10 Most Shocking NJPW Upsets
4. Hiromu Takahashi Vs. KUSHIDA - Sakura Genesis 2017
A masterclass of subversive booking, Gedo here reworked the old quandary, of working oneself into a shoot, by slightly modifying Hiromu Takahashi's reputation as a danger unto himself.
At Sakura Genesis 2017, he booked and weaponised Takahashi as a danger to all others. The New Japan top-tier title match follows a standard formula diversified by the players involved. Typically stretching to 18 minutes at a minimum, the lineage and the occasion is put over in a very physical war that culminates in a head-spinning sequence of reversals and near-falls. Essentially, if a performer stands a chance of retaining or capturing gold, they must enter the fight of their lives. Here, Gedo subverted that, too, by booking a lightning squash in which Takahashi steamrolled over the longstanding division Ace KUSHIDA in under two minutes of breathless, pulsating action.
A shock tactic designed to build interest in a sequel, it rang true as resoundingly as the Time Bomb rang KUSHIDA's bell with his frightening, blitzkrieg offence. We already knew Takahashi to be dangerous; on this night, Gedo simply redirected our moral compass.
To subvert an old wrestling catchphrase, this was the night on which Takahashi evolved from Suicidal to Homicidal.