NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2024 - Day 2 - 04/05/2024
NEVER Openweight Title Match: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Gabe Kidd
This Heavyweight style of Japanese wrestling will never click with me. It's so tedious and tired and fucking boring. The day Japanese wrestling moves away from these strike exchange sequences, the day it'll be interesting once again. I heard so much praise for this but this was the same old tires routine. Gabe Kidd in a different time period could be someone great. But the crazy out of control gaijin gimmick he has lacks any conviction. Immediately the illusion of it falters when the first thing he does is controlled, weak elbow exchanges with no oomph or intensity. And they continuously return to it for much longer than preferred. The only aspect of the match that had any note of interest for me was Shingo's neck selling. Kidd hits a few nice bombs and Shingo responds kindly, at first. Then he has to start doing the awful fighting spirit shit, and ruin it entirely. And Kidd was just as keen on it. Not watched any New Japan for months, and this is the first thing I see? Should've stayed away. It's not the worst match of its ilk. But I felt like I wasted my time watching this, that's all. Additionally, Gabe Kidd being pinned before he sets up a GHC Heavyweight title match is just bad booking. NOAH isn't New Japan but logically booking should still remain. **1/2
IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Ren Narita
This Ren Narita gimmick is so low rent. Him coming out in the hood, I assume him paying homage to Killer Khan, looked more like kids dressing up. The actual match isn't bad but it's very, very boring. Technically okay (these two are hardly masters of their trade) but it was boring and long. The interference wasn't particularly thrilling but they at least broke up the rather mediocre display within the ring. And while I'm glad they are attempting to make Umino a guy, having him in big spots, making the save for Moxley, etc. He just isn't it. **
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