10 Stiffest Wrestling Matches Ever
7. Katsuyori Shibata Vs Tomohiro Ishii - G1 Climax Tournament 2013
Tomohiro Ishii and Katsuyori Shibata are two of the stiffest wrestlers in the world. Ishii uses a hard-hitting style made up of forearms, lariats, and slams, while Shibata's brand of fighting is similar, but also incorporates a martial arts influence.
Naturally, the two men have had some of their most dangerous matches against one another. Their contest in the 2013 G1 Climax tournament was insanely physical, and they managed to outdo it at this year's Wrestle Kingdom show with the NEVER Openweight Championship on the line.
The match opened with Shibata hitting a big kick to Ishii's face, and from there, the two just tore into each other with strikes. For about seven minutes there were almost no wrestling moves, just forearms and kicks. Both men took turns sitting on the mat and letting their opponent kick them in the spine, only to get up and shrug it off. The lariats were cringeworthy, as well.
The most memorable spot in the bout, however, came when the two traded headbutts. As much as lariats and kicks can hurt in the moment, they're ultimately safe. The same can't be said for two heads colliding like bowling balls, creating audible thuds. Many spectators rightfully criticized that particular spot, scared of the long-term effects it could have on both men.