10 Buddy Murphy matches you must watch

#8 Vs. Kalisto Vs. Akira Tozawa Vs. Hideo Itami - Royal Rumble, January 27th, 2019

This kickoff show match was powerhouse Buddy Murphy at his strongest. Murphy shone in this fatal four-way bout as he threw his cruiserweight opponents all over and surrounding the ring inside Chase Field.

In order to keep his hands on his prized Cruiserweight Championship, Murphy had to overcome the chastising chops and kicks from the expert striker Hideo Itami, the speed and Lucha techniques of Kalisto, as well as Akira Tozawa's willingness to use his entire body as a weapon.

Not a single movement was wasted throughout this match. Unlike a lot of fatal four ways, the action was very fluid, flowing from spot to spot and giving each man an opportunity to shine. It was definitely a spot fest in the best possible sense of the term. Despite so much ridiculous, painful action, the highlight reel of risky spots didn't feel like too much.

Over the course of the match, it was clear these four competitors won over a rather skeptical crowd through their willingness to punish their own bodies. As far as kickoff show matches go, it doesn't get much better than this.