Why Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada was the most perfect match since Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels
When WrestleKingdom 11 was done and dusted a couple of nights back, there was one match in particular on fans’ minds.
Sure, Kushida and Hiromu Takahashi had an excellent, fast-paced Junior Heavyweight title match.
Sure, Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata was a ridiculously hard-hitting affair between two long-time friends.
Sure, Tetsuya Naito and Hiroshi Tanahashi wrestled a stellar classic for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.
But, nothing stood out more than the main event. Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega clashed for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and expectations were incredibly high. This was two of the best wrestlers in the world clashing for the first time, and it would be taking place as the main event of WrestleKingdom 11, in the Tokyo Dome.
Somehow, they managed to exceed the astronomically high expectations placed in front of them. While fans expected a classic, nobody foresaw the match we received.
Wrestling one of the greatest matches of all time in many fans’ eyes, Okada and Omega produced a spectacle, and it led to a perfect encounter. From the feeling out process to start off, to the slow build to big moves, to the insane spots, to the incredible ten-minute long finishing sequence, nothing went slightly wrong.
It was given six stars by Dave Meltzer’s respected star rating system from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, becoming the first televised match in history to be rated six out of the usual possible five stars. Meltzer stated that he believed it “was one of the greatest matches in the history of professional wrestling.”
While other matches in recent years have gone perfectly, none have achieved this perfect encounter on the huge stage that Okada and Omega were on, nor have received such incredible praise from fans and experts alike. Except for one match. Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels, from WrestleMania 25 of course.
Back in 2009, The Deadman and the Showstopper tore the house down at WrestleMania 25. It was considered the perfect match, with two of the best wrestlers in the world producing a spectacle on a grand stage. Seeing the similarities yet? Omega and Okada did the exact same thing.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with New Japan Pro Wrestling, WrestleKingdom is their version of WrestleMania, which means it is the biggest stage possible for the wrestlers to perform at. Both matches stole their respective shows and produced a match for the ages.
Check out the Shawn Michaels/Undertaker match here, or on the WWE Network for a better viewing:
Sure, there have been many other classic matches in recent years, for both NJPW and WWE. In NJPW, there was the Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi main event from last year’s WrestleKingdom 10. While it was a 5-star classic on a grand stage, it was the culmination of their four-year story/feud that led to such an incredible match.
The action itself wasn’t perfect, with more focus on the story rather than producing the perfect match. They had wrestled many more flawless matches before, but the stage and story led to such an iconic match rather than the actual in-ring work. In WWE, there was the 5-star match between CM Punk and John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011. With the story being the focal point of the match, this meant that a few sloppy moments in the ring were glossed over, with the story elevating the match rather than the perfection of the action.
Also, it was on a B grade PPV. Imagine if Punk and Cena had wrestled their match at WrestleMania, instead of Money in the Bank? It would be talked about even more than it already is these days.
The point is, rarely is a perfect match delivered, especially on a grand stage. But, both the Okada/Omega and Michaels/Taker matches were executed perfectly. An amazing pre-match video package, extravagant entrances, fantastic back and forth action, no sloppy moments, insane spots, a big fight feel, incredible anticipation, and an amazing finishing sequence were all there.
Both took place on the biggest stage possible for their respective companies (WrestleKingdom and Wrestlemania), and both bouts consisted of two of the best wrestlers in the world facing off in a rare encounter. Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker hadn’t clashed since the 90s heading into their Wrestlemania 25 match, and Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada had never faced off in a one-on-one match before WrestleKingdom 11.
This dynamic led to an incredible hype for each encounter, something that only further elevated each match once they prospered on the grand stage.
While other classic matches over the years have captivated fans, nothing has delivered to the point of perfection like these two matches did. Every few years, all the aspects of a classic match combine to create the perfect pro wrestling match of all time. This happened in 2009, with The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 25, and it happened again earlier this week with Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada, in the main event of WrestleKingdom 11.
Both matches will go down as two of the greatest matches ever, and as two of the most perfect matches ever performed in professional wrestling history.
Check out the Okada/Omega match here, or on NJPW World for better viewing:
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