Kensuke Sasaki vs. Yuji Nagata Is Bloody Perfection, Until It Isn't
Kensuke Sasaki vs. Yuji Nagata Is Bloody Perfection, Until It Isn't
Sasaki bleeds buckets mere weeks before his biggest challenge: The Florida Brothers.
One thing I will say for the finish of this match: Given that Kensuke Sasaki was returning to New Japan with the colossal (and at the time still-ongoing) failure of World Japan behind him, affecting his image as a draw and kicking off an era where he had to work tirelessly across a number of promotions to pull his and his wife Akira Hokuto from the brink of financial ruin, it is incredible that he manages to lose this match without submitting to Yuji Nagata.
Once the ace of New Japan, Sasaki entered the Tokyo Dome on 1/4/04 as a turncoat, a man who’d thrown his reputation away in service to his ego, and, as such, could not simply be welcomed back. In Nagata, he faced not only someone who’d remained loyal to New Japan amidst the changing tides of the Japanese combat sports scene of the early 2000s, but who was better prepared for what that meant for NJPW, as Nagata’s style leaned more into his shoot wrestling training.
Already well-acquainted with each other as opponents and as tag team partners, the added tension of Sasaki’s acrimonious return set the stage for something truly special – a LIFE OR DEATH FIGHT, you might say – and they almost get there. Instead, it’s just the start of a fascinating year for Sasaki, which will see him become the subject of a redemption arc and a controversial IWGP Championship win in NJPW, in addition to working Don Muraco’s Hawaiian promotion, Touyumon, Wrestling Marvelous Future, DDT, AJPW, Michinoku Pro, U-STYLE, IWA Japan, Dragon Gate, and KAGEKI before the year is out. Wanna get real sleazy? Check out Kensuke Sasaki vs. Leatherface on a porn site you’ve never heard of before now.
The hatred between Nagata and Sasaki is palpable, a testament to just how much the idea of NJPW meant, even in a period of down business. Both men look like they’re positively jumping out of their skin for a chance to strike the other before the bell, and when it rings, they start throwing bombs. You can point to something like Nagata countering a Sasaki lariat with a kick as foreshadowing the end, but really what we’re doing in the opening stage of the match is giving the Tokyo Dome crowd a taste of what they’re in for, the catharsis of seeing a prodigal son humbled. When Nagata starts laying in kicks to Sasaki, they pop not unlike the Tokyo Dome crowd who came unglued for Hashimoto’s kicks against Takada. In case the fans are tempted to cheer for said prodigal son, Sasaki is extremely slow to break on an armbar Nagata is so in the ropes for he kicks at it several times, shoving away an admonishing Red Shoes Unno.
Justice is swift in visiting Sasaki, as Nagata soon kicks a chair into his face, opening him up. Nagata bleeds shortly thereafter – in a moment of bloodlust, he tries to kick Sasaki’s head into the ringpost, misses, and takes a lariat to the back of the head, smashing into the post himself. Sasaki then forcibly rams Nagata’s head into the post several more times. Blood for blood.
There is no understating the amount of blood in this match. It looks gross. It feels dangerous. Nagata, in particular, bleeds like a victim in a giallo film, his blood pooling on the mat when he lies on his back, later waterfalling down his arm as he holds Sasaki in the Nagata Lock III. The blood is what you’re here for, but in truth it doesn’t really change much in the scheme of things. Nagata and Sasaki keep up the same pace as before, throwing punches, kicks, slaps, lariats, and headbutts with aplomb. Watching the blood migrate from each man’s face to their various body parts is a striking visual, but I don’t think it creates a new sense of urgency – both men start the match wrestling like they want to destroy each other in 15 minutes or less, and they never let up. Frankly, I suspect the match would have been over in 15 minutes if neither man had a wound to exploit.
Where their mutual bloodletting really comes into play is the finish. Without it, there is no narrative heft, no real conclusion. Trapped in the Nagata Lock III, Kensuke Sasaki neither submits nor passes out; he just kind of waits it out. Nagata doesn’t budge, either. Other than Nagata occasionally screaming at Sasaki to give up, the only extra sauce either puts into the finish is Nagata’s blood. Unno continuously asks Sasaki if he gives up in his patently overzealous way, to which Sasaki consistently shakes his head to refute. In the end, Unno looks to the ringside officials, looks at Sasaki (who has gore dripping from his face) and decides to call it in favor of Nagata.
I’ll be frank: It doesn’t work for me. I get and appreciate the thought of protecting Sasaki upon reentry to NJPW, but they spend so long in the Nagata Lock III that there’s no reaction when the bell rings, not even disappointment that Sasaki didn’t tap. The finish is almost parodic, stretching the limits of credulity for tolerating a submission hold to a point that would give a WWE agent pause. It’s totally deflating, and while I won’t go so far as to say that it undoes the gutsy work Nagata and Sasaki put into the match to get to the finish, not capping one of the bloodiest matches in NJPW history with worthy spectacle is its own kind of sin.
Rating: ****