Countdown to Marufuji’s 25th: Naomichi Marufuji vs Kazuchika Okada (King of Pro-Wrestling 2016; IWGP Heavyweight Championship)

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1. With Marufuji’s 25th anniversary in pro-wrestling being celebrated on the 18th, and with a first time singles match against Will Ospreay, let’s look back again at some of the “Genius of the Ark”’s greatest matches.

   Here, Marufuji takes the role of invader, as he challenges Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship; Marufuji had just participated in the 2016 G1 tournament, and had an impressive showing, but his biggest match was defeating (and pretty much dominating) the reigning IWGP champ, Okada; here, Okada defend’s the belt in a rematch that is one of my personal favorite matches of both men’s career’s and an ending that is still talked about today.

2. Their G1 match was one of the very first NJPW matches that I ever saw. It was so absolutely brilliant, I fell in love there and then with NJPW.

3. I think I could watch this match once a day for the rest of my life and not get bored of it

4. One of my favorite Okada matches, and one of my favorite IWGP title matches.

5. A repeat of this is kinda what i was hoping for with Kaito in the G1 this year. Getting the win over SANADA and challenging for the belt on the next tour.

6. A fantastic match and part of Okada’s legendary 4th title reign. On World:

   * ENG: [https://front.njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00406_2_09](https://front.njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00406_2_09)
   * JPN: [https://front.njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00405_2_09](https://front.njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00405_2_09)
   * Their excellent G1 match: [https://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00396_2_09](https://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00396_2_09)

7. Slightly out of topic, but why is Marufuji’s theme copyrighted, but not other guys like KENOH, Kiyomiya, Nakajima?

   I thought it was because of the time but even in 2022 at WK his theme was altered.

8. Man, Marufuji probably got the most mileage in a G1 of any of the “outsiders.” Beats IWGP Heavyweight champion Okada in his first match there, then narrowly misses the finals due to a loss to Goto.

9. From memory this is the one where Okada hits the Emerald Flowsion instead of the tombstone yeah? I remember absolutely losing my mind at that, such a disrespectful move, it was awesome. A great little touch that if you know, it adds heaps and if you don’t, its no biggie cos it’s still Okada dropping a dude on his head.