On May 21st I witnessed an absolutely enthralling contest between two of the best Junior Heavyweight wrestlers on the planet. Kyle O’Reilly and KUSHIDA have a chemistry in the ring that is impossible to manufacture, and extremely difficult to maintain over a period of time. That is why I believe that the three match series between KUSHIDA and O’Reilly over the past year can be included in the discussion of ‘best ever:’
- Kyle O’Reilly vs KUSHIDA – Best of the Super Juniors 2015 Final
- Kyle O’Reilly vs KUSHIDA – Revolution Pro Wrestling’s Uprising 2015
- Kyle O’Reilly vs KUSHIDA – Best of the Super Juniors 2016 Night 1 Main Event
The enjoyment of wrestling has and always will be based on opinion/perception and not on statistical fact. A 20 minute technical masterpiece to one fan may bore another. The 5 minute ‘spot-fest’ might turn off viewers looking for a gripping story, so if you don’t agree with my assessment then I fully understand.
What makes these three matches so special? Innovation.
Some of the best feuds over the course of history have transcended time and pushed the boundaries of the sport. Rivalries such as Bret/Owen in the WWE, Flair/Steamboat in the NWA and Joe/Punk in ROH.
KUSHIDA and O’Reilly draw inspiration from mixed martial arts to give their bouts a frenetic and brutal feel. This is an evolution of Strong Style, quickening the pace but keeping the traditional elements of respect and honour between combatants.
So let’s take a look at the three matches:
- Best of the Super Juniors Final 2015
The first bout between the two opened the eyes of a lot of fans. Up to this point both grapplers could’ve been considered perennial tag team specialists. The initial takedown attempts and limb-targeting borrowed heavily from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the quick transitions mesmerised the crowd in a way that was unique for the Juniors division. One of the most incredible elements of this bout was the excitement created during submission holds, the crowd were at their most electric when O’Reilly locked in a brutal armbar. KUSHIDA took the win via submission with the Hoverboard lock.
- Revolution Pro Wrestling’s Uprising 2015
This match holds great importance personally as I was lucky enough to be there. This was O’Reilly’s chance at redemption for the loss at BOSJ and both men delivered an incredible back and forth match. The most memorable moment of the bout was O’Reilly catching KUSHIDA in an armbar out of a back hand spring that completely caught the crowd unawares. After a quick paced match that took the physicality of the first up a few notches Kyle took the win following a Triangle choke. I would put this bout as the weakest of the three however this is only by the smallest of margins.
- Best of the Super Juniors 2016 Night 1 Main Event
The final bout would main event the first night of the BOSJ 2016 tournament. This match played off of the technical exchanges of the first two, however the pair adopted more high risk offence, such as KUSHIDA catching O’Reilly in an armbar after leaping from a seated position outside the ring (this has to be seen to be believed), in a moment that harked back to the Rev Pro match O’Reilly caught KUSHIDA in a triangle following a standing moonsault attempt, KUSHIDA quickly transitioned out but it added to the ‘chess match’ feel of the bout. O’Reilly took the win following an armbar after a failed attempt from KUSHIDA to escape another triangle choke.
Words can never do justice to a great piece of art, and I implore you to watch all three of these bouts. I fully expect both these men to meet again for New Japan in a more advanced role on the card in the future. It is difficult to compare modern matches to the classics, as time passes it is almost easier to judge and rank among the greats, however on this occasion I am going with my gut feeling and feel that KUSHIDA and O’Reilly deserve their spot alongside the Flair/Steamboats, purely as they have innovated and pushed the sport into new realms.
You can watch the two BOSJ matches through NJPW streaming service here: http://njpwworld.com
The Revolution Pro match is available to view either on-demand or through their streaming service here: https://www.revolutionprowrestling.com/on-demand
Have you seen these matches? What trilogies would you rank as the best ever? Leave a comment below.
Thanks for reading
Jake
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