactly in their primes anymore but the match was still very hard hitting."
[8.0] "It's a shame these two never met during their prime, but this genuine dream match was still pretty amazing and perhaps even more impressive taking into account both men's age and how often they play with talk of retirement."
[9.0] "My first time ever watching a Marufuji match and what a gas this was. A mix of every style of wrestling you can think of led to a perfectly built dream match between two of Japan's most prolific wrestlers. A moment that no one would have expected going into 2024 also helped to give this match a special feel. Both wrestlers are past their physical peak but that did not hinder this match whatsoever as both men blended their styles to create a top tier contest. The highlights for me were Marufuji's Shiranui onto the guardrail that look so brutal, the striking contest of counters in the middle, and Styles pump faking Naomichi for his Superman 450 just to have it countered. I am glad Styles got to have a big win at this stage of his career and for it to be his return to Japan made it that much more special. ****1/2"
[8.0] "This is a great match when you consider both of these guys are above 40 years old. Marufuji is not the same guy who he used to be. But he is still no slouch. AJ got a good reception from the crowd. Both guys starts with a handshake and then some armdrags and tackles. Marufuji took control of the match and started working on AJ, holding him down in various locks. Lot of decent action outside the ring. AJ hits his phenomenal foraerm with some aid from guardrails. Similarly Marufuji hits his finisher backflip reverse ddt onto the guardrail injuring AJ neck in kayfabe which AJ sold for rest of the match. They get inside and start having a combo duel. Then submission lockups start with AJ calf crusher and Marufuji subsequently applying his own lock and some more back and forth with submissions. AJ ends the match with a powerbomb + Styles Clash combination... AJ Styles sold the hell out of Marufuji's offense. I particularly liked when Marufuji hit a springboard dropkick onto AJ on the apron. The way AJ fell o the apron and hit a rebound was something else. Something you would see in a good action flick. AJ going this strong at this age is nothing short of miracle. He is in best shape of life and puts on bangers like this. His last four matches with Cody, Randy and now Marufuji have been phenomenal. No pun intended..."
"Great to see 2 great veterans have such a slick and awesome match. Love both of these, Marafuji is one of my favourite Japanese wrestlers, and glad to see AJ having a real redemption year, with his series with Cody, and now this, after a lacklustre few years on the WWE main roster after his great start there. Really fun, loved how it was a simple main event, but very solid match structure. Favourite spot was the rapid fire strike exchange right near the end. ****1/2"
[8.0] "In the grand scheme of main event matches in Japan it is hardly remarkable, but when you consider it in the context of what AJ has spent most of the last 8 years doing, and what happened to Marufuji in January against Ibushi, this is a total expectation surpasser. Seeing AJ click back into Japanese mode without hardly seeming to miss a beat is tremendous."
"I appreciate AJ Styles for his in-ring skills and creative moves. Naomichi Marufuji is a master of technical wrestling. Together, they put on an amazing match."
[8.0] "I really enjoyed this one. I did not know what to expect out of '24 Marufuji and Styles here, but they exceeded expectations. A solidly worked match, with some neat aspects to it. In particular I really like how Marufuji had AJ's flying forearm completely scouted and refused to let him get it off."
"We are far from the disaster that was Ibushi vs Marufuji at the beginning of the year so maybe these match-ups with outsiders will gain a little more value in the eyes of the fans. AJ Styles still looks very good for his age and Marufuji is a true veteran so even if he isn't in his prime he is still able to put a good performance when he needs to. ***3/4"
[9.0] "It's very nice to see Marufuji have this type of showing all things considered. Even though AJ's output here was fantastic, Marufuji held up his end of the bargain putting up an effort that makes you rave about because a performance this good from him nowadays might not happen again. It was great seeing these two luring each other in and trying to outmaneuver one another so when AJ brought out his Phenomenal forearm fake-out spot, It made so much sense. I love matches that take their time to reach their conclusion and this is one of those. Fantastic match. ****1/2"
[9.0] "This one blew away expectations in what turned out to be a fantastic match. Right up there with Styles' performance against Cody Rhodes at WWE Backlash. AJ brought his A-game and proved why he should still be considered among the best wrestlers in the world. Marufuji turned back the clock and showed why when the pressure is on, he can be stand toe to toe with the best wrestlers in the game. (****3/4)"
[8.0] "Gut aber nicht sehr gut. Für Marufuji ist es das beste Singles Match seit Ospreay und bei AJ weiß ich gar nicht seit wann. Fand das deutlich besser als seine Matches gegen Cody, was sicherlich an der Spannung liegt und daran, dass er hier das erste Mal bei NOAH, seit langem mal wieder in Japan und das erste Mal gegen Maru antritt. Beide hatten hier sichtlich Spaß und wollten unbedingt ein gutes Match zeigen."
[9.0] "AJ Styles continues to fight the claims that he is washed by putting on an absolute masterclass for the fourth time this year. Was incredibly invested in this match, however it was a bit slow at times, especially in the opening minutes. Eventually they go moving with the outside fighting, but even after that it slowed back down once they returned to the ring. They had some nice open moments with good limb work and exchanges, but balanced it with fun highlights. However, it loses some points for the multiple fumbles of moves including 2 Styles Clashes."
[7.0] "Watching AJ Styles wrestle in a big puro match setting is so cool. His NJPW run is something I have so many good memories of. This was a good match. Big match feel, lovely presentation. You get your usual filler big puro match limb work, fun counters, big moves. It is paced very nicely & doesn't overstay its welcome."
[9.0] "A very good match that kept me invested. Taking a point off for a few awkward moments including a missed kick that had to be sold and a miscommunication near the ropes where they seemed to be on different wave lengths. Great to see the Styles Clash beinh protected in Japan, it should be everywhere else too"
[8.0] "Im honestly shocked reading that some people think AJ is washed? Thats wild to me. He was excellent here (and LOOKS excellent to boot), and Marufuji was no slouch either. I do think his days/years in wrestling are numbered, but on this occasion he proved he can still go. This was the match people wanted to see in January with Ibushi so Im glad he got an opportunity to redeem himself for lack of better phrasing."
"Upon his match with Naomichi Marifuji at Pro Wrestling NOAH, Aj Styles showed why he goes by the moniker phenomenal as the match he put on against Marifuji was absolutely phenomenal to watch. Everybody knows that Marifuji is one of the absolute best Japan has to offer, and he brought the absolute best out of AJ. These 2 absolutely tore the house down, and Aj came out on the winning in after hitting a Styles Clssh. Seeing Aj back in Japan for the first time in years brought back memories of when he was in NJPW. After the match during his comments, Aj talked about how passionate about wrestling the Japanese fans truly are and how every wrestler should have the Japanese experience at least once in their career. I really hope Aj gets to work more matches in Japan before he hangs up his boots for good. ****1/4"
[9.0] "Very good match that felt massive. Marifuji definitely is passed his prime but AJ had him looking great. AJ Styles resurgence in 2024 has been insane he's wrestling close to prime Aj Styles right now and he was a beast in Japan. Overall great match and I hope we get more WWE main roster guys to wrestle in Noah."
[9.0] "aj styles is on a different level this year. Hes having his best year since id say 2018 and it has been so much fun to watch. I loved this match so much and it just feels right having aj styles in a japan ring man. I honestly hope when his contract with wwe is up i hope he doesnt retire i hope he gives us atleast one year of him working japan becuase this is incredible. 4.50 stars"
[7.0] "Very slow going. By the 12 minute mark they'd done mostly arm locks and low intensity strikes with A diving elbow strike, A back breaker, and A buckle bomb. It goes out of the ring and picks up after that because they're using the railings. When they go back in the ring, it's in second gear. Still slow, but feels like it's going somewhere at some kind of pace. The expected chop exchange is so heavily sold, I feel like it needed to go talk to the manager before it could agree to a 10% discount. They do hit a nice paced exchange after we get the finance guy to show up though. Closing stretch is pretty solid though even if they fucked up the Styles clash twice."
[8.0] "A special occasion and moment with a match that meets it right where it needs to. There's a version of this match that I think could have been really compelling, with AJ as the incoming foe still capable of hitting his peak, breaking down a fellow legend who's best days are much more so behind him, and Marufuji trying to fight through that. It would be a little unreasonable to expect that though with Maru in his home promotion, a living legend, and the match getting the dream match billing. They play with it a little in the early going, but mostly go to a conventional big match approach and deliver on it. AJ takes some truly psychotic bumps, there's some lovely counters and exchanges to each other's big offense to set up the closing stretch, and the two matching their trademark strike exchanges would warm anyone's heart. A nasty deadlift into a styles clash was a perfect finish. AJ clearly relished the chance to be back in Japan in that stage, and Marufuji produced the effort he needed to. A match that will earn it's place in each man's illustrious catalogue. ****"
[9.0] "This dream match lived up to the hype. It was awesome to see them with their combination strikes. The pacing of the match was perfect. It was just two legends going at it for 25 mins. Phenomenal match"
[9.0] "This match really lived up to the hype. Marufuji has really had a great 2024. If NOAH does work with WWE more in the future I hope some other big names can come over to interact with the NOAH roster."
[9.0] "Respectfully, a bit of a miracle match for my money. AJ Styles has had a great 2024 and Marufuji is a legend, but this went better than even my most optimistic expectations would've anticipated. It's not a total one-man show either, with Marufuji producing his best individual performance in years. The pacing here suits him better than the Ospreay match did, which was of a similar level overall, to be clear. Either way, Styles' form continues to stun, rolling back the years with violent bumping and bruising offence. He's better right now than he has been in at least six years, somehow gaining a step with his increase in size. This is a classical main event, building slowly and after some duelling limb work, spotlighting individual sequences down the stretch. Wonderful, an absolute treat. ****1/4"
[9.0] "Great match. Seeing AJ Styles back in Japan was cool, and of course Marufuji is a great wrestler. It's crazy that this match even happened. You've got two longtime veterans up there in age who know how to put a match together and that psychology matters. Everything they did made sense, they kept things moving along and had the crowd reacting how they wanted the entire time. Styles and Marufuji went back and forth with some slick sequences and big spots, particularly in the later parts of the match when they really stepped it up. Marufuji's kicks were awesome. Styles hit a powerbomb and the Styles Clash for the win. I like that they didn't overdo it with a bunch of crazy kick outs for the sake of it, they did what was necessary and finished when it made sense. 9/10"
[9.0] "Gotta admit I had some doubts over this being good when it got announced given the age of both guys and how beat up their bodies are especially marafuji but this not only erased those doubts they destroyed them. An awesome match that showcases both guys and shows that both still have gas in the tank and can still go at a very high level. Styles in Japan just hits different and marafuji really put his all into this match and it shows. An epic 4.25/5"
[9.0] "Genuinely kind of absurd how good this match was. Marufuji delivers his best performance in YEARS and AJ continues his streak of showing everyone that he is, in fact, not washed. He is on top of his game here in every single facet. The strikes, his combos, even his springboards they are all done with so much snap and so much bite that it becomes almost startling at times to think that this isn't 2014 anymore. He is still just this damn good. Marufuji, even while a bit sloppy, has one of the most endearing and touching examples of "love of the game" I have ever seen. It is very clear he wanted to keep up and he did so. Absolutely adored this one. **** 1/2"
[8.0] "****3/4 an amazing match, maybe I'm overrating it but I feel that the level in ring is very high despite being a simple match in structure, I feel it's practically perfect for me because the simple booking was the best decision, so I did feel that the ending was a bit precipitate"
[8.0] "After Marufujis last big outsider clash in January I had very low hopes for this matchup, the first half was largely a good but not great matchup, there was some good spots, but the selling was not great and the pacing felt quite odd, like a series of unconnected spots rather than a story being told through the bout, which surprised me considering the pedigree of both men. This was of course far far better than Marufuji vs Ibushi, but it did not feel as special to me as I would have hoped from Marufuji vs AJ Styles on paper. A Shiranui on the guard rail from Marufuji was amazing, as were quite a few other spots, but both men were a lot slower than in their primes and I was more left wondering what could have been if theyd faced off in 2016 or so. The second half is a big improvement and both men really find their feet, the selling improves especially from Marufuji and the strikes gain a lot more umph. There is a very good submission exchange which feels very tense, and leads to a big Shiranui from Marufuji for a tight kick out. Styles finally managed to hit a Styles clash after a messy exchange to get the win. A good but not great first half led to a great second half for an overall very good matchup. The ending was slightly sloppy which took me out a bit but it was a strong performance."
[10.0] "Ich habe es heute schon gesehen und das war vor einigen Stunden. Jetzt gebe ich den Kommentar ab und kann nur erwähnen es war einfach das Dream Match das sicher viele erwartet haben. AJ Entrance auch mit einer tollen Maske die extra dafür entworfen wurde von einem tolle Designer. Die Szene bei der Absperrung war so gefährlich da hat sich AJ auch ordentlich verletzt. Ich gebe hier (****3/4)."
[10.0] "Classic match by two great workers, some flaws here and there by Marufuji and that's why I can't give it five stars but a match between these two in like 2006 would've been earth shaking. (****3/4)"
[9.0] "Incredible match? Yes. Didn't disappoint in any way? It could have been slightly better by the way. The technical work is useless as no one would have ever lost by submission and it didn't any consequence and the final stretch lacked of kickouts to be honest as a single almost botchy Styles Clash seemed really flat to end this. There are lots of good moves and sequences but they should have wrestled faster in the first half or simply go 30+ min which would have been the best option in my opinion. ****1/2"
[8.0] "Great match. AJ Styles is having his best run in years in the big year of 2024. Marufuji also looked good in this match and even aside from the shaky styles clash at the end, this ruled."
[8.0] "I really wanted to love this match and i did. Sure they were gassed by the end, sure they were at the tail end of their career, sure they didnt hit all of their signatures, i still waked away satisfied that i've saw they properly go at it, two of the most influential wrestlers for the generation that followed them. Seeing Marufuji hitting his kick combination out the corner, Aj respond with the phenomenal strike combo, thrust kick from the back followed by pele kick, that a true dream sequence that ive only would have imagined years ago. there were some cool stuff too, Shiranui on the guardrails, some cool signature counters, legendary submission being exchanged, them bussing out a few older tricks in the book that they shelfed, it's the right dose of nostalgia being mixed together. the match is probably less than what the score would represent but im happy that it happened at all."
[9.0] "The Phenomenal AJ Styles returns to Japan after 8 and 1/2 years and has a banger of a match. This was also Naomichi Marufuji best match in some time as well. Very hard hitting, love the sequences of moves in this match it was crazy too see AJ Styles back in Japan and I really hope this isnt the last time he comes back to Japan I hope WWE continues to send out their best wrestlers to Japan because there so many other wrestlers I would love to see in NOAH like Ilja Dragunov, Gunther, and others. But very great match AJ Styles has had an amazing 2024."
[6.0] "I enjoyed this match for what it was. I wasn't expecting the world because it seems like Marufuji's best days are pretty far behind him at this point, but they both showed up to work and AJ especially seemed like he wanted to put on a good show. The crowd were very happy to see him. They were both at their best when they were close range, exchanging hard chops and shots, when they were exchanging combos. I liked Marufuji's phenomenal forearm counter and his Styles Clash defence. It was good, I had fun but it wasn't anything special other than the match-up itself being very cool in this new world where WWE wrestlers can go feature on an international promotion show "just because". I would have loved to have seen this happen 20 years, but it's cool to see them both still working today."
[9.0] "AJ Styles in Japan is the greatest version of himself. He was made for Puro and the fact how we just got Marafuji and Him in an absolute barn burner is amazing to me Only criticism is the pacing of the match itself but this hit the spot for me Definitely hoping for more NOAH/WWE collaboration hopefully with them maybe doing something like a worlds collide show similar to Forbidden door would be pretty epic, Now I'm hoping for Shinsuke to finally return to Japan and maybe have him go against kenoh or Marifuji."
[10.0] "I honestly felt like it went under 20 minutes, time flew by. Both of them pulled out some old moves they hadn't used in decades. The only real complaint I have against it is that I wish it went longer because the last 5 or so minutes were pretty intense, ending sequence was great but the powerbomb was a bit slow, but after 25 minutes, I guess it's normal for 47 year old AJ to be a big gassed. At the end of the match I wanted more and that's the definition of a great wrestling match, to leave you wanting more."
