NOAH: December 7th 2008

I watched a show put on by something called a NOAH. It seemed to mainly be a supershow combining talent from All Japan (Misawa, Akiyama) and New Japan (Kensuke Sasaki). I hope they continue working together.

I really liked Misawa's match versus Nakajima. It has sparked quite a debate over on the DVDVR boards, divided between people who think Misawa is old and fat (he is) and people who are Misawa is entertaining this year because he's old and fat (he is). This is a very simple veteran versus young gun match. Misawa looks perpetually tired and weary, always conveying an attitude of feeling too old for this stuff anymore. The only thing he has left is his elbows (which are evil). I completely love his selling - there is an air of "must keep going" to it, despite all the stuff Nakajima throws at him, including five thrust kicks to the chin, and a diving kick to the throat. I really like the finish - Misawa gets more elbows, one Emerald Froizen, pins, flops, and dies. I could stand to see a lot more matches like this. Not quite as good as the Morishima title switch, but still good.

Akiyama versus Morishima is up next. I really got nothing out of this one. Firstly, I don't understand the booking. The logical thing to happen over the GHC title is that Sasaki goes through most of NOAH's guys, before Morishima wins the belt back, thus setting him up as supreme king and ruler of all he surveys. So, it makes sense for Akiyama to go over here, setting up his match with Sasaki. However (and that's a big but), why have Morishima lose in, like, seven minutes. Why not go twenty? Why not have Akiyama really have to dig deep for the win, thus keeping both strong for the future? Second point, this match is messy. They go outside early, do some stuff out there, head back in a do some finishers for a bit, including two big Exploders, Morishima's backdrop driver, some lariats, before finally Akiyama gets the win with a front facelock choke. The match lacked body. Hence, it lacked soul.

The semi-final was for the GHC junior tag titles between KENTA and Ishimori, and Suzuki and Kanemura. I thought this was OK, and better than a lot of long junior tag matches I've seen this year. The middle was slow, which was somewhat of a doubled edged sword (as opposed to swords that have just one edge?), because it dragged as the heels (I'm told) aren't good at filling time, but it did serve to make the final third more exciting, with first Ishimori's hot tag, then KENTA tag back in, face bloodied, coming in for revenge. If Suzuki anbd Kanemura had been better, this would have been better. Also of note, Ishimori goes all Sasuke and tries to break his skull doing a moosault to the outside. There was an audible thunk. Possibly, they should have exploited this more during the match, but they didn't.

The main event was Sasaki's second defence against Saito. I don't know Saito at all. Anyway, this went on for twenty five minutes, and didn't really keep my interest in any one of those minutes. The selling was bad - plenty of getting straight back up after being hit with a big move, no consistency on the lariats (lariat one takes you down, lariat two is shrugged off, lariat three gets a pinfall). Saito works the arm for a bit (I don't know why), then Sasaki fights back (with his arm). I like Sasaki in short five minute burst in tag matches, but I really don't care for him in long title defences.

All in all, this show was OK. Only the Misawa vs. Nakajima will get anywhere near my MOTY thoughts. Too much time was given to the last two matches at the expense of the Morishima match, which is my biggest complaint.