G1 Semi-Final Fun

Hiroyoshi Tanahashi v. Togi Makabe

This was an interesting match up for me as I really believe these two are the most significantly improved wrestlers out there these days. Tanahashi really IS the John Cena of Japan in the sense that while many aren't all about the character and his past work, he's won people over with a great work ethic and has all of a sudden come into his own. Makabe on the other hand, has gone from mediocrity to being one of the most legitimately fun wrestlers in the world to watch. Makabe isn't the kind of guy who'll blow you away with great matches, but he's always garunteed to put on a fun show.

Of everyone in the G1 Final Four, Makabe is probably the most unlikely and that shows through much of the match, as he's just not to much of a match for Tanahashi in the ring. He spends a good chunk of the match trying to goad Tanahashi to the outside of the ring where he can turn the match into a total melee as this is the only way he'll really be able to win. Tanahshi on the other hand, has no interest in brawling at first, as you know the minute he goes to the outside, he'll end up on the short end of the stick.

Makabe is finally able to gain the upper hand on the outside, which eventually gives him enough of a head start on Tanahashi to keep control with the leg in the ring. I know a lot of folks probably won't be too wild about the leg work sort of being forgotten as we get into the wee hours, but for me, it wasn't a big deal, as it was used as a launching pad for all the high impact, crazy chain smashing Makabe stuff.

Tanahashi of course, is all about the gradual comebacks and survives in the end, largely due to Makabe's inexperience and tendancy to be, well, insane. Sure, it's rather formulaic, but it's still a lot of fun and while people won't be crapping out stars for it everywhere, it's great for what it is. ***


Yuji Nagata v. Shinsuke Nakamura

Basically, the story here is "I can destroy your arm better than you can destroy mine". Unlike the first match, where limb work is used to maintain control, the limb work in this match is used transitionall and serves as the gate to all the big stuff these two tend to do. I read on the wrestleview forums that one person in particular felt this had it's tight spots and fun stuff, but didn't really 'work' and I've got to agree with him. Arm work usually lends itself, and probably should in the case of this match, to a slower, less bombs galore style.

The segments are counter painful arm hold into painful arm hold of one's own, throw bombs, go back to arm out of nowhere, then get countered. Repeat. While the arm work was the constant through the match and ended up being the end result (Referee stoppage due to Nakamura's arm looking like putty in the end), the stuff in between just seemed like it was there and done for the sake of it rather than really ammounting to anything worth while.

This isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but the stuff they do doesn't really work for me. **1/2

I'll have the final up tonight or tomorrow.