Masato Tanaka might be the poster child for consistency these days in the world of puro — especially for his age. The 49-year-old continues to be one of the very best in Japan as his 2022 campaign made it feel as though this guy was in his prime. While he very well might be in terms of age, his in-ring work is top-tier.
In his second defense of the ZERO1 World Heavyweight Championship, Tanaka went head-to-head with challenger Masa Kitamiya of Pro Wrestling NOAH. The big match came at ZERO1 Happy New Year 2023 and it managed to steal the show in the main event — as Tanaka often does with his matches.
The “never say die” mindset of Tanaka mixed with the unbelievable fighting spirit of Kitamiya made for an awesome match from start to finish. Why go beyond the most simple ways to define a match where two guys are smashing each other with deadly forearms nonstop? It’s what I love to see in these puro title matches.
The closing stretch was excellent as Kitamiya kicked out of a Sliding D at one, popping up with rage and trying to fight through the pain. Tanaka was able to eventually take out the challenger but it took his Super Fly Smash and another massive shot to Kitamiya’s skull to capture the win.
In the year 2023, Tanaka remains as must-see as anyone in the scene while Kitamiya (unfortunately) remains the guy you want to see capture gold sooner rather than later.
A terrific match worth checking out.
Scott E.’s Rating: ****¼
You can check out more matches from the catalogs of Masato Tanaka and Masa Kitamiya on Wrestle Universe.
Stay tuned to the Five Star Network for all updates on the world of Joshi, Puro, and more!