10 Ups & 4 Downs From NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14

Ups...

10. Don’t Sweat The Technique

Zack Sabre Jr SANADA
NJPW

Zack Sabre Jr. and SANADA clashed for what will hopefully be the last time in a while on night two, as the Suzuki-gun submission master put his RevPro British Heavyweight Championship on the line against a man who seemingly had his number heading into the event.

The grappling was as slick and fluid as you'd expect from these two. All quick exchanges and fast-moving counters, it felt like a rib on retiring referee Tiger Hattori (74 years old), who had to bust his *ss to keep up. Regardless, the brisk pace helped elevate the clash. It was a more exciting and engaging chess battle as a result and stylistically, it felt unique to everything else in the card, even if there are only so many times NJPW can go to this well. Fortunately, Sabre's victory guarantees something fresh is on the horizon for both.

Props to ZSJ for his understated character work here as well: his mini-freakouts whenever SANADA gained the upper hand took the whole package up a notch.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.