#292: Kazuchika Okada vs. Katsuyori Shibata, NJPW Sakura Genesis (4/9/2017).
This is for Okada's IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
I'm posting this one today, because today is my birthday! So it's fitting to do a review of arguably the most famous wrestling match to ever happen on April 9th, my special day!
In March of 2017, Katsuyori Shibata walked into the New Japan Cup finals, and left as that year’s tournament winner, besting Bad Luck Fale in the finals. From there, he declared his intent to challenge IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, who was quick to accept. Okada was in the midst of his legendary 4th reign, and he wasn’t about to back down from any challenger. Despite all that Okada had overcome up to this point, Shibata presented the most realistic challenge thus far.
At one point, Shibata, along with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura, were dubbed by New Japan “the new Three Musketeers,” a rally call from the company that these three men were the chosen ones to follow in the footsteps of the original Musketeers – Shinya Hashimoto, Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, three of the biggest stars in New Japan history. While Tanahashi had the technique and Nakamura had the submission skill, Shibata was unquestionably the striker.
He was always known for his no-nonsense, hard hitting style in the ring. Shibata was considered one of the hardest hitting wrestlers in all of Japan. More so, he was considered a future pillar for New Japan. But in the mid 2000s, Shibata shocking exited the company, in pursuit of other ventures, including a failed stint in MMA. This didn’t go over too well with fans of the promotion, so when he returned in 2012, fans were not too keen to see him. That said, bouts with childhood friend Hirooki Goto and Tomohiro Ishii won the hearts of many, and by this point, he was one of the most popular wrestlers in the company due to his violent style in the ring.
For Okada, Shibata presented a realistic challenge in that Shibata could legitimately kick Okada’s ass. No doubt, New Japan’s biggest big match wrestler was the Rainmaker, but he had never encountered someone with the grit of Shibata. It would prove to be the toughest test of Okada’s entire career up to this point, as he’d have to not only out maneuver Shibata, but he’d have to survive the eventual onslaught of strikes, kicks, and chops. But this is Okada in 2017, so he won’t go down so easy. Shibata will also stand firm and take the best he’s got, and dish it back – for better, and for worse.
The bell sounds, and we are under way! Will Shibata add his name to the list of men who have held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship? Both men approach the middle of the ring, and are tentative to start. Okada looks for a single leg takedown, and Shibata quickly takes control of the back. He takes side control, and plays around with the wrists for a moment, before mounting the champion.
Shibata goes to flatten himself atop Okada, and then transitions back to side control. After taking mount position again, Shibata is forced off when Okada gets to the ropes. Back up, Shibata immediately drops to the mat, taunting Okada into trying something with him on the ground. Okada slowly comes down into the guard, and Shibata quickly takes the back again. He tries for a rear naked choke, but Okada is able to block it. Big feeling out process thus far.
Shibata tries for an armbar, but Okada rolls his weight back into the challenger to avoid the pressure. He gets his applied fully, and Okada thankfully makes it to the ropes, then slips to the outside. Shibata paces the ring, confident in what he’s accomplished already. Okada returns to the ring, and Shibata goes to take the back again. Okada grabs his arm and hammerlocks it. Shibata uses his foot to break the hold, then takes control of Okada’s arm.
Okada slips out and takes hold of the left foot of Shibata, and twists at the ankle. Shibata is up again, and he gets a side headlock takedown. Okada uses his legs to trap Shibata’s head, and the challenger switches out to twist at the ankle next. Both men stand up and we’re back to a stalemate. Back up, Okada grabs control of the arm again. Shibata takes the side headlock again, and Okada sends him into the ropes. Shibata doesn’t release the hold, and he twists even harder.
Okada sends him into the ropes again, and Shibata uses that momentum to take the side headlock again. Okada is up and he pushes Shibata into the corner. Okada unloads with forearms to the jaw, which doesn’t make the crowd happy. Shibata explodes out with a boot to the face, then sends Okada head first into the opposing corner. Hard forearms follow, and he goes for a running attack, and Okada meets him there with a back elbow. Shibata and Okada stand in the middle and exchange hard forearms to the jaw. Shibata has the advantage, unleashing several stiff forearms to the face!
Shibata with the snap mare, followed by a hard kick to the spine. He goes to put the Figure Four Leglock in on Okada next. The champion tries to crawl towards the ropes, but Shibata uses his upper body strength to drag him back to the middle of the ring. Shibata continues his attack on the knee, putting Okada in an Indian Death Lock, and dropping his weight to the mat to bring more pressure. It is visibly hot inside Sumo Hall.
Shibata with the boot to the face in the corner, but Okada is quick to place him on the top rope, and dropkick him to the floor below. Okada rolls to the floor and sends Shibata back first into the steel barricade. He follows with a big boot that sends Shibata into the front row. Okada grabs him and places him on the barricade, then drops him head first to the floor with a DDT. Shibata beats the count into the ring, and walks into a swinging neckbreaker from Okada that gets a 2 count.
Next, Okada traps Shibata in a Cravat of sorts, as he looks to add more pressure to the head. Shibata hops his whole body to the ropes to break the hold, but Okada holds on for a few seconds longer, which doesn’t please the crowd. Snap mare by Okada, followed by a running dropkick. Okada places Shibata in the corner, and hits several back elbows to the side of the head. Shibata walks out of the corner, and goads Okada into doing it some more. He’s not phased by any of this. Okada continues with forearms to the face, and Shibata hits just one and that drops the champion!
Shibata sends Okada into the corner, and follows with a boot to the face. Repeat in the other corner, and now Shibata unloads with multiple forearms. Shibata with a running dropkick to a downed Okada’s head, and now both men are on the outside. He sends Okada into the steel barricade, and continues with his forearm onslaught. Running dropkick to Okada sends him further into the barricade! He brings Okada back into the ring, and gets a nearfall off of that.
Shibata with the Abdominal Stretch next. Okada attempts to walk towards the ropes to break the submission, and he does. But Shibata is quick to deliver several knees to the gut, followed by a stiff kick to the arm – the Rainmaker arm. Shibata stomps at the shoulder next, then runs the ropes. He runs right into a big boot from the champion. In the corner, Okada hits a diving back elbow to the head, followed by a DDT. Running uppercut follows, and that gets a 2 count. Okada goes to the top rope now, and misses a dive. Shibata runs at him and he goes for the Tombstone, but Shibata counters. He runs the ropes, and gets hit with a Flapjack from Okada.
Powerslam from the champion, and he returns to the top rope. He hits the flying elbow drop flush, then hits the Rainmaker pose for the crowd. He goes for the Rainmaker, but Shibata counters into an STO. On their knees, both men unload with forearms to the face, and Shibata seems to be the one with the upper hand. Both men hit multiple, and now they’re back to their feet. For every one that Okada has, Shibata has one that’s even harder. Okada finally drops after one last hard forearm.
Shibata lifts him up, and Okada counters with several uppercuts. Big neckbreaker across the knee follows. Okada goes back to the top rope, and hits a huge shotgun dropkick to a seated Shibata! He makes the cover, and Shibata kicks out and immediately transitions into an armbar! Okada crawls and makes it to the bottom rope. Shibata with a fucking hard kick to the chest that just drops Okada. Another follows, this time to the shoulder, and another! He scrapes his boot across the back of the head, and follows with a slap to the neck!
Okada is pissed and he’s back up, but now he sits with his legs crossed in the middle of the ring to mock Shibata. The challenger accepts this, and does it in return. Both men sit, and exchange hard slaps right to the face. Shibata’s strikes look fucking painful. Back up, Okada stomps and kicks Shibata into the corner, and now he’s the most aggressive he’s been all match! He unleashes a running dropkick of his own onto a prone Shibata! He drives his boot into his face now, and Shibata just stands up. Huge dropkick connects!
Shibata with hard punches and stomps sends Okada hiding in the corner. Snap mare follows, and Shibata goes for the Penalty Kick, but Okada is quick to his feet and hits a beautiful dropkick. Okada with another dropkick to a sitting Shibata, who simply sits up. Another follows, and Shibata is quick to his feet! Big boot to the face, and a huge German Suplex that drops Okada on his head! But Okada is up again, and he hits a nice shotgun dropkick! Shibata is up and hits a big boot to the face! He goes for another, and Okada counters into a German Suplex!
He tries for the Rainmaker, but Shibata kicks at his arm and head. Okada finally hits it, but Shibata takes the full brunt of it and is still standing! He grabs Okada’s head, and lands a nasty headbutt – one that will change his life forever. Shibata looks up, and he’s busted open now. Shibata locks in the Octopus Hold to Okada next. The champion tries to hold off, but he collapses to the mat, and Shibata still has the hold in! He fights and fights, and he’s finally able to get his long leg to the rope.
Huge kick to the chest, and the neck as well. Rear naked choke applied next, and Okada is able to get to his feet briefly, but he falls down again. Sleeper Suplex out of nowhere by Shibata! He ripcords Okada into a huge palm strike to the face! He maintains wrist control, and unleashes a hard kick to the chest, followed by several more! He goes for another strike, but Okada counters into the Rainmaker! Now Okada maintains wrist control! Shibata with a kick to the head, and Okada follows with several of his own! He hits another Rainmaker, and Shibata absorbs it again! But now, he’s on his knees! Okada lifts him, and hits the Rainmaker proper! Red Shoes counts, and that’s the win!
So, that headbutt towards the end would unfortunately mark the end of the career of Katsuyori Shibata, until 2022 at least. Some people who were there live said the headbutt sounded like a piece of metal being swung into a tree. It was loud, and everyone knew it. Oddly enough, Kazuchika Okada showed no signs of damage from it. Shibata, on the other hand, collapsed as he went backstage, and had to be rushed to the hospital immediately.
The headbutt brought him a subdermal hematoma. He was given an 18% chance to live. The combination of that, the heat inside Sumo Hall, and the exhaustion of the match itself, essentially caused Shibata’s body to shut down temporarily, to the point that he was briefly paralyzed on one side. Miraculously, he made it to the other side of that injury pretty well. Despite Dave Meltzer dramatically reporting on the incident and saying that doctors had to remove his brain in order to help him – which isn’t true at all – Shibata remains alive and well today, and he’s even back to competing, though now it’s for AEW and Ring of Honor. Shibata’s return to New Japan, initially advertised as a grappling match for Wrestle Kingdom 16, was changed on the spot by Shibata himself, and this caused New Japan officials backstage to freak the fuck out. They’ve since ceased all relationships with him, which is unfortunate.
As for this match? What a fucking war. It started slow, but it quickly picked up into a battle of wills – one that Okada just barely survived. It’s a true shame that Shibata’s career was put on hold after this, because the way he wrestled in this match was absolutely perfect. He wrestled with the confidence of a man who knew he was going to win, and had the skills to back it up. He pummeled Okada for the majority of this match, and outclassed him at almost every corner.
Okada fought valiantly, and to his credit, he never backed down. Every hard strike that Shibata had for him, he was right there with one of his own. That said, this is in no way a victory for Okada – it’s just proof that he survived the brutality of Shibata. Even though he grabbed the win by the skin of his teeth, this match added a lot of credibility to Okada, as he took arguably the worst ass kicking of his life and walked away to talk about it. When you stand strike to strike with someone the caliber of Shibata and live, that’s saying something.
The only negative is the headbutt and its repercussions. That alone makes this likely the greatest match of all time held down by a career ending injury. I don’t celebrate the headbutt in any way. It was stubborn, and it nearly killed the man. But that doesn’t take away from the efforts he and Okada put in for this contest. It was incredible, and one of the best main event matches in any company anywhere. Currently, both men are in AEW, and healthy. Let’s run this back, but without the headbutts!