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Kazuchika Okada (8) vs. KENTA (8)
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These two legends felt each other out around the ring before locking up in the center of it. Red Shoes Unno refereed.
The size advantage Okada held, meant KENTA's holds were harder to lock-in. Okada, however, started a series of waist holds that were reversed multiple times. They ended up on the ropes, and once they were broken up, KENTA taunted Okada and slapped him.
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Their hard elbow shots caught each other every time, and KENTA took to the sky for an attack on Okada's neck. Once KENTA dropkicked Okada out of the ring, he dominated the match.
KENTA brought Okada back to the ring for a pinfall attempt. Okada kicked out at the 2-count, but he was still vulnerable to KENTA's toolbox of holds. Okada seemed able to absorb KENTA's kicks masterfully, but more brutal holds took him down a peg, as did KENTA's attack on Okada's neck.
And still, Okada found his feet and his fighting spirit. A lateral press from the Rainmaker almost pinned KENTA but that shoulder came up after the 2-count. KENTA took Okada to his limits with a nasty clothesline from the top rope and a triangle hold.
That put Okada in place to flapjack KENTA into the mat. Unno watched over the men as the crowd screamed for Okada. Stiff elbows from Okada and KENTA's kicks kept the crowd entertained as the men wore each other down.
Okada launched KENTA out of the ring and into the arena floor. KENTA rallied and draped Okada over the blue barricade for a kick to Okada's chest and a double stomp on Okada's neck.
In the ring, KENTA kept the damage coming to Okada's neck with a dropkick, but he missed when he went high. Okada delivered a shotgun dropkick that dazed KENTA. Okada's bodyslam was effective but when Okada went high as KENTA had before, KENTA got closely involved.
They traded blows from the middle rope, and Okada landed a dropkick that put him in place to take a triangle from KENTA. The hold broke when Okada hooked his ankle over the bottom rope.
A quick succession of a jumping knee to the back and psycho knee right to Okada's neck only served to gain KENTA a near-fall. A top rope double stomp also only took Okada down for the 2-count. KENTA was unable to complete his Go To Sleep Finisher, and a pair of dropkicks from Okada signaled the match was nearly at its end.
He delivered a Tombstone and KENTA returned the favour with a lariat. As the audience chanted Okada's name, the men crawled towards each other and released their unending aggression.
Okada's dropkicks are stunning, and his spinning Tombstone led to a successful Rainmaker finisher. KENTA was down, and Okada grabbed the A-Block lead. Okada offered KENTA a hand up, which was refused, but the man shared an honourable handshake of respect.
Results: Kazuchika Okada (10) def. KENTA (8)
See you next time for B-Block action!
