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Another Despy match I just can't get over is his singles match vs his tag partner Kanemaru Yoshinobu during BOSJ24. It's a short match, but so revealing of the messed-up dynamics in Suzuki-Gun and Despy's position in the group https://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00440_6_05
Despy... hates fighting anyone else in his faction, and doesn't exactly make a secret of this. When he comes into this match he's full of nervous energy instead of his usual mood, and the first thing he does is grab a chair and carry it into the ring, in full view of the ref
Despy cheats all the time but he's usually pretty smart about it - he cheats to win. This isn't his usual Suzuki-Gun tactics nonsense - this is him in full defensive survival mode.
He's got Taka, his old tag partner, in his corner. Nobu's got Taichi.
He's got Taka, his old tag partner, in his corner. Nobu's got Taichi.
Despy knows exactly what to expect from his tag partner and it's nothing remotely good. When they first hit the ropes, Despy lets go of Nobu. And when the ref calls for a clean break from Nobu, Nobu... actually gives it to him? Despy's as shocked as the rest of us.
Maybe... Despy was wrong to anticipate the worst? Maybe his faction-mates actually respect him after all?
He's still scared, still in survival mode. When he gets Nobu on the ropes his instinct is to punch him in the face with a closed fist.
He's still scared, still in survival mode. When he gets Nobu on the ropes his instinct is to punch him in the face with a closed fist.
But he doesn't punch him. Nobu gave him a clean break. Despite uh all overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Desperado decides to give Nobu, his tag partner, the benefit of the doubt and reluctantly does the same.
Nobu being Nobu, he responds to this show of respect and sportsmanship from his tag partner by kicking him in the gut while he's distracted by the ref.
What gets me is how intentional this was on Nobu's part - he knew that if he gave Despy even a little bit of respect, Despy'd respond by giving an opening. Which of course he takes full advantage of, mercilessly.
Taichi of course injects himself into the match and starts cheating. Taka gets involved too but doesn't seem nearly as enthusiastic about helping Despy win as Taichi is about making Despy lose. Which Despy definitely notices.
From here, the match plays out exactly as Despy feared it would in the start. Nobu and Taichi mercilessly cheat. Taka doesn't do much to help. Nobody is really on Despy's side here. He's hopelessly outnumbered and nobody's got his back.
Despy should probably just give up, but he doesn't. He eventually snaps and lashes out at all three of them with a chair - even Taka, who's supposed to be on his side. He's once again in survival mode and everybody's his enemy.
But it doesn't help. Nobu's still not able to pin or submit him, but Despy still loses - by count out due to Taichi's cheating.
Taka eventually helps him into the ring, and everyone else surrounds him kinda... menacingly. They all seem to expect Despy to just play nice and act like the way they've treated him is okay. Despy's expression makes it pretty clear that... it isn't.
When he manages to get up, Despy lashes out at everyone. Again. But none of them take it seriously. Nobu's even laughing at him. They all know Despy's got no leverage here. And anyway, Despy can barely even stand up.
When Nobu calls for a group fist-bump, Despy reluctantly joins in while refusing to even look at any of them. Because what else is he going to do, really?
Despy tries to leave by himself, but Taka and Taichi go grab him and force him to leave with them instead. On the way out, Desperado lashes out at some Young Lion, then almost falls over because of course... no one from his faction is supporting him literally or figuratively.
Despy's good at a heck of a lot of things as a wrestler but one thing I appreciate most is his storytelling and character work. This match is such a great example of that - his entire relationship with and position in his faction, told wordlessly in the ring in just 15 minutes.
