OKAMI defeated Alex Kross
The match immediately began with traditional lockup in which Okami gained the initial advantage over his more technically proficient opponent Kross. He would transition directly into the hammerlock which Kross would reverse into a rear-wristlock but Okami not to be outdone would counter with a rear-wristlock of his own wrenching the arm before pushing Kross out of the hold. After the break, they would enter another lockup which Okami would end quickly with a hip toss. Kross would reciprocate with a single leg takedown followed by a snapmare into an armbar, however, would once again Okami would escape first by rolling to a vertical base them delivering a back elbow to Kross forcing him to release the arm. Okami would repay the favor by locking in a modified armbar of his own but it would not be too long before cross would escape and catch Okami from behind with a double underhook gutbuster. Following his escape of a grounded headlock attempt by Kross, Okami would begin an attack on the arm of his opponent. Two sit-down arm breakers followed by an armbar leglock combo would take a toll on the arm of Kross, calling into question his ability to lock in his Krossface. However, Kross never to be outdone would escape and lock in his own submission, this time targeting the lower back with a sharpshooter only for Okami to once again escape and go right back to his attack on the arm of Kross.
The exchanges of hold and various locks would continue throughout the entire match however Okami in particular seemed determined to prove his technical abilities focusing on the arm of Kross assuring that he would not be able to effectively lock in the Krossface. Kross who classes himself as one of the greatest technical wrestlers in the world of wrestling today seemed surprised by Okami’s technical prowess. At one point Kross wouldn’t even rely purely on technical superiority instead choosing to take full advantage of the size difference between then and just overpower Okami would various slams and suplexes. This is not to say that Kross was not able to display his technical ability, it’s just an observation that we made throughout the match.
Near the end of the match Okami would place cross on the top turnbuckle and land a unique victory roll triangle lock combo but instead of forcing Kross to tap out by targeting the same arm he had attacked through the match Okami released the hold. Choosing rather to end the match with a GTS for the three count.
Following the match Okami was joined in the ring by his friend Nero to celebrate but instead of allowing Okami to enjoy his victory he attacked him from behind. Nero then motioned to the back as if he were inviting others to join in the assault, Kross and Moshi would run down to the ring and continue the attack on Okami who would try to fight back but the numbers advantage was just too great. The closing image we would be witness to is a defiant and resilient Okami refusing medical aide and walking to the back on his own two feet, a broken-hearted and beaten down victor who would now be forced to fight those he once called his friends.
The match was rated *** by us here at TIC, it was an enjoyable enough match, Okami came off as a viable match to Kross’s technical ability and Kross did have his burst of offense although it did seem like Kross was uncertain of what to do following certain maneuvers so he would just awkwardly stand for a second or two then lunge into another attack but this only happened a few times throughout the match and didn’t ruin our overall watching experience. The post match beat down eventually didn’t amount to much more than a wasted opportunity, our informant close to the story gave us the rundown of what was meant to follow the attack but those plans never came to fruition. The match was good but nothing truly awe inspiring nonetheless we can appreciate the talent of both men and hope to see more of them in the future.
Written by: Philip Nelson and Ashley Goldman
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