A review of the match, from Cagematch (for what it’s worth):
[0.0] “If you are reading this years from now as someone who wants to check out some of the worst rated matches on this site out of perverse curiosity or for a cheap laugh, you have been warned in advance that there was nothing remotely curious nor funny about this. Whoever booked this should be blackballed from wrestling, and any doctor that cleared Kota Ibushi should lose their medical license. He came into this match with a broken ankle, broken hand, and not fully healed shoulder, all because he has refused surgery for two years straight. Despite this, NOAH decided to bring him in for a 33 minute main event on their biggest show of the year. Ibushi was visibly in a ton of pain with every step he took, and he only made it worse by breaking his other ankle halfway through. And even then, the ref refused to stop the match. Ibushi couldn’t do anything, and I mean anything, except occasionally use kicks and forearms. This is a guy who once almost retired because he “only” had a good title match, and here he looked like he was about to quit from pain and despair. Poor Marufuji looked like he would rather be anywhere else. I am appalled and disgusted that this match was greenlit by a company that should have no shortage of medical resources and standard practices. Those in charge of NOAH have no concern for the welfare of those who wrestle under their banner. Shame on them.”
He came into this match with a broken ankle, broken hand, and not fully healed shoulder […] and he only made it worse by breaking his other ankle halfway through.
Ibushi’s comments before this match sounded insane but not out of line with what people like Kenny have said before, while putting on barnstormers. It wasn’t clear just how much Kota really was underselling the amount of damage he was hiding.
I hope Kenny can sit Ibushi down and smack some sense into him about getting damn surgery and fixing up his problems. He went from putting on bangers against Speedball in GCW to an absolute embarrassment of a main event for NOAH in…*checks* fucking hell literally 9 months lol.
A review of the match, from Cagematch (for what it’s worth):
What in the actual fuck?!
Ibushi, Marafuji, NOAH, no one smart was involved in this fucking decision.
Ibushi’s comments before this match sounded insane but not out of line with what people like Kenny have said before, while putting on barnstormers. It wasn’t clear just how much Kota really was underselling the amount of damage he was hiding.
What a waste of a once-in-a-lifetime matchup.
I hope Kenny can sit Ibushi down and smack some sense into him about getting damn surgery and fixing up his problems. He went from putting on bangers against Speedball in GCW to an absolute embarrassment of a main event for NOAH in…*checks* fucking hell literally 9 months lol.
Man that’s a sobering number isn’t it.
Took 9 months to make him, and 9 months to destroy him.