[9.0] "Das Ganze, was hier passiert ist, in 16 Minuten zu pressen war schon mutig, aber geil! Das Tempo war stellenweise hoch, manchmal aber auch sehr niedrig. Die Psychologie des Matches war richtig cool. Okada wollte am Ende seinen jungen Kontrahenten einfach nur bestrafen. Extrem gut erzählt"
[9.0] "[4.25*] Absolutely incredible match. Some may say the in-ring action was quite simple, but in reality the storytelling here was just goddamn perfect. Okada started off squashing Kaito, humiliating him, with all his hatred that we saw being built during their bloody feud. Then Kaito has his comeback and instead of being the cool young guy with awesome moves, he starts beating the hell out of Okada too, bringing him to the ringside and showing a side we never saw before. At the ending stretch they focused a little bit more on the in-ring action and they created magic. A lot of phenomenal sequences, just as the Rainmaker reversal into a Shining Wizard that looked just beautiful. Of course the standout thing about this match, and the spot that may be the reason for a possible change to a 5* because of how unique and significant it was, is when Okada stops the count after the Rainmaker just to completely execrate the honor of Kaito. Man, this guy really did - in a Pro Wrestling NOAH show, on the Tokyo Dome, on a Keiji Muto retirement special show, the man who is literally the face of NOAH these days - a fucking Inoki Enzuigiri + Misawa Emerald Flowsion combo, just to do another Rainmaker and win easily. Everybody knows that Misawa created NOAH, this is his company forever, and the IWGP Champ, the face of NJPW, just did his finishing move on NOAHs next big thing, the GHC Champion, after stopping a count where he would already win, just to humiliate the kid even more in front of Muto. This. Is. Nuts. One of the best endings ever."
[10.0] "Really wonderful match of course a big problem that we need a rematch so this is pointless but for now and what it delivered really incredible storytelling and Okada with great character work definitely kaito played his role excellent and really good match with every detail in it has meaning"
[5.0] "This is my first look at Kaito, and while I do think he's not bad by any means he hasn't really impressed me in this match very match. Despite this I think he did put in a fair bit of work in this match but some of his negatives aspect hold me back from really liking it as much as I should. On the other hand, Okada, a man who have stopped watching because I've grown burnt out on his match style, made me realize that he is really, really good. Okada plays a better dick than Nick Cannon's in this match. So many small things that really stick out and build up to him being the ultra dick at the end. I hope these too have another match in the future, I'd surely like it more with Kiyomiya more grown as a wrestler."
[9.0] "This is one of those matches that I'm not giving it a perfect rating, because I know it didn't had what it takes to be perfect, but from a personal side it's easily one of my favorites of the year. Those two know like few others how to make the audience stick on the match like a glue and watch it with a smile on the face... the vibes were simply amazing, Okada giving up at the 2-count just to hit a few more moves on Kaito was sensational, very special moment. The only "bad" thing about that is that it was a really short match, if it lasted longer this would've probably be rated a little higher, but given the time they wrestled this was phenomenal - {****1/2}"
[8.0] "This was a great match. Two things made this match interesting. One is that both men were the world champions of their respective promotions. Second is that in the build up of the match Kazuchika Okada could not care any less about Kaito Kiyomiya. That is until Kiyomiya stiffed Okada in a tag team match, which drew the ire of Okada. You could see the disrespect in this match that Okada had towards Kiyomiya, and that only spurred Kiyomya on to take the fight to Okada. Okada did pick up the win, hitting him with a Rainmaker and a few extra moves for good measure before hitting another Rainmaker. I believe after the match was over, Okada gave some respect towards Kiyomiya online. This wasn't as long as some of the Okada's main event matches, but it didn't need to. It told the exact story that it needed to tell and you had two great wrestlers to tell it with. ****1/4"
[8.0] "Now that this has happened over a year ago, and sat in my watch list section on my spreadsheet for over a year, I gave this one a watch. And I loathe this match. Not because it's bad, or what it could've been but because of the damage this did to Kiyomiya. It's not only this match's fault, but his poor G1 run, and his booking in NOAH after this has made him into a shell of what he can be. Ironic, because what he can be is the person who demolishes this match. It's charming, because Okada is masterful in portraying his hatred for Kiyomiya, but sells his foes hope spots so well. And of course the ending, with the two rainmakers, Inoki Enzuigiri, and a spinning Emerlad Flowsion to embarrass Kaito. He was never winning this particular match, but he should've gotten some kind of payoff to this, and didn't. So yeah, I hate this match, but it's pretty brilliant at the same time. 4 Stars."
[8.0] "A quite good match, but personally, with the wrong winner in hindsight. A win over Okada would've probably MADE Kaito, but alas it was not the night. Okada was cocky and didn't quite take Kaito seriously, but then when he was about to win, he dragged Kaito off the canvas for more. Had that been his undoing in the story, it would've been cool. ****1/4"
[9.0] "It is indeed one of the best matches of Kaito Kiyomiya's career, but I would find it difficult to even place it among Kazuchika Okada's top five. The lack of respect coming from Okada throughout the rivalry, placing himself as superior was the perfect construction for this match, after all, Okada was already someone who had been established as Ace of New Japan for years and Kaito was just a young man with the potential to occupy the position. by Ace of NOAH. So all the contempt from the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion makes sense, and until the first minutes of the match, the Rainmaker was really provoking, being someone other than New Japan, the disbelief towards Kaito's forearms that ended with the young man making Okada retreat, already At the beginning, Kazuchika seems to understand that even if he were superior, Kiyomiya would still be a respectable opponent. Okada's German Suplex right at the beginning revealing a side of him little seen until then is very good, this whole build-up from the beginning with Kaito returning every time when thrown out of the ring and standing in front of the Rainmaker Pose, refusing to be on the bottom by Kazu is my favorite part of the match, the true spirit of a babyface, the spirit of an Ace who, despite knowing his technical and physical inferiority, still returned to face to face with his tormentor. The fight on the outside has some good moments and an excellent bump from Kazuchika on the concrete, damn, the Rainmaker's back hitting makes a gut-wrenching sound and his selling is great. Even with the consecutive attacks on Kazuchika's arm after the Rainmaker counter, Kaito Kiyomiya still didn't seem to have any chances but was just avoiding an obvious fate, until that moment, Okada's selling was great and his body was in pain, whether on your back or arm. The entire fight revolved around this, how much damage Kaito could do to Okada before perishing, until then, the veteran didn't need to focus on any part of his opponent's body to have an advantage, he easily blocked his blows and threw him. the canvas, while the youngest needed to attack every possible point to appear to have the slightest chance. I must admit, Okada protecting himself from the Shinning Wizard using his arm was an excellent representation of how willing he was to win and Kaito's Rainmaker reversal with a Shinning Wizard was AMAZING, one of the best reversals in the finisher. The end of the match is the complete humiliation of Kaito Kiyomiya by Kazuchika Okada, the Ace of NJPW lifting the young man from NOAH after the Rainmaker, treating him like a joke, a failure and a failure in front of a large audience within NOAH itself. Inoki's characteristic Enzuguiri and soon after Misawa's Esmerald Flowsion and the Rainmaker finally, placing himself among the legends, destroying and defeating a humiliated Kaito Kiyomiya who would take a while to recover. I missed Kaito's nearfall, there's a bitter feeling that Kaito didn't even have a chance the entire match, and this makes the experience difficult, which becomes much more of a how long can he last than a he can really surprise! GREAT MATCH, but not AWESOME. [4.5*]"
[9.0] "[4.75*] What an incredible match, the entire rivalry between Okada and Kaito was very important for Okada to refresh his career, Kaito and Okada were brutal throughout the match, Kaito's Dropkick sequence was sensational. The storytelling of the match was interesting, Kaito was courageously challenging the best in the world, and even though he had a great match, Okada totally dominated the match in the end, even though he could win the match after the first rainmaker he chose to continue beating Kaito, great moment and great match, I loved seeing this new attitude from Okada. Kaito's overall performance showed that he will shine for many years to come, he is definitely a star."
[9.0] "The camera shot before the bell rings showing Kiyomiya standing across from the final boss of wrestling perfectly displays what a monumental uphill battle this will be. Kiyomiya is utterly obliterated but does get in his shots. The worked shoot kick leading into this gripped me, the wrestling world and even those outside of it. I fully expect a rematch will happen (even this many months removed) and when it does theyll blow the roof off the place"
[10.0] "Best Okada match by far since his 2020 Tokyo Dome match with Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 14. This match you can feel the hatred between the two and they brawled to HURT. The disrespect at the end by Okada was *Chef's Kiss* 4.5/5"
[8.0] "One of the better Okada matches this year but still not his best work either, from the angle they worked earlier in the year with that kick to the face i was expecting a really stiff a hard hitting match not to get me wrong it was a really good match but there was just something lacking to push it to the next level ***3/4 - **** for me"
[9.0] "Perhaps of the feud of the year so far and their match more than matched the build. Okada is in full disrespect mode and looks fed up straight away even going for a countout win. He then gets progressively more pissed off at Kaito's offense so looks to end it with the Rainmaker but KAITO BLOCKED IT WITH A KNEE. That led to some super limb work on Okada's arm with the IWGP champ selling really well. You got the feeling these two just loathed each other with the pacing and ferocity. There were no headlocks, no rest holds and it felt like a fight in a wrestling match. Great nearfall as Kaito blocked the Rainmaker again and hit King's Road but Okada BARELY got his shoulder up. That just sent Okada off the deep end. Rainmaker. Cover but OKADA PULLS HIS SHOULDER UP. He destroys him with a barrage of moves and another Rainmaker for the win. The finish was a little too clean for my liking but it made sense in the story with Okada's overconfidence. Kaito earned that beating because he took Okada to the limit and on another day *cough cough G1 please cough cough*, Kaito could have won. Tremendous stuff. ****1/2"
[9.0] "I don't mind Okada's longer matches, but seeing him work a 16-minute match was a joy. This was a fast-paced match, had good selling from both Okada/Kaito, and this also worked stiffer than usual. Okada just dismissing Kaito throughout the match and bullying him all match long was great stuff, Kaito's great selling also helped these Okada's control segments a ton. Kaito in response wouldn't take this disrespect, and his offense all match long showed great fire. When Kaito made his comeback he smartly targeted Okada's arm since that could affect how much impact he could have whenever he hit the rainmaker, and Okada's selling of the arm was great. The finishing stretch here was great and had some truly great near falls. Okada having the match won with a rainmaker, but instead deciding to inflict more punishment on Kaito with a shining wizard, emerald flowsion, and another rainmaker despite his arm being hurt was some real hater shit and a perfect ending to this.****3/4"
[9.0] "Kaito did a tremendous job of finding his way into the head of Okada & making him go berserk. This ballsy move let Okada untap his "I don't give a damn" mentality heading into the arena & teach a lesson to the face of the NOAH heavyweight division, but Kaito didn't back down that early. His bursts of energetic yet crippling offense developed a feeling among the fans for a possible upset. However, Okada's megastar experience led to an amazing stretch of finish where he silenced the youngblood for good. Kaito's only 26 & he has ample time to improvise so that he can step up in Okada's world and root for a rematch. 4.5 out of 5 stars!"
[9.0] "Okada big leaguing is the best thing ever. When he awakens and plays into the shit-heel vibes to destroy competition that he believes is below him, it makes for a very entertaining brand of Okada match. Kaito looked very believable enough to maaaaaaybe beat Okada, but we know what goes on here. The Rainmaker simply did not want to be here, and lil bro'd NOAH's champ to hell."
[9.0] "This was awesome. Okada heeling it up, knowing how good he is, and absolutely beating down Kiyomiya was so good. I LOVE cocky, arrogant Okada so much. Kiyomiya had some very good flurries of offense sprinkled in too, but the story of the more experienced veteran in Okada being too much for him was great. Definitely want to see this matchup again in the future."
[9.0] "First off: Great storytelling in this one. Kiyomiya trying to prove himself to himself, to the world and to Okada that he can beat someone of the likes of Okada made for a great story thread - like Kiyomyia trying to get back up and face Okada after the first few moves to show him he wouldn't be taken down that easily. Then came the outside portion that had a few cool moments, the DDT on the concrete floor, that back body drop over the barricade as well as that suplex over the barricade, really cool. In the last third we saw Kiyomiya showing he came prepared for Okada, trying everything in his playbook to take out Okada's right arm and take away the Rainmaker which seemed to work for a while, even hitting the right arm with a Shining Wizard in the process. Psychologically and from a storytelling perspective this match was a masterpiece. Unfortunately, the wrestling itself and the pacing suffered just a little bit because of that and it didn't quite live up to be the 5* match it could have been for me personally. Ultimately, the finish was really cool with Okada putting Kiyomiya in his place, so to say and completely demolishing him. ****1/4"
[8.0] "I thought I might be the low vote on this but I did like it more than I expected. It was fast paced, not overly long, and Kiyomiya seemed to give Okada a different kind of fight than he usually gets, which made him feel fresher than he has in a while (to me, anyway)."
[10.0] "A genuine match of the 2020s contender for me. An incredible story with more hatred and intensity than pretty much any other recent big match in Japan. A spotlight moment for Kaito, that while deeply sour, will be a fundamental cornerstone memory of his career in the decade to come."
[8.0] "Solid match but pretty disappointing considering the excellent build/hype. This was worked stiffer than your average Okada match which works for the interpromotional dynamic but it still felt too "rehearsed" at times. It needed to feel more like a fight."
[8.0] "This is the sort of match that could convince me again that Okada is the best in the world. The short runtime and Kaito being one of the best babyfaces in wrestling certainly helped but Okada looked motivated and played his dickhead role really well without reverting back to the all-conquering babyface by the end. Little filler and a great story with good nuances during the ending stretch like Kaito's arm work that helped separate it from a generic moves spam. More of this from Okada please god - ****"
[7.0] "Even in full Asshole Mode, Okada remains one of the more nuanced big match wrestlers around. The way he sold for Kaitos comebacks was extremely revealing and showed a guy more than willing to play ball. Weve gone from Okada completely dismissing Kiyomiya to him screaming in agony after getting dunked on the floor. Despite all the controversy and pearl-clutching it caused on social media, the finish ruled because Kiyomiya is finished and I love chaos in my wrestling. Still think this was nowhere near the average rating. Okada was great as always. Kiyomiya was motivated but it terms of all the hype I was a little underwhelmed."
[8.0] "Okada in bloodthirsty mode in this match, the IWGP champion came with blood in his eye and ended up with Kiyomiya (who had a great performance), I found the moment when Okada lifted his finished opponent after Rainmaker for more punishment (****1/4)"
[8.0] "The month-long build to this match has been probably my favorite feud of the year. The year is still young, but Kiyomiya chasing Okada, getting under his skin, and Okada retaliating with callous, amost blasé violence is straightforward but oh-so-effective. Okada completely disregards Kiyomiya, who himself clearly spent a great deal of time preparing for all of the Rainmaker's signature offense and pulls out all the stops trying to rise to his level. And while it's not a squash by any stretch, it's not close. The closing sequence sees Okada land one of the stiffest Rainmakers he's hit in some time and pulling Kiyomiya out of the ensuing pinning predicament, to add insult to injury by hitting the GHC Heavyweight Champion with his own idol's finisher, the Emerald Flowsion, before driving him down for the count with yet another Rainmaker. He doesn't celebrate, He grabs his belt and leaves, never looking back. It's been awhile since Okada has had a story this effectively self-contained, and as terrific as it was on its own, this is likely far from over."
[9.0] "Excellent match which shows all the talent of Kaito Kinomiya and all the high-level experience of Okada. Currently Okada has a higher level, but it can be the start of a long term feud between the two on the next years. Can't wait to see their future encounter."
[10.0] "This match was awesome because it was the antithesis of everything Okada has been for like 6 or so years now. Not the slightly smug superface ace but a shithead dick like when he was coming up, not putting on bloated 30+ minute "epics" but getting in and out in 16 minutes full of action, actually selling the thing that's been worked on through to the finish, and just generally feeling fresh as a performer. It comes together as the best Okada match since the night Shibata nearly died in the ring with him (and manages to have LESS filler than that match, although not quite the emotional highs). I'll go on record saying Okada's an exceptional talent and the best finishing stretch artist on the planet, but he's been stale as month-old bread for way too long because of what he's been booked to do. This angle and match has gotten something new out of him that I'm really excited to see, and Kiyomiya played his foil perfectly. Brutal exchanges, excellent character work (Kazu just mushing Kaito instead of his playful fake-out/love tap when he backed him up to the ropes said volumes about what this match was going to be), memorable spots, and one of the best finishing stretches Okada's ever done because of how unlike him it is. The "I'm done with you yet" nearfall when done right on the follow-through is incredible, and this is possibly my favorite since Lesnar/Bryan. Please, make this Okada the norm for a while, it'd triple my interest in New Japan. ****3/4+"
[10.0] "I've been bored with Okada matches for a while because he seems to stick with the Okada formula that we've all seen a million times by now but this was completely different. This was fast-paced and stiff and told a story of Okada not respecting the young Kiyomiya. These 2 already have a special chemistry. NJPW used to be known for these kind of matches before the 2017 Dome show and it was refreshing to finally see a genuine Strong Style match again. Wrestling not only needs more of this feud but more of this style of match. *****"
[9.0] "This is totally different from usual Okada match and he needs to get rid of his normal NJPW main event style and works more like this one. Okada dominated early but then Kiyomiya regained control and beat the hell out of his opponent. He then smartly targeted the right arm of Okada with full of brutal kicks and Shining Wizard. However, Okada survived and toyed Kiyomiya and even hit the Emerald Flowsion before finishing the match. Really energetic and exciting as it only lasted over 16 minutes instead of usual 30 minutes from Okada. A shorter match forced both men to work with faster pace, which was appropriate for this feud. I am excited for the rematch (if they continue this feud)."
[8.0] "What a nice bit of fresh air this feud has been. A bit of interpromotional flair and angst from the two, Okada not taking Kiyomiya seriously whatsoever, Kiyomiya determined to change his mindset. Just something thats not really seen in wrestling much. Not since 2016 when New Japan had a partnership with NOAH. While this didnt exactly have Riki Choshu big leaguing Yoji Anjoh vibes, as Okada did give Kiyomiya something instead of smothering him (watch that match btw, its awesome). Okada largely dominated the opening portion of the match but Kiyomoya was the one who took most of the match, really rising the occasion of the Dome. The much quicker pacing of the match (as this is only 16 minutes instead of 30) worked for both men as well as the match story. Both were quick to make their mark/point and it led to a quicker paced match. Japan has a reputation for these long matches but Japan has had much success doing shorter bouts. Perhaps if that was done more often, this result wouldnt feel like a slight towards Kiyomiya and NOAH as some may think. The slight was more at the finish itself where Okada pulled Kiyomiya up from the count and hit a version of an Emerald Flowsion, not so similar to his match with Marufuji (another match Im recommending) before ending it with another Rainmaker. A quality match for sure. Something different for modern pro wrestling, anyway. ****"
[9.0] "It was not a vicious as their tag match but i loved every moments where they worked stiff in the ring, there was a great intensity by these two. The spots at the outside were crazy. The little armwork of Kaito was awesome and all of this part was so great. Awesome match. ****1/4"
[9.0] "War leider schon gespoilert wer gewinnt und auch wie das Finish aussieht, was schade ist, da das Match ungespoilert noch eine ganz andere Wirkung haben dürfte. Okada spielt das perfekten Arschloch-Heel, der seinen Gegner zu keiner Zeit ernst nimmt und nach seinem Sieg einfach wieder geht, als wäre es nur ein simpler Job gewesen. Okada sieht hier natürlich großartig aus, man könnte fast sagen er hat die Machtverhältnisse wieder gerade gerückt. Kiyomiya hat auch seine Momente und zeigt gute Intensität, hat letztlich aber keine Chance und wird ziemlich platt gemacht. Ich finde es gut, dass man nicht einfach ein Time Limit Draw oder Double DQ gebracht hat aber NOAH muss jetzt aufpassen, dass man Kaito wieder aufbaut."
[9.0] "For the 16 minutes that this got, it was amazing. They obviously didn't give it all they had, but that makes me all the more excited for their next fight with how much they left on the table. Even then though, Okada and Kiyomiya managed to tell a great story here, of the incredibly talented, yet still inexperienced NOAH champ trying to take down the final boss of wrestling. Okada acting as an arrogant dick is a breath of fresh air and seeing him do things like drag Kaito to the concrete, DDT him, and nonchalantly walk back to the ring is so much fun to watch. If the booking gods are good, we'll see a rematch between these two sooner rather than later, and with Kiyomiya having this learning experience under his belt, the two will show us what they're truly capable of. ****1/2"
[8.0] "This had such a high ceiling with the story & all, so I can't help but be a LITTLE disappointed, but it still rocked. The great stuff is indeed great stuff. Okada stays big brothering lil' Kiyomiya til the end & it rules. Peak Ace behavior."
[9.0] "Okada used the Emerald Flowsion againsta noah top guy again hes a menace. Early goings Okada was acting as if he didn't care about this match and was absolutely beating Kaito. Kaito managed to get a come back going until Okada decided that's enough and finished it. Excellent match for a very hot crowd."
[7.0] "For the build up to this match it left a lot to be desired. I'm a big fan of both wrestlers, but felt Okada really had to carry the match. Him being the heel was excellent. Hopefully these two can meet again in the future."
[7.0] "Ohne Frage ein sehr gutes Match, aber man kommt nicht umhin, festzustellen, dass die beide noch wesentlich mehr gekonnt hätten. Vielleicht eine Bookingentscheidung, trotzdem bleibt das Match empfehlenswert. 7/10 Brote"
[8.0] "This has to be the biggest inter-promotional match in Japan since at least the Okada vs Marufuji series in 2016, though it felt far bigger because it actually had a far better story for it rather than just being a 'dream match'. Now, this match wasn't quite as amazing as that 2nd Okada-vs-Marufuji match was, but it was still an awesome match, and I'm hoping these two get a rematch at some point. This felt like a big match even from before the bell as rung, with both guys defiantly staring each other down while taking off their respective titles and as the crowd became more and more hype to see them go at each other. Their early interactions were immediately quite messy but in an enjoyably aggressive and intense way, as if they were picking up where they left off with their big brawl from WK17 in Yokohama. Okada back playing his darker' side was fantastic, since he was clearly going out of his way to batter Kiyomiya as payback for the disrespect Kiyomiya had previously shown him. We're so used to Okada playing the upstanding babyface ace that it's so great to see him return to his cocky heel roots, except there wasn't as much cheeky' arrogance here as much as there was a sense of pure bloodlust. Not only did Okada bring a different character to this match, but he also chose/was allowed to wrestle the match itself with a totally different structure, since this went not 30, not 25, not even 20, but only 16 minutes, AND he appropriately dropped the standard slow feeling out' phase and essentially jumped right to the middle period of his matches where everything gets more serious and vicious. Kiyomiya's selling was quite sympathetic in response to Okada's dominance, and he did really well firing up in response to that dominance in getting in some impactful offence of his own. Both hit some very cool moves in amongst their more brawl-based exchanges, and they both had displayed impressive athleticism as well. Their rapid bomb trades were quite fun, and the fact that those bombs were mostly all strikes somewhat justified them both being able to recover so quickly, compared to if they were just spamming signature power moves. Kiyomiya targeting Okada's Rainmaker arm was really good, especially with the ardent determination he showed in the process, and Okada's selling of it was great as he struggled to fight back and return to hitting his signature offence as a result. There were some great near falls for Kiyomyia off the Shining Wizard and the Tiger Suplex, with them feeling like convincing finishes despite how relatively short was at that point. Okada breaking his own pin on Kiyomiya following the Rainmaker was a pretty crazy moment, and it perfectly fit the story of Okada being out for revenge and thus wishing to inflict an even bigger onslaught of damage as he then followed up with the enzuigiri and emerald flowsion. Great work from both guys. As awesome as this was, I'm much more excited for a rematch. ****1/4"
[9.0] "Heel Okada is the best Okada! This was an excellent bout with the perfect pace for a show and build like this, these two managed to tell a one year story in barely seventeen minutes and delivered a fantastic performance. I'm totally fine with the length of this match, since it was just perfect for what they did, and I really loved how they teased about this being longer, with Kaito targeting Okada's arm and managing to hit a Shining Wizard out of nowhere while countering the Rainmaker, which, by the way, was beautiful as fuck. Also, Okada once again proved why he is the very best like no one ever was, he can work at any pace, with anyone under any circumstance, and he still will deliver a fabulous performance. This reached my expectations and made me very happy, what a time to be a pro wrestling fan. ****1/2"
[10.0] "I floated between a 9 and 10 solely for time. But all 10, amazing story. This feels like the start to a generation feud. Kaito isn't fully aware of the actual Rainmaker when he's in this match mode. Which we haven't seen since maybe his matches with Kenny? This brought more out of Okada than we've seen lately and is adding more to Kaito leveling up as a top talent. There's going to come a day where Kaito beats Okada and it's going to be bigger than what they did here. If NOAH and NJPW can continue to get along they're onto something special. That crowd was ready for Kaito to win and he just wasn't ready for Okada."
[10.0] "I loved this match. I am seriously on the way to give it ten! Killer dropkicks, a way to carry on the match you never see so often. Intensity over 9000, clean and stiff manuevers, storytelling and in-ring psychology at their best. Great match! 9.5."
[8.0] "This was the first time since ... maybe even as far back as the Omega rivalry ... that I felt like I saw something truly different about Okada. I don't think his work in the last several years has been bad, by any means, as he's certainly been motivated to be the leader of New Japan in some tough times. But Kaito seems to have brought out a new fire, and an increased swagger, which makes this is a really compelling pairing. I hope this match isn't the last of it."
[9.0] "the only reason I give it 9pts, it was the time given.... if this match could have 10 minutes more, ot will be a 10/10. I'm pretty sure there will be a rematch in the future and Okada will be piss-off with Bushiroad executives *wink-wink*"
[7.0] "This was an ok match but I really did not like how much it made Kiyomiya look really weak just a bad idea to make your champion look so bad at such a big show"
[9.0] "Some pretty masterful nearfalls here. One of the hottest crowds we've had for an Okada match and man it's great to see. Kaitomiya feels built for the big stage, and Okada heeling it up in this was perfect. Runtime was PERFECT. Interesting choice to have Okada win, but it really makes it feel like an earned attempted in the future. This won't be the last time we see these two."
[8.0] "This was only 16 minutes, and it was mostly Okada beating the crap out of Kiyomiya and making him look like a young boy. The action itself was great, but it was the kind of match that should halt any of Kiyomiya's momentum and kill any chance of a big money rematch. **** or ****1/4"
[9.0] "This was awesome. In a way, it was cool that it was only 16 minutes but I also really, really want to see a full main event style 30 minute match between them, I think it would be even better. There were great, hard hits as the feud demanded and this Okada dickhead gimmick really should be something that NJPW should tap more and more into. I don't think he can ever turn fully heel, he's literally Okada but as we saw in the Shingo match, he was getting booed hard for his antics. The finish, which was basically the youngboy'ing of Kaito makes me believe there will be a next chapter to this rivalry, so let's wait. ****1/2"
[9.0] "I loved this match. Now while they didn't start brawling, their lockup was more intense than 99% of lockups in today's wrestling so it works. Then they quickly devolve into violence, Okada terrorizing poor Kaito Kiyomiya before Kaito shocks Kazuchika and starts beating the shit outta him. Even does his running over the railing move excepts adds to it by doing a flip. Then the ending stretch is so damn hot and Okada stomps Kaito away. I have a hope that this isn't the end, that Kaito in righteous anger messes with Okada more. ****1/2"
[8.0] "Kinda disappointing to get a standard big Okada match out of a feud that has so much heat but these guys made it scrappy enough to be pretty great. Time will tell if Okada dropping dick all over Kiyomiya was just the start of a classic feud or the continuation of Kiyomiya being the most punked out champion in recent memory."
[9.0] "Absolutely great match that I assume is going to lead to even more matches between the two. A relatively short match but man it was action packed and I can not wait to see more. Especially if Okada keeps going with this heel final boss type style he had in this one."
[10.0] "This was an awesome match. They went end-to-end for 15 minutes and Okada was in beast mode the whole time. Kaito was no different, but he had no chance against a pissed-off Rainmaker that is basically the final boss of professional wrestling. In any case, this was a wonderful match with lots of action and a nice structure that told a great story with logic and flow. ****3/4, but maybe ***** as well."
[9.0] "I thought this match was great. Obviously they have a much better match in them, but for what it was it was fantastic. Okada working heel was very refreshing after years of him as the NJPW Golden Boy type face. I was very surprised at the length of this match, but they had some good back and forth and Kiyomiya looked good until the closing stretch when Okada ultimately took over and showed his disdain for NOAH and for Kiyomiya and proved that he wasn't on his level quite yet. Hopefully we see more cocky heel Okada in NJPW over the next year, and there have been some flashes that we might - e.g. the match v. Shingo. I think the current score is a little undeserving (9.24 as of this review), but I also don't know what else to rate it other than a 9/10."
[9.0] "In the the build up to the Okada vs Kiyomiya match, my mind began to race with excitement. The idea of a champion vs champion showdown between two titans of Japanese wrestling was simply too much to bear. The tension was palpable in the air as Kiyomiya attacked Okada in Yokohama to set up the match, and the crowd reacted with ferocity, tearing the roof off the place. But make no mistake about it, Okada was the bigger star here. The man had a reputation to uphold, and he wasn't about to let some young upstart get the best of him. Despite an injured arm, caused by Kiyomiya's shining wizard counter to the rainmaker, Okada fought like a man possessed, using his skill and toughness to come out victorious in the end. As the dust settled and the match came to a close, Okada took on the persona of an angry senpai, showing the world that he was not to be trifled with. And in that moment, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and admiration for this incredible athlete. It was a night for the ages, a battle that will be talked about for years to come. And as I sit here, still reeling from the excitement of it all, I can't help but wonder what other epic clashes the world of pro wrestling has in store for us. One thing's for sure, it'll take a lot to top what we just witnessed."
[10.0] "Kazuchika Okada working in the 15-20 minute range is out of this world incredible. Kazuchika Okada working heel is absolutely incredible. Kaiito Kiyomiya deserves credit, too; he looked every bit Okada's equal out there until the closing stretch, where in storyline he didn't, and from a meta perspective, it looked like nobody was. But he played the scrappy, fired up babyface to Okada's disinterested heel with a chip on his shoulder to perfection, and the story of this match just does not work without him. I'd hope the way he got absolutely humiliated at the end means this isn't over between these two, because this match may have been my favorite all year, and he definitely deserves a little better of a note to go out on."
[7.0] "too short. not even a top 10 okada match. there were some nice moments but overall it did not live up to the hype. it was still really good tho."
[10.0] "Great storytelling in this. Early in the match, Kiyomiya refuses to let Okada big-league him; getting back into the ring immediately when thrown out, annoying Okada. Eventually Okada takes the match to the outside (as usual) and hits a DDT far away from the ring to finally give himself time. At some point later in the match, Kiyomiya does a similar thing with a suplex on the outside of the ring; playing a sort of Okada copycat. Okada plays arrogant throughout the match--hitting the rainmaker pose 5 minutes in, picking Kiyomiya up from a pinfall to dole out more punishment, etc. The finishing sequence, true to the Okada formula, plays on both Kiyomiya's signature offense and themes from the match: Kiyomiya has a few creative counters to Okada's offense, and Okada's arm is damaged due to Kiyomiya's targeting throughout the match."
[9.0] "Incredible match. First of all I loved the super serious and slightly angry look on Okada's face. Not to mention the dark attire really suited his attitude here. That look and the finish to the match was connected as Okada had a mission to embarrass the NOAH's champion in his home promotion. They worked stiff as I wanted from the two and kept the action organic with logical and simple counters. The use of drops kicks to break eachother's momentum was great. Good arm work by Kaito and I loved him countering the rain maker by hitting knee strike on the damaged arm. Okada's selling was good. I also loved Okada selling the back after taking the suplex on the floor when Kiyomiya blocked his hangman's DDT from the barricade. He sold it later after taking a german suplex from Kiyomiya as well. Match was under 20 so not much action but everything made sense. Pacing was fantastic and the atmosphere in general was good. Now back to the ending which was probably by favourite this year with Okada deliberately breaking the pin to embarrass Kiyomiya. He hit Inoki's enziguri and Emerald Flowsion ( invented by NOAH's founder, legendary Mitsuharu Misawa ) against NOAH's champion in NOAH infront of pro Kiyomiya crowd. I they have potential to work an even better match. 8.70/10"
[10.0] "Very hard hitting action, which is what youd expect from the feud leading up to this. I liked that the match was fairly short, but they crammed a lot of story points into the action. If this is the final chapter in this story, I will have to retroactively downgrade my rating, as this would be an extremely poor conclusion for Kiyomiya, but assuming this is just another chapter in longer running story, I quite enjoyed this."
[10.0] "Okada is the best wrestler in the world, no one comes close. Hitting a rainmaker and then arranging his haircut, only to easily win afterwards? A natural heel."
[10.0] "Okada did it again and had one of the best fights of his career. The genius is that it was indeed a different match to what he usually does, breaking out of his mold. Okada reacts to Kaito's unprecedented disrespect by getting as angry as we've ever seen him; there's no room for his elegant, cerebral method of dealing with bouts. We see it from the moment the Rainmaker quickly drags his opponent into the ropes. Instead of releasing him in a somewhat overhand manner as he always does, he looks for his neck, trying to take advantage of even that instance to hurt him. The best part is that at the decisive moment Kazuchika decided to break the pin and considered that the punishment was not enough: he even did the Emerald Flowsion just to humiliate Kiyomiya. A masterpiece and in my opinion, worthy of the highest rating."
[9.0] "Great match, feels like the first chapter of the story. Didn't start with the usual Okada slow sequences, you could feel the heat from the start so it was refreshing. Kiyomiya is still a young ace while Okada is a legend at his prime so it makes sense to see Kaito lose for now. It gives him room to improve, he looked good and he feels like Okada's most interesting rival right now."
[10.0] "what a match Surprisingly, it lasted only 16 minutes and it is a slight minus of the fight, but the action in the ring gave back. An amazing ending where Okada finishes off Kaito. Okada this year is simply amazing"
"Starting of a "Kiyomiya vs Okada" story that way, was a risk. You have both Champions and what they all do is to hurt each other; not wrestle , hurt. The things okada SAS doing and telling , could make the this more unprofessional and so I don't know I just didn't enjoy the way it was. But yet we could hope we are gonna see a match at something like "Akiyama vs Shibata" level. But that neighter not happend. Although this match was great - this absolutely could be a great IWGP or GHC Championship match - it wasn't a good match under Kiyomiya vs okada story. It wasn't even as violent as the 5 minute in wrestlekingdom was. It was absolutely a pri wrestling match , bit it wasn't the best okada vs kiyomiya we could get. But still okada destroying kiyomiya in his company was done very great and although I don't have much interest in this rivalry , it can be good to watch for okada or kiyomiya fans"
