"Red Death" versus "The Murder Grandpa" lives up to the promise of those monikers. this match is the definition of getting dragged into the deep water. this match is Fighting Spirit.
this match fucks.
if it's not Daniel Garcia's best match1 it's probably my favorite of his and it's also one of my favorite Minoru Suzuki matches. the story is a simple premise stated clearly by Suzuki about halfway through: "fucking young boy." this kid from Buffalo who grew up watching MMA, Japanese pro wrestling, and particularly Pancrase; the fusion of the two. the man across the ring a legend of all three, and cofounder of the last. master versus apprentice, and the lesson is brutal.
Suzuki dismantles Garcia in this match. this is a scouring of the soul. he assaults the body and mind of Garcia, and he gets the crowd to cheer for all of it. there's a point where another one of Suzuki's chops lands, still hard and fast late into the match. Suzuki is smiling throughout, barely breaking a sweat, and young Danny Garcia rocks back and screws up his face as if he's holding back tears.
another series of brutal strikes and then Red Death roars. he's unlocking his ki. he's going fucking Super Saiyan. and the King laughs in his face. this fucking young boy thinks he can hang.
i won't spoil how it ends. but i want to see round 2.
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i feel like he's racked up a few you could argue for here