(1/11) Stu's Catch Up With Matches Series: Kota Ibushi vs El Desperado (Season 1 Episode 1)
- joshandstupodcast
- Apr 5, 2021
- 2 min read
This is a great time to be a pro wrestling fan, with basically having five wrestling shows on TV every week. From NXT and AEW being on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively, Impact being on Thursday, and not to mention the RAW and Smackdown which are on Monday and Friday. There is a lot of wrestling to keep up with, and there isn't enough time of the day to watch all of it.
So with this new blog series called 'Stu's Catch Up with Matches Series', I'm going to catch up with eleven matches I'll been told, are worth checking out or matches I really want to watch that have happened so far this year. (So every Monday at 1 pm (UK Time) these reviews will be up) So to kick this off, I'm going to look at the last NJPW Heavyweight Championship match before they created a new title belt. When Kota Ibushi faces El Desperado for the IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Championships at their 48th Anniversary Show.
Season 1 Episode 1
Singles Match for the IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Championships Kota Ibushi vs. El Desperado NJPW 48th Anniversary Show • 4th March 2021
If this is going to be the last IWGP Heavyweight Title match then this isn’t a bad way to go, with this match being a really fun and enjoyable bout. With the match coming up to the 24-minute mark, which for New Japan is pretty short haha.
A great back and forth contest with El Desperado working on the leg of Kota Ibushi a lot, with that beautiful looking leg hook submission locked in early on, to stop Ibushi hitting the Kamigoye which is smart.
But there was a worrying moment with Ibushi jumping out of the way from a leg submission attempt, by El Desperado and he lands straight on his head, it didn’t look good. But a great finish with back and forth exchanges from El Desperado and Ibushi, with El Desperado kicking out of one Ibushi Kamigoye, but not from the second and Ibushi gets the win.
I forget how much I love the new japan style, it may not be Ibushi best match, and it wouldn’t make it to his top 10 list, but it shows the high level of performance he at this year, and I can’t wait to see where he ends up at the end of the year.
Verdict: 8 out of 10
Click on the link below to watch the match in full.
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Written By
Stuart Irvine
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