2011: Yuji Nagata vs Minoru Suzuki
Wrestle Kingdom V (attendance: 42,000 / 18,000)
http://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00175_1_7
The fifth edition of Wrestle Kingdom takes place in 2011 and once again sees guest talent from TNA and NOAH. The TNA contingent consists of Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm & Bobby Roode) who challenged Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson) for the IWGP Tag Team titles in a three way also involving Muscle Orchestra (Manabu Nakanishi & Strong Man), Rob Van Dam who defeated Toru Yano in a hardcore match that led to Yano adopting Van Dam’s signature thumb point, Jeff Hardy successfully defending the TNA World title against Tetsuya Naito, and young Kazuchika Okada (who was in the middle of his stint there) teaming with future Chaos teammate Hirooki Goto against NOAH representatives Takashi Sugiura and Yoshihiro Takayama. Also representing NOAH once more was Go Shiozaki who lost to Shinsuke Nakamura.
The event also saw a rematch from the first Wrestle Kingdom in Yuji Nagata facing Minori Suzuki. This is the match we are looking at today, and the second rematch in this series (Mutoh vs Chono from 2000 was the first).
This match was set up in December 2010 when Minoru Suzuki returned to New Japan and attacked Yuji Nagata. Prior to this Suzuki had quite a successful run in All Japan, winning the Triple Crown title twice (first from Taiyo Kea in September 2006, then from Ryota Hama in May 2010). The match with Nagata from the first Wrestle Kingdom was a defence during the first reign. Suzuki also won two consecutive Champion Carnival tournaments (2009 and 2010).
Since the last time we saw Yuji Nagata at the first Wrestle Kingdom, he added a second IWGP title reign when he defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi in April 2007. This was regained by Tanahashi in October. After an injury he returned to lead New Japan in a war with Zero1. During this time, he defeated Masato Tanaka for Zero1’s World Heavyweight title. A title that he successfully at Wrestle Kingdom III against Tanaka. (We did the Nakamura/Goto vs Misawa/Sugiura tag). He lost that title to Shinjiro Otani a month later.
Nagata created the group Seigigun (Blue Justice Army) and won the IWGP tag titles with Wataru Inoue. By this event the group consisted of Nagata, Inoue, Super Strong Machine and a pre-‘Bad Luck’ Fale. Founding member Mitsushide Hirasawa was on excursion in Puerto Rico learning to become Captain New Japan.
Speaking of groups, the future Suzuki-gun would be formed a few weeks after this event as Kojima-gun under leader Satoshi Kojima. Minoru Suzuki wouldn’t get involved until May so he has to be a lonely warrior tonight.
The previous match was for the Triple Crown title, this match is personal. No Justice, No Life. Let’s go!
Making his way to the ring first accompanied by one of the greatest entrance songs of all time (Kaze ni nare by Ayumi Nakamura) is Minoru Suzuki. His entrance video shows a lot of clips of him dominating Yuji Nagata. The crowd sings along. Kaze ni nare! We then cut to a shot of both men in the ring as Nagata’s entrance has been omitted (it took NJPW until 2017 to get the rights sorted on his track).
The bell is called for by Marty Asami who is making his first appearance in this series. As soon as it is, these two bulls rush in with matching kicks. And then both try to grab a clinch to deliver some strikes from. They find the ropes and jostle for position until Nagata has a front waistlock on Suzuki who is backed up against the ropes. Suzuki tries to force the break by pushing Nagata’s face but it’s not until Asami gets in there that is broken. Nagata breaks clean but Suzuki slaps him on the way out. Challenges him for a retort. Nagata obliges. It’s open season as they trade slaps.
Nagata breaks the slap stalemate with some kicks and takes Suzuki down. Suzuki ends up downed on the apron where Nagata tries to choke him with the foot but is pulled back. Suzuki rises and Nagata tries to boot him off the apron. Suzuki dodges it, Nagata’s caught on the rope and Suzuki gets a leg bar over the ropes, in a variation of the arm bar there that he uses. This obviously draws the referee in to break it. It’s done its job though. They drop to the outside where Suzuki continues to damage the leg. He threads it through the guard rail and boots it. Asami tries in vain to move this back to the ring but Suzuki’s having none of it. He takes it back in on his terms and continues the assault on Nagata’s leg. Things get quite heated and Suzuki gets to a mounted position, pie faces Nagata and closes his fist ready to rain down with it. Nagata grabs the throat of Suzuki and the official manages to step in at just the right time.
Or so it seems. Suzuki lands that punch anyway! Not what Nagata needed. The assault continues but Nagata begins to rise and absorb punishment before catching a kick and sending Suzuki to the corner where he delivers a Justice Knee to the face. Nagata’s eye could become an issue after that punch. He unleashes a series of kicks that look very similar to those used by Daniel Bryan in WWE. Given that Bryan once called Nagata “the best wrestler he’s ever been in the ring with”, I don’t think this is coincidental. Nagata continues the assault in the corner which Asami allows, before sending him across, coming in with a boot to the face and then landing an exploder for 2. Suzuki up and Nagata goes for a brainbuster, Suzuki fights it out and we’re back to a strike exchange. Nagata wins it with a boot. Nagata looking like he’s in a far better position at this stage than he did in the 2007 match up. Brainbuster pickup, slipped by Suzuki who comes down behind and pushes Nagata into the corner and comes in with a boot. Snap mare and a Shibata-esque penalty kick for 2.
Suzuki with a sleeper hold. This is how he won the first meeting between these two. This won’t be it this time though as Nagata breaks it and attacks the arm. He’s got himself a target for these kicks now! Tries his seated armbar but the world-class grappler slips it and latches that sleeper hold back on. Nagata throws him off and Suzuki returns fire with a knee. Slap time as Suzuki lands quite a few. Nagata opts for kicks. Suzuki draws Nagata into throwing a slap which he ducks and takes the opening to reapply the sleeper. Nagata finds ropes, but Suzuki pulls him back. Nagata tries to break the hold via the arm again, but it’s a lot more of a struggle this time. Unsuccessful and he’s locked in. Nagata was looking to roll the eyes back while applying an armbar, but Suzuki may make that happen with this sleeper.
Nagata’s not going to pass out, but Suzuki thinks he’s weak enough to pin. Only for 2 though. A running boot to the face will fix that. 2 count again. Suzuki’s arrogance leading to a less-than-ideal cover which made the kick out easier for Nagata. Nagata struggles to get to a position he can rise from and Suzuki looks to be torn between wondering what to do next, and getting excited at the prospect of being able to inflict more punishment.
He helps Nagata up to a position where he can get a guillotine choke on. Looks to try to turn it to a swinging neckbreaker but Nagata swings right out of it, kicks the arm and delivers an overhead belly-to-belly.
Nagata follows this up with some kicks to the arm that he’s been working on. Steps over and gets that armbar in. Suzuki gets to the ropes before Nagata can roll the eyes back. Pulls him to centre ring, reapplies and there they go!
This could be the end for Suzuki, a man who I don’t think I’ve ever seen tap out in a professional wrestling contest (though this may speak more to my viewing habits than his record). Nagata’s really got this locked in tight and continues to pull back. The fact that Suzuki’s arm isn’t broken by this point is astonishing. Nagata gives up on the hold and goes back to some strikes as Suzuki keeps coming, somewhat like the Terminator. He smacks some feeling back into the arm and challenges Nagata to bring his best.
It’s a good old fashioned puroresu strike trade-off and a magnificent display of spirit. Both Nagata and Suzuki throwing all they’ve got, but this looks like it could be the last stand for Suzuki. Nagata looking to be in a better position after receiving his strikes. Until Suzuki gets a combo in and knocks him to a knee. Another sleeper! Nagata’s on the ropes and Asami’s letting Suzuki know this. Suzuki’s version of breaking the hold involves switching the arms that he’s applying the hold with. Nagata breaks away from the ropes and delivers a backdrop!
Terminator Suzuki back to his feet, but wobbly – Nagata takes him down with another one. 2 backdrops, 2 count. Kicks to the head rock Suzuki and the third backdrop gets the third count. The winner with a backdrop hold in 16 minutes and 15 seconds – Blue Justice, Yuji Nagata!
Nagata’s music muted on NJPW World, but not on YouTube! – Here is Ryo Nakazawa’s ‘Mission Blow’, featuring an intro from Hans Zimmer’s ‘He’s a Pirate’ (from the Pirates of the Carribean movie). The intro is never played on NJPW World, even now that they’ve cleared up rights on ‘Mission Blow’, but is an absolute treat to hear live. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZROmbYTiZHQ
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