Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,
Pro Wrestling Love vol. 42:
The Best of All Japan Pro Wrestling 1997-1999
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 forty-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 from 1997-1999. 90s All
Japan holds sacred place in the hearts of hardcore pro wrestling fans. It is
usually touted as the greatest era in pro wrestling. I remember once reading one
person’s comment as describing as reaching Pro Wrestling Nirvana. So while some
companies need a whole decade or at least five years to pile up twelve matches
worthy enough to do a blog post, 90s All Japan can do that it in three years
easy. The peak is definitely the mid-90s, but the late 90s still provided some
classics. From a quality standpoint, the company transitioned to being carried
by the burgeoning Misawa vs Kobashi rivalry however from a business standpoint
when it came time to sell out the Tokyo Dome for the first time in All Japan history
(commonplace for New Japan) they relied on the ‘ol standby of Misawa vs Kawada.
The tag team landscape has changed. In ’97, the teams were Misawa/Akiyama, Holy
Demon Army and Kobashi/Johnny Ace. In ’98, in an effort I presume, to get
Akiyama out of Misawa’s shadow, they transitioned Akiyama into a team with
Kobashi called Burning while Misawa’s took on his good friend Rat Boy Yoshinari
Ogawa as his tag partner. 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.
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| Four Corners of Heaven |
AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mistuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi – Budokan 10/21/97
AJPW Triple Crown
Champion Mistuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada – Tokyo Dome 5/1/98
AJPW Triple Crown
Champion Vader vs Mitsuharu Misawa – Tokyo Dome 5/2/99
The first match is an essential match in the Misawa/Kobashi story, but it is the least of their matches from this era. As I said in my opening, even though the focus seem to shift to Misawa vs Kobashi when it came time to sell out the Dome they went back to their 'ol standby. The first Dome show sees Kawada FINALLY get the big win over Misawa and get the monkey off his back. Actually liked Baba's booking here, Kawada gets the big win that everyone is waiting for and the next month turns around books him against Kobashi. The final Triple Crown Honorable Mention is the best singles Vader match in All Japan. This is from the Giant Baba Memorial show. Vader had a bit of a career renaissance in All Japan. He didnt hit the highs of the late 80s/early 90s but he was back to having good to great matches again.
AJPW World Tag Team
Champions Holy Demon Army vs Burning – 1/7/99
AJPW World Tag Team
Champions Burning vs. M. Misawa & Y. Ogawa – 3/6/99
Two of the better tag team matches from late All Japan as the new pairings are on display. Some people really, really like the 3/6/99. I liked it, but didnt love it so I recommend watching it and forming your own opinion. The 1/7/99 title switch is red-hot and awesome "Taue zeroes in on a body part and finds creatieve ways to torture it match", it would make my Top 12 but we are missing too much of the match.
Two of the better tag team matches from late All Japan as the new pairings are on display. Some people really, really like the 3/6/99. I liked it, but didnt love it so I recommend watching it and forming your own opinion. The 1/7/99 title switch is red-hot and awesome "Taue zeroes in on a body part and finds creatieve ways to torture it match", it would make my Top 12 but we are missing too much of the match.
Kenta Kobashi vs. Jun
Akiyama – AJPW 4/11/98
Mitsuharu Misawa vs
Jun Akiyama – AJPW 4/18/98
I didn't watch much from the '97 Carnival, but these are the two matches that stood out from the '98 Carnival as the rise of Akiyama was happening, but as usual with All Japan it was very gradual.
I didn't watch much from the '97 Carnival, but these are the two matches that stood out from the '98 Carnival as the rise of Akiyama was happening, but as usual with All Japan it was very gradual.
Kenta Kobashi vs
Hiroshi Hase – 8/26/97
The last cut match. Many, myself included, extol this match as a way to see how Kobashi would have wrestled outside of All Japan. While Hase did not make too much of an impact in All Japan, he was the only major New Japan defector to All Japan. While All Japan did absorb some of the shoot style talent from UWFi, for the most part, All Japan was a self-sustaining, isolated entity. This is why matches like Kawada vs Albright from '95 and this match here stand out as they are a small glimpse into how the All Japan boys would have fared outside their natural habitat. Hase brings a more amateur style background with takedowns and suplexes so Kobashi does play his game while staying true to himself. It is a neat dynamic.
The last cut match. Many, myself included, extol this match as a way to see how Kobashi would have wrestled outside of All Japan. While Hase did not make too much of an impact in All Japan, he was the only major New Japan defector to All Japan. While All Japan did absorb some of the shoot style talent from UWFi, for the most part, All Japan was a self-sustaining, isolated entity. This is why matches like Kawada vs Albright from '95 and this match here stand out as they are a small glimpse into how the All Japan boys would have fared outside their natural habitat. Hase brings a more amateur style background with takedowns and suplexes so Kobashi does play his game while staying true to himself. It is a neat dynamic.
Top Twelve Matches Of All Japan Pro Wrestling 1997-1999
#12. Jun Akiyama vs Yoshinari Ogawa – Budokan 9/11/98
Just rewatched this and this fun as fuck. Don't usually describe AJPW in the 90s as fun, but this was wicked fun. Budokan was totally 100% behind the Rat Boy Cinderella as he Lied, Cheated, Stole their hearts. The DDT at the beginning got a massive pop and when Akiyama rammed his shoulder into the post the crowd was cheering. Surreal. Ogawa did a great job working some nifty submissions and outsmarted Akiyama on a drop down sequence. You know how I know he pointed to his head. Akiyama had enough of this bullshit and just throwing elbows and murdered him with a high knee. Rat Boy never says die and hits a freaking superplex and then a fucking TIGER DRIVER! The crowd loses their shit! Just starts chanting Ogawa! He was having so much fun. Nice cradle back drop driver and he cant believe he did not get three. Akiyama fires up off Ogawa punches, but cant get Exploder and we get a barrage of Ogawa cradles including the jackknife pin that won him the six-man. This was a super hot sequence! Of course, Akiyama finally wrangles him in and DESTROYS RAT BOY WITH EXPLODERS. Awesome, fun match. A great fucking way to spend 12 minutes of your life. Both wrestlers played their characters to a tee and the Budokan was AWESOME! ****1/4
#11. Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama – Champions Carnival 4/4/99
A very macho Kobashi match and I loved it. I currently have this #3 on the year from AJPW (behind Misawa/Kawada and RWTL Finals). Kobashi and Akiyama feed into each other's worst excesses in NOAH, but here it was incredibly compelling to try to watch Akiyama meet Kobashi in a meathead match before turning to destroying the knee.
The beginning is pure Kobashi: shoudlertackles, test of strength and Akiyama running through chops. Akiyama changes it up with a flying crossarmbreaker. Great arm work and great arm selling by Kobashi. Akiyama going after the chop and the lariat and really trying to deprive Kobashi of his weapons, his strength and his machismo. Kobashi hits a spinning back chop and literally chops through the pain. That's why Kobashi is the best ever is his way of selling I am really fucking hurt, BUT IM A MAN and I am going to dish it out anyway. Very Macho. Kobashi slowly starts selling arm less and less as he is more and more in control. It looks like he has the match in hand. He misses a spinning back chop and Akiyama dropkicks the bad knee, which was his strategy in both of the 1998 matches. Now there is a paradigm shift Akiyama is no longer meeting Kobashi man to man, he is taking the low road and attacking the leg and a weakness. Now Kobashi has to really fire up. This is great Mutoh 2001 type work, dragon leg screws, STF, missile dropkick to knee, rolling kneebar. God the selling in the knee is incredible. Some of the best selling you will ever see in a single hold. My biggest pet peeve is when a wrestler releases a hold, Akiyama does just that with the Scoprion Deathlock. Kobashi is trying to scoot away and Akiyama is stomping the knee and verbally berating him. Very macho match. This is really great of a random All Japan Carnival match. Kobashi fires up and hits the Half Nelson suplex to give us some hope and him some life. Knee is too hurt capitalize. Another one now, but when he tries the powerbomb, he releases prematurely because his knee gives way on him. Great stuff! Tries to press his advantage but Akiyama kicks him in the bad knee and then again on the apron and bulldogs him to the floor. Big Akiyama finish run with Exploder for two getting a big reaction and then a wicked German/Exploder gets another nearfall. Third Exploder and is countered with Sleeper Suplex and this is the leveling the playing field moment.
Kobashi wants the Burning Lariat baddddd, Akiyama tries for Exploder, BURNING LARIAT~! Damn what impact! Akiyama tries escape to ropes and is throwing back elbows, quick cradle after a kick to knee is a good nearfall before Spinning Back Chop/Burning Lariat finishes him off.
Awesome macho powerhouse match. So much pride in this match. Great transitions, great selling by Kobashi, amazing offensive run by Akiyama with great focus. Kobashi's offense was the perfect combination of power and vulnerability. Once the Exploders started up it was typical hot AJPW finish run. In my opinion their second best match ever together.
#10. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi –
Budokan 6/11/99
Misawa comes into this match the newly minted champion defeating Vader for the title at the Baba Memorial Dome Show (last really great Vader singles match). Since their last meeting in October of 1998, Misawa had lost the titles to Kawada in the infamous Ganso Bomb/Kawada's arm breaks match and Kobashi lost in the Champion Carnival Finals of '99 to Vader. Kobashi is 0-4 in Triple Crown match against Misawa at this point.
A decidedly slower build to this 43 minute epic sees Kobashi start off with a quick flying cross armbreaker before settling into a headlock sequence. If you are going to go long, I prefer the slower, NWA-style build they opt for and in addition Kobashi is taking a much more conservative approach. After losing 4 times, I think he realizes him taking chances had cost him so if he could wear Misawa down to set up his bombs he would have a better chance. Kobashi works his way into a hammerlock targeting the arm, which all Misawa opponent know is the bets strategy. I like the teasing of the headrops here, but with nobody landing any. They do some really nice tests of strength here, which I always enjoy as a way to show each competitor's manliness. Misawa is nominal in control and Kobashi invites him into a strike exchange, which is an interesting strategy. Against pretty much anybody else, Kobashi and his chop would have a definitive edge, but Misawa with his elbow is his equal If not his superior. Kobashi does win the strike exchange with a blistering barrage of spinning back chops. That first one was particularly nasty. Kobashi begins work on Misawa's midsection using his knee lift as the primary weapon. He gives Misawa a little too much room to breathe and he fires back with an elbow and Kobashi ends up on the outside. Now this has been where a lot of the turning points in the previous matches have happened. Lo and behold, Kobashi catches him in a power slam off the apron. No Misawa diving head first into a steel railing, but it will do. Kobashi goes for a move off the apron, but when Misawa starts to back sass him with some elbows, he grabs his wrist and JUMPS FROM THE APRON TO THE RAILING WRAPPING MISAWA'S ARM AROUND THE GUARDRAIL!!! OH! That's the turning point.
The match actually gets really interesting here and actually had the potential to be the most interesting match of the series in my opinion. It seemed like it was asking the question "What if Misawa did not have his elbow to make the comeback?". Kobashi destroyed the arm, ramming into hard objects, nice hammerlock DDTs, GREAT heat on the cross armbreaker (sold very well by Misawa). Misawa trying to mount a comeback with only kicks was great. Misawa busted up Kobashi's mouth with one of those kicks to the face. Only for Kobashi to start dumping him on his head to set up a Nagata-style armbreaker. Misawa finally stuns Kobashi enough by a wicked kick to the face. Kobashi sells like he has been knocked loopy outside. Misawa is still in a pretty bad way. Outside, he cements his advantage by elbowing Kobashi's bad leg and suplexing him off the apron (successfully doing what he intended to do at 10/97). Then he hits his diving elbow. I don't mind these one-off uses of the elbow and he is selling pretty big. Misawa runs through his stuff: missile dropkick, flying bodypress and then on the Tiger Driver, he releases very quickly because his arm is shot. I love it. He has made most of his comeback through kicks, but when it came time to polish off Kobashi he couldn't. Then he makes a strange decision on the surface. He goes for a Tiger Driver off the apron. Seems silly after not being able to hit the first one properly, but that move was the key to winning 10/98 so if he does hit it, it would seal victory. Showing that Misawa felt he needed a home run now or never.
Kobashi backdrops Misawa onto the apron. He goes for the Half-Nelson Suplex, but Misawa blocks, but on second attempt Misawa eats it. This is actually when my intrigue was piqued. Misawa had to make the first comeback completely without elbows, what was going to happen here. Kobashi went through dumping Misawa on his head a bunch (the powerbomb, powerbomb hotshot was pretty cool), the moonsault was sweet, I LOVED THE CALLBACK TO 7/29/93 with Misawa as Kobashi & Kobashi as Hansen. Whats Misawa's second greatest defensive move after his elbow, well it is the Misawa-rana out of the powerbomb and that's what he nails on the floor sending Kobashi crashing into railing. Misawa creates a lot of space here, but is in a really bad way. Kobashi is actually the next to hit a move being a jumping high knee in the corner. Misawa stakes his defensive position in the corner. He ducks the lariat. Hits a German. Awesome! Kobashi charges again, Misawa gets double elbows up on the lariat arm (1/20/97, but this time needs two elbows).
At this point the match loses its luster for me, Misawa makes his typical comeback elbows included. It just became so routine. I really thought arm work that completely destroyed Misawa's elbow was novel. We had seen Misawa fight through the pain, which I love but making that comeback with kicks was great. The Kobashi finish run was nice and Misawa transition to the real finish run was great, but at the end it became very All Japan same-y. That Tiger Driver '91 was nasty. Cant believe Kobashi kicked out. Nice flash Kobashi hope spot with the sleeper suplex. It was elbows, head drops and Emerald Flowsion. It was awesome, nothing that had not been seen before (well I guess Emerald Flowsion was new, but I was never impressed by that much).
First 15 minutes are well-worked NWA-style championship match that I think sets the table as each competitor as an equal and Kobashi trying to be more conservative in setting up for the win. Loved the transition off the apron into the arm work, great drama with both arm-based submission. Misawa making a "no-elbow" comeback was very cool. Thought the half-nelson suplex transition and Kobashi run was tons of fun (7/29/93 callback popped me huge). The Misawa transition to comeback was again very interesting, but the finish run was same 'ol same 'ol even if it was a great fireworks display. I would say this is the fourth best Misawa/Kobashi match, but one that should get praised more and discussed more.
#9. Burning vs. Stan Hansen & Akira Taue – RWTL 12/3/99
I don't know how I left this one sneak up on me again after that bitchin' 1998 Real World Tag League Final. I figured Hansen in 99, Taue & Hansen never teaming and this not being pimped that would be great (I mean these are 4 of the 25 of the best workers of all time), but not a classic. Wrong! This was badass. Another incredible tag league final, not as great as 12/3/93 or 12/6/96, but I would say 98 & 99 are in the Top 5. In the Hansen/Vader final, I thought Vader was the real unstoppable force, but here I thought Hansen contributed a lot more and loved the dynamic with Taue. I would not say the performance from Burning was as urgent (did not need to be because it is not the same bulldozing team), but damn this was wicked energetic and cut a great pace.
Hansen sets the tone early by attacking before the bell. Hansen bulldozes Kobashi and DOOOOOOOMMMM!!! KO-BASH-I KO-BASH-I KO-BASH-I! Those would actually die down into outright booing upon every save by Kobashi and cheering for Hansen. Kobashi is being overwhelmed by the sheer might of Hansen & Taue. Akiyama is not forgotten as he eats a big boot over the railing. It kinda feels like 1993 in a good way with Kobashi desperately struggling against the bully Hnasen who is dragging him to the apron by chopping him hard to the head and then hitting a monster leg drop on the outside. There is progression because Kobashi is better than Hansen, but there is still that old relationship. Or how much struggle Kobashi needed to take Hansen over on a vertical suplex. Kobashi with some advantage finally tags in Akiyama who slaps the shit out of Hansen, but eats a wicked elbow well that did not last long. Taue has been great in holding this together and really moving everything along while being the dick we know and love. Hits a nice DDT on exposed concrete. Akiyama finally hits a high knee to Taue and tags out immediately. I love that about All Japan tags. The urgency to make a tag rather than the slow American dramatic crawl. Taue hits an enziguiri as Kobashi enters and then TWO AXE KICKS! Tag out to Hansen to a big pop! Huge chop by Kobashi and Hansen crumples to the match. Hansen is good at making that stuff look great. Immediate cover by Kobashi, love the urgency, quick Russian Legsweep and immediate cover, again this is what I find really compelling. Akiyama fucks up again pretty quickly goes flying over the top rope and Taue pounces and drops him on the railing. Kobashi is pissed and ends up in railing too. Taue is such a great number two heel. Taue drops Akiyama on the top rope and then it is AIR TAUE!!! Flying bodypress from Taue, LOVE IT! Kobashi starts saving Akiyama to boos! WOW! Akiyama gets a middle rope dropkick and tags out to Kobashi. Awesome hot tag even if the crowd has turned on Kobashi out of respect for Hansen. Spinning Back Chops to Taue, Hansen tries to go all Bull in China Shop, but Kobashi him collide on a shoulder tackle. HUGE! DDT on Taue! Powerbomb On Taue! Legdrop! Bodyslam! FIST PUMP! I LOVE ALL JAPAN PRO WRESTLING!
Hansen stops moonsault and having flashbacks to 7/29/93 with Kobashi on top rope and Hansen on the apron. Taue gets back suplex and tags in Hansen. They do lose a bit of steam here because that felt red hot, but they bring it back down before really kicking off a molten finish sequence. Kobashi tags out to Akiyama and the fun begins. Northern Lights by Akiyama to Hansen is impressive. Hansen headbutts to Akiyama and feels like a war and powerbombs Akiyama, but Kobashi saves to boos. Here is where Taue takes over and kicks all sorts of ass.
Jumping big boot into a badass German Suplex. Then he drags Akiyama to the apron to hit the Nodowa and the drama is at a fever pitch. Hansen drags Kobashi away. Taue huge overhead chops on Akiyama. This is crazy. Akiyama elbows him mid-air to block the move! But Taue hits NODOWA on the floor anyway because he is a boss. Awesome last second save. Like it really felt last second. Then there is an awesome struggle over the next Nodowa in the ring. Akiyama tenaciously holding onto the top rope, Taue kicking off the top rope, Hansen hits a wicked elbow to break Akiyama's clasp on the ropes and Taue hits the MOTHER OF ALL NODOWADS!!! KICK OUT!!! WHAT THE FUCK!!! Totally lost my shit! Taue whips Akiyama into Hansen and Akiyama hits a high knee on Hansen! BURNING LARIAT ON HANSEN! Exploders for Taue, knee to back of the head and Wrist-Clutch Exploder with Kobashi counting along does Taue in!
Awesome bomb throwing tag team match that harken back to the glory days of All Japan 90s tag wrestling. Excellent pace, everything so urgent, just constant struggle to win the match. Everything was geared towards winning. Again the heels try to feed a babyface in for a Western Lariat, but again Burning thwarts their plans. Thought Hansen was even better than last year. Taue was a great addition that Nodowa drama was off the charts hot. I would say not as urgent or as gripping as Burning trying to overcome Vader/Hansen, but this was a different match but closer to the fast-paced All Japan epics. Loved this!
#8. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mistuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada –
Budokan 1/22/99
AJPW Match of the Year, 1999
Kawada breaks his arm about 10 minutes into the match on a Tiger Driver of all things. You can actually see him clutch on camera if you pay close attention. On the second Tiger Driver he pays closer attention to how he falls. He basically has not use of his right arm for the rest of the match. What a trooper.
Misawa is coming off his first loss in the series and it is important he gets out to a big lead. Kawada tries a leg attack (which worked in 98) and Misawa elbows through it. Nice diving elbow through the ropes. Nobody is better at this than Misawa. Kawda kicks him hard in the head as he is coming off the top rope. Misawa sells this so swell rolling to the outside writhing in pain. He is only topped by Kawada's selling of his foot. He sells it so well I thought Kawada broke his foot. I knew he broke something in this match but couldn't remember what. So I stopped the match to look up that he broke his arm. Now that's great selling. Kawada basically kicks Misawa in the face a lot like a lot and it is glorious. Wicked spinning back chop by Kawada to Misawa's back of Misawa's head. Misawa is pissed and rattles off a wicked Roaring Elbow. Misawa comes out with a pair of Tiger Drivers (arm-breaker is the first one) Kawada powders and he is clutching arm in pain. Somersault plancha and then a Tiger Suplex inside. OW! Kawada gets up and flops like a fish. Roaring Elbow misses and it is a BACKDROP DRIVER! Kawada looked like he was about to get squashed before that opening. He pounces on the leg with nasty roundhouse kicks to the knee. Misawa is able to keep Kawada at bay from applying a figure-4 or a single leg crab at first. Kawada hits a kneecrusher and Misawa is left standing elbows the shit out of Kawada and Kawada reverse the Tiger Suplex with ONE arm and hits kick to the knee to set up two stretch plums. The knee psychology has been really good to set up Kawada's headshots and bombs. It is not too overwhelming either. Misawa has established a certain level of selling and is sticking with it. I like the elbows, missile dropkick, only for Kawada to roundhouse kick the knee and get a figure-4. Basically it becomes can Kawada leverage the knee injury to a victory or can Misawa basically elbow through it to a win. They leave a lot of the Misawa and Kawada spots out of this. Misawa pissed at Kawada kicking his leg and starts furiously kicking Kawada's leg. Epic flick of sweat from the brow. Roaring Elbow but cant capitalize due to knee and he walks into a barrage of enziguiri, wicked spinning heel kick. Misawa has one last gasp with a German suplex but cant hold bridge due to knee. Kawada powers out of Tiger Driver with one arm and the Kappo Kick sets up the BRAINBUSTER!!! Misawa never really recovers. Here we go! Why this match is famous...GANSO BOMB~! It is every bit as sick as I remember it. Should have been the finish. I remember it as the finish. Kawada hits the Brainbuster to win after some token Misawa elbows (great sell of the enziguiri falls right into the ref).
Incredible match! I was expecting it to be all about the GANSO BOMB~! but this was a vast improvement over 1998. Kawada's whole objective was to kick Misawa's head off and if Misawa gets any momentum he just kicks him in the knee. The first transition was all because Kawada knows Misawa so well. Besides the one Misawa control segment around 1/3-1/2 point, this was all Kawada. Misawa looked like he was going to blow Kawada out of the water. Again Kawada knows Misawa so well and ducks the Roaring Elbow to hit the backdrop driver. Before using the knee for the rest of the match to set up his bombs and headshots. When Misawa is poised to make the world-famous comeback, he cant follow up the Roaring Elbow and he cant hold the German Suplex pin this leaves him open to the Kappo Kick and finally the GANSO BOMB~! Not a perfect match, but a classic nonetheless and early All Japan match of the year candidate for 1999.
#8. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue – Budokan
9/11/98
Kobashi is so versatile. We see him work great underneath against Kawada and Akiyama and now as champion he works so well on top against Taue. This is not easy for any wrestler to do especially still maintain babyface status.
Really well-worked Clash of Titans match everything was built around bombs and EARNING those bombs. Taue is the only Pillar that can match Kobashi in the power game due to his sheer size. He works a great headlock and it is very hard for Kobashi to escape. Taue goes for NODOWA~! early, but Kobashi freaks out and hits a big spinning back chop and then a delayed vertical suplex. I love that Taue is looking for the win early this freaks Kobashi out and motivates him into action. Kobashi works through his awesome, basic opening match offense and now he is ready to go for his bomb, the powerbomb. Taue is now pressed into action and takes a page out of his partner's book with a big spinning heel kick that wipes out Kobashi. AIR TAUE!!! So clumsy and so awesome! Taue using a lot of dropkicks to inflict damage and keep Kobashi off balance. Kobashi tries to escape to the apron. Bad idea as Taue is the greatest apron worker of all time. He wants the death blow: Nodowa From The Apron. Kobashi is like HELL NO! DDT on apron, but as he climbs the top rope Taue meets him and wants the Nodowa from the top to the floor (That would be the ultimate holy shit moment) Kobashi hits a spinning back chop and then a Powerbomb on the floor for his big bomb. He is the first to score. That transition took roughly 2.5 minutes. It made that Powerbomb feel so much more important. I thought Kobashi did a great job working through suplexes with struggle, another powerbomb before moving to the moonsault and again Taue is spurred into action to save himself and hits a Tenryu enziguiri as he scales the ropes. Taue clobbers Kobashi with a big kick to the head. Kobashi's great selling actually gets this over as a big nearfall. Seriously that move should have been a nearfall with no heat but Kobashi makes the spot. Greatest. Wrestler. Ever. TAUE HITS THE NODOWA FROM THE APRON TO THE FLOOR!!! If this was 1995, that would be a death knell for Kobashi and we would be seeing a new champion. NODOWA~! HUGE KOBASHI CHANTS!!! The Women in the front row are losing their minds. DYNAMIC BOMB~! Kick out. Yep, Taue is toast. Taue wants a running kick or something but if you give Kobashi an inch then he will take a mile and it is a Lariat. However, Taue is up first! To quote The Body "That's just depressing as hell." NODOWA/LEGSWEEP COMBO!!! LOVE IT! I liked how Taue looks progressively more and more fatigued with his sumo slaps. Taue misses the big boot in the corner. All Japan & modern wrestling in general needs more missed moves as transitions. Big fight breaks out and Kobashi wins with a Big Lariat. KOBASHI PUMPS THE FISTS! MOONSAULT~! Only two! BURNING LARIAT~! WOMEN LOSE THEIR MIND! 1-2-3!!!
Right up there with their 2004 GHC classic. The women in the front row having the time of their lives makes this match. Loved Kobashi being able to work so strong for the first 15 minutes and then play that classic underdog babyface that he does so well. Every bomb is earned. At first both try, but that spurs the other into action. Until finally the NODOWA FROM THE APRON HITS! now Kobashi has to come from behind and he shows resilience and it is not just one Lariat but he has to fight through Taue's offense to the bitter end before winning. Excellent match.
