I am still racking my brain trying to figure out the best way to be a LeBron fan without having to sink to the nasty, foul lows of being a Cleveland Cavaliers fan. It is keep me up at night.
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| LeBron Imma let you finish, but first Imma hurl... |
It has been a long time coming, but finally we bring the years 2003 and 2004 to a close. Without a doubt, the story of these years was centered around Kenta Kobashi. Not only did he have 5 of the top 6 matches of the year, including two ***** classics, but on his back NOAH was able to draw 50k to the Tokyo Dome not once but twice. His two year title reign is without a doubt the peak of NOAH both in terms of quality and business. Every single Budokan event sold out and delivered fantastic match after fantastic match. After a dismal 2002 across the board, Kobashi basically single handedly dragged 2003 and 2004 to the promised land.
New Japan hit an nadir in the mid-00s with an insane Inoki running the show it was having a severe identity crisis if it was a pro wrestling, shoot-style or a MMA company. With no clear the vision the product suffered greatly and over the course of 2003-2005, only put out one great match in the form of Takayama vs Sasaki at the 2004 G-1 Climax. All Japan was in even worse shape.
Left with just Mutoh and Kawada, All Japan did not attempt to exploit on Kojima's popularity until 2005. Instead, Kawada got the Triple Crown title reign he deserved just ten years too late. With only Kojima and Mutoh as worthy in-house opponents, All Japan was forced to team with Zero-One to generate interest in their product. The relationship did bear fruit in form of two hard-hitting classics. In Zero-One, Kawada and Ogawa knocked it out of the park with a nasty, hard-fought brawl. In a dream match, Hashimoto challenged Kawada for the Triple Crown titles coming up short in a grueling bout. No company was able to compete with NOAH.
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| HOGAN + KOBASHI = BRAIN-EXPLOSION~! |
NOAH was not just Kenta Kobashi. They also promoted the hot to trot new Junior Heavyweight supernovas of KENTA and Marufuji. KENTA and Marufuji were hugely influential in Japan and the American Indy Scene in terms of the moves and workrate. Yes, KENTA did move too quickly sometimes and Marufuji kicks like a girl and is more at home of a Men's Floor Exercise. However, if you pit them against a wise veteran, force them to work from underneath and make them earn their keep then you can have a great match. Misawa, Liger and Takayama all proved that KENTA & Marufuji are capable of having amazing matches they just need structure.
Kenta Kobashi started his title reign off like gangbusters definitively defeating former tag team partner and competitive rival. Mitsuharu Misawa. Misawa, who had been the Ace of All Japan since 1992, had taken a bit of a backseat in his own company to let Akiyama shine, but once Kobashi returned from injury in 2002 the megamatch of the decade was signed. March 1st 2003, Mitsuharu Misawa made his last stand as The Man. This match reminds me very much of Flair vs. Luger at Wrestlewar 1990. In a lot of ways that match was Flair's last stand as The Man. Of course, he went on to wrestler 18 more years and produce some more classic moments, but on February 25, 1990 it was the last time Flair in all his pomp and circumstance would strut as the undisputed Man of Pro Wrestling. In the same vein, Misawa would continue wrestling until unfortunate death inside a wrestling ring in 2009 and would continue to produce some great matches, but that was his last stand as The Man. The difference between the two matches was that Kobashi seized the torch from Misawa on that night and jump started a crazy good two year title reign. Whereas, Lex Luger was screwed out of the belt thus him and Flair were never really the same again and WCW did not regain its footing until the nWo, but by then was a completely different beast. That's what makes the Kobashi/Misawa match extra special not only was the match amazing, but the finish was just so satisfying. Kobashi had finally surpassed Misawa.
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1. GHC Heavyweight Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi - Budokan 03/01/03
2. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama - Budokan 04/25/04
3. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - Tokyo Dome 07/10/04
4. GHC Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs KENTAFuji - Budokan 4/25/04
5. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshinari Ogawa – Budokan 11/01/03
6. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue - NOAH 09/10/04
7. Toshiaki Kawada vs Naoya Ogawa - Zero-One 12/14/03
8. Toryumon Trios Four-Way - Toryumon 08/30/03
9. KENTAFuji vs Jushin Liger & Takehiro Murahama - GHC Jr Heavyweight Tag Title Final 07/16/03
10. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Tamon Honda - NOAH 04/13/03
11. Akira Taue vs Yuji Nagata - NOAH 6/6/03
12. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Toshiaki Kawada vs Shinya Hashimoto - AJPW 02/22/04
13. GHC Tag Team Champions Sterness (Akiyama & Saito) vs Burning (Kobashi & Honda) - Budokan 6/6/03
14. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yuji Nagata - Budokan 9/12/03
15. Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Hiroyuki Ito - U-Style 08/18/04
16. KENTA vs. Yoshihiro Takayama - NOAH 6/27/04
17. Yoshihiro Takayama vs Kensuke Sasaki - G-1 Climax '04
18. AJ Styles vs Low-Ki - Z1 1/05/03
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Match of the Year, 2003:
GHC Heavyweight Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi - Budokan 03/01/03
Match of the Year, 2004:
GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama - Budokan 04/25/04
Match of 2003-2004, Pro Wrestling NOAH:
GHC Heavyweight Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi - Budokan 03/01/03
Match of 2003-2004, New Japan Pro Wrestling:
Yoshihiro Takayama vs Kensuke Sasaki - G-1 Climax '04
Match of 2003-2004, All Japan/Zero-One/Other Promotions:
Toshiaki Kawada vs Naoya Ogawa - Zero-One 12/14/03
Match of 2003-2004, Junior Heavyweights:
Toryumon Trios Four-Way - Toryumon 08/30/03
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| RESPECT~! |
GHC Heavyweight Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi - Budokan 3/01/03
This is how you seize the torch. Finally, Kobashi takes the mantle from Misawa as the full-fledged ace and embarks on a magnificent heavyweight title reign. Very rarely in wrestling and sports is a there a "torch passing" moment so when it does happen it truly feels like a special match. So when you take an extraordinary match add this touch of gravitas you have the makings of a Match of the Decade candidate. I would argue that this is the most famous match of the era and thus will come under extra scrutiny. After watching the match for either the fourth or fifth time, I believe it warrants inclusion among the best matches produced in Japan in the 00s.
The story of this match was Kobashi would not be denied on this night. After years and years of proving his mettle, he was ready to defeat Misawa definitively. For Misawa, it was his last stand as The Man of Japan. It was a fitting climax to the story of two great, competitive rivals. The beginning of the match is Misawa establishing control and setting the pace with his elbow. After scoring the first bomb (a backdrop driver), Misawa stymies Kobashi at every turn with the elbow while focusing on Kobashi's arm removing the lariat and chop from the arsenal. Kobashi sells the arm like a champ as he cant apply the sleeper due to the arm work. When Misawa has the opportunity to hit his customary diving elbow, he was not expecting to crash and burn into the railing chin-first coming up with a nasty gash. Much like the chin-first drop toehold in the amazing '00 Akiyama match, Kobashi sees his opening and pounces. Everything is focused on debilitating the neck of Misawa. If you have control of the head & neck, you have control of the body. Kobashi paces his work a little better than Akiyama reserving his bombs for later content for using cravats and DDTs. The best spot of the segment is when Misawa goes for the monkey flip and Kobashi just falls back and eats turnbuckle. Kobashi starts to chop the fuck out of Misawa's neck, but Misawa ain't having any of it. We were one muscle flex away from Misawa doing his best Luger impression. It does not matter if it is Greensboro Coliseum or Budokan Hall, that spot is over like rover. The playing field is levelled after a trading a spinning back chop and a Roaring Elbow,
Misawa is first up, but Kobashi still has fight left in him and Misawa elbows him back in the head. He rattles off his finishing sequence that has culminated in so many victories. He goes for Emerald Flowsion, but Kobashi desperately shoves him into the turnbuckles to save himself and hits a half nelson suplex. Kobashi will not be denied as he fights through elbows to hit a LARIATOOOOOO! The struggle over a suplex and MIsawa suplexes him on the ramp then dives through the ropes to elbow Kobashi on the ramp. After 25 minutes, they are both out on the ramp and I just wondering what is going through their minds knowing what the next spot will be. In the spot of the match, Misawa Tiger Suplexes Kobashi off the ramp onto floor. I still lose my shit when it happens. "KO-BASH-I" chants ring out in the Budokan and they tease the double countout finish to really put over that spot. Misawa only gets a two. To steal a phrase from DDP, this crowd is JAAAAAAAAACCCKED!!! Both men selling the fatigue and battle wear like champs. Kobashi throws wild chops, but Misawa catches him with nasty back elbows. Kobashi is falling over himself on jelly legs and finally Misawa hits it. The end all be all: Emerald Flowsion. 1-2-KICK OUT CROWD LOSES THEIR SHIT~! Delayed brainbuster triggers the MI-SA-WA chant. This crowd does not want it to end. Burning Hammer brings the match and the rivalry to a fitting conclusion. Kobashi grabs the reins from the Misawa in a classic barnburner. *****
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UWA World Trios Champions Do Fixer ( Maasaki Mochizuki, Dragon Kid, Kenichiro Arai) vs M2K (Genki Horiguchi, Magnum Tokyo, Susumu Yokosuka) vs Crazy Max (CIMA, SUWA, Don Fuji) vs Italian Connection (Milano Collection AT, Condotti Suji, YOSSINO)
Toryumon 08/30/03
This is the Three Stooges if the the Three Stooges were twelve wicked athletic Japanese guys, three of which think they are Italian. The first half of this match is some of the best comedy wrestling you will ever watch. I loved the thread that was woven throughout this whole match was gang up on M2K. When Dragon Kid and Arai turned on Horiguchi and worked over his scalp that was hilarious. I thought the testicular psychology of Liger/Minoru vs Kanemaru/Kikuchi was bitchin, but the SCALP PSYCHOLOGY~! of Horiguchi matches has been so funny. I am not going to ruin this match with some recap of the spots. Go and watch these dudes rip it up in the ring. Also a midget in a Gorilla costume gets involved. This match has everything. What is great when it comes to time to hit the finish, they get more serious, but still keep it fun. Everybody has a chance to shine. I had always heard of the Italian Connection and on paper is sounded tremendous and they did not disappoint. I highly recommend watching the other Toryumon matches first even though they are not as good because it gives you a feel for the style and an appreciation for how bitchin this is when it all comes together. ****1/4
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All Japan Triple Crown Champion Toshiaki Kawada vs Naoya Ogawa
Zero-One 12/14/03 Non-Title
Ogawa is 2 for 2 in terms of badass matches in my book. It has been a limited sample size, but I don't think he is a particularly adept worker, but he is incredibly effective in portraying his character (legitimate judoka/shooter badass) and fostering a big match atmosphere. Just like the Dome tag match, the chaotic flow of the match and the awesome heat made this stand out as something special. Of course, why Kawada is an all-timer is that he did not force Ogawa into the King's Road style, but wrestled the match in a way where Kawada responded to Ogawa in a characteristic manner. It was an interesting clash of King's Road and shoot-style without sacrificing each other's strong suits in a heated bout.
What I love about this video is there is a 7 minute recap of the angles at the beginning to clarify why there is an interpromotional match. There was apparently an AJPW vs. Zero-One feud which featured a tag match between Hashimoto/Ogawa vs Mutoh/Kojima. The Z-1 boys were roughing up the AJ boys after the bell was ringing only for Kawada to rush the ring and send the Z-1 crew packing to awesome heat. After that, there were white masked ninjas in service of Ogawa attacking Kawada and tag matches leading up to the big one on one showdown. I read another review that said Kawada played the a great heel in this match. Well, I thought he was a badass babyface even if this was at a Z1 show. He got a shit ton of streamers and there was definitely a Kawada chant at the beginning. Ogawa is such a natural heel. He is a giant especially compared to Kawada and his cocky shooter swagger makes him nearly impossible to like. At the outset, Kawada was selling his apprehension of getting entangled with this badass while Ogawa was egging him on with sarcastic cheers. Kawada was the first one to take it to him even though Ogawa got a nice punch combo out of the corner that sent Kawada reeling in classic Dangerous K fashion. What I really loved about this match was how much struggle there was. If Kawada had a chance to stomp of Ogawa's head on a break he took it. Ogawa seemed like he took Kawada over on a monkey flip whether he wanted to or not. The hook of the match was when Ogawa went to put Kawada away with the STO and Kawada relentlessly kneed his inner leg so that even when he hit it he could not capitalize. When he went for the STO again, he buckled and Kawada pounced. This led to the great exchange where Kawada chases Ogawa around kicking his bad leg and Ogawa is throwing wild double back fists to keep him away. At one point, the back fist catches Kawada in the head so he starts to kick Ogawa's leg from the mat that's dedication. Kawada eventually got the half crab, but not before he stomped on Ogawa's head. Ogawa is so long that it is hard to keep him from the ropes. Kawada gets tired of the double back fists so he cleans his clock with a sweet closed fist. In an effort to survive, Ogawa just tries for the STO and Kawada hits him with a back drop driver. Kawada looks to knock Ogawa out with enziguiris, but Ogawa hits the STO OUTTA NOWHERE! Kawada staggers and falls ass first through the bottom rope onto the floor. Ogawa's leg is fucked, but is able to STO Kawada on the floor. However, neither man can make it back to the ring by the ten count. Hot damn! Wait there is more! They restart the match. Kawada slides right into Ogawa's leg and does not let up. Kawada goes for the leg lace and double stomps on the bad knee. However, Kawada leaves himself open for the STO again. Everyone is out again. Kawada tries to go for the enziguiri for the knockout, but STO AGAIN! Neither man can answer the ten count and it is ruled a double knock out.
Kawada had the strategy: find a weakness and exploit. Ogawa had the puncher's chance: STO. At the beginning, it seemed like Kawada was going to be outgunned by the bigger Ogawa, but he is able to block the STO and inflict serious damage to the leg. However, once he got on offense, he was so focused on pressing his advantage he would leave himself opened to the STO. Kawada just did not have a bomb on the same level as the STO to put Ogawa away. I loved a lot of the exchanges in this match especially the leg kicks versus double back fists. Ogawa delivers another great big match and Kawada gives his best performance since the 2001 Champion's Carnival with Mutoh. ****1/4
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| DDP, THAT AINT YOUR MAMA'S YOGA! |
GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama - Budokan 04/25/04
Going into this project, this was my pick for the best match of the decade in Japan of the 00s, granted I had only seen something like 20 matches from the decade. While it is just as excellent as I remembered, it did not quite have enough to dislodge Misawa/Akiyama and Misawa/Kobashi from the top two spots. From the first time I watched this in 2007 until now, I have been impressed with the hellacious beating Takayama dishes out on the champion. For the first time in the title reign, it feels like Kobashi could actually drop the title.
These two have insane chemistry together. I loved their outing in 2000 and this match has enough differences to make this a unique great match. Instead of the hook being that Takayama is a outright heel, here it is can Kobashi surmount Takayama's strength advantage when in all the previous major title defenses he has been the larger competitor. Takayama is a big man, but he absolutely wrestles huge ensuring his stature being the crux of most of his matches. Early on they put over his size that Kobashi has to wear him down before he can hit big bombs like the half nelson suplex or delayed vertical. Kobashi pays for treating Takayama like any another opponent when Takayama reverses a delayed vertical into a guillotine choke. Takayama establishes control with a nice running knee/butterfly suplex combo. At first, it looks like Takayama was going to target leg, but when Kobashi keeps chopping him he takes his arm and hyperextends it over his shoulder. I loved this showcase of adaptability. He came in looking to take a limb and when Kobashi presented one to him he took it. Kobashi's verbal selling really put over the double wristlock. Outside the ring, Kobashi hits a rebound lariat off the railing, but his ailing arm prevents him from getting in the ring and Takayama hits a monster German off the apron. They milk this for all its worth with a double countout tease.
Reminiscent of their 2000 match, Kobashi's right arm has been rendered useless he has to find ways to circumvent it. Takayama picks off Kobashi with a butterfly suplex and transitions immediately into a cross-armbreaker, but Kobashi makes the ropes. Takayama continues to try to hyperextend the arm. Kobashi grabs desperation sleeper, but cant leverage due to height disadvantage and bad arm. Takayama hits a wicked half-nelson suplex and a big German to get a two. The "Ko-Bash-I" chants ring out in the Budokan. He goes for the Human Capture German suplex, but here comes Kobashi. Kobashi throws Takayama down on his knee attempt, spinning back chop and a half-nelson level the playing field even though Kobashi is still favoring the arm. Takayama takes advantage of this to hit a dragon suplex and running knee, but the ropes save Kobashi.
Takayama makes his last stand just landing nasty punches and kicks really smothering Kobashi and pushing the ref aside. This was really the first time Takayama was heelish and it puts over the desperation. Kobashi gets behind to hit the half-nelson and then a brainbuster for two. Burning Hammer, but his arm cant handle it. Takayama throws a wild kick BURNING LARIAT~! still only gets two. Kobashi with a bloody lip and a crazed look in his eyes signals for the Moonsault and the crowd loses shit for this. Moonsault right on Takayama's face wins the match!
This match was wrestled more like an intense title match with a David vs Goliath dynamic rather than 2000 match where Takayama heeled it up. It shows how far Takayama had come as a credible challenger to any major Japanese title. The match showcases Kobashi at his best working from underneath. Using his histrionics to full effect to get the crowd cheering for his eventual comeback and who better to dish out punishment than the Bleach Blond Badass. Takayama gave as good as he got as his chest looked like raw meat after this match. The right arm was why Kobashi could never string together a combination of offense until Takayama had finally punched himself out and also why Kobashi had to bust out the moonsault (on the face) because he could not physically hit the Burning Hammer. Also for the first time, Kobashi was pushed to the limit as he was forced to dig deep in his bag of tricks to beat this giant. It was an excellent payoff to many different levels of storytelling before the biggest match in NOAH history against Akiyama in the Dome. *****
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Yoshihiro Takayama vs Kensuke Sasaki - G-1 Climax '04
WAR! What is it good for? Well my entertainment of course! Takayama continues his reign as the top freelancer in Japan. Sasaki has had quiet years since his explosive 2000. Of the interim generation between Three Musketeers and Tanahashi/Nakamura etc..., Sasaki is my favorite by a good margin over Nagata, Tenzan and Kojima. He is hard hitting and explosive. He is not a thinking man's wrestler. He is just a bulldozer. The winner of this match is the one was going to hit the other harder, no frills, just really stiff strikes. They start off with tests of strength that shows how even this is with Takayama winning one with a fireman's carry and Sasaki winning a top wristlock battle. Takayama scores first with a big knee lift. Takayama throws his weight around to control the short and stout Sasaki. Sasaki fires back the only way he knows how with some vicious lariats. His strategy throw Takayama into something hard and lariat the shit out of him. The eventual strike exchange happens, but this one is especially stiff. Holy fuck those lariats and Takayama takes them like a man. Each men ends up on one knee from the ferocity of these strikes. With slobber dripping from his face, the Bleach Blond & Bad Giant of Japan kicks Sasaki's head off, but the subsequent knee lift did not get the job done. The Power Warrior hits an enziguiri and an awesome cross body from the top to the floor to the retreating Takayama. The crowd is pumped and Sasaki calls for the Northern Lights Bomb and hits it. BUT KICK OUT!!! I totally bought that false finish. Takayama big knee lift in the corner, dragon suplex and Everest German gives Takayama his only win of this G-1 Climax. I have enjoyed how different New Japan has been than NOAH in this time with their short, but impactful matches. I thought this one really exemplified Strong Style with his no frills, straight forward badass match. Who ever hit who hardest was going to win? The Bleach Blond & Bad Giant of Japan hit just that much harder on this night. ****
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Two blogs in one day, what the hell? That's what happen when you get sick in the middle of the summer. Such efficiency! 2006 NOAH, Junior Heavies and Toryumon 2000-2003 all this week! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
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Two blogs in one day, what the hell? That's what happen when you get sick in the middle of the summer. Such efficiency! 2006 NOAH, Junior Heavies and Toryumon 2000-2003 all this week! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
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