Does Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega really deserve a six star rating?

[Leo C]

Yeah I agree that that the match was truly a treat, but it wasn't perfect, let alone be a six star rating worthy match. Imagine this, WWE, the biggest company in wrestling history has had only 5 five star matches in its glorious history, also it took 14 long years for the last 5 star match to happen in 2011 after the hbk five star match in the 90's, so that speaks a lot about how tough is the rating system of Mr Meltzer. Keeping that in mind, there's no way this match is a six star match, I mean just think about it, was it so epic, so perfect, so universally damn awesome, that Meltzer was bound to break away from his rating system, in order to do justice to this match?

Yeah!

 

[¡Tranquilo!]

I really enjoyed the match personally in retrospect do I think it deserves a 6* rating? I guess, it was a very entertaining and engaging match but nothing too groundbreaking. Like everything else it's subjective. No one should base or assume their enjoyment of anything based off another persons opinion. Meltzer isn't some wrestling God at the end of the day his ratings don't mean shit.

 

[Gembo]

I thought it was brilliant. It was an absolute classic, great spots, mat wrestling, high flying, it had it all, though I do feel like it was dragged out a bit. Still though, I still think it was one of the best matches ever. Two truly great wrestlers, I don't speak a word of Japanese, and that didn't matter. Usually the language barrier stops me from watching Japanese wrestling, but this match was so good that I didn't care. I didn't know the storyline or anything, and I haven't really watched much NJPW, but I could still watch and love the match. Maybe Dave Meltzer is pushing it by saying it's the greatest match of all time, but it's definitely up there.

 

[Shayon]

I really enjoyed the match personally in retrospect do I think it deserves a 6* rating? I guess, it was a very entertaining and engaging match but nothing too groundbreaking. Like everything else it's subjective. No one should base or assume their enjoyment of anything based off another persons opinion. Meltzer isn't some wrestling God at the end of the day his ratings don't mean shit.

But then what is a perfect match for u?

 

[Shayon]

I thought it was brilliant. It was an absolute classic, great spots, mat wrestling, high flying, it had it all, though I do feel like it was dragged out a bit. Still though, I still think it was one of the best matches ever. Two truly great wrestlers, I don't speak a word of Japanese, and that didn't matter. Usually the language barrier stops me from watching Japanese wrestling, but this match was so good that I didn't care. I didn't know the storyline or anything, and I haven't really watched much NJPW, but I could still watch and love the match. Maybe Dave Meltzer is pushing it by saying it's the greatest match of all time, but it's definitely up there.

I thought it was dragged over a lot, not just a little bit. Also the match didn't shape up till the last 15 minutes

 

[¡Tranquilo!]

But then what is a perfect match for u?

I'm not sure really lol, I find enjoyment in all facets of wrestling. For the sake of answering you I'll say Omega/Okada was about as close to perfect for me as anything has gotten in a while. The tone of my first post may not suggest it but I did really enjoy the match.

I'm a fan of well-paced matches, I appreciate some good selling and storytelling, I don't mind the occasional and well-placed career-threatening spot and ofcouse I looove me some good ol' wrasslin'. I'm really not that hard to please...

 

[Shayon]

I'm not sure really lol, I find enjoyment in all facets of wrestling. For the sake of answering you I'll say Omega/Okada was about as close to perfect for me as anything has gotten in a while. The tone of my first post may not suggest it but I did really enjoy the match.

I'm a fan of well-paced matches, I appreciate some good selling and storytelling, I don't mind the occasional and well-placed career-threatening spot and ofcouse I looove me some good ol' wrasslin'. I'm really not that hard to please...

Yeah I agree on the pleasing part, I'm not that hard to please either, but when it's about a six star rating from Dave, it should be something groundbreaking

 

[Grievous 3D]

Okay...so I watched the famous 6 out of 5 Okada vs. Omega match...
and I have some thoughts and observations.

Please remember that I have never watched ANY Japanese pro wrestling before
and I have never seen Okada or Omega wrestle before.

~ The Ref has red shoes...
~ I love Kenny's hair...
~ Its amazing to me the amount photographers around the ring...
~ The English commentators seem a lot more low key and serious...which I like...
~ The overall camera work has a different feel than WWE...with the hard cam being at a flatter and lower angle.
~ The turnbuckles look really weird to me...
~ The guardrails look/seem really cheap to me...
~ Kenny reminds me of Kevin Owens, A.J Styles and Sami Zayn all rolled into one.
~ The match style is pretty cool...with a slow build to begin with and the crowd slowly being drawn into match.
~ That back drop to the outside through a table spot was insane...
~ That top rope dragon? suplex was brutal...
~ Okada hit a tombstone...Nice...
~ So...the Rainmaker is (a Short Arm Version of) the Clothesline from Hell?
~ Okada may have the best dropkick I've ever seen...

So...I can see why this match is rated so highly...its an epic back and forth
struggle between two wrestlers with great chemistry and the technical skills
needed for such an in-ring story.

Is it a 6 out of 5...No...
Is it a 5 out of 5...I'd say...Yes...

It was fantastic...

Also if Omega does ever make it to the WWE...he should use this as his entrance theme...

 

[Jacob Fox]

Okay...so I watched the famous 6 out of 5 Okada vs. Omega match...
and I have some thoughts and observations.

Please remember that I have never watched ANY Japanese pro wrestling before
and I have never seen Okada or Omega wrestle before.

~ The Ref has red shoes...
~ I love Kenny's hair...
~ Its amazing to me the amount photographers around the ring...
~ The English commentators seem a lot more low key and serious...which I like...
~ The overall camera work has a different feel than WWE...with the hard cam being at a flatter and lower angle.
~ The turnbuckles look really weird to me...
~ The guardrails look/seem really cheap to me...
~ Kenny reminds me of Kevin Owens, A.J Styles and Sami Zayn all rolled into one.
~ The match style is pretty cool...with a slow build to begin with and the crowd slowly being drawn into match.
~ That back drop to the outside through a table spot was insane...
~ That top rope dragon? suplex was brutal...
~ Okada hit a tombstone...Nice...
~ So...the Rainmaker is the (Short Arm Version of) the Clothesline from Hell?
~ Okada may have the best dropkick I've ever seen...

So...I can see why this match is rated so highly...its an epic back and forth
struggle between two wrestlers with great chemistry and the technical skills
needed for such an in-ring story.

Is it a 6 out of 5...No...
Is it a 5 out of 5...I'd say...Yes...

It was fantastic...

Also if Omega does ever make it to the WWE...he should use this as his entrance theme...



;P

~ That's why we call him Red Shoes Unno, but mostly just call him Red Shoes.
~ I have to admit he has nice hair.
~ Very typical actually.
~ Hmmm. I only ever listen to the Japanese ones. They really help make the match IMO
~ They sure do.
~ Wait until you see someone try to uncover a turnbuckle and yes, it does happen.
~ They're very frail, yup. I assume, however, with that much give, they're less likely to cause injury. I could be wrong.
~ He actually reminds me of Brian Pillman in look, character and wrestling style.
~ The pacing has had people a bit divided. Some thought the beginning was slow, I thought it was gradual and like it. Seems you liked the build as wel.
~ I agree
~ I agree
~ Tombstone is his set up move for the Rainmaker. Generally, he will go for a Rainmaker earlier in the match without setting it up with the tombstone. He almost always misses this attempt. Generally, the Rainmaker that wins the match will occur after a Tombstone but not always.
~ I always found it more similar to the short arm clothesline Jake Roberts used to set up the DDT.
~ Many people feel that way. I am not sure if it's the best I've EVER seen... Jim Powers had a beautiful clothesline... but IMO it's best looking dropkick currently in the business.

Anyway, glad you liked the match. I agree that it was 5 not 6.

 

[Stopspot]

That people are still arguing over this rating is beyond me.

Meltzer gave it 6 stars on his scale. Which is not a universal scale. Everyone sets their own metrics for how they judge and rate wrestling.

(this is not in response to Grievous post. Rather a general response to all the fools still arguing about this over social media and various discussion boards)

 

[Grievous 3D]

What's your opinion on the score and the match @Stopspot ?

 

[Stopspot]

What's your opinion on the score and the match @Stopspot ?

Read this thread. I've said it about ten times in it

 

[Grievous 3D]

Read this thread. I've said it about ten times in it

No worries...

 

[Snowman1]

Did anyone else watch this after the fact and felt like it just couldn't live up to all this hype? Meh, I was kinda underwhelmed by the match personally after reading ALL this. Stop it Dave lol

 

[Jacob Fox]

I recommended to Grievous when he asked if he should watch it that he wait until the hype dies down. If I am not misremembering, he once even said he was sick of hearing about the match and that was when I was like "He's ready to watch it now."

I dunno, I've always been able to like something more if I go into it thinking I won't like it.