Upside, Inside Out

Ricky Marvin VS Katsuhiko Nakajima - NOAH GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship Decision Match 11/27/2011

JJZ: Soooooooo, I love Nakajima. And to be blunt. I wanted to watch a Nakajima match. So here we are. Then I found out the history behind the match and I was like here we fucking go! So where we are going CJD is to a vacant GHC junior heavyweight title match that both men vacated. Nakajima had to get emergency surgery in September of 2011 for acute appendicitis and was forced to drop the belt. Ricky defeated Satoshi Kajiwara for the title in October but vacated the belt until he could face Nakajima so he could be crowned the rightful champion. So this brings us to November 2011 and to Nakajima's MC Hammer pants. I'm not going to X and O this match but more give you my emotions while watching it. I found myself saying jesus christ while smiling and touching my head on several occasions. Both wrestlers literally kicked each other so hard I found myself clutching my own chest. I thought to myself at one point could NOAH be considered the greatest promotion ever when they were in there hey day? I then thought have I seen this before? Not because anything was familiar but because how did this go under my radar. If you've seen this before then I know you'll enjoy it more the second time. If you haven't then you're welcome.

CJD: I have not, so thank you! I love the backstory and the angle of Marvin vacating the title to challenge the man who never lost it. I'm not going to lie though, when Nakajima started to viciously attack Marvin's leg I groaned inside. Because while Ricky might be a CJD guy capable of creative nuance, amazing technical sequences, and breath taking impactful high flying... long term selling is not always his strong suit. Luckily this match was vicious indeed and spectacular enough that it made it easy to look past the iffy legwork. Two phrases we've said out loud watching wrestling together many many times over are "Sell the leg!" and "Bridges are hard." Well both statements apply to this match. I really dug watching Marvin in these big opportunity singles matches back to back. He always brings a ton of life and energy into the ring and we'll take all of that you've got Ricky.

Hey I Know All About That

KENTA (c) VS Ricky Marvin - NOAH GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship 6/4/2009

CJD: I've had this match on DVD with the intention to play for you for about a decade now. If only King's Aark had been a thing back then! Knowing how religiously you follow their uploads I wouldn't be surprised if you've already seen it. But I will say I was glad to rewatch this match before deciding to play it forward. The overkill issues that plagued NOAH around this time stood out in my memory, and they're still there. But on rewatch I was blown away by what a great opponent Marvin was for KENTA and how many unique transitions and exchanges he got out of him. This is years removed from when Ricky elevated the entire junior division but he still has plenty left to give here. And as the Ace of the division KENTA is no slouch either, a very worthy second 2x MDTSOCWWKD Champion indeed. I had a big ass smile plastered on my face a few times by the end of this match and I hope you do too.

JJZ: So I feel like a negative aspect of my wrestling viewing is that I go to the same well too much. Or to say it in a more positive way, I'm too loyal to certain wrestlers or promotions. Pro Wrestling NOAH and KENTA fall right into that. I know you are playing this match forward to me but you know the smile this match put on my face. The "Still the Best" t-shirt Marvin is wearing makes me think he is talking directly to you because around 2005-2007 you always said Ricky Marvin was the best junior in the world. I always thought of him as a Chris guy along side Tiger Mask IV and James Gibson. Right off the bat that dive into the crowd onto KENTA says you were right Chris. Ricky is coming out the gate with something to prove to the blue chipper. I understand that the KENTA of today is a shadow of himself but his run in NOAH was so goddamn good he has earned the respect of the wrestling world until he hangs it up. To respond to your statement this match is new to me. Probably because I assumed we watched it together at 1:30 AM while eating pizza and discussing why Homicide was selling the wrong hand in that Danielson match. I still say it should have been the left hand not the right. But I'll agree that the transitions in this match are fantastic. Halfway through it's reminding me of the Otani/Nakamura match you showed me where Otani was overwhelming Nakamura knowing how big the spot he was in was. Marvin is wrestling like this is his last match. While KENTA is trying to catch up and match Ricky's intensity. The sleeper spot midway in is great psychology to drain KENTA and to keep the momentum for Marvin. This match was amazing Chris. In a time in wrestling with all the empty areas and shitty allegations this match was a joy to watch. It made me very happy. Thank you.