MOTW 154: Oiywa vs Uemura
"M.O.T.W. #154: Ryohei Oiywa vs. Yuya Uemura" - ink & digital illustration
Today brings us to the 154th of our Chris Things Art 'Match of the Week' illustration series. And this week, you might have guessed what was coming as I finally finished off the G1 Climax36 tournament. And it may well be my favourite all-around G1 ever!
The big tourney final took place as the main event of Day 19 of this years' New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 on August 16th before a packed Tokyo Ryogoku Sumo Hall and it was an absolute masterclass in Professional Wrestling!
"A new standard for professional wrestling in the modern day has been set" - a big call but one that I think is very true after having watched this absolutely incredible match. Much has been said about this one & I'm obviously quite late to the party here but for me, this was the most refreshing wrestling match that I can recall watching in the longest time.
In a contemporary wrestling world where more has been more for the longest time, slowly getting more maximalist & convoluted as things progressed - to be able to bring that back to making people care about the most fundamental holds is such a beautiful thing!
I think what both Oiywa & Uemura did here was so impressive. And also so important for the craft of this whole thing. For the old heads like me who've watched a fair bit of wrestling in my day, this was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. It gives me a renewed faith that you can still make the small things matter & the beauty of 70s style counter-based, hold-for-hold wrestling can still not only exist but also be hugely successful. While I was watching this, I was getting flashes of Destroyer vs Mil Mascaras & Billy Robinson vs Verne Gagne & Jack Brisco vs Dory Funk Jr. To see that in 2026 is just insane! And the Tokyo fans were there & fully invested in every moment.
I loved this so, so much! A headlock vs a wristlock can still be totally enthralling 2026. This was so special. I may have cried a little bit.
ENJOY!
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