Kazuchika Okada vs. Zack Sabre Jr. - Sakura Genesis 2018, IWGP Title match
https://vk.com/ingobernable?z=video289484704_456244654
This was the best of Sabre and the worst of Sabre in the same match, it was more good than bad though. I give full credit to give for making the first 17 minutes interesting enough to grab my attention. At this point is very hard for me to stay engaged for so long in New Japan main events because I know the first half barely means anything - just like NOAH's big matches in the late 2000's-early 2010' - but in this case I was thoroughly entertained by the ZBJ show of "look how many cool shyt/counters I can do". I also liked the little things he did like Okada copying a reversal Sabre did early and Zack having a counter to that because he's the one that knows how that shyt works, or him desperately trying to avoid Okada from getting to the ropes a couple of times. I also give full credit to Zack for having Sumo Hall buying into his late submissions AND pinfalls, I knew there was no way he was winning but the crowd did and that's all that matters to me.
Now, onto the bad. Once again I came out of a ZSJ match thinking he was more interested in showing off than winning the match - and the biggest fukking price of the company - every time he locked in a submission that look painful enough on a body part (and was sold by Okada as such) he focused a little bit on it but then went back on doing different shyt to other parts of the body. I get his gimmick is that he can submit you at any time with a variety of moves, but it's frustrating to watch him pass on the opportunity to establish control and dominate his opponent by obliterating a body part. There were like three times he had Okada basically dead and he just looked at the crowd or taunted Okada, there was no urgency by him in those instances. I also thought the "reset" part of the match, when Okada just grew tired of grappling around and taunted Zack to a strike exchange, was very weak. Why would Sabre go with it when he was clearly getting the best of the champ before? Okada didn't have to do anything special to change the dynamic of the match. The second half was more about strikes and ZBJ countering everything Okada threw at him. Also didn't like how after stretching the fukk out of Okada and hitting him hard, all the champ needed to down the challenger was 1 or 2 strikes. Which was fun to watch by the way, it just didn't make much sense to me considering what happened in the first 20 minutes or so. Ending felt undeserved as most of Okada's defenses
All in all, a VERY fun match that once again went too long for no damn reason but at least it was entertaining throughout most of it. It just didn't have the depth or story to become the great match it could've been
). His style was about using real martial art techniques in the context of pro wrestling, and heavy on emotional reactions for drama.
I had no idea they had someone actually playing Chinsuke full time. Dude is out here on his Gillberg shyt. 
things I've ever watched. It comes up if you google it.
