MOTW 160: KENOH vs KENTA
"M.O.T.W. #160: KENOH vs. KENTA" - ink & digital illustration
Today brings us to the 160th of our Chris Things Art 'Match of the Week' illustration series. And this week we travel to Tokushima for a real highlight of a super underrated recent Pro Wrestling NOAH N-1 Tournament between two of my very favourites.
This terrifically stiff & heartfelt bout took place on September 21st of this year - Night 7 of NOAH's N-1 Victory Tournament at the Tokugin Tomony Arena in Tokushima, Japan (the hometown of KENOH).
Alright so there is so much to love about this match! Firstly, the wonderfully hot hometown crowd for the 'Fist-King', KENOH (who just happen to also be very into KENTA) make for a terrific atmosphere.
But it's the dynamic here between two very similar but different hard-hitting & long-time chip-on-their-shoulder jerks is really what makes this one so special. They're not the biggest dogs in the fight, but like my little old man dog Ziggy, they are over-compensating for it at every turn. From the opening slaps when backed into the ropes, I had a big smile on my face. And boy, did it just escalate from there! This moment of KENTA dickishly kicking KENOH as he slowly fired up really brought me back to what made me fall in love with KENTA in the early 2000s.
Both guys are just so fantastic here & display a wonderful chemistry. This is the physical, no-nonsense style that makes NOAH the best in the world. A proper celebration of the house style of the emerald ark.
Finally, it is just so cool to see a man that I've been such a fan of for so long back where he belongs, in his home promotion & showing exactly what he is still capable of in these later years of an already legendary career.
This one made me real happy & is exactly the kind of Pro Wrestling that I adore. HIGHLY recommended!
ENJOY!!
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