10 Most Rewatchable Wrestling Moments Ever
9. KENTA’s Heel Turn & Shibata’s Dropkick (G1 Climax Finals 2019)
At the end of one of the greatest matches of all time, Katsuyori Shibata hit Kazuchika Okada with a sickening headbutt, striking the IWGP Heavyweight Champion with the entire force of his skull. Blood trickled down Shibata's head, and his eyes didn't look the same as they were before.
After Okada retained his belt, it was clear that something was wrong. Upon making it backstage, Shibata collapsed. He was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma which almost killed him, and in the three years since, Shibata has still not returned to the ring, taking a position as the head trainer at the NJPW LA Dojo.
Years later, he introduced the debuting KENTA to a New Japan ring at Dominion 2019. Yet, at the end of the G1 Climax tournament that year, KENTA turned heel and joined Bullet Club. As he assaulted Tomohiro Ishii with his new associates, Shibata ran down the aisle and threw strikes against Bullet Club members, eventually hitting his signature corner dropkick for the first time since his absence.
The fans were overwhelmed by emotion, with the crowd erupting with cheers for their returning hero. Despite KENTA's subsequent assault on the legend and the fact that Shibata still hasn't made it back to the ring, this lives on forever as one of the most euphoric moments in wrestling.