Tama Tonga, away from the suffocating singles spotlight, performed brilliantly in the opening stages; like a snake in the grass, he slithered behind Nick Jackson before insincerely stretching out a hand to put his new ‘Good Guy’ character over.
But really, this was a Bucks showcase - and both Nick and Matt waved goodbye (?) to New Japan by breaking their bodies for the cause. Matt probably regrets his decision to Shawn Michaels his back; taking a very painful-looking early ramp bump, he sold it as if he’d just clipped a casket lid.
Hellish in punishment and creative as hell, this was precisely the sort of inventive, blistering Bucks match we’ll miss - even if it wasn’t quite as deep as their two-on-two minor masterpiece opposite Roppongi 3K this time last year.
As for the resulting complexion of the division? Much like the preceding World Tag League, it hardly matters.
