2012: Kazuchika Okada vs Yoshi-Hashi
Wrestle Kingdom VI (attendance: 43,000 / 23,000)
https://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00188_1_4
Wrestle Kingdom VI takes us back to the Tokyo Dome and for the first time in five years does not feature an appearance from TNA. Pro Wrestling NOAH were once again represented, once again by Takashi Sugiura (who lost to Hirooki Goto), Go Shiozaki and Naomichi Marafuji (who defeated Chaos top team Shinsuke Nakamura and Toru Yano). All Japan are back in the fray as Masakatsu Funaki and Masayuki Kono defeated the Seigigun of Yuji Nagata and Wataru Inoue, and Keiji Mutoh defeated Tetsuya Naito in the semi-main event. CMLL are represented by Mascara Dorada (currently working for WWE as Gran Metalik), Atlantis and Valiente.
There is a surrogate inter-promotional match as two of New Japan’s young lions return from excursions to different partner promotions to battle each other. Returning from CMLL is Nobuo Yoshihashi – with a slight name tweak to Yoshi-Hashi (who aligned himself with Chaos prior to this event) and from TNA, young Kazuchika Okada.
Yoshihashi came up through the NJPW dojo after passing the entry test on his third attempt. He would make his debut in July 2008 in a losing effort to Tetsuya Naito. He competed as a junior heavyweight and picked up his first win in Riki Choshu’s Riki Pro promotion, teaming with Kazuchika Okada. In 2010 he headed to CMLL in Mexico for his learning excursion.
Kazuchika Okada was initially trained by Ultimo Dragon and made his debut in August 2004. Okada worked primarily for Toryumon Mexico and gained experience abroad where he wrestled for Chikara in the US, among others. He joined the NJPW dojo in 2007 and debuted for New Japan in August 2007. As with Yoshihashi, his debut match was a loss to Tetsuya Naito. In 2010 he headed to TNA for a learning excursion. While his time in TNA was not seen to be successful, few can argue with where it led him to be.
Yoshi-Hashi. Kazuchika Okada. The dawn of a new era! Let it begin!
We open with Yoshi-Hashi in the ring as the referee tries to check him. He’s not having a bar of it though. Underlining the rudo ways he learned in Mexico. The lights dim and the coin drops. The Rain Maker comes out to the appropriately titled track ‘Rain Maker’. A flashy jacket and gold around his neck is a far cry from the black trunks of a young lion. Yoshi-Hashi with his Sun Wukong (or in a roundabout way Son Goku) inspired appearance is as well.
Okada poses in the corner and once he comes down, Yoshi-Hashi meets him with a lariat. The bell rings and Yoshi-Hashi is immediately at an advantage thanks to the attack. He works over Okada with some clubs and chops before sending him to the ropes. Okada reverses and hits the too awesome dropkick. A mild reaction at the impressive manoeuvre from the crowd that is largely unfamiliar with these two new characters.
Okada on the assault now with chops and a European uppercut. Rushes in from the ropes and Yoshi-Hashi drapes him across the top rope. Okada to the outside and Yoshi-Hashi follows with a tope suicita he must’ve picked up in Mexico.
Picks the Rain Maker back up and throws him in the ring. He continues the offence and overcomes a scrappy comeback attempt by Okada. Sends him in and a hip toss. Seated dropkick for 2. Yoshi-Hashi trying something illegal that the camera doesn’t quite pick up. Maybe pulling the horrible looking hair of Okada. Tries it again in the corner.
Sends him across and Okada dodges an elbow. A few European uppercuts and he’s cut off with a jawbreaker. Yoshi-Hashi drops him with a sloppy looking slam. Kick out at 2. Yoshi-Hashi arguing with the referee instead of blaming the awful slam for not getting a 3, goes for a brainbuster but Okada floats over, perhaps by design as Yoshi-Hashi gets a neckbreaker. This is called the Bunker Buster. Yoshi-Hashi ascends the corner and misses a Swanton bomb. Okada with another dropkick and now it’s his turn to ascend. Big missile dropkick from the top.
Okada then hits a move that goes by many names (Air Raid Crash, Schwein, White Noise, Celtic Cross – take your pick. I prefer Schwein). A rain maker pose which hasn’t been established as a thing yet – and Okada gets a waistlock. Grabs an arm, pushes Yoshi-Hashi forward and draws him back in for a lariat. You may know this move as the Rain Maker. 1. 2. 3. In 4 minutes and 37 seconds, the Rain Maker picks up his first win.
As is customary by this point, even though it does play on NJPW World – here is a link to celebrate the Rain Maker winning with a Rain Maker – ‘Rain Maker’ by Yonosuke Kitamura. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRCwNAC-XA8
Dave Meltzer gave this match 1 star (it wasn’t that bad) and this match ended up giving New Japan 1 star (eventually). The Wrestling Observer newsletter reviews the match like this;
Kazuchika Okada beat Yoshi-hashi (Nobuo Yoshihashi) in 4:37 after a clothesline. With his bad looking hair dye job, Okada looked like a male Shinobu Kandori (a butch women’s wrestling star of the 90s). Okada is tall for a Japanese guy, maybe 6-3 and does a high dropkick so he’s a good athlete. But he didn’t put it together here. Okada won after a missile dropkick an emerald frosien and a lariat. Nobody expected Yoshi-hashi to be pinned after that lariat and the match had built up no momentum. It was supposed to be this dominant win but came across as anything but. *
Moving forward he would be a little more impressed with Okada’s work
The main event of the evening was Hiroshi Tanahashi retaining the IWGP Heavyweight title against Minoru Suzuki. Following that match, Okada interrupted the ceremony and laid down a challenge to the champion. At this point the fans’ exposure to Okada was that less-than-stellar match we just sat through so this was seen as very confusing.
This challenge led to Okada becoming the 57th IWGP Heavyweight champion and the first match in one of the all-time great feuds that led NJPW to prosperity. Okada made good on his promise and did indeed make it rain. As of this writing at the end of 2017 – Okada has already shown himself to be the greatest wrestler of the decade, and is in the middle of a career that by the time it ends, will likely be in the discussion for one of the greatest of all time.
And Yoshi-Hashi? He’s pretty much in the same position he was here…
1100ace 