NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades

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NEVER Openweight Championship Death Match – Loser Shaves Head

Minoru Suzuki (c) vs. Hirooki Goto

Result: Hirooki Goto defeated Minoru Suzuki via pinfall to become the new NEVER Openweight Champion

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

As a lifelong WWE guy, when I think of puroresu and Japanese wrestling, this is the kind of match I picture. This was two guys just beating the stuffing out of each other. And honestly, I think the championship was less important than pride with this match.

Suzuki is practically the definition of lunatic. He’s everything you want from your intense, prideful heel. The idea that he wouldn’t be satisfied just making Goto pass out and literally give up was the epitome of hubris. Kudos to Don Callis with the perfect call, too – “Suzuki’s got him with the sleeper, don’t go for the Gotch, don’t go for – he went for the Gotch.”

I want to take this opportunity to point out how much better the presentation was on Wrestle Kingdom 12 than you get with a WWE show. Commentary seemed much more realistic and less forced, for one thing. But even more important was the lack of quick camera cuts and changing angles during chaotic action. Wrestle Kingdom 12 is presented like an athletic event – WrestleMania is presented like a cinematic event. To each his own, but I enjoyed how this show looked.

Goto hanging around long enough to avoid the Gotch piledriver every time Suzuki went for it put him in position to become the fourth new champion of the night in as many title matches. The added stipulation of “no seconds” was, of course, violated by Suzuki when members of Suzuki-gun tried to interfere. But Yoshi-Hashi made the save, and Goto capitalized.

Suzuki trying to leave without shaving his head, then returning to bring his own chair and shave his own head – or part of it, at least – was a nice touch. To me, it almost seemed like a sign of respect to Goto. Like, Suzuki probably wouldn’t have followed through if anyone else would have beaten him – but Goto deserved this to be seen through.