Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada

[9.0] "[****3/4] So close to 10/10. So many great counters/reversals. These men, 11 years later, would fight yet another great match, in what would be Tanahashi's retirement match. The attempted rainmaker by Tanahashi reversed into a rainmaker by Okada is a phenomenal spot. Additionally, the high fly flow over the guard rail might be the craziest part of the match, and one of the craziest spots I've ever seen."

[8.0] "The defining trait of this chapter is that Tanahashi is the God of the Tokyo Dome, and for all his wins over, and for all his titles, Okada is still nowhere near him on this grandest stage. By its conclusion, this basically just turns into a beating. I don't think it is close to their best work on its own, but it is massive chapter in the rivalry. The final strike of the established order before the final chapter."

[10.0] "This is one of the most important matches in my wrestling fandom. Wrestle Kingdom 9 was the first Wrestle Kingdom show I had ever seen and this match single handedly got me back into wrestling in 2015. I didn't have any knowledge on the story between these two but I had heard and read about Hiroshi Tanahashi before. I thought he was the best wrestler I'd ever seen and this was one of the best matches I'd ever seen. Fast forward to me knowing everything about this rivalry and seeing every single encounter. This still might be my favorite. Maybe the best action and spots out of all their matches, it's just a little different from all their other classics. The "High Fly Flow" over the guard rail is insane. My favorite sequence is near the end and it's what really blew my mind when I saw this live in 2015. Tanahashi hits a bridging "Straight Jacket Suplex;" Okada kicks out, Okada hits a high angle bridging "German Suplex, " Tanahashi kicks out, Tanahashi hits a bridging "Dragon Suplex", Okada kicks out. Amazing. Then, after this beautiful sequence, Tanahashi runs the ropes and gets nailed with the greatest dropkick I had ever seen. The story here is on point as well. Tanahashi hadn't beaten Okada in 2 years but there was 1 place he never beat him and it was on the biggest stage; The Tokyo Dome. This was Tanahashi's last match as the true Ace of NJPW. Okada was cocky and viewed Tanahashi as washed and Tanahashi finally took Okada as a serious threat and brung his A-game. I also love how Tanahashi destroys both of Okada's legs in the end, giving him no chance to escape the "High Fly Flow" in the ropes. The most underrated match in this legendary rivalry. *****"

[10.0] "A fantastic match between the two yet again. The counter wrestling was superb and impactful as it should the back and forth looked epic near falls were really well done. I would say this is behind invasion attack and king of pro wrestling but still an amazing match."

[10.0] "The structuring and pacing of this match is wonderful. It's a little bit of a slow build, but comes up at just the right moments to keep you captivated all the way through. And the closing minutes are exhilarating. The High Fly Flow from the ring, over the barricade, to the outside is the highlight of the match."

[10.0] "Two all-time greats delivering an all-time great match. Every exchange crisp, the struggle, the power of will from both of them. Okada hits the Heavy Rain on the entrance ramp, Tana retaliates with a High Fly Attack past the fence. If I recall correctly, this is the first time they both kicked out of each other's finishers, fitting. In the end Tana kills Okada's legs and finishes him off with two High Fly Flows, what a match."

[6.0] "Caught in two minds about this match. On the one hand it does in a way feel like a dumbed down, greatest hits style of their work much like their last Wrestle Kingdom match did but there's also way too much attention to the larger narrative that calling it a weaker version feels too harsh. It's also a match that asks me to care about Okada and while I absolutely love seeing him fail and Tanahashi succeed, I do not feel sympathy for Okada at all. It's always way more interesting watching these matches from the perspective of Tanahashi and his story and succeeding so when they build it around Okada's story, it doesn't feel quite as sweet. That being said this is far better than Wrestle Kingdom 7 and while not on the level of their 2013 work, it's still pretty damn great. Tanahashi kicks out of the Rainmaker and Okada's collapse afterwards is great to see. For a 30 minute match too it's tight and doesn't feel like it's wasting my time. There's a new sense of aggression from Okada, a return to the classic leg work that's gotten Tana his wins over Okada and the big sense of occasion and appropriate escalation that comes with it with the kickouts and new variations on the HFF at the end that I think makes this match way more of a success than a failure."

[7.0] "I really don't know how to put all of my thoughts together here but I'll try my best, so it's Okada vs Tana in wrestle kingdom in the Tokyo doom so things can't go wrong at all, and it didn't go wrong, I don't really like Njpw 2000s style or let me say I'm not the highest on it but that doesn't mean I don't love some matches cuz I'm sure there's a lot of really all timers and great stuff but here it's not the case, so that's the first reason, I wanted this to be different than their other past matches but that doesn't happened, there's clearly some new things here but it were so little and didn't really make a big difference, the hff from the turn buckle was sick and the best spot in the match and understandable to why it's memorable, I just didn't fully liked this in terms of action (but regardless the outcome and the execution was satisfying like I said up there it's hard to go wrong with these two, I would've loved if the build for the ending was better tbh."

[9.0] "(9.5) Firmly think this is up there with the top tier matches in the rivarlry. Fits the Tokyo Dome setting, Okada walks in fully thinking that he is better only to find Tanahashi is at the top of his game. High Fly Flow to the outside is the stuff of legend, and the closing stretch is so damn good."

[10.0] "Headline of one of the best WK ever fullfiled expectations by a large margin. Not as great as their rematch a year later, but there is no chance anyone would complain."

[10.0] "But how could Meltzer rate this match with only 4.75 stars? It deserved more than 5, very much so. A real hard-fought match with some big spots, particularly at the start of the match when they fought outside the ring or Tanahashi's Flying Body Splash from the third rope to behind the barricade, it was absolutely insane. An exceptional match."

[7.0] "Good match, but they had better ones in the past. This one is not as creative and cohesive as the others, build up to the finish was kinda weak. The flying body splash past the barricade was the most memorable spot in the match. Previous match with Ibushi/Nakamura was better."

[10.0] "[5, 5 Stars] So Dave didn't put the 5 Stars in this match? Wow the match is so INCREDIBLE. Simply an All Time Main Event to end an All Time show. This is for sure ones of the greatest matches of all time ! (*****, 5)."

[10.0] "In 2013 I always felt like they were doing a different paced version of the same match, then this match happend I am enamored by how anyone could follow a 5 star match and unsurprisingly they did, this had the loudest pop I've ever heard for a drop kick ever. Funniest thing to happen was when Jim Ross mentioned that Okada was 27 years old and Ross said :" I have hats that are 27 years old.""

[10.0] "Absolute classic. This match seems to focus a bit on Tanahashi trying to remain the ace and prove that the over confident Okada isn't at his level yet. When they're on the ramp, Tanahashi makes an error when he decides to play to the crowd, disrespecting Okada's talent and he ends up paying for it. It's only when Tanahashi begins to respect Okada that he's able to be victorious. And Okada is very worthy of respect. Okada's pure athleticism and natural talent shines here where he's able to empty his bag and create a masterpiece against Tanahashi with whom he has great chemistry. This match also features an exhilarating High Fly Flow to the outside which did make me pop. Masterpiece."

[9.0] "Just an all-out war. These two continue to find new ways to differentiate their matches this one being with its physicality. The story is simple with Okada taking the early stages until Tanahashi battles back with strikes until both men are throwing everything they have at one another. Both men empty their arsenal of moves on one another but ultimately it's Tanahashi who can dig that little bit deeper. 4.75 stars."

[9.0] "[4.5*] This is better than their WrestleKingdom 7 match in my opinion and also very different. This had other characteristic different to the other matches, something I appreciate a lot, but I would have liked a little bit more of technical wrestling. This was more of a war, a stiff battle, with a lot of elbows and uppercuts. This had less limbwork segments and the classic Tana working on Okadas arm spot and was more of a hard hitting battle between tho men that hated each other. The spots there were better produced too, the Super High Fly Flow to the outside was ridiculously beautiful, and the spot where Kazu reverted a HFF into a tombstone, that Tana reverted into a tombstone for himself, and he connected with two HFF for an insane Okada kickout was a perfect nearfall, the crowd went crazy with that (and they were a little bit quiet before it). Then, Okada reverted a Tana Rainmaker into a Rainmaker for himself, giving us another very breathtaking nearfall. This match had the best nearfalls of the whole feud until then in my opinion. Although I preferred the first part of their WK 7 match, which was way more technical, this was undoubtedly more dramatic and epic, including a very cinematographic ending stretch, with Tana ending the match after a HFF with Okada stuck on the ropes + a HFF with him seated and then the final HFF with him lying on the floor. This match was built perfectly into a WK Main Event scenario and maybe this is what was missing on their WK 7 match, despite the fact I actually missed the limbwork on this one, I would have received pretty well another arm/leg work by Tana on Okada, lol."

[10.0] "Another classic in their series of classics, Tanahashi holding off Okada in the Dome yet again and sending Okada away in tears. Tanahashi's focus is shifted to hitting Okada with as many High Fly Flows as needed, surviving a Rainmaker even."

[10.0] "This is one of those main events you'll be screaming at by the end. In fact, the last 10 or 15 minutes were absolutely insane. Tanahashi and Okada didn't hold back at all, hitting every move so many times and bringing each other to their limits. I seriously don't know how these two were still going towards the end. And I've also never seen so many High Fly Flows in one match. This felt like the perfect main event, with kick-out after kick-out and both guys destroying each other. Was this the best Tanahashi and Okada match up to this point? I'm not sure. But it's certainly another on the list of incredible matches they had in their long rivalry, and I ain't tired of it yet."

[10.0] "A clear evolution from their last Wrestle Kingdom main event, this was way better. I think this was a little different than their Invasion Attack/King of Pro-Wrestling classics, it had more passion, I think it's the most epic battle until this point, the forearm exchanges help to explain my point, they were just demolishing each other... that stiff piledriver by Tanahashi and some other moves corroborate with that as well, super stiff battle. After being took out of the main event of Tokyo Dome the past year with Naito because of a popular vote, and losing the title to Styles, Okada fought his way back to the main event by winning G1 Climax, and this time he had the opportunity to wrestle and beat a guy he already had a long history and brilliant matches, and not only stole his main event but his title, by beating Styles for it, so the motivations here are the biggest possible. The ending stretch didn't had the insanity of their last match, but thinking as a whole this match was the most intense of them all until this point, and the ending was equally tense and we literally could not tell who was winning. Okada wanted to finally beat the ace at the biggest stage, and Tanahashi just gave it a little more, and extended to 2-0 their record at the Tokyo Dome... for him it was proving he's still the best and still the ace, and that's why Okada left the ring crying profusely, because not only he lost again in the most important stage, he lost the chance to end any argument that he's not the number one. A main event doesn't get better than this - {****3/4}"

[10.0] "This was a fantastic match that i wouldnt think who could win, i havent seen there previous matches but boy is this one amazing, this told a great story to, finally Tanahashi was able to beat Kazuchika Okada in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom, amazing match and will go down as an all time classic. *****"

[10.0] "This was a very interesting match. Okada isnt focused here, and is aggressive which gives Tanahashi the opportunity to attack his knee. The action in this was amazing and Tanahashi was able to hit 3 high flying flows to win and Okada is emotional in defeat."

[9.0] "This was not my favorite match of the night, but it is one of the best matches of the year to date with no questions asked. I have not seen the full series of matches between these two but I will definitely have to rectify that when I get the chance, as this impressed me a heck of a lot. Okada truly brings everything you could want to the table, from his presentation to his in ring ability and anything else you could think of. Tanahashi is an amazing talent as well, his incredible dive from the top rope over the ringside barricades is definitely one of the most visually stunning moments of the year to date. JR was truly on fire with his commentary as well, bringing the match up a notch and making the moment when Okada finally connected with his divine dropkick a truly memorable one. Great match all around, one of the best of 2015 so far."

[10.0] "Just like at King Of Pro Wrestling 2013, the grit and an insane will to win was there. They blew the roof off of Tokyo Dome. Even the finish was absolutely excellent. Loved it"

[9.0] "A great progression from their match at Wrestle Kingdom 7. Okada is more mature and solid. He forces Tanahashi to increasing levels of violence and brutality and Hiroshi always meets it. The High Fly Flow to the floor seemed magical."

[10.0] "This was magic. It always is with these two but this was magic. Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi are wrestling geniuses and it shows here but what they do just matters and makes so much sense. Like when Okada in their first big match years ago takes Tanahashi outside and drops him on his head Tanahashi was never the same. Here after Tana does the High Fly Flow past the barricade on the outside Okada, even with brief glimpses, wasn't the same. Tana went after BOTH Okada's legs to put him away and as Okada is seen crying to the back, it is a pivotal moment in his career. *****"

[10.0] "Phenomenal match with phenomenal action. Varied from previous match even after the time, perhaps the most developed and different of them all so far. The high fly flow over the barrier is one of my favourite spots of the rivarly to this point. Two of the best continuing their epic. An important moment in their series and the ascendency of Okada as well as the importance of The Ace."

[10.0] "This may be a controversial opinion, but I think this was my favourite Okada/Tanahashi match up until this point. I loved pretty much all of them, especially the two notable ones at Invasion Attack and KOPW 2013, but something about this one, perhaps the fact that it was their best effort at WrestleKingdom in front of a molten hot Tokyo Dome, puts it at the top for me. Some of the spots in this match are reminiscent of their previous encounters (fighting on the outside, a big spot on the ramp), but this match reaches a different level when Tanahashi hit that insane high-fly flow from the top rope into the crowd. The closing stretch of this match is breath-taking, and they had the fans (and myself as well) biting at every near fall. It's a testament to NJPW that they have protected certain finishers really well, so when Tanahashi hit the high-fly flow combo to the back and front of Okada, I was shocked when he kicked out, and when Tanahashi kicked out of the Rainmaker, my jaw hit the floor. The story told towards the end of the match was phenomenal as well. Okada, who at this point after beating Tanahashi in their previous two encounters and being the IWGP champion for almost a year should have been considered the new ace, gets into a striking exchange with Tanahashi, and eventually he falls to his knees while looking up at him, and you get the feeling that it signifies that Tanahashi is still Okada's superior. This is even further signified by Okada's crying after the match. Tanahashi hits a flurry of High-Fly flows to eventually put away Okada. I feel like this may have gotten overshadowed by the Nakamara/Ibushi match that preceded it, but in my opinion this was able to surpass it. (*****)"

[9.0] "From the beginning to the end, it was very well executed. It felt like a big match, a big deal for both guys, this all we expect from a main event. It had great chain wrestling to start, it was pretty fair and even had "mirror" sequences that were very cool. Okada's domination was very good, in and outside the ring, that spot on the ramp was crazy. Tanahashi's subtle work on Okada's leg was what permitted him to win, I'd like to say that this time Okada's selling was great, I was really happy that he did such a good work because it tends to be his most important weakness. The final sequence was hot. That High Fly Flo over the barricade was incredible. ****1/2"

[9.0] "They start this off the same exact way they did last time, by exchanging headlocks, but this time Okada doesn't get completely manhandled by Tanahashi and actually holds his own. After this, these two ended up trading some nasty forearms. There are way too many good spots here for me to mention in this but Tanahashi hitting the high fly flo over the barricade, and onto Okada was easily the highlight for me. The big turning point of this match is when Tanahashi was able to start going after Okada's leg. Tanahashi trapping Okada's leg under the ropes and hitting multiple high fly Flo's was a great way to end this.****3/4"

[10.0] "An another heartbreaking and masterful classic in this feud. Both guys looked incredibly strong by the end of the match, as such masterpieces should."

[10.0] "I'm definitely a fan who feels like the pre and post match stuff counts, and this is an epic match made all the better by Okada crying on his way to the back after the match. That, to me, is the real moment that positioned Okada as the successor of equal footing - showing that this all mattered to him personally just as much as it did to Tanahashi."

[9.0] "Excellent main event. Slow feeling out process including a great chain wrestling sequence. Okada dominating most of the match with Tanahashi trying to find some kind of footing. They told a great story in which Tana hadn't beaten Okada in singles competition in 2 yrs. Tanhashi desperate to keep his Title while trying to maintain a calm and cool demeanor and the cocky challenger Okada who had beaten Tanhashi back to back in 2013 so confident in his chances. I loved the kickouts of their respective finisher. The ending sequence was very good and I really loved the repeated high fly flow. Okada's tear as he left broken and defeated was one of the best moments and a moment I won't forget easily. ****3/4"

[7.0] "There's zero here that you can't find in other, better matches between the two of them. A lot of the counters looked like unconvincing, cooperative dance moves. The finisher spam that Tanahashi did to win just bummed me out, and made me wonder if a finish in a match between these guys will ever be surprising. Obviously the baseline between these two is quite good, but as the main event of the biggest show of the year, this didn't give me anything I hadn't seen before."

[9.0] "[9.5] What can i say about a Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahishi match' >An astonishing match, obviously. The ACE of Japan versus the Rainmaker. Not the greatest match of the series (I prefer their match in WK 10), but an absolutely plaseur to watch. My rating: (****3/4)."

[10.0] "Not as flawless as the Naka/Ibushi bout earlier in the night, but still deserving of a ten anyhow. I wasn't especially feeling it in the early portion, but they kept building it up and worked their way up to a classic. The last ten minutes or so of the bout was absolutely out of this world, mind-blowingly blistering. Okada crying at the end to sell his failure of capturing the title really added that much needed weight of a loss. Beautiful main event. Beautiful ending to the show. [****3/4]"

[10.0] "These two start out trading tight headlocks on each other for the first five minutes, but the dynamic of the match drastically changes when Okada takes a cheap shot after a rope break and they start hitting each other with stiff forearms. They pop the crowd with some massive spots that you could easily see in the cheap seats. The Heavy Rain on the walkway and Tanahashi's barricade-clearing High Fly Flow were two of the biggest highlights here. The crowd initially are backing Tanahashi for the most part, but they start to get behind Okada the moment Tanahashi shows Okada some disrespect by mocking his Rainmaker pose. I love how this match built up, but my usual complaint of the main event NJPW style still applies here. Submissions and roll-ups do not feel like a threat and you can bet your last dollar that this is ending after either a Rainmaker or a High Fly Flow. Despite my criticisms of the NJPW style as a whole, these two went out there and still managed to have one of the best matches of the decade."

[10.0] "One of the first contacts I've made with this rivalry and, wow, I fell in love with these two. I remember people saying "Okada will win and become the Ace once for all" but Gedo swerved us and this WAS GOOD. Okada had a tremendous 2015 and his win in 2016 meant even more. It's hard to say but if Okada had awon this match, I don't know he would have the +700 day reign with the belt years after. This match is one of the most important for the rivalry along with the Rainmaker Shock, Wrestle Kingdom 7, Invasion Attack 2013, Wrestle Kingdom 10, Dontaku 2018 and Destruction 2018."

[8.0] "Just when you thought that Okada had taken the mantle of Ace from Tanahashi and ended one of the best feuds in NJPW history, fate, or a certain vote for that matter, brought them together once again. This time, Okada had to prove that he could get the job done when it mattered the most; he had to beat Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom, something he failed to do last time because of his inexperience, something that costs him here again as Tanahashi's big match experience wins out as he dominates the first half, only getting in trouble because of his overconfidence. Something, like not following through with the Sling Blade but instead mocking Okada with the Rainmaker only to eat shit, is a great example of this. The New Beginning match seemingly flashes before his eyes, where underestimating Okada led to the biggest shocker in company history, and so he wisely starts working on the leg before it's too late. And by this point, ya'll should know what happens when Hiroshi starts eatin' Okada's leg. The finishing stretch is particularly amazing, with a hot crowd and both guys just trade big moves. Tanahashi's pretty much in control for most of the duration but whenever Okada would get back on the offensive, Tana would start working on the leg to slow him down, and that eventually leads to a jaw-dropping HFF while Okada's leg is trapped in the ropes leading to the win for the Ace. New Beginning, Invasion Attack, King of Pro Wrestling but Okada can't beat Tana when it counts the most, which is why he's weeping in the aftermath. He cannot win when Hiroshi's eatin' the leg. He cannot win at the grandest stage of 'em all. This is a great match because of course (it's Tana and Okada, guys), but it's not one of their best efforts, primarily because it's just a little too formulaic."

[10.0] "I hadn't heard too much praise for this one other than being the one where Okada cries at the end and after Nakamura/Ibushi I didn't think this show would have another 10/10 match, but somehow it did. It's a real slow burn, but it pays off SO well in an explosive finishing stretch that these two have mastered. Any other matchup done as frequently as Okada/Tana would feel like overkill, but they still manage to keep things fresh and exciting. It wasn't Okada's time yet, but this is a rare time where New Japan holding on to a big payoff was the right move *****."

[10.0] "Okada brings everything he has and so does Tanahashi, epic moments, this match goes by in a flash, Okada's defeat was heart breaking"

[10.0] "What is this? A 30 minute NJPW main event that doesn't feel like 30 days? Now that's a novelty! I strongly suspect it's because of matches like this, if not this match in the specific, that NJPW is always desperately pushing long main events, hoping somehow the wrestlers involved will manage to recapture the moment. However there's too often one variable missing from their equation: Tanahashi. His pacing, selling and creativity, especially as displayed in this match, are probably unmatched in the last decade: I can guarantee you if Tanahashi hadn't been along this would have been your standard Okada match, meaning 20-25 minutes of plodding boredom with an explosive finishing sequence. Instead here we got a buildup that never ever slowed down culminating in that sequence of Dragon Screws and to top it all up Tanahashi finished Okada off with two High Fly Flows as a hat tip to show what a strong opponent Okada was. Now that's how you build up a memorable match."

[10.0] "The true excellence. I know it's one of many amazing fights, but this is a true 5-star match. The Frog Splash outside the ring is still a great spot and the energy of Hiroshi Tanahashi is always fantastic. Okada has a few counters and great moments. It's one of the best matches of all time, and one of my favorites. Impressive with a strong ending. *****"

[10.0] "This was everything a world title match should be; tremendous storytelling, expert pacing, and of such high quality that the loser comes out looking stronger than ever."

[10.0] "I forgot how good this match was. Like I REALLY forgot how good this match was. I can't honestly rank my favorite Okada vs Tanahashi matches, but if I did, you better believe that this match would be way up there. This had everything you could ever want in a big time main event from two of the biggest and best performers in your company. If you want to see just perfect storytelling with some great action and some damn good counter wrestling, then you owe it to yourself to watch this match and any other match between the two. This was near flawless. From presentation to the actual wrestling, these two are the masters of its craft. *****"

[9.0] "Okada and Tanahashi closing Wrestle Kingdom 9 with one of their "worst" encounter - But that's not something to be ashamed of. Something did not click the way it should in the central part of the match, and maybe making Tanahashi win wasn't the wisest decision, but it remains a classic without a doubt."

[10.0] "Just an outstanding display of in-ring work and psychology. The narrative here was of the edgy upstart Okada trying to displace the beloved Tanahashi from his position as NJPW's ace. Both men had massive egos and were constantly trying to prove themselves to be superior. The slow start was fantastic at setting up how evenly matched they were and eventually showed the extreme lengths they would go to for victory. They constantly exchanged contemptuous looks, and when they weren't basking in their success at beating the other down they were closely looking for their next opportunity to hurt the other. These two had outstanding chemistry and only one or two small awkward moments. There were too many great spots to mention, but Okada's reaction to not getting the win with the Rainmaker should be noted as absolutely incredible for how totally devastated he looked. Tanahashi constantly reminded Okada of just how unprepared he was for the grandest stage of all. In the end it was Tanahashi's experience which withstood Okada's bravado and countered his impatience. Okada motionless after his loss before being slowly rolled out of the ring and balling his eyes out on his walk out of the arena was heartbreaking. This was meant to be his fairy-tale ending. He had learnt so much since his last WK match with Tanahashi, yet still failed here. He knew this should have been his time. That bittersweet finale solidified this as one of the greatest matches I've ever seen. ****3/4"

[9.0] "This is probably third or fourth best of their series so far, I really liked this match though. The finishing sequence was ok but nothing as great as the two 2013 Sumo Hall matches. This could easily have been a great culmination to their feud but Wrestle Kingdom 10 said no to that. Great match but not much was memorable except the High Fly Attack over the barricade. This may have been the only good time for a Styles main event but hell, I'm not complaining about it, Okada and Tanahashi never fail to impress. (****1/2)"

[10.0] "If we're ranking Okada vs Tanahashi matches this would come up third or fourth, and even still its so good I feel like I can't give it anything less then a 5. The match starts out with the typical headlock/wristlock game with each guy trying to get the advantage but quickly breaks down into a brawl when Okada uncharacteristically doesn't give the clean break after teasing it (that bit is some good story telling, its a drastic change in Okadas game). The European uppercut to Tana that sends him to the outside practically comes from nowhere, great spot that one. From then on they fight through the barricade, onto the ramp and back to the ring doing memorable things along the way. The story on this one I gather is Okada being the fed up one in this bout, pretty much a change in positions for the two. He is the present and he still has this yesteryear superstar blocking his way after all this time, so hes a bit more aggressive then usual. Hell he certainly hits his most stiff dropkick on Tana as of now about midway through the match, though that being said it does seem like that story slips away around 2/3rds into the match for the sake of flash (hence why I prefer two of their earlier encounters to this), but the match remains one for the ages and the finish is a great one. *****."

[9.0] "(**** 1/4) Very good and enjoyable match , especially the second part was great and tense. Well deserved Main Event for Wrestle Kingdom 9. It lasts as much as it needed to make a good match and without losing time with all sorts of breaks or interventions just to last longer as it happens with other matches"