When no one gets what they wanted, but the match is still great: a thread about @TIMEBOMB1105 vs. @rainmakerXokada in the #njcup.

As one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, Okada came to the ring considering junior heavyweight Hiromu almost beneath notice.

Okada's early offense is nearly absent-minded: completely cool and mechanical. Hiromu, meanwhile, oozes desperation to win the cup, one of the only ways he has a chance to meet his mentor Tetsuya Naito in the ring.

The way Okada ambles over to casually pin Hiromu makes clear how seriously he's taking this match.

Okada clearly doesn't think his opponent is any threat at all. But as the match goes on, things start to unravel.

Hiromu starts responding to Okada's offense with mirrored moves. Does Okada miss a dropkick? Hiromu is ready with his own.

Does Okada kick Hiromu off the turnbuckle with a standing dropkick? Hiromu finds a way to kick Okada off the turnbuckle with a running dropkick.

By the time Okada hits his piledriver, a move that can finish a match, he's annoyed enough that he decides he'd rather force Hiromu to tap out than go for the pin.

But Hiromu gets out of the submission--and when Okada goes for the piledriver again, counters with Okada's own finisher, the Rainmaker.

The Rainmaker symbolizes Okada's place at the top of the food chain, his ability to make it rain money. And Hiromu gets a two-count with it.

Okada hits another piledriver, and again he doesn't make the pin, determined to make Hiromu submit. It's personal now.

Hiromu fights out of the hold again, and this time almost manages to hit Okada with his finisher. A visibly rattled Okada counters with his first Rainmaker of the match--and goes for the submission again.

A Rainmaker is enough to finish most opponents, much less a "mere" junior heavyweight. But Okada doesn't go for the pin. He decides to drag the staggering Hiromu upright and deliver ANOTHER Rainmaker.

And then he pulls him up and hits him with a THIRD Rainmaker. And he still doesn't go for the pin. He's determined to get Hiromu to submit to him. He's trying to make a point.

It's a point he doesn't get to make, because Hiromu passes out rather than tapping. You can see how frantically Okada tries to get him to submit when he realizes the referee is about to finish the match, how frustrated he is that Hiromu never taps.

The clearly furious winner has to go to the corner and visibly take a moment to regain his composure, to re-assemble his cool before getting his hand raised in victory.

Hiromu, meantime, is anguished at his loss, tears trickling down his face.

He wanted to have the chance to face Naito. Okada wanted an easy demonstration of his dominance.

Neither of them got what they wanted. But what a great story the audience got.