#1 Katsuyori Shibata vs. Kazuchika Okada

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tp6nEYA6HLI/hqdefault.jpg

Now this is a match with so much story that it's going to take a few paragraphs to explain.

In 1999 New Japan decided it wanted to bring more legitimacy back to pro wrestling. They did this by bringing in MMA fighters to be wrestlers and wrestlers being forced to compete in MMA matches.

This booking decision went terribly! The wrestlers got their asses handed to them in a legitimate competition. The MMA fighters struggled to put on good wrestling matches. The company came face-to-face with financial burden. They weren't making enough money to survive.

The position to carry the company for years to come had fallen onto three rookies. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Katsuyori Shibata. Shibata decided to leave the company in the middle of the companies financial problems.

Tanahashi becomes the Ace of New Japan and Nakamura becomes the companies number two. They are forced to carry the company and bring it back from financial crisis into success. They achieve this.

In 2012 New Japan has recovered from its terrible booking decisions in the early 2000's. This is when Shibata returns to the company. Shibata is forced to prove himself to the people he betrayed when he left. Shibata goes through several years of trials and tribulations to prove himself.

He proves himself to both of the men he abandoned all those years ago.

It's January 4th, 2016 Wrestle Kingdom 10 and the main event is Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi. Okada defeats Tanahashi to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. In the process Okada becomes the face of new ace of New Japan.

Shibata wins the 2017 New Japan Cup in order to challenge Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight championship. This is Shibata's big opportunity to not only become champion, but ascend to a position in the main event that he was supposed to be a part of all those years ago.


(Note: That headbutt ended Shibata's career)

The match begins and Shibata out wrestles him. Okada attempts to out do Shibata with a strike exchange but loses the exchange. Shibata is better then Okada. The only chance Okada has is to out last Shibata. That's a tall order considering that Shibata is one of, if not the toughest in man in professional wrestling.

Shibata is obsessed with the idea of proving how much better he is. He can't just beat him, he needs to decimate Okada. Shibata takes this so far that he refuses to go down when Okada hits his finisher.

Shibata's downfall is his refusal to accept anything less than annihilation. Wheather he likes it or not he's not that much better than Okada. He can't end him. Okada uses this to his advantage to hit his finisher a second time and wins the match.

I am Machine

Existence... The continuum... A flow of energy... I am normalcy...

The Only thing that exists is The Machine.

So, I'm going to start working on my best albums of 2017 list soon but I thought it was time to review 2017.

2017 in Review

Greatest new discovery of 2017:

Token. Yeah he's an Eminem rip-off, but if he's rapping this good at 19 imagine what he'll be able to achieve if he sticks with it. His album eraser shaving is a fun pop rap/ conscious Hip hop album. While he's not creating the most thought provoking lyrics he still weaves an interesting story.



Honorable mention: Melanie Martinez

Discovered her this year and I really dig her fun nursery rhyme inspired pop music.

Best new band of 2017

https://e.snmc.io/lk/o/l/ea107ad778f...d6/6424076.jpg
Horseneck!

Angry stoner metal. 'Nuff said.

Worst album of 2017:

It's a toss up between
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...Z8s09QlDrNPJ4g
Bjork's Utopia and

Legitimately shit - Milkman

Favorite wrestler of 2017: Kenny Omega
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...25lMc9KbnBOE0-

Omega's trilogy with Okada just may be the greatest trilogy ever. Seriously one of if not the greatest of all time.

Honorable mention: Kazuchika Okada
http://i.imgur.com/T2i34lF.jpg

I really like the story he told through out the year that culminated in his first loss all year against Evil. Then he makes a recovery before his rematch against Evil but now for the belt. Not to mention his trilogy against Omega.

damn evil beat okada? i guess that shows how much ive been watching lately but i just cant imagine how they book leading up to that to make it believable. how was the match?

It was a pretty good match. Evil shocked me frankly. I didn't think he'd do a very good match, but I was shocked by it.

The whole story was essentially Okada had had several matches that were hard hitting and wore him out. So Evil cheats a bunch to get a title victory.

Finally started relistening to my top 10 for 2017. That list should start in the next week or so. Soon as that's finished I'll start trying to do more regular reviews or something.

"Life is existence, right?" "No one knows." "Is he great?" "Who is he?" "The ultimate." "I apologize. I believe in the other form." "What are you searching for?"

I want what we all want, pleasure and food.

"Do you exist Blank?"

No. I am a collection of man.

I'm not taking that bet.

I listened and reorganized the top 5.

... shut up.

Yes. I'm almost done. I have a couple of albums to listen to first but I'm almost done.

fuck off. My list will be whatever I want it to be.