Kento Miyahara is one of the very best wrestlers in the world today and his current reign as Triple Crown Champion is an important one for many reasons. After the 50th Anniversary of All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) was as bumpy as could be booking-wise along with the loss of former Triple Crown Champion Jake Lee, “The Best of the Best” needed to be there for the promotion more than ever. So kicking off 2023 with a great defense felt like the perfect way to kick off the year for AJPW.
His challenger would be none other than Takuya Nomura, who Miyahara won the AJPW World Tag Team Championship with the day prior. The Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) star is one of the true great secrets in pro wrestling for those who may not go deeper than the major promotions in Japan. His simple look is made up for by an incredible repertoire of violence with top-notch strikes that lead the way. This, in many ways, was the biggest opportunity of his career. And he delivered.
The work in this match was stellar as you’d expect but the back-and-forth favored Nomura more than Miyahara. The challenger rocked the Triple Crown Champion with endless forearms and kicks, forcing Miyahara to enter survival mode on more than one occasion. There were near falls towards the end of the match that’d have anyone on the edge of their seat thinking there was a new champion being crowned.
What makes “The Best of the Best” so great is his relationship with the crowd and how they are so locked in with what he has. The comeback by Miyahara, more than anything else in the match, was what was best. It made Nomura look all the better as his offense is what left Miyahara looking for answers deep into the match.
The finish of the match was near perfect. After exchanges that included slaps, trading strikes, and a gnarly headbutt, Miyahara was able to catch Nomura with the Shutdown Suplex after failing just a bit earlier. When he fell back with the challenger’s head spiking on the mat, you knew it was over. And the match, despite being nearly 30 minutes, could have gone longer and no one would have complained.
Tremendous match worth seeking out from All Japan as they heat up for what should be a great year with Miyahara at the top of both the main event and tag team title pictures.
WHERE TO WATCH: AJPW.TV
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