VOW 2021 Match of the Year: #7 (Kota Ibushi vs. Jay White)

One of the most emotionally charged matches of the year sees bitter rivals Kota Ibushi and Jay White face off in the Tokyo Dome.

2021 MATCH OF THE YEAR ARCHIVES

• Introduction & Honorable Mentions
• 100-76
• 75-51
• 50-26
• 25-11
• Top 10 Reveal/Audio Show ($)
• #10: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shingo Takagi
• #9: Thunder Rosa vs. Dr. Britt Baker
• #8: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay

VOICES OF WRESTLING MATCH OF THE YEAR ARCHIVES

• 2020
• 2019
• 2018
• 2017
• 2016
• 2015
• 2014
• 2013
• 2012

#7
Kota Ibushi vs. Jay White
1/5
NJPW

Overall Points: 316
Total Votes: 46
% of Ballots: 26.1%
8 First Place Votes

“Brilliant stuff. One of Jay White’s best matches.” -Warren Hayes

“NJPW has spoiled us over the years with early MOTY candidates at Wrestle Kingdom, and 2021 was no different. Ibushi vs. White was perfectly set up and raised the bar, even for the already ridiculously high standards of Wrestle Kingdom. Great story, great match, just…great.” -Jeremy Thomas

“Perfect and spot-on heel work by Jay White against Kota Ibushi at his best.” -Dave Musgrave

“This was the perfect culmination of the story of the babyface Kota Ibushi striving to reach the top of New Japan’s roster against the absolute jerk of a heel that is Jay White.” -Fred Morlan

“The main event of night two of Wrestle Kingdom, White and Ibushi just about matched Okada vs. Ospreay from the previous evening. This was a big moment for Ibushi, for whom it took a while for NJPW to crown as their top guy. Jay White proved, again, that he can hang and then some with the top dogs, which puts him in that tier himself.” -Greg Parks

“A full bodied battle that climaxed with a satisfyingly good finish.” -Joey O’Doherty

“Emotional investment. It’s what makes the difference between a great match and an all-time great match. It’s the difference between a 4.5 star match and going the full 5. It’s the difference between the excellent Will Ospreay vs. Shingo match at Wrestling Dontaku and this match, the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 15 Night 2. Looking back at 2021 there was no match that had me as emotionally invested from start to finish as the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Title Match between Kota Ibushi and Jay White in the Tokyo Dome. It is my only 5 star match of the year. The only match that came close to drawing me in as much was the Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match, but that one wasn’t able to maintain the emotional investment through to the end. Jay White and Kota Ibushi, on the other hand, pulled me in and had me in their grip for the entirety of their 48 minutes and 5 seconds.

With many matches these days, especially in the clap crowds of Japan, a match length near 50 minutes could be seen as too long. To some it might have been. It may have overstayed its welcome or had portions that dragged. But not for me. To me this match is perfect and needed every one of those 48 minutes to tell its story. To use a cliche this match was an emotional rollercoaster. It needed the full time to climb up to its incredible heights before dropping you down full speed and then taking you through all the twists and turns that made it a uniquely exhilarating experience. Without the long match time we would not have been able to fully feel the desperation of Jay White as he reached down into himself to give everything he had in the hopes of winning the match. We wouldn’t have been able to see the resilience of Kota Ibushi as he wrestled his second demanding match in as many nights. We needed the time to see Kota rise up as he tried to avoid all the tricks and cheating that White and Gedo had used exactly one year before at Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 2 to defeat him. While many may not have liked the overbooked interference of that “losers bracket” match, to me it was great in showing just how much was needed to put down Ibushi. Even after a grueling match with Okada the night before, Jay White and Gedo needed brass knuckle shots, low blows, chairs, and multiple finishers to finally pin Ibushi. Basically they needed the kitchen sink. And now here, one year later, and with the greatest prize in their company at stake, Jay White had to once again throw the kitchen sink at Ibushi. It played perfectly off that Wrestle Kingdom 14 match in 2020, as well as their excellent 2019 G1 Final, showing that sneakily Jay White and Kota Ibushi have built up one of the greatest feuds in NJPW over the past few years.

Every time I thought this match had hit its peak or shifted into its highest gear, it found a new way to make things even greater. In these last few years of Dick Togo and EVIL going overboard, interference spots in New Japan have gotten a bad reputation, and maybe rightfully so. But here Gedo and Jay used it to perfection. Late into the match Kota climbs up to the top rope to go for the Phoenix Splash, one of his older finishers. Anyone cheering for the Golden Star had to be filled with dread. Would this be his Stardust Press? The move from his past that he can never hit and ultimately leads to his downfall – much like what happened to Naito before his ultimate triumph. But no, the Phoenix Splash connected! This had to be it! There’s no way Jay White is kicking out of this! And he didn’t. But instead that damn Gedo pulled the ref out of the ring before 3 could be counted. Dragging the ref out is a spot that is done frequently in New Japan and often induces an eye roll, but here it was deployed perfectly. It allowed the move to be protected, as Jay White couldn’t kick out. And it also helped complete the roller coaster ride of emotions that happened in these brief moments. The fear of Kota missing the splash changed to the joy of him hitting it and possibly getting the win and then got quickly brought down into anger and disappointment as Gedo interfered. See, interference spots aren’t bad – bad interference spots are bad! It reminds me of my 2019 Match of the Year, Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White at Madison Square Garden, which also had a perfectly executed Gedo interference spot. I guess I’m a sucker for those.

In the end Jay White wasn’t able to do it. Kota Ibushi was just too good. What followed Kota’s celebration was an even more amazing interview in the back with Jay White as he spiraled down. He was broken by disappointment and failure. At the time it became one of the hottest storylines and possibly shoot stories in all of wrestling. What was Jay White going to do next? Would he turn face? Was he really leaving NJPW? Would he go somewhere else? Ultimately this amazing bit of character work didn’t pay off as White returned to attack Ishii and continue as the same Switchblade character. And then as COVID restrictions and possibly personal matters started to interfere, Jay White became a mainstay of NJPW STRONG in the US and lost much of the momentum he had at the beginning of the year. I hope Jay White is able to come back to full time in Japan at some point and fulfill the potential he has. He has had some of my favorite matches in New Japan over the last few years and still has unfinished storylines with Okada and Ibushi that could reach even higher heights than this match.

Much like Jay White, Kota Ibushi ultimately had a disappointing 2021 as well. His crowning moment at Wrestle Kingdom was followed by a pedestrian title reign with a meh SANADA match, an unfortunate injury derailing a Hiromu match at the anniversary show, and weird booking with the IWGP Heavyweight Title, IWGP Intercontinental title, and the creation of the IWGP World Heavyweight Title. And then there was the Will Ospreay feud that started off on a very bad foot. Ibushi then had multiple injuries and health setbacks throughout the summer and fall, ending with the devastating injury during his G1 final match with Okada. Here’s hoping that after this snakebitten year Ibushi comes back in 2022 to the level of greatness we know he is capable of.

But despite how the rest of the year went, Jay White and Kota Ibushi will always have this gem of a match. A near perfect display of storytelling, athleticism, and emotion in pro wrestling. Seeing incredible desperation by a wrestler is one of my favorite aspects in big time matches like these, and I honestly believe the desperation on display by Jay White here rivals the amazing performance by Stone Cold Steve Austin in the main event of WrestleMania X-7 against The Rock. As I throw roses at this match, I will leave with one more. I have only been following NJPW closely and in real time since WK 12 in 2018. Over those 4 years though, I believe this may be the greatest match I have seen. The only match that could contend with it would be the G1 final between Kota Ibushi and Hiroshi Tanahashi in 2018. Here’s hoping that in 2022 wrestling can get back to a place for me with this level of emotional investment and excitement. And if it can’t – we’ll I can always go back and watch this modern classic” -S. Dakota Jones

“Kota Ibushi was his usual great self I don’t really need to get into it. Jay White however…This performance during and after this match is the best single performance by anyone of the year and one of the greatest in the history of the business. You have this heel riding high, excited to have made history he was the first man not to have won the the G1 but win the briefcase from the G1 winner. The current champion is a man he has a winning record against. This man knew everything was laid out for him to do this. It was his “Destino” to be the next double IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion. In this match everything was in his favor the typical Gedo shenanigans to him just simply having Ibushi scouted they done this quite a bit now. But then things don’t go as planned Ibushi has new ways to slip out of the Blade Runner. But Jay being the crafty pro wrestler he is finally able to connect. Blade Runner this is it 1…2…NOOOO Ibushi fights out…Jay is panicking the horror on his face you can feel the panic. He is confused no one kicks out that. He quickly slaps on his T.T.O submission. Horror and confusion on his face…Ibushi is not tapping he doesn’t understand what’s happening this was his “Destino”. The struggle continues and eventually Ibushi hits his Kamigoye. Jay is out he can’t muster the strength to kick out. He comes to hears music but it isn’t his…none of it makes sense. He sees the two titles that he thought were his he is finally “King Switch” but alas both are wrestled away from him. He failed and his mind did not process that he did. It’s a masterful performance and I didn’t even get into the promo…” -Markeem Graham

“Another Tokyo Dome classic main event.” -Sidney L. Pullar

“Classic babyface vs. heel match here. White is quick to take control and work over Ibushi’s neck and mid-section and wear him down. Ibushi is in second match in 24 hours and is already hurting but he keeps fighting to stay alive with his kicks and strikes. White sees this strategy and starts to target Ibushi’s legs as well. The match builds as both men try to end it but can’t get the win. Ibushi goes for broke and hits a Phoenix Splash! But Gedo, White’s manager, takes out the referee! Ibushi takes gedo out! But White hits a low blow! Blade Runner! But only gets 2! This match! The match keeps going with both men tired. Back and forth counters before Ibushi finally nails White with a knee. Kamigoye to the back of White’s head! Ibushi lowers the knee pad! Kamigoye with the bare knee ends it! What a rollercoaster of a match!” -Alex Kalil

“A perfect performance from Jay White and the post match comments had him as the hottest commodity in wrestling. Would be higher in my poll if the follow up didn’t hurt.” -Corey

“At the time, it looked 2021 would be the year of Ibushi and White in NJPW. Ibushi, having conquered his foes at Wrestle Kingdom and emerged as the double-champion, and White coming up just short in this epic match, and then engaging in some interesting character work in the post-match where it felt like he was about to turn babyface.

However, it was not meant to be. Ibushi battled injuries and an awkward title reign in front of clap crowds, while White got caught up in the rigors of quarantining in Japan. Ibushi missed Wrestle Kingdom 16 and White was MIA.

Still, this match at the time felt like you were seeing the beginning of an epic story between two men, similar to the Okada/Omega or Okada/Naito rivalries. Ibushi, the babyface getting his greatest moment while White, a miserable heel who nonetheless was admirable in his defeat. A 48-minute slugfest between two guys who were simultaneously exhausted and full of energy.

Some people will look at the length of this match and see that as a weakness, a frustrating trend with NJPW where the main event matches go too long. While that is understable, the real secret of NJPW is how they can have their matches go that long and rarely do they feel like they overextended themselves. Every minute, every move, feels purposeful and key to telling the entire story.” -Jesse Collings

“It may have been a down year for the company, but the Dome always delivers. People will criticize this match for going too long (48:05) but they used that time to build expertly. Kota Ibushi’s selling in this match was unparalleled and Jay White put on the performance of his lifetime, the peak of his Bullet Club character.” -Brady Childs

“Jay White vs Kota Ibushi capped the year of 2021 off right, showcasing to the world that NJPW was back and headed to the right direction. The sad truth of course, was that this heading was almost immediately lost, but that did change the impact of this match. Ibushi was classic Ibushi here, throwing strikes and flips while taking no nonsense from anybody. He was a man that achieved a godlike status in NJPW the night previous by defeating the guard of the old era, a status that continued into this match with utter resiliency towards everything Jay White. Ibushi stalled off White to cause panic in White for the first time in the company’s history. I have never seen that look from Jay White before, pleading with Gedo about what he had to do to defeat Ibushi. The eyes of Jay White told this story of a man out of his depth. White’s performance was one of his greatest character moments in NJPW that caused waves. Again, it’s a shame none of this has been followed up on, but hopefully one day, we all can witness the next chapter.” -Ryan Neitzey

“A match that had a deep psychology. White’s perfect heel work and Ibushi’s great babyface stuff thrown in the mix. Jay White , trying everything to defeat Ibushi and putting end to the fairy tale. But Ibushi doesn’t give up and fights for his dream. Despite every obstacle he beats White and becomes the god. I think that was a match everyone should watch. Especially people who thinks White can’t be in the main event spot.” -Kaan Ünverdi

“The longest main event in Wrestle Kingdom history. Now this was a great match, but it’s not perfect by any means. There was a little bloating in the body of the match where Ibushi made an initial comeback before White cut him off. Nothing that took away from the whole match because there was more than enough to keep this up there as a classic match. Jay White took Ibushi to the absolute limit, doing literally anything he can do to beat Ibushi. He neutralised Ibushi early in the match, being aware of his surroundings, using space to protect himself as well as trapping Ibushi into a false sense of security before then targeting Ibushi’s body – first his ribs then his legs. His deliberate pacing made for a slow and steady match with not much fast paced sequences unlike Okada v Ospreay but it was entirely compelling to watch. Ibushi complimented that perfectly as well. Ibushi was relentless in not giving up to White despite all of what he was doing. He kept on pushing and pushing White to the brink before finally winning and cementing himself as the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion. Not much else to say. Great match that pushed both wrestlers to their limits while combining the spirit of both.” -MC

“This match is a very special one. It’s unique in that you could see the slow capitulation of Jay White as he realised he’d ran out of ideas to beat Ibushi. The psychology of this match was next level stuff! This is what sets it apart from much of its competition, as while the spectacle of a Tokyo Dome main event, and intensity of an IWGP Championship are key factors to the match’s success, the psychology is it’s defining edge. In essence, it’s the match’s ‘unique selling point’. I’ve not seen a match in 2021 that matches the psychological aspect of this main event clash of titans.” -Jamie Johnson

“2021 should have been the year of Jay White. 2021 should have been the year of Kota Ibushi. This match and the post match promos hammer it home. An epic roller coaster of emotions. *****” -PW_IND

“Imagine I’m rating this too high, but I loved the story the match told, with White trying everything and getting frustrated that he couldn’t put Ibushi away. White’s post-match promo was incredible. Also, I’m a mark for Ibu, so…” -Very Worried About Ibushi’s Shoulder

VOICES OF WRESTLING 2021 MATCH OF THE YEAR