Pro Wrestling Love vol. 61: Best of Extreme Championship Wrestling (Terry Funk, Sabu, Raven)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 61:

The Best of Extreme Championship Wrestling

Objective:  Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at http://gweproject.freeforums.net/) into more manageable chunks to help me build my Top 100 List for the project.

Motivation: Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by the sands of time.

Subject: This sixty-first volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the beginning of the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in Extreme Championship Wrestling throughout the promotion's history from 1993-2001. The WWE reboot and the One Night Stands are not included. This is true, blue, rude, crude and lewd E-C-Fuckin-W. Watching ECW for great matches is probably the stupidest thing you can do. ECW is great for the colorful characters, outrageous angles and promos delivered with conviction and cadence. I have really enjoyed binging on ECW Hardcore TV is a breezy, addictive 45 minute program that makes you watch more. Trying to write about 1995-1997 ECW would take forever so I am going to stick with the format that I know and you love counting down the greatest matches, but I implore to take the time and watch all the promos & angles that lead up to these matches. You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders associated with the date of the match.

Contact Info: @superstarsleeze on Twitter, Instagram & ProWrestlingOnly.com.

BONUS MATCH:

Since the United States Indy scene was basically dead in the 90s, (I still need to rewatch Smoky Mountain Wrestling and what we have of USWA), I didnt know what to do with the next match. I would say the match below would make my Top 12 WWF matches of 1993-1997 and would make the Top 12 WCW Matches of 1995-2001 so it is worthy of praise and it is quite the hidden gem so without any further aideu I present to you...Terry Funk vs Bret Hart in fucking 1997!

Bret Hart vs Terry Funk - WrestleFest 9/11/97

One of the many Terry Funk Retirement Matches to happen throughout history and as with most Funk retirement matches it is absolutely awesome. I had never heard of this match until I joined PWO about 5 years ago. It has always been something that I really wanted to watch, but I always had something else to watch. Here at 1am in a hotel room after 14.5 hour manufacturing run, I decided this was the perfect time and damn any time would be a perfect time to watch this. In 1997, this was about as good as you could hope for with these two. Bret is one of the all-time great offensive wrestlers. I dont think there is any North American wrestler I would rather watch grind out a control segment than Bret Hart. Everything looks crisp and is interesting. Funk is naturally sympathetic as old hometown hero retiring, but add in his crazy charisma and this selling is top notch and then throw in a couple crazy Funk bumps to the floor and this was just great. 

Bret gets touted as a technical wizard by WWF machine but we all know that he is a better brawler/grinder. Here he actually shows he is pretty good at chain wrestling when it comes down to it. Funk was great working headlock control. I would have waited a bit longer for Bret to get frustrated before he showed his heel colors, but he went full heel early. Bret is great as an old school bruising heel. He does not give Funk a clean break. He targets the leg. Thumbs to the throat, jawing with the ref, choking, eye rakes. Great work on the leg. I mean just superb Bret work on the leg. Funk takes a couple great bumps to the outside. Bruce shamelessly tries to interject himself to get himself over. Bret seemed annoyed by his antics. There was a great part where Funk tries to use the jab to keep Bret at bay but never connects as Bret dodges and finds an opening to kick the bad wheel. Loved it! I loved Funk's first comeback. He starts throwing wild Funk punches from his knees and Bret starts punching him in the head. Funk absorbs gets up to his feet and absolutely LEVELS Bret with a left. They do a great standup where Funk levels Bret again with a left. Why did Bret have to go to WCW? He was in his prime right here. I loved how Funk earned this comeback and it was head shots that won him control. Funk has to play from behind so everything is big and to the head: neckbreaker and piledriver. Then he takes Bret to the outside to throw him into hard stuff. He gets distracted and Bret trips him up and it is the Figure-4 around the post. Someone needs to crib that spot. Bret goes back to work on the knee. Chair shots to the knee. Bret as a heel rules. Funk desperately punches Bret's knee from his ass. That is the story of this match. Funk's dogged determination against the Best North American Wrestler at this time. Funk wins control attacking the knee and wins a brawl on the outside. Again he goes for a Hail Mary but just ends up Vaderbombing himself through a table on the outside. Bret goes in for the kill. Enough fucking around, it is time to put Old Yeller down in front of his hometown fans. He goes for the Sharpshooter, inside cradle for two. Funk grabs the Spinning Toehold! Big pop! Bret escapes. Bret sells this so well! His use of the ropes to do clotheslines because he can barely stand is great. They go with ultimate old school, championship match finish. Funk Back Suplexes Bret and Bret lifts his shoulder up at two for the win. 

Funk is so old school and he wanted to go out on his back. He tried so hard in this match. Bret in his prime had to stretch the rules to gain the advantage over the old man. The old man was put in a hole, but he kept coming back with punches from his ass and his knees. But it looked like Bret was too good and then when Funk put himself through that table it looked like it was all over, but Funk had that one Hail Mary left and it was his old Spinning Toehold with that one move. Old Yeller took the Best North American Wrestler to the limit. It was only on a last second shoulder raise and Funk just being too old to properly bridge that cost him the match. The Old Man pushed The Champ to the limit, but just came up short even with the Champ taking shortcut after shortcut. Amazing. ****1/2

Top Six Matches of Extreme Championship Wrestling

#6. ECW World TV Champion Bam Bam Bigelow vs Rob Van Dam - ECW 4/4/98

Awesome monster heel performance by Bam Bam I don't know if he ever looked this monstrous. He was this Creature of Black Lagoon that would keep rising and rising and all of RVD's crazy bombs couldn't not keep him down. Loved RVD's offense here too it was all about creating space to create a chance for an aerial assault. Great shit! Like really impressive how good escalation was and how committed each was to his role. RVD's dives into crowd were insane and Still Bigelow keeps coming loved that leg drop on railing. RVD full court press! Bugelows clothesline was great. Feels like a horror movie. RVD reopening BAM BAMs cut was great. If the finish was the missed moonsault into Five Star frogsplash. I'd probably go scary high on this match but the finish is overwrought and fucking stupid.

RVD is here to soften up Bam Bam for Sabu for upcoming PPV. However RVD is a cocky prick and has kinda been an asshole to Sabu. So Sabu comes out helps RVD win the title and then is all pissed when it happens. Wouldn't it make sense for RVD to win on his own look selfish and get Sabu pissed? But a match without run-ins is passé ugh! Up until the run-in incredible match just total commitment to a monster vs aerial assault of RVD. Shocked how good this was, highly recommended!

#5. Tajiri vs Steve Corino - ECW Hardcore Heaven 2000

Cyrus may be the worst character ever. So friggin annoying.

Apparently, I saved the best for last. This friggin' ruled. Corino, Victory & Cyrus turned on Tajiri. Big mistake. Corino goes a racist tirade and Tajiri kicks his fucking head off. The kicks and chops were awesome. Great intensity from Tajiri. Corino is such a great cowardly heel. Great set up for Tarantula. Victory well-used to give Corino a heel hope spot. BRAINBUSTER ON THE RAMP! Corino does a five alarm blade job. Bleach hair soaked in blood. Corino has some dark, gross blood. Tajiri dropkicks a table into Corino's face. Tajiri is awesome! Corino backdrops Tajiri into a table. OH MY GOD! A GREAT TRANSITION! Corino is awesome at this old school gimmick with all the suplex variations that never get done in ECW. Hell he busted out a powerslam. I am trying to think if I have ever even seen a powerslam in ECW. Corino gets all caught up with the table. Should have stuck to the old school Finish sequence is awesome. Tajiri gets the Octopus here comes Jack Victory. GREEN MIST~! Tajiri unloads on Corino. I mean just rapid fire kicks and punches. He never lets up and the crowd just builds to a huge pop. Tajiri final kick to the face is just brutal. DOUBLE STOMP THROUGH THE TABLE!!!! Awesome match and a feel good ending! Got to be a top 5 ECW match of all time! 

#4. Rey Misterio Jr. vs Psicosis - ECW 10/17/95 2 Out of 3 Falls  

This match won best ECW Match Ever in the Smarkschoice poll. I remember thinking this was the best of the ECW series, but the Bash at the Beach 96 is still my favorite match of theirs (I feel like I have seen the highly acclaimed AAA match, but I cant remember it).

First Fall: All Rey All The Time! Sometimes Rey can be a little shy with his shine like in the first match of this series, but here it is two dives into the crowd and snapping off a rana. Psicosis is an all-time great bumper. Rey what you actin shy for?

Second Fall: The party dont stop as Psicosis goes ass first into the top turnbuckles when he charges in like a maniac. Psicosis is the long lost member of the Midnight Express. Rey keeps the party going with another rana out on the floor. Psicosis wants to shake hands. It was a bit clunky but he got an enziguiri out of the deal. Good Psicosis offense. I was not keen on him just relinquishing the Scorpion Deathlock, a pet peeve of mine. I liked Rey getting a hope spot before Psicosis caught and planted him with a Tomsbtone Piledriver. To tie this up.  

Third Fall: AWESOME! Totally have no complaints with anybody who says this is the best ECW match ever because wow! Psicosis was so damn good in the mid-90s. Rey is trying to catch his breath as the bell sounds. Psicosis drills him into a table and then does that awesome Psicosis leap over the top rope into the crowd. Torpedos Rey. Then Psicosis takes a nutty bump ala Sgt Slaughter over the top turnbuckle into the post and then to the floor. Then Rey POPS the crowd huge with a springboard somersault plancha to the floor! Wow! Loved all the chairs throws by Rey and driving Psicosis into the post with the chair. Extreme Rey! Psicosis whips Rey into the railing and then hits a MONSTER Senton through a table! He does a backwards Skytwister Press onto a chair for the win!

The typically awesome Rey/Psicosis match adapted to the ECW setting. I really dug the 3rd fall. I totally forgot Psicosis wins the match to set up the Mexican Death Match, which I also love. I have Sabu/Sandman and Sabu/Funk over this, but this definitely one of the best ECW matches ever. 

#3. Sabu vs Sandman - ECW House Party '98

Of all the ECW matches I've seen, I would say this and Sabu/Funk Born to be Wired are the two best. But I'm a Sabu Mark. Great straight right, love his way of selling, he always seems like he is in pain, I love the sense of danger and urgency and his of course his mystique.

I believe this an offshoot of the WWF (RVD & Sabu) vs ECW (Dreamer & Sandman) where Sabu used a fireball. At November 2 Remember they apparently they had the worst match ever and then turnaround and have a legitimately great match ever. 

Insanely violent. I think the big positives are how organic this feels and the urgency and how legitimately violent this is. I am not too into overt violence and part of me wonders why I even liked this because it is disturbing two humans put themselves through it. 

I thought it was well-segmented and flew right by. I loved Sandman's drunk staggering selling. No reasons for snap back bumps. He has been knocked loopy. Sabu was violent and urgent. He set up his spot and went no waiting to make sure Sandman was in a safe position. Even the crowd brawling wasn't bad with good Sabu punches. Would've liked more Sandman struggle and a better Sandman transition. I think a long Sandman transition was great like the table Suplex and leg drop across ladder but thought Sabu started selling too early. Still an incredible war of attrition. Perfect timing for Sandman to go for barbed wire but he takes a MASSIVE BUMP from top of ladder to floor through table. Holy shot indeed! Not to be outdone Sabu tries to leap on him and breaks his jaw on the railing! OWWWWWW! Two massive bumps!

Sandman has time to set up the barbed wire in corner so he goes through it. There are some stupid things like Sandman holding the barbed wire on his face and other contrived barbed wire spots. Still drop kick chair into barbed wire into the face is another OW! Sabu goes face first into barbed wire and then CANED in the face! Broken jaw! Shit! Fonzie tapes his jaw. Sabu actually gets in some more offense before a wicked cane shot to the broken jaw polishes him off.

I usually don't like brawls over ten minutes but this was an excellent war of attrition. This was like the Mutoh/Tenryu '01 of ECW. Sandman gets knocked loopy at the beginning and sells loopy throughout and in this case needs weapons and a major mistake by Sabu to win. Fittingly violent for these two ECW stars. Contender for best ECW match ever and great brawl. 

#2. ECW World Champion Terry Funk vs Sabu - ECW Born to be Wired Barbed Wire Match

Barbaric. Makes you question what the point of all this is, but at the end of the day it is gore at its finest. I will say I am not very familiar with this era of ECW, but I have watched this match many times in the past and I would say it was my favorite ECW match. On this rewatch, I think slightly prefer the Sabu vs Sandman Stairway to Hell, but this is still a violent spectacle. I thought there were too many down periods in this match that ground it to a halt, but it was very smartly worked. 

I loved the beginning. Sabu was aggressive but more cautious than normal. Funk was at his counterwrestling best. Both men doing all they can to avoid the barbed wire. I like that it was a simple forceful kickout from Funk that sent Sabu into the barbed wire to draw first blood. In a way, Sabu had been lulled into a false sense of security by doing straight wrestling and then that kickout sends right into painville. Funk rips open Sabu's forehead on the barbed wire and then crotches him. The crotch was a great idea because it was both painful and it demonstrated the effectiveness of the barbed wire shredding clothes. This was clearly not a worked gimmick, but shoot barbed wire. The other thing they do really well is make missed moves mean something. It was a Sabu sidestep that caused Funk first to be stuck with Barbed Wire and it was a missed Air Sabu that caused Sabu's bicep to ripped open. Classic Sabu fashion, he bandages his wound mid-match. Love it. I love the missed moves as major momentum swings and the consequence of being stuck with barbed wire. Also I wanted to make sure I mentioned how good the punches were for both men. I thought match lost something once Fonzie got involved. Funk was tearing his body with barbed wire, but there was not the great visual of blood. It just felt heatless. The RVD thing felt forced and just really unfair. Dreamer saving later was better than nothing, but would have liked to see that earlier. The finish was as fucking insane as I remember. RVD had wrapped Funk in the barbed wire and Sabu crashed through him and a table with a legdrop. When that didnt finish Funk, Sabu wrapped his own ass in barbed wire and Legdropped a barbed wire wrapped Funk. They were just one bloody ball of humanity and barbed wire. Eventually Fonzie and a ref lift them into the ring and Sabu pins Funk. 

The finish sure was something and something you will never forget. Definitely a Top Five ECW match and something that you can never take your eyes off of.

#1. ECW Tag Team Champions Raven & Stevie Richards vs The Pitbulls - Gangsta's Paradise Double Dog Collar 2 Out of 3 Falls

Raven's Masterpiece. When I first discovered Youtube in about 2006, one of the first channels I discovered was devoted to '95 ECW. So while I am not nostalgic for this in the same way most of you are. I was still in High School when I first saw the whole Raven/Dreamer story and watching this teleported me back to my the back room of my parents' house gobbling up this feud up. If there was ever a match that needed context for a person to fully understand it, it is this match. Pro wrestling should be able to do this more often weave so many stories together. The Pitbulls, the former minions of Raven, now off their leash seeking vengeance against their former master. Stevie Richards as the chump extraordinaire who somehow managed to pull Francine, but of course he fucked that up and we get a catfight. Raven's new freaks, the Dudley Boys, get involve. There is a piledriver through a table to end the first fall, a Superbomb to end the second fall. Raven nearly gets decapitated on a Superbomb into the edge of the table. The Original Dudleys and Pitbulls (the Superbomb is an awesome move, but they suck otherwise) are fucking terrible wrestlers, but who cares Raven is just mindfucking every fan into lapping this up as he busts out a FUCKING ETHER RAG! Bow to the Master! Pitbull #2 is sent to the back and of course here is Tommy Dreamer. DDT! 1-2-3! WHAT THE FUCK...I THOUGHT THAT NEVER...Fonzie is out and he is striking it from the record book because Dreamer was not offically a part of the match. Fonzie is so damn good at crazy promos. I was watching him cut an absolutely insane rant against Heyman where he first banned the Chokeslam and just loved it. He legalizes the Chokeslam after Big Dick chokeslams Dreamer. 9-1-1! 911 is such a great name for a pro wrestler. 911 chokeslams FONZIE STRAIGHT TO HELL! ELEVEN STARS!  DOUBLE SUPERBOMB ON BOTH RAVEN & RICHARDS! Gordon and Dreamer count the pinfall and new Tag Champs! Pro wrestling is fucking great. ***********  

Pro Wrestling Love Vol. 60: 6/9/95 25 Years Later Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue All Japan Pro Wrestling

The Greatest Match of All Time

Twenty-Five Years Later

6/9/95

AJPW Tag Champions Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue

There are only two moments in the history of pro wrestling that have made me cry. Oddly enough, both moments always make me cry. No matter, how many times I have seen them or how many years removed I am from first watching it, they just tug at the right heartstring and all of sudden the room gets very dusty. The first moment is Miss Elizabeth hopping the rail at WrestleMania VII to save "Macho Man" Randy Savage from Sensational Sherri. The second is, from a tag team match that took place on June 9, 1995 in Budokan Hall for the All Japan Pro Wrestling Promotion, Kenta Kobashi crawling to put his body on top of his friend/mentor, Mitsuharu Misawa to save him from the merciless beating at the hands of the Holy Demon Army, Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue. Many call it the Greatest Match of All Time. Now, twenty-five years later, celebrate it in all its reigning and tear-jerking glory, pro wrestling at its pinnacle as emotionally moving experience. I don't speak Japanese. I have never visited Japan. I was not even aware of pro wrestling in 1995. None of that matters because this is a story that transcends language, culture and time. It is a human story. The story of man, Toshiaki Kawada, so jealous and so obsessed that he will stop at nothing to finally defeat the long-reigning Champion, Mitsuharu Misawa. In this quest, he has a loyal henchman, Akira Taue, who has grown leaps and bounds in 1995 to the point where he is every bit as dangerous as Kawada. Together, they are ruthless and shameless in their pursuit of victory exploiting a partially healed orbital bone in Misawa's face and Kobashi's injured leg with cheapshot after cheapshot. The normally cool, calm and collected Misawa shows a fury very unlike him in intense and heated exchanges with Kawada and Taue. Then there is Kenta Kobashi who wears his emotions on his sleeves who has never faked a emotion in his life. Kobashi runs the gamut of human emotion from outrage, vulnerability, perseverance, intensity and ultimately helplessness. He is too battered and too injured to save his friend/mentor from his fate at the hands of the Holy Demon Army. As he crawls to put his body on top of Misawa to save him from more pain and the ignominy of finally being vanquished by his arch-rival, Kawada, we think of all those times we desperately wanted to help somebody and just couldn't. There is no greater low as a human than the despair of helplessness. I am crying again just writing about this. I am a person who prides himself on being unique and different. So I desperately want to tell you that there is this match that is truly the Greatest that everyone is missing, but that's just not the case. It is the obvious choice. It is the most popular choice. It is the correct choice. It is the Greatest Match of All Time. It is 6/9/95. 

It Gets Me Every Time

  AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs 

Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue - AJPW 6/9/95

On 25th Anniversary of the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever, I am watching this match again for the first time in gosh at least ten years. I vividly remember the ending but I kinda forgot how they get there and the Kawada BLASTS Misawa off the apron and it all comes rushing back. This Misawa vs Kawada at their most heated. Kawada calmly lets Kobashi reverse his Irish Whip so that he could rule full steam ahead and nail Misawa in the bad eye. Watching all of '93, '94 and the front half of '95, I have found Kawada the hardest of the four to connect with, which is weird because when I was a teenager I was all aboard the Kawada express and that big boot teleported me back to High School watching this on Youtube. I thought that spot was so cool and at the time I didnt even know about the orbtial bone. Misawa is rightfully pissed after some selling (dont sleep on Kobashi being aghast at what happened) and demands to be tagged in. Kawada nails him with another boot, but Misawa keeps going. They do a great criss cross sequence and then Kawada nails Kobashi off the apron! Oh Hell Yeah! Corners clear and this shit is crazy. 

Things settle down and Kawada tags out to Taue. They work a short five minute heel in peril segment on Taue which I totally forgot about. Misawa looked pissed the whole time and was just ripping into Taue. Kobashi was also dishing out the leather. They work a great dive sequence. Misawa does his Tiger Mask distraction act and it is all diversion for Kobashi to nail a shouldertackle from the apron. Misawa SMOKES Kawada and then ELBOW SUICIDA! Great climax to the face shine. Kobashi misses a shoulder tackle from the middle rope perfect timing as the shine had peaked. Kawada wastes no time progressing the match to the next Act by rifling the injured leg of Kobashi with kicks (the thigh/knee was all taped up, my understanding is from a six-man tag on 4/15). 

Kobashi fights back because he is fucking Kobashi. He kicks Kawada in the face, but his bad leg is the plant leg and stumbles backwards and collapses. A great moment. I love that is a Kobashi move that actually cements Kobashi's own heat segment. Strong heat segment on Kobashi. Taue Scorpion Deathlock. I watched the 60 Minute Broadway from January which features a 19 minute heat segment on Kobashi so I was shocked how quickly this was over, but I know they come back to it. Taue goes for the Kneecrusher, but Kobashi chops his way out of trouble. Misawa dispatches Taue with Elbows but he wants his receipt on Kawada, Kawada drops down from the apron. Misawa lulls Kawada into a false sense of security and DECKS HIM! Misawa applies a Boston Crab on Taue with his back to Kawada who comes up from behind calmly and KICKS Misawa right in the bad eye. Was that an allusion to the Maeda shoot kick on Choshu?!? It feels like they are playing on shoot-y feelings in this match. All these words and we are only 15 minutes into the match! This match still does the trick. :)

The stretch after the Maeda-style shoot kick until Kobashi powders in agony is one of the best stretches in pro wrestling. Misawa had powdered after the kick to the face. Taue rolls Misawa in and tags out. Kawada kicks him in the face and Misawa bellows in pain. Kawada just pummels him in the corner, relentlessly. He throws the ref back. It is insane You get this feel he is shoot pissed off. Misawa FIRES UP! Elbows for everyone! Kawada sells so well. Taue needs to win Henchman of the Year for what he is abotu to do . Misawa is on a roll when Kawada BLASTS him with another kick to the eye. Here comes Kobashi to join the fracas. Taue eyerakes Misawa down and then dropkicks the injured leg of Kobashi to save Kawada. Henchman of the Year. Kawada stomps and stands on the injured leg. Misawa breaks free. Kawada kicks. Misawa NO SELLS! Kawada kicks! Misawa ELBOW BARRAGE~! Taue saves and THROWS MISAWA DOWN BY THE EYES! Taue sweeps Kobashi's leg and stomps the bad leg. Then in the greatest moment of the match thus far...Taue Nodowa on Misawa ON KOBASHI'S BAD LEG! HOLY SHIT! I FUCKING LOVE IT! KAWADA COMES CRASHING DOWN WITH BOTH KNEES ON KOBASHI'S BAD LEG! Three fucking glorious minutes of chaotic wrestling action. TAUE FUCKING RULES!

The heat segment on Misawa is really great. Kawada is such a fucking prick. Spinning Heel Kick! Forearm pressed against the eye or standing on it. Wicked lariat at one point! He is just out of cave in Misawa's face. Kawada hits the First Powerbomb at 20 minutes and Taue intercepts Kobashi and hits a kneecrusher. Kawada launches Misawa. 2 count. Should have been a bigger nearfall I just dont think Budokan thought this was only going 20 minutes. Great Stretch Plum on Misawa now Kobashi has recovered and attacks Kawada. Kawada clubs him with a right closed fist but they clothesline each other down. Misawa tags out to Kobashi. I thought Misawa/Kobashi were fucked. Kobashi holds his own against Kawada. Kawada sweeps the leg but tags out to Taue. Kobashi is able to actually get control of Taue and they hit a double Tiger Driver at around 25 minutes to a bigger reaction. Kobashi fist pumps but Taue breaks up the Moonsault. Here comes Misawa who is all piss 'n' vinegar. He is just fucking Taue's day up with this Elbow Onslaught. Tiger Driver for two. Kobashi detains Kawada as Misawa goes for the Facelock. I really love All Japan and think that comes through in all my reviews. I think what makes this match so special is how much hate there is in it. In 6/3/94, I saw the desire to win consume both men and the competitive spirit was very high. This is different this is anger and hate; it is translating into something really special. 

So every previous time I have watched this match, I cry at the end. I thought I was prepared. I knew what was going to happen. I just stopped crying and now I am thinking about it again. But man when they pull Kobashi off Misawa, it is too much man. Fuck Kawada and Fuck Taue! Man I cant believe the fucking bad guys won. I need to compose myself. I will finish this. But yeah this is the Greatest Match of All Time. 

I got some sleep and I am back to review the last 15 minutes. Kawada drills Misawa with a Dangerous Backdrop Driver after he pulled him off the Facelock. Kobashi charges across the ring and knocks Kawada off the ring apron to stop Taue from making the tag. Kobashi scores a German for two, but cant get the moonsault but Kawada attacks the leg and chokeslams him off the top. Kawada/Kobashi struggle for control and Kobashi shifts his weight on the Backdrop Driver. I have no clue how Kobashi and Misawa are still in this match. Back suplex by Kobashi but his leg is shot. I think that thats another thing that adds so much drama to this match is that Misawa/Kobashi's "lead" or "control" is tenuous at best and it is so fragile that any moment you know they could lose control, it builds a lot of tension in the viewer. Kobashi tries for the mooonsault two more times. First time Taue detains him, but Misawa says "Fuck this" and just Crashes down with all his body weight on Kawada from the top rope. Kobashi breaks free of Taue. Tries again. Again is detained so Misawa hits a Senton on Kawada. Kobashi lands the Moonsault but lands hard on his knee and he is in a lot of pain and he cant hold Kawada down. Great job by Kobashi selling and Misawa is in full fuck you mode. Kobashi tags out. 

Misawa comes in with assured look that he is going to end Kawada. Tiger Suplex, Kawada steps into the ropes. So Misawa folds him in half with German and SLUGS Taue with an Elbow. TIGER SUPLEX~! 1-2-NO!  Big Time heat at the 35 minute mark. Taue breaks up the pin on the Tiger Driver. 

TAUE CHOPS THE EYE! NODOWA~! SUPER NODOWA...KOBASHI SAVES...KAWADA SLIDING KICK TO THE BAD LEG...SUPER NODOWA~! Taue is the game change. The Chop to the Eye is very reminiscent to the Carnival Final. Kawada Clubs Misawa with a right to the bad eye, KOPPOU KICK~! Misawa rolls to apron. Oh shit that can only mean one thing NODOWA OF DEATH! Kobashi tries to save. Kawada SWEEPS THE BAD LEG! Kawada clubs Misawa in the back and it is the NODOWA OF DEATH~! We get out first instance of Kobashi crawling to place his body over Misawa to protect his friend. Taue clubs him and pulls him off and then throws him down. It is all just entertainment, Martin, it is just entertainment. Misawa log rolls out of the ring to avoid being pinned. Kawada cant wrangle him. He gets him back in and its only 2. The crowd didnt bite on that one. Then Kobashi crawls in and holds Misawa's leg in order to avoid him being Powerbombed. What a great moment! It is getting dusty in here. I do have a dust allergy. Iconic moment the stereo NODOWA and Powerbomb.  Misawa backdrops out of the powerbomb...theres life in the Ace. Kawada is stomping mericlessly in the bad eye. Kobashi crawls and puts his body on Misawa. They yank him off and Kobashi is struggling against their will to cover Misawa again. Fuck I am crying again. How the fuck does Chad watch this every year? DANGEROUS NODOWA/Back Drop Driver COMBO on Kobashi!  ROARING ELBOW~! ON TAUE! GO MISAWA GO! KICK THEIR ASSES! Jumping High Kick by Kawada for 2! Things look bad for our heroes. Elbow to Kawada...cmon...DANGEROUS BACK DROP DRIVER! 1-2-NO! Kobashi is dead to the world. Misawa is on his own. Jumping High Kick to the bad eye! POWERBOMB~! Taue holding Kobashi back 1-2-3!

Fuck I cant believe the bad guys won. Baba, why did you have to do me dirty like that.  I like being unique and I like being original. I really want to hold up a different match and say that is the Best of All Time. But no, this is the Greatest Match of All Time and I am not even sure it is close. Three things stand out to me that take the normal All Japan epic ***** baseline to a whole new level. 1. They ratcheted up the hate to pretty much as close as they could to shoot levels. The credit here goes to Kawada and Misawa. Kawada was the instigator, but the key was Misawa sold it very subtlety but if you watch enough Misawa you know he is fucking pissed. Misawa doesnt take cheapshots to opponent on the apron, he is focused on the win. Kawada had gotten under his skin. Kawada kept it going with the Maeda Shoot Kick to Eye and pummeling him in the corner. Kawada's obsession reached a fever pitch here and Misawa played his role perfectly.  2. Akira Taue's exponential improvement during the 1995 Carnival. This match would not be as good in 1993 or 1994 because Taue needed to find himself. He is best Henchman of All Time. Loyal, despicable, shameless. He will do anything for the cause which is to ensure victory for his team. In addition, the NODOWA Of Death (off the apron) is so critical and it was developed as a game-changer during Carny '95. It was Taue's Chop to the Eye that was the Point of No Return for Misawa/Kobashi. 3. Kenta Kobashi's emotional performance. Kobashi has amazing facial expression. The beauty of Kobashi is he is such a natural, organic actor. Nothing feels wooden, forced or hollow with him like it would with Shawn Michaels let's say. You truly believe that his only instinct is to get to his friend/mentor and put his body on top to stop the beating. I am getting choked up again just thinking about it. Four men with four distinctly different performances that come together to create the Greatest Pro Wrestling Match of All Time! It is 6/9/95. *****

Pro Wrestling Lov vol. 59: Best of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW, Cactus Jack, Rey Mysterio, Sandman)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 59:

The Best of Extreme Championship Wrestling

Objective:  Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at http://gweproject.freeforums.net/) into more manageable chunks to help me build my Top 100 List for the project.

Motivation: Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by the sands of time.

Subject: This fifty-ninth volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the beginning of the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in Extreme Championship Wrestling throughout the promotion's history from 1993-2001. The WWE reboot and the One Night Stands are not included. This is true, blue, rude, crude and lewd E-C-Fuckin-W. Watching ECW for great matches is probably the stupidest thing you can do. ECW is great for the colorful characters, outrageous angles and promos delivered with conviction and cadence. I have really enjoyed binging on ECW Hardcore TV is a breezy, addictive 45 minute program that makes you watch more. Trying to write about 1995-1997 ECW would take forever so I am going to stick with the format that I know and you love counting down the greatest matches, but I implore to take the time and watch all the promos & angles that lead up to these matches. You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders associated with the date of the match.

Contact Info: @superstarsleeze on Twitter, Instagram & ProWrestlingOnly.com.

Honorable Mentions

Rob Van Dam & Bill Alfonso vs Tommy Dreamer & Beulah McGullicutty - ECW As Good As It Gets 9/20/97
The famous Beulah vs Fonzie Bloodbath match. Probably the best pro wrestling match with two non-wrestlers.

Bam Bam Bigelow vs Spike Dudley - ECW As Good As It Gets
Sid vs Justin Credible - ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999
ECW World Champion Mike Awesome vs Spike Dudley - Guilty As Charged 2000
Squash has never tasted so good.

Mike Awesome vs Masato Tanaka - ECW HeatWave 98
ECW World Champion Mike Awesome vs Masato Tanaka - November 2 Remember 1999
ECW World Heavyweight Champion Mike Awesome vs Masato Tanaka - ECW 12/17/99
ECW World Heavyweight Champion Masato Tanaka vs Mike Awesome - ECW 12/31/99
The Awesome vs Tanaka series is like the AC/DC of pro wrestling, it is lean & mean and you know what you are going to get. Great mixture of highspots and brawling.


Rey Mysterio Jr vs Psicosis - ECW November 2 Remember 95 Mexican Death Match
Rey Misterio Jr vs Juventud Guerrera - ECW Big Apple Blizzard 2/3/96
Rey Mysterio Jr vs Juventud Guerrera - ECW Big Ass Extreme Bash '96
Between the Psicosis and Juvy series, Rey Rey had an excellent run in ECW that primed for his run in WCW that would launch him and lucha libre in the American public consciousness. Remember folks Nacho Libre doesnt happen without Paul E bringing in Rey Rey and Psicosis.

Sabu vs Lightning Kid - NWA 4/17/93
Terry Funk vs Sabu - ACW 11/6/93
Terry Funk vs Sabu - WWN 2/28/94
Not ECW per se, but theres not enough US Indy matches in the 90s to warrant its own separate column so I will throw them here. Early Sabu has a mystique like few other wrestlers have ever had.

Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Jerry Lynn - ECW 10/30/99
Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Super Crazy - ECW Hardcore TV 1/21/00 Mexican Death Match
Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Psicosis - ECW Hardcore TV 8/26/00
Tajiri & Mikey Whipwreck vs FBI (Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke) - ECW 9/2/00
There are some people that worship the Tajiri ECW run from 1999-2000 like it is fucking Flair in 1989. I know I am going to heat for not having the Super Crazy match in my Top 12. I liked Tajiri's run I didnt love. I mean having a great match with Jerry Lynn in ECW is pretty fucking amazing in my book.

Cactus Jack vs Mikey Whipwreck- ECW Big Ass Extreme Bash 1996
Just watched this an hour ago. Great sendoff for Cactus a mixture of his famous bumps and some violent offense. It is worked like an extended heat segment on Mikey's neck and so when Mikey pops off this hope spots it feels special.

ECW World Champion Raven vs Terry Gordy - Hardcore Heaven 1996
The second best ever Raven Dog & Pony show it has all the fixins to pop you over and over again. For one night, we got the old Terry Gordy back and he looked like a killer. This is the match that finished with the infamous Tyler Fullington disowning and his dad and joining Raven. "Daddy youre a drunk. I worship Raven now."

ECW World TV Champion 2 Cold Scorpio vs Sabu - ECW Cyberslam 96
Rob Van Dam vs Doug Furnas - ECW Natural Born Killaz 8/24/96
My last two cuts. It kills me that I dont have a Scorpio match in the Top 12. He is the unsung hero of ECW. He was the midcard workhorse that stayed. Benoit, Eddie, Malenko, Jericho, and Rey Rey all left but Scorpio kept on. When he did leave, it left a workrate vacuum that was not fill again for two years with Tajiri. The RVD vs Furnas is fucking sick, demented display of violent unprotected chairshots but you cant look away. Great violence.

Top 12 Matches of ECW

#12. Raven vs Tommy Dreamer - ECW Wrestlepalooza 1997

Sabu vs Taz - Wrestlepalooza 1997

ECW World TV Champion Shane Douglas vs Taz - ECW Wrestlepalooza 1997

A bit of a cop out, but it is three matches that feed right into each other. An entire episode of ECW Hardcore TV is devoted to this and it is fuckin' bitchin'. Check it out. 

Raven vs Tommy Dreamer - ECW Wrestlepalooza 1997

If you’ve never seen this before, do yourself a favor and watch this. Don’t watch the edited WWE version like I did on a WWE DVD. Watch June 10, 1997 episode of Hardcore TV on the Network devoted to this entire piece of fluid awesome TV. Heyman has a brief return to the peak of his powers after they had been slowly diminishing since 1995.

I have seen this before on a WWE DVD so I was familiar with Lupus and Chasity. They came out at the Buffalo Tag about a month prior with Richards vs Dreamer & Funk. Joey didn’t know their names. So it sounds like they didn’t have backstories. Their sole reason to exist was to replicate spots from the first Raven vs Dreamer match from over two years ago. Chasity did the hairspray gimmick and had a take catfight with Beulah nothing like the shit Francine and Beulah were doing in 1995. I remember Chasity in WCW as Raven’s sister and managing Hak aka Sandman. I can’t believe fucking Sandman and Whipwreck made it to WCW. I don’t know what happened to Lupus?

Pretty good Raven vs Dreamer brawl. The Mutants Chanting “We Can’t See Shit” during the Arena brawling is reason #69 Arena brawling sucks. As far as Arena brawling goes this was above average some good table spots and a couple crazy times the table didn’t break.

i thought this picked up in the ring. Raven does the drop toehold onto chair which is how he blinded Riggs and made him join the Flock, one of the first wrestling angles I vividly remember. The Rocket Launcher that crumpled the chair was insane. After that there was so much tomfoolery and DDTs that I can’t remember the order but Louie Spicolli got involved. I’ll leave who won as a surprise because the heat on the nearfalls was insane because the pinfall mattered so much. ****

lights out in the Impact Zone, it’s Sting up in the rafters...lol...sorry had too...RVD smoking Dreamer with the Van Daminator. Perfect booking. Dreamer, spirit of ECW, against the traitors RVD& Sabu and the invader Jerry Lawler. Amazing angle I had never see. It before wicked entertaining.

After all had failed it’s Taz that clears the ring by his presence. He wants Sabu. Fonzie bitches and Taz is about to duplex him and the match is on.

Sabu vs Taz - Wrestlepalooza 1997

Put me in the camp that liked this best than Barely Legal. Sabu had so much more energy, spring in his step, clean on his spots and good punches. He worked more on top and made Taz earn it. Sabu purposefully missing the Triple Jump Moonsault and crotching himself is peak heel Sabu. This was the Sabu I know and love. Taz missing a Somersault LegDrop from the top was a great missed spot. Sabu hit a wicked Twisted Bliss through the table for two. I didn’t love Taz pop up no sell Tazmission. Sabu does a version of Survivor Series 96 finish pinning Taz while in the move. I think this is my favorite Taz match ever. ****

ECW World TV Champion Shane Douglas vs Taz - ECW Wrestlepalooza 1997

Taz while pinned was not beat and so he unleashed his Path of Rage choking out hapless refs because this is his first loss since November 2 Remember, Goldberg before Goldberg. So Shane Douglas of all people tells Taz to scram. They make a wager. If Taz can choke out Douglas in 3 minutes or less then he wins the TV title. If he can’t Taz has to leave ECW for 45 Days. Douglas works the neck well hits these cool innovative snaps someone should steal. Tazmission of course and Taz wins! The Path of Rage continues and the Monster Babyface Push is fucking on! Great booking here as Douglas did all he could with the TV belt with Raven, Richards gone and Funk just being plain old. It was down to Douglas, Sandman or Sabu to get the belt back and Douglas made the most sense so he needed to drop the TV belt. Doing a Warrior like quick win over Honky Tonk Man here was great put Taz over strong and also gives Douglas a reason once he becomes World Champ to be scared of Taz and duck him. It also gave Taz his heat right back after the loss to Sabu and I like booking that loss as it gives something for Sabu to hang his hat on. Maybe the best one hour TV wrestling show ever! That covers a lot of ground but Paul e at his best! 

#11. Bam Bam Bigelow vs Spike Dudley - Hardcore Heaven 1997

This is the greatest Squash ever, right? I mean it has to be. Spike beat Bam Bam to set this up on TV. Spike come out all piss n vinegar during his entrance like a tiny Stan Hansen and wants to prove this is no fluke. He comes charging right at Bigelow. It ends up being legalized murder. The biel Spike took was insane. Bam Bam threw him across the ring and Spike landed hard. Spike did get a modicum of offense including the Acid Drop, but nothing doing. He gets caught and Bam Bam THROWS SPIKE DOWN WITH AUTHORITY WITH A POWERBOMB! How wicked was this powerbomb? It got a fucking Holy Shit Chant. He Akira Taue'd Spike rolling Snake Eyes but lawn darting him onto the exposed turnbuckle and Spike taps a gusher. The whole match Bam Bam had been taunting that he was going to throw Spike into the crowd and they were chanting "Over Here". He made good on his promise. He HURLED Spike from the ring, with quite gap on the ringside area. He must have thrown into at least the third row. SPIKE WENT FLYING! It was insane. Bam Bam does a cartwheel which makes me think in everyday life when Bam Bam was pleased with himself he would bust out a cartwheel. Bam Bam's weird moonsault for a sidesault diving headbutt wins it. Greatest Squash Ever! Defies rat

#10. ECW Tag Champions Dudley Boys vs Spike Dudley & Balls Mahoney - ECW 6/17/99

ECW Match of the Year, 1999

Balls says he owes the Dudz a receipt for putting him through a flaming table with thumbtacks strewn on it. Im just glad he upgraded his partner to Spike Dudley. Really tight, action-packed garbage brawl. The Dudleys have been a great heat-seeking act, but really have not been having the matches to match how good they are as asshole heels. I feel like this is the best possible Dudleys match. Great spots...loved Balls hurling Spike onto the Dudz outside the ring with force. The cheese grater stuff was violent as hell. Spike's balcony dive was a holy shit spot. The stereo nearfalls (loved the Acid Drop/legdrop combo) were cute in a very fun way that I liked. Sign Guy distracts the faces long enough to cause enough commotion that Spike eats a wicked 3D. DAMN! I forgot how badass that move could look. 3D is the one thing in ECW that is sold as death and even though match goes on for another two minutes, Spike never moves. I love that. Balls tries to fend off the Dudleys going so far as to set up the table, scatter the thumbtacks and douse it with lighter fluid, but eventually the numbers game catches up to him. Putting Balls through a flaming table never gets old!!! Marked out all over again! Double pinfall win. Great finish. Like I said super compact, never a dull moment, the finish is a great climax. ****

#9. Jerry Lawler vs Tommy Dreamer (ECW Hardcore Heaven 08/17/97)

STRAP DOWN! FLAIR FLOP! Was the spot of the match! I went bonkers for it.

This was the peak of ECW patriotism, but as others have pointed it out the only flaw was that it didnt happen in the ECW Arena, but instead of Florida so the heat just was not the same. I thought this was a really fun, popcorn brawl that was meant to pop and entertain rather than be very hate-filled and vicious. I really liked Lawler punching the pan early and then Dreamer hits him with the pan Lawler takes a King-sized bump over the top rope. Really great shine. Lawler showed a lot of ass during the crowd brawling. Great visual of Dreamer kicking ass while there is a "Lawler Must Die" sign behind him. I am a sucker for belts as a weapon in match. They are so versatile. Dreamer chokes Lawler as Lawler struggles to grab hold of fans to save himself. I love it. Dreamer goes up top with a chair and Lawler is able to shake the ropes. Lawler kicks some serious ass. I thought Lawler really carried this and he looked like he could still go. Characteristically great punches. Chair shots. Piledriver -> kick out! I would say weird, but it is ECW. It did not feel well-built to. That should have been a major false finish. I think in '97 ECW no one believes a finish unless there were run-ins. They should have saved the Lawler Piledriver for later. Lawler tearing the ECW short off and wiping his armpits and ass with it was amazing. LOVED Dreamer's no-sell comeback. In a Patriotism match that is exactly what you want! For the first time, I fell connected to Dreamer and I was rooting for him. Lawler punches him in the balls and lots of testicular violence follows. Then lights go out a bunch. Basically everytime Dreamer is about to polish off Lawler the lights go out. The first one makes sense as it is Rick Rude who was aligned with the WWF invasion. What I didnt get is why didnt he stay out there? There was the very surprising Jake The Snake, which I didnt see coming at all. But it was totally nonsensical. He DDTs Dreamer and Short Arm Clotheslines Lawler, but lets Lawler fall on Dreamer. Then Dreamer kicks out and he claps. So ok? Then FUCKING SUNNY SHOWS UP! OH HELL YEAH! Now that was awesome! She sprays Dreamer with the hairspray but here is Beluah. CATFIGHT! That was an awesome run-in and was actually useful because it got Beluah involved. Now Lawler tries to use Beluah as a human shield, but she ballshots him, TESTICULAR CLAW and Dreamer DDTs him to HELL! E-C-DUB! E-C-DUB! E-C-DUB!

#8. Rey Mysterio Jr vs Psicosis - ECW 9/16/95

Rey vs Psicosis never gets old no matter how many times you watch this and I have watched this a lot. You wanna see how to get over on your debut match watch this. This is the Touring match that they would perfect at Bash 96. They are about one week away from their greatest match ever in AAA, a match I need to see.

i think my takeaway from this viewing is that Psicosis feels like the star here. Amazing bumping. I can never get tired of watching him go ass first into things. Great high impact offense. Great rudo charisma. I thought he outshone Rey Rey until Rey started popping off ranas like nobody's business and that catapult on the apron still pops me. Rey gets to shine on the dives: stopping Psicosis' with a chair shot and then the massive dive from top rope into the crown which sealed the deal that these two were over like rover. They hit this out of the park. There were some things to tighten up. They got themselves over. There is a key difference between getting your moves over and you over. These two got their characters over that's what makes this great. It is the Tom & Jerry of Pro Wrestling.

#7. Cactus Jack vs Sandman w/Woman - ECW TV Falls Count Anywhere 1/31/95

Was not even going to bother with this match because I had seen a couple Cactus/Sandman matches and they always sucked. I thought I was just making the right choice because Woman in that tight green, leather dress was double hot. What a total fox! Then lo and behold, these two maniacs went out and kicked some serious ass. Cactus meets Sandman up the aisle with a trash can and just brutalizes Sandman. Sandman was really good at selling a beating throughout the match. Woman starts caning Cactus and finally Sandman takes over (Awesome transition #1). He does a really good job building heat. He hits a nice top rope leg drop. There is no overkill, he is still working through his own beating. Cactus is able to mount a comeback while Sandman is on the top rope (Awesome Transition #2). Cactus is rolling until he punches a trash can that Sandman holds up at the last second. (Have Mercy! Awesome Transition #3) Cactus blades his hand. Nastiest paper cut ever, folks! Sandman stomps the hand and works a great heat segment around it smashing the hand with the garbage can. Sandman is stumbling around and is so good at working through his beating. DELAYED PILEDRIVER ON THE GARBAGE CAN! My slight complaint is that Jack was fine at selling the hand, but would be a bit too quick to pop back up in general. Sandman goes for the kill, but goes flying over the top rope onto the floor. (Awwww shit, you all just love me, Awesome Transition #4) Cactus is able to get the Cactus Elbow for the three. Woman starts caning Cactus. Jack does intimidating the woman routine, but this allows Sandman to attack. Sandman canes the shit out of Cactus. Sandman lights a cigarette and then tries to BLIND CACTUS!!! Mikey Whipwreck with the save to a huge Mikey chant. Sandman/Woman cut a decent promo. Sandman has a Woman t-shirt that I need to own. Cactus cuts a money promo (which made the yearbook) that makes me want to see the Texas Death Match even though I have seen it before and didn't like it. Great, great ECW brawl with really smart transitions and great selling by Sandman.

I co-sign everything I wrote above. I would add a couple things. It is very cool how Sandman does not bump at the beginning for all the garbage can shots. He is playing it like he is out on his feet. He does a great job selling he has had his bell rung on multiple occasions while on offense. Woman required multiple canings and some distraction to really earn that transition. She was also great on the outside and yes she was looking foxy. Awesome transition #2 is actually really well-time low blow. The hand psychology was excellent as was the post-match angle with the lit cigarette and Mikey's save.

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 58: Best of All Japan 1993-1994 (Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi, Akira Taue, Stan Hansen, Steve Williams)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 58:

The Best of All Japan Pro Wrestling 1993-1994

Objective:  Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at http://gweproject.freeforums.net/) into more manageable chunks to help me build my Top 100 List for the project.

Motivation: Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by the sands of time.

Subject: This fifty-eighth volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the conclusion of the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) 1993-1994. I selected 1993 because 1992 was the last year Jumbo Tsuruta was able to compete at a high level. His semi-retirement caused a major paradigm shift in All Japan's native booking. Toshiaki Kawada, Mitsuharu Misawa's top lieutenant in the Super Generation Army, decided to fill the vacancy left by Jumbo and become Akira Taue's senior tag team partner in the Holy Demon Army. This tantamount to turning heel but there was no grand heel turn, it was just Kawada shaking Taue's hand at the end of their 30-minute Carnival draw in '93. Kawada officially became Misawa's arch-rival and Taue remained the top lieutenant to the top heel. Graduating to Kawada's spot in the Super Generation Army was the fiery Kenta Kobashi. In 1992, Misawa won his first Triple Crown and 1993 was a year of consolidating him as the Ace of the promotion as he have many high-profile matches with current Ace Gaijin, Stan Hansen who replaced Jumbo Tsuruta as the long-serving tenured wrestler on the All Japan roster, native or gaijin. Stan Hansen status as respected, lovable legend was cemented during the Real World Tag League when he teamed with the beloved Founder & Owner, Giant Baba in 1993 & 1994. In 1994, Stan Hansen began to take a backseat to the 90s wrestlers as he was winding down. Finally due to Terry Gordy's unfortunate substance abuse issue, his junior tag team partner in the Miracle Violence Connection, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams was promoted to #2 gaijin, runner-up to Kawada in the 1994 Champions Carnival and won the prestigious Triple Crown ending Misawa's historic nearly two year reign as Champion. Winning the top prize in All Japan even as a transitional champion legitimized Dr. Death as a main event star in the promotion which they needed as Hansen was being phased out and Gordy's departure. Ted DiBiase & Big Bossman initially replenished the gaijin roster, but DiBiase opted for early retirement and Bossman had a great short stint but opted for more work in America. Doc's tag team in 1994 would be Johnny Ace, who has surprised in two matches as being a great worker. The year 1994 ends with Toshiaki Kawada winning the Triple Crown from Dr. Death but it is bittersweet because hanging over his head is that he is 0-3 against Mitsuharu Misawa. In all reality, 1995 really should be included in this blog, because it is 1996 when the next shake-up happens with Akiyama graduating to Misawa's tag partner and 1995 is the last year big year of Misawa/Kawada feud as they transition to Misawa/Kobashi. However, there is too much greatness to pack three year's worth of content into a Top 12 so we just have to settle for these two years, 1993 & 1994.   You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders associated with the date of the match.

Contact Info: @superstarsleeze on Twitter, Instagram & ProWrestlingOnly.com.

Top Six Matches of All Japan Pro Wrestling 1993-1994

#6. AJPW Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Holy Demon Army Super Power 5/21/94

I remember 12/3/93 & 6/9/95 clearly but this one has never resonated with me quite like those two. Lets see how it goes on this watch especially now that Ive watched a lot of All Japan.

We start with Kawada & Kobashi which is a unique pairing. Kobashi outsmarts Kawada holding onto the ropes to fake him out and then hits  a shoulder tackle. They each tag out and in a similar manner, Misawa fakes out Taue on a wristlock sequence stopping to elbow the hell out of Taue. Misawa and Kobashi have their way with Taue hitting their low-key stock spots (Senton and Legdrop). Taue gets a Tenryu-style enziguiri.  Kawada comes in and toys with Kobashi and smokes him with his Spinning Heel Kick. I thought the overconfident Kawada was about to make the cardinal mistake of letting Kobashi tag out but he ROCKS Misawa with a Boot to the face. Kawada continues messing with Kobashi as Misawa is hot. At one point, Kawada blows right by Kobashi and SMOKE Misawa with another Kick of Fear right to the face! Wicked! Then he turns around and tries to take Kobashi's head off with the same move. Kawada unwisely has his back to Misawa on an abdominal stretch and Misawa comes in and BLASTS him with elbows to a chorus of boos. Japanese fans are harsh. Kobashi tags out and Misawa is out for blood. He overwhelms Kawada with elbows. Misawa looks really good. Theres a good slingshot splash by him on Kawada. Misawa looks to spring backwards with a reverse elbow but Kawada catches him with a wicked kick! Misawa sells the back. Tag out to Taue. Taue CHUCKS Misawa halfway across the ring in the suplex position in an impressive spot. Kawada hits a senton at this point as an F-U to Misawa. I forget the how the tag out happens, but the heat segment does not last too long. Taue's throw was the most impressive thing about it. Kawada immediately quells Kobashi's fire. They are struggling over a suplex and then afterwards Kawada kicks Kobashi's knee. Unlike in 12/3/93, Kobashi does not fire back instead Kawada is able to chop him down. He tags out to Taue and this is when it gets really good. Taue is such a great henchman. He does a kneecrusher on the table and then wrenches the knee over the railing and then pins the steel gate so that knee is trapped and then starts kicking the gate. That actually looked really painful to the knee. Back then Holy Demon Army slams Kobashi's knee to the mat repeatedly. Thus far, Kawada's asshole Kicks to Misawa's face while Misawa was on the apron and the Kobashi knee work has been the most memorable. Apparently the finish stretch is when this gets really good so lets see what happens.

Kobashi's heat segment is really great. Awesome Kobashi selling as he was trying to desperately to get away from the cruel clutches of the Holy Demon Army. Misawa had to save him twice from painful holds twice to a chorus of boos, but when Taue put Kobashi in a Tree of Woe they booed that too. So they dont rule-breaking no matter who it is. The announcer even mentions the booing during the Tree of Woe which I dont think I have ever heard before. There is a great spot where Kobashi gets a hope spot in and is trying to crawl to make the tag, but Taue has his foot and Kawada charges across the ring and blasts Misawa off the apron with an elbow. Kawada is a total prick. Kawada gets in and toys with Kobashi with playful kicks, bad idea. Kobashi PUNCHES him right in the face! Dropkicks the knee! A Double Dose of His Own Medicine! Tag out to Misawa!

Misawa rolls baby! Looking for that Tiger Driver after some elbows. Diving Elbow through the ropes onto Taue. Kobashi kneecrusher on Kawada on the outside. Kobashi is pissed. He really wants Kawada to feel his pain. Kawada starts kicking Misawa in the head from his back and a Jumping High Kick stuns Misawa long enough to tag out to Taue. Taue rolls Snake Eyes. Misawa smokes Taue with an elbow, but Taue sidesteps the next move and DRIVES Misawa head first into the mat. He is thinking Nodowa but Kobashi comes in and Taue owns him complete with a kick to the bad knee. I love Taue. Taue gets in on the fun and Kick of Fear to Misawa's face and Bulldog. Tag out to Kawada who Chops the Shit out of Misawa's neck. All the focus is now on the head & neck of Misawa. Kawada slaps on the Stretch Plum which is logical for the current strategy. Misawa starts to hulk up and when Kawada does Kawada Kicks, Misawa unleashes the beast and the crowd pops huge. No-Selling is awesome. It can be a cheap heat trick but when done right it can create those goosebumps. They trade some WICKED Elbows! Both of them Pop the other Huge in the face with elbows! Misawa wins and Kawada ends up on his ass. Misawa tags out to Kobashi. I wouldnt say there have hit the finish stretch yet. That was pretty solid heat segment on Misawa and it felt like a great breakdown to a thrash metal song but he have not hit the fiery outro just yet.

Kobashi trade chops with Kawada. Kawada really wants to go toe to toe with these dudes. Kawada hits a wicked Short Spinning Heel Kick to bail himself out and tag out to Taue. Kobashi & Taue is when the finish stretch begins. Things get really heated in the corner. Kobashi chops and Taue throws his ass down. Rinse, lather, repeat. They sure worked the crowd into a lather. Kobashi turns the tide especially on a DDT, but his knee is fucked. He is punching, desperately trying to get it to work. He goes for the Moonsault and the crowd comes alive! Moonsault but his knee is fucked. Epic sell by Kobashi. The finish run has officially begun and it is INSANE! I just let it wash over me and went along for the ride, it was killer. I am going to rewatch it now.

Kobashi wisely tags out to Misawa, Taue unwisely stands up and eats a DIving Elbow from Misawa and Spinning Clothesline and Misawa is grooving. Misawa flicks the sweat from his eyebrows, shit is on folks. Misawa hits that the springboard reverse elbow. Misawa FACELOOOOOCCCKKKKKKKK! Kobashi rushes in to cut Kawada off at the pass. Sleeper. Kawada breaks free to break it up. Kobashi wrangles him back in the sleeper and they roll out. Misawa FACELOOOOOOCCCKKKKKK! Taue is fading. Kawada smokes Kobashi on the floor with a lariat. Misawa bodyslam and you think he is going for the routine Frogsplah but Kawada BOLTS over there and heads him off at the top rope. Taue joins in and hits a Superplex. They start Feeding Misawa to each other. First it is a Kawada Lariat, but Misawa armdrags out of NODOWA and Kawada runs over and TRUCKS HIM WITH  A LARIAT! DANGEROOUUUUSSSSSSS BACKDROP DRIVER! KOBASHI SAVES! THIS IS INSANE. NODOWA~! ON KOBASHI! POWERBOMB ON MISAWA! 1-2-NO! I CANNOT STOP TYPING IN CAPS LOCK! KAWADA POWERBOMB! KOBASHI LAST MINUTE LUNGE AND BOWLS KAWADA OFF MISAWA!

Kobashi suplexes Taue on the floor. Kobashi saves Misawa from certain doom when he lariats Kawada to stop a powerbomb. Misawa shifts his weight on a Back Drop Driver. Misawa elbows and ROARING ELBOW~! HE OBLITERATED KAWADA! Kawada dropkicks Kobashi's bum leg! KOBASHI IS PISSED~! He rattles off a ton of kicks to Kawada and Back Drop Driver on Kawada. Kawada Sweeps The Leg! To tag Taue! Taue Powerslam! 1-2-NO! Taue lifts Kobashi in a Firemans Carry and Misawa comes in and elbows Taue. Kobashi German gets two. They play Pinball with Taue. TIGER DRIVER~! Kawada saves Taue! This is ferocious!

Bodyslam. FIst Pump. MOONSAULT! Shitty cover because his knee is fucked. Kobashi feels like shit, he NEVER GIVES UP! Moonsault, BUT CRASHES AND BURNS! Kawada comes in illegally and Back Drop Drivers Kobashi. Misawa says Fuck You but Kawada dumps him to the outside.

DAAAAANNNGEERRROUS NODOWA/BACK DROP DRIVER COMBO! 1-2-NO! That was insane. I thought Kobashi was dead. Misawa saves the second time. Misawa Germans Kawada as Taue NODOWAS Kobashi! Misawa kicks Taue in the head to break up the pin. Kobashi covers after a Baba-style neckbreaker lariat, but Kawada saves. JACKKNIFE POWERBOMB! Bodylsam. Fist Pump. Moonsault. 1-2-3! Kobashi has now pinned Kawada and Taue.

The Kobashi push is on. Lots of growth from Kobashi here. On 12/3/93, Misawa basically handed Kobashi the pin on a silver platter with a barrage of elbows. Here, Kobashi had to survive his hurt knee, which he injured further on a Moonsault, survive Kawada/Taue's double team finish and then on his own mount a comeback. Yes Misawa held Kawada at bay, but it was Kobashi who never gave up overcame the obstacles and overwhelmed Taue on his own. Huge Moment for Kobashi! On top of that, Kobashi had the most epic save of the match on the second Kawada powerbomb that looked like curtains for Misawa but Kobashi in a last minute save he bowls Kawada over. That would have been Kawada's first pinfall over Misawa and major momentum going into the Triple Crown. Here's the wrinkle, Kawada still has confidence going into 6/3/94 because if Kobashi does not save then Kawada wins. Kawada thinks he can win in a singles bout. Kawada as fully embraced being a dick heel in this. In 1993, it was like trying on a new pair of pants but he has broken them in and is kicking fools in the face left, right and center. Taue is a great henchmen but he kinda took a backseat in this one. Misawa was terrific in this. He would light Kawada up when it called for it and he would be that game-changer, but he also let Kawada get one up on him in the finish run which in turn let Kobashi shine. Personally, I liked 12/3/93 better. It is more of a sprint, efficient and I really liked the the chaos caused by Kawada's knee injury. I thought Kobashi's knee injury was an interesting revenge plot by Holy Demon Army but it was not as pervasive as Kawada's knee.  ****3/4

#5. Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi - Champions Carnival 4/16/93

Greatest rivalry of all time for my money. These two just have insane chemistry with each other. Kobashi has that "live by the sword, die by the sword" mentality. It is almost like he made a promise to himself "I am going to leave it all in the ring and throw everything I have at this Grizzly Bear". They do such a great job setting this tone right from jump. There is this wild brawl that breaks out and Kobashi just dropkicks him. Kobashi ends up outside the ring and he rushes back in and dropkicks him again. Kobashi would NOT BE DENIED! I really feel that is the story of this match. It is Kobashi's tenacity. He was absolutely relentless in his drive to move forward. Hansen tried everything. You named it Hansen tried it. Sleeper/facelocks, throwing wild strikes like bearpaws,elbows & kicks, he tried diving tackles, and he tried powdering, but for 15 straight minutes Kobashi kicked his ass. This was a fucking mugging. Only two things kept this competitive: Hansen's aura (the fact he is damn near unbeatable and that Kobashi has not defeated him yet) and Hansen's constant struggling. I loved during one pinfall attempt Hansen was writhing in pain so Kobashi actually had to wrangle a wriggling Hansen into a cover. (And yes I am proud of myself for getting three "wr" words in the same sentence :p)

While Hansen was giving a stellar underneath performance and really making Kobashi EARN that offense, Kobashi was putting on a fucking offensive clinic. Early in the match while they were tussling in the corner, Kobashi snapped Hansen's arm across the top turnbuckle. Kobashi became laser-focused. I mean this was unlike any Kobashi I have ever seen. He zeroed in on that arm like he was an Anderson. Nothing was going to stop him. All those Hansen tricks I mentioned in the first paragraph, Kobashi mowed through them and then got right back on that arm. Dropkicks to the arm, strikes to the arm, holds, he was crushing it. He went for a cross armbreaker three times. Each time, Hansen got more and more desperate at making a comeback. The third and final time saw Kobashi kick his ass on the outside. Then a funny thing happened. It all went horribly awry.

There was one weakness is Kobashi's full court press strategy. It left him vulnerable to mistakes. When you constantly pouring on offense, it cane be reversed or countered. Up until the 15 minute mark, Kobashi was wrestling not only a clean match, but a low-risk match. He had wrist control for the majority and his offense was being executed in close quarters. However, he took an unnecessary risk when he dove off the apron trying to shouldertackle Hansen, Hansen evaded and drove Kobashi to the cement floor. Then Hansen BOWLED Kobashi and cemented his advantage with a brutal chair attack. I fucking love this match! Now it is Hansen's turn to kick some ass. He just pummels him. Everything is to Kobashi's head. It is all LOW-risk offense: boots, exposed knee, elbows. Kobashi gets a quick hope spot, Hansen immediately quashes that. Grabs him by the hair and POPS him with an elbow. I love it. Kobashi gets a flurry going and hitting a dropkick. I have never seen Kobashi hit so many dropkicks, he started the match with a dropkick. It is explosive and generates enough momentum to set up more offense.

I loved the next sequence. Kobashi wants to sap the Big Man of energy goes for a sleeper. Hansen sells desperation and grabs the hair and rips Kobashi over. Hansen starts throwing desperate swings. He looks like he is rearing up for a Lariat when Kobashi wrangles him into a sleeper! He really cinches it in this time. Way to make him earn it! Great series of nearfalls follows: off the sleeper, then off a furious onslaught of legdrops and then a DDT.

Bodyslam->Fist pump->MISSED Moonsault! Again, this has been Kobashi match to lose. He was wrestling again very clean. "Live by the sword, die by the sword". Hansen bowls him over with his charging body weight and then busts out his own dropkick. Kobashi will not be denied and hits a Lariat for 2. Crowd is going bonkers. Kobashi comes charging in and Hansen uses his momentum against him to drive him into the top turnbuckle and then scoop him up into a VICIOUS Back Drop Driver! This is the second time Hansen has used Kobashi's overzealousness against him. He only gets two. Wants the powerbomb, Kobashi sits down on him! Kobashi looks to come off the middle rope. LARIAOTOOOOOOOO! HOLY SHIT! 1-2-3!

The best part is that Lariat fits the psychology narrative perfectly. This was the third time Hansen used Kobashi overzealous offense against him. Kobashi dominated this match by full court press, suffocation offense. He was all over Hansen, but in doing so would often come in charging with reckless abandon. Three times Hansen used that against him. On third time, it spelled the end of Kobashi. Did Kobashi come closer than ever to beating Hansen? Yes. It proved it was going to take a combination of all-out offense and intelligence to beat one of the fiercest wrestler ever! Awesome, awesome match!

#4. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada - 6/3/94

I am writing this part after I have written my review. I think what makes this match so special is that build to the First Powerbomb I rave about below. I think the whole pro wrestling business, wrestlers & fans alike, have been chasing that Nearfall high for 26 years now. I have not seen this match in 7-9 years. I remembered three things: Misawa's Insane Elbow Barrage, Tiger Driver '91 and that Powerbomb. That Powerbomb had Hydrogen Bomb Heat. You will see the very first people to ever chase that Dragon were Misawa & Kawada  when Kawada after a couple more moves hit a second Powerbomb. Didnt have the same heat, brutha. Only mistake in the match. They chased the Dragon. They didnt need to. Ever since the Japanese style has been imported to America, Americans have been chasing that Dragon, man. Let me tell you something, no one is coming close to that Powerbomb.

The Greatest Match Ever? I have seen this probably ten times over the course of 2006-2011. I dont think I've seen it 9 years and definitely not in 7 years. It has a huge reputation and I just watched 5/21/94. Lets fucking go!

They trade bombs to start. Kawada catches with Misawa with his famous Spinning Heel Kick, but Misawa counters into a Back Drop Driver. Kawada is left clutching his head on the apron. Kawada decides to slow the pace down with an arm bar. Sensible given that he could have lost the match with that Back Drop Driver and so I understand being tentative. Misawa clocks him with an Elbow. Misawa is decidedly more offensive-minded. Perhaps he was spooked by Kawada taking him to a draw in April and that Kawada almost pinned him on 5/21. This plays against Misawa who sends Kawada packing. Misawa is on a fast break. When he dives off the apron and Kawada nails him on the chin! A common Misawa transition that I believe at the time is novel. We saw this in April. Kawada trucks him with a Lariat on the outside. Kawada focuses on the neck and head. Lots of various kicks to Misawa's face and wicked & nasty. I missed the kick that caused it but as Misawa takes a powder, you see Misawa's ear is bleeding. Kawada was blasting him. Kawada just keeps kicking Misawa and finally Misawa has enough starts kicking the shit out of Kawada's knee. From a kayfabe standpoint, very smart as it takes away Kawada's best weapon and you could tell he was pissed about how much he was getting kicked. From a non-Kayfabe perspective, very smart because Kawada is absolutely sublime at selling the knee.

Misawa locks on a Single Crab and in a great moment Kawada kicks him right in the mush with his free leg. Talk about body control that was unbelievable. Still Misawa stays on top of him. There's a great almost Super Tiger/Fujiwara like spot from Misawa where Kawada is so tentative on the stand up that Misawa just fucking picks him apart with a three kick combination that leaves Kawada laying. It is the closest thing I have seen from All Japan shoot style. Genius. Misawa is living Kawada's head rent-free. The best part is Misawa just walks away as if to say. Count his ass out like if it was a shoot fight. Misawa looks for single leg pick up and Kawada cracks him in the back of the head/neck to level the playing field. Seems like a good time to take a break from the review. I dont agree with people that say Misawa was desperate in this match. I see a Champion that's cool as a cucumber. The Misawa-Jordan comparison is so apt. They are just two champions of supreme confidence. I didnt see the knee work as desperate. I saw it as STOP FUCKING KICKING ME YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! He was more pissed than anything else. I see Kawada's action as far more desperate. Thats the difference between the two. It is not talent. It is what is going on between the ears. Being able to maneuver behind Misawa and deck from in his weak spot was genius and shows Kawada still has his wits about him. I remember the finish stretch quite well, but it is murky how we get there so lets see what happens!

They meander a bit after this until they get to this point when Misawa pops off his first Elbow! Down goes Kawada! Down goes Kawada! Then theres this cool moment when Misawa dropkicks Kawada, but he doesnt get all over it, it is more like a shove than a strike. Kawada rebounds off the ropes and SMOKES him with a boot to the face. He follows it up with a Jumping High Kick and Misawa is out! Down goes Misawa! Down goes Misawa! Kawada even checks him. Picks up his head and Misawa slumps back down. Kawada covers for two. Then begins one of the most epic struggles in history to hit a move. Kawada tries for the next 5 minutes or so to hit a fucking powerbomb. Misawa does everything in his power to avoid this powerbomb. It is such great pro wrestling. Kawada first attempt, his knee is still fucked. He who hesitates is lost. Misawa back drops out. Kawada responds with a dropkick to a Misawa who is on his knees. Misawa just goes full dead man's float on us. For the first time, since I have started my All Japan re-watch Misawa looks fucked. Like I have no idea who is going to overcome. Great selling by both men after Kawada's knee drop. Kawada goes to town on Misawa's neck with chops still only two. Kawada goes for the powerbomb a 2nd time still nothing doing. Kawada Kicks Misawa and rifles him with a Cowboy Kick. Frustration is building in Kawada. Goes for the Powerbomb  a 3rd time, Misawa double legs him and STOMPS him in the head. Very similar to the attack on Kawada's knee. This screams to me STOP KICKING ME IN THE FUCKING HEAD, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! They have a big stand up fight. Looks like Kawada has more left when Misawa snaps off a kick to the face ala Kawada and he is bleeding from the ear more profusely but the Ace is back in charge. Now it is Misawa turn to be thwarted bot for the Tiger Suplex and Tiger Driver. Kawada goes for his great equalizer the Jumping High kick and Misawa blocks with his arms. Great Dropkick to the mush and it is Misawa, NOT Kawada that lands the first big bomb. A Tiger Driver for 2. Now a Frogsplash for two. Has Kawada choked the match away? Misawa FACELOOOOOCCCKKKKK. Misawa releases. Kawada just rolls out to the floor because he is spent. Misawa sends him back in. Then...

As Misawa is coming off the top rope, Kawada leaps up and hits that signature Jumping High Kick, his version of the Roaring Elbow. It took everything Kawada had to hit that.  Misawa still wont go up for the Powerbomb. Punch to the face. Misawa comes back with a freakin' elbow. Kawada has to FIGHT THROUGH MISAWA'S VAUNTED ELBOW BARRAGE to finally STEAMROLL him with a Lariat. WOW! EPIC! DAAAAANGGGGGGEROOOOUSSS BACK DROP DRIVER! KAWADA THROWS MISAWA DOWN WITH A MASSIVE POWERBOMB! 1-2-NO! The greatest nearfall in the history of pro wrestling. The way they built to it in this match and playing off 5/21 where Kawada had Misawa beat with the Powerbomb, but Kobashi saves together makes this the best nearfall. That nearfall is why this is a ***** classic. That nearfall embodies everything great about 90s All Japan.

My complaint is here and it is super nitpicky, but they kept Kawada on offense. There was no way they could recapture the magic of that powerbomb. Misawa should have started his comeback immediately and in America, he would have had. In All Japan, they can go a little long. A couple more Jumping High Kicks, A WICKED German, a second Powerbomb and Stretch Plum none of it feels as heated as the first Powerbomb. It is a all great work. Misawa bump on the German is amazing he just goes limp and lands on his head. Then sells it like a million bucks. Awesome work! Stretch Plum is so logical given the head/neck. It is super nitpicky but I think Misawa needs to go back on offense sooner. I think you do a second Kawada finish run after the Kappo Kicks.

Misawa starts rattling off those elbows. Spinning clothesline. He is getting into that groove. He feels like a Tom Brady-led Patriots squad driving down the field with two minutes left ready to break the heart of the opposing team. German Suplex! Kawada is folded in half. Kawada is just a deer in the headlights. It's happening. Brady will break you. Tiger Suplex 1-2-NO! Even Tom throws an incompletion now and then. Misawa is not too worried as he fixes his Elbow pad. Loved Kawada's desperate struggle to avoid the German suplex, chop to the neck, KAPPO KICK! The Kappo Kick popped me huge in Dr. Death match and it did so again here. There's life in Kawada! Kappo Kick again! Misawa rolls to the outside. Misawa looks fucked.

The moment where Misawa is standing on the outside and Kawada is on one knee in the ring and they are staring daggers into each others' eyes is just epic. Both men know what they need to do. Misawa looks like a more confident. Kawada BLOCKS the elbow. Kawada bullies him in the corner. Kawada is going all Vader on Misawa but with Kicks. Misawa EXPLODES OUT OF THE CORNER WITH A HUGE ELBOW! ROARING FUCKING ELBOW! HOLY FUCKING SHIT! HOW IS KAWADA NOT KNOCKED THE FUCK OUT! MISAWA WITH AN UNGODLY, UNHOLY ELBOW BARRAGE! MISAWA BLOCKS THE KAPPO KICK! ELBOW TO KAWADA! TIGER DRIVER '91~! FOR FUCKS SAKE!

I still think Tiger Driver '91 looks gnarlier than the Ganso Bomb! How the flying fuck was Kawada still conscious after all that. Misawa was fucking furious! All Japan is so good at working finishing stretches that take you on this roller coaster ride. The build to that first Powerbomb was great. Then the build to Misawa's win was great because those Kappo Kicks came out of nowhere. When they fought, they fucking went after each other. That was the stand up fire fight we wanted to see since they brawled in the middle of that tag match with Akiyama and Fuchi. So is this the greatest match of all time? I dont know. It is definitely a contender. What hurts it is the beginning. I am a big believer in the beginning of the match is just as important as the end. That first 15 minutes is not wrestled at *****-caliber. There are other matches in totality I think are better, but from that build to the Powerbomb to the Insane, Ungodly Misawa Elbow Barrage it is hard to find something better. Definitely going to have a think on this.

#3. Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi - Summer Action 7/29/93

Greatest match ever? That's the million dollar question, aint it? I certainly seem to think so back in 2013. I voted Flair vs Morton in the cage as my greatest match ever because I was only voting based on matches that I have done full reviews on and I hadnt done my All Japan rewatch yet. So here we are. Is this the Greatest Match Ever?

The difference between now and 2013 is I have seen pretty much every Hansen vs Kobashi match up to this one. I thought the '91 match and the '93 Carnival match from just a  few months prior to this are also classics and contenders for a Top 100 match. The key is the dynamic. It is 100% centered around the Kobashi victory. Kobashi does not need revenge. He does not need to hurt him. He just needs to pin him or submit. It is so pure. Kobashi is such a pure and human pro wrestler. Anyone from any time period and any culture will understand Kobashi because he is the epitome of the human condition: the emotion, fire, desire, passion, agony, disappointment, dedication, willpower, distraught everything all wrapped up in one superball of human energy. Then you have Stan Hansen who is not just a man. This is a Grizzly Bear. a Killer Whale, and a Bull IN A China Shop, all mixed into one human. There's no humanity to Stan Hansen. He's an Animal, a Beast. When you wrestle Stan Hansen it is not Man vs. Man, it is Man vs Nature. Kobashi had proven he could survive in previous encounters but could he ever conquer Hansen?

Now that I've seen the '93 Carnival match this really is an extension of that match. There are some differences but for the most part they follow the same layout of Kobashi dominating the first 10 minutes or so. Big transition. Competitive finish run and a Massive Lariat finish. So lets breakdown the differences.

This match Kobashi is more focused on attacking the head of Stan Hansen as opposed to the arm in the previous match. I like how this is set up. Hansen is stomping a young lion and Kobashi rushes over takes advantage and kicks him in the head. This immediately rings Hansen's bell and it is clearly from Hansen's selling he is at an immediate disadvantage. Kobashi cements this with a DDT on the outside. There are a lot of DDTs and legdrops to the head in his match. Hansen just a couple bearpaw swings but Kobashi is immediately overwhelming him with firepower. There were a lot of chops, BIG TIME Lariats, and blow to the head from Kobashi. I did like Kobashi using the Cowboy Kick to get back at Hansen. This was an all-out offensive assault from Kobashi. It was a full court press where he never let up on Hansen. Much like the Carny match, it was a low-risk offense targeting setup with facelocks, combine that with dogged determination Kobashi it just overwhelmed Hansen. Just as mentioned in the '93 Carny match, the mystique of Hansen is obliterated in this match. Kobashi has taken him to task and Hansen is left a wounded Grizzly. Now a wounded Grizzly is a dangerous grizzly, but he is not the hellraising Bull In The China Shop we are used to.

Then comes the moment that has been burned me in my mind since I have first watched this match some 15 years ago. Hansen is slumped down in the corner battered and bruise. Kobashi comes charging in for the kill and Hansen just gets a straight boot up and CLOBBERS Kobashi in the face. Kobashi just crumples into a heap with the perfect glassy eye sell and I love how he just flops out of the ring. Just like the entire complexion of the match changes. Hansen dives onto Kobashi from the apron, then it is the Super Famous Powerbomb onto the concrete, another spot etched in my memory and then the elbow drop off the apron.  Hansen was using his body weight and gravity do the work against Kobashi. Hansen is not able to activate Hellraising, Chaos mode, but he is 100% in command and this creates that dynamic we love. Kobashi the underdog taking on the Force of Nature. Can the human spirit overcome?

They do a great job down the stretch duking it out for control. They beat the dog shit out of each other but those last 5 minutes or so are just perfect. Hansen just back suplexed Kobashi and he tugs on the elbow pad. I love this. I love when little things like this elicit such a big crowd response. Kobashi uses a drop toehold to evade and immediately leg drops the back of the head. It was so urgent. It was so electric. Then comes the barrage of leg drops because this is here chance. He was getting the shit beat out of him and now he is not going to let go. He just keeps crashing down with leg drops, climaxing with one from the top rope. 1-2-NO! Awesome nearfall. Then we gets the classic Fist Pump->Moonsault->Connects! 1-2-NO! HUGE NUCLEAR NEARFALL! Kobashi goes full Ricky Steamboat just going for a ton of quick pinning combinations desperately trying to win. At this point in his career, it was moonsault or bust, so you can really feel his anxiety and fear. He shot his best shot and Hansen still kicked out. Like the what the fuck can he do? What I love about Kobashi is that he doesnt give up. He just keeps trying. He just keeps throwing shit at Hansen. It maybe a basic as fuck schoolboy rollup but goddamnit that's all he has got. Kobashi realizes he can try to hit the Moonsault again as a way to win the match. After all if you at first dont succeed, try, try again.

This leads to the iconic finish, where Hansen blasts Kobashi off the top rope with one wild swing of his bear paw and the underdog is vanquished once again, but his flame is not extinguished. He got closer than ever before.

Is this the Greatest Match Ever? No. It is for a weird reason. We all advocate for watching more wrestling to give us context and a flesh out the narrative of a match, but for the first time, this may have backfired. I think the '93 Carny match exposed some flaws in this match that I had never seen. I think the opening ten minutes of this match are too easy for Kobashi. I think Hansen is much more active in playing defense in the Carny match and making Kobashi earn his offense. In this match, Hansen is content playing ragdoll. I think the Carny match having arm psychology allowed for a more focused Kobashi offensive effort. Now what the Carnival match lacked where big spots. The Foot in the Face in the Corner, The Powerbomb on the Floor, The Legdrop Sequence, The Moonsault and The Iconic Lariat finish are all very famous. In the Carny match Kobashi gets a shit ton of offense, but he does not get The Legdrop or Moonsault nearfalls which are nuclear. I think the Lariat finish off the top rope is one of the best finishes of all time. In fairness to the Carny match, the Lariat to Kobashi coming off the middle rope fit that match better. I think it comes down to do you prefer minimalism or maximalism. I am a Maxed out guy so I prefer this match to the Carny match slightly but I love well-done minimalism and that the Carny match exposed enough flaws in this match that I dont think either of these matches are the Greatest Match Ever. Both will finish in my Top 50 of all time for sure. I think if you take the first ten minutes of the Carny match and marry it with the last ten minutes of this match with some slight edits then you could say thats The Greatest Match Ever. It is ***** all the way but sometimes you gotta pick those nits.

#2. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Steve Williams -  7/28/94

All Japan Match of the Year, 1994

My sleeper pick for the best All Japan match of the 90s. Incidentally this match was the subject of my first post at PWO 7.5 years ago. How time flies! Also history does render certain things murky I thought for sure it was to defend the awesome Brock Lesnar vs Triple H match from Summerslam 2012, but nope it looks like this was the match inspired me to join PWO, which I am ever grateful for. Besides the my initial viewing of wrestling and WrestleMania XIX (which brought me back into the fold permanently), I dont think there was a more important moment in my pro wrestling fandom than finding and joining Pro Wrestling Only. Thank you Loss (Charles) & Goodhelmet (Will) for founding such a badass, invaluable website.

What makes this match special in my opinion is how Dr. Death is able to combine speed, power & precision into one unique explosive package. I think what makes Williams different from Hansen is Hansen has a lot of energy, but he is not as quick to snatch someone. I think thats what it is that Doc is quick whereas Hansen is energetic. Also, Doc's amateur and athletic comes into play in how fluid, precise and coordinated his attacks are. The way he can gobble Misawa up and with one of pop of the hips turn that into a Spinebuster is crazy.

I compared this to Kobashi/Hansen and how Kobashi approach was bullheaded offense. Whereas Misawa's approach was to try to contain the explosive Doc with the facelocks. I really liked the struggle within these holds. It would be easy for this portion of the match to become boring or listless, but it never does because they are always working within the hold. They are always flexing and struggling. You can see how much strain it puts on Misawa to restrain the explosiveness of Dr. Death. On the flips side, you can see Dr. Death work hard to throw off the shackles. You see that the first time Doc is able to make a dent in Misawa is when he bullies him into the turnbuckles hard and Misawa is left clutching the back. Doc hits a great dropkick back into the turnbuckles and then a bodyslam with a HUGE running elbow and then a Cowboy Kick. I think another thing this match does exceptionally well is how they set up Doc's offense so that he looks like an absolute monster.

Twice Misawa goes for running/charging offense and twice it is converted into either a MASSIVE powerslam or spinebuter by Doc who snatches Misawa up and turns these into big time power offense. This works well with Misawa's preferred method of working which is underneath with a lot of hope spots that build to a grand finale. Now Misawa did get more offense in than just front facelocks in this front half. Anytime it did look like Doc was going to run away with the match, Misawa always had his trusty elbow. This is another thing that made Doc look like a monster was his ability to absorb these massive elbows and keep on tickin. Misawa hits his Elbow Suicida and the diving elbow from the top. In fact Misawa looks like he strung enough Elbows together to make short work of Dr. Death. However, Doc back drops out of the Tiger Driver. This is when that aforementioned Spinebuster took place. This is what makes Doc so lethal. That rare combination of size, strength, power and speed when you mix that into a concoction it becomes explosive. We are left at the 15 minutes with Dr. Death decidedly in control as he pops off a wicked belly to belly suplex. Then in a great moment that I cant believe I forgot, he does Oklahoma Stampede on the outside using the Steel Ring Post. Again working that back, so much happens in the next five minutes.

Dr. Death works a heat segment that everyone wishes they could work. It is focused, varied and energetic. Focused on the back. Slamming Misawa into turnbuckles, trying for the Oklahoma Stampede, a massive powerslam, Boston Crab, a huge Stinger Splash in the corner, Backdrop Driver teases, Suicide Dive to the floor (yes Doc did that!), top rope shoulder tackle and an explosive DoctorBomb for a red hot nearfall. It was incredible and it feels so urgent. Misawa for his part was selling well but also really struggling. He was scrambling for the ropes on the Oklahoma Stampede and the Back Drop Driver. When Doc deadlift pressed him high over his shoulders, Misawa caught the ropes before Snake Eyes and turns around SMOKED Doc with an Elbow. It was just enough to stun Dr. Death, but he started to make in-roads. Here comes the Misawa Elbow combination only for Doc to resort to a four or five loopy right closed fists to put Misawa down. Really excellent burst of energy from both men in this 5 minutes.

Dr. Death mimes the Back Drop Driver to the audience and there is a big reaction. Misawa hooks the leg and this trips Doc causing him to land hard on the back of his head and this knocks him loopy. Misawa is able to take advantage of this with his Trusty Elbow. Tiger Driver gets two. I think what makes this match work so well is because Misawa's reign was over 700 days old at this point so when you enter this portion of the match theres a certain rhythm to it. A comfort. That all will be well in the world and Misawa will reign victorious. It is the same rhythm Patriots fans feel when Tom Brady would drive down the field with two minutes left to win the game. So we get the Frogsplash 1-2-No, thats ok Senton, Frogsplash another 2 count. Everything is under control. It is time for another Tiger Driver. Doc deadweights. That's fine, Misawa will blow him away with a bunch of Elbows and we will get out of here. First elbow, Misawa winds up for the BIG ONE and Doc ducks under and in one fell swoop HOISTS MISAWA OVER FOR A DAAAAANNNNGGGGGEROUS BACK DROP DRIVER! You ever want to hear 16,000 people collectively lose their breath at once watch that spot. Brady threw an interception at the goal line and everyone is in shellshock.

Misawa's sell is terrific. The way limply collapses to the outside. Now the game is only tied so Dr. Death has to complete the drive down his field on his own. As you would expect that first Back Drop Driver was not enough. Misawa had too much time to recover. It was the beginning of the end. Misawa got token elbows to give the fans some hope and half-countered the next Back Drop Driver, but when Doc hits the Oklahoma Stampede and then a final Back Drop Driver, the historic Misawa Triple Crown reign was over. The unlikely, burly Oklahoman had unseated the Ace!

Steve Williams sure as hell picked a great time to have the match of his life. He was explosive throughout the match. He worked an excellent heat segment that was the perfect combination of focus, energy and variety. It built to a great climax with the Doctor Bomb and then Misawa's Back Drop Driver Block. It lulls you into a false sense of security. Thats what this match does so well. You believe you have seen this story before. You fully believe Misawa will comeback and win. It was actually an Elbow that did Misawa in. Throughout the match, Doc had been quickly and explosively countering Misawa and we see it here when he ducks under and in one motion drops Misawa on his head in the single greatest Back Drop Driver spot. Dont make me choose between all the classics. Just know this match is right up there with 6/3/93, 7/29/93, 12/3/93 and 5/21/94. It should be a match known by its date, 7/28/94 the day Dr. Death shocked the world!

#1. Holy Demon Army vs Mitsuharu Misawa - Real World Tag League 12/3/93

Vacant All Japan World Tag Team Championship

All Japan Match of the Year, 1993

The match is famous for Kawada's sublime knee selling. I think what enhanced it this go around for me is watching the Holy Demon Army vs Doc & Bossman tag match that precedes this by two days. Knowing that Kawada is coming in with an injury rather than it happening in the middle of the match was a game changer.

In their first tag match together and in their six-mans, traditionally it is Kobashi vs Taue that starts off. Misawa starts off this time. Very strategic. Misawa & Kobashi know that Taue cant tag out because Kawada is injured so this allows them to put heavy hitting Misawa in there first. They immediately reap rewards. Misawa smokes Taue with an elbow. Double Dropkick! Kobashi baseball slide! Misawa diving elbow! Great babyface shine.

Holy Demon Army's only hope really is for Taue to get an advantage have Kawada come in and consolidate & isolate one of them preferably Kobashi. We see Taue able to knock Kobashi down. Kawada wisely goads Kobashi into a chopfest wins and that and hits his famous Spinning Heel Kick. He nails, but if you watch carefully he comes up gingerly which I think I missed. This brings me to my favorite part of the psychology of this match...Holy Demon Army try to sprint to the finish line. This is not la dee da lets build to finish. This Kawada's knee is fucked...lets get the hell out of Dodge.

So we get Kawada's Mack Truck Lariat (good knee sell from Kawada here too, great subtlety) and Stretch Plum and the SIngle Leg Crab with Kawada stepping on his head. We get Snake Eyes galore from Taue. We get the bodyslam on the floor. We bodyslams and Cowboy Kicks! This was a ferocious ass kicking Kobashi took. It all made sense. The idea was to hit every bomb and get the win as fast as possible. This made for a very urgent match which I love. The game changer is Kawada lets his foot off the gas. This time it is a clear hubris flaw. He thought he had it in the bag so he playfully kicks Kobashi in the head. He chops the neck but Kobashi fires up. As Kawada would he snaps off a kick to Kobashi's leg. What is the immediate, natural response, Kobashi rifles Kawada's injured knee. Kawada flies into a FURIOUS RAGE! That is incredible. Kobashi has SPOOKED Kawada as much as he has hurt him. Kawada knows he is vulnerable and needs to snuff this out. Kawada translates that fear into ANGER and unloads on Kobashi pelting him with illegal closed fists. It is an amazing moment. Once the initial anger subsides, Kawada is left hobbling & powerless and Kobashi POUNCES on him and starts punching the hell out of the bad knee. This is one of all time favorite sequences. So awesome and emotional!

Taue tries to stop the bleeding by knocking Misawa off the apron, but Kobashi traps Taue and Misawa knocks him out and Kobashi tags in Misawa with Kawada still on his ass. Kawada looks like easy pickin's. Kawada tries to fire up and tries to potato Misawa. Misawa absorbs and smokes him with an Elbow. Tiger Driver gets two, Taue saves Kawada on the Tiger Suplex otherwise it may have been a short day at the office for the Holy Demon Army. This affords Kawada the opportunity to hit a Lariat and crawl to make a tag. Taue is rolling Snake Eyes on everything that moves. Misawa and Kobashi are just feeding him. Taue looks like a world-beater and he understands the dire straits his team is in. NODOWA/BACKDROP DRIVER COMBO! Gets two! Not as hot of a nearfall as I was expecting. I thought it was red hot in my living room. Kobashi saves. Taue hits a powerbomb on Misawa, but it is not quite the Dynamic Bomb so it is only a 2 count. He feeds Misawa into Kawada's lariat. Kawada's selling is so, so good. Kawada tries to feed Misawa in for a Nodowa, but Misawa elbows out of trouble and tags in Kobashi! This match rocks!

Kobashi is a house ablaze...chops...DDTs...he even Snake Eyes Taue! Which I popped huge for! I think the fans hate that move so much they didnt pop for it, but I loved Kobashi throwing that in Taue's face. Taue has used that move SIX times in this match. It was high time he got a taste of his own medicine. We also found out that Taue is a load. Kobashi had a hard time getting him up. Leg Drop...MOONSAULT! 1-2-NO! This match has been at a break neck pace but everything still feels logical, earned and it is breathing. Really incredible. Taue chops and lariats his way out of trouble. Here comes Kawada. Lets see what he can do on a bum wheel. Taue bough him about 5 minutes to recover will that be enough?

Kawada back drops Kobashi immediately. Trainer helps him work out his leg. His second attempt on the Back Drop Driver his knee gives out causing him to smack the back of his head on the mat hard. What a nice touch! Kobashi has the opening to tag out. Kawada grits his teeth through out and hits trusty Spinning Heel Kick to stun Misawa but his knee is all sorts of messed up. He cant hold on the German Suplex bridge. He has to release the Stretch Plum gets two. The Powerbomb ends up with Misawa sitting on his face. It was all bad for business. Kawada is trying to be a gamer but he is fucked. Kobashi dropkicks the knee. This is the first time Kobashi can really get a hold of the knee. Misawa is more sporting perhaps or maybe more pig-headed that it is elbow or death. Kobashi has no shame and dropkicks the knee to a smattering of boos I believe if my ears dont deceive me. Kawada the babyface who wouldve thunk it. Kobashi throws the Single Leg Crab complete with stomps to the head back in Kawada's face and then switches to a Texas Cloverleaf. Great stuff! Jackknife Powerbomb for two! WOW! Kobashi crashes & burns on the moonsault!

Kawada desperately needs to tag out, but Kobashi drop toeholds Kawada. Instead Kobashi is the one that tags out, oh shit! Misawa sention...frogsplash...TIGER SUPLEX! 1-2-NO! Misawa exits like he has taken a beating, lol, dude you dont know the half of it and here comes Kobashi. Kobashi lunging flying shouldertackle eats THE JUMPING HIGH KICK! One more, but Kobashi hits the Lariat that is not yet Burning! Kawada has had two cracks in the sky but cant get that tag out. Stereo Germans! It doesnt look good. Misawa ROARING ELBOW TO TAUE! ROARING ELBOW TO KAWADA! Kawada goes full limp seel on German Suplex. Misawa Diving Elbow. Backdrop Driver and Kobashi gets the pin on Kawada! They win the Real World Tag League and the Double Cup (World Tag Team Championship)!

Can you say greatest match ever? Because I sure can. Ok, maybe a little hyperbole, I had have to give it a good think. It is definitely Top 20 all time and probably Top 10. It is my 1993 Match of the Year over either Hansen/Kobashi. Kawada's knee selling is so sublime, but it is so much more than that. It is Kawada/Taue urgently trying to close this out early. It is Kawada's reaction to the first kick to the knee. It is Taue desperately trying to salvage the match. It is Kawada trying to be a gamer and grit through this. It is Kobashi trying to close it out and prove he belongs. Outstanding.