Kamaitachi VS. DRAGON LEE
NJPW/CMLL Fantasticamania Tour Day 6 (24th January 2016)
I found this match on dailymotion here. (Credit to the channel Alvaro XXV for posting.) The last match I reviewed between these two men was on neutral ground for Ring of Honor in America. This show we're going to Kamaitachi's home turf for Dragon Lee's championship from his home promotion. So it will be a big match for either man here. It's their 10th match against each other, but all of the rest have been during Kamaitachi's tour of Mexico for CMLL. Dragon Lee's basically made Kamaitachi his bitch all over Mexico and Kamaitachi's grown more and more obsessive.
They take pictures with the championship belt before the match and the challenger is announced first. He gets a big pop being on home turf for this tour, but they don't sit on their hands for Dragon Lee either. Interestingly there's an NJPW referee for this match. They charge straight at eachother from the bell, exchanging overhand chops. Kamaitachi ducks a spin kick but misses a clothesline. This match has a 60-minute time limit and is under 1 fall rules. Again interesting because Lucha Libre tend to use 2 out of 3 falls rules (unless it is considered a Lightning Match.) Dragon Lee kicks Kamaitachi into the ropes but an irish whip is reversed. Kamaitachi decides to follow and meets Dragon Lee in the middle of the ring, getting a jumping headscissors takedown! “Oh shit!” - Japanese commentator. There's another overhand chop battle, but Dragon Lee gets bored of it and kicks Kamaitachi in the gut, Dragon Lee runs off the ropes and rolls over Kamaitachi's back. Dragon Lee ducks the clothesline and it's his turn to jump into a headscissors! Kamaitachi takes a breather but notices Dragon Lee looking to fly so quickly slides back in the ring. Lee ducks another clothesline and hits a front dropkick sending Kamaitachi out to the floor again. You can see everything being moved in the background as Dragon Lee picks up speed in the ring and dives out through the ropes on Kamaitachi!
That is the pace of this match so far! We're only about a minute in. There's a twenty count on the floor and Lee gets back in the ring at 12. Kamaitachi gets back in around the 16 mark (to be honest the count's in Spanish and I lost concentration.) and Lee was looking to dive out again but is met with a superkick! Front dropkick sends Lee through the ropes, and Kamaitachi climbs out to the apron, running front dropkick sends Dragon Lee off the padded area at ringside! Kamaitachi knows he has to win it in the ring so he sends Lee back inside. Dragon Lee awkwardly tries to hold on to the ropes but bounces back into a superkick. Kamaitachi gets a nearfall on a lateral press. Kamaiatachi chops Lee into the corner. Lee gets sent across the ring but gets his boot up. Kamaitachi able to catch it though and he walks Lee out of the corner. He grabs Lee's wrist and traps it before snapping off a quick dragon screw.
We get a replay in slow motion because a normal speed one would be pointless with these guys. As we cut back Kamaitachi has his weight on Dragon Lee's knee, and he stomps it hard. Clearly having a marked target now. Dragon Lee tries to crawl to the ropes but Kamaitachi drops his elbow on the knee. Kamaitachi now with his weight on it, wrenching it sideways. Dragon Lee eventually rolls over and gets those last inches to the bottom rope. Kamaitachi brings Lee to his feet, knowing he's uneasy now on one good leg. Ignore that as he's just slammed down. Knee drop from the top rope to the groin. Dragon Lee reminded by a quick stomp that his knee's in pain too before he's brought to his feet and sent into the corner. Kamaitachi gets more overhand chops before slapping Dragon Lee around. Dragon Lee fires back with an overhand chop of his own. Kamaitachi gets in a reply and Lee's knee buckles, sending him slumping into the corner. Kamaitachi sent over the top rope, but lands on the apron. He slaps Lee, but Lee leaps in the air and kicks him with his injured leg! Lee has to grab the ropes for balance, then decides to get the blood flowing by running across the ring, Lee CLEARS the top rope! HURRRICANRANA TO THE FLOOR!
There was an announcement on the PA system and I'm pretty sure it was the announcement of these guys deaths. Both men somehow revive and beat the count, and Lee is up first. Kamaitachi reverses the irish whip but Dragon Lee hits a dropkick. Second dropkick sends Kamaitachi out of the ring. Suicide swanton connects! Both mens' seconds will them to their feet and Dragon Lee limps over to Kamaitachi. Lee rolls Kamaitachi in and follows so they beat the count, he picks Kamaitachi up like a guillotine before flipping him up and powerbombing him down. That only gets a nearfall. Dragon Lee stalks Kamaitachi to the corner and perches him on the top turnbuckle. He ducks a back elbow as he climbs out to the apron and hits Kamaitachi with a chop. Kamaitachi plays possum and throws Dragon Lee overhead back into the ring! Kamaitachi is too slow to capitalise and Lee is back to his feet. Lee chops Kamaitachi again, setting him up for a double stomp. Lee connects sending both guys down to the floor! The referee checks on both men as the seconds tend to their respective competitors. The champion's first to his feet and the count is broken at 18.
Dragon Lee places Kamaitachi on the top turnbuckle for another double stomp. Kamaitachi fights back but Dragon Lee has it set up. Kamaitachi avoids it! Lee is sent into the corner but blocks a german suplex attempt. Dragon Lee gets his foot up and climbs to the second rope, but Kamaitachi comes flying at him with a dropkick! Dragon Lee tumbles to the floor again. Dragon Lee tries to get back in the ring but a shoulder barge through the ropes sends him off the apron. Kamaitachi hits a huge senton from the top rope to the floor! The referee checks both mens' pulse and they barely beat the count back in the ring. They make it to their knees before hitting overhand chops at each other. They get to their feet to complete the chop battle. Dragon Lee kicks but is caught by Kamaitachi, another arm trap Dragon screw! Kamaitachi locks in a variation of a Figure 4 leglock! Dragon Lee is in clear agony, trying to make it to the ropes. Lee's right next to the rope, he just can't grab it! Lee finally breaks the hold after what felt like an eternity.
Kamaitachi brings Lee to his feet. Lee grabs the rope but Kamaitachi kicks his hand away. German suplex by Kamaitachi but Lee put his arms down to flip himself over to his feet, Dragon Lee hits a german! Lee misses a clothesline and Kamaitachi hits a german! Both men hit a clothesline but can't get enough of it. Big boot by Dragon Lee followed by a DISCUS LARIATOOOO!!!
Both men are down and Lee can't capitalise on the situation, barely crawling closer to Kamaitachi in an attempt to cover. Dragon Lee makes it to his feet, as does Kamaitachi. Kamaitachi charges but Dragon Lee catches him in a rollup! 1! 2! Noo! Kamaitachi rolls Lee up for a nearfall! Kamaitachi runs into a hurricanrana but rolls through! Dragon Lee barely rolls through. Both men are exhausted but Kamaitachi gets to his feet first, and he gets ready to charge in the corner. Kamaitachi really wants to win this match against Dragon Lee and it shows. Kamaitachi runs at Lee across the ring but runs into a knee strike! Lee has to lean on the ropes for support, but brings Kamaitachi up for a powerbomb, grabbing the back of his neck too. Kamaitachi fights out, hurricanrana! 1!2! Dragon Lee barely kicks out again! Dragon Lee getting the fans support here, and he locks in an armbar! He tries to lock in a crossface but can't get it all so settles for the armbar. Kamaitachi rolls through but Lee holds on! Dragon Lee hooks Kamaitachi's other arm so he can't grab the ropes, and Dragon Lee's just twisting and attacking anything and everything he can here! Kamaitachi finally kicks out to the rope to break the hold.
I really thought that was it, Dragon Lee places Kamaitachi on the top rope again. Kamaitachi tries to hold on but Lee beats him into place. Double footstomp connects! Dragon Lee covers, 1, 2, 2.99, Kamaitachi kicks out! High angle back suplex! Dragon Lee bridges it but again Kamaitachi kicks out! Kamaitachi has a great look on his face of “well, I'm surviving, but what the fuck do I do now!?” Dragon Lee is the first to his feet, but Kamaitachi rolls him up, Lee rolls through but Kamaitachi catches him with the modified figure 4 again! Dragon Lee grabs the referee out of desperation and tries to crawl to the ropes. Kamaitachi drags him out of reach. Lee is able to shimmy across and grabs the bottom rope again. Kamaitachi calls for the end as he picks Dragon Lee up for a german suplex. Lee grabs the top rope so Kamaitachi tries for a dragon suplex, no back to the german! Kamaitachi rolls through and hits another! The referee's down slow to make the count, and Dragon Lee barely kicks out. Pushing himself onto his hands. Kamaitachi's selling his desperation perfectly here. He brings Dragon Lee up to his feet and blocks a jumping knee. Overhand chop by Kamaitachi. Kamaitachi clothesline is blocked into a SPANISH FLY! 1! 2! 2.9999! NO! Kamaitachi still kicks out!! Dragon Lee picks Kamaitachi up for a powerbomb but Kamaitachi flips through with a PILE DRIVER! 1! 2! 3!
WINNER: KAMAITACHI (NEW CMLL WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION)
I need a minute. I need a lot of minutes. What the hell did I just watch. When I saw the pace these two worked from the start I thought there was no way they would keep it up for the full time. They did and the drama and intensity was upped at every station. These guys were so crisp working with each other and everything came off better than it should have done at their ridiculous speed. Kamaitachi working the knee throughout the whole match was a good story, but seemed to be lost when Dragon Lee had to take control. Although he would go back to it after certain big moves, and it would sometimes swing the momentum in the match with his time selling. You could see how much Kamaitachi needed this big win. Dragon Lee had been a thorn in his side the entire time he was over in CMLL. To get it in his own country in a cross promoted show really put the icing on the cake. Even through the language barrier I could tell the emotion in this match. Just a fantastic way to build up a victory and a championship win. Words can't do this match justice. You simply need to watch it. – Rating: 8.6/10
Kamaitachi sells the effects of the match before taking his new championship belt, as the crowd and commentary team go crazy.
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