Technique Over Spectacle: How KUSHIDA and Fujita Redefined the Junior Heavyweight Formula at BOSJ 32

NJPW Best Of The Super Junior 32 - Day 5 - 17/05/2025

Best Of The Super Junior 32 Block A Match: KUSHIDA vs. Kosei Fujita

A rare breed of match, even within New Japan. Zack’s a technical wrestler, but loves his flair and plays it as mainstream as you can. Kushida and Fujita flip the script and work in an intimate and shoot-inspired manner. Both removed footwear which might be seen as gimmicky, but they committed to the style and it became another positive factor to the match rather than something kooky. One other part of the match that I found to be refreshing and a great reason for why the match worked as much as it did was the exhaustion both showed long enough the match even ended. Both began to breathe more heavily around the same time, which speaks to how much they pushed each other here. It’s not just doing the holds, it’s the work in between them. The emphasis on positioning, and space and making sure they are in the right spaces to make it all natural and seamless. If you told me that they went out there and largely had a sparring battle with some preconceived spots planned mixed in, I would believe you. And that’s bigger praise than I could possibly give. I would be careful about not over praising it because it’s so unique, but it is a great match and one of the best of 2025, without a doubt. ****1/4