Defenders of the Faith: Akira Taue, Mitsuharu Misawa, Shinya Hashimoto (Pro Wrestling NOAH, 2000-2002)

Hey yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

BEST DAY EVER AT WORK~! Not only did I get to use real chemical engineering modeling at work, I also solved our cleanliness problem. Who's da man? I am da man! Not even a flat tire on the way home from work could bring me down!

The Only Two Things That Could Make Today Better

I decided to celebrate by talking about one of my favorite time period of one of my favorite promotions (read: I did not finish watching all the 2014 NXT matches I wanted), early Pro Wrestling NOAH. Early NOAH captures the intricate and compelling storytelling of All Japan, with a deeper and more fun roster and reducing the average match time. Matches like the Misawa/Akiyama Semifinals match and Misawa/Taue were downright lean and mean. The only match that really feels beholden to the length is strength mindset is the Kobashi vs Akiyama epic from the end of 2000. I thought they made use of their time a lot better there than they did during their Dome match four years later. I capture the very beginning of NOAH and how they went out their way to differentiate themselves from All Japan in the following blog:

 http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/jun-akiyama-fifth-pillar-of-heaven-or.html

I decided to go back to watch more NOAH matches from this time period because I enjoyed it so much that I did not want to leave any stone unturned. For the most part, none of the matches really rocked my world. They were just very good to great matches that were enjoyable experiences. The two matches that really stood out to me were the aforementioned Misawa vs Taue match and the amazing heel vs heel Takayama vs Ogawa match for the GHC Championship.

I loved the brisk pace of the Taue/Misawa match without sacrificing anything in regards to compelling match structure or awesome moments. Taue had the elbow scouted and was just relentless suffocating Misawa. You really felt how Misawa could not get anything started against this onslaught. Misawa always has his trusty elbow, which bails him out eventually. He just never deviates from what brought him to the dance and who can blame him with the track record he had. I wished the match forced him to dig deeper into his bags of trick, but overall it was very enjoyable.

The big find of going back and watching this era was the Yoshihiro Takayama and Yoshinari Ogawa GHC Heavyweight Championship match from 2002. They stand as far part on the heel spectrum as possible, but they are two best heels in Japan of the decade. I have gone on record that Rat Boy is my spirit wrestler from the look (the hair & zebra pants), the attitude (cocksure, but clearly not deserving) and just being a total cheat in the ring. The Bleach Blond Giant is the ultimate bully of Japan with combination of size and shoot-fighting skills he knows he is a badass and he ain't afraid to let you know. However, how fine is the line between bully and asskicker? What about the line between do whatever it takes scoundrel and undersize underdog? It is a great heel vs. heel match because they never deviate from their characters, but the context makes you cheer for each one at different points. At the beginning as Takayama is just having his way with Ogawa, you feel bad for the little guy. Once the little guy starts cheating like a muthafucka and is really laying a beating on the Giant, you can't wait for Takayama to get his hands on this piss-ant and squash him like  a bug. Pro wrestling demonstrates what we know from the real world that context is the difference between hero and villain and loved and being hated.  That is why pro wrestling is the greatest form of entertainment in the history of mankind.

Greatest Champion Ever! EVAH~!

Previously on Riding Space Mountain:

Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Akira Taue - NOAH 8/5/00
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/jun-akiyama-fifth-pillar-of-heaven-or.html

Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - NOAH 8/6/00 ****
#93 of 100
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/jun-akiyama-fifth-pillar-of-heaven-or.html

Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - NOAH 12/23/00 ****1/2
#32 of 100, 2000 NOAH Match of the Year
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/jun-akiyama-fifth-pillar-of-heaven-or.html

Shinya Hashimoto & Yuji Nagata vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama - Zero-1 3/2/01 ****1/4
#53 of 100
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/jun-akiyama-fifth-pillar-of-heaven-or.html

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Yoshihiro Takayama - Vacant GHC Championship 4/13/01 ****3/4
#13 of 100, 2001 NOAH Match of the Year
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/bleach-blond-bad-yoshihiro-takayama.html

GHC Heavyweight Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama - NOAH 7/27/01 ****1/2
#26 of 100
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/jun-akiyama-fifth-pillar-of-heaven-or.html

New Japan (Liger & Wataru Inoue) vs NOAH (Kikuchi & Kanemaru) - NOAH 2/17/02 ****1/4
#51 of 100
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/02/minoru-special-japanese-juniors-2000.html

Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata - NOAH 2/17/02
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/jun-akiyama-fifth-pillar-of-heaven-or.html

New Japan (Liger & Wataru Inoue) vs NOAH (Kikuchi & Kanemaru) - NOAH 4/7/02 ****1/2
#37 of 100
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/02/minoru-special-japanese-juniors-2000.html

Wild II (Morishima & Rikio) vs Sterness (Akiyama & Saito) - NOAH 9/23/02
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/jun-akiyama-fifth-pillar-of-heaven-or.html

GHC Hvywt Champion Yoshihiro Takayama vs Mistuharu Misawa - NOAH 9/23/02 ****1/2
#45 of 100
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/bleach-blond-bad-yoshihiro-takayama.html

Sterness (Akiyama & Saito) vs Burning (Kobashi & Shiga) - NOAH 10/19/02
#76 of 100
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/jun-akiyama-fifth-pillar-of-heaven-or.html
-------------------------------------------------------

Match Listing:

Kenta Kobashi, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, Takeshi Rikio vs. 

Jun Akiyama, Yoshihiro Takayama, Kentaro Shiga - NOAH 9/25/00 ***1/4

Standard fun NOAH six-man. Kikuchi stands out from the pack.

Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs Hashimoto & Alexander Otsuka - NOAH 1/13/01 ***1/2
It is Hashimoto vs Misawa. If that is not must-see, I don't know what is. Rat Boy is badass per usual.

Kenta Kobashi & Akira Taue vs Jun Akiyama & Vader - NOAH 1/13/01 ****

#88 of 100

Huge Vader Lariats and even bigger NODOWAS~! Scariest Vadersault ever. Great tag team match.

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama - GHC Hvywt Championship SemiFinals 04/11/01 ***3/4

Sprint! Super fun, NOAH just kept getting longer and longer. Love these early shorties.

GHC Heavyweight Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue - NOAH 05/18/01 ****1/2

#34 of 100

It is Taue so efficient and compact at no expense to a great story. Taue delivers a great full court press.

Tamon Honda vs Daisuke Ikeda - NOAH 09/01/01 ***1/2

Wrestler vs striker. Fun NOAH mid-card bouts back when those used to happen.

GHC Heavyweight Champion Yoshinari Ogawa vs Yoshihiro Takayama - NOAH 9/7/02 ****1/2

#21 of 100, 2002 NOAH Match of the Year
Best heel vs heel match ever? Bully vs Rat Boy. So different but both epitomize why I love wrestling. 

Definitely not just another pretty face

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Kenta Kobashi, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, Takeshi Rikio vs. 

Jun Akiyama, Yoshihiro Takayama, Kentaro Shiga - NOAH 9/25/00

The reunion of Kobashi and Kikuchi was cool, but this seemed pretty by the numbers. For once, Akiyama actually looks like the star in a tag match rather than taking the backseat to his team members. He felt like Kobashi's equal coming off choking him out in August. Akiyama was the one who earned the advantage for his team  with a big knee to Rikio and later dropkick to Kobashi's knee, which forced Kobashi out of the match. Rikio was the best he looked to me. He was just a raw, strong young dude. All he knew was to use his body as a weapon just throwing it at people and awesome sumo slaps. It is not a sustainable style, but it makes sense for a rookie of his size. However, once the even bigger Takayama was able to use the momentum against him with a  knee lift and his partners were detained, Rikio was easy pickings. Takayama and Kobashi is my favorite pairing of the 00s and it was great seeing them lock up. Kobashi was not as overbearing as usual. He was still the weapon of the massive destruction of his team and it was great to see him work with Kikuchi. However, Akiyama was able to detain him with a dropkick to the knee and a figure-4 while Takayama polished off Rikio. Shiga impressed me in 2000 as the plucky underdog. I did not like him as much as the upstart with a chip on his shoulder against Kobashi, but he was servicable. Shiga gets too caught up trying to fight Kobashi on apron that Kikuchi is able to snap off a couple suplexes. The real star of this match is Kikuchi. He worked the short heat segment when he gets too overzealous by challenging Akiyama's team in the corner and Kikuchi suffers for it. He is great at selling, but the beatdown is pretty by the numbers. Surprisingly, Kikuchi works the hot tag and is the best part of the match. He has this crazy spider spot (like Tenryu's Spider German) and just rocks the match. However, Takayama breaks up Kikuchi's rolling Germans, which triggers the Takayama and Rikio finish. If this match happened on RAW, there would be a lot of buzz, but in puroresu we can be a bit spoiled. Kikuchi's performance is standout the rest is pretty much cruise control for everyone else. ***1/4  

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Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs 

Shinya Hashimoto & Alexander Otsuka - NOAH 1/13/01

Holy Shit! A single Tiger Driver actually won a match! Thats Batshit Insane! I really need to rewatch the March tag because I loved this. However, my big problem is that Ogawa makes so much more sense in the role of undersized douche than Akiyama who I thought got destroyed in the match. Hashimoto and Otsuka made their intentions clear that they want Misawa and that Ogawa is just getting in their way. I love Misawa's demeanor. He has total faith in Ogawa. He is not hiding behind him, but he believes in him and wants him to wrestle. For the most part, this does not go too well for Ogawa especially when Hashimoto the Destroyer was in there. Hashimoto vs. Kobashi in 2003:The World Implodes? Hashimoto and Misawa was friggin bitchin. Easily the best strike exchange of the 2000s just great weight and meaning behind each one. Hashimot goes down first, but comes back with overhand chops and stays on top of Misawa with stomps. This draws the young boys to the apron and a great tense staredown. Hashimoto gives one a shove.  I would have loved a melee then restart. Misawa comes outta the corner with a big elbow. In a way they worked a mini-match with a Hashimoto heat and Misawa comeback that was very satisfying. The match continues with Otsuka working a solid heat on Misawa who decks him with an elbow. Ogawa does not the sustain the advantage for long. By God, the crowd is chanting for "Ogawa!". Hashimoto is destroying him with these kicks. Hashimoto goes for a brainbuster, but there is struggle, and some more struggle and finally an eyepoke, HUGE POP! OGAWA SUPLEX! Ogawa/Misawa run through some great double teams, but Hashimoto breaks up pinfall attempt. Hashimoto is relentless attacking Misawa until Ogawa pulls him off and Misawa hits the Tiger Driver for the win.

Hashimoto just seemed like one mean bastard. He was going out of his way to prove He was The Man to Misawa and it generated so much great heat. Otsuka was serviceable as number two. Ogawa was so perfect for this role in every way that Akiyama was not. He was fit to get his ass kicked, but it all built to him getting an eyepoke and a suplex. It was the ultimate Japanese pro wrestling moment of "He may be an asshole, but he is OUR asshole!" Really need to rewatch March match. ***1/2



------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kenta Kobashi & Akira Taue vs Jun Akiyama & Vader - NOAH 1/13/01

Vader is DA MAN~! If NOAH could milk Vader for a couple more years even if just hidden in tags, he would have been a huge boon to NOAH. My biggest criticism of NOAH is the lack of gaijin talent. Stan Hansen and Dr. Death were so critical to the All Japan Golden Years. I know 2001 Vader is not 1994 Dr. Death especially evident in the couple mishaps and the extremely blown finish. However, holy shit did he look great as the monstrous heel who just mauls Kobashi. I also thought this was one of the most Southern style tag matches in Japan with great double heat.

Kobashi and Taue have an absolutely great shine segment. Vader and Akiyama look to double team Kobashi at the outset, but Kobashi and Taue have other plans in mind. Kobashi destroys Vader with back fists and Taue hits NODOWA~! on Akiyama on ramp. Kobashi continues the beat down on Akiyama. Akiyama high knee and tags in Vader. Vader is fantastic. After all the flippy shit in the 2007 juniors, this is just mama's home cooking as Vader is just blasting Kobashi in the face. In a weird moment, Vader takes Kobashi out into the crowd and puts him in a chinlock. Alright then, snuggle time in the crowd it is. Back in the ring, Vader gets nearfalls off a bitchin lariat (this is one of those lariats JBL would have an orgasm for) and a Vaderbomb. Taue saves and this gives time for Kobashi to tag out. Taue hits the Mother of All NODOWA~! on Vader. Jesus, the elevation he gets on Vader of all people makes up for Vader's shitty finish. Akiyama hits an Exploder on Taue and now Taue is in peril. Vader and Akiyama kick his ass on the outside with Akiyama hitting a piledriver. Taue hits a nasty big boot on Vader. This match is stiff as all hell. Vader chucks Kobashi across the ring on two Germans. Vader hits a massive powerbomb only for two triggering "Ko-Bash-I". Vader hits a Vaderbomb and then nearly kills himself on a Vadersault attempt, which Akiyama covers and then he actually does it and almost kills Kobashi. All I could think was when Vader nearly fell to off the top rope was if I was Kobashi I would be shitting my pants because he you have no idea where the hell Vader would land. I would have called audible and switched the finish, just for my livelihood. That is why Kobashi is Kobashi. He has Balls of Steel!

Incredibly fun match marred by a blown finish. It was entertaining from the excellent Kobashi/Taue shine to the double heat through the finish run with Vader throwing people around. Vader looked like a monster in this match, but I would imagine the finish killed any chance of him getting further chances up the card or perhaps he just didn't have it in him. This match epitomizes what I like in my wrestling. ****



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LOOK OUT!

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama - GHC Heavyweight Championship SemiFinals 04/11/01

After a pretty ho-hum 2000 (well besides putting on the Match of the Decade), Misawa needed to be re-established as the Man in NOAH especially with Kobashi being out for 2001 and majority of 2002. This leads to a weird retrogression in the Misawa/Akiyama series and again the problem with never totally committing to Akiyama. Akiyama would win the GHC Championship from Misawa, but here he seems like Misawa's whipping boy. Misawa was coming back at will. Where in 2000, Akiyama dominated after Misawa crashed and burned on elbow from the apron, Misawa rocked Akiyama with elbows so he never ever got anything going. Really the match felt like an exhibition for Misawa's offense. Misawa looked fantastic, pretty much best he ever did in 21st Centruy looking nimble and energetic and Akiyama sold and bumped for him great. It just made Akiyama look a little weak. I liked the double countout on the floor with Misawa hitting a Tiger Driver and Akiyama hiitng an Exploder. It protects Akiyama a bit. They restart the match because there must be a winner!

The finishing stretch is a great sprint with Akiyama looking to put Misawa away with a big high knee, brainbuster and his new and still lethal guillotine choke. Misawa is able to make the ropes. The actual finish is roll-up reversals with Misawa coming out on top is very fresh for NOAH given ho accustomed we are too definitive finishes. It was a fun exhibition for Misawa and a return to form for The Man, just a bit disappointing it came at Akiyama's expense. ***3/4

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GHC Heavyweight Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue - NOAH 05/18/01

A GHC Championship match that goes 15 minutes, CALLOOH! CALLAY! Taue has Misawa scouted, he ain't going to fall for any of this elbow bullshit. He is absolutely suffocating on offense taking to Misawa obliterating him with big boots and hitting a NODOWA~! from the ramp to the timekeeper's table. This 2001 match is much more aligned with the usual Misawa takes a shitkicking and keeps on tickin. Misawa gets his Misawa-Rana and counters like this, but you got to get up pretty early in the morning to get one over on Taue, who just keeps pressing with boots to the head. DYNAMIC BOMB~! Misawa kicks out and tries to powder, but Taue gets a hold of him on the apron. RUH ROH! Misawa's elbow saves him and he collapses back into the safety of the ring. Taue was not the only one with a scouting report. So much for safety as he eats two NODOWA~!, but kicks out. Misawa spinkick Taue and he powders. INCOMING! Here comes Misawa with two diving elbows. TAUE BACKDROP NODOWA~! only gets two. That is pretty much a death sentence. Elbows rock Taue -> Emerald Flowsion -> Obliteration Elbow ->2->Emerald Flowsion -> 3. Taue was on fire in this match as he had answer for all the usual Misawa tricks. I would have liked to seen Misawa dig deep into bag of tricks to beat Taue instead of just patiently sticking with the elbow, but that is Misawa's modus operandi. I would say that is what hurt the match the most you have Taue hitting huge bombs and really responding well to Misawa, but the finish is just the same 'ol same with Misawa hitting his elbows to set up Emerald Flowsion now instead of the Tiger Driver. Still a very fun, tidy and efficient bout. ****1/4

Does not look good for our hero

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Tamon Honda vs Daisuke Ikeda - NOAH 09/01/01

NOAH was running in a small building with stained glass, a very interesting setting for a very interesting match. There was nothing about this bout that said NOAH. It would have felt more at home in New Japan or even in BattlArts. This is not surprising as Ikeda cut his teeth at Fujiwara's Gym and the original BattlArts. Ikeda likes to kick people hard. Honda is an Olympic wrestler and looks to neutralize Ikeda with takedowns. Honda does not have his facial hair so he does not look like the world's ugliest pro wrestler. It feels like early UFC where the wrestler takes down a striker, but does not how to finish him off down there and just smothers him. Ikeda proves why Honda has taken this strategy with flurries of kicks, but finally evens the match with a cross armbreaker. If you respect the cross armbreaker, I respect you. Honda definitely respected the cross armbreaker with his selling. This match is totally built around selling, which is a great contrast the big bomb nature of most NOAH matches. However, there was still a distinct lack of struggle and not much in the way of a story once the wrestler vs. grappler story ended. Good example was Honda powerbomb -> Ikeda triangle -> Honda leg lace with not signs of struggle. I loved Ikeda using the ropes to counterweight a Honda throw, but soon they just throwing each other around. It makes sense for Honda to go for throws, but I would have liked to seen Ikeda use his striking ability to counteract Honda. Honda is eventually able to pick up a submission victory over Ikeda. I see why a lot people like this match. It is minimalist match centered around selling.  Personally, I thought Honda was overselling. I understood selling the arm, but he was selling general fatigue and pain like Ikeda was having a competitive match with him. Ikeda did not get much in the way of offense. Even before Ikeda's back drop driver, Honda was selling like he had been through a war and all Ikeda had done was a cross armbreaker. Honda's selling effectively disguised this as more competitive as it was. I enjoyed it as something very different than the NOAH's main event scene. They could have used this diversity more as the decade progressed. ***1/2

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GHC Heavyweight Champion Yoshinari Ogawa vs Yoshihiro Takayama - NOAH 9/7/02

Yoshinari Ogawa's tights say GHC Champ. Automatic 5 Stars!!! Hands down the best match of 2002 with Takayama and Ogawa just tearing it up in one of the best heel vs heel match that I have ever seen. Ogawa and Takayama have been the two best heels in Japan in the 2000s, but heel vs heel is even harder than face vs. face. I would say heel vs heel was the root cause of the relatively quiet crowd until the hot finish. They make it work because a monster bully can make even the most snot nosed punk an undersized underdog and the most snot nosed punk can make even the biggest bully an asskicking giant. Much like Hart/Diesel Survivor Series '95 (albeit that's a face v face match), I thought Takayama/Ogawa did a good job trading roles within the match.

The hooks of the match are Takayama underestimating Ogawa and Ogawa looking for any opening to exploit. Ogawa starts hot with a roll-up (where Ogawa actually sold his arm because Takayama is so heavy) and an eye poke/shoulder knockdown, but then goes totally flying on the kick out. Takayama begins to kick the shit out of Ogawa because Ogawa is not a tough badass we get some really fun selling. Takayama steps Ogawa's face and does the one foot cover. You actually feel a bit of sympathy for the little punk. Then you remember he is such a little snot when Takayama big boot goes over the top rope and puts Takayama in the tree of woe. When the ref tries to hold Ogawa back and Ogawa pushes him off, it is not the usual heel trying to be more violent, it is that Ogawa knows this is now or never. Ogawa makes the most of it and wrenches the arm across the post. Ring-assisted figure-4 armlock, Ogawa is God! Ogawa is hyper focused on arm and Takayama is still using his size to struggle, but Ogawa is leveraging this is as his one advantage. Every time Takayama seems like he is about to destroy Ogawa, but Ogawa always gets out. Takayama lifts him out of short arm scissors, Ogawa rolls through into another one. Takayama looks to send him into the railing, but Ogawa sends him arm first into the post. Takayama looks to take off Ogawa's head, but Ogawa gets drop toehold into the post. Ogawa back drop driver onto floor. YES! YES! YES! Crowd gives the biggest pop when Takayama gets back in the ring at 19 and Ogawa lets out a nice, big "SHIT!". Ogawa has turned Takayama babyface, BABY!

Ogawa rattles off a bunch of back drop drivers and one after another Takayama kicks out. You know it is coming. You know it is coming. BAM! KNEE LIFT AND OGAWA GOES FLYING! Ogawa actually kicks out of the first Everest Suplex. Ogawa counters with a barrage of roll-ups, which are actually over because it is Ogawa. Ogawa goes for a small package and Takayama stands tall and slams him in a wicked cool spot. Everest Suplex and Takayama wins the GHC Title!

I had been so down in 2002, just turns out I was not watching the correct matches because this was all types of awesome. Ogawa just embodies Rat Boy so well. The way he can just slip out of each situation and his heat segments are some of the best since 2000 because there is no guy you want to see get his ass kicked. He just kept getting out of each situation. Then he gets the countout finish. It keeps building and building, you get that knee lift just like the Kobashi bloodied up Ogawa. Then you get a nice compact finish run Takayama needs a bomb or two and Ogawa tries to hold on by the skin of his teeth with roll ups. The only reason this does not go on higher is because Takayama as such a natural heel just is not as good as the ultimate babyface Kobashi steamrolling Ogawa so that is why it is a level less, but an easy 2002 Match of the Year and gives 2002 a Match of the Year on the level of the years. Watch this match! ****1/2

RE-WATCH THOUGHTS:
Who am I to doubt myself? Again, thought I may have overrated this match, but I thought this was really fun again. Ogawa was without a doubt the most entertaining wrestler of the decade, it is a shame, he disappeared in the latter half of the decade as you would have been great as the decade got staler. I had forgotten about Ogawa's loud "Shit!" at the 19 count when Takayama rolled back in in a nick of time. I popped all over again. He sold so well in the beginning making you believe Takayama was going to run away with this. Even with the size disparity, once Ogawa went on offense it was totally credible because he used the ring-post initially and just kept on it. I loved those cutoffs by using the ring post late in the match.


Takayama was so in the zone at this point that this is just perfect confluence of great wrestling. Takayama is such a great bully that you actually start rooting for Rat Boy to stick to this arrogant asshole. Then when he is forced to sell for Ogawa, he goes all out. He is so critical in making Ogawa credible and making you doubt the outcome of the match. Then you start to root for Takayama to kick his scrawny ass. It was just a really well done heel vs heel match whether neither sacrificed their character in order to wrestle the match. It really felt like a match that only these two unique wrestlers could have. I have it #2 for 2002, but I severely short-changed some other 2002 matches, but we will see how it holds up. I am projecting in the #20s. ****1/2

War Ensemble: Yuji Nagata, Toshiaki Kawda, Kazunari Murakami (New Japan 2000-2002)

Hey yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Fuck the weather, man! I will be in Philadelphia tomorrow come Hell or High Water tomorrow to see the Royal Rumble in living color. Not going to let the elevator bring me down. Uh oh! Lets Go Crazy!

DARLING NIKKI

Originally, I earmarked certain matches that were must watch before I submitted the ballot, but then with an extended deadline I expanded to more matches. So I will link to the heavyweight matches from New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2000-2002 that were reviewed before and those were the matches that did really well on my ballot. In casting a larger net for New Japan in the early 2000s, I mostly collected duds like Tenzan & Kojima tag team matches and old man Chono. While New Japan had some really spectacular matches in 2000 (mostly due to Kawada), I really thought I had seen them all. Then I decided to watch a Nagata IWGP title defense against Kazunari Murakami. I had seen Murakami for the first time as Ogawa's junior shooter buddy in the awesomely hot Dome match against Hashimoto/Iizuka.  I liked his heel performance as a dick shooter, but he was in Ogawa shadow. I went in expecting a slow, submission-style, counter-wrestling Nagata match to win against a semi-legitimate shooter. 

Watching the match, I was totally floored. Murakami gave one of the all-time classic asshole heel performances. You want that muthafucka to get punched in the mouth in this match. The match has a crazy amount of energy and urgency. It is just feels like one of those electric matches. Murakami is just an overeager douchebag and then Nagata gets roughed up and bloodied on the outside. I love shoot-style heels. The match would be excellent at this point, but then Nagata gives a great babyface performance. The man who I thought I was a total charisma vacuum had me captivated as he just went in total asskicker mode looking to rip Murkami arm off and then dropping him on his head. Between this and the crazy bloody Makabe brawl, Nagata missed his calling as a brawling, asskicking New Japan ace. Without a doubt, the most overachieving match on paper in the decade by far. WATCH THIS MATCH!

Murakami: Asshole Extraordinaire 

Other New Japan Matches

Hashimoto & Iizuka vs Ogawa & Murakami, New Japan January 4th ****1/2

#27 out of 100

 (http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/02/rockin-dome-shinya-hashimoto-2000-2002.html)

Tenryu vs Sasaki, New Japan January 4th ****1/2

#23 out of 100

(http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2013/11/2-out-of-3-falls-toshiaki-kawada.html)

Sasaki vs Kawada, New Japan October 9th ****3/4

#14 out of 100

(http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2013/11/2-out-of-3-falls-toshiaki-kawada.html)

Kawada & Fuchi vs Nagata & Iizuka, New Japan December 14th *****

#4 out of 100

(http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/all-japan-strikes-back-toshiaki-kawada.html)

Mutoh vs Nagata, New Japan August 12th ***1/2

(http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/2001-shining-wizard-keiji-mutoh.html)

Mutoh & Hase vs Akiyama & Nagata, New Japan October 8th

(http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/2001-shining-wizard-keiji-mutoh.html)

Nagata vs Takayama, New Japan May 2nd ****1/4

#66 out of 100

(http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/bleach-blond-bad-yoshihiro-takayama.html)

Takayama vs Sasaki, New Japan August 3rd ***1/2

(http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/bleach-blond-bad-yoshihiro-takayama.html)

Takayama vs Nishimura, New Japan August 10th ***1/2

(http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/01/bleach-blond-bad-yoshihiro-takayama.html)

Match Listing:

Masahiro Chono vs Masanobu Fuchi - AJPW 9/02/00

Two old bastards trying to out cheat each other, but emphasis is on "old", unfortunately

Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata & Takahashi Iizuka

This sucked.

Toshiaki Kawada vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan - IWGP Championship Semi-Finals Tokyo Dome 01/04/01

Kawada drags a good match out of Tenzan

Kensuke Sasaki vs Toshiaki Kawada - IWGP Championship FINALS Tokyo Dome 01/04/01****

#85 out of 100

Awesome, power sprint. These guys had awesome chemistry with each other.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Mike Barton & Jim Steele - G-1 Tag Climax FINALS '01

Basic, fundamental tag team match. Very average.

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata vs Kensuke Sasaki - NJPW 6/7/02

Power vs submission. Disappointing.

Masahiro Chono vs Yoshihiro Takayama - 2002 G-1 Climax Finals

Takayama dragged a great, dramatic match out of old man Chono.

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata vs Kazunari Murakami - NJPW 12/12/02 ****3/4

#15 out of 100

Amazing, exciting shoot-style fight. Badass Murakami heel performance. Badass Nagata face performance. 

Call me over when ever you want to grind

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Masahiro Chono vs Masanobu Fuchi - AJPW 9/02/00

I have even more RESPECT for Takayama after this Chono performance. Team 2000 (TenKoji, Masa Saito, Masa Chono) is in enemy territory looking boss. Chono does have a unique, cool badass aura for Japan. Fuchi is a lot bigger than I thought he was for being  a career junior heavyweight being almost as tall Chono. Fuchi is quite obviously the best part of the match working the babyface dirty old bastard. In fact, the appeal of this match is the two cheating bastards going at each other, but was underwhelming.

My favorite portion was up front where Chono disrespectfully slapped Fuchi and he did not take it lying down unleashing strikes, a vicious Back Drop DRIVER and some energetic facelocks. Chono slows the pace way down by stalling up the aisle. Chono resorts to using a closed fist, which Fuchi sells like a million bucks. Chono stomping and general heel-ery is quite boring, but Fuchi sells it well. Fuchi grabs a quick sleeper to wake us all up. Fuchi reminds me why he is my hero by stepping on Chono's face and setting him up in the ropes to stand on Chono's head. The heat gets turned up with each trading eye-rakes. Fuchi enzigiuri! Back Drop Driver! Only gets two! Chono uses his leg to hit a ballshot to avoid the second Back Drop Driver. Team 2000 leaves their seats to intimidate the ref. Chono hits a piledriver and a Yakuza Kick, but only gets two. Chono presents the STF better than anyone else I have seen building it up as a huge moment. A barrage of Yakuza Kicks polishes off Fuchi.

I enjoyed the two bastards trying to out CHEAT each other, but this just really did not have enough meat on the bone. One of the takeaways from 00s is to track downn more 90s Masa Fuchi footage

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Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata & Takahashi Iizuka -

NJPW G-1 Tag FINALS 11/30/00

My theory was that Tenzan and Kojima could be a great babyface tag team, but holy shit are they as shitty as I thought they would be as a heel tag team. Usually in a match I don't like, I can figure out why someone nominated it. This is just wretched. The fact that AJ Styles reportedly got a pretty good match out of Tenzan in 2014 should lock him up as Wrestler of the Year because 2000 Tenzan fuckin sucked. My notes just say "lots of chopping" over and over again. What the hell was with those shitty American-style punches, Nagata. If you are going to punch someone do it like Tenryu, man. There is no sense of flow. People just tag in and out. There are lazy transitions like the powerbomb into the heel hook. The finishing stretch is just a bunch of bombs with no rhyme or reason. The best part of this match was a Scott NORTON sighting. Bullet Club needs more Scott Norton.

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Kawada Save Me!

Toshiaki Kawada vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan - IWGP Championship Semi-Finals Tokyo Dome 01/04/01

Kawada, lookin' tan, drags a pretty good match out of Tenzan en route to the IWGP Championship rematch with Kensuke Sasaki. The trick with Tenzan headbutts is to get a good camera angle though the transition headbutt actually draws blood from Tenzan. Tenzan's game plan is to overwhelm Kawada and hit his big spots. I enjoyed the cutoffs as Tenzan put up a good effort like the headbutt to the mid-section after a missed diving headbutt, the always excellent desperation Kawada closed fist and the dragon leg screw from Tenzan. Kawada is really great at selling in the moment, but in the 00s he is not very good at selling long term. The leg PSYCHOLOGY I thought was something that would boost this match did not go anywhere. The finish run was to be expected lots of jumping kicks from Kawada and headbutts from Tenzan with each trying to set up their kill. Kawada hits the powerbomb for the win. It was enjoyable, but nothing that special. The struggle between the two keeps it interesting, but they never get to the next level. ***1/4

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Kensuke Sasaki vs Toshiaki Kawada - IWGP Championship FINALS Tokyo Dome 01/04/01

I had watched this before and remember it being pretty good, but I was really impressed this time around. They really captured the urgency to end this match early because they both had previous matches that show. Kawada comes out flying with a jumping kick to the head and back drop driver. The match is a war where both wrestlers were trying to use their strikes (lariats versus kicks) to set up their big bombs. Sasaki draws blood with a vicious lariat and Kawada is not afraid to let his kicks fly. I loved how Sasaki actually tripped on Kawada on his follow through on a clothesline. Kawada kicking someone in the head just never gets old. Kawada's powerbomb does not get the job done and the end is nigh. I like Sasaki's Boston Crab because it looked uncooperative that Kawada was not LETTING him get a deep one and Kawada made the ropes. They smash into each other with lariats and Kawada sell coming off that lariat was so friggin amazing as he sort of collapses away from Sasaki.  Kawada had been able to hit a jumping kick to avoid a German Suplex, but on this suplex he just doesnt have enough energy to get the ropes and goes flying onto his head. LARIATOOOOO! Sasaki only get two, but then finally gets the Northern Lights Bomb to secure the victory. Sasaki is so good friggin' good at these sub-20 minute wars. He is a great powerhouse and Kawada makes him look like a million bucks. It is also a great blowoff to the New Japan vs All Japan feud. It is not as good as the 2000 classic because they don't attain the same gritty uncooperativeness but still a really good, hard hitting match. ****

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Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Mike Barton & Jim Steele - G-1 Tag Climax FINALS '01

Boy, did this remind me of 80s WWF Tag Wrestling so much. The layout was perfectly fine, but it did not grip me in anyway. All four knew what they should be doing and they did it, but it was cold and mechanical. Unlike the WWF they did tack on a big All Japan-style finish run, which popped the crowd huge because 2001 New Japan very rarely used these types of finish runs. However, having watched so much NOAH, this run felt really passe. I think that's actually what is most interesting about this match. If I was in January of 2002, I may put this very high on my 2001 match of the year list because it was so different for the time period: a New Japan tag match with a double heat segment and a big finish run combined. It was pretty unique, but it ages poorly because its HOOK based on what is happening around the match rather than in the match. So that in 2014 I have seen so many matches done better than this that it does not stand out at all.

 I didn't think this was Mike Barton (Bart Gunn) or Jim Steele's career performance at all. Unless you deem one big bump over the top rope to the floor and a left hand punch to the gut career performance worthy. I will say Jim Steele looks like an oversized version of Sean Waltman, but with none of their charisma. However, he was trying to win me over with the orange zubaz tights. Yes, this was PROBABLY Barton's best match and maybe Steele's, but he was in All Japan so it is possible he has had better matches.

Tenzan and Kojima clearly carried this match. In fact, Kojima and Tenzan have the capability to be a pretty good team. Tenzan is actually pretty good at SELLING and for all the shit I give Kojima he was a pretty solid hot tag because his offense was all done in short bursts. The problem is they were heels their entire tenure and I would dread Tenzan and Kojima trying to work on top. Tenzan and Kojima strike me as two wrestlers that could pushed beyond their capabilities because there was no one left and they were over.

Barton and Steele worked such a boring heat segment and it was only Tenzan's selling that kept it alive.  The finish run was fun with Kojima getting killed only for a 3-D to take out Barton and Tenzan with a piledriver/moonsault combo to win. It is not a bad match. It is average work paired with a great layout and an exciting finish run that pushes it a bit above average. ***

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IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata vs Kensuke Sasaki - NJPW 6/7/02

I am more glad this exists then I am about how it was executed. The two biggest NJPW stars of the early 00s clash for supremacy. I am partial to Sasaki, but I understand given Inoki's preferences why he choose Yuji Nagata: Super Counterwrestler Extraordinaire. Besides the fact that Nagata has the charisma of a potted plant, what bothers me is Nagata tends to do all this counterwrestling early, but then always ends up finishing with suplexes and kicks. Contrast that to Minoru Tanaka, who uses his other offense to set up his counterwrestling and look how much more invested the crowd is in his submission wrestling. Not to mention that Minoru Tanaka is just a more entertaining and charismatic wrestler. Nagata matches tend to be very disjointed and this is not much different. I like Sasaki, but he is someone who is more of a follower than leader. So when Nagata or Kobashi is leading, then his matches tends not go too well.

Early on, they spend a lot of time on the mat, which is a nice change of pace from NOAH. Sasaki does admirably holding his own, but overall I would say  Nagata wins the early portion with a stepover toehold. Nagata gets a bit cocky and starts kicking Sasaki repeatedly so Sasaki responds with a slap and Northern Lights Bomb. Nagata powders. I love that about Japan. It is an excellent way to hit a big move, but protect it. Sasaki starts using power wrestling to set up for lariat, but Nagata kicks the lariat arm. Nagata is not really building to anything just hitting some signature moves. Sasaki is able to lariat his knee while he is on the apron. Sasaki does well to use this as an opening to hit a power move, work holds on the knee like the Scorpion Deathlock, but Nagata just won't sell it. Nagata kicks lariat arm. Nagata runs through suplexes and head kicks to polish him off.

I enjoyed the change of pace in the beginning compared to NOAH, but they did not follow through in any interesting way and ended in a similar fashion. Oh well.

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Masahiro Chono vs Yoshihiro Takayama - 2002 G-1 Climax Finals

Chono is rover like fucking over with the crowd. Come to think of it, Kojima was wicked over in All Japan and Tenzan had the crowd in the frenzy during the 2003 G-1 Climax. Team 2000 was the ticket to being hugely popular in 00s Japan. I will have say they have a very unique, cool badass aura for Japan. Not to TAKEAWAY anything from the ultimate badass, the Big, Bad Bleach Blond Giant of Yoshihiro Takayama, who was so locked in 2002 that he even got a good match out of Chono.

The beginning was pretty boring with Takayama just asserting his dominance with his size and on the mat. Takayama works in his usual HEELS spots like eyerakes and one foot cover. Any and all Chono offense gets wildly cheered, but pretty much sucks especially that shitty armbar. Takayama hits his huge knee lift, which Chono sells like a million bucks. It is picking up now. Chono in full on desperation mode draws blood with repeated Yakuza Kicks. Takayama storms back with knee lifts with the ref having to pull him off and Team 2000 is irate at ringside. He goes for the Everest to finish him, but knows the ballshot is coming and avoids it. I love it. Chono gets the spinwheel kick and a drop toehold. Huge Pop! Everybody knows what is coming: STF, BABY! Chono is good at ratcheting up the STF and Takayama sold great. Takayama dead weight after making the ropes. A barrage of Yakuza Kicks wins Chono his blank G-1 Climax to the delight of the crowd.

The key with 00s Chono is keep him off offense and let him hit his big spots to please the crowd. Takayama was just so locked in at this point that he could have a great match with anybody. ***1/4

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I NEED TO FIND THIS MATCH!

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata vs Kazunari Murakami - NJPW 12/12/02

This, my friends, is why you watch all the matches. On paper this looks innocuous with boring Nagata against the wild card Murakami, but they produce an absolutely crazy, hate-filled brawl. Have this right neck and neck with Takayama/Ogawa for 2002 MOTY and with the 2007 Togi Makabe as Yuji Nagata's best match of his career. The best match to compare this to is Kawada/Naoya Ogawa, but Murakami brings an even crazier energy to this match. Murkami just has that face that looks like he is a total mean asshole. He wrestles like an out of control shoot fighter. I have only seen three of his matches, but much like Naoya Ogawa he just has this undeniable presence. Right from the get go he makes Nagata wrestle a totally different style match. Murakami brullrushes him and just starts stepping and stomping on him like a maniac. Nagata to his credit never looked out of place and really did well with a sprint shoot-style beginning. The matches goes from interesting to great once Murakami won't let go of a cross armbreaker when Nagata is in the ropes. Nagata powders, but is pummeled outside by Murakami's entourage and is left battered and bloodied trying to respond to ref's count. Murakami is perfect mixture of cocky and mean that is so instantly unlikeable. Murakami focuses on the arm applying a cross armbreaker and crippler's crossface with the blood really oozing. Murakami licks Nagata's blood off his forearm. I think to forgot to say he is BATSHIT INSANE~! Nagata kicks Murakami's lariat arm and knees to the head and the crowd is rocking. I liked Nagata going for the "arm for an arm" route it i just he sat in the armbar a bit too long to call this a match of the decade contender. Nagat gets distracted by Murakami sleezy manager and Murakami gets a rear naked choke, which was a great last gasp for Murakami. Nagata turn Murakami's STO into a crazy suplex and then rains down knees. He does not hit one, not two, but three wrist clutch exploders!!!

Crazy hot start, badass hook, Murakami excellent heel heat, Nagata's comeback, last Murakami gasp and then a finish run that showcased Nagata did not just want to win a match he wanted to punish and destroy Murakami. No lazy strike exchanges, no nearfalls, just hot, non-stop action. Everybody needs to watch this! ****1/2

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I FOUND THE BLOODY BRAWL BETWEEN KENSUKE SASAKI VS. YUJI NAGATA ABOVE!

Yuji Nagata vs Kensuke Sasaki - NJPW 01/04/04

Up until the finish, I thought this was a classic, bloody, Dome brawl. I was perplexed why no one talked about this match until that finish, which takes it down quite a bit. Sasaki returns, but not to a hero's welcome. No, he must have been portrayed as a turncoat for leaving Inoki's New Japan to join a short-lived Choshu's promotion that would focus more on pro wrestling. Sasaki fit the 90s New Japan Strong Style well, but Sasaki stuck out like a sore thumb in Inoki's MMA-influenced New Japan of the early 2000s, but he comes back here to challenge Inoki's boy, Yuji Nagata at the Dome. Without the title on the line and New Japan in its nadir in terms of critical quality, I can see why this is overlooked, but I thought this was awesome.

They are chippy before the match starts and have to be held back during introductions. It feels like Sasaki is a Choshu-like invader taking on the Hero of New Japan. They just stand up and duke it the fuck out. Sasaki rocks him with a slap to the ear. Nagata tries to fight back and Sasaki hits him a lariat. Sasaki goes for the cross-armbreaker to win the match, but Nagata retreats to the outside. Sasaki whips him into the railing and goes for the chair. Nagata in desperation smokes the chair back into Sasaki's face with a wicked kick. Sasaki does a nice blade job. Sasaki gets a lariat to back of Nagata's head and sends him head-first into the post. Nagata does a nasty, gory blade job. We get the double juice and Nagata & Sasaki stand up in the ring and just throw haymakers, headbutts and strikes. It was fucking awesome. Nagata is left in the middle ring laying and you can see the pool of blood forming around the back of the head. Sasaki just goes vampire crazy gnawing on Nagata and then headbutting him. Sasaki gloats and the New Japan crowd boos loudly. Damn! Northern Lights Bomb! He chooses to go for the ten count. He goes for it again, but Nagata gets a wild kick to the head that rocks Sasaki. Nagata follows it up and you really feel like it going to build to this awesome finish and be a slam dunk 2004 match of the year contender, but then Nagata just puts Sasaki in the Rings of Saturn for like 60-90 seconds until Sasaki passes out. It was very anticlimatic. Up until the finish, a damn exciting brawl. I loved the visual of the double juice with them standing up and just trading strikes in the middle of the ring. Sasaki was actually playing a good heel. Definitely worth a look and see. ***1/2