Kumagoro vs. Shotaro Ashino

[7.0] "At the time this felt like a breakthrough match for a wrestler currently known as Kuma Arashi, but looking back at it, it happened to be his peak so far. Ashino and Kumagoro made their pro-wrestling debut against each other and in this match, almost 3 years later, their performance was impressive for their level of experience."

[8.0] "My first real introduction to W-1 and what a great introduction it was. I came into this match knowing zero about either wrestler but luckily the pre-match video package caught me up to date with the storyline, plus the work between these two in-ring also told a very interesting story too. The story was that both wrestlers were of the same young lion class, making the connection between their history as equally inferior wrestlers to the current day where Ashino is the reigning W-1 champion and Kumagoro the challenger. The two young lions had become the stars of their promotion. This history was constantly referenced in the match as they would both lock in boston crab holds, the trademark young lion hold, as if to remind each other that they knew each other back when they were inexperienced and weak, and thus they were going to treat them just as if they were still like that by locking in a move befitting such a wrestling novice. Ashino was a very good heel here. All his legal and illegal strikes and holds felt important as he put energy into each move and his facial expressions showed his clear focus to wear Kumagoro down. Kumagoro contrasted by being a fantastic babyface, selling Ashino's offence extremely well and producing some very passionate comeback sequences to payoff all his selling. Though extremely arrogant Ashino would still buckle from a few of Kumagoro's moves, showing that Kumagoro was still a credible threat and couldn't be brushed aside so easily. Ashino's strikes and power moves were monstrous, and very satisfying to see executed upon the ruthless Ashino. A very good story and some very exciting offence work from both wrestlers. ***3/4"