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Steiner posted...

Steiner's Match Recommendation (Week 2)
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
NJPW, G1 Climax 23 - August 2, 2013
Dailymotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7sy1iz
NJPW World: http://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00211_1_10

Like everyone else, I did decide to travel back to somewhat before the NJPW boom - not as far as Bidoof, but slightly further than Iceman. And then I have chosen two wrestlers who everyone, by now, is intimately familiar with and expects this sort of performance from in the G1. But, in August 2013, people didn't expect this from Ishii. this is Ishii's first great New Japan match - and set the tone for the rest of the decade for him.

This is a new to NJPW, underestimated, undersized Big Tom vs. Peak Powers, God King Tanahashi. And Tanahashi absolutely plays that up, working as an arrogant dickhead from the outset. Two days later Ishii would go on to have maybe my favourite match of all time, but this is wonderful setup for it that showcases two of the best workers in the G1's history, playing their roles to perfection

I see what you did here. >_>

This has got to be one of Tanahashi's finest performances. Ishii already had a rep going into this G1, but it was this match that really made him to the wider NJPW audience. The most impressive thing to me about this is just how incredible Tanahashi is at reading the crowd and adjusting his performance to perfectly match their expectations. The people in Korauken this night were rabid for Ishii and not happy about potentially seeing him lose to the Ace. So, what does Tanahashi do? He turns himself on the spot and works the match as a cocky asshole. Ishii, for his part, is a great defiant babyface who is taking everything Tana throws at him while giving it his all in the hope of catching the biggest win of his life. And, boy, does Ishii throw everything at him going through every finishing move he had at that point before finally getting the win.

I recommended this match for people to see why Tanahashi is the greatest of all time and I still believe this to be one of his greatest masterpieces. In one night, he made a guy and created a narrative that carried Ishii through the rest of the G1. He may have finished at the bottom of the block, but with every match you had the feeling that he could pull off that upset. This is still one of my favorite matches and I can't recommend it enough to everyone.