For about half a decade at this point, specifically since February 21st, 2020, I have obsessively rewatched, to a tee, at least every few months, the purowave Shibata MV which is unlisted on YouTube. The entire second half is this match. To continue on something that feels unserious as a mood lightener as well, if somebody can find me the iLikeJason stuff from this match where he syncs some hits to It's the Hard Knock Life from Annie. Or even iLikeJason re-uploads in general. This is something I still remember specifically from eight years ago. That'd be greatly appreciated.
I just wanted to say that before we get into anything deeper.
I actually think this one was the most suggested match, and honestly, there's a lot to say about it, though I'm sure a bunch of this was said before. Not only that, but I'm sure I'm going to be regurgitating it here, so I get why.
First off, I know that there is some consensus of this being hard to watch, mainly by dorks and dweebs. I do not believe in safety policing. You're responsible for yourself, you choose to do that, you do it right, and that was just procedure. Life is gross, combat is disgusting, and violence is vitriolic. You're supposed to get your knees scraped in life, even if you almost die doing what you love, you scraped your knees, and you've gotten up to live another day. I'd get the case if he died, but I don't because he lived.
I get for some there's a hint of shame in the air over this match, but violence is beautiful. Hell, I'd argue the BJW Strong division matches features stuff that is grosser, which happens to be much less safe. I mean, go look at Okabayashi vs. Sasaki, where in an attempt to win, Sasaki landed ten gnarly, disgusting headbutts that bloodied the both of them hard. It's not a matter of stupidity, it's a matter of desperation. There is nothing complex to understand about this. This doesn't need to be safe, because it never was.
I know that this also created a new wave of stigma against headbutts in wrestling, (believe me, I was there) but I am grateful to see that we are slowly returning to normal on the bigger platforms. I don't know how large I'd consider Sareee-ISM to be, but considering it has a considerable buzz, and you see a lot of clips and a lot of discussion over it the week of the show. Sareee landing a horrible sounding headbutt onto Syuri at Chapter VII was also great. I didn't hear a negative peep about this.
The thing is, a bunch of the discussion also falls into the same vein as GAEA Girls, where it is merely mentioned as “concern,” yet never actually falls into the context of why it was, and why it is. GAEA Girls can be a whole separate essay on its own, this is about Shibata vs. Okada.
After all, I suppose, they say that your second life begins once you realize that your first one is finite.
First off, you need to think about what this is, modern pomp & circumstance going against the last real holder of the traditional old guard. A flashy Okada against a bare, iron-clad Shibata who dons the traditional wrestling outfit, merely just wrist tape, knee pads, and boots. In fact, that's all you need to know. It is a common man going against the silver platter. I can be over the top and say that this match is reminiscent of a proletarian struggle, but then I'd be Okada, just doing too much.
Shibata just pummels Okada the entire time, it's beautiful. Shibata is malicious, a threat, an opponent. A challenger–a wrestler, I suppose, would be the correct term. Living up to this “Mad Dog” moniker that was placed upon him when he was younger. He is malicious, focused and hitting every strike with the force of a thousand suns. Though, I suppose that's the best part. Shibata outstrikes Okada, and Okada merely has to survive. Okada claws, and for once, I can feel as if he is desperate. He works his way to hitting nearly as hard as Shibata, but he just is never really able to. Shibata dares to survive Okada, surviving the dropkicks that put away Tenryu, absorbing the Rainmaker attempts until he just can't anymore. That's the real stuff. He forces Okada to play by the rules that he has set, and Okada is barely able to catch up.
Even in the burst of energy preceding the moment, it just works. It just fits. Especially once it peaks at the moment.
I cheer when Shibata kicks at Okada's arm to weaken the inevitable Rainmaker. I scream when the sweat flies off of him when Okada hits it and the sweat flies off, and I die as soon as I remember the headbutt. Because that is the experience of Okada vs. Shibata. You know it's coming, you know that's half a decade shaved off of him, and it hurts, the same way it felt when Murakami got rocked when I watched that for the first time recently. (I know, still have a lot to catch up on.)
The moment itself is perfect, because it is one where it is this consensus that it can happen. The move that had basically won Shibata so much looked like it would take him to the gold. The hope, the promised land. He holds the choke, and yet, allows Okada to recover by not going for the imminent, desperate Penalty Kick, allowing for our traditional hero to be put down. Damn you, Okada. He survives. The reign is just dragged out for the fourth Omega match.
I don't think I ever want to see them share a ring again—it'd be pointless. Because this is the perfect showcase of something that was never meant to be, something that is wanted, the desire of the nostalgia of the old guard putting down the excess of the new guard. Even if the old guard is beaten down, dehydrated, suffering, and is using some of the last bits that it has in order to provide the piece of greatness that is desired.
If they share the ring, it doesn't make sense. They already fought for the pleasure of glory, the crown jewels. Shibata is always a better challenger, nonetheless. He challenged for the final time, even if he's held stuff afterward, it's not the same as his final, ultimate challenge.
Shibata failed, the benign ace figure will live on.