12 Ups & 6 Downs From NJPW Best Of The Super Juniors 2019
5. Stealing The SHO
SHO vs. Shingo Takagi was a story as old as pro-wrestling itself: the plucky, spirited up-and-comer whose skill isn't quite there yet, but whose heart is off the scales, facing off against a mean old ring veteran with vastly superior clout, experience, and in-ring dexterity. It was the never-say-die underdog desperate to prove himself against the dominant, undefeated beast; the lovable dork versus the high-school bully.
It was phenomenal.
Built through months of heated tag exchanges, this night one encounter was the first instalment in what should become a long, rewarding in-ring rivalry between two guys who'll be here for a long, long time. Takagi's imperiousness brings the best out in SHO, who brought show much fire he almost burned Sendai Sun Plaza Hall down in this, his coming out party, as he tried to prove himself not only capable of besting 'The Dragon,' but doing so while surviving each of Shingo's biggest bombs.
SHO lost, because of course he did. The Roppongi 3K man was always losing here. Still, it speaks volumes that he had everyone in the building biting on his near-falls, and he almost got the big, dastardly bully several times. He'll come even closer next time. Then, finally, he'll emerge the better man, overcoming Takagi after years of getting knocked down, but getting back up twice as strong.
Professional wrestling is f*cking magic.