Cultaholic.com 2021 Awards: Vote For Your Match Of The Year
Five nominations - only one winner!
Kota Ibushi Vs. Jay White – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15
One day on from defeating Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Double Championship, Kota Ibushi faced arguably his biggest challenge in Jay White on January 5, 2021.
White had defeated Ibushi in their three previous encounters in 2020 - including at Power Struggle to win The Golden Star’s Tokyo Dome Right To Challenge Certificate - and the question remained if Ibushi could overcome The Switchblade and leave the Tokyo Dome as God?
An epic war of attrition ensued with White dominating much of the 48-minute contest. He just couldn’t put the champion away, though, and Ibushi, having survived so much punishment, managed to pin The Switchblade after connecting with his ‘Murder’ side and hitting a Reverse Kamigoye and Exposed Knee Kamigoye.
Epic in-ring action intertwined with storytelling enough to make Kevin Kelly and Rocky Romero cry. What more could you want from professional wrestling?
Nominated By: Aidan Gibbons - Chief News Writer
