Space Tornado Ogawa vs Dangerous Kawada: Catch As Catch Can (Japan, 2003-2004)

Hey yo Stud Muffins & Foxey Ladies,

After 24 year on this Earth, I finally know what want to be when I grow up: Ke$ha's pre-show hype-man/spiritual guru/rabble rouser. How was I inspired? Well my buddy wanted to go see The Knife. What is The Knife? I am still not sure. They seemed like the children of the Ultimate Warrior and Ziggy Stardust. Their music was alright, but they had so much energy and movement that you could not help but love them. They advertised they were having pre-show calisthenics. My buddy really did not want to miss it and I was all like whatever. But holy shit was that cross-dressing rabble-rousing, Richard Simmons-wannabe spiritual guru one of the best damn things I ever saw. At first the crowd really did not give two fucks at this obnoxiously dressed human (we are not men, we are not women, we are neither, if you dont believe that take a breather, one of his many bitchin' mantras), but he was relentless and indefatigable. He really won people over with his schtick. When he was telling us to say hey to our neighbors, look at our neighbors, touch our neighbors, he was building that unity in the crowd. We did the fuckin YES! chant of course I was the only one really marking out.  He reached the climax by exclaiming The Knife is hear to move us, but they want to be moved by our energy. It was really well-executed, high-energy chaos. It was no different than Dusty Rhodes telling you he was reaching his hand across the electromagnetic airwaves This dude erm I mean human had excellent crowd control and psychology. I think his character could work as a heel manager to contrast a super-tough guy like a Ryback or perhaps the 3MB guys can each choose a specific look from Rock N Roll and one can be a glitter rock wrestler. Anyways, go see The Knife for the pre-show badass, just one of the best carny workers I have ever seen.

Space suits are actually gender vacuums

When I am going through the years to compile my list usually I am able to find certain themes for my entries. Whether it be a Kobashi reign, Akiyama badass 00-02 or junior heavyweights, but this one is just the catch-all of the highly recommended matches from 2003-2004. Since there are no real unifying themes, I will just briefly touch on each. Shoot-style, which is pro wrestling that most closely replicates MMA, makes its first appearance on this list featuring shoot-style great and MMA fighter Kiyoshi Tamura. Tamura is famous for his work in RINGS facing off against fighters such as Volk Han. I have enjoyed shoot-style, but it is not something I am that well-versed in so the reviews are a bit clunky, but I did enjoy both matches. From NOAH, the two non-Kobashi heavyweight matches that were recommended featured Misawa in a tag title defense and Akira Taue taking on Nagata. I thought Nagata/Taue has been the most efficient in accomplishing its goal in the most appropriate amount of time. Misawa & Ogawa had a very overrated bout in my eyes against career mid-carders Saito & Inoue. People have been saying this is near Match of the Decade contender. I thought it was an over-wrought and tedious match where Misawa felt like he was slumming it rather than bringing people to his level.

Finally the most interesting angle not in NOAH or New Japan was the All Japan/Zero-One war. Zero-One represented by Hashimoto/Ogawa/Ohtani wrestled the All Japan boys such as Kawada/Mutoh/Kojima. The result was one helluva a knock-down, drag-out slobber knocker between Ogawa and Kawada. Kawada is my favorite puroresu wrestler and he delivered his best performance since Champion's Carnival 2001. Ogawa just has this unique presence almost like someone did not totally train him how to work. It feels like it could break into a shoot brawl any second. I had really high expectations for Kawada/Hashimoto and it was a very good match, but I found the selling from Kawada to be spotty and just did not feel that heated. Hashimoto delievered one helluva selling performance and the best he looked all decade from an individual's perspective.

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1. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama - Budokan 02/27/00
2. GHC Heavyweight Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi - Budokan 03/01/03
3. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama - Budokan 04/25/04
4. All Japan Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama - All Japan 05/26/00

5. All Japan Triple Crown Champion Genichiro Tenryu vs Keiji Mutoh - Budokan 6/8/01
6. Toshiaki Kawada & Masa Fuchi vs Yuji Nagata & Takashi Iizuka - NJ PPV 12/14/00
7. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - Tokyo Dome 07/10/04

8. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshinari Ogawa – Budokan 11/01/03
9. Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - Budokan 12/23/00

10. IWGP Jr Hvywt Tag Champs Ohtani & Takaiwa vs Kanemoto & Minoru - NJPW  6/25/00
11. IWGP Champion Kensuke Sasaki vs Toshiaki Kawada - 10/00 Tokyo Dome Non-Title
12. Keiji Mutoh vs Toshiaki Kawada - Champions Carnival 04/01
13. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue - NOAH 09/10/04
14. Toshiaki Kawada vs Naoya Ogawa - Zero-One 12/14/03
15. IWGP Jr Heavyweight Champion Minoru Tanaka vs Takehiro Murahama - NJPW 4/20/01
16. Shinya Hashimoto & Takashi Iizuka vs Naoya Ogawa & Kazunari Murkami - Tokyo Dome 01/04/00
17. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Tamon Honda - NOAH 04/13/03
18. Genichiro Tenryu & Masa Fuchi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Nobutaka Araya - AJPW 6/30/01

19. Kenta Kobashi vs Takao Omori - Champions Carnival Final '00
20. Akira Taue vs Yuji Nagata - NOAH 6/6/03
21. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Toshiaki Kawada vs Shinya Hashimoto - AJPW 02/22/04
22. GHC Tag Team Champions Sterness (Akiyama & Saito) vs Burning (Kobashi & Honda) - Budokan 6/6/03
23. GHC Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama - Budokan 07/27/01
24. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yuji Nagata - Budokan 9/12/03
25. New Japan (Liger & Minoru ) vs. NOAH (Kikuchi & Kanemaru) - NOAH 4/7/02
26. GHC Tag Champions Akiyama & Saito vs Kobashi & Shiga - NOAH 10/19/02
27. Toshiaki Kawada & Genichiro Tenryu vs Stan Hansen & Taiyo Kea - Budokan 07/23/00
28. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Genichiro Tenryu vs Kensuke Sasaki - 01/04/00
29. Genichiro Tenryu vs Toshiaki Kawada - Vacant All Japan Triple Crown 10/28/00
30. Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Hiroyuki Ito - U-Style 08/18/04
31. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Minoru Suzuki - Budokan 01/08/05
32. Yoshihiro Takayama vs Kensuke Sasaki - G-1 Climax '04
33. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada - Champions Carnival '00
34. Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - NOAH #2 08/06/00

35. Genichiro Tenryu vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan - Vacant IWGP Championship 02/15/04
36. GHC Champion Yoshihiro Takayama vs Mitsuharu Misawa - Budokan 09/23/02
37. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Yoshihiro Takayama - Vacant GHC Title 04/15/01
38. Genichiro Tenryu vs Satoshi Kojima - AJPW 07/07/02
39. U-30 Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuyuki Fujita - Vacant IWGP Championship 6/5/04
40. IWGP Champion Yuji Nagata vs. Yoshihiro Takayama - Tokyo Dome 05/02
41. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka - U-Style 02/04/04
42. All Japan Triple Crown Champion Vader vs Kenta Kobashi - Budokan 2/27/00
43. All Japan Triple Crown Champ  Toshiaki Kawada vs Katsuyori Shibata - NJPW 11/03/04 Non-Title
44. IWGP Jr Tag Champions Kanemoto & Minoru vs Liger & Makabe - NJPW 9/12/00

45. Keiji Mutoh vs Yuji Nagata - Sumo Hall 08/12/01 G-1 Climax Final
46. Jun Akiyama vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan - G-1 Climax Finals 08/17/03
47. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi - Champions Carnival '00
48. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata - Budokan 02/17/02
49. Mitsuharu Misawa & Akira Taue vs Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama - NOAH #1 08/05/00
50. New Japan (Liger & Inoue) vs NOAH (Kikuchi & Kanemaru) - NOAH 2/17/02
51. IWGP Jr Hvywt Tag Champs Liger & Minoru vs. Kikuchi & Kanemaru - NJPW 8/29/02'
52. Sterness  vs. Burning 8-Man Tag - NOAH 08/03
53. Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi - AJPW 01/17/00
54. Genichiro Tenryu vs Satoshi Kojima - AJPW 02/24/02

55. Yoshihiro Takayma vs Osamu Nishimura - G-1 Climax Semifinals
56. Yoshihiro Takayama vs Kensuke Sasaki - G-1 Climax Round Robin
57. SUWA vs Dragon Kid - Toryumon 08/24/00 Hair Vs Mask
58. GHC Tag Champs Misawa & Ogawa vs Saito & Inoue - NOAH 9/10/04
58. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto vs Masato Tanaka - Zero-One 3/02/02
59. Keiji Mutoh & Hiroshi Hase vs Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata - Tokyo Dome 10/08/01
60. NJPW(Liger, Minoru , Makabe) vs Osaka Pro(Delfin, Murhama, Tsubasa)-NJPW 12/14/00
61. Toshiaki Kawada vs Vader - AJPW 2/17/00
62. Shinya Hashimoto & Yuji Nagata vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama - Zero-One 3/2/01

63. Toshiaki Kawada vs Satoshi Kojima - AJPW 06/06/01
64.  Naoki Sano vs Minoru Tanaka - Battlarts 01/30/2000
65. Dick Togo vs Tiger Mask IV - M-Pro 08/25/02

66. GHC Tag Team Champions Wild II vs Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito - Budokan 9/23/02

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SPACE TORNADO OGAWA~!

Yuji Nagata vs Akira Taue - NOAH Budokan 6/6/03

This is one of the best establish a challenger matches I have ever seen. You have New Japan badass, Yuji Nagata coming off breaking the IWGP Title Defense record looking to prove he is best wrestler in Japan by taking on Kobashi, but first he has to get through a Four Corner of Heaven, Akira Taue. This match is all about setting up the Kobashi match, which oddly is not as good as this match. Nagata repeatedly takes Taue's best shot and will not be denied. Early on, he takes three Nodowas including one on the floor (but not off the apron gotta protect the gimmick :) ), but Taue cant negotiate the pinfall. He is able to mount a mini-comeback by going after Taue's arm to setup his unbreakable NagataLock III, but Taue scores a DDT to turn the tide. Taue hits two big boots to set up the top rope Nodowa, a Nodowa and then a DYNAMIC BOMB~! Nagata still kicks out. You have established he can take a lickin', but keep on tickin'. From there, it is clear that Nagata is going to mow down Taue and showcase his offense, which means exploders, enziguiris and back drop drivers. Credit to Nagata as he starts the finish run with a kick to the bad arm and applying a Crippler Crossface. He works to get the vaunted Nagatalock III on, but has to hit his other moves first to weaken Taue to apply the hold. True to form, he secures the victory and earned the right to face Kobashi at the next Budokan with the Nagatalock III. In a tidy 16 minutes, this match accomplishes that Nagata can take the best shots of one of Kobashi's biggest rivals and that he will be targeting the arm (a huge source of Kobashi's offense) and Kobashi is in trouble if the Nagatalock III is applied. Mix in this is New Japan's hottest star versus NOAH's hottest star and you have yourself some serious box office. ****

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All Japan Triple Crown Champion Toshiaki Kawada vs Naoya Ogawa  

Zero-One 12/14/03 Non-Title

Ogawa is 2 for 2 in terms of badass matches in my book. It has been a limited sample size, but I don't think he is a particularly adept worker, but he is incredibly effective in portraying his character (legitimate judoka/shooter badass) and fostering a big match atmosphere. Just like the Dome tag match, the chaotic flow of the match and the awesome heat made this stand out as something special. Of course, why Kawada is an all-timer is that he did not force Ogawa into the King's Road style, but wrestled the match in a way where Kawada responded to Ogawa in a characteristic manner. It was an interesting clash of King's Road and shoot-style without sacrificing each other's strong suits in a heated bout.

What I love about this video is there is a 7 minute recap of the angles at the beginning to clarify why there is an interpromotional match. There was apparently an AJPW vs. Zero-One feud which featured a tag match between Hashimoto/Ogawa vs Mutoh/Kojima. The Z-1 boys were roughing up the AJ boys after the bell was ringing only for Kawada to rush the ring and send the Z-1 crew packing to awesome heat. After that, there were white masked ninjas in service of Ogawa attacking Kawada and tag matches leading up to the big one on one showdown. I read another review that said Kawada played the a great heel in this match. Well, I thought he was a badass babyface even if this was at a Z1 show. He got a shit ton of streamers and there was definitely a Kawada chant at the beginning. Ogawa is such a natural heel. He is a giant especially compared to Kawada and his cocky shooter swagger makes him nearly impossible to like. At the outset, Kawada was selling his apprehension of getting entangled with this badass while Ogawa was egging him on with sarcastic cheers. Kawada was the first one to take it to him even though Ogawa got a nice punch combo out of the corner that sent Kawada reeling in classic Dangerous K fashion. What I really loved about this match was how much struggle there was. If Kawada had a chance to stomp of Ogawa's head on a break he took it. Ogawa seemed like he took Kawada over on a monkey flip whether he wanted to or not. The hook of the match was when Ogawa went to put Kawada away with the STO and Kawada relentlessly kneed his inner leg so that even when he hit it he could not capitalize. When he went for the STO again, he buckled and Kawada pounced. This led to the great exchange where Kawada chases Ogawa around kicking his bad leg and Ogawa is throwing wild double back fists to keep him away. At one point, the back fist catches Kawada in the head so he starts to kick Ogawa's leg from the mat that's dedication. Kawada eventually got the half crab, but not before he stomped on Ogawa's head. Ogawa is so long that it is hard to keep him from the ropes. Kawada gets tired of the double back fists so he cleans his clock with a sweet closed fist. In an effort to survive, Ogawa just tries for the STO and Kawada hits him with a back drop driver. Kawada looks to knock Ogawa out with enziguiris, but Ogawa hits the STO OUTTA NOWHERE! Kawada staggers and falls ass first through the bottom rope onto the floor. Ogawa's leg is fucked, but is able to STO Kawada on the floor. However, neither man can make it back to the ring by the ten count. Hot damn! Wait there is more! They restart the match. Kawada slides right into Ogawa's leg and does not let up. Kawada goes for the leg lace and double stomps on the bad knee. However, Kawada leaves himself open for the STO again. Everyone is out again. Kawada tries to go for the enziguiri for the knockout, but STO AGAIN! Neither man can answer the ten count and it is ruled a double knock out.

Kawada had the strategy: find a weakness and exploit. Ogawa had the puncher's chance: STO. At the beginning, it seemed like Kawada was going to be outgunned by the bigger Ogawa, but he is able to block the STO and inflict serious damage to the leg. However, once he got on offense, he was so focused on pressing his advantage he would leave himself opened to the STO. Kawada just did not have a bomb on the same level as the STO to put Ogawa away. I loved a lot of the exchanges in this match especially the leg kicks versus double back fists. Ogawa delivers another great big match and Kawada gives his best performance since the 2001 Champion's Carnival with Mutoh. ****1/4

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ALL-WOMAN~!

All Japan Triple Crown Champion Toshiaki Kawada vs Shinya Hashimoto - Budokan 02/22/04

If there is one thing the 00s provided in spades, it is dream matches come to life. It is fuckin Kawada vs Hashimoto in the Budokan for the Triple Crown. I threw out all my misgivings about Hashimoto from this decade because I knew this was going to badass. I had seen this before and it did not quite live up to my memory, but it is still a very good match. I will say as much as I hate to admit it the match felt oddly heatless. All Japan was clearly in a rough place because even with this as the main event they only drew 10,500. Just a year previous, Hashimoto/Muta drew a sell out at the Budokan and Hashimoto drew a sell out against friggin' Arashi. So it was not because the Hashimoto was an unknown commodity. I will have to do some research on this, but the match just did not feel as big as it should.

Kawada wins the first exchange with a spin kick, but Hashimoto draws first blood from Kawada's ear. Kawada goes for the head stomp/half-crab too early and Hashimoto gets to his knees and makes the ropes. The exchange kicks to each other's knee and Kawada hyperextends his right knee on a kick and Hashimoto pounces. I liked that unique wrinkle. Kawada uses the closed fist to keep him at bay, but Hashimoto sweeps the leg. Hashimoto attacks the knee hard with seat drops, double stomps and leg laces. Just like the Tenryu match, Kawada drops the leg selling. He goes full bore with the big boot and uses the right knee to knee drop Hashimoto's taped up shoulder. I was not happy with the King of Knee Selling pulling this uncharacteristic bullshit. Kawada goes for the cross armbreaker, but is able to get the stretch plum and really focus on the arm. Hashimoto does some great verbal selling here and for the rest of the match. He sounds like a large wounded animal fighting for his life. Hash catches the right leg and punches it. Kick floors Kawada. BRAINBUSTER! However, Hashimoto is in tremendous pain and cant capitalize. He is able to throw some awesome kicks, but he is in too much pain to brainbuster Kawada again. The story becomes can Kawada put Hashimoto away. Remember, he had fellow Z1 cohort, Ogawa on the run, but could not finish him. Again, he has an opponent severely injured, but he just cant seemed to get him off his feet. He is rocking him, but Hashimoto wont fall down. Finally, after a barrage of enziguiris, TIMMMMMMBBBBAAAAAAAHHHHHH! Kawada slaps on the Stretch Plum, but Hashimoto has too much pride to submit so a Z1 suit throws in the towel to save their ace from permanent injury.

The finish is an interpromotional bullshit finish and sucks. Regardless of that, I thought Kawada's performance was pretty lifeless and mechanical. He was just going through the motions. Add that he dropped knee selling, it was a pretty disappointing performance especially at this was right in the middle of his big All Japan Triple Crown run that he had a deserved for so long but booking and injuries had denied him. Hashimoto was in peak 90s form here. He was that rockstar badass that just exudes charisma. From destroying Kawada's knee to selling the arm to fighting back to weeble wobble selling before succumbing to the Stretch Plum, he gave an inspired performance to tell the story of a wounded warrior. Unfortunately, this would be Hashimoto last great match (I could be wrong) as he would pass away in September of 2005. It was an uneven, but overall a very good blowoff to the AJ/Z1 feud. ****

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Not only a world-class shoot-style wrestler, Tamura was a high profile Pride fighter

Kiyoshi Tamura vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka - U-Style 02/04/04

Tamura piqued my interest in his match with Ito. I always put delving more into Shoot Style off so I thought I take advantage of another Tamura match among the nominated matches. As a shoot-style novice, I do not know if I really could appreciate the beginning of this match. The work was really smooth and they were always moving, but it felt a little too showy like they were putting on an exhibition. I got the sense that Kohsaka was outworking on Tamura on the ground as he was chaining his moves together better and forced the first rope break at around the 10 minute mark with the guillotine choke. As good 'ol JR would say business is about to pick up as they fired off a thrilling a finish sequence. I liked Tamura responding to the first point loss with a stand up barrage to secure a knockdown and loved the knee that caught Tamura in the midsection in the fracas to put Kohsaka up 4-3. They sequence felt really organic. This is where my shoot style naivete maybe rearing its ugly head, but how come Kohsaka did sell Tamura's deep half crab after the hold. He was screaming and selling in the hold and the nothing. I get the "real" sports argument you dont show weakness but just a little limp or favoring of that knee would have added. Also are closed fists allowed because Tamura used them liberally to break up submissions late? With Tamura down 2-1, Kohsaka goes for the home run, rolling heel hook, that Tamura counters into a cross-armbreaker in the center of the ring. I thought there were better submission sequences earlier that could have been used as the finish. I will probably appreciate this more once i watch more RINGS. Still I love great matwork and this was very well-executed. ***3/4

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Kiyoshi Tamura vs Hiroyuki Ito - U-Style 08/18/04

With the emergence of MMA in Japan, it spelled the end for shoot-style promotions, which were not as differentiated as their pro wrestling brethren. Shoot-style lives in this weird no man's land. It is essentially the worked version of MMA. I have never seen pro wrestling as the worked version of MMA. In fact, I think a lot of non-fan's hangups with pro wrestling come from the fact they are viewing it through the wrong prism. Wrestling is a carnival attraction and it adapts itself to the times. Shoot-style is the sub-genre of pro wrestling that is the closest replication of actual MMA. I have enjoyed what I have seen of the style (Takada's UWFi), but I am no expert. For instance, this is the first Tamura match I have seen even though I know the ballyhooed Volk Han series in RINGS (I have never seen a RINGS match) is very heavily promoted by the shoot-style proponents. Thus it is hard for me to rate this match in the context of this project. I liked this match a lot, but even though all the matches are worked it still feels like comparing apples and oranges.

Tamura is the ace of promotion and a well-known talent in the shoot style community and a reasonably successful MMA fighter in Pride and such (sporting a record of 32-13-3). Ito is someone I do not know and I suspect was a heavy underdog. Ito definitely prescribed to the adage "a good defense is a great offense" as he came out swinging on every occasion. In fact, for the first half the match he dominated Tamura forcing him to take two rope breaks utilizing palm strikes, knees to the head, triangle chokes and cross armbreakers. Even though, he was put into an early hole, Tamura never lost his cool and wrangled a leg lace, but Ito was able to get a leg lace of his own, but eventually Ito had to use the ropes to escape. After Tamura caught a kick and applied a heel hook, Ito lost his second point.  With the match leveled, Ito concentrated keeping the fight off the ground and tried to win by knockout. They trade knockdowns, but Ito definitely is the more offensive fighter. Tamura presses an advantage and Ito sells his high kicks really well, but Ito is able to sneak in a palm strike to the face to knock him down. One more knock down and Ito wins. Tamura wakes the fuck up and takes Ito to town. He catches Ito's kick and turns it into a half-crab for the win.

I loved Ito taking it to the strong favorite, Tamura at every chance. His performance was so urgent and there was a real sense of struggle on the stand-up. No one would confuse this ground game for an MMA match, but they kept it moving. Besides the dueling leg laces, every submission was sold like it could end it. The real highlight of the match is the very dramatic stand-up sequence with both fatigued and just going for broke. It was very well laid out to have Tamura back up against the wall throwing bombs only to finally catch Ito's leg and finish via submission. I would not say a match of the decade contender, but a very good match. ****  

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GHC Tag Champions Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs Atikoshi Saito &  Masa Inoue

  Budokan 9/10/04

Yoshinari Ogawa is my hero the hair, the sunglasses, the matching zebra vest (sleeves are for zeroes, brutha) & tights, and the attitude. Atikoshi Saito is the polar opposite. He found out a way to be even more destestable. He got himself a femullet and added bangs. What a friggin tool. Now he has some jaybrone partner named Masa Inoue. Misawa take care of this light work.

As much I love Ogawa, this really feels like Misawa is slumming it in this match. With Kobashi ruling the roost and Akiyama being his main challenger, it was only logical that Misawa rock the tag division and maintain the prestige of the division, but there just was much depth in the talent pool. Saito at best is an inoffensive worker, but when he does stick out in an Akiyama tag match because he was usually sucking at something like striking or moving. Masa Inoue is some jabroni, who throws lariats like am awkward Randy Orton and does a torture rack like a 12 year old version of Lex Luger (who I am kidding 12 year old Lexy Flexy probably would have been a better worker than this dude). Of course, the best part of this match is knowing that there was no way Misawa was going to job to these losers. So you knew they were going to eat a ton of elbows and Ogawa was going to mock them relentlessly.

The match starts off so bad with a really badly, awkwardly choreographed bit where Misawa/Ogawa try to jump them, but the Shit Jabronis hit the lamest clothesline to send them out. When Saito goes for a dropkick, Ogawa holds onto the ropes and points to his head because he is clearly smarter than this tool. However, when he goes for a drop toehold he cant get the big man down and Saito gives him the finger wag. Oh my God, Ogawa has done the impossible he has made Saito entertaining. Misawa lights Inoue the fuck up with elbows. Oh how I missed you, Misawa. Misawa stands on this chump and drops a senton on him! Misawa rules the school! After a series of sleepers, Saito tries to the Randy Savage strategy of reviving your partner by hitting them. The only problem is that his partner aint Hulk Hogan. Somehow, Inoue actually avoids Misawa's dopkick and Ogawa's enziguiri. They double torture rack Misawa and then Inoue starts the rake Ogawa's face across the rope. O just you wait, big shot, when Misawa gets in and elbows your face. Ogawa uses his tights to send him to outside when Misawa throws him into the railings. Once back in, Ogawa holds out Inoue's hand to have Saito tag him. Rat Boy wins at life!

All good things must come to an end and Inoue hits a DDT on Misawa and Ogawa at the same time. Here comes Saito with an axe kick for Ogawa and an urnage for Misawa. BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! They do this friggin weird delayed vertical suplex spot on the ramp, which Saito must have fucked up because clearly he supposed to be closer to the ring so Misawa could pull Ogawa down. Someone should have called an audible instead everyone looked like a moron. Of course, when you are in the ring with Atikoshi Saito it is hard not look like an idiot. Saito & Inoue try to prove to me that they are kinda cool by spike piledriving my man, Rat Boy on the floor. Fine, that was kinda cool. Saito & Inoue realize they have no personalities of their own so they copy Misawa & Ogawa and use a series of sleepers. Rat Boy dropkicks both and dragon leg screw on Saito. Hot and I mean double hot tag to Misawa. If you had a face you got elbowed. If you had stupid bangs, you get a diving elbow through the ropes. All Hail Misawa! Saito misses the Mist spray. What a jaybrone! Damnit, he got the second time. Misawa takes two wicked Germans, which makes me uncomfortable. Ogawa saves Misawa from the ultimate shame of being pinned by Saito.

HOLY SHIT! Saito powerbombed Misawa! Where was the Misawa-rana!?!?!? What the Fuck?!?! I am still in shocked Saito actually powerbombed Misawa. Inoue busts out the Billy Robinson backbreaker to try to earn brownie points. Randomly, some dude holds Misawa while Inoue hits a lame clothesline. This leads to Inoue running into the turnbuckles and Misawa calmly tagging out. What the fuck? Inoue and Saito hit the Jabroni Doomsday Device from the middle rope. Disorderly Conduct was a more menacing team than these two clowns. Inoue has the audacity to no sell Ogawa's DDTs, but knocks himself out on his own headbutts. Talk about putting yourself over. It is time for Misawa to put end to this nonsense. The finish run is Misawa hitting Inoue in the face with his elbow and Ogawa back drop driving him. This happened about 4 times and it was glorious. Just to add how this match was weirdly laid out Inoue takes all sort of crazy variations of this and a double team version of the Tiger Driver, but gets pinned by a normal back drop driver.

In all seriousness, I am going a bit over board in my criticism of this match. I really don't like Saito and Inoue was just lame. He added nothing to the match and was a warm body for Misawa and Ogawa to attack. I actually liked Misawa & Ogawa a lot in this match and they did their best to make it an entertaining match. Hell, they sure gave a lot more offense to these guys than I would have. I thought the Inoue FIP and the finish stretch were well-done. Even though, the Ogawa FIP was too long, he sold really well for them, I wished Ogawa had more time to Rat Boy it up. I will probably never watch this match again. I would say Misawa & Ogawa dragged a pretty good match out of these two, but nothing worth going out of your way to say. ***1/4

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It was a solid set of matches, nothing blow-away great, but nothing horrible either. To finish up 2003-2004, I will look 8 junior heavyweight matches featuring mostly the polarizing KENTA & Naomichi Marufuji. I have a Steamboat and Rockers blogs I have been meaning to post so look for those.

Believe In The Shield: Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose (WWE, 2013)

Hey yo Studmuffins and Foxey Ladies,

Mad Max was totally different than I expected. I was expecting a leather-clad badass action flick instead it was this absurd, entertaining, British Sci-Fi movie. Toe-cutter, with the one shaved eyebrow and top know, vaulted himself immediately to one of my all-time favorite bad guy. Even though, it was totally different than expected, it was a riot to watch and a really fun movie.

Looks like I got a new look for the club!

Mad Max had a huge influence on pro wrestling spawning gimmicks like Lord Humongous and the Road Warriors. The Shield have already surpassed the Road Warriors (yes, this is going to be my segue way) as workers and in a modern context are the biggest tag team draw since the TLC days of Edge & Christian, Hardyz and Dudleyz.  Where we left off in the summer of 2013, there may have been some doubt that would reach the heights at their gimmick seem to promise them when they first debuted in late 2012. However, they were such a perfect fit for the Authority storyline that their stock skyrocketed and has led to being one of the top headlining acts going into next week's Extreme Rules PPV against Evolution. So lets break down each member of the Shield because what makes the Shield so special is that all seem to be equals while all being very different from each other.

Roman Reigns is the easiest member of the group to define. He is the powerhouse, the muscle of the unit. However, it is easy to overlook the minor details that make him so special. He moves incredibly well for a man his size. He brings a lot of high impact, athletic spots to the table. His superman punch is a thing of beauty and if it is timed right in the course of the match it can pop a crowd huge. The first time he did the dropkick on the apron, I went bezerk. It has lessen a bit, but it is still a great spot. In addition, as a heel, he bumped really well for a man his size and he was never afraid to make a babyface look good. Being selfless in the ring is critical to getting a match over and in turn getting everyone over. Finally, it has been a recent development, but he has started to show that cool charisma that is really going to get him over the hump. It all goes back to what Kevin Nash said you need in a top star "Women want to be with him and men want to be him". From chatting with some fans at a recent Boston Smackdown! taping I think Roman Reigns will unify the audience and crossover in a way Cena or Bryan really cant. I am not saying it is set in stone, but of all the guys on the roster and if I was Vince McMahon that would be my pick for the next star. 

If Roman Reigns is going to be the next big star for the WWE, Seth Rollins is going to be the next great worker in the WWE. I really hope he does not get typecast into a high-flyer, speed guy role when he is such a well-rounded performer. He throws an excellent worked punch, bumps like a mania, has excellent timing and knows how to engage a crowd. When I watched the Shield wrestle twice at the Smackdown! taping in Boston what struck me the most was how hard Rollins was working to keep the crowd into it. The first match was against the fun jabroni team, 3MB, but it was a foregone conclusion and the crowd just was not into it. But Rollins was flying all around, clapping his hands, talking trash and stomping his feet. Even though, the crowd never got that hot, it was not silent either and that is because Rollins never forgot what the purpose of wrestling is. The way he wrestles I just can tell he grasps wrestling at a higher level than most. It is the little things like counting how many wrestlers he had to face in the handicap match to put over his dire situation. It is not hitting highspots to get yourself over when you are the heel, but timing them as transitions to back to heat. It is about always talking trash and engaging your audience. When I started this project, I was a huge Roman Reigns fan and now at the end I am a huge Seth Rollins fan.    

Dont be shocked, that praise is well-deserved, brutha!

Dean Ambrose is the oddball of the group both in a kayfabe and real-life sense. There will be always be a place for a Reigns or Rollins, but Ambrose seems more likely to be a boom or bust guy. He is supposed to the off-kilter lunatic of the Shield. However, they do not always play this hilt. You would like to see more storyline where he goes off for no reason and his mouth gets him in trouble and Rollins and Reigns keep getting dragged into his mess. It feels like they just are not booking him as full bore as they did with other firecrackers like Pillman and Piper. He was initially positioned as the singles breakout star by being given the US Championship, but it is now a running joke that he never defends it. That's not his fault, just odd booking. Reigns and Rollins benefited from being in the best feud of 2013 against the Brothers Rhodes. Ambrose just was not given that many chances to stand out. He does do some little thing really well. When I watched the Shield live at Survivor Series, I liked how he was eliminated early because he lost his temper. It fit his character really well. Or in the Wyatts RAW match where in the midst of chaos he just shove Bray down it was just so non-wrestling, but something you would do if you were in an actual bar fight. Clearly once I re-watched the CM Punk match from this past December it is clear he has a ton of talent. I think his problem has been twofold. One, he just has not had the same opportunities. Two, he has the complex gimmick of three to get over. He needs to find a way to maximize his airtime to get his character over.

Overall, The Shield has been a huge factor in the resurgence of the WWE's in-ring product and going forward they may even be a huge factor in its resurgence in the mainstream and pop culture.

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The Shield vs Team GOAT - RAW 09/23/13

Given how common the acronym GOAT is, I cant believe WWE does not use it as Daniel Bryan's nickname. The Authority in an effort to prove they are fair and balanced and in reaction to the previous week's locker room clearing brawl between the midcard babyfaces and the Shield, booked an inverse handicap match where the heels were at a disadvantage 11 on 3. When I first saw this live, I was in awe of how well booked and entertaining this was. It seems so opposite of what makes wrestling work, but this was really good. Upon rewatch, I think holds up as one of the best matches of 2013 and one of the most unique of all time.

WWE has gotten a lot better in the past year of using the beginning of matches to establish the context and story of the match and build from there. The babyfaces have the numbers game, but if the Shield can keep everything in their corner they have effectively created a 3-on-1 handicap match. That is why this match works so well it is actually a normal wrestling match disguised as a something contrary to wrestling logic. The Shield works this beautifully conscientiously working to always keep their body in between their opponent and the corner. From there, The Shield just picks off the babyfaces one by one. Earlier in the night, RVD was injured by Del Rio and Kingston by a temper tantrum throwing Randy Orton (could be the other way around) and were easy pickins for the Shield. The US Champion Ambrose gets the pin on both with his finish. "Big Deal" Titus O'Neil and his badass bark are in to staredown Reigns. You heard it here first, future Wrestlemania Main Event. This is the match that got Reigns and the Spear over. He was having kickass performances before this, but this is when people took notice. He went on a tear and eliminated Titus, Gabriel and Ryder with the spear. Until young Daniel enters the ring and is a house a fire. With a little help from the Usos, Reigns is eliminated by an Uso splash. The Shield, which was riding high, has been taken down a couple notches. This was perfect timing get rid of some deadweight, get Reigns over and then BOOM you are reminded of the disadvantage the Shield faces. Darren Young gets a nice little sequence before a flying Rollins knee to the head takes him out. The Shield start to get cocky again as Rollins drops Ziggler headfirst into the middle turnbuckle only for Ziggler to hit the Zig Zag on Ambrose (they really should have ran that as a program). Rollins is fucking fantastic here taking time to isolate Ziggler and then count that he is 5 on 1 and give that "O fuck" face. Even Rollins gets some love here, as he curb stomps Truth to eliminate him. At this point, D-Bry directs traffic to have Ziggler and the Usos surround the ring and pounce ala the Shield. Reigns and Ambrose come in to save, but the Usos superkick Reigns off the apron. The Usos take out the rest of the Shield. Daniel Bryan hits the diving headbutt and running knee for the emphatic victory.

I dare say the best laid out match of the last year. The Shield got theirs by running through the fodder and looked smart and tough in the match. The babyfaces all got a bit of shine before being eliminated. Each Shield elimination was well done to bring the audience up and down. The final home stretch was such a feel good moment with the Usos flying all over the place and Daniel Bryan standing tall. It was a unique format that was successful because of old school principles. ****

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The Brothers Rhodes & Shield had the Feud of the Year in 2013

WWE World Tag Champs The Shield vs The Brothers Rhodes w/Dusty Rhodes 

WWE Battleground Non-Title

Unless he gives an even better performance on the following night, this has to be Cody's career performance. I have nothing against Cody. He is a solid worker. He is a bit bland. He is a bit mechanical. He thinks too much. On this night with teaming with his big brother for the first time, with his father in his corner and fighting for his career and the Rhodes family legacy, he let it all hang out and left it all in the ring in an awesome emotional performance. A lot of the focus of this match, I feel was given to Goldust and his incredible comeback story. I don't want to take away for that. For Goldust to comeback and be the best hot tag in wrestling and one of best workers in the world at the end of year is nothing short of miraculous. This match belonged to Cody and his urgency.

The match starts how it should start with the Rhodes ripshit about their treatment at the hands of The Authority and opening a can of whoop-ass on The Shield. For those not up to speed, The Authority threw their weight around and got Cody fired because he could not beat WWE Champion Randy Orton and then Dustin failed to win Cody's job back. So now they have one last shot to win their jobs back against the Tag Champs and the most dominant faction in wrestling, The Shield. Rollins actually pulls Reigns out of the ring to regroup and reset the match by challenging Dusty to a fight. This gives us that great visual of the Three Rhodeses squaring off against The Shield. The battlelines are drawn the best damn three man team in the WWE against one of the most proud wrestling families. Give Cole credit, when he pointed out the Rhodes cant let the emotions get carried away and thus get DQ'd, which really establishes the gravity of this match. However, it was that emotion that cost Cody the advantage because Rollins was able to suddenly drop him on his head into the middle turnbuckle (that move really needs a name). I love The Shield take after Mark Henry and love to lay the badmouth on their opponents during a match. Dean Ambrose was excellent with "Make his dad feel it! Make his sister feel it! Make his mother feel it!" and here come the "We Want Goldust". It is hot in Buffalo tonight! Cody moonsault! Hot tag to Goldust and he moves around better than 90% than the roster, which he is 15-20 years older than. In another shocking twist to this match, Reigns actually out-bumped Rollins in this match. He was making Goldust look like a million bucks. However, in a  classic Dustin bump, he whiffs on the cross body and crashes to the outside.Wait are we in St. Paul in 1982 tonight? Because get ready for a double face in peril muthafuckas! They tease a countout loss and the Shield and the commentary team were so great at milking this. One of the best countout teases by the WWE in a long time. Rollins busts out the old Eddie splash over the ropes for two. Buffalo loves them some Goldust and I cant blame them he is kicking some ass selling for the Shield. Powerslam from Goldie and here comes Cody. Cody is a house of fire. Springboard dropkick. Spinning Alabama Slamma. MuscleBuster. He is pissed and kicking ass who is this Cody Rhodes!?!?!?!??!?! Then in the segment we were all waiting for: Dusty takes off his belt whips Ambrose and the delivers the Bionic Elbow. The crowd pops huge! Reigns looks to crush the American Dream, but Goldust tackles him outta nowhere. Cody grabs Rollins and hit CROSSRHODES! 1! 2! 3! The Rhodes family celebrates as the crowd goes wild.

How bitchin' was that whole affair. Proof positive that fundamental, badass pro wrestling transcends time. You noticed how there were "This is Awesome" chants that is because people were not popping for moves or the matches. They were chanting for the babyfaces who had been wronged and were getting their retribution. That is how wrestling should be. When you deliver a story people can actually sink their teeth into they wont worry about Flying Space Tiger Drops and Miracle Ecstasy Bombs they will invest themselves in the characters, their motivations, and their actions. Cody and Goldust wrestled like they were fighting for their livelihoods and the crowd returned in kind. Too often in wrestling, there is a disconnect between the story and the match, but here everyone understood their role and kicked ass. Goldust delivered a performance that is the reason he is still on the roster to this day. They highlighted Cody by giving that last hot tag spot taking us home to the finish and he delivered in spades. But wait they might have won back their jobs, but the Shield still has the Tag Titles...****1/2

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WWE World Tag Champs The Shield vs The Brothers Rhodes - RAW 10/14/13 No DQ

Tremendous finish, but a pedestrian beginning make this too uneven of an affair to be considered a MOTYC for me. Even though this was a NO DQ match, it was wrestled as a normal mid-show RAW match (it was the main event of RAW). Where was all that energy and urgency that they showed at the PPV? Yes, the finish made for a very memorable moment, but I felt there was too much of a disconnect from the beginning until the finish.

For instance, the shine sequence was perfectly adequate with Rollins bumping around until Ambrose trips up Cody and the Shield takes over. It just did not have me popping out of my seat. Rollins seemed subdued bumping and the Rhodes were just hitting their spots. Reigns was awesome asking Rollins if he wanted to get some payback and yanking Cody's nose while Rollins kicked him. They tease the Alabama Slamma, but Rollins rolls through and Cody jumps over him to tag big brother. Goldust lights up me and the crowd moving around like he was 20 years younger. Gotta love the Shattered Dreams/Bulldog combo, the best of Dustin Rhodes and Goldust in one combo. Dustin takes his favorite the missed cross body crashing to the outside to send us to commercial. Goldust is a great FIP really keeping the crowd into it with well-timed hope spots and awesome selling. Since WWE feels like it has turned the clock back, Goldust's use of backslides and atomic drops dont feel out of place at all. Goldust springboard back elbow, but Seth sends Cody flying off the apron. Rollins mocks the Bizarre One and eats a powerslam for his insolence. Tag to Cody and once again he rocks the hot tag pretty well. I love the moment where Reigns does his howl and Cody just fuckin punches in the face, perfect response. At this point, if Cody finished the Shield with the CrossRhodes I would have called this an above average match that was enjoyable, but of course here come the fireworks.

Ambrose is in and just attacks Cody. Finally, No DQ! They are preparing for the Triple Powerbomb, but Goldust wreaks havoc with a steel chair. However, as Roman Reigns eloquently points out, he is an idiot and drops the chair and you NEVER drop the chair. Amateur hour from Goldy. But Reigns does not turn it sideways and stick straight up his bizarre candy ass. In fact, he eats a cross-body with it on his chest, great sell by Reigns. Outside the ring, Cody goes for the Disaster Kick, but Rollins catches him and powerbombs him into barricade. Ok, that was awesome, go ahead and chant it. Thank you, St. Louis. It is atomic drop-palooza and Reigns sells it the best since the heyday of the Ravishing One. We end up outside and Goldust is near the timekeeper's table. Ruh roh. REIGNS WIPES OUT GOLDUST! The Shield looks to retain, but here comes THE BIG SHOW! Knocks out Ambrose and Rollins. Reigns duck the Disaster Kick, but eats the Big Show's knuckle sandwhich and the Brother Rhodes win the titles in St. Louis!

In October of 2013, WWE was at the top of their game in terms of intersecting storylines and delivering hot payoffs. They would return to the norm of linear storytelling with limited interactions, but for a couple months it was very interesting. Unfortunately, there were a couple miscasts. I think Big Show was a very sympathetic babyface and for him to help The Rhodes win and knock out HHH were great payoffs. However, his main event against Orton was a misfire because at the end of the day it is 2013 and people just dont want to see him in the main event any more. Unfortunately too, after this the Brothers Rhodes became an afterthought even though they would still have great matches at Hell In A Cell and TLC. They were not given any promo time or storyline direction. Regardless, the Authority/Shield storyline was badass and gave two great babyface moments and great matches. ****

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WWE World Tag Champs Brothers Rhodes vs The Shield vs. The Usos - Hell In A Cell 2013

Holy Shit! Holy Shit! Holy Shit! That's all I have to say after the Cody/Rollins superplex to the floor through the other participants. Outside one other instance (I feel like it involved Sasuke or Ohtani), I have never seen a superplex to the floor and that just a BATSHIT insane spot. I am surprised it was not talked about a lot more. I know this match was liked, but I actually think it was a bit underrated. I would not say a WWE MOTYC, but just below that level.

Every segment was really well done and highlighted everyone really well. I really dug the Rhodeses vs Usos opening segment. Face vs face is never easy, but these guys were just rocking it. They kept real up tempo with lots of pinfall attempts and high energy spots. Goldust looks 25 in there. The make-up works out so well for him besides the old man catcalls from Reigns and Rollins you would never know he is 45. Reigns blinds tags in and trips up Goldust from the outside and goes to work. The Shield slowed things down, but Goldust is so good at selling and timing his hope spots that it was never boring. Plus the Reigns/Rollins smack talk is always a welcomed occurrence. In terms of hope spots, I am a mark for the crawl through the legs spot, but Reigns was able to hold onto his foot. I also loved that Shield wiped out all three possible tag options just to keep Goldie in there. However, a snap Goldust powerslam, finally brings Cody in. I have been underrating Cody as a hot tag. He has really been bringing it in these matches. Goldies working the FIP to highlight Cody on offense may have been a way to elevate Cody like they did with Daniel Bryan's hot tag sequences. Working with his brother, Cody does not seem to think as much and is feeling the action. I will say I will never like the moonsault on a standing opponent (except for the Kid/Razor match). It looks too much like the opponent is catching him. Cody does have a pretty moonsault, just saying I would like it better on a horizontal opponent.  When Cody goes for the Disaster Kick, Usos blind tag and you know bodies are going to start flying. The huge top rope cross body was a great false finish that crowd bit on big.  Reigns and Goldust over the top and an Uso goes flying out after them. Huge Samoan Drop for another great nearfall. Cody tags back in and this when that badass superplex to floor spot happens. Could have milked it a little more, my only compliant. USO dives onto Cody pinning Rollins. SPEAR TO USO! Superkick to Reigns! They tease Rollins corner powerbomb, but instead walks into a Goldust right and ricochets into a CROSSRHODES~!

Badass finish stretch to a great, great match. This was one of the better popcorn matches WWE has produced in a while. Rollins was in his element bumping like a madman for the faces. Reigns came off as a star during the heat segment. Usos are so much fun. Goldust rocked the FIP and actually had even better FIP in December. Rewatching this, if they kept the Brothers Rhodes on pace they could have used the hot tag portion to really cement Cody as an upper midcard threat.  It is just a high-octane, fun opener. ****1/4 

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I bet those chestnuts would look even better with some whipped cream ;)

CM Punk vs Dean Ambrose - RAW 12/09/13

I cannot remember the last time I missed a RAW, but I honestly had no recollection of this match. Given how I watch RAW, this is the exact type of match I would totally miss. Pretty much, my brother and I just talk straight through action (hell thats why I don even really notice the commentary other than the odd silence in our own conversation). Usually, we are talking about wrestling, but I am not straining myself to watch a match with a discerning eye. Amid all of the high-energy Daniel Bryan matches, this was an excellent, lo-fi match that hearkened back to simpler times where high spots did not come cheap and men were of course men. Up until recently, I thought all the hype for Ambrose was overblown. Reigns is such a badass, athletic powerhouse and Rollins is a bumping machine that knows how to engage the crowd. Ambrose is just kinda weird, not weird in an interesting way just kinda weird. Some of his recent promos and performances against the Wyatts have begun to change my thinking on him, but I was shocked that he has so far had the best singles match of any of the Shield members in my book with this tremendous performance (as of this writing I have never seen Cena/Rollins, but that is on deck).

From the outset, CM Punk looks to take Ambrose's arm home with him (thanks Titans of Wrestling)  never wavering and to Ambrose's credit he is always struggling. However each attempt to get it started on offense is met with Punk goign right back to that right shoulder. Ok, so I know that in America they work left, but I have always thought that was bit overblown and could swear I had seen matches were they work right. Does it actually depend more on the opponent's dominant side more than the country you are working in? Punk goes for a reverse cross body, but Ambrose catches him in a gutbuster. Of course, Punk has bruised ribs from a Reigns spear making all the sweeter. I am a mark for transitions and this was such a friggin great transition into the heat segment. The Shield is great at working solid heat segments that wont pop the crowd in their favor. There are no cool moves. It is just trash talk and working that body part. Ambrose hits a series of shoulders into the midsection only to ram his right shoulder (PSYCHOLOGY~!) into the post. We get the first highspot of the match, a diving elbow by Punk onto the floor as we roll into commercial. When we come back, Ambrose is stretching Punk, but Punk is always keeping it moving, struggling, working hope spots. Ambrose for his part never relent from working the ribs. Punk hits a swinging neckbreaker and then because they understand wrestling. Punk still has to win a slugfest before he truly regains control. Punk runs through his usual (knee, short-arm clothesline, elbow) and goes for GTS, but Ambrose punches his ribs repeatedly. This is the point where I thought to myself I need to pay attention to Raw more often because this is fuckin awesome. Ambrose hits a butterfly suplex and floats over. I love the butterfly suplex. Are these two wrestling this match specifically for me? How sweet and I did not even get them anything! Punk gets a series of nearfalls off a top rope cross body and a roundhouse kick. The Seattle crowd knows what's up and chants "This is Awesome!". I am glad someone was paying attention to this match when it was happening because I sure was not. Ambrose pushes off on GTS attempt and big knee to midsection and throws him to floor. This is during time when they were teasing the Shield breakup before they smartened up and realized there is more value in them as a unit. So Ambrose says he can do this himself so Reigns and Rollins walk away. DISSENSION~! They tease each other's finishes before the GTS puts Ambrose away. In addition, Punk has to face all three members of the Shield at the PPV so this also adds a layer to that match because if Punk can divide and conquer maybe he can pull this one out.

My one quibble with this match is that finish seems sort of tacked on to the match rather being an organic part of the match. It would have been nice to weave a thread of Shield dissension through the match and then culminate in the finish. However, right up until the finish/angle, I thought this was a bitchin' throwback match. It just oozed great psychology that built and built leading to some really great exchanges. The transitions were great from Ambrose catching Punk in the gutbuster to Punk having to work to get back on offense. There was a real sense of struggle and competition in this match. It proves that highspots are not the end all be all. Two compelling characters working hard and telling a great story is all you need. In the year, that has Punk/Cena on RAW, it would take a Herculean effort to win Free TV MOTY so this falls short, but it is definitely in the running for second place. ****

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John Cena w/Mark Henry & Big E. vs Seth Rollins w/The Shield - Smackdown! 12/27/13

Sorry Ambrose, but your position as top Shield singles match did not last long as Rollins delivers an even better measured and mature performance. What I love about the Shield is they understand that the crowd pops for moves so they are very limited in the highspots they dish out. Their heat segments are filled with well-worked punches, strikes and trash talk. Especially in this match, all of the highspots are sudden cutoffs of a Cena comeback. Thus Rollins is sucking out the hope out of an audience rather than performing an exhibition for the crowd's amusement thus not popping the crowd and turning himself babyface. Of course, it also helps that Rollins is the bumping machine of the Shield and I am a mark for big bumping heels. So huge ups to Rollins. He seems wise beyond his years. Cena absolutely rocks this match selling like a million bucks and totally making Rollins look like a credible threat. Cena reminded me of a more mobile '87 Hogan. He hits the heat quickly and just sells. I prefer a little more transition area from the shine to the heat, but hey Cena was working his ass off. It does annoy me that they have tried to typecast Rollins as a high-flyer when he so much more well-rounded. He has some of the best worked punches in the game right now, but Cena ain't far behind. The theme of this match is Rollins jumps out to an early advantage and never really lets the match get away from him. Cena will get a hope spot and Rollins immediately has an answer. I have been digging the Cena extended comeback since I noticed it in the Punk RAW match (it may have been going on longer than that). I thought Rollins was great and letting Cena get a little more and more on each, but always having either a DDT, the headdrop on turnbuckle or a Buff Blockbuster to reestablish command. I cant believe Cena decided to add a new move to his arsenal and he steals Kenta Kobashi's worst move (awful modified Ace Crusher, surprised I have not seen Kojima use it). I thought AA was his agent not Johnny Ace. The reactions from ringside during the finish stretch are awesome. Mark Henry cant believe Cena cant put the kid away.  The highspot of the match  is the Cena powerbomb where Rollins goes for the Misawa-rana, it looks like they are going to Ganso Bomb and then Cena lifts him up and nails the sitout powerbomb for 2. Mark Henry is in shock and so am I! For as great as the four at ringside have been, this crowd has kinda sucked because this match rocks. Rollins hits an enziguiri (transition hard to explain, but totally bitchin) and a flying knee to the head, but still cant negotiate the fall. Reigns has the awesome expression of concern for his buddy. Cena traps Rollins in the STFU. Langston bulldozes Ambrose, Reigns takes out Langston, Mark Henry chucks big Roman Reigns onto Ambrose. Cena hits the FU from rolling through a cross body and I love that finish. This was a badass match that weaved a great story of how to have a give and take match with really smart transitions. Cena gave the ball to Rollins in this and setup him up for success. Rollins punched it into the endzone with a mature, smart performance. Plus they delivered unique spots like the powerbomb and the enziguiri and the finish was pitch perfect. For my money, second best free TV match of the year. ****1/4

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'Tis the season to say, a Victory for the Heat is a Victory for Love. Lets Go Heat!

Burning Champion Vol. 2: Kenta Kobashi (NOAH 2003-2005)

Hey yo Stud Muffins and Foxey Ladies,

Happy Belated Easter! "Dying he destroyed our death; rising he restored our life". THIS is His Story.

No one rose to the occasion in 2003-2004 quite like the GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi, who was on absolute tear both in the ring and at the box office. We left off with him vanquishing New Japan's ace at the Budokan and the build was on to the Dome against Akiyama. First, he defended the title against Misawa's BFFL, "Rat Boy" Yoshinari Ogawa. In the history of wrestling odd couples (such as Raven & Stevie or Eddie & Chyna), I don't think there has been an odder one. Misawa is the stoic, ultra-serious golden boy ace. He is going to hit you hard, but everything is well within the rules. Misawa transcends babyface and heel. He just is. Ogawa is a total, absolute departure from Misawa. He is a sleezy, slimy, dirty, no good, annoying, egg-sucking, nasty rat. He is not above any trick to take an advantage. He gets under your skin with his irreverent attitude. He wears zebra-print tights, long hair and sunglasses. He thinks he is cooler than you, but he is not even cooler........ He is totally, utterly shameless. That is why he is a man after my own heart. People talk about spirit animal, well my spirit wrestler is Yoshinari Ogawa. The match he has with Kobashi for the title at the Budokan in November of 2003 is glorious. I may not have it ranked as the highest match, but it is undoubtedly my favorite match I have watched so far.

From there, Kobashi moved on to defending against the Bleach Blond & Bad Giant of Japan, the top freelancer in puroresu, Yoshihiro Takayama. Coming into this project, this was my favorite to take the number one spot. I just love Takayama and Kobashi dynamic. They just feed off one another so well. Kobashi just has that natural babyface, cant say die attitude. Takayama is a giant prick. Even though, it fell short of the mark on the first go around (placed third as of now), I still give it 5 stars as just an outstanding match and best match in a slew of badass matches.

My spirit wrestler

Finally the climax of Kobashi's reign, he defends against NOAH's top contender, ex-tag partner, archrival Jun Akiyama in the Tokyo Dome (NOAH first Dome show) drawing 50,000 fans. There are no two puroresu wrestler more equipped to wrestle an epic Dome match. Kobashi has an enormous personality. Save for Kobashi himself, there was nobody better than Akiyama at working the epic NOAH style. True to form, they deliver a bombfest that had the crowd and the viewer hanging on every move. The home stretch is one for the ages with each one-upping the other building to a huge climax. It was an amazing climax to what has been a bitchin' reign. However, after this there is a real sense of where do you go from here now that Kobashi retained. I explained my feelings on the booking below, but I will say the match is definitely a match of the decade contender and currently have it ranked #7.

Below, I also explain that the "falling action" of Kobashi's reign does drag on and ends in a whimper rather than a blaze of glory. I really enjoyed Akira Taue's one last run for the title in September of 2004, but you could already see the fans becoming restless as they were solidly behind Taue throughout the match. It is definitely a match I recommend, but it is a clear level below the other. Of course, when in doubt, bring in a invader to defend against and there is not many better at being a surly prick than Minoru Suzuki. Suzuki, who founded Pancrase forerunner to Pride and UFC, is a legitimate badass, but brings his own brand of mercurial crazy to the ring. He is sure to frustrate any opponent and especially the macho Kobashi with his antics. It was again a great match that I would recommend but the reign was clearly running out of steam. Kobashi finally faltered from the fatigue to NOAH youngster, Takeshi Rikio in match that is pretty universally panned (I have never seen it). I don't blame NOAH one iota for trying to push young talent, but they could have handled it a lot better. It sucks that the reign ended in such a disappointing fashion, but why be sad when you can be glad.

Holy shit, what a title reign this was! If you include the title win, Kobashi had two 5 star matches and  seven 4-star singles matches. It was an incredible run of badassery that should go down as one of the best damn title reigns of the 00s if not ever. When I first started this project, I was looking forward the most to watching Kobashi tear it up during his title reign and that did not disappoint.

Smart Marks Heads Explode~!

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1. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama - Budokan 02/27/00
2. GHC Heavyweight Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi - Budokan 03/01/03
3. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama - Budokan 04/25/04
4. All Japan Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama - All Japan 05/26/00

5. All Japan Triple Crown Champion Genichiro Tenryu vs Keiji Mutoh - Budokan 6/8/01
6. Toshiaki Kawada & Masa Fuchi vs Yuji Nagata & Takashi Iizuka - NJ PPV 12/14/00
7. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - Tokyo Dome 07/10/04

8. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshinari Ogawa – Budokan 11/01/03
9. Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - Budokan 12/23/00

10. IWGP Jr Hvywt Tag Champs Ohtani & Takaiwa vs Kanemoto & Minoru - NJPW  6/25/00
11. IWGP Champion Kensuke Sasaki vs Toshiaki Kawada - 10/00 Tokyo Dome Non-Title
12. Keiji Mutoh vs Toshiaki Kawada - Champions Carnival 04/01
13. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue - NOAH 09/10/04
14. IWGP Jr Heavyweight Champion Minoru Tanaka vs Takehiro Murahama - NJPW 4/20/01
15. Shinya Hashimoto & Takashi Iizuka vs Naoya Ogawa & Kazunari Murkami - Tokyo Dome 01/04/00
16. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Tamon Honda - NOAH 04/13/03
17. Genichiro Tenryu & Masa Fuchi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Nobutaka Araya - AJPW 6/30/01

18. Kenta Kobashi vs Takao Omori - Champions Carnival Final '00
19. GHC Tag Team Champions Sterness (Akiyama & Saito) vs Burning (Kobashi & Honda) - Budokan 6/6/03
20. GHC Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama - Budokan 07/27/01
21. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yuji Nagata - Budokan 9/12/03
22. New Japan (Liger & Minoru ) vs. NOAH (Kikuchi & Kanemaru) - NOAH 4/7/02
23. GHC Tag Champions Akiyama & Saito vs Kobashi & Shiga - NOAH 10/19/02
24. Toshiaki Kawada & Genichiro Tenryu vs Stan Hansen & Taiyo Kea - Budokan 07/23/00
25. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Genichiro Tenryu vs Kensuke Sasaki - 01/04/00
26. Genichiro Tenryu vs Toshiaki Kawada - Vacant All Japan Triple Crown 10/28/00
27. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Minoru Suzuki - Budokan 01/08/05
28. Yoshihiro Takayama vs Kensuke Sasaki - G-1 Climax '04
29. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada - Champions Carnival '00
30. Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - NOAH #2 08/06/00

31. Genichiro Tenryu vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan - Vacant IWGP Championship 02/15/04
32. GHC Champion Yoshihiro Takayama vs Mitsuharu Misawa - Budokan 09/23/02
33. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Yoshihiro Takayama - Vacant GHC Title 04/15/01
34. Genichiro Tenryu vs Satoshi Kojima - AJPW 07/07/02
35. U-30 Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuyuki Fujita - Vacant IWGP Championship 6/5/04
36. IWGP Champion Yuji Nagata vs. Yoshihiro Takayama - Tokyo Dome 05/02
37. All Japan Triple Crown Champion Vader vs Kenta Kobashi - Budokan 2/27/00
38. All Japan Triple Crown Champ  Toshiaki Kawada vs Katsuyori Shibata - NJPW 11/03/04 Non-Title
39. IWGP Jr Tag Champions Kanemoto & Minoru vs Liger & Makabe - NJPW 9/12/00

40. Keiji Mutoh vs Yuji Nagata - Sumo Hall 08/12/01 G-1 Climax Final
41. Jun Akiyama vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan - G-1 Climax Finals 08/17/03
42. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi - Champions Carnival '00
43. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata - Budokan 02/17/02
44. Mitsuharu Misawa & Akira Taue vs Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama - NOAH #1 08/05/00
45. New Japan (Liger & Inoue) vs NOAH (Kikuchi & Kanemaru) - NOAH 2/17/02
46. IWGP Jr Hvywt Tag Champs Liger & Minoru vs. Kikuchi & Kanemaru - NJPW 8/29/02'
47. Sterness  vs. Burning 8-Man Tag - NOAH 08/03
48. Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi - AJPW 01/17/00
49. Genichiro Tenryu vs Satoshi Kojima - AJPW 02/24/02

50. Yoshihiro Takayma vs Osamu Nishimura - G-1 Climax Semifinals
51. Yoshihiro Takayama vs Kensuke Sasaki - G-1 Climax Round Robin
52. SUWA vs Dragon Kid - Toryumon 08/24/00 Hair Vs Mask
53. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto vs Masato Tanaka - Zero-One 3/02/02
54. Keiji Mutoh & Hiroshi Hase vs Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata - Tokyo Dome 10/08/01
55. NJPW(Liger, Minoru , Makabe) vs Osaka Pro(Delfin, Murhama, Tsubasa)-NJPW 12/14/00
56. Toshiaki Kawada vs Vader - AJPW 2/17/00
57. Shinya Hashimoto & Yuji Nagata vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama - Zero-One 3/2/01

58. Toshiaki Kawada vs Satoshi Kojima - AJPW 06/06/01
59.  Naoki Sano vs Minoru Tanaka - Battlarts 01/30/2000
60. Dick Togo vs Tiger Mask IV - M-Pro 08/25/02

61. GHC Tag Team Champions Wild II vs Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito - Budokan 9/23/02

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GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshinari Ogawa – Budokan 11/01/03

I did not know until I watched this match that I have a spirit wrestler and his name is Yoshinari Ogawa. If I stepped into the ring, I would look pretty much same right down to the bitchin’ zebra print tights. I’m an inch taller than his billed height. We have a similar build and the same hair color/hair style. I would be the most obnoxious, cheating prick you ever did see. Needless to say, it took all of 30 seconds for Ogawa to become one of my favorite wrestlers ever. I can’t wait to see his dynamic with the Golden Boy, Misawa. I am feeling the Sting/Luger ’96 dynamic on steroids.

Liberal cheating, blood and closed fist punches sound like something out of Memphis, but remarkably it happened in the Budokan in 2003 during a Kobashi match. You can only have so many “epic” matches and this served as a great change of pace. Instead of Kobashi trying to best a warrior on his level in a struggle for the prestige of the GHC Championship, we just wanted to see Kobashi murder this little douche and we got it. Very rarely, do you see Kobashi filled with hate. He fires up and gets angry, but he has respect for his opponent. For Ogawa, he holds him in contempt and is going to punish him. However, this can only be conveyed if Ogawa does his part to live up to the name, “Rat Boy”. This is one of the better heel performances I have ever seen as Ogawa just lays it on thick trying every trick in the book to prove lightning could strike twice and pull off a major upset to become the GHC Champion again.
He sets the tone of the match right off the bat by spewing water in Kobashi’s face at the bell and beating down Kobashi with a big ‘ol shit-eating grin. Of course, Kobashi fires up and just lays in some wicked chops, which Ogawa’s due to his character can really sell well because he does not have to protect his image. Ogawa next trick is play dead off Kobashi’s chops. Kobashi argues with the ref and Ogawa chop blocks Kobashi’s knee. Kobashi’s knees are why he was out for all of 2001 and a good chunk of 2002 and they are heavily braced. Ogawa is just relentless on the knees including trying to take the braces off.  Two spots, I loved during this segment were Kobashi blocking the kneecrusher and Ogawa turning it into a Dragon Leg Screw and Kobashi doing push-ups out of a half-crab and chopping the fuck out of Ogawa. In a moment of hubris, Ogawa thinks he has effectively weakened Kobashi starts to toy with him by poking him in the forehead. This leads to some suplex reversals and Kobashi being thrown into the ref. Ogawa actually gets a visual pinfall off of the enziguiri and back suplex. Ogawa realizing the ref was out gets the friggin’ ring bell and goes to town on Kobashi’s knee.  You know it is coming now that big blowoff to all the heat they were building.

They struggle on the outside and Kobashi sends him head first into the post. It looked wicked. He sends into post again head first and a spinning back chop puts him out. The ref are trying to restrain Kobashi and I don’t speak Japanese, but I am pretty sure he said “Fuck that little prick”. Ogawa comes up bloody and Kobashi unloads with closed fists on the cut. It is such a shame All Japan/NOAH is worked so straight because Kobashi has a badass worked punch. When Ogawa tries to cut off Kobashi at the knee literally, Kobashi rocks with a huge punch and then DDTs him on the ramp. Kobashi hits the mother of all powerbombs, but only gets two. Kobashi only gets two off the sleeper and punches Ogawa again in the head. The ref has enough and tries to restrain him and Ogawa low blows Kobashi! Kobashi right back on top with chops and a superplex. Ogawa’s last ditch effort was quick pinfall attempts with the feet on the ropes just like how he beat Akiyama and pinned Kobashi in a tag match. Ogawa refused to take the half-nelson suplex (proving he was smarter than everyone else in the promotion) and eats a Burning Lariat for the mercy killing.

These two played their roles to a tee. On paper, Ogawa is totally overmatched by the awesome Kobashi. He cheats and needles Kobashi and then he has the audacity to go after his knees. Throughout the whole heat segment, I was just so pumped for the forthcoming destruction. I am just thinking I am going to get some suplexes, throws and Lariats. Then on top of that, I get BLOOD and CLOSED PUNCHES! That’s some sweet icing on the cake. I have some minor quibbles, no reason for Ogawa to get the visual fall and the ending stretch could have been tighter (low blow-> leads to pinfall attempts ->Kobash BURNINATES). Overall, a match that totally caught me unawares and is just a bitchin’ curveball out of NOAH. ****1/2

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LANDS. ALL. OVER. HIS FACE.

GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama - Budokan 04/25/04

Going into this project, this was my pick for the best match of the decade in Japan of the 00s, granted I had only seen something like 20 matches from the decade. While it is just as excellent as I remembered, it did not quite have enough to dislodge Misawa/Akiyama and Misawa/Kobashi from the top two spots. From the first time I watched this in 2007 until now, I have been impressed with the hellacious beating Takayama dishes out on the champion. For the first time in the title reign, it feels like Kobashi could actually drop the title.

These two have insane chemistry together. I loved their outing in 2000 and this match has enough differences to make this a unique great match. Instead of the hook being that Takayama is a outright heel, here it is can Kobashi surmount Takayama's strength advantage when in all the previous major title defenses he has been the larger competitor. Takayama is a big man, but he absolutely wrestles huge ensuring his stature being the crux of most of his matches. Early on they put over his size that Kobashi has to wear him down before he can hit big bombs like the half nelson suplex or delayed vertical. Kobashi pays for treating Takayama like any another opponent when Takayama reverses a delayed vertical into a guillotine choke. Takayama establishes control with a nice running knee/butterfly suplex combo. At first, it looks like Takayama was going to target leg, but when Kobashi keeps chopping him he takes his arm and hyperextends it over his shoulder. I loved this showcase of adaptability. He came in looking to take a limb and when Kobashi presented one to him he took it. Kobashi's verbal selling really put over the double wristlock. Outside the ring, Kobashi hits a rebound lariat off the railing, but his ailing arm prevents him from getting in the ring and Takayama hits a monster German off the apron. They milk this for all its worth with a double countout tease.

Reminiscent of their 2000 match, Kobashi's right arm has been rendered useless he has to find ways to circumvent it. Takayama picks off Kobashi with a butterfly suplex and transitions immediately into a cross-armbreaker, but Kobashi makes the ropes. Takayama continues to try to hyperextend the arm. Kobashi grabs desperation sleeper, but cant leverage due to height disadvantage and bad arm. Takayama hits a wicked half-nelson suplex and a big German to get a two. The "Ko-Bash-I" chants ring out in the Budokan. He goes for the Human Capture German suplex, but here comes Kobashi. Kobashi throws Takayama down on his knee attempt, spinning back chop and a half-nelson level the playing field even though Kobashi is still favoring the arm. Takayama takes advantage of this to hit a dragon suplex and running knee, but the ropes save Kobashi.

Takayama makes his last stand just landing nasty punches and kicks really smothering Kobashi and pushing the ref aside. This was really the first time Takayama was heelish and it puts over the desperation. Kobashi gets behind to hit the half-nelson and then a brainbuster for two. Burning Hammer, but his arm cant handle it. Takayama throws a wild kick BURNING LARIAT~! still only gets two. Kobashi with a bloody lip and a crazed look in his eyes signals for the Moonsault and the crowd  loses shit for this. Moonsault right on Takayama's face wins the match!

This match was wrestler more like an intense title match with a David vs Goliath dynamic rather than 2000 match where Takayama heeled it up. It shows how far Takayama had come as a credible challenger to any major Japanese title. The match showcases Kobashi at his best working from underneath. Using his histrionics to full effect to get the crowd cheering for his eventual comeback and who better to dish out punishment than the Bleach Blond Badass. Takayama gave as good as he got as his chest looked like raw meat after this match.  The right arm was why Kobashi could never string together a combination of offense until Takayama had finally punched himself out and also why Kobashi had to bust out the moonsault (on the face) because he could not physically hit the Burning Hammer. Also for the first time, Kobashi was pushed to the limit as he was forced to dig deep in his bag of tricks to beat this giant. It was an excellent payoff to many different levels of storytelling before the biggest match in NOAH history against Akiyama in the Dome. *****

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GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - Tokyo Dome 07/10/04

The pinnacle of Pro Wrestling NOAH pits the red-hot Kenta Kobashi defending his title against NOAH's second best, Jun Akiyama in a suitably epic encounter. It is a testament to NOAH that they were able to draw 50,000 to the Egg Dome with a main event of two NOAH talents as the big matches of 00s tended to feature a company vs. company rivalry. Yes, All Japan and New Japan were represented on the show, but without a doubt the drawing card was the payoff to the collision course that Kobashi and Akiyama has been on since Kobashi returned from injury in 2002. With a victory, Kobashi cements himself as one of the greatest champions of all time with one of the best reigns ever. If Akiyama wins, it could be a similar torch seizure that took a place just a year earlier when Kobashi finally got the Misawa monkey off his back and took his place in the sun. It has the Clash of the Titans feel you want at a Dome show.

It is always a little weird to see the All Japan/NOAH boys at the Dome, but if there were ever two of them meant for the Dome it is these two. Kobashi wins an early exchange with a shoulderblock and Akiyama powders. Kobashi tells him he wants to get this done in the ring. Akiyama has Kobashi scouted grabbing a leg lace out of a Russian Legsweep attempt (that usually follows his short knee lifts). Akiyama looks for the guillotine choke (how he won the August 2000 match), but Kobashi urgently chops Akiyama's neck to stymie him. Kobashi turns Akiyama's neck/chest a nasty purple-red with some of the most brutal chops ever. He misses a spinning back chop and Akiyama capitalizes with a high knee. It is business as usual for Akiyama targeting the neck with knee-based offense and a wicked DDT onto the apron. Akiyama wrangles the choke, but Kobashi pops out so Akiyama goes right back to the neck with a double-arm DDT and a forearm to back of head. Akiyama grabs the choke and Kobashi goes limp, but summons the strength to make the ropes. In a bitchin transition, Kobashi actually clamps on a headlock after being hit with a back suplex. It is such a good headlock that it is a credible pinning predicament. Then in a HOLY SHIT bump, Kobashi suplexes him off the apron, which sounds nasty, but not that nasty. However, when you actually see the landing they fucking bounce off the floor.

They milk this for a double countout, but both get in at 15. Kobashi collapses in the ring and when he finally covers Akiyama he barley gets a shoulder up. Kobashi runs off his usual offense, half-nelson suplex and Burning Lariat He knows it is time for Burning Hammer, but Akiyama elbows out and a running knee levels the playing field. They tease finishers off the apron and Akiyama hits his Exploder off the middle rope to the floor. They tease a countout loss by Kobashi, who gets in at 19. Kobashi is able to get his foot on the ropes during the consequent pinfall attempt. More Exploders (top-rope version) are not doing the trick, so he tries choking him out and still only can get two. Wrist-clutch exploder gets two. Kobashi is not human. Akiyama must be like I am fucked at this point. Kobashi brainbuster out of some crazy Exploder variation and trade half-nelson suplexes and exploders. Burning Lariat and finally Akiyama collapses. It is academic at this point and a moonsault and Burning Hammer polish off Kobashi's biggest challenge yet.

There is something about the Kobashi/Akiyama that just does not do it completely for me. I like wrinkles and dynamics that add to forumla. I feel like Kobashi and Akiyama are the most proficient practitioners of the epic NOAH style so it is just formula executed as well as possible, but without the wrinkles that other opponents can add to the match. This had everything you would expect from Kobashi/AKiyama: chops, knees, suplexes, huge bumps, big bombs and a badass finish run. It felt like Akiyama pushed Kobashi to his limit moreso than any other opponent yet with his chokeout and Exploder off the middle-rope, but just did not have enough in the arsenal to polish off Kobashi. I can see why people feel like this match is the nail in the Akiyama as an Ace coffin. It was a very decisive Kobashi victory as he take literally every Akiyama bomb and then beat him clean with his two biggest bombs. I don't think this was the point of no return. Akiyama could have worked on a new super head drop finisher or if Kobashi dropped the title on the next defense he could take credit for Kobashi being so fatigued that he was easy pickings for the next challenger. There were options for Akiyama and I don't think this was a must-win for him. It was a great performance that put him right on Kobashi's level, but much like Kawada the resistance to pull the trigger ultimately fucked him. It is hard to explain, but I thought it was missing that little hook that other MOTDCs have had to give this the full monty. I felt Kobashi's desperation, but I just didnt think Akiyama was at the same level of urgency. For comparison, I thought Akiyama's performance in the Misawa '00 match really had the extra sense of urgency that takes the match to next level. I have said it before and will say it again when you are picking the best match of the decade you have to pick nits. ****3/4

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GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue - NOAH 09/10/04

"TAUE! TAUE! TAUE! TAUE!" Besides the one asshole twerp that screams "Kobashi" every 5 fuckin seconds (seriously it could kill your enjoyment of this match), this crowd is 100% behind Taue to lift the title off Kobashi. After 18 months, it is just the nature of the beast that the crowds start to get restless with Kobashi as a champion. Yes, they still had this match with a fellow Four Corner of Heaven, an invader match with Minoru Suzuki and the final title loss to rookie bust, Takeshi Rikio. However, after the Akiyama match there is a definite feel that Kobashi reign has climax. When you get that sense of climax, audiences tend to want to rush to the final resolution. Remembering back to high school English, they broke a story into 5 fundamental parts and the shortest one usually was the falling action (between climax and resolution). There is a reason it is short people just had their minds blown by the climax and now want the satisfaction of the resolution. Well, Kobashi's reign had a long falling action. It provided us this excellent match against Taue and a very good match against Minoru Suzuki, but I feel this explains the crowd behavior, which was dead in this match unless Taue was doing something awesome.

Normally, Kobashi does a little shine in the beginning because he is a macho badass champion well Taue aint having none of that. He boots him off the apron and goes diving through the ropes onto him. Whenever Taue dives outside, it is just so unexpected and ungraceful that looks awesome. Taue loves picking people up and dropping them neck first on unforgiving objects and that is why he is the Man. Kobashi starts firing off some chops and hits a plancha to the outside. Taue like most Kobashi opponents has raw meat for a chest now. Kobashi busts everyone's favorite move the 3-Handled Moss-Covered Gredunza and controls with various holds. Taue steals a move from his Holy Demon Army partner with a  spinkick to turn the tide. He goes after Kobashi's knees as so many have tried using the half-crab, kneecrusher and a weird figure-4. Taue's chest is just gross at this point as it already starting to bruise. NODOWA ON RAMP~!

Taue going to take no countout win and goes out gets Kobashi. Taue just runs off a huge string of offense. When Kobashi tries to no-sell a German, he just kicks him in the head. NODOWA OFF APRON~! Kobashi keeps falling down, but nothing can stop the DYNAMIC BOMB~! At this point, the crowd relents and starts to cheer for Kobashi. Kobashi chops Taue's hand to stop the Nodowa and gets a Burning Lariat to create space (Vintage Cole). It truly is 2004 because Kobashi steals the Nodowa to no reaction, but hits on of his best powerbombs, but cant keep him down. Kobashi crashes and burns on the moonsault. Can Taue do it? Can he pull it off? The crowd has woken up! Taue busts out a backdrop Nodowa! Taue goes for the Super Nodowa, but Kobashi looks to powerbomb him and it is a Taue-rana!!! HUGE POP! Brainbuster only gets two. The crowd wanted Taue to win so badly there that you had to feel bad for Taue and them. Taue hits a flying friggin bodypress. Giants dont fly, but Taue does! Taue chants echo throughout the Budokan. One Kobashi lariat silences the crowd. He runs through some standard offense while the crowd chants for Taue before he finishes him with the Mutha of all FInishes: Wrist-Clutch Burning Hammer!

The fun of this match is undoubtedly seeing Taue get a crack at the title in his waning days and having the crowd fully behind him. He really puts it all on the line here flying through the air, ruthlessly attacking knee and Nodowas galore. The Nodowa is the opposite of the Kojima's Ace Crusher it is bitchin in all its variation. Kobashi sold like a million bucks to make you believe the Impossible Dream could come true. This was the least Kobashi-oriented match of the reign. It makes sense that after Akiyama pushed him into the limit that he was really out of gas. He was just hanging on my a thread in this match taking less offense than usual and being on the defensive early. He also needed to bust out his super-duper finisher to polish this one off. Bot in kayfabe and reality with Kobashi and crowds fatigued, the end was nigh for this historic title reign. ****1/4

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I'm burnin'...I'm burnin' for you

GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Minoru Suzuki - Budokan 01/08/05

In the Taue review, I said that the Kobashi reign had all but run its course. They did squeeze one more good match out of it before they had him drop the title to Rikio, which is this match against the mercurial Minoru Suzuki. The cackling, invading shoot fighter looked to wrest the time from NOAH's ace using his unique brand of head games and submissions. A lot of people would say this match screams styles clash, but styles make bouts interesting. Suzuki took Kobashi out of his comfort zone and together they had a more dynamic effort than say with Yuji Nagata. However, it just felt like it came to late in the reign. The Nagata match was a Clash of the Titans. The Kobashi reign was running on fumes at this point.

Right off the bat, we get Suzuki's head games that frustrate Kobashi and establish why Suzuki is such a lethal opponent. He is like Rat Boy with skills. You think a test of strength would be a bad idea on Suzuki's part, but he turns that into a crazy pinning predicament and triangle choke then into a cross armbreaker. When Kobashi gets out of it, he is laughing and having himself a grand 'ol time at the expense of Kobashi. Kobashi gets pegged as a meat head sometimes, but he aint no dummy. He knows he has the strength advantage and if Suzuki is quicker and shrewder well why not bring back to the basics and Kobashi works a headlock the majority of the opening. He does not let go. He puts a headlock on him outside and brings him with one. You can control the head; you control the body. Two can play that game, Suzuki.

Prematurely, Kobashi thinks it is time to unload the chops and Suzuki grabs his arm, sticks out his tongue and puts him in a triangle choke dangling over the ropes. Suzuki is such a badass heel, the perfect blend of cocky and dangerous. Even busting out the Dikembe Mutombo finger wag. You can sense Kobashi frustration over both his arm injury and Suzuki's behavior. Kobashi is able to get a sleeper and hit the sleeper suplex to turn the tide. Tease the half-nelson suplex on apron, but Suzuki slaps on a sleeper and Kobashi collapses off the ramp onto the floor. Nasty bump that puts over how messed up Kobashi is. When Kobashi gets back in, Suzuki lays it in with a cradle piledriver, a wicked back drop driver and an octopus stretch. However, a desperation BURNING LARIAT~! levels the playing field. Kobashi jacknifes off a weak powerbomb and Suzuki grabs a cross armbreaker out of it. Too sweet! Wild left handed lariat saves Kobashi. Axe bombah in the corner and Kobashi accelerates through the hole with a barrage of lariats and back drop drivers to win the match.

The story of the match is the story that has continued since Akiyama. Attrition is taking Kobashi down and it is inevitable that soon he will drop the title. Suzuki also accomplished the feat with a sound strategy of taking out the arm and avoiding Kobashi's bombs (like the half-nelson on the ramp). Suzuki just being Suzuki forced him to wrestle very conservatively from the outset with the headlock and once he tried to transition into a Kobashi match Suzuki pounced. The thing with Kobashi is that he always has a puncher's chance so when he hits off-handed lariat he is able to follow up with all those bombs that Suzuki just could not escape. It is an interesting match, but in terms of the reign it is just not at the high end (which speaks volumes about how bitchin this reign was) ****

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This GHC Title Reign from Kenta Kobashi will go down as one of the best in any country or anytime. Whether you use box office or in-ring quality as your performance metric, Kenta Kobashi hit a home run with his two year run on top. In the works, I have a look at the miscellaneous heavyweight matches from 2003-2004 in Japan and Part Two of the Shield's 2013 campaign.