WWE In Japan: 5 Great Matches You Need To Know

WWE return to Japan on the 1st and 2nd of July for two shows at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, aka Sumo Hall. It's an important venue steeped in history and WWE aren't just putting on any old house show cards there.

Among the matches WWE are treating its fans in Nippon to over the two days are Chris Jericho Vs. Kevin Owens Vs. Seth Rollins Vs. Roman Reigns, AJ Styles Vs. John Cena and Shinsuke Nakamura Vs. Owens. Those are some mouth-watering match-ups, at least on paper, and it's obvious why WWE have loaded their cards.

Aside from the natural desire to draw a big crowd (both events are likely to sell out), WWE officials are also keenly aware that Japanese fans are serious about pro-wrestling and simply won't accept an inferior product or weak matches, certainly not when they're paying top dollar (or Yen, even) for the privilege.

This is the land of puroresu, where wrestling is about fighting spirit and competitiveness. This is where the wrestlers hit hard and go all-out on the biggest shows. WWE aren't ignorant of that fact and, if you look at some of their shows there in previous years, whether it be house shows, TV tapings or Network specials, you can see that they have catered to that need.

With WWE set to return to Japan, I have revisited five great matches from past tours to get you excited.

Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio have always had great matches together. Since displaying instant chemistry in their first ever televised singles matches in the opener of SummerSlam 2002, the two men had thrilled fans on Smackdown and pay-per-view, whether squaring off in singles or in tag matches.

One of their best matches together came in February of 2005, when Smackdown was taped at the Satiama Super Arena in Satiama, Japan. The match was the main event of what had been a rather humdrum episode and the stakes were high: whoever won would then go on to face John Cena at that months No Way Out to determine the Number One contender for the WWE Title at WrestleMania.

The Olympic Hero started by trying to ground Mysterio with some textbook mat wrestling, before the masked man came back with his lucha- infused offense, sending Angle scarpering as he went for (and missed) a 619. Angle went back to dictating the pace with headlocks, suplexes and a draining body scissors.

Rey managed to come back with a beautiful dive to the outside, but Angle was always there to knock him back down. That was the basic story of the match, the plucky Mysterio gamely trying to outfox the ultra-intense Angle, only to be thwarted at every turn. Rey did manage to rally and hit Angle with some of his always entertaining offense in the closing stretch, including a headscissors on the outside and a lovely satellite DDT.

Despite hitting a 619, a 'rana and many other dizzying moves, Rey wasn't able to get the job done, eventually succumbing to the ankle lock as the Japanese crowd gave the match a richly deserved standing ovation. This is one TV main event that is well worth checking out if/when it comes to the Network.