by Daniel Johnson
Yuji Nagata vs. Kono Masayuki
Yuji Nagata’s performance in this AJPW cage match is considerably different from what one might expect of a well seasoned Japanese technical wrestler. Kono Masayuki likewise is no slouch when it comes to being able to mat wrestling.
Nonetheless this bout begins with a showing of strikes, strikes and more strikes. With Masayuki having an obvious height and weight advantage for this exchange to be at all believable Masayuki has to come out on top in this initial battle. While Masayuki is in charge of the match he hits a jumping big boot on Nagata that just looks vicious and from there keeps pummeling Nagata non-stop until the wily veteran can fight back again.
After Nagata lands a variety of forearms, punches and kicks, crimson starts to flow from Masayuki’s forehead. Nagata follows up the attack by throwing Masayuki face first into the cage and landing several shots to Masayuki’s wound. Masayuki no-sells these strikes so in response Nagata starts biting the bloody opening. Out of desperation Masayuki catches Nagata with a big back body drop. There is then some commotion outside of the cage, which allows Nagata the chance to blade while the cameras go away from him. A while later Masayuki stops brawling long enough to nearly win the match with a variation of the sleeper. When this doesn’t work Masayuki hits a CM Punk knee to Nagata’s face then goes up top to hit Nagata with another knee to the face. Masayuki looks to finish the bout off when he pulls down a knee pad and climbs to the top of the cage. Perhaps sensing danger Nagata suddenly wakes up and stops Masayuki, hitting him with a northern lights suplex from the top rope and following that up with a spin wheel kick.
In the final minutes of the match the two go back to trading strikes. Again, out of desperation Masayuki tries to clamp on an arm bar, but Nagata turns it into a seated arm bar of his own. Masayuki escapes Nagata’s clutches only to be hit with two CM Punk knees to his face and a knockout kick to the head that looks more devastating than any kick Shawn Michaels ever hit (well, except for maybe a few). Lastly, Nagata hits two belly-to-back suplexes. The referee makes a ten count and Masayuki is unable to answer it giving the win to Nagata. This bout was a little heavy on brawling in the beginning, but the final minutes helped make up for it.
To check out more of Yuji Nagata take a look at Two of Japan’s Best Active Veterans. For more of Kono Masayuki head over to Stop! Hama Time.
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