Pro Wrestling Love vol. 62: Best of All Japan Pro Wrestling 1995-1996

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 62:

The Best of All Japan Pro Wrestling 1995-1996

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-second volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the beginning of the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) 1995-1996. Where we left in Volume 58 was with Toshiaki Kawada as Triple Crown Champion and Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi as World Tag Team Champions after winning the Real World Tag League. No one can take away Kawada's title reign, but in terms of the kayfabe All Japan universe, there was an asterisk next to Kawada's title reign because he did not win them from Misawa. Three times he had tried and three times he failed. He won by beating Dr. Death. The storyline through 1995 is can Kawada beat Misawa. He ends up dropping the belts back to Hansen as a transitional champion so that Misawa can once again reign as the undisputed Ace of All Japan. A curious thing happens in the Misawa vs Kawada Champions Carnival match 30 seconds into what was to be a 30 minute draw, Kawada broke Misawa's orbital bone with a kick to the face. Misawa being The Fucking Man wrestled the next 29 minutes and 30 seconds with a broken eye socket. It turned out to be a happy accident because all three of the 5 star classics that come from All Japan that year are a result of Kawada & Taue targeting the bad eye of Misawa. In a lot of ways, All Japan peaked in 1995 both stylistically with 6/9/95 and in terms of booking as Misawa vanquished the challenge of Kawada again. They sort of sputtered a conclusion for the year and then reset in 1996 with a renewed emphasis on tag team wrestling. The year 1996 saw the return of Dr. Death Steve Williams reforming his team with Johnny Ace and the ascendancy of the super rookie Jun Akiyama replacing Kenta Kobashi as Misawa's junior partner. This greatly freshened up the match ups and also gave Kobashi a chance to spread his singles wings by defeating Akira Taue for his first Triple Crown. Thus we begin the transition to Misawa vs Kobashi taking center stage over Misawa vs Kawada in the later parts of the 90s, but that was covered in earlier parts of Pro Wrestling Love. 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.

I Wish There Was A Way To Embed the Announcer Screaming "JOHNNY ACE! JOHNNY ACE! JOHNNY ACE!" After Johnny Ace won the World Tag Team Championship.

Honorable Mentions

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW Championship Carnival 03/26/95)

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW 4/6/95

Toshiaki Kawada vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/08/95)

Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/13/95)

Greatest Champions Carnival In History! Watch all these matches right now!

AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Champion Dan Kroffat vs Rob Van Dam - AJPW 6/9/95

The weirdest fact in the history of the world is that Rob Van Dam probably has the best 90s All Japan match that does not feature at least one of the pillars. Life is bizarre.

Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi - AJPW 5/24/96

My least favorite combination of the Pillars. The indulge each other's worst workrate inclinations. However, this might be their best match together. I need to rewatch the acclaimed 1998 classic.

Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue (AJPW 07/24/95)

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue - AJPW 9/10/95

All Japan Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu  Misawa vs Akira Taue - AJPW 5/24/96

Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue (AJPW 07/24/96)

The Taue singles push was the best thing to happen in mid-90s All Japan. Revel in its glory!

AJPW Tag Champions Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Dr. Death & Johnny Ace - 3/4/95

Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs Steve Williams & Johnny Ace (AJPW 06/07/96)

Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs Steve Williams & Johnny Ace (AJPW 11/16/96)

Steve Williams & Johnny Ace vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama - AJPW 11/30/96

The second best thing to happen in mid-90s All Japan is the appearance of Jun Akiyama to freshen things up. Doc & Ace are very underrated tag team and their feud with Misawa & Partner is also very underrated. 

Holy Demon Army (Kawada/Taue) vs Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama - AJPW 3/2/96

Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 07/09/96)

Akiyama's coming of age all began here. Kawada & Taue vs Akiyama is the central theme of 1996. Holy Demon Army vs Misawa & Akiyama is 25% of my Top 12!

Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs Steve Williams & Johnny Ace (AJPW 11/22/96)

A rare heel vs heel tag match, very cool for its uniqueness.

AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs 

Holy Demon Army (Kawada & Taue) - AJPW 1/24/95

Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 12/09/95)

These matches are overshadowed by 12/3/93, 5/21/94 and 6/9/95 but these two are badass in their own right!

Top 12 All Japan Pro Wrestling Match 1995-1996

#12. Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama vs 

Toshiaki Kawada, Johnny Ace & Gary Albright - Champions Carnival 4/20/96

My first look at Akiyama since 1993 as he teams with his Super Generation cohort just about a month before he graduates to being Misawa's junior tag team partner. Kawada's partner and Ace's partner are squaring off in the Carny Finals so they are making a team of strange bedfellows and they have added Albright for good measure. Interesting that Hansen is not part of this match showing that he has become more of a legend/part-timer. 

If you have read my reviews, you will not be surprised who my MVP of the first half of this match is...Johnny Fucking Ace! Dude is a jolt of energy as soon as he hits the ring. Those clotheslines on Akiyama were ferocious. I love how he goes the exact opposite of tactic of Orton. The RKO is all about the element of surprise whereas the Ace Crusher is loudly announced before every attempt. Ace is great for bumping & feeding for Misawa's & Kobashi's great offense. I really want to see a Kobashi vs Ace singles match now. There was so much macho posturing there. They were lighting each other up! I thought the Spinning Back Chop miss into an Ace German looked fucking great. Ace tagging out to Kawada was smart and that's how the first half ends. Only two other things to note, Kawada vs Kobashi ended with Kawada trying a cross-armbreaker when Kobashi blocked, Albright came in and put a cross-armbreaker on Kobashi's other arm which was a fucking great spot. Akiyama broke it up. This set up Akiyama vs Albright. Albright did a pretty good job shining Akiyama up letting get a heel hook and a Jumping Knee. Nice Exploder by Akyiama early on an interfering Ace. Akiyama knocked Kawada off the ring so Kawada comes in and gives a Cowboy Kick to him. Good start for Akiyama. Really super six-man so far!

There a lot of six-mans I see get hyped that I think are just great workrate matches I thought this was excellent in that department but also had great character work and a legitimately shocking finish. Kawada vs Akiyama came off great. Akiyama slapping Kawada repeatedly and then Kawada trying to kick Akiyama's head off was awesome. Akiyama fires up and Kawada punks him out by tagging put. Johnny Ace fucking put in work. His exchange with Misawa was bitchin'. Give this man a fucking Triple Crown title shot already, Baba! He was just kicking ass in there. It is too bad he fucked up the moonsault. I have seen him hit clean plenty of times in 94 and 95 but sucks he botched it here. I loved that he does the Kobashi fist pump before it each time. Kawada obliterated Kobashi off the apron. Nice touch when Misawa does that to Ace when Ace tries to stop the Kobashi moonsault. Ace goes for the Doctor Bomb on Misawa but Misawa fights out. Akiyama tags in and Ace hits a beautiful heel kick in the corner that has to be seen! Akiyama throws him off on the DDT attempt and here comes Kobashi to kick some ass. DDT and Sleeper and Kobashi is in control. Kawada hits an absurd, uncomfortable amount of Kawada kicks on Kobashi who of course fires the fuck up because KOBASHI IS ALL FUCKING MAN! Kobashi rages only for Kawada SLUG HIM WITH A MACK TRUCK LARIAT! Akiyama bails Kobashi out. Misawa is hanging back. Kobashi/AKiama are gelling. The prospects of Burning look great. KOBASHI THROWS KAWADA DOWN WITH A POWERBOMB! Kawada does his aristocratically great selling. Kobashi Moonsault! 1-2-NO! Great nearfall! This is when Albright comes and becomes a force of nature just throwing the Super Generation Army around with suplexes. 

I wont spoil the finish. You have Akiyama coming of age, Ace being a ball of energy, Kawada the surly bastard and ringleader (Kawada is super important in the finish because he is running point), Albright killing fools dead with suplexes, Kobashi as Mr. Macho and Misawa hanging back just bailing his team out. It was a great dynamic. I loved this!

#11. Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue 

Real World Tag League 11/29/96

DOOMSDAY NODOWA OF DEATH~! Holy Shit! I have a new favorite move that was badass. I know it is annoying nitpick, but it is kinda disappointing that it was just a transition to the heat segment and not the transition to the finish. 

This is their league match ahead of the finals on 12/6/96, growing up I would ignore these match and I would just skip to the Finals, with age comes wisdom and I am so glad I went back and watched this because this gangbusters. 

Taue and Akiyama are chippy to start. Both Taue and Kawada have no time for Akiyama's insolence. Taue bullies and pummels him in the corner at the very beginning of the match after an elbow form Akiyama. When Akiyama makes the hot tag around the 15 minute mark, Kawada takes Akiyama all full of piss 'n' vinegar scoops him up, bodyslams him and COWBOY KICK! The best part of both of these is that Akiyama's reaction is not of submission, but of ardent resistance in both cases he comes firing right back. I love when he dumps Kawada with a Northern Lights Suplex. Akiyama is not taking this lying down. 

It was interesting that when Misawa did come in, he chose to work on Taue's leg almost immediately. That's very rare from Misawa. He does not work limbs. It is Elbows or running through his stock spots. He hits Elbow Suicida and it is breaking loose in Sapporo (yes I looked that up :P )! Akiyama tries a plancha but Taue sidesteps. NODOWA ON THE FLOOR! Kawada DECKS Misawa with a Lariat simultaeneously! The complexion of the match has changed. This is when the aforementioned Doomsday Nodowa of Death comes into play. Kawada works the arm of Misawa, but Akiyama saves. Kawada Powerbomb on the floor! They go full American style face in peril with tons of hope spots for a Misawa tag. Misawa hits a lot of his trademark hope spots, catching himself on the top turnbuckle Snake Eyes,  firing off an Elbow, but Taue Enziguiris. Or the classic shoot Misawa off into the buckles, catches himself, springboards back with an Elbow. Taue SMOKES Akiyama with a Boot. Another great moment is when they go for the Dangerous Back Drop Driver/Nodowa Combination, but Misawa backflips out, Elbows and Taue just ducks under and THROWS HIM DOWN WITH A NODOWA! I love Taue! Kawada gets two. A spinning back Elbow finally gives Misawa enough freedom to tag out. Honestly, I love the back end of the FIP so much and how hard Misawa had to work for the hot tag, but I didnt like how they front-loaded with a lot of big bombs. I think they could have saved the Doomsday Nodowa of Death and even the Powerbomb on the Floor for later. 

Akiyama vs Kawada was classic and covered the best parts above. In the high-energy fracas, thanks to Taue's big boot, Kawada DEMOLISHED him with a Dangerous Back Drop Driver! After a brief glimmer of hope, Misawa/Akiyama looked fucked. Taue lands a Powerbomb, but it is not Dynamic. There's a great moment when Kawada has Akiyama in the Stretch Plum, and Taue comes over to cut Misawa off and Misawa slingshots over and hits an Elbow and goes full ass over tea kettle because he was so committed to the spot. Once Akiyama tags out, Misawa hits a Flying Bodypress, but soon after Kawada does his Bicycle Kick out of the German and the Holy Demon Army are poised to take the lead. They are going to do a Nodowa/Powerbomb Combo, but Misawa snaps off the Misawa-Rana! They go full Budokan style finish run. ROARING ELBOWS GALORE! Tiger Suplex! Two Tiger Drivers!

Wow! Incredible the only reason I imagine is not remember more is because it is overshadowed by 12/6/96 soon. This is excellent tag team wrestling. Tons of great action but driven by competition and anger. Those Akiyama exchanges were great. Loved the tension of the Misawa FIP segment. Misawa coming into bail out Akiyama was great. The finish run was them clicking on all cylinder. I love how the Holy Demon Army won control of the match twice because they were the better team. They had transformed the match into a handicap match and were forcing Misawa & Akiyama to wrestle singles. It was only when Misawa started helping Akiyama and the finish stretch that Misawa/Akiyama started wrestling as a team. Misawa came off as a stud in this match. Loved it! 

#10. Toshiaki Kawada vs Gary Albright - Anniversary Show 10/25/95

I've this match a couple times and I thought it was great, but not necessarily a classic. They instantly blew my expectations out of the water with this kickass match. When I was watching this 10-15 years ago, I didnt get how big of a deal UWFi was. I watched Vader vs Takada and knew about the UWFi invasion of NJPW, but I didnt fully grasp. Now that I have I become more steeped in puroresu history and watched a lot of UWFi, I get it, but I also part of the novelty is that 90s All Japan did NOT do matches like this. It was the Four Corners and later Akiyama with the top gaijins of Hansen, Doc and Ace in a mix and match. So this was the closest thing All Japan did a big money interpromotional dream match in the 90s. I prefer Hashimoto vs Takada to this, but this blew Mutoh vs Takada out of the water. 

Huge Fight Feel! Budokan is rocking! It feels that Albright is instantly over as a monster. Holy shit! Listen to the reaction of him grabbing a reverse waistlock! You think he just hit the greatest highspot in the world! He just wrapped his arms around a person's body. That's when you know you are fucking over. I like how Albright evaded the typical Kawada kick to get out of the German Suplex. Then Alright just pounced and Kawada retaliated with a deep heel hook. Loved the urgency set the tone for the match. Kawada did a greta job playing by Albright's rules respecting his size advantage and his shoot credentials without looking overwhelmed. Kawada brought the fight to Albright early on. That enziguiri rocked him and that flurry of strikes was so over and I dont think Kawada looked better in the 90s. Then Albright finally got hold of him. The takedowns and suplexes took their toll. An early cross-armbreaker caused Kawada to powder. I liked Albright immediately going for the Fujiwara armbar. I liked how they built to the German Suplexes. He was hitting other suplexes but Kawada was avoiding that one. After a belly 2 belly and a powerslam, Albright hit the massive German. Kawada did one of his classic selljobs and collapsed to the outside. That was his only saving grace as by the time Alright rolled him back in, Kawada could kick out. 

With the German not winning him the match, Alright tried to up the ante to the Dragon Suplex but Kawada hoists him into the Back Drop Driver. STRETCH PLUM~! Watch the Stretch Plum, you can tell Kawada is having the time of his life. I think he is out to prove to Baba and everyone there's more to wrestling than just King's Road. Also he feels like a super duper star. He was first in the shadow of Misawa and then Kobashi, but in matches like this and against New Japan in 2000 that Kawada feels like a huge star instead of second fiddle. He was so over on this night. After the Stretch Plum, he goes for the Powerbomb, nothing doing and MACK TRUCK LARIAT! Albright does not bump. That was just man on man! Wow! Albright counters the next Lariat with a kneelift. They go to the ground, Albright gets a double wristlock and then rides a harmmerlock on the bad arm of Kawada. Albright wants the Dragon Suplex. Kawada breaks free, Spinning Back Chop, KAPPO KICK! Albright armdrag goes for a Cross Armbreaker but Kawada counters into his own for the flash win. 

I think the finish was a little too easy and quick. Albright had wrist control and almost the cross armbreaker applied it was too easy for Kawada to just stand up and apply his own. One thing I am forever grateful towards Shoot Style wrestling is how it forced pro wrestling to respect the cross armbreaker. So at least the hold was feared, sold well and used as a finisher in this match. Kawada going over was the right call but I thought Albright looked great in the loss and no reason why he couldnt be used the down the line.  I am interested in Misawa's 96 title defense against Albright. Albright's size and suplex arsenal was on display but Kawada showed off his striking game and his ability to counter. A big feather in Kawada's cap proving he could classic matches outside of his Four Corners opponents and in a different style. Check out his match against Naoya Ogawa from Zero-One 2003. I'll be honest I had been enjoying the other three Corners a lot more when I was watching '93 and '94 back. I think the other three has such big personalities. Kawada just wasnt clicking with me. He really did here. I saw the fire in his eyes and pep in his step. He had been missing that in some matches. If you want to make the case for Kawada being the best of the Four Corners, it starts here and showing his versatility, urgency, passion and asskicking nature.

#9. AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs 

Steve Williams & Johnny Ace  Summer Action Series II 9/5/96

Clipping rears its ugly head again. Can I just watch these four badasses in peace?

Akiyama and Ace do a great opening teasing their finishers on each other. After that it gets a little workrate-y for me. Johnny Ace is the lost workrate wrestler of the 90s. Ace tags out to Doc and I love how Akiyama evades the splash in the corner and immediately tags out to get the fresh man in. I love little things like how Doc uses his amateur skills to position Misawa in the hostile corner and how Misawa reacts to it like he is spooked and needs to get out of the bad part of town. I also love Misawa's reaction to getting popped in the face. There is a rush of anger that overwhelms his face shortly. Speaking of interesting countenances does anyone else think that Steve Williams' resting face is quite doleful. I wonder why he is so blue?

This was the explosive Doc of 1994 on full display. Watch how throws himself into the feed for the powerslam or his ground to air missile dropkick on Misawa. Dude was so explosive. Then we get a shitty clip to Akiyama in peril. How we got there I dont know. Oklahoma Stampede caps off this heat segment. Akiyama tags out to Misawa. Misawa gets OWNED by a Wicked Dangerous Back Drop Driver. I love how Akiyama defends Misawa who has rolled to the outside and hits a Northern Lights Suplex on Doc before anymore damage can happen. Akiyama rolls Misawa in to tag himself in. Akiyama sets to work on Doc, but Williams just explodes out of the corner with a lunging thrust. Johnny Ace goes all workrate sprint king on us, just killing it. No Ace Crusher, but gets a Rocker Dropper and a Top Rope Oklahoma Slam. Then the match grinds to a halt and a hush fall over the Budokan. Doc lays in some of the tamest, weakest boots to Akiyama and Ace does an abdominal stretch. Akiyama evades a double team, hits a High Knee and here comes the Elbow Express courtesy of Misawa. I really liked the opening. Again the clipping really broke my rhythm. We see Doc again as a massive force to be reckoned with. So far, I think I have liked the initial match better by a hair.

Finish run is fucking excellent and puts this over the top of the initial match. Misawa is a one man wrecking ball. He is just going from one side of the ring to the other beating the shit out of the Americans. There is some great drama on the apron/ropes. Ace hooks up for an Ace Crusher on the ropes, but Misawa almost pops off a Tiger Suplex, but Doc saves and it is ACE CRUSHER TO THE ROPES! WOW! Doc cant capitalize and Misawa tags out. Akiyama is cruising at first poping off Exploders on Doc like he has this on lock. Then Ace decides to become the MVP I always knew he fucking was. Breaks up a pin, THROWS AKIYAMA DOWN WITH A POWERBOMB and dropkicks Misawa all so Doc can tag out. Last four minutes are the Johnny Ace show.

DOOMSDAY DEVICE~! Doc runs into an Elbow and Misawa breaks up. Akiyama rolls out. DOOMSDAY DEVICE ON MISAWA~! Doc & Ace got this! Lets Go Ace! Go Ace! Go Ace! He rolls in Akiyama. Oklahoma Stampede by the illegal Williams and only two for Ace. Thats ok we wants this for Ace by himself. ACE CRUSHER~! 1-2-NO! I was so pissed! Misawa wipes out Doc on the floor. Cmon Ace go for it. Super Ace Crusher? No here's Killjoy Misawa with a German. Fuck No! Not this way! 1-2-KICKOUT! HELL YEAH! Exploder, Exploder Again, Shit No, Shit No, KICKOUT! OH HELL YEAH! DOCTORBOMB BY Williams! Roaring Elbows to Doc...Doc ducks low and DEMOLISHES MISAWA WITH A BACKDROP DRIVER! HOLY FUCKING SHIT! Doctor Bomb by Ace 1-2-No! Are you shitting me? SLEEPER SUPLEX~! 1-2-3! HELL YEAH! JOHNNY ACE! JOHNNY ACE! JOHNNY ACE! YEEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

The greatest moment in Johnny Ace history. I am fucking Supacharged now! I like 12/10/94 better as a match as a whole. The last 8 minutes of this are fucking glorious. Johnny Ace is the fucking man. Easy Top 100 Greatest Wrestler Ever Locked Up!

#8. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Stan Hansen 

Summer Action Series II 9/5/96

Helluva Budokan show to go to! Dont ya think! 

One last shootout at the OK Corral for The Lariat! It is fitting that Kobashi's first Triple Crown Defense is Stan Hansen's last. Hansen was the last man standing from the 80s. Make no mistake about it, he may have been in the twilight of his career but he was still dangerous. He won the Triple Crown in 1995 and was a Tag Team Champion with Albright at the beginning of the year. The Hansen/Kobashi rivalry may be the greatest rivalry in the history of pro wrestling, it takes into account age differences, cultural differences, personality differences mixes it together into an amazing pro wrestling dynamic. We charted Kobashi's growth as a wrestler through his matches with Hansen ultimately winning in 1994. The feud laid dormant until right now. Could Hansen use his psychological advantage of historically being Kobashi's bully to intimidate or had Kobashi truly gotten the monkey off his back?

It is possible I am missing some matches but there has been no noteworthy matches since their 1994 Carny bout where Kobashi won. It is funny when people say there is no progression in this feud. That sometimes how psychology works especially the psychology of a bully like Hansen. He wants to you to remember those bad times to make you start doubting yourself and fall back into old habits. It is beneficial for Hansen to wrestle in that manner because he is a bully. Kobashi does not let himself be bulled but he does not have a winning record against Hansen so there has to be doubt in the fans' minds and his. Kobashi always wrestles forward. 

I loved the brawling start. Hansen dumping the attacking Kobashi over the top rope and they are just doing the Tasmanian Devil cloud of dust brawl. Hansen pops Kobashi good a couple times with a left. A really big closed fist wins him the advantage. He starts bullying with the Cowboy Kicks and wrestling him to the outside. Kobashi came back with body punches. AMAZING Selling by Hansen the way he doubles over and starts hollering. Kobashi is leg dropping Hansen across the ropes and railing. They trade lunging shoulder tackles at each other with Hansen getting the better of it. HANSEN TORPEDO! I love his bottom rope tope suicida he wipes Kobashi out. A memorable moment in almost all their matches is the Powerbomb on the Exposed Floor. Hansen THROWS KOBASHI DOWN! Kobashi looks like my sister when she wakes up from a nap...where the hell am I? Hansen throws hims into the ringpost gleefully. Hansen is in that comfortable, dominant position. Big middle rope reverse elbow and a suplex as Hansen is in full control at the halfway mark. Hansen is so good at using his weight and suffocating opponents with his full court press. The match was a pretty even brawl. Hansen was resorting to cheap closed fists, but Kobashi was not running away from it. It was two close-range lunging shouldertackles that changed the game. Weight and space. He used his weight and closed the gap quickly suffocating the opponent. Kobashi never had a chance against the second shouldertackle (tope suicida). Hansen with that killer instinct hits the Powerbomb to complete his advantage. Interesting he picked Kobashi up on the DDT. He wants to prove  a point. 

They are tussling on the apron when Hansen charges for a Lariat and wraps it around the steel ringpost! OW! Here we fucking go! Hansen sells like a million bucks and for five minutes Kobashi is laser-focused on that arm. I am not going to bother recapping because people need to see this. All-star performance from both. It works on two levels. Hansen's biggest weapon has been taken away and it has ground his offensive to a halt. Kobashi who was pretty much out on his feet now can gradually work his way back into the match and gets his whips about him. I love this style because it is not a flick of the switch. The next five minutes are pivotal making you believe in the credibility of the Kobashi comeback. 

Of course, we need some drama so Hansen needs some desperation offense. After a cross-armbreaker, which was a great climax to the arm work, Hansen catches a charging Kobashi with a wicked right elbow. Great transition as when you are charging your are vulnerable but you also have extra momentum it is a risk/reward calculation. Hansen won out. Hansen was looking to use his right arm to beat Kobashi into submission. Kobashi looking for that extra momentum took to the air. It was a top rope neckbreaker drop and a missile dropkick that got Kobashi back into the driver's seat. Bodyslam! Fist Pump! Moonsault! 1-2-NO! Great nearfall that I agree with...there's still life in this match. Kobashi MISSES a running leg drop. Again it is a charging Kobashi telegraphing a move and this case missing it giving Hansen opening. I LOVED MIssed Moves! Wicked Hansen right backfists! Lariat signal! Crowd goes nuts. Kobashi fights off, Hansen spins around...DECKS HIM WITH A EASTERN LARIAT (Since the Western Lariat is with his Left Arm, get it? Ok maybe not my best)! 1-2-NO! Limp shoulder raise. Hansen is incredulous. It was his non-dominant arm that he hit the Lariat with. I am assuming he goes to follow-up with a Powerbomb. He doesnt. Works a Back Suplex for 2. Western Lariat misses and Kobashi cant get the load up for a back suplex.  KOBASHI LARIAT! SECOND KOBASHI LARIAT! 1-2-3! The origins of the Burning Lariat! I believe this is the first match he won with a Lariat. I love the idea of him paying tribute to his greatest rival by taking the Lariat making it the Burning Lariat continuing the tradition of it being the most feared move in Japan. Tremendous match and it is official I think this is the best rivalry in the history of pro wrestling even better than Flair vs Steamboat. The beginning did meander too much for this to be a full 5 stars, but once Hansen shouldertackles this match is a stone cold instant classic. Hansen and Kobashi both were tremendous.

#7. Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue - AJPW Champions Carnival 3/21/95

Second best match of the best Champions Carnival of All Time!

The 1995 edition of the Champions Carnival is my favorite Carnival of all time (even though 1994 has made a serious play for number one when I just watched it a month ago). To me this is when the Four Corners were all peaking together, Taue was a bit of a laggard, but in 1995 he took a big step forward and was every bit their peer and it all starts with this Carnival run. Dr. Death is to 1994 what Taue is to 1995. The most important thing to note is Kobashi has never beaten Taue, BUT he does hold a time limit draw against then Champion Kawada and several big Tag pins. If you were setting odds, this was a push 'em, but I'd say whoever does win this match was getting the big push for 1995. I reviewed all these matches in 2012 and actually wrote one of my very first blogs on the 1995 Carnival. I will throw in some editorial notes from 2020 as I watch the match.

 

The first match is a contest between the two junior partners in their respective teams. It really feels like both these men are out there with something to prove (2020 Martin: Effort level is very high). This gives this match a real sense of struggle  as both men are making each other work for their moves (2020 Martin: Damn straight). Everytime, Kobashi looks like he is putting something together, Taue will throw him down (2020 Martin: Noticed this theme of Taue being very reactionary. Kobashi was fire up and Taue would have to just defend himself from being overwhelmed). There is a theme among most Kobashi matches of his macho posturing costing him matches as he gets too involved in one up manship that he loses sight of winning the match. Taue, for his part, avoids getting sucked into this like Kawada sometimes will by avoiding the test of strength and going for shortcuts like eye-rakes and throwdowns. Taue is going his best to disrupt Kobashi’s offensive flow. For his part, Taue looked his best on offense that I has seen up to that point. His Jumbo high knee and enziguri combo looked fantastic. He delivered some stiff blows a particularly vicious lariat comes to mind. (2020 Martin: I know the exact lariat that I am talking about. I marked out for that again and I would add the Taue elbow drop from the top was a great highspot). 2020 Martin: I would add that there is a fist fight that breaks out mid-match that Kobashi actually starts when they scrap to the ground. Then Taue comes up swinging. You can tell how badly each man wants it. There is a desperation to win in this match unlike almost any other I have seen. It makes for very engaging viewing. 

 

Kobashi continues this theme of struggle by doing his best to cut off Taue during his offense. Kobashi comes off like a warrior with dogged determination to press on even in bleak circumstance. My favorite spot of the match is when Taue does a throwdown to stop a Kobashi flurry into the corner only for Kobashi to rebound off and lariat him to a great pop. (2020 Martin: I would no longer say thats my favorite spot of the match, but it is a great spot. Noticed how Kobashi needed a Spinning Back Hand Chop, this lariat, and a DDT to just level the playing field.) Eventually string together two pinning combinations off of a bridging german suplex and a powerbomb, but then misses his put-away: the moonsault. This gives the feeling that Kobashi was one move away from his getting his big victory. (2020 Martin: Always smart booking. I am an advocate for missing the finisher. The finisher-kick out is one of the most damaging trends in pro wrestling). 

As part two of my favorite spot of the match, Taue Irish whipped Kobashi into the guardrail and Kobashi went to do a rebound lariat only for Taue to catch him this time and throw him back into the guardrail. That was sweet! (2020 Martin: This is my favorite spot. 2012 Martin seems like a good dude. :) ) Taue follows this up with a HUGE Nodowa off the apron onto the floor! (2020 Martin: This would become a theme throughout the '95 Carnival and a signal that end is nigh. This being the first match we didnt know the pattern yet). Kobashi sells it like death. (2020 Martin: Kobashi's selling from here on is sublime). Taue has to bring him back in to get the pinfall, but Kobashi kicks out. Kobashi is working under the “lights are on, but no one is home” guise just trying to extend Taue to a 30 minute draw by rolling to outside. Taue obliges him by POWERBOMBING him on the floor. There is no safe haven! Taue is such a prick and the fans love it oddly enough as they cheer his name. Kobashi desperately trying to avoid the NODOWA~! EPIC! Taue polishes him off with the DYNAMIC BOMB~! This is Taue’s new and improved finisher to add a bomb to his arsenal.

I liked (2020 Martin: I believe the word you are looking for is "LOVED") this match a whole lot as Taue really blew me away with his performance. He reigned Kobashi in and made sure that Kobashi never ate him alive with all his offense. Taue worked hard to impress and deliver some great offense. The match did a great job to put over two moves: the Nodowa off the apron and the Dynamic Bomb. In addition, it really Taue over as a scrappy, ruthless competitor that would never let a match get too far out of control. Kobashi was able to work his moves in a logical fashion and his facial expressions added to put over how much of a struggle this match was. His most important role was selling like he dead after the Nodowa to the floor and really putting Taue over as a threat. It felt like he was one moonsault away from winning, but at the day he went for one too many rebound lariats and got caught. That was turning point because it allowed Taue to set up the Nodowa to the floor. A fantastic start to the tournament and I think one that places the bar very high for all the matches to follow. (2020 Martin: Wants to add the effort level was extraordinarily high, I loved Kobashi's dogged determination to keep charging & Taue's equally dogged determination to keep throwing him on his ass. I came in thinking we going to start with a kickass match, but this could be the second best match of the tournament).