This past Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, we’d see a shocking moment – when NJPW legend Katsuyori Shibata would save Orange Cassidy from a beatdown from PAC. This would result in Shibata being handed the Atlantic City Dream Match contract, setting up tonight’s match which will see Shibata go one on one with Orange Cassidy, with the AEW All-Atlantic Championship on the line. This is just the second match Shibata has wrestled since his return from a career threatening injury suffered in 2017, his first since January 4th, and his AEW in-ring debut.
Katsuyori Shibata Came Ready For Orange Cassidy
Before this match, Mike Tyson would join the commentary desk for this dream match. He’d agree that Shibata deserves the title of legend as he hit the ring, and agreed OC is also a great fighter, and is very unique. Shibata would get a headlock on as OC put his hands in pockets, with OC taken to the mat – and doing some mat wrestling with hands still in pockets.
OC would narrowly avoid a brutal PK – sending Shibata to the apron, and eating the elbow strike to the face. Shibata would be dropped with a dive, before he’d fire up and send OC hard into the barricade three times. OC would get some payback, before opting to trade strikes with Shibata on the floor – nearly causing a double countout.
Shibata would try to lure OC to the mat for some grappling, with OC instead sitting on the top rope – not getting lured in. OC would come down and was quickly taken down into a perfectly applied Figure Four Leg Lock, but was able to find the bottom ropes to force the break. Shibata would beat OC into the corner with some forearm smashes, but wouldn’t land the running dropkick – before being dropped with a diving DDT.
All Out Action Until The Final Moments
OC would hit a no hands dropkick in the corner, before some mocking kicks to Shibata. Shibata would catch OC with a fast STO, and stomp the spine of OC twice. He’d hit some mocking slow kicks of his own – before a stiff one to finish. This would fire OC up, who would take a page out of the book of Shibata and sat.
Shibata would follow, and would oblige when OC asked for a shot – with a brutal slap to the jaw. OC would get beaten down into the corner, before the floating dropkick and a single underhook suplex for a two count. Shibata would hit a backdrop driver, popping back to his feet before a double down after some hard strikes.
OC would hit the PK on Shibata, with Shibata sitting up and not flinching on the second go. Shibata would roll to his feet and hit a jumping forearm smash. Flying Octopus Hold would be applied – with OC barely reaching the bottom rope. Stundog Millionaire would land, before some Kawada style kicks just fired Shibata up.
Death Valley Driver would land, with Shibata blocking the second into another stunner. Beach Break would get a near fall – and OC was ready for the Orange Punch. It would land, with Shibata taking it and not going down. Rear Naked Choke would be applied, with Shibata releasing it for the backdrop. A PK would be blocked by Orange Punch – getting OC the hard fought victory.
After the match, they’d shake hands – a sign of respect. Who will challenge Cassidy next? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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