The Goodness of 2007 #3

Tanahashi vs Goto

11/11/2007 - New Japan Pro Wrestling

This, ashamedly, is the first Hirooki Goto match I’ve seen since his return. He’s bulked up and grown out so much, I think he’s actually a different person. It wouldn’t surprise me if the real, skinny Goto is stuck in Tijuana doing indy shows or something. Tanahashi’s hair is ridiculous. Seriously he looks like a gay Japanese version of Noel Fielding. They went balls to the wall all out here. Thirty minutes and no slow down or lack of intensity anywhere in the match. Loads of people ragged on Goto’s lack of selling on the knee when Tanahashi worked it over, but it didn’t bother me at all. Tana compensates for it anyway by constantly working it over and reminding Goto. It’s a testament to how good Tanahashi is right now that he could lead this match and rein in young Hirooki here. That’s not a knock on Goto though as his work was great here too. His new offence is great and he’s adapted well to a heavyweight style of wrestling. He does however mix it up with some junior stuff as well, demonstrated by his second rope springboard flip on to Tanahasi on the outside. Tanahashi is great as always heeling it up really well. I would love to see him as an all out dick, in the vein of Ric Flair, but maybe that will come. They did an awesome job of getting Goto over huge here and there were some spots where the crowd really bought into Goto getting the win. His sunset flip bomb from the turnbuckle at the end had the crowd completely sucked in. It’s a great testament to New Japan that Goto, who’s only been back for a few months from a year excursion that saw him leave as junior, is already being taken seriously as a heavyweight title threat. The finished came when Tanahashi hit a High Fly Flow onto Goto’s knees and followed it up with a Texas cloverleaf. Great match filling with intensity and a real belief that Goto could come away as champion. Maybe not my Match of the Year, but it comes in near the top and is further proof that New Japan is probably the most exciting promotion in world right now.